Big Wolf On Campus - Theme song

Aaaah... 90s... How I miss thee.



Anyone remembers Big Wolf on Campus? It was a comedy/horror show (sorta like Buffy The Vampire Slayer, I guess..) about a dude who could, errr, turn into a big wolf and it took place on the campus :P

Comics NEWS! GARBAGE DAY!!

Wow! I didn't notice it, but...

Here's something nobody will probably care about but..

"Weird Worlds" new DC characters Garbage Man and Tanga are back in publication, "New 52" DCnU or not!
This new title is called "My Greatest Adventure" which is actually a throwback to an old DC book were Doom Patrol stories ran in, many years back.
This anthology series is back, only now they ditched Lobo for what seems to be Doom Patrol's Robotman (sporting a new ugly redesign btw).
Awesome, this means more Kevin Maguire and that makes me happy <3

Comic NEWS! DC Reboot: Part IV

DC Reboot: part I 

DC Reboot: part II 

DC Reboot:: part III

Continuing my up-to-date state-of-the-art blog posting on various current news, gaming and comic book-related.
(Ha! :P)

Here's more news about the upcoming new DC Comics titles!
DC updated us on its more supernatural titles.
They're trying to diverse their lineup, not just publishing super heroes books but loads more of genres as well.

Today, let's check out these other upcoming reboots!

DC Comics embraces its dark side. On the 40th anniversary of the character’s creation, the New York Times bestselling writer of AMERICAN VAMPIRE, Scott Snyder, teams up with Yannick Paquette (BATMAN, INCORPORATED) to bring horror back to the DC Universe in SWAMP THING #1. For years, one man served against his will as the avatar of nature. And while he may have been freed of the monster, he’s about to learn the monster will never truly let go of him.

I already posted this one last time, but since it was part of this monsterous update, I decided to repost it simply.
Can't wait to see how this will follow his recent re-appearance in Brightest Day.

John Constantine, Deadman, Shade the Changing Man and Madame Xanadu are Justice League Dark, a band of supernatural heroes united to stop the dark things the rest of the DCU does not see in JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1, by Peter Milligan and artist Mikel Janin.

Let's be honest.. the name is ridiculous. Plain awful. Sounds like an EXTREEEME!! book from the 90s.. (don't remind me of JL:Task Force!!)
But the concept seems great.
Does this mean we won't have a relaunched Shadowpact? :/

Buddy Baker has gone from “super” man to family man – but is he strong enough to hold his family together when Maxine, his young daughter, starts to manifest her own dangerous powers? Find out in ANIMAL MAN #1, the start of a dramatic new series by acclaimed writer Jeff Lemire and artists Travel Foreman and Dan Green.

Fantastic! Buddy has his book back!

Set in the Middle Ages, the Demon leads an unlikely team to defend civilization and preserve the last vestiges of Camelot against the tide of history. Critically-acclaimed writer Paul Cornell and artists Diogenes Neves and Oclair Albert combine sorcery, swords and superheroes in DEMON KNIGHTS #1.

One question: Will this replace Etrigan book DC announced not long ago? Or will the Demon have two separate books??
And YAY! for another story taking place NOT in modern times.
(DC needs to update us on Jonah Hex btw)

Frankenstein and his network of strange beings work for an even stranger government organization: The Super Human Advanced Defense Executive. It’s the breakout hero of Seven Soldiers as you’ve never seen him before in FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF SHADE #1, the first issue of a dark new series from acclaimed writer Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth, The Nobody) and artist Alberto Ponticelli.

They're really trying very hard to sell us this recently introduced Frankenstein monster.
Lots of cameos/appearances, participation in Blackest Night, Superman/Batman title, etc..

 A cult favorite character returns in a new series written by his classic creative team of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. Joining them is JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST artist Fernando Dagnino. RESURRECTION MAN #1 is the story of a hero who wakes up with new powers each time he’s killed.

Original concept!
Definitively an interesting new property!

Vampires threaten to bring ruin to the DC Universe in I, VAMPIRE #1 by rising star Josh Fialkov and artist Andrea Sorrentino. Tortured by his centuries-old love for the Queen of the Damnned, Andrew Bennett must save humanity from the violent uprising of his fellow vampires, even if it means exterminating his own kind.

I, Vampire is back! Fans of this C-lister non-super hero DC character will be glad!
(I prefer more like him than more Bat-books honestly..)

