tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19184297135028397132024-03-19T06:03:41.308-05:00Film EnigmaWelcome to Film Enigma, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind!Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-83459499745471804612020-05-30T13:00:00.003-05:002020-05-30T13:03:08.936-05:00The Mcpherson Tape Retrospective<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Written by Stu Cooper </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rMFIhMNKBK72wDO_26rq-CUTq1miEDbHK8PY7L5aWe9fZwKkfWcGIeq1bAqliQx0nQzWAbX7DJQSXf78tUpBfHXp0A-u0u68v3evrBb_s06R9L0GAEj65Zqch-SAJkYJgZMGrvrqTIJB/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="434" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rMFIhMNKBK72wDO_26rq-CUTq1miEDbHK8PY7L5aWe9fZwKkfWcGIeq1bAqliQx0nQzWAbX7DJQSXf78tUpBfHXp0A-u0u68v3evrBb_s06R9L0GAEj65Zqch-SAJkYJgZMGrvrqTIJB/s320/mcphersoncover.jpg" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> Have you ever seen footage of something
you swore was real? Something that made you question what you were
witnessing? Well if you grew up in the late 80's or 90's, you may
have seen some kind of “alien” footage. It might have been an
abduction, it might have been an autopsy, or it might have been...<i>The
McPherson Tape</i>. <i>The McPherson Tape</i> is officially the first ever found
footage film. It predates Blair Witch Project by a decade. The film
is shrouded in controversy, and full of questions. In fact, it made
the viewers question their own reality. Is what you see on the screen real? Part of something bigger? Thanks to an official Blu-ray release
from AGFA and Bleeding Skull, we now have answers.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> <i>The McPherson Tape</i> is about a man
recording his niece's birthday in 1983, when some bizarre events
begin to happen around the family. The recording follows a family
made up of 3 brothers, their wives, the niece, and the grandmother.
As the recording progresses, we follow what appears to be a normal
family home video of a nice dinner, some friendly heckling and
gossip, nothing special. That is until the electricity goes out. The
brothers go outside to investigate the cause, and that is when they
witness a flash of light. The guys immediately travel into the nearby
forest to investigate. What they find is something that they can
barely comprehend...an alien spacecraft. After witnessing several
aliens walking around the craft, the boys scurry back home to alert
the family. Unfortunately for them, the aliens caught a glimpse of
them and are now in pursuit. What follows is a chaotic one-take shot
of the family trying to not only comprehend what is happening, but
deal with incoming home invaders! Keep in mind all of this is being
recorded by one of the brothers who is trying to deal with the
frightening situation by documenting it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVt8ds4LbpNhnhzC4QpzDWf8Wyv_WtYXR7WkH9vBwTrnJL-yG48kc5CtfvrvknfrMrWRp2RIeuUEuicIvllpl8hcTus-Gm8yWgFtemD2beFFZxztsfuXifg-gHXQPNEHLQa5mXfLef83_H/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVt8ds4LbpNhnhzC4QpzDWf8Wyv_WtYXR7WkH9vBwTrnJL-yG48kc5CtfvrvknfrMrWRp2RIeuUEuicIvllpl8hcTus-Gm8yWgFtemD2beFFZxztsfuXifg-gHXQPNEHLQa5mXfLef83_H/s320/mcphersongrandmother.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> The film is essentially a 63 minute
one-take home video. That means there no edits, no cuts, just a solid
documentation of events unfolding over the course of one night. The
vibe of the film is very realistic given that it's one shot and
almost every conversation is made of improvised talking points. The
characters begin talking over each other like a real dinner
conversation, and the chemistry between them feels very natural. Since this
is a found footage film, you're literally watching something that was
recorded on a home video recorder in the 1980's, so the quality is not that
of a large feature film but it absolutely works to the advantage of
the plot. The alien nightmare that the family is experiencing is
intentionally vague and low budget. If you found this on a dusty old
VHS tape in someone's attic, you may actually believe this is the
real deal. And with that, let's get into the REAL story behind <i>The
McPherson Tape</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWC2TUcfth4XHc-GNuL9FSEX-_ikiUExsyATyUFvijVExkv6pg7ZK0XCDfIO0Vt3So-lZGWU74xN6rQSG32vn5v5ldBeMP7pZg4Rc0drD4oOGBXWDpzP4YDsT2gePLxSIpHAJCTGh4W0_/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWC2TUcfth4XHc-GNuL9FSEX-_ikiUExsyATyUFvijVExkv6pg7ZK0XCDfIO0Vt3So-lZGWU74xN6rQSG32vn5v5ldBeMP7pZg4Rc0drD4oOGBXWDpzP4YDsT2gePLxSIpHAJCTGh4W0_/s320/mcphersongunshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> <i>The McPherson Tape</i> is a film made by
Director and Star Dean Alioto. Alioto claims to have spent years
investigating alien abduction experiences from several people in the
UFO community, which inspired him to create a film about it. Since
Alioto only had a budget of 6500 dollars, his only option was filming
the movie on home video. His idea, as far as I know, birthed the
found footage genre. Since his budget was so limited, he filmed the
movie as if it was a family's home video, which would more than
justify the low video quality and lack of star power. He also had no
complete script, just an outline of certain beats that the film
needed to hit.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> Alioto's approach is something you
have to appreciate. Not only did he make a movie for 6500 dollars,
but he made a convincing alien abduction found footage film with no
script, and only improvised dialogue. I think a lot of it is chocked
up to pure luck. The performances from the family members felt real
and compassionate. The brothers in the films often riff each other
and it feels like a real bond. The Grandmother nurtures the sons and
seems genuinely scared and concerned when they venture out. That
combined with the creepy birthday party theme and candle lit rooms, establishes a more than unsettling tone. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9b1bQxdWt_pAyoVnatUrkq7JxT5kzeLzq6VSodTWKe0fz6w_FP3Km299UN48CaLOtHJQ7UFPhJ65Dg-nkRsLjWF2MJWQjf8b8hAFjhhdIGDjuaVro8zUpCEhuUh798zAfIUcQmEp_wux/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9b1bQxdWt_pAyoVnatUrkq7JxT5kzeLzq6VSodTWKe0fz6w_FP3Km299UN48CaLOtHJQ7UFPhJ65Dg-nkRsLjWF2MJWQjf8b8hAFjhhdIGDjuaVro8zUpCEhuUh798zAfIUcQmEp_wux/s320/mcpherson3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> With the family members connecting,
that leaves the special effects which are severely limited. This is
definitely the less is more approach. The only effects in the film
are the space craft and the alien costumes, both of which are shot in
a grainy way that covers up the low budget. The craft was actually
constructed for 750 dollars, mostly made of foam board and lights.
And the alien costumes are the basic big eyed Grays that were
established in early UFO culture. If you closely exam any of these
effects, they certainly don't hold up, but in 1989 they are more than
passable. Enough so that people continue to believe the footage is
real, despite the Director making it clear it's just a film.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfb09bj5TgzO3k3m9Pdg5lR81bLugY4GMYw24LTQgUbFJ8Ye6V1lMpD7QInwkAGpGrYRBmQUsSBh16rKK4zV_YAN-X12y8StFUfX_JFzPhjB-14LTgnePmvCJred-DMoBocV9cTsg9VCit/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfb09bj5TgzO3k3m9Pdg5lR81bLugY4GMYw24LTQgUbFJ8Ye6V1lMpD7QInwkAGpGrYRBmQUsSBh16rKK4zV_YAN-X12y8StFUfX_JFzPhjB-14LTgnePmvCJred-DMoBocV9cTsg9VCit/s320/mcpherson4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> With the film created, the director
shopped it around and received very little interest. Alioto even met
with Vestron video, who was a big schlock distributor at the time,
and they said it didn't even qualify as a real film. After
relentlessly screening the film for distributors, it eventually found
a home. The company that was distributing it even had big plans for
the film. The mock up for the VHS case featured tons of quotes from
huge media outlets like Rolling Stone and The New York times.
Unfortunately the quotes were fake, and an attempt by the distributor
to boost the credibility of the film. But before the film could start
making the rounds, the distribution warehouse burnt down. During this
fire, the master of the film was completely destroyed. Thankfully
some copies were already sent out to a few rental places, and the
director was able to source the material from those copies.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> At this point in the story, it was
radio silence. The film never made it to theaters, it had very
limited distribution, no master remaining, and the director thought
that was the end of the story. Years later Alioto was approached by a
Ufologist who asked if he had seen this supposed real found footage
film making the rounds at UFO conferences and conventions. Little did
he know, it was his film. Someone had edited off the credits and
marketed the film as completely real. Attendees at these events were
left speechless, thinking they had discovered hard evidence that
aliens exist and that an entire family's turmoil was caught on film.
To further the macabre nature of this story, a Lt. Colonel with 30
years of military experience swore that the film was real and the
closest thing he had seen to actual UFO found footage.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAc2p2VSFgZyp_R4_JMouZdfwaxRbHpcO_BgMyZmyoUEh6RQkxi5FSe6lU5A7rYCjeiGptxNnywLN8PLRQz29L2HeI5_pOujM_BifqeBJb21QTUq9ow9_GZGd2m69bhhRNoR8JglJ8NH6/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAc2p2VSFgZyp_R4_JMouZdfwaxRbHpcO_BgMyZmyoUEh6RQkxi5FSe6lU5A7rYCjeiGptxNnywLN8PLRQz29L2HeI5_pOujM_BifqeBJb21QTUq9ow9_GZGd2m69bhhRNoR8JglJ8NH6/s320/mcphersonaliens.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> With the discovery of his film's now
cult following, Alioto channeled his momentum and started connecting
with TV networks about airing the footage. 90's landmarks like
Unsolved Mysteries and Hard Copy approached him with offers, but all
these shows wanted to market the film as completely legitimate home
video. Since that wasn't the truth and he didn't want backlash, the
film ended up being shown on a show called <i>Encounters</i>. The segment on <i>Encounters</i> was shown with interview clips strung throughout,
with various experts weighing in on the film. Even though the show
fully admitted the footage was just a movie, experts consistently
believed in it's validity. Some would go as far as to claim the
footage was a real home movie under the guise of a film to protect
people from “knowing the truth”.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oJy79voyGQXLBkzLApxEvpcb4VH9JAr2IIiROnarF9X4V_dJC5f74atKxWVV4dVmRLQ6cljBRkH1kQNQ4SslBuYH1_RKczEOZDxh0aeyatQUiVHdicYubKXUKxq6qrb2QcEJ5Q8wC-YR/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1776" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oJy79voyGQXLBkzLApxEvpcb4VH9JAr2IIiROnarF9X4V_dJC5f74atKxWVV4dVmRLQ6cljBRkH1kQNQ4SslBuYH1_RKczEOZDxh0aeyatQUiVHdicYubKXUKxq6qrb2QcEJ5Q8wC-YR/s320/mcphersonbrothers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The momentum of the project continued
to roll on, eventually becoming a TV special with Dick Clark
productions and then the film was remade entirely in 1998 under the name <i>Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County</i>. The remake
follows a similar premise, with a few special effects added. I would
recommend only watching the original <i>McPherson Tape</i> as it is easier
to believe. After the remake, things quieted down again until AGFA,
Bleeding Skull, and Vinegar Syndrome decided to revisit the film and
release a special blu-ray. This is actually the incarnation of the
film that I viewed, which is considered “The Director's Cut”. The
blu-ray also features the original “Encounters” segment, a Q and
A with the Director, and commentary. It's the perfect release for
anyone interested in viewing this piece of cinematic history. There is even a moment during the Q and A where the director begins arguing with an audience member about the conspiracy around the film. The audience members comes up to the stage, and is revealed to be one of the cast members. This was proof to the audience that he was not actually abducted. The two went on to explain to the audience how certain aspects of the movie were created, debunking a lot of myths about the origins of it. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> So that's it, the story of <i>The
McPherson Tape</i>. A film wrapped in controversy, macabre, and wonder.
It's a miracle that the film even survived, so if anything just view this
film as a marker in time. It's the first found footage film and it
will always hold that mantle. Now the real question is, Do you
believe the truth is out there? Does Dean Alioto know something we
don't? Watch the film and you be the judge. I want to believe.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Checkout the trailer below: </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVr2Dm44ni8">The MCPHERSON TAPE TRAILER</a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Also if you liked what you read here please like/share/follow "Film Enigma" on Facebook: </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FilmEnigma/">THE OFFICIAL FILM ENIGMA FACEBOOK</a><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><br /><br />Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-60349718347748452152020-04-25T11:11:00.002-05:002020-04-25T11:11:59.449-05:00Food Review: The RETURN of the WWE Ice Cream BarWritten by Stu Cooper
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With summer quickly approaching, the brain runs wild with nostalgia. People are reminiscing about old vacations they took, pool parties they attended, or even how good it felt drinking a Mondo Cooler in the sweltering heat. But for myself and many others, summer reminds us of a simpler time. A time when your favorite childhood figures were plastered on the side of an Ice Cream truck. Whether it was a Ninja Turtle face, a Flintstones push pop, or the infamous googly eyed Sonic The Hedgehog; we had some remarkable choices. If you were a wrestling fan growing up, the choice was obvious. The WWF ice cream bar!
It is almost legendary in it's popularity, more so than most ice cream I know of. Whoever heard of Ben and Jerry anyways?
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<img src="https://i.ibb.co/ynQ7nh3/wwficecreamcollage.jpg" alt="wwficecreamcollage" border="0">
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<img src="https://i.ibb.co/tzYkSVv/wwficecream3.jpg" alt="wwficecream3" border="0">
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The bar first surfaced in 1987, created by the Gold Bond Ice Cream Company. The original bars were essentially ice cream sandwiches on a stick. It would be vanilla ice cream sandwiched between a chocolate layer, and a vanilla wafer layer. On the wafer layer would be the image of a current WWF Superstar! Some of the superstars featured on the bars were Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Hillbilly Jim, Andre The Giant, The Honky Tonk Man, and the list goes on. There were tons of options for characters. Each bar was individually packaged and came with an exclusive WWF trading card inside the box. I'm not sure if they were sold in bigger boxes in stores at the time, but I imagine the individual packaging was so they could sell the bars at WWF live events.
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The bars were HEAVILY featured on WWF television at the time. The audience would often be treated to a superstar ravaging a bar into pieces during a promo, or in some cases the bar was featured in actual on-air segments like Jake The Snake's Snake Pit. Any chance the company got, they plugged these bars which is partially why they probably have such nostalgic value to wrestling fans today.
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In 1989 The Gold Bond Ice Cream Company was bought out by Good Humor, who still remains a juggernaut in the ice cream world to this day. Good Humor continued producing the bars into the 90's, keeping the formula for the bar the same. The only things that changed were the packaging which now featured a superstar cut-out on the back, and a little cartoon preview of the trading card inside. It was a fun little keepsake for the fans. Throughout the early to mid 90's they produced such characters as Yokozuna, Lex Luger, Bret Hart, The Undertaker, and Diesel! In my opinion this is where the bars peaked. Not only did they have a fun superstar line-up, but each box sent you home with two souvenirs! The bars continued to be produced into the Attitude Era (1998) and featured characters like Stone Cold, Triple H, and The Rock. This is unfortunately where my memory of them fades.
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<img src="https://i.ibb.co/cQsHhTT/wwecmpunkicecream.jpg" alt="wwecmpunkicecream" border="0">
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8z9HdHY9ta0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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I don't recall seeing any WWE (formerly WWF) related ice cream after the mid-90's. Apparently Good Humor stuck to their guns and continually released updated rosters on the bars in 2000, 2004, and 2008. 2008 was evidently when the bar officially stopped production. Though I suspect they were regional. The last set featured the likes of John Cena, Carlito, Bobby Lashley, and ironically enough CM Punk. Why is that ironic? Well in 2011 when CM Punk was reaching his pinnacle of popularity, he requested on live television that Vince Mcmahon bring back the WWE Ice Cream bars, and he demanded he be featured on these new bars. Little did we know, he had already had a very limited run at his own bar. From all accounts I could find online, the later in the life of the ice cream the bar was created, the harder it was to find. This would explain why I don't recall seeing most of these despite being a life-long pro wrestling fan.
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Now that brings us to present day. The WWE is going through a hard time right now, but one thing they did right was...bring back the ice cream! That's right, it's 2020 and the WWE Ice Cream bar is back! Kind of. I had a lot of trouble tracking these down but once I spotted them, I couldn't resist. But instantly by looking at the packaging you will notice they are not the same fudge ice cream sandwiches of old. These are newly designed. Gone is the stick and now the “bar” is in the shape of a Klondike Bar or small ice cream sandwich. It's a delicious square sandwich with vanilla ice cream wedged between two vanilla wafers!
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<img src="https://i.ibb.co/3Mg7V4T/icecreamcollection.jpg" alt="icecreamcollection" border="0">
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<img src="https://i.ibb.co/7SVgLgn/reignssandwich.jpg" alt="reignssandwich" border="0">
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After years of anticipation, WWE finally delivers a new ice cream bar. But is it any good? Well if you've had one ice cream sandwich, you've had them all. But the gimmick of them being WWE sandwiches makes all the difference. You see, this time around four superstars are featured on the bars. I wish the roster on the bars was more in-depth, but it's a ice cream sandwich so you can't expect too much real estate. The four superstars are John Cena, Roman Reigns, Becky Lynch, and Macho Man Randy Savage. Sadly there are no trading cards to be found, just a cut-out of Roman Reigns. I looked at several boxes and they all featured the same cut-out. So that's all you get! But it is still better than just a plain sandwich. I was honestly the most excited about the bars featuring Becky Lynch and Macho Man Randy Savage. In my opinion the best current performer and the best legendary performer both in the same box! That is exciting stuff!
