Remote Viewing: A Christmas Horror Story (2015) a movie review

 A Christmas Horror Story (2015, Canada) Is an anthology film with four stories anchored by a linking narrative that turns out to be connected to one of the others. William Shatner is "Dangerous" Dan a DJ who ends up doing a double shift on Christmas Eve, this ties everything together, as we hear him on the radio in some of the other tales.

An unsolved double murder occurred the previous Christmas Eve and on the anniversary three high school students decide to investigate, as the police never solved the crime and have hidden certain details. One of the police officers who investigated the murders quit the force, his drinking and obsession with the case are causing issues with his wife and young son. A businessman makes his family (wife, son & daughter) accompany him to visit an aunt, for reasons he doesn't explain. Finally, Santa begins having issues at the North Pole when one of his elves becomes a zombie and then begins to infect the others.

George Buza plays a pretty badass Santa, and it seems that David Harbour is channeling him for the new Violent Night. By the way, watch the credits as Shatner, as the very drunk Dangerous Dan is still having some issues on the air. Shatner only seems to interact with one other character, who doesn't even appear in the same frame. Pretty apparent Bill was signed to do his scenes over a few hours and just sat in a chair in one set for the entire segment. Nice paycheck.

The practical effects are pretty good and the Krampus (played by stuntman/actor Rob Archer) is in wonderful makeup, appearing in two of the four main segments.

Not a bad addition to your Christmas horror film watch list.

Remote Viewing: Willow on Disney+ (2022)

 Willow a limited series streaming over on Disney+ is the sequel to the wonderful film of the same name from 1988. This also stars Warwick Davis as the title character, a sorcerer now living with his people and fearful of a coming magical disaster.

Picking up 20 years after the ending of the first film, the prophecy is that the child Elora Danan will grow up to be the only one capable of defeating the ancient evil. Elora has apparently disappeared, but the evil forces are seeking her nonetheless.

Typical fantasy fare, but fun to see Davis and several other original cast members return. The film starts with scenes from the film, retelling the tale and setting things up, with various new scenes letting us know what has happened over the past two decades. Haters going to hate of course, so "fans" of the original are finding fault and picking nits.

The first two episodes are currently available with later ones debuting weekly. Not great perhaps, but I'm certainly enjoying this more than the ponderous GoT prequel.

 

Remote Viewing: Man Vs. (2015)

 Man Vs. (2015, Canada) is a decent film, streaming on Tubi (with ads) about one man trying to film a survival program only to discover he might not be alone in the wilderness.

Doug has a fairly successful 'reality survivalist' TV series but hopes to make it to the networks. His team drops him off in the wilds of northern Ontario for a five-day shoot, with only the bare essentials and several cameras. After the first night, strange events begin to occur and he finds that he is not alone, with someone playing games. Unable to contact his support team, Doug must try to find his own way out.

Chris Diamantopoulos (The Office, Arrested Development) is the focus of most of this film, as he is left to himself in the wilds. He's quite good, though his character can be a jerk toward others.

Some gore and animal mutilation could put some off. While some of the footage is from the viewpoint of the cameras Doug uses most is filmed in a standard format and not as Found Footage. No spoilers, but the film does take a twist once we discover what has been harassing Doug for the past few days. I had not seen the posters which pretty much give it away. 

Remote Viewing: Lake Mungo (2008, Austraila) a movie review

 Lake Mungo (2008, Australia) I was less than ten minutes into this 'mockumentary' before realizing that I'd already watched it. Still a good film and I'd forgotten quite a bit.

In 2005 a young woman drowns and her family begins to believe that her ghost is haunting their home. Photos taken by strangers and the son seem to show her appearing in various locations. A psychic is called in and he appears to verify that there is indeed something happening. Eventually, there are revelations and the story takes a turn. It appears that the daughter had a secret life the parents were not aware of and other things begin to be revealed.

This film is well done, consisting of interviews, news reports, and home movies taken by the family and others. It has the feel of both true crime and paranormal TV shows, allowing the story to unfold. While at least one crime may have been committed no one is brought to justice and the film ends on a note that twists back. Several people are revealed to have been keeping secrets and even trying to deceive the parents.

Watch the end credits as several photos and videos add to the story.

 

Remote Viewing: The Chalk Line (2022, French) a movie review

 Streaming on Netflix, you can check out the French thriller, The Chalk Line (2022). A mystery that turns even darker in the final act.

A married couple, Paula and Simon, come upon a young girl wandering in the road. Unwilling to speak and ill they take her to a hospital for treatment. When it is found that the girl will only respond to Paula the hospital releases the girl into their custody. The girl, whom they call Clara, will not go beyond chalk lines she draws on the floor and has only said a few words, discovered to be German, over the next few weeks. Incidents occur which seem to indicate that the child might be trying to harm others, but Paula decides to investigate on her own when the police show no interest.

A decent thriller and mystery, as we are left uncertain if it is the girl doing these things and why. No spoilers, but the third act begins to show events from a different perspective and the mystery begins to unravel. 

Popcorn for one: Bones and All (2022) a movie review

 Bones and All (2022), based on the novel by Camile DeAngelis, appears to be a horror film from the looks of the trailer, but it is really more of a romance and road picture.

Maren (Taylor Russell, of Lost in Space & Escape Room) has recently turned 18 and living with her father who has guarded her secret since she was a child. When she attacks another girl both have to flee town, where her father abandons her leaving a cassette tape and her birth certificate. In search of her mother, Maren meets others with the same hunger and Lee (Timothee Chalamet) with whom she bonds.

