Go See You're Next RIGHT NOW!

I have been waiting to see You're Next since it first debuted at Toronto International Film Festival in 2011. Unfortunately, I had to wait until this past weekend to see it BUT ALAS. I have. And I have much to say about it.

You're Next is your typical home invasion flick but what separates this from the rest is that is has a twist. I will not reveal anything about that twist so I guess you'll have to see it for yourself. Directed by Adam Wingard and written by Simon Barrett, the film is about a family reunion that is interrupted by three masked intruders. 

I loved You're Next. It was a non-stop fun horror film that made me laugh as well as cringe. The acting was fantastic. I felt as if I were looking in on an actual family reunion. Joe Swanberg and AJ Bowen stood out as two brothers who argued throughout most of the film while the standout performance goes to Sharni Vinson who plays survivalist girlfriend Erin. 

You go girl.

I think what I enjoyed most about the film was Sharni Vinson's character. Instead of cowering behind her boyfriend once things went crazy, she took control. She wasn't afraid to get vicious and you see that throughout the film. This is one badass female character and I left the theater wanting to be as strong as she was. It's not something that you see in most horror films these days. Most females in horror films are there to get naked, have sex, and ultimately get slashed to pieces. But its a breath of fresh air to see a woman fight back and fight hard.

What surprises me the most is that it isn't doing so well in theaters. On opening weekend, it landed at number 6 and only made $7 million. Even when I went to see the film Saturday night, the theater was half empty which surprised me because every movie that I ever saw on Saturday night always ended up being sold out. Shock Til You Drop wrote a very good article on this subject which you can read here. But I think what it comes down to is that people just assume its another regular home invasion flick. And given that The Purge was released back in June, some people are burnt out. I guess that might make sense if this was actually just another typical home invasion film but IT IS NOT. I can't stress that enough. And another thing, You're Next was supposed to come out back in 2011 so obviously The Purge was made AFTER this. It drives me crazy when I see people write that this movie ripped off The Purge. No, if anything, The Purge ripped off You're Next. 

So do yourself a favor and go see You're Next. Support horror! Support good horror! If not, I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of Sharknado in theaters. 

My Problem With Sharknado

Full disclaimer here: I have no problems with Sharks and/or Syfy originals. One: I love sharks, they are the coolest monsters of the sea and two: Syfy originals have never done anything to me except provide entertainment at 3 AM when I was having trouble falling asleep. That being said, I have a pretty big issue with Sharknado and the hype surrounding it.

Sharknado premiered on Syfy on July 11, 2013. Written by Thunder Levin whose credits feature a little gem called Mutant Vampire Zombies From the Hood, Sharknado's premise is basically the name of the movie: a tornado with sharks. It's an interesting thought, but this is coming from the channel that brought you Chupacabra Vs.The Alamo so.. what you see is what you get. I will admit that I was pretty damn excited to check this out. Syfy is known for its "so bad that its enjoyable to watch" films and I figured this would not be any different. I was wrong.

Sharknado blew up on Twitter the night of its premiere. BLEW UP. I entertained myself reading these tweets while I was at work but I have never seen as much Twitter action for one event, with the exception of Comic Con and maybe The Oscars. Everyone from your average Joe to celebrities like Olivia Wilde were tuning in and going crazy. And if that wasn't enough, 1.37 million viewers tuned in for this. It was an enjoyable night. I admit that I came home from work and sat down to watch sharks attack the coast. But I thought that after that night it would be the end of it; everyone would focus on something else and we would forget about Sharknado like all of the other Syfy originals that we have been shown.

Unfortunately for me, that wasn't the case. The next day it was announced on Twitter that because of the AMAZING reception the movie had received (I'm sorry, were we watching the same movie?), a sequel was greenlit and the people of twitter were eligible to come up with the next title. Then it was announced that there would be another showing of the movie a week later. And when that got 1.89 million viewers, there was a third showing. And when that went up to 2.1 million viewers, they had decided that it was time to put Sharknado in theaters.

And this is my biggest problem.

