Recent Thrifting (part 1)

Finally decided to get around to a post on the recent thrifting I've done.  Mom and Dad were down for Easter, and then we went and visited them a few weeks later.  Also, last weekend was my local library's annual book sale, so Billy (a friend who enjoys thrifting more than I do) and I got together to hit up some local stores and the sale.  I'm going to get two posts out of these trips, mainly because A) I have a lot stuff (mostly books) and B) I still need to upload some pics.

So, on to the good stuff!

 

 

Starting off with a small selection of assorted titles.  As previously stated in other book related entries, I collect the men adventure series The Executioner, and I tend to pick up any of the original 38 titles if they are in decent condition.  A. Lee Martinez is an author I have enjoyed reading since my days at Borders, and the Jon Land book just seemed like something I would enjoy as well.

 



Patterson and Connelly are two writers whose books I keep a list on my so I know what I need in my collection.  Wasn't sure what of the Private books had releases in hardcover, so I snagged the two paperbacks as they were titles I didn't have.  Private is the weakest of Patterson's ongoing series in my opinion, but the wife enjoys them.  Adding new Connelly books to my collection is just a reminder to me that I need to get back into reading more.  (Added bonus: at the library sale, I recommended to another friend to give the Bosch books a try, as he is always looking for something new to read.  He was not disappointed in my recommendation.)

David Baldacci is the newest author Elizabeth and I have gotten into, so adding his bookography to our collection.  Another author I've added to my little book of titles I'm looking for, so I don't end up double or triple dipping.

Another selection of randomness.  The Uncle John's actually came from a discount store.  I think the Aladdin book may of came with a set or something, as there is no barcode on it.  I rarely film books like that in the thrift stores around here, so it was a nice surprise. 

Last selection of books are the media titles.  "A Walk Among the Tombstones" is actually just a movie poster edition that came out, and that is why it is included here.  The Fugitive and Lethal Weapon (one of my always on the lookout for titles) movie novelizations were fun finds for me, and The Twilight Zone Companion is a great find.  A episode guide and history lesson on the series as a whole, which episode getting love and attention.  Lots of photos and interviews, a must have for any fan of the series.

A coffee cup from WDW Epcot with the character of Figment on it.  I really don't know a lot about the character, but it's from 1982 (the year Elizabeth and I were born) and I liked the pedestal form it has.  A cool and different looking cup to add to my every growing collection.

 

It rare that I take a chance on puzzles at thrift stores (unless I can tell they haven't been opened), but this was hard for me to pass up.  I've been on a Batman '66 kick since the beginning of the year since picking up the blu-ray release with Christmas money.  Hopefully when I get around to actually doing the puzzle, all the pieces are there.

 

Lastly, some DVDs I picked up.  The two featured in this pick I got for $1; Ice Cream Man is a movie I remember getting from the local rental place growing up (and probably one of the reasons I love Clint Howard).  Run All Night was one of those movies from last year I just hadn't gotten around to seeing yet, and the price was right to add it to my collection.  Liam Neeson is one of those actors I love no matter what the movie is, and the addition of Ed Harris is icing on the cake.  It has to better than either of the sequels to Taken.

 

 

 

Final newest addition to the movie collection is Open Range. This movie came out while I was working at Blockbuster, and is one of the reasons I am into westerns today.  Westerns has always been one of the genres of film my Dad loves, and I didn't get it growing up.  Doesn't matter if it's a movie or TV show, my dad will watch it, be the first time of 100th time.  When I finally watched Open Range, something clicked within me, and I understood.  Westerns are now one of my favorite genres of film.  Not sure why I waited so long to add this one to my collection, but finally glad I did.

 

 

 

Well, that's it for now.  Like I said, I've got a few more things to post about, but that is a post for next time.  Maybe it will be this weekend, maybe sometime next week.  But hopefully soon.

Invasion U.S.A. (1985)

Invasion U.S.A. (1985)

Directed by: Joseph Zito

Starring: Chuck Norris, Richard Lynch, Melissa Prophet

America wasn't ready....but HE was!











There is a genre of film that I particularly love, and that is action films from 1987-1997.  I have yet to see one from this period of time that I have disliked.  Even the bad ones are fun to watch, especially with the right people.  Die Hard set a high bar of the genre, and the films that tired to replicate the success of it don't clear it, but they are fun none the less.

With that said, Invasion U.S.A. came out a few years prior, but falls into the same category.  Chuck Norris is one of those actors who I'm not expecting a Shakespearean performance out of, I just want a fun action movie with some butt-kicking.  And this one does not disappoint.

Basically, Norris' character Matt Hunter is a retired CIA agent who gets pulled back into the fray when a terrorist he put away starts a reign of terror by organizing an attack on the U.S.  But first, he wants to take out the one man who put him away.

Gun battles: Check
Explosions: Check
Car chases: Check
Bad guys who went to the COBRA school of shooting: Check
Cheesy one-liners: None that I recall

Invasion U.S.A. has been on Dave and I's "need to watch" list since we saw Electric Boogaloo.  I think we are most definitely be hunting down a few of the other Cannon films we want to see.  We really enjoyed the movie, even if it did have some questionable aspects (Mainly, the unlimited ammo guns)  (Also, not sure what the actual point of Melissa Prophet's character was)

A couple of fun things about the film.

