Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment proudly announces the return of the greatest Chihuahuas to walk on all fours in BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA 2! Chloe & Papi are back in an all new, ˇAy yay yay! fun-filled adventure—and their family just got bigger. Meet their rambunctious, mischievous and hilarious litter on February 1, 2011 when BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA 2 comes out on a Blu-ray combo pack (include Blu-ray and DVD of the movie), 1-disc DVD. 

Synopsis: 

From the creators of Beverly Hills Chihuahua, everybody’s favorite talking Chihuahuas are back in a comedy that’s a pack of outrageous fun for the whole family. Puppy mayhem turns the lives of newlywed Chihuahua parents, Papi and Chloe, upside down when their playful puppies present one challenge after another. But, when their human owners find themselves in trouble, the tiny pups will stop at nothing to save them—because in good times and hard times, the family always sticks together. Papi, Chloe and the puppies embark on a heroic adventure, proving once again that big heroes come in small packages. 

Featuring an all-star cast, including George Lopez (voice of Papi), and complete with a litter of bonus features, this heartwarming tale of the meaning of family, friendship and loyalty is a special breed of fun—times five. 

The BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA 2 Blu-ray Combo Pack has a U.S. suggested retail price of $39.99 and the 1-Disc DVD set has a U.S. suggested retail price of $29.99. Additionally, the Digital Download/Electronic –Sell Through (EST) has a U.S. suggested retail price of $19.50. 

Bonus Features: 

DVD French & Spanish Tracks and Subtitles Sneak Peek at Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure Learn How To Take Your Favorite Movies On The Go Dylan & Cole Sprouse: Blu-ray Is Suite! 

Bonus- 

Music Video: ―This is My Paradise:  By Bridgit Mendler

Blooper Faux Paws

BLU-RAY 1.78:1/ Enhanced for 16×9 French & Spanish Tracks Sneak Peek at Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure Learn How To Take Your Favorite Movies On The Go Dylan & Cole Sprouse: Blu-ray Is Suite! 

Bonus- 

Music Video: ―This is My Paradise: By Bridgit Mendler

Blooper Faux Paws

Beverly Hills Chihuahua Challenge – interactive game show led by Papi

Why I kept watching the AMERICAN PIE series after the third film was beyond me. They all involved a member of the Stiffler family, and were all terrible. But for the first time since AMERICAN WEDDING, the series takes an upturn with a smaller, funnier film that only has a few truly dumb hiccups along the way.

THE BOOK OF LOVE is the first film since the original that doesn’t follow a member of the Stiffler family, and for that it deserves some credit. The Stiflers are obnoxious characters and every single one of them is just doing a bad impression of Seann William Scott’s performance of the original. It’s like they exist in some weird universe where every member of the family acts the exact same way, which is something I don’t think anyone can really relate to. The focus this time is on Rob (Bug Hall) and his buddies Lube (Youtube celebrity Brandon Hardesty) and Nathan (Kevin M. Horton).

The three guys are back in the same place our main characters were in the first film. This is a simple story about three guys trying to get laid. Bug Hall really does a great job of playing a regular guy who isn’t a jerk, but can make mistakes and he’s honestly funny. His intro actually got a chuckle out of me, and I let down my guard and legitimately enjoyed the film. Rob’s goal during the film is to get with his good friend Heidi (rookie actress Beth Behrs). When Rob finds out she’s a virgin he sort of makes a strange pact with her that they’ll have sex and be each other’s firsts. At a school’s luau themed dance they plan to meet in the library to have the big moment, but when he shows up she’s already there with another guy… the shock of the moment causes rob to fumble with a torch he stole from the party and that causes a fire in the library, which in turn causes the sprinkler system to go off, which in turn ruins may books.

Of course Rob and Heidi are forced to clean up the mess after they’re caught, Heidi shirtless, and Rob obviously the cause of the trouble. While Rob is cleaning up everything he discovers… The Bible. No not the Genesis to Revelations book, but rather the book we know from the earlier films! That’s right, this AMERICAN PIE actually has a plot device that ties into the other films, rather than being a cheap cash in on the AMERICAN PIE name! It’s almost like they hired a writer who knew what he was doing… oh that’s right they DID!

This is the first film of the straight to DVD AMERICAN PIE films to be written by a person who wrote any of the original trilogy. This time around it’s David H. Steinberg who wrote the story for AMERICAN PIE 2, which while not as good as the first, was definitely better than AMERICAN WEDDING, and leagues above the rest. His touch brings the spirit of the film back to where the first two films were.

The plot Steinberg comes up with involves Rob and his friend’s trying to figure out how to get laid by deciphering the ruined pages of The Bible, but soon find that without everything in the book in perfect condition, much of the advice is terrible on it’s own and they set out to repair it, starting with the first guy who wrote in it, Noah Levenstein played once again by Eugene Levy.

The supporting cast is pretty good too, Brandon Hardesty’s first performance in a film is a little too Jonah Hill-esque but it’s still very funny at times. His character is often trying to trick women into sleeping with him and he’s always fantasizing about any hot girl just standing by him. These fantasies are often hot and extremely funny. As for Kevin Horton, he’s more of the stable reliable friend.

