I’m super excited about Mission: Impossible coming back. The first movie is in my list of top 10 movies and I’m a sucker for Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt (and I often quote, “you’ve never seen me ‘very upset.’”). In an amazing feat the limited release of the movie in IMAX (starting Dec 16th) made it the 3rd most popular movie this weekend in the box office. Check out showtimes in your area and “Like” IMAX on Facebook for some behind the scenes featurettes about MI:Ghost Protocol and more info about great IMAX movies: http://www.facebook.com/IMAX.

The Killer Elite opens 9/23. Buy tickets now on Fandango.com.

Find out more about The Killer Elite at killerelite.com

I went to see “The Killer Elite” last week at a special press screening and I have to say I was blown away. I’m not normally one for assassin vs. assassin movies, but “The Killer Elite” is more than just your typical violence for the sake of violence film – it’s actually a real interesting story about trained assassins, government corruption and the role the West has played in the Middle East. Entirely relevant for the current culture and political times today.

Both myself and Lisa, who came along, walked out after seeing it surprised at how much we really enjoyed the film because, at the end of the day, it told a compelling, redemptive story. Added bonus? Yvonne Strahovski (Sarah Walker from Chuck) plays the romantic lead.

Synopsis:

“Based on a shocking true story, Killer Elite pits two of the world’s most elite operatives – Danny, an ex-special ops agent (Jason Statham) and Hunter, his longtime mentor (Robert De Niro) – against the cunning leader of a secret military society (Clive Owen).  Covering the globe from Australia to Paris, London and the Middle East, Danny and Hunter are plunged into a highly dangerous game of cat and mouse — where the predators become the prey.”

Non-Spoilery Verdict:

Come for the explosions, car chases, stellar cast and leave with a compelling story.

Jason Statham does what he does best in this role: he plays the hard on the outside, teddy bear on the inside lead. As Danny he gets to really play with the tortured soul who is pulled back into the assasian business because of his friend. Robert DeNiro gets to play an excellent role as a foil for Jason’s character adding to every scene he’s in without having to outshine the rest of the cast. Yvonne gets to play a good Australian country girl, and even though her role is smaller than the male leads, she really lights up the screen at every turn. I was pleasantly surprised that her character wasn’t as flat as I had anticipated she might be in this very male genre film.

Clive Owen is masterful and gripping in his role. Of the three male leads I really believed his character most of all.

At the beginning the movie did feel more like an independent film (long, non-actiony type shots), but the action picked up and left me interested through out. There were a couple unexpected turns that the movie made that I wasn’t expecting and the overall message was redemption is possible and who you were does not have to define who you become.

Downsides to the movie (for me) was it was rated R for language (brief nudity) and violence (though the violence wasn’t as bad as I thought it may be).

This is a really great movie based on a non-fiction book The Feather Men and I recommend you go see it for yourself.

Forks Over Knives film is now available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Whole Foods, select Costco stores and more! And, of course, the DVD, Blu-ray, and companion book are available on the Fork Over Knives website.

This is a great film for those concerned about the food they eat. Buy it now on Amazon: http://t.co/BIAZ1Ho

The newest Transformers film is filming by my sister’s work in Chicago so she snapped these pictures. Enjoy!

Photos by Hannah Hansen for QuadrupleZ.com.

The 15TH Anniversary of the Gen Art Film Festival presented by Acura wrapped an exciting week that kicked off with the New York premiere of Sundance Audience Award winner “happythankyoumoreplease” and concluded last night with a ceremony announcing the winners of the Acura Grand Jury Awards, Wonderwall.com’s Stargazer Award and the Festival’s Audience Awards.

Following the closing night premiere of “Mercy,” the award winners were announced at BLVD. Gen Art Senior Vice President of Film Jeffrey Abramson, Gen Art Associate Director Aaron Levine and Jurors Shea Whigham and Eugene Hernandez announced the Festival winners.

The Acura Grand Jury Award for Best Feature went to Tatiana Von Furstenberg and Francesca Gregorini’s “Tanner Hall” with both directors on hand to receive their award last night, and the Acura Grand Jury Award for Best Short went to Vance Malone’s “The Poodle Trainer.” Prizes of $10,000 and $5,000 were presented by Acura to the Feature and Short winners respectively. Josh Radnor’s “happythankyoumoreplease” and Jeff Sousa’s “The Hirosaki Players” took home the Festival’s coveted Audience Awards.

Additionally, Wonderwall.com’s “Stargazer Award” recognized Rooney Mara (“Tanner Hall”) as the most talented emerging actor with “starstuff” from this year’s festival, selected by an esteemed group of festival alumni actors: Paul Schneider, Shea Whigham and Billy Burke. She will be featured in a special gallery on Wonderwall.com this week. The role was Rooney Mara’s first lead role, but she has since gone on to appear in indie films including “Youth in Revolt” and “Dare” both which opened theatrically early this year and late last year respectively, and she will be seen as a lead in the upcoming remake of the classic “A Nightmare on Elm Street” which opens nationally on April 30th. Rooney was on hand to accept the award last night.