Beautifully filmed and well acted the film is haunting in a tale of mutual need and the guilty that could push the young lovers apart. Some chilling scenes and graphic violence, but the relationship between Lee & Maren is what drives the film. I haven't read the novel, so the ending I found a bit confusing.

Hope to see this film remembered come the awards season. Saw the film with other members of the OC Horror Film Fans group from Meet Up. 

Remote Viewing: The Last Broadcast (1998) Movie Review

 The Last Broadcast (1998) was shot digitally rather than on film. This "Found Footage" movie actually came out over half a year before The Blair Witch Project, in so beating the more famous movie. It had a limited theatrical release in the US & Canada.

This is a "documentary" on two (possibly three) murders that occurred in 1995. The two hosts of the "Fact or Fiction" cable series on the paranormal, along with their cameraman, decide to increase their viewership by doing a live broadcast from the New Jersey Pine Barrens. They hope to investigate the Jersey/Leeds Devil phenomena with the help of someone who claims to be a psychic. When the three filmmakers are reported missing, two bodies are found and the surviving psychic is convicted of their murder. The documentary filmmaker hopes to prove him innocent of the crime, even though the survivor mysteriously died in prison.

The first three-quarters of the film is pretty standard for the sub-genre, but for me ruined by the last 15 minutes which takes a surprise turn and becomes a standard film. A lot of reviewers on Shudder and other sites agree with this. No spoilers, but be warned if you watch it that you might be disappointed by the end.

Some blood at the crime scene and the 'victims' are seen in crime photos, but not graphically. One thing that I found amusing is that the crime occurs on Dec. 13, 1995, which happens to be my birthday. By the way, looking at the posters and DVD covers (you can find them online) for this film you'll discover that one actually gives away part of the ending. 

 

Remote Viewing: Chupacabra Territory (2016) A Movie Review

 Chupacabra Territory (2016) is one of those films that give Found Footage a bad rep. Way too long for the plot with unnecessary close-ups of animal mutilation (unsure if it was real or not, but still made me uncomfortable). Even a 'soft core' sex scene is done at a ridiculous point in the film, where the creature has already been seen, bodies have been found and one character needs medical treatment.

Four friends decide to investigate an area where reported sightings of a chupacabra have taken place. Warned away by a local, who had apparently been attacked by the creature and by a forest ranger, they continue even after finding several signs of the creature and what it is capable of. The one female in the group attempts to use a mysterious book to protect them and at the same time summon the creature.

Each of the characters takes turns being unlikeable, so you really have a hard time working up sympathy when the expected takes place. Besides the unnecessary sex scene, we also have another female hiker exposing her breasts to the camera several times, which does nothing but let us know she's going to be one of the next victims. I mean '80s horror/slasher films already told us this.

Lots of fake blood and gore, which isn't badly done but the creature is mostly bad camera and CGI effects. Finally, there's no reason that part of the final end credits has to scroll over the mutilated corpse of a coyote (fake or not).

I had to turn this off halfway through to take a break, from boredom and disdain. Skip this one!

Remote Viewing: Wednesday Addams, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Tales of the Jedi

 Finished binging the Wednesday Addams series on Netflix and loved it. Twist at the end that I should have seen coming and a tease for a second season. One of the delights was that just as in the original TV series, Thing displays so much personality and you actually feel for him in some scenes. Personally, I thought that Fred Armisen was perfect at Uncle Fester. He and Thing as partners in crime is just perfect.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was a lot of fun, with the cast returning. I can't recall the secret Mantis reveals being from the comics, but it was probably there and I missed it. Enjoyed the holiday songs, which were a bit twisted. Kevin Bacon did a nice job playing himself and doing a song with the alien band. My one grip is the use of a guy in a costume to play Groot. I wonder if they had intended to replace him with CGI at some point and budget or time got in the way. Both Rocket and Cosmo were nicely done. The animated opening and closing bits explaining Peter's early experience with Christmas in space were nicely done.

Finally, the Tales of the Jedi animated series on Disney+ was nice, as it fills in some backstories for several characters. These mostly lead up to the prequels, with the final one taking place sometime after Ahsoka left the Jedi Order if I recall her history correctly. 

Thriller - Michael Jackson (1930s Jazz Cover) ft. Wayne Brady

Remote Viewing: V/H/S/99 (2022)

 Found Footage and horror fans already know the V/H/S franchise from the previous films. These are anthologies made up of stories, supposedly found on old VHS and other recording devices.

Like every anthology film, the segments range from barely watchable to outstanding and deserving of expansion. These are all shorts, generally 12-18 minutes in length. The previous film VH/S/94 had an anchoring story about a SWAT team researching a mysterious cult, with the segments revealing aspects of the conspiracy. 99 has nothing connecting the story. Between the segments, we have some 'home movies' made by a kid using his toys, often brutally.

For me the best segments were the first short, Shredding about a punk band interested in the mysterious deaths of an earlier all-female punk band, and the last, To Hell and Back about a film crew's misadventures while taping a supernatural ritual calling up a demon. The Gawkers and Suicide Bid were both decent, if predictable.

Sadly, the longest and most self-indulgent was Ozzy's Dungeon about a mean-spirited kid's program and the unsympathetic host
who enjoyed the humiliation and often physical injuries of the young contestants. It goes from uncomfortable to disturbing, with an ending that makes no sense coming after the earlier scenes. It's like the director suddenly remembered that this was a horror anthology and he needed to toss in a monster for no reason.

Except for that middle segment, the film is entertaining enough and I can't see this stopping the franchise from continuing. 

Remote Viewing (watching at home): The Shadow of Bigfoot (2013)

 Just looking for something mindless I found The Shadow of Bigfoot (2013, British) over on Tubi, with a lot of other Bigfoot/Sasquatch-related films and documentaries. I'm in the skeptic camp, so we won't get into that.

