PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: TOKYO NIGHT

You can think what you will of the Paranormal Activity movies but I happen to be a HUGE fan. I can’t get enough! Luckily for those of you out there who share my feelings on these films, you are in for a treat. Apparently, 2 sequels were made for the film simultaneously. The other, “Tokyo Night”, is being released overseas but will undoubtedly make it’s way to the states on DVD soon enough. For those of you who were unaware of the other film, here’s a look at the admittedly less than impressive trailer. Though, it’s good enough to peak my interest… take a look:

MY TOP 10 FAVORITE VAMPIRE FILMS

I know Halloween has come and gone but I’m not ready to say goodbye yet. So, I thought we’d put one more Horror post out there. Vampires are one of the greatest monsters ever created in fiction… 2nd only to Zombies in my book! I tend not to care as much for old Dracula style vampire films and while I enjoy the new Twinkly kind they aren’t my first choice either. I typically prefer a meaner modern-day vampire. Below, I’ve listed my Top 10 “go-to” Vampire films (in order)… enjoy:

SIDENOTE: I’m not saying these are the best Vampire films ever made. These are my favorites to watch. So, please save your diatribes in the comments section about why Nosferatu should be on this list!

10. DAYBREAKERS.

The newest entry on the list falls only at number 10 for that reason. It hasn’t been around long enough to fully resonate with me yet. Still, the concept for this one is so cool, in a genre that’s been beaten to death, that I have to say I loved it. The fact that it was a great watch helps a lot too even if it fell a bit short of its potential on execution.

9. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.

If there’s ever a chance to feature something from the mind of Joss Whedon on one of my lists, I’m going to do it. Buffy is a super fun film that inspired years of what I hear is even better television. What still amazes me is that it managed to do so with a cast that featured the likes of Luke Perry and Pee Wee himself. Kristi Swanson hotness sure can compensate for a lot of things!

GROOVERS & MOBSTERS PRESENT: HORROR

It’s once again time to take part in that brain child from the folks over at Movie Mobsters and the Fandango Groovers Movie Blog. Wherein we look at films that standout in or have an influence on a particular genre of film. This time out, we’re taking a look at HORROR FILMS. After all, it’d be a lame time to look at Christmas films! Here’s my selection:

“Every dead body that is not exterminated becomes one of them. It gets up and kills! The people it kills get up and kill!”

Anyone that knows me knows that I think Zombies are the end all be all of the Horror genre. And when it comes to Zombies, no one does it better than George A. Romero. Romero has made 6 Zombie films in his “of the Dead” series to date and while Night of the Living Dead is the Bible for all that follow, Dawn of the Dead remains the best film he’s ever made. Here’s the basic idea:

In this first sequel to Night of the Living Dead, a group of four people take up residence in a deserted mall while trying to stay alive amidst the armies of the dead and a vicious gang of militant bikers.

“Dawn”, or the one that takes place in the mall, succeeds on so many levels. First, who hasn’t thought about having free reign over all the stuff in a mall. It’s every consumer’s dream… regardless of whether or not the world is going to hell around you. Second, Zombies make such interesting baddies on film because (a) they’re just relentless and endless and (b) they’re basically us. I mean, what better way to make man take a good look at himself and what he’s capable of than to pit him against his own self. Another thing that makes “Dawn” great is that it was the first time that Romero also began to explore the world beyond people just trying to survive and began to look at the way the living would treat each other if ever they were in a situation where rules and laws no longer applied… turns out, not so good.

To this day, I rarely come across Horror films that are let alone good but offer up chills to boot. Dawn does both and if you haven’t seen it yet, well… get on that!

Here’s the film’s trailer:

You can see all the films chosen for this edition of Groovers & Mobsters Present by CLICKING HERE!!!

FILMS YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU NEEDED TO SEE 666

Looking for a cool Horror movie to see on Halloween night? Well, then you’ve come to the right place! How cool is it that the 6th (or 666) edition of FILMS YOU DIDN’T KNOW… fell on Halloween? I know, right? For those of you guys and gores new to the site, here’s the rundown on how this post works…

There are several movies out there that don’t necessarily get the same recognition or promotion as others. Films that at times can be quite good. Films that are currently collecting dust in the “Favorites” aisle at your local video store. We here at THE LIST have taken it upon ourselves to bring these films to the forefront and present you, the movie going public, a list of FILMS YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU NEEDED TO SEE.

