Movember - Support Me

It started out as a small group of charity workers who grew growing moustaches during November to raise funds and awareness about men's health.  

Movember is now global, asking men all over to grow a moustache in order to support the cause.  The Movember Foundation raises funds for men's health issues, of primary concern being the treatment for prostate cancer.

I am going to grow a Mo, starting tomorrow to help raise money, and I would love it if you could get involved and help.

Where Do You Stand? - Nightmare Before Christmas, For Halloween Or Christmas

Ah, Halloween the big day of the year when all the scary DVDs (or VHS is your into the classics) come out from the bottom of the pile for another yearly spin. Another horror franchise releases the latest installment of a saga long past it's prime, Saw - I'm looking at you, Paranormal Activity - don't make me come over there. And BBC schedulers will be ever so creative and pick one of the Halloween films out of a hat to stick on in the middle of the night.

Have You Seen The Skyline Poster?

It's been a while since I have been sold on a film just on the poster alone but I have to say this looks cool and seeing it about 40 times a day driving past on every bus where I work has got me hyped so I have to share.

I Spit On Your Grave Remake Makes Waves

I Spit On Your Grave, Meir Zarchi's 1978 low budget horror, became one of the world's most controversial horrors. 32 years on from the original, Steven R Monroe's remake is stirring up controversy once more.

Film Review with Robert Mann - Autism: The Misunderstood Child

“I just want to encourage others who feel hopeless, to instead feel hopeful.” These are the words of Kathy Winters, the woman who made this delightful short video entitled Autism: The Misunderstood Child, a dedication to her son Ayden who was diagnosed with Autism in January 2008.

Bits & Pieces 4

Four bits and pieces for you right now....

Brought To Tears

Tears For Sale

When Tears For Sale commences, you are instantly reminded of Amelie. The narrator, albeit this time speaking Serbian) unfolding the world around you; as if producing an old map of which without it you would not understand the story. And this map is old, its folds are almost torn and framing that land that you can see are annotations and notes explaining what everything is. I was excited.

Samsung 3D

While searching and researching for a HD telly I came across a series of vids on Samsung 3D, discussing how they are going to change our way of watching movies, sports and playing video games. 

23 Minutes Of Tron Legacy

I was lucky enough to get tickets to catch a twenty three minute glimpse of Disney's (very) long awaited sequel to Steve Lisberger’s 1982 Tron.

The sequel is called Tron: Legacy.

I Spit On Your Grave Remake Heading Our Way

When I was just a little guy I watched horror movies like crazy every thing I could get my hands on that had blood or monsters or both. Later I would come to learn that here in England the were some films made that were so gory and so shocking that they were banned in England completely.

Sanctum Trailer

The 3D action-thriller Sanctum, from executive producer James Cameron, follows a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous expedition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible cave system on Earth. When a tropical storm forces them deep into the caverns, they must fight raging water, deadly terrain and creeping panic as they search for an unknown escape route to the sea.



Today's News, Powered By Twitter & Cherry Coke

As I haven't done this in a while I thought I would treat you to burst of news and gossip and bits and pieces for you to digest.


Enjoy, and have pinches of salt ready.

3D Conversions: Are We Being Milked?

2010 has been the year that 3D has made a big come back on our cinema screens all thanks to James Camron and Avatar.  While that movie really showed off the potential for 3D and how it could enhance our movie going experience, we also got films like Clash Of The Titans and The Last Airbender which kinda made my head hurt a little.

One Hour Fantasy Girl - One Minute Sledge Review

One Hour Fantasy Girl is a raw but poignant glimpse of Brandi's life, played by the lovely and talented Kelly-Ann Tursi.


Brandi wishes for a better life while working as a fantasy girl who creates and participates in any man's fantasy as long as she does not have to kiss him or strip (boring). 

Film Review with Robert Mann - Red

Red ***½

The latest Hollywood movie to find its inspirations in a comic book series, Red is also the latest such film to provide a far from faithful interpretation of its source material. The comic book series created by writer Warren Ellis and artist Cully Hamner was a three issue mini-series with a rather serious tone that supposedly, if adapted entirely faithfully for the big screen, would come in at about fifteen minutes in length.

