The Pit Ventures into New Territory: An Interview with Matthew Gunnoe

Filmmaker Matthew Gunnoe has the spirit of an auteur; he enjoys being involved in all aspects of producing a movie. And his love for the horror genre is going to be demonstrated in The Pit, currently in mid-production for both SyFy and the Chiller networks.

The vision is going to be uniquely his, and as the screenwriter, he does not believe in rehashing old ideas or being cliché driven. As a director, some movie enthusiasts may say he belongs to the Lloyd Kaufman school of thought: "Make Your Own Damn Movie!" Desire is all it takes. Gunnoe knew he was destined to be a filmmaker ever since he went to the drive-in with his family but as for how he got into the trade, that was a question of how he wanted to get in.

“I’ve been in the film Business for about 15 years, really starting all out in 2000. Before that, Mechanical Engineering (I had to have a real job to fall back on).” reveals Gunnoe. “As far as film school is concerned, the best education you can get is making a film, period."

When asked about how new filmmakers should approach getting their ideas done, "My advice is to save your money, read books on every aspect of filmmaking (library or internet), and then use your money to actually make your movie.”

When asked about the origins of The Pit, this producer reveals that SyFy wanted a creature feature. He said that he could not do a Giant Lobster vs. the Mega Tuna kind of movie. “It’s just not me,” confides Gunnoe. “She said that was cool, but just put a creature in it. So I started with the alien and built the plot around that.”

The main story will focus in on three girls, Stephanie (Amber Sym), Megan (Brittney Cardella) and Chelsie (Victoria Wyberanec), who find themselves knee deep in the Florida Everglades after rescuing their mute dog. On one end, there will be a deadly encounter with drug runners—who this director says will be more than your typical cookie cutter hillbillies. And there is a government conspiracy concerning aliens at the other end.

“This film is made for horror fans, and I believe in giving the fans what they want," says Gunnoe, "which includes, but is not limited to or just “T&A.” The Pit is about a lot more than just attractive girls; that would be boring. The reason sex sells, especially in horror, is the same reason bacon goes with eggs—it just works. If you sit down to a breakfast of just eggs, there’s something missing."

Some activists may say otherwise, but Gunnoe will protect his property. He responds, “I don’t consider it exploitation of women. That reference has always bugged me. Generally people don’t consider Indiana Jones and the like, the exploitation on men. These are just elements of entertainment and they’ve been a part since the beginning.”

Actress Amber Sym

He goes on to further reveal the fact that female leads have been used throughout the years and how the attraction started with Nosferatu (1922). Back then, they only showed less gam. Even Fay Wray in King Kong is still considered to be quite the looker. But on the audience side, many females enjoy watching horror films.

The television version of The Pit will be very tame, but the video release will promise to be very revealing. This director promises that the uncut version will have plenty of alternate and extended takes will be offered. But as for how the alien tale will pan out is still a mystery that will not be revealed until viewers are seeing the final product.

Produced, Directed and Written by: Matthew Gunnoe.

Cast: Jim Winburn, Darryl Baldwin, Amber Sym, Brittney Cardella, Victoria Wyberanec, Jarrett Ricker, and Melissa Heflin.

The film's homepage is here:

The Pit Homepage

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CW's "Supernatural" Asks the Question of Who is Whom in "Born Again Identity:" A Television Review

Director: Robert Singer.

Writer: Sera Gamble.

When all the psychological walls are crumblin' down in "Born Again Identity," there is only one place to go for safety: the psychiatric ward. After five days of going without sleep, Sam Winchester's mental facilities are pretty much gone and Lucifer's grasp on him is more than secured.

Everything that Death has done from last season to help Sam might as well been all for naught. If it was not for the many chisel picking curiousity seekers, maybe he could have held out longer. And traditional psychiatric care is not helping him any; without soothing rest, Sam is dying.

As predicted, Lucifer's torment of Sam is turning more and more into a fiendish form of Robin Williams' comedy. While Mark Pellegrino is still superb as the one and only Devil, even he is starting to show tiredness in the role. To keep that kind of energy up is tough. But when Lucifer starts to interact in Sam's world, the lines of reality are being blurred.

Most of it is in Sam's imagination, and Dean is off to find someone to help his brother. But when demons start to become involved in this tale, just what are their motives? The ranks are getting restless since the brothers have not done anything for Crowley lately. While there is no war going on between the Crowley's forces and Leviathans, that will no doubt come.

Even though Dean managed to find someone to help—a faith healer known as Emanuel—he would not have found him without some spiritual help. This episode is the latest to confirm that the Winchesters do have a spirit guide and that is most likely the spirit of Bobby Singer. But there's a question that needs to be answered: did Bobby know the person? He is a fellow Hunter, Emanuel, who possibly helped Castiel with amnesia? Not even the person Dean talked to knew about this detail, before he went finding Emanuel.

Everyone thought Cas blew apart in the lake. While this resourceful hunter does try to keep tabs on everything, most of his on screen time was spent trying to find a way to defeat Leviathans.

And another question is what is Meg's role in the pot being stirred up? This demoness has an interest in Castiel, and when he resurfaces, their oddball relationship gets revisited. Although Meg does not quite seem like herself, so is Cas. As Emanuel, this angel is a kinder and gentler soul. Meg is coldly stiff.

Given all the types of personas Misha Collins has played, most fans will be glad to see his return. As parts of Castiel's memories resurface, this angel starts to realize that he has to clean up the mess that he started. That includes the time of when he was power-tripping. He nearly wiped out all of his own kind.

Castiel begins to atone by deciding to save Sam at the cost of his own immortal soul. Interestingly, all has has to do it to simply “change channels.” Instead of Sam dealing with Lucifer, Cas takes on the burden. One curious clue that some may miss is with Lucifer acknowledging "his brother."

