CD Review: Battlestar Galactica - Season 4 Music Composed by Bear McCreary

After taking over the reigns from Richard Gibbs, who scored the Battlestar Galactica mini-series in 2003, Bear McCreary has been off to the races. Since the very first note of "33" you could tell that the music for this series was going to be something special. Of course, it took me until the release of season 3 for me to actually pick up one of the disks, but no mind. The important part is that I did. With that release, I could finally stop just thinking about how cool the music was and could take the time to listen to it. Now, having heard that, plus this two-disk season 4 release I feel pretty safe in saying that no one has composed television music like him before. Actually, there probably are not that many who equal him on the big screen either.

Listening to Bear McCreary's work for Battlestar Galactica is a near transcendent experience. His music takes you on a journey with recurring themes, a variety of styles and instruments, and the willingness to experiment. Even in what is essentially a "greatest hits" collection, it is very easy to get caught up in the flow. Whether it be the softer, emotion filled, contemplative pieces like "Lament of Gaeta" or "Diaspora Oratorio" or the more intense moments like "Roslin Escapes" or the later portions of "Boomer Takes Hera," it is very easy to get caught up in the music to the point of forgetting what you were doing.

With season 4, Bear is completing the circuit. What began with a more militaristic, percussive sound, the music has changed, evolved, morphed, and grown through a number of permutations. As the series moved into more philosophical ground and the characters began to find themselves (or lose themselves, as the case may be), the music changed with them, reflecting their state of mind, or the new surroundings they find themselves in.

This final season collection sees the bulk of the music turning inwards, reflecting the change from the early military sounds to this. Much like the characters, the music has gone through its own arc. An arc that has afforded its composer to experiment with a variety of sounds and instruments, never bound by any rules of composition, given free reign to wild. The end result is music that incorporates a large variety of influences from around the world into one cohesive work that is as epic as it is deeply personal.

When you listen to the first disk of this set, I encourage you to pay particular attention to "Gaeta's Lament" and its instrumental version, "Cult of Baltar," "Blood on the Scales," "Kara Remembers," "Dreilide Thrace Sonata No. 1," and every other track here.

As an added bonus, this release has a second disk. This disk is focused completely on the series finale, "Daybreak." Much like every other album of Bear McCreary's music, this is not to be missed. It may be the most focused of the Battlestar Galactica albums, aside from Caprica, as it is not a "Best of" collection it gives us the opportunity of taking the musical journey from start to finish.

This disk begins with the sorrowful "Caprica City, Before the Fall" before moving onto a slightly more hopeful "Laura's Baptism." This build continues through the next couple of cues, all building up to the album's centerpiece.

At the heart of the "Daybreak" score is a massive 15-minute epic called "Assault on the Colony." This is just a massive work that seems to incorporate everything that Bear has done over the series. There are quiet moments, in your face explosions, a regular climb and falls, recognizable themes, everything in one massive package.

One would think that a piece like this would sap the album of momentum by peaking too early. That is not the case hear, the momentum carries right on to "Baltar's Sermon" and the rest of the score.

This score works very well. There is some wonderful pacing throughout, it never gets boring or repetitious and is just as good listening apart from the show, always a sign of a good score.

Bottomline. I am sad to see this series end. Not only is it landmark television with a great story to tell with wonderful performances and great look, but it generated such wonderful music. It is sad to realize that we will not be getting anymore Bear Battlestar music. Sure, we have Caprica but it is not the same thing. Still, Bear is a wonderful composer who has done some great work and has nowhere to go but up. I look forward to seeing what happens when he gets a shot at a major film. You know it will happen and you know it will be great.

Highly Recommended.

New Movies and Box Office Predictions: The Collector, Funny People, Aliens in the Attic, (500) Days of Summer

August is nearly upon us and the end of Summer is drawing close at an increasingly speedy rate. With the big blockbusters pretty much safely in the rearview mirror, we can hope to see some smaller films hoping to become sleeper hits mixed in with studio pictures with big names but smaller budgets than the action extravaganzas that litter the blockbuster landscape. Case in point, we have a comedy this week with high expectations and big names that is decidedly not a studio tent-pole type film.

The Collector. (2009, 85 minutes, R, horror)I am really looking forward to this. No, I have no reason to expect it to be good. I only hope that it delivers the horror thrills I like and that it doesn't turn into another Saw rip off. I will admit to liking the premise. It follows a burglar looking for a score who breaks into a rich family's house only to find a sadistic killer is already there.... Sounds good to me. Whoops... I may have typed too soon, this is from the writing team of Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, the men behind Saw IV, V and the upcoming VI, not to mention the Feast Trilogy. Oh well. Still, being a hopeless optimistic move fan, I will hope for the best.



