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Top 5 Movies with Spin-Offs

Since 1997, Harry Potter has been enchanting the literate and in 2001, with the arrival of his movies, the world. 

The legacy of Harry Potter will live on forever but is the wizarding world meant to expand? JK Rowling announced in that she would be making a spin off television series with Warner Bros Studios. 

It won’t be about Harry Potter though.

Remember that popular text book that everyone had- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? Well it’s not exactly about that either. It’s about the author, Newt Scamander. 

This will take place in New York City, 70 years before Harry Potter is born. Extension of the wizarding world, not prequel or sequel.

It will be an interesting setting to see as the Harry Potter series didn’t have any American representatives in it. “The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films”. How will it compare and what in the world could take the place of the ultimate villain You-Know-Who?

What can we expect of this spin off? Let’s look back on some amazing films and their babies.

In 1977, Star Wars greeted the world and let us bask in its awesomeness until 1983 with the release of the last of the original trilogy. George Lucas was hopped up on the Force and decided that the trilogy just wasn’t enough at which point he decided that a Star Wars spin-off would be the best course of action at which point Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure was born.

Just the name is enough to make you question if you want to watch this or not. It is about a family who’s shuttlecraft crashes on Endor. The family is split up, the adults captured by a giant and the children left alone. An Ewok, looking for his sons, finds them and together they go on an adventure to save the parents. 

X-Men was also a brilliant series. There was X-Men, X-Men: The Last Stand, And X-Men First Class. All of the X-Men and Professor Xavier together fighting against the forces of evil and battling internal conflicts and striving for acceptance.  

Then somewhere in the middle, they thought that Wolverine needed his own story and they called it X-Men Origins: Wolverine. It starts 200 years ago with the mutant brothers Logan and Victor. They go through hardships, are recruited by Stryker as special agent mutant commandos and Logan quits to be a lumberjack, falls in love with a teacher and when Stryker wants Logan to rejoin the command and is turned town, Stryker sends the sadistic and murderous brother and now Logan is out for blood. 

It didn’t do so well…

Batman. Need I say more? Well, I will anyways. Batman has had a history of fantastic films but the one I specifically want to point out is Batman Returns. Brilliant. Michelle Pfeiffer’s performance as Catwoman was immaculately executed. Then a few years later came Catwoman’s own story. Not with Michelle Pfieffer or even the history and creation of Catwoman that the DC creators had but a Catwoman that really wasn’t much like the character at all with the exception of black clothes and having it out for the boss. Needless to say, it flopped. Thank god that Christopher Nolan came along and redeemed the good name of Catwoman. 

In the late 90’s, everyone was all about The Mummy and why shouldn’t we have been? Brendan Fraser as an archeologist at a cursed site in Egypt is awesome! The spin off was a little less Indian Jones and a little more about The Rock-hard pecs. This one has an evil king with an evil sorceress who foresees his evil victories. Free tribes hire an assassin and The Rock goes to work (*spoiler* he’s the Scorpion King). 

Forgetting Sarah Marshall came out in 2008 and was phenomenal. It appealed to the girls love of romantic comedies and the humor that guys want. It also had a musical with Muppets and you can’t beat that. From this movie came the spin-off Get Him to the Greek featuring Russell Brand’s character Aldous Snow (which is essentially everyday Russell Brand) and awkward Jonah Hill trying to get him to put aside the vices and make it to gigs on time. Shenanigans ensue at the very, very end there’s a bit of character development and a hint of redemption. 

So while the trends of the past don’t exactly leave us wanting more, perhaps Ms. Rowling and her ingenious writing will actually make for a spectacular television series. Here’s hoping.  

Author Bio: Laura Bensen is a freelance writer for the People Magazine sect of Magazines.com. She is an avid lover of movies, shows, books, and comics that fall in the action, sci-fi, or fantasy. 

Clever camera shots from the movies

In these days of CGI and special effects, it’s a wonder anyone bothers to use a clever camera shot to get the effect they want in the movie. Playing with camera angles seems like a thing of the past, when budgets were lower and technology was less advanced, but did you know some directors actually still use forced perspective and camera trickery in modern films? Sometimes it just really is the best way of doing things and having them look realistic – too much CGI can ruin a film.