No hallucination is smart enough to know who is who. If Michael the Archangel survived the battle in the cage, where the two are truly located up, he ought to be jealous. Lucifer has a way to escape.

Strangely, the recovered Sam gets a quick release and the brothers leave the new mental patient behind. While they cannot do anything for Castiel, maybe someone else will. Meg is nearby so she can watch over this angel.

While this season's tale is getting more complex, the final Battle Royale may well be one huge Mexican standoff with several sides vying for control of the people of Earth. The demons seem to be back. And quite possibly, Bobby may be the Keymaster. Castiel might be the Gatekeeper who will herd the Leviathans back to whence they came. After all, he was the one who ate up all the junk in Purgatory. Somewhere in his memories has to be a solution.

Overall: 7 out of 10.

The show's homepage is here:

Supernatural on the CW

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Who is the Most Unstable in this First Look at Starz Media's Latest: Preview

Unstable is the latest film to be distributed by Starz Media. This film is part psychological thriller and part crime drama. The story is diverse as well. A good looking mysterious man moves in with a recently divorced mother, Kristen, and the sparks fly. Justin has a reason for his mystery, however. He is a part-time con man with a penchant for kidnapping and Oliver, Kristen's son, is his target for a big payoff.

The first poster for Unstable is here. Fans of thrillers can preview a trailer as well for the film at the Starz Media website found below. Keep in mind, though, that this an independent production and some of the low budget challenges inherent in this style of filmmaking are shown in the reel below. A release date will be announced shortly for this film. More details are below.

Director: Michael Feifer.

Writer: Michael de la Torre.

Producers: Jeffrey Schenck, and Barry Barnholtz.

Cast: Ashley Scott, Ivan Sergei, Natalia Baron, and George Newbern.

*status: completed production.

A trailer for the film is located here:

Unstable at Starz Media/Trailer

Source:

Unstable at the Film Catalogue

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The Problems with Being an Urban Explorer: A Movie Review

Director: Andy Fetscher.

Writer: Martin Thau.

Cast: Nathalie Kelley, Nick Eversman and Klaus Stiglmeier.

Urban exploration is risky business when four international students hire a local guide to lead them through the ruins of old Berlin. In what they find in the tunnels is more treacherous than this city’s sordid past. In the real hobby, many adventurers can find plenty of rustic decay to archive, figurative history to marvel at and graffitti to indicate where others have dare treaded.

In the movie that takes a simple title of Urbex: Urban Explorer, there might be some confusion in what can be examined. To look around inside any old abandoned building can be exciting. But there is more to this hobby than just going underground. Rank tunnels are often a source for many movies on a tight budget and this tale is one that gets detailed. Nazi bunkers were built within this network to withstand the bombings that happened during World War II.

And that history is important in this tale. From tales of a fabled Oden said to be lurking underneath to Neo-Nazis searching for the hidden labs of their predecessors, the history of this particular tunnel system is fascinating. The former may be a reference to the old Germanic beliefs of the land, but sadly the script does not go far in exploring it. Folklorists may not get much from this film but war buffs will. Some of that history is imporant in figuring out why the tunnels are still used even today.

This movie has a well thought out concept. It sadistically reveals the dangers of getting what you wish. The people Lucia (Nathalie Kelley), Denis (Nick Eversman), Marie (Catherine de Lean) and Juna (Brenda Koo) encounter are hiding for a reason.

The effectiveness of this movie comes from the fact that Denis never tries to be an alpha male or save the day. Try as he might, both him and the gang are enjoying life than learning about it. They are energetic younglings who need a dose of reality. Life is ripe with fun for them, but it will not be that for long. In who they meet, it is a harsh wake up call!

They eventually meet a crazed cahoot, Armin (Klaus Stiglmeier) who probably thinks the war is still is going on. Stiglmeier is fantastic in the role. He delivers the punch that’s needed to make a simple madman villian work. His rat-like appearance gives this oddball character life, especially when he chases after Lucia. Even she begins to feel sadly tormented.

Out of all the other budget films of this sub-genre of college kids getting unlucky, this movie stands out. North American variations just do not quite cut it. Here, the multi-talented director Andy Fetscher, shows he’s willing to experiment and make the colour symbolism work. He provided the cinematography and edited this movie. The red edge split filters used during a few sequences hint at an impending death, and the fast cuts in the more violent scenes keeps the visual interest alive.

The only real fail is the romance angle. While relationships matter in survival horror, this subplot just does not have the development that’s needed on screen to build to that big moment between Denis and Lucia. Fortunately, that does not mean sex.

And as for where Armin is after all this mess, this movie shows the potential of continuing on as a franchise or with a sequel. That’s only if his history gets developed further. This movie features a killer that most viewers will want to get to know. While that can be a dangerous curiousity, some viewers will have to import this video in. The video release is currently available as a region two release.

Overall: 6.5 out of 10.

The film's fan page is here:

Urban Explorer on Facebook

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Absentia's Absinthe Trip: A Movie Review

*full disclosure: a DVD screener of this film was provided by Phase 4 Films.

Director/writer: Mike Flanagan.

Cast: Katie Parker, Courtney Bell and Dave Levine.

Some viewers may experience strangeness while watching Absentia. After a while, the same synthesizer sounds and monotone guitar beats will either mesmerize audiences or cause auditory hallucinations. This background music sounds like it is from one of Brainwave Mind Voyage’s psycho acoustic products. After a while, a few may wonder if that tired feeling will ever wear off.

The soundscape created for this film is strangely appropriate. In a tale about Tricia (Courtney Bell) trying to cope with the disappearance of Danny (Morgan Peter Brown), her husband, the music is like a psychological journey of the experiences to come. That is especially important when she is often seen meditating. With a Tibetan singing bowl sitting next to her, she should have used it more often. At least that has a more pleasing sound.

