Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Fan Made: Tasty Life-Size Yoda Cakehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/fan-made-tasty-life-size-yoda-cake/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/fan-made-tasty-life-size-yoda-cake/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/fan-made-tasty-life-size-yoda-cake/#commentsFiled under: , ,



When Cinematical reader Geoff M. sent us a note about a life-size Yoda cake he created for his son's fourth birthday, we simply had to see it because a) any dad who's down for a Star Wars-themed birthday party certainly meets movie geek standards, and b) any dad who'd actually take on the task of building a life-size Yoda cake for his kid is all sorts of awesome in our book. (This also brought back memories of my own childhood; when I was young my parents would spend crazy money building custom superhero birthday cakes (Incredible Hulk, Batman, Spider-Man) for yours truly. That eventually stopped, however, and it was Carvel ice cream cakes from then on out.)

Anyway, inspired by Ace of Cakes (groovy TV show if you've never watched) and an enormous amount of love for his little one, Geoff set out to make his own 100% edible life-size Yoda cake. And over on his site, he provides step-by-step instructions and photos (a couple of which you can see below) in case you at home would like to do the same. See, my only issue with this is that after all that work, I wouldn't be able to ruin the thing by eating it. Oh well ... I'm sure it tasted heavenly. The Force was strong with this one.

Gallery: Yoda Cake



If you have or know of something cool, groovy, nifty, shiny, brilliant and Fan Made, feel free to shoot an email to leads AT cinematical DOT com.

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedstar warsStarWarsyoda cakeYodaCakeErik DavisMon, 06 Oct 2008 14:02:00 ESTThe 'Meat Train' Stops in Your Living Roomhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/the-meat-train-stops-in-your-living-room/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/the-meat-train-stops-in-your-living-room/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/the-meat-train-stops-in-your-living-room/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Just about a year ago, Comcast's FEARnet video-on-demand service dug into the Lionsgate vault and pulled out Catacombs, which they offered at no charge on their VOD network. Turns out the flick wasn't all that hot, but hey, horror fans love to see stuff for free ... especially if it hasn't been released on video just yet.

So this year FEARnet is doing it again -- only this time it's a movie that did have a (rather insultingly) limited theatrical release. Like, VERY limited. Yes, gore-fans, Ryuhei Kitamura's adaptation of Clive Barker's The Midnight Meat Train may very well be viewable in your own living room -- at this very moment! (If you get FEARnet on your cable box, that is...) Last year Catacombs was also made available on the FN website prior to its DVD release, but we don't know if that will be the case on Meat Train. Lionsgate has yet to announce a DVD date for the film, so anything could happen.

Best of all, unlike Catacombs, I've already seen and have strongly recommended this particular horror movie -- and I certainly wouldn't sneeze at the source material either. For our earlier reports on this strangely controversial little horror flick, check here, here and here.

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]]>clive barkerCliveBarkerfearnetmidnight meat trainMidnightMeatTrainvideo on demandVideoOnDemandScott WeinbergMon, 06 Oct 2008 13:32:00 EST'The Dark Knight' DVD and More 'Batman 3' Rumorshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/the-dark-knight-dvd-and-more-batman-3-rumors/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/the-dark-knight-dvd-and-more-batman-3-rumors/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/the-dark-knight-dvd-and-more-batman-3-rumors/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



When The Dark Knight hits DVD on December 9th, it will cause hysteria not seen since ... well, it hit theaters on July 18th. Part of it will be due to those devoted fans who were buying tickets on eBay, but also be due to it receiving one heck of a release. DVD Active gives us a few details on the DVD, and you can scope out some photos of this year's hottest stocking stuffer below.

First comes the standard 1-disc edition, for those buyers who just don't care about flashy extras or DVD art. There will be no bonus features on the one-disc, so buy carefully. True fans will be opting for the 2-disc set, which includes these delightful extras:
  • Gotham Uncovered documentary
  • Featurettes (Batman Tech: The Incredible Gadgets and Tools, Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of The Dark Knight)
  • 6 episodes of Gotham Cable's Premier News Program
  • Galleries (The Joker Cards, Concept Art, Poster Art, Production Stills)
  • Trailers and TV spots
And if that wasn't enough, the 2-disc DVD art will feature alternate art under its cardboard sleeve -- it seems the Joker savaged each and every one of them with markers and crayons (see gallery below).

