SiM Poster: Alice in Wonderland

144-year-old story gets modern-day Tim Burton twist

Directed and co-produced by the one-and-only Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas), the latest Alice in Wonderland epic reunites the legendary filmmaker with star Johnny Depp (Public Enemies) for the seventh time in their careers (Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street). Depp will star as the Mad Hatter in the iconic Charles Lutwidge Dodgson tale, which also features Mia Wasikowska (Amelia) as Alice, Helena Bonham Carter (Merlin) as the Red Queen, Anne Hathaway (Get Smart) as the White Queen, Michael Sheen (New Moon) as the White Rabbit, Alan Rickman (Die Hard) as the Caterpillar, and Stephen Fry (V for Vendetta) as the Cheshire Cat. The Walt Disney feature hits theatres March 5, 2010.

Short Film of the Month: The Insane (June 2009)

"I'll be fighting these demons for the rest of the time I have left"

Directors: Mark Cripps, David J. Ellison
Distributor: Far Atlantic Pictures
Running Time: 12:50
Year of Release: 2006

Synopsis: James Spofforth plays John Vincent, a police detective out for revenge after the slaying of his wife and unborn child in this horror short, directed, produced, written and edited by the team of Mark Cripps and David J. Ellison. Vincent goes on a murderous rampage of psychotic "freaks" that terrorize the city, carrying us into a twist ending that may catch you offguard. The 2006 film was named Best Horror/ Suspence Short at 2008's Comic-con.

DVD Pick: Funny Games

I’ve been tricked!

Funny Games. is the 2007 English-language remake of the 1997 Austrian horror film of the same name. Original writer/director Michael Haneke (Caché and La Pianiste) wrote and directed the remake, and Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Devon Gearhart, Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet star. The film is a shot-for-shot remake of its predecessor, translated into English and set in the United States with different actors.

I have to ask, was this a film made to be enjoyed? Did the director want you to not like the film? I had no emotionial reaction when things started happening to the family. Yes I understand that the portrayal of violence in our society is desensitising us but even with the realistic portrayal of the violence and how it would happen doesn’t enthrall or envoke anything emotionally from you. The long tracking shots of the lingering awkward and disturbing moments were trying to set the right mood to frighten you but makes the film seem like it is misreably longer than it really is.

The film seemed that it wanted to explain how violence happens in real life but never really showing any of the violence on-screen. The promise of a violent act to come is essentially what is driving the film, but denying the viewer that said act may have been what Haneke was aiming for and failed with his execution. That being said, you can basically sum up that the game is on you…especially when the film breaks the fourth wall, giving the viewer the feeling he is helping out the protagonist. Although Haneke’s brilliant use of the “rewind” technique helps make us realize that violence that has occurred in real life is final and can not be undone.

Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet are down right scary as the two phsycopaths using people for their own amusement. Understanding what they are doing is impossible because in their insane minds they are doing nothing wrong and that is gut-wrenchingly disturbing. As a family, Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Devon Gearhart muster enough acting bravado to scare us by their reactions to the situation that has been thrust upon them.

This is not a conventional thriller to say the least as Haneke doses us with a movie about violence and then guilts us (or society) for wanting to see the brutality that the movie caused off screen. Problem being that the director drills us so hard with the meaning over and over again that it loses everything he was going for. Really this art-house film that could be used as a PSA for violence in our society.

1 out of 5
Colin Enquist

Transformers 2 Gets Off to Blockbuster Start

Revenge of the Fallen pulls in remarkable worldwide numbers

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

With an estimated $201 million in 4, 234 American and Canadian theatres over the last five days (since premiering last Wednesday at 12:01 AM), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Paramount) falls just short of the record 5-day blockbuster, last year's The Dark Knight, which earned $203.8 million domestically in its first five days.

The Michael Bay-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced Transformers sequel made more than $387 million worldwide in the same time period, as one of the all-time best debuts for a film. On home turf the sequel took in $112 million during the 3-day weekend, but tallied up another $89 million over Wednesday and Thursday.

Revenge of the Fallen did, however, smash the record for Imax theatres, raking in an estimated $14.4 million on 169 Imax screens, which nearly doubles the $7.3 million made in the first five days for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), which earned almost $1 billion in its global theatrical run. Transformers also captured the second best Wednesday opening ever ($60.6 million domestically), again behind The Dark Knight ($67.8 million).

At a budget of $194 million, the second live-action Transformers feature has already begun to profit, and looks like it may easily surpass the $708.2 million worldwide gross of the 2007 original, which cost $151 million to make. Revenge of the Fallen stars Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson, all of whom starred in the first film as well.

SiM Trailer: (500) Days of Summer

Gordon-Levitt & Deschanel reunite for youthful romantic comedy

Director: Marc Webb (L.A. Suite short)
Writers: Scott Neustadter (The Pink Panther 2), Michael H. Weber (The Pink Panther 2)
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Lookout), Zooey Deschanel (Yes Man), Chloe Moretz (The Amityville Horror), Matthew Gray Gubler (RV), Jennifer Hetrick (Bodies of Evidence), Geoffrey Arend (Garden State)
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Running Time: 95 minutes
Release Dates: Friday, July 17, 2009 (North America)/ Friday, September 4, 2009 (UK)/ Thursday, October 1, 2009 (Australia)

Synopsis: A hopeless romantic young man named Tom (Gordon-Levitt) falls in love with Summer (Deschanel), a young woman who doesn't believe in such a thing as love. Director Marc Webb's feature film debut, (500) Days of Summer, follows the first 500 days of the couple's offbeat relationship, which adds up to approxiametly 95 minutes on film. Shot primarily in Los Angeles, Summer is the second film in which Gordon-Levitt stars alongside Deschanel, after appearing together previously in 2001's Manic.

Oscars Shake Things Up!

The Academy Awards extend Best Picture nods to 10!

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

Although there is no clear Oscar front-runners so far in the first half of '09, the Academy has broadened its most prestigious category, Best Picture, from five nominations to ten, allowing more good movies to share in the glory for next year's broadcast. This move would perhaps allow documentaries, animated films, action movies and even comedies a better chance to get some much-needed Oscar attention.

