James and The Giant Peach
Special Edition Blu-ray
Directed by Henry Selick
Starring Paul Terry, Simon Callow, Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, Jane Leeves, Miriam Margolyes, David Thewlis, Joanna Lumley
Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release date: August 3, 2010

If you enjoyed The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline, but you’ve yet to discover James and The Giant Peach, then it’s time for you to delve into this 1996 often-overlooked gem.

Take The Nightmare Before Christmas and replace the garish Halloweentown residents with the insects of Disney’s A Bugs Life and have them sing Randy Newman-composed tunes while feasting on a humongous piece of floating fruit. In place of a lamenting skeleton put a downtrodden little British boy right out of Oliver Twist. Throw in a hint of live-action, and you have the second splendid Henry Selick/Tim Burton collaboration (their first being The Nightmare Before Christmas).

The film begins with live-action, as we meet young James (Paul Terry) and his parents, a happy loving family who dream of one day taking a trip from England’s shores to the city streets of New York City to the famed Empire State Building [...]

Way back at E3 we were treated to an amazing CGI trailer for the upcoming Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Whenever I see CGI trailers I always wait to pass judgment on if I am excited for the game until I see some gameplay. Well I am officially excited for this game.

Today we are treated to the first gameplay trailer from the game, and it is just as impressive as its CGI counterpart. You can peep it below. The game definitely seems stealth based, and with a suit that can become invisible why not. Although there is a sequence where you punch through a wall, not very stealth. There also seems to be a cover system not unlike Gears of War. What I really loved is the sequences where the fore arm pieces of the main characters suit turn into different configurations of blades, looks to be a very satisfying way to finish off sneaking up on someone. Deus Ex: Human Revolution comes out February, 28 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Continue on over to the other side to check out the first gameplay trailer for Deus Ex: Human Evolution now! [...]

You may have heard of a little graphic novel called Scott Pilgrim. You may have even seen the movie Scott Pilgrim Vs the World, which opened in theaters today. If you have, then you know that in this tale, Scott has to fight Ramona’s evil exes, and one of them is an actor named Lucas Lee (played by Chris Evans). Lucas Lee isn’t a very good actor, but he’s an actor nonetheless.

If you’re curious about Lee’s film credits, there’s some movie posters for the fake movies he’s starred in, like Action Doctor and The Game Is Over 2 — they are fantastic!

The posters are over at Empire, so check them out. I think my favorite is “Let’s Hope There Is A Heaven,” it’s fantastically cheesy! Make sure you pay close attention to the taglines [...]

What if I were to tell you that there is a new documentary on the way from a team that includes the Academy Award winners and nominees of documentary titles including but not limited to Super Size Me, Jesus Camp, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Why We Fight, and The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters? Pretty insane, right? Well, just such a film does exist, and it is called Freakonomics.

The documentary is based on the highly popular book of the same name by economist Steven Levitt and journalist Stephen Dubner which explores the “hidden side to everything” using an economic approach.

If you like documentaries, this is an all-star lineup of talents bringing us a compelling movie that’s not to be ignored. Click on over to the other side to read a synopsis and check out the trailer for Freakonomics now.

The will premiere on, Apple iTunes, Xbox Live, Playstation, Amazon, On Demand, and Vudu on September 3rd, and opens in theaters on October 1st. [...]

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Directed by Edgar Wright
Starring Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Alison Pill, Anna Kendrick, Brandon Routh, Brie Larson, Chris Evans, Ellen Wong, Jason Schwartzman, Kieran Culkin, Mae Whitman, Mark Webber, Satya Bhabha
Release date: August 13, 2010

Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World is a variation on the classic romance story: Boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy has to defeat her seven evil exes in order to date her. The premise seems simple, but there are several layers to the story. Although the core of the story is the love between Scott, a twentysomething slacker, and the mysterious Ramona Flowers, the subplots and supporting characters make for a lively and truly entertaining story.

The screenwriters borrowed heavily from the six-volume graphic novel series, especially the first three volumes. People who have read the whole story will love the references such as the diagram of what belongs to Scott and what belongs to his gay roommate Wallace, excellently portrayed by Kieran Culkin. It was also great to see Scott’s band Sex Bob-omb playing [...]

Paramount Pictures has acquired the rights to Daniel LuVisi‘s art book and graphic novel, Last Man Standing: Killbook of a Bounty Hunter. This has been a hot property lately, sparking a bidding war that Paramount emerged from as the victor.

The title comes from Heavy Metal Publishing and tells the story of Gabriel, a bounty hunter on a path of bloody revenge in a parallel universe land known as New Amerika filled with wild and dangerous creatures and characters. The 230-page first book in the series will be released on September 7, 2010, and will act as a prologue to the story, teaching us the history of this world while offering numerous character artwork and biographies among other features. You can pre-order the book at the Heavy Metal website.

Instead of trying to explain what exactly is going on, I’ll just let the gentleman main character, Gabriel, explain it to you by way of a detailed letter. You can read the whole thing by clicking over to the other side now. [...]

