Just When You Thought it Was Safe to Take Off Your 3D Glasses

Two movies with similar make-ups being released within such close proximity is not a rare thing, as we all know. Earlier this year we saw David Traucki's shark-stalking-pretty-people-in-Queensland movie The Reef and later in the year we get shark-stalking-pretty-people-in-Queensland(-in-3D!) movie Bait. The latter is obviously going for the bigger, more mainstream horror thrills with its $25mil budget (a co-production with Singapore funnily enough) and populist 3D upgrade.


However, it's not The Reef and Bait (or, Bait 3D as it is occasionally known) that we're here to talk about. No, instead we're here to look at the trailers for Bait and Shark Night 3D. This American movie from director David R Ellis appears to be borrowing quite heavily from the model of the recent 3D Piranha remake, what with its liberal flashes of nudity and leaning towards a camp/comedic take. Still, two 3D shark movies bear comparing so that's what we're here to do!

First, the trailer for Bait.


While I love the start - the use of Queensland's tourism calling card of "Beautiful one day, perfect the next" is particularly inspired - and, hey, who am I to deny the sight of Xavier Samuel in lifesavers gear? After that however, I'm not quite sure what happens. While it's perfectly acceptable, something about it feels slightly off, don't you think? As if this trailer isn't entire complete. The pacing is all off, some of the footage used looks like it hasn't been properly colour-graded yet, the big close-up of the shark money shot is less than thrilling and the lack of dialogue feels worryingly like they're attempting to mask Sanctum levels of silliness.

Still, it looks far more promising than this:


Do you see what I mean with that Piranha reference? But, see, Piranha 3D had that wonderful cast being oh so very serious in the face of mutant piranhas (something Piranha 3DD seems to have forgotten about by casting nobodies and Z-grade celebrities like David Hasselhoff). Shark Night 3D has... well, the only name I recognise is Chris Zylka from Kaboom. Oh and that dude from Avatar, apparently. Ouch. That line about it being a salt water lake is particularly almost LOL worthy though so perhaps it belongs in the Asylum wheelhouse alongside Mega Piranha and Giant Shark vs Mega Octopus. Still, if they're going to keep trying to make 3D happen I'd much rather they utilise it on movies like these than, say, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, you know?

If I had Photoshop on the laptop I am using I would most definitely take a screengrab of my absolute tip-top favourite moment in the trailer. It's not of anything in the movie, but is instead the title card that appears at 1:08. Take a look, it's good for a laugh.

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF HOSTEL

AND ONE OF THE PRODUCERS OF THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
The shit producer or the good producer? I guess we'll never know...

Road Train in Ten Convenient Images

Pardon the gratuitous nature of this entry, but I'm sure you won't mind.

Road Train, the Aussie horror thriller about a driverless truck running a group of tourists off the road, is not a good movie. It's one of those movies that seems designed for viewers to yell at the screen whenever a character does something silly like investigate a strange noise (which happens a lot) or walk around by themselves (which happens a lot more). It's full of all sorts of grisliness and a plot trick that was done far better in Triangle.

But, really, the main reason I didn't like it? Not enough of Xavier Samuel being sexualised! Clearly they needed more of Xavier in various stages of sweaty undress...










...and less of these annoying characters screaming at each other like a pack of wild banshees.


How silly of them, they should've known better. D

Olivia Newton John Hanging from the Chandelier

While I'm generally twitchy about making y'all watch a video with Angela Biship, I found this video about the making of A Few Best Men and it does feature Xavier Samuel looking dapper in a suit and there is a mention of Olivia Newton John "swinging off the chandelier", and doesn't that sound like an enticing prospect?


Stephan Elliot's A Few Best Men will probably reach our screens in 2012. Here's a behind the scenes image I found that finally brings together the stars of The Twilight Saga, The Ghost Rider and A Mom For Christmas! Isn't this what we all really want?

Xavier Samuel's Wet T-Shirt Competition

Starring none other than Xavier Samuel himself.


The image is from Bait 3D - via Bloody Disgusting - which is about a shark in a shopping mall. I honestly can't tell you how psyched I am for this! And not just because it features Xavier Samuel running around in clingy wet clothes, no sir!

Bait 3D is set for release in September this year.

When Xavier Goes to Xanadu

What does one make of Stephan Elliott?

I haven't seen his debut feature, Frauds, but I have meant to. I mean, it stars Phil Collins and Hugo Weaving! He even inserted the poster into his followup, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Personally, I would rank Priscilla as not only one of the absolute greatest Australian films of all time, but would also rank as probably the second funniest movie I have ever seen (the best being, obviously, Flying High!) Naturally, he had lofty heights to reach after that one, but unfortunately he followed it up with Welcome to Woop Woop. Even more unfortunate was that he followed that car crash of a movie with, well, a crash on the ski slopes that nearly killed him.

He returned with Easy Virtue a couple of years ago that was a mildly pleasing effort made better by Jessica Biel's best performance yet. I, along with everyone I know who fell privy to knowing of its existence, his next project was supposed to be Black Oasis and it's eventual production hell status remains of the most bitterly disappointing film developments of the last several years. Oh how amazing Black Oasis would have been.

He's back now prepping a new Australian film titled A Few Best Men that sounds more than little bit like The Hangover Down Under, but with today's casting announcements, my enthusiasm - as well as having some remaining faith that Elliott is able to make a ball-busting hilarious film again - has gone through the roof. The roof of a roller disco, that is! From Encore Magazine

The cast of Stephan Elliott’s A Few Best Men will include Xavier Samuel, Kris Marshall, Kevin Bishop and Olivia Newton-John as the mother of the bride.

