'Apollo 18' latest trailer

Why have we never gone back to the moon? Hollywood answers fearfully in Apollo 18...

Apollo 18 is due for release 2 September, 2011.

Transformers 3 reviews

Transformers: Dark of the Moon hits cinemas today. The critics have not been kind.

I'll be providing a detailed UFOlogical review of the movie later in the week.

What is 'UMBRA'?

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS POTENTIAL PLOT SPOILERS FOR A FORTHCOMING MOVIE

"UMBRA" is a Latin word that refers to "a dark area, especially the blackest part of a shadow from which all light is cut off."

"UMBRA" is also a U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) code word used to denote the highest-level compartment of Communications Intelligence (COMINT) - also known as Special Intelligence. Notable in this context is a "Top Secret UMBRA" NSA affidavit dating from October 1980 which gives reasons why certain information relating to UFOs is exempt from disclosure.



Now, UMBRA is to be a Hollywood movie. A paranoid thriller, to be precise, "about a man who finds an old cassette tape which reveals a horrifying secret."

Details of this movie first emerged back in 2009, when Roger Donaldson was attached to direct and Nicholas Cage to star, but budgetary concerns about the production - as well as Cage's numerous other movie commitments at the time - meant that it never really got off the ground.

The movie's original screenplay was written by newcomer Steven Karczynski and was leaked online in June 2009 and reviewed by a handful of bemused amateur critics. The consensus was that an intriguing and gripping conspiracy thriller in the vein of Coppola's The Conversation was torpedoed in its final act by an unexpected sci-fi twist. The screenplay itself is no longer viewable online, but the reviewers' original comments remain, and they confirm what many will already be suspecting: UMBRA is - or, at least, was - a UFO movie.

The script reviewers' comments are not entirely revelatory, but they do tell us that the would-be movie's plot features a "top secret government agency... apparently powerful enough to employ trained killers, track citizens, intercept phone calls and emails, and gain access to private security deposit boxes." The NSA immediately springs to mind, even if it is not explicitly referred to.

One reviewer noted that "the last name of the man who escaped in the script is 'Lazar'" - a possible nod to Bob Lazar, who famously thrust Area 51 into the spotlight in the late-1980s.

The screenplay's ending apparently is ambiguous, but one reviewer speculated that, in the film, "aliens were harvesting humans for their chromosomes or cross-breeding with them or turning them into surrogate wombs 'ALIEN' style."

"I am a little confused," wrote another reviewer, and asked "was the government trying to stop them [the aliens], were they part of it [the conspiracy], or was there little left of the government that wasn't alien?"

Any questions concerning UMBRA's original incarnation are likely to remain open, however, as the script is now being re-written by Joe Carnahan (The A-Team (2010)) who will also direct the movie for Endgame Productions (the film originally was to be produced by Relativity Media). Whether or not the script's alien element will survive its reboot is uncertain and there is no release date for the movie as yet, though it is unlikely to hit cinemas before the end of 2012 as new director Carnahan is currently tied up with another project entitled The Grey (not alien-related).

Intriguingly, UMBRA's original director - Roger Donaldson - worked closely with the Pentagon on the political thriller Thirteen Days, and with the CIA on Agency pet project The Recruit. Donaldson also directed the alien movie Species. While new helmer Joe Carnahan's production history isn't nearly so interesting as Donaldson's, UMBRA - if and when it reaches the big screen - is nevertheless certainly one to watch out for.

Latest Vault Empire Updates; new episode of Underbelly; Rifftrax Live coming in August!

Greetings everyone; your friendly neighborhood Vault Master here with a few things to share with you. First off, check out my rockin' "digital badge" that I just received in an e-mail the other day. I got this for donating a dollar to the "DETROIT NEEDS ROBOCOP" project. Essentially, some crazy folks decided that they want a RoboCop statue built in the middle of Detroit. Against the pleas of Detroit's mayor, more than enough funds were pulled together to make the (1:1 scale) statue a reality. It is currently in the process of being molded (or is it being sculpted?) and should make its triumphant unveiling next year at Wayne State University's TechTown campus!

Directive 4: Donate to worthy RoboCop-related projects.

And now onto the latest updates from the B-Movie Film Vault Empire:

Genre Watch

• Genre Watch - June 2010 (Week of 06/19 - 06-25)

MMA Addict

• UFC: Marquardt vs. Story. A Preview. 

I know that isn't much, but fear not for Summer is here and all of us under the Vault banner are taking more time out to relax and enjoy the sunshine. We have not gone quietly into the night, we have not yet surrendered without a fight! More new stuff is coming from ALL of us, I promise!

And now for something truly entertaining... and random. I have become a huge fan of Underbelly and this latest episode caps off their "superhero month" perfectly. In this episode, Newt dons a costume and prepares to become the next legendary superhero whose exploits will make tales worthy of contemporary comic books! Prepare for the coming of...... UNDERBULLY!



Finally, here's some kick ass news that I've been sitting on for at least a week now. (I would have posted about it sooner but I sorta forgot.) The Rifftrax crew (i.e. Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy) are bringing fans another dose of RIFFTRAX LIVE on August 17th! The movie of choice this time? "JACK, THE GIANT KILLER" featuring Kerwin Matthews and various stop-motion creatures that look like horrific versions of Gumby characters. Feast your eyes upon the trailer!


I actually loved this movie when I was a kid but I'm more than willing to sit down and watch it be verbally torn asunder by these three demigods of movie riffing.

Well that's it for tonight folks. I currently have a LOT of stuff I want to write about; I have it all up in my thick skull, I just need to get it down on paper.. err... I mean Wordpad. Besides some new movie reviews (like the horribly belated ones for "Super 8" and "Troll Hunter"), I have some new articles in the works (including two new "Indie Films You Should Be Stoked For" articles plus some new stuff for the Casual Gaming Blog) and the outline for a new podcast. Stay tuned for more blogging and whatnot as the days go by!

Oh, and before I forget, be sure to head on over to FREDDY IN SPACE! This frequently updated Horror blog has now reached its THIRD YEAR ONLINE and garnered a good cult following, and deservedly so: its webmaster consistently delivers quality articles and reviews, and frequently has awesome contests! Make sure to bookmark Freddy In Space.com right now and visit it often!

G'night everyone!

Guillermo del Toro's PACIFIC RIM!

For any of you that follow film news religiously, you probably were saddened to hear that Guillermo del Toro will NOT be directing an R-rated "At the Mountains of Madness." This is because Universal (who was recently hemming and hawing over the budget of Ron Howard's proposed "Dark Tower" series) refused to budge on the rating; they feel that they are taking a huge financial chance on a Lovecraft-themed film and didn't want to lose out on the teenage crowd. (And as we all know... today's youth just loves H.P. Lovecraft. That was sarcasm by the way. 90% of kids today have no idea who Lovecraft is... unless they managed to see Cthulhu's appearance on South Park.)

"Universal.... you are forcing my hand. Give me an R-rating or else...."

In any case, Guillermo hopped from his dream project to something infinitely cooler (in my eyes): A little film called "Pacific Rim." Set to start filming at the end of this year (for a Summer 2013 release), the film already has Idris Elba (Heimdall from "THOR") and Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) attached (with Charlie Day interested in a role as well), and features one of the coolest storylines ever. From Slashfilm's latest news article:

Set in a future in which malevolent creatures threaten the earth, the planet must band together and use highly advanced technology to eradicate the growing menace. This project will give the Hellboy filmmaker the opportunity to create two worlds. The first is an alternate version of Earth in the near future, decades after a historic date in November 2012 when the first kaiju, a towering Godzilla-like beast, emerged from a hole in the Pacific Ocean and attacked the city of Osaka, Japan. The second is “The Anteverse,” another universe on the other side of that gaping portal, 5 miles below our ocean’s surface. Since the first attack, the rim has been “spitting out” a variety of gigantic monsters at an increasing rate, which then stride out of the ocean and begin destroying sea-bordering cities, like Tokyo and Los Angeles. In order to combat these monstrous, otherworldly menaces, the military developed the “Jaeger” program, which trains teams of two pilots to jointly operate massive, building-sized mechanized suits of armor and high-tech weaponry.

Yes, you read that correctly folks, a portal to another dimension opens beneath the Pacific and spits out GIANT MONSTERS! To protect ourselves, humanity builds GIANT ROBOTS (mecha to be more precise) to combat these invading kaiju! This is kind of a shocker as giant mech/robot films (and TV shows) are almost primarily an export of Japan. Actually, the only real shock about this is that American film companies haven't jumped on an idea like this before; the only real mecha-moments we've had in our movies hail from the films of James Cameron (e.g. Aliens, Avatar) and the Wachowski brothers (e.g. "Matrix Revolutions").

Once again, "Pacific Rim" begins production later this year (shooting starts in September/November) and for some reasons will be held up until NEXT Summer. I'll be posting more news on this as it happens. In the meantime, enjoy the opening of "Evangelion: Neon Genesis," one of the most well known mecha vs. monster anime shows of all time:

New Fright-Rags tees; New Underbelly videos; Closed For the Season coming to DVD; 15 Movies that Can Also be Watched Backwards!

Good afternoon b-movie fans! It is a gorgeous day in the neighborhood (well... sort of) and I have plenty of cool things for you to check out today. First up, the gang at FRIGHT-RAGS dropped me a line to let me know that they have three new shirts available PLUS a rockin' "Friday the 13th" poster. The new shirts feature ye olde logos of several horror magazine publications and came about as a result of the popularity of their recent Rue Morgue t-shirt release. Check this stuff out!

3D! AHHHHH!

Next up: NEW UNDERBELLY VIDEOS! The first has the Underbelly team visiting the New Jersey Renaissance Faire (wow, these LARPers are verily tripping over their tongues while talking to the hostess of this episode) while the second is an attempt at vindicating "The Man of Steel." Watch and subscribe!

This morning I also got word from director Jay Woelfel that "Closed for the Season" (read my review of the rough cut HERE) is done and finally being released on DVD on AUGUST 26TH. I've been eager to see the final product, so I shall definitely be picking up a copy and you should too. (Support independent cinema!) The DVD will have an audio commentary by writer/director Jay Woelfel, deleted scenes with (optional?) audio commentary, multi-part behind-the-scenes featurette, two tour videos of Chippewa Lake from 1993 and 2008, and Webisodes. The film will be featured in 2.35:1 widescreen, with Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound audio. This is a lot of love for a small film like this (kudos to MTI Home Video) and I'm excited to check out all the special features but... did they really have to use that generic photoshopped cover? The original poster art, in my opinion, is far superior.

Finally, I found something rather fun over at Unreality Magazine. They posted an article recently called "15 Movies that Can Also be Watched Backwards." CLICK HERE to check it out and prepare to laugh; make sure you're not drinking or eating anything while reading this stuff.

Well that's it folks; I gotta get my butt to work. When I get home tonight, I'll be doing a bit more writing and should at the very least, have a new Genre Watch up for you! Enjoy the rest of this whimsical(?) Wednesday!

Youtube-a-palooza: Singing Russians, Leslie Vernon's Return, Troll Hunter Strikes Back, & Troma Taunts us with Toxie!

It's been a long couple of days b-movie fans; my apologies for not making any new posts (or adding new content). Saturday was a marathon of parties, starting with a birthday party for my (now) four year old niece Lily, where I was taken down by a vicious pack of children, as a pride of lions would bring down a caribou. Following a short visit to my buddy Adam's graduation party, I ended my Saturday at an engagement party (Congrats to Josh and Lorraine!) where I got SLOSHED.

In any case, it has been back to the ole grindstone for yours truly since that busy weekend, but tonight I've managed to reserve a bit of energy in order to bring you a dose of awesome. Here are some cool videos that are bouncing around Youtube at the moment that will most assuredly bring a smile to your face.

