http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/revisiting-vampires-by-john-carpenter-its-time-for-a-reboot.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/revisiting-vampires-by-john-carpenter-its-time-for-a-reboot.html Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:44:21 -0500
What made the story great was that Jack and his team used what you'd normally think of if YOU had to hunt vampires. First, they hunted while the sun was out. Then they formed a military-style tactical unit when entering dark areas. And brilliant of all, they used harpoons, cable, and wenches to extract vampires from the dark out to the sunlight. At times, they even employed dynamites and explosives. They did not use archaic means that contradicted the common sense of modern times.

I'm not sure if John Steakley's Vampires was responsible for modern-day treatment of vampire hunting, but we're certainly seeing updated technology being employed in stories that came after the book, e.g. the Initiative from Buffy TV series.

In 1998, John Carpenter released a movie version of Vampires. It was suppose to be a film adaptation of the book and John Steakley was even credited as a writer. However, due to extreme budget cuts, the movie's ties to the book was in name only. The storyline was so badly butchered that they Felix was not even in the film. But remnants of the core theme that made Vampires the book memorable remained. Still, fans of the book regarded the movie as only a wisp of the book. They were right and I was initially of the same opinion. Or so I thought when I first saw the movie in 1998.

I had the opportunity to watch Vampires by John Carpenter again recently. And I appreciated it more. The movie was still a travesty compared to the book. But James Wood as Jack Crow made the movie watchable. In fact, he was fun to watch. His portrayal as the fiery vampire hunter always stood out in my mind all those years. Still, it was not the impression I had of Jack Crow after reading the book. But James Woods was great. He was fiery, but oozes cool. He delivered campy one-liners while displaying anger.

I was fond of the following Jack Crow lines:

- To Valek: Hey, Valek! Why don't you prove you can kick my ass! Come on, untie me, you prick! Fucking pole-smoking fashion victim!
- To Father Adam: "Did you get a little wood?"
- To Montoya: "Vaya con Dios"

With all the reboots that have been going on lately, John Steakley's Vampire deserves one so that fans of the vampire movie genre can finally see how modern-day vampire hunting is done. Perhaps it be should rebooted with James Woods playing a fiery priest this time.

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The author is a web producer who writes freelance on many "geeky" subjects including anything comic books and horror, such as the scary halloween costumes. He also writes on other topics of interest such as the advantages of becoming a medical coder.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/review-of-watchmen-movie.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/review-of-watchmen-movie.html Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:37:56 -0500
In any case, the movie debuted in the US on Friday, March 6, 2009, with mix reception. Fans who read the graphic novel can vouch for the accuracy of the movie. As hoped for, a majority of the scenes were lifted from the comic book pages. Of course, some bits of the story were "reimagined" for the benefit of movie goers.

The Watchmen was about an alternate America when costumed superheroes existed and were integral to the shaping of the political, social, and economic balance. When the story began, however, superheroes have been declared illegal. Some kept their anonymity and were living "regular" lives (Nite Owl II, Silk Spectre I and Silk Spectre II). Some became contractor for the US government and continued their superhero identity (Dr. Manhattan and the Comedian). Others shed their anonymous identity and embraced the public (Nite Owl I and Ozzymandias). And one of them just continued operating outside the law as a vigilante (Rorschach).

When the Comedian was killed in his apartment, Rorschach suspected an assassination targeting all costumed heroes. His subsequent investigation was the main driving force behind the storyline.

As an adaptation, Watchmen closely followed the main plot of the graphic novel. And the characters were quite faithful. The best two in particular were Rorschach and the Comedian. Rorschach was as psychotic as we imagined him to be and perhaps more violent than his comic book persona. The Comedian was as brash and rough as we had imagined. He was actually an a-hole in the comics and an a-hole in the movie.

Ultimately, the triumph of Watchmen the movie was its ability to reduce the substance of the comic book plot to its core. The comic books had way too many side stories that may be cool if you can skim them and go over at a later time. Additionally, the comic book had plenty of messages with political undertone that made sense back then. Most of those messages are stale now, in particular, the cold war and nuclear arms race.

The movie was rated R partly for strong violence. Thus, the fight scenes were bone-jarring with some form of body slam being used often. There were hints of Matrix-style slow motion to accent There were martial arts, too. But those played second fiddle to the over-the-top wrestling moves.

The Watchmen also had great special effects and they did not get in the way of the story. Dr. Manhattan looked great. The Mars landscape was pretty much how we'd expect it from the book. And Rorschach's ink blot mask was fun to watch.

Overall, Watchmen is a great movie to see. It's not for kids. But if you're a kid-at-heart and want to see superheroes in action the Watchmen is highly recommended.

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The author is a web producer and writes on various topics of "geeky" nature including movie reviews, Watchmen movie costumes, and comic books. He's also contemplating a career in video games in the field of game art design.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/street-fighter-review-chun-li-misses-the-high-kicks.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/street-fighter-review-chun-li-misses-the-high-kicks.html Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:05:11 -0600
At the helm of this project was director Andrzej Bartkowiak who showed much promise in Romeo Must Die. Alas, he couldn't deliver in Doom and, now, Street Fighter. In stating the obvious, these were two blockbuster video games that gathered legions of fans throughout the years. All Bartkowiak had to do was create a movie that was more-loyal-than-not to the video games and he'll have a blockbuster hit, if not, a cult hit.

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li was an origins movie. The first of rumored films based on the Street Figher video game. This movie provided the backdrop to Chun Li. She's the third main character of the video game series after Ken and Ryu. She's also considered to be the first lady of video games since she predated Lara Craft and others.

The plot was simple. Chun Li was growing up to become a classic pianist guided by her loving father. He was abducted before her eyes and she grew up lamenting over him. When she was of age, Chun Li went on a quest to find out what happened to her father and rescue him, if possible.

The problem with Street Fighter was it deviated with from simplicity. Had they stayed more on Chun Li's transformation from a little piano girl to a butt-kicking warrior, ala Karate Kid, they might have succeeded in delivering a decent movie. Instead, Bartkowiak and his writers tried to do too much by introducing other characters of irrelevance, specifically Nash and Maya who convoluted the plot.

The character Chris Nash was particularly terrible. He was suppose to come off as a streetwise agent with a sarcastic view of the world, but he came out annoyingly douchy. Additionally, Chun Li's mentor Gen was particularly bland. For a guy with mysterious quality, there was nothing interesting about him.

The one passable aspect of the film was the fight scenes. The best fight scene was in the beginning when Chun Li's father fought Balrog in their kitchen. Chun Li herself had some great fights, particularly in the alley with some thugs before Gen found her.

But without a viable storyline and no endearing characters, the movie pinned its success on the star power of Kristin Kreuk as Chun Li, the beautiful star from the TV-series Smallville. She did a decent job, giving Chun Li some humanity and emotion outside of a video game, but ultimately, Kristin Kreuk was not enough to keep this movie from sliding down to a laughable memory.

How laughable? This movie is worse than the 1994 version. Now that's laughable.

All in all, I rate this movie 0 out of 5. Skip it.

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The author is a web producer and writes on various "geeky" topics of interest including movie reviews, anime, and Marvel Bowen statues.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/the-forsaken.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/the-forsaken.html Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:42:39 -0600
Fighting vampires in the American Southwest is nothing new and has already been done by classic genre films such as John Carpenter's Vampires and Near Dark. The Forsaken is a decent addition, though will likely not rise to classic status. The movie is well casted with fine stars such as Kerr Smith (Dawson's Creek) and Brendan Fahr (Roswell).

As a vampire movie, this one did away with suspense and went straight to action. There aren't enough blood and gore for the slasher fans, but there are plenty of car chases and gun shots. And, of course, there are ample beautiful lasses. What would a vampire movie be if there are no gorgeous damsel in distress. Isabella Miko (Coyote Ugly) plays the part well enough.

The Fosaken has a bit of edginess to it. It could be attributed to a low budget, but nevertheless, Johnathon Schaech plays the main nemesis, Kit, to a T. In days gone past, Kit was a ruthless warlord and he still is at the time of the encounter. Though modernized in leather and a desert clothing, he is still a cold and ruthless vampire lord.

One character that's worth mentioning is Pen played by Simon Rex (Felicity). Pen is the human caretaker of Kit's small vampire clan. And I like the interaction between Pen and Kit where Pen is more of a trusted advisor than a pet.

Overall, The Forsaken is a movie that should be watched with little expectation. It does not add anything new to the vampire genre. But it still is a good little vampire movie to watch. I rate it 3 out of 5.

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The author is a web producer and writes freelance on various topics such as "geeky" interests in cool Marvel statues and career tips on game and art design.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/my-name-is-bruce-dvd-movie-review.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/my-name-is-bruce-dvd-movie-review.html Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:39:01 -0600
What if he won't come? Then conk him on the head, toss him in your trunk, and take him back to your town to fight evil.

And that's how the prima-pimping, a-hole of a movie legend Bruce Campbell came to aid the insignificant town of Gold Lick, population 339.

My Name is Bruce is a treat for Bruce Campbell fans. It is as campy as expected.