“I’m thrilled Olivia Newton-John is part of the cast; Dean Craig has written a fantastically entertaining script, and it’s especially exciting to partner Stephan Elliott with Olivia who is a true music and film icon. Olivia will be playing a role that will show her in a light she’s never been seen before and it’s going to turn heads and win new fans,” said producer Gary Hamilton.

Holy shitballs, folks!


"I thought we were filming this is the outback, not the mystical Mt Olympus!"
I have been known to find Xavier Samuel, ahem, a nice screen presence and it will be nice to see him in a comedy that's not Twilight: Eclipse. But, of course, the real news here is Olivia Newton-John. I trust she won't be shooting ping pong balls out of her hoo haa like Julia Cortez in Priscilla. Still, the prospect of seeing Livvy on screen is quite an exciting prospect. Sure, she's never been the best actress, but hopefully Stephan Elliott - a director not adverse to musical sequences - gives her a song to sing and we can all stop caring.


"Ping pong balls out of my what now?"
I can't say I'm familiar with Kevin Bishop or Kris Marshall outside of a few roles they've been in that I, obviously, didn't take much notice. I hear Bishop, especially, has his fans. We'll see whether it all goes down a treat some time in 2012. Let's revisit two of my absolute favourite Olivia tracks, shall we? Yes, we shall!


"Xanadu (film version)" | "Twist of Fate"

Love

The marketing for upcoming local horror film The Loved Ones kicked into overdrive today with the release of a brand spankin' new poster as well as, at long last, a trailer. Watch the trailer below or watch it here in bigger, better quality.

The Loved Ones, as the PR tells us, is "like the bastard lovechild of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Pretty in Pink", which I think says a lot. It stars Xavier Samuel (and his hair) as a High Schooler who turns down a date to the dance (read: prom), but discovers... well, you'll see. I've felt so stupid all year knowing I could have seen this at last year's MIFF and didn't. Since then it has gone on to win a major prize at the Toronto International Film Festival and spark some almighty buzz within the local industry. Those who have seen it have not left disappointed. The world now awaits on the word of David "Shaky Cam" Stratton!


How about that?!? Certainly packs a punch, doesn't it? It looks sick and twisted and insane and I can't wait until I get to see it at the end of the month.

Bright Young Things

Over at Trespass this week we are looking at "bright young things", up and coming talent. Earlier this week Trespass' film writers each threw up our choices for best directorial debuts in which I selected Matthew Saville (Noise), Courtney Hunt (Frozen Hunt, left) and Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives of Others) and today we all take a look at 20 young actors under the age of 30 that we feel deserve your attention.


I discuss the above talented younguns. Xavier Samuel, Jamie Bell, Emily Barclay, Abbie Cornish and Greta Gerwig. I've dicussed Bell, Samuel and Barclay quite about at the blog and I definitely think Abbie Cornish was the one most robbed of an Oscar nomination this year. Greta Gerwig is a new on screen acquaintance of mine having only seen Greenberg. I am not that keen on the "mumblecore" films that I have seen, but I am still interested in seeking them out for Gerwig who truly does look like a potentially big star.

Click on over to Trespass to take a look at the rest.

The Wheels on the Truck Go 'Round and 'Round

It's funny how things just go in circles, isn't it? Several years ago when the fantastic-but-under-seen American thriller Joy Ride received its local Australian release it received a name change to Road Kill. It was also changed to Road Killer in Japan and Never Play With Strangers in Israel, but that's neither here nor there. The film is very good and you could do far, far worse in the teen thriller subgenre. Plus, it has this.

Anyway, back on point. The new Aussie horror flick Road Train is coming out sometime in 2010 and the film by Dean Francis is getting its world premiere tonight at the Dungog Film Festival. Can't wait to hear reactions since this supernaturally-themed thriller, which stars Xavier Samuel, Sophie Lowe and Bob Morley, could indeed be another Joy Ride quality thriller. Dare I suggest it could even be as good as Steven Spielberg's Duel? I think we're pushing it there.

Road Train - the name given to ultra-large trucks that roam the roads of this country - has been picked up by Fangoria Magazine in America and will screen in their "Fangoria FrightFest" according to Empire. The curious thing to note is that it will be receiving a name change and will go from being called Road Train to, er, Road Kill.

Going around in circles, aren't we? Are there no more titles left to choose from that they have to just keep recycling old ones and repurpose them for different countries?

I have included the trailer and it looks quite good. Sure, there's a bit of silliness on display - namely the use of the word "vastness" and "the truck took you" moment made me chuckle - but it looks like it actually has a budget and that they're going for some real genuine terror moments. Plus, looking at Xavier Samuel for 90 minutes is always going to boost a film's worth.

Xavier Samuel is All Alone

I've been quietly following Xavier Samuel and his recent ascension to American films with his role in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. While I would have obviously preferred he got his quote unquote big break in something, ahem, more to my tastes than Eclipse, I think it's great that he's making a name for himself since audiences in Australia clearly weren't interested in any of the movies he was making (including quality work such as Septemper or queer surfing flick Newcastle).

I didn't, however, expect him to get a film poster all to himself though! That's pretty awesome for someone who is, quite literally, an unknown to roughly 99% of the audience. He looks Photoshopped to oblivion, but that just seems to be increasingly horrifying aspect of the world that we can't escape. I prefer to remember Xavier in, let's say, sunnier terms (oh my, that's a little bit NSFW, isn't it?) but I'm all for actors I like being able to get this sort of lift off to their career. I really hope this and The Loved Ones propels him much higher.


I just wish it didn't remind me of the poster for Land of the Dead.