Saturday, 05 July 2008
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REVIEWS
NOW YOU'RE ONE OF US PDF Print E-mail
BOOK REVIEWS
Written by Joseph B. Mauceri   
Tuesday, 04 December 2007
ImageBY Asa Nonami
Publisher: Vertical
Pages: 240
ISBN: 1934287032
Bookseller links: Amazon   / Barnes & Nobel
Synopsis: In a small suburb outside of modern day Tokyo, Japan, a young woman meets her husband to be through a traditional matchmaker. Noriko is impressed by Kazuhito and agrees to marry into his large family of eight people. The Shito family resides in mansion, purchased by the profits of the family's business, the local Rice Mill. The mansion and its grounds are a true rarity in modern Japan. For all their great first impressions, Noriko's thoughts begin to darken after a chance encounter with a family tenant. Noriko is off visiting her family the tenant and his family die under tragic circumstances. The Shito's family kindness in paying the expenses for the tenant and his family's funeral deepen Noriko's concerns. A cloud of mystery surrounds the mansion as Noriko struggles to solve the family's dark secrets and decide to become a fully member of the family or flee to save her sanity.
Read more... [NOW YOU'RE ONE OF US]
 
HITMAN PDF Print E-mail
MOVIE REVIEW
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
ImageSynopsis: Based on the top-selling, award-winning videogame franchise, the HITMAN is a genetically-engineered, elite assassin known only as Agent 47. His hallmarks are a lethal grace, unwavering precision, and resolute pride in his work. But even 47 couldn't anticipate a "random equation" in his life of exactitude: the unexpected stirrings of his conscience and the unfamiliar emotions aroused in him by a mysterious Russian woman.

Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood; Live Free or Die Hard) stars in the title role, a mysterious and complex man of profound contradictions: He was bred from the world's deadliest criminals, but raised by an exiled brotherhood of the Church. His very existence seems to be a sin, but he wages a quiet war to rid the world of evil. He's brilliant, charismatic and charming - yet reveals little about himself, has no name, and is known only by the last two digits of a barcode tattooed on the back of his head.

Crew
: Director - Xavier Gens; Screenplay - Skip Woods; Producers - Adrian Askarieh, Luc Besson, Chuck Gordon, and Pierre-Ange Le Pogam; Cinematography - Laurent Barès; Score – Geoff Zanelli; Costume Design - Olivier Bériot; Production Design - Jacques Bufnoir; Art Direction - Johann George; Special Effects – Duboi & BR Films.

Cast: TIMOTHY OLYPHANT... Agent 47; DOUGRAY SCOTT... Mike; OLGA KURYLENKO... Nika; ROBERT KNEPPER... Yuri; ULRICH THOMSEN... Mikhail Belicoff; MICHAEL OFFEI… Jenkins; HENRY IAN CUSICK... Udre.

Official Website: www.hitmanmovie.com
Read more... [HITMAN]
 
P2 PDF Print E-mail
MOVIE REVIEW
Thursday, 08 November 2007

ImageSynopsis:  It's Christmas Eve. Angela Bridges (Rachel Nichols - "Alias" and "Charlie Wilson's War"), an ambitious young executive, works late before she leaves for her family's holiday party. When she gets down to the parking garage, she discovers that her car won't start. The garage is deserted and her cell phone doesn't get a signal underground. When Thomas (Wes Bentley - "American Beauty"), a friendly security guard, comes along and offers to help, Angela nervously accepts his gesture of good will. Soon after a failed attempt to start her car, he invites her to stay and share a small Christmas dinner he's preparing in the parking office, but she laughs it off. Angela doesn't realize this is no laughing matter - Thomas has been watching her closely... for months. His dinner invitation is not optional. If Angela wants to live to see Christmas morning, she must find a way to escape from level P2 of the parking garage.

Crew:  Director - Franck Khalfoun; Screenplay - Alexandre Aja, Franck Khalfoun, and Grégory Levasseur; Producers - Alexandre Aja, Erik Feig, Grégory Levasseur, and Patrick Wachsberger; Cinematographer - Maxime Alexandre; Score - TomanDandy; Editor - Patrick McMahon; Production Designer - Oleg Savytski; Costume Designer - Ruth Secord.

Cast:  WES BENTLEY... Thomas; RACHEL NICHOLS... Angela Bridges.

Official Website
: www.p2themovie.com

Read more... [P2]
 
THE MIST PDF Print E-mail
MOVIE REVIEW
Friday, 02 November 2007
ImageSynopsis: David Drayton (JANE) and his young son Billy (GAMBLE) are among a group of terrified townspeople trapped in a local grocery store by a strange, otherworldly mist. David is the first to realize that there are things lurking in the mist… deadly, horrifying things… creatures not of this world. Survival depends on everybody in the store pulling together… but is that possible, given human nature? As reason crumbles in the face of fear and panic, David begins to wonder what terrifies him more: the monsters in the mist – or the ones inside the store, the human kind, the people that until now had been his friends and neighbors? In this legendary tale of terror from master storyteller Stephen King, the thin veneer of civilization is stripper away, the masks are discarded, and the true horror is revealed as us.