Some sources speculated that this was just a tactic to get more people to see more movies during the economic slump, as it is a well-known fact that all Best Picture nominees experience heightened box office numbers once they are announced as the year's best of the best, according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. This comes after blockbusters like The Dark Knight (pictured below) and WALL-E were omitted from the last Oscar ceremony, despite being regarded amongst the best movies of 2008.

This wouldn't be the first time the Academy allowed ten nods for their top prize though. In fact, from 1931 to 1943 this was commonplace, until the awards went to a five-picture format for 1944, though there were just three nominees for the very first show in 1927. "After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year," commented Academy president Sid Ganis.

There have been several other categories that will be affected for the 82nd annual telecast, including Best Original Song, which may have anywhere from five nominations to none at all! This overhaul depends on the Academy rating system for the category, as songs (written and recorded specifically for the film in which they appear) must achieve an average score of at least 8.25, and if none do, then there simply will be no winner! There must be at least two songs with at least an 8.25 score in order for the Best Original Song award to even be presented next year.

In addition to these changes, the Academy has announced that it will no longer air the testimonials of the honorees of its Jean Hersholt Humanitarian, Irving G. Thalberg and Honorary Awards. Instead, these trophies will be handed out during a separate dinner event that will take place months before the actual Oscar broadcast.

The Golden Globes have, in a way, adopted a 10-movie format since the early-'50s, splitting them up into two different categories with five submissions each: Best Motion Picture-Drama and Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy. The 82nd annual Oscar nominations will be announced February 2, 2010, and will be handed out the following March 7th, live on ABC.

SiM Poster: Carriers

Captain Kirk (Pine) tries hand at the viral thriller genre

In the joint venture by Spanish brothers Alex Pastor (Peacemaker) and David Pastor (Orson), Carriers, a group of four friends try to escape a viral pandemic in the western U.S., only to discover that it is each other that they need to watch out for. Directed and scripted by the Pastors, this PG-13 horror-thriller stars Lou Taylor Pucci (Fanboys), Chris Pine (Star Trek), Piper Perabo (Coyote Ugly), Emily VanCamp (The Ring Two) and Christopher Meloni (The Stepfather). Paramount Vantage will release the film September 4th.

D-Box Technology

Vibrating you along with your movies

BY COLIN ENQUIST

D-Box is a line of motion equipped seating and control devices that work with a supporting movie or video game to provide motion feedback to the viewer. Using an internet connection (or directly from a Blu-Ray disc) to read the “Motion-Code” the chair will receive commands to vibrate, move, lean, and shake based upon action on the screen. How does it work you ask, well the D-BOX system has a pair of direct-drive actuators that move and lift the seating. These electro-mechanical lifts are capable of enacting up to 2Gs of acceleration and just over 500lbs of lift on the seated subject(s). The actuators are mounted effectively under the back feet of the chair in which a control cable is connected to either a D-BOX Series 3 Kinetron controller or a PC running the D-BOX motion control software.

Hollywood is slowly embracing this technology as Sony began supporting D-Box by adding Motion-Code to select Blu-Ray titles as of March, 2008, and Universal Studios has also begun distributing supporting titles as of November, 2008 while Fox has been supporting D-Box since 2006. Currently the D-Box has a library of about 1000 films.

Not only focusing on home theatre, D-Box just recently had its first major theatrical release with Universal's Fast & Furious, with the Motion-Code technology written into it. Chairs were installed in LA's Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and in a theatre in Surprise, Arizona, and the enhanced seating was available for a $5 surcharge.

One of my worries about investing in the D-Box technology would be if I (or my fiancée) would get motion sickness while watching a movie. Those who worry like me, about motion sickness need not worry, as D-Box uses motion effects that are carefully produced with the intention to well replicate the reality and not to create a theme park ride experience. Furthermore, D-Box has a level control that lets you adjust the motion and intelligent vibration intensity, just like you can adjust the volume of the sound on a sound system. The biggest downside to having this new technology in your living room is the high cost. You would be looking at around $6, 100 just for the basic set up but with the technology slowly becoming more affordable and as the movie selection grows, you may just see more and more of these chairs lounging around.

Check out their official website (http://www.d-box.com/) that has a good video showing and explaining most of the features of D-Box and how it works.

The Proposal's May-September Rom-Com Takes New Twists

But falls back on old favourites

I am not a fan of “chick flicks” as a rule. I prefer comedies, action, horror. Actually, the more action, be it either sexual or explosive in nature, the happier I am. However, after watching The Proposal, directed by Anne Fletcher (choreography on Boogie Nights), I’m willing to concede that it was an entertaining movie, without having to add the codecil “for a chick flick!”

Ryan Reynolds (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Waiting) stars as Andrew Paxton, the forever put upon Assistant to Sandra Bullock’s (Miss Congeniality, Speed) Margaret (not Maggie) Tate. Supporting cast includes Craig T. Nelson (Blades of Glory, Coach), Mary Steenburgen (Step Brothers, Back to the Future Part III), and the adorable Betty White (The Golden Girls, Lake Placid) as Andrew’s “Gammie” Anne Paxton. Also, Malin Ackerman (Watchmen, Harold & Kumar Go To Whitecastle) as Andrew’s ex-girlfriend Gertie.

In a lot of ways, The Proposal was exactly what you would expect from this type of movie, a typical love story taken out of a Harlequin novel. Young assistant works for cranky, older workaholic boss, waits to be noticed for their merit and situations rise where they fall in love along the way, only to lose each other at a climactic moment near the end. Where this film pulls me in is the character swap. In absolutely atypical fashion, the May-September romance in this movie is Bullock at age 44 and Reynolds who is 32, and in a casting move that just makes me feel so happy, the older woman is ACTUALLY PLAYED BY AN OLDER WOMAN! Not like Alexander, where Angelina Jolie plays Colin Farrell’s mother, despite being only a year older than him. After watching Sean Connery get Catherine Zeta Jones (though given who her husband is, I guess that’s not too far fetched), Michael Douglas get Annette Benning, Richard Gere get Julia Roberts, and assorted other old men with beautiful twenty year old leading ladies, it does me proud to see Bullock and Reynolds play against each other, despite the lack of any kind of sexual tension or chemistry on either part. Which is ok by me, much easier to crush on Reynold’s. Even if he is married to Scarlett Johansen. That means they’re both off the market, and that's just upsetting on every level.

