Friday, December 30, 2011

Happy New Year's! (almost.).... until then, listen to the new episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour'....!

The 12th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages! It's a Christmas special just for you!

This is the last episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' before the new year. I celebrate with some terrible flavors of ice cream, a brief talk on moderation, some fun facts to share with friends and family and the reality of a zombie/virus outbreak. It's the show you never knew you wanted. ENJOY!

Songs played:

1) Holiday by The Get Up Kids

2) Sleeping With Ghosts by Guri Hansdttir

3) The Double Life by Rainer Maria

4) I Wanna Be Your Johnny Depp by Testosterone

5) Sideways Forest Ever 1996 by Love Spirals Downwards

6) Auld Lang Syne by Rockosaurus Rex

Friday, December 23, 2011

It's Christmas, let's listen to 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour'....! Get the family around the iPod and grab the cocoa.

The 11th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages! It's a Christmas special just for you!

Obviously, this episode has a theme, but don't let that keep you from listening. It's still the same old Joel goodness, but with a little added holiday cheer! Things I talk about this week: my favorite Christmas presents ever, the top 5 zombie gifts I'd love to receive, the truth about Santa and holiday traditions. It's an early present from me to you. See you next year.... (actually, just before then) ENJOY!

Songs played:

1) Jingle Bells by Skid Row

2) Jingle Bell Rock by Nelson

3) Santa Clause Is Coming To Town by Dokken

4) Blue Christmas by Tom Keiffer of Cinderella

5) I'll Be Home For Christmas by Twisted Sister featuring Lita Ford

6) Gimmie Stuff (For Chistmas) by Rappy McRapperson

Sunday, December 18, 2011

my very brief thoughts on.... 'Mask Maker: Meet Your Maker' aka 'Maskerade'

I'm going to keep this short, as I really want to get something up here besides my podcast updates and 'Gregory' promotions. I actually saw this movie several weeks ago and I have to say, I wasn't impressed. People said it was similar to 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' and I can see why. I still had hopes for it, after a somewhat promising bit of the movie happened. Sadly, nothing ever got better and once the "Mask Maker" made a skin mask.... I lost all interest. the mask was probably realistic, if you were to skin a mans face off perfectly and wear it. But, I have to say that I doubt anyone could do that. It's where the comparison to 'TCM' comes in. The big difference is that in 'TCM', the FX guys realized that a perfect looking skin mask wasn't possible. Instead, Leatherface sews one together in pieces and it's far more interesting to look at and more realistic. This movies mask was just plain dull and uninspired. Which kind of defines the rest of the movie as well.

All in all, I give it 2 out of 5 stars for putting forth a little effort. I just hope that they don't make a sequel and I recommend that you don't bother watching it. Even on a rainy day, when you have nothing else to do. Garbage.

If you want to see the movie it's trying to mimic, rent any of the 'TCM' movies.... and I mean ANY of them. They're all better than this.

Friday, December 16, 2011

it's not disgusting, really....! 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is back for another week of "fake" talk radio....

The 10th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages!

This week, is a laid back kind of week. We're almost to Christmas and the super spectacular holiday episode! In the meantime, I talk about a conversation with an old friend, the books I'd love to write, 6 things guys want women to know and why I think zombies eat flesh. It's a jam packed show, but a fun show none the less. Grab your fork and dig in! ENJOY!

Songs played:

1) Summer Is Gone by Pensive

2) What To Do With Michael by The Candy Butchers

3) Buried A Lie by Senses Fail

4) Spread Legs Not Lies by The Blackout

5) For The Summer by Lokata

6) Really Really Happy by The Muffs

Friday, December 9, 2011

The photo dictates the title, it's that simple.... here's episode 9 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour'....! I hope you're hungry.

The 9th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages!

Another week, another problem. It seems that if it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all! This week: I tell all about my lovely car accident and other problems in 2 parts and then give you a list of zombie movies you might want to give a second look. It's a big show folks. ENJOY!

Songs played:

1) In A Long Time by 46 Bliss

2) Red Light Pledge (acoustic) by Silverstein

3) Make Me Hate You by Joanna Burns

4) You Can Never Hold Back Spring by Tom Waits

5) I Like What You Say by Nada Surf

6) I'm So Sick by Airbomb

------------

Movies mentioned:

1) Land of the Dead

2) Diary of the Dead

3) Survival of the Dead

4) Flight of the Living Dead

5) Dead Meat

6) Resident Evil

7) Resident Evil: Apocalypse

8) Resident Evil: Extinction

9) Resident Evil: Afterlife

10) Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things

Saturday, December 3, 2011

does the show title mean anything....? not really.... but it's fun anyway....! ep 8 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is done and done.

The 8th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages!

This weeks show is capped with a sad finish, but the rest of it is just like normal. This weeks topics cover a listener question from Lenny about Chicago vs. everywhere else, what makes a song a good song? and what's going on with running zombies vs. slow zombies? It's a longer than normal show and you'll understand once you hear it. Plus, there's a big announcement! Get ready for some ear candy kids ENJOY!

Songs played:

1) I Want To Be Wrong by No Use For A Name

2) Octopus by Vagina Waterpark

3) Brown Sweater by Truth In Fiction

4) Pressure by Paramore

5) Jailbait Judgement by A Step Behind

6) One Day At A Time by Muck Sticky

Friday, December 2, 2011

When life gives you lemons....

