Monday, February 27, 2012

'The Walking Dead' - Full of Life!

The Walking Dead TV promo

'The Walking Dead' is alive and surviving quite well, zombies and all. The majority of the reviewers have given this show high marks as you can see in the rating score below. Of course, as with all shows, movies and books, there will be a number of people who are neutral, have become tired of the show or simply hate it. But most love it...

Details:
TV Series: 2010 – current, airs Sundays on AMC, Rated TV-14, 45 min - Drama | Horror | Thriller.
8.7 out of a 10 rating from 94,280 voters at IMDB.com
Super brief synopsis:
Police officer Rick Grimes leads a group of survivors in a world overrun by zombies.

Stars: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal and Sarah Wayne Callies (she was on 'Prison Break').

'Walking Dead' Trailer
'Walking Dead' Official Site

Question: Is this based on a book?
Answer: Yes, it is based on the graphic novel of the same name, written by Robert Kirkman. However it is not an exact representation of the comic, there are characters in the comic that are not in the show, and vice-versa.

Question: So then, is it true to the graphic novels?
Answer: The first episode is a faithful interpretation of the first issue of the comic book. The main differences are 1) the opening with the little girl zombie 2) and extended scene before Rick gets shot 3) the show contains more background on Morgan and Duane and 4) the comic does not show us the fate of Lori until the next issue. The remaining episodes of the first season diverge fairly widely in terms of plot. The general idea of the camp outside of Atlanta is the same and most of the characters in the camp are in the comic. The Dixon brothers, the extended zombie siege of the department store, and the Vatos are all invented for the show. The TV show adds several characters. It also makes some changes to existing characters.

The following reviews REALLY caught my attention (at www.imdb.com) and sum up the opinion of the majority of viewers:

>Walking Dead is Amazing!!!!, 11 February 2012
10/10
Author:abkm47 from United States
This show is so entertaining. Starting out season one with a Sheriff waking up in a hospital to a world that has completely changed. The story gets better and better as the you get to know the characters. The show has terror and keeps you on the edge of your seat, you are yelling at the screen just like in a horror movie, the difference is the actors are amazing, especially, in my opinion Norman Reedus as Daryl. There is just enough gore and the make up artists are amazing.

The show takes you on an emotional roller coaster, you are scared, happy, sad, anxious, I love this show and can 't Wait for what is going to happen next. I loved how they are developing the characters and am hoping for a love interest for Daryl, but maybe that will ruin his manliness.

I am not a huge zombie fan but this show has me completely hooked!

>Walkin' The Walk, 20 February 2012
7/10
Author:ween-3
Full disclosure: I'm not a big fan of zombies (at least not since "Time Of The Season" and "She's Not There" were hits, anyway), I never read the graphic novels this show is based on, and I wouldn't have given you a plugged nickel for my chances of watching this show past the 15-minute mark of the pilot episode.

But here I am...glued to this puppy midway into the 2nd season. Why? Because good acting goes a long way, kids. (Particularly with the addition---however ultimately tenuous--of Scott Wilson to the cast.) Act as if ye have real drama, and real drama shall be given unto you.

Given the premise here (essentially "Night of the Living Dead" in series format) this show could have easily pegged the "Complete Drivel" meter right out of the gate. Instead, the producers and the cast treat the material as more than comic book fodder for tweens. This is the kind of show that could actually give "post-apocalyptic" a good name again.

Like "24", "Walking Dead" is an E-ticket ride once you're strapped in. Lots of fun. And this make-up department can really dial up the "ick" factor and scare the dookie outa yet when they want. So turn down the lights and enjoy one of the better genre exercises of this type that you're likely to see.

Monday, February 20, 2012

'Alcatraz' - Captivated, Confused or Quit?



'Alcatraz' - Are you captivated or confused? Or did you quit watching it by now?

Just to lay down the official plot summary and then some discussion:
On March 21, 1963, over three hundred inmates and more than forty guards disappeared from the Alcatraz island prison without a trace. To cover up the disappearance, the government invented a cover story about the prison being closed, due to unsafe conditions, and the inmates were transferred. As a young guard in 1963, federal agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) had been one of the first to discover the inmates missing. He now runs a secret government unit dedicated to finding the prisoners. In present-day San Francisco, the "63s" (as the inmates and guards are called) begin returning, having not aged at all. To help track them down and capture them, Hauser enlists police detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia), an expert on the history of Alcatraz. The 63s appear to be returning without memory of where they have been and with compulsions to find certain objects.

