Underworld Awakening (DVD Review)

DVD review of Underworld Awakening, starring Kate Beckinsale; the fourth film in the highly stylized Underworld universe which pits vampire vs werewolves.

Image Courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
© 2012 Lakeshore Entertainment Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Dir: Måns Mårlind & Björn Stein (Shelter - podcast review)
Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea, Michael Ealy, Theo James, India Eisley, Charles Dance
USA, 2012

Reason to see: Selene, the vampire death-dealer protagonist, is one of my all-time favourite film characters and it's on My Most Anticipated Films for 2012

Underworld Awakening technically follows Underworld: Evolution chronologically in the series but if you aren’t overly familiar or haven’t revisited the series recently they do help with a little memory jogger, which is the lead into the current world where humans were not only made aware of the vampire and lycans existence, but also defeated them in a ‘cleansing’ leaving the remaining numbers very small. I found that a bit of a challenge to buy into, that the humans would prevail, but that’s the world they create so you kind of have to go there to experience the film. In this near future world we travel with death dealer vampire Selene (Kate Beckinsale) who awakens after the said ‘cleansing’.

A brief personal history of how I weight in on the Underworld series is that I absolutely adored the highly stylish full-tilt vampires vs lycans (werewolves) action film that was the original Underworld, but was completely dismayed by some random gender crap in the sequel Underworld: Evolution that made me hate the film, which is a statement I don’t make very often. And then I flipped back to enjoying the series with the prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans which features Michael Sheen and was the only film in the series without Kate Beckinsale. So, personally I’ve had a bit of a rocky relationship with the series but I can’t help but the gorgeous stylings, amazing action and cool vampire & werewolves throughout.

In terms of the action and art direction of how the film it looks and feels, I loved it. It’s a little dingier than the original film so you have to take that into account as it aligns with this whole living on the fringes with low resources which doesn’t really read ‘vampire’ to me, but it is something new. I really enjoyed seeing a lot of the actors in the film including Theo James (‘Bedlam’), Charles Dance (Aliens 3) and Kris Holden-Reid (‘Lost Girl’) who I really think they could have had more in the film. Plus, to make sure it doesn’t go without saying, Kate Beckinsale was fantastic to see, I love her as Selene a fierce and beautiful death dealer who kicked a whole lot of butt in the film and makes no qualms about the fact that she is completely in charge.

I was pretty surprized to see that it was only 88 minutes with around 10 of those being credits, but I still felt like I got 1-films worth of enjoyment for the film. The story and world may not have been perfectly what I was looking forward but they stayed true to what they created and I respect that. In terms of the series I’d still say the first one is my favourite, and then Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, then Underworld Awakening and finally Underworld: Evolution. It was one of my most anticipated films of the year so I was excited and looking for a bit more than what we got here, but I certainly was entertained and engaged while watching.

In terms of the story, I took me for a bit of a surprized that I don’t think the themes will appeal to everyone; but it also feels like it’s one of many periods within this world and therefore we’ll have more to enjoy to come. However, for supernatural action fans this is a total fun ride with lots of action, and interesting story and continuing the journey through the cool world they have created so for that I do think it’s a success.

DVD Extras:

• Feature Commentary with Filmmakers: producer Richard S. Wright, producer Gary Lucchesi, executive producer & visual effects supervisor James McQuaide and directors Måns Mårlind & Björn Stein. I really enjoyed listening to this commentary, and 5-person commentaries can sometimes be a challenge but it's really clear they enjoyed working on the film and enjoy the Underworld universe so there is lots of notations about about it's fits in visually or story/character wise with the other films as well as great stories about working with the cast and crew plus also a great technical perspective in terms of the effects, 3D, what's CG vs practical/suits, the locations and editing. I loved hearing them talk about the editing and the choices made and different variations that they tired and why they went with that they went with, that was fascinating. The talk a lot about the 3D (and 3D films in general) and what was shot in 3D and what was 2D vs 3D in the film, and the challenges of the film including introducing new characters to the audience, keeping mystery of the story of the film, the shots they love in the film including favourite blood spatters which is hilarious. Also touch on examples of good hommages, the balance of using violence in film, the advantage of have Len Wiseman who directed the first two films as a producer on this film, the changes and development of the character of Selene in this film, the neo-goth look of the film, the moments and shots that were in the trailer and working with the cast especially Kate Beckinsale along with Charles Dance, Theo James & Michael Ealy.

