BIOSHOCK INFINITE (PS3) Review

I DON'T THINK WE'RE IN RAPTURE ANYMORE...

When the original BIOSHOCK was released way back in 2007 it was a critical and commercial success, winning a slew of awards and with good reason. It was a truly atmospheric and immersive FPS which incorporated influences from authors such as Ayn Rand and George Orwell. It also had a unique setting in the underwater metropolis Rapture. The sequel offered more of the same and while it was still a good game it  wasn't anywhere near as impressive as its predecessor. Enter BIOSHOCK INFINITE which while still retaining a whole host of similarities to the previous games, takes the franchise in a completely new direction.
Rapture was a dying city buried deep beneath the waves and overrun by plasmid junkies and fearsome Big Daddies. It was dark, dank and claustrophobic in the best possible way. INFINITE'S Columbia is about as far from Rapture as you could get.

Floating high above the clouds Columbus is a bustling city filled with people working, playing, shopping, picnicking and generally just going about their daily lives. But even though at first the city may seem like a nice place it soon becomes apparent that it is just as much of a dystopia as Rapture, with strong themes like racism and religious fanaticism.
As Booker DeWitt you've been sent to this city to find and retrieve a woman named Elizabeth in order to wipe a personal debt. That's about as much information as you're given to start with. As for who has sent you or what the debt is, well everything is revealed eventually. Elizabeth is locked away in a tower and after rescuing her you find yourself pursued by religious 'prophet' Father Comstock and one of the games two factions, the Founders. There's so much more to talk about as far as plot goes but this is a game that I wouldn't want to spoil for anyone so I'll just leave it at that for now.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

BIOSHOCK INFINITE is a First Person Shooter like it's predecessors and the combat system is much the same as well. A combination of firearms and Vigors (The INFINITE version of Plasmids) is essential for fighting off hostiles and traversing the sprawling city of Columbia. The guns are modelled on conventional weapons and range from pistols to machine-guns and RPGs, all of which can be upgraded to increase attributes such as damage and ammunition capacity. The Vigors are quite an eclectic mix compared to the previous games and range from the Devil's Kiss (a simple fire based attack) to the Murder of Crows (which sends a swarm of crows to tear up the flesh of your enemies. Even better is the fact that these Vigors can be combines. For example if you follow Murder of Crows with a quick blast of Devil's Kiss you get a flock of flaming crows which cause extra damage. I'll let you find out about the rest of the Vigors on your own but I will add that there are select few that I used a lot and a few which seemed a bit novel and didn't get much use after a while.
A brand new addition to the franchise is the Skyhook which is part weapon, part tool, all awesome. It's the first weapon you receive after arriving in Columbia and it becomes a valuable and essential item for the rest of the game. Apart from being quite a brutal melee weapon it is also a unique mode of transport.

ROADS? WHERE WE'RE GOING WE DON'T NEED ROADS

All across Columbus you will notice rails twisting and turning through the sky, connecting sections of the city together. Normally these Skylines are used for cargo transport and personal transport via carriages and gondolas. But with the help of his trusty Skyhook, Booker can use these rails to get where he needs to go quickly and easily. But what starts of as a convenience eventually becomes an essential part of the gameplay and combat. The controls are surprisingly intuitive and soon you'll find yourself in action-packed, fast-paced combat scenarios as you fly along the Skylines, firing at enemies before leaping down to perform a devastating Skyline strike. It is mountains of fun and nowhere near as gimmicky as I imagined it might be.
Oh and did I mention that your enemies can also ride these rails? It definitely makes for some exciting and interesting combat.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

INFINITE follows a linear path but most areas are quite sizeable and there is a lot of exploring to do. While you're collecting Silver Eagles (the in-game currency) and salt (which powers your Vigors) from trash-cans, desks, wallets, cabinets and just about every other nook and cranny you could possibly imagine, you also need to keep an eye out for other special items. Lockpicks are important tools which Elizabeth can use to access secret areas which usually house Infusions (which allow you to upgrade your health, shield and salt capacity) or Gear. Gear is a nice addition to the game and affords you special perks depending on which items you are using. You can have a total of four pieces of Gear (hat, shirt, pants & boots) at any one time and they will give you temporary invulnerability, extra melee damage and a whole other host of abilities. There is a lot of Gear to find and you will probably find it worthwhile to take the extra time for a thorough search.