Look, I know that Sharknado is a very bad, but ridiculously fun film to make fun of. I really get that because I was a part of that when it first premiered. But when I heard that Regal Cinemas was putting Sharknado in 200 theaters nationwide, I was pissed. Within the past five years, I have seen horror movies that blew me away. They were funny. They were scary. They had heart. But do you know where I saw those films? On Demand. These are the Films that deserve to be put into theaters. Ti West made two incredible movies: House of the Devil and The Innkeepers. And these two movies got a limited theatrical release. And by limited, I mean VERY limited. I couldn't even see them in theaters because they weren't even showing in Boston. Hatchet III only got to place in maybe a dozen theaters across the country and guess what: Boston wasn't one of them. But when I looked up the showtimes for Sharknado, I saw them EVERYWHERE. Any Regal Cinema would show them and you know what? Those shows sold out within minutes. They ended up opening up more showtimes for people who missed out.

This is what kills me. There are better movies to spend your money on. The Conjuring just came out and that was an amazing movie. Why would you bother to waste $12.50 for a movie that you could watch for free in the comfort of your own home? Why wouldn't you give that theater space to films that barely got any space to begin with? Better yet, if you want to watch a movie with sharks in it, why don't you tune into Jaws, Great White, Deep Blue Sea, or even Shark Night? Seriously guys, Shark Night entertained me SO MUCH MORE than Sharknado and that is really saying something. And the unfortunate thing is that Sharknado is the one that is going to get all the press and the money while other films have to struggle to even make it into one theater. And then there's the people that are going to complain that there are no good horror films in theaters anymore and IT IS THEIR FAULT. I would never give my money to watch a Syfy original in a movie theater. Honestly, its a disgrace and its disappointing that Regal Cinemas would do something like that, even if its going to bring in more money. Because of this, Sharknado is going to become bigger and bigger and IT DOESN'T EVEN DESERVE THIS TREATMENT. I will never understand people sometimes. The people that gave Sharknado an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes gave the Evil Dead remake a 62% and Pacific Rim a 71%. Which brings me to another very upsetting thought:

Sharknado got a sequel greenlit overnight. Meanwhile, Pacific Rim which is one of the best movies I've seen has been struggling and it was not until it opened in China that it got the attention that it deserved. I'm sorry. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE. You would rather watch a terrible, awful movie with the worst acting and CGI effects than go see a movie that is like an orgasm for the eyes. This is why good horror movies aren't getting the recognition or the support that they should be getting. And this is why its getting harder and harder for me to understand the human race.

This ends my rant for now. I'm sure I could go on for hours. But I should probably stop before I have a heart attack. I was actually planning on doing a video blog for this post because I wanted to be able to show people how angry this made me but I'm still working on the fact that I hate my voice.

Thanks for reading! Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Is It Halloween Yet?

Monday was a great day for me. It was the day that I witnessed my place of work (Stop and Shop) FINALLY put out some of their Halloween candy. You may not know this, but I live for Halloween. If I could, I would start celebrating it at the beginning of June. But alas, it is not socially acceptable. I don't see the problem with putting out some of the candy though. I know that people seem to get so offended when you suddenly want to start celebrating Halloween 2 months early, but how is that hurting anyone? I would much rather start thinking about Halloween rather than think about school. I don't understand the grudge people have against celebrating early. One of my co-workers went crazy when he saw these Screme Eggs. Basically going on a rant about how it is way to early to start putting out the candy. Meanwhile, I was in line buying three of these beauties. Why waste your time complaining, when you can spend that time being excited for one of the best times of the year! I start thinking about Halloween super early and think about everything that I could possibly do in the short one month of October that it is technically allowed. Sigh. I guess I'll have to suck it up and enjoy the little victories like this and hope that soon, most of the Halloween decorations will be available for me to purchase.

Celebrating Women in Horror Month!

Hey guys. With my spring semester starting back up, it's been pretty hard to keep up with this, but I'm back! And I'm going to try to make this as regular as possible.

And with that, we celebrate a month that dedicates itself not only to black history, but to kickass women in horror!

