Casting is happening later this Fall, with a 2012 release. “The Faces is an original and gripping tale which will no doubt captivate audiences,” said FilmNation president of production Aaron Ryder. “Eric Reese is a talented genre writer with a very long and prosperous career ahead.” More soon!

Each critic will admit to something different, but after you un-belt your pants, due to all of the food you just ate, sit back and relax, and let’s give thanks to these five, for making 2009 pretty cool:

5- The Return of Horror – It seems to run in cycles, every few years horror becomes good again, after a drought, this year was a stellar year. Now, to each their own, but I was pleasantly pleased with the vast majority of horror this year, ranging from studio films, indie, direct-to-DVD, everything seemed to click. Vampires are all the rage again, thanks (or not) to Twilight, but somewhere lost in the talk of vampires, was the re-emergence of the slasher. Robert Hall’s Laid to Rest featured a mean, slick new killer in ChromeSkull, violent, ultra bloody deaths, and felt like a proper film a slasher should be. Dave Parker’s Hills Run Red felt that way too.

In the mainstream, Jason returned in a decent remake and so did Harry Warden in a 3-D My Bloody Valentine. Cheap thrills, but lots of fun. For me, the slasher that stands tall this year was The Collector. Inventive, sick, violent, and a super cool new killer in the Collector, this flick hurt me. Huh? I took a dear friend, and due to the film’s intensity and level of gore, she put a death grip on my arm, so much so, that she left little bruises where her fingers were. Thanks Marcus Dunstan!

Slashers aside, Drag Me to Hell rocked, Grace was neat, Haunted World of el Superbeasto was worth the wait, Orphan surprised, Trick ‘r Treat is a new classic, Saw VI was an impressive capper, Paranormal Activity was the scariest thing since Bush was elected to a second term, Zombieland was all sorts of awesome, and while there were a few clunkers, can we say thanks for Horror’s return in 2009?

4 – Steven Soderbergh - Three diverse genres, three awesome films. Sometimes, we are lucky enough to get one good film every3-4 years from a director, but Soderbergh gave us three great films, and all completely different from one another. In Che, he gave us an epic 5 and a half hour bio on the radical Che Guevara. It’s a long sweeping film, covering two key areas of his life. Del Toro IS Che, and owns the role in a completely gripping manner. The battle scenes are loud and spontaneous, but just as interesting as the psychology of Che. Should be a great Criterion disc, when they release it.

Soderbergh.

The Girlfriend Experience gets Soderbergh in his “let’s pick up an HD camera, and film something” mentality, and he films the gorgeous beyond words, Sasha Grey. Interesting, clever, experimental, the film lands itself a month prior to the election of Barack Obama, finding conversation on the crashing economy on the tips of everyone’s tongue, even that of a callgirl. Grey is really good in her first non-porn film, and his HD films are always worth a look.

Finally, Soderbergh’s The Informant! proves 2009 was the year of Soderbergh, as this film does an about face from the prior two, and is a dark humored look at shady pricing in the food industry. I’ll agree these three films aren’t masterpieces and are at times a bit flawed, but I’ll be damned if Soderbergh didn’t give me something to talk about after seeing these films, making me thankful a director like Soderbergh doesn’t flinch at taking chances, and never repeats himself.

3- X-Men: The Animated Series on DVD…finally! – Well, what took so long? Seriously though, the rights issue debacle kept this wonderful series in limbo forever. Luckily, I’m not the only rabid fan of this show out there, as this was the most request TV series around, and thankfully, Buena Vista/Disney listened! With all the hype for these discs, one thing was lost to us: would they hold up after over a decade of being out of syndication?

The classic animated show returns.

Quickly, after popping in Volume 1, the answer was yes, they are still as good as they were all those years ago. Sadly, there’s no extras on these discs, but lucky for you, I’m a huge nerd for this wonderful animated show, and if you search around, I got interviews with the producers, writers, and voice cast, making me incredibly thankful to relive each of the episodes forever…in constant loop…forever…and ever.

2 – Ramin Bahrani – Goodbye Solo is a superb film, one of the year’s best, and yet why are only myself and Ebert championing this great, young American independent director? Last year, his Chop Shop was one of the best reviewed movies of that year, and again, with Goodbye Solo it too, is one of the year’s best reviewed films. What is it with Bahrani that we love? He is incredibly sincere, and it shows within his films. Mature characters that are wholly American, even if their nationality is not of European descent. Bahrani usually works with so-called non-actors, and has a very still approach to his visual style, all of which sucks you up into the story he is telling. Powerful, moving, and all independent, I mean true, blue independent.

Bahrani directing.

He’ll shoot a movie with a $1.oo or $100,000, doesn’t matter because the end result is so moving and well-done, all you can say is thank you. Thank you, Mr. Bahrani for making a superb film in Goodbye Solo and being a true filmmaker. You know characters and stories worth telling, and you don’t cheat the audience or the characters. Hollywood is too shortsighted for your talents; do what you do, and continue, because your film is perhaps the best film of 2009.

1 – Blu-ray – Isn’t it silly to give thanks to a format, nearly three years old? They finally got it right this year, after finding themselves through innovation and quality. Discs are cheaper now, players have came down in price, and our favorite films have come out in stunning HD. What’s not to love? Sadly, the weak economy has put a damper on Blu-ray, because people, at least half, are strapped for cash, and currently DVD works for them. Also, Blu-ray has been fighting a tougher enemy than HD-DVD was: Digital downloading and online streaming. Despite the economy and downloading, Blu-ray is a head, and here is why:

First, the economy. Now, times might be tough, and something like a $20-$30 disc isn’t a top priority for some. Cool, but recessions always end, and we love movies. As soon as the economy picks up a bit more, and disc and player prices keep this new lower price tags, the Average Joe (a key buyer us film fans forget) will jump on board. Why? Well, he/she has already bought the HDTV, and has enjoyed either seeing HD movies via cable or satellite or have witnessed an upconverted DVD. It’s cool, and with these lower prices, and that $1000-$3000 TV sitting there, he/she will want to maximize that unit.

Two, don’t underestimate us film fans. We love movies, and Blu-ray is offering our favorites in 1080p, sometimes in stunning restorations, and solid extras. The collecting mentality can be squashed by the majority’s decisions, see Laserdisc’s quick life that was lost to DVD, but DVD made everyone into a collector. Collectors are gamers too, and the PS3 is the best Blu-ray player on the market.

Third, Digital downloading and online streaming will only cut into the rental market, not home video. I know, there are some saps that illegally download films, and I don’t know why. Why would you do that, when you forked over over a $1000 for an HD TV, maybe over $300 plus on surround sound, a $50 or more HDMI cable, to watch a shaky cam in Thai subtitles or a shoddy 480p copy, when you shelled out that much on that equipment? You really want to sit in front of your computer all day watch a film? Not me, and not people who love the cinema. I’ll admit, if that’s one thing that is holding back Blu-ray, it’s the fact that there’s a handful of things to do, in order to get the best picture and sound. First, a quality HDTV that’s 1080p and preferably 120HZ. Next, surround sound, and one that’s a separate receiver, with a speaker set, and a 10 inch sub. Then the cables, and a player. Expensive, yes, but worth in the long run.

I don’t mean to sound like a sales rep for Blu-ray. I am and will always be, a film fan. Blu-ray offers me my favorite movies, regardless of age, genre, color, black and white, the best possible experience. Blu-ray got it right this year. Watchmen from WB was a superb disc, Repulsion from Criterion proved why Blu-ray is the format of choice for black and white films, Up was so good it hurt my eyes (in a good way), I could go on and on, about my favorite discs, but I just got to thank this format for being the end all, be all in home video for years to come.

That’s what I’m thankful for this year, what about you? Feel free to leave a comment or email me at jon@killerfilm.com

The Haunted World of El Superbeasto – Review

After being disappointed with Zombie’s latest entry in the Halloween series, it was surprising to see Rob Zombie’s perverse animated feature, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto at my doorstep. Considering the fact that the film has taken over three years to come out, I had my doubts as to how this cartoon was going to win over audiences. However, considering the impressive cast of Zombie regulars ( Sheri Moon Zombie, Geoffrey Lewis, Bill Moseley, Ken Foree) and A-list newbies, (Paul Giamatti and Rosario Dawson) it was a temptation this reviewer had to sink her teeth into.  So was this forbidden fruit worth all the hype? Read on to find out!

Synopsis:

El Superbeasto (voiced by comedian Tom Papa) is a washed up has been luchador who is now making his own porn and filming infomercials in his spare time. When the fiendish “supervillain” Dr. Satan (Paul Giamatti) kidnaps potty mouthed and hygenically- deficient stripper Velvet Von Black (Rosario Dawson) to be his unholy wife, El Superbeasto enlists the help of his sexy sister Suzi X (Sheri Moon Zombie) to rescue his latest sexual conquest before the powers of Hell are unleashed.  Animated boobies, Nazi Zombie attacks and hilarity ensues.

The Film:

Move over Trey Parker and Matt Stone! There is a new king of animated vulgarity. At the very beginning of the film in a black and white segment, the host gives a “friendly warning” to the audience that the rest of the film is not for everyone and some may find it “shocking.” The host’s words prove to be a huge understatement, as the next 77 minutes descend into an entertainingly crass and offensive animated feature that explodes into a monstrous riot full of violence, nudity, dirty sexcapades and some bad ass and extremely funny theme songs that surprisingly enough make fun of the events occurring on screen. (All performed by the talented group Hard ‘n Phirm)

Like Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse, Zombie injects references and even characters from his previous onscreen efforts which include “The Devil’s Rejects” crew, The Morris Green show, SS werewolf nazis and even Michael Myers makes an appearance in the film. (And he talks!) Although the film (co-written by Zombie and Tom Papa) probably provides the most random, bizarre and marijuana-induced scenarios and dialogue ever shown and heard in a full-length feature, (let alone an animated one) there is plenty of thought and ingenuity clearly evident in its execution.

The pop culture references also run rampant in this trashy cartoon as filmgoers will be laughing out loud when seeing references to Return to Jafar, Rainbow Brite, The Home Shopping Channel, Faster Pussycat! Kill Kill! and Carrie. However, don’t let the PG references fool you. The Haunted World of El Superbeasto is an “adults only” cartoon. Keep children far away from this one, or you will find yourself explaining what hentai porn is and what all the different sayings for a vagina if you do.

Furthermore, the voice talent in this film is phenomenal! All of Zombie’s regulars do a superb job with their characters. (My favorites include Geoffrey Lewis as the elevator bellhop and Brian Posehn as Murray the horny robot) Despite the fact that Sheri Moon Zombie does re-visit her “Baby” voice from House of 1000 Corpses, it is surprisingly enough far more tolerable to hear in an animated feature. Although, the most outrageous performance comes from Rosario Dawson as Velvet Von Black.  Annoying as she came off at times, her character definitely had the best lines in the film. (I’m still chuckling over the “g-string wedgie” part.)

On the downside, the film doesn’t really resolve anything at the end. But considering this film has a threesome involving Medusa, a werewolf and a luchador, it was to be expected that this movie was going to be throw “linear logic” out the window.

The DVD:

Sadly filmgoers, the DVD features are very lacking with this one. All one can expect from this DVD are deleted and alternate scenes that aren’t very memorable. Also, the film comes with trailers for Anchor Bay releases Grace, Not Forgotten and Dead Space: Downfall. I suspect a special edition of this film will be released right around Christmas time. (I learned my lesson after buying 2005’s bare bones copy of Sin City.)

FINAL VERDICT:

Picture Who Framed Roger Rabbit’s Toontown with Tourette’s syndrome and crack and you have got yourself into The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. It is a wildly entertaining and incredibly filthy film that outbeats Heavy Metal as the best adult cartoon feature. El Superbeasto is a dish best served with a hash oil bong hit, good friends and repeat viewings. Guaranteed word of mouth will make this a trashy cult classic!

The Flick: Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The DVD: Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Don’t forget to support Killer Film by clicking on the DVD cover above or any Blu-ray or DVD on the site to purchase them from Amazon, because every Blu-ray or DVD sold from this site sends a little coin our way and that coin helps us stay online.

Also, happening there is a signing of the NBC series Fear Itself, with Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and Doug Jones (Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Hellboy)! Look for our review of Fear Itself: Complete Season One soon.

Here’s the info:

Dark Delicacies is located at 4213 West Burbank Blvd., Burbank, California 91505 and the phone number there is 818-566-6660

Source: Dark Delicacies

Welcome back to Killer Film’s New Release Tuesday for September 15^th! It’s a jam packed week, just remember if you’re ordering from Amazon, click the cover art to get there!

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Any hope of the franchise seeking redemption after The Last Stand was squandered here with this film, that was horribly plotted and features some highly questionable “origins” of the various characters. Also on Blu-ray. Jon says: Avoid Donny says: Rent

X-Men: The Animated Series Volumes 3 and 4

Fear not, my fellow mutants, for we have these great releases from the classic 1990s Fox series. It’s funny to think just a while ago, we never would have thought to see these in season sets, and now we are one volume away from owning them all. Still no extras, but we got you covered here at Killer Film. Click on these links (part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4) for a special look back at the series with the writers, producers, and the voice cast! Jon says: Buy Donny says: Buy

Grace

A few weeks ago, it was a Best Buy exclusive, now it is released everywhere. The film is not for everyone, or the faint of heart, but it’s a great American horror film. The DVD contains the original short film, as the Blu does not-oddly. You can check out my review here, or Serena’s review here, and don’t forget about her interview with director Paul Solet here. Also on Blu-ray. Jon says: Buy Donny says: Buy

An American Werewolf in London – Full Moon Edition

The reason for this re-release, is a brand new 90 minute documentary on the film. Also on Blu-ray. Jon says: Buy Donny says: Buy

Hero

This so-called special edition, is slim on extras sadly, while the film is a near classic already, it would been nice for something more extensive. Also on Blu-ray. Jon says: Buy Donny says: Rent

Friday the 13^th Part VII: The New Blood (Deluxe Edition)

Paramount rounds out the re-releasing of the Jason sage with this one, also known as Jason versus Carrie. Sadly, no Blu-ray. Jon says: Rent Donny says: Buy

Friday the 13^th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (Deluxe Edition)

I don’t care, this is my guilty pleasure film. Love it. Now, Paramount has completed re-releasing all of the Friday films. Jon says: Rent Donny says: Buy

Phantasm II

Finally avaible for the first time on DVD in Region 1! No extras, boo! Jon says: Rent Donny says: Buy

New to TV

CSI: Season 7 (also on Blu-ray)

Fear Itself: Season 1

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 4

Crash: Season 1 (also on Blu-ray)

New to Blu

Army of Darkness: Screwhead Edition

Child’s Play

Iron Monkey

Misery

Zatoichi

The Legend of the Drunken Master

Wrong Turn

Wrong Turn 2: Dead End

Van Helsing

Deep Impact

Hannibal Lecter Anthology

Whoa! Huh? A lot of horror and Blu-ray, how’s your wallet looking? Keep it here for reviews of these discs and more, to see if they are worth buying, only on Killer Film!

The Film:

Paul Solet’s debut feature, Grace, is a morbidly restraint picture, tackling a subject matter that should not be watched by expecting mothers. It’s sort of a gore Rosemary’s Baby, but never is gross for the sake of being gross. The film takes the innocent vibe of a mother (Jordan Ladd), who so desperately wants a child, and injects a rancid smell of grotesque creepiness. That’s a compliment, by the way.

Grace isn’t an easy film to watch, mostly due to the subject matter of a mother giving birth to a stillborn baby, an ultimate fear if there ever was one for a soon-to-be mom. I appreciated it’s take, and how Solet doesn’t cheapen anything about the film’s subject matter. His hand is sure, and it feels like a old fashion horror film, rather a modern one, as it does away with jump scares and loud noises. The nature of the baby’s sudden resurrection is stuff of B-movie conventions, but what keeps it above those expectations, is the handling of the mother, Ladd’s character.

This is where it feels like a modern Rosemary’s Baby. Rosemary knows she gave birth to a child of Satan, but her maternal instincts kick in, and despite her child’s origins, her love for the child aids in its protection. Same thing here. Madeline is so determined not to lose the child, and is overly protective. Solet gives us a reason to side with her, despite the child’s questionable existence. Flies swarm around the crib. Odd bleeding on the body. There is never an ounce of exploitation in the film, as Solet doesn’t give situations or characters those one-dimensional attributes.

Grace was giving the reputation of a gross-out gore film, due to its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where some people were claimed to faint during the screening. Such publicity is great for a film, and I wouldn’t make fun of a person if they closed their eyes during some scenes, or were skirmish during others. It is rough, due to scenes of bleeding during Madeline’s pregnancy, and this is the stuff most expecting parents would run for the hills after seeing. The film doesn’t shy away for what potential it’s subject can give, and that isn’t exploitive, it’s just smart writing. Grace isn’t a scare-a-minute film, so for some horror fans, adjust your expectations. I won’t deny it’s ick factor, but it’s for that reason why its replay value is slim.

Grace is a film with interesting ideas and subtext, a rare breathe of fresh air into the evil baby genre.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: I wouldn’t call this transfer problematic, but there is quite a bit of noise in the picture, mostly due to it’s low budget nature, but it’s a shame even on a newer film, Anchor Bay deliver an average presentation. Outside of Hellraiser (here), I’ve been rather saddened by the lack of a spectacular Blu-ray release, in terms of video, from them. The details are high though, and don’t be deterred away from its high def release, but realize it isn’t a superb transfer, just a decent one.

The audio is fine, with some decent use of bass and rear speaker activity. While not a sonic assault like some horror films, it adequately presents Solet’s intentions in the best possible manner.

Commentaries: The first track is exclusive to Blu-ray, and it has Paul Solet and Jordan Ladd. It’s a light-hearted affair, with some fun anecdotes and tidbits. The second track has Solet again, but with his DP Zoran Popovic and Adam Green. This track is a must listen, as it delves deeper into the production and making of, filled with a lot of film making discussions and working on a indie. Good stuff.

Sadly, the rest of the extras are in 480p.

Grace at Sundance: This is a must watch as it features Solet in interviews and in a QandA after the Sundance screening, talking about the film, its critical reactions and other tidbits.

Grace: Conception: Here, Solet recalls the script writing process and the nature of what worked.

Grace: Delivered: Running a little over a half-an-hour, this features some behind-the-scenes footage as we seen how the film is being made.

Grace: Family: This is a short discussion on what sets Grace apart from other horror films.

The Look of Grace: A nice piece on the visual presentation Solet went for on the film.

Scoring Grace: I love pieces on composers, and this is another good one featuring Austin Wintory, as he talks about his work on the film.

Trailer

Conclusion: Grace is a unique film, a shining example of the great American horror films we’ve been getting now, and Solet is now a director of interest. Anchor Bay delivers a decent Blu-ray, with good extras.

The Film: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Be sure to catch Serena Whitney’s interview with director Paul Solet here!

Don’t forget to support Killer Film by clicking on the DVD cover above or any DVD on the site to purchase them from Amazon, because every DVD sold from this site sends a little coin our way and that coin helps us stay online.

I was also lucky enough to meet Mr. Solet in person and was grateful that he was able to take some time to answer some questions for KillerFilm.

Honest to God, this man is probably one of the most humble and charismatic horror directors out there and after watching Grace, I will forever be a fan of his work.

I hope you enjoy Paul’s ancedotes, humor, and much welcomed honesty as much as I did.

Check out the interview below!

1. Considering this is your feature film debut you have written and directed, did this story stem from anything personal that happened in your life?

When I was 19 my mother told me I had a twin that didn’t make it.  That was when I think the subject matter became sort of fundamentally compelling to me.  But it wasn’t until a few years later that I was having a conversation about the medical science behind the film that the creative genesis of the story took place.  I was talking with someone about the real medical phenomenon wherein someone loses their unborn child, and decides to carry it to term and deliver naturally anyway.  It was just such a powerful jumping off point.  It said so much about the commitment a mother makes to a child, and the sanctity of that connection.

2. From a female’s point of view, you really seem to understand and convey a woman’s strong connection with her baby effortlessly. Were you aiming to please the female horror aficionadas?

I was aiming to be true to story.  The genre convention of neglecting or alienating half your audience is just stupid and boring.  I’m tired of every woman in every horror film being either a whore, a victim, or a macho testosterone fueled action hero.  At the same time, this isn’t a woman’s horror movie, and it isn’t a man’s horror movie, it’s horror for humanity.  We’re dealing with themes you can’t not have an intense personal response to.  My allegiance is always to story.  If you get that right, gender becomes irrelevant.

3. After Inside come out, it seemed to stir up an outrage amongst male viewers far more than female viewers surprisingly enough. Did you experience the same reactions for this film, and what would your theory be as to why  men are more sensitive to “baby horror” than women?

I think, with very few exceptions, men are just not raised with any exposure to the processes of birthing or female cycles, and it just becomes terribly embarrassing and taboo for them.  GRACE hasn’t prompted any outrage, as far as I know.  It’s pretty clearly not an exploitation movie. I think you’re always going to get people that want to unite against whatever they can for their cause.  I had one woman come up to me after a screening in Toronto and sort of abrasively ask me “Why are all midwives lesbians?!” I explained that in a film about women, and about love, you’re going to see women in love. Until a straight male filmmaker can put a gay woman in a movie, because a story demands it, and not for the sake of making a political statement, without raising anyone’s eyebrows, we’ve got a long way to go.

4. Your film deals with a lot about nautropathy and vegetarianism. Do you have a strong stance on the subject or did you use it as a plot device to explain Madeline’s transformation?

Like I said, I’m not interested in making any political statement.  I don’t care what you eat, who you sleep with, or how you deliver your child.  I care about getting under your skin and kicking your soul around for 90 minutes.  In order to do that effectively, I believe you need to create a world that is authentic enough and consistent enough, that an audience can’t escape.  Part of that is creating real characters with real belief systems and world views and traumas that drive them.  In this case, the story of a woman who is forced to consider what – or who – she’ll sacrifice to keep her child alive, is much more interesting if her arc sees her starting as someone who literally can’t kill a fly.

5. There are some pretty disturbing scenes in Grace, (most notably the “childbirth” sequence) there are any scenes that were toned down from your script, and will there be any grisly deleted scenes on the DVD?

Sadly, with the schedule we were shooting, you don’t get to shoot scenes unless you damn well know they’re going in the movie, so no deleted scenes on the disc.  As for toning stuff down, we just basically said no, and accepted a hard R from go.  This isn’t a movie for children.  The DVD is FULL of amazing extras though.  We really set out to put together the ultimate geek DVD from the start, because we all grew up with these things as our film school, and really felt strongly that we needed to get it right.  I hired real directors to shoot the behind the scenes material, so you’re going to see some amazing shit.

6. There has been a lot of talk of faintings at the screenings for Grace. What was your initial reaction to this news?

At first I was concerned that it would set up the wrong expectations for the film.  You hear people fainted at a movie, especially when it happens more than once, and you think of a movie with serious gore and torture or something, and GRACE is so not that movie.  There’s hardly any blood.  That’s not what got people to pass out.  It’s the subject matter.  The reality is, this is not a movie that will make hardcore horror fans pass out.  I don’t think hardcore horror fans do pass out.  We never thought this was a movie that would make people faint.

7. You told me the other day that you filmed Grace in Regina, Saskatchewan. How did this come about?

Money.  There’s a great tax incentive there.  It turned out to be one of the best things that happened to GRACE because the crew was great, and the aesthetic we were able to get there was just perfect.  Just alien enough to make it unrecognizable, but not so much so that it became distracting.

8. How was it working with “scream queen” Jordan Ladd and Canadian’s own Samantha Ferris?

They’re both absolute pros, and wonderful women.  They are smart, thinking actors, who care about bringing their A-game, and that’s what every director hopes for.

9. You leave the ending of the film pretty open-ended and fans are already speculating about a sequel. Would you be game for doing a second installment?

I’m glad people are speculating.  You should leave a film wondering what happens to the characters.  You should care about them enough to want to know where they go next.  As a storyteller, you should know where your characters are heading, just as you should know where they came from before the story began.  But I’ve never had any plans to do a sequel.

10. Did you enjoy screening your film at this year’s Toronto After Dark Film Festival?

I had such a great time at the festival.  I love Toronto, and I love Adam Lopez, and what he’s done with this festival is a real achievement.  He’s got a fabulous slate every year, and this festival is genuinely on the rise.

*Killerfilm questions

*We like to ask our interviewees random questions as well….

1. Betty, Veronica, or Cheryl Blossom?

Betty, Veronica AND Cheryl Blossom.

2. William Sadler or Michael Rooker?

Rooker.  Close, though.  But HENRY clinched it in 1986.

3. Toilet paper up or down?

Down.

4. Crystal Pepsi or Pepsi Blue?

What’s Pepsi Blue?

5. Fright Night or Vamp?

DEATHDREAM.

Thank you Paul!

Thank you!

*Please be sure to catch GRACE on DVD and Blu-Ray on this September 15th, 2009 and read my review here!

The film starts off with a seemingly unhappy couple trying to conceive a baby.  After months have passed the now pregnant wife Madeline, (Jordan Ladd) has decided to take the naturopathic route (much to her overbearing mother in law’s dismay) and conceive her baby via natural child birth from her very protective mid-wife. (Samantha Ferris)

On the way home one night, Madeline and her husband (Stephen Parks) get in a horrific car accident causing death for both her husband and her unborn child. Unwillingly to believe her baby is dead, Madeline continues to carry to term and delivers a stillbirth…or at least that’s how it first appears. Minutes later, the baby (named Grace) is moving, crying and breathing and this is enough of a reason for Madeline to give Grace whatever her heart desires….even if it’s human blood.

Grace is undoubtedly going to be compared to many other Rosemary’s Baby knock-offs, however what makes Grace unlike the other cheap and exploitative “demon seed” films is that the film’s focus is not on discovering what kind of monster Grace is, but rather it deals with the monster living inside Madeline.  Madeline starts the film off as a hardcore vegetarian that could not hurt a fly, but as the film progresses, she rapidly transforms into a person who does the unthinkable, all because of the love she has for her child. That is what is so terrifying about Grace’s premise—any new mother could be capable of doing the same thing.

In his feature debut, writer/director Paul Solet seems to realise although horror fans have become far more desensitised to gore these days, a film’s controversial subject matter can still affect its seemingly numb audience. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of blood shed in this film. Although, the gruesome and bloody scenes are not as grotesque as any scenes involving breast milk in it. Everytime Grace is feeding, you almost expect her to talk in a perverse Donald Duck voice, because what she does is as disturbing as what “The New York Ripper” did to Daniela Doria in a Fulci classic. (Who knew that breasts could be scary?)

Jordan Ladd also nails it out of the park and proves that she is capable of doing more than just dying horrifically or doing topless gymnastics onscreen. As a troubled and sick anti-heroine, Ladd proves with her challenging character she can handle leading lady roles from here on in.  Samantha Ferris and Gabrielle Rose also do fine jobs in their roles and are able to invoke laughter and groans of disgust from the audience periodically through out the film. (Especially Rose.)

On the downside, Grace throws in a random subplot that although sheds more light on the film’s opening scene, it is hardly talked about and seems only relevant in the film’s slightly rushed denouement.  Also, if you have seen the trailer for the film, you have practically seen the entire film, which was something I was disappointed to discover half way into the screening.

Overall, despite a shaky subplot and a spoiler-heavy trailer, I truly recommend horror fans to suckle on this demon seed’s teet, (no pun intended) as it is an ultra violent, surprisingly feminist and malevolent horror film that is sure to please.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

It’s August 25^th, and another New Release Tuesday is upon us. Let’s take a look at what is coming out today, and you can order from Amazon by clicking on the cover art.

Adventureland

While offering not much new in the so-called “coming-of-age” genre, the film has some funny performances and a killer soundtrack. Read our review and interview! Also on Blu-ray. Jon says: Buy Donny says: Buy

Duplicity

I had high hopes for this one, especially after the amazing Michael Clayton, but it just sort of stillborn. Also on Blu-ray. Jon says: Avoid Donny says: Rent

Sunshine Cleaning

A pretty cool premise, that doesn’t deliver fully, but well worth seeing for Clifton Collins, Amy Adams, and Emily Blunt. Also on Blu-ray. Jon says: Buy Donny says: Buy

Goodbye Solo

All of the praise this film, and Ramin Bahrani have gotten is perfectly justified with this great film. I suspect it might’ve not played in your city, so please, please see this film, read our review and check out our interview with Bahrani! Jon says: Buy Donny says: Buy

Fighting

Tatum whoops ass! Or so it tries to be a hipper version of Lionheart. Heard Donny liked it. Also on Blu-ray. Jon says: Rent Donny says: Buy

American Son

The 2008 Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominated film comes home, and early word is that it’s decent, and just recently seen it, I can concur. Jon says: Rent Donny says: Rent

The Informers

Riding off the coat tails of Mickey Rourke’s Oscar nomination, this film just came and went. I really like Bret Easton Ellis,, but word wasn’t good on this. Jon says: Avoid Donny says: Rent

Trouble the Water

A siring documentary about Hurricane Katrina as filmed by a girl caught within the storm. Highly praised, and worth seeking out, even if you’re tired of Katrina docs. Jon says: Rent Donny says: Rent

How Bruce Lee Changed the World

I’m incredibly curious on this documentary from the History Channel. I usually like their acquisitions, but I hope they examine what the title promises. Jon says: Rent Donny says: Rent

Sick Girl

This indie horror film is everything the title states, or so I’ve heard. Coming out from Synapse, Don May, Jr. has a good eye for some interesting titles. I heard it’s brutal as all get-up. Jon says: Rent Donny says: Rent

New to TV

Lie to Me: Season 1 (also on Blu-ray)

Californiacation: Season 2

Smallville: Season 8 (also on Blu-ray)

New to Blu

**Special Note** Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the horror sensation Grace, are all out on Blu-ray today as exclusives from Best Buy. You can only get them there, until September 15^th for Grace and September 22^nd for Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, when they are available at all retailers, including Amazon.

Children of the Corn Read our review here.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Read our review here.

A really great week for titles, first time in a while. Keep it here at Killer Film, for news, reviews, and more from these discs and more!

Don’t forget to support Killer Film by clicking on the DVD covers of any of the above DVDs to purchase them from Amazon, because every DVD sold from this site sends a little coin our way and that coin helps us stay online.

(August 7^th)

G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra

Jon: Everything in my heart, says this film will blow. I hate to say such things, since this is a film based on a fan favorite toy-line that my dad played around with when he was a boy, I even played with the 3.5 inch Joes, and a franchise that has seeped into popular culture thanks to a kitschy cartoon. Yes, Rachel Nichol and Sienna Miller are gorgeous, and the very idea that this film exists is cool, but the trailer doesn’t feel like a G.I. Joe film. I guess I expected more army stuff than a Halo-like costumed dudes. I hope to yell “Yo Joe!” after seeing it, but I think I’ll say, “Hell no, Joe!” See It.

Donny:

I am a huge fan of the cartoon and I played with the toys religiously when I was a kid.  I have been waiting for this film to hit the silver screen for a long, long time, but like Jon I’m skeptical when it comes to the studio’s ability to bring to fruition the film I’ve always dreamed of seeing.  On the bright side, Sienna Miller has an amazing ass that looks really great in black leather.  So I’m gonna plant my butt in the seat on opening day with my jaw open staring at this wonderful spectacle (thank you Sienna).  See it.

A Perfect Getaway

Jon: Poor David Twohy. He creates one wicked cool character in Riddick for Pitch Black, then creates a much larger sequel, and it fails. All the promise went bye-bye. It isn’t all his fault in my opinion. He returns with this seemingly standard issue slasher flick. It looks as generic as any other stalk-n-slash film, but it has a good cast: Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, and Timothy Olyphant. I hope there’s more subtext or themes to it, than what the trailer has shown. Either way, welcome back Mr. Twohy. Skip It.

Donny: I’m a fan of Twohy’s work but this flick looks sort of generic. Steve Zahn is an amazing actor that deserves every ounce of success that is thrown at him, and in the company of Twohy I’m betting that the generic trailer is just the work of the Hollywood machine.  So I’m blindly gonna put my faith in Twohy and his awesome cast and hopefully they don’t let me down.  See it.

Julie & Julia

Jon: Amy Adams gets me excited whenever I see her…in a movie. I love her bubbly attitude. Having her cast up against the acting force of nature that is Meryl Streep worked in Doubt, and should work again. This is this week’s counter-programming for the women, and should be decent, but every time I see the trailer, it fails to get me interested. Skip It.

Donny: I’m not at all interested in seeing this flick and am planing on letting Jon see this one.  I hope you enjoy it buddy.  Skip it.

Shorts

Jon: I want to take Robert Rodriguez seriously. I do. But then he makes crap like this. Even though it’s aimed at kids, much like his Spy Kids franchise, let me say this: “Stop messing around and make sin City 2 already!” Skip It.

Donny: I can’t help but love Robert Rodriguez.  Unlike Jon, I actually enjoy his children’s movies.  I have children and take them to the movies as often as I can, so having a creative mastermind behind one of my mandatory family movie outings is not a bad thing.  I’ll see this one while Jon peeps the girly flick above.  See it.

(August 14^th)

District 9

Jon: This high concept film is rather unknown on how it’s gonna play out. Will it be like a mockumentary or an action-fest? Either way, it looks like a blast. It might be the fact of nostalgia, since my uncle raised me on 1950s Sci-Fi flicks, but I have a soft spot for alien invasion movies, and this looks topnotch. See It.

Donny: Oh hell yes!  I can’t wait to see this flick.  The short film that inspired District 9 is awesome, so if the feature is half as good it’s gonna rock.  I think it’s time for the scifi genre to get a swift kick in the ass, and I’m hoping that this is the flick to do it.  See it.

Ponyo

Jon: Like I really need to recommend a Hayao Miyazaki film? The man is an animation genius, mostly because of his use of themes and great characters. He is the only man to stop Pixar from winning every damn Oscar bid with his Spirited Away, and while this film is filled with American actors like Matt Damon, Liam Neeson, and Cate Blanchett, I will not have that ruin my excitement for what Miyazaki will bring to my imagination and eyes. Granted it looks odd, and the American cast makes it all the more odd, oh well, it’s Miyazaki so See It.

Donny: This flick isn’t really all that interesting to me.  I didn’t see Spirited Away so I don’t have anything to compare it to.  I think I’ll sit this one out.  Skip it.

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard

Jon: I don’t know, I might be experiencing comedy fatigue, as comedy has been really good so far. This is “meh” to me. Jeremy Piven hasn’t won me over. I bet Donny will have more to say…Skip It.

Donny: Don’t listen to Jon.  Jeremy Piven kicks ass!  Just because comedy has been really good lately doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check out another comedy.  Come on sir, it’s like saying you don’t want to see another solid indie picture because they’ve been great as of late.  I’m hoping The Goods is going to be good.  See it.

Paper Heart

Jon: Who is Charlyne Li and why should I care about this experimental documentary about her finding love with Michael Cera? It looks pretentious. It’ll be a big hit with the college, alternative crowd. You know the ones that didn’t talk to me, because my artwork was too out there for their wanna-be ideals. Skip it.

Donny: I’m sensing a little repressed social anxiety left over from your college years Jon.  Charlyne Li is the girl that got herself into a movie with Michael Cera, that’s who she is, and I personally think this flick looks like it could be fun.  See it.

Grace

Jon: Oh hell yes! Early word is it’s amazing. A creepy, bloody killer baby ghost story, is something we haven’t truly gotten since It’s Alive! Count me as the one who’s excited for this and this current trend of solid American horror. See It.

Donny: I’m with Jon on this one.  I can’t wait to see this flick.  Any movie Adam Green is involved with is a movie that I wan to see.  It looks like a truly creepy picture.  See it.

Time Traveler’s Wife

Jon: Notebook fans rejoice! This should be a big hit with the female crowd. The sci-fi elements look toned down in the trailer, and this should hit all of the right beats to make you laugh and cry. This should be the number one film this summer for the females, so guys bust out your wallets. See It.

Donny: If my wife sees this trailer I’m gonna be drug to the multiplex at break-neck speed.  It looks like it might be a worth wild romantic date movie, with just the right amount of scifi thrown into the mix.  If the filmmakers did their job this’ll be the tearjerker that guys won’t mind checking out.  See it.

It Might Get Loud

Jon: If nothing else, it might be neat to see some talented musicians rocking out: Jack White from the White Strips, Edge from U2, Jimmy Page from Led Zepplin. Maybe there is a rhyme to this film’s reason? I hope. See It.

Donny: I could care less.  Skip it.

(August 21^st)

Inglourious Basterds

Jon: Well, our beloved Serena Whitney has already seen it, but for the sake of this article, my opinion is it looks good, but I suspect it’s just Tarantino on cruise control. I don’t know if I want to see a 2 plus hour gorefest from him. Where’s the QT that gave us Jackie Brown? I suspect I’m not going to like it. Death Proof turned me off from QT so much so, that I could care less about this (fingers crossed). Hope I’m wrong. Skip It.

Donny: It’s Tarantino for science sake!  This guy lives and breaths cool movies, and I for one can’t wait to check out his love letter to WW2 exploitation pictures.  I’m excited to see Brad Pitt and Eli Roth kick some Nazi ass.  See it.

(August 28^th)

The Final Destination

Jon: 3-D gore! I’m glad to see David R. Ellis back at the helm, since his Final Destination 2 had one of the coolest and well-crafted death scenes in recent years: the highway pile-up. I hope he takes that type of fun, gory craziness to 3-D. If so, this might be fun, nothing else. But the third film felt tacky and unneeded. Maybe the ideas are running out? See It.

Donny: What Jon said.  See it.

Halloween 2

Jon: The more and more I watch the first film from Rob Zombie, the more I can’t stand the music, the dialogue, the acting, everything. It was an interesting mess. If his little history repeats itself, then we should expect a solid, excellent film here. Hopefully, this is on the Devil Rejects level. Posters, trailers, the ideas, all look good. As much as I’m over the remake of this, I’m very excited to see where he takes the characters. See It.

Donny: Rob Zombie is a solid director that sticks to his guns and makes the movies he wants to make.  I respect that and I really dig his movies.  I loved his first two pictures and I enjoyed his Halloween remake very much.  His ideas are far from mainstream, and his visual style is arresting.  See it.

Taking Woodstock

Jon: I like Ang Lee a lot, but I can’t get hyped for this. I really don’t know why. I love the bands from this era, the look of the film feels accurate, maybe it’s just the trailer. It looks like Juno in the 70s for some reason. Yeah, I know I’m retarded. Skip It.

Donny: Wow, I’m going to agree with Jon twice (duck the asteroid might hit Earth moments from now).  I can’t seem to get excited about this flick, and it looks extremely recycled.  Skip it.

That’s August for you. Summer’s over and fall begins soon. Keep it here for our reviews all month long, and if you have any questions or comments, email us at donny@killerfilm.com and jon@killerfilm.com . Or take it to our new forums, and discuss everything movie-related!

The South by SouthWest film festival runs between March 13th-21st.

This years films in the running for best film are: