You may choose to see the first five minutes of Steven Soderbergh’s latest film with the other eighty-eight when the film is released on the 18th of January but those of you who want to see Gina Carano pummeling Channing Tatum early – this is the video for you.

Craig gave the film an excellent review on the site and he highlighted the scene comprised of Carano and Michael Fassbender in a hotel room which has been shown in many of the trailers and the opening five minutes shown here have a similar feel with the impact of the action greatly enhanced by the soundtrack choices made.

Hulu had this video,

There’s nothing quite like a bit of quality violence to shake the early morning from your bones, and this new trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire is just the ticket.

In truth this new peek starts out in a similar fashion to the first trailer we saw – people meet, they hit, then all hell breaks loose, but as with most Soderbergh films there’s an excellent cast backing this one this.

Gina Carano leads the film and has Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum and Michael Fassbender along for the ride, and be warned there are some very quick moments in the trailer which do reveal the fates of some.

Eyes down to be hit with a synopsis,

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Here’s your trailer,

Today we give thanks to Crave, for ’twas there who gave us this.

Haywire looks splendid. Check out all of the trailers, clips and other content we’ve assembled for you here and then come back and see the latest poster for Steven Soderbergh’s latest offering, which employs genuine ass-kicking MMA star Gina Carano as a betrayed government agent, fighting for her life as all and sundry come for her. As far as we can tell so far, all and sundry get kicked in the head quite a lot.

The latest poster goes for the moody monochrome look, with everyone except Carano going for the glowering, frowning, furrowed, intense look. For my money, Bill Paxton wins the line up, though there are strong entries from Michael Douglas and Antonio Banderas.

Haywire will be punching its way onto screens in the UK on 18th January 2012 and in the US a couple of days later (yay for the UK!). Until then, enjoy the lovely line up below, courtesy of lovely types as IMPA.

One of the highlights of this Summer’s Big Screen event was the screening of a scene from Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire. It featured lead actress Gina Carano and Man of the Year Michael Fassbender going at it after a romantic dinner in a hotel. The difference is that the ‘it’ I mean and the ‘it’ you’re thinking of are very different things.

The scene was very powerful, and did a lot to set up expectations for the film which opens in the UK on the 18th of January. We’ve heard some very good things about it and today we’ve got an exclusive image from the film below.

Haywire stars Channing Tatum​​, Michael Fassbender​​, Ewan McGregor​​, Michael Angarano​​, Antonio Banderas​​, Michael Douglas​​, Gina Carano​​ and Bill Paxton​​.

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer​​), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love​​”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous​​ ); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Heading up the gallery below is the exclusive image,

Here’s the first UK poster for Steven Soderbergh’s new movie, Haywire. The movie looks absolutely fabulous in all the trailers we’ve seen and I cannot wait to see it. It hits UK cinemas 12th January so not too long to wait! If you missed the trailer for it, have a little look here and let us know if you’re looking forward to it in the comments below.

Haywire stars Channing Tatum​, Michael Fassbender​, Ewan McGregor​, Michael Angarano​, Antonio Banderas​, Michael Douglas​, Gina Carano​ and Bill Paxton​.

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer​), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love​”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous​); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Haywire hits UK cinemas 12th January.

Click the poster to enlarge.

Source: Empire

EW have just released the second trailer for Steve Soderbergh’s new movie, Haywire which is very much one that we cannot wait to see here at HeyUGuys. We’ve seen a clip and another teaser trailer for the movie but this one gives us a lot more.

Haywire stars Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Angarano, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Gina Carano and Bill Paxton.

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Haywire hits UK cinemas 12th January.

His latest movie, Contagion, may not even be out here in the UK yet – fear not, though, its 21st October release is imminent – but we must not forget that director Steven Soderbergh is treating us to two films in a very short period of time, and the second of those films, Haywire, is following close on the heels of the first.

We got the new trailer for the film just yesterday, and now comes a brand new poster courtesy of ComingSoon.net.

In case you missed the film’s first poster which came out back in the summer, you can see it here. And you can also see that this new poster is much of the same, but instead chooses to add colour to the cast, and keep the red to the sidelines, rather than go for silhouettes against the blood-red background. Both are excellent posters in their own right, and as much as I like a good silhouette poster, I must admit I’m rather taken with this new version of it in colour.

