Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Marcus Nispel Directing 'Conan the Barbarian'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/12/marcus-nispel-directing-conan-the-barbarian/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/12/marcus-nispel-directing-conan-the-barbarian/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/12/marcus-nispel-directing-conan-the-barbarian/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Conan the Barbarian has a director, and it isn't Brett Ratner. That's the story according to CHUD, who reports that horror director Marcus Nispel has signed on the dotted line, and will direct the remake / reimagining for Lionsgate.

Remakes are familiar territory for Nispel, who has helmed our latest versions of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th. I haven't seen either (though I am sure Scott Weinberg will rectify that soon), but I know they were heavy on the gore and action. With Outlander writers Dirk Blackman and Howard McCain giving the script a rewrite last year, I think you can picture just what Nispel and Lionsgate are aiming for ... lots of pulpy, bloody, R-rated action. While I'll hold out some hope for character development, I'll take comfort in the fact that the Barbarian's sword will meet flesh and bone with a suitable level of blood and crunch.

Now we'll have to see who lands the role (Devin Faraci is hearing that they'll go with an unknown), and whether Ratner left his fingerprints all over the project, as has been rumored every time he was on again, off again with it. But hey, it looks like Conan will make it to the theater before Red Sonja and Thulsa Doom do, which is how it should be.

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]]>Brett RatnerBrettRatnerConan the BarbarianConanTheBarbarianfeaturedLionsgateMarcus NispelMarcusNispelRed SonjaRedSonjaThulsa DoomThulsaDoomElisabeth RappeFri, 12 Jun 2009 08:45:00 ESTEpix To Give (Some of) You Movies Before They Hit DVD for Freehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/09/epix-to-give-some-of-you-movies-before-they-hit-dvd-for-free/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/09/epix-to-give-some-of-you-movies-before-they-hit-dvd-for-free/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/09/epix-to-give-some-of-you-movies-before-they-hit-dvd-for-free/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Epix with Paramount logoIt sounds too good to be true. Three Hollywood studios (Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM) plan to introduce a new service called Epix that will be available online and on television. Epix will feature recent titles from the three studios in high definition before they're released on DVD or Blu-ray, without commercial interruption, and without charge to the consumer. Sign me up, right? Big surprise: there is a catch. Or two, actually.

As explained at ars technica, the films will be available in the "pay-TV window," after the theatrical release concludes and before the title hits DVD. Epix wants to convince cable TV operators to bundle their network into an already-existing package, and thus avoid a separate, additional monthly fee. No partners have been announced yet. That's the first catch.

Here's the second: if you want to watch the films online, on demand, via EpixHD.com, you have to subscribe to the same provider's Internet offering. In the words of ars technica: "If Comcast were to offer Epix, users would need to pay for both Comcast cable and Comcast Internet in order to access the streaming, on-demand service. That's good for Comcast, and it helps them cover the cost of the service." That may be good for the cable operators, but if you're like me and have satellite service and/or DSL, you're out of luck.

EpixHD.com is "currently in private beta" and, contrary to what is stated in ars technica, there is no way I see for private citizens to sign up. The site says "library classics" will be available in addition to newer titles. More free movies are always welcome, though I wonder how widespread Epix will become.

[via Gizmodo]

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]]>epixepixhdhigh definitionHighDefinitionon demandOnDemandonline videoOnlineVideoPeter MartinTue, 09 Jun 2009 15:02:00 ESTCannes in 60 Seconds: 2009 Awards / Films With Distributionhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/25/cannes-in-60-seconds-2009-awards-films-with-distribution/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/25/cannes-in-60-seconds-2009-awards-films-with-distribution/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/25/cannes-in-60-seconds-2009-awards-films-with-distribution/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Cannes in 60 Seconds - 2009

The Cannes Film Festival drew to a close on Sunday evening with the presentation of the Palme d'Or to Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon. Filmed in black and white, it's "a two-and-a-half hour parable of political and social ideas set entirely in a north German village in 1913 and 1914," says Dave Calhoun at Time Out London. Haneke "solidly resists answering the 'what's it all about?' question and makes you work hard to make sense of what you're seeing." David Hudson at IFC's The Daily has gathered the reviews, some of which endeavor to answer the "What's it all about?" question.