When this last week started, I didn't expect it to end the way it did. I can only figure that it was bound to happen, when everything else had been going so well.

At the start of the week, I got a letter from Unemployment that my benefits were being stopped. I called the office the next day and after waiting on hold for 2 hours, I was told that due to an error.... I would not be getting benefits until I filed a new claim. I was told it would take up to 6 weeks before I would get any more money. Sadly, I have no interviews scheduled and no jobs on the horizon. So with no pre-planning, we're screwed. Christmas is 3 weeks away-ish and we don't know quite what to do. Rent and living expenses are first, but our kids and possible presents are second. Amy got some stuff for them before we found out, hopefully we won't have to return them for money. It all depends on if we can come up with stuff to cover things first. but it doesn't stop there. Tonight, after Amy got home from her part-time job, we heard a large crash outside. We go out and find that our car has been hit from behind and totalled. We have no usable vehicle and were ticketed on top of that! We were parked and the other gentleman was driving and hit a slick spot. He was a really nice guy and I feel bad for him and his situation. All in all, it's just another kick in the ass. I am hoping the insurance for the other guy covers all the costs, but with our luck.... I am guessing something will go wrong.

We are trying to keep a positive attitude and hoping for the best. You can see where we'd be skeptical right now. We try and do good and pay things forward, but in this world that just doesn't seem like it means as much as it used to. That would never stop me from doing the right things though. Just keep hoping for the best or even just a little bit better and I'll keep keeping on.

(NOTE TO THE READER: I find it ironic that the post I wrote earlier tonight was for the movie, 'Wrecked'.... which was about a car accident. Odd.)

my brief thoughts on.... 'Wrecked' (2010)

I like survival movies. 1 person against all the odds and very little chance for survival. With these types of movies, you truly never know until the end, if the hero will survive or not.... and there is a chance they won't. I like not knowing the outcome and I like seeing people get creative. That's why I love zombie movies so much. They're the ultimate survival movies. 'Wrecked' is in that category and had all the earmarks of a good survival movie. The problem with it was that I didn't really care too much about who he actually was. In order to spend about 2 hours with someone, you'd better make them likeable or at least pick a very likeable actor. Adrian Brody is a good actor and one that I am usually happy with, but he wasn't really right for this role in my opinion. But the biggest problem with 'Wrecked'? The ending. The answer to the question of who Adrian Brody was and the last 2 minutes, were lame. The last 60 seconds before the credits rolled, pretty much destroyed the rest of the movie. I am not sure why the director and writer chose to put one final clip into the movie, but they did. I guess that maybe they did it since the movie is kind of being pieced together and it was a missing part of the puzzle? But it didn't make a whole lot of sense in it's placement. If the story was in reverse, perhaps. (it wasn't) It was jarring and not needed. It just makes me upset to think about it. I, however, haven't thrown the baby out with the bathwater. I still found good things about this movie.

First, here's the plot: (taken from IMDB.com) "A man awakens in a mangled car-wreck at the bottom of a steep cliff. Injured and trapped inside, with no memory of how he got there or who he is, he must rely on his most primal instincts to survive. But as he attempts to free himself from the carnage and escape an impossible situation, a darker side is revealed. Even if he manages to survive, the man may have to face the horrible consequences of an earlier, forgotten life." That is basically the plot. There is some other things going on that are kind of confusing at first, but get explained later in the story. There is very little dialogue and most of the movie is centered on Adrian just trying to get away from the wreck. Anyway....What have we learned so far? The movie doesn't have a likeable lead character. (not Mr. Brody's fault) The ending is terrible. It felt like an hour and a half wasted. What else is there to say? Well....

It started out really well. I was engaged and very curious what happened to the main character. He was trapped in a car in the middle of a forest and you could feel his claustrophobia. I could put myself in his place. It's one thing to be stuck in the middle of nowhere or to be injured there, but to also not even have a remote chance of helping yourself try.... is frightening. He could barely move, let alone go anywhere. Once he finally escaped the car, that's when things got even more difficult. The man had a broken leg-something and there wasn't anyone nearby to hear him yell. He also is being visited, regularly, by a hungry mountain lion. The tension and hopelessness in the story are very tangible. It's just that once the hallucinations and back story start to unfold, I really began to lose interest. It almost would have been more effective to just leave it up to the viewers to figure things out. The man finds clues all along his way towards rescue and each one of them leads you to believe something different. I don't know if it would have worked better my way, but I think I would be writing a better review if it had been done that way. And not just because it's my way.

I have seriously debated how much the ending tainted my thoughts on the overall piece. As of right now, I have come to the conclusion that it pretty much ruined it for me. I'm going to give it 2 out of 5 stars and I think that's fair. I really wanted to like it from the get-go and I tried to keep my interest throughout the entire thing. There just wasn't enough content in this movie to make it what it really should have been, a great film. Adrian Brody did the best with what he had and the only other real characters were his dog, the mountain lion and the phantom lady. They also did the best with what they had. That's really all I can say about this movie. It's OnDemand right now from Netflix, so if you're really bored and want to see if I'm right.... check it out. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Right? Perhaps.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Hey KIDS! Guess who's started a second blog....? me.

Hello faithful readers. This is a heads up to a new blog I've been putting together and finally have announced today! It's actually a work in progess, something I've been doing for 10 years now. It's a permenant home for my online comic strip, 'Gregory: the really angry robot'. I started it back in 2001, on accident, and now it's over a 100 issues long. (not including spin-offs.) I have debated about coming back to it again, but recently felt inspired and have been working on it steadily since then. The project took shape in October and now that I've completed the site, I've already finished making 5 more issues. I plan on the first new issue to be released on December 14th, 2011. I do recommend that before you read the new issue, that you go back to the beginning and read from number 1 forward. There are issues that are tied together and a lot of characters that make mroe sense if you see there progression. The site is located at: http://gregoryrobot.blogspot.com/. Check it out and if you like it, sign up for the page and leave comments about issues you dig or things you might want to see or just general thoughts. That's it. That's my BIG news. I'm excited about it and happy to see Gregory back in the limelight. He's a special part of my life and now maybe he can be a special part of yours. (and yes, that's me as a character in the comic.... I'm still not sure how that happened.) ENJOY!

Friday, November 25, 2011

just in time for the Thanksgiving hangover....! episode 7 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour'.... and this one is a feast for the ears.

The 7th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages!

Last weeks episode wasn't the highlight of my podcasting career, but it got my feet wet and back in the game. This week is a different story. With a listener suggested topic, Thanksgiving chatter and a zombie finale.... all things are back to normal. All the music this week is tied together by a common thread. The main focus is on the new album coming from Superpowerless, but the other band played, with (basically) the same members, is Tetrastar. Therefore, all the music comes from one band or the other. It's sweeeeeet. Listed below are the songs played AND the list of movies I talked about, in case you wanted to check any of them out. Be warned.... they're not very good. Either way, ENJOY!

Songs played:

1) Such Great Heights by Tetrastar

2) Dark Knight by Superpowerless

3) Monsters by Superpowerless

4) Stomp This City by Superpowerless

5) Tragic But Magic by Superpowerless

6) Handlebars by Tetrastar

------------

Movies mentioned:

1) Die! You Zombie Bastards!

2) Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!

3) Zombie 5: Killing Birds

4) City of the Living Dead

5) Zombie Nightmare (MST3K)

6) Biker Zombies

7) Chopper Chicks in Zombietown

8) Severed: Forest of the Dead

9) DIEner (Get it?)

10) Death Valley: The Revenge of Bloody Bill

11) Hell of the Living Dead

12) Night of the Living Dead 3D

13) House of the Dead

14) House of the Dead 2

15) I Drink Your Blood

16) Children of the Living Dead (Tom Savini)

17) Dead and Buried

18) The Beyond

19) Pontypool

20) City of the Walking Dead aka Nightmare City

Not exactly zombies, but horrible none the less:

1) Mulberry St

2) The Crazies (1973)

Thursday, November 17, 2011

well, i'm back....! it's not the best show, but here we go: ep 6 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour'....!

The 6th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages!

After a two week-ish hiatus, I'm back again and ready to podcast. This isn't my best work, but I needed to get a show out there to let you know that I'm still around and still wanting to bring you new music. This week, I talk about my move from Colorado to Illinois. I also decided to feature the music of Shining Through. This one is fast and loose, so be ready for a very very laid back show. Or a big pile of crap? I haven't decided yet. ENJOY!

Songs played:

1) Circles For Miles by Shining Through

2) Neurons by Shining Through

3) Pills In Your Pocket by Shining Through

4) San Diego Summer by Shining Through

5) White Flag by Shining Through

6) Veronica Hates Me by Screeching Weasel

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

my very brief thoughts on.... 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A Family Portrait'

"The most accurate explanation of what really happened." - Gunnar 'Leatherface' Hansen

That's the quote on the movie poster for this documentary. If you've read anything about this horror film, then you probably already know all of the stories.... like the infamous dinner scene. But this was made in 1988 and if you've not an uber-fan of the film, then this was all new info back then. This is shot all on a higher quality VHS, so don't expect too much in that department. That doesn't mean that this isn't worth a watch. It's really made for the die hard fans though. I don't know if anyone who wasn't really into this film would be interested enough to watch the whole thing.... it's pretty dry. There are a few clips from the original film and a little bit of new footage and behind the scenes photos to keep your interest peaked. I found it kind of neat to hear the background story from the actors themselves. It also put a personality behind the characters and a reason why they played the characters they way they did. Some of them were more likable than others. (see: Edwin Neal 'The Hitchhiker')

The purpose of this documentary, is to allow 4 of the leading actors in it to tell the behind the scenes story of the making of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. It features Edwin Neal 'The Hitchhiker', John Dugan 'Grandpa', Jim Siedow 'Old Man/Drayton Sawyer' and Gunnar Hansen 'Leatherface'. They each have a unique persepctive on what happened and the entire film making process. While it would have been nice to include Tobe Hooper, the director of the film, and Marilyn Burns 'Sally Hardesty'.... it ended up still being pretty comprehensive without them.I'm not the biggest fan in the world of the TCM franchise, however.... I own all but the third one and have seen them several times. I can see it's place in the horror film lexicon and enjoy them for what they are. This film is considered a cult classic and has some fans who are beyond fanatical about this. It has since spawned a remake and a prequel and tons and tons of merchandise. It's a very difficult film to watch and one that any horror fan should see. Once you've seen it, then check out this documentary. I give it 2 out of 5 stars. It's low budget and lack of excitement is a huge setback for this documentary. For something that's covering a fan favorite horror film and documenting everything that went on, there just isn't much.... joy? (is that the right word?) I don't know, I just wanted a little more from this.