Haywire has a terrific cast led by real-life Mixed Martial Arts superstar Gina Carano, with a supporting cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Bill Paxton, Channing Tatum, Antonio Banderas, and Michael Douglas. A pretty damn awesome cast that Soderbergh’s lined up for himself, right?

“The film tells an electrifying tale of espionage and betrayal, a female covert ops specialist (Carano), who works in the deadly world of international operatives, strikes back after discovering she’s been double-crossed by someone close to her in the agency.”

With talk of Soderbergh’s retirement/hiatus being on the horizon, Haywire could potentially be one of the last times we’ll get to see a Soderbergh film on the big screen for at least a little while, and along with Contagion, it definitely sounds like something worth watching. Haywire will be out a few months after Soderbergh’s virus film, coming to the UK on 20th January next year, a date I’m very much looking forward to. Without further ado, here’s the new poster to enjoy. As usual, click to enlarge.

Momentum have released a new trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s next film which has MMA star Gina Carano lining up Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum and Michael Douglas and then kicking her way to vengence.

This trailer gives a good indication what to expect and we’ve seen the full scene, glimsped in the trailer below, of Gina Carano and Michael Fassbender’s hotel room brawl and it was a powerful and well directed fight scene. If the rest of the film and its action is as good as that then we’re in for something special from Soderbergh.

Here’s a synopsis to get you in the mood,

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Here’s your trailer,

Relativity Media have released a couple of new images for their new movie, Haywire which is showing this weekend during Comic-Con which is currently taking place in San Diego. The movie is directed by the awesomely talented Steven Soderbergh and stars Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Angarano, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Gina Carano and Bill Paxton.

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Haywire hits UK cinemas 12th January.

Getting the inevitable ‘Bourne Meets Dragon Tattoo’ poster quote out of the way this is a great first look for Steven Soderbergh’s revenge thriller Haywire.

Yesterday we saw the first poster for the film spotted at Comic-Con but this trailer is what will get you excited for the film.

Fancy a synopsis before the head-kicking-in? Why not.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

MMA star Gina Carano takes the lead here and looks to have genuine screen presence as well as a fierce physicality that Soderbergh has done well to capture in the shots on offer here. Michael Fassbender looks suave, Ewan McGregor looks pensive and suspicious while Michael Douglas wears a suit and looks powerful.

Who cares how it all fits together, if Len Dobbs has managed to craft a decent story around the bombastic kicking on show here then we’re on to a winner.

Another poster beams its way out of San Diego and while everyone (including us) is talking about director Steven Soderbergh’s other film for 2011, Contagion, there’s a first look at the poster for his revenge thriller Haywire.

Fandango are ahead of the crowd with the reveal of the poster, which looks striking enough and has a cast list only rivalled by Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. An accomplished MMA athlete Gina Carano takes the lead in this film about a government agent who is double crossed and all seven shades of hell break loose.

She is supported by Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Michael Angarano, Matthieu Kassovitz, Channing Tatum, Bill Paxton and Antonio Banderas.

Here’s the poster,

Which put me in mind immediately of this poster, reversed:

We first brought you news close on a year ago of Steven Soderbergh’s action film “Haywire”, starring Mixed Martial Arts star Gino Carano as a double-crossed covert agent looking for revenge and trying to protect her family.

Given that the film boasts a cast list including  Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Michael Angarano, Matthieu Kassovitz, Channing Tatum, Bill Paxton and Antonio Banderas, it should be great and frankly, if Soderbergh can get the quality of his output back up to Out of Sight/Erin Brockovich/Traffic/Ocean’s Eleven then we might get something truly special.

The production and release schedule on this film seems to have slipped more than a little, presumably due to Soderbergh prioritising his virus outbreak film, Contagion. Busy guy these days, but then who isn’t? For today though, we have a lovely shot of Carano letting off a few rounds with an Uzi, with a seemingly excessive level of muzzle-flash, but then what do I know? Everything I know, I learnt from the movies.

The US release date for Haywire is now January 2012. No news yet on the UK release, though I’d be surprised if it’s far from then.

Collider, have we told you that we appreciate you?

Did you know that the first feature film mastered onto a DVD for general release was Twister? Well if not, there’s some pub quiz info for you! Anyway, Apple have released this new trailer and poster for real life documentary which from the trailer looks pretty much like Twister in HD and for real! And it even has star of the 1996 movie, Bill Paxton doing the narration. You gotta love it!

