And In Other News...

I cannot concentrate worth a damn at the moment. I have a midterm paper that is due at 5 o'clock this afternoon but I can't seem to finish the second part. I have plenty of time since the first part didn't take me more than an hour to do, but I just really hate procrastinating. The thought of being in "Haddonfield" tomorrow has me excited and apprehensive. I'm stoked to be going to the New Bev tomorrow to kick off Halloween with Edgar Wright (unless one of my friends throws a party...). He's always a good guy to listen to and always has good presentations. "Shaun of the Dead" is going to be a riot with the kind of crowds the New Bev brings in. I can't wait to see the original cut of his trailer, "Don't!" that was shown before Taratino's "Death Proof." I freaked in the theater when I saw it when "Grindhouse" opened. Jason Isaac's cameo was the best. I haven't seen "Riki: The Story of Rick Oh" so I'm looking forward to that.

This might seem weird, but I'm sad Halloween is tomorrow. All the time leading up to it, has been wonderful and the thought that it'll be over at midnight tomorrow is depressing. Another 365 days in which to wait again. Another 365 days of sorting through movies to find the diamond in the rough. The only thing that gives me a glimpse of hope is the "maybe" release of "Trick 'r' Treat" sometime next year. I'm still sore about not getting to see it. I guess I'll have to keep Halloween in my heart and be satisfied with that till next year.

Photos of the Myers house should be up Saturday afternoon or whenever I decide to rejoin the real world.

Rob Zombie's Halloween-Review

I started watching Rob Zombie's "Halloween" during class but then decided against it because the people behind me where already watching over my shoulder (giving me pointers on solitaire [they thought I was playing freecell]) and because the movie starts off extremely crude and violent in true Zombie fashion. It actually levels off though. I thought the movie was going to be more violent and stomach lurching, but it wasn't. Argento's "Third Mother" is much more violent and graphic than "Halloween 2007." I loved it though. It kept with the spirit that is "Halloween" and added a whole other layer of intrigue and humanity into the characters. I was almost heartbroken at the end in a really odd way.

I've noticed Rob Zombie has really creative ways into how he develops his characters. He uses different devices and characters to help others grow instead of it just being one whole gore fest. For this film, he wanted everyone to feel that it was real. There wasn't that much blood or feats of superhuman strength. The supernatural was kept at bay, but still there in essence. He achieved his goal.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the original better still. The original was much scarier. Not knowing why a person is after you, is frightening. There were more suspenseful moments and eerie scenes. I will never forget the "doorway" scene and the scene where Michael sits up with Laurie Strode unsuspecting. That has been ingrained already. When John Carpenter was involved, the series was golden.

As a criminologist-in-training, I was really surprised at the beginning. Instead of going for the whole, "he's just evil and let's leave it at that" kind of stuff, Zombie brings in Dr. Loomis immediately. You see all the elements that dragged Michael into madness. (Killing small animals at a young age is a warning sign of psychopathy in real life including fire starting and bedwetting.) One of the deleted scenes has Dr. Loomis speaking about "nature v. nurture" theories. It's interesting stuff. To me though, it humanized Michael too much. People don't scare me; Monsters do. I felt pity for the big guy instead of being horrified.

Tyler Mane was great as the adult Myers. Zombie wanted someone who was extremely large and who had screen presence. He definitely choose the right person. At 6'10" Mane is the tallest Michael to date. When he's in the jump suit though, he's proportional. He doesn't look bulky or way too muscled. He didn't change like Jason Voorhees who went from a regular man into this WWF (or whatever it's called now a days) wrestler with beyond superhuman strength.

Other cast members that I loved seeing was Udo Kier, Clint Howard, and Brad Dourif. Malcom McDowell gets an honorable mention because he was almost as brilliant as Donald Pleasence. I wished they had released an extended version of the film with all the deleted scenes. Some were really good. They cut the "Death has come to your little town, Sheriff" scene! That's the line of the franchise! Oh well, I can't complain, too much...

