Raw, no chaser: Eden Lake

How many lame "horror" movies have been churned out in the last 10 years? How many tepid remakes of genuinely good thrillers? How long has it been since somebody's really pushed your buttons? If these questions provoke any kind of longing for a genuine jolt, check out the 2008 UK flick Eden Lake. Writer/Director James Watkins probably doesn't wear seatbelts, as Eden Lake plays with many of the tried and true survival-horror conventions and happily pushes them off a cliff.

Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds, X-Men: First Class) and Kelly Reilly (Watson's fiance in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes) are a nice suburban couple off for a romantic weekend in the country. He's chosen a romantic location to pop the big question. The only problem is, they're not alone. Taking cues from Deliverance and Straw Dogs, Watkins serves up a menacing gang who at first glance seem to be obnoxious teens. Just kids. To say more would be a sin, but the dynamic turns horribly wrong and we quickly plummet into some very dark and disturbing territory.

The shadow of Lord of the Flies hangs disturbingly well over Eden Lake. The performances are terrific and Watkins does a sensational job of creating virtually relentless heart-in-your-mouth suspense and dread. He's directing the new Daniel Radcliffe (Hammer Films!) horror film The Woman in Black next, which I am now very excited for. But be warned: Seriously -- don't let the title fool you. Eden Lake pulls no punches and is as raw and brutal as they come. It has not received a lot of attention outside of the UK, but if you can handle a straight shot, Eden Lake is definitely worth seeking out and once it's taken a bite, it does not let go.

Easter special: COMMANDMENTS OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

One of my favorite things about Easter, nearly as far back as I can remember, is The Ten Commandments. They ran this every year on TV, in the B.C. of my childhood - "Before Cable." It's just the greatest. Maybe one of the reasons it's so perfect for Easter is that it's so loaded with ham. There is some amazing scenery-chewing in this picture. And boy, is there scenery. Charlton Heston, John Derek, Yul Brynner, Cedric Hardwicke, Yvonne De Carlo (Lily Munster!), Anne Baxter, Vincent Price and Edward G. Robinson!

It started to occur to me that The Ten Commandments has some eerie similarities to another famous Charlton Heston movie, Planet of the Apes. You think I'm monkeying around with you? Ha! You tell me:

Moses enters the world of the Pharaohs discovered in the water...

Taylor and the astronauts discover the Ape world by crashing in water.

Great Pharaoh Sethi grows suspicious of Moses' origins...

Great scientist Doctor Zaius grow suspicious of Taylor's origins.

Fierce Egyptian Generals wear large domed helmets...

Fierce Gorilla Generals wear large domed helmets...

Moses taken prisoner and chained like a slave...

Taylor taken prisoner by apes and chained like a slave...

Ape society ruled by The Lawgiver's Sacred Scrolls...

Human society ruled by The Ten Commandments...

Moses finds his fate in the desert...

Taylor meets his fate in the Forbidden Zone...

Okay, some of that's from Beneath the Planet of the Apes, but you get the idea. Two very similar bearded men look to find meaning by escaping out of bondage. Maybe I should let their words speak for themselves...

Moses: "Let my people go!"

Taylor: "Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!"


Happy Easter, everybody!

Builder and the Beast -- The Devil in the White City

When nonfiction books take off, it's often because events depicted within are so involving and revealing that the reader is made to find themselves forgetting that they're not reading a novel -- that what's being offered up really happened. Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City not only evokes this feeling continuously, but you frequently ask yourself the question, "Why isn't this more well known?!"

In the Chicago of the early 1890's, Larson gives us the contrast of two extremely driven men - architect Daniel Burnham, who leads a force of the nation's greatest builders in an attempt to create the most memorable World's Fair exposition the world has ever seen. Burnham is a visionary, facing insurmountable obstacles of time, economics, engineering and weather in an attempt to somehow will into existence what amounts to an entire city -- and a city that must inspire the world like some never before seen utopia -- in less than two years' time.