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The price point is $3.99 so you're essentially paying a dollar a sandwich. I would say they are worth trying if you are a wrestling fan, but if you are looking for the bar you grew up on, it is somewhat different. Perhaps these bars will see a fair amount of success and Good Humor will expand the roster. Also in terms of bonuses, With so many WWE apps out now, why not include special codes for in-game superstar trading cards? Just a thought. But for now hang onto the Roman Reigns standee that comes with the box! In the end, if you pick up a box you will get a nice rush of nostalgia and some delicious ice cold carbs. With only 4 stars total, all of which are included in each box, you will see all the stars in one purchase. Don't let that stop you from pursuing your dream of getting a more authentic WWF retro bar though. There are actually petitions and even kickstarters trying to rebirth the original designs. Hopefully Good Humor takes note of this high level of interest and continues to produce this yummy nostalgic treat. OHHHHH WHAT A SUGAR RUSH!
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</center>Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-63373879746718276232020-03-31T10:44:00.001-05:002020-03-31T11:17:59.645-05:00Tammy and The T-REX Retrospective<center>
<img src="https://i.ibb.co/W069ykt/MV5-BNDA3-MWQy-MDIt-OWZh-Ny00-Ym-Iy-LTlj-Nm-Ut-N2-Y0-OGIz-Mz-Bi-M2-Zk-Xk-Ey-Xk-Fqc-Gde-QXVy-MTkx-Nj-Uy-NQ-V1.jpg" alt="MV5-BNDA3-MWQy-MDIt-OWZh-Ny00-Ym-Iy-LTlj-Nm-Ut-N2-Y0-OGIz-Mz-Bi-M2-Zk-Xk-Ey-Xk-Fqc-Gde-QXVy-MTkx-Nj-Uy-NQ-V1" border="0"></center>
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Written by Stu Cooper
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It's a tale as old as time. The popular high school cheerleader falls in love with the quarterback, they share a small embrace, then the quarterback is mauled to death by a lion and has his brain implanted into a dinosaur. Practically your community theater's take on Romeo and Juliet right? Well this is just a peak into the world of Stewart Raffill's absolutely outrageous masterpiece “Tammy and The T-Rex”.
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“Tammy and The T-Rex” is a 1994 direct-to-video horror comedy written and directed by Stewart Raffill, whom you may remember from his prolific work on “Mac & Me”! It was released during a weird post-Jurassic Park boom period. This period involved gems like the DINOSAURS tv show, Carnosaur, Prehystoria, Theodore Rex, etc. America had a huge fascination with Dinosaurs at the time, which birthed many animatronic dinosaur movies. This one however is a diamond in the rough. Or mosquito in the fossilized tree sap might be more appropriate.
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The movie stars Denise Richards, Paul Walker, and Terry Kiser. Richards and Walker actually made their big screen debuts in this film, unless you count Richard's minor cameo in “National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1”. Then you have Terry Kiser who had received some moderate success in films such as “Weekend At Bernies” and “Friday the 13th Part 7”. With that banger of a cast, what could go wrong? Whoops sorry, I left out the most important and subtle actor in the film...A GIGANTIC ANIMATRONIC TYRANNOSAURUS REX!
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The film opens in the beautiful suburbs of California where we see two high school students falling madly in love after leering at each other a few times during some kind of gym class. This is where we meet the film's protagonists Tammy (Richards) and Michael (Walker). The film establishes their relationship by showing Michael give Tammy a flower, then he proceeds to eat the flower to get a cheap laugh. Tammy is eating this guy up and you can actually sense some genuine chemistry when you see the two giggling it up. Unfortunately for Michael he is almost immediately cock blocked by Tammy's 40 year old high school ex-boyfriend Billy, who is not only psychotic, but absolutely unhinged. Michael and psycho Billy engage in what the film refers to as a “testicular standoff” which goes on for a solid 2 minutes.
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After escaping the testicular stand off, Michael unfortunately encounters the evil ex-boyfriend once again when he sneaks out to see Tammy and before he gets any action, Billy cuts him off at the pass and chases him down. This chase leads to Michael getting brutally beaten by Billy and his gang, then the film takes a completely random left turn. Billy decides to not just kill Michael, but to kidnap him and drop him off inside of a lion wildlife preserve. Needless to say, this does not end well for Michael. He is mauled by a lion and saved at the last second by a local ranger. With Michael on life support, we meet the film's antagonist Dr. Gunther Wachenstein who is in possession of a gigantic animatronic T-Rex...but he needs a fresh human brain. Since the town is apparently very small and word gets around quickly, the Doctor shows up at the hospital, fakes Michael's death, and steals his brain. And THIS is really where the masterpiece begins.
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Tammy is absolutely shattered by the sudden loss of her one day boyfriend and confides in her comedic relief sidekick Byron Black. Byron is very derivative of the character HOLLYWOOD from the 80's gem “Mannequin”. The classic loud guy with loud clothes who is surrounded by redneck cops scared of his sexuality. It's pretty par for the course in cheesy small town cinema. While Tammy is coping, the evil Doctor is hard at work. And by hard at work I mean he is literally carving up Michael's brain and hooking it up to a giant robot T-Rex. To what end? No one is really sure. Global domination may take a while with arms that short, but you gotta start somewhere. After some rather gruesome operation scenes and a monologue from the completely bonkers Dr. Wachenstein, the chaos meter starts to ramp up.
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Michael The T-Rex escapes the “medical facility” and begins his revenge rampage. We see the T-Rex mow through lab assistants, bodybuilders, stoners, perverts, and of course Billy's gang!
This is where the film really gets to shine because we see the limited budget work it's way around the T-Rex as he is clearly moving around on a dolly and has a human puppeteer the arms and legs of the creature. The comedic timing of the violence combined with the practical effects of the kills is nothing but glorious.
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After cleaning house at a high school party, Michael the T-Rex sets his eyes on his love for Tammy. Through heavy breathing phone calls and a game of charades, Michael is able to communicate to Tammy that he is a dinosaur, with her lover's brain inside of him. After this bombshell is dropped, Tammy seems to handle it pretty well. She handles it so well in fact that she decides to break into a morgue and thumb through bodies, comically offering them up to the T-Rex. Unfortunately he finds all of these options unsatisfactory. Even if he did, how would Tammy go about transferring this brain into the T-Rex? That is glossed over pretty quickly as the movie basically shrugs off anything remotely related to science. After some comedic shots of the T-Rex being driven around town in a dump trunk, the police are hot on it's tail! Literally!
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In what is probably the film's most iconic scene, we see Tammy riding on the back of Michael The T-Rex as a beautiful sunset cascades behind them. This shot was used for most of the trailers and box-art. It's easily the coolest shot in the film. But the beauty is quickly shut down after Tammy hides Michael in a farmhouse, and the police corner the creature. Before the police have a chance to access the situation, the maniacal Dr. Wachenstein and his sexy assistant decide to have a chat with the T-Rex and try to appeal to his sensibilities. Spoiler alert: It doesn't work. Soon after the final confrontation with the Doc, the cops proceed to gun down the T-Rex and he plops over in a blaze of animatronic immobile glory. In an Academy award winning performance Denise Richards weeps over the lifeless robot body of her lover. It's seemingly all over for Michael...or so we think.
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In the film's final moments we are treated to a striptease. It's not just any striptease, but Tammy dancing in lingerie for a camera that is attached to a brain. Not just any brain, it's Michael's brain! The logistics of a camcorder hooked up to a brain aside, this is probably the most sensual scene in the movie. As the credits begin to roll, one can't help but think what now? Does Tammy live her entire life in love with a RCA camcorder brain voiced by Paul Walker? Will she find another animatronic animal for him to inhabit? The sequel possibilities were endless, but sadly unrealized.
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“Tammy and The T-Rex” is lightning in a bottle when it comes to B movie schlock. My first exposure to the film was actually on USA's UP ALL NIGHT Hosted by Rhonda Shear. For some reason they showed the now famous “gore cut” of the film and not the family friendly cut that was released on VHS. Vinegar Syndrome released a Blu-ray and 4k release of the film in 2019, which features over 10 minutes of added gore. The original release of the film was a bare bones VHS designed to look like a family film, which it's certainly not. The film itself actually has a pretty fun backstory, as it was mainly created solely because the director had access to a robotic T-Rex on loan from a friend for three weeks. The director decided to write an entire film around it, and so began the birth of this cinematic gem. Oh and that beautiful shot of Tammy riding the T-Rex under a cascading sunset? That was actually a gigantic fire in the hillsides of California. People probably died, but is there a more noble sacrifice than that? I don't think so. Do yourself a favor and track this film down. It was difficult to find for almost a decade, but thanks to Vinegar Syndrome and the Director, it saw a re-release in theaters and home video. It is also currently available on Hulu and Shudder! This is the perfect way to spend 90 minutes. Just tune in, drop out, and enjoy watching a Tyrannosaurus Rex use a payphone.
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</center>Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-35845817158811355242018-10-31T11:54:00.002-05:002018-10-31T11:54:55.230-05:00Monster Mania: The Burbs (1989) Written by Stu Cooper
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What's a person to do when they have a lot of time off? Maybe take up a hobby, travel the world, socialize with friends? Well for one man, this was a complex question. In the 1989 Joe Dante film "The Burbs" we see what happens when you live in a bubble and have too much free time on your hands. Tom Hanks stars as the lead in this amazingly dark and humorous satire of suburban paranoia. The film capitalizes on the frenzy that was born in the late 60's to mid 80's from the "satanic panic" era of news. During this time, a lot of people just assumed they may be surrounded by monsters. People were, and still are, constantly concerned about what their neighbors are up to. Well this film takes that human instinct and runs wild with it. It goes beyond paranoia, beyond neighborhood watch, and into...THE BURBS!
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Tom Hanks stars as Ray Peterson, a suburban husband who decides to take a week off work to relax. His wife Carol(Carrie Fisher) insists that they take the kids and go on vacation, but Ray is perfectly content just lounging around. This is reinforced by his goofy best friend, and fellow neighbor Art Weingartner played by the gloriously cheesy Rick Ducommun. Together the two men pretty much dominate the conversation and create a world of their own. In this bubble that they've created, they are detectives of sort. Ray and Art are constantly scanning the neighborhood, looking for what weirdness may lurk beneath the fresh cut grass.
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Through the perspective of these fellows, we are introduced to the neighborhood. We first meet Corey Feldman's character Ricky Butler. This was during a time where Feldman was getting too old to play "the kid", so he is a college age guy who randomly has an entire house to himself. It's a bizarre point in Feldman's career, and I wasn't quite sure what to make of his performance. If you've seen his performance as "The Frog Brother" in Lost Boys, it's along those lines. Then we have Walter who is a snobby older man who purposely trains his dog to poop on other people's lawns. That person's lawn in question belongs to some kind of military obsessed older man named Mark. Together in a culdasec, these men constantly agitate each other. But they all share one common goal...to figure out what the weird house on the block is up to. The weird house inhabited by a mysterious family simply known as...The Klopeks.
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We don't know much about the Klopeks. We just know that they took over the house after the previous owners seemingly left town, and that the house is in terrible condition. It's as if the house is completely abandoned, but the neighbors know it isn't because they often see strange lights coming from the basement windows. After witnessing a series of strange events, Ray and Art attempt to introduce themselves to the Klopeks. All of their attempts fail miserably, so they enlist the military tactics of fellow neighbor Mark. All of their paranoia is unfounded, until the elderly neighbor Walter goes missing. The group can't locate Walter, and his dog is still around, so they see that as an alarming sign that something terrible has happened. This spurs an investigation into the Klopeks done by each neighbor. Together Ray, Art, and Mark try to infiltrate the house, and the mysterious family.
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After a series of failed attempts to be stealthy, the group decides to just simply confront the Klopeks head on. To their surprise, the Klopeks welcome the neighbors into their home. What comes next is a peak into the Klopeks world, and it's definitely something straight out of the Addams family. We see a man, his brother, and what appears to be his young relative. They are inhabiting a house full of weird relics and macabre atmosphere. The group investigates the house and finds creaky doors, dusty photos, and weird foods galore. Nothing too alarming...until they discover a gigantic science lab and furnace in the basement. This area becomes the focal point for their paranoia and fuels their hunch that something disturbing lurks beyond the eyes of the Klopeks.
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All of this sounds pretty creepy, but it's all played out in a very comedic way. There is a ton of slapstick humor, mixed with funny one liners. The film also contains classic "Honeymooners" humor, putting dramatically different people in the same room together for awkward periods of time. There is also a funny layer of satire that horror fans will definitely pick up on. Often the film has creepy music playing over what is usually a mundane landscape, playing up the paranoia of the suburban culdesac. The cinematography also plays up the paranoia of not only the characters, but the audience. As a viewer, you are left in the dark about the truth behind the people involved. It's very mysterious and uses the classic Hitchcock "Rear Window" suspense idea of what lies behind closed doors. It's not until the last ten minutes of film when you get solid answers. I won't be spoiling that reveal because this film is genius and deserves a dedicated viewing. After finishing the film, you will think twice about peering over your neighbor's fence or leering through the window with the strange light coming out of it. You may find something you aren't prepared for. If you would like to checkout the film for yourself, it's available for free as part of Amazon Prime, or 2.99 for non members. Also if you are already familiar with the film but want to revisit the best version available, SHOUT FACTORY released an amazing blu-ray edition last year.
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Bonus Burb Fact: Early on in the film you can see Hanks and Fisher preparing breakfast for their children and they are all indulging in a box of GREMLINS cereal. Since Joe Dante directed both GREMLINS and this film, that's a fun little easter egg. I wonder if the cereal was any good?
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Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-25373109173493835192018-10-26T15:41:00.000-05:002018-10-26T15:42:17.656-05:00Monster Mania: "What's In The Box?!"Written by Stu Cooper
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Who doesn't love a mystery grab bag? Well given the time of year and the maximum amount of Halloween hype I'm currently experiencing, I think it's time to take a look at some spooky products! This week I was graced with a mystery box full of Halloween goodies, courtesy of "<a href="https://donteatthegum.storenvy.com/">Don't Eat The Gum</a>". The site itself offers several different options for retro and pop culture themed loot boxes, none of which disappoint. Let's take a peak into what I got in my mystery haul! Before I begin, I want you to do your best Brad Pitt Impression while reading this article's title. "WHAT'S IN THE BOX?!"
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There is a ridiculous amount of goodies in here. The highlights of which include A Freddy Kreuger He-man inspired figure, a fantastic fangoria back issue, tons of cards,and a beautiful portrait of Elvira that's created by the very talented artist Byron Winton!
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The package included a mixtape of epic rock music that sets the tone for Halloween. That may be something I have to review on it's own entirely.
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Here are some Universal Monster themed Garbage Pail Kids! I love these things. It's amazing how enduring the concept still is today.
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<p> A true throwback to 80's action figures, this Savage World Freddy Kreuger mixes Masters of The Universe with Horror and is part of a 5 character series!
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And to absolutely seal the deal, I received a framed photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger with what appears to be the villains from Monster Squad. This is perplexing since the actor was not in the film. But thanks to Tales From The Crypt, we know Arnold is a big horror fan. I guess he just wanted to see that gem be made for himself.
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All of those epic things were crammed into the mystery box I received from "Don't Eat The Gum". That's just a small sampling of what is available from them, and I highly recommend checking out their Easter baskets when that season comes around. Thanks for the extensive pop culture flashback!
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Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-27532797724614683452018-10-21T19:10:00.001-05:002018-10-21T19:10:45.131-05:00Monster Mania: Party Hard (PS4) ReviewWritten by Stu Cooper
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If you've ever lived in an apartment or close knit suburb community, you have most likely encountered a situation where you were annoyed with your neighbor. Whether it's loud noises, funky smells, or congested parking due to party animals, it's probably gotten under your skin. What if you were completely pushed to the edge and you were wiling to do anything to stop the party? Well most human beings are able to control themselves and get over it, but in the game "Party Hard", the goal is quite the opposite. In "Party Hard" you play the role of a young man who has been pushed to the edge, unable to sleep or find peace, he goes on a killing spree. Not just any killing spree, but a party killing spree. He goes from location to location, destroying parties by eliminating the guests. The game is played out through a series of stories the killer is telling the police. While that sounds incredibly morbid and sadistic, it is the 16 bit aesthetic and the humor found within the game that brings out huge doses of dark comedy.
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In "Party Hard" you take the role of an unnamed killer, simply referred to as "the man who just wanted some sleep". You are armed with a knife, a bevy of tricks, and home alone-esque traps that you can utilize to progressively eliminate guests at the party. It starts out simple with a small house party, but throughout the game you can attend parties on boats, party buses, desert musical festivals, and night clubs. Each level features it's own unique set of guests, traps, and randomized events. The key to the game is definitely the randomization. Each time you play a level, it's different. It may be a small difference, but it's different none the less. The guests are often different, they may be doing different things, the effects the guests have on each other may differ, and then you have trigger events that are spread out throughout the level. These events include things like zombie outbreaks, police raids, framing other's for crimes, pest control gone wrong, alien abductions, and more! Thanks to the level of complexity, the game certainly doesn't lack in the creative kill department. You can even sit back and watch the party as if it were an installment of "The Sims". Guests will often argue with each other, have sex, get drunk and pass out, and even accidentally kill each other! It's as if someone created a mod for "The Sims" where everything is chaos. If you are one of those people who loves to play "The Sims" simply so you can find ways to kill your players, this is your dream game.