We don’t often put up posts like this one but it looked so fantastic that I thought I’d share it with the world! Real life ‘storm chaser’, Sean Casey directs the movie which you can find out an awful lot more from by reading the synopsis.

Synopsis: Join Storm Chasers star Sean Casey and the researchers of VORTEX 2, the most ambitious effort ever made to understand the origins and evolution of tornadoes, on this heart-pounding science adventure. Armed with a 70mm camera, a fleet of customized vehicles designed to withstand gale force winds, torrential rains and unrelenting hail, and an arsenal of the most advanced weather measurement instruments ever created, the stars of Tornado Alley take audiences on a thrilling quest to experience a tornado’s destructive power at point blank range. Experience the adrenaline and the science of nature’s most dramatic phenomena! Traversing the “severe weather capital of the world,” Tornado Alley documents two unprecedented missions seeking to encounter one of Earth’s most awe-inspiring events–the birth of a tornado. Filmmaker Sean Casey’s personal quest to capture the birth of a tornado with a 70mm camera takes viewers on a breathtaking journey into the heart of the storm. A team of equally driven scientists, the VORTEX2 researchers, experience the relentless strength of nature’s elemental forces as they literally surround tornadoes and the supercell storms that form them, gathering the most comprehensive severe weather data ever collected. This science adventure reveals the beauty and the power of some of our planet’s most extreme–and least understood–weather phenomena.

Tornado Alley doesn’t have a release date yet but when it comes out, I’m watching it!!

Scroll down to view the trailer and poster for the movie:

Keener eyed readers among you may have observed that HeyUGuys have gone the extra (terrestrial) mile in recent weeks to bring you heaving piles of Predatory goodness.  Dave crossed the globe to meet the talent at Troublemaker Studios. The mighty HUG Video Vault swung open for Dave Roper’s take on Predator and Predator 2. Jon broke down what you can expect from the Predators Blu-ray when you dash out to buy it later today.  And then on Sunday night – on Halloween for pity’s sake – we ventured into deepest darkest Leicester Square to watch all three movies just for you.  Call it foolhardy, call it quality control or call it dedication to our cause.  We went, we watched and we lived to tell the tale.

The legendary Prince Charles Cinema (home to the Kevin Smith toilet cubicle fact fans) was our host for the triple bill.  There in the starlit upstairs screen we congregated – a captive audience of thrill seekers and tired journalists – all hopped up on E-numbers, blood lust and sheer force of will, ready to test our endurance for the Predators cause.  We left the Preds themselves outside to hold off the tourists and gawkers, set our seats to recline, put our caffeinated beverages in the armrests and our fates in the hands of the gods.  We were the lucky ones, the chosen few.  We wouldn’t all make it through the night…

First up to the plate was Predator, all bulging biceps, manly banter and steaming piles of guts.  We laughed at and with the tribulations of He-Men Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Carl Weathers and Richard Chaves as their intrepid leader Dutch led them deep into guerrilla territory and inevitable death.  As ever I fell for Billy the noble tracker and decided (in the face of common sense, prior knowledge and the cheap charms of Arnold Schwarzenegger) that he would save the day.  As ever I had a lump in my throat at his dignified demise.

As Arnold flew away to fight another day the lights came up on the screening room.  We shook thoughts of the fallen from our minds and ran to the lobby for supplies.  It was every man for himself down there (though in a very English “after you” way of course).  Two of our comrades never returned from that queue, they ran out into the night and cowered in the neon safety of the West End.  Slackers, we didn’t need them, this was a unit for real men – a unit for survivors.

As the survivors and their fizzy drinks bedded in for Predator 2 a weary pall of acceptance settled over the room.  I must confess that I was a Predator 2 virgin.  I didn’t know what to expect from the film but from Chinese whispers in the playground, the groaning in the rows behind me and chuckles in the halls of HeyUGuys I suspected it was going to hurt.  It began as surreally as I’d expected with big guns, big shoulders and big spliffs aplenty but what unfolded onscreen was quite the revelation – Glover and Paxton and Busey?  Oh my!  I lost my marbles somewhere between the Feared Jamaican Voodoo Posse, Bill Paxton’s yeehaw overacting and the Predator loose in Los Angeles targeting crime lords premise.    It was a terrible film.  I liked it a lot!

