Scream Bloody Entertainment

Things are pretty chill over here and I’m enjoying most of my free time watching movies, anime and whatever else that I come across. I’m pretty happy right now, but I know myself well and I know I’ll soon get bored by all this freedom and will start getting busy with whatever I can find. But don’t mind me, let’s take a look at some movies, shall we?

Wednesday (16.06.2010)

She's Out of My League (2010) - 4/10
I went into this movie not expecting too much, but hoping for some good entertainment since I heard that She’s Out of My League is considered a slightly above average rom-com. I have to say that I was completely disappointed by this movie and found nothing good in it, surprisingly. There are literally few to zero scenes that actually make this movie stand out at all and a lot of the clichés I’m already sick of seeing in every comedy are all here. I don’t know why some people actually liked it, but I for one have seen much better comedies that are considered much worse than this.



Thursday (17.06.2010)

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) - 6/10
As much as I can’t stand clichés and blockbuster movies, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, despite the movie being exactly what I expected. Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton seemed to do a pretty good job as the leading cast and I think they had quite impressive chemistry between them. Ben Kingsley was rather average, unfortunately, and his character was shallow and too stereotypical to stand out. I wish they would have done more with the time manipulation thingy, but they did well nevertheless. I still don’t know whether or not I should acknowledge this as the best video game adaptation, but it’s definitely an enjoyable flick. Check it out if you want some mindless fun at the theaters.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) - 6/10
I heard a lot of negative feedback regarding this remake and Platinum Dunes isn’t exactly my favourite production company, so I went into this movie with insanely low expectations. I don’t know what to say, but I kinda liked it, actually. Sure, it plays out like every other slasher, but then there’s Jackie Earle Haley, which was awesome as the different, new Freddy and I believe he really did the best with what he was given. I think giving Freddy a darker edge and a new look was a terrific idea (as much as I love seeing Robert Englund terrorize teens, I felt that a change would bring some freshness into the franchise). Then there are also the visuals, which gave the movie a very grim, dark look (except for the horrible CGI which completely destroyed a couple of scenes). I strongly believe that this movie would have been a complete disaster had it not been for Jackie Earle Haley, and I have to admit that I enjoyed most of it, even though it doesn’t stand out as too much of a special movie. Might be worth a watch if you’re a fan of the series.

Sunday (20.06.2010)

True Romance (1993) - 8/10
True Romance is yet another proof that everything Quentin Tarantino is involved with turns out to be freakin’ awesome. I wish Tarantino would have directed this one, but Tony Scott did an excellent job nonetheless. Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette did a fantastic job and so did the rest of the cast. That scene with Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken was terrific and it instantly became one of my favourite scenes in movie history. I really didn’t know much about this film going in and I think that helped a lot with its overall impact; I recommend going in with that same attitude and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. So yeah, this movie was great. Makes up for an awesome Saturday night movie for sure.

The group stages of this year's World Cup have all been dealt with and we're off to the round of 16, where things will finally change and everything will be getting serious (well, more serious than before), since from now on it's eat or be eaten and every team will definitely be giving their best to go on towards the finals. Let's take a look at the lucky 16, shall we?

• Uruguay vs. South Korea
• USA vs. Ghana
• Nederlands vs. Slovakia
• Brazil vs. Chile
• Argentina vs. Mexico
• Germany vs. England
• Paraguay vs. Japan
• Spain vs. Portugal

The biggest shock is probably that Italy is out after a dramatic final game against Slovakia (which ended with 3:2 for Slovakia). France is also gone, but that's probably not as surprising. They did manage to score a goal and avoid a complete humiliation, but that's about it. Other teams that went home include Ivory Coast (which played really well, actually, but had some bad luck along the way), Greece and home team South Africa.

All that remains is to see how this all plays out and we're sure to have loads of good games coming up, since every team will be sure to give their best from now on (you know what I mean, more so than usually). I'm gonna get back to you after the rounds of 16 are done. See you on the other side, brother!

The first name in terror returns...

A teenager who just moved into a house on Elm Street with his family is hunted in his dreams by Freddy Krueger who wants take control over his body in order to continue his evil intentions.

- Freddy is back!
- feels somewhat different than other slasher movies (probably 'cause of the gay undertones... just sayin')
- the actors aren't as bad as you'd expect
- keeps you guessing in the first couple of minutes
- likeable characters (even though the protagonist is kind of a bitch)
- some scenes are so bad they're actually good

- the score just doesn't do it for me
- horrible script
- some ridiculous scenes that just take the atmosphere away
- could have at least tried to keep a low profile on Freddy until later on in the movie, instead of just revealing him right at the start
- Freddy outside of dreams just doesn't work
- dull climax

- Freddy decides to show us his brains
- birds going gaga, then exploding
- one strangely inappropriate, yet incredibly awesome S&M death
- a party full of clueless teenagers enjoying Freddy's company
- dogs with human faces?

- the best way to get out of a bus is to try to open the windows, not simply use the door
- if your son is screaming as if someone just cut off some of his limbs, just assume he had a bad dream and continue eating your lovely food
- Freddy likes some S&M from time to time

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge may be incredibly flawed and doesn't hold a candle to the original, but that doesn't mean it can't be fun, because it most certainly is. It really has a different feel than your average slasher flick and it sure has its moments, but overall the bad script and the ridiculous scenes just take it down. Still worth a watch, but only if you're a fan of the series.

horror meter: 2 homoerotic stars (out of 5)

Last time I talked about Splice, Black Death, Predators, Piranha 3-D, Resident Evil: Afterlife, Let Me In and Fading of the Cries, but there are lots of other horror movies coming out this year that I didn't have the chance to mention. Thus comes the second wave of upcoming horror movies of 2010! Are you ready? You better be!

Psych:9 (already released in the UK on the 7th of May 2010, US release date TBA)

It's time... to confront... your demons! The trailer of Psych:9 could have been made better, but it sure showcases this movie's big potential. There's a lot of creepiness from what I've seen and even though this is director Andrew Shortell's first full length feature film, he has a relatively good cast to work with (Sara Foster, Michael Biehn, Cary Elwes and Gabriel Mann). I'm not sure what to make of this just yet, but I sure can't wait to get my hands on it!

Plot: Working alone at night in a recently closed hospital, an unstable woman (Foster) witnesses events that may be connected to a string of murders. (taken from IMDb)

Here's a couple of interesting links for ya: 

• official website
• Facebook page
• some reviews: Xan Brooks, Philip French (@Guardian.co.uk)

 

The Killer Inside Me (already released) 
 
Jessica Alba in lingerie... drool. Seriously though, Casey Affleck plays one crazy-ass psycho killer and gets to have his way with Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson (apparently, 'cause I haven't seen the actual movie yet). Mkay... I really don't know what to make of this. Director Michael Winterbottom seems to have enough experience to pull this one off, but that trailer looks really... dubious (for lack of a better word). Guess we'll have to wait and see how this one turns out.

Plot: Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford (Casey Affleck) is a pillar of the community in his small Texas town, patient and apparently thoughtful. Some people think he is a little slow and maybe boring, but that is the worst they say about him. But then nobody knows about what Lou calls his "sickness": he is a serial killer. It nearly got him put away when he was younger, but his adopted brother took the fall for his crimes. But now the sickness that has been lying dormant for years is about to surface again and the consequences are brutal and devastating. (taken from Wikipedia)

I can has links?

• official website
• Facebook page
• reviews here: Chris Bumbray (@JoBlo.com), Sukhdev Sandhu (@Telegraph.co.uk), Kate Muir (@TheTimes.co.uk)

Burning Bright (coming to DVD on August 17th, 2010)

It really just looks like they've replaced your traditional horror movie villain/killer with a tiger instead of going for something new. I'm pretty sure it's just gonna be filled with some cheap scares and typical, probably cliche story - the trailer sure looks that way. It's also starring Briana Evigan, which as we all remember didn't do too much good up to this point (she starred in S. Darko and the remake of Sorority Row, for crying out loud!) and director Carlos Brooks is more or less unknown right now. I kinda have my doubts about this one, but hey: I could be wrong! Plus, who doesn't like seeing tigers chasing hot chicks and autistic children for a couple of hours?

Plot: A thriller centered on a young woman and her autistic little brother who are trapped in a house with a ravenous tiger during a hurricane. (taken from IMDb)

Here's your links:

• interesting review from Bloody Disgusting
• Wikipedia on "tigers"
• Survivor's awesome song Eye of the Tiger (with some Rocky shots in the background)
• I seriously couldn't find any interesting stuff about this movie, sorry...

After.Life (limited release on 9 April 2010, on Blu-Ray and DVD August 3rd, 2010)

So you've got Liam Neeson, Christina Ricci and Justin Long (who is really establishing himself as the 'boyfriend' in every horror movie he plays) teaming up for what seems to be a very interesting horror film. So you've got Ricci playing the chick who's dead, but not really, and Neeson starring as the villain. Oh, and Justin Long as the clueless boyfriend. Of course. Judging from the trailer, it seems to be structured just like a typical horror flick, but you can never be too sure. All that remains is to see for yourself, huh?

Plot: After a horrific car accident, Anna (Christina Ricci) wakes up to find the local funeral director Eliot Deacon (Liam Neeson) preparing her body for her funeral. Confused, terrified and feeling still very much alive, Anna doesn’t believe she’s dead, despite the funeral director’s reassurances that she is merely in transition to the afterlife. Trapped inside the funeral home, with nobody to turn to except Eliot, Anna is forced to face her deepest fears and accept her own death. (taken from Wikipedia)

Links, links, links

• official website
• Twitter @afterlifemovie
• Facebook page
• reviews: Roger Ebert, Marshall Fine (@HuffingtonPost.com), Scott Tobias (@avclub.com)
• After.Life @metacritic

Fear Thy Neighbor

Centered around a small town whose inhabitants have been contaminated with a disease that turns them crazy and hostile after a mysterious toxin pollutes their water supply.

- very entertaining, very tense
- solid acting
- less cliche-infected than most recent horror flicks
- well-written characters
- interesting story
- displays how effective a military operation can actually, unlike other horror movies...
- somewhat unconventional, but efficient score
- doesn't offer anything new, but makes for the best possible result with what it's got
- some very impressive, suspenseful scenes

- not as satisfying as I would have expected
- the exact explanation of the Crazies is somewhat distorted
- the fast pacing can make the plot confusing at times
- we never get to know whether or not Peter called

- a couple of gunshots here and there
- random dude burning his house + family (two birds with one stone?)
- some awesome pitchfork action
- one questionable hanging by stretchy hose
- mother-son revenge plot goes wrong
- mindless fun at Quik Phil's!

- some husbands love their wives no matter how fucking annoying they are
- you never know what you're getting into with car washes
- you would think that the dudes scanning all those people would know the difference between pregnancy and infection...
- the best way to save your mom by a group of heavily armed soldiers is to run towards them like one crazy son of a bitch
- biological weapons: making your enemies even more hostile and dangerous!
- never mind your family, look for your boyfriend first

The Crazies is one of those rare horror remakes that actually work and some may argue it even surpasses the original. Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell do a good job as the two lead actors and the rest of the cast is good enough to keep this movie together. The story is rather interesting and the fast pacing makes up for an intense atmosphere and suspenseful scenes. The Crazies may not offer anything new, but it's as entertaining and fun as it can get. Definitely worth a watch.

horror meter: 4 crazy stars (out of 5)

Brazil and Ivory Coast clashed in a fierce battle last night that was as both fruitful and unhealthy for both teams (more so for Brazil). The first half went by pretty fast as both Brazil and Ivory Coast were fighting hard for ball possession and to score a goal. Luis Fabiano of Brazil delivered the first goal in the 25th minute of the first round, which set a good advantage for the Brazilians in the last 45 minutes.


The second round started in full force after Luis Fabiano scored yet again in minute 50 after making his way past 3 defenders (although some may argue that he made a handball while trying to control the ball) and sending a powerful shot that landed into the net, even though the Ivorian goalkeeper managed to touch the ball (yet another reason why the whole deal with the World Cup official ball may heat up again). The Brazilians really took control over the next 10 minutes or so and played spectacularly, much in contrast to the slow first round they began with.

Elano delivered the 3rd goal for Brazil in the 62nd minute after receiving an excellent pass from Kaka, but Elano's celebration didn't last too long as he was soon forced to leave the game after a dangerous encounter with Ismael Tiote that may have cost the Brazilian attacking midfielder a serious injury. Everything went downhill after Brazil's third goal and the Ivorians started fouling very often and, at times, very hard. The game was constantly interrupted and the fouls really sparked some heat between the two teams. Minute 79 marked Ivory Coast's first goal delivered with flawless precision and execution by none other than Didier Drogba. The last 10 minutes of the game were rather intense as different conflicts started arising between the two teams, which ultimately led to Kaka receiving a red card after a somewhat controversial clash with Keita, where he apparently elbowed the Ivorian, even though the replays speak differently. Kaka will thus miss the next game against Portugal, but that doesn't matter too much since the Brazilian team is already qualified for the next round.

Final result: Brazil vs. Ivory Coast - 3:1

My daily schedule is just filled by all the FIFA World Cup matches that are taking place every day and I simply feel obliged to watch most of them. I mean, it's not like we get the World Cup every year and it's a really memorable event - I still remember every other time I watched it. But hey, I have been able to squeeze in a couple of movies here and there and there are certainly more to come!

Tuesday (08.06.2010)

There Will Be Blood (2007) - 9/10
This was truly an epic movie from head to start and I cannot help but be amazed at how flawless Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance was. Even though the film deals with a subject that definitely isn’t for everyone (although everything regarding ‘oil’ is getting a lot of buzz these days, if you know what I mean), it still manages to capture your attention so well and keeps a very balanced and smooth flow to it. I feel that There Will Be Blood is first and foremost a character study, and a mighty fine one at that. The character development in this one is simply spectacularly executed and well-written and together with the help of a truly dominating performance by Daniel Day-Lewis we get one of the most intriguing and fascinating characters since Travis Barker in Taxi Driver. A true triumph for everyone involved in the movie, I say.

Thursday (10.06.2010)

The Book of Eli (2010) - 5/10
Everyone says they’re sick and tired of seeing post-apocalyptic movies, but that is only because the filmmakers haven’t yet figured out how to actually ‘make’ a movie of this genre. The Book of Eli is yet another example of why post-apocalyptic movies don’t work and just end up being nothing more than ordinary. Just like in many other recent post-apocalyptic flicks, The Book of Eli just uses this particular theme as a gimmick and shoves a lot of action movie clichés, which really brings the movie down in the end. Denzel Washington delivers an impressive performance, but that doesn’t matter too much since the rest of the film is simply average. Sure, we get a lot of spectacular visuals and a somewhat intriguing premise, but that’s about all the movie can offer. Too bad they added the stereotypical villain, the beautiful, yet shallow female lead and the protagonist with skills that shoot through the roof. I can’t say that I haven’t enjoyed the movie, but it truly had little substance.

Sunday (13.06.2010)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) - 7/10
I really didn’t expect to see such a… confusing movie, but it definitely made its point. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet were both impressive in this film and the plot is really intriguing, even though I did not appreciate how it meddled with some sci-fi elements. I have to say that I was totally lost halfway through the movie and it had some utterly confusing parts that were just frustrating to endure, but I really redeemed itself in the end. Even though the movie itself is brilliant in execution and style, the dream sequences were really exhausting to watch and they sure took their time with it. Other than that, I think Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of the best modern romance flicks.

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” - Carl Sandburg

Video games turned movies have always disappointed, for the most part, but we keep on hoping that a time will come when video game adaptations will be made the right way and will make watching them a delight. Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer give us Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time with hopes that it will finally break the ice and deliver us a good video game adaptation, and possibly a Pirates of the Caribbean wanna-be franchise. So what exactly makes Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time a possible success and a different video game adaptation that what we’ve encountered before? The most important difference would be that this movie has tries to create its own individual story, going head to head with the video game rather than directly following its footsteps.

Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney are, of course, in charge of this promising project and go alongside director Mike Newell and lead actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton to deliver the goods to the fans (and the newcomers as well). Taking a look at both the movie and the games it is based on, you can easily see that the film follows a different plot and only relies on the game as a source of inspiration. You would think that would be rather insulting to the fans, but the game itself doesn’t focus much on the story, which only serves as a structure to keep the flow of the game going. Members of the movie project keep mentioning how they’re only taking cool elements of the game and using them to craft a new story, but it feels as if they were actually forced to do that, because transforming the actual game into a movie would have quite probably resulted in a mess, much like many other video game adaptations.


Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time follows the adventures of Persian prince Dastan and Princess Tamina as they try to protect a mystical weapon from falling into the wrong hands. The film basically starts with the Persian army led by Tus alongside his two brothers Dastan and Garsiv assaulting and taking over the sacred city of Alamut after being informed that Alamut has been supplying weapons to enemies of Persia. Dastan comes across a mysterious dagger while battling the forces of Alamut and soon learns that it has the power to turn back time with use of the sand sealed within it. After an unfortunate event Dastan and Tamina are forced to escape from the city of Alamut and must stop an evil mastermind from getting ahold of the dangerous dagger.

Even with its whole based-on-a-video-game thing going on, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time looks, feels and plays out exactly like every other summer blockbuster. You get the courageous, mighty protagonist fighting off the forces of evil, the beautiful female lead that serves as the romantic interest for our hero and even the perilous quest with all its predictable little twists and turns and the dramatic climax is there. The film definitely doesn’t offer anything new and you’ve surely encountered tons of similar stories before if you’ve watched a few other big budget adventure movies. Even so, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is highly enjoyable and if you can get past its clichés and faults, there’s surely lots of entertainment to be had. Visually, the movie looks spectacular and it actually captures that oriental, adventurous feel quite well.


Many have expressed negativity towards Jake Gyllenhaal playing the lead, and even though he may not be the most suitable actor to play the role of Dastan, he definitely makes the most of it and handles the job surprisingly well. There are lots of scenes where Gyllenhaal’s screen presence improves the overall feeling and he has tons of interesting interactions with different characters to keep his status as a protagonist feel fresh and balanced. Dastan is not your typical hero, either, and he shows a good deal of character flaws and doesn’t always take the right path, which makes him a very interesting protagonist. Gemma Arterton plays the female lead quite well and even though there’s nothing impressive about her acting, she definitely succeeds in giving Tamina the necessary edge to keep her an intriguing romance interest. I feel the need to also mention Ben Kingsley, but he doesn’t shine too much in this movie since his character is very stereotypical and shallow.

The best part about Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is the intriguing relationship between Dastan and Tamina, which is done surprisingly well and feels quite authentic. I feel it is rather unfortunate that the film didn’t try to do more with the whole turning-back-time idea, which could have improved its overall quite a lot, but alas, not many would risk meddling with something like that on such a high profile movie. I still don’t know if I should call this the best video game adaptation yet, but it is indeed an above average effort, even with all its flaws. It might be worth checking out just for some mindless fun with no strings attached, but you will most certainly be disappointed if you expect more from it.

Mexico just delivered a near-fatal blow to France after scoring two goals and leaving the French in an almost-impossible situation that will probably send them home. France is left with the lowest points in its group alongside South Africa after settling for a draw against Uruguay and losing to Mexico.


The French team can pretty much start packing its bags since the only way they are going to recover is by scoring at least four goals in their upcoming match against South Africa and Uruguay losing the game against Mexico (without Uruguay scoring any more goals). Yeah, it's pretty much over for them since we all know that Uruguay and Mexico have absolutely no reason for not settling for a draw, which leaves them both qualified for the next round.

Never Sleep Again.

A group of teenagers start experiencing strange recurring dreams where a man wearing a glove armed with razors is stalking them. Soon they realize that they share a common link and must avoid sleep since getting killed in their dreams results in their death in real life.

- Freddy Krueger is back, for better or for worse!
- keeps a steady pace in suspense and scares
- we get some more background information and development on Freddy's character
- no matter what you say about the movie, you cannot deny that Jackie Earle Haley did a spectacular job
- a fresh, darker take on Freddy Krueger
- solid make-up, even if a bit too sophisticated
- offers some genuinely creepy moments
- we may not get as many jokes and catchphrases from Freddy in this one, but the ones that are present are surprisingly smart and witty
- less stereotypical and cliche characters that you would normally expect
- very gloomy and effective visuals

- it's a remake and it's made by Platinum Dunes; how good can it actually be?
- yet again we get 20+ year-old actors playing high school teenagers
- some scenes (like the wall stretching scene) look horrible
- the characters may not be as stereotypical, but they're still as bland and shallow as they come
- a lot of cheap jump scares
- doesn't offer anything new regarding the franchise
- no matter how you look at it, it's still an average and formulaic slasher flick

- one awesome self-induced (apparently) throat slash scene
- Freddy puts his sharp claws to good use
- creepy children
- blonde chick hanging around in a bloody bag
- Freddy on fire (literally)
- fortunately they didn't show us the photos
- one surprising, yet well-deserved final death scene
- Freddy's appearance

- it's hard to find teenage actors to play teenage characters
- Platinum Dunes is taking over the world
- the best way to stay awake is by taking a relaxing bubble bath
- posting your videos on the internet even after you died is taking blogging to a whole new level
- if Freddy appears right in front of your car, avoid hitting him by all means, there's reason for you to want to run him over
- how convenient for the pharmacist to refuse giving you a refill on the pills you've been taking for years right when you need it the most
- pedophiles are indeed evil
- copying scenes from the original movie isn't going to make your film any better
- Freddy was merely petting the dog!
- children can totally forget getting molested by a creepy pedophile
A Nightmare on Elm Street may not be everything we hoped for in a remake it's still a by-the-formula slasher flick, but it's hard not to enjoy yourself if you have someone as skillful as Jackie Earle Haley offering the iconic villain a completely new look and taking him to a much darker place, which surprisingly enough works quite well. Sure, the movie itself is average at most, plus the repetitive and exhausting jump scares really damage its reputation, but it's worth checking out even if only to see our beloved Freddy Krueger portrayed in a much different and very interesting way.

horror meter: 3 sleepy stars (out of 5)

Mankind's fate is sealed

A group of survivors live in an underground facility after a nuclear war has all but destroyed the surface, leaving the humans infected with a contagious disease. Slowly but surely, the people living underground are running out of supplies and they must venture beyond the secure areas of the facility where hidden dangers await.

- excellent atmosphere
- well-balanced pace
- good acting
- intriguing premise
- effective filming locations
- interesting story
- very precise and efficient character development
- awesome twist ending

- somewhat dragging at times
- could have done without the CGI effects
- the "zombies" or the Invisibles are never explained
- one cliche "bad guy"

- nice-lookin' infected folks
- Cold Hours and the CGI Invisibles
- some mad zombie action towards the end
- creepy forbidden areas

- if you lend a video camera from some kid and intend to use it to record yourself having fun with your girlfriend, remember to take out the tape before giving it back to the kid
- gay fellas love to get some heterosexual action from time to time, especially with underage girls
- you can live in an underground facility for up to 9 years without ever realizing that there's an exit a couple of doors away

La hora fria is, first and foremost, a very interesting and well-made movie. Its premise is incredibly engaging and the film has a well-balanced pace that will keep you interested and entertained. Some particular scenes are surprisingly creepy and effective and you'll find yourself realizing that this hidden gem is much different from most of the movies you've seen. Definitely worth a watch.

horror meter: 4 blue stars (out of 5)

 



Germany completely dominated Australia in probably the first real exciting match of the 2010 World Cup. Looks like Argentina isn't the only surprisingly powerful team this time around and it sure seems like the Germans are ready to kick ass and take names, and they scored no less than 4 goals against Australia (they could have scored a couple more, but it was clear that they were satisfied with a 4:0 and decided to lay low for the last 10 or 20 minutes of the game). That really sent out a message to the other teams and the Germans showed everyone that they are here to win the cup.

• Serbia vs. Ghana - 0:1
• Netherlands vs. Denmark - 2:0
• Japan vs. Cameroon - 1:0

Interesting fact: It seems that the goalkeepers are complaining about the official ball of the World Cup, and even go as far as to blame their mistakes on it, saying that it has an unusual feel to it. Personally I think that's a load of crap, but hey, what do I know! What do you think?

I don't know about you, but I'm sweating like a pig over here. What the hell is wrong with this weather? I can't believe how hot it is. Looks like Al Gore was right! To hell with that, though, because nothing can stop me from preparing some awesome movie marathons that I'm going to enjoy over lots of cold drinks and delicious ice cream. Fun, fun!

Tuesday (01.06.2010)

Daybreakers (2010) - 7/10
I really don’t have anything to complain about and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed watching Daybreakers. It may not even get to be the best horror movie of the year, but it’s definitely a fun ride filled with loads of action and thrills. I thought the story was pretty good and even though it brought nothing particularly new, there were tons of little significant things that made this movie feel so refreshing. The movie really portrayed the life of vampires much better than I had expected and it did come with lots of good, interesting ideas. Not to forget actors Ethan Hawke and Claudia Karvan, who did a very good job overall. I wish I could say the same thing about Willem Dafoe, but his character was incredibly annoying and repulsive. Then again, that’s not the actor’s fault; it’s the script that’s to blame. By the way, am I the only one that’s sick and tired of seeing the same damn villain in every single movie? I mean come on, at least try to do something new.

Friday (04.06.2010)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) - 10/10
The only other time that I completely saw The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (I also saw parts of it during the years, but that doesn’t count) was in theaters when it was first released and I must admit that I wasn’t really prepared for a three-hour movie (I had no idea what I was getting myself into that faithful night) and thus couldn’t enjoy it to its fullest potential. Recently I got ahold of the extended edition and finally decided to watch it entirely and without any pause. I have to say that it was much more awesome the second time around (take into consideration that the first time I saw it I was left in awe and it really means something) and I got to remark a few things that I haven’t noticed the first time. Needless to say that this movie is a masterpiece and I still can’t seem to grasp the fact that people, no matter how many, are capable of creating such an epic film.

Saturday (05.06.2010)

The Final (2010) - 3/10
I still don’t know why I feel the urge to watch every movie Horrorfest puts out, but this film may be the one that’s gonna put a relative distance between me and those movies. This horror flick actually started out pretty good and I really got my hopes up, but it turned out to be a total mess and you could see how the low budget affected this film. There were lots of things this movie wasn’t capable of doing due to insufficient funds and it just did took it half the way, which turned out to be a really bad decision. I have to say that even though it’s a pretty bad movie overall, it’s actually got quite a good revenge tale behind it. Too bad they had to hire horrible actors and write such stereotypical characters, or else this movie could have been something.

Of all the matches that have been played up until now in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the one that stands out would surely have to be Argentina vs. Nigeria. What's so special about this match? It seems much like a regular game and it ended on a pretty average note, with a 1:0 for Argentina, but the match itself was pretty spectacular. Argentina's team is undoubtedly the most powerful team to this point and they made one hell of a game with Messi having his way most of the time. The relatively close result of 1:0 is only due to the fact that Nigeria put on a pretty good show as well and they did indeed cause some troubles for the Argentinians. It was Heinze who scored the goal for Argentina, if you're wondering. I think we all know that Argentina will go far during this World Cup.

Other games:

• South Africa vs. Mexico - 1:1
• Uruguay vs. France - 0:0
• South Korea vs. Greece - 2:0
• England vs. USA - 1:1
• Algeria vs. Slovenia - 0:1

On a side note, England had a pretty weak start and even their top players such as Gerrard and Rooney didn't perform too well. They still could have beaten USA, but English goalkeeper Robert Green made a terrible mistake when he lost control of the ball, which should have been an easy routine save.

Random ramblings about the most awesome TV series known to man, LOST...

I just finished watching the series finale of one of the most unique and beautiful TV shows ever made (no, it's not up for debate), LOST. Watching the very last episode made me recall all the times I have spent near this show and how it had guided me throughout the years. I vividly remember seeing the first few episodes of LOST: they were like nothing I had ever seen before and I was hooked right from the start. There were thousands of times throughout this show's run when I was left with a "WTF" expression on my face and I still can't figure out how the cast & crew managed to keep this show interesting and powerful during six whole seasons.

I'll be going into spoiler territory soon, so you may want to stop reading if you haven't seen most of LOST (or anything at all, for that matter, because one day you'll grow some brains and actually decide to watch it). Let's go back to the beginning. Oceanic flight 815 crashes on a remote island located... well, we still don't know where exactly. The survivors round up and we get introduced to the people that will take us on a six-year journey filled with mystery and thrills. We've got Jack Shephard, a spinal surgeon which turns out to be the leader and future savior of the other castaways. Then there's James "Sawyer" Ford, which kind of contrasts Jack as he is of a rather chaotic nature, as opposed to Jack who represents order and law (more or less, right?). Kate Austen turns the whole thing into a love triangle as the attractive female lead/runaway criminal. Let us not forget John Locke, another character which contrasts Jack, but in a different way. Like one appropriately named episode, John is a man of faith (which will lead him into his doom and later on to everyone's salvation) and Jack a man of science. Those two will clash soon enough and the conflict will not cease until the very last episode (even though that's not exactly Locke anymore, as we all know). There's also Hurley, one extremely well-written character that seems to be the comical relief until we find out how deep his roots actually are (money-wise as well, heh). Sayid Jarrah, one of my favourite characters will also play a decisive part in the ending plot and his background is quite impressive and emotionally touching. It is truly breathtaking when you realize the tragedy to his whole story and how hard it was for him to battle the various heartbreaking events of his life. No story can be complete without a broken-down rock star, now can it? We've got Charlie Pace for that, but his character will evolve into something much more meaningful and his death made for one of the most touching scenes in the series. I almost forgot about Jin and Sun Kwon, two characters which I didn't seem to be too interested about at first, but got to really care for them as the story progressed. Their death was heartbreaking and came as a total surprise, but it sure left me in awe at that time.


These were only the starting characters, though, and a lot of new ones came along throughout the show. The most notable would be Desmond Hume, an intriguing and beautifully-written character which most of the time is on the chase for his beloved one, Penelope Widmore. And thus comes Charles Widmore in the picture, a wealthy and powerful man who at first seems to be the bad guy, but much like every other character he evolves into something very different. It's also worth noting that Charles and Ben Linus share one of the most heated and dangerous rivalries during the show. Benjamin Linus is one of the characters that has captured my attention from the start and I always enjoyed seeing him on screen and getting more info on his back story. Speaking of interesting fellas, there's also Richard Alpert who deserves a mention. His "immortality" drove me crazy during the show and I kept theorizing and thinking about it a lot. I consider him to be the most mysterious character on the show until the last season (which answered a lot of questions regarding him and also gave him a lot more screentime). There are tons of other characters I could talk about, but that would take ages and I've bored you enough already. Change of topic!

What a wild ride LOST was, wouldn't you agree? It changed directions so many times and every time I thought that I had everything figured out the show just turned the tables and introduced something totally unexpected. It's very interesting to witness how the themes change throughout the season, whereas season one was filled with mystery, discovery and exploration, season two and three were more adventurous and packed with action and seasons four to six took a more darker approach and started building up the final epic battle and the resolution of the show. What an amazing spectacle it all was.


It was very thought-provoking to see how a show this layered could resume itself to two sides: good and evil. Light and dark, order and chaos, black and white. Call it whatever you like, we all know who the two men behind the big operation are: Jacob and the Man in Black. Across the Sea was a really interesting episode and even though it didn't really fit between two very intense episodes (it was really annoying to have to wait an episode to find out what happened after the submarine crashed), it was certainly eye-opening. Seeing the progression of the relationship between Jacob and the Man in Black gave a lot of dynamism to the conflict and it definitely put a lot more weight on the whole situation. Plus, we got to see the Man in Black become a much deeper, tragic character instead of just the 'bad guy.' Looking back at the Man in Black, I find it really sad to see how much he struggled and fought to leave the island and in the end he died on the very same place he despised for so long, while at the same time being so close to accomplishing his goal. There's another side to that coin, though, and some may argue that the real Man in Black (who was Jacob's twin brother) died a long time ago when Jacob threw him into the light and that the Smoke Monster was a different person, even though they shared similar qualities.

The unanswered questions that bother me the most are pretty much centered around Jacob and MiB's Mother (the fake one, not Claudia). I really wish they had explained how Mother possessed such abilities as making it impossible for Jacob and MiB to kill one another, how she got to be in charge of protecting the Source (you know, the big fat light that turns into a wanna-be volcano when released and causes massive destruction to all the characters we love most?) or how she got on the island in the first place? Oh well, leaving it open for interpretation is still better than delivering a disappointing explanation (because we have to admit, the explanation would have had to be incredibly freakin' awesome to satisfy).


I think most of the show's themes and atmosphere changed as new conflicts were introduced and old ones were solved. I consider this to be the most important layer of LOST: the conflicts and the battles between certain characters. There's been tons and tons of different battles and rivalries and they all helped contribute to the final resolution of the show. I consider the most important to be:

• Jacob vs. the Man in Black - I think we can all agree that this has been the central theme and conflict during the last season of the show, but it started a long time ago and we weren't even aware of it until just recently. For all we know MiB could have been meddling with the castaway ever since season one when he walked around possessing Christian's body while Jacob was having his way with the Others, who were following his every command. But wait, that would mean that MiB's army (the survivors of Oceaninc 815) was clashing with Jacob's army (the Others). Hmm...
• Castaways (Oceanic 815) vs. the Others - This heated conflict ceased in season three after the Others revealed themselves and some joined forces with the castaways, but it was a bitter rivalry until then. These guys were really mysterious fellas up until season three and I had no idea what to make of them at first, especially considering that misleading meeting some of our Oceanic 815 survivors had with the Others in the jungle.
• Dharma Initiative vs. Island's inhabitants - I never completely understood this one, but I'm guessing that the original inhabitants of the island weren't too happy with the Dharma people coming around and having their way on the island. Again these two groups could be just pawns for the conflict between Jacob and MiB, whereas Jacob was leading the island's inhabitants (we all know that Richard Alpert was his adviser, so that's that) while MiB was using Dharma in order to find a way to get off the island. Pretty interesting.
• Benjamin Linus vs. Charles Widmore - This was pretty much a bad guy against bad guy situation where each threatened to kill each other's daughter and stuff like that. Again this takes it all back to Jacob and MiB, since we now know that Ben was (even though unknowingly) following MiB's orders (all I got out of this is that he thought MiB was actually Jacob... remember when he brought Locke to Jacob's cabin and it was Christian inside, who we know was possessed by the MiB?) and Charles started doing Jacob's work (even though Jacob contacted him after Ben and Charles were already enemies). Looks like Ben won this battle after joining forces with MiB and betraying Charles' location, but he did lose his daughter in the process.
• Kahana crew vs. everyone on the Island - This conflict certainly added some gritty realism to the story and it made season four a really intense experience. So Charles Widmore is behind the Kahana operation and he wants the crew to capture Ben and, apparently, kill everybody else on the Island. Not everybody on the ship are cold-blooded mercenaries, though, and characters like Miles Straume, Frank Lapidus, Charlotte Lewis and Daniel Faraday go on to become quite important later on. Michael Keamy, on the other hand, wasn't so nice...
• Jack Shephard vs. John Locke - The man of science against the man of faith. This was definitely one of the most important and decisive conflicts in LOST and it was really tormenting having to witness the battle between those two characters considering that both Jack and Locke offered valid points to the argument and both of them were right in their own way. Even though Jack was the alpha male and the more likable character, I couldn't help but take into consideration that Locke may have been capable of doing more good than him. Their battle stops after Locke dies and Jack starts to follow his footsteps much like Locke had hoped he would, but the symbolism of their battle never ceases as MiB takes control over John's body. "I wish you had believed me, Jack." Locke was right all along and fortunately Jack was strong enough to realize it before it was too late.
• John Locke vs. Ben Linus - You know, I just realized how badly Ben actually wanted to be in charge of the Island, but he never entirely achieved his goal. Ben really put Locke through hell before finally killing him. Remember when he shot Locke? As much as I enjoyed his character, I can't help but pity both him and Locke for everything they had to go through. We have to consider that Ben was raised by a father that hated him, he was shot when he was still young and he was beaten a lot of times by a lot of different people (to his own fault, obviously). I'm guessing he channeled his suffering through John and he tried to eliminate him by every means possible as he considered him a rival for the 'throne' of leading the Others. Ben is a really competitive fella, now that I think of it...
• Sawyer vs. Jack - This conflict started way back in season one when Sawyer was being a douche and Jack wasn't very pleased with his attitude, but it never got big until Juliet died more or less because of Jack. Taking also into consideration that both were after Kate, the final battle could have easily been Jack against Sawyer. They both got past their differences and formed quite a strong alliance in the end, fortunately.

Now that we got all that out of the way, let's talk a bit about the ending. So Jack manages to save the day and Frank Lapidus, Miles, Kate, Sawyer, Claire and Richard Alpert get off the Island aboard the Ajira plane. Hell knows what happens to Desmond, but I think it's safe to assume that sooner or later he also gets off the Island and returns to his family (supposing that the Island isn't destroyed). Hurley remains on the Island together with Ben and becomes its guardian (or whatever you like to call it). Jack wanders around the bamboo field and soon enough he collapses and is comforted by Vincent (I love that dog!) as he draws his last breath while watching the Ajira plane fly away. He closes his eyes and thus LOST ends. A truly beautiful ending, but what does it mean? Well, for starters, we all know that the show began with Jack waking up in that same bamboo field, opening his eyes to a plane crash. This is a remarkable contrast and kudos to the writers for coming up with such a genius ending. We also find out that the flash sideways are actually the afterlife/purgatory/waiting room where characters come to terms with their lives and learn to finally 'let go' of the things that have tormented them for so long. Therefore you've got Jack becoming a good father and leading a happy life like he always aspired for, Locke gets to walk again and he lives his life together with Helen, Sawyer becomes a cop and fights crime instead of breaking the law, Hurley successfully builds a relationship with Libby, Desmond gains recognition and admiration from Charles Widmore and so on and so forth... The man who has been making sure that all these characters find their way is none other than Christian Shephard (hence the name) and Jack gets to finally meet him yet again. A beautiful end to a beautiful story.


Was the ending everything we had hoped for? What had we hoped for in the first place? I'm sure you wanted to get some more answers as much as I did, but maybe it was better to leave certain things out in the open. I believe I have come to terms with the show ending the way it did and much like Jack and everybody else, I have learned to let go. I think the ending was absolutely beautiful and even though it may not have been as satisfying as I had hoped for, it was still bloody brilliant. LOST has always been about the characters, and each of them were 'lost' in their own way, tormented by certain things in their life, but they all managed to let go in the end and they found their way home in that church. 

Goodbye LOST, you were unlike anything else and I'll never forget the times we shared together. See you in another life, brother.

Soccer City shines in all its glory and Johannesburg looks better than ever (now that they've cleared the aliens out of District 9, you know) as the 2010 World Cup begins with South Africa and Mexico ready for battle.


Unfortunately the match was rather uneventful (we can't expect too much from the very first games, now can we?), but there were indeed some notable moments throughout the game. Mexico was dominating South Africa during the first half (less so during the second one), but it was South Africa that managed to score the opening goal of the World Cup. Siphiwe Tshabalala shot a ball straight into the top corner of Mexico's goal, a real sensation for the opening of the World Cup. South Africa didn't have too much time to celebrate because Rafael Marquez delivered a well-deserved equalizer (come on, Mexico's been dominating them the whole game) 11 minutes before the end of the match.

It wasn't a very impressive game, but like I said, it did have some notable moments and the goals were quite a marvel. I can't wait to see how things evolve in the other groups!



coming up next: Uruguay vs. France

I won't forgive you if you look away!

Year: 2008
Number of episodes: 12 + one bonus (aprox. 20 minutes per episode)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Harem, Ecchi, Comedy

Zero no Tsukaima is back for a third season with the so-called Princess no Rondo (translates to Rondo of the Princesses, for the curious ones) and I have to say that things haven’t changed too much. The first season was pretty good, the second one didn’t disappoint either (although season one was much better) and I’m somewhat happy to say that season three is pretty good too. “Pretty good” meaning that it won’t disappoint those who know what to expect – the fans of the series. Yes, Louise’s tsundere charm is still there and yes, Saito continues to get into seemingly perverse situations with other girls, which makes Louise go gaga and punish him with her infamous whip.

The joke may be old, but it’s still as funny as it was the first day. Hell, maybe even funnier! How is that possible, you may ask yourself? Well, it seems that the writers really raised the bar and improved overall writing quality of the anime, especially the funny, more lighthearted situations. The jokes seem funnier than ever and there are tons of situations and scene that will make you laugh uncontrollably throughout the season. The main storyline isn’t as good as it used to be, but that really doesn’t matter too much anymore. Most of us who continue to watch this anime don’t watch it for its awesome plot, but rather for the interactions between characters.

Not many new stuff are introduced in Princess no Rondo, but we do get some new characters and a continuation of the previous story (even if it develops rather slowly). The most important new character this season offers is Tifania, also known as the forest fairy which saved Saito’s life back in season two. There isn’t much to say about her without mentioning her enormous breasts (which are even bigger than Siesta’s – imagine that). Obviously she’ll somehow get attached to Saito, which will lead to Louise catching them during inappropriate and this-is-not-what-it-looks-like situations, and before you know it Saito will be punished by yet another creative and painful way by Louise. There are some other minor characters introduced as well, but they really aren’t worth mentioning. I’ll just add that we’ll get to meet a new villain, who seems to be the mastermind behind all these ‘evil’ operations. Not a very impressive character, but he gets the job done.

That’s about all I need to say about this season. It may not be the best in the series, but I consider it to be a fine improvement over the last season (Futatsuki no Kishi), which I consider to be more of a mess and totally out of balance (still good, though!). You’re definitely gonna enjoy this one if you’ve liked the other two seasons and even though there isn’t anything new to attract attention, it’s good enough to keep the story going and the entertainment pumping. Have fun watching Louise unleash her rage on Saito (and some of it on the enemies as well)!