Married Life has the sort of story that can win you over with a simple plot description. A middle aged man is worried that leaving his wife for the new love of his life would be too cruel so he decides to do the merciful thing and kill her instead. Of course such a plot description also begs a lot of questions? Is this a comedy? A suspense thriller? A drama? The answer, to director Ira Sachs credit, is that Married Life is, just as marriage is in real life, all three of these things and more. What could have been a simple morality tale overdrawn with cliché emerges as a complex totally organic look at the nature of true love, disillusionment, and human folly replete with enough emotional touchstones to win a bevy of well deserved acting, writing and directing Awards.

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I present to you one of the braver choices a filmmaker has made in recent memory and a film that, while far from commercial- I don’t think this will make a dime- is more urgent than a hundred other recent “thoughtful” horror films. Director Michael Haneke understands not only that we are being played with by those who promise safety and security that isn’t theirs to give but that those who threaten that security look an awful lot like us and our children. 

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Okay I was supposed to do this interview in person at Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors in Chicago. As luck would have it I got food poisoning and woke up on the train only two or three stops from home to this tiny Goth chick shaking me and asking if I was okay. Evidently I had passed out and was moaning. I then did the only thing guys like me do in a situation like that. I projectile vomited all over her, the train, myself and stumbled out the door at the next stop. Goth chick wherever you are I owe you some dry cleaning. Needless to say I had to go home (another adventure) and reschedule my interviews for the day.

Neil Marshall is much classier than me. he didn’t throw up once during our interview- or if he did he covered the phone receiver. 

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What more is there to say. Content wise Anchor Bay has let me know the following. I’m not sure excatly what will be new and what will be included from older editions of these films although I am to understand that both Tenebre and Phenomena will be available separately. Read on for the specs.

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Universal Pictures has just debuted the theatrical trailer for the upcoming fantasy-thriller - Wanted starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Common! Personally it seems like an awful lot of these kinds of flicks come and go without leaving an echo. But then again this has a solid cast even it also has a high level of that CGI driven energy that you either dig or don’t.

Also- is it just me or does Angelina look a little too much like the present day Eartha Kitt in this pic? The sad thing is this picture is actually taken from the front. 

Director Michael Haneke may look cuddly enough with that broad smile, twinkling eyes and bushy beard but after seeing Funny Games US you’ll know the truth- the man makes Jigsaw look like a poor man’s psychokiller indeed, cinematically that is. I’ve been a big fan of Haneke’s work and the original Funny Games is easily my favorite of his varied output. So I decided right away you Twitchers were gonna have to work for this one.

We’ve got a signed Naomi Watts Funny Games one sheet and 10 run of engagement passes.

To get the signed poster do the following

Explain in 250 words or less what motivates you to watch movies like Funny Games. I know this sounds vague but I want to leave the concept of genre open to interpretation as some may see this as a horror film, some as a crime thriller etc. Mainly I want to encourage viewers who see this stuff as more than escapist entertainment to explain why.

Whatever moves me the most wins.

Runners up will win passes good for the run of engagement of Funny Games. THE PASSES ARE ONLY GOOD IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

FUNNY GAMES OPENS WIDE ON MARCH 14!!

Send Contest Entries

Not to be confused with the foul mouthed (and some believe extremely funny- I ain’t one of ‘em) film about the famously foul ever changing joke that can make or break a comedians reputation among other comedians this absolutely enchanting Disney film deserves its reputation as one of the last true Disney classics before the long dry spell. It doesn’t get the Platinum Edition 2 disc treatment here. But the transfer is awesome and the Special Features are definitely an upgrade. For one thing Aristocats is finally offered in widescreen. Another is the much too short, less than comprehensive look at the contributions of the Sherman Brothers to Disney’s generally neglected legacy of soundtrack. A Bonus Short film here is also worth looking out for here but one wishes for an audio commentary and wonders why the two-disc Platinum treatment wasn’t extended to this charming, whimsical flick. Classic animation enthusiasts take note. This has aged well indeed and definitely belongs on your shelf even if the songs are a tad less memorable than those in say, Lady and the Tramp.

What came across my desk in February? Some interesting and not interesting titles that I’ve done my level best to find something to say about. Free DVDs are nice but reviewing them is lonely business folks and I’m considering doing a lot less of it. Who really has something to say about everything that comes out? Too many folks with too little to say says I. In any event you’ll find my thoughts on Newhart The Complete First Season, Criss Angel Mindfreak The Complete Season Three, Thunderbirds 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Megaset, The Kingdom Series Two (R1), The Apartment (Collector’s Edition), Two Days in Paris, The Darjeeling Limited, Death At A Funeral and Cops: 20th Anniversary Edition.

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Attention all Chi-Towners and those nearby. This February 22-24 Chicago will host yet another Fangoria Weekend. I always have a blast at this thing whether its just hanging out in the huge dealer room, helping Horrorbles and other vendors at their booth or meeting and interviewing talent. This is one of the best of the annual horror conventions to hit our neck of the woods. 

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Cloverfield opens on the heels of an ad campaign that has geeks all over the world hyped about its unique approach to the city stomping monster genre. For this film to fail to deliver on its promises is a scary prospect indeed- much scarier than any movie monster. After all any flick with the guts to dredge up the found footage device these days had better be good especially when the name of J.J. Abrams is attached.

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I’s been watching a lot of action cinema these days since I got my 32 inch HDTV. Born to Fight may have been made on the cheap but man does it look purdy when its been upconverted. And I swear the best fight sequences I’ve seen (maybe ever) are in The Protector. In short Tony Jaa should change his name to Tony “Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!” But even stuff like The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and King Boxer, old as it is, has shined forth with a new glory to plunge the Iron Fist deep into my Kung Fu, Mauy Thai, gunplay and action lovin’ heart.

So the drift is that Dragon Dynasty been berry, berry good to me. So when they asked if we wanted to giveaway a couple copies of their Fatal Contact 2 Disc Ultimate Edition I said, “Naaaaa. Thanks anyway.” Then they kicked my butt so hard that I forgot how I beat Tony Jaa in an arm wrestling match back when I interviewed him and insulted his elephant.

So we’re giving two copies away.

To win a copy you must by January 22 which is the street date for this DVD.

And in the email you must describe a fight you’ve been in. It doesn’t matter who won.
If you can provide a picture of your injuries it will greatly improve your chances of winning.

The fight must have taken place PRIOR to the posting of this contest and NOT CURRENTLY BE THE SUBJECT OF ANY LEGAL ACTION.

If you get into a fight in order to try and win this contest I will send over Tony- he owes me a favor for not taking his elephant when I kicked his skinny butt.

My journey thru Italian horror cinema is one of fits and starts. I am hard pressed to call myself a devotee by any stretch of the imagination and yet a cursory glance of my shelves sure does reveal an awful lot of what most would call the key Italian horror films. I do know that the commercial for Suspiria ranks as one of the most nightmare inducing images I encountered as a young horror fan. And with the three disc set of that film along with both Anchor Bay Bava box sets, and SE’s of most of Argento’s output as well as Lucas’ massive Bava book I have to stop and consider whether I should take stock of my interest level. Lucio Fulci is another case in point.

Of course I had seen Zombie, de rigueur for any horror fan in an age where zombies have replaced most other supernatural bogeys as the dominant monster. But at that point I still viewed Fulci as one of a number of lesser Italian horror filmmakers who had merely capitalized on the success of their betters. Then I saw The Beyond.

Not a giallo by any stretch and not necessarily a good film but an engrossing series of images that finally tied me in to the sensibility that seemed to drive modern Italian horror cinemas most avid fans. This gooey stuff was primal, photographed with a confidence that proved the shark wrestling and stunning zombie images Fulci was known for were the product of an artistic sensibility whatever his films other faults. There was a power there, I literally could not take my eyes off the screen. I still don’t consider Fulci anywhere near the equal of Bava or Argento at the height of their powers but he has produced some interesting work and I look forward to continue sifting through it.

