More For World War Z

Brad Pitt's long awaited apocalyptic zombie flick "World War Z" is set to destroy theaters on June 21st,  2013. And Plan B (Pitt's Production company) has given us another glimpse into what is to be expected. And from the looks of the latest trailer the film actually looks like it might be worth seeing.

For me I think that the whole Zombie genre is getting rather played out and needs a rest. While there are still zombie things worth watching and owning ("The Walking Dead" comes to mind, despite all the negativity & criticism about the show being slow and too much filler. But on the same token those complainers would say that there is no plot if the show was all action. And in reality "The Walking Dead" isn't really about the zombies anyway. But try to explain that to some... but I digress), but when we get "Twilightesque" zombie love stories & just about every other horror novel is zombies I say enough already. For me, if it comes to zombies now, I have think it is really going to worth it, or I am not even wasting my time.

But with said, with this new trailer for "World War Z" (I wasn't to excited about the first one) I am thinking it just might be worth my time. That it actually seems to have a real plot. I know the film is going to be huge departure from the Max Brooks novel. And while I thought the novel was okay (With way Brooks went about it, with Oral History of the after the fact zombie war, I thought some stories worked out great & some just boring & and a retread from movies that Brooks had seen) the movie is looking interesting.

I was beginning to think Pitt's foray into the horror genre was never going to come out after it was leaked that the film was a disaster of epic proportions. With production shut down for being way over cost because of the script rewrites and re-shoots.  And quite frankly that still worries me. I guess will just have to wait and see. However, I'm thinking the critics are going to have a field day tearing this film down.

Until next time... stay scared.    

The Coven Comes to “American Horror Story”

It looks as if we are going to take a little to the south for the next installment of the FX horror show “American Horror Story.” And if you going south then there is no better place to go for that spooky vibe than the spookiest place in America and that of New Orleans.

Show creator Ryan Murphy revealed to a panel of 1000 special guest at PaleyFest that was held in Los Angeles at the Saban Theater that the third season will be entitled “Coven” and -you guessed it- will surround witches. Murphy stated that this season’s subject matter has been tossed around for a couple of years now and he thinks that this is the year to do it. Also, whereas a lot of the previous first two seasons were shot on lots & sound stages this time around the plan on doing shooting on locations. This marks the first time that show goes on the road for that.

As per the show’s history, the cast will involve many of the past cast in the likes of Jessica Lange (who has

been the show’s staple actress) as well as Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy and Taissa Farmiga. However, there will be a new face to add to the already deep cast in the form of the great Kathy Bates.

Rumor has it as well that Murphy is in talks with FOX for another horror themed show surrounding vampires. That in may in fact even be a companion piece to “American Horror Story”. And if Murphy hold true to form this looks to be a hit as well.

“American Horror Story: COVEN” hits the screen this fall on FX. And I for one can not wait.

Until next time... stay scared.

Bill & Ted Have a Naked Lunch. My Review for "John Dies at the End"

From blog to book to screen, the evolution of David Wong’s “John Dies at the End” has been pretty much a writer’s dream. And with the sequel to “John” in bookstores now (Wong has said the story is going to be a trilogy), and after viewing the film last night, I wonder if there will be a second one. Or if there is really any need.

The story of “John Dies at the End” unfolds as David (Chase Williamson) is relating the facts to a reporter (Paul Giamatti) of the events some events that took place and how he and his best friend, John played by Rob Mayes (in both movie & the book they come as a modern day Bill & Ted) deal with the strange goings on in their Midwest town. It hasn’t always been this way, mind you. They don’t even realize the weirdness that goes on behind the scenes of life, taking place just out of the corner of your eyes, until they meet the weird Jamaican that does magic tricks and reads minds for beer one night at a party. While Dave turns out to be the smart one, leaving the party with his newly found dog (the dog belongs to Amy, a one handed girl who lost him after he bit the Jamaican), whereas John meets up with mad Reggae guy and heads off to a coffee shop with several others.

Later that night John calls David telling him he is stuck in house by this weird creature. David, thinking that John is tripping on bad drugs, heads over to John’s apartment where the two make a mad dash out of the place. David not sure what the hell is going on and what John has taken wants to head to the hospital. John nixes the idea and the two wined up at an all night diner where John tells David about the Jamaican and a drug called the Soy Sauce. And that John believes that he has been traveling through different times. Things go from bad to worse as David finds out that the drug opens doors to different dimensions and that beings from the other side are planning to take over Earth. And now that David & John have learn about this, it all falls on their shoulders to prevent this hostile take over.

Now we find out that the Jamaican and almost everyone else that went to party with are dead except for a select few. The cops are on the case and some douche-bag, wannabe white rapper has been possessed by the other side and has began kidnapping all the survivors...

I don’t want to give too much away. But I found the movie rather a mess. There is a lot that goes on the novel and i figured that they would have to cut large chunks of it and molde things together. Which is fine. All adaptations from books to film take those liberties. However, with “John”, and while the first half of the movie stays pretty faithful to the first quarter of the book, highlighting some major points, the film as a whole felt cobbled together & rushed. There is never any real development of the story and why certain things are happening and will happen. Especially in the beginning as the film tries to stay true to the beginning of the book, although, it comes off confusing if you haven’t read it.Also there is very little character development. We learn very little about David and John and nothing at all about the rest of the cast. Even that of Amy who plays a pivotal role in the story.

All and all “John Dies at the End” is just okay (which sucks because I was really looking forward to this film), expecting much more from Don Coscarellie who brought us great films as "Bubba Ho-Tep" & "Phantasm" . And while it has the feel of Bill & Ted meets Naked Lunch, in the end it mostly comes off as a “I Hope they Serve Beer in Hell” adaptation than the one it really deserves.  

I give “John Dies at the End” 2 and half severed heads out of 5. Read the book. You’ll enjoy the story a whole lot more.     

"Bates Motel" My Review

It had been staring me in the face for over a week. Just sitting on the screen telling me that me, that yes, I should come in and spend sometime at the “Bates Motel”. So, finally last night I did. I’m glad I did. But I am, at the sametime, also a tad bit disappointed as well.

When I first found out that A&E were bringing Norman Bates (NBC with Hannibal Lector as well) to the small screen I was overjoyed. (Although this isn’t the first time that Norman Bates has found his way television. In 1987 NBC ran a short lived spin-off of the same title) I have been saying for a long time now that if Hollywood wants to keep recycling the old nostalgic 70’s-90’s iconic horror characters then they should develop them for TV. It would allow creators to really explore the inner workings of the story, and revitalize the genre and franchise as a whole with a series that would last around 12-13 episodes. And basic cable -or that of regular cable (HBO, ShowTime and the like)- would be the perfect place for them to do it. First, I don’t think a horror television show centered around any of these characters could withstand a 22-26 episode season. It would grow stale fast. But with the short seasons I believe it would flourish... But I digress.

As I was saying: I was really looking forward to the “Bates Motel”. Then two things happened. First they brought the story to the modern era. Something I wasn’t crazy about. But what the hell. Then I saw that some of the guys behind “Lost” were part of this. And while I was a HUGE “Lost” fan the first 4 seasons, that show’s creators and network did everything possible to screw it up and in the end it was all what they said it was NEVER going to be... but, again, I digress. Those two facts had me wondering if “Bates Motel” was worth my time. And then when I saw that was an early preview for it, and I debated. That is, until last night.

Now I am a huge fan of “Psycho”. And when I say that I mean of the original Alfred Hitchcock movie. While I have sat through all the sequels I thought that they were all poorly done. While “Psycho 2” did try to develop the story a little further all of them just sort retreaded the same story over and over. And not very well. (I know. I know. The same goes for all the “Friday the 13th”’s and the “Halloween”’s and the Freddy movies ect. ect.) And when it comes to the re-make, Gus Van Sant really didn’t do anything different from the Hitchcock film except make it modern and then make it feel yet un-modern, if that makes any sense. Anyway. With “Bates Motel” we are definitely in the here and now, as the story opens up somewhere new (Arizona) and we find a teenage Norman (Freddie Highmore) lying in bed. Norman hears something odd and when he goes to investigate finds his father dead on the floor in laundry room. Where, after a rampant search for his mother, Norman finds her just coming out of the shower. (here, for those of us who know the story and the background, we start to think if Norma (Vera Farmiga) has had a hand in the death of her husband.) Flash to six months later and we find mom and son on a road trip to new digs. And as it turns out, Norma has bought what will become the stage for the entire story of the Bates Legacy.

