Review: Easy A

I can't help but get a little bit sad watching Easy A. Emma Stone is a delight. A fun and talented girl to watch. But to see Amanda Bynes play a small role like that? Five years ago Bynes would've played lead girl Olive. How quick things change, huh?

The plot: After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, a clean cut high school girl sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne's in "The Scarlet Letter," which she is currently studying in school - until she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing.

While I'm not actually crazy about the plot, there's much to like about the film. It all looks great. I love the use of color in this film. I can't really explain it, but to me, it makes the film come alive. And while Stone is the shining star here, the girl is in good company. How many teen comedies have three Academy Award nominated actors in them? Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson make a great couple, seem to have fun with their roles and their characters are more developed than just the standard dad and mom roles. Thomas Haden Church is always a welcome addition. I was cheering when he got his Oscar nom for Sideways. I've liked him since his Ned & Stacey days. Penn Badgley plays likeable well, however, I think I would've preferred Dan Byrd in the role. Byrd is always good and entertaining, while Badgley, at times, not per se in this film, can come off bland. And Bynes, she's still talented and comedically gifted. Let's hope Hollywood gives her another shot.

One of the surprises of 2010. A 3,5/5.

Review: Skyline

Well Skyline came and disappeared without leaving much of an impression. Which is shame, because boyfriend and I really enjoyed the flick. It's a film with a relatively small budget, estimated at $10 million, and with effects that look much more expensive.

The always reliable Eric Balfour stars as Jarrod, who, along with his girlfriend, visits his successful best friend Terry (Donald Faison in not a comedic role) in Los Angeles. They're staying at his fancy apartment when aliens spaceships appear, trying to capture humans.

Okay, yes, the film is not highly original. Cloverfield and District 9 spring to mind, but did it bother me? No. There's only so many ways you can go making an alien invasion flick. I had a bigger problem with the lack of characterization as only Balfour's character was developed. Making someone pregnant is not characterization. Are we supposed to care for the annoying girlfriend now because she's with child? It's also a cheap way to move the plot forward. I was telling the bf how glad I was they cut out Erin (Jessica Biel)'s pregnancy in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (also starring Balfour) as the film ultimately didn't need it in terms of characterization or plot purposes.

However, I can't really hate on a film that accomplishes as much as Skyline does with a limited budget. To compare, Box Office Mojo tells me Cloverfield's budget was $25 million. Skyline visually looks great and delivers effects on par with certain bigger budget flicks. The film is entertaining and I personally love Eric Balfour so it's great to see him play a lead role in a studio film. Give it a shot and don't be too critical. A 4/5.

Welcome home, Sidney!

OHMIGOD, you guys! Scream 4 trailer! I wasn't expecting this at all, but yes, the trailer made its way on the interwebs already. Now I haven't been very pro Scream 4, mainly because of all the cast changing drama and rumors of Kevin Williamson abandoning ship, but I'm actually a bit excited. I so feel 15 again waiting for Scream 3 to be released.

Thoughts:
- Rory Culkin needs a haircut.
- Seeing Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell together on that couch looks off to me. Like it's supposed to be Scary Movie 5.
- I like Erik Knudsen and Culkin together.
- Ahh poor Gale being attacked by Ghostface! I don't think she'll die though!

Can't wait to see more footage!

Review: Piranha 3D

I've been waiting for Piranha 3D for months now and finally I got to see it in not so glorious 3D, but whatever, it's awesome! It kinda made me sad boyfriend and I made up 67% of the audience though (2 pm showing on a Tuesday).

I've never in my life been more excited to see Richard Dreyfuss. It was a pretty cool cameo. I think they could've expanded it a bit more, but overall I enjoyed his brief appearance. Same kinda goes for Christopher Lloyd. I would've liked to have seen his character be more involved in the story. I actually forgot about him until he popped up again. It was good seeing him on the big screen. I always loved him in the Back to the Future movies. I think both Dreyfuss and Lloyd's appearances are nice shout outs for movie buffs. The younger generation probably has no clue who they are (which is sad btw, cause we live in a world where the Jersey Shore losers are more famous).

The "main" cast is enjoyable as well, but I have to use air quotes, because there almost isn't a main cast. Elisabeth Shue gets first billing, but I think Jerry O'Connell and even Steven R. McQueen (who could easily play Nicholas D'Agosto's brother in something sometime) have more screentime. Adam Scott is a good actor and a gorgeous man, but when I think about the movie, he didn't have that much to do. Shame. He has a good screen presence and his role could have been more heroic. Ving Rhames is totally wasted. He's barely in the movie and I was really hoping I would see him kick lots of piranha ass. I mean, he does kick piranha ass, but they could have expanded his role. It's VING RHAMES. HE'S AWESOME SO IF YOU CAST HIM, USE HIM. You'd think it wouldn't be that hard.

I like the movie, but there is a serious lack of characterization. The only somewhat developed characters are played by McQueen, O'Connell and Kelly Brook. While I don't care for McQueen (Nick D'Agosto's name kept popping in my head every time I saw him), Jerry O. rocked his role as sleazy Wild Wild Girls director. He was great! I have mad love for that guy, he always manages to entertain. I didn't expect to like Brook's character, simply thinking she was there for the T&A, but she has a very likeable quality about her and her character was a nice girl. Jessica Szohr, who I guess we were supposed to root for(?), had nothing to work with and I didn't find her likeable at all.

Dina Meyer and Desperate Housewives' Ricardo Chavira also pop up in pointless roles. Disappointing! I know it's supposed to be a fun, cheesy, gory flick, but if you cast these people, at least give them something to work with. Eli Roth's cameo was entertaining though.

The story is good enough for what the film is supposed to be. There's not much suspense, but that's okay. The make up and special effects were very well done. The carnage was very gory; I had to look away at times. Props for the make up guys!

I wasn't too crazy about the 3D conversion. If the movie was intended as a 3D release, why shoot it in 2D and then convert it? The conversion didn't always work and it took me out the film a bit. Overall though, I have to say I would've prefered the movie to be in 2D. I think they could've done more with the 3D gimmick, but they didn't, which is a shame because it fits a film like this perfectly as it doesn't take itself seriously in the first place. Now the 3D thing feels like an after thought and I'm kinda tired of movies that are in 3D while it add nothing to the experience. Like I said, I could've worked for Piranha 3D, but they didn't make the most of it.

Now it looks like I'm being all negative, but I'm just being critical. Piranha 3D delivers: it's an entertaining flick, it doesn't take itself seriously, there are piranhas and there are boobs. Really, it's a great summer popcorn flick and you should go see it right now! A 4/5.

P.S. I keep thinking about writing something about Alexandre Aja, but I'm not sure what.

Hey, I Like You! What's Your Latest Project? #1

I'm very much an actor-focused movie watcher. Throw an actor I like in a movie and I will watch it. It also works the other way around. I'm not likely to watch a movie if I don't know (or like) any of the castmembers.

Take Julie Benz for example. I've been a fan of Miss Benz since her Buffy and Angel days. I think she's terrific. Because of her I've watched Inventing the Abbotts, As Good as It Gets (I don't think it's that great, sorry), Jawbreaker, Satan's School for Girls, Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth, Rambo and Saw V. I've also watched Julie on the following shows: Payne, Roswell, Taken (mini-series), Supernatural (she was amazing) and of course, Dexter (also amazing). If Julie is attached to a project, my interest is piqued.

In contrast, I've never been excited to hear about Brad Pitt or Christian Bale's latest projects nor will I go out of my way to watch them. They're too famous and they're in movies all the time. It's the less famous actors that I don't get to see too often that excite me.

So welcome to Did I Miss 60B's newest category 'Hey, I Like You! What's Your Latest Project?' where I'll take a look at the upcoming projects of actors that I like that aren't super duper famous.

Arlen Escarpeta and Nicholas D'Agosto
Bloody Disgusting reports that both Arlen Escarpeta (Friday the 13th) and Nicholas D'Agosto (Fired Up) have been cast in Final Destination 5. It surprised me that New Line was actually able to cast decent actors in the fifth installment of the popular franchise. Except for Krista Allen (What About Brian), I didn't know any of the actors in The Final Destination.
I've liked Arlen since I saw his guest appearance on Cold Case. I think he's a talented actor and believe me, you have to be good if you want your name to stick in my head after seeing you in one episode of a crime show. I was also hoping he wouldn't die in the Friday the 13th remake as he was one of the few likeable actors walking around. Nicholas D'Agosto impressed me with his performance in Fired Up. He could've been just another dumb jock in another dumb comedy, but that wasn't the case. I think he has Justin Long-ish potential.

Chad Donella
I like Chad Donella. Too bad most people don't know who he is. Chad was in the original Final Destination and he died horribly in the bathroom. Yes, remember him? He's a talented guy and I like seeing him pop up in movies and TV shows. I was watching Lost and I was more excited about seeing Chad for 5 seconds than about the rest of episode. Chad will return to the big screen soon, for the first time in ages, and he will probably be dying horribly again, but this time in Saw 3D.