Alrighty then...here are some major concerns and questions (and intrigue) about 'Alcatraz':

It seems we don't know the order in which inmates appear (or reappear). No timeline is mapped out. One thing that is a mystery, Rebecca's grandpa was there before the first inmate was tracked down. And as inmates pop up, they are getting captured by our merry little team, but Rebecca's grandpa seems to still be on the loose. Just because each week we are introduced to another inmate, doesn't mean that they are appearing one at a time...others could have reappeared in 2012, too.

The inmates who return seem to have specific instructions that they don't even fully understand the nature or purpose of. Many have been locating those large keys that we've been shown existed and were used back in the old prison. It was surprising to hear in the last episode how that inmate said he went to sleep a week ago and suddenly woke up in the year 2012. And he didn't seem to have any instructions, but went back to his old criminal activities from the 60s (setting bombs to blow up). When he and Soto chatted, he seemed completely lost to what was happening to him.

I keep wondering what happened between 1960 and 1963. Does anyone notice how the flashbacks are always in 1960? And yet they didn't disappear until 1963? Why are we never shown any flashbacks during those 3 years? I'm assuming the disappearance actually occurred in 1963 - on whatever day Alcatraz closed.

Whew-Hauser sure looks good for as old as he'd have to be by now! If he was a guard back in 1963, let's say he was 20 years old then, add onto that 50 years passing, and that would make him about 70! You'd think he'd retire and not be hunting these inmates!

It's amazing none of the inmates decided to high-tail it out of there and make a new life for themselves...but obviously something supernatural or who-knows-what happened to them during the last 50 years and reappearing in a world they know little about, especially with all the technology, had to be shocking. And they had committed horrible crimes - if they feel like no time has passed to them, they would likely fall back into their old criminal ways out on the run. Then again, we're getting the impression they are being controlled or instructed to do certain things.

Alcatraz's doctor is deeply involved in whatever is happening to the prisoners. Remember all the times back in the 60's when he kept drawing blood from them? And when Hauser nabbed Lucy from the hospital and brought her to this doctor (who also returned - who knows when?) and told the doc to heal her! What the heck?

I would say I'm captivated by 'Alcatraz'. I loved 'Lost' (same writer) and kept telling myself how totally confusing THAT show was, but still adored it and watched every episode. I hope these shows don't get to feeling like it's the same thing every week/episode, or it could get boring. Quickly. As long as they keep feeding us interesting and question-answering details each week, I'm sticking around.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Watched 'Paranormal Activity 3'

Today has turned into a cross-promoting venture and it was unintentional -- both this site (Enter Paranormal) and my Author site have seriously overlapped in blogging about related content...Here's a tiny blip of what I posted at my Author Site

Just watched 'Paranormal Activity 3' with my husband. He fell asleep midway through it and I kept waking him up like ten times. Once we got beyond the middle of the movie, the action picked up some. I rarely ever give negative feedback, but I guess I expected way more screeches (from me) and scenes that would make me jump off the couch. The scare factor level was low and the frequency of really spooky stuff happening wasn't very often. I remember watching the first two PA and clinging to the ceiling and afraid to walk down my dark hallway!

To finish reading hop over there: http://www.ginamarielong.com/2012/02/paranormal-activity-3-couldve-had-more.html

'The Vampire Diaries' - Werewolf Refresher

Thumbnail for version as of 22:03, October 22, 2011
The Vampire Diaries/Tyler/CW promo

'The Vampire Diaries' manages to do a nice job of sucking you into their supernatural world filled with very specific, deep mythology on the vampires, werewolves and witches. Sometimes I feel like I need a refresher course on what different characters/beings are capable of doing or how someone is connected to another or how they "came to be". Recently, I questioned my memory on the werewolf storyline and started scratching my head...so...

I stumbled across this tremendous resource at: http://vampirediaries.wikia.com/wiki/Werewolf (see-I'm giving credit where it's due:) If you want to see LOADS more of 'The Vampire Diaries' goodies (it claims to have 886 PAGES!!!!), go check it out. Otherwise, if you want the low-down on the werewolf "rules" of the show, read on. (I will leave the specific links within the article for convenience in finding out extra stuff.)

History

Not much is known about the history of werewolves except that they existed before vampires were created over 1,000 years ago. However, it was revealed that Mikael, father of the Original vampire family, unwittingly ignited a war between the species not long after turning his family into vampires; when Klaus transitioned his werewolf gene was activated, revealing he was not in fact Mikael's son; enraged by his wife's affair, Mikael slaughtered Klaus' biological werewolf father and his entire family, which began a raging blood feud between werewolves and vampires that continues to this day.

Psychological Characteristics

Werewolves are known to be aggressive strong and fast even in human form. Tyler Lockwood often had trouble controlling his temper. Those with the werewolf curse still latent can exhibit some supernatural traits which can be triggered by aggression, along with unusual physical strength for the person's given size but they cannot fully transform. Also werewolves have a higher body temperature than humans. When Tyler first activates his curse he states that his skin feels as if it's on fire. With the curse activated their eyes turn yellow while enraged, as Mason's eyes did when he stopped the fight between Tyler and Carter (Brave New World). Activating the curse is also painful. When there is a full moon after sunset they will transform into canine form, looking very much like a timber-wolf, although larger. They can also be distinguished from regular wolves by their displays of supernatural strength, speed, and overall size.
Werewolves have and will attack humans, but instinct and centuries of rivalry have hardwired them to hunt their prey of choice: Vampires. This especially began after vampires drove werewolves almost to extinction. So, if a werewolf finds prey, whether it's a human or a vampire, it will be mauled, ripped apart and devoured. In 1864, George Lockwood had attacked several humans and killed them, leaving horrific wounds on the corpses, (essentially ripping them apart) much worse than some vampires would have. This is evident when Henry tells Katherine that the wounds "worse than anything he had ever seen before." Despite this, with the cooperation of Katherine Pierce, who was running from The Originals, George was able to convince the Mystic Falls town council that vampires were responsible which lead to their round up. It is unknown if George continued his attacks there or elsewhere.

Food

Like normal people, werewolves can eat normal food if they choose to. However, because they turn into ferocious beasts during the full moon, they are flesh eating creatures. When they feed, it is absorbed throughout the body and they need to consume organs or body parts, but they do not have to feed in order to prolong their existence like Vampires. There is no known side effects in the absence of devouring victims in werewolf form. It seems that most werewolves do not get to feed because of the fact that most tend to lock themselves up during the full moon, or that before or after they make a kill, they're scared off before they get to chance to truly feed.
Werewolves have not been seen to attack each other in human or lupine form, but have been known to hunt both human and vampire prey while transformed under the full moon. Jules, for example, was seen to be horrified when she woke up to find she'd slaughtered a group of campers after attacking Rose. Werewolves seem to have an urge to attack vampires regardless of what form they are in, as witnessed in The Hybrid when a werewolf instinctively attacks the vampire Damon Salvatore instead of pursuing its first choice, Elena Gilbert, and when Ray (a newly turned hybrid) instinctively attacked Damon on sight.

Appearances

Werewolves in their wolf form have the appearances of an ordinary wolf, but with glowing yellow eyes and a much larger and brute-like appearance. The fur color of their wolf forms differ from one to another (e.g., Tyler Lockwood's fur color is dark brown, Mason Lockwood's is white and grey, Jules is light brown and hints of white. Werewolves appear the same as any other human the rest of the month, apart from the full moon.

Triggering The Werewolf Curse

A werewolf has to kill a human in order to trigger their werewolf curse to activate their powers, regardless of the fact whether the curse was activated accidentally, or it was intentional. After the curse is triggered their eyes will turn yellow and their powers will activate instantly.

Werewolf Transformation

A werewolf will only transform in to a wolf under a full moon. The first transformation is quite slow and the person is subjected to at least five hours of intense pain before transforming. After the first transformation it will get faster but still hurt.

During the transformation, the body of the person is twisted in an unnatural manner as bones reshape and shift to form a wolf skeleton, causing the person immense pain. Later, the person grows excessive body hair and becomes feral and huge eyes that glow yellow and fangs, then in minutes the werewolf will become a wolf. A werewolf returns to their human form in after a few hours. After the first transformation the werewolf will experience muscle aches. Older werewolves can control themselves to some extent on the night of the full moon.

