Book Review - The Gates by John Connolly

The Gates

John Connolly's latest young adult thriller, The Gates, showcases a wit and an appreciation for both Halloween and horror that will keep the adults reading with the children. Just like with some of the more popular YA series like Harry Potter and (...) Twilight, there are enough facets of the novel that will appeal to adults with an appetite for clean, child-like easy reads.

The Gates centers around a small town during Halloween, and our protagonist is a quirky boy named Samuel with a dog that has just as much personality. Samuel's neighbors accidentally open a portal to Hell via an escaped particle from a scientific experiment, and demons start streaming through in the form of humans. Samuel knows what's up, but only his friends believe him. Most of the demons that come through are evil, and want Samuel dead before he can stop their plan to bring the Devil himself into the world to cause mass destruction and Hell on Earth. But one nice demon, Nurd, has also been transported to Earth, and he befriends Samuel in the hopes of protecting him from annihilation.

Connolly's writing is spot-on with humor, giving a great sense of zany commentary. He's able to add new style and texture to the young adult genre with his wacky descriptions and footnotes, which don't add a lot in terms of plot but give a good look at Connolly's different writing technique.

Samuel is well-liked, mostly because he is not the stock child that one reads about in multitudes of children's books. Samuel is thought of as weird by the adults, but the reader of the novel will find a different side of Samuel that they like a lot; this is because Connolly characterizes him as a unique individual with a lot of brains and a lot of heart. Samuel is a character one can't help but be attracted to immediately.

The same goes for Nurd, because though all of the characters have their own odd personalities, Nurd is similar to Samuel in that he is very underappreciated and misunderstood. A lot of Connolly's story seems to revolve around a subplot with themes about being different, or not having to succumb to the majority, which is a great message for kids and even those adults who forget who they are, or were.

The main attraction for me in The Gates is not the premise; it's pretty basic, but it comes together very well toward the end of the story. My love of Connolly's writing gets the best of me, and keeps me reading. It's his subtly comical wordings that grab me, and the footnotes were at first a little weird, but then became second nature. The only problem with this was that the footnotes make up a good deal of the beginning of the book, but they seem to drop out for the last half. The inconsistency here left me disappointed; the footnotes were both helpful and fun, and added to Connolly's stylistic leanings that make him stand out from other writers.

The Gates transcends the lackluster writing of most young adult books about teen romances or (gasp!) vampires with a lean and fast-paced novel containing likable characters and important themes for children. It may be a bit too mature for the tween crowd, but teens looking for a good, fun horror read would do well to pick this book up. Halloween is almost over, but it lives on in Connolly's work.

Five scenes I love from Ghost Ship

1. Wire death: This is an obvious one, but the wire slicing and dicing is probably one of the most memorable scenes ever for me. Though some of the effects may look a little fake, and are a little far-fetched, when I first saw the movie I was both sickened and delighted by bodies falling apart around the little girl. Now, I look back on it with fond memories and munch on popcorn as the Love Boat-esque ghost ship falls into chaos.



2. (At 5:45) Greer is seduced by an ample-bosomed ghost: Greer puts himself under the impression that since the Italian songstress is a ghost with supreme nipples, he's allowed to cheat on his fiancee. Well, even if that's a bit wrong, I can't help but laugh at the fact that he thinks it natural to bang her right by a deep shaft (pun? you decide). Ghosts can be flirty too.



3. (At 6 minutes) Epps jumps from the giant ghost ship into the briny deep: Slightly improbable? Of course. But Epps is a she-devil of a woman who will risk her life for others' sake. You'd never find me jumping off of a 50 foot deck into the ocean to save a guy who is probably already dead, but she does it, and with panache!



4. (At 2 minutes) Greer decks Munder: Holy crap does Greer have an arm on him! I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that punch. Munder looks pretty pained afterward too.



5. Techno-themed little girl's story: Unfortunately, I don't love this scene for the fact that it is well done and terrifying but because it is the exact opposite. All tension is taken out of the horrible story of the ship being attacked by vandals and the backstabbing that takes place afterward by the incredibly out of place techno-club music that plays in the background. This is also the case when Mudvayne's song shows up here and there throughout the movie. Whoever picked the soundtrack was severely deluded into thinking that heavy metal = scary movie.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Halloween Day! What we've all been waiting for! Have a great Halloween tonight, I'll be checking in continually with some review posts that I'm finishing up for the holiday.

Pray that it doesn't rain!

It's Halloween Eve...

and all through the house, everyone was stirring, even two chihuahuas. Yes, that's right, I'm home with my friends and we're having a little party watching horror movies in light of tomorrow's Halloween festivities! We can't watch tomorrow, because I will be busy scaring trick-or-treaters left and right, but tonight, we're getting our pizza and wings on and hitting the flicks.

Tonight, we've got a few goodies on the tube - Ghost Ship, for one, the original Night of the Living Dead, and we haven't decided the others yet. They may not be classics - I already watched Halloween the other night - but they sure will be fun on the night before the big day.

What are you up to?

My Favorite Halloween Specials #14: "Garfield's Halloween Adventure"

The Garfield Halloween special is curiously overlooked in the face of Charlie Brown. I remember a television station showing this years back either on Halloween or right before it, but I have yet to see it on any stations in the last few years. It's unfortunate, too, because Garfield and friends are underrated.

This episode features Garfield and Odie going on a trick-or-treat adventure, where they cross a river and end up at a haunted house. I find Garfield fun, and I enjoy both the Halloween and Christmas specials they did for the fat cat. I just wonder why it doesn't get any love anymore - they should show it back to back with Charlie Brown and co.

Marcus Dunstan & Patrick Melton speak on writing horror

Making Of, a website devoted to clips of filmmaker interviews and behind-the-scenes peeks at upcoming movies, recently posted an interview with Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton, writers of Saws IV, V, the recent VI, the evidently upcoming VII, and Feast.

In the short video, both talk about the techniques of creating a horror script that says something about a genre. They emphasize the fact that it's important to know your genre, and to be frustrated with some part of it that you want to change. Check it out!

New review item - House of Mystery Halloween #1!

A few days ago I received a copy of the Halloween issue of House of Mystery from DC Comics, and I thought I'd point out how outstanding this comic looks. From the gory cover to the 50s EC Comics artwork, House of Mysteries looks like a major pleasure to read, one which I can't wait to take up after I finish The Gates by John Connolly.

Check it out here.

My Favorite Halloween Specials #13: "Nightmare on Carrie's Street"

I'm not exactly sure why I like this Two of a Kind Halloween special. I'm not very attached to the series itself (except for their holiday episodes). I do like, however, how they created a Halloween party for the episode, and though I'm not a fan of the Olsen twins per se, I do like the father character and used to have a crush on Carrie. She's dressed as Cleopatra in this. Enjoy!