During the past week, the Gen Art Film Festival presented by Acura showcased the New York premieres of seven features and seven shorts from emerging filmmakers, each followed by seven parties at New York City’s hottest venues, including SL, Juliet Supper Club, and Avenue. The cutting-edge festival allowed film buffs to experience a premiere like a true insider with interactive elements allowing filmmakers, media and the audience to share in the excitement.

“Happythankyoumoreplease” written and directed by Josh Radnor and featuring Radnor, Malin Akerman, Kate Mara, Zoe Kazan, Pablo Schreiber, Tony Hale and Richard Jenkins opened the festival on April 7th at the historic Ziegfeld Theatre. The remaining films included “Mercy,” “Tanner Hall,” “Waiting for Forever,” “The Wild Hunt,” “Teenage Paparazzo,” and “Elektra Luxx” which all premiered to capacity crowds at the completely redesigned, state-of-the-art Visual Arts Theater in Chelsea.

Celebrities in attendance throughout the week included Adrian Grenier, Josh Radnor, Rachel Bilson, Malin Akerman, Alexis Bledel, Blythe Danner, Diane Von Furstenberg, Carla Gugino, Tom Everett Scott, Kate Mara, Tom Sturridge, Anthony Mackie, Rooney Mara, Zoe Kazan among many others.

“To celebrate our 15th year we sought to program films that would really excite our audience and by all measures we succeeded in doing such” said Jeffrey Abramson. “Our audience award reactions were exceptionally high and enthusiastic and the # of passholders and repeat attendees significantly increased”

“To kick off Spring 2010 with a sold-out 15 Anniversary Film Festival that brought together the highest profile and critically acclaimed set of independent films that we have showcased in our history, that also had such filmmaker and talent support at the festival, was truly inspiring” said Gen Art CEO and co-Founder Ian Gerard. “And to have our festival partner Acura there with us for an eighth year – was the icing on the cake.”

Once the run of the festival was determined, the films were submitted to the official festival jury, comprised of the following:

Feature Jury: Ben Barenholz (Producer), Charles Thorp (NY Entertainment Journalist), Eugene Hernandez (indieWIRE), Kacey Hagler (Fox Searchlight), Meira Bluastein (Woodstock Film Festival)

Short Jury: David Fear (Time Out NY), David Miller (Director, My Suicide), Marc Webb (Alumnus Director, 500 Days of Summer), Robin Bronk (The Creative Coalition), Tom Everett Scott (Actor/ Alumnus Director, “Glock”)

Stargazer Jury (all alumni Gen Art actors): Billy Burke, Paul Schnieder, Shea Whigham

Filmmaker DavidJR created videos encapsulating each night’s premiere and they can be viewed at http://www.genart.org/filmfestival/video.

In addition to Acura, the festival was made possible through the sponsor support of Amazon, Andaz Hotels, Cannon, Chase, Crunch, Don Julio Tequila, General Snus, Honest Tea, Kodak, New York Magazine, Ovation TV, and Stella Artois.

For more information, upcoming events and pictures and video please visit Gen Art’s website at www.genart.org.

A while back, Smart Pop Books announced a Dollhouse essay contest. This is my submission, which failed to make the minimum requirement of 3,000 words. The following is a half-joking comparison between Spy in the House of Love, and the 1992 crime film, Reservoir Dogs. Contains spoilers for both properties, of course.

Reservoir Dolls: An Analysis on Spy in the House of Love.
by John Pavlich

In the ninth episode from Dollhouse’s first season, a mole is suspected amidst the big boss’s codenamed crew. While said boss is away, the employees point fingers and accuse each other. Meanwhile, and undercover agent reveals their disguise to someone they care about, a character dies (sort of) and someone gets shot in the stomach. This story is told from the alternating perspectives of a few different characters, complete with title cards announcing their given names.

Sound familiar? It should. It’s more or less the synopsis behind Quentin Tarantino’s cult-classic debut film, Reservoir Dogs. In that independent crime-thriller from 1992, a group of color-titled men hideout in a warehouse after an attempted diamond heist goes awry. While awaiting the return of their employer, the surviving “Dogs” turn on each other in an effort to figure out the identity of the one that tripped them up, someone who they believe walks among them. The narrative back tracks to show us the lives of a few separate characters leading up to the event in question, each with their own namesake chapter heading.

What does one have to do with the other? Why compare Reservoir Dogs with Dollhouse? Why not the Wizard of Oz with Dollhouse? What’s that smell? Why am I still single? Some of these questions will be answered below, as we dig a little deeper into this Dollhouse episode, and take a look at just how far the similarities go, character to character.