A) Takes place during the Christmas season, so it has a place on my Christmas watch list now.

B) The homes that get blown up were actual houses that were set to be demolished for the expansion of an airport, so Cannon purchased them and used them in the movie.  Same for the mall that is used, as it was being remodeled, so they were able to actual destroy it.

C) Billy Drago has one of the briefest cameos I've ever seen for someone listed in the opening credits.


Norris falls into the same category of actor as Lundgren, Seagal and Van Damme for me: I'm pretty sure I will enjoy the film if they are in it.


If you're interested in purchasing the film for yourself, Shout Factory! just released it on blu-ray last month.  You can get it on Amazon here.

Unseen Cinema - L.A. Confidential

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Directed by: Curtis Hanson

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe

Based upon the novel by James Ellroy

Everything is suspect...

Everyone is for sale...

And nothing is what it seems.






Last year, I posted my first entry in a feature I entitled Unseen Cinema (it was on Zodiac, for those new to the blog).  As I'm hoping to blog more in 2016, I plan on keeping that feature ongoing, hopefully being able to do at least one entry a month.

As with Zodiac, I ignored L.A. Confidential mainly due to the cast.  I've never really been a fan of Spacey or Crowe, and so I've tended to just gloss over this film.  Thankfully (once again to friends on Twitter), I decided to give this film a shot, as it was recommended to me by multiple people.  And I'm very glad I did, as I loved it.

Based loosely on the 1990 James Ellroy novel, L.A. Confidential follows 3 police officers of the LAPD during the early '50s and shows how the limelight of Hollywood and the corruption of the police intersected.

The three main officers we follow are Detective Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Spacey), whose claim to fame is being the technical advisor to Badge of Honor, a popular police procedural show of the time, Officer Bud White (Crowe), an officer who gets used mostly for muscle work, and newly appointed Detective Lieutenant Ed Exley (Pearce), an officer who is trying to live up to his police officer father, whose unsolved murder in the line of duty fuels his ambition, and is willing to make enemies to get to where he wants.

The Nite Owl murders is the investigation that brings our trio of characters together, and as they investigate it, a bigger mystery begins to unravel.

Going to stop there plot-wise, as I don't want to venture into spoiler territory.  I will say that the movie plays at a brisk pace and as the investigation continues, some twist and turns take place as the road darkens.

The story is great, and I really want to watch it again soon.  There is not one role that is out of place, and the supporting cast is phenomenal.  Kim Basinger won a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award as Lynn Bracken.  Rounding out the cast are James Cromwell, Danny DeVito, and David Strathairn.

The movie is quite phenomenal, and I'm sad I put off watching it for so long.  Being a fan of film noir and crime drama, this is the modern day pinnacle, even with it being almost 20 years old.  If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend it. 

Don't be like me, and judge a movie by the cast.  I've now visited two films that are modern classics that I didn't want to see because of the cast.  Sometimes you need to look past that.  I'm glad I did.  5/5

Recent Thrifting

My parents were in town last weekend, which means that I got to spend some time thrifting.  No earth shattering finds, but did have fun, as I normally do.  I really need to start going out on my own again.  It had been a while since I had been out, and I really need to go to the other side of the water, since I'm not sure when I was over there last for thrifting,

On to the finds!

First up is this cork board, which I picked up for my office.  I have a large collection of Hawaiian shirts in my wardrobe, so this was a cool find.  The "buttons" are thumbtacks, as well as it has a few hula girl thumbtacks as well.

Next up: A coffee cup for my ever expanding collection.  Coffee cups are what I pick up for souvenirs when we go places, and I also have some pop culture ones.  I normally get coffee when we go to the Waffle House (no matter the time of day), and I've always wanted a cup of my own.  Not sure if they sell them in store, or online, but found this and was pleased.

Not a thrift store find, but I did add this to my blu-ray collection last weekend.  I'm a big fan of The Cabin in the Woods, and kind of surprised I haven't picked it up before now.  I also enjoyed Sinister, and even though I haven't seen The Possession, but that is the genre of horror films I can get Elizabeth to watch with me, so worth a blind buy.

Now onto the books I procured while out.

Some basic genre finds.  I'm happy with the Patterson and Robb finds, as both of those have come out within the last 3-4 months.  Elizabeth is a huge fan of both, and I'm slowly making my way through the "In Death" series myself.  The Midnight Graffiti is a nice horror anthology, with stories from Stephen King, Harlan Ellison, Joe Lansdale, and Dan Simmons (among others).

Elizabeth has gotten into David Baldacci recently, so picked up these 4 books to add to our library.

Been a while since I've come across a wrestling biography that I was missing from my collection, and this was a great find (and deal!).  Looking forward to reading about one of my favorite childhood wrestlers.

