Wednesday, September 23
It seemed as if the current vampire craze that started with the phenomenal success of Twilight would result in zombies being supplanted as the monster-of-choice in American cinemas. But the necrotic shamblers are making a comeback. First, Quarantine (2008) offered up a frightfully possible real-world explanation for zombies, while next month's Zombieland takes a more light-hearted approach. Now, it appears as if Dreamworks is hoping to get in on some zombie action, as well.
Dreamworks and the Star Trek and Transformers writing team of Alex Kurtman and Roberto Orci are considering purchasing cop-turned-screenwriter Will Beall's Xombie script, based on the cartoon and Devil's Due comic book by James Farr. Farr's story revolves around Dirge, a cop who happens to also be a zombie, and his attempts to save what is left of humanity after zombies run amuck. If the deal goes through, Cindi Rice and John Frank Rosenblu of Epic Level Entertainment would executive produce, along with Bobby Cohen and Steven T. Puri.
Posted 9/23/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Quarantine | Zombieland
Friday, October 10
Last weekend clearly proved that our nation's spiraling economy hasn't yet stopped parents from ponying up the cash to divert their kids' attention for a few hours. And what of Shia's two-week run with Eagle Eye? Well, clearly parents are also still dropping their kids off at the mall with cash for some much-needed peace and quiet on the home front.
But as the financial crisis continues to unfold, will moviegoers turn to less expensive forms of entertainment such as home video, television, or, gasp, going outdoors?
This weekend's offerings should be a strong indicator as four major offerings hit screens covering a broad base of the moviegoing public. For the family set, there's the fantasy City of Ember or the inspirational sports tale The Express. For the over-18 crowd, Hollywood power players Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe headline one of the first entries in the 
Oscar race, Body of Lies. And for those ready to get into the spirit of Halloween a few weeks early, there's Quarantine.
While none of these releases ignited the critical mass with overwhelmingly positive reviews, all scored in the mediocre to mildly positive range on Rotten Tomatoes.
If you've opted to stay home this weekend, check out Thomas Leupp's story on this week's DVD releases.
Posted 10/10/2008 by reelz
Related: City of Ember | Quarantine | The Express | Body of Lies