Priscilla Kitaen has just found out she’s a monster. A half-alien hybrid, the woman known as Voodoo must confront the secrets of her past to make sense of the nightmare her life has suddenly become. VOODOO #1 will be written by Ron Marz with art by Sami Basri.


Witchblade is that you?
Another new title.


And that is all for now!
All these feel pretty Vertigo-ysh, which is good. (DC's alternative publishing branch)
Alright. We're past the mid-point? I mean they said they were going to publish 52 new titles, right? We're probably between 20-30 comics by now.

Gamera collector action figurine supaa epicuu DESU!!

Alright, even if you've been following my blog (or my deviantart), you probably don't know it, but I'm a huuuuge Kaiju fan! (Kaiju? See this!)

Anyways, my good ol' buddy Anton's just been back from a month-long trip to Taiwan and he brought me back a present!
This awesome looking kickass lil' GAMERA!!

HOLY FRIGGIN' COW! IT'S GAMERA!!!

First of all I'd like to thank you again a thousand times!
It does make me happy :)
1) Gamera kicks ass!
and 2) Awesome looking figurine! Thanks buddy ;)

I'll come back to you with something as well...as soon as I find something as kickass as this and/or I go somewhere where I'll be able to get you something like this~

Anyways...
I thought it would be a nice idea to post some pictures of this Gamera and show it on the blog ;)

 DUUUN DUUN DUUUN~

Angry GAMERA is angry!! GRRRRR!

You know it's serious business when you see that many exclamation points.

 Oh-ho! I see he/she's able to get some action figure action!

 Even the packaging is EPIC!

 GAMERA! SUGOOOOI!! ACTION MONSTER EPICU DESU!!

 He/She's going to destroy FUJI SAN desu!!

 GRAAAOOOOOW!!

 Alright...I'm getting bored of these shots already...

 He/She's not really that gigantic or terrifying... He/She's even smaller that my desktop-Bender.

WOOAH!! Okay! Maybe a bit tiny terrifying...

And that's all for now!
I guess I'll try getting some better funnier pictures next time~

Generation 90s POWAAAA! - Dr. Zitbag OPENING theme

I was thinking, since I posted many cartoon/animes opening in the past, I really need to add an "Opening" or "Intro" label.
I'll create it for this time and I guess I'll be retro-actively adding it to past blog posts.

Anyway, I was checking out some old cartoons I like on youtube when I remember to check out of my favorites.

Today's subject, Transylvania Pet Shop!
What is it, you may be asking.
Well a cartoon from the 90s taking place in Transylvania, duh! It's written in the title.
Anyway, it was a fun simple toon making references and tributes to ol' monster and horror movies.
It's a French animated cartoon, but like most animation usually, it aired on many other countries.

And if you didn't knew it, well it's normal. It was quite obscure and underrated. Kids tended to watch 80s cartoon reruns, Tiny Toons/Animaniacs, DC Comics cartoons, Cartoon Network original stuff, etc.. The more popular ones.
I watched most things that came up on the TV.

Since nobody seems to remember this nowadays, I guess I'll have to make some fanart of it myself!

Anyway, enough words.
Let's check out this awesome catchy tune:



I love this zany music! XD

And the original french theme song, even if you don't understand it, it's also pretty good. It's mostly the same song but the Doc's voice is quite different.
Check it out too, "Dr. Globule" as we called it here!



Good times...

MR Predators

Let's kick off this year with another long overdue review!

After all those previews I have been doing before its theatre release on my blog, here's finally a MR of the latest film in the Predator series!

Movie: Predators
Directed by Nimród Antal
Release date 2010
Genre Scifi/horror
Country USA

Note: I already briefly reviewed this movie after watching it.

Often rumoured, this third Predator movie has been through a lot before being finally produced and released last year. Making it exactly 20 years since the last "real" Predator movie hit theatres.

To be precise, the studio 20th Century Fox wasn't very keen on making a sequel to both the Predator and Alien series. These kind of movies could cost a lot to produce, counting pretty expensive practical effects (suits, gore aspects, etc..) and the scifi part (space/spaceship settings, open sets for the Predator, etc..).
And since these last bunch of years (around the 2000s), Fox's been well known for making what I call lackbuster movies. Meaning cheap fake-blockbusters. Where most costs go to one or two big action scenes and the rest of the movies being easily shot/cost effective, oh and also featuring one or two well known popular faces amongst cheap actors. (TV/movie actors)
They've done it with both Fantastic Four movies (isn't it crazy than the only "epic" scene of a superhero movie like FF is when a a Firetruck almost fall of a bridge because of the hero who ends up saving it!), X-men 3, Daredevil/Elektra and many more..even (specially) Die Hard 4 to some extend!!

