Movie Review; The Loved Ones [2009]

 

'When Brent turns down his classmate Lola's invitation to the senior prom, she comes up with a wild and violent plan for revenge.'

 

As I mentioned in the previous post, I love foreign horror films. I love the fact that they are willing to go a step further than most other films, and aren't afraid to get down and dirty [take that however you'd like] with the blood and guts category. The Loved Ones is no different. Hailing from down under, this Australian film is fucked.. and I mean really fucked up, everything from [SPOILER ALERTS!] knives in someone's foot, to drilling holes in someone's head- just so someone can pour boiling hot water from a kettle into the hole- this film has it all.If you don't mind further spoilers, go on and read ahead- time to for me to get into more detail!

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The Loved Ones is mainly focused on a boy named Brent, who recently lost his father in a car crash- which he may or may not have caused- since he swerved off the road to avoid what looked like a half naked man all cut up and on the edge of his life. Since then, Brent has turned to drugs, music, and his girlfriend Holly, as a means to escape the pain of losing his father. Being as this is senior year in high school, the prom is coming up; and a seemingly innocent looking girl named Lola [who later is also known as 'Princess'] asks Brent if he's up to going to prom with her. Considering Brent is dating Holly, it's assumed that's why he denied her. It's only then that things start to go bad for Brent.. and I mean bad. As I kind of said above, this movie is fucked. There's nothing normal about Lola- she's psychotic, delusional, and almost child-like with her 'play thing'. Lola [and her even more psychotic father] seem to do this for fun! [as far as I noticed, there was no real explanation as to why Lola does this to boys she likes] She even goes so far as to cut a huge heart into his chest and carve her initials- "LS" [for Lola Stone]- into it...with a fork! [see below] If that wasn't enough to make you cringe, Lola actually throws salt at his wound.. I mean, jeez! All this for a prom rejection? Did I forget to mention that Lola and Daddy stick him with a needle of sorts so he can't even scream? Cause that totally happens as well.
 

   

When Brent eventually succumbs to the numbness of  everything he's gone through, he actually manages to somewhat escape- if only for a few minutes.. He then gets pinned to the chair [remember the knives in the foot I talked about earlier?] with a knife in each foot- hammered into the floor! The film as a whole is actually really fun to watch [y'know from a horror movie fan's point of view]. There's a weird side plot that involves the other guys Lola's had 'fun' with, but thankfully it's doesn't disturb the film in it's entirety too much. The only part that I felt was unnecessary, was the actual prom- like the one that Brent was going to with Holly before this whole situation with Lola and her Dad- there's a scene that's roughly 5 minutes long [even if it feels like 15 LONG minutes] of seeing all Brent and Lola's classmates dancing in a school gym- which actually ends up leading to a sex scene between Brent's friend and a goth chick. It just feels like it's in the way of what we actually are here to watch.

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I guess what I'm trying to say is "Prom is Torture." [Okay, even for me that was a bad pun..]but seriously, that's where I'm going to leave you. I won't spoil the ending- cause I feel that it's easier to watch it than to actually explain it, plus it's pretty damn awesome- but I will leave you with this one thought: Be careful this school year, kids.. Thankfully, I'm out of High School, but if this movie taught me anything, it's don't straight up decline a girl's request to go to prom with you, give her a legitimate reason [even if saying you're going with someone else isn't considered 'legitimate' in this case].. I mean, hell- look at poor Brent here.. [does he live through the night? Guess you're caught guessing until you watch!] all he said is "Sorry, I'm going with Holly.. sorry." and look where he ended up. In all, I'd give this  movie a solid 4/5: it's a fun film, the content is good, and being a foreign film, it automatically wins a few extra brownie points. what have we learned today? STAY AWAY FROM THE [seemingly] INNOCENT KIDS! 

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Be sure to 'like' the fan page for Firework Eyes & Haunted Hearts on Facebook; which you can find here, or even follow me on Twitter. [visit my profile here] If you have a Tumblr, be sure to follow me here or my more horror explicit Tumblr here [please be aware, that my second Tumblr page has inappropriate content for readers/viewers under the age of 18] Have a suggestion for a new post or movie review? Send me your comments and/or ideas anywhere mentioned above. Until my next post though, CHEERS!

