3 Day Zombie Movie Fest Weekend! - my thoughts on.... 'Rise of the Zombies'

A zombie movie fest? It was bound to happen. I've had several zombie movies in my queue, waiting to be seen. However, I just wasn't in the right state of mind to watch them and I didn't have the time. But, with the 3 day weekend upon me.... I figured there was no time like the present! So I fired up Netflix and away we go!

Possible *Spoilers!* in this review. You probably won't care anyway, the movie isn't that good to begin with.

SyFy doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to making movies. They're notorious for making sub-par z-grade horror and science fiction movies. If you go into them not expecting much, you probably will get your money's worth. If you go into them expecting Oscar winning masterpieces? You will be sadly let down. The thing is, when they do tongue in cheek flicks that are meant to be stupid, they're successful! When they make attempts at serious horror or sci-fi, they fall flat on their faces. This was a serious attempt. Granted, they had a decent cast of b and c-level actors, but everybody seemed to be phoning in their performances. LeVar Burton was particularly bad. I kept wanting to sing the 'Reading Rainbow' song and change it too 'Bleeding Rainbow'. Danny Trejo was about the only worthwhile performance, but his time was shorter than most of the other actors. Oh well, he was probably getting paid more than they were. That being said, this movie started out okay. When the cast was still in the prison, you had a good start and a good premise. But the characters are so incredibly stupid with their decision making that they quickly loose their foot hold at the prison and are soon on the run. Why would you take a prison and NOT lock it down? I mean, they seem to know that zombies are washing up on shore pretty regularly, yet they're out there playing in the surf. What the heck people? Is it any surprise that you'll suddenly be attacked? And then to not have a plan to lock things down?!?! Pure garbage. From there on out, it's one bad decision after another. Nothing makes sense and everything they do just gets them in more trouble, that they shouldn't have gotten into in the first place! Dumb.

The "plot" goes like this: During a zombie apocalypse ,a group of survivors hide on Alcatraz Island to escape from rising zombie hordes. When their refuge is overrun, and upon hearing that a scientist may have discovered a cure, they leave the island to seek him out. That's the basic outline. Once they're back on the mainland, they split up.... due to a disagreement on what to do next and all hell breaks loose.

The writers of this piece of crap, tried to pay homage to zombie movies that have come before.... but they do is so poorly. Nothing fits in this storyline and everything seems forced and cliched. I really wanted to like the characters and to root for them to win. I really did. Ultimately, I ended up hating all of them and wanted the credits to just start rolling. I'm assuming that the director felt the same way. The reason I say this? It's because he eventually started throwing in more and more outlandish nonsense into the scenes, so as to spice it up. It was more for shock and awe than for any sort of plot development. It made me feel dirty. Really, really dirty.

In the end, I don't recommend that you do what I did and sit through this movie. There are SO many other low budget zombie movies out there that are so much better. This one just falls flat on it's face and has little to nothing going for it. There's no new ground covered here. There's no memorable characters or scenes. There's just no meat on the bone. This movie is what's leftover after someone else has made their own b-grade zombie movie. It's nothing but half rotted scraps and throw away's. Sorry to everyone involved.... it's just the way it is. Yuck.

I don't recommend this, instead watch: 'Shatter Dead', 'Meat Market' or 'Meat Market 2' (for low budget zombie movies with something to offer)

2 out of 5 stars

3 Day Zombie Movie Fest Weekend! - my thoughts on.... 'Deadheads'

A zombie movie fest? It was bound to happen. I've had several zombie movies in my queue, waiting to be seen. However, I just wasn't in the right state of mind to watch them and I didn't have the time. But, with the 3 day weekend upon me.... I figured there was no time like the present! So I fired up Netflix and away we go!

(technically, I have four days of movie watching in a three day weekend.) I started things off with a movie that has sat, staring me in the face, for far too long: 'Deadheads'. This little romantic/comedy/zombie movie has been recommended to me so many times, that I lost count. It's on the top of a lot of people's lists for best zombie movie of the last year. It's the little horror/indie film that could! The reason it's so successful, when all the other indie/zombie movies fail? It has heart. With the minimal shortcomings it has, it more than makes up for them in heart. Not too mention that the leads have SUPER charisma and charm. You want to love them, right from the start. The other thing this movie has going for it is an original and fun script. It's well written and well executed by everyone involved. The acting may be a little spotty at times, but in the end.... it doesn't even matter. This reminds me of 'Shaun of the Dead' in many ways. It pays tribute to all of the famous zombie films that came before it, while still keeping it's own originality and awesomeness. Just like 'Shaun of the Dead' did. Therefore, if you liked that film.... I would bet money you'll like this one. But just because they're similar doesn't mean that they're the same. Not at all. This movie felt so fresh the entire time I was watching it, that I didn't want it to end. I would recommend this more to die hard zombie fans, then the casual viewer. You're more likely to get more out of this, thanks to all of the classic zombie references. Either way, damn it's fun!

