Entries from June 2008 ↓

Today Fox Home Entertainment and MGM supplied us with the DVD trailer for Asylum, which arrives at retailers everywhere on July 15 (details). The story is about a group of college freshmen who learn that their dorm was once a notorious asylum. Cody Kasch, Sarah Roemer, Lin Shaye and Travis Van Winkle all star in the film directed by David Ellis.

While hanging out over at the brand new Moviehole.net (woh, sexy!), I found some news on Michael Dougherty's Trick 'r Treat (review), which we exclusively announced back in April had been dropped from Warner Bros. Pictures. The struggle continues. Theres interest from another distributor so negotiations have begun. Keep your severed fingers crossed! Dougherty tells the Aussie website. So keep those fingers crossed! The film features four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween: An everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the one guy for her; a group of teenagers pull a mean prank; a woman who loathes the night has to contend with her holiday-obsessed husband.

By Fatally Yours

It all began in a university biology department. What seemed like a routine procedure in a level 3 biohazard facility went terribly wrong. One researcher felt her foot tingle and discovered…her sock had come back from the dead. Thus sock zombies were born and the infection spread rapidly. By nightfall the socks were rising in every neighborhood!

Be warned – Sock Zombies are dangerously cuddly! Approach with extreme caution…or you’ll be infected with their cuteness!

Sock Zombies are the creation of Emily Williams. After being involved in a “stitch and bitch” group every weekend and wanting to make something other than the standard sock monkeys, Emily came up with the idea of making sock ZOMBIES! Emily has been a big zombie fan for all her life and wanted to create a zombie doll for her three year old son that wasn’t too scary. Her creations are the perfect plushy softness that invite cuddling, though Emily says, “I have doomed to my son. When the zombie plague hits, he is going to run out and try to give them all hugs!”

After she made sock zombies for her son (the first two were named Zack and Zelda, after characters in the novel World War Z by Max Brooks and the movie Pet Cemetery), she realized how much she loved them and decided to sell them online. Emily came up with back stories on each of her unique zombie characters (no zombie is ever the same and each one is handmade) and says, “I enjoy imagining scary zombie scenes. It’s like I’m writing my own zombie movie. Sometimes I make some of my favorite hero zombies. I made Bub once and Trash from Return of the Living Dead.”

We received our own sock zombie named Alex. “Alex played basketball with his Dad every afternoon after school, so he waited eagerly for him to come home from work. Unfortunately, Dad wasn’t feeling well enough to play that night, so Alex sat on the end of his bed and told him about his school day. Suddenly his Dad jumped out of bed and bit him. Alex looked down to where his arm used to be, and blacked out. He woke up hungry. Now Alex and his dad have a new father-son activity…hunting.”

Alex came with a bloodied stump of an arm (red yarn), a holey, bloody sweater reminiscent of the one Freddy Krueger wears, some green corduroy pants and a mop of soft, blue hair. Immediately my first reaction was to cuddle the sock zombie, because he is just begging to be hugged! Little did I know that his cuteness had been my demise…No one is safe against this new threat of the highly squeezable and irresistible Sock Zombies!

Sock Zombies have only been available for six months, but they are going quicker than hotcakes! Need a cool toy for your kids or for yourself? Want to give something unique to the zombie-lover in your life? Want to be the cool aunt or uncle in the family that gets your nieces and newphews rad toys? Pick up a Sock Zombie today and you’ll be a hero to all! Resistance is futile against these cuddly undead moppets, so just give in and buy one already, ‘kay?

You can find them online at www.sock-zombies.com, select farmer’s markets in Indiana and various horror conventions. Emily tells us the next sock zombie invasion will hopefully happen at the It’s Alive Zombie Fest in Pennsylvania, where they even have a zombie walk in the very mall where the original Dawn of the Dead was filmed.

Sock Zombies to march on Monroeville Mall! Be ready! Buy your own Sock Zombie before it’s too late!

Visit Sock Zombies’ Official Site

Visit Sock Zombies on Myspace

Review by Jude Felton

How far would you go for money? That is the main question asked in 13: Game of Death, a taut and nasty little movie from Thailand. It is a question that has been asked in other movies before, possibly most famously in the horrific Indecent Proposal. The less said about the movie the better though. Here though the subject matter behind the question is considerably darker, although not quite as dark as I would have liked, which probably says more about me than the movie as there are parts of this movie that are bloody grim.

The protagonist in 13: Game of Death is Chit, a salesman who isn’t doing a lot of selling, he’s having a bad time with his job, his car is repossessed and his girlfriend has dumped him. All in all he’s not having the best of times. Things seem to perk up though when he receives a strange phone call asking him if he would like to win 100 million Baht. At first he thinks this is a joke, but when the mysterious voice asks him to kill a fly that is bothering him for 10,000 Baht he realizes it is not a joke after seeing the money go into his bank account on his cell phone.

The caller, who claims to be from a game show, explains that there are 13 challenges on his way to the 100 million, with each one getting progressively more challenging. He is also explained the rules, which basically mount up to the fact that if he can’t complete a challenge, tells anyone about the game or asks any more questions regarding the origin of the game then he will fail, resulting in him forfeiting all his winnings.

Now, before I go any further I will just say that 100 million Baht roughly translates to just under 3 million dollars, so although it is still a fairly decent prize you would have to pay me slightly more in order to go through with some of the challenges that await Chit. Granted, he doesn’t know what the challenges are to be, so I guess when times are desperate you would do anything.

As you would imagine the challenges in the movie do get a lot tougher than just killing a fly, there was one that had me turning away from the screen, however there didn’t seem to be a consistency in their difficulty. For example challenge 4 was flat out nasty whereas some of the later ones didn’t seem to bad.

I did have to question how the caller/game show knew how to contact Chit and how they knew of his exact whereabouts. It does become apparent that he is being filmed, although it did seem very convenient in places as some of the challenges left a lot of scope for multiple locations. There are other holes in the plot, that whilst mildly irritating didn’t really detract too much from my enjoyment of the film. The main strength of 13: Game of Death being the central performance of Chit, who is played by Krissada Terrence. Initially he comes across as a little whiny but as the film moves along his character fleshes out more and he ends up giving a really solid performance, as does the rest of the cast.

There are plenty of similarities, or influences if you will, from other movies such as 13 Tzameti, Red Room and even the videogame Manhunt, yet this movie still has enough of its own ideas to keep its own identity intact.

It is a thoroughly well made movie, possibly in part due to the fact it was produced by Prachya Pinlaew (Ong-Bak), who seems to produce everything that comes out of Thailand. It is well filmed, and the special effects are quite decent too, even the CGI shots appear better than in many movies; in particular one scene with a man’s brain exposed is nicely done. Well, that is if you can call a scene with a man’s brain hanging out nice!

13: Game of Death is a well crafted, and quite evil, movie that I would definitely recommend you check out. It is also another example of some of the good things that seem to be coming out of Thailand right now, where horror really does seem to be on the increase in terms of its output.

One other thing, don’t be misled by the shocking inappropriate quote on the rear of the DVD case, 13: Game of Death is not a supernatural thriller, there is nothing supernatural about the story whatsoever and I have to question whether that individual actually watched the movie.

Overall, this isn’t as depraved as Red Room, it is far more entertaining though. You may need a strong stomach in places but it is well worth it in the end.

Review by The Dhampir

The “Texas Blood” strikes again! This time with a vampire tale entitled Bloodwine by Doom Bunny Films, the company owned and operated by Patrick Keith (read interview) and Vicky Morgan Keith. I’m rarely enthused about vampire films and tend to keep my expectations low. Many times it is frustrating having to learn a new “mythology” with each film, as writers and directors tend to decide which “rules” apply to their vampires (i.e. how sunlight effects, or does not effect them, whether or not they have an aversion to crosses or garlic, etc.)

Bloodwine opens with an unknown woman (whom we later find out to be Andrea) engaging in battle with a vampire, eventually valiantly slaying the creature. Next we’re moved back in the story three months earlier to a college campus. Here at the college we’re introduced to our cast of characters, Brandy (Lora Meins), who is moving in to share a dorm room with her longtime friend Andrea (Melissa Johnson), who has been being tormented by classmates Mercedes (Heather Whitsell who also co-produced and did key make-up for the film) and her roommate Nicole (Christina DeYoung).

The meat of this story comes during the Thanksgiving break, as Andrea goes out to buy Brandy a birthday gift for Brandy’s 21st birthday. She gets her friend a bottle of imported brandy (insert joke here, the filmmakers did! Also, if you watch the scene closely you’ll glimpse a cameo by Patrick Keith himself!). So, Andrea gets the brandy for Brandy, Brandy finds the bottle, sneak a few sips and gets all kinds of sick, eventually turning into the undead creature we all know and love - a vampire! (Whatever happened to having to be bitten? Damn The Lost Boys!!)

So what is this film really about? Vampires? No! It’s about friendship, love, loss, life, revenge, and self discovery! The friendship between Andrea and Brandy is the strength of the film, driving the plot and action. It’s a smart film and doesn’t try to reinvent any of the old tried and true vampire myths, which to me is a plus. Also, there’s full frontal nudity, but not just nudity for the sake of nudity, because the scene in which it occurs helps move the story along and occurs in a realistic fashion. It’s not just tits for the sake of tits! (NOTE: I have no problems when that happens!)

Though it goes without saying, there are a few continuity flaws in the film (this is an indie film after all and how many writer/directors get their feet wet and learn!). The flaws do not detract too much from the film and if you’re not really looking for them, you may miss them!

The music in the film is well done and adds to the general effect of the film, and doesn’t seem to have been done with the intention of selling CD’s. Too many times these days you watch a film and “Go buy the soundtrack” is a fairly clear message you’ll find. The score in this film is fun from the song at the title sequence to the end credits, enlisting the aid of such bands as Slick Lady Six.

The dialogue is pretty good, in that Quentin Tarantino kind of way. The characters are also performed well. There is a slight lesbian vibe between Andrea and Brandy throughout the film, though I am not certain that it was intentional. Heather Whitsell as Mercedes almost perfectly channels the spirit of Paris Hilton. I am not sure if that is what she was going for, but it worked well! Christina DeYoung plays her role as Nicole in a half person, because without Mercedes around, she’s incomplete and goofy. Her scene with Andrea in the hallway, which I refer to as the “apology scene” is funny, not due to the joke which is told, but rather due to DeYoung’s performance of false sincerity and slight fear. Lora Meins, playing the “girl next door/best friend” as Brandy, encapsulates her role flawlessly! She is easily the most believable character in the film, her sincerity, sweetness and vulnerability shine. Even when she “vamps out” she again makes you believe that this is who she is, rather than whom she is trying to be in this film. I personally look forward to seeing her in more and more complex roles in the future.

All in all this is a great first film. Too many times we sit through filmmaker’s first work and we are left with questions caused by holes in the plot and poorly performed roles. With Bloodwine this simply is not the case. On an additional note, the Doom Bunny himself (a plush doll) makes numerous appearances in the film and there is also a “movie within a movie” that Keith filmed for Andrea’s character to watch on TV. I really enjoy seeing a filmmaker go that extra step to make their films more original. It’s too common and easy these days to simply use some old movie which is “public domain” to play in the background. Instead, Keith took that extra step and filmed an original one for the film. I am hoping that their “movie within a movie” will be part of the DVD extras. I know that I for one would like to see it, even if it is only a few scenes.

Go out to see this film, at a theater, if it gets a release, or at one of the festivals it will be screening at. I do not believe that you will be disappointed!