NO HOLDING HANDS

Elizabeth is your companion for almost the entire game. Your AI companion. I know that term might not excite a lot of gamers and for good reason, but rest assured that you'll have no problems here. Rather than this game being one long escort mission Elizabeth is perfectly capable of fending for herself. You do not need to help her out at all. You can breathe a sigh of relief now.
In fact it gets even better because Elizabeth actually helps you out. She'll pick locks to access secret areas, she'll point out special objects such as lockpicks you may have missed in a particular room and she'll even provide you with salt, health and ammo during combat. And then there's her extra special ability.
Elizabeth can open up 'tears' which are holes in time and space which lead to other worlds or realities. Through these tears she can pull items from those worlds to help you out. During combat these tears can provide you with turrets, allies, cover, weapons and healing supplies and they are a very valuable thing to utilize when you find yourself heavily outnumbered. I never thought I'd say this but I loved having an AI companion in this game.

THE VERDICT

I could go on about this game for hours but I think it's about time to sum up. Everything I've heard from people who have played INFINITE has been positive and I don't want to seem like I'm just jumping on the bandwagon but I honestly enjoyed this game. A lot. It actually has a deep story and strong characterization and even touches on the subject of morality and consequences. Between the Skyline combat, the eclectic range of Vigors, the amazing visuals and the evil Gatling-gun-toting George Washington robots I could not find a single thing that was lacking. The game is only around 15 hours or so but what an excellent 15 hours it is. This game frustrated the hell out of me but only because I wanted to keep playing while simultaneously not wanting the game to actually end. And when the game finally does end it might just blow your tiny little mind. I know we're only a quarter of the way through 2013 but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that BIOSHOCK INFINITE is my game of the year.

Indiegogo: WATERBORNE - You Had Me At 'Zombie Kangaroo'

What Is Indiegogo?

Zombie kangaroo. If those two words together like that don't get you excited then you may as well leave right now. Do it. Just go.
For those of you still reading; congratulations! And not only because you have good taste. If you're anything like me then you have always wanted to see a zombie kangaroo and the good news is that now you finally have that chance. WATERBORNE is an upcoming Australian short film set in a small rural town ravaged by a zombie outbreak that affects not only humans but animals too. Read on for the details from the Indiegogo page -

"'Waterborne' is a short Australian horror/zombie film; the lovechild of a bunch of filmmakers from Melbourne, Australia. We all love zombies, and we all love making films. We've been developing this one for a while now, and we're planning to shoot in April 2013.

It's a very Australian story set in a small country town, where Todd, the local ranger, is pretty sure that years of environmental disasters are wreaking havoc on the local ecosystem.  His suspicions are confirmed when contaminants in the water supply lead to the outbreak of a zombie-like virus that affects not only humans – but animals too.

The key scene in this short film revolves around an infected zombie kangaroo trying to smash its way into the ranger’s pickup truck.

Yes, you heard right - a ZOMBIE KANGAROO. 

Not only are we confident that 'Waterborne' will amazing short film (which we'll be entering into film festivals around the world), but it will also act as a prequel for a feature film that we've got up our sleeve. So by supporting this project, you're also helping to get the ball rolling on a much bigger film (with even more zombie animals)!"

So if you want to help build the world's first zombie kangaroo (and who doesn't?) make sure you check out the film's Indiegogo campaign and donate as little or as much as you want. And don't forget to head over and give the official Facebook page a 'like' while you're at it.

Kickstart My Art: THE SEARCH FOR WENG WENG

What is Kickstarter?

Got too much money and not sure what to do with it? Don't you just hate that? Well then maybe you should stop being such a selfish bastard and use some of it to help somebody else realize their dream while getting some sweet rewards in return. THE SEARCH FOR WENG WENG is a feature documentary from Aussie filmmaker Andrew Leavold exploring the history of Filipino B-films and uncovering the facts behind the 2'9" Filipino phenomenon known as Weng Weng. I'll let the Kickstarter campaign explain in its own words -

"The Search For Weng Weng" is the unbelievable true story of the real-life 2'9" Filipino James Bond and the latest Feature Documentary from Australian Guerrilla Film maker Andrew Leavold. Shot over 6 years in Manila, it's the ultimate history of Philipino B-Films and chronicles Leavold's obsessive quest to find the truth behind what really happened Weng Weng. We already have over 100 hours of footage, a distributor in place and are looking to raise funds to complete post production for an international release"

"I wanted to know Weng’s story. His real name, for starters. Was he still alive? How many movies did he make? Other than unbelievably small, what kind of person was he? He’s listed in the Guinness Book of Records as, at just 83 cm (2 ft 9 in) tall, the shortest ever lead actor in a motion picture. That’s as far as the official story went - it seemed like the Cone of Silence has well and truly fallen over Weng. I remember ringing the Manila Film Resource Centre in the mid 90s, and they pretended to have never heard of him. Was he truly a national disgrace? Had political correctness finally caught up with a country whose comedy venerates freaks, fatties and the less-fortunate? Or was he small enough to have slipped between the cracks of film history"

So if unraveling the facts around this Filipino midget sounds right down you're alley, make sure you head on over to the official Kickstarter campaign page to make a donation and choose you're reward. And while you're at it check out the official Facebook page and don't forget to share it with all of your friends.

Now Showing: CONQUEST

Although Lucio Fulci may be known best for his gore films such as ZOMBIE and THE BEYOND he dabbled in genres as diverse as giallo, western and comedy. And in 1983 during the sword and sorcery craze (inspired by the success of CONAN THE BARBARIAN) he tried his hand at crafting his own unique version. Although CONQUEST has all of the trademarks of the genre; namely muscled warriors, masked villains and a primeval setting, it also features Fulci's personal trademarks; gore and nudity. There are even some neat ZOMBIE-esque undead creatures. This is one of Fulci's more underappreciated films and personally I'd pick this over CONAN any day.

CONQUEST: "Italian sword and sorcery epic from splatter director Lucio Fulci loosely inspired from the Hercules mythos about two warriors on a quest and a vengeful demon who throws all kinds of nasty creatures along the way to fill scenes of gory violence"

Official YOU'RE NEXT Trailer Is Ready To Invade Your Home

By the looks of things Adam Wingard's upcoming home invasion thriller is shaping up to be a great flick and after watching the trailer I'll definitely be lining up to see the film when it arrives later this year. YOU'RE NEXT promises a unique twist on the well-trodden path of the home invasion sub-genre so let's just hope that it delivers. Check out the brand new trailer below along with some creepy artwork for the film.

Synopsis: "One of the smartest and most terrifying films in years, You're Next reinvents the genre by putting a fresh twist on home-invasion horror. When a gang of masked, axe-wielding murderers descend upon the Davison family reunion, the hapless victims seem trapped...until an unlikely guest of the family proves to be the most talented killer of all"

Indie Spotlight: TIME TO KILL

TIME TO KILL is an upcoming exploitation / horror film from director Brian Williams and Mostly Harmless Pictures. Written and directed by Williams it stars Ellie Church as Sarah, a young woman seeking bloody revenge after finding that she has only 24 hours left to live. Also starring is prolific genre favorite Debbie Rochon alongside Christine Carollo, Cassandra Baun, Brigid Macaulay and Jason Hignite.
A new trailer has just been released and between the tits and blood I'm gonna go ahead and say that it's definitely NSFW. You can check it out below along with some artwork and make sure you head over and give the film's official Facebook page a 'like'.
There is also an Indiegogo campaign running at the moment so if you like what you see be sure to check it out and chip in whatever you can.

Synopsis: "Follow good girl Sara, who upon finding out she only has 24 hours left to live spends those hours living life to the fullest, taking revenge on those that have done her wrong, and exploring her every desire. For Sara there's no time to waste, no time to lose, there's only....TIME TO KILL..."

DEAD LEAVES (2004) Review

Directed by: Hiroyuki Imaishi

Starring (voices): Kappei Yamaguchi, Takako Honda, Yuko Mizutani

I really had no idea what to expect when I sat down to watch DEAD LEAVES and even after letting it all soak into my brain for a couple of days I still don't have a clear idea of what the hell just happened. I'm not the biggest anime fan in the world but I've seen my fair share and I can say without hesitation that I've never seen anything quite like DEAD LEAVES, both in terms of what goes down on screen and it's animation style.