The plot goes a little something like this: Two inexplicably coherent zombies, Brent and Mike, awake amidst a zombie attack. They decide to take a road trip to find the Mike's lost love, unaware they are being chased by the agents of a ruthless company with its own agenda. Along the way, they also pick up Cheese. A hulking, mass of zombie power.... but more like a lost puppy than a weapon of mass destruction. They also have several misadventures along the way, as they slowly become friends to the "end".

This movie starts out in the onset of a zombie outbreak.... meaning that it's only just begun. Not everyone is aware of what's happening and the government is only in the first stages of containing it. The two 'heroes' are also a bit different than your average zombies, as they've been injected with a serum that allows them to think and talk and retain their previous memories. This is not your father's zombies. At first, Mike doesn't even realize he's the undead. He's running from them like anyone else would in his situation. However, once he finds out, he takes a slightly different path then his friend Brent had started out on. What's great about this movie is that, at it's core.... it's a romantic comedy road trip. The zombie element only adds a whole different level of problems and funny situations into the mix. It's a perfect set up for a story that's as old as time. Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy searches for girl. Stuff happens.

I can't say enough good things about 'Deadheads'. I loved this movie from the start to the end. My only regret with this is, I wish I would have watched it sooner! I have little, to no complaints about this movie. The little bit of acting issues would maybe be my only gripe. But that's so minor compared to all of the wonderful writing, music and direction here. This is the way a "little" indie movie should be done. Don't think that just because you have a cute idea that it would make a great movie. Make sure you have all of the ingredients first. You wouldn't make a cake, just because you have great frosting. You need a great cake recipe too. 'Deadheads' has the frosting, cake and beer to go along with it. Pure awesomeness.

Hands down: 4 out of 5 stars!

If you like 'Deadheads', check out: 'Shaun of the Dead', 'The Revenant' and 'AHHH! Zombies!'

ep 71 of 'The Kpants'! a nice way to cool off, after getting sweaty....

The 71st episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

This turned into a pretty good show this week! After last weeks MEGA show, I made this one a bit more "normal". Topics include: the brief history of energy drinks, uplifting news stories and sex. It's one I'm actually pretty proud of.... ENJOY!

Songs played this week all feature female leads:

1) I Won't Tell Your Wife by Jungle Fever

2) Such Great Heights by Tetrastar

3) Time On Our Hands by dZ

4) Quandries At A Hardcore Show by Sarah Donner

5) Winter Paradise by Fools Chaos featuring Kelsey Mira

6) The Execution Of All Things by Rilo Kiley

Matt and Matt and me.... ep 70 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is ready to go.... whoopie!

The 70th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

My two best friends, Matt and Matt, join me for a SUPER sized episode! Non-podsafe songs and a LOT of good times. Topics include: The evolution of our gaming hobbies, our favorite stuff, growing up and a zombie topic! It's a not to be missed show.... download and ENJOY! (and stick around after the last song, for an extra bit.)

Songs played this week:

1) Devil's Roof by Throwing Muses

2) I Seen What I Saw by 16 Horsepower

3) Don't Take Me For Granted by Social Distortion

4) The Poet And The Muse by Poets Of The Fall

5) She's An Angel by They Might Be Giants

6) Hurdy Gurdy Man by Donovan

7) (it's a secret)

ep 69, it's not what you'd expect.... 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' in stereo.

The 69th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

Sound issues are basically gone and all is well with the world. Episode 69 brings us less sex and more death. This weeks topics include: suicide, experiences with death and planning funerals. It's a solid show with amazing music.... ENJOY!