The plot is as simple as can be. Tate is a high powered Editor in chief for a publishing company who is facing deportation back to her native Canada (I need to applaud the writer for not throwing a single noticeable “eh” into her speech, though really there was no point where I would have been like “oh, wow she’s Canadian” if they hadn’t said it straight out) for ignoring some visa related laws. As her bosses are making preparations for her to leave, she quickly announces that she is marrying her assistant, Andrew, and of course, because inter-office dating is frowned upon they couldn’t tell anyone of their romance, especially, as Andrew adds, since he is about to get that big promotion. He agrees to the marriage after Tate blackmails, threatening the career he’s worked so hard for, and he agrees to save his career, get that promotion, and get a novel he has chosen published.

I went to this movie purely to see Ryan Reynold’s without his shirt, which is silly when you consider the fact that I can do a five second internet search and save myself $10, but that is beside the point. Once there I found myself really getting into the story. Bullock plays the part of uber-bitch like she was born to it, and manages the transition to the sympathetic character needed to side with her at the climax effortlessly. As much as we hate her when the movie opens, we are equally on her side as she risks deportation while falling in love with the family of the man she’s trying to organize a sham wedding with.

The movie is primarily set in Sitka, Alaska, an absolutely beautiful setting that provides a perfect setting for the fish out of water, New York City girl in a small town. Here Tate discovers that Andrew’s family owns half the businesses in town. He introduces her to his mother (Steenburgen) and Gammie, who welcome her to the family with open arms and quirky family rituals, more than Tate is used to as she’s been alone since she was sixteen and her parents died. When Andrew introduces Tate to his father, the reception is less than warm, and we see that Joe Paxton (Nelson, Andrew’s dad) doesn’t respect the editing job that Andrew “fools around with,” and they fight because Joe wants Andrew to take over the family business.

This is all shadowed by the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) agent who is trying to prove that Tate and Paxton are committing fraud so she can stay in the country, threatening Andrew with a $250,000 fine and 5 years in jail if he goes through with the fraud.

I wished for a little more character interaction. For a romantic comedy, there was hardly any romance, even for a PG rating. I laughed from start to finish, but there were only one or two real "awwww" moments, when you are really waiting for the two leads to fall for each other. The movie wasn’t long enough for the kind of development that would really make this a classic romantic film.

Gertie, Andrew’s ex, is the beautiful hometown girl that Andrew left behind when he went to New York to be an Editor, because she didn’t want to leave. As Andrew's first visit after three years of being away goes on, we can see Andrew falling easily into the family routine, and it would have been easy for Gertie to try and slide in, support Andrew and be the girl that every woman about to be married fears, the one that got away, but the writers avoid this. Gertie is sweet to Tate, and supportive to Andrew to get married, and I was impressed that the film makers didn’t take an easy out with her character.

I went to see this as part of a girl's night out, otherwise I probably wouldn't have gravitated to it until it was either in the cheap theaters or on the movie channels, but now that I've seen it once I wouldn't mind watching it again. Though in time I might add it to my collection of movies that I watch over and over again to yell as I notice plot holes and stupid characters (Rent [stupid Roger], Hairspray [I just want to kick Brad], Shoot 'Em Up [there's no way he can shoot that accurately using string to pull the trigger]), but those are fun to watch when you need to relieve tension, and the best way to do that is by yelling.

3 out of 5
Laura Gies

SiM Trailer: Daybreakers

A new twist on the genre?

Director: Peter Spierig (Undead)
Writer: Peter Spierig (Undead), Michael Spierig (Undead)
Cast: Ethan Hawke (Training Day), Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man), Claudia Karvan (Long Weekend), Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen)
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: January 8, 2010

Synopsis: In the year 2019, a plague has transformed almost every human into vampires. Faced with a dwindling blood supply, the fractured dominant race plots their survival; meanwhile, a researcher works with a covert band of vampires on a way to save humankind and eventually they make a remarkable discovery, one which has the power to save the human race.

RIP: Farrah Fawcett (1947-2009)

TV Angel & pin-up girl taken too soon

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

One of the most iconic sex symbols of the last 35 years, Farrah Fawcett, lost her battle with cancer yesterday morning (Thursday, June 25) at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, after being diagnosed with anal cancer three years earlier. Fawcett, who was 62-years-old at the time of her death, passed away on the same day Hollywood lost another legend, Michael Jackson.

Fawcett began chemotherapy soon after her diagnosis in 2006, and surgeries followed as well, until she was declared cancer free on her 60th birthday, just four months later. But, in May 2007 a doctor discovered a malignant polyp in the same area that the initial cancer had been found. She receieved various treatments in Germany and back home in L.A., but the cancer refused to retreat for good.

In April 2009 Fawcett was rushed to hospital in critical condition, as her cancer metastasized to her liver, which had the TV and film legend in and out of hospitals in L.A. and Germany. On May 15th NBC aired Farrah's Story, a 2-hour documentary that spotlighted the deteriorating actress in her final days. Earlier this month her off-and-on partner for the last 27 years, Ryan O'Neal (Love Story), asked Farrah for her hand in marriage. She said yes, but they were unable to make it to the alter.

Farrah Fawcett got her start in film by appearing in a small role in 1969's Love Is a Funny Thing, but not before she landed bit parts in TV commercials for Mercury Cougar, Ultra Brite, Noxema and Wella Balsam. She continued with an appearance in 1970's Myra Breckinridge, before she got the big break she needed.

In 1976 Fawcett became an overnight sensation with her cult-status role as private investigator Jill Munroe in the major hit ABC-TV series Charlie's Angels, alongside co-stars Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith. Fawcett was the stand-out star of the break-out show, winning a People's Choice Award as Favorite Performer in a New TV Program.

That same year Pro Arts Inc. approached the blonde bombshell and pitched an idea to have Fawcett pose in a one-piece red bathing suit for a pin-up poster (pictured left). The result was beyond anyone's expectations, as upwards of 12 million copies of the infamous poster were sold, making Fawcett one of the decade's most recognizable faces.

In addition to the series and the poster, Fawcett's signature hair style was getting unprecedented attention as well, becoming known as the "Farrah Do" or "Farrah Hair." Even to this day, the style is credited to the late actress.

In 1977, after just one season, Fawcett famously left Charlie's Angels, though much legal scrutiny ensued over contract obligations. In the end Fawcett was replaced by Cheryl Ladd, but continued making guest appearances on the show that made her an instant star. As a cast member she also landed on the cover of Time magazine.

After leaving Angels Fawcett starred in the controversial off-Broadway stage production Extremities (1983). She followed that up with a lead role in 1984's most-watched TV movie, The Burning Bed, for which she was nominated for Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for her portrayal of an abused housewife. It also helped shed her Angels image as an "all-American" pretty girl. Two years later, in 1986, she earned another Globe nod for her role in the film version of Extremities. Over the years Fawcett has also appeared in movies like The Cannonball Run (1981), Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story (1987), Small Sacrifices (1989), Man of the House (1995), The Apostle (1997), Dr. T & the Women (2000) and her final film, The Cookout (2004). She's also made countless appearances in numerous other TV shows.

Fawcett, who was married to fellow '70s TV star Lee Majors (The Six Million Dollar Man) from 1973 to 1982, had been romantically linked to O'Neal (pictured right) since 1982, and the couple welcomed son Redmond in 1985.

The TV icon has also had her share of controversy throughout the years, including physical abuse allegations within her kinship with O'Neal, posing nude for Playboy magazine in December 1995, and an infamous appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman in 1997, in which she appeared erratic and confused. Her son Redmond has also had his quarrels, and was in fact incarcenated at the time of his mother's death. According to reports, though, Redmond was able to speak with Farrah over the phone before she passed.

Rest in peace.

RIP: Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

Trailblazing & historical figure of pop culture is dead at 50

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

As hard as it is to fathom, Michael Jackson--the rightful "King of Pop"--died today (Thursday, June 25) as a result of cardiac arrest, two months short of his 51st birthday. The iconic entertainer had collapsed at his Los Angeles residence at around noon (Pacific Time) today, and was rushed to UCLA Medical Center, where the pop legend was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm.

"Michael Jackson made culture accept a person of colour," remarked the Rev. Al Sharpton upon hearing the tragic news. "To say an 'icon' would only give these young people in Harlem a fraction of what he was. He was a historic figure that people will measure music and the industry by."

Just hours after Michael's untimely death his older brother Jermaine Jackson, 54, made a public statement in which he pleaded for privacy for himself and the rest of the infamous Jackson family, which includes sisters Janet & La Toya and other brothers Marlon, Jackie, Tito and Randy Jackson. Meanwhile, thousands of fans had gathered at the UCLA Medical Center, as well as at the late singer's home and even at the Apollo Theatre in New York, where Jackson and his brothers got their start back in the '60s.

Born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, Michael Joseph Jackson became a musical prodigy when, at age five, he began performing with his older brothers as The Jackson Five. The quintet, led by the young Michael, signed a recording contract with Motown Records in 1968, where they enjoyed hits like "I Want You Back" (1969), "ABC" (1970), "The Love You Save" (1970) and "I'll Be There" (1970), all No.1's.

By 1972 Michael had begun making records on his own with Motown, and even moonlighted as a part-time actor when he starred as the "Scarecrow" in Sidney Lumet's modest hit The Wiz (1978), a black variation of The Wizard of Oz that also featured Diana Ross, Lena Horne and Richard Pryor. Over his lengthy showbiz career Jackson had dabbled with acting via his classic music videos (most notably in the 13-minute, John Landis-directed "Thriller"), a guest voice appearance on The Simpsons (1991), a cameo in Men in Black II (2002), and mini-films Captain EO (1986) and Ghosts (1997).

In 1979 Michael broke new ground as a solo artist with the Quincy Jones-produced Off the Wall (Epic Records), which sold 20 million copies worldwide, won him his first of 14 Grammy Awards, and spawned five hit singles, including chart-toppers "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You." In 2003 Rolling Stone magazine ranked it amongst the "500 Greatest Albums of All-Time," placing Off the Wall at No.68.

Jackson, a self-proclaimed prefectionist, returned in 1982 with what is considered to be the most commercially successful album in music history, the renowned Thriller. Again produced by Jones, Thriller sold in excess of 27 million copies in the U.S. alone, and upwards of 50 million around the world, birthing numerous major hits along the way, including "Beat It" (#1), "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (#10), "The Girl Is Mine" (#2/ a duet with Paul McCartney), the title cut (#4) and the groundbreaking and infectious "Billie Jean" (#1). The legacy of Thriller also includes memorable music videos that changed the face of MTV forever, and a stunning Grammy sweep that saw the singer walk away with eight trophies. Thriller was reissued in 2001 and again last year.

Around the same time, in 1983, Jackson premiered his signature "moonwalk" dance move on the TV special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. The following year saw Jackson suffer second degree burns to his scalp during the filming of a Pepsi TV commercial, which led to a $1.5 million lawsuit and his long addiction with pain killers. During 1985 he was part of USA for Africa, a group of popular musicians who topped the charts (in 17 countries) with a song Jackson co-wrote, "We Are the World," which raised millions of dollars for aid to Africa.

Although Jackson's subsequent albums, Bad (1987) and Dangerous (1991), sold extremely well, they could not come close to the daunting triumph that was Thriller, despite lodging #1 smash hits in "Bad" (1987), "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (1987), "The Way You Make Me Feel" (1987), "Dirty Diana" (1988), "Man in the Mirror" (1988) and "Black or White" (1991). Combined, Bad and Dangerous saw international sales of more than 60 million units.

