Yesterday afternoon, David and I caught a matinee showing of the new horror film The Collector at the Beverly Center. The movie was written by the guys who wrote SAW IV, V and VI … but we went to see it anyways. Not only did former Nine Inch Nails drummer Jerome Dillon do the music for the film, it looked like a fun gory SAW-type movie worth seeing:
The film is pretty much what you’d expect from the SAW writers. It’s pretty gross, full of suspense and inventive ways to maim and kill people. If you like the SAW films, you’ll like this one too. From the way it ended, it’s bound to be it’s own franchise. I have to give the film high marks for the fun use of the Bauhaus song Bella Lugosi’s Dead … and for the inventive use of bear traps. To be honest, I’m surprised there haven’t been any other SAW-like films in recent years … but, I guess since Horror Porn has kinda gone out of style, it makes sense.
I was supposed to go over to Darion’s place last night for game night but I really wasn’t feeling very well. I ended up staying home to read. I mentioned previously that I was going to read the unauthorized sequel to The Catcher in the Rye titled 60 Years Later: Coming through the Rye by a Swedish author called J.D. California. Unfortch, the book is kinda unreadable. The plot line of this new “sequel” tracks Holden Caufield‘s adventures as he escapes from a nursing home. Yeah, no thanks. Instead, I started re-reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone for the first time since 1999:
I’m really anxious to re-read the entire Harry Potter series again so … you gotta start at the beginning. I’m already a few chapters in (Harry done already bought all his school supplies at Diagon Alley) and I just marvel at how much of an amazing writer J.K. Rowling is. She’s really talented … I hope she writes more tales in her future.
I was supposed to go to the cemetery screening of Some Like It Hot at the Hollywood Forever cemetery here in Hollywood tonight but I’m still not feeling too hot. I may just do something low key with friends … or not leave the house at all. Blah. I hate feeling sick in the Summer :(
I am rereading them too…. I really really hope she writes something, anything soon… :)
Umm..did I miss something? Isnt it the Sorcerers Stone?
@Brittany — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.....%27s_Stone
Awesome Trent. Me, my b/f and a coworker are also starting to reread the entire series together. I’m on the second and they are still on the first. I forgot how well written and engrossing the books are. Got too caught up in the movies. And we all know the books are always better than the movies based on them.
@Brittany….philosopher’s is the original british title, US made it sorcerer’s.
Right after I saw Half-Blood Prince, I started rereading the books too! Just started Prisoner of Azkaban. So interesting because you notice little details that are early references of certain things in the later books, such as the horcrux in Chamber of Secret and now Harry describes Snape and how it seems that Snape can “read his mind” in the first book!
I have the whole series in hardbound and the covers display cartoonish drawings of the characters. I much prefer these covers vs. the cartoon ones. I know that they’re better illustrated in the UK as well. Boo. Anyways, I didn’t really care for the first book at all. It was ok, but pretty boring. The second one was better but for me, the third one was what brought the series on a whole new level. My fave is still the 5th book. <333
But, then again I read the first book in the 5th grade I believe but I’m not sure.
After seeing the Half Blood Prince, I decided to reread them too. I’m currently reading book 1 and Harry is trying to figure out how to get on the platform for Hogwarts Express train. The books are really awesome.
@ Brittany – I’m pretty sure everywhere except the American version of the book calls it Philosophers stone. No idea why they changed it, but hey. We also have different covers too. It’s kinda cool cos I started reading them when I was 8 and the book grew up with me. I was the same age as Harry & Co when the last book came out. I’m glad she wrote it like that cos us loyal lot who started reading it when it first came out in 1997 (?) could follow along with it and grow up with the characters.
Oh I saw the Half Blood Prince the other night and swore incredibly loudly when the inferi (was that how you spell it) emerged from the water! My flatmate said that was the best bit of the movie hehe
I started the series again after seeing the Half-Blood Prince. I read it while I’m on the elliptical machine at the gym and my 35 minute program whizzes by. I finished the first book on Tuesday and am halfway through the second book now. It actually makes me want to go to the gym. I even lost three pounds so far. Maybe by the end of the last book, I will have lost my goal.
I just came back from seeing Half Blood Prince. While I liked it… I had a really hard time with all the missing elements from this book. It was the least true to te series than an other.. just sadly dissapointed. I guess we r lucky to have the book to base it on
I’ve never read Harry Potter *runs and hides*
Regarding the sequel to Catcher: some books should not have sequels. What a phony. Lmao
I watched The Collector last night and thought it was OK. I knew it would set itself up to be made into 2 or 3 films. Did LOVE the music in it. The guy reminded me of a lot of the men that live here in WV. Hardworking men who give all their money to child support and rarely get to see their kids. I wanted to hit his wife because if it wasnt for her, he wouldnt have to go into that damn house in the first place. Anyway, I had to cover my eyes during some gross scenes, but I loved the bear trap part. Classic.
I just started re-reading them too! I have just finished the Chamber of Secrets.
Why is it called the Socerers Stone in the US? You all know what a Philosopher is right? Never made sense to me.
@Chimera – “Both the motion picture and book were released in the United States under the name Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, as the publishers were concerned that most Americans were not familiar enough with the term “philosopher’s stone” to gain the correct impression from the title.” http://harrypotter.wikia.com/w.....%27s_Stone
I wonder if the movie The Collector is inspired by John Fowles’ book of the same name. It’s a creepy book about a nondescript man who picks up the object of his stalker-ish affections and keeps her locked up in his basement a la Silence of the Lambs. He collects butterflies and that’s where he gets his name.