After surviving a plane crash, an Alaskan oil drilling team quickly realize that there are worse ways to die. And being eaten by wolves is only one of those worse ways. Director Joe Carnahan’s (Narc, Smokin’ Aces) latest film isn’t simply about bare knuckle boxing wolves (I’d totally watch it if it was though). No, the Alaskan wilderness is no slouch on ways to turn people into stiffs. The freezing cold, lack of food, along with the bitter hopelessness of the wilderness can do the job just fine. The Grey strikes a near perfect balance between outright horror featuring the wolves, who are always lurking, poking, and poaching when the opportunity strikes and the very real and very scary elements surrounding the poor saps unfortunate enough to be stuck there.

As for the wolves, make no mistake, they are downright terrifying. From the first encounter to the last, it’s tense. Really, really tense. My palms were sweaty for a healthy majority of the film in between the moments I wasn’t white-knuckling the theater chair. Initially, I was worried the eerie-eyed wolves may be given too much personification for me to take the film seriously. Like when a certain animal or creature takes up a personal vendetta against a person (think Moby Dick). But that was quickly vanquished and I came to think of the wolves more like the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park; cold, calculated killers.

In what came as the biggest surprise the film also floats in and out of existential campfire conversations. Yep. An existential wolf punching movie. That’s gotta be a first, right? The Grey also packs plenty of touching expositional moments that develop and define the nature and complexity of Neeson’s character. It’s a slow unraveling, but it’s effective nonetheless. Neeson’s performance should be lauded as he’s flat out amazing.

The pacing remains brisk throughout the nearly two hour running time. The arresting landscapes of the Alaskan wild (actually shot in Canada) are often as breathtaking as the action. A particularly emotional scene is turned into a truly special moment in large part due to a phenomenal piece of cinematography which rivals the beauty of an Ansel Adams photo. It’s this constant roller coaster ride of jaw-dropping action horror moments and awe-inspiring terrain that keep the film from ever becoming dull.

The other characters in the film are mostly wolf and element fodder, which is to be expected in a survival horror piece. Some of them are stereotypes. There’s a guy who says things like, “Who nominated this guy to make decisions?” and “I’ve had enough of Neeson’s MacGyver sh*t. I’m gonna do my own thing.” But the strained tensions eventually turn friendly as the survivors dwindle and they realize camaraderie is about all they have left. It’s a tried and true formula, but it’s not without a few twists on the old familiar tropes.

Honestly, I haven’t been this pleasantly surprised by a film in a long time. The Grey is a bleak, gruesome and horrifying action thriller featuring a masterful performance by Liam Neeson. Highly recommended.

Oh, and in case your’e wondering. There is wolf punching and it is epic.

Rating: 8/10

Snore Factor: Z (one of the best)

Red Band Trailer:

]]> http://www.365horrormovie.com/2012/01/25/the-grey/feed/ 2 http://www.365horrormovie.com/2012/01/09/battle-royale-3-disc-blu-ray-set/ http://www.365horrormovie.com/2012/01/09/battle-royale-3-disc-blu-ray-set/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:10:18 +0000 Micah http://www.365horrormovie.com/?p=2570 I NEVER post marketing/ press release info for a film, but Battle Royale on Blu-ray is too good to pass up. For me, this news almost makes up for missing the theatrical run Cinefamily (in LA) put on to start the new year. Check out the kick ass trailer below, I’ve already watched it three times. The Complete Collections comes with two versions of the original (director’s cut and theatrical) and the sequel on Blu, plus a 194 minute special features DVD.

Seriously, I’m as giddy as a hobo who just scored a large bottle of Listerine and some day old donuts.

Hits stores on March 20th, released by Anchor Bay. Pre-order at Amazon below (I did).

Battle Royale: The Complete Collection [Blu-ray]

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

January 9, 2012

“If you love The Hunger Games, BATTLE ROYALE sets the stage.  One of the best – and most violent – genre films ever made.  It’s also a hell of a lot of fun.”

Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly

“BATTLE ROYALE is not just a fantastic film, but an important work on a precipice of the most dangerous period facing cinema in the last 40 years.”

Harry Knowles, Ain’t It Cool News

ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMS IN HISTORY FINALLY ARRIVES!

BATTLE ROYALE

Available for the first time in North America on Blu-ray™, DVD and digital download on March 20^th from Anchor Bay Entertainment

Beverly Hills, CA – Battle Royale.  A title that has shocked, thrilled and unnerved audiences.  A film whose fiendishly simple premise has inspired many imitations, including the upcoming The Hunger Games motion picture. Based on the 1999 global best-seller by Koushun Takami, the futuristic tale first came to the screen in 2000, directed by the legendary Kinju Fukasaku. Authors, filmmakers and film fans the world over consider the film and its 2003 sequel Battle Royale II: Requiem sacred cinematic classics.  And now, fans can own them on high-definition Blu-ray™ and DVD!

