Monster Mania Day 4: Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

Written by Stu Cooper

After viewing this film it immediately became one of my favorite horror films ever. It's a horror comedy, and certainly one of the best in that style. It is a satire of the backwoods redneck killer horror films with an element of madness to it that leaves you in awe. The film is called "Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil" and it was released in 2010. It was written and directed by Eli Craig and Mark Jurgenson. It starred Alan Tudyk as Tucker and Tyler Labine as Dale. I must say the casting was absolutely perfect and this is one of those films where you can't picture anyone else in the roles after watching it.

The plot follows two redneck best friends by the name of Tucker and Dale. They are on their way to Tucker's new cabin to remodel and do some maintenance while relaxing in the wilderness. These guys are on their way when they run into a group of college kids and the kids immediately assume Tucker and Dale are psychotic killers, because ya know...everyone in hill country is. Dale attempts to introduce himself to the group but is immediately mistook for a sickle fielding maniac. One member of the group named Allison (played by Katrina Bowden) is actually rather smart and does not see Tucker & Dale as anything out of the ordinary. Later in the film she becomes a critical part of the story when she injures herself in a local lake and is about to drown but she is saved by Dale. Over the course of the film Dale nurses her back to health and they form a bond. Unfortunately for Tucker & Dale the college group assumes they have kidnapped their friend, and they vow to rescue and avenge her. I don't want to spoil much more than that because from that point on the film turns into a complete madhouse, almost of slapstick proportions. It is absolutely brilliant and something I've never seen before in a film.

I watched this film with my brother who is not a horror fan, and he found it incredibly entertaining. I can remember a few moments where he was laughing so hard he was almost crying. It truly does elicit that kind of reaction. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine are really the highlight of the film. Their on-screen chemistry is remarkable and you really do see these guys as being the best of friends. Since this film has seen some moderate success I'm hoping we get to see future adventures with the pair. I realize this all sounds rather odd, it's kind of hard to type out how ridiculous this movie is. It's all about perspective, and that is something you can't really describe in words, so all I can say is PLEASE watch this film and see for yourself. The film is available streaming on Netflix right now and the blu-ray is under 10 dollars, so no excuses for missing this one. I can't recommend it enough. If you like fun horror films with a satirical comedic smart spin, this one is for you.

Monster Mania Day 3: Monster in my Pocket

Written by Stu Cooper

If you grew up in the 80's and early 90's you most likely encountered one of the many tiny toy franchises. "Micro Machines", "Z-bots", "M.U.S.C.L.E.", and of course "Monster In My Pocket" were all the rage! I wanted to focus on the "Monster in My Pocket" franchise since it's that time of year. I mainly remember the franchise because of the video game but it was most famously known for being a line of tiny rubber horror/science fiction characters. Most of them were based off of pre-existing horror genre archetypes but after the first series they started going pretty crazy with it. Board games, lunch boxes, t-shirts, and even an animated TV special followed. The only thing missing was it's own cereal, tho Frankenberry would probably have none of that shit!

Since I mainly remember "Monsters in My Pocket" from the video game I'll focus on that. The game was for the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) and was released in all it's 8-bit glory in 1991. It was apparently similar to the comic book and animated series pilot that had already been made. The game followed two characters by the names of Vampire (basically Dracula) and Monster (basically Frankenstein). Not exactly the most creative character names, but they obviously couldn't call them by their traditional names. The characters are of course micro sized, so most of the levels take place in random parts of a house. It's almost like a horror version of Toy Story. You have to fight a wave of zombies and various other memorable monsters from the toy line. As a child I had fond memories of fighting one named Spring Heeled Jack. One of the few monsters whose name I actually remembered. I absolutely love the mythos created with these little things. The idea of a massive universe of monsters all fighting each other in the creaks and crevices of your home is disturbing but awesome. The gameplay is pretty smooth and is a basic side scroller with a few puzzle elements mixed in. If you play two players you each take the monster of your choice and you will fly through the game twice as fast. You can really finish the whole game in about 40 minutes if you've practiced. The game brings back a lot of nostalgic feelings and is a great example of a classic NES game. You have straight foward controls, colorful characters, fun boss battles, and as a game where you get to play a tiny version of Frankenstein and Dracula. It's a winning combination.

Youtube Gem: Elvira teaches us how to carve a pumpkin!

Written by Stu Cooper

The title pretty much speaks for itself. Possibly one of the hottest women in the history of the planet, teaches us how to carve a pumpkin. Try to focus on the pumpkin. You won't be able to. Elvira always gets me in the Halloween Spirit!

Monster Mania Day 2: Lovely Molly

Written by Stu Cooper

For Day 2 I decided to continue the theme of underrated horror films with "Lovely Molly". "Lovely Molly" was a paranormal horror film released in 2011 directly to DVD. The film was available on redbox for a short time and is now streaming on Netflix, which is where I discovered the film. The story follows a young newlywed named Molly, played by the beautiful Gretchen Lodge and her husband as they move into her parent's old house. Molly's husband is a truck driver and has to leave a lot, so the film primarily follows Molly as she stays in the house alone. Soon after moving into the house Molly begins experiencing some very eerie disturbances. It starts off small with noises and whispers but escalates into violence eventually. We also see a first person perspective throughout the film provided by the couple's handheld camera. The viewer does not know who is operating the camera until the end of the film, so there is another layer of creepiness added on. The catch to all of this is that Molly is a recovering heroin addict and she relapses. So you are left wondering if all of these paranormal experiences are real or just hallucinations caused by her addiction. This is an idea that was later used in the Evil Dead remake. I can't help but wonder if the writer of that film was a fan of this one.

"Lovely Molly" is a slow disturbing paranormal thriller and it's a great watch if you are home alone and want to scare the hell out of yourself. I wouldn't recommend it for a date night movie because it is a pretty heavy handed film that features tones of rape,incest,drug use, and some pretty graphic violence. Unless of course your partner is already pretty open minded, then it works! The film portrays the slow descent of a woman into lunacy. Losing my mind has always been a big fear of mine so perhaps that's why I felt so disturbed by the film. Another scary thing to note is that the guy who played Molly's husband, Johnny Lewis, actually went insane in real life after this film. He killed his landlord, her cat, and then himself last year. He was also featured on Sons of Anarchy, One Missed Call, The O.C. and several other films. It's always extra eerie when an actor dies after filming something that involves demons/ghosts (The Exorcist, Poltergeist). Overall the film accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, make you uncomfortable and creeped out. The film also introduces a new element to the tired paranormal genre. It leaves you feeling paranoid and it also has several interpretations. I think even Peter Venkman would have trouble sleeping after watching this movie.

Monster Mania Day 1: Pontypool

Written by Stu Cooper

Day 1 of my 31 Days of Monster Mania features one of my favorite underrated horror films entitled "PONTYPOOL". The film was released in 2008 and really went under the radar. I didn't actually discover the film until 2010. Most of my friends and family have not heard of the film when I mention it, but every time I've shown the film to someone they usually find it creepy or intriguing. It's actually based on a novel written by Tony Burgess which I haven't had the chance to read, but according to the reviews I've seen the film is actually superior (which is a rarity). The plot of the film revolves around a disc jockey by the name of Grant Mazzy (what a name) played by Stephen McHattie, who works in a small dim cold town called Pontypool located in Ontario. Over the course of one day Mazzy experiences a series of strange occurrences. I can't get into too much detail about these occurrence because they are critical to the surprises in the film but I can tell you that it is absolutely chilling. The entire film basically takes place inside of a radio station and we hear about the events unfolding outside of the station through a series of phone calls from witnesses. The concepts in the film open a new can of worms in terms of what we define as "horror". Gore is traded in for psychology and it pays off.

Grant Mazzy has a voice that is incredibly crisp and attractive to the ear, so it's no problem that he is the focus of the film, and that we never really leave his surroundings. This is a film that takes a simple idea and makes it mind-blowing. You will find yourself re-watching the film to pick up on smaller details. The film is a truly compelling horror entry and it takes an approach we haven't really seen before. It has a very warped weirdness that reminded me of a Cronenberg film. I was left with hair standing up on my arm and chills going down my spine. That is a feeling that is hard to come by the older and more jaded I get. I can't recommend this film enough. It's currently streaming on Netflix and it's about 5 bucks to buy on dvd, so no excuses for missing this one! If you are like me you will find yourself forming theories and explanations in your head for hours after viewing the film. If you watch it you'll have to comment with your theory of what the truth in the film is!

31 Days of MONSTER MANIA!

Written by Stu Cooper

(Image by Chris Fischer)

Today is October 1st and that means the road to Halloween begins now! I have loved and cherished Halloween ever since I was a young child. I've always found horror films to be more fascinating than other types of films, especially the horror gems of the 70's and 80's, and of course the Universal monster movies. Since I have so much love for this holiday and the spirit that comes with it, I've decided to do 31 blog entries in 31 days. Not just any type of blog entry tho, 31 days of...MONSTER MANIA! That's right folks 31 days full of horror movie reviews, horror game reviews, horror comic reviews, and of course some weird gems thrown in to get you in the mood for monsters! So check back right here at Film Enigma everyday this month for a new entry in the countdown. Readers beware...you're in for a scare!

What to Watch: The Krystle Starr Show

Written by Stuart Cooper

I promised you guys I would bring you more youtube recommendations, and this week we've got a goodie. When I first started cosplaying at conventions it didn't take long until I met a young lady by the name of Krystle Starr. Krystle is a regular attendee at conventions in the Texas area. She cosplays as various wonderful characters, and does so with great pride and enthusiasm. How is she different from the thousands of other girls who make a name from cosplaying? Well she is a true fan and her heart is in it. Cosplaying and the nerd community are a huge part of her life. She is featured in not one, but two different shows. One is a live in studio talk show every Sunday afternoon called "Fan girls: Dames of the Round Table". While she is not on every episode, she is a regular. The other girls featured on the show are all great as well, so it's worth a listen. Then there is her new Youtube show. I think she has the right attitude and the creative drive to make a fun channel. Hope to see it evolve into a really amazing foreground for nerd discussion, it has the right tools to be successful. A beautiful woman talking about all of your favorite nerdy things, what more could you ask for?