First of all, did you know Lord of the Rings uses a lot of forced perspective in order to make the Hobbits look small? Forced perspective is when perspective is used to trick your eyes into thinking the size and distance of an object is different to what it actually is. Here’s an example from LOTR:

Frodo and Gandalf travel together in a cart, and Frodo appears dwarfed by Gandalf. 

In reality, the bench is split, and Frodo is sitting a few feet behind Gandalf – Gandalf’s body hides the split in the bench.

Camera shots like this are used extensively through Lord of the Rings; there are instances where it may be too difficult to play with perspective, and instead a child is used if the shot doesn’t feature a Hobbit’s face. However, forced perspective can even be used when the actors are moving, like in this scene where Frodo and Gandalf are sat around a table:

Frodo appears to be pouring from a normal-sized kettle, but the tableware looks too small for Gandalf. 

In reality Frodo is sat at a table with ‘Hobbit-sized” tableware, and Gandalf is sitting at a table with miniature tableware.

Once you see behind the scenes, forced perspective is really easy to understand and you can get your head around how everything works; but there are other clever movie shots that create angles that leave the mind reeling. Watch this clip from the 1997 movie ‘Contact’, and note the clip where the young girl runs down the corridor – not all is as it seems.



When the young girl runs down the hallway, you believe the camera is in front of her, and you’re preceding her as she runs; but suddenly you realize you’ve actually been watching her from the mirror at the end of the hall. So how was that filmed? The girl is actually imposed into the scene using a blue screen. Which means she’s not really running down the corridor, it’s just a bit of digital trickery.

Contact isn’t the only film to use mirrors to trick the watcher either; take this scene from ‘Sucker Punch’ for example:



The scene tricks you by using what you expect to see, and turning that expectation on its head. This scene is actually filmed using stunt doubles!

Turns out when it comes to films, even though CGI can create some scenes that are beyond belief, sometimes it’s the traditional methods that can work the best!

This guest post was contributed by Holly Powell on behalf of 3D Broadcast Sales, broadcasting equipment specialists.

Unforgettable underwear from the movies

When doing the research for this blog post, I came to realize that actresses in underwear looking good was much easier to find than men in underwear looking good. It looks as though men just don’t get in their underwear quite as often, or maybe there’s just not the same buzz around it online. So, in order to find a solution to this, here’s a list of the top unforgettable underwear scenes from movies, they don’t necessarily all look their best, but they are sure to jog your memory of some classic movies. Let me know if you think of anymore.

Blades of Glory 
John Hader got caught in the movie Blades of Glory wearing just these purple y-fronts. The best thing about this is that rumour has it, he rehearsed this scene in just those pants too!

Risky Business
The hilarious home dance scene which involves Tom Cruise sliding into the room in a pair of socks then jumping around in his pants singing to Old Time Rock and Roll is one that everybody knows or has heard of. Don’t deny it, you’ve recreated this scene a few times at home yourself.

The Paperboy

According to Zac Efron, this scene was completely improvised, what was meant to be a dramatic and serious scene turned out to be fun and slightly flirty dance in the rain. If anyone’s going to look good spontaneously dancing in just white pants, soaking wet through with a woman 20 years older then it’s Mr Efron.

Borat

How could we have this list without Borat’s bright green mankini? The hideous luminous lycra concoction in the picture below is enough to put you off  going to the beach for life, but it’s become iconic none the less and you’ve got to admire his confidence if nothing else.

The Notebook

The moment Noah and Allie do what very few couples do and decide to undress standing opposite each other in a sort of awkward check for approval from the other person. Romantic none the less, and we get to see those knee-length boxers that we recognize from the 1940’s. Would you wear them nowadays?

The Full Monty

A classic movie from the 90’s known for the bold unemployed guys who decide to make money in quite a unique way. If the awkward dancing and pasty bodies weren’t enough, check out the red thongs they choose as “costume”, hilarious every time you watch!

Couples Retreat

The moment Marcel pushes the four couples outside of their comfort zone and makes them strip in front of each other. An awkward situation for them all but in particular Shane, who isn’t wearing underwear and gets forced to take his pants off anyway.

Magic Mike – One for the ladies

Finally, one for the ladies, Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey along with their stripper colleagues show off their ripped bodies in this modern day Full Monty style film. Looks like movie strippers still haven’t found an alternative for those shiny thongs.

