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Sunday, February 21, 2016
Podcast Episode 51 - Bill & Ted
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In Episode 51 we jump in the tardis and take a trip down memory lane when we revisit two classic childhood films; Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and its sequel, Bogus Journey. Do the films hold up after all these years or has the nostalgia worn off? Listen to find out! Also, we talk about what we've been watching, some news and we review the newest in the Contracted franchise, Contracted: Phase 2. Enjoy!
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Podcast Episode 50 - Westerns and Quicksand
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After a long holiday hiatus we are back with episode 50 and we're talking westerns with reviews of Django, Once Upon a Time in the West and The Hateful Eight. In addition to our usual talk of news and stuff we've been watching we take a trip down a google rabbit hole when the topic of quicksand in movies is brought up and all of us are forever changed. Enjoy!
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Podcast Episode 49.5 - Artsploitation Films and More!
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Due to some major technical difficulties we lost the entire first part of this episode but we did manage to salvage the review portion where we cover a variety of films including Children of the Night and Bloody Knuckles from Artsploitation Films, Queen Crab, Blood Punch, A Plague So Pleasant, Bill Huxtabelle Serial Rapist (yes you read that right) and more!
Sunday, November 1, 2015
The Madness Descent Into Darkness Week 4
This is my second year taking part in the film watching competition known as "Halloween Horror Movie Marathon Madness" or simply "The Madness". Throughout the month of October a group of Facebook users sing up and are assigned to groups with one simple goal; watch as many madness eligible films as possible and end the month victorious with the most points. If you are interested be sure to check out the group by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/HALLOWEENMADNESS/ Below are the movies I watched during week four of this years madness. Since week four is the final week of the competition and falls in with Halloween I watched a handful of films that I watch annually around Halloween giving up some bonus point opportunities but still a good week overall.
The Midnight Hour (1985, 94mins)
Total Points: 3 (vampires and werewolves attack under darkness)
Classic television production in which some kids accidentally raise all variations of the dead on Halloween night. This is an annual Halloween viewing for me since I first saw it a few years ago. I wish I had seen it back in the 80's. 4/5
Elvira's Movie Macabre: Frankensteins Castle of Freaks (1984/1974, 90mins)
Total Points: 9 (Elvira ATB for finale in cave)
Why is it that little people were so often portrayed as perverts back in old days of horror. Whether it be the sinful dwarf, Ralphus and now little Genz who is doing god knows what to those corpses. I actually had a lot of enjoyment with this one. 3/5
Queen Crab (2015, )
Total Points: 2
Brett Piper is at it again, which could be good or bad depending on who you are. For me, it's somewhere in between. His movies are usually amusing to a degree but wear thin after a bit. Same holds true here. In case anyone was wondering, the plot involves girl who spends her life raising a crab into a gigantic mutant crab. 2/5
A Plague so Pleasant (2013, 76mins)
Total Points: 2
An interesting take on the zombie film where the government has outlawed the killing of zombies. The best stuff probably involves the day to day office life in a post apocalyptic world where employees must endure new forms of HR training. 3/5
The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror (1988 - Present, 30mins)
Episode I - Total Points: .5 - The first ever Simpsons Halloween special saw the family move into a haunted house and be abducted by aliens as well as a unique take on Poe's The Raven. Still stands as a fun episode and a good starting point for some of the amazing episodes to come. 4/5
Episode IV - Total Points: 3 (Features The Devil as a primary character) - Homer sells his soul for a doughnut, Bart battles a gremlin on the school bus and and vampires take over Springfield. This stands as one of my favorite episodes. Parodying everything from the Twilight Zone to Bram Stoker and Salems Lot the episode is great fun with tons of little in jokes for genre fans. 5/5
Episode VII- Total Points: 1 (creature living in attic) - Bart discovers he has an evil deformed twin living in the attic, Lisa accidentally grows a mini civilization and Kang and Kudos run for president. Overall a fun episode but it's always difficult to have an episode where the humor relies heavily on the news items of the time so younger viewers most likely have no idea where some of the humor in the final segment is coming from. 3/5
Episode XXVI- Total Points: 1 (scene underground) - Sideshow Bob finally kills Bart, Homerzilla wreaks havoc and Millhouse and the Simpson kids gain superpowers a'la Chronicle after falling into a hole. While I still watch the annual Halloween outing from the Simpsons it's rare they ever hold a candle to some of those really strong episodes early on. Unfortunately this one left me pretty underwhelemd as well. 2/5
