Friday the 13th

Blu-Ray Review: Jason Voorhees Returns in Killer Cut of ‘Friday the 13th’

BrianTT — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – The reboot of “Friday the 13th” was another financially successful notch in the belt of Platinum Dunes, the film company behind the remakes of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “The Hitcher,” and “The Amityville Horror”. Making $90 million worldwide and more domestically than any previous Jason Voorhees movie (that didn’t include Freddy Krueger), “Friday the 13th” has a following that will be ecstatic with the excellent Blu-Ray release for the slasher title.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

The Blu-Ray of “Friday the 13th” delivers everything fans could ask for. Not only do they present a longer and better cut of the film in the 9-minutes-longer “Extended Cut,” but the special features enhance the “Friday the 13th” experience and the technical transfer is nearly flawless.

Friday the 13th was released on Blu-Ray on June 16th, 2009.
Photo credit: WB

As for the film itself, my response to “Friday the 13th” is mixed at best. I love the concept of the pre-credits prologue - which plays nearly like a mini-movie in itself - and I think the film is technically proficient, but I think an opportunity was missed to do something more than just make another slasher pic with a bigger budget.

The plot of “Friday the 13th” is essentially divided into two groups of beautiful people waiting to meet the ugly end of Jason’s machete. In the very opening moments, we see the details of the original film, detailing the beheading of Jason’s mom from the end of the first movie and the undead Jason’s return to take her place as a serial killer at Camp Crystal Lake.

Friday the 13th was released on Blu-Ray on June 16th, 2009.
Photo credit: WB

Years later, Wade (Jonathan Sawoski) has brought some of his friends to the woods near the camp looking for weed - Richie (Ben Feldman), Amanda (America Olivo), Whitney (Amanda Righetti), and Mike (Nick Mennell). Most of them are sliced and diced by Jason, leaving only the lovely Whitney alive.

Six weeks later, Whitney’s hunky brother Clay (Jared Padalecki) appears to try and find his sister and runs across the film’s second group of lovely people just waiting to fill Jason’s compost heap - Jenna (Danielle Panabaker), Trent (Travis Van Winkle), Nolan (Ryan Hansen), Chelsea (Willa Ford), Bree (Julianna Guill), Chewie (Aaron Yoo), and Lawrence (Arlen Escarpeta). Of course, they will all die in various, oddly uninspired ways. In fact, the death count in “Friday the 13th,” not counting Jason’s mother in the prologue, totals thirteen.

There are definitely things about “Friday the 13th” to like and my response to it wasn’t nearly as negative as the “TCM” remakes, perhaps because the original Sean Cunningham film is more a pop culture classic than a great film in its own right. There was certainly room for improvement. Derek Mears has a strong physical presence as Jason, Padalecki & Righetti are good, and the film is expertly shot.

Friday the 13th was released on Blu-Ray on June 16th, 2009.
Photo credit: WB

My ultimate problem with “Friday the 13th” is that it’s just not scary. Director Marcus Nispel doesn’t know how to build tension and the film plays like an homage to the originals more than an effective horror film in its own right. A good remake or reboot should stand on its own and not just be an ode to the ’80s original.

Having said that, the Blu-Ray release of “Friday the 13th” is a beauty. This is one of the best horror home releases of the year to date with perfect video and audio, a superior extended cut of the film, and excellent special features.

I’m a sucker for picture-in-picture special features and “Friday the 13th” includes a great trivia track, a pip feature that varies between printed trivia about the franchise and the behind-the-scenes interviews and footage about the scene you’re watching. All b-t-s material should be presented this way instead of bouncing back and forth between menu screens, the movie, and mini-featurettes.

The Blu-Ray release of “Friday the 13th” also includes “The Rebirth of Jason Voorhees” (11:24), “Hacking Back/Slashing Forward” (11:41), and “The 7 Best Kills” (22:33).

Timed with the release of “Friday the 13th” on Blu-Ray and DVD, Paramount have also released excellent deluxe editions of three of the original films on standard DVD - “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter,” “Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning,” and “Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives”. Pick up all four releases as soon as your horrific little heart lets you.

Synopsis and special feature details below:

“Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “The body count continues in this vivid thriller, the fourth - but not final - story in the widely successful Friday the 13th series. Jason, Crystal Lake’s least popular citizen, returns to wreak further havoc in Friday the 13th - The Final Chapter. After his revival in a hospital morgue, the hockey-masked murderer fixes his vengeful attention on the Jarvis family and a group of hitherto carefree teenagers. Young Tommy Jarvis is an aficionado of horror films with a special talent for masks and make-up. Has the diabolical Jason finally met his match?”

“Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter” stars Kimberly Beck, Erich Anderson, Corey Feldman, Crispin Glover, Barbara Howard, Julie Aronson, Alan Hayes, Ted White, Peter Barton, Lisa Freeman, Joan Freeman, Bruce Mahler, Lawrence Monoson, Camilla More, Carey More, and Antony Ponzini. It was directed by Joseph Zito.

Special features include Commentary by director Joe Zito, screenwriter Barney Cohen and editor Joel Goodman, Fan Commentary with Adam Green and Joe Lynch, “Lost Tales from Camp Blood - Part 4,” “Slashed Scenes,” “Jason’s Unlucky Day: 25 Years After Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter,” ‘The Lost Ending,” “The Crystal Lake Massacres Revisited Part I,” “Jimmy’s Dead Dance Moves,” and Original Theatrical Trailer.

“Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “Jason is back, hockey mask and all. And he’s up to his old maniacal tricks in Friday The 13th, Part V: A New Beginning. This time he seems to have set his sights on the young patients at a secluded halfway house. And more than a few of his teen targets end up in half, in quarters…you name it, Jason does it. This is the fifth scary installment in the Friday The 13th saga. If you liked the first four, and think you’re up to getting back on Jason’s bloody trail, you’ll love Friday The 13th, Part V: A New Beginning.”

“Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning” stars John Shepard, Melanie Kinnaman, Shavar Ross, Richard Young, Marco St. John, Carol Locatell, Vernon Washington, Juliette Cummins, Dominick Brascia, Tiffany Helm, Deborah Voorhees, John Dixon, Ron Sloan, Dick Wieand, and Chuck Wells. It was directed by Danny Steinmann.

Special features include Commentary by director/co-screenwriter Danny Steinmann with cast and crew, “Lost Tales from Camp Blood - Part 5,” “The Crystal Lake Massacres Revisited Part II,” “New Beginnings: The Making of Friday the 13th: Part V A New Beginning,” and Original Theatrical Trailer.

“Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “As a child, Tommy Jarvis did what many others died trying to do, he killed Jason Vorhees, the mass murderer who terrorized the residents of Crystal lake. But now, years later, Tommy is tormented by the fear that maybe Jason isn’t really dead. So, Tommy and a friend go to the cemetery to dig up Jason’s grave. Unfortunately for Tommy, (and very unfortunately for his friend), instead of finding a rotting corpse, they discover a well rested Jason who comes back from the dead for another bloody rampage in Friday The 13th, Part VI: Jason Lives.”

“Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives” stars Jennifer Cooke, David Kagen, Rene Jones, Kerry Noonan, Darcy De Moss, Tom Fridley, C.J. Graham, Vincent Guastaferro, Tony Goldwyn, and Ron Palillo. It was directed by Tom McLoughlin.

Special features include Commentary by director Tom McLoughlin with cast and crew, “Lost Tales From Camp Blood - Part 6,” “The Crystal Lake Massacres Revisited Part III,” “Jason Lives: The Making of Friday the 13th: Part VI,” “Meeting Mr. Voorhees,” “Slashed Scenes,” and Original Theatrical Teaser Trailer.

‘Friday the 13th’ is released by Warner Brothers Home Video and stars Aaron Yoo, Amanda Righetti, Danielle Panabaker, Derek Mears, Jared Padalecki, Travis van Winkle, Julianna Guill, and Willa Ford. It was written by Damien Shannon & Mark Swift and directed by Marcus Nispel. The Blu-Ray and DVD were released on June 16th, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Lack of Originality, Actual Scares Render Marcus Nispel’s ‘Friday the 13th’ Ineffective

BrianTT — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:56:21 -0700

CHICAGO – Your reaction to Marcus Nispel’s “Friday the 13th” is likely to depend on how nostalgically you remember the original and how you reacted to producer Michael Bay’s “remakes” of “The Amityville Horror,” “The Hitcher,” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

Like “TCM” or Rob Zombie’s “Halloween” (although without nearly as far to fall in terms of quality from original to big-budget carbon copy), the remake/reboot/re-whatever of “Friday the 13th” is essentially just another entry in a franchise, delivering more of the same except louder and with a bigger budget.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Friday the 13th” in our reviews section.

Screenwriters Damien Shannon & Mark Swift waste an opportunity to upgrade Jason Voorhees for a new generation, choosing instead to make just another slasher flick that will ultimately be as influential or memorable as the mediocre sequels that followed one of the most influential horror movies of all time.

The plot of “Friday the 13th” is essentially divided into two groups of beautiful people waiting to meet the sharp end of Jason’s machete. A prologue serves as the remake of the original, detailing the beheading of Jason’s mom from the end of the first movie and the undead Jason’s return to take her place as a serial killer at Camp Crystal Lake.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Friday the 13th” review.

‘Friday the 13th’ stars Aaron Yoo, Amanda Righetti, Danielle Panabaker, Derek Mears, Jared Padalecki, Travis van Winkle, Julianna Guill, and Willa Ford. ‘Friday the 13th,’ which was written by Damien Shannon & Mark Swift and directed by Marcus Nispel, opens on February 13th, 2009. It is rated R.

Photo credit: John P. Johnson/Warner Bros. Pictures

Slideshow: 29-Image Gallery For ‘Friday the 13th’ With Jared Padalecki

BrianTT — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:59:52 -0700

CHICAGO – This 29-image slideshow contains the official press images for “Friday the 13th,” which was directed by Marcus Nispel and features Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Willa Ford, Aaron Yoo, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle, America Olivo and Derek Mears as Jason. The Warner Brothers Pictures release opens on Friday, February 13th, 2009.

Synopsis: “Welcome back to Crystal Lake in a chilling re-imagining of the classic horror film “Friday the 13th.”

Searching for his missing sister, Clay Miller (Jared Padalecki) heads up to the eerie woods of legendary Crystal Lake, where he stumbles on the creaky remains of rotting old cabins behind moss-covered trees.

And that’s not the only thing lying in wait under the brush.

Against the advice of police and cautions from the locals, Clay pursues what few leads he has in the search for his missing sister, Whitney (Amanda Righetti), with the help of Jenna (Danielle Panabaker), a young woman he meets among a group of college kids up for an all-thrills weekend. But they are all about to find much more than they bargained for.

Little do they know, they’ve entered the domain of one of the most terrifying specters in American film history—the infamous killer who haunts Crystal Lake, armed with a razor-sharp machete… Jason Voorhees.”

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos are credited to John P. Johnson and Warner Brothers Pictures. All rights reserved.

Friday_the_13th_01: Chelsea (Willa Ford) discovers Jason (Derek Mears) watching her from the shores of Crystal Lake.
Friday_the_13th_02: Jason (Derek Mears, right) crashes through a window and grabs Clay (Jared Padalecki, left).
Friday_the_13th_03: Whitney (Amanda Righetti) and Clay (Jared Padalecki) search for Jason.
Friday_the_13th_04: Amanda (America Olivo) feels the presence of Jason (Derek Mears) creeping up on her.
Friday_the_13th_05: Whitney (Amanda Righetti) and her boyfriend Mike (Nick Mennell) enjoy the campfire.
Friday_the_13th_06: Derek Mears stars as Jason.
Friday_the_13th_07: (L-R) Chelsea (Willa Ford), Bree (Julianna Guill), Lawrence (Arlen Escarpeta), Chewie (Aaron Yoo), and Nolan (Ryan Hansen) kick off their stay at Crystal Lake.
Friday_the_13th_08: Director Marcus Nispel (center) discusses a scene with Danielle Panabaker (left) and Jared Padalecki (right) on the set.
Friday_the_13th_09: Jason (Derek Mears) prepares to slice and dice some fresh victims.
Friday_the_13th_10: Jared Padalecki stars as Clay.
Friday_the_13th_11: (L-R) Julianna Guill as Bree, Danielle Panabaker as Jenna and Jared Padalecki as Clay.
Friday_the_13th_12: Danielle Panabaker stars as Jenna.
Friday_the_13th_13: (L-R) Bree (Julianna Guill) starts freaking out as Jenna (Danielle Panabaker) tries to makes sense of what is happening.
Friday_the_13th_14: Jared Padalecki stars as Clay.
Friday_the_13th_15: Clay (Jared Padalecki) and Jenna (Danielle Panabaker) search for Jason.
Friday_the_13th_16: (L-R) Producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form on the set.
Friday_the_13th_17: (L-R) Arlen Escarpeta as Lawrence and Aaron Yoo as Chewie.
Friday_the_13th_18: Chelsea (Willa Ford) tempts Nolan (Ryan Hansen).
Friday_the_13th_19: Bree (Julianna Guill) parties the night away.
Friday_the_13th_20: Travis Van Winkle stars as Trent.
Friday_the_13th_21: Bree (Julianna Guill) suspects something is wrong as Jason (Derek Mears) lurks in the background.
Friday_the_13th_22: Derek Mears stars as Jason.
Friday_the_13th_23: Derek Mears stars as Jason.
Friday_the_13th_24: Clay (Jared Padalecki, right) protects his sister Whitney (Amanda Righetti, left) in New Line CinemaÕs and Paramount PicturesÕ horror film ÒFriday the 13th,Ó a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE USED SOLELY FOR ADVERTISING, PROMOTION, PUBLICITY OR REVIEWS OF THIS SPECIFIC MOTION PICTURE AND TO REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF THE STUDIO. NOT FOR SALE OR REDISTRIBUTION.
Friday_the_13th_25: Whitney (Amanda Righetti) hides from her attacker.
Friday_the_13th_26: Danielle Panabaker stars as Jenna.
Friday_the_13th_27: Willa Ford stars as Chelsea.
Friday_the_13th_28: Willa Ford stars as Chelsea.
Friday_the_13th_29: America Olivo stars as Amanda.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Go Back to Camp Crystal Lake With ‘Friday the 13th: Uncut’

