Skip to main content

'Rubber' Review: The Fantastic Fest Film That Gives New Meaning to "Tire Trouble"

By Brad McHargue (Subscribe to Brad McHargue's posts), Posted Sep 29th 2010 6:15PM
Filed under: Reviews, Horror, Cinematical


If there was ever a film designed to question convention, "Rubber" is that film. French writer and director Quentin Dupieux manages to take an inanimate object, instill in it sentience, then have it roll around and blow stuff up. Encapsulated in its own little world, "Rubber" is a film that exemplifies absurdity and doesn't try to be anything else; although the intended result was indeed achieved, the film suffers from its limited premise. Following a snazzy intro to set the flick in motion, we're given a slightly plodding film with a few laugh out loud moments that ends way sooner than it should.

'Rubber' has no plot to speak of, though I suppose that's the point. The film opens with our eponymous tire becoming aware of its abilities to blow stuff up and roll around. Much like a child learning to walk, it takes some time to get used to being a tire capable of self-propelling, teetering on either end until it falls to the ground, letting fly a cloud of dust and dirt. Undeterred, it gets back up and keeps on truckin', ultimately rolling into town and trying his new-found powers on a poor, unsuspecting traveler. Throughout all of this, we're joined by a second audience within the film, watching the events unfold through binoculars as if they're watching a movie themselves. Head-explodiness ensues.
Continue Reading

Watch This: Trailer for 'Anti Gas Skin'

By Brad McHargue (Subscribe to Brad McHargue's posts), Posted Sep 14th 2010 11:45AM
Filed under: Trailers/Clips, Horror
If you ever had doubts over whether or not Korean horror films are absolutely balls-to-the-wall absurd, all you have to do is watch the trailer for the absurdly titled Anti Gas Skin by Korean directors Kim Gok and Kim Sun. Described by 24 Frames Per Second as an "action, serial killer thriller," the plot is summed up thusly:

Four individuals, each with their own motives, are out to find a serial killer that wears a gas mask. There's the disfigured Mi-Joo, who seeks to be killed by the mask-wearing murderer to escape the pain of her disfigurement; Sang-Kun Joo, a political candidate threatened with death if he wins the election; Bo-Sik, a traffic warden who believes he's a superhero; and Patrick, who wants revenge on the gas mask killer for seemingly murdering his girlfriend. Who is behind the mask, and what is its true nature?

The film is called Bloodproof in its native Korea, and while the change is...kind of reflected in the new title, it makes you wonder why they decided to change it for its stateside release. It recently screened at the Venice Film Festival as well. Check out the trailer below for maximum weirdness.


'Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre' Hiting DVD Stateside Sans Reykjavik

By Brad McHargue (Subscribe to Brad McHargue's posts), Posted Sep 13th 2010 11:15AM
Filed under: DVDs, DVD News, Horror
I've never understood the need to change the title of a movie to reflect overseas distribution. I get the fact that most people are uneducated fools who have probably never heard of Iceland's capital and might be confused as to what it actually means, but part of the fun of the movie's title is the inclusion of Reykjavik. Or at least it is to me. It gives the film a local flare and an interesting name, which can in turn help solidify its status as one of those weird movies you just have to show to your friends one night while getting baked at home. Now you'll just be showing them Harpoon: Whale Watching Massacre.

As Shock Til You Drop brings to our attention, Harpoon: Whale Watching Massacre will be released by Image Entertainment on DVD on December 7th. The film, which has a bit part for Gunnar "Leatherface" Hansen, centers on a group of whale watchers in Reykjavik whose boat breaks down. Unfortunately for them, they're picked up by a whale fishing festival populated by a group of fisherman who have, well, gone nuts. All Hell breaks loose.

I actually can't wait to see this. Check out the trailer below.


Watch This: Full Trailer for French Thriller 'Captifs'

By Brad McHargue (Subscribe to Brad McHargue's posts), Posted Sep 7th 2010 10:15AM
Filed under: Trailers/Clips, Horror
French horror had its heyday a few years back, with the likes of Inside and Martyrs causing horror fans to crap themselves with excitement that gritty, violent and seemingly real horror was finally making its way to the states. While I do quite enjoy both films, I prefer those that eschew blood in favor of tension and those that focus heavily on the human aspect of fear. The forthcoming Captifs seems to be a film right up my alley.

Captifs looks like a solid and gritty entry into the world of French thrillers. The plot according to 24 Frames Per Second is as follows:

"Somewhere in Eastern Europe, Carole is a young nurse with a humanitarian aid group that has reached the end of its mission. But just then, the young woman and her two colleagues are kidnapped by strangers for mysterious reasons. Held captive, cared for and kept alive in an oppressive and sinister setting, the three prisoners soon discover with horror what their kidnappers truly have in store for them... "

The trailer, which can be viewed below, has hints of Martyrs and Vinyan flowing throughout. Despite a lack of subtitles, you can probably get a good idea of what's going on, as the plot appears to be relatively formulaic - a group of people in uncharted territory held against their will, etc etc. Clearly something bad is going to happen, we're just going to have to wait to find out.

Captifs will be released next month and is directed by Yann Gozlan.

FrightFest Fave 'F' Gets First Trailer

By Brad McHargue (Subscribe to Brad McHargue's posts), Posted Sep 1st 2010 1:05PM
Filed under: Trailers/Clips, Horror
A little over half a decade ago, a film critic coined the term "torture porn" to refer to a specific type of horror film that brought all the blood and guts to the forefront, often at the expense of story and character development. I'm looking at you, Captivity. Now, thanks to our friends across the pond, we apparently have a new sub-genre: hoodie horror.

According to Twitch, "hoodie horror" apparently revolves around teenagers wearing hoodies to disguise their faces. I can only think of one film off the top of my head that could be considered hoodie horror (I won't reveal the name, as it would actually be kind of a spoiler), but thanks to Twitch and Frightfest I now know of two.

Having received rave reviews at Frightfest this year, F follows a teacher who, following an attack by a student, has been left in a very emotionally fragile state. One day, after an argument with his daughter in detention, he finds himself trapped and the school under attack by a hooded assailant.

The trailer below is definitely sharp, though for some reason it lacks dialogue. Whether this is a choice by those who cut the trailer or simply a glitch is anyone's guess, it's definitely worth a look. Claimed by director Johannes Roberts to be a loose remake of Assault on Precinct 13, F stars David Schofield, Eliza Bennett, Ruth Gemmell, Juliet Aubrey and Emma Cleasby. Check it out courtesy of Twitch after the cut.
Continue Reading

Watch This: 'Devil's Bridge' Trailer

By Brad McHargue (Subscribe to Brad McHargue's posts), Posted Aug 30th 2010 11:55AM
Filed under: Trailers/Clips, Horror

UK survival horror is one of those pseudo-sub genres of horror I find myself inexplicably drawn to. They come in a variety of forms, from teenage horror (Wilderness) to horror comedy (Severance), yet they rarely fail to disappoint. As such, I'm always on the lookout for some good British survival horror, and thanks to 24 Frames Per Second, I now know of Devil's Bridge, by writer/director Chris Crow. The synopsis via 24FPS is as follows:

"Sean's livelihood is on the rocks, and he sets out meet an underworld specialist who can facilitate an off-the-books solution to his failing business. Heading into the rural isolation of Wales with his friends Adam and Danny, Sean finds himself in uncharted, unknown and deeply alien territory. In this unfamiliar setting the trio cross William Parry, a hardened farmer, consumed by paranoia, and a lifetime of bitter resentment, a powder keg ready to blow. Their encounter spirals rapidly out of control, moving into a brutal spree of pointless violence and revenge as William hunts the boys through a stark and unforgiving terrain."

The red band trailer, which can be found on the official website, is incredibly intense. It's dark and violent, and certainly doesn't skimp on the blood. Independent horror of such caliber is usually hit or miss, but this is one I'm really looking forward to. It reminded me in a way of Frontiere(s), not in terms of plot but in terms of style. We'll just have to wait and see.

Devil's Bridge stars Joshua Richards, David Schofield, MIchael Jibson and Gary Mavers, and is currently in post-production. A full trailer, albeit nowhere near as interesting as the red band trailer on the website, can be found after the jump.
Continue Reading

Eli Roth Still Hasn't Ruled Out Feature Length 'Thanksgiving'

By Brad McHargue (Subscribe to Brad McHargue's posts), Posted Aug 26th 2010 5:25PM
Filed under: Movie News, News/Reactions, Horror

You ever seen Thankskilling? Made for under $3,500 and featuring the greatest opening shot in the history of direct-to-DVD horror cinema (hint: it's boobs. Just boobs), it features a homicidal turkey killing college students. The turkey talks, spouts one-liners, and the film as a whole is overall the perfect film for a ridiculous drinking game. Clearly this movie has made you long for other late-November themed slasher flicks, and if Eli Roth has his way, all of your hopes and dreams may soon come true.

According to CinemaBlend, Eli Roth and his childhood pal Jeff Rendell are working on the script, with the real work happening once Roth is done promoting The Last Exorcism. Roth says of the script:

"I've been working on the script with my co-writer, Jeff Rendell, who plays the pilgrim in the trailer. And it's me imitating Jeff's voice [for the narration]. But Jeff has been working. I said that his deal is he has to work on the script while I'm promoting The Last Exorcism, and as soon as I'm done in mid-September he's going to fly to California, we're going to sit down, and bang out the script."

Having just watched the trailer for the first time ever about fifteen minutes before I wrote this, I gotta say: eh. It looks like mindless fun, and I absolutely love how it plays into the tendency for 70s horror flicks to repeat the title of the film about eight times throughout a two and a half minute trailer, but beyond the novelty of its Grindhouse association and the Eli Roth attachment, I'm fairly ambivalent toward its production.

Whether or not the flick actually gets made is anyone's guess, though you can rest assured the box office returns of Machete will be a surefire sign. Given the novelty, hype and excellent cast, I have nothing but faith in Rodriguez being a happy camper after opening weekend.

Special thanks to The Playlist for the heads up.
Advertisement

Hot Topics

From Our Partners