The alternate ending was better, but I understand why they went with the one they did. The alternate was way too emotional. I'm a closet romantic so I wanted him to have a good ending. If you haven't seen it, I won't give it away, but let's just say you'll be rooting for Michael instead of the cops. The original ended violently and abruptly. I liked it, too. It makes you wonder if the whole Myers clan is as fucked up as everyone thinks they are.

Rumors are flying that Zombie is working on a "Halloween 2" and "3." I think he could keep up the good work and do the franchise justice.

To OG

If you subscribe or read Entertainment Weekly, he writes some of the movie reviews. I don't recommend reading his columns either.

Mr. OG,

Please tell me you are not serious about the recent review of "Let the Right One In." Are you so thick headed and dull that you can't catch the subtle inferences? Can you not add 1 and 1 together to make 2? It's a vampire movie, first off. That should help you and explain away a couple of complaints you had. The older man in the film was not Eli's real father of course. He was a mortal man who traveled with her. The reason why he was going off to kill people in the woods? As Eli's keeper, he drains people for her! That would be why he hangs the people upside down and puts buckets underneath them to collect the blood. Oh! That's clever! And why is Oskar so lonely and infatuated with violence? Let's see... Could it be that he is the outcast who is constantly bullied? Couldn't be, could it? And not to mention his father is mostly out of the picture... Hm... what else? The title of the movie you ask? Oh for the love of... Do you not have an inkling of vampire lore and legend?! Any kid who has seen Looney Tunes' Halloween specials can tell you that! You have to invite a vampire into any private home. They can enter against your will but if they do, they're powerless and usually have their blood start pouring out of every orifice. Not a pretty thing to gaze upon as I'm sure you'll agree if you remember that scene from the movie (if you watched it at all).

It's people like you, sir, who are the travesties of Hollywood and contribute to the "dumbing" down of films. When an intelligent film comes along and makes you think, you pass it off as "confusing." If the film is subtitled, it is presumed not worth the time and effort. No wonder common sense is not so common. Your review makes you out to be a xenophobe and a very incompetent writer. At the very least, if you do not know the core subject of a film, the prime example being vampires, do a little research before seeing it. It will help.

~A

5 Days...

I am so excited at the moment. For a horror movie lover like myself, Halloween is the ultimate day. It's the Superbowl equivalent. I have already gotten in really good scares along with being scared to death. My Dad owns a Michael Myers mask so I've been frightened a couple times already. After I did my make-up (see profile photo), I went down and scared my Mum. I had yellow contacts on with my fangs, too.

Now, I've been trying to watch a movie a day or at least get in some horror documentaries just to brush up on my horror smarts. This weekend I thought I was going to have a whole day to just take in all the blood, gore, suspense, and over-kill violence; however, stuff comes up and I'm busy until I'm back at my own place. I did watch two movies.

"Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" was ok, but the change in Myers's mask had me annoyed mostly the whole time. The movie poster is misleading since it has the original Myers in the photo. Danielle Harris plays Jamie, Michael's niece and new victim since Jamie Lee Curtis's character supposedly died in a car crash. We all know this isn't true since they created 7 and 8. The one who again does an excellent role in this franchise is Donald Pleasence as Dr. Loomis, Michael's Nemesis. I can't wait to see the rest of the series to see how his character develops.

The second movie I watched was "Freddy vs. Jason." I have to say this was extremely entertaining and had me laughing at all the dark humor spread across from it. I only jumped once throughout the whole film. Robert Englund reprises his role as Freddy Kruger, the right-knife-handed, burned, child murderer. I really love how the writer included an overview of Freddy's life when he was still alive at the beginning of the movie. I think this is the first time Englund appears as Kruger without the burns and pounds of prosthetics. He's just sick. The premise of the movie is that Elm Street has forgotten about Freddy. Freddy is trapped in Hell and looking for a way out. He finds Jason slumbering and uses him to travel to Elm Street so Jason could kill a couple of the locals in a kind of Freddy fashion. Of course, one of the kids starts to remember Freddy and then dooms the rest of them. It all leads to a huge show down at Camp Crystal Lake (Jason's home field advantage) with Freddy being brought over to the real world. I won't say who "won" the fight, but it is a bit a fluffy moment. The most ridiculous thing in the movie that had me questioning my sanity is when the typical token stoner is smoking a bunt and sees Freddy's worm version enter the room. Freddy pulls out a bong and lights up with the kid before leaving the room. What? Why did that have to be in there? Beats me.

