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UK Readers!! OUTLANDER Is Coming You Way This Weekend!!
Merrick here...
A while back, we covered a film called OUTLANDER. Our coverage ultimately waned because, well, the film itself actually went away (in a sense).
See, OUTLANDER was (erroneously) deemed to be little more than straight-to-video fodder by The Weinstein Company here in The States, where it's already seen a highly limited theatrical distribution (backed by an almost non existent promotional campaign). Many people were/are simply unaware of the film. Statistically, those who know about it probably couldn't find it. OUTLANDER deserves better than this.
Such banishment is particularly odd given that the movie has performed reasonably well, if not quite nicely, when released to theaters overseas (by different distributors) - Spain, France, and India being examples.
The next leg of OUTLANDER's journey begins on UK screens this weekend. Accordingly, we thought we'd give our readers across the pond a heads up. Apparently the film is enjoying a fully realized advertising blitz in UK, so chances are you may've already learned a bit about it. But in case you haven't...
OUTLANDER is the tale of a dude in a spaceship (Jim Caviezel) who crashes on Earth - bringing a gnarly extraterrestrial bioluminescent hell beast with him. This thing looks kinda like a Balrog cross-bred with FORBIDDEN PLANET's ID monster. Space Guy ends up in a town of Vikings...takes 'em a while to figure each other out & navigate treacherous inter-tribal politics. Space Guy helps Vikings destroy the "dragon" (space monster) that's bent on eating them. Pretty simple, pretty straight forward. AND, it has John Hurt, Ron Perlman, and Sophia Miles.
This said, OUTLANDER's B-movie concept is often overshadowed by A-caliber sensibilities. Director Howard McCain isn't afraid to take on character development of sometimes surprising dimension; our hero cries at one point, and isn't as squeaky clean as he'd like to be. He's...done things. Things for which he, and others, are paying a very high price.
People behave like people here, usually manifesting nobility, uncertainty, illogic (or all of the above) in very believable ways.
The evil space monster's actions have specific motivation and provocation - it's not just a CGI retread hopping around, looking for snacks.
One of the film's most memorable moments? Spaceman (Caviezel) is tied up in the middle of the Viking village. Nobody cares and most are ignoring him. A Viking boy wanders along - stands there staring at him. And there's this interesting tension. About what? Whether that kid is gonna flake off a piece of the bread he's carrying & toss it to Caviezel as if he's a stray dog. A simple, quiet moment that works on many different levels - told primarily through eye contact and reaction shots. OUTLANDER works nicely as an adventure, but its heart and soul are what many may recall most vividly when all is said and done.
We'll be taking a much closer look at this film as it approaches DVD release here in the U.S. next month, which might be the beginning of a healthy video afterlife for OUTLANDER. Or perhaps even a complete rebirth?
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You owe it to yourself to see it if you haven't yet. I'll definitely pick it up on DVD when it gets released stateside.
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Just awesome. Can't wait
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...she said "First, bitches!"
Oh, and Harry's a fat fuck. -
...she said I should come over and service ha
er as consolation for missing my first. Harry can't, you see, as he's a fat fuck.
BOOYAH! -
but want to support. probably won't be playing anywhere near me tho
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alliteration
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So I'm a "faggot" because I was the first person to read the story, are are you just a whiny bitch cause you missed what you thought was your one chance at doing something special with your life? Cry me a river you weak bitch. I'm not your momma and I certainly don't give a shit about being "first." Just go see Outlander and shut the hell up.
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I withdraw my statement to you and pass it onto johnnyrandom with extra bile and hatred. Still, don't use derogatory statements like "faggot." It just makes you look dumb.
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Has there been a real response from the studio why it just got totally passed by at the box office?
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...when it comes to great sci fi films that don't get enough exposure at the box office.
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It's everything great about the old school. A love letter to 80s viking movies, sword and sorcery flicks, and sci-fi before fucking Paul W.S. Anderson. Awesome matte paintings too. They've even got a scene where they make swords. It's badass.
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"A while back, we covered a film called OUTLANDER. Our coverage ultimately waned because, well, the film itself actually went away (in a sense). "
Your coverage WANED???
