News

This couple from the A Court Of Thorns & Roses series needs a spinoff book as their story is both compelling and outside the complex machinations of The Inner Circle. Though news on the next A Court Of Thorns & Roses book has been minimal, it will undoubtedly focus on The Inner Circle as they battle both external threats and internal drama. That being said, their stories are not the only fascinating ones in Prythian. Kallias and Vivianne's dynamic is both captivating and a fun opportunity for a spinoff novella, as their story has barely been touched upon in the series.

Kallias and Vivianne only properly appear in A Court Of Wings & Ruin, with their biggest moments coming during the High Lords meeting. Their love story is told in brief detail, but is a tale of unspoken love and hardships, highlighting the strength of both characters even as they,...

The A Court Of Thorns & Roses Hulu show must acknowledge and compensate for a harsh reality regarding the first book of the series. Though the Hulu series has faced many delays and updates on A Court Of Thorns & Roses onscreen adaptation have become somewhat bleak, the series still has quite a bit of potential to bring both new audiences and much-needed changes to the series. This is especially true of some of the relationships within the books, including the one that sets the story in motion: Feyre and Tamlin.

A Court Of Thorns & Roses' show, barring any further delays, will have its biggest issue adapting this relationship. Feyre and Tamlin spend most of the first book getting to know each other, slowly falling in love before being forced Under The Mountain by Amarantha. The book still ends happily ever after, but some audiences know that by the second book,...

Featuring too many perspectives and spinoff plots have scattered A Court Of Thorns & Roses' story, creating an ending problem. Sarah J. Maas will need something bigger than a spinoff book for Acotar's conclusion. A Court Of Thorns & Roses' conclusion could finish the series with a multiple Pov book or through Nyx's Pov, ending the series with the next generation.

A Court Of Thorns & Roses has given itself a massive ending problem due to scattering its main cast and story. Originally, the series followed Feyre Archeon and her time in Prythian, from falling in love with Tamlin to her trials Under The Mountain to her love story with Rhysand. The A Court Of Thorns & Roses timeline closely follows her perspective as she transitions to life as a fae and her mental state, with A Court Of Wings & Ruin seemingly ending her story on a happy note.

However, the...

Everyone remembers when New Zealand’s Peter Jackson came barreling onto the scene and in quick order brought us Bad Taste (1987), Meet the Feebles (1989), and Braindead (1992) before eventually settling down into Academy Award-winning fantasy films. (I forget their names. Just Google them.) But he wasn’t the first to introduce the world to his country’s nascent splattery talent: that honor goes to Death Warmed Up (1984), a loopy mash-up of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Hills Have Eye, Mad Max, and Looney Tunes, all spit-shined to grimy perfection in a great new Blu-ray from Severin Films.

Remastered by director David Blyth (Red Blooded American Girl) from the only existing materials, this new disc of Death Warmed Up has a ton of gooey goodies that we’ll get to, but first let’s tackle the story:

Dr. Archer Howell (Gary Day – Death Wave) plans on taking his mind control experiments to the next,...

Back in August, Warner Bros. announced an R-rated Extended Edition of The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies, which debuted on Digital HD last month and will be available on Blu-ray and DVD November 17. No details were given as to why this version was R-rated, but Youtube user Joshalots has posted a 15-minute video with new scenes from this edition, which helps illustrated why this was given the restrictive rating. There is a lot more blood and guts in this video than we saw in the theatrical edition, and we also get a new scene towards the end, which shows what happens to the cowardly Alfrid (Ryan Gage), who tried to escape the battle by dressing up as a woman.

The Hobbit Trilogy Extended Edition will also be available, featuring the extended editions of all three films in The Hobbit Trilogy - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug...

The adventures of Bilbo Baggins come to an epic conclusion when The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, is released as an all-new R rated Extended Edition on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), the extended cut of the final film in The Hobbit Trilogy includes 20 minutes of extra footage and more than 9 hours of bonus features that will complete every Hobbit fan's collection. The film, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on November 17 and will be available early on Digital HD on October 20.

In addition, The Hobbit Trilogy Extended Edition will also be available, featuring the extended editions of all three films in The Hobbit Trilogy - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,...