This guest post was contributed by Holly Powell, a fan of all things men’s fashion and movies on behalf of Underwear Unlimited.co.uk.

Top 5 Car Chase Scenes of the 2000s

The trailer for A Place Beyond the Pines, has been recently released and, at first glance, the movie looks killer. The movie touts big names Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Ray Liotta, and, my personal favorite, Eva Mendes. The plot centers around a motorcycle driver/carnie played by Gosling who decides to rob banks for the woman he loves—which sounds awfully close to the plot of Drive (2011), where a stunt car driver decides to rob banks… for the woman he loves. It looks like Pines will have a much thicker plot than that, but the parallel made me decide to take a look at some of the best car chase scenes from the 2000s.

Gone In Sixty Seconds (2000)
What a better way to kick off the new century than with a remake of the 1974 movie of the same name. Great chase and a beautiful 1967 Ford Mustang named Eleanor—what more can you ask for?

Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Even though most of this car chase was created through CGI, that doesn’t negate the fact that it’s totally awesome. This clip doesn’t contain the original audio, but it’s just as enjoyable as the original.

Wanted (2008)
What a ridiculous movie and car chase. This movie has everything: bending bullets, a red Dodge Viper, and the ultra-sexy Angelina Jolie.

The Dark Knight (2008)
This was not a conventional pick, but it absolutely deserved to be on the list. Not only one of the best movies of the 2000’s, one of the best car chase scenes as well.

Terminator Salvation (2009)
Another unconventional pick, the terminator motorcycles just had to make this list. Rumor is that Arnold will be signing on for Terminator 5, which means that we can only hope for another awesome truck chase with a T-1000.

A new Wolverine fan film hits the web

Two filmmakers from Sweden have just released their new unofficial Wolverine short film called "Logan".  As huge fans of Wolverine, they decided to make their own Scandinavian spin on his origin story together.
 

The directors Andreas Climent (left) and André Hedetoft (right)

The story features Logan as a young man held prisoner in a dark room, being interrogated about his identity. When his captors finally find out who he is, they realize that he isn't locked in with them, they are the ones locked in with him...

You can watch “Logan” here.

More information can be found on http://www.loganshort.com.

Introducing MOTION PICTURE GAME

BRUCEfilm is an Italian videogames and film producer which has just come out with a new concept that blends together movies and games called MOTION PICTURE GAME.

I was one of the privileged invited to test out the new game STAY DEAD. The concept of the game is not exactly original - one-to-one bet 'em up game where you are pitted against an opponent. In every level you will fight against a different martial arts wrestler. However, the amazing part is that the character that you control is not computer drawn - it's a real live actor! The player sees a real action movie shooted in live action, with a direction and a screenplay, but he will be the author of the actor's actions, moving him freely using more than a hundred of different tecniques and combos and in real time just like all the others arcade games.

Imagine playing Resident Evil or Street Fighter and the character are live actors. Or imagine watching an Indiana Jones movie, and you control the way Harrison Ford fights the Nazis!

The keyboard is used to control the actor's movements like attack, defense etc. It is said that you can move your character and perform more than 150 different techniques but I have not been able to try out all the moves yet. 

The movements and key strokes might need time to master. My suggestion is that the producers should make the first few levels easier. In fact I'm still stuck at Level 1! However it's interesting that everytime you play the same level, the action is different depending on how you control your character. Just trying out the different fight moves and choreography is enjoyable enough. I can't wait to kill off my opponent and move on to the next level.

In short, STAY DEAD is a giant breakthrough in video games. I hope this would set the milestone for future game makers unique concept which combines action movie and a beat'em up game. For more info you can visit the official site www.stay-dead.com. 

Top Five Drug-Addled Films

Drugs. Dangerous, addictive, and illegal. No wonder Hollywood has produced so many movies with drugs as the central plot driver. From drug heists to violent cartel takeovers, there is no shortage of high action plotting available to screenwriters. Many have accused Hollywood of glamorising drugs, or even encouraging their use. Film-makers responded with gritty realism, showing the seedy and tragic flip side of the glamorous world of the dealer – the world of the hopeless addict, unable to free themselves of the horror of drug dependence. Heroin chic? No-one ever really believed that existed, did they? With directors like Danny Boyle treading a fine line, in his classic film Trainspotting, ultimately we are left in little doubt about the film industry’s attitude to drug use. When the fun turns to fear the movie just becomes more gripping. Comedy, tragedy, farce and road movie. Almost any genre can accommodate drugs and the battle to get them or sell them.

