I've decided I want to do something this year during the month of October movie-wise and blogging-wise. I am going to watch at least 31 movies of the horror genre, and hopefully in the process write a post regarding said film.
So, to get myself in the right frame of mind and in the Halloween spirit, I decided to make a list of potential films for this endeavor. Not everything I list will get watched, but I've got a nice selection between my personal collection and the offering of Netflix & Hulu. Plus, the public library is always accessible.
Most of the things I list are titles I have in one of two queues, or plan to get from the library within the next month. A few items will also be from my own collection.
Oh, and entry one is already pending. The Serpent & The Rainbow will kick all this off tomorrow, hopefully.
Without further adiu, here we go.
Library
Oculus (2014)
Hulu
The Prowler (1981)
The Beyond (1983)
Arcade (1994)
Intruder (1989)
Netflix Streaming
Grave Encounters (2011)
The Stuff (1985)
The Innkeepers (2011)
The Hole (2009)
ParaNorman (2012)
Dead Heat (1988)
Birth of the Living Dead (2013)
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988)
Transylvania 6-5000 (1985)
Personal Collection
Subspecies (1990)
The Monster Club (1980)
Deadly Eyes (1982)
Trilogy of Terror (1974)
The Descent (2005)
19 movies isn't a bad start. I didn't list anything from my Netflix queue since I still need to finish Season 2 of Hannibal before I get any movies in the mail.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
September in Review
To keep the blog active, and to continue to write (even when the desire is not there), I decided I would look at my movie stats at the end of each month, and compile a post regarding what I watched.
September had 14 movies watched, a bit low, but between Elizabeth & myself watching 4 seasons of Rizzoli & Isles and then me catching up with Season 2 of Hannibal, I'm happy with my viewing history.
A lot of good things were watched, starting off with a theatrical viewing of one of my all-time favorite films, Ghostbusters. I love this movie. Easily in my top 5 favorite films, and if asked on the right day, might even be my #1. I've loved this movie since childhood. When my parents bought me a DVD player for Christmas back in 1999, they included 4 movies. Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2, Jurassic Park, & The Lost World: Jurassic Park. They know me quite well.
Two great franchise documentaries were also watched in September. I finally made my way through both A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, so I was able to view Never Sleep Again and Crystal Lake Memories. I loved both of them, but I feel like Never Sleep Again was just a tad bit better. Probably due to it being the shorter of the two documentaries (4 hours compared to 6), and it flew by when I viewed it.
As I wrote in my last entry, I was able to introduce Elizabeth to the awesomeness of Bill & Ted over the weekend. Two more movies from my childhood, and and it had been a while since watching them. I'll probably be upgrading Excellent to Blu-Ray in the future, especially if I can find it at a decent price.
Of course, with the good comes the bad. But, bad doesn't always mean horrible. I am a huge fan of "so bad it's good" cinema, and more than one movie I watched in September fits that genre. Dave and I had a mini-marathon of movies earlier in the month, in which we introduced ourselves to a film entitled Samurai Cop. I can't even begin to describe the awesomeness/awfulness of this movie. In retaliation, I then introduced Dave to a little film entitled Ninja III: The Domination, which I had watched for the first time only a week prior. Both films are quite entertaining & fun to watch. Samurai Cop has a Kickstarter going for it's sequel, and Dave backed it, so sometime next year we will be experiencing that.
Finally, there is the ugly. Thankfully, I do not watch a lot of movies that fall into this category. Which means I won't always have an entry. But September does have a qualifier: Jason X. See, in preparation for Crystal Lake Memories, I sat through the whole franchise of Friday the 13th. And as much as I love Jason, Jason X was a tough film to get through. Mainly due to the acting, as the movie makers actually made the plot doable. I will admit this entry in the franchise does have one of my favorite kills, the cryogenic face smash. Watching the documentary did improve my thoughts regarding it, but it is still the worst movie I watched in September.
I didn't cover all 14 films, so if you are curious to see all that I watched, please check out my pinterest page. Hopefully I will make this a monthly feature to the blog, and get better at my writing in the process.
September had 14 movies watched, a bit low, but between Elizabeth & myself watching 4 seasons of Rizzoli & Isles and then me catching up with Season 2 of Hannibal, I'm happy with my viewing history.
A lot of good things were watched, starting off with a theatrical viewing of one of my all-time favorite films, Ghostbusters. I love this movie. Easily in my top 5 favorite films, and if asked on the right day, might even be my #1. I've loved this movie since childhood. When my parents bought me a DVD player for Christmas back in 1999, they included 4 movies. Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2, Jurassic Park, & The Lost World: Jurassic Park. They know me quite well.
Two great franchise documentaries were also watched in September. I finally made my way through both A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, so I was able to view Never Sleep Again and Crystal Lake Memories. I loved both of them, but I feel like Never Sleep Again was just a tad bit better. Probably due to it being the shorter of the two documentaries (4 hours compared to 6), and it flew by when I viewed it.
As I wrote in my last entry, I was able to introduce Elizabeth to the awesomeness of Bill & Ted over the weekend. Two more movies from my childhood, and and it had been a while since watching them. I'll probably be upgrading Excellent to Blu-Ray in the future, especially if I can find it at a decent price.
Of course, with the good comes the bad. But, bad doesn't always mean horrible. I am a huge fan of "so bad it's good" cinema, and more than one movie I watched in September fits that genre. Dave and I had a mini-marathon of movies earlier in the month, in which we introduced ourselves to a film entitled Samurai Cop. I can't even begin to describe the awesomeness/awfulness of this movie. In retaliation, I then introduced Dave to a little film entitled Ninja III: The Domination, which I had watched for the first time only a week prior. Both films are quite entertaining & fun to watch. Samurai Cop has a Kickstarter going for it's sequel, and Dave backed it, so sometime next year we will be experiencing that.
Finally, there is the ugly. Thankfully, I do not watch a lot of movies that fall into this category. Which means I won't always have an entry. But September does have a qualifier: Jason X. See, in preparation for Crystal Lake Memories, I sat through the whole franchise of Friday the 13th. And as much as I love Jason, Jason X was a tough film to get through. Mainly due to the acting, as the movie makers actually made the plot doable. I will admit this entry in the franchise does have one of my favorite kills, the cryogenic face smash. Watching the documentary did improve my thoughts regarding it, but it is still the worst movie I watched in September.
I didn't cover all 14 films, so if you are curious to see all that I watched, please check out my pinterest page. Hopefully I will make this a monthly feature to the blog, and get better at my writing in the process.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Happy 32nd Birthday
I had a great birthday this past weekend, spent with great friends and an amazing wife.
Yesterday after church, Elizabeth, Lindsey, Brian and myself spent the afternoon with pizza and homemade cookies (easily some of the best I've ever had) and watched Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. Two films Elizabeth had never seen, and that are on my 40 Films before 40 list.
(For those that don't know, when Elizabeth and I made 40 Before 40 lists two years ago, one of the objectives on my personal list is a list of 40 movies Elizabeth has never seen with me. It is a wide range of movies, mostly favorites of mine that I want to experience with her,)
It was a great afternoon, and surprisingly, she liked Bogus more.
After Bri & Lindz left, we relaxed at home and I began playing Batman: Arkham City, one of my birthday gifts. I also took the time and called my parents and grandparents, as I had missed a call from them. And it is always nice to talk with family.
Dave came over later that evening, and we ate leftover pizza & cookies, and ended up watching The Serpent & The Rainbow, which he had just bought at MovieStop. (Movie will get its own post shortly, as I am considering it as Movie #1 in my 31 Days of Horror challenge). He also had his gift for me, which was Volumes 1 and 2 of Chew, Omnivore editions. A great gift, since I just got into Chew earlier this year.
One final gift I've yet to experience, but that is because it hasn't happened yet. Elizabeth, Dave, and I will be going to a hockey game next month, which should be lots of fun.
Yesterday after church, Elizabeth, Lindsey, Brian and myself spent the afternoon with pizza and homemade cookies (easily some of the best I've ever had) and watched Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. Two films Elizabeth had never seen, and that are on my 40 Films before 40 list.
(For those that don't know, when Elizabeth and I made 40 Before 40 lists two years ago, one of the objectives on my personal list is a list of 40 movies Elizabeth has never seen with me. It is a wide range of movies, mostly favorites of mine that I want to experience with her,)
It was a great afternoon, and surprisingly, she liked Bogus more.
After Bri & Lindz left, we relaxed at home and I began playing Batman: Arkham City, one of my birthday gifts. I also took the time and called my parents and grandparents, as I had missed a call from them. And it is always nice to talk with family.
Dave came over later that evening, and we ate leftover pizza & cookies, and ended up watching The Serpent & The Rainbow, which he had just bought at MovieStop. (Movie will get its own post shortly, as I am considering it as Movie #1 in my 31 Days of Horror challenge). He also had his gift for me, which was Volumes 1 and 2 of Chew, Omnivore editions. A great gift, since I just got into Chew earlier this year.