Funny People. (2009, 136 minutes, R, comedy)How can this movie not be good? I think they would have to actively sabotage this for it to be bad. All right, perhaps that is a bit melodramatic, but Judd Apatow has a track record, be it writing, directing, or producing. This is his third outing as a writer/director and early word is very positive. The story centers on a comedian who has a near death experience, has the opportunity to change his life, and what he does with it. It also looks a little like the passing of the torch from Adam Sandler to Seth Rogen. Joining those two in the cast are Leslie Man, Eic Bana, Jonah Hill, and Jason Schwartzman.



Aliens in the Attic. (2009, 90 minutes, PG, family/science fiction) I cannot say this holds much interest for me, although I think the kids are going to get a kick out of it. A family heads up to their Maine vacation home and the kids make a strange discovery, yup, they have aliens in the attic and they are the advance team before a full invasion force arrives. It is up to the kids to repel the alien attack. The trailer is highlighted by a remote control device that they use to control people. Eh. Maybe someday.



(500) Days of Summer. (2009, 95 minutes, PG-13, romance) Ever since I first saw the dialogue-less first trailer, I knew I had to see this movie. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel seems like a perfect pairing in a romance that is not a romance. This looks like a romance with a fresh approach and a pair of likable leads. It looks funny, sweet, alluring, and above all else, real. I truly hope that this pays off.



Also opening this week, but not near me:

• Adam
• The Cove
• Flame & Citron
• Lorna's Silence
• Not Quite Hollywood
• Thirst

Box Office Predictions
I was actually half surprised to find that G-Force defeated Harry Potter last weekend. I also find it odd to think it is dropping so quickly. Granted, it is not the best of the series, but still, it's Harry freaking Potter. Hopefully the new IMAX screenings this week will help stem the bleeding. This week the top movie at he box office will surely be the new Adam Sandler/Seth Rogen/Judd Apatow collaboration, which looks pretty darn funny. At the other end of the scale is something like The Collector, which I am looking forward to, but do not expect it to make a dent at the box office, as it stands I suspect I am overestimating it.

Here is how I think it could play out.

Rank	Title	Box Office
1	Funny People	$31 million
2	G-Force	$18 million
3	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	$16.5 million
4	The Ugly Truth	$14 million
5	Aliens in the Attic	$12 million
6	The Collector	$6.5 million
7	Orphan	$6 million
8	Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	$5.5 million
9	Transformers Revenge of the Fallen	$4.5 million
10	The Hangover	$4 million

CD Review: GWAR - Lust in Space (sampler)

There are some bands whose continued existence escapes me. By all normal, rational thought, there is no way these bands should have lasted past a couple of albums. This is a completely separate thought from my perceived enjoyment of said band. Neat the top of that list is GWAR. Seriously, those of you familiar with the band, can you honestly tell me you are not surprised by their continued existence, much less their success? The band, which has turned over too many members to count has been active for more than 25-years and released their first album, Hell-O, way back in 1988. Now they are back with their eleventh full-length album, and their first since returning to Metal Blade Records for the first time since 2001's Violence Has Arrived.

Well, I have managed to get my hands on a four track sampler of Lust In Space, which is due to begin its world decimation on August 18, 2009. With these four tracks, I get the feeling the band may have another winner on their hands. The wild lyrics and attitude are there, the great riff-oriented songs seem to be in order, and while they may never be considered a great band (they aren't), but they will always be a blast, despite the likelihood that they passed their expiration date decades ago.

If I do a direct comparison of these songs with their last album, Beyond Hell, I would have to go with Beyond Hell. That 2007 release was something special, a high water mark if you will. That album had skull crushing riffs, solid drums, and attitude to spare, plus it had the added bonus of the Canadian Mad Man of Metal, none other than Devin Townsend on to produce. His influence was clear throughout, and if you like his other work, that album brought his considerable talent into a bizarre union with this musical horror show that worked wonders.

Still, I do like what I hear and look forward to hearing these tunes within the context of the rest of the album.



The first song is "Let Us Slay" which has a bit of a punk intensity as vocalist Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) leads us through the lyrics focusing on the desire to slay, what else? The main riff is easy to bang your head to and the general flow is rather catchy.

Next is "Damnation Under God" has some drums out of control early on combined with some surprisingly melodic lead vocals. The further in, the heavier it gets, reaching a fevered pitch in its final minute with a steady chugging guitar that will surely get the pit churning while the band sprays them with goo.

"Metal Metal Land" reminds me of another band, but I cannot quite put my finger on it. The lyrics tell of a metal utopia, to the best I can discern. Listening to the constant repetition of "Metal Metal" makes me think this will be a great sing along type of tune. One of the highlights here is the bass line, which makes its presence known and is actually pretty nice (not that GWAR ever does anything "nice")

Rounding out the sampler is "The Price of Peace." It opens with a chord progression with some squealing notes before making way for a more standard chugging riff structure. The lyrics concern the elimination of the human race in the name of peace. Lead vocal are not delivered by Oderus, this voice is less capable as a singer but does the job, unfortunately I have not been able to find who it is.

