The Apocalypse Continues. Still.

Rarely do I post only one single trailer, but I wanted to spend a little extra time and give this first look at Resident Evil: Afterlife, the attention it deserves (?). So, if you haven't seen the trailer (or even if you have), check it out, then I'll meet you right after to talk about what we saw! Kay? 

Alright, there is quite a bit to take in with this one, so I'm going to go over a few key things that stand out for me in this trailer. Fittingly, these things are the definition of what the series is and has been, which can almost be broken up into two categories.

I'll start with the good…

Mila Jovovich: Of course, the first thing to mention is seeing the return of Mila Jovovich, who is maybe the biggest draw for most fans of the series. She still looks great and I can feel comfortable in assuming that she will be whopping dat ass in style, as she always does.

Style: Something else I noticed was the visual style of the film. There are a few key shots that look stunning, namely the shot of the Hollywood sign and the one when Alice is jumping from the rooftop. It's an awesome look and the colors and texture almost look like the mate painting backgrounds of yesteryear.

REAL 3-D: I have a major distaste for the need to use the third dimension in EVERY film that comes out. As it was in the 80's, it has become nothing but a gimmick and a means to get the unsuspecting to spend way too much money for a movie that gains nothing from the "next level in cinema!" However, most of these films that are so called 3-D, are imposter conversions of the format and look terrible, but when a movie is crafted specifically for 3-D, it will no doubt look fantastic. Plus, it is that super duper 3-D being used, which we'll be coming back to a little later on.  

MONSTERS!: The last thing that really stuck out was that badass gigantic dude with that burly axe (who I believe is from the fifth game in the series), who looks like he could make up for the folly that was Nemises in Resident Evil: Apocalypse. 

Now, those are some of the positive things about this trailer, next I'll go over the corny and very stereotypical, yet awesome, aspects of the trailer...

Blu Blockers: In a completely original move, there's a dude that throws his super-cool sunglasses at the camera and for the fullest effect, it's done in slow-mo. I am fully expecting that they will explode all up in, or land perfectly on, someone's face. Either way is fine with me.

Flip You!: I noticed that there's a run-up-a-wall to back-flip, to land-on-knee, look-up, ready-to-pounce move. Always a classic and a staple of any cheesy action movie.

Born to Run: I saw at least one shot with characters running away from an explosion. I have a feeling that this will happen at least 19 times in Afterlife…anything less, would be a felony. 

Trinity Who?: Notice that jumping through a window, while shooting a gun in slow-mo Matrix move? Me too, but Afterlife is upping the ante by having TWO people jump through a window, shooting guns in slow-mo! Whoa.

We Will Rock You!: I'd be silly if I didn't mention there is some much needed, thumpin' techno rock music, just to add a little edge!

REAL 3-D: Now, how do I know that Resident Evil: Afterlife is doing 3-D the right way? Well, that might have something to do with the TRIPLE NAME DROP!!! of James Cameron, Vincent Pace and the Fusion Camera System. Shit is epic and so awful all at the same time. 

In the end, Resident Evil: Afterlife looks like it will be ridiculous and silly, but completely fun and entertaining…which is the case with all the films in the series. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this trailer (and the film), whether or not you think I'm right, or that I'm completely out of my mind. I'll go with the latter based off the fact that I just wrote 700 words about a Resident Evil trailer.

Totally Tubular Trailers!

Once again, I am back with the tubular trailer attack! Got a nice mixture of films to look forward to with these very cool trailers that I have found to be interesting enough to share with all of you sassy little sex pots.

First up, is the trailer for Accident, a Hong Kong film directed by Soi Cheang and produced by one of the best filmmakers of our generation, Johnnie To. Accident is the story of a "The Brain," a professional hit man who uses well planned - on purpose, but seemingly accidental methods to relieve his victims of their lives. With the memory of his wife's "accidental" passing, The Brain becomes convinced that his wife was intentionally murdered in the same manner that he himself uses to dispose of his own victims. The Brain's suspicion quickly turns to paranoia as he begins to think that he too is a target after he is attacked by a so called insurance agent, Fong who just so happens to have been at the scene of the Brains wife's accidental death. Great premise and the idea of intricate and well thought out accidents used to take hits out on people should lead to some very interesting deaths. I will say this: Maybe you should know better than to park next to a fire hydrant...if you didn't, then you do now. Accident is slated to make its Hong Kong debut on September 17th.

Next up, is the trailer for Kamui Gaiden.

Directed by Yoichi Sai, and set for a September 19th Japanese release, Kamui Gaiden follows the tale of a rogue ninja, Kamui who is constantly on the run and on the look out for other ninjas that do not like the fact that he has left the sect and could possibly let outsiders know of the ninja hidden secrets. Kept on his toes and without any trust or love for anyone that he meets, Kamui does finally settles down in a small village, where he eventually feels comfortable and safe with its inhabitants. Of course, the ninja threat is never too far away, as they have set in motion a trap to capture and take down the stray ninja. No English subs for this trailer, so my apologies, but since I just told you the plot, you can figure out what is going on. Also, it would be silly of me not to mention the crazy shark attack in the trailer...talk about jumping the shark!

Okay, this next trailer was one that I bumped into over at Dear Bastards, and I was instantly taken by it.

This may be something special, something different, something to talk about. The film - The Fourth Kind - the way the film is handled - one of a kind. At least one of a kind when in comparison to your average cinema fair. Sorry about the crypticness so far, but when you have some Blair Witch type of back story to a movie, but it may actually be real...well, that just changes the whole game. The Fourth Kind is written and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, and stars Mila Jovovich and Elias Koteas (better known as Casey "modda fuckin" Jones! Recognize!), two actors that I enjoy very much. The Fourth Kind is based off seemingly true events of an ongoing case of alien abductions in Nome, Alaska where a disturbingly large amount of people have mysteriously gone missing every year since the 1960's. Despite multiple FBI investigations, no answers have been reached in regards to the ongoing case, resulting in many accusations of a federal cover up. What makes this film the most interesting is, the integrated never-before-seen footage of disturbing psychiatric sessions with some of the victims of the so-called abductions. It's like one part documentary, mixed into a traditional Hollywood film. Sounds and looks like it could be a gimmick, but from what I have researched, it is not. You get the breaking of the fourth wall in a trailer that is quite frightening and promises to deliver a film that doesn't come around all too often. Look for The Fourth Kind in theaters on November 6th.

That's it for me this time folks, hope you enjoyed those trailers, and feel free to leave comments as to what you think about them! And lastly, I know I don't say it enough, but I love you.

Later!

We only have ourselves to blame

The stars have once again aligned - to hopefully create a horror film worth checking out in theaters. On August 7th, A Perfect Getaway will be released in theaters across the country, and I must say, I’m pretty excited for it. It’s the second movie in a month’s time that is horror, not a remake or something along those lines, and doesn't look like it will completely blow. I dig the trailer as it looks quite promising, and I was kinda surprised when my old lady said that she too wanted to see the movie, saying it looked intense and possibly scary. I love the cast, namely Steve Zahn, Marley Shelton, Timothy Olyphant, and of course, Mila Jovovich. I would call that a very solid genre cast considering some of the films those actors have previously done, and I have a feeling we will get some very strong performances from a few of them. Lastly, David Twohy has shown some serious horror chops as seen in 2002’s Sci Fi monster film, Pitch Black, and he hasn’t directed anything since that films sequel, The Chronicles of Riddick way back in 2004. So it could possibly be back to Pitch Black form for him, in a film that seems to have some similar themes, just in a different setting.

I mostly bring this movie up to see if others are excited for the film, this would be another great opportunity to show some support for an original horror film, instead of not going to see the movie, yet again proving Hollywood right when they assume that all audiences members are 14, or just stupid. For the record, I haven’t had a day off from work in a while, but I swear I will see Orphan this weekend, as I will be off for the weekend’s duration. Just wanted to make that clear before I tirade any further. Much to everyone’s surprise, Orphan has gotten some really good reviews, like way more than anyone would have ever thought, and I already wanted to see the movie because I just thought it looked like fun, but now it is being well received on top of that.

I’m really hoping the continuously positive buzz will get a few more assess in to seats to see Orphan, and hopefully those same assess sit in those seats for A Perfect Getaway…assuming it's a good film. For a good number of years now, horror fans have cried about not getting films geared towards them, too many remakes, and not enough originality to be found in the theaters is often heard by the horror masses these days. Now would be the prime opportunity to support a few films that are, original, Rated R, are not afraid to be intense or hardcore, and aren’t being thrown into limbo to eventually end up on fucking DVD. This seems to be the case with Orphan from what I have heard, and looks to be how A Perfect Getaway will be like…hopefully.

Orphan is no box office success in any way, but it hasn’t done all that terrible either. As of today, the film has grossed around $27 million after its second weekend, one decent push from you and I could make a little dent in the dismal summer movie market. If both Orphan and A Perfect Getaway were to do at least decent in theaters, it could certainly sway the horror pendulum towards our taste preferences a little bit. And that, is always a good thing. We have blown it in the past with films like The Devils Rejects, The Ruins, Grindhouse, and Drag Me to Hell. I unfortunately missed Drag Me to Hell, so I am not void of this horror guilt, but that shit was out of theaters in a flash. I cannot even fathom not seeing a Sam Raimi horror movie in the theaters, and it was another film that the horror crowd was raving about, which didn't make me feel any better.

What it all comes down to is horror fans complain so much, but are we in the seats when these films come out? I know a lot of you are, I am as much as possible, but how many people are complaining about the state of horror cinema, and then not supporting the right films? I bitch sometimes, but I do show support as much as possible, and anyone that is out there and not seeing these films has no reason to complain. If both Orphan, AND A Perfect Getaway fail at the box office, then forget about the state of horror in cinema being bad now, it will be worse ten fold after two R rated, original horror films crash and burn at the box office. Again. I will put forth my best effort to see both films, meaning I will see both, and I will try to encourage others to give ‘em a whirl too. It’s time we took our theaters back!

VIVA LA ORPHAN!!