SCREAM 4 - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Scream 4

You’ll laugh, you’ll scream. Although many were satisfied with Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) emancipating herself from the deadly Ghostface Killer in Scream 3, Director Wes Craven goes above and beyond for Fans in this latest installment of his wildly-successful Horror Franchise, Scream 4 (stylized as Scre4m).

Sidney returns as the celebrated Heroine of Woodsboro, in-town promoting her Memoir. Reuniting with good Friends Sheriff Dewey (David Arquette), Gale (Courteney Cox) and her distant Cousin Jill (Emma Roberts), she soon realizes that Ghostface Killer is still in her wake after receiving a bloody warning. And not only does he want to hurt those around her. This time he really, really, really, really wants Sidney dead.

Anyone familiar with the Scream Franchise should come to expect a certain level of camp and implausibility. Craven clearly is out to cater to the un-weak hearts of Fans. Filled to the brim with appearances from Girl-Next-Door cameos from the likes of Lucy Hale, Aimee Teegarden, Shenae Grimes, Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell and more, it’s clear which demographic is being targeted with Scream 4.

NEVE CAMPBELL AT TORONTO PREMIERE OF "SCREAM 4" | SIGNED PHOTO GIVEAWAY

Neve Campbell & Mr. Will-W.

Guelph native Neve Campbell had a busy day in Toronto today promoting the latest installment of Wes Craven's wildly successful Scream Franchise, Scream 4 (stylized as Scre4m). To date, all three of its predecessors combined have earned $145 million worldwide at the Box Office.

Campbell's stop-offs today included a last-minute appearance on CTV's The Marilyn Denis Show, CBC's George Stroumboulopoulous Tonight, Entertainment Tonight Canada and also Print Media including a Slasher-themed Photo Shoot with Eye Magazine. And that doesn't even include all the Media who queued-up early for a spot on the Red Carpet at Scotiabank Theatre this evening.  Luckily, I was able to get Campbell to stop for a second to pose for a Photo before she was whisked away to the madness... and she was lovely!

Although I am to hold off on my Review for Scre4m until its release date, April 15, 2011, I will say that I had an amazing time enjoying Craven's brand of campy Horror.  I literally was screaming at parts and laughing out loud at others - sometimes together simultaneously.

Campbell introduced the Film quickly in a gorgeous Alexander McQueen number - a fitting tribute the late London-based designer and Fashion Child of the City where she now resides. She returned right as the Credits rolled after enjoying a quick Dinner at Blowfish, then appearing on-stage in a brief Q&A with Toronto's favourite resident Film Guru Richard Crouse.

The Actress told the audience that to this day her favourite Horror Film still is The Changeling, which she discovered at the age of 13. Despite having much experience filming movies of the genre, Campbell says "I'm still a Suck. I am terrible at watching Horror Movies". In fact, she only saw her first Craven Film after her Scream Co-Star Jada Pinkett Smith bought her a stack of his DVDs while they were filming the second installment of the Series.

Despite one audience member professing his love for her in calling her a Legend, Campbell sees things on a more humble scale admitting: "To me, it's honestly about Corn Syrup on my face while filming, Plastic Masks and being chased around by a Prop Guy".

On filming with longtime Co-stars/former Couple David Arquette and Courtney Cox, she feels that her bond with them was tighter this time around. When they had first filmed Scream back in the mid-90s, they had little time to spend together considering that both Cox and Campbell had been busy with their respective TV series. With the new generation of Actors who are introduced in Scre4m like Hayden Panettiere and Emma Roberts, Campbell recalls joking to Cox during their Readings, "We could be their Mothers!".

On the rise of Social Media, Campbell revealed that times have changed since working on Scream 3 back in 2000 in that this time around they had a dedicated team of individuals who would consistently monitor what others were saying about Scre4m online, making efforts to thwart ideas of what the Movie was all about. Also, despite a new Twitter account surfacing recently alleging to belong to Campbell (@MissNeve), the Actress confirmed today that this is an Impostor and that she has not yet caught on to Twitter. And to think I clicked FOLLOW!