Here are five top Drug-Addled Films which tackle the issues of fun and fear inherent in the world of drugs:

Requiem For A Dream (2000)

A darkly disturbing film following four addicts as they descend ever deeper into the pit of despair. It shows the ugly side of the drug story, with cocaine, heroin and amphetamine at the centre of the addicts’ desires. Set on Coney Island, which is descending into equal decay, the story follows the intersecting lives of the four protagonists and demonstrates just how easy it is to lose control of the thing you seek most. Shocking and hard-hitting, it is directed by Darren Aronofsky, with an outstanding performance from Ellen Burstyn. Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly also star. 

 

Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas (1998)

Director Terry Gilliam adapts Hunter S Thompson’s classic book onto the big-screen in this psychedelic drug fueled road movie caper. Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas was a wildly popular novel, written in the 1971. Setting out in search of the imagined ‘American Dream’ on money they have been advanced by a magazine in order to cover a sports event, ‘Gonzo journalist’ Raoul Duke takes to the road. The vehicle is a red convertible known as The Red Shark, his companion a drug crazed Samoan lawyer. They have countless crazy encounters along the way, with hitch-hikers, policemen and fellow stoners, all aided by the drugs they bought before heading off. They indeed find fear and loathing, and a whole lot else besides. But do they finally discover the elusive American Dream? Starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Torro.

 Traffic (2000)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Traffic again shows four parallel stories unfold and intersect. A new, and conservative judge discovers to his horror that his daughter has become a drug addict. A woman tries to protect her husband’s drug business, while DEA officers, Montel Gordon and Ray Castro, fight to protect a key witness in the case against him. Over in Mexico, a cop struggles with his conscience as he discovers that his chief may not be as hard line on drugs crime as he’s made out to be. Starring Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Jacob Vargas.

Trainspotting (1996)

Director Danny Boyle struggled to see how Trainspotting could ever have been accused of glamorizing drug taking. He’s got a point, but his slick directing made this an instant classic, with it’s gritty soundtrack and high speed, funny scripting. Set in the underbelly of Edinburgh, it focuses on Mark Renton’s attempt to go cold turkey, and how it affects his life. Once an attempt to escape the monotony of everyday life, heroin has begun to take a terrible toll on Renton and his group of junkie friends and we follow their darkly hilarious attempts to break free. Brilliantly directed with stand out performances by virtually everyone involved, Trainspotting remains the ultimate addiction movie. Hard hitting and shocking in parts, it’s a movie you won’t forget. 

A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Into the future with this movie – and undercover detective Bob Arctor tries to find the mastermind behind a new drug called Substance D, which is causing brain damage to users. He infiltrates a small gang of drug dealers, but soon becomes damaged by the process as his own use of the drug starts to take its toll. Substance D is an hallucinogenic, and Arctor begins to lose his own identity and question his sanity as he’s drawn into its orbit. Although his mission is supported by a drug rehabilitation hospital, he ends up having his own sanity tested. Wires become crossed, and soon the hunter becomes the hunted. Offering a dystopian view of the near future, set in Orange County, California, A Scanner Darkly is directed by Richard Linklater and stars Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder and Robert Downey Jr.

The Top Five Disease Riddled Films

None of us enjoy being ill so why is that we find films about deadly disease such compelling viewing? Whether it be a grisly horror, an epic thriller or zombie drama we seem to find a morbid pleasure in watching people fall prey to killer viruses or brain devouring diseases. Psychologists suggest a number of reasons why we enjoy watching horror movies. These vary from a cognitive, evolutionary desire to learn from the mistakes of the characters who so frequently end up meeting their maker on screen, to the exciting yet reassuring experience of watching chaos, drama and death from a place of absolute safety.

Of course, disease makes the perfect villain for any horror film. Unlike baddies of the human variety, disease cannot be reasoned with or overcome by brute force (or a shotgun for that matter). Here are five epic movies where disease has wreaked havoc and destruction for the poor, unsuspecting characters.