BrianTT — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:56:07 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Every time a movie gets remade, you can expect the original to appear in some varying degree of “special” edition on the home market. A week-and-a-half from the Michael Bay produced and Marcus Nispel remake of “Friday the 13th,” Paramount has unleashed deluxe editions of the original on Blu-Ray and the first two sequels on DVD.

The funny thing about revisiting Sean Cunningham’s original slasher hit is that one is reminded of the fact that it’s really not that great a movie if you judge it outside of its influence. Cunningham was never that interesting behind the camera. The film is a slice of nostalgia that holds an important place in movie history and is a must-own for even the most casual horror fanatic, but it’s really not that well-made.

Friday the 13th: Uncut was released by Paramount Home Video on February 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount Home Video

Some could even argue that “Friday the 13th” did more harm than good. It inspired countless slasher movie rip-offs that just kept getting worse, even within its own franchise. Don’t believe me? You can watch the decline of the franchise in the second and third films, also released in “Deluxe Editions” this week. Honestly, the best thing that “Friday the 13th” may have done for the history of film was to give a start to Kevin Bacon’s career. And, of course, that creepy music.

Friday the 13th: Uncut was released by Paramount Home Video on February 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount Home Video

Of course, all good horror fans will pick up “Friday the 13th” on Blu-Ray, but some buyers on the fence may be curious about what’s so “UNCUT” about this edition. The answer is not much. It’s only about ten seconds of gore in two scenes.

The Blu-Ray presentation of “Friday the 13th” looks great. It’s certainly a higher quality video transfer than we’ve ever seen for a Voorhees movie.

I have to admit, I was concerned about “Friday the 13th” in HD. A lot of low-budget movies don’t hold up well on Blu-Ray. Not only do movies like this need a little bit of grain, but more clarity can often amplify makeup or effects flaws. The 1080P transfer for “Friday the 13th” is excellent and it further proves that what Tom Savini accomplished was truly impressive. Seeing an arrow come through Kevin Bacon’s throat in HD is a true event for horror fans of the right generation.

The audio isn’t quite as remarkable. As often happens with thirty year-old films on Blu-Ray, turning a low-budget mono track into a Dolby Digital 5.1 track can lead to mixed results. The music sounds great, but the dialogue and sound effects have an echo that makes them sound incorrectly mixed.

The commentary by Cunningham and his cast and crew, including the writer, editor and stars Betsy Palmer and Adrienne King, is definitely interesting but also a little repetitive and overdone. Cunningham spends a lot of time talking about how the gore reputation of his film has been overblown, pointing out, correctly, that there’s actually less than a minute of gore in the entire film.

But he’s missing the historical context of what “Friday the 13th” meant to the genre and what drove critics like Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, who notoriously hated the film. The perspective, plot, and drive of the film made it easier for audiences to root for the killer. Cunningham compares the kills in his film to magic tricks on several occasions and that’s interesting, but it misses the storytelling idea that we are supposed to root for an on-stage magician and perhaps we shouldn’t root for a mass murderer.

Friday the 13th: Uncut was released by Paramount Home Video on February 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount Home Video

Still, it’s an interesting listen that will be of serious interest to ’80s horror nuts and features a ton of great trivia. The analysis of why homosexual men like slasher movies is fascinating enough to warrant a listen and Palmer’s background details on her character, like who Jason’s father was, is great stuff. Although I should say that I don’t need to hear any more old-school horror directors complaining about extreme modern gore levels. Something about a pot and kettle comes to mind.

The commentary is informative enough to make the Blu-Ray version a must-have for horror fans, but there are also three new featurettes that are included on both the DVD and Blu-Ray versions - “Fresh Cuts: New Tales from Friday the 13th,” “The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham,” and “Friday the 13th Reunion,” all presented in HD.

“Fresh Cuts” is a fifteen minutes featurette of interviews with the people who contributed to the commentary. “Legacy” focuses more on the director himself and “Reunion” is just footage from a Q&A at a horror convention with Victor Miller, Palmer, Tom Savini, and more. It’s not nearly as exciting as you would hope it would be. Don’t come looking for the Betsy Palmer and Kevin Bacon 2008 reunion.

