Director Sam Raimi made a name for himself (and boyhood friend Bruce Campbell) with a series of low-budget horror films that began in 1978 with "Within the Woods," a short college project that would chart the rest of his career. While that particular movie remains little seen, it led directly to the cult classic "Evil Dead" and its two sequels, "Evil Dead II" and "Army of Darkness," and forever cemented Sam Raimi as a bonafide member of the horror club.
So it was with some regret among his fans that -- as his career progressed -- Raimi drifted into other areas of cinema, most notably the billion dollar blockbuster "Spider-Man" franchise, and seemingly left his chainsaw and boomstick behind. That was until 2009, when he came roaring out of the gate with "Drag Me to Hell," the veteran filmmaker's return to the genre that made him a legend. The film stars Alison Lohman as a young bank officer who is hexed at the decrepit hands of a vengeful gypsie. Like most of Raimi's works, it's mixed with his personal flair and imbued with a sense of humor, while remaining throughout a very scary movie. "Drag Me To Hell" arrives on Blu-ray and DVD with only one true special feature -- that the "Production Video Diaries," a half-hour look at the making of the film. It's unfortunate that Raimi couldn't be persuaded to record a commentary, as it's always a treat getting inside his head. Read More...
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While Friday night audiences were hungry for R-rated raunchiness, and propelled "The Hangover" to the top spot with a take of $16.5 million, box office analysts were predicting that a family-themed flick such as "Land of the Lost" -- which reviews describe as surprisingly family-unfriendly -- might overtake it with Saturday grosses. It was "Up" that triumphed over all, smacking "The Hangover" down to the #2 spot. Saturday saw Disney/Pixar's latest bring in another $44.2 million dollars at the box office, meaning it will probably end the weekend with a firm grasp on the #1 spot.
If that headline is disturbing, good. It should be. But not as disturbing as the reason for its existence. See that little picture over there on the right? That is Will Ferrell's official Will Powered Charity sunscreen. You can buy it, and it actually goes to a good cause!
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Away We Go To Hollywood's Lands of the Lost
Posted 6/5/09 1:00 pm EST by Elisabeth Rappe in Commentary
They're wildly different stories and genres, but at their heart they're all about getting away... far away. I've decided to honor this group of daredevils by running through five of Hollywood's most fantastic journeys. It's really tough to narrow it to just five, but I'm hoping that you'll share some of your favorites in the comments below. Together we can make this the list to end all lists! Yes we can! Read More...
Tags Away We Go, land of the lost, the hangover