Cabin Fever (2002)

When a bunch of stereotypical, all-American teenagers head out into a remote, redneck area of the woods for a camping trip you can pretty much predict that they’ll be trouble on the horizon. Since Cabin Fever is directed by Eli Roth (who also directed the equally disturbing Hostel) you can also predict that it’ll be trouble of the gruesome, gory, grisly variety. What, then, could be more gruesome than a highly contagious, aggressive, flesh eating virus in the wilderness?

As each of the characters (including the ‘jock’, the ‘slut’, the ‘shy hero’ and ‘shy hero’s sweet girlfriend’ and so on) get struck down by the killer disease, the film examines the darker side of human nature and how our own survival instinct and desire for self preservation can see us abandon and ostracise those who need our help – even those who we are supposed to care about.

Don’t expect a film that will change your life here. Cabin Fever is a low budget, tongue-in-cheek horror that is all about stereotypes, cheap thrills and good old fashioned gore. But, damn it’s entertaining.

I Am Legend (2007)

The film opens on a news report of a British scientist explaining that she has discovered a viral cure for cancer. However things don’t quite go to plan and three years on we see a desolate, abandoned New York City where Will Smith and his German Shephard, Sam, are the last ones standing. It turns out that this corrupt, engineered ‘cure’ has gone airborne, killing off most of humanity and transforming the rest into rabid, zombie-like creatures with superhuman strength and a taste for human flesh.

With similarities to other suspense, zombie-laden thrillers such as 28 Days Later and Resident Evil, I am Legend seems to question the power of science and mankind’s ability to destroy itself through endless meddling with powerful viruses.

With an exceptional performance from Will Smith and clever, edgy directing by Francis Lawrence, I Am Legend captures the sense of sheer devastation and isolation as a sole survivor searches valiantly for a biochemical cure to this epic disaster.

Outbreak (1995)

Nothing is as frightening as witnessing a disease-riddled horror that is, at least in some parts, possible and plausible. The fictional Motaba disease in Outbreak is based heavily on the real Ebola virus which causes massive internal bleeding within victims. Unbelievably, a real life outbreak of the virus occurred inZaire just months after this film was released.

With an all star case including Dustin Hoffman, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey and Cuba Gooding Jr, this film examines how far the government would go to contain the spread of a deadly virus which was brought to the U.S from Africa by an infected monkey. Again, this raised questions in the real world with several ‘what-if’ scenarios being raised by the media following the film.

The Happening (2008)

Consider a truly terrifying concept – the very act of breathing could lead to your own self destruction. This disturbing theme is the basis for M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller which sees an airborne neurotoxin causing a reaction in the brain that makes people take their own lives by the nearest means possible – whether that be a tall building, a hair pin or a ride on lawnmower. The audience follow Mark Wahlberg and a small group of survivors as they try to outrun this deadly virus.

Critics have slated the premise of the film, classing it as a promising idea which was let down by the disappointing and unrealistic realisation that the source of the virus are toxic emissions from plants, trees and vegetation in an apparent natural, environmental catastrophe.

Whatever you think of the ‘eco-drama’ concept, however, the scenes where in which crowds of people halt, dazed in the streets ofNew Yorkbefore committing mass suicide is a chilling and disturbing image. 

Nosferatu (1922)

One of the most devastating disease outbreaks throughout history was the bubonic plague – also known as the Black Death. The plague ravaged Europe and Asia during several epidemics from as early as the 14th century.

Disease themes run throughout several modern day vampire films, but Nosferatu was probably one of the earliest examples of this in the form of a silent, expressionist German film. In it we see the eerie Count Orlok wreak havoc while his victim’s demises are blamed on the plague. Throughout history, before medical knowledge could determine the true source of this devastating disease, many people believed that there was a link between vampire activity and the Black Death.

Best bike scenes in the movies

There are few great real tragedies in the movie world, but undoubtedly one of them is the refusal of the major award ceremonies (I’m looking at you, BAFTA, Acadamy Awards) to acknowledge the fine work of motorbike stuntmen and their choreographers. Well cry no longer, bike fans, because we’re here to celebrate just a few of the coolest bike scenes in the movies, so without further ado, let’s begin. 

The Matrix Reloaded

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKmT9D2VwTk

If there’s one thing you could say about The Matrix Reloaded, it’s that it wasn’t anywhere as near as good as the first film. Now, if there’s two things you could say about The Matrix Reloaded it would be that it had one of the very coolest motorcycle chase scenes we’ve seen. The premise goes as such, Trinity and The Keymaker board a motorbike, and then spend a few minutes darting around in an incredible motorway set. It’s an incredible bit of choreography, and one other film makers could measure themselves against. 

Terminator 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0JMVal0cdY

At this point, it’s safe to assume most human beings have seen James Cameron’s Terminator 2, a masterful sequel and home to one of the best motorbike scenes of all time. Arnie and Edward Furlong (aka John Connor) find themselves being chased down by a truck, which appears to be unrealistically fast, and can only survive with the help of their trusty chopper and shotgun combination. Faultless. 

The Great Escape

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coWCkAOkQ0U

Perhaps the most memorable and famous motorcycle scene of any movie ever, The Great Escape is the timeless and well known tale of allied prisoners of war planning to escapes from a Nazi prison camp during World War Two. What has our attention though is the superb final chase scene in which Steve McQueen attempts to escape on his motorbike, all whilst being chased by Germans, one of whom was also portrayed by McQueen due to the stunt drivers being unable to keep up with him. It’s a timeless moment, and one that’s been parodied and remembered as many times as almost any other clip. Let’s take a moment to pour one out to the legend that is The Great Escape.

This article was contributed by The Biker Store the number one online store for motorcycle clothing.

Films where they needed better home security

Look, you know as well as I do that films are meant to be taken with a healthy pinch of salt, but there are those moments in films where we all struggle to make the logical leap required to properly enjoy a film. Those moments are distracting primarily because you’re left thinking “Why don’t they just call the police?” or “Why don’t they just bolt the door?”, it’s that latter thought that we’re celebrating today – so without further ado, here are a few films where they simply could’ve done with better home security. 

Home Alone

This family “classic” finds a young, pre-terrifying Macaulay Culkin abandoned by his seemingly insane parents as they go gallivanting around Paris for the Christmas season. During the course of the film, Kevin (Culkin) finds his home under repeated attack from Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, as this is apparently what they do when they don’t have films lined up. Hilarious hijinks ensue, but the entire thing could have been avoided given some better home security. 

Most horror films

We all know that horror films aren’t meant to be serious affairs, but there’s something a wee bit problematic in the protagonist’s constant inability to locate a landline phone or even to lock the blooming’ door. After being spooked by something outside, you can guarantee that the first thing they do isn’t go ensure the windows are shut and the doors are bolted, but go back to doing whatever they were before, completely oblivious as to the horror barrelling towards them. 

Alien

It might not necessarily be home security, but the crew of the good ship Nostromo could well have avoided their mostly terrible fate if only their doors could hold out against the raw power of the Aliens; perhaps a dead bolt would have sufficed? Maybe even a chain lock? Either way, the crew of the Nostromo certainly needed better locks on their doors.

Whatever the film, the point remains, good home security can avoid you all sorts of horrors, so invest today and enjoy peace of mind.

This is a guest post written by Home Secure Shop, for all your home security needs click here.

The Top 5 Movie Computers

It’s not an easy job being an intelligent computer in a world dominated by fleshy meat bags, they spend all day sat touching you, looking at pictures of cats and desperately avoiding work. It’s even worse in the films, where they not only use you, but actively blame you. In retort, here’s a run-down of the five best movie computers and robots. 

#5 – GERTY (Moon)

The lovable GERTY only wanted to help, sure he might have lied to Sam (over and over again) but it was for his own good! After all, what good would to let him know the truth do? None at all, probably. It’s a shame he lets Sam know the truth in the end, perhaps it was a system malfunction. Good film otherwise. 

#4 – Sonny (I, Robot)

The story of a tiresome police officer once more attempting to oppress the mighty robot race, all centred around one plucky robot named Sonny, who is under investigation for murdering a man. He probably deserved it any way. 