As is often the case, the nine-member jury passed out awards to as many films as possible. The Grand Prix (or runner-up) went to Jacques Audiard's A Prophet; Special Jury Prize to Alain Resnais for Wild Grass; and Best Director to Brillante Mendoza for Kinatay. Christoph Walz won Best Actor for his performance in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds and Charlotte Gainsbourg won Best Actress for Lars von Trier's controversial Antichrist. The complete list of winners can be easily viewed at indieWIRE. The festival's official site has a great set of award ceremony photos.

Here's a roundup of Cannes films we can expect to see in coming months. Corrections and updates will be appreciated.

CANNES TITLES WITH U.S. DISTRIBUTION

  • Antichrist (IFC)
  • A Prophet (Sony Pictures Classics)
  • Bright Star (Bob Berney and Bill Polhad)
  • Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (Sony Pictures Classics)
  • Drag Me to Hell (Universal)
  • Humpday (Magnolia Pictures)
  • I Love You Phillip Morris (Consolidated Pictures Group)
  • Inglourious Basterds (Weinstein Co.)
  • Looking For Eric (IFC)
  • Precious (Lionsgate)
  • Taking Woodstock (Focus Features)
  • Tales From the Golden Age (IFC)
  • Thirst (Focus Features)
  • Up (Disney Pixar)
  • The White Ribbon (Sony Pictures Classics)

You can access all our Cannes coverage via this handy link.

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]]>a prophetAProphetcannes film festivalcannes in 60 secondscannes2009CannesFilmFestivalCannesIn60Secondsjacques audiardJacquesAudiardmichael hanekeMichaelHanekethe white ribbonTheWhiteRibbonPeter MartinMon, 25 May 2009 10:03:00 EST3D at Home: Awesome or Awful?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/21/3d-at-home-awesome-or-awful/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/21/3d-at-home-awesome-or-awful/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/21/3d-at-home-awesome-or-awful/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

'My Bloody Valentine 3D'At theaters, 3D is all the rage, boosting box office receipts and giving moviegoers something to talk about -- if not always to love. The year began with generally positive reactions by horror fans to My Bloody Valentine 3D and continued as young fans enjoyed Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience, and families lined up for Monsters vs. Aliens 3D. Can that enthusiasm spread beyond theaters? Can the 3D experience be enjoyed equally well at home?

When he reviewed My Bloody Valentine 3D, our own William Goss felt it was "cheesy, corny, gimmicky, gory fun -- if only in its 3-D theatrical presentation." He questioned whether it would translate at all in 2-D or on DVD. The movie hit DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday, and our friend Peter Hall at Horror's Not Dead took the movie for a spin. He found the experience seriously wanting: "Watching [My Bloody Valentine 3D] on Blu-ray is akin to trying to watch a movie after staring into the sun before getting donkey punched with an ugly green paint can." He points to a message board thread at High Def Digest that says the "the technology to do Real D (the non red-blue glasses variety) at home does not exist." So all that's available is the "dreadful red-blue" type of "3D" experience for home viewers -- you know, the same type that made us want to claw our eyes out while trying to watch 3D movies in the 80s.

I tried watching the old school 3D at home with Friday the 13th Part 3 on DVD and lasted about 15 minutes. Awful!! Have you seen any recent 3D titles at home? Do they provide a decent experience, or are they a complete waste of time and money?

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]]>3-d3-d at home3-dAtHome3d3d at home3dAtHomefeaturedmy bloody valentinemy bloody valentine 3dMyBloodyValentineMyBloodyValentine3dPeter MartinThu, 21 May 2009 19:03:00 ESTHyper-Insane 'Gamer' Trailer Now Onlinehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/11/gamer-movie-trailer-now-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/11/gamer-movie-trailer-now-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/05/11/gamer-movie-trailer-now-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor's latest piece of madcap action has a new name (from Game to Citizen Game to Gamer), a new poster, and a new trailer. Luckily though, it's still exactly the kind of film you've come to expect from the directing duo. The trailer looks like a pretty tasty mash-up of The Running Man, Death Race, Escape from New York, and Gladiator with a dash of Blade Runner for color. If you've been annoyed at Gerard Butler going all chirpy and chick-flicky lately, this trailer will be a nice dose of neo-Leonidas. He really snarles and smashes through every frame of this -- and he even does so shirtless just to keep the crowd that does like his chick-flicky side happy.

Of course, Butler may be the top name, but he's not the only draw. Michael C. Hall is splendidly slimy here, and you'll get glimpses of Logan Lerman, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, John Leguizamo, Amber Valetta, and a blink-and-you-miss it shot of Kyra Sedgwick. Milo Ventimiglia and Alison Lohman are supposed to be somewhere in here, but it all happens too fast to see them.

It's silly for me to describe it further, so just check out the trailer below -- and if you have an XBox360, you can watch it there, but the rest of us have to get by with YouTube. Gamer hits theaters on September 4.

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]]>Amber ValettaAmberValettaBrian TaylorBrianTaylorGameGamerGerard ButlerGerardButlerLakeshort EntertainmentLakeshortEntertainmentLionsgateLogan lermanLoganLermanmark neveldineMarkNeveldineNeveldine TaylorNeveldineTaylorElisabeth RappeMon, 11 May 2009 09:03:00 ESTDVD Info for Lionsgate / Weinstein Castoffs 'Horsemen' & 'Killshot'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/21/dvd-info-for-horsemen-killshot/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/21/dvd-info-for-horsemen-killshot/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/21/dvd-info-for-horsemen-killshot/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Oh, the irony of ironies when the Dennis Quaid serial killer mystery The Horsemen had a tagline that said "Come and see," only to receive an unceremonious dump on something like 75 screens in early March and its first formal review just this week in Variety (and they had to catch it in Paris, apparently!). Box Office Mojo can't even claim any exact figures for what the thing grossed in its very limited run.

In similar straits was the Diane Lane/Mickey Rourke thriller, Killshot, which was formally dumped in Arizona and Arizona alone at the end of January. $18,000 on five screens -- way to capitalize on that Wrestler buzz, Weinsteins. But soon, scarcity will matter not for either film, as Fangoria says that the former film will get its DVD release on July 14th, while Amazon claims a May 26th bow for the latter.

There's no word on special features for Killshot yet, which makes me wonder if we'll see any sign of Johnny Knoxville's reportedly excised character... but maybe I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

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]]>dennis quaidDennisQuaiddiane laneDianeLaneelmore leonardElmoreLeonardhorsemenjohnny knoxvilleJohnnyKnoxvillejoseph gordon-levittJosephGordon-levittkillshotmickey rourkeMickeyRourkepeter stormarePeterStormarethe horsemenTheHorsementhomas janeThomasJaneziyi zhangZiyiZhangWilliam GossTue, 21 Apr 2009 16:03:00 ESTDiscuss: What's in the 'Crank' Cooler?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/19/discuss-whats-in-the-crank-cooler/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/19/discuss-whats-in-the-crank-cooler/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/19/discuss-whats-in-the-crank-cooler/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Some mild Crank: High Voltage spoilers to follow...

Taking in an estimated $6.5 million for the weekend, the Crank sequel seemed to please most fans (less so myself) and many critics (the Tomatometer now stands at 69%, over the original's 60%) without totally taking America by storm. Hey, we live in a world where not everyone wants to pay to see Jason Statham stick a lubed-up shotgun inside some thug's rectum -- different strokes, people, different strokes.

Now, as Chev Chelios finally confronted the man with the red cooler (Art Hsu) after a momentarily Godzilla-like showdown, he opened the cooler to find not his stolen heart, but... something, something vaguely but freakishly off-putting to even the steely likes of Chev -- he reacts to the effect of "Why would you possibly carry this around with you?" -- and then, naturally, we never find out what the cooler holds.

So, as many had likewise debated as to the contents of that briefcase in Pulp Fiction, I'd like to hear your theories on what exactly was in that cooler. Was it Jason Statham's hair? The script for the next Tyler Perry outing? A puppy?

("Whatever, I wanted a cat.")

