That's right!!!!!
According to sources, Microsoft is currently testing modified versions of Internet Explorer on the Xbox console. Along with this are rumors of full kinect support, including Bing and hand motion gestures....
Finally an entertainment system where we can play games watch movies and masterbate in the comfort of our living room, sorry pc, just hope that the kinect doesn't get confused by the rapid hand movements when watching redtube.
Expect to hear more on this at this years E3 conference

Once in a while, we all want a good scare. For most, this scare comes from film. For others however, we get our horror fix from within the medium of gaming.

Why? Simple- the act of controlling a character stuck within an environment creates an intimate atmosphere that is often unrivaled. Now, I’m no movie expert. I’ve never claimed to be, nor attempted to be. But, I do know what “moves me” when it comes to horror. Furthermore, this is obviously not to say that horror films cannot create this same feeling-- a good director will have patrons replaying nightmares for weeks on end- whether they control the action or not.

With that said, it seems clear that there are several aspects within the horror genre which work to spark emotion – all of which can either be done very well, or simply fail when it comes to evoking emotion.
So, how does visual fiction, be it either film or games, create an emotional reaction within the audience?

First is the universal emotion that both genres seek to evoke- the feeling of uncertainty. Whether brought on by fear or hope, uncertainty tends to be the major condition necessary for creating suspense. Obviously, any art-form seeking to create suspense must engage the audience emotionally- getting them to care about the characters so that they feel something is at stake in the outcome of the story.

Arguably, most suspenseful movies and games attempt to get the audience invested in story outcomes by arousing moral emotions through characterization- we want the morally good hero to triumph over evil, be it supernatural or otherwise. The best films and games realize that the amount of suspense that can be generated is directly relative to how sympathetic the audience is to the character being presented. Obviously, as our sympathy for a character increases, the outcome of that character becomes more important for us. The stakes increase, and so does suspense.

In a horror movie the audience can shield their eyes and the story still progresses-- characters either get away, or get killed. In a horror game however, the player is the avatar and the avatar is the player- there is no shielding of the eyes and looking when things are over- you make the decisions, you control the outcome, and it is you, essentially, who lives or dies.

This is, however, not to make one seem more apt at fear evoking than the other. It is instead to say that good horror film and gaming reside in the same arena and that the best films and games seem to be those which “flip the script” and utilize these tactics universally. Think of the scariest movie you’ve seen, I’ll expect it was forbidding because you felt, in some small way like you had control over the situations. Now, think of the scariest game you’ve played- I’d be willing to bet that the most frightening moments of that game’s experience were not during the scenes where you had complete control, but rather during the ones wherein you felt as if you had none at all.

As always, thanks for reading. Feel free to leave your own thoughts in the comments below.

Cheers!

JohnnyWayne_

You know what I want for my birthday most of all? A solid Friday the 13th sequel, the latest ones have gone for a crossover, a reboot, or being funny and thus not focused on scary. I want Jason to just go back to slaughtering the fuck out of some teens... Is that REALLY too much to ask New Line? Since they've taken over the F13 franchise we've gotten 4 films since then.

Jason Goes To hell - Fun sure, but it's not really him slaughtering, it's folks who body he's possessing... Yawn, Jason is a pissed of retard not some vengeful spirit.

Jason X - What can I say, I've got a soft spot in my heart for * In space films, put any of my favorite horror villains in space and get my inner-retard happy going, so good job there, but still not scary.

Freddy Vs Jason - Again no attempt at scary, but WTF really freddy's scrawny ass stood up to Jason in real life? NOPE, not happening.

Friday the 13th - Ohhhhh boy, where do I begin? First and foremost, I'm not exactly fond of most remakes, they never have the same spirit and just tend to piss on things I loved. This one I initially enjoyed for the first few viewings, but man it's really bugging me now. WHY IS HE SO FUCKING SMART NOW? And since when does he grow pot? I'm not AGAINST these things if explained well, but since it was Michael "I'm gonna fuck over on Christian Keith Ducharme's childhood" Bay I will never know the fucking answer to that.

So how do we fix this mess? Simple answer, I have no fucking clue. I've been a Friday the 13th fan for the entirety of my life, and I do include my viewings of F13th part 2 at the drive-in while my aunt necked with her boyfriend in the front seat. That's right, I've been watching since I was under half a year old, and I can't figure out how to save my favorite horror villain. I mean do we go from the "new" continuity and see what Jason has in the past that caused him to become this smart trap setting pot growing murderer, or do we just hope they wipe the slate clean of the past 5 movies (sorry Jason takes Manhatten but you might as well have been made by New Line for all you're worth!) thus letting us have a once again enjoyable F13 film?

Or am I just going to be disappointed once again next year, with zero news of even a sequel to that mutant form of Friday the 13th we last got. I would even take Michael Bay's continued involvement if it'd just mean he doesn't have anything whatsoever to do with TMNT (yes folks, that's another blog altogether but DAMNIT the Turtles are NOT ALIENS FOR FUCKSAKES YOU COCKSUCKER BAY!)

I guess sometimes we just DON'T get what we REALLY want on our birthdays after all.