Film Review with Robert Mann - Ramona and Beezus

Ramona and Beezus ***½

“The beloved classic series by Beverly Cleary is coming to the big screen” – says the voiceover guy in the trailer for ‘Ramona and Beezus. Beloved, eh? If you’re wondering why you’ve never heard of the series – which began with the 1955 children’s novel Beezus and Ramona (notice that the title has been reversed for the film release due to the fact that Ramona was originally a secondary character to her sister but in the film is given a much more substantial role, much like in the 1988 TV series based on the books which was simply called Ramona)

Film Review with Robert Mann - Paranormal Activity 2

Paranormal Activity 2 *½

When it was released in cinemas last year, the first Paranormal Activity movie became one of the most talked about movies of the year, seemingly repeating the success of 1999 horror film The Blair Witch Project, a film whose popularity largely seemed to revolve around the fact that it supposedly consisted of real found footage –

Film Review with Robert Mann - Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole 3D ****
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole 2D ***½

Australian visual effects and animation studio Animal Logic is developing a tendency to hire the most unlikely of filmmakers to direct their animated features. Their first all CG animated movie Happy Feet – an all singing all dancing movie with penguins, albeit one with a bit of a dark streak – was brought to the screen by George Miller

Film Review with Robert Mann - Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam

Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (DVD review) **½

The success of the High School Musical franchise prompted Disney to seek out another such series that could replicate its phenomenal popularity. The result of his endeavour was 2008’s Camp Rock, which failed to fully replicate the success of its forbearer, being near as commercially successful or as good in terms of quality

Big Tits Zombie Trailer

You know me.

I love Zombies, I love trailers, and I love big tits.  So imagine my delight when I saw this beauty.

Film Review with Robert Mann - Monsters Vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space

Monsters Vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space (DVD review) ***½

Last Easter the DreamWorks Animation film Monsters Vs Aliens was released in cinemas in all its superb 3D glory and swiftly became this critic’s personal favourite out of all the films by the animation studio for its incredible 3D effects are more importantly its action and its sense of humour, with the premise – an alien invasion force is threatening

Teenage Wasteland: The Slasher Movie Uncut

I love a good horror like most people, but I never really thought about the history of them, that was until now.  I was lucky enough to get my hands on a J.A. Kerswell's great book, Teenage Wasteland The Slasher Movie Uncut.

INVOLUNTARY

The runaway international financial and critical success of a wave of bestseller genre novels and movies including Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, John Ajvide Lindqvist’s Let The Right One In and Henning Mankell’s Wallander series,

Film Review with Robert Mann - Despicable Me

Despicable Me 3D ****
Despicable Me 2D ***½

First, there was Walt Disney Animation Studios, then there was Pixar and DreamWorks Animation, then Blue Sky Studios and Sony Pictures Animation followed and now, witness if you will, the birth of what already looks to be the sixth major Hollywood animation studio – Illumination Entertainment.

Shooting Robert King

At times war photographer Robert King resembles a heroic misfit straight out of the pages of Scoop, thrown into the heart of battle, struggling to adapt to the brutal environment he finds himself in. Occasionally comic, often touching, more often dark, Shooting Robert King, the tale of Robert King, is a unique and personal journey, a film which follows him over 15 years and through three wars.

Cool Video - Scott Pilgrim/Last Airbender Mash Up

Here is a really cool video that I came across - a trailer mash up featuring footage from TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender set to audio from the trailer for Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. It's epic!

Film Review with Robert Mann - Alpha and Omega

Alpha and Omega 3D *½
Alpha and Omega 2D *

One of the lower tier contenders vying for the family audience over this year’s October half term holiday, Alpha and Omega is the latest computer animated feature from a small animation studio – in this case, the little known Crest Animation – to try and compete with the big players in the business.

Spork

The debut feature from writer-director J.B. Ghuman Jr., Spork is a colourful, foul-mouthed musical comedy about a frizzy-haired, 14-year-old hermaphrodite (the titular heroine) trying to navigate her way through the nightmare ordeal that is junior high school. 