The Haunted Mansion (2003, 88mins)
Total Points: 4 (hidden passage in bookcase, hellmouth opens up in floor)
First time with this one. It's pretty bad. I'll stick with the ride, which is great fun. 1/5
The Unknown Terror (1957, 76mins)
Total Points: 6 (finale in cave)
A group of people encounter a fungus monster in a cave. The movie wouldn't be so bad if it didn't take sooooo long to get to the good stuff. 1.5/5
Elvira's Movie Macabre: Count Draculas Great Love (1973/1982, 98mins)
Total Points: 9 (Elvira ATB two vampires destroyed by sun)
What's not to love about Spanish vampire films? Lots of nudity and lots of violence. Without those elements, they would probably be unwatchable. Of course Elvira always helps. 2.5/5
The Descent (2005, 99mins)
Total Points: 6 (Finale in Cave)
A true modern classic and one that holds up with every viewing. It's like an hour and a half of pure claustrophobic horror and I love every minute. Also, I think Juno gets a bad rap throughout the movie. 5/5
The Lost Boys (1988, 97mins)
Total Points: 4 (vampires attack under darkness, scene in cave)
The Lost Boys is kind of an interesting one for me. I grew up loving it and over the years lost some of that love. I'm not really sure what it is but it just lost some of the magic that really worked for me as a child. It's still a fun movie with plenty of memorable characters and moments there's just something missing that prevents it from being a real classic for me. 3.5/5
Dear Dracula (2012, 42mins)
Total Points: 1 (attacks under darkness)
Dracula goes to a small town to visit his biggest fan, a young boy who wrote him a letter. Fun for what it is though I would have no interest in watching it again. 2/5
Night of the Demons (1988, 90mins)
Total Points: 6 (sunlight destroys the demons)
One of my favorite Halloween movies of all time and one I've been watching for years around Halloween. It's one of those movies that I randomly discovered at an impressionable age and fell in love with it and its first sequel immediately upon first viewings. This one must have been like capturing lightning in a bottle as there are few movies out there that have this kind of energy and entertainment value even after multiple viewings. Essential Halloween viewing. 5/5
Halloween (1978, 91mins)
Total Points: 2
Not much to say on this one. I watch it every year and it will always stand as one of my favorite horror films. 5/5
The Fog (1980, 89mins)
Total Points:3 (phantom fog)
The Fog is a really effective outing from Carpenter that just happens to be sandwiched right in the middle of what I would consider his two best theatrical releases, Halloween and The Thing. I remember being terrified of the box art on this movie and the first time I finally conjured up the courage to watch it was actually when it ran on cable and the scene with the old lady and the little boy scared the crap out of me. I still love The Fog and usually put it on around this time of year. 5/5
Dementia 13 (1963, 75mins)
Total Points: 2
Dementia 13 is another annual watch for me but one that I really only started watching regularly over the past few years. I happened to catch it one evening on TCM and was shocked at how much I enjoyed it and was almost dumbfounded as to how I had never watched it prior. I think the movie moves at a really good pace and is a ton of fun. 5/5
Halloween 3 (1982, 98mins)
Total Points: 2
My third favorite Halloween film after the first two and a film I've talked at length about previously. All I can really say is what's been said by many others, Halloween 3 was unfairly overlooked for years by genre fans and I get the sense that as the young fans who grew up with it finally found their voice we were finally able to speak out in defense of a movie that deserved more respect. 5/5
Jason X (2001, 91mins)
Total Points: 2
Jason X is a fun movie for what it is. The filmmakers clearly knew where the franchise was at this point and by putting Jason into outer space they very quickly made their intentions clear to the audience. At the very least it brought the basic formula into a new environment and managed to have some fun along the way. 3/5
Elviras Movie Macabre: Night of the Living Dead (1968, 96mins)
Total Points: 3 (Elvira bonus)
Night of the Living Dead is another one I watch on or around Halloween every year. It's a movie that had an aura of mystery around it when I was younger as my mother would tell me the story about the first time she saw it in a theater as a teenager and how much it frightened her. Seeing it at a young age allowed it to have a similar and lasting effect on me. I find it to be the perfect movie to watch around this wonderful holiday. 5/5
Total Week 4 Points: 71.5 Points
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Podcast Episode 49 - 2015 Halloween Special
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It's time for our annual Halloween special and this year we are talking about Halloween themed tv. Specifically some of our favorite shows from childhood. We hope you enjoy!