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The game plays out through a birds eye view. You control the killer, and you have full view of the house and guests at all times. It reminds me of those books that show the insides of ships/castles/etc. and you can see all the bits and pieces and what the people are doing. It's an interesting perspective. It also kind of reminds me of "Paperboy" in terms of the level of bizarre activity and random events happening around you.
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The player you control while able to kill, is incredibly vulnerable. The name of the game is stealth, almost like a cartoony version of Hitman. You must navigate through the party and eliminate the guests without ever being noticed. If you are noticed, it's full alert. You often get taken out by a bouncer, or the party goers call the police on you. One touch from the police and you're done for. Game Over. It's a pretty cruel learning curve, but once you figure out the sensitivity of the A.I., you're able to work with it. That's not to say it's impossible to evade. You can often find a way to get out of range of the cops, and they eventually give up their search, or in some cases they arrest the wrong person. If you really want to up the ante, you can call for back up, which is also randomized. Sometimes another killer shows up, sometimes a drive-by occurs, sometimes the swat team shows up and goes Full Metal Jacket on everyone. It's really the flip of a coin, which makes for a really fun nerve racking experience.
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Now what would a party be without music? Well no worries, there is plenty of good tunes throughout the game. All of the music is instrumental and electronic, but it flows with the tone of the game perfectly. It features that 16 bit poppy tone you'd find in something like Earthworm Jim, while integrating royalty free music you imagine people dancing to at an actual party. In fact, the DJ is an actual character in the game and you often have to save killing them for last, because if the music were to suddenly stop, everyone would wonder what was up. It's tiny details like that, that make this game a truly unique and addicting experience. As a caveat to that, you can also perform dance moves! If you approach a guest and begin dancing, the reactions vary. Either the guest digs it and you are on the verge of getting lucky, or they are disgusted with you and alarmed. You can also use the repulsive dance techniques to herd the guests into a certain area of the party, lambs being led to the slaughter so to speak.
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For a price tag of 12.99 or free if you're a PS Plus member, you definitely get your moneys worth. The game is a great time killer and it's easy to pick up and play. The game is also TWITCH friendly for those who prefer to use the PC version. At one point the game even gave gameplay power to TWITCH users, giving them the power to effect the party. There is a sequel on the way, so I imagine the title will be going on sale soon. I can't recommend this one enough, especially if you have a dark sense of humor. If you are looking for a creepy game to give you in the Halloween mood, this is a great one to start with. Party Hard 2 is set to be released on STEAM at the end of October 2018, so hurry up and give the first one a try before the sequel is released!
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Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-86716665529124564972018-10-04T14:08:00.001-05:002018-10-04T14:20:12.446-05:00Monster Mania has returned! <center>
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After taking a year off, it is time to unlock the crypt, emerge from the fog, and bring life to the dead. Film Enigma has officially returned and what better time to make that return than the greatest month of all, October. It's a month filled with nostalgia, primal fears, costumes, unhealthy brightly colored food, and the finest in horror schlock. What more can a grown kid ask for? Well, this year for Monster Mania I'm coming in hot! I'm reviewing one of the darkest games I've ever played, some of the darkest films I've ever seen, and even some goofy Halloween specials you've probably forgotten about.
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So get your costumed chicken nuggets and Elvira Coors light ads ready, it's time to dive into the 2018 Monster Mania!
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</center>Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-85774168483221032182016-10-15T20:23:00.001-05:002016-10-15T20:29:03.953-05:00Shin Godzilla Review<center>
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Hitting theaters for the first time in over a decade, Godzilla makes his theatrical return, and it's against his biggest enemy yet...POLITICS! That's right, the 29th installment in the ever changing Godzilla legacy revolves around a group of various politicians struggling to come up with a solution to their BIGGEST problem ever. (see what I did there?)
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<i>Shin Godzilla</i> is the first TOHO produced Godzilla film since 2004's <i>Godzilla Final Wars</i>. American audiences would be treated to their own version in 2014's <i>Godzilla</i>, but it was not affiliated with TOHO or the universe established by their films. This film and creature are a separate beast entirely. <i>Shin Godzilla</i> started production when TOHO announced the film in December 2014, possibly as a response to the US film. Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi were set to direct, and throughout 2015 the film began to take shape. The film was released on July 29th, 2016 in Japan, though American viewers would have to wait until October. Saying that the Japanese release was a success would be a massive understatement. The film was not only the highest grossing live action Japanese film of 2016, but also the highest grossing Japanese produced Godzilla film in history. That is a massive achievement! Whether it's success will carry over to America is uncertain considering the subject matter is heavily tied to current Japanese culture and politics.
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After leaving the theater, I was quite unsure what to think. The film is completely different than any Godzilla film before it. You have a 2 hour movie, where most of the scenes are dialogue. It's interesting and thought provoking, but different. If you are looking for a <i>Pacific Rim </i>thrill ride, you won't find that here. The film transcends the definition of a monster movie, and brings to light a new kind of monster, political chaos. While the film is most certainly about Godzilla and his path of destruction, the sub text and commentary is spelled out for the viewer. Every human character in the film is some type of bureaucrat, ambassador, or politically charged scientist. This makes for lots of conversations about legalities, political red tape, and most prominently the idea of mankind simply destroying itself from the inside.
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While the politics in the film are mostly satire, there is some very serious commentary at hand. There are several moments in the film that may echo recent Japanese disasters like Fukishima, or the 2011 Earthquake. There are scenes of people buried under destruction and buildings collapsing, as well as massive doses of radiation flooding the nearby cities. These are very real problems that Japan has come face to face with recently. There is also a strong suggestion that the Japanese government fears the political ignorance of Americans, and wants out of our shadow. The Americans are often shown as trigger happy and self important. At one point in the film it's the American government that actually forces Japan to confront the possibility of another Hiroshima. That serves as one of the most intense and dramatic moments in the film, and Godzilla has little to do with it, he is merely a catalyst. Just one example of the many ways this movie transcends your basic sci-fi creature feature.
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It's clear the story of the film is deep and rooted in the history of Japan. I could write pages on that very subject alone, but what about the rest of the film? The creature itself was certainly a sight to behold. At first Godzilla resembles something akin to a giant Turkey, but without going into spoiler territory I will say that the audience laughed every time this part of the creature was shown on screen. Thankfully the laughter is quickly turned to intimidation as Godzilla becomes increasingly threatening. This new version of Godzilla also shows off quite a few tricks, which adds a layer of unpredictability to the film. This ain't your daddy's Godzilla! At 118 meters tall (the biggest Godzilla ever), he is no laughing matter.
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I remember when the first images of this version were released I was actually quite disappointed. I thought his eyes and hands looked a bit goofy, but I am happy to report he looks absolutely terrifying in the actual film. It's almost like an undead demon Godzilla by the end of the film. Something that you'd see in a Sam Raimi movie, and I loved every bit of it. Speaking of horror nods, I actually found some parts of the creature design to be similar to the John Carpenter's The Thing. As a life long Godzilla fan I found this version of the creature to be shocking and scary. That's exactly how the original 1954 Godzilla made audiences feel, so I take that as a good sign.
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The CGI for Godzilla and the action sequences is remarkable. I legitimately could not tell what was CGI for most of the film, other than the infamous “Turkey” scene I mentioned earlier. The effects on the creature design are flawless and do a very good job of representing his size and scale. I'm not sure if any of the creature scenes were filmed via man in a suit, but the fact that I can't tell should speak volumes about the effects team.
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In terms of screen performances, the shining stars were definitely Hiroki Hasegawa as Rando Yuguchi, the Deputy Chief Secretary; and U.S. Ambassador character Kayoko played by the lovely Satomi Ishihara. The two characters exist in a world of chaotic political characters that they bump into throughout the film. The pair is forced to work with these individuals to find a solution to the Godzilla threat. They do a good job of conveying the stress and drama that a situation like this would present. While being mostly serious, there are several moments of satirical comic relief as the characters begin to realize how clueless some of the higher ups are. You may say these actors are mediocre, but compared to previous acting performances in TOHO Godzilla films, they are award winning.
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The sound design on the film was one of the most intriguing parts. The film actually used several sound effects and unused tracks from the 1954 Godzilla. Combined with the usage of the always wonderful TOHO Godzilla theme song, the soundtrack was spot on. There was also a few new tracks which fit in well with the Japanese Godzilla style. I can't say enough positive things about the sound, a true highlight in the film.
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When it's all said and done, I think audiences may find Shin Godzilla to be a very puzzling film. If you appreciate satire and deeper meaning in films, you will be pleasantly surprised. If you are looking for an all out monster brawl, you'll be disappointed. I consider myself a die hard Godzilla fan and even I found myself yawning at points. But as soon as I would start to feel bored, the film would slap me with a huge dose of cinematic radiation, and I was back into it. I would say if you enjoy science fiction or Godzilla films, you should give it a chance. Who knows when you'll get another chance to see a TOHO Godzilla film on the big screen? Go Go Godzilla.
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Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-32721437087540821092016-03-02T20:06:00.001-06:002016-03-02T20:06:31.597-06:00The Witch (2016) Review Written by Stu Cooper
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As human beings we constantly live in a state of paranoia and wonder when it comes to God and mysterious things that lie deep in the woods. What can't be explained is often accounted for by some belief in God or paranormal force. But what if there was more to it than that? What if man found a way to bond with nature in the unholiest of ways? That's the kind of fear that <i>The Witch</i> prays upon and that is what makes it a unique horror experience.
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<I>The Witch</I> was Written and Directed by Robert Eggers. The film stars Ralph Inneson as excommunicated Puritan William as he struggles to keep his family on the right path a midst a series of unfortunate events taking place in the 17th century. William is accompanied by his wife Katherine (Kate Dickie) and his four children consisting of the Cinderella-like teenager Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw), along with twins Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson). The film also features a non-human character by the name of Black Phillip, who is a black goat. I guess dogs weren't quite the usual pet just yet. After a positive reaction at Sundance and Toronto film festivals, A24 and DirectTV teamed up to get the distribution rights, deciding to release the film nationally in theaters. The film hit theaters February 19th, 2016 and grossed over 16.7 million at the box office. With a budget of only 3.5 million, the critics and audiences seem to agree that <i>The Witch</i> is something special.
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It's the early 1600's and a family appears in front of a tribunal of some-sort. Their colony of Puritans decides that the family is not fit for their community and that they must leave immediately. The father William seems confident that God is on his side and that his family will be guided to a better life. Reluctantly the oldest child Thomasin follows her father into the wilderness. Once the family establishes a camp, they begin building a place to live. First they build houses and stables, followed by the planting of crops. The family even begins raising chickens and goats.
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Unfortunately for the family, they are seemingly cursed. One by one things begin to go awry. After the family fails to grow healthy crops or raise healthy animals, they begin to question their favor with the lord. The father continues to be the most strong willed one when it comes to faith. He constantly reassures the son Caleb that they will go to heaven. He even speaks to Caleb about the idea of babies going to hell. As the family continues living on the outskirts, they experience multiple visits from some kind of creature. The creature takes residence inside the deepest, darkest parts of the woods. It's there that the family will discover some of the most disturbing things in the film. Things only continue to spiral downwards leading to people disappearing, possession, and death.
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One word I would use to perfectly describe <I>The Witch</I> would be "macabre". It is a slow burning tale of horror that creates suspense through paranoia and a sense of foreboding rather than CGI effects or POV camera scares. I think the film brings back a lost art form in regards to the horror genre. The genre has been overly saturated by CGI ghost movies for the past decade and it desperately needs original eerie films like this one. While the plot of witches and black magic are nothing new, it's the execution that makes the film so strong. The cinematography aides the story by highlighting with creepy long nature shots, exposing the dark lifeless landscapes inhabited by the family. The atmosphere of the film is damp and murky, which sets the tone for the experiences the family endures. The subject matter serves a great historical fiction analysis of religious and spiritual hysteria and the damage it can do. You have many family members in the film who demonstrate extreme and frightening beliefs. That also poses the question of what is more dangerous, the black magic power in the woods or the ones who believe in it? A true horror experience gets into your head, and poses questions like these. It's been too long since theaters were able to engage in a film this dark. It's a far cry from the yearly Paranormal Activity or James Wan Ghost movie. If you can handle a slow crawling tone riddled with bone chilling imagery, then this is a film you'll enjoy.
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As a testament to the style this film brings on screen, cinematographer Jarin Blaschke used natural lighting for the entire film. The natural lighting gives the film it's gloomy nature tone and really makes it stand out. The interior shots are often lit by nothing more than candle light. I think this decision was smart because it enabled me to easily get lost in the early 1600's. I found myself completely motionless, staring at the screen without a doubt that I was watching life in the 17th century. That's a rare feeling to stumble upon in a film, and it's the best kind of feeling. A good film always taps into that part of your brain and makes you get lost in the world on screen. If a filmmaker can accomplish this in a horror film it's even better because then the audience member is surprised or scared by the things they see on screen. That is why the imagery in this film holds up and feels so strong.
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The highlight of the film was Ralph Inneson as the father. His deep voice definitely adds to the eerie nature of his character. It also helps that the film is historically accurate in terms of speech and atmosphere. The characters speak in a dialect that serves the time period, and adds to the mythos of the characters. When you hear Inneson deliver a prayer in Old English tongues, it sends chills down the spine. Another sign that this film knows how to tap into terror of another form. The constant state of paranoia that the characters operate under is another sense of tension in the film. You have people pointing fingers, constantly accusing each other of committing sin in thought. It brings to light a form of terror that is ancient, but still relevant. One could easily compare this blind faith fear to current day political situations, especially in an election year. It all comes down to wondering if the devil is whispering in people's ears. Besides the stand out performance from Inneson, you have to give props to Anya Taylor-Joy as the oldest daughter Thomasin. She is essentially the focus of the film and given her limited acting experience, I was very impressed. She conveys a sense of fear and isolation throughout the film that is very believable. She also has a puritan blond beauty to her, that makes her appear to be one of the most innocent characters in the film. She is also one of the only characters who seems to be level headed. She is often trying to get her family to snap out of whatever faith driven state of anxiety they are in. Joy does a fine job in the role, and given the reaction the film has garnered so far, I have no doubts she has a future in horror.
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<i>The Witch</i> was shot in a mere 25 days, which I found to be an astounding feat. It is a testament to the devotion of the Director and especially the cinematographer. The cinematographer had to constantly work around the weather in order to keep the film in natural light. Not only does <i>The Witch</i> feel like a solid macabre horror film, but it's a true achievement in horror. If anything it can serve as inspiration for future filmmakers to create original scripts on low budgets and take them to festivals.
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Overall the film is quite enjoyable. It is certainly on the slow side and I wouldn't recommend diving into it if you're about to crash for the evening. If you have an open mind or a fascination with witches, you will find this film interesting. If you already have a knowledge of Puritan life, then you may find the film disturbing on a totally different level. Patience is required for viewing, but since it only clocks in at 100 minutes, it will come to an end just as it starts to peak. It is not quite as intense as something like <I>Lords of Salem</I>, but it makes a lot more sense.
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</center>Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-79886084292122582522015-09-25T19:16:00.002-05:002015-09-25T19:16:53.671-05:00The Green Inferno (2015) Review Written by Stu Cooper
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Nearly one year ago theaters and horror fans alike were supposed to be treated to Eli Roth's newest horror incarnation <I>The Green Inferno</I>. Due to several financial issues within the production company, the film was delayed almost an entire year. This is one of those films that was hot and heavy out of the gates with advertising, but due to the massive delay, a lot of people have most likely forgotten about it's release. I remember seeing trailers for this film over a year ago in theaters, and being quite excited for it. It wasn't until about two weeks ago that I saw a short TV spot, and thought oh wow that movie still hasn't come out. Several films have endured similar fates. One that comes to mind was Joss Whedon's <I>Cabin In the Woods</I> which was delayed several years. Thankfully the substance of "Cabin In The Woods" was able to save it and create a fan base. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for Eli Roth's odd <I>Cannibal Holocaust</I> satire film <I>The Green Inferno</I>. After over a year of waiting, I was able to finally sit in a local theater to watch the film, and it made me cringe...out of embarrassment.
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<I>The Green Inferno</I> is a film that was made almost two years ago, but is just now seeing it's first commercial release. The film was written and directed by Eli Roth, and co-written by Guillermo Amoedo. The film stars Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Daryl Sabara, Kirby Bliss Blanton, and Aaron Burns. The film began shooting in early 2013 and had a 6 million dollar budget. A sequel was also greenlit by the production company but due to financial problems, it is unlikely to see the light of day unless the project finds a new home.
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The film begins at a college in New York City as we follow the stunning Lorenza Izzo who plays Justine, a freshman. Despite most of this cast being awkward and amateur, Izzo stands out as a stunning beauty who brings a lot to her role. She has incredibly piercing eyes that the camera focuses on quite a bit. The eyes end up being a big part of her look later in the film when she is covered in white tribal paint. I have a feeling that is part of the reason she was cast in the lead. Sadly she is one of the only interesting characters in the film. The film is riddled with actors and characters that seem poorly written and amateur. Starting with her roommate Kaycee (Sky Ferreira) who is one of the most unlikable characters to ever grace the screen. Not only does she deliver her lines with the enthusiasm of a second year high school senior in detention, but she appears to have just woken up. I'm not sure if they did her make up a certain way to convey this, but she looked like a tired strung out homeless girl. She also delivered her lines with a dialed up obnoxious attitude. At first I thought this was intentional so the audience would be rooting for her to get killed, but it never really leads to anything other than annoyance. As quickly as we are introduced to this bond between two best friends, she disappears from the film and bares no importance. Then we are introduced to a group of incredibly annoying college social warriors who have founded their own environmental group. The group marches on campus and does hunger strikes, often preaching for a cause that goes unnoticed. Justine runs into the group and finds them interesting after meeting a slap happy member of the group named Jonah (Aaron Burns). Jonah asks her to come to a meeting which is where she meets the rest of the group.
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The group consists of some of the douchiest, dumbest, and most obnoxious characters imaginable. Some seem to be written this way, while others seem to just act that way. One thing I immediately notice is that a majority of the group seems to have very thick foreign accents, despite them being at a college in America. I actually had to double check and make sure she wasn't attending school in a foreign country because some of these people sounded Spanish, while others sounded French. I'm not sure if that's just supposed to be representative of the melting pot in New York or what, but it comes off like a bunch of amateur actors delivering cheesy English dialogue they seem to struggle with. I would say the film's biggest downfall is the acting and dialogue. This problem is showcased immediately when we meet Alejandro (Ariel Levy) and his girlfriend Kara (Ignacia Allamand) who both deliver their lines like they are reading off of cue cards. To say the dialogue was amateur is an understatement. You can blame the actors for their awkward delivery, especially since English is apparently their second language, but you cannot blame them for the script. I found some of the lines laughable, in scenes that weren't meant for comedy. Anytime Alejandro or Kara spoke...I laughed. I'm not sure what the writer was thinking with these characters, but the vision was not coming out on screen. Needless to say, I was ready to see all of these terrible actors get killed off and it couldn't happen soon enough.
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After Justine blindly joins a social warrior cause led by fellow oblivious college kids, she flies to Peru with the group. Once the group arrives in Peru the film starts to pick up and we are introduced to the main storyline. The group of kids is trying to stop part of the rainforest from being destroyed because it will kill off a local tribe. The club shows up to the construction site and attempts to delay this from happening. Without spoiling it, their journey becomes slightly more complicated and they find themselves stranded in the hands of a cannibalistic local tribe. The tribe doesn't speak English and they seem to have fun skinning people alive and putting their heads on posts. Through some visual storytelling the tribes people are made out to be rather terrifying. I was concerned about this film until the moment the tribe came in, then I had a bit of hope. The fear that the people experience seems genuine and you can really feel how overwhelming the whole experience is just by watching on screen. The film does bring some terror onto the screen through these moments of hopelessness. Unfortunately whenever the film starts to get a real scary vibe going, it's completely ruined by bad dialogue or misplaced comedy. At one point there is intense drum music happening, leading you to believe something intense is about to happen, and it's actually just building up to a girl having diarrhea. That's right, there's an orchestral build-up to diarrhea. I would say that is actually symbolic of my feelings on this movie. Lots of epic build up, ready to jump out of your seat, then BOOM! ...diarrhea.
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Now one thing everybody wants to know is, is it gory? Eli Roth isn't exactly known for making quality films, but he has always delivered on the gore factor. He became famous because of his association with HOSTEL, so fans of his have come to expect a certain level of violence. I think you won't be disappointed in that aspect, as there is some pretty gut wrenching scenes involving dismemberment and cannibalism. There is some practical effects used early on that provide an extremely visceral scene, which makes for good horror. I also noticed Greg Nicotero's name attached to the film so I'm guessing that was him who helped with that scene. Unfortunately one scene involves some pretty terrible CGI and it totally kills any intensity that death scene had. So it's a mixed bag in terms of effects.
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Overall <I>The Green Inferno</I> is a sub-par horror film that reeks of bad student films. The dialogue is poorly written, the acting is awful, and the storytelling really falls flat. However the film does supply a few scary moments and it explores the idea of social media warriors. So if you hate all of those people on the internet preaching and posting petitions, you might dig where this film goes. It's truly a hipster's worst nightmare. It pokes fun at the absurdity of social media campaigns and how easily young minds can be fooled into thinking they are intelligent. I have to give the film some points for being clever in it's choice of victims. Unfortunately for this young mind, I was fooled by the trailers, and I thought this film was actually going to be good.
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Ever since <I>Star Trek: Enterprise</I> left the air, trekkies have been dying to see another series hit the airwaves. From petitions to kickstarters, fans have been rallying behind various projects trying to get them made. Unfortunately <I>Star Trek: Renegades</I> hasn't made it to the airwaves yet, but it was released on YouTube, DVD, and Blu-ray. Fans of the original canon universe finally got another edition to the mythos, and it comes in the form of an epic 90 minute fan film. The film is written by Ethan H. Calk, Sky Douglas Conway, and Jack Trevino. The film was directed by <I>Star Trek Voyager</I> alumni Tim Russ who served as the promotional mascot for most of the film's appearances at various conventions. I actually first heard about the film when Russ and Walter Koenig appeared at Space City Con here in Houston to promote the film. The film was created by the makers of another famous fan-film <I>Star Trek: Of Gods and Men</I>, and serves as a sequel in some ways. Jack Trevino apparently came up with the idea for the series on the last day of Of Gods and Men. Thanks to campaigns on IndieGoGo and Kickstarter that have been going around since 2012, the project finally saw the light of day.
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<I>Star Trek: Renegades</I> takes place ten years after the finale of <I>Star Trek: Voyager</I> which featured the crew of Voyager returning from their epic journey across the Delta Quadrant. The film picks up in the middle of a crisis revolving around a dilithium crystal shortage as the result of a mysterious alien race who is apparently folding space and time. The folding is causing entire planets to disappear, which is obviously bad for business. The Federation is unsure how to react to the situation, so Admiral Chekov (Star Trek: TOS) and Tuvok (Star Trek: Voyager) decide to get together with the ole Section 31 and put together a crew of misfit toys. The crew is ordered to investigate the madness and stop it before it reaches Earth. The crew consists of several sci-fi and Star Trek alum including Blade Runner's Sean Young, Alien Nation's Gary Graham, Terminator 2's Edward Furlong, Star Trek Voyager's Manu Intiraymi returning as The Lone Borg Icheb, Voyager's Robert Picardo as Dr. Zimmerman, and many more recognizable faces. Leading the crew is Captain Lexxa Singh (daughter of Khan) played by the stunning Adrienne Wilkinson, whom you may recognize from her run on <I>Xena: Warrior Princess</I>. The crew is essentially a sci-fi version of the expendables, which is consistent with the “Renegades” name. There are TONS of actors in this film, and if you blink you may miss some of them. The film also features several stunning females such as the crewman Ronara (Chasty Ballesteros), Andorian bombshell Shree (Courtney Peldon), and the Vulcan T'Leah (Larissa Gomes). It's certainly a crowded film and I'm not even mentioning the OTHER crew on the other ship that follows the Renegades around.
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Despite the massive cast, the film manages to tell an incredibly riveting and tense story. The new aliens in the film seem to be a hybrid of Klingons and Hirogen, which makes for a rather intimidating race. The race is seeking revenge against the federation for inadvertently sabotaging their planet 300 years ago. The aliens use some kind of stone artifact to screw with time and space. The Renegades go on a mission to figure out exactly what is going on, and they are pursued by federation loyalists led by Captain Alvarez (Corin Nemec). Alvarez's crew strongly resembles the new look displayed in the JJ Abrams films, which leads me to believe that the film acknowledges both universes. There is also a lot of character ties to the other Paramount series, so there is a bit for everybody to enjoy. The film is about 90 minutes and you can tell the writers were trying to cram as much story as possible into that time-frame. Pretty much every scene is important to the plot, and if you take a break to get a snack or go to the bathroom, you may get a little lost.
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The main focus is on Khan's daughter Lexxa, who is quite the bad-ass. She displays strong leadership qualities and some killer martial art skills. Not only is she beautiful and strong, but she is also poetic. The character often recites a beautiful little poem that streams throughout the film and serves as kind of a beacon for the story. Adrienne Wilkinson is perfectly cast in this role and I'm glad she is given a chance to shine. The writers could have easily focused on Chekov and Tuvok the entire time, but they take a chance and give a lot of screen time to the new characters. You can tell this film was intended as a pilot of sorts, as it has a real big series pilot feel to it.
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The star of the film has to be the amazing special effects on display in the film. The film looked beautiful displayed on my HD television and I found myself absolutely speechless at how great the ship and space sequences looked. I dare say the ships looked better than they did in Voyager and Deep Space Nine (though there is a 15 year gap). There are a few awkward green screen shots throughout the film, but considering it's a fan film the quality is way beyond anything I could have expected. Whoever did the ship effects deserves a serious pat on the back. Another impressive effect that I noticed was the arm of the Borg Icheb. Since Voyager Icheb received a series of upgrades which include a shape shifting weapon arm. The arm effects are totally seamless and caused me to say “WHOA” out loud every time he used it. The make-up on most of the aliens is also top notch, especially the Andorian and the Cardassian characters. The only ones that were questionable were T'Leah the Vulcan whose eyebrows looked off in most scenes, and some of the villain aliens who suffered from bad wig fit.
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Another aspect of the film that really shines is the soundtrack. The sound design is on par with most modern action films and greatly improves the tension of the film. There are pretty intense drum sequences during the action scenes that greatly elevate things to another level. It adds to the professionalism of the project and really makes you feel like you are watching a real full fledged Star Trek series.
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Overall <I>Star Trek: Renegades</I> is a pleasant surprise that features TONS of tributes and fan service for all those loyal trekkies out there. Not only do you get to see a lot of familiar faces that you probably grew up loving, but you get to see a lot of young talent like Adrienne Wilkinson, Corin Nemac, and Chasty Bellastros who all knock it out of the park. The only downsides to the film would have to be the intense pacing, which can sometimes cause a lot of confusion, and the poor acting performance of Sean Young. I found myself cringing during all of Sean Young's scenes, but thankfully her character is not a focal point of the film.
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If you can keep up with the story, the film serves as a terrific launching off point for more beautiful fan films. I was a little disappointed with how little Robert Picardo and Tim Russ showed up in the film, but Walter Koenig has quite a bit of screen-time and hasn't lost a step. If it got turned into a series, I imagine they would have returned to do a bit more. When the film ended, I found myself hoping that this isn't the last time we see this crew together. I certainly think this production has what it takes to support itself on something like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. If you'd like to check the project out, visit the official page startrekrenegades.com or simply click the YouTube links below which will take you to the actual production.
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Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-60560283930730701762015-08-03T20:15:00.001-05:002015-08-03T20:52:24.252-05:00The Guest (2015) Review Written by Stu Cooper
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America is a country that constantly seems to be on the brink of war. Whether it's a war in the middle east, a cold war, a war on drugs, or a war on terror. It's clear war is something we breed into our culture. The press usually perpetuates the blood lust, often preaching ideals to stop war, while simultaneously invoking it. Children of today have grown numb to the violence they see on the news, but for the soldiers being trained to enter the battlefield, it's very real. In some cases soldiers are left mentally scarred and develop PTSD, otherwise known as post traumatic stress disorder. Now what happens when something like that goes unchecked? The film I'm discussing today dives head first into that concept. <i> The Guest </i>is a film that was released in September of last year, but it has just now made it's way to Netflix. The release on Netflix has garnered a lot of views, and the film is quickly becoming a personal favorite of many cinemaphiles. Since I missed the initial release, which I believe was only at a few select theaters, I just now saw the film. I am confident in saying that <i>The Guest</i> is one of the best movies to come out this year, and far surpasses some of the mega franchise blockbuster films that have come out this summer. The film was written Simon Barrett and Directed by Adam Wingard. It stars Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Brendan Meyer, Sheila Kelley, and notable character actor Leland Orser. <i>The Guest</i> is a surprisingly chilling thriller that resembles eerie stalker films like <i>The Stepfather, Copycat, and FEAR.</i> Not only does it resemble those kinds of films, but I believe it takes ideas from those films and makes them even creepier.
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<i>The Guest</i> is about a young soldier who travels to the hometown of a dead friend and decides to visit the friend's family. The solider's name is David (Stevens) and he claims to have been apart of the same platoon as the family's dead son. At first this news completely shatters the mother but soon after she invites David into their home. The mother introduces David to the rest of the family, and he begins to bond with all of them. Since the parents lost their child, they are very happy to see someone else in the house. The mother often cries in private, and the father drinks heavily, so it's clear the death of their son is still heavy on their minds. David consuls the family and starts becoming a surrogate soldier son of sorts. David is about as clean cut, intelligent, and confident as a man could get. He oozes sex appeal whenever he is around females, and most males are instantly intimidated by his bravado. He is essentially the man every dude wants to be, and the guy every woman wants to fall in love with.
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The parents have two children, a young son named Luke (Meyer), and a 20 year old daughter named Anna (Monroe). The son is a sophomore in high school and the daughter is a rebellious waitress with a hint of white trash. David instantly connects with both of them and proves throughout the film that he has a special interest in them. David helps Luke overcome his fear of high school bullies, which proves to dramatically help Luke's confidence. David also plays the hero whenever he sees a woman being harassed, or something he considers immoral. You really grow to appreciate the man David seems to be...until he shows you another side. Without giving away any major spoilers, the film takes a dramatic turn once you find out more about the REAL David. David has a Pandora's box of secrets and he slowly reveals them one by one. David slowly reveals through a series of unsettling acts, that he is suffering from some type of psychosis. I believe this is where the director was trying to show the effects of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and how someone experiencing immense amounts of isolation and military training, may return home a changed man.
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The film highlights how PTSD can affect a former soldier, but it also highlights how the death of soldiers can also affect families. The father (Orser) has a massive drinking problem and often finds himself mumbling through sentences full of frustration. The mother seems to be the rock of the family, but you can tell her family is slowly growing apart. Each member of the family seems to have their own story and dynamic, which adds a lot of emotion and tension to the film. You are really rooting for this family to find some sense of peace, whether it's through David or something else. The government also finds it's way into the story and the film introduces the idea of brainwashing soldiers, which has been a questionable real life practice for decades. The film seems to hit all the right beats with it's story telling, whilst simultaneously being an allegory for PTSD.
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It's clear that the storytelling is strong, but the aspect of the film that really sold me was the amazing soundtrack. This film has one of the best soundtracks ever. That's right, I said it. It doesn't feature any epic Robocop scores or anything orchestral, but it has a lot of great melodic tech-noir tunes that flow like water through each scene. There is also a particularly violent moment that features a totally absurd love song, and it adds a nice cheese factor to the film. Just cementing the insanity taking place. I'm tempted to say the film's soundtrack is so good that it overshadows the film, but thankfully it just rides the line. The soundtrack and lighting throughout the film resembles the likes of <i>DRIVE</i> and <i>Only God Forgives</i>, so if you enjoy the somber techno vibes in those films, I think this could be a good choice for you. You may also spot some pretty neat easter eggs throughout the film, including the Halloween masks used in John Carpenter's <i>Halloween III</i>, but I won't spoil which scene they are in. Regardless, it's clear the filmmakers have a big appreciation for 80's filmmaking. It pays off and results in the perfect suspense movie.
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</center>Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-83449259422715420202015-07-02T21:10:00.001-05:002015-07-02T21:43:38.775-05:00Terminator Genisys ReviewWritten by Stu Cooper
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In an age of remakes and sequels, it is no surprise that the <i>Terminator </i> franchise is once again taking over theaters nationwide. A couple weeks ago <i>Jurassic World<i></i></i> proved just how powerful an old franchise can be, but would <i>Terminator: Genisys</i> have a similar effect? While I don't think the box office will reflect it, I do find the film to be a worthy entry in the Terminator mythology. I saw both Terminator 3 and 4 in theaters and I was underwhelmed by both. Genisys however left me satisfied and giddy.
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<i>Terminator Genisys</i> was released on July 1st, 2015 and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, Jai Courtney, and Matt Smith. The film was directed by Alan Taylor whose previous works include <i>Thor: Dark World, Sopranos, Game of Thrones,</i> and various other television shows. The screenplay was written by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. The screenplay is of course based on characters created by James Cameron. Genisys marks the 4th film in the franchise which also birthed a television show and a ride at Universal Studios. The film had a $155 million budget and was shot mostly in California and Louisiana. Schwarzenegger and James Cameron have both come out publicly supporting the film and calling it a rebirth of the franchise we know and love. The film marks Arnold's first time working with Paramount. The script and ideas in the film were written around his age and as a result you get a rare appearance of Schwarzenegger with NATURAL grey hair. The film was shot over the course of 90 days, not including post production and CGI.