The other man, "H.H. Holmes," is a young, charming physician, intent on building a kingdom of his own - as Holmes is transforming into a serial murder the likes of which make Jack the Ripper seem a trivial amateur by comparison. So how is it Holmes isn't the household name that the Ripper became? In the 1890s, there was no question that he was - though once you see the scope of his depravity, you'll wish you could forever put him out of your mind.

The contrast of these two men's works is unbelievably compelling and suspenseful. The details and challenges that went into realising the Fair are simply astounding in scope. One building's floor alone took five traincar loads of nails to assemble. As the Fair comes to life, notables of the era including Buffalo Bill, Susan B. Anthony, Cl\arence Darrow and Theodore Dreiser pass onto the miraculous stage that the White City becomes, unaware all the while that an impossible monster is trolling in their midst, stalking the fresh young innocents drawn to the magic of the Fair's new tomorrow.

In an era where planning to extend a mass transit line or replace an aging bridge can seem unending logjams of red tape and uncertainty, it's humbling to see what truly amazing achievements could be brought to life when the drive of a few determined souls came together with a common dream. The details and secrets of the 1893 Fair are endlessly fascinating. Larson's research is awe-inspiring. And even though he never lets us forget that each towering achievement of the Fair casts a shadow filled with unspeakable malice, incredibly he leaves you with a sense that hope and dreams remain the more powerful, enduring forces in the world. The Devil in the White City is a remarkable read.

On the road -- Battlestar: YORKTOWN!!!

On the road for work this week. Today I wound up in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina. I had some time before dinner to explore a bit and look what I found just down the road from my hotel -- an aircraft carrier!

I love my ships and gigantic vehicles, so I was powerless to resist. I had to go aboard...

The Yorktown was commissioned in 1943 and saw plenty of action in the Pacific theater and earned 11 "battle stars" for service in World War II. Now she's a museum, tied up on Patriot's Point here in Charleston. 888 feet long, she also served in Viet Nam and in 1968 recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts when their capsule splashed down. Look! There it is...

Here's the Ready Room, where pilots get briefed by the CAG...

Incredibly, I discovered they actually let you up on the flight deck...!

Pilots love to decorate their planes, especially down South...

The flight deck is crawling with Vipers -- I mean, planes.

Those jokers even let me up on the Bridge! Don't they know me?!?

"Tell Starbuck to watch her six..."

Pretty awe-inspiring. They were closing down for the day and I felt like I'd stood on living history. As I came down the gangway I decided to go check out this old submarine that was tied up alongside the Yorktown.

The USS Clamagore, commissioned just before the end of World War II.

As I gazing longingly at it, one of the guides comes up and says to me, "Hey, I'm just about to lock her down, do you want to go check it out? I have to make sure it's clear anyway..."

Yes, I got to have my own solo speed tour of the sub as the only visitor!!! Unbelievable!

 

The forward torpedo room!

The Officer's Mess...

 Tight quarters!

What a treat! I can't believe my good luck!

Whew! After all that combat, I'm ready to put my feet up!

When I woke up this morning, I had no idea I'd end up on the deck of an aircraft carrier and inside a sub before the day was through. Some days are just full of surprises!

The Ultimate Sacrifice...

Okay, don't ever question my devotion to duty. Because I'm actually missing the premiere of HBO's Game of Thrones tomorrow night because I have to fly out on a work trip. Please don't strip me of my geek cred. The plow must come before the lute.

Trying to look at it this way -- I'll have much less of a wait for the second installment on the 24th!

Edith Keeler and Doctor Who -- Banished

Ah, the progressive 21st Century. China has banned all televised depictions of time travel, stating that the concept "disrespects history." China's State Administration for Radio, Film & Television said that fictional time-traveling in programs "casually make up myths, have monstrous and weird plots, use absurd tactics, and even promote feudalism, superstition, fatalism and reincarnation."

That'll stop the rebellion, guys. Way to go!