Anyway, I got a couple new movies to get through before Halloween. My DVDs of the last Halloween movies haven't come in yet so I'm hoping they're in by Wednesday... I will be watching "Salem's Lot (1979)," "John Carpenter's Cigarette Burns," "Stuart Gordon's Dreams in the Witch House," and "Frankenstein (1931)."

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

"Poison, Drowning, Claw or Knife...
So Many Ways to Take a Life."


News Flash! Warner Bros. screws up again! Last night the lovely Tasha and I myself were jibbed out of a very good movie, but that didn't really ruin our night. "Trick 'r' Treat" was screening at the Grauman's Chinese Theater (I'm becoming quiet accustomed to that one) but I wasn't able to get on the guest list. [And before anyone starts telling me I spelled "or" wrong, it's supposed to be spelled that way.] Thousands of people showed up supposedly. Well, the problem with the WB is that they are not going to release this film nationwide. They are sending it straight to DVD. I have no clue why when this is the season to be putting these kinds of films on the silver screen! Normally I don't take reviews seriously because I like to judge for myself, but from the clips and trailer of this movie, I think it is perfect for Halloween! Just the trailer alone had me sold on seeing this film anyway I could. I'm really hoping that they at least do a limited release. That would satisfy me.



The film has a strong cast and great stories. Everyone needs a little reminding of what Halloween is about and how it started, every now and then. It appeals to me because it just has classic written all over it. "Sam," the main character pictured above, is going to give me nightmares for sure. Little kids in burlap masks are just plain horrifying.

Dracula (1931)

"To truly die... That must be glorious!" The Count.

Last night my class was more than unbearable. The professor made so many tangents and reviewed topics we've already covered, more than three times... I thought I was going to perish in my seat from shear annoyance. I was sorely tempted to leave at break and make my evening a little more productive; however, attendance is mandatory and I didn't want to have any points taken off my grade. Luckily, I prepared for such a case in advance. At the break I slipped in my DVD of "Dracula" staring Bela Lugosi, clicked on the subtitles, and was alright for the rest of the class. The trick is to look up at the professor from time to time and nod or look slightly curious (too much curiosity and the professor will wonder if you're sick or call on you to ask if you have a problem).

The movie was an excellent pick on my part, if I may say so. Every time Lugosi is on screen, your eyes have to follow him. He radiates seduction and danger. He steals this movie from every actor in it. I think Tod Browning, the director, was also a genius for not showing fangs and bites. Throughout the whole movie you never see anyone actually bitten nor do you see bite marks. I know it wasn't his full intention since it was the 1930s and such things were not seen on screen, but the sexual tension is there in full force! I had to look away from my laptop screen a couple times or I would have blushed in class! The way the actors moved and interacted with each other was stunning. Lugosi could just stand in the forest with his silk cloak over one shoulder and look positively confident and virile.

The movies tries desperately to hold onto the original story but it doesn't quiet make it. It's close but no cigar. If "Dracula" were made according to Bram Stoker's novel, he'd look more like Max Schreck's character from "Nosferatu." There would be no Transylvanian prince.

After I finished watching the film at my apartment, I thought of how sad Bela Lugosi's life was afterwards. He didn't go into obscurity right away. He did land other roles as great villains, but people always cast him in the hopes of seeing Dracula. It was a travesty. He died a drug addict (painkillers) with no money in 1956. Frank Sinatra actually quietly paid for his funeral. Lugosi was buried wearing coat and tails, along with the same silk cloak he wore in Dracula. Vincent Price actually recalls Peter Lorre turning to him at the funeral and saying, "Do you think we should drive a stake through his heart just in case?" This statement shows how prolific Dracula was on Lugosi and even after being dead for more than 30 years, is still immortal in cinema.

"This is only a dream!" Nightmare on Elm Street Review

Sure! It's all in your head, but like Dumbledore said, even if its in your head, does that make it less real?

