Tuesday, January 22

• DVD Tuesday

  Leading this week's crop of new releases is torture-porn sequel Saw IV, available in both standard and extra-disturbing unrated editions. Also arriving on DVD are Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's surprise hit The Game Plan, the grieving parents drama Reservation Road, the modern-day Snow White update Sydney White and the Richard Gere/Terrence Howard thriller The Hunting Party.
  
  

  Posted 01/22/2008 by Thomas

  Saw IV | The Game Plan | Reservation Road | Sydney White | The Hunting Party

Thursday, November 8

• Saw's Smith set to Slaughter movie lovers with snuff film

  No, Slaughter is not a biopic based on the seminal early '90s hair metal band responsible for such awesomely craptastic hits as "Up All Night" and "Fly to the Angels"; it's a new horror pic starring current reigning scream queens Shawnee Smith (Saw II, Saw III, and presumably Saw IV through XVII), Erica Leerhsen (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and AnnaLynne McCord (Day of the Dead). According to The Hollywood Reporter, all three have signed on for the flick, in which they'll play "actresses unknowingly cast in a Japanese snuff film."

  Which begs the question: how many actresses are knowingly cast in snuff films? Do they hold auditions for these things? I can't say I've ever overheard an out-of-work actor say, "Man, I really hope I get that Japanese snuff film I auditioned for."

  
  

  Posted 11/08/2007 by Thomas

  Shawnee Smith | Erica Leerhsen | Saw V | Saw VI | Saw IV | Saw III | Saw II | Slaughter

Sunday, October 28

• Weekend Box Office Wrap Up

  Audiences just can't get enough of gore, it seems, as Saw IV absolutely creamed the competition this weekend, coming in first with $32.1 million.

  The Steve Carell dramedy Dan in Real Life came in a distant second with $12 million, and last weekend's box office topper, 30 Days of Night, dropped to third with $6.7 million.

  The weekend's new art house offerings had much more modest takes, with Bella leading the pack with $1.3 million in 17th place.

  Source: Boxofficemojo

  
  
  

  Saw IV clip

  "Hair trap"

  Posted 10/28/2007 by Heather

  Saw IV

Saturday, October 27

• Return of the living dead (characters)

  You just can't keep a good horror villain down. When we last glimpsed Saw's fiendishly sadistic bad guy Jigsaw, at the end of the popular horror series' third installment, he was lying in a pool of blood -- unquestionably, irrefutably, undeniably dead. Deader than the Rockies' chances of winning the World Series.

  And yet, not only does Jigsaw return to his torturous ways in Saw IV, star Tobin Bell is signed on to reprise his signature role in two additional installments of the lucrative franchise.

  While slasher flicks are notorious for resurrecting dead characters, the dubious practice is surprisingly common in other genres as well. Check out our list of eight of the lamest excuses for bringing deceased characters back from the dead. 

  
  

  Posted 10/27/2007 by Thomas

  Tobin Bell | Saw IV | Saw III

Friday, October 26

• By the Numbers: Reviews of this Weekend's New Releases

  It's going to be a bloody weekend at the Cineplex, with the critic-proof horror sequel Saw IV making its debut. Movie lovers seeking an alternative to splatter can check out Steve Carell's new comedy Dan in Real Life.

  A rundown of our reviews of this weekend's new releases:   

  Saw IV  
  "Another stale entry into the torture porn genre featuring some clever methods of creating anguish and the requisite gross-out moments."

  Dan in Real Life 
  "Hedges' sophomore directorial effort is an amusing, albeit schmaltzy, family affair raised a notch by Steve Carell’s pure likability."  

  Also opening: Bella, Mr. Untouchable, Music Within.

  
  

  Posted 10/26/2007 by Thomas

  Saw IV | Dan in Real Life | Bella | Music Within | Mr. Untouchable

Tuesday, October 23

• DVD Tuesday

  Hungry for some torture porn? Can't wait until Saw IV opens on Friday? Then let Eli Roth's gory opus Hostel Part II, which debuts on DVD today, be the methadone to your Saw heroin. Also arriving in stores is Kevin Costner's cerebral serial killer flick Mr. Brooks, the first movie to succesfully exploit all of the irksome qualities of inexplicably popular comedian Dane Cook.

