Resident Evil is a 2002 film that is a take off the very popular video game. It stars Milla Jovovich as Alice. Alice works for the powerful Umbrella Corporation and wakes up, not knowing who or where she is after the secret facility she works in has been attacked by a secret virus.

The film closely follows the video game. Obviously there’s more to do in the game than in the film, most game to film movies don’t transition over over well. The first time we saw the film, being fans of the game, there was a bit of disappointment, but as time as gone on, it tends to grow on you, especially if you’re a repeat movie watcher.

Overall, the film is good, they’ve built a successful franchise from the game and now the movies – there is a 4th being released soon.

Budget: $32 million
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring:
Milla Jovovich
Michelle Rodriguez
Eric Mabius
James Purefoy
Colin Salmon

A Nightmare on Elm Street is either a remake or a continuation of the almost 30 year old franchise. It’s either/or because there is nothing new about this film. While we’re fans of the ‘Nightmare’ films – high hopes on something new and cool were placed on this over-hyped film and for those of you excited about going to see it, are probably going to be disappointed.

While watching the film, almost everything about it has been seen from all the previous films. Things like, falling through a floor and into another room, grabbing Kruger and pulling him out, to the parents desperately trying to hide the truth from their children. It’s all been done and it’s exactly the same as all the other films you’ve seen already.

Is it entertaining, watchable? Yes. Is there anything new, will your hair be blown back? No.

Budget: $35 million
Director: Samuel Bayer
Starring:
Jackie Earle Haley
Kyle Gallner
Rooney Mara
Katie Cassidy
Thomas Dekker
Kellan Lutz
Clancy Brown
Connie Britton

The Crazies is a remake of the 1973 George Romero film. It’s about a small town where a plane crashes carrying a secret govt experiment, that when inhaled, makes the person go crazy and start killing everyone they come into contact with. The story circles around police officer David Hutton, as he and a few others try to escape the crazies and the military that were sent in to isolate the town.

For the most part the film was good. I didn’t think it was up to the expensiveness of a movie ticket, but will probably become a really popular rental.

It’s jammed packed with those, ‘out of nowhere’ moments.

Budget: $12 million
Director: Breck Eisner
Starring:
Timothy Olyphant
Radha Mitchell
Joe Anderson
Danielle Panabaker
Christie Lynn Smith

Like all films, whether successful or not – it started with an idea. That idea was SAW, not necessarily a franchise, but if it comes about, who’s going to say ‘no.’

That idea was started by two guys; James Wan & Leigh Whannell. They met each other during film school. James wanted to be a director and Leigh was a screenwriter; a perfect combination.

The two got together and hashed out the idea for SAW, in 2003, they created a short film around the concept and began pitching it.

Lionsgate picked up the film in 2004 for financing and once produced, it was featured at the Sundance Film Festival. The following October, like all the Octobers after that, they released the film theatrically. The film and the sequels have been very successful. So successful, year after year, the budget grew, and another film was produced.

With less than an estimated $50 million dollars spent on production of all the films, the SAW franchise has gone on to make over three quarters of a billion dollars in revenue. Not a bad investment on Liongate’s part.

Below are some of the posters and characters from each of the films.

In all 6 films have been released, with a 7th planned for production February 2010.

Total Budgets: $61.5 million
Gross (all films): $603 million
Directors:
James Wan
Darren Lynn Bousman
Kevin Greutert
David Hackl
Starring:
Leigh Whannell
Cary Elwes
Danny Glover
Shawnee Smith
Donnie Wahlberg
Tobin Bell
Beverley Mitchell
Dina Meyer
Costas Mandylor
Bahar Soomekh
Julie Benz

I especially remember this 2003 version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for two reasons: 1st) the presence of Jessica Biel; and 2nd) the movie’s producer is Michael Bay. With Michael Bay as the producer, you can surely watch out for unique camera angles throughout the film, as well as believable gory and action scenes. Then let’s delve on Jessica Biel. This movie is exactly the cause why Jessica was evicted from 7th Heaven. Jessica says she wants to take on more mature roles. And indeed she has, for Jessica here is very sexy, an extreme departure from her stint in 7th Heaven.

The first Texas Chainsaw Massacre was shot in 1973, and it reflected an era of violence in America. It kind of started the trend in unfounded slasher movies. Even then, the cinematography of the 1973 movie was great, and so this 2003 release had a tough act to follow. But it successfully surpassed all the cinematic challenges.