Pandy (a young woman with a bad case of Heterochromia) and Retro (a dude with a television head) awaken completely naked with absolutely no idea of who the are, where they are or what they are doing there. So naturally they team up, go steal some clothes and a car and start shooting up the city before robbing a bank and then leading approximately a billion cops on a high speed chase, destroying as much as they can in the process. But their crime spree soon comes to an end and they find themselves on route to a prison on the Moon where they are suited up in straight-jackets and thrown in a cell. Pandy and Retro soon free themselves from their shackles by having sex (yes you read that right; sex!) and gather all of the prisoners in a frenetic, fast paced escape attempt. Along the way Pandy and Retro unlock the secret behind their mysterious past and the reason why the prison seems so familiar to them.

It's clear to see that the filmmakers didn't waste any time on a deep story or characterization, which is made most apparent when their mysterious past is explained in a ridiculous 15 second monologue. Normally this kind of seemingly lazy, throwaway explanation would get negative points from me but I was too busy trying not to have an epileptic seizure to really notice any of the weak plot points. Besides a strong story is definitely not the film's strong point, nor is it meant to be.

I always hear people talking about how good certain movies are to watch when you're high. Well DEAD LEAVES is the kind of film that will leave you feeling like you're on an acid trip no matter how sober you are. It's hard not to imagine the writers and animators producing this after a particularly strong batch of shrooms. It's pretty darn difficult to describe the animation style here but if I was pushed I guess I would say that it's like what I'd imagine if Spongebob and Patrick went on a crazy, violent, drug-fuelled crime spree. There are so many bright colors and the scenes chop and change so quickly it almost makes your head spin.

DEAD LEAVES is very entertaining with its unique animations style and its vast menagerie of weird and wonderful characters including a certain prisoner with a drill for a penis. A drill. For a penis. It does however venture into crude territory with the aforementioned drill penis guy and a scene in the prison involving poop extraction. but that's almost forgivable when a film is this fun. It's completely over the top and ridiculous but I couldn't help falling in love with it. it is however a little short at around 45 - 50 minutes and could have been longer, although I doubt my eyeballs and brain could have taken much more. Anime fans will want to see this if only for the animation and pure insanity on display. But DEAD LEAVES is also very violent with the screen sometimes being overwhelmed by explosions, blood and bullets. Not suitable for kids. Highly recommended for anime fans and people who love seeing something a little different.

THE CEMETERY (2013) Review

Directed by: Adam Ahlbrandt

Starring: J.D. Brown, Natalie Jean, Adam Huss, Tim Cronin, Tabetha Ray

Last month I had the opportunity to check Adam Ahlbrandt's take on the slasher genre; CROSS BEARER which was a bloody, gritty, gory affair filled with sex, drugs and violence. In other words it was awesome.
And while THE CEMETERY trades in the masked killer for more of a demonic possession tale it still keeps all of the aforementioned goodies intact while throwing in a brutal soundtrack to top it all off.

To provide us with some background the film begins by taking us all the way back to 1671 where a group of priests try in vain to exorcise demons from their unwitting hosts. Brutally tortured and eventually killed, these victims are buried in a secret cemetery, the location of which is hidden to all but the church.Cut to the present and we meet a team of paranormal investigators who host their own reality show Ghost Seekers. After investigating abandoned prisons, haunted houses and the like they are yet to find any substantial evidence of ghosts or ghouls. This with the help of a stolen church document their next destination is that very same cemetery where the demonically possessed were buried after being tortured and killed. But what will the Ghost Seekers do when their faced with a real demonic threat?

After enjoying CROSS BEARER so much I was a little worried that this follow up would fall short, but it turns out that I didn't need to be so worried because THE CEMETERY rocks. It has a great ensemble cast with some familiar faces returning from CROSS BEARER like J.D. Brown who plays the likeable Bill, Natalie Jean who spends most of her on screen time covered in blood and gore, and Tim Cronin who plays a bit of a douchebag. Then there's Adam Huss in the role of Tim; the horny, pot smoking comic relief and Tabetha Ray the bitchy medium. And a special mention to Burning Angel's Draven Star whose only job was to look smoking hot and she did it well indeed.
Everything that made CROSS BEARER so good is also on display here, from the masses of blood and gore to the tits and ass and a fittingly dark and foreboding atmosphere. And once again the make-up and effects are all practical and that in itself always score big points with me.