New photos surfaced from Spike Lee's Oldboy remake..

It's no secret that 'Oldboy' is one of my favorite foreign films [read my thoughts on the film here] ever. [next to 'Pan's Labyrinth'] So when I heard about the fact that Spike Lee was gonna remake it, I naturally got offended. Now, I've already in part talked about how I think this remake is actually gonna be pretty insane, and I'm now more curious than upset, but we have to wait til November to find out if they are making the twist at the end the same as the original. [I personally don't believe they'll do it exactly the same due to North American audiences "not being able to handle it"] Up til now, we only had a trailer, and some small hints about this remake, and honestly, I felt some off these 'hints' didn't help us understand anything. [but I suppose that makes sense; so they can build the suspense] However, now newer photos have surfaced, and yes- they're making me much more excited! [thank you Bloody-Disgusting for posting these!]

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[For those of you keeping count at home; that IS Samuel L. Jackson..]

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 [The most we know about this guy, is that he's our villain.. his name? no idea as of yet..]

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[Who is this woman, and how does she tie into the story? we'll find out November 24th!]

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 So what do you make from these photos? Do they really tell us anything? Let me know your thoughts in a comment! Also, Be sure to 'like' the fan page for Firework Eyes & Haunted Hearts on Facebook; which you can find here, or even follow me on Twitter. [visit my profile here] If you have a Tumblr, be sure to follow me here or my more horror explicit Tumblr here [please be aware, that my second Tumblr page has inappropriate content for readers/viewers under 18] Have a suggestion for a new post? Send me your comments and/or ideas anywhere mentioned above. Until my next post though, CHEERS!

Something Wicked This Way Comes!

Halloween. It's easily my favorite time of year. Some of my reasons for this are the horror movies littered all over TV, the candy [who DOESN'T like free junk food?!], the changing colors of the leaves and [most importantly] the costumes. It wasn't until the other day that I realized that I could be working on Halloween and that makes me sad [gotta make sacrifices though, right?] since I know I may not be able to do my annual horror movie marathon.. [usually consisting of 'Hatchet', 'Nightmare On Elm Street', and of course; 'Halloween'] So to ease my pain a little bit, I decided to go to Spirit Halloween. I had forgotten how much I love this store. From creepy dolls, to the most obscure of costumes [I mean a twerking Miley Cyrus costume?! Ugh..]. This got me thinking.. assuming I work, what kind of costumes would I personally like?? So in this post, I'm going to share some of the cooler costumes I've found at Spirit and no- Miley is not included.

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Blackest Night Batman [Zombie Batman]

how could you not wanna be a zombified Batman? It combines two of the best things: zombies & Batman. This exclusive costume is from the Blackest Night series, which also included The Green Lantern, but you knew that. [the costume itself is only $49.99, but hey- it is pretty hardcore looking!]

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Big Top Terror 
If there's one thing I don't like in this world, it's clowns.. they've never been a big favorite of  mine, and before you ask, the answer is no.. Stephen King's It did not help. So naturally, being a fan of scary things/movies, I had to incorporate this guy.. In the mood to give me nightmares for life? This creep is only $29.99, but only available online [order this costume here]

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Eye Scream Appliance Kit

Although technically not a costume, this eye kit is pretty graphic in it's own right. The only thing I think of when I see this piece is this . For those who don't know, that picture is from Hostel. [and you can read my review on the film here] This eye piece is selling for $9.99; however is only available online [order it here]

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So what are you going to be for Halloween? and please don't say a twerking Miley Cyrus [that's scarier than the damned clown!] Let me know in a comment ! Also, Be sure to 'like' the fan page for Firework Eyes & Haunted Hearts on Facebook; which you can find here, or even follow me on Twitter. [visit my profile here] If you have a Tumblr, be sure to follow me here or my more horror explicit Tumblr here [please be aware, that my second Tumblr page has inappropriate content for readers/viewers under 18] Have a suggestion for a new post? Send me your comments and/or ideas anywhere mentioned above. Until my next post though, CHEERS! 

From a Majora's Mask gem to Edgar Wrights's Ant-Man movie, this is my new favorite post [thus far]

Ever since I was a kid, I have absolutely loved The Legend Of Zelda games. [still do in fact!] So much, that it went to the point where I tried to own each and every Nintendo console, just so I could play [and beat] each game. Sadly, I have to point out that I have not played Skyward Sword [even if I have a Wii System], and I am going to eventually need a 3DS if I'm to play A Link Between Worlds. Why am I mentioning this to you? Put simply, my favorite Zelda title is none other than Majora's Mask. I loved the dark undertone, and the story is far from boring. If you search Google for a Majora's Mask remake in HD, you'll see that fans everywhere want this [although, I believe it's not going to happen..sadface] However! In a recent video posted by NintendoDirect for A Link Between Worlds, many have pointed out something in what seems to be a store. But what could it be? See Below for full details.

 

Look at the item in the red box.. Is that THE Majora's Mask? In the NintendoDirect video, it was mentioned that the game's shops and how how they work will differ from older Zelda titles. [like renting items as well as buy them! that's pretty cool!] Whether or not you can use the mask is left to be said, but still- Majora's Mask was/is a pretty big deal item considering it was the whole reason Termina was nearly destroyed in 3 days! [sorry, my Zelda geek is showing..] I don't what the mask is there for, perhaps just a small gem for die-hard fans like myself. I'm hoping it at least gets mentioned by the shop-keep. [excuse me while I go and beat Majora's Mask again because I can..]

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Moving on from video games to movies [for both of the next topics], we have Paul Giamatti's Rhino from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. As we already know, Giamatti is playing Aleksei Sytsevich, who ultimately becomes The Rhino. But according to Giamatti’s interview with Collider [which can be read at the link] he’s already set to return in the third instalment of the Spider-Man reboot series..We already know that the Sinister Six [as seen in this teaser photo] are set for the reboot- just a matter of time! come'on Mysterio! [just my 2 cents.. I love me some Quintin Beck]

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Lastly on our list, we have something that we've been waiting to hear more about for a good long while; Edgar Wright's Ant-Man movie. According to a Tweet from Edgar Wright yesterday [October 2nd] it looks like he may be starting work on the Ant-Man film sooner rather than later! SEE BELOW! [Note: this is not a guaranteed new image, meaning that it could be an image from a screen test which was shown at the San Diego Comic-Con. That being said, even if it is new footage- this doesn't actually mean it's started development, but it could be some kind of lighting test/editing of some kind BEFORE getting started.]

 

 

 Hopefully, this means we're gonna get our Ant-Man movie soon! Sadly, like most things coming out in 2 years; not much is known. The plot for Edgar Wright's Ant-Man is as follows:

'Biochemist Dr. Hank Pym uses his latest discovery, a group of subatomic particles, to create a size-altering formula. Though his first self-test goes awry, he develops an instrument that helps him communicate with and control insects.' 

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 So now I want to hear from you. What do you think about the Majora's Mask being in the new Zelda game? or the idea that we're [finally] getting a live action Sinister Six? Let me know in a comment ! Also, Be sure to 'like' the fan page for Firework Eyes & Haunted Hearts on Facebook; which you can find here, or even follow me on Twitter. [visit my profile here] If you have a Tumblr, be sure to follow me here or my more horror explicit Tumblr here [please be aware, that my second Tumblr page has inappropriate content for readers/viewers under 18] Have a suggestion for a new post? Send me your comments and/or ideas anywhere mentioned above. Until my next post though, CHEERS!

