Moody 'Grudge' puts a twist on traditional ghost tales

You might agree with this review but I totally disagree

"The humans are as blank as the ghosts, mere figures to be preyed upon, and the film is less a story than a mood piece, but it features some of the most unnerving imagery and soundscapes to be found on the screen and it puts a twist on one of the most steadfast traditions of American ghost stories."
-"There is no "why" in "The Grudge," at least not an explanation that provides comfort or cure. It simply is. That's what makes it really scary."

Turistas

"Hostel", I mean "Turistas" is by far an original movie. The only difference between the two is the the location, one is in Europe while the other in the deep forests of Brazil. Being one of 20th Century Foxes new division production for young audiences the only massage that the movie brings is that sex and gory violence is the only interest in the minds of young Americans.

If stupidity were a crime, the nitwits in the cheap horror flick "Turistas" would be doing time in Attica. -Manohla Dargis-New York Times

Review: More dutifully depraved gore porn, minus the more intriguing twists of the first two flicks

Saw III

This review, posted by Brent Simon, basically discusses the fact that the franchise of this movie is ready to go, based on the fact that the third part of this blood bath manages to stur up some more guts, and thats about it. He also discusses the fact that this movie is doing the exact opposite that it set out to do.

'When we first met him, Jigsaw was a malevolent voyeur bent on "testing the fabric of human existence," as he put it in the first two movies. With Saw III, he's now devolved to the point where he's testing those who are "dead inside" and "a shell of [their] former self,"'

Overall, his opinion is a negative one, but maybe you guys disagree.

"The movie quickens one's pulse with maybe two of its torturous sequences, and the general grotesquerie and gonzo gore (Lynn performs a graphic, ad lib operation on Jigsaw to relieve the swelling of his brain, leading to some hot drill-on-skull action) will satisfy a suitable swath of devoted genre fans. Mostly, though, Saw III evinces the feel of a franchise ready to be put out of its misery — much like Jigsaw himself"

Romantic Comedy, Fart Jokes, and Zombies

Jeff Otto reviews Shaun of the Dead as "the second great zombie flick of 2004." He was a skeptic at first but, was surprised to see how well it came out to be. He enjoys how directer, Edgar Wright, "builds its zombie plotline very carefully, carefully constructing the romantic comedy plotline, with just a light dose of zombies at the start." Overall, he has a positive review.

"The Devil's Rejects: A Reject Indeed"

Angela Baldassarre the reviewer believes that 'The Devil's Rejects" is a horrible film and is one of the worst movies.
"With a larger budget comes the sequel, “The Devil’s Rejects,” which contains better effects and a hipper soundtrack, but the result remains the same: absolutely unwatchable trash."

Is "Hellraiser" going down the hill?

The author of this review is stating that the, new "hellrasier" movie coming out is about the same characters. He states that the sequels are going "downhill".

"The last "Hellraiser" movie to fill multiplexes was "Hellraiser 4: Bloodline", and it's been downhill since. Enter Rick Bota, a former special effects man who apparently loves the franchise so much he's already directed not one, but three sequels (parts 6, 7, and 8, to be precise). The guy must either love this franchise to death or he really needs the work. Judging by the quality that Bota has managed in the last two sequels, I'm inclined to believe it's the first."

Read at your own risk... im kiddin, Horror reviews

The following is a link to a page of reviews on every horror movie imaginable. My guess is if you're interested in the genre of horror, you can find a good review to base your paper off of.
Here's the link everyone ~ http://www.horrorexpress.com/movies.php

More Sin City / noir

Just some more on Sin City... This review is by Rolling Stone. "The worst thing I can say about this savage, sexy and ferociously funny screen translation of three stories from Frank Miller's Sin City series of graphic novels is that it's too much of a good thing." http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/6824548/sin_city

Grease: An Energetic Upbeat Musical

Berge Garabedian seems to think that "Grease" can not get any better.

"A fun-loving, energetic and innocent look back at times much simpler. This movie effectively juggles a thin romantic story line and the overall experience of the 1950's, with a superb soundtrack and some great dance numbers. Admittedly, I am somewhat biased in this opinion, since this film blasts me into my past as a rebellious youth (GREASE was one of Schmoe's first big-screen experiences, and every other scene sends me reeling into the times of my elaborate GREASE bubble-gum card collection), and the lesser responsibilities that I possessed at that time. But apart from the nostalgic vibe, I was still extremely impressed by this film, as it continued to amuse me, despite my previous dozen or so viewings."

Is "Grease" really a innocent look back at old times?