Underworld Awakening is available on DVD, BluRay and 3D BluRay on May 8, 2012. Check it out over at Amazon.ca (DVD, Blu-ray and 3D Blu-ray) & Amazon.com (DVD, Blu-ray and 3D Blu-ray)

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll watch it repeatedly
I'd recommend it to fans of the series & vampire/action film fans

See also

• Spoiler-filled awesome discussion of Underworld Awakening over at Before the Dawn
• Spoiler-free review of Underworld Awakening on Episode 59 of the Movie Moxie Podcast

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2012
Originally reviewed for Theatrical Release - February 12, 2012

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame Smith (Book Review)

Book: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

Reason to Read: March Book Selection for the 2012 Movie Moxie Book to Film Club

It's funny how out of all of this years selections this is the one that has caused the most excitement and I admit even the title makes me laugh; plus out of all the mash-ups recently from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters its the first with a film adaptations so I knew I had to include it in the 2012 Movie Moxie Book to Film Club.

I'm a huge fan of vampire books and films, although I do stray more to the paranormal romance angle over hunters and history but I decided to go in with an open mind. One of the things about the book that intrigued me the most was the fact that it is epistolary-style (defined as collection of documents which can include diaries entries, clippings, letters, etc); but I didn't end up finding that as intriguing as it felt. I loved the idea and the actual diary entries that were included but I found the combination of styles confusing, even though it wasn't often used. I often felt disoriented not knowing whose perspective we were reading from or if it was a memory, story, or current action. I don't think I've ever experienced that before while reading, which made it a challenge to get into the groove of it.

It was also a big reminder for me that I although I love watching horror film, I rarely enjoy reading horror - it feels way more deep seated to read something gross than see it and this book had some extremely visceral descriptions that creeped me out. I was surprized that it had a 'message' feel to it, which shouldn't have been a surprized given that it follow Abraham Lincoln but I'll put that to the fact that very intrigued by history.

That being said, I am really looking forward to the adaptation, a lot due to the fact that I love the director Timur Bekmambetov who brought us the visually stunning films Night Watch / Nochnoi Dozor, Day Watch / Dnevnoy Dozor and Wanted. I think the highly styled action will be fantastic and I'm very much looking forward to someone else's take on the book, because it didn't do much for me. I'm completely unfamiliar with star Benjamin Walker who plays Abraham Lincoln so that will be interesting to see what he does with the role. I did see the trailer on the big screen recently in front of The Hunger Games and it looked freaking awesome. It was clear from the crowd though that they were mostly unfamiliar with the film as it got quite a vocal (and somewhat confused) reaction. They should join the Book to Film Club, and then they'd all be in the know!

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter will be released on June 22, 2012.

The Moth Diaries Movie Passes Giveaway to Advance Screening

Image: Courtesy of Alliance Films

Want to chance to win movie passes giveaway for an advance screening of upcoming vampire film The Moth Diaries this Thursday April 5, 2012 here in Toronto?

Here is how you can enter for a chance to win (2 ways!):
1. Join any one of my mailing lists by 12noon EST today (April 4, 2012), and reply to the giveaway email between noon and 5pm. Winners will be selected at random and contacted tonight (April 4, 2012).
2. Like the Movie Moxie Facebook Fan Page and keep an eye on it tonight (April 4, 2012) for an additional chance to win.

The Moth Diaries is directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho) and stars Lily Cole, Scott Speedman, Sarah Bolger and Sarah Gadon.

Here's the synopsis: "At an exclusive girls' boarding school, a sixteen year-old girl records her most intimate thoughts in a diary. The object of her growing obsession is her roommate, Lucy Blake, and Lucy's friendship with their new and disturbing classmate, Ernessa. Around her swirl dark rumors, suspicions, and secrets as well as a series of ominous disasters. As fear spreads through the school and Lucy isn't Lucy anymore, fantasy and reality mingle until what is true and what is dreamed bleed together into a waking nightmare that evokes with gothic menace the anxieties, lusts, and fears of adolescence. At the center of the diary is the question that haunts all who read it, "Is Ernessa really a vampire?" "

The Moth Diaries opens in Toronto on April 6, 2012.


Lily Cole stars in The Moth Diaries, an Alliance Films release. Photo Credit: MD (Québec) Productions Inc.

Book to Film Club March Reading: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

March 2012 Reading: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

This is the book I know the least about, but we've had several genre mash ups recently so why not try one out? It's written in epistolary-style (collection of documents which can include diaries entries, clippings, letters, etc; I had to look that word up!) including the perspective of Abraham Lincoln (yes, the 16th US president), as a vampire hunter. The trailer for the film recently came out and there are tons of videos, tours, Q&A's and interviews with cast, crew and even author Seth Grahame-Smith! I find it so exciting that there is so much to explore, but I'm going to hold off until I've gotten my teeth firmly in the book before exploring as one of the things I'm most looking forward to is the art direction & styling of the world created. I'm a huge fan of director Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch / Nochnoi Dozor, Day Watch / Dnevnoy Dozor, Wanted) for his amazingly creative translated works and unique interpretive visual style.

The film is set to release June 22, 2012 and if you want a sneak peak at it you can watch the trailer below.



Join the Movie Moxie Book to Film Club at any time. For title announcements, Book to Film Club news and monthly selections you can sign up for email updates here.

Underworld Awakening

Dir: Måns Mårlind & Björn Stein (Shelter - podcast review)
Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea, Michael Ealy, Theo James, India Eisley, Charles Dance
USA, 2012

Seen: January 25, 2012 at the Rainbow

Reason to see: Selene, the vampire death-dealer protagonist, is one of my all-time favourite film characters and it's on My Most Anticipated Films for 2012

Underworld Awakening technically follows Underworld: Evolution chronologically in the series but if you aren’t overly familiar or haven’t revisited the series recently they do help with a little memory jogger, which is the lead into the current world where humans were not only made aware of the vampire and lycans existence, but also defeated them in a ‘cleansing’ leaving the remaining numbers very small. I found that a bit of a challenge to buy into, that the humans would prevail, but that’s the world they create so you kind of have to go there to experience the film. In this near future world we travel with death dealer vampire Selene (Kate Beckinsale) who awakens after the said ‘cleansing’.

A brief personal history of how I weight in on the Underworld series is that I absolutely adored the highly stylish full-tilt vampires vs lycans (werewolves) action film that was the original Underworld, but was completely dismayed by some random gender crap in the sequel Underworld: Evolution that made me hate the film, which is a statement I don’t make very often. And then I flipped back to enjoying the series with the prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans which features Michael Sheen and was the only film in the series without Kate Beckinsale. So, personally I’ve had a bit of a rocky relationship with the series but I can’t help but the gorgeous stylings, amazing action and cool vampire & werewolves throughout.

In terms of the action and art direction of how the film it looks and feels, I loved it. It’s a little dingier than the original film so you have to take that into account as it aligns with this whole living on the fringes with low resources which doesn’t really read ‘vampire’ to me, but it is something new. I really enjoyed seeing a lot of the actors in the film including Theo James (‘Bedlam’), Charles Dance (Aliens 3) and Kris Holden-Reid (‘Lost Girl’) who I really think they could have had more in the film. Plus, to make sure it doesn’t go without saying, Kate Beckinsale was fantastic to see, I love her as Selene a fierce and beautiful death dealer who kicked a whole lot of butt in the film and makes no qualms about the fact that she is completely in charge.

I was pretty surprized to see that it was only 88 minutes with around 10 of those being credits, but I still felt like I got 1-films worth of enjoyment for the film. The story and world may not have been perfectly what I was looking forward but they stayed true to what they created and I respect that. In terms of the series I’d still say the first one is my favourite, and then Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, then Underworld Awakening and finally Underworld: Evolution. It was one of my most anticipated films of the year so I was excited and looking for a bit more than what we got here, but I certainly was entertained and engaged while watching.

In terms of the story, I took me for a bit of a surprized that I don’t think the themes will appeal to everyone; but it also feels like it’s one of many periods within this world and therefore we’ll have more to enjoy to come. However, for supernatural action fans this is a total fun ride with lots of action, and interesting story and continuing the journey through the cool world they have created so for that I do think it’s a success.

Underworld Awakening opened in Toronto on January 20, 2012, and it was excited to see not just one but two action films with female protagonists released on that date with both Haywire & Underworld Awakening. I saw ‘em both. Good times.

See also: Underworld Awakening DVD Review

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll buy it
I'd recommend it to fans of the series & vampire/action film fans

See also a spoiler-filled awesome discussion of the film over at Before the Dawn and a spoiler-ree review on Episode 59 of the Movie Moxie Podcast:


© Shannon Ridler, 2012

Fright Night (2011) Review 2-Disc BluRay Combo Pack with BluRay & DVD

DVD/BluRay Review of the coming of age vampire horror comedy Fright Night starring Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Imogen Poots and David Tennant


Dir: Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl, Mr. Woodcock)
Cast: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Imogen Poots, David Tennant, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Toni Collette
USA/UK, 2011

Reason to see: Vampire Films are pretty much always a go, plus the casting is awesome

Going into Fright Night (2011) I was hyped to see a vampire film, but not having seen the original I didn't have much more than that to go on other than hesitation as recent track record for horror remakes have not been. Low and behold, I am happy I took the plunge and dived in as the film is fabulous! It has a great story, charismatic characters and an insightful look at power dynamics and relationships. All of that set in outside-Vegas suburbia, giving it a prime opportunity to play into high school insecurity drama and lots of beautiful people.