I can't believe I've been afraid of "Nightmare on Elm Street" for years! I had made my excuses and only watched certain scenes trying to get at least the gist of the film. I did have really bad nightmares when I was little so just the thought of this movie made me weary [that was my own doing since I was reading any kind of horror novel I could get my little hands on]. For 1984, the graphics were excellent (well, except for the extended hand/arm scene, but I forgive that).

The first scenes are perfect and set off the confusion on whether people are dreaming or if they were still awake. The use of an old boiler room was an excellent plot device. That actual place was in the jails in North Hollywood so maybe someday I'll be able to walk down there... The actors were all pretty good except for the guy who played the trademarked "bad boy." He annoyed me throughout the film and I wasn't sad to see him go. Johnny Depp has his first role here and I must say that you could see that spark that he has. The shot of his character death was intense. I'm thinking they had to use some upside down sets in order to make the blood flow across the "ceiling" like that. It was great effect.

Now, I've always loved Robert Englund in his other films. He's just creepy. People would wonder how I would know those films, but not these. I like how Wes Craven, the director, chose to have Freddy be almost mute like the likes of Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees. In the sequels I understand he developes a sense of black humor so I can't wait to see them. I'm even thinking of skipping to "Freddy v. Jason" to see how a child murderer fights with a drowned guy in a hockey mask. Probably tonight I'll work on watching "Nightmare 2" or I'm thinking of "Dracula" with Bela Lugosi. I haven't seen the latter in a long time. Halloween is the best season for movies.

Good Luck.

So I'm posting this early since this is really good news for a certain acquaintance of ours who shall remain nameless. Let's call him C. C hates the internet with a passion since it does not allow him privacy so he has never had a myspace/facebook/any social networking thing or blog and has even barred me from posting photos of himself. Also, he believes it has contributed to the lowered intelligence of humanity, and in a sense he's right.

Anyway, since working for Sundance he's been introduced to numerous people and he's played his cards right. I don't like Sundance as a company myself but if it helps him, good. He's filming at the moment and only letting a little information leak every now and then through another source of mine. My source forgot the name of the movie, but when I hear back from him I'll post it.

He's aiming for a release in the 2010 Sundance Film Festival since the deadline for the 2009 one has already passed. Let's just hope this is his chance through the door and offer the support I'm sure he'll need.

Parasomnia

"There are two things a man always wants... danger and play. So what could be more dangerously playful... than a woman?"-The Villain, Byron Volpe.

Last night I went to the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Traffic had been good so I was in a very good mood from the start. Tourists were milling around outside and taking photos. The usual costumed people were walking around in Halloween themed costumes. I had to crack up when a little person dressed as Chucky came and pretended to stab me when he noticed I hesitated in my walk towards him. He was pretty scary since I stood as tall as my waist.

I have never been inside the theater, but it was nice. I think I still like the set-up of the Arclight better though. In the middle of the lobby they had set up a table where fans were lined up and getting free movie posters. The cast was happily signing each one. I first recognized Dylan Purcell. He's a very young actor with a smile that can rival Efron's. He really was loving the fact so many people were in the lobby to see the movie. I glanced about, taking in everyone in the room. A recognized a man with very long white hair and a beard. He owns a bookstore in Burbank that I've been dying to go to, but haven't had to excuse to drive up to since it's a bit far. Dark Delicacies is a self-proclaimed vampire haven and welcomes all kinds of books about the occult. The owner was a very nice, older gentleman with a wicked sense of humor. I read about them in a "special" encyclopedia I own. I asked him to be sure this was the same man (I'm hardly wrong on faces though) and introduced myself as a future patron. He asked whether I had gotten a poster and autographs and personally came with me to the table. He was on first name bases with the cast and crew.

Dylan signed my poster first and handed it off to Jeffrey Combs. He's a legend in the horror movie genre because of one movie: Re-Animator. Then they handed it off to Patrick Kilpatrick who had just arrived. Now, I have to say Patrick was the nicest of the lot when you got over his physical presence. He's 6'2," very broad shouldered, and fit enough to be a pro-football player.
Now, for me, he was everything how a man should look like. He was also the only one who personalized the poster by asking for my name. Ha! I swear I didn't blush but held my head high and thanked him before moving onto the director. William Malone was in high demand with other writers and horror movie sites making videos. I recognized a couple of the Fangoria people since I've seen them before at the New Beverly. I was tempted to ask them why in holy Hell they didn't hire people who live in California? I bit my tongue and waited until the ushers announced our theater ready.


