Animal Kingdom (2010)

Aside from horror and sci-fi, I love modern day gritty gangster movies. And surprisingly, apart from the usual up and coming Hong Kong triad-based gang-crime movies, I'm really impressed by the Australians and their take of organized crime. They appear to be in love with the whole romantic appeal of real life gangsters and gangbangers. I've seen the awesomness of the acclaimed true accounts of gangland warfare in the leafy suburbs of Melbourne in Underbelly and I've yet to see the legendary Chopper Read on the big screen; another true account real life gangster. Solid stuffs from down under I'd say. And now, once again, they've come up with the highly acclaimed "Animal Kingdom", Sundance Film Festival award for World Cinema Grand Dramatic Jury Prize in 2010. 

The Skinny: Young J. Cody is drawn in the violent world of organized crime as he scrambles around to stay alive as his dangerous crime family spirals down to a brutal showdown with a band of renegade homicide detectives led by veteran head-kicker Guy Pearce. 

imdb.com's summary: "Welcome to the Melbourne crime underworld, where tensions are on the brink of exploding between felons and renegade cops. The Cody brothers, a gang of armed robbers, are in the process of initiating their teenage nephew Joshua 'J' into their frightening world after the death of his mother and under the watchful eye of his matriarchal grandmother, Smurf."

The Helmer: David Michod 

1. Animal Kingdom (2010)
   
2. Inside the Square (2009) (V)
3. Solo (2008/II)
4. Netherland Dwarf (2008)
5. Crossbow (2007)
6. Ezra White, LL.B. (2006)

The Casts: Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce, Luke Ford, Jacki Weaver, Sullivan Stapleton, James Frecheville

Release Date: 3rd June 2010 (Australia)

The Prediction: For this to work, Guy Pearce must be as intensed as he was in the James Ellroy inspired LA Confidential masterpiece. But having said that, I'm sure this movie can stand on its own based on the Sundance prize it won, and the from the looks of the trailer. This is definitely going to work, and if given a worldwide release, may put Australia on the map of excellent gangster movies.By the way, the movie title simply rocks!

Trailer

Official site

Wikipedia's take

Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)

Zombie movies have so much versions to it that its become a full-fledged franchise owner all on its own. There's the sad, solemn "I'm-dead-you're-dead-lets-cry" version, theres the "holy-shit-we-need-to-get-the-hell-outta-here-before-they-eat-our-brains" version, and theres the "I-wanna-kick-some-zombie-ass" version. Its the last version which best sums up the Resident Evil series, but which does one better, by combining all the existing versions together, more or less.

The Skinny: taken from imdb.com's , movie summary:

"In a world ravaged by a virus infection, turning its victims into the Undead, Alice (Jovovich), continues on her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety. Her deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation reaches new heights, but Alice gets some unexpected help from an old friend. A new lead that promises a safe haven from the Undead takes them to Los Angeles, but when they arrive the city is overrun by thousands of Undead - and Alice and her comrades are about to step into a deadly trap." Written by Screen Gems

Release Date:  10th September 2010 

Tagline: She's back ... and she's bringing a few of her friends.

The Helmer: Paul W.S. Anderson  - 

1. The Three Musketeers (2011) (filming)
   
2. Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
   ... aka "Resident Evil: Afterlife: An IMAX Experience" - USA (IMAX version)
   ... aka "Biohazard IV: Afterlife" - Japan (English title) (imdb display title)
   
3. Death Race (2008)
4. AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)
   ... aka "Alien vs. Predator" - Germany, USA (short title)
   ... aka "AVP" - USA (promotional abbreviation)
5. Resident Evil (2002)
   ... aka "Biohazard" - Japan (English title)
6. The Sight (2000) (TV)
   
7. Soldier (1998/I) (as Paul Anderson)
8. Event Horizon (1997) (as Paul Anderson)
9. Mortal Kombat (1995) (as Paul Anderson)
10. Mortal Kombat: Behind the Scenes (1995) (V)
11. Shopping (1994) (as Paul Anderson) 

The Casts:  Milla Jovovitch, Ali Larter, Kim Coates, Shawn Roberts , Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Spencer Locke, Boris Kodjoe

The Prediction: A helmer who specializes in slighly B-grade actioneers with a sci-fi slant, returning to the original franchise which he started, added with returning heroine who just refuses to die Jovovitch, and you have a very successful game-to-movie series which can stand on its own. I'm just wondering just how far this one can be stretched. It'd be good if it  branches off into other spin-offs both for TV and for the big screen. If its good, milk it to death. And then make comics out of them for longevity. Oh, and its in 3D. So expect rotting flesh to drop on your lap. Just waiting for smell-o-rama to include smell as well. Maybe one day ... 

