No spoilers, but I caught two subtle references to the original Jumanji, marking this a definite sequel, not a remake or reboot. I'd highly recommend it!
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
I just saw Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. It was excellent! A fun movie from start to finish. I love how they included a bunch of video game tropes into the world, like NPCs repeating their one line over and over.
No spoilers, but I caught two subtle references to the original Jumanji, marking this a definite sequel, not a remake or reboot. I'd highly recommend it!
No spoilers, but I caught two subtle references to the original Jumanji, marking this a definite sequel, not a remake or reboot. I'd highly recommend it!
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
I finally got around to watching Zathura, the unofficial sequel to Jumanji. (Only took me 12 years)
This film was actually pretty great! I don't know why it did so poorly when it came out. Probably because it was following on the heels of Jumanji and was essentially Jumanji in space. Also, despite its original book version, the movie makes no reference whatsoever to Jumanji, which probably made people think it was just a clone rip-off.
I'd highly recommend checking it out! I'm about to go see the new film, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. It looks pretty awesome!
This film was actually pretty great! I don't know why it did so poorly when it came out. Probably because it was following on the heels of Jumanji and was essentially Jumanji in space. Also, despite its original book version, the movie makes no reference whatsoever to Jumanji, which probably made people think it was just a clone rip-off.
I'd highly recommend checking it out! I'm about to go see the new film, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. It looks pretty awesome!
Friday, December 15, 2017
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
I saw Star Wars Episode VIII today. It was excellent! I especially love how they included a lot of humor in this one. Star Wars has always been an action/adventure drama, so it was nice to have some funny lines and witty banter.
Spoiler: C3PO's red arm is never explained. Despite all the attention he brought to it in episode VII.
Spoiler: C3PO's red arm is never explained. Despite all the attention he brought to it in episode VII.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Horror Movie Tribute
Thank you all for sticking with me through another Halloween Month marathon. Next year I'll try switching it up by reviewing mostly horror genre video games. I gotta make use of the 800+ Steam games in my library somehow.
In celebration of Halloween, here's a tribute to the horror movie genre, set to the music of Muse. Which is suiting, as I use Muse as my soundtrack while reading the Marvel Zombies comic book series. How many of these movies have you seen?
In celebration of Halloween, here's a tribute to the horror movie genre, set to the music of Muse. Which is suiting, as I use Muse as my soundtrack while reading the Marvel Zombies comic book series. How many of these movies have you seen?
Alan Wake (2010)
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! For my final Halloween Month review, I'm going to look at the video game Alan Wake.
Alan Wake is a best-selling psychological thriller author who has had a writer's block for 2 years. His wife arranges for them to take a vacation in the small mountain town of Bright Falls, WA, in hopes of giving him some time away from it all to refocus and overcome his writer's block. While getting settled at their cabin on a small lake island, his wife cries out for help. Alan witnesses her being sucked into the lake and dives in after her.
Alan wakes up a week later, having regained consciousness after crashing his car in the woods. He has no memory of the past week or how he got there. But he's being chased through the woods by shadowy figures trying to kill him. He learns he can eliminate the figures by shining a flashlight on them and uses it to escape them. While running through the woods, he finds scattered pages of a manuscript titled Departure that has his name on it. Has he been typing a manuscript this past week? And what happened to his wife? And why do the townsfolk insist that his cabin hasn't existed in years?
This psychological thriller plays out like a TV series, with 6 "episodes," each ending on a cliffhanger to draw you into the next. It reminds me of old supernatural thriller books my mother and I used to read when I was a kid, and they do an excellent job of making a fascinating story about a thriller author stuck in his own real-life thriller adventure. While playing through this game, all I could think of is that, if my mother played video games, she would absolutely love this game. It was beautiful, well-told, and addicting to play.
If you haven't played this game before, you can get a PC or Xbox 360 copy from Amazon for around $16. I highly recommend it!
Alan Wake is a best-selling psychological thriller author who has had a writer's block for 2 years. His wife arranges for them to take a vacation in the small mountain town of Bright Falls, WA, in hopes of giving him some time away from it all to refocus and overcome his writer's block. While getting settled at their cabin on a small lake island, his wife cries out for help. Alan witnesses her being sucked into the lake and dives in after her.
Alan wakes up a week later, having regained consciousness after crashing his car in the woods. He has no memory of the past week or how he got there. But he's being chased through the woods by shadowy figures trying to kill him. He learns he can eliminate the figures by shining a flashlight on them and uses it to escape them. While running through the woods, he finds scattered pages of a manuscript titled Departure that has his name on it. Has he been typing a manuscript this past week? And what happened to his wife? And why do the townsfolk insist that his cabin hasn't existed in years?
This psychological thriller plays out like a TV series, with 6 "episodes," each ending on a cliffhanger to draw you into the next. It reminds me of old supernatural thriller books my mother and I used to read when I was a kid, and they do an excellent job of making a fascinating story about a thriller author stuck in his own real-life thriller adventure. While playing through this game, all I could think of is that, if my mother played video games, she would absolutely love this game. It was beautiful, well-told, and addicting to play.
If you haven't played this game before, you can get a PC or Xbox 360 copy from Amazon for around $16. I highly recommend it!
Monday, October 30, 2017
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Tonight's Halloween Month review is on Little Shop of Horrors. Not the original 1960 film, but the 1986 musical version.
A nerdy florist named Seymour (Rick Moranis) discovers a new plant that he's determined will bring fame and success to his boss' floral shop. He names it Audrey II, after a coworker he has a crush on. But then he discovers that it's a carnivorous plant, requiring blood and meat to survive. And it keeps growing, and growing, demanding more and more fresh meat...
