Category Horror

Mar 4 2012

Grieving & Lost Hope On The Walking Dead

beth-walker-by-russell-kaye

The pre-credits scene of episode eight of The Walking Dead, “Nebraska,” picks up at the previous episode’s conclusion. Ex-sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) lowers his gun after shooting the young Sophia (Madison Lintz) -who, unbeknownst to the survivors – was a walker and locked up in Hershel’s (Scott Wilson) barn with the other undead. As Carol (Melissa McBride) sobs over her daughter, the survivors stare in shock at the girl’s crumpled body. Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal) – who busted open the barn door to free the walkers – is initially speechless but snaps out of it, boiling inside. Shane vents his anger on Hershel, who he blames for knowing about Sophia but staying silent about it, which in turn a) prolonged the survivors’ stay on the farm, and b) caused them to go on needless, dangerous searches, such as the ones that almost got Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), Shane, and Andrea (Laurie Holden) killed. Hershel denies the allegations and evicts the survivors.

Post-credits, it turns out that Shane isn’t alone in his suspicions: Glen (Steven Yuen) confronts Hershel’s daughter Maggie (Lauren Cohan), who responds with fumbling half-answers; Glen leaves it as it is. Daryl tries to comfort the silent and grieving Carol.

episode-8-dale-and-dead-walkers-russell-kayeThe survivors agree to dig graves for Sophia and Hershel’s wife and stepson, and burn the rest, a herculean task. As everyone gets to work, grumbling over this disgusting job (body parts keep falling off the terminated walkers), Rick broods over his failure to protect the girl. Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) coldly eyeballs Shane with a knowing stare, causing Shane to explode and launch into an angry rant comparing each one’s contribution to the group.

Hershel presides over the funeral service, and takes it seriously, dressing in a suit and a tie, but not without staring longingly at his flask. Noticeably absent from the service is Carol, telling Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies) that the thing in the barn wasn’t her daughter but a different creature.

Hershel’s other daughter, Beth (Emily Kinney), in the meantime has taken ill, and is somewhat catatonic, but even odder is that the tee-totaling Hershel left his flask on his dresser and disappeared; the survivors presume he is at the town bar. Rick sets out with Glenn to find him and bring him back to check on Beth…

Please click on the link to Deadloggers to continue reading about Episode Eight

Evan Rothfeld

Feb 29 2012

2012 Doomsday Scenarios: Month Two

We’re in the middle of the cold and flu season but the next big pandemic is just around the corner. In fact, many doctors and scientists say we’re overdue for one.

Doomsday Scenario No. 11: The Killers Within

The idea of a pandemic is terrifying and in recent years we’ve dodged the bullet with the onset of AIDS, Ebola, SARS and recently with the H1N1 virus. The last really major pandemic that humanity faced was the Spanish Flu that occurred during World War I in 1918 and killed roughly 50 to 100 million people worldwide. The disease was so widespread and lethal to soldiers that many feel that the disease helped end the war. It is still considered to be the worst modern pandemic to strike humanity. The other horrible pandemic that threatened humanity further back in history was the Black Plague that wiped out a third of Europe’s population in the middle ages. But history is littered with waves of pandemics from assorted diseases like smallpox, typhus and many flu variants. Due to medical advances, we as a whole have been lulled into complacency until very recently. But recent events show that we are still vulnerable. Many fear that soon our antibiotics and other medicines will fail and we’ll be vulnerable to mass death just as our ancestors were.

Add to this fear is the specter of biological terrorism. This threat is all too real as seen with the anthrax terror attacks in 2001. It’s very feasible that some nut can obtain a rare flu strain or a manufactured disease and find a way to spread it to the populace.

Quarantines and Breakdowns

It’s all too easy for our society to fall apart in the wake of a deadly pandemic if a cure or treatment isn’t quickly found. With modern transportation, diseases can spread rapidly and before the medical community is fully mobilized, the contagion could have manifested everywhere.