Lastly, I got lucky (in my eyes) at one store we visited.  For those that may not know, The X-Files is returning to TV (tonight, actually!).  I didn't become a fan of The X-Files until the first movie came out.  I consider myself a casual fan of the series, but within the last 3 years, I really got into it a bit more.  Partially due to the season 10 comic from IDW.

First up, 5 volumes of the Official guides to the series, covering season 3-7.  I know I've got the first volume somewhere in room.  Also pictured is the making of Fight the Future.  Even though I ended up not sticking with the watching an episode a day leading up to tonight's premiere, I am slowly making my way through my rewatch of the series, and these will be fun to follow along with now.

Also found were 7 issues of the official magazine, including two yearbook annuals.  Not really a necessary purchase, but at a quarter a piece, hard to pass up.  Especially with Elizabeth telling me too. LoL.  I almost left them behind, but while waiting in line, I knew I would regret not getting them, so Elizabeth ran over and grabbed them for me.  Fun episode info, interviews, and re-readable (which is another reason I decided to grab them).

Lastly, both volumes of Book of the Unexplained, which were books put out about "The real X-Files... the facts behind the fiction."  They are in-depth guides to the real mysteries of the paranormal and unexplained that Chris Carter used as the basis of episodes for the series.  These are the type of books I used to check out at the library as a kid, and lead to my interest in things like Bigfoot, Nessie, ghosts, and more.

Looking back, I'm kind of surprised I wasn't a fan of The X-Files from day one.  I know I watched the FOX network growing up, as The Simpsons were one of the shows I remember watching with my parents. I really need to add the recently released blu-rays to my collection. Like I stated, a casual fan, but it kind of has moved into becoming one of my favorites.  Hence, these purchases.

I'm really excited for the revival that begins tonight.  Will it lead to another seasonnor a new movie?  Not going to speculate.  I'm just happy to see some of my favorite television characters back in action.

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE.

2015 Movie Round-Up

As we start off 2016, I like to take a look back at my movie watching for the past year and turn it into statistics.  I enjoy looking back and seeing what month was most prosperous, and where I feel off track.

Compared to previous years, 2015 was bad.  I only watched 96 movies, which is probably an all-time low for me.  A few changes took place in my life though, and I had to learn to manage time better, and it was movie watching that took the biggest hit.  I have high hopes though for 2016, so as I look back on the past year, I will not dwell upon it.

First off, my 2015 movie diary can be found here.  Letterboxd took over for Pinterest, and I believe it was for the best.

Out of the 96 movies, 63 (66%) were first time viewings, leaving 33 (34%) as movies I had seen before,  I'm happy with this, but is down from last year.

Month by Month Breakdowns

January - 12 (13%)
February - 7 (7%)
March - 6 (6%)
April - 6 (6%)
May - 5 (5%)
June - 10 (11%)
July - 8 (8%)
August - 17 (18%)
September - 2 (25)
October - 5 (5%)
November - 4 (4%)
December 14 (15%)

No real steady viewing habits it seems.

Film highlights of 2015 include:

Theatrical: Mad Max: Fury Road, Jurassic World, Inside Out, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Star Wars: The Force Awakens

First time Viewing: The Descent, The Guest, John Wick, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Zodiac, Motel Hell

Repeat Viewing: Groundhog Day (On Feb 2), The Poseidon Adventure, Watching Back to the Future trilogy on 10-21, Introducing Elizabeth to the original Star Wars trilogy

I'm already ahead of 2015, as I went and saw The Hateful Eight this afternoon with Dave.  My first movie of 2015 was on January 13th, so that is a plus in my book.  I'm hoping to blog a lot more this coming year as well.

A plan for movies, I'm not really sure.  I'm hoping to watch at least 2-3 movies a week, and knock some stuff off of my "To Be Watched" list.  But I'm setting no goals, nor making any promises.  I will make the best of 2016 though.

The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

Directed by: Ronald Neame, Irwin Allen (uncredited)

Starring: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters, Roddy McDowall

Who will survive-in one of the greatest escape adventures ever!

The '70s brought a plethora of disaster films to the screen, and The Poseidon Adventure is my favorite of them.  With today being New Year's Eve, I thought it would be appropriate to finally revisit this classic.

The S.S. Poseidon gets capsized by a tidal wave, and a small group of survivors band together to escape.  For a movie that clocks in under the 2 hour mark, we get a lot of personal stories that play out over the course of the movie, as well as some great moments of suspense and terror.

This movie has a pretty star-studded cast, and I'm not going to go into the details of each character.  I will say my favorite of the bunch is Reverend Scott, portrayed by Gene Hackman.  It's been a while since I've seen a movie with Hackman in it, and I forgot how much I loved him as an actor.

It's been a solid decade since I've last seen this film, and I've grown a lot personally as well as how I view movies.  But for some odd reason, this movie hit me with emotions tonight.  So much going on, but the two things that really stuck out were:

- Nonnie dealing with the lost of her brother.

- The relationship between Belle and Manny Rosen.  Don't even get me started on when Mr. Rogo swims back to the rest of the group and Manny inquires about his wife.

