Kick Starter funding for Director's Cut Survival Horror: The Card Game

I have heard about Kick Starter but have never participated on the site. My friend Liz sent me a link to a project that reminded her of me and my love of all things horror. I watched the short below and knew immediately this was something I wanted to see become a reality. I call on all my follow horror fans and geeks to check this out. I believe you to want to see this game happen as much as I do.  Please sign in to Kick Starter and help us fund this project so we can all play a game very soon.  I will bring the Cheetos and Mountain Dew!

 

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies

I finally broke down and saw my first Fathom event and it was a blast. I enjoyed The Phantom of the Opera and was jazzed to find out that there was a musical sequel. The music is great - I am buying the soundtrack now from Amazon - and the stage production beautiful. The HD images did reveal where they placed their little mics to capture that glorious sound and did not distract as much as I expected. If you did not make either of the screenings be sure to check this out on DVD and you may just find yourself enjoying it more than its predecessor.



Click here to check out the official website.

This Means War

The year of Tom Hardy continues with this fun Spy vs. Spy romantic comedy that pits him against his partner, Chris Pine, to win the girl, Reese Witherspoon. The action is good and the one-upmanship is fun to watch with all not revealed in the trailer. The chemistry between Witherspoon and Chelsea Handler as sisters does not flow from the screen but the gems that come out of Handler are hilarious. This film should be the clear box office winner this weekend and a good palate cleanser if you made the mistake of seeing the Ghost Rider sequel earlier in the day. If a date movie is on your horizon the make it this one.



Click here to check out the official website.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance in 3D

I seem to be one of the few who loved the first Ghost Rider movie and relished in the fact that the comic I loved as a child made it to the big screen in all its horrific, fiery goodness. Unfortunately, Marvel earns a big fail on this sequel where the best part of the film is the making of featurette commercial part of the AMC Pre-show. The filming style and the 3D do not work together making for a jerky mess on the screen, the pendulum swing between CGI enhanced practical stunts effects and just outright CGI money-shots do not mesh, and with a lackluster script with the most bizarre acting by Nicholas Cage makes for an almost unwatchable film. There are some positives like the Ghost Rider does still look cool but sootier, the filming of the chase scenes sans the 3D, and consistently good acting by Idris Elba no matter the film project. This movie is a pass unless you are a die hard fanboy who needs to be tortured for 95 minutes.



Click here to check out the official website.

Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark

While in New York for business requiring an overnight stay I try to take in a Broadway show and yes I do pay the ridiculous full price fees for that night's show. I was hoping to snag a ticket to The Book of Mormon but all shows were sold out through the end of March 2012 so I decided on the only other big show open tonight. The show was spectacular with amazing music by Bono, crazy high flying wire work, and all the technical wizardry you could ask for. During the intermission I spoke with one of the ushers and learned of everything that lead up to the current 2.0 version of the show and was astounded that the show still went forward after all of the set backs and the 65 million plus sunk in to its production. Despite all of the bad press from when it tried to first open and failed preview screenings, the show is a success and is still a work in progress by the producers that is well worth seeing on your next stay in the Big Apple.



Click here to check out the official website.

Haywire

There was little lead up to this movie release that I recall but it definitely was on my list to see from the online trailer. The movie does not disappoint and Gina Carano goes above and beyond when going toe to toe with Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton and Michael Douglas. The beauty of this movie is that it is believable and grounded in real fight sequences that are not shaky cam or hyper realized to add to the effect. The story is solid and leaves itself open for a follow up with our new kick-ass heroine. Don't let this one get away or at least check it our when hits online streaming or DVD.



Click here for the official website.

The Woman In Black

Daniel Radcliffe may be Harry Potter no more but I can not think of a better next film project than starring in a Gothic ghost story from a name synonymous with horror classics, Hammer. Everything is done right from the look and feel of the sets, the impending since of dread from the soundtrack, and the deliberate pacing of the the film. The scares and effects are well done and when our specter shows up she is very terrifying. Ghost stories are still a genre favorite right now and I am glad to see good films are still being made from all recesses of the genre. Be sure to check this out if you are in the mood for a good chill up the spine.



Click here to check out the official website.

One for The Money

I like Katherine Hegel like every other heterosexual male in the known universe for the obvious reasons but I also adore the fact she is smart, funny and a good actress. With all that said, what happened here? The movie could not capture my interest and I actually nodded off a few time in the theater. None of the characters pulled me in to the film and I found nothing mildly funny or entertaining about the story. With other films out there worth seeing you definitely want to save this one for background filler while vacuming or doing your laundry at home.



Click here for the official website.

Big Miracle

Nothing is more heartwarming then seeing a movie about saving animals, unless that is actually going out and doing it yourself, so this movie was a good next see after last year's adorable Dolphin Tale. The hook for me is that I remember this story when it was actually happening and I was just as riveted as everyone else to see if the whales would survive and make it to freedom. The cast is great with popular actors like Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Ted Danson, Tim Blake Nelson, Kristen Bell and many more. Of all then things that made the film work, I think the real Sarah Palin footage from the time was the most fun to see. A very inspiring film that is fun for the whole family.



Click here to check out the official website.

La Cage aux Folles @ The Kennedy Center

I was not going to miss opening night even after coming off a three day bout with the flu and I was rewarded for my effort even if my fellow ticket holders might not have been as thrilled. This musical has been remade so may times for the large and small screens that everyone knows the plot so spoilers are not possible but it was nice to see the musical on the Eisenhower stage. From the start, my friend Sharon and I knew we were going to be in for a treat when a statuesque drag queen starts ribbing the crowd and getting us to participate in the show as if we were at a real French cabaret. George Hamilton is still very tan and spry for his age but the highlight of the show is the incredible performance of Christopher Sieber as Albin. Sieber also gets kudos from me by putting in his Playbill bio that he has never actually been in an episode of Law & Order - you do not want to miss this show.