There's also a third edition the really hardcore among you will be standing in line for, and that's the limited edition pictured above. It doesn't come with additional features, but is secured in a steel DVD case and accompanied by a replica Batpod. As it's not actually big enough to ride or pivot on walls, it's useless to me. But it's ideal for those of you with lots of desk space!

In related news: The brand new edition of Production Weekly lists Batman 3 as going into pre-production this February, with Christopher Nolan directing. PW is a pretty reliable trade source, though it's odd to see news like that hit there before arriving in, say, Variety. As always, more info when it develops ...


Gallery: The Dark Knight DVD

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]]>batpodChristopher NolanChristopherNolanfeaturedThe Dark KnightThe Dark Knight DVDTheDarkKnightTheDarkKnightDvdWarner BrosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeMon, 06 Oct 2008 12:40:00 ESTDon't Fear the Subs: Stunning Vietnamese 'Rebel' Actionhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/dont-fear-the-subs-stunning-vietnamese-rebel-action/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/dont-fear-the-subs-stunning-vietnamese-rebel-action/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/dont-fear-the-subs-stunning-vietnamese-rebel-action/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The Rebel on DVD from Dragon DynastyImagine Spider-Man murdering a young boy. The Rebel isn't a revisionist superhero movie, but it does star Johnny Nguyen, who was the masked stunt double for Spider-Man and Green Goblin in two of Sam Raimi's web-spinning adventures. Here Nguyen plays Cuong, an enforcer for the French exploiters in 1920s Vietnam. Anti-colonial protests have been gaining force and exerting pressure upon the ruling French, and Cuong is expected to help put them down. Caught up in his violent duties, Cuong kills a boy almost without realizing what he's done. He feels instant, piercing regret, as though the guilt for all his sins has come crashing down upon him. His remorse becomes a galvanizing force that pushes him to stop shedding the blood of his own people.

To begin, he tries to help a young rebel escape torture and certain death. The beautiful Thuy (Veronica Ngo, AKA Ngo Thanh Van) is important to both sides: her father is leader of the anti-government movement. She is understandably wary about Cuong's true intentions. Just as he's making headway in convincing her of his sincerity, his cynical, ambitious overlord Sy (Dustin Nguyen, of 21 Jump Street fame, who's never been better) appears. Sy is less interested in Cuong's allegiance than in the possibility that he can lead him to Thuy's father.

While the story is riddled with contrivances and genre conventions, the action sequences set the film apart. Johnny Nguyen is flat-out amazing in his grace and control, while Dustin Nguyen more than holds his own in close-quarters fighting. Floating like a butterfly but stinging like a bee, Veronica Ngo, a dancer/model/singer/actress, looks extremely convincing as she fiercely defends her friends and her honor. Oh, and she's a babe and a half.

Continue reading Don't Fear the Subs: Stunning Vietnamese 'Rebel' Action

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]]>charlie nguyenCharlieNguyendragon dynastyDragonDynastydustin nguyenDustinNguyenjohnny nguyenJohnnyNguyenngo thanh vanNgoThanhVanthe rebelTheRebelveronica ngoVeronicaNgoPeter MartinFri, 03 Oct 2008 19:15:00 ESTFrey's 'A Million Little Pieces' Finally Gets the Movie Treatmenthttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/freys-a-million-little-pieces-finally-gets-the-movie-treatmen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/freys-a-million-little-pieces-finally-gets-the-movie-treatmen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/freys-a-million-little-pieces-finally-gets-the-movie-treatmen/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Okay, for this story I need you to try to remember something that happened, like, two years ago. Can you do that for me? Can you take your brain back that far, or do we need to call in McFly and the Doc? Anyway, remember all the hoopla surrounding James Frey's very popular book A Million Little Pieces? How Oprah used the so-called "memoir" to re-launch her book club, and how it turned into this huge success -- so much so that Warner Bros. desperately wanted to make a film out of it -- and how it later came out that Frey made up a good portion of the book ... and then Oprah smacked him around on TV ... and then the film went bye bye. Remember?

Well, that's what happened -- and now, two years after the fact, comes a film called A Million Little Pieces, based on the book by James Frey and directed by Nigel Tomm. And no, it's not being developed -- it's actually done ... in the can ... and available on DVD. Who's in it, you ask? Well, unlike the previous in-development adaptation, you're not going to see stars like Jake Gyllenhaal, Orlando Bloom, Josh Hartnett or Ryan Gosling (all of whom were interested in starring in the other flick). Nope, this one, according to its tagline, is -- wait for it -- "70 minutes and 41 seconds of pure turquoise screen. Nothing more, nothing less." On a budget of $345. Ahem. Confused?

Keep reading ...

Continue reading Frey's 'A Million Little Pieces' Finally Gets the Movie Treatment

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]]>a million little piecesa million little pieces movieAMillionLittlePiecesAMillionLittlePiecesMoviecinematicaljames freyJamesFreynigel tommNigelTommoprahErik DavisFri, 03 Oct 2008 14:32:00 ESTNew 'Sleeping Beauty' Special Edition is Simply Aurorablehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/new-sleeping-beauty-special-edition-is-simply-aurorable/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/new-sleeping-beauty-special-edition-is-simply-aurorable/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/03/new-sleeping-beauty-special-edition-is-simply-aurorable/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Here's something trivial about me that you might not know: Yes, horror movies are my first passion. Gory, scary, shriek-filled horror movies. But (not very far behind) in second place is ... animation. My parents made sure I got to see the classic Looney Tunes, the hilarious Rocky & Bullwinkle stuff, and all the annual treats involving the Peanuts gang and/or The Grinch. But when a new Disney flick hit the theaters, hoo boy was that a big-time family treat in my household. I had no idea that Snow White was so old or that 101 Dalmatians had been released long before I was born; these were NEW movies to my sister and me -- and we devoured 'em like starving little monkeys.

Despite the fact that it had kind of a "girly" title, Sleeping Beauty was always a favorite with my family. My mother loved the songs, my sister adored the silly little fairy godmothers, my dad appreciated the art design (whatever that meant), and I went loony for the big dragon battle at the end. Plus we all agreed that Maleficent was the coolest Disney villainess since at least Cruella De Vil.

Like I said, I love the Disney Classics, which is why I'm pretty geeked up for the new Sleeping Beauty 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition, which hits stores next week. "But Scott," you're probably thinking, "didn't Disney release a two-disc Special Edition of this film on September 9, 2003??" And if you're not thinking that, then don't worry -- because I was. But of course this new set has enough to make it worthy of a fresh investment -- especially if you'd like to see this brilliant piece of animated entertainment in full-bore BLU-RAY AMAZINGNESS.

Anyway, enough blather. After the jump we have a breakdown on the new features AND a bunch of video treats...

Continue reading New 'Sleeping Beauty' Special Edition is Simply Aurorable

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]]>50th anniversary50thAnniversarydisneydvd editionDvdEditionfeaturedsleeping beautySleepingBeautyScott WeinbergFri, 03 Oct 2008 13:03:00 ESTDiscuss: Is Roku's Netflix Player Tempting You Yet?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/02/discuss-is-rokus-netflix-player-tempting-you-yet/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/02/discuss-is-rokus-netflix-player-tempting-you-yet/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/02/discuss-is-rokus-netflix-player-tempting-you-yet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You might recall that I bought a Roku player a few months ago to make it easier for me to watch high-quality versions of Netflix's Watch Instantly offerings. My biggest complaint about Roku and Watch Instantly was that the selection was pretty slim -- mostly we've used it to watch old TV shows, and even then I suspect we watch more TV on Hulu.com. Watch Instantly has a great selection of low-budget independent features and documentaries, and even some short films, but if you want Hollywood blockbusters you're better off with the DVDs.

