Blogcritics

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

The Trailer Park: Joshua

Chris Beaumont — Fri, 1 Jun 2007 12:14:26 EDT

In July, Fox Searchlight is set to release Joshua, a creepy psychological horror film from director George Ratliff. When I first saw the trailer, two things crept through my brain: first, I was completely creeped out, and second, I could not help but be reminded of The Omen, and the creepy son of the devil in that creepy tale. I suspect that the similarities are only on the surface, as this does not look like it will delve into the supernatural side of things, but still, the similarities are there.The story centers on a Manhattan couple (Sam Rockwell and Vera Farmiga) who are celebrating the birth of their second child, Lily. However, it looks like their first born, the child prodigy Joshua, is not all that keen on this new interloper in his home. Joshua begins to use his advanced-beyond-his-years intellect to wage a creepy, and deadly, psychological battle with his parents. Frankly, I think I am going to enjoy this ride.The cast is good. Sam Rockwell is always solid, and looks good here, while Vera Farmiga's star is definitely on the rise, following her turns in Running Scared, and Oscar winner The Departed. Remember I mentioned The Omen comparison? Try not to compare Jacob Kogan, as Joshua, to Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, Damien from last year's remake of The Omen. I think you will find Jacob to be much more disturbing in this trailer than Seamus in the entire film. Sure, that first trailer for the remake was pretty darn effective, but man if Jacob doesn't just get under your skin with his interactions with Rockwell. It makes my skin crawl.Whether or not it is any good will be another story, but judging by this trailer, I am officially amped. So, take a look at the trailer and judge for yourself. Also, be sure to check out the film's official website.Videos by Fox Searchlight | More VMIX videos View more Indie Movies and Shorts videos | Embed this video

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about entertainment when he isn't sitting in a movie theater. He is known around the office as the "Movie Guy" and is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Interests include science fiction, horror, and metal music. His writings can be found at Draven99's Musings, as well as Film School Rejects.

The Trailer Park: War

Chris Beaumont — Sat, 26 May 2007 12:38:15 EDT

Are you ready to go to war? This upcoming film from Lionsgate puts together a pair of brilliant action stars in what could be a stroke of genius. Or, this could go completely in the other direction and be a steaming pile. I prefer to hope for the genius. It is a mob/FBI all out action flick that looks like it is going to go full throttle, non stop, grab you by the jugular fight fest.The movie pairs martial arts legend Jet Li with one of the best action stars to emerge over the past few years, Jason Statham. This looks like a bit of a departure from Li's recent roles in martial arts epics like Hero and Fearless. Following his retirement from the wuxia epics, he has turned to a more traditional modern times action film, and taking on the role of a bad guy. He plays an assassin, called Rogue, who is responsible for the death of FBI agent Jack Crawford's (Jason Statham) parter. After that incident, Crawford goes rogue looking for Rogue. Rogue shows up in LA and ignites a war between the Triad and the Yakuza with Crawford stuck in the middle. The movie was directed by Phillip G. Atwell who, prior to this, spent most of his time directing music videos for the likes of Eminem and 50 Cent. Action direction was handled by Cory Yuen, who has directed both of these stars in The Transporter (Statham) and The Legend (Li).The trailer looks like a lot of fun. It does not seem to make any attempt at subtlety or depth, but it does look like it will deliver a lot of fun of the action variety. There are fist fights, sword fights, gun fights, and car chases mixed in, so there will be plenty of variety. I am not expecting greatness, but this looks like it will be a lot of fun on the big screen.Trailer:Download - QuicktimeStream - Windows Media small, medium, large, hi-def

The Trailer Park: Alpha Dog

Chris Beaumont — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 20:50:55 EST

