Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Top 10 Most Anticipated Horror Films in 2014

So far, it's been an exciting year for horror. Afflicted is a "damn fine film," The Babadook is a must see, and Only Lovers Left Alive is one of the most gorgeous horror films ever. 2014 is really shaping out to be a great year for horror, and it's not over yet. Here are several reasons to be thrilled about the future of horror.


1. Stage Fright (April 3)


Ok it's not technically science fiction or fantasy — but the premise of Stage Fright is too good (and too much like Phantom of the Opera) to ignore. This is a musical horror film. At a ridiculous theater camp, the aspiring stars are in for a bloody disaster as campers and counselors alike wind up dead. But the show must go on. Also somehow they got both Minnie Driver and Meatloaf (Eddie!) to sing and dance in this, which is just wonderful. Really wonderful.


2. Oculus (April 11)



The mirror is haunted! Our beloved Karen Gillan stars as a woman hell bent on getting revenge on a mirror that ate her parents. The supernatural-powered mirror has a myriad of powers including the ability to project images into its victims brains. So it can make you think a lightbulb is an apple, and you won't realize the difference until you've taken a bite.

3. 13 Sins (April 18)


Inspired by the Thai movie 13: Game of Death, this new remake centers around Elliot, a man with no money, no prospects and no hope. Seemingly out of nowhere Elliot is invited to play a hidden camera gameshow called 13 Sins! All he has to do is complete 13 tasks and he will receive 6 million. But as each task is accomplished the next one becomes more and more morally repugnant task. How far will Elliot go? 13 Sins has two of our all time favorite cult actors — Pruitt Taylor Vince and Ron Perlman. And stars Mark Webber (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) who is absolutely sensational in everything he's in (no matter how small the part) so we're excited to see this guy get unhinged. The director is from another io9 favorite The Last Exorcist. Here's the trailer.


4. The Quiet Ones (April 25)


Hammer Horror films cast Jared Harris and Sam Claflin in a vintage ghost movie set in the '70s. Harris is on a paranormal mission to use science to solve ghostly problems. Instead he only manages to create one giant, pissed-off spirit. Uh oh.

5. Alien Abduction (May 1)


This found footage-esque film follows a vacationing family through the woods and right into an alien encounter. The story is allegedly based on the "real life" Brown Mountain Lights phenomenon in North Carolina. From the looks of the trailer we're dealing with classic alien abduction horror, lots of creepy long arms, bright lights and terrible, terrible experiments.


6. Mr. Jones (May 2)


Hands down, the most bananas premise we've heard about in horror this year — but it has us absolutely intrigued. A couple on a woodland retreat stumbles upon the work of famous recluse and artist Mr. Jones. He's known for his epically creepy scarecrow creations. And they are utterly horrifying. But the plot isn't that linear — it's actually wrapped up with the couple's fights, and things become unclear on what is reality and what is scarecrow hell. Just go watch the trailer right now it's amazing.

7. Deliver Us From Evil (July 2)


Based on the "true story" from a real New York cop who really fought the devil (or something) Eric Bana plays the role of said troubled cop. Who finds out he can't arrest evil. Deliver Us From Evil was directed by Scott Derrickson, who gave us Sinister which we half loved. So that is promising. Here's a look.

8. The Purge 2 (July 18)


The Purge is back! And this time we've got an amazing cast, including Frank Grillo and Friday Night Lights' Zach Gilford. The sequel to the very successful movie about the one night a year when all crime is legal (all of it) takes place outside of the safe house, on the mean streets! Welcome back to The Purge and all its ham-fisted political themes!


9. Tusk (No Date)


Kevin Smith's walrus horror movie. It sounds sounds insane. Starring Justin Long and Haley Joel Osment, Tusk is about what happens when a man answers a roommate ad that advertises free rent, granted they dress up in a walrus costume from time to time. It has been called very Human Centipede like with the body horror, so we'll just let your mind go from there. On the plus side it does have the wonderful Rob Kurtzman (Hisss, Bubba Ho-Tep, From Dusk Till Dawn) doing the special effects makeup, so at least it will look awesome. Not sure when Smith will be done with this one, hopefully this year, because we're dying to see Jusin Long all mutilated into looking like a walrus.