Patrick Kilpatrick

Right at 6:50pm, they started taking tickets and letting people slowly trickle in. I almost got to sit in VIP because my ticket was silver, but when asked if I was part of the cast, I didn't have the face or urge to "edit" my story. I sat with the plebeians which weren't many in number. It seemed like the cast wanted to get reactions directly from the audience. Purcell sat in the middle. Cherilyn Wilson sat directly across from me. Janet Keijer sat next to me. I recognized other people who wrote from different sites and newspaper. There actually weren't that many genuine curious people such as myself. Everyone seemed to know one another.

William Malone introduced the movie and warned that this was not a final cut.

"It's almost there, but we're still fixing some scenes." Then the movie started.

I really hope this movie finds a distributor because it is very good. The characters were real even though the story could not be possible in reality. Filpatrick's villain, Volpe, was evil. Volpe was a former bookstore owner who specialized in selling anitque and rare editions. He was also a mesmerist. His eyes were as black and cold as his soul. He reminded me of Hannibal Lecter but an even better manipulator since Volpe could force his victims to do anything he wanted. The main character though was Danny (Purcell) who was an art student helping out his friend in rehab. His friend tells him to check out the resident serial killer in the psyche ward and that gets the story running. He sees Volpe in his cell and notices the sleeping girl in the room next to it. The girl, Laura, has been asleep for most of her life. She had never been out of a hospital.

To not give anything else away, the film is full of action and suspense. The characters are real. The CGI is incorporated brilliantly. Laura's dreams are fascinating. The end fits just perfectly. I'd love to see what scenes they'll be incorporating into the final shots. I did see a bit of the rough scenes Malone was talking about.

Anyway, I really liked this film. I wish I got to see more of Kathryn Leigh Scott who played Laura's nurse, but seeing her in something new was a pleasure. Malone is looking for distributor's of the film so we may get to see a theaterical run of it. I surely hope so!

The Mother of Tears-Review (Not for the Squeemish)

Argento's movie, "The Third Mother" is just disturbing and a joy ride through Purgatory and the gates of Hell. Not my favorite of his, but this movie still hit the mark when it came to giallo.

Essentially the movie is about a museum curator assistant, played by Asia Argento (Dario's daughter), who opens a mysterious urn. You can probably guess this urn held the spirit of the Third Mother, the Mother of Tears. I love the shot. Asia's character goes into the other room while the curator is still in the room with the urn. Quickly, probably 2 seconds if that, you see a black figure with a greenish yellow eye. The whole room shakes and then three demons and a monkey (really creepy, seriously) descend upon the poor curator. Now this is the true start of the giallo. The demons disembowel her and choke the rest of the life out of her with her own intestines. A truly gruesome shot. Asia returns to the room but sees the demons and runs. The demons didn't see her but the monkey chases her through the corridors. That damn little monkey is really the scariest live creature in the film. It was brilliant! It was an even better actor than some of the humans in there. It just reeked of evilness with its facial expressions.

Anyway, the rest of the film is about Asia's character running from the witches from all around the world who are coming to see the Third Mother in Rome. With the arrival of the Third Mother, Rome is in a state of chaos. You hear a news anchor say there were over 50 suicides in the city. The next scene cuts to a mother walking with her baby in the stroller on a bridge. The mother picks up her baby and then flings it over. Before you register what you saw, it cuts again to a busy street with people beating each other and destroying cars. It cuts one more time with the Third Mother sitting at a table. A young boy is laid across it, dead. She reaches into his stomach and pulls out an organ and bites into it. I choked.

Rome was a good choice for the setting. The city is beautifully shown along with some of its countryside. Udo Kier, who I mentioned in an earlier blog, plays a priest who is also an exorcist. People possessed lined the courtyard where he lived and he says he's never done as many exorcisms as he's done that day in his whole life. Poor Asia sees one of the possessed attack him with a meat cleaver and mutilate his face before she slits her own throat.

Udo Kier in his last moments in the film.

Really, the whole movie ends in that vein (no pun intended). There were a lot of shocking moments that made me jump and avert my eyes. This movie is not for the squeemish and easily grossed out. Extreme violence is the norm in any giallo film. The only thing I wished for was better CGI and the more surreal look that "Suspiria" had. "Mother" was the most realistic of the three. It didn't convey that feeling like you were in Wonderland with demons and evil people chasing you because they were going to torture you and eat you alive.

I liked this one though. It was a good film to see before Halloween.

Ash v. Freddy v. Jason v. Michael Myers? Bring it on!

This month has bought with it an abundance of new movies along with special releases of classics. Recently I've acquired the first four "Nightmare of Elm Street" films, "La Terza Madre" (The Third Mother) by Dario Argento, and Halloween 4 through 8. I plan to watch every movie until Halloween itself sneaks up on me. I can't believe we're already halfway through the month.

Why all the movies you ask? Why not? Plus, since it is spook season, a lot of places are having deals and major discounts. I bought the "Nightmare" movies for 3 bucks a piece... If that's not a steal, I don't know what is.

I have never seen any of the Freddy movies to their completion. I couldn't. I would always stop at the "boiler" scene or try to continue but be way too freaked out and skittish to watch the rest. There's just something about a monster who can kill you in your dreams or while you're sleeping. It's been years since I've tried to watch it so hopefully I won't be as terrified.

Finally "La Terza Madre" comes out on DVD! It's Argento's latest release and part of his classic "Suspiria" trilogy. If you haven't seen "Suspiria" or "Inferno" you are doing yourself a major disservice. Those movies are what Argento is essentially about. They are giallo. "Suspiria" was so good because of the surreal feeling of the story and gore. The use of vibrant colors and just weird looking sets was reminiscent of "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." Blood was a reddish hot pink that oozed too thickly, but had the brilliant effect of slow motion to make every one's skin crawl. Using a witch as a villain successfully in the film is a major accomplishment in and of itself. Not many (and I don't recall any at the moment) have used the plot of an evil witch effectively. My favorite scene is where the heroine finds the witch. Joan Bennett plays the villain and to hear the profanity coming out of that dainty, elegant, beautiful woman will leave you in awe if you're familiar with her other works. It's like hearing Carol Brunette yelling, "Fuck you!" to the crowd if asked to do the Tarzan yell. I get shivers just thinking about it. I'm going to watch "Madre" tonight so tomorrow look for the review.

Halloween can't be Halloween without watching John Carpenter's classic film at least a dozen times. I've seen it four times in the past week. I watched the second one again the other night. I ordered 4-8 and plan to see those once they come in. What about 3? "Halloween 3:Season of the Witch" is not a Halloween movie!! Even on DirectTV they show it in the guide as "Season of the Witch" sometimes. Michael Myers is not in the movie so forget about it. It never should have lived. Of the movies I ordered, I've only seen H2O (Halloween 7) and bits of "Resurrection" (8). The others I will spend a whole day on my parent's 46' getting the best sense of Myers that I can.

In other news, I just saw that studios are thinking of another "X-Files" film (please, do it justice this time) and "Die Hard." Let poor John McClain retire! Die Hard 4 was ok, but it didn't have any of the grittiness of the first and best film. If they do a 5, I say cast Alan Rickman as the bad guy and just give him a new name and a new edge. He'd rake in the crowds while making the ultimate villains list again. Leave him as an older, silver haired villain. He's gorgeous just like that.

Ok, I'll stop blabbing.

Everyone knows Udo Kier...

Again another random writing exercise to not be bored so bare with me. I promise I'll have something substantial in the next few posts which I'll explain below.