This is a dark comedy, showing how far one will go for fame and success, or just to win the girl of their dreams. The puppeteering and animatronics for Audrey II are terrifyingly realistic (being managed by 2 former members of the Jim Henson company). I remember being a kid and getting a panic in my chest every time the camera zoomed up close to that thing's mouth, as if I was about to be swallowed hole.
Interestingly enough, this film has 2 endings, which I will describe below (SPOILERS):
The original ending mirrored the Broadway musical, which had everyone dying. Audrey II had her children sold to every home in America, and they grew to the size of skyscrapers and wreaked havoc on the world, with the military unable to stop the carnage. This apocalyptic ending did not do well with test audiences, so it was re-shot.
The new ending had Seymour and Audrey defeating Audrey II and running away to live a happy life together. The original gruesome ending was added back in the Director's Cut Blu-ray in 2012. So be careful which version you watch... it might not have a happy ending.
A nerdy florist named Seymour (Rick Moranis) discovers a new plant that he's determined will bring fame and success to his boss' floral shop. He names it Audrey II, after a coworker he has a crush on. But then he discovers that it's a carnivorous plant, requiring blood and meat to survive. And it keeps growing, and growing, demanding more and more fresh meat...
This is a dark comedy, showing how far one will go for fame and success, or just to win the girl of their dreams. The puppeteering and animatronics for Audrey II are terrifyingly realistic (being managed by 2 former members of the Jim Henson company). I remember being a kid and getting a panic in my chest every time the camera zoomed up close to that thing's mouth, as if I was about to be swallowed hole.
Interestingly enough, this film has 2 endings, which I will describe below (SPOILERS):
The original ending mirrored the Broadway musical, which had everyone dying. Audrey II had her children sold to every home in America, and they grew to the size of skyscrapers and wreaked havoc on the world, with the military unable to stop the carnage. This apocalyptic ending did not do well with test audiences, so it was re-shot.
The new ending had Seymour and Audrey defeating Audrey II and running away to live a happy life together. The original gruesome ending was added back in the Director's Cut Blu-ray in 2012. So be careful which version you watch... it might not have a happy ending.
Sunday, October 29, 2017
The Witches (1990)
Now that I've finished Stranger Things season 2, I'm back for the next Halloween Month review: The Witches.
A recently orphaned boy is taken to England to stay with his grandmother. While staying at a fancy hotel with her, he stumbles upon a convention of real witches, who are plotting to eliminate all the little boys in England. It's up to him to expose the witches and stop them. But how can he do that... when they've turned him into a mouse!?
This movie terrified me when I was a little kid. The practical effects are pretty amazing. When the witches remove their human masks and reveal their twisted, slimy pointed faces underneath, it scared the hell out of me; I almost couldn't watch that scene. Plus, the tale about the little girl who was banished to a painting by a witch haunted me for years.
This movie was perfect for providing you real scares without resorting to jump scares every 10 minutes. The story itself is genuinely terrifying and sure to make any child cautious of beautiful women offering up candy and toys. This is one of my favorite classic scary movies.
IMDB claims this is Adventure/Comedy/Family, but if I had to classify it, it would be Adventure/Horror. I'm about to re-watch it for the first time in decades, so we'll see if it can scare adult me.
A recently orphaned boy is taken to England to stay with his grandmother. While staying at a fancy hotel with her, he stumbles upon a convention of real witches, who are plotting to eliminate all the little boys in England. It's up to him to expose the witches and stop them. But how can he do that... when they've turned him into a mouse!?
This movie terrified me when I was a little kid. The practical effects are pretty amazing. When the witches remove their human masks and reveal their twisted, slimy pointed faces underneath, it scared the hell out of me; I almost couldn't watch that scene. Plus, the tale about the little girl who was banished to a painting by a witch haunted me for years.
This movie was perfect for providing you real scares without resorting to jump scares every 10 minutes. The story itself is genuinely terrifying and sure to make any child cautious of beautiful women offering up candy and toys. This is one of my favorite classic scary movies.
IMDB claims this is Adventure/Comedy/Family, but if I had to classify it, it would be Adventure/Horror. I'm about to re-watch it for the first time in decades, so we'll see if it can scare adult me.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Little Evil (2017)
Tonight's Halloween Month review is on Little Evil.
This horror/comedy follows a newly-married man named Gary, who learns his new wife's 5-yr old son just might be the Antichrist. He has to decide whether to be a supportive husband and father, or throw it all away to save the world from the End Times.
This was a surprisingly entertaining flick, directed by the same guy who did Zombieland and Tucker & Dale vs Evil. It was interesting to see the struggle that Gary went through, whether to be a good father and try to talk some sense into potentially the most evil person in history, or to end the child's life in order to save humanity. And some of the side characters were hilarious. Most of them were also parents and shared their "horror stories" about trying to raise kids. It added a funny dynamic to the "my child is literally the Antichrist" story.
I'd recommend this film if you like horror/comedy (which I definitely do). You should check it out. It's on Netflix right now.
This horror/comedy follows a newly-married man named Gary, who learns his new wife's 5-yr old son just might be the Antichrist. He has to decide whether to be a supportive husband and father, or throw it all away to save the world from the End Times.
This was a surprisingly entertaining flick, directed by the same guy who did Zombieland and Tucker & Dale vs Evil. It was interesting to see the struggle that Gary went through, whether to be a good father and try to talk some sense into potentially the most evil person in history, or to end the child's life in order to save humanity. And some of the side characters were hilarious. Most of them were also parents and shared their "horror stories" about trying to raise kids. It added a funny dynamic to the "my child is literally the Antichrist" story.
I'd recommend this film if you like horror/comedy (which I definitely do). You should check it out. It's on Netflix right now.
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
The Mummy (1932)
Tonight's Halloween Month review is The Mummy (the original).
