Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Black Rhinoceros


Black Rhinoceros - Diceros bicornis - Endangered African species - Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden


Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Perissodactyla
Suborder : Ceratomorpha
Family : Rhinocerotidae
Genus : Diceros
Species: Diceros bicornis
Protection status : Critically Endangered
Diet : Herbivore 
Habitat : Woodland and scrubland

Black Rhinos are found in Central and Southern Africa. They weigh between 2090 to 2870 lbs. Their height varies from 4.7 to 5.2 ft and live up to 40 years.

Black Rhinos feed on woody plants, herbs and fruits.

The most distinguishing feature of the rhino, the 2 horns are also the leading cause for their current precarious situation. The horns are highly priced by poachers, who acquire them to sell them at exorbitant rates to certain countries/cultures that use them in traditional medicine and/or high status dagger handles.


Black Rhinoceros - Diceros bicornis - Endangered African species - Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden



The simple fact remains that the horns are only made of tightly packed hair-like fibers (called Keratin). There is no scientific proof for the effectiveness of rhino horns to cure illness/disease(s).

Black Rhinos are one of the many critically endangered species on our planet and need active conservation on our part.

To learn more about rhino conservation and how you can contribute to saving these magnificent animals, please visit African Wildlife Foundation and International Rhino Foundation.

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Photos were taken at Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.

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Sunday, April 14, 2013

Movie Review - Evil Dead (2013)


Evil Dead (2013). Directed by Fede Alvarez.

The opening prologue shows a father setting his possessed daughter on fire and then shooting her in the face at point blank range.

Cut to the present. Mia (Jane Levy) is trying to kick her drug habit and has her friends Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Olivia (Jessica Lucas) for support. Mia’s estranged brother, David (Shiloh Fernandez) and his girlfriend Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore) are here too.

The 5 youngsters have chosen a cabin in the woods, away from human civilization. Of course, this is the same place where the previously mentioned burning and shooting took place.

Shiloh Fernandez as David in Evil Dead (2013)
Shiloh Fernandez as David
They discover a lot of weird stuff in the cellar. Eric is very curious about a book, "Naturom Demonto" covered by barbed wires and has been clearly labeled (in human blood) to be left alone. Eric disregards these warnings. We would not have a horror movie, if Eric did otherwise!

Following the same course of events as in the original movie, Mia faces the same ordeal in the woods (aka being violated by the trees in the woods).

Mia wants to leave the cabin and return to the city. Mia has failed in her previous efforts and her friends (especially Olivia, a registered nurse) are determined to see to it that she succeeds this time.

Lou Taylor Pucci as Eric in Evil Dead (2013)
Lou Taylor Pucci as Eric
Soon, the others start changing one by one into deadites. David is still not convinced that supernatural forces are at work. Only Eric suspects that his chanting of the verses in the book might be the reason.

I am a fan of the original Evil Dead trilogy. Sam Raimi made the first movie on a shoestring budget and that movie is a certifiable classic. The sequels had as much slapstick humor as horror. The Sam Raimi-Bruce Campbell worked wonders.

In the latest movie, there is no successful replacement for Bruce Campbell’s Ash.

Jessica Lucas as Olivia in Evil Dead (2013)
Jessica Lucas as Olivia 
The movie lacks the enjoyable humor and fun, that Raimi brought to the earlier movies. The aspects of the movie I enjoyed the most were the references to Raimi’s movies and the nail gun “fight” between a deadite and a character. Gore has become the trend with the horror movie genre these days and Evil Dead is only happy to continue this (unfortunate) case.

To give the movie credit where it’s due, the practical effects are very convincing and executed very well. The music by Roque Baños makes some effective use of sirens. 

The last 15 minutes were genuinely gripping. If only the rest of the movie had been as much fun…

Jane Levy as Mia in Evil Dead (2013)
Jane Levy as Mia
Jane Levy is the best of the bunch with an excellent performance. Lou Taylor Pucci and Jessica Lucas fare the next best. Elizabeth Blackmore is adequate.

The biggest disappointment is Shiloh Fernandez as David. He seems to be a student of the wooden faced school of acting. Hope he achieves the same level of success as other (equally unappealing but highly successful) contemporaries like Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner.

Click on the link below to buy your copy:



Recommended to gorehounds only. Readers looking for a genuine horror movie are recommended to check out the original Evil Dead trilogy or the recent releases Sinister or Cabin in the Woods.

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Image Sources: FilmDistrict, Ghost House Pictures and TriStar Pictures

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