Screen Junkies » Christopher B. Landon

Burning Palms

Reza F. — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 23:38:15 +0000

Cast: Dylan McDermott, Shannen Doherty, Zoe Saldana, Lake Bell, Nick Stahl, Paz Vega

Synopsis: A subversive tale that interlaces five stories set in Los Angeles, where no taboo is left unexplored as each character careens toward a dark and often comic fate.

Release Date: April 23, 2010

‘Burning Palms’ Trailer: Better Late Than Never

Penn Collins — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:01:18 +0000

With a limited release on January 14th, Burning Palms hasn’t had enjoyed much (read: any) public awareness, possibly because they haven’t released a trailer for the film until yesterday. Written and directed by Christopher B. Landon of Paranormal Activity 2 (and 3), Burning Palms is a Crash-type study of five intersecting lives, accompanied by the unfortunate tagline, “Five tales that will f%&# you up for life.” They should probably not let thirteen year-old boys jacked up on Mountain Dew do their PR and marketing going forward. Since that doesn’t answer many questions, a quick look at the trailer will convey that this is a movie about sin and moral bankruptcy in LA. It’s about time someone did a movie about that!

While it’s not quite A-list, the cast of Burning Palms is an interesting bunch with Dylan McDermott, Nick Stahl, Zoe Saldana, Paz Vega, and Shannen Doherty. The movie seems more concerned with the intersections themselves and taboo subject matter than it does with telling a compelling story, which could relegate this film as a cut-rate version of Brett Easton Ellis‘ The Informers. Is there even such a thing? (/Film)

Writer Taxed With Figuring Out ‘Paranormal Activity 3′

Penn Collins — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:08:49 +0000

The money train that is the Paranormal Activity franchise keeps plugging along for Paramount Pictures, with Bloody Disgusting reporting that Christopher B. Landon, the writer behind the Shia LaBeouf, Rear Window-redux Disturbia has been hired to pen the third installment of the young series with co-writer Michael R. Perry, the scribe behind Paranormal Activity 2. While most horror franchises are beginning to spin their wheels by the time the third part comes around, the PA franchise has found itself in the unique position of trending upward in terms of quality two films in.

Both installments thus far have been critically acclaimed, so the question of where the series goes for the third installment is on the minds of fans. While the default sentiment is that the studio will continue the story of the characters introduced in the first and second episodes, many believe that in order to prevent stale, familiar characters, the studio may go to a prequel the third time out, shedding some light on the history of the family and their macabre hijinks. Paramount has slated the film for an October 21, 2011 release date. Just in time for Halloween. Duh.

Regardless of the direction the producers take the third Paranormal Activity, one thing’s certain: if you watch a DVD screener of this franchise, it will lock you in your house, no matter how powerful you are in Hollywood.