On May 4, 2012, you are going to see the very definition of the summer blockbuster. After yrs of waiting, speculation, internet rumours, and unrelenting anticipation, Marvel's The Avengers will finally hit the big screen! Why the big huplah over a summer super hero movie? Why?? Because it's the first time in the history of cinema that we geeks get to see our favourite superheroes all together in one movie! It's like the Expendables for Superheros. You can keep your independent horror, your Toe Tag movies, and your low budget schlock fests. I'll stick with my hollywood blockbusters thank you very much. I am going to join the "Avengers Initiative" and watch Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Thor kick some ass on the big screen while chopping on my popcorn, and watching a movie that was makes going to the movies worth the price you pay.There is no movie this year that will make more money and be more talked about then "The Avengers". So, why will The Avengers rock so hard? Alright, keep reading and I'll tell ya! Oh please stay.... read! It gets interesting, I promise! Theres a prize in it for you...........ok Good!


Joss Whedon

First thought? Who cares? Big fucking whoop, right? The Avengers needs a big time director that knows action and understands the comic world, not the creator of god damn Buffy! Ah, but this is about how The Avengers will Rock, and with a new perspective on Whedon, we come to realize that he is a major fan of the characters. That is exactly what this movie needs. Yes, a director who can shoot good action and storytelling is a must yes, but also one who loves and understand the world he is filming. You must have a passion for the material, or the film will be dull and weak, and judging by all the clips and trailers seen thus far, there is nothing to fear. The action, comroderie, the playfullness and the tone all seems perfect. It has humour, and heart, as well as pure fun. The trailers alone gave me goose bumps! The Avengers has many fanatics, and it's hard to please them all. The film has not even opened and I believe Joss has pleased the fans already.



Nick Fury

Who doesn't love Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. From the cameos, to appearences in the after credit sequences, Sam Jackson portrayed the character with the same coolness he brings to all his characters. Finally, after wanting more, we are going to get more. Alot more. Nick Fury will be a central character in the film and we might get to seem him involved in the action as well. I am a baised Sam Jackson fan, but I would even see a whole movie on his Nick Fury character, which is actually happening if i'm not mistaken?




The Avengers:

Superheroes.....6 of them........all in one film! How cool is that? Maybe some of you sick to all hell hearing about them, reading about them, or learning about a new movie on the horizon, but they are here to stay. Everybody loves them, and wil all grew up loving them at one point in our lives. For me, it was Superman. The obessesion came to a halt when I started to stop cars in front of me because i really thought i was the man of steel, but there is an upside. To imagine someone saving the world, and wanting to be that "guy", to me is human nature. With seeing all these heros all together, interacting with each other, and fighting along side one another is a nerds dream come true. Maybe, one day, horror fans will have their day in the sun when the forces of Freddy, Chucky, Jason, Michael Myers, and Pinhead all come together in one big movie? Just like the feeling I got with The Expendables, which featured almost every single action star you have ever loved in one film, The Avengers is giving comic book fans and I the same feeling.




The After Credit Sequence:

It has been reported, or rumoured that the cast shot an additional sequence for the film at the night of the premiere. Who knows if this is true? However, we all know there will be a special surprise come the end of the credits. As with all the other Marvel films, these credit sequences have become tradition to boost aniticipation for the next film. My guess? Well a new animated Spiderman cartoon is comming where he gets trained by Nick Fury himself, and with the new movie comming this summer, we might see a hint that maybe Spiderman might join the sequel to be apart of the Avengers? Aparently he is apart of the Avengers in the comic. How fucking cool would that be??





The Soundtrack:

Only one song has been released from the much anticipated soundtrack, but it should be amazing. With the talents of Shinedown, Buckcherry, Soundgarden, Therory Of A Deadman, Papa Roach and many others, The Avengers soundtrack should kick some major ass! It will add more fun and additude to an already action packed movie.



So....are you ready for the summer movie season to start with a huge bang and see The Avengers? Do you want to be apart of history and witness the biggest money maker of the year? Oh yeah, If you made it this far, I owe you a prize, don't I? Ok , I am a man of my word.

How does this sound? The first five mins of the Avengers? Your Welcome! Boombata OUT!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGMcPJ-Kd5E

I have had the great opportunity to talk with Harrison Smith multiple times via Twitter. Harrison has written the upcoming film The Fields starring Cloris Leachman and Tara Reid. The film is set for release on April 24 of this year and is available for pre order at Amazon. After reading about it and watching the trailer I was excited to find out more. The end result is the following and I would like to thank Harrison for his time and patience for this interview. I Hope the KR readers enjoy!

Why don't you give us a quick synapses on this film and how it came about?

The film is based on a real incident that happened to me and my grandparents in the fall of 1973. Basically a young boy spends time on his grandparents' farm that comes under assault from something in the miles of cornfields around their home.

When did you decide that this personal experience needed to be portrayed on film?

When I was telling the story to a group of people and one said, "ya know that would make a great film." While it is personal, there are variances to make it a cinematic experience. My grandparents are portrayed accurately in the film and the overall events once the boy gets to the farm are the way things went down. My "parents" in the film are more like caricatures of my real folks, designed to get the boy to the farm and more a necessity of plot driving than non- fiction.

It seems you guys did a great job at selling the 70's look to film. Did anyone advise against it for budgetary reasons?

You get advised against doing a lot of things. We live in this world where everyone says they "encourage out of the box thinking" however the moment you do step outside the box, you get the negativity, doomsayers and uptights. We knew with the pastoral setting we could get away with it, and with the help of the surrounding community we were able to populate the film with proper vehicles, homes, etc. It was tough but we knew we could pull it off.

What was the one thing that was most important to you on the final cut of the film?

To deliver top production value and not turn it into a horror film. No matter how many times we say it, media and reviewers call it a horror. It is not. It's more suspense drama and thriller. Cloris refuses to even call it a thriller as she loves the term "suspense drama." She feels it is her best dramatic work since "The Last Picture Show." The other thing was to do something different instead of the same old same old. While there are a lot of great ones, the last thing indie film needs right now is another zombie, slasher or vampire movie. It woulda been easier that's for sure. We were urged to turn it into a horror film right down to shadowed knife wielding killer in the corn. We resisted that.


It is great to see such a highly regarded actress as Cloris Leachman in this film. How did that come about and how was she to work with? And what character does she play ?

Cloris plays my grandmother, Gladys. We never thought we would get her for this film. She's an Oscar winner, record Emmy winner and Frau Blucher, Nurse Diesel, Phyllis...you get the idea. However after seeing her on the Comedy Central Roast of Bob Sagett my wife said: "you have to get her for your grandmother. She's exactly like her." And she was right. I reached out to her agent in LA, sent the script and about 2 weeks later he called and said, "let's talk about getting Cloris in this movie."

Cloris was a delight to work with. Funny as hell and also sincere and very real. As I said we are an uptight world these days. Words like "awkward" and "inappropriate" are used so much they mean nothing anymore. The mention of sex, or the use of an off color word throws some folks into a "hot water burn baby" type of mania. Let's say people like that would not have enjoyed Cloris on the set. She teased cast and crew, chased our one grip with a fly swatter everytime he smoked (she HATES smoking) and entertained with rich stories of her life. When you listen to her adventures with Marlon Brando, Steve McQueen, Gene Hackman...the list goes on, you know your in the presence of someone truly great and lucky to be there.


The film also has film star Tara Reid in it. This looks to be a different role for her career. Was this one of the reasons she chose this role? What character does she play?

She plays Bonnie, a character loosely based on my mother. Tara was terrific and she chose the role because she did not play a mother up until that time. She has such a genuine vulnerability to her acting and she is NOTHING like the media has portrayed her in the past. I reached out to her as my first choice for the role. We have since become friends and plan on working together in the future. Anyone who thinks they know her with the stuff on their blogs or cowards who anonymously post their judgments know nothing. She was professional, accessible to everyone on set. She ate with the cast and crew, hung out with everyone, posed for pics, signed autographs and brought a smile to the set every day. When she works, she is "in the zone" and is 100% professional. I wish other filmmakers who know this to be true would speak up about these things when she gets knocked in the press. We are really hoping for great success for the new American Pie film and are proud to have her in ours.


Did the director make many changes to the writing or did he stick with what you wrote?

The directors made changes they felt were necessary. I can't say I agreed with all of them, but in the end, they're the directors and most importantly I feel very well treated as a writer on his first film.

If you had to compare The Fields to any other movie which one would you compare it to?

How's this for a mashup: The Strangers meets Hope and Glory.


What do you want the viewers of The Fields to feel after they view it?

I want them to feel that this is about real people and that sometimes bad things happen but you deal with it, dust yourself off an move on. I have had people ask: "oh my God did you need therapy after that all happened?" Well first of all, it's a movie, but as to the real events, the answer is "no." I believe most kids today can't handle adversity. Over protective parents wanting the 50's sitcom Disney life aren't doing them any favors. Like I said, everything is "scary" today: sex predators will get you online, men are cruising your neighborhoods in vans, stalkers, Columbine killers...it's hyped up media bullshit. While these things do happen, they have always happened in one way or another. It's just now everything is exaggerated and hyped. Life's gonna throw some shit at you. Deal with it as best you can and stand afterwards.

Any other projects you are working on?

I am working on several TV shows in various states of production and have a slate of pictures of varying genres being looked at by several financiers. I am wrapping up my follow up feature, 6 Degrees of Hell with Corey Feldman as we ready it to go out to LA for distribs to look at and hit the festival circuit.

What is your favorite horror movie if all time?

Jaws is my favorite movie of all time. It's up to your readers to decide if it's horror or not. I call it adventure/drama

Any advice for anyone interested in writing a script?

Yeah, write. Don't talk about writing and what great ideas you have. Write it. And read everything. Don't just read Harry Potter because you think you're gonna write the next big wizard movie. Read science, politics, fiction as much as you can get your hands on. Mark twain said it best: write what you know. The worst writing is when some 19 year old kid who has no idea what it's like to pay a mortgage, pick up the kids from school, tries to write about that world without knowing anything about it. You wanna write? Read. Then start writing and don't fall in love with your own work. Be ready for criticism and the fact that despite what your elementary teachers told you, you're not special. There's a lot of writers out there and they all want the job you want. That's where ambition comes in.