First up, how about a little music to brighten our spirits? Ever hear of that catchy song "Istanbul (not Constantinople)?" Well here's a new version of it as sung by THE BAD ASS RUSSIAN:



Wait... did I see a "Baseball Fury" from "The Warriors" sitting at the bar? I did! I did!

Next up is a video featuring actor Nathan Baesel (in character as Leslie Vernon) asking fans to help him raise funds for the prequel/sequel/remake of "Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon" (one of my favorite genre films). If you've failed to see it, definitely check it out. It does a wonderful job at deconstructing slasher films, then uses those same cliches to create a completely satisfying slasher movie climax! Here's hoping this new film comes to pass; check out the video below then CLICK HERE to donate to this worthy cause:



This next video is a fun little parody created by the special effects guru behind the creatures in Norway's awesome mockumentary TROLL HUNTER. This "explains" why one of the creatures in the film has only one arm and it is just so monumentally awesome. Check it out; then get your paws on a copy of TROLL HUNTER and watch it!



Finally, here's something that truly blew my mind tonight. I discovered the first ever teaser trailer for Troma's upcoming TOXIC AVENGER 5: THE TOXIC TWINS. While I was immediately jumping for joy, I was saddened to learn that they haven't even written the damn movie yet. Still, its a nice way to let us fans know that it is eventually going to happen, and... HEY! They used Toxie's original voice from the first movie! COOL!



Hope you enjoyed all of those videos folks. Stay tuned for more posts (and hopefully new reviews and whatnot at the Vault) and... oh wait, I have one more thing to say....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO UWE BOLL!

100% funded by Nazi Gold.

Hidden power in Hollywood

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

My frequent writing partner, Dr. Matthew Alford, discussed his ongoing research into the Hollywood/Washington machine earlier today in an interview for Achieve Radio.

In a 50-minute discussion with host James Martinez, Matthew looked at CIA and DoD involvement in Hollywood and the industry's pivotal role in catapulting pro-U.S. establishment propaganda across the world.

Also discussed was the subject of government involvement in Hollywood's UFO movies.

Matthew Alford's book, Reel Power: Hollywood Cinema and American Supremacy is available for purchase through the publisher's website and through Amazon.com.

Matthew is currently working on a follow-up to Reel Power entitled: Puppet Masters of Hollywood, which will feature a chapter on UFO movies co-authored by myself.

'Falling Skies' reviews and 'Transformers' TV spots

Steven Spielberg's alien-invasion series Falling Skies premiered yesterday on U.S. television and has received generally favourable reviews from critics. Among the show's fans is Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times, who writes:

"Serious without being grim, uplifting without being saccharine, Falling Skies dares to image what feature films will not - a world in which Will Smith or Aaron Eckhart did not bring down the mother ship in time."

Meanwhile, at the other end of the critical spectrum, The New York Times' Mike Hale opines that the highly-anticipated show falls considerably short of Spielberg's own directorial projects in terms of emotional impact:

"As a director, of course, Mr. Spielberg can work magic with this kind of material. But "Falling Skies" lacks his personal touch — there’s no wonder, nor is there the blunt terror and grim plausibility of his own alien-invasion film, War of the Worlds Despite the high stakes of the story and the frequent violence, the tone is placid and slightly monotonous, as if we were watching the Walton family at the end of the world."

In other Spielberg/alien-related news, six new TV spots for Transformers: Dark of the Moon are now online and feature new footage from the movie. This third instalment of the Transformers franchise opens at 9pm on June 28 in 3D and IMAX theatres before moving to 2D theaters the following day.

Silver Screen Saucers
 

Spielberg fired Megan Fox from Transformers 3

Michael Bay and Megan Fox

By Robbie Graham
Silver Screen Saucers

Transformers director Michael bay has revealed why his former leading lady, Megan Fox, unexpectedly walked away from the franchise despite having been cast for its soon-to-be released third instalment... Steven Spielberg fired her.



Spielberg - who is the executive producer of the alien-themed franchise - apparently was "enraged" by comments Fox had made in a magazine interview comparing Michael Bay to Hitler. When asked by Wonderland magazine in September 2009 what it was like working with Bay (who is known to be something of a tyrant on-set), Fox responded:

"God, I really wish I could go loose on this one. He's like Napoleon and he wants to create this insane, infamous mad-man reputation. He wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is. So he's a nightmare to work for but when you get him away from set, and he's not in director mode, I kind of really enjoy his personality because he's so awkward, so hopelessly awkward. He has no social skills at all."

According to Bay, when Spielberg read Fox's comments, he told his director: "Fire her right now."

Fox has been replaced in the third Transformers movie - Dark of the Moon - by British model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Here's a tip, Rosie: when asked in future interviews about the pleasures of working with Bay, just nod, smile broadly and flash an enthusiastic thumbs-up!

Alien movie topples alien movie

The UFO movie Super 8 was toppled from the U.S. box-office top-spot this weekend by alien-themed comic book movie Green Lantern, which brought in $52.6 million in its first three days.

In normal circumstances this would be an impressive weekend box-office haul. In light of the movie's combined production and advertising budget, however - a staggering $250-300 million - Green Lantern has quite a way to go yet before making a profit. Negative reviews from critics surely aren't helping.

How to torture an alien... Hollywood-style

Rednecks torture a captive alien in Altered (2006)

On its Asylum site, AOL is quick to point out that it would not approve of humans torturing extraterrestrials, but it  nevertheless offers a few choice tips - based on Hollywood movies - on how best to interrogate any alien nasties that might cross our paths.

Tasteful.

Reagan 'E.T.' screening guest list

As a follow-up to my commentary piece on the Spielberg/Reagan story that's currently doing the rounds on the Internet, the full guest list for President Reagan's 1982 White House E.T. screening is now online, thanks to Grant Cameron.

