Well, this is sure to divide the geek community something fierce: Via a press release sent out by Columbia Pictures, it's been revealed that Len Wiseman (UNDERWORLD, LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD) is in final negotiations to direct the remake of TOTAL RECALL, which will be "contemporized". We haven't heard much on the RECALL front since last summer, when Kurt Wimmer was hired to write the screenplay. Now,... Read More...

Yesterday we showed you the new SAW 3D poster, featuring Jigsaw's head going kerplow!( Not that is should matter to the dude, as he's been long dead. Right?) Now there a new photo for the flick, featuring actress Gina Holden as "Joyce" having some kind of perilous experience atop some... metal thing in a room. Look, obviously I don't know what the hell is going on here, okay? Let's just assume it ends... Read More...

We've been telling you about THE VICTIM for a couple of weeks now, most recently when we got a big handful of promo images for the suspense flick, which stars Michael Biehn, Danielle Harris and Jennifer Blanc (pictured above). Just now we were handed some pretty sweet behind-the-camera news regarding the Brock Morse-directed project: Make-up effect guru Rob Hall has joined the production. Hall's effects... Read More...

GRACE is one film I just couldn't get on board with, and I know I'm in the minority. The Paul Solet-directed, Adam Green-produced flick about a baby that needs blood, and the mother who provides it, just left me feeling cold; depressed instead of disturbed. (It also really struggled to hold my interest in the 2nd Act.) That said, I ackowledge that Solet showed promise in terms of creating an ominous atmosphere,... Read More...

The Complete Metropolis Directed by: Fritz Lang Written by: Thea von Harbou Starring: Gustav Frölich, Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Rudolf Klein-Rogge Fritz Lang’s Metropolis was the first film I ever rented from Netflix. The (then) two-hour German expressionist science-fiction masterpiece carried an immediate appeal for me I know not many will share. Nevertheless, I was excited at the prospect of seeing the film again, and on the big screen this summer, now "complete" with 25 minutes of newly integrated footage uncovered in Buenos Aires in 2008. Other than that the experience was marred by a crummy digital projection, the new cut of the film is nothing short of revelatory for fans and cinephiles. The restored scenes, which were cut in 1927 following early criticism, expand the scope and breadth of the narrative, rounding out a much more human film. It’s a shame so little could be done to spruce up the supplemental material. I was initially put off by just how starkly it contrasted with the clean, relatively well-preserved 35mm whole; the 16mm additions are matted along the top and left of the frame, and are so scratched that the scenes appear to exist amidst an omnipresent rainstorm. But bad as they look, their benefit to the film is undeniable. My only real objection to their inclusion is in two to three second insert or reaction shots, where splicing in the new content seems more distracting than it is productive. Largely, however, the aesthetic unpleasantries are worth the emotional payoff of a more satisfying story. The other issue is that Metropolis was already a long film, and one that isn’t always easy to appreciate in a modern context. Fortunately, its narrative backbone is a simple but timeless workers vs. social elite fable, and the sincere, if unchallenging, plot makes plenty of room for contemplation. It’s easy to just slip into Lang’s world, and though the pacing and running time hardly render it accessible, what’s really incredible about the film is how well its visuals still hold up. The towering, angular cityscapes, oppressive walls of machinery, and the now iconic “machine man” are stylistic triumphs that look great today and have had obvious influence on more recent science fiction/fantasy classics, from the dark metropolis of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner to character design for Star Wars. The fact that it was even possible in 1927 is as incredible as Kubrick’s half-centennial Space Odyssey was for 1968. Maybe more so. It’s rare and awesome that a piece of art is as ahead of its time as 2001 or Metropolis were. Fritz Lang’s film may not be a 2010 audience-pleaser, but in its flawless realization of its world, it’s every bit on par with something like Inception. Lang’s vision of the future is in many ways still our own, which helps account for its long shelf life. The forward-thinking design and fantastic visuals make it easy to forget that it saw release twenty years before Isaac Asimov published his compilation, I, Robot. The Complete Metropolis, though not completely complete, is absolutely the best way to see the film. Despite the fact that certain scenes are still (and likely always will be) missing, this is the closest it has come to a definitive version. Those with a vested interest in the history of film, particularly science-fiction film, absolutely need to seek it out if they haven’t already — the new cut is even worth reanalysis for those underwhelmed by the previously available version. It's a real treasure, however, for longtime fans, who’ll be glad to hear the 25 extra minutes, while not pretty, substantially benefit the story. For the first time, Metropolis really breathes. However, if my unfortunate theater presentation has taught me anything, it’s that Kino’s home video release later this year will be the real attraction. I’ll be picking up the blu-ray come November, no rental required. – Colin

