Tron... The Legacy Begins

Disney dips into it's vaults, and returns to the world of "Tron" to bring us "Tron: Legacy".  Fans will remember the 1982 classic, which was ahead of its time for visual effects and concept.  In a time when arcade games were the rage, "Tron" hooked an audience with the concept of being INSIDE an arcade game- and kept that audience with a solid storyline and great acting.  Of all the video game movies made, fans will probably agree that "Tron" was one of the best of all time.

And now, on 17 December 2010, Disney will be releasing "Tron: Legacy", which continues the story of Kevin Flynn (played by Jeff Bridges from the first movie), as his son, Sam, gets pulled into the digital world where he's been trapped for the past 20 years.

This movie promises to be a joy ride for fans of the original movie, and possibly a treat for those that were unaware of this franchise.  Given the advances in computer generated imagery, we can only assume that the visual effects will be mind blowing and jaw dropping.  The famous light cycles and light discs return, and new vehicles and landscapes will appear.

Will fans be pleased?  Will "Tron: Legacy" capture a new generation of video game players?  Maybe the trailer below will provide a clue...

Guest Review: Bloody Wednesday

Mike S returns with a review of one of his "Top 10 Most Under Rated Horror Movies" as noted in Sunday's entry.  His choice for the No. 1 spot was the 1985, psychological horror, "Bloody Wendesday", where a man with emotional problems begins to experience strange things in the abandoned building he lives in... taking his first steps to a blood bath.

"I found "Bloody Wednesday" bloody entertaining. Feelings of isolation, attacks by gang members, a ghostly bell hop, a murder that did not happen, and the creepiest use of a teddy bear in cinema history.  The mood is set nicely with the music, use of shadows, and erratic camera angles.  The characters themselves were, if not engaging, at least were interesting.  Some of the actors were a little cheesy, but was appropriate for a movie from the 1980's.

As the movie progresses, you're made to wonder what parts of the main character's experiences are real... and which are just imaginary.  I really enjoyed that aspect of the film, and wish more movies did that, instead of wrapping things up nicely as "real" or "not real".

There isn't a lot bloodshed (at least not until the climatic scene at the end), but you know it's coming... and that the red stuff will flow in copious amounts.  In a time when horror movies seem to be about how much blood and guts you can stuff in the audience's face, it was nice to watch a film that slowly built up to the big splash.

And, I have to say, other than the scene with the toy clown in the first "Poltergeist" movie, "Bloody Wednesday" has THE creepiest use of a stuffed toy in movie history.  The scene where the main character is using the teddy bear to sit in judgement of some thugs that have attacked him is unnerving and warped... especially since the cute animal seems to delight in pronouncing the thugs, "Guilty".

This is definately one of my favorite films, and in my opinion one of the best under rated horror films I've watched.  I give it a Good Rating."

It's Halloween, and everyone is entitles to one good scare. For us in The Basement, that scare came Friday night when we interviewed the ghost of deceased movie producer, director and actor William Castle!

For those that missed our first ever live chat with the dead, there is the podcast to your right that you can listen to at your leisure. Given that the interview was carried out via live chat in a Facebook discussion page, we've included a link to it here. Feel free to give it a read and catch parts of the interview that didn't make it onto the show. And thanks again to psychic Mike S, who mediated the interview for us. You rock!

How could we not broadcast every question and answer? Well, being a movie review show, we did have to talk movies. And Shawn and I just had to share our thoughts on the best underrated horror movies of all time. Being the generous radio hosts that we are, we've included our lists and brief thoughts on each film for you below!

And a big shout out once again to our resident ghost, the late great Mr. Castle! Thanks for making Halloween 2010 a great one for us Basement Dwellers!

The 10 Most Underrated Horror Films

According to Shawn:

Eight Legged Freaks - One of the greatest giant spider movies ever made. Having arachnophobia, this movie is an eye squinter for me when I watch it. Toxic waste spill mutates the spiders at a side-of-the-road spider zoo. The zookeeper is quickly devoured and the spiders take refuge in the town's old gold mines. They grow, and eat people. Awesome!

