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!