Wednesday 21 December 2011

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Hey Kiddo's have I got a treat for you, now I realize Batman doesn't really fall into the Horror genre or even Sci-Fi, But, this series has been so Bloody AWSOME I couldn't pass this one by, so heres the synopsis and some awsome trailers for you, consider it a Christmas Present,   YA THATS RIGHT I SAID CHRISTMAS NOT THE  HOLIDAYS     GET OVER IT!!!!!   LOL   Anyways here we go.........................  



 
Every hero has a journey. Every journey has an end. Christopher Nolan returns to complete the epic Gotham trilogy that launched with Batman Begins and reached the stratosphere with the billion-dollar blockbuster The Dark Knight.


Batman is now hunted by the law led by his friend Commisioner Gordon for taking the blame of Harvey Dent's murders and protecting his reputation. He must quickly deal with the arrival of new villain Bane who is bent on the destruction and chaos of Gotham City, face old wounds and get a handle on the enigmatic Selina Kyle before his city is lost for good.


Oscar Winner Christian Bale reprises his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman for the third time along with stars Michael Caine as Alfred, Gary Oldman as Commisioner Gordon and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. Inception stars Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt join the cast as Wayne Enterprise board member Miranda Tate and Gotham Cop John Blake. Rounding out the cast are Anne Hathaway as the sleek Selina Kyle and Tom Hardy as the powerful villain Bane.



Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Christopher Nolan film, "The Dark Knight Rises." Nolan directed the film from a screenplay written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Charles Roven, Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan are the producers, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers. "The Dark Knight Rises" is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by Bob Kane.


The Dark Knight opens in all its AWSOMENESS on July 20 2012

Wednesday 14 December 2011

REC 3 Genesis

Written by Happywax     

Hey Kiddos I just got the inside scoop on one of my Favourite Franchises, [REC] 3: Genesis and it looks absolutely killer, full of zombies, mayhem and pure awesomeness. Gone is the found-footage shingle, and everything is much clearer, but will it still be able to bring a punch like the previous films?

Check out the full International trailer below.

[REC] 3: Genesis hits Spain on March 30, 2012. Unfortunately still no word on a Canadien or U.S. release.

Synopsis“The original REC crew are back, ready to submit their ensemble cast to another fight for survival against the zombie infection. This time to the backdrop of an original soundtrack. The new chapter will see the film “open up” by using a more traditional cinematographic style. However, the film’s roots have not been forgotten, and viewers will still be immersed in the action watching certain events unfold through the eye of the video camera. The action in REC 3 GENESIS encompasses the events of the first two films and after the sense of claustrophobia previously experienced.


 The action now takes place miles away from the original location and partly in broad daylight, giving the film an entirely fresh yet disturbing new reality. The infection has left the building. In a clever twist that draws together the plots of the first two movies, this third part of the saga also works as a decoder to uncover information hidden in the first two films and leaves the door open for the final installment the future, REC 4 Apocalypse.“


Saturday 10 December 2011

Maya's Journal (2011)

 

Hey Kiddies Happys got a special treat for you tonight, earlier this week I was sent this little piece on local Indie magic from Miss Nadine L'Esperance, called Maya's Journal, and WOW was I impressed, this just goes to show all you up and coming film makers, that you can make a top quality Indie flick on a micro budget , as long as you have a good story and are willing to put forth the effort..........I asked Nadine to send me over some info on her experience, so I'll shut up and let you read what she had to say............Enjoy.

This was my very first film with no budget. I've always been very interested in movie making, I love watching cheesy b-horrors and love watching how they are made. I wanted to make a zombie short for a long time and had a few ideas brewing but with no budget you can only get so far. What kicked me into gear was a local contest in Vancouver that's called Dead On Film, a 5minute zombie short competition."

"I had a friend do make-up in one short and went to screening night and thought, I have a year to make one for the next competition!! So I enlisted my family as actors and used what I had available to me, my dad's business, my parent's house, my house and the park beside my place. The music was made by my cousin. I wanted it a little longer than 5 minutes so I could enter it in other short festivals. But I did cut it for the 5 minute. It was premiered in Victoria as an Official selection at Zombiefeast Horror Film Festival Oct 2011 in it's full 16 minute version.