This time around, we are presenting you with the all horror edition to help with some spooky suggestions for your Halloween viewing pleasure. To help me out this time around, I’ve recruited the following:

Terri from GOREGIRL’S DUNGEON: The queen of gore serves up her 2nd contribution to these posts.
Andy from FANDANGO GROOVERS MOVIE BLOG: Also a repeat contributor with a unique spin for this outting.
Meredith Carter from M. CARTER AT THE MOVIES: Returns fresh off an October Horror Marathon.
Jason from INVASION OF THE B-MOVIES: The King of all things “B”.
And to kick things off, your friendly neighborhood…

KAIDERMAN:

TRICK ‘r TREAT (2007).

If Halloween (the movie) is the Miracle on 34th Street of Halloween (the holiday) then Trick ‘r Treat is easily the Christmas Story of the fall and should be watched everytime October 31st roles around to get in the mood for the spookiest of holidays. Told very much in the vein of the old Creepshow films, this little flick tells 4 intertwining stories, set at Halloween, that encompasses everything that makes Halloween great: Werewolves, Vampires, Serial Killers, Urban Legends, Ghost Stories and creepy little monsters with potato sacks on their head. Also, a good watch for people who don’t handle Horror too well.

FEAST (2005).

You guys remember that whole Project Greenlight thing where Ben Affleck and Matt Damon had a show on Bravo to give unknowns a chance to write and direct their own projects while Bravo made a TV show chronicling the entire process? Don’t feel bad… not many do. However, their last outting produced a fun film to watch starring Balthazar Getty, Henry Rollins, Jason Mewes and a smoking hot Krista Allen as, quite simply, patrons locked in a bar fending off genetically mutated animal monsters. Very tongue-in-cheek and fun to watch… spawned a few sequels as well!

MY TOP 5 HORROR SUB-GENRES

I don’t know about you guys but I LOVE Horror movies. With Halloween looming, and so many Horror movies out there to see, I started to think about what kind of Horror movies I like the best. Here are my Top 5 (in order):

5. SLASHER FILMS.

Examples: Prom Night, Black Christmas, Scream

I don’t know about you but, aside from burning alive and drowning, being stabbed has always seemed like the worst way to go out. I’ve often said I could die a happy man if I could just manage to avoid being stabbed in my life. While the Slasher Film has lost a lot of what made it so popular in the 70’s and 80’s the films featuring mad men lurking in the shadows with a large butcher’s knife still get my goat!

4. MOVIE MONSTERS.

Examples: A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Child’s Play

I touched on this in our Top 15 Horror Movie Baddies post. There’s something great about a Horror movie that is set around an interesting villain with a rich mythology. In a way, by creating a deep back story for these movie maniacs, we feel compelled not only to root for their victims but for the baddies themselves. Plus, it makes everything they do seem justifiable in a twisted way and all the more creepy. 

3. TORTURE PORN.

Examples: Hostel, Wrong Turn, Midnight Meat Train, Saw

Gorefests like these aren’t for everyone but for someone as tainted as me they are pure bloody candy! I must admit that they have begun to grow a bit wearisome. I still don’t mind the more mainstream gorefests out there but the secondary market on these films has gotten really bad. The fact that someone is having their arm sawed off or their eye removed in a slow and arduous manner is not what makes these films fun. It’s the story surrounding why. Still, I love seeing some limbs unnecessarily amputated in interesting new ways!

2. “REAL-LIFE” FOOTAGE FILMS.

Examples: The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity

Films like these are hard to do. The 2 above are the only 2 I can think of that have completely got it right. When these films fail, you feel like you’re watching a movie the second the first image hits the screen. When it mildly succeeds, you get  something like the 4th Kind. However, when a filmmaker nails it, you get some of the most terrifying images ever caught on film. The realism is what makes these films work and if it’s done right, well, good luck sleeping tonite.

1. END OF THE WORLD SCENARIOS.

Examples: Night of the Living Dead, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, [REC], 28 Weeks Later

I don’t know if these are the scariest films out there but I still LOVE any film that grapples with the topic of humans trying to survive in a world they have lost control of and that is slowly trying to consume them. Be it an alien invasion, an infectious outbreak, Zombies or pod people, these movies are money in my book!

What about you guys? What are your favorite types of Horror films?

TOP 15 HORROR MOVIE BADDIES

Let’s be honest… Horror movies need 3 things to be great. Hot naked women, good gory kills and an unforgettable bad guy! Here’s my Top 15 of the latter (in order):

15. THE INVISIBLE MAN.

You have no idea how hard it was to find an image of this character! While the Invisble Man makes the list, I don’t think he’s acheived his full potential on film yet. The idea of a man drunk on power having the ability to move amongst us without our knowledge is a creepy thing as the possibilities for evil are endless.