But when her sister Callie (Katie Parker) comes to live with her, the family pressure is on for Tricia to declare her missing hubbie 'dead in absentia.’ He has been missing for seven years. Although she tries live without him, life is not easy for her. She has met another man, and there is some guilt that she feels. She is pregnant with his child.

And for these two siblings, the movie's focus on abandonment issues is key to the overall plot. Even before Tricia decides to move on, she sees Danny floating around in a tormented spiritual sense. Her visions may seem real, and they are fortunately simple nightmares. The night terrors she experiences continue to plague her even after she signs on the dotted line.

The enjoyability factor in this film will vary. The first act defines the relationship that Tricia has with Callie. The second act has Callie encountering a transient (Doug Jones). She may not have realized that she was looking at a lost soul and he is Walter Lambert, another person thought to be dead.

Writer Mike Flanagan injects some interesting symbolism of what the tunnel represents. It is a passage that separates the physical world from the afterlife. As for what guards it, no agendas need to be revealed here. And that world was where Danny and Lambert were trapped in. By the time they return to the physical realm, they are horribly scarred for life.

This film does not try to get deep into the parapsychological drama of what exists ala James Wan's Insidious. The script merely hints at what may be, and that is a great choice so some mystery remains even after watching this movie.

When Callie suggests how some souls can get spirited away, the neo-urban legend being developed is more interesting than the film's plot. Apparently a natural sinkhole existed in the area, before the freeway was built, and many people have disappeared throughout the years. Callie says that those events are much like those Scandinavian troll legends from yesteryear. But the link is not limited to just one culture. First Nations, Egyptian and Asian tales include beasts who steal life away.

But in what does not work are the in-jokes. They may seem cute, but these tricks are trite in a movie that tries to be serious. Officer Del Toro and Romero may have to take someone in from the production team for questioning! Also the traditional scare elements really need to be re-examined. This movie delivers a few Edvard Munch like moments in its ghostly sequences. Too many films, independent and mainstream, seem to enjoy copying from Munch's seminal work, "The Scream." The image of the frozen face wrecked with angst is getting tiring.

With or without these added effects, this movie is at least a decent entry for a new team of L.A. residents hoping to make it big. The film is a respectable resume piece for cast and crew. Fortunately, only three minutes is required to highlight the talent pool.

And for prospective junkies interested at how to fund a movie and make one on the cheap, the bonus material on the DVD is worth examining. The documentary reveals some of the obstacles that plagued production and the commentary track give some good advice that is worth nothing. The details revealed by the producers help explain the moments of the film that is lost in the music and the best part is that their discourse actually helps mask out the drone.

Overall: 6 out of 10.

The film's fan page is here:

Absentia on Facebook

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Autumn: Aftermath and the End of a Journey: A Book Review

*full disclosure: a paperback copy of this novel was provided by St. Martin's Griffin.

Author: David Moody.

Publishers: St. Martin's Griffin.

United Kingdom author David Moody's journey through the Autumn novels has been a long one. It has been at least 10 years since Moody wrote his first novel, Autumn. This first novel dealt primarily with the characters Emma and Michael who both appear in this fifth novel, Autumn: Aftermath. Many other characters appear in this latest novel, which released March 13th. The culmination of 10 years in a zombie apocalypse, understandably, comes to violent head with two factions around Cormansey and Chadwick vying for their own space. Philosophies come into conflict too and so do characters, despite a dangerous environment.

Fans of this series of novels will recognize Michael. He is one of many survivors who are immune to an airborne infection that has wiped out 99% of the United Kingdom population. Those instantly killed rose from the dead to terrorize those still living. The undead became more cognizant as they looked to infect those few surviving. And Michael began the series of novels on his own until meeting Emma and Carl. They founnd temporary refuge in a nearby cottage, until the undead come knocking. That was four novels ago.

At the beginning of Autumn: Aftermath, there are three groups of survivors: one on the island of Cormansey, another in a castle near Chadwick and a final group at the Bromwell Hotel. All three of these groups come into contact by the end of the novel. And this final novel in the series also introduces a few new characters including Jackson. He brings the group at the castle together, while Jaz threatens to break up the group. Jaz is on a destructive path after the loss of his family and Jackson is one of the targets of his rage.

Jaz is really the antagonist in the group. Michael, Richard, Driver, Lorna and a few others act as protagonists. The undead also offer destruction. But after several months of infection, they can hardly stand. Therefore, the conflict comes from each of the characters, with a local island offering sanctuary for all of the survivors.

And there are a lot of survivors! Some readers might need a chart to keep track of them all. There are at least twenty to thirty characters. Obviously many of them are minor characters. The major characters have been named and it is easy to forget who is who especially with so many character names beginning with the letter h such as: Harte, Hollis, Harry, and Howard. Perhaps, the zombie hordes could have parsed down the character list a little, no?

Yet, this novel is a fast read. This is also a light read. With so many characters, the plot needs to be simple. So, only a few subplots develop including: a looming birth in a virulent atmosphere, how to gather supplies and how to organize the survivors. There really is no room for anything else or this novel would have been much larger than its 388 pages. However, plot points do not seem to be the novel's strongest element.

Fans of zombie fiction will find lots of excitement here. There is a good deal of action as the flesheaters threaten survivors. There is tension as leadership of one group comes into question. There is also a great finale involving a storm, the antagonist and escape from the undead mob. So, fans of this genre will find lots to fear and a little hope here too.

This latest novel released earlier this month and this zombie fiction fan would recommend that you pick this novel up. Moody manages to tie any of the loose ends from previous novels in this final entry. The ending could have involved a little more tragedy, especially with so many characters about. However, this novel was read in under a few days, so that should give other readers some understanding as to the quality of the novel. After all, this reader has followed this series of novels since the beginning and it is hard to put down a novel that has invested so much into the characters and into the Autumn environment. Saying good-bye to such a great series might be the hardest thing to do.