  Our pick for this week is the decidedly less sinister Disney animated family flick Meet the Robinsons, featuring those adorably non-threatening Jonas Brothers.

  
  
  

  Meet the Jonas Brothers

  Thomas Leupp interviews Kevin, Joe and Nick
  

  Mr. Brooks - Trailer

  Starring Kevin Costner
  

  Hostel Part II - Trailer

  American girls will cost you this time around

  Posted 10/23/2007 by Thomas

  Kevin Costner | Eli Roth | Dane Cook | Hostel Part II | Saw IV | Meet the Robinsons | Mr. Brooks

Thursday, October 18

• Blood-curdling clips abound on ReelzChannel.com!!!

  Are you getting into the Halloween spirit yet? No? Well, what are you waiting for? Just two weeks until the greatest holiday of the year!

  To help get you in the mood, we've got some great new clips from two of the month's big horror releases: 30 Days of Night and Saw IV.

  Check out the 30 Days of Night clips by clicking here.

  Check out the Saw IV clips by clicking here.

  
  
  

  A Clip from 30 Days of Night

  Rock, Paper, Scissors
  

  A Clip from 30 Days of Night

  Have a Little Talk
  

  A Clip from Saw IV

  Hair Trap
  

  A Clip from Saw IV

  Cecil's Knives

  Posted 10/18/2007 by Jeff

  30 Days of Night | Saw IV

Tuesday, October 2

• Check out 26 bloody images from 30 Days of Night

  While the Saw movies have dominated the Halloween box office in recent years, a new challenger is emerging in the annual battle for horror dominance. 30 Days of Night, based on the acclaimed graphic novel from Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith and starring Josh Hartnett, opens a week before Saw IV and is enjoying some impressive buzz, despite the fact that it stars Josh Hartnett. Looks like Jigsaw will finally get a run for his money this year.

  Don't believe me? Head to our 30 Days of Night page, click on the "Photos" tab and see for yourself, jerk.

  
  
  Next Showing: 30 Days of Night opens October 19th.
  

  30 Days of Night - Trailer

  An Alaskan town is attacked by a gang of vampires.

  Posted 10/02/2007 by Thomas

  Josh Hartnett | 30 Days of Night | Saw IV

Thursday, September 27

• New stills and clip from Saw IV  
  

  Our friends over at Bloody-Disgusting.com have all the latest goods on this Halloween's Saw IV. Today they have added two new stills from the torture porn flick as well as a clip that gives some major insight into the questions of Jigsaw's future in the series. Check it out!
  
  
  

  Posted 09/27/2007 by Jeff

  Saw IV

Sunday, September 2

• Jigsaw (probably) back in Saw IV   

  A teaser trailer for Saw IV has surfaced over on Yahoo! along with a series of new posters which seem to indicate that Tobin Bell's Jigsaw does indeed make some sort of an appearance in the new film.

  The teaser doesn't show a whole lot, more of a gear-up tease for the fans. Still, for those who love torture porn, I'm sure it will get the blood flowing.

  Our own Tom Leupp took in a cocktail mixer with the Saw IV crew a few months back, which you can check out right here.

  
  
  Next Showing: Saw IV hits theaters on October 26th.

  Posted 09/02/2007 by Jeff

  Tobin Bell | Saw IV

Thursday, July 26

• Saw IV gets NC-17 rating

  The MPAA has fired the first salvo in what is likely to be a contentious battle with the producers of Saw IV, branding the upcoming horror flick with an NC-17 rating. Saw IV director Darren Lynn Bousman and producer Mark Berg revealed the news during a panel today at the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con. The crowd at the convention center greeted the announcement with raucous applause, with fans pleading for the film to be released as-is and not re-cut for an R.

  "We're not exactly sure what to do about it today," said Berg, "but the movie's coming out on October 26th one way or another."

   

  
  

  Posted 07/26/2007 by Thomas

  Darren Lynn Bousman | Mark Berg | Saw IV

Monday, June 25

• Reelz Brings you up to Speed

  Feeling left behind on your movie knowledge? Intimidated by the whirlwind of movies news during summer blockbuster season? Want to know the latest ins-and-outs around Hollywood?

  ReelzChannel.com is here for you. We've got your cliff notes for the last week in Tinseltown. The who's, the what's, the when's and the where's... Time to get UP TO SPEED!

       30 Million a Flop?

  Since when is a $32 million opening weekend and a number one ranking at the box office considered a disappointment? Well, when said comedy cost $200 million big ones, that's when. Evan Almighty set the bar pretty high this weekend with a monster budget. Poor reviews and stiff competition have left Uni wondering whether they should halt plans for the John Goodman-led sequel, Congressman LongAlmighty.

   

       Saw Does Drag...

  Yes, the Saw franchise is chugging along, even if everyone pretty much bit the dust at the end of part three. Lions Gate sent us the first image from the set of Saw IV last week and, I gotta say? What the heck is going on there? A pig in drag tied to some kinda future rocket jet pack? Am I even warm here?

   

       John TurTurturro mocks Michael Bay and gets paid for it... BY BAY!

  John Turturro thinks Michael Bay is an ego-maniac. Join the club, you might the thinking? Well, Turturro took it to the next level, basing his Transformers character on the camera-friendly director. "You're so in love with yourself," Turturro told the director. Bay didn't mind, citing that he was amused with the interpretation. Coming next, Turturro based his portrayal of a man struggling with anger management issues on David O Russell. Hmm, I don't know John, that one might not pan out quite so well...

   

       AFI Updates Their Top 100... But Does Anyone Really Care?

  It's only been nine years since the American Film Institute named their 100 Best Movies of All Time. So seriously, was anyone calling out for a new list so soon? And why nine years? Only four new movies made the list, one of which was The Sixth Sense. Was that even the best movie of the year it came out? Hint, it's not. Spoiler... he was dead the whole time. For those with short memories, 1999 highlights include The Matrix, American Beauty, Fight Club, Magnolia and Being John Malkovich.

   

  

      A Thinking Man's Bond?
  

  Sony announced Marc Forster as the director of the 22nd James Bond film. Hey, I liked Monster's Ball and Stranger Than Fiction as much as the next guy. But...think about it. Aren't Bond flicks about banging hot chicks and blowing things up? After walking out of Monster's Ball, I was ready to open a vein. Stranger Than Fiction made me wonder, what the hell am I doing with my life? Bond? I'm just not seeing it...

  
  

  Posted 06/25/2007 by Jeff

  Transformers | Evan Almighty | Saw IV

Thursday, June 21

• Exclusive First Image From Saw IV!!!

  Details on the hotly anticipated Saw IV are slowly trickling in.

  Our own Thomas Leupp attended a cocktail mixer last week with director Darren Lynn Bousman and Jigsaw himself, Tobin Bell, last week. You can read about that right here.

  Today, we have another special treat as Lions Gate has sent attendees of that event a special exclusive first image from Saw IV.

  Click here to check it out!

  
  

  Posted 06/21/2007 by Jeff

  Tobin Bell | Darren Lynn Bousman | Saw IV

Thursday, June 14

• The Return of Jigsaw

  When we last left Jigsaw, the horror genre's preeminent villain was lying in a pool of blood, his throat slashed from ear to ear during the closing moments of Saw III.

  But good horror villains rarely stay dead for long, and Jigsaw is set to resume his fiendishly sadistic ways this October in Saw IV. The question is, how exactly do the filmmakers plan to resurrect him? The web is awash with rumor and speculation from the Saw faithful.

  At a Tuesday press mixer to celebrate the completion of principal photography on their latest blood-soaked epic, Saw IV star Tobin Bell, director Darren Lynn Bousman and producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules coyly avoided spilling any details regarding Jigsaw's return. They did, however, assure us that Jigsaw does not have a twin brother. Nor is he a ghost or some other supernatural entity. And no, Saw IV will not be a prequel. And though I forgot to ask whether Jigsaw had somehow been cloned, I'm fairly certain that's not the case either.

  Check back with us in a few weeks for a more detailed rundown of Tuesday's event. In the meantime, email me your own Jigsaw conspiracy theories at tleupp@reelzchannel.com.

  
  

  Posted 06/14/2007 by Thomas

  Tobin Bell | Saw IV | Saw III