If you haven't seen the original film, I recommend: 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (1974), 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2' and 'Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3'

(I couldn't find a trailer for this, so I put this link to the entire documentary. It's also available OnDemand from Netflix, if you prefer.)

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

my thoughts on.... 'Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings'

Direct to DVD doesn't always mean a movie is going to be terrible, but more often than not.... it does. I don't know why they keep making these movies and I don't know why I keep watching them. The 2nd one was fun, I didn't like the first one and part 3 was terrible. This one, I was hoping would be more like number 2. However, as I started hearing more about it, I began to lose hope. Especially when I heard it was a prequel. Funny thing is, it starts out back in the 70's and tells about how the inbred mutants started, but then it fast forwards to 2003. Why 2003? Because it is the same year the first one takes place. That's what I've read anyway. I don't know enough about the 'Wrong Turn' timeline to dispute it. All I know is that no matter when it took place, this movie just didn't hold water. It was basically a movie for the sake of making a movie. Trying to cash in on a slowly dying franchise. We've all seen enough inbred mutant movies over the years, why make another one that is so similar to all the rest? I think the only thing that sets this apart from other slasher movies is the fact that it takes place in the winter, in the snow. That's not totally original, but it's used well in this movie. It serves as a way to keep the college kids trapped, while the inbred mutants are after them to kill them.

The plot, from Wiki: "The film opens in 1974 at the Glenville Sanatorium with Dr. Ryan (Arne McPherson) showing a local psychiatrist Dr. Ann McQuaid (Kristen Harris) around the psychiatric hospital. The cannibals from the previous films-One Eye, Three Finger, and Saw Tooth now are locked up in the institution as children. But the cannibals escapes and sets other insane patient free in the hospital. Then cannibals savagely murder an orderly, Guard, Dr. Ryan and Dr. McQuaid. The film then switches to present day where a group of college kids, Kenia (Jennifer Pudavick), lesbian couple Sara (Tenika Davis) and Bridget (Kaitlyn Wong), Lauren (Ali Tataryn), Jenna (Terra Vnesa), and Claire (Samantha Kendrick), along with their guy friends Kyle (Victor Zinck), Vincent (Sean Skene) and Daniel (Dean Armstrong) are going snowmobiling. They are heading to their friend Porter's cabin in the mountains. They get lost in a storm and seek refuge inside the now abandoned Glenville Sanatorium. Little do they know, the three now adult cannibals are hiding out in the sanatorium and murdering trespassers."

In hindsight, I was involved in the story for almost the entire movie. Despite how bad it was, I still wanted to see what happened. But when the big snowmobile chase ensued at the end and something awful occured that killed the two heroines in the movie.... I gave up. It was so stupid and impossible. It wasn't even fun. Perhaps if I was drunk and with friends? Even then, I still kind of doubt that I would've enjoyed myself. You just have to see it to believe it. I shouldn't complain too much though, it was a sequel to a movie that I really didn't like in the first place.

This is a 3 out of 5 star attempt. It was better than 3, but not better than 2 and not better than the first one. If you're a fan of the 'Wrong Turn' movies, then you should probably see this one too. If you're not a fan or haven't seen any of the other ones, there is no point in wasting your time on this one. There are so many other better movies in this sub-genre. That's all I have to say about that.

Perhaps, watch the other ones? I don't know. I'm at a loss here.

my very brief thoughts on.... 'Demons 2' aka 'Dèmoni 2: L'incubo ritorna'

I am going to keep this short, as this movie doesn't deserve many words.

I enjoyed the first 'Demons'. It was a fun little addition to the zombie sub-genre. That is the only reason I decided to watch this.... that and I enjoy Asia Argento's work. (I didn't realize she was only like 11 years old in this movie.) Anyway, this was terrible. I got so incredibly bored by the end that I didn't care about anyone in it. I didn't care who lived or who died. This gets 1 out of 5 stars. A sequel that never should have been made.

Instead of wasting an hour and a half on this, watch the original 'Demons' instead.

my very brief thoughts on.... 'Zombie Apocalypse' (2011)

Ving Rhames has become the 'go-to guy' for zombie movies lately. Sadly, his choice in movies has been getting worse and worse. I'm all for him starring in zombie kill fests, but this one was pretty horrible. Also, Taryn Manning.... nuff' said. Ick. Anyway, I'm going to handle this review a little different than my other ones. The reason? As I was watching this, I was taking notes. I don't ever do that with movies, as it distracts me from the plot. This one, is an exception. Probably because it was a SyFy original. Onward to the 'review':

1) The takes place 6 months after a zombie outbreak. 6 months later, everything is STILL on fire. Buildings are burning. Wouldn't that only last for the initial outbreak, as all hell was breaking loose? Terrible.

2) I already mentioned this, but Ving Rhames in another zombie flick that makes 3 now.

3) If you've seen enough zombie films, you know that they rarely use the term 'zombie'. Like in 'The Walking Dead' TV series, they call them 'walkers'. That has a nice ring to it and describes them perfectly. In this movie, they call the walking dead 'zombies' constantly. It sounds weird, all of them calling them zombies.... it really sounds strange. If you've never seen it done, check this out just for that. It's distracting.

4) One of the things about this movie that was worth the time to watch it was the explanation of why some zombies are fast and some are slow. The newer the zombie, the faster it is, the older it is.... the slower it is. It makes perfect sense and makes both zombies a reality in this movie. This isn't the first time this explanation has been used, but I think it's the first time I've seen it explained in an actual zombie movie.

5) In a stranger moment, one of the actors threw an ice skate into a zombies head! HA! Terrible.

6) All in all, I was okay with this movie.... until.... the ZOMBIE TIGER....?!?! What the hell was that about? I don't know what kind of crap they were smoking when they wrote that part. I don't know who thought that was a good idea. It is just the dumbest thing I think I've ever seen in a movie like this. Well, maybe not the dumbest, but pretty close. It makes the zombie vs. shark sequence in 'Zombi' look cool! (see the image below for verification of the scene.)I gave this a final rating of 2 out of 5 stars. It isn't the worst zombie movie I've ever seen, but it's still pretty terrible. For a SyFy movie, it's better than most of the ones they crank out. If you're home sick on a rainy day and it's one.... maybe take the time to watch it. Just close your eyes whenever Taryn Manning is on the screen. She has some serious anti-charisma. That is all!

Something better to watch with Ving Rhames vs. zombies?: 'Dawn of the Dead' (2004), 'Day of the Dead' (2008) and 'The Tournament' (2009) (not a zombie movie, but a damn cool flick that you should really watch!)

my very brief thoughts on.... 'Return of the Living Dead 4: Necropolis' and 'Return of the Living Dead 5: Rave To The Grave'

When, New Zealand born, Ellory Elkayem made the cult classic 'Eight Legged Freaks'.... he showed potential. What followed, was three crap-tacular failures. These are two of them. Now, 'Return of the Living Dead' 1 through 3 are all pretty good movies. They aren't going to re-invent the zombie genre, but they're entertaining and pretty fun. Part 1 is by far the best. Part 2 uses some of the same actors, but doesn't quite have the same charm. Part 3, goes in a different direction and for some reason it still works. Perhaps it's because it was directed by Brian Yuzna? Perhaps. But when I heard they were making 2 more back to back sequels, I had my doubts. I had good reason to doubt them, these movies are awful. They are boring to watch and the little bit of action in them, is slow paced and not very exciting. I don't feel that they're even part of the franchise. Ah well....

In 'Necropolis', zombies come back due to an accident with the Trioxin containers. Sound familiar? It's what happened in the past movies. In 'Rave to the Grave', it happens a 5th time! At this point, the storyline is a bit tired and over done. I'm not sure why they couldn't come up with something new or original, kind of like the plot in part 3. It's like Ellory Elkayem just made them to use the name.I don't know how many of you have seen the original movies. In them, they re-use some of the same actors and oddly enough.... it works. They don't play the same characters and that makes it that much stranger.... but again, it works. In parts 4 and 5, they try the same thing. They actually use almost the entire same cast for both movies. It is confusing, pointless and a terrible pseudo-tribute to the originals. Also, the zombies still chant "Brains!" throughout the whole movie, but there is no satire or any type of comedy. That's a bit of what the charm was in the first 3. They injected a little bit of humor every so often, to break things up. It worked really well and carried the movies. Also, the zombies in part 4 are all dressed the same(they're test subjects) and it's distracting. (I'm nitpicking now.)

Anyway, both of these are 2 out of 5 star, at best. I don't need to see them again and I'm still wondering why I watched the 5th after finishing the 4th. They're on Comcast OnDemand right now, if you're brave enough to watch them. I strongly advise against it, even for the die hard zombie fans. Stay away and maybe watch the first 3 again, instead.

What to watch instead: 'Return of the Living Dead', 'Return of the Living Dead part 2' and 'Return of the Living Dead 3'

(the trailer for 'Return of the Living Dead 4: Necropolis')

(the trailer for 'Return of the Living Dead 5: Rave to the Grave')

Friday, October 28, 2011

Halloween, early....? Yup.... ep 5 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is your treat, instead of trick....!

The 5th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages! Make sure you download the new episode of The Tikigeeks, also. I make a guest appearance and spend almost the whole show talking about movies for Halloween. It's available through iTunes and http://www.javakat.com/wp/.

This week is the Halloween show. My favorite holiday and hopefully your favorite show. I spend my hour talking about costumes, candy and the best movies to watch on Halloween night. Who needs to go house to house begging for candy, when you've got this to enjoy?

To listen to the show right now, there's an embedded player just below this post. That's if you don't want to download it to your MP3 player. Anyway.... ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) Zombie I by Calabrese

2) Zombie Girl by The Quintessentials

3) Halloween by Fishing For Comets

4) Zombie Movie by Never So True

5) I F#$ked A Zombie by The Mutilators

6) Halloween Is Awesome by Gemini Dragon

Saturday, October 22, 2011

my thoughts on.... 'Satan's Little Helper'

Every year, when Halloween rolls around, there's always a question of what films to watch? Well, I have a new one to add to the mix now.... thanks to Brian. (Thank you!) It's a little film that slid by under the rader, but that Netflix kept trying to get me to watch. Finally, I did. The film is called 'Satan's Little Helper' and it's a diamond in the rough. It's something unique, special and fun. It's the perfect little add on to your regular Halloween viewing. It feels like Halloween, takes place on Halloween and has a lot good going for it. It's written and directed by the cult director, Jeff Lieberman. He's not got a huge cinematic history, but he's got a name that's known for what little he's done. He made a movie about killer earthworms! It stars a little boy who only did one other movie, Alexander Brickel. Granted, he's annoying as hell, but he fits in this role perfectly. It was the part he was born to play. I mean, the whole film is kind of surreal or hyper-realistic and he just adds another level to that. It's not really gory or violent, it's just quirky and odd.