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]]>crankcrank 2crank 2 high voltageCrank2Crank2HighVoltagejason stathamJasonStathampulp fictionPulpFictionWilliam GossSun, 19 Apr 2009 18:32:00 ESTReview: Crank: High Voltagehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/17/review-crank-high-voltage/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/17/review-crank-high-voltage/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/17/review-crank-high-voltage/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



On the eve of its release in 2006, some local pals accommodated me at their screening for the first Crank film, and when my reaction afterward was one of surprising enthusiasm, they kindly chalked it up to a matter of "demographics." (To them, this most recently excused my thoughts on Observe and Report as well.)

Three years later, I found myself attending a midnight show of Crank: High Voltage alongside plenty of demographically-appropriate (read: texting) kin, anxious to see just how Jason Statham's unstoppable hitman is going to beat the odds this time around. And three reels later, I began to wonder whether or not too much had finally become just that. Oh, dear... what if they told me to leave my brain at the door and my heart still wasn't in it?

Continue reading Review: Crank: High Voltage

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]]>amy smartAmySmartcrankcrank 2crank 2 high voltageCrank2Crank2HighVoltagedwight yoakamDwightYoakamefren ramirezEfrenRamirezjason stathamJasonStathamneveldine taylorNeveldineTaylorWilliam GossFri, 17 Apr 2009 09:50:00 EST'Saw: The Video Game' -- What Took 'Em So Long?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/15/saw-the-video-game-what-took-em-so-long/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/15/saw-the-video-game-what-took-em-so-long/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/15/saw-the-video-game-what-took-em-so-long/#commentsFiled under: , ,



You know how all the really excellent video games invariably become undeniably awesome movies called House of the Dead, Doom, BloodRayne, and Resident Evil 2? Well here's a switch you didn't definitely did see coming: Looks like game giant Konami will be teaming up with the Twisted Pictures gang in order to bring Saw: The Video Game to Xbox, Playstation, and PC monitors. As the creators of the Castlevania and Silent Hill series, Konami is no stranger to the scary stuff -- plus they have another one coming out soon called Zombie Apocalypse! Cool!

Anyway, based on the official website (which has a detailed synopsis and a handful of screenshots), the Saw game will be "a third-person perspective, survival horror game based on the SAW film franchise, which has grossed more than $665M worldwide and sold more than 28 million DVDs. The game features many of the deadly mechanical traps seen in the film, as well as terrifying new ones. Players will pit their wits against Jigsaw as they navigate his world in an attempt to evade and escape his gruesome traps, while also struggling against his minions in brutal combat by using weapons found within the environment."

Whew, for a second I thought we were going to play AS Jigsaw. Boy, that'd get a lot of parents angry, wouldn't it? Sounds like a basic but amusing horror game, only infused with a familiar dose of Jigsaw jigginess. Since I own a 360 I'll be sure to check the game out when it splatters onto shelves this Fall -- but it's gotta be pretty damn good if it's going to live up to THIS classic horror movie video game!


Continue reading 'Saw: The Video Game' -- What Took 'Em So Long?

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]]>konamisaw the video gameSawTheVideoGameScott WeinbergWed, 15 Apr 2009 14:02:00 ESTGet a Load of Lionsgate's Goofy New 'Lost Collection'!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/14/get-a-load-of-lionsgates-goofy-new-lost-collection/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/14/get-a-load-of-lionsgates-goofy-new-lost-collection/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/14/get-a-load-of-lionsgates-goofy-new-lost-collection/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

What's a distributor to do when it has a bunch of kitschy, random flicks on its hands? They slap a title like "The Lost Collection" across a few of 'em, toss the DVDs onto the market, and see if there's enough interest to warrant another batch of "Lost Collection" titles. Points to Lionsgate, however, for approaching their subject matter with a good dose of humor -- even if we're not exactly thrilled with all these fullscreen transfers. So here, submitted for your approval, are the eight titles in LG's new "Lost Collection." Whether or not the flicks deserve to remain "lost" is entirely up to you.

Hiding Out (1987) -- Jon Cryer, Annabeth Gish, and Keith Coogan star in this insipid "comedy" about a youthful stockbroker who hides out from assassins ... in a high school. I have a weird sort of hate for this movie. (Widescreen, trivia track, trailer)

Homer & Eddie (1989) -- One of those wistful dramedies in which a mentally handicapped person becomes friends with an aggressively antisocial person. In this case, the former is Jim Belushi and the latter is Whoopi Goldberg. (Widescreen, trivia track)

Irreconcilable Differences (1984) -- Co-written by a young Nancy Myers (ahem), this one stars Drew Barrymore as a little girl who wants to divorce her parents, Ryan O'Neal and Shelley Long. Keep your eyes peeled for a young Sharon Stone. Or don't. (Fullscreen, trivia track)


Continue reading Get a Load of Lionsgate's Goofy New 'Lost Collection'!