Since I was little, I would watch horror movies with my dad as a sort of bonding ritual. Horror has become my life since, and what has always stood out to me were the women in front of the camera. Every heroine was so badass. They faced their fears, they fought back, they were scared, but when it came down to it, they stopped running. I learned back then how important all of this was, how I needed to stop running from my fears and face them head on. And for that, I thank these women.

As I grew up, I started realizing that it wasn't all about the women in front of the camera. While they had certainly played a very important role in the film, it was also the women behind the camera that were equally just as important, maybe even more. These films would never be made without the help of so many talented women.

So now its time to acknowledge some of them! If I could, I would give credit to every single woman in the horror industry, but unfortunately, I do not have that much time between class. So here is my top five!

1.) Jamie Lee Curtis

Starring in films such a Terror Train, Prom Night, and my personal favorite Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis is the epitome scream queen. Her portrayal of the virginal heroine in Halloween is nothing short of fantastic, and watching her grow to the badass mother in Halloween: H2O is like watching your little girl grow up right before your eyes. It also might help that her mother was Janet Leigh, Marion Crane of Psycho.

2.) Mary Lambert

Director of films such as Pet Semetary, Pet Semetary II, and even Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge, Mary Lambert is so incredibly talented. She directed one of my favorite movies of all time! Pet Semetary is the one film that still gives me nightmares to this day. And I have her to thank for that. (I guess Stephen King too but he's a man so it doesn't apply to this post.)

3.) Barbara Crampton

One of my personal favorites, Barbara Crampton starred in films such as Re-Animator, From Beyond, Chopping Mall, and Puppet Master. She is 54 years old and still as beautiful as she was back in 1985. I love this actress. I love how dedicated she is to her career and how she still embraces the horror genre. She's going to be in You're Next and The Lords of Salem in the next coming months. I cannot wait to see what she brings to these films.

4.) Danielle Harris
 

When I first saw Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, I was so excited. Michael Myers was back and ready to kill some more. But what the film really focused on was Jamie Lloyd, daughter of Laurie Strode. Played by Danielle Harris, I grew so attached to this character. I followed her to Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers and watched her struggle as every person she loved got hurt. But she did what she could to help, even if it was incredibly dangerous. I grew up wanting to be Jamie. Fast forward to Rob Zombie's Halloween where we meet Laurie's friend Annie. My jaw dropped and I was so excited. Danielle Harris was back where she belonged: in the Halloween franchise. I think she is an amazing actress. She's also insanely beautiful. Also, she has made her directorial debut for her film Among Friends which I cannot wait to check out.

5.) Heather Langenkamp

Known for her roles in A Nightmare on Elm Street, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, and New Nightmare, Heather Langenkamp is one of the most badass women out there. Even her character Nancy Thompson is a kickass heroine. She fights Freddy back in every film. She even set up booby traps in the first film (seriously how many booby traps did she really need?) While she played such an important role, in real life Heather is a total sweetheart and still embraces the role that lead her to stardom, especially in the horror community. If you haven't seen it, check out her documentary I Am Nancy. It's really such an incredible film for an incredible human being. Another fun fact, she was in the production crew behind Cabin in the Woods and 2004's Dawn of the Dead. That's something I never knew!

Well there you have it. Celebrating women in horror by acknowledging some of the great talent in the genre. Thank god for Women in Horror Month!

Do Your Thing Cuz! Texas Chainsaw 3D Review

It's taken me a few days to write this review because I wanted to make sure what I said wasn't based off of the high from coming out of a movie theater with a bunch of people at 2 in the morning. I wanted to make sure that I wrote an honest review and here it is. 

Let me set the scene for you guys. I went to the 12:10am showing of the film on Friday. This is one of the bigger theaters around my area and the only one with a late showing (I had to leave work early to make it on time). By the time they let us into the theater it was about 12, so we still had 10 minutes. What is it about late night showings that make people feel the need to let loose and act like complete morons? My boyfriend and I were the first into the theater and we scored the top seats that are two together with no seats next to us. Over to the side there were another row of 5 seats where a bunch of "youths" (okay, I can't really say that because they looked like they were in their 20's which doesn't make it any better.) Anyway, this was the most obnoxious group I've ever had to endure and I'm actually surprised that I lasted so long without saying something. They took pictures with the flash on, they continually laughed and made noises and ended up talking throughout the whole first half of the movie. Finally, security came up and told them they were being too loud and this was their last warning but unfortunately there was only about 20 minutes left of the film at that point. 