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The last time we wrote about GROWL was back in September of 2009, when a promo poster for the werewolf-y thriller hit. Now there's some casting news to be shared, as ShockTillYouDrop has learned that Victor Webster (the new "Melrose Place") and Dawn Olivieri ("Heroes") have joined the flick. I've heard of neither of them, but Olivieri is hot (pictured right), so that's good news I... Read More...

After the last batch of photos for Marvel's upcoming Thor movie hit the web, a lot of people were concerned that it just looked way too goofy. It seems like Marvel is now attempting to nip that bad buzz in the bud as an extended five minute trailer from Comic-Con has "leaked" online and made fanboys fall in love all over again. The clips showcase a variety of scenes including some moments between Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Zeus (Anthony Hopkins) in the Hall of Asgard, and Thor on Earth where he meets Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) also figures prominently in many of the scenes. There's no question that Thor needs to strike a difficult balance between the fantasy stuff and the real world superhero stuff, and it looks like director Kenneth Branagh is doing a good job of it. I do think that it feels a bit like an '80s movie (Masters of the Universe anyone?) with the way that Thor arrives on Earth and blends in with the common folk. Either way, who knows how long it will be online for, so make sure you check out this footage while you can. Thor hits theatres on May 6th, 2011; the trailer is embedded after the jump.

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It's not very often that an announcement about a script rewrite is considered interesting news, much less something to be excited about, but I think more than a few people will perk their ears up at this headline. As you may know, Ridley Scott is currently prepping for what will hopefully be his next movie, Alien 5 aka The Untitled Alien Prequel. Last we heard, the script had been written by Jon Spaihts (Passengers, The Darkest Hour) and Scott liked it so much that he decided to direct the movie himself. However, apparently he still wants to do some tinkering with it, and now he has hired Lost's Damon Lindelof to do a rewrite of the script. Perhaps he wants to bring in some intergalactic polar bears? Lindelof has recently been helping out Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman in writing J.J. Abrams' sequel to Star Trek, and he also contributed to their script for Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens. According to Deadline.com [1], however, he jumped at the chance to work with Ridley Scott because he is a huge fan of the original Alien. At the moment, it's unclear what this might mean for Alien 5. One might assume that Lindelof is being recruited in order to bring more of a pure science-fiction angle to the story, but if he loves the original, you'd think he would want to stay true to the claustrophobic horror. I just hope that this doesn't end up being a case where there are too many cooks in the kitchen. For better or worse, Scott's continual rewrite requests for Robin Hood ended up producing a film that was nothing like the original script (probably for worse). What do you think, could Damon Lindelof bring something cool to the Alien prequel, or is this a bad move? [1] http://www.deadline.com/2010/07/is-losts-damon-lindelof-boarding-alien/

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Dolph Lundgren is one of the coolest kats around, so anytime a new Lundgren vehicle is released, you know I'll be there with bells and whistles on. His latest? Taking notes from Steven Seagal, the new flick's called THE KILLING MACHINE, so now Dolph, too, can tag the film... Dolph Lundgren is The Killing Machine! Yes! No extras have been announced just yet, and believe it or not, but this is only... Read More...

YourHorrorVids is an Arrow in the Head column that was created to give exposure to…well...YOUR HORROR VIDS! I'm talking about horror shorts, music videos, cool reels, parodies created by YOU or someone else. The idea is that we want to give amateur filmmakers further exposure, so if you know of any slick HORROR VIDS that deserve our props, chime the f*ck in by emailing us at:... Read More...

The idea for this week's list is courtesy of site fan Matt Z., who hit me up with the following, "I was watching Predator 2 earlier and thinking to myself how I didn't care for this film when I first saw it, oh so long ago, but now, I dare say that I enjoy it even more than the original. Got me thinking about the films, which have grown on me over time. Not bad thinking amigo! Horror, particularly horror... Read More...