Overall: 7.25 out of 10 (a light read, some tension, lots of characters, the climax was a little disappointing, the zombies are way out on the periphery in this novel, loose ends from previous novels are tied up).

More reviews from the Autumn series can be found below:

Autumn: The City Reviewed Here (The Best Book in the Series)

Autumn: Purification Reviewed Here

Autumn: Disingtegration Reviewed Here

Other material for this series of novels can be found at David Moody's website:

The Author's Website is Here

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Is Camel Spiders Mindless Fun? A Movie Review

Director: Jim Wynorski.

Writers: Jim Wynorski and J. Brad Wilke.

Cast: Brian Krause, C. Thomas Howell and Melissa Brasselle.

Better than watching Gremlins 2 and Tremors combined, Camel Spiders has a fairly mixed up tale about mutant arachnoids taking over a dusty town. Although these monstrous beasts are computer-generated, that does not distract from the fun this movie tries to make. To see victims ensnared in spider webs is morbidly and potentially horrific. Mummified carcasses makes for some easy creep out sessions.

But to see how this tale of survival horror will pan out will depend on only one thing: just how adept are the military in cleaning up the mess they caused? Apparently dick all. After an engagement with enemy forces in Afghanistan, a swarm of camel spiders comes out of nowhere to join in the chaos and suddenly, there is a man down.

The bug crawls inside the soldier, and he should have been embalmed on the spot than taken home. Back in the USA, Captain Sturges (Brian Krause) and Sgt. Underwood (Rocky DeMarco) are transporting the body. After a near miss of crashing into another vehicle, the coffin holding the body spills out and opens up. Round two is about to begin.

Roger Corman is the executive producer of this movie and in what he says is a go, any element put into this movie is a go. And that includes a dozen or so characters to keep track of. C Thomas Howell plays the sheriff, and he’ll no doubt be important for most of the film. Well, maybe. In the military front, Sturges tries to help contain the situation, but not all plans work.

For Corman, an icon of the B-movie genre, his guerrilla filmmaking style is very evident throughout the film. It follows the panic of various people being beseiged by spiders by following them everywhere. Much like Tremors, the people in this small town are looking for safe harbour.

There are two groups, some college co-eds who have decided to lock themselves up in a basement, and some townsfolk, who have bunkered down in a on massive warehouse. In this long break, there is an attempt at character development, but in the details of what is revealed, none of it seems revalent in making audiences care. Starship Troopers do a better job at showing how high school buddies win at the end, but this film does not even get that far in terms of exposition.

The camel spiders are hungry and they know where everyone is. As for how some of these monsters have suddenly grown in size, that is a mystery that will never fully be explained. When the cast is finally whittled down, well, just maybe viewers can start to feel for the survivors. But this movie does not even get that far.

This movie is like a bad western that lost its edge. The good part of the movie is its bluegrass style music. It’s familiarly inspiring. The bad is the pitiful attempt to marry the CGI with the sets. No attempt at blending at the seams was done. The ugly, where did the plot go?

The only way this movie can be enjoyed is with certain brain receptors turned off and finding this video in a $5 bin. That way, some consumers will not feel too ripped off.

Overall: 4 out of 10.

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A Lesson in Lung Power in Yakuza Weapon: A Movie Review

Directors: Tak Sakaguchi and Yudai Yamaguchi.

Writers: Ken Ishikawa (original story/manga), Yudai Yamaguichi (screenplay).

Cast: Dennis Gunn, Cay Izumi and Shinji Kasahara.

Sushi Typhoon's brand gets even more comic book like in this latest release, Yakuza Weapon. This film is about certain members of the Japanese mafia at odds with one another. That can lead to some fun, and for viewers who love Tak Sakaguchi's work in Versus, Battlefield Baseball and Deadball, it is one almost worth watching. The real carnage, however, means waiting for a long grueling 70 minutes.

The build-up works on developing the character of Shozo Iwaki (Sakaguchi), but in between his shouting matches, some may wonder if this mercenary has a huge chip on his shoulder. If there`s ever an analogy to another comic book character, he would be Japan`s answer to Marvel Comic`s Wolverine. And he`s far more abrasive. And when Iwaki learns that his father was murdered by an over-ambitious crime lord wannabe, Kurawaki (Shingo Tsurumi), this young punk returns to his homeland to avenge the family name.

But this superhero cum berserker figures he can work his way up the Yakuza food chain too. He wants to dispose of everyone involved. The girlfriend from long ago even gets kidnapped by Kurawaki. Even though she is Yakuza too, the new regime is revealed to have no honour. She is an easy mark and a liability since Iwaki has feelings for her. But does he care? Heck no! Her importance in the tale gets abandoned when the violence amps up.

The films made by Sushi Typhoon will most likely never win any technical awards. Fan awards are another matter, and this movie is one where Sakaguchi should nail the loudest actor prize easily. Behind the scenes, he must have sucked down hundreds of dollars worth of throat lozenges to keep that up during filming. At least Sakaguchi shows he has range in the characters he likes to play.

Although this movie is based off the manga of the same name by Ken Ishikawa ("Cutie Honey," "Getterrobot"), the live-action tale has the hallmarks of Buchi Terasawa`s "Midnight Eye Goku". Cybernetic terrorism is just one industry Kurawaki wants to make the Yakuza`s marks on, but with Iwaki on a rampage, they are not going to get far. Not even the loss of limbs will stop him, but to reach that point in the movie is far too long.

By the time he turns into a Robocop (or ED-209), the narrative takes one huge jump. Just how Iwaki arrives at the building to take out Kurawaki really needs to be asked. The DVD release gives one answer in the deleted scenes track. The explanation of why Iwaki was rebuilt really should have been kept in. It would have helped make the last part of the film make sense and make the transition to the blood bath a little less jarring.