Blu-ray Review

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Directed by: Peter Jackson

Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage

Running Time: 2 hr 24 mins

Rating: PG-13

Due Out: March 24, 2015

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies arrives onto Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, 2-Disc DVD Special Edition and Digital HD on March 24th from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Plot: (courtesy of Warner Bros. Home Video)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies brings to an epic conclusion the adventure of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the Company of Dwarves. The Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but now must face the consequences of having unleashed the terrifying Dragon, Smaug, upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

As he succumbs to dragon-sickness, the King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, sacrifices friendship and...

The adventures of Bilbo Baggins come to an epic conclusion in The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), arriving onto Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on March 24 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

In The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies, Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. The international ensemble cast is led by Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch, Billy Connolly, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Aidan Turner, Dean O'Gorman, Graham McTavish, Stephen Fry and Ryan Cage. The film also stars Cate Blanchett,...

Are you ready for the end? Not really the final film but the final film in The Hobbit trilogy which is a pre-cursor to the legendary The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Well, how would you like to see The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies a week early? Read onward to find out how to score an Admit Two pass for the advance screening!

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the Company of Dwarves. The Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but now must face the consequences of having unleashed the terrifying Dragon,...

Chicago – To celebrate the release of “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” in cinemas, HollywoodChicago.com, Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and New Line Cinema are giving away 30 pairs of advance-screening passes to the highly anticipated “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”!

The film is the final installment of the “The Hobbit” trilogy.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” which opens on Dec. 17, 2014 and is rated “PG-13,” stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Orlando Bloom, Lee Pace, Billy Connolly, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott and Aidan Turner from director Peter Jackson and writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens based on the novel “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien.

To win “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it!

As the Studio has done in the past with such epic film series as “Harry Potter” and “The Dark Knight,” Warner Bros. Pictures, in conjunction with New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), is once again treating über-fans to a movie marathon, this time in celebration of the highly anticipated finale of Peter Jackson’s blockbuster “The Hobbit” Trilogy.

On Marathon Monday, December 15—two days prior to the third and final film’s theatrical release—moviegoers in select theaters across North America can experience Middle-earth one last time, beginning with “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” followed by “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” and, a full 24 hours prior to its theatrical release, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.”

Tickets for Marathon Monday go on sale Friday, November 14 at 12:00 p.m. Est / 9:00 a.m. Pst, the same date and time as tickets for opening day of “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies...

Welcome to the latest installment of Trailer Park, our (semi) regular look at the latest trailers to hit the interwebs. This weeks line-up features a bevy of the latest movie trailers including: two trailers for The Gambler, Insidious Chapter 3, Ex_Machina, Bayonetta: Bloody Fate, Fast & Furious 7, Minions, Annie, Into the Woods and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

The Gambler

Jim Bennett (Academy Award®-nominee Mark Wahlberg) is a risk taker. Both an English professor and a high-stakes gambler, Bennett bets it all when he borrows from a gangster (Michael Kenneth Williams) and offers his own life as collateral. Always one step ahead, Bennett pits his creditor against the operator of a gambling ring (Alvin Ing) and leaves his dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother (Academy Award®-winner Jessica Lange) in his wake. He plays both sides, immersing himself in an illicit, underground world while garnering the...

Time to visit Middle-earth one last time. Here’s the final trailer for the final Hobbit film.

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the Company of Dwarves. The Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but now must face the consequences of having unleashed the terrifying Dragon, Smaug, upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

As he succumbs to dragon-sickness, the King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, sacrifices friendship and honor in his search for the legendary Arkenstone. Unable to help Thorin see reason, Bilbo is driven to make a desperate and dangerous choice,...

After teasing it at the start of this week, New Line and Warner Bros. have released the second official trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, so that eager fans of the franchise can gobble it up, with plenty of action and epicness you'd expect from the final film.

This is a tough one for me. I've been largely disappointed with The Hobbit movies so far, and the poor pacing and extra, unnecessary, fluff in Desolation of Smaug pretty much put me off fo the franchise (though the Extended Edition was better). At the very least, it's been tough for me to muster up any excitement for the final film. That being said, this is a pretty awesome trailer, and despite my reservations, I'm feeling the lure of hype behind some of these set pieces. Hopefully the story can deliver to go along with it!

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies...