One final gift I've yet to experience, but that is because it hasn't happened yet. Elizabeth, Dave, and I will be going to a hockey game next month, which should be lots of fun.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Nightmare on Friday the 13th
Back in July, I decided to finally get around to watching Never Sleep Again, a documentary on the Nightmare on Elm Street film franchise. So, before sitting down and watching the documentary and getting the most out of it, I decided I would watch the NOES films. Elizabeth gave me the DVD collection a few years ago, and I had never watched all the films in order before, and actually there were a few of them I had never even seen. So, I embarked on this journey. 8 films featuring Robert Englund as Freddy (thankfully, I did not have to sit through the reboot from 2010. Wasn't a fan in theaters, and don't think my opinion of the film is going to change.)
8 films. Including Freddy VS. Jason. So of course, I decided to also watch all the Friday the 13th films in chronological order. Friday has 12 movies in the franchise, including the 2009 reboot (which I'm ok with. (see, Englund = Freddy. Jason has had multiple actors behind the hockey mask.))
I finally made it to FvJ last week. And then I watched Never Sleep Again, which is a 4-hour documentary that goes by very quickly. I loved it, and thought it was done very well. I was a bit disappointed that not everyone with the franchise participated, but also was expecting that.
And since I was going through the Friday franchise, I finally got around to purchasing the Crystal Lake Memories documentary. I have the book, and enjoy that very much. And I am currently watching it, and it is just as informative as the NOES one,
My reason for posting today is this: I enjoyed most of the movies out of both franchises. But after watching these two documentaries, even the ones that were not my favorite, I have a little bit more love for. Seeing the people involved talk about each film and reminisce about their time making it, you find a new appreciation for it.
And I think this is true for any film. That is one reason I am such a fan of the extras on DVDs, especially the retrospectives and interviews that Scream Factory puts on there stuff. There is something about seeing the love and heart that went into the making of a film.
Also, since I've gone ahead and talked about it here, here are my ranking for each of the franchises mentioned.
Nightmare on Elm Street
1) Nightmare on Elm Street
2) Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors
3) Wes Craven's New Nightmare
4) Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
5) Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
6) Freddy Vs. Jason
7) Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
8) Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Friday the 13th
1) Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Friday
2) Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
3) Friday the 13th Part 2
4) Friday the 13th Part 3
5) Friday the 13th
6) Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood
7) Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
8) Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning
9) Freddy Vs. Jason
10) Friday the 13th (2009)
11) Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday
12) Jason X
8 films. Including Freddy VS. Jason. So of course, I decided to also watch all the Friday the 13th films in chronological order. Friday has 12 movies in the franchise, including the 2009 reboot (which I'm ok with. (see, Englund = Freddy. Jason has had multiple actors behind the hockey mask.))
I finally made it to FvJ last week. And then I watched Never Sleep Again, which is a 4-hour documentary that goes by very quickly. I loved it, and thought it was done very well. I was a bit disappointed that not everyone with the franchise participated, but also was expecting that.
And since I was going through the Friday franchise, I finally got around to purchasing the Crystal Lake Memories documentary. I have the book, and enjoy that very much. And I am currently watching it, and it is just as informative as the NOES one,
My reason for posting today is this: I enjoyed most of the movies out of both franchises. But after watching these two documentaries, even the ones that were not my favorite, I have a little bit more love for. Seeing the people involved talk about each film and reminisce about their time making it, you find a new appreciation for it.
And I think this is true for any film. That is one reason I am such a fan of the extras on DVDs, especially the retrospectives and interviews that Scream Factory puts on there stuff. There is something about seeing the love and heart that went into the making of a film.
Also, since I've gone ahead and talked about it here, here are my ranking for each of the franchises mentioned.
Nightmare on Elm Street
1) Nightmare on Elm Street
2) Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors
3) Wes Craven's New Nightmare
4) Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
5) Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
6) Freddy Vs. Jason
7) Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
8) Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Friday the 13th
1) Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Friday
2) Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
3) Friday the 13th Part 2
4) Friday the 13th Part 3
5) Friday the 13th
6) Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood
7) Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
8) Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning
9) Freddy Vs. Jason
10) Friday the 13th (2009)
11) Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday
12) Jason X
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
WizardWorld Richmond 2014
Back in March, Dave & I went to Seattle to attend Emerald City Comic Con for his birthday. He turned 30 this year, so Elizabeth & I wanted to do something big and special for him, so the two of us went to a comic con, as I had never been and he had been wanting to go to another one (he had last gone to NYCC in 2009). It was lots of fun, and we had a great time. It was a wonderful first con experience, and it was cool to meet writers & artists personally, and it was during that weekend I got back into Twitter, which ultimately brought me back to the blog as well.
Fast forward to this past weekend, and Dave and I decided to would travel up to Richmond to attend the inaugural WizardWorld. We knew it would be a much smaller event than ECCC, but worth it for a 1-day ticket. Tom from Heroes & Villains would also be there on Saturday with his wife and a few other friends.
As we expected, it was a much smaller event, but it was still enjoyable. I didn't come away with as much stuff as I did in Seattle, but the few things I did get I really like. I bought 3 mini postcard sized prints of Jason from Friday the 13th, Skeletor, and a mash-up of Batgirl/Buttercup (from Powerpuff Girls). I also picked up this cool looking Creature from the Black Lagoon print, and a print of Predator with different pop culture items in the trophy room including a Batarang, Lion-O's sword, and the Rocketeer helmet.
The one piece of original art I left with it a small headshot of Plastic Man done by Tom Cook, an animator who has worked on so many different things. It was hard to choose what I was going to get, as my options included characters from Masters of the Universe, Scooby-Doo, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I also had him sign a few dvds that I own while I was at his booth.
I did pick up a Blu-Ray I have been wanting to get while I was there. I upgraded my Daimajin set. And from looking at it last night, well worth the upgrade. Will have to find the time soon to rewatch the movies.
Dave left the event with an original piece of art from Neal Adams featuring Invisible Woman. He also met Bruce Campbell and got his autobiography signed. Not sure of everything Tom left with, but I do know he left with an original Raphael done and signed by Kevin Eastman, as well as a few comics signed by Eastman.
I enjoyed the con, and will probably attend again. Dave and I made the joke after learning that it was the inaugural one, that we should attend every year and see how it improves, and then in 5-10 years, we could say we had been attending from the start.
We have the local Tidewater Comicon on October 18th to look forward to, and I think Elizabeth will be joining us for that experience.
Fast forward to this past weekend, and Dave and I decided to would travel up to Richmond to attend the inaugural WizardWorld. We knew it would be a much smaller event than ECCC, but worth it for a 1-day ticket. Tom from Heroes & Villains would also be there on Saturday with his wife and a few other friends.
As we expected, it was a much smaller event, but it was still enjoyable. I didn't come away with as much stuff as I did in Seattle, but the few things I did get I really like. I bought 3 mini postcard sized prints of Jason from Friday the 13th, Skeletor, and a mash-up of Batgirl/Buttercup (from Powerpuff Girls). I also picked up this cool looking Creature from the Black Lagoon print, and a print of Predator with different pop culture items in the trophy room including a Batarang, Lion-O's sword, and the Rocketeer helmet.
The one piece of original art I left with it a small headshot of Plastic Man done by Tom Cook, an animator who has worked on so many different things. It was hard to choose what I was going to get, as my options included characters from Masters of the Universe, Scooby-Doo, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I also had him sign a few dvds that I own while I was at his booth.
I did pick up a Blu-Ray I have been wanting to get while I was there. I upgraded my Daimajin set. And from looking at it last night, well worth the upgrade. Will have to find the time soon to rewatch the movies.
Dave left the event with an original piece of art from Neal Adams featuring Invisible Woman. He also met Bruce Campbell and got his autobiography signed. Not sure of everything Tom left with, but I do know he left with an original Raphael done and signed by Kevin Eastman, as well as a few comics signed by Eastman.
I enjoyed the con, and will probably attend again. Dave and I made the joke after learning that it was the inaugural one, that we should attend every year and see how it improves, and then in 5-10 years, we could say we had been attending from the start.
We have the local Tidewater Comicon on October 18th to look forward to, and I think Elizabeth will be joining us for that experience.
Friday, September 05, 2014
50 Random Things
I'm in a writing mood, and according to the stats Blogger shows me, this is going to be my 50th entry for this blog. So, why not make it an entry of 50 randoms things. Probably going to me more facts about me, or observations I have had. We shall see. Not that anyone actually will end up reading this though.
50. I've been married for 5 years to my best friend, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.
49. Out of the 4 steady jobs I've had in my life, 2 of the businesses I worked for no longer exist (Blockbuster Video & Borders bookstore)
48. I love my current job at LifeWay, but know I will never have another job experience like Borders 682. The right people at the right time, and the friendships that came out of that place will be life-long.
47. I need to learn some basic HTML if I'm going to be writing in this blog regularly again.
46. For those that don't know, I read comics. I tend to stick to DC mostly, but after attending my first con back in March, I've actually stepped out of my comfort zone. I read a couple Marvel titles at the moment (I think 2 of them are ending by the end of the year), and I've really gotten into Image and the creator owned books they put out. One of my new favorites in Nailbiter by Joshua Williamson.