Adelle DeWitt:
Essentially the Joe Cabot of the piece. Adelle calls the shots. She refers to the Dolls/Dogs by their pre-selected codenames and sends them out on different assignments, which can sometimes include an actual heist or two. She’s even known to have a number of Actives spread out over separate engagements, concurrently. Just like Joe, Adelle keeps Whiskey near by, ready to hand out to anyone in need. This is not only a reference to Amy Acker’s “Doctor” character, but to the actual alcohol she has in her office. Also, she can be on the mannish side at times, but I’m stretching at this point. We didn’t see Joe’s side-story during his absence in Reservoir Dogs, but unless he too was on a secret play date with a prostitute, the similarities end there. Adelle could also be seen as Mr. Orange, since she operates under her own secret agenda and gets a bullet in the abdomen, but I digress.

Mellie:
This character only mildly fits into this equation, in the Freddy Newandyke/Mr. Orange role, when he reluctantly informs his friend Mr. White that he is not who he claimed to be, upsetting him. Similarly, Mellie reveals herself to be a Doll, a product of the Dollhouse, which is the very institution Special Agent Paul Ballard is fighting against. This news does not go over well.

Paul Ballard:
Which brings us to Paul, naturally. He assumes the Larry Dimmick/Mr. White part. Paul has utter disdain for and fear of Dolls. So, when the woman he’s been caring for and confiding in all this time turns out to be one, he is mortified and upset, feeling the utmost betrayed and manipulated. In Quentin’s film, the fan base likes to hypothesize about potential homosexuality between Freddy and Larry. However, while we do know for a fact that Paul and Mellie have had sex, even after her revelation (albeit rough, angry hate sex), it’s probably safe to assume that the two friends in “Dogs” just shared a cigarette, at most.

Alpha:
Sadly, he’s not in this episode, but Alpha is clearly Mr. Blonde/Vic Vega. Actor, Alan Tudyk even has Blonde hair. Moving on.

Topher Brink:
For all intents and purposes, Topher is not much more here than “Nice Guy” Eddie Cabot. It could be simply argued that Adelle regards him within a similar, Parent-Child relationship but there’s more. In the vein of Nice Guy Eddie, Topher spends much of his time on the phone to his boss, trying to accommodate his associates and assess problems as they occur. Perhaps it would be more fitting (read: funny) to just say he’s the obnoxious, selfish weasel Mr. Pink and be done with it.

Claire Saunders:
In Reservoir Dogs, after Mr. White pleads for Mr. Orange to receive medical care, Nice Guy Eddie finally barks, “Alright, Mr. F***ing Compassion! I will call somebody!”. By the end of the film, he shows back up with a Doctor’s bag, presumably ready to perform any necessary surgery himself. In that rough, thin way, Claire Saunders is totally Nice Guy Eddie. All he needs is a lab coat. And facial scars. And breasts. And a Uterus.

Victor:
Nope. I got nothin’. Crap, and things were going well, too.

Boyd Langton:
See above. Although, Boyd could be seen as a combination of Mr. White and Mr. Orange. On the one hand, he has a friendship with Echo, and Topher (arguably). On the other hand, both he and Freddy have ties to the police force. On the other hand (yes, this freak has multiple appendages and I thank you for not making a thing of it! Okay?!), similar to Mr. White, Boyd also has a shady past that’s less than wholesome.

Sierra:
This Active is mostly regulated to a kind of side plot, what’s known as a “B Story”. However, she does provide valuable information and tools that help the Hero to better complete their task and save the day. In that sense, Sierra is Officer Holdaway from Reservoir Dogs. He coaches Freddy on how to be a more convincing mole (or “rat”, to coin the film), and even provides Freddy with a phony story about a drug deal gone bad. This allows the young cop to endear himself to his fellow criminals, earning their trust and respect.

Lawrence Dominic:
Though the character is a lot like Mr. Orange, in that he is essentially an Officer of the law who is revealed to be a spy, infiltrating the operation he’s in bed with, Dominic is also quite like Marvin Nash. That unfortunate soul was beaten up and killed. The same thing more or less happens to Adelle’s Head of Security here. He gets in a fight with Echo, is interrogated for information and is essentially “killed” by way of a trip to The Attic.

Echo:
Given the very nature of her character and her condition, Echo is harder to pin down in this little exercise. At any given moment, she is all of these characters, and none of them. I suppose she could also be seen as Mr. Orange, but that’s mostly from an obvious, surface-level Protagonist/Main Character standpoint, which doesn’t hold much weight, if any. Basically, this one doesn’t really fit. Skip to the end.

Outside of character-specific parallels, both properties share some of the same themes. The characters in Dollhouse are consistently assuming identities and roles that are not of their original selves. So does Reservoir Dogs. Though we spend roughly 90 minutes with these theiving criminals, we only get to know so much about them, most of it completely fabricated. At least in Dollhouse, we learn some of the Actives’ birth names. Only three of the “Dogs” provide us with such privledged information. Both titles also raise questions of trust and loyalty, some characters unsure of where their allegences may lay.