At least the exploration of Iwaki’s relationship is not. The dynamite welding Takuzo (Takashi Nishina) and gadget loving Santaro (Akihiko Sai) are loyal to him, and that is part of the code that the Yakuza lives by. Chivalry is also part of this code. But when either gets broken, blood will be shed. In the video release, the sequel Takuzo Weapon follows up on the tight camaraderie these two have. Takuzo is apparently jealous of Iwaki`s new abilities and he dreams of how he can be upgraded too. The humour is more off beat and enjoyable to watch than the film, and it is a welcome piece to round out this universe.

Overall: 7 out of 10.

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Few Will Make it Over Devil's Bridge: A Movie Review

Director/writer: Chris Crow.

Devil's Bridge is an indie horror film from the United Kingdom. This is director and writer Chris Crow's first major release and Devil's Bridge deals with three blokes on holiday. They leave Essex for Wales, but they might have wanted to avoid one stop in a backwoods country town. Here, a hunter reminds the men who is boss in the Welsh wilderness with threats, stares, gunfire and even stabbings. The guys get the message a little too late. And thus, we have another urban versus rural encroachment theme with elements of Welsh history and territory aggression tied into a fairly predictable thriller.

Adam (Michael Jibson), Danny (Gary Mavers), and Sean (Joseph Millson) are the three men "on the piss." Sean is searching for a family friend who can get him out of his financial troubles. On the way to find this mystery man, they almost run over a hunter whose personality is like that of a stone wall. All comments just bounce off of him. All four men will reunite for a night of terror as Bill has a bone to pick with interlopers in this land. Let the human game hunt begin!

The calm before the storm

Unfortunately, the film is not as exciting as it could be. Devil's Bridge is really about fourty minutes of cat-and-mouse while the actors do the best with characters they have been assigned. Sean is the protagonist and the desperate family man. He fights the hardest and the longest. Danny is the wisest. He knows when to keep his mouth shut. Adam is the opposite. He is a loudmouth and, arguably, he gets the group of men in trouble by insulting Bill (Joshua Richards) on his way out of a local pub. All three of these characters will have to face Bill and his angry tirade of encroachment at some point in the night.

And encroachment is the major theme in the film. The local urban Welsh settlers apparently do not like tourists, travellers or outsiders in their town or on their land. The townies see the men as foreign despite all of the character's are of English nationality. Bill sees more differences in their cockney accents than he does similarities. Perhaps Bill is trying to fight something foreign inside himself as seen in a few scenes of self-dialogue. Either way, the visitors do not have home turf to fight on, which works in Bill's favour.

The early Anglo-Saxon chant over the credit sequence did not work to this film fan's favour. If you are not familiar, England has been invaded by various warrior tribes throughout the 8th and 9th Century and even further back. During this time period the Anglo-Saxons, or German tribes took over and they settled in the Southeast of the country near where the men in the film are from, Essex. So, it would seem appropriate for the film to begin with this song; yet, the chant or cheer is awkward and it almost seems out of tune. Outside of the music, the story is predictable and this style of film has been tried in films like Surviving the Game (1994) and others. Only here the hunt is initiated, really, because of territorial aggression or to protect family tradition from a perceived threat. Even the finale can be seen with some assurance.

Therefore, this reviewer would recommend that fans see Chris Crow's much better Panic Button. Panic Button is a little more psychological, more disturbing and overall more mysterious. Devil's Bridge is a horror film whose story is as straight forward as it can be. And the genre of horror is best utilized with some mystery. Putting all of the cards on the table too soon creates for little tension and few surprises. So, fly the unfriendly skies in Panic Button rather than travelling the backwoods of Devil's Bridge. Or, watch this film if you have a grudge against Essex because you will be rewarded by their demise!

Overall: 6 out of 10 (indie, few surprises, some thrills, Adam is an interesting character, the others seem to have few flaws,

The Devil's Bridge Homepage:

The Devil's Bridge Homepage

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The Asylum's Air Collision Flies into Stores March 27th

Director/writer: Liz Adams.

Cast: Gerald Webb, Reginald VelJohnson, Jordan Ladd, Darin Cooper, Darren Anthony Thomas, Kevin Yarbrough, Aurora Perrineau and Dave Vescio.

Set for takeoff March 27th on DVD, and Blu-Ray is Air Collision. Released by The Asylum, the terror comes from an abrupt solar flare that is smothering the earth and wrecking havoc upon electronics worldwide. Panic ensues everywhere, and two planes are now on a collision course to destiny.

A passenger jet is en route towards Air Force One. First Officer Ken Aoki (Gerald Webb, Zombie Plantation) will have to avert disaster from within his small plane. Along with Flight Attendant Lindsay Bates (Jordan Ladd), Aircraft Controller Bob Abbot (Reginald VelJohnson), Captain Roscoe Simms (Michael Teh), hopefully there will not be a second disaster as well. With Eli Reyher (Dave Vescio), a maniac on the loose, everybody in the plane should be worried.

If that is not enough, Air Force One's controls are frozen, and it has to make a crash landing.

The Asylum has also released an exclusive clip to promote this product. In the segment, Aoki narrowly averts a head on collision with a high-rise building. Yet, some of people on the ground risk death as the concrete walls comes tumbling down. Disaster relief will not arrive in time and damage control is nowhere in sight. Can Aoki save the day? All the answers can be found when this video releases this Tuesday.

Sneak Peek video link:




The film as The Asylum:

Air Collision's Homepage


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The Full Effect is Found in The Town's Ultimate Collector's Edition: A Movie Review

*full disclosure: a Blu-Ray copy of this film was provided by Warner Bros.

Director: Ben Affleck.

Writer: Peter Craig, Ben Affleck, Aaron Stockard and Chuck Hogan.

Cast: Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Chris Cooper and Pete Postlethwaite.