45. Man, why did I choose this as my entry? Already 5 points in and losing steam. But not giving up!
44. I just pulled up "Cascade Mountain Stream" on Netflix for background noise as I write. If anything, all it is going to do is make me need to pee.
43. Have been watching Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th franchises in chronological order, as I've been wanting to watch Never Sleep Again and Crystal Lake Memories, but wanted to watch each film before getting to the documentaries. I prefer Jason over Freddy. My favorite Elm Street was 3 (Dream Warriors), and Friday was 6 (Jason Lives).
42. As my previous post shows, I enjoy thrift store shopping. I mostly purchase books while I'm out, but I also find the occasional board game and/or movie. And every once in a blue moon, some really cool stuff, like the Batman and Robin glasses from the '70s Brian found when we last went out together.
Speaking of which, the two of us need to go back out sometime soon.
41. Monkeys are my favorite animal.
40. I love Batman. I probably own at least 25 Batman-themed shirts, not including JLA appearances. I really should catalog them. That could be an interesting blog post.
39. I keep track of what movies I've watched by posting on a pinterest board. Recently, I've been trying to use obscure or foreign posters as my update on it. Makes it a bit more interesting.
38. I really should get back into writing. Be it this blog, or trying to get a book out of my system.
37. Personal dream of mine: getting a book published. Hence, the desire to write. Just not good at time management.
36. I've got an upcoming vacation that I am looking forward to. If anything, will be visiting Las Vegas for sure.
35. A few movies I've never seen (as of this writing): Braveheart, Fight Club, & Chinatown. Or any of The Godfather movies.
34. Took a break and napped for a bit. While napping, news broke that Joan Rivers had died.
33. '80s & '90s tv shows have some of the best theme music ever. I have so many favorites from that period.
32. I may be a bit impartial, but Batman has the greatest rogues gallery. Mr. Freeze is my favorite, but The Ventriloquist & Scarface are a close second.
31. I ain't afraid of no ghost.
30. I drink coffee, as well as collect coffee cups. I've got about 5-6 that I use regularly, and tend to pick them up as souvenirs for myself. And shockingly, I do not have a Batman one as of this writing.
29. I just sent a small electrical shock through my body trying to plug something in. Super weird and a bit startling.
28. I'm tempted to start my Netflix (DVDs in the mail) account back up again, but already have so much to watch with my own collection, streaming, hulu, and the library.
27. My dad was in the Air Force, so we moved around a lot as I was growing up. I was born in New Mexico, then moved to Japan. Back to New Mexico, followed by Arizona, North Carolina, Missouri, and the Virginia, which is where he retired. My parents moved to North Carolina 10(?) years ago. I've lived in Virginia the longest I've lived anywhere, 16 years. Which is also half of my life-span.
26. The age I was when Elizabeth & I married.
25. This list is taking me longer than I expected to compile. Finally at the half-way point.
23. For background sound, I now have Winter Wonderland playing on the TV. Piano Christmas music playing while snowy background scenes are shown on the screen.
22. Elizabeth has never seen the theatrical cuts of Lord of the Rings, but has seen the extended cuts.
21. 867-5309
20. I can say the alphabet backwards at a surprisingly fast rate.
19. I own over 1000 DVDs & Blu-Rays. A good portion of my collection came from my Blockbuster Video years. I also own a lot of movies I've never seen.
18. I bought The Real Ghostbusters complete animated series collection on DVD because of a late-night infomercial.
17. I've been trying to read Stephen King's books in order that he wrote them (excluding The Dark Tower saga. That is a task of it's own.) I'm currently stuck on Pet Sematary.
16. I've flown more in just the 9 months than I have the past decade.
15. I broke my wrist when I was in the 6th grade roller skating. After getting the cast put on, my dad took me to my moms place of work. She thought we were trying to pull one over on her.
14. I had a blonde beagle as a pet when I was younger. Her name was Daisy. I miss her.
13. My favorite number.
12. I remember seeing City Slickers in the theater when it came out (I was 8).
11. Journey is one of my favorite bands. Separate Ways is my favorite song by them, and one of the greatest music videos ever.
10. It took forever to get this far. I really thought this entry would be easier to write.
9. I recently signed up for LootCrate.
8. I read more books this summer than I have over the last 5 years. I need to get back into the habit and read more.
7. Unthemed lists are dumb. Better luck next time.
6. I'm tired, but promised myself I would get this entry done & posted before bed.
5. Halloween III is actually my favorite of the sequels.
4. I collect media tie-in books. Movie novelizations are my favorite.
3. I get distracted easily. Especially online, when I open links in other windows.
2. .yllanoisacco sdrowkcab epyt ot ekil I
1. FINALLY. Thanks for reading.
50. I've been married for 5 years to my best friend, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.
49. Out of the 4 steady jobs I've had in my life, 2 of the businesses I worked for no longer exist (Blockbuster Video & Borders bookstore)
48. I love my current job at LifeWay, but know I will never have another job experience like Borders 682. The right people at the right time, and the friendships that came out of that place will be life-long.
47. I need to learn some basic HTML if I'm going to be writing in this blog regularly again.
46. For those that don't know, I read comics. I tend to stick to DC mostly, but after attending my first con back in March, I've actually stepped out of my comfort zone. I read a couple Marvel titles at the moment (I think 2 of them are ending by the end of the year), and I've really gotten into Image and the creator owned books they put out. One of my new favorites in Nailbiter by Joshua Williamson.
45. Man, why did I choose this as my entry? Already 5 points in and losing steam. But not giving up!
44. I just pulled up "Cascade Mountain Stream" on Netflix for background noise as I write. If anything, all it is going to do is make me need to pee.
43. Have been watching Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th franchises in chronological order, as I've been wanting to watch Never Sleep Again and Crystal Lake Memories, but wanted to watch each film before getting to the documentaries. I prefer Jason over Freddy. My favorite Elm Street was 3 (Dream Warriors), and Friday was 6 (Jason Lives).
42. As my previous post shows, I enjoy thrift store shopping. I mostly purchase books while I'm out, but I also find the occasional board game and/or movie. And every once in a blue moon, some really cool stuff, like the Batman and Robin glasses from the '70s Brian found when we last went out together.
Speaking of which, the two of us need to go back out sometime soon.41. Monkeys are my favorite animal.
40. I love Batman. I probably own at least 25 Batman-themed shirts, not including JLA appearances. I really should catalog them. That could be an interesting blog post.
39. I keep track of what movies I've watched by posting on a pinterest board. Recently, I've been trying to use obscure or foreign posters as my update on it. Makes it a bit more interesting.
38. I really should get back into writing. Be it this blog, or trying to get a book out of my system.
37. Personal dream of mine: getting a book published. Hence, the desire to write. Just not good at time management.
36. I've got an upcoming vacation that I am looking forward to. If anything, will be visiting Las Vegas for sure.
35. A few movies I've never seen (as of this writing): Braveheart, Fight Club, & Chinatown. Or any of The Godfather movies.
34. Took a break and napped for a bit. While napping, news broke that Joan Rivers had died.
33. '80s & '90s tv shows have some of the best theme music ever. I have so many favorites from that period.
32. I may be a bit impartial, but Batman has the greatest rogues gallery. Mr. Freeze is my favorite, but The Ventriloquist & Scarface are a close second.
31. I ain't afraid of no ghost.
30. I drink coffee, as well as collect coffee cups. I've got about 5-6 that I use regularly, and tend to pick them up as souvenirs for myself. And shockingly, I do not have a Batman one as of this writing.
29. I just sent a small electrical shock through my body trying to plug something in. Super weird and a bit startling.
28. I'm tempted to start my Netflix (DVDs in the mail) account back up again, but already have so much to watch with my own collection, streaming, hulu, and the library.
27. My dad was in the Air Force, so we moved around a lot as I was growing up. I was born in New Mexico, then moved to Japan. Back to New Mexico, followed by Arizona, North Carolina, Missouri, and the Virginia, which is where he retired. My parents moved to North Carolina 10(?) years ago. I've lived in Virginia the longest I've lived anywhere, 16 years. Which is also half of my life-span.
26. The age I was when Elizabeth & I married.
25. This list is taking me longer than I expected to compile. Finally at the half-way point.
23. For background sound, I now have Winter Wonderland playing on the TV. Piano Christmas music playing while snowy background scenes are shown on the screen.
22. Elizabeth has never seen the theatrical cuts of Lord of the Rings, but has seen the extended cuts.
21. 867-5309
20. I can say the alphabet backwards at a surprisingly fast rate.
19. I own over 1000 DVDs & Blu-Rays. A good portion of my collection came from my Blockbuster Video years. I also own a lot of movies I've never seen.
18. I bought The Real Ghostbusters complete animated series collection on DVD because of a late-night infomercial.
17. I've been trying to read Stephen King's books in order that he wrote them (excluding The Dark Tower saga. That is a task of it's own.) I'm currently stuck on Pet Sematary.