There are many contrasts to debunk this wild idea, of course. In Reservoir Dogs, save for a couple of extras and day players, the entire cast is comprised of men. While the Dolls do walk around in virtually the same outfits, Tarantino’s story would be hard to take seriously if his cast were all wearing pajamas, not suits and ties. Dollhouse is a television series dealing in mind wipes and brain-mapping. Reservoir Dogs? Not so much. It’s more concerned with vulgar language, Mexican Standoffs, tough guy machismo and paying tribute to Vincent Van Gogh. Not to mention, the film has a great soundtrack album, featuring several classic tracks from the 1970s’ and the great, monotone voice of Comedian, Steven Wright. The day an official soundtrack album is released for Dollhouse, I’ll eat… something edible and made of food.

It’s not a perfect metaphor, but there is enough here, especially within the aesthetics of the piece to suggest that Writer, Andrew Chambliss and Director, David Solomon knew what they were doing. Some of the similarities are too strong for this Dollhouse episode to be just a coincidence, written off as a passing resemblance to what is considered by Empire Magazine to be the “Greatest Independent Film of all Time”.*

I mean, come on! The song “Little Green Bag” is so obviously a reference to the tea packages from Adelle’s mysterious, “Green Tea Pot of Doom!” It practically writes itself, except that it didn’t. I wrote it. Unless it sucked. Maybe if Dollhouse had more Steven Wright and more cow bell, it might still be on the air today.

*http://www.filmsite.org/independentfilms3.html

If you haven’t been catching the amazing marathon over at TCM, you’re missing out. To celebrate the 2010 Oscars they’ve been playing 360 different Oscar-winning movies! The festival of movies started on Feb 1st Kevin Bacon and James Coco in Only When I Laugh (1981). The final movie in the festival, Diner (1982), starring Bacon, will bring the entire month full circle. Apparently TCM can play 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon too!

I’m looking forward to rewatching The Bells are Ringing with Dean Martin. And maybe discovering some new favorite films!

Click here to visit the official site and see the schedule.

The Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented live on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

I wrote this article after receiving a press release from YouCast Corporation. I received a TCM Oscar Party pack including popcorn, coasters and other party items as a thank you.

When I was nine my father handed me a book that would alter my future forever. This book? A hard-cover, red, un-assuming volume of Sherlock Holmes stories. I was hooked and became a devotee of the third order — a true “Sherlockian” (someone from America who is a fan and scholar of Sherlock Holmes). Holmes was my obession for years – I collected more copies of the stories, I read thick analytical books, I learned what a gas-lamp was and spelled color with a “u” because that’s how they did in the Holmes stories.

So when the first news of Robert Downey Jr. taking up Holmes’ role I was excited. There’d be a couple attempts at re-starting the Holmes legacy after the death of Jeremy Brett – but none got too far. Then I saw the first pictures and was confused. I was afraid that my beloved hero had been reduced to a comic book characture. I entered the film on Christmas day equal parts excited and afraid.

I was not disappointed. The Holmes that blazed across the screen was powerful, human, funny and true to form. Many have commented about Holmes’ physicality, but Holmes was always an impressive fighter. In the first novel “A Study in Scarlet” Watson lays out everything he knows about Holmes in an attempt to understand what Holmes might do for a living. The list included: “is an expert singlestick player, boxer, and swordsman.” Watson himself is no old, tottering man. He had just returned from war when he meets Holmes. The two were in their prime.

Doyle often left the actual fighting to an off-chance remark from Holmes. Such is the case in The Final Problem where Holmes appears at Dr. Watson’s home with bleeding knuckles.

“I took a cab after that and reached my brother’s rooms in Pall Mall, where I spent the day. Now I have come round to you, and on my way I was attacked by a rough with a bludgeon. I knocked him down, and the police have him in custody..”

That said, the film is also highly enjoyable for non-Holmes fans. The plot is tightly wound (even if the crimes themselves seem haphazard). Even small things (like Holmes & Watson’s dog) are carried through the entire adventure. There’s enough action balanced with humanity to keep the film interesting for all involved. The friendship between Holmes and Watson is a palpable platonic bond that defies logic (must like the stories).

I also loved the set designs. They had the beautiful grungy look that made them realistically Victorian without losing the artistic edge. The action sequences were intense without being vomit-inducing (as many modern films have become). I also loved the editing and shot selection (even the playful shot that starts with a “this side up” box and then moves to realize the box is, in fact, upside down).

Robert Downey Jr. was phenomenal as Holmes. He had enough of the cold, calculating persona trimmed with the anti-social without being unlovable. We can see that Holmes does have feelings, but that he doesn’t allow those to get in the way of his actions. Science/Reason is his main love (though Irene comes a close second).