Trailer

Official site 

Wikipedia has it covered 

The Walking Dead (2010) TV

Everybody loves zombies; they're so cool. Why? Because they're very common-people. They're not pseudo classy like vampires, nor are they animalistic like werewolves. They just lumber about seeking out brains to eat. And they look hideous, with rotting flesh hanging off their faces. People just generally like them, because its a common enough fear of dead people coming back to life. Which is why Frank Darabont's adaptation of the very popular 2003 comic series The Walking Dead is eagerly awaited. The fact that its a TV series makes it all the more reasonable and logical as you can't squeeze a long term comic series into one single movie.

The Skinny: Taking the cue from 28 Days Later, police officer Rick Grimes wakes up from a long comatose state to a world teeming with the walking dead. And he's family's missing. Cue family drama with zombies.

Release Date: October 2010

The Helmer: Frank Darabont -

1. "The Walking Dead" (pre-production) (1 episode, 2010)
       - Pilot (2010) TV episode
   
2. The Mist (2007)
   ... aka "Stephen King's The Mist" - USA (complete title)
3. "The Shield" (1 episode, 2007)
       - Chasing Ghosts (2007) TV episode
4. "Raines" (1 episode, 2007)
       - Pilot (2007) TV episode
5. The Majestic (2001)
   
6. The Green Mile (1999)
   ... aka "Stephen King's The Green Mile" - USA (complete title)
7. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
8. Buried Alive (1990) (TV)
   
9. The Woman in the Room (1983)
   ... aka "Stephen King's Night Shift Collection" - USA (video box title)
   ... aka "Stephen King's Nightshift Collection Volume One: The Woman in the Room" - USA (video box title)

The Casts: Andrew Lincoln, Joe Bernthal, Jeffrey DeMunn, Laurie Holden, Michael Rooker, Sarah Wayne Callies

The Prediction: I have great respect for Darabont - he is one the few directors in Hollywood who can faithfully adapt existing written material and project it on the screen without losing any of the original work's fanbase. He was good with Stephen King's works notably The Shawshank Redemption (1994), The Green Mile (1999) , and The Mist (2007). Which says alot about his directorial ethics - he repsects the material and uses his craft exceptionally well to tell the story. Which is why this TV adaptation looks set to become a TV event worth noting.

Trailer
Official Site  

The Thing (1982) Rewind

This movie scared the bejeebus out of me back in '82 when I was 13 years old. It was one of those screaming terror kind of horror which screams straight in your face with spittle raining down on your open mouth. It had great special effects with the alien, but lean with the humans balanced out on a white, cold, blizzard hit Antarctic platform. It was claustrophobic, urgent and desperate. It was great horror film making. It was also John Carpenter's most steady and conventional film to date. This is the type of film which is best remembered for its parts and its overall awesomeness.

The Skinny: A group of ex-communicated scientists stuck in an Antarctic scientific outpost unearths a 10,000 year old buried shape-shifting alien. Alien carnage ensues.

The Helmer: John Carpenter

1. L.A. Gothic (2010) (announced)
2. The Ward (2010) (completed)
   
3. "Masters of Horror" (2 episodes, 2005-2006)
       - Pro-Life (2006) TV episode
       - John Carpenter's Cigarette Burns (2005) TV episode
4. Ghosts of Mars (2001)
   ... aka "John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars" - USA (complete title)
   
5. Vampire$ (1998)
   ... aka "Vampires" - USA (original title)
   ... aka "John Carpenter's Vampires" - USA (complete title)
6. Escape from L.A. (1996)
   ... aka "John Carpenter's Escape from L.A." - USA (complete title)
7. Village of the Damned (1995)
   ... aka "John Carpenter's Village of the Damned" - USA (complete title)
8. In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
   ... aka "John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness" - USA (complete title)
9. Body Bags (1993) (TV) (segments "Gas Station, The" and "Hair")
   ... aka "John Carpenter Presents 'Mind Games'" - USA (cable TV title)
10. Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)
    