If there is anything I did not ask that you would want people to know about the movie feel free to insert a question and answer it. I want to make sure we get all the info out that you want.

I think you hit it all. It's a great film, it's intelligent and has respect for its audience. It was made with passion, the best production value and is not sloppy. The directors cared about the characters, the atmosphere and it was a true community film that the town of Kunkletown got behind.

Where can people find your movie and keep track of upcoming projects?

Hit the Six Degrees website: www.sixdegreesmovie.com


This film's website: www.thefieldsmovie.com

Here are some screenshots from The Fields

After rewatching most of the American Pie series, I came to realize how similar it is to the Police Academy series. Both series are popular and have strong editions in the comedy genre. The Police Academy series forced out a sequel every year after the original released in 1984 until Mission to Moscow, which was released in 1994. The American Pie series started in 1999 and released a couple years apart until the straight to DVD releases started. The DVD releases went every year from 2005 to 2007 then went back to every other year releases.



Eugene Levy(Noah Levenstein) and George Gaynes(Commandant Lassard) both played mentoring roles in each series and were the only actors to reprise their role in every installment. The American Pie and Police Acedemy series have both had a revolving cast throughout the years. They brought back many characters to both tie in the early installments with later movies and try to keep the spirit of the original.



I feel I have become a bigger American Pie fan over the Police Academy series over the years. I think the sequels are just stronger in the American Pie series and keep the true spirit of the original. Or I am just that big of a pervert and prefer the raunchy comedy stylings more. The Police Academy sequels just start to fail in my opinion. After seeing the American Reunion in the theater, I had these thoughts about comedy series and really wanted to show my love for the American Pie series.

Here are my rankings for the American Pie movies.

8. American Pie : Band Camp (2005)

7. American Pie : Book of Love (2009)

6. American Pie : Beta House (2007)

5. American Wedding (2003)

4. American Pie : The Naked Mile (2006)

3. American Reunion (2012)

2. American Pie 2 (2001)

1. American Pie (1999)


I would rank the Police Academy series but I feel I need to revisit them to give them a proper ranking.

Exploitation films
Films made with little or no attention to quality or artistic merit but with an eye to a quick profit, usually via high-pressure sales and promotion techniques emphasizing some sensational aspect of the product.

Back when these movies were being made as authentic pieces of cinema, they used to have little or no care at all about the actual movie itself. They would usually come up with the title and marketing before they even had a story let alone the movie being filmed. Profit reigned supreme and what better way to make a quick buck than to make shocking story’s with loads of nudity and violence. American grind house theatres would regularly have double features. The term grind house actually comes from grinding out the movies as fast as possible.

Fast forward to the future and you will find many movies paying homage to that wild time in film history. Directors like Quinton Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez may have sparked the flame for many modern exploitation films, but they never really stopped being made. As long as you have people making movies with a passion for over the top sex, violence, and sensationalism, I don’t see them fading away anytime soon.

The following is my list of the top 10 modern exploitation films. I’m sure I missed a bunch but that’s because I have never seen or heard of them. Please feel free to inform me in the comments if I missed anything that should be mentioned.

Number 10

Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubtt1RDk_M0

Nude Nuns With Big Guns

This sister is one bad mother.

A nun brainwashed, drugged, and abused by the church gets a message from God to unleash her own brand of justice to the corrupt clergy.

Joseph Guzman’s second stab at the genre which doesn’t quite live up to Run! Bitch run! But at the same time manages to create the feel and mood of a 70’s exploitation - or should I say nunsploitation flick. The breast are plenty but not the cream of the crop in nudity. Outlaw bikers, nude nuns, big guns, and plenty of rape make up this disaster. Now I say disaster because it is a bad movie. But it still makes the bottom of my list because over half of the real exploitation films from the 70’s and 80’s are truly bad movies with cool parts. And that’s what this is. Even though I was turned off by this movie I hope the director keeps making theses type of trashy films. Because that’s what it's all about. Bad acting, Bad effects, Bad motherfuckers.

Number 9

Warning 18+ Contains Nudity Trailer - http://www.blackdevildoll.com/unratedtrailer.html

Black Devil Doll

Who will survive? What will be left of them? Will their virginity be intact?


A serial “white woman” killer is resurrected through the power of the Ouija board, banging and killing more white women and not always in that particular order.

Here we go, let the blood and nudity flow. Black devil doll the low budget pervfest from the mind of Jonathan Louis Lewis. This film has the most nudity on my list and you get exactly what you would expect. A puppet screwing and spewing all over everything in sight. This movie was actually allot better than I expected it to be. Genuinely funny in parts, and cheesy as it gets. Don’t expect anything else but what it is, a killer “white woman” raping puppet on a perverted rampage.

Number 8

Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96Y24a0cyCE

Black Dynamite

He’s super bad. He’s out of sight. He’s Black Dynamite.

A former CIA agent tries to avenge his brother's death and keep the streets clean.