Reviews: Centurion and Toy Story 3

Centurion is Neil Marshall (The Descent)'s latest effort and it seems the man just really likes doom and gloom. Visually, it's great. The battles are gruesome and Marshall doesn't shy away from it. Michael Fassbender (looking too 2010s for the time period), Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) and Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later) give good performances. But there just wasn't much of a story here. It's battle, battle, battle. And if you like that sort of thing, you will definitely enjoy Centurion. A 3/5.







Then there's Toy Story 3. I finally saw it! Yay! And I loved it! It was great seeing the gang again, Woody, Buzz, Rex and even the little green aliens. The movie felt a bit long, even though IMDB tells me the runtime is only 103 minutes. I could've done without the scene at the garbage dump. It felt like dramatic filler. The end made up for it though. It really was a lovely scene and yes, I cried! Well played, Pixar. A 4,5/5. PS. I want Buttercup the unicorn!

Hello, Anna, Kristen. Do you like scary movies?

USA Today reports that Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell will make cameo appearances in Scream 4. How does that even work? Could this movie have an even more random cast? Let's just dump a bunch of celebs together and see how that goes! You have a new cast that includes Adam Brody, Marley Shelton, Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere. They're all as famous as Paquin and Bell!

So does that mean one or both of the girls will be the opening victim(s)?

I'm getting tired of the Scream 4 news.

Trailer Park: Love and Other Drugs

Jake Gyllenhaal has been off my radar for a while. I tried to ignore Prince of Persia and its existence and I haven't seen any of his films since Zodiac. And the reason I even watched the Love and Other Drugs trailer was to see what all the Anne Hathaway buzz is about (I still don't know - she's good as she often is, but I didn't see anything special based on the trailer).

I see Jake is now trying to win my love back and I think it's working. He's funny and charming in the trailer, and he has great chemistry with Hathaway, who previously played his wife in Brokeback Mountain. It's just nice to see him in something that isn't a drama or a thriller or Prince of Persia. Remember when you were Bubble Boy, Jake? Because I do! I liked those days! So I'm glad you opted for something a bit lighter now.

Oh and hai, Judy Greer! I always like seeing you in movies!

Picspam: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

It's no secret that I love The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake. It's a visually stunning film. Really, my heart fills with joy just thinking about how beautiful it is, especially the beginning of the film. And how the blue blue sky gets darker once the shit hits the fan. It was instant love!

The cast is great too. You have the always solid Jonathan Tucker, the reliable Eric Balfour and Jessica Biel in a surprisingly strong role and yet it was newcomer Mike Vogel who really grabbed my attention with his heartbreaking performance. Typing this just makes me want to put the dvd in the player and watch it all over again.

In the meantime, here are a few screencaps from the first few minutes of the film.

Review: She's Out of My League

Forgettable. Really, I can't think of a thing that stands out. Sure, it's enjoyable, so from an entertainment point-of-view, I guess it delivers. But it's unmemorable, it won't end up in my dvd collection and am unlikely to ever watch it again.

Woah. I sound harsh. I just really feel the film has little to offer.

Jay Baruchel is an endearing leading man and he bravely tries to carry the film. Problem I kinda had with the movie: Jay Baruchel is not a 5. Come on, he's an attractive man. Just let him walk upright like the rest of humanity. I can totally understand why Molly (Alice Eve) would like him.

Alice Eve does fine with what she has to work with, which is little btw. But she works her charm. I found Krysten Ritter more effective in the bitchy best friend role. Mike Vogel is completely wasted here. He's a good actor (see: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), but he barely has anything to do here. T.J. Miller was the film's MVP in my opinion. I loved him in Cloverfield and on Carpoolers. The dude is funny and I enjoyed his role the most. Lindsay Sloane was annoying so I guess she played her part well.

It's worth a look if you like the cast. Otherwise, just skip it. A 2,5/5.

Review: [Rec] 2

I liked [Rec], but I felt I had seen it all before. It was just another infection film to me. And while a good film, I didn't think it deserved all the praise it been getting. Then [Rec] 2 came and if I compare the films, [Rec] suddenly becomes a friggin' masterpiece.

Beware of spoilers.

The sequel starts where we left off, with a shot of Angela being dragged away. Then we move to what, a SWAT team? I don't remember, it's been a week since I saw it. They accompany a priest into the building. He needs to collect blood for an antidote. It's a whole frustrating process. Just scrape it off the wall or something!

There's a whole religious angle where the infected turn out to be possessed. Uhuh.. right. I bet that if you exorcise the hell out of them, they'll be perfectly fine. I really did not care for this at all.

Then there's the camera work. In the original, we see everything from Angela's cameraman's point of view. That's scary, cause we can't see what else is going on. Here, the SWAT team members have their own cameras on their helmets and we actually cut to their different cameras. I think this annoyed me more than the religious stuff. It just completely disregards the style of the first film. Why not shoot it as a regular film then?

And then there's the most infuriating part of the film: the teens. Yes, about halfway through, we move to three teens with their own camera who end up in the building as well. Smart move, assholes. In the end, they serve no purpose at all. It's just filler. Blah.

Why does everything have to have a sequel these days? Can't we just have a good film and that's it? The end? A 2/5.

Review: Trick 'r Treat

I finally saw Trick 'r Treat! The movie that was pushed back by Warner Bros., then shelved, before ending up as a direct-to-dvd release. I never understood why though as the trailer looked promising and there was good word of mouth.

I guess people took offense to the kid killing that happens in the film, but this movie definitely isn't worse than any random Saw sequel. I thought the movie was quite tame, even if it was mean spirited.

Trick 'r Treat is an anthology; there are different stories that take place on the same Halloween night. Characters do crossover into the different stories.

The film starts off very strong with Leslie Bibb and Tahmoh Penikett (Dollhouse) as a couple, with Bibb being the Halloween hater of the two. Lesson learned: don't be a Halloween hater. I was impressed director Michael Doughtery managed to create quite a lot of suspense in such a short amount of time. This segment is maybe 5+ minutes long (or short).

Next we have Dylan Baker as the town's principal, who also happens to be a crazed killer. This segment is particularly mean spirited, yet Baker pulls it off with a certain light-heartedness. IMHO, it's the best segment of the bunch as it's a realistic horror we're dealing with here: there could really be some crazy person putting poison or razorblades into your candy.

Then there's Anna Paquin and friends who are out and about in sexy costumes looking for a good time. This is my least favorite story. Without spoiling anything, I wasn't particularly fond of the way the story played out. I prefer realistic horror over the supernatural.

Then there was The School Bus Massacre. I do dig urban legends and this segment was well executed. However, to me, the end of the story felt so out of place. I think the first two stories set up a Trick 'r Treat world where we're dealing with realistic horrors so I found it disappointing when Paquin's story and the School Bus Massacre took a different route. If the order of the stories was changed, I might not have felt the same way.

The last story features Brian Cox as another Halloween hater, who gets a visit from Sam, a tiny trick-or-treater in orange pjs and a sack over his head. It's a freaky segment and Cox definitely learned his Halloween lesson.

Visually, the film looks amazing. Doughtery really captured the Halloween atmosphere. And overall, it was quite enjoyable while watching it. Though when the credits rolled, boyfriend and I just sat there in silence for a minute, unsure what to think. I don't know what it is, I guess the film doesn't work as a whole for me. But I'm not saying it's a bad movie. A 3/5.

I Can't Decide If I Like Shutter Island

Oh Shutter Island! I watched you yesterday and I still can't decide what to think of you. I can appreciate your visuals and botchy editing, yes both were very effective. I can appreciate the cast you ensembled, well, except for Leo DiCaprio (I'm just not fond of this guy and he feels out of place here). I can appreciate what you're trying to accomplish. It's just not working for me.

I didn't find DiCaprio's character all that interesting and didn't care much for his backstory, which, by the way, was a bit too much with nazi-Germany and the death of his wife. I was annoyed with Mark Ruffalo, a great actor who was completely wasted here. He basically does nothing the entire movie. And with the exception of Sir Ben Kingsley, the rest of the cast is wasted too. Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Jackie Earle Haley, Ted Levine, and John Carroll Lynch are barely in the film at all. Levine and Clarkson in particular feel pointless. Too much time is spent working towards the 'twist' and by the time we get there, we get a 5-minute explanation. The end. That's it. Yes, I'm aware of DiCaprio and Ruffalo's little conversation at the end, but it was too little too late. I was already checking my watch for the gazillionth time and telling boyfriend they should wrap things up already.

I really wanted to like this. And a part of me does like it, but there's another part that says this isn't a good movie. The thing is, I watched Pandorum (starring Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid) the night before and I really can't decide which is the better movie. At least that movie wasn't trying so hard.

Poster: more Piranha 3D

Oh noes! What happened here? I LOVED the French Piranha 3D poster, it was teaser-y and Grindhouse-y and I liked the font! And the tagline was better!

Via IMP Awards comes the US poster and it's just too much, you know? Besides the piranha overkill here, I just absolutely detest the title font. I can't explain it, but I feel rage just looking at it.

I don't like the tagline at all. I mean, the French poster said 'Sea, Sex and... Blood' and while that isn't the most original tagline in the world, it does sum up what Piranha 3D is supposed to be: a fun, cheesy B-movie. The above poster's tagline is just trying to cash in on the 3D trend. AND WE ALREADY KNOW IT'S IN 3D, IT'S IN THE DAMN TITLE!

And the poster is too glossy. If I was on Twitter, I would add a #fail.

This poster does give us a look at the cast billing. No one's billed above the title. Good. Then we get respectively Elisabeth Shue, Adam Scott, Jerry O'Connell, Ving Rhames, Jessica Szohr, Steven R. McQueen with Christopher Lloyd and Richard Dreyfuss. Sounds good to me.

I want this poster #4

(via Empire Online)

Another day, another cool poster! Here's the newest poster for Scott Pilgrim vs the World and this one actually features Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead)! About time, I think! :)

I like this one much better than the teaser, featuring only Cera. I like the inclusion of Ramona and her seven evil exes. Especially, Chris Evans, he just makes me laugh.

Scott Pilgrim vs the World is set for an August 13 release and stars Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Mae Whitman, Brandon Routh, Kieran Culkin and Jason Schwartzman.

Poster: Piranha 3D

(via IMP Awards)

Here's the French poster of Alexandre Aja (Haute Tension, The Hills Have Eyes)'s Piranha 3D! I quite like it. It's Grindhouse-y and Jaws-y. The poster is perfect for a film that is supposed to be a fun, cheesy B-movie.

Only.. if this is the French poster, then why is the tagline in English?

Piranha 3D is set for an August 20 release in the US and stars Elisabeth Shue, Adam Scott, Ving Rhames, Jessica Szohr, Richard Dreyfuss, Christopher Lloyd, and Jerry O'Connell.

Scream 4, just stop it!

Scream 4, I'm this close to breaking up with you, because things are getting ridiculous. Zap2it is reporting that Ehren Kruger is rewriting the film. Let that name sink in. Ehren Kruger. EHREN KRUGER. The man responsible for gems such as Reindeer Games, The Ring Two (hate this one with PASSION), The Skeleton Key, Blood & Chocolate and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (I agree with Megan Fox, who said: "I'm in the movie and I read the script and I watched the movie and I still didn't know what was happening"). How this man is still working in Hollywood, I don't know!

He also wrote Scream 3, my least favorite of the original trilogy. Apparently, Kevin Williamson is out and Kruger has been hired to work his magic. Well, this explains all the script changes and Lauren Graham's exit.

Even Hayden Panettiere is not pleased with all the changes, reports Zap2it. And Hayden's been in a lot of stuff that wasn't.. good. Be worried!

In other news, Mary McDonnell (Donnie Darko) and Community's Alison Brie have joined the ever changing cast.

Hello, Spider-Man

It's official: Andrew Garfield (Lions for Lambs, Boy A) is our new friendly neighborhood Spider-Man! Congrats, Andrew! /Film has all the details up about his casting so I won't get into it here.

Garfield beat out, among others, Anton Yelchin, Jamie Bell, Josh Hutcherson and Kick-Ass star Aaron Johnson.

While I think Garfield is talented and I'm happy his talent got noticed, I'm a bit unsure about his casting. Isn't the reboot supposed to focus on Peter Parker's high school years? Garfield, at age 26, was the oldest actor of the bunch competing for role. How believable will he be as a high school student?

Then there's his looks. Personally, I find him too attractive to be nerdy Peter Parker.

And third, Garfield is an acclaimed and serious young actor. The guy won a BAFTA in 2008 for his role in Boy A! Why go the superhero route when you have a promising career? I'm afraid the Spider-Man reboot will do more damage than good. I think they're rebooting the franchise way too soon.

Poster: Easy A

(via IMP Awards)

Here we have the Australian poster for the comedy Easy A, starring the lovely Emma Stone. I like it. It's an attention grabbing and fun poster. Emma is a cute girl and I really enjoyed her in Zombieland.

The problem I have with this poster is the above the title billing of Emma Stone. I know she plays the lead, but it just looks off to me. Will people really go see this film because it's an Emma Stone movie? I think this poster would've worked fine without her name above the title. Like this Knocked Up poster featuring Seth Rogen, but without his name on it.

Closer inspection of the Easy A poster tells me other talented people are in this too: Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley, Thomas Haden Church, Stanley Tucci. And a visit to IMDB tells me Dan Byrd is in it as well (love him!). I'm kinda hoping the US poster will take a different approach. I think a fun image of Emma as social outcast with the other youngster looking on could work. Keep the tagline and what's on the note, and put several names at the top of the poster, including Bynes (has teen and 20-something fans), Badgley (Gossip Girl fans) and Church and Tucci (both Academy Award nominees, could be appealing to an older and/or different audience). I think it would sell the movie better than just focusing on Stone.

Scream 4, what's going on?!

I'm a big Scream fan. I was obsessed with it when it was released here in The Netherlands in 1997 and rewatched it over and over on VHS. I can pretty much recite the entire opening sequence and believe it or not, that's what I do when I feel a panic attack coming on in the subway (it's called task concentration and redirects attention away from yourself - see, being a psychologist comes in handy sometimes). I didn't consider myself a teenager, but a Screamager. Along with Buffy the Vampire Slayer (show, not movie), this movie shaped the person who I am today. It's the film that got me interested in screenwriting and just movies in general. It's the reason this blog exists! The opening is genuinely scary and the rest of the script is solid. The cast is fun and fresh (hello, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan and Jamie Kennedy!). It's a really good movie that lost a lot of love over the years. For some reason (the teen horror craze that followed it, that made people tired of WB horror?), people love bashing Scream.

I always defend Scream, except for part 3 of course (screw you, Ehren Kruger!), but even I'm getting concerned about Scream 4 here. Kevin Williamson has been writing the fourth installment for ages. I mean, seriously, excluding Vampire Diaries, that's all he tweets about. I worship at the shrine of Williamson, but something is going on.

Let's see:
- Scream 4 is already in production, yet the script keeps changing
- Lake Bell tweeted she dropped out due to scheduling conflicts
- Over a week ago, Gilmore Girl Lauren Graham announced she had joined the cast and this morning I woke up to the news that she dropped out as well

Also, I'm not a big fan of the cast they have ensembled. Adam Brody and Marley Shelton (replacing Lake) have now joined Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin, Anthony Anderson and the original castmembers Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette. It all seems very glossy for a movie that's supposed to go back to Woodsboro. Sure neither Scream 2 or 3 lacked in the familiar faces department (Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jerry O'Connell, Scott Foley, Jenny McCarthy, Parker Posey), but they didn't stick out like a sore thumb. They blended in with new talent like Timothy Olyphant and Emily Mortimer (okay, I don't like Emily Mortimer, but that's beside the point). Round the cast out with unfamiliar faces, please! The addition of Brody and Shelton (I love Marley!) is just too much. It's starting to look like Scary Movie 5!

I'm trying to have faith here in Scream 4, Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven, but all this news is not making the project look good. To be continued, I guess.

Lemon Drop trailer starring Ali Larter

I so love Ali Larter. And I have loved her since 2000's Final Destination. She's talented, beautiful, intelligent and charismatic. She walks the red carpet with style and devotes her time to various charities. Cosmopolitan even named her the Fun Fearless Female of 2009. Why this girl isn't a bigger star is beyond me, but secretly, I kinda like that she's not overexposed.

Ali recently shot a short film for Absolut Vodka called Lemon Drop. Check out the trailer below! It looks grindhouse-y and all sorts of awesome! The short will release online at the official website LemonDrop-Movie.com later this summer.

Could Timothy Olyphant Escape From New York?

All over the web there's talk about the possibility that Timothy Olyphant could be the new Snake Plissken in The Escapre From New York remake. I'm actually liking this idea.

Kurt Russell starred in John Carpenter's original in 1981 and to tell you the truth, I've never seen it. So I'm a pretty poor judge if Olyphant would make a good Plissken. What I do know is that Plissken is pretty badass and so is Olyphant. I've been following his career for about 12 years, ever since he crazied up Scream 2. Olyphant has come along way since then. He's grown as an actor and he actually has a decent career for someone who got his break with a supporting role in a hit horror during Young Hollywood's teen craze. When Scream 2 was released late 1997, Neve Campbell, Jerry O'Connell and Sarah Michelle Gellar were the big names among the cast. Where are they now? Olyphant's longevity in this business is pretty impressive.

The charismatic actor has worked steadily for years, in big and small productions. He was excellent as a drug dealer in Doug Liman's Go and effectively carried the male lead in the gay romantic comedy The Broken Hearts Club. Olyphant was one of the detectives in Gone in 60 Seconds opposite Nicolas Cage, rocked with Mark Wahlberg in Rock Star, and was part of the ensemble in Stephen King's Dreamcatcher. 2004 was a good year for Olyphant: The Girl Next Door was released and his HBO show Deadwood premiered. Whenever I browse around the interwebs and read about Timmy, people generally seem to think fondly of both projects and his performances.

Like I said, Olyphant has worked steadily for years. But in 2006 came the game changer. He was cast as the main bad guy in Live Free or Die Hard. Yes, Timmy Olyphant versus Bruce Willis in the new Die Hard movie. I squeed, but was also surprised. While he has a solid rep, I was surprised they picked him for such a huge project. Live Free or Die Hard was a blockbuster hit in 2007 and his next big project followed only a few months later: Hitman. It was Olyphant's first starring role in a studio film. While the film didn't do as well as hoped, it didn't taint his career. He had leads in A Perfect Getaway and The Crazies and continues to work in television as well, currently playing the lead in Justified.

Olyphant is versatile. He does a lot of different projects, showing his unwillingness to be typecast. While I generally consider him to be badass, there's more to him than just that. I think that's what makes him appealing to a large audience. Guys think he's a cool dude. Boyfriend finds him likeable despite the fact that I sit next to him squealing like a fangirl whenever he's onscreen. Women (= well, at least me) find him charismatic and handsome. And to top it off, he's a good actor!

So I don't know if Olyphant would make a good Snake Plissken. I do know I've never disliked him in anything I've ever seen him in and he's a capable actor. He's appealing and has a pretty decent track record. Breck Eisner, who's responsible for the Escape From New York remake, directed Olyphant in The Crazies and recently told Movie Web that he thinks Tim "would be great for it. We have not yet discussed internally within the studio who will play Snake Plissken. There are many factors that go into those discussions. First and foremost, obviously, is the creative one. We can't make the movie unless we get the perfect Snake Plissken, and that's a tall order. There are very few guys that could do it. He would definitely be one of the guys who could. There is no question about that."

If the remake will star Olyphant, I will be watching it. Be smart, studio, who else could pull it off?

Being Scott Pilgrim'd

I really can't wait for Scott Pilgrim vs the World! Why is it taking so damn long?! Release the movie already, Universal! To amuse myself, I created my own Scott Pilgrim avatar. Yes, I always look that annoyed. Create your own Scott Pilgrim avatar right here!

Fave Movie Moments... Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle

I love it when characters sing in movies so it should be no surprise that one of my favorite moments in Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle is the moment below:


That's Wilson Philips' Hold On. :)

To Infinity and the Top of the Box Office!

Toy Story 3 topped the box office this weekend, grossing an estimated $109. That's an opening record for Pixar! We have to keep the 3D factor in mind though. Higher ticket prices for 3D give movies a (deceiving) boost at the box office. I wonder what the gross is adjusted for the 3D ticket price and how it holds up against Pixar's other flicks.

I haven't seen Toy Story 3 yet. *cries*

You know that Fright Night remake..

.. is actually starting to sound pretty good to me. The project has been flying under my radar (I didn't even own any HSX stocks!), but recent casting announcements have tickled my interest.

Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Hearts in Atlantis) plays the lead, Charley Brewster, who believes his neighbor (Colin Farrell!) is a vampire. In the original, he goes to classic horror actor turned tv show host Peter Vincent (played by Roddy McDowall) for help. Dr. Who's David Tennant is set to play the Vincent role, though the character's been changed a bit. Not necessarily a bad thing, but who knows. Toni Collette is Charley's mother, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad, Kick-Ass) is his best friend Evil Ed and Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later) has just been cast as his love interest.

The movie will be directed by Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl), and was written by Buffy vet Marti Noxon.

I'm a big Buffy fan so I have faith in Noxon, and I quite adored Lars and the Real Girl. Honestly, this project could've done a lot worse. I mean, who would take on a Fright Night remake? I saw the original a long time ago and while I don't have a clear memory of it, I do look back at it fondly. Is a remake necessary? Of course not. But with the right people behind and in front of the camera, it could be a fun flick.

Picspam: Megan Fox in Jonah Hex trailer

I want this poster #3

I'm looking forward to Scott Pilgrim vs the World and I'm sorta digging the posters of the 7 evil exes of the beautiful Ramona Flowers (aka Mary Elizabeth Winstead). I like character posters and I like the style used here. My favorite of the bunch is the one of Chris Evans as Evil Ex #2. I don't really have an explantion for it other than it's Chris Evans and he looks pretty cool. This is a poster I'd like to have.

Then there's Mae Whitman as Evil Ex #4, Roxy Richter. Now Mae is a very very pretty girl and this poster does not do her justice at all. I have no idea how Roxy is supposed to look (and I'm too lazy to Google), but I hope she doesn't look like this the entire film.


Poster credit: joblo.com

Inception, eh?

I have no clue what Inception is about and until I saw these posters I did not care. Let's say my interest is growing.

Review: Eden Lake

Eden Lake is quite an impressive little horror film. For starters, the movie is beautifully shot. Daytime is brighter than bright, reminiscent of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Hills Have Eyes remakes. I quite enjoy looking at pretty pictures and Eden Lake, is at times, a very pretty picture. Of course, when shit starts hitting the fan, it's a whole different story.

Boyfriend and I were completely horrified while watching the film. Why? Because this could actually happen in real life (see also: The Strangers). Freddy, Michael and Jason are not that scary, because they are 'fantasy monsters' (non-human and keep coming back to life). Who hasn't encountered annoying little shits who think they're so cool and that they're allowed to do anything they want? Seriously, some people should not be allowed to have children.

*BEWARE OF SPOILERS* As we see towards the end of the film, some people REALLY should not be allowed to have children. I quite liked the ending and don't mind the Last House on the Left-ness of it all with the parents taking 'revenge' on poor Jenny. Of course, I would have rather seen Jenny survive, but I think the end works looking at the way it's been set it up. Brett, the leader of kids, has an abusive dad and acts out (or doesn't know better) towards others. At the end, we see the dad peer pressure another dad into killing Jenny, similar to the way Brett peer pressured his friends into stabbing Steve. It's an effed up world we live in. */SPOILERS*

Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds) and Kelly Reilly give strong performances, as well as the kid who plays Brett. The script does not always make sense, but overall it's not too annoying. The writer/director, James Watkins, was also responsible for the scripts of My Little Eye and Gone, so he has a pretty good track record in my book. He's one to watch. Eden Lake, a 4/5.

A New Hollywood?

A New Decade. A New Hollywood. That's what the new issue of Vanity Fair says. It's kinda making me sad. I mean, seriously, Abbie Cornish? Why, VF, why? Kristen Stewart is talented, but has been around since 2002's Panic Room. She feels out of place surrounded by the ethereal beauties. Of course, K-Stew alone sells more copies than the other girls combined thanks to Twilight.

Carey Mulligan has some serious buzz surrounding her, but I haven't seen her in anything so I can't really say much about her. Lovely Amanda Seyfried has been working steadily since 2004's Mean Girls, but it's Mamma Mia that introduced her to a broader audience. She has serious leading lady potential and with Dear John around the corner, I'm not surprised she's on the cover.

Rebecca Hall. I haven't seen Vicky Christina Barcelona yet. I'm sure she's wonderful, but I haven't witnessed it yet. Mia Wasikowska has Alice in Wonderland coming up that will shove her into the spotlights. Nice call on that one, VF.

Emma Stone is doing well for herself. I haven't seen her in anything, but she doesn't make me want to stab myself when I read about her (*coughcornishcough*, so points for that. Evan Rachel Wood has been a force to be reckoned with for a decade. She was also on the cover of VF's 2003 Young Hollywood issue. Interesting choice to include her for 'A New Hollywood.' Anna Kendrick looks very pretty and I'm sure is very talented. I haven't seen her in anything.

If we're really going for the 'A New Hollywood' angle, then I get Mulligan, Hall, Wasikowska and Kendrick. They got the critical praise working for them. I can even get Stone and Seyfried, who are more mainstream, but have potential. Stewart and Wood have been around too long to be fresh faces despite their young ages. Cornish, I just don't understand at all. VF should've replaced her with Saoirse Ronan.

Oh how I miss the early 00's. Penelope, Wes, Mena, Marley, Chris, Selma, Paul, Jordana and for some reason, Sarah Wynter. Followed by the tween craze of 2003, starring Amanda, the Olsens, Mandy, Hilary, Alexis, EVAN, Raven and Lindsay.