Besides the solid acting, we get a musical score by John Williams himself.  Solid  special effects and great set pieces.  I love the scene when the tidal wave hits.  I also noticed for the first time tonight that the camera tilts in frame, so it comes across as the viewer is on board the ship.

I am always down for disaster films; even to this day I will watch SyFy and DTV entries.  But I feel like you can never go wrong with the classics, and I think this one is the best of the era.  4/5

Quick Rambles

Well, I am in the mood to write, and since we are nearing the end of 2015, I was going to take the time and look at my movie statistics for the first 6 months of the year.  But to get percentages, I would need the number of films I watched as a whole, and with 4 days left in 2015, there is still plenty of time for movie watching.


My movie watching has been way down this year compared to the last few years.  As of right now, I've only clocked in 90 movies.  I did 176 in 2013 and 154 in 2014.  So, movie watching is down.  I hope to turn that around in 2016, as I have a lot of things I want to get around to watching.  But life happens, and you have to prioritize accordingly.  With that reason, I will once again not be setting myself a year-end goal.

One reason my movie-watching has been down this year is do to me taking on a second job.  Back in April I became my church's Director of Student Ministries, which became a big priority for me.  It's been a great opportunity, and I look forward to the growth Elizabeth & I will continue to have, as well as the students.

You can see my 2015 film diary at Letterboxd here.

Police Academy 2 & 3 Double Feaure

Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985)

Directed by Jerry Paris

Starring Steven Guttenberg, David Graf, Howard Hesseman

To protect, to serve... and make you laugh. America's funniest crimebusters are back!







Police Academy 2 takes the recruits from the first film and puts them at their first assignment, which is the worst precinct in the area.  The captain (Hesseman) also happens to be Commandant Lassard's younger brother, and he has been given 30 days to shape up his precinct, or he is out.  That is where the new recruits come into play, and Captain Lassard is given Mahoney, Jones, Hooks, Tackleberry, Fackler and Hightower to help improve.  Lassard is unaware though that Officer Mauser (Art Metrano) has been told the precinct will become his if Lassard fails, so he attempts to make sure that happens, with the help of Sgt Proctor (Lance Kinsey).

Police Academy 2 introduces some new characters, as well as brings some favorite back.  Missing are Lt. Harris and Sgt. Callahan from the first movie, and it shows.  But the "villain" role is filled by Mauser, and there are some great gags that I don't think would've worked as well if Harris had been in the role.  Also introduced in this sequel are two of my favorite characters, Mr. Sweetchuck (Tim Kazurinsky) and Zed (Bobcat Goldthwait).

I found this follow-up to be surprisingly entertaining, and though not as good as the first (or the 3rd, which I assume will be my favorite of the sequels), I enjoyed myself.  I think part of the charm of the franchise is that the characters are memorable and each one is unique.  There is a sequence is this sequel where they respond to a robbery call at Sweetchuck's store that had me laughing heartily.

None of the entries in this franchise were going to be award-winning, and maybe it is the nostalgia factor for me, but I do find them to be fun and watchable. 3.5/5

Police Academy 3: Back In Training (1986)

Directed by Jerry Paris

Starring Steve Guttenberg, Art Metrano, David Graf

Run for cover!








Police Academy 3 takes us back to the academy, as the Governor has decided to close one of the state's academy's and has put together a committee to evaluate each one on their latest class of recruits.  Commandant Lassard decides the way to win is to have the class of '84 be part of the training of the new group of misfits (including Sweetchuck and Zed from the previous installment).  The other academy is being ran by Commandant Mauser, who has schemed with Sgt. Blanks and Copeland and has their help in sabotaging Lassard's recruits.

All of the usual suspects return in this sequel, and Callahan also makes her return to the series.  New recruits also include Tackleberry's brother-in-law Bud, Fackler's wife, and Tomoto Nagata, who falls for Callahan,

As with the previous two movies, this one sticks to slapstick humor to be funny.  Mauser once again gets some tricks played on him, as well as his right-hand man Proctor.  The series has a few reoccurring jokes they use, like Commandant Lassard's poor goldfish, Hooks saying "Don't move, dirtbag!", and the use of the Blue Oyster club.

This is the entry in the franchise I have the most remembrance of, as it includes a boat chase as part of its finale.  One of my favorite gags is Jones turning his jet ski into a submarine, to avoid collisions.  A worthy follow-up, and probably the last good one.  3.75/5

Police Academy (1984)

Police Academy (1984)

Directed by Hugh Wilson

Starring Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, and G.W. Bailey

What and Institution!








Police Academy is a franchise I remember watching a lot growing up.  The first four are the ones I remember mostly, and I think that is due to my grandpa having them recorded (probably off of HBO).  I finally got around to picking up the series on DVD (thanks to WB releasing two 4-movie sets), and I decided to revisit the franchise to see how it holds up.

I will say that I was not disappointed in Police Academy, as it has held up and I laughed a lot.  A lot of that has to do with the great ensemble cast that it has.  I won't even begin to list each character, but each one is unique and has their own voice (even if it is meek, like Hooks), and that is part of the charm of the series.