The film follows Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin of Star Trek, Terminator Salvation & The Beaver) who is a pretty average guy for all intents and purposes, but gets trapped in between social crowds of his new girlfriend Amy (Imogen Poots) and trying to avoid his old geek friends including Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse of Kick-Ass), who suspects neighbour Jerry (Colin Farrell of In Bruges, Triage) of being a vampire. I was honestly already sold at the 'possible vampire neighbour Jerry', but as an added bonus we get a complex dynamics of social groups, awkwardness and power dynamics on many levels. I loved the power play in the film which is present at all times, especially between Charley and Jerry, the tense yet subtle negotiation as well as dancing around predator behaviour at every step.

The cast really makes the film a cut above. Anton Yelchin & Colin Farrell play off each other very well in creating the power struggle between their characters, which is something I didn't expect but also adds a great coming of age quality to it. We've actually seen several male coming of age stories in film this year with Stake Land & Bellflower, but those both lost me somewhere and Fright Night kept me in at every moment. Perhaps it's the comedic elements, and considering it's written by 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' veteran Marti Noxon was the magic touch as that show always finessed that beautiful balance between horror, comedy and pop culture. Another huge highlight of the film is David Tennant (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 'Doctor Who') as Vegas illusionist Peter Vincent, whose performance alone is worth seeing the film as he's over the top in all the right ridiculous ways. I also loved that even though it has lots of comedy in it, it still is a true horror film where horrific things happen. I was literally shocked several times during the film, which isn't an easy feat, and they were all true to story or character moments - no pop scare or no cheap shots, but all truly great moments.

Overall it's a great vampire film, horror film and coming of age film and it's got a great sense of humour as sensational performances. Fright Night (2011) will definitely be one of my faves of 2011.

DVD Extras:

• Bloopers (3 minutes) includes practical goofs & mishaps, flubbed lines, extended reaction shots and lots of brilliant & awkward moments.
• Squid Man – Extended & Uncut (2 Scenes, 3 minutes) Awesome footage home video style of the superhero/role-playing of Adventures of Squid Man, Kid Comeback and Gladiator Boy full on with practical effects and creative editing.
• Kid Cudi Music Video (uncensored version) “No One Believes Me” (5 minutes) movie tie in video set in the tone and setting of the film.
  

BluRay Extras
All DVD extras of Bloopers, Kid Cudi Music Video (uncensored version) “No One Believes Me” and Squid Man – Extended & Uncut (noted above) plus:

• Peter Vincent: Swim Inside My Mind
• The Official “How to Make a Funny Vampire Movie” Guide
• Frightful Facts & Terrifying Trivia
• 5 Deleted Scenes with intros by Director Craig Gillepsie (Ride to School; Neighborly; Once A Freak, Always A Freak; Midori & Kerosene; and Back at the Penthouse)
  

Fright Night (2011) is available on DVD as of December 13, 2011. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I'll watch it again, repeatedly
I highly recommend it to vampire film fans and horror comedy fans

See also: Fright Night Review on the Movie Moxie Podcast, All 2011 Films Reviewed, All Film Reviews and DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2011

Being Human Season 1 (North American) DVD Review

DVD Review of the North American TV series Being Human following a vampire, werewolf & ghost roommates.


Image courtesy of Alliance Films
Legal Line © 2010 B.H. Productions (Muse) Inc. All rights reserved.

Dirs: Paolo Barzman, Charles Binamé, Adam Kane, Erik Canuel, Jeremiah S. Chechik, Jerry Ciccoritti
Cast: Sam Witwer, Meaghan Rath, Sam Huntington, Mark Pellegrino, Sarah Allen Gianpaolo Venuta, Kristen Hager, Vincent Leclerc, Angela Galuppo
Canada/USA (source), 2011 (TV)

Reason to see: A vampire, werewolf & ghost as roommate = perfect show for me.

Being Human is a TV series that follows a set of new housemates and their struggles from personal to romantic, professional and cultural all of which are complicated by the fact that they are supernatural beings (a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost) but have chosen to do their best and remain and be human.

I was first in line to check out a show that features a vampire, werewolf and ghost as roommates as I'm a huge fan of paranormal TV and this show brings a nice blend of lore, long-term story arc as well as budding friendships between the trio of vampire Aidan (Sam Witwer), werewolf Josh (Sam Huntington) and ghost Sally (Meaghan Rath) who do their best to deal with their supernatural situations. One of the most interesting dynamics of the series is that each of the three main characters is an underdog or outsider within their own supernatural community, none of them chose their fate and each is effected differently. For example, Josh being a werewolf is only out of control on the full moon, but the weight of his actions at that time can stay with him for the entire lunar cycle. Then Aidan is a long-standing vampire who has chosen to abstain from vampire culture and society but it's a continual and challenging position to be in. Then we have Sally, the ghost who’s transparent to the non-supernatural world and mystified at her own mysterious transition. It's three very different perspectives on dealing with a situation that has been pushed upon you and changed each and every one of their natural, but each choose to be, or at least attempt, to maintain their humanity.