11. They Live (1988)
    ... aka "John Carpenter's They Live" - USA (complete title)
    ... aka "They Live!" - USA (poster title)
12. Prince of Darkness (1987)
    ... aka "John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness" - USA (complete title)
13. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
    ... aka "John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China" - USA (complete title)
    ... aka "Ghost Hunters" - Japan (English title)
14. Starman (1984)
    ... aka "John Carpenter's Starman" - USA (complete title)
15. Christine (1983)
    ... aka "John Carpenter's Christine" - USA (complete title)
16. The Thing (1982)
    ... aka "John Carpenter's The Thing" - USA (complete title)
17. Escape from New York (1981)
    ... aka "John Carpenter's Escape from New York" - USA (complete title)
    ... aka "New York 1997" - Japan (English title)
18. The Fog (1980)
    ... aka "John Carpenter's The Fog" - USA (complete title)
    
19. Elvis (1979/I) (TV)
    ... aka "Elvis the Movie" - USA (informal title)
20. Someone's Watching Me! (1978) (TV)
21. Halloween (1978)
    ... aka "John Carpenter's Halloween" - USA (complete title)
22. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
23. Dark Star (1974)
    
24. Gorgon, the Space Monster (1969)
25. Sorceror from Outer Space (1969)
26. Gorgo Versus Godzilla (1969)
27. Warrior and the Demon (1969) (as Johnny Carpenter)
28. Terror from Space (1963)
29. Revenge of the Colossal Beasts (1962)

The Casts: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Richard Dysart, Donald Moffat, Keith David,

The Tagline: Man is the warmest place to hide.

The Verdict: This is a great movie.The humm of daily dullness which only an outlandish post can bring, is suddenly splashed with blood; coloring the whiteness of snow with crimson pain. Russell shines in this movie; cementing his role as the 20th century anti-hero who is doing all he can to look out for number 1. And he succeeds.  The special effects was pretty much ahead of its time, and by today's standards without the technology of modern CGI. The head tearing scene (see trailers below) is one scary looking mother of a scene: it all starts with a heart-resuscitation pumping of the chest ends up with a head ripped off a body and growing its own pair of crab eyes and spider legs. You just have to see it to believe it.

Trailer: Runaway Head Scene

Trailer 2: The Kennel Scene

Skyline (2010)

Finally a prediction / preview that is not horror-related; although it can be horrific to the characters in this sci-fi action flick of alien invasion. Whatever it is, the trailer kinda kicks ass as it does have a whole lotta buncha humans flying into the butt-hole of a mean looking alien space ship screaming their little lungs out. Its like watching ants with arms and legs getting sucked up a vacuum cleaner. Nice. Me like.

The Skinny: Alien invasion. 2010 version. 

Tagline: Don't Look Up

The Helmer: Colin Strause, Greg Strause - Alien versus Predator: Requimen AVPR (2007), 16mm Mystery (2004), Mute (2003 V) , Download It: Behind the Scenes Video (2003), Nickelback (2003 V)

The Casts: Eric Balfour, Scottie Thomson , David Zayas, Donald Faison, Brittany Daniel

Release Dates: 12th November 2010

The Prediction: I have a fondness for movies directed by brothers. Only because brothers-directed movies have over the years, rocked. Like for example, the Coen Brothers, yeah, and the Warchowski Brothers, the Farrelly Brothers, and many other twin-teams that makes pretty good flicks. So when an alien invasion movie comes along, directed by brothers, its like having two kids have fun. And everyone knows that real work of art emerges when you have fun. BTW, check out the site, its apparently part of rogue network? What the hell is the rogue network? Hmm. Go google it.

Trailer

Official Site

The Last Exorcism (2010)

Under the many slots of horror movies, exorcism has its own niche, its own little chapter. It may not be big, but, if done right, can stay within living memory for a long long time. Take The Exorcist (1973) for example. It is still ranked as number 1 of top 100 horror movies of all time. And that was what? 37 years ago? So what is it about demonic possession that still sends chills down our spine? Is it the idea of evil crawling under your skin and living there? Or is it the distorted version of ourselves once we've been possessed? Or is it something else quite literal, the deep guttural voice, the evil grin, the twisted body?  Or is it the intelligent evil that mocks us and our beliefs? Evil has many faces, and the scariest of all is the one we're familiar with the most: our own.

The Skinny: A documentary crew led by a protestant minister does a documentary on a live exorcism. Horror hijinks ensues. 

The Helmer: Daniel Stamm - A Necessary Death (2008), Off Hollywood & Wiine (2004)

The Casts: Patrick Fabian, Ashely Bell, Iris Bahr, Louis Herthum, Caleb Landry Jones, Tony Bentley, John Wright Jr

Release Date: 27th August 2010 

The Prediction: This film has the gravitas of having Eli Roth's name attached to it as a producer. Is it a good thing? If you consider him as a heavyweight for all things gruesome and troubling, then it can be seen as good endorsement. Otherwise, if you want to see a film which seems to be an honest representation of demonic possession done in 'real TV' format, then its all systems go. The trailer makes the movie look very compelling, but the schtick about good versus evil, this versus that is kinda thin on the ground. Which means, enjoy this movie for the simple scares and the shock value it wants to communicate. Live documentary crew filming horrific subject matters have been kinda stretched, so it must have something more than that, it must have good ole fashioned spine tingling chills made real.

Wiki Possessed

Trailer

Official Site

I Spit on Your Grave aka Day of the Woman (2010)

I honestly have major questions for people who enjoy torture-porn the likes of Hostel and the Saw series. Do they really enjoy seeing other people get tortured to death? It also makes me wonder if as a society, our level of tolerance for violence and torture has been so desensitized that horror flicks like the original I Spit on Your Grave (1978) , banned in several countries (notably the UK) is making a new millennium comeback. Wasn't once enough? What is it with the studios need to remake something which is extremely distasteful and obscene? 

The Skinny: A young woman is raped and left for dead by some hill-billies. She survives and hunts them down one by one adopting literally the adage "Revenge is a Bitch". Weapons of choice includes a really large pair of rusty clippers, applied in the nether regions ... ouch.

The Helmer: Steven R Monroe - Mongolian Death Worm (2010 TV), Complacent (2010), Ice Twisters (2009 TV), Wyvern (2009 TV), Storm Cell (2008), Ogre (2008 TV), Dual (2008), Left in Darkness (2006 V), Sasquatch Mountain (2006), It Waits (2005), House of 9 (2005), The Contract (2002), The Beach Boys: Nashville Sounds (1996 TV)

The Casts: Sarah Butler, Chad Lindberg, Daniel Franzese, Tracey Walter, Jeff Branson

Release Date: 8th October 2010

The Prediction: I'm going to give this one a miss. I'm just putting this prediction up for those who may have heard about this movie, and wants to know what its about. Its about vengeance, in a very nasty way. The original has been billed as a 'video nasty' by the British so you should know what you're in for.

Trailer  

Wikipedia 

Official site 

Pirahna 3D (2010)

Yawn. Buncha fishes feasting on buncha dumb coeds on a party holiday. Whats the big kick? Sharp-teethed fishes feeding into bellies of screaming swimmers? Been there done that with Alien, All Zombie movies. But wait! This time its different! How? These razor-teeth man-eating fishes are PREHISTORIC pirahnas! They were around during the time when the DINOSAURs roamed the earth! Wow! ... Erm. Okay, still not working for me. I'm just curious, why would a Hollywood studio spend money on something so un-exciting as this? I mean honestly. 

The Skinny: Tectonic movements have shifted the seabed unleashing a school of hungry PREHISTORIC pirahnas, and they're all headed for food, in the form of squealing nubile young things in two-piece bikinis and their dumb-as-shoes boyfriends. 

The Helmer: Alexandre Aja - The Esseker File (2009 V), Mirrors (2008), The Hills Have Eyes (2006), High Tension (2003), Furia (1999), Over the Rainbow (1997)

The Casts: Richard Dreyfuss, Ving Rhames, Elizabeth Shue, Christopher Lloyd, Eli Roth, Jerry O Connell

Release Date: 20th August 2010 

The Prediction: I'm wondering why? Why this movie? Whats with using a noted, talented horror helmer to do this campy beast-feast flick when there are tons of good material out there? Is it a vehicle for almost-stale starrers such as the above almost-A listers? The trailer plays it pretty serious, which I'm wondering where they're going with this. Granted, I kinda dig the cast, and I dig Aja more as I was severely impressed with his unapologetic take on The Hills Have Eyes, which rocked monkey boats, and he did do the French horror hit Haute Tension, aka High Tension. So its a bit of question mark this one. But having said that, I'm still game for this movie as I am curious the extent they will go to grab my attention and hold it there for the length of the movie. So yeah, give this one a try. What will be disappointing however, if the studios are just trying to cash in on the 3D hullaballoo and just snatch any 'horror' like themes they can grab just so to make money ... but hang on, thats what everyone is doing isnt it? Man, I'm dumb.

