Friday October 26 Through Thursday November 1, 2007

October 26, 2007
28 Weeks Later - 2007

Wild and wooly. Blood, but not gory. People not as stupid as in other zombie movies. My only problem is that the editing is WAY too fast for my taste. But then, I think the guy who invented the jump cut should be brought up on charges of crimes against humanity. Overall, though, it's better than the first.

The commentary, on the other hand, is an active act of torture. To hell with waterboarding, our government should start using this. Features writer/director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and writer/producer Enrique López-Lavigne, the accents are so thick, and their comments so uninteresting, I defy anyone to make it through it.

Other extras include a set of deleted scenes, a couple of which might have been interesting to include. All were cut for time, which is fine, cause 101 minutes is about as long as I want my movies. [Are you listening Peter Jackson? Stop with the marathon movies already. My ass can't take it. Thank you.] Also included is Code Red: Making of, which is not so much a making of as a visual version of the commentary. Nothing but talktalktalk about family. Yeah yeah yeah, it's all about family. I get it. Sheesh! The best extra is The Infected, a SFx featurette.

Saturday, October 27, 2007
Superman: Doomsday - 2007

Not a continuation of any existing DC animations, but a stand alone movie. Even the cover screams that this is "The first PG-13" Superman cartoon. Guess why it's PG-13? It's implied that Superman and Lois had sex, and Doomsday actually KILLS PEOPLE. I know, you're shocked.

I read this miniseries when it came out, so I'm a little disappointed that it doesn't stick very close to the storyline at all. I understand having to change some things for pacing, and cutting some things cause the miniseries ran for nearly a year, but come on! There's no reason to ADD stuff. This really is more of a "inspired by" than a "based on".

Overall, it's not bad, but not great either. There's a commentary featuring most of the producers. Again, it's not bad, but not great. A lot of "This is different because...", which is what I'd want, so I don't know why I was unimpressed. Just not very "animated", I guess.

Sunday, October 28, 2007
Return to House on Haunted Hill - 2007

OMG, I watched almost an hour before I realized that Jeffrey Combs is playing the ghost doctor. If I knew that beforehand, I don't remember. So that was a very pleasant surprise.

Nicely gory, adequate plot to build the gore on. Not too shabby for a sequel of a mildly unsuccessful movie.

Other Extras: Return to House on Haunted Hill Confidential - I have no idea what the point of this was. The Search for An Idol: Dr Richard Hammer's Quest - similarly pointless. These both are kinda like the extras on the remake of 13 Ghosts, which all were background on the characters and things in the movie.

There were additional scenes, which were interesting. Pity there was no commentary to explain why they were trimmed.

Monday, October 29, 2007
Masters of Horror: Tobe Hooper - The Damned Thing - 2007

WOW! Gore-hounds rejoice. Opening kicks serious gore-ass. Gore galore in this one! Ted Rami's got a great line!

Pity the ending was so unsatisfying. I really liked it up til then.

Commentary is by writer Richard Christian Matheson, which was thoughtful & introspective. More "about the story" than about the movie.

other extras include Building the Oil Monster - standard FX featurette., and a Making of. Pretty standard stuff.

Experiment in Torture - 2007

Goddmaned shakey-cam! And why would you claim to be in a topless bar, and none of the dancers are topless. Where is this, Virginia Beach?

This movie SO wants to be Hostel, but it ain't. It fails at all things that Hostel succeeded at. Most of the gore effects are SO cheap and SO contrived, they try to sell it on the lame sound effects & screams.

And what a pointless ending. Good god, what a stinker. This kind of wanna-be movie is what is BAD about independent cinema.

Tuesday, October 30 thru Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Hostel, Part II - 2007

Hey, it's Richard Burgi (from a fav TV show, The Sentinel). And this time, it's from the customer's point of view. This on is even better than the first. And the ending kicks ass. I love it when a plan comes together.

This genre is being called torture porn. I don't get it. Do these people not know what porn is? It's hardcore sex, period. Don't be diluting my words with your own, stupid, redefinitions. So stop with the torture porn, already. Make up a new word, porn's taken.

Three freakin' commentaries! Commentary #1 is subtitled (as is the movie, sweet!) and features Eli Roth and Quentin Tarantino . Technical, with lots of other movie references. I added 10 movies to my queue from this commentary. QT commentaries are a film school class all in of themselves.

Commentary #2 is Eli Roth solo. "This one [commentary] is for filmmakers". Awesome commentary. Fascinating and technical.

Commentary #3 is Eli and actors. More funny, but not corny or stupid. Eli asks them good questions that you want to know.

Other extras include Deleted scenes, a 4 part Making Of featurette that is really good, Radio Interviews, and a gag reel. A great film and a great DVD!

Thursday, November 1, 2007
HP Lovecraft Collection Vol. 1: Cool Air - 1999

Either shot in Super 8, 16mm, or digital and effected down to look that way. And what's that sign? Room to Let? Where are we, England?

What an awesome performance by Jack Donner . This was really excellent, too bad it's really just a long short (50 minutes).

Other extras include a collection of other, even shorter films. All very nice. Bonus material include Behind the Machine - Interviews with cast and crew of Cool Air. Some Notes on Lovecraft - interview with "renowned author & scholar" S.T. Joshi (who?) Fair history & background. And some promos for the HP Lovecraft Film Festival.