Jackson, who published an autobiography in 1988 (Moon Walk), would also become a staple of the tabloids, as his personal trials and tribulations fed the pages of supermarket mags, including his countless plastic surgeries, gay accusations, a bizarre relationship with his pet monkey Bubbles, a brief affair with actress Brooke Sheilds, an eating disorder, supposed skin bleaching, and even claims that he slept in an oxygen chamber and had purchased the remains of the "Elephant Man."

But it all came to a boiling point in 1993 when a 13-year-old boy alleged that the pop superstar had sexually molested him at the singer's infamous Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara, California. Later in the year Jackson underwent a "humiliating" strip search after a police warrant was issued in order to verify descriptions of Jackson's genitals, according to the young boy. The case was eventually settled out of court on New Year's Day 1994 for a reported $2 million.

Unfortunately, from this point on Jackson's eccentric and peculiar personal life overshadowed his music career (despite 1995's #1 hit "You Are Not Alone" and Janet Jackson duet "Scream"), as he made headlines for his short marriage to the daughter of Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie (1994-96), a second marriage to nurse Debbie Rowe (1996-99), and the births of his three children, Prince Michael (b. 1997), Paris Michael (1998) and Prince Michael II (2002). Known now as "Wacko Jacko," Jackson also had to deal with the "failure" of his anticipated comeback album Invincible (2001), which offered just one Top 10 hit, "You Rock My World."

Things somehow took a turn for the worse in 2003, when a candid Michael revealed too much in a British documentary titled Living with Michael Jackson, in which the reclusive performer admitted to sharing his bed with "many children," something he saw nothing wrong with. As part of a damage control campaign, Jackson released a "rebuttal video" that claimed doc host Martin Bashir lied, misled, and took things out of context for the interview. The documentary aired shortly after Jackson went under fire for dangling his newborn son from a balcony at a hotel in Berlin, Germany.

As of late Michael Jackson's name continued its drag through the mud, made worse with bizarre court appearances, various lawsuits, failed comeback attempts, and rumours that the former multi-millionaire was broke. Jackson, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice (1997 and 2001), was scheduled for another career comeback this July, as he was to perform for over 1 million fans over 50 sold-out concerts at London's O2 arena. Unfortunately, we will never get to see what this latest attempt to regain the spotlight would've resulted in. Rest in peace.

"People think they know me, but they don't. Not really. Actually, I am one of the loneliest people on this earth. I cry sometimes, because it hurts. It does. To be honest, I guess you could say that it hurts to be me."
-Michael Jackson

Top-Grossing Indie Films of All-Time

From Christ to Shakespeare, independent movies are pulling in big numbers

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

In light of the reigning Best Picture Oscar winner--Slumdog Millionaire--becoming one of the most acclaimed and commercially appealing independent feature films of all-time, SiM has put together a list of the Top 10 highest-earning indie films to date (domestically).

These movies generally have small budgets to work with--The Passion of the Christ amongst the exceptions--so marketing tactics, high-tech graphics and big-name stars are usually not big selling points, and so when they top that impressive $100 million mark you can imagine the return on the distributors' initial investment. For example, 1999's The Blair Witch Project cost a reported $22,000 to film, but pulled in a stunning $248.6 million in worldwide box office receipts, which is 11,301 times the amount that was spent on producing the cult classic! No other film in history has ever come close to such a ratio, including its $15 million sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000), which made just under $48 million.

As previously mentioned, indie films traditionally don't have the luxury of casting elite celebs to appear onscreen, and although some of the stars of these featured movies have since gone on to stardom (ie. Good Will Hunting's Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, or Shakespeare in Love's Gwyneth Paltrow and, again, Ben Affleck), the only one in the Top 10 that is excluded from this rule is Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, which starred John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis, amongst an all-star cast.

With that in mind, it's easy to say that indie flicks don't rely on familiar faces to earn a buck at the ticket booths, but simply rather a good story told by a gifted crew of filmmakers, such as any of the Top 10 highlighted below. So, without much further ado, I present to you the top-grossing independent films of all-time:

1. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Gross: $370.7 million ($611.8 million worldwide)
Budget: $30 million
Distributors: Newmarket Films/Icon Entertainment
Director: Mel Gibson
Starring: James Caviezel, Maia Morgenstern, Monica Bellucci, Hristo Naumov Shopov, Mattia Sbragia
Synoposis: Based on the New Testament accounts of the arrest, trial, torture, crucifixion and finally resurrection of Jesus, The Passion of the Christ was the brainchild of the famously Christian Mel Gibson, who directed, co-wrote and co-produced the top-grossing non-English language film of all-time. Gibson was determined to get this controversial film made, going as far as self-funding the project, which experienced mixed reviews and claims of anti-Semitism and historical inaccuracies. The Passion, which became the top-grossing R-rated film of all-time as well, earned three Oscar nods, but ended up with just a People's Choice Award for Best Drama. Criticized for its graphic violence, The Passion was even banned in Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, before Christian leaders' protests had the ban lifted for Christian audiences only.

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Gross: $241.4 million ($368.7 million worldwide)
Budget: $5 million
Distributors: IFC Films/Playtone
Director: Joel Zwick
Starring: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Laini Kazan, Michael Constantine, Ian Gomez
Synopsis: Cinema's highest-earning romantic comedy of all-time, My Big Fat Greek Wedding was an indie project written by and starring Winnipeg-born actress Nia Vardalos, who earned an Oscar nod for its original screenplay. Vardalos played a Greek-American who falls in love with a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (Corbett), as their cultural and socialogical differences make up the bulk of the top-grossing feature to never have reached #1 at the domestic box office. Filmed in Toronto and Chicago, the sleeper hit even inspired a short-lived TV sitcom in 2003, My Big Fat Greek Life (CBS), which Vardalos starred in and co-executive produced. It lasted just seven epsiodes before it was cancelled due to low ratings.

