Why Does This Movie Rate a Sequel?

Wow! What a week! Top Girls has proven a great success (if I do say so, myself) and while I am really tired right now, I am also aware I've been neglecting the Revenge... But all is well in Uncle P's world, so back to whatever passes for normalcy, I guess.

So last October, millions of idiots (many of whose thoughts on film I usually respect) were duped into thinking Paranormal Activity was actually a scary movie. I still have no idea why. 

Boring, predictable and derivative, Paranormal Activity made millions and convinced otherwise sane film goers that it was really scary. Number One on my "Worst Movies of 2009," (my original review can be read here), the $11,000 movie made enough money to prompt distributor Paramount to commission a sequel, written by the original writer/director Oren Pelli. Directing duties

are handled this time by Tod Williams (The Adventures of Sebastian Cole), so perhaps the pacing problems of the first film are resolved here, but I still have my doubts.

Somehow, I think the joke poster above is closer to what we'll get than an actually scary movie. Pelli is once again the screenwriter, and I have my doubts that his skills have improved. And Katie Featherston apparently returns as the only credited actor in this grab for more unsophisticated film goers' dollars. This time, I think I'll wait until Paranormal Activity 2 is available On Demand (which should be sometime in December). In case you're actually interested, here's the trailer, which involves a dog and baby who casts no reflection (?):

'Shocktober' is only a few days away, kiddies and Uncle P is preparing 31 posts on his favorite Horror Movie Directors, so stay tuned. Until then, expect more gayness, more horror and more nonsense, as usual.

More, anon.

Prospero

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Tron-tastic?

There's a whole lot of buzz at ComicCon over Disney's sequel to their 1982 computer-game movie Tron, Tron Legacy.

Here's the thing: What I most remember about Tron was that seeing it in a theatre gave me a headache. Honestly. I don't know if it was the effects, the plot or the acting. I just know that I had a horrible headache and I was actually nauseous for several hours afterwards.

As with most of Disney's live-action movies, Tron Legacy will be in digital 3-D, which I can only imagine will serve to heighten the headache-nausea factor. Add that to an implausibly stupid plot and you have one puke-tastic movie.

Now I know there are many fans of the original movie out there. And I have seen it several times on TV without experiencing the same effects. But I can't help but wonder if the sequel will induce the same reaction as the original did, 27 years ago (Oh God - I am really showing my age, aren't I?).

In any event, this teaser trailer for the new movie was just released. I'll leave you to form your own opinions. And Tron lovers, please don't inundate me with hate mail - I just calls 'em as I sees as I sees 'em. Here's' the trailer (via):

In other news, from the London Daily Mail comes this bizarre and rather sad tid-bit about Michael Jackson's nose. Is it me, or have we become way too obsessed with celebrities and their all-too-human frailties? I think if we all spent more time thinking about our own lives and how we impact the lives of others, we wouldn't care about whether Jacko had a prosthetic nose or how many African orphans Angelina and Madonna adopt.

More, anon.

Prospero

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