By the final film only the truly hardcore remained.  Popping M&Ms for fuel and jiggling the Coca Cola in our tired veins to life as the Troublemaker Studios logo flamed across our pulsing pupils.  I am not ashamed to say that I think Predators is awesome.  It fulfils all my popcorny needs in one very tidy package.  Aside from the flaccid pointlessness of Topher Grace (go away please and do not return), the nicely drawn action stereotypes are each perfect Pred fodder.  The addition of the Predator pecking order – which failed to make any real impact in the shabby Vs crossovers – works far better here and the respect Rodriguez holds for the origin story is evidenced by clever breadcrumbs of back-story scattered throughout.

So we made it.  We lived to tell the Predators tale.  It was an amazing night and one that rushed by us in a bloodletting blur.  Watching all three films on one sitting was quite a ride and reminded me of a dreadful character flaw I have tried my best to suppress…

When it comes to Predator I always root for the bad guys!

Predators is available on Blu-ray and DVD now!

Impressively housed on London’s South Bank the London Film Museum recently played host to a preview of the Blu-ray release of the four Alien films, and with the highly polished Alien Anthology Blu-ray set out on shelves on the 25th of October I wanted to give you an idea of what you’ll be enjoying when you pick up the box set.

You know the films, I’m sure. Two outright classics, one curious debut feature from one of the biggest directors working today and an enjoyable, though heavily flawed, final flourish for the one time Star Beast make up this series, and the legacy of Alien proves as indestructible as the savage monster itself.

Before I dive in I have to say that I’ve not yet had my hands on a copy of the box set, and I hope to be able to post my full review sometime in the future, so I was only given a brief look at the films and their copious extra features but I have to say my initial thoughts of ‘I’ve got the Quadrilogy sitting at home – do I need another set of Alien discs?’ were answered as soon as the first disc was fired up, and the familiar Weyland-Yutani logo fizzled up on screen.

The fact is, when done right, the transfer to Blu-ray can enhance the quality of picture and sound to such a degree that you won’t want to see the film any other way. This is true for the Alien films, whose new high definition clarity and depth of colour and ear pounding sound mix impressed me more than so many wasteful transfers I’ve seen recently. These are films I’ve seen over and over and after seeing a few scenes of the Blu-rays I couldn’t wait to watch them again in this new format.

Rather than bumping up the audio and visual quality of the films and repackaging them with the same extras as their previous releases there is a huge amount of new material for the eager Alien fanatic to immerse themselves into and there’s a neat way of accessing them too, which I’ll get onto later. We were teased with a look at some of the new extras, which includes the full story behind the curious case of Alien 3 among interviews and featurettes dealing with all aspects of each film’s production. It’s a comprehensive set, one that I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into, and to make that experience a little more exciting there’s a new way of peeking behind the curtain.

One of the major features is the MU-TH-UR mode, which is an intriguing way of experiencing the plethora of extras and delving deeper into the film as you’re watching it. Accessed via the main menu each film can be watched with the option of learning more about the specific scene on screen, with information, video clips, images etc, accessible during the movie. Some people may not want to continuously skip back and forth between the extras and the film itself so MU-TH-UR mode has a method of allowing you to select certain ‘tags’ relevant to what you’re viewing.

Plucking an example from the ether, if you are watching the infamous chest-burster scene and want to know more (in true Starship Troopers style) you could look at the tags available, which would include John Hurt, Chest-Burster, etc etc, then in Aliens you wanted to know more about the Alien Queen you could select the tags you wanted and these choices would be stored up so that when you came to put one of the two discs of extras you can watch all of the special features associated with your choices.

It’s great in theory and worked well in practise, allowing easy navigation through an almost intimidating range of extras. Here’s how it works.

As I said, I’ve not yet sat down with the discs myself, but I was extremely impressed with what I saw, and it looks as though there’s now a decent way to enjoy the extensive special features box sets of this nature are bundled with. Extras aside these films may vary in quality but they look better than ever, and until Ridley Scott returns to the Space Jockey this is the best way to enjoy the complete set.

Here’s the trailer for the Alien Anthology,

With the Blu-ray release of the Alien Anthology on the 25th of October HeyUGuys are taking a look at the entire Alien and Predator series. From Facehuggers to trophy hunting Predators, from the iconic and classic to the dubious crossovers – this is your ultimate retrospective.

So remember, even if you ain’t got time to bleed, in the Video Vault no-one can hear you scream…

Tracy Ladd looks back to see if it really is Game over man, game over.