All Horror Movies

This horror site lets you read many horror movie reviews varying from all different plots. On this particular site you can search for horror movie DVDs, horror movie videos, horror movie soundtracks, horror movie posters, and horror books. There is also a special feature on this site that gives you the option to purchase the DVD from any review you read. Here, you can find even the most recent of horror film reviews. Such as the Hills have eyes. This hsould help everyone on their upcoming persuasive papers.

SIN CITY / noir

Sin City is in my opinion, the perfect example of a noir film. Its dark and sinister ways put the noir genre into context prefectly. here is a link to a review by James Berardinelli http://www.reelviews.net/movies/s/sin_city.html

Top 50 Best Voted Horror Films Shaun of the Dead #29

Here is a link to the 50 best rated horror films on www.Imdb.com , and guess what; a film that we all enjoyed is rated #29. Shaun of the Dead.

xXx, James Bond Wanna Be.

From the looks of things, XXX is just an extreme version of 007 films, aimed at the young "extreme" generation. The similarities are inevitable. In my opinion, XXX is a certain rip off of 007. Except that 007 is more smooth and original, practically nothing else differs.

Pumpkin a Comedy?

We’re all different. But when someone’s handicap makes their uniqueness especially noticeable, what is the acceptable reaction? Most of us would simply acknowledge the differences and move on. The makers of Pumpkin however find plenty of dark humor in the subject matter. Some of their jokes work, but most fail miserably and in the end, Pumpkin is far more offensive than it is funny. Tragically, Pumpkin just does not work as a comedy. It does reach something a bit more tangible in the end, yet those laughs are triggered by the stereotypes typical of all Greek life-comedies. Put simply, Pumpkin has too many awkward moments where you really don’t know how to react. Anyone who has any compassion or respect for the struggles disabled people face will find the majority of this film’s satire offensive. Rather than spending the two hours watching Pumpkin degrade those with disabilities, why not donate your time to helping them achieve some real success?

David Levine stresses his discontent with Pumpkin the film and says that he actually finds it offensive. I am not sure how I feel about the film persay, but he has some very well supported points throughout his critic.

A Romance Review

This romance review site has an unbelievable amount of reviews. It almost seems like they have everything. Even for the month of November, this site contains 113 new reviews in their database.....all for you.

"is proud to present

6039
online reviews in our database for you to search/read and enjoy."

Just click on the review you want and it will tell you all about what you need to know, it will tell you who the author is, when it came out, and it's very own personal rating. If you love romance, this site is definitely for you.

So whats so great about Romance?

This page/article basically gives out a great example for an argument about the Romance genre. What happened is two writers email back and fourth arguing about a topic, and in this case, Romance. They basically talk about what makes a romance movie so special. In each emailed argument, they both give great examples of what they believe makes up a romance movie.

The argument is basically based off one person believing that Romance films any more or less cliched, predictable or time wasting than other types of films such as action.

Blade Runner, the best sci-fi movie ever?

Here is a link of some scientists arguing that Blade Runner is the best Sci-fi movie ever. To them Blade Runner is even above Star Wars, this is a fact that some people would strongly argue. Hope this helps you guys with you're essays.

Persuasive Writing On Romance

Susanne Knight is notorious for "romance writing with a twist." Her novel, Past Indiscretions, is a love story that ties the past and future together that creates an impossible battle. The link provides us with more information and also her techniques of persuasive writing.

Romance and Sci Fi Review Blog

The following links us to a website specifically designed for reviewing romance and science fiction novels. You can primarily think of it as a blog similar to ours, only strictly about romance and sci fi. http://www.romrevtoday.com/Review%20Listing/fantasy_sci_fi_romance_2006.htm

Romance: Save the Last Dance

This is a movie review by Roger Ebert. He is reviewing the movie "Save the Last Dance." He discusses the very positive points of the movie and and gives the movie a 3 star rating. Ebert basically discusses how the movie is not as cliche as it is set up to be and provides intelligent character development.

One of the Best Sci-fi movies?

Most, if not all, of the reviews in this page seem to realy like The Matrix. Could it be the geatest sci-fi movie movie/franchise of all time? This reviewer does not seem to think so. However, he did like it.

"So I saw the Matrix last night. It was un-freaking-believeable. One of the best sci-fi flicks I've ever seen. I was thinking about it in comparison to Blade Runner. I like Blade Runner, both the original and the director's cut, but I've never really been sure why I liked it."

He goes on to later say;"...but I just don't think it's a great sci-fi movie."

This brings up a question. Is Blade Runner a better sci-fi moive than The Matrix?
There are other very opinionated reviews in this page.