Trailer

Official Site 

Wikipedia Takes a Bite

Something Evil (1972 TV)

And you thought Steven Spielberg did cutesy movies with adorable characters just waiting to be made into toys, action adventure with the world's most athletic archeologists, aliens resembling a pile of doodoo with eyes ... well you thought WRONG! Ole Steve-o also did horror movies. Well at least this one horror movie, which scared the living crap out of me when I was a young critter back in 1976. Granted it was back in the 70s, and that I was a young critter and all ... but it did the near impossible: it gave me nightmares. What caught me in the jewels was the idea of pure evil in the form of the devil. It was creepy as hell, and it made me remember about the creepiest thing I have ever seen until today: a jar of jam screaming. Yep, you read that right. This movie has a jar of jam possessed by the devil until it could scream out "mama ... mama .... mama ..." Hows that for horror? 

The Skinny: A farmhouse is haunted by the devil with poltergeist activities causing havoc to a small, innocent family. Initial distrust of the chain of events soon leads to full fledged acceptance of the nature of the devil. Horror action ensues. 

The Helmer: Steven Spielberg - he did helluva lot of films. Just click on his name and movie oracle imdb.com will reveal all ... 

The Casts: Darren McGavin, Sandy Dennis, Ralph Bellamy

The Verdict: When everyone thought The Exorcist (1973) was hot shit back in the day, this little TV movie was scarier, at least to me. Why? Because you don't see the face of evil, instead you feel its presense throughout the whole thing. But honestly, horror movies of the 70s far exceeds any generation of horror movies to date. What we have now are just feasts for gore hounds and nothing more. It can make you sick to your stomach, yes, but it doesn't crawl under your skin to chill your spine. 70s horror movies did that, and they did it with low budget, excellent score and weird camera angles to disturbing results. 

Trailer

Wiki on Something Evil

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) flashback

This is one of those horror movies which still gives me a nostalgic chill whenever I think about it. Was it the hand crawling out from the soup bowl? Was it the spinning hammer and pike hovering menacingly above Bill Pullman's family jewels as he sits strapped down on a metal chair quivering in fear? Was it the hellish descent into a neverending grave with hands grabbing from all sides? Or was it the horror of being buried alive? With a spectacular opening scene where Pullman discovers his true inner animal and walks 3000 miles out from the depths of the Amazon basin, this film carries the audience through a roller-coaster ride of spills and chills in downtown Haiti and introduces one of the most underrated but memorable villain committed to the silver screen.

The Skinny: Anthropologist gets mixed up in some voodoo shit in Haiti as he tries to uncover the secrets behind a zombie making potion. imdb.com has a great synopsis: 

Dennis Allan is an scientist who visits Haiti on the strength of a rumour of a drug which renders the recipient totally paralyzed but conscious. The drug's effects often fool doctors, who declare the victims dead. Could this be the origin of the "zombie" legend? Alan embarks on a surprising and often surreal investigation of the turbulent social chaos that is Haiti during the revolution which ousted hated dictator "Baby Doc" Duvalier. Often a pawn in a greater game, Alan must decide what is science, what is superstition, and what is the unknown in a anarchistic society where police corruption and witch-doctory are commonplace. Written by Murray Chapman

The Helmer: Wes Craven - Scream 4 (2011), My Soul to Take (2010), Paris, je t'aime (2006),  Red Eye (2005), Cursed (2005), Scream 3 (2000), Music of the Heart (1999), Scream 2 (1997), Scream (1996), Vampire in Brooklyn (1995), New Nightmare (1994), Nightmare Cafe (1992), The People Under the Stairs (1991), Night Visions (1990 TV), Shocker (1989), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), The Twilight Zone (1985 - 1989 TV) .

Deadly Friend (1986), Casebusters (1986), The Hills Have Eyes (1985), Chiller (1985 TV), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Invitation to Hell (1984 TV), Swamp Thing (1982), Deadly Blessing (1981), The Evolution of Snuff (1978), Stranger in the House (1978 TV),The Fireworks Woman (1975), Last House on the Left (1972).