Fortunately, the Watch Instantly pickings are starting to improve. Netflix has just partnered with Starz Entertainment to offer more than 1,000 movies that Starz has licensed for its own video-on-demand services. Starz already has deals with Disney and Sony, so these movies include a lot of (relatively) newer Hollywood big-budget films, like Ratatouille, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, No Country for Old Men, and Superbad. These still aren't as recent as the films you can get mailed to you on DVD from Netflix (or rent at your local video store), but it's a significant improvement over the previous Watch Instantly offerings for recent mainstream movies. In addition, Netflix also signed deals last month with the Disney Channel and CBS to add some of their TV shows to the Watch Instantly lineup, like Hannah Montana and CSI. Those aren't movie-related deals, but I got excited because I can now watch the Disney TV show in which a cousin of mine plays an amusingly bad-tempered chef.

Continue reading Discuss: Is Roku's Netflix Player Tempting You Yet?

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]]>hulunetflixrokustarzstarzentertainmentJette KernionThu, 02 Oct 2008 15:02:00 ESTRight Now on TV Squadhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/01/right-now-on-tv-squad/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/01/right-now-on-tv-squad/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/01/right-now-on-tv-squad/#commentsFiled under:

Our brothers and sisters over at TV Squad have busted through the boob tube and brought with them the following juicy bits of must-see eye candy:

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]]>bill oreillyBillOreillysarah palinSarahPalinthe sarah connor chroniclesTheSarahConnorChroniclestv squadTvSquadCinematical staffWed, 01 Oct 2008 18:32:00 ESTSpin-ematical: New on DVD for 9/30http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/30/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-9-30/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/30/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-9-30/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/30/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-9-30/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Iron Man
At the risk of drawing the ire of Batfans everywhere, I'll just come out and say it: Iron Man is the best my favorite superhero movie of the year. (Dear Comic-Con: Please don't revoke my press pass.) Dark Knight is indeed brilliant, and brilliantly dark, but Iron Man is just so much more ... fun (AND it has social messages!). Poor Jeff Bridges may not hold a candle to the late Heath Ledger in the villain department, but Iron Man wins out elsewhere. Its characters are colorful and layered, its action is supremely stylish and never overbearing (unlike Transformers, even in its hot metal-on-metal action) and thanks to sensibilities of Robert Downey Jr. and director Jon Favreau, it's flat-out funny. Man-crush alert: Downey Jr. is fast on his way to becoming an acting icon, right up there with Al Pacino and Jared from Subway. Buy it!!!
(Available in both single disc and two-disc special edition)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall
The latest from Camp Apatow stars a far-too-naked Jason Segel, an almost unrecognizably sexy Mila Kunis 2.0, a scene-stealing Russell Brand, and Kristen Bell. The film definitely has its moments, but I'm just not sold on Segel as a leading man, who seems to equate "comedic skill" with "revealing your junk." And as much as we enjoy rooting for a lovable loser, at some point in the movie it helps if he stops moaning, crying and being generally so extremely pathetic. After Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder and The Happening, Sarah Marshall will have to settle for being the fourth funniest movie so far this year. Rent it, or buy it in the discount bin (Available in both single disc and two-disc collector's edition)

Continue reading Spin-ematical: New on DVD for 9/30

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]]>BiggerFasterfeaturedForgetting Sarah MarshallForgettingSarahMarshallIron ManIronManNew DVD ReleasesNewDvdReleasesStrongerTaxi to the Dark SideTaxiToTheDarkSideKevin PolowyTue, 30 Sep 2008 15:32:00 ESTDiscuss: Who's More Uncomfortable with Onscreen Nudity?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/30/discuss-whos-more-uncomfortable-with-onscreen-nudity/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/30/discuss-whos-more-uncomfortable-with-onscreen-nudity/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/30/discuss-whos-more-uncomfortable-with-onscreen-nudity/#commentsFiled under: ,



(With Forgetting Sarah Marshall arriving on DVD today, we're re-posting this popular Discuss post from last April)

By: Elisabeth Rappe

Here's why it's a bad idea to share a house with a Cinematical writer -- your formerly innocent nights at the movies are stored away for discussion, your casual remarks posted for the entire world to see. My apologies to all the family members this involves.

My sister and her boyfriend caught Forgetting Sarah Marshall a few nights ago -- a second showing for her, first time for him. When I inquired as to how the boyfriend liked it, my sister revealed that he had actually covered his eyes when Jason Segel dropped that towel.

"Good lord," I said. "Really? Doesn't he see that every time he's in the shower?" I mentioned it to a male friend, and he said he completely understood boyfriend's squeamishness. As I'm writing this, I remember an incident just last weekend with my aunt's wonky cable connection. She's mistakenly been subscribed to all sorts of hardcore porn, and called my cousins in to fix it. The sight of naked men sent my male cousin running for the other room, gagging -- whereas his sister shrugged off the bare flesh and set to work trying to block the stuff. And I'm now realizing all that throat clearing and awkward squirming I heard around me during Eastern Promises wasn't because Viggo Mortensen's back was being sliced open (which is what made me wince) -- it was because his manly bits were visible.

Continue reading Discuss: Who's More Uncomfortable with Onscreen Nudity?

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]]>cinematicalforgetting sarah marshallForgettingSarahMarshalljason segelJasonSegelonscreen nudityOnscreenNudityCinematical staffTue, 30 Sep 2008 14:02:00 ESTCountdown: Five People Who Should Star in 'PG Porn'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/29/countdown-five-people-who-should-star-in-pg-porn/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/29/countdown-five-people-who-should-star-in-pg-porn/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/29/countdown-five-people-who-should-star-in-pg-porn/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you like to surf around the web for entertainment news, you might have heard about an upcoming new web project called James Gunn's PG Porn. The writer of classics like Tromeo and Juliet and more shmeh flicks like Scooby Doo 2, Gunn teamed up with his brothers Brian and Sean (Kirk from Gilmore Girls) to create a family-friendly world of porn.

That's right -- vignettes where the delivery man actually delivers what he's supposed to with no added packages. (Read Gunn's take on it here.) Each time, mainstream actors will be teamed with porn stars for these little clips, which will be aired over at Spike.com. First up: Nathan Fillion and Aria Giovanni in Nailing Your Wife. So I wonder: who else could benefit from this insane, and possibly hilarious, idea?

5. Rachel Dratch -- Outside of SNL, she's had stints in flicks like Harold, but imagine what buzz she could create with a porn star.
4. David Duchovny -- If there's one thing Hollywood drama has taught us, it's that making fun of yourself after the turmoil is a great way to get back in the audience's good graces.
3. Brad Pitt -- Okay, so he doesn't really need it, but I'd love to see more of the crazy gym dude from Burn After Reading.
2. Michael Cera -- He needs to rip out of soft, awkward teen mode ... maybe a porn icon would help.
1. Tom Cruise -- For years now, discussions of his acting have been interlaced with his Scientology practices. But then Tropic Thunder came and critiques gave way to laughter. This project could not only help keep the excitement up, but also battle other online clips that bash him. (Think Jerry O'Connell spoofing that ultra-secret Scientology video.)

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]]>Brad PittBradPittBrian GunnBrianGunnCinematicalDavid DuchovnyDavidDuchovnyJames GunnJamesGunnMichael CeraMichaelCeraPG PornPgPornRachel DratchRachelDratchSean GunnSeanGunnTom CruiseTomCruiseMonika BartyzelMon, 29 Sep 2008 16:45:00 ESTPOLL: Movies vs. Presidential Debatehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/26/poll-movies-vs-presidential-debate/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/26/poll-movies-vs-presidential-debate/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/26/poll-movies-vs-presidential-debate/#commentsFiled under: ,



From time to time, I'm known to check the Facebook and the Twitter and the Digg and all those social networking hot spots -- and one thing everyone is talking about today is not the long-awaited arrival of Nights in Rodanthe on the big screen, but the first presidential debate. In case you haven't heard, John McCain will indeed participate in what could be one of the most watched debates in television history ... unless you Nicholas Sparks fans have something to say about it.

Which brings me to another hot topic today: With such a steamy little number on the boob tube tonight, how many people do you really think will be going to the movies or renting a DVD? Will the box office fall silent? Or will more folks head out to the movie theater in order to escape the depressing realities back home? And where do you stand? Are you one of those people who'd rather avoid all this economic bailout stuff in favor of a movie or three? Or, have you been super-glued to your television set -- wishing for Anderson Cooper to just whisk you away to your own private paradise in Rodanthe (ahem, Ms. Rappe)?