I wrote, directed,  worked 2 camera's and did the make-up. The blood was corn syrup based with dyes and chocolate pudding.

  • It was filmed half in Kelowna BC and half in Vancouver BC


  • The filming itself took 1.5 days in Kelowna and 1 day in Vancouver

  • Also the editing was done by me


  • Overall I think being my first film and no budget it has been recieved quite well.I'm very happy :D:D


  • Oh yeah it was shot on a Canon T1i and a Canon Powershot Elph




  •  KILLER WORK NADINE, KILLER WORK !!!!!!!!!      Make sure you click the MAYA'S JOURNAL title at the top or the  link below to watch the full movie in all its Awsome Goryness !!!!!!!


    MAYA.......NYKA "TADPOLE" L'ESPERANCE
    MAYA'S DAD.........JONEZY SOMETHING
    TIFFANY.......MARIE L'ESPERANCE
    KELSEY......BREANNE HUME
    GRAMPS.......GERRY L'ESPERANCE
    FRANCOIS.....PATRICE L'ESPERANCE
    CHET......DEREK L'ESPERANCE
    GWEN......LEANNE L'ESPERANCE
    EXTRA SHOP-HAND.......Chiao Wei Hsiang AKA 'HARLEY'
    ROCKABILLY ZOMBIE........MAT VOS
    BEACH READY ZOMBIE.....MICHAEL WARING


    The Divide (2011)

    Written by Happywax    


    Run don't walk to see  THE DIVIDE opening in theaters on January 13, 2012 ,and you can watch  the explosive trailer of the movie  below, and from what I've seen and heard so far about this flick it's going to BLOW YOUR MIND !!!!!!!!!!.

    In this graphic and violent, post-apocalyptic thriller, nine strangers-all tenants of a New York high-rise apartment-escape a nuclear attack by hiding out in the building’s bunker-like basement. Trapped for days underground with no hope for rescue, and only unspeakable horrors awaiting them on the other side of the bunker door, thegroup begins to descend into madness, each turning on one another with physical and psycho-sexual torment. As supplies dwindle, and tensions flare, they grow increasingly unhinged by their close quarters and hopelessness.
    Each act against one another becomes more depraved than the next.  While everyone in the bunker allows himself or herself to be overcome by desperation and lose their humanity, one survivor holds onto a thin chance for escape, even with no promise of salvation on the outside.

    Wednesday 7 December 2011

    Chillerama (2011)

    Written by Happywax      Dec 2011
    Rating 7.5 out of 10

    Directors
     Joe Lynch - Zom B Movie
    Adam Rifkin - Wadzilla
    Tim Sullivan - I was a teenage Werebear
    Adam Green - The Diary of Ann Frankenstein

    Cast
    Zom B movie
    Richard Riehle - Cecil Kaufman
    Cory Jones - Tobe
    Kaili Thorne - Mayna

    Wadzilla
    Adam Rifkin - Miles Munson
    Ray Wise - Dr Weems
    Eric Roberts - General

    I was a Teenage Werebear
    Sean Paul Lockhart - Ricky
    Anton Troy - Talon
    Gabby West - Peggy Lou

    The Diary of Ann Frankenstein
    Joel David Moore - Adolf Hitler
    Kristina Klebe - Eva Braun  
    Kane Hodder - Meshugannah


     







    Hey all you Drive-in Grindhouse Gouls, Happys got one Hell of a good fick for you tonight, "CHILLERAMA"......Over the years there have been some great horror anthologies, Trick R Treat and Creepshow being among them, and there have been movies like Snoop Dogg’s Hood of Horrors which wasn’t too memorable. They are, after all, a tricky thing to pull together. This is something I imagine is even more difficult when there are four directors involved, each adding their own segment into the mixing pot. So it was with a mix of excitement and apprehension that I approached Chillerama. The fact that the four directors attached to Chillerama are Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Tim Sullivan and Adam Rifkin did help ease the apprehension I will admit.

    Chillerama is set at a Drive-In, where the night’s attraction is a selection of movies that have never been screened before are to be shown. The wrap-around section at the Drive-In itself is directed by Joe Lynch and is entitled Zom-B-Movie, and it is a blast. It probably doesn’t offer too much new in its subject matter, but the execution is one of fun. Indeed one scene in which Richard Riehle, as Drive-In owner Cecil Kaufman, starts rattling off movie quotes is priceless. Zom-B-Movie has what you want in terms of the gross and the gory, and will keep you entertained for sure.



    The first movie within a movie is Wadzilla, directed by Adam Rifin, and straight from the get-go it delivers on the gag-factor. If I tell you that the story is about a killer sperm you might get an idea of the level of humor, and gross-out factor, we are dealing with here. It’s bloody funny and has the added bonus of Ray Wise and Eric Roberts over-acting the hell out of things. Fun times all the way baby!

    Second up is probably the most controversial segment, and that is I Was A Teenage Werebear directed by Tim Sullivan. Playing up the beach movies of the 60s’, IWATW focuses on a young lad coming to terms with his homosexuality with the help of some Lost Boys-esque Werebears. Throw in a few musical numbers, plenty of bloody and a good old fashioned shower raping and you have one Hell of a premise. I thought it was a pretty damned cool story, I enjoyed it far more than Sullivan’s 2001 Maniacs sequel, although I did feel that there was too much emphasis put on the musical numbers which unfortunately broke up the flow a little.



    Wrapping up the stories properly is The Diary of Anne Frankenstein. Directed by Adam Green this is without a doubt my favorite part of the movie. Starring Joel David Moore as Hitler, the story melds in the stories of Anne Frank and Frankenstein to wonderful comedy effect. Moore is a blast as Hitler and fans of Mel Brooks best work should get a real kick out of this, Kane Hodder plays the Monster, and he's also coming to your Old Pals Home town of London Ont next year as Part of the 2nd annual SHOCK STOCK, hopefully we can score an interview, I'll have to get Jimmy workin on some questions !!!!

    Tagged on as a last segment is Deathication, directed by the fictional Fernando Phagbeefy, and it is pretty damned gross while it lasts. It’s not a proper  movie, as it serves to further another plot point, but it is fun in a disgusting shit-flinging way!



    The whole look and feel of Chillerama is of the drive-in grindhouse flicks of old, and it succeeds well in that department. The actual quality of the stories within Chillerama is also pretty good on the whole. It is a little uneven in places but ultimately this is a case of the whole picture being greater than the sum of its parts. Chillerama is a party movie plain and simple, and should be enjoyed as such. There will be some out there that won’t like some of the subject matter or its execution, so kudos to Tim Sullivan for his entry as it will scare off some of the less secure viewers out there.

    Overall Chillerama is a grossout, gory, dumb and fun way to spend a couple of hours. It may not be perfect but it sure as hell was a blast to watch, wink wink nudge nudge, ( you'll see what I mean in the final act,  LOL)

    Sunday 4 December 2011

    The Revenant (2009)

    Written by Happywax    Dec 2011
    Rating 7 out of 10

    Director - D. Kerry Prior

    Cast
    David Anders - Bart
    Chris Wylde - Joey
    Louise Griffiths - Janet
    Jacy King - Mathilda
    Emiliano Torres - Miguel
            
    Hey Kiddies, your old pal Happys got a treat for you , not many horror flicks especially ZOMBIE flicks slip under my radar, BUT, every once in a while one does, I'd never even heard of this GEM until a couple of days ago, shame on me for missing this great flick  THE REVENANT.............The revenant in question is Bart (David Anders from Heroes and Children of the Corn), a soldier killed in battle in the Middle East. However, after his funeral, Bart wakes up in his coffin to find himself alive but undead. Bart and his best friend Joey (the scene-stealing Chris Wylde) slowly realize that Bart isn't really a vampire or a zombie, but a revenant, a undead hybrid that needs human blood to survive.

    The Revenant's premise sounds a little like Bob Clark's classic Deathdream, but the film separates itself by being more of a buddy comedy flick with gore thrown in for good measure. This combination hits its mark as Bart and Joey try to find ways to get blood without harming innocent lives that eventually leads the pair to become "vigilante gun-slingers."