A full analysis of the list can be found over at Open Minds.

'Green Lantern', 'Ben 10' and Cameron's 'Myth'

James Cameron (Aliens, The Abyss) is to re-team with his Avatar star Sam Worthington for Myth - a mega movie about which nothing is known other than "it’s big, it’s sci-fi, and it’s got lots of action." The movie is likely to be produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Transformers), while Cameron will assume the role of executive producer (he won't be directing, though).

In other news, producer Joel Silver (The Matrix), is to oversee a big screen adaptation of the kids' TV series Ben 10, which follows the adventures of Ben Tennyson, a boy who comes into possession of an other-worldly artefact that allows him to transform into ten different superpowered aliens.        

Last, but not least, alien-themed comic book movie Green Lantern (left) has failed to wow critics, though it may yet fare better with audiences in the coming days and weeks.

THE RED SKULL REVEALED; SPIDER-MAN PORNO TRAILER RELEASED; INITIAL THOUGHTS ON "THE GREEN LANTERN!"

Yikes, I've been blogging like crazy lately... I hope this urge to write constantly continues!

I just got in the door from seeing "Green Lantern," but before I get into that I'll share some cool movie news with ya'll. First up, here is a photo of Hugo Weaving as Captain America's stalwart nemesis, THE RED SKULL:

God he looks freakin' awesome! While I'm still not one-hundred percent sold on the look of Captain America's WWII costume, I have no complaints about the Red Skull.

Next up, here is the all new trailer for Vivid Entertainment's next Super-Hero Porno: SPIDER-MAN - THE XXX PARODY! Apparently Vivid did a HULK porno that got rave reviews, so they decided to continue bastardizing America's mythological heroes by having them bone the comic book gals us nerds always fantasized about.

The list of characters consists of Peter Parker/Spidey, The Kingpin (played by... Peter O'Tool? Hahahahaha!), Electro, Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane Watson, Betty Brant, Black Widow, J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson, and Flash Thompson. (There's no way Marvel would OK this, so I'm assuming they are utilizing the same law that allows Weird Al to parody the work of other musicians.) And this isn't some project done on the cheap folks... this is a full feature-length film, with hardcore sex and CGI f/x! I'm not kidding; watch the trailer:


Finally, before I head off to bed, let me chat a bit about "Green Lantern" while it is still fresh in my mind. I went into the theater with lowered expectations (thanks to a heads up from Newt from Underbelly) and that helped me to not hate this movie. At best, the "Green Lantern" is a mediocre superhero film that only succeeds in being an entertaining cinematic experience because of its failures. (There are a lot of scenes here that are supposed to be dramatic, but ended up giving the audience a good laugh.)

"This suit is too dull. Let's 'improve' it with a few million dollars worth of CGI!"

Ryan Reynolds stars as Hal Jordan, a cocky fighter-jet pilot who ends up getting a Green Lantern ring from a dying alien named Abin Sur. Hal eventually learns how to access the ring's power, and makes a trip to the planet Oa where the audience is given a bunch of expository information. (If you know absolutely nothing about The Green Lantern, this section of the film will get you up to speed.) He is told of the Lantern Corps origins, and briefly trained in combat by fellow "emerald knights," Kilowog and Sinestro.

After being defeated (i.e. humiliated) by Sinestro (who literally goes all Captain America on Hal at one point), our hero goes back to Earth to mope around until he gets a taste for superheroics and receives some tender advice from his love interest. Finally accepting his role as a Green Lantern, Hal must defend Earth not only from his first major foe, Hector Hammond (the lovechild of Professor X, John Carpenter, and The Elephant Man) but also an evil fear-devouring monstrosity known as Parallax. Will Hal be able to save Earth (and his girl) from the world-devouring Parallax? Will Sinestro foolishly try to utilize the power of the Yellow Ring if Hal fails in his mission? Truthfully, you probably won't really give a damn.

This movie will be a major letdown to the hardcore Green Lantern fans, and just plain "meh" for everyone else. (Except kids; they'll probably love the sh*t out of this movie.) The characters aren't really all that interesting (except for Peter Sarsgaard as Hector Hammond), the whole subplot involving Hal's psychological issues is pretty generic and handled rather clumsily, Blake Lively is cute to look at but doesn't prove to be much more than a damsel in distress, and the effects.... Christ the effects are really a mixed bag.

CAN YOU DIG IT?!

Mere months ago I saw Marvel's "THOR" and was blown away at how well that movie brought Asgard to life. It was done so well, and the film itself managed to find a good balance between spending time on Midgard (Earth) as well as Asgard. "Green Lantern" attempts to do the same, but fails miserably. And Oa, though cool to look at, seems more like something you'd see in a video game cut scene; it fails to pull you in and make you believe that it is a real place. Also, a lot of the CGI in this is laughable; you'd think the effects artists could have done a better job, especially when given some extra time and around nine-million to do some "touch up work" mere weeks before opening day.

Overall, "Green Lantern" is a lousy start for a new superhero franchise because it fails on so many levels. However the final battle between Hal and Parallax (the giant fecal space-octopus) is admittedly cool, and Peter Saarsgard gives a memorably goofy performance as the whiny big-brained Hector Hammond. (Sarsgaard is so over the top at times and results in many of the films unintentionally funny moments.) If you're dead set on seeing "Green Lantern," then I highly suggest you catch a matinee of it. Otherwise, save your money for next month's Summer blockbusters or, better yet, go see "Super 8" instead.

John Carpenter as The Elephant Man in "Green Lantern."

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! There is an extra scene that takes places shortly after the credits begin to roll. For those of you who know the Green Lantern mythos, you won't be surprised at what happens: Sinestro takes possession of the Yellow Lantern ring (that the Guardians stupidly created) and is engulfed by the power of FEAR! So Hal and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps will now have to contest with the "Sinestro Corps" if the sequel gets made... and it most likely will. Here's hoping that Warner Bros. and DC do a better job with the story and effects (and characters) the second time around.

"Detention" and "Monster Brawl" trailers; short rant about "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

Hey all! Just discovered a trailer for a new Horror/Comedy called "Detention." The first half of the trailer makes the movie look like a typical teen/high school comedy, and then people die! It actually looks pretty entertaining and I wouldn't mind giving it a look. Check out the trailer and see what you think:



That whole "Heath Ledger" joke caught me off guard and gave me a good laugh. ("What? Too soon?") In fact, it seems like this movie is going to have a lot of witty banter; I'm very curious about this one, and have added it to my "movies I need to see" list. (Yes I actually do have one of those.)

Next up is a trailer for an indie film called "Monster Brawl," a film where various legendary monsters battle it out in a wrestling ring to become the mightiest monster of all time. The lineup includes "Frankenstein," "Cyclops," "The Mummy," "Witch Bitch," "Swamp Gut," "Lady Vampire," "Zombie Man," and "Werewolf" and only one will survive this "fight of the living dead."



Hahahaha. "Monster Brawl" was an official selection of the Fantasia Film Festival this year and it looks totally ridiculous (holy shit! Jimmy Hart?!) but should be a fun watch. Visit the OFFICIAL SITE to learn more about the film and its mon-stars. There's no release date yet for this film, but it has been picked up for distribution so I'm thinking it'll get a release sometime in September or October.

Lastly, I need to get something off of my chest. "Super 8" has given me a craving to go back and revisit some of my favorite Spielbergian films from my childhood. I really wanted to watch "E.T." but I don't own it and NetFlix isn't streaming it at the moment (bastards!). So I opted for "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" instead. I haven't seen this particular alien film in well over a decade, and it is surprising how much I didn't recall.

It's a great movie and Spielberg was at the top of his game when he wrote and filmed it. The film triggered my superhuman "nostaglia sense" and I felt like a kid again; it had me reminiscing about watching this film late one Summer night on The Disney Channel, long before it became cluttered with horrible "tweener" sitcoms.

However... after mulling it all over, I've come to a huge conclusion: The alien beings in this movie are complete dicks! (Note: SPOILERS AHEAD!)

"People of Earth..... F*CK YOU!"

First off, lets discuss how they first make their presence known to the scientific community in the film. The aliens come down and drop off a half-dozen World War II fighter planes, still in mint condition. Later, during the climax, they release all of their human captives, including the pilots of those six planes! While this is all well and good, you have to stop and consider this: The pilots have not aged; they've been missing for nearly forty years; everyone they knew is either old or dead; everything they knew is now either changed or gone.

These guys are going to have to adapt to (what they would consider) a more futuristic world with no family or friends to help them! (And that's even if they are allowed back into society; methinks the military would probably just keep them bottled up somewhere for vigorous questioning for the remainder of their lives.)

Secondly, along with giving (most likely) hundreds of people a bad sunburn, they also implant a sort of post-hypnotic suggestion in various folks, compelling them to come meet their eventual conquerors for a friendly chat at Devil's Tower in Wyoming. One of said folks is Richard Dreyfuss' character Roy Neary.

After his brief encounter with a U.F.O., Roy begins to have a near psychotic breakdown. He sees a certain mountainous shape in everything and tries to unlock the mystery behind it. He continuously creates a mountain-like shape out of everything and anything he can, whether it be shaving cream, modeling clay, or delicious mashed potatoes.

"This means something...... most likely divorce."

This causes him to act a wee bit crazy and it wrecks his entire life. He loses his job, his wife takes the kids and runs off (mainly because she's terrified), he destroys a good portion of his house to create a huge scale model of Devil's Tower, the neighbors think he's insane, and he seems pretty OK with it all once he discovers where Devil's Tower is.

He just picks up his stuff and drives off to Wyoming without a single thought, and risks life and limb to escape from military custody and witness the first contact between man and extraterrestrials. In the end, his reward for having his life on Earth completely destroyed, is to be chosen by his tormentors to go with them into outer space, where he is quite likely to be brutally (and frequently) anal-probed.

Finally, because they probably couldn't bear to leave Earth without giving us technologically inferior humans a final "f*ck you," the aliens totally snub the government's elite chosen crew of abductees. A group of personnel that we briefly see a few times throughout the film, were hand selected to go up to the stars and learn more about the aliens.

Their identities are taken, they are given a quiet moment of prayer, and then marched up to the mothership (with Richard Dreyfuss following gingerly along). The aliens approach the group of would-be galactic travelers, grab Richard Dreyfuss, and take off. ("Wait! Guys! You just unloaded about four dozen other kidnap victims, I think you have room for eight more people! Oh come on? Really?! You chose Richard Dreyfuss over US?! F*CK YOU ALIENS!")

And these are just the main indications that the superior race of beings that visits Earth in this film is made up of assholes. They also bait police officers into a "car chase," which ends with one cop driving off a cliff. (We never know what happens to this bit part character, so I'll assume he died in a fiery inferno of screaming metal.)

And they also kidnap a child and drive his mother as equally insane as Richard Dreyfuss. Do we, the people of Planet Earth get an apology for any of this, or even demand one? Hell no! They just mess with us, destroy lives and property, then wave goodbye. And we practically thank them for it! And for that, I guess we deserved to be on the receiving end of the antics of these visiting galactic fratboys.

Well that's my rant about "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Its a classic, and a great film overall with all the right Spielbergian touches that made cinema of the 70's and 80's awesome. If you haven't seen it, or just haven't see it in a while, give it a watch. It is still widely available and currently streaming on NetFlix!

Check back tomorrow night for two new capsule reviews and enjoy the rest of this gorgeous Thursday!

Vault Empire Updates; "Super 8" and "Troll Hunter" reviews coming this weekend; "Green Lantern" opens Friday!

Here's the latest batch of reviews and articles from the small, but mighty collective of blogs that makes up the B-Movie Film Vault Empire:

Bill's Beta Ray Blog

• Cosmic Links

Casual Gaming Blog

• Hardware Review - Gtron NES USB Controller for PC/Mac

Genre Watch

• Genre Watch - June 2011 (Week of 06/12 - 06/18)

Radiation-Scarred Reviews

• The Thirsty Dead (1974)

I'm still slowly getting my reviews for "Super 8" and "Troll Hunter" typed up (wish I wasn't so damned tired after I got home from work) and plan on having them completed and posted by Friday. Both movies are getting high ratings from yours truly, and if you have the time and the money, please go see both; please help support GOOD cinema!

Also, I'm probably going to go see the "Green Lantern" this weekend. It looks pretty damned cool and seems like it will be a faithful adaptation of the DC comic hero. To get psyched up, watch this trailer:

"In brightest day, in blackest night. No evil shall escape my sight. For those who worship evil's might, beware my power... GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!"

Spielberg's dark obssession with aliens and robots revealed!

As I've continued to work on my review for "Super 8" (coming soon I assure you!), I thought to myself, "Man, Spielberg sure likes his alien movies." Off the top of my head I recalled "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," the remake of "War of the Worlds," plus he had aliens show up in both "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence" and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." And then I checked his IMDB page......

Films Spielberg has directed that somehow involve alien beings:
1964 - Firelight
1977 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1982 - E.T. - The Extraterrestrial
2001 - A.I. - Artificial Intelligence
2005 - War of the Worlds
2008 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Well nothing at all alarming there right? I mean the guy has done "Jurassic Park," "JAWS," "Schindler's List," "Saving Private Ryan," and an entire spectrum of films from nearly every genre. But then you look at the films he has produced / is producing, and the alarm bells start going off.

He's smiling because he's thinking of aliens and robots right at this very minute!

Films and TV series that Spielberg has produced, that somehow involve aliens:

1982 - E.T. - The Extraterrestrial

1987 - *batteries not included

1997 - Men in Black

2001 - Evolution

2001 - A.I. - Artificial Intelligence

2002 - Taken (one episode)
2002- Men In Black II

2007 - Transformers

2009 - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

2011 - Super 8

2011 - Terra Nova (Pilot episode)

2011 - Transformers: Dark of the Moon

2011 - Cowboys and Aliens

2011 - Falling Skies (8 episodes)

2012 - Men in Black 3

And let's not forget the Spielberg-produced remake of "When Worlds Collide" that is coming out next year. No aliens, but humanity is about to be taken out by a rogue planet. However, there's a second, life-sustaining planet riding shotgun with it. Will some people (enough to repopulate) manage to make it to the other planet before Earth is eradicated?! 

In any case, one really has to wonder.... what is Spielberg's sudden obsession with alien movies?!?!

There is only one answer: SPIELBERG IS AN ALIEN!

Also, Steven seems to have a spin-off obsession with robots now as well. Once again, allow me to list some films to prove this point:

Spielberg-directed robot movies:

1971 - Duel (I'm grasping here, but c'mon, it has a killer truck! It could be a robot in disguise...)

2001 - A.I. Artificial Intelligence

2002 - Minority Report (spider-bots!)

2005 - War of the Worlds (the alien "tripods")

2013 - Robopocalypse

Spielberg-produced robot movies:

1987 - *batteries not included

2001 - A.I. - Artificial Intelligence

2007 - Transformers

2009 - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

2011 - Transformers: Dark of the Moon

2011 - Real Steel (Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots: the Movie!)

2013 - Robopocalypse

Ok yeah I may be really reaching here, but there's no denying that The Spielberg has suddenly gotten a huge hardon for robots and aliens lately. I'm not really complaining though because I too enjoy robot and alien cinema (which this has been a landmark year for), but I have to admit that its a bit eerie that he's directing and producing so many in so short a time. If you're worried about aliens, then continue to watch the skies. Me? I'm going to watch The Spielberg instead.....

Poster-ama! Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers, Captain America, Super 8!

Got home from work and discovered a slew of cool movie posters all over the web. First up is the teaser poster for next year's highly anticipated "The Dark Knight Rises."

Hmm.... looks very cool. Batman is floating over Gotham with his cape while numerous helicopters surround him. The only thing that looks a bit off is the bat symbol embedded in the shattered window we're supposed to be gazing through. Did he leap through the window and leave a cartoonish outline of his body in it? We still have a full year before we gaze upon the awesomeness of this latest film in the new Dark Knight saga, but it doesn't hurt to start getting fans excited now, right?

Next up is a super-cool retro poster for Marvel's upcoming Captain America (in theaters on July 22nd):

WOW! That is too damned cool! I would love to have this poster framed and hanging in my movie room! Cap punching out Hitler is a great touch, giving a nod to cover of the very first issue of Captain America! Seeing stuff like this makes me feel all warm and gooey inside; it is nice to know that some film companies really know how to promote their movies!

Next we get a first glimpse at next year's The Avengers, fully assembled with Captain America, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and The Mighty Thor:

I'm still not sure how this will pan out with Mark Ruffalo taking over for Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner (aka The Hulk), but I can't help but be excited for this movie. This is an unprecedented feature film that will pull together characters from (at least) four different Marvel films. Here's hoping that it actually works!

Finally, here's a fun poster created for the short Horror film the kids in "Super 8" made, called "The Case." (Note: Do not leave after the end credits roll for "Super 8." Stick around and you'll be presented with the completed "kid made" horror short, "The Case.")

Wow.... as if I didn't love "Super 8" enough already...... This poster was created by Yehudi Mercado; you can see the creation of the poster, and check out his other drawings and animations over at his blog, SUPER MERCADO! 

UFO movie news round-up

The Spielberg-produced, J.J. Abrams-directed UFO movie Super 8 is sitting comfortably at the top of the U.S. box-office after a respectable (though not spectacular) weekend gross of $37 million. It will likely be toppled next weekend, though, by the release of yet another alien-themed movie - Green Lantern (in cinemas June 17).

Meanwhile, Spielberg's old friend and collaborator Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Contact) is in talks to shoot a $100 million, live-action, 3D movie based on Mattel's 1960s space-themed toy line, Major Matt Mason.

The toy line originally was hooked entirely around the wonders of Apollo-era spaceflight and lunar exploration, but later expanded to include a host of alien characters. Whether aliens will feature in the movie version remains to be seen. Life-long sci-fi fan and Zemeckis regular Tom Hanks has co-written the screenplay.

Finally, Space.com casts a critical eye over the science of Hollywood's UFO subgenre and asks: What Makes an Alien Encounter Movie Believable?

SUPER 8 Tops the box office. New content coming soon!

Poster art by Drew Struzan.

Hey all! Just a quick post here to keep you all in the know about what I'm up to and to share a little movie news while I'm at it. I'm currently working on two capsule reviews for "Super 8" and "Troll Hunter," and should have them up within another day or two. I caught both movies this past Friday, which made for a day of purely awesome cinema.

Speaking of "Super 8," it is currently numero uno at the box office, pulling in a pretty decent $38 million this weekend. This is good news for J.J. Abrams and company, seeing as how the film only cost $45 million to make. (From here on out, its all profit!) If the film continues to do well (which it probably won't because the fickle general public is going to send "The Green Lantern" to the top spot next week) it'll be a victory for everyone, and might send a message to Hollywood that we the people of these United States are willing to pay to see a GOOD movie!

That ISN'T a remake or comic book adaptation!

And that ISN'T in f*cking 3D! (Cue short rant.)

Damn you Hollywood, stop giving us gimmicks and soulless effects-filled tripe, and give us some damn stories with likeable characters that we can relate to! Is that too much to ask?!

"Super 8" is a fantastic movie; I highly recommend it! It relies on a great cast to move things along (greatest cast of child actors I have seen in a film since, well... the 1980's!), and is for the most part, family friendly. The soundtrack (and score) are great, the acting is fantastic, the effects are well done (though I really, REALLY wish they did some practical effects to bring the film's mysterious creature to life), and it manages to hearken back to a better time in cinematic history that I like to call the "Amblin Era." Go see it!

Check back soon for new reviews and more!

Disney to produce secret sci-fi movie

By Robbie Graham

Frequent J.J. Abrams collaborator Damon Lindelof has just sold a "secret" sci-fi movie pitch to Disney. It's enigmatically titled: 1952. Beyond that, no details are forthcoming.

I'm gonna stick my neck out and bet that it's about aliens (perhaps relating in some way to the UFO fever that swept America in 1952). Hardly a risky bet, though, considering most of Hollywood's sci-fis right now are about aliens.

For further details, head on over to Empire.

Incidentally, the next issue of UFO Matrix magazine (due out late July) will feature an extensive new article, written by myself, entitled: UFOs and Disney: Behind the Magic Kingdom, which features exclusive revelations from the writer/director of Disney's much-debated 1995 Alien Encounters From New Tomorrowland documentary, plus a whole lot more information about the history of Disney and its ties to the government and military in the context of the UFO phenomenon.

I'll post more details about this article closer to the time of its publication next month.

Guest blogger exclusive #5

In the fifth instalment of the Silver Screen Saucers guest blogger mini-series, Grant Cameron looks at how two of Hollywood's most iconic UFO movies impacted the political thinking of two of America's most iconic Presidents. Read on...

Guest Blogger: Grant Cameron

Klaatu Barada Nikto

By Grant Cameron

Barack Obama recently returned from a trip to Poland where part of his job was as a salesman for the military-industrial-complex trying to sell the Poles on a new missile defense shield to protect the country from “rogue states,” such as Iran. To the logical and sane of the world, this “2011 model of Star Wars” proposed purchase by Poland makes no sense. Perhaps the Poles will help to lower the very high unemployment rate in the United States by buying the latest and greatest war weapon to match their status as the leading economy in the former eastern bloc.

Whatever the reason for the Polish government even considering the idea, those who may get these new high-tech research and development jobs in Poland and the United States will have the aliens to thank.

The original proposal for Star Wars (the defense shield, not the movie), which got its name from UFO advocate and space and missile consultant Carol Rosin, came on March 23, 1983, when President Ronald Reagan made a speech proposing a strategic defense whereby a state of the art missile shield could be created to block incoming nuclear ballistic missiles.

The shooting-down of incoming missiles had been visualized since the late 1950s but not much happened to develop it. Reagan was seriously pitched the idea in 1983 by Dr. Edward Teller, a scientist from Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and – if the rumors are to be believed – a key mover and shaker in the cover-up of the extraterrestrial presence on earth. Teller announced the development of the X-ray laser to Reagan, thus proposing that a defensive shield against incoming missiles was feasible with a few billion a year in research funds.

The general opinion in the scientific and military world was that the concept was unrealistic, even unscientific. Reagan, however, bought into the idea and began to lobby for the funds to begin development. Billions of dollars began to flow into the idea, which never did achieve any concrete operational success.

More importantly, against the advice of advisors, Reagan promised to share the Star Wars technology with the Soviet Union. Reagan reasoned that in this way he and U.S.S.R. General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev could rid the world of nuclear weapons and live in peace forever.

Colin Powell, Reagan’s national security advisor, was firmly convinced that the offer made to Gorbachev had been inspired by concepts raised in one of Reagan’s favorite movies – the 1951 flying saucer movie The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Reagan knew movies. He acted in 54 films, and he had watched 377 movies while President. He loved movies and The Day the Earth Stood Still remained a favorite of his throughout his Presidency.

It was in that movie that the humanoid alien Klaatu warned: “I am leaving soon, and you will forgive me if I speak bluntly. The universe grows smaller every day, and the threat of aggression by any group, anywhere, can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all, or no one is secure.”

It was this concept of aliens, and a Star Wars defense that could put an end to nuclear weapons, that Reagan proposed during a November 1985 Geneva Summit with Gorbachev. “At our meeting in Geneva,” recalled Gorbachev, “the U.S. President said that if the earth faced an invasion by extraterrestrials, the United States and the Soviet Union would join forces to repel such an invasion. I shall not dispute the hypothesis, though I think it's early yet to worry about such an intrusion...”

In reply to Reagan’s alien invasion scenario, Gorbachev had supplemented Reagan’s idea stating we should never forget the biblical passage “[God] hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.” The two men became friends and agreed that the world needed a lasting peace.

World peace and aliens were never far from Reagan’s mind. He used to walk around the White House asking people if they had seen the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still, and uttering the phrase “Klaatu barada nikto.” These were the words that Klaatu had given in the film to the character of Helen, the heroine in the movie. These words were to be uttered to the alien robot, Gort. If spoken, the words would stop Gort from destroying the world. In the movie, Helen had uttered the words and, in the nick of time, had saved the world. Reagan planned to do the same.

To the dismay of the White House Reagan then went public with his notion of world peace based on alien invasion. On five occasions he raised the alien invasion/united world concept: he did so with Russian leaders; at the United Nations; and even at schools such as Fallston High School in Harford County, Maryland. It was at the Fallston high school in May 1985 where Reagan described his “fantasy” (as he called it) even though it was not in the prepared speech:

"I couldn't help but - one point in our discussion with General Gorbachev - when you stop and think we are all God's children, wherever we may live in the world, I couldn't help but say to him, just think how easy his task and mine might be in these meetings that we held if suddenly there was a threat to this world from some other species, from another planet, outside in the universe. We'd forget all the little local differences that we have between our countries, and we would find out once and for all that we are really are all human beings here on this Earth together. Well, I don't suppose we can wait for some alien race to come down and threaten us, but I think that between us we can bring about that realization."

General Colin Powell, Reagan’s national security advisor, went on the record stating that it was part of his job to keep the alien remarks – especially the alien invasion remarks – out of Reagan’s speeches. He feared that people would actually get the idea that there was a real concern in the White House that there was going to be an alien invasion. Every time Reagan would bring up the aliens, Powell would role his eyes and tell his staff, “Here come the little green men again.” In the case of the Fallston speech there was little Powell could do if Reagan chose to ad lib.

Reagan’s decision to tell the students of the alien invasion was an example of why the White House staff chose to keep him from student events. It was hard to control him. Question and answer sessions were cancelled as he would be “too loose” and “speak too freely.” Judi Buckalew, a presidential aide, spoke of the fear of allowing students around the President. “The staff was always trying to keep him away from these high school groups that would come in to have their pictures taken,” she said, “because he would stand around and answer all their questions, saying all kinds of things. The staff would literally tug him away from these kids.”

It can even be surmised that the alien invasion notion that Reagan got from The Day the Earth Stood Still may actually have led to the end of the Cold War. In 1989, inspired by Klaatu’s words, “There must be security for all, or no one is secure,” Reagan stood at the Berlin Wall and asked his friend Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” Gorbachev removed the wall which separated the two Germanys, and there has been peace between the West and the Eastern bloc countries ever since.

Reagan and Gorbachev at the Geneva Summit in Switzerland, 19 November, 1985.(1985-11-19)...

The idea of an alien invasion and world peace was an idea that went on to inspire others, most notably President Clinton and his wife Hillary. In 1996 Bill and Hillary screened Independence Day. The blockbuster movie was a movie depicts an alien invasion that destroys much of the United States, including the White House. In the end however, the President and the people come together to destroy the aliens.

Clinton spoke of the movie saying, in part, “I loved it… and I was glad we won.” He stated later that many in his administration came to actually believe that – as depicted in the movie – there really was a recovered flying saucer at Area 51, so he sent someone to the base to check it out.

Like Reagan before him, the movie inspired Clinton think of a united world. “The good thing about Independence Day is there’s an ultimate lesson for that – for the problems right here on Earth,” said Clinton. “We whipped that problem by working together with all these countries. And all of a sudden the differences we had with them seemed so small once we realized there were threats that went beyond our borders. And I wish that we could think about that when we deal with terrorism and when we deal with weapons proliferation – the difference between all these others problems. That's the lesson I wish people would take away from Independence Day.” In total, Bill Clinton would talk publicly about Independence Day on five occasions.

The Clintons, June, 1998.

Like Bill, Hillary also was inspired by the movie. She spoke about it during her campaign for President in December 2007.  It might have helped that Roland Emmerich, the director of Independence Day, had hosted a fundraiser for Hillary’s campaign at his home earlier in the year.

“Remember that movie Independence Day,” said Hillary, as she campaigned in Iowa, “where invaders were coming from outer space and the whole world was united against the invasion? Why can't we be united on behalf of our planet? And that's what I want to do.” Hillary would talk publicly about Independence Day and the concept of alien invasion on four occasions.

Klaatu would be pleased, no doubt, but would still see much room for improvement in our politicians. Klaatu, barada, nikto. Long live the dream of a united world, and long live alien invasion movies.

Copyright © 2011, Grant Cameron

Grant Cameron is the world’s leading researcher on the subject of UFOs and the Presidency. He has written extensively on this and related subjects including the Canadian government's early investigations into flying saucers; UFO disclosure politics; and the Rockefeller UFO Initiative. He has lectured widely in Canada and the United States and has been interviewed for numerous radio, TV news and documentary programs.

He has made 20+ trips to the National Archives and most of the various Presidential archives looking for presidential UFO material. One highlight of his presidential UFO research was the chance to question Vice-President Dick Cheney on his knowledge of the UFO subject. Another significant achievement was a FOIA to the White House Office of Science and Technology which yielded 1,000 pages of UFO documents from the Clinton Administration. Many of these findings – as well as the rest of Cameron’s research – can be accessed through The Presidents UFO Website, Barack Obama UFO, and Hillary Clinton UFO.