Cinema Review: Going the Distance

Real life ex-couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long pair up to enlighten 2010's romcom genre, with all intentions of raising it out of the slum the countless dreary excuses throughout the year have buried it in.

Recently dumped man's man Garrett (Long) bumps into newspaper intern and waitress Erin (Barrymore), leading to a night of drunken fun and setting off a six week city romance. Sadly, Erin must return to San Francisco, but attempts to maintain the strong connection with Garrett, testing both of their ideas towards long distance relationships.

First and foremost when dealing with a romantic comedy, the almighty weight that enables audiences to fully invest in the characters and the romance in which they fall so heavenly involved with is laid upon the shoulders of its stars. In this case, Going the Distance couldn't be more pitch perfect. With a clear connection, Barrymore maintains her adorable, zealous personality with a surprising raunchy spin, with Long proving charming and a predictable Knight in Shining Armor. Together, they act like two peas in a sweet, never sour, pod; genuinely delightful to watch, a power couple if you will that transcends into something entirely relatable. Inevitably, their emotions on-screen may have slight reflection on real life events, therefore making the outcome all the more heartfelt.

Geoff LaTulippe's script fuses a modern, understandable and often moving story with an adult comedy, channeling that of a Judd Apatow screenplay that utilizes the same dirty, explosively funny one liners. His story of the trials and tribulations involved with long distance relationships is universal; this is what relationships can be like. With the supporting characters -- the typical in-your-face, crude best friend(s) -- often straying into the hard to believe, the principle story is believable and grounded enough to succumb to, demonstrating that the simple affection between two lovers may not just be enough.

Under American Teen director Nanette Burstein's supervision, Going the Distance proves a little -- hell, a lot -- more successful than any other romcom this year, falling into the catagory that last year's (500) Days of Summer secured itself in. Barrymore and Long's flourishing, refreshingly R-rated, romance is bliss; enticing and entertaining enough without falling saccharine. With the bewitching sound of The Boxer Rebellion backing their romance, it's simply too hard not to drop to your knees.

4/5

Movie News: Second Poster for Hatchet II

We couldn't be more welcoming regarding Victor Crowley's return!

Adam Green's sequel to Hatchet, a horror film that boasted returning to the genres roots, is just around the corner. Its October 1st US release date even has me pumped up, with Green able to screen his baby in full unrated quality - unlike the first which was shot down by the MPAA and dumbed down by extreme proportions.

We follow Marybeth (Danielle Harris) as she escapes Victor Crowley, learns of his past and returns back to the swamp with another group of unlucky souls. Will she survive the clutches of one of cinema's most deranged, chaotic and downright batshit insane killers?

Cue another series of fantastically over the top, cringe-induced and preposterous death scenes, cheap, effective scares and a director with enough enthusiasm to re-ignite the dying horror genre.

This Week's DVD/Blu-ray Choice, September 13th

This week's biggest, and frankly best, DVD release is the Mike Newell directed Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

Produced by blockbuster extraordinaire Jerry Bruckheimer, one of the most successful game-to-film adaptations hits shelves this week, with hunk Jake Gyllenhaal taking on the title role of Dastan, an orphan-turned-Prince accused of murdering his father, the King. Chased around the desert by his Uncle's henchmen, Dastan is accompanied by a rival princess (Gemma Arterton) and a magical dagger with the powers to turn back time. Spellbinding special effects, a quirky but rather loathsome couple and an adventure that works wonders. The entertainment factor is sky high, therefore vastly overpowers the negativities. Read my full review here!

Honourable Mentions:

Two of comedies most trusted treasures Steve Carrell and Tina Fey team up in Date Night, a high octane action comedy directed by Shawn Levy. A case of mistaken identity in New York City send a troubled married couple on an adventure to remember when they're chased down by a mob boss. While the laughs may lack in certain areas, the duo maintain a chemistry that is delightful to watch throughout. An enjoyable Friday night flick, with a hilarious set of bloopers during the credits!

Cinema Review: Resident Evil: Afterlife

Here we go again, writer director Paul W.S. Anderson returns to helm the latest Resident Evil in Afterlife, pitting the beefy babe Alice once again against the evil Umbrella Corporation.

With the world left ravaged after the unleashing of Umbrella's catastrophic T-Virus, Alice, a personal experiment to the companies leaders, continues her quest to find other survivors. Unfortunately for her, Albert Wesker, the head of the Japanese headquarters, is hot on her heels.

Opening the fourth in this publicly popular, but critically hated, game-to-film franchise, Paul 'can't write for shit' Anderson utilizes the 3D technology with eye-popping credits against the rainy backdrop of Japan, with a what feels like a half hour slow motion sequence, followed by an unimaginable amount of fellow slow-mos displaying Milla Jovovich's ability to kick ass, accompanied by a dozen clones, impressively staged fights and a terribly wooden Shawn Roberts as the evil Wesker. Six months later and our so-called story truly starts, with Alice fleeing the deserted 'safe haven' Arcadia and en route to the post-apocalyptic Los Angeles.

While Anderson fails to involve any remnants of originality, he borrows details from Dawn of the Dead, and well, any zombie flick, with Afterlife's story acting as simply an extended array of predestined subplots and rehashed 'get back at Umbrella' story arcs. With the exception of Jovovich's energetic on-screen presence, Anderson also under-develops every other character, including that of a continuing storyline of Claire Redfield (Final Destination's Ali Larter) and her brother Chris, a beefy, ex solider - a character previously seen in Capcom's Resident Evil 5. Another character to resurface from the game world is The Executioner. Disregarding where he came from and what he actually is, the ginormous, axe-wielding, sack-for-a-head super mutant is a grotesque, successful game-to-film character that works tremendously on the big screen.