The end of the six films will be here in less than two months. Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Richard Armitage and Luke Evans made the announcement today that the final film will have its world premiere in London on Monday the 1st of December.

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The film opens in UK cinemas December 12th and Us theaters December 17th.

The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the Company of Dwarves. The Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but now must face the consequences of having unleashed the terrifying Dragon, Smaug, upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

The main poster for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies has been published.

Warner Bros UK Entertainment released the image today (October 6), which depicts Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins holding a sword up to camera. Behind him is a burning skyline, underneath the tagline "The defining chapter".

The Battle of the Five Armies follows on from last year's instalment, The Desolation of Smaug, which ended with Bilbo accidentally unleashing the dragon Smaug upon the people of Lake-town.

The final film sees the King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, succumbing to dragon-sickness but desperate to find the Arkenstone. This leads Bilbo to make a desperate choice.

Meanwhile, Dark Lord Sauron sends forth legions of Orcs in an attack upon the Lonely Mountain, which leads the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men to make the decision of whether to unite or face destruction.

The film is the third and final...

Smaug isn’t just terrorizing the skies of Middle Earth this holiday season — he’ll be swooping over the real earth, too. Air New Zealand revealed its latest addition to its “Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”-themed planes on Sunday, and this one’s a real airborne menace. The scaly wyrm that torches innocents to protect his mountain full of treasure is practically actual-size on what appears to be one of the airline’s Boeing 777s. Also read: ‘The Hobbit’ Trailer: Smaug is King Under the Mountain Just don’t touch his pile of gold, wary travler, and everything should turn out fine.

Hello again, dear readers, and I hope a lot of you enjoyed Thor: The Dark World over the weekend. In the meantime, this week’s Trailer Trashin’ column takes another look at my most anticipated movie of the rest of the year, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

Premise: After successfully crossing over, and under, the Misty Mountains, Thorin (Richard Armitage) and company must seek aid from a powerful stranger before taking on the dangers of Mirkwood Forest – without the help of their Wizard. If they reach the human settlement of Lake-town, it will be time for the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) to fulfill his contract with the Dwarves. The party must complete the journey to the Lonely Mountain and Bilbo, acting as burglar, must seek out the secret door that will give them access to the hoard of the dragon Smaug (voice of Benedict Cumberbatch...

“I do believe the worst is behind us now,” quoth Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) at the end of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, eliciting a laugh from everyone in the audience who had either read the books or was aware that Bilbo had merely completed the first chapter of an adventure that spans two more movies and will likely bring a lot more trouble along the way.

Earlier today we unveiled some character posters of Bilbo and friends in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and now there’s a three-minute trailer for the movie to reveal even more of what this sequel has to offer. The trailer gives a comprehensive look at the characters, both old and new, who will be encountered in this leg of Bilbo Baggins’ journey, including another fleeting glimpse of Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt) and a flashing vision of the Eye of Sauron.

By the ...

Click...

Melbourne, May 2: To make a man look like a dwarf, it takes three hours in the make-up chair, ten test faces, a wig, a beard, some body padding, eight weeks of dwarf-walk training and 1.6 million dollars worth of prosthetics.

Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin Oakenshield in the Jrr Tolkien/Peter Jackson-adapted 'The Hobbit', revealed to News.com.au the lengths it took to transform him into the King Under The Mountain.

"Well it's my beard, which I'm growing back in time for the next lot of filming, the hair is a wig which strangely a lot of people don't realise, but the forehead the eyebrows and the nose are all prosthetics," he said.

He said that it takes about three hours to get ready - about an hour and a half.

It should come as no surprise that we are big fans of Black Sheep and Under The Mountain director Jonathan King around here at Twitch. We've not only covered the New Zealand director's film work but some of his comics as well and we've been waiting to see what would come next for the director in the four year span since the release of his kid friendly fantasy Under The Mountain.Well, after teasing it on Twitter over the past few weeks King has finally shared something definitive on his personal blog, where he released the first two images from the micro budget scifi film Realiti. Though he is still playing quite coy with plot details, King shares the thought process behind his deliberate choice to...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

With Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey now playing around the world, it's time to post the last interview I did at the NYC press day and it's with screenwriter Philippa Boyens. While Jackson gets most of the credit for the Lord of the Rings, Boyens has been an absolutely crucial part of the adaptations, having co-written Fellowship, The Two Towers, Return of the King, all three Hobbit films, and also acting as a co-producer on The Hobbit trilogy. She's a key player in helping to bring J. R. R. Tolkien's work to life. During my extended interview we talked about the themes of The Hobbit, the differences between Hobbit and Lotr, setting up the Lotr movies in the beginning of The Hobbit, the eventual Blu-ray extended cut, deleted scenes, whether The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be the same length as An Unexpected Journey, what they...

With Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opening this weekend, I recently got to interview some of the cast and filmmakers in New York City and all week I've been posting them. Here's Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, King Under the Mountain, and Weta Digital’s Sr. Visual Effects Supervisor Joe Letteri. During my very fun conversation with Martin Freeman (Bilbo Baggins) we talked about his reaction to seeing The Hobbit for the first time, whether or not he is looking forward to the additional filming next year, is he ready for the fame that comes with being the lead in a major movie trilogy, and more. However, while talking about The Hobbit was great, the best part of the interview was discussing how he got the nickname "Little Martin" on the set of Edgar Wright's The World's End...

Original Score Composed, Orchestrated and Conducted by: Howard Shore

Performed by: London Philharmonic Orchestra

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Format: Audio CD and digital download

Number of Discs: 2 (32 tracks, approx. 2.1 hours)

Label: WaterTower Music

Summary: WaterTower Music has announced the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Original Motion Picture Soundtrack at all retailers on December 11th. The soundtrack will be available both digitally and as a 2 CD set. A Special Edition of the soundtrack featuring six exclusive bonus tracks, seven extended score cues, and deluxe liner notes will also be available December 11. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey features original score by Academy Award® winner Howard Shore recorded at famed Abbey Road studios by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Additionally it includes an original song entitled “Song of the Lonely Mountain,” written and performed by Neil Finn (Crowded House). The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of a trilogy of films from Oscar-winning...

With Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opening this weekend, I recently got to interview some of the cast and filmmakers in New York City and every day this week I’ll be posting an exclusive interview. Yesterday I posted Andy Serkis and today it's Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, King Under the Mountain. During the interview, Armitage talked about his reaction to seeing The Hobbit for the first time, what it was like to transform his physical appearance, what's been the biggest surprise making The Hobbit trilogy, whether or not he is looking forward to the additional filming next year, and a lot more. Hit the jump to watch. Richard Armitage: Is he enjoying being anonymous even when standing next to a Hobbit poster with Thorin on it. Also talks about transforming his physical appearance to play the character...

DVD Release Date: Feb. 14, 2012

Price: DVD $24.98

Studio: Entertainment One

Nastier than my ex: Gina Varela is a Nazi demoness in The Devil's Rock.

A shapely Nazi demoness ignites a bloody World War II battle from Hell in The Devil’s Rock, a 2011 action-horror war movie from New Zealand.

The film has a pretty straight-ahead albeit colorful story: On the eve of D-Day, two Allied commandos (Craig Hall of 30 Days of Night and Joseph Tane of TV’s Spartacus: Blood and Sand) are sent to destroy a German gun installation. Moving forward on their mission, the pair uncover a secret occult lair housing a mysterious Nazi officer (Matthew Sunderland, Under the Mountain) and his beautiful but devilish captive (sexy Gina Varela). Well, it turns out the Nazis are actually hiding a deadly she-demon, whom they plan to use to turn the tide of the war.

The Devil’s Rock marks the...

And finally, the biggest reveal of them all, it's our first official look at Richard Armitage as our dwarf hero Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, King Under the Mountain. The last of the company of dwarves from Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, and the leader of the company, as we've been revealing first looks throughout this last week. This reveal comes from TheOneRing.net, where they've amassed a complete rundown of the 13 dwarfs in the company, including details and photos for all. So when do we see a teaser?! As a young Dwarf prince, Thorin witnessed the terror when a great fire-breathing Dragon attacked Erebor... Through long years of hardship, Thorin grew to be a strong and fearless fighter and revered leader. In his heart a fierce desire grew; a desire to reclaim his homeland and destroy the beast that had brought such misery upon his people.

Another week, another list of DVDs and Blu-rays out to buy from today. Not as packed as last week, there’s the final entry in a major horror franchise, a sequel to a modern kung-fu classic and more!