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<i>Terminator Genisys</i> tells the story of the seemingly endless battle between the human race and Skynet. Skynet is the evil cyborg organization that creates the terminators. Skynet has served as the main villain of every Terminator film and is the cause of a nuclear holocaust. As usual, this film deals with time travel and efforts to stop the apocalypse from happening. In the film they refer to this event as "Judgment Day". The film seems to completely ignore the events of<i> Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines</i> and <i>Terminator: Salvation</i>, so if you are fans of those films I hope you do not find that disappointing. Both films are considered disappointing by most critics, even Schwarzenegger. It's not surprising they would choose to ignore those films. I find that it actually helps the film, as it gives you less to remember and keep up with.
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The film begins by showing John Connor (Jason Clarke) leader of the human resistance, helping a young Kyle Reese. The film highlights how Reese and Connor met, as well as showing the two of them bonding through war with the cyborgs. The film revisits the popular "future war" sequences, so you do get your share of that. I do wish the film could have spent even more time in that time period, but the film would be 3 hours long. Knowing the popularity of sequels now, I wouldn't be surprised if we see a future war sequel. After the backstory of the time travel is explored, you follow Kyle Reese as he travels back into the 80's to save Sarah Connor. Since most Terminator fans have seen the films, they know what is going to happen next. But thanks to the uncertainty that is time, things are totally mixed up and multiple timelines are mixing. It's a big "what if" terminator adventure. Sarah Connor joins up with Kyle Reese to battle the T-1000, T-800, Skynet, and more. The two of them are accompanied by the fan favorite T-800 "Guardian" (Schwarzenegger). Things are just a bit different this time around, as the machine has dawned the role of Sarah Connor's father! Pops Terminator is born and we get to see an entirely different take on the iconic character. The relationship between Sarah (Emilia Clarke) and Pops is quite endearing and adds a nice layer to the story. You find yourself caring about the machine just as much as you did in the second film. The T-800 also has a few noticeable changes this time around. The biggest of which would be his aging. Since the tissue remained on the endoskeleton, it continued to age like human skin would. This leads us to Old Terminator. I actually LOVE this aspect of the film, and i'm so glad they went this direction. It adds a level to the character that is slightly satirical. As if the writers say "hey...look we know Arnie is old, but he is still badass". There is even a scene in which Arnold has problems with his "old joints".
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As with most time travel films, the three main characters encounter a slew of mishaps with timelines and "what if" scenarios. It provides a nonstop adrenaline ride through time. You get to see appearances by some of your favorite Terminator characters including the T-1000 (Byung-hun Lee), The Dyson family, and an absolutely stunning CGI incarnation of 80's Schwarzenegger as the Terminator. The CGI is almost flawless in that scene and puts the Salvation CGI Arnold to shame. I was very pleased with the work there. We also get to see Jason Clarke explore a very creepy side of John Connor that we never thought we'd see. He does a great job and brings a truly eerie vibe to the role. I also enjoyed Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor. I feel like the fans reacted negatively to a lot of the recasts because they are young actors and they are unproven, but this casting was no mistake. Emilia brings bravado to the role of Sarah Connor and in a few cases sounds like a clone of young Hamilton. There are more than a couple shots in the film that reminded me of Hamilton. Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese was serviceable in the role. I didn't love him but I didn't hate him. I found his acting to be better than his performance in the newest Die Hard. He is given a totally different path than the original Kyle Reese, so I think it's best not to compare his performance to that of Biehn's in the original. The last remaining role worth discussing would be J.K. Simmons, hot off the award winning Whiplash. He plays a nerdy cop of some sort that works with Skynet. He is one of the only humans smart enough to figure out that time travel is real, and that the terminators exist. He does a great job and provides some memorable moments. He unfortunately disappears for the latter part of the film, so don't get too excited about his appearance.
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One thing about the film I really appreciated was it's bit of commentary. In the near future, it shows a world totally consumed by technology. Not just computers, but it shows most humans glued to some type of Ipad tablet device. It even goes as far as showing doctors, nurses, and mechanics staring at them while working. It's a nice little bit of commentary on the modern society and the direction it is heading in. Connor and Reese even point out the absurdity of it. The film also addresses aging, and doesn't try to hide or ignore Arnie's age. I found myself connecting with Sarah Connor and her relationship to the Terminator as a father. He was getting older and he would try to ignore it, so he would not upset her. It's the father figure role from <i>Terminator 2</i>, revisited in an entirely different way. It finds itself to be almost as effective.
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The film does have a few drawbacks, but they are minor. The dialogue seems wooden at first but you can tell the cast grew comfortable with each other as the film progressed. By the end of the film I feel like the characters were really connecting as a family. I was also happy with the way the director and writers handled the time travel. It was quick and fast, but not insulting or brainless. The film even pokes fun at itself by having the characters argue about paradoxes. There are a few moments that rubbed me the wrong way such as Sarah jamming to "I wanna be sedated". Part of me wanted to hear some Guns N' Roses or Dwight Yoakam! Unfortunately a big negative for this film is the soundtrack. The score has some familiar beats at the beginning, but quickly loses its way. The tracks float towards generic action music, and I don't remember any particular beat that stood out. It's a real disappointment as the music is often a strong point of the Terminator films.
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Overall I found <i>Terminator Genisys</i> to be an interesting and fun addition to the series. I would definitely rank this film above the likes of Terminator 3 and Salvation. I found the characters to be endearing and well acted. I do feel like it came off a bit hammy at times considering they are playing established characters, but it works. About half way through the film I found myself really liking the old Arnie Terminator. Schwarzenegger really nailed it and is the center of most highlights in this film. I was also pleased with how Matt Smith was used in the film, but since this is a spoiler free review I will not comment further on that. If you're one of the many internet fans worried about the trailers that spoiled plot points, don't fret because there is still plenty of meat on the bone. I found myself surprised with several parts of the film. I would definitely recommend this film. Go into the film expecting to have fun. At the end of the day that's what robots fighting people is all about.
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</center>Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-79279168141073252972015-06-16T18:45:00.000-05:002015-06-16T18:45:15.645-05:00Jurassic World ReviewWritten by Stu Cooper
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This past weekend dinosaurs invaded your local cinema and Colin Trevorrow's Jurassic World was released. The film stomped the box office, raking in over 500 million dollars worldwide! The toy lines are lining your local Toys R' Us and there is a Lego game adaptation being released this week. This film marks the fourth entry in the series, but serves as a direct sequel to the original. The film completely disregards the events of 2 and 3.
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Jurassic World takes place 22 years after the original. The park and technology has advanced beyond anything Hammond could have imagined in the first installment. The park itself has gotten a massive upgrade which includes a petting zoo, a shark feeding show, and a brand new breed of dinosaur! Geneticists that work for the park decided to mix the DNA of various dinosaurs, creating the Indominous Rex. The Indominous Rex serves as a new attraction, which the park owner's hope will boost dwindling attendance. Unfortunately for park attendees, the chaos theory returns and dinosaurs escape.
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The film revolves around Owen (Chris Pratt), a raptor trainer and ex-navy soldier who serves as the stories Han Solo. He is reluctant to help serve the park's leaders and does not support the new dinosaur idea. While Owen does not seem to enjoy working for Jurassic World, he does enjoy the bond he shares with the raptors. Not only does Owen bond with the raptors, but he gives them orders, which they follow! It's pretty cool to see a human working with raptors, but the cgi kind of takes away from any real threat element to Pratt when he is close to them. They are often not even in the same shots together.
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While the focus of the film is mostly on Pratt's character, the other main characters are of course...helpless children. Two brothers named Gray and Zach are visiting the park with their nanny when all the sudden chaos ensues. The children find themselves trapped in the middle of it, much like the original film. The boys are also there visiting their aunt, who happens to be the manager of the park. Her name is Claire, played by the absolutely gorgeous Bryce Dallas Howard. She also has some kind of past relationship with Owen (Pratt). The four of them end up going on an adventure through the park, trying to escape the clutches of the Indominous Rex.
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Another part of the story revolves around the evil human element of this world. Not only are dinosaurs a threat, but a private military organization called InGen is trying to get their hands on the trained raptors. The leader of the group is played by Vincent D'onofrio, who plans to use the raptors for military attacks. He partners up with the evil geneticist played by B.D. Wong. The geneticist is actually the only reoccurring character from the original. Which is odd because the character was not sinister in the original. He seems to be corrupted by the power that creating dinos has given him.
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After chaos ensues and dinosaurs escape, we follow Claire and Owen as they go on a search for the two children. Pratt and Howard's chemistry is questionable. They seem to be channeling a classic Han Solo/Leia vibe. Unfortunately it doesn't seem too real, which becomes a problem through out the film. Claire is an upper class cold business woman and Owen is the down and dirty animal trainer. The film plays up the whole “we are from different worlds” love story. It feels somewhat forced, but both actors are beautiful people so naturally audiences don't mind.
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The two children involved in the film are one of the films weak points. I found them to be extremely bland and annoying. The older brother is very unlikable and really does nothing in the film to show he is someone you should root for. The younger brother is harmless and serves as the child spirit of the film. Sadly I think the child actor was a little too excited in some scenes, and looks like he is about to laugh most of the time.
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As for the effects, the dinosaurs look absolutely stunning and rather realistic. I would say the Indominous Rex is the most unrealistic looking dinosaur, but what can you expect when the creature doesn't actually exist. The T-Rex and raptors return and look just as stunning as the originals.
You also get to see a parade of various breeds of dinosaurs as the film tours the park.
It actually feels like you're at some type of “what if” futuristic Disney. In this world, lions and tigers are old news and dinos are the new attraction.
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While the film was beautiful and served as a great homage to the original, it wasn't without it's problems. I found the two child characters to be boring and the film spends a lot of time on them, which grows tiresome. I just have to remember that ultimately this is a children's movie and children relate to child actors.
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I also found the love story between Claire and Owen to be superficial and by the book. It really serves no purpose other than a reason for the four of these people to be in the same room. I will say I really loved Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire, who played the cold boss perfectly. The only objection I had to her character was that she wore heels the entire time, despite the fact that she is literally running from a T-Rex. She must have some major balance skills!
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The score of the film was a refreshing rehash of the original tunes. The film inserted the theme song into a few scenes, some of which fit, some didn't. I remember thinking the first time the song cues up, it was a tad awkward and forced. Regardless, I'm glad the original theme is back.
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The film certainly had it's ups and downs, but I think it really served it's purpose. It's the best sequel and a worthy addition to the franchise. It's a solid sequel/reboot for a new generation of kids. The children of the original Jurassic Park fans are the ones going to the theaters, so you can't help but feel a little nostalgic watching it. The park itself almost seemed like a satirical take on the original film. You have a character that makes merchandising references and you have the crew of the park creating a BIGGER, BADDER dinosaur because “the attendees demand it”. You could say the whole thing is satire on the genre. The films tone is all over the place. You see a peak of darkness in a particular death scene, but overall the film is very light. Most of the violence comes in the form of combat between two or more dinosaurs. I'm certainly not complaining about seeing that!
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When you think third sequel in a franchise, you think chances are the film will not be very good. However, my early impressions of Jurassic World were very positive given the impressive trailers and the youthful talented cast. I was going into this film fully ready to experience another trip to Isla Nublar, and I didn't leave disappointed. Jurassic World is a nonstop adventure through a parallel universe where dinosaurs have replaced apes and whales at the zoo.
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Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-41606546094387813512015-03-29T16:03:00.001-05:002015-03-29T16:03:30.515-05:00WWF Wrestlemania (NES 1988) ReviewWritten by Stu Cooper
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Today the WWE will be presenting WWE Wrestlemania 31 on PPV and the WWE Network. 31 years of the biggest wrestling show on the planet, but it didn't start that big. Most historians of pro wrestling know that the original Wrestlemania was quite the gamble and the WWE (WWF at the time) didn't really know if it would work or not. It all started with closed circuit TV being aired in local arenas in the New York area. 30 years later, 70,000+ people attend on a yearly basis and the show rivals the Super Bowl in terms of performance and showmanship from entertainers and competitors alike. To celebrate this glorious day I decided to take a look at my NES (Nintendo) collection and pick out the first ever WWF game that was released for a major console. That game was "WWF Wrestlemania" and it was released in 1988.
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WWF Wrestlemania marked the first officially licensed game in the WWF universe. The game was developed by RARE, who would go on to make such classics as Donkey Kong Country and Banjo & Kazooie. The game was published by Acclaim, which was actually the start of a near 20 year relationship with the company. The company would go on to publish all of the WWF's games on home consoles for several years, including the NES follow-up "Wrestlemania Challenge". The game was released right before Wrestlemania 4 and was released to hype the event. The game itself carries a Wrestlemania 3 theme tho. It features the tagline from that event "Bigger. Better. Badder." despite the fact that this makes no sense in context of gaming, since this is their first attempt. The game itself bares little resemblance to Wrestlemania 3 other than the cover, which is a photo from that time period, and the fact that in the game Hulk Hogan is the only wrestler that actually possesses the ability to bodyslam Andre The Giant. Kind of a neat design note there.
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The game features six unique wrestlers, all of which were quite popular at the time of the game's release. The six wrestlers are Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, The Honky Tonk Man, Bam Bam Bigelow, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase, and this year's Hall of Fame inductee "Macho Man" Randy Savage! To quote Macho, they certainly picked the "cream of the crop" for this game. The roster while small is certainly memorable. If you are a wrestling fan and you aren't a fan of at least one of these guys, something is wrong. Each wrestler features a little image and profile on the character select screen. You get to see the basic stats of the wrestler and it even lists the wrestlers manager if they had one. For Bam Bam it lists "Oliver Humperdink" as his Manager, for Million Dollar Man it lists "Virgil", for Honky it lists "Colonel Jimmy Hart". Pretty neat but would have been even better if they had a little 8 bit version of the manager cheering you on in between matches, similar to the coach in Tyson's Punchout.
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Each wrestler has a set of pretty basic moves consisting of punches, kicks, bodyslams, elbow drops, leg drops, etc. In terms of unique moves some wrestlers like Macho Man have alternate moves. Macho will use his elbows more and also does his top rope elbow drop. Bam Bam does lots of kicks and even does a little cartwheel. Hogan actually possesses the power to bodyslam Andre and that is a feat that no other player in the game can do. The game lets each wrestler do a top rope move, but Andre and Bam Bam (despite him doing moonsaults) cannot climb the rope. There is no outside ring action or finishers unfortunately. Despite the lack of depth in the game, there are a few little bonus things that make the game interesting. Each wrestler will start to glow red if they are losing, and that can cause the wrestler to be angry which increases the damage of each move. Also some wrestlers have little bonus icons that appear inside the ring throughout the match. Each item that appears is representative of that wrestler. For example Hogan has a crucifix that appears and Honky Tonk man has a guitar that appears!
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There isn't many options in terms of gameplay. You can basically either play one on one, fight a friend, or run through the 5 other wrestlers for the title. The atmosphere and venue of the match unfortunately never changes. You can beat the game in a matter of minutes, so longevity and replay value is limited. Given the time the game came out tho, I would have been happy with it if I was under the age of 10. The highlight of the game really comes from the sound. Each wrestler has a nice rendering of their theme song in the game, so you get a chance to jam out to "Pomp and Circumstance" or the "Real American" theme without a problem. The theme song to the game is also quite catchy. Where the game really fails is the level design and lack of depth. You basically wrestle inside of a giant black box the entire game, and if you beat the game with every wrestler, you are left with nothing to do. If you are like me and don't have many friends who actually like wrestling, you would be stuck playing 1 player most of the time.
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WWF Wrestlemania for the NES is memorable mostly because of it's licensing and not because of the game itself. It's a fun collectible for wrestling fans, but there are far better NES wrestling games out there. In fact, "Pro Wrestling" for NES predated this game and it's much better. That game actually features tons of moves, but no licensed wrestlers. I wouldn't recommend this one unless you are looking for a quick 80's WWF nostalgia trip. Regardless, it's a decent way to celebrate Wrestlemania and kill some time before the event begins!
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Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-16798572609630641672014-11-22T18:47:00.000-06:002014-11-22T18:58:24.993-06:00Nightcrawler (2014) ReviewWritten by Stu Cooper
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The last film I had a chance to see in theaters was a little gem called "Nightcrawler" starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, and Bill Paxton. The film was written and directed by Dan Gilroy. Gilroy had previously worked on Real Steel, The Fall, The Bourne franchise and many other pictures. The film made it's debut at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this year but premiered nationally on Halloween Day. The Halloween day release would prove appropriate for this crime thriller, but more on that later. The film just left my local theater but if you have a discount theater or Alamo Drafthouse theater you may still be able to catch it. The film proved to be a character departure for the clean cut Gyllenhaal. It would prove to be one of his most bizzare, and memorable roles.
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"Nightcrawler" tells the story of a lonely psychopath who is looking for some direction in life. Louis Bloom, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is a bizarre unhinged introvert who is desperately searching for a purpose. He steals fence chain and mugs people to get by, but he is clearly searching for something more. Something that could prove more profitable. After being rejected when trying to get a conventional job, it's not until witnessing a car accident that Bloom gets his idea. Bloom witnesses a car accident and as the police try to save the victim from the flaming vehicle, a cameraman looms over the accident. The man films the victim screaming and almost burning up, without a bit of remorse. This gets the of attention of Bloom who begins to question the man. He finds out the cameraman (played by Paxton) is what the journalism world refers to as a "Nightcrawler". He listens to police scanners and tries to arrive at incidents in time to film the gory outcomes. It's a rather despicable job by most peoples standards, but Bloom is intrigued.
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After being inspired by the local crew, Bloom sets out to start his own "Nightcrawler" operation. He starts off stealing a bicycle and trading it in for a camera. He attempts to film some local accidents, but ultimately fails due to inexperience and poor equipment. It's not until Bloom captures a rather gruesome death that he gains momentum. He sells the gruesome footage to a local news producer, played by Rene Russo. Russo encourages him to bring in more footage like that to get more money. This leads Bloom down a dangerous path of a bizarre nature. Bloom progressively evolves into an even bigger psychopath who has a fancy for filming the dead. Like all psychopaths Bloom finds a way to be charismatic and uses that to get what he wants. Bloom hires a helper named Rick who he immediately exploits. Rick is down on his luck and basically homeless, so he is easily manipulated.
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After continuing to film gruesome events, Bloom's stock begins to rise. Bloom upgrades his equipment and continues to up the ante. Bloom blurs the lines of morality and journalism with every thing he films. The news producer also continues to encourage him, despite knowing the sadistic nature of what she's paying for. There is another producer who objects to the whole thing, but he doesn't have any pull and immediately gets shut down. A massive real life commentary on how news and professional journalism works. It brings to light a dark side of the media that people don't like to think about.
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With his increasing popularity Bloom turns into an egotistical monster. It's quite the sight to behold. There is some amazing monologues from Gyllanhaal. The interactions between Gyllenhaal and Russo are chilling. There is also a moment when Bloom stares at himself in the mirror and shatters it in frustration. Saying that his character is unhinged is the understatement of the year. As with most movie psychos, this makes for great cinema. It actually reminds me a lot of Robin Williams in "One Hour Photo", mixed with Christian Bale in "American Psycho".
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I was pretty underwhelmed with Bill Paxton's role in the film but I was very impressed with Riz Ahmed. Bloom's assistant Rick was a pretty likable character, and you could see how someone in his situation could be manipulated by someone like Bloom. You can't help but root for the guy to get out of the situation before he is corrupted. Russo plays the heartless News Producer very well. There is some great stuff between her and Gyllanhaal, highlighted by a disturbing sexual situation that I won't spoil. Overall the cast works together smoothly, but it is definitely the Jake Gyllenhaal show!
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The film says a lot about the current state of journalism, and that's the scariest thing about it. It's no shock to anyone who watches FoxNews,CNN,Access Hollywood, E! News, local news, etc. that sex and violence is what sells. In this case, it focuses on the violence. It's all about the saddest thing that happened that day. In some cases the news actually exploits death and unfortunate events. People get paid thousands of dollars to report and film this kind of thing. There is also something to be said for the growing popularity in the past decade of paparazzi. Whether it's the death of Princess Diana or the idea that someone like Kim Kardashian is famous enough that people flock to her while she is grocery shopping. The Bloom character sees all of this, and sees dollar signs. He is able to make a cold separation and rake in the dough. That is absolutely psychopathic, but totally realistic. I wouldn't be surprised if many journalists are equally as twisted. That's what makes this film particularly scary and effective.
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The cinematography in the film is quite impressive. It displays the lonesome ambient tone of the film that fits Bloom's character. You also get a sense of that hip "DRIVE" feeling anytime Gyllanhaal is out driving at night. There is some great driving cam footage with some impressive car mount cameras. I remember noting to the person I went with that some of the car shots had to be very difficult to get. The camera view is a switch between first person POV to normal style, which can be a bit jarring. That style proves effective in the last act of the film when there is a gigantic car chase. It feels like a rollercoaster at some points.
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Lastly I'd like to talk about Gyllenhaal's performance. Gyllenhaal brought a new kind of character to the table, at least for him. He often plays the hero or the protagonist, so it was cool to see him as a villain. Gyllenhaal also lost 30 pounds for this role, just to look extra creepy. Gyllanhaal also reportedly shadowed real life Night Crawlers in preparation for the role. He goes the extra mile to fulfill the role and it shows. He plays the perfect long gangly creeper. If anything I was left wanting to see MORE of this character and his story. The ending of the film is quite up in the air, and leaves you wanting more. I would suggest everybody check this one out, and see for yourself. "Nightcrawler" was a excellent film and I would highly recommend it.
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</center>Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-49915782144260774582014-10-31T11:09:00.001-05:002014-10-31T11:09:57.580-05:0031 Days of Monster Mania: Day 21: BEETLEJUICEWritten by Stu Cooper
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We are breaking into the final 10 entries in Monster mania, and before we know it Halloween will be over. Let's all give one collective sigh right now. Have no fear tho, you are in good hands. Today I am talking about one of the most iconic horror films of all-time. This film came out of the mind of Tim Burton and into the hearts of pretty much every human being who has seen it. This film launched Michael Keaton into mainstream success and led to him playing Batman. Today's entry is all about the ghost with the most, "BEETLEJUICE"!
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"Beetlejuice" came out in March 1988. The film was a critical and financial success across the board. The film had a 15 million dollar budget and made over 70 million in the box office. The film was Directed by Tim Burton and it absolutely shows. The music is also provided by Danny Elfman. With those two teaming up, you can't fail. "Beetlejuice" stars Michael Keaton as a bio-exorcist dead guy who tricks newly dead souls into requesting his help. He is somewhat like an evil genie. Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara (Gina Davis) are two townspeople who recently died in an accident, and are still inhabiting their home. New residents move into the house and the couple decides to seek out the help of Beetlejuice (Keaton).
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The couple of Adam and Barbara are what you would consider the modern middle class happy couple. They seem to live in a very small town where everyone knows your name, and they own some type of local store. They live in a absolutely beautiful home on top of this hill. The home is shaped very bizarrely, almost warped. Part of that Tim Burton style charm you will see throughout the film. The couple die when their car goes off a bridge. Not realizing they are dead the couple head back to their home and after a series of tests, they come to realize they are no longer alive. Upon realizing this Adam actually finds a book called "Guide to the Recently Deceased" which supposedly tells them all they need to know. The book is overly complicated and the couple gets very confused about where to go from there. They then meet their undead counselor, and she tells them NOT to contact Beetlejuice, and to scare the residents out of the house.
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Adam and Barbara attempt to scare the new residents out of the house, but they quickly realize the people cannot actually see them. With one exception, the daughter. The incredibly dark depressed daughter is played by the classic Winona Ryder. She plays Lydia Deetz. She for whatever reason can actually see the ghosts, and later on she can see Beetlejuice. Her depressive dark side must be so powerful that it actually attracts the dead. That's quite bizarre, but you will have no issues rolling with it. Lydia immediately finds Adam and Barbara endearing and cooler than her actual parents. Lydia agrees to help the two ghosts find a way to scare off the new residents. After some failed attempts the couple gives in and calls upon Beetlejuice. What ensues after this point in the film is pure madness. Michael Keaton's opening monologues as Beetlejuice are some of the most unforgettable lines in movie history. I can't tell you how many times I've quoted some of the things Beetlejuice says. Beetlejuice immediately seems creepy and perverted, but hilarious. The couple seem to immediately regret calling him for help. They see him do some pretty gross stuff but they have no choice. They inform him of the current situation and he offers his help.
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The new couple inhabiting the house is played by Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones, two memorable 80's comedy actors. They would be accompanied throughout the film by their fashion and poltergeist guru friend Otho played by Glenn Shadix. The three of them together absolutely personify greed and 80's yuppie lifestyle. You find them very easy to hate, and it's easy to root for Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice wrecks a dinner party via dance routine, chases them in the form of a snake, and even puts on a little horror show for them. While mostly petrified, the couple actually find a way to spin this into a chance to make money, and they propose building the town on the fact that there are ghosts everywhere.
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After Lydia sees what happens and the couple fails at their attempts to scare off the new residents, all hope seems to be lost. At this point the yuppie couple begins shopping out the town to various potential investors, and at one point they have over several guests to perform a summoning of sorts. Otho reads the book for the recently deceased and decides to give this undead thing a shot. He performs a spell that causes Adam and Barbara to resurrect in physical form. Unfortunately for them it's zombie physical form and their bodies are decaying. The couple and Otho show they actually have a heart and immediately regret doing this, but it's too late, the spell can't be stopped. Lydia is forced to call upon Beetlejuice for help, on one condition. She must marry him. She quickly agrees to save her friends lives, and Beetlejuice returns to action. Beetlejuice quickly disposes of the guests, two of which I'm pretty sure he kills. He makes the awful art work of the mother come alive and take the couple hostage. At this point a wedding is being performed. Adam and Barbara appear to be going back to their normal selves but aren't able to stop Beetlejuice. It seems that Beetlejuice has won until Barbara storms into the room on a sandworm and essentially knocks Beetlejuice back into the dead world.
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After the insane events that take place, the yuppie couple agrees to live in harmony with Adam and Barbara. Lydia adopts them as a second set of parents, and celebrates by communicating with the dead some more. It's a really bizarre film, but somehow it works. The film has an incredibly unique look and the acting is so spot on, you don't question it for a second. Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice is one of the best film performances in history. You don't think about it being him at all, and the lines are so good you believe in him. The little nods or dances that Keaton does while in character are even good. The dance Beetlejuice does into the zombie brothel is one of my favorite parts. It's truly a classic film full of great one liners, insane dream like sets, and a unique concept. The film also had great make-up effects, so much so that it actually won the film an Academy Award for Best Make-up! Also a side note to indicate how lovable this film is, the actor who played Otho sadly passed away in 2010, but at his funeral he actually requested that they play "Day-O" from his famous Beetlejuice scene. Talk about one last tribute! That had to be a moving experience.
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The film would see so much success that it would even spawn a cartoon and several toy lines. There was also a video game for the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) but it was horrible, so I wouldn't recommend it. The cartoon was a bit different than the film and the character's perverted side was obviously toned down. Beetlejuice actually uses curse words at one point in the film, so i'm surprised the reception for the cartoon was so positive. Different times, different rules I guess!
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Overall the film itself is an absolute gem in every way possible. You have one of those mysterious winning combinations that really stands the test of time. I've watched this movie countless times and I always laugh. The attention to detail in the film is great, especially in the waiting room scenes. You get to see all sorts of people who died of different things, stuck in their form of death. You have a guy smoking cigarettes who is all burnt up, you have a guy who works in the file room because he is flat as paper, and you have the couples legal council who has a slit throat where smoke comes out when she inhales. It's all so brilliant and fun. It really makes you think of this whole universe of the undead where everything is goofy. I can't recommend this film enough, it's a Halloween home run!
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</center>Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-35881288495730883522014-10-30T00:04:00.000-05:002014-10-30T00:28:13.670-05:0031 Days of Monster Mania: Day 20: ConstantineWritten by Stu Cooper
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It's time to hit the road and get on the highway to hell with NBC's "Constantine"! The new series made it's debut this past Friday and it was just in time for the Halloween season. The series is separate from the film and comic series, opting to create it's own universe. The pilot episode was directed by Neil Marshall and written by Daniel Cerone & David S. Goyer. The title of the first episode was "Non Est Asylum". Matt Ryan stars as "John Constantine" an exorcist and ghost whisperer of sorts. He is followed by an angel named Manny played by Harold Perrineau.
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The first episode revolves around Constantine dealing with the aftermath of a botched exorcism. During the exorcism a young girl was taken by a demon, and Constantine could not save her. He has never forgiven himself, and is apparently doomed to go to hell. He decides to use his remaining time on earth to battle demons and exorcise them from the earth. Manny the Angel plays a helper who likes to rudely remind him of his doomed fate.
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The show opens with Constantine admitting himself to an asylum. He is drugged up and goes through therapy, trying to purge himself of his illness and sadness. He seems to consider his life a burden instead of the typical super hero approach. He is definitely a reluctant super hero. He is freed from the asylum after encountering a demon. At this point the show introduces his cab driver Chas who proves to be a special individual later in the show.
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Constantine later meets the daughter of his old friend Jasper. Jasper has passed away but left a medallion with magical powers. Constantine gives the medallion to Jasper's daughter Liv. At first Liv struggles to believe all of this mystical stuff and writes John off as crazy. Soon Liv sees first hand the power of the demons around her and she has no choice but to believe. This leads to a team-up between Liv and Constantine. Throughout the episode we see Constantine teach Liv different terms and ideas in the demon world. He shows her how to detect demon activity, essentially helping her fight it. He also shares with her the story of Astra, the girl he lost to the Devil. Astra becomes a regular character in the thoughts of John.
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A big staple of the Constantine prior to the series was the cigarette smoking, but you will notice right off the bat that this incarnation does not feature that. I suppose it was NBC's conscious decision to be overly sensitive and politically correct. The problem is, the smoking is important. In the film Constantine gets lung cancer and that's how he meets his fate, and I believe something similar happens in the comics. It will be interesting to see how they fill that void in the character. Overall tho I was pleased with the portrayal of the character. He has a bit of a "Doctor Who" element to him which may turn some off. I actually told my friend that he looks like a evil Gordon Ramsey. Only time will tell whether his character is good or not. Not a bad start. The effects are also well done, and when you see John finally use his power it's a really cool sight to see.
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Overall the quality of the show was quite impressive and goes well with something like "Grimm". It's fairly light on the violence and may seem tame compared to the comic and the previous film. It's more of a CW kind of show. I would be surprised if this show ended up being edgey. Only time will tell and I'll stick around to find out. The characters are interesting and who doesn't want to see a man fight demons? It's not too late to jump into the series. It's on Friday nights on NBC so check it out, just in time for the Halloween season!
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Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-16764612254901758212014-10-28T16:55:00.001-05:002014-10-28T17:25:16.985-05:00Monster Mania Day 19: Bordello of BloodWritten by Stu Cooper
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Day 19 in the Monster Mania review-a-thon is once again about "Tales From The Crypt"! The series returned to the cinema again in "Bordello of Blood". The film was the second in a planned trilogy. Unfortunately due to poor box office reception the third film was straight to dvd and had little to do with the universe. "Bordello of Blood" was heavy on the comedy and was not nearly as scary as "Demon Knight". I think that was the cause for the poor box office numbers and the bad reviews. I myself find this film quite enjoyable and a solid entry in the Cryptkeeper's book of tales. Let's dive into this film and talk about why it's worthy of Monster Mania!
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"Bordello of Blood" starred Dennis Miller, Angie Everhart, Corey Feldman and Erika Eleniak. The film was released in August 1996 and made about 5.5 million total gross in theaters. The film was once again independent from the comics, but still an entry into the cryptkeeper's universe. The story was written by Bob Gale with some contribution by series creator William Gaines.
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"Bordello of Blood" is a vampire movie at it's core. The film tells the story of an ancient vampire prostitute by the name of Lilith. This "Lilith" is a reference to the mother of all vampires. A scumbag version of Indiana Jones known as Vincent travels to the jungle with his associates in search of Lilith. Once he finds her tomb, he takes a key full of blood (the same one from Demon Knight) and pours it on Lilith's dead skeleton. This causes the skeleton to regenerate, and it attacks all of the migrant workers that got conned into helping Vincent. After she eats a few guys she regenerates her entire figure, which happens to be an extremely hot red headed woman. Vincent uses the key to keep her under control. She is deathly afraid of the key. This sticks with the demon theme established in "Demon Knight".
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We are then introduced to Catherine and Caleb Verdoux, two local residents who are brother and sister. Caleb is a rebellious punk rocker type played by Corey Feldman. Caleb heads out to the local hole in the wall bar with some of his friends. While getting drunk and acting like total morons, the group is confronted by a skiddish biker who tells them there is a local brothel that the boys should checkout. Caleb and one other friend are the only ones interested in going. The two of them head out to the brothel, and it turns out the location is a funeral parlor. The boys knock on the door and are welcomed in by a igor-esque mortician. The mortician is a servant of Lilith's who lures them into the brothel. The boys are confronted with an army of beautiful lustful women and they see many other local gentlemen engaging the women. The two of them break off with women of their choosing only to be confronted by Lilith. Lilith then exposes her true intentions when she begins eating the boys alive! She LITERALLY eats one of their hearts out. It's quite a disturbing visual moment. For whatever reason she decides to keep Caleb alive, and he becomes a vampire minion of hers. I have to admit the brothel cover is quite clever and would totally work. Men get stupid when surrounded by beautiful women, and there are a lot of horny men out there. That's a lot of meals.
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After her brother goes missing Catherine decides to approach the police. The police don't offer her much help so she enlists the aid of a goofy private detective named Rafe Guttman. Rafe is incredibly sarcastic, witty, and curious about the unknown. He offers to help Catherine track down her brother and that's where the real story begins. Rafe follows a trail of bread crumbs around the town which leads him to the brothel.
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Meanwhile Catherine goes to work at a church. This is where we meet Reverend Current. Current is a corrupt self righteous televangelist and Catherine is his assistant. He cuts really cheesy sermons and often performs music while having giant lasers shot out around him. He is about as hammy as it gets. The thing that makes Current so great is the casting. He is played by horror icon Chris Sarandon who played Jerry Dandridge in the original "Fright Night". You find yourself rooting for his character despite him being a horrible human being. As the film progresses we find out that Reverend Current is so corrupt that he is even involved in Lilith and Vincent's plan. The Reverend craves more exposure, which is exactly what he would get if he confronted and dealt with the world's first vampire.
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Rafe invades the brothel and barely escapes with his life. He goes to warn Catherine and the two of them team up. Meanwhile Lilith manipulates Vincent into destroying the key, which now makes Lilith immortal. Rafe and Catherine are eventually confronted by the vampire version of Caleb. He attacks Rafe and Catherine, and captures Catherine.
