Sinister DVD Review

Of all the horror films to make it to the big screen last autumn, Sinister, starring Ethan Hawke and directed by Scott Dickinson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose), probably had the most attention. If you were to take one look at any respectable horror web site the stills, TV spots, trailers etc were proudly flaunted as if with some secret knowledge that this will be something to remember. Though the film isn’t exactly a deal-breaker, it’s definitely one of the most skilfully executed horrors seen in 2012.

The story follows Ellison (a top-form Ethan Hawke), a true crime writer who, for his new project, moves him and his family to a new home. Soon after arriving, Ellison finds a box of old films that show the brutal murders of numerous families by an unknown assailant. As he gets closer and closer to unravelling the mystery of the tapes his family are pulled with him into grave danger.

Sounds like a fairly standard horror tale, but it’s not. The thing that puts this film above most is its finely tuned understanding of its subject; the use of old celluloid pulls out a hundred references to voyeuristic horror, Peeping Tom and Psycho jump to mind, and then there’s the family under duress aspect which brings in just about any “haunted house” film you’ve seen. But under all this is the relentless beating heart of a genuine horror story. Take any sequence where Ellison watches the films and you’ll find some of the tautest in ages. From the second we lay eyes on the conspicuous black box of home movies, with their unassuming yet ominous titles, there’s a feeling of dread lording over all. All of a sudden, we want the family to get away from the house, but at the same time we really want to see those movies. Even after the first we want to know what the rest of those canisters hold. That’s where the voyeuristic guilt comes into play and we, the audience, are all of a sudden participants to something ghastly. Unfortunately it’s the film’s own ingenuity that really highlights how lazy it can be, particularly its jump-scares which leap-frog the suspense and capture a significantly cheaper thrill.

Derrickson’s tight direction and frantic style keep the film on track also lending a chaotic feel to some of the more brutal moments. Ellison’s slow-slipping sanity comes with the rapid cutting-in of super 8, an effect that in other hands might have been wasted but here gives a Shining-esque sense of schizophrenia. The speed of the film is important to its narrative: just as the characters very quickly become confused and assailed, the narrative flickers through “haunted house” past “serial killer”, and eventually spirals into a web of macabre beyond the isolated affairs of Ellison’s new home.

The film’s primary issue is one not unusual in modern horror: it shows too much. A lack of reserve in relation to some of the more terrifying concepts allows those concepts to become almost laughable through over-exposure. A scene which sees Ellison wake in the night to wander his creaky old house suddenly becomes an abstract ballet with ghostly children. Mr Boogie, a genuinely unsettling omnipresence, eventually becomes too familiar which is a shame considering he’s the reason you spend half the film wincing in terror and trying to burrow into your seat.

Special note has to be reserved for Christopher Young’s soundtrack, which doesn’t bother to come up with a specific melody; instead it focuses on blurring the lines between film and reality, which in turn leaks Ellison’s world into ours. The insect flickering of the finished celluloid film pops up throughout the film amidst abstract chanting and a host of other deeply unsettling sounds to illustrate Ellison’s mind state and keep us wondering whether he’s bothered to wake up (or fall asleep) once the films have stopped rolling. It truly is a masterful score to be put up there with Young’s work on Hellraiser.

Sinister may not be a film to induct into the canon, but it’s certainly a well-executed piece of nerve-shredding that will haunt you for some time, and it definitely has the potential to seriously disturb your kids. Don’t see it alone.

Scott Clark

★★★★☆

Rating:15
DVD/BD Release Date: 11th February 2013 (UK)
Directed By: Scott Derrickson
Cast:Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance , James Ransone , Clare Foley, Vincent D'Onofrio
Buy Sinister:Blu-ray/ DVD

Beasts Of Southern Wild Blu-Ray Review

It's awards season and with all the big-name prestige pics like Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty and Movie 43 elbowing each other for the spotlight, it's easy to miss this one, despite it being up for Best Picture. Beasts of the Southern Wild (not to be confused with Breasts of the Southern Wild, a DVD that probably already exists) has been nominated for 4 Oscars, including Lead Actress for 9 year old Quvenzhané Wallis, who has become the youngest actress to ever be up for the award. Unfortunately, I don't think BotSW will win much, but then again, it ain't all about awards is it?

Beasts of the Southern Wild is the story of 5 year old Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis), an imaginative child who acts as our narrator as she relays her life in The Bathtub, a Louisiana bayou community cut off from the mainland by a levee. We see her deal with her temperamental father, Wink (Dwight Henry) and threats that may change life in The Bathtub forever.

On the surface, BotSW is exactly the sort of film you'd expect an Oscar outsider to be. We have an innocent child narrator, a portrayal of a way of life free of modern toss like Facebook notifications, council tax and iPad minis and a fantastical edge to it all,giving everything a dream-like quality. With all those elements in play, you would be forgiven for rolling your eyes and rewatching the first Transformers film. BotSW is better than the sum of its parts though. Firstly, we have an amazing and naturalistic central performance from Quvenzhané Wallis, who carries the film on her small shoulders. I think she may be the best child actor I've ever seen. Hushpuppy is a firecracker, going from daydreaming her way around the farm to scowling like a caged beast. Her relationship with Wink is fantastically done and genuinely touching. Wink is quick to anger and aloof at times, but undeniably cares about Hushpuppy. Dwight Henry keeps the character always teetering on the brink of struggling father and unfeeling arsehole, but never tips over. There's a fantastic scene where Wink runs out into torrential rain, blasting his shotgun and yelling in an effort to pick a fight with the storm to allay Hushpuppy's fears. Wink's a complex man who will have you questioning just how to react to him throughout the course of the film.

The lyrical quality of the language used is the first thing that struck me about the film. As soon as the film opens, we see Hushpuppy listening to various animals' heartbeats, with her voiceover saying: “All the time, everywhere, everything's hearts are beating and squirting, and talking to each other the ways I can't understand. Most of the time they probably be saying: “I'm hungry”, or “I gotta poop”. But sometimes they be talkin' in codes.” There's something about it that makes the dialogue a joy to listen to and gives it the ability to blindside you with some truly affecting bits, especially when Hushpuppy is trying to deal with and explain some big concepts. There's a real sense of impending doom that hangs over Hushpuppy's head and therefore the film.

I suppose if I had to criticise the film, I'd say it's pretty heavy-handed with both the drama and its overall messages at times. There are some moments that are really effective and are guaranteed to make you think. However, there are others that over-egg the drama so much that it broke my immersion. These aren't glaring flaws though. Just little anomalous bits that didn't fit in with the rest of the film. It's worth saying that the cinematography of this film is beautiful. Marvel at some of the images here. Just wow.

I really enjoyed Beasts of the Southern Wild. It's a well told story relayed to us by the most kick-ass kid ever. I'd love for her to win the Oscar. It may even restore my faith in the overblown Academy. Anyway- highly recommended.

Ben Browne

★★★★☆

Rating: 12
DVD/BD Release Date:11th February 2013 (UK)
Director: Benh Zeitlin
Cast: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly
Buy  Beasts Of The Southern Wild: Blu-ray / DVD

Win Sinister On Blu Ray & Limited Edition T-Shirt

The “Genuinely terrifying” (5*, Daily Mail) box-office sensation that terrified cinemagoers and critics alike is shortly upon us; the Ethan Hawke-starring Sinister arrives on DVD, Blu-ray and Download February 11th through Momentum Pictures.

To celebrate the release of Sinister, we’re giving away a limited edition t-shirt and a copy on Blu-ray! Plus, one lucky runner-up will also receive a limited edition t-shirt.

#SurviveSINISTER On Valentine's Day! From 8.00pm Thursday 14th Feb press play and watch your copy of Sinister and join in the fun on twitter following the hashtag #SurviveSINISTER. Share the fear and win prizes. Our team will be online from 7.30pm tweeting from @Sinister_UK to help you get ready!

Desperately in need of a best seller to revive his struggling career, true crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke), moves his family to the scene of his most recent story; the unsolved, gruesome murder of a loving, happy suburban family.

Shunned by the local community and strained by his obligations to his family, the discovery of a batch of home movies in the attic offers Ellison shocking proof to the crime he is investigating. Ellison notices the same unidentified figure appearing in each of the 8mm films, leaving him convinced that all the incidents are linked by a truly bizarre connection. As his investigations uncover the terrifying truth he starts to lose his grip on reality and it soon becomes clear that he is placing his own family in harm’s way.

To win the Sinister prizes please answer the following question:

Q.Sinister Ehtan Hawke and Dark Skies (out April) Josh Hamilton In films that share same production teams both starred in a film together in 1993 name that film?

Deadline for this competition is Thursay 28th February (2359hrs), Must be 15 years or older to enter
Please label email Sinister, include answer, name, address only to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com
Pre-Order/Buy:DVD / Blu-ray

Terms & Conditions:1.This prize is non transferable.No cash alternatives apply.UK & Irish entries only.2.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and Momentum Pictures. have the right to alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice 3.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,Momentum Pictures employees 4.This competition is promoted on behalf of Momentum Pictures  5. If this prize becomes unavailable we have the right to offer an alternative prize instead 6.To enter this competition you must send in your answer, name, address only, Deadline 28th February 2013 (2359hrs)7.Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com), any other entry via any other email will be void.8.If the above form fails please send the information required from the form email it to win [at] thepeoplesmovies [dot] com (label sinister) If any info required from the form is not sent in the email your entry will be void 9.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned.10.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must stay stay friend/like us all the time,or future entries maybe considered one entry.11.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 12.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control13.The competition is opened to Aged 15 and over.14. Majority of the prizes on offer will come from representatives of the distributor, no The People’s Movies &Cinehouse, when we do have the prizes we will inform you.15. Unless Stated Please Do Not Include Telephone Numbers, we don’t need them and if you include your telephone number Cinehouse and The People’s Movies are not responsible for the security of the number 16.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email or announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners.17.This competition is bound by the rules of Scotland,England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland.18.By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

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Watch The Atmospheric Indie Short The Devoured

 The Devoured is a slick atmospheric short indie horror from Wes Palmer and Zach Bokhour which was all made with the grand budget of $100 (£78)!

The Devoured is about a young man who is convinced his house is haunted and approaches a businessman who has a set of unusual associates who can get rid of those spirits.

It's a simple story and a another fine example of getting the best out of what you've got and despite glitches here and there The Devoured is a honest tension layered short film.

John Woo's Reign Of Assassins Getting UK DVD Release End Of February

John Woo co-directed Reign Of Assassins this friday will get itself a limited cinema release before been released on DVD  later this month. Reign Of Assassins (Jianyu) has an all-star cast in this period-set martial arts actioner that combines the action-comedy and romance of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” with the identity swap thrills of “Face/Off”.

Nominated for ten Hong Kong Film Awards (including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Action Choreography, Best Cinematography), this is far and away the classiest and best-choreographed martial arts extravaganza we’ve seen since “House Of Flying Daggers”. John Woo’s inimitable directorial touch, sumptuous visuals, astonishing action set-pieces and a beautiful and extremely talented cast featuring the cream of Asian cinema, all performing at the top of their game, make this a must-see.

Reign of Assassins stars Michelle Yeoh, woo-song jung, Xueqi Wang, Shawn Yu, Kelly Lin and Barbie Hsu. Reign Of Assassins will be released cinematically on 15th February, DVD on 25th February

Special Features:

Preparing The Story

Challenging The Strongest

The Characters

Destiny

Sword Fighting & Magic

Buy Reign Of Assassins:On DVD

Synopsis

In Ancient China, “Drizzle” is the most deadly and ruthless assassin of the Dark Stone gang. After a life of theft and murder, she seeks to atone for her ways and leave the gang forever. Undergoing a drastic procedure to alter her appearance, she changes her name to Jing and starts a new life in the capital.

Even with her newfound life as a shopkeeper and a budding romance to Ah-Sheng, the Dark Stone gang is hot on her trail. She alone holds the secret of the mystical Buddhist monk’s remains, which legend says the possessor will gain control of the whole world. The gang will stop at nothing in their pursuit to control this power

The Top 5 Advertising Campaigns ('No' Feature)

Tomorrow Friday  8th February sees the UK&Irish release of Oscar Nominated NO starring Gael Garcia Bernal.

.Bernal is cynical advertising executive, Rene Saavedra, who is asked to spearhead the ‘NO’ campaign to bring democracy to Chile. How does he manage to create a campaign despite scant resources, scrutiny from colleagues sympathetic to the regime including ad agency colleagues and the secret police?

No is the true story of how the ad men toppled tyrant dictor General Augusto Pinochet in 1988 and to celebrate tomorrow's release we have a look a five of the best advertising campaigns that toppled the 'opposition'

1 Volkswagen's "Think Small" Campaign

Volkswagen completely destroyed the status quo for automobile ads with the “Think Small” campaign as the 50s and 60s were a time when cars were a fashion statements and an example of social status.  This was also a foreign car,a post-WWII German car no-less!
At the time the campaign was created, Americans didn’t buy small German cars and preferred instead big, conspicuous vehicles! So what did this Volkswagen ad do? It played right into the audience’s expectations: “You think I’m small? Yeah, I am and that’s what makes me special!”
Print advertisements for the campaign were filled mostly with white space, with a small image of the Beetle shown, which was meant to emphasize its simplicity and minimalism.

2 Clairol: Does She or Doesn’t She?

Clairol did the opposite of what most typical advertising campaign would do. They didn’t want every woman on the street running around saying they were using their product! They wanted women to understand that their product was so good, people wouldn’t be able to tell if they were using it or not.
The campaign became very effective and within six years, 70% of all adult women were colouring their hair, and Clairol’s sales increased by 413%!! The campaign was so successful and the products use so widespread that some US states  stopped asking women to list their hair colour on their driver's licenses.

3 Nike's "Just Do It"

One of the most recognised advertising slogans in history, Nike’s "Just Do It" was short, sweet and to the point. It reflected a human truth everyone could relate to: that drive to push yourself further as well as Nike’s can-do attitude. The campaign inspired a sense of grit, determination and passion and branded Nike as inescapable ‘cool’.

After the introduction of this advertising campaign Nike's market share jumped from 18% to 43%, and their sales exploded from $800 million a year in 1988 to upwards of $9.2 billion in 1998.

4 Got Milk?

The California Milk Processor Board needed to reverse plunging industry sales of milk and its "Got Milk?" marketing campaign not only helped turn around milk sales in the US but also changed the face of consumer marketing forever. This ingenious advertising campaign inspired people the world over to drink cow’s milk and was supported by children, animals, style icons, and celebrities, each sporting the iconic milk moustache. The campaign has been running since 1993 and is one of the longest lasting campaigns ever.

5 MARLBORO MAN

Now one of the more controversial campaigns, the Marlboro Man ads inspired a generation of smokers branding it as cool and the only course of action for ‘real men’. Creating an entire lifestyle around the smoking of a Marlboro cigarette, the ads captured an ideal lifestyle that many aspired to.
The campaign transformed a once feminine product, associated with the slogan "Mild as May", into one that was masculine. Although there were many Marlboro Men, the cowboy proved to be the most popular which led to the "Marlboro Cowboy" and "Marlboro Country" campaigns.
Three men who appeared in Marlboro advertisements died of lung cancer, thus earning Marlboro cigarettes, the nickname "Cowboy killers"


NO is released in UK&Irish cinemas from tomorro Friday 8th February.

Possess Yourself To Watch UK Trailer For The Last Exorcism Part 2

"Devil Kissed it, God Blessed it" A little saying My Mum used to say to me if I dropped something  but for Nell Sweetzer God may ask, but the Devil commands and he commands you to be possessed by the UK Trailer and Poster For The Last Exorcism Part 2.

Will poor Nell (Ashley Bell) get a break from Auld Nick and his demented ways?Once the devil has his sights on you he has some canny plans for you and next month we will see what those plans will be when the film arrives in UK&Irish cinemas.

The Last Exorcism Part 2  picks up where Daniel Stamm's first film left off with Nell found dirty, scared, confused with no recollection of what's just happened to her. As Nell attempts to make a life for herself with new job even a boyfriend the traumatic events from the first film are creating buzz online, Nell still doesn’t feel right even if things are looking good for her. She was right to be concerned  as the demon that possessed her once before wants her again but not in the same way this time.

The Last Exorcism Part 2 is directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly who directed the recent indie hit Small Town Murder Songs who has went for the straightforward narrative than found footage, Eli Roth once again in the producers hotseat. The film also stars  Spencer Treat Clark, Andrew Sensenig with the film due to arrive in UK&Ireland 15th March with USA release on March 1st





Shock Till' You Drop have also unleashed a new tv spot online check it out below!
source:ThePeoplesmovies

Watch Full Trailer For Japanese Drama Drive Petal Dance

Friends will be friends they always say your true friends will stick with you until the end and when you hear stories that one friend may have died you want to know the truth. In Hiroshi Ishikawa's Petal Dance this is the case and before its April release in Japan a full trailer has been released.

Petal Dance (or Pedal Dance as its also called) stars Aoi Miyazaki, Sakura Ando as friends Jink and Motoko hear about a unusual but worrying rumour that their friend Miki (Kazue Fukiishi) she jumped into the ocean only to be rescued at the last minute. Now in a local hospital the girls head to Miki's hometown to find out the truth behind what happened  and on the way they find a third person (Shioli Kutsuna) who joins them.

Petal Dance will be released on 20th April 2013 in Japan.


A big thanks to Nipponcinema for trailer

BFI to release Roman Polanski's Tess (1979) on DVD & Blu-ray This March

On 18 March the BFI will release Tess, the triple Oscar-winning 1979 adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s novel, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, directed by Roman Polanski (Chinatown, The Pianist). This beautiful-looking film, mastered from a stunning 4K ultra high resolution digital restoration, is presented in a Dual Format Edition, bringing it to Blu-ray for the first time in the UK. Special features include three documentaries covering the adaptation, the technical challenges and the filming experience.

Nastassia Kinski (Cat People, Paris, Texas) gives a career-defining performance as the ill-fated peasant girl of noble origin, whose beauty is both her fortune and her undoing and has strong support from Peter Firth (Equus, The Hunt for Red October, Spooks) and Leigh Lawson (Being Julia, Casanova, Silent Witness).

Reportedly the most expensive film ever made in France at the time, both the long shoot and post-production work had their problems. Original cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth died suddenly during filming and was replaced by Ghislain Cloquet. The Wessex setting needed to be authentically recreated in France, right down to a replica Stonehenge. The film was the first in France to use Dolby Stereo and with an initial cut of over three hours, months more work was needed to reduce it by 20 minutes.

The film went on to win Oscars for Art Direction, Cinematography and Costume Design, the latter won by Anthony Powell, whose original designs are seen here in a short film, a BAFTA for Cinematography and a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film.

Hardy’s enduring 1891 novel continues to sell strongly and last year booksellers reported a huge spike in sales after its appearance and significance in the 4 million-selling erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey.

Special Features:
• New 4K digital restoration
• Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition
• Tess: From Novel to Screen (Laurent Bouzereau, 2004, 29 minutes, DVD only): Polanski on the adaptation of Hardy's classic novel with contributions from Hardy scholars and cast and crew
• Filming Tess (Laurent Bouzereau, 2004, 26 mins, DVD only): cast and crew discuss the technical challenges they faced
• Tess: The Experience (Laurent Bouzereau, 2004, 20 mins, DVD only): those who worked on Tess discuss their experiences
• Costume Designs (2013, 2 mins): Anthony Powell's award-winning designs
• Original theatrical trailer
• Illustrated booklet with essays and credits

Pre-order / Buy:Tess (DVD & Blu-ray) [1979]

GFF 2013 - Watch The American Trailer For Studio Ghibli's From Up on Poppy Hill