First off schedule for the rest week: class, work, class, discussion, debates, more work, and then fun stuff. Fun stuff consists of seeing friends who live out of state as well as me going to a place I've never been before but have been there a hundred times. On Friday night I'll be going to the Grauman's Chinese Theater to see "Parasomnia." I've been to the theater a million times but have never watched a movie in there. I almost did over the summer, but well, due to time restraints and not getting a sacred black bracelet... It still hurts to think about. Anyway, I'll be busy in a good way.

These past couple days have been horrible! My poor car is in the shop again for more replacements. This time the throttle cable broke (which hardly ever happens but I hit the one in a million chance). Then after picking up my car, my axle broke. I wasn't a happy camper. It's 13 years old with over 217K miles on it so I can't be too mad at it. It has been a really good car. I'll probably tear up when I sell it or watch it go to the big parking lot in the sky.

Also, two midterms in one day should be illegal. That's all I'm saying.

The reason why I mention Udo Kier in my title because it's true (and also it was his birthday yesterday). Everyone has seen this man in hundreds of movies but really don't know his name. He usually plays extremely intelligent, sinister, scary characters. In the first "Blade" he's the vampire who gets his fangs pulled out and zapped by the rising sun. He played in Rob Zombie's "Halloween." He's done a cameo in Quentin Taratino's grindhouse (look for him in the "Werewolves of the SS" trailer). Any really weird, scary, thriller he's probably in it. Hell, you just have to look at the man to know he's awesome.

Debate and Challenge

Damn it! I'm missing the debate. Again. This is the only reason why I hate night classes; I miss all the good programming. I have seen the first debate thanks to the power of tivo, but I still have to see the VP one.

My assessment of this whole crazy situation: Both are spouting the same rhetoric that their political parties stand for, though McCain does uphold economic regulation which most of the Republicans are against. Change? I don't see it. Let's face it, people, "change" has as much meaning as "family values" in the political arena. No one can define those terms. They are abstract concepts. You're a fool if you think change will come in the form of a politician. They're almost as useful as lawyers, but are certainly easier to buy.

Another thing: Celebrities need to stay out of the political arena. Let the grown-ups take care of business, guys. It always amazes me that people will actually listen to celebrities whose lives are in total disarray and have no concept of normal hardships. Yeah, they might have at one time, but they don't anymore. Actors are narcissists who use the world as their stage. They wouldn't be famous if they didn't have that drive to be the best or the charisma to charm their way into the business. Don't be a sheep.

So here's my challenge, tell me why your candidate should win, Obama, McCain, hell even Ralph Nader if you're so inclined. Here's the tricky part... Explain the policies and don't give me short-shit answers like "Just Because" or "He's awesome." That just shows how mature you are and proves my dog, Penelope, has more intelligence.

[Whew, the passion is addicting...]

"That sly come hither stare...

...that strips my conscience bare. It's witchcraft."-Frank Sinatra

Well, folks, it's been a stressful past week and it doesn't look like this week will be any better. School has always been a stressor for me, but I think I'll have all that settled tomorrow morning. I really hate the bureaucracy of the University infrastructure. It's ultimate goal isn't to create bright minds of America's future. It's money, people! Professors don't care about students or what they'll do in their lives. I've only met 3 professors that have pulled their neck out for students, 2 whom I still talk to from time to time or recieve emails from. I'm dying to get out of school and actually have a life. There's not even anything interesting in Irvine (and if there is, it's very expensive and not worth it).

Lake Forest and Mission Viejo are a little better. I rent a room now from one of my co-workers during the week. I'm hardly there except to sleep and maybe catch the news at night. Lake Forest had some hidden gems. There's a man-made lake a couple miles north of me. The metrolink station for that area is only separated by a brick wall from my neighborhood. There's wild trails along the roads and small forests. All the shops, malls, grocery stores are closer. It's quaint and quiet, totally different from living on campus. Also, I've lived near airports my whole life, so I love how I can hear the planes and helicopters landing at the base northwest of my place. I didn't know it was there until I did a Google map. Now I know why my windows shake as I hear them landing.

Haha, I almost went to see Neil Diamond. I like Neil, don't get me wrong. I just don't like when people try to turn fun events into serious dates. I wonder why my generation is so serious about relationships? I mean, I'm only 21. I want to live first before I get attached to someone. I don't want to worry about people getting jealous or having to explain myself on who I talk to or where I go. I refuse. I'm not ready to settle-down. That phrase leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Let me clarify here, I'm not anti-boyfriend or don't think down of people who are ready for that next big step. If you're ready, good for you and I wish you all the happiness in the world. Just don't tell me to settle. I'll probably chew you out if you even start to try. Believe me, I've done it before. I hate when people ask why I do not have a boyfriend, as if it's some sort of moral deficiency. Frankly, it's an insult to independent women. It's the whole "Bachelor vs. Spinster" way of thinking.

Ok, enough ranting for now. Interesting, sad fact of the day: If you make over $150,000 a year, you are considered in the top 5 or 10% of wealthy Americans. When I start working I'll automatically be in the top 25%. That is extremely sad considering 150k is not really that much compared to the super-wealthy.

The End of DB or how Fox is putting out another crappy movie.

AH! First let me get this out of my system. Fox (insert whole body shutter) is making the live action version of "Dragonball." As a child of the 90s I watched DB in both English and Spanish. My Mum watched the anime in Spanish with me and still knows most of the characters. I have episodes on both VHS and DVD. I was hooked on DBZ and watched it religiously after school or practice. I found the movies and watched those. Cartoon Network was kind of late on bringing over DB GT so I didn't get to watch it there, but thanks to the internet, I watched the English dubbed verisions or read up on episode summaries.

I found out Fox wanted to do a live action movie about 6 or 7 years ago. Yes, it has been that long. I was stoked. After not hearing any news for about a year, my ethusiasm faded and I moved on to the next obsession.

Just recently photos and now a teaser trailer have appeared on the net. Not pleased at all on how they look. The casting in my opinion is crap. Goku is suppose to be like 7, not 25, and a chunky kid. He doesn't get ripped until he's an adult. Oh, and since Goku isn't human, he has a tail. Saiyans have tails people! They're were-monkey's during the full moon! I think I cracked up so hard the first time I saw Goku transform. Monkeys are so fierce, right?

The number one reason this movie will suck: If the rumor is true, Goku goes Super-Saiyan. No. No. NO! Wrong series, wrong timeline, just plain wrong! I would rather this movie not be made, than made like this.

October!

Happy October! I love this month so much. All of my favorite movies are played, and played often. There is a coolness to the night air that forewarns of winter (or as much a winter as we can get here in Southern California).


October is all about the night life, both real and imagined. Don't you feel the hairs at the back of your neck stand on end when walking down a dark path? Don't you feel that shiver that makes your skin crawl when you're alone but you hear a creak or even a door close? Don't you think twice about walking by the man in flannel wearing a low slung baseball cap? This month is all about fear, mischieviousness, pranks, horror and terror. Even the most hardened person quakes at the unknown terror waiting for them at the end of a dark corridor. Fear grips the heart and doesn't hestitate to whisper in your ear of all the creatures waiting for you...


So here are some survival tips.


Ignore that scratching at your window. Tis' nothing but the sharp claws of a vampire requesting entrance. He/She cannot come in and if they do, are stipped of their power. Ignore that creaky floorboard. It's only Michael trying to find his way home to Haddenfield. Camping isn't wise especially if you are invited out to Camp Crystal Lake. Head towards 1313 Mockingbird Lane instead of Elm Street if you want milder nightmares. Kindly turn down gifts of dolls. Pentagrams are good to use when you know a werewolf and don't have the heart to get rid of him/her... in all other cases, silver is your best friend. Never, NEVER, go investigate a noise coming from total darkness. Don't be stupid so use the front door!

Ok, I hope I at least made people a little nostalgic. If you don't know any of the references above, your horror movie knowledge is lacking! I went last night and bought a couple movies from the best store ever, DVD Planet, so I need to get on those. I heard "Phantom of the Opera" by Dario Argento isn't his close to his best, but a good view. I did watch "Evil Dead II" with friends at our weekly movie night. Bruce Cambell is always a pleasure. I also bought "The Howling" which I've actually seen parts from. I wanted to get the sequel, but I held off. Christopher Lee stars in that one.

More to come soon!!