Based on the UK series of the same name, Being Human is in a unique situation of running almost con-currently with its across-the-pond counterpart which has three completed seasons in comparison to this North American version (also referred to as SyFy Being Human or Being Human US even though it's and American/Canadian co-production shot in Montreal). They two versions are very aware of each other and they North American version even has a nod to the UK version with vampire Aidan who is a namesake of the actor Aidan Turner who plays the vampire Mitchell in the original UK version of the show. I really enjoyed the UK version therefore was skepitcal but hopeful about this new version, and I admit I went into the series after already seeing the first two seasons of the UK version and it took me quite some time to decide on how I felt about it. The two versions follow many of the same plot lines and characters, but the North American version also adds new plotlines although it does keep to the heart of the original series. I wouldn't necessarily recommend watching the concurrently, but if you pace out the two from each other it's a highly enjoyable series that pulls at the heart strings, shows the power of friendship, the grand struggle to stand apart from the norms and to take a stand for a greater cause.

I really loved both the comedy and the kindness in the series, the struggles of the characters to maintain their humanity and the challenging choice of whether or not to use there supernatural powers for or against humanity. They wrestle with the question if it's possible to remain neutral, when it's time to take a stand and is it better or worse to succumb to your own nature. And somehow in all of that they manage to go through relationship and romantic entanglements as everyday stresses of workplace and tenant/landlord relationships and challenges.

I did find that the series takes a bit to find it's feet, but it's worth giving it a chance because of the great characters and some stand out performances including reoccurring guest star Mark Pellegrino ('Supernatural') as the vampire power player Bishop and series regular Sam Huntington (Fanboys, Dylan Dog: Dead of Night) as the awkward werewolf Josh. The emotional journeys of all of the characters and interesting and overall I say it's a must-see for any fan of paranormal TV fan. I love the friendships and moral questions it portrays and I truly felt for all of the characters.

It's a great time to hop on the Being Human train and if you've not seen it yet you can easily catch up for it's return in Season 2 which will being to air in January 2012. I'll be waiting with baited breath to see where they go next.

If you want to hear even more about Season 1 of Being Human?
You can listen to reactions from each and every episode over at Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural, the paranormal TV podcast I co-host with my sister Suzie:

• Episode 1: There Goes the Neighbourhood (Part 1)
• Episode 2: There Goes the Neighbourhood (Part 2)
• Episode 3: Someone to Watch Over Me
• Episode 4: Wouldn't it be Nice (If We Were Human)
• Episode 5: The End of the World As We Knew It
• Episode 6: It Takes Two to Make a Thing Go Wrong
• Episode 7: See Your True Colors...and That's Why I Hate You
• Episode 8: Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things
• Episode 9: I Want You Back (From the Dead)
• Episode 10: Dog Eat Dog
• Episode 11: Going Dutch
• Episode 12: You're the One I Haunt
• Episode 13 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Me Killing You

DVD Extras (4-Disc DVD Set):

• The Making of Being Human (47 minutes) behind the scenes, series clips, interviews with co-execuative producer/director Adam Kane, executive producer/writer Jeremy Carver, actors Meaghan Rath, Sam Huntington, Sam Witwer & Mark Pellegrino, VFX supervisor Mario Rachiele, make-up artist Emilie Gauthier, SFX make-up artist Érik Gosselin, on reaction/connection the UK series, what drew them to the series, the interweaving of what's the urban setting and mid-20's journey, the genre elements & themes and the connection to real world scenarios, the unique friendship and connection between Sally, Aidan & Josh including the actors talking not only about their own characters but their perspective on the characters and their intermingled relationships; the monster rules for the show and how they've incorporating the traits from different cultures into the show plus discussing the expectations of genre fans regarding rules; discussing each of the types of supernatural creatures in the show with vampires, ghost and werewolves including the creature attributes, characters journey, challenges and connection to their supernatural world as well as the visual effects & make up application to create the visuals for characters including ghost make up and extensive footage on werewolf design creation & transformation.
• "What Would You Choose" Featurette (3 minutes) show clips & stills from both the North American & UK versions of the shows with actors Meaghan Rath, Sam Huntington, Sam Witwer responding to which supernatural creature they would choose to be plus brief description of the visual effects creation of their characters into their supernatural, plus actor Mark Pelligrino on the deep humanity of the show and his character; as well as response to how much each of the actors watched of the UK version of the show and the connection between the two shows.
• Interviews with Sam Witwer, Meaghan Rath & Sam Huntington (5 minutes) casual interviews with the cast at a premiere/carpet event chatting about season 1, their characters & journeys, speculation to season 2, reactions from fans. This feature has some really funny moments including casual chatting with some Sam Huntington & Sam Witwer chatting about who in their characters would win in a fight & their impressions of Meaghan Rath. Interviews are interspersed with clips from the show.
• Being Human Panel at San Diego Comic-Con (39 minutes) panel with actors Sam Witwer, Meaghan Rath & Sam Huntington, executive producer/writer Jeremy Carver and co-executive producer/writer Anne Fricke responding to questions including on how they came to the show, working together, where they want their characters to in season 2, how the team came together, the characters arcs and lots of love for Season 2 scripts and hints/questions/reactions on Season 2. I was a little disappointed in this feature, it's from pretty far away, the audio is pretty low in comparison to the other features, people constantly walking in front of the camera, there are no titles to indicate who is speaking but I enjoyed the casual nature of the discussions and the enthusiastic camaraderie especially between the members of cast.
• Trailer
  

Being Human Season 1 (North American) is available on DVD as of November 15, 2011. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it, and grew to love it as the season progressed
I'll watch it again
I'd strongly recommend it to any paranormal TV fan

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

Cross posted here at Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural

© Shannon Ridler, 2011

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1

Dir: Bill Condon (Dreamgirls)
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Nikki Reed, Kellen Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Elisabeth Reaser, Jackson Rathbone, Ashley Greene, Booboo Stewart, Julia Jones Sarah Clarke
USA, 2011

Seen: November 19, 2011 at Scotiabank in AVX

Reason to see: It's on my list of Most Anticipated Films of 2011 (#26)

My journey with the Twilight films & books has been an interesting one. I first read both Twilight & New Moon and then headed into see the first film, Twilight which follows the romance between the protagonist Bella (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson), and I ate it up. I'm no romantic, but I loved the film. I loved it so much that I have co-hosted Before the Dawn: A Twilight Podcast since 2009 when Twilight came out on DVD. But later that year I was heavily disappointed in the film New Moon, which is my favourite of the books as it chronicles the relationships that develops between a saddened Bella and her buddy Jacob (Taylor Lautner), but the film is a very direct translation of the book which tried to cram every moment and nuance and in the process lost a lot of the heart, essence and artistry created with the more interpretive Twilight. With the third film Eclipse, we come to a very direct love triangle between our characters along with having the biggest action-y scenes in the series until that point, and although I enjoyed it, I wasn't blown away. I think I mostly was relieved it wasn't awful, but I was disheartened as I felt it played up the action in hopes of gaining a broader audience, which honestly isn't very necessary considering it's already has a huge audience. So, going into Breaking Dawn: Part 1 I wasn't all that jazzed. It's my least favourite of the books and certainly got my feminist core miffed. But, it was still on my Most Anticipated Films of 2011 list (#26) and I knew I would see it. And hell, it's a female-protagonist vampire film, of course I'm would to see it!

So The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 picks up where Eclipse left off and follows the continuing romance between human Bella and vampire Edward, and although their relationship is very unconventional it's still very conservative so to keep the heat increasing we have to make things all above board which means we have to have a wedding. I actually was quite looking forward to this in the film, and it was one of my favourite moments of the film with the great combination of awkwardness and beauty that the series is so great at bringing together in a humorous and real way. It's also one of the few times we get to see the humans in the film, including the awesome Billy Burke who reprises his role as Bella's father Charlie - I find him to be a stand out in each and every one of the films. I thought that the wedding might be the only part of the film I enjoyed, but as the story progressed I realized I was still enjoying it. I enjoyed the authentic translation from the book, the nods to the earlier films, the continuing development of Bella & Edwards relationships - bumps and all. I also realized that this section of the saga really is about Bella and her building maturity and how much of that is her choice which honestly, feels like a something that's depicted in film in a positive light. I'll admit that this story certainly has complications, but I do always feel like Bella does what she wants and stand her ground very strong, often with little or no support. It also continues to tackle the interesting question in the series about the power of choice.