Sadly the worst part of this movie is anything involving Stifler, played by John Patrick Gordon, who’s constantly doing a bad impression of the Seann William Scott original once again. I legitimately hated him, which is supposed to be the point, but I’d prefer if he was cut from the film entirely. There have been so many different people playing a Stifler family member that they all blend together now

But when it comes to AMERICAN PIE there’s always been one thing that the films are about and a reason many young men set out to see them and that’s the sex, the nudity and the gross out humor and it’s all here. Many of the women are INSANELY beautiful, and sure high school students with breast implants are a rarity in the real world, but this is the world of AMERICAN PIE! It’s about as far from real as STAR WARS. School trips with strip poker and no teachers don’t happen in real life, but you can dream right?

THE BOOK OF LOVE isn’t a perfect movie, and by no means should you run out and buy it, but if you rent it, catch it on cable, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. For the first time it actually feels like the AMERICAN PIE torch has been passed on to a future generation of characters that are actually likable. There are some some what familiar faces and relatives of characters like the incredibly beautiful Nadia from the original’s cousin, who is equally as beautiful and has a terrible accent just like Shannon Elizabeth (what happened to her?!) I give AMERICAN PIE PRESENTS: THE BOOK OF LOVE a very remarkable 3 out of 5 stars. Against all odds director John Putch (SCRUBS) and the AMERICAN PIE series made a decent comedy.

The trailer for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment return to awesome with UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION is full of Dolph, full of Van Damme, and full of explosions.  It’s full of one more thing, but I can’t really say that on a family site such as this.

Top billing on this trailer goes to Andrei Arlovski, who, don’t get me wrong, is a monster in mixed martial arts, but to get billing over Van Damme and, especially, Dolph is a sham.  Nonetheless, this trailer looks pretty wild, the movie looks to kick some massive butt, and the fact that it’s going straight to DVD instead of getting any kind of theatrical release is almost as much a travesty as Dolph not getting his name spoken first.

Enjoy:

UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION hits DVD shelves on February 2nd.

There were reports back in August that a prequel to Paul W. S. Anderson’s 2008 action remake DEATH RACE was in the works.  At that time, all that was known was that a screenwriter, Tony Giglio, had been set to the task, and the film would follow the origins of Frankenstein and those of the Death Race itself.  Now, thanks to Shock Till You Drop, comes word that not only has Universal given the film the green light, it plans to shoot it next year with a possible DVD release to follow.

Of course, with the film getting the DVD treatment instead of a full-fledged, theatrical push, this means Anderson is probably not going to be returning other than as a producer (probably executive, at that).  The chances of seeing Jason Statham return were slim, anyway, seeing as how this story has nothing to do with his character.  I’m guessing Warden Hennessey and Coach will be in the new film, though neither Joan Allen nor Ian McShane are likely to appear.  Shame, since Allen delivered the best line of the film with perfect, straight-face accuracy.  I won’t repeat it, since this is a family site.

Producer Jeremy Bolt, who works with Anderson on most of his projects, says they are considering actors to step into the Frankestein role and that the new film will have a considerably smaller budget than the original.  Expect less explosions this time around.

UPDATE:

No more did I hit the publish button than I went over to AICN and noticed a link to Spoiler TV.  There, we find a casting call for various characters in the film, which, according to this, is called DEATH RACE: FRANKENSTEIN LIVES.

Here is that casting call which gives us a handful of the new characters we are going to see:

DEATH RACE: FRANKENSTEIN LIVES

Exec. Producers: Paul W.S. Anderson, Jeremy Bolt
Producer: Mike Elliott
Writer: Tony Giglio
Start Date: Feb. 22, 2010

STORY LINE: Newly arrived at Terminal Island, a prison for the most nonredeemable of convicts, CARL “LUKE” LUCAS must prove his mettle in a race to the death…

[CARL "LUKE" LUCAS]
In his 20s-30, American, European, British, Australian, Latino, etc., handsome and confident, with a hint of danger, Lucas has been in trouble since the age of 12. Right-hand man to a notorious mobster for twelve years, he is sent away for life
after killing a cop in the course of robbing a bank. Offered a deal by the DA if he turns state’s evidence, Lucas opts to take his chances behind bars, where he soon captures the attention of a violence-peddling television producer. Possessed of some serious driving skills, assertive, strong, and charismatic, Lucas is a natural fit for the ultimate test, aka, the “Death Race.”…LEAD (2) STAR NAMES PREFERRED – ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

[SEPTEMBER JONES]
In her 20s – early 30s, a model turned journalist, September is is “insatiably ambitious and eye-poppingly gorgeous,” a woman who knows how to use what she’s got to get what she wants. She’s callous and self-serving, dressed provocatively, with the soul of an ice-pick, but the brains to know how to market violence to the masses. When ratings for her gladiator-style television show begin plummeting, September is quick to come up with the “Death Race” concept, thrilled by its stunning success sptv050769…LEAD (2) STAR NAMES PREFERRED – ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

[ELIZABETH JAYNE CASE]
In her 20s – early 30s, and sexy, she is a card girl for the fight matches, later a navigator when the prisoners are forced to test their driving skills. Intelligent (valedictorian of her high school class), decent, with a good heart, Case landed in prison after killing her abusive cop husband. Quick to come to the aide of girl in peril or help Lucas outwit an adversary, she’s a courageous, admirable young woman. Teamed with Lucas for a death race, the chemistry soon heats up between the two…LEAD (16) STAR NAMES PREFERRED – ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

[DOUGLAS WEYLAND]
In his 30s – 60, American or foreign, bold, opulent and self-indulgent, the CEO and Founder of the Weyland Corporation, he is a opportunist at best, a man who makes millions on the backs of others. Clearly not immune to September’s come-hither charm, he agrees to produce a televised gladiator-style series of fighting matches, later disappointed by the ratings. However, he’s quite impressed when September’s idea for a race to the death has the viewers tuning in again…LEAD (11) STAR NAMES ONLY – ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

[WARDEN MEDFORD PARKS]
In his 40s – 60s, Caucasian, African American, Latino, European, etc., he is the old school style warden at Terminal Island, the last stop for the country’s most unredeemable criminals. More comfortable around hoods and rapists than self-serving
broadcasting types, he butts heads with September, outraged by her willingness to glamorize society’s worst, disgusted by her insensitivity when lives are on the line. Eventually forced out of job by the Machiavellian September, he can’t help but feel vindicated when she gets her comeuppance…LEAD (2) STAR NAMES ONLY – ANY NATIONALITY,ANY ETHNICITY

[BIG BILL]
In his 30s, African American, a steroid-enhanced mountain man, head of the United Blood Nation, the African American gang in Terminal Island…1 speech & 5 lines, 9 scenes (2) POSSIBLE CAMEO – FIGHTER, WRESTLER, BOXER OR WARLORD – MARTIAL ARTS A PLUS

[GUNNER]
In his 20s, Hispanic, he is an old friend of Lucas, happy to see him on the same work detail when the two land in Terminal Island Prison. An enthusiastic car mechanic, he refurbishes Lucas’ old Mustang, getting it into fighting form. Later, he’s saddened and angry when led to believe that one of his buddies has been responsible for Lucas’ death.sptv050769..LEAD (26)

[TONY VALENTI]
In his 40s – 60s, American, Italian or European, he is head of the city’s most vicious organized crime syndicate, a “schizophrenic prone to wild mood swings.” He is a man you never want to cross…3 speeches & 1 line, 2 scenes (2) CAMEO – STAR NAMES ONLY

[ROCCO]
In his 40s, a wiry big city type, he’s working the auto shop on Terminal Island. Later part of Lucas’ pit team, he seems like a solid guy, loyal and hard-working. Later, we learn about how he had sabotaged Lucas’ car…2 speeches & 11 lines, 5 scenes (26) ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

[DR. KLEIN]
This prison infirmary doctor tends to a mortally wounded Lucas. Later, however, he explains how Lucas managed to survive the fiery crash…4 speeches & 5 lines, 2 scenes (83) POSSIBLE CAMEO – ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

[LISTS]
In his 20s, nicknamed “Lists” because he’s a font of information about almost any subject, quickly spewing lists of details. Convicted of matricide, he’s a newbie at the prison and obviously scared. He later teams up with Gunner, becoming part of Lucas’ pit crew…4 speeches, 6 scenes (12)

[XANDER GRADY]
In his 30s, a mean and nasty Aussie, he is the leader of The Brotherhood, a collection of white supremacists in the prison…2 lines, 6 scenes (1) MARTIAL ARTS A PLUS

[JESUS LUNA]
In his 30s, Latino, tatted, scarred and scary, he is the head of The Netas, an Hispanic prison gang…4 lines, 6 scenes (2) MARTIAL ARTS A PLUS

[14K]
Named for his fourteen “kills,” Asian, in his 30s – 40s, a “combination of Bruce Lee and Genghis Khan,” he is the leader of The Triads, the most powerful Chinese gang on the planet (or at least in the prison).sptv050769..1 speech & 1 line, 6 scenes (2) MARTIAL ARTS REQUIRED

It appears filming is to commence in late February.

THE TOURNAMENT is one of those films where the premise is so corny and overplayed that it’s strengths have to come from it’s execution. Luckily The Tournament doesn’t disappoint and is actually something of a gem. In the world of films about televised or secret death matches between over the top badasses THE TOURNAMENT stands out for having a great cast and some of the better, bloodier and more interesting action moments ever.

The Tournament itself happens every seven years, when the world’s best assassins all gather together in one random small town to do battle until one is left standing and is declared the best assassin in the world. I think the winner gets a giant pile of money as well, but that’s never made clear. Each Assassin is outfitted with a tracking device so the other killing sociopaths know exactly where to go, keeping the insanity to a clean 24 hours. OH and the trackers are explosives, so if there are too many people left alive at the end of the day, BOOM!

This time around a civilian is brought into the mix when a Frenchman (played by one of the creators of parkour/free running, Sebastien Foucan) cuts out his tracker and places it in a coffee pot. This is when it’s swallowed by alcoholic priest Father Macavoy (played by Robert Carlyle). Now this washed up, hung over shambled priest has to figure out how to stay alive when the world’s best are trying to kill him. Luckily he has Kelly Hu playing a very sexy trained killer named Lai Lai Zhen. Hu seems exceptionally buxom in this role… but that’s got NOTHING to do with the story… just makes her that much more interesting to watch. Her fight scenes are top notch though, as are most in the film.

Also being a complete and total badass is Ving Rhames as Joshua Harlow, a man who was once retired at the top of his game, but is now pulled back in when the murderer of his wife is pulled into the competition. He’s out for revenge and looks damn cool while he’s there.