The Town wowed this film fan back in 2010 when the film was released in theatres. There was just so much action and excitement to take in. The film was released in various formats later that year. Most recently, Warner Bros. has offered a the "Ultimate Collector's Edition," which houses a lot of extras from the film (March 6th, 2012). This latest version hosts extra scenes and extended shots along with alternate endings. All of these extras fully explore the relationship between bank robber Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) and Claire (Rebecca Hall). The relationships are given more time in general and the story develops at a more even keel.

For those who have not heard, The Town follows four bank robbers who live in the Charlestown district of Boston. The film tends to focus on Doug and his pseudo-brother James (Jeremy Renner). They have grown up together in this haven for criminals. The brothers look at criminal life in two different ways. Doug wants out of the life that his father created for him. His father is also a long time criminal. Meanwhile, James has given himself over to a life of crime; he sees no way out. Doug manages to break away from the criminal life, after bank robberies and armoured car heists, with the help from a beautiful bank manager. Love blossoms briefly, but hope seems to be the central message of the film. Even criminals can change.

And finding that hope can be difficult in Charlestown. This 1 square mile of real estate houses the most bank robbers anywhere from across the globe. The drug dealing, and violence is also a part of this world as described in Chuck Hogan's book, Prince of Thieves. Although fiction, this novel and film seem to accurately capture what life could possibly be like in this poor neighbourhood.

The "Ultimate Collector's Edition" explores this area in detail. This release comes with a map that shows Doug's and James' crime spree which begins in Cambridge and carries over into Fenway Park. The details are there to be seen with statistics and graphics. This version of the film also hosts: mug shots of the four robbers, fighting Irish tattoos, an FBI file on suspect Desmond Elden, a personal message from director Ben Affleck and a photo montage with character sheets. All of this material creates a type of mystique for the film.

The extended film footage in this release also creates a deeper understanding for the character's therein. The relationship between Doug and Claire is given more time. Their courtship is made more believable as the lead (Affleck) breaks into a boat to impress her. There is more dialogue between these two characters and the bond they form seems more realistic when compared to the theatrical version. There are also more scenes of violence when James and Doug go looking for local thugs or when they hash out old rivalries. All of this extra material brings the film in at the two and half mark, but the film seems to fly by despite a slightly slower pace.

This edition of The Town is recommended for fans of the original film. There is more material here for the film aficionado. There honestly are hours of video to peruse and the film reviewed here was the "Extended Cut with Alternate Ending." The "Original Theatrical Version and Extended Cut" is also included with a digital copy in this "Ultimate collector's Edition." With all this material you might feel like you are one of the robbers heisting local security guards as the film pulls you into a dangerous criminal underworld.

Overall: 8.5 out of 10 (a great film, this is the comprehensive version with many, many extras).

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Glenn Ciano's Inkubus is No Rorschach Test: A Movie Review

Director: Glenn Ciano.

Writers: Glenn Ciano (story), Carl V. Dupré (screenplay).

Cast: Robert Englund, William Forsythe and Joey Fatone.

Legendary icon Robert Englund simply loves being bad in the movie Inkubus. The movie's title is also the name of a fictional demon that Englund plays. But for the actor, he shows just how debonair any malignant force can be. For this self-prescribed harbinger of chaos, he is after retired Detective Gil Diamante (William Forsaythe). Apparently these two squared off many years ago, but something happened which let this evil force get away.

After some time has passed, Inkubus has decided that the time has come to finish what that cop has started. When he shows up at a precinct holding the head of a dead girl, he admits to being the true killer. The individual the officers have in custody is not the one. In fact, he’s going to be the next victim.

Although Officer Tom Caretti (Joey Fatone) arrives just in time to witness the night's events, viewers will have to backtrack. The movie starts with Caretti in the insane asylum and recalling everything that has happened in the past few days. That also includes the death of his wife during childbirth. The real big question viewers have to ask is in how the heck does he know about all that went on at the station? Maybe he's the real devil in disguise since he can see all.

But when audiences become familiar with the mental ward narrative that is often reimagined, the twist ending really has to be a good one in order to induce some mind-bending horror. Here, it feels very tame when Caretti has demons of his own to worry about. Since witnessing his child also "dying," he may not be one hundred percent there.

From The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari to Shutter Island, these outcast protagonists cannot accept the fact that they may be the true killer. And some viewers will even recognize that the story follows a similar path as the 2010 film, The Traveler, starring Val Kilmer and Dylan Neal.

This movie might have been far more interesting if it was not so copycat. Even England is recreating a very familiar type of character. Not even the moments of gore are enough to sate the savage beast that was Freddie. They are fairly tame by today’s standards that were defined by movies like Saw. Although plenty of visual cinematic style exists to make this film likable, the substance that fills the running time is just lacking. That mostly comes in the character development of the supporting characters than the powerhouse ones.

All Inkubus does is to slowly stalk and kill these peons off before deciding that its time to make Diamante pay his dues. At least Caretti and Diamante gets some development. But for the narrator of this film, all he does is to provide the story like one crazed stool pigeon. More of a movie could have been made if he was shown having flown the coup. To see the guards at the asylum go chasing after him can be fun, should Caretti prove to be the real killer after all, but where this movie goes ruins the build-up.

If Caretti was indeed Inkubus, to see carnage at the asylum would have made for some more fun than to remaking another film that's barely a year old.

Overall: 6 out of 10.

*released on DVD February 21st.

The film's Official Website is here:

The Film's Homepage


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Kurt Oldman and Killer Holiday Chimes: A Soundtrack Review

*full disclosure: a CD soundtrack of the Killer Holiday soundtrack was provided for this review.

Composer: Kurt Oldman.