Doom Bunny Films: http://www.doombunnyfilms.com/

Bloodwine’s official site: http://www.bloodwinemovie.com/

Bloodwine on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bloodwinemovie

Watch the Bloodwine Trailer:

So the munchkin is off visiting her grandparents for the week. That means here at Cinema Fromage Headquarters, Dad gets to watch whatever the hell he wants, whenever he wants! That also means he's so distracted watching movies that he's falling behind on writing the reviews for him! ...

The Shrinking Man is around 200 pages long and is a Sci-fi horror story. In the first chapter the central character, a man called Scott Carey, is sunbathing on top of the cabin of a small boat. When he opens his eyes and sees a curtain of spray heading towards him Scott's first thought is that it must be a tidal wave. When he realizes that it is not, he still does not like the look of the strange spray and, wanting to avoid any contact with it, he rushes to get below deck. He does not make it though and the spray sweeps across the boat, drenching him and causing his skin to tingle. And this is when all of Scott's troubles begin... [Excerpt only. Full review on site]

It's days like today when I check my mailbox and think "Hmm, maybe I'm not a hack at this movie writing thing".

We have confirmed rumors floating around the web this weekend that Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema plan on unveiling the first teaser trailer for their remake of Friday the 13th at this year's San Diego Comic Con, which will take place July 24-27. What does this mean for us fans? It means that if the trailer is shown at the Con it will hopefully find it's way online that weekend for all of us to check out (someone get a camera installed in your hat!) Directed by Marcus Nispel, FRIDAY will continue the legend of Jason Voorhees, his mother Pamela, while rocking his infamous "hood" and hockey mask. The film is slated for release on February 13th, 2009.

It was announced this evening that Tim Burton fav Helena Bonham Carter (pictured inside) could soon be joining the battle between man and cyborg as the Oscar-nominated actress is in talks to board McG's Terminator Salvation, the fourth installment in the franchise kicked off by James Cameron in 1984. The roles in the new film have been kept under wraps, but insiders described the Bonham Carter role as small but pivotal. Principal photography on the Halcyon-produced movie, which looks at the origins of the battle between humans and Skynet, started last month in New Mexico, with the idea that most exteriors will be shot before a potential SAG strike. Warners is scheduled to release the action film May 22, 2009.

Today a while bunch of new stills were discovered from Dark Sky Films' Shiver (review), also known as "Eskalofrio" in Spain. Isidro Ortiz's pic focuses on a lonely adolescent who moves with his mother to an isolated village. There, a series of odd events shock the community. Read on for a look at the new stills and watch for a release date as soon as it's announced.

Source: GotCast.com GotCast.com is submitting talent to one of the most interesting Reality TV projects in recent future. VH1, in association with

10. Wrong turn (2003) 9. Wrong turn 2- Dead end (2007) 8. SAW (2004) 7. Jaws (1975) 6. The Ring (2002) 5. SAW II 4. SAW III 3. SAW IV 2.

Launched in 2002, Subway Cinema's New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) is America's leading and most influential showcase for popular Asian cinema. Each year, the Festival selects over 30 feature films, considering only the best, the strangest, and the most entertaining of the recent titles. Running from June 20th through July 6th at Manhattans IFC Center and the Japan Society. Film fans looking for a little sake with their sanguinary cinema are treated to the plethora of exciting films. This year, Bloody-Disgusting got a chance to check out some of the latest in cutting edge genre films from across the Pacific. Read on to see what Tex, Ryan and David thought of this years lineup.

Today two brand new international one sheets were posted from Simon Hunter's The Mutant Chronicles, which stars Stephen Rea, Ron Perlman, Thomas Jane, John Malkovich and Benno Furmann. 23rd century soldier Major Mitch Hunter (Jane) leads a fight against an army of underworld NecroMutants. Rea plays the former commander of Lieutenant Mitch Hunter (Jane), a 23rd century Marine who tries to save Earth by leading a band of soldiers against evil NecroMutants. Perlman portrays the leader of a religious sect who thinks he can destroy the mutants and save the planet, recruiting Hunter to join him.