In this tale, the mummy Imhotep is uncovered with a scroll of resurrection. The archaeologist who finds him reads aloud from the scroll and goes insane when he sees Imhotep walking. 10 years later, his son, Frank, encounters a very dry and pale but human-looking Imhotep, who goes by the name Ardath Bey, who guides him toward discovering the tomb of his long lost love, the princess Ankh-es-en-amon. Upon uncovering her mummified body, Ardath Bey meets Frank's love interest, a woman who is a direct descendant of Ankh-es-en-amon, and attempts to resurrect her reincarnated soul so he may be with his love again. It's up to Frank to stop him and save his girl.
This is an amazing classic film, with Boris Karloff playing Imhotep/Ardath Bey. It's amusing to see that the mummy spent 90% of the film right under everyone's nose and no one knew any different. And they did an excellent job making Ardath Bey's face look very dry and crumbly without being obviously mummified.
There's a lot less action than the Brendan Fraser version and more talking and deducting going on in this film, but what can you expect from a black-and-white classic from the '30s? Overall, a great film that introduced a great and tragic horror villain.
In this tale, the mummy Imhotep is uncovered with a scroll of resurrection. The archaeologist who finds him reads aloud from the scroll and goes insane when he sees Imhotep walking. 10 years later, his son, Frank, encounters a very dry and pale but human-looking Imhotep, who goes by the name Ardath Bey, who guides him toward discovering the tomb of his long lost love, the princess Ankh-es-en-amon. Upon uncovering her mummified body, Ardath Bey meets Frank's love interest, a woman who is a direct descendant of Ankh-es-en-amon, and attempts to resurrect her reincarnated soul so he may be with his love again. It's up to Frank to stop him and save his girl.
This is an amazing classic film, with Boris Karloff playing Imhotep/Ardath Bey. It's amusing to see that the mummy spent 90% of the film right under everyone's nose and no one knew any different. And they did an excellent job making Ardath Bey's face look very dry and crumbly without being obviously mummified.
There's a lot less action than the Brendan Fraser version and more talking and deducting going on in this film, but what can you expect from a black-and-white classic from the '30s? Overall, a great film that introduced a great and tragic horror villain.
Monday, October 23, 2017
Godzilla (1954)
Tonight's Halloween Month review is on the original Godzilla film.
In this film, Japan was testing nuclear depth charges off the coast, which happens to stir an ancient monster from his underwater domain. Godzilla arises from the ocean and terrorizes Japanese cities! He appears immune to radiation and can shoot a powerful radioactive beam from his mouth, known as Atomic Breath.
The military is useless in harming the monster, but a passive scientist, wanting to study the misunderstood creature and not destroy him, invents a weapon that will eradicate the beast and struggles with his conscience on whether to use it or not to save mankind.
This classic spawned a legacy that currently spans 29 films in Japan. The franchise was just rebooted last year in Japan, with a new trilogy starting next month to continue the new series. Even America has made a few (poor-received) Godzilla films; the latest (2014) being the start of a new series called the MonsterVerse, which includes Kong: Skull Island (2017) as its official sequel.
Interesting trivia: (SPOILERS for this 1954 film)
The original Godzilla was actually destroyed in this film. There is no one specific creature called Godzilla. There have been 12 different creatures of the same species over the years who were all referred to as Godzilla.
In this film, Japan was testing nuclear depth charges off the coast, which happens to stir an ancient monster from his underwater domain. Godzilla arises from the ocean and terrorizes Japanese cities! He appears immune to radiation and can shoot a powerful radioactive beam from his mouth, known as Atomic Breath.
The military is useless in harming the monster, but a passive scientist, wanting to study the misunderstood creature and not destroy him, invents a weapon that will eradicate the beast and struggles with his conscience on whether to use it or not to save mankind.
This classic spawned a legacy that currently spans 29 films in Japan. The franchise was just rebooted last year in Japan, with a new trilogy starting next month to continue the new series. Even America has made a few (poor-received) Godzilla films; the latest (2014) being the start of a new series called the MonsterVerse, which includes Kong: Skull Island (2017) as its official sequel.
Interesting trivia: (SPOILERS for this 1954 film)
The original Godzilla was actually destroyed in this film. There is no one specific creature called Godzilla. There have been 12 different creatures of the same species over the years who were all referred to as Godzilla.
Sunday, October 22, 2017
The Babysitter (2017)
Tonight's Halloween Month review is The Babysitter.
This film follows a passive nerdy 12-yr old kid who decides to spy on his cool babysitter after he goes to bed, only to find out she and her friends are performing sacrificial rituals in service of the Devil. Now he must learn to overcome his passiveness and stand up for himself, or else end up a sacrifice himself!
This movie just came out on Friday the 13th (9 days ago) and it's on Netflix. You should go check it out! It's a horror/comedy and it's very well made. The babysitter is the coolest person ever... until she exposes herself as a devil worshiper, that is. I'm actually really sad she has to be the bad guy because up until then, she's absolutely perfect in every way.
This film follows a passive nerdy 12-yr old kid who decides to spy on his cool babysitter after he goes to bed, only to find out she and her friends are performing sacrificial rituals in service of the Devil. Now he must learn to overcome his passiveness and stand up for himself, or else end up a sacrifice himself!
This movie just came out on Friday the 13th (9 days ago) and it's on Netflix. You should go check it out! It's a horror/comedy and it's very well made. The babysitter is the coolest person ever... until she exposes herself as a devil worshiper, that is. I'm actually really sad she has to be the bad guy because up until then, she's absolutely perfect in every way.
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Urban Legend (1998)
Today's Halloween Month review is on the film Urban Legend.
The story follows a college girl whose friends start dying in ways described in urban legends. And no one believes her when she claims they're being murdered. Everyone believes them to be accidents or pranks.