Powers and Abilities

  • Super Strength: Werewolves are much stronger than any Human. They are not as strong as a Vampire whilst in Human form but when it is a full moon they are more powerful than most Vampires. Rose, a 500+ Vampire was knocked down and over-powered by the fully transformed Werewolf Jules. Another case was when Damon Salvatore, a 100+ vampire could barely hold off the transforming, newborn, Werewolf Tyler Lockwood.
  • Super Speed: Werewolves are extremely faster than any Humans and non-Original Vampires. Werewolves can use this ability in either Human or wolf form. Under the full moon, Werewolves can use their speed in wolf form to even swiftly chase down Vampires.
  • Anger: When a Werewolf is furious, their anger increase all their powers and abilities for a short period of time, as well as can have an advantage over a Vampire.
  • Heightened Senses: Werewolves have extremely keen senses of smell, sight, taste, and hearing.
  • Night Vision: Werewolves can see in total darkness.
  • Super Agility: Werewolves possess superhuman agility. They can move, jump, climb, and run incredibly fast without difficulty or exhaustion.
  • Accelerated Healing: Werewolves possess superhuman regenerative abilities, meaning if ever injured, their bodies will heal near instantaneously. Silver will accelerate it even more.
  • Endurance: Werewolves can take far more trauma than Humans can without much discomfort or injury. they can also exert themselves without much tire.
  • Lie Detection: Werewolves are able to sense if you're lying or not.
  • Werewolf Bite: The bite of a Werewolf is extremely lethal to normal Vampires but not to an Original.
  • Full Moon: Werewolves' powers and abilities are enhanced and are at their peak during a full moon.
  • Shapeshifting: Werewolves turn into wolves under a full moon, but they have no control over themselves.

Weaknesses

  • Wolfsbane - When ingested, wolfsbane causes a werewolf to become severely weak and feverish. Although, If a werewolf's skin is exposed to wolfsbane, it can result in burning them.
  • Device - Invented by Jonathan Gilbert (Enchanted by Emily Bennett), the Device was a weapon designed to emit a high-frequency noise that could only be heard by vampires and werewolves.
  • Broken Neck - By breaking a werewolves neck, it results in instant death.
  • Magic - Witches are able to curse and inflict supernaturals aneurysms that cause the blood vessels of werewolves to explode.
  • Heart Extraction - If the heart of a werewolf is removed, it will cause instant death.

Myths

  • Silver - They are not weakened by or allergic to silver, as Mason explained after Damon stabbed him with a silver knife. Mason said that the myth was probably started by werewolves. That's why Klaus can't be killed by the white oak daggers.
So, are you like me and just LOVE reading this stuff?! Can't wait till the next episode!!

Sunday, February 5, 2012

'The Woman in Black' - Pat on Back for Radcliffe

The Woman in Black Movie Promo Poster

The Weekend Box Office reports that 'The Woman In Black' and 'Chronicle' battled for the number one spot. 'Chronicle' beat 'Black', but by very little. And this was the first time ever that two titles opened to over $20 million on a Super Bowl weekend. 'The Woman in Black' raked in about $21 million; 'Chronicle' - about $22 million. Neither was expected to surpass the $20 mil mark, so this is great news! Perhaps life after Harry Potter is looking bright for Daniel Radcliffe. Good for him!

The Details:
'The Woman in Black' (2012), PG13,  95 min - Drama | Horror | Thriller -  February 3, 2012 (USA) in theaters.
 
Rating: 7.4 out of a 10 from 854 voters at Internet Movie Database.
Budget: $17,000,000 (estimated)
 
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer and CiarĂ¡n Hinds.
 
(Very) Brief Synopsis:
A young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.
 
Trivia:
>The boy who plays Daniel Radcliffe's son is his real godson, a casting idea made by Radcliffe himself which helped him establish an authentic relationship between father and son.   
>There is a version of 'The Woman in Black' (1989) made for TV. This movie is based on the same novel. 
 
Official Movie Trailer - The Woman in Black
 
Official Movie Featurette - The Woman in Black
 
Official Movie Site - The Woman in Black