Nine years after Ridley Scott directed the incredible Alien, James Cameron took the reigns and decided to make it’s sequel, Aliens.  Taking the characters originally written by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett, Cameron, along with David Giler and Walter Hill crafted a whole new story centered around Ripley, the lone survivor of the first film.

When Aliens was released, the tag line read “This time, it’s war.”  Those four words gave the audience a promise that this was not going to be your typical sequel.  The “In space no one can hear you scream” tag line of the first film gives the impression that it’s more along the lines of a horror film.  Which it was in a slow burn sort of way.  Cameron’s story combined the best of what he is known for.  Action set in a science fiction setting.  He was able to marry both genres perfectly and create what I consider a masterpiece.

Aliens picks up 57 years after the events of Alien when a deep space salvage crew finds Ripley still in hyper sleep after her ordeal in the first film.  Once she’s rescued she finds, to her horror, that the planet where her nightmares began is now inhabited by colonists.  After she finds out that communication with the colony has been lost, Ripley reluctantly accompanies a squad of Marines to the planet in an attempt to hopefully exorcise her demons and put her chest bursting nightmares to rest.  Of course things go south quickly and she finds herself fighting for not only her life, but the lives of the Marines as well as a young girl who is the only remaining colony survivor.  Things go from bad to worse as Ripley comes face to face with an enemy that is worse than she imagined.

Reprising her role as Ripley, Sigourney Weaver showed that women are just as capable of carrying an action movie as men.  Ripley is a strong female character that doesn’t take any lip and tells it like she sees it.  With Ripley came a new breed of action hero.  She tested her mettle in the first film, but really showed what a force she was in this film.  She set the bar for future female action stars and to this day that bar still remains pretty high.

This was only Cameron’s third feature at the time, but looking back on the film and the cast, you can see several actors who would become staples in the Cameron canon.  Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen and Jenette Goldstein are all on hand here and each makes their presence known.  Aside from Ripley, I have to say that my favorite character has to be Bill Paxton’s Pvt. Hudson.  Hudson serves as the films cheesy machismo factor as well as it’s comic relief.  His dialogue provides so many quotable lines, I can’t even keep track of the ones I’ve used in every day conversation.

Michael Biehn plays the role he’s so good at.  His Cpl. Hicks is the good guy trying to save everyone while finding a way off the planet.  Biehn and Weaver had great chemistry together but only a fraction of it came across in the theatrical cut which is unfortunate.  However, the spark is still visible thankfully because without it, their roles would have suffered.

I remember when Aliens first premiered on network TV.  There was a write up in the TV Guide stating that it would be aired with 18 additional minutes of footage.  I was outraged.  I couldn’t believe they were going to show all this new footage, but the whole film would be hacked up with commercials and edited for prime time television.  For several years that was the only way to see this version.  Finally Cameron released the directors cut that had all 18 minutes restored and edited back into the film.  As with any Cameron cut, the new version expands the story and answers questions.  You find out why Ripley is so driven to protect the little girl, Newt.  It shows even more of the relationship that builds between Ripley and Hicks.  To top it all off you get to see some pretty cool new weapons as well.  This is the version I recommend watching.

For me, Aliens was, is and will always be a favorite.  As I said before, it’s a perfect marriage of science fiction and action.  Two things which Cameron is known for and does successfully each time.  Once Aliens hit the movie channels after it’s theatrical run, I watched it over and over again.  Each time I found myself white knuckling my way through it and getting stressed out even though I knew what was coming next.  That’s a sign of a good film.

This is a film that builds a slow crescendo from the get go as we see Ripley get rescued and try to resume something resembling a normal life.  Through her nightmares and acceptance of the fact that she has to go to the planet to hopefully put her demons to rest. The tension and action picks up a beat as the Marines meet the aliens and from there it takes on the rhythm of a heartbeat.  The action spikes, then there’s a bit of calm, then it spikes again.  All of this leads up to the Ripley’s tension filled power loader scene and one the greatest quotes ever. One my Dad has even quoted.

If you love science fiction and action, Aliens is the movie for you.  The Blu Ray release is fast approaching and I can’t wait.  I’ve seen some stills comparing the regular DVD to the Blu and it’s going to look like a whole new movie.  It’s definitely worth the money and time.  If there is any movie I pray and wish for a theatrical re-release (aside from Jaws) it’s Aliens.  But until then, I’ll happily watch the Blu Ray version with white knuckles.