Plot: Brent (Xavier Samuel) is a teenager who's been badly shaken by the recent death of his father. A shell of his former self, and prone to self abuse, the one bright spot in his life is his lovely girlfriend, Holly (Victoria Thaine). This is bad news for Lola (Robin McLeavy)- the school misfit with a king-size crush on Brent. When he politely declines her invitation to the school prom- Lola and her father... Read More...

The latest international poster for Sylvester Stallone's THE EXPENDABLES features Stallone and co-star Jason Statham.... and that's it. Sure, those two together would be a great headlining vehicle, but when the other cast members include Terry Crews, Steve Austin, Randy Couture, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, and Mickey Rourke (not to mention Schwarzenegger and Willis), it seems rather odd that it's just... Read More...

I love titles that are so flippin' obvious and straight to the point that it's impossible not to know what you're gonna get. SNAKES ON A PLANE is a perfect example, as is the upcoming Japanese horror/action flick BIG TITS ZOMBIE. And yes, that's really what its called. On October 11, 2010, DVD stores across the UK will be carrying BIG TITS ZOMBIE, a flick featuring big tits and zombies... at least, that's... Read More...

Well there's no Alvin and the Chipmunks squeakquel planned for this upcoming holiday season, but we do have the next best thing: a Yogi Bear movie! And it looks like it will be a disaster on par with all the previous live action / CG hybrid train wrecks. Directed by Eric Brevig (Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D), the movie stars Tom Cavanagh as Ranger Smith, T.J. Miller as Ranger Jones, Nathan Corddry as the Chief of Staff, and Anna Faris as the attractive documentary filmmaker, Rachel, with Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake voicing Yogi and Boo-Boo respectively. The first trailer for the movie has arrived online, and it looks every bit as painful as you'd expect it to. You'd think after all this time they'd be able to make these CG characters blend in a little more seamlessly, but they just stick out like a sore thumb. Horrible. The one thing I will say is that J.T. does a surprisingly good Boo-Boo. I'm also happy just to see Aykroyd getting work nowadays. Yogi Bear hits theatres on December 17th, will you be there to experience the magic? Check out the trailer after the jump.

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Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense

At San Diego Comic-Con last week, filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) talked his latest project,the remake of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (which he co-wrote and produced), The Hobbit (and moving on), various producing and production development projects, including co-writing and producing The Haunted Mansion (based on the Disney ride), and alluded to his next directing gig, a horror film. Now, courtesy of Deadline, we know exactly what that project will be: the long-in-development adaptation of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft's 1931 novella, At the Mountains of Madness, for Universal Studios. Even better? Not only will del Toro shoot At the Mountains of Madness in 3D (no post-production conversion, thankfully), but James Cameron (Avatar) will produce del Toro's next project.

In interviews over the last decade-and-a-half, del Toro has often spoken about his affection for Lovecraft "Cthulu Mythos," a complex, horror-themed mythology that's influenced popular fiction for more than a century, including Mike Mignola's Hellboy long-running, supernatural horror-superhero mash-up that Guillermo adapted in 2004 for the big screen. Del Toro also wrote and directed the Hellboy sequel four years later (unfortunately, a third franchise entry seems unlikely). Not surprisingly, del Toro's heart has always been with Lovecracft's tales of cosmic horror, of ancient, malevolent, inter-dimensional beings who covet our world (or, more accurately, our reality) and the hapless, usually doomed protagonists who learn too much and pay for that knowledge with their sanity (or their lives).