Sound off below ...

View Poll

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]]>cinematicalnicholas sparksNicholasSparksnights in rodantheNightsInRodanthepresidential debatePresidentialDebateErik DavisFri, 26 Sep 2008 14:02:00 ESTSpin-ematical: New on DVD for 9/23http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/24/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-9-23/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/24/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-9-23/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/24/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-9-23/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sex and the City
MAIN PICKS AND MISSES

Sex and the City (Pick)
Leatherheads (Miss)
Run Fat Boy Run (Miss)
Deception (Miss)
Pathology (Miss)

INDIES ON DVD
Foot Fist Way, Mother of Tears

BLU-RAY
Sex and the City, Leatherheads, Deception, The Godfather, LA Confidential, Blow, Madagascar, Shrek the Third

COLLECTOR'S CORNER
The Godfather collection, High School Musical 2: Collector's Edition, LA Confidential Special Edition

Continue reading Spin-ematical: New on DVD for 9/23

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]]>deceptionfeaturedleatherheadspathologyrun fat boy runRunFatBoyRunsex and the citySexAndTheCityRaven SnookWed, 24 Sep 2008 20:15:00 ESTEXCLUSIVE: Images from Steven Seagal's 'Kill Switch'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/22/exclusive-images-from-steven-seagals-kill-switch/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/22/exclusive-images-from-steven-seagals-kill-switch/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/22/exclusive-images-from-steven-seagals-kill-switch/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



When Cinematical was asked to debut a set of exclusive stills from the new movie Kill Switch, all we needed to hear were two words: Steven Seagal. There could be 13 images of Seagal in the bathroom and we'd still post them! But fear not you Cinematical addicts, the images featured in the gallery below do not include any spectacular toilet shots ... but they do include Steven Seagal doing what he does best: kicking bad guy ass. Also pictured is Isaac Hayes in his second to last performance.

So what are we looking at here? Well, Kill Switch hits DVD on October 7th, and the film follows homicide detective Jacob King, who, following the murder of his twin brother, takes the law into his own hands and attempts to track down two ruthless serial killers. Come October 7th, you bet your ass I'll be hosting a Seagal triple feature ... and those who want an invite will have to bring Italian food and wear a leather trenchcoat. Who's with me? Show of hands ...

Check out our awesome exclusive gallery below ...

Gallery: Kill Switch

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]]>cinematicalkill switchkill switch imagesKillSwitchKillSwitchImagessteven seagalStevenSeagalErik DavisMon, 22 Sep 2008 18:15:00 ESTYour Halloween 2008 Mega-Bloody DVD Shopping Guide (Mwahaaaa!)http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/17/your-halloween-2008-mega-bloody-dvd-shopping-guide-mwahaaaa/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/17/your-halloween-2008-mega-bloody-dvd-shopping-guide-mwahaaaa/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/17/your-halloween-2008-mega-bloody-dvd-shopping-guide-mwahaaaa/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This really is my favorite time of the year: Days are just warm enough, nights have that slight autumn-ish smell, you start seeing pumpkins, black cats and Saw sequel posters everywhere ... ah yeah: Halloween is coming! Now obviously I'm not into candy like I used to be (just give me a plain Hershey bar and I'm happy), but I do love the fact that even HORROR has its own season. Like, if you enjoy being scared, October's the month to do it in. Could be PG-rated chills on a hay ride with your six-year-old, could be a goofy pre-teen sleepover where moms does that "eww, these grapes are eyebaaaaalllllllls" trick, or it could be my kind of Halloween season: Packed to the rafters with digital terrors.

So as I was perusing the schedules and doing the "ooh, gimme" thing on a bunch of DVDs, I thought it might be more fun to do it publicly.

September 9 & 16

For the fans: Brand-new widescreen special editions of Child's Play AND Pupmkinhead! OK, and the Beetlejuice special edition -- even though it's the lamest SE since Poltergeist.