The basic plot is simple: a new mayor has removed the criteria of joining the police academy, so everyone and anyone can join now.  We watch as the worst of the new recruits are put with Lt. Harris (Bailey) and Sgt. Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook) for their 14 weeks at the Academy.  Mahoney (Guttenberg) is our protagonist, at the academy as an alternative for jail time.  He can get thrown out, but can't quit.

Like a said, a broad cast of characters make up our group of misfits, each with their own unique characterization.  Jones is a human sound effects machine, Hooks has a meek voice, Tackleberry (a personal favorite) is gun-ho at a moments notice, and Commandant Lassard is a dim-witted commander.  At least in the first film, no one really outshines the rest, and they all work very well together.

It has probably been 15+ years, if not longer, since I had seen a film of the franchise.  But when I popped in the DVD and heard the theme playing, a rush came over me and a smile came to my face.  For that alone, I was happy.  I laughed a lot in my revisitation of the movie, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.  I don't expect the caliber of the first one, but with the memories I have, I do expect to at least find them enjoyable.  This is easily a title I can throw on as background noise, or if I need a mood lightened up.

Motel Hell (1980)

Motel Hell (1980)

Directed by Kevin Conner

Starring Rory Calhoun, Paul Linke, Nancy Parsons and Nina Axelrod

It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent's fritters.







I remember seeing the VHS box (pictured) for Motel Hell when roaming the horror aisle at the local video store when I was younger, but never watched it.  I guess that particular box was never appealing to my young eyes, and I wasn't one who read the synopsis on the back to help me make a decision,

I'm glad I finally took a shot on it (thanks to Scream Factory releasing it on Blu-Ray), as it is a better film than my young brain decided it was.  But then again, my taste in horror has grown since the days of wanting a basic slasher film, and I'm not sure I would've picked up on the black humor and satire the film has.

Farmer Vincent (Calhoun) runs a motel with his sister Ida (Parsons), and also makes smoked meats on the side.  The meat is world-famous, but is only sold within 100 mile radius of the farm, to keep costs down.  But Farmer Vincent has a secret: he has a garden of people that he uses as his secret ingredient for his smoked meats.  Vincent and Ida's younger brother is Sheriff Bruce (Linke), who is naive to what is going on,

The cast is what makes the film so great, especially Calhoun who carries the film as Farmer Vincent.  Parsons, Linke, and Axelrod (as Terry, a young female that Vincent falls for) all do well in their parts too.  There are a few minor roles too, including a pre-Cheers John Ratzenberger and Wolfman Jack.

If anything, the film is worth seeing for the finale: a lot of things come to head, and it includes a final fight with dueling chainsaws.  Also, the image of Farmer Vincent wearing a hog's head while wielding a chainsaw is iconic.

Overall, a very enjoyable flick, and Scream Factory did a wonderful job with their release of it, including interviews and a making of feature that makes me appreciate the film a little bit more.  4/5

Madman (1982)

Madman (1982)

Directed by Joe Giannone

Starring Tony Fish, Gaylen Ross, and Paul Ehlers

Lore of the campfire,
Telling of his horror.
Lost in the woods,
With the madman and the stars.

Don't laugh at the tale,
Heed if you call him.
The Legend lives, beware the Madman Marz.
The Legend lives, beware the Madman Marz!


Madman is an '80s horror film that somehow slipped under my radar until recently.  Horror is one of my favorite genres, and I am always looking for something that is new to me.  Thanks to companies like Scream Factory, Olive Films, and Vinegar Syndrome, a lot genre titles are getting to see the light of day on Blu-Ray.  Madman was put out by Vinegar Syndrome earlier this year, and based upon the synopsis alone, I decided to take a chance on it.  And I'm glad I did, as I was not disappointed by it.

The movie starts off around a camp fire, in which scary stories are being told.  Max tells the tale of Madman Marz, a local legend who murdered his family one night and then was hung by the townspeople.  The next morning, Marz was missing (along with the corpses of his family) and has not been seen since.  But legend has it, if you say his name above a whisper in the woods, he will hear it and come for you and our friends.  Of course, one of the campers decides to test fate and yells out his name.

I'm not going to go to much into plot details, as I went into the movie blindly, and I would recommend the same for anyone who hasn't seen it.  The reason I think the movie worked so well for me was I knew nothing of the plot, and it wasn't going for a campiness factor.  The story takes itself seriously, and thus enthralls you as you watch. 

The acting is not the best, and for the most part the characters are very unlikeable.  Besides Madman Marz, Max (head counselor of the camp) is really the only person I liked.  Gaylen Ross is the only actor I knew (Dawn of the Dead), and I believe most of the actors were first-timers.

One of my favorite things of the movie is the soundtrack.  It's a bit hard to explain, but it really adds to the atmosphere of the film.  I guess the best way to describe it is synthesized. I found myself listening to it on YouTube while writing this entry, as I enjoyed it that much.  And the end ballad is great.

The kills are pretty tame, the suspense is done well, and the blood runs red.  I really wasn't scared by anything while watching, but I was on edge a few times while waiting for the inevitable to happen.