A No Camera Policy was enforced strictly at the Theatre tonight, meaning that I could not record the Q&A portion of the evening.  I did however, get a Clip of Campbell chatting with eTalk and Entertainment Tonight Canada on the Red Carpet from my Blackberry, which you can peruse below:

TORONTO WELCOMES BACK NEVE CAMPBELL FOR "SCRE4M"

Still from Scream 4



Don't Answer The Phone. Don't Open The Door. Don't Try To Escape B*tches, 'cause The Ghostface Killer is back!! Toronto will be giving one of its greatest Heroines a warm welcome home as our v. own Neve Campbell will be back at the end of the month to promote Wes Craven's Scream 4.

After a ten-year hiatus, Sidney Prescott (Campbell) seems to be well on her way to recuperating from the trauma she witnessed at Windsor College. Little does she know though The Ghostface Killer is still hot on her trails.  SCRE4M also stars orignal Cast members Courtney Cox and David Arquette, in addition to Adam Brody, Kristen Bell, Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere.

SCRE4M will be released in Canada through Alliance Films on April 15, 2011.  Watch its Trailer in full here.  Welcome back, Neve!

(Photo credit: Alliance Films)

IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY REVIEW

It's Kind of a Funny Story

It’s Kind of a Funny Story really isn’t that funny. The story by Director/Screenwriters Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, touches upon the anxieties and pressures of succeeding through the eyes of a teenager. Craig (Keir Gilchrist) is on the verge of killing himself and decides to get help, being admitted to the Hospital for five days where he encounters all sorts of comical characters like Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), Johnny (Adrian Martinez) and Humble (Matthew Maher). In each of their flaws, we find some sort of comic relief, but Bobby is a bit of an enigma. He seems to be absorbed in helping others and being opinionated about them, diverting focus from his own personal problems.

Craig meets Noelle (Emma Roberts) at the Hospital and they both develop a bit of an attraction to one another, however Craig has lingering feelings for his best friend’s girlfriend Nia (Zoe Kravitz) and is torn between his feelings for both. At the same time his feelings of anxiety keep resurfacing as he realizes that after his five day stay at the Hospital, he will have to re-join the real world again.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH VIRGINIA REVIEW

Dustin Lance Black

Something's definitely wrong with Virginia.  Milk Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black makes his Directorial debut in What's Wrong With Virginia and I'm going to be as easy on it as I can after seeing a screening of it earlier today at TIFF.

The film revolves around a mentally unstable woman named Virginia (Jennifer Connelly) involved with a married man many years her senior, Dick (Ed Harris).  Dick has political aspirations as the town's Sherriff, but after Virginia manages to convince him that she is pregnant with his baby, he decides to end the affair in fear of derailing his bid.  Meanwhile, Virginia's teenaged son Emmett (Harrison Gilbertson) resents Dick but also at the same time is romantically involved with a girl named Jesse (Emma Roberts) who could well be his biological half-sister, seeing that Virginia devoted herself only to one man for 20 years.

Where What's Wrong with Virginia falls short is a lack of a character development and a clear focus.  I failed to find one character I found engaging, which is odd. Virginia of course is at times comedic in her instability (i.e. running into a bank with a gorilla mask, gun and a dress) and endearing in her fragility, but one finds it difficult to empathize with her as we never get the opportunity to know her or her back story.  The story line of forbidden love involving Emmett and Jesse lacks any heart or tension, as is the case with Dick and Virginia; we never tap into their psyches nor do we understand what draws them to one another.

JENNIFER CONNELLY IN DUSTIN LANCE BLACK'S WHAT'S WRONG WITH VIRGINIA AT TIFF

Jennifer Connelly arrives at Pre-party for new film What's Wrong with Virginia

Is there anything more lovely than Jennifer Connelly?  The brilliant actress arrived at Swarovski at Yonge x Bloor this afternoon to party along with the cast of Milk Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's directorial debut, What's Wrong with Virginia.  Also in attendance today were the amazing Ed Harris who plays the man whom she has a scandalous longtime affair with in the film, Yeardley Smith (yes, the voice of Lisa on The Simpsons) and newcomer Harrison Gilbertson.  Emma Roberts who also stars in the film, unfortunately did not attend after partaking in TIFF festivities this past weekend.

What's Wrong with Virginia premiered tonight at VISA Screening Room and I will be reviewing the film tomorrow.  On her way out, I managed to nab an autograph from the stunning actress, who was surprisingly generous.

Check out more photos below from the Pre-party and Premiere: