Happy birthday, Ali Larter!

Happy birthday to my favorite actress, Ali Larter!

Five favorite Ali roles:

1) Ali as Clear Rivers in Final Destination 1 & 2

2) Ali as Brooke Taylor-Windham in Legally Blonde

3) Ali as Niki Sanders on Heroes

4) Ali as Zee Mimms in American Outlaws

5) Ali as Chrissy in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back

Review: Friday the 13th (2009)

I can't believe I haven't written anything yet about Friday the 13th. I definitely needed some time to figure out what I actually think about this movie. I was sorta stunned and not in a good way when I left the theater.

First I want to make clear that I haven't seen all the Friday films. I remember the original (Kevin Bacon!), X and Freddy vs Jason. I know I've seen a couple of the middle ones when I was younger, but that was at least 10 years ago.. so in my world, Jason is this big mindless killing machine. That's not the Jason I saw in this reimagining. This was a killer pretending to be Jason. He was too smart! Why does he have traps? Really, I'd like to know! And the running! Don't get me started on that. I've read that, yes, Jason did run in several Fridays, but I just couldn't wrap my brain around it and take this "Jason" seriously. Good lord, did Michael run in Zombie's Halloween? I can't remember, but that would have ruined that movie even more for me. Ohw, and Jason has weed. And he's very protective of it. Really, I was just very annoyed by this weed subplot. Why did they make the first group of kids go in search of weed? Couldn't the Powers that Be have made them camp counselors arriving to set up the new Camp Crystal Lake or something?

I've read several times that the movie visually looks too much like Nispel's Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That's something I was excited about when I heard about Nispel's involvement. I'm a big fan of his reimagining of TCM, and while I wasn't bothered by the alikeness of it all, it didn't help make this movie feel like a Friday film. It was more a 'crazy pothead killer in the woods who likes to dress up as Jason' movie. And if I had paid €9.50(!!!) to see that, I would've been satisfied, but that wasn't the case.

Now about the casting.. I feel there is no middle ground here. I really liked certain actors and just down right loathed some of the others. Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Travis van Winkle, Ryan Hansen, Ben Feldman, Aaron Yoo, Arlen Escarpeta and Jonathan Sadowski are all very enjoyable, while I never hope to see Amanda Righetti (don't like her on The Mentalist or in Return to House on Haunted Hill either), Julianna Guill, Willa Ford, Nick Mennell and America Olivo (= a poor man's Shannon Elizabeth) ever again. EVER. Not sure what the point is of having Richard Burgi in the cast if you aren't going to use him.

The kills were pretty decent. While I wasn't fond of Jason having traps, I did like the scene where Ben Feldman stepped into one and witnessed America Olivo tied up in the sleeping bag above the fire. That was my fave death.

This movie had too much pointless nudity.. even for a Friday film. Topless wakeboarding? Really?!?

I think that's it. Maybe I'll like the movie better when I rewatch it, but right now I can't help but feel 'meh' about it. A 3/5.

Inglourious Basterds trailer!

OHMIGOSH!!! It's here! The trailer for Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds!

Roth!

Bacall and Levine!

Novak!!!

Kruger!

And that dude from Fight Club!

This is my #1 pick for most anticipated movie of the year. Gawd, I want to see this NOW.

"I want my scalps!"

The Last House on the Left poster

Via ShockTillYouDrop the new poster for the remake of The Last House on the Left:

If bad people hurt someone you love
How far would you go to hurt them back?

The tagline is horrible. The rest of the poster is pretty great. No floating heads, but a focus on the house. But that tagline! It doesn't seem to fit the eerieness of the poster.

What I also noticed is that Sara Paxton gets the "and" credit. That's interesting. I'd maybe give her second billing and give Monica Potter (Saw) the ''and'' credit. Not that she's that famous, but a more familiar face to genre fans I think.

Whatever happened to... Kip Pardue?

I remember the first time I saw, no, consciously noted Kip Pardue's existence. It was March 16, 2001 (I have the movie stub to prove it). My friend Stitch and I were still in high school and the Young Hollywood craze was slowly cooling down. We went to the cinema to watch Remember the Titans, which looked like a nice movie and it co-starred Donald Faison and Ryan Gosling, two actors I'm still really fond of.

Kip as Sunshine appeared onscreen. Stitch leaned over to me to comment on his hotness. I don't really like blond dudes, so I just shrugged it off. But there was something about him. The locker room scene was great! Watch it here!

Next up was the lead in Stallone's Driven opposite the luminous Estella Warren. This was supposed to be his big break. But the movie tanked, unfortunately. Hey, I liked it! He went on to win the Young Hollywood Award for New Stylemaker (I never understood why) and followed Driven up with roles in two other high profile (okay, no blockbusters but you had to be living under a rock if you hadn't heard about these) movies, The Rules of Attraction and Thirteen. Pardue was also good in the little seen 2003 movie Heaven's Pond opposite Tara Reid (if you say she can't act, watch this movie). I have not seen Pardue in anything since. IMDB tells me he's done 23 projects since then, yet most are things I've never even heard of. And I read my daily movie blogs. Only Stag Night rings a bell and that's because Breckin Meyer is in it.

I do appreciate indie pics and I'm sure most of those 23 projects are indies. I'm sure he's doing fine. I'm not criticizing the guy in any shape, way or form (except his New Stylemaker award). All I'm saying, Hollywood, hello, use him.

Seven days...

Happy birthday, Isla Fisher!

Happy 33rd birthday to the adorable Isla Fisher!

Can't wait to see her play Becky Bloomwood in Confessions of a Shopaholic!

Review: The Midnight Meat Train

How did this movie end up in dollar theaters? Really, I'm mad right now. It's better than most of the (horror) crap that gets a decent release. Seriously! Shame on you, Lionsgate!

My fave actor du jour Bradley Cooper plays Leon, a photographer trying to capture the dark side of the city and humanity for an upcoming exhibit. He starts to suspect that a man he has photographed, Mahogany (Vinnie Jones), may in fact be a serial killer. Leon's obsession with Mahogany not only puts his life in danger, but that of his girlfriend Maya (Leslie Bibb) as well.

I haven't read Clive Barker's short story on which the movie is based, but I was aware of the ending. I think most people who hate on this movie aren't aware of the story's ending. Confusion strikes, which is followed by hate.

*SPOILERS-R-US* I quite like the ending with Leon having turned into the next butcher. If only he hadn't been so obsessed! I felt Maya's death was a bit pointless at that moment when it happened. Really, if they wanted to kill her off, why not while trying to help Leon fight Mahogany? I mean, the girl showed guts going into Mahogany's apartment and into the subway. Why not let her fight or at least attempt to? */SPOILERS*

I liked the cast. I'm very pro Bradley Cooper. There should be more of Bradley Cooper in movies. I'm very pleased to see him here. He's a capable leading man, while having this regular Joe vibe about him. I don't see Josh Hartnett or Jude Law playing Leon. Leslie Bibb is someone I love and who doesn't get enough credit. Her character kinda bugged, but that's not her fault. Vinnie Jones gave a good performance. He wasn't just a menacing bad guy. There was something more underneath. So rock on, Vinnie! Okay, Roger Bart, I can't take him seriously. I've seen him on Desperate Housewives! He's not a bad actor, but seeing him hanging upside down was more funny than disturbing. Oops.

I'm a sucker for great cinematography so bonus points for that. Also, interesting camera angles! Especially during certain kills. Great stuff.

Overall, Lionsgate sucks ass for dumping this movie. Rent it. Buy it. Love it. A solid 4/5.