    As a comedy, The Revenant succeeds thoroughly, and the casting of Anders and Wylde works to  perfection, a naturally pair that effortlessly  wins over the audience in a way that many buddy comedies try to achieve, but fail. However the film suffers from slow pacing that comes from The Revenant's more dramatic situations, particularly when Bart starts dealing with the issues he seemingly dropped to become a vigilante. Really, once the film gets to the point of Bart and Joey busting in on drug deals with guns blazing, is any one wondering why Bart hasn't dealt with his poor, suffering girlfriend?

     The Revenant's ending is a welcome surprise, one I won't ruin, but it also points out another flaw. Rather than enter the film's story as a twist, why not build to it? Had The Revenant removed the parts that didn't matter to the overall story, the ending would have had even more impact. Still, it's always impressive to watch a horror film that has an ending you don't see coming from a million miles away. For that, and for making a slick, legitmate horror comedy (at least when it wanted to be a comedy), Prior is to be congratulated.  I highly recommened this flick , I believe it just came out on Blue Ray last week so it should be easy to find,  Whatever you do don't let this one slip under the radar like your Old pal Hap did.......................Enjoy
                                                    

    Saturday 3 December 2011

    Take Shelter (2011)

    Written by Axemaster December 5 2011
    Rating 8.5 out of 10

    Director   -   Jeff Nichols

    Cast
    Michael Shannon   -   Curtis
    Jessica Chastain     -    Samantha
    Tova Stewart        -     Hannah
    Shea Whigham     -     Dewart
    Katy Mixon         -      Nat










                                           Hey there Fright Freaks !! Axemaster's in the Dungeon tonight with another treat for you . A while back , your old pals Hap and Axe went down to the Highland Theatre (Classic old London Ont, Cinema !!) to see a flick , that would have fit in quite
    "Light rain my Ass !!"
    nicely with our "August Of The Apocalypse" reviews at the end of the summer ! ................... Take Shelter !
      This is one cool and tense psychological thriller that builds the tension so slow that you feel almost as tormented as the main character Curtis does , in the flick !
      Here's the story line in a real quick nutshell ...............................

                 Okay , so , what do you do , if you're lucky enough to still be working when everyone else is looking for a job , but you start to see , well , you start to see ..........
    "I told you not to feed the wild life !!!"
    Strange Stuff !! Like everywhere you look , you seem to see foreboding imagery , like mega storm clouds that are just a bit more than what the weather network would call severe . And what if you start to dream about this stuff every night with out fail . Stuff like oily yellowish rain , and birds that flock together in bizarre ways , just before dive bombing you in the street ! What if these strange visions start to eat at you so much , you start eyeballing that old storm shelter out in the back yard , and you start thinking about how nice it would be to crawl down there and wait it out . But first , you seem to have an overwhelming desire to Improve
    "Oh My God !! Did You FART
    In This One !!???"
    that old storm shelter ! Yeah , because , for some reason , you don't think it will cut the mustard in its current condition ! Yeah , see , what you're waiting for is a storm so powerful ! So Severe ! That you need to burry a shipping container in the ground Beside that old storm shelter , hook the two together , and turn your old storm Shelter .....
    into a Storm Condominium !!!! 
      This is what starts to happen to our old friend Curtis . What makes it worse , is that Curtis has a history of mental illness in the family . See , his Mom left him in the back of the family sedan in the parking lot of a super market when he was ten .
    "Dam ! Left the Yahtzee out there !"
    She was diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia , and was put in an institution . At first old Curtis tries to soldier on through this "little Episode" . However , the dreams and visions become so severe that he is forced to consider the possibility , that the family history , may be effecting him . Along the way , Curtis begins to alienate his friends and loved ones in the process . His daughter Hannah , needs a costly medical procedure , so his job is of utmost importance . But when you spend more time acting weirder and weirder , the Boss might start to take notice ! Your loving and caring wife , might start to wonder if you've got a screw loose as well !!
        I thought that Take Shelter was a great one to watch . As I said earlier , Jeff Nichols really draws the tense atmosphere out in the flick . At times it's almost slow , but its
    "Is that A Meteor !!????
    Meteor ! Meteor !! Oh , no ... its a plane !"
    just part of the build . Michael Shannon , is excellent in his role as Curtis . He's very flat most of the time , but when he lets go ... He lets go !! (Memorable scene at a Lions Club dinner !)
     But , as always Fright fans , You must decide for yourselves . I am but a humble reviewer , and only offer my opinion . So go on out there and see this one . Hey , it's worth a try ! What do you got to lose !!??


