The Graves - In Skull City death is the least of your problems

'THE GRAVES' is the feature film directorial debut of Brian Pulido (creator of comics "Lady Death" & "Evil Ernie"), starring acclaimed horror genre stars Clare Grant (Masters of Horror "Valerie Under the Stairs"), Jillian Murray (The Fun Park), Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Massacre II, House of 1,000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects), Amanda Wyss (A Nightmare on Elm St., Dexter), D. Randall Blythe (singer, Lamb of God), Patti Tindall (Death of a Ghost Hunter) and Tony Todd (Final Destination I & II, the 'Candyman' series, NBC's "Chuck") as the Reverend Stockton.

'THE GRAVES' is produced by Mischief Maker Studios & Ronalds Brothers Productions.

Present day. Arizona. Megan and Abby Graves are inseparable sisters that couldn’t be less alike. Megan is a self-assured, naturally attractive, ass kicker. Abby is a cute, caustic, Hot Topic Goth who’s afraid of her own shadow.

They do share a few things in common: a life-long obsession with comics, pop culture and rock ‘n’ roll. Simply put, they are beautiful geeks.

In a few days, Megan will start a new job in New York. To send her off in style, the Graves sisters go on a wild, pop culture bender that includes a trip to uncharted Arizona in search of a kitchy roadside attraction.

Instead, they’re lured to Skull City Mine, a weather-beaten, abandoned mine town that harbors terrifying secrets. It appears to be haunted -- Its twisted caretakers are murderous -- Victim’s souls are ripped right out of their bodies – and that is only the beginning…

When Megan suffers a mortal wound, Abby must save her sister, but to do so, she must confront her fears and unlock the mystery of Skull City alone.

Can Abby survive Skull City’s threats? Can she rescue Megan or are they doomed to a fate much worse than death?

Check out the official site.

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Neil Gaiman On The Colbert Report

Here is Neil Gaiman talkin to Stephen Colbert about The Graveyard Book, Coraline and his early influences.

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Coraline, 2009 - Movie Review

Director: Henry Selick
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgman, Ian McShane
Running Time: 100 minutes
Score: 8 / 10

This excellent review by Babubhaut

OK America, before you go blindly into an animated film with your young children, why don't you do a little research on what they are about to witness. A PG rating and stop-motion animated aesthetic do not always make a child-friendly adventure. Based upon the horror novella by acclaimed author Neil Gaiman, Henry Selick's Coraline is chockfull of heavy material, dark story threads, and bleak possibilities. For a guy like me, those things equal undivided success; for a child aged ten, those things equal nightmare filled evenings and parents writing angry letters to Focus Features for subjecting their children to lewd and horrific imagery. Well guess what parents? No one is to blame but you. I'm not saying keep all youngsters away, but do use some discretion on whether your son or daughter can handle the fantastical elements. This is very much Alice in Wonderland displayed in all its non-Disney possibilities. A cautionary tale on being careful what you wish for, our heroine must discover the difference between a world of people neglecting her and that of people doing all they can so that they may give her all she could ever want in the future. Life is not about getting it all right now, but instead a slow and steady climb built on love and trust, one whose benefits far outweigh the whirlwind romance that is never truly as it seems.

Remember folks, this is a story that won the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers; it's not all sing-songy like Selick's masterpiece A Nightmare Before Christmas. With that said, however, it is very, very good in a very, very different way. Be prepared for a methodically and deliberately paced story. More psychological terror than jump out at you scares, the tale of Coraline escaping into a parallel world, perfectly mirrored of her own only inhabited by animated dolls, is one of enlightenment and discovery of what love truly means. Do we all want the parents that dote on us? The guardians that will do what we want and when we want it? Of course we do. But that idyllic utopia doesn't exist, especially in the times for which we live today. Children need to be raised and supported and that takes money and a lot of hard work. What may seem like neglect in the eyes of a child is really two people doing all they can, sacrificing their time, in order to give him/her a chance at success. Only when Coraline sees the manipulation and truth behind the "kindness" her Other-Mother gives her does she realize what she has back at home.

What we are shown is a world through a tiny door in the wall of an old triple-segmented home. There are stories about this door used to explain the disappearances of some local children, including the sister of loudmouthed and shy Wybie Lovat's grandmother. Only a weathered black cat appears to know what is going on, what the too good to be true farce beyond the door is actually masking behind it. This cat can travel between worlds and therefore knows it all, allowing him to warn Coraline by orchestrating events via those she encounters. A disgruntled child is easily malleable and fooled when doted upon and given sweets and a smile. The mantra "never talk to strangers" is never more applicable than it is here. With something a tad off-kilter in the fantasy world, Coraline finds herself shaking it off and relishing the opportunity to experience all that she had dreamed of, not knowing that if her parents succeed with their new gardening catalog, those dreams will be fulfilled in reality. Patience is a virtue and youngsters unfortunately don't learn that fact until they are all grown up, finding ways to apologize to their parents for being such confused and naïve monsters.

With some very nice voicework—Dakota Fanning shines as our titular heroine; Keith David's baritone brings the cat's mixture of foreboding and help to life and Robert Bailey Jr. gets the nervous tick and stammer on the nose for Wybie, (short for WhyBorn, now that's a name you hope your parents never considered)—you do find yourself enveloped in this world. A rare thing for an animated film to begin with a cast listing, it thankfully doesn't detract from the escapism by making you think of the actor rather than the character. This fact works best with the mother, played by Teri Hatcher. I would never have been able to pick her voice out, but that just enhances it all the more, breathing life into the stop-motion clay form on screen, becoming the wolf in sheep's clothing villain necessary for it all to work.

Definitely soak in the aesthetic and intelligent storytelling as Coraline is for a thoughtful audience willing to delve deep into metaphors and hidden meaning. There is no "approved for your Attention Deficit Disorder child" stamp of approval here. In much the opposite direction, don't be surprised if your child hates you for making them sit through it. However, it is a tale that will resonate for a portion of the public, hitting on their own feelings of selfishness and wanting the spoils without the work. When your child is intellectually mature enough to handle a rich and deep story, you as a parent will know. When he or she can see a couple of big-bosomed, large older women dressed as mermaids with pasties and not laugh or get uncomfortable, that is when you should let them see Coraline. It is ultimately a film for all ages; one that shows you as adults how it all will get better—junior will one day understand the sacrifices you are making—and you children a fantastical world to escape to with consequences that will shake you into the realization of what you have right in front of you at home.

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Coraline - A short clip from the film

Based on Neil Gaiman's international best-selling book, Coraline is the story of a young girl (voiced by Dakota Fanning) who unlocks a mysterious door in her new home, and enters into an adventure in a parallel reality. On the surface, this other world eerily mimics her own life - though much more fantastical. In it, Coraline encounters such off-kilter inhabitants as the morbidly funny Miss Forcible and Miss Spink (Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, respectively), and a counterfeit mother (Teri Hatcher) - who attempts to keep her. Ultimately, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home.

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The Graveyard Book - Another Neil Gaiman book heading for the big screen

Neil Jordan (Interview with a Vampire, A Company of Wolves) is down to direct a screen adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. All things Gaiman are hot right now with Coraline being splashed all over the web.

I picked up The Graveyard Book for my Wife for Christmas. I've not read it yet, but by all accounts it is meant to be excellent.

Shocktillyoudrop had the story.

It was reported in October that Framestore, a UK-based FX house, picked up the rights to the story. Gaiman, out promoting Coraline, told The Today Show today about Jordan's involvement.

"The Graveyard Book" focuses on the life of Nobody Owens, a boy raised by the dead in a cemetery. It was published by Harper Collins and released last year. Jordan was once attached to direct an adaptation of Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box, but he backed out last summer.

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Coraline - Neil Gaiman talks about buttons...what could possibly be scary about buttons?

“I often think that the greatest of human inventions is the humble button.”

With those simple, innocent words Neil Gaiman goes on to make the button one of the most sinister creations known to man.

