"Final Destination 2" Travels to Grand Guignol

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 13 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux


Final Destination 2 (2003)
Running time: 90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violent/gruesome accidents, language, drug content and some nudity
DIRECTOR: David R. Ellis
WRITERS: J. Mackye Gruber and Eric Bress; from a story by Jeffrey Reddick, J. Mackye Gruber, and Eric Bress (based on characters created by Jeffrey Reddick)
PRODUCERS: Craig Perry and Warren Zide
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Gary Capo (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Eric Sears
COMPOSER: Shirley Walker

HORROR/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: Kimberly Corman, Ali Larter, Michael Landes, David Paetkau, James Kirk, Lynda Boyd, Keegan Connor Tracy, Terrence T.C. Carson, Justina Machado, and Tony Todd

When we left the movie Final Destination a few years ago, seven people had miraculously been thrown off a plane that would explode within minutes of takeoff – the Explosion of Flight 180. Unfortunately, those passengers were meant to die on that plane, so Death stalked them and knocked them off one by one in a series of bizarre accidents. By the end of the film, only two of the miracle seven survived.

Final Destination 2 and enter another set of fresh face teens leaving for fun in the sun when one of them has a premonition of a fantastic and horrific traffic accident that takes many lives – the Pile-up on Route 23. Kimberly Corman (A.J. Cook) manages to save some of those lives, but she, like her male predecessor from the first film, has fooled with Death’s intricate design, and he comes stumping for her and the rest of the supposed-to-be-dead crew.

Final Destination 2 is simply a fabulously entertaining film. At once trashy and cheesy, it is also very well composed and a sheer joy to watch. During the first ten minutes or so, I had mixed feeling. The film didn’t seem like it would amount to much; then, it just exploded with unbridled mayhem and becomes this delirious display of gruesome accidents. In fact, the sequel is far bloodier and gorier than the original, but it has a peculiar sense of humor like that of a leering ax-wielding murderer. The filmmakers don’t seem to take the film seriously, but they were certainly quite serious in the making of it.

Director David R. Ellis was a long time stunt coordinator and second unit director, so that meant he handled many action sequences, and it shows here. The movie’s opening car wreck easily rivals the execution and has the thrill of the famous train wreck in The Fugitive. I don’t know if Ellis is a diamond in the rough that no one in Hollywood noticed before the last few years, but he has the touch of top director. He builds a level of suspense and a sense of dread that’s nonstop, and he can surprise you when you didn’t think there was anything left in the film to discover.

For those who like or liked Scream, Final Destination 2 is in that vein, but more tongue in cheek, more gruesome, and more darkly comic. Its inspired wackiness makes for a film that is as good or better than the original. Horror movie sequels almost never surpass or even match their originals, in box office or quality; I don’t know about the former, but 2 soars in quality. In fact, it stands alone quite well; the sign of well thought out filmmaking. Think of the gore of 80’s slasher films, the non-stop mayhem of most action movies, and the cynicism of late 90’s horror and suspense thrillers and you have Final Destination 2.

7 of 10
B+

"Paul" on DVD and Blu-ray August 9th

PAUL arrives on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Download on August 9, 2011.

BUCKLE UP FOR A HILARIOUS ROAD TRIP FROM THE DIRECTOR OF SUPERBAD & THE STARS AND CREATORS OF HOT FUZZ AND SHAUN OF THE DEAD - PAUL

OWN THE OUTRAGOUS UNRATED VERSION NOT SHOWN IN THEATERS ON BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK, DVD & DIGITAL DOWNLOAD AUGUST 9, 2011

“Irreverent and hilarious!” – Sean P. Means, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
“Seth Rogen is perfect as Paul.” – Ray Bennett, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Universal City, California, June 7, 2011— One tiny alien makes for big, big trouble in the comedy adventure Paul, coming to Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD August 9, 2011, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Both versions will feature the theatrical movie, as well as an unrated version of the film, not shown in theaters. The film and its unrated version will also be available day and date for digital download and video on demand.

Paul reunites Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) as two sci-fi geeks on a pilgrimage to America’s UFO heartland, where they accidentally encounter an alien who sends them on an insane road trip that alters their universe forever. Written by Pegg and Frost, Paul boasts a star-studded cast that features Seth Rogen (The Green Hornet, Knocked Up) as the voice of Paul, Sigourney Weaver (Avatar), Jason Bateman (Hancock), Kristen Wiig (Date Night, Knocked Up), Jane Lynch (“Glee”), Bill Hader (Pineapple Express), Joe Lo Truglio (Role Models), Jeffrey Tambor (“Arrested Development”) and Blythe Danner (Little Fockers). Directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad), Paul comes loaded with in-depth, behind-the-scenes features, bloopers, filmmaker and cast commentary and more, to take viewers on a comical journey behind the making of this critically hailed film.

The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack will include a Blu-ray and DVD copy of the unrated and theatrical versions of the film. Additionally, for a limited time only, the Combo Pack also includes a digital copy of the unrated film that can be viewed anytime, anywhere on an array of digital devices. Blu-ray ™ consumers can also access MY MOVIES™, an exclusive feature that allows consumers to stream a bonus movie instantly to their television through any Internet-connected Blu-ray ™ player via BD-Live™ or to their Smartphone and iPad™ using the free pocket BLU™ app. The bonus movie offer will be available for a limited time only. Visit http://www.universalhidef.com/ for more details.

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK:
· Between the Lightning Strikes: The Making of Paul
· Behind the Scenes Featurettes:
o RV Doorway: The Cast of Paul On-Location — The cast is just as funny off-screen as they are in front of the camera.
o Runway Santa Fe: An Interview with Nancy Steiner — Follow Nancy Steiner, the costume designer, as she chooses hilarious T-shirts and wardrobe for the cast.
o Smithereens — Blowing up a house on location causes excitement among the cast.
o 5th Date Level Direction: The Cast on Greg Mottola — The cast talks about the fun of working with Mottola, who also directed Superbad.
o Mexico Zero: The Locations of Paul—Mexico Zero is the nickname the cast gives to New Mexico, where the majority of filming was done for Paul.
o The Many Pauls — To create Paul, the filmmakers used all the tricks of the trade, from capturing Seth Rogen’s facial expressions and movements, to using a child dressed up as an alien while on-set.
o Paul: The Musical — The cast joins together for an impromptu musical version of the film.
o The Traveler Beagle — A look at all the different RVs used on the set of Paul, from fully functioning vehicles to a mock-up on a Hollywood soundstage.

· BD-LIVE™: Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to watch the latest trailers and more.

· pocket BLU™: The groundbreaking pocket BLU™ app uses iPhone®, iPod® touch, Android™, PC and Macintosh to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray™ player. Also available on the iPad®, owners can enjoy a new, enhanced edition of pocket BLU™ made especially to take advantage of the tablet's larger screen and high resolution display. Consumers will be able to browse through a library of Blu-ray™ content and watch entertaining extras on-the-go in a way that's bigger and better than ever before. pocket BLU™ offers advanced features such as:
o Advanced Remote Control — A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.
o Video Timeline — Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the film.
o Mobile-To-Go — Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there is a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
o Browse Titles — Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU™-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.
o Keyboard — Entering data is fast and easy with your device’s intuitive keyboard.

BONUS FEATURES ON BLU-RAY™ AND DVD:
· Bloopers
· The Evolution of Paul — An inside look at how Paul became a living, breathing alien.
· Simon’s Silly Faces — Simon Pegg makes an assortment of wildly funny faces for the camera.
· Who the Hell is Adam Shadowchild? — Find out about the legendary sci-fi writer from the characters in Paul.
· Feature Commentary with Greg Mottola, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Bill Hader and Nira Park
· Photo Galleries, Storyboards and Posters

SYNOPSIS
For the past 60 years, an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) has been hanging out at a top-secret military base. For reasons unknown, the space-traveling smartass decides to escape the compound and hop on the first vehicle out of town—a rented RV containing Earthlings Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost). Chased by federal agents and the fanatical father of a young woman they accidentally kidnap, Graeme and Clive hatch a fumbling escape plan to return Paul to his mother ship. As two nerds struggle to help, one little green man might just take his fellow outcasts from misfits to intergalactic heroes.

http://www.whatispaul.com/

CAST AND FILMMAKERS
Directed By: Greg Mottola
Written By: Simon Pegg & Nick Frost
Produced By: Nira Park, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Executive Producers: Liza Chasin, Debra Hayward, Natascha Wharton, Robert Graf
Director of Photography: Lawrence Sher
Production Designer: Jefferson Sage
Editor: Chris Dickens, ACE
Costume Designer: Nancy Steiner
Music By: David Arnold

Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, Joe Lo Truglio, John Carroll Lynch, Jane Lynch, David Koechner, Jesse Plemons with Sigourney Weaver and Seth Rogen

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF
Street Date: August 9, 2011
Copyright: 2011
Selection Number: 61118963
Running Time: 1Hour 44 Min
Layers: BD-50
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 2.35:1
Rating: R for language including sexual references and some drug use
Technical Info: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Spanish and French DTS Surround 5.1, DVS, English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles

DVD
Street Date: August 9, 2011
Copyright: 2011
Selection Number: 61111728
Running Time: 1Hour 44 Min
Layers: Dual Layer
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Rating: R for language including sexual references and some drug use
Technical Info: Dolby Digital English 5.1, Spanish 5.1, French 5.1, DVS, English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles

NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.

"The Adjustment Bureau" Has Slightly Christian Take on Philip K. Dick

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 67 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux


The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for brief strong language, some sexuality and a violent image
DIRECTOR: George Nolfi
WRITER: George Nolfi (based upon the short story, “Adjustment Team” by Philip K. Dick)
PRODUCERS: Bill Carraro, Michael Hackett, Chris Moore, and George Nolfi
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Toll
EDITOR: Jay Rabinowitz
COMPOSER: Thomas Newman

FANTASY/SCI-FI/DRAMA/ROMANCE/THRILLER

Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, Terrence Stamp, Michael Kelly, and Anthony Ruivivar

The Adjustment Bureau is a 2011 fantasy drama and romantic thriller starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. The film is based upon “Adjustment Team,” a short story by Philip K. Dick first published in 1954 (in Orbit Science Fiction magazine). The film tells the story of a romance between a politician and a ballerina imperiled by a group of men determined to keep them apart.

David Norris (Matt Damon) is a rising political star who hits a bump on his road to glory, but this disappointment causes him to meet, Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt), a contemporary ballet dancer. Entranced by her, David is sure that he and Elise were meant to be together. It is then that he meets a group of mysterious men in hats conspiring to keep them apart.

The men work for The Adjustment Bureau, and these agents of Fate want David to quit Elise and accept a predetermined path they have set for him. They are going to do everything in their considerable powers to stop David and Elise from being together. But David is willing to risk everything to be with Elise, and an unusual member of The Adjustment Bureau named Harry Mitchell (Anthony Mackie) may be the only one who can help David determine his own fate.

The Adjustment Bureau has some interesting ideas, being part metaphysical science fiction with religious themes throughout. Philip K. Dick’s original story was a parable about how defenseless and helpless man is when he goes up against the “Grand Design” or fate. The Adjustment Bureau takes that idea and gives it a somewhat Christian spin and pits that age-old battle of man’s free will against the grand design of God, called “The Chairman” in this movie.

For all its philosophical ambitions, The Adjustment Bureau is a film that seems to be going through the motions for much of the movie. The film doesn’t spring to life until the last half hour when the central conflict stops being philosophical and theoretical and becomes actual conflict. In fact, it is that last half hour that takes this film from average to good.

The Adjustment Bureau has a talented cast. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt not only deliver solid performances, but they also actually have good chemistry and are a convincing screen couple. Anthony Mackie gives a layered, thoughtful performance as Harry Mitchell; whenever he is onscreen, The Adjustment Bureau is at its best.

6 of 10
B

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Spielberg Tries Visionary Take on Philip K. Dick's "Minority Report"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Minority Report (2002)
Running time: 145 minutes (2 hours, 25 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence, brief language, some sexuality and drug content
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
WRITERS: Scott Frank and Jon Cohen (based upon a short story by Philip K. Dick)
PRODUCERS: Jan De Bont, Bonnie Curtis, Gerald R. Molen, and Walter F. Parkes
CINEMAPHOTOGRAPHER: Janusz Kaminski
EDITOR: Michael Kahn
COMPOSER: John Williams
Academy Award nominee

SCI-FI/ACTION/MYSTERY/THRILLER with elements of drama

Starring: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Max von Sydow, Lois Smith, Peter Stormare, Tim Blake Nelson, and Anna Marie Horsford

When I saw director Steven Spielberg’s film, Minority Report, I realized that I was seeing a work by the man who directed Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Raiders of the Lost Ark when he was younger. This film is fun, inventive, and quite exciting, just like the aforementioned. This isn’t the work of the oh-so-serious director of such allegedly adult fare as Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan, important films by a grown up director. In fact, Minority Report maintains it exuberance, unlike the fantastic A.I. Artificial Intelligence, which loses steam at the end.

In the year 2050, a Pre-Crime Unit arrests people for murders they will commit, but haven’t yet done so. “Precogs,” humans with the ability to see into the future predict the crime and through a series of high tech machines show it to officers in the Pre-Crime Unit. The officers sweep in and arrest the would-be murderer before he murders. One day, the precogs see a murder committed by the unit’s best officer, John Anderton (Tom Cruise). Determined to prove his innocence, John has to avoid the clutches of his comrades in arms and an ambitious federal agent (Colin Farrell) who are determined to bring him in before he murders his intended victim, a man Anderton doesn’t even know exists.

Visually, Minority Report gives you an eyeful of gadgets and future tech, and a view of a future world. At times, it’s a bit jumbled; some of the ideas about the future seem dead on – rampant, out of control, targeted advertising and public monitoring of civilians; other ideas seem a bit much – the highway system for one. However, when Spielberg puts it all together it makes for a delightful futuristic gumbo of action, thriller, and crime drama.

The script is very good. It’s an engaging story, one of those professional jobs that tie everything together because most of the major film players are related by their fictional pasts. It makes for a good murder mystery, and the execution keeps the mind humming. Although the visuals are sometimes over the top, the story is quite subtle in delivering its philosophical and social viewpoints. It’s smart eye candy.

Watching this film, I get the idea that Spielberg is absorbing some of famed director Stanley Kubrick’s style. The film occasionally has Kubrick’s cool intellectual detachment, which Spielberg showed in A.I., but Spielberg remains true to himself. He knows how to manipulate an audience. He can still control your emotions and keep the heart pumping and the mind attentive. That’s good because it means he still has the magician’s touch he’ll need for the next Indy movie.

I certainly enjoyed Minority Report. It’s an excellent science fiction film, the kind that relates not only to a probably future, but also to how humans might live in that future. And like the best sci-fi, this film makes a subtle connection to our present lives. This is good work, the most thoughtful SF since The Matrix.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2003 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Sound Editing” (Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom)

2003 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects” (Scott Farrar, Michael Lantieri, Nathan McGuinness, and Henry LaBounta)

-------------------

"Mars Needs Moms" Arrives on DVD August 9th

MARS NEEDS MOMS: This Fall, families will not want to miss the chance to own MARS NEEDS MOMS, the story of a young boy‘s intergalactic adventure to find his Martian-nabbed mother as it arrives into living rooms across the country in a Blu-ray™ Combo Pack with 3D, DVD, Movie Download and On-Demand August 9, 2011. From Disney and Academy Award®-winner Robert Zemeckis (Best Director, Forrest Gump, 1994), comes the craziest adventure in the galaxy— complete with out-of this world special effects and jam packed with bonus features, it‘s a thrilling journey that‘s pure fun.

Uniquely packaged with families top of mind, MARS NEEDS MOMS will be available for purchase as a 4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray 3D™ + Blu-ray 2D + DVD + Digital Copy) for the suggested retail price of $49.99 US/ $56.99 Canada; a 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray 2D + DVD) for $39.99 US/ $46.99 Canada; a 1-Disc DVD for $29.99 US/ $35.99 Canada; a High Definition Movie Download for the suggested retail price of $39.99 U.S./45.99 Canada; a Standard Definition Movie Download for the suggested retail price of $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada; and/or On-Demand (for additional information and pricing, please contact your television provider or favorite digital retailer. Bonus features are not offered with On-Demand).

The Disney Blu-ray Combo Packs provide families with an enhanced entertainment experience – offering the flexibility to enjoy the film at home, in the car and on portable devices, in several platforms of choice (i.e., Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray 2D, DVD + Digital Copy) and comes packaged complete with never-before-scene bonus features, including deleted scenes, a special featurette and more. To learn more, fans are invited to visit www.disney.com/marsneedsmoms.

MARS NEEDS MOMS is brought to life by the performances of Seth Green (TV‘s "Family Guy") as Milo, Joan Cusack (Toy Story 2 & 3) as Milo‘s Mom, Dan Fogler (Kung Fu Panda, Robot Chicken) as Gribble and Elizabeth Harnois (A Single Man, TV‘s "90210") as Ki and is directed by Simon Wells (The Time Machine, The Prince of Egypt) and produced by Robert Zemeckis (Disney‘s A Christmas Carol, Forrest Gump).

Review: Star and Director Go Strong in "Monster" (Happy B'day, Charlize Theron)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 89 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Monster (2003)
Running time: 109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and sexual content, and for pervasive language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Patty Jenkins
PRODUCERS: Mark Damon, Donald Kushner, Clark Peterson, Charlize Theron, and Brad Wyman
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Steven Bernstein (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Arthur Coburn and Jane Kurson
COMPOSER: BT
Academy Award winner

DRAMA/ROMANCE/CRIME with elements of a thriller

Starring: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen, Annie Corley, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Brett Rice, Kaitlin Riley, Cree Ivey, and Rus Blackwell

Charlize Theron won the “Best Actress in a Leading Role” Oscar® for her performance in the film, Monster. Directed by indie filmmaker Petty Jenkins, Monster is a biopic about Aileen Carol Wuornos (Charlize Theron), a highway prostitute whom the state of Florida executed in 2002 for murdering several men.

An abused child who had become a prostitute and pregnant by the time she was 13, Wuornos left her home in Michigan and moved to Florida where she continued to hook, servicing mainly truck drivers. After being beaten and raped by a client, she goes on a killing spree, killing any “John” she believed would rape her. The film focuses on the nine-month period from 1989 to 1990 when Aileen began murdering her clientele and also began a disturbing and peculiar romance with a woman named Shelby (Christina Ricci), a closet lesbian from a strict, religious family.

The film is brutal and unflinching, and ultimately hard to watch. It has very little entertainment value, similar to a film like Nil by Mouth, but not as bad as Oprah Winfrey’s Beloved. It’s great filmmaking, but ultimately “too real.” Tragic stories are fine, but such tales, that are too much like an exact copy of something from everyday life, are unpleasing. In the end, that’s what keeps Monster from being one of those “best ever” films.

One reason to definitely not miss this film is Ms. Theron’s virtuoso performance as Aileen. It’s one of the best film performances I’ve ever seen; in fact, I’d have to go back to Meryl Streep in Sophie’s Choice to find something so complex, so layered, so deep. Ms. Theron literally becomes someone else, totally alien to her public persona and prior performances. As good as Ms. Ricci is, Ms. Theron (an actress in whom I had very little interest) is a supernova, and though Monster isn’t one of the greatest, her performance is.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2004 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Best Actress in a Leading Role” (Charlize Theron)

2005 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Charlize Theron)

2004 Golden Globes: 1 win: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Charlize Theron)

--------------------------

Negromancer News Bits and Bites August 6 2011 - Catwoman and R.I.P. Bubba Smith

News and notes:

First, I must note the recent passing of Charles Aaron Smith, better known as Bubba Smith, the NFL defensive linesman and prolific actor.  Smith played 9 seasons in the NFL and was on the Baltimore Colts team that won Super Bowl V (over the Dallas Cowboys), but lost Super Bowl III (to Joe Namath and the New York Jets).  As an actor, Smith is best known for Moses Hightower, the tall floriest turned cop in the Police Academy films.  The New York Times has a nice obituary of Smith.  Rest in peace, Bubba Smith.

__________________

My! We certainly are confident.  Entertainment Weekly informs us that Sony Pictures has scheduled "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" for May 2, 2014.  Yes, that would be the sequel to the Spider-Man film franchise reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man, which won't hit theatres until May 2012.

__________________

According to TV Line, ABC will soon announce that the 2011-12 season will be the final for Desperate Housewives.

__________________

Total Film says Jesse Eisenberg will take on the lead and dual role in the film, "The Double," for hot director Richard Ayoade (Submarine).

__________________

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES HOT STUFF:

Total Film has the official first picture of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman.

But Slash Film ain't playing that!  They have spy photos of Catwoman from the film's set.