The Playlist have reported that Steven Soderbergh’s film Haywire (formerly Knockout) has switched companies from LionsGate for Overture, and the planned January 2011 US release date has now been moved to sometime in early spring.

The film follows the story of a black ops super soldier on the road to revenge after being betrayed and set up during a mission.

Not the most gripping of news (especially as no date has been set for over here as yet), but when you have a cast list comprised of the likes of Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Michael Angarano, Matthieu Kassovitz, Channing Tatum, Bill Paxton and Antonio Banderas (with the added attraction of Soderbergh working within the action genre) this begins to sounds very intriguing indeed.

We’ll let you know as soon as a confirmed date for release in the UK is announced.

In a change of pace (and indeed everything else) from the previous week’s Video Vault entries, I wanted to discuss a film I first watched later on in my teenage years, where my appreciation of a broader and diverse range of cinema was forming, and I was able to balance that with my interests in other, more obvious genres.

The film in question is 1992’s modern noir, One False Move. Written by and co-starring the then virtually unknown Billy Bob Thornton, it’s a quietly intense and absorbing character study, starring 80’s favourite Bill Paxton in the lead. The film failed to find much of an audience on its initial US cinema release (more on this below) but it’s gained much praise since then, and deservedly so.

Paxton plays Sheriff Dale “Hurricane” Dixon in small town Star City, Arkansas. A well-respected and loved family man, he finds himself (much to his delight) teaming up with two LAPD detectives as they await the arrival of three criminals en route to the town who have previously committed a number of vicious drug-related murders in Los Angeles. Thornton plays one of trio alongside Michael Beach and Cynda Williams, the latter who grow up in the town and whose estranged family are bringing up her own little boy.

After a shockingly violent opening scene which sees Thornton and Beach acquire the drugs and money through sheer brute force, (so bad in fact, that I clearly remember my Mum’s horrified reaction when she walked into my room as this was playing out) the film finds its pace when the two detectives arrive at Star City.

There’s an unrushed and leisurely flow to this reversed fish-out-of-water scenario, as the Los Angeles law enforcers adjust to the lifestyle and procedures of a small town sheriff and his department. Paxton even admits to the two (during a relaxed evening of food and drink in his backyard) that he’s never even had to draw his gun in the six years he’s been sheriff. While this part of the narrative is playing out, there is a creeping feeling of dread and tension (one of the film’s great strengths) as we await the arrival of the criminals (who have also killed during their journey), and the inevitable violent and messy showdown. Without spoiling the end, the viewer is left in doubt as to fate of one of the main characters, but a beautifully-judged closure (of sorts) is reached.

In a film packed with strong and naturalistic performances, Paxton asserts himself extremely well in what was his first proper role as a leading man. It’s fascinating to watch his cocky demeanour being slowly stripped away as he begins to realise the potential severity of the situation (which has none of the glamour he initially perceived), while he also comes to terms with a past indiscretion which may have a big implication within the case.

Thornton is also great here, completely at ease in playing a character that lacks any notable redeeming features. His grubby, rat-tailed appearance is worlds away from his now surgically-enhanced position as wannabe Hollywood matinee idol. It’s a shame too, as this is the kind of role that really plays to his strengths, the likes of which are even more evident in has compelling, vanity-free performance in Sam Raimi’s criminally underrated A Simple Plan (which also features Paxton).

According to IMDB, One False Move was initially intended for a direct to video release (a crime in itself!) but apparently due to strong word-of-mouth (the late prominent US critic Gene Siskel voted it his favourite film of 1992), it managed to find a limited cinema distribution, where it went on the earn a little over  $1m. It never showed up on screens over here.

I’m glad that the film found success through it’s afterlife on video. This was truly the beauty of the local rental shop back then (bearing in mind, this was also the pre-internet age where there was little in the way of film referencing). There is something to be said about having the means of seeking out films in that era in a more intimate and tangible way – a far cry from the world of the huge volumes of unimaginative DTV titles which seem to crop up in their thousands on a weekly basis nowadays.

Look at me getting all wistful and nostalgic! I think it’s time to dig out some of those old VHS titles I have in storage.

Errr….does anyone have a player I could borrow?

One False Move is available on Region 2. You can view a trailer here.