Crew: Director - Frank Darabont; Screenplay - Frank Darabont; Based on the novella Stephen King; Producers – Frank Darabont & Liz Glotzer; Cinematography - Ronn Schmidt; Score – Mark Isham; Editor – Hunter M. Via; Production Design - Gregory Melton; Costume Design - Giovanna Ottobre-Melton; Special Effects – KNB EFX Group; Creature Design – Michael Boom; Visual Effects – CafeFX, Look Effects, Digital Dream, and iO Film.

Cast: THOMAS JANE... David Drayton; Andre Braugher... Brent Norton; MARCIA GAY HARDEN… Mrs. Carmody; LAURIE HOLDEN… Amanda Dumfries; TOBY JONES… Ollie; BILL SADLER… Jim Grondin; JEFFREY DEMUNN… Dan Miller; FRANCES STERNHAGEN… Irene; ALEXA DAVALOS… Sally; NATHAN GAMBLE… Billy Drayton; CHRIS OWEN… Norm; SAM WITWER… Jessup; ROBERT TREVEILER… Bud Brown; DAVID JENSEN… Myron lafleur.

Official Website: www.themist-movie.com

Read more... [THE MIST]
 
DARK RIDE PDF Print E-mail
DVD REVIEW
Saturday, 29 September 2007

ImageDirector: Craig Singer
Screenplay: Robert Dean Klein & Craig Singer
Cast: Jamie-Lynn Sigler... Cathy; Patrick Renna... Bill; David Clayton Rogers... Steve; Alex Solowitz... Jim; Andrea Bogart    ... Jen; Jennifer Tisdale... Liz; Brittney Coyle... Colleen; Chelsey Coyle... Samantha; Dave Warden... Jonah.
Synopsis: Ten years after he brutally murdered two girls at a the theme park attraction called DARK RIDE, a killer escapes from a mental institution. A group of six friends on a road trip stop off at the amusement park unaware that a psychopath is seeking refuge there.
Rating: R
Studio: Lions Gate
Running Time: 94 minutes
DVD Extras:

  • Commentary by director Craig Singer and producer Chris M. Williams
    "Ticket to Ride" featurette
    "Behind the Mask" featurette
    Deleted scenes
    Storyboard montage

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Film Review
: Taking advantage of all the tools at his disposal, including the back lot at Universal Studios, director/writer Craig Singer plays upon our primal fear of the amusement park “fun house” and delivers one of the better scares to be found in the After Dark Horrorfest (a.k.a "8 Films 2 Die 4"). Singer further lucks out in the casting department with “The Sopranos” actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler and young veteran actor Patrick Renna, who appeared in one of my favorite films, “The Sandlot.” Singer proves that he has the chops to tackle a bigger budget film as every penny of the budget is brought to bear in the production designs, sets, and special effects. However, while DARK RIDE has the scariest of intentions it lacks a bit in atmosphere. Reminiscent of films like Tobe Hooper’s “The Fun House,” the film does have a slightly better plot. It possess that feel of a homage to the slasher films of the late 70’s and early 80’s, but with much more gore as inspired by the more contemporary genre films. Singer and co-writer Robert Dean Klein clearly demonstrate their working knowledge of the film genre, but a bit more experience of the literary genre they might have given the narrative a bit more. The plot is a bit thin and some of the comic relief often feels like the filmmakers are winking at the audience a tad to often. I would have been interested in seeing what these filmmakers could have done with adapting Richard Laymon’s “Funland” for the screen. Singer is unquestionably a talented filmmaker and a rising star to be on the look out for, especially if he were to turn his efforts on some fresher material originated by someone else. Still, not being a fan of the films or the business ethics of After Dark Horrorfest (a.k.a "8 Films 2 Die 4"), DARK RIDE has enough merit to give it a viewing.


DVD REVIEW: (Manufactures Suggested Retail Price: $19.98)
Packaging:            $9.99
Menu Design:       $9.99
Extras:                    $19.98
Overall Value:       $13.32 – Regardless of the “deleted scenes” or the “storyboards,” the DVD release of DARK RIDE is definitely a purchase for the genre fan and aspiring filmmaker. The commentary by director Craig Singer and producer Chris M. Williams, along with the featurettes "Ticket to Ride" and "Behind the Mask," are entertaining, informative, and educational. In fact, watching the film with the commentary a second time made it an even more entertaining experience. You get a clear picture of what these filmmakers were trying to accomplish and feel their passion for this film and love of the genre. The extras solidify my position of Craig Singer’s directing potential and as a rising star to be on the watch for.

 

 

 
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