Out on DVD Today: I Know Who Killed Me

People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like. - Abraham Lincoln

If you could, in fact, judge a book by its cover, this movie would totally be my bag, baby!



As those of us old enough to remember the early days of Pre-Blockbuster VHS rental know, judging a movie's potential merits by the packaging was a particular skill, something akin to panning for gold in a river bed. Other than word-of-mouth, the art and info on the box were pretty much the only clues we had to go on. (This was back when Al Gore was inventing the Internet, kiddies.) And believe me, we examined every video in the place, there wasn't much of a selection. A movie with box art like this held special promise to be a true winner. This had all the makings of greatness.

Oddly, this brand-new 2007 release plays just like one of those B-movies that has been languishing for years on a video-store shelf waiting for the weeknight you'll discover it. And although it didn't quite live up to its box art, I think this is pretty much required viewing. Just lower your expectations a bit. It had potential to be good, but it turned out to fall into the "so-bad-its-good" category, which I can enjoy just as much. Admittedly, my expectations were high. I expect many have no expectations of this movie at all.

Lindsay Lohan was born the year I was a freshman in high school - I'm about twice her age. She completely captivated me from the moment I first saw her, about ten years later, runnin' thangs playing poker at summer camp in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap. If she was that good in a dual twin role at age 11, I was intrigued to see what she would do with a decidedly un-Disneyfied reprise at age 21.


I really could have done without the Captivity-like "torture porn", but thankfully it doesn't comprise too much of the picture.

I just saw this on pay-per-view in a hotel on Halloween and I don't even remember the mother being Julia Ormond. And I MUST see the DVD extras. So I'll be giving this another look-see before I complete my review.

SYNOPSIS: Lindsay Lohan stars in the mind-bending psychological thriller I Know Who Killed Me as Aubrey Fleming, an unfortunate young woman whose life -and body- are irreparably damaged following an abduction by a heinous serial killer. Though Aubrey pulls off a miraculous escape from the clutches of the madman, she does so with deep-seated psychological scars, plus the loss of a hand, a leg, and untold amounts of blood. While Aubrey's parents view her return as a veritable answer to their prayers, they must soon confront an outrageous and seemingly inexplicable twist: the girl who returned claims another identity -that of a young woman named Dakota. She also exhibits a wholly different personality and mannerisms than Aubrey did, and -more frighteningly- insists that Aubrey is still very much alive, in the throes of the maniac's grip, and only inches away from death. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Fun Fact: "Dakota" is the name of Lindsay's real-life little brother.

Now with 200% of your
Recommended Daily Allowance:
EXTENDED STRIP DANCE SCENE!

"A credible piece of pop entertainment," says Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post:
Lindsay Lohan Gets An 'A' for a B-Flick! (Thanks to Bill Walsh for posting a link at Final Girl.)

Official Site: iknowwhokilledme.com

Entertainment Weekly QUIZ: I Saw It, So You Don't Have To

Entertainment Weekly PHOTO GALLERY: Stars who played strippers

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Release Date: 21 December 2007

I'm really looking forward to this one! My review will be posted as soon as I can manage to see this. In the meantime, check out this very interesting article by Paul Brownfield at the Los Angeles Times.

QUOTE: "Sweeney Todd is another ambitious reimagining of a venerable text. The result is a beautifully scored, high-art slasher film, told almost entirely in song and topped off with Depp paying homage to Lon Chaney and Boris Karloff."

SYNOPSIS: Johnny Depp and Tim Burton join forces again in a big-screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's award-winning musical thriller Sweeney Todd. Depp stars in the title role as a man unjustly sent to prison who vows revenge, not only for that cruel punishment, but for the devastating consequences of what happened to his wife and daughter. When he returns to reopen his barber shop, Sweeney Todd becomes the Demon Barber of Fleet Street who "shaved the heads of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard from again." Joining Depp is Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney's amorous accomplice, who creates diabolical meat pies. The cast also includes Alan Rickman, who portrays the evil Judge Turpin, who sends Sweeney to prison and Timothy Spall as the Judge's wicked associate Beadle Bamford and Sacha Baron Cohen is a rival barber, the flamboyant Signor Adolfo Pirelli.

From The Concession Stand:
Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pies

MOVIE CONNECTIONS: Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl.
Gertie originally wanted to see Cats on Broadway. Her father explained that Cats had closed and offered to take her to another show, ending up at Sweeney Todd. Much to his chagrin, her father hadn't been aware of the subject matter, but little Gertie was enthralled! A girl after our own hearts. Sweeney Todd may seem grim subject matter for a school play, but Gertie's school is named for Maria Goretti, a Catholic saint who was martyred by being stabbed to death.

Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, and little Raquel Castro (Gertie)
perform a number from Sweeney Todd
for Gertie's elementary school Fall Pageant.

While receiving many negative reviews (mostly likely due to the Curse of Gigli), a select few prominent critics reacted favorably. Roger Ebert gave the film three and a half out of four stars! If you haven't seen it, give it a try sometime, it's pretty cute!

