TV & Movie Reviews – Alternative Mindz

Antman review

July 17, 2015Rob Leave a Comment

By Steven Biscotti

There will be a great number of people now looking towards “Ant-Man” as the next big hero. Ironically, he’s Marvel’s smallest, in fandom, awareness, and stature. But after seeing “Ant-Man” opening day, it’s evident that Marvel Studios have crafted another successful series.

Ant-Man has a very interesting past, on film and on the page. He first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 and went on to being one of the founding members of The Avengers. Well after a chronicled history of failed attempts to bring him to the screen, 2012’s Avengers released and there was no mention of Dr. Henry “Hank” Pym. Fast forward to July 2015, well after director and writer Edgar Wright left the project, and we have the Peyton Reed directed film “Ant-Man.” Not necessarily the most Marvelous of the M.C.U., “Ant-Man” is easily the most fun and family oriented of super hero pictures. Simply put, the few minutes shy of 2 hours is a delight.

“Ant-Man” is, by far, one of the most straight-forward stories told by Marvel. It doesn’t go on to service anything greater other than servicing the characters and our introduction to them. Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) is a brilliant scientist who used to work for S.H.I.E.L.D. Out of fear his work, particularly the Pym Particles, would be weaponized, he left. It’s during this opener that we get to see a brilliantly de-aged Douglas, an older Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), and John Slattery of Mad Men, reprising his “Iron Man 2” role as Howard Stark. The film then catches up to the present day, and Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is released from prison. Borrowing certain elements from the Marvel comics Avengers issue #181, and Marvel Premiere #47 and #48, Lang eventually crosses paths with Pym, after he steals the Ant-man suit from his home safe. Where the film really takes off is in just how much “Ant-Man” feels like a 70’s heist, caper, matinee film, along with seeming as if it belonged somewhere in the early days of big super hero films such as 2000’s X-Men and 2002’s Spider-Man. We eventually learn that Pym’s protege, the power mad Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) has plans to rename Pym Technologies to Cross Technologies, and well, weaponize the Ant-Man suit. This is what sets the rest of the fast-paced film in motion and is precisely a suggested moment where Edgar Wright and Marvel Studios had their “creative differences” issue. Peyton Reed’s “Ant-Man” is a team player and understands its placement in the grander Marvel Cinematic Universe. Edgar Wright’s version, which once sought Michael Douglas as Lang and his father Kirk as Pym, was easily much more concerned with the heist aspect and less about The Avengers. That’s not to say that Reed’s version is completely transfixed on everything Team Downey and Marvel, it actually isn’t, but the film does feature an acknowledgment of the existence of the Avengers, along with an extended cameo by Anthony Mackie’s Falcon.

The film, largely revolves around the “Ocean’s 11” like plot of stealing back Pym’s company from Cross and ensuring that his Pym Particles don’t fall into the wrong hands. It’s a near classic story of good vs evil and slightly unsavory vs sinister. Again, it’s exactly this kind of story that plays so well to the heist film construct and brings to mind a fun Saturday matinee film on screen and/or on tv. Marvel Studios have smartly approached each of their films with a theme and since the heist movie has not been done yet, they chose “Ant-Man” to be just that. It works amazingly well and only leaves fans more excited for the “John Hughes movie” approach to their first MCU Spider-Man film, according to Kevin Feige. Oh, and everyone’s favorite Wall-Crawler does get referenced within “Ant-Man” so pay attention for that closer to the end of the movie.

The cast of “Ant-Man” may, in fact, be the best aspect of the picture as it brings to mind an underdog quality that Jon Favreau’s 2008 “Iron Man” had. Here we have Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, and Michael Douglas leading the film and not once betraying the spirit of their project. Here you have a cast that could have easily faxed in performances for a film that had a troubled start, but instead, they treat each bit of dialogue with as much care as a non-comic book film would have. Michael Douglas and Corey Stoll are especially fun to watch considering just how different the two are. Douglas gives us a Hank Pym, troubled by his past and looking to atone for his sins. It’s a nuanced performance and a fine performance by Hollywood royalty. Up and coming, and certainly rising star Corey Stoll (The Strain, This Is Where I Leave You) gives Darren Cross a classic villain presence and a more outwardly evil turn than Jeff Bridges more reserved Obadiah Stane in Iron Man. Stoll’s Cross is much different than the more Mr. Hyde-ish version of the character in Marvel Premiere’s The Astonishing Ant-Man #48, and the film is better off for it. He’s evil, crazy, and just may have lost his mind due to exposure to the Pym Particles. Douglas’ Pym, while not necessarily the one we know from the comics, feels very much like a real-world version of the scientist and I couldn’t think of a better actor to play him.

However, a more under used, but finely tuned performance is that of Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne. The Pym/Dyne characters of the film are, quite possibly, two of the most revered of Marvel characters and have been centrally discussed by fans in the time leading up to “Ant-Man.” The lack of Hope’s mother and Pym’s wife, Janet, has troubled many as she is The Wasp. While no one close to the film has spoken too much of The Wasp’s presence in this first outing, I can reveal that fans will not be disappointed because, yep, she’s in it. However, it may not be in the way that most fans would have hoped and this is mainly why an “Ant Man 2” has become my most anticipated sequel yet to be announced. While we do know that Paul Rudd will appear in next May’s Captain America: Civil War, it has not been said when we will see Evangeline Lilly reprise her role of Hope. And that, folks, probably is admission enough as to the potential we have of seeing Wasp on the big screen and done in a perfect way.

Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly have great chemistry, especially as she provides a more serious demeanor to his more casual approach to heroics. It’s a great pairing and the extended montage of Lang being trained by Hope Van Dyne and Hank Pym are wonderful to watch. It has just the right amount of humor and heart that places it up there with last year’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Whereas Guardiansexplored the cosmos in a way the MCU had not previously done, but only teased with Thor andAvengers, “Ant Man” explores a sub universe and is firm;y placed on our world. If it wasn’t for the effects we have today and Reed’s ingenuity to blend macro photography into the picture, the shrinking and enlarging sequences may have come across as run of the mill. But, in this movie, they’re anything but. The effects, while mostly impressive, have the occasional flaw that big effects sometimes have. It’s more of an issue of mechanics and how the eye responds to an object that is placed within real photography; just think of certain dinosaur sequences in this year’s “Jurassic World.” Overall, a giant Thomas the Tank Engine crashing through a house and onto a car isn’t that much an iceberg to sink the Peyton Reed steered ship.

“Ant Man” is a highly impressive accomplishment, especially considering how so many wanted (and expected) this to fail. “Ant Man” is anything but the failure that many were hoping for and is a whole lot more fun than many of the other films released this summer. Arguably, it is a better picture than “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and is more exciting in its end credits promise that “Ant Man Will Return.” But, what about Wasp?

“Ant-Man” gets four stars and has two important end-credit scenes. One services a potential setup within this story during mid-credits; the other services next year’s “Captain America: Civil War” so be sure to stay in your seat.

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Jurassic world review

June 13, 2015Rob Leave a Comment

By Steven Biscotti

The long anticipated Jurassic World released in theaters this Friday and looks to energize interest in new fans, while providing a nostalgic walk for theater goers such as myself. I grew up with Jurassic Park on VHS, saw The Lost World opening weekend, and watched Jurassic Park 3 more times than I can remember. I have the Kenner action figures and I’m positive my mini Ian Malcolm is somewhere in the house. I was among the first people to see Jurassic World at 7 pm on Thursday, June 11 and two days later, I’m still talking about the fourth film. If anything,Jurassic World has proven that my interest in big, entertaining, dinosaur filled adventures have not gone extinct.

The Colin Trevorrow directed film primarily serves in the grey territory of reboot and sequel. Jurassic World, taking place in the not too distant future, 20 or so years from the first, shows John Hammond’s dream of a fully realized and operating park. Think San Diego Zoo, but on a much larger scale, and with dinosaurs! Attendance is high, people are satisfied, but the attractions could have more “wow.” Trevorrow, along with writers Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Derek Connolly present a surprisingly eerie and haunting statement on today’s generation with their park. When audiences seem more focused on texting and caught up with their own personal worlds, more so than to watch the latest Mosasaurus attraction, or any dinosaur exhibit for that matter, we begin to wonder how long does our disconnected existences last when thrown into a world that existed 65 million years ago. To keep the excitement on their animals and less on everything else, Dr. Henry Wu (BD Wong) has dreamed up even more creatures for the park; good thing Dr. Alan Grant and Ian Malcolm aren’t around. The latest creation is something more terrifying than the Spinosaurus of JP3 and more dangerous than the T-Rex of JP 1 & 2. As expected, she breaks free. In the words of Goldblum’s Malcolm from The Lost World, “Oooh, ahhh, that’s how it always starts. Then later there’s running and um, screaming.”

As entertaining and fun Jurassic World is, it does fall into an issue of being original. So much of the 2 hour and 10 minute film is built on the shoulders of the first three films. “You stood on the shoulders of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could, and before you even knew what you had, you patented it, and packaged it, and slapped it on a plastic lunchbox, and now…” It’s hilariously ironic on just how much of Goldblum’s lines from the first film represent the issues with Jurassic World. Colin Trevorrow has created an impressive film, entertaining always, and one of the more genuinely pleasing films this summer, but so much of it is built on the work of Steven Spielberg and JP3‘s Joe Johnston. Trevorrow is consistent with his thorough knowledge of the series and pays several visual tributes to the original trilogy. But in moments of new creation, there’s a legitimate sense of “been there, done that.” Sadly, we’ve grown desensitized by dinosaurs running free, people being eaten, and heroes in peril. There’s also an issue with our heroes and villains. While everything conceivably works for Jurassic World‘s sake, it seems as if the studio is looking to present an experience we all had with the original and repackage it for today’s generation. They don’t request the more mature audience members to forget what came before, but simply hope we’re brought back to our more youthful days, and enjoy a nostalgic walk through their new park.

Chris Pratt as Owen Grady is in full action mode here and, if he isn’t the next Indiana Jones, I’m not sure who else could possibly do it. Owen is your typicalJurassic Park hero. He’s an adventurer through and through. Pratt as Owen is perfect. He’s likable, believable, and a bit of a mixture between Sam Neill’s Grant and Goldblum’s Malcolm. He’s cynical of the science and weary of the world, but loves the creations Let’s not forget that Owen has a pack of four raptors that he’s bonded with – Charlie, Delta, Echo, and Blue. Oh, and if you think you’re cool, just know that you’ll never be as cool as Chris Pratt riding a motorcycle next to raptors cool! We also have a reliable Vincent D’Onofrio as one of the film’s villains, Vic Hoskins. He’s the head of InGen security (yup, they’re back) and wishes to use the dinosaurs as weapons. D’Onofrio plays Hoskins as an amalgamation of all previous Jurassic villains and he’s great. Jurassic World also gives us two children, Ty Sympkins and Nick Robinson – they play brothers visiting Isla Nublar and provide the most Spielberg-ian elements of the story. Amidst a family riff, their parents are getting divorced and they have a strained relationship with their aunt, it’s a safe bet that by the time the last dino roars, the family will be back together. A buffed up Bryce Dallas Howard perhaps is the most interesting character as her intentions aren’t fully clear and she provides the most growth for a film that could have easily presented her operations manager Claire Dearing as a one-note character. Howard’s Claire, much like Pratt’s Owen and D’Onofrio’s Hoskins, seems rooted in the DNA of players we’ve seen in Jurassic Parkand The Lost World, but spins wildly out of the expectations we think we have of her over the course of Jurassic World.

Jurassic World is an entertaining movie and a very enjoyable one. I loved every second of it and Trevorrow stages the film well. In a third act fight, we get one of the most rousing of fights between the T-Rex, raptors, and the Indominus Rex (the new dino) and if you walk out of the theater not liking that scene, well, you might just be a zombie. The effects are what you’d expect from a big-budget picture by Universal, and it’s gotten harder to tell what exactly is animatronic and what is CGI. Michael Giacchino scores JW, with themes based off of John Williams’ majestic score and delivers another hit soundtrack. It’s also worth noting that Giacchino scored The Lost Word: Jurassic Park video game and for die-hard soundtrack fans, there are a few notes that pay homage to his original work. Jurassic World is a movie that works in every way, but in every way it works for a newcomer, it could serve as a criticism for original fans. I want Colin Trevorrow, cast and crew to succeed with their movie. I’d also like to see director Trevorrow develop his own visual style for future films, but for now, Jurassic World deserves to win and people should flock to their movie theaters in the same capacity attendees did nearly 22 years ago to the same weekend. By the closing moments, while your phones are hopefully off (or silent), just give in to the magic of movie-making and remember that this is the dinosaurs world, not ours. Roar.

Jurassic World gets four out of five stars. The cast highlight the 2 hour and 10 minute film, particularly Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and New Girl’s Jake Johnson as the theme park’s resident tech nerd. It’s a big summer film that should be seen in theaters. Jurassic World is now playing everywhere.

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WELCOME TO SWEDEN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

June 12, 2015Rob Leave a Comment

Last year, a show debuted that seemed like it would be nothing more than just another show to fill a prime time slot.
What we got instead was something so much more. To say it’s all charm and smart would be an understatement.

This show is not only clean cut funny, it has elements that are rich and yet dark at times. You can’t help but fall in love with Bruce and Emma. Their unique situation of the concept “fish out of water” brings tons of laughs.

This DVD is not only a must buy, it can also be a great way to siphon new fans by having the full series in one DVD collection. It’s a perfect Father’s Day gift or just a great pick up for any comedy fan.

The packaging lives up to the show and looks good in your DVD library.

It’s available now wherever discs are sold and it retails for just $34.98.

WELCOME TO SWEDEN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

Based on Greg Poelher’s True Life Story, the Hilarious, Top-Rated Rom-Com Arrives May 19 in a 2-Disc DVD Set Containing All 10 Season One Episodes; Guest Stars Include Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, Aubrey Plaza and Gene Simmons

Game Of Thrones Product Showcase Event photos

April 29, 2015Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

Last week i was invited to an event to cover an Product Showcase from The Game Of Thrones. i took as much pictures as incan as isedn pretty cool products such as cosplay items, figures, props from the show and more merchandise.

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Lego and DC Comics Presents: Justice League vs Bizarro Justice League

February 13, 2015Rob Leave a Comment

In what can only be called a giant in the children’s world, Lego has dominated the world. Their crossover into the realms of licensed properties and the establishment of a film and video game empire has made Lego a global phenomenon and much more then interlocking blocks.

Enter Justice league vs Bizarro Justice League, another smash hit for the team that once again has our old established heroes microsized and absolutely adorable.

The story centers around Bizarro Superman, who (if you ask my 3 year old) steals the show. Bizarro tries in vane to help the city of Metropolis but ends up reaking havoc, forcing Superman to trick Bizarro into going to another world. Of course, things in the DC Universe aren’t as simple as that.

What happens next, I will ask you to find out by watching the film yourselves. It’s fast-paced and funny, a film for the whole family.

There are two distinct reasons to buy the BluRay: first is the gag reel.
The gag real arguably is almost as, if not funnier than, the film. Second is the inclusion of the exclusive Bizarro Batman mini figure.

I give this film a solid 3.5/5. Your kids will love it and you will too.

Movie Reviews: The Hunger Games- Mockingjay Part 1

November 30, 2014Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

Since Harry Potter was put out to grass, The Hunger Games franchise has assumed a massive new significance for Hollywood. The series of films adapted from Suzanne Collins’ novels have made Jennifer Lawrence into a global star and have transformed their producer Lionsgate into as big a player as the the traditional old studios.

Teenagers clamour to see each new episode while box office analysts, after shaky recent times in the global film business, look to the films to provide a major end of year boost. That is why there were such feverish expectations in advance of last night’s world premiere of Mockingjay Part 1.

The film doesn’t exactly disappoint but nor does it satisfy. There is a half a sandwich feel to the latest instalment – a sense that the film makers have denied us a full experience by splitting the movie into two. The film lasts for two hours

The film, based on the final book in the trilogy of novels by Suzanne Collins, lasts for two hours but only takes us some of the way toward the conclusion of the story. (For the real finale, we ill have to wait until this time next year, when Part 2 of Mockingjay is released in cinemas.)

This is an even darker drama than its predecessors. That is partly because so much of it is set in the murky, subterranean world of District 13 where Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) has been taken by the rebels.

They want her to be the poster girl for the revolution they are busy fomenting against the Capitol’s purring, white bearded dictator President Snow (Donald Sutherland.) The colours are desaturated.

Characters dress simply, in boiler suits. We see very little daylight. Even the vain and flighty Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) has to adapt to the austerity of her environment and forego her wigs and make-up.

Lawrence is again tremendous as Katniss. She gives her character an emotional depth that you don’t expect in a franchise movie, conveying her vulnerability and doubt as well as well as her fiery determination and Barbarella-like sex appeal.

Katniss is pining for Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), her fellow Hunger Games survivor who has fallen into Snow’s clutches and has seemingly been brainwashed or tortured into becoming a spokesperson for the Capitol.

District 13’s steely president Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) is fighting back against Snow, with Katniss as her chief propaganda weapon.

The brilliant and much lamented Philip Seymour Hoffman (who plays Plutarch Heavensbee) died earlier this year before production was complete on Mockingjay Part 2. Digital technology was being used to “complete” his performance but the joints barely show here. This isn’t one of his major roles but he gines a typically assured and witty performance as President Coin’s sly but kind-hearted chief advisor.

Along with casting Lawrence, one of the filmmakers’ best decisions at the outset of Hunger Games was to fill the series with redoubtable character actors like Hoffman, Moore, Woody Harrelson, Jeffrey Wright and Stanley Tucci.

They bring a gravitas and wit to the project that counters the callow performances of some of the younger actors. The “Hunger Games” themselves (the vicious, reality TV style games contested by selected youngsters) aren’t being contested and these old-timers are therefore far more prominent in this episode.

Director Francis Lawrence isn’t afraid to include grim imagery of war. There are scenes here of blasted cityscapes full of skeletons and of wounded characters crammed together in makeshift hospitals.

What the series has never been able to resolve is how to combine its darker, dystopian elements with the demands of the teen action movie. Mockingjay – Part 1 is full of very jarring juxtapositions.

One moment, we’ll be confronted with scenery of death and devastation – and the next, there will be some cutesy slapstick involving Primrose Everdeen’s pet cat Buttercup. Stylistically, the film veers between gritty realism and Star Wars-like escapism.

Not a great deal happens here plot-wise. Most of the story is taken up with the rebel propaganda comapaign orchestrated by Plutarch, filmed on the battle line by the punkish-looking Cressida (Natalie Dormer) and fronted by Katniss. The rebels blow up a dam and make a raid on the Capitol. That’s about it. The film ends abruptly. You can’t help but wonder if it would have made more sense to release Mockingjay as a single feature rather than split it into two. Part 1 matches its predecessors in terms of performance and production values but still feels like half a movie.

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FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: SEASON ONE Swoops Onto BD/DVD

September 15, 2014Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

“Radically different. Disruptive. A fascinating ride.”

–Frazier Moore, Associated Press

FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ROBERT RODRIGUEZ

AND THE EL REY NETWORK, the debut season of THE CHILLING sUPERNATURAL SERIES, BASED ON

THE CULT CLASSIC FILM, arrives on blu-ray & dvd

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: SEASON ONE

D.J. Cotrona, Zane Holtz, Robert Patrick and Wilmer Valderrama and Don Johnson Star; the DVD Set Features

all 10 Season One Episodes

Street Date: September 16, 2014

Blu-ray/DVD SRP: $49.98/$39.98

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

From executive producer Robert Rodriguez comes the first season of the original El Rey Network series, FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, swooping onto Blu-ray and DVD, featuring all 10 Season One episodes, including episodes directed by Rodriguez and Eduardo Sánchez(The Blair Witch Project). This supernatural series, based on Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s 1996 cult classic film of the same name (starring George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Salma Hayek and Tarantino), centers on bank robbers Seth and Richie Gecko, who are wanted by the authorities after a heist leaves several dead. Escaping across the Mexican border with a family of hostages, the Gecko brothers take a detour to a strip club that’s populated by bloodsucking creatures of the night.

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN returns to El Rey Network in 2015 with brand-new episodes for its eagerly awaited second season.

CAST

D.J. Cotrona (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Dear John, “Detroit 1-8-7”)
Zane Holtz (The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Vampires Suck)
Eiza González (“Amores Verdaderos”)
Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, “True Blood”)
Wilmer Valderrama (“That ’70s Show”, Fast Food Nation)
Don Johnson (“Miami Vice”, “Nash Bridges”, Django Unchained)

BONUS FEATURES

Audio Commentary from Robert Rodriguez, Producers and Cast
Full Length Trailer
Best Kills Video
On Set: The Making of From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Behind the Scenes “On Set: Brought to you by General Motors”
Behind the Scenes “On Set: Brought to you by Dos Equis”
Character Bio Featurettes
General Motors Commercial featuring Seth Gecko
Dos Equis Commercial featuring Carlos Madrigal
Big Kahuna Commercial
“What’s in the Briefcase” Spot
SXSW Featurette
Q&A from Premiere at Alamo Drafthouse with Robert Rodriguez

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Type: BD/DVD (3 Discs)

Catalog #: (BD) EOE-BD-7801/(DVD) EOE-DV-7753

Running Time: 450 mins. + extras

Rating: TV-14

Genre: TV

Aspect Ratio: (BD) 1080p High Definition (1.78:1)/(DVD) 16×9 (1.78:1)

Audio: (BD) DTS-HD Master Audio/(DVD) 5.1 Surround Sound

Language: English with SDH subtitles

For the latest breaking news on FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: SEASON ONE and other releases, follow Entertainment One on Twitter: http://twitter.com/eOneHomeVideo

Movie Review: The Hunger Games:Catching Fire

December 10, 2013Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

Julian Cannon is back with another movie review. And sorry I was late with this one, I was really busy the whole week. Also follow me on twitter @julianexcalibur and check out my show on dailymotion.com/thedarkfoxshow Where I talk about wwe topics, top 10’s, video game reviews and movie reviews. I have done over 20 episodes on Facebook and I got very positive feedback so now I have 6 episodes on that channel so expect more on the way every week. Now let’s get to the review of The Hunger Games : Catching Fire

RELEASED: November 21, 2013

DIRECTOR:Francis Lawrence
WRITER:Simon Beaufoy, Michael Arndt
CAST: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks
DISTRIBUTOR:Lionsgate
RUNNING TIME: 129 minutes

Gore is upped a notch – or 12 – but the message is as dark and dystopian as The Hunger Games.

After The Hunger Games burned a Mockingjay-shaped mark on filmgoers, the pressure was on for I Am Legend director, Francis Lawrence, who took over from Gary Ross.

Fortunately, Catching Fire is bigger and grittier, slaying us in all manner of malicious ways – poisonous fog and man-eating monkeys included.

But first we begin in a near-identical setup to the first, with Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) back in District 12 and President Snow (Donald Sutherland) plotting something sinister.

He isn’t happy with the District 12 lovebirds and the currant coloured mess they left following the last games. Leaving the Capitol comforts to pay ‘The Girl on Fire’ a visit, Snow informs Katniss that their rule-bending win caused a stir in some of the districts. Rebellion is in the air, and he leaves her with a sinister threat of the district’s destruction that weighs heavy on her shoulders as she leaves for the Victory Tour in an attempt to convince Panem of her ‘love’ for Peeta.

The performances from the main three have stepped up a gear in the interim, with Lawrence and Hutcherson convincingly portraying the struggles of returning to life after participating in a public bloodbath, as well as the mental and physical preparation needed to gear up for round two.

Liam Hemsworth as Gale is granted a touch more screen time in the build up to what should be a lead role in the next instalment, and newbie tributes, particularly Johanna (Jena Malone), Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Beetee (Jeffrey Wright), manage to make a deep impression in spite of the non-stop action. Another noteworthy addition is Philip Seymour Hoffman as new Head Gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee. The Oscar-winner brings gravitas to the role and steals scenes from Sutherland’s increasingly one-note Snow.

Bigger, better and more garish than ever, the Capitol scenes are breathtaking, its grandeur made obvious due to sweeping exposition shots, brilliantly juxtaposed against shaky and guerrilla techniques used within district-based scenes. But where Capitol colours have brightened, the overall tone has darkened, sticking firmly to the page when it comes to blunt hierarchical messaging.

Public lashings provoke a very real reaction, and when the Quarter Quell commences, the knife-throwing and axe-wielding is more brutal than first time round, though it’s still hampered by it 12A classification.

Inevitably, Catching Fire feels rushed in parts (the book is 400 pages-long), but choices regarding what to ditch, including the novel’s heavy wedding focus, were probably the right ones. A little more time could have been dedicated to the tributes, but with so many strong leads already fighting for screen time, it’s probably best audiences aren’t persuaded to bond too much; we know what happens to those entering the arena.

Author Suzanne Collins’ vision for the clock-shaped battleground, with its 12 sinister segments, has been brought to the big screen brilliantly by Lawrence; the game itself keeping you gripped right up until the moment Katniss fires that fateful arrow. This new tropical setting and its dangers are much more arresting than the forest, and the tension is so palpable that you’ll need a shoulder rub after to relieve it.

The cliffhanger conclusion will undoubtedly split opinion, leaving novel novices dangling in frustration, while fans of the book will appreciate the almost identical finale, right down to Gale’s final revelation, which we’ll keep quiet for the sake of those now running off to power through the trilogy’s pages.

I give this movie a 9/10

31 days of Halloween: Movie Review. Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers

October 13, 2013Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

Julian Cannon is back again for another movie review. Since October is Halloween, I have a movie review right here, a comedy horror movie that came out in 1988. Here’s one of my favorites, Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers.

The first ‘Sleepaway Camp’ is a little bit notorious. It’s not a classic, but the twist ending had people talking and does set it apart. Rather than do the tasteful thing and just leave that story be, there had to be a sequel, set years later. This is known as ‘Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers.’ If you didn’t see the first movie and don’t know the twist in it, please stop reading.

Male campers are sitting around a fire telling ghost stories with one female camper who snuck away from her cabin. Head counselor Angela (Pamela Springsteen) scolds the girl and walks her back toward camp, though she is given attitude. Angela then beats the girl over the head with a log, killing her. The next day, the girl’s disappearance is explained by Angela saying that she “sent her home.” This is a recurring theme as the campers begin to disappear one by one when they break camp rules and misbehave.

Will anyone be around by the end of summer? Will Angela continue to impose her morality-driven wrath upon these dumb teens? Will someone show me how to set up a tent?

There is absolutely little suspense to this film but a lot of the death scenes, made me laugh my ass off. You know right before the opening credits that Angela has returned from the first story, that she is in a position of power and that she is back to killing people. It’s hard to say how else this could have been handled, if you wanted to retain the character. Perhaps the best way to look at this is to think of it as a case of the audience knowing more than the characters.

This seems to be as much a comedy as a slasher horror movie, but I will let that slide since the humor is right up to today’s standard even though the movie came out in 1988. There are some goofy pranks and winks to the audience along with some strong references to other popular horror movies of the time. The tone is way sillier and easygoing than the original. Some real thrills and surprises would have been nice, but that would have been too ambitious.

Some of the lines are horrible and some of the acting is good in my point of view. Most of the campers represent different forms of bad behavior: drugs, sex, mean pranks, being disrespectful, etc. While killing them is completely uncalled for and crossing the line, there is a sick justification for Angela’s actions. Angela’s one-liners are a tad unwelcome, though in many people’s eyes but for me, I thought it was hilarious.

The violence is reasonably high though some of it is off-camera. We do get a lot of aftermath and a decent volume, especially by the end. There are some fairly original killings, as improbable as many of them seem to be.

Speaking of the ending, it just sort of happens. We get some big developments and confrontations, but a lot is sped through and after the climax, it all seems rushed. When the movie is barely 80 minutes, isn’t there a few extra minutes to show us one or two things and to have a less random ending? It’s not ironic or clever.

Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers has a lot of below-average acting, even for the era and the genre. There is nothing shocking here like there was (relatively) in the original. If you want a straightforward slasher-comedy set at a summer camp and if you don’t mind a plot that doesn’t make a lot, this is a bad movie that fans of the series could find some mild enjoyment from. I was never a fan of the series but something about the this movie made me decide to watch the prequel and sequel. For some reason, all 3 of the movies had a cult following and I can see why. From the cheesy acting to the humor and the questionable one liners, that was basic for most comedy horror flicks in the 1980’s. I went to summer camp every year until I was 13 back in Texas and I never had a horror story when it was the end of the 3 week visit. Then again, I do not want her as my camp counselor ever. My final rating for this movie is a 6.5/10 since I enjoyed it.

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DVD Review: Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising

October 7, 2013Rob Leave a Comment

By Robert “Rob Base” Greenwood

So thanks to Shout Factory, we received an advance DVD review of Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising the movie. We, here at Alternative Mindz, have been huge supporters of the Prime series on Hub channel so we were especially excited when this showed up on our doorstep. This DVD release is supposed to bridge the gap of the series and help tie up any loose ends.

(Below we will slightly spoil events of the series and movie)

The movie takes place on a barren wasteland once known as Cybertron.
Optimus Prime, with fellow Autobots Arcee, Wheel Jack, Bulk Head, Ultra Mahmud and Bumble Bee (who got his voice box back), are trying to restore Cybertron and bring home all refugees.

Optimus and Wheel Jack set out to find the AllSpark, leaving Ultra Magnus and the rest to search out Cybertron for any survivors. In their search, they find Predaking, the once mighty leader of the Predacons.

He is in no mood after his defeat on Earth. We soon find that Starscream and Shockwave are cloning remains of fallen Predacons.

This film has everything you need and everything you love about the Prime series. I don’t want to spoil too much, but a great evil returns and, in a weird way, is an homage to the 1986 TF film.

I give Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Movie a 4.5/5 and everyone needs to buy this film when it comes out.

This amazing DVD has a behind the scenes featurette and is available on Blu Ray tomorrow.

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