Now, back to the feature presentation. Texas Chainsaw 3D is the sequel to 1974's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Starring Alexandra Daddario, Dan Yeager, Trey Songz, along with appearances from Bill Moseley and Gunner Hansen, the film starts right where the first one ends. The entire opening credits showcases all the kill shots from the original in 3D. Which leads me on another tangent; 3D. I honestly thought the 3D was pretty damn good in the film. Normally, I'm against 3D in horror 100%. And while they probably released it in 3D so that we could have chainsaws coming right at us, I thought the 3D didn't take anything away from the movie. It was a little delight for me. But that's just me. 

Now, I liked the film. I thought it was pretty good. Not many people have been saying that. Every review I've seen so far has talked about how terrible it is. But, for a movie that does have some plot holes and a little problem with the timeline, I thought it was a pretty damn fun flick.  The movie starts off with the Sheriff showing up at the Sawyers' home, demanding that they turn over Leatherface for the crimes he committed. While the Sawyers' come to that agreement, the town rednecks come in their trucks and decide to basically make a citizen's arrest but resort to blowing the family to smithereens, then setting the place on fire, killing everyone in the house (or so they think.) One of the rednecks finds a baby and him and his wife decide to take care of her without anyone knowing who she was.

Fast forward to 2012 where the baby is all grown up. Heather (Alexandra Daddario) is in her 20's and receives a letter from the family's lawyer telling her she inherited a house from her grandmother; one she never knew about. She decides to take the trip to Texas with her friends and boyfriend to check out the place, and thus begins Texas Chainsaw 3D. 

My first problem with the film is the time line. If the baby was born in 1974 or even 1973, Heather would be almost 40 years old in 2012.  Yet, Heather doesn't look a day over 21. They could've set the movie in the 90's but I guess that would mean they couldn't incorporate some of the scenes into that. But, if you don't think about it too much, it isn't really a problem. 

What I liked about the film was how fun it was. I don't think the film takes itself too seriously and that's something that fits with a film like this. There are just fun little scenes in that had me laughing and cheering and that's always something that you want with movies featuring so much death and gore. While you don't care about the cast of teens too much, you know they're just there for the body count. You really only need to focus on Heather and Leatherface and it all comes together in the end.

So I say give the film a chance. Not everyone is going to like it. Some people might downright hate it. But let me leave you with this thought:

Anything is better than the Nightmare on Elm Street remake. 

Dream Collectibles: Horror Snow Globes

Awhile back, I was reading one of the special convention issues of Horrorhound Magazine (Killer Klowns/House By the Cemetery issue) and came across the page dedicated to horror snow globes. First of all, for some strange reason I had never knew something as magnificent as this even existed. So I grabbed my laptop and hurried onto Ebay to see what I could find.

The first I stumbled upon was a 30th anniversary Halloween VHS/Snow Globe Set that included...

This little gem.

I was in awe of it. Something so small and so simple could actually be so fantastic like this? It was at this moment that I decided that it was my duty to collect as many of these as possible. The only problem? Besides the majority of them being very rare, the ones that I do find are very expensive. For example, the Halloween box set goes for $99.99 on Ebay; the only place I could find it. Other ones like the Alien Vs. Predator globe goes for the small amount of $399.99. Yeah...small price. 

Now the one I'm truly interested in is this piece of work.

From what I've heard, this is a truly rare snow globe. I guess at the screening of The Amityville Horror remake in 2005, there were several of these bad boys handed out after members of the audience were asked to make up haikus about the film. Lucky sons of bitches. 

I am DYING to get myself one of these. Instead of snow, it's actually a "blood globe" and it also lights up too! I can only imagine how badass that must look at night. But anyways, this is number one on my list of wants. So if anyone has one or knows someone willing to let it go....you know where I am.

