Dec
07
In such series as FARSCAPE and STARGATE SG-1, Ben Browder traveled to distant universes filled with strange and fascinating creatures. But in all their adventures, neither FARSCAPE’s John Crichton nor SG-1′s Cameron Mitchell ever had to contend with an environment as daunting as high school, or a life form as enigmatic as teenagers. That’s just …
Dec
03
It’s a funny ol’ thing: Guess the studios figured that after the tension of all those family reunions last week, audiences would need to vent some of that sublimated hostility. So this week, depending on where you live, you could spend time with a sadistic murderer with a penchant for elaborate death traps in THE …
Nov
12
If box office numbers are to be believed, we’ve been suffering a severe case of Bond withdrawal. SKYFALL, the newest film featuring secret agent 007, had its best opening of any Bond film as the franchise celebrates its 50th anniversary. And critical consensus has so far fallen into line with that of ecstatic audiences, contending …
Oct
22
From Paramount’s point-of-view, there’s a compelling reason to continue the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY series: It’s a cash-cow — a low-budget, high-earning (number one at the box-office this past weekend) crowd-pleaser. The studio has some experience in this field, having previously cranked out the FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH films, a franchise that became so threadbare by the end …
Oct
05
There are too many chunks of cinema history that have gone permanently lost that anytime something is called back from the ashes, it’s cause for celebration. Even so, Ted Kotcheff’s acidic, sweaty Australian drama WAKE IN FRIGHT is a special case. Released in 1971 to critical praise and box office indifference, the tale of a …
Oct
02
Is LOOPER a moving, existential examination of one man confronting the consequences of his actions? Is it a kick-ass, science-fiction thriller that gets considerable, mind-freak mileage from its time-travel scenario? Or is it an overhyped, poorly-plotted bit of pretentious cool? Surprise, it’s all three! At least it is if you ask Cinefantastique Online’s Steve Biodrowski, …
Sep
19
So we’ve got another sponsored post for y’all. This is UK specific, again: On September 27th, Syfy UK will be debuting CONTINUUM, a new series out of Canada about a time-traveling policewoman from the future (Rachel Nichols) who’s sent back to present-day Vancouver to track down a gang of terrorists bent on altering history. Kinda …
Sep
17
People have condemned the RESIDENT EVIL series, claiming it’s nothing more than a loose assemblage of action sequences wherein Milla Jovovich’s agile zombie-fighter Alice runs and shoots guns. Not satisfied with that, writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson has confounded expectations with RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION: He has Alice shoot guns, then run. Cinefantastique Online’s Steve Biodrowski and …
Sep
10
[REC] 3: GENESIS, the third installment of the Spanish zombie franchise, distinguishes itself in several ways: It’s the first to move the location away from the building of the first two films, cleverly choosing a wedding reception as the site for its carnage; the narrative takes a decisively more humorous tone; and the director, Paco …
Sep
03
You were at the beach. You were visiting relatives. You had friends over for one, last barbecue. You were scrubbing down the altar for the midnight sacrifice to the Great Old Ones (special for Providence only). Whatever you were doing, it was something you felt was more important than being in the theater this past …
