From The Basement

Two high-profile films take aim at your hard-earned money this weekend, and we've got a star-powered interview for your ear holes as well. Suffice to say, this is going to be a really big show From The Basement on the mighty Radio NL this eve.

For one, Jason interviewed director Steven C. Miller about his latest flick, Line of Duty, starring Aaron Eckhart. The film is a loving tribute to 80s and 90s action cinema, which Miller knows a thing or two about. And he's worked with the likes of Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and Nic Cage. Steven discusses the movie, working with his idols, and more during the conversation, which takes place later in the show.

As for Jason and Shawn; they're talking the weekend's big releases, which are the much-anticipated Bad Boys for Life starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, and Robert Downey Jr.'s first post-MCU movie, Dolittle.

The Basement Boys also get into Netflix's latest offering, Medical Police, the indie horror The M…

Movie folks have talked Terminator: Dark Fate to death since it landed on screens with a thud last November. We're aware of how big a bomb it was, and how unenthused most people still are about it.
But Tim Miller's flick is about to land on Digital, so I figured it was high time I give it a watch.
Every fibre of my being wanted to hate this movie, but it's actually quite an entertaining entry in the series. It's easily the best sequel since T2, and I'm one of the few who didn't mind Rise of the Machines.
The opening eight minutes are by far the best. This is where Dark Fate justifies its existence, and plays with the idea that if something's supposed to happen, it's going to happen. There's nothing we can do to stop it. The fatalist in me loved that. 
How about the remaining two hours? This is a decent action/sci-fi film. Linda Hamilton is a joy to watch, and brings renewed -- and angry -- life to Sarah Connor. Mackenzie Davis makes for a great fem…

It's Friday!  Time to relax.  Time to let go of the stress of the work week.  Time to check out this week's #52BottlesOfBeer review!

Everybody ready?

No?

I'll wait.

*waits an appropriate amount of time*

Ready now?

Good.  Let's enjoy a tip and a sip with Three Ranges' 42 in Dog Years Belgian Tripel!


I have to confess that I liked half of this label- the side with the text.  I found the barrel graphic a little dull, but really liked the Old West font used for the lettering on the label's main side.  The font, size, and variety in the arrangement was eye catching despite the rather bland colour palette.

I also really liked that they used dog years to name their anniversary brew... though I have to admit that given their company logo has a raven, I think it would've been cool if they'd done it in raven years.

But that's just me.


This brew has a nice golden colour that catches the light in a pleasant way.  It's pretty crisp and clear, with very litt…

Given the success of The Witcher series, is the future looking brighter for video-game adaptations?

Now, I know The Witcher began as a series of books, and the show is spawned mostly from that material. However, this is still one of the best pieces of media that falls under the umbrella of "video-game adaptation,"

With its success, I'm hoping The Witcher helps shake the bad reputation of video-game movies. Since its inception, this genre has been plagued with too many disasters and flops (thanks, Uwe Boll). It's become a feedback loop; flops leading to low confidence in VG project, leading to more flops.

See, I think a great video-game film is possible... if talent and resources are behind it. You won't get those things when your genre is known for being crap. It's definitely a long shot, but The Witcher might be the first dent to its infamous reputation.

It'll probably start with other video games based on books, but that's still a step in the right…

Ah, the slasher genre. You were all the rage during the 80s, and produced more titles than any horror fan can remember. Titles like 1988s Edge of the Axe.

Fortunately the ghouls at Arrow Video are up to speed on such things, and will unleash Jose Ramon Larraz's hack-and-slash flick on Blu-ray Jan. 28, in what appears to be a beautiful restoration. That means it's a good movie, right? I said right!?!

We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, take a boo at this trailer:



There's a boat load of special features. Too many to list here, but they include two audio commentaries, interviews, effects features and more. Excited? Might as well be! Looking forward to getting our collective hands on this one later this month...


Source: Arrow Video

I'm a pretty big fan of Reavis Z. Wortham's first Sonny Hawke thriller, Hawke's War, which I reviewed right here. It was a Hollywood action flick in book form, and kicked much ass. So it makes sense I'd be down for Hawke's further adventures.

Unfortunately, as with many follow ups, the sequel can't quite live up to the original. That's not to say it isn't worth the read, but it does have a pretty big flaw, in my opinion.

Hawke's War picks up where Hawke's Prey left off, with the mastermind behind the first book's terrorist plot looking for payback. Hawke finds himself in the crosshairs of a drug and human smuggling cartel. He's fighting for his life, and the life of his family.

Unfortunately, Hawke ends up sidelined for much of the novel. He's in it, but a prisoner, so he doesn't have much to do. I get what Wortham was trying to do, but from a narrative strand point, it weakened the overall story. An action hero needs to do his …

This week's trip into the Marvel Cinematic Universe sees us jumping from World War Two to the 1990's via 2019's "Captain Marvel"...

Vers is a Kree soldier without a past- a hazy history blocked by a traumatic incident years prior.  Fighting against the Skrull army, she finds herself crash landing on Earth in 1995, and confronted by who she really is... and what her full potential could be...

This was the first MCU movie with a female lead character and performer.  It's a decent enough effort... but it has some serious flaws that weaken it greatly when compared to others in the franchise.

The story isn't bad.  Not great, though.  It's actually pretty standard fare... that unfortunately relies heavily on a rather outdated- and problematic trope.  Let's see if you recognize it:

A white skinned soldier is fighting in a war against a race described as being savages.  White skinned soldier finds themselves surrounded by the "savages".  After s…

We don't usually cover sports films here in The Basement, but we're Canadian, and this preview for the upcoming flick Goalie is all about hockey, so we figured why not.

Note the lack of a question mark there?

That being said, Goalie looks really good. It's a biopic about legendary goalie Terry Sawchuck, who racked up 103 shutouts and 400 stitches to his face (goalies didn't wear masks when he played), all in the name of filling a void from his childhood. Heavy stuff, as this trailer attests.



Goalie stars Mark O'Brien, Kevin Pollack and Georgina Reilly. It skates its way into theatres Jan. 31, and onto DVD and Digital Feb. 25. And we'll be watching.


Source: Dark Star Pictures

The upcoming No Time to Die will be Daniel Craig's fifth -- and final -- turn as James Bond, which has led to much speculation about who will fill his considerable shoes.

I know he has his detractors, but Craig is my favourite Bond since Sean Connery. His act will be a tough one to follow.

Many successors have been tossed around of late, with folks suggesting everyone from Idris Elba to Henry Cavill should play 007. And there has been a strong push from some who suggested James Bond should be Jane Bond, and a woman take on the role.

The casting of Lashana Lynch as a new 00 in No Time to Die has furthered that speculation.

Well, long-time Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has confirmed the next Bond will indeed be played by a man, and explained why:

"He can be of any color, but he is male. I believe we should be creating new characters for women -- strong female character. I'm not particularly interested in taking a male character and have a woman play it. I think women are …