Other than Halloween and Amityville, there are many other variations of snow globes out there, ranging from Friday the 13th to A Nightmare on Elm Street to the earlier classic movie monsters like Frankenstein and Dracula. I gotta have them. 

Here's a few examples of these wonderful creations.

Beetlejuice

Friday the 13th

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Friday the 13th

Scream 2

Alien Vs. Predator

Tonight will be filled with dreams of shaking these beauties, hoping someday that they will in fact, be mine.

Goodnight everyone.

New Year Goal: Create a Horror Short Film

Since I was a little kid, I've truly been in love with horror movies, regardless of how scared I was. My earliest memory of hiding behind the couch while my older sister and her friend watched 1974's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre still sits with me. Honestly, I can't imagine a day in my life where I haven't loved horror and I don't see that changing soon.

As I got older, I dived deeper into the horror genre, watching the classics like Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, while also watching Tales from the Crypt on HBO with my dad. My dad was the only supporter of my obsession and took me to those R rated horror flicks that I couldn't get into by myself. To this day, if there's a horror movie on TV, we'll most likely try to sit and watch it together (although he's slacking these days; I tried to get him to watch Paranormal Activity 2 with me and he fell asleep before anything good happened.)

I spent my entire life surrounded by all elements of horror. Even my birthday parties included watching a scary movie or having a seance in the middle of the night in my tiny little house without waking the rest of my family. As I think about it today, I truly miss those days. I haven't had a seance in a very long time.

I'm the annoying friend/girlfriend who constantly brings up horror related topics; a new horror movie coming out, a new Blu ray I got in the mail, some awesome toy or poster I saw on ebay. I can see the look of boredom on some people's faces as I talk to them about something amazing I saw in the world of horror. I have friends that love horror movies, but not actually breaking it down. I could talk about all the different actors in the film and what other movies they've been in and my friends wouldn't care.

"All horror movies are supposed to do is provide entertainment for an hour and a half." The majority of my friends and family think.

And I know that's entirely not true.

I know there are people out there that feel the same way that I do; the feeling of being lost if you couldn't immerse yourself in a film or a book or countless hours on Ebay looking up the different horror collectibles that are so expensive yet you just...want...to...get it. Unfortunately the only people in my vicinity that feel this way are blocked by a computer. And I truly struggle with that all the time. It's hard talking to people about horror and watching their eyes glaze over. I know that it may not be important to some people, but this is extremely important to me. This is what I want my life to be. My dream will always be to do something horror related for a living, to be able to talk to directors and have those connections and be able to hang out with people who have given everything to this genre like I have.

And maybe that may seem a little ridiculous to some people but it makes so much sense to me.

So for years, I have always wanted to set aside some time to actually make a short film dedicated to this amazing genre and community. I almost didn't survive last year, right at this time. It was an extremely tough and scary time for me and I'm forever grateful that I've been given a second chance to do everything that I want to do. And this is number one on my list for sure. Will it happen soon? Probably not, given that I really have to catch myself up on my courses and grades. But by the end of 2013 I can promise you that there will be a short film and whoever actually reads this will be the first to see it.

So I guess you guys should keep an eye out for more updates.
Goodnight!

Late Review: Prometheus

Possibly the best film of 2012?

I wish I had saw this film before the New Year, before I finished my best of 2012 list (which is on a separate blog and not really as epic as I thought it would be). But if I could I would go back and put this as my number one film of 2012. Because this is truly one hell of a film.

Directed by Ridley Scott, Prometheus tells the story of a group of explorers who discover a clue into the creation of mankind, leading them to this amazing and epic journey that takes a very dark turn. Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender and a handful of others, the film is a visually astonishing piece that never lets your eyes rest. I'll admit that in the beginning, I wasn't quite following what the film was trying to say, but once we got onto Prometheus, everything started clicking into place. 

Voldemort's distant cousin...his very ripped, has a nose distant cousin...

What I truly loved about Prometheus was the questions that it produced. As I was sitting with Ryan watching the movie he said "Do we really want to know what is out there?" What he means is that yeah, it would be incredibly amazing finding out that there is something else out there, but what if it isn't what we wanted to discover? How could we possibly live with the fact that there is something out there and it's dangerous? Would it be worth it? 

One of the other questions trying to be answered in the film is about our creators. A question of faith comes into play and I love seeing how it is all played out. I'm hoping that they explore this more in the impending sequel because there are so many more questions that need to be answered.

On a larger scale, Prometheus is more of a visual experience than it is a brain teaser. The different backdrops are much more important than the actual characters (except of course, Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace; two of my favorite characters from the film). Any person would be more in awe of the the scenery than of the characters, which may be something that needs to be worked on. I could care less about half of the cast and by the end of the film, I had completely forgotten about most of them.

The standout actor of the film goes to Michael Fassbender for his role as android David. He was such a delight throughout the film and his lack of emotions made everything that much more tense. I'm always excited to see Fassbender in a movie though. He always surprises me to no end.

While I loved Alien and it's dark tone, Prometheus really takes an epic turn with more of a kickass action type of film with more quality cinematography. But really, what can you expect with a film from 2012? Regardless, I always have a special place in my heart for Alien. 

I was a little worried about Prometheus being a prequel to Alien but it's safe to say I lost all the anxiety I had about that. Let's just hope the sequel really explains much more about "The Engineers" and I'm hoping to see some more of Fassbender!

I won't spoil the movie for people who have yet to see it, and hopefully I was the only one late to the party. If you haven't given it a chance yet, I implore you to sit down for the 124 minute film. It's a wild ride and a hell of a film.

Prometheus is available on DVD, Blu Ray, and on demand. 

What's the Deal With These Pop! Toys?

Every time I go into an F.Y.E. or a Newbury Comics, I always come across these Pop! figures by Funko. For those of you not familiar with these figures, they're about 4 inches and are an assortment of all different characters. From Freddy Krueger to Jessie from Toy Story 2, you will most likely find one that suits you.

Funko has been around since 1998, with its first big product being a bobblehead of restaurant advertising character Big Boy, which led to their first ever toyline Wacky Wobblers. This all led to the creation of the Pop! Vinyl Figures that are now spread throughout many different stores.

So what's so special about them? Well, besides consisting of different children's characters, there is a whole line of horror and monster figures. I don't know about you, but as a collector I think having a few of these can really add to a collection. So check them out! You can find them on ebay or on the website bbtoystore.com under the Funko tab.

Check out a few of my favorites!

  Freddy Krueger, A Nightmare on Elm Street

  Jason Voorhees, Friday the 13th

  Michael Myers, Halloween

Leatherface, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

A Year in Review: 2012

I'm not sure if its actually normal to talk about a specific year in review if the year has just recently passed but I'm going to do it anyways!

2012 was a mixture of really great memories to really shitty situations but nevertheless, I survived it! With some great horror memories along the way. So here it is: 

Memories of 2012: Horror Edition.

40oz. of Horror!

2012 was the year of the horror podcast for me. And it took me quite some time to actually find one that I really enjoyed and actually looked forward to. And that one was 40oz. of Horror. Like the shirt says, "Drunken news and horror reviews podcast" which I just realized sort of rhymes! News...reviews...nevermind I'm rambling. Anyways, the first episode I ever listened to was titled "Friday the 13th Edition: The Cabin in the Woods" and was hooked since then. Of course, I had caught up with the rest of the podcasts probably a day or two after listening and I had tears streaming down my face from laughing so much. The hosts; Chad and James, always deliver the news and reviews while managing to make you laugh in the process. And it's not just a podcast that reads you something that is on a piece of paper. These guys start discussions and really know their stuff. They introduced me to films that I didn't even think I would ever take the time to watch. Their opinions actually matter to me and their listeners really matter to them. The whole crew; Chad, James and Brandon are the easiest people to get in touch with on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (feel free to follow them @40ozofhorror). They answer your Twitter questions pretty fast and even mention them in the current episodes. And who can forget the alcohol portion of the podcast? Boozin' Gone Bad has become pretty big and is a highlight of the show. Listeners can send in their worst drinking stories to the 40oz of Horror cast for a chance to have it read out loud. And I gotta say, these stories are the best. Subscribe to 40oz of Horror on itunes and listen for yourself. But all in all, I love these guys. I am always looking forward to new episodes (waiting on the end of the year one guys...) and I'm really glad that I stumbled upon them in 2012. Maybe I'll be able to get an actual interview with them on here someday soon? (hint hint)

Rock and Shock 2012!