Movie Review - Saw VI

Saw VI

I think, now that we're up to the sixth film in the series, that you already know if you're going to like this Saw or not. Die-hard fans are as apt to change their minds here as Jason would be to turn down a nubile teenager. And those who have been turned off by the films' realistic gore and confusing plot twists won't find themselves any more engaged here. In fact, as the film series has become more complex, it has even gotten harder for the avid follower to avoid becoming slightly confused with all of the characters and relatings to the older movies, especially if one hasn't watched the series in its entirety in a while. So basically, what this review all boils down to is not whether those who have loved the series will love it some more (because you most likely will) or whether those who have never found the films truly spectacular will see a silver lining with VI (because you won't), but what the actual film does well and what it does poorly. Read away, but just remember that when you're reviewing a Saw, it's almost impossible to leave out spoilers.

The film picks up after Saw V, where Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) has just finished his game with Agent Strahm and is now literally picking up the pieces. But you know that secret box Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) left behind for his wife? That will come into play here, as a new game involving corrupt health insurance company workers comes to fruition, with the head honcho William (Peter Outerbridge) being the man of the hour who is faced with a series of tasks that force him to receive minimal physical pain but maximum emotional pain when he has to choose face-to-face who lives and who dies. Of course, the whole plot wraps around itself - which I won't divulge here. You can guess there's a bit of "ooh"ing and "aahh"ing going on in the theater.

It's an inspiring premise - after all, health insurance companies decide all of the time to decline patients based on how much money they may lose if the patient dies. Moralistically, it's the perfect revenge act for Jigsaw. While it makes sense, though, Jigsaw uses many people from the insurance company to make his point to William, sacrificing them in the process. Now it's hard to tell whether Hoffman, who has taken over Jigsaw's work after his death, has purposely rigged the traps so that one victim must die, or if it was Jigsaw's plan all along. This begs the question of Jigsaw's morals - will he sacrifice a relatively innocent person to change a corrupted one? Like I said before, it's unclear who has made these choices, and I lean towards Hoffman more than Jigsaw, since he has created unfair games from the start.

The atmosphere remains Saw at its Saw-iest, with moody, industrial complexes with "elegant" gray wallpaper and dingy, poorly-lit rooms. But at least director Kevin Greutert toys with different ideas and color-schemes; you can find a very interestingly-devised "fire trap room" which utilizes red lighting to its potential. It's nice to see a different color of drab in the monotony of cool dank cellars. Mainly, Saw VI remains the same as its predecessors in design and tension - we get an intense trap at the start of the film, a rundown of events, some more traps, and then we start the major game, interspersed with flashback, which results in a concluding segment that fills us in on the gaps we may have missed. Sound familiar? It's the same basic formula the Saw films have been using for years, just with new traps and some new story.

The traps are just alright this time - there's nothing too mindblowing about these, and there's certainly no mystery to them like the original Saw. If you break off your arm, you win - if you don't, some ridiculously gory death ensues. While this type of trap might be fun to watch (or painfully nerve-wracking), it doesn't have that draw like the mysterious traps of old do. I think the surprise of finding out what you could have done is so much better than the straightforward hurt-or-be-killed approach that these later Saw films have been taking. My favorite trap was the fire game that I mentioned above - it played out like a video game of some sort, two people working together to get through a fiery cage filled with skin-burning steel pipes. Otherwise, none of the games stood out too much to me - they were just renditions of the hack-and-stab that we've seen before, with a new spin.

One thing that I've noticed with Saw VI is that even though we have watched a 90-minute movie, the plot is barely furthered any more than we already know. At the end of the film, besides the death of some insurance company scums, we've advanced only a bit more than where we were at the beginning of the film. Of course, they've been able to make five other movies around this premise, but there comes a point where I start to tire of the run-around, especially at the end of VI, where it seems that the battle will NEVER be over.

Putting Saw VI's violence on a scale, it ranks considerably lower than the fifth but about on par with the fourth. I appreciate this as well; I much prefer Saw when it is creepy than when it is just flat-out gory. Greutert does try to throw in some stalking scenes akin to the first film, but they are much less effective. Still, it was nice to see an attempt at thrills that didn't involve some sort of blood-spilling.

Overall, Saw VI is doing what it needs to do to continue a cult series. It has a manageable plot that is weighed down by the need of too many flashbacks. It has its signature opening bloodbath. It has more plot twists sure to shock you. It has a conclusion that beckons the seventh film in the series. But what it doesn't have is that novelty that the originals did, and one can tell that progress in the series is slowly drowning. Unfortunately, the ending of the series leaves me questioning the motives of Jigsaw - if one chooses death to another, shouldn't they be punished for their unwillingness to forgive? I hope this will be answered in the seventh film, or else that is a giant plot hole I cannot overlook. I feel the end is drawing close to Saw, but based on Saw VI, I'm sure reception of this film will be pretty warm even with the lackluster traps, so expect Saw VII headed your way next Halloween.

Saw VI on Rotten Tomatoes

My Favorite Halloween Specials #12: "Ticker Treat"

The King of Queens was one of my favorite sitcoms, ever. What I was glad for during its runtime was that it didn't skimp on holiday subjects; there are some good Christmas-themed episodes, of course, but there's also this Halloween episode where Arthur smashes pumpkins and generally hates the whole idea of Halloween after his father made him trick-or-treat for hours. Arthur's definitely an interesting character, and his antics are some of my favorite scenes from the show. Check it out:

Sorry!

My apologies for the lack of posting in the last couple of days. College has left me very busy, and when I finally do get downtime, I rarely want to do more reading and writing for the blog. There's little time to watch movies, too.

I will try to post some news today, plus a favorite Halloween special, but I can't be sure I'll get to it until later this afternoon. Thanks for sticking with me in the tough times though, and as we gear up for Nostalgia November, I'm starting to get more and more anxious I won't be able to fulfill the obligations I set for myself before.

Movie Review - Halloween Night (2006)

Halloween Night (2006)

Probably the best place to begin a review of Halloween Night is to talk not about what it doesn't do well, but what it does do badly. For Halloween Night is one of those beasts where, try as you might, you cannot mine any enjoyment out of the plot, characters, actors, atmosphere, drama, tension, violence, partying, sex, nudity, drugs, humor, scares, suspense, story, emotion... Well, I'll stop there. It doesn't even fall under the title of So Bad It's Good. It's so bad, it's just bad.

Oh my, oh my, where to begin. Realizing that Halloween Night is an indie low-budget direct-to-DVD film, probably paid for out of any funds possible does not change my opinion that the script and acting shouldn't be utter emotionless drivel, which it is. The actors, if you can call them that, seem like they are constantly improvising their lines, which might be a really cool, realistic experience if put in the hands of more talented individuals, but the experience is catastrophic here. There's no emotion delivered in the lines, and there's a constant battle between the characters in dialogue because each are struggling to say something when the other isn't. This results in a lot of interruptions where no one is really saying anything, or they devolve into phrases like, "Dude, this is fucking great dude. It's gonna be great. Fun shit. Gonna be awesome dude. Man it'll be off the hook, you just wait and see," where one immediately realizes that the character is not actually saying anything, just repeating lines we've heard him say over and over again in different forms.You can guess that this gets annoying incredibly fast. There's a difference between "realistic" speech and "unrealistic" speech for sure, but I don't think anyone is as unable to form a complete sentence or thought in real-time dialogue as these mindless college kids.