As recently as yesterday, rumors started swirling about a big new announcement coming from Irrational Games. Many thought a new and original game reveal was on the way at the mysterious website What Is Icarus, but today it was revealed that new project was in fact what we all always want to hear but didn’t expect so soon: BioShock 3.

The thing about BioShock 3 is that it’s a prequel and will actually be called BioShock Infinite, and it does not look like we’ll be spending too much time in the oceans of the Atlantic. No, no — this time around, the game is set in the city of Columbia, a floating utopia instead of a submerged one. It takes place in 1912 — decades before the events of the first game — and you play as a Pinkerton agent on a mission to rescue a woman named Elizabeth, who’s been held captive there since childhood.

You don’t need me to tell you this, but rush over to the other side as quickly as possible for a synopsis and to see the trailer right now! [...]

In honor of the 75th Anniversary of DC Comics, Warner Bros. and DC Comics have put together a documentary about the history of the company called Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics narrated by Ryan Reynolds, who will be playing Green Lantern in the upcoming Green Lantern movie.

The documentary focuses on not only the beginning of the comic book company, but its entire history. It has interviews with artists and writers talking about how comics have impacted the world.

The box art for this DVD has Superman in the front and center of it and at the top it shows various characters like Batman and Dr. Manhattan (see box art here below). This DVD is a big must for comic book fans out there. The DVD releases on November 9, 2010.

You can watch the trailer for it right here below! [...]

This week marks the anniversary of the opening of one of my favorite theme park attractions — the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland in California.

The Haunted Mansion, which was under development for 15 years, officially opened to the public at the Anaheim, CA, theme park on August 12, 1969, and marked the first attraction developed and opened without Walt Disney, who had died in 1966.

Visitors to the attraction board a Doom Buggy inside this spooky mansion, located in the park’s New Orleans Square section, where 999 happy haunts live out their posthumous lives, and are pone to hitchhiking!

Last month at Comic-Con in San Diego, filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro announced that he’d be doing a big-screen adaptation of the Haunted Mansion attraction, but unlike the 2003 Eddie Murphy movie of the same name, Del Toro’s version will actually be frightening [...]

Up and coming actress Riley Keough is currently in talks to grab a role in Mad Max: Fury Road, the upcoming fourth title in the franchise. Keough is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and granddaughter of beloved King of Rock, Elvis Presley.

The original three films — Mad Max, The Road Warrior, and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome — all starred Mel Gibson as a man whose family were brutally murdered at the hands of a biker gang in a dystopian and eventually post-apocalyptic future where anarchy reigns. After gaining his revenge for the tragedy, Max goes into a deep, dark place, but eventually resurfaces as a warrior ready to protect the innocent and fight the evolving evils of the depressing world.

This new film in the franchise was rumored for a while before being confirmed. George Miller, director of each of the previous three titles, will be returning to direct this new adventure, though after many whispers about whether Gibson would return or not it was decided that he would not. [...]

A new United States poster for Gareth Edwards‘ upcoming independent creature movie, Monsters, has been released online.

The movie tells the story of a journalist who needs to find his boss’s daughter and bring her home, which requires navigation through a quarantined zone in Central America where alien creatures crash-landed within a NASA probe six years prior and have evolved into incredible and dangerous beings that both the American and Mexican military forces struggle to find a way to contain.

We recently shared with you a trailer and clip from the movie (Read: Watch Now: ‘Monsters’ Trailer & Clip Offer ‘District 9′ Vibes ), which is said to have only had a budget of around $15,000, give or take. The movie is set to premiere in limited release on October 29, 2010.

Continue on over to the other side to check out the new poster for Monsters now. You can also follow the movie at its Facebook page and the film’s official website. [...]

The upcoming TV adaptation of Robert Kirkman‘s graphic novel The Walking Dead already has a heavy buzz surrounding it, and some footage showed off at Comic-Con only added to that buzz (Read: SDCC 2010: AMC’s ‘Walking Dead’ Impresses ).

A couple of new videos have been released by AMC, and we wanted to share them with you. One is a motion comic created for the series and the other is a making of video that features the creation of “Bicycle Girl,” one of the first zombies we shall see and the lovely lady smiling at you from the image at right.

The six-episode first season is written, directed, and produced by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile). It follows a group of survivors of the zombie apocalypse as they struggle to find a new home where they can live without fear once again.

Be sure to put your zombie running shoes on and click on over to the other side to check out the two videos now! [...]

Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World #4
Written by Robert Jordan
Script by Chuck Dixon
Art by Chase Conley
Colors by Nicolas Chapuis
Letters by Bill Tortolini
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
Price $3.99
Release date: August 11, 2010

We may be only a few months away from a new Wheel of Time book, but if you’re like me, you’re always looking for an excuse to re-read the earlier books in the series. Dynamite Entertainment has been giving us just that excuse with their translation of the first book in the series, The Eye of the World, into comic form. Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World #4 continues the story, with this issue covering chapter 7 of the original novel.

Now, I’m not what you would call the biggest fan of adapted works, but this one has been very decent so far. One thing you can say for it is that it is a direct adaptation that doesn’t stray from the source material. All of the dialogue is straight out of the book, and the plot follows along without any surprises. Chuck Dixon has done his job to translate the book from the written page to the comic. Dixon is able to make the story flow on the page, without making it feel too dry or wordy. Having read the source material so many times, I almost wish there was at least some differences, nothing major, but a nice side plot or something would be okay [...]

The first teaser trailer for the new alien invasion flick Skyline has been released online by Rogue Pictures. The movie basically took everyone by surprise when a giant banner cloaking a building at Comic-Con had attendees scratching their heads in curiosity and confusion, but after hearing about it at the convention and seeing a little footage, intrigue is on the rise.

Now you all have the opportunity to see your first peek of the movie and decide for yourselves if you’re in or out. It tells the story of an unexpected invasion in which hypnotic blue lights appear in the skies and draw everyone out to see the mysterious spectacle, leaving them all open to alien forces attempting to extract the human population.

Click on over to see the trailer right here or head to Apple for more viewing options.

Skyline stars Donald Faison (Scrubs), Eric Balfour (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [2003]), David Zayas (Dexter), Scottie Thompson (Star Trek), and Brittany Daniel (Club Dread). [...]

Jen and Justin step up to Step Up 3D, while the queen of the podcast, Eve Of Doom, finally watches Memento! Special guest this week is Robin Burdge from the Media Junkyard podcast, who goes Under the Red Hood.

Check out Episode 6 of the Flix of Doom podcast, the official movie podcast of Geeks of Doom, for this week’s box office and movie news, as well as a review of the new Will Ferrell comedy The Other Guys.

Click HERE to open the podcast player in a new window.

Full Episode Guide is here below, along with player.

Listen now!

E-mail us at flixofdoom [at] gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter – @FlixOfDoom
Subscribe to the Podcast: RSS | iTunes [...]

Nathan Fillion, current star of ABC’s Castle and formerly of Firefly/Serenity fame, decided to share a recent encounter he had with a fan via his Twitter account:

“Had a guy approach me on street. All he did was nod and say, “Captain.” That’s all he needed to say.”

For those of you who didn’t catch it, the fan was clearly referencing his character Malcolm Reynolds, captain of the firefly-class spaceship Serenity in the movie of the same namesake [...]

Warner Home Video will release the DC Showcase Animated Original Shorts Collection on DVD and Blu-ray on November 9, 2010, which will collect three previously released DC animated shorts, as well as include a new title Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam.

The three animated shorts included are extended versions of the shorts which appeared on other WB animated DVDs. The Spectre, Jonah Hex, and Green Arrow will each run 10 to 12 minutes.

The Blu-ray release will include over 2 1/2 hours of bonus material, including commentaries from Bruce Timm and the creative team for all four shorts, as well as bonus episodes and a digital copy.

Check out the Blu-ray box art, along with DVD & Blu-ray details here [...]

It’s a great day to be a Netflix subscriber.

The company has signed a joint deal with subscription-based television service Epix to bring films from Paramount Pictures, MGM, and Lionsgate to their “Watch Instantly” streaming service 90 days after they’re released to DVD, New York Times reports.

A common complaint some subscribers currently have with Netflix’s online offerings is that the library is often filled with older and classic films that might not always satisfy hyperactive movie buffs. The deal with Epix plans to change that considerably as summer blockbusters like Iron Man 2, How to Train Your Dragon, and Kick-Ass will all appear in the Instant category much sooner [...]

People are fairly evenly split down the middle when it comes to Rob Zombie‘s brutal horror debut, House of 1000 Corpses. Many seem to love it while just as many have a pretty passionate hatred for it; it really just all depends on how the movie happened to play to you. Looking past your opinion on the film itself, you have to admit: the twisted and deranged world that Zombie created is nightmare-worthy visual accomplishment.

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that they have partnered up with Zombie himself to create a brand new attraction to their popular yearly event, Halloween Horror Nights. The attraction will be called Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses: In 3D ZombieVision, and will allow entrants to throw on a pair of 3D glasses and make their way through terrifying locations from the movie including Captain Spaulding’s Museum of Monsters and Madmen, the Firefly family residence where our victims first meet the likes of Mama, Baby, and Otis before being turned into questionable works of art like Fishboy, and of course Dr. Satan’s underground lair. [...]

There is no voice that is heard more in Fallout 3 than the voice of the radio DJ, Three Dog.

In Fallout: New Vegas there will also be radio streaming out of your Pip-Boy, but this time the voice you hear coming out of it will be none other than Wayne Newton!

Bethesda Softworks has sent out a press release revealing much of the cast of the new highly anticipated Fallout game. Along with Newton, the cast includes, Zach Levi (Chuck), Matthew Perry (Friends), Kris Kristofferson (Blade trilogy), Danny Trejo (Machete), Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation), William Sadler (The Shawshank Redemption), Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible), and of course, Ron Perlman (Hellboy), will once again return as the narrator of the game. Other cast includes John Doman (The Wire) and Rene Auberjonois (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine).

So who might this fantastic collection of voice talents be playing in the game? We have the complete rundown for you! [...]