This is actually a great horror/mystery film. Unlike stereotypical '90s horror films, the main character isn't just trying to survive long enough to uncover the killer. There's actual motive behind all the murders, it's hinted that the killer knows the main character and is messing with her, and the manner in which each person dies is creative and unique. You know in advance when someone is going to die and there's nothing you can do but watch as they fall into the urban legend trap.
There are also a couple great horror legend cameos, such as an uncredited Brad Dourif who plays Chucky in the Chucky horror series, and Robert Englund who plays Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series.
Now, the movie does fall victim to some '90s tropes in storytelling. For instance, the killer accurately predicts exactly where people are going to be at a given time and has already prepared an elaborate trap for them. Also, people pretty much teleport across great distances without an explained mode of transportation. And the location and timing of some characters is very deus ex machina. But if you can suspend a little disbelief, the film itself is an excellent horror/mystery slasher. I highly recommend it.
The story follows a college girl whose friends start dying in ways described in urban legends. And no one believes her when she claims they're being murdered. Everyone believes them to be accidents or pranks.
This is actually a great horror/mystery film. Unlike stereotypical '90s horror films, the main character isn't just trying to survive long enough to uncover the killer. There's actual motive behind all the murders, it's hinted that the killer knows the main character and is messing with her, and the manner in which each person dies is creative and unique. You know in advance when someone is going to die and there's nothing you can do but watch as they fall into the urban legend trap.
There are also a couple great horror legend cameos, such as an uncredited Brad Dourif who plays Chucky in the Chucky horror series, and Robert Englund who plays Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series.
Now, the movie does fall victim to some '90s tropes in storytelling. For instance, the killer accurately predicts exactly where people are going to be at a given time and has already prepared an elaborate trap for them. Also, people pretty much teleport across great distances without an explained mode of transportation. And the location and timing of some characters is very deus ex machina. But if you can suspend a little disbelief, the film itself is an excellent horror/mystery slasher. I highly recommend it.
Friday, October 20, 2017
Child's Play Franchise
Tonight's Halloween Month review is on the Chucky film series. This series consists of Child's Play 1-3 (1988, 1990, & 1991), Bride of Chucky (1998), Seed of Chucky (2004), Curse of Chucky (2013), and Cult of Chucky (2017).
The series opens with a serial killer, Charles Lee Ray, mortally wounded and running from the police. He collapses in a toy store, but before he dies, he grabs a Good Guys doll named Chucky off the shelf and recites a voodoo incantation to transfer his soul to it. After transferring his soul, he has to find a new human body to inhabit or else be stuck in the doll forever.
The original trilogy is pure horror, with a murderous doll coming to life and killing everyone he comes in contact with. Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky turned the series more campy and satirical of the horror genre. Chucky stopped being a creepy doll in the shadows and became the main character, The story focused on his relationship with his girlfriend and their new child.
Curse of Chucky brought back the classic horror genre, as Chucky is mailed to a family's home and starts picking them off one-by-one. Cult of Chucky picks up right where Curse left off, with Chucky terrorizing the survivors.
This franchise is absolutely amazing. Dolls are pretty creepy in general and they do a good job milking that for pure adrenaline-induced horror. The cheesy 4th and 5th films still entertain, even if they're more comedy than horror. If you're afraid of dolls, Chucky is a good series for you. Not only because you're guaranteed to be frightened, but you also get to see some sweet justice enacted on a creepy doll.
The series opens with a serial killer, Charles Lee Ray, mortally wounded and running from the police. He collapses in a toy store, but before he dies, he grabs a Good Guys doll named Chucky off the shelf and recites a voodoo incantation to transfer his soul to it. After transferring his soul, he has to find a new human body to inhabit or else be stuck in the doll forever.
The original trilogy is pure horror, with a murderous doll coming to life and killing everyone he comes in contact with. Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky turned the series more campy and satirical of the horror genre. Chucky stopped being a creepy doll in the shadows and became the main character, The story focused on his relationship with his girlfriend and their new child.
Curse of Chucky brought back the classic horror genre, as Chucky is mailed to a family's home and starts picking them off one-by-one. Cult of Chucky picks up right where Curse left off, with Chucky terrorizing the survivors.
This franchise is absolutely amazing. Dolls are pretty creepy in general and they do a good job milking that for pure adrenaline-induced horror. The cheesy 4th and 5th films still entertain, even if they're more comedy than horror. If you're afraid of dolls, Chucky is a good series for you. Not only because you're guaranteed to be frightened, but you also get to see some sweet justice enacted on a creepy doll.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
Tonight's Halloween Month review is on the movie Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
This is a revisionist history tale, telling the life and times of Abraham Lincoln - specifically, the secret double life he led as a vampire hunter. When his mother is murdered by a vampire in his youth, he vows revenge and runs into a vampire hunter, who trains him how to fight against them. Then he learns that vampires are using slavery as a means to feed themselves and create their own nation for their kind, so he becomes involved in politics in order to inspire the people to fight the evil vampiric south (and free the slaves too).
Honestly, this move was awful. It had so much to say, the transitions in story were very clunky. Character development was replaced with brief scenes to explain their situation, and the plot blindly marched forward without building up to anything meaningful. It felt like a lot of short stories crammed together into one movie. I didn't really feel anything for the characters and I forgot almost all their names while the move was still going on.
In one scene, Abe meets a girl. In the next scene, he's somehow invited to a fancy party where he dances with her for a minute, then suddenly he's going on a date with her. He tries to keep her out of his dangerous life, yet a few scenes later, he's asking her to marry him. The story is all over the place without a coherent flow to it and no discernible emotional bond between the characters.