I attended my first ever horror convention in good 'ol Worcester MA. For my first ever convention, it blew my expectations out of the water. I had a fantastic time. I was in awe of all the amazing people that came to celebrate the genre we all love. And meeting some of my horror idols was....nothing short of amazing. Especially Heather Langenkamp. I had grown up watching A Nightmare on Elm Street and never in my life did I ever think I would meet her. My 10 year old self would have probably had a heart attack like I almost did standing in line to meet her. I didn't even know what to say to her! I was just in awe. These celebrities are so cool and so nice to their fans. Along with her I got to meet another idol Bill Moseley who is such a nice guy and is obviously nothing like Otis. I stood in line shaking because I was going to be meeting the guy who scared the complete shit out of me in House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects. And he was just like an uncle that you always want around. And at the last minute, I got to meet Adam Green and Joe Lynch.  Secretly I've been in love with Adam Green for quite some time so this was pretty awesome for me. But just the two of them in general are so personable and likable and just amazing. I had never seen their show Holliston before but I decided to buy the first season and they ended up signing it for me, along with getting into a picture together. Since then, I have been a HUGE fan and supporter of Holliston. If you haven't seen it yet, you can watch it FOR FREE on Hulu. Check out the Christmas Special that was just released. It's pretty special. I also left with some pretty sweet stuff. Re-Animator on Blu Ray and Excision on DVD, TONS of posters, as well as a tshirt, some magazines and a lot more. All in all, it was probably one of the greatest weekends of my life and I will definitely be going again this year. 

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon!

2012 was the year that I first got a hold of Behind the Mask. My boyfriend and I had put the movie on as background noise while we worked on some of our papers and projects for our classes but ended up ignoring our work and watching the film instead. One word to describe Behind the Mask: captivating. Leslie Vernon is one of those characters that you just can't seem to take your eyes off of. He bounces from happy go lucky to serial killer in seconds and it's just mesmerizing. He's the one person you're rooting for throughout the whole movie and I'm so so glad that I had decided to pick that as the movie to watch. I know I'm a little bit late to the party but hey, there are people out there who had never seen Re-Animator until this year (ahem, my boyfriend Ryan) and we all let that slide right? I put this on my list of memories because I was introduced to one of my favorite horror movies of all time. I am also very proud of the poster above because one, it's totally kickass, and two, it was signed by Leslie Vernon himself: Nathan Baesel. The funny thing is, I never expected that. I had just ordered the poster because I wanted it and I wanted my money to go towards the making of the sequel Before the Mask: The Return of Leslie Vernon. Sidenote: Why the hell is it taking so long to make? Why aren't more people supporting the movie? Seriously, how can you not be in love with it? I would definitely like more progress for Before the Mask this year, guys. C'mon. 

So maybe there weren't too many horror memories of this year. A few little ones would be my first purchase of Horrorhound Magazine which started my obsession with the magazine and ended up buying most of the issues (including the super rare 2009 convention special with Elvira on the cover and the rare Halloween issue). I started ghost hunting and finally went to the Hanson TB Hospital where I was able to take many pictures and just enjoy a scary, abandoned hospital. R.L. Stine replied to my tweet, along with Adam Green after I congratulated him on the success of the Holliston Christmas Special. I purchased my first Fright Rags tshirt for myself; the only other shirt I got from there was a Maximum Overdrive one that went to Ryan for his birthday. I spent the majority of my bank account on posters, blu rays and other collectibles. And I don't regret a single thing.

So what do I look forward to in 2013? Monster Mania in Cherry Hill, NJ, the crazy amount of horror movies being released this year, Rock and Shock, the return of The Walking Dead and American Horror Story, as well as Holliston. And on top of all of that, my main goal this year is to finally make a horror film that I have been dying to do since I was a kid. Let's see if that works out.

Happy New Year everyone! You'll be seeing more of me!