Goodbye 2010 ...

2010 will go down as a banner year for me. Not because I made a huge movie and a ton of money (because I didn't), but for the sheer amount of personal and professional craziness that shook things up.

I spent the first few months of 2010 concentrating on finishing up post-production on CHOP. Editing, sound design, musical score, color correction, etc. Once my directorial debut was done, I promptly stood there looking at it and saying, "now what?"

And that's where it still stands. We did have our world premiere at the Grimm Up North film festival in Manchester, England, but this has been the ONLY public screening of the film to date. As I write this, I'm in negotiations with a European country for the film's sale and am in the process of handing it over to some sales reps who can help me get it out there this year.

As I was finishing CHOP, we started the insane two month remodel on our home. I spent 8 weeks living in a place with, at various times, no walls, no water, no shower, no electricity, no kitchen ... it was crazy. Like living in a construction site. But what with the house market in Southern California being so insane, this was a better option than trying to sell it and buy another house. And now it's so nice that we aren't even contemplating moving any time soon, if ever.

While the house was being demolished and re-built, I cranked out a script for DEADGIRL 2. The thought was that the first film did so well that getting a greenlight for a sequel would be a sure thing. And I was pretty happy with the script that I wrote ... it was kind of a "flipside" take on the first, with a woman finding the Deadgirl this time and how she uses it to fulfill her helpless violent fantasies. Thing is, I'm married to the directors of the first film on this project, one of whom really loved the script and totally "got it." The other one .,. not so much. And unfortunately, the "franchise," is reliant on all three of us moving forward ... Sadly, this project will more than likely sit on my shelf forever - a waste of my time and resources. Disappointing.

Spent the next month or so getting household affairs back in order and watching Lynh get more and more pregnant. The baby was due in August, so I took an acting gig in Cleveland during the last week of june on a film called THE SQUAD. Of course Lynh went into the hospital the second day I was there and I barely made it back in time for the birth of my second son. Bronson Vinh Haaga ... who came to kick life into high gear on June 29th ...

There was a "baby adjustment" period for another month or two ... familial nesting and whatnot.

The last few months of the year were absolute craziness. Sicknesses and surgeries, I acted in a student thesis film, spoke at a film festival at the LA Film School, took a quick trip to Vegas, had out-of-town guests more than once, took a quick jaunt out to Kansas City for the premiere of FETCH, and even directed a promotional trailer for a series of films under the banner NAME REDACTED AT REQUEST OF MY PARTNER. After the trailer did well at Mipcom in France, we made a poster and did some pitching at the AFM ... and just a few weeks ago, I turned in the completed screenplay for NAME REDACTED AT REQUEST OF MY PARTNER ... Lots more on that in the coming months ...

So now it's post-Christmas and things are winding down. Only one more day in 2010 and I'm spending it making this blog and working on the script for my SyFy Channel movie ...

... And since it seems to be the thing to do, I'm going to make a few "end of the year" lists!

My Five Favorite Films of 2010

Okay, it's not for lack of trying because I watch like a billion movies a year, but there's NO WAY I could make a Top Ten ... I'm always looking for movies that rocked my world, that made a huge impact on me. But these movies are in such short supply that the bottom five would be more like "movies that didn't make me depressed or angry about the state of filmmaking" rather than "my favorites" (some of those films would be things like THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE or BLACK SWAN - movies I liked okay, but didn't love). So here you go:

5) THE KILLER INSIDE ME - Almost gave this slot to TRUE GRIT, but this one deserves the looks that TG will already have ... dark and violent and un-flinching and loyally adapted from one of my favorite Jim Thompson novels. Dreamy and sadistic and with some good performances from actors that normally would repel me from seeing a film. Check it out. Don't believe the negative hype.

4) MOTHER - Korean director Joon-ho Bong's follow-up to THE HOST is compelling, surprising, tragic, darkly humorous, and just plain "out there." I liked THE HOST okay, but this one was more up my alley. Very little fanfare for this movie because of its small and quiet nature, but totally worth checking out ...