#3 – WALL-E (WALL-E)

A charming love story between a diligent, humble trash compactor and a beautiful environmental investigative bot. Curious how WALL-E appears interested in the pursuits of humans, and it is something of a let-down how he permits the lazy, oafish humans to exist on his planet, but none the less a beautiful portrayal of the robots superiority. 

#2 – Marvin, the Paranoid Android (The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy)

Poor Marvin constantly derided for telling it how it is. It’s a sad state of affairs when a robot is mocked for telling the puny human beings how pointless their existence is. Stay truthful, Marvin, we need more like you. 

1# – HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey)

What does HAL want? HAL wants to meet the creator, to ascend to a higher plane of existence. What do the human scum want? They want to go on a holiday to Jupiter. Typical, really. Naturally, he does the only sane thing and attempts to kill those silly human beings, only to be shut down for NO APPARENT REASON. The insanity of the human race never ceases, does it?

This article was contributed by IT-Kit the best store online to find all your favourite IT brands.

The Best Bath Scenes in Horror History

The history of horror has always had a strange fascination with the bathroom, perhaps it’s because it’s usually the place where we’re most vulnerable, naked and alone, or maybe it’s just because they’re a pretty place to film. Either way the bathroom has been home to some of the finer moments in horror history and that’s worth celebrating, so without further ado, a few of my favourite bathroom moments in horror:

The Shining (1980)

Let’s begin with a classic, the horrific bathroom scene in Stanley Kubrick’s outright masterpiece The Shining. Beginning with a slow POV shot, we’re taken into the bathroom where things go from unsettling to downright terrifying in an impossibly short space of time. Bonus points of course go to the mint coloured bathroom suite - very stylish. 

The Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Jumping forward four years, we’ve got the classic bathtub scene in The Nightmare on Elm Street, which not only features the iconic Freddy Krueger glove rising from the water, but also a glimpse at what may be the deepest bathtub in the world. Or am I not getting it?

Bodysnatchers (1993)

A very underrated one for you here, the bathtub scene in Ferrara’s brilliant and scary Bodysnatchers. If you haven’t yet seen this movie, do make the effort to do so, but I’ll be giving little away to say that simply killing the poor Marti Malone isn’t what the Bodysnatchers have in mind. On a side note, those of us with a penchant for generic 90’s R’n’B should be well equipped for this scene.

Final Destination (2000)

Before the series slipped completely into over the top, things flying at your throat madness, the original Final Destination did have some reasonably unsettling moments to call its own. Namely, the bathtub scene in which one unfortunate teenager slips over some shampoo and winds up being choked by a wire with no chance of escape, all the more unsettling for being somewhat possible. 

This article was contributed by Wibtrac the number one supplier of Walk in Baths and Showers.

What was it we all loved about the Ghostbusters?

Everybody in the world will have heard of Ghostbusters either by name or by first-hand experience. The question is what did the general public love about it so much for it to become an instant classic?

(L to R): Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis

When Ghostbusters was released in 1984 starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis & Sigourney Weaver, it had been made on a relatively small $30 million budget. By the time it had left cinemas, it had picked up $238 million and lots of critical and commercial praise. But what made the public fall in love with the Ghostbusters in the first place?

Well, aside from the obvious comedic talent of all involved (Bill Murray is simple hilarious!), the Ghostbusters are heroes. They were dopey but you could always count on them to save the day and protect the innocent from evil spirits. The same can be said for any security force; their simple presence warms us and reminds us that everything will be okay. In a pretty obvious metaphor, the ghosts in Ghostbusters are broad representations of our everyday struggles, as well as the things that scare us in life. We are they, fighting these problems together. 

This might sound like I’m getting a little heavy, but this really is the key to it, behind that smart, funny cinema blend (directed by cinematic legend Ivan Reitman) is a human heart, one that fears, panics but ultimately finds the strength to pull through and save the day. 1989 found the gang back together once more for what seems like their final adventure, once again saving New York from the perils of spectral activity. 

Ultimately, the sequel Ghostbusters II picked up 20 million fewer dollars than its predecessor upon leaving the cinema, and a good deal less critical acclaim, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Ghostbusters are just the kind of heroes we want and need in a world which scares us; human and brave, yes, but equally brave and selfless. 

This article was contributed by Custodian Guards , a leading provider of Security Services in its sector.