This movie has been sitting in my "unwatched" queue for quite a few years, and now I see why I never got around to it. It was more concerned with showcasing the concept (Abe Lincoln wielding a silver axe against vampires) than it was in telling a decent story. Some of the action scenes were kind of cool, but they also somehow screwed those up too. They had slow-mo in the weirdest places and filled a lot of fight scenes with so much dust and debris, you couldn't clearly see what was happening (probably to hide the poor CGI). I would not recommend anyone watch this film except for the novelty of seeing Abe Lincoln decapitate vampires.
This is a revisionist history tale, telling the life and times of Abraham Lincoln - specifically, the secret double life he led as a vampire hunter. When his mother is murdered by a vampire in his youth, he vows revenge and runs into a vampire hunter, who trains him how to fight against them. Then he learns that vampires are using slavery as a means to feed themselves and create their own nation for their kind, so he becomes involved in politics in order to inspire the people to fight the evil vampiric south (and free the slaves too).
Honestly, this move was awful. It had so much to say, the transitions in story were very clunky. Character development was replaced with brief scenes to explain their situation, and the plot blindly marched forward without building up to anything meaningful. It felt like a lot of short stories crammed together into one movie. I didn't really feel anything for the characters and I forgot almost all their names while the move was still going on.
In one scene, Abe meets a girl. In the next scene, he's somehow invited to a fancy party where he dances with her for a minute, then suddenly he's going on a date with her. He tries to keep her out of his dangerous life, yet a few scenes later, he's asking her to marry him. The story is all over the place without a coherent flow to it and no discernible emotional bond between the characters.
This movie has been sitting in my "unwatched" queue for quite a few years, and now I see why I never got around to it. It was more concerned with showcasing the concept (Abe Lincoln wielding a silver axe against vampires) than it was in telling a decent story. Some of the action scenes were kind of cool, but they also somehow screwed those up too. They had slow-mo in the weirdest places and filled a lot of fight scenes with so much dust and debris, you couldn't clearly see what was happening (probably to hide the poor CGI). I would not recommend anyone watch this film except for the novelty of seeing Abe Lincoln decapitate vampires.
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Over the Garden Wall (2014)
Tonight's Halloween Month review is on the TV mini-series, Over the Garden Wall.
It follows two brothers who have gotten lost in the woods and their adventures with the unknown as they try to find their way home.
This series is only 10 episodes long at 11 minutes per episode, allowing you to binge-watch it in just over an hour and a half. (It's currently available on Hulu, by the way)
The show drops you into the middle of the story, with the brothers already lost and trying to find their way out of the woods. It gives you an understanding of their isolation because, like the brothers, you have no idea where you are or what's going on and you're figuring everything out as they do. Eventually, you're given a flashback to show how they got lost in the first place, finally giving context to their story.
It's a beautiful tale of unknown dangers, supernatural encounters, and learning to appreciate your sibling, no matter how annoying they may be. It has a great cast to suck you into the story, with Elijah Wood as Wirt, the older brother, and Christopher Lloyd as the Woodsman. I highly recommend you give this one a watch!
It follows two brothers who have gotten lost in the woods and their adventures with the unknown as they try to find their way home.
This series is only 10 episodes long at 11 minutes per episode, allowing you to binge-watch it in just over an hour and a half. (It's currently available on Hulu, by the way)
The show drops you into the middle of the story, with the brothers already lost and trying to find their way out of the woods. It gives you an understanding of their isolation because, like the brothers, you have no idea where you are or what's going on and you're figuring everything out as they do. Eventually, you're given a flashback to show how they got lost in the first place, finally giving context to their story.
It's a beautiful tale of unknown dangers, supernatural encounters, and learning to appreciate your sibling, no matter how annoying they may be. It has a great cast to suck you into the story, with Elijah Wood as Wirt, the older brother, and Christopher Lloyd as the Woodsman. I highly recommend you give this one a watch!
Monday, October 16, 2017
Frankenstein (1931)
Tonight's Halloween Month review will be on the original Frankenstein movie.
Released the same year as the original Dracula film, this film tells the classic story of a monster brought to life. In it, the German Dr. Henry Frankenstein ignores his fiancée and father's pleas to abandon his research because he feels he's on the brink of discovering the creation of life. He succeeds, but is horrified when his creation kills his hunchbacked assistant for abusing him. Learning that the monster accidentally received the brain of a former psychotic serial killer, Frankenstein decides to destroy it, setting it on a path of destruction and mayhem.
I read the original book by Mary Shelley, and even visited the real Castle Frankenstein in Germany, where she supposedly was inspired to write her novel. Seeing the original horror movie that brought Frankenstein to public knowledge was a real treat.
It was nice to see that, despite being accused of being mad, Dr. Frankenstein was actually a decent man, hell-bent on proving his hypothesis. Upon failing to create decent human life, he gives up and goes off to marry his fiancée like he promised her.
They also explained that this wasn't reanimation, as all the parts that made up the monster were from random dead humans, not one individual. So the hypothesis was that it was possible to create a unique life form that had never existed before, which Frankenstein proved.
All in all, it was a great film and a stellar acting job by Boris Karloff (the monster), who would go on to star in many horror films to come.
Released the same year as the original Dracula film, this film tells the classic story of a monster brought to life. In it, the German Dr. Henry Frankenstein ignores his fiancée and father's pleas to abandon his research because he feels he's on the brink of discovering the creation of life. He succeeds, but is horrified when his creation kills his hunchbacked assistant for abusing him. Learning that the monster accidentally received the brain of a former psychotic serial killer, Frankenstein decides to destroy it, setting it on a path of destruction and mayhem.
I read the original book by Mary Shelley, and even visited the real Castle Frankenstein in Germany, where she supposedly was inspired to write her novel. Seeing the original horror movie that brought Frankenstein to public knowledge was a real treat.
It was nice to see that, despite being accused of being mad, Dr. Frankenstein was actually a decent man, hell-bent on proving his hypothesis. Upon failing to create decent human life, he gives up and goes off to marry his fiancée like he promised her.