Sunday, October 25, 2015
The Madness Descent Into Darkness Week 3
This is my second year taking part in the film watching competition known as "Halloween Horror Movie Marathon Madness" or simply "The Madness". Throughout the month of October a group of Facebook users sing up and are assigned to groups with one simple goal; watch as many madness eligible films as possible and end the month victorious with the most points. If you are interested be sure to check out the group by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/HALLOWEENMADNESS/ Below are the movies I watched during week three of this years madness. Week three has my lowest points of this madness. As usual life gets in the way, but that's all part of the game. Next week I've got a bunch of triple bonus films lined up so hopefully I can end on a higher note.
Frankenstein (1931, 70mins)
Total Points: 2
I decided to start my week off with my favorite of the Universal monster movies (at least of the ones I've seen). I prefer the original even to its sequel, though I love both. 5/5
Bride of Frankenstein (1935, 75mins)
Total Points: 2
A great follow up to a great movie. I do wish they didn't feel the need to tell the audience in the beginning that the point of the first film was to recognize Dr. Frankenstein as the monster rather than his creation. Otherwise, a true classic. 5/5
House of Frankenstein (1944, 71mins)
Total Points: 4 (scene in a cave, wolfman & dracula attack at night)
A scientist escapes from prison and uses Dracula, The Wolfman and Frankensteins monster to carry out his evil plans. It's too bad the Lugosi was unavailable for the film as I feel his presence would have made a difference. Still works for the most part as a mashup of classic characters.
Elvira Mistress of the Dark (1988, 96mins)
Total Points: 5 (elvira bonus, dark in title, hidden passage(
Elvira heads out to a small town to collect some items she was willed by an aunt she didn't know existed. While there, the uptight townspeople do everything they can to make her go away. I watched this one way back in the late 80's when it came to video. As a 6 year old boy I don't know if I could even comprehend fully what I was watching. This is the first time watching it since the early 90's and it surely holds up as a slice of late 80's goodness. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4/5
Fright Night Part 2 (1988, 104mins)
Total Points: 6 (creature destroyed by sunlight)
I really can't pinpoint what it is about this movie that doesn't work for me. It has many of the elements from the first film, including the two lead cast members, but it just feels like it drags on and on and at no point am I really attached to any of the characters in the way I am with the first film. 2/5
Night of the Creeps (1986, 88mins)
Total Points: 6 (characters willingly go into basement inhabited by brain slugs)
When I was young my town had a handful of video stores. There was only one that had Night of the Creeps. The lady that worked there new I liked horror films and would often recommend titles that many would deem inappropriate for a child of my age. That's how I found Night of the Creeps. I loved it then and I love it now. When that video store closed I wasn't able to find another copy until much later in life when the film found itself revived by the fans who loved it as much as I did. 5/5
Toy Story of Terror (2013, 30mins)
Total Points: 1 (vampire attacks at night [the toys are watching a vampire movie in the opening scene])
I'm probably mimicking my comments from last year as my feelings are still similar. I think the film is a lot of fun and I love that it introduces young ones to classic horror tropes in a way that's easy to digest but I wish it didn't abandon it's horror movie style in the third act. 4/5
It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (1966, 30mins)