10. Clown (No Date)


Inspired by the excellent fake trailer created by Jon Watts, Eli Roth (who was the fake director of the fake trailer) decided to go ahead and back the project. And now this horrifying man-to-clown-monster transformation movie is being made. It even got a script from Robot & Frank writer Christopher D. Ford, and a brand new trailer that looks terrifying. There is nothing scarier than a clown.
 
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Thursday, March 6, 2014

300: Rise of an Empire (2014) In Cinemas March 7

  • In Movie Theaters: Friday, March 7, 2014
  • Initial release: March 5, 2014 (Belgium)
  • Director: Noam Murro
  • Running time: 102 minutes
  • Prequel: 300
  • Music composed by: Junkie XL
  • Cast: Eva Green, Jamie Blackley, Sullivan Stapleton, Rodrigo Santoro, Andrew Tiernan, Callan Mulvey
  • R, 1 hr. 43 min.
  • Genres: Action | Adventure | Drama | Sequel | Prequel | War

Storyline

Based on Frank Miller's latest graphic novel Xerxes, and told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster "300," this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield-on the sea-as Greek general Themistokles attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. This film pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes, and Artemesia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy.



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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Disney's new Movies Anywhere app streams films from Disney, Pixar & Marvel

Disney's cloud-based digital movie app, Disney Movies Anywhere, streams video purchased from iTunes without you having to re-download it.

Disney's new Movies Anywhere app streams films

As a promo, Disney is including a free download of the Pixar's The Incredibles movie.

Videos include over 400 live-action and animated films from Disney, Pixar, and Marvel, as well as extra content and bonus video.

You can download the movies in the Movies Anywhere app to your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad or via Apple TV, or save the space by simply streaming them in the app.

Source article

Tips: If you want to enjoy Disney movies on any portable devices, please follow the
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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

New DVD Releases and DVD Copying/Ripping Tips

February 18th, 2014 new DVD releases. Shows 2013 DVD releases by release date. New movies on DVD are updated as the latest 2014 DVDs are known.

DVD movie releases this week include Afternoon Delight, Fists of Legend, The Pervert's Guide to Ideology, and Battle of the Damned.

Afternoon Delight

DVD release date: 02/18/2014
Theatrical release: 08/30/2013
Language: English
Genre: Comedy/Drama
MPAA rating: R
Director: Jill Soloway
Actors: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor
Plot: A successful housewife seems to have the perfect life but after deciding to spice up her marriage with a visit to a strip club, finds herself connecting with one of the strippers and hires her as a live-in nanny.


Fists of Legend

DVD release date: 02/18/2014
Theatrical release: 04/12/2013
Language: Korean
Genre: Action
MPAA rating: NR
Director: Woo-Suk Kang
Actors: Woong-in Jung, Hwang Jung-Min, Yo-won Lee
Plot: A new game show bills itself as "the greatest fight show on Earth" but in order to boost ratings, instead of letting amateurs battle it out, producers go after some "legendary" if somewhat forgotten street fighters of old. Three former friends - including a washed-up Olympian, a thug-turned-corporate executive and someone who always wanted to be #1 but only made it to a third-rate gang - all find themselves about to enter the games.

The Pervert's Guide to Ideology

DVD release date: 02/18/2014
Theatrical release: 11/01/2013
Language: English
Genre: Documentary
MPAA rating: NR
Director: Sophie Fiennes
Actors: Slavoj Zizek
Plot: A followup to The Pervert's Guide to Cinema reunites filmmaker Sophie Fiennes with philosopher Slavoj Zizek as they examine film as a medium for guiding ideology - the collective fantasies that shape our beliefs and practices.


Battle of the Damned

DVD release date: 02/18/2014
Theatrical release: 08/17/2013
Language: English
Genre: Action/Sci-Fi
MPAA rating: R
Director: Christopher Hatton
Actors: Dolph Lundgren, Melanie Zanetti, Matt Doran
Plot: A deadly viral outbreak has turned most of the population into an infected army. Military man Max Gatling leads the charge with a ragtag group of survivors, along with a few robots, in hopes of stemming the tide for humanity.
  

On the Job

DVD release date: 02/18/2014
Theatrical release: 09/27/2013
Language: English
Genre: Crime/Drama
MPAA rating: NR
Director: Erik Matti
Actors: Piolo Pascual, Gerald Anderson, Joel Torre
Plot: Based on true events: prison inmates in the Philippines are granted temporarily release when they agree to work at contract hitmen for political and military elite.