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Coraline Nike Dunks

Inspired by Neil Gaiman's Coraline film Nike have gone and made a pair of trainers (sneakers) and they look pretty cool. Love the whole design of them. I spotted them over on SarahDope.com

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Coraline - Trailer for Neil Gaiman's latest

Coraline, is an animated film adapted from Neil Gaiman's book and directed by Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) has arrived on screen.

The story follows Coraline as she is forced to move to a new home and becomes frustrated and disgruntled with her parents. She finds a hidden door in the house that leads to another world where her “other” parents are wonderful, entertaining, and look after her much better than her real parents.

As time goes on it becomes clear that all is not what it seems, and that she must make a decision about whether to stay with her real parents or leave to the other world with her “other” parents.

As events become darker and more dangerous, she must find a way to save her real parents and reach her real home, otherwise she'll be trapped in this other world forever.

Coraline has the voices of Dakota Fanning as Coraline, Teri Hatcher plays both Mothers, and other voices include Ian McShane, Keith David, Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French.

Coraline
by DrMalo

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Batman R.I.P. - Bruce Wayne retires

Bruce Wayne has been through an awful lot in his time. Parents killed when he was young, travelled the World to see what evil lurks in the hearts of men and how to combat it, the rise of a grotesque rogues gallery epitomized by the psychotic Joker, his back broken by Bane, his city almost destroyed in an earth quake, the appearance of a son he did not know he had, fighting, the death (and return) of Jason Todd, the JLA turning on him when they found his plans to take them all down, and so on and so fourth.

Most recently he has descended into madness through the machinations of the Black Glove in Grant Morrison's story arc Batman R.I.P. It was not clear whether this would mean the death of Bruce Wayne but has recently seen the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, a back-up personality that Bruce created in case things went drastically wrong and was mindwiped. Basically a Batman without Bruce Wayne.

Now USA Today have the cover of Batman #681 (above), due Nov. 26, wraps up writer Grant Morrison's Batman R.I.P. story line, in which the crimefighter is so shaken by a secret from his past that a new Batman must be found.

What makes this "death" go beyond the usual circulation booster is the talent involved. Helping to bury Batman will be best-selling novelist Neil Gaiman, who created the goth-cult Sandman comic 20 years ago.

Gaiman is writing a two-issue tribute to the character, starting with Batman #686 and tentatively titled Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?, due in February.

The question is who will be the new Batman and Robin? Nightwing (Dick Grayson) has paid his dues and deserves the cowl, or maybe it will be Damien, Wayne's son who recently appeared. As to what the secret is that causes Wayne to retire well until I read the issue I don't know but it could be that his father, Thomas Wayne, is still alive and is the Black Hand or maybe Bruce has developed another personality and is the Black Hand. We will just have to wait and see.
Who do you think will be the new Batman? Do you think DC will make him more along the lines of the Christian Bale version? If you have been following the Batman R.I.P. storyline what did you think of it?

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Peachy Keen! Neil Gaiman talks about Death: The High Cost of Living film

Neil Gaiman was talking to MTV about how his Death comic's are going to be collected in an Absolute edition (which is great news - the Absolute comic collections are brilliant. I must get the Sandman ones. The Watchmen one is excellent. I also did a huge painting of Dream / Morpheus / Sandman on a wall in a flat I used to live in). He then went on to talk about the movie version of “Death,” It looks like the whole Warner Bros.-New Line-Warner Independent shuffling has sorted itself out, with New Line coming back to swoop it up.

“New Line is very much interested in making it,” Gaiman said, “once the dust settles. That will probably happen, unless it doesn’t.”

The good news is Gaiman already has a script “and a lot of [other] stuff” ready to go, once the green light happens.

“The delight in doing ‘Death: The High Cost of Living’ is that it’s already a movie-shaped story,” he told us backstage. “And it’s not even the fact that it’s Death from the Sandman comics. It’s just this lovely little story about a boy who’s depressed and a girl who says she’s Death, and the day they spend together.”

If “Death” works out, could other movies of the “Endless” be in order?

“Too hypothetical,” he smiled. “Beyond ‘Death,’ it’s all about time, and it’s all about desire, and it’s all about how many stories I get to write before I get hit by a bus. If I die by getting hit by a bus. It’s entirely possible I may just spontaneously combust.”