If the dialogue was bad, the characterization of the players can't be much better, and it's not. We're left assuming that every one of the kids involved is a total incompetent fool who have nothing better to do than party their nights away. Whereas most victims have some redeeming quality, these guys are not unlikeable but just downright bland and boring. At one point, we're treated to an ugly, ugly sex scene which concludes with the woman asking the man for his name. Where in this formula are we supposed to find any respect or sense of relatability? I know I certainly don't.

So Halloween Night treats us to a night of mischief with people I would never actually want to hang out with, who finally kick the bucket in a number of gruesome ways that just emphasize how dumb they are. It's not fun to watch; the gore and kills are not particularly exceptional; and it barely feels like Halloween Night to begin with. We side most with the killer, because we get more backstory on him than any emotion from the other characters! Even then, his motives are quite fuzzy, since his anger should be bridled more towards people with masks than anyone in particular, as we are led to believe from the opening sequences. Even the motivations behind his mother's rape and murder don't make sense. We feel there was a meaning to it, as though her husband paid assassins to come and kill her, but this isn't cleared up at all.

In the end, we may come to imagine that even the characters of Halloween Night don't want to be at their party; the actors certainly don't have much enthusiasm for it. The best parts of this lackluster film come from the violence, but not because of any grotesque appreciation for it - oh no, it's only because the killer is murdering and, more importantly, shutting up the incorrigible characters and ending the night that we find any enjoyment here. Please, please, please - don't let the title lull you into thinking you can find entertainment in the film's Halloween subject matter. Stick with the tried-and-trues of the holiday. Please.

Halloween Night on Rotten Tomatoes (It's so bad, there's only one counted review on RT - and it's rotten!)

My Halloween Guardians - Ghostface Stretch Screamer and Chucky Doll!

Anybody remember these guys?

As I was looking for things to post about for Halloween the other day, I found both of these toys on the top of one of my bookshelves. I haven't taken them out in ages, but I felt like this was the perfect opportunity to make mention of them.



First, we have Chucky, an authentic Child's Play 3 doll that came with the first editions of the film. My dad used to own a movie store, so we always got things like movie posters, promo tapes, and, most important, this Chucky doll. He does have a crack on his cheek, and a couple of markings on his forehead, but that just makes him scarier. Plus, his hair's a mess and feels like he could make some dreads out of it if he wanted to.

This Chucky used to scare the crap out of me when I was a kid. There would be times when I would have to put him away because I would be scared to wake up and see him looking at me. Other times, when I was in my ghost faze, I would imagine a ghost picking him up in the middle of the night and positioning him somewhere in the room.

Funny thing is, my aunt has the exact same Chucky doll as well, only her's is in much better condition. They're even designed so that you can suction-cup them to the window if you so choose, although mine is missing a suction-cup.

Second, we've got Ghostface Stretch Armstrong. This was made by Manley Toys in the '90s, and they are pretty impossible to find anymore. I can't seem to find any information on them on the Internet, but you can win one in an auction here. I'm pretty sure they were called Stretch Screamers.

They really do scream, too, although I don't know if mine works anymore. The batteries died and I don't have any to put in, but I'm pretty sure it would work. Anyway, when you squeeze Ghostface's head, a big ball of gore pops out of his mouth. It's actually pretty sweet, and a nice stress reliever. He's also filled with beans so you can squeeze his stomach all you want to. His arms don't really scretch, though.

These are two items that I'm actually really proud to have in my collection. They're hard to find and look really, really cool for Halloween. Anyone else have this or any other Stretch Screamer? I'm really curious to see what others are out there, because info is really hard to find!

Halloween Night review coming soon

Has anyone seen this film? It released in 2006. If you have, and would like to submit a review link for me to post underneath mine, I would gladly do so. It can be freshly written or something done way in the past, it doesn't matter. I love linking to others' creativity.

Also, still looking for anyone who wants to share links with me. I'll put you up on the links section on the right sidebar if you're willing to add me to yours.

PS: Nostalgia November is, gasp!, nearly upon us. I'm still looking for any takers for guest blogging - I have a few right now - so let me know if you want in, and what horror subject from your past you'd like to write about.

~ RB

Who's excited for Saw VI this weekend!

Yes, another Saw is upon us, and even though I've come to regard its sequels with utmost suspicion, I can't help but get a little bit giddy about the latest installment in the series. I don't anticipate it having a good or even slightly realistic plot anymore, as that ship has sailed thanks to Jigsaw's death and the completely misguided (or even brain-dead) decisions that the characters made in Saw V, but I have a feeling that the traps will still put me in a position of extreme unease.

That's been a major draw for me from the original - how far will they bring the film this time? Saw V, I think, really divided people; some said it let them down as far as gore and creativity of the traps, and others (mostly me, here) said that Saw V might have been a bit heavy-handed in its violence. I guess it depends on what you're looking for - will you sacrifice plot for really intense death scenes, or will leave the amount of pain up to the imaginations of the viewer?

I'm not really sure what Saw VI will do myself, as I've purposely avoided reading any of the news about it. I've seen the trailer, but it's always hard to tell from the cut-aways. The only thing left to do is to go out and see it this weekend... Hopefully, I can drag my girlfriend to it (kicking and screaming, of course, since the fifth made her sick).

How do you feel about the latest release? Have they gone too far? Not far enough? When will it end, should it have already ended? Let me know! Let's have fruitful discussion.

My Favorite Halloween Specials #11: "Unruly Spirits"

I know there are a lot of jokes out there about According to Jim not being funny, but I really find it hilarious. Jim Belushi may use all of the same jokes that generic sitcoms have, but at least his character makes them outlandish.

This is why I love the According to Jim Halloween special. The characters are all a bit over-the-top, and that's perfect for All Hallow's Eve. Add in a bunch of decorations (Jim's house looks way better than mine in that department), cool Halloween-blues theme songs, and some trick-or-treating goodness, and this episode becomes one funny romp on Halloween night.



Unfortunately, with this rip, the sound is a little off from the video.

Graphic Novel Review - Trick 'r Treat

Trick 'r Treat


Right on the heels of the DVD release of the film, DC Comics is offering all of us fans a little something extra for Halloween. While Trick 'r Treat had tinges of comic-related goodness, this is a fully-colored graphic novel depicting each story from the film, gloriously drawn by four different artists and written by Marc Andreyko. While the stories generally follow the film, the art styles all add a new touch, giving a sense of ownership to each artist.

Mike Huddleston gives us the first chapter, covering the opening scenes of the film. Huddleston's art feels pretty realistic to me, giving everything a dark purplish tint. He does a fantastic job of capturing the suspense and unpredictability of the film, especially in his depiction of the "pumpkin-carving" scene.

Grant Bond's got the next set of stories, and he gives them a bit more of a cartoonish feel. Even with this, though, I think Bond's got the creepiest style for his stories, with the ghost kids taking on a physical presence and a decidedly menacing appearance that sends shivers down my spine. His work here is very well done, and I love how he draws the dark sky of All Hallow's Eve with a gloomy, overcast facade.

