Frightfest 2012: Guinea Pigs Review

★★★☆☆

Ian Clark's much anticipated first feature, Guinea Pigs received its debut at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival. Despite delivering some sharp moments of tension and a realistic style, Guinea Pigs unfortunately lacks in lasting impact.

Eight volunteers are sent to a remote medical facility to begin clinical trials on a new drug, tentatively titled Pro-9. It soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary drug as extreme side affects begin to appear - you know, like turning into a raging psychopath.

Although the subject of clinical trials has been tackled in the horror genre before, it still remains a chilling concept. Ian Clark furthers these chills by instilling a strong sense of realism throughout Guinea Pigs, most notably through his almost documentary style direction. From the onset, descriptions appear on screen, mixed with unfocussed close ups and establishing shots of the eerie clinical settings which gives Clark's film an unsettling familiarity.

After a rather long but well crafted build up, we get a strong sense of the foreboding horror that is expected to ensue. This is followed by several well executed moments of tension, which fortunately never unveil too much, normally a good tactic in the genre, leaving the viewers' imagination to the work. Unfortunately these tense build up gets wasted with Guinea Pigs lacking in a real scares, jumps or chilling imagery.

Most of the characters are interesting and reasonably well developed, despite all fitting into traditional archetypal genre roles. Leading character, Adam (Aneurin Barnard) although well acted, proves too nice for his own good by making some dodgy decisions - like not leaving the compound when he has the chance. A scene stealing turn from Looking For Eric's Steve Evets, as a clinical test "veteran" adds some wry humour to the proceedings. Other small joys include Chris Larkin's appearance as a wise-cracking Doctor in charge of the proceedings.

Guinea Pigs is a reasonably entertaining watch, with director Ian Clark creating a solid, realistic atmosphere and strong sense of tension, as well as some welcome moments of humour. Unfortunately, Guinea Pigs is lacking in any genuine scares and ultimately proves a bit unmemorable.

Andrew McArthur

Rating:15
Stars: Aneurin Barnard, Alex Reid, Oliver Coleman
Director: Ian Clark
Release: 27th August 2012 (Frightfest 2012)

Frightfest 2012 - Outpost II: Black Sun Review

During the 1945 endgame of World War II, German scientist Klausener worked on frightening new technology with the power to create an immortal Nazi army. Now a NATO task force is hurriedly deployed to Eastern Europe to uncover what sinister enemy exactly appears to be mercilessly killing everything in its path.  It soon becomes clear that what they are facing is no ordinary foe. Only Lena, a gutsy investigator on the trail of notorious war criminal Klausener, can accept the reality of what they are up against – a battalion of living dead Nazi Storm Troopers. With the help of Wallace, an adventurer who has been chasing Gestapo secrets for years, the duo team up with a Special Forces Unit to venture deep behind enemy lines. Their mission: to fight their way back to the source of this evil zombie platoon and prevent supernatural technology being used to create the Fourth Reich.

Making its UK debut four years after the original, Outpost II: Black Sun is to Outpost what [REC]2 is to [REC] or what Aliens is to Alien. In other words, consider Outpost 2 the action-movie sequel to the horrific original. Yes, this sequel replaces the atmosphere and horror of the first film with scene after scene of machine-gun toting soldier battling lumbering Nazi zombies. In fact the film has more in common with the Resident Evil franchise, being less about the zombies and their devastation and more about the action set pieces. Don’t get me wrong, the zombies in Outpost II are bloody brutal blighters, eviscerating and digesting their human prey. It’s just that they also suffer from the same problem zombies had in low-budget zombie flicks of the 80s… they look like men wearing rubber masks!

Interestingly Outpost II: Black Sun doesn’t waste time catching up on events that took place in the first film – it references them yes, but doesn’t spend any time dwelling on them. However it turns out that bar knowing who the villainous old Nazis are you don’t really need to have seen the first one to watch the sequel. You might not know who one or two of the referenced characters, including someone who died in the original movie, are but that doesn’t stop you from “enjoying” the film.

The big problem with Outpost II, besides being a 15-rated action movie rather than a gory zombie flick, is that the cast all seem to be taking the film way too seriously. The recently released Nazi zombie flick Bloodstorm was a whole lot schlockier than this but thanks to the cast knowing its limitations it was a fun, if dumb, movie. However here it’s the opposite. Everyone takes it so bloody seriously! Its not high art people, it’s a zombie movie! It’s almost like everyone involved thought the were making the Schindler’s List of straight to DVD horror movies.

In case you’re wondering, this does set things up for a third film. So it turns out Outpost really is the UK’s version of Paul W.S. Anderson’s Resident Evil franchise after all… It won’t stay dead!

This was a review by Phil at Blogomatic3000 

Rating: 15
UK Release Date: 25th August 2012 (Frightfest) 27th August 2012 (DVD/BD)
Directed by: Steve Barker
Cast: Richard Coyle, Clive Russell , Michael Byrne 

Tim And Eric's Billion Dollar Movie Review

★★☆☆☆

It seems that if a television comedy duo is successful enough that a movie is inevitable. Unfortunately, it is very rare that these movies are actually worth watching - just think Ant & Dec's Alien Autopsy or David Mitchell and Robert Webb's Magicians. Hoping to buck that trend are Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, the creators and stars of Adult Swim television series, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!  The duo have presented us with Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, which will no doubt appeal to fans of the television series. 

Tim and Eric are two filmmakers who are given a $1 billion dollar budget to make a film for the Schlaaang Corporation. However, with the budget squandered and results in only three minutes of usable footage  - the duo have no choice but to go on the run from vicious studio boss Tommy Schlaaang (Robert Loggia). In a harebrained scheme to raise the money, Tim and Eric find themselves trying to restore a derelict shopping mall.

Anyone familiar with the Saturday Night Live film productions like MacGruber will instantly recognise the formula of Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie. It is this predictable narrative arc that immediately works against the production - we know there is an inevitable fall out and eventual reconciliation and that Tim and Eric will successful rebuild the mall. Since the script structure offers nothing particularly original it is up to the comedy duo to add some interest through their gags and performances, and to an extent they do this successfully.

The humour ranges from enjoyably madcap to unpleasantly crude, never finding the right balance. A perfect example of this is where a drugged Eric goes to a 'Shrim' healing centre - we do not know what Shrim is, but are soon given a fun video representation hosted by Ray Wise. The comic talents of Ray Wise would have been enough for the gag, but Heidecker and Wareheim insist on taking the humour too far. How far? Well Eric drowning in a bath of children's faeces. It is just a crude, unpleasant and juvenile punchline.

The bantering exchanges between Tim and Eric spur on a few laughs, but most of the humour comes from the star power involved in Billion Dollar Movie. The film opens with Jeff Goldblum, posing as Schlaaang spokesman Chef Goldblum, offering the viewer tips on how to enhance their movie going experience - which is particularly fun. Will Ferrell's cameo as the mall's Top Gun obsessed former owner proves amusing as well, as does Zach Galifianakis' role of a self-help guru the duo hire. Unfortunately, most of these star turns suffer from incredibly poor writing and character development - notably John C. Reilly's supporting performance, which is just cringe inducing and not worth the actor's talents. 

Robert Loggia's appearance as villain, Tommy Schlaaang is the main scene stealer of the film, with the veteran star bringing his charismatic screen presence to the role. Unfortunately, the material he is given to work with is just as bad as Reilly's.    

Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie is a formulaic and unnecessary venture. Most of the humour's downfall is in its crudeness and lack of consistency. What should have been excellent supporting turns from well-known stars suffer from poor writing and a lack of development.

Andrew McArthur

Stars: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim ,Will Ferrell, Jeff Goldblum
Directors: Tim Heidecker ,Eric Wareheim
UK Release: 24th August 201 (limited release)

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Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie - Official Redband Trailer [HD] Published via LongTail.tv

Frightfest 2012 – Meet The Thompsons aka The Hamiltons,World Premiere This Sunday

The premier European horror film festival Film4 Frightfest is well under way today and over the weekend here and at our other site Cinehouse.co.uk we will be bringing you our coverage. This Sunday will see the return of  Horror’s favourite dysfunctional vampire family The Hamiltons now with a new name The Thompsons.  Set and filmed mostly here in the UK, horror movie The Thompsons is receiving its World Premiere this Sunday at FrightFest in Empire Leicester Square at 10.30am. There will also be a cast and crew Q&A before the screening at 10am.

The Hamiliton siblings were a dysfunctional, orphaned family living in sunny suburbia. On the outside, they appear normal enough but they harbour a very dark secret…the need to drink blood in order to survive. A bloodbath at a local gas station means the family has to go on the run, eventually seeing them resurface in the U.K. with a new identity as The Thompsons. Desperate for protection in this unfamiliar country, the deadly family seeks out the help of a shadowy underground group rumoured to be sympathetic to vampires.

THE THOMPSONS is a new release from acclaimed horror writers and directors The Butcher Brothers and is being screened at FrightFest on the 26^th August 2012. On October 15th You will be able to own The Thompsons on DVD, stay tuned for review and possible competition nearer the release date.

Frightfest 2012 - [Rec]3 Genesis review

★★★★☆

The first thing to remember when you sit down to watch [Rec] Genesis is that it is a very different film to its predecessors. Rec (2007) and Rec 2 (2009) have already garnered more than their fair share of cult following and critical acclaim, Rec 2 often being cited as one of the best horror sequels since Dawn of the Dead, and for this the expectations for a third entry were mixed.

The film follows the story of Koldo (Diego Martin) and Clara (Leticia Dolera) who’s wedding reception is turned into a nightmare when their guests begin to tear each other apart. The newlyweds are split up in the commotion and take shelter with other survivors while the infected pick off family and friends. With a mansion filled with blood-hungry psychopaths between them, the two set out to find one another on what could be the last day of their lives.

The first two films are very close in composition and narrative with a controlled escalation of both mythology and action ensuring all bases are covered. The third film, in order to hold its own, instead ups the ante on action and scope, while changing the basic feel of the piece. After the first twenty minutes I’msurprised to see the handheld camera destroyed and the film switching to a polished omniscience as it captures the demise of the shattered camcorder. We get the message: this isn’t Rec one or two, this is three and the rules are different. It’s a big “screw you” to the doubting Thomas’s who saw this ending in tears. Knowing that Paco Plaza, co-writer/director of the previous two films, was on board should have been a tell-tale sign that all would be well.

Dolera and Martin make a lovable amateur kick-ass duo, and it’s their brilliant performances that give the film a heart to build on.Dolera in particular is fantastic, going from doe-eyed lover to sizzling heroin with the helpful inclusion of a chainsaw. Plaza has boldly made attempts to create iconic images from reworked horror iconography and it’s that admirable understanding of genre that helps give his film more bite.

The third Rec is a direct product of the first two in many ways. There’s a good piece of entertainment for newbies to the series and a rewarding escapade for the more seasoned fans. The little details are in abundance and they help layer the film up and link it back to the first two: when an uncle explains how he got bit by a dog at the vet, alarm bells ring, similarly when someone says “switch to night vision” you can’t help but shiver. On the subject of scares the film’s black comedy element does outweigh its capacity to scare us shitless. Where in Rec we spent the last ten minutes whispering “What the fuck is that?” and Rec 2 had us whispering “Where the fuck did it go!” Genesis sports dubious moments of “Really?” The black comedy can be too much considering the series origins, especially when the groom gets all Don Quixote, complete with shivering Sancho Panza. Nothing in this film comes close to the horror of the Medeiros girl in Rec’s one and two.

Plaza gets ample opportunity to show off what he can do on a solo mission; steering some impressive set-pieces without letting the mood slip. One particular sequence when the shit first hits the fan and the entire wedding reception goes from family fun to bloodbath in twenty seconds, shows an inspired understanding of chaos which sets the mood for the rest of the film. One can’t help but feel Plaza has been dying to orchestrate Hell on this scale since day one.

Racing down the OTT path shamelessly and aiming for laughs en route will alienate a lot of fans, as will the polished glitzy look in comparison to the thus-far gritty and grim feel of the films, but needs must for the survival of the idea and you can’t fault its concept or watchability. The result is this, a near-perfect showcase of gory glory with heart, and brains, and everything else in between.

Scott Clark

Rating:18
UK Release Date : 24th August 2012 (Frightfest) September 3rd 2012 (DVD/BD)
Directed By: Paco Plaza
Cast: Leticia Dolera, Diego Martín , Javier Botet

Classic Anime Ninja Scroll Coming to Blu-Ray First Time

Anime classic Ninja Scroll comes to Blu-ray for the first time ever! Available in a limited edition Double Play Blu-ray/DVD Steelbook as well as separately on Blu-ray and DVD, Yoshiaki Kawajiri's wonderfully animated 1993 masterpiece sets the bar for ninja action, as wandering swordsman Jubei and female ninja Kagero carve their way through a host of super-powered bad guys. Gory, visceral and still shocking after nearly two decades, Ninja Scroll demands a place on any anime fan's shelf.

Set during Japan's Tokugawa period, Ninja Scroll opens with female ninja Kagero - the sole survivor of a squad sent to investigate a plagued village - at the mercy of Tessai, a monster of a man who can turn his skin to stone. Rescued by wandering ronin Jubei Kibagami, the pair discover from shady shogunate spy Dakuan that Tessai is one of the Eight Devils of Kimon - a band of super ninja apparently led by Jubei's old nemesis Himuro Genma, whom he insists that he killed years ago.

Tricked into helping Kagero and Dakuan take down the Eight Devils, expert swordsman Jubei must push his finely-honed fighting skills to the limit if he is to defeat his deadly adversaries, who include shadow assassin Shijima, blind warrior Utsutsu, explosives specialist Zakuro and, of course, the evil Himuro Genma himself. Pitted against such merciless foes, only one thing is certain; Jubei Kibagami must kill or be killed.

Along with Akira and Ghost In The Shell, Ninja Scroll was one of the key titles that opened the West's eyes to what anime could achieve. Stunningly animated and shockingly violent, Ninja Scroll combines sex, death, action, intrigue and copious fountains of blood to create an all-time anime classic.

Written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Wicked City, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust), Ninja Scroll is made by veteran animation studio Madhouse, whose long list of credits include acclaimed movies such as Summer Wars, Paprika, The Girl Who Lept Through Time and Perfect Blue as well as series like Death Note and Black Lagoon. November 26th 2012 is the day all anime fans in UK have to include in their diaries, when Ninja Scroll is released on Blu Ray, DVD (re-release) and Special Steelbook edition.

Whilst creating this post our friends over at Twitch have found out Madhouse after 20 years are working on a new 3 part Ninja Scroll animation called Ninja Scroll Burst and below is the first teaser!

Watch UK Trailer For Beasts Of The Southern Wind

Since its debut away back at this years Sundance film festival, Beasts Of The Southern Winds has been a hit at every festival its been too, sweeping the awards that's been nominated for.  Featuring an awards-touted performance from it's 8-year old star Quvenzhane Wallis, it glows with an irrepressible and life-affirming power that has enchanted audiences and critics at worldwide.

To celebrate the Beasts of The Southern Wind UK release this October Studiocanal today have sent us the UK trailer. 

In a forgotten but defiant bayou community cut off from the world by a sprawling levee, six year-old Hushpuppy exists on the brink of orphanhood. Her mother long gone, and her father Wink a wildman on a perpetual spree, Hushpuppy is left to her own devices on an isolated compound filled with semi-feral animals. She perceives the natural world to be a fragile web of living, breathing, squirting things, in which the entire universe depends on everything fitting together just right. So when a hundred year storm raises the waters around her town, her daddy is suddenly stricken with illness, and fierce pre-historic creatures awaken from their frozen graves to come charging across the planet, Hushpuppy sees the natural order of everything she holds dear collapsing around her. Desperate to repair the structure of her world in order to save her ailing father and sinking home, this tiny hero must learn to survive an unstoppable catastrophe of epic proportions.

Waters gonna rise up, wild animals gonna re-run from the grave, and everything south of the levee is goin' under, in this tale of a six year-old named Hushpuppy, who lives with her daddy at the edge of the world.

Like the Raid I've tried my best to avoid the press, any previous footage to make sure the film is coming to UK, saving my enjoyment for the release and has helped me climb onboard the buzz for film .Beasts of The Southern Wind  is finally coming to UK&Ireland October 19th thanks to Studiocanal and don't be surprised when February comes it will be picking up at least a Oscar award especially it's bright young star who is only 8 years old!. The film also stars Dwight Henry, Levi Easterly, and Gina Montana.

HAMMER LAUNCHES YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Exclusive new filmed content alongside beloved classic genre films to make groundbreaking online debut

 

To the delight of fans worldwide Hammer, Britain's most celebrated genre film brand which recently produced box office smash The Woman in Black and the acclaimed Let Me In, today launches its first dedicated YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/hammerfilms.  For the very first time, exclusive new content from current Hammer productions as well as carefully restored classic Hammer feature films will be available to stream online.

The Hammer Films Channel will carry a range of exclusive new content, previews, commentary and behind the scenes material from upcoming new productions such as The Quiet Ones starring Jared Harris and Sam Claflin and The Woman in Black: Angels of Death, the follow up to the worldwide box office hit, The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe.

In addition, the Hammer Films Channel will stream a collection of Hammer’s well-known classic feature film titles including The Quatermass Xperiment, The Man In Black and Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter some of which have been newly restored and digitally re-mastered. As additional titles are added to the new platform, this will be the first time fans can view other digitally re-mastered classic Hammer films online under a restoration initiative launched earlier this year by Hammer’s owner Exclusive Media.

From the historic library, the Hammer Films Channel will also carry Classic Hammer TV series such as ‘Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense’, as well as new on-air commentary and film introductions from official Hammer historian, Marcus Hearn and Hammer archivist, Robert J.E. Simpson.  Newly created featurettes and original trailer material, not seen by the public for many years, will also be added to the Channel’s far reaching content.  The Hammer Films Channel will continually expand its range of programming as it becomes available, with the full schedule to be published and regularly updated at www.hammerfilms.com 

Simon Oakes, President and CEO of Hammer said, “The launch of our dedicated YouTube channel truly encapsulates how we have positioned Hammer as a dynamic British genre label with a great heritage.  We hope this new platform will allow us to continue to reach fans who have responded so well to films like Let Me In and The Woman in Black, while continuing to honour the great filmmaking history of our company."

Watch this brilliant video from the channel called History Hammer Films In 90 Seconds!

Frightfest 2012: Watch Teaser For UK Neo Giallo Yellow

There's seems to be a resurgence within Horror fans for all things Giallo probably thanks to the Frightfest team especially here in UK introducing classic as well as fresh new films to the British horror fans. Ironic been Frightfest As Ryan Haysom's Neo Giallo Yellow is about to make its debut at this years Film4 Frightfest 13th.

True Indie films is where things move and Yellow should go down a storm with frightfesters and Horror fans alike, for now check out this new teaser trailer.


YELLOW teaser trailer #1 from Ryan Haysom on Vimeo.
source:Twitch

Frightfest 2012:Grabbers Review

★★★1/2☆ Jon Wright's Irish set horror, Grabbers, feels like a welcome return to the days of the 1980s creature features laced with comedy. So far, it is also the most entertaining horror film of this years' Edinburgh International Film Festival. After several dead whales wash up on the shores of Erin Island, Garda Officers Ciarán O'Shea (Richard Coyle) and Lisa Nolan (Ruth Bradley) are set on the case. They soon discover the presence of blood-sucking, tentacled aliens  on the island, promptly named "grabbers". However, it soon becomes clear that these creatures have an aversion to alcohol - so let the drinking ensue! Part of the joy of Grabbers, is that it never takes itself too seriously, balancing both comedic and horror elements single handedly. It replicates the effortless whimsical charm of timeless monster features like Gremlins, Tremors and Critters - ensuring this is a fun watch from start to finish. Even the basic premise of Grabbers gives you an insight into the cheeky nature of the film - who doesn't want to see a town of drunks battle against aliens? Grabbers may be fun, but it does not skimp on the darker horror elements. There are plenty of unexpected jumps and scares spread throughout - something that many other of Festival's horror films have been lacking. Wright's uses the eerily isolated Irish coastline for numerous creepy set pieces, from an attack on the beach to a country house invasion. There are also a variety of sweeping aerial shots capturing the picturesque qualities of the Irish setting. Many a horror film has been let down by the eventual unveiling of its antagonist. Sometimes not seeing the source of the terror is far scarier than what is actually presented. However, the creature effects team behind the monsters in Grabbers, ensure that this is not the case. These are convincing, nasty looking monsters that are just as sinister on screen as they are when out of shot. Grabbers also boasts a strong cast of excellent British character actors in well-written and engaging roles. Richard Coyle, who excelled in this year's Pusher remake, brings a truly endearing performance to Grabbers, whilst also proving to be equally talented whilst handling more comedic elements. The relationship between his slack, heavy drinking Garda officer and Ruth Bradley's straight-laced, young recruit, provides some welcome laughs. Bradley shows a wonderful sense of comic talent in Lisa Nolan's transformation from loveable prude to an even more loveable drunk - she is completely terrific throughout. Russell Tovey pops up for a smaller supporting role which provides a few laughs, but as good an actor as he is, the role is more annoying than entertaining. A hilarious supporting cast continue Grabbers' charm offensive from Pascal Scott's turn as the town's cheeky GP to David Pearse and the excellent Bronagh Gallagher as the quaint local pub landlords. Grabbers is a thoroughly enjoyable return to classic creature feature horror/comedy. Atmospheric direction, a perfectly comic screenplay and charming performances help Grabbers stand out from the rest of the festival's horror pictures. It is great fun.

Andrew McArthur

Stars: Richard Coyle, Ruth Bradley, Russell Tovey Director: Jon Wright Release: 23rd August 2012 (Frightfest)

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