                   And Remember ...........................................

                       If you have an old Storm Shelter out there .........................

                            You never know When .... you might have to Use It !!!!!

                                 So make Sure its Solid !!




    The Women (2011)

    Written by Happywax    Dec 2011
    Rating 7 out of 10
     
    Director - Lucky McKee
     
    Cast 
    Pollyann McIntosh - The Women
    Sean Bridgers - Chris Cleek
    Angela Bettis - Belle Cleek
    Lauren Ashley Carter - Peggy Cleek
     Zach Rand - Brian Cleek 
    Hey Kiddies , Happys got a sweet little feature for you tonight. Usually, when a low budget movie has nothing but praise, you can almost be assured that the reviews are not particularly honest. If, however, the reviews are all over the scale, then you can be sure that people actually watched the movie. Such is the case with "The Woman" by Lucky McGee. I have been a fan of Lucky's since I watched "May" many years ago. Being a fan of Jack Ketchum's other movies made from his books as well, I knew that this movie was going to be interesting. "The Woman" revolves around the Cleek family. Now, the careful viewer will note almost immediately that there is something not quite right about the family and they are soon rewarded by their keen observations.

       Played by Angela Bettis and Sean Bridgers the Cleeks seem like your everyday normal yuppie family living in the country. The children played by Lauren Carter (Peggy), Zach Rand (Brian) and Shyla Molhusen (Darlin') seem to have their own problems. The real fun begins when Mr Cleek goes hunting and brings home a feral woman instead or a deer! "The Woman" is played by Pollyanna McIntosh with truly remarkable results. She looks, sounds and acts exactly as you would guess and I, for one, was impressed. The rest of the film revolves around Mr. Cleek's attempt to "civilize" the feral femme while keeping her chained in the root cellar of the family home. Needless to say, the presence of the wild woman at the family abode brings about some not so surprising results, as long dormant emotions soon bubble to the surface. Since no sane individual would bring home a feral badger to play with the kids, then you can only imagine what happens here.

     The movie was met with howls of misanthropy and are based somewhat in fact. Those familiar with Ketchum's fiction and scripts know that he is an author that does not pull his punches and that his work is frequently met with accusations of misogyny and general misanthropy. Ketchum's movies often show what happens when so-called civilized human beings are put into less than civilized situations. Overall, Ketchum's script is above par and McGee's directorial skills are put to good use here. The viewer's are treated to a slow descent into violence that results in a chaotic and gory bloodbath. Angela Bettis does her best "sad-eyed" and defeated woman here, while the kids, save the youngest, begin to crack under the pressure of their new house guest. Senior Cleek also begins to show his true colors with his "trophy".

     The basic theme of the script, often explored by Ketchum, is simple; "How far can a civilized person be pushed until they degenerate into an uncivilized monster?" Instead of the feral woman becoming more civilized, she unknowingly becomes the focus for her more civilized captors to degenerate into monsters. Not that the family needed much pushing as their flaws are just under the surface, waiting for something to push them over the edge. The only faults I could find with the movie were the horrible use of pop songs inappropriately used throughout the movie. What should ease the viewer into a scene jolts the viewer back into reality and they result more in annoyance than anything else.



     The actors here perform very well, yet the secondary characters come across more like stereotypes than anything. Are the accusations of hatred toward men justified here? Yep. But I think it is necessary in the full balance of the film to shift focus off the "usual suspects" and get the viewer to adopt a different, but uncomfortable perspective. This movie will satisfy fans of the horror genre as it will most gorehounds, and if their was ever a person who gets what they deserve in the end, this family is IT !!!!!