Like a divorced parent buying the attention of a kid caught in the middle, more isn’t always the best option. Slasher fans are probably the most forgiving group of fans around, and we’ve all eased up on an inferior sequel for the simpler and wetter things they can deliver. Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 isn’t what I’ve just described, and that’s the shocking thing about Rob Hall’s sequel to his hit 2009 film. It certainly delivers the “more,” but it delivers it in unsuspecting ways for a slasher sequel. Creating a big, bold, ballsy sequel that’s on par with the fan favorite original. In fact, it feels like an all-new film instead of a sequel. The tag line is Death, polished. Reading in between the lines, it might as well have said: The horror sequel, redefined.

The film picks up seconds after Tommy (Thomas Dekker) successfully escaped the clutches of Chromeskull (Nick Principe – interview here), seemingly now dead. A mysterious man named Preston (Brian Austin Green in a great performance) arrives on the crime scene for Chromeskull. Well, that’s all the plot you need. Further plot description will ruin your enjoyment of where the sequel goes, but rest assured Chromeskull is alive and well, and has some unfinished business to attend to, launching a new bloody crime wave that might hit close to home. Hall didn’t take the easy way out. Giving us more kills, more gore, more boobs, and Chromeskull doing the damage might be all another director would have given, but Hall does this within the confines of the story, something most horror sequels don’t give a damn about.

Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 is a mosh-pit of violence and gore, and Rob Hall is the rock star orchestrating it. He bravely launches us into a new direction, which gives the film a different vibe than the lean, mean original, like I said in the opening paragraph. This sequel is moodier, grimmer, and more brutal. Taking this sequel in this direction, featuring more characters, more development, is thankfully fresh. There’s no self-indulgence in the writing or the direction. There’s no self-referential bullshit either. It’s a horror sequel with big balls, a bold direction that showcases not only Hall’s impressive FX, but his impressive directing skills. Where most horror sequels promises bigger, better things, and think using an R-rating or an Unrated stature is a badge of instant honor and respect, Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 proves it’s the bad-ass motherf*cker of modern slasher franchises as it slices and dices the pussies out of our way.

Long. Live. Chromeskull.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Jon: When I last talked to Rob Hall (here) he was trying to get Old Scratch off the ground, but said there’s a possibility that Laid to Rest 2 would come first. How was it coming back to the franchise and working with Robert Hall again?

Nick Principe: Rob’s awesome. It’s different working for him, because he’s a friend and he knows how much I love Chromeskull, so it’s much easier to work with him than most [directors]. Plus, Rob has a coolness on- set that’s rare; no matter how rough things get he never let’s people see him sweat.

Jon: I imagine that chrome mask kind of sucks wearing it daily, and now for the sequel – especially after the climax of the first film – you now have that mask and facial prosthetic to wear. How is it now adding more to the mask and what’s your daily shooting schedule like as the masked killer?

Nick Principe: I didn’t get any complaints about my performance with fans, so I figured if it’s not broke don’t fix it. I just did what I thought Chromey would do for what each scene called for. I just wanted Chromey to be really pissed off, as I see him to be very vain. Now that his face is gone, I thought so take this lunatic, now make that lunatic have nothing to lose, and that’s how I played him for the sequel.

I’ m used to wearing far worse than what I did for Laid to Rest, so it’s not a big deal for me. In this one, I wore a towel underneath the mask that looked just like my head and neck anyway, but with wounds around the top. On the days where I would have to be unmasked, it was a 7-hour appliance time. So if the crew’s call time was 8am I’d be in (with special makeup effects supervisor Eric Porn and whom ever he’d have working with him that day) about 5 hours before the crew to be ready to shoot around 10 or 11 am. It’s tough but beyond worth it.

Jon: So your stalking Thomas Dekker (Tommy) once more, but added to the mix is Danielle Harris (Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers), who knows a thing or two about a masked killer stalking her. Talk about working with her.

Nick Principe: This was my second time working with Danielle (first was on Fear Clinic). She’s my age, but she’s been doing this since she was like 7 or 8? She’s a total pro, and always a pleasure to work with. Though, I’m not stalking her in this. She’s kind of right beside me, without giving away too much.