It's wild that going into the film I didn't even really consider that I might end up liking it, but in the end I ending up really enjoying it and would place it as a 2nd favourite after Twilight. I also didn't know how it would fair being a Part 1 of 2 and didn't really think the book warranted 2 parts but after seeing Breaking Dawn: Part 1 I'm completely content with the decision. The pacing was great, the story didn't feel rushed and I felt like it had everything it needed to convey it's message and the emotions behind it. Breaking Dawn: Part 1 returns to the roots and the sweetness of the original Twilight, stays true to the book and also provides and powerful, emotional journey. A journey that I'll happily continue to see unfold in Part 2 which will be released in November 2012.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected
I'm already looking forward to seeing it again
I'd strongly recommend it to people interested in female-protagonist & coming of age films and of course, to all Twi-Fans

Also see: All 2011 Films Reviewed, Most Anticipated Films of 2011 and 2011 Book to Film Adaptations

© Shannon Ridler, 2011

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (DVD Review)

DVD review of the undead action/comedy Dylan Dog: Dead of Night starring Brandon Routh, Sam Huntington and Anita Briem

Image Courtesy of Alliance Films
Legal Line © 2010 Long Distance Films, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Distributed exclusively in Canada by Alliance Films. All Rights Reserved.

Dir: Kevin Munroe (TMNT (2007))
Cast: Brandon Routh, Sam Huntington, Anita Briem, Peter Stormare, Taye Diggs
USA, 2011

Reason to see: Paranormal PI? Yep, that's enough for me!

With a tagline of 'No Pulse, No Problem', you know that you are in for a film that doesn't take itself too seriously. And Dylan Dog: Dead of Night definitely doesn't take itself too seriously as it plays the comedy card far and wide in a deadpan/noir way with dry voice overs, a comedy relief sidekick (Sam Huntington of the North American version of 'Being Human') and lots of deadpan humour, pun intended.

I'll admit I went into the film knowing that it received absolutely horrific reviews and although it isn't perfect, I'm a little surprised people reacted as strongly as they did. You have to approach it for what it is - a film-noir toned comedy following a private investigator who used to do specialized work by taking on undead clients, be they vampire, zombies and the like. But I like vampires, zombies and the like so I was totally game for this one and to be honest it's not as bad as everyone says. I got a little tired of the voice overs (which I rarely like, but it suits the tone), and there are some quick & easy comparisons to other films (like Constantine) but overall I found it a pretty fun film with a unique perspective, interesting story and likeable characters. There is also a fair amount of eye candy with a very buff Brandon Routh and very cute Sam Huntington and we get some kick-butt fighting with a strong woman in the mix too. So, I think the ladies & gay guy viewers luck on this one - which again might be the reason for it not being received well.

It's not a perfect film, but it's an enjoyable film and it certainly was very entertaining. If you like comedy-centric paranormal with a noir film this will be totally up your alley, and if that's to hyper-niche’d for you I'd still give it a shot. I thought it was a lot of fun.

DVD Extras:
No DVD Extras

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night is available on DVD as of November 1, 2011. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll happily watch it again
I'd recommend it to fans of the comedy & the paranormal

Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews

© Shannon Ridler, 2011

TADFF 2011: Midnight Son Introduction and Q&A

The following video clips are from the screening of Midnight Son on Sunday October 23, 2011 at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival with director Scott Leberecht, actor Zak Kilberg and producer Matt Compton. See my review of Midnight Son here.

Toronto After Dark Film Festival programmer Steven Landry introduces director Scott Leberecht:


Director Scott Leberecht on inspiration and actor Zak Kilberg on his character:


Director Scott Leberecht discussing cast including Maya Parish, Jo D. Jonz, Larry Cedar, Tracey Walter and Arlen Escarpeta:


Scott Leberecht on shooting schedule, financing & producer Matt Compton getting involved:


Scott Leberecht responds to audience question on vampire origin and discusses themes of film:


Scott Leberecht on earlier permutations of the vampirism and themes possibilities for the film:


Scott Leberecht on name Jacob and non-Twilight connection


The 6th Annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival ran for 8 Nights of Horror, Sci-Fi, Action and Cult Movies at the Toronto Underground Cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from October 20-27, 2011.

Stake Land (DVD Review - 2 Disc Special Edition)

DVD review of the post apocalyptic vampire film Stake Land from director Jim Mickle (Mulberry Street), starring Nick Damici, Connor Paolo, Kelly McGillis, Danielle Harris and Michael Cerveris.





Image Courtesy of eOne Films



Dir: Jim Mickle (Mulberry Street)

Cast: Nick Damici, Connor Paolo, Kelly McGillis, Danielle Harris, Michael Cerveris, Sean Nelson

USA, 2011



Reason to see: I loved Mulberry Street from director Jim Mickle



I was super excited to finally see Stake Land after missing it at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010. A post apocalyptic vampire film from Jim Mickle who brought us Mulberry Street (the first film I ever saw at Toronto After Dark back in 2007), I was hooked, and seeing that co-writer & lead actor Nick Damici was also involved the excitement grew even more.