Saw: The Final Chapter (DVD/Blu-ray)

The curtain comes down on one of the most gruesome horror franchises of all-time in Saw: The Final Chapter. The most twisted, gruesome and successful horror franchise in the world comes to a close in The Final Chapter. A deadly battle rages over Jigsaw’s brutal legacy as a group of Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) survivors gather to seek the support of self-help guru, and fellow survivor, Bobby Dagen (Sean Patrick Flanery). Soon though, the survivors really must help themselves as Dagen’s dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror…

Ip Man 2 (DVD/Blu-ray)

Kung Fu sensation, Donnie Yen, returns as martial arts legend, Ip Man,...

Filed under: Reviews, Sci-Fi, Cinematical

The few surviving members of a species of good-looking aliens have taken refuge on Earth following the extinction of their home world at the hands of a rival, but far uglier, group of aliens. These intergalactic refugees want little more than to blend in with our society, but, unfortunately for them, the ugly aliens are on their scent and eager to reduce their population one by one. Enter John (Alex Pettyfer), handsome alien number four. John's trying to live a normal life, spending his nights with his mentor refugee, Henri (Timothy Olyphant), and his days attending public high school. Then one day things get hairy when John hits super-power puberty, which coincidentally is right when his number comes up on the ugly aliens' chopping block.

Make no bones about it, 'I Am Number Four' is the kind of movie that a thirteen-year old can fall in love with,...

Filed under: Reviews, Sci-Fi, Cinematical

The few surviving members of a species of good-looking aliens have taken refuge on Earth following the extinction of their home world at the hands of a rival, but far uglier, group of aliens. These intergalactic refugees want little more than to blend in with our society, but, unfortunately for them, the ugly aliens are on their scent and eager to reduce their population one by one. Enter John (Alex Pettyfer), handsome alien number four. John's trying to live a normal life, spending his nights with his mentor refugee, Henri (Timothy Olyphant), and his days attending public high school. Then one day things get hairy when John hits super-power puberty, which coincidentally is right when his number comes up on the ugly aliens' chopping block.

Make no bones about it, 'I Am Number Four' is the kind of movie that a thirteen-year old can fall in love with,...

What do you do if you're a movie director in between projects? Well, if you're Black Sheep and Under The Mountain helmer Jonathan King you get to work writing your next film, sure, but you also vent your creativity in slightly faster and less expensive mediums. Like comics.

Yup, among other things King is also a comic artist, and a very good one. He's been drawing strips and posting them to his Tumblr account for a little while now and two in particular - involving invasions by iconic Brit scifi villains which the locals can't be much bothered by - strike me as being particularly good. Ready? Because it's time for Oh No, It's The Daleks! which you confuse with the similarly themed Oh No, It's The Tripods! at your own peril.

I am not a big fan of best and worst lists, but here I go with my Top 5 cinematic shit sandwiches of 2010.

Under the Mountain

Teen fantasy done wrong. Sam Neill is wasted in this Australian kick to the groin.

Daybreakers

An empty FX spectacle that is completely forgettable and feels like it was released years ago and not this past January. Sam Neill deserves better. Time to put on In the Mouth of Madness to make myself feel better!

The Wolfman

Universal should have learned their lesson with Van Helstink, but they did not. CG has a limited place in horror films, and with The Wolfman, it completely takes center stage and pushes Rick Baker’s great work aside. The Wolfman has no nards, heart or soul.

Cop Out

Kevin Smith thinks he can do no wrong as he struts around with his Cock Out in the seriously unfunny...

Those damned wicked evil occult worshipping Nazi bastards are at it again in the new flick The Devil's Rock, and we've got the first stills and official synopsis for ya!

Written by Paul Finch, Paul Campion and Brett Ihaka, The Devil’s Rock is award-winning short film director Paul Campion’s debut feature film. His short films Night of the Hell Hamsters and Eel Girl have screened at every major genre film festival worldwide.

Academy Award winning New Zealand company Weta Workshop (Avatar, District 9, Lord of the Rings, King Kong) will create the film’s physical effects, whose ensemble cast includes Craig Hall (Love Birds, Boy, 30 Days of Night, The World’s Fastest Indian, King Kong), Matthew Sunderland (Out of the Blue, Under the Mountain), Gina Varela (Xena, Siones Wedding, Power Rangers) and Karl Drinkwater (A Song of Good, Lord of the Rings, Spartacus: Blood & Sand).