Hellbenders (2013)

DVD release date: 02/18/2014
Theatrical release: 10/18/2013
Language: English
Genre: Comedy/Horror
MPAA rating: R
Director: J.T. Petty
Actors: Clifton Collins Jr., Clancy Brown, Andre Royo
Plot: The Augustine Interfaith Order of Hellbound Saints is not your typical ministry. The group of men are the worst of the worst - languishing in all forms of debauchery - but in their wickedness they have a job - to drag the most dangerous of demons back to the pits of Hell.

The Cohasset Snuff Film

DVD release date: 02/18/2014
Theatrical release: 10/31/2012
Language: English
Genre: Crime/Horror
MPAA rating: NR
Director: Edward Payson
Actors: Stephen Wu, Thomas R. Persing, Stu Berg
Plot: When a 17-year-old brutally murdered three classmates in the small town of Cohasset, Massachusetts and uploaded the deed to the Internet, it rocked the world. Through legal action the parents, and town, were spared the horror and infamy but bootleg copies exist and the legend of "The Cohasset Snuff Film" remains.

Zaytoun

DVD release date: 02/18/2014
Theatrical release: 11/07/2012
Language: English
Genre: Adventure/Drama
MPAA rating: NR
Director: Eran Riklis
Actors: Stephen Dorff, Abdallah El Akal, Alice Taglioni
Plot: In 1982 a young Palestinian war orphan and an Israeli fighter pilot form an unlikely bond as they two strike out across war-torn Lebanon in order to get back to their respective homes.


Laughing to the Bank

DVD release date: 02/18/2014
Theatrical release: 03/08/2011
Language: English
Genre: Comedy
MPAA rating: NR
Director: Brian Hooks
Actors: Tabitha Brown, Brian Hooks, Allison Oliver
Plot: An actor needs a comeback and, with nothing left to lose, decides to write, direct and distribute his own film. But when the money for his project goes missing - the real action is going to happen trying to get the funds back.


Tips: If you want to watch your favorite DVD movies on any portable devices or media players, Aimersoft DVD Ripper can help you, pls read on.

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The Best DVD Ripper brings users the best solution to backup DVD to hard drive, DVD to MP4/AVI/MKV/FLV/MPG/MOV, etc. with original Video, original 5.1 Channel AC3/DTS Dolby Audio as well as backup DVD and DVD ISO image to iPhoneiPadAndroidSurface, BlackBerry, Apple TV, Xbox One, Seagate CentralPS4Dropbox, PSP, RokuPlex, Samsung TVs, Sony TVs, Gear VR, Aamzon Kindle, Samsung Galaxy S7/S6/S5/S4/S3, Galaxy Note 5/4/3, Nabi 2, Hudl 2, Projectors, etc. in just a few mouse clicks!
  • Convert DVD/DVD ISO to 720p, 1080p HD video or other popular formats
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  • Personalize HD DVD movies with versatile video editing function
  • Embed metadata information to HD videos via a simple click
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Following the intuitive interface, even a novice can finish ripping DVD movies in just a few clicks! Why not just try the free trial version to see whether it meets your needs? If you're using a Mac, please turn to Aimersoft best DVD ripper for Mac, which lets you convert DVD to HD video on Mac OS X (including Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks, Yosemite and El Capitan). Download the right version and follow the steps below to get HD movies from your DVDs.

           

Step 1. First, of all the process starts at the DVD drive, insert your DVD in the drive, then launch the DVD ripper software of which in this case is Aimersoft DVD Ripper. Add or load your DVD movie or your ISO file in the DVD Ripper.



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Editor's Recommendation

Monday, February 17, 2014

The Truth About Shirley Temple's "Wizard of Oz" Connection

This week we mourn the loss -- and celebrate the legacy -- of Shirley Temple Black, an international entertainment icon, and one of the very last surviving mega-stars of Hollywood's golden age. All of Ms. Temple Black's obituaries reference her connection to the 1939 film classic The Wizard of Oz, and told how she was the "first choice" to play Dorothy. Shirley Temple did in fact have an Oz connection, but one that requires clarification in lieu of urban mythology.

As a child star, Shirley Temple was an extraordinary prodigy with unaffected, charismatic charms, photographic memory for lines, lyrics and dance steps, and a radiant crown of golden curls that punctuated her on-screen jubilance or discord with a nod of her dimpled face. Public fascination with Shirley was borderline fanatical at the height of her mid-to-late 1930s popularity, and countless newspaper and magazine articles highlighted her off-camera activities.

Among Shirley's oft-cited literary favorites was The Wizard of Oz book series by L. Frank Baum and his posthumous successor, Ruth Plumly Thompson. In pictorial layouts of the Temple home, the Oz books were clearly visible on her bedroom shelf, and references were made to her interest in the adventures of Dorothy and her friends. In Child Star, her 1988 autobiography, Temple Black herself claimed that when her mother suggested she could play Dorothy in the movies, Shirley replied that she wanted to meet Dorothy, so absorbed was she in the Oz stories.

Shirley was under contract to Twentieth Century-Fox and its studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck was vigilant in scouting suitable story properties that could be developed for his most valuable player. Zanuck was aware of The Wizard of Ozas an ideal vehicle for Shirley as early as 1935 when rumors about Temple playing Dorothy began cropping up. One such notice informed readers that Shirley would star in a series of Oz movies -- not as wild as it sounds when one considers that Zanuck bought up the Muriel Dennison Susannah books after Shirley scored a hit with Susannah of the Mounties in 1939. Buzz about Shirley in The Wizard of Oz persisted into 1937.

In Child Star, Temple Black recalled that in 1937, while making the movie Heidi, she learned of a negotiation proposed between Fox and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that involved loaning her to MGM for a Wizard of Oz production. In exchange, Metro would loan Fox its two biggest stars, Clark Gable and Jean Harlow. According to legend, the deal fell through when Harlow died on June 7, 1937. At the time, MGM did not own the film rights to The Wizard of Oz, and the anecdote has often been dismissed as apocryphal. But in spring 1937 -- and before Harlow's death -- Oz appeared on a list of top books recommended for big-screen versions, many of which were made within the next five years. If ever there was a time for the old Hollywood chestnut about both studios engaging in discussion about a mutual star-swap, this would've been it.

Confusion about Shirley playing Dorothy has arisen because the alleged events of 1937 have become blurred with the events of MGM's developing Wizard of Oz production in 1938. Having secured the screen rights from movie mogul, Sam Goldwyn, in February 1938, Metro set about casting its big-budget opus. From the very start, Judy Garland (then fifteen-years-old) was approved to play Dorothy by producer-director, Mervyn LeRoy, and song lyricist and aspiring producer, Arthur Freed. After all, Metro's Wizard of Oz was going to be a musical, and Judy's brilliant singing prowess already had a public following. Though Judy was set for the part, Nicholas Schenck, head of Loew's Inc. (MGM's controlling parent company since the previous January), felt box-office security in the person of Shirley Temple was needed to ensure a financial return against Oz's big budget.

Roger Edens, MGM composer and Garland's mentor, dubiously made an appointment to hear Shirley Temple sing on the Twentieth Century-Fox lot. He returned to Metro to report that Temple lacked the robust vocal chops required for the extravaganza being prepared, and the part of Dorothy remained Judy Garland's, as intended. On the occasion of her April 23, 1938 birthday, the press noted that Shirley Temple's missing out on Dorothy was "the greatest disappointment of her brief and eminently griefless career..." In 1941, Temple's mother, Gertrude, remained bitter when she recounted that Zanuck had deceived her: He had assured her that Fox owned the Wizard of Oz film rights.

Zanuck cast Shirley in a series of classic children's stories adapted for the screen culminating in The Blue Bird in 1939 -- a Technicolor musical that, like The Wizard of Oz, opens in sepia-tones before converting to color for a lengthy fantasy sequence. Oz was a hit, but The Blue Bird was the first Shirley Temple picture to lose money. It marked the close of her magnificent career as the world's premier child actress -- a distinction that most critics would agree is still upheld today.

In the end, Shirley Temple Black proved to be a gracious and good sport. As she herself noted years later with regards to Judy Garland getting the role of Dorothy, "Sometimes the gods know best."

For more fun facts and fascinating trivia, check out the new book The Wizard of Oz: The Official 75th Anniversary Companion.


This article originally published at THE HUFFINGTON POST