The plot is simple. A teenager, obssessed with Bruce Campbell movies, unwittingly sets loose an ancient Chinese deity who began killing the town residents. To stop it, the teenager turns to Bruce Campbell, B-movie actor and his hero, for help. From there, we are treated to a B-movie romp that is classic Bruce Campbell. Those who may not understand the Bruce Campbell phenomena, they might find the movie annoying, unfunny, and plain awful. But to his fans, this movie is a riot.

My Name is Bruce has a lot of elements that make it worth collecting. Tops among them is that the evil deity, Quandi, looks so bad it's funny and, even, worth a shot as a Halloween costume. Think of an 80's Power Ranger bad guy.

The movie has everything what B-movie is suppose to be. There are plenty of fake heads getting chopped off. There is a redneck couple who happen to be (closeted) gay. It has gratuitous teens getting hacked to bits. And lots of one-liners that Bruce Campbell fans will be quoting for years. Hooch for the pooch, anyone?

What more can you ask for?

How 'bout Ted Raimi. Sam Raimi's younger brother and someone who Bruce Campbell baby sat as a kid. He's a staple of Bruce Campbell films. And he's here all over the place playing multiple characters. Again, classic.

My Name is Bruce is a very entertaining film. It's a movie that doesn't take itself seriously and it is made by the master of campiness himself, Bruce Campbell. Get it on DVD. You'll enjoy it.

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The author is a web producer and writes freelance on various topics such as "geeky" interests in cool Marvel statues and career tips on game and art design.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/malta-europes-hollywood-location.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/malta-europes-hollywood-location.html Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:56:05 -0600
Filming in Malta began in the 1970s. One of the earliest movies filmed in Malta is "Orca: Killer Whale." The 1977 film starred Richard Harris as Captain Nolan and Charlotte Rampling as Rachel Bedford. The movie brought attention to the plight of the killer whale and introduced movie viewers to the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and parts of Malta.

Popeye Village

In 1980, Sweethaven Village was created on Malta. The Robin Williams movie was filmed in Malta, and the Sweethaven Village still stands today. Though it is not being used to film movies, it still serves the island well as a tourist attraction. The village is open to tourists seven days per week and offers a variety of family activities.

A Previous Engagement

The latest movie to be filmed entirely on the island was "A Previous Engagement" starring Juliet Stevenson and Daniel Stern. The Canadian-Maltese co-production was released in the U.S. in May last year. In conjunction with the movie's opening, a competition was arranged with the winner receiving an all expenses paid holiday in Malta, with accommodation at the Xara Palace in Mdina where the movie was filmed.

Other movies that have been filmed in Malta include:

* "Midnight Express." Some scenes were filmed at Fort St. Elmo in 1978.

* "Raise the Titanic" in 1980.

* "Cutthroat Island." The popular Geena Davis and Matthew Modine film was shot primarily near Vittoriosa. Some scenes were filmed in Mdina, Fort St. Elmo and the Dingli Cliffs. Water tanks were provided by the Mediterranean Film Studios.

* "White Squall." The violent storm experienced in this movie was filmed at the Mediterranean Film Studios in 1996.

* "U-571." The star-studded cast included Matthew McConnaughey, Jon Bon Jovi, Harvey Kitel and Bill Paxton. The tanks used in the movie are the property of the Mediterranean Film Studios. One night-time scene was filmed in the city of Valletta at the Grand Harbor in 2000.

* "The Count of Monte Cristo." In 2002, Valletta and Vittoriosa were temporarily transformed into Marseille for the filming of this movie. The lovemaking scene was filmed on the rocks near Fort St. Elmo. St Mary's Tower on Comino served as the Chateau d'If.

* "Pinocchio." The 2002 production of Pinocchio included scenes filmed in the Mediterranean Film Studios.

* "Swept Away." The 2002 creation of Madonna and Guy Ritchie was filmed on both Comino and Malta. Madonna's snorkeling scene was filmed at the Blue Lagoon on Comino.

* "Helen of Troy." The 2003 mini series was filmed at Fort Ricasoli and on Comino at the Blue Lagoon.

* "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." This 2003 hit starred Sean Connery and was filmed on Gozo at Xlendi. The submarine scenes were filmed at the Mediterranean Film Studios.

* "Troy." The 2004 blockbuster hit starring Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom was filmed at Fort Ricasoli. Parts were filmed in Mellieha and on Comino Island. The movie's producers used Malta's natural beauty and ruins to enhance the authenticity of the movie.

* "A Different Loyalty." Starring Sharon Stone, this movie was filmed in 2004 at Fort St. Elmo, which gives a visual representation of the city of Beirut. Parts of the movie were filmed on the Golden Sands Beach.

* "Alexander." In 2004, Valletta's Grand Harbor doubled for the ancient port city of Alexandria. The movie starred Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins and Colin Farrell.

* "Gladiator." The Russell Crowe movie was shot at a replica built at Fort Ricasoli with a night time scene being filmed just outside Vittoriosa at Couvre Port.

Seven islands about 93 miles south of Sicily comprise Malta. The islands has a good year round climate and relaxing atmosphere, comparable to the weather in Milan

One of the primary sources of income for the islands is tourism. Each year, millions of people enjoy a tropical island holiday in Malta - watch out for it on a screen near you soon!

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Malta tourist information and news along with a Malta domain name is available with yourmalta.com

Accommodation on the island including self catering villas, and the site also has villa holiday companies who offer villa holidays in Cyprus

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/star-wars-the-clone-wars-dvd-movie-review.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/star-wars-the-clone-wars-dvd-movie-review.html Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:48:25 -0600
One thing obvious about Star Wars: The Clone Wars is that the story line is not developed for teens to adults. The usual fanboys who attend Star Wars conventions will grimace at this movie. And in fact, many did judging from online forums discussing this movie.

It seems that since the Phantom Menace was released 10 years ago, George Lucas intends to capture the next generation of 6-8 year olds. But instead of live action films, he's doing it with a Clone Wars cartoon series. The kick off for the TV cartoons is the theatrical release of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

The movie follows Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi while they served as army field commanders during the Clone Wars. The movie certainly has the feel of an extended TV series pilot.

The main plot revolved around Skywalker being given a feisty Padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano, who he accepted reluctantly. They were given the mission of rescuing Jabba the Hutt's infant son. For his return, Jabba promised to assist the Republic during the war.

The conversation between Ahsoka and Anakin is trite and nothing to write home about. Ahsoka is being established as the hard-headed, but loyal follower who is more of a buddy to Anakin than a student. She is a competent up-and-coming Jedi but a little "rough on the edge".

Even sillier, which is just as true for the TV series, is the bantering among the battle droids. The cutesy dialogue between the battle machines loses the aura of dread that an ominous army of destruction should emanate. Instead, the droids feel like an army of Jar Jar Binks, a personality that 6-8 year olds may enjoy.

Still, fans of CGI movies will find the special effects enjoyable. There is no shortage of laser battles between the Clone troopers and the droids. And the CG-rendered desert scenes of Tattoine do not disappoint.

All in all, I'm rating Star Wars: The Clone Wars a 2 out of 5 for teens and adults. But George Lucas's intended audiences may find it 5 out of 5. It's a great kickoff for the cartoon series, perhaps one of the best staged pilot episode.

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The author is a web producer and writes freelance on "geeky" stuff such as sci-fi movie reviews and Star Wars Clone Wars toys. Sometimes, he writes about career advice, such as finding online project management certification.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/office-space-cast-reunites-for-10th-anniversary-celebration-at-the-paramount.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/office-space-cast-reunites-for-10th-anniversary-celebration-at-the-paramount.html Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:04:29 -0600
For many, "Office Space" has become a classic the highly quotable script and oddball characters earned roars of laughter throughout the showing, as whole lines of the film were drowned out by the laughter and enthusiasm of the hundreds of fans in attendance.

John C. McGinley, perhaps best known for his long-running role as Dr. Cox on "Scrubs" was one of the many cast members in attendance. McGinley expressed amazement and appreciation for the warm reception of fans, admitting he hadn't seen the film in its entirety since the original screening he attended back when it debuted in 1999. Director Mike Judge quipped that the screaming masses in the Paramount Theater on Sunday night rivaled the film's entire opening weekend attendance.

For a film that was all but a box office failure, "Office Space" has garnered a devoted cult following in the decade since its release. A champion of the disenfranchised, disinterested world of young professionals, the relevance and occupational indifference at the heart of the film ring truer today than even a decade ago. One moviegoer asked Mike Judge, during the question and answer portion of the event, following the film, "What is your message for the young people just entering the job market?" Muffled laughter followed, as did a shouted response from somewhere in the audience: "Don't do it!"

Judge himself admitted he began his professional career in an environment similar to the one he created so humorously in the film's fictional software company, Initech. With a degree in physics, Judge found himself in a professional role most closely mirrored by that of the film's mumbling hero, Milton Waddams (interestingly enough, this character was also the focus of his first animated short). When asked how he transitioned from physics to the film industry, Judge shrugged and responded that he did some animations and sent them out, and the rest was history.

Coordinated in conjunction with Austin's own Fantastic Fest, the event was a huge success. While tickets were first made available only to Fantastic Fest and SXSW ticket holders, ticket sales were subsequently opened to the public, and sold out faster than you could say Swingline. Special VIP tickets were also available, which included entrance to an after party featuring movie themed appetizers like pizza shooters, shrimp poppers and extreme fajitas, complimentary pieces of flare, and even a red Swingline stapler an extra special addition, as the now-infamous red staplers were manufactured exclusively for the film, and never sold commercially. With SXSW fast approaching, more not-to-be-missed events are in the works at the Paramount and throughout Austin.


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Ki developed a website to provide potential buyers with a searchable database of homes in the Austin MLS. The site includes comprehensive information on Austin real estate and commercial real estate in Austin.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/quarantine-dvd-review.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/quarantine-dvd-review.html Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:08:21 -0600
Quarantine is an American remake of a 2007 Spanish movie called Rec. According to many fans of Rec, Quarantine is a screen-for-screen shot, except the dialogue is in English and the location is Los Angeles.

Naturally, it's very difficult to find reviews of Quarantine without reference to Rec. It's even more difficult to find praising reviews.

If you're like me and haven't seen Rec, then you'll enjoy this movie. It's about zombies!

Quarantine stars Jennifer Carpenter as reporter, Angela Vidal, and Steve Harris as her cameraman, Scott Percival. The unlucky news crew continue to record the events inside the apartment building as they are trapped with the residents and firemen.

The movie is suspenseful. Using the video cam format as in The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield, you'll feel being trapped inside the close quarters of the dark apartment building. Also, you'll empathize with the trapped residents as they desperately try to get out while their numbers dwindle. There are plenty of tense moments as members of the group explore ways to get out of the building. And to top it off, no one survives.

The one drawback with the movie is that the trailer and posters gave away the ending. However, Jennifer Carpenter's terrified plea for help in infrared is the best expression of the dire situation that her character faces. Nevertheless, it still spoiled the ending.

All in all, I rate Quarantine a 3 out of 5. It does not come close to the classic George Romero zombie movies, but it's still an enjoyable movie to rent.

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The author is a web producer and writes freelance on various topics, including "geeky" fun stuff like Transformers movie action figures and, sometimes, more serious subjects, like finding online medical coding schools.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/review-of-underworld-rise-of-the-lycans.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/movies/review-of-underworld-rise-of-the-lycans.html Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:39:36 -0600
From the original film, Underworld, the personal hatred between Lucian and Victor was fleshed even though the two characters were rarely seen together, if at all. Rightly so, fans spoke out in various online movie forums and generated enough buzz for the filmmakers to give us this delight of a movie.

In Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Danny McBride and the writing crew gave us things that we wanted to see:

1. Lucian as a ferocious lycan,
2. Viktor as an iron-handed and ruthless vampire warlord,
3. Werewolves and vampires pitted in an epic battle, and
4. Why Viktor sired Selene into vampirehood.

First off, Lucian was a character we wanted to know more from the first movie. Michael Sheen did a great job creating a hero in Lucian. Born of servitude, Lucian drew us in so that we desired to see the circumstances that broke him out of shackles to fighting the vampires. In Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, we finally saw why Victor and the vampires feared him.

Also, we got to see Viktor as a warlord of death. As a power hungry ruler, he maintained the uneasy truce between humans and vampires. Viktor drew tithings from the local townships in return for protection against the growing population of uncontrollable werewolves who were the predecessors of lycans and the direct offsprings of William (from the second movie, Underworld: Evolution). More importantly, he was also bent on maintaining vampire supremacy over all that lived.

Another great thing about this movie was that it gave us an epic battle between the werewolves and the vampires. The shootout we saw in the initial scenes of the first Underworld was merely a skirmish. In this movie, we got to see an army of vampires defend their castle from a horde of werewolves.

One character we missed in this movie, however, was Selene, played by Kate Beckinsale in the previous two movies. That's ok. The story called for it. We knew from the first two movies why Viktor took to her so much. Selene reminded Viktor of his dear Sonja, the daughter he had condemned to death. And Rhona Mitra delivered brilliantly. Sonja and Selene would look great together as leather clad twins.

All in all, I give this movie a 5 out of 5 and shoot it up to the top of the Underworld series. As a fan, I hope there are future Underworld movies to keep us intrigued. This time, I'd like to see the back story behind Lucian going underground.

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The author is a web producer and writes freelance on various topics, including "geeky" fun stuff like Transformers movie action figures and, sometimes, more serious subjects, like finding online medical coding schools.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>