Pretty cool news. I love the Sandman comics and it will be great to see one of the Endless hitting the big screen. Who do you think would be good to play Death, Dream, Destruction, Desire, Destiny, Delirium and the rest of the Endless crew?
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Neil Gaiman And Penn Jillette To Adapt ‘The Road To En-dor’ - It's got nothing to do with Star Wars

MTV have the news that Neil Gaiman has teamed up with Penn Jillette (of Penn and Teller) for “The Road to En-dor” (and no, it has nothing to do with Star Wars). Written by EH Jones, it’s a true story of two World War I prisoners of war, one of whom was an amateur magician, who trick their guards into believing that they are in touch with the spirit world to plot their escape from a Turkish prison camp. Using Ouija boards, séances, mentalist scams, poltergeist effects, and fake suicides, they convince even the Camp Commander.

“It’s more fun to adapt someone else’s work into a movie than my own,” Gaiman said, “because then I can do the horrible violence to it that you might have to do, that I wouldn’t dare do to mine. As an author, it’s hard to go there by going around the back, and cutting this off, and that off, which you have to do so as not to make a ten hour movie.”

Gaiman said they’re still looking for a director, but they have a producer in Hilary Bevin Jones, the granddaughter of EH Jones, now that she’s wrapped on “The Boat That Rocked.”

“We were waiting for her to get free,” Gaiman said, “because she owned the property, and because she’s one of the premiere producers in the U.K.,” having worked on “State of Play” and “The Girl in the Cafe.” “She was a television producer, and she just finished her first feature film, and now that she’s off that, she’s on to ‘Road to En-dor,’ which is going to be very exciting.”

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The Random

Aussie actress Teresa Palmer has been added to the cast of John Eyre's "The Last Warrior".

Indie company Werc Werk Works will finance and co-produce "The Turin Horse," a new movie from Hungarian filmmaker Bela Tarr that will use the story of a farmer and his horse as an existential metaphor... (full details)

Danny Boyle admits that he shot "Slumdog Millionaire" with a PG-13 rating in mind, despite the film landing an R from the MPAA. He also admits that he tried to appeal the rating but doesn't seem to have had any success... (full details)

'W.' screenwriter Stanley Weiser talks about his "Wall Street" sequel treatment that he penned a while ago and is being ignored by "21" scribe Allan Loeb who's penning the upcoming project entitled "Money Never Sleeps"... (full details)

Despite a press release indicating Michael Bay had approved the upcoming Transformers theme park ride, Bay himself has just announced he isn't happy with what they have presented him... (full details)

Legendary Pictures ("Batman Begins," "Superman Returns") is in negotiations to acquire Epic Games ("Gears of War," "Unreal Tournament") - the first film financing company to start investing money in video games... (full details)

Real life couple Christopher Lee and Fann Wong are in advanced talks to star in Singaporean romantic comedy "The Wedding of the Year." The dark story deals with a marriage between two celebrities whose fans have been tracking their romance and rooting for nuptials. Pic will be released in Singapore by Golden Village in time for Chinese New Year in late January... (full details)

Mirovision is developing a third remake of Korean helmer Kim Ki-young's 1960 masterpiece thriller "The Housemaid"...The story follows a maid who ruins a family. Gina Kim ("Never Forever") penned and is attached to direct the $2.5 million Korean-language remake... (full details)

Danny and Oxide Pang ("Bangkok Dangerous," "The Eye") will next direct the horror feature "Child's Eye" for Universe Intl. Holdings. Shooting is scheduedl to start in April or May... (full details)

Joss Whedon has revealed that his original pilot for the new Fox series "Dollhouse" was thrown out completely and several characters were removed from the show... (full details)

Jackson Rathbone tries to defend the Donnie Darko sequel S. Darko: “Look at the original Donnie Darko. When it was first released, did anybody like it? No, it was a year later. Through people talking, people got it. We’re in an opposite boat, because people loved the first one after a while. Maybe they’ll warm up to this, too. Or, they’ll hate the idea of it, but once they see it, I think they’re going to turn around. It takes the idea of the film and it goes beyond, answering and delving into more questions than Donnie Darko did. A lot of people are pissed that Richard Kelly is not involved, but he did sell the idea. He did give the license to do it. So it’s not like he’s opposed to it.” [Shock]

Danny Elfman is developing a broadway show based on the life of Harry Houdini and he also might be doing a Cirque Du Soleil show at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood in 2010. [Collider]

The Playlist takes a look at the soundtrack for Kevin Smith’s Zack and Miri Make a Porno.