3. Juno (2007)
Gross: $143.4 million ($231.4 million worldwide)
Budget: $6.5 million
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney
Synopsis: Co-produced by John Malkovich, Juno was another major sleeper hit, becoming the first Fox Searchlight production to surpass the $100 million mark in domestic ticket sales. The critically-praised indie flick starred Canadians Ellen Page and Michael Cera, was filmed in Vancouver, and premiered in Toronto, before capturing the world's attention. Page became an instant star, even being nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award, while Diablo Cody walked away with the Best Original Screenplay Oscar. Centering around teen pregnancy, Juno also saw its soundtrack enjoy some of the international success, reaching #1 and platinum certification.

4. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Gross: $141.3 million ($352.8 million worldwide)
Budget: $15.1 million
Distributors: Pathe Pictures/Fox Searchlight Pictures
Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar
Synopsis: Adapted from the 2005 novel Q&A, Slumdog Millionaire got off to a slow start, but quickly ballooned into a cinematic phenomenon that not only took over world box offices ($353 million), but also stormed the most recent Academy Awards, walking away with eight wins (including Best Picture, Director and Adapted Screenplay). The British film, though based and filmed in India, was about a young Indian man from the Mumbai slums who wins big on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Sourrounded by various controversies (including the welfare of its child actors), Slumdog was originally sold to Warner Independent Pictures for just $5 million.

5. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Gross: $140.5 million ($248.6 million worldwide)
Budget: $22,000
Distributor: Artisan Entertainment
Directors: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez
Starring: Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams
Synopsis: One of the most innovative and original horror movies of all-time was The Blair Witch Project, featuring amateur footage and unknown actors who improvised most of the dialogue. Shot over eight days in Maryland, the award-winning Project was made for an unbelievable $22,000, but Artisan spent some $25 million to cleverly market it (mostly via the Internet), leading to a stunning $248 million box office clean-up. Although it recieved mostly positive reviews, it went up for the Worst Picture Razzie Award. A failed sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, followed up in 2000, and a third installment never materialized as a result.

6. Good Will Hunting (1997)
Gross: $138.4 million ($225.9 million worldwide)
Budget: $10 million
Distributor: Miramax Films
Director: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver, Stellan Skarsgard
Synopsis: In 1997 this surprise success launched the Hollywood careers of its screenwriters Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who also starred in the independent drama, famously becoming the poster childs of do-it-yourself stardom. Based and predominately filmed in Boston, Good Will Hunting made 22 times the amount of its $10 million budget in ticket sales alone, while earning nine Oscar nominations, winning Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Williams). Telling the story of a young, troubled Irish-Catholic janitor (Damon) who turns out to be a prodigy and autodidact, Hunting's script was brought to Miramax by filmmaker Kevin Smith (Clerks), and the production company ended up purchasing the rights for just $675,000.

7. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Gross: $128.0 million ($213.5 million worldwide)
Budget: $15 million
Distributor: China Film Co-Production Company
Director: Ang Lee
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Sihung Lung
Synopsis: Produced in conjunction with Hong Kong, Taiwan and the United States, China's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon easily became the most commercially successful foreign film in North American box office history, though its Matrix-like action sequences got all the attention. After premiering at the Hawaii International Film Festival, Crouching Tiger captured dozens of awards from around the world, including four Oscars (Best Foreign Picture, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Art/Set Direction). The acclaimed blockbuster also inspired a sub-genre of Asian action features that used similar graphic effect technology, including Hero (2002) and House of Flying Daggers (2004).

8. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
Gross: $119.0 million ($220.0 million worldwide)
Budget: $6 million
Distributors: IFC Films/Lions Gate Entertainment
Director: Michael Moore
Synopsis: Michael Moore's look into George W. Bush and the "War on Terror," Fahrenheit 9/11, captivated America (and most of the rest of the world) with its rawness and straightforwardness, making it--by far--the most successful documentary in history. After capturing the Golden Palm Award at the Cannes Film Festival, the 2-hour docufilm made more than $220 million in 44 countries, and a fortune more in DVD sales & rentals. In fact, Sony Pictures (which distributed its home release) reported that it sold about 2 million copies in its first day of DVD availability, a record for a documentary. It was also the first doc to take home the People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture.

9. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Gross: $107.9 million ($212.9 million worldwide)
Budget: $8.5 million
Distributor: Miramax Films
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Harvey Keitel
Synopsis: It may have brought superstardom to director, co-writer and co-star Quentin Tarantino, but the "neo-noir" cult classic Pulp Fiction also relaunched the fizzled career of John Travolta. The ultra-cool crime-comedy phenom was unlike anything else at the time, paving the way for wins at both the Cannes Film Festival (Palme d'Or) and Academy Awards (Best Original Screenplay), and raked in over $212 million at the global box office. All the stars of the 2-and-a-half-hour pop culture staple took pay cuts to appear, including supporting cast members Christopher Walken, Ving Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Rosanna Arquette and Tim Roth.

10. Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Gross: $100.2 million ($289.3 million worldwide)
Budget: $25 million
Distributors: Miramax Films/Alliance Atlantis
Director: John Madden
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, Geoffrey Rush
Synopsis: Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman wrote the fictionalized script that told of the love story between two real subjects, William Shakespeare (Fiennes) and Viola de Lesseps (Paltrow), with a comedic backdrop. Although it comes in at No.10 in domestic grosses for indie films, Shakespeare in Love actually ranks No.3 on the list when it comes to international tallies. It also stocked up on awards, winning seven Oscars, including Best Actress (Paltrow), Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Best Original Screenplay and the first comedy to be named Best Picture since Annie Hall (1977).

Transformers: The Pre-Watch Part II

Optimism may have been set a little high

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Well I am back from watching the sequel to Transformers. You can read what I thought about the film over there ---> (review).

Did I waste my time watching the first film before the second? I don’t think so. Mostly the two films synch up fairly well. The time jump of two years after the first film works and doesn’t really tend to ask much questions about what happened in those two years. Some of that information can be sought after by using your imagination on a few lines in the new movie that could create exactly what may or may not have happened. The mythology (strictly the first movie, not the toys or TV series) even comes full circle, mainly helping tie some small loose ends of the first film together.