Synopsis

Produced...

With word coming down on the deal swung between the government of New Zealand to keep the production of The Hobbit - a deal that included increased financial subsidies and promised legislation to alter New Zealand labor law - we thought the thing to do was get a little bit of local perspective on the issues at hand. And so earlier today I approached a pair of active New Zealand film makers - Jonathan King (Black Sheep, Under The Mountain) and Jason Stutter (Predicament) - for their take on the situation and the issues at hand from the perspective of directors actually working in the country affected by these decisions. Their complete responses are below.

From Jonathan King:

Normal 0 false false false En-ca X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Speaking as someone who has never worked for Peter Jackson or any other Hollywood film shot here -- and remains unlikely to --...

With word coming down on the deal swung between the government of New Zealand to keep the production of The Hobbit - a deal that included increased financial subsidies and promised legislation to alter New Zealand labor law - we thought the thing to do was get a little bit of local perspective on the issues at hand. And so earlier today I approached a pair of active New Zealand film makers - Jonathan King (Black Sheep, Under The Mountain) and Jason Stutter (Predicament) - for their take on the situation and the issues at hand from the perspective of directors actually working in the country affected by these decisions. Their complete responses are below.

From Jonathan King:

Normal 0 false false false En-ca X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Speaking as someone who has never worked for Peter Jackson or any other Hollywood film shot here -- and remains unlikely to --...

I'm so tired. But I'm a bit tense. only two days left, and I can feel the start of Post-Fest Depression wanting to rear its ugly head. But there's two full days left...

That's how one of my 2009 Fantastic Fest Daily Dispatches started. It brings me right back to the fest. This is it, the final entry in our Fantastic Fest Flashbacks (we've already covered 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008). How the fest has grown. I'm looking at the screening schedule and it's now two columns of small fonts filling the page. So much to do and not enough hours to do it. The 2009 lineup ranged fromhorror-lite targeted to a younger audience like The Vampire's Assistant and Under the Mountain to the shocking Antichrist, and every possibility in between and around them. Literally something for everyone, Fantastic Fest 2009 seemed about as big as it can get, although we already know this year will be even bigger.

“The goal is to have you sit back, relax and have one hell of a good time. Mission accomplished.” Unfortunately this reviewers comment isn't about Jonathan King's Under the Mountain, but rather Jonathan King's earlier venture Black Sheep. It's a shame it doesn't apply. King has proven himself in the past as a director with the ability to engage and entertain, however I just don't think children's fantasy is his forte. Even if it is from New Zealand.

Under the Mountain has a rich history behind it, as it's based on the popular novel by Maurice Gee and the children's series that ran on Nz's Kiwi TV under the same name starting back in 1981. For audiences familiar with the series (mainly those living in New Zealand), Under the Mountain may prove a nostalgic adventure, but for new audiences (mainly everyone else), it leaves us with way more questions than we started out with.

Hey everyone. Sorry I am so late today with my article but I was a busy bee! There's some good movies that came out this week! Here's the highlighted movies!

 

Death at a Funeral

Put-upon Aaron (Chris Rock) is always plagued by drama and dysfunction, but he encounters more than he can handle while attempting to plan his father's funeral. What's a family gathering without jealousy, tension and blackmail? Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Danny Glover, James Marsden, Luke Wilson, Zoe Saldana, Regina Hall and Columbus Short round out a stellar ensemble cast.

Starring: Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence

Director: Neil Labute

I found parts of this movie funny but overall I was disappointed. Not sure why they had to remake the British comedy to begin with.

 

Date Night

Who knew simple dinner reservations under a different name could turn one New Jersey couple's date night so terribly upside-down? Claire (Tina Fey...