I can’t lie about somethings this film has that you’ll see coming a mile away and you’ll just have to suspend your disbelief for. Of course the entire small town is wired up with HD video cameras that are part of some safety network and of course two really smart computer hackers who live off red bull and talk like they’re from a Diablo Cody film have hacked into the system and are letting the gambling billionaires see who’s winning everything. Basically they have my dream job and are the nerds everyone like me (IT Majors) wants to be.

Where the movie falters is just that it’s a played out idea and the budget isn’t nearly big enough to make all the effects look as good as they probably should. Thank god most of the gore is practical effects and the movie relies on very little CGI. There is one scene that completely took me out of the experience involving a montage of murder done to a sweet song. It’s very over the top and comedic but doesn’t fit the rest of the film at all and doesn’t do anything to push the narrative forward.

I can’t help but wish this film was getting a very wide theatrical release here in the US because it’s worth it. Sure it doesn’t have any A-list stars, but the cast here is amazing and the characters are very memorable.

I’m going to jump right in and tell you that I hate the animation style of this movie. I prefer the clean lines of Batman The Animated Series to the subpar character work of this movie. If you don’t have the budget to make it look better than a Saturday Morning Cartoon, then go for style instead of clarity. It’s just that simple. That doesn’t mean the movie is bad, just not as pretty as I’d like it.

The Public Enemies story is about a world where Lex Luthor becomes the president of the United States of America, and ends up outlawing caped crusaders unless they come work for him. Lex’s group of Heroes includes Black Lightning, Power Girl, Katana, Starfire, Major Force and Captain Atom… if you’re not familiar, then don’t worry, Power Girl is the most famous, and not because she’s a great super hero but because of other assets.

The real story starts when a meteor the size of a small country is headed for earth in a week. The entire thing is made of Kryptonite. Luthor has a genius plan to destroy the meteor with a new enormous missile, but claims that he needs to meet with Superman just incase they need a back up plan. His real goal is to trick Superman into a fight with new Secret Service agent, Metallo, who’s powered by a Krytonite core, evening the playing field between the two. A large battle ensues with Batman coming to Superman’s rescue, Metallo gets away, but is soon found dead. Superman is framed for the crime and Luthor puts a bounty on his head for 1 billion dollars.

Superman and Batman embark on a mission to clear Superman’s name, stop the giant meteor from hitting earth, and try to stay alive while super villains from all over the DC universe try to take Superman out for the bounty. It’s definitely a good story… at least in theory. The execution, especially in the second half is so bad that it becomes laughable.

Comic books have a level of well… comicness they can get away with before an adult, no matter how big of a fan, starts to just laugh and remark on how stupid what they’re watching truly is. This came in the last act for me. The entire film started to break down into action sequence after action sequence, which can be fine, but that means you’re missing out on what could be the bets Batman detective story of all time. Batman having to prove Superman isn’t a criminal? Well you can see how cool that could be right? Instead that entire plot line is almost completely thrown away, Batman is never really a “public enemy” and we get one of the douchiest moments I’ve seen in these films…

Much of the dialogue in Public Enemies are cliches that feel like they’re out of a bad Schwarzenegger film. To top that off, most of the banter between Batman and Superman comes off more than a little homo-erotic, and very catty. If they spoke like this on the big screen people wouldn’t openly moan at how bad it is. Even Kevin Conroy, who IS BATMAN can’t save this film.

DC has been pumping out a decent quality animated film based on one of their hit franchises every few months for a few years now. It’s been a great way for the comic book powerhouse to supplant their characters into the minds of children all over the world without having the multitude of live action film franchises that Marvel has been able to dish out. But the quality has been starting to dip as of late and DCs characters are starting to be the blame.

Green Lantern’s story starts with test pilot Hal Jordan being summoned to a crash site where a dying alien imparts on him the Green Lantern ring. This ring gives Hal the ability to do nearly anything as one of the guardians of the universe in the Green Lantern Corps. The Lantern Corps are like intergalactic police. Each member is given a different part of the universe as their jurisdiction and their entire job is to protect it.

It’s a pretty simple premise with a lot of cool visual elements to keep the story interesting. Not long after Hal is gifted the ring he’s pulled in by The Lantern Corps to see if he has what it takes to really use the ring. Humans apparently have a bad reputation and the Guardians, the race that created the rings, are unsure that Hal is the man for the job. Sinestro, another member of the Corps steps up and vouches for Hal, saying that he’ll take him under his wing and train him to see if he can handle the responsibility.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that a guy with slicked back black hair, a dastardly moustache and a name like Sinestro is obviously going to be a bad guy. It’s only a matter of time before we get the reveal that Sinestro is working for the bad guys who have a secret weapon to destroy the Green Lanterns. The worst part of the whole thing is that the secret weapon is… “the color yellow”.

The Green Lantern mythos has a lot of cool ideas behind it, and some really incredible characters, but it plays out terribly. I like the Green Lantern comics, but after seeing this movie and hearing the dialogue spoken it all just comes across as really goofy. The thing that stops the green lanterns is the color yellow? Well why? Who made that rule? And why the color yellow? Couldn’t have been another actual element that happens to be yellow? It all suffers from Poke’Mon syndrome of the simplicities of “fire beats wood, wood beats electricity, electricity beats water, and water beats fire and rock.” Only without any logic behind it at all.