Painting a dark picture in a post apocalyptic world, or really actually feels like the during the moments of creation of apocalypse with barren lands and hardened survivors whose guards are up so often it's hard to see who or what they were before, we follow Mister (Nick Damici) and young Martin (Connor Paolo), an unlikely duo who fight their way though lands now populated with vampire. Although the vampires aren't your everyday vamps, and the film is more survivalist that post-apocalyptic, it feels a little like The Road meets The Walking Dead especially given that the initial concept was to be a web series, although to be fair The Walking Dead TV series came after and I didn't pick out the episode paces until listening to the DVD commentaries.



I wanted to like it more, a lot more. It's a good film with an interesting concept, great characters and amazing effects, but it so very male. Not so much that I couldn't enjoy it or that I felt excluded, but enough so that I couldn't really get into it. I did love the haunting score and the fabulous art director, effects and weaponry and could appreciate the mentor-like relationship between Mister and Martin. I loved the careful building of Martin's character which I think is the heart of the film as it creates an amazingly gradual coming of age story in a post apocalyptic context, which is brilliant and easily the reason I can feel the resonance of the film with many of my male friends.



I enjoyed listening to (both) commentaries that accompany the 2-Disc Special Edition, and you can really feel the heart and soul that went into the film and really translates to the screen. It's a treat to get to see a full scale view and insight into the creative process and hear a team that obviously works very well together. It's amazing how much was shot in outdoor locations and looks so good, plus the art direction and ingenuity really shine though. I just wish I had gotten more into the story.



DVD Extras on 2 Disc Special Edition:



Disc One: Film plus Two Feature Commentaries

• Commentary 1 with writer/director Jim Mickle, writer/actor Nick Damici, actor Connor Paolo, producer/actor Larry Fessender and producer Brent Kunkle discussing how the team and film came together, how it was initially started as a series of webisodes and the shifted to become a film, difference between the original concepts and finished piece including scene order, shooting on location, casting and long term commitment required by the cast to make the film happen, shout out to crew how serve as extras and smaller roles throughout the film, organic changes that happened out of chance along the way and how several of the effects & action sequences are done.
• Commentary 2 with writer/director Jim Mickle, producers Peter Phok & Adam Folk, director of photography Ryan Samul, sound designer Grapham Reznick and composer Jeff Grace with lots of location discussion as well as shout out to supporting cast/re-occuring crew and discussing their previous works, notations on connections of people who also worked on Mulberry Street, discussion the sound and score including the order in which things came together, how particular shots, effects and props were creative, decisions and influences on the score. I really enjoyed listening to this one, it's a really relaxed and conversational commentary.

Disc Two Special Features:

• Going For The Throat: Making Of Stake Land (61 minutes) behind the scenes from production start in 2009 with Jim Mickle, actor/writer Nick Damini, actor Connor Paolo, producer Adam Folk, and the crew creating, prepping, filming and reacting to many of the exterior shots, including some fight sequences, makeup heavy and stunt scenes, relaxing on set plus interviews with writer/director Jim Mickle, producer Larry Fessenden, writer/actor Nick Damici, actor Connor Paolo, on how the project started as webisodes and how it changed to aligned to have stronger social significance and the departure and difference of Stake Land to current climate vampire films (40 minutes from first 1/2 of shoot, and 20 minutes from second half of shoot).
• Production Video Diaries (5 sections, 48 minutes) includes pre-production (15 minutes) interesting format here to tell the story from idea to initial pitch, teasers, promo teasers, VFX tests, screen tests, finding locations, props and emails upon emails or script; storyboards (3 minutes) side by side comparison of storyboards to actual film footage with voiceover by director Jim Mickle; visual FX (2 minutes) step by step creation of several visual effects; post-production (4 minutes) music composition from creation to alongside finished film, voice overs and re-recording mixing; Toronto Film Festival World Premiere and Q&A including interviews with actor Connor Paolo & producer Larry Fessenden interviewed by Robert Mitchell and Q&A with director Jim Mickle and cast including Nick Damici, Connor Paolo, producer Larry Fessenden (24 minutes) at Midnight Madness.
• Character Prequels (34 minutes) for Origins, Sister, Jebediah, Willie, Belle, Martin & Mister. These are really cool additions that feature what looks like exclusively additional footage to provide insight into the characters and what made them become who they are as we see them in the film.

Stake Land is available on DVD as of August 2, 2011. Check it out over at Amazon.ca & Amazon.com



Shannon's Overall View:

I enjoyed it, but wanted to love it

I'll watch it again

I'd recommend it to for fans of dark drama/horror and male coming of age stories.



Return to Film Reviews or see more DVD Reviews



© Shannon Ridler, 2011





Connor Paolo and Nick Damici in STAKE LAND. Courtesy of eOne Films





Connor Paolo in STAKE LAND. Courtesy of eOne Films.