16. I've flown more in just the 9 months than I have the past decade.
15. I broke my wrist when I was in the 6th grade roller skating. After getting the cast put on, my dad took me to my moms place of work. She thought we were trying to pull one over on her.
14. I had a blonde beagle as a pet when I was younger. Her name was Daisy. I miss her.
13. My favorite number.
12. I remember seeing City Slickers in the theater when it came out (I was 8).
11. Journey is one of my favorite bands. Separate Ways is my favorite song by them, and one of the greatest music videos ever.
10. It took forever to get this far. I really thought this entry would be easier to write.
9. I recently signed up for LootCrate.
8. I read more books this summer than I have over the last 5 years. I need to get back into the habit and read more.
7. Unthemed lists are dumb. Better luck next time.
6. I'm tired, but promised myself I would get this entry done & posted before bed.
5. Halloween III is actually my favorite of the sequels.
4. I collect media tie-in books. Movie novelizations are my favorite.
3. I get distracted easily. Especially online, when I open links in other windows.
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1. FINALLY. Thanks for reading.
Tuesday, September 02, 2014
Thrifting over Labor Day Weekend 2014
I'm feeling refreshed & renewed, and once again I'm back to this blog. Can't promise I'm going to stay with it for long, but we shall see. The writing bug has struck, and I'm just going to let it do it's thing for now.
So, my parents visited over the holiday weekend, and we did the thing we normally do when they visit, which is hit the local thrift stores. We stuck to our side of the water, and for not having anything particular to look for on this trip, I came away happy with my haul.
So, my parents visited over the holiday weekend, and we did the thing we normally do when they visit, which is hit the local thrift stores. We stuck to our side of the water, and for not having anything particular to look for on this trip, I came away happy with my haul.
A nice assortment of items
As you can tell from the above picture, I mainly purchase books when thrifting. I read a wide assortment of genres and authors. So, let's break this picture down a bit.
Sorry for the bit of blurriness
First off, that pile of books in the background? My collection of wresting biographies. Hence, the Ted Dibiase book in the front. I don't currently watch wrestling, but I do enjoy reading the biographies of the people in the business. I still consider Mick Foley's Have A Nice Day! one of the best books I've ever read. I actually own two Dibiase bios: the one pictured (published by WWE in 2007) and another one he wrote in 1997. Also pictured: a Hawaiian style collection of Mother Goose rhymes that my dad found for us, and Inside Delta Force, a book I was interested in from my Borders days, as I was a fan of the TV Show The Unit.
Filling in some gaps
I've recently started trying to fill in the holes of my R.L. Stine collection (mainly the Fear Street and YA books from my childhood), and this weekend garnered 3 new additions. The super chiller pictured is one of my favorite finds this weekend, as I now have the complete Cheerleaders Fear Street saga, easily my favorite story-line from the Fear Street line. I was unaware that the Babysitter series went up to IV, and I picked up The Babysitter 2 mainly because I was unsure if I had it or not, and liked the re-release cover. Also found How To Solve A Murder, which I thought was a cool book and might come in handy for if and when I do get back to writing a novel. It will be a good resource.
New Fiction & my favorite find
Out of the genres I read, I think mystery/thriller is my favorite. Horror is a close second. When the two combine in one book, it's a guarantee that I will love it. The Relic is one of my favorite books, and I found an ARC of it. For those not in the know, ARC stands for "Advance Readers Copy", and publishers send them out before a books release. At first, I thought this was a just a paperback copy, but I decided to look at it anyways as it was in really good condition.
Also purchased this weekend, a Rizzoli & Isles book that I'm pretty sure we don't own, and a Greg Rucka novel I don't own. Elizabeth & I have been catching up on Rizzoli & Isles on DVD, as I got the DVDs for her as part her anniversary gift, and we both have been compelled to read (or re-read, in Elizabeth's case) the books. And Rucka is one of my favorite comic book authors, and the fiction I've read of his has been great. So I am always happy to add new fiction by him to my collection.
MTIs & True Crime
Seriously, how could I pass up a book on the making of Space Jam, the greatest movie of all-time starring an NBA star and an animated rabbit? Another thing I collect are Movie tie-ins, and you can see the two newest additions to that collection above. Terminator 2 came with an added bonus, as the next picture will show. I also picked up a true crime book that sounds interesting, and have a tie-in cover to the HBO movie. I think my recent binge on Criminal Minds is one reason I decided to pick it up.
Added Bonus
Alright, so it's not too exciting, but come on! An original 1991 receipt from WaldenBooks found within the pages of Terminator 2. I asked a friend who was able to decipher that this book was purchased from the Greenbriar mall location.
Well, this was fun. I'm hoping to actually try and do some stuff like this more often, but we shall see. At lease I will try to keep this blog alive, for now. Or, this could be the last update for the next few months. Who knows.
Sunday, January 05, 2014
01/05/2014
So, here I am once again, at the beginning of the year, wanting to try and post in this thing on the occasional basis. I know no one reads this, but maybe someday someone will stumble across it.
I didn't reach my goal of 200 movies in 2013, falling short by a mere 24. You can view what I did watch last year here, and can follow what I've watched so far this year here.
So, let's look at the 2013 statistics! Like I said, overall I watched 176 movies over the course of 2013.
140 (80%) of those movies were films I watched for the first time; 36 (20%) I had seen before.
My monthly breakdown:
January - 19 (11%)
February - 18 (10%)
March - 11 (6%)
April - 20 (11%)
May - 14 (8%)
June - 25 (14%)
July - 9 (5%)
August - 11 (6%)
September - 16 (9%)
October - 20 (11%)
November - 6 (3%)
December - 7 (4%)
EDIT: Somehow, I completely forgot Elizabeth and I went to see Frozen in Dec, so I updated the numbers. It doesn't change much, but I like to be thorough.
I didn't reach my goal of 200 movies in 2013, falling short by a mere 24. You can view what I did watch last year here, and can follow what I've watched so far this year here.
So, let's look at the 2013 statistics! Like I said, overall I watched 176 movies over the course of 2013.
140 (80%) of those movies were films I watched for the first time; 36 (20%) I had seen before.
My monthly breakdown:
January - 19 (11%)
February - 18 (10%)
March - 11 (6%)
April - 20 (11%)
May - 14 (8%)
June - 25 (14%)
July - 9 (5%)
August - 11 (6%)
September - 16 (9%)
October - 20 (11%)
November - 6 (3%)
December - 7 (4%)
EDIT: Somehow, I completely forgot Elizabeth and I went to see Frozen in Dec, so I updated the numbers. It doesn't change much, but I like to be thorough.
Tuesday, September 03, 2013
09/03/2013
I've watched a few movies since my last update, so I'm going to take some time now to get up-to-date on the blog. I guess I haven't been as devoted to writing as I would like to be, but at least I am checking in occasionally!
118) Stash House - This was a DTV action/thriller that got my attention because of Dolph Lundgren being in it. Wasn't the greatest movie, but also didn't think it was a complete waste of my time either. Pretty much: A couple buys a house for a really good deal, and then find out why.
119) Solomon Kane - Dave and I were finally able to view this movie, which we've known about for about 4 years now! And the verdict: it was surprisingly well done. I'm not sure why the US never got a theatrical release of it, or why it took so long for it to be distributed here, but we both found it to be worth the wait. James Purefoy did a good job in the title role, and the rest of the cast was pretty decent as well. Good effects as well.
On 08/15, a group of us went to the RiffTrax Live event featuring Starship Troopers. It was a lot of fun, as always.
121) The Incredible Melting Man - Another Scream Factory release I own. This is a pretty bad '70s horror film, but the effects make up for the cheesiness factor. Rick Baker does his magic, and that is what makes this film worth owning. The special features include an interview with Baker, as well as director William Sachs, who also provides an audio commentary. I feel like if Sachs had been able to make the movie the way he wanted, the film might not have been as bad (even though the cheesiness is partially due to acting). My favorite scene: The old couple on their way to a dinner date.
122) The World's End - Another home run for Pegg, Frost, and Wright. I loved most of this film, and I'm glad Elizabeth decided to go with Dave and I to the "midnight" showing. It's a lot of fun, espcially for a sci-fi/comedy hybrid. Easily my favorite role of Nick Frost's, and I loved the supporting cast in this as well.
123) Bullet to the Head - The main reason I rented this was not because Stallone was in it, but because Jason Momoa was the antagonist. Throw in Sung Kang (AKA Han from the Fast & Furious franchise), and you have a decent action film. Basic premise: a DC detective and a hit man for hire team-up to take down a mutual enemy. Nothing really new to the genre, but once again, wasn't a waste of my time either.
124) Deep Rising - This is an underrated film in my opinion. I love this movie! You can not go wrong with a luxury cruise ship infested with gigantic sea creatures that have already eaten most of everyone on board, and then have the ship be overtaken by a small group of hijackers. Just sit back, watch them get taken out one by one, and enjoy the ride!
125) This Film is Not Yet Rated - This is an eye-opening documentary about the MPAA, and all that goes into the rating of a film. I really enjoyed it, and I'm sad it took me this long to decide to watch it. Over the past few years, I've felt a few films have not gotten the ratings they deserve, and this explains the how and why of the industry. If you love films of any kind, this documentary is worth watching.
