Animated Prologue for 'PRIEST' Released Online

An animated short which serves as an official prelude for the movie PRIEST has recently been released on Youtube and on its official site: http://Priest-themovie.com/ This animated short was created by Genndy Tartakovsky who is best known for creating Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, and he is also the one responsible for the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series.

PRIEST is based on the Korean comic of the same name, which is set in a futuristic world where warrior Priests are at war with the Vampires that threaten humanity. The movie and the comicbook is heavily influenced by Spaghetti Westerns, and vampire action, kinda like Underworld and the Blade series. The film is directed by Scott Stewart, and stars Karl Urban, Maggie Q, Christopher Plummer, and Paul Bettany as the title character.

While it is set to be released in the U.S. on May 13, 2011, PRIEST opens this May 11, 2011 in Philippine theaters.

Snipes to return as BLADE?

While out at a recent junket for his movie BROOKLYN'S FINEST, Wesley Snipes revealed the possibilities of a fourth BLADE movie: Snipes said that there has been some talk about a Blade 4 and that he would be interested if the script was right.

The third movie should usually complete a trilogy; in the case of Blade's trilogy, BLADE: TRINITY was not exactly a glorious movie to close this series with a bang. It kinda even diminishes the reputation of the series. The TV series that followed was something that did not make such a bang. With Snipes' career not exactly blooming (BROOKLYN'S FINEST is his only theatrical release movie after BLADE: TRINITY, and that was what? 5 years ago? Snipes' career is evaporating into the limbo of the straight-to-dvds section), perhaps it would be a wise choice for Snipes to return as Blade. And they should get a good story and good director this time so that the franchise and the reputation of Blade can be salvaged.

DAYBREAKERS

DAYBREAKERS IS IMMORTAL
By Reymundo Salao

The year is 2019 and the world is not like it was before. The outbreak of vampirism has led to the a change in global civilization, for everybody who lives on Earth is now a vampire, civilization is now run and inhabited by vampires. And in order to sustain their lives, blood for public consumption is produced by corporations who control factories where they farm blood from human specimens. There is a problem, though, because the blood supply is running low, and the corporations are trying hard to find an alternative to help them sustain their lives. Because if they do not feed on human blood, they will biologically deteriorate into mindless mutants. One of the scientists, chief hematologist Edward Dalton stumbles upon the last remaining humans who fight for survival, and discovers that one of them used to be a vampire...

DAYBREAKERS is directed by Michael & Peter Spierig (the Spierig Brothers), who also directed the Australian zombie movie Undead. And they did a magnificent job on this movie. They paint a world where vampires inhabit the earth. That means that everybody stays indoors all day, there are cars that have special functions that will shield its passengers from the sun, and there are public warning curfews that warn everybody how much time is left before the sunrise. Experiencing the vampire world alone is enough to make you enjoy its surreal reality.

On the visual impact, one may also notice the shifts in the color tone of the movie. The lifestyle of the vampires are always seen in an almost monochromatic appearance with mere shades of blue and black, the humans on the other hand are defined by lush vibrant colors. When one vampire character finally transforms into being human, he no longer wears his office suit in a formal fashion, his hair, his overall appearance loosens up.

As expected, Ethan Hawke had a very impressive performance, which is consistent with the rest of his previous works; one may notice that he chooses his projects well. Hawke effortlessly plays a character of repressed angst, one that is silently in turmoil with himself. Up until he meets the character played by Claudia Karvan and Willem Dafoe, who is a vampire-turned-human who is one of outlaws hiding from the current society, he is well defined by the quote from the movie where he announces "We're the folks with the crossbows" Sam Neill, on the other hand, plays the corporate lord who controls the production of blood for mass consumption.

DAYBREAKERS is like no other vampire movie you have ever seen. And if you do consider yourself to be a vampire fanatic, this is one movie you should watch. It breaks the typical vampire storyline; this one is most unique and most original, so much so that it is so unpredictable where the movie will end up. Although there are scare moments in the movie, it is better defined as an intelligent sci-fi movie. It is smartly written and has numerous layers about it. Of course we have the main storyline that concludes that even though vampirism has helped people escape death, in the end, humans are the far superior species. And then we also have the metaphors of consumerism, corporate greed, class struggle, poverty, hunger, and drug addiction represented by the relationship between the blood corporations and those who cannot afford to purchase blood, who end up deteriorated by hunger or rather thirst. Another focus of the film lies on the relationship between Edward Dalton and his brother. Even there is a love story with the leading lady which appears on the outset as one that is given focus, ultimately it takes a back seat at the drama of Ethan's character and his brother.

I am reminded about how District 9 was that one movie last year which I am confident will become a timeless classic. This time, this is the movie which I think will ferment over time and will remain a timeless classic. At the very least, it would be like Blade Runner (which did not have a flashy success when it was released, yet it became an undying classic in the libraries of sci-fi). One heck of a brilliant film that blends a vampire movie, s futuristic sci-fi, and a kickass action movie. DAYBREAKERS is a movie that YOU MUST watch. My thumbs up high for this one.

UNDERWORLD 4 is being Written

Vampires & Werewolves will soon regain their self-esteem
Movies like New Moon may have temporarily ruined some things that we loved. But Thank God there are movies out there that remind us that Vampires and Werewolves are supposed to be violent, dark, and rabid. No series stresses that rightfully and excellently than the Underworld Saga, which now we found out, continues...

Heatvision reports that "The Shield" writer John Hlavin has been hired to pen Underworld 4 for Screen Gems and Lakeshore.

Len Wiseman, who directed the first two films in the vampire-vs.-werewolf saga, is producing with Gary Lucchesi, Tom Rosenberg and Richard Wright of Lakeshore.
The fourth installment does not yet have a director attached and neither Kate Beckinsale or Rhona Mitra have signed to return.

Hlavin said the plot is under wraps, "but I can tell you it's not a prequel." He added, "It will satisfy old fans and excite new audiences, meaning that we don't want to redo the first three movies, so steps are being taken to honor what fans have loved but at the same time introduce fresh elements."