Date Night: "The weirdest thing happened to me today. It's something that hasn't happened for months, maybe longer. I honestly don't even remember the last time it happened. It was bizarre. I was sitting in a movie theater, watching a studio comedy, and I was completely overcome by this unfamiliar sensation. I think it might have been happiness. I'm not sure, exactly, since it's been such a long time since I felt anything akin to that in a multiplex. But that odd sensation was accompanied by laughter. Real laughter. I laughed. Out loud. More than once. And it wasn't even at stuff I'd already seen in the trailers. When I left the theater, I wasn't hit by a wave of disappointment. I was in this oddly pleasant mood. I didn't know what to do with myself. I briefly considered running back into the theater and watching The Last Song...

A look at what's new on DVD today:

"Triage" (2009)

Directed by Danis Tanovic

Released by National Entertainment Media

Although a largely tepid reception at last year's Toronto Film Festival and a downer of a subject matter prevented "No Man's Land" director Danis Tanovic's English-language debut from getting American theatrical distribution, Colin Farrell delivers an award-worthy performance as a photojournalist recovering from the ravages of war and the loss of his friend and colleague in this direct-to-dvd drama. Even with Paz Vega to come home to, Farrell's photographer tries to make sense of the horrors he witnessed as his wife (Vega) and the wife of his dead friend (Kelly Reilly) try to get him to open up.

"Children of Invention" (2009)

Directed by Tze Chun

Released by Indieblitz Releasing

An alum of Sundance 2009, Chun's feature debut centers around a Chinese immgrant single mother's determination to give her children a better life...

In reality World War II yielded enough real life horrors to last a lifetime, but those bastard Nazi's were so demonically evil that filmmakers just can't leave them alone. Prepare for more Third Reich themed terror in The Devil's Rock.

From the Press Release

Principal photography has begun in Wellington, New Zealand on World War II Horror pic, The Devil’S Rock.

Written by Paul Finch, Paul Campion and Brett Ihaka, The Devil’s Rock is award-winning short film director Paul Campion’s debut feature film. His short films Night of the Hell Hamsters and Eel Girl have screened at every major genre film festival worldwide.

Produced by Leanne Saunders (The Devil Dared Me To, A Song of Good), the film is set in the Channel Islands on the eve of D-Day. Two Kiwi commandos, sent to destroy German gun emplacements to distract Hitler’s forces away from Normandy, discover...

I am the father of a nine year old boy. Therefore I see a lot of bad movies marketed to children and made by people who clearly don't remember what kids are actually like. More to the point, I try to deprogram my son from Wanting to see bad movies marketed to children and made by people who clearly don't remember what kids are actually like despite the best efforts of companies spending millions of dollars convincing him that these movies are the greatest things ever. I won on The Last Airbender front. On others I have not been so lucky.

And while big bags of money are thrown into the marketing furnace supporting inferior product every now and then a film that's actually good appears and disappears without much notice. Hello, Under the Mountain.

From director Jonathan King of Black Sheep fame - the zombie sheep one, not the...

The director of the splattery good gore-fest Black Sheep (review here), Jonathan King, has a new flick coming out from Lionsgate and Lightning Media called Under the Mountain, and though it's been given a PG-13 rating, we're still confident enough in King's filmmaking chops to insist that this one is worth a look!

Look for the flick to hit DVD courtesy of Lionsgate on August 10th. Sam Neill, Sophie McBride, Tom Cameron, Leon Wadham, and Oliver Driver star.

Synopsis

When teenage twins Rachel and Theo investigate the creepy old house next door, they discover the Wilberforces - shape-shifting creatures that lurk beneath Auckland’s ring of extinct volcanoes.

Guided by the mysterious Mr. Jones and with the help of their older cousin, Ricky, the twins must rekindle the unique powers they once shared if they are to destroy this ancient evil - before it destroys them.

Under the Mountain - Festival Trailer

Uploaded by dreadcentral.

The director of the splattery good gore-fest Black Sheep (review here), Jonathan King, has a new flick coming out from Lionsgate and Lightning Media called Under the Mountain, and though it's been given a PG-13 rating, we're still confident enough in King's filmmaking chops to insist that this one is worth a look!

Though no firm release date has been given, look for the DVD to hit late this year or possibly early next. Sam Neill, Sophie McBride, Tom Cameron, Leon Wadham, and Oliver Driver star.

Synopsis

When teenage twins Rachel and Theo investigate the creepy old house next door, they discover the Wilberforces - shape-shifting creatures that lurk beneath Auckland’s ring of extinct volcanoes.

Guided by the mysterious Mr. Jones and with the help of their older cousin, Ricky, the twins must rekindle the unique powers they once shared if they are to destroy this ancient evil - before it destroys them.

Horror news site Bloody-Disgusting is announcing that Under the Mountain has been picked up by both Lightning Entertainment and Lionsgate Films for distribution in North America. The film involves two twins who discover "shape-shifting" creatures beneath a group of extinct volcanoes (Bloody). The trailer for the film, if you are unfamiliar, is below.

The synopsis for Under the Mountain here:

"Teenage twins Rachel and Theo investigate the creepy old house next door, they discover the Wilberforces - shape-shifting creatures that lurk beneath Auckland’s ring of extinct volcanoes. Guided by the mysterious Mr Jones and with the help of their older cousin Ricky, the twins must rekindle the unique powers they once shared if they are to destroy this ancient evil - before it destroys them" (Bloody).

Release Date: Unknown.

Director: Jonathan King.

Writers: Maurice Gee, and Matthew Grainger.

Cast: Tom Cameron, Matthew Chamberlain, Oliver Driver, Matt Gillanders, Sam Neill,...

Here are the new MPAA ratings from Bulletin No: 2116.

Note: I am sure many of you will notice the rating for the new A Nightmare on Elm Street has not yet been listed and is still not listed today although it is listed at the film's official site as rated R for strong bloody horror violence, disturbing images, terror and language. My updates are the official updates direct from the MPAA and they have not yet included it in one of their bulletins. Once it is, it will get listed.

6 Guns - Special Edition Rated R For violence including a rape, and brief sexual content. Beautiful Rated R For disturbing violent content, sexual material, language and some nudity. Caught In The Crossfire Rated R For violence and language throughout. Dark House Rated R For horror violence and gore, language and brief nudity. The Freebie Rated R For language and sexual content.

MPAA ratings: April 14, 2010. The following feature-length motion pictures have been reviewed and rated by the Classification and Rating Administration pursuant to the Motion Picture Classification and Rating program. Each of the designated ratings is defined as follows under the Motion Picture Classification and Rating program.

G -- General Audiences. All ages admitted.

PG -- Parental Guidance Suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG -13 --Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

R -- Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Nc-17 -- No One 17 And Under Admitted.

Film Distributor Reason Rating 6 Guns - Special Edition Asylum Home Entertainment, The Rated for violence including a rape, and brief sexual content. R Beautiful E1 Entertainment U.S. LP Rated for disturbing violent content, sexual material, language and some nudity. R Caught in the Crossfire Grindstone Entertainment Group Rated for violence and language throughout. R...

How can you not be excited to see Under The Mountain? Besides being directed by Jonathan King, the madman behind the classic Black Sheep, is stars the genre vet Sam Neill, who also toplines Lionsgate's forthcoming Daybreakers (also premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival). In addition to the previously released trailer, below you'll find six clips from the film, premiering this forthcoming weekend at Tiff. When teenage twins Rachel and Theo investigate the creepy old house next door, they discover the Wilberforces - shape-shifting creatures that lurk beneath Aucklands ring of extinct volcanoes. Guided by the mysterious Mr Jones and with the help of their older cousin Ricky, the twins must rekindle the unique powers they once shared if they are to destroy this ancient evil - before it destroys them.

Director Jonathan King returns once again to the Toronto International Film Festival with Under The Mountain. The director of the hilarious and fun Black Sheep takes this tale into a more serious tone. Starring Sam Neill (In the Mouth of Madness, Daybreakers, Omen 3, Event Horizon), we've got our hands on the first trailer for the film, along with 14 images! Check out all of the goodies inside. Teenage twins Rachel and Theo travel to Auckland to stay with relatives following the sudden death of their mother. Where there was once a psychic bond between them, now there is a rift as Theo, particularly, refuses to confront his grief. Rachel reaches out to him, but is rebuffed.

Those bemoaning the somewhat overly-sanitary monopoly the folks at Walden currently hold on the world of child and tween oriented fantasy, take heart.  Black Sheep director Jonathan King has arrived with his adaptation of popular New Zealand novel - adapted into a television series in 1982 - Under The Mountain and while his new effort is worlds away from his debut picture it definitely brings a fresh perspective to its chosen genre.