Now if we could just go back in time about, say, 90 years or so, and stop a certain guy with a fondness for red.

Great news for Bond -- You Only Live Twice, thanks to Sony.

A few months ago, the franchise appeared stone cold dead. But not only has James Bond come back to life, now Bond 23 is actually a done deal -- there's even a release date. Sony Pictures Entertainment will distribute the next James Bond movie for MGM. The two studios have confirmed that the 23rd 007 movie, again starring Daniel Craig, has been given a Nov. 9, 2012 release date, and if that's not enough good news, MGM and Sony will also be co-financing and distributing Bond 24 at some future date. Sony distributed Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, but MGM’s recent restructuring threw the Bond series into chaos, with several studios duking it out for distribution rights. “After successfully working on the re-launch of the James Bond franchise with Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, we could not be more proud or privileged to continue our association with Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson, Daniel Craig, and the talented teams at EON and MGM,” Sony's Amy Pascal said in the statement. Now we need to see a title and a cast.

Bereaved billboard

You've had a loss in the family and so you summon up your courage and make your way to the local funeral parlor, only to find this ad staring at you...

We loves us our Walking Dead over here, but this must have made a pretty bracing sight for residents of this U.K. neighborhood. The company has since issued an apology: “Clear Channel apologises for any offense caused by the unfortunate juxtaposition of this advertisement, which was certainly not intended. We arranged to have it removed right away and it has since come down.”

Kneeling confirmed...

General Zod will be the antagonist of Zak Snyder's new Superman -- the Man of Steel and he'll be played by Michael Shannon. Shannon was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in Revolutionary Road and was seen most recently in HBO's Boardwalk Empire. It will take one heck of persona to fill Terence Stamp's jackboots, but Shannon is intense and seems capable of being Kal El's most formidable nemesis, the former commander of Krypton's armed forces.

So no Viggo Mortensen. In fact this (almost) makes the second role Viggo's been mentioned for that he's lost, as it sounds like Javier Bardem is 99% locked as Roland for The Dark Tower films, with a formal announcement due any day.

Me, I'm just happy to hear that they are going with Zod, as I think that sets up an action-packed clash of wills, which is exactly what Superman needs. Here's hoping Michael Shannon makes a worthy opponent. 

Tom Hardy unchained...

Make no mistake, Bronson is not a movie for everyone. The true story of England's Michael Peterson, who  adopts the name "Charlie Bronson" in his quest to become England's most violent prisoner, which seems to be his sole purpose in life. Directed by Danish-American filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn (Valhalla Rising), Bronson takes the story of one of England's most notorious inmates and delivers a surreal, over-the-top opera of mayhem that will remind you more than once of Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. Bronson moves from prison to asylum to prison, looking to brawl and attack at every opportunity. A series of narrations have him telling his story to an audience like some Cabaret burlesque performer. Though Bronson is very much true story, it's not told like a conventional biopic. Refn looks for any opportunity to depict things through a garish, distorted lens, bare-knuckle violence leading the way.

The reason to see Bronson is the unbelievable performance of Tom Hardy. His transformation is nothing short of astonishing, head shaved, handlebar mustache, he looks like a weightlifter from another century, always on edge, his cockeyed smile always looking for an opportunity to burst into flames as he launches himself at his next group of opponents. His motives are a complete mystery, other than some deep ambition to distinguish himself as the most psychotic inmate that England has ever seen.

Bronson is an incredibly strange movie, but Hardy is so charismatic and ferocious you can't stop watching. He's delivered a completely hypnotic performance and it's going to be fascinating to see what he does as Bane in Christopher Nolan's next Batman movie.

Best crime saga in ages -- The Killing delivers!