Alpha Dog is one of those movies I thought destined to magically appear on the shelves at the local DVD store. It seems like so long ago that I first saw advertisements for this. It generally isn't a good sign to have ads appear for a movie and then disappear along with any hint of a release. In this case, time may have been on its side; I don't think it looks half bad, or half good, but somewhere in between the two extremes. The trailers are back and the release date announced, so it seems to be back on track.The release date has been set as January 12, 2007, not exactly a strong release time. Generally, the early months of the year, January and February primarily, are the dumping grounds for lower budget films looking for a quick buck and for films that the studios have little faith in. They are usually blended with the wider release of films with Oscar potential that got limited runs in December for their eligibility. Enough sidetracking -- back to the matter at hand.Alpha Dog is based on actual events, but I am sure that they have been stretched, moved around, and dramatized to make them worthy of appearing on the silver screen. It is the story of a hotheaded drug dealer who is double crossed and ends up kidnapping his debtor's younger brother and holding him for ransom. Of course, things spiral out of control for all involved until coming to some sort of explosive climax.Included in the cast is Justin Timberlake, which would normally be enough to keep me away, but I still have some morbid curiosity. Perhaps this will finally be Timberlake's big screen debut; it was originally supposed to be Edison (with LL Cool J and Morgan Freeman), but that was deemed to be unmarketable and dumped to DVD. This is his chance. Also in the cast are big names such as Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone, as well as Ben Foster (X-Men: The Last Stand, Hostage), Emile Hirsch (Lords of Dogtown), Amanda Seyfried (Veronica Mars), and Shawn Hatosy (The Cooler).Nick Cassavetes directed and wrote the screenplay. He last directed The Notebook in 2004, which I hear was quite good, but this is also the man behind She's So Lovely, which I really did not care for. Anyway, here's hoping for the best. Maybe this will turn out to be an entertaining film.Alpha Dog is set to be released by Universal Pictures and has been rated R. Be sure to check out the film's official site to see the trailer and read some more about the film.

The Trailer Park: Smokin' Aces

Chris Beaumont — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:02:56 EST

I have to admit, this trailer definitely got my attention. It has that combination of bizarre characters, explosive action, and a frenetic pace akin to something from Tony Scott that makes it completely alluring. Smokin' Aces is loud, crazy, brash, and man it looks like fun. This is the kind of movie that I could find myself really digging; perhaps it will be the Running Scared of 2007. They aren't exactly the same movie, but there does seem like there is a kinship between the two, delivering an over the top experience while the narrative hangs onto the rails by a thread. I can't wait.Smokin' Aces is the story of Buddy "Aces" Israel, a Las Vegas magician who is becoming a witness for the state against the Mob. Boss Primo Sparazza catches wind of what has happened and has put a nice bounty on the head of Aces. The figure attracts all manner of killers and low-lifes. Before you know it, the FBI has to fend off a variety of hitmen, all intent on collecting the bounty. Sounds simple enough, but the vastly differing styles of said hitmen are sure to create an entire world of chaos.There are no words to describe how enjoyable this looks. I doubt that it will comment on the state of society, or offer any type of great insight into the minds of the hive of villainy formed here. I don't think there will be any type of deep meaning to this, but I do think it will be an absolute blast.The cast is a fine collection of recognizable faces. Take a look at this line-up: Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Andy Garcia, Ray Liotta, Ryan Reynolds, Jeremy Piven, Peter Berg, Taraji P. Hensen, and featuring the big screen debuts of Alicia Keys and Common. They are directed by Joe Carnahan, who also wrote the script. He was also behind the excellent cop drama, Narc.Smokin' Aces is set to be released by Universal Pictures on January 26, 2007 and has been rated R (lock up the kids). Be sure to head over to the film's official site to see both the full trailer and the teaser to prepare yourself for the insanity.

The Trailer Park: The Hitcher (2007)

Chris Beaumont — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 08:52:18 EST