Universal is giving Pride and Glory director Gavin O’Connor another chance, a Vince Vaughn comedy film called Sunny and 68. [Variety]

The Wackness hits DVD and Blu-Ray on January 6th 2009. [movieweb]

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso complains that he doesn’t have enough time to read comic books: “It’s hard to read comic books as my time is now restricted.” [boingboing]

Cinema Blend has 26 new photos from Gus Van Sant’s Milk.

Gus Van Sant, he will be directing an adaptation of 1968 Tom Wolfe’s book The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. [Reuters]

Rob Cohen is trying to get xXx: The Return of Xander Cage into production by late spring, for a Summer 2010 release. [collider]

Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Matthew Goode will star in Tom Ford’s directorial debut, an indie drama titled A Single Man. [Variety]

Universal has preemptively bought Mike Sobel’s disaster-action pitch Skyscraper. [CS]

Natalie Portman is set to star with Scott Cohen and Charlie Tahan in Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, a Don Roos-directed adaptation of an Ayelet Waldman novel. [Variety]

Amy Adams will star in the indie drama Daughter of the Queen of Sheba, Karen Croner’s script based on Jacki Lyden biography. [Variety]

To promote Anaconda 3 on DVD, Sci-Fi Channel has launched an online game called Snakes on a Babe featuring David Hasselhoff.

Neil Gaiman is producing a live-action adaptation of his new New York Times best-seller The Graveyard Book. [MTV]

Netflix will offer HD streaming to XBox Live members first. [/Gamer]

Adrien Brody will become The Courier for Russell Mulcahy. [FirstShowing]

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Why Paterson Joseph would be a good Doctor

From Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere TV mini-series, this is the introduction of the Marquis DeCarabas played by Paterson Joseph and shows why he would be pretty good as the next Doctor.

Paterson's agent has denied the Dr Who rumour by saying "If Paterson had the part, it would have come through us, so I think that's a no." which isn't really much of a denial.

What do you think of Paterson as the next Doctor after seeing that clip?

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The next Dr Who could be....?

Lying in the Gutters have a rumour on who could possibly be the next Doctor.

The sixth series of “Doctor Who” (2011) will star Paterson Joseph as The Doctor.

Previously playing Roderick in the “Doctor Who” episodes “Bad Wolf”/”Parting Of Ways,” Joseph is known for fine upstanding and terribly-well-spoken-dontcha-know roles as Johnson in “Peep Show<,” the Marquis De Carabas in “Neverwhere,” Space Marshall Clarke in “Hyperdrive,” Lyndon in “Green Wing”…

…and more importantly Benjamin in “Jekyll.” Written and produced by upcoming “Doctor” Who showrunner, Steven Moffat.

If true, it’s a great call on Moffat’s part. A damn fine call. Paterson has a very British Authority approach to many of his characters, comparable with Jon Pertwee. It’s not a traditional choice, but then neither was Christopher Eccleston. And, like I say, it’s bloody brilliant.

I posted another article the other day that mentioned David Tennant would love to stay on as the Doctor. However, Lying in the Gutters are usually on the ball (although they do mention this is still very much unconfirmed). I have to agree with their view though. Paterson would be a pretty cool Doctor. The fact he also starred in Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and Gaiman is meant to be writing for Dr Who next year may also be a factor. What do you think of the rumour?

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Dr. Who - A familiar face

Just been reading on Lying in the Gutters that as well as Neil Gaiman writing for the next series of Dr. Who in 2010 the series will see the return of a well known actor to the show.

Colour me happy, but it will be Tom Baker. Who'd a thunk it. Not sure who he'll be playing although he has suggested that it could be the Master.

Early days yet, but I'll keep you posted.