Blacksploitation at its finest. Combine all the classic movies like Avenging Disco Godfather, Dolomite, Shaft, Superfly, Coffy, etc, etc, and you get Black Dynamite. Shot on super 16 reversal Kodak film stock to make it look like something from that era. This movie could be way higher on my list but I feel it is to much of a comedy if that make any sense. The old Blacksploitation films mostly weren’t trying to be funny, they just ended up being that way. This movie makes me laugh the whole way through. And it has some pretty kick ass kung fu as well.

Number 7

Trailer - http://vimeo.com/2539009

Run! Bitch Run!

Two catholic school girls pick the wrong house to go a knocking.

Joseph Guzman brings us this tale of rape/revenge in Run! Bitch Run! A throwback to movies from the past like I spit on your grave and Mrs. 45. To me it seems like the music is a knockoff of Planet Terror and a nurse outfit plays a part near the end reminiscent of Kill Bill. But even with all these things that are borrowed I still think this is a pretty good “you rape me, I’m going to kill you” movie. The acting is terrible like many of these films that don’t have the budget of the big names. But that’s totally fine with me because it makes it more authentic to the era. You feel for these girls and it definitely delivers.

Number 6

Fake Trailer - http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4u...oot_shortfilms
Feature Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fGKttdOWQE

Machete

If you’re going to hire Machete to kill the bad guy, you better make damn sure the bad guy isn’t you.

Danny Trejo in full effect as the deadly Machete. Robert Rodriguez’s feature film adaptation of the fake movie trailer made for the grind house double feature. Over the top action and adventure are sure to please any fans of the genre. A sequel and possibly a third film are to follow the ex-federally one man killing machine with the biggest cojones. Plus Steven Seagal as a bad guy and Lindsay Lohan as a gun toting nun. Need I say more?

Number 5

Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHcAunRydZ0

Dear God No

When the blood begins to flow, who will be left to scream…

A vicious motorcycle gang know as the Impailers pick the wrong house for a home invasion.

This film hits harder than most on the list for an exploitation film because the director used Fuji super 16mm film and Arri cameras to produce the effects of a real B-movie from the past. As well as all the explosions, stunts, gore, monsters, and guns were all practical. No computer generated effects. The acting is far from good but that’s what you should expect from a movie like this. The Impailers are certainly badass but not as badass as the almighty Bigfoot….yeah that’s right Bigfoot!

Number 4

Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX0mnnt_giQ


Death Proof

White-hot terror at 200 mph!

Quentin Tarantino’s throwback to classic car chase movies like Vanishing Point and Bullitt. While there is quite a bit of girl talk in this film it still pays off for the car scenes. Stuntman Mike is one cool cat taking innocent girls live with his 1970 dodge challenger all for his perverted adrenalin rushes. Old school car chases filmed with few special effect to stay true to the days of old. This film to me is like fine wine, it gets better with age. every time I watch it I seem to appreciate it that much more. Also a few characters from Planet Terror mesh into the storyline seeing as QR an RR took a collaborative view on the making of both films.

Number 3

Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yij3I7G44o


Planet Terror

Fully loaded.


Robert Rodriguez’s action packed tale of a bio chemical agent DC2 nicknamed planet terror that is unleashed on the world. The movie follows a handful of colourful characters trying to survive their infected surroundings. This movie is a real trip and a super fun time. You get everything you need for an exploitation type film. Grainy camera work, missing reels, blood, guts, demented doctors, and a machine gun legged Go-Go Dancer.
The music composed by Robert Rodriguez himself fits the bill perfectly. This film maybe has the highest budget on the list but every frame is killer.

Number 2

Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3Fg_K08YIA

Fathers Day

Lock up Your Fathers.
A one eyed man, a male prostitute, and a priest set out to kill a serial killer/rapist that targets fathers.

Sounds like a joke almost, but its not. I was lucky enough to see this movie at a screening in the good old USA. This film isn’t even release until June 12.
I must say if you are a fan of this kind of 80s grindhouse type of cinema, this would be a must own for you. I contemplated giving this the number 1 slot in my list but I have only seen it once.
I believe when I see it again it will probably be my #1. I am not going to say anything about the movie until it gets its release. But I will say that lock your fathers up because you will take one hell of
a ride into one of the coolest horror movies I have ever seen. And the old 80s synth music is some of the best I’ve heard.

A limited edition 3-disc version of FATHER’S DAY will be released on June 12, just in time for Father’s Day.
It’s the perfect gift for your dad. Only 10,000 copies will be available, and the release will contain the film on blu-ray, a making-of documentary on DVD and a CD soundtrack

Number 1

Fake Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LlazPgxKrA
Feature Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssHEAOrAdCU

Hobo With A Shotgun
Delivering justice, one shell at a time...
A hobo drifts into a ruthless town and takes revenge on all the scumbags.

A movie that started from a fake trailer made for 150$ went on to win a competition put on by SXSW film festival and Robert Rodriguez. The trailer then got a release in Canadian theatres in a spot between Planet Terror and Death proof in the Grindhouse double feature.

This movie is insane its got everything you could want in an exploitation film. hobos, shotguns, boobies, blood, murder, mayhem, the plague, did I mention a hobo with a shotgun!

The music has that feel of 70s/80s. And it was filmed in Technicolor for christ sake.

It may be hard to believe today, but just a few decades ago, zombies were the low dead men on the horror pantheon totem pole. In the mid-1970s, as I delved into horror history via monster magazines and picture books, I was really only aware of two types of zombies: the Haitian voodoo zombies of I Walked with a Zombie, White Zombie, one of the few truly frightening episodes of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and Marvel Comics’ black and white magazine, Tales of the Zombie (another traditional voodoo zombie); and then there were the flesh eating ghouls of George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.
When you break it down, everything was pre-Night and post-Night.







Over the years, Romero has admitted to basing a good deal of Night on Richard Matheson's amazing vampire novel I Am Legend, which has come to be regarded as the seminal zombie novel. If you watch The Omega Man, which I dearly love, or the Will Smith I Am Legend, it might be hard to see the influence; but check out Vincent Price as The Last Man on Earth and you'll get it. I've always thought the film was equally inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, with a bickering group of survivors holing up in a farm house while battling a supernatural force they don't understand, and its ultra-bleak ending.





A few years after its release, Night of the Living Dead was often dismissed as a gory, low budget shocker by “serious” minded horror film critics who have since faded into obscurity; all of the social subtext was discovered later. A couple of other great zombie flicks from this period include Deathdream and Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things.






Something in the air changed when Romero went into production on Dawn of the Dead: suddenly, “respectable” journalists were proud to write about their “zombie for a day” experiences as extras. I’m not sure which individual at Laurel Entertainment came up with this marketing scheme, but I’m convinced that it led to the mainstream acceptability of Romero as an indie filmmaking icon.



The impact of Dawn cannot be overestimated. Siskel and Ebert, who were on a mission to discredit horror films in general and slasher films in particular, championed the film, as did several other renowned critics who have since become worm food. Although Night[I] paved the way, Dawn cemented the zombie as a supernatural cannibal, and tapped into the reason the damned dead things are so popular today: they is us.

Shock Waves introduced us not only to fast zombies, but to aquatic Nazi zombies (revived in Dead Snow minus the aquatic aspects).



In 1985, horror fans were treated to two new zombie classics: Romero’s Day of the Dead and Dan O’Bannon’s Return of the Living Dead, which introduced heavy metal, punk rock, and over the top humor to the genre. O’Bannon’s version, which won the box office battle because Romero’s version was released unrated (limiting newspaper advertisements), used the title of a novel written by John Russo, who co-wrote the original Night script with Romero.





Russo is the unsung hero of Night: many of the concepts which we now take for granted were created by him, including the film’s nihilistic ending. Like Curt Siodmask, who created many of the “rules” of lycanthropy for Universal’s The Wolf Man, Russo’s imagination has had an indelible effect on modern horror cinema. Although Day has earned respect over the years, it wasn't very well received at the time:



Return and Day inspired an explosion of direct-to-video zombie films, but Resident Evil really created the next frontier: the first-person shoot ‘em up video game. And the game launched a new film franchise; everything is circular.

Of course, the Italians contributed more than their share to the genre: Zombie, The Gates of Hell, The Beyond, City of the Walking Dead…the list goes on and on, but my favorite is Della Morte Dell’Amore, aka Cemetery Man, starring Rupert Everett.







The 90s saw the best of both worlds of the undead - Georde Romero's flesh eaters and the more classical voodoo zombies - in Tom Savini's underrated remake of Night, and Wes Craven's sharp fictionalization of the nonfiction book The Serpent and the Rainbow. The decade also saw the first great zombie comedy, Peter Jackson's Dead Alive.







Two more movies made zombie entertainment socially acceptable: 28 Days Later and Shaun of the Dead. I know, I know – 28 Days Later is about “infected” humans, not zombies. Give me a break! The tropes are all there. I’m not at all a fan of 28 Days Later; it’s story and themes were lifted wholesale from the first film version of Day of the Triffids. But Shaun of the Dead? Perfection. It may sound like heresy, but the film has replaced Dawn as my favorite zombie flick, and I recently showed it to my young daughter, who loved it. Shaun paved the way for other zom-coms, like Fido and the current Juan of the Dead.





With the undead revival in full swing, genre enthusiasts heaved a sigh of relief when the man who helped create it all, George Romero, finally got his shot to tell a big zombie flick. Land of the Deadis a weak film, devoid of chills; it’s characters are never in jeopardy, the “Dead Reckoning” vehicle was ridiculous, and the ballyhooed social commentary was really pretty silly considering where Day left off. I saw it in the theater three times, desperate to come away with something, anything at all, to appreciate, and walked away empty handed each time. Dennis Hopper picking his nose was beneath Romero. Okay, Big Daddy was cool, but this was essentially the series' equivalent of Battle for the Planet of the Apes.



Meanwhile, in his Dawn of the Dead remake, an R-rated success, Zach Snyder remembered what Romero forgot: that a zombie film needs to be scary. Even Shaun was scarier than Land. Apparently frustrated by studio interference, Romero decided to return to his indie roots for… what was that one called? Diary of the Dead. Some fans hated this “found footage” film, but I found it reasonably fun: the scenes with the black militants and the rogue national guards felt like authentic Romero to me, and a couple of scenes had true suspense. Maybe it’s because I watched it with lowered expectations, but I thought it was okay.





Which brings me to Survival of the Dead, Romero’s ode to John Ford westerns – a film lover’s film. I thought it was great, a true follow up to Dawn and Day, with comic book sensibilities, colorful characters and dialog, and cool gags. Once again, fans were divided, but if this proves to be Romero’s last zombie film – and I hope it is, he has too much else to offer the world as a filmmaker – it was a grace note. What a haunting, poetic ending!



Max Brooks scored a major hit with his “spoken history” novel World War Z, which won over horror readers and non-horror readers alike. The book is in production as “a major motion picture” with Brad Pitt in the lead role. I have to wonder if all of this mainstream zombie entertainment will at all emasculate the zombie, but I doubt it: the zombie is here to stay, and he is the definitive monster.

The bombardment of movie screens with zombies is nothing compared to what’s happened on TV: Frank Darabont’s adaptation of The Walking Dead comic book has got to rank as the most successful zombie entertainment produced. It’s a ratings blockbuster, a real breakthrough for AMC, and a genuine water cooler show…so naturally, AMC slashed the budget, which led to Darabont’s departure at the beginning of the second season. The big companies want to profit off horror, but they'll never respect it. I’m not terribly impressed by the series per se: the acting is nice and the make-up is gorgeous, but the storytelling itself has not impressed me. Blah, blah, blah, talk, talk, talk. What does impress me is the way the creators have brought serialized horror and graphic violence to weekly TV.



The Walking Dead wasn’t the first comic book to tread the territory mined by Romero and Russo, either: that honor falls to Deadworld. I loved that comic, and back in 1986, when Frank Henenlotter wanted a victim of Aylmer to be reading a horror comic on the john in Brain Damage, I helped arrange for issue #1 of that comic to be featured in the film.



There must be a thousand zombie novels in print now (okay, 700 of them are probably only available as self published e-books…). My favorites, beginning with Dead City, were written by Joe McKinney. Check ‘em out.



Although the first film I ever worked on (as a production manager) was I Was a Teenage Zombie, I’ve never had any inkling to make a film in the subgenre. Night, Dawn and Shaun are sublime, the cream of the crop, and if you can’t make the best, why bother? But I have explored the undead in my fiction: in Desperate Souls, the second book in my occult detective series “The Jake Helman Files,” I pitted my hero against an army of gun-toting, voodoo-style zombies spawned by a street drug called Black Magic. The book is loaded with zombie-kills, but no gut-munching; I really wanted to amp up the traditional zombies. The fourth book in the series, Tortured Spirits, will be published in October, and in it I send Jake to the fictional island where “zombies” were created, and drop him into a full scale war of the undead.



A couple of years ago, my friend RJ Sevin, who is vice president of the small press Creeping Hemlock Press http://www.creepinghemlock.com/ (his wife Julia is president), told me of his intention to launch a new line of zombie titles, and he asked me to make a contribution. I wrote an outline inspired by Easy Rider and Lonesome Dove; I wanted to tell an episodic story about two bikers traveling cross-country during the zombie apocalypse, and the shorter novella format enabled me to tell that story easier. The book is available now from Amazon as a trade paperback and on Kindle (or Nook from Barnes and Noble, if you prefer); it’s called Carnage Road, and I hope you’ll check it out.



http://www.amazon.com/Carnage-Road-G...sr=1-1-catcorr

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I'm proud to announce that SNOW SHARK: ANCIENT SNOW BEAST, the film I produced for writer-director Sam Qualiana, just had its premiere, and it's been acquired for worldwide distribution by Alternative Cinama, sponsor of this very site.

Starring:
Jim Caviezel

Directed By: Antonio Negret

Rated R for violence and terror, perasive language and brief teen drug use


This is the second feature I am reviewing from the "After Dark Action Film Festival", and I must say "Damn!" and as well "Sweet Jesus!", because our lord and saviour returns to kick some ass in the long awaited sequel to "Passion Of The Christ". Just kidding about the sequel business, but about the "Daaaaaamn!" in this movie? It is oh so there! I loved the shit out of this movie and so far is the best of the bunch.....so far! I think for these group of films, they are all selected from a much larger group to give you the best of the best, and so far i'm not dissapointed. Hollywood! Yes you sir! Grab a pen and pad of paper, while you read and take some notes. Trust me guys. You WANT to see this one!

I am not a big fan of Jim Caviezel , and havn't really seen anything he has done, other then "Passion", but if you are like me and havn't folllowed his career, you might buy his character more. He plays Nate, a family man, who after getting out of jail for tax fraud, needs to make amends with the family by going on a much needed camping trip. At a gas station, a couple of hillbilles who have just stolen 4 million dollars from an armored truck shows up and has the idea of hiding their money in a bag on top of the families car while they are getting snacks. They do this so that they can get through a police blockade looking for the crimainals and the money. Once both cars are through the blockade.....buckle up! Hold on to the seat! ( Not your wife's throat! The seat, I said the seat!) And get ready for a face paced, adrelaline ride from here to the credit sequence.

There's one thing that made this movie, other than the action, and stunts: Believabilty. This movie made me believe the course of actions going on, on the screen, could very well happen. As well as the believabilty of the characters. I thought these characters would act the same way in a real situation, and they just felt "real". I just had a big problem with the mother character. She is so fucking dumb, that it is is truely a sin in this film. She almost, ruined the film for me. For example, in a shootout with our bad guys, near the end of the film, she shoots at nothing, not even aiming at the bad guys, and practically empties the clip. Almost enjoying the fact that she is shooting a gun! Wouldn't you make every shot count, when your life is on the line? Also, this is from the trailer folks, so it isnt a spoiler. The wife finds the money and thinks the husband actually stole it!! WTF!! I understand the writers made a connection with the fact that he commited tax fraud, that the wife might believe he stole the money as a major plot device. Still!! What kind of wife would leave their husband in the middle of nowhere becouse she fucking ASSUMES he stole the money and never asks a single question?



The bad guys in this movie are terrific IMO. Maybe nothing new and original, but entertaining and not over the top. They even fight alot over the fraustration of trying to get back their cut of the money and the lack of leadership in their little posse. It's not slapstick three stooges banter, but more realistic to how criminals minds really work. The lust for money and power changes how people think and act, and I love how this movie showed that. I just also hated the female "tag along" God! I hate these bad female characters that live behind the main bad guys shadow. She is the girlfriend of the leader of the gang and mouths off to the rest of the gang because she feels she is untouchable! Ugh! Fucking hated her! Let's just say, I smiled the last time you see her on screen in this movie and I will leave it at that. The kids i loved, which is very rare for a movie like this. Especailly the oldest boy. He has had rough times with his father Nate off in jail for awhile and doesn't get along too much. He has a funny scene in the car when Nate is telling knock Knock jokes to lighten the mood and the eldest boy Shane goes " Ohhh I got one, Knock Knock". Nate: "Who's there?" Shane: "Who gives a shit" lol.


Bloodshed:

A person gets fingers chopped off by a large knife, a person gets shot in the back of the head. A person gets run over by a car, A person gets their head slammed into a nail.


Transit gives you a basic story and builds the tension, and takes you on a wild ride. This family goes through hell and back because they were at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Typical right? There was alot of car chasing, cars exploding, fights, gun battles and its all done in under 90 mins. Yeah the movie it quite short but it delivers what you are wanting in those 90 mins, and never drags for a second. I can appriciate that. Keep your eye out for these After Dark Action films. Pretty damn impressive! This one was alot of fun and is a big recomend! Take it from me: The Sultan of S'plosions! You need to take a ride on Transit. 4/5

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The WTF Fest is a collaboration of artists from all over the world who are gathering in the beautiful Northwest part of the country to celebrate all things art. There are painters, poets, musicians, filmmakers, photographers, comedians, writers, publishers, doll makers, performance artists, jewelry designers, spoken word geniuses, old, young, men, women, angry, happy, loud, quiet, criminally insane, criminals, or just plain insane, people who have made art their entire lives and do not do it for the fame or glory, the money or prestige, or for any other reason that it is what courses through their veins, the very thing that makes their hearts pump so ferociously, passionately, and even sometimes to their own detriment. But what isn't that what makes great art? Shouldn't it be the way to see into souls or go to places we have not yet dreamed of? Or maybe we have but were too scared to admit it. Shouldn't it make us happy and our hearts filled, bursting with excitement and spilling over into the very core of who we are and take us further to who we will become as we are creatures of everlasting change and evolution. However, revolution should also be a word synonymous with art. I have always believed that art should be dangerous, it should make some people angry and uncomfortable. If it didn't what would it change? It should challenge us, not just the artist but the art appreciator too, and that goes for art in all of its glorious mediums.

That being said...

WTF Fest!!!

Starting April 22nd in Eugene, Oregon the craziness begins.

We still need YOUR help. Please do not let the phrase "staring artist" become a reality to us who are working so hard on this tour. There are only a few days left but there is still time to contribute and every dollar counts. Please please please visit the kickstarter page, read more about the fest, and donate today!

WTF Fest Kickstarter Page

Also, visit the website for the fest for a complete list of artists and all the tour dates and venues.

WTF Fest

I also have wonderful news for everyone who cannot attend any of the shows. At the beginning of this year Monica Puller and I started our own production company, Snatch Devil Devil Snatch Productions. We are going to be doing a documentary on the festival that eventually will be available for sale. I personally promise to capture every moment, the ups, the downs, and all arounds. In order to make one of my dreams come true, to make a documentary, I need all of you reading this to go to the kickstarter page and donate anything you can. For those of you in the area, that being Portland & Eugene Oregon, and Astoria & Seattle Washington, come to the shows!!! This tour is a once in a lifetime event.

Support dangerous art, fearless hearts, & the monsters inside all of us!!!

Don't be afraid to be deranged, support the WTF strange! There's a little of us in all of you, or we can arrange for there to be some. Fun, fun, fun!!!

Luv & Blood,
Ruby LaRocca