Confessions

Following the critical acclaim of his previous features, Kamikaze Girls and Memories Of Matsuko, genre-busting auteur Tetsuya Nakashima returns with Confessions, a notably darker but equally absorbing and typically idiosyncratic work, this time adapted from the award winning debut novel by Kanae Minato.

Film Review with Robert Mann - The Social Network

The Social Network *****

...or ‘Facebook: The Movie’? The idea behind The Social Network, a story about the creators of Facebook, is certainly not one that many would have ever expected would get made into a Hollywood movie and likely no one would have thought that such an acclaimed director as David Fincher would be the man at the helm if it did.

Harold Pinter/Pinter’s Progress/The Homecoming

Coming to DVD on 1st November 2010, Harold Pinter – Pinter’s Progress and The Homecoming is a two-disc DVD collection capturing and celebrating the inspiring life and work of the writer and Nobel Laureate, Harold Pinter and includes BAFTA award-winning director Philip Saville’s 2009 documentary on the playwright plus Sir Peter Hall’s filmed production of what is widely regarded as Pinter’s greatest play.

Film Review with Robert Mann - Vampires Suck

Vampires Suck ½

You may have hoped the genre was dead. And, following the debacle of Meet the Spartans and Disaster Movie, you may even have thought that it actually was but regrettably the spoof movie is alive and well and the guys who inflicted those previous two crimes against cinema – Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer:

Two Days Later

Two Days Later, Thanet’s only Short Film Competition Screening returns to The Theatre Royal, Margate on October 30th, 2010, with another programme of Horror shorts just bursting with provocative interpretations of the genre.

Slackistan

Mara Pictures has acquired the UK theatrical rights for Slackistan - a rare independent film from Pakistan. Slackistan is the debut feature film by Hammad Khan and produced by Menhaj Huda, the filmmaker of the highly acclaimed cult hit Kidulthood. 

Stuff Coming Up On BRWC

Just thought I would run through two bits and pieces that hopefully be reviewed on this here blog in the coming days/weeks.

First up, Teenage Wasteland: Slasher Movie Uncut. 

DVD Review: London River

Many fellow Britons will remember the 7th July 2005 like it was yesterday. The country ground to a halt to watch 24 hour news, aghast at the horror that took over London's public transport system as fifty two people lay dead or dying as a result of the first ever suicide attacks on the UK. London River picks up away from this chaos, on the Isle of Guernsey. We watch the green-fingered Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn) tend her garden, go to church, and visit the grave of her husband, gently informing him of the family's goings on.

Trailer: Red Eagle

I can't say I'm all that familiar with Thai cinema, but this looks a little interesting. Apparently based on a super-hero franchise from the 60's, Red Eagle is a somewhat 'Nolanesque' (yeah, it's a word) reinvention of the character, by director Wisit Sasanatieng.

Film Review with Robert Mann - The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud ***

For Zac Efron, High School Musical was the film that kick-started his acting career but it is also perhaps something that is holding him back from really achieving his true potential as an actor. Of his first few prominent movie roles that saw him playing a role besides Troy Bolton, parts in Hairspray and 17 Again had him playing parts that weren’t that far removed from the role he is best known for and his first true serious acting role in Me and Orson Welles was little seen as the film failed to attract any notable moviegoing audience.

That Gory 10:10 Ad

Hello.  It's 10:10 on 10/10/10.  So I give you this...

Film Review with Robert Mann - Life As We Know It

Life As We Know It **

Well, what do we have here? A romantic comedy starring Katherine Heigl – that’s an original idea (says this critic sarcastically). Really, she doesn’t seem to do much else and, aside from the wonderful 27 Dresses, most of the romcoms she does do are greatly undeserving of her talents. Life As We Know It, however, has something that none of her other romcoms had – Greg Berlanti.

Film Review with Robert Mann - Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps ****

As films to receive the sequel treatment go, Oliver Stone’s 1987 cult classic Wall Street never seemed like an obvious candidate. Yet now, twenty three years on (or this critic’s entire lifetime) – one of the longest gaps ever between a film and it sequel – the most unlikely of sequels is hitting cinema screens with an economic recession inflated bang.