Michael Bay did little things right like using the same shirt for Sam (Shia LaBeouf) as he used in the first film. That may not seem like something big but many times you notice little items like this that slip through the cracks during the filmmaker’s busy schedule. The characterization seemed off during a few scenes. When Mikaela (Megan Fox) is sitting, patiently waiting for Sam to have their first web chat date, all I could think of was the first film and how she would not have wanted to be a part of that. Her character was completely butchered and lost the tough attitude and hard headedness she was given in the first film.

One thing I did observe which was different would be the teeth on the Decepticons. Megatron most notably seemed to have a much more animal looking teeth. At times they even looked bone. The first time couple times I noticed the wheels on Optimus when he was in robot form seemed smaller. This could just be my eyes playing tricks on me but it may not have been the case.

The movie stands on its own fairly well and serves the first Transformers as a good sequel but it could have built on so much more, as it left much potential on the table.

Some Mindless Transformation

Short skirts, giant fights and snappy comebacks

The cast and crew return for the sequel to the 2007 summer blockbuster. Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson and John Turturro star along side the giant robots voiced by Hugo Weaving, Peter Cullen, Anthony Anderson, Frank Welker, Tony Todd, Tom Kenny and Charles Adler. Michael Bay returns with the same writing crew of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

Orci and Kurtzman do a decent job if they were attempting to make a film full of one liners as dialogue. Although I really enjoyed the line from Tyrese Gibson’s character “If god made us in his image, I don’t want to meet the guy that made him” (referring to Optimus Prime). I take pleasure in the way that the writing duo subtly used Egyptian lore to tie into the Transformers and their own mythology. Aside from that though, I really don’t know how these guys managed to write Star Trek and this.

Character development is used entirely on introducing new characters such as the college roommate Leo (Ramon Rodriguez) and Jetfire (the walks with a cane because he is so old robot!). At times I was engaged with everyone line of Jetfire’s dialogue, until Bay (or the writers) went for joke after joke at his expense. This point in the movie should have brought us answers (and more questions along with it) but all we got was questions and gags. Aside from Jetfire though, not a single new iota of information is learned about the main characters (robots and humans!). Duhamel is now just a set piece to get the Autobots into action, Fox is just eye candy, LaBeouf is a means to bring the action to a relatable character and Turturro (Rodriguez and arguably half the rest of the cast) are there to make you laugh. That leaves us with lots room for Autobots/Decepticons to bicker, bond and break into character, yet it never happens. The exception being a few scenes with Optimus Prime but they don’t really yield much in the development department.

Plot holes, nope, no holes, just massive fucking chasms! Giant robots are hiding all over the world (as giant vehicles of some kind), yet apparently they can disguise themselves as humans which is never explained. Another time three people not wearing seatbelts manage to survive a straight on crash with a pole, getting picked up and hurled around while the car is hung from a helicopter only to be detached and tumble (at least) 5 stories end over end onto hard cement, without any damage other then a minor scratch.

Some what the fuck moments happened almost every 20 minutes on screen. Some horrible stereotyping by the twin robots who prove that even robots can be very, very stupid. Somehow at the end of Transformers when Bumblebee’s vocal cords start working again but they just stop so he can only talk through the radio (and Tom Hanks) in this film with no justification on why or how. Plus a few more items that I won’t talk about as they are possible spoilers.

Not all is bad though, as action is where Michael Bay is at his best. It shows, especially in the fight scene in the woods. The only time the director really pulls the camera back and lets the viewer see all the action. Not throwing us into the fray with the robots made it so much easier to follow and understand exactly what was happening. My main knock on the first film was the very tight action sequences that were tough to follow (particularly the Decepticons who are basically the same colour and design) and they persist to be a problem in this film as well. As with any other Bay film realism isn’t too high on the chart, pretty women are everywhere. I want to hang out wherever Bay does, especially if every woman looks that damn good and wears that little clothing!

My expectations were raised going into this film because even with the first movies faults it was enjoyable and had a lot of blocks in place to build on. Hope was ringing throughout the entire film as the music blared along with the battles. The hope was not for the characters but that the film will get much better as it runs its course. Sadly it does not. I am not sure if I can recommend this. Yes seeing the IMAX cut is probably worth the viewing. If you can manage to shut down your brain to the minimum functions then you will enjoy this. If not, it could be a long two and half hours.

2.5 out of 5
Colin Enquist

The Non-Humans Have Escaped!

SiM Poster: From Paris with Love

Travolta plays an FBI agent in Morel's crime flick for 2010

In Pierre Morel's From Paris with Love John Travolta (Taking Pelham 1 2 3) plays a U.S. secret FBI agent who crosses paths with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (Mission: Impossible III), an embassy worker, during a risky mission in Paris, France, to stop a terrorist attack. The crime-action flick, which was written by Luc Besson (Taken) and Adi Hasak (Shadow Conspiracy), was initially expected to hit theatres on Christmas Day '09, but the distributors have upped the release date to February 19, 2010. The film also stars Kasia Smutniak, Amber Rose Revah, Melissa Mars, Richards Durden and Farid Elouardi.

Transformers: The Pre-Watch Part I

Optimism higher than a full scale Optimus

BY COLIN ENQUIST

I write this just a mere moment after I finished watching Transformers. Stacks, upon stacks of DVDs are sitting beside my TV to watch. Some are brand new and still in the packaging. A few have been unwrapped but never played. Even some old films, favourite films and a couple that were recommended to me that are looking to be watched when I get a chance. Yet I find myself putting in a film I never thought was that great. Not to say it was bad. It just never was that fantastic of a movie. Action, comedy, mystery and a little suspense, not to mention a great cast should have made Transformers a 5 star movie. Tough to follow action and lack of character development for the giant robots hurt it just a bit. None the less, this is a very fun movie. So why am I watching it again?