The look of Madman Marz is great.  I'm surprised more people don't talk about this movie, and I think it had the potential to be a franchise.  Marz most definitely could hold his own against Michael and Jason.

I'm not sure how previous home releases look, but the 4K transfer on the Vinegar Syndrome disc is beautiful.  For a movie that takes place for the most part during night, it is never too dark to see what is going on.  And I have yet to crack the fully-packed extras on the release, including a 90 minute retrospective on the making of the movie.


This is a great addition to my collection, and would make an awesome double feaure with The Burning, which came out around the same time.  If you are a fan of '80s slasher films, I highly recommend giving this one a look.  3.5/5

Weekend Thrifting (Sept 5)

As with most visits with my parents, I was able to spend some time thrifting this past weekend.  Every trip is an adventure, and that is the beauty of thrift stores.  Some trips are misses, but for the most part I usually find a book or DVD to add to my collection.  This weekend, I hit the jackpot for myself at the first stop, so everything else was just an added bonus.  So, let's take a look at my weekend finds.

Shall we play a game?

First up, some board games to add to our ever-collection.  Time's Up! is a charades like game where the teams are attempting to guess famous, historical and fictional names over 3 different rounds.  We have a similar game called Identity Crisis, and these type of games are always fun during parties.  Teams of Enemies is a trivia game in which the teams switch throughout game play.  Interesting concept, and since we are always looking for something new to play, we thought we would give it a shot.

Just in time for the holidays

Working or not, I was not going to pass these up.

Next up: some awesome decorations, just in time for Halloween.  A role of Caution tape, which has endless capabilities, and a string of "Jason" lights (that I'm assuming don't work, as the black box is rusty and had corroded batteries in it) that will look great hanging up.

Random books

Mirror, Mirror
 

Fist pile of books: The Disney Villain, by Ollie and Frank, two of Disney's "Nine Old Men".  It's a great look at all the classic Disney villains full of art.  I own a documentary about them, which I highly recommend.  Also in the pic is a Richard Matheson book I hadn't heard of, Shadow on the Sun.  The Obake Files is a compilation of Hawaiian haunts and tales by Glen Grant.  Elizabeth being from Hawaii and both of us having a huge interest in the paranormal, this was a fun find.

Media Tie-Ins!

Second pile of books: Media!  A nice selection of movie novelizations were found this weekend, plus a Richard Castle book that we didn't own.  I'm curious as to how Final Destination works in book form, even if it is the novelization for my least favorite of the movies.

Movies

These two movies have been on my "To Be Watched" list since the beginning of summer, mainly due to some conversations and recommendations on Twitter.  Sadly, Red Eye will be a bittersweet first time viewing, as Wes Craven passed away last week.  Heat I feel will be one of those "Why have I waited so long to watch this? movies.

Batman, Robin, Two-Face and The Riddler

The picture sadly does not do this find justice.  I found a complete set of the McDonald's glasses for Batman Forever.  So, it's not the best Batman movie there is. But a part of me still enjoys it, and maybe it is the campiness of it that I like.  Even though I dislike Batman & Robin, I would probably buy promotion and tie-ins items for it as well.  I think my favorite thing is that each glass handle is distinctive, my favorite being the Two-Face glass which is of a flipping coin.



The One that started it all

Last, but not least: Carrie by Stephen King.  King is one of the few authors that I am trying to get a complete works in Hardcover for, and Carrie has been one of the few titles that has been eluding me.  No more, as I found this gem for $2 at a recently re-opened DAV.  It is in pristine condition, and I actually made an audible noise when I saw it on the shelf.  Elizabeth came over and asked if everything was alright, LoL.  Like I said, this was the first find at the first stop on my weekend.  If this had been my only find, I would of been one happy thrifter.

 

For those that are curious, the only titles missing from my hardcover King collection are books 1-4 of The Dark Tower series, and The Green Mile (if it was ever collected that way).

 

Overall, a great weekend.  Not sure when I will go out next, but hopefully it will be just a good of a trip.  Thanks for reading, and until next time!

Recent Thrifting

I've been out thrifting twice since my last update on it, and I figured I could get a post out of the finds on those trips.  Once again, mostly books & movies added to the collection.




This is a random selection of books that appealed to me.  I'm always down for an intriguing true crime book, and The Last Victim is about correspondence with some of the most notorious serial killers, and the secrets they spilled in their letters.  Trivia and humor books are always an easy sale with me, especially since they are normally re-readable.  And Dead Wrong is another conspiracy book written by Richard Belzer, who wrote one of my all-time favorites: UFOs, JFK, & Elvis.

 

Elizabeth was introduced to the works of David Baldacci via a co-worker, so I've slowly started picking up his books when I find them at a good price.

 

Four movie novelizations I found while out this past weekend.  As I've stated in previous entries, I am a big fan of these, and I was happy to find these.  I rarely stumble across them while out, and I was pleased to find two newer novelizations, as well as one for The Shadow, which is one of my favorite '90s comic book movies.