The Blu-Ray version includes two exclusive featurettes but they are both imports from the previous series collection release - “The Friday the 13th Chronicles” and “Secrets Behind the Gore”. It’s pretty standard stuff that most fans will have seen before.

Finally, “Friday the 13th” includes the original trailer and a short fan film called “Lost Tales From Camp Blood: Part One”.

“Friday the 13th, Part Two” and “Friday the 13th, Part Three: 3-D” are, tragically, not released on Blu-Ray, but have been remastered in high definition on standard DVD, Deluxe Editions with 5.1 surround mixes and new special features.

“Part Two” includes “Inside Crystal Lake Memories,” “Friday’s Legacy: Horror Conventions,” “Lost Tales From Camp Blood - Part 2,” “Jason Forever,” and the theatrical trailer.

“Part Three:3-D” includes no special features but does come with 3-D glasses and include both the 2-D and 3-D versions of the film. A large number of people have only seen part three on VHS, where it was presented in only 2-D, so they’ll be able to see Jason in a whole new dimension for the first time.

Before you see the new “Friday the 13th,” do your research and see where the legend of Jason Voorhees began with the Blu-Ray release of this classic horror film and the DVD releases for its two sequels.

‘Friday the 13th’ is released by Paramount Home Video and stars Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartham, Mark Nelson, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan, and Kevin Bacon. It was written by Victor Miller and directed by Sean S. Cunningham. It will be released on February 3rd, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

2009 Warner Bros. Picture Preview: ‘Terminator Salvation,’ ‘Watchmen,’ ‘Friday the 13th,’ ‘Inkheart,’ More

BrianTT — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:29:20 -0700

CHICAGO – Warner Brothers has released a slate of images from their entire 2009 schedule of films, the first half of which are included in a 25-image slideshow below. The second half of the 2009 Warner Brothers slate will be posted a week from today, January 19th, 2009.

This 25-image slideshow contains official press images and schedule information for the recently announced slate of films to be released by Warner Brothers Pictures in the first half of 2009 including new movies starring Brendan Fraser, Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johannson, Zac Efron, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Christian Bale, Jennifer Connelly, and Drew Barrymore.

These 2009 Warner Brothers Pictures include “Inkheart,” “He’s Just Not That Into You,” “Friday the 13th,” “Under the Sea 3D,” “Watchmen,” “Observe and Report,” “17 Again,” “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” and “Terminator Salvation”. All films have images in the slideshow below.

The release dates, cast lists, and filmmaker information for these Warner Brothers Pictures films can be found below in chronological order, followed by a slideshow of available images.

“Inkheart”
Release Date: January 23rd, 2009
Director: Iain Softley
Writer: David Lindsay-Abaire
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, Andy Serkis, Sienna Guillory, Eliza Hope Bennett, Rafi Gavron

Synopsis: “Mortimer “Mo” Folchart and his 12-year-old daughter, Meggie, share an extraordinary gift for bringing characters from books to life when they read aloud. But there is a danger: when a character is brought to life from a book, a real person disappears into its pages. On one of their trips to a secondhand book shop, Mo locates a book he’s been searching for since Meggie was three years old, when her mother, Resa, vanished into its mystical world. But Mo’s plan to use the book to find and rescue Resa is thwarted when Capricorn, the evil villain of Inkheart, kidnaps Meggie and, discovering she has inherited her father’s gift, demands that she bring to life his most powerful ally, the Shadow. Determined to rescue his daughter and send the fictional characters back where they belong, Mo assembles a small group of friends and family—some from the real world, some from the pages of books—and embarks on a daring and perilous journey to set things right.”

“He’s Just Not That Into You”
Release Date: February 6th, 2009
Director: Ken Kwapis
Writers: Abby Kohn & Marc Silverstein
Cast: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, Kris Kristofferson, Justin Long

Synopsis: “An all-star cast is featured in the stories of a group of interconnected, Baltimore-based twenty- and thirtysomethings as they navigate their various relationships from the shallow end of the dating pool through the deep, murky waters of married life. Trying to read the signs of the opposite sex, each hopes to be the exception to the “no exceptions” rule.”

“Friday the 13th”
Release Date: February 13th, 2009
Director: Marcus Nispel
Writers: Damian Shannon & Mark Swift
Cast: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Aaron Yoo, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle, Derek Mears

Synopsis: “In this re-imagining of the classic horror film, Clay searches for his missing sister in the eerie woods of legendary Crystal Lake, where he stumbles on the creaky remains of rotting old cabins behind moss-covered trees. And that’s not the only thing lying in wait under the brush. Against the advice of police and cautions from the locals, Clay pursues what few leads he has, with the help of a young woman he meets among a group of college kids up for an all-thrills weekend. But they are about to find much more than they bargained for. Little do they know, they’ve entered the domain of one of the most terrifying specters in American film history—the infamous killer who haunts Crystal Lake, armed with a razor-sharp machete…Jason Voorhees.”

“Under the Sea 3D”
Release Date: Exclusively in IMAX on February 13th, 2009
Director: Howard Hall
Narrator: Jim Carrey

Synopsis: “This new IMAX adventure transports moviegoers to some of the most exotic and isolated undersea locations on Earth, including Southern Australia, New Guinea and others in the Indo-Pacific region, allowing them to experience face-to-face encounters with some of the most mysterious and stunning creatures of the sea. It offers a uniquely inspirational and entertaining way to explore the beauty and natural wonder of the oceans, as well as the impact of global climate change. In IMAX 3D, the images will literally leap off the screen and float around the theatre, putting the audience in the movie.”

“Watchmen”
Release Date: March 6th, 2009
Director: Zack Snyder
Writers: David Hayter and Alex Tse
Cast: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson

Synopsis: “A complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, the film is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the “Doomsday Clock” - which charts the USA’s tension with the Soviet Union - is set at five minutes to midnight. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the washed-up but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion - a ragtag group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers - Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future. Their mission is to watch over humanity…but who is watching the Watchmen?”

“Observe and Report”
Release Date: April 10th, 2009
Director: Jody Hill
Writer: Jody Hill
Cast: Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Michael Pena, Ray Liotta

Synopsis: “At the Forest Ridge Mall, head of security Ronnie Barnhardt patrols his jurisdiction with an iron fist, combating skateboarders, shoplifters and the occasional unruly customer while dreaming of the day when he can swap his flashlight for a badge and a gun. His delusions of grandeur are put to the test when the mall is struck by a flasher. Driven to protect and serve the mall and its patrons, Ronnie seizes the opportunity to showcase his underappreciated law enforcement talents on a grand scale, hoping his solution of this crime will earn a coveted spot at the police academy and the heart of his elusive dream girl Brandi, the hot make-up counter clerk who won’t give him the time of day. But his single-minded pursuit of glory launches a turf war with the equally competitive Detective Harrison of the Conway Police, and Ronnie is confronted with the challenge of not only catching the flasher, but getting him before the real cops do.”

“17 Again”
Release Date: April 17th, 2009
Director: Burr Steers
Writer: Jason Filardi
Cast: Zac Efron, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon, Michelle Trachtenberg, Matthew Perry

Synopsis: “What would you do if you got a second shot at life? Class of 1989, Mike O’Donnell is a star on his high school basketball court with a college scout in the stands and a bright future in his grasp. But instead, he decides to throw it all away to share his life with his girlfriend Scarlett and the baby he just learned they are expecting. Almost 20 years later, Mike’s glory days are decidedly behind him. His marriage to Scarlett has fallen apart, he has been passed over for a promotion at work, his teenage kids think he is a loser, and he has been reduced to crashing with his high school nerd-turned-techno-billionaire best friend Ned. But Mike is given another chance when he is miraculously transformed back to the age of 17. Unfortunately, Mike may look 17 again, but his thirtysomething outlook is totally uncool in the class of 2009. And in trying to recapture his best years, Mike could lose the best things that ever happened to him.”

“Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”
Release Date: May 1st, 2009
Director: Mark Waters
Writers: Jon Lucas & Scott Moore
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Lacey Chabert, Michael Douglas, Emma Stone, Anne Archer, Robert Forster

Synopsis: “Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women…in that order. A committed bachelor who thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call, Connor’s mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for his kid brother, Paul, and a houseful of well wishers on the eve of Paul’s wedding. Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his former jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through his failed relationships—past, present and future. Together they attempt to find out what turned Connor into such an insensitive jerk and whether there is still hope for him to find true love…or if he really is the lost cause everyone thinks he is.”

“Terminator Salvation”
Release Date: May 22nd, 2009
Director: McG
Writers: Michael Ferris & John Brancato, Paul Haggis, Jonathan Nolan, Shaun Ryan, Anthony Zuiker
Cast: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Bryce Dallas Howard, Moon Bloodgood, Common

Synopsis: “The highly anticipated new installment of “The Terminator” film franchise is set in post-apocalyptic 2018. John Connor is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future that Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright, a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.”

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to ©Warner Brothers. All rights reserved. Specific photographer credits where noted.

Inkheart_1: Helen Mirren as Elinor, Brendan Fraser as Mo, Rafi Gavron as Farid, Eliza Bennett as Meggie, and Paul Bettany as Dustfinger in New Line Cinema’s fantasy adventure Inkheart, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Murray Close
Inkheart_2: Fenoglio (Jim Broadbent, middle) finds his original manuscript for Inkheart as Mo (brendan Fraser, left) and Dustfinger (Paul Bettany, right) anxiously grab at the pages in New Line Cinema’s fantasy adventure Inkheart, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Murray Close
Hes_Just_Not_1: Drew Barrymore stars as Mary and Scarlett Johansson stars as Anna in New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy “He’s Just Not That Into You,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Darren Michaels
Hes_Just_Not_2: Ginnifer Goodwin stars as Gigi, Jennifer Aniston stars as Beth and Jennifer Connelly stars as Janine in New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy “He’s Just Not That Into You,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Darren Michaels
Hes_Just_Not_3: Justin Long star as Alex and Ginnifer Goodwin stars as Gigi in New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy “He’s Just Not That Into You,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Darren Michaels
Hes_Just_Not_4: Scarlett Johansson stars as Anna and Bradley Cooper stars as Ben in New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy “He’s Just Not That Into You,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Darren Michaels
Friday_the_13th_1: Jason (Derek Mears) prepares to slash a victim in New Line Cinema’s horror film “Friday the 13th,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by John P. Johnson
Friday_the_13th_2: Bree (Julianna Guill, left) is unsuspecting of the danger she might be in as Jason (Derek Mears) lurks in the shadows in New Line Cinema’s horror film “Friday the 13th,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by John P. Johnson
Under_The_Sea_1: A Giant Cuttlefish (Sepia apama) shows off its ability to display an entire spectrum of color on its skin, in Whyalla, South Australia, for the filming of the IMAX® 3D film Under the Sea 3D. Photo © 2008 Michele Hall used with permission of Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Under_The_Sea_2: A Giant Cuttlefish (Sepia apama) shows off its ability to display an entire spectrum of color on its skin, in Whyalla, South Australia, for the filming of the IMAX® 3D film Under the Sea 3D. Photo © 2008 Michele Hall used with permission of Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Watchmen_1: Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach in Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures action/sci-fi “Watchmen.” Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Watchmen_2: Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II, Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach in Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures action/sci-fi “Watchmen.” Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Watchmen_3: Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan in Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures action/sci-fi “Watchmen.” Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Watchmen_4: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as the Comedian, Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II, Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan, Matthew Goode as Ozymandias, Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach in Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures “Watchmen.”Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Observe_and_Report_1: Seth Rogen stars as Ronnie in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures comedy “Observe and Report,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Peter Sorel
Observe_and_Report_2: Anna Faris as Brandi and Seth Rogen as Ronnie in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ comedy “Observe and Report,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Peter Sorel
17_Again_1: Zac Efron stars as young Mike O’Donnell in New Line Cinema’s release “17 Again,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick
17_Again_2: Zac Efron stars as Young Mike O’Donnell in New Line Cinema’s release “17 Again,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick
17_Again_3: Young Mike O’Donnell (Zac Efron) confronts the school bully Stan (Hunter Parrish) in New Line Cinema’s release “17 Again,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick
Ghosts_of_Girlfriends_1: Connor (Matthew McConaughey) reacts to Jenny’s (Jennifer Garner) quick wit in New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Ron Batzdorff
Ghosts_of_Girlfriends_2: Connor (Matthew McConaughey) tries to prevent a wedding cake from toppling over in New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Ron Batzdorff
Ghosts_of_Girlfriends_3: Jenny (Jennifer Garner, left) and Brad (Daniel Sunjata, right) listen to the Minister (Tom Kemp, background) announcing them married while Connor (Matthew McConaughey, center) is powerless to stop them in New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Ron Batzdorff
Terminator_Salvation_1: Christian Bale stars as John Connor in Warner Bros. Pictures action/sci-fi feature “Terminator Salvation.” Photo by Richard Foreman
Terminator_Salvation_2: Christian Bale stars as John Connor and Sam Worthington stars as Marcus Wright in Warner Bros. Pictures action/sci-fi feature “Terminator Salvation.” Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Terminator_Salvation_3: Christian Bale stars as John Connor in Warner Bros. Pictures action/sci-fi feature “Terminator Salvation.” Photo by Richard Foreman

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Filmmaker Brothers Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass Advance Mumblecore Movement in ‘Baghead’

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:59:50 -0600

CHICAGO – The “mumblecore” movement, which is the made-on-digital-video movie revolution, has two significant practitioners: filmmaker brothers Mark Duplass and Jay Duplass.

Lauded in 2006 at Film Independent’s Spirit Awards for their first feature entitled “The Puffy Chair,” the Duplass brothers have their first major feature release in “Baghead”. It’s a funny send-up of “Friday the 13th”-type scary movies and the desperation of relationship dynamics.

“Baghead” writers and directors Jay Duplass (left) and Mark Duplass in Chicago on July 23, 2008.
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

Left to right: Steve Zissis as Chad, Elise Muller as Catherine and Greta Gerwig as Michelle in “Baghead”.
Photo credit: Jen Tracy Duplass, copyright Duplass Brothers LLC

HollywoodChicago.com interviewed the two filmmakers on their recent Chicago visit. They talked about the road to their first distributed feature, the process of their filmmaking and – yes – the meaning of the term “mumblecore”.

“Baghead” is about two couples. They’re all struggling film actors in Los Angeles who decide to go to a remote cabin in the woods to create a usable screenplay.

There’s a sexual tension between Chad (Steve Zissis) that’s not being reciprocated by Michelle (Greta Gerwig). Matt (Ross Partridge) and Catherine (Elise Miller) are the other story-pitching pair.

Soon they are all torturing each other with the story of Baghead, which is a potential movie character who stalks his victims from the woods.

“When we were shooting our first feature (‘The Puffy Chair’), we had long drives between where we were staying and where we were shooting with stretches of just woods,” Mark Duplass said. “Inevitably, with eight people in a van driving through the woods, we started talking about scary stuff.”

The character Baghead in the film “Baghead”.
Photo credit: Jen Tracy Duplass, copyright Duplass Brothers LLC

Rating: 4.0/5.0

“It became the opposite direction from ‘Cloverfield,’ which had the villain the size of Rhode Island,” Jay Duplass said. “We couldn’t beat that, so we went with the most low-fi version of horror films – both small and ridiculous.”

As the Baghead legend unfolds for the four characters, the line between the fictional story and reality begins to blur.

“Obviously we’re aware of ‘Friday the 13th,’” Jay Duplass said. “The reference point for us was: ‘What if it were happening in the real world and not just the dreamy world of teenagers taking showers?’ We wanted create a situation that was real where you know these characters and introduce the scary element into it.”

“Our goal was to scare the audience, but also to make them laugh and to not take it too seriously,” Mark Duplass said. “We wanted a great experience because some things in this life are a little scary or funny or stupid.”

Elise Muller as Catherine in “Baghead”.
Photo credit: Jen Tracy Duplass, copyright Duplass Brothers LLC

One of the key features of the story is the uncomfortable rejection Chad receives from Michelle even though his plan was to get her alone at the cabin.

“With our approach,” Mark Duplass explained, “it will be funny, but you have to mine the reality of what it is and slowly let it play out. Looking at the character of Chad, you know he’s had the struggle of rejection in his life.”

Left to right: Elise Muller as Catherine, Steve Zissis as Chad and Greta Gerwig as Michelle in “Baghead”.
Photo credit: Jen Tracy Duplass, copyright Duplass Brothers LLC

“Everyone has that type of rejection on a weekly basis,” Jay Duplass added.

“Our hope is of the three things going on in this movie – the relationship stuff, the comedy stuff and the horror stuff – the audience will find something to connect to,” Mark Duplass said. “It’s about the characters, and if you like them, you’ll like the film. Then we’ll make $750 million (laughter).”

The tense atmosphere in the film is heightened by the desperation of actors trying to make it in Los Angeles.

Mark Duplass added: “They represent everyone, but in our world, the epitome of the human being who wants something they’re probably never going to have is the desperate actor. It is horrifying and beautiful at the same time.”

The “mumblecore” film movement, which is a genre created out of the small digital video festivals that play across the country, is close to the hearts of the Duplass brothers.

Mark Duplass defined the term: “Mumblecore are films made really cheaply on digital video – often with improvised dialogue and unprofessional actors – that tends to focus on realism in relationships and a distinct lack of plot.”

RELATED IMAGE GALLERY
View our full, high-resolution “Baghead” image gallery.

RELATED READING
More film reviews from critic Patrick McDonald.

“We are half in and half out,” Mark Duplass added. “We like more plot and use professional actors, but we do tend to focus on the relationships.” Jay Duplass added: “In ‘Baghead,’ the short film shown at the festival in the beginning is hardcore mumblecore.”

It is Mark Duplass who sums up the progression of the brother’s film journey with a reflection on coming up through the independent digital video movement.

“We made a lot of bad movies for a long time until we hit onto something that was watchable,” Mark Duplass said. “It instills a very healthy fear of making a piece of shit. That keeps us on our toes. It’s real easy to make a bad movie and really hard to make a good one.”

“The advantage is that the only limitation is yourself,” Mark Duplass said. “Money is an issue, but the reality is about honing your vision and living and growing as an artist.”

“Baghead,” which is written and directed by brothers Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass and features Ross Partridge, Steve Zissis, Greta Gerwig and Elise Muller, opened on Aug. 1, 2008 at AMC Loews Pipers Alley 4 in Chicago and CineArts 6 in Evanston, Ill.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com