For the family: Sarah Landon and the Paranormal Hour. Anyone?

For red-blooded men: Tiffany Shepis in Nympha, Jamie King in They Wait.

For the masochistic: Uwe Boll's Seed and his "comedy" version of House of the Dead.

September 23

Dario Argento returns with The Mother of Tears (which is wild), Tara Reid battles the Vipers (which is hilarious), and the star of Heroes deals with some painful Pathology. Also today: The Pang Brothers' Re-Cycle, which I hear is wild.

Continue reading Your Halloween 2008 Mega-Bloody DVD Shopping Guide (Mwahaaaa!)

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]]>2008 dvd2008DvddvdshalloweenhorrorScott WeinbergWed, 17 Sep 2008 20:33:00 ESTSound Off: Who's Watching the New 'At The Movies'?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/16/sound-off-whos-watching-the-new-at-the-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/16/sound-off-whos-watching-the-new-at-the-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/16/sound-off-whos-watching-the-new-at-the-movies/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Truth be told, I sort of skimmed through one episode of the new youth-skewed At The Movies, featuring Ben Lyons and Ben Mankiewicz -- and since there wasn't a segment in which viewers were allowed to throw hard, pointy objects at NY Post critic Lou Lumenick, I turned my attention elsewhere. In her blog today, Variety's Anne Thompson points out a fact we all saw coming from two thumbs away: That, well, no one seems to like the new show. Thompson looks to the many evil emails she's received since this new version of At The Movies aired, and she's not alone. In our post announcing the critic switch, Cinematical readers have been rather harsh. Here are a few comments:

Debbie: "Two thumbs down for the new replacements, they have much to learn and very large shoes to fill"
Orlando: "Horrible! The quality and style one could expect from the crap you see in a supermarket checkstand line."
Johnny: "And the new guys are basically pathetic imitations of what actual critics are."

Yikes! [He says as he scrambles to cancel the new Cinematical video podcast featuring Rocchi and Weinberg discussing movies whilst drinking Coors Light with their shirts off.]

On my end, I guess it's worth giving another shot ... even though the younger Lyons feels like a cross between Ryan Reynolds and the kid who stole your girlfriend in high school and then spammed your Facebook page with pictures of them in bed together, naked. But what about you? Have you watched the new show? Does it need to change? What would you like to see happen?

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]]>at the moviesAtTheMoviesben lyonsben mankiewiczBenLyonsBenMankiewiczcinematicalErik DavisTue, 16 Sep 2008 16:02:00 ESTSpin-ematical: New on DVD for 9/16http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/16/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-9-16/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/16/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-9-16/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/16/spin-ematical-new-on-dvd-for-9-16/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



There's a slew of new releases hitting shelves this week. Some are flashy, some are sweet, and some you should be ashamed if you spend your hard-earned money on them. As Peter said last week, we're still working out kinks in the new format, so weigh in below with your thoughts.

MAIN PICKS AND MISSES
Speed Racer (Pick)
Made of Honor (Miss)
The Love Guru (Miss)
The Babysitters (Miss)

INDIES ON DVD
Young@Heart, Finding Amanda, Harold, Snow Angels

BLU-RAY
Speed Racer, Hulk (2003), The Mist

COLLECTOR'S CORNER
High School Flashback Collection, Risky Business Deluxe Edition, and more!

Continue reading Spin-ematical: New on DVD for 9/16

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]]>CinematicalDVD RecommendationsDvdRecommendationsfeaturednew DVDsNewDvdsSpeed RacerSpeedRacerMonika BartyzelTue, 16 Sep 2008 08:32:00 ESTExclusive Clip: 'Harold'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/15/exclusive-clip-harold/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/15/exclusive-clip-harold/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/15/exclusive-clip-harold/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Cinematical has just received this exclusive clip from Harold (watch it after the jump), which arrives on DVD tomorrow. Starring Spencer Breslin and Cuba Gooding Jr., Harold follows a balding geeky teenager who, of course, is tortured by his fellow classmates for looking the way he does (watch the clip and you'll see what I mean). However, Harold eventually befriends the school's janitor (Gooding) who helps him deal with the teasing. In the clip, Harold storms out of his house to deal with a group of menacing neighborhood kids after their ball lands in his yard. This kid gives "13 going on 60" a whole new meaning. Harold also stars Nikki Blonsky, Ally Sheedy, Dave Attell and Rachel Dratch, and it hits shelves on DVD tomorrow.