Christopher Gugliotti tackles the werewolf scene, and though his artwork is very intricate, I have to say that I sometimes got confused by what was happening. The character designs can be pretty similar, which is what really threw me off, as I was unsure of exactly who was who, most noticeably during the action sequences. Gugliotti does have some nifty violence-drawing capabilities, and his werewolf designs are grotesquely imposing.

Finally, Fiona Staples (also artist of the recently-reviewed North 40 series) finishes up with the last chapter, a pleasing and inspired representation of old EC Comics artwork Great combat and fantastic artwork make this one of my favorite chapters out of the graphic novel, as I am definitely a fan of the similarities between the old Tales from the Crypt art and the panels featured in Staples' piece.

Surprisingly, the comic adaptation of Trick 'r Treat feels fairly consistent considering the use of four different artists. I love how the aspect of using references to other scenes comes into play with the comic as well as the movie; the only problem I had with this was that sometimes the characters look drastically different than they did in the other chapters. Overall, a very solid comic to read alongside the film that only continues the appeal of the perfect Halloween shown in Trick 'r Treat. A word of warning, though - I read the comic before I saw the movie, and it became sort of a letdown because I already knew all of the plot before seeing it. I would wait on the comic until you've seen the movie, lest you be deprived of enjoying the suspense and secrets of the film.

The Intervention airing at Fangoria Trinity of Terrors Fest and La Femme Festival

Husband-and-wife filmmakers Richard Eden and Shannon Hile are having their latest psychological thriller, The Intervention, screened at the Fangoria Trinity of Terrors Festival in Las Vegas this October 31. For those going, be sure to check out the picture at 2:30 PM.

The Intervention marks Shannon Hile's directorial debut, and Richard Eden stars as the main character - what more could one ask for than to have one's first movie screened on Halloween! The film is described as a

"70's style homage to the classic character- driven thriller horror genre of that decade."

And the plot?

"Eight people have gathered in an isolated house just North of Los Angeles, to intervene in the destructive path of alcoholic husband, friend, and brother, Matthew Garret. The horrific, paranormal events that transpired on that autumn night, could only lead to one implausible conclusion - demonic possession."

Along with the Trinity of Terrors Fest, the film will also be shown at La Femme Festival October 16 at the Renberg Theater in Los Angeles. You can view their website for more details on when and where to catch the flick.

Here's the trailer:

My Favorite Halloween Specials #9 & 10: "Arnold's Halloween" & "Four-Eyed Jack"

I guess it's time for another Halloween specials post, huh? This time, I'm bringing you another throwback to my childhood with Nickelodeon cartoon series Hey Arnold!

This episode finds the Arnold, the gang, and his hat duping the town into thinking that aliens have landed. The premise is right out of history with the Orson Welles Halloween prank, but I loved and still do love Hey Arnold! so much that there was no way that this wasn't going to get a mention.


Hey Arnold 207 Arnold's Halloween

Dreamer Neverending | MySpace Video

And as a double-feature, I've included another Hey Arnold! favorite. This one has nothing to do with the holiday of Halloween, but it is a good ghost story that always slightly creeped me out as a kid.

"Four-Eyed Jack" is actually part two of a Hey Arnold! episode. Arnold and Gerald find glasses in the boarding house and think they are from a previous resident, Four-Eyed Jack, who supposedly haunts the place. Weird creaks and moans abound! Check it out - the episode has a ghastly feel throughout.



"Four-Eyed Jack" should start around halfway.

Movie Review - Trick 'r Treat

Trick 'r Treat

The wait for Trick 'r Treat has been a long and arduous one. I remember reading a book about the film a while back in '08 and anticipating its release long before now. But finally the release is upon us, and just in time for Halloween - and Trick 'r Treat definitely knows how to get the audience into the Halloween spirit.

The film is anthology-based, with all parts of the film taking place on the same Halloween night. Each story interlaps with the others, and scenes from the stories are shown at different times. The first arc is a quick killing of a woman who wants to end Halloween night early, and for her, it certainly does end. The next centers on a principal who takes Halloween to the extreme by killing children who don't take the customs of the holiday seriously. The third story revolves around children who find more than they bargained for when they play a trick on one of their classmates at a haunted lake, the fourth about a group of women holding a party in the woods where they are "threatened" by the same principal from before, and the fifth about a grumpy old man getting his dues after refusing to hand out candy.

The stories are nicely varied, rarely tackling the same subjects. Trick 'r Treat touches on a lot of Halloween themes, but it doesn't retread them. Werewolves, fake vampires, ghosts, and murderers all appear, but they don't feel copied; they are more like new urban legends, played out like stories told over decades that have finally found a medium in film.

Trick 'r Treat also touches on some genre staples that add a dimension of inspiration to the whole film. One can see a bit of slasher influence in the scenes where Sam stalks his prey; werewolf love for the transformation scenes; even anthology series like Tales from the Crypt are honored, especially in the fifth story, which feels like a Tales from the Darkside episode where a cranky old man is visited by a demon on Halloween.

But though the stories are interesting, it's the Halloween atmosphere that will make this an annual holiday film. Everything that is awesome about Halloween is somehow presented in the film, from dark paths in town lined with pumpkins (how cool would that be?!) to a town Halloween party to a Halloween PARADE! I need to live in this town. Trick 'r Treat channels the spirit of Halloween and smartly places it within the world of the film.

Michael Dougherty knows Halloween. His presentation is totally accurate, and the film's premise of combining all of the events into one night is a child's dream of what Halloween consists of. The stories are strong, the pacing fantastic, and the themes pleasing to those of us who love the holiday and wonder how anyone could not. Trick 'r Treat has come along and given us a film that is the most successful Halloween-centered film in ages, and no one could be more happier than me. It is hard to stay unbiased toward the film and pick out subjective topics to think about when I find the film so thrilling. It's like it was tailor-made for my enjoyment. This is highly recommended, a film that has been a long time in coming but one that has delivered everything I could have hoped for.

Speaking of Halloween television specials...

Check out this website made by Michael! He has compiled a database of Halloween television specials, with episode descriptions, info on whether the episode is on DVD, and even lists whether or not you can find it on Netflix.

Of course, the list is incomplete due to the multitude of Halloween specials out there, but it's a must-view if you're looking for something to watch for the Halloween season or if you know you remember what the episode was about but can't quite put your finger on what series did it. You can check it out here, and it's always updating (you can find the latest Monk on there, so that tells me he's quite current) so you can find specials that just aired!

Thanks Michael! This comes in amazingly handy for my Halloween specials posts.

Vote for Stacie Ponder!

Fellow LOTT D-er Final Girl, AKA Stacie Ponder or Awesomest Horror Blogger Ever, has entered into a film competition for Home Run Inn, a Chicago pizza joint who is looking for the best two-minute horror film short. Winners receive Home Run Inn pizza for a year and the Grand Prize is $2500!

Stacie has entered the video "They Won't Stay Fed!" which is described as:

"A young woman receives an unexpected- and undead- dinner guest."

Spooky! So what can you do for Ms. Ponder? Vote her up on the video's website. You get a maximum of 15 votes per day, and the first round of the contest ends Sunday, so you can send a total of 45 votes Stacie's way in the next three days. You can even vote through your Facebook account. Stacie's video is currently in 11th place, and the top ten move on to the next round, so she needs our help. Get voting!

My Favorite Halloween Specials #8: "Spookyfish"

South Park does Halloween a decent service with each of its Halloween episodes, but "Spookyfish" features Kyle's pet fish who he thinks is secretly murdering people. They begin to pile up around Kyle, and the kids eventually find that there is an evil Cartman running loose that came out of an interdimensional portal where the fish originated from.

Featuring the same crude humor, this South Park episode takes a similar premise of other Halloween specials but makes it a lot funnier by adding in that damn fish. It's hilarious to see Kyle and his mom worrying about the random appearance of the dead bodies, made even better with the generic stormy night of the situation.

Movie Review - Unearthed (2007)

Unearthed (2007)

AH! Big alien creature containing DNA from all five kingdoms of organisms awakens after a deep poison-induced sleep to reign terror on a sleepy town with a drunk for a sheriff (Emmanuelle Vaugier). The characters find radioactivity to be the baddy's weakness, and devise a uranium shot for the alien, but is it too late?! 

Unearthed is a mediocre creature feature through and through. Despite its fairly smart plot, it contains a number of flaws that detract from a truly enjoyable viewing experience. One of these is awful CGI; Unearthed refuses to leave the monster to the imagination, utterly ruining any tension that may be created by atmospherics in the process. The monster is not scary; it looks like a highly animated Alien monster, even spitting at its victims. It bounds like a dog, which is meant to be extremely frightening but comes off as cartoonish because of the unrealistic design. We are supposed to be able to pretend that this thing is real? It's movements aren't even very smooth, and it looks more like a video game villain than any serious killer.

The second is Unearthed's reliance on the sheriff as a character. She doesn't feel like a protagonist; in fact, she begins the movie fairly unlikeable and remains that way until her suicidal "sacrifice" at the film's conclusion. Unfortunately, there is no growth to her character - she stays weak through the whole movie, and her sacrifice at the end is less like a selfless act to protect civilians than it is an easy way out of a crap life. Because of her flashbacks to particularly terrible scenes within her life, the sheriff's last thoughts in life are awful memories, and then she kills herself. It doesn't seem like she's doing this because she knows it's the only way to kill the monster - it would be easy enough to swing the uranium shot at it anyway, since it's only a few feet from her. Rather, it's a suicide that conveniently acts as monster murder, at least in my mind, which leaves a disagreeable taste in the mouth.

Unearthed has some good ideas, though. Scientifically, the alien has a pretty cool genetic composition, and it's unfortunate that the film's writer (and director) Matthew Leutwyler didn't use some of its more unique qualities to their full potential. Instead, the alien becomes a stereotypical killing machine that is more focused on annihilating the human race than preserving and manufacturing any DNA to take back to its planet. This is a consistency error; if the alien is scouting the planet for life forms, why would it be so encouraged to kill them? If this is supposed to indicate that the alien was somehow wronged in previous years, it's not made clear enough within the film to build any sort of connection.

I did like the attempt to characterize the sheriff, however, and there are some scenes which attempt to create a bond between character and audience that don't always come off well, or at all, in more generically-scripted horror films. It doesn't work particularly well towards character growth as the suicide pretty much eradicates any sense of self-fulfillment, but at least it was a step in the right direction.

Unearthed suffers from the SyFy Original Series' monster formula. If bad CGI doesn't take you out of the film's premise, then you might actually find Unearthed to be an acceptable monster movie. But if it's depth of character or suspenseful moments you're looking for, as I was, you might want to check out something a bit more substantial than what this film has to offer in terms of story and creature realism.


Unearthed on Rotten Tomatoes

My Favorite Halloween Specials #7: "Suckers"

The original CSI has always maintained a darker, more serious tone than its counterparts, but the Halloween special entitled "Suckers" really added a creepy depth to the series. In the episode, the team is faced with a vampire-like homicide investigation where a woman's body is found with all of her blood sucked out.

The episode is highly atmospheric and dark, with many of the same qualities as regular episodes, but it also contains a lot of suspenseful elements like when the team investigates a modern vampire cult's hang-out spot. While it's not necessarily a Halloween episode per se, it does feature creepy lilting piano chords, thrills, and supernatural themes that make it a great find for CSI fans and those who love Halloween specials.

Sweet dreams and bad moons, kids

I'll be back tomorrow morning.

Graphic Novel Review - High Moon, Vol. 1 by David Gallaher and Steve Ellis

High Moon, Vol. 1

At first, I thought High Moon was just about werewolves, and I was seriously wrong. High Moon might contain werewolves, but it tackles so much more in its short, three-chapter graphic novel that it is almost offensive to assume that Gallaher and Ellis were making only a werewolf comic.

High Moon was featured on the Zuda Comics website as the winner of an online competition. Now, it has been made into graphic novel form through DC Comics. One can actually read the entirety of the graphic novel through the Zuda Comics website, plus ten or so more pages that weren't included.

In all honesty, it's no wonder that High Moon won the competition. Its story is a great mix of western and horror that blends seamlessly to create a fantastic romp through the village of Blest and onward. Werewolves and other creatures of darkness have been tormenting villagers, and it is up to the heroes, who are all mysteriously named Macgregor, to battle these forces of evil, while also having some secrets up their sleeves as well. These heroes are all moody, battle-hardened cowboy types, looking for vengeance and spreading a little violence as well.

High Moon transitions extremely well from chapter to chapter, taking on a new story arc at each turn. Throughout the first chapter, we are even presented with a protagonist that is developed and then dies off in a surprising twist! Gallaher's plot is fully focused and exceedingly smart, remaining high intensity and often emotionally jarring throughout the course of the novel. This mood is equaled by the consistent artistry from Ellis, who captures the grit of the West with superb animation. The color is also widely varied and lush, showcasing the splendors of the environment.

Awesome action sequences abound as well. Ellis' drawings are complex enough to allow the combat to appear both smooth and intricate at the same time, and stylistically, I think the drawings of High Moon are some of my favorites thus far after reading three comics series in a row. The creature designs are also surprising; these aren't the type of werewolves most of us are used to, because they have evolved into winged creatures with multiple eyes. They are also much less like wolves and more like legitimate monstrous beasts.

High Moon's first volume is full to the brim with action and suspenseful plot elements. We travel from village to village, from the western Texas town of Blest to the snow-capped mountains of an Indian village that is threatened by soldiers. There's never a dull moment for the people of High Moon, nor is there one for the reader. I love how each arc wraps around to the others, and incorporates helpful bits of background information in each to give the reader some exposition on the Macgregor's. The storytelling is inspiring, and though I found it a bit confusing at first, I quickly found myself wrapped up in the plot and the Western tropes.

Hopefully, Zuda Comics and the team of Gallaher and Ellis come out with the second volume of the series soon, as the finale of this novel left me hanging by a thread. I'm eager for more werewolf adventures with the Macgregors, as their characterization is actually quite successful despite the fact that the Macgregors feel slightly distanced. DC Comics' horror line-up has yet to disappoint me, and I think High Moon is a great comic that feels full of superheroes when none are to be found. Just a bunch of cowboys doing their jobs, thank you very much, ma'am.