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Rafe is caught by the police and locked up. Shortly after Reverend Current helps out Rafe and seeks forgiveness for being selfish. He vows to help Rafe defeat the vampires and repents for his wrongdoings. The two of them fill up squirt guns with holy water and lead an assault on the brothel. What happens beyond that point is an absolute bloodbath set to "Ballroom Blitz". It's a really fun scene in a fun film. After battling the army of vampire prostitutes Rafe and Current are confronted by Lilith. I don't want to spoil of the ending of the film, it is a gory bloodbath with a sprinkle of fun.
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"Bordello of Blood" is the epitome of cheesy horror. The film is incredibly goofy and gory. You get to see some pretty twisted stuff that exists in a rather silly universe. Dennis Miller delivers most of his lines as if it's stand up, but you don't really care because he is battling hot vampires and Corey Feldman. Let's also not forget that Feldman played The Frog Brother in "The Lost Boys" so there is a bit of irony in his role. Angie Everhart as Lilith is truly unforgettable. She has no acting experience, and she doesn't need much, but what lines she does have are delivered well. She oozes sex appeal and is incredibly intimidating. You really get the vibe that she is a mature woman who has seen and done a lot of things. Most red blooded males would fall for her tricks, so that makes her a pretty scary villain in my eyes. The scares themselves are few and far between. The scare factor is mostly gore related. "Demon Knight" had a very dark subplot and a dark vibe, where as "Bordello of Blood" is almost like a Simpson's Treehouse of Horror tale. The tone of the film is borderline slapstick. Despite it's change in tone, I loved the movie. I'm actually sad that it performed badly because a third entry in theaters would have been nice. If you're a fan of "Tales from The Crypt" and horror comedies, this would be a great choice.
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Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-60082101335379900582014-10-26T19:39:00.001-05:002014-10-26T19:40:38.907-05:0031 Days of Monster Mania: Day 18: Demon KnightWritten by Stu Cooper
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It's time to meet up with one of my favorite characters in horror history, The Cryptkeeper! Last year I talked about some of my favorite "Tales From The Crypt" episodes but this year I'm going to address some of the feature films that the series created. The first "Tales From The Crypt" feature was known as "Demon Knight". The script was originally written almost 2 years before the show had even started, but it had been bounced around by multiple directors, never truly finding a home until Joel Silver got it. The film was initially supposed to be part of a Three-Part trilogy, but the other scripts weren't strong enough. "Demon Knight" was the only one out of the original 3 to get made. The other two proposed were called "Body Count" and "Dead Easy". Those two never made it to production and instead they made "Bordello of Blood" and "Ritual" as the follow-ups. The film was directed by Ernest Dickerson and released in January 1995, though the original intention was to release the film Halloween of 1994. The film stars William Sadler, Billy Zane, and Jada Pinkett Smith. The film also co-stars horror familiar Dick Miller, and Thomas Hayden Church.
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"Demon Knight" tells the story of a man on the run from a demon. The demon wants an item that the man has in his possession, and he will do anything to obtain it. The film starts off with "The Collector" played by Billy Zane chasing a man named Brayker (Sadler). The two are involved in a high speed chase on the freeway which leads to a massive car crash. Brayker barely escapes with his life, while "The Collector" walks away with ease. Brayker goes to the nearest building he can find which happens to be a old crusty hotel full of colorful low-life individuals. The apprehensive hotel staff let Brayker stay there. This is when we are introduced to Jeryline (Pinkett) who is the rude degraded assistant at the hotel. She is apparently stuck there having to scrub the floors and clean up the beds (even after the prostitute is done with them). The film focuses heavily on Brayker, but also on the Jeryline character. Brayker joins some of the locals for dinner and that is when the hotel staff begin to suspect something is up with the guy. Soon after "The Collector" gathers the help of the police and tells them Brayker stole a very expensive item from him, and he aims to get it back.
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After being introduced to a cast of misfits such as the disgruntled Postman (Charles Fleischer), the local prostitute (Brenda Bakke), the hotel Manager Irene (CCH Pounder) and many more, we get a true sense of the tone of this film. It's very slapstick in it's nature, but balances the slapstick with brutality. We get to know each of the guests in the hotel in some way or another. The postman goes on depressive rants, the prostitute shows she wants love but can't find it, Jeryline shows she wants an adventurous life. They each have some type of wish or hope.
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When "The Collector" arrives at the hotel in search of Brayker, he uses the hopes and dreams of each individual against them. The Collector disposes of the police once he locates Brayker and the story escalates rather quickly from that point on. He makes it clear to the inhabitants of the hotel that Brayker possesses some type of antique key that he needs, and he is willing to grant any desire to obtain it. We find out through a series of conversations between Brayker and the hotel people that he is a chosen guardian. He is the guardian of the key. The key he is guarding actually contains the blood of Christ. It doesn't get anymore serious than that. I'd like to see somebody bring that thing into the Pawn Stars shop! The key seems to contain a semi-infinite amount of blood as long as it's in a guardian's hands. The blood can be used to created locked gates on property. If you put the blood on a doorway, it essentially blocks that doorway from allowing any demons inside. Brayker uses this to protect himself and the hotel people from The Collector.
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The Collector quickly grows frustrated with the situation and decides to create an army of demons to patrol the hotel and take control of the key. The movie then turns into a zombie survival type situation where everyone is stuck inside the hotel, fighting for their lives against these bizarre demons. The demons themselves look a bit like the crypt keeper, which makes you wonder if they are somehow related to him. That unfortunately is never elaborated on. To provide some levity in the movie, The Collector is actually quite the goofball. Billy Zane plays the part perfectly. He balances a sense of demonic evil with a goofy comedian like persona. He often dances around and makes jokes, while threatening the lives of the humans. He also possesses the power to cause hallucinations, which can lead to possessing or manipulating humans into doing his bidding. He can make the humans see their deepest darkest desires, and he offers them a chance to grant that wish. Of course like any Faust or Devil character, he is full of shit. Any human that falls for his manipulation is doomed. It's up to those with strong will power to defeat The Collector.
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Through out the film we are given some background on Brayker and the key that he has in his possession. We find out that this key contains the blood of christ from his actual crucifixion and the demons were actually present for that moment. The war for good and evil has been waged ever since. If the demons get a hold of the key, they will win the war and essentially conquer humanity. Brayker is one of many in a long line of guardians that have existed since the time of Jesus. He is actually ready to pass on the key to a new guardian, which is where Jada Pinkett comes in. I'm not a huge fan of her, so the fact that she is the next guardian in line didn't do much for me. Her acting is pretty bland, and her character is really obnoxious. You will find yourself wondering what makes her special enough to carry such a heavy burden.
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I don't want to spoil the end result for you, but I will say the film is full of action and classic Faust story telling. It's one part zombie movie and one part "Bedazzled". The supporting characters also provide a lot of fun dialogue, and most of them are good actors. Thomas Hayden Church is always good in whatever he does, and Brenda Bakke is incredibly sexy in her role. William Sadler does a good job playing the role of Brayken and at this point he was actually a "Tales From The Crypt" veteran. He had appeared in a couple episodes, and even appears as The Crypt Keeper's mummified friend in "Bordello of Blood". Sadler is a quality actor and it shows. Billy Zane is the perfect counter for Sadler's serious attitude.
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Overall "Demon Knight" is a fun and entertaining horror movie. I find myself watching the film often, and I never get sick of it. It has a great cast, an interesting story, and a truly kick ass soundtrack. I'd actually recommend picking up the soundtrack by itself. It features a lot of good rap and even some Henry Rollins. Out of the three "Tales from the Crypt" films that were released, this one is by far the best. If you want a spooky story with a little bit of humor, this is an excellent choice.
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It's time for yet another entry in the Monster Mania countdown! Today I'm going back to the vast Trekverse to discuss another creepy Halloween themed Star Trek episode. The episode I will be discussing isn't exactly Halloween themed, but it's the closest thing we will ever get to a live action "Night of the Living Trekkies". For today's entry I'm discussing the Star Trek Enterprise episode "Impulse" which is essentially about Vulcan zombies!
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For those who aren't familiar with Star Trek: Enterprise it's the last Star Trek series to air on television, but timeline wise it's the first. It's a prequel to all the other series, so this is before Picard, and before Kirk. It's essentially about the first group of Starfleet people to explore space. This makes for a pretty interesting series that people seem to either love or hate. The look and feel of the show is far different from it's predecessors. Since it's a prequel a lot of the technology and costumes look different than what we are used to. That rubs some people the wrong way, but I'm pretty neutral about that factor as long as the storytelling is good. The captain of the Enterprise in this incarnation is Scott Bakula who plays Captain Archer. Some of the other crew members include the insanely beautiful Vulcan T'Pol (Jolene Blalock), Engineer Trip Tucker (Connor Trineer), Dr.Phlox (John Billingsly), Hoshi Sato (Linda Park), Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating), and the always smiley Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery). The crew experiences all sorts of first time adventures while in space, but one they couldn't have possibly predicted is an encounter with zombie Vulcans!
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The episode starts with Captain Archer looking battle damaged and he is hauling an irrational acting T'pol into sickbay. There is something seriously wrong with T'pol. She's acting like she is losing her Vulcan mind! Cue Rod Stewart theme tune. Flashback to one day earlier. The crew of the Enterprise receives a distress signal from a Vulcan ship called The Seleya (beautiful name) which was a ship lost in the expanse over 9 months ago. The crew follow the distress signal which leads to an asteroid field full of a rare mineral called trellium. Trip seems to think the Vulcan ship went out into the asteroid field to collect this mineral and something happened. Archer wants to investigate but realizes the Enterprise is too big to navigate through the asteroid field. Archer decides to take the shuttlepod over to the Seleya, he is joined by T'pol and Reed. T'pol reveals that she actually served on the Seleya for over a year as a science officer before joining the Enterprise. She had already left the ship by the time they had gotten stuck in the expanse. The Seleya appeared to become a victim to a "subspace eddy", never to be heard from again. Any ships sent to retrieve them were never heard from again either.
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The shuttlepod makes it to the Vulcan ship, and Hawkins joins the crew as well. Reed, Archer, T'pol, and Hawkins all board the Seleya. T'pol and Archer are investigating some odd biosign readings. After Reed finds trellium and Vulcan blood covering some of the bulkheads. This is obviously not a good sign. Soon after this Archer and T'pol are confronted by a Vulcan who appears crazed. He charges at them with a weapon and takes several phaser shots to dispose of. The Vulcan also appears to have warped skin, as if he has some kind of virus. The crew continues to be attacked by Vulcans throughout the ship, all with the same crazed virus. The Vulcans seem to have lost all sense of reality and logic, bent on killing the crew. The crew uses the stun setting and continues to take out every Vulcan they see. Reed decides to set his phaser to kill, which causes a dispute between him and T'pol. T'pol believes he has no issues killing her people, despite the fact that they could be saved. Archer agrees and orders the crew to continue stunning the Vulcan zombies instead of killing them. The crew realizes that there are 147 Vulcans on board, and they are going to have a serious fight on their hands.
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After battling through several decks, T'pol begins showing signs of the same Vulcan virus the crew of the Seleya have. It becomes Archer's priority to get her help before it's too late. Meanwhile Tucker and Mayweather are using another shuttlepod to mine trellium from a nearby asteroid, which isn't going so well for them. Archer and the crew eventually reach the sickbay of the Seleya where they run into a Vulcan that T'pol knows. The Chief Engineer of the ship, but unfortunately he gives into the madness and is unable to give them any answers. T'pol begins getting irrational and angry, and Archer knows her time is running out. The crew decide to continue battling their way through the Seleya, fighting off Vulcan zombies one by one.
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Meanwhile back on the Enterprise Trip and Mayweather are able to gather the materials they needed from the asteroid, but as a result of their messing around a giant asteroid is now heading directly for the ship. Two asteroids collide in front of the ship and cause a serious delay in any kind of rescue. It's up to Archer and his crew members on the Seleya to save themselves. As they continue battling the zombies, T'pol begins to turn crazy. She starts making lots of snide remarks towards the crew members, including a remark to Archer about his father's failed work. She soon convinces herself that Archer just wants to kill the Vulcans and get revenge against them. She sets her phaser for kill and holds the crew hostage. Thankfully the crew are able to disarm her and subdue her. Archer realizes the only way to free themselves is to override the ship, which would lead to a warp core breach. Archer sends Dr.Phlox some bio information that will allow him to treat T'pol and the crew are rescued at the last minute by Trip and Mayweather. The Seleya explodes. T'pol is treated afterwards but is still haunted by the memories of the zombie Vulcans and feels a bit betrayed by her crew. She felt that it was not necessary to kill all of the infected Vulcans, but they had no choice.
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"Impulse" was a Season 3 episode and by this point we had gotten to know the characters quite well. The crew was actually in the middle of a big story arc with an alien race called The Xindi, but it's not a factor in this episode. The episode originally aired in October 2003, just in time for the Halloween season! The episode itself is pretty one dimension but it's a lot of fun. If you ever wondered what "Night of the Living Vulcans" would be like, this does it justice. It's basic zombie movie scares, but in a Star Trek universe. The one interesting layer of depth to the story would be the psychotic breakdown of T'pol. We get to see T'pol become very emotional, which for a Vulcan is rare. She ends up expressing her true feelings regarding some of the crew members and says some things that can't be taken back. This issue reaches such a heated point that she actually requests that the Captain leave her on the next habitable planet. It provides a pretty interesting element to the bland zombie story we've seen 1,000 times. If you're looking for a good Star Trek Halloween episode, you can't go wrong with "Impulse", even if you aren't an Enterprise fan! Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-43378000290442498822014-10-19T21:22:00.001-05:002014-10-19T21:30:49.104-05:00Film Enimga: 31 Days of Monster Mania: Day 16: Ultimate Spider-man: Web Warriors Halloween SpecialWritten by Stu Cooper
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Last year I covered the Ultimate Spider-man Halloween special which ended up being incredibly entertaining. Last year Spider-man had a run-in with a werewolf,Frankenstein, and Dracula! It will be hard to top that. This year's special is called "Halloween at the Museum" and apparently features an animated version of a Disney show called "Jessie". I don't keep up with modern children's shows other than a few cartoons, so I have no idea who these people are. It really feels like those old Scooby Doo specials where they have a random celebrity appearance like the classic Batman or Harlem Globetrotters. These kids are not quite as cool. Although immediately I notice one of the kids in the group is in a Doctor Octopus costume, which gave me a brief smile.
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The special starts with Jessie and her group touring a local museum late at night. The group accidentally messes with an archaic sword and it activates some kind of ghostly spirit. The spirit collides with Spider-man, and the opening credits hit! Definitely feeling like a scooby doo episode. Messing with the sword ends up waking up a witch who thanks the group for their help, then immediately threatens to destroy and conquer them all. Spider-man quickly subdues the witch and doesn't take her seriously. She gets free of her webbed restraints and proceeds to go psychotic. She casts a spell that causes parts of the museum to come alive!
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For some reason this museum is full of the most nightmarish exhibits imaginable starting with a giant worm that attacks Spider-man and Jessie. Also There's one kid in Jessie's group who seems to be a gigantic Indian stereotype. He makes mention that in his homeland, they have cobras instead of worms. Cause he's Indian...get it? Pretty low-brow stuff. The next monster they encounter is a gigantic Jack'O Lantern demon who I'm assuming is the Ghost of Sleepy Hollow. Also a bit unusual that any museum would have a Sleep Hollow exhibit, but I went with it. Later Spider-man beats up some cave men who kidnap Jessie, then he immediately has to fight living dinosaur bones. It seems to be a "Best of" random Scooby Doo-esque villains.
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After running the museum gauntlet Spider-man, Jessie, and friends are confronted by the evil witch again. The witch remains confident she'll conquer the world despite the fact that Spider-man just whooped all of her monsters. The witch demonstrates her power by summoning a gigantic dragon to attack the group. While Spider-man fights off the dragon, Jessie uses the special sword to battle the witch. Jessie throws down a bunch of one liners and whips out some Sailor Moon fighting moves, tho she is not a super hero. Despite Jessie's fighting skills the witch shrugs Jessie off and vows to black out the sky, and turn the world into a modern Camelot. After befriending the indian boy, the dragon decides to turn against the witch and distracts her while Jessie puts the sword back into the magical spot. This imprisons the witch once again. Basically teaching the lesson that you should never...ever touch the museum exhibits.
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The special goes by rather quickly and is only 30 minutes compared to last year's one hour special. This special felt pretty generic and definitely aimed at a younger audience. Not much to take from this special, and no legendary villains or monsters to be impressed by. I would say this is a sad excuse for a Halloween special and you'd be better off seeking out the "Spider-man and Friends" Dracula episode or last year's special. If you're a fan of the Disney show Jessie, you may feel differently. The special mainly focused on her and since I've only seen that show in passing, I had little frame of reference for it. It seemed pretty lowbrow and dumb, but then again this is a children's show. Give it a shot if you see it on a Saturday afternoon. Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-39733343371497596092014-10-18T13:26:00.002-05:002014-10-18T13:26:26.842-05:0031 Days of Monster Mania: Day 15: TremorsWritten by Stu Cooper
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Today's entry is another childhood favorite of mine. This is a film I discovered on TV late at night around age 8. I fell in love with the film then and nearly 20 years later I still feel the same. You'll have to make sure not to make any noise reading this review, because today's entry is "Tremors"! "Tremors" was released in January of 1990. It was directed by Ron Underwood with a budget of 11 million. The film starred Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Michael Gross, Finn Carter, and Reba McEntire among many others. The film is notable for being a 90's cult classic and is universally liked. I've never met a person who watched "Tremors" and didn't like something about it. I would go as far as to say it's one of my top 10 favorite horror films of all-time. "Tremors" is a gem because of the casting, the concept, and most importantly the cheese factor.