Emily The Strange movie gets a new script writer

 

From KICK-ASS to Tim Burton's Dark Shadows, to [the one I'm super excited for] the new Carrie remake, Chloe Moretz [above] has been in a good handful of good movies; with even better ones to come. [Did I mention the Carrie remake?] Although I wouldn't expect everyone to know who I'm talking about; Chloe Moretz is attached to an Emily The Strange film! Even though it's been in development since 2008, the Emily The Strange movie has gone and hired Kealan O’Rourke to do a rewrite on movie's script. The film is set to be released by Universal Pictures and originally had Melisa Wallack [who worked on such scripts for films such as 'Mirror Mirror'] write the prior adaptation of the Emily The Strange live action film, but I suppose that's been switched and now is being re-worked with Kealan O'Rourke's version of a script. 

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 The story line is [still] being kept quiet, although I would assume the idea is to explain the origin of Emily The Strange and how she ended up gaining her powers that combine both technology and imagination. The story will more than likely focus on her relationship with her four cats; the troublemaker Sabbath, the one schemer Nee-Chee, the imaginative Miles and the leader Mystery.

Be sure to 'like' the fan page for Firework Eyes & Haunted Hearts on Facebook; which you can find here, or even follow me on Twitter. [visit my profile here] If you have a Tumblr, be sure to follow me here or my more horror explicit Tumblr here [please be aware, that my second Tumblr page has inappropriate content for readers/viewers under 18] Have a suggestion for a new post? Send me your comments and/or ideas anywhere mentioned above. Until my next post though, CHEERS!
 

Warren's top 5 Favorite NON-HORROR films.

I won't mention any names, [although I'm sure the person knows I'm talking about them haha] but recently I was asked by a friend to suggest some movies to them, because they've seen all the ones that "mainstream" people talk about. So in an attempt to help, I [naturally] turned to my movie collection and tried to think of a few good slashers I could mention. However, the question came with a twist. She wanted a non-horror film to watch. Contrary to popular belief, I actually have quite a few favorite films that don't have the blood and gore that a usual slasher film- which is usually what I would watch- would have. So I decided that I'd make a post about it, and although I have more that five favorites,  I figured that if this friend of mine were to see this post, she'd have more than one choice to decide from. so here we go; my top 5 NON-HORROR films. [in no specific order]

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1. KICK-ASS.
Seriously. Who hasn't wanted to be a superhero? That's the question our hero Dave asks himself before turning himself into Kick-Ass. I love the idea behind the film, the acting, hell- even the actors themselves. Even if I read the comic AFTER seeing the movie [and noticing some LARGE differences], I still enjoy the movie's take on the Kick-Ass mythos.

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2. Harry Potter series.

This one's a big one one for me. Although fairly obvious, I grew up with this series; I read the books, followed the movies, cried during the last book [I mean, who didn't?!], and ultimately find myself to be repeating the whole process over again.

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3. Office Space.

This movie is a Mike Judge classic. Everything from funny scenes, to greedy bosses; this movie has it all! If you haven't seen Office Space, at least watch it for Milton [the guy in the middle with the cake], cause he's the whole reason this movie is perfection.. or at least, I think so.

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4. Legend.

One of the best fantasy movies from my childhood [that yes- slightly scared me..damn you Tim Curry for amazing acting!]. This movie feels like the fantasy film to watch. From Unicorns, to the Lord Of Darkness, himself. What makes this movie even more of a Legend [see what I did there?] is the fact that I actually found myself to enjoy Tom Cruise's role! Props to Ridley Scott for directing this gem.

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5. Titan A.E

[note; I had to use the Japanese poster, just because it looks so freaking bad-ass.] This movie was my childhood whenever I had the chance to watch it at my cousin's place. We'd watch it a million times over, even if we didn't fully understand what the hell was going on. The animation is fantastic, the story is something that we all feel we can relate to, and aliens and spaceships? count me in!

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Honorable mentions go out to The Lord Of The Rings series, most [but not all] superhero films, Book Of Eli, Coraline, Tim Burton's NON-HORROR films and [obviously] a LOT of others. Be sure to 'like' the fan page for Firework Eyes & Haunted Hearts on Facebook; which you can find here, or even follow me on Twitter. [visit my profile here] If you have a Tumblr, be sure to follow me here or my more horror explicit Tumblr here [please be aware, that my second Tumblr page has inappropriate content for readers/viewers under 18] Have a suggestion for a new post? Send me your comments and/or ideas anywhere mentioned above. Until my next post though, CHEERS!

Joss Whedon's 'Serenity' is [FINALLY] getting a sequel.. just not as a movie?

 

In what feels like a million years, it seems Serenity is [finally] getting the sequel everyone has been waiting for since it's initial release! As many geeks know, Firefly [the TV show] came and left way before anyone felt they were ready to say goodbye. [thanks for the cancel, FOX. and after a measly15 episode run too!] Then we got Serenity, which was the Firefly movie that was made specifically for the die hard fans of Firefly that weren't happy with the fact that FOX cancelled the show.  It was good, some would even go so far as to say it's perfect. But then, that same sad feeling came back.. Serenity- like it's TV show counterpart- Firefly, had come and gone- again. Even though the ever growing fan-base demand for more adventures from Mal and the crew of Serenity, the creative minds and the actors of Firefly/Serenity have officially gone their separate ways and made nice careers for themselves. [I mean, jeez- look at Nathan Fillion! 'Castle' is supposedly fantastic- am I missing out?] But what if I was to say that somewhere, out in the wide universe, Serenity is still flying? But- flying where? Back to us- the hardcore, diehard fans perhaps? Well hold on tight, cause it's gonna be a bumpy ride.. Cause Serenity is getting that sequel we need- hell, that we deserve. I'll tell you one thing though, it's not going to be in movie format; but as a comic book!

 

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 Yep. A Comic Book. Dark Horse Comics [who have worked on Comics such as 'Hellboy', and 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer] has officially announced that it will launch a new Serenity comic book, which will take place immediately after the film's end. Georges Jeanty [who worked on Buffy: The Vampire Slayer] will be the one who will  provide the artwork for the comic. The best part of this, is knowing that an official plot for the comic has been released as well- which you can read down below;

"As the series begins, Mal and the crew are recouping from their recent strike against the sinister interplanetary government, The Alliance, in which they exposed government agencies as those responsible for the creation of the Reavers — the scourge of the universe. With River Tam in the co-pilot chair and a very pregnant Zoe reeling from the death of her husband, Wash, Mal is finding himself and his ship in greater danger than ever."

Other than the plot above, not much else is known as it seems that there is no writer or launch date who have been announced as of yet. How do you feel about an official sequel to Serenity? I mean, it's not a movie, but a comic could work well for the series, especially with an amazing artist like Jeanty! Be sure to 'like' the fan page for Firework Eyes & Haunted Hearts on Facebook; which you can find here, or even follow me on Twitter. [visit my profile here] If you have a Tumblr, be sure to follow me here or my more horror explicit Tumblr here [please be aware, that my second Tumblr page has inappropriate content for readers/viewers under 18] Have a suggestion for a new post? Send me your comments and/or ideas anywhere mentioned above. Until my next post though, CHEERS!

Guillermo Del Toro is working on The Simpsons' NEWEST 'Treehouse Of Horrors!'

Wen I first got into The Simpsons, the one thing that stuck out specifically was the Halloween specials. I always found that Matt Groening knew what he was doing because each and every "Treehouse Of Horror" was significantly different than the ones previous.. or at least until recently. [I feel that they're slowly becoming a bit bland..] Be that as it may, The Simpsons are now on their XXIV [that's "24th" for those that aren't good with roman numerals.] Treehouse Of Horror and it turns out that Guillermo Del Toro is helping out!

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 for those unaware, Del Toro is the man behind some amazing movies such as [but not limited to]; Hellboy [1 & 2], Pan's Labyrinth, Chronos, Pacific Rim, among many others! Treehouse Of Horror XXIV arrives on October 6th, 2013 and it sounds like it could be really good![here's hoping!] The following quote is from the press release about The Treehouse Of Horrors XXIV, and it actually gives me some hope for the newest addition from The Simpsons!

"The opener of the 24th annual “Treehouse of Horror” is from Guillermo Del Toro and features monsters and classic characters from horror films throughout history. In “Oh The Places You’ll D’oh,” the first of three spine-tingling stories, Homer rides around Springfield wreaking havoc as “The Fat in The Hat” in a rhyming Dr. Seuss-ian tale. In “Dead and Shoulders,” Bart is beheaded during a kite accident, his head is attached to Lisa’s body and they must live together as one. The final terrifying tale, “Freaks no Geeks,” features Mr. Burns’ traveling circus, The Burnsum and Bailey Circus, which has stopped in Springfieldland in the 1930s. Trapeze artist Marge and Strong Man Homer are performers and things go awry when circus freak Moe starts to make advances towards Marge in the all-new “Treehouse of Horror XXIV” episode of The Simpsons” airing Sunday, Oct. 6 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) on FOX."

Personally, I think that Guillermo Del Toro will be an awesome addition because he has knowledge of the horror genre, and he is a fantastic writer/director. However, I haven't ever thought about him working on an animated series, so I guess I'll have to watch in order to really decide.

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 So now I want to hear your opinion; how do you feel about Guillermo Del Toro helping in the newest episode of Treehouse Of Horrors? Let me know who in the comment section below! Be sure to 'like' the fan page for Firework Eyes & Haunted Hearts on Facebook; which you can find here, or even follow me on Twitter. [visit my profile here] If you have a Tumblr, be sure to follow me here or my more horror explicit Tumblr here [please be aware, that my second Tumblr page has inappropriate content for readers/viewers under 18] Have a suggestion for a new post? Send me your comments and/or ideas anywhere mentioned above. Until my next post though, CHEERS!

Hold on a second.. There's a NEW Harry Potter movie?!

[Writer's Note: This post was SUPPOSED to come out on Friday, but due to my job having me be on call over night all weekend- right now included- it got difficult to find the time to type this up] When I say Harry Potter, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Childhood? Best book/movie series ever? Over? well, not entirely on that last bit. According to some recent news, J.K Rowling is actually writing the screen play for a 'Harry Potter' spin-off, based on one of the small books she wrote to accompany the series known as; Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them. This book is actually an almost encyclopaedia of all the weird mythical monsters that were in the Harry Potter books, but I'm sure J.K Rowling has a way that she'll turn this into a movie[s].

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Personally, I have hopes that she'll make it into a type of origin to how the book was written. [for those that don't know] The book was written by a character of the magical world know as Newt Scamander . So perhaps the movie will follow him finding the creatures and documenting them.. Another interesting point is according to mirror.co.uk, J.K Rowling has stated in an interview that this particular movie will take place approximately 70 years BEFORE Harry's timeline began- therefore, it's unlikely familiar characters like Ron, Hermione, and Harry will return for the film. Not much is known at this point, especially since the release date probably isn't for awhile now, but hopefully more news will be released to the public- this way, we can figure out actors, dates and everything else about this new spin-off!

Trailer of the day: RoboCop [Remake] 2014

 

Oh, childhood! I still remember when I was younger and I saw the original Robocop film. It was awe inspiring, graphic, and pretty damn bad-ass! Flash forward to today and we've got a Hollywood utopia that has almost no originality left and a dozen and one remakes that either have been or are being made. One such remake, is Robocop. I'm sure I'm not the only one who suspected this would happen, and so today we got ourselves the first official trailer for the 2014 release of this remake.

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Although, I'm not 100 percent sure I know how I feel about this remake; it has a lot of big names attached [one of which is Samuel L Jackson who is in his SECOND remake this year: first one being the OLDBOY REMAKE] to it so that at least much is promising. The one thing that veteran Robocop watchers will notice almost immediately is the change in suit. They've switched the classic silver-y/gray suit to a more militant black. [as seen in the headline picture above] You've gotta hand it to the writers of this specific remake though.. the new suit looks pretty damn impressive- and with a budget of [a mere] $100,000,000... you really can't go wrong with a new suit. I suppose all that's left now is to see the actual movie [that or see another trailer]. Robocop is being released into theaters everywhere in February 2014: so until we know more.. be sure to hit me up in the comments below about what you liked and don't like about this remake of a classic action/cop film. [I've left the newly released trailer for Robocop down below.]

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