Recently there has been a lot of vitriol spit at the big budget adaptation of Suzanne Collins tween novel “The Hunger Games.” Most of the anger it would seems centers not around the quality of the film itself (with which there are plenty of issues), but with shared properties of the films that preceded it. [...]
Chris Wojcik’s Rise of the Animals is certainly out there and I for one cannot wait to witness this one in all its insane glory. This one will be making its way to DVD this May 1st via Brain Damage Films and we have the pretty awesome artwork along with the extras featured on the disc.
Rise of the Animals stars Greg Hoople, Steph Motta and Adam Schonberg.
Synopsis: “After infiltrating an all girl’s slumber party in a remote cabin, Wolf, an awkward pizza delivery driver spends a passionate evening with a beautiful teen named Samantha. The next morning Samantha is gone, and the cabin in the woods is attacked by a family of deer. After a brutal massacre the cabin is bathed in the blood and gruesome remains of deer and teenage girl. Wolf, his best friend Jake, and Jake’s sister Rachel are the only one’s left standing.
Wolf finds Samantha’s cell phone amidst the blood bath, and the trio set out on an epic, cross-country journey to return the lost phone to the girl of Wolf’s dreams. As animals across the globe turn on humanity and society quickly collapses into chaos, Wolf’s determined spirit pushes him forward against all odds. But is she worth it?”
The disc features:
For more information check out their official Facebook page and Brain Damage Films to pre-order this badboy.
The second season of The Walking Dead has come to an end which has left most of us asking what will we do while we wait for The Walking Dead Season 3? Well perhaps some of us might find ourselves playing the new game from Tell Tale Games.
Created by animator and director Daniel M. Kanemoto, the trailer blends 2D and 3D imagery in stunning fashion as homage to the art of the original comic book world on which Telltale’s game is based.
The first of five monthly episodes of The Walking Dead is set for release in late April on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360® for 400 Microsoft® Points, on PlayStation®Network for .99 and on PC and Mac as a season pass for .99 from the Telltale Online Store and other digital outlets. Information on additional formats will follow.
Telltale has also revealed details of a limited time pre-order offer available via their online store. Pre-order customers will get the chance to join the cast of the game in episode four, where they will be modeled as a human survivor before being killed and then returned to life as a ravenous zombie. Pre-ordering also qualifies customers for a 10% discount (get the 5 episode season for .49; normally .99).
“This trailer really shows off how our artists have managed to take the 2D art style of the comic books and create a 3D world allowing fans to truly interact with Robert Kirkman’s world for the very first time,” said Dan Connors, Telltale co-founder and CEO. “We hope that fans will like what they see and be excited by the chance to join the cast of the game; we promise they’ll die horribly!”
“Telltale has done a phenomenal job in making a game that meets the expectations of fans,” added Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead. “Running around with a gun isn’t what The Walking Dead is about; it’s about is how people caught in an apocalypse deal with facing their own death every day, and the horrible choices they have to make to survive. Telltale’s game series has captured the spirit of the comic books perfectly.”
The Walking Dead is set in the world of Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic book series. Lee Everett, a convicted criminal, has been given a chance for redemption in a world devastated by the undead. Players will experience events, meet people and visit locations that foreshadow the story of Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes. The Walking Dead offers a tailored game experience – player actions, choices and decisions affect how the story plays out across the entire series.
4/10
Victor Salva
91 minutes
Rose McGowan,
Ray Wise,
Lin Shaye,
Lauren Vélez,
Lesley-Anne Down,
Bill Fagerbakke,
Rance Howard,
Ashton Moio
Rosewood Lane is better suited as a Lifetime Movie Network premiere, as it features no nudity, language, gore, and even displays little violence until towards the end. Topped with plot-holes and annoying logical issues, the film's only redeeming value is its somewhat clever ending, but by that point it's far too late to make up for the rest of the silly events we witnessed in the flick. If you ever come across this one, do yourself a favor and skip it.