Watch the clip after the jump ...

Continue reading Exclusive Clip: 'Harold'

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]]>ally sheedyAllySheedycinematicalcuba gooding jrCubaGoodingJrfeaturedharoldharold clipHaroldClipspencer breslinSpencerBreslinErik DavisMon, 15 Sep 2008 14:15:00 ESTCinematical's Friday Night Double Feature: The Muscle From Brusselshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-the-muscle-from-bruss/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-the-muscle-from-bruss/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-the-muscle-from-bruss/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Long ago, before the problems with drugs and fights at strip clubs, Jean Claude Van Damme ripped himself out of the fighting world, oiled up his flesh, and became America's Muscles from Brussels. At first, the process was slow and simple -- breaking into the world of film as "Gay Karate Man" in Monaco Forever, being a background performer in Rue barbare, and then getting some uncredited English work as a spectator in that 1984 classic, Breakin'.

But then came No Retreat, No Surrender, where he played a Russian baddie opposite General Hospital and Guiding Light star Kurt McKinney, and the rest was history. He did all he could do in the action realm -- kickboxing revenge, jail, video game flicks, soldier, and even cracking walnuts with his butt.

These days, he's whipped up an insane amount of positive buzz with JCVD and reinvigorated his career. But it all had to start somewhere. As a well-oiled, good-guy ode to that sexy, muscled Belgian, I give you: Bloodsport and Kickboxer.

*Note: In the interest of good matches, I'm leaving off my all-time favorite Van Damme flick, Cyborg, to get its love another day. Gibson will have his moment to shine!

Continue reading Cinematical's Friday Night Double Feature: The Muscle From Brussels

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]]>BloodsportCinematicaldouble featureDoubleFeatureJean Claude Van DammeJeanClaudeVanDammeKickboxerMonika BartyzelFri, 12 Sep 2008 19:02:00 ESTAn Early Peek at the 'Iron Man' DVD Goodies!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/an-early-peek-at-the-iron-man-dvd-goodies/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/an-early-peek-at-the-iron-man-dvd-goodies/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/12/an-early-peek-at-the-iron-man-dvd-goodies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

action figure (and kitten) not included

OK, the first thing I noticed was the lack of an audio commentary of any kind. I mean, Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. are certainly known for their affable and garrulous nature -- and they're also damn funny guys. So I was definitely looking forward to a chat track with Favreau, Downey and Jeff Bridges -- with maybe an alternate track for the producers / screenwriters / etc. -- but I can only assume those commentaries are being postponed for a later DVD. (And I checked: No commentaries on the Blu-Ray release either.)

So with that minor and very nerdly disappointment out of the way, I dug into the other stuff. And wouldn't you know it? The 2-disc Iron Man Special Edition is every bit the fantastic package that this movie deserves. Will the film warrant a big, fat THREE-discer once Iron Man 2 rolls around? Almost definitely. But that's a few years away, and for twenty bucks you can get a whole lot of Marvel-ous fun out of this set.

On disc one we have the 125-minute feature film in glorious 16x9 widescreen. Also included on this disc are about 18 minutes of deleted bits and extended scenes. Nothing too revelatory, but there are some nice exchanges and interesting takes here. Best of all, none of the excised sequences make you wanna smack someone and go "D'oh! That shoulda been in the movie!!" Plus we get a bunch of promos for Star Trek, Indiana Jones, The Incredible Hulk, and the animated series Iron Man: Armored Adventures.

Ahhh, but then we get to Disc Two!

Continue reading An Early Peek at the 'Iron Man' DVD Goodies!

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]]>2-disc special edition2-discSpecialEditiondocumentarydvdextrasfeaturedfeaturettesiron manIronManjon favreauJonFavreaurobert downey jrRobertDowneyJrScott WeinbergFri, 12 Sep 2008 10:02:00 EST