Jon: Also added to the sequel is the mysterious character Brian Austin Green plays. How was it working with him, who’s worked with Rob Hall before on The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and did he bring Megan Fox to set?

Nick Principe: That’s the number one asked question when Brian’s name comes up: “Did he bring Megan to set?” As most professionals don’t bring their significant other to their workplace, he was no exception. Plus, I think she was out of town shooting something of her own when we shot Laid to Rest 2, so no.

Jon: I know Rob and have talked to him a few times (here and here), so I’m sure he’s bring his A-game in the gore department. Can you talk about the sequel’s bloodshed as well as, your favorite kill?

Nick Principe: Rob doesn’t want me to talk about specific kills just yet, but the kill count is doubled for the sequel, with never-before-seen kills! Eric Porn probably didn’t get a wink of sleep for the whole shoot; every night after doing a kill,he had to prep for two or three
more the next day. If you liked the kills of the first film, you will love the kills of the second.

Jon: Interestingly, since the first film, is the horror cultural impact and popularity of Laid to Rest and Chromeskull. Outside of Jigsaw from SAW, Chromeskull is one of the only iconic killers since the Big Three (Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers) faded out. In your opinion, since you’ve played the character twice now, what’s his appeal?

Nick Principe: I honestly don’t know. And every time someone names the “Holy Three” and throws Chromeskull’s name next to them, I get goosebumps. It still hasn’t sunk in that some people consider him to be that iconic, and to those people, I thank you a million times over! You’re my heart!

I guess, he’s a little different from the Big Three, but not so different he breaks the traditions. He’s calculated and smart, but still plain evil. And there’s that sexual element that only Kruger really touched on before lightly in being a child molester, but we don’t know what Chromey does to these girls in the coffin, and for me, that’s far more scarier. What you don’t know and what you assume will always be scarier than what’s explained.

Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 comes to Blu-ray and DVD from Image Entertainment September 20th, 2011.

Audio commentary by Hall, co-scripter/co-producer Kevin Bocarde and stars Thomas Dekker and Brian Austin Green

• Making-of featurette

• Deleted scenes

• Bloopers

The film follows the first film’s survivor in Thomas Dekker as Chromeskull’s continues his rampage after seemingly thought dead. Brian Austin Green plays a mysterious character who has ties to the masked serial killer.

Can’t. F’ing. Wait!

Enjoy:

Hall premiered some scenes at Texas Frightmare a week ago, and if you dare, follow the source Fangirltastic for some spoiler-ish breakdowns of these scenes.

ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2 picks up three months after we last left ChromeSkull (Principe) at the end of the original Laid to Rest. Tommy (Dekker), who’s struggling to come to terms with his encounter with the masked killer, has now gone missing courtesy of the maniacal Preston (Green), a mysterious player in the sequel with a sinister connection to ChromeSkull. Meanwhile, our killer has set his sights on a new girl, Jess (Michaels), and after the young girl disappears, Detective King (Yeoman) must race against the clock to find her and Tommy before it’s too late and try to put an end to ChromeSkull’s deadly legacy.

Source: Dread Central

The Legends

The Shape/Michael Myers, Halloween (1978)

This infamous face is one of the plainest masks in horror history, and yet it remains the most terrifying. Perhaps William Shatner is to blame for that, as the mask was created in his likeness. Fashioned from a Captain Kirk Halloween mask, the pale, emotionless face perfectly matches the cold, soulless demeanor of “The Shape” (as Carpenter’s killer was known back then). Together with that blue jumpsuit, the mask has solidified Michael Myers as a horror icon.

Leatherface, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Few things are more terrifying than a nut-job who wears other people’s skin – especially when said nut-job is an inbred, mentally-challenged, chainsaw-wielding cannibal. The Sawyer boy’s tendency to wear the skin of his victims as masks was inspired by real-life killer, Ed Gein. The look is such an integral part of the character that it has become his name – Leatherface. “Bubba” and “Junior” have been thrown around as possible monikers for the killer, but those names will never make you shudder like “Leatherface” does.

Jason Voorhees, Friday the 13^th: Part III (1982)

Jason has undergone numerous makeovers during the course of the franchise, from deformed boy to sack-headed hillbilly to full-on zombie, but only one look is recognized by anyone aged 5 to 95 – the hockey mask. Thanks to Jason, this otherwise harmless piece of fiberglass has become a symbol of terror. Even goalies stopped wearing this style of mask, so the look is truly Jason’s now (well, and Casey Jones). Either way, when you see this face coming at you, you know to run the other way.

Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Unlike the other entries on this list, Hannibal did not wear this mask for his kills, or even by choice. But who can deny the terrifying imagery of the infamous cannibal in his mouth restraint? From the nose down, it somewhat resembles the iconic Jason Voorhees mask. Only with Hannibal, we can see his eyes – those bat-shit crazy eyes. The purpose of this mask is to prevent you from becoming dinner but the image definitely doesn’t evoke a feeling of safety. The mere concept of a grown man having to wear a muzzle like some rabid Rottweiler is quite unnerving.

Jack Griffin, The Invisible Man (1933)

One of the legendary Universal monsters, the Invisible Man wears a mask of bandages to make himself seen. The scientist behind the monster is Dr. Griffin, a man who discovered the secret of invisibility. His newfound ability drives him insane and he starts killing people. The bandage face with sunglasses is one of the oldest and most recognizable masks in the horror genre.

The Cult Favorites

The “Yellow Raincoat Killer”, Alice, Sweet Alice (1976)

Like Don’t Look Now for the slasher crowd, this thriller is full of striking imagery, creepy children, and strong characters. But Alice has something that movie did not – a killer in one freaking scary mask. In addition to the memorable yellow raincoat he/she wears, the villain obscures their face with one of those transparent, plastic masks with the makeup painted on. This look reiterates what Michael Myers taught us – a frozen human face is scarier than any monster mask.

The Miner, My Bloody Valentine (1981)

Twenty years after a tragic mining accident, someone is killing the locals, and everyone believes it is Harry Warden, the sole survivor of the accident. After killing the miners who almost killed him over a Valentine’s Day dance, Harry warned the town to never throw the dance again. Now, two decades later, the town has disobeyed his warning. Wearing a gas mask, headlamp, and mining jumpsuit, the Miner dispatches his victims with a pickaxe. It’s a practical look, given Harry’s old profession, but his monstrous appearance is sure to inspire nightmares.

Irving Wallace, Stage Fright: Aquarius (1987)

Not to be confused with the similarly-named Hitchcock thriller or Ozploitation flick, Michele Soavi’s 1987 slasher film follows a group of stage actors who become locked inside a theatre with actor-turned-maniac, Irving Wallace, who has recently escaped the loony bin. The killer dons a giant owl head (a prop from the play) and picks the thespians off one-by-one. Amusing as the owl head may be, it is equally creepy, especially those beady bird eyes.

The “Groucho Killer”, Terror Train (1980)

While the killer in this film wears the familiar Groucho Marx mask for only a small portion of the film, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this mask-heavy cult classic. A group of graduating college students takes a “steam engine excursion” wherein they have a drunken masquerade aboard a locomotive. Unbeknownst to them, a killer has snuck aboard and uses the victims’ masks to get around discretely. The first of which is a Groucho mask, an image that has become synonymous with this film. Who knew the lovable Groucho could be so evil?

The Prowler, The Prowler (1981)

A jilted World War II veteran returns home and murders his ex-girlfriend on the night of their graduation dance. Thirty-five years later, at another graduation dance, the kids are being picked off by a masked killer in WWII fatigues. The Prowler’s mask is basically just a closed-up hood, but it effectively turns his/her face into an eerie, shapeless black figure. Combat boots, a helmet, and a trench knife complete the look. Don’t ask me why he has a pitchfork, though – just enjoy the Prowler’s kills, courtesy of Tom Savini.

The Newcomers

Jigsaw, Saw (2004)

I decided I could only choose one pig mask for this list, and despite my love of Farmer Vincent in Motel Hell, I am giving it to Jigsaw for sheer scares, as opposed to laughs. Call it trite but the mask, the robe, and the inexplicable wig all make for a creepy bad guy. One year on Halloween, I dressed as Farmer Vincent and every kid I encountered said, “Cool, it’s the Saw guy!” As much as that irked this horror snob, it goes to show you what an impact the look has had on modern youth. Jigsaw is doing to kids today what Freddy Krueger did to children of the 80s.

Leslie Vernon, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Quickly becoming a horror icon, Leslie Vernon gives us a peak behind-the-scenes of the slasher subgenre. Wearing a Myers-inspired mask with large, hollow eyes and a down-turned mouth, Leslie aims to become the next horror legend by taking a camera crew along for his exploits. Behind the Mask is one of the better horror offerings in the last decade, and like Scream, it pokes fun at its own genre clichés.

Sam, Trick r’ Treat (2007)

If scarecrows did not already ruin burlap sacks for you, then Sam ought to do the trick. With button eyes and a stitched-in smile, the little guy looks harmless. But don’t let the orange footie pajamas fool you – disobey the rules of Halloween and you will get a jagged lollipop in your eye. Sam proves that size does not matter, especially with a potato sack on your head that keeps everyone wondering, What the hell is under there?? I actually wish I didn’t know – Sam is a lot scarier with his mask on.

Man in the Mask, Dollface, and Pin-Up Girl, The Strangers (2008)

This home invasion horror has not one, but three masked foes. Even creepier, it is implied that these masked terrors are a family unit – father, mother, daughter. Each wears a different scary mask – the “dad” in a pillowcase-like sack with droopy eye and mouth holes; the “mom” in porcelain china-doll mask; and the “daughter” in a wide-eyed babydoll face. The trio terrifies a young couple for seemingly no reason. Most of the scares in the film are attributable to the incredibly creepy masks, without which the movie would not be the same.

Chrome Skull, Laid to Rest (2009)

Amidst the shit-storm of horror remakes and crappy sequels out there, Laid to Rest shows that original, masked slasher villains are not just a thing of the past. With the exception of Leslie Vernon, true slasher killers on-screen are hard to find these days. While that film aimed for parody, Laid to Rest shoots to be a hardcore slasher. Chrome Skull – a tall man dressed in black with a chrome skull mask – wields twin knuckle knives and videotapes his kills from a camera on his shoulder. Not unlike Leatherface, the mask names the killer, and proves that old-school slashers are not dead.

Still no word on a release date. The film stars Thomas Dekker, Danielle Harris, Brian Austin Green, and more who will have to deal with ChromeSkull’s return.

ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2 picks up three months after we last left ChromeSkull (Principe) at the end of the original Laid to Rest. Tommy (Dekker), who’s struggling to come to terms with his encounter with the masked killer, has now gone missing courtesy of the maniacal Preston (Green), a mysterious player in the sequel with a sinister connection to ChromeSkull. Meanwhile, our killer has set his sights on a new girl, Jess (Michaels), and after the young girl disappears, Detective King (Yeoman) must race against the clock to find her and Tommy before it’s too late and try to put an end to ChromeSkull’s deadly legacy.

“ChromeSkull” Teaser Clip #1 from Robert and Jayeson Hall on Vimeo.

Source: Dread Central

Luckily, the film still has returning stars Thomas Dekker and Nick Principe. The film is currently filming.

Source: Dread Central

Sweet, but check out this bad-ass still!

No release date set yet.

Source: Dread Central

Here’s the official press release (via Dread Central):

“In 2009, writer/director Robert Hall (Lightning Bug, Fear Clinic) introduced horror fans to a new face of horror: ChromeSkull, the mysterious and relentless killer who hunts down young women and records their grisly demises, all while donning a iconic silver skull mask and a video camera strapped to his shoulder. And while it may have seemed like ChromeSkull was dead at the end of the first Laid to Rest, every horror fan knows that evil never really dies.

Now Hall and the rest of the team behind the original are getting ready to take their modern slasher franchise to a boiling point. ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2 will begin principal photography on November 1st in Los Angeles. Hall is penning the script with producing partner Kevin Bocarde. Hall, Bocarde and Chang Tseng are producing the film under their Dry County Entertainment banner.

Returning for the sequel are original Laid to Rest stars Thomas Dekker (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2010) and Nick Principe, donning the by now familiar mask of ChromeSkull. Although casting is still underway, the film already boasts an impressive new line-up of stars including Brian Austin Green (“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” “90210”), Michael Biehn (Aliens, The Victim), Christopher Nelson (Kill Bill: Volume 1, The Tripper), Jennifer Blanc (Bereavement, The Victim) and Danielle Harris (Halloween, Stake Land, Hatchet 2).

Producer Kevin Bocarde said, “Since the release of the first Laid to Rest, we have been hearing from fans who want to see a sequel. They wanted to know more about ChromeSkull and more importantly, seeing him do what he does best. We’re thrilled to bring him back to the screen and hopefully we can deliver to all the fans what they want.”

“We are currently in negotiations to secure distribution for ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2 in time for a Halloween 2011 release,” Tseng said. “It’s a calculated risk but we are confident in the power of franchise we know it will find the right home very soon.”

In the first Laid to Rest, Chromeskull raised the bar for serial killers everywhere by delivering indisputably some of the most inventive on screen deaths seen in recent horror history (due to the top-notch special effects work designed by Hall and his Almost Human EFX crew) and Hall promises to up the ante for fans with more mind-blowing kills for the sequel.

“You can’t really make a Laid to Rest movie and not have the best gore effects,” said Hall. “We’re doubling the carnage and doubling the fun. I know we raised the bar on the last one but people have no idea what’s in store in that department for the sequel- it’s the original and THEN SOME. I’m so happy to have such a stellar cast involved and I think Kevin and I have come up with a cool way to bring Chromey back without going all nutty and breaking our own rules.”

Laid to Rest went on to become one of the top selling direct–to-DVD horror titles of 2009. The film garnered several top awards in the industry, most notably winning a Reaper award for “Best Slasher.” ChromeSkull was the cover of April 2009 issue of Fangoria Magazine.”

There’s no word on how this will affect Robert Hall’s Old Scratch. More to come!

Screen Gems announced this past March, that they are heading into production for a sequel to Quarantine, with Robert Hall’s Almost Human FX coming back again to do make-up work on the creatures. While the 2008 film was a remake of the hit Spanish film [REC], Hall insists that director John Pogue (Skulls and Ghost Ship) will not remake [REC] 2. “I’ve seen [REC] 2 and I liked it,” Hall explains. “[and] I don’t think this is a spoiler: it’s more supernatural as everyone is possessed now. Quarantine 2 is a completely different film than [REC] 2, and it won’t be like how Quarantine followed [REC] so closely. It’s more of a direct sequel to Quarantine than anything to do with [REC] and I think people will find some value in the different subject matter.”

The film hasn’t had anything in the way of announcements much yet, but Pogue’s script will focus on the outbreak in an airport. Look for more on this film soon as they start filming very, very soon. In 2008, Quarantine made $41 million at the box office, off of a $12 million budget. Early word has Quarantine 2 as a possible DTV movie.

Fans of Lightning Bug and Laid to Rest can get excited for Robert Hall’s next directorial film, Old Scratch. A trailer was released (here) recently and the film looks all sorts of amazing, with a combination of metal music and blood. “Laid to Rest 2 is being planned as we are doing that for sure, but Old Scratch was something I’ve been kicking around for a while. It was the film I wanted to do right after Lightning Bug,” says Hall.

Produced by his Dry County Films production company, the film follows a washed up musician’s terrifying journey through his haunted past by way of playing his own record albums backwards. The film stars Thomas Dekker, who’s worked with Hall twice on Laid to Rest and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and look for Hellraiser‘s Ashley Lawrence as well. “We haven’t even shot the whole movie yet. It’s forthcoming and hopefully really soon there’ll be more on it to get people excited. I want to make a really good rock-n-roll horror film that doesn’t feel dated, as it’s something very near and dear to me.”

Hal remembers his childhood, which provides a basis for the film. “I grew up in Alabama, in the deep South, amongst the really religious folks. Preachers would actually come to the class rooms and play records backwards, telling the kids “See? Listen to Devil speak!” To me, that was one of the coolest things ever! That’s really were the idea came from.” The term “old scratch” is a folk name for the Devil during the 1800′s, mostly in the Civil War era, something authors have used in The Devil and Daniel Webster by Stephen Vincent Benet and/or The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. “My brother and I would get goosebumps and chills as we played records backwards trying to pick out all of that creepy shit in it. I wanted to explore in a non-gimmicky, non-Trick ‘r Treat sort of way, something more psychological. It’s more like a horror version of Memento, than it is say Black Roses.”

“I wanted something unique to do and digging deep to do something I really want to make and it’s taking a good long while to make,” concludes Hall. “It wasn’t a super cheap movie to do, so it’s been in development as we are trying to find the right people for it, get some money for it. I want to do this independently in the way I wanted too, as a good rock-n-roll horror film. I don’t want it to be watered down or turn out like the Butterfly Effect 4 or something. I think by the end of this year, we should have this movie totally done.”

As always, Killer Film will keep you posted.

Toby Sells, an Atlanta based make-up FX artist has been pretty busy as of late. The last time I caught up with him, he was knee deep in the undead for Zombieland (here). “I look at zombies in two categories: one being the supernatural, like some unseen force makes them rise up, and the natural like bio hazard or infection, and that what was The Crazies,” says Toby Sells. Between Dance of the Dead, Zombieland, and a little feature called Collapse he recently done this past Fall in Iowa City, he was a little burned out doing zombie films. So what attracted him to The Crazies? “what attracted me to the project was the script. Rob (Laid to Rest) Hall contacted me before it started, and I always liked him, so I jumped at the chance. I knew about it for awhile, and I watched the original, eventually they sent me the script and it was good. Now I read a lot of scripts, and being a shop owner, I read a lot of crap, but this was defiantly good. You could tell that it wasn’t going straight to Blockbuster Video, but it was going to get a nice theatrical release.”

Based off of the 1973 George A. Romero film, The Crazies follows some Iowan towns folk as a dangerous virus rips through them, making them all go violent insane.

“The story, the script, working with Rob, all were appealing aspects. The makeups here were a lot different than in Zombieland, that’s for sure, even though I ended up doing something zombie-ish again,” laughed Toby. “Basically, this time last year we started doing the life casts and shipped them to L.A. Then Rob’s team [at Almost Human FX] took over, and on top of that, Rob’s crew was building some dummies and other gags,” explained Toby. “Once we had that going, I was off to Zombieland for a solid month. Then I came back to a staggering schedule; a week on The Crazies, a week on Zombieland, back and forth.”

Teaming with Almost Human FX

“I’ll give credit to where credit is do: I was tagging along with Rob Hall. I was Rob Hall’s bitch!” laughed Toby. “I know that Breck [Eisner] and Rob [Hall] were really involved in the look for The Crazies. The thing I really liked about their design was that with zombies, they’re dead, they died. These people are basically infected, and I think Rob’s exact words were ‘they’re becoming more alive’. This whole busting at the seems look with the makeups, crazy eye thing going on, and just with that is different than the original. It’s hard to speak for Rob or Breck, but with what they did in the original, it’s a far cry different with technology advancements, compared to what they did in 1973.”

Those advancements are made easier now days with a bigger budget, as the original film was working with $200,000 or so. Clearly in The Crazies, these people aren’t zombies, but some comparison might be made to 28 Days Later. Toby explains some of the interesting work being done with these infected people of The Crazies. “Brett Wagner’s character was one Hall and myself did the application for. He was one of my favorite makeups, well they all were, because the designs were pretty rocking and so different. The fact that the design were a combination of a few techniques, and I don’t think this is a spoiler, we applied this soft Silicone Gel to the skin, with some 3D Pro-Aid transfers, that are like tattoos. You plot those on the skin, and rub them off like those cheap water based tattoos. With a combination of those two things, even though it’s something I’ve done over the last couple of years, just that with those designs, made it a unique, fun challenge.”

Juggling Jobs

“Here in my own shop,” explains Toby, “we usually have a few things going on at once, it just keeps you from getting numb and desensitized to the whole thing. It was hard on my wife and my poor dog, but it was a good year for sure. when you’re on something for more than a few weeks it all gets blurry. It’s a fine line, you know, it’s something one loves to do, so it’s not like becoming a lawyer or something that requires going to years of school for, it’s a passion. You cannot compare it to other jobs, you just have to have a passion for it. That’s the fine line, because it is a passion, it’s something you’re totally in love with. When you’re on set for weeks, it is so easy for it to turn into a job, and that can affect the work and the outcome. When you’re going back and forth like I was in between Zombieland and The Crazies, and throw in Tyler Perry’s I Can do Bad All By Myself, it keeps you more awake to what’s going on to just get out of that blah stage.”

The Crazies is coming February 16th, 2010. All photos were printed with permission of Toby Sells Creature Make up FX Shop.

Best Direct-to-DVD Horror Film: Laid to Rest (read the original review here)

Best Wide Release Horror Film: (TIE) Zombieland (read the original review here); The Collector (read the original review here).

Best Documentary: The Cove (read the original review here)

Best Limited Release Film: Medicine for Melancholy (read the original review here)

Honorable Mention Films: Che (here), The Girlfriend Experience (here), Coraline (here), Food, Inc. (here), and Observe and Report (here).

And now (insert drum roll) my Best Films of 2009, all in alphabetical order:

(500) Days of Summer

You know ladies, guys can be crushed from break-ups as well, as this film does so wonderfully well to depict. A great soundtrack, a clever premise and construction of the falling in and then out of love, with two solid leads, makes for one superb film.

Antichrist

Brutal, sickening, demented, and sorely misunderstood. There are images here so talked about, that will never leave your memory, but Von Trier gives us more than some gore scenes. The story of a couple’s descent into depression is harrowing, yet beautifully photographed. One of the prettiest films of the year, as well as, a borderline masterpiece. A modern Salo: Or, the 120 Days of Sodom. (read the original review here)

Avatar

I was one of this film’s biggest skeptics, until I saw it in the glorious IMAX 3-D. Say what you will about it’s simple story arc, it’s the event of the film, with the scope of Cameron’s vision, that makes the culture of aliens so appealing. This is what the Star Wars prequels should have been: a spectacle of effects, story, and event. (read the original review here)

Goodbye Solo

An intimate film about a friendship and tragedy and hope. Some superb acting, with Ramin Bahrani’s distinct direction. A small film in terms of budget, but a great film that I hope finds some Oscar love. (read the original review here)

Hunger

Riveting and heart-wrenching, a film I’m sure many of you haven’t caught theatrically. Please get the Criterion DVD soon, because you’ll be treat to some astounding filmmaking of the Irish Hunger Strike. There’s a 25 minute scene done in one take that is as powerful, as any 90 minute feature. (read the original review here)

The Hurt Locker

In a star making role, Jeremy Renner anchors this unique Iraq war film, that doesn’t parade heroism. Some people are just war junkies, and this film explores the why. (read the original review here)

Inglourious Basterds

Tarantino’s best script.  Granted the whole Mike Myers sequence could have been deleted, the first 45 minutes are so good, who cares? Funny, epic, a sprawling American fantasy of how WWII should have ended. (read my original review here)

The Messenger

A heart-breaking look at the team sent out to notify loved ones that their kin has died in war. Ben Foster is excellent, as is the under-appreciated Samantha Morton. (read the original review here)

The Princess and the Frog

Disney return to the Princess formula and cell animation is a stunning showcase of wonderful animation, great songs, and great storytelling. Pixar is not needed this time. (read the original review here)

Up in the Air

A keen look at both our economic woes and a man finding redemption, makes for a comedy that could nab the one Oscar, comedies don’t win: Best Picture.

What are you favorites from this year? Feel free to leave a comment!

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