Resolution

Wow.

I read the synopsis for RESOLUTION on Netflix and saw the cover art and thought it was going to be some silly, "torture porn" crap-fest and avoided it. The DINNER FOR FIENDS podcast raved about it, so I did a 180 and checked it out. SO glad I did.

This falls under the "don't ask too many questions - just watch" category. You don't want to know too much going in. I'd even avoid the trailer, really. Just watch and let the thing flow over and through you like lightning. :)  No jump scares. No CGI beasts. No scenes of graphic violence. Just a great story with great acting. A man goes to a remote location to save his drug addicted friend from self destruction...and things get weird.  I think that's all you need to know walking into this.


It's rare that a film holds my interest to the point where I'm afraid to look away from the screen for fear of missing something deadly important. This is one of those films for sure.  Peter Cilella and Vinny Curran turn in fantastic performances. Very real. Very solid.

The film has two Director credits - Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. It's an interesting happening and I was curious how they took this on. Benson's script is solid as well and doesn't drift into the realm of pandering or sloppy fiction that some of these films slip into to make connections. Benson is currently doing the same Director / writer team up for a new film called SPRING and I'll be there to see it for sure.

Check out RESOLUTION at once and let us know how you liked it!

>>>>>>> S P O I L E R S <<<<<<<






I loved the CABIN IN THE WOODS nature of this film!  Something bigger is going on here, not just getting a friend off drugs. There is a large and frightening story happening to these two guys and I think it was a great choice to just leave it unexplained. Unlike CABIN, we know things are frucking crazy and odd and off, but we never get the rundown on just what is happening to our characters at the end.

I LOVED THAT!  THANK you for that. Let me wonder. Let me ponder the happenings and come up with my own creepy visions. I'm sure I'll be having them all night!

Man...loved this film.

ZOMBIE KILLER (Zombieland Figure)

Oh man this is cool! Another "Well, it's not CALLED THAT character...it just...happens to look exactly like him" figure. I love that. :)

This one is Woody Harrelson's "Tallahassee" character from ZOMBIELAND and it's awesome! The head sculpt is pretty grand and it has an awesome look. You get the usual assortment of fun extras with him, too.

At $115, it's on the low end of these figs. I think it's the lack of plastic involved in the outfit. I'd love to snag this and do a little ZOMBIELAND scene. What a hoot. Toss in an amusement park backdrop and craft a few Twinkies to lay at his feet? Brilliant. :)


http://www.monkeydepot.com/Uniform_Set_Virtual_Toys_Zombie_Killer_VM008_p/vt0012.htm

Features

Uniform: Gray Long Sleeved Shirt Snakeskin Jacket Cowboy Hat Blue Jeans Cowboy Boots Black Tactical Belt Black Leather Belt Weapon: (2) 870 Shotgun M1911A1 Pistol P226 Pistol

Figure: Real Like Head Sculpt Action Body Equipment: Tactical Vest Double Pistol Mag Pouch Shotgun Holsters (Left & Right) Shotgun Shell Pouch (With 4 Shells)

On the radar 2013 and 2014

Some of these trailers are looking pretty good!

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HAUNTER
Sixth Sense / Others vibes
 



CONTRACTED
A new twist on the "sex is bad" genre trope. :)



The BABADOOK
The stuff of nightmares. Jebus....




The QUIET ONES
More HAMMER Horror goodness in this 70s period ghosty.



NURSE 3D
Crazy fun


And, what the hell - I'll watch this as well.
ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE



What are you looking forward to seeing?
Let us know. It's fun!  :)

Robert Sammelin - Artist

Some grand art from Robert Sammelin.
While not all of his illustrations are horror related, he does have some horror gems among the awesome illustrations he has going.

I love his style and the depth he has. From painterly to comic style illustration, he has COOL dialed in for sure!

Check it!

http://www.robertsammelin.com/gallery

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

My sister-in-law gave Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters a go recently and really enjoyed it. "It was fine. I mean...you know...it was just fun and light." I made note and gave it a go and she was right - it was just a fun film.

You know the drill - Hansel and Gretel story with a new twist where they continue their witch killing as youths, teens and into adulthood leading to the resolution where there is a major witch happening that they need to take on. There are "Van Helsing Style" steampunk weapons, a troll, bad humans and enough fighting and spell casting to make things interesting throughout.



The cast is fine and doing what they need to do to sell the story. Jeremy "Hawkeye" Renner is dashing and tough, the delicious Gemma "Quantum of Solace" / "so damn cute" Arterton is her so damn cute self and tough and the age defying Famke "Jean Grey / Xenia Onatopp" Janssen chews up everything in her path and plays the evil up to 13 in a fun, nasty witchy way. Man, she looks the same as she did in 1995. It's amazing.



The film follows the Van Helsing path, switching up the old tale with some new, alternate history madness where Gatling guns and tricky, self loading crossbows are weapons of choice. But, you know what? I'm totally fine with both films, really. At least someone is doing something interesting, fun and new-ish. And, they make use of some practical effects here as well. Good old fashioned makeup, prosthetics and costumes mixed in with computer effects. The troll was a lot of fun and felt like some of the Henson Dark Crystal work.

A small rant:
A recent view of THE BELL WITCH HAUNTING made me want to kick a...well...whoever greenlit the project, really. :::grin:::  It was more of the same, found footage nuggetry that is all over the place. All hell is breaking loose, yet people are still compelled to point a camera around. DEVIL'S DUE is running into the same madness. A man's pregnant wife is speaking like a demon and he doesn't fail to continue rolling tape. Mind boggling.  Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is just playing around. Tommy Wirkola knows what he's doing both behind the keyboard (writer) and behind the camera. However, as with his previous feature DEAD SNOW, I'm not sure people get that he's playing and having fun. I'm not sure what they are expecting, but to rail against this film is just silly. If you saw the trailer, you knew what you were getting into straight away.



It would be like me complaining if I went to see DEVIL'S DUE after seeing the trailer. I know it's not for me - why rip it more than I have already? :)

If you're not afraid to take in some fun, try out Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. It's a hoot. :)

Some fun PRACTICAL effects work in here as well. Like this fun troll, Edward. :)

All The Boys Love Mandy Lane

I had another FORGET ME NOT experience recently. I watched ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE (thanks, Netflix streaming!) and I was sure that it was going to be standard, slasher BS. But, neigh, it's NOT standard fair.

All the boys love Mandy - the sexy, untouched blonde goddess of High School. A party on a farm might provide some boy with her as a prize. However, someone doesn't want the lovely Mandy touched. 

I can't say too much about this film without wrecking the fun. However, it's fresh and interesting and well worth a viddy.

Amber Heard turns in a lovely performance as the titular character and Director Jonathan "Warm Bodies" Levine has a lot of fun with the shots and moves. I might have to check out Warm Bodies after all if this 2006 film feel is present in it at all.



Give MANDY LANE a spin. I think You'll enjoy it. Just do yourself a favor and avoid Google searches or the trailer before seeing it.