Click here to purchases tickets.

Dolphin Tale

If you are not out in the theater to see the re-release of The Lion King in 3D this weekend then you may want to check out this family friendly movie. The story is about a dolphin who loses her tail and overcomes the disability to learn how to swim again but her troubles do not end just there. The cast includes Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd as the caring animal rescue worker, the prosthetic specialist, and the understanding mother of the boy who found the dolphin who go to extraordinary lengths to save Winter. The best part is that Winter is played by herself and the movie will bring a tear to your eye. If you want to see how Winter is doing, be sure to see her at her live web cam located here.

Click here to check out the official website.

Shark Night 3D

Bikini clad babes, 3D sharks and blood almost abound in this Shark Week inspired film. PG-13 horror movies always leave something to be desired like nudity and more visceral kills but this was a fun if all be it short film. The cast includes some returning horror newbies like Sara Paxton from The Last House on the Left, Joel David Moore from Hatchet, and Donal Logue from Blade. The sharks are the real stars of this film with the 3D making them leap of the screen and giving them some really cool close ups. If you like surface breaking leaps by the killers of the deep then this movie is for you.



Click here to check out the official website.

Apollo 18

I went in to this film with a Paranormal Activity like mind set but set in space. Though not as good, this SyFy channel cast of who's who stars does have a few creepy moments and some pretty good acting. The special effects are excellent and make for a very believable lunar set piece. I am surprised this got a widescreen release but smaller genre films have been getting a break lately at the cinema. A matinee screening at best but worth a look.



Click here to check out the official website.

Smurfs 3D

I could not convince any of my friends to see this movie with me but the little West Virginia boy inside of me who was bombarded with the Smurfs every Saturday morning had to see this film to satisfy my need for nostalgia. I am happy to say the film was much more fun than the original cartoon series. Hank Azaria is perfectly cast as Gargamel with your favorite Smurfs like Papa, Smurfette, Brainy, Grouchy, Clumsy, and Handy voiced by Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, and Jeff Foxworthy respectively. Other casting notable is the always hot and hilarious Sofia Vergara who steals the scene when on the screen. I am not looking forward to a resurgence of Smurf mania and speak but I did enjoy this film - all three apples worth.



Click here to check out the official website.

The Debt

There are a lot of film sub-genres and one that always seems to deliver is the hunt for the Nazi war criminal. Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciaran Hinds and Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, Sam Worthington play the the older and younger versions of a Mossad undercover team sent to kidnap and bring a notorious war criminal to trial but things do not go as planned and they must deal with the consequences. The film is well crafted and the performances by all are excellent with Jesper Christensen's as the former Nazi surgeon down-right chilling. My love for anything starring Mirren aside, this film is worth full admission and a must see. Now that summer is over, it is time for the smaller films to take back the screen.



click here to check out the official website.

Final Destination 5 - 3D

Well Death's design is back and I have to say this outing is much better than the last film in the franchise with better 3D. The deaths are cool and the misdirection works well for everything accept for the tie-in back to the first film that is telegraphed like a WWE body slam. The sequence in the gym is gruesome awesomeness! The looming Tony Todd is the one constant as the mortician/coroner and is short on screen time just like in all the past films. Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Mmmmaaaarrrggghhhhhh...

Click here to check out the official website.

Wicked - The Kennedy Center's Opera House

I love this musical and had to see it again but this time out I brought along my best friend, his wife, their oldest daughter, her grandpa and my friend Sharon. The musical was just as great as I remembered from seeing it on Broadway with only slight changes to the set. Morgan, my friend's daughter, just loved it and that made my birthday outing just perfect. Since seeing it the first time I have read the novel it was based on and I have to say the musical captures the best of the story that is actually quite dark. This is a fantastic musical and I hope everyone can check it out before it leaves the area.

Conan the Barbarian 3D

After being let down by the anemic Fright Night remake, Jason Momoa delivers as the kick-ass barbarian we all know from the comics and pulp magazines of our youth. Hot wenches, the lopping off of heads and buckets of blood, mystical beasts and sorcery - nothing is left out. The action is non-stop and the opening sequence where young Conan must win a race to earn the right to go to battle with his elders set the tone for the film and guaranteed delivery of everything I was hoping to see. I like Rose McGowan - or at least until she butchered her face with plastic surgery for a permanent duck face - but Rachel Nichols is smokin' and holds her own beside Momoa. Does anyone else think that Nichols would make a great Red Sonja if Robert Rodriguez does make the film?

Click here to check out the official website.

Fright Night 3D

As a horror fan I am compelled to see remakes of the favorite films of my youth and must endure the lack luster re-imagining or a director's new vision. I had high hopes based on the trailer but this remake is anemic and lacks any of the charm that makes the original film a classic. One thing I did like was the updating of the Peter Vincent character from a TV horror host to a Las Vegas entertainer headlining a show like Bite - a very sexy show which I recommend checking out when in Vegas - with the 10th Doctor, David Tennant, filling in for Roddy McDowall. Also there is a nice cameo that fans of the original will like and should be expecting. It does not do justice to the original but if you have not seen it then it may not be too bad.

Click here to check out the official website.

Bowling Heads

Thanks for sending this my way Carl. I so want one! Now if the balls just moaned or screamed as they went tumbling down the lane...

13th STREET – Bowlingheads (Case Video) from RUOK on Vimeo.