Total Points: .5
Not much to say on this. We watch it every year as I have been since childhood thus its steeped in nostalgia. I still really want Linus to meet The Great Pumpkin, I can't help but feel bad for him every time. 5/5
Monsters: Fools Gold (1988-1990)
Total Points: 3 (troll is destroyed by sunlight)
I'm always looking for ATB tv episodes. I used to watch monsters back in the day when I would rent the three episode compilation tapes from my video store. I've always had an appreciation for the series. In this episode three people find a hidden cave in a basement which is filled with gold guarded by a murderous troll. 3.5/5
Monster: Pillow Talk (1988-1990)
Total Points: .5
I took a chance on this episode hoping it might have some bonus points since it was about a monster and a bed. Unfortunately the monster was the bed rather than under it. An author lures women to his home to be sacrificed to his bed in exchange for content for his books. 2.5/5
The Addams Family (1991, 99mins)
Total Points: 4 (Hidden passage, underground cavern)
The most striking thing about The Addams Family to me will always be how well cast it is. I've become a pretty big fan of the show over the last year as I've revisited most of the original episodes. The movie does capture a lot of the deadpan dark humor that really makes the original series work. 4/5
The Mole People (1956, 77mins)
Total Points: 6 (finale in cave)
Wow, it's good this movie is short because it's pretty bad. At least there are some good laughs to be had throughout. 1/5
Trick R Treat (2007, 88mins)
Total Points: 4 (werewolves attack at night, Sam attacks from under the bed)
Trick R Treat is the kind of movie that will still be in viewers Halloween queues in 20 years. It has the same kind of holding power as other classic Halloween themed films, and that's saying something. It's a movie I never grow tired of and always have a blast watching it. 5/5
Idle Hands (1999, 92mins)
Total Points: 3 (character is pulled under bed and killed)
I saw Idle Hands twice when it came to theaters. I was 16, and the prime demographic for the film. Maybe it's nostalgia, but I still enjoy it and it usually finds its way into my annual October viewing. 4/5
Wrong Turn (2003, 84mins)
Total Points: 3 (scene in cave
It's really odd the movies that spawn long running franchises. Wrong Turn is a fine movie, and I also found part 2 to be pretty enjoyable, but six movies seems excessive for a film like this. 3.5/5
The Funhouse (1981, 96mins)
Total Points: 2
The Funhouse is a weird movie. Tobe Hooper was obviously aware of the slasher movie tropes of the time and seems to put a lot of effort into subverting them. Whether it be the long setup or the non-traditional handling of a final girl it's an odd entry in the slasher boom of the early 80's. Maybe that's why I enjoy it so much. 4/5
Sinister (2012, 110mins)
Total Points: 2
Note to self: If I ever find a box of old 8mm film reels in my house, burn them immediately. Sinister is a really effective movie for me. It's filled with unsettling visuals and a twist that's pretty surprising and unnerving for a major theatrical release. 4/5
Dolls (1987, 77mins)
Total Points: 2
One of my favorite killer doll movies. I wrote about this during last years madness and my opinion most definitely has not, and will not, change. It's a movie that scared me quite a bit as a child yet drew me back in repeatedly. 5/5
Goosebumps: The Barking Ghost (1995-1998, 30mins)
Total Points: 1 (scene in cave)
Only one episode of Goosebumps this week, thankfully. In this one two kids, a boy and a girl, have their bodies taken over the by souls of two others who were trapped inside of dogs, causing our two heroes to now be trapped inside of those dogs. I don't even know. 1/5
Total Points: 57
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