After 8 years, director Victor Salva (Jeepers Creepers) returns to the genre with Rosewood Lane, a "suburban nightmare" about a sociopathic young paperboy that somehow has the entire neighborhood in fear due to his nefarious ways. A heavily-botoxed Rose McGowan plays "Sonny Blake," a popular radio therapist who returns to 
her childhood home after her abusive father passes away. It’s not long before the dubious paperboy comes knocking at the door attempting to sell her a subscription.
She naturally declines, but that doesn’t stop him from harassing her; sneaking into her home; calling her radio show, and just playing all sorts of mind games with the poor girl. With the police and her friends all thinking she’s crazy to believe an "innocent" young paperboy can do such things, it’s up to young Sonny to fend against the boy, as he grows more violent.
… read more
UHM – Upcoming Horror Movies – Your upcoming horror movies resource since June 24th ’99
The following Horror/Horror-related titles hit DVD/Blu-ray shelves this Tuesday:
Battle Royale (DVD/Blu-ray) (Anchor Bay Home Entertainment)
Premise: … read more
UHM – Upcoming Horror Movies – Your upcoming horror movies resource since June 24th ’99
You know how you have a bad meal at a restaurant so the experience ruins you from wanting to return? That was how I felt about Australian horror movies. I’d only tasted it once, but the outcome was unsavory so I steered clear for a while. Then I caught wind of Acolytes, a 2008 crime horror directed by Jon Hewitt. The first impression was promising, so when I found the time I sat down to behold what I know consider a phenomenal movie.
While scavenging their stomping grounds for things to do, Mark (Sebastian Gregory), his best friend James (Joshua Payne), and his girlfriend Chasely (Hanna Mangan Lawerance) discover a dead body buried in the woods. The debate over reporting what they’ve found ensues, but when the call is made the authorities prove to be difficult to convince. Instead, they decide to cover up the secret and track down the killer themselves. After using relatively believable deduction, the boys decide to blackmail the killer into murdering the man that tormented and raped them several years prior. Meanwhile, Mark struggles through the turmoil of loving his best friend’s girlfriend, though now is the time he must stick closest to James. Just when they think they can relax and let their diabolical plan play out, things take a sharp turn and the trio is now suddenly pitted against not one, but two foes. But the plot only thickens from there.
The plot, in fact, does more than thicken. It braids over itself, constantly climbing to new heights, while always maintaining intensity. When watching so many horror movies, things can easily start to repeat themselves, and feel very overdone. This could have easily fallen into that too, but instead seemed to possess a particularly striking, memorable, and unique look and feel. Though very subtle at times, Acolytes never lets the string of excitement slacken. The concept of killing another person willingly was held under a microscope, allowing you to watch these young adults transform through the events that transpired. I commend them on the writing. Every line was perfect. And when the ending could have very well ruined the whole thing, they brought it full circle and ended with a bang.
Savage score stabs a 4.5 out of 5. I highly recommend this film to the avid murder mystery enthusiast. I myself didn’t think I could be so enthralled by that sub-genre, but this film crammed murder, lust, violence, mystery, and death all into one to make for a fine meal. Gore score gushes a 6 out of 10. I thought the effects didn’t over shadow nor underplay the conflict that they attributed to. I urge you to enjoy the parent-free nightmare three able bodied and over-confident teenagers manage to entangle themselves in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-1xKUzj2A0
6/10
The Vicious Brothers
92 minutes
Sean Rogerson,
Juan Riedinger,
Ashleigh Gryzko,
Mackenzie Gray,
Merwin Mondesir
Grave Encounters is a pretty decent film while it retained its realism, but loses its edge once it became just another standard found footage film. There are a couple creepy moments, but unless CG ghosts scare you, chances are you won't be effected by much of what occurs in the last 30-minutes. I'm sure found footage fans will enjoy this, but unless you're bored and have time to burn, those seeking a good creative horror flick should look elsewhere.
If there’s one sub-genre I try to avoid it’s the "found footage" one. The whole aspect just doesn’t appeal to me, but I try to give certain films a chance if I feel the movie may make an attempt to change things up a bit. Grave Encounters was a film that came highly recommended by friends and peers, so I finally caved in and gave it a shot. Although I didn’t 
like the movie as much as they did, I did like how it approached the tired sub-genre a bit differently.