Film Review with Robert Mann - Mr Nice

Mr Nice **½

The legendary Howard Marks - drug trafficker, spy and world-class charmer. Born in South Wales in 1945, his beginnings were as unremarkable as anyone else, yet he went to live a life that has included careers as a teacher, a drug smuggler, an author, an actor, a campaigner for the legalisation of cannabis and even an (unsuccessful) politician.

Film Review with Robert Mann - Feelings of Girls and Women with Autism

Feelings of Girls and Women with Autism *****

I am a man living with Aspergers Syndrome, a form of Autism. And with this comes a range of difficulties, feelings and emotions. Yet, the nature of Autism is such that no two individuals diagnosed with it will ever be completely the same and thus I am unable to fully appreciate how the condition affects others who have it.

Danny Lacey WIll Win An Oscar

I blogged about a film maker a while back called Danny Lacey, and I haven't heard from him in a while.  Well, he's been busy. His latest blogsite post talks about plans for his next short film project.  A short film called P.I. and he is serious about attempt at winning an Oscar with it.  Good luck you to Sir.

TRAILER: NIGHT DRIVE

OOH! I found another South African horror movie we might be interested in viewing! This one is called Night Drive and it looks a little brutal. Actually it made me think about The Greatest Game where they hunt people and whatnot... well... they do in this movie, for muti.

TRAILER: THE UNFORGIVING

I was freaking amazed when I saw this trailer on TV the other night... I had no idea South Africa was able to make horror films! Usually we get romantic comedies that'll make even Jennifer Aniston think now that's too much... and that's if she could understand one of the 11 official languages that we so proudly put on display.

TRAILER: BURKE AND HARE

Directed by John Landis (American Werewolf in London) and starring Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead), Tim Curry (IT, The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Isla Fisher (Confessions of a Shopaholic) and many more.

Film Review with Robert Mann - Takers

Takers **½

Coming just one week after the intelligent grown up crime thriller The Town, Takers is another crime thriller that is seemingly cut from the same cloth, albeit one that is a lot less sophisticated with a greater emphasis on action than on drama. This film also boasts quite an impressive cast, even if its stars are a lot less prestigious, but behind the camera there isn’t a whole lot of talent to speak of.

Quote of the Week : Rosemary's Baby (1968)

“Come with us quietly, Rosemary. Don't argue or make a scene. Because if you say anything more about witches or witchcraft, we're going to be forced to take you to a mental hospital. You don't want that, do you ?”

Africa United Trailer

Here is the trailer for Pathé’s Africa United, the must-see family film of the year which follows the adventures of 3 Rwandan children on a trip of a life time from their home town of Kigali to the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Film Review with Robert Mann - Made in Dagenham

Made in Dagenham ***½

Originally intended to be released under the name We Want Sex (something which refers to a slight mishap with a banner that appears in the film, one reading “We Want Sex Equality"), the reasons for changing the name of this film to Made in Dagenham are probably blatantly obvious from a marketing perspective.

Film Review with Robert Mann - I Love Somebody with Autism

I Love Somebody with Autism *****

“Open your eyes. And experience the magic. I will get there when you believe.” These are the words that open I Love Somebody with Autism, another delightful homemade movie about Autism, this time relating more specifically to one person with the condition – a young boy called Jonathan, whose imagination is very much the subject of this film.

Film Review with Robert Mann - Buried

Buried ***½

Just a few weeks ago we had the supernatural thriller Devil in which most of the events took place in the extremely confined setting of a trapped elevator. If that wasn’t confined enough a setting for you, however, then prepare for Buried, a film set entirely within the confines of a coffin buried six feet (this is a film that brings whole new meaning to the term “six feet under”)

Film Review with Robert Mann - Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Re-Release

Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Re-Release *****

Boy, does time fly. It really is hard to believe that it has been 25 years since Back to the Future was originally released on the big screen – and this is coming from someone who hadn’t even been born back in 1985. One of the great all time classic Hollywood blockbusters, this is one of those films that helped to define a generation and, in much the same way that the late 70s belonged to Star Wars