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]]>featuredhiding outHidingOuthomer eddieHomerEddieirreconcilable differencesIrreconcilableDifferenceslionsgatemorgan stewarts coming homeMorganStewartsComingHomemy best friend is a vampireMyBestFriendIsAVampirerepossessedslaughter highSlaughterHighthe lost collectionthe night beforeTheLostCollectionTheNightBeforeScott WeinbergTue, 14 Apr 2009 18:15:00 ESTFun Out of the Sun: A Look at the 2009 Florida Film Festivalhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/13/fun-out-of-the-sun-a-look-at-the-2009-florida-film-festival/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/13/fun-out-of-the-sun-a-look-at-the-2009-florida-film-festival/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/13/fun-out-of-the-sun-a-look-at-the-2009-florida-film-festival/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,



The 18th annual Florida Film Festival ended a week ago last night, and do you want to know why our coverage of the fest is going up just now? Because I'm selfish and wanted to catch up with as many of the forty or so features as possible, even after the awards had been announced and everyone had gone home (for the record, I managed to miss each and every winning film -- Prince of Broadway, The Garden, Prodigal Sons, Neil Young: Don't Be Denied, and the exceedingly popular Poundcake -- and am kicking myself still).

However, between the appearances by Ken Russell, Glenn Close, and Jon Voight (oh, my!), I did manage to catch my fair share of world, regional, and local premieres at this celebration of Original Cinema, and you can see what we saw after the jump.

Continue reading Fun Out of the Sun: A Look at the 2009 Florida Film Festival

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]]>alien trespassAlienTrespassamerican swingAmericanSwingarlen faberArlenFaberart and copyArtAndCopybattle for terraBattleForTerracat coraCatCorachronic townChronicTowndeadgirlenzian theaterEnzianTheaterflorida film festivalFloridaFilmFestivalfood fightFoodFightglenn closeGlennClosejon voightJonVoightken russellKenRusselllymelifeschool playSchoolPlayseventh moonSeventhMoonshowbiz pizzaShowbizPizzathe answer manthe burning plainthe dream of the romansthe enzian theaterthe merry gentlemanthe rock-afire explosionthe wrecking crewTheAnswerManTheBurningPlainTheDreamOfTheRomansTheEnzianTheaterTheMerryGentlemanTheRock-afireExplosionTheWreckingCrewwe are the modsWeAreTheModsWilliam GossMon, 13 Apr 2009 12:15:00 ESTThe Cinematical Roundtable, with Guest Brian Orndorfhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/27/the-cinematical-roundtable-with-guest-brian-orndorf/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/27/the-cinematical-roundtable-with-guest-brian-orndorf/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/27/the-cinematical-roundtable-with-guest-brian-orndorf/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,



Damned if you have a mic, damned if you don't... Coming to you loudly (at least in my case) is the latest episode of The Cinematical Roundtable, and this time, we don't even dare leave the lobby before offering up our thoughts on the rock-'em-sock-'em likes of 12 Rounds, in addition to the week's other wide releases, The Haunting in Connecticut and Monsters vs. Aliens.

Rounding out the proverbial 'we' this week is Brian Orndorf, he of multiple outlets, not the least of which are eFilmCritic and DVD Talk. Also, my good friend Tyler serves as a last-minute substitute for a colleague fallen ill (that, or he just really didn't want to sit through a John Cena flick). He knows his stuff, which I can't say for all in our field, and he happened to be co-anchor of our college movie talk show, "Matinee Idle," which was pretty much a podcast before podcasts were podcasts.

So... yeah. He's good people. Enjoy!