As the story plays out we find that Norma has purchased the motel and the famed house on the hill in a foreclosure. This fact plays as a major plot device. As we come to learn from a visit of the former owner, Keith, played by W. Earl Brown (Deadwood). Who makes his intentions quite clear: pack up and go. That the town will never accept them and then alludes to things probably left unfound about the property. Although, with Keith, he acts as someone who just lost his house would. He’s angry and hurt. But when it comes to most of the teenagers of the story, well, they come off overly friendly. I don’t know about any of you, but when I was ever the new kid in school there wasn’t a lot of: Lets get to know the new kid. I mean there were some. But not from all corners. Especially from the cheerleader types. Norman comes off as this complete chick magnet. Even one of his teachers seems to act as if she is making a play for him. Now Norman has always been a very good looking character -on screen. The character of Norman Bates in the original 1959 novel by Robert Block he is anything but. But, Hollywood being Hollywood made Norman a very attractive young man. A fact that I think was pure genius on Hitchcock’s part. The sheep in wolf’s clothing can be one of the scariest things of all. But he was never a chick magnet. Norman Bates was introverted to say the least. And controlled by a domineering mother. Again, I am interested to see how far they take the dynamics of the relationship that Norman has with his mother. They have already sort of alluded to those facts. And it seems that insest in TV is the black.

Things go from tense to just plain bad when it comes to Keith, who turns up later in the night after Norman has snuck out of the house to meet up with the girls he met at the bus stop. Keith breaks into the house and attacks Norma. Even as going as far as raping her. Something I was surprised to see on A&E. But before anything worse can happen Norman finally shows up home and jumps Keith, knocking him out. After Norman leave the room, Norma kills the hand cuffed Keith where he sits on the floor. Now comes the problem of what to do with the body. While taking the body down to the motel to place him in one of the rooms tubs, Norman drops Keith’s body, staining the carpet with blood. Then in a quick decision Norma and her son start to not only rip out the carpet in that room but the ones that have similar carpets as well. So it looks uniformed. During their little impromptu renovations Norman finds a weird sketch book under the carpet he is pulling up. The writing inside appears Asian and all the drawings are of women tied up. The the cops for whatever reason decide to show up. Here we have another addition from the “Lost” series as one of the cops is played by Nestor Carbonell. After a few tense moments where one of cops has to use the bathroom, the same bathroom where Keith is lying in the tub, we learn that Keith and Carbonell’s character are friends. After the cops leave, Norman and his mother are in a rowboat with Keith’s body. Here we start to see the true dynamic that is their relationship.

The end of the pilot throws in this added curve of a “Dragon Tattoo”-esque room where we see a girl chained to the wall, referencing the sketch found by Norman earlier.

My overall view of the pilot episode of “Bates Motel” is that it was just okay. I mean there were parts that seemed a little rushed, then they made it a point to bring in parts to reference the original “Psycho”. And if they were making it a more modern entity, and it was just being the beginning, they didn’t have to. I know why they did. But it did not have to be episode one.  

I give “Bates Motel” 3 out of 5 severed heads.

Until next time...     

Zombies, Crazies & More Return in Harry Shannon's "The Hungry 3: At the End of the World

Fans of Sheriff Penny Miller and her dealings in Harry Shannon’s (Co-Written with Steven Booth) “The Hungry” series (Genius Book Publishing) will be happy to note the third installment to the series has hit the proverbial book shelves with “The Hunger: At the End of World”.

For zombie fans this story has been on their “must read list” since 2011 and has followed the exploits of local town, and tough as nails, Sheriff Penny Miller as she has to deal with not only the usual things ones in law enforcement has to deal with in Flat Rock, Nevada but now has to deal with a plague of the undead. Unwittingly released by accident. And as it should be expected when it comes to zombie fiction “The Hungry” series is packed full of bloody, gory, zombie-munching violence galore.

“The Hungry” starts off as Miller and her gang of survivors (those include her pussy ex-husband, an off-the-walls biker, the scientist that did the deed of bringing back the dead and a National Guardsman, who, safe to say, isn’t the best and brightest) as they come to terms of what is happening in small town America and then trying to get a handle on what is what. The group makes their way to Las Vegas that, unfortunately, hasn’t fared much better when it comes to dealing with zombie hordes in “The Hungry 2: The Wrath of God”. This time around the army tasks Miller to head up to zombie ground zero to recover data that may help in winning the battle of survival. And while she has a team of Mercenaries at her disposal things go from bad to worse when she gets to the top secret lab.

This time around in “At the End of the World”, Miller and company escape the government's final solution to the zombie plague and end up at an old hunting cabin deep in the backwoods of Colorado. Hoping to at least catch their breath while avoiding zombies, the army, and just screwball survivalists, and just ride out the coming winter. But as we have come to know with “The Hungry” series nothing ever goes according to plan.  

You can find the entire series on Amazon.com as well as all of Harry Shannon and Steven Booth’s novels.

Until next time...   

Rutger Hauer Joins "True Blood". Maybe it Won't Suck This Season!

If you are like me then HBO’s “True Blood” has been, well, a little on the rough side to watch. While Season 5 of the show was better (slightly) than the 4th which I thought was a complete waste of time I am, however,  while still on the fence, starting too look forward to of Season 6. Mainly because HBO has peeked my interest with adding Rutger Hauer. You know him: “Blade Runner”, “The Hitcher” (and not that shitty Sean Bean version. While I am a fan of the Bean his version of “The Hitcher” was about as fun too watch as having nails jammed into your ballsack... but I digress), “Hobo With a Shotgun”. Yeah, that fucking guy... lol. So I am hoping that with the addition of Hauer to “True Blood” that he breathes in some new life. Apparently from the interweb scuttlebut Hauer is going to be playing Warlow. A badass ancient vampire that killed Sookie’s parents. So it is already looking on the up and up. However, I am a little iffy on the whole “I look like the professor from “Back to the Future”” look look.

I am sure true to “True Blood” fashion that there will be plenty of hot naked bodies and plenty of blood. Because we all know, and no matter how Hollywood tried to tell us different, there is always tons of blood, sex and nudity when it comes to vampires. And THEY DON’T SPARKLE!

Until next time...

Wes Craven Speaks of "Scream", "Coming of Rage" @ SXSW

Apparently, We Craven, horror icon extraordinaire, has been bouncing around South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin. Where the guys over at “Arrow In The Head” got a chance to say a few words to him about possibly another “Scream” film and what the hell ever happened to the comic “Coming of Rage”.  

It seems at the moment that a “Scream 5” is in the hands of the Weinstein brothers (Bob mostly) and according to Craven has not been told anything of when or if a fifth sequel is going to happen. (the fourth movie in the franchise made an estimated 97 million overall so it would be safe to assume that there would be) Also for those of us who have been waiting for a reboot of the classic Craven flick “People Under the Stairs” that has been talked about since 2008, well, it’s a DEAD issue and is no longer in the works. Craven recently told SCiFiNow (January 13th, 2013) that “[We] did explore, very seriously, doing the remake of it... [But] it wasn’t working out -there were a few entities involved with the property and for whatever reasons it just never came together.”

As for the comic (“Coming of Rage) it is still set for release this year. The story of [Rage] follows a teenage boy who apparently was born into a family of vampires, although, he doesn’t find out until his coming of age which doesn't happen until he steps into the middle of a bar fight. During the fight he is helped out by a couple who turn out to be a zombie and a werewolf. The story completely reminds be of Toby Whitehouse’s “Being Human”. As all the supernatural characters as have a touch of humanity in them and is pretty much them against the world.

While I did enjoy “Being Human” (the BBC version per-say of the SyFy one) I think I might hold off on the comic.

You can catch the final season of the British “Being Human” on BBC America later this year and the SyFy version on Monday Nights on, well, the SyFy Channel.  

Until next time...

Stephen King's "The Night Flier""

I found Stephen King’s “The Night Flier” one of the better adaptations done to his original stories. Because we all know when it comes to King being brought to the big screen it can be more miss than hit. Save a few exceptions in the likes of “The Shinning”, “Carrie”, “Christine.” Mostly because they had great directors behind them. That, and the movie actually follows the short story pretty closely.

“Night Flier” follows the exploits of Richard Dees (Miguel Ferrer), ace reporter for the sleaze tabloid magazine Inside View. However, Dees seems to have fallen on hard times as a reporter. And along with an up coming starlet Katherine Blair (Julie Entwistle), who is out to make a name for herself and is breathing down the Dees’ neck, it’s just a matter of time that Dees will find himself washed up. Because in truth, there is not in the way of reporting after you have done the tabloid thing.

Dees is offered a story by his editor (Dan Monahan) about a guy cruising private, out-of-the-way airports in his own plane and is killing the people that he finds there. The twist: The killer is draining the blood of his victims. Even going by the name Dwight Renfield (a character from Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”). Dees turns the story down thinking that it is a waste of time. The story then goes to Blair who turns up some interesting info of what has been taking place with the murders. Smelling that this might turn into something, Dees decides to take back the story and sets out in his own plane, back trailing the killings. 

Unfortunately, for Dees, he has no idea that his waste of time story will be the biggest thing to ever come his way.