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"Tremors" is all about two handymen named Val and Earl. The two of them do various handyman jobs, mostly in the small town of Perfection,Nevada. Perfection is a tiny ex-mining community that consists of mostly trailers and a small town area. Needless to say, the boys are struggling for money and both men seem like broke down cowboys. I would say the two men are best friends, but it seems like they annoy each other more than anything. The two men are not content with their current lifestyle, so they often mention moving to Bixby. Bixby being the nearest "big city".
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On their way to Bixby the guys stumble upon a bizarre crime scene. A local man named Edgar has climbed an electrical pole, and died from apparent starvation. This means that he stood atop that pole for so long that he died. The guys forgo their journey to Bixby because they have to warn the town about a possible killer. As the duo heads back to Perfection, the rest of the town begins experiencing some gruesome events. One man witnesses his sheep being pulled into the ground, another couple has their entire vehicle pulled into the ground, and some construction workers experience a similar fate. Val and Earl seem to be missing all of this just by a few minutes. When the guys get back to the town, the phone lines are down, and the guys are forced to improvise. It's decided that the two men will ride by horseback into Bixby and get the police.
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After riding for a few miles the guys run into the buried car, then are confronted by the attackers. It was no man that did all this, no natural disaster, it was...worms! That's right, worms are going on a homicidal killing spree in this small town. Not just any kind of worm, a worm that burrows underground and has the power to pop up at anytime and grab you! Earl later names them "Graboids" because of this very reason. The creatures have no eyes and travel by sense of sound. The creatures also have living snake like tongues that come out and feel around for the freshest meal. The graboid grabs the horses the guys are on, and the guys decide to make a run for it. After running onto an aqua duct, the graboid pursues. The graboid ends up accidentally killing itself by running out the side of the duct. This means Earl and Val can now further inspect the creature.
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On their way back to town the two meet a woman named Rhonda. Rhonda is some type of geological expert who has been studying recent anomalies within the ground. After the guys share their story, Rhonda believes them and they begin to connect some dots. They eventually figure out that the creatures sense everything by hearing ground movement and that there is 3 worms remaining. The three of them are confronted by another graboid which leads to them running to the nearest thick rock, which appears to be one of the monster's weaknesses. After playing mind games with the graboid, the three of them make it back to town and try to warn them. Obviously the townspeople have a hard time believing the story until they are confronted with the creatures. The remainder of the film takes place mostly at the local shop and the home of the Gummers.
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Speaking of The Gummers, they are a local couple who are certified badasses. You have Burt Gummer (Grossman) and his equally hardcore wife Heather (McEntire), and both are a force to be reckoned with. Burt in particular has been waiting for this kind of day. The couple live in a armored fortress of sorts with a variety of guns and hunting equipment. Unfortunately they never could have anticipated an underground attack, and that's what they are faced with. The couple manage to take down a graboid after it crashes into their den, but they have to use half their weapons to do it. The couple play a huge part in the film, and are very interesting editions to the group. Val and Earl are obviously the main characters, but in my opinion Burt is the best character. Thankfully the writers agreed and Burt is a huge character in the Tremors mythos from this point on.
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I don't want to spoil the third act of film (if for some ungodly reason you haven't seen this film) but let's just say it's action packed. The graboids are incredibly scary and intimidating. It is kind of the "JAWS" idea of the monster hidden beneath your feet. Nothing more frightening than a villain you can't see until your death. Like "Gremlins" these creatures have rules and through encounters with the townspeople we slowly find those rules out.
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I remember first finding out about "Tremors" on USA's "Up All Night" with Rhonda Shear. The busty blond would show cult movies or B movies late at night, and I happened to see this one. The film actually didn't do all that great in the box office but saw massive sales and rental numbers on Home Video. You could definitely say it earned it's hit status through VHS. The concept of the film was also unique at the time, tho it does borrow heavily from films like "JAWS". I believe it's merely an homage to classic 50's-60's science fiction mixed with "JAWS". The combination of absurdity is perfect.
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The cast of characters is also something that works really well. Kevin Bacon is great as Val, despite the fact that he actually put down the film before it's release. He apparently told his wife that he thought his career was at it's all-time low because he was doing a movie about worms. Just like his Friday the 13th performance, it would see cult success despite his lack of support. Fred Ward as Earl is very fitting. Ward plays a hard ass cowboy with ease. You may remember him playing an equally grumpy southerner in "Road Trip". I enjoy his grumpiness and it is the perfect balance to Bacon's goofiness. The highlight of the film for me was Michael Gross's performance as Burt. Gross had begun filming this movie immediately after his last day on "Family Ties". I find that hilarious considering Burt stands for everything the wholesome father role on "Family Ties" stood for. Gross is such a great actor tho and he has no problem transitioning. His role as Burt is very lovable and he stands out as a true hero in the film. His wife Heather is played by Reba McEntire and this was actually her first acting role. She was becoming a popular country music star by this point, and this was a great first choice for her. If you're looking to appeal to southerners, shooting sand worms with automatic weapons is a good start! Bacon's love interest Rhonda played by Finn Carter is fine, but nothing special. She is a cute woman, and has fine chemistry with Bacon. Neither her nor Bacon would return for any of the sequels. If you like the Earl and Burt characters tho, you will be happy to know they continued to show up in the sequels.
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Overall "Tremors" is an absolute gem. The film is very memorable for it's action, one liners, and unique creature design. It's a great example of good sci-fi horror and it delivers in pretty much every way. If you're looking for a B monster movie that leaves you completely entertained, then there is no question "Tremors" is for you.
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Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918429713502839713.post-57550278052256666012014-10-16T10:48:00.001-05:002014-10-16T11:28:12.597-05:0031 Days of Monster Mania: Day 14: Odd ThomasWritten by Stu Cooper
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It's time for the Monster Mania countdown to get odd. Today's edition is all about the 2013 mystery horror film “Odd Thomas”. The film is based off of Dean Koontz’s novel of the same name. From my understanding the book and the film are quite similar with only a few minor differences. The film is written and directed by Stephen Summers. Sommers had worked on The Mummy series, Van Helsing, and most recently Rise of Cobra. Needless to say, Sommer's IMDB reads like a whose who of corny science fiction movies. That's why I was pleasantly surprised with “Odd Thomas”. The film stars Anton Yelchin as the lead Odd Thomas, Willem Dafoe as his father Wyatt, and Addison Timlin as Odd's girlfriend Stormy.
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“Odd Thomas” is all about a teenager named Odd who has a special power. Odd has the power to see dead people. Not only can he see dead people, but he can also see demons. Instead of approaching this concept like “The Sixth Sense”, this film does the total opposite. It gets right to the point, tells you what is going on, and the action kicks off. Almost immediately we see that Odd uses his power to be a bit of a hero. He helps his detective father solve murders by communicating with some of these dead people. Not only does he help solve the mysteries, but he randomly opens a can of whoop ass on a few of these guilty parties. It definitely has a Scott Pilgrim feel when it comes to the action sequences and the dialogue between the characters. The film's tone however is a bit darker than Scott Pilgrim.
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One downside to Odds powers is the demons that he can see. He refers to them as bodachs. These “bodachs” feed off of the negative energy produced by evil acts being committed. If someone dies, they want to feed off that dead person. Odd also realized that the bodachs were invisible to the rest of the world. So he has to pretend he does not see them. That's some serious concentration. The amount of bodachs in his town begins to increase, which leads Odd to think something's up. Odd is correct and there a lot of murder that's about to take place. It's up to Odd to solve the mystery and stop the event from happening. This leads to some pretty interesting ghost investigation stuff, along with some random fight scenes and horror scares. This movie is all over the place in terms of tone. You have some comedy, some Pilgrim-esque quirky dialogue, some fight sequences, and some serious horror scares. I would say it's on the same level as “Scream” in terms of handling multiple tones at once.
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Anton Yelchin is very likable in the role of "Odd". I already liked the actor after his role in "Fright Night" and his fun version of Chekov in the new "Star Trek". The character is kind of like an apprehensive super hero. He didn't ask for this power, but the power chose him. Odd proves throughout the film that his level of commitment is high. The film balances the scooby doo mystery feel with a splash of real horror. There is a sequence where Odd and Stormy are trapped in a church being hunted by a ghost and it's quite intense. You really get a sense of darkness in the character's world, despite the comical style of the dialogue.
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Overall I found “Odd Thomas” to be a pleasant surprise, with a dark underlying theme. The film deals with some dark subject matter, but in a very light way. I really felt myself caring about the characters. The relationship Odd has with his father, and his girlfriend seem incredibly genuine. The actors all really mesh well and feel like real people.
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Addison Timlin is intoxicatingly cute in the film. She does a superb job playing the supportive girlfriend that Odd really needs. She also has lots of quick comedy and fun dialogue with Odd's dad. I think she was cast perfectly in the role. Willem Dafoe is great as always, tho it left me wanting to see more of him. Gugu Mbatha-Raw also stars as Viola Peabody, a good friend of Odds. She doesn't have much to do in the film, but it's always nice to see her pop up. We also get a creepy performance out of Nico Tortorella who plays a cop in the film. He played a villain in "The Following" and I thought he brought a lot of the same creepiness to the table in this one.
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I'd love to see a sequel to the film or a series based on the film. Odd could easily go on more ghost adventures. I'm hoping to read the book at some point just to see more of this character. There is also some graphic novels based on the character that I may track down. I highly recommend this film. It's not exactly a Halloween horror film, but it's a cool unique take on ghosts that will leave you entertained.
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Anyone who knows me personally knows that I am a massive pro wrestling fan and have been since I was a toddler. So it should come as no surprise that I've tracked down a wrestling oriented Halloween special to discuss! For Day 13 of Monster Mania I have hopped in the time machine once again and traveled back to November 1st, 1985. At this point the WWF had begun running a special show called Saturday Night's Main Event. The show would be once every couple weeks, and this edition happened to fall on the Saturday after that year's Halloween. Even tho it was technically November, the WWF decided to celebrate Halloween anyways. What resulted was about an hour of absolutely hilarious costumes, and various halloween competitions between The Heenan Family (Bobby The Brain's group) and The Hillbillies (Jim, Elmer, and some cousins). Let's sink our teeth into this hilarious hour of 80's television!
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The show begins with Jesse "The Body" Ventura interviewing Roddy Piper who is dawning a "Super Roddy" costume. Roddy mocks the Hillbilly group for being trash, and makes remarks about Uncle Elmer's recent wedding. Piper said he vows to confront the Hillbilly family tonight on Piper's Pit. We then cut to Mean Gene who is with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Heenan is dressed up as Davey Crockett with the coon-skin cap on, but he is immediately mistaken for a weasel and that becomes a running joke through the episode. Heenan is training for a miniature pumpkin bobbing contest that will take place later in the evening. I was unaware that bobbing for mini-pumpkins in chocolate was a thing. You can't exactly just eat a pumpkin right through the skin, so what's the point? Bizarre that they didn't just do apples. We will get back to that contest later.
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We get some camera shots of children and adults throughout the audience dressed as some of their favorite WWF Superstars. Which results in an incredibly creepy shot of a kid in a Hulk Hogan mask. We are then introduced to our commentary team for the night which consists of Jesse "The Body" Ventura and Vince Mcmahon. The opening contest for the show is Terry Funk vs. The Junkyard Dog. Funk had recently been going around beating up ringside attendants and using his branding iron on wrestlers (despite the fact that it can't possibly be hot). We get a short interview from Funk where he spits chewing tobacco all over the camera (and probably the poor camera man). The superstars hit the ring and the match is off to a hot start. We see both men trade punches, headbutts, piledrivers, etc. Jimmy Hart is managing Funk at the time and he interferes every chance he gets. Funk ends up using Hart's megaphone to hit JYD over the head for the pinfall win. After the match Funk attempts to brand JYD, but JYD fights it off and ends up using the branding iron on Jimmy Hart's bum. It's classic goofy 80's WWF.
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Next up is the pie eating contest between King Kong Bundy and Captain Lou Albano, two staples of 80's wrestling. Albano represents the Hillbillies, and Bundy represents the Heenan Family. Each side is accompanied by various good guys and bad guys dressed in costume. The highlight of these costumes is the absolutely ridiculous Iron Sheik as Batman and his partner Nikolai Volkoff as Robin. Seeing the two of them dressed up is just priceless and brought an immediate smile to my face. Macho Man and Liz are also dressed as Tarzan and Jane. Liz has never looked hotter in the Jane outfit, and Mean Gene gets an eye full every chance he's got. After 60 seconds of pie-eating, Albano is declared the winner. Bundy doesn't take this well and a food fight ensues.
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The next segment is Piper's Pit which was hyped up earlier on the show. This segment was quite boring and uneventful compared to the rest of the show. You can tell it was taped several days before and there isn't really anything Halloween about it. The feud between the Hillbillies and Piper doesn't really lead to anything, but we do get a fun appearance by Ventura. Ventura runs down Uncle Elmer's wife and doesn't back down when threatened. It was cool to see Ventura get all hyped up, even tho his in-ring career was done at that point.
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Next up was the Pumpkin bobbing game! This game would consist of a member from each team bobbing for pumpkins in a giant bucket of chocolate. Whoever has the most when the time runs out, wins. Heenan represents his team, and Cousin Junior represents the Hillbillies. With ease Heenan is able to defeat Junior, probably thanks to his practice from earlier. We get to see the always intense Macho Man hamming it up helping Heenan put the pumpkins into a trash bag. It's all pretty stupid, but fun none the less. This means that the Hillbillies and the Heenan Family are tied 1-1 and the final deciding game will be a "Pumpkin Toss" later on in the evening.
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The next match up is dubbed the "Dream Team" matchup which pits Hulk Hogan and his partner Andre The Giant vs. Heenan's boys Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy. The four of these men had been feuding for several months leading up to this. The match itself is really just a heavy hitter brawl between Andre and Bundy, with Hogan hitting some ax-handles and boots every once and awhile. There is a false DQ finish where a ref gets knocked out, only for the match to end on a disqualification anyways. A nice reminder that you're watching a free TV match, which usually means no clean win. After the match we have Mean Gene interviewing Macho Man and he asks him possibly the dumbest question ever when he says "Why a woman manager?". Macho quickly retorts with "You're either a blind man, or a stupid man, which one are ya Gene?".
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After Macho's interview he goes to the ring for his chance at the IC title against Tito Santana. Macho was quickly climbing the ladder at this point and his IC title reign was coming up soon. Unfortunately for those in attendance in Hershey,PA, it wouldn't be that night. The two go at the mat pretty hard and there is some good moves and exchanges. There is a good spot near the end where Macho goes for his classic top rope axe handle, and is hit in the gut by Santana. The two end up brawling outside and both men are counted out. Yet another non-finish on a special show. Unfortunately a common thing in 80's WWF.
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After this match we are off to Roddy Piper's house for a bizarre skit. Vince Mcmahon has arrived at the house to ask Piper about Halloween. Piper is wrapping up giant bricks to make them look like giant chocolates, and bowling balls disguised as giant candy apples. He says that the Scottish like to celebrate "the trick" part of Trick or Treat. Piper then receives some Trick or Treaters. Piper invites them in and in true asshole fashion begins to ridicule the children and trick them into giving him their candy in exchange for his fake candy. It's a literal translation of the saying "like stealing candy from a baby". A real prick moment in the life of Roddy Piper, but I loved every second of it.
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Next up is the final match of the evening which is a special "Kung Fu Challenge" between Ricky Steamboat and Mr.Fuji. The rules of the contest are quite vague. So much so that the commentators don't seem to know. From what I gathered tho, the wrestler's were only allowed to use Karate-like moves. You see the two of them exchange hyper exaggerated chops and kicks. Ultimately Steamboat gets the better of Mr.Fuji and gets the win, but afterwards Don Muraco runs in and spits red mist on the eyes of Steamboat. Steamboat gets beat down, and I guess the trick is on him.
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The final segment of the night is the tie breaker between the Heenan Family and The Hillbillies! The WWF chose to settle this in possibly the most awkward way possible, by having teams of wrestlers pass a pumpkin underneath their chin. You know that game you do at middle school parties in a weird attempt to get close to the opposite sex? Well instead of that, you get a bunch of giant wrestlers in costumes trying to do it. Lots of awkward hilarity ensues. The good guys go first and get through 5 people before Captain Albano drops the pumpkin. The bad guys then follow and unfortunately for Liz, she drops the pumpkin and loses the game for the team. But who cares about that when we are all treated to many shots of Elizabeth in her Jane outfit. Savage of course goes ballistic and blames Liz for every problem ever known.
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That concludes this absolutely bizarre and fun 1985 Halloween special. If you have access to the "WWE Network" I would highly recommend checking this episode out before Halloween hits. It's one of the more entertaining Saturday Night Main Event episodes, and a great flashback to the "good ole days" of the WWF (now WWE). Stu Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673301922111147521noreply@blogger.com0