October | 2012 | the m0vie blog

Homeland: Season 1 (Review)

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Darren

In many respects, Homeland feels like a more character-oriented version of 24. The comparison makes sense, beyond the spy games and the paranoia and the espionage, if only because of massive overlap between the production staff on both shows – with Howard Gordon, Sean Callery and Chip Johannessen working on both projects. I don’t think 24 gets enough respect as an exploration of the post-9/11 zeitgeist, probably due to its admittedly pulpy nature. Homeland feels a little bit more restrained, and more firmly grounded. The show is anchored in two fantastic lead performances from Claire Danes and Damien Lewis, and the series works best when it’s centred around the two main characters, driven by their issues and their demons.

Nicholas Brody and his “great big bushy beard!”

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: Brody, Carrie, Chip Johannessen, claire danes, Damian Lewis, Emmy Award, Homeland, Howard Gordon, Saul, Sean Callery, Tom Walker, United States | Leave a comment »

Watch! Hitchcock Trailer!

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Darren

I must have missed it, but the screen adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock & The Making of Psycho has now been officially titled the much blander (but more accessible) Hitchcock. It doesn’t really matter, though, as the new trailer has arrived and it’s really quite wonderful. I’m a massive Hitchcock fan, so recruiting Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren to headline a film about the making of one of his most high-profile works is certainly fascinating. Looking forward to this one. It’ll start a limited release in the States in late November, but we’ll be waiting until February to see it over here.

Ah well. At least they can’t spoil they ending.

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: alfred hitchcock, Alfred Hitchcock & the making of psycho, Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, Alma Reville, anthony hopkins, helen mirren, hitchcock, Psycho, scarlett johansson, Stephen Rebello | 9 Comments »

Dancing on the Edge of a Blade (Runner): Prometheus & Hyper-Intertextuality

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Darren

Prometheus arrived on blu ray last week. I’m a big fan of the movie, despite the palpable sense of disappointment generated on its arrival – I suspect that I was wise not to expect answers, and instead to enough the movie for what it was. I’m not alone in considering the film’s ties to Alien to be among its weakest elements, forcing the movie to tie into something that had been a massive movie mystery for decades, rather than allowing it to be its own thing. However, it has emerged that Ridley Scott apparently hoped the movie could go further than that. Reportedly, the director had hoped that it could serve as something akin to “connective tissue” to tie together two of his most definitive science-fiction universes. Apparently, the director wanted to set the film in the same world as Blade Runner.

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: alien, blade runner, David, inglourious basterds, List of Blade Runner characters, los angeles, Prometheus, quentin tarantino, ridley scott, science fiction, Steven Soderbergh | 4 Comments »

Tomb of Dracula Omnibus, Vol. I (Review/Retrospective)

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Darren

It’s almost hard to imagine, looking at today’s comic book industry, but there was a time when horror comics were a major money-spinner for the “big two” comic book companies. The Tomb of Dracula stands out as the longest running and most successful of Marvel’s horror titles from the seventies, but there were a whole line of books being published featuring monsters old and new. It’s great that Marvel have taken the time and care to publish the complete series in three deluxe hardcover volumes. The Tomb of Dracula is a gem in Marvel’s seventies publishing crown, a delightfully enjoyable pulpy horror series that feels palpably more mature than a lot that the company was publishing at the same time.

A tome of Tomb…

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Filed under: Comics | Tagged: Abraham Van Helsing, Blade, Bram Stoker, chris claremont, Colan, Count, Count Dracula, doctor doom, Doctor Sun, dracula, Gardner Fox, gene colan, god, Jonathan Harker, Marv Wolfman, marvel, marvel comics, Mina Harker, Quincy Harker, Rachel Van Helsing, Romania, Scotland Yard, Tomb of Dracula, vampire, Van Helsing | Leave a comment »

Son of Danse Macabre On Sale Now!

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Darren

I’m not a big fan of using the blog to give endorsements on how to spend your money – after all, I’m not even sure I trust my own opinion, so why should you? – but this is too good to ignore.

The wonderful Bryce Wilson from over at Things That Don’t Suck has published his eBook, Son of Danse Macabre. Bryce is just about one of the best writers on horror in cinema that I know, and he has a passion that shines through in his writing. All that, and he’s a nice guy. It’s always great to see a guy like that get a break.

Besides, any affectionate reference to Steven King’s superb (if sadly dated) horror handbook Danse Macabre demonstrates that it’s starting from a good place. As an added bonus, if you buy the book, Bryce is willing to review a horror film of your choice. Now that’s service with a smile. I’m just hoping nobody nominates Crossroads. That film scarred me.

You can buy the book directly here, but I also think it’s worth taking a look at Things That Don’t Suck to get a feel for his style of writing. Think of it as a massive and entertaining free sampler. If that doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will.

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: arts, Bryce, Bryce Wilson, danse macabre, Faint, Great Comet, horror, House Next Door, Might & Magic Heroes VI, Steven King | 2 Comments »

A View to a Bond Baddie: Alec Trevelyan

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Darren

To celebrate James Bond’s 50th birthday on screen, we’re going to take a look at the character and his films. We’ve already reviewed all the classic movies, so we’ll be looking at his iconic baddies, and even at the character himself.