They also explained that this wasn't reanimation, as all the parts that made up the monster were from random dead humans, not one individual. So the hypothesis was that it was possible to create a unique life form that had never existed before, which Frankenstein proved.
All in all, it was a great film and a stellar acting job by Boris Karloff (the monster), who would go on to star in many horror films to come.
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Creepshow (1982)
Tonight's Halloween Month review will be on the movie Creepshow.
Based on an old comic book from the 1950s, this '80s film is comprised of 5 one-off short stories, which most likely inspired the old "Tales from the Crypt" TV series. Written and directed by horror legends Stephen King and George A. Romero, respectively, it's bound to tickle your scary bone in just the right places.
My favorite is probably the second story, starring none other than Stephen King himself as a dumb country hick who finds a meteorite that turns all it touches to alien plant life. It's more silly than scary, but the concept itself can be frightening. With the other stories, you get a good mix of the living dead, ancient creatures, and even a story that will terrify you if you're afraid of bugs and/or germs.
If you like your supernatural horror in small doses, this movie is a great choice. It apparently has 2 sequels. I'll have to check them out.
Based on an old comic book from the 1950s, this '80s film is comprised of 5 one-off short stories, which most likely inspired the old "Tales from the Crypt" TV series. Written and directed by horror legends Stephen King and George A. Romero, respectively, it's bound to tickle your scary bone in just the right places.
My favorite is probably the second story, starring none other than Stephen King himself as a dumb country hick who finds a meteorite that turns all it touches to alien plant life. It's more silly than scary, but the concept itself can be frightening. With the other stories, you get a good mix of the living dead, ancient creatures, and even a story that will terrify you if you're afraid of bugs and/or germs.
If you like your supernatural horror in small doses, this movie is a great choice. It apparently has 2 sequels. I'll have to check them out.
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Dracula (1931)
I reviewed The Mummy (2017) last week and it got me looking into the original horror flicks. I found a Wikipedia page on Universal Monsters, listing all the original classic monster movies from Universal Studios produced between the 1920s-1950s. So I've decided to watch some of the old classics, starting with one of the most famous: Dracula.
In this movie, Count Dracula from Transylvania ships his coffin to England because he has purchased a large decrepit castle there. Once he settles in, he find a young girl named Mina to prey on, while her friends all fight to save her from the creature.
It was great seeing the original classic (which was based on the original novel). In this tale, Dracula can change into both a bat and a wolf. He's also repelled by wolfsbane instead of garlic. And of course, he has no reflection in mirrors and actively smashes any mirror he sees.
Also, he must sleep during the day in the same dirt he died in, so he ships his coffin to England filled with dirt from Transylvania. He's essentially comatose during daylight hours, so he must enlist the aid of a subservient human to protect him during that time.
Dracula is such a popular character today that it was weird watching characters refer to Count Dracula in passing in this movie, as if he's just another random person. Even more so when people refused to believe he could be some supernatural creature. It was great look into the origins of our pop culture. I'd recommend watching this classic in high-def quality for the best effect. It really draws you in to the world of the 1930s.
In this movie, Count Dracula from Transylvania ships his coffin to England because he has purchased a large decrepit castle there. Once he settles in, he find a young girl named Mina to prey on, while her friends all fight to save her from the creature.
It was great seeing the original classic (which was based on the original novel). In this tale, Dracula can change into both a bat and a wolf. He's also repelled by wolfsbane instead of garlic. And of course, he has no reflection in mirrors and actively smashes any mirror he sees.
Also, he must sleep during the day in the same dirt he died in, so he ships his coffin to England filled with dirt from Transylvania. He's essentially comatose during daylight hours, so he must enlist the aid of a subservient human to protect him during that time.
Dracula is such a popular character today that it was weird watching characters refer to Count Dracula in passing in this movie, as if he's just another random person. Even more so when people refused to believe he could be some supernatural creature. It was great look into the origins of our pop culture. I'd recommend watching this classic in high-def quality for the best effect. It really draws you in to the world of the 1930s.
Friday, October 13, 2017
Stranger Things (2016)
Tonight's Halloween Month review will be on the TV series Stranger Things.
This series takes place in the 80s, where a young kid goes missing in the woods on his way home from a session of D&D with his friends. His friends set out to find him, but instead find a girl their age with a shaved head and a surprising gift.
Government conspiracies, supernatural oddities, small town horrors, D&D... this series has it all. If you were a fan of the horror genre in the 80s - before cell phones were a thing, before the Internet existed - then this might be the series for you.
Having grown up in the 80s, I always look back fondly on the era. I loved the horror films from those times because they were simpler times, and thus scarier. You couldn't look up information without a visit to the library. You couldn't call anyone without a landline and a phone book. You were more isolated, which made the horrors even more frightening. This series does its best to mimic those times, even creating a show that mirrors an old 80s flick. The opening music and title screen alone gives me waves of nostalgia.
I highly recommend this series. Season 2 will be released on Netflix on 27 October - just in time for Halloween.
This series takes place in the 80s, where a young kid goes missing in the woods on his way home from a session of D&D with his friends. His friends set out to find him, but instead find a girl their age with a shaved head and a surprising gift.
Government conspiracies, supernatural oddities, small town horrors, D&D... this series has it all. If you were a fan of the horror genre in the 80s - before cell phones were a thing, before the Internet existed - then this might be the series for you.
Having grown up in the 80s, I always look back fondly on the era. I loved the horror films from those times because they were simpler times, and thus scarier. You couldn't look up information without a visit to the library. You couldn't call anyone without a landline and a phone book. You were more isolated, which made the horrors even more frightening. This series does its best to mimic those times, even creating a show that mirrors an old 80s flick. The opening music and title screen alone gives me waves of nostalgia.
I highly recommend this series. Season 2 will be released on Netflix on 27 October - just in time for Halloween.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Knights of Badassdom (2013)
[Facebook Friend] recommended I watch Knights of Badassdom. It definitely lived up to its name, so it will be tonight's Halloween Month review.
The plot revolves around a group of LARPers (Live Action Role Play) who accidentally summon a real succubus from Hell when they read a spell from a long-lost magic book. The adventurers have to put away their foam weapons and wield true steel if they want to save the world from the demon.
There were a surprisingly large number of actors I recognized in this film, such as Peter Dinklage, Summer Glau, Danny Pudi, Jimmi Simpson, and Ryan Kwanten. They did a great job of keeping the visual theme low budget (as LARPing tends to be), while at the same time giving it a sense of realism. A step above a B-movie, but not exactly a big Hollywood production.
As someone who has enjoyed Dungeons & Dragons, as well as some realistic LARPing with the SCA in Germany, this film was definitely fun. The magic in the film was influenced by the power of song and the score had a lot of doom metal music in it, helping it live up to its bad-ass name.
If this is your scene, you'll enjoy this film. Even if it's not, you still get to watch a lot of LARPers getting torn to shreds by a demon, so win-win.
The plot revolves around a group of LARPers (Live Action Role Play) who accidentally summon a real succubus from Hell when they read a spell from a long-lost magic book. The adventurers have to put away their foam weapons and wield true steel if they want to save the world from the demon.
There were a surprisingly large number of actors I recognized in this film, such as Peter Dinklage, Summer Glau, Danny Pudi, Jimmi Simpson, and Ryan Kwanten. They did a great job of keeping the visual theme low budget (as LARPing tends to be), while at the same time giving it a sense of realism. A step above a B-movie, but not exactly a big Hollywood production.
As someone who has enjoyed Dungeons & Dragons, as well as some realistic LARPing with the SCA in Germany, this film was definitely fun. The magic in the film was influenced by the power of song and the score had a lot of doom metal music in it, helping it live up to its bad-ass name.
If this is your scene, you'll enjoy this film. Even if it's not, you still get to watch a lot of LARPers getting torn to shreds by a demon, so win-win.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)
Hey! Tonight's Halloween Month review is another horror/comedy movie: "Tucker & Dale vs. Evil."
This movie follows two hillbillies, Tucker (Alan Tudyk) & Dale (Tyler Labine), trying to enjoy a nice vacation in their new "fixer-upper" cabin in the woods, when a group of young teens stumble across them and confuse them for murderous rednecks. Every attempt to set the record straight only causes more wacky hi-jinks. Bloody, gory, murderously grotesque hi-jinks.
This is a great film because it shows you a horror film from the perspective of the "bad guys" themselves. And it shows you that maybe the bad guys aren't really bad guys. Just misunderstood ugly hillbillies who are trying their best to help you out.
If you like comedy with a violent gory twist, this movie is a good choice!
This movie follows two hillbillies, Tucker (Alan Tudyk) & Dale (Tyler Labine), trying to enjoy a nice vacation in their new "fixer-upper" cabin in the woods, when a group of young teens stumble across them and confuse them for murderous rednecks. Every attempt to set the record straight only causes more wacky hi-jinks. Bloody, gory, murderously grotesque hi-jinks.
This is a great film because it shows you a horror film from the perspective of the "bad guys" themselves. And it shows you that maybe the bad guys aren't really bad guys. Just misunderstood ugly hillbillies who are trying their best to help you out.
If you like comedy with a violent gory twist, this movie is a good choice!
Monday, October 9, 2017
Evil Dead Franchise
Today's review for Halloween month is the Evil Dead series. I couldn't decide which movie to review, so I decided to look at them all.
The original trilogy (The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992)) were campy Hollywood B horror movies that turned more to comedy by the end. They tell the story of the Necronomicon, or Book of the Dead, and Ash Williams' (Bruce Campbell) fight against the hordes of the undead, both in a cabin in the woods and in the distant medieval past.
The Evil Dead was soft rebooted with the film Evil Dead (2013), telling a similar story with a big-budget production and new characters.
A new TV series came out recently titled Ash vs Evil Dead (2015) that continues Ash's fight against the undead 30 years later. Bruce Campbell reprises his role as Ash, as Sam Raimi has said that the role belongs to Campbell and will never be recast. It's run for 2 seasons now with a third in production.
This series is excellent, only getting better with each movie. Bruce Campbell's style of humor really sells it and has made the series a cult classic. I'm doing a marathon of this series today and I highly recommend it. Only Bruce Campbell can take a male character named Ashley (a.k.a. Ash) and make him an icon for manliness.
The original trilogy (The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992)) were campy Hollywood B horror movies that turned more to comedy by the end. They tell the story of the Necronomicon, or Book of the Dead, and Ash Williams' (Bruce Campbell) fight against the hordes of the undead, both in a cabin in the woods and in the distant medieval past.
The Evil Dead was soft rebooted with the film Evil Dead (2013), telling a similar story with a big-budget production and new characters.
A new TV series came out recently titled Ash vs Evil Dead (2015) that continues Ash's fight against the undead 30 years later. Bruce Campbell reprises his role as Ash, as Sam Raimi has said that the role belongs to Campbell and will never be recast. It's run for 2 seasons now with a third in production.
This series is excellent, only getting better with each movie. Bruce Campbell's style of humor really sells it and has made the series a cult classic. I'm doing a marathon of this series today and I highly recommend it. Only Bruce Campbell can take a male character named Ashley (a.k.a. Ash) and make him an icon for manliness.
Sunday, October 8, 2017
The Mummy (2017)
My next review for Halloween month is The Mummy, the new movie, starring Tom Cruise.