When in the fucking hell did AICN did any coverage of this great movie?? Other than the 'letter to the studio' article last summer asking to give this movie a wide release, you motherfucking cunts didnt give this movie any coverage whatsoever! And no, I'm not counting the 'e-mail review' that fatfuck Harry posted. That fat motherfucker claimed Outlander was the best indie movie he's seen all year, yet he couldnt be arsed to make one goddamn effort to promote it in any way shape or form. He'd rather rant about fucking Twilight and Wolverine leaking than give an actual worthwhile movie a little nudge towards obtaining any kind of success. You bloated disgusting heartless bastards. Outlander might have stood a chance at the box office if a site like AICN gave it a few favorable reviews. "Our coverage WANED".... you goddamn idiots should have MULTIPLIED the coverage to help the movie! Hey Merrick, where in the fucking hell was this article when the movie came out in America, you retarded shitstain? Now's a little bit late isnt it? God this site makes me sick, no wonder I never bother posting here anymore.... -
to me. MORE LIKE THIS! MORE LIKE THIS!
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You do realize you provide genre coverage right? If it needs publicity, then publicize the shit!
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Apr 23, 2009 10:58:43 PM CDT
Sci-fi channel presents Outlander, starring Lou Diamond Phillips
by orionsangels
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Why the hell didn't anyone see that trailer? Where did they release it--the moon?
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I thought we'd finally managed to wrangle a preview screening in the uk for the AICN readership that doesn't live in Texas or Chicago. but then i realised that the fricking torrent for this has been available for months.
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I've seen it about, oh, three times now and it gets better each time. It's a true blue B movie, but it's a damn good one.
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I totally agree with you. I don't know why you bother to post here either. why don't you stop doing that? that would be nice.
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here in NY, but never got a chance. I regretted missing it, but will definitely pick up the DVD. It looks cool like in an ol' fashioned Predator, Enemy Mine kind of way. Look forward to it!
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..to see this flick and I kind of loved it. I was a bit worried at first, when the "Dragon" first appeared because it was lower budget(kind of) and I was afraid the Digital Effects would throw me out of the moment. Needless to say, I was pleasantly Surprised. This film was very, very enjoyable and the effects were good enough. I'd say it was kind of like a good/sci-fi version of The 13th Warrior....and I stress the GOOD part. I love JC, even though I can never spell his last name right. I'm so bummed it's not playing in the theaters, cause I saw it at a screening here in LA but the theater was lame. But seriously, why would a lame movie like PATHFINDER get a theatrical release in the US but this one won't? Ticks me off.
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No sure didn't I saw it in theaters. Never saw Fanboys anywhere near me though?
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An awesome movie. GO see it. Lots of fun. As for Jim Cavizels church tour right now, don't go to that. He's just shleping some new Bible.
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Ended up on At the Movies, panned hard by them. But they didn't review Outlander??? Hate At the Movies if you want, still its a decent outlet for a movie to get noticed.
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This movie is not worth full admission price. Sorry it's not. It's not terrible by any stretch but it's not worth dropping $20 bucks for admission and concessions on it either.
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Giving weekly updates as to where and when Fanboys was showing, and Outlander was doing the same thing. It probably came to a lot more places just people didn't know. It came near me but not to the nice ass theater. It came to the rundown mall theater 10 minutes down the road and was only showing at 12:55 and 2PM, and its rated R. But both Paul Blart, Hotel For Dogs, The Unaborted, and Twilight all had 10 or later showings at the theater. That theater rented a copy of Conan the Barbarian a couple of weeks later and ran it for a week as well. So I think the manager has a thing for Viking movies.
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Lightyears better then the new Wolverine movie coming out next week. I mean Wolverine should have at least been as good as Outlander. Wolverine is closer to a Sci-Fi Original then Outlander. In fact the special effects are better in Outlander as well. I mean at least Outlander didn't try to make Sabertooth growing 1 inch of nails seem scary. Plus its got Ron Pealmen beating the shit out of people with a Thor Hammer.
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Fuck man, Uwe Boll movies got a wider release then Outlander. So did Larry the Cable guys last couple of abortions. But hey they were all megahits. Seriously Ass the movie coming to a theater near you.
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by any stretch of the imagination. It's not even decent. Don't waste your time with it.
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Ok, Here's essentially what happened with the US release.
The Weinsteins paid minimally for distribution rights in the US and had no incentive (since they are broke) to promote the film since they always planned on making money on the DVD. There was a deal in place for the Weinsteins to distribute on 1500 screens but the producers decided that they might still be able to resell the film to a diferent distributor for more... and they did. But Harvey Weinstein's concesion was that if it failed to sell, he would get the rights back and could tear up the original contract. So a deal was made with Sony (IIRC) but then a week or so later the guy that made the deal got canned and the deal fell through. SO Harvey gets the movie back and it's pulling teeth to get him to accept a 200 screen run. SO that's what we got, with *ZERO* promotion! They didn't even bother sending posters to half the theaters that were showing the movie. They didn't even bother cutting their own trailer. They bought the international one and put their logo in front and posted it online as new. -
At the theater I went to. I asked them if I could get that or the mini poster in front of the theater door. They told me that they give their poster away to schools and charities and their employees. I was pissed.
