Daybreakers

The Plot

In the year 2019, a plague has transformed most every human into vampires. Faced with a dwindling blood supply, the fractured dominant race plots their survival; meanwhile, a researcher works with a covert band of vamps on a way to save humankind.

My 2¢
I was very disappointed with this movie. It's the perfect example of having a great concept, but not knowing how to execute it properly. The characters all came off as one dimensional, without a lot a motive for their actions. There was no real chemistry between the actors either. Willem DaFoe was just there to be the prerequisite half crazy guy he always is. Claudia Karvan played the leader of the human resistance, and she was so calm it didn't seem like the Vampires were a threat to her. Ethan Hawke never really seemed to change emotions either, he was sullen and sleepy through the whole movie.

I won't say what it is, but the "Cure" for the Vampirism was in two parts. The first part of it I didn't understand how it worked, and they certainly never tried to explain it. They also relied on a lot of cheap scares, where suddenly something made a loud noise and jumped towards the screen.

I'd give this 1 1/2 out 4 stars mostly for the visuals of the Vampire controlled world.

New Site

I'm using another site just post interesting photos, artwork and links related to horror movies.

http://macabremovies.tumblr.com/

Feel free to submit photos, art, links and questions on their as well.

The site is active and ready to go!

Thanks

Hallowed Ground

At least the Scarecrow is unarmed. 

 After she becomes stranded in a small town, a young woman discovers her arrival there was foretold a century earlier by the town's founding preacher and that she is an integral part of his impending - and terrifying - rebirth.

I was reminded of this movie the other day after seeing Jamie Alexander in "The Last Stand".  Originally premiering on the Sci-Fi channel this movie is far better than their usual fare. 

Writer/Director David Benullo crafts a fine entry into the creepy town genre.  This sub-genre of horror is successful for a very simple reason.  We've all had that fear, or actual experience, of getting stranded in a small town that's not quite right.

What good ever came out of a cornfield?

"Hallowed Ground" doesn't exactly break new ground, but it does put an interesting spin on things.  Liz Chamber (Jamie Alexander) is not the typical horror movie victim.  She's smart, tough and never helpless.  It's good to see a horror film where you aren't groaning at the stupidity of the characters. 

Always find a weapon, smart woman.

The movie also features genre vets Ethan Phillips (Neelix on Star Trek: Voyager), Hudson Leick (Callisto on Xena) and a very young Chloë Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass, Carrie). 

A good film that proves you don't need a gigantic budget and tons of CGI to make a good scary movie.  

Identifying a movie

 Does anyone know what movie this is from?

It seem familiar but I can't place it.   

Thanks in advance. 

Texas Chainsaw 3D

Just your average garage in the south. 

I had been looking forward to this for some time.  Unlike a lot of horror fans I enjoyed the 2003 remake, and had high hopes for this one.  It started off strong, using footage from the original to recap what had happened, and largely ignoring the 80's and 90's sequels. 

Gunnar Hansen, scary without a mask too.

They also brought back Gunnar Hansen and Bill Moseley to make cameos.  It was nice to see them back in the franchise.  After the opening scenes, things quickly went downhill.

The rest of the film was a mix of plot holes, inconsistencies, and WTF moments.

We couldn't hear the chainsaw murders over our sex sounds.

The characters were generally so unlikeable and one dimensional that you didn't care what happened to them.  About halfway through my friend Perry turned to me and said "I'm starting to root for Leatherface".

The film had amazing sets, make-up and effects.  The actors didn't do a bad job, they just didn't have much to work with.   It's a shame they didn't put more effort into the script.  This could have been a great way to reboot the series.  Instead we got just another generic horror movie sequel.  

This is what I picture happens at all county fairs.

Also a couple of plot points I have to comment on here, so spoilers ahead.

1. How are they going to cover up Leatherface's existence when he's:

• Run amuck at the town fair (at least one person had to have taken video)
• Killed the mayor who's the father of a guy on the police force
• Killed a third of the police force (not that bad since they only had three cops in the town apparently)

 2. What cell phone service do they use in that town? The one cop was able to send crystal clear video while underground outside of town.  They must be a test town for 6G or something.

Nightbreed: The Cabal Cut

Sign this petition and pass it on! 

 This petition's purpose is to gather signatures of anyone who would like to see & own a new release of Clive Barker's "Nightbreed" as a restored, extended cut, in DVD or Blu-Ray.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nightbreed/

The Collection

Yep, it's here, the sequel no one was waiting for. 

I'll say one thing for "The Collection", it really ups the ante.  This movie is so ridiculously over the top it's almost funny, almost.

This is how I picture most raves anyhow

In the opening scene the Collector manages to kill at least 150 people.  He kills the entire rave full of people, with a giant lawn mower machine.  I won't even get into the logistics of hard this would be to set up.  We'll just assume he's a rich, psychopathic, mechanical genius, and able to walk around unnoticed wearing a leather mask.  Okay, to be fair at the rave the mask thing really wouldn't be an issue. 

The place wasn't much cleaner before. 

He does of course keep one person alive, so that he can put her in another deathtrap laden warehouse.  Which is always the downfall of evil geniuses.  Their goal is almost complete and instead of just killing the hero, they toss him/her in the deathtrap and walk away.

One of the biggest problems with this movie and the original is the Collector himself.

 He doesn't have anything distinctive about him.  He's just a guy dressed in black, wearing a mask.  There's no attempt to give him any personality either.  He needs a more distinctive look and personality to make him unique.  You also don't get any hint of why he's doing this until the very end of the movie. 

I really think this movie was just a montage of leftover ideas from the "SAW" series.  Writer/director Marcus Dunstan and co-writer Patrick Melton were responsible for the last four "SAW" movies, so this isn't surprising. 

 I will give the movie credit for something original.  The ending was absolutely not what I was expecting.  I won't give it away, but it certainly defied convention.  

I can only hope there won't be a part three.