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]]>12 rounds12Roundsjohn cenaJohnCenamartin donovanMartinDonovanmonsters vs. aliensMonstersVs.Aliensmovie podcastMoviePodcastpodcastreese witherspoonReeseWitherspoonrenny harlinRennyHarlinseth rogenSethRogenthe haunting in connecticutthe marineTheHauntingInConnecticutTheMarinevirginia madsenVirginiaMadsenWilliam GossFri, 27 Mar 2009 20:02:00 ESTDiscuss: The Curious Case of the Curious Caseshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/25/discuss-the-curious-case-of-the-curious-cases/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/25/discuss-the-curious-case-of-the-curious-cases/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/25/discuss-the-curious-case-of-the-curious-cases/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

When I opened up a couple of Lionsgate DVDs last month, I noticed that the cover portion of each plastic case had a sizable hole in it, shaped like a recycling symbol. It seemed like a nice gesture, though I'm not entirely sure how much good that much plastic would do in its absence (nor how much more I would personally recycle at the mere sight of a reminder).

Then, a friend of mine opened up his Blu-ray copy of Fox/MGM's Quantum of Solace to discover similar holes. "Environmental friendly?," he noted. "Maybe. Far less sturdy and protective? Yes." (Or maybe he was just describing Bond in the movie, ZING!)

What do you guys and girls think about this recurring development? Do you believe it's a worthwhile effort on behalf of the studios to reduce waste, or would you rather shell out your hard-earned dollar for your movies to be kept in a proper and complete case?

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]]>blu-ray caseBlu-rayCasedvd caseDvdCasequantum of solaceQuantumOfSolacerecyclingWilliam GossWed, 25 Mar 2009 21:02:00 ESTItalian Trailer for 'Game' Pops Uphttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/25/italian-trailer-for-game-pops-up/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/25/italian-trailer-for-game-pops-up/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/25/italian-trailer-for-game-pops-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I'll chalk it up to coincidence and coincidence alone that I get The Running Man in the mail from Netflix -- about a man (Arnold Schwarzenegger) forced to kill for his freedom or be killed for the entertainment of others in the future -- in the same week that we get our first taste of Neveldine/Taylor's Game, about a man (Gerard Butler) who's controlled as a gaming avatar but violently decides that he's had just about enough of that.

So far, I've been fan enough of the two films N/T have put out to date -- Crank and Pathology -- though I can't help but hope that there's maybe something more to this than just bangs and booms (not that those don't have their place at times). That's right, the guy looking forward to Crank 2: High Voltage is asking for something of substance from the guys behind Crank 2: High Voltage. Who knows, it could just be trashy, amoral fun, and despite a shifty date over at Lionsgate (they say Sept. 4th, for now), I suspect that we might see a proper (read: English-language) trailer for Game by the time C2 drops in mid-April.

Trailer removed at studio's request.

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]]>gamegerard butlerGerardButlerneveldine taylorneveldinetaylorWilliam GossWed, 25 Mar 2009 17:15:00 ESTThe Cinematical Roundtable: Live from SXSW with Drew McWeeny and Scott Weinberghttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/the-cinematical-roundtable-live-from-sxsw-with-drew-mcweeny-and/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/the-cinematical-roundtable-live-from-sxsw-with-drew-mcweeny-and/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/20/the-cinematical-roundtable-live-from-sxsw-with-drew-mcweeny-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,



Welcome to the inaugural broadcast of The Cinematical Roundtable, our latest podcast here at the site, where we'll speak with writers and readers alike about the latest in film offerings. Our first episode has Drew McWeeny of Hitfix fame and our own Scott Weinberg joining you and I on the road as we discuss March's The Haunting in Connecticut, April's Observe and Report, May's Drag Me to Hell, and June's The Hurt Locker following their respective SXSW premieres in Austin, Texas.

Please pardon our dust as we get this puppy off the ground, please brace yourself for some mild profanity, and please tell your friends. Especially that one cute redhead. She's not seeing anyone, right?



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]]>cinematical podcastCinematicalPodcastdrag me to hellDragMeToHellobserve and reportObserveAndReportpodcastsxswsxsw2009the cinematical roundtablethe haunting in connecticutthe hurt lockerTheCinematicalRoundtableTheHauntingInConnecticutTheHurtLockerWilliam GossFri, 20 Mar 2009 21:02:00 EST'Crank 2' Poster Debuts on Twitterhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/19/crank-2-poster-debuts-on-twitter/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/19/crank-2-poster-debuts-on-twitter/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/19/crank-2-poster-debuts-on-twitter/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Internet history was made on March 18, 2009. Lionsgate became the first studio to debut original content on Twitter, which means anyone who signs onto the social media network after this point is officially five minutes late. (Hooray! I made it under the wire.)

