Rethink the impossible

I've enjoyed the Mission: Impossible film series since day one. Yes, the second outing doesn't hold up (sorry John Woo) but the first and third are solid. Judging from the slick little trailer below, the latest entry looks to continue the overall quality of the films.

Tom Cruise is great at these kinds of roles and it looks like Jeremy Renner, who is rumoured to be taking over the series after this film, will kick some ass. And who doesn't like to look at Paula Patton?

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol is due out in December. Brad "The Incredibles" Bird directs.

Halloween 3D gets a release date

There was a time when news of another Halloween film would have filled me with a dark kind of joy. Given that Halloween 3D is supposed to be a continuation of the story Rob Zombie ended in his Halloween 2 and will contain the component of three extra dollars, I'm less than jazzed.

Empireonline.com is reporting that the film is slated for an Oct. 28, 2012 release. No word yet on if director Patrick (My Bloody Valentine 3D and Drive Angry) Lussier and screenwriter Todd Farmer are still involved. The two were attached to the project a year or so ago but moved on to Drive Angry instead.

The plot, according to Lussier talking to MTV last year, picks up right after Zombie's Halloween 2 and strips the character back to his John Carpenter roots, whatever that means. And again, what's the point given Zombie's interpretation was finished.

This project stinks of pure greed on the part of the producers and studio, Dimension Films. I love the Halloween series, but feel Carpenter's and Zombie's stories have been told. Leave it alone.

But you know, if it does get made, I will be compelled to watch it like a moth drawn into the light.

Expendables 2 has its director

And he is Simon West. The same Simon West who directed the early 90s action flick Con Air and the recent and decent Jason Statham remake of The Mechanic. At least the man knows his action.

To be honest, we all know Sly Stallone is the driving force behind this sequel to his 2010 hit. And does it really matter who directs with him writing and returning along with fellow cast members Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews and Mickey Rourke? No. It doesn't. The awesome has already been brought.

The film begins shooting this summer. The plot, as we've reported before, is as follows: The Expendables are back and this time it's personal! After Tool (Mickey Rourke), the heart and soul of the Expendables, is brutally murdered on a mission, his comrades swear to avenge him. They're not the only ones who want blood. Tool’s beautiful young and wild daughter Fiona embarks on her own revenge mission, complicating matters when she is captured and ransomed by a ruthless dictator plotting to destroy a resistance movement. Now Barney and the Expendables must risk everything to save her and humanity.

Trailer Alert: Final Destination 5

Some might groan at the prospect of yet another entry in this long-running franchise. Not I. In fact, I dig the Final Destination flicks more than the Saw films or any other current horror series. Sure they're redundant, and the last film was pretty terrible, but the other entries have been gold as far as cool and clever kills are concerned.

The Final Destination films are the Friday the 13ths of the new millennium. As long as the quality holds up and people keep going to see them, Hollywood will keep churning them out. And I will be there watching.

Below is the preview for the latest entry, and it looks damn fine. It's nice to have Tony Todd back and, for the most part, the filmmakers appear to have avoided the cheap looking CGI that sank the last film. We'll know for sure when Final Destination 5 lands in theatres later this summer.

Until then, push play and sound off!

Will Stallone direct Expendables 2?

It's not sounding like it, at least for now.

The LA Times’ 24 Frames blog has heard from an unnamed source that Sylvester Stallone is still "very much involved" with The Expendables 2, which is in development at Millennium Films, but doesn’t intend to direct action sequel. The Italian Stallion is on the hunt for someone to take over those chores on the film, but no one has been selected yet.

As for the script, Stallone has turned the reigns over to David Agosto and Ken Kaufman. Remember, Sly wrote and directed the first film, which became a surprise hit last summer. Because it kicked ass.

One can't blame the man for wanting to spend more time in front of the camera than behind. Stallone has written, directed and starred in every film during his latest comeback.

Word also has it that former Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger is looking to play a bigger role in the sequel, and Stallone wants The Bruce back as well, this time to play the villain. Sounds like a plan to me.

Mark 2011 as year of the sequel

Further proof that Hollywood is out of fresh material, the following is a list of sequels due out this year:


First sequels:
Cars 2
Diary Of Wimpy Kid 2
Hangover 2
Happy Feet 2
Hoodwinked Too!
Johnny English Reborn
Kung Fu Panda 2
Piranha 3DD
Sherlock Holmes 2

Second Sequels:
Alvin & The Chipmunks 3
Big Momma’s House 3
Madea’s Big Happy Family Too
Paranormal Activity 3
Transformers 3

Third Sequels:
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Pirates of the Caribbean 4
Scream 4
Spy Kids 4
Twilight: Breaking Dawn (part 1)

Fourth Sequels:
Fast Five
Final Destination 5
Puss In Boots
X-Men: First Class
Winnie The Poo (kinda)

Sixth Sequels (Kinda):
The Muppets
Rise of the Apes

…and Harry Potter comes in as a Seventh Sequel.

Isn't that fucked up!?! Do we need all these sequels? Does anyone really care? I know I don't. Out of the above list I am keen to see Sherlock Holmes 2, Piranha 3DD, Scream 4 and Fast Five. I will likely see Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol and Paranormal Activity 3. The rest can just GET OUT!

What say you? Do you care? Can you care? Is declining theatre attendance starting to make sense? No wonder Shawn and I stick to under-the-radar independent stuff.

More Monsters on the way

Shawn and I shared our thoughts on Gareth Edwards's much-hyped sci-fi drama here (and on the player to the right) . . . just in time, it seems, for a sequel to be announced.

Edwards told the fine folks over at Dread Central that Vertigo Films has decided to move ahead with a follow up to his ultra low budget film. As for his involvement? It sounds like the British helmer might not be that involved at all given his commitment to direct the latest U.S. version of Godzilla.

"I'm not sure how involved I can be right now, and I don't think my next film really should be a sequel just yet," he said. "I'd like to do something else first, but I would definitely be open to returning at some point."

He goes on to say: "Whoever comes in should definitely be given free rein to put their own spin on this world, and I know they'll get the right person."

As far as I'm concerned a sequel, prequel or whatever is a bad idea. I really dug Monsters, but it's a one off kind of movie. A franchise this does not have to be.

Paranormal Activity 2 Gets A Poster

I usually shy away from updating the blog on Saturdays but, seeing as I've been away for a few days, why the F not!?!

Below is the exclusive poster for Paranormal Activity 2, which is playing a nasty game on fans of the original. Audiences get a clue here to what the follow up to the surprise horror hit is all about, a hint there, but no one really knows what the story is.

Will Katie be back? Is that dark shape in the doorway, seen in the film's teaser, her or someone entirely different? Is it another woman possessed by the same demon?

In the poster below we see a mirror with no reflection of the baby in the cradle, and a light cracking through an opening door. An angry dog. That's it. But the image does continue the theme started with the poster of the first movie.

I, for one, hope the movie is great. Shawn does too. Paranormal Activity was a great, spooky surprise, and we here in The Basement hope the sequel isn't another Blair Witch 2!

Not Much Activity in Paranormal Activity 2 Teaser

We're a bit late in getting this up on the blog, but we did post a link earlier today on the Facebook page with this teaser for Paranormal Activity 2.

I loved the hell out of Paranormal Activity, and this preview shows more of the same, only with a dog and baby in on the action. There is no need for a sequel, but I do hold out hope that the follow up adds to the mythology and doesn't just rehash what we've seen before.

Check out the trailer below and share your thoughts, feelings and concerns.