News from Cinematical:

'Sweeney Todd' Update: Johnny Depp Finally Sings!

Is There Really Too Much Gore in 'Sweeney Todd'?

Other Johnny Depp & Tim Burton movies: Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, Ed Wood, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow Other Johnny Depp horror/ish movies: Secret Window, Nightmare On Elm Street, From Hell, The Ninth Gate, The Astronaut's Wife, Dark Shadows (upcoming 2010) Other Tim Burton horror/ish movies: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Frankenweenie. Of these, I especially enjoy Sleepy Hollow (about the Headless Horseman) & From Hell (about Jack the Ripper).

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If you're considering buying any Fandango Bucks gift certificates for gift-giving this season, I'd really appreciate if you'd use this link - . I'll get $2 for every purchase - just a few will earn me enough to buy a used DVD to review, or maybe even some Junior Mints! :)

From The Concession Stand:

Tim Burton to make FRANKENWEENIE feature

Variety reports that Tim Burton will expand his 1984 short film FRANKENWEENIE into a feature for Walt Disney Pictures. The original live-action version is a spoof of the classic FRANKENSTEIN about a young boy who brings his dead dog back to life through mad-science means. It was previously available on DVD on the now-out-of-print NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS Special Edition. The new film will be created via stop-motion animation and exhibited in 3-D. Following the success of the theater 3-D release of NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, Burton will also helm a 3-dimensional ALICE IN WONDERLAND for Disney. The director next has the bloody musical SWEENEY TODD hitting theaters next month.

This news story very slightly adapted from Fangoria online. Check out issue #269 of their print edition magazine, on sale in December, for an exclusive Sweeney Todd set visit!

From The Concession Stand:

hot dog with ketchup

The Special Edition Nightmare DVD that includes the original Frankenweenie is wicked spendy on Amazon - if you're hoping for a deal, click here to check current eBay prices. The original Frankenweenie VHS is currently selling for around $8 on both eBay and Amazon. Most certainly the original will be on the upcoming DVD release of the new animated Frankenweenie.

Coming Soon: I Am Legend

Release Date: 14 December 2007

This post-apocalyptic science-fiction horror film is the third adaptation based on Richard Matheson's 1954 novel I Am Legend, following The Last Man On Earth (1964) starring Vincent Price and The Omega Man (1971) starring Charleton Heston. A 1994 version starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was narrowly avoided when production ran over-budget. Shwew!

SYNOPSIS: Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable... and man-made. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City... and maybe the world. But he is not alone. He is surrounded by "The Infected" - victims of the plague who have mutated into carnivorous beings who can only exist in the dark and who will devour or infect anyone or anything in their path.




Neville indirectly caused of the fall of man - his government-funded research helped spread the virus, and he now works to redeem himself. Naturally immune, Neville realizes that two percent of the human race must also be immune. Perhaps mankind's last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But his blood is also what The Infected hunt, and Neville knows he is outnumbered and quickly running out of time. For three years, Neville has spent his days scavenging for food and supplies and faithfully sending out radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. All the while, The Infected lurk in the shadows, watching Neville's every move, waiting for him to make a fatal mistake.

The Brooklyn Bridge served as a location in I Am Legend, at which there was a $5 million scene filmed, the most expensive scene to date in New York City. See story & photos at The Gothamist.

Following in the footsteps of her brother Jaden, Will Smith's daughter Willow makes her film debut as Marley, Neville's daughter. See her in the trailer below!


I Am Legend Trailer

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Movie Connection: Night of the Living Dead
Duane Jones' role as Ben in George Romero's Night of the Living Dead marked the first time a black actor was cast as a non-ethnic lead in a major motion picture in America, and the first time a black actor had a starring role in a horror film (1968).

Become an I am Legend member and stay up-to-date on the movie!

Stephen King's The Mist

Release Date: 21 November 2007

SYNOPSIS: A small band of citizens hole-up in a supermarket and fight for their lives.

I suppose I'll review this when it comes out on DVD. I did see in in the theaters not once, but twice, but somehow I was unable to put a review together. I hope you saw it in the theater, too, because it was lots of fun!

Movie Merch: I want a Food House apron and an Arrowhead Project patch!

A Happy Thanksgiving For The Mist - AMC Monsterfest

The Director of The Mist on The Power of Stephen King - Fandango

Johnny Depp to revive Dark Shadows

Warner Bros. is teaming with Johnny Depp's Infinitum-Nihil and Graham King's GK Films to develop a feature based on the '60s supernatural TV show "Dark Shadows".

According to Variety, Depp has always been obsessed with "Dark Shadows" and had, as a child, wanted to be Barnabas Collins, the vampire patriarch of the series. The role was originated by Jonathan Frid.

Over 1,225 episodes, "Dark Shadows" was a highly atmospheric, spooky soap that featured gothic horror staples like vampires, monsters, witches, werewolves, ghosts and zombies.