'Insidious' co-creator regrets 'big mistake' in horror franchise

HONG KONG -- The "Insidious" movies may have become one of Hollywood's box-office horror hits with the first three installments raking in at least $189 million in ticket sales, but its co-creator Leigh Whannell regrets one thing about the way he wrote the film.

He killed off clairvoyant Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) too soon.

"She died in the first movie so it's not something where I could pick up from the first movie and continue with the adventures of Elise," Whannell told ABS-CBN News.

"I know I made a big mistake. What is wrong with me?" he said in a jest.

The chemistry between clairvoyant Elise Rainier and her not-so psychic sidekicks Tucker (Angus Sampson) and Specs (Whannell) has been a hit with the audience that the second and third installments either had to bring Elise back to life or tell a story when she was still alive.

The latest "Insidious" flick, "Insidious: The Last Key," is no different as Elise is well and alive in the film to deal with the paranormal.

"Seeing as I would have to go backwards anyway, I wanted to go right back to her story," Whannell said.

Despite the lopsided timeline of the flicks and its refusal to veer away from the life and adventures of long-dead Elise, the latest installment is kept somehow new with the addition of a love interest and another character who can see the unseen and wander into The Further.

"You still get all the scares and all the terror of an 'Insidious' film but hopefully there's a strong story there too - meeting her family, and finding out what they were like," Whannell said.

"Insidious: The Last Key" opens in Philippine cinemas on January 17.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Will Smith movie 'Bright' gets a sequel

MANILA – Video streaming service Netflix announced on Thursday that its latest big-budget offering, “Bright,” is getting a sequel.

This after it became the No. 1 movie on Netflix in over 190 countries – with more people viewing the film internationally than domestically – since its premiere on December 22, 2017.

Director David Ayer and stars Will Smith and Joel Edgerton have been confirmed to be part of the sequel.

“Bright” is set in an alternate version of present-day Los Angeles, where humans live alongside supernatural beings like orcs, elves, and fairies.

Smith plays the role of Daryl Ward, a human police officer who is racist against orcs like Nick Jakoby (Edgerton).

In a previous interview, Smith and Edgerton talked about the movie’s racial undertones and anti-bullying message.

“I became very much in love with the character of that orc who is bullied by everybody. I felt like the whole script was saying something about bullying en masse, like bullying other cultures, religions, and groups,” Edgerton said.

   
Smith, for his part, said: “In playing [my role], I learned a lot, looking at the racial and class divides from that angle in a science-fiction film.”

source: news.abs-cbn.com

'Thriller' was made because Michael Jackson wanted to be a monster

VENICE (Reuters) - Music video “Thriller” was not the product of a brilliant idea but was made because pop star Michael Jackson wanted to be a monster, director John Landis said at the Venice film festival on Monday.

Landis was in Venice to present the 3D version of the video, which was made 35 years after the original. It was screened as a special event in the out-of-competition section.

“(Thriller) was nobody’s good idea, it was no brilliant business plan,” John Landis told journalists.


“It was a vanity video because Michael wanted to be a monster. And everything that came, evolved from that, was spectacularly successful and I was totally surprised.”

Landis said Jackson first approached him about making the video because he liked his work on “An American Werewolf in London” and the two, along with make-up artist Rick Baker, met to look at photographs from old monster movies.

“Turns out he hasn’t seen many horror films, they were too scary. I found him great,” Landis said, laughing. “He wanted zombies, but the big thing for Mike was turning into a monster.”

Asked about his first meeting with Jackson, the child star turned King of Pop who set the world dancing but died in 2009 at the age of 50, Landis said he was “joyful” and “childlike” and quickly became a close family friend.

“Michael was very determined that everything had to be the best, the greatest,” he said. “He had a spectacular work ethic, but he was an old pro, the guy has been performing since he was 8 years old.”

While making “Thriller” Jackson was happy to “show up and do whatever I wanted,” Landis said. It was different when they met again to produce “Black or White” in 1991.

“On ‘Black or White’ I was working for Michael. It was different. We were still fine, but ... he was much more guarded,” Landis said.

“I know it’s not easy being a celeb, but to be the most famous person in the world, to have that kind of celebrity is bizarre.”

“And here’s someone who was already working from a young age ... he never had a childhood. That’s one of the reasons he was so interested in pursuing one as a grown up.”

Landis, an American film director, screenwriter, actor and producer, jumped at the idea of converting “Thriller” into 3D, because “I really wanted you to experience it the way Michael wanted you to experience it”.

“We went through the whole movie frame by frame, and it was not intended to be in 3D, so we are not throwing anything at you or anything like that, but it does enhance certain parts of it tremendously ... the dance is much improved,” he said.

“My only disappointment is that Michael is not here to see it and hear it because I think he would love that,” he said.

Reporting by Agnieszka Flak

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Evil doll has new target in trailer of new 'Annabelle' film

MANILA -- The creepy official trailer of "Annabelle: Creation" has just been revealed by New Line Cinema.

The follow up to 2014’s hugely successful "Annabelle," which scared up nearly $257 million at the worldwide box office, "Annabelle: Creation" is directed by David F. Sandberg, who also did "Lights Out" and is once again being produced by Peter Safran and James Wan, who also partnered so effectively on "The Conjuring" movies.

Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, who soon become the target of the dollmaker’s possessed creation, Annabelle.

"Annabelle: Creation" will open in local theaters on August 10.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Review: Satanic suggestions in 'Regression'

For a long time, Alejandro Amenabar has been one of my favorite writer-directors for the twisted suspense thrillers. He was quite prolific at the turn of the century -- "Thesis" (1996), "Open Your Eyes" (1997) and his English-language debut "The Others" (2001). His biographical drama "The Sea Inside" won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2004.

Since then though, his output had been sparse. That was why when I heard that he will be releasing a new film this year entitled "Regression," I made sure I went to watch it.

Seventeen-year old Angela Gray accuses her father of sexually abusing her. Detective Bruce Kenner is assigned to her case. The father meekly admits to the crime, but does not actually recall doing it. Kenner seeks the help of Psychology professor Kenneth Raines to elicit his repressed memories, as well as those of the other members of the Gray family, via hypnotic regression. What is revealed from these sessions are diabolical confessions of such disturbing nature that Kenner himself could not get them out of his own mind.

Ethan Hawke is such a good actor, really. From his feature debut in "Dead Poet's Society," then "Before Sunrise" (and its series), "Gattaca," "Sinister" to his Oscar-nominated performances in "Training Day" and "Boyhood," this guy can really portray the most ordinary characters and wind up making them very memorable. His intense take of the obsessed Bruce Kenner was riveting and infectious. His visions become our visions, his beliefs our beliefs. He had a flawless interactive rapport with Amenabar's camera, registering and conveying the anger, paranoia, confusion, and fear of his character so well onscreen.

Emma Watson returns on her trajectory to becoming a serious movie actress after being sidelined by unfortunate roles in "This is the End" and "Noah." The talent and the promise are there, but the connection with her role as the troubled Angela was not as convincing as that of Hawke's. Her best performances were still those for Hermione Granger. Her young adult performances in films like "Perks of Being a Wallflower" and "The Bling Ring" had a certain unnatural stiffness in them, as it was again here as well.

Credible supporting performances were given by David Thewlis as the authoritative Prof. Raines and David Dencik as Angela's repentant father John. Going a bit over the top was Dale Dickey and her exaggeratedly demented performance as Angela's grandmother Rose. The strangest casting decision was that of Lothaire Bluteau as the priest Reverend Murray. He exuded such a creepy vibe, which of course may be the director's intention.

While "Regression" was still not on the same level of excellence as "Open Your Eyes" or "The Others," Alejandro Amenabar returned to form with this comeback project of sorts. The script, though weak and flawed in certain aspects (like motive, for one important example), was still logical and grounded despite dealing with controversial religious and psychological matters. The storytelling engages you despite the dark unpleasant topics and relentlessly morbid atmosphere. I am looking forward to the next Amenabar opus. I hope it does not take so many years anymore. 7/10

This review was originally published in the author's blog, "Fred Said."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com