 

Brand new board game, so was an easy sell.  We are always looking for new games, and when they haven't even been opened yet, it's hard to pass up.  This one is based on visual word puzzles, so we we're intrigued.  Probably will break it out at the next game night with friends.

 

When looking for movies while thrifting, it is usually hit or miss.  I either don't find any titles that interest me, OR the disc has seen better days.  Thankfully, I've come across some stuff the last few trips that prove it is still worth looking.

 

 

Most Wanted I've never seen, but falls into a genre of film I love (the mid '90s action film), and the plot sounded interesting enough to give it a try.  Plus, DVDs were BOGO, and I had already found Heart and Souls, so needed a 2nd.  Even though I'm not the biggest fan of RDJ, I remember watching Heart and Souls a lot growing up and enjoying it.  I'm a fan of the time travel/destiny/body-swapping movies, which I would say this falls into.

 

 

This past weekend, I found these two gems.  Paid $5 for both, which is a steal given that Paramount set has 10 films.  For a Disney DVD, Melody Time looks brand new.  And if the picture is too small, the list of films on the 10 pack are:

Cloak & Dagger
The Wizard
Cop and a Half
King Ralph
Matinee
Sgt. Bilko
Ghost Dad
Ed
A Simple Wish
The Borrowers

I bolded the two films I mainly bought it for, as I'm a big fan of both and had yet to purchase the individual dvds.  I look forward to watching this set, and is probably one of the better movie deals I've found while thrifting.

Will probably be doing some more thrifting over the upcoming Labor Day weekend, as  my parents will be visiting, so hoping to find some good deals then.

"This is the Zodiac speaking..."

I'm hoping this will be a first post in an ongoing series, in which I finally get around to some of the Unseen Cinema in my life.  New theatrical releases, as well as anything within the last 2-3 years, I probably won't cover (but may review, depending on my mood and what I thought of it).  Also, for the readers who do decide to venture to my little blog, bear with me.  I am not a master wordsmith.

                                       ZODIAC (2007)

As much as I like true crime (both movies and books), as well as the mystery behind the Zodiac Killer, I avoided this film due to the cast.  I'm not a huge Robert Downey Jr (even thought I can't really think of another actor who could bring Tony Stark to life like he has) or Jake Gyllenhaal fan, so them having top billing kind of just had me push it away.

Thankfully to the awesomeness of the interwebs and Twitter, I've made a few friends who are into movies as much as I am, and based upon their recommendations, I seeked out this film.  On top of that, I got an awesome deal on the blu-ray on Amazon, only paying $4.99 for it.

Based upon Robert Graysmith's book Zodiac, the movie follows San Francisco Chronicle employees Graysmith and Paul Avery and SFPD Inspectors Toschi and Armstrong as they search for the killer known as the Zodiac.  For some, obsession eventually takes over.

I'm sad I decided to avoid this film for the past 8 years, as I loved it.  The film brings to life 1970s San Francisco, and you feel like you are part of the investigation as the movie progresses.  Fincher does a magnificent job, and this has easily become my favorite film of his.  Each actor plays their role magnificently, and no one out shines anyone.  I will say the best performance is Mark Ruffalo, who portrays Inspector Toschi.

Even the minor roles are played great, and this film has one heck of a supporting cast.  Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, Elias Koteas, and Dermot Mulroney are just some of actors who play bit parts that have significance to the story.

But best of all: John Carroll Lynch as main suspect Arthur Leigh Allen.  He brings a calmness and eeriness to the character in each scene he is present.

There are two scenes that have stuck with me, which is always a good sign to me, that a movie has that kind of impact on my memory.  The first scene is also the films most brutal: the Zodiacs attack at Lake Berryessa.  If you've seen the movie, you know this scene.  The second scene is closer to the end, where Graysmith visits Bob Vaughn (portrayed by Charles Fleischer) to gain some additional information on a potential suspect.  What starts out as a hopeful visit has a very eerie and sudden twist.

Also worth noting is how Fincher does the time jumps, as this film takes place throughout the '70s.  Days and weeks turn into months, which eventually turn into years.  My favorite is the one late in the film, as we jump 4 years into the future with a black screen as the music and news tidbits of the era play over it.

I 'm not sure how much of the film was fictionalized, if any, and just as the case remains unsolved, the movie doesn't give us an answer to the identity of Zodiac.  But, as Graysmith's two books on the subject have revealed, I truly believe Allen was the man behind one of the greatest unsolved crimes of the 20th century.

For a film that has little any action and a running time of almost 3 hours, the film flys by.  I never really looked at the time, and as the movie was winding down, I was surprised by how quickly it seemed to be ending.  I am looking forward to watching the two documentaries that are bonus features, just to expand upon what the movie covers.

Rambles

I haven't been updating as much as I would like, which is always the case, really.  I also haven't done much thrifting since my last update, which means it is time that I come up with new ideas in my blogging.