In 1986 Robert Harmon and Eric Red delivered a thriller that has hung around the fringes of fandom for twenty years. In The Hitcher Jennifer Jason Leigh and C. Thomas Howell were terrorized by Rutger Hauer. Honestly, that is probably a frightening prospect even if Hauer is out of character! It has been such a long time since I have seen the movie and my memories are very, very weak, so I am thinking I should probably revisit it before heading out for the remake that is knocking on the doorstep. I wonder If I would be better served going with the direct to video sequel from a few years back with Jake Busey?The Hitcher has been reimagined by music video director Dave Meyers (his sole film credit being Foolish (1999)), and writers Jake Wade Wall, of the abysmal When a Stranger Calls remake, and Eric Bernt, who was involved with Highlander: EndGame and Romeo Must Die. I cannot say that lineup has instilled me with much confidence, but some of the casting choices have lent me hope. In the role previously held by Hauer, insert one Sean Bean, an actor who is always solid and uplifts the material he is given. Add Neal McDonough, as the investigating police captain, and you are definitely heading in the right direction. Also switch out Leigh and Howell for the lovely Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill, Stay Alive) and Zachary Knighton as the stalked couple.This version is being produced through Platinum Dunes, Michael Bay's production company. This involvement can go either way so far as I'm concerned. I liked the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, but really did not like their take on The Amityville Horror (of course I didn't like the original either).As for this trailer, it looks halfway decent. Nothing spectacular jumps out at me, but it doesn't strike me as being any better or worse than other horror trailers in recent years. There is a sameness that I can't quite put my finger on, a "been there, seen that" vibe emanates from it. I do admit to liking "I want you to say four little words....."Rogue Pictures is planning to unleash The Hitcher on January 19, 2007 with an R rating. Be sure to get a load of the trailer, see if it is up to snuff.

The Trailer Park: Children of Men

Chris Beaumont — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 07:41:31 EST

I have to say that this movie looks absolutely fascinating. Whether or not it will prove to be so is yet to be seen. For now, this trailer will have to do. It is a science fiction story, but not one set in a world of aliens, laser blasters, and spaceships, oh no. Children of Men is firmly grounded in a real world, not that far ahead of our own. It is a world that is nearing an end, a frightening reality that has broken down society as all hope is lost. Fortunately, there may be one last hope.Children of Men is set in the near future, one generation removed from our own. It is a future in which women can no longer get pregnant. No one knows what happened or why, but the world is losing hope. Without the chance for reproduction, you can see the end of all civilization, and it is going to be in close vicinity to your own lifetime. Think about what that would be like. Sure, everyone is afraid of dying one some level, no one wants to shake off the mortal coil, but how much more frightening would it be if you were among the last people left on Earth? What would it be like to know that as people die, the circle of life is growing smaller, that no babies were being born to take their place? It is quite a frightening concept.This movie focuses on Theodore Faron, played by Clive Owen. He is a man who seems to be at the point of giving up, ready to throw in the towel. It's hard to care when you know that there isn't going to be a future. Then something happens, something that shakes his world and reinvigorates his will to live; of course, I am just guessing at this. That single event is the discovery that a woman has become pregnant. He is recruited to aid in getting her out of the increasingly violent country and to the Human Project, a gathering of some of the world's greatest minds working towards a solution to whatever the problem may be. This young woman may just hold the key.In addition to Clive Owen, the cast also includes Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Serenity). It looks like a strong cast working in an intriguing film. The movie was directed and co-written by Alfonso Cuaron, who also helmed Y tu mama tambien and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, a rather diverse pair of films, but films that show off an interesting visual style that looks to be furthered in Children of Men.The film is rated R and is being released by Universal Pictures. It is due to be released on Christmas day, December 25, 2006. Be sure to check out the trailer and other film clips at the film's official site. You can also join the Human Project and work towards a better tomorrow and the betterment of the movie's bottom line.

The Trailer Park: The Good Shepherd

Chris Beaumont — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 07:19:26 EST

Robert DeNiro turned down a role in Martin Scorsese's masterful thriller, The Departed, due to his commitment to bringing The Good Shepherd to the big screen. The role eventually went to Martin Sheen. As good as I think he would have been in the role, I think Martin Sheen was the right man for it; besides, the trailer for The Good Shepherd makes his absence all the better. This is DeNiro's big screen directorial debut, and considering those he has worked with over the years, I think this is gonna be a good one.The Good Shepherd is about the beginnings of the Central Intelligence Agency at the dawn of the Cold War. While the base of the movie is broad, it focuses its energies on Edward Wilson (Matt Damon). He is an intelligent up-and-comer at Yale, where he is recruited to the super-secret Skull and Bones Society (whose members include George W. Bush and John Kerry). From there he is approached by the OSS, which led into his part in forming the CIA.I have to say that the trailer looks very good. Damon is clearly the focus as Wilson's rising career comes into conflict with the love of his life, Clover (Angelina Jolie) and the love of his young son. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be involved in that line of work, much less trying to have a family while doing it. This work is your life, there really is no room for anything else. I can tell you that is not the life for me.DeNiro has a great cast lined up for it. In addition to himself, Damon, and Jolie, there is Joe Pesci, Alec Baldwin, William Hurt, Billy Crudup, and Timothy Hutton. The screenplay was written by Eric Roth, who also wrote Munich, Ali, The Insider, and The Postman.This definitely looks like a winner. Be sure to take a look at the trailer and TV spots, plus a host of other information at the film's official site. It is being released by Universal Pictures on December 22, 2006.

The Trailer Park: Balls of Fury

Chris Beaumont — Sat, 9 Dec 2006 21:12:40 EST

Ever heard of Dan Fogler? No? Me neither. He is a comedian of stage and screen, even winning a Tony in 2004 for Best Featured Actor (Musical) for his performance in "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." He has also been seen recently in the Billy Bob Thornton/Jon Heder comedy School for Scoundrels. This is his first shot at top billing a comedy, and I am not convinced that it is going to be a hit. Frankly it looks kind of dumb, but perhaps it will be a brilliant kind of dumb that doesn't translate well to the trailer format.Balls of Fury is the story of underground, duel to the death, ping pong tournaments. Dan Fogler is Randy Daytona, a ping pong champion recruited by the government to infiltrate the tournament in order to gain information on the man running the show, Feng. The setup sounds suspiciously like an alteration on Enter the Dragon, the Bruce Lee classic which had him infiltrating a crime lord's hideout under the guise of entering a top secret martial arts competition.Does it look funny? Sure, do I think it will be good? No. When I watch the trailer, all I can hope for is dumb fun, and that is all I think it is setting out to accomplish. The trailer sets up the story and shows many a comical ping pong action scenes pitting Fontana against a variety of characters. The opposition ranges fron nuns, to little girls, to geeks, to siamese twins, to large musclebound men. All I can really say is take a look at the trailer and make up your own mind, you will definitely have some kind of reaction to it.The cast is peppered with recognizable faces. Christopher Walken plays the evil mastermind, Feng, and seems to be someone who will do just about any script handed to him, yet still seems to make it work. Also appearing are George Lopez, Maggie Q (M:I:III), Patton Oswalt (The King of Queens), Diedrich Bader (Office Space), Masi Oka (Heroes), James Hong (Seinfeld, Hero), Aisha Tyler (Ghost Whisperer), Cary Tagawa (Memoirs of a Geisha), Jason Scott Lee (Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story), and Terry Crews (Everybody Hates Chris). It was directed and co-written by Reno: 911!'s own Ben Garant, better known as Deputy Travis Junior.Here is the synopsis from Rogue Pictures: An outrageous new comedy. In this secret society, the competition is brutal and the stakes are high. It is the unsanctioned, underground, and utterly unhinged world of clandestine Ping-Pong tournaments. Down-and-out former professional Ping-Pong phenom Randy Daytona (Dan Fogler) is sucked into this maelstrom when FBI Agent Rodriguez (George Lopez) recruits him for a secret mission. Randy is determined to bounce back and win, and to smoke out his father's killer - arch-fiend Feng (Christopher Walken). Currently, Balls of Fury is slated for a release in April 2007. Until then, watch the trailer and take a look at the pictures below to whet your appetite for little white balls.

The Trailer Park: Happily N'Ever After

Chris Beaumont — Sat, 9 Dec 2006 13:12:25 EST

Following 2005's Little Red Riding Hood redux, Hoodwinked, is Happily N'Ever After, both of which are most likely a direct reaction to the success of the two Shrek films. The latest in the line is looking to get a head start on the year before Shrek the Third gobbles up the box office. This one is a look at Cinderella in a whole new light. Will it be a success? Who knows? It does have a stacked lineup of all-star vocal talent.The trailer looks like fun, but it could also turn out to be the animated equivalent of a steaming pile. It reminds me of the Hoodwinked ad campaign. The animation was clearly done on a lower budget than the average Pixar film, but they had the stockpile of star power in the ADR booth. The trailer for Happily N'Ever After focuses on much of the comedy, but does devote a good chunk to name-dropping the stars that lent their voices to the project.Happily N'Ever After looks to put a spin on the traditional happy endings. It gives evil the upper hand and turns the standard damsel in distress scenario on its ear, taking away the distress and putting the damsel in a more forward and modern position of leading the charge. I have to say, I am leaning towards looking forward to it. If nothing else, the vocal talent will be worth it.I keep speaking of the voice talent involved, and I am sure you are all waiting to see who is in it. Wait no longer. The cast includes Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sigourney Weaver, Patrick Warburton, Andy Dick, Wallace Shawn, and George Carlin. Not bad, if you ask me.Here is the description from Lionsgate:Once upon a time in Fairy Tale Land, the age-old balance between good and evil has been thrown out of whack. Frieda, Cinderella’s power-mad stepmother, has formed an unholy alliance of evil to take on the good guys. With her own fairy tale spinning wildly out of control, Cinderella (a/k/a Ella) is forced to shed her damsel-in-distress trappings in order to seize control of her own destiny and lead the resistance without her Prince Charming.In a world of happy endings gone wrong, the race for control of the kingdom is on, with the fate of the venerable storyline 'Happily N'Ever After' hanging in the balance.This animated fairy tale is set to be unleashed on January 5, 2007. Be sure to head over to their official site to get a look at the trailer.

The Trailer Park: Hostel: Part II

Chris Beaumont — Sat, 9 Dec 2006 13:05:40 EST

Eli Roth seems to incite emotions of love or hate in equal measure among horror fans. He first appeared as a new savior of the horror film in 2002 with his homage to the Evil Dead films with Cabin Fever. Now, I really liked that movie: it has blood, it had decent characters, a nice blend of comedy, and some stuff that was jus' flat out weird ("Pancakes!"); it just worked for me. He followed that up with 2005's Hostel. It was a film that seems like two movies in one, and while I liked it, I didn't find it as hardcore as I had been led to believe, but I still left satisfied. Here we are a year later, Roth is striking while the iron is hot with regards to the torture film, evidenced by October's Saw III.Coinciding with the release of Saw III was the debut of the Hostel: Part II teaser trailer. One thing that you will not get with this teaser is much footage. Despite that, it does exactly what a teaser should. This will definitely whet your appetite for the potential bloodshed. The camera opens on a gun, then makes its way to a number of hanging knives, before pulling back to reveal a fence wall covered in all manner of bloodletting instruments. The images are accompanied by a voiceover, in I believe Dutch, speaking of the number of gun and knife deaths in America, going on to exclaim the lack of imagination of Americans. It ends with a woman screaming for mercy. Doesn't show much, but definitely intrigues.Here is the description from Lionsgate:In HOSTEL: PART II, three young Americans studying in Rome set off for aweekend trip when they run into a beautiful model from one of their art classes.Also on her way to an exotic destination, the gorgeous European invites thecoeds to come along, assuring them they will be able to relax andrejuvenate.Will the girls find the oasis they are looking for? Or arethey poised to become victims for hire, pawns in the fantasies of the sick andprivileged from around the world who secretly travel here to savor more grislypursuits?The film is slated for release on January 5, 2007 and stars Jay Hernandez (Hostel), Lauren German(The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Bijou Phillips (Venom), and Roger Bart(The Producers). Also, much like Takashi Miike in the first, this will feature a cameo by a horror director, this will be none other than the helmer of the notorious Cannibal Holocaust Ruggero Deodato.So, be sure to take a look at the teaser to whet your appetite for the coming horrors.