AMC blew the doors off on Sunday, with the 2-hour premiere of The Killing. One thing this isn't is some pale recycling of a foreign TV series, cranked out to make a buck. This a incredibly gripping, moody and impossible to shut off who-done-it. Mireille Enos is amazing and Michelle Forbes had probably better clear off some shelf space for awards. The Killing has some moments that evoke the same atmosphere and dread as The Silence of the Lambs. Earning AMC's second-best (after The Walking Dead) premiere ratings ever, The Killing has emerged as mandatory crime viewing. Can't wait for the next installment.

Toymania: Best Blade Runner swag ever!

Toy fans, get your lobster bibs and prepare to drool: when the deluxe Blade Runner Final Cut Blu-ray set was released in Japan, it was packaged with something very special -- the first officially licensed replica of Deckard's Police Spinner of any real size. The Spinner is 9 & 1/2 inches long (23.5 cm) (the U.S. 5-disc set came with a smaller 4 inch version), beautifully detailed by the Medicom toy company and will be a must-have for fans, who will be gnashing their teeth at the extreme scarcity and high price on ebay. Can't believe I haven't heard of this until now! Click below, then click again for maximum saliva detail.

Chilled to the bone -- the icy grip of Frozen

Definitely check out writer-director Adam Green's Frozen, one of most interesting low budget horror films I've seen in quite a while. Well, horror may not be the fairest label to use, as it's more suspense film, but what we're really talking about is the awesome sub-genre of survival-horror.

It's a great concept -- three college age friends go snowboarding and decide to take one last run down the mountain, only to find themselves stranded and alone in a chairlift, high above the ground. It's night and below zero and to make matters worse, it's Sunday and the ski resort is closed for the next four days.

Green sets up an impossible predicament for these characters that's hellishly simple and effective. Be advised: the movie has a pretty awkward start. The setup scenes don't deliver a lot of character and you're getting skeptical. But keep watching. Because once that chairlift stops, Green doesn't let up for a second. As the peril escalates, the characters reveal more of themselves under extreme duress, faced with the growing realization that their prospects for survival are worse than slim.

Similar in concept to Open Water, the movie has several affectionate Spielberg & Lucas references. Adam Green is clearly someone who loves his old school horror movies. What's truly fantastic about Frozen is the economy and the reality. It's such a simple, vivid concept: three people trapped on a chairlift. But the filmmakers go out of their way to make their situation feel as immediate and real as possible. There is no green-screen or studio work here -- the entire film was shot on location up in a chairlift, largely in the middle of the night. It captures a visceral sense of place an immediacy in an incredibly effective way. Like the main character in 127 Hours, the characters in Frozen haven't told anybody where they are, and that fear of being forgotten by the world and left to die is compelling and grim.

You won't find any spoilers here, but I'll just say that there are some unexpected elements in Frozen that are depicted as effectively as I've ever seen by the cast members in question.

Frozen is a low budget thriller with horror roots. You have to be willing to suspend a little disbelief and embrace a little pulp. But if you have a fondness for effective, inventive horror, Frozen will scare you and then some. Adam Green is somebody to watch.

The Killing -- New noir on AMC starts this weekend

Get ready for The Killing, AMC's latest TV series, a 13-part adaptation of the hit Danish show, continuing the wave of Scandinavian crime thrillers by writers like Stieg Larsson and Camilla Lackberg.

The Americanized version is set in Seattle and follows detective Sarah Linden (Lund in the Danish version) -- about to leave homicide to get married -- as she is drawn into a case involving the murder of a teenage girl.

The series stars Mireille Enos as Linden, so memorable on Big Love portraying sisters Cathy and Jodean Marquart. By all accounts The Killing does a superb job of translating the melancholy grimness of Denmark to the perpetual rain of the Pacific Northwest. Reviews have been extremely positive and AMC may find this series has more of a Twin Peaks popularity than their recently canceled Rubicon enjoyed. The show is so cultishly popular in Denmark, it's spawned entire blogs about the sweater Linden perpetually wears throughout the series.

Need another reason to watch? The Killing features Michelle Forbes, always a magnet for good material.

The Killing begins this Sunday at 9:00 PM.