Black Christmas Review: Only a Stocking Stuffer

Black Christmas is yet another horror remake to jingle its way into theaters before the end of this year. The original, released in 1974, claims to be one of the greatest 70's horror films of all time. Although this isn't a shot-for-shot remake, Black Christmas still retains some of the original film's classic elements, but suffers by trying to compress it into nothing more than an average slasher flick.

Krasinski Isn't Stuck Behind A Desk Anymore…

John Krasinski, known to most people as Jim from the hit television show The Office, plans on pursuing a life outside of his character on the show. John will be directing his first feature film called Brief Interviews With Hideous Men. The film has already started production and is an indie drama based on the novel by David Foster Wallace.

The movie features Julianne Nicholson suffering from a rough breakup. She decides to videotape interviews with different guys, and tries to make sense of how men work.

New and Grotesque Hostel: Part II Poster!

The folks over at IGN posted the first Hostel: Part II poster. As you can see, it is incredibly disgusting; this is something than we can expect from writer/director Eli Roth. The first Hostel, although not well received by critics, debuted as number 1 its opening weekend in January 2006, making over $19 million. I think this poster sets up some horrifying images of what we can expect in Part II. Unfortunately this is not the US poster. I still think this is an effective marketing strategy, as the international poster for the first film featured a severed head. Obviously Lionsgate still has creative and new ideas to gross us out. Read on to check it out.

Starship Troopers Might Use Some More Bug Spray; 3rd Sequel Planned

According to Moviehole.net, a third Starship Troopers movie is being planned. Ed Neumeier will be writing and directing the third chapter. Neumeier has never directed a movie, but his writing credentials include the first two Starship Troopers films, Robocop and Anacondas 2. Casper Van Dien is rumored to return and wear the uniform of Colonel John Rico yet again. I guess we can expect new bugs, more satire, and a new weapon from the Federation!

"8 Films To Die For" Horrorfest: A Lost Opportunity

The past weekend, After Dark Films took a chance and unleashed one of the most creative and original movie going experiences to ever hit theaters across America. In a span of only 4 days, After Dark Films planned to release 8 independent horror movies for a series entitled "8 Films to Die For." These films, which have never been released before, were advertised as grotesque and violent cinematic explorations into the horror genre. Our resident horror expert Josh was planning on attending all 8 films over the long weekend to see first hand what kind of experience this was going to be. Unfortunately for the folks over at After Dark Films, this "Horrorfest" turned out to be the most uncoordinated, horribly thought out waste of time for everyone who went or was a part of the series. He only ended up seeing 6 out of the 8, due to the fact that after the first 6 his mind was completely numb and there was no way he would have lasted sitting through two more of the films. Read on for his reviews and thoughts on the 8 Films to Die For Horrorfest.

Stranger Than Fiction Review: A Clever Dramedy

Stranger Than Fiction is about a man named Harold Crick (Will Ferrell). Harold appears to be living a rather bland life until one day when he wakes up hearing a woman narrating his life. That woman, Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), turns out to be an author whose newest book is actually about Harold Crick. Problems arise when Harold hears this narrator speak of his death. Confronting a University Professor of Literature (Dustin Hoffman) and falling in love with a near by baker (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Harold must figure out the ending to his life that is being written with every step he takes.

U2 Coming Soon in 3-D

That's right, the folks over at The Hollywood Reporter got the scoop on the untitled 3-D film featuring the rock band U2. Cathrine Owens and Mark Pellington, with Tom Krueger as the cinematographer on the 2-D material, are supposedly directing the film.

More Than 700 hours of footage was shot on nine pairs of the ultra expensive Sony Cinealta 950 cameras. The footage was shot in seven different South American cities during the months of February and March of 2006; which were among the final months of U2's two-year worldwide tour called the Vertigo Tour. Rumors are also circulating about whether or not U2 will also be the first band to be a part of the first live 3-D performance that would be projected in theaters across the country. The untitled 3-D film is due out in mid to late 2007.

Life Lessons Hidden Under the Skin of Saw III's Grisly Gore

It's hard to pull off a good third installment in a successful franchise. It's even harder to make three separate films over a span of only three years. Somehow, Leigh Whannell and Darren Lynn Bousman have not only made another sequel that is just as good, if not better, than the first two, but they have also managed to breathe a refreshing conclusion to the series.

Josh's Take on The Prestige: Loses Magic By The Third Act

Christopher Nolan's newest attempt to dazzle audiences features two competing magicians during the late 1800's. Through an impressively confusing narrative structure, the lives of these characters spiral downward as their methods of competing with each other grow drastically more dangerous.

More Antipathy Than A Grudge This Time Around

Those pale ghosts are back to bother some more people in The Grudge 2 opening this weekend. Unfortunately for them, they have run out of new and original ideas to kill those innocent teens that sneak around their house. The only originality comes from director Takashi Shimizu trying to escape the horribly conventional screenplay.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre Leaves No Meat On The Bone (Josh's Take)

It's time to go back to where the legend was born in New Line Cinema's Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. The film depicts the birth of Thomas Hewitt (Andrew Bryniarski), the man known to many as Leatherface, as well as his morbid family and the horrific events that shape "what is known as the most brutal killing spree of all time."

In a completely different way than the 2003 remake displayed, The Beginning is a terrifying journey into the darkest depths of mankind, traveling into places many would never want to go. The film is overly brutal and gory, something that the 2003 remake was lacking, and also generates the same gloomy spirit of the original. As a whole, the film is able to create blood freezing tension that shocks the audience at almost every turn.

Not Enough Gold Stars For Employee Of The Month (Josh's Take)

Ever wonder what goes on behind the registers at Costco or Sam's Club? Lionsgate seems to know in their new comedy Employee of the Month. The film stars Dane Cook, Jessica Simpson, and a handful of other comedians who tell us "buying in bulk is our God given right."

Dane Cook stars as Zack, a box boy who has never amounted to anything while working at Super Club. It's only when the sexy new cashier Amy (Jessica Simpson) arrives that Zack decides to beat out archenemy Vince (Dax Shepard) at winning employee of the month to get Amy's attention. The best performance however comes from Andy Dick's character Lon. While Andy does seem to be restraining himself at some points, his awkward appearance alone is hysterical.

Flyboys Can't Seem To Take Us High Enough (Josh's Take)

At the beginning of World War I, a group of young Americans volunteers for the Lafayette Escadrille, the French military's aerial combat squadron. Seems like the typical Hollywood war movie right? Flyboys seems to be one at its surface, but deep down it actually offers much more than the expected action sequences. The group of young Americans who decide to become the country's first fighter pilots is a diverse group, including a spoiled rich kid, a down on his luck farmer, and an African-American boxer. Throughout the course of the movie they must overcome not only their training and intense aerial battles, but also conflicts in their own trust and tragic losses amongst friends.

The Quiet Speaks Loudly On Difficult Issues (Josh's Take)

What would you do if you had a friend that would listen to everything you had to say. What if your friend would never judge you no matter what secrets you told them? Would you tell them your darkest secrets? The Quiet is able to answer all of these questions and more in one of the most disturbing but also one of the most effective films of the year.

The Wicker Man-Bear

What was possibly going through Nic Cage's head when he turned to the end of the script where it read, "And Edward Malus puts on a bear costume and prances off into the woods"? What was director Neil LaBute thinking when he was shooting and told Cage to karate punch anyone who stood in his way. Better yet, what did the studio executives say when they saw this film. My only guess would be that one leaned over to the other and said, "This was supposed to be a comedy right?" Before I continue my ponderings of what the hell happened when remaking The Wicker Man, I'll give some info on the plot.

After trying to save a mother and daughter from a horrible car wreck, Edward Malus (Nic Cage) receives a letter from his ex-fiancée. She tells him that she has moved to a scarcely populated island and that her daughter has been missing for some time. Being that Edward is a sheriff, he decides to travel to Summerisle and look for his daughter. Upon reaching the island he begins to unravel a deep plot hidden within the neo-pagan community that inhabits the island.