A college professor, obsessed with his attempts to prove the existence of Bigfoot convinces one of his grad students and a colleague (a biology professor and skeptic) to accompany him on a weekend camping trip. After several sightings have happened in the area, the professor believes this might be his best chance.

Not Found Footage, but with the low budget, this film has it might as well have been. It seems that the cameraman is all but stalking the cast in some scenes with them not being framed properly or being filmed from behind trees and bushes.

Not going to point out everything, but there is one dialogue scene between two characters, supposedly in forest miles from anywhere, where you can see a garbage dumpster or some other type of metal container on the hill behind them. It's so obvious that I thought one of the characters was actually going to comment on it, but both ignore it and move on.

We never actually see the Bigfoot, except as a shadow or concealed in bushes. Fortunately, the bad CGI and the guy in a suit we see at the beginning of the film sets things up but are only used in the 'documentary' material before the actual plot takes off.

Popcorn for One: The Menu (2022) a movie review

 I did go to see The Menu (2022) earlier and absolutely loved it. The trailer makes it appear to be a thriller, and while there are elements of that, it's more of a very, dark comedy. I was laughing out loud at some moments and so were other audience members. I've been to "comedies" that didn't get that reaction.

A group of about a dozen people is invited to have dinner at a very, exclusive restaurant on a small island. Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) will only allow a limited number of patrons for each dinner. This evening all have been personally invited. No spoilers, but things slowly become apparent that each of the guests has done something to bring them to the Chef's attention.

Anya Taylor-Joy is wonderful as Margo, the last-minute guest of one of those invited. She does a wonderful job as the lead and primary focus of the film.

I really enjoyed this film, but think you might have to have a slightly bent sense of humor. Also, there are some brutal moments in the movie that were a bit shocking. 

I did go to see The Menu (2022) earlier and absolutely loved it. The trailer makes it appear to be a thriller, and while there are elements of that, it's more of a very, dark comedy. I was laughing out loud at some moments and so were other audience members. I've been to "comedies" that didn't get that reaction.

Dawn of DC: DC comics is trying another reboot

 Whenever DC, or Marvel for that matter, says that something will be a good 'jumping on point' you can guarantee that older fans will begin freaking out, since we're about to see changes in beloved characters and rarely something that will last until the next event.

I'm only buying a few continuity DC books now, so the current Dark Crisis really hasn't bothered me. The Dawn of DC "event" will have twenty new titles and several tie-ins, beginning in January with one of their oldest titles, Action Comics, kicking the whole thing off.

This just seems so much like the "New 52" that dwindled down pretty quickly, with many books barely getting to issue #6. Looking down the list of those already announced the only one that caught my interest is Unstoppable Doom Patrol, as I've been pretty loyal through every incarnation of the team since their introduction.

Hal Jordan and John Stewart each get a Green Lantern title and it seems that Conner Kent (the Superman/Lex Luthor clone) is back and getting his own title.

Be interesting to see the reaction to all this in fan media over the next few months. You won't be seeing a deep dive by this Old Fart of Fandom.

Popcorn for One Movie Review - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was a good film and a fitting tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.

It was nice to see so many of the original cast return and a couple of surprise cameos. Interesting to see someone used in the Marvel TV shows appear again in a bigger role. Also, one was a big surprise and I had not heard rumors of it. The introduction of Iron Heart was nicely done, especially with a series of her own announced. There is a bit of a flashback/homage to the first Iron Man film in one scene.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like how Namor was used in the film, but I thought he was given a solid backstory, as was his race. They even state that he is a mutant, the first time I think this term is used in an MCU film. Of course, folks are going to nitpick certain things, since fans can never be happy about anything.

There is one mid-credit scene that I was delighted to see and was again a nice tribute. 

This Outer Limits Episode Is SO DISTURBING It Will Keep You Up At Night

This episode gave me nightmares for days and I wasn't allowed to watch Outer Limits for a couple of weeks. It still creeps me out. 

Stealing Superman, a podcast

 I've got a cool idea for a streaming network film or limited series.

Over the holidays, a well know actor has a series of parties at his home. At some point, despite his security systems, someone is able to steal a number of valuable items that the actor has collected over a period of years. This theft isn't immediately detected and the items worth hundreds of thousands of dollars might already be sold or kept until the heat blows off.

To give this an odd twist, the objects stolen are key comic books from the Golden Age. Also, the theft might have been done by one of his friends or acquaintances or even his sizable staff, as the objects were in a part of the house difficult to access. Maybe we could get a cult fave like Nick Cage to play the actor.

Oh, wait. This actually did happen when Cage's copies of Action #1 and Detective Comics #27, among others, were taken back at the end of 1999.

Check out, Stealing Superman on Stitcher or other podcast services.

Tales of the Jedi & Andor and other SW material

 Watched the first two episodes of Tales of the Jedi, the animated Star Wars series, streaming on Disney+. 

Interesting that while the concurrent Andor is taking place in the years leading up to Rogue One and A New Hope, this series of shorts (15- 20 minutes long for the most part) gives us the back story of some characters who will be major players in the prequels.

In some ways, Andor can stand alone, I think you have to have more of a working knowledge of the Clone Wars era to get more out of Tales. A basic knowledge of SW is enough for Andor, as you have the Empire and the beginnings of the rebellion. Tales expects you to know who Ahsoka, Count Dooku and Qui-Qon Jinn, and others are, or will be, to make a connection.

We will get to see Ahsoka joining the Jedi Academy and what drove Count Dooku to leave the Jedi and change his alliances. Can't wait to see those episodes, probably over the next few days.

