…because I am super-busy with my day-job (yes, folks, I DO work!). I promise to either post tonight or tomorrow, though, and thus make your day complete.

MSB

Yes, it’s true…Hayes is another year older. Or, if you want to get technical, he is another year closer to becoming a zombie. I like that one better, don’t you?

Anyway, to Hayes – I hope you have a great birthday and get everything you want today!

(Visit Hayes at Hayes Hudson’s House of Horror)

MSB

Check out this amazing fan-film, titled Alien vs. Predator: Redemption. Writer/director/producer Alex A. Popov made this awesome 22 minute short for about $500 and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. The premise of this film is what the original AVPs should have been in the theaters (although, as I have mentioned in the past, I do find the other two entertaining). This short film rocks and makes me drool for more!

And speaking of Popov, this guy is a genius when it comes to graphics and photography. If you need further proof, check out the work he did on Gothminister’s video ‘Darkside’ (you can reach it via the link to the film above). I had never heard of this Finnish band until last night, but I listened to several of their songs on the internet and I’m hooked! ‘Darkside’ has to be my favorite so far, though. Check them out if you like industrial goth music.

That’s about all I have for the moment. What’s new with you?

MSB

Right at Your Door
Directed by Chris Gorak
Courtesy of Thousand Words Films
Released: 2006

Before I sat down to watch this movie, I honestly thought it had something to do with zombies. I had read reviews about it on Quiet Earth and other websites, but they were always vague and did not mention much about the plot. All of the press about this film (that I had read) was positive, so I was more than willing to give it a shot.

I quickly discovered the movie is NOT about zombies after all, but I was very pleased with it anyway. The plot for Right at Your Door is this:

Brad and Lexi are a young married couple living on the outskirts of Los Angles. One morning after Lexi leaves for work, terrorists attack several buildings in the heart of the city and set off dirty bombs. The bombs release a bio-toxin into the air, which (we discover from news reports) kills people slowly, attacking their respiratory and immune systems. Scared for his wife’s well-being, Brad attempts to find Lexi, but cannot. At the urging of the CDC, he reluctantly seals himself inside the house. But when Lexi shows up the next day, battered and infected, Brad must decide between trying to save his wife or remaining inside behind the protective seals.

This film grabbed me and drew me in from the get-go. The pacing was fast and frantic, which allowed me to completely immerse myself in the danger and terrifying situation Brad finds himself in after the bombs go off. And the tension continues to build, especially after Lexi arrives.

Rory Cochrane is the versatile actor behind Brad’s character. I don’t think anyone could have played the part of Brad any better than Cochrane did. His wide-ranging, raw emotion in each scene definitely propagates the feeling of dread that the audience feels throughout the film. And Mary McCormack as Lexi gives a powerful performance on the opposing side of Cochrane, giving us reason to sympathize with her plight, but also willing us to dislike her at the same time.

Writer/director Chris Gorak is certainly to be commended on such an energetic, thought-provoking movie. He gives us a personal glimpse into the chaos that would most certainly ensue were something this horrific to happen on U.S. soil. The cinematography is dead on, with scrambling, bouncy camera views for the action scenes and slow-moving, paced transitions for the emotional.

I will not say much more about the plot of the film, so as to not give anything away. But I will mention there is a twist at the end, one I did not see coming, and one that will definitely haunt you after the movie is over. This film is four years-old, but is timeless with its message of vigilance and should definitely be in your collection.

MSB

A couple of quickies today:

First, be sure and hop over to Hayes Hudson’s House of Horror to enter his most recent DVD giveaway. This one is sure-fire awesome, as you can win not one, not two, but SIX (6) DVDs!! How cool is that?

Secondly, courtesy of First Showing.net, Anchor Bay Entertainment has picked up Kaare Andrews monster movie, Altitude. This is exciting because the film has a heck of a trailer that got to see a few months ago. I had no idea that wide distribution was in the works. I can’t wait to see the whole movie!

Anyway, how was your weekend? Watch any good movies?

MSB

Yes, that’s right: I’m going to be a director.

I’m going to make a movie in the horror genre (can you say, original zombie flick?). I am almost done with the script and will then start pre-production soon afterwards. Now, this will obviously not be anything done on a Michael Bay scale, but I hope it will turn out to be watchable, at least.

I’ll keep you updated.

MSB

I realized this morning that the post I tried to make yesterday did not actually take, therefore you did not receive your daily dose of Shattered Ravings. That’s unfortunate because, as the old adage goes, “A Shattered Raving a day keeps the devil with Michael Bay”…or something like that. Truth be told, I don’t think there’s an adage out there at all that covers Shattered Ravings or Michael Bay!

If you haven’t already, go check out Hayes’ review of the movie Dead Air over at Hayes Hudson’s House of Horror. I watched this movie shortly after I reviewed Pontypool and, like Hayes, I was glad to find out that the two movies were quite different. I highly recommend both movies.

Also, courtesy of Quiet Earth, here’s a teaser trailer for an upcoming movie of extreme diversity called Manborg. According to the site, the plot for Manborg is:

The film is about a soldier who gets killed fighting in a war against hell only to come back as a cyborg in the future. He then teams up with a crew of colorful characters to fight Dracula. There’s going to be stop-motion monsters, arena battles and hoverbikes! And kung-fu and demon-nazi-vampires.

What the…? Did I read that right? A cyborg fighting a vampire? With hoverbikes? And demon-Nazi-vampires? Hang on just a second…I think I’m about to pass out…

Seriously, though, this sounds, um, interesting, to say the least. I’ll definitely give this one a go once it is released.

Now I have a question for all of you out in cyberland:

What movies that are due out this year (2010) are you most excited about?

I’ll give you my response tomorrow.

MSB

Great news for you zombie fans out there (like me!): J.L. Bourne’s follow up book, Day by Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile, is due out in a couple of months, specifically on July 13, 2010. You might recall that I blogged about Bourne’s first book, Day by Day Armageddon, a couple of months ago (to read the blog entry, click here); I recently finished the book and loved it. Looks like my timing was good, too…I didn’t realize the new book was due out so soon. Needless to say, that makes me happy.

(Check out author J.L. Bourne’s website at http://www.jlbourne.com/

J.L. Bourne, for those that do not know, is from a rural town in Arkansas, just like me. I wish I knew where specifically, but I guess that information is classified. He’s a heck of a writer, though, and a definite true fan of the zombie genre. Keep up the great work, Mr. Bourne! It’s nice to see a fellow Arkansan who has made it to the big-time.

Speaking of fellow Arkansans…my buddy Hayes over at Hayes Hudson’s House of Horror has a nifty post from yesterday about a pseudo-reality show titled So You Wanna Be My Zombie. The post contains a film clip that looks AWESOME. Flip over to his blog and check it out!

Once you’re done with Hayes, go check out Quiet Earth for a sneak-peak at the new trailer for Albert Pyun’s upcoming Tales of an Ancient Empire. I have to admit that I’m even more excited about this flick than I was for Bulletface! I can’t wait! I also have to admit that I’m kicking myself for not ordering my Special Edition copy when I had the chance…I learned this morning on the Curnan Pictures website for Albert Pyun (http://www.albertpyunmovies.com/). ARGH! I guess that’s about par for me, given the way this month seems to be going.

And finally, Yahoo Movies gives us a list of some of the Best Worst Movies of All Time. If the title is confusing, just check out the article. You’ll understand real fast where they’re going (here’s a hint: Troll 2 made the list). ‘Nuff said.

MSB

Iron Man 2
Directed by Jon Favreau
Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Released: 2010

Before I begin this review, let me preface it with a couple of statements.

First of all, I love the original Iron Man. It was smart, witty, very well made, and shot perfectly. It also filled a gaping hole that stood out in between the Spider-Man and Superman franchises.

Secondly, I don’t think anyone could play Tony Stark like Robert Downy Jr. does. Downy’s persona is/was the spitting image of Stark, as portrayed in the comic books. He’s rude, crass, and straight-forward, but also brilliant, patriotic, and (eventually) self-sacrificing.

And finally, Favreau really did an excellent job of capturing the soul of the comic and putting it on-screen. This is obviously not an easy task, given the number of die-hard fans these comic franchises have.

Overall, I would have to say that Iron Man 2 pretty much continues the above statements, but with a few minor flaws. For those not familiar with the sequel’s plot:

With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with Pepper Potts, and James “Rhodey” Rhodes at his side, must forge new alliances — and confront powerful enemies.

As a continuation of the original’s plot, Iron Man 2 is dead on. It picks up about six months after the first one ended, with everyone trying to get Stark to turn over the plans to his Iron Man suit. Garry Shandling is particularly hilarious as Senator Stern, the guy spear-heading the government’s efforts. And I was pleased to see Samuel L. Jackson playing a bigger role in this one as Nick Fury as well.

The action scenes are very well done. I especially enjoyed the flying sequences again, with the camera literally riding along with Stark inside the suit. I have to tip my hat to the DP for how this one was shot.

But despite all the positives, there are two glaring problems with the plot in this one.

***** WARNING: The following section contains spoilers.

My biggest issue with this film is how Stark creates his own element in his basement. Yeah, you read that right: Stark literally creates a brand new element for the periodic table, in his house. I normally have no problem with reality detachment, but this was a bit too much to ask of me. I mean…if it is so easy to create new elements (relatively), then why aren’t we spewing them out, left and right?

And the second issue I have is with how Stark came about the startling revelation for the sub-atomic composition of the element. This one, I’m not going to discuss, because I want you to have a reason to see the movie. But needless to say, it was ridiculous to the point of absurdity.

As I mentioned, though, I was overall happy with this sequel, and can’t wait to see what they do in the next one. (Yes, there is going to be another one, in some form or fashion…if you don’t believe me, sit through the credits and watch the Easter egg at the end of this one). I just hope they can keep the plot ironed out, with no need for extenuating plot-points to explain things.

MSB

I’m working to resolve them and will post again afterwards.

MSB