I guess if I try to look past that, what I find is a pretty cool space opera full of betrayals, aliens and intergalactic war on the brink. But then I don’t relate the characters at all either. We’re never really given any time with Hal Jordan before he’s instantly thrown into the situation at hand. He’s not a well known enough character to just simply have a known back story like Bruce Wayne or Superman, so when the opening of the movie is the actual transfer of the ring from the dead alien Aben Sur to Hal Jordan, we get zero back story on who this guy is.

One of the major saving graces on this film is the incredibly well done voice acting. Hal Jordan is played by Christopher Meloni of Law and Order:SVU fame, and he brings a youth to the part that is some what surprising considering the actor’s age. My favorite character though was a member of the Lanterns called Kilowog who was voiced by very gruff and appropriate Michael Madsen. Unlike some of the previous DC films, I bought all the characters and was only bothered by one… Ch’p a talking squirrel who is also a Green Lantern, and played by David L. Lander aka Squiggy… It’s annoying as it sounds.

The animation here is the star though. It’s a cross between what was done in the previous films and a bit of the anime style from Batman: Gotham Knight. It’s a good mix and many of the characters are well designed. There’s a clean look to the entire film that’s just shy of theatrical, but better than a TV show. It’s a middle ground of quality with some pretty decent and well shaded CGI models rounding out the mix. It’s by no means ground breaking, but better than what most of the Marvel films look like. There are some great moments, but knowing that live action Green Lantern movie is on the way just makes you wish they would carry over some of the ideas.

I got an email last night about a trailer starring Michael Jai White and Kimbo Slice, and immediately had to check this out. Those 2 dudes in the same movie had to of created some type of ripple effect in the time continuum. You can check out the SMALL role of Kimbo Slice, and the ultra ass kicking that Michael Jai White is handing out in this trailer! Lets also mention that it features a role from Dante Basco, aka RUFIO!

Here is the synopsis for your reading pleasure:

Ex-con Isaiah Bone (Michael Jai White, Spawn & Black Dynamite) is the new force in LA’s underground street fighting scene.   When he takes down the reigning champ, the local mob boss wants to enter Bone in a series of high-stakes international matches.     Bone’s refusal sets off an explosive showdown between two powerful enemies with everything at stake.

Blood and Bone is directed by Ben Ramsey (Dragonball: Evolution) from a screenplay by Michael Andrews (Dunsmore). Christopher Eberts (Outlander, Half Past Dead), Arnold Rifkin (Live Free or Die Hard) and Todd Traina serve as executive producers. The film was produced by Nick Simunek, Matthew Binns and Michael Mailer.

I can forgive this movie for being a direct to DVD simply on the fact that Jai White looks incredible in it!

It’s been awhile since we heard any news on the front of ‘The Haunted World of El Superbeasto,’ Rob Zombie’s twisted foray into the world of animation.  With ‘Halloween II’ getting fast-tracked, it looked like ‘El Superbeasto’ was quite a ways off from seeing the light of day.  Fortunately, the film is coming out, and it is coming out in just a few, short months.

According to DVD Active, the film is set for DVD and Blu-Ray releases on September 22nd.  They even have images of the cover art, which you can scope out just below.

‘El Superbeasto’ is about a washed-up Mexican luchador (voice of Tom Papa) who, along with his sidekick Suzi-X (voice by Sheri Moon Zombie), sets out to do battle with the diabolical Dr. Satan (voice by Paul Giamatti).  Look for cameo appearances by Captain Spaulding and Otis from Zombie’s ‘House of 1000 Corpses’/'Devil’s Rejects’ films. Other voices that pop up in the film include Rosario Dawson, Danny Trejo, Clint Howard, Harland Williams, Dee Wallace, Brian Posehn, and Daniel Roebuck. We Are Movie Geeks best she-friend, Tura Satana, also makes an appearance as Varla.

‘The Haunted World of El Superbeasto’ hits the DVD shelves on September 22nd.

Source: DVDActive

Looks like ‘Van Wilder’ has gone the way of ‘American Pie’ and they are starting to do direct to DVD films. This one is called ‘Van Wilder: Freshman Year’ which stars Kristen Cavaleri from The Hills and Laguna Beach. You can check out the trailer below:

Here is the synopsis:

The man. The myth. The beginning. It is freshman year at Coolidge College and Van Wilder (Jonathan Bennett) is ready to party. To his dismay, all the girls have taken a vow of chastity and an uptight Dean (Kurt Fuller) rules the school. Van embarks on an epic crusade to land the campus hottie, Kaitlin (Kristin Cavallari) and liberate his school from sexual oppression and party dysfunction. No cheerleader will be left untouched and no keg will be left un-tapped in this prequel to the original.

I really dont know what to think of this series now. I really liked the first ‘Van Wilder’, then they did ‘Rise of Taj’ which was decent but a direct to dvd starring a reality TV star? Ehh..what do you guys think?

The Movie:

It rises.

The Asylum has for years been dishing out straight to DVD cheapos with the belief that changing the title of the film ever so slightly from a major, Summer blockbuster will have people running to the video store.  With films like ‘I Am Omega’ and ‘Transmorphers’ under its belt, the company has found the most buzz with its latest film.  Entitled ‘Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus,’ it doesn’t really seem to be living off the hype of any, other Hollywood property.  It’s simply living off the concept, alone.  Think ‘Snakes on a Plane.’

The movie begins off the Alaskan coast where a marine biologist (Gibson) and her Jeff Garlin-esque sidekick are observing whales.  A military helicopter drops some device into the ocean, causing the whales to stampede (yes, that’s what they do), which, in turn, breaks up the ice and unleashes the titular creatures.  For the next 90 minutes, we see the creatures causing mayhem, as scientists from around the world work towards stopping them.

Of course, much like ‘Snakes on a Plane,’ ‘Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus’ (to be referred to as MSvGO from here on out) doesn’t quite deliver what you might expect or even want.  Sure, it skimps on the plot.  Sure, the acting leads you to believe that some acting coach out there jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge after attempting to make Deborah Gibson a believable marine biologist.  Everything from the screenplay, acting, and overall merits in film are exactly where they should be when you’re dealing with something like ‘MSvGO.’

Unfortunately, the film doesn’t really live up to the fun factor of it all, either.  Touting visual effects by Tiny Juggernaut (to my disheartening, that’s the name of a company, not a man), ‘MSvGO’ doesn’t have quite as much Mega Shark or Giant Octopus as you might hope for.

In a nutshell, this film lives up to everything Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez set out to do in ‘Grindhouse.’  ’MSvGO’ IS a grindhouse film.  These exploitation films in the ’70s were light on action, heavy on the face time with its actors.  They then would take the best moments in the films and string those together for the film’s trailer, making those who had yet to see the film believe it was wall-to-wall action.

Again, I reiterate, ‘MSvGO’ is that type of film.  For every ridiculously awesome scene of Giant Octopus destroying an oil rig or Mega Shark leaping hundreds of feet into the air just to bite at a passing commercial jet, we gets scene upon scene, minute after minute of tedious dialogue and less-than-thrilling planning by the scientist leads.

Gibson certainly gets her fair share of screen time as a marine biologist in black nail polish.  So does Lorenzo Lamas as the personification of the evil military who only wants to bombs the creatures back to the stone age rather than capture and contain them.  Lamas has the best lines of the film as the racist, lewd government agent who seems to end every other line of dialogue with “or some shit.”  His character even offers some of the more subtle moments of comedy, as he is at one moment talking freely about the Megalodon that is terrorizing the planet and the next completely taken aback at the thought of a Giant Octopus, as well.

Another aspect that made those ’70s exploitation films so memorable is the love the filmmakers behind them had for what they were doing, and it is no different with ‘MSvGO.’  Writer/director Jack Perez set out to make an entertaining film.  Along the way, I’m sure, reality stepped in and handed him a less-than-ideal budget.  What could have been filled with death and destruction as these two behemoths collide is now filled with romantic subplots and montages.  Nay, not just any montage.  This film features a scientist montage where we watch as our leads mix various colored waters together and act all frustrated.

Perez covers his lack of budget by reusing set after set.  Two battleships and three submarines all seem to use the same set just with different lighting.  The usage of the same establishing shots over and over also go by without being unnoticed.

But all of this really needs to go unsaid.  You know what you’re getting walking into a film like ‘MSvGO.’  The point that I’m sure you’re all waiting for is whether or not this film is any fun.  Well, it can be.  If viewed in the right light, there is much fun to be had with ‘MSvGO.’

Watch this one with friends, lots of friends who preferrably bring their own beer.  There’s an easy drinking game mixed inside the movie.  Every time Gibson’s old, former teacher dishes out some sage advice, take a swig.  Every time the screenplay tries to spice itself up with some technical jargon like “down bubble” or words like “pheromones,” chug it.  Every time Lamas gets that look in his eye like he’s longing for days of “Renegade,” you know what to do.  And, every time a battleship captain looks headlong into the camera and mutters under his breath, “It rises,” down that whole bottle of Jim Beam, because it only happens once, but it’s the pinnacle of laughter within this movie.

Practically every line of criticism directed towards this film could be codaed with the words, “but, hey, what do you expect?  It’s ‘Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus.’”  You know exactly what you’re getting into when you pick up this film off the video store shelf or put it in your Netflix queue.  The acting is atrocious.  The screenplay is dumb.  The special effects are lackluster, and I still wish Tiny Juggernaut were a man rather than a company.  But, moreso than any of these other problems, the fun that should be had with a film like ‘MSvGO’ is hindered by the film’s lack of budget.  If you really want something exciting to watch, put the film’s trailer on a 24-hour loop.  That’s about the most entertainment you’re gonna get from this one.

The DVD:

You got your enhanced widescreen format for 16X9 TVs. You got your Spanish subtitles.  You got your making of featurette.  Find out just exactly how many different sets the film actually uses.

Overall (by yourself): 2 out of 5

Overall (with friends): 3 out of 5

Overall (with friends and BYOB): 5 out of 5

Travis:

It’s been a bit of a wait for the ‘Dead Like Me’ movie, which was supposed to tie up loose ends left frayed by the early cancellation of the Showtime series after just two seasons. I have to admit, I really enjoyed the Showtime series and hated to see it canceled. I own both seasons on DVD and was looking forward to seeing how the movie would wrap things up. Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t really “wrap” anything up, so much as attempt to continue the series with a new plot element.

This new plot element is the reaper’s handler Cameron (Henry Ian Cusick), who replaces Rube (Mandy Patinkin) after he “got his lights”. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, “getting your lights” refers to when a reaper has met their quota of reaps and is allowed to continue on to Heaven, etc. The entire story of the movie centers around the relationship between the reapers (George, Mason, Daisy and Roxy) and Cameron. Later in the film, George manages to re-establish an awkward relationship with her little sister Reggie, but that’s all I’ll say about that.

Ellen Muth returns as George Lass and I have to say it doesn’t seem like she’s aged much at all. She still has her sharp wit and quick tongue, but George has become more of a by the book beacon of being morally and ethically right, whereas in the series she was always sort of the “green” reaper learning from her mistakes, often challenging the status quo. In the movie, her role becomes somewhat reversed as Cameron is much more casual and loose with the rules of reaping, compared to Rube, and the other reapers initially find a new sense of fun and freedom in this opportunity. In all honesty, this is what ruins the movie for me. I miss Rube and Mandy Patinkin was perfect for the role. This new guy is annoying and isn’t even in the movie as much as you would think. Presumably, they filmmakers were not able to secure Patinkin to return, which I am guessing is the reason the story took this direction in the movie.

Callum Blue, Sarah Wynters and Jasmine Guy all return to reprise their roles as Mason, Daisy and Roxy. The first half of the film has some promise at being an interesting mystery in regards to who Cameron is an why he works the way he does. However, the second half of the movie ultimately becomes more of a farce and the focus has to be placed on George’s issues with living after death, so to speak. Naturally, the story is told from George’s point of view and is her story, but it occasionally gets lost in the mix. Overall, elements of the original series still exist and make appearance in the movie, but much of the wit and charm and general mood of the series is absent from the movie, which I felt came off as a more watered down re-introduction to the series than an effort to wrap up the story and further it along in a meaningful way.

[Overall: 2.75 stars out of 5]

DVD Features:

• Audio Commentary by Director Stephen Herek

After a few failed attempts, I finally got the video of my interview with the cast of ‘Dead Like Me’ online. And it’s up just in time, because today is the DVD release date of ‘Dead Like Me: Life After Death’. Whether you are a fan of the show or the film just interests you, I suggest you go and check it out. I have not yet seen it myself but I did have a great time talking with the cast. I spoke to them a little after 5 pm and they were doing interviews, panels and signings from 10 am on, so they were a little tired. It was a fairly laid back interview and we had a lot of laughs. I’m looking forward to checking out the film and I’ll try to write a review for it soon. If it’s anything like the show, I’m sure it will be a great movie. I only saw a few episodes but I really loved the ones I saw and when I get a chance to Netflix all the DVD’s, I will try to watch the series straight through.

If you have no idea what ‘Dead Like Me’ is, this video probably won’t help, but watch it anyway. You may want to check out the trailer for the film first right here. Enjoy!

So, what do you guys think? Did you watch the show? Will this movie be good? What’s so funny about saying We Are Movie Geeks?

I also got the cast to sign a few posters for you all that I will be putting up in a contest soon, so keep checking back. The next comic con video is my interview with Judah Friedlander, which should be up by tomorrow night.

Jerry Cavallaro – www.AreYouStuckLikeChuck.com

OK, Ok, ok… I know! The animation isn’t all THAT great, but it’s the kid in me that’s getting absurdly excited about this new Marvel animated release to DVD, due out on January 27, 2009. As a kid growing up partially buried inside of comic books, the Incredible Hulk and Wolverine were probably my two most favorit-est characters and I was super-interested in anything that involved them. Likewise, I was also REALLY into the villains that they encountered and fought. On that note, you’ll notice that two of the coolest super villains appear in the ‘Hulk vs Wolverine’ half of this DVD… Dead Pool and Omega Red. I’m in childish comic book nostalgic heaven! Hopefully, it’s at least somewhat enjoyable…

Source: Marvel.com

Travis:

‘Kiltro’ was certainly a leap into the bizarre and unexpected. We stumbled upon this little film while browsing the walls at Blockbuster and the DVD cover caught our attention, promising ‘Kiltro’ would be the next big action movie… how easily we were deceived.

Zamir is the leader of a pseudo-slacker gangĂ‚  called the Kiltros. Zamir is caughtĂ‚  withinĂ‚  a complicated web of emotionsĂ‚  with the high school girlĂ‚  KimĂ‚  with whom he has been obsessed withĂ‚  ever since he saved her from being raped. Kim is theĂ‚  daughter of a prominent Tae Kwon Do master andĂ‚  has noĂ‚  interestĂ‚  in Zamir other thanĂ‚  merely enjoying his efforts as entertainment. At one point, Kim actually suckers Zamir into fighting the entire class of Tae Kwon Do students in her father’s dojo all at once. Amazingly, Zamir defeats them all and catchesthe attention of Kim’s father. When Zamir is asked who taught him martial arts, Zamir replied that no one taught him… he learned to fight on the streets.

The antagonist of the story manifests itself in the character of the evil Max Kalba, a rival martial arts master and enemy of Kim’s father who returns from the dead as a powerful spirit to claim revenge against Kim’s father. Once Kalba shows up at the dojo, he quickly dispatches the students and nuetralizes Kim’s father before Zamir makes repeated failed attempts to take Kalba out. Zamir then learns of his connection to a secret martial arts sect that holds great power. He decides he must follow his destiny and become a true warrior in order to save the lives of those he loves. Zamir endures his training and becomes a more powerful fighter, ultimately resulting in the “final” showdown between him and the vengeful Max Kalba.

I do have to give this movie some credit, being the very first martial arts action movie to come out of Chile. Yes, you read this correctly… the country of Chile has produced a martial arts action flick, written and directed by first-timer Ernesto Diaz Espinoza. The film stars Marko Zaror (stunt double for The Rock in ‘The Rundown’)Ă‚  asĂ‚  Zamir, sporting a sort of Brandon Lee look and attitude. In brief, theĂ‚  fight choreographyĂ‚  isĂ‚  decent but not great… tolerable would be the word of choice, I think. I would describe the acting in about the same way, but Miguel Angel De Luca, who plays Max Kalba, does such a terrible job that the villain in ‘Kiltro’ is ruined.

It’s the story and the “look” of the film that has it stand out as something more than just another action b-movie. The set and production design is especially colorful and wild while the cinematography is primarily hand-held, it exemplifies the cinema verite’ style of so many other South American films. The training sequences are very dream-like and offer a strange visual element that adds spice to the scenes. Espinoza has managed to make his mark on South American cinema with a visual flair of his own and Marko Zaror could still prove to be a decent action b-movie star, but I’m withholding any serious predictions until I see their second outing called ‘Mirageman’.

Overall: 2.5 Stars

Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings, but every time you watch ‘Bone Sickness,’ an angel gets set on fire.

I wanted to love this movie, to rally behind it and sing its praises, but I just can’t.

Someone, I can’t remember specifically, compared this to the zombie works of Fulci. Yikes, man, not even close. Not at all. The only thing Fulci’s work has in common with Brain Paulin’s ‘Bone Sickness,’ is that there are zombies, and the zombies eat people.

I have a deep appreciation for independent cinema, even the no-budget variety, but there is one thing I cannot abide: Boring movies. This movie is boring beyond your wildest dreams, mostly due to a very threadbare screenplay. The actors are game, but they aren’t at a level where they can lift the material out of the gutter.

I’ve given this film the rating of one star, and that one star is for the FX work, which is pretty outstanding when considering the budget this film must have had to work with.

No-budget filmmakers would do well to find inspiration in this film’s technical execution, just make sure you watch it on fast-forward.

I cannot stress the importance of an engaging, well-written screenplay. Great movies begin their life as great screenplays. If you want to know the ingredients, then check out this book.

Instead of watching ‘Bone Sickness,’ let me recommend George Romero’s ‘Night of the Living Dead.’ There isn’t nearly as much gore, but there is one hell of a script, deftly executed by the talents of an assured director. Follow this link to Youtube, where you can watch the entire film.

[rating: 1/5]

Its time for another DVD Giveaway, and this time we are bringing you the ‘Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior’. This is a direct to DVD sequel of the original, starring UFC legend Randy Couture.

“When young Mathayus witnesses his father’s death at the hands of an evil military commander, his quest for vengeance transforms him into the most feared warrior of the ancient world.”

As with all of our contests, in order to enter you must be subscribed to our RSS email feed over on the sidebar. Once you have subscribed, or you are already on the list email us (contest@wearemoviegeeks.com), with the subject of Scorpion King 2 DVD and you will be entered.

Warner Brothers is attempting to maximize the early success of their blockbuster “Get Smart” releasing a DVD follow-up 10 days later! Get Smart’s Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control may have been better title “Out of Material” I like Masi Oka (Heroes), but Bruce and Lloyd (Nate Torrence) are interesting enough to carry a film. That is why there are “supporting” actors in a film.

Out of Control is the back story of Control Headquarters and what was going on while Max and 99 were busy in Get Smart. Our dynamic duo are racing against the CIA and a South American dictator to recover an invisibility cloak ( I didn’t know Harry potter let them borrow it) they lost. Having all the agents on assignment Bruce and Lloyd are sent into the field to save the day. Larry Miller is back in a dual role as the head of the CIA and his twin brother the under chief of CONTROL. Terry Crews is back as Agent 91 and thankfully Anne Hathaway makes a cameo as 99 to remind the viewer that this is a Get Smart spin-off. The major flaw, that would have made this tolerable… MORE HYMIE! Patrick Warburton is in the film for 7 minutes… BIG MISTAKE!

Putting this DVD out so soon after topping the box office with the hit comedy “Get Smart”, Warner Brothers is just Greedy and shows a complete lack of respect for fans of your films. Aside from this being a complete waste of time it will be a deterrent to the film you have out at the theaters not to mention a major slap in the face for every actor in the film. I can’t believe after making it through the movie ..I watched the bonus features (a confessional with the cast and an explanation of the gizmos Bruce & Lloyd invented) and they were better than the film. There are many DVD’s out this week..pas this by and pick something else!

Rated :PG13 (for pure garbage 13 mins in)
Running Time: 71 very long mins.

For all of you that loved Get Smart, Warner Brothers isn’t waisting any time getting you some more Kaos vs. Control. Available on July 1st, Get Smarts Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control! hits the DVD shelves. This movie will give you a behind the scenes look at the two top analysts at C.O.N.T.R.O.L Bruce and Lloyd (Masi Oka & Nate Torrence). You will get to see more of their out of control weapons and experiments gone wrong. Ă‚  It will also feature a lot of the supporting cast from the original film(Sorry no Max or 99)Ă‚  like Hymie the robot (Partick Warburton). The movie is rated PG-13 for some crude humor and violence. Check back with me next week after I check it out and I will give you the full report.