This GWAR formation is almost the same as the Beyond Hell line up, with Casey Orr replacing Todd Evans as Beefcake the Mighty on bass. Corey Smoot (Flattus Maximus) and Mike Derks (BalSac the Jaws of Death) return as the guitar duo and pick up where they left off with their solid riffage and decent leads. Behind the kit is Brad Roberts (Jizmak da Gusha) and he continues to do solid work back there. Of course, there is the previously mentioned Dave Brockie as the inimitable Oderus Urungus and lone original member (when he played guitar and did not sing) with his distinctive voice. Not for nothing, they are not a great band, but they are more than capable of delivering solid work in the studio and live.

Bottomline. I cannot give a final word on the album, not having heard the entire thing, but what I have heard is promising and I suspect this will be a solid album that fans will enjoy and will provide new fodder for their great live show (which I have experienced once). That said, I think this album, at least this four track sample, is worth:

Recommended.

CD Review: Lacuna Coil - Shallow Life

I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. Lacuna Coil, a band in search of a wider audience, is moving forward full steam with a much more mainstream oriented sound. It could be sensed with Karmacode, but here it is much more evident. That said, this is a bit of a disappointment considering the band I discovered with Comalies and as an opening act for Anthrax. The funny thing is, just as this is a let down based on their previous output, I still found myself drawn in to the catchy hooks and hypnotic vocals of Cristina Scabbia.

When I first heard of Lacuna Coil, it came in the wake of the Evanescence explosion. I feel this is part of the reason they have not found their success here in the States. Whenever I ask anyone if they listen to Lacuna Coil, they usually give me a puzzled look and say"No." After explaining the Evanescence comparison they get it. The problem is that in mainstream eyes they are seen as also rans, riding the coattails of the band that hit before them, which simply isn't true. So, it strikes me that over the course of the past couple of albums they have been modifying their sound, playing more towards the mainstream style and dropping the nu-metal trappings of their earlier releases in an effort to break through.

Shallow Life evoked a variety of feelings. There was sadness over the apparent demise of the nu-metal and edgier side of their sound (sure to live on in live performances). At the same time, I kind of like where they are going, it is just going to take a little time to get used to. As much as I prefer the prior releases, this direction seems to fit them like a glove.

Lacuna Coil will go as far as Cristina Scabbia's voice can take them. It makes sense to play up the melodic elements of their sound, making them the focal point. This is easily their most melodic release, instead of worrying about their riffing, they focus more on the song structure, softening the edges, making it more accessible while still feeling distinctly like Lacuna Coil. Something else that is new with this album is a more widespread use of backing keyboards. They add atmosphere and other touches to the overall sound. I like the effect, it fills out the sound and gives the production a nice feel.

The album, taken on its own terms, is a pretty solid collection of tunes. They all fall within the same pacing counts, meaning there is not a wide variation between the fast and slow tunes. The interplay between Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro is still there. Scabbia carries the vocal duties, yet the slightly out of tune Ferro adds a nice flavor to the song. He clearly is a weak vocal link, but the band makes it work, whether through talent as performers or studio trickery, I cannot be certain. The guitars have a smooth presence, backed by a steady rhythm section. Nothing outstanding, but they come together well in the name of the song with no standout performances.

As for the songs? There are a few that stand out, including: "I Survive," "I Like It," "The Pain," and "Shallow Life."

Bottomline. Yes, this is a good album, not a great one. I am not sure that they have a "great" album in them. Still, you could do a lot worse. Scabbia has a wonderful voice and the band has a knack for crafting catchy songs. It is definitely worth checking out.

Recommended.

Box Office Update 7/24-7/26: G-Force Squeaks to the Top

Last week, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince won the weekend by a rather decisive margin in its first weekend of wide release. Its second week of release sees it stung by a 62% drop from its opening frame. All I can say to that is "Wow!" I knew it would take a sizable dip, but even this is larger than I was expecting. That said, I am sure this coming weekend it will level off a bit as it begins its IMAX run. Still, that is a pretty big drop to contend with for such a big movie. Well, there is no love lost, as it is still raking in the money and is sure to continue that trend, especially when it hits DVD.

So, with Harry Potter slipping out of its top perch, what movie did the honors? Why Disney's special effects laden talking guinea pig movie, G-Force. I cannot comment on the quality, or lack there of, of this movie, not having seen it. I can say that it isn't at the top of my list, but there is no denying the good level of talent involved and the rather manic energy of the trailer. Perhaps one day I will see it, not sure when, but there it is.