The pic follows a team of ghost hunters, who are part of a reality-TV crew that go from one supposedly haunted location to another to document unexplained phenomena. In their latest episode they voluntarily lock themselves in an old abandoned Psychiatric Hospital that’s said to be haunted by various deceased patients. At first things seem pretty normal, but 
as the night grows longer strange things begin to occur. Once one of the team turns up missing, they soon realize that the place is indeed haunted, and its spectral occupants aren’t friendly.
… read more
UHM – Upcoming Horror Movies – Your upcoming horror movies resource since June 24th ’99
Here we have another horror short for you guys to chow down on entitled The Devil’s Grave which marks Steven Aguilera’s directorial debut and its an interesting concept.
We follow Helen (Amanda Kari McHugh) and her lover (Dean Ghaffari) as they unwittingly murder Helen’s husband. In doing so they frantically try to find a spot to bury him only to find a corpse already laying beneath the earth.
Soon the story deepens and we guided into a chilling mystery as we witness an ancient curse come to life. While there isn’t much in terms of gore, almost all of the action is featured off-screen and we are left to our imagination.
Thankfully the acting is up to par and this drives the focus of the short which was an enjoyable 9-minute ride. You can check this one out in its entirety below and let us know what you make of it.
Synopsis: “A woman and her lover frantically bury the body of her husband in the backyard, only to discover a corpse already buried there. Shoveling further, the mystery deepens as more chilling remains are uncovered until the ghastly source of this ancient evil is finally unearthed.”
For more hit up their official website and Facebook page.
As horror shorts go, this was actually a fairly gripping tale of lust and revenge and I believe that when this one is finally released on its festival run it will be a top draw. Erik L. Wilson has created a pretty stellar supernatural short with some top FX work on display.
The short comes in at around the 15 minute mark and during that time we are quickly catapulted straight into the action, which is well shot and actually believable. Janice (Aimee Bello) is a victim of domestic abuse and soon she looks for solace in someone else, but first she needs to take care of some unfinished business.
The short plays out with an interesting story and one which kept me engaged throughout. One downside is the small CGI in play, it doesn’t look good when compared to the practical effects on display. My word of advice is, if it doesn’t look right, don’t use it.
In any event, this was a breath of fresh air in the sudden spate of horror remakes and the likes, Wilson managed to create an eerie setting and the cast managed to provide some top not acting to support the story. I was on the edge of my seat nearing the end waiting to see the outcome and it didn’t disappoint, well except I would have liked for a more eerie and crazier old woman. But I like freaky old people.
Here we have your first look as we have scored the poster and the first trailer for the short. House Call is said to be hitting the festival circuit soon, so if you get the chance, hunt this one down.
The short stars Aimee Bello, Michael Jordan, Janet Gawrys and Brad Egger.
Synopsis: “Janice does the unthinkable in order to start a new life with her new boyfriend. However, strange things begin to happen on the night of their one year anniversary.”
For more on this one hit up their official Facebook page.
Keeping with the running theme today, another trailer has crawled out of the woodwork and this one is for the CG animated flick Starship Troopers: Invasion.
While there isn’t much action to be seen, its basically doing what it does best and that’s to tease us. Check it out below courtesy of IGN.
Synopsis: “A distant Federation outpost Fort Casey comes under attack by bugs. The team on the fast attack ship Alesia is assigned to help the Starship John A. Warden stationed in Fort Casey evacuate along with the survivors and bring military intelligence safely back to Earth. Carl Jenkins, now ministry of Paranormal Warfare, takes the starship on a clandestine mission before its rendezvous with the Alesia and goes missing in the nebula. Now, the battle-hardened troopers are charged with a rescue mission that may lead to a much more sinister consequence than they ever could have imagined….”
The film is directed by Shinji Aramaki and written by Flint Dille.
For more information check out their official website.
