The Divide begins at the end.  But not like Memento, which presented its story in reverse chronological order.  Rather the second English Language film by French director Xavier Gens opens at the end of civilization as we know it.  A woman’s beautiful blue eyes reflect red and orange explosions as a familiar New York City skyline crumbles.  We’ve just passed the tipping point.

Released in April on a Blu-ray/DVD combo, Anchor Bay presents The Divide, starring: Lauren German, Michael Biehn, Milo Ventimiglia, Courtney B. Vance, Ivan Gonzalez, Michael Eklund, Abbey Thickson, Ashton Holmes, and Rosanna Arquette.

Read the film’s synopsis and my review after the jump…

In this graphic and violent, post-apocalyptic thriller, nine strangers—all tenants of a New York high rise apartment—escape a nuclear attack by hiding out in the building’s bunker-like basement. Trapped for days underground with no hope for rescue, and only unspeakable horrors awaiting them on the other side of the bunker door, the group begins to descend into madness, each turning on one another with physical and psycho-sexual torment. As supplies dwindle, and tensions flare, and they grow increasingly unhinged by their close quarters and hopelessness, each act against one another becomes more depraved than the next. While everyone in the bunker allows themselves to be overcome by desperation and lose their humanity, one survivor holds onto a thin chance for escape even with no promise of salvation on the outside.

This reviewer loved The Divide, but you need to know a few things about me.  Not only am I an avid Horror film fan, but I’m also an ardent admirer of a sub-genre known as New French Extremity.  Films that fall under this umbrella are known to be especially violent, frightening, and gory (films like Inside, Them, and High Tension).  Many mainstream cinema fans will find this specific brand of entertainment too intense and/or offensive to enjoy.  So while I found The Divide stunning and fascinating, I cannot recommend this film to any but the most hardened of gore hounds.  If that sounds like a dare, it’s really not; it’s a warning.

Xavier Gens achieved fame as a writer/director for his début film Frontier(s), a shining example of New French Extremity and one of my personal Horror favorites.  This admitted, it was hard for me not to draw correlations between Frontier(s) and The Divide.  In both films, a central female character is subjected to unimaginable terror, mental and physical.  By the end of Frontier(s), our female protagonist has clearly been pushed so far beyond her limits, her mind is blown (her head twitches, her eyes have that thousand-yard stare).  The same is true of our heroine in The Divide (Lauren German); yes, she survives, but there is little comfort in that fact alone.  She is transformed—and hopeless.  The film comes full circle with a final shot of a woman’s beautiful eyes; a blank emotionless stare from where once tears flowed.

Lauren German (Hostel Part 2) and Michael Biehn (Aliens) have great chemistry as strangers who don’t trust each other, but must work together to survive.  This relationship is one of the most compelling aspects of the film.  Milo Ventimiglia (TV’s Heroes) is brilliantly unsettling as Josh, a sane rational man who devolves into something near demonic.

The Divide is told completely from the prospective of the trapped survivors and the audience knows nothing more than they do.  Therefore, some of the story’s most intriguing questions are never answered.  Who bombed New York and why?  Who are the intruders in Bio Hazard suits?  What’s going on in the rest of the world?  For some, this lack of detail will be annoying.  You have to realize, of course, that The Divide is not a story about surviving a nuclear blast, it’s a story about humanity and the slim divide that separates us from animals.  Gens is unflinching in his nihilistic vision so please, do not expect a happy Hollywood ending.

Rumors abounded about the cast growing to hate each other as the shoot progressed.  Since The Divide was filmed in chronological order and the characters subject each other to such lavish abuse it’s not difficult to imagine why.  I bet Rosanna Arquette could go the rest of her life with ever seeing Milo Ventimiglia again!

Pure gold for fans of extreme cinema, most movie-watchers will likely find The Divide too brutal to be palatable.

4 out of 5 skulls!

Saucy Josh writes a blog for intelligent Horror Movie aficionados called Blood and Guts for Grown Ups: https://bloodandgutsforgrownups.wordpress.com/

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I am getting bombarded with amazing looking films this year. Here is a trailer for Ruben Fleischer‘s Gangster Squad starring Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte, Giovanni Ribisi, Mireille Enos, Michael Pena, Robert Patrick, and Anthony Mackie. The film is about a squad of L.A. cops who declare war on an organized crime syndicate led by Mickey Cohen (Penn). You have to love a good gangster film, and I’m hoping this will be one for the books.

The trailer was just released. Check it out after the jump.

No release date yet. Check back soon.

Apple has the HD

Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and–if he has his way–every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop…except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen’s world apart. “Gangster Squad” is a colorful retelling of events surrounding the LAPD’s efforts to take back their nascent city from one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time.

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We’ve got 17 new images for Ridley Scott‘s Prometheus starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba and Charlize Theron. The film is less than a month away opening on June 08, 2012. I finally got a chance to see the new theatrical trailer in 3D this past weekend in front of The Avengers, and it looks fantastic. I’m super stoked to go see this film.

Check out the new images after the jump.

These images come via Entertainment Weekly.

The official trailer just hit for The Campaign starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis as political rivals in a North Carolina Congressional race. Ferrell plays the incumbent Cam Brady who has been running unopposed his entire career until Galifianakis’ Marty Huggins, the director of the local tourism center, shows up to run against him.

Check out the trailer after the jump.

Watch in full HD over at Apple:

Jay Roach previously worked on comedies such as Austin Powers and Meet the Parents, however he has recently been working on political dramas for HBO such as Recount and the more recent Game Change. It seems he is combining his talents in this new film. Which… is awesome.

Also starring Dylan McDermott and Jason Sudeikis, The Campaign opens wide on August 10, 2012.

When long-term congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) commits a major public gaffe before an upcoming election, a pair of ultra-wealthy CEOs plot to put up a rival candidate and gain influence over their North Carolina district. Their man: naive Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), director of the local Tourism Center. At first, Marty appears to be the unlikeliest possible choice but, with the help of his new benefactors’ support, a cutthroat campaign manager and his family’s political connections, he soon becomes a contender who gives the charismatic Cam plenty to worry about.

As Election Day closes in, the two are locked in a dead heat, with insults quickly escalating to injury until all they care about is burying each other, in this mud-slinging, back-stabbing, home-wrecking comedy from “Meet the Parents” director Jay Roach that takes today’s political circus to its logical next level. Because even when you think campaign ethics have hit rock bottom, there’s room to dig a whole lot deeper.

Three new international character posters just popped for The Amazing Spider-Man. The posters feature Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard.

Check them out after the jump.

Via Latino Review

One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in The Amazing Spider-Man. Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

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A new trailer just hit for Marc Webb‘s The Amazing Spider-Man. You can check it out after the jump. Spiderman will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

Via Apple:

Official synopsis:

One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in The Amazing Spider-Man. Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

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So “the secret” has been out for a few weeks now, but I still can’t bring myself to write publicly about the ending of Liongate’s The Cabin in the Woods for fear of ruining some lagger’s future enjoyment.  Despite the rave reviews, I know a bunch of people will wait to see this movie on DVD.  Fools!

“The secret” is not that there is a high-tech control room beneath the Cabin wherein a shadowy organization is controlling the supernatural happenings above.  Anyone who saw the TV commercials already knows that.  “The secret” is why this is happening and who this organization works for.  But those of us who HAVE actually watched the film know that the story itself is just as good as the reveal, with amazing visuals and a literal army of otherworldly beings.

I’ve already seen Cabin twice and still don’t feel like I’ve absorbed every aspect.  The film is chock-full of interesting characters, allusions to other horror films, and truly original situations.  Well, now I can take my time exploring the cabin at my leisure with The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion recent released by Titan Books.

Read more about the Visual Companion after the jump…

The Official Visual Companion features:  “An in-depth interview with Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard about the making of the film; the full, uncut screenplay; interviews with the cast; behind the scenes secrets; stunning production art; [and] hundreds of eye-popping photos!”

The photo of the “Lottery” board on page 91 is almost worth the price of the book on its own.  In the film, we’re only given a fleeting glimpse of the potential horrors that might have been released upon the stereotypical group of 20-somethings in the cabin.  It’s fun to imagine what might have been, and to match up the beasties listed with those we actually do see when the facility runs amuck.  “Angry Molesting Tree”?  And what about the terrors known only as “The Bride” and “Kevin”?  Funny how no one bet on the “Sugarplum Fairy”!

The fact that so much of Cabin’s visuals are practical (i.e. real as opposed to CGI) makes it a perfect film for such a visual companion.  It’s amazing to see how some of the monsters evolved from sketches into the final product.

The screenplay is interesting, but becomes compelling when it includes cast interviews, character studies, and great pictures.  The book flushes out subtle details like the painting in Holden’s room, the control room, and even a floor plan of the cabin itself.  There are so many objects in the basement that it’s great to have time to study the pictures (including the film that Marty looks at).  As the main baddies, the Buckner Family gets plenty of attention, and the photos of the clan leader show just how amazing the makeup and practical effects are.  And who wouldn’t enjoy gazing endlessly at the ballerina with rings of razor teeth instead of a face!

The single best picture is the two-page spread of “The White Set” on pages 140-141.  Definitely not for the weak-of-stomach!

Titan has also released a novelization of The Cabin in the Woods which I plan to tackle eventually.  Both books can be ordered at www.titanbooks.com and would make great gifts for the Cabin fans in your life.  A great tome that truly compliments the film it represents, The Official Visual Companion is a book I will enjoy again and again.

Saucy Josh writes a blog for intelligent Horror Movie aficionados called Blood and Guts for Grown Ups: https://bloodandgutsforgrownups.wordpress.com/

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James Cameron colleague John Clisham will direct a script from Mike Bayman about a “ rapidly evolving species of dinosaurs who attack modern Los Angeles.” It’s going to be like… an entire movie based on the end of The Lost World. I have mixed feelings about this. I wish Jurassic Park 4 would just hurry up and start production. The story for Clisham’s film is being kept under wraps, but it reportedly started out as a web series that grew too big for its britches and got picked up as a feature.

More after the jump.

Deadline reports that the project was developed by the online network Break Media as a “large-scale web series.” After seeing some early tests Warner Bros. decided to turn the thing into a feature film. Oh joy.

Clisham, who works at Lightstorm Entertainment, worked on Avatar and the Titanic 3D post-conversion. So, suffice to say, the movie will probably look amazing. But will anyone care?  These guys have the technicalities down, but will the story be worth the time and money invested? Warner Bros. is betting on it. Sounds like a very expensive film. But then again it was being developed for the web. So maybe these CG geniuses devised a way to make awesome looking realistic Dinosaurs on the cheap? Could be. Probably not.

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Sharlto Copley has just landed the gig of villain in Spike Lee‘s remake of the 2003 Korean cult classic Oldboy by Chan-wook Park. You may have seen Copley before, he was a basically unknown actor until playing the lead in District 9. Josh Brolin is set to play the lead in the remake, an man who is kidnapped and forced into a prison like environment for fifteen years without knowing why. When he is suddenly released he sets off to find the person responsible for his imprisonment — leading of course to a crazy chain of events not suitable for children.

Their have been rumors of offers going to Colin Firth, Clive Owen, for the villain role… but Deadline say’s it’s official, so it must be. Sharlto Copley will play the sadistic sonovabitch villain.

Copley has also just been casted in a film called Open Grave about a man who “wakes up in the pit full of rotting bodies with no idea how he got there, begins to have flashbacks of himself murdering people and stars to believe he’s the killer.” Sounds fun, yeah? I like the actor, so I hope to see his IMDB page grow in the next few years.

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Ok. This is getting to be a little too much. I’m not even going to watch this one. I’ve lost count but we somehow have yet another Prometheus featurette.

Watch it after the jump.

Prometheus opens on June 8, 2012.

Ridley Scott, director of “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” returns to the genre he helped define. With PROMETHEUS, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.