126 & 127) G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation - A nice double feature Elizabeth and I had last week. I'd had forgotten how enjoyable the first movie was! My one complaint of it is how Cobra Commander was portrayed, and that is rectified in the sequel.
128) The Incredible Burt Wonderstone - An enjoyable comedy. I really like Carrell, and Carrey seemed to be channeling some of his old school comedy here. I've always enjoyed magic, and the Copperfield cameo made me laugh pretty hard.
129) The Rundown - A decent action/comedy. I really like Dwayne Johnson, and I think this was his first or second leading role, and he does a good job. The supporting cast is pretty solid, with Rosario Dawson, Christopher Walken, and Seann William Scott. Always been a fan of Jon Gries, and love when he pops up in stuff.
130) One in the Chamber - And we finish how we started, which a Dolph Lundgren DTV. This one co-stars Cuba Gooding Jr, and wasn't half bad. They both play hit men for hire, and when Gooding lets a target get away, Dolph is called in to fix his mistake. In the mean time, Cuba gets hired to take out the hand that feeds him. Which puts Cuba on Dolph's list. I enjoyed it, which is a good thing in my book.
118) Stash House - This was a DTV action/thriller that got my attention because of Dolph Lundgren being in it. Wasn't the greatest movie, but also didn't think it was a complete waste of my time either. Pretty much: A couple buys a house for a really good deal, and then find out why.
119) Solomon Kane - Dave and I were finally able to view this movie, which we've known about for about 4 years now! And the verdict: it was surprisingly well done. I'm not sure why the US never got a theatrical release of it, or why it took so long for it to be distributed here, but we both found it to be worth the wait. James Purefoy did a good job in the title role, and the rest of the cast was pretty decent as well. Good effects as well.
On 08/15, a group of us went to the RiffTrax Live event featuring Starship Troopers. It was a lot of fun, as always.
121) The Incredible Melting Man - Another Scream Factory release I own. This is a pretty bad '70s horror film, but the effects make up for the cheesiness factor. Rick Baker does his magic, and that is what makes this film worth owning. The special features include an interview with Baker, as well as director William Sachs, who also provides an audio commentary. I feel like if Sachs had been able to make the movie the way he wanted, the film might not have been as bad (even though the cheesiness is partially due to acting). My favorite scene: The old couple on their way to a dinner date.
122) The World's End - Another home run for Pegg, Frost, and Wright. I loved most of this film, and I'm glad Elizabeth decided to go with Dave and I to the "midnight" showing. It's a lot of fun, espcially for a sci-fi/comedy hybrid. Easily my favorite role of Nick Frost's, and I loved the supporting cast in this as well.
123) Bullet to the Head - The main reason I rented this was not because Stallone was in it, but because Jason Momoa was the antagonist. Throw in Sung Kang (AKA Han from the Fast & Furious franchise), and you have a decent action film. Basic premise: a DC detective and a hit man for hire team-up to take down a mutual enemy. Nothing really new to the genre, but once again, wasn't a waste of my time either.
124) Deep Rising - This is an underrated film in my opinion. I love this movie! You can not go wrong with a luxury cruise ship infested with gigantic sea creatures that have already eaten most of everyone on board, and then have the ship be overtaken by a small group of hijackers. Just sit back, watch them get taken out one by one, and enjoy the ride!
125) This Film is Not Yet Rated - This is an eye-opening documentary about the MPAA, and all that goes into the rating of a film. I really enjoyed it, and I'm sad it took me this long to decide to watch it. Over the past few years, I've felt a few films have not gotten the ratings they deserve, and this explains the how and why of the industry. If you love films of any kind, this documentary is worth watching.
126 & 127) G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation - A nice double feature Elizabeth and I had last week. I'd had forgotten how enjoyable the first movie was! My one complaint of it is how Cobra Commander was portrayed, and that is rectified in the sequel.
128) The Incredible Burt Wonderstone - An enjoyable comedy. I really like Carrell, and Carrey seemed to be channeling some of his old school comedy here. I've always enjoyed magic, and the Copperfield cameo made me laugh pretty hard.
129) The Rundown - A decent action/comedy. I really like Dwayne Johnson, and I think this was his first or second leading role, and he does a good job. The supporting cast is pretty solid, with Rosario Dawson, Christopher Walken, and Seann William Scott. Always been a fan of Jon Gries, and love when he pops up in stuff.
130) One in the Chamber - And we finish how we started, which a Dolph Lundgren DTV. This one co-stars Cuba Gooding Jr, and wasn't half bad. They both play hit men for hire, and when Gooding lets a target get away, Dolph is called in to fix his mistake. In the mean time, Cuba gets hired to take out the hand that feeds him. Which puts Cuba on Dolph's list. I enjoyed it, which is a good thing in my book.
Monday, August 12, 2013
"Antonio bay has a curse on it."
OK, so I'm going to try something a little different here. Instead of reviewing the movie, I'm going to write a review for Scream Factory's Blu-ray release of John Carpenter's The Fog!
First off, I would just like to say that every title I've purchased of the Scream Factory catalog has been worth it. I've upgraded some DVDs to blu-ray, and some movies I've just bought blindly. The Fog was an upgrade purchase, and one that was worth making.
The Fog is one of Carpenter's underrated films, in my opinion. It is much more based on mood than just being the basic slasher movie. It sports a great cast, including scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, her mother Janet Leigh, Adrienne Barbeau, Tom Atkins, and my favorite role of the movie: Hal Holbrook as Father Malone.
For those of you who are unaware of the plot: As Antonio Bay celebrates its 100th anniversary, a fog rolls in as a terrible secret is revealed and revenge is seeked.
The Transfer and Sound: A brand new 1080p High-Def transfer was done for this release, and it was supervised by Dean Cundey, the film's cinematographer. Even though it has been a few years since watching my DVD release from MGM, this new transfer is considerable better. The film looks gorgeous & sharp, and the sound quality is just as good. The sound options are either 5.1 or 2.0 DTS-HD audio. I watched with the 5.1 audio, with no complaints. The audio is crisp and sound, and Carpenter's score truly shines. Subtitles are available for the hearing impaired on the film only.
Special Features: This disc is packed with new and old extras.
The previous extras included are:
The new extras Scream Factory have put together are:
This is a great addition to blu-ray collection, and easily my favorite release from Scream Factory so far this year. So, what are you waiting for? Buy yourself a copy today!
First off, I would just like to say that every title I've purchased of the Scream Factory catalog has been worth it. I've upgraded some DVDs to blu-ray, and some movies I've just bought blindly. The Fog was an upgrade purchase, and one that was worth making.
The Fog is one of Carpenter's underrated films, in my opinion. It is much more based on mood than just being the basic slasher movie. It sports a great cast, including scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, her mother Janet Leigh, Adrienne Barbeau, Tom Atkins, and my favorite role of the movie: Hal Holbrook as Father Malone.
For those of you who are unaware of the plot: As Antonio Bay celebrates its 100th anniversary, a fog rolls in as a terrible secret is revealed and revenge is seeked.
The Transfer and Sound: A brand new 1080p High-Def transfer was done for this release, and it was supervised by Dean Cundey, the film's cinematographer. Even though it has been a few years since watching my DVD release from MGM, this new transfer is considerable better. The film looks gorgeous & sharp, and the sound quality is just as good. The sound options are either 5.1 or 2.0 DTS-HD audio. I watched with the 5.1 audio, with no complaints. The audio is crisp and sound, and Carpenter's score truly shines. Subtitles are available for the hearing impaired on the film only.
Special Features: This disc is packed with new and old extras.
The previous extras included are:
- Audio Commentary with writer/director John Carpenter & writer/producer Debra Hill
- Fear on Film: Inside The Fog (07:42) A classic featurette featuring interviews with Carpenter, Hill, Leigh, Curtis, and Barbeau.
- Tales from The Mist: Inside The Fog (27:58) A holdover from the 2002 MGM Special Edition. Includes new interviews with Carpenter, Hill, Barbeau, Leigh, Cundey, and Tommy Lee Wallace (the films production designer/editor) and footage from a 1980 interview with Jamie Lee Curtis. Very informative, and a good watch. I liked learning about all the reshots and added footage they did before releasing the film.
- The Fog: Storyboard to Film (01:26)
- Outtakes (04:10)
- Special Effects Tests (02:39)
- Theatrical Trailers (04:34)
- TV Spots (03:05)
- Photo Gallery
- Storyboards
The new extras Scream Factory have put together are:
- Audio Commentary with actors Adrienne Barbeau & Tom Atkins and Production Designer/Editor Tommy Lee Wallace, moderated by Sean Clark
- My Time with Terror with Jamie Lee Curtis (21:46) A wonderful interview with Curtis as she looks back on her "Scream Queen" career.
- Dean of Darkness with Dean Cundey (18:40) An informative interview with Cundey, as he discusses techniques used in the film, as well as his relationship with Carpenter
- Horror's Hallowed Grounds with Sean Clark (20:22) Another great episode to the series, as Clark visits locations used throughout the filming of The Fog. Clark is what makes these features worth watching, as his love of the films and genre resonates on the screen. He is super knowledgeable about what was filmed where, and even knows what has changed in the 30 years since the movie was actually filmed.
- Easter Egg (1:02) A great little find, and I hope Scream Factory continues on with putting Easter Eggs on releases.
This is a great addition to blu-ray collection, and easily my favorite release from Scream Factory so far this year. So, what are you waiting for? Buy yourself a copy today!
Thursday, August 01, 2013
08/01/2013
Elizabeth and I had a date night last night, and went to the movies. I decided to take her up on the offer to see The Conjuring, since she doesn't normally like to do horror/supernatural films while in the theater.
115) The Conjuring - This was truly a creepy supernatural movie, and very enjoyable. The basic plot follows a family that moves into a new home, and then things begin happening at night (mostly). They aren't to sure of what is going on, so they track down Ed and Lorraine Warren, well known investigators of the paranormal to come and visit their home. The cast is great, and the suspense is terrific. The supernatural stuff is what gets to me, and this mostly definitely got under my skin. A few nice jumps, and just the fact that it's based on a true story is what really gets me.
fun fact: The Warren's most well known case is The Amityville Horror.
116) The Package - I'm not sure what it means when I can enjoy a DTV action flick starring Steve Austin and Dolph Lundgren. I may not have the best taste in cinema, nor do I critique it to death either. I just like to sit back, and hopefully I can enjoy myself for a little bit. And that is what I was able to do with this film. I was unaware that Austin would be the protagonist, but he did a pretty decent job acting. The plot is simple: Austin is a goon hired to deliver a package to The German (Lundgren). The German is currently embroiled in a war with some rival gang leaders, and they want to the package for leverage over him. So, Austin is being chased by some guns for hired, who are willing to do anything to get the package before the German. What I enjoyed about the film is, the action scenes were solid, including the fighting. And there is a twist that I surprisingly didn't see coming.
I've got a few more recent DTV action films queued, which I hope they are as enjoyable as The Package was.
Received my copy of the Scream Factory release of John Carpenter's The Fog in the mail today! The special features look awesome, including an interview with Jaime Lee Curtis and an all new Horror's Hallowed Grounds. The transfer also looks AMAZING, which given I have a pretty out of date TV, that says a lot. Looking forward to watching the movie tonight (more than likely), than getting into the special features!
115) The Conjuring - This was truly a creepy supernatural movie, and very enjoyable. The basic plot follows a family that moves into a new home, and then things begin happening at night (mostly). They aren't to sure of what is going on, so they track down Ed and Lorraine Warren, well known investigators of the paranormal to come and visit their home. The cast is great, and the suspense is terrific. The supernatural stuff is what gets to me, and this mostly definitely got under my skin. A few nice jumps, and just the fact that it's based on a true story is what really gets me.
fun fact: The Warren's most well known case is The Amityville Horror.
116) The Package - I'm not sure what it means when I can enjoy a DTV action flick starring Steve Austin and Dolph Lundgren. I may not have the best taste in cinema, nor do I critique it to death either. I just like to sit back, and hopefully I can enjoy myself for a little bit. And that is what I was able to do with this film. I was unaware that Austin would be the protagonist, but he did a pretty decent job acting. The plot is simple: Austin is a goon hired to deliver a package to The German (Lundgren). The German is currently embroiled in a war with some rival gang leaders, and they want to the package for leverage over him. So, Austin is being chased by some guns for hired, who are willing to do anything to get the package before the German. What I enjoyed about the film is, the action scenes were solid, including the fighting. And there is a twist that I surprisingly didn't see coming.
I've got a few more recent DTV action films queued, which I hope they are as enjoyable as The Package was.
Received my copy of the Scream Factory release of John Carpenter's The Fog in the mail today! The special features look awesome, including an interview with Jaime Lee Curtis and an all new Horror's Hallowed Grounds. The transfer also looks AMAZING, which given I have a pretty out of date TV, that says a lot. Looking forward to watching the movie tonight (more than likely), than getting into the special features!
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
07/31/2013
I've fallen behind on my updating, it seems, but I shall just pick up from where I last left off and see what I decide to write tonight.
Elizabeth and I spent this last weekend in Baltimore, celebrating our 4 year anniversary. She planned the whole trip, leaving it a surprise to me. We had a great time up there, and we're already planning a second visit. We went to Medieval Times for dinner on Friday night, and Saturday spent all day at Inner Harbor, which is where our hotel was. We walked everywhere, which included the cemetery where Poe is buried, the Ripley's museum, a pop culture museum (which was super cool), and Camden Yard. I got to knock seeing a professional baseball game off my 40 before 40 list! (The Orioles lost to the Red Sox, 7-3. Highlight of the game: David Ortiz being ejected from the game.)
Movie wise, it's been a slow month. Since Pacific Rim, I've been to the movies twice and have watched one Blu-Ray.
112) Red 2 - This was lots of fun, and almost as good as the first one! The action was great, and has a good ensemble cast.
113) The Goonies - Easily one of my top 10 favorite films, and I had to opportunity to see in on the big screen at the Movie Tavern's RetroCinema. Such a great film. It was one of the films on the list I made for Elizabeth, and Dave joined us as well.
114) The Burning - Finally got around to watching my Scream Factory BR release of this flick, and it is great. The film is a solid '80s slasher film, with some great kills in it. And even though it takes place at a summer camp and it gets compared to the Friday the 13th franchise, a main difference is you care about the kids in this film. When I'm watching a F13 movie, I'm rooting for Jason. The special features are pretty good, with a few interviews with a couple actors (including Cropsy!) and the editor, and the best feature being an interview with make-up artist Tom Savini. I've yet to be disappointed by a Scream Factory release, and they have some good stuff I look forward to adding to my collection being released in the near future.
With that, I headed out. Hopefully I will stay on top of this thing. LoL. Who knows, maybe I will get some traffic one day.
Friday, July 12, 2013
07/12/2013
I'm back from vacation. It was a well needed time away with friends, and got a nice recharge on my batteries.
Now, with further adiu: the summer movie I've been waiting for:
111) Pacific Rim
Kaiju vs Jaegers. Giant Monsters vs Robots built to defeat them. And Guillermo del Toro at the helm. You could tell he has a love for this genre, and he has made a pretty amazing movie. And for the few complaints I do have (I found the ending to be a bit predictable), the fight scenes make up for it ten-fold.
Seriously. do yourself a favor. Go see this is theaters. You will not be disappointed.
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
07/02/2013
Taking some time to catch up.
Comics for the most part last week were great. I'm loving the City Fall arc in TMNT, and the new Godzilla book that started on Wednesday got off to a great start. I mean, Japanese Godzilla VS. 1998 Americanized Godzilla? I can't wait!
DC has me interested in the upcoming Trinity War. And I'm interested in all of the Lantern books with their new teams, but found Red Lanterns to be the one I'm most interested in after the first issue. I'm really looking forward to Villains Month in September, and to see what ramifications come out of it.
I've started using Twitter again. So, if you are on there and want to find me: Jrwells82.
On the movie side of things, I've decided I need to start watching movies I've recently purchased or got from DVD Swap. Since I have added 24 movies to my collection since joining their site last year.
106) The Town That Dreaded Sundown - This is one of the Scream Factory releases I purchased last month, and I finally decided it was time to give it a chance. Is a pretty decent movie, and the fact that it is (loosely) based on a true event down in Texarkana is what makes it so frightening. I really enjoyed this film, and Scream Factory did a stellar job, not just with the transfer for Blu-Ray, but also the supplemental features. On the DVD, there is a bonus film of The Evictors, which I will attempt to make time for this month.
107) Mad Max - I finally acquired a DVD of The Road Warrior through DVD Swap, so it's time to watch another franchise of films I love. Mad Max is a pretty solid film, with some great car chases & crashes, and an excellent performance from Mel Gibson. Of course, The Road Warrior amps everything up a notch, but Mad Max still holds up.
Netflix Double Feature! Because I love not knowing what they will send me next.
108) Showdown in Little Tokyo - Not the best, nor worst, film I've seen. I actually live-tweeted while watching the film last night. Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee are good together, but this film was just lacking something. It was a decent action/buddy-cop film, but the humor was missing.
109) Soylent Green - I really enjoyed this, even though I knew the ending going in (it's hard not to know when "Soylent Green is people!" is a part of pop culture.) I really liked the character interaction between Sol and Thorn, especially since Sol had experienced the world before the overpopulation, and knew of things like strawberries and beef. Edward G. Robinson does a fantastic job as Sol, especially after finding out this was his last film and he was dying of cancer while filming.
Going to Retro Cinema at Movie Tavern with Dave & Elizabeth tonight. Jaws is playing! Can't wait to experience it on the big screen (BONUS: Eliz has never seen it, and it is on my "40 films before 40" list)
Comics for the most part last week were great. I'm loving the City Fall arc in TMNT, and the new Godzilla book that started on Wednesday got off to a great start. I mean, Japanese Godzilla VS. 1998 Americanized Godzilla? I can't wait!