The Devil's Backbone- Ghosts, war, bombs, and lots of scares.  I remember being a bit squeamish watching it. Thanks for the nightmares, Guillermo Del Toro.

Sasquatch: The Legend of Bigfoot - I was a kid when I watched this TV movie.  I remember it freaked me out. We do live in Bigfoot country after all.  Plausible? Call Mythbusters.

Dead Alive (Brain Dead)- Terrible beginning. Terrible ending.  The bits in between are gold.  Rare monkey is found, bites lady. Cue zombie apocalypse. Features a priest who kicks ass for God. How cool is that?

Freaks – An old, weird movie.  Watched it once when I was young and it's stuck with me ever since. Maybe because they used real genetically unfortunate persons.  May not be the scariest movie on earth, but disturbing.

An American Werewolf In London – I was 10 years old when I watched this.  The werewolf itself wasn't the scariest part. It was the dead victims that impacted me and still stick with me today. Really. I see one of them now!

John Carpenter's The Thing - Again, I was 10 years old when I watched this.  That must have been a defining year for me and movies.  Thanks to George's dad too, who let me watch it.  It was evening, I lived one short block away.  He says "Hey Shawn, have a good walk home and watch out for THE THING!  It could be anybody". Thanks. Words I've lived by.  That molded me.

Pontypool - Awesome one-location, limited-cast apocalyptic film.  Truly makes you use your imagination, gets you thinking, and is pretty damn scary.  Highly underrated!

and No. 1 . . . Dog Soldiers – Werewolves versus soldiers.  Soldiers kick ass. The werewolves are the best ever put on film. I don't care what Mike S. thinks! Violent, gory and believable. Scary even. It's what we in The Basement look for in a horror movie!

According to Jason:

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane - A group of high-schoolers invite Mandy Lane, a good girl who became quite hot over the summer, to a weekend party on a secluded ranch. While the festivities rage on, the number of revelers begins to drop quite mysteriously. Quirky and well done despite its low budget. Got Amber Heard noticed, and for good reason!

The Woman in Black - When a friendless old widow dies in the seaside town of Crythin, a young solicitor is sent by his firm to settle the estate. Pure terror ensues for the solicitor and the audience. Guaranteed to keep you up at night.

Session 9 - Tensions rise within an asbestos cleaning crew as they work in an abandoned mental hospital with a horrific past that seems to be coming back. Limited violence, no jump scares but unsettling none-the-less.

The Orphanage - A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, where she opens an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend. From producer Guillermo Del Toro, and scary as hell. The kid in the sack mask still gives me nightmares.

Pontypool - A psychological thriller in which a deadly virus infects a small Ontario town via the spoken word. What Shawn said.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes - When hundreds of videotapes showing torture, murder and dismemberment are found in an abandoned house, they reveal a serial killer's decade-long reign of terror and become the most disturbing collection of evidence homicide detectives have ever seen. Two words describe this film: fucked up! And not for everyone.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon - The next great psycho horror slasher has given a documentary crew exclusive access to his life as he plans his reign of terror over the sleepy town of Glen Echo, all the while deconstructing the conventions and archetypes of the horror genre for them. A must see. Why haven't you seen it yet? Get out there and SEE IT!

Dog Soldiers - A routine military exercise turns into a nightmare in the Scotland wilderness as a group of soldiers find themselves under siege by a pack of werewolves. Again, what Shawn said.

Trick r Treat – Actually a better film than my No. 1 choice, but much more well know and therefor it does not rank as No. 1. 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. One to put in the Blu-Ray player every October.

and No. 1 . . . Splinter - Trapped in an isolated gas station by a voracious Splinter parasite that transforms its still living victims into deadly hosts, a young couple and an escaped convict must find a way to work together to survive this primal terror. Brutal, disturbing and a masterpiece despite the low budget. Great characters who react in rational and believable way to the nightmare they face. I love this movie!

Guest Review: "The Satanic Rites of Dracula"

Mike S reviews a classic horror film- "The Satanic Rites of Dracula".

"When I found out that Hammer Films was alive and well again- and in the process of producing a few new horror films, I started getting a little nostalgic. Growing up, I was a HUGE fan of the Hammer horror films, and have been looking for them on DVD for quite a while. A horror library is not complete without at least one of their films.


It was with great pleasure when I found "The Satanic Rites of Dracula" on DVD. I was literally, "geeking out" over it. I felt like a kid opening the biggest present under the Christmas tree. It's sad, but true.

I couldn't wait to watch it, but I wanted it to be special. At night, with the lights off... alone. Just me, Dracula, and Van Helsing.

And, man, was it worth it.

By today's standards, this movie might not be considered great- but for me it was fantastic. This film has the British sensibilities for horror, without relying on heavy gore and sadism. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing were excellent in this movie- which was Lee's last one as Dracula.

I won't lie, but it's not necessarily scary or creepy or errie compared to some of the more recent movies, but when you watch it, you can see why Hammer films were considered the pinnacle of the genre back in the 70's. Their movies were, in a word... fun.

And isn't fun what it's all about?  Yes, it is- and that's why I'd rate this movie a Good."

Are Movies Getting Lamer?

I've been to the theatre maybe three times this year. Once to see Sherlock Holmes, a second time for Clash of the Titans and then the wife and I recently checked out The Losers.

Given the slate of upcoming releases, I will likely screen The A-Team because a buddy wants to bring his kids and I will tag along for the ride. The next film I can see myself dragging my ass to is The Expendables because I don't see how any male who calls himself a movie fan will want to pass up seeing that cast (Stallone, Ah-nold and Willis in the same scene together? Hello!) on the big screen. I might check out Tron 2.0, but we'll see what my mood is like at the time.

That's it. Six films worth slapping down $10 to see. Otherwise, I'll wait and watch them on the system at home. Hi-def picture, 5.1 digital surround, no crowds and beer outweigh my need to see Iron Man 2 any day.

But it wasn't that long ago that the wife and I would head out once a week and catch all the big releases. When I was single it was two or three films a week. I loved movies. Everything look worth seeing at least once. Now, not so much.

Everything is a remake, reboot, sequel or adaptation nowadays and little of it is worth the effort of a trip to the theatre. It's been a long time since any piece of movie news has even peaked my interest. People once talked about the magic of movies, but that magic seems gone to me these days.

That's why Shawn and I have turned to the weird, offbeat and the obscure for our reviews. Hollywood is becoming a vapid wasteland of crap. It's the independent releases that are worth the look. Even then, you've got to watch a lot of junk to find that gem.

That said, I still need to find two films to review for Episode XIV. Better stop mussing and start searching.

What are your thoughts on movies? Are they getting better, worse or have they stayed just as entertaining as ever?

Good night, and good luck.

Hugo Weaving Will Be The Red Skull

How cool is that!?!

Today, Marvel Studios is confirming that the actor will definitely be playing the villain opposite Chris Evans as Captain America. Rumour has it the movie takes place during the Second World War, so expect Weaving's Skull to have lots of Nazis at his disposal.

Weaving is the perfect choice for the role. He, along with Alan Rickman of Die Hard fame, is one of the best villainous actors in the business.

I'm more and more excited for this movie as news begins to leak out. Evans should be a great Cap (he was awesome in The Losers)and Marvel has been producing some pretty decent adaptations of their characters of late, Ghost Rider aside.

-Jay

Welcome to Film Reviews From the Basement: The Blog

A couple of aging movie geeks share their thoughts, feelings and opinions about offbeat, obscure and often downright bad films old and new . . . with a little help from their friends.

That's us. We're Jason and Shawn and we come at you from The Basement every two weeks with reviews of offbeat, obscure and often crappy movies courtesy of our podcast on podOmatic and iTunes.

We've been active since late January and have about 10 episodes under our belt. We've also been posting on a Facebook group page and tweeting. This blog will be an extension of that.

We hope you will come back often and leave a comment or three. Look for us to really ramp this up during the coming week.

Until then: thanks for visiting and we'll see you soon . . . in The Basement.

Good night, and good luck.

Jason and Shawn