Social norms will be frayed as the disease spreads. People will demand quarantines and closed borders but that won’t do anything to stop the disease. Nevertheless, fear and distrust will worsen with the new migrations of those wanting to avoid contracting the disease. Unfortunately, many of these refugees will be carriers themselves. Additionally governments will try to futilely treat victims and provide adequate health services. It’s easy to imagine hospitals and care centers guarded by mobilized soldiers, who would also enforce curfews and quarantines. But eventually public services will shut down as the death toll climbs. With fewer and fewer guards, cops and soldiers to enforce the law, anarchy follows and thugs will gain control. Once the disease has run its course, there won’t be much of anything left. Humanity will be forced to rebuild.

Fictional Examples Of The Aftermaths

Such fears have been the basis of many science fiction films, books and shows that postulate on the impact of a true pandemic today and the aftermath. The basic storyline usually goes like this: a disease wipes out 99% of the human (and sometimes animal) population. A handful of survivors then struggle to rebuild civilization. Other times, the story is about the valiant efforts to contain an exotic disease before it spreads.

Some popular books that deal with this include Stephen King’s epic The Stand,  Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain, Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, Max Brooks’ World War Z , George R. Stewart’s Earth Abides, and most recently with Clemens P. Suter’s Two Journeys.

There are many films that deal with this subject. For example there are three adaptations of I Am Legend (the first being The Last Man On Earth and most recently the 2007 Will Smith version), which is about a plague that turns most of humanity into vampire-like creatures. In 28 Days Later (and its sequel) a man-made virus is accidently released that turns its victims in the U.K. into savage, zombie-like killers. Then there is George Romero’s film The Crazies about a bio-weapon that induces homicidal madness. The Andromeda Strain, about a scientific team trying to eradicate a supposedly extra-terrestrial disease, was made into a film released in 1971 and a recent mini-series. A similar approach was utilized with the 1995 film Outbreak but the disease was less exotic in origin but just as deadly. The Stand was made into a well-received mini-series in 1994 and there are efforts to have a remake done. Twelve Monkeys shows us a future where a disease has decimated the world and the protagonist time travels back to modern times to discover how the disease started. The most recent film about pandemics was Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, which covers in dismaying detail how our society unravels with the onset of a killer virus.

With television there are few examples of a modern pandemic wiping out humanity. Two that come to mind are Jeremiah, which is based on a Belgian comic book, and starred Luke Perry as the title character. In Jeremiah, a plague has killed off most adults in the world and it picks up a generation later when the surviving children have now reached adulthood. The other one is BBC’s Survivors, a remake of a series produced in the 1970s, and the premise was about the usual plague survivors finding a way to work together and rebuild society. UPN’s The Burning Zone wasn’t about a post-apocalyptic world but rather about a team of bio-agents who dealt with deadly, unusual diseases including some engineered by a mysterious group who considered humanity to be vermin that needed to be eradicated by diseases.

Like many doomsday scenarios there isn’t any way to anticipate the onset of the catastrophe.  A pandemic could arrive tomorrow or in a few years, but it will happen. So it pays to be alert and safe though and to wash your hands often.

Feb 19 2012

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Has One Whacky Trailer!

Hoo boy, I’ve seen some outrageous trailers and heard of outlandish premises but Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter sets the bar for the bizarre. Based on the mashup novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, it’s produced by Tim Burton and directed by Timur Bekmambetov (director of the kinetic Wanted, a pretty decent adaptation of the comic book mini-series). I’ll be frank and admit I haven’t read the book so I don’t know if it’s a comedy, I hear it isn’t. But this trailer had me peeing in my pants! This was one big WTF!

For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet (just click on the link and have a look) it shows actor Benjamin Walker made up as our 16th president doing his usual statesman-like schtick of standing tall and giving speeches. Intermixed are the typical Civil War scenes. But also tossed into the mix are these dark Gothic scenes and slow-motion action shots of vampires and Lincoln doing Matrix-like acrobatics as the Johnny Cash classic “When The Man Comes Around ” plays on the soundtrack. My favorite shots are of President Lincoln swinging that mighty axe and laying waste to the creatures of the night.

Take that Buffy!

When I first heard of the film and book, I didn’t think much. Actually both sounded kind of stupid, with the film sounding like that awful thankfully forgotten flick Young Einstein. But after seeing this trailer, it’s now a must-see summer film. It may wind up being a stinker, but it’s not likely to be forgotten! (Now if only we can sic Old Abe on those Twilight losers. :D)

Waldermann Rivera

Feb 11 2012

Secrets And Death In The Walking Dead

 

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Episode Five: The pre-credits scene of The Walking Dead’s season two’s fifth episode, “Chuapacabra”, opens with a flashback that takes place during the time when Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) was in a coma and presumed dead. In a nighttime traffic jam, teeming with refugees, his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) waits with their son Carl (Chandler Riggs). Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal) flips the radio dial, searching for news about the refugee center, but is frustrated by recorded messages and uselessly repeated emergency broadcasts. Suddenly an air convoy flies overhead, and as the stunned crowd watches, napalms nearby Atlanta. Lori breaks down into Shane’s arms…

atlanta

Post-credits, we return to the present. Camped out on Hershel’s farm, the survivors have settled into a routine. While doing laundry, Carol (Melissa McBride) confesses to Lori that she needs to keep her mind off her still-missing daughter, Sophie (Madison Lintz), and suggest that they cook dinner for Hershel (Scott Wilson) and his family. Lori agrees.

An eager Glenn (Steven Yeun) confronts Maggie (Lauren Cohan) in continuing their tryst. Maggie spurns his offer, and mocks their lovemaking as a waste of time. Glenn is left hurt…

Rick maps out new ways to search for Sophie, and the search parties arm themselves and split up. While searching out in the woods, Rick and Shane share a little private time between old buddies. What starts out as good-natured “guy talk” of sexual prowess and high school conquests turns ugly. Shane, angered, feels that Sophie must be dead by now, and that the sane thing to do is to head for Fort Benning; Rick disagrees.

Daryl (Norman Reedus), on Hershel’s horse (taken without permission), heads out by himself. From a ledge, the experienced tracker scans a river below and notices a doll lying limply in the water. Wading in to retrieve it, and assuming Sofia must be nearby, he calls out for her. With no response, he heads back to the trail with the doll. A snake startles the jittery horse, who throws him. Daryl slips and rolls down the steep rocky hill, but not before one of his arrows pierces him in the side. Bleeding and in pain, he uses his torn shirt as a tourniquet and begins the herculean task of climbing back up the mountain, but he slips and falls back down. episode-5-merle-daryl-walking-dead-gene-page[1]Laying in the river banks, a dazed Daryl hallucinates that his brother Merle (Michael Rooker) – not seen since the early episodes of The Walking Dead – approaches him and mercilessly taunts him into showing his resilience. Merle’s final words and vision fade out as a walker tries chewing on Daryl’s booted feet. Daryl snaps to consciousness and beats the walker to death, ripping out the arrow in his side just in time to use it to kill a second walker. Daryl sets out again, and after Merle’s vision re-appears, he scales the hill successfully. Later, as he approaches Hershel’s farm, a trigger-happy Andrea (Laurie Holden) mistakes a bloody Daryl for a walker and shoots him…

Please click on the link to Deadloggers to continue reading Episode Five

 

walkers in the street ep six

Episode Six: The pre-credits scene of episode six of The Walking Dead’s second season, “Secrets”, shows Patricia (Jane McNeill) entering the farm’s henhouse. Grabbing a few chickens, she breaks their legs as they squawk in pain. Quietly entering the barn, she throws the helpless birds into the walkers’ pit. The snarling creatures scramble hungrily after their food…

Post-credits, Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) and Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) – the latter shot by Andrea (Laurie Holden) in the previous episode after being mistakenly for a walker – are recuperating. Glenn (Steven Yeun) – the only one in Rick’s group that is aware of the hidden and captive walkers – confronts Maggie (Lauren Cohan) about this gruesome development. Maggie reveals nothing but asks Glenn for secrecy. Later, Glenn confronts Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies) about her pregnancy, offering to go on another run for vitamins and other needed pregnancy supplies. Lori – like Maggie – asks only for secrecy.

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As Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), Jimmy (James Allen McCune), and Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal) pore over maps in their search for the missing Sophia (Madison Lintz), Patricia and Beth (Emily Kinney) request shooting lessons, explaining that they have Hershel’s consent. Carl, with his mother Lori’s grudging permission, joins. Shane and Rick take them and Andrea to a makeshift shooting range for instruction. Andrea turns out to be a natural shooter, hitting a stationary target with ease, but finds it difficult to hit moving targets. Shane presses her into bearing down harder, but angers her by mentioning her murdered sister, Amy. episode-6-andrea-walkers-gene-page[1]After calming down, the two go to look for missing Sophia in a nearby suburb. Paralyzed by the horrific sights – they find decaying and charred bodies scattered throughout the upscale homes – hordes of walkers appear in the streets, alerted to their presence…

Please click on the link to Deadloggers to continue reading Episode Six

 

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Episode Seven: The pre-credits scene of episode seven, “Pretty Much Dead Already” shows the survivors early in the morning, eating breakfast in their outside camp. The sky is overcast and the overall mood is glum, as the group silently munches on pancakes prepared on the makeshift stove. Glenn (Steven Yeun) suddenly stammers the truth about the walker-filled barn as the survivors stare at him, shocked. Approaching the barn warily, they stay at a safe distance as Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal) peeks in through the cracks and sees the creatures shuffle aimlessly in the dark. Shane gets ticked off, demanding that the survivors clear out the barn or leave Hershel’s farm; Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) objects, reminding him that they are Hershel’s (Scott Wilson) guests and need to stay and find Sophia (Madison Lintz). In the ensuing argument, Shane and Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) almost come to blows until Rick steps in. The noise alerts their presence to the walkers, who suddenly strain against the barn door from the inside. The survivors reel back in shock…

Post-credits, Shane later returns, fixated on the barn. After gingerly testing the lock and chains, the aroused walkers push suddenly against at the barn door. An ominous glimpse inside the barn shows the hungry creatures watching Shane, waiting…

Hershel’s daughter Maggie (Lauren Cohan) is upset with Glenn’s open revelation of the trusted secret and expresses her displeasure by smashing a raw egg on his head. Meanwhile, Carol (Melissa McBride) confronts a recovering Daryl as he saddles up to search for Sophia. Warning him that he can worsen his injuries, even she begins to openly express doubts about the search. Daryl, angry, curses Carol and storms off. After calming down somewhat, he takes her to a pond, showing her another Cherokee rose, a symbol of Sophia’s imminent safe return. Her spirits are lifted somewhat.

rick and hershelAs Hershel is eating a quiet lunch alone, Rick comes by and reveals that they discovered the barn and captive walkers, raising Hershel’s ire. In a curt, assertive tone, the country vet demands that the survivors leave at the end of the week. Rick argues that the world is different now and begs Hershel not to send them out there again, arguing that his wife is pregnant and they need the safe refuge that Hershel can provide. Rick storms out and finds Shane, still watching the barn and brooding about clearing it out. They argue and as Rick walks away, he tells Shane all about Lori’s pregnancy…

Please click on the link to Deadloggers to continue reading Episode Seven

Evan Rothfeld

Jan 2 2012

Top 12 Most Anticipated Films Of 2012

2012 promises to be an exceptional year when it comes to sci-fi, fantasy and horror film releases. These are the top twelve picks (being that it’s 2012 “gulp!”) plus some promising runner-ups. Let’s hope these films live up to the hype.

12. Rise of the Guardians

This animated holiday offering by DreamWorkshas a fun premise; mythical characters like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Jack Frost join forces to save the world from the evil Boogeyman. Release Date: November 21.

11. Wrath of the Titans

A sequel to the surprisingly good Clash of the Titans remake. Just based on the trailer, expect more heroics, monsters, angry gods, and giant cyclops, oh my! Release Date: March 30.

10. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

It’s astonishing but the placid trailer didn’t really capture the public’s eye except hardcore Tolkien fans. Lots of talking heads and makeup. But being this is Peter Jackson’s follow up to his epic Lord of the Rings trilogy, it’s sure to stand up to his previous Middle Earth saga. Release Date: December 14.

9. Chronicle

Another one of the found-footage films; this is about a trio of young men who acquire super powers. The fun they have soon gives way to dread as one of the friends lets the power get to his head. Release Date: February 3.

8. World War Z

This adaptation of Max Brooks’ zombie epic would’ve scored higher on the anticipation scale but the word that it will be a PG-13 film and changes from the novel brought about some caution. (The book is told from the point of view of many people across the world. This film seems to be more linear with Brad Pitt in the lead role.) Release Date: December 21.

7. The Cabin in the Woods

This Joss Whedon-produced film was finished a while ago but sat on the shelf until this year. Promising to turn on its ear the cliché of a remote cabin found by a some young people, the buzz surrounding this film has begun to percolate due to Whedon’s genre clout (i.e. Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Firefly). Release Date: April 13.

6. John Carter

The trailers keep looking better and better, capturing the fantastic swashbuckling feel of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars. Directed by Andrew Stanton (who won Oscars for Pixar’s masterpieces WALL-E and Finding Nemo) the film about a Civil War vet’s adventures on the planet Mars could continue the trend of notable animators making successful transitions into live-action filmmakers (see Brad Bird with his Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol). Release Date: March 9.

5. The Amazing Spider-Man

It’s pretty obvious that Sony is cranking this too-soon reboot to hold on to the lucrative franchise but it looks very promising. Andrew Garfield has an eerie resemblance to Peter Parker, Spider-Man’s mechanical web shooters, the evident back to basics approach and Marc Webb’s distinct visual style makes this film one to keep an eye on. It could be this year’s version of X-Men: First Class. Release Date: July 3.

4. Gravity

Alonso Cuaron who directed the best sci-fi movie of the last decade (Children of Men) as well as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban helms this film about two astronauts (George Clooney and Sandra Bullock) trapped onboard a damaged space station and their efforts to return to Earth. Release Date: November 21.

3. The Dark Knight Rises

Christopher Nolan concludes his acclaimed Batman trilogy with the Caped Crusader’s greatest struggle in a Gotham that has shunned him. Meanwhile Batman’s absence leads to the rise of one of his deadliest villains, Bane and sexiest, Catwoman. Given the runaway success of The Dark Knight, this film is certain to be a monster hit. BTW, Robin (supposedly played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is rumored to make his debut in the film. Release Date: July 20.

2. The Avengers

Any fan boy’s (or girl’s) dream come true. Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk team up and portrayed by the actors originating the roles (except for the Hulk). Add in other characters like Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Nick Fury and that’s a recipe for a blockbuster. While not as dark and serious like The Dark Knight Rises (just wish Marvel Studios would stop with the too-loud rock music in their trailers!), this Joss Whedon super hero mash up could be the big one for the summer. Release Date: May 4.

And the most anticipated film to be released in 2012 is (insert drumroll sound effect)….

1. Prometheus

Ridley Scott returns to science fiction in a big way with this prequel to Alien. Actually while it takes place in the same universe the ugly xenomorphs are nowhere to be found in this film. Not much is known about the plot outside of hints that it deals with astronauts trying to learn humanity’s roots and encountering the alien space jockey’s race (that creature was seen as fossilized remains in the original Alien). Once the official trailer was released, the film’s buzz level reached fever pitch. Release Date: June 8.

Others To Look Out For:

Looper (a time- travel actioner with Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt); Men In Black III (Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones return as Earth’s best illegal alien hunters with a time-traveling twist); The Hunger Games (based on Suzanne Collins’ novel about young people surviving deadly combat games in a brutal post-U.S.); Cloud Atlas (The Wachowski Brothers return with this centuries-spanning story with an all-star cast; significant segments of the film take place in the future); Battleship (big, splashy alien invasion tale with plenty of action, effects and military hardware, thankfully Michael Bay isn’t directing this one); Iron Sky (a zany premise involving Nazis escaping to the moon’s dark side and returning to Earth a few years from now); Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (hey if the trailer has the balls to show Ghost Rider peeing fire, then the film deserves to be checked out!), Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (adapted from the best-selling novel); Brave (Pixar’s newest film about a heroic Scottish girl in ancient times);  Skyfall (the next James Bond film is directed by Sam Mendes and Daniel Craig returns as the grittiest Bond); and The Divide (Michael Biehn stars in this claustrophobic apocalyptic thriller).

Remember all release dates are subject to change and add in a few other films (notably Paranormal Activity director Oren Peli’s delayed Area 51 that could debut anytime) that were left off or without official 2012 release dates but may impact geekdom in a huge way.

José Soto

UPDATE: Both World War Z and Gravity have been pushed to 2013. With Gravity’s case, this was due to some reported mixed reactions to a test screening.