Both The Bad Bunch (animated) and The Mandalorian (live-action) will be returning for new seasons later this year, I believe. They have both had teasers, but I'm just unsure of when they will be scheduled. ThoughI'm sure it will be after the two current series are completed, to keep from an overload. 

While there had been plans for the SW games & books taking place in the Old Republic to eventually be made into series or films, I think that internal strife at Lucas/Disney have put those and other SW output on hold. I've never played the games or read the books, but it would be interesting to see this material, which takes place thousands of years prior what what we've seen in the films. These would be brand new characters to most of us. Another thing is that, as far as I know, the stories taking place in these are not considered canon. That would probably have to be corrected in some fashion before they appeared, I would guess. 

Disney Star Wars Hotel FAILURE Worse Than We Thought! | Cringe Galactic ...

I think a lot of us saw this coming, but it happened faster than I would have thought.

I figured they would get a few years out of this at least, but the reaction/reviews of guests and the fact that nobody is returning has just undercut everything. If they hadn't made the prices so outrageous they might have had a chance, but limiting the size to 100 rooms and for a two day stay was ridiculous. You can stay at the Disney resort for the week and hit all the attractions or even take a 7-night cruise on a Disney ship (with food, entertainment, included) for less than half of what this is asking.

Anyone out there actually take part in this?

Poor Conan or the fate of The Cimmerian

 According to an article in The Beat, Marvel has lost the rights to Conan (again!) and these are going back to Titan Comics in 2023. 

https://www.comicsbeat.com/titan-comics-conan-the-barbarian-creative-team-announced/ 

It's hard to keep track of all this. I do wonder what the issue was with Marvel. Knowing this helps explain the fate of Conan in the Savage Avengers title. Guessing this was reported to the creators on that book, so they had to do what they could and wrap things up. Frankly, Conan was the reason I was picking up that series, or rather both series. Perhaps it also explains why the book got a second #1 and new members of the team. Anyway, I'll check out the next issue (#7 I believe, as Conan was written out in #5) and probably drop it.

The title Savage Avengers pretty much only existed to have Conan interacting with current Marvel characters. Curious about the fate of the book at this point. 

Also, would this have any effect on The Cimmerian series over at Ablaze Comics. They couldn't use Conan as the title, because of Marvel, but were doing adaptations of Robert E. Howard's novels and short stories. 

I shouldn't be allowed near computers

 About a month ago I got a new modem for my computer and this caused the Google Chromecast, given me by The Girls when they updated, to start having issues I couldn't seem to fix. I broke down and purchased a new one with a trial of Google TV.

For some reason, this started isssues with my computer. I'm one of those folks knows just enough about computers and software to be dangerous. I caused my toolbar to disappear and the screen to have a black bar across the top. I would sometimes have to minimize my screen to be able to scroll down enough to perform some task.

When I finally got the toolbar back in place everything I had put there had disppeared. I decided that I had to finally admit defeat and was going to call Geek Squad. This was where I was when I left for my cruise.

I had signed out and turned off my computer, as I always do when I go away for more than a day or two. When I came back there were some updates that needed to be installed. When the computer had rebooted I found that all my previous issues had been corrected. I have a full screen and the items on the old toolbar reappeared.

I have no clue and I'm not going to question it. Guessing that I had done something and the update went back to older settings. From now on I'm just going to call Best Buy and let their folks handle it. 

Changing my buying habits

 Going to have to update the Pull Lists in both the shops I use. I seem to have had dupes turn up on a couple of titles and been reminded by Nuclear Comics that I have titles on my list that have stopped being published a while ago. In both shops there are titles where I'm the only one picking up a particular title. The shop will sometimes pick up a second copy to put in their Back Issue bins.

Also, finally admitted that I'm buying a number of titles out of habit and not really for the enjoyment. There are some books where I have 4-5 back issues I haven't read, as I keep picking up new #1s and reading them before any of the older books.

With that in mind it might just be time to drop the monthly titles and just wait for the TPB collections, since I'm not reading them right off the bat (no pun). There are a couple of comics podcasts I listen to that review the books and I should start making a list.

Btw, it's interesting to see how an independent shop choses titles and publishers, over one that's owned by a larger company and just hires local management. I find it fascinating that the independent shop will have relatively unknown writers & artists come in for signings and take a chance on them, while the franchise shop can get the better known creators in and fill their shelves with mostly the Big Publishers.

That's it for now. 

Popcorn for One: Black Adam, a movie review

 Boy, if DC/WB thinks that Black Adam will save or turn around the DCEU, the execs over there are taking long liquid lunches. What a disappointment and poor use of characters. Way too long, with only some scenes focusing on Dwayne Johnson worth the ticket price. Was Pierce Brosnan on the set more than a few days? I don't think he was even in the same room as the other actors in some scenes. No real spoilers.

Thousands of years ago a group of wizards gave powers to a mortal so that he could fight a demon being brought to Earth by an evil tyrant. A group of rebels are trying to find a mystic crown before an army of international terrorists can lay claim to it, reviving the demon. By accident, the rebels release the imprisoned Teth Adam, whose powers come to the attention of Amanda Waller. Waller calls in the Justice Society, a group that predates the Justice League, to capture Adam so he can be imprisoned. Things go as you expect with all the heroes fighting before they join forces in the end. Yawn! 

Atom Smasher and Cyclone are pretty much second-string characters from a CW show, and not one of the better ones. They have turned Carter Hall into a real a**hole and I have no sympathy for the character. Also, why would Dr. Fate ever work for Waller? What could she possible have on him considering his power level? Another cookie cutter villain way too easily defeated and we all saw it coming. Surprised he didn't dance like the Enchantress in the first Suicide Squad film, about as scary.

The worst thing they could have done was to have the trailer for the second Shazam film run before this feature. No way could the kid in the red & gold costume last more than a minute, and that is if he hid for the first thirty seconds, against Teth Adam. The power levels are way too unequal.

Add to all this some CGI scenes that looked like they came from a '90s video game and we're looking at something, barely better than Marvel's

The Eternals. Ditch the rest of the JSA, focus on Black Adam meeting with members of the Justice League and you might be able to make this into a franchise. Not saved by the post credit scene, with a major character whom, as with Dr. Fate, I can't see helping Waller.

I really wanted to like this film and it turned into one of those 'glancing at your watch' deals. I think the folks on IMDB.com giving it a rating above 6 out of 10 (all I could give it), must have seen a different cut. 

Mike Mendez on TETSUO THE IRON MAN

Chambers Brothers - Time Has Come Today (Live extended version)

Review: California Schemin' : 2020 Bouchercon Anthology

 I attended the '99 Bouchercon, a mystery writer/reader convention, held in Philadelphia. It was fantastic and I hope to go again next year to the San Diego event. This anthology is comprised of stories from past winners, Special Guests and others chosen from stories submitted by lesser known writers.

Like any anthology you'll have stand out tales that demonstrate why a particular writer is always hitting the Best Seller lists and carrying away the awards. Others are from writers you've never heard of who will click and become someone who you'll be on the lookout for in stores. This is no different, with a few offerings that were early chapter drafts or short tales featuring characters from a series. Almost all take place in California, but several historical pieces take place in Europe or feature locations far from the Pacific Coast.

To be honest, not a single one wasn't worth the time I spent reading them. Some I with continued as the characters or situations were so good. A couple in here border on the supernatural or have a bit of a science fiction element, but even those are not too far outside the realm of the detective/mystery genre.

Nothing - The Fugs

Cry Punch: A trade paperback review

 At almost 450 pages Cry Punch is a solid piece of entertainment. Full disclosure I was part of the Kickstarter campaign for this book, after the recommendation of a friend, author/poet Robert Deshaies II (Adam & Eternity).

Like all anthologies, not everything is going to be one's cup of tea and you'll find yourself liking one particular story much more than another. Also, keep in mind that much of the art and writing in this book is not what one would call 'mainstream'. For the most part you're not going to find what you see in your average Marvel or DC monthly periodical. These fourteen stories are influenced more by Japanese and Asian manga/anime than American super-hero comics.

These are stories from creators working on more personal projects, much of which are based on the martial arts and giant mech books so popular in in Japan. If you're only familiar with American comics the flow of these stories can be confusing at times, with a lot of silent panels or an entire page of characters remaining still while caption or dialogue continues the story.

Finally, to be honest, some of the art is of the standard we used to call 'fannish', hardly the slick work Americans have become used to in most comics from the Big Two (or Four, depending). The writers and artists in many, if not all cases, are working to improve their craft.

While the cover price of $36 might be off putting, you are supporting independent creators and a small publisher trying to bring graphic novel readers something a bit different.

My comic picks for 6/24/22

What am I watching: Grizzly II: Revenge (2019/2020) a movie review

 I was listening to the Critically Acclaimed podcast with film reviewers, Witney Seibold and William Bibbiani when the film, Grizzly II: Revenge came up. While I was a fan of the film, Grizzly (1976; a Jaws ripoff starring Christopher George) I never heard there had been a sequel. Well, it turned out it wasn't actually a sequel, but just an attempt to attach this film to one that was slightly successful.

Different sources give different dates for when this film was made. Some as early as '83, with others giving a later '86 date. Filmed in Hungary, the film was able to use a music festival headlined by the  group Nazareth as a backdrop. Unable to get that group on film, but with footage of lesser known European bands, the filmmakers had an actor lip-sync several numbers after the headliners had already finished. Apparently the crowd was unaware that the band was fake or even that they were being filmed. 

With hours of footage completed, the filming was shut down and equipment confiscated by the Hungarian government for non-payment of bills and fees.  Grizzly II was never officially released, but bootlegs appeared over the years with other soundtracks. Several years ago, the finished footage, along with extra material from the construction of the concert stages, the concert and rehearsals, was used in order to get the film to feature length. Even with all that, additional nature film was added and even used more than once.

Pretty doubtful that George Clooney, Laura Dern and Charlie Sheen have this on the resumes, but all three plus John Rhys-Davies and Louise Fletcher now have this on the resumes. Davies and Fletcher would have been the 'big names' back when the film was originally shot, but these were probably among the first films roles for the three young actors. Naturally, even though they only have maybe less than ten minutes of screen time (in the very opening scenes) they are listed as the film's stars.

If you thought that Bruce the Shark was better with having less screen time, the scenes with the "bear" are even sadder. An animatronic bear was built and used, along with a puppet and footage of an actual bear (not half as big as it was supposed to be in the film).  Scenes from the bear's perspective are used peeking through the limbs of trees or low angle shots as it runs through the woods. You had to feel bad for the poor camera guy trying to get 'bear cam' that was usable. The ending scenes at the festival with the bear attacking everyone, while fireworks explode, is something to behold. 

Finally, the filmmakers were able to get permission to use some of the music of Bernard Herrmann to use in the soundtrack, along with the music of the various bands. Prior to the attacks and the scenes where the bear is chasing someone the musical score gets as close to the Jaws theme as I think it was legal to get. 