On March 20th, Anchor Bay Entertainment proudly brings the Battle Royale: The Complete Collection to Blu-ray™ and DVD for the first time in North America. Featuring state-of-the-art HD transfers, hi-res audio and a wealth of bonus features that delve deep into this truly international phenomenon – the three disc Blu-ray™ plus bonus DVD set has an SRP of $49.99 and an SRP $44.98 for the four disc DVD.  Battle Royale will also be released separately on Blu-ray™ for an SRP of $29.99 and DVD for an SRP of $24.98.  Pre-Book on both is February 22.  Battle Royale will be available digitally via select outlets including iTunes^® and Xbox LIVE^®.

42 students, Three days, One survivor – No Escape.  Welcome to the world of Battle Royale!

Battle Royale

In the near future, the economy has collapsed, unemployment has soared and juvenile crime has exploded. Fearful of their nation’s youth, the Japanese government passes The BR Law:  Each year, a 9^th grade class is sent to a remote island where they will be locked into exploding neck collars, given a random weapon, and forced to hunt and kill each other until there is only one survivor left. Chiaki Kuriyama (Kill Bill) and screen legend Takeshi Kitano (Boiling Point, Brother) star in the movie that has been argued, acclaimed and banned around the world. More than a decade later, it remains one of the most savage, shocking and emotionally powerful films of all time. Now experience the complete Director’s Cut of Kinji Fukasaku’s uncompromising masterpiece – nominated for 10 Japanese Academy Awards^® – available uncensored and unrated for the first time ever in America.

Battle Royale: The Complete Collection

In 2000, director Kinji Fukasaku unleashed Battle Royale, his violently poetic epic about an innocent group of Junior High students forced by the government to hunt and kill their classmates for sport. It was nominated for 10 Japanese Academy Awards^®, launched a global phenomenon, and banned from screens by frightened civic groups and distributors across America. Three years later, the equally disturbing sequel – featuring a new class, new rules, and a brutal terrorist plot by the first film’s young survivors – triggered its own tragic firestorm around the world. Now for the first time ever, you can see it all: Experience the entire Battle Royale saga on 4 discs that forever blasts open one of the most potent, shocking and savagely influential sagas in motion picture history.

Battle Royale: The Complete Collection’s four disc set in collectible high-end packaging will include:

Battle Royale Director’s Cut with both Japanese and English language tracks and English subtitles

Battle Royale Theatrical Cut with both Japanese and English language tracks and English subtitles

Battle Royale II with Japanese language and English subtitles

Battle Royale Bonus Content with Japanese language and English subtitles

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Making Of BATTLE ROYALE

BATTLE ROYALE Press Conference

Instructional Video: Birthday Version

Audition & Rehearsal Footage

Special Effects Comparison Featurette

Tokyo International Film Festival 2000

Battle Royale Documentary

Basketball Scene Rehearsals

Behind-The-Scenes Featurette

Filming On-Set

Original Theatrical Trailer

Special Edition TV Spot

TV Spot: Tarantino Version

The Battle Royale release will include:

Director’s Cut with Japanese and English language and English subtitles

With impeccable direction by three-time ‘Director of the year’ Kinji Fukasaku, and featuring high-quality acting performances from every angle, Battle Royale: The Complete Collection is as cunning as it is ruthless, offering a unique and brutal depiction of what people are capable of when imminent death is everywhere you look.

About Anchor Bay Entertainment:

Anchor Bay Entertainment is the home entertainment division of Starz Media, LLC. It includes the Anchor Bay Films and Manga Entertainment brands. It distributes feature films, children’s entertainment, fitness, TV series, documentaries, anime and other filmed entertainment on Blu-ray™ and DVD formats. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Starz Media ( HYPERLINK “http://www.starzmedia.com” www.starzmedia.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LMCA).

BATTLE ROYALE: The Complete Collection Blu-ray (3 disc plus bonus DVD)

Genre: Action/Drama, Thriller

Street Date: March 20, 2012

Pre-book: February 22, 2012

SRP: $49.99

Cat #: BD24401

UPC: 0 1313 24401-9 4

Disc 1 – Battle Royale Director’s Cut:

Run Time: 122 minutes

Rating: Not Rated

Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)

Audio: Japanese Dolby TrueHD 7.1 and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1

Subtitles: English

Disc 2 – Battle Royale Theatrical Cut:

Run Time: 113 minutes

Rating: Not Rated

Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)

Audio: Japanese and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1

Subtitles: English

Disc 3 – Battle Royale II: Revenge Director’s Cut:

Run Time: 133 minutes

Rating: Not Rated

Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1)

Audio: Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1

Subtitles: English

Disc 4 – Battle Royale Special Features DVD:

Run Time: 194 minutes

Rating: Not Rated

Format: Full-Frame (1.33:1)

Audio: Japanese Dolby Surround 2.0

Subtitles: English

The Innkeepers holds fast to West’s formula of being very deliberate and plodding, replacing piles of jump scares and big breasted bimbos with light-hearted comical banter and unnerving moments. The setup is simple. Two hotel employees, Luke and Claire, stave off boredom by practicing a little amateur ghost hunting before the hotel closes up shop for good. Claire, played brilliantly by Sara Paxton (Last House on the Left, Shark Night 3D), is a socially awkward, girl next door, pixie sprite type. Luke, played by Pat Healy, is a socially awkward nerd, ghost hunter and a terrible website developer. The two have an ambiguous relationship that fuels that engine of the film with their back and forth banter. The “will they or won’t they hook up” element kept me interested. And it had to as there are only a few scares in the film and most of them are near the end. This could have been an extraordinarily boring film if not the for clever dialogue and solid performances. Oh, and for the record, I was rooting for them to take a trip to bone city.