The plot revolves around a little boy named, Douglas who is obsessed with a video game called 'Satan's Little Helper'. His mom, played by Amanda Plummer, thinks this game is an okay past time for her son and encourages him to dress up as the main character of the game for Halloween. He wears the costume non-stop. It basically consists of a Satan costume with a little badge around his neck that says, 'Satan's Little Helper'. The game is kind of like 'Grand Theft Auto', without the car and with Satan and a lot of death. As Douglas is running around the neighborhood, he sees a strange man dressed like Satan. This strange man is killing people in the neighborhood and leaving them out in the front yard like a piece of Halloween decorations. Douglas convinces Satan to let him be his 'helper' and they go off on an adventure. What Douglas doesn't realize, is that Satan is actually killing the people.... he thinks it's all pretend. Eventually, he brings him home to meet his mom and sister. Things slowly start to fall apart, until Douglas realizes the truth and all hell breaks loose. The rest you just have to see.I can't say enough good things about this film. I don't want you to think that this is the best Halloween film ever made, but it's a nice breath of fresh air. I've seen almost every Halloween film made to date and even the ones that aren't specifically for Halloween and they were starting to get stale. I think that's why I ended up liking this one so much.... it's new. (actually, it's from 2004) Everybody needs a little change up now and then. I think if you have an open mind and a little bit of a dark sense of humor, then you'll probably dig this film too. Just ignore the one really bad part, when Doug's dad is being gutted. His intestines look really, really fake. Granted, I have had my hands inside a dead body and pulled the guts out of a man.... these guts weren't even close to realistic. (and I didn't kill anyone.... if you remember, I went to a cadaver lab during my Medical Assistant schooling)

I give 'Satan's Little Helper' a solid 4 out of 5 stars. My only regret is that I didn't wait until Halloween to actually watch it. Watching on that night in particular would have made this that much better. But you don't have to do that, it has the Halloween feel year round. They left this open for a sequel, but if they haven't announced one by now, then I kind of doubt it's going to happen. It's probably better that way.... it would have just weakend this storyline, even with the slightly soft ending. This film is available to rent through Netflix.

If you want other good films to watch on Halloween, check out: 'Trick 'r Treat', 'Creepshow' and 'Sleepy Hollow' (1999)

(I couldn't find a trailer that wasn't in Spanish, so here's a short clip from the film. Don't judge based on this alone. Thanks!)

Friday, October 21, 2011

and you thought you only got gifts at Christmas....? 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' episode 4 is already wrapped and under the tree....!

The 4th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages! I think the audio is pretty much set now. It should sound pretty good and I've been trying to spot check the episodes before uploading, so they are as good as I can make them. Sadly, I don't have professional equiptment, so I do the best with what I have.

This week, I talk about vices in life, a news story that should inspire you to act and not be a passerby and I have a list of Netflix OnDemand zombie flims that you might not have ever seen!

To listen to the show right now, there's an embedded player just below this post. That's if you don't want to download it to your MP3 player. Anyway.... ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) What Did I Just Axe You by The Make Overs

2) Drown Me Out by Tiffany Parker (partial)

3) Something You Don't Know by Black Lab

4) San Diego Summer by Shining Through

5) Say Something by Circus Envy

6) The End Of The Line by Modern Heroics

By the way, it was brought to my attention that my lists don't get posted anywhere after the show. Because of that, it makes it hard to find the films I talk about after the show has ended. Soooo, you'll find this weeks list posted right here! Keen.:

1) 'Aaah! Zombies!!'

2) 'Tokyo Zombie'

3) 'Zombie Girl: The Movie'

4) 'Zombie Strippers'

5) 'American Zombie'

6) 'Zombies of Mass Destruction'

7) 'Redneck Zombies'

8) 'Undead or Alive'

9) 'Last of the Living'

10) 'Dead Snow' aka 'Dod Sno'

11) 'Boy Eats Girl'

12) 'Dance of the Dead'

13) 'Day of the Dead' (2008)

14) 'The Video Dead'

15) 'The Horde' aka 'La Horde'

16) 'Return of the Living Dead 3'

17) 'Night of the Living Dead' (1990)

18) 'Doghouse'

(all of these films are available, right now, OnDemand from Netflix.)

Saturday, October 15, 2011

A Short List Of Movies Or Films Without Full Reviews: part 8

As a lover of cinema, I watch a lot of stuff. Sadly, I don't have the time, energy or even desire to write reviews for everything I see. Rather than to just continue to let these movies sit on a list, I've decided to post them here with a rating and maybe a little word or two. If you trust my judgement or agree with me on my decisions, then maybe this will be helpful to you in finding some keen new stuff to watch. I think it will also free up my mind a bit to see a much shorter list of things to review in the future. That being said, here we go!