Anyway, back on Predator!
The movie had been stuck for many years on pre-production. Many scripts went by.
Robert Rodriguez, who loved the concept and the original movie, wrote in fact many screenplays around the time Predator 2 came out. Since they never got made, some were eventually translated into funny books by Dark Horse Comics.
One of those stories was about a Predator in the 1600s, meeting pirates and getting the gun he would give to Danny Glover in the 2nd movie.
Another was about Predators against samurais.
And finally one was about a game preserve, where Predators would keep Prey for competition...

Best Opening Ever.

The movie starts right from the go.
As almost no movie does anymore. No big shiny presentation of a logo, or long complicated CGi opening.
The story starts with Royce.

He and a bunch of others mercenaries and thugs happen to drop from the ski (?) and land in a mysterious jungle.
The team gets to know each other, but these guy put together are pretty disfunctional.
They seem to come from various unrelated backgrounds. A mexican enforcer called Cuchillo, a spetsnaz soldier named Nikolai, an inmate who goes by "Stans", Hanzo a yakuza, etc..
The only female on board, an israeli sniper Isabelle.
And finally a "doctor", Edwin, who seems rather out of place there.
Apart from Edwin, they all have only one common point, they're all killers.
But why were they all gathered there??

Adrian Brody in all his manly manliness.

The movie is a big "return to basics".
After two horrible awful lackbuster Alien Versus Predator movies, which where so cheap they plainly avoided to use space as battlground for the Aliens and Predators or any fun plot from the games or comics they were named after, this movie Predators takes a lot from the original Predator movie.

We're back in a jungle, hunted by a mysterious killer.
The movie spends most of its first act developing and introducing to the character.
They're not your usual cannon folder, or cliché characters.
All in their own ways, all get some nice character introduction and motivations. Also it shows the actors were actually having fun on the set.

Rodriguez, who wrote the script, played a bit with his usual brand of character in each of these guys, you could almost imagine them in one of his Desperado flicks.
Adrien Brody really surprised me there! He totally lived up the role, I was originally afraid he wasn't suited for this franchise after protagonists played by "Terminator" Schwarzy and "Lethal Weapon" Danny Glover.
Sadly, Danny Trejo is mostly a cameo in this movie, being on screen so...little time... :/

Even the music goes back to the percussion and jungle beats.
When I read John Debney (Sin City, Iron Man 2, The Mummy 3) was the composer, I had my doubts...
But he perfectly catched Alan Silvestri's original score here. Sometimes a bit modern-ysh sounding in the more action scenes, other times pretty in tune with Predator 1 in the tension parts and when the hunt is on similar to Predator 2.
Perfect score for the music!

My new favorite scene in all 3 Predator movies!

The movie starts pretty much ground based.
It re-imagines a similar situation to Predator 1 with new twists and modern ideas.
The movie is a continuation to both Predator 1 and 2 (and 2!! unlike what some news may have make it sound, misquoting Rodriguez!) and perfectly ignores any connection to Alien or the AVP franchise. There are some "alien" elements, as in other creatures, but not the Xenomorphs themselves.
When  the Preds finally appear on screen, the movie goes completly scifi...for a while. We're introduced to other creatures, strange Predator-tech, see some derelict ships.... Then the movie is able to go back to a more reality-grounded atmosphere again like in Predator 1.
I'm kinda sad the movie didn't totally embrace its science fiction roots more.
At least the final half has some nice twists and surprises.

In his original screenplay (which some versions have been leaked online), Rodriguez planned main roles for returning character and in the later forms at least a cameo for both Danni Glover and Schwarzennegger.
It seems Dutch would have appeared in the end with a mean to escape for Royce and Isabelle and I guess Harrigan would have appeared instead of Laurence Fishburne's character.

The movie also rehashes some concepts Rodriguez wanted to try, since he wasn't sure he would be able to make/produce another Predator movie after that.
Scrapped ideas such as a sword fight with a Predator came from older scripts, and it was pretty nice to see this in here. Specially since it takes the Predator creature into new playgrounds.

Mano-a-mano between Preds this time?!

For the fans, the movie isn't without any twists like I said.
We finally clearly see some distinction amongst Predator clans, playing with the motif of the original Predator design and bringing new member of the same specie. The three new "main" Predators (refered to Super Predators in early promotion and behind the scenes material) are clearly a different breed who seem, like the humans, trapped in this planet.