Whoops!

I take that back! There is no free time today!

Welcome, October 13th!

Good morning everyone. I know that this Columbus Day weekend I have been neglecting to post, but I was pretty busy. Today, I have a review for High Moon Vol. 1 on the way, as well as a review for the Horrorfest film Unearthed. Not sure when they will get posted but I have a lot of down time today so expect them soon!

Other than that, I've got an entirely normal October day for the blog today. Tomorrow, another favorite Halloween special will be posted.

I'm still looking for bloggers to guest post on Nostalgia November (see here for more details), so if you want in, let me know!

My Favorite Halloween Specials #6: "Halloweenie"

Ah, The Adventures of Pete and Pete: a great childhood show, especially for those of us who lived in small town suburbia. Two children with the same name, one with a tattoo, populated this original Nickelodeon show which slightly resembled The Wonder Years and other shows of the era.

The show has recently become a cult classic for those who experienced it when they were kids, and it still remains an interest of mine because of its nostalgia factor (not to mention the wicked alternative/grunge rock opening theme). But "Halloweenie," Pete and Pete's Halloween episode, has always stood out to me as being a highly relevant episode for kids and teens. Covering subjects like peer pressure and pumpkin smashing, the Halloween episode gives us the spooky decorations that we all love while remaining distinctly Pete and Pete-esque, and it even features creepy pumpkinheads! Plus, you've gotta love the camerawork that highlights great qualities of the Halloween experience.


Watch The Adventures of Pete and Pete Ep15 in Entertainment  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Go LIVE with Zak Bagans and the Ghost Adventures crew

Even in daylight, that is one foreboding place.

On October 30th, Ghost Adventures will be having a live 7-hour investigation of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, West Virginia. The Travel Channel's site states about the asylum:

"Built during the Civil War, the asylum is the second-largest hand-cut stone building in the world. For decades its thick walls housed the insane, the neglected and the unwanted. Violence was a common occurrence and inmates were often subjected to brutal treatment. Shut down permanently in 1994, this massive edifice has remained vacant ever since."

Asylums are always particularly creepy because they housed so many troubled individuals, and if there's one thing ghost hunters can agree on, it's that troubled humans many times become troubled spirits. I'm a huge fan of ghostly encounters, but I know I would never take my chances alone in an asylum or prison ward. They look and feel very malevolent.

But Zak, Nick, and Aaron are up for the challenge, and will interview locals and explore the nether regions of the asylum. One interesting place is the tuberculosis clinic; I've heard accounts of hauntings from other tuberculosis areas, so it seems as though these places of pain and suffering are very common for ghosts.

The show starts at 8 PM and runs until 3 AM, so make some popcorn, get your critical eyes ready, and take a step into the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum with Ghost Adventures. There's even a countdown on the Travel Channel's website.

A big Halloween thank you, Mr. Monk...

...for your voodoo episode last week on USA. Monk is one of my favorite shows on right now, and I'm deeply saddened to see it end in December.

But Monk's dealings with voodoo in last week's episode "Mr. Monk and the Voodoo Curse" cemented my love for the show's witty dialogue, quirky humor, and love of mystery wrap-ups. In this creepy ep, Monk deals with a series of murders that all involved the victims receiving pre-posted packages containing voodoo dolls. Natalie has a paranoia of them, so Monk has to get the Reverend Jorgensen to do an anti-curse spell on her.

The episode plays off of witches, hoodoo, and curses with great humor and a knowledge of superstition, and even features a surprising shot of the Reverend walking up to Monk's house reminiscent of a certain scene in The Exorcist.

Thanks for the allusion, Monk, and for appreciating the horror genre in general, which has very distinct parallels to the mystery genre.

October 10th

I've got nothing for today. No reviews, anyway. I'm home, and I'm a little busy - we just put up the Halloween decorations, and in an hour or so I have to go to work mowing and moving pellets. I'm not sure if I will have time to post today (I know, the first day of October that will be postless!), but I will try to make time to at least post some news or maybe even a favorite Halloween special (though I've tried to keep them every other day so I don't run out).

Comic Review - North 40 #1, 2, and 3

North 40


Ah, Conover County - a nice little western group of towns populated by farms, saloons, and a host of "colorful" characters. Now make that a place with all of those things plus monsters, and lots of 'em. Two slightly misunderstood individuals opened up a book slightly resembling the Necronomicon, and literally all Hell broke loose. So Conover is now overrun with demonic citizens, all with their own amazing, or grotesque, talents.

North 40 is a rush right from the first issue. Rather than let us get to know any recurring characters, we are immediately introduced to Conover as a county under destruction. I love how Aaron Williams' writing style jumps from character to character without worrying whether the audience is following or not; the comic just assumes we will trust the author to take us where we need to be. Throughout the first three issues, the reader is actually not too sure who the protagonist is - we know we have a good-natured sheriff, a strong teenage boy, and a girl who can speak to a mysterious oracle, but it's not obvious as to what roles they play or if they'll even become regular characters. Instead of being a flaw, this is a huge success; the mystery of what's going on in Conover County is something that keeps the reader interested rather than frustrated at missing out on the "secret."

But even though there are few evident major characters, there are a ton of minor characters that all have unique demonic characteristics, plus original body structures from artist Fiona Staples. We've got evil rednecks, girls who see through the eyes of animals, zombies, giant robots, gargoyle-like men, and even tentacle-limbed creatures like that of Cthulhu (which we'll get to in a second). The imagination that has gone into both writing and drawing these creative creatures is astounding. You'd think that all of the monsters wouldn't mesh together in the same story; in that respect, you'd be wrong. The county is overrun, and it makes the tension so much higher because almost everything has been turned into some sort of mutated entity. Not all of the monsters are evil - but many are, and there's always a threat looming. The variety of monsters also makes the comic ferociously entertaining; there are so many different paths the comic could take that it puts even more suspense into the story.

Williams definitely seems to be influenced by the writings of Lovecraft; even the first issue features a boy with a Cthulhu shirt on the cover. One can draw many parallels between North 40 and Lovecraft's stories: small, mysterious towns, fantastical monsters, tentacled beings, a dark god... The list can go on and on. It is a great homage to Lovecraft's writing, and does so much right that one must admire the storytelling Williams does.

North 40 is shaping up to be a ridiculously good comic, and a real gem in horror literature in general. The artwork is violent, bloody fun, and the story has its share of comedy and thrills that keep the reader fully engaged. Plus, it expects the reader's full attention, rarely resorting to pure mindless exposition. It's hard to say where North 40 will go next, which is what is so inviting about the plot. A highly recommended read that is sure to leave you thirsting for more. I know I am; bring on issue 4!

My Favorite Halloween Specials #5: "Fear, Itself"

No, this is not the anthology series on NBC, but a Buffy the Vampire Slayer Halloween episode. Buffy generally lends itself to being a Halloween special, but all of the specials are extremely well down, which makes it hard to choose which one is my favorite.

But I've come to the conclusion that "Fear, Itself" is my favorite for a number of reasons. One is that it allows the Scooby Gang to explore a haunted house full of demons, something that always grabs my attention within the horror genre. Another is that they just have such a good time making Halloween into their episodes, especially this one, which features a creepily decorated house to create the Halloween ambience. Plus, Buffy gives us Halloween activities as well, something which can be missing from a lot of specials; they actually acknowledge the spirit of Halloween, rather than tying it loosely into a horror-related plot.



But check out the other Halloween Buffy specials as well; the episodes are almost always great, and are sure to hearken to your tastes. Plus, the "Hush" episode is bone-chilling.

The Shortcut on DVD now!

The Shortcut, a new horror movie from director Nicholaus Goossen, released a little while ago on DVD. The story is explained as in the vein of a classic Hitchcock film, and its plot is summarized as thus:

"A group of teens, on their way home from school, come across a rarely-used shortcut. Turns out it’s rarely-used for a reason. An old man who’s owned a farm there his whole life doesn’t take kindly to visitors. And if you think you know what’s coming next, you have no idea."

Since The Shortcut released September 29, you can catch it in entertainment stores or via their website, http://theshortcutmovie.com.The film notably stars Drew Seeley, teen crush known for his singing voice used for Zac Efron in High School Musical, plus Katrina Bowden of 30 Rock (another very attractive star!).

Graphic Novel Review - Dark Entries: A John Constantine Novel by Ian Rankin & Werther Dell'edera

Dark Entries: A John Constantine Novel

Think of Dark Entries as a cross between House on Haunted Hill and film noir. If that sounds like your kind of comic series, then this graphic novel is absolutely for you.

John Constantine, cool, gruff, and collected paranormal investigator, has been commissioned to join a reality TV show where contestants are kept in a house and subjected to their fears. The house, however, has been conjuring up its own nightmares for the housemates, and it seems to be bugging the director, Keene. So John joins the show to get some info from the contestants, only to find out that they are all dead and the show is actually being broadcast to the inhabitants of Hell. This makes the house a sort of limbo for all of the dead, and John has to break the news to the contestants plus make it out of the house and back into his own life without being killed by the demons he put in the underworld.

Rankin's story starts out like a haunted house story; we meet John and the contestants individually, experiencing their fears with a great use of backstory. Each character is connected to another in some way; they form a chain of events which led them to the game show. Along the way, John and company are terrorized by Keene, who had tricked John all along. With awesome plot developments and a truly compelling scary story, Rankin could have stopped right there and had a successful Constantine story.

But he goes further, adding Hell into the mix. This throws a whole new element into the plot, where a person from John's past comes to kill him in the house. Rankin knows how to fully absorb the reader; there are no chapter stops, which insists that the reader keep moving with the plot - and we fully comply! The novel is so hard to put down, mostly because of Rankin's characters and their motivations. We have an amalgam of a cast, and there's great intensity when they clash. John is also a marvelous protagonist; he's hardened, mostly emotionless, and allows for a leadership character that, when affected by the events around him, makes everything seem that much more serious.

The story moves quite fast, and Rankin's use of show-not-tell allows the reader to participate rather than just sitting back and enjoying the art. Every element comes together quite smoothly, transitioning well from regular TV show to purgatory with a decisive use of black pages when we are in Hell. Dell'edera's art meshes amazingly with the gritty feel of the plot. It is a sketchy, black-and-white drawing style which enunciates the film noir feel. The demons are intriguing; they are bit more grotesquely deformed than we are used to seeing, and the denizens of Hell have a nice assortment of physical maladies.

Rankin's novel pulled me in; with a strong story, an enjoyable cast of characters, and elements of horror that I really love, I was hooked right after I heard there were people locked in a scary house. All of the other parts of the plot were just added greatness. John Constantine battles Hell in Dark Entries - but it's no battle to read.

My Favorite Halloween Specials #4: "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Psycho Halloween"

Much along the lines of the first in this series, "And Then There Was Shawn," Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place did a Halloween-themed episode based on one of the characters as a killer. In the episode, Berg goes on a killing spree in the pizza place, only at the end of the show we come to find out that there is an evil Berg and a good Berg, and everyone has to decide who is who. It wasn't an original idea, but it still had the show's quirky humor (one which was a sitcom favorite for me back then) and had a little bit of violence as well, which made it a definite must for me during Halloween.

Because of 20th Century Fox's copyright laws, one cannot find any of Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place's episodes online at all! So this episode is, unfortunately, unviewable - but those who have seen it can revel in its Halloween excellence. And the show was actually really good, too, and I urge you to rebel against 20th Century Fox and their stupid infringement violations.

Movie Review - In My Skin

In My Skin


AKA Dans Ma Peau

In My Skin is a gruesome foreign film directed, written, and starring Marina de Van as Esther, a truly disturbed young woman obsessed with her leg lesions after sustaining injuries in a fall. Esther is a fairly strange woman before her fall, but after noticing she has cut her leg up, she cannot leave her cuts alone. She constantly picks and plays with them, finally going so far as to actually inflict wounds herself. As her condition worsens, her job and home life also suffer, but Esther cannot end her fascination, until she finally begins eating her own skin and tanning it.

In My Skin begins quite fascinatingly. We meet Esther through a party, where she seems more like a loner than anything else. She cuts herself, but does not realize she has actually been hurt until she sees the blood leaking from her leg. Already, de Van's character feels strange; she explores things without asking, she keeps to herself, and she can't feel the pain of cuts. She even seems accustomed to the blood on the floors. De Van sets up a chilling atmosphere through the exposition of Esther - long, drawn-out closeups of her face and her bloody leg create awkward tensions, almost a voyeuristic exploration of the cuts.

As Esther progresses in her delirium, the tension increases tenfold. The film transitions extremely well from natural daily life and the obstacles Esther faces with her obsession of wounds to truly uncomfortable scenes of Esther grotesquely feeling and cutting her skin. De Van allows us to be sucked into Esther's fascination; much of the time, the audience is also unable to look away from Esther's experimentation with self-inflicted wounds. It is not so much the violence that is shown as the sounds and faces that de Van makes that create the squirmy feelings within the viewer - the implied pain is worse than actually seeing it, and the long shots of de Van playing with the wounds are enough to send shivers down the spine.

So throughout much of the movie, there's an uneasiness that pervades the whole film, where one doesn't know exactly what will happen next. De Van takes us to the edge, having Esther actually eat and preserve her skin in a scene which can only be described as a sort of "binge" of cutting. The tension is nauseating; it's not a question about what violence will be shown but how far it will go, and de Van realizes this enough to treat us to tantalizing but vague shots of skin destruction. One feels so queasy because of the imagination; we must supply our own pain for Esther, as she is just not right.

But the film ends on a disappointing note, one which refuses to wrap up anything that we have just watched. Unfortunately, it feels as though de Van did not know how to end the film. Instead of resolution, we are treated to a cliffhanger that can never be answered. In my opinion, it's not a successful conclusion, though. We have watched a woman delve deeper into her psychoses, only to learn that there is no end, no deeper meaning. There isn't a psychological weight here; we have watched a woman cut herself up expecting something more than what appears at the end to be "just for the fun of it," and to me that is leaving the film unfinished.

One's enjoyment here will come from being sucked into the bizarre mental breakdown of Esther. Whether you can get over the lackluster ending or not, In My Skin is still a wonderful film to explore because of its tense pacing and ability to create discomfort within the viewer. It will push you to limits; it makes you curious; but for me, it's finale did not live up to my expectations that de Van had created throughout the film. It only left me with a conflicting view of the movie, loving the techniques but missing that extra push to make it truly a great piece of horror cinema.

In My Skin on Rotten Tomatoes

My Favorite Halloween Specials #3: "Candy Bar Creep Show"

A bit of an unorthodox pick, but one that has stuck with me from childhood is the Rugrats Halloween episode from its first season, called "Candy Bar Creep Show." Not only do the kids have an adventure on Halloween night with spooky jack-o-lanterns, trick-or-treaters, and a stroll through the adults' haunted house, but we get another part to the episode that features the kids exploring a monster in their garage.

Rugrats was always one of my favorite shows, but this cemented the deal. Rugrats knew how to make Halloween look appealing to kids, especially a kid like me who was already a fanatic for it.

Right now, embed links don't seem to work so please click the link to see the episode.

Rugrats 109 "Candy Bar Creep Show / Monster in the Garage"

Book Review - The Werewolf's Guide to Life by Ritch Duncan & Bob Powers

The Werewolf's Guide to Life

Let's face it - recently, werewolves have been left out of popular media. We have a ton of new films, TV shows, and books (cough cough thanks Twilight) about vampires; zombies have been getting the nod in films like Zombieland and books like World War Z or The Zombie Survival Guide; even slashers have been pretty much static throughout the years with a slew of remakes hitting left and right. So it's a good thing that Ritch Duncan and Bob Powers decided to let the werewolf into the horror genre again with their guide book, because it's a fantastic doorway to making werewolves popular again.

The Werewolf's Guide to Life reads much like any self-help book - except this time, the authors are assuming that the reason you're reading it is because you have recently been bitten by a slobbering lycanthrope, and now are confused about how to live your life protecting yourself and others when you change on your Moons. Duncan and Powers know how to suspend disbelief; it is so easy to read their prose and find yourself pretending that you may actually be a werewolf that when the time comes to put the book down, you actually long for a few more chapters dealing with werewolf dilemmas you've never thought of. I know I did.

What makes the book so goddamn fun is the topics discussed within. There's a wealth of knowledge here that anyone planning on writing a script or novel should read and think about. Duncan and Powers have done their research, and much like Zombieland that I recently reviewed, they highlight some critical cliches within the werewolf genre and give them a meaning. Any item from a werewolf movie you can think of is somehow included and explained in this guide. The duo even discuss possible werewolf clans, the problems with a whole society of werewolves, and contest some myths about werewolf life. The amount of creativity that has gone into crafting a world that is filled with lycanthropes and the obstructions they face with daily living conditions is honestly overwhelmingly wonderful.

Most of all, The Werewolf's Guide to Life is also funny, and a really fast read. It's almost impossible to put down, due in part to Duncan and Power's knowledge of practical guidebooks. If you really are a werewolf, this is the book to read. And if you're not, the book will surely make you feel like you are one, a perfect pairing for Halloween. Let's hope Duncan and Powers decide to take on another guidebook - witches, anyone?

Received as a review item from Broadway Books

DAY 5!

Happy Monday, October 5 everyone. I hope you all had as busy a weekend as I had. I have been behind on posting, so I will try to catch up A LOT in the next couple of days. I have a review of The Werewolf's Guide to Life to post today, plus a couple news features and another television Halloween favorite!

And you guessed it - tonight, I hope to be watching In My Skin for a review tomorrow. Stay tuned for the madness!

Movie Review - Zombieland

Zombieland


Most horror comedies don't appeal to me, mostly due to having only semi-funny jokes and skimping on the more serious side of the horror genre. Yet Zombieland is a different breed of horror comedy, seamlessly blending both distinct types of film together to create a highly funny and scary gorefest.

The film has a way of hooking the audience from the very beginning, with its slow-motion zombie attacks being the highlight of the credits. But it is really our main character, "Columbus" (Jesse Eisenberg), who gives the film a plentiful dose of relatibility. Columbus narrates some of what we see on-screen, but instead of becoming too focused on supplying the viewer with information that could have been pieced together on one's own, Eisenberg's voice-overs contribute to the comedy and supply the quirky rules for living in a society overrun by zombies.

Columbus is a rather nerdy loner who is making his way from college to his parents' house. Developing a set of "rules" that corresond well with all of the cliches of zombie flicks, Columbus has survived thusfar because of his ability to outsmart the dumb zombies where others couldn't. Along the way, he stumbles on a gritty cowboy, "Tallahassee" (Woody Harrelson), which is where the city names come in - Tallahassee doesn't like to get too attached to the people that he meets in case they are taken down by zombie hordes, so he calls people by the city of their home. Tallahassee is an ass-kicking zombie hunter who has made his way through the zombie infestation by brawn and hatred of zombies. Both loners decide to band together, at least as far as Tallahassee is willing to take Columbus, but they are hustled by two younger ladies, one of which is played by Abigail Breslin, who steal their car and their guns. Later, they meet up with them again, and though being tricked by their ploys, decide to travel with them in hopes of finding some safe civilization. Columbus begins to fall in love with the older of the two girls, "Wichita" (Emma Stone), and Zombieland becomes both a love story and an escape from hungry zombies.

Naturally, the audience comes to root for Columbus and Wichita together, not through the use of cheesy love-story plot elements but through sheer charisma. Zombieland is not a romance, but its romantic elements are surprisingly good. Plus, the love story does not detract from the sheer mayhem of the world.

Columbus' rules, too, show up as an entirely new addition to the zombie realm. Though Zombieland works to satirize the zombie film formula, it is also a smart addition to a genre chock full of dumb characters and mindless intestine-gnawing. The rules allow for the characters to use their smarts; they obviously survived so long for a reason, and their characters feel both helpless and able-bodied. This gives the film that sense of horror along with the comedy; we root for the humans hoping they survive, feeling like they can survive, but they are still victims.

Fortunately, the film does have some gratifying scares that catch the viewer off guard. The violence is extreme, complete with hammers to the face and tons of zombie beat-downs. Woody Harrelson is excellent, and someone has a cameo. Everything fun about zombie films is somehow worked into the movie's short hour and a half run-time.

The comedy is also excellent. Many times, I find that the funniness of horror comedies is completely lacking, more based on stupid one-liners than anything else. But Zombieland brings the laughs in spades, because it knows how to manipulate the cliches that we all laugh at in bad z-grade zombie flicks into something fresh and original.

If you see a horror comedy this year, make Zombieland the one. Fun, fresh, and absolutely entertaining, the film is one of the smartest comedies I have seen in a while, and probably even one of the better horror films to release this year. And I have to mention again, someone has a cameo in a completely ridiculous and hilarious scene.

Zombieland on Rotten Tomatoes