Because in 2 hours I will be sitting in my local IMAX to catch the midnight screening of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I tend to put on the first film (or second depending on the movie) of whatever sequel I am about to go see because it helps you get back to knowing those characters. If a filmmaker stitches the two movies together so eloquently that you can’t notice a difference in the character(s), story or dialogue, then he (or she) has done their job perfectly. Finishing Transformers I realized I can do without watching this movie for a year (possibly more) or so before I even put it on once more. Again, let me reiterate that it is NOT a bad movie, just a fun film you can put on when you are down or want some mindless fun. Summing the movie up as mindless fun (a “Bay” film) seems right, fun but not much substance.

Although my expectations have risen for the sequel I don’t know what to expect. Not only because the first film was so much fun and this sequel could go in many directions (for better or worse), but because Michael Bay has promised more robots with more lines (hoping this means some character development for some Autobots or Decepticons). If Bay is giving me one of the two items I disliked (and it is really more nitpicking then total dislike) in the first film. It must be better. It has to be.

(Check out Part II of the Pre-Watch and how I felt it helped me like or dislike the new film tomorrow)

Cher & Aguilera To Star In 'Burlesque'

Pair of pop stars will share camera time in musical film

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

Screen Gems has confirmed that 63-year-old Cher will star alongside 28-year-old Christina Aguilera in Burlesque, a contemporary musical feature film that begins production this November, with a release date set for sometime next year.

"[Cher] brings a soulfulness and gravitas to this character that will ground the story," gushed Clint Culpepper, the president of Screen Gems. Burlesque will mark the first time that the legendary entertainer will sing in a movie that she's also starring in.

The film will also be the first major role for Aguilera, who will play a small-town girl from Iowa who wants to leave her past behind for a future in a neo-burlesque club on L.A.'s Sunset Boulevard, which Cher's character owns. Aguilera had previously lent her voice to Shark Tale (2004) and appreared as herself on several TV shows, including Beverly Hills, 90210 (1999).

Cher, who has to work around her busy touring schedule and voicing a giraffe in the upcoming film The Zookeeper, has been a top-class actress for many years now, with a resume that includes Silkwood (1983), Mask (1985), Mermaids (1990), and her Oscar-winning role in Moonstruck (1987) (pictured above).

Burlesque will be helmed by actor-turned-director Steve Antin (The Good Mother), who had small roles in The Goonies (1985) and The Accused (1988). Film veteran Donald De Line (Pretty Woman, I Love You, Man) will serve as one of the film's producers.

DVD Vault: 28 Days Later (2002)

Director Boyle induces primary fear with zombie-like spectacle

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

ONE of the most terrifying and sinister movies to ever see the light of day is, hands down, Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later, a post apocalyptic frenzy of societal mayhem and global exodus that--for lack of better words--scared the shit outta me! Not literally, of course, but it's probably come the closest!

The 2-hour cinematic tour de force starts us off at the Cambridge Primate Research Facility, where disinclined chimpanzees have been deliberately infected with what one scientist referred to as "rage." A PETA-like group of armed protesters barge into the labs to salvage the afflicted beasts, inadvertently allowing the contagion to affect humans for the first time.

We skip forward to a dormant hospital in downtown London, where Jim (Cillian Murphy), a bicycle courier, has just awoken from a coma 28 days after all hell has broke loose. Oblivious to the catastrophic menace that has plagued his homeland, and perhaps the rest of the world, Jim is bewildered by the ominous cityscape that lays absent of human existence.

He finally comes across a pair of vigilantes, Selena (Naomie Harris) and Mark (Noah Huntley), who rescue him from the "infected," ravenous and demonic humans who have been altered to resemble figments of their past selves, preying on the uninfected and relentlessly hunting them down. The first thing that comes to mind would be zombies, but these vicious slaughterers are quicker, stronger and smarter than anything out of a George A. Romero movie.

After Mark succumbs to the terminal virus Jim and Selena find themselves alone in the abandoned metropolis until they befriend Frank (Brendan Gleeson) and Hannah (Megan Burns), a father and daughter remotely surviving within a high rise apartment complex. Together they adhere to their unprecedented circumstance and agree to leave the city for a soldier blockade near Manchester, where a pre-recorded radio transmission promises "the answer to the infection." They stock up on necessary--and some unnecessary--supplies and head for the uncertain army base that offers no guarantees of salvation.

On their arrival at the seemingly desolate concrete siege, Frank is suddenly stricken with the sickness, and before he is able to gorge his own disconcerted daughter, he is shot down by a group of pouncing soldiers, led by Major Henry West (Christopher Eccleston). The gunmen happily take in Jim, Selena and a grief-stricken Hannah, as they all take refuge in a local mansion, set up to allow the soldiers awareness of any unannounced visitors.

But, like the alluring sirens of Greek mythology, the troops have misplaced intentions, fixated on their deprivation of women and sex. Selena and Hannah find themselves the involuntary subjects of the men's carnal urges, while Jim is left for dead, or so they thought. A newfound potency emerges within the destitute Jim, who embarks on a rescue mission of the only two people he has left in his life. One by one, each soldier meets his maker, and the trio of outcasts run for the hills, waiting out the infection in a modest sanctuary located within the tranquil countryside.

Moments of sheer and utter terror run rapid in 28 Days Later, subdued by disheartening compassion, fleeting melancholy, and transient wit, cased within a bleak setting that has been immaculately captured by a director who obviously knows what he's doing (and who has since gone on to helm Slumdog Millionaire). Well-placed imagery and a haunting tone (composed by John Murphy) encompass this stylistic piece of horrific art, telling of a nightmare that tip-toes on conceivability, albeit improbable. There in lies the ultimate fear of Boyle's magnum opus of horror, knowing that a communicable virus could easily signify the collapse of a species such as ours, spreading like wildfire until humankind runs its course. Rent it, borrow it or buy it...whatever you do, see it!

5/5 stars

Epilogue: Couldn't get enough? Luckily for fans of 28 Days Later, a dizzying sequel, 28 Weeks Later, ensued five years later (2007), but Boyle surrendered his director's chair to Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, and settled in as a co-producer instead. Boyle is apparently in talks to direct the third installment in the spine-chilling series, titled 28 Months Later, though no details have been released yet. SiM will surely keep you posted though!
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