Another delightful twist on the story is Mary. She is, in fact, in the stories (The Sign of Four), but as a client first. Her performance in the hospital hallway was chillingly awesome and added a strong emotional point without being over the top.

My heart also thrilled with the open story line for the next film — I’m ready Mr. Richie.

(Photo: Lin Pictures/Warner Brothers)

Buy The Cheesy Adventures of Captain Macaroni: The Greastest Treasure on Amazon.com.

When I first received a screener copy of The Cheesy Adventures of Captain Macaroni I was extremely excited. I grew up on a variety of great Christian kids programs (like The Greatest Adventure Stories From The Bible, The Flying House and Superbook). I was delighted to get the same enjoyable, funny and memorable experience with The Cheesy Adventures of Captain Macaroni that I did with my childhood videos.

The best part of the DVD was the characters. Captain Macaroni is a lovable, enjoyable super hero who is a bit silly but also wise. His sidekick, a cream-pie throwing rooster named Cheese, brings in the comedic value and offers a good foil for Captain Macaroni. I was especially impressed with the inclusion of a Hispanic character, Eddie and an African-American character, Mikey. Eddie is a genius and gets to throw in a tiny bit of Spanish when talking with Captain Macaroni.

Another great part of the DVD was the humor. It was, as the name suggests, kind of cheesy, but fun. With jokes that kids and adults can enjoy, while still being clean and wholesome. I was very glad to see there was little in the way of teasing or poking fun at other characters (an extremely easy to pick up trait that kids shouldn’t get help with).

The animation is done by the Animation Collective, who also work on cartoons for Disney, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. I really liked the hybrid of Anime and traditional animation styles, which make the cartoon seem modern and enjoyable. Produced in conjunction with Daystar the plot is focused on good values, but told in a way that makes it fun (not preachy).

If you’re looking for a great, wholesome DVD for kids 4-9, I’d say give Captain Mac.A.Roni a try!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of “The Cheesy Adventures of Captain Macaroni: The Greatest Treasure of All” for review, but the review is entirely my own personal opinion and I was not compensated for this post.

All these new, glossy horror remakes got you down? Looking for something with more of a brutal, retro vibe? Ever wanted to see Danielle Harris in a plaid skirt, carrying a large pick ax? Look no further than Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet.


WARNING: Contains Minor Spoilers!

Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet (if you’re not into the whole brevity thing), opens with a dark and stormy prologue in 1978, Long Island, New York. Young Mary Mattock suddenly goes postal on her parents, slaughtering them both in some gruesome ways. Merely 2 minutes and 48 seconds into the story, we’re treated to the first of many scenes boasting some rather impressive gore effects. More on that later.

After the police have arrived and carted the dead folks away, we flash cut to another prologue. This one takes place in 1989, at a Psychiatric Center. Mary, now played by perpetually naked, loud and proud screamer Samantha Facchi (The Book, Night for Day, The Abductor), is locked away in a seemingly otherwise vacant wing of the hospital. One of the employees has been making nightly visits to her room. During a rather disturbing and terrifying rape scene, he impregnates her.

We skip ahead some more to the birth (and death) of Mary’s child. The final straw broken, Mary manages to massacre the entire staff. She escapes, but doesn’t get very far. After tossing a severed head into the windshield of a police car, the cops shoot her full of holes, putting an end to her short, terrible life. Everything I just described happens all within the first twelve minutes of the film’s brisk running time, before the title card.

Through some flashy opening credits, we get the Cliff Notes version of those previous scenes. Additionally, we learn that Mary’s death results in a town holiday called (you guessed it), Blood Night. It’s an excuse for people to “dress up” like Mary Mattock (now known as Mary Hatchet), and cause random acts of chaos and vandalism. By the time we reach present day, Blood Night has been condemned by town officials, but that doesn’t seem to stop anyone. It’s here that we meet our “heroes”. I use the term loosely because well, these guys are pretty much jerks. Their dismissal of a couple of “nerds” tells us these are the cool kids. If they’re having a party, that’s where you want to be.

Thankfully, many of the actors bring their own natural charm and likability to the parts. Nate Dushku (Joan of Arcadia, Tru Calling, The Zodiac), brother to Joss Whedon muse, Eliza is fun to watch in all his punk-swagger glory, plus he has awesome hair. Seriously. Likewise, Alissa Dean (Midnight Club II, Cold Case, Without A Trace) stands out from the bevy of beautiful women here. She’s one to watch for in the future.

After painting the town with eggs, the group decides to visit the grave of Mary Hatchet, attempting to wake her spirit with a Ouija Board. Later, while a raging party of beer and sex goes down, someone (or something) begins to slaughter these disrespectful teenagers one by one. Much of the film plays out in typical, predictable slasher fashion, but it’s not without its merits. The proceedings embody a fun, retro 80s’ sensibility and there’s plenty of top shelf gore to go around. My favorite bits include intestines being pulled through someone’s back while coiled around the murder weapon, and a hatchet removing a portion of someone’s skull so that we get to witness all the brainy delights inside.