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...was the way it's being pitched over here. Works for me!
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starts off well, lots of promise..they piss the premise up the wall.
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its not a terrible movie, its just totally ineffectual..you cant just fucking WILL a movie to be good because you love the concept..it simply doesnt deliver..the monster is hiding most of the film (and far from suspenfully as per Predator) and the performances weak (not awful). The script is pretty snorey too. It's a shame, its a wasted chance.
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Coverage fucking waned because you lot were busy schilling for fucking Twilight or some such bollocks
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Another bad week for cinema.
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It isn't lame or weak. Further on AICN's fucking shameful failure with this- there was Mori's open letter and then fuck all. I don't know where Merrick gets this bollocks about coverage "waned" there wasn't any to begin with. Harry gave it a one line review in his DVD column- the one milf references above. I've seen it and it's great. I'm going to go in the UK because I wish I'd seen it on the Big Screen and it makes a nice change from all the other bollocks floating around. Do yourselves a favour, see it. It's fun.
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a day late and a dollar short motherfuckers.
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Can't remember the last good sci-fi action picture I saw, probably Starship Troopers back in '97.
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Why do any of you think this looks cool? Worse than Transformers.
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Sounds like fun, can't beat a Viking/Alien mash-up, going to check it out.
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Because I've seen it and it is cool. So fuck off.
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Apr 24, 2009 3:58:10 AM CDT
To my own surprise, this is NOT already out on DVD in...
by derlanghaarige
...Germany.
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I seen this about 6 months ago and it was pretty good. Jesus does good as the visitor.
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its a great wee sci-fi monster B movie, the sort of movie thats just fun to watch but then again AICN is in the pockets of the studios these days...
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AICN should HAVE DONE more to promote it. I'm hoping we can Reservoir Dogs it back to prominence. When I think about the multiple blow jobs given to Wankmen here and the treatment OUTLANDER got, my blood just boils.
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you're more of a faggot than the dude who attempted to post first. looks like you have some issues bud. might want to get them addressed.
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Apr 24, 2009 4:49:53 AM CDT
Apparently the film is enjoying a fully realized advertising bli
by mr cairo
not really i cant say i have seen sod all about it barring what i actively sought out on the net , No adverts no billboards not even a trailer in the cinema
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Looking forward to it! The advertising in the UK has pretty much sucked though, i have to agree with Mr Cairo on this one.
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but I may have been imagining it. It isn't exactly getting pushed.
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Apr 24, 2009 5:16:01 AM CDT
"Our coverage ultimately waned..."
by i_am_not_the_droid_you_are_looking_for
"because, well, the film itself actually went away (in a sense)." BULL-FUCKING-SHIT! This flick got butt-fucked by this site who were too busy reviewing dreck like Bride Wars and Paul Blart: Mall Cop and reporting on Zack Snyders every bowel movement. Not one single MOD review of it. Not one. This is exactly the type of flick this site should be pimping, and not sticking up review after review after review of shit that will open huge anyway. To try to give this flick some half-assed attention now, after it has already failed dismally in the states, is an insult to the film and an insult to all of us who frequent the site. Set a fucking precedent AICN and start supporting the little guy instead of shamelessly whoring yourself into a position where you can gobble the cock of anyone associated to a Hollywood blockbuster. It's pathetic.
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instead of the half assed shit you've posted- it would have been just as easy to say: "We fucked up, Twilight was making us moist and we missed it. We know we've let you, and ourselves down, and we promise not to do it again"
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If you like a good SciFi action Flick, it really deserves your attention. Its good fun and entertainment. And yes AICN wasn't so cool with it. To busy promoting b..shit for which you guys obviously get paid or loaded with incentives.(read: Watchmen, Dollhouse)
Sorry to say it.. You lost it lately.. And if there is something interesting, like the last CSI - SF geek episode (and you can love it or hate it)you just fucking ignore it!! Would have been great talkback.
I don't know where the future of AICN lies....but I am utterly disappointed in your site the last 12 months.......
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No TV ads, not even showing at the 3 local multiplexes I can visit.
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Viking means to pillage. The people were called Norse or Northmen.
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it comes out on DVD? I wanted to see this movie so bad.