This week’s video vault may not be as obscure a title as the previous entries, but with the current media onslaught and surge in popularity surrounding the whole vampire myth, I felt compelled to discuss a film which inspired many of these new revisionist works, and to also introduce a couple who make Bella and Edward look positively anaemic by comparison.

Near Dark is a film I first watched with a bunch of friends as a wide-eyed 12-year-old (requiring an understanding parent to rent it out for us). Even back then, seeing this alongside a bunch of cheap and cheerful genre flicks, I knew that it was a cut above the rest and was an attempt to do something else other than entertain through cheap shocks and scares.

Released in US cinemas within a week of another popular vampire picture of that time, The Lost Boys, it was sadly overlooked at the box office where audiences were enticed by the more youth-orientated Joel Schumacher picture. Although I was (and still am) extremely fond of Sam and the Frog brother’s vampire-hunting shenanigans, the two films both present a very different take on the legend.

The film stars Heroes cast member Adrian Pasdar as Caleb, a hot-headed farmer’s boy who meets a drifter in the shape of an alluring young woman named Mae (Jenny Wright). Mae is actually part of a group of nomadic vampire drifters who travel from town to town, feeding off human victims. Rather than kill her intended prey, Mae instead ‘turns’ Caleb into one of her kind, much to the annoyance of the rest of the group who reluctantly agree to let him travel with them under the proviso that he must kill to survive.

A big part of what gives this film its unique quality is down to the genre cross-pollination of horror and western. The ‘family’ of travelling bloodsuckers roam across a barren American Southwest landscape which has the kind of iconography familiar to anyone who has watched a disheveled Clint Eastwood ride in to another one-horse town.

It also succeeds by taking the mythical life of the vampire (a word that is never actually used by any of the characters) and infusing it within a realistic setting, and using the rules of the genre to deliver some really distinctive twists on familiar set-pieces. From a daytime shootout in a motel, where the bullet holes cast potentially fatal rays of light for the holed-up vampires to contend with, to a bar stopover where grabbing a bite to eat and drink takes on a whole new sinister meaning, these are just a couple of example of the film’s playful use of traditions from vampire folklore. First and foremost though, it’s the central love story between Caleb and Mae which really holds the piece together. You really get the sense that Mae is torn between the love for her new suitor and the loyalty she has towards her dysfunctional family unit.

Unfortunately, for all the imaginative elements incorporated throughout the film, the ending is somewhat of a disappointment, where despite adhering closely to the western theme and motifs (the showdown involves Caleb actually riding into town on horseback), it can’t really top what have come before. This is a minor quibble however, and ultimately doesn’t derail the film.

Anyone familiar with Near Dark’s  director Kathryn Bigelow and her body of work will be aware that this is her normal approach to filmmaking, and her aesthetic choices have really helped to transcend the normal framework we’ve come to associate with and expect with the genres she has worked within.

I think Near Dark is the purest example of this and still her best film. I was really happy to see her finally receive some recognition when she was the recipient of this year’s Academy Award for best director for The Hurt Locker (not surprisingly, her most straightforward film to date).

A remake of Near Dark was scheduled to be made last year under the direction of first-timer Samuel Bayer. It ultimately fell through (due largely to the influx of similarly-themed material already out there) and he went on to sully the memory of another cherished 80’s horror classic with his remake of A Nightmare on Elm St.

At least for now we can all rest easy in the knowledge that this unique film will stay just that, and fantasy films like this can exist out there for fans that prefer something with a little more bite.

Near Dark is available in both DVD and Blu-ray on Region 2. Hooray!

With the Oscar nominations fast approaching, this marks the time of year where we are in the throes of the awards season.  There are several films and directors that seem to be a shoe in for a nomination.  One of those directors is Kathryn Bigelow along with her film The Hurt Locker.

A lot of people may associate female directors with your typical romantic comedy, or period piece.  Not a lot of people will associate the term with the action genre.  Kathryn Bigelow seemed to throw that rule book right out the window from the get go.  Let’s highlight a few of her films.

Near Dark (1987)
Set in the sleepy Midwest, a good ole country boy meets and is instantly entranced by Mae.  Caleb is soon caught in the web of Mae’s “family”, who turn out to be vampires.  Fighting the inevitable change that is overtaking him, Caleb tries to break the new bonds, while trying to protect his human family as well as trying to convince Mae to come with him.

I remember the first time I watched Near Dark.  I was intrigued with the darkness of it.  The casting of the vampires was perfect.  Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton and Jenette Goldstein, all James Cameron staples, conveyed the evil that should be associated with the undead (sparkly vampires need not apply).  A young Adrian Pasdar played Caleb and staple 80′s actor Tim Thomerson played Caleb’s father.

Serving as director and the writer of Near Dark at the beginning of her career showed the film industry that Kathryn Bigelow was fully capable and a force to be reckoned with.

Point Break (1991)
Rookie FBI Agent Johnny Utah (has there been a better name??)gets partnered up with a salty vet and assigned to find a group who has been responsible for a string of bank robberies.  Going undercover and infiltrating a group of possible suspects, Johnny finds himself immersed in their thrill seeking ways, but inevitably he reaches the crossroads and must determine where his loyalties actually lie.

Ahhhhh Point Break.  The film that got loads of people to try sky diving as well as surfing.  I will admit I’ve done the former, but not the latter.  And actually I didn’t sky dive until years after this film came out.  But watching it did make me want to just hurl my body out of a plane cruising at 6000 feet.  Sounds fun right?  But I digress….

With Point Break, Bigelow showed that she had the chops for some great action.  There was some issues with the surfing scenes, but the sky diving scenes are phenomenal.  There is also the foot chase between Bodhi and Johnny.  That is one of the best foot chases I’ve seen.

Keanu Reeves was probably one of the best choices to play Johnny.  Love him or hate him, he had that laid-back-hang-ten quality the character needed.  Casting Patrick Swayze as Bodhi was great as he had that zen-like quality in pretty much every role he played.  We weren’t used to seeing him as the bad guy, but he was one of those bad guys you loved.

The film does have it’s flaws.  The dialogue isn’t the greatest, but if it’s pure action you’re looking for, I’d say this one fits the bill.

Strange Days (1995)
Set on New Years Eve of the millennium, former street cop turned drug-like virtual reality pusher, Lenny Nero finds a VR clip in his possession that is first hand proof of a high profile murder and the police cover up that ensues.  Aided by his friend Mace, they find themselves caught in a web of lies, deceit, blackmail and murder, all against the backdrop of impending chaos of the new millennium.

Casting Ralph Fiennes perplexed me at the time.  Having only seen him in Schindler’s List and Quiz Show, I wasn’t sure he would be able to pull off the grungy, sleazy like quality that Lenny embodied.  Goes to show what I know.  He was indeed grungy and sleazy, but also likable as well.  Angela Bassett kicks major ass as Mace.  That woman is not to be messed with.  Juliet Lewis, Tom Sizemore and perpetual baddie Michale Wincott also star.

Written and produced by James Cameron, it definitely has the feel of one of his films.  It’s gritty with a bleak outlook, but always has that beacon of hope on the horizon.  The action isn’t on a grand scale, but it’s still intense.  One interesting aspect of the film is the role reversal with Lenny and Mace.  Normally it’s the male lead who is stronger, but here it’s Mace.  It’s an interesting, but incredibly effective switch.

Strange Days didn’t get a whole lot of love, but I feel it’s underrated.  If you’re a fan of Bigelow or Cameron, you should definitely check it out.

The Hurt Locker (2008)
Set in Iraq, this film follows the exploits of an US Army elite EOD unit charged with the task of identifying and dismantling of various type of explosive devices.

Starring Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker is a white knuckle ride if there ever was one.  This was one movie where I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Renner does an excellent job as SFC William James.  He is able to convey the stress that James goes through to do his job, but there is also a underlying calmness that he has as well.  His real discomfort comes from being in a home setting doing the mundane tasks like grocery shop.

The film is again, gritty.  It’s a subject matter that isn’t to be taken lightly and that comes through as well.  Bigelow has an excellent eye for action and it really shines through here.  We did a review for this back in August and you can find that here.

The Hurt Locker, Jeremy Renner and Kathryn Bigelow have been nominated for loads of awards so far.  Some have been won, while other lost, but the granddaddy of them all is fast approaching.  I am pulling for this film to get some sort of recognition at the Oscars.  I would love to see Bigelow take it for Director.

While there are other films that she has done that I haven’t listed, I think this list really highlights her career so far.  She has proven to be a capable director who doesn’t shy away from a challenge.  She was just attached to another film called Held by the Taliban.  You can read our story about that here.

Oscar nominations are announced Tuesday Feb 2nd at 5:30am PST.  I know I’ll be watching.