Alec Trevelyan stands out amongst Bond’s foes on the big screen because he’s really the first to be constructed explicitly to contrast with Bond. You could argue that many of the outings in the series are more preoccupied with the villain than with Bond himself, and GoldenEye stands out as one of the films most tightly focused on Bond himself. Alec Trevelyan, as such, exists as a more direct mirror to Bond than most of his foes. The bad guy even operates under the code name “Janus.” There are several implied reasons – his knack for treachery and betrayal, the scar on the side of his face. However, it also suggests that Bond and Trevelyan exist as two sides of the same coin.

Smart Alec?

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday, alan rickman, Alec, Alec Trevelyan, anthony hopkins, arts, bond, daniel craig, GoldenEye, james bond, James Bond in film, Kingsley Amis, Movies, pierce brosnan, timothy dalton | 5 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Nick of Time

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Darren

Nick of Time is an underrated nineties high-concept thriller that really runs on the charm of its cast and the skill of director John Badham.In a way, Badham seems stuck in a race against time that is just as tense as anything facing his protagonist. Badham has to make it from the start of the film to the final fadeout before the audience stops to think too much about the somewhat convoluted plot taking place. Nick of Time features perhaps the most ridiculously convoluted assassination attempt ever, but it’s generally so much fun that it’s easy not to get tangled in some of the logic problems.

They weren’t trained for this…

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: Armie Hammer, arts, assassination, Bedham, California, charles durning, christopher walken, Counties, Damien Echols, daniel radcliffe, film, Gene Watson, johnny depp, Lone Ranger, los angeles, Movie, Nick, Nick of Time, non-review review, Photograph, review, tim burton, Tonto, United States | 6 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Paranormal Activity 4

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Darren

I actually quite liked the opening set-up of Paranormal Activity 4. As far as horror franchises go, the Paranormal Activity series is still much more spry than most other long-running series, and there’s a certain charm to the opening hour of Paranormal Activity 4 that seem almost playful. It feels strange to talk about a movie featuring an ominous demon hunting a small suburban family in these terms, but there’s a surprisingly warm and endearing sense of humour to be found in the first two-thirds of the film. Things definitely come off the rails towards the finalé, as the movie (and the series) become too burdened down with mythology and story – and the last third certainly becomes a little over-crowded and generic, threatening to collapse under its own weight as so many modern horrors do.

While it’s nowhere near as innovative, clever or genuinely frightening as Paranormal Activity, Paranormal Activity 4 measures up reasonably well to the standard set by the sequels, ending up much stronger than Paranormal Activity 2, and about on-par with Paranormal Activity 3.

Something to watch over me…

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: @TweetYourScream, facebook, ghost, Google, Horror film, Investigators, Kathryn Newton, Matt Shively, paramount pictures, Paranormal, paranormal activity, Paranormal Activity 3, Paranormal Activity 4, twitter, United States, youtube | 4 Comments »

The Six Faces of 007: Timothy Dalton

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Darren

To celebrate James Bond’s 50th birthday on screen (and the release of Skyfall), we’re going to take a look at the character and his films. We’ve already reviewed all the classic movies, so we’ll be looking at his iconic baddies, and even at the character himself.

Timothy Dalton’s tenure as Bond is almost as divisive as that of George Lazenby, the only actor to serve a shorter term in the iconic role. However, in the years since Dalton departed the franchise, I’ll admit that I’ve grown quite fond of his interpretation of the British secret agent. Between The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill, I think that Dalton portrayed the most human and most tangible of the character’s screen personas, and I think that he suffers from being cast twenty years too early in the part. Certainly, one can see a lot of Daniel Craig’s whittled-down take on the character in Dalton’s two outings as 007.

Dalton’s taken quite a beating…

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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: Albert R. Broccoli, bond, Dalton, George Lazenby, GoldenEye, ian fleming, james bond, James Bond in film, Living Daylights, pierce brosnan, Roger Moore, sean connery, timothy dalton | 8 Comments »

American Vampire, Vol. 1 (Review)

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Darren

This October, to get us in the mood for Halloween, we’re taking a look at some awesome monster comics. Check back in every Monday this month for a review of Scott Snyder’s American Vampire Saga.

In the end, though, it’s all about giving back the teeth that the current “sweetie-vamp” craze has, by and large, stolen from the blood suckers.

– Stephen King’s introduction to the collection

Stephen King, who wrote the origin half of this collection based off Scott Snyder’s notes, remarks in his wonderful foreword, “Here’s what vampires shouldn’t be: pallid detectives who drink Bloody Marys and only work at night; lovelorn southern gentlement; anorexic teenage girls; boy-toys with big dewy eyes.” American Vampire seems to be a strong rebuttal to all those modern and soft depictions of the blood-sucking monsters we’ve been swamped with over the last decade or so.

If that isn’t enough to at least interest you, then I don’t know what will.