What was this content? Why, a Crank 2: High Voltage poster! It's very yellow and Jason Statham-y, for those missing his squint from the popping vein poster. I've put both in the gallery below. Maybe we'll get some shirtless pictures to pad it out in the next few weeks. (Hey, a girl can dream.)

But more important than the poster is where it appeared, and what this might mean for all of us. Many are applauding this new frontier of communication, while others say this is the beginning of the end -- the Re-Tweeting of posters, stills, and trailers could put us all out of work. For other media geeks, the Crank 2 poster means that Twitter is no longer cool, and is now just another tool of the corporate machine.

All I know is that Lionsgate is really lucky TwitPic was working, and didn't replace Statham with a Jason who uploaded his photo at the exact same time they did. That happened to me the other day, and boy was it embarrassing.


Gallery: Crank 2

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]]>Crank 2crank 2 high voltageCrank2Crank2HighVoltagejason stathamJasonStathamLionsgateTwitterElisabeth RappeThu, 19 Mar 2009 10:02:00 ESTSXSW Review: The Haunting in Connecticuthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/18/sxsw-review-the-haunting-in-connecticut/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/18/sxsw-review-the-haunting-in-connecticut/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/18/sxsw-review-the-haunting-in-connecticut/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Oh, actual events. Long have you reigned as the trump card in horror marketing, and only slightly less long have you been exposed as mostly malarkey. That hasn't stopped scarier films from finding their fans, nor the hokum from earning its opening weekend before vanishing into a blur of like-minded teen-targeting supernatural fare. Peter Cornwell's The Haunting in Connecticut falls firmly into the latter category, a run-of-the-mill spooker that often opts for Dolby jolts and Avid farts over character investment that itself rarely extends beyond asking why special effects happen to good people.

The crux of Connecticut is based on the allegedly true story in which a family found themselves terrorized in their new home, a former mortuary, back in 1987. While eldest son Matt (Kyle Gallner) receives and recovers from treatments for his cancer, he alone finds spirits roaming the house and tormenting his dreams. His parents (Virginia Madsen and Martin Donovan) just try keep him comforted, assuring him and themselves that it's simply a side effect, but a similarly ill priest (Elias Koteas) suggests that being close to death has indeed put them closer to the realm of the dead, which is in turn bringing escalating harm to the household...

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]]>amanda crewAmandaCrewmartin donovanMartinDonovansxswsxsw2009the haunting in connecticutTheHauntingInConnecticutvirginia madsenVirginiaMadsenWilliam GossWed, 18 Mar 2009 14:32:00 ESTWhat Recession? Six-Disc 'Terminator 2' Set on the Wayhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/10/what-recession-six-disc-terminator-2-set-on-the-way/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/10/what-recession-six-disc-terminator-2-set-on-the-way/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/10/what-recession-six-disc-terminator-2-set-on-the-way/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Usually, when an elaborate DVD set is released within the packaging of a character's skull (see: Planet of the Apes or Alien), they include multiple movies in a franchise. But not with Lionsgate! In an unsurprising effort to cash in on the anticipated release of Remember When Christian Bale Yelled at People Months Ago?, the studio is re-issuing their Blu-ray release two-fold... or should I say, six-fold? (Cue musicus dramaticus.)

The one-disc release will boast an 1080p presentation "with English lossless 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio for multiple versions including a theatrical and a special edition." (I haven't yet figured out the tech side of my Blu-rays, but I can't help but think that sounds like an improvement over the current $10 edition.)

The SIX-disc set will have that disc, the previous DVD editions (both cuts of which are technically included on the Blu-ray), and a digital copy, all wrapped up in a 14" T-800 Endoskull that lights up and makes noise every time you open your wallet.

We've included the promotional trailer below, and thanks to DVD Active for all the low-down. I'm digging through my couch cushions for change already...

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]]>arnold schwarzeneggerArnoldSchwarzeneggerblu-rayjames cameronJamesCameronterminator 2terminator 2 judgment dayterminator salvationTerminator2Terminator2JudgmentDayTerminatorSalvationWilliam GossTue, 10 Mar 2009 17:45:00 ESTOK, Speak Up if 'The Horsemen' is Playing Near You!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/06/ok-speak-up-if-the-horsemen-is-playing-near-you/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/06/ok-speak-up-if-the-horsemen-is-playing-near-you/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/03/06/ok-speak-up-if-the-horsemen-is-playing-near-you/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I know today's supposed to be alllll about Watchmen lunacy, but there's another new flick that's really piqued my interest, mainly because it's a horror film (and I love horror films), but also because it stars Dennis Quaid, and I'll always find time to watch a Dennis Quaid movie. Even a lame one. But in the case of this particular film, the distributor (one Lionsgate) is working overtime to make sure I don't see it.

Reliable sources like Filmjerk and BOM indicate that The Horsemen (or, if you're going by the poster, Horsemen) is opening today in 75 markets. Or 75 screens, I'm not sure on that. But I can't seem to track it down on Moviefone, and selling movie tickets is, like, their big thing! They WANT me to find a ticket! Ive spoken to a few pals, and it doesn't look like the film is playing anywhere near Philly, New York, Austin, Orlando, or Chicago. I can only assume it's playing all around Hollywood, right?

Now, it feels really strange for me to be defending a film directed by Jonas Akerlund, since I consider his FIRST film (Spun) to be a rat turd of the highest odor. But what's the deal with Lionsgate already? I certainly don't want to slap the hand that gave me a lot of great horror flicks over the past five years, but between their virtual burials of The Midnight Meat Train (102 theaters, $83,000 gross), Repo! The Genetic Opera (11 theaters(?), $146,000), The Horsemen, and The Burrowers (straight to DVD, and a damn fine movie), I'm starting to take this an affront to the fine horror geeks of the world. LG sure didn't mind scooping $51 million out of My Bloody Valentine a few months back, and they've got Saw 6 in the oven as we speak, so clearly they're not averse to ALL horror movies ... just the smaller ones. Nice.

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]]>burrowersdance of the deadDanceOfTheDeadhorsemenlionsgatemidnight meat trainMidnightMeatTrainmy bloody valentineMyBloodyValentinerepo the genetic operaRepoTheGeneticOperasaw 6Saw6Scott WeinbergFri, 06 Mar 2009 13:47:00 ESTReview: Madea Goes to Jailhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/02/21/review-madea-goes-to-jail/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/02/21/review-madea-goes-to-jail/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/02/21/review-madea-goes-to-jail/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Heaven help me, this Madea character is starting to grow on me. In Madea Goes to Jail, Tyler Perry's latest adaptation of one of his innumerable stage plays, his giant, pistol-packing alter ego finally runs afoul of the law one too many times and finds herself in the big house (not Big Momma's House, the big house). As a character, Madea felt randomly assembled in Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Madea's Family Reunion, but now Perry has grown her into a larger-than-life force of nature that is genuinely funny.

Madea Goes to Jail would be a lot better, in fact, if it were actually about Madea going to jail, or about Madea at all. But she's merely a supporting character in the film, which is really about a young lawyer and his shrewish fiancee dealing with elements from his past, with light Christian themes baked into the crust. In other words, it's more or less the same movie Perry has been making all along, with one-dimensional villains, catty women, and cringe-inducing melodrama. The addition of Rudy Huxtable as a crack whore certainly raises my interest level, though.

That'd be Keshia Knight Pulliam, who is 29 years old now, if you can believe that. She plays Candy, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks -- someone actually uses that figure of speech -- who's now hooked on the junk and turning tricks on the streets of Atlanta. Our dashing hero lawyer, Josh (Derek Luke), a prosecutor in the D.A.'s office, grew up in the same ghetto and is astonished to be reunited with her after she's arrested. But his purely platonic desire to help her is hampered by his wealthy fiancee, Linda (Ion Overman), who sees no reason to reach out to "those people" when it's Candy's own damn fault she's so messed up.

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]]>derek lukeDerekLukemadea goes to jailMadeaGoesToJailtyler perryTylerPerryEric D. SniderSat, 21 Feb 2009 09:03:00 EST