This movie bombed in the box office, but I think it was mostly due to the memory of the Brendan Fraser films. Seeing what appeared to be a reboot - with Tom Cruise of all people - scared away a lot of folks.
But as it turns out, this is not a reboot. Nor is it a sequel. It's the first in a new series of horror films that Paramount calls the Dark Universe. It's essentially like the Marvel Universe, but for classic horror monsters instead of the Avengers. Their version of Nick Fury is Dr. Jekyll, who researches, contains, and/or destroys all evil in the world.
Overall, the film was actually pretty good. It wasn't incredible, but the idea of an expanded universe with all the classic monsters definitely seems intriguing. Their next film, Bride of Frankenstein, will further expand this Dark Universe in 2019 and I'm looking forward to it.
This movie bombed in the box office, but I think it was mostly due to the memory of the Brendan Fraser films. Seeing what appeared to be a reboot - with Tom Cruise of all people - scared away a lot of folks.
But as it turns out, this is not a reboot. Nor is it a sequel. It's the first in a new series of horror films that Paramount calls the Dark Universe. It's essentially like the Marvel Universe, but for classic horror monsters instead of the Avengers. Their version of Nick Fury is Dr. Jekyll, who researches, contains, and/or destroys all evil in the world.
Overall, the film was actually pretty good. It wasn't incredible, but the idea of an expanded universe with all the classic monsters definitely seems intriguing. Their next film, Bride of Frankenstein, will further expand this Dark Universe in 2019 and I'm looking forward to it.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Little Nightmares (2017)
For tonight's Halloween review, I'll be looking at a video game called Little Nightmares.
Little Nightmares follows a tiny girl named Six in a yellow raincoat as she scurries around The Maw, a massive sea vessel of some sort. You control her as she tries to survive without being caught by the scary giant inhabitants of The Maw.
This game was pretty creepy. Definitely got your heart rate up with the deformed "people," all chasing Six as if she were a small rat on board. This is one of those games that doesn't offer any dialogue or explanation. You jump into the role of Six and start exploring, learning more about the world you're in through background interactions.
It was bad enough being seized by the creepy people of the ship, but the most terrifying (and trying) part for me was trying to run across a table as giant fat deformed people stuffed their faces with food, only to get too close to one and be grabbed and stuffed into their gaping mouth. If you like edge-of-your-seat tension, this game will do the trick. I really enjoyed it. Now I need to play the expansion.
Little Nightmares follows a tiny girl named Six in a yellow raincoat as she scurries around The Maw, a massive sea vessel of some sort. You control her as she tries to survive without being caught by the scary giant inhabitants of The Maw.
This game was pretty creepy. Definitely got your heart rate up with the deformed "people," all chasing Six as if she were a small rat on board. This is one of those games that doesn't offer any dialogue or explanation. You jump into the role of Six and start exploring, learning more about the world you're in through background interactions.
It was bad enough being seized by the creepy people of the ship, but the most terrifying (and trying) part for me was trying to run across a table as giant fat deformed people stuffed their faces with food, only to get too close to one and be grabbed and stuffed into their gaping mouth. If you like edge-of-your-seat tension, this game will do the trick. I really enjoyed it. Now I need to play the expansion.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Horns (2013)
Tonight's Halloween review is the movie Horns.
It's about a boy (Daniel Radcliffe) who's accused by his entire town of killing the love of his life. While trying to find out who the real killer is, he starts to randomly sprout devil's horns on his head. Then, things start to get real weird...
This movie is really trippy. It throws a lot of crazy surprises at you that keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat until the end. Even my wife, who typically stays glued to her phone through movies, kept putting her phone down to see what's going to happen next.
I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a little bit of supernatural WTF in their murder/mystery stories.
It's about a boy (Daniel Radcliffe) who's accused by his entire town of killing the love of his life. While trying to find out who the real killer is, he starts to randomly sprout devil's horns on his head. Then, things start to get real weird...
This movie is really trippy. It throws a lot of crazy surprises at you that keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat until the end. Even my wife, who typically stays glued to her phone through movies, kept putting her phone down to see what's going to happen next.
I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a little bit of supernatural WTF in their murder/mystery stories.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Hocus Pocus (1993)
I'm starting Halloween Month an hour early. Tonight, I watched Hocus Pocus.
Hocus Pocus is a classic guilty pleasure that most of us indulge in around this time of year. It has a pretty basic 90s plotline and not much else. But the three witches ham it up to the extreme, making this entertaining to watch, even with poor dialogue and cheesy storytelling. Definitely a must-see if you've been living under a rock and haven't ever seen it before.
Hocus Pocus is a classic guilty pleasure that most of us indulge in around this time of year. It has a pretty basic 90s plotline and not much else. But the three witches ham it up to the extreme, making this entertaining to watch, even with poor dialogue and cheesy storytelling. Definitely a must-see if you've been living under a rock and haven't ever seen it before.
Monday, September 11, 2017
It (2017)
Last year for the month of October, I did a Halloween Month Movie Marathon, in which I watched Halloween-themed films almost daily and posted summaries/reviews on Facebook.
This year, I'm too excited for my favorite holiday to arrive, so I'm starting a month early! I'll also be playing some horror video games and reviewing them as well.
Last night, I finally saw the new IT film. And it far exceeded my expectations. It's been a long time since I saw a horror flick that actually scared me without resorting to jump scares every scene. I definitely want to re-watch this one soon.
This year, I'm too excited for my favorite holiday to arrive, so I'm starting a month early! I'll also be playing some horror video games and reviewing them as well.
Last night, I finally saw the new IT film. And it far exceeded my expectations. It's been a long time since I saw a horror flick that actually scared me without resorting to jump scares every scene. I definitely want to re-watch this one soon.
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