Sometimes you just get to see a film that is so bad that it is fascinating. It's currently on Prime. I give it a 2.5 out of 5, just for seeing those young actors and both Davies & Fletcher really chewing up the scenery.

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My comic picks for 10/16/21

My comic picks for 9/23/21

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - A review

I've heard it said that you could have taken the hero of Weir's The Martian and put him in this same situation. Other than them people who had to use science and the material around them to survive, there really isn't a lot of similarity. The protagonist in the first novel being a trained astronaut, who had prepared for his mission ahead of time, and this book's Ryland Grace being a Jr. High school science teacher. Although Grace had initially been a scientist, whose theories brought him ridicule.

When it is discovered that a substance soon to be dubbed 'Astrophage' is slowly absorbing the Sun, Grace is basically drafted in a world-wide effort to find a way to stop it. As the climate of Earth, is drastically pushed into a greater crisis than it already faces, a plan is put together to send a small group of trained astronaut/scientists to a distant star to see if a cure can be found there. When something unplanned for occurs, Grace finds himself part of that crew headed on a one-way mission. 

This is a solid 5 out of 5 stars from me. I'm almost afraid of what Hollywood will do when we get the inevitable adaptation. I hope at least they put onto streaming as a limited series and not cram it into a two-hour film. 

My comic picks for 9/16/21

My comic picks for 9/10/21

My comic picks for 8/27/21

Free Comic Book Day 2021

My comic picks for 8/4/2021

My comic picks for 7/29/21

My comic picks for 7/22/21

My comic picks for 7/16/21

My comic picks for 6/23/2021

My comic picks for 6/17/21

My comic picks for 6/11/21

My comic picks for 6/4/21

Book Review: Mort(E): Book #1 of the War With No Name series by Robert Repino

 Before The Change, Sebastian was a neutered and declawed housecat, mostly content with his life. When a new neighbor introduces the dog, Sheba, into his life things are different. The two creatures bond finding adventure in the sights and scents of the basement and the mysterious attic. Then one day things begin to change radically and Sebastian finds himself separated from Sheba and transformed into the feline warrior known as Mort(e).

Take a bit of the super-intelligent ants from the film Phase IV, and the evolved animals of Planet of the Apes and Jack Kirby's Kamandi, through in some discussion on the existence of a 'god' and you have a general idea of what author Robert Repino has done.  This is the first book in the War With No Name series, and introduces the concept of The Change, along with some of the characters whose stories Repino will deal with in the rest of the series.

I was hooked even before Sebastian began walking upright and carrying a gun.  Repino's bringing the reader into the world of cats, dogs and their owners captures what might actually be the thoughts of these furry characters, along with what they must deal with as everything about them changes.  This book also introduces us to the Ant Queen, who murdered her mother and has gained the knowledge of every generation that has come before her. The plans she makes and the new world she shapes for the future of the Colony she rules. 

If Repino had ended the story in this one book, I would still have been perfectly happy.  Some things are still left unanswered but it was enough to make this story complete. Almost as if Star Wars had began and ended with the initial film. I am looking forward to picking up at least the second book in the series to see where Repino is going and if we get more about Mort(e) and Sheba. 

Book Review - Fugitive Telemetry (Murderbot Diaries #6) by Martha Wells

 I don't read as much SF as I did years ago, so it takes something different to grab my attention.  Martha Wells' wonderful creation, Murderbot has me hooked.  I try to read these as soon as they are published and have not been disappointed a single time.

Murderbot (a name it gave itself) is a security unit, that has hacked it's governor allowing it independent action. Frankly, it would be happy to just sit around and watch entertainment media, but it has over the series become connected to the family of a leader of an independent planet outside the control of the Corporate Rim. 

In this novella (which most have been), a body is discovered in the docking station and Murderbot is temporarily assigned to assist with the investigation. This does not exactly please the head of security or her staff.  Sec Units really don't have a very good reputation, mostly due to entertainment media, so this doesn't help Murderbot in the least.

The continuation of a great SF series, with many of the characters we've learned to like in the previous book not given much to do as this is more a mystery with SF elements surrounding it. 

Popcorn for One: My review of Spiral: From the Book of Saw

  I watched both Spiral: From the Book of Saw and Army Of The Dead yesterday. I'd been looking forward to both. Caught the new Saw film in a theater and enjoyed it. Good scares and a nice twist (unless you know how new tattoos heal). Had an ending similar to others in the franchise, leaving open the possibility of a sequel. Folks have complained that Chris Rock comes off too intense, but given his backstory I thought it worked. A solid 3.5 out of 5 and a good addition to the franchise.

On the other hand, AotD was a disappointment. Anything I might say would be a spoiler, but simply put, it's too long and very predictable. I has a nice set up and the usual 'getting the squad together' first act. The second act has some okay action and we learn how the 'survivor camp' outside LV works, allowing some current commentary on certain events. We also learn that there are two types of zombies, as well as how that society works.

Sadly, the third act is padded with director Zach Snyder to allow emotional scenes between various characters so their fates are more meaningful. Only true spoiler I'll toss out is that if you saw the last Predator film you know what's coming and can predict it.

Best I can do is a 3 out of 5 with this, and it actually makes Spiral into a solid 4 by comparison. I'd watch the Saw film again as the ending reveals things you missed may have missed initially. AotD is forgettable once you leave the theater.

My comic picks for 5/19/21

A Review: Ready Player Two by Ernest Kline (Audio book narrated by Wil Wheaton)

 

The first book by Kline was one of my favorites of the year and was adapted into a fun film. It made changes, but I still enjoyed it.

 This sequel takes place several years after the last, with Wade (the hero) having acted in a way that caused an estrangement from both the love of his life and his mentor, Og. When you now have unlimited wealth and access to a virtual world (Oasis) where every desire can be filled, you can understand how that might change you.

 An AI created by one of the original designers of Oasis, made in his image, overrides limitations placed on him and decides to hold the users of Oasis hostage to achieve his goals. Wade, along  with most of the High Five, find themselves trapped in their virtual selves and given a limited time to fulfill a quest. If they fail they and everyone already logged into Oasis will slowly die or if they survive go insane.

 In Ready Player One, it helped to be familiar with '80s pop culture and early video games of the later 20th Century. Never a big gamer, I still knew enough not to be completely lost. In this novel, Cline has worlds dedicated to the teen movies of John Hughes and the artist Prince. Here, I admit to limited knowledge of either. I've seen more of Hughes' non-teen films (done with John Candy) than those for which he's better known. I can probably name 4-5 songs by Prince and have only seen Purple Rain once. I must admit to being lost for a lot of this.

 All that aside, I really did enjoy this book, listening to the audio version narrated by Wil Wheaton, who also nicely narrated the first book.  Your mileage may vary depending on how familiar you are with a lot of this pop culture stuff. It definitely was still worth a 4 out of 5 stars from me.

My comic picks for 5/6/21

My comic picks for 4/29/21

My comic picks for 4/8/21

My comic picks for 4/3/21

My comic picks for 3/24/21

My comic picks for 3/20/21

My comic picks for 3/13/21 - Two weeks worth of stuff

The Pawn, by Steven James - A review

 James introduces an interesting character, with Special Agent Patrick Bowers. Bowers is a specialist in hunting down serial killers, but unlike the typical profiler, Bowers examines the scenes and location where the murders took place and where the bodies were found. Why were the victims killed at a particular place and why was the 'dump site' chosen? What is it about these locations that appealed to the killer(s) and how can Bowers use this information to track them down.

Bowers is dealing with a team that doesn't accept his methods and a supervisor who is jealous of his abilities and success. He's also having issues with his step-daughter, both of them dealing with the loss of her mother. His latest assignment has him having to leave his step-daughter behind with his parents, and she's not about to let him take charge of her life. When the killer learn of the girl it isn't long before she also becomes a pawn in a twisted game.

I wanted to like this more than I did, but felt the author kept going off in different directions and bringing in a conspiracy that goes back to the Jonestown massacre, just annoyed rather than interested me. You really have to be careful when you use real life events in novel.

For this and other reasons, this book really wasn't what I had been expecting and while interesting, the ending completely lost me on the proposed sequels. Others might be more interested. Well written, but just not my thing. Btw, this was promoted as a "Christian" book, but I didn't find it heavy-handed. Interestingly, I've read reviews from the intended audience and they seem disappointed.

My comic picks for 2/24/21

My comic picks for 2/21/21

The Ruthless (A Bruno Johnson novel) by David Putman - A review

 While this is the eighth book in the Bruno Johnson series, it was my introduction to the character. This book also takes place in the earlier part of Bruno's career.  Here he is an LA County Deputy Sheriff, working undercover.

Bruno is living with his father, after the death of his daughter, Olivia, under suspicious circumstances. The law has removed Olivia's children and placed them in a foster home, while the father of the children is still dealing drugs.  Other things are going on, but I don't want to spoil some of the plot that is slowly revealed throughout the story.

Bruno's life and the lives of those he deals with, both in law enforcement and on the other side of the law is violent. Putnam reveals enough of the details of Johnson's life so even a new reader won't be completely lost.  By the end of the book, I immediately wanted to learn more.

New supernatural thriller from Jaimie Engle

 

Get lost in the mystery of GHOST DOG, book one in the exciting new series by Jaimie Engle, PETS OF ELSEWHERE.

Enter to win 1 of 3 signed paperbacks on Goodreads!

 

Haunted by four-legged ghosts in St. Augustine, a 12-year-old must help vengeful shadow-pets find rest or watch them pick off his family one-by-one.

Colten never wanted to leave Satellite Beach. His dad, a now retired Air Force Captain and his mom, a homemaker, couldn’t wait to open a bed and breakfast in St. Augustine, in a gorgeous Victorian that once belonged to a world-renowned veterinarian. Only, Colten sees things, hears things, and his sister almost dies—twice. Animal ghosts are reaching out from the other side with hints that the doctor may have been hiding things behind the Victorian’s closed doors, leaving Colten with two choices: help them or watch his whole family die.

PETS OF ELSEWHERE is a haunting middle grade thriller that blends elements of Pet Sematary with The House on Haunted Hill for kids who have outgrown Goosebumps and become die-hard fans of Supernatural.

 

Order your signed copy HERE.

 

Jaimie Engle

Author & Speaker

 

Metal Mouth - Publishers Weekly Booklist & Kirkus Editors Choice

Write a Book that Doesn't Suck - Publishers Weekly Booklife Quarterfinalist

The Toilet Papers, Jr. 

The Toilet Papers: Places to Go, While you Go

The Dredge - Writers of the Future Winner

Dreadlands: Wolf Moon - Amazon #2 New Release

Clifton Chase on Castle Rock - Amazon #1 New Release

Clifton Chase and the Arrow of Light

How to Publish Your Novel - Amazon #1 New Release

My comic picks for 2/3/21

POSEHN: "New Music Sucks" OFFICIAL VIDEO

Godzilla Vs Kong - Official Trailer HD

My comic picks for 1/22/21

My comic picks for 1/13/21

Frank Zappa - Purple Haze / Sunshine of Your Love

My comic picks for 1/8/21

My comic picks for 12/23/20

My comic picks for 12/16/20

My comic picks for 12/2/20

My comic picks for 11/25/20

Frozen Earth by Jasper T. Scott - My review

 This is the first book in the Rogue Star series, from the author.