As the film progresses we learn that some serious bad mojo is alive and well in the hotel. Back in the hotel’s heyday a man left his fiancé on their wedding night whilst staying in the hotel. Like all women*, she overreacted and hung herself, forever marrying her pissed off and undead soul to the hotel. There are a few other guests staying in the hotel. Notably, an old man who demands the honeymoon suite (queue ‘dun dun dun’ music) and Kelly Mcginnis (Top Gun, Stake Land), who is psychic / famous television star. Both play crucial roles as the mystery of hotel slowly unfurls.

But unlike most ghost story flicks this one provides a few interesting twists. In fact, no one I watched the film with guessed the ending. Like most ghost story movies it takes a character that is way too nosy for their own good to move the plot into overdrive. Claire makes many moronic decisions (or brave decisions depending on your take) which escalate the film towards its frenzied ending. For example, who goes into the basement after they have been warned, by the psychic/old man/forewarner, specifically not go into the basement? Claire does. Twice.

The Innkeepers concludes with a satisfying and terrifying final 10 minutes. How rare is that these days in horror? It seems filmmakers and studious are so concerned about setting up sequels that movies almost never have conclusive finales. Kudos to West for making another entertaining stand alone horror film that kicks the current trends in horror to the curb. This is exactly the kind of movie I, as a horror fan, want to see. Bottom line: The Innkeepers is a good ole fashioned horror flick.

*joke

Rating 7/10

Snore Factor: ZZZ

Trailer:

This guy. In a period piece. Big stretch.

This movie is full of bubonic bugs, barbaric behavior, and, of course, Badass Bean. Sean Bean that is. If you feel like you’ve seen this movie a hundred times before it’s because you have. It’s a by-the-numbers flick about 14th century dudes running around killing “witches” and burning villages in the name of God when they should be practicing basic hygiene. But it’s rather entertaining and features some solid fight scenes.

Rumor has it that a village out in the deep dark marsh is unaffected by the titular black death plague which has overtaken all the Christian lands. The marsh people are led by a woman. This, naturally, means the villagers are responsible for the plague and should be murdered in ways most violent. There was no room for higher thought in the 1348. Sean Bean and friends are just the mother offers to take on the quest. Bean asks for a new priest and an old priest to guide his party into the boggy marsh. Well, he just asks for one priest and is given a young monk, who has his own reasons (Read: A hottie) to join the venture.

One thing you won’t mistake this movie for is a feel good romcom. It’s about as bleak as are my prospects for landing Brooklyn Decker. Innocent people, guilty people, and every kind of person in between are decapitated, stabbed, punched and/or literally torn apart at every opportunity. If someone believes differently, they must be murdered. If someone looks like a witch, they must be murdered. If someone coughs, they must be murdered. Decision making is easy. Justice is brutally swift.

Eventually the witch hunter party, after plodding along and killing some fodder, find the village and their leader. Think Road Trip, but with less stops at motels run by Andy Dick and more sword fighting. The “demon worshiping” cult village isn’t big on Christians. Bean and company aren’t big on crazy cults living in marshes. Something has to give. Spoiler: It does.

The movie excels when it forces its characters to make tough decisions. Die or live. Denounce God or be torn apart by horses. Your choice. Most interestingly, the young and precocious monk, who had never before been presented with any other thought chain, has to decide whether true love or the Church is his savior.

This flick isn’t going to blow your mind, but if you’re in the mood for something that will allow you to grunt in unison with the onscreen men whilst they do manly bashing things then this movie is for you. Simply put, it’s In the Name of the Rose’s world, with Centurion violence levels.

Rating: 6.5/10

Snore Factor: ZZZ

Trailer:

For this post, I am going the simple route and just posting my order along with adding 10 more films I loved during 2011. Note: I left off anything I hadn’t seen yet (ie.. The Innkeepers, Kidnapped), so don’t yell at me. And I only chose films that US distribution during 2011 – not stuff I’d seen at festivals, etc.

What were your faves? What’d I miss?

20A. American Horror Story (Television)

20B. More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead

19. The Shrine

18. Black Death

17. The Skin I Live In

16. Snowtown

15. Seconds Apart

14. Undocumented

13. The Yellow Sea

12. Rubber

11.  Monsters

10. Paranormal Activity 3 

9. Attack the Block

8. Troll Hunter

7. Hobo With a Shotgun

6. Wake Wood

5. Dream Home

4. Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil

3. Insidious

2. Stake Land

1. I Saw The Devil