A Brief History of Zombies.

Like the Mummy, Zombies are a lumbering, staggering, Halloween and Horror presence.What makes zombies different is that they do not come from a European gothic tradition. Instead, the zombie story originates in Haiti, where West Africans were brought as slaves to work on the sugar plantations. As a part of the voodoo religion, Haitians believe that magicians, or houngans, can revive the recently dead, turning them into mindless, soulless servants. Believers in voodoo will guard the grave of deceased relatives until they are certain that it has begun to decay, for the magic only works on fresh bodies. Zombies are a greatly studied thing in our society today. Scientists have studied the zombie legend for some time now and have several explanations for this belief.

The Fort Dearborn Massacre

This one really makes you think. I always go up and down Dearborn St. shopping like nothing. To read this makes you take a second look around, especially at night.

Perhaps one of the most brutal events in all of Chicago history took place when the city was only beginning. The terrible incident has become known as the Fort Dearborn Massacre and memories of it still linger in the city today.

Chicago began as nothing but empty wilderness and open prairie. It first appeared on maps of the region in 1684 as “Chekagou”, which literally means “wild onion”. Despite these inauspicious beginnings, it became home to a trading post owned by Jean Baptist Point du Sable, a French Canadian trapper in 1779. He stayed along the Chicago River until 1800, before selling the establishment to Jean Lalime. As American’s spread further west, there was talk of a military garrison being established at Chicago as early as 1795. It finally came about in 1803 under the command of Captain John Whistler. He brought with him 40 men and they built Fort Dearborn. This is where the tragedy begins.
Very interesting story, check it out.

Haunted Restaurant

"That Steak Joynt formerly at 1610 N. Wells was the only Victorian restaurant of it's kind in Chicago. Once a Piper Bakery and partially damaged during the great Chicago fire of 1871 it was once located in the Old Town section of Chicago in Piper's Alley and right next door to Second City." This restaurant used to be haunted. It was haunted for a while, and many incidents occurred here, as well as some investigations. After closing down it reopened many years later to what is now Adobo Grill (where my brother works). But suddenly all the hauntings stopped, could it be that it was never haunted or did the ghosts finally find peace?

America's 1st Serial Killer

America's 1st known serial killer lived here in what used to be the outskirts of Chicago, in a town known as Englewood, in the southside. He went by the name of H. H. Holmes. He built a home/hotel which is now known as "The Murder Castle of H. H. Holmes" because this is were he kept his victims. "The first floor of the building contained stores and shops, while the upper floors could be used for spacious living quarters. Holmes also had an office on the second floor, but most of the rooms were to be used for guests -- guests that would never be seen again. " This is a very interesting article about his life, how he chose his victims, and how he died.

Zombie Movies

If you are a big fan of zombie movies or just want to see what these creatures really are, this website lists many of the different zombie movies that were created.

http://zombiejuice.com/zmovies/#Best%20Zombie%20Movies

Zombies!!

Zombie: A flesh eating corpse. We all know what a zombie is and have accepted that they are scary. What we don’t know are all the different types of zombies. Zombies aren’t only made up in some twisted persons mind, they have been around for a lot longer than anyone actually knows.

This link will give an explanation of the different types of zombies and where the idea for these zombies came from. The link also provides you with more external links about zombies.

Haunted Chicago

We always see on television “Most Haunted Places” and see that they are mostly in other states or even in other countries. What we rarely ever see are the haunted places of Chicago. Don’t be fooled, Chicago is also a scary place.

Here is a link giving examples of some haunted places in Chicago.

Bachelor's Grove Woods

I am from the south suburbs, and any one else that is usually has heard the multiple ghost stories originating from this spot. It is considered one of the most haunted cemeteries in/around Chicago, and in Illinois.

Early gangs, such as that of Al Capone are rumored to have buried the bodies of their dead in the lake that you can see on the south side of 143rd street, just east of Ridgeland.


This site has more information about the history and actual reports of paranormal activity in and near Bachelor's Grove.

What do you guys think?

--Anastacia

Chicago Ghost Investigations

This website is about a paranormal research group, that seeks out ghosts. The invite you to do the same with them. Their supernatural tours leave from downtown Chicago near the Magnificent Mile daily where they will provide you with a courtesy ride to one of several actively haunted houses in Chicago. If you have ever wanted to go and try to detect ghosts here is your chance. Just visit the site and they will give you all of the information that you need.

"Our paranormal investigators will be available during the investigation for guidance; however, in this case, you are the ghost hunter!"