Another point worth mentioning is the film's soundtrack which is comprised mostly of heavy metal, which I personally love but it certainly won't fit everybody's taste. If you don't like the prospect of a soundtrack featuring band names like Fleshgod Apocalypse, Circle of Dead Children or Squash Bowels then this may not be for you. On the other hand if that sounds right up your alley then you're bound to have a great time.

I may have sad this before but Adam Ahlbrandt is definitely a filmmaker to look out for. He makes movies that horror fans want to see. Films packed with blood, guts, tits and ass; this is the stuff that reminds me why I started watching horror flicks in the first place. It's not without its imperfections but even the minor criticisms I may have about THE CEMETERY are far outweighed by all of the positives and the film's overall entertainment quality. And as much as I loved CROSS BEARER I think I probably enjoyed this a little more so it's getting an extra half a star.

THE PROSPECTOR'S CURSE (2013) Short Film Review

Directed by: Josh Heisie

Starring: Dave Roberts, Johnny Quinn, Robert Nolan

Around about a year ago is when I first heard about THE PROSPECTOR'S CURSE and I have to admit I was looking forward to it quite a lot because aside from horror movies I also have a particular love for westerns, both the American John Ford kind and the spaghetti type. So a western themed horror flick would seem right up my alley.

A murderous yet feeble-minded oaf by the name of Tubby (Roberts) has paired up with smooth talking snake-oil salesman Jack (Quinn), leaving the angry cries of cheated townsfolk in their wake. Along their travels they come across an old, dying prospector (Nolan) clutching a bag of gold in one hand and a map in the other.
With his dying breath he asks the pair to deliver the gold to his family and to give him a proper Christian burial when he passes on. He seems particularly vehement about that last bit because the ground he is lying on is an old Indian burial ground. But when Jack takes a look inside the bag he gets gold fever and despite Tubby's initial objections they both head off to mine the prospector's claim while they still have time.
But as we all know an Indian burial ground is nothing to joke about and the failure to honor the prospector's final wish might just come back to haunt them.

In all honesty when I sit down to watch a short film I don't really expect a whole lot, although by now I've certainly seen enough to know that they can be just as enjoyable and effective as a feature length film. THE PROSPECTOR'S CURSE is an impressive combination of western, comedy and horror which easily entertains throughout its 15 minute running time. Another thing that caught me by surprise is just how professional and well crafted this short was. Everything from the lighting, the locations, the period props and costumes and the gore and make-up effects are all top notch. I should also mention that the make-up and effects are all practical which automatically scores bonus points from me. The acting was great also from Roberts, Quinn and Nolan (Robert Nolan being a favourite of mine ever since seeing him in WORM and FAMILIAR).

Also worth mentioning is that THE PROSPECTOR'S CURSE is the first part in what will eventually become and anthology a la CREEPSHOW or TALES FROM THE CRYPT, with each part focusing on a different aspect of horror such as slasher films and creature features. It just so happens that I'm a pretty big fan of anthologies and if the other parts are as enjoyable as this one then I'm most definitely looking forward to it.

Indie Spotlight: THE PICKAXE MURDERS PART III: THE FINAL CHAPTER

During one of my many boredom-fuelled Facebook perusals I stumbled upon this upcoming indie flick which immediately grabbed my attention with its artwork and title looking and sounding reminiscent of an 80s slasher.

Remember how amazing the first two PICKAXE movies were? No of course you don't because they never existed. Despite that fact THE PICKAXE MURDERS PART III is on it's way and so far I'm getting a really neat throwback vibe which is reminding me of such 1980s gems as MY BLOODY VALENTINE and FRIDAY THE 13TH.
Written, directed and produced by Jeremy Sumrall (STAY WITH ME) the film has only recently been casting and so far Keefer Barlow (HARVESTER OF TERROR 2: REDNECK'S REVENGE), Amy Rene Horch LaFavers (SWEATSHOP) and Tracy Collins are on board. Read on for the plot details and some sweet artwork from Sadist Art Designs and don't forget to check out and 'like' the film's official Facebook page for further updates.

Synopsis: "In the summer of 1982, a group of campers was horribly slaughtered at Camp Arapaho in the sleepy little town of Woodland Hills. The 10 gruesome murders were blamed on Alex Black, a mysterious man believed to have been the son of Satan himself, whom the townspeople had hunted down and lynched nearly 20 years prior. A young woman named Adrienne was able to defeat Alex and put a stop to the killing spree.

One year later, a series of mysterious killings at the Meadow Falls Sanitarium (where Adrienne had spent the last year as a patient) was once again linked to the mysterious Alex Black. Twenty patients and staff members were horribly slaughtered in increasingly graphic and brutal ways. In the end, a young man named George Miner, along with Adrienne, was able to defeat Alex Black, sending him back to the foul hell from whence he came.

For five years, Alex Black has been silent, and the town of Woodland Hills has been peaceful. However, tonight is the night of the death moon, and someone has found a way to bring Alex Black back to life...

...and Alex will not stop until he paints the town blood red"

Indie Spotlight: ANGER OF THE DEAD

Think you've seen enough zombie films? Well think again because upcoming short zombie flick ANGER OF THE DEAD has started shooting.
Indie director Francesco Picone is working on a new short after a successful run of his award winning short film I'M DEAD. Produced by cultural association SmallMovie the cast includes Alex Lucchesi (EATERS), Serena Bilanceri (THE LABYRINTH), Federico Mariotti (MATRIMONI E ALTRI DISASTRI), Alessio Cherubini (MY LAI FOUR) and Beatrice Baldaccini (SHREK THE MUSICAL). Also on board are make-up artist Carlo Diamantini (ZOMBIE MASSACRE) and visual effects supervisor Alessio Barzocchini (VIRTUAL ZONE).
Character and plot details are slim at the moment but the story will take place between the present and a post-apocalyptic future where any cities will be the domain of the dead.

For further details and updates make sure you go check out and 'like' the film's official Facebook page and keep scrolling down for some tasty teaser art.

10 Upcoming Videogame To Film Adaptations

Films adapted from videogames don't exactly have the best track record. SUPER MARIO BROS.? Shit. STREET FIGHTER? Crap. Every RESIDENT EVIL sequel? Abysmal. And don't even get me started on Uwe Boll...
But it's no wonder that studios want to adapt films from videogames because lots of games are very cinematic as it is and nowadays a lot of videogames even outperform Hollywood movies.
Yesterday I was reading the news that a BIOSHOCK film will no longer be going forward and so I wondered to myself; "What other movies are still in the works?" After some research (which mainly involved a lot of Googling) I've compiled a list of 10 films which are still in the pipeline. For now.

SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS (????)

SHADOW is one of my favorite PS2 games ever and still stands as one of the best looking and original games I've played. The sprawling landscape and mountain-sized monsters are the very definition of the word epic and if the same sense of wonder and awe could be emulated in film form then this could be a winner. Of course it could also end up being a massively disappointing mountain of shit. Only time will tell.
The last I heard Seth Lochhead (writer of 2011's HANNA) has been attached to write while being overseen by director Josh Trank (CHRONICLE). An early draft was written in 2009 by Justin Marks who was responsible for STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI but happily that kitten has been drowned in the river and there will be a fresh screenplay. SHADOW would be an extremely easy film to fuck up but it they get it right it could be amazing. No release date has been set as of yet.

TOMB RAIDER (????)

Funnily enough I had been playing the new TOMB RAIDER reboot this last week (which kicks ass by the way) and I thought to myself "Hey, the film franchise sure could do with a reboot as well!" And after some searching lo and behold that is exactly what's happening. The game has been garnering very positive reviews so it's not really a surprise that a film adaptation is in the works.
Apparently Crystal Dynamics is working with GK Films (responsible for RANGO, THE DEPARTED and HUGO) to produce a brand new TOMB RAIDER flick with a brand new Lara Croft.
Obviously the big question is; "who will play Lara Croft?" and I almost vomited when I heard Kim Kardashian's name mentioned somewhere, but it's looking like Camilla Luddington might just be the one. Which makes sense seeing as she's British and she does voice Lara in the new game reboot. A script has reportedly been completed by scribes Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby but as for details that's about it for now.