It is learned that a huge mysterious object is gradually making its way to Earth, its arrival could cause catastrophic changes to our environment. Various groups in governments around the world, and private concerns begin to make plans. When it is later learned that there are mysterious crafts following the star and signals from them are received, panic begins to ensue. For Logan Willis and his family, they may have a chance others might not have as Logan's wife, discovers her estranged brother may have connections that could save them.

While the plot isn't new, Scott does present it somewhat differently, as his story focuses on an average man, whose only desire is to protect his family. Many of the other characters introduced are in the same situation and it is there problems on which the book focuses. Sadly, the author introduces something early on that for the most part has no or little bearing on the main story, so I'm unsure of why he felt it necessary to create it. Once the major plot takes hold this situation is very quickly resolved and is barely mentioned after the initial chapters.

I would have given the novel a higher score, as I had wanted to but besides that initial issue, there also a couple of characters that make wrong choices, which only seem to be there to move the plot along and introduce difficulties that could have been avoided had folks acted a bit more thoughtfully.

The book ends on a note that sets up at least the next book, if not the possible route the rest of the series will follow. Some readers might not find the problems that I did and the concept of the "aliens", once we learn it is quite fascinating. I can certainly see other readers enjoying this book and the rest of the series, but I just can't get past those small flaws that took this reader out of the story.

My comic picks for 11/12/20

SLASHSTREET BOYS - "DIE BY MY KNIFE" (BACKSTREET BOYS PARODY)

DC's "Future State" Event - Do I even care?

It has been a longtime since I've put anything here and I felt that I should start doing more than just posting my YouTube videos. I appreciate anyone who has actually stuck around all this time and at least for a while I want to once again make blogging part of my quarantine life.

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Been hearing and reading about DC Comics upcoming "Future State" event and I'm still on the fence. It seems to be an attempt to do some of the things Dan Didio had in mind with his '5-G' remake of the entire DC line, but in a limited timeframe.

According to how I understand it, for 2-3 months we'll be seeing the regular DCU books halted and replaced by titles that deal with future versions of all the characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, etc.) The new titles will also bring back previous characters, or characters similar to them with possible new names.

It sounds way too confusing, as a clean break seems a better move if that's the central idea. Anybody remember Convergence a similar 'event' that DC did? Me neither! Podcasts and articles kept referring to it so I had to look it up. This was only five years ago and I have no memory of it, yet vividly remember the initial Crisis and even Invasion which were decades ago. Yet, Convergence had 50+ issues over the two month span.

The two Marvel events, Empyre and X of Swords, have given me the out to drop at least half a dozen issues of their titles, at least for a while. These were books I found that I was just picking up and sometimes sitting for several issues before I read them. There are way too many excellent alternative/independent titles out there I find more interesting. My super-hero disinterest seems to be growing as it does periodically (no pun).

I'll probably pick up the central title, just out of curiosity, but I'm not going the New 52 route and shelling out money for the whole line. Are these 'events' by the Big Two really bringing in new readers? I can't believe they do, and I wonder if there is any boost in shop sales for more than the initial issues (or those folks out there are who feel the need to purchase variant covers).

Went on longer than I expected. Sorry!

My comic picks for 10/8/2020

My comic picks for 9/24/20

My comic picks for 9/6/20

My comic picks for 8/27/20

My comic picks for 8/21/20

My comic picks for 8/6/20

My comic picks for 8/1/20

My comic picks for 7/15/20

My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies by Ed Brubaker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a standalone book, not part of the Criminal series. Brubaker and Phillips bring the strong art and brilliant writing that fans have become used to. The limited watercolor pallet that Jacob Phillips brings is perfect for the book, dropping most color when the story moves back into the past.

Ellie, whose parents were both criminals, and raised by an 'uncle' after her mother passed away. It was he that placed her in a rehab center. There she meets Skip, also placed by family. Everyone there is dealing with various issues, some very real and others in denial, but the two younger patients soon find them sharing. We learn, through flashbacks, about Ellie's upbringing, before and after her mother's death. How she became a fan of creators, who often got their own inspiration from drugs. Hence the title and Ellie's admission. In Brubaker's work, his characters always carry secrets, those often hidden even from the reader.

Whether it's his work on original material, or working for major comics companies, Brubaker is among my favorite writers, and Sean Phillips is the perfect partner on most of his graphic novels.


View all my reviews

First issue reviews 7/5/20

My comic picks for 7/2/20

My comic picks for 6/25/20

Book of Death: The Fall of the Valiant Universe by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I admit to being an on and off Valiant fan, since the early days. I'll pick up a particular title for a while and maybe follow it through an arc or until the creative team changes. On the other hand, I do love the various characters and feel they have a lot of potential not often utilized, just to get out a monthly book.

This TPB collects the four issues focusing on different characters, that tie into the Valiant Universe 'event' Book of Death. That deals with the last Geomancer who travels back in time with a book revealing the ultimate fate of these characters and mankind.

We see the 'last days' of Bloodshot, Ninjak, X-O Manowar and the group Harbinger Renegades. We also witness the fate of Toyo Harada, first and most powerful of the psiots (the name Valiant uses for their super-powered characters). Four writers team with four artists to put this all together, each nicely crafting a story that honors of the past of the characters and completing some long-time story lines.

While I enjoyed all the stories, I found Jeff Lemire & Doug Braithwaite' Bloodshot tale the best of the bunch, but I'm a sucker for Lemire's writing anyway. I think fans of any of the characters will be happy with what was done.


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