What is and What is not a Zombie

The modern films most of the time portray zombies, as humans who have been effected by some sort of an epidemic and are now contaminating what's left of everyone who is living. Mostly everybody thinks that zombies are just a made up story, this is not true, zombies have been around for ages in the Haiti tribe folklore, where people using black whichcraft and voodoo created zombies to act as slaves.

Here is a site that explains a little about what zombies are and then talks about what they are commonly mistaken with.

Haunted Chicago Tours

From the looks of things there is team that dedicated their lives to research and find the most haunted places in Chicago. This team takes people on tours to the most haunted and famous Chicago places, and also to ones that are not as well known. The passengers are taken to these places and are allowed to explore them. Even though they don't guarantee that anything will happen, they do make a note that supernatural stuff has happened before.

Here is a link to the organizations site, if are ever interested in taking this type of tour.

Who loves ghost stories and haunted places?

This webpage is full of popular ghost stories and haunted places all around the chicagoland area. The main page has a few links to pages that contain lists of multipul haunted stories. From there you can click the links to go to an even more detailed page about the story or location.

And thats not all either, the webpage is loaded with spooky music! Who doesn't love spooky music?

Zombbiieessss

So where do all these movie writers get ideas for all those zombie films? Well of course there is an archetype that most go by. Zombies usually have specific characteristics that are displayed, otherwise they wouldnt really be a true "zombie" to the whole movie/film scene.

In the link provided, it goes on about zombies and a small list of common causes for zombies to appear. Then, after that, it talks about the characteristics that zombies usually portray within a zombie film.

A pretty decient link for those who don't know too much about zombies... Though im sure everyone knows at least one thing or another..

"The Most Haunted Place"?

The Oriental Theater is one of the most haunted places in Chicago. In place of the Oriental was the Iroquois Theatre which had a disastrous fire in 1903. This tragic fire claimed the lives of many.
"Over 1,900 people snagged a ticket for the performance in the "absolutely fireproof" building. What irony in those words."
The theatre, not far from the university, is located at 24 W. Randolph Street. The site has a good video of the story. Enjoy.

Haunted Chicago

This website offers a list of almost every city in Illinois that has a haunted setting. There are two places on the list that are about ten to fifteen minutes away from where I live. I drive by the Maryville Center For Medically Complex Children everyday when I am going to work. I know where the playground is that they are referring to on the website. Click on the link and take a look atthe list. You may discover something haunting in your own neighborhood.

Resurrection Mary

Out of the many hauntings that have happened in Chicago, Resurrection Mary is probably one of the most famous tales. Back in the 1930's is when this tale had began. Drivers that would pass through Archer Avenue, would encounter a young woman in a white party dress. Occasionally, she was offered a ride home after dancing at a ballroom. "When the car would reach the gates of Resurrection Cemetery, the young woman would always vanish." Read more about Mary's sightings.

8 Films to Die For

Each year there are movies produced, that are never seen by the public. Their content is considered too graphic, too disturbing, and too shocking for general audiences. Now, for the first time, one studio will defy the system to bring you eight movies you were never meant to see. A terrifying event for all horror fans across America. After Dark films presents "8 Films to Die For".........Horror fest. One weekend only, November 17th-19th. See one or see them all at a theater near you. These films are about zombies, ghosts, spirits...etc. These are the following theaters in Illinois that they will be played at:

ILLINOIS
Addison	Addison Cinemas & IMAX	Buy Tickets
Carbondale	University Place 8
Champaign	Carmike Beverly Cinemas
Chicago	Chatham 14
Chicago	600 North Michigan Ave.	Buy Tickets
Chicago	KrikorianCity North 14
Chicago Heights	Marcus Chicago Western Heights	Buy Tickets
County Club Hills	The Country Club Hills 16
Gurnee	Gurnee Mills 20	Buy Tickets
Joliet	Cinemark Movies 8
Naperville	Krikorian Showplace 16
Niles	Krikorian Showplace 12
O'Fallon	O'Fallon 15 Cine
Peoria	Rave Grand Prairie 18	Buy Tickets
Rockford	Krikorian Colonial Villages 5
Schaumburg	Woodfield 20	Buy Tickets
Skokie	Village Crossing	Buy Tickets
South Barrington	South Barrington 30	Buy Tickets
Springfield	Parkway point 8
Vernon Hills	Rivertree Court
Warrenville	Cantera 30	Buy Tickets

Tips to Write a Screenplay

I thought this was very helpful and direct. I looked at it as a guide when thinking up ideas for our screenplay. I found it on a "how-to" website.

Here's How:

1. Writing is about making choices. Decide if you want to write an original screenplay or an adaptation of an existing novel or piece of non-fiction. Original work is easiest to start with since you don't have to worry about obtaining rights.