Kurt Oldman is a Swiss born composer who specializes in soundtracks for film and television. His latest compositions include a soundtrack for the horror film Killer Holiday. In the past, Oldman has worked on soundtracks for films like Babysitter Wanted (2008), Neighbor (2009), and more recently Stained (2010). On the soundtrack for Stained, Oldman was nominated for Best Score and his television credits include "Dr. G. Medical Examiner" and "Monsters Inside Me." Oldman continues to shine musically in these media types and many more.

Oldman shines brightest in the Killer Holiday soundtrack. For those unfamiliar with the film, this title will release in 2012. The story follows a delinquent, her friends and a straight A student to a haunted Amusement Park. Here, a killer awaits. And Spring Break will turn from fun in the sun on Route 66 to blood and bone by the time the credits role. Keep your eyes on this film from director Marty Thomas and writer Jon Zuber later this year.

And keep your ears glued to the soundtrack for Killer Holiday once it becomes available. This well composed piece includes thirty-five tracks titled: "Bad Parents," "Electic Fence," and this reviewer's favourite, "Psycho Friends." Each of these pieces lasts from one to two minutes as one track blends into another seamlessly. The music varies in tone and pitch while the overall atmosphere is one of dread. You can almost see the characters on the run from unnamed villains. You can also feel the electricity run up your neck as the tempo increases along with the loudness. Forget sleeping; your night will be haunted by shrill guitars and subtle chimes.

The Killer Holiday soundtrack is a definite must have. Fans of horror outside of cinema will like these pulse pounding beats. And if there is a song that you don't like, then there are thirty-four others to pick from. No release date has been announced, but the soundtrack will likely be released at the same time as the film, later this year. Just don't put your ear up to the speaker or a scream might shock you out of your skin.

Overall: 8 out of 10 (some tracks sound almost Middle Eastern, diverse sounds, highs to lows).

Kurt Oldman's homepage is here:

Kurt Holdman's Homepage

The film's Official Website is listed here:

Killer Holiday's Official Website

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CW's "Supernatural" and the Curse with "Out with the Old:" A Television Review

Director: John F. Showalter.

Writers: Robert Singer & Jenny Klein.

Shades of CBS television's "Friday the 13th: the TV Series" can be found in the latest episode of CW's "Supernatural." "Out with the Old" is a good variation on a familiar concept. While the brothers go chasing down cursed objects, like pink ballerina shoes, that were once locked up in a special magical container, the Leviathans decide to surface again like the whales they are. And this time they are unsure if they should cash in on the bounty that is on the Winchester's head.

But as for which story is more important, the obvious choice is with Dick Roman's many associates. They run numerous subsidiary real estate companies, like Bicklebee Real Estate, who are in the market of serving some secretive agendas. Throughout most of the United States, they are buying up mom and pop businesses. As for why, nobody knows. The answers the Winchesters find are still cryptic. This season's story-arc is finally getting some more movement. Too many episodes are spent in showing that a considerable amount of time has passed. One simple title would have been enough to say six months have passed since than to drag one story-arc out.

The sub-plot of the brothers chasing down all these cursed objects is not all that well thought out. There are times where the the tease is great, but the explanation is confusing. The best example is in where Sam manages to break in to a home and stop an object from causing another death. Had the episode spent some time in seeing them worm their way out of these break in situations, some fun could have been had. Last week's episode with Lucifer was fantastic. Sam is still being tormented and fortunately, viewers are not treated to the Devil's upteenth time singing "Stairway to Heaven."

Maybe the writing team for this series has decided that one appearance of Mark Pellegrino is enough. If he was to play more of a Robin Williams style of an evil character, audiences will eventually get tired of it. Since nothing works to silence the devil, maybe Sam Winchester needs to wear a tin foil hat. The possibility that Lucifer is simply transmitting from afar is still possible.

Back on the Leviathan front, the subplot of real estate agents buying up small town operations becomes the real focal point of this episode. The cursed objects become yesterday’s news, but the brothers uncover Roman's plot to "cure cancer."

The best guess is that the facilities that Dick Roman plans on building may be a cloak and dagger operation so more Leviathans, namely those who have not taken a mortal body, can possess humans. The episode title is very telling because something old will have to be tossed out so something new can enter.

Joyce Bicklebee (Mary Page Keller) is ruthless in her tactics and she represents an old social order. But George (Bryan Cuprill) is young and inexperienced. He does not like his boss. He ensures that his encounter with the Winchesters goes in their favour. He may be the new "In Crowd" that can dispose of Dick Roman.

Keller and Cuprill do a great job in making their in-character relationship as loathsome as it seems. Also, this episode reveals that even the meek can be intimidated and to see George plot to overthrow his boss is the highlight of this episode.

But when this simplistic Leviathan decides to side with the Winchesters, viewers will have to wonder if George survived? While the brothers have no love for any monster, viewers are left guessing if he was killed. The early episodes finally start to have some meaning. Assuming that George was not killed, the Winchesters may finally have an insider in the ranks.

This peon can certainly grow some backbone before the series end or infest a new host body. There are seven more episodes left, and unless this season ends with a few surprises, the wait for the final showdown is getting very frustrating.

With a few clues about supposedly deceased characters making a return – which includes Castiel and Bobby Singer – what some viewers need is more than a recap. It should be a PVR full of episodes so the series can be watched in one massive run. At least the Mother-of-All plot from last year was quick and painless.

Overall: 6 out of 10.

"Supernatural" at the CW:

Supernatural's Homepage


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Promiscuville: Rise of the Dead Author Chris Wade Explores the Living and the Dead: An Interview

Chris Wade is a United Kingdom based author, editor, illustrator and publisher. He is a master of the creative arts and his latest novel Promiscuville: Rise of the Dead is sure to appeal to zombie genre fans here on 28DLA.

The novel involves desperate characters fighting the undead, but the biggest threat comes from within and from each other. What happens when trust whittles down to nothing and the hordes grow?