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Mutant Girls Squad

If you've ever had the feeling that you've seen everything and that there's nothing new under the sun, then you haven't seen 'Mutant Girls Squad'. I won't say that it's 100% original, as it feels and acts very much like 'Machine Girl' or Robo-Geisha'. However, that doesn't mean it's without some charm. Especially when the lead character is lamenting her father's death, as his disembodied head is floating around on a birthday cake. Yeah, you heard me right. 3 out of 5 stars, for creativity.

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Mars Needs Moms

I don't know what to really say about this movie and that's why it ended up in this long list of movies, rather than having it's own blog entry. It wasn't a bad movie, it just wasn't good. I didn't really care about the characters and it just all felt so.... bland. I wouldn't waste my time. 2 out of 5 stars.

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Spooky Buddies

Any "movie" that starts off with 5 puppies being killed in the first 10 minutes, isn't probably going to be any good. I wonder why these "movies" are even still being made. This was clunky, poorly written, slow and unevenly paced, boring, unfunny, not cute, dark and just plain garbage. I do not recommend this for any reason what so ever. 1 out of 5 stars, I guess.

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Leatherheads

I enjoyed this movie, both times I've seen it. John Krasinski is hard not to like and I've said for years that George Clooney is the modern incarnation of Cary Grant. This is a fun little throwback to the goofy comedies of the black and white era. The pace of the comedy and the style reminds me of 'His Girl Friday'. This movie may not be for everyone, but I think it's damn fun.... pally. 3 out of 5 stars.

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American Scary

If you ever stayed up too late and saw a terrible movie on your local station, it was probably hosted by a horror host. If you've never seen one, you're missing out. This documentary pays tribute to all of those hosts of years past. A must see for anyone who loves b-grade horror and cheezy monsters. 3 out of 5 stars.

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Zone of the Dead aka Apocalypse of the Dead

This wasn't as bad as it could've been, but it also wasn't very good. If you're a die hard zombie fan, you might appreciate certain aspects of it.... but overall, not recommended. The end was a bit vague and strange. 2 out of 5 stars.

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Rio

The kids liked this one quite a bit. In my opinion, it was very formulaic and not original. It was pretty to look at and maybe worth one watch.... but not a classic by any stretch. 3 out of 5 stars.

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Aliens In The Attic

Well, this might have a little of something for everyone. Plenty of slapstick for the kids and Ashley Tisdale in a bikini for the adults. Other than that, nothing new here. 3 out of 5 stars.

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Bio Zombie aka Sun faa sau si

I wanted to love this movie. It was listed as one part 'Dawn of the Dead' and one part 'Shaun of the Dead'. Yes, it takes place in a mall and yes, it is supposed to be a comedy.... but that's where the comparisons end. It's not a terrible movie, it's just not nearly as good as everyone says it is. 3 out of 5 stars.

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Return Of The Living Dead 2

I LOVE the orignal! The sequel isn't 100% up to snuff, but it's still a mighty fine flick and a better than average zombie movie, for sure. It carries on the silly stuff that went on in the original, but doesn't skimp on the bloody stuff. If you like part 1, you need to watch part 2 and 3. 4 out of 5 stars.

Friday, October 14, 2011

What do I smell....? 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' episode 3 is ready early, but not undercooked....!

The 3rd episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and The Social Engine podcast pages! Well, I'm not sure, but I think most of the audio issues are fixed. We shall see for sure, once I can play it in my car. Sadly, I was under the gun to get it posted by a deadline.... so forgive any possible glitches.

This week, I have several special guests. You may recognize them from The Awful Show and my former Awful Snack. Also, I countdown the 'Top 25 Horror Films For Halloween' and I provide you with the films that almost made it and some awesome comedy/horror flims too! The show is 100% listener inspired and recommended.

To listen to the show right now, there's an embedded player just below this post. That's if you don't want to download it to your MP3 player. Anyway.... ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) When You're Around by Motion City Soundtrack

2) Monsters by Matchbook Romance

3) We Are Nowhere And It's Now by Bright Eyes

4) I Write Sins Not Tragedies by Panic! At The Disco

5) Boy With A Coin by Iron And Wine

6) When I Get Old by The Descendents

Monday, October 10, 2011

Joel's Top 25 Horror Films For Halloween: remaining comedy/horror nominations and honorable mentions....

DISCLAIMER: Joel's 'Top 25 Horror Films For Halloween' was just for fun. It's tied in with my 'Top 50 Films Of All Time' list and was requested by my good friend Sheena. This list is actually a direct tie in to episode 3 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour'. On that show, I go down this list and detail out my thoughts on these films and why they're included. I will also have a follow up post to this one, that ties in with the show as well. It's a list of honorable mentions and horror/comedies that are awesome, but didn't fit on this list. If you disagree, that's okay. These are strictly my opinions and mine alone. I'm posting these early in the month, so you have time to work your way through the list before Halloween.... if you're so inclined. Anyway, that's it. Let's get it on! Here's the leftovers! (In no particular order)

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American Psycho

I don't know if I qualify this as a horror film, so much as a serial killer film. Either way, I freakin' love this film.

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Funny Games (2007)

I like this shot for shot remake, better than the original. And I feel that it's okay to say that, as the original director remade this version. If you haven't seen this, you should.... it's harsh and pretty amazing.

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Let Me In

Here's another remake. It's not as good as the original, but it's heads and shoulders above a lot of other junk out there right now. I recommend watching the original, 'Let The Right One In' first.... but don't neglect this version, it's still pretty damn good.

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Rosemary's Baby

If you don't like films with a 'slow burn', then you probably won't like this one. However, if you're familiar with 70's horror and how they're designed.... then this is one you need to see. I have been a fan of 'Rosemary's Baby' for as long as I can remember and am proud to have it in my collection.

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Saw

This is a franchise that kind of came out of nowhere. And even if it eventually turned into a giant, bloody soap opera.... I still dig every single one of them. End of story. Your move, Jigsaw.

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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

The first two, original, TCM's were great. I enjoyed both of them, quite a bit. The third installment, 'Leathface' was mediocre. 'The Next Generatoin' was godawful. Then the remakes happened. The first one took a couple of viewings to get into, but the sequel or prequel was pretty sweet. It got me interested in this franchise again. Check em' out before you judge them.

trailer for 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003):

trailer for 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning':

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What Lies Beneath

This is the surprise film from my list. Robert Zemeckis created quite the spooky little thriller here and for some reason, I really enjoy it. It actually creeps me out and I feel funny saying that.

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The Sixth Sense

M. Night Shyamalan isn't the most popular guy in Hollywood. A lot of people think he was a one trick pony and have written him off. I think he's just misunderstood and that people have their expectations WAY too high for his films. I've enjoyed all of them.... even 'The Happening'. This is the one that started it all (if you don't count 'Wide Awake') and it's a classic.

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the 'Resident Evil' films

The 'Resident Evil' films aren't so much horror as they are action. However, they do have zombies and other mutant monsters and are damn fun popcorn flicks. I am deeply in love with this series and can't wait for the fifth one. Word.

trailer for 'Resident Evil':

trailer for 'Resident Evil: Apocalypse':

trailer for 'Resident Evil: Extinction':

trailer for 'Resident Evil: Afterlife':

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the 'Paranormal Activity' films

Once again, these films creep me out. The 'found footage' thing is kind of getting played out, but I still enjoy putting these in and getting a little creeped out. The 4th one (3rd American one) is coming out soon and I can't wait.

trailer for 'Paranormal Activity':

trailer for 'Paranormal Activity 2':

trailer for 'Paranormal Activity: Tokyo Night':

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I Spit On Your Grave (2010)

Rape movies aren't my thing and the original was basically just that. This updated version is much more, in my opinion. The performance of Sarah Butler is what sells the whole story and by the end, you want to take part in the revenge killings. I'd spit on their graves too.

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the 'Cold Prey' aka 'Fritt Vilt' films

You might not have ever heard of these Norwegian slasher films, but I hope that after you read this or listen to my show, you'll look em' up and watch them right away. There isn't a huge amount of new ground being covered in these films, but they're so damn well done that they can't be denied. I would equate them with a Norwegian version of the original 'Halloween' films. Right down to the second one being set entirely in a hospital. Go, watch, now.

trailer for 'Cold Prey' aka 'Fritt Vilt':

trailer for 'Cold Prey 2' aka 'Fritt Vilt II':

trailer for 'Cold Prey 3' aka 'Fritt Vilt III':

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That was the best of the rest and now I'm going to list some kick ass films for Halloween, but that are more along the lines of comedy/horror. Again, they're not in any particular order. ENJOY!

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Thankskilling

Just in time for Halloween, comes a film about Thanksgiving. This film is so bad that it's good again. It's obviously a puppet and they just don't care. I've seen this multiple times and it just keeps getting better. GOBBLE GOBBLE!

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Planet Terror

You all know that I love my zombie films and this one is one of a kind. It's right on the border between serious and funny, but don't let that fool you into thinking that it's not a real film. I think that Robert Rodriguez created something truly unique and kick ass. Oh and Bruce Willis.

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Shaun Of The Dead

Again, zombies! One of the best satire/horror films ever made. Edgar Wright, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg used this film to establish themselves as some of the most amazing film making trio of recent times. This isn't just a comedy or a horror film, it's the best of everything. I'm sure you've already seen it, but damn it.... watch it again and again and again and again....

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Bad Taste

Two things.... first, Peter Jackson used to make amazing, low budger horror films back before 'The Lord of the Rings' happened and he was really good at it. Second, this is a guy's film. Not that girls can't watch it, but it's totally a guy flick.... 100%. It has everything from aliens, people eating vomit, brains falling out of heads, dead birds, machine guns, sheep getting blown up with rocket launchers and Peter Jackson playing duel roles. I can't say enough good things about 'Bad Taste'. Rent it. Hell, buy it.

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The Return Of The Living Dead

In direct response to 'Night of the Living Dead', came the comedy counter part, 'The Return of the Living Dead'. I can watch this film anytime, anywhere. It's extremely entertaining and enjoyable. It is also the start of the whole "BRAINS!" thing.

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Zombieland

The final film on this list is, of course, a zombie film. Probably the most popular zombie film of the past decade and also the most popular. It has a great cast, a great script and Bill 'f'ing' Murray. I have heard sequel talks, but nothing firm yet. Let's keep our hopes up!

That's it, folks. I hope you found some new stuff here to check out and were somewhat entertained. Check out the actual show for more info on this list and as an audio guide while reading this. See ya next time!