Stepping down to third place, you will find the second new movie of the weekend, The Ugly Truth. It performed a bit better than I was expecting, and I should have known better. Anyway, the romantic comedy attempts to lure in the male demographic with a certain level of crassness, nothing like Good Luck Chuck, but it is there in a more well meaning way. It is an enjoyable movie, but quite easy to forget. I like it for trying to be different by pulling away the fairy tale veil, but am indifferent to the way it falls back on the genre standards in the latter half. I suspect it will linger for a while before dropping away.

In fourth place is the weekend's best new movie and one that came as a complete surprise to me, Orphan. It is essentially a combination of domestic thriller and creepy kid movie, it does not really offer anything new or push any new boundaries. I guess you are wondering why it is so good. Well, it does everything so right, it executes on every level and is very creepy, atmospheric, scary, and just flat out entertaining. It will have you jumping, cringing, laughing, and applauding.

Fifth place plays temporary home to the third Ice Age film, which keeps chugging along. Sometime next weekend it will likely pass the gross of the original film, but will probably not reach that of the second film. All I can hope for is that this series is done, I think it has gone past its expiration date.

The rest of the list is generally holding pretty solid, with The Hangover really making a name for it this summer with some great week to week holds, solid reviews, and becoming one of the biggest R-rated films ever (not just comedies). Although you do have an example at the other end, Bruno continues to plummet, it will be off the top ten next weekend.

Next weekend will see the arrival of the new Judd Apatow comedy Funny People, which looks pretty good, the family oriented Aliens in the Attic, which does not, and the horror film The Collector, which I am looking forward to but am not expecting to make much of a splash.

Three movies dropped off the top ten this week: Up (12), My Sister's Keeper (14), and I Love You, Beth Cooper (15).

This Week	Last Week	Title	Wknd Gross	Overall	Week in release
1	N	G-Force	$31,706,934	$31,706,934	1
2	1	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	$29,462,187	$221,295,818	2
3	N	The Ugly Truth	$27,605,576	$27,605,576	1
4	N	Orphan	$12,871,483	$12,871,483	1
5	2	Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	$8,408,430	$171,499,101	4
6	3	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	$8,124,427	$379,214,172	5
7	6	The Hangover	$6,461,370	$247,073,766	8
8	5	The Proposal	$6,379,926	$140,042,989	6
9	7	Public Enemies	$4,352,650	$88,278,880	4
10	4	Bruno	$2,832,870	$56,629,390	3

Box Office Predictions Recap
Not a bad week, if I don't say myself. With the lone mistake coming at the top, I quickly settled in came through with the rest of the top ten in the proper order. Who would have thought a debuting movie about guinea pig spies would take down the second weekend of the mighty sixth Harry Potter film? Still, despite this placement mix-up, I did pretty good on the gross predictions front. What will next hold? A second weekend victory for G-Force? Nah, i didn't think so either.

Here is how the field matched up:

Actual	Prediction	Title	Wknd Gross	Prediction
2	1	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	$29,462,187	$35 million
1	2	G-Force	$31,706,934	$28 million
3	3	The Ugly Truth	$27,605,576	$20 million
4	4	Orphan	$12,871,483	$15 million
5	5	Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	$8,408,430	$9 million
6	6	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	$8,124,427	$7 million
7	7	The Hangover	$6,461,370	$5.5 million
8	8	The Proposal	$6,379,926	$4.5 million
9	9	Public Enemies	$4,352,650	$3 million
10	10	Bruno	$2,832,870	$2 million

DVD Pick of the Week: Big Man Japan

Welcome back! Well, to some of you, anyway. To the rest of you, glad you decided to stop by and I hope this humble column helps you navigate the stacks of new releases each week. My goal is to point you toward titles of interest and warn you away from those films that seek to do nothing but leech away your time and give you nothing in return.

Full disclosure: I have not seen many of these titles, and what follows are not necessarily reviews, but opinions based upon what I know of the titles I pluck from the new release lists I peruse. The opinions I give based on the new releases are my own, and my recommendations are based on my personal interest. In any case, I hope you enjoy and perhaps find something you like or a title to point me towards.

Big Man Japan. I have not seen this, but the trailer alone inspired me to place it at the top of this week's list. In post-WWII Japan, the nation has been protected from monster attacks by a succession of guardians. The problem is that the latest hero, a man who turns into a giant several stories high via electric shock, has not captured the hearts and minds of the people. He is mocked, and people just do not particularly care for him or the destruction that results from his "work." The trailer makes it look like some wacky fun. I am looking forward to seeing how this thing plays out. The CG does not look particularly great, but it does exude an energy that allows me to get past it.

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series (also Blu-ray). This is a pricey set, but man do I want it. Before seeing Big Man Japan on the list, this was going to be my pick for the week. This series is one of the greatest ever made. There is no doubt in my mind that this will be remembered as a landmark, all coming after what I thought was a questionable mini-series. This is reimagining done right. The series has it all, action, drama, comedy, thrills, chills, wonderful direction, acting, design, it is the complete package.

Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5 (also Blu-ray). This is the final batch of episodes for the series, building up to the "Daybreak" finale. This is a show that went out on its own terms, rather than wait to be canceled. They decided to end with season 4, so they were able to plan out the ending, delivering us a satisfying ending. Simply a fantastic show that if you do not watch, you truly need to.

Torchwood: Children of Earth (also Blu-ray). I have seen very little of this Doctor Who spin-off, although I like what I have seen. This mini-series appeared on BBC America last week and is now here on disk for our repeated enjoyment. I have not yet seen it, but have heard nothing but good things about it and the trailer looks pretty darn good. The five episode series centers on an alien invasion by beings called the 456, whose arrival is heralded by chanting children. Torchwood investigates.

Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead (also Blu-ray). David Tennant's tenure as the good Doctor is coming to an end, and it is doing so with a series of TV movies, this is the first of the bunch. The show finds the Doctor attempting to prevent the threat of metallic stingray creatures pose to Earth. The show was generally well received and was also the first to be shot in high definition.

Dollhouse: Season One (also Blu-ray). Joss Whedon's latest attempt at a television series is a good one. It had something of a slow start, but around episode six or seven, everything begins to pick up, creating a compelling series that leaves you wondering what will happen next. It centers on a company that provides dolls, characters with reprogrammable personalities and skills. Eliza Dushku stars and is well worth checking out. Fortunately, it has been picked up by Fox for a second season.

Green Lantern: First Flight (also Blu-ray). The next animated DC Universe film to hit DVD. I heard this is pretty good, but I have not yet seen it. I do not know much about the character aside from his power being derived from a ring, the Lanterns being an interstellar police force, and that Ryan Reynolds was recently cast to star in the live action film.

Fast & Furious (also Blu-ray). While I was left cold, bored, and uninterested by the story I did enjoy the racing action. I am guessing that will be enough for many who go to see this, and there is nothing wrong with that, I just really wished there was more to it. I kept waiting for the story to take off. The entire exercise is a lot of set up with very little payoff. The outing does feature the return of the original stars, as well as the return of Justin Lin who directed the prior entry in the series.

Repulsion (Criterion DVD and Blu-ray). This 1965 Roman Polanski film is one I have wanted to see but have not yet had the pleasure. It is the story of a repressed young girl whose thoughts and hallucinations dip her into madness. A young Catherine Deneuve stars.

12 Monkeys (Blu-ray). One of the best films of the 1990's not to mention for stars Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt. This Terry Gilliam helmed time travel film is terribly involving and interesting as our hero attempts to uncover the secrets of the 12 Monkeys. This is one of this week's catalog titles arriving on high definition Blu-ray.

Dragonball: Evolution (also Blu-ray). Surprisingly enough, this movie is not nearly as bad as I was expecting. It is not a good movie by any stretch, but there is a certain energy that makes it watchable. The story follows star Justin Chatwin on his journey to reunite the Dragonballs and prevent the end of the world.

Miss March. This comedy was on screens earlier this year, where it was largely ignored. It stars the stars of The Whitest Kids U Know. One guy gets knocked into a coma just before he is about to lose his virginity, wakes up years later to discover his ex is now a Playboy Bunny. He and his buddy head off on a trip to find her. The trailers look pretty lame and I do not expect much from the movie.

Inglorious Bastards (Blu-ray). The inspiration for the Quentin Tarantino film, this 1970's exploitation film hits high definition disk, with plenty of time to be seen before h arrival of the Tarantino film. This stars Bo Svensen and Fred Williams as a couple of escaped prisoners sent on a suicide mission behind enemy lines in Europe during WWII.

DVD Review: Choking Hazard

I do believe this is a first for me. Prior to watching this movie, I do not believe I have ever seen a movie from the Czech Republic. Of course, it has to be a horror film, it seems that when it comes to foreign cinema, it is generally easier to get genre related films, as genre fans tend to soak up whatever they can get their hands on. I could be completely off base here, but that is the way I see it. Anyway, this zombie film is my introduction to Czech film and it is a decidedly mixed bag.

Choking Hazard is a horror comedy that has the unique distinction of bringing in existentialism to the mix, using the zombies as an example of the battle between instinct and reason, topped with the struggle to find a balance between the two, which, when reached, would lead to a profound understanding of the meaning of life. Does it succeed? Not really, although to be fair, I suspect there is something lost in the translation, cultural differences that do not come across all that clearly.

The movie centers on a small and varied group of people, or victims as many of them turn out to be. They are not friends, buddies, or co-workers, rather they have all signed up for the same class. It is a philosophy class being given by a blind man who bears a passing resemblance to Bob Hoskins crossed with Anthony Hopkins. Much like in The Haunting of Hill House, the teacher takes the group to an abandoned hotel in order to be secluded from the real world in a location where they can focus more strongly on what they are attempting to accomplish.

Before the group goes to the hotel, they were charged with creating a video representing what they are about and what they are looking for. We get to see some of these clips during the opening credits. It is an element that comes into play throughout; you know, if it isn't recorded, it never really happened.

Before the group is able to get too far into their examination of existence, of that struggle between instinct and reason, the dead rise up from the woods all around them and make their way to the hotel in the hopes finding the one thing that can quench their hunger. That's right, they are looking for brains.

When the zombies show up, the action really begins. The merry band of bickering students get split up as they do their best to retain their lives. I am not sure what to think about this. Yes, the zombies are kind of fun and some of the things they do are awfully random, which is fun, but it does not really make for a good movie.

I understand that they are trying to make a philosophical statement, but I am just not seeing it. It is a movie that I am sure has a message, but since I could not really put the pieces together, I chose to sit back and take it in as just another zombie film. Unfortunately, there is not much of a story tell and while there are many sequences to like, they are greater than the sum of the parts.

There is no explanation of where the zombies came from, other than they are all woodsmen. What that means, I could not say. They are all dressed the same, so there is a definite connection between them. They are also introduced with the title card "Instinct." Later on we get a different, smaller group of similarly dressed brain-munchers, but they are a little smarter, they are introduced as "Reason." Hmmm, could these guys be tying into the blind professor's lectures? I am sure of it, but what does it mean? What does it mean? Sorry, couldn't rightly tel you. Well, let's just skip the purpose of the story as I can tell this is not going to go anywhere.

What helps this movie work as a pure entertainment is the style. It is low budget affair, but director Marek Dobes brings plenty of style to bear. It is sort of like an existential, Quentin Tarantino, zombie film made on a $20 budget. I am sure it cost much more than that, but I am sure you catch my meaning. There are some nice angles and cuts, plus some fantastic slow motion shots that are icing on the cake rather than anything substantive, but it works.

As for the performances, they are what you would expect for this sort of film. Many of the characters are of the throwaway variety. There were a couple that stood out. There is the slacker character who never looks like he wants to be there, and just works as he makes his way through the onslaught with an ever bemused expression. Then there is the girl with the little Princess Leia-like hair-buns that seems to be having fun. However, the one character that made the biggest impression is the porn star who also happens to be a Jehovah's Witness, an odd combination that is just very funny, plus he gets the best final moment of the bunch.

Audio/Video. The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen video looks pretty good. It has a realistic color palette and there is a good level of detail through the shadows. It is not up to the latest Hollywood blockbuster standards, but were you really expecting that? I didn't think so. Still, it is nicely done. The audio is in the same realm. The Czech language track is always clear, although not the most active. It has a good range, although it fails to really stand out in any way.

Extras. This Fangoria (through Media Blasters) release has a few extras along with the film.

• Commentary. This track is with director Marek Dobes. I only listened to a little bit of the track as I grew quite bored with it. It is in English, but Dobes English is not the best and he is a droll, low talker. He seems to have plenty of information to relate if you want to try it.
• The Making of Choking Hazard. This featurette runs for 45 minutes and has plenty of behind the scenes footage from the set.
• Music Video. This i for one of the rock tunes from the film and features footage from the movie.
• Photo Gallery. This consists of five minutes worth of stills from the set.
• Original Trailer. Just what it says.

Bottomline. This is sort of fun in a manic, free-wheeling manner. Again, there are some wonderful parts, some cool shots, and plenty to like, but it just does not add up to a complete movie experience.

Mildly Recommended.

Movie Review: The Ugly Truth

I have said it before and will likely say it again, but the romantic comedy is as stagnant a genre as there is today. For some reason, it seems to more often than not be given a pass as opposed to, say, horror films that follow formula. Why is that? I could take a stab (sic), but that would lead into a completely different sort of column, perhaps some other time. The case at hand is The Ugly Truth and its attempts to inject a new perspective into the genre and how it ultimately falls back on the same cliches the genre has suffered from for decades, or benefited from depending on how much you enjoy the genre. I cannot say I hated the movie, but it is definitely not all it could be.

Looking over the past couple of years worth of romantic comedies, there are very few that standout as taking any sort of chance. The first ones that come to mind are Definitely, Maybe and PS I Love You. Both of those films are easily accessible to mainstream audiences, but take a different angle on the genre and end up working. Then there are the movies that are your typical genre examples like The Proposal, 27 Dresses, and Made of Honor, these movies are not necessarily bad (although I would not rule it out) but they just sort of exist as an attempt to make some money. Then there are the romantic comedies that try to offer something more to the male demographic, like My Best Friend's Girl, which fails to deliver. Sometimes I feel the genre exists solely so that those who act in them will have something to do.

The Ugly Truth comes in the wake of My Best Friend's Girl as a romantic comedy with aspirations of drawing in the male demographic. It has a good premise, it seeks to peel back the relationship veneer, to expose the sexes for what they are by revealing the reality of what everyone is looking for. While so many romantic comedies exist in some sort of fantasy land where you have love at first sight and the characters find their perfect match, this one tries to boil it down to its essence, remove the fairy tale elements and allow the truth to shine through. Early on it works, but somewhere around the mid point, where they decided they needed a definite direction, the fairy tale elements are brought back in as we steam towards the expected conclusion.

As the story starts, we are introduced to Abby (Katherine Heigl), a driven, by the books, television morning news producer with little time for a relationship, although she often dreams of meeting that perfect guy. She works hard but the show is struggling for ratings. The answer is seemingly found in a public access show host named Mike (Gerard Butler) who has a show called "The Ugly Truth." It is a crass, vulgar show where Mike point out the simplicity of the male species, what they want is simple, although it may not fit into the expectations that women have for them. He is charismatic, causes a reaction, and seems to be a perfect fit for the news show's problems.

The central conflict is between Mike and his piggish ways and Abby and her prim and proper visage. It is a foregone conclusion that these two will end up together, the only real question is how long will it take for them to find each other.

It starts out pretty good, with the awkward meet-cute of Mike and Abby, the ability that Mike has to cut through it all and target the crux of the matter, much to Abby's chagrin. These early moments attempt to deliver a more honest romantic comedy, offering "real world" advice. While I did not find it terribly believable, I did find it rather funny. The butting of heads is fun, as both of our leads seem to be quite in touch with their characters creating a little electricity, even if any character development is cut of at the knees.

If you have watched any romantic comedies over the year, you will recognize the structure here, meaning that the ebb and flow will be nothing new to you. Just watching the trailer will tell you how the story is going play out, saving me the need to lay it out any further for you. The true success of the movie lies squarely on the backs of the performers.

There is not a lot of directorial style, meaning any capable director could be behind the camera; in this case it is Robert Luketic, whose prior credits include 21, Monster in Law, and Legally Blonde. None of which are terribly stylish in the directorial sense. He can put a movie together, just don't expect much.

As for the screenplay from Nicole Eastman and Karen McCullah Lutz & Kirsten Smith, it is hardly groundbreaking. Although, I do have to wonder if any of it got cut out during the production. There are moments that seem to want to develop into something more but ultimately do not lead anywhere. In particular, I enjoyed the too few moments with Mike and his nephew, and the blown off moment later on between Mike and Abby as they discuss why Mike is the way he is. Both of these elements hinted at a screenplay that may originally have had a bit more depth in it.

With direction and writing out of the way, we are down to the performances. Katherine Heigl does a fine job playing the sort of role she seems to have been born to play. She does not offer anything new to the role, but she seems very comfortable playing it. She has some good reaction shots and that goofy "happy dance" going in her favor. I would like to see her stretch a little and try to add something, anything more to her performances, as this feels very similar to her 27 Dresses character. Then we have Gerard Butler, the current man's man, and he looks like he is having fun with the character, approaching with a loose, easy going charisma. While he has been building an image as an action guy, he does seem to have acting ability to adjust to other genres. He does a fine job of playing the superficial guy while also having some activity behind the eyes.

The supporting cast has its moments, usually with Cheryl Hines and John Michael Higgins, as the married anchor couple they have some very funny moments, outlandish as they are. Then there is Bree Turner, playing Abby's assistant Joy, she does a fine job, but from the tone of her performance, I have to ask, was Judy Greer not available? This is the sort of role that Greer would bring so much snarky life to. In the end, if she was available, she would likely have been wasted.

Bottomline. It is what it is. This is not a great movie, it is not a terrible movie. It had the potential of being something more, but failed to deliver. Still, it provides entertaining diversion, offers a few big laughs, and quickly leaves the mind on the way out. I am sure you know who you are if you think you will like this.

Mildly Recommended.

Movie Review: Orphan

When I first saw he trailer for this movie I was afraid it was just going to be another lame "creepy kid" movie. We have had a ton of them over the past couple of years with many not being particularly good. It really looked to be channeling the likes of The Omen and The Good Son, and do we really need another one of them? Still, being a dutiful little horror movie fan, off I went to the screening, hoping for the best but not expecting all that much. One fact that gave me a little reason to hope is the R-rating. No, it is not that the rating gives any indication of quality, but all too often these creepy kid films play it toward the middle, deliver a PG-13 movie and struggle to deliver much of a compelling tale. So, the question now is: does Orphan deliver?

The short answer is yes. This movie delivers so much more than I had hoped. Orphan is creepy, thrilling, scary, funny, dramatic, and completely entertaining. That said, I would not go so far as to say it is a terribly original film, but so far as the creepy kid movies go, this has to land in the upper echelon of the sub-genre. It does just about everything right, and judging by the reactions of the crowd around me, I was not alone. Everyone seemed to be going along for the ride, reacting at just the right moment, collective jolts, jumps, and even moments of applause and cheering. It was an all around excellent experience that I had not even thought I would have when I entered the theater, although the fact that the screening sold out should have given me a hint. Surprisingly enough, even the teen audience members were behaving themselves as they got wrapped up in the movie. If nothing else, that has to be considered high praise with this attention span-addled, text messaging youth culture.

The movie opens with an eye-grabbing sequence as John (Peter Sarsgaard) and Kate Coleman (Vera Farmiga) arrive at the hospital just as she is about to give birth. However, there is a problem, there is definitely something wrong as they wheel her down to the delivery room. Kate then wakes in her own bed, it was only a nightmare. The couple has lost a child, stillborn, and have been struggling to recover from the loss. This healing process has found them with excess love that had been reserved for the child they lost and they want to share their abundance. In order to satiate their need to give, the couple has chosen to adopt a child to join their son Danny and daughter Max, who is also almost entirely deaf.

John and Kate visit an orphanage where they immediately connect with a 9 year old Russian girl named Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman). She is sort of an odd youngster, opting to stay away from the other kids, painting by herself in a corner. She also wheres frilly dresses and ribbons around her neck and wrists. Kate tells her: "There's nothing wrong with being different." We believe her, we all know this to be true, although that is usually tougher to deal with as a child. In any case, the papers are drawn up and Esther becomes a part of the Coleman family. They have no idea what they are in for.

No sooner has Esther entered their home that strange things begin to happen. Esther is not quite the little angel that Kate thought she was. The trappings of a domestic thriller begin to take shape as Esther seemingly plays them against each other while also protecting a secret about herself. It is interesting how Esther's craziness stirs up lingering issues between John and Kate that had been laying dormant. Of course, it is also interesting how none of their problems are caused by the other yet come together in an explosive mix of violence-laden insanity.

This is a movie I would so enjoy telling the details of. The problem is, if I did that what drive would you have to see the movie? It could easily be ruined with the wrong detail being given. What is shown in the trailers is the tip of the iceberg. I know it is not a movie that will change the world, but it delivers where it should.

Orphan is a movie that can be nitpicked to death, like just about any movie, but the movie is so convincing in how it presents its story that it is easy to overlook those issues. Besides, this is a movie more interested in atmosphere and visceral impact than it is about factual integrity. There is nothing wrong with that as I do not require strict adherence to my reality in my movies. Why should I? Seems to me that would handcuff the creative process. I mean, if you want to be slavish to reality, go for it, if it works, it will work, I just do not always require it.

The performances are quite good. Vera Farmiga delivers a fine performance as he embattled mother haunted by past indiscretions with alcohol that still hang over her head and raise questions about her allegations against the young Esther. She carries so much of the films tension throughout that she cannot be ignored. At her side is Peter Sarsgaard who has always turned in solid work. His character here is rather subdued, but it works just fine. The final member of our primary trio is Isabelle Fuhrman who delivers on the promise of the creepy kid. She has that unsettling stare down pat, and that accent and delivery just gives me shivers, she exudes evil.

Aside from our primary leads, there is one other character that deserves an enormous amount of credit. Aryanna Engineer delivers a wonderful performance as Max, John and Kate's deaf daughter who is caught under the influence of Esther. She is an adorable young girl who I believe is actually deaf. She adds so much flavor to the movie with her wonderful expressions, she will surely have an impact on your viewing experience.

The screenplay is a good one, although there are times when I think it could have been a little bit stronger, particularly with the parents problems, too much is left to the audience to piece together. Leaving the audience to put the pieces together is not necessarily a bad thing, it is more a problem with the nebulous way in which some of them land, or miss as the case may be. Still, by and large, the pieces do ultimately fit together in a way that makes the tension work.

Director Jaume Collet-Serra has had an interesting career leading to this film. He debuted on 2005 with the minor horror film House of Wax (which was decent, but better known for killing Paris Hilton), took a sidestep into drama with Goal II, leading to Orphan, which is clearly his most accomplished film to date. He gives the movie a great pace and uses great angles and timing to keep everyone off center and susceptible to the next scare. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here.

Bottomline. I really like this movie, I love the energy, I love how it feels familiar yet fresh, I love the the craziness that gets ratcheted up as we get close to the finish. It is a strong movie that defied my expectations. This is an experience well worth having.

Highly Recommended.