Continue reading Guillermo del Toro + James Cameron = H.P. Lovecraft

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Gamera vs. Barugon Directed by: Shigeo Tanaka Written by: Nisan Takahashi Starring: Koji Fujiyama, Kojiro Hongo, Kyoko Enami, Takuya Fujioka Barugon is the most grounded monster in the original Showa Gamera series, a beast that shoots ice from the tip of its tongue and a rainbow from its back. That says something for what was to come next. It's important that Barugon (not to be confused with rival Toho's creation Baragon) provides something to look at, something that makes him interesting, because he dominates this film. Despite the title, the infamous flying, flame-spitting terrapin Gamera is physically on-screen for all of about ten minutes the entire movie. In fact, the opening sequence, detailing Gamera's escape from the Z-Plan rocket used to remove him from the planet in the original film, is all rather pointless in terms of story and progress, although it is quite a sight. Arriving back on Earth, Gamera begins an assault on the first energy source he can find, Kobe dam. The extensive miniatures are impressive, and the redesigned Gamera suit, now a bit meaner with deeper, smaller eyes, making for an energetic opening until 40+ minutes in when Barugon shows up. Nisan Takahashi returns as the writer (and for all future Showa Gamera films), developing the human plot not on the military, but on a group of men seeking an opal. Led by Onodera (Koji Fujiyama), the threesome treks through New Guinea in search of their prize, which the audience eventually learns is Barugon's egg. The human element works, a rarity in Japanese monster films, mostly because Onodera is so utterly cruel and heartless, anticipating his next string of antics is part of the fun. He lets one of his partners die from a scorpion sting, tries to blow up another with grenades, punches a woman, pushes another, slams heavy steel lockers down on a crippled man then burns him alive, and still has the audacity to try stealing the diamond used to lure Barugon into his potential watery grave. While Gamera vs. Barugon (released in the States directly to TV with the blanket title War of the Monsters) is sluggish, it is quite lavish, utilizing the budget, color photography, and widescreen frame admirably. Gamera's first tumble with his foe has the turtle fly off the frame to the left, then back in to the right and smash into a building, an extended shot making use of the space allotted. It's a sight that would become nearly extinct in later entries as Daei studios would begin their decline into bankruptcy. Shout! Factory delivers the first ever widescreen release for the film in the US, and in its original language only. Those seeking the Sandy Frank dubs are out of luck, licensing apparently playing a role. The transfer here is exceptional, even better than the Region 2 DVD release. While a bit flat in terms of depth (black levels are mediocre, likely a source issue with the film stock), the vibrant colors benefit greatly. Prior DVDs of the film in this country butchered the early island scenes, the sequence in which the natives dance blown out so poorly that it was hard to see what was happening. Now, not only is the sequence loaded with natural color, it is sharp and reasonably detailed. The same goes for Barugon's brightly detailed rainbow. Clean-up has removed any specks or scratches from the frame, save for the unavoidable damage on the multi-pass effects shots such as Gamera slamming into Barugon's rainbow. Facial detail is surprising, the first appearance of Keisuke (Kojiro Hongo) inside the plane setting the tone for the rest of the transfer. Scenes in New Guinea show off the excessive heat with sweat on the brow of the actors, all visible and reasonably defined. The grain structure is well resolved and left intact with no visible tinkering. The monster suits benefit as well, some of the more unusual shots for the genre benefiting greatly. As Barugon chases the light from the jewel around 1:17:00, the miniature street-level view reveals the texture of the suit remarkably well. Shout! does not tinker with the audio, leaving it “as is” with a 2.0 mono mix. The score from first (and only) time series composer Chuji Kinoshita may sit within the mid-range, but it offers clarity and resolution with minimal distortion. Later in the film, it sits behind the action almost quietly, as it always has over the years by intent. It's a shame the booming score is underutilized, but it's no fault of this track. Dialogue is generally free of problems, save for the occasional narration from Genzo Wakayama, which sounds mildly rough. It lacks the precision of the main actors, and even the monsters roars which exist on both the high and low ends (a rather interesting way to enhance the opposite nature of the beasts). August Ragone returns, this time with translator and fan Jason Varney for a commentary, that mostly consists of actor biographies. Their interactions sound a little forced and scripted, but there is some fine information in there when it can be found. A photo gallery, promotional gallery, and Japanese movie program (with stills from Gamera vs. Barguon's co-feature, Daimajin) are also on the disc. Inside the case is a nicely detail booklet, along with thoughts from Kojiro Hongo, translated from a 2001 Gamera photo book. Matt Paprocki has been a movie and video game critic for 12-years. His work has been featured on a variety of websites, and he currently edits DoBlu.com [1]and Multiplayergames.com [2]. [1] http://www.doblu.com [2] http://www.multiplayergames.com

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I was just sitting here thinking to myself: "We need more Canadian superheroes." I'm sure that thought has crossed a lot of minds, hasn't it? Be honest now... You see I'm a proud American but I can't help but love almost anything that comes out of Canada. Alright... I'm going to be honest with you guys... I never thought to myself that we need more Canadian superheroes.. but now that I am... Read More...