The Verdict: Wes Craven is a basically a giant in the wonderful world of horror. He was instrumental in the release of 3 successful horror franchise: The Hills Have Eyes series, the Nightmare on Elm Street series and the Scream series. But even before he went mainstream he did a number which today still has the power to scare, with The Last House on the Left; a detailed study into the crazed minds of evil people. Which is no wonder why this little gem still shines after all these years - it has the Craven touch. The images, the ideas, the concept successfully combined to make a truly effective horror movie: the fear of being buried alive, of being persecuted even through your dreams and the fear of facing your demons for one last final confrontation. Pullman shines as a embattled man staring down true horror in the guise of a mad dictator who refuses to let him go. This is a classic.  

Trailer 
Wikipedia on Serpent and the Rainbow

Super 8 (2011)

Just what is Super 8? Its a cine camera, a model of film making way before digital film making was available. But what is Super 8 really? Its a super-secret JJ Abrams movie which is either on the tail end of production, or its in post-production. Why the all the hush-hush? Its Cloverfield (2008) all over again isn't it? Yep. You got it. All secrets until ... wham!! You get hit by a monster movie, or in this case with Super 8, an alien movie. 

The Skinny: A cargo train delivering an alien species on the way to / or from Area 51 gets derailed, and the alien species on board escapes. Sci-fi mayhem ensues. 

The Helmer: JJ Abrams - Undercovers (2010 TV), Star Trek (2009), Anatomy of Hope (2009 TV), The Office (2007 1 episode TV), Mission Impossible III (2006), Alias (2001 - 2005 TV), Lost (2004 TV), Felicity (1998 TV)

The Casts: Unknown 

Release Date: Somewhere in 2011

The Prediction: You can put your money on this little pony. How can you go wrong with Abrams helming and writing it? AND produced by everyone's favorite uncle STEVEN SPIELBERG. You just can't. I'm currently watching JJ Abrams produced TV series Fringe, which I love to bits. so I'm very partial to this guy. Which means I'm rooting for this one.If you check out the trailer, you can see that Abrams is not going by way of Cloverfield handheld videocam look, i.e. all jerky and realistic. This one looks pretty slick and obviously not handheld. Which should be good. 

Trailer

Official Site 

Jackass: 3D (2010)

Now this requires no introduction, explanation or any form of justification. Its a bunch of guys hurting themselves, engage in toilet humour and laughing till it hurts. Turned sideways, rolled up, tightened and shoved up the patootie of common deceny and sense. And hey, its all good!

The Skinny: buncha guys finds hilarity through pain and defecation. 

The Helmer: Jeff Tremaine - 30 For 30 (2010 TV), Nitro Circus (2009 TV), Jackass 2.5 (2007), Jackass Number Two (2006), Wild Boyz (2003 TV), Jackass: Gumball Rally Special (2005 TV), Jackass: Volume 2 (2004 V), Jackass: The Movie (2002), Boob (1999).

The Casts: (All as Themselves) Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Jason Acuna, Ryan Dunn, Preston Lacy, Dave Enland, Ehren McGhehey, John Taylor.

Release Date: 15th October 2010

The Prediction: more pain, more laughs, more poo, more pee but IN 3D!! Nuff said! Woohoo!

Trailer
Official Movie Site
Wikipedia on Jackass 

Machete (2010)

Do you like exploitation movies? Do you relish 70s rough-cut, single-linear plotted, badly acted movies with abundance of gore and flesh? If yes, that technically you'd like Robert Rodriguez's Machete. Its taken directly from the Grindhouse trailer which was featured in the Death Proof / Planet Terror openings.So what can you expect? From the tagline, pretty much of alot of everything - decent man to savage who must slaughter to stay alive? Pretty much sums it up.

 

The Skinny: Bad-ass Mexican Danny Trejo is ex-Federale Machete on revenge mode when he is betrayed by his bosses and the organization. 

The Helmer: Robert Rodrigez and Ethan Maniquis - RR: Shorts (2009), Planet Terror (2007), The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl (2005), Sin City (2005), Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003), Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002), Spy Kids (2001), The Faculty (1998), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), Desperado (1995),Roadracers (1994), El Mariachi (1992), Bedhead (1991).

The Casts: Danny Trejo (Machete), Robert Deniro (Senator McLaughlin), Michelle Rodriguez (Luz), Lindsay Lohan (April Benz), Jessica Alba (Sartana), Tim Roth (Agent Ringo Orange), Steven Seagal (Torrez), Don Johnson (Lt Stillman), Rose McGowan (Cherry Darling), Sacha Baron Cohen (Col Weathers), Jeff Fahey (Michael Benz), Tome Savini (Deputy Tollo), Cheech Marin (Padre Benito Del Toro).

Release Date: 3rd September 2010

The Prediction: How can this go wrong? You've got revolutionary director Rodriguez, you've got stellar casts led by Deniro, you've got hot chicks and naughty chicks Lohan, Alba and McGowan, you've got ass-kicker Seagal, you've got back-from-the-dead Johnson, you've got I-owe-you-my-life-and-career-mr-rodriguez Fahey, and you've got two funny men Marin and Cohen. Mix it up and you've got staple Rodriguez diet of bad-ass cast running about on a simple-crazy plot with supremo action and gore. This is it folks, the movie for 2010. 

Wikipedia on Machete 

Official Site 

Official Trailer

Takers (2010)

I kinda like the premise of this movie. However, I don't kinda like Paul Walker. I still can't take him seriously. He's like Keanu Reeves Lite. But it could just be me. Maybe I'm prejudiced against skinny dudes with pretensions of toughness. Who knows? 

The Skinny: Bank robbers versus a relentless detective hot on their trail. Kick-ass action ensues. 

The Helmer: John Leussenhop - Lockdown (2000).

The Casts: Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Matt Dillon, Zoe Saldana, Hayden Christensen, Jay Hernandez.

Release Date: 27th August 2010

The Prediction: This looks to be a great movie, but it seems to have however, in my books, two weak links: Paul Walker and evil Jedi Hayden Christensen. I still view them as teen-agers mixing about with grown men. Even though I enjoyed the crap out of Jumper (2008), because it has been a fantasy of mine to just 'jump' anywhere on the planet, and I did think that true account of lying journalist Stephen Glass in Shattered Glass (2003) was highly entertaining, I can't take him seriously. Again, he is the Paul Walker of the alternate universe where its okay to pretend to play tough men. Having said that, the premise of this movie is pretty sound, and it does have the excellent London bloke Idris Elba (which is yet to get a true, teeth-sinking meaty role apart from that of Stringer Bell in the sprawling cops and politics HBO original The Wire) and theres Matt Dillon in it (always good which way you look at it), and the current, very edible It Girl Zoe Saldana, who can't seem to do anything wrong. On the whole, the pros outweighs the cons. The trailer strongly suggests a very fast paced, all-action film with a seemingly solid script. 

Official Site

Youtube.com Trailer

Sucker Punch (2011)

There are 2D movies, 3D movies, cartoons, 3D cartoons and theres Zack Snyder's. If you've seen 300, and Watchmen you know what I'm talking about. His movies can best be described as not so much watching a movie, but actually experiencing it, as he mixes CGI and extreme detail on an elaborate platform sensationally. So if you know theres a Zack Snyder movie coming up, you know you're in for a cinematic treat. Cue Sucker Punch. 

The Skinny: Read imdb.com's succint synopsis: 

"A young girl is institutionalized by her wicked stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the facility."

The Helmer: Zack Snyder - Legend of the Guardians: the Owls of Ga' Hoole (2010), Watchmen (2009), 300 (2006), Dawn of the Dead (2004), Morrissey: iOye Esteban! (2000 V), Playground (1990).

The Casts: Jon Hamm(High Roller), Emily Browning (Baby Doll), Vanessa Hudgens (Blondie), Jamie Chung (Amber), Jena Malone (Rocket)

Release Date: 25th March 2011


The Prediction: This a sci-fi fantasy movie with amazing CGI effects akin to a female version of the bloodfest 300. Expect lots of stylized slo-mo mouth a-gaping action with huge weapons pumping fist-sized bullets. Only hot chicks will be doing all the action. Which includes the jailbait known as Vanessa Hudgens from High School Musical , possibly kicking ass. I'm honestly wondering if this action fantasy will fly, but it is a Zack Snyder movie which turned a pretty penny with 300 when it chalked up USD210mill for US audience alone. But the buzz is pretty good on this one. 

Slashfilm.com's write-up and Trailer link

Wikipedia's write-up

MovieWeb.com's write up with photos