Outside the fine, young cast of relative unknowns, we get appearances from two Horror movie icons. Bill Moseley (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Army of Darkness, House of 1,000 Corpses) plays a wise, old caretaker who likes to tell scary stories and drink his body weight in booze. Danielle Harris (Halloween 4 & 5, The Last Boy Scout, Urban Legend) is sensational here, playing a sweet, friendly girl with a disturbing secret. In the past, Danielle has expressed a personal wish concerning her part in the Halloween franchise (which I wholeheartedly agree with). It took about 20 years, but in a roundabout way, her wish was finally granted. For that, I am thankful to the makers of Blood Night.

Thanks to the great PR work provided by Big Picture Media, I was sent a screener DVD in the mail. Aside from an occasional watermark on the screen (reminding the viewer that the film is property of innovative production company, Chaos Squared), the image is virtually flawless for its humble budget. Colors are rich, blacks are deep and detail is smooth and clear. Blood looks especially thick and hearty. Cinematographer, Jarin Blaschke uses the 2.35 aspect ratio to great effect, capturing every spanning moment of projectile bloodshed.

The sound mix is unknown to me, but I’d wager it’s a mostly solid 5.1 arrangement. The score by Victor Bruno and Stephen Tubin is simple, yet eerie and memorable. It’s never overstated. The foley work is exceptionally grand and dynamic. However, some of the dialogue sounds rather odd and flimsy, lacking in resonance. It’s sparse, but it’s as if some dialogue was looped in post and simply layered on top of the original recordings. Then again, it could just be my copy. Who knows?

As this is a screener disc, no special features are present.

See above. Screener disc, so only the movie itself was made available to me. This segment isn’t completely wasted, though. I was sent a nice folder with a striking, wall of blood theme to it. Inside, there was a clear plastic case that housed the disc itself, but I also found full-color printouts (with screen caps) brimming with tons of information about the cast, crew, production companies and the film’s story itself. Apparently, it’s inspired by an actual Long Island legend!

*** out of 4.

For a first-time feature film, writer and director, Frank Sabatella has done well for himself. The film is far from perfect. There are pacing issues aplenty, many of the characters lack definition and the big “reveal” that comes way too late is nothing special (I figured it out early on, without really trying but your mileage may vary). Still, Blood Night has slick cinematography, precision editing, good performances and crowd-pleasing special effects. Plus, I was never bored, which is more than I can say for even some of the bigger, expensive productions in Horror these days.

Blood Night is currently listed in Amazon.com’s “Top 100 Horror Movies Sold”, just behind The Blair Witch Project and Army of Darkness. Not too shabby if you ask me. If you’ve got some rowdy friends over on a Saturday night, you should definitely consider making it a Blood Night. Yeah, that’s right. I went there.

Buy Fame (2009) or Pre-Order Fame (1980) [Blu-ray]

Nearly thirty years ago the world watched as seven students were admitted to the New York High School of Performing Arts, and began to fight for their dreams. The MGM academy award winning film Fame was born, addressing surprisingly controversial issues for 1980. From homosexuality to teen pregnancy, abortion to drug use, illiteracy to interracial relationships, Fame took its audience through all four years of high school for this small group of students.

In 2009, United Artists brought back the writer of the first film, Christopher Gore, and attempted to recreate a classic. Characters were shuffled around, genders changed, and this time, we watched as ten students this time were admitted to the same high school, and the timeline remained similar to the original, following the characters through to graduation.

In viewing both films, it’s clear that the original was far edgier than the remake. With its heavy themes and unique take on teenagers in the eighties, the movie had more of an impact than its twenty first century counterpart. The remake focuses more on familial relationships, and is clearly more uplifting, with a very brief touch on teenage suicide. The theme of the first was survival; the second, dreams.

1980

Doris Finsecker (Maureen Teefy) – A shy girl who’s mother wants her to get in more than she does in the beginning, forcing her to sing for an audition for the drama department. She wants Doris to go because she doesn’t trust public schools, and they can’t afford private. Eventually she finds a boyfriend in Ralph Garcie (who in pure teen movie fashion, annoyed her earlier in the film).

Coco Hernandez (Irene Cara) – The ‘token Hispanic’ present in so many movies of the time period, Coco is portrayed by the singer Irene Cara. Coco is in school hoping to use it to jumpstart her career. Her philosophy is to keep looking for the next best thing. As she tells another student, she believes she’s “doing [her] last dance on this dark little planet”. She’s determined that it be amazing.

Ralph Garci/Raul Garcia (Barry Miller) – Another Hispanic who doesn’t really want to be, Ralph makes it into the school based primarily on his comic routines. Essentially, he’s a jerk, though we discover that the reason he acts this way is only to protect himself from being hurt. Deep down, he’s loyal to his family, wanting to be a comedian in order to make enough money to take care of his sisters.

Montgomery McNeil (Paul McCrane) – The only homosexual student (that we know of) , Montgomery is the somewhat of an outcast who doesn’t care. It’s through him that we watch Doris’ and Ralph’s relationship develop.

Leroy Johnson (Gene Anthony Ray) – An illiterate but talented dancer, Leroy spends most of the film clashing with his English teacher, but in Sophomore year, he is seduced by a transfer student, Hilary, and impregnates her.

Hilary van Doren (Antonia Franceschi) – Transferring in at the beginning of Sophomore Year, Hilary is an upper class ballet dancer. By senior year, she ends up pregnant, but has received an offer to join a dance company. She goes to a clinic for an abortion.

2009

Jenny Garrison (Kay Panabaker) – Again, a shy girl who wants to be an actress. During the course of the film, she enters into a relationship with Marco Ramone, and begins to grow more comfortable with herself.

Denise Dupree (Naturi Naughton) – Her parents enrolled her in the school so that she could enhance her skills as a classical pianist, but while in school, Denise discovers that she is a talented singer. Under the influence of two other students, she records a song, is offered a record contract, and realizes her dream of becoming a singer, following in the footsteps of Alicia Keys and Mariah Carey.

Marco Ramone (Asher Book) – Jenny’s boyfriend, Marco is an extremely talented singer who, in Jenny’s words, things just come easy to.

Malik Washburn (Collins Pennie) – Malik is a rapper who has seen some pretty horrible things in his life, as we learn through the film. Not long before it took place, he saw his sister get shot by crossfire during a gang war. He spends the film sneaking off to school behind his mother’s back, who feels that drama and singing are useless for life.

Kevin Barrett (Paul McGill) – Kevin is a dancer who, according to his teacher, just is not good enough. The only reason he is there is that he loves to dance, and doesn’t want to just be a teacher. In the end, he’s told by his teacher that he should really give it up. Instead of graduating, he returns home to teach dance.

Alice Ellerton (Kherington Payne) – Taking on Hilary’s role of the upper class dancer, Alice falls for the unlikely Victor Taveras, but in the end leaves him – and school – before graduation to join a dance company. She, unlike Hilary, does not end up pregnant.

The music of the original Fame is part of what propelled Irene Cara into the limelight. She sang three songs, “Hot Lunch” (originally slated to be the movie’s title, but changed when the producer noticed a pornographic film playing on 42nd street with the same name), “Out Here on My Own”, and “Fame”. All the songs written for the film were designed to tie into its themes, including hope, survival, and the desire to be great and remembered. The final song during the graduation/Senior Showcase is “I Sing the Body Electric”, which is about being comfortable with who you are and at the same time not giving up, and believing that you will go onto greatness.

The remake’s music contains a lot more hip hop and rap, mixed with a few love ballads, sung by Asher Book. Two songs from the original are included, “Out Here on my Own” and “Fame” – though the latter is updated for the year. Both songs are sung by Naturi Naughton. The songs for the new movie are somewhat sexier than the original, and the final graduation song tells you to hold onto your dreams.

Clips from both films:

Original:
“I mean, if I don’t have a personality of my own, so what? I’m an actress! I can put on as many personalities as I want!” – Doris
“To schizophrenia!” – Montgomery

Remake:
“I have talent.” – Malik
“And who on Earth told you that?” – Malik’s Mom
“You did.” – Malik

Take one writer from X2 and mix well with producer Bryan Singer. Sprinkle with impressive cast from the likes of True Blood, Battlestar Galactica and Manhunter. Inject a wicked sense of humor and classic horror. Bake for 2 years. Result: Trick ‘r Treat.


WARNING: Contains Minor Spoilers!

For the uninitiated, Michael Dougherty made an animated short back in 1997 called Season’s Greetings, which featured a burlap sack-headed trickster named Sam, but more on that later. The writer made a name for himself years later, with his contributions to the screenplay for Bryan Singer’s dramatic, superhero opus, X2: X-Men United, arguably the best film in the franchise to date. Dougherty went on to write again for Singer in the comic book film genre, with Superman Returns. The results this time were, debatable.

In any event, their partnership gave Mike the in he needed to expand on his Halloween-themed ideas expressed in that award-winning, hand-made cartoon. With a love for old-school, 80s’ horror and a comic book narrative structure reminiscent of Creepshow and Tales From The Crypt, the young writer/director went for as many wicked laughs and surprising scares as his blood-soaked debut could sustain, much like Sam Raimi and John Carpenter before him.

I bring up those two names specifically because of their resounding relevance. Trick ‘r Treat feels like the fun macabre films those guys were know for back in the 80s’. There’s a twisted sense of infectious glee here that you sadly won’t find anywhere within the sadistic, cynical, drab defeatism of horror today. Though there are a decent amount of geniune scares in this offering, the film cares more about evoking mischievous fun and eerie atmosphere than it does about shocking you or making you vomit (although, believe me when I tell you, there’s a character in the film who does enough of that to last all winter).

I won’t go into great detail in regards to the plot and characters, as much of that is half the fun in discovering for yourself. However, the cast here is quite impressive, both in star power and in quality of performance. It’s difficult to figure out why the film was never given a wide theatrical release on Halloween of 2007 (the initial release). A monkey’s head in a jar could tell you it would have easily made some serious bank, knocking the undeserved Saw franchise off it’s smug perch as King of Halloween.

For starters, you have Tahmoh Penikett (Smallville, Battlestar Galactica, Dollhouse) and Leslie Bibb (Popular, Midnight Meat Train, Iron Man) as an amorous, rule-breaking couple. Then there’s Dylan Baker (Spider-Man, Fido, Drive) in a devilish and memorable performance as a loving but twisted Father and school principal. The next segment features Britt McKillip (The Outer Limits, Sabrina’s Secret Life, Dead Like Me) as a manipulative prankster telling urban legends.

Followed by that, we’re treated to a nice twist on an old classic, involving Anna Paquin (The Piano, X-Men, True Blood), Lauren Lee Smith (Mutant X, The L Word, CSI) and Rochelle Aytes (Drive, Bones, The Forgotten). The last story centers around the local Scrooge of Halloween, played by a nearly unrecognizeable Brian Cox (Braveheart, The Ring, Deadwood). The entire film is connected by Sam, from Season’s Greetings, a fiendish little terror who makes sure the rules of Halloween are respected. He’s played by Quinn Lord (White Noise 2, Smallville, Virtuality) and you can actually see him in the previous segment, as a Peeping Tom. I believe Sam will go down as one of the new horror icons of this generation.

The cinematography from Glen MacPherson (Sliders, Doctor Who: The Movie, Rambo) is presented in a classic, widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1. With the Halloween-based color pallette of orange and black, the film calls up warm memories of early John Carpenter and Dean Cundey. There are plenty of firelight scenes, but no color bleeds to be found. Many of the other tones are lush and vibrant, but never overwhelming. There’s a nice, gritty graphic novel look to the picture (sometimes quite literally). Particularly of note is the striking, crushed red of Anna Paquin’s Halloween costume. Blacks are deep and effective, making for an overall sinister feel.

The 5.1 surround sound for the DVD is nothing spectacular, but it is still very good. Dialogue is clean and even. The sound effects are subtle and specific. It’s fun to kind of strain the ear to pick up everything, whether it’s crackling fire, ominous whispering or dripping blood. It’s a well-rounded mix. The score by Douglas Pipes (Moonstalker, Monster House, City Of Ember) is sometimes a bit bombastic for my taste, but can also be quite memorable and effective at times. The use of the “trick or treat”, nursery rhyme motif is especially nice. Still, I would have preferred less Danny Elfman, more John Carpenter. Your mileage may vary.

I’ve been told the Blu-ray release holds a wealth of quality special features. Unfortunately, you won’t find much here. Thankfully, the lone supplement this disc holds is rather solid. “Season’s Greetings”, is a brief, hand-drawn animated short from 1997. It introduces the earliest conception of the Sam character and is a fun watch. There’s also an informative audio commentary for the short film by Michael Dougherty.

The DVD box art is simple, straightforward and just plain great. Sack Boy Sam stands in all his spooky goodness, next to a burning jack-o-lantern. The orange glow from within the grinning pumpkin illuminates various characters from the film. Yes, it’s all very monochromatic. Nonetheless, it manages to stand out.

The interactive menus on the disc apply the exact same elements, with one minor change. Instead of standing, little Sam is now sitting, probably tired from a night of hacking and slashing. The eerie score calls to viewers in the background, daring you to make a selection. The glowing, neon-slash font is relatively easy to read. Since much of this text rests against a dark background, there’s nothing cluttering the space, making for easy navigation.

**** out of 4.

The horror anthology film is somewhat of a lost art. There’s a level of skill and care that goes into the pacing and structure of this kind of storytelling. You don’t want to front-load your film too much, or you’ll wind up running out of steam by the end. Additionally, a balance must be maintained in the second act, so it doesn’t feel like padding and all the various vignettes (usually three or four, with an added framing story) are each given equal screen time. There’s also something to be said for keeping a consistency in tone, so that all the stories feel more cohesive, like they belong together, rather than having one or more stories feeling like they were forced in from a completely different anthology set.

Michael Dougherty and his talented cast and crew have all crafted something special here. I’m pleased to say that not only is Trick ‘r Treat a deliciously satisfying homage to horror anthology of old, it is also a worthy installment in Halloween-themed fright fests. For a quality double feature this haunted holiday, I highly recommend John Carpenter’s slasher classic for dinner, and then easily munch on this macabre offering for dessert. Happy Halloween, folks!