Fans will have to purchase the novel to find out. This title released March 10th and fans of zombie fiction can enjoy this short interview in which Wade reveals his love for zombie films, George A. Romero and writing in the genre.

(Michael R. Allen) Chris thanks for talking about your latest novel here on 28DLA. For all the aspiring writers out there, what motivates you to write? And what motivates you to write fiction like Promiscuville: Rise of the Dead?

(Chris Wade) "I just love to write; it is what I do and what drives me from day to day. I'm always writing something, whether it's a non-fiction book, fiction, the free magazine Hound Dawg, or some random comedy with my dad for Hound Dawg Radio. It is just something I love doing. As for the zombie book, I have always been a massive fan of the genre and was keen on doing a story with them as the centre piece to it. As a kid I loved Romero and used to do zombie comics at home, so it is an area I was always really drawn to. I was motivated by creating believable characters that had imperfections and contradictions, yet ones that I also cared about."

(MRA)Characters are what propel the genre. Is this what makes the genre so popular, in your opinion? If not, what is your take on the popularity of zombie genre fiction?

(CW)"I think it is great, and it was inevitable when you think about it. When you see vampires these days, it is all designer clothes, gelled hair styles and sex appeal. Zombies are so foul and unappealing it is kind of perverse that they've become so huge all over the world!"

(MRA)The undead are definitely foul. I think the undead are different things to different people. To me, they symbolize death in a way, that unrelenting force that we will all succumb to at some point. Wow, that was depressing!

So, what can you tell readers about your book Promiscuville: Rise of the Dead? What surprises lie within?

(CW)"The novel is very character driven and the characters themselves are definitely less trustworthy than the zombies. The zombies are at least driven by an instinct and they are true to it, while the living are backstabbing, untrustworthy creatures. But I still wanted to make the zombies the main villain of the piece. I like my zombies repulsive, hollow, soulless and frightening.

The whole story follows this seedy town of Promiscuville in England, where everything that can go wrong has. It is a town of crime, sleaze and looting. Beth is a woman who claims her husband was murdered by an intruder who just crept into their house in the night and masticated him. But no one believes her. She also tells Dr Hurst, her psychiatrist, that something evil is brewing and that finally all the badness of Promiscuville is starting to boil over. Of course, when the virus spreads subtly, more and more people are falling victim to these horrific deaths. Then one day it just blows and we have a town over run by them. I wanted to make it apocalyptic and frightening. Yet, my real aim is for people to care about the characters and then maybe wonder why they cared about them at all."

(MRA)Characters often seem like an extension of the author in my opinion and some of the conflicts in their books are also the conflicts they experience or try to understand. Recently, I reviewed Adam Nevill's The Ritual for this site and I could see this author struggling with issues of capitalism and urbanization. So, I mentioned these themes in my review and he agreed. I look forward to looking at the conflicts you see as well!

Now, I think that writing horror is one of the easiest genres to right and it also one of the most enjoyable. What do think is so appealing about writing in horror? And why do you think readers like this genre so much?

(CW)"This is the first time I have released a horror story and I really enjoyed it. You are right, I would say it is one of the easiest, because it just poured out of me. In the past I have done more comedic, surreal stuff, like the Cutey and the Sofaguard novel that also came out as an audiobook read by the comedian Rik Mayall (The Young Ones), but I found this much more interesting in some ways. My other books are quite abstract because it's all about word play and everything is so dream like.

Promiscuville was all about making things seem desperate and chilling, and I think that is what was so appealing about writing it. It was so much fun. I don't know why it is such a popular genre though, maybe it's the perverse side of people who love to be scared."

(MRA)Well, this zombie fan cannot wait to dive into the death and fear in this novel. Thanks so much for talking about your insights in the horror genre, writing and zombie genre novel at large. Good luck with your latest novel Promiscuville: Rise of the Dead!

*this title released March 10th on Amazon in a Kindle format.

The book's homepage is here::

More Details on the Novel Here

The publisher's website for Promiscuville: Rise of the Dead is here:

Promsicuville at Wisdom Twins Books

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Cabin Fever: Patient Zero Releases the Plague this Spring!

There are two new Cabin Fever films currently in development. The third film is titled Cabin Fever: Patient Zero. This film will a prequel to the previous two and Kaare Andrews (Altitude) will direct. Shooting begins shortly in the Dominican Republic. The story for Cabin Fever: Patient Zero traces the deadly bacteria to its source.

The fourth film will be called Cabin Fever: Outbreak (UHM). Few details have been revealed on this film; however, both Cabin Fever: Patient Zero and Cabin Fever: Outbreak will be filmed back to back. How is that for confidence? Enjoy the first concept poster for Cabin Fever: Patient Zero here until more casting details develop.

Release Date: 2013.

Director: Kaare Andrews.

Writer: Jake Wade Wall.

*the third film is being developed by The Indomina Group and Hypotenuse Pictures.

Source:

Cabin Fever: Patient Zero

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Play Truth or Dare in this Twisted Tale of Revenge: First Trailer

Truth or Dare is a horror film shot in the United Kingdom and the film is of revenge. A game of truth or dare at university goes wrong when Felix commits suicide after the game turns from fun to humiliation. Felix's brother, Justin, wants to know why he lost his brother. He will hunt down these college students until they reveal the reason for their malice.

There is some recent news on this project. Bloody Disgusting Selects has picked this picture for release in North America later this year. The release will be on DVD and VOD with a specific showing date coming soon. For now, enjoy the trailer below with Justin shown beginning his blood hunt!

Release Date: 2012 (DVD, VOD).

Director: Robert Heath.

Writer: Matthew McGuchan.

Cast: David Oakes, Jennie Jacques, Liam Boyle, Jack Gordon, and Alexander Vlahos.

The trailer for Truth or Dare is here:




Source:

Truth or Dare at Upcoming Horror Movies

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