DC has me interested in the upcoming Trinity War. And I'm interested in all of the Lantern books with their new teams, but found Red Lanterns to be the one I'm most interested in after the first issue. I'm really looking forward to Villains Month in September, and to see what ramifications come out of it.
I've started using Twitter again. So, if you are on there and want to find me: Jrwells82.
On the movie side of things, I've decided I need to start watching movies I've recently purchased or got from DVD Swap. Since I have added 24 movies to my collection since joining their site last year.
106) The Town That Dreaded Sundown - This is one of the Scream Factory releases I purchased last month, and I finally decided it was time to give it a chance. Is a pretty decent movie, and the fact that it is (loosely) based on a true event down in Texarkana is what makes it so frightening. I really enjoyed this film, and Scream Factory did a stellar job, not just with the transfer for Blu-Ray, but also the supplemental features. On the DVD, there is a bonus film of The Evictors, which I will attempt to make time for this month.
107) Mad Max - I finally acquired a DVD of The Road Warrior through DVD Swap, so it's time to watch another franchise of films I love. Mad Max is a pretty solid film, with some great car chases & crashes, and an excellent performance from Mel Gibson. Of course, The Road Warrior amps everything up a notch, but Mad Max still holds up.
Netflix Double Feature! Because I love not knowing what they will send me next.
108) Showdown in Little Tokyo - Not the best, nor worst, film I've seen. I actually live-tweeted while watching the film last night. Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee are good together, but this film was just lacking something. It was a decent action/buddy-cop film, but the humor was missing.
109) Soylent Green - I really enjoyed this, even though I knew the ending going in (it's hard not to know when "Soylent Green is people!" is a part of pop culture.) I really liked the character interaction between Sol and Thorn, especially since Sol had experienced the world before the overpopulation, and knew of things like strawberries and beef. Edward G. Robinson does a fantastic job as Sol, especially after finding out this was his last film and he was dying of cancer while filming.
Going to Retro Cinema at Movie Tavern with Dave & Elizabeth tonight. Jaws is playing! Can't wait to experience it on the big screen (BONUS: Eliz has never seen it, and it is on my "40 films before 40" list)
Thursday, June 27, 2013
06/27/2013
So, after having lunch with Elizabeth, I had practice for the VBS play and then worked last night, so I now return to catch us all up-to-date!
Over the weekend, I watched the movies Netflix had sent out to me. I don't keep a close eye on my queue, so sometimes checking the mail can be an adventure. I had two sc-fi themed films, which isn't always my bag, but I was in a decent mood and gave them a shot.
104) Logan's Run - A campy classic from the '70s, and surprisingly one I hadn't seen. It does show its age at times, but still overall a decent film. The basic premise is a Utopian society with one major drawback: you only get to live until your 30. Michael York plays a sandman, a group who terminates the runners, people who attempt to escape their fate. He's given the task to find Sanctuary, but what does he really find?
105) Johnny Mnemonic - Before I say anything, 2 things: 1) I like Keanu Reeves as an actor, and 2) I know nothing about cyberpunk literature. That being said, I really liked this film. It has a very interesting concept, and made me want to watch The Matrix. I loved Dolph Lundgren in it, and wish he had a bigger part (I've read his role is bigger in the Japanese cut). Besides Lundgren, the supporting cast in this one is pretty solid: Ice-T, Henry Rollins, and Takeshi specifically. If I found it cheap, and in Widescreen, I would add this to my collection.
Over the weekend, I watched the movies Netflix had sent out to me. I don't keep a close eye on my queue, so sometimes checking the mail can be an adventure. I had two sc-fi themed films, which isn't always my bag, but I was in a decent mood and gave them a shot.
104) Logan's Run - A campy classic from the '70s, and surprisingly one I hadn't seen. It does show its age at times, but still overall a decent film. The basic premise is a Utopian society with one major drawback: you only get to live until your 30. Michael York plays a sandman, a group who terminates the runners, people who attempt to escape their fate. He's given the task to find Sanctuary, but what does he really find?
105) Johnny Mnemonic - Before I say anything, 2 things: 1) I like Keanu Reeves as an actor, and 2) I know nothing about cyberpunk literature. That being said, I really liked this film. It has a very interesting concept, and made me want to watch The Matrix. I loved Dolph Lundgren in it, and wish he had a bigger part (I've read his role is bigger in the Japanese cut). Besides Lundgren, the supporting cast in this one is pretty solid: Ice-T, Henry Rollins, and Takeshi specifically. If I found it cheap, and in Widescreen, I would add this to my collection.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
06/26/2013
Well, I've fallen behind on updating again. I really would like to get in the habit of doing this at least every couple of days, just so I'm writing and don't get backed-up on the films.
It's been a pretty decent week. Nothing too eventful. Elizabeth and I did some house straightening last night, since Roc might be coming down from Richmond this weekend. Even if he doesn't, the house looks good and I hope we can keep it this way.
I finished watching the Rambo franchise last week, with back-to-back viewings of Rambo III and Rambo. Both are pretty decent films, but don't compare to the first two. Rambo was interesting, seeing the character almost 20 years later.
Last Thursday, I surprised Elizabeth with a date night and we went up to Williamsburg for dinner and a movie. We had dinner at Friendly's, a restaurant we both love. The initial plan was to attend a showing of The Sound of Music at Movie Tavern, but that afternoon I found out Monsters University was opening that night with an 8 pm showing, we attended that instead.
103) Monsters University - This was a really fun film, and I'm glad we went in with little knowledge of the actual plot. I love Monsters Inc., and this is a great companion piece to it. I really would like to see the two of them back-to-back, to see the nods to the original that they put in the prequel.
Lunch date with Eliz, so the rest of this update will be at a later time!
It's been a pretty decent week. Nothing too eventful. Elizabeth and I did some house straightening last night, since Roc might be coming down from Richmond this weekend. Even if he doesn't, the house looks good and I hope we can keep it this way.
I finished watching the Rambo franchise last week, with back-to-back viewings of Rambo III and Rambo. Both are pretty decent films, but don't compare to the first two. Rambo was interesting, seeing the character almost 20 years later.
Last Thursday, I surprised Elizabeth with a date night and we went up to Williamsburg for dinner and a movie. We had dinner at Friendly's, a restaurant we both love. The initial plan was to attend a showing of The Sound of Music at Movie Tavern, but that afternoon I found out Monsters University was opening that night with an 8 pm showing, we attended that instead.
103) Monsters University - This was a really fun film, and I'm glad we went in with little knowledge of the actual plot. I love Monsters Inc., and this is a great companion piece to it. I really would like to see the two of them back-to-back, to see the nods to the original that they put in the prequel.
Lunch date with Eliz, so the rest of this update will be at a later time!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
06/19/2013
So, it has been over a week since I last updated, so I'm taking time this morning to do so. I really need to get into the habit of writing more often, even if it's just a small update.
Work is continuing to be great. If you had told me 6 months ago that I would find I job I was completely happy with and looked forward to each day, I would of called you a liar. It's an amazing feeling to not be stressed and to actually enjoy work once again. It may not be 682, but nothing will ever be. I truly love my job, and the fact that is also serves as a ministry is awesome.
Elizabeth and I had a great time last Wednesday at Chuck E. Cheese with the kids and their parents. Thursday we went to the Rathbones to get copies of the new Sunday School curriculum. We had a pretty big storm come through around 5 that day, and they had lost power, so we ended up hanging out with them and playing cards, eating pizza, and just enjoying the company of one another. It was a great time. Eliz and I are really looking forward to the pre-teen ministry going forward.
On the movie front, I watched my 100th movie of the year. 6 months earlier than 2012, when movie 100 was watched in December. So, I've forgotten if I set a goal for this year, but I think 200 is reasonable, if I continue on this track.
97) Raiders of the Lost Ark - Dave and I took the opportunity to see this on the big screen and went to Cinemark last Wednesday afternoon. It was fun, and a great movie to experience in a theater. The first 3 Indiana Jones movies are wonderful adventure films, and I would look the chance to see Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade in theaters as well.
98) Constantine - Elizabeth and I had a date night the other night, and this was the movie drawn. (I'm not sure if I've explained this before, but I will put movies on a slip of paper and have E draw one or two, and that is our selection for the night. We came up with this idea, as when I am left to choose, I get moody and indecisive, and the night gets ruined.) I really enjoy this film, and since I was introduced to the character via film and not comic books, the characterizations that were changed I can deal with. It's a fun, atmospheric supernatural/action/thriller, with a good cast. I've always like Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz, and they both do excellent in this film.
99) Bad Company - This was a little thriller that somehow slipped under my radar, especially for being a Joel Schumacher film. Which is odd, since it was released during my BBV days. It was pretty decent, given the concept is highly unbelievable, LoL. A CIA agent is killed in action, so his twin brother (they were separated at birth) is recruited to replace him and trained to help finalize a deal that is going down for a nuclear weapon....in just 9 days. Add in that the two main characters are played by Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock, maybe I can understand how this did get by me.