Songs played this week are all by our featured artist, Nada Surf:

1) Weightless

2) See These Bones

3) Beautiful Beat

4) From Now On

5) Whose Authority

6) I Like What You Say

my thoughts on.... 'Aftershock'

I've said that Eli Roth was the next generation of horror film makers. That started back in 2002 with his debut horror film, 'Cabin Fever'. Since then, he's made a mark in the horror genre with several nasty little gems of movie making. Over the years, he's become a bit of a questionable commodity in Hollywood. It seems as though people have lost faith in him. I'm not sure why this is? Granted, I haven't seen his Netflix original series 'Hemlock Grove' yet.... but I've never been a fan of werewolves. I'll get around to it eventually though and I'm sure I'll love it. Also, along the way, Eli has been continuing to push his limits from being a director and into an actor. He has the charisma and enthusiasm, but I really would prefer him being the camera. Maybe that's just me?

'Aftershock' puts him partially at the helm of this vessel as the writer and co-producer, but it puts him out front as a lead actor. I wasn't sure what I'd make of this movie, as I intentionally kept myself in the dark about the plot. All I really knew was that there was an earthquake or something and everything and everybody went to heck. Meaning, the true nature of people came forward in a crisis, but not the good side. I'm actually kind of hesitant to give out the details, as I want you to be taken along for the same ride I was. Here's what I will say: The story centers around a man who travels to Chile to spend time with some friends. While he's there, a disaster happens and it's a fight for survival during the 'Aftershock'! (I should write those things for a living!) Seriously though, that's the most basic version of the plot. The secret of this movie is in the not knowing. The less you know, the better. Granted, this movie won't re-write any film making textbooks and won't shock jaded movie watchers. What it will do, is take you on a white knuckle ride through every travelers worst nightmare. Yeah, it's that kind of movie!

I'm guessing that the biggest complaints that people will have about this movie are two-fold. 1) They'll say that the ending was cliched and dumb. 2) That it took to long to get to any action. Let me handle those comments in reverse order. 2) The reason it took so long to get to the "good stuff" was because they were trying to get you attached to your main characters. I mean, how can you care if someone dies, if they have no back story or time to develop? The movie took a slow boil to the story line and there was a little over 30 minutes before anything even got started. This gave us, the viewer, a chance to get to know each and everyone involved and to build up some motion. Kind of like when you're going up the slow hill on a roller coaster. It creates tension and terror, so that when you get to the top and start going down the hill.... you're terrified and scream at the top of your lungs! This method was used here, as well. There was no rush and none was needed. It actually felt a great deal like how Eli handled the beginnings of 'Hostel' and 'Hostel 2'. Very similar. 1) Yes, the ending was a bit forced. I 100% agree with that statement. I even guessed what was going to happen, before it ever happened. Did that lessen the overall impact of the movie? I don't think so. It was still a great movie that was superior to other recent releases in a lot of ways.

'Aftershock' is a great little late night survival horror flick with no monsters, no masked killers and no demons. The only real bad guy here, is ourselves. This shows the darker side of humanity. It has a few twists and turns and some surprises here and there, but if you've been around the block before.... there's not much that's gonna get passed you. At the end of the day, I really enjoyed 'Aftershock', flaws and all. I would recommend this one to anyone looking for something a little different than what's out there right now. It's well done in every since of the word and has some beautiful locations to boot. If it was me, I would maybe re-write the ending, but I'm not quite sure what else Eli and company could have done to make it hit harder. It is what it is and I like what it is. Heck, it even had a strange guest appearance by Selena Gomez. Too bad her ex-boyfriend wasn't killed in some strange way in the movie. Oh well, we can't have it all.

Check this one out, for sure.

If you like 'Aftershock', check out some other Eli Roth classics: 'Hostel', 'Hostel 2' and 'Cabin Fever'

4 out of 5 stars, despite the ending.

A Short List Of Movies Or Films Without Full Reviews: part 17

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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Safe House

It's no secret that I have a mancrush on Ryan Reynolds. I also love Denzel Washington. Put the two of them together and what do you get? A decent little action/thriller and not much more. I enjoyed it, but probably don't need to ever see it again.

3 out of 5 stars

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Below Zero

Edward Furlong has been around quite a while now, but never got the career that everyone was expecting him to have. Instead, he's just doing little movies here and there and looking kind of beat up. I still like him and watch the stuff he makes. This one was decent. Fairly original and a little weird, just like I like it. I'd give it a whirl.... if you like any of the things I've mentioned. P.S. Michael Berryman.

3 out of 5 stars.

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The Jeffrey Dahmer Files

The trailer for this looked pretty interesting. However, Mr. Dahmer isn't all the exciting. His crimes were horrific and a fascinating character study. But for whatever reason, he is terribly dull. This documentary continues to carry on that realization.