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I liked it. Yeah, pretty much a B-movie, but the VFX were better than your average straight-to-DVD flick and the cast is pretty strong. Good performances, nice story...It's a fun flick.
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I saw where it's coming out on DVD May 19th
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They're shilling OUTLANDER like a bitch here in the Midlands - adverts everywhere, plenty of billboards, bus shelter posters and such. I REALLY hope it has an effect, 'cos this movie looks EXACTLY like what I need right now. Fuck WOLVERINE starring the guy from fucking OKLAHOMA! (once you've seen Hugh as Curly, you'll NEVER accept him as anything macho ever again. He's great, but macho he ain't), I needs me some alien & Vikings vs Dragon action. I'll be first in line on Sunday. (Hey, some of us work weekends!)
FOR OUTLAAAAAAAAANDEEEEEEEER!!! -
Sorry, but FANBOYS looks fucking boring. Compared with 5-25-77, the ONLY "Star Wars" nostalgia film I actually enjoyed the trailer for, FANBOYS looks a bit of a damp squib. and if I could swap my boring ass UK life with that of anyone in the movie industry, it'd be PATRICK READ JOHNSON. What a way to grow up!
HARRY - WHAT THE FUCK HAS HAPPENED TO 5-25-77?!?!? -
You'll enjoy it. It almost made forgive Jack Huston for being in Shrooms. But it's not miraculous, and I don't think anything will ever manage that
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Is one of my faverite movies so far this year. Definately worth watching, at the very least on Blu-ray/DVD.
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The guy WROTE and DIRECTED it ... and it's generating a lot of buzz. It's a shame Weinstein hamstringed it, but McCain will get a lot of future work from this. (Hopefully CONAN!)
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I heard about this movie way back in November and was interested in seeing it, except AICN never mentioned it again, causing me to completely forget about this possible gem of a movie. *sigh* If only AICN promoted it more. . .I'm sure either Madison or Chicago would have screened it, and I could have watched. Now I have to wait for the DVD.
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I thought it was a retarded piece of shit. I thought I was watching a Uwe Boll movie.
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and you're a cunt. Simple, that.
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I live in Romania.
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for months sitting on my external hard drive. Guess I will boot this one up when I get home. I love my WD TV.
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IS FUKING AWESOME!!
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Wasn't he in Mutant Chronicles as well? That's another film I have had for like a year and haven't seen yet. Damn.
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You are my new HERO!!
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and yes he is mostly awesome.
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i wish to see this film - is it being released in Ireland at all?
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I've seen it. It's good.
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sorry.
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Let The Right One In could have gotten some kind of proper stateside release if this site had championed it over a year ago and the re-subtitling would never have happened either. Shame.
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There was a metric shitload of hoopla on this site over LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, and after so many orgasmic reviews, many people, just like me, found it to be a disappointment. It had some real plotting and pacing problems, and despite a fantastic premise and some great moments was a letdown. To me, anyway. I can honestly say I *enjoyed* OUTLANDER much, much more. It's a wonderful matinee B-movie that delivers on all fronts. I loved it.
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I never saw any real mention of it till the year end reviews.
Im curious what your plotting issues were? -
Some things just frustrated. Why did her "helper" have to be the stupidest man that ever lived and the worst serial killer in film history? How did that add anything? It just robbed it of suspense and atmosphere for me. Nothing he does makes any sense whatsoever, it was strangely laughable. Let's kill people and drain their blood in public places, with other people mere feet away, and then douse ourselves with acid or whatever when there's the slight chance of being caught. WTF??? Am I missing something? Then there were the group-of-drunks subplot that never felt fully fleshed out. What should have been a terrifying or just a cool scene where she gets attacked by the cats is rushed badly and made silly by bad CGI. Also, are there no police in this area of Sweden? And finally, even the relationship between the boy and girl (and yes, I still like to think of her as a girl, despite the book and the unsettling crotch shot) is never as emotionally satisfying as I hoped it would be. It's good, but not up to the standard of the premise, if you know what I mean. The pool scene is great, but like everything in the film feels a few beats too long, which robs it of some shock value. You're sitting there waiting for the inevitable to happen, and sharper editing could have made it a stunner. I love the ending where he leaves with her. But overall, it has a few great horror moments (the attacks, the two hospital deaths, the result of her entering with no invitation) but I don't feel it lives up to its reputation. Believe me, I'm sorry. I wanted to love it. This may be one of the rare times I'm looking to the American remake to do it better.
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Put the title in the search engine and you'll find early reviews by all the top AICN writers from a horror festival, I can't remember the name, but well before it's release in the States. I then ran to see it as soon as it opened in Denver. As for the subtitling, that's the fault of whatever idiot company put out the DVD, I don't think AICN could have done anything about that. On OUTLANDER though, I do feel they could have done more. I personally sent them news of a screening in Seattle with the director doing a Q & A and they didn't announce it.
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d/l it months ago because i thought it wasn`t getting a theatre run here..but im happy to say it did and it looked a hell of a lot better on the big screen ...great film
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and the advert for it is all over this site here in the UK
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And I'm going to be watching it on my home theater projector tomorrow, with a friend.
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I felt the cats scene was excellent with great fx really stood out amoung the very simple filmmaking before it. As for her helper, he was getting old and very careless and cocky because he just didnt really care much about being caught anymore and wanted out. He'd been doing that for a long time and knew how easy it was to kill people and get away with it.
Ill look forward to the remake but i fear they wont find young actors that impress as much. -
Me and the missus watched this and it abso..fucking..lutly brilliant... great actors... great action... great story and a great fucking monster... it were great..
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Makes a change.I thought this film had come and gone in London.I enjoyed this film,not bad at all.I saw The Burrowers today.It ticked a few boxes as it went along and the ending was a bit NOTLD so to speak but for all that ok.Some of you should give that a go too.
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It's a great little film, seen by me already due to the (evil) magic of HD piracy (although I had little hope of it ever making a UK theatrical release after it's drubbing Stateside). I'll be down the cinema for a re-run on the big screen methinks. I loves myself a good quality B-movie...
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Yes, I know for sure it's at least playing in Dublin.
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I'm pretty sure I didnt ask you anything, so go fuck yourself.
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It has some enjoyable moments, but it's basically a pseudo-Beowulf tale with badly written too modern dialogue.
At one point Ron Perlman actually runs and screams: "HOLD YOUR FIRE!!!"
The "dragon" is not bad, at least something original. -
It's better than most people would expect it to be, but I don't necessarily think we have to start talking about it like some kind of unheralded treasure. If you like monster movies (or Sophia Myles), it's solid, check it out on DVD. But if it got a wide release in the U.S. it would've been obliterated.
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Watched about 45 mins before turning it off. Totally shit.
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IGN UK had a review for it this week. It definitely looks like an interesting movie.
Seriously though, "Outlander is coming you way!"? You way? -
WHAT THE FUCK IS THE POINT OF RELEASING THIS MOVIE WITH LOADS OF MEDIA SATURATION IN THE EAST MIDLANDS IF YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO SHOW IT IN THE FUCKING WEST MIDLANDS? WHY, YOU FUCKNUGGETS? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY??????????
God, movie distributors can be such fucking CUNTS! Do you fuckers know how long I've waited to see this movie on a big screen? DO YOU, FUCKERS?!?!?
GAAAAAAHHHH!!! -
They have been advertising this movie like mad, the trailer getting show before pretty much every movie in the past few months, the poster's up well in time to spread word, and then the movie is released and shown in 2 screens!
Odeon cinemas are the biggest chain of theatres in the UK, and it seems like they have decided to shun this movie now it is out, it's like back with Rambo all over again when they didnt show it at any cinemas!? -
The nearest to me is in Birmingham - 3 cinemas, at least 50 miles from where I am - and several outlying areas like Wolverhampton, Dudley etc. I just haven't got the time to go that far to see this, but that ad campaign REEEALLY pisses me off - if you aren't going to distribute it far and wide, DON'T CALL IT NATIONWIDE DISTRIBUTION! BASTARDS!!!
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Cos this looks shit.
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of the space and/or sword and sorcery films of the 80's. It has you yearning for a sequel that has the look and feel of the Space Marine flashbacks peppered throughout.
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Why not at least give a shot? Terrible terrible movies like that stupid street fighter movie get big pushes why not Outlander?
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Saw it this afternoon in Dublin. Excellent B movie - very effective CGI boosts a (probably) modest budget & solid acting from the likes of John Hurt & Jim Cavaziel. Pays homage throughout to Predator without being cheesy - the title of this post is a line of dialogue that's right out of "If it bleeds we can kill it".
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I don't quite get what's up... It's showing in aproximately 39 theaters. Proportionally that's larger than the US release but it's still small beans. It's definitely not a 'Wide Release'.
A movie expected to be a huge hit usually debuts on about 350 to 500 cinemas in the UK. (so proportionately the US theatrical system is about ten times... which mean that would be like if the Weinsteins put it in 390 theaters in the US on opening instead of the about 50 they did back in january.)
At least Momentum is actually advertising the film.
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