The Psychic is a giallo that any fan will appreciate, offering a hypnotic approach to a familiar storyline involving a woman whose clairvoyance sends her unwillingly down the path of investigating a violent crime. The film is much less violent than future Fulci works would be, relying more on our sympathy with lead character owing to the strong performance of Jennifer O’Niell and the growing paranoia that overtakes her. The DVD offers scant special features except for one pretty good featurette titled Voices From the Black.

I should probably point out that I wonder about the value of DVD labels like Severin. Does the world really need more porn-torture or otherwise? But they’ve done all of us a favor in making sure this early Fulci gets out where it can be seen and placed alongside its cinematic peers.

Danny Boyle doesn’t make bad movies and never makes the same movie twice. We’ve seen his last three efforts divide themselves between family films, horror films and whatever the heck you want to call Trainspotting. When he announced he would be tackling science fiction fans had high expectations. Have they been met? Sunshine comes off as an odd mixture of Event Horizon, and 2001 (both films I like a lot). And Sunshine is never anything less than interesting. But it also falls short of delivering on the genre thrills it promises at the same time it threatens to collapse under its own philosophic weight. Ultimately this is a film that hinges on whether the ending works – for me it didn’t quite get where it was going even if the journey was worth taking.

Comparisons to Ray Bradbury’s Golden Apples of the Sun are apt here not only because of the similarities in plotting and situation but perhaps more importantly because Boyle comes very close to the same sort of galactic poetry in his visuals that Bradbury achieved in words. Whether this is an apocalyptic thriller, or a stylistic dark sci fi there’s no doubt it is a wonderful film that fans of other visionary works like The Fountain should be aware of. And the performances here are outstanding.  An early attempt at comedy, Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise, was good but uneven but his work has done nothing but grow in maturity. I can’t wait to see Slumdog Millionaires.

I’m really excited about the extras here. Not only do we get a Boyle commentary but also a scientific commentary by University of Manchester‘s Dr. Brian Cox along with an alternate ending, web production diaries, deleted scenes with optional commentary and 2 short films with intro by Boyle.

What distinguishes Joshua from other movies that feature preternaturally intelligent, possibly evil children seems obvious. Joshua is no demon ala’ Damien from The Omen, and the film Joshua isn’t even a horror movie in the strict sense like so many others it could be compared to (see The Bad Seed, The Good Son). But just like those movies it never quite gets over the awkwardness of its premise which we can only buy into if the process of Joshua’s eventual mastery of those around him seems utterly organic and not contrived as merely part of a genre narrative. Joshua is a movie that wants to bring this concept into the arthouse but never quite gets out of the same territory occupied by a well made for Television thriller. Of course these days that’s saying a lot in terms of quality. This misses being a truly great film by more than just an inch.

Will you be creeped out enough to enjoy yourself? The film is certainly worth purchasing as it will take more than one viewing to sort out the complex relationships established between real world elements of broken family life and otherworldly child sociopathy. Is Joshua the product of nature or nurture or both or is it possible that some other supernatural evil has taken root. Whatever your take on this question this film emerges as a solid genre entry well worth checking out and discussing with friends.

Special features on the DVD include director/writer commentary, deleted scenes, cast and crew interviews, Dave Matthews music video, and footage of young Jack Kogan’s audition make this a solid purchase.

How do TV shows become classics? Seinfeld? No-one really disputes that. The Flintstones, The Munsters, Gilligan’s Island? Again little argument. What spawns such popularity and continued devotion can be as varied as the quality of the programming in question. Gilligan’s Island: I was a huge fan as a kid but find it absolutely unwatchable now. I’d rather watch Pauly Shore attempt Shakespeare. But Andy Griffith? Dick Van Dyke? Bewitched? Love ‘em. Not enough to watch everyday but enough to want to revisit the characters and situations.

As a reviewer dealing with a constant influx of new to DVD “classics” I often feel overwhelmed. What is there left to say about a lot of this stuff. Can I do anything but let you know it’s out there and if there are any special features on it?  I’ll try to throw in what tidbits I can for the diehards but for the rest of you I hope this at least keeps you informed. 

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