Unarguably, Afterlife is a pointless sequel. It continues the streak of Anderson's less than ambitious resumé, proving once again how boisterous and contrived he is. Still, with a franchise that never truly promised a lot, the latest offering is undoubtedly the most entertaining. Cramming as many electrifying, action-packed scenes in as possible, Afterlife is what i would call a film made with style, but sadly lacks the substance to stimulate those who're new to the franchise.

3/5

Movie News: Trailer for Eastwood's Hereafter

I'll be the millionth to admit that acclaimed director Clint Eastwood's surprising turn to develop Hereafter, a supernatural thriller, into his next epic was entirely unexpected. Still, with the surfacing of the trailer for said eerie pulse-pounder, i couldn't feel more gratuitous towards the man.

Matt Damon stars as George, a man whose intriguing connection to the afterlife will cross his paths with three unfortunate hopefuls that find themselves struggling with the upsetting circumstances that have befell upon them. Each life will be changed with what they believe might lay in the hereafter.

Clearly heartfelt and inevitably powerful, Damon and Eastwood's pairing may test the Oscars once and for all, allowing for something different to walk away with something special.

The film has been given an official release date of October 22nd.

Cinema Review: The Last Exorcism

German director Daniel Stamm thrusts himself into the limelight with the Eli Roth produced docu-horror The Last Exorcism, proving a little more successfully than most other possession-related flicks.

A distinguished but doubtful minister agrees for a documentary team to film his last exorcism. Heading to the middle of nowhere, teen Nell shows signs of possession, but is it down to a troubled upbringing, or the Devil himself?

Hamming it up instantly, renowned Minister Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian) tells stories of his childhood, his family line and, surprisingly, how much he disbelieves in the fad revolving around certain beliefs involved in exorcisms. A light and downright comedic opening is unexpected, but enough character development is given for Cotton to enlighten; arrogant and overconfident yet sufficiently entertaining, maintaining intrigue throughout.

Overly trusting, Cotton is invited to the Sweetzer farm where Nell (Ashley Bell), her father (Louis Herthrum) and brother reside. Curious animal killings set off a string of predictably eerie incidents, with Stamm's brilliantly constructed scenes growing all the more intense and nauseatingly distressing. Bell's uncorrupted, sinless character is cute, understanding and most importantly relatable, making certain sequences painfully horrifying to watch. While Nell never truly turns Regan-like, her experiences aren't all too original. Similarities to courtroom drama The Exorcism of Emily Rose will undoubtedly be made, but it's the build up Nell, Cotton and the rest of our characters go through, and the make-or-break ending that will split audiences.

When submerged in darkness, the docu-horror aspect proves most successful. Creeping around the distinctly unnerving farmhouse, Cotton and his team brave teen angst that only the Twilight gang could dream of. Tightly-wound yet cautiously paced thrills are steadily dotted throughout Stamm's feature, leading up to the ambitious ending, leaving more to the imagination than most are guaranteed to expect. Fresh and entirely unforeseen, the events unfolding trail into Blair Witch territory, with the facts blurred and the outcome unsure. Satanic entities, cults, possession and pure evil. Nothing is certain, but here's hoping the uneasiness of the ending isn't spoilt with a no-good, clichéd sequel.

Stamm's nail-biter will leave you nattering away with the conclusion. Whether positive or negative, this slyly written, faux documentary is chilling, fiendish and an admirable addition to the collection of handheld horrors and possession flicks.

DVD Review: Frozen

Starring: Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore, Kevin Zegers

Directed by: Adam Green

Plot: Three friends find themselves trapped upon a chairlift at a renowned ski resort. With everybody unaware of their whereabouts and the ski resort closed until the following week, the three must chose to either stay put and inevitably freeze to death, or make potentially life-threatening decisions and find a way off.

Featured at multiple horrorfests around the globe, Adam Green (breaking his way into the limelight in 2006 with the horror homage Hatchet) writes and directs his latest, Frozen. With a magnitude of followers after his breakout feature, he makes a swift turn from full blown horror to something a little more chilled.

Opening the feature with an introduction to our trio of characters, Green stabilizes their friendship with hammy dialogue and forced acting, hardly setting the scene for a film that attempts to surpass his previous. While quirky in places, their quarrelesome attitudes are simply charmless. Thankfully, once stranded over the mountains, Green's pace and idealistic behaviour towards the perfect set-up falls into place.

The two settings in which all characters' attitudes seem to be placed on - bickering and whining - are understandable under the obvious circumstances, with Green's writing exuding sheer professionalism when it's focused on elements gearing towards terror. Racketing the tension in by the buckets, scenes upon the chairlift are instantly nail-biting, successfully building up each unfortunate move with a concentrated, and agonizing, intensity.

The claustrophobic and incredibly harsh, frosty setting works tremendously with the film Green has written, but everything would have undoubtedly fallen into shit creak without the likes of the film's stars. Putting aside familiar faces Kevin Zegers and X-Men's Shawn Ashmore, the true talent is partial newcomer Emma Bell - whose fame will undoubtedly come in the next Final Destination installment. At first, predictably written, but somewhat grows due to the tragedy her character is succumbed to. Distressing and at times horrendous, a balance is made with the ill-fated getaway and the grim, relentless surroundings itself, with the warmth between the remaining characters proving some of the most memorable scenes.

Similarities can be made with shark flick Open Water, a fellow horror that looked more docu-dreadful than docu-horror. Delightfully straying from its faults, Frozen tends to thrive as a character-driven thriller, with Bell's especially becoming all the more relatable.

Despite failing to surpass his previous entry, Green's attempt won't go unnoticed. An unrelenting, chilling and ferociously terrifying survival horror that essentially works as a sadistic sister act to Hatchet.

4/5

Frozen is released theatrically in the UK September 24th, and on DVD/Blu-ray in the US September 28th.