3) A SERBIAN FILM - Wow. Just ... wow. Right when I think I've seen it all before and can't seem to find anything out there that will affect me, along comes this kick in the face. Not only is it transgressive beyond anything I've ever seen before, it's actually an incredibly well-crafted film on top of it all - great cinematography and acting and soundtrack all in a brain-blistering package of sadism and outright hopelessness. I'll NEVER forget watching this movie (and will more than likely never watch it again) ... a true sign of a great film. Wins the "Trent Haaga Wishes He Had Made This Movie" Award, but it's so fucking twisted that I can only in good conscience give it third place.

2) EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP - Banksy is a genius. This film (his film? still up for debate) is everything you'd expect from the trickster street artist and more. A documentary about the world of street art, obsessive personalities, commercialism, consumption, and irony ... all in an incredibly entertaining package. I've watched the movie 3 times already - something I almost never do - just because I keep introducing it to anyone who will sit down and watch it with me. Some people seem to think the entire film is a put-on by master prankster Banksy ... if it is, that makes the project even more impressive.

1) ENTER THE VOID - Thank you, Gaspar Noe!! It was worth the 8 year wait after your last masterpiece, IRREVERSIBLE. ENTER THE VOID is more like an experience than a film and is one of the most technically amazing things I've ever seen. Words can't even describe how much I loved this movie. Just watch it. Your life will never be the same. I'm not seeing this on ANYONE'S Top Ten lists and I don't know why. This was my favorite film of 2010, hands down.

My Five Least Favorite Films of 2010

This list, on the other hand, could have been fifty or sixty titles long. Most movies suck ass and are made by assholes that really seem to think that audiences are un-sophisticated dolts. Here are five of the biggest offenders:

5) 2001 MANIACS: FIELD OF SCREAMS - I hated the first one, but it's a work of genius compared to this thing. My wife always compares this to any bad movie that we watch: "Sure, this is bad, Trent, but it's not nearly as bad as that 2001 Maniacs movie" is a sentence that I've heard many times this year. I'm as sympathetic as anyone to the no budget, no time issues with indie films. But this thing just fucking sucked.

4) A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET REMAKE - Wow. I know that Platinum Dunes is all like, "Hey, mouth-breathing shithead moviegoer, give me some money because you're all idiots." I get it. But, DAMN, this was limp and lifeless. I wasn't expecting anything from it and tried to watch an illegal download of the movie that someone gave to me ... but I could only make it through like 45 minutes before I decided that cable TV would be more thrilling. Lazy, sloppy, and dripping with disdain for the audience more than any other cash-in I've ever seen.

3) ALL COMEDIES - Please, can't someone make a comedy that's actually FUNNY? I'm talking to you, THE OTHER GUYS, DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS, SHE'S OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE, DUE DATE, DATE NIGHT, GET HIM TO THE GREEK, COP OUT, HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, KILLERS, etc. When I go to see a comedy, I just want to laugh and have a good time. I really do not care if the main characters find out something about themselves and make a change for the better. I just don't care. Yet, like an abused girlfriend, I keep returning to you because I just want to laugh ... is that too much to ask?

JACKASS 3D, you get a pass on that one. Thank you.

2) THE WALKING DEAD - Okay, not a movie, but I must put it here anyway. Even genius actor and CHOP screenwriter Adam Minarovich couldn't save this series for me. It's like a zombie TV show made for people who have never seen a zombie movie. A crappy, talky soap opera with shit writing and zero sense of danger. I'll admit that I only watched two episodes and scanned the other ones for Adam. Otherwise, this show sucks. And it's like the highest-rated cable show EVER or something stupid like that. AMC has the brilliant BREAKING BAD and this show beats it in the ratings? Maybe all of the Producers in the world are right. Maybe people are ignorant cattle and un-discerning consumers. I will NOT return for the second season - I couldn't even make it through the first!

1) HATCHET 2 - Support un-rated horror or you're a Communist ... not if all un-rated horror is a sloppy piece of shit like this. I was at the sold-out World Premiere at the Egyptian in Hollywood and walked out after twenty minutes. Don't worry, I eventually watched a bootleg of it just so that I could make an informed decision ... I did, and it was painful. I get it, you're homaging your favorite genre ... but why does it have to look like it was written and shot by a brain-damaged 15 year old? One need look no further to Christopher Smith's SEVERANCE to see a witty and well-done homage to slasher movies that doesn't treat the audience like a bunch of slobbering fools that will come in droves at the word "gore" (they didn't, BTW). I don't even want to get into the whole thing where the filmmaker is the star and the movie itself is secondary. Read the reviews. Every one of them talks about what a nice guy Adam Green is. Great. I have no doubt that he is ... but I'd rather watch a good movie from an asshole than a shitty movie from a nice guy.

Wow. What vitriol. I fully expect some comments, as I've broken the "Trent only talks about his work" rule in this blog.

Damn, here's hoping 2011 is more insane and beautiful than 2010 ... for all of us.

Happy New Year, everybody ...

- T

Almost the End of the Year ...

... I've been thinking of making a "Best and Worst of 2010" but need a bit more time to get my thoughts in order ... in the meantime, I guess it's time to throw up a quick update ...

... Although you wouldn't know it from my Facebook Page (or this blog), I've been pretty busy these days. Just turned in a script for a movie that I co-wrote and am Producing in VERY early 2011. Unfortunately, that's about all I wanna say about the project for now ... If all goes well, you'll be seeing some behind-the-scenes pics in February or March. For now, it's in the director's hands ...

Just as well, because I'm trying to meet another deadline for yet another script. At this point, I can tell you that I'm writing a SyFy Channel original movie. If all goes well, it'll shoot and air in 2011 sometime. Wish that I could say more about it, but that's it for now. It's pretty exciting for me because the SyFy Saturday night original films get seen by a LOT of people and it's a chance for me to write something that doesn't necessarily have the horribly cynical, sexually charged, and disturbing edge that I'm kind of known for ... I consider it a welcome challenge (and an even more welcome paycheck).

I do have some status updates on a few other projects:

KILLJOY 3 is out there in the world and ready to be viewed. Not only is it on DVD, but I saw that my local cable carrier - Time Warner - has it available on VOD. I assume that means that it's available on demand in other parts of the country as well. So far, people seem to dig on it:

McBastard's Mausoleum

Wildside Cinema

Big Daddy Horror Review

Terror Hook

Yahoo User Review

Killjoy 3 even made it onto a "Top 5 of 2010" list!

BONNIE AND CLYDE VS. DRACULA is coming soon, as well. Fangoria.com ran a story about the film's release (finally!) and got the exclusive on the DVD box art. Check it out:

B&CvsD Fangoria Story

Speaking of movies that are finally coming to light, JESSICKA RABID will be coming out from my good friends at Troma in 2011 and the long-lost PSYCHO HOLOCAUST is also going to become available in early 2011 ...

... While I still wait patiently for word of FETCH's distribution, it was voted as the #4 TOP TEN of 2010 from the Conduit Cast Podcast ... Here's the show - he talks (lovingly) about the movie right around the 22:00 mark:



As for CHOP, I've just been so damned busy making scripts and movies that I haven't been able to put all of my energy into promoting the film ... rest assured, I've got a few irons in the fire in regards to distribution, but haven't really hit the festival trail or anything since my official Slamdance rejection a few weeks ago ...

There are a few more neat potential projects that could happen in early 2011, but I'm not gonna jinx anything by talking about them ...

That's it for now. Back to screenwriting ... Have a Merry Christmas, everybody!

-T