Near the end, when the objective becomes to escape this world rather than stay and fight, Royce makes an alliance with what seems a more classic Predator creature.
By the way, from what Robert Rodriguez let know, this movie wasn't supposed to have any reference to AVP, right?
Then, why did we need to see a human & Predator teaming up one more time and using the same "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"-bulls*** again??

Anyhow, Rodriguez was pretty smart to get 20th Century Fox's approval on this movie.
With the success of both previous AVPs (a moderate box office revenue on a tiny budget = profit!), Rodriguez was able to make Fox accept to produce this one.
And since he knowns his business, he was also able to keep budget on a reasonable level and use mostly practical special effects and only relying on slight CGi for minor details (such as the landscape).

Overall, finally the third entry in the Predator series!
One more to go and they'll catch the Alien seires (that is, if they do it first, over thsoe new rumoured Alien movie prequels-btw, ugh..awful idea!!)
And a righful sequel at that!

Director Nimród Antal, who's mostly known for great thrillers full of thrills, did great behind the camera.
He was Rodriguez first choice, since he couldn't make it anymore as director. But he stayed on the set most of the times, contributing as he could with his tight shedule.

The movie makes a lot of references to the previous episodes.
Mostly Predator 1 as anyone can guess, but also Predator 2 in its structure and devleopment (to be exact, it even follows closely the patterns and the way Pred 2 introduced the monster, set the confrontations until the final 20+ minutes of final showdown ending with the ultimate smackdown).
They were a lot of reflections to the originals.
The Yakuza vs. the Pred mirrored Billy vs. the Pred over the river in the original. (but this time on screen!)
Even the whole squad was sort of based on Predator 2 characters (Isabelle/Leona Cantrell, Stans/Bill Paxton's character...).
They were even able to make a reference to the old never-seen-before alien suit wore by Jean Claude Van Damme in the original Predator before redesigning the monster, the monster actually happens as a sort of red herring for our characters early on, before being killed.

The movie also actually refers to Aliens a lot, the second Alien movie.
Not just in its title, this third Predator introduces a more military-based aspect to the series (not seen since the original), more creatures and different designs, like Aliens did.

I would love to rate this one higher, but due to Danny Trejo being underused (ooh...), some misdirection from the trailers and promotions (a lot of Preds hunting Brody? huh...nope) and the fact that it doesn't bring anything new to the table other than a return to the roots (duly appreciated)..I only recommend to watch it if you're interested or like these sort of violent monster movies.
In the opposite case, it won't change your mind about this series!
(watch it/give it a try!)

And finally a little note.
'loved listening to Little Richard's Long Tall Sally in the end, which was a great tribute to the only song heard in Predator 1 (in the choppa!!) and a perfect cue to end a great action R-Rated violent flick.
'nuff said

I give it:

 2 / 3 UFOs!

Predators - recap

You've seen me post a lot of coverage about this new Predator movie, like here, here, here, here, here and there.
And also lately a link to some early reactions, and even a review of both original Predator movies.

Now I've finally seen it.

What did I think?
(I'll try to be brief, since I suppose I will end up making a full review around the home release of this movie)

It was...pretty good!
Kickass sequel, finally the Predator franchise has another entry (and is one step behind Alien's).

The movie starts off pretty violently (in a big deus ex machina-like way). Then it follows pretty closely Predator 1's development. Mercenary group, jungle, suspense, character development...
We kinda grow to like the team, which isn't a team of good guys this time around (unlike Pred 1 & 2) but a big bunch of bastards. They kinda grow on you and are pretty fun (it's kinda sad to have each of them get killed each time).
Then, around the moment they found "a Predator camp" it all goes more scifi, goes a bit more nut and crazy... dog-monsters, traps, Laurence Fishburn livin' a crazy life, violence, blood and gore, duel mano-a-mano...and...weird depressing ending unresolved..?

It's a pretty nice movie, a big action flick like in the good ol' days. No need to know nor have seen both previous Predators (let's not mention AVP here please!).

There's some things I would definitely have used in other ways myself...
The Predators could have used some more gadgets/technology... It kinda seems like a step backwards (compared to Predator 2), the big mano-a-mano ending is pretty cool, I wouldn't expect less from a Predator movie (hey, it's not alien, we like big mano-a-mano endings in Predator flicks!) but...it looks a bit repetitive after a Predator duel earlier on...
Oh, and more scifi elements (out-of-this world strange hi-tech gear/or alien creatures) would have been nice too! There's a little hint of "other aliens" trapped in that planet...but not enough to my taste..

All in all it was a pretty fun movie! Go watch it!
I approve it as a scifi-fan, a horror-fan, a slasher-fan and a Predator-fan! :D
It brings back this franchise on track and makes great uses of practical effects, well done monster costumes and old school action!

MR Predator 2

Predators is out! On the occasion I'm reviewing both original Predator movies!!
Let's have a look at the Predator movie the internet loves to diss~

Movie: Predator 2
Directed by Stephen Hopkins
Release date 1990
Genre Scifi/horror
Country USA
 
In 1990 came the inevitable sequel to Predator.
There wasn't a lot of options that could came out after the success of Predator 1.
Either don't do a sequel (but 20th Century Fox couldn't let go their new own "cult monster gallery" they were developing), redo Predator 1 or try building something new. And I'm glad they went with the later option.
Sure, Predator 2 tries hard to offer new content, a new direction and reveal more stuff while using a similar creature.
But I know a lot of people like to diss Predator 2 out just because it's a Schwarzenegger-less sequel, or doesn't work on the same mysterious monster/unknown-foe level.

This time around, the audience knows there's monsters hunting humans for trophies.
We know they can defeat highly trained mercenaries.

How can one man strikes against such alien creatures and will he be able to stand off against the creature, victorious?!

New Predator, new setting and one helluva badass cop as new main trophy for our alien hunter..

Los Angeles, 1997.
The future! Well, from a 1990-ysh point of view!
The streets are occupied by gang wars and drug lords... Fear not, cause Lieutenant Mike Harrigan and his LAPD team of officers are gettin' close to terminate both the Jamaican and Colombian cartels! But Harrigan quickly finds out that something else is getting dangerously close to everybody... Something's huntin' people on all sides of the conflict...

Directed by Stephen Hopkins, great master of tension and suspense in Dangerous Game or A Nightmare on Elm Street 5, this sequel to the first Predator loses both its original military aspect and focuses mainly on the slasher part of the orginal.
This time we lose the jungle setting for the streets of Los Angeles (after a brilliantly clever opening shot).
The whole premise is a bit far fetched and far from what the real Los Angeles from 1997 really ended up to be... but this is an action flick dammit!
If the previous movie used clichés and character tropes as an homage to old school war movies, Predator 2 is a big pastiche of action flicks and cop movies from the late 80s. Casting Danny Glover as the main character was both a clever move and a pretty fitting idea, fresh from the Lethal Weapon movies.

But before ending up the movie it was, the original Predator creators, Jim Thomas and John Thomas tried a lot of approaches.
What is now kinda known as the alternate Predator 2 or Predator 1.5 was a story that was supposed to use Dutch and/or "his brother"in case Arnold would have returned. It would have been a two-part story starting in a jungle and ending up in the streets of LA.
Since the Dutch storyline was abandoned early on, a new fresh story came out from the ashes of that plot.. New Predator, no more clear links to the previous movie (apart from a side plot), new hero and new feel/direction!
(though that unused plot ended up in a comic from Dark Horse, which I will talk about at some later point)

This new Predator is more hip, brutal and darker than the first one!

Predator 2 uses the brief hints of the monster culture in the first movie, and develops upon those traits.
The real star of Predator 2 ends up being Kevin Peter Hall as the Predator.
He sure plays a fantastic Predator this time around and even offers a bit of "humanity" to the monster (as strange as it sounds).
He hunts dangerous foes only, lets innocents flee away (gotta love that scene with the "candy" and the kid...huhu..) and his a master hunter.
The Predator gets to play with his weapons, traps and most of his alien gear, like a out-of-this world MacGyver crossed over with a bit of Batman....

This time, on the human side we have a lot of prey that the Predator will toy with.
The LAPD forces are composed of very typic "action/police movie" characters. We have Detective Leona Cantrell (María Conchita Alonso ) who's the kickass cop lady that doesn't allow her coworkers havin' fun at her's expense, Detective Danny Archuleta (Ruben Blades) Harrigan's best and long time friend and at last Detective Jerry Lambert (Bill Paxton) the comedic and badass character. Bill Paxton is here as a kind of reference and tribute to those action flick funny characters. He's been killed by Aliens (in Aliens, playin' mostly the same character) and is killed by a Predator this time. (also killed by the Terminator in T2 later on, gotta love this guy!)

And then there's the Colombian cartel which can't do no sh!t against the Predator and gets disposed off scene after scene.
And finally the Jamaican Voodoo Posse, which believe a monster is hunting everybody without distinction as some kind of retribution.
Now, I know people may not like that drug war storyline, specially younger audiance nowadays... but I think it really defines this era of badass action flicks. Like what hollywood offered with such movies as Demolition Man, Leathal Weapon 2 & 3, Die Hard 1 & 2, etc...
It was a time of violence, giant real explosions (CGi 'xplosions, BLAH!! :P), blood everywhere, deaths  by the hundred...
Stephen Hopkins wasn't an action movie director, far from it, but he managed to capture that over-the-top feel that made 80s/90s movie so great!

How badass is that?! He kicks one Predator's ass and is almost already ready to have some more!

Predator 2 is less of an horror/suspense movie and goes more into high action/gore flick territory.
It certainly is a lot more violent and bloody that Predator, which kind of sounds impossible at first glance.
The Predator has a high body count this time, since  he isn't stuck with only one mercenary group but various groups in LA.

We get to see all the cool stuff he does best, like using his hunting skills, using alien weapons, his thermal/ultraviolet/electromagnetic field visions...
There's a lot more revealed about the alien's culture, what was only hinted in Predator 1.

The movie's plot might sound pretty conventional, but I think it works great with this scifi/slasher monster movie!
The Predator is let loose on the streets, Harrigan is trackin' both sides of the gang war, all of Harrigan's team get picked up one by one...
While at the same time a sub-plot about the government tracking "predators" arrival on Earth since the events of Predator 1 is shown bit by bit.
At the end Harrigan ends up with them on what I'd call a big homage to and a reverse sequence of the Colonial Marines scenes in the beginning of Aliens which this movie likes to reference. (like Bill Paxton's character, the *spoiler* cameo refence in one of the very last scenes...). The Predator and the government agents get all under the same roof in a slaughterhouse (which really has a fitting name), they follow his movements via trackers and...well...get killed, Danny Glover's character and a young Adam Baldwin following the scene on monitors much like Ripley in Aliens.


The whole final scene of the movie is a big mano-a-mano putting the original classic Schwarzy vs. Predator duel to shame (by a tip). From an intense and violent subway-scene (cleverly using lightning and editing), Harrigan follows the Predator from the subway tunnel to the streets, the above-mentioned slaughterhouse, roofs, a building, more tunnels and finally -wow- a Predator ship where the almost beaten Predator and a tired Harrigan dukes it out one more time...for honour!

Overall, Predator 2 is one heckuva wild ride!
Intense, never letting the tension go, and that's one of the director's most impressive traits, and a very gruesome dark action flick.

The cast is perfect! I wouldn't believe Danny-boy could succeed after Schwarzenegger if I'd never heard or saw this movie before! Woow! Mister Glover, you're one kickass badass~

Of course, it loses the first movie's original shock and surprise, but didn't you really want to see a Predator on screen one more time? More brutal hunting? Using most of its gadgets this time?
The new Predator is a bit more darker/bronze-like color-wise. He works great on the city backdrops.
The surprise ending, from the ship to the unreal Elder Predator and its clan comes out great and really opens up more doors while leaving the mysterious open.
There's more of them?! Different kinds?! For how long have they been hunting us?! For what point?!
(sadly, cheaper and more profitable PG-12 Alien Versus Predator movies were made after that instead of a much deserving Predator 3/Predators, or simply another new and original monster movie...but that tale of the dawn 20th Century Fox...will be told...some other time...)

Alan Silvestri is also back on the musical side. Which I love!
Seriously though, have I mentioned already he's my favorite composer?!
This time around the score is less "BackToTheFuture-like sounding" but still keeping it's similarity to the first Predator movie.
It's sounds fresh. It's sounds also darker, more tribal.
There's some reuses (like the funeral scene which recycles a patriotic theme from the previous movie for example) but they're put in some new situations and well re-arranged.

Finally, I'd say it's a perfectly done sequel.
Brings up some new points, offer some new views and has nothing to be ashamed of compared to Predator 1. I know people love to diss this part 2, pretty often nowadays...but it's non-sense!
As a horror/monster/gore/scifi fan, what's not to like about this sequel?! It's a slasher movie cross with a scifi monster let lose on the streets of a chaotic LA! And it does take place in LA! (I'm looking at you, "Jason Takes Manhattan", taking 80% of screentime on a boat...)
For so many points, I almost prefer Predator 2 compared to part one... But the original surprise, Schwarzy and the military/suspensful aspect of the first helps it float alongside the much more violent/brutal/intense Predator 2... I like them both as much!~

I give it:

 2.5 / 3 UFOs!

 

MR Predator

You were all waiting for it (did you?) since I said I was a big fan of the creature/movies!
Here's in the occasion of the release of the third movie, a Predator 1 review!!

Movie: Predator
Directed by John McTiernan
Release date 1987
Genre Scifi/horror
Country USA
 
There was a time when 20th Century Fox wasn't synonymous with lackbuster/cheap blockbuster, bad sequels and quick cash-ins.
Fox used to have some talented directors making movies for them, great writers and producers involved in most of the classic movies that became and are still to this very day cult and part of our popular culture.

The year was 1987, a year only after the second Aliens movie.
It all started out as a joke, how to make a new Rocky movie, how could it be any different from the previous 4 ones?
Then, came in the brothers Thomas, Jim & John Thomas.
They turned this joke into an actual plot. A horror/scifi movie, simply called Hunter.
The story of an alien monster that would come on earth, hunt down the most dangerous human foes he could find.

History in the makin'!

Opening shot. Something pretty weird is coming on earth...

Predator tells the story of Major Alan "Dutch" Schaeffer and his team of over-the-top badass ruthless cover-op mercenaries trying to find out just what the hell happened in this tropical jungle!?!

Dutch ol' pal, George Dillon, probably tired of pushing too many pencils for the CIA, tags along with his merry company in the search of rebels/guerrilla forces, but upon finding the wreckage discover they aren't up against something human but some kind of creature instead...

The movie is a very unusual marriage between a war/soldiers movie and a science-fiction horror movie.
The story is now classic, as simple as it gets but works nicely for this kind of movie.
Humans discover and come up against a surnatural/dangerous threat, get picked up one by one until the last man standing faces off the monster...
Horror/monster movies have never really big on story-telling, so this one does just that. Introducing us to a ruthless team of bastards, having us care enough for them and throwing them up against the titular Predator.

All the characters and most of the action is of course over-the-top, in a late 80s/early 90s kind of way, and that's why I love it!
It's a fantastic mix of bizarre genres! Would it have been made or release today I'm not sure the result nor the box office reation would have been the same...
Military violent action? With a science-fiction element? Over the top and gory?

The movie ends up pretty far from where it started out...

This picture can't capture the whole manliness and total badassery of this scene...

All the cast seems to be having pretty fun! And it looks like it on screen!

From Schwarzenegger (did I type it right without checkin' it?) playing this sum of all his roles in Dutch to Jesse Ventura's badass extraordinaire to Sonny Landham quiet but "on the target" kind of character...
The whole team is having fun with their character and it's not a surprise that most become iconic/memorable to this very day!
They are written as a patchwork of military character from past movies of the 80s and also kind of their final outcome, since they are supposed to be the ultimate prey for our ultimate hunter.

Kevin Peter Hall, playing the Predator, does a fantastic work which became the template for future predators, be it in other movies, games or comics. The Predator is a very smart and dangerous foe, the greatest hunter of space.
(He also has a little off-Predator cameo near the ending!)

There's a lot of fantastic stories from around the making of this movie (which are present in most special editions' bonuses of this movie).
The filming in that hot tropical jungle, backdrop of the whole movie, looks like it has been hell to endure!

The Predator costume, designed and made by the amazing Stan Winston are a great contribution to classic hollywood monsters next to the Alien, Mummy, Black Lagoon monster and other classic Universal creatures.
It looks like a fantastic space hunter and seems to be a great result of what should probably have been a ton of redesigns!
From the mysterious long-necked monster a supposedly Jean Claude Van Damme wore on the set a few days to the final dreadlocked crab-face well known monster used in the final version. (inspired by a James Cameron doodle made with Stan Winston on a plane).

The music, worth mentioning, is from my all time favorite music composer Alan Silvestri.
It is pretty similar-sounding to his work on Back To The Future, as weird and odd as it may sound! Some themes and pieces are very reminiscent of the more action/suspensful bits of BttF!

How fun is that, Predators see in a thermal spectrum! Cool down and you'll become invisible to those invisible killers!

Finally, it was this movie that intoduced us to those now cult monsters that are the "Predators" or Yautja as they call them in the comics (not a big fan of that term myself... a bit too...un-fantastic...).

As great as the whole cinematography, cast, effects, music are, it all rests on the Predator monster in the end.
And what a great monster it is.
Design-wise, Stan Winston created a memorable and cult design which is pretty simple, believable and out of this world!
The brothers Thomas made a great set up to introduce us to this extraterrestrial hunter, his ways, habits and bits of its culture here and there.

The Pred is scifi hunter, using cool gadgets and toys.
It isn't just an animal-like creature, like the other 20th Century Fox's owned monster, the Aliens, but an intelligent sentient being. It can heals itself, set up traps and wreck amok between this well coordinated team of soldiers.

The thermal view, strange language (mimicking abilities with its helmet/gear), retractable claws and arm-computer-like gear are a very original touch.
It inspires to something more than just an alien creature hunting on earth but creates this whole sneak-peak into an alien culture...

No surprise so many comics, games and other movies spawned from such a simple plot...

Overall, it's a cult movie based on such a simple premise but lacks no depth because of that!

The monster offers so much possibilities!

It is one of my all time favorite movies and I watched it so many times I lost track of it...

I really like the whole concept and the atmosphere of this movie!
It is very fun to watch and doesn't seem to rely on much "acting" or plot, but inside it has a little more depth that what you can see.
What is this monster? How does it work? How does it think? Well, there's some answers to that under the surface and leaves the rest to the power of our imagination! (which answering/showing a bit of it in AVP flashback's kinda ruined it... well, let's not talk about the AVP flicks here anyway...)

It's a suspenseful and well crafted movie. No doubt!
Kinda inspired by the previous two Alien movies, in the aspect that Fox was trying to build up its very own line of "classic monsters" (what Universal did in the 30s and kept revisiting movie after movie).
Alien was the scifi adaptation of the "closed door" horror movie, Aliens was the scifi invasion/infestation while providing the base of the military aspect that this one used as well. Predator is the scifi slasher, where body counts and "original death scenes" are the trophies it collects alongside its run...

John McTiernan is one of the masters of big action/violent flick.
And this Predator is probably one of his best work and a tribute to the late 80s/early 90s action blockbuster genre!

I give it:

 2.5 / 3 UFOs!

 

Predators: reaction-

People are liking this new Pred' movie, like I already briefly mentioned in a recent post.

Can't wait to see it myself :P

I'm a big fan of both original movies and "the creature" specially.
And let's not talk about those lackbusters made by 20th Century Fox recently...

Anyway, I knew Ebert wouldn't be really generous to this movie, but he gave it 2/4!
He mentioned it being to suspensful, not enoug plot, just gory scenes/killing over any real content... boy, that really makes me wanna check it out soon!

Hey, nobody say movie should be "for everyone" and universally loved! There's different "tastes" and different auciences!

Anyway, on io9, they love it! (a geeky/pop culture website)
On Bloody Disgusting they  adore it! (a gory/B-movies website)
And on shocktillyoudrop, where they've been covering this movie since day one, they briefly said "the ideal companion piece to both the 1987 film and the 1990 sequel"!

This third Predator might really be good! I cannot wait~
Don't like Preds? Go watch twilight instead!
Bwahahaha!

Oh, and stop dissing Predator 2 you internet kids! It's as good as the 1st one, if not even better!

Come on, support old school action flicks/gory/R Rated/movies relying on practical FX!

PREDATORS is out!

 
So, PREDATORS is out. (in most countries)
What are you guys waiting for?! Go see it!!
Support a good action flick! Not a CGi crapfest like Avatar, most 3D-kiddie movies, but some R-Rated old school action!

It will only be released here next week...dammit...

Predators, directed by Nimród Antal and produced by Robert Rodriguez, is the real sequel to Predator (1987) and Predator 2 (1990) and not another quick cash-in lame lackbuster like the 2 AVP flicks (which as bad as they were, have been profitable to 20th Century Fox due to their pretty small budget).
(anyway I'll make a blog post about the term "lackbuster" and 20th Century Fox some other time)

Anyway, go watch Predators! If you like good ol' 80/90s action movies, monster movies, Slasher flicks, scifi monsters or just simply the Predator, don't miss this out!!
And no I'm not working for them! (I wish! :P) but I'm trying to support a good movie! Only the crappy 3D commercial stuff makes money nowadays...
Predators is already receiving plenty of cool reviews and reception. (only 1 or 2 "average" like Roger Ebert's review, which was expected...)

Support good ol' fashioned practical effects and R-Rated movies!