100) Knight and Day - Another date night bowl selection for Elizabeth and I. I really like this film, and it is one of the films within the past 5 years that have made me like Tom Cruise. Maybe it's the memory of us seeing this film together at the drive-in that adds to the likeness factor, but it's just a fan action romp, one where you don't have to think much, just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Work is continuing to be great. If you had told me 6 months ago that I would find I job I was completely happy with and looked forward to each day, I would of called you a liar. It's an amazing feeling to not be stressed and to actually enjoy work once again. It may not be 682, but nothing will ever be. I truly love my job, and the fact that is also serves as a ministry is awesome.
Elizabeth and I had a great time last Wednesday at Chuck E. Cheese with the kids and their parents. Thursday we went to the Rathbones to get copies of the new Sunday School curriculum. We had a pretty big storm come through around 5 that day, and they had lost power, so we ended up hanging out with them and playing cards, eating pizza, and just enjoying the company of one another. It was a great time. Eliz and I are really looking forward to the pre-teen ministry going forward.
On the movie front, I watched my 100th movie of the year. 6 months earlier than 2012, when movie 100 was watched in December. So, I've forgotten if I set a goal for this year, but I think 200 is reasonable, if I continue on this track.
97) Raiders of the Lost Ark - Dave and I took the opportunity to see this on the big screen and went to Cinemark last Wednesday afternoon. It was fun, and a great movie to experience in a theater. The first 3 Indiana Jones movies are wonderful adventure films, and I would look the chance to see Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade in theaters as well.
98) Constantine - Elizabeth and I had a date night the other night, and this was the movie drawn. (I'm not sure if I've explained this before, but I will put movies on a slip of paper and have E draw one or two, and that is our selection for the night. We came up with this idea, as when I am left to choose, I get moody and indecisive, and the night gets ruined.) I really enjoy this film, and since I was introduced to the character via film and not comic books, the characterizations that were changed I can deal with. It's a fun, atmospheric supernatural/action/thriller, with a good cast. I've always like Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz, and they both do excellent in this film.
99) Bad Company - This was a little thriller that somehow slipped under my radar, especially for being a Joel Schumacher film. Which is odd, since it was released during my BBV days. It was pretty decent, given the concept is highly unbelievable, LoL. A CIA agent is killed in action, so his twin brother (they were separated at birth) is recruited to replace him and trained to help finalize a deal that is going down for a nuclear weapon....in just 9 days. Add in that the two main characters are played by Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock, maybe I can understand how this did get by me.
100) Knight and Day - Another date night bowl selection for Elizabeth and I. I really like this film, and it is one of the films within the past 5 years that have made me like Tom Cruise. Maybe it's the memory of us seeing this film together at the drive-in that adds to the likeness factor, but it's just a fan action romp, one where you don't have to think much, just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
06/12/2013
It's late, but I'm not tired, so I thought I would take this time to catch the blog up to date with my movie watching.
93) The Numbers Station - This is a new DTV movie that John Cusack did, and it sounded decent enough that I gave it a shot. It wasn't that bad either. I'm not the biggest fan of Malin Akerman, the female lead, but she did a pretty decent job in this. Basically, a black ops agent gets reassigned to watch over and protect a code announcer, and the station comes under attack. No big twist or anything, and it actually reminded me of Safe House at times. But I was able to enjoy the movie, especially Cusacks performance.
94) The Bourne Legacy - An expansion of the Jason Bourne universe, with the introduction of Aaron Cross (played by Jeremy Renner). What happens when you have someone with the same abilities, but remembers everything about themself? The acting was great, and Elizabeth and I really enjoyed the movie. I especially liked how it runs parallel to The Bourne Ultimatum. The fight scenes are top-notch, and the chase scenes are great. The final 15 minutes is edge of your seat. I'm curious if they will make another chapter in this movie franchise.
95) Jack Reacher - I did not want to like this movie. I love the book series by Lee Child, and I just find Tom Cruise a bad fit for the character. But I've got to admit, they did an excellent job bringing One Shot to the screen. Outside of the Cruise miscast (even though his acting was decent), I think the rest of the cast was pretty good. A good adaptation of the series, and I hope a sequel happens in the future. Elizabeth really enjoyed this film, too.
96) Rambo First Blood: Part II - This is a Grade A '80s action flick. Stallone goes all out as Rambo returns to Vietnam on a mission to save POWs. I loved it. Stallone has become a favorite of mine in the last few years, and this ranks as one of his best of the '80s.
93) The Numbers Station - This is a new DTV movie that John Cusack did, and it sounded decent enough that I gave it a shot. It wasn't that bad either. I'm not the biggest fan of Malin Akerman, the female lead, but she did a pretty decent job in this. Basically, a black ops agent gets reassigned to watch over and protect a code announcer, and the station comes under attack. No big twist or anything, and it actually reminded me of Safe House at times. But I was able to enjoy the movie, especially Cusacks performance.
94) The Bourne Legacy - An expansion of the Jason Bourne universe, with the introduction of Aaron Cross (played by Jeremy Renner). What happens when you have someone with the same abilities, but remembers everything about themself? The acting was great, and Elizabeth and I really enjoyed the movie. I especially liked how it runs parallel to The Bourne Ultimatum. The fight scenes are top-notch, and the chase scenes are great. The final 15 minutes is edge of your seat. I'm curious if they will make another chapter in this movie franchise.
95) Jack Reacher - I did not want to like this movie. I love the book series by Lee Child, and I just find Tom Cruise a bad fit for the character. But I've got to admit, they did an excellent job bringing One Shot to the screen. Outside of the Cruise miscast (even though his acting was decent), I think the rest of the cast was pretty good. A good adaptation of the series, and I hope a sequel happens in the future. Elizabeth really enjoyed this film, too.
96) Rambo First Blood: Part II - This is a Grade A '80s action flick. Stallone goes all out as Rambo returns to Vietnam on a mission to save POWs. I loved it. Stallone has become a favorite of mine in the last few years, and this ranks as one of his best of the '80s.
Friday, June 07, 2013
Flash! Ahhhhh....
92) Flash Gordon - Cheesy, corny, '80s sci-fi fun. This is my only experience with the Flash Gordon character, as I've never read any of the comics or watched the serials. But this movie is just a lot of fun. I did find it to be a little slow at first, but then I just saw back and enjoyed it. My favorite characters are Zarkov and Vulcan, and as I told Dave, I can't see Timothy Dalton now and not think of him in Hot Fuzz. Maybe I will queue that up soon.
06-07-2013
Been a slow week. Nothing new really happening, and work has been slow. I have gotten a few movies watched. This weekend should be fun, as the annual Marriage Tune-Up is going on at PBC. This year we are doing Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages. Elizabeth and I are actually going to be doing childcare this year, which should be fun.
What movies have I watched recently?
89) Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead - A fairly decent sequel in the Phantasm franchise. We saw the return of the original Mike actor, who I didn't find annoying at all in this film. A new kid was introduced as Reggie's sidekick in his endeavor to hunt down The Tall Man, especially after Mike is taken by him. Reg gets some unexpected help from Jody, now a minion of The Tall Man. Some good fight scenes, and I liked the scene where Tim (the kid) defends his house from some scavengers. The ending is once again left open (the Phantasm trademark). Of course, Angus Scrimm steals the whole show, as does the score.
91) Phantasm IV: Oblivion - An odd movie. Not bad, per se. As I did enjoy it, and it made me appreciate the franchise. But it's not as action-y as II and III, and it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. I'm not a fan of trying to give The Tall Man an origin, but it doesn't take away from the character. Once again, a very open ending. I did enjoy how unused film from Phantasm was incorporated into the film.
90) Now You See Me - Elizabeth and I loved this film. It was a great way to spend time in the theater. A cast that worked well with one another, and a decent plot. I love magic, so I was excited to see what this film had to offer, and I was not disappointed.
What movies have I watched recently?
89) Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead - A fairly decent sequel in the Phantasm franchise. We saw the return of the original Mike actor, who I didn't find annoying at all in this film. A new kid was introduced as Reggie's sidekick in his endeavor to hunt down The Tall Man, especially after Mike is taken by him. Reg gets some unexpected help from Jody, now a minion of The Tall Man. Some good fight scenes, and I liked the scene where Tim (the kid) defends his house from some scavengers. The ending is once again left open (the Phantasm trademark). Of course, Angus Scrimm steals the whole show, as does the score.
91) Phantasm IV: Oblivion - An odd movie. Not bad, per se. As I did enjoy it, and it made me appreciate the franchise. But it's not as action-y as II and III, and it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. I'm not a fan of trying to give The Tall Man an origin, but it doesn't take away from the character. Once again, a very open ending. I did enjoy how unused film from Phantasm was incorporated into the film.
90) Now You See Me - Elizabeth and I loved this film. It was a great way to spend time in the theater. A cast that worked well with one another, and a decent plot. I love magic, so I was excited to see what this film had to offer, and I was not disappointed.
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