14. REAGAN.

My feelings on The Exorcist are well known so I’ll just say that Reagan makes the list because she scares me so much that I’ve never been able to finish the movie.

13. POLTERGEIST.

Theeeeey’re heeeeere… at #13. I had a huge tree outside my childhood window that scared the hell out of me after I saw this movie. Luckily, I knew better than to collect clown dolls. Why everyone doesn’t I’ll never know. This list would be incomplete if it didn’t include some form of spectre and, in that department, Poltergeist is #1. The scary thing about them is that you don’t know how to get rid of them and never really know if they’re TRULY gone. The bad Karma that surrounded the making of this film makes it all the creepier. Speaking of creepy…

JULY’S ULTIMATE FANBOY FILM COMPETITION

Napolean, you’re not alone anymore!!!

That’s right, my friends, there was a time when all the geeky things I have loved my entire life weren’t exactly popular to like. A little over a decade ago, Sci-Fi was for dorks, Fantasy was for D & D nerds & Comic Book films did little to capture the attention of the nation. My how things have changed… I like to think we can credit Weezer with this. After all, they did make Geek Chic.

In the past 10 years, that which was once made for the geeks of the world has been embraced by all people. Comic Book, Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Franchise films have single handedly kept the movie business from collapsing entirely. So, I began to wonder, of all the nerdy goodness available to us these days, which film stands out… which is the Geek Opus, if you will.

To find out, I’ve set up a March Madness bracket style tournament that includes the best there is to offer in Fanboy Films. In July, I will post them, head to head, every few days… and you the fan, will be able to vote for your favorites. By August, we will know what the people think is the ULTIMATE FANBOY FILM!!! But I need your help…

MOVIE CLICHÉS

I feel like having fun this week so let’s talk about something fun: Movie Clichés! Some people were given extraordinary talents in life. Unfortunately, I was given the ability to guess how entire movies will end within the first 30 minutes of sitting down to watch them. I have managed to annoy many people with this talent. Others, like my brother-in-law Nate, I have passed this ability on to so that they can annoy themselves. How do I do it? The fact that I have an unusually high IQ and am full to the brim with common sense doesn’t hurt. But, the fact of the matter is, I just watch a hell of a lot of movies! When you do this, you find that most films follow the same conventions and plot techniques… making predictions fairly simple. That’s why when a film like The Sixth Sense comes along it is truly enjoyable to watch because it plays on these conventions and techniques. Sadly, these films are far and few between. Most follow the industry standard. Many of these are comical because of just how often they are used. So, for your enjoyment, I present you this week’s list of some the most often used MOVIE CLICHÉS.

HOW TO SURVIVE A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

I’m sorry, my friends, but it is once again necessary for me to use this platform as a means of performing a public service. If there’s one thing hobos with signs in Hollywood movies have taught me it’s that THE END IS NEAR! How will it come? Asteroids, solar flares, biological terrorism, global deterioration, an act of God, Kanye West… these are all probable. However, I think we can all agree that our most imminent threat is that the undead will return to life and begin to feast on the flesh of the living. A.K.A. ZOMBIES!!!

Before I continue, I think you should know what my qualifications on this subject are. First off, I’ve seen just about every Zombie movie ever made (I’ve seen Dawn of the Dead 30 times alone), I read The Walking Dead, I own a red plaid shirt (that one’s for the Fanboys), I’ve read all the Marvel Zombies books, including the Army of Darkness crossovers, I once saw Simon Pegg (star of Shaun of the Dead) from 30 feet away at a bar in L.A., I’ve played Resident Evil and Left 4 Dead Parts 1 & 2, and I once woke up next to a young lady that, I swear to this day, looked herself to be one of the undead. What a night that was! Oh, and I am currently working on my AA at a local community college. Go Eagles! Needless to say, my credentials are impecable. But I am not the first to bring light to these urgent matters. I am merely adding bricks and mortar to a foundation put in place by the likes of George A. Romero, Max Brooks, Danny Boyle and many others. Now that credit has been given, let’s set the stage.

A Zombie situation can break out at any point in time. There’s no way of pinpointing where you’ll be or what you’re situation will be like. For our intents and purposes here, let’s assume reports are flooding in that the towns and cities surrounding your’s are being overrun by the undead. The threat is imminent and it’s only a matter of time before it makes it’s way to you. With that established, I present you with tips on HOW TO SURVIVE A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE.