I'm making this post this morning before I leave for work. I will probably be getting in really late tonight and will most likely be really tired. I'm going with my sister Stacey to see Beauty and the Beast. I am really looking forward to it. It should be a wonderful evening of entertainment. I'll give you a full recap tomorrow.
Until then, thanks for being a part of my journey!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
King of the Bootleggers
At the top of the bootlegging food chain was a man by the name of George Remus. Remus found loopholes in the law whereby he could buy distilleries and pharmacies to sell liquor to himself under government licenses for medicinal purposes. Remus would then hijack his own liquor so he could sell it illegally. Remus moved to Cincinnati where 80 percent of America's bonded whiskey was located, and bought up most of the whiskey manufacturers. In less than three years Remus made $40 million, with the help of his trusted number two man George Conners. He owned many of America's most famous distilleries, including the Fleischmann Distillery, which he bought for $197,000, a price which included 3,100 gallons of whiskey.
Remus was eventually arrested for bootlegging and spent two years in prison. While he was in prison, his wife began an affair with a prohibition agent. The two began to hide Remus' money and liquidate his assets. After his release from prison, Remus shot and killed his wife. He was acquitted of the charges on an insanity plea. Remus later moved to Covington, Kentucky right across the river from Cincinnati and lived a quiet life until his death.
You can learn more about the amazing rise and fall of Remus and Cincinnati's prohibition days at:
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/ourhistory/2011/08/01/king-of-the-bootleggers/
Thanks for being a part of my journey!
Review: "Manos: The Hands of Fate"
Credentials: 0% Certified Rotten (Rottentomatoes.com) / 1.5 out of 10 (Imdb.com) / #3 Worst Movie of All Time (Imdb.com) / N/A )Metacritic.com)
Plot: A family vacation in Texas takes a turn for the worst when our heroes get lost looking for their hotel. Instead, they stumble across the “Lodge of Sins,” which just so happens to be run by a crystal meth addicted satyr (half man, half goat creature), a Freddy Mercury look-a-like cult leader with an affinity for silly robes and his six cackling brides. And Chevy Chase thought HIS family vacations were bad.
Thoughts: There’s a lot that needs to be said about “Manos: The Hand of Fate,” but I feel like we should start right at the top: the title.
Now, I’m not fluent in Spanish but I know manos means hands, which means the actual title is: “Hands: The Hands of Fate.” I suppose writer/director Harold P. Warren was hoping no one would pick up on that.
The title flub should give you a pretty good idea of the level of skilled craftsmanship that went into creating “Manos.” The movie is a disaster from every possible standpoint, both behind the camera and in front of it.
“Manos” was shot with what seems to be a handheld camera, giving it a “home movie gone wrong” kind of feel. The first couple minutes are just an extended sequence of a guy driving a car with his wife, daughter and dog in tow. Plus, we get lots of shots of scenery that do nothing to further the plot. (Rumor has it, Warren meant to include opening credits over the driving shots, but forgot)
Normally, I can forgive a slow start like that. After all it’s only a couple of minutes of dead space near the beginning. Except, “Manos” is a scant 68 minutes long. 68 MINUTES! If your movie is an hour and 8 minutes, you can’t afford to waste a second!
The technical problems extend far past an inept writer/director with no sense of pacing. “Manos” is rife with editing problems like jump cuts and takes where characters don’t seem to realize the camera is rolling, so they stand there waiting.
Without a doubt, the biggest problem is the sound. Warren’s camera couldn’t record any so the effects and dialogue were added in later. Legend has it a crew of two men and one woman were used to record ALL of the film’s dialogue. THREE people! Speaking all of the lines, playing multiple characters!
I’m sure that story is true. The little girl in the movie definitely doesn’t sound like a child. Her voice, sort of a Paris Hilton-esque baby talk, is very creepy. Either way, the dubbing is poor. Not quite “Godzilla” level poor, but it’s close.
The acting is the stuff B-movie legends are made of, starting with John Reynolds who plays Torgo, the satyr and day manager of the Lodge of Sins. Reynolds’ persistent twitching, disjointed walk and bizarre habit of delivering lines like William Shatner on sleeping pills all make for a sight to behold. It’s so weird that fans of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” once campaigned for Reynolds to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, despite this being his only big screen credit.
Another of Warren’s great directorial missteps is never actually identifying Torgo as a satyr in the movie. While watching it, I thought he was just a hairy guy with huge kneecaps who couldn’t walk right. It was only after reading some interviews with Warren that I found out Torgo’s true identity.
The family members are so ridiculously cliched, there's not much to talk about. The dad is out to protect his family, the mom is in near-constant need of rescuing, and the daughter is precocious and cries a lot. That's about it.
The cult consists of The Master (Tom Neyman) and his six cackling, blathering brides. Neyman over acts the hell out of the part, delivering his lines with a nearly Shakespearean gusto while staring daggers at the camera. His brides spend their screen time fighting amongst themselves and talking over each other.
Near the end, “Manos” veers off into borderline paedophilic territory. I’m not sure if it was intended or not, but it’s there alright.
The cult consists of The Master (Tom Neyman) and his six cackling, blathering brides. Neyman over acts the hell out of the part, delivering his lines with a nearly Shakespearean gusto while staring daggers at the camera. His brides spend their screen time fighting amongst themselves and talking over each other.
Near the end, “Manos” veers off into borderline paedophilic territory. I’m not sure if it was intended or not, but it’s there alright.
Breakdown
:06- So this is what it feels like to drive a car… ohhhh… ahhh
:07- “Where did the road go?” Brilliant, next time I get lost, I’m blaming the road
:10- So mom, dad, you don’t find anything weird about the meth addicted prospector named Torgo, who spends all his time talking about “The Master?” Nothing? Still sure it’s a good idea to spend a night with this guy? Ok, have fun.
:13- You’re a true patriot dad, make the guy who can’t walk lug all your bags from the car
:17- Oh no! Something killed that slipper! Oh wait… it’s not a slipper, it’s the dog. Well that’s sad.
:24- That’s right, just keep talking about your daughter like she’s not in the room, barely inches away from you. She won’t notice
:52- Girls, the man said “kill” not “viciously grope.” How’s about one of you goes and gets a gun or a knife or something heavy, because massaging the poor basterd to death is going to take years
Video Evidence
Torgo!
Torgo and the Master
Mystery Science Theater 3000
More from MST3K
And so there you go: “Hands: The Hands of Fate.” It has its moments, but "Manos" is fun to talk about and a chore to sit and watch. Bumblebee tuna.
Review: "Manos: The Hands of Fate"
Credentials: 0% Certified Rotten (Rottentomatoes.com) / 1.5 out of 10 (Imdb.com) / #3 Worst Movie of All Time (Imdb.com) / N/A )Metacritic.com)
Plot: A family vacation in Texas takes a turn for the worst when our heroes get lost looking for their hotel. Instead, they stumble across the “Lodge of Sins,” which just so happens to be run by a crystal meth addicted satyr (half man, half goat creature), a Freddy Mercury look-a-like cult leader with an affinity for silly robes and his six cackling brides. And Chevy Chase thought HIS family vacations were bad.
Thoughts: There’s a lot that needs to be said about “Manos: The Hand of Fate,” but I feel like we should start right at the top: the title.
Now, I’m not fluent in Spanish but I know manos means hands, which means the actual title is: “Hands: The Hands of Fate.” I suppose writer/director Harold P. Warren was hoping no one would pick up on that.
The title flub should give you a pretty good idea of the level of skilled craftsmanship that went into creating “Manos.” The movie is a disaster from every possible standpoint, both behind the camera and in front of it.
“Manos” was shot with what seems to be a handheld camera, giving it a “home movie gone wrong” kind of feel. The first couple minutes are just an extended sequence of a guy driving a car with his wife, daughter and dog in tow. Plus, we get lots of shots of scenery that do nothing to further the plot. (Rumor has it, Warren meant to include opening credits over the driving shots, but forgot)
Normally, I can forgive a slow start like that. After all it’s only a couple of minutes of dead space near the beginning. Except, “Manos” is a scant 68 minutes long. 68 MINUTES! If your movie is an hour and 8 minutes, you can’t afford to waste a second!
The technical problems extend far past an inept writer/director with no sense of pacing. “Manos” is rife with editing problems like jump cuts and takes where characters don’t seem to realize the camera is rolling, so they stand there waiting.
Without a doubt, the biggest problem is the sound. Warren’s camera couldn’t record any so the effects and dialogue were added in later. Legend has it a crew of two men and one woman were used to record ALL of the film’s dialogue. THREE people! Speaking all of the lines, playing multiple characters!
I’m sure that story is true. The little girl in the movie definitely doesn’t sound like a child. Her voice, sort of a Paris Hilton-esque baby talk, is very creepy. Either way, the dubbing is poor. Not quite “Godzilla” level poor, but it’s close.
The acting is the stuff B-movie legends are made of, starting with John Reynolds who plays Torgo, the satyr and day manager of the Lodge of Sins. Reynolds’ persistent twitching, disjointed walk and bizarre habit of delivering lines like William Shatner on sleeping pills all make for a sight to behold. It’s so weird that fans of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” once campaigned for Reynolds to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, despite this being his only big screen credit.
Another of Warren’s great directorial missteps is never actually identifying Torgo as a satyr in the movie. While watching it, I thought he was just a hairy guy with huge kneecaps who couldn’t walk right. It was only after reading some interviews with Warren that I found out Torgo’s true identity.
The family members are so ridiculously cliched, there's not much to talk about. The dad is out to protect his family, the mom is in near-constant need of rescuing, and the daughter is precocious and cries a lot. That's about it.
The cult consists of The Master (Tom Neyman) and his six cackling, blathering brides. Neyman over acts the hell out of the part, delivering his lines with a nearly Shakespearean gusto while staring daggers at the camera. His brides spend their screen time fighting amongst themselves and talking over each other.
Near the end, “Manos” veers off into borderline paedophilic territory. I’m not sure if it was intended or not, but it’s there alright.
The cult consists of The Master (Tom Neyman) and his six cackling, blathering brides. Neyman over acts the hell out of the part, delivering his lines with a nearly Shakespearean gusto while staring daggers at the camera. His brides spend their screen time fighting amongst themselves and talking over each other.
Near the end, “Manos” veers off into borderline paedophilic territory. I’m not sure if it was intended or not, but it’s there alright.
Breakdown
:06- So this is what it feels like to drive a car… ohhhh… ahhh
:07- “Where did the road go?” Brilliant, next time I get lost, I’m blaming the road
:10- So mom, dad, you don’t find anything weird about the meth addicted prospector named Torgo, who spends all his time talking about “The Master?” Nothing? Still sure it’s a good idea to spend a night with this guy? Ok, have fun.
:13- You’re a true patriot dad, make the guy who can’t walk lug all your bags from the car
:17- Oh no! Something killed that slipper! Oh wait… it’s not a slipper, it’s the dog. Well that’s sad.
:24- That’s right, just keep talking about your daughter like she’s not in the room, barely inches away from you. She won’t notice
:52- Girls, the man said “kill” not “viciously grope.” How’s about one of you goes and gets a gun or a knife or something heavy, because massaging the poor basterd to death is going to take years
Video Evidence
Torgo!
Torgo and the Master
Mystery Science Theater 3000
More from MST3K
And so there you go: “Hands: The Hands of Fate.” It has its moments, but "Manos" is fun to talk about and a chore to sit and watch. Bumblebee tuna.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Prohibition
I just finished watching the first episode of the new Ken Burns PBS documentary Prohibition. I found it fascinating. I love history and there is no one like Burns to really help bring it alive. This first episode set the context for the social, cultural, religious, and political environment that led to the passage of the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
I was surprised to learn that Ohio was such a key state in the temperance movement and Cincinnati was a major battleground for protests and conflict between the "drys" who supported prohibition and the "wets" who did not. I had known that it was in many ways a movement led by Christian women, but I had no idea how much it was linked to the women's suffrage movement.
One fact that absolutely amazed me was that by 1830, the average American over 15 years old consumed nearly seven gallons of pure alcohol a year - three times as much as people drink today. This first episode gave startling facts about saloons and bars that were both community centers in many cities and a source of all kinds of vice. Corrupt politicians looked the other way because they financially benefited from the saloons and the brothels that often accompanied them. Beer barons bought elections and controlled entire communities with their wealth and influence.
The dry movement also had some less than pure motives and practices. Prohibitionists spread false information about the impact of alcohol on the body. They also destroyed property by walking into saloons and smashing bottles of alcohol. As World War I began, they used anti-German sentiment in America to fuel the cause of prohibition.
I am looking forward to the next two episodes of this documentary. I am always grateful for programs like this that both entertain and educate. If you want to know more about this program, check out this website:
http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/
Thanks for being a part of my journey!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The Paper Chase
Anyway, last night I watched the movie The Paper Chase. Released in 1973, The Paper Chase tells the story of James Hart (played by Timothy Bottoms) who is a first year student at Harvard Law School. Most of the movie focuses on Hart's sort-of relationship with Professor Charles Kingsfield (played by John Houseman). I say "sort of relationship" because Hart seems almost obsessed with Kingsfield at times in the movie. However, Hart rarely speaks in class because he is intimidated by Kingsfield. Hart's obession leads him to break into a special section of the Harvard law library to find the archived class notes of Kingsfield when law professor was a student at Harvard. However, instead of stealing the notes or copying them and using their content to his advantage in some way, Hart just reads them with a kind of dewy-eyed awe.
The two rarely speak to one another in the film but Hart seems willing to do almost anything, including blowing off a weekend get away with his girlfriend, in order to impress Kingsfield. Hart doesn't sleep for the entire weekend while he does some research for Kingsfield who then doesn't accept Hart's work because it's late. There is no indication that Kingsfield is trying to teach Hart something through this experience. He just seems to want to be mean to everyone with whom he interacts.
Hart's girlfriend is played by Lindsay Wagner. We later find out that Wagner's character Susan is actually Kingsfield's daughter. She is estranged from her husband who is backpacking through Europe to find himself while the legal proceedings have begun on their divorce. I had no idea that Lindsay Wagner had a film career. I came of age in the 1970's watching her run really fast and listen to sounds far away as the Bionic Woman. Of course, now I think of her as the person who is always trying to sell me a Sleep Number bed. Overall, I think Wagner gives a pretty good performance. Sometimes she seems a bit detached but I think that might just be her character.
Houseman is wonderful as the old crusty law professor. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the role. His character reminded me of a few professors I had in college. He is aloof and condescending. Most of his lines are in the classroom in which we see him belittle students at every turn. He seems irritated that he has to teach. It's almost as if he sees it as his personal responsibility to pass along the wisdom of the ages to a woefully unworthy new generation of future lawyers. For example, Kingsfield says this to a a classroom full of students: "You teach yourselves the law, but I train your minds. You come in here with a skull full of mush; you leave thinking like a lawyer." I wonder if a professor could conduct a classroom like this today without opening himself and the University up to a lawsuit.
Parts of the movie have not aged well. Some of the dialogue sounds really strange to my ear. This was especially true in the student study group scenes. If students really spoke to one another in this way at Harvard Law School in the 1970's, it would really explain a lot of societal problems today. On one hand, they are young men trying to best one another in an extremely competitive environment. Yet, some of their behavior verges on the bizarre and can only be explained by someone in the mental health field. There's a scene in which one of the students brings his outline of one of the law courses lectures. It's hundreds of pages long making me wonder if he wrote down every word of every lecture rather than make an outline. The students had agreed to share their notes with one another to help them prepare for their final exams but this student acts really strange and protective of his precious notes. He says he wants to publish them. He ends up throwing a tantrum and storming out of the room. He calls everyone pimps. It's just weird to me. Maybe that was the way people talked then but it all seemed strange to me.
One of the main themes of the movie is supposed to be Hart's choice between his law education and, as an extension, impressing Professor Kingsfield and trying to keep his relationship with his girlfriend. One teaser line for the movie is: "You have to choose between the girl you love and the diploma you've worked for all your life. You have 30 seconds." Yet, it doesn't seem like that big of a choice for me. While they try to make the point that law school is difficult, it seems absurd to think that law students can't have significant relationships and be successful in their academics. I was not even convinced when the one married student character is under a lot of stress and eventually drops out after trying to commit suicide. I think he had other issues or was not cut out to study law at Harvard. It just seemed like a false choice to me.
The other thing that was puzzling to me about The Paper Chase is the relationship between Susan and her father. They seem estranged. I can't recall a single bit of dialogue that the two have in the film. There's a scene where they are walking down a hallway and they pass Hart. No one speaks. It was weird. While we can guess that having Kingsfield as a father was not a cake walk, we never get to find out any real details. It hard to know if Susan even really cares about her father.
I guess I kept wondering why Hart cares about either of these people. Susan needs to get her act together. I'm not sure jumping into another relationship right away is the wisest thing to do while she still is, at least legally, married to her husband. Kingsfield is just plain mean. I don't understand why Hart wants to even be around this grouchy old man. Along with this, Kingsfield's role is to teach Hart not be his buddy.
In the end, the only person I really cared about in the film is Hart. However, I never doubted that he would pass the class and eventually become a lawyer. He is smart and seems pretty balanced with the exception of his obsession with Kingsfield. I also never doubted that he could be in a relationship with Susan if he wanted to be. Even when they broke up, I didn't really care. I thought there were much better women out there for Hart.
In the end, I guess I liked The Paper Chase but I didn't really love it. I know a lot of critics rave over the film. I thought parts of it dragged on and it was really slow. I also thought there were some scenes that we could have done without. I know it was also probably scandalously cutting edge for it's day. Today it seems pretty tame.
What The Paper Chase did remind me of was my days as a student in the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University. In a similar way that the movie depicts, the architecture program was highly competitive. Students dropped out like flies. Professors expected a lot. The architecture building was open 24/7. All-nighters were a way of life. There was a lot of pressure to shine and do whatever it took to excel. While I have a lot of good memories of those days, I also feel as if I missed out on a lot during my college years because of the demands of the program. I always wondered if there wasn't a better way to educate architects that didn't cause them be walking zombies for five years.
I think this was the kind of educational environment The Paper Chase was trying to describe. However, just knowing that it's about Harvard Law School, I already get that. Harvard's reputation, whether accurate or not, is that this is a serious school for seriously smart and successful people. Not everyone can get into the school and not everyone can make it once they get in.
We once had a volunteer group of Harvard students volunteer with Habitat for Humanity when I was in Tennessee. Just getting to know these students for that week, I was highly impressed. They came with great attitudes and did a lot of good work. I remember thinking to myself that if the future of our country were in these students' hands, that was just fine with me. They were amazing people who I knew were going to lead the way in their fields of study and make a huge impact in the lives of people for generations to come.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Postcards and Prayers
Today the printer finally delivered the 30,000 postcards that we will be mailing to residences in targeted areas around our Habitat service area. It was quite a delivery. I don't think I've ever seen that many boxes of postcards before. I'm grateful for the delivery guy who wheeled them in and unloaded the cart. I'm going to start printing the labels next week. Our Volunteer Coordinator is working on recruiting volunteers to stick on all the labels. We estimate it will be at least a two day project. I have a feeling labeling postcards is going to be in my future. I continue to ask for your prayers for this big outreach to families living in poverty and substandard housing in the TriState region.
On Sunday afternoon, I'm attending a donor cultivation event in Oxford, Ohio for TriState Habitat for Humanity. It will be a chance for people to see the first house that we are building in our twenty home subdivision in Oxford. Two of our Habitat Partner Families will be present to meet people and thank them for their support. I ask for your prayers for this event. It's the first event like this we've done since I've been at TriState Habitat. I am hoping it will be a blessing for those who attend and for TriState Habitat for Humanity.
Beyond the event on Sunday, I don't have much planned for the weekend. I think I'm going to just relax and take it easy. I'm sure Netflix will be a part of the weekend. I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!
News: Craven talks, 'Kombat' returns and Hitting the Silver Screen!
 |
| Backseatcuddler.com |
Craven spills the beans on ‘Scream’
Not long ago I theorized that horror icon Wes Craven may just be a tiny bit overrated as both a writer and a director.
Despite directing two tent poles of the horror genre (“Scream” and “Nightmare On Elm Street”), I argued Craven had yet to make a rock solid three act movie. And has made more than his fair share of truly awful movies.
And seeing as though no angry mobs have stormed my home armed with pitchforks and torches, I will stand by that statement.
Arrow in the Head recently scored an exclusive interview with Craven, and collected some interesting tidbits about this and that, including the future of the “Scream” franchise.
Yes, even though “Scream 4” was a failure both financially and critically (in this country at least), it still has a future. Craven and crew are just waiting for a script “worthy” of following up the turd that was “Scream 4.”
However, the most interesting part of the interview, for me anyway, was this little ditty about why “Scream 4” failed to connect with anyone:
“Maybe we needed to be more brutal and kill off the central characters. I don't know. I tend to not try to second guess myself.”
What?!?!? No! You don’t say! You mean instead of stroking the egos of your aging cast, you could have finally, FINALLY had the guts to off one of them and lend even the slightest drop of credibility to your stagnating franchise?! No, no one wants that. What we want are new and exciting ways for killers to avoid finishing the job and instead leave Courtney Cox, David Arquette and Neve Campbell in easily escapable situations. Just like Dr. Evil would do.
Read the full interview over at Arrow in the Head, if you haven’t already. It’s worth checking out.
Source: Arrow in the Head
Game on! ‘Mortal Kombat’ reboot in works
Get ready to start mashing some buttons because “Mortal Kombat” might just be heading back to the big screen for the first time since 1997’s “Annihilation.”
Allegedly Kevin Tancharoen is on board as director and Oren Uziel is set to write the script. The two were supposed to resurrect the franchise a few years back with “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth,” but that ended up getting turned into a web series instead.
Outside of that, not much is known about the project except it has a 2013 release date.
Source: Joblo
 |
| NadineJolie.com 'Moneyball' looks awesome |
Hitting the Silver Screen
Here's a quick look at some of the new films coming to theaters today:
- 50/50 (Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon Levitt)- 92% Certified Fresh (Rottentomatoes.com)
- What’s Your Number? (Anna Ferris, Chris Evans)- 22% Certified Rotten (Rottentomatoes.com)
And the winner is…
- The Dream House (Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts)- 5% Certified Rotten (Rottentomatoes.com)
News: Craven talks, 'Kombat' returns and Hitting the Silver Screen!
|
| Backseatcuddler.com |
Craven spills the beans on ‘Scream’
Not long ago I theorized that horror icon Wes Craven may just be a tiny bit overrated as both a writer and a director.
Despite directing two tent poles of the horror genre (“Scream” and “Nightmare On Elm Street”), I argued Craven had yet to make a rock solid three act movie. And has made more than his fair share of truly awful movies.
And seeing as though no angry mobs have stormed my home armed with pitchforks and torches, I will stand by that statement.
Arrow in the Head recently scored an exclusive interview with Craven, and collected some interesting tidbits about this and that, including the future of the “Scream” franchise.
Yes, even though “Scream 4” was a failure both financially and critically (in this country at least), it still has a future. Craven and crew are just waiting for a script “worthy” of following up the turd that was “Scream 4.”
However, the most interesting part of the interview, for me anyway, was this little ditty about why “Scream 4” failed to connect with anyone:
“Maybe we needed to be more brutal and kill off the central characters. I don't know. I tend to not try to second guess myself.”
What?!?!? No! You don’t say! You mean instead of stroking the egos of your aging cast, you could have finally, FINALLY had the guts to off one of them and lend even the slightest drop of credibility to your stagnating franchise?! No, no one wants that. What we want are new and exciting ways for killers to avoid finishing the job and instead leave Courtney Cox, David Arquette and Neve Campbell in easily escapable situations. Just like Dr. Evil would do.
Read the full interview over at Arrow in the Head, if you haven’t already. It’s worth checking out.
Source: Arrow in the Head
Game on! ‘Mortal Kombat’ reboot in works
Get ready to start mashing some buttons because “Mortal Kombat” might just be heading back to the big screen for the first time since 1997’s “Annihilation.”
Allegedly Kevin Tancharoen is on board as director and Oren Uziel is set to write the script. The two were supposed to resurrect the franchise a few years back with “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth,” but that ended up getting turned into a web series instead.
Outside of that, not much is known about the project except it has a 2013 release date.
Source: Joblo
|
| NadineJolie.com 'Moneyball' looks awesome |
Hitting the Silver Screen
Here's a quick look at some of the new films coming to theaters today:
- 50/50 (Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon Levitt)- 92% Certified Fresh (Rottentomatoes.com)
- What’s Your Number? (Anna Ferris, Chris Evans)- 22% Certified Rotten (Rottentomatoes.com)
And the winner is…
- The Dream House (Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts)- 5% Certified Rotten (Rottentomatoes.com)
Thursday, September 29, 2011
News: The Dutch conquer Christmas and Zombie's plus one
Dutch Christmas/horror combo heads stateside
Christmas and horror movies typically go together like lamb and tuna fish. Outside of Bob Clarke’s classic “Black Christmas,” and Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas” the cross-seasonal mash-up has been a colossal failure.
However, the Dutch are out to change all that with “St. Nick,” which will be hitting stores across the USA on December 20th.
If you’re looking for any last minute stocking stuffers, take a look at this plot summary:
St. Nick is a disgraced bishop who wreaks havoc all throughout the countryside along with a band of ravenous thieves. Nick’s reign of terror is bought to a fiery end when a gang of locals decide to take the law into their own hands and burn him alive.
As is often the case, Nick didn’t take to kindly to that and returns every December 5 if there’s a full moon to take his bloody revenge.
Can the Dutch successfully blend scares and candy canes? Stay tuned…
Source: Bad Movie Nite
Another brave soul joins Zombie’s “Lords of Salem”
And amazingly it’s not Sherri Moon Zombie, the wife of “Salem” director/writer and perennial Cheese List favorite Robert Zombie.
Nope, Sherri’s still not on the bill yet, but come on. We all know she’ll be making an appearance. In this economy, Zombie can’t afford to keep his gal pal out of work for long.
Anywho, joining the cast is… wait for it… Torsten Voges!
Who is Torsten Voges? You might just remember him as the tall blonde doctor Seth Rogen and Adam Sandler at some fun with in “Funny People.”
Voges will be playing the lead signer of a Norwegian death metal band.
“Lords of Salem” infuses horror and heavy metal, two of Zombie’s specialties, so there’s no excuses if this one is as bad as his last three movies (well more like 2 ¾ movies, part of “Devil’s Rejects was ok). We could be in store for a return to form for Zombie or another epic defeat. Either way, The Cheese List wins.
Source: Arrow in the Head
News: The Dutch conquer Christmas and Zombie's plus one
Dutch Christmas/horror combo heads stateside
Christmas and horror movies typically go together like lamb and tuna fish. Outside of Bob Clarke’s classic “Black Christmas,” and Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas” the cross-seasonal mash-up has been a colossal failure.
However, the Dutch are out to change all that with “St. Nick,” which will be hitting stores across the USA on December 20th.
If you’re looking for any last minute stocking stuffers, take a look at this plot summary:
St. Nick is a disgraced bishop who wreaks havoc all throughout the countryside along with a band of ravenous thieves. Nick’s reign of terror is bought to a fiery end when a gang of locals decide to take the law into their own hands and burn him alive.
As is often the case, Nick didn’t take to kindly to that and returns every December 5 if there’s a full moon to take his bloody revenge.
Can the Dutch successfully blend scares and candy canes? Stay tuned…
Source: Bad Movie Nite
Another brave soul joins Zombie’s “Lords of Salem”
And amazingly it’s not Sherri Moon Zombie, the wife of “Salem” director/writer and perennial Cheese List favorite Robert Zombie.
Nope, Sherri’s still not on the bill yet, but come on. We all know she’ll be making an appearance. In this economy, Zombie can’t afford to keep his gal pal out of work for long.
Anywho, joining the cast is… wait for it… Torsten Voges!
Who is Torsten Voges? You might just remember him as the tall blonde doctor Seth Rogen and Adam Sandler at some fun with in “Funny People.”
Voges will be playing the lead signer of a Norwegian death metal band.
“Lords of Salem” infuses horror and heavy metal, two of Zombie’s specialties, so there’s no excuses if this one is as bad as his last three movies (well more like 2 ¾ movies, part of “Devil’s Rejects was ok). We could be in store for a return to form for Zombie or another epic defeat. Either way, The Cheese List wins.
Source: Arrow in the Head
Prayer Request
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Another New Home Owner
While I get a paycheck for my work with TriState Habitat for Humanity, days like today are my real pay days. It fills me with such joy to know all of the time, energy, volunteer hours, and donations have been building up to this one moment. It was truly a time to celebrate and thank God for what God has accomplished in this family's life through the ministry of Habitat.
I continue to be honored and humbled by this work and ministry to which God has called me.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!
News: 2-D and grindhouse reign supreme
Back to plain old boring 2-D
Hopefullyeveryone out there is content with watching movies in two dimensions, because thatthird one is about to cost even more.
SonyPictures announced it’s sick and tired of footing the eye-wear bill for America’swaning love affair with 3-D and other studios could follow suit.
Naturally,they’ve decided to pass the buck right along to theater chains. And if youthink for one second your local cinema can afford thousands and thousands ofcheap plastic glasses, you are sorely mistaken.
Despite thelaughably high price tag on a bucket of popcorn, theaters aren’t exactlyrolling in the dough thanks to lopsided deals they made with the big Hollywood studios.
So, theaterswill likely do what all good businesses do: Screw over their customers by making themcustomers pay for it.
The newsisn’t all bad. Maybe the higher prices will scare away enough customers tokill off 3-D for a second time. Only seven more revivals to go and we should berid of the hokey gimmick for good.
Source:Joblo
‘Grindhouse’ classics come to DVD
 |
| Sadly not this one... |
Sadly, noneof them are my beloved “Grindhouse: The Full Theatrical Experience.” One daythough, come on Tarantino and Rodriguez! Make it happen!
Full MoonEntertainment, the studio behind the cheese-tastic “Puppetmaster” franchise,has gotten their mitts on the rights to some older grindhouse classics.
The plan is to release them uponthe world on Oct. 21, just in time for Halloween.
A quick glance at some of thetitles on the list has me convinced Oct. 21 might end up being Christmas forhorrible movie fans.
“Mutant Hunt,” “Necropolis” and “Zombiethon”are some of the highlights.
Source: Bad Movie Nite
News: 2-D and grindhouse reign supreme
Back to plain old boring 2-D
Hopefullyeveryone out there is content with watching movies in two dimensions, because thatthird one is about to cost even more.
SonyPictures announced it’s sick and tired of footing the eye-wear bill for America’swaning love affair with 3-D and other studios could follow suit.
Naturally,they’ve decided to pass the buck right along to theater chains. And if youthink for one second your local cinema can afford thousands and thousands ofcheap plastic glasses, you are sorely mistaken.
Despite thelaughably high price tag on a bucket of popcorn, theaters aren’t exactlyrolling in the dough thanks to lopsided deals they made with the big Hollywood studios.
So, theaterswill likely do what all good businesses do: Screw over their customers by making themcustomers pay for it.
The newsisn’t all bad. Maybe the higher prices will scare away enough customers tokill off 3-D for a second time. Only seven more revivals to go and we should berid of the hokey gimmick for good.
Source:Joblo
‘Grindhouse’ classics come to DVD
|
| Sadly not this one... |
Sadly, noneof them are my beloved “Grindhouse: The Full Theatrical Experience.” One daythough, come on Tarantino and Rodriguez! Make it happen!
Full MoonEntertainment, the studio behind the cheese-tastic “Puppetmaster” franchise,has gotten their mitts on the rights to some older grindhouse classics.
The plan is to release them uponthe world on Oct. 21, just in time for Halloween.
A quick glance at some of thetitles on the list has me convinced Oct. 21 might end up being Christmas forhorrible movie fans.
“Mutant Hunt,” “Necropolis” and “Zombiethon”are some of the highlights.
Source: Bad Movie Nite
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Hilarious Netflix Video Spoof
I am still not over the whole Netflix fiasco. I was telling my friend Karen about my blog posting and she told me about this YouTube video from the Conan O'Brien show that she saw. I watched it today and I could not stop laughing. I thought you might enjoy it as well.
I hope you're having a great week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!
I hope you're having a great week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!
News: New trailers for 'Centipede' and zombies
‘Centipede 2’ trailer features two kinds of centipedes!
 |
| indiewire.com |
Get out your barf bags boys and girls. The first full length trailer for “Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence” weaseled its way online today and the results are actually less disgusting than anticipated.
Then again, this is only the first trailer, so no need to give up hope yet fans of perverted, stomach-turning horror!
The trailer contains lots of shots of centipedes, both human and insect, slithering around while new baddie “Martin” does horrible, horrible things.
In case you haven’t heard, Martin is a mentally ill loner who becomes obsessed with the first film, so much so that he decides to recreate it in a nearby warehouse. Being a mentally ill loner, however, he gets a little carried away. Instead of attaching three people together mouth-to-butt, he decides to go with 12!
Considering he’s not a surgeon or even a fully functioning human being, I have no idea how he’s able to do that, but he does. So sayeth director Tom Six!
Maybe the source of Martin’s impressive surgical prowess will be revealed on Oct. 7th when “Human Centipede 2” hits theaters. I won’t know, however, because I won’t be seeing it. I spend my free time watching horrible movies, but even I won’t sink that low.
Source: Joblo.com
ZOMG it’s zombies in 3-D!!
 |
| horrorblog.org |
While we’re on the subject of trailers, a new trailer surfaced today for “Night of the Living Dead 3-D: Re-Animation.”
This is the sequel to a 2006 remake of George Romero’s zombie classic which I never knew existed. Not only did it exist, but apparently it starred Sid Haig as well.
And this one sounds like a real winner. First off, it stars two B-movie icons in Andrew Divoff (“Wishmaster”) and Jeffrey Combs (“Re-Animator”) as brothers who go face-to-face with a zombie apocalypse.
But that’s not what the trailer’s about. No sir. The trailer focuses on a character called “Sister Sarah,” a folksy political nut who bears a striking resemblance to a character Tina Fey played on “SNL” not too long ago.
My first thought after seeing the trailer was: “Is this really a movie?” I won’t step on it, but give the trailer a watch. Left wing types especially might get a chuckle out of it.
Source: Bad Movie Nite
News: New trailers for 'Centipede' and zombies
‘Centipede 2’ trailer features two kinds of centipedes!
|
| indiewire.com |
Get out your barf bags boys and girls. The first full length trailer for “Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence” weaseled its way online today and the results are actually less disgusting than anticipated.
Then again, this is only the first trailer, so no need to give up hope yet fans of perverted, stomach-turning horror!
The trailer contains lots of shots of centipedes, both human and insect, slithering around while new baddie “Martin” does horrible, horrible things.
In case you haven’t heard, Martin is a mentally ill loner who becomes obsessed with the first film, so much so that he decides to recreate it in a nearby warehouse. Being a mentally ill loner, however, he gets a little carried away. Instead of attaching three people together mouth-to-butt, he decides to go with 12!
Considering he’s not a surgeon or even a fully functioning human being, I have no idea how he’s able to do that, but he does. So sayeth director Tom Six!
Maybe the source of Martin’s impressive surgical prowess will be revealed on Oct. 7th when “Human Centipede 2” hits theaters. I won’t know, however, because I won’t be seeing it. I spend my free time watching horrible movies, but even I won’t sink that low.
Source: Joblo.com
ZOMG it’s zombies in 3-D!!
|
| horrorblog.org |
While we’re on the subject of trailers, a new trailer surfaced today for “Night of the Living Dead 3-D: Re-Animation.”
This is the sequel to a 2006 remake of George Romero’s zombie classic which I never knew existed. Not only did it exist, but apparently it starred Sid Haig as well.
And this one sounds like a real winner. First off, it stars two B-movie icons in Andrew Divoff (“Wishmaster”) and Jeffrey Combs (“Re-Animator”) as brothers who go face-to-face with a zombie apocalypse.
But that’s not what the trailer’s about. No sir. The trailer focuses on a character called “Sister Sarah,” a folksy political nut who bears a striking resemblance to a character Tina Fey played on “SNL” not too long ago.
My first thought after seeing the trailer was: “Is this really a movie?” I won’t step on it, but give the trailer a watch. Left wing types especially might get a chuckle out of it.
Source: Bad Movie Nite
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