2 out of 5 stars.

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Horrible Bosses

An above average comedy. I enjoyed this quite a bit more than I expected I would. It might not be a "classic" like 'Dumb and Dumber' or 'Anchorman', but it's certainly not forgettable. Watch it and laugh.

3 out of 5 stars.

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Compliance

The people who've seen 'Compliance' talk about how difficult it is to watch. Not because it's bad, but because of the horrible things that happen during the course of the movie. I could see where some people might feel that way. While I was watching it, all I felt was anger at all of the real people involved.... for being so stupid. Not to discount the things that happened, but use some common sense folks! End of story. Not a bad movie though.

3 out of 5 stars.

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The Last Exorcism part II

I didn't love the first one, right out of the gate. Ashley Bell, the star, is what sold the movie. After a second viewing, I came to enjoy it quite a bit more. The sequel.... not so much. This one was watchable once, but the end was pretty bad and the whole thing needed a lot of work. It's a slapdash sequel, nothing more. Jeffery Combs, why have you forsaken me?

2 out of 5 stars.

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Night of the Living Dead 3D: Re-animated

Good lord, this was awful. Please, please, please stop pissing all over whatever good is left in the original 'Night of the Living Dead'. There was nothing good about this travesty of film making. Nothing.

1 out of 5 stars.

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The Switch

I love Jason Bateman, who doesn't? This movie was okay. Nothing great, nothing bad.... just kind of bland. The concept was original, but it just wasn't enough to carry the whole story. Watch once and forget it. The end.

3 out of 5 stars.

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The Man With The Iron Fists

Quentin Tarantino was in talks with the RZA to include his blacksmith character from this movie in his magnum opus, 'Django Unchained'. That never happened. This movie did, however. It had tons of potential and was tons better than most of the stuff that comes out these days. I enjoyed the ride and would consider adding it to my movie collection. The only thing is, this movie didn't stick with me. Everyone in it was great. The story was interesting. The action was spot on. There is very little to gripe about with this movie. With all of that being said, it was missing that little bit of spark that could have brought it to life. Perhaps it was the RZA's choice to take on the lead role? I'm not sure. No matter what, I'd still recommend this to fans of old school kung-fu flicks and those with a taste for bloody action flicks. This one is a whole lot of fun and Russell Crowe steals the show. Sit back, make some popcorn and enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars.

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Silent House

I remember watching the original version of this movie called 'La Casa Muda'. It kept me on the edge of my seat and did so all the way up until the end. The ending was a bit of a let down, but the rest of the movie more than made up for it. When I heard that were making an American remake, I was apprehensive. However.... I've always said that I have no problems with remakes. I just didn't understand the need for one only a couple of years later. Either way, this American version had a lot of the same flavor and flair as the original, but didn't provide the scares. The ending left me feeling hollow and incomplete and I just didn't think it did as much as it could have. Overall, it was a decent little pot boiler. Forgettable though.

3 out of 5 stars.

well, the AC is off.... but so is the sound (still).... ep 68 of 'The Kpants'!

The 68th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

Okay, so the AC is off. Somehow, things still sound "off". Perhaps it's the fact that I'm recording in an open basement? Who knows? This weeks topics include: 5 regrets of people near death and a huge list of messed up movies to see! It's not my best, but the music is still awesome! ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) Butterfly Kisses by The Depreciation Guild

2) Wasted by Damon Hill

3) Losing Game by Minor Delilah

4) Something's Out There by Jealous Creatures

5) Mary Me by Green Express

6) It's A Brand New Day by Straight Outta Junior High

dZ rocks! sadly, i don't.... mainly because of my air conditioning.... check out ep 67 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour'....!

The 67th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

Well, between the air conditioning and my lack of time keeping, you get a slightly noisy show that's over an hour! This week is all about being young and the love of music! All the music is from the amazing dZ and the topics include: dZ, what I was doing at age 14, your music vs. what your parents liked and music.... nature vs. nurture. It's a fun little show with a whole lotta goodness. Download and ENJOY!

Songs played this week are all by dZ:

1) Really High Hopes

2) Chills

3) Make It Good

4) Get Out

5) Good Thing

6) Head On

Find dZ at: http://www.dZrocks.com

my thoughts on.... 'Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines'

Why in the heck do I keep watching these things? The first one was mediocre at best. The second was a bit of redemption for the series. The third and fourth were both garbage. Part 5, well, it was a whole new level of crