So, I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight†right HERE for free.
And now, you can follow me on TWITTER under the name: Stipp
LAND OF THE LOST – SCREENING
Who here is from Arizona?
Who has some time next Tuesday to see a screening of LAND OF THE LOST, starring Will Ferrell and Danny McBride? I have passes galore for some lucky Quick Stop Entertainment readers so if you’re going to be around please shoot me a note at Christopher_Stipp@Yahoo.com and I’ll make sure you get in.
For those of you who are still in the dark about the film, here’s a breakdown:
Space-time vortexes suck.
Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world—a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the Land of the Lost.
Sucked alongside him for the adventure are crack-smart research assistant Holly (Anna Friel) and a redneck survivalist (Danny McBride) named Will. Chased by T. rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks, Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on their only ally—a primate called Chaka (Jorma Taccone)—to navigate out of the hybrid dimension. Escape from this routine expedition gone awry and they’re heroes. Get stuck, and they’ll be permanent refugees in the Land of the Lost.
Based on the classic television series created by Sid & Marty Krofft, Land of the Lost is directed by Brad Silberling and produced by Jimmy Miller and Sid & Marty Krofft.
DR. WHO?
People love their Dr. Who.
While I could never get into it in the way a lot of you do I just received this in my in-box and thought I would share with the fellow geek community if you didn’t already know.
I remember being in 8th grade and having a friend who was REALLY into it. Even then I could see it was a really important series to some people so I figure this is my way of helping out a contingent of people who have a deep reverence for this program. I am equally a fan of BBC America and think that the programming on that channel whips the tar out of 90% of our own domestic network offerings (Check out Skins, people…Seriously…) so I like to help when I can. Without any ado here is the release…
U.S. PREMIERE OF DOCTOR WHO SPECIALS ON BBC AMERICA
– BBC AMERICA premieres five specials from TV’s longest running sci-fi series –
New York, NY – May 28, 2009 – BBC AMERICA today announced the acquisition of five new specials from Doctor Who, television’s longest running science fiction series and a global phenomenon. The deal gives the cable channel the exclusive first window to the Doctor Who 2009 Specials (4 x 60), the final four adventures of the tenth Time Lord played by David Tennant. As part of the same deal, BBC AMERICA acquired the 2008 Christmas Special, The Next Doctor featuring David Morrissey and Dervla Kirwan. It will air Saturday, June 27, 2009.
The first of the 2009 specials, Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead, premieres in July. As a London red bus takes a detour to an alien world it forces the Doctor (Tennant) to work with the extraordinary Lady Christina (Michelle Ryan, Bionic Woman). But the mysterious planet holds terrifying secrets hidden in the sand and time is running out as the deadly Swarm gets closer.
“The outstanding quality of the Doctor Who scripts from Russell T Davies and the on-screen dynamic that David Tennant brings to the role are a magic combination for our viewers. Russell’s spin-off series Torchwood is already our highest rated show on the channel and I know the fans will follow these new specials with equal passion and support. We’re thrilled to bring this iconic show to BBC AMERICA, home of the best British sci-fi programming on television,†says President, BBC Worldwide America Garth Ancier.
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars is the second special and along with the two additional untitled specials will premiere later in 2009 and early 2010.
Building off the successful Supernatural Saturdays programming block, Doctor Who will be leveraged across multiple platforms including Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead, the first Doctor Who DVD to be released on Blu-ray, shortly after the U.S. broadcast premiere.
The writers are Russell T Davies and Gareth Roberts (The Sarah Jane Adventures) with Executive Producers Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner (Torchwood, Life on Mars). It is a BBC production and distributed by BBC Worldwide.
DRAG ME TO HELL – REVIEW
David: Have you seen the movie, Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
Anna-Maria: No. It is good?
David: Oh, I’ve got to tell you, I love this film. It had passion and a plucky spirit. And, the characters had integrity, like when Leatherface went on that strict diet of human flesh, he had to cut out chicken and fish completely.
Francis “Chainsaw” Grimp: Dave, I agree with you. I’ll go a step further, sure Leatherface, he wore a mask made out of human skin, and he hung people on meat-hooks, but hey, we’ve all got quirks, I got ’em, you’ve got ’em Dave, that’s what makes this character so, so compelling. Thumbs up for me.
David: Same here.
Francis “Chainsaw” Grimp: To sum it up, I’m Chainsaw . . .
David: I’m Dave.
Francis “Chainsaw” Grimp and David: Will see you . . . At the Movies.
– SUMMER SCHOOL, 1987
It was a tenuous peace at first but, Lord, did I almost have to look away by the end.
When first we meet Christine Brown (Alison Lohman), a beautiful heroine if ever there was one, not strikingly gorgeous nor feeble and weak as so many other films would have made her, she’s introduced as a bland loan officer who works for a one-dimensional boss by the name of Mr. Jacks (played pitch perfectly by David Paymer). Christine and her weasel of a co-worker are vying for a promotion within the small bank where they work.
The seemingly bland and head-scratchingly inane set-up had me wondering momentarily whether I had walked into a movie that would be just yet another entry into the horror genre this year (think MY BLOODY VALENTINE, FRIDAY THE 13TH, et al.) where spectacle is being used as a replacement for genuine thrills and chills. DRAG ME TO HELL separates itself from its predecessors precisely at the moment when we meet Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver). Decrepit, frail and overtly disgusting she is everything that Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees as of late are not and that is unnerving. Raver is perhaps the one linchpin in making this film far more original than cliché; I have no qualms at admitting that merely reflecting on her role in its entirety still raises little bumps of flesh on the back of my neck. She is played with the right amount of camp and eerie sensibility.
The movie has such a basic and forced beginning, you almost start wondering what the hype is all about, that when things start getting fantastical it thrusts the film’s hum-drum reality into a sphere . Much of believing in this character’s universe, obviously, goes to director/writer Sam Raimi and his brother Ivan Raimi for establishing such a compelling premise. What’s more is that the two of them seem to be operating at a level that is not meant to be demeaning or insulting and, point of fact, are playing around in a sandbox of fundamentals. Fundamentals with regard to getting at what makes a good scare, to not having one jump out of your skin moment but to pummel you continuously with them at any one time, creating one-note characters (read here: Justin Long’s parents, Lohman’s boss, co-worker) who only help to serve the spooky vibe of the film and not take away from it, wrapping absurdist comedy up within moments that shouldn’t have it and, finally, how to keep you locked in and keyed up to what’s happening.
All of these elements come in to play continuously throughout the film but when Lohman is thrust into the cursed world of the Lamia through a quite disconcerting battle between her and Mrs. Ganush there couldn’t be a more precise distillation of all these elements into one prickly scene that, if you are fully on-board with the movie, properly punches your ticket into one of the best reasons to be in the theater this summer. From the fight to the eventual curse that is put upon her this is beats out any battle you’ll get in the month of May from any other blockbuster playing at the multiplex.
As the film progresses you can’t help but feel a strong connection to the story. Sam and Ivan deserve the kind of credit that you would give to an author like Stephen King but the ruse is that they’re not like Stephen, and this isn’t meant as a slap, they’re more on par with Richard Matheson or authors like him. The story feels small, intimate, powerful. Some of the best horror fiction, for me anyway, always centers on the personal and individual circumstance. There is no room for sprawling narratives in these stories and this movie should be applauded for keeping things tight. As it weaves its reality, Lohman employing the help of soothsayer and psychic Rham Jas (Dileep Rao) to deconstruct what she needs to do in order to unsaddle herself from the eventual demise that is coming for her. Rao is given a bit part, for sure, but his presence in this film is quite entertaining as he provides the push needed for the events to unravel as they do.
Justin Long, for his part, plays his role better than anyone in his position has a right to as it is just a role that you see in countless other horror films where you have to have the sensitive significant other who has to sympathize, but not necessarily do anything about, the present condition of the protagonist. It’s a throwaway role, almost, but Long is delightful as the concerned boyfriend who can’t do anything about his lady’s impending doom and, almost like Rao, only serves the plot when needed. In terms of leanness and scales of economy, taking a page from writers who are good at not adding anything that doesn’t serve the plot, there isn’t a wasted character or needless inclusion of a hot best friend, a little kid or any number of other insignificant elements that drag some horror films, and their pacing along with it, down.
It’s about here where talking any more about the film’s cracks, crags and nuances would only serve to spoil what should be experienced as cold as possible. The thrill of this film is not knowing too much about what is to follow, expecting and knowing where a scare is coming from only defeats the great triumph of the Raimis. Sam has managed, SPIDER-MAN 3 be damned, to actually go back to what made him such an endearing element to independent horror fans. I will however make note of the scene where Lohman needs to visit a graveyard where she expects to rid herself of the foul curse that saddles her soul.
Lohman’s moments in the comedically stereotype that is a Raimi graveyard is played with the kind of ferocity, brutality, excitement and sexiness (the delicately brushed away mud splash on her porcelain white skin was a nice touch) that I came to love and fear in a similar moment in POLTERGEIST during a pool scene many here should know all too well. The gross-out factor is compounded by a few things but, again, the moment is tinged with both abject horror and farcical humor in a blend that deserves not to be spoiled by anyone much less me.
And, it should be mentioned, you may not notice the work Sam does with sound and music throughout but he deserves kudos here as well. He pays attention to the way sounds move within the speaker field and Christopher Young’s excellent and chilling score only helps to accentuate the action on the screen.
DRAG ME TO HELL is a wondrous film going experience that not only reminds you why horror can be so much more than just updating it to satisfy the torture porn sensibilities of young moviegoers who demand their horror to be brutal. The Raimis give the kind of scares that are worth so much more than the quick cuts, slick production values and ostentatiousness of films in its genre. The movie reads like a delicious short story that you want to read again just so you can see if it hits the same high points.
If ever there was a reason to get out and enjoy a movie with dozens of others, if only to hear the squeals and screams of others in attendence, DRAG ME TO HELL is it.
Comments: 2 Comments
2 Responses to “Trailer Park: DRAG ME TO HELL”Leave a Reply |
May 30th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Cool review. Looking forward to it. Thanks for being spoiler free. It means a lot to a movie like this. I do have to say that there is still hope for the genre. To drag it down with mentioning trite peices like the rehashes of late, you may want to check out a few that never had a theatrical release but deserved one far more than the ones you mentioned. You want to be unsettled in your own family/living room, see: Midnight Meat Train, Splinter, The Burrowers or Altered.
May 31st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
IT’S SO GOOD. IT’S SO GOOD. Oh god it’s so good.
IT’S THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR.
For all years!