ASSASSIN'S CREED (2013)

The popularity of the AC franchise makes this one pretty much a no-brainer. ACIII sold 7 million copies in a single month and that's not even taking into account the massive sales of the previous 4 games. Michael Fassbender (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, PROMETHEUS) is attached to play Desmond / Altaïr and now according to the Hollywood reporter Michael Lesslie is on board to produce the screenplay.
Ubisoft’s chief of sales and Marketing Geoffrey Sardin said in November that the movie was fast-tracked and gunning for a 2013 release date but personally I wouldn't bet on it. And perhaps it would be better if Ubisoft took their sweet time with it since their last film PRINCE OF PERSIA was... well it wasn't very good at all.

HALO (2014)

I never really was a big fan of the HALO franchise but its popularity is apparent and it seems ripe for a film adaptation. With an original screenplay written by Alex Garland (DREDD) the IMDb page currently has Ron Perlman, Greg Bryk and Nick Jones Jr listed to star. The estimated budget is $100 million and the film will follow Master Chief and his soldiers as they fight the Covenant on the ring-planet Halo.

UNCHARTED (????)

Everybody who's played an UNCHARTED game knows two things; firstly just how freakin awesome they are, and secondly how cinematic they are. They are basically the videogame equivalent of a Hollywood action blockbuster. Unfortunately there's not a whole lot of solid info regarding the film adaptation and I've heard rumors that everybody from Mark Wahlberg to Bradley Cooper would be taking the role of Nathan Drake. The film has also gone through a couple of directors so far. The IMDB page lists Cormac and Marianne Wibberly as screenwriters with Avi Arad producing. It may take a while but I'm confident we'll see an UNCHARTED movie and if it's done right it really could be amazing.

SPLINTER CELL (2014)

The rather sizeable videogame franchise that is Tom Clancy’s SPLINTER CELL is getting the big screen treatment and could be seeing the light of day sometime next year. Ubisoft will be working closely with New Regency Productions. The ‘oh-so-hot-right-now’ Tom Hardy (THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, LAWLESS, INCEPTION) is set to slide on the night vision goggles as the film’s protagonist Sam Fisher and Eric Warren Singer (AMERICAN BULLSHIT) will be in charge of the script. No director is attached at the moment.

ASTEROIDS (2014)

File this one under ‘wait... they’re really making that into a film?’ where it sits comfortably alongside MISSILE COMMAND and ANGRY BIRDS (yes there is an ANGRY BIRDS film in the works). And the answer is yes by the way, ASTEROIDS really is being adapted for the big screen. Forgive me but I really can’t see any good coming from this, and I can’t seem to get the idea of ‘BATTLESHIP in space’ out of my head.
The Atari ‘pew, pew, pew!’ classic is moving ahead with FAIR GAME writer Jez Butterworth hired to do a rewrite of an existing script. End of the world obsessed Roland Emmerich was attached to direct at some point but doesn’t seem currently involved.

WORLD OF WARCRAFT (2015)

After Sam Raimi (THE EVIL DEAD) dropped out of the WOW project, director Duncan Jones dropped in to replace him at the helm. Two positive points about Jones are that firstly he is David Bowie's son (which automatically gives him +100 coolness points) and secondly he has a couple of impressive films under his belt  (Namely MOON and SOURCE CODE). He is also apparently a WOW fan which is probably one more positive thing for the film. Produced for Legendary Pictures by Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni, the script from Charles Leavitt is being kept under wraps at the moment. Legendary is eyeing a 2015 release date with shooting to begin this year. Rumor has it that Johnny Depp might be involved but I'd take that with a grain of salt if I were you.

MASS EFFECT (????)

After being in pre-production limbo for years the MASS EFFECT adaptation was looking to move forward until the script handed in by THOR writer Mark Protosevich was binned. Writer Morgan Davis Foehl was then brought in to take over despite the fact that he doesn't have a single produced screenplay to his name. He did however win the 2009 'Black List' award for the best unproduced screenplay. Apparently he's also a fan of the MASS EFFECT games. That's good. Right?
Legendary Pictures' Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni are producing the flick with Avi and Ari Arad through their Arad Productions shingle. BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Gred Zeschuk are said to be serving as executive producers along with MASS EFFECT exec Casey Hudson.

DEUS EX (????)

Not too long ago Square Enix filed for a trademark on DEUS EX: HUMAN DEFIANCE and everybody expected it to be the title of the next game in the franchise. However it turns out that a couple of recently registered domains (deusex-humandefiance.com & deusexhumandefiancefilm.com) point to it being the title of the upcoming movie from CBS Films. Scott Derrickson (SINISTER) is attached to direct and will also be penning the script with C. Robert Cargill (SINISTER) and he has said that "By combining amazing action and tension with big, philosophical ideas, Deus Ex is smart, ballsy, and will make one hell of a movie. Cargill and I can’t wait to bring it to the big screen"
DUES EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION will serve as the template for the film.

So can any of these upcoming movies break the curse of the videogame-to-film adaptation? Can we finally leave the days of Bob Hoskins the plumber and Kylie Minogue's Lieutenant Cammy behind us? Let's hope so. But as always only time will tell.

Davide Melini's DEEP SHOCK To Bring Back Italian Giallo

Italian giallo is one of my favorite genres and some of my all time favorite films have come from the masters of the genre; Mario Bava, Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci among others. Although the genre may have weakened over recent years I'm hoping it will enjoy some sort of resurgence with upcoming films like the Aussie neo-giallo flick SORORAL and now Davide Melini's short film DEEP SHOCK.
Melini has created shorts THE PUZZLE (review) and THE SWEET HAND OF THE WHITE ROSE (review) and is now trying his hand at bringing back Italian giallo with DEEP SHOCK (the title being an homage to Argento's DEEP RED and Bava's SHOCK.

DEEP SHOCK will be produced by Davide Melini and Fabel Aguilera, in collaboration with Marta Pavon's 'Kai Visualutions' and will be shot in Málaga (Spain) over this year with a cast of 6 people.
Pre-production began on November 21st, 2012 and a teaser should be released around March / April with crowdfunding to help complete the film so that it will be ready for release in 2014.
For further details and updates go 'like' the official Facebook page and check out the film's IMDb page.
Read on for the synopsis and promotional poster designed by Cristina Gómez Rosales.

Synopsis: “Sarah can’t completely overcome the deaths of her grandfather and her older sister. The trauma and lack of sleep cause her to embark on a strange journey of apparitions and murders, apparently caused by her mind..."

Taglines:
"Her worst nightmare has become a reality"
"Italian Giallo is ready to make its return"

Davide Melini: "I’d like to pay homage to the Italian “giallo” genre, that will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2014. The first "giallo" film ever was "The Girl Who Knew too Much" (1963), directed by Mario Bava. But the same director shot another film entitled "Blood and Black Lace" one year later, where the emblematic element of the "giallo" was introduced: the masked murderer with a shiny weapon in his black-leather-gloved hand. I want to bring back some classic 60′s and 70′s “giallo” film ideas, using new technology. The title of "Deep Shock" is a homages to Dario Argento's "Deep Red" and for Mario Bava’s "Shock"

New Stills And Clip From ÎNGLODA

Last month the first official teaser trailer and stills for Brian Targett’s upcoming feature-length dark psychological thriller ÎNGLODA were released. Now we have another selection of stills from the film along with an updated synopsis and a brand new clip. Check them out below and don't forget to keep up to date via the film's official Facebook page.

According to the website ÎNGLODA commenced principal photography on January 12th, 2013. 
The film is set to be released to festivals and distributors in late 2013 and early 2014.
Written and directed by Brian Targett and produced by Everett Burgan it will star Lauren Danese, Rachel Worrell and Amber Figueroa among others.

Synopsis: “Kelly is your everyday young woman just trying to get by in life with her two best friends Kacy and Nikki. Kelly carries scars from her past with her father passing away at a very young age and her mother leaving her. Kelly now at age twenty-four is coming to terms with her past. After finding out her father didn't die the way she thought, she tips over the edge. She begins to experience out of body hallucinations and begins to spiral down to a dark depression. Kacy and Nikki try their hardest to help her while Kelly begins to realize that “The most frightening things in life are buried deep inside us”. Will Kelly pull herself out or will she slowly slip into Îngloda?”