Chuck's Movie Breakdown

        Happy Halloween guys, Chuck here, and we've reached the end of yet another HallowScream.  So, for the final review for the month, let's take a look at one of the original vampire films: Dracula.  Released in 1931, this Universal Pictures classic stars Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula, along with a cavalcade of actors like Helen Chandler, David Manners, Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan, and so many more.         The movie starts off with a solicitor named Renfield, who is traveling through Transylvania to meet with Count Dracula in his home of Castle Dracula. And despite the pleas of some local villagers, Renfield proceeds on to meet Dracula's carriage at the midway point. The carriage driver, who is obviously Dracula himself, turns into a bat and the carriage drives itself to the castle...with Renfield's luggage disappearing.         Inside the castle, Renfield meets Dracula properly, and the two head to th...

         Hey guys, Chuck here, and after covering the new movie Five Nights at Freddy's, I'm glad that we're getting back to talking about vampires for HallowScream.  And for today's review, we're wrapping up the Underworld series with the fifth entry of the franchise: Underworld: Blood Wars . Directed by Anna Foerster, this movie sees the return of Kate Beckinsale as Selene, along with the returns of Theo James and Charles Dance, and newcomers like Tobias Menzies, Lara Pulver, Bradley James, James Faulkner, and a host of others.          So, some time has passed since Selene and her allies took down Antigen, and she sent Eve somewhere far away so that no one, not even herself, can find the girl. Why? Because the Lycans are amassing in a manner not seen since the days of Lucian. A new Lycan leader, Marius, has unified the clans into a Lycan army and seeks to use Eve to hybridize the Lycan clans and make them even more deadly than be...

          Hey guys, Chuck here. Last year during HallowScream, I did a review of the 2014 video game Five Nights at Freddy's created by Scott Cawthon. And now, this year, I'm taking a look at the all-new live action movie adaptation of the horror game that took the Internet by storm nine years ago. Released by Universal Pictures and Blumhouse, Five Nights at Freddy's was directed by Emma Tammi, and stars Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, and Matthew Lillard.           Set in the year 2000, Five Nights at Freddy's follows Mike Schmidt, a troubled man with a serious case of guilt over the loss of his younger brother Garrett when he was a child. Because of that, he has difficulties holding down a job, and is on the verge of losing custody of his little sister Abby to their Aunt, who's only interested in the money, not Abby's well being.           Luckily, with the help of a career counselor nam...

         Hey guys, Chuck here. Well, given how this year's HallowScream has been predominantly focused on vampires, it's only appropriate that I talk about the most legendary of vampires: Dracula. Coming from the book by Bram Stoker, Dracula has been viewed as the most iconic vampire in fiction for many years. Now, while I do intend to talk about the 1931 classic Dracula starring Bela Lugosi, that review is being saved for Halloween Day. Today, however, I'm looking at a more recent Dracula film, Dracula Untold.          Released in October of 2014, Universal and Legendary Pictures'  Dracula Untold takes the Marvel superhero route in telling the origin story of the vampire Dracula, mixing in the real life legend of Vlad the Impaler. In fact, we start off seeing Vlad as a boy taken to be trained in the Janissary army of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. He also befriends the Ottoman prince, Mehmed II, and over time gains a reputation ...

           Hey guys, Chuck here, and we're back with the next chapter in the Underworld series,  Underworld: Awakening.  Kate Beckinsale returns as Selene, as she awakens in a world where vampires are now the hunted ones, and meets a new generation of vampires, as well as someone who has a special connection to both Selene and Michael. New cast members in this movie include Theo James, Stephen Rea, Charles Dance, India Eisley, Michael Ealy, and Kris Holden-Ried.             So, Underworld: Awakening picks up some time after the events of Underworld: Evolution, and we learn that humans have learned of the existence of both vampires and Lycans, hunting both to near-extinction. Selene and Michael are captured by soldiers sent by pharmaceutical company Antigen, who are taking direct control on capturing and attempting to make a cure for the viruses that make the vampires and Lycans what they are.      ...

          Hey guys, Chuck here, back with more HallowScream.  Now, among the movies discussed in this year's  HallowScream , we've discussed three of the Underworld films which, despite what many believe, is an original story and not based on a comic book. Today's movie, however, IS based on a comic book. 30 Days of Night, released in 2007 and directed by David Slade, was based on the graphic novel of the same name by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith.           The movie is set in the town of Barrow, Alaska (currently known as Utqiagvik, Alaska), which is getting ready for its annual polar night. Now, while the movie version of the polar night is only the span of thirty days, it actually lasts roughly sixty-six days in reality (going from November into January). Anyway, while most of the town's citizens are heading elsewhere during the polar night, a small handful of citizens stick around, including the local sheriff Eben O...

         Hey guys, Chuck here, and we're back with more HallowScream, and another chapter in the Underworld series. Also, today marks the four year anniversary of Chuck's Movie Breakdown.  I'm amazed that I've been able to share my love of movies, streaming television, and video games with you guys for the past four years.          Released in 2009, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is a prequel film set two decades after William Corvinus' savage rampage across Europe. The movie sees the birth of a child, Lucian, who is the first child born of the werewolves to be able to transform between human and wolf forms. Calling this new form of werewolf a Lycan, vampire leader Viktor takes Lucian into his care, making him the first of what he hopes to be an army of Lycan servants loyal to the vampires, and able to protect their fortress during the day.          It's also here where we meet Sonja, the daughter of Viktor....

        Hey guys, Chuck here, and we're back with more HallowScream.  So far this month, we've gotten into movies were Kate Beckinsale plays a vampire with the Underworld series. Today, however, we're going to be seeing her as a Romanian warrior fighting vampires in Van Helsing, the 2004 film from Universal Pictures and writer-director Stephen Sommers. Along with Beckinsale, this movie stars Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Richard Roxburgh, Shuler Hensley, Kevin J. O'Connor, Will Kemp, Alun Armstrong, Elena Anaya, Silvia Colloca, Josie Maran, and Samuel West.           So, for a little background, this movie came about because of the success of two other monster movies that Stephen Sommers wrote and directed for Universal with The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, both starring Brendan Fraser. So, the studio thought they could replicate the success of The Mummy franchise with this movie, centered on the monster hunter Van Helsing, that would...

         Hey guys, Chuck here. Today for HallowScream,  we're diving back into the world of Underworld with the 2006 film Underworld: Evolution . Directed once again by Len Wiseman, we see the returns of Kate Beckinsale as Selene and Scott Speedman as Michael Corvin, with brief appearances by Bill Nighy as Viktor, Zita Görög as Amelia, and Shane Brolly as Kraven. Newcomers this time include Tony Curran, Derek Jacobi, Brian Steele, and Steven Mackintosh.          The movie opens with a flashback, set in 1202, with an army of vampires being led by Viktor, Amelia, and Markus, who are going after a massive pack of werewolves that were turned because of the uncontrollable rampage of Markus' brother William. Now, remember, Markus was the first vampire, and William was the first werewolf. Viktor, unfortunately, believes that Markus is emotionally compromised due to his connection to William, and takes charge in ordering William locked up i...

         Hey guys, Chuck here, and something I noticed when I was putting together this year's HallowScream lineup, I noticed a lack of anything Disney related. So, after doing some research, I found a Disney Channel movie from my childhood that is vampire centric: Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire starring Caroline Rhea, Matt O'Leary, Laura Vandervoort, Robert Carradine, Myles Jeffrey, and Charles Shaughnessy.          The movie focuses on the Hansen family, which consists of single mother Lynette, and her three children: Adam, his older sister Chelsea, and their younger brother Taylor. Adam is obsessed with monster movies, especially those centered on vampires. One day, Adam gets in trouble at school for using an article in a local tabloid called The Weekly Secret as opposed to making up a story, and is subsequently grounded and unable to go to an upcoming rock concert. Chelsea is also grounded for making a snarky remark about Adam's pre...

          Hey guys, Chuck here. Today for HallowScream, let's jump back to the year 1987, for what is arguably the best film ever made by director Joel Schumacher: The Lost Boys.            The movie is set in the fictional coastal town of Santa Carla, California, which is said to be the murder capitol of the Pacific coast. And, they're not wrong, as many people in the city are being stalked and killed by teenagers who hang out around the local boardwalk at night.           Our two main protagonists are brothers Michael and Sam Emerson, who, who along with their mother Lucy, are moving in with their grandfather.in Santa Carla. Now, Michael finds himself drawn into the world of a gang of teens led by David. The same teens who have been killing people at night. Michael is drawn into David's world because of his attraction to a girl named Star. And, of course, it's revealed that David, Star, and the rest o...

         Hey guys, Chuck here, and we're back with more HallowScream.  Back in 1966, a Gothic soap opera called Dark Shadows  aired on television, and ran successfully up until its cancellation in 1971. The show garnered a cult following and a dedicated fan base, which apparently included filmmaker Tim Burton, who would produce a film adaptation of the series in the year 2012. So, let's see how Tim Burton takes beloved television characters and portrays them on the big screen. This is Tim Burton's Dark Shadows.          The movie opens in 1760 with a boy named Barnabas Collins, as he and his parents plan to sail across the Atlantic from England to America, where they set up the seaside town of Collinsport, Maine, which becomes the hub of the Collins family fishing empire. Eventually, the family builds a massive mansion on the outskirts of town. The mansion would become known as Collinwood. Unfortunately, as a young man, Barnaba...

        Hey guys, Chuck here, and it's officially time. Time for the spooky, scary, and unusual. It's time for HallowScream.  But, this year we're doing a very special HallowScream , which is completely dedicated to vampire movies. And to kick things off, we're starting with the 2003 vampire action film Underworld.  Directed by Len Wiseman, and from a story crafted by Wiseman, Kevin Grievoux, and Danny F. McBride, Underworld tells a story based on the classic feud between vampires and werewolves. The movie stars Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Bill Nighy, Michael Sheen, Shane Brolly, Sophia Myles, Erwin Leder, Zita Görög, and Kevin Grievoux.         So, the movie tells us of a century spanning war between vampires and Lycans, which are an advanced breed of werewolves capable or retaining their human forms, unlike the werewolves of the past. Fighting on the front lines against the Lycans are trained vampires called Death Dealers. Ou...