2. 2. Brainstorm. Write down all your ideas for story and characters.

3. Do research. Rent successful indie films (you can find them on the About.com's Independent film Web site) and pay attention to the rhythms of the dialogue and the pacing of the story.

4. Start writing. Remember to keep things interesting and open to interpretation. This will make the screenplay more tempting to serious actors.

5. With every twist of plot or turn in the action ask yourself, 'Would this character really do that?' Audiences like surprises, but only if they're believable.

6. If this is your first film and you're planning on directing and producing it yourself, keep things low budget. Elaborate costumes, special effects, and exotic locations are expensive.

7. Keep in mind that the people you already know can make great actors. Write flattering, yet challenging roles with them specifically in mind, and they may work for free.

8. Include all the swear words and nudity you want, but don't make them gratuitous. [i]The Blair With Project[/i] was conisderably weakened by its constant use of the F_ word.

9. Don't worry about length. Post-production editing will take care of that.

10. Be funny, scary, romantic, angry, sentimental, smart, raw, and, most important, honest.

11. Don't include a happy ending just for the sake of a happy ending. This isn't a studio picture you're writing

Tips:

1. You can overhear great non sequiturs and bits of dialogues in coffee shops and diners.

2. Using an old manual typewriter might seem like a great idea, but it's a lot of work.

3. Go online and download scripts. You can learn from your favorites

Tips for All You Screen Writers Out THERE

When a screenplay is submitted into the marketplace, those who will be reading it fully expect it to conform to proper industry standards.

Therefore, it is important for a budding screenwriter to understand the techniques of screenwriting, from formatting to character development, before committing his/her story idea to paper. In the link below are a few books, suggestions and websites that will help you learn the craft.

AHHHHH.........

Haunted Highway and the Grimes sisters.

This story is about an unsolved mystery of two young sisters. These sisters were last seen a few days after Christmas in 1956. They were very big Elvis fans and had gone to see his film "Love Me Tender" again. Their mother had expected them home around 11:45 pm but they never came home. Some say that the girls ran away but their mother did not believe it. The girls were found 25 days later dead and frozen along Devil's Creek. Click the link to read the entire story.

Screenwriting For English 160 Students

If screenwriting is not your cup of tea, than the link below will lead you to coffe....lol... Joking!

In actuality, the link below will lead you to screenwriting heaven. There is nothing that this site dose not provied. In fact there are tips for writing genres,pitching a story,and even advice on the tittle.So, if anyone is stock, I strongly recomend taking a look at this site.

"How to Write a Screenplay"

At the link below shows the basics of writing a screenplay. It helps explain the basics behind Action, Characters, Plot, Dialouge, and everything else that makes a good screenplay. There is also a good introduction to what makes a good screenplay and how to make a story flow.

"There is always something at stake in a good movie. Not just something someone wants, something that must be acquired, no matter what the risk, as in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Or something highly desired by as many main characters as possible, like the small black statue in The Maltese Falcon. Some times it can be an intangible thing, like the freedom of a people in Lawrence of Arabia or Gandhi. All these things drive the character's quest, even gives the hero superhuman strength. It can be something personal (romance) or for the good of all (saving the world from aliens) but it must be powerful and grow more desperate as the story unfolds."

More info in the link below
http://www.screenwriting.info/

Screenwriting Tips for Playwrights

Given at the below link are very helpful and informative screenwriting tips for playwrights. A few topics that this site talks about are the three-act structure, hooks, and subtext. If you are unfamiliar with the lingo, the site also gives you extra links to access in order to obtain a clearer undersanding of certain words. It also talks about the screenplay manuscript and states that "Anything beyond 120 pages is death". I hope this site helps all of you in some way.

Preparing a Pitch

Still not exactly sure how you will sell your proposal. The following link can get you in the right mindset and even guide you in the right direction on pitching your proposal. It elaborates on points one should hit and gives examples. The article simply starts by explaining the writer's responsibility and asking a question.
"Pitching a script is an art form, and although it can be stressful, it's something every writer has to perfect before approaching executives or agents. So what is pitching exactly?"
There is another related article found at the end of this one that can help set up your story. It deals with writing the first act of your screenplay.

The Basics of Screenwriting

"Because most movies have time constraints and unfold continuously, efficient structuring is essential." This site is broken up into 5 sessions in which they give valuable information about setting the scene, how to format the screenplay, as well as many other stuff. Session 3 of this site briefly describes the three-act structure of a screenplay. So hopefully you find this site useful.