One feature I have been throwing around in my head is to blog about "Unseen Cinema": there are plenty of movies that I own, or have access to via Hulu, Netflix, and the local library, that I haven't seen.  I'm not talking about recent (the last 2 years) titles, but things like Bull Durham, Braveheart, and The Abyss.  Not an original idea, as I saw it on Twitter friends blog (http://www.mushniksflorist.blogspot.com/), but an idea that I really like, so I asked if I could do something similar.  Does that mean I will actually go through with the idea, well, that all depends if I am going to make time for watching films again.  I haven't done much outside of the normal theatrical visits, and it's a bit disappointing.


I'm also very behind on comic book reading.  I'm caught up on a few current titles, but for the most part, I'm 3+ issues behind.

Memorial Day Weekend finds, part 2 (Book Edition)

As I wrote in part one (which can be found here), my parents were in town for the holiday weekend, which ultimately means some amount of time will be spent in thrift stores.

Now, just to let you all know, I live in an area where thrift stores are prominent. On both sides of the water.  From where I am sitting as I type this up, within a 5-7 mile radius are 7 stores that I am aware of.  I literally live across the street from a Boys & Girls club thrift, where I can fill up a bag of books for $1.  Goodwill, DAV, Salvation Army,Village Thrift, Family Thrift. All have at least one location on each side of the water.

Hence, each trip out is a different experience.  I don't go to the other side of the water as much, so those can be a real treasure trove of finds.

With all that said, let's take a look at what books I ended up adding to my ever growing collection this weekend.

First up, the James Patterson additions.  Patterson is an author Elizabeth and I both read, so these are always good finds. Unlucky 13 and Hope to Die are both from last year, and are from two of his ongoing series.  This makes us up to date on the Alex Cross series of books, and just missing the 2015 book from Women's Murder Club (which I will probably be finding this time next year).  The Murder of King Tut is a non-fiction title from a few years back, and one I haven't seen in hardcover a lot, so snagged that as well.

 The small assortment of thriller novels that I found.  Red Dragon is the one book that I had heard of, and even though I'm pretty sure I have it, it was hard to pass up the cover.  Plus, I've been meaning to dig my copy out, as I've been wanting to read it again due to Hannibal.  The other two books just had interesting premises. I think Steel Ghosts is more horror than thriller, and that is fine by me.  Reaper is also signed by the author, so that's a cool bonus.

The random pile.  Let's just break this down by book, shall we.

1.  University - I'm a big fan of Bentley Little.  I find his horror easy and fun to read, and this was one I don't have yet.
2. Warriner's Handbook of English - Grabbed this as I was at a "fill a bag for a $1" store, and thought it looked cool.  Being an English major myself, thought it would be cool to have.  It is from 1951.
3. Wanted to Rent - Young Adult horror books are a weakness, so this was an easy pick-up.  Seems to be book #3 from a series I do not recall, Scream.
4. Owl Puke - This one speaks for itself,
5. Badass: The Birth of a Legend - I remember this series of books from when I worked at Borders.  It was quiet popular.  With chapters dedicated to Harry Callahan, B.A. Baracus, Skeletor, and Godzilla, it was a no-brainer for me to pick it up.
6. Too Good to be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends - This is my favorite of the book finds on this trip.  Found amongst a shelf of textbooks, this is almost 500 pages of urban legends. You name it, it is probably within the pages.

A solid assortment of The Far Side books.  Elizabeth and I are both big fans, but oddly enough this is one series of comic strips we don't own many volumes of.

Non-fiction assortment.  Killers is a collection of true crime, chronicling infamous killers of the past 50+ years, starting with Starkweather homicides up to Columbine.  The Truth Is Out There is an official guide to The X-Files (or at least the first three seasons, anyways.) I surprisingly don't already own this, and with the news of its return to TV in 2016, thought it would be a nice addition.  Law & Order: Crime Scenes is just a collection of photographs from popular episodes of the show, with commentary from Dick Wolf laced throughout.  Elizabeth is a fan of L&O, so this was a good find for her,

The free pile.  Yes, I said free.  See, the local Village Thrift has a shopping cart of books out front that are free, with no limit.  I don't know if it's because the books haven't sold, or what.  And normally I don't find this much in the cart.  But this trip yielded all of the above, plus one more.  I grabbed 3 of the original Executioner titles, and even if I do have them, they are in great condition and probably better than what I currently own.  The other 5 books are just random and seemed interesting, and it's kind of hard to pass up free.

Lastly, the media tie-in books.  Buckaroo Banzai was out of the free cart, as the red X on the cover detonates.  The non-fiction book that The French Connection was based off of (with movie tie-in cover art (a bit spoilery at that)), and a Dirty Harry novelization of The Enforcer, which was a pretty cool find for me.  Also grabbed a hardcover of The Legacy, which I hadn't heard of but know Scream Factory is releasing onto blu-ray this summer, and will add to my collection.

As I write this, I just realized Heat from the free pile should've been with this picture, as it's a novelization of the '86 Burt Reynolds film.  William Goldman as an author should've tipped me off.


That winds up this trip.  There is a grand re-opening of a DAV coming up in June, and I'm hoping to make a trip to the other side of the water soon as well, so there will probably be another post sooner than later.