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Dread (UK/US): I'm going to act like I don't know how Clive Barker's original short story played out, as I didn't know when going into the film, but that still leaves this adaptation a bit too long-winded for its own good. Stephen (Jackson Rathbone) and Quaid (Shaun Evans) team up for a college project on what people fear most, and sure enough, this little social experiment of theirs goes too far. It's an interesting premise, eventually carried out to a foreseeable but intense climax, shot moodily throughout by first-time director Anthony DiBlasi, but the redundant dorm-worthy moralizing delivered by our fairly obvious villain and a tacked-on ain't-that-wicked twist only make it more apparent that Dread was a story perhaps better deserving of, say, a "Masters of Horror" episode rather than a feature-length treatment.

Read the rest at Horror Squad.

It seems as though some readers are concerned that the soundtrack of Heavy Metal won't be metal enough. Well, if you're looking for heavy metal, look no further: Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America is probably the most death metal movie I've ever seen, other than the most excellent documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. In a nutshell, Severed Ways is an alternate version of the discovery of America with Vikings.

There's very little dialogue, other than "translations" of Old Norse, a few memorable scenes of killing and dismembering animals, and one scene of the lead Viking (writer/director/star Tony Stone) literally pooping in the woods. Like, up close. This is all to the tunes of bands like Dimmu Borgir, Popol Vuh, Burzum, Brian Eno, Morbid Angel, Old Man's Child, Queens of the Stone Age and Judas Priest. As Manohla Dargis points out in her review of Severed Ways in the New York Times, "Given the Nazi fascination with Norse myths, the decision to use music by Burzum, a favorite of white supremacists, is unfortunate at best."

And, if you're really looking for death metal, get excited for the upcoming adaptation of Michael Moynihan's book Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground, which will star Twilight's Jackson Rathbone as Burzum's Varg Vikernes. I can't wait until Stephene Myers' fans get a load of a Cullen playing a convicted murderer, church-burner, and all-around person of extremely dubious political and religious leanings. \M/

So maybe Midnight Meat Train didn't get the reception that Clive Barker had hoped for, but that hasn't stopped the master of horror from rolling right along with his other projects. A new trailer for Book of Blood (the first in Barker's six part series) has just hit the net. Unfortunately, the trailer has since disappeared from most sites, so if you are curious, I'd advise you to act fast. But the good news is that Dreadcentral.com now has a promo reel for Barker's other adaption from his Books of Blood series, titled, Dread.

So first up is the trailer for Blood, and I have to tell you, it is looking pretty good (not to mention gory) for the horror tale. Blood was the frame story for Barker's original series, and the film will center on "on a paranormal expert who, while investigating a gruesome slaying, finds a house that is at the intersection of "highways" transporting souls to the afterlife." Although, I should warn you that the trailer is a little 'spoilery', so tread carefully. Blood was co-written and directed by John Harrison (Diary of The Dead) and stars Jonas Armstrong as a psychic, and Sophie Ward (who hardcore movie geeks might recognize as the great love of Young Sherlock Holmes) as the paranormal expert.

Next up is Dread, the story of three graduate students who devise an experiment about fear that gets a little out of hand to say the least. The promo reel gives you a few more glimpses of what director Anthony Diblasi (who is also producing the Hellraiser update) has planned (you can also take a look at some official stills here) as well as clips from the film and interviews with Barker, and stars Shaun Evans and Jackson Rathbone (Twilight). Dread is still in production, but Book of Blood is expected to arrive in theaters in 2008 -- although I probably wouldn't hold your breath.

So take a look and sound off below on whether Barker will have better luck with the big screen this time around...

Holy Cullens! Hold onto your seats, all you Twilight fanatics. This is the first official ensemble piece with final hair, makeup and costume (those other photos, we believe, were test shots, but this one gives our first official look at the characters inside the Twilight universe) Click on the image for a larger view -- you know you want to -- then let's take a moment to dissect the loveliness, shall we?

I know all you hardcore Twilighters know these characters, but for those who don't, we have, from left to right: Ashley Greene as Alice Cullen; Kellan Lutz as Emmett Cullen; Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan; Robert Pattinson as uber-hot vampire Edward Cullen; Nikki Reed as Rosalie Hale; and Jackson Rathbone as Jasper Hale.

We've been covering the various bits of Twilight news, set visit write-ups and behind-the-scenes goodies extensively here, but this is the first time that we've seen the cast in character like this. Aside from the fact that the image looks totally cool and perfectly captures that "Twilight-vibe," can I just say that any doubts anyone out there is still harboring about Robert Pattinson as Edward should be totally laid to rest by this picture?

I've been writing so much about the upcoming young adult vamp horror adaptation Twilight that I'm beginning to think I should read it. I probably would have if I were 10 or 15 years younger, as I used to devour every vamp or horror-themed YA book out there. (Oh, how I loved The Vampire Diaries.) Now it's just picking at those old interests.

Anyway, that's Stephenie Meyers' first vampire family up above, and yes, that means the casting for the Cullen family has been completed. Following up the casting of Nikkie Reed and Robert Pattinson, MTV reports that Peter Facinelli (Can't Hardly Wait) will play Carlisle, Elizabeth Reaser (the once faceless girl on Grey's Anatomy) will play Esme, Jackson Rathbone (The O.C.) will play Jasper, Ashley Greene (King of California) will be Alice, and Kellan Lutz (Stick It) will play Emmett McCarty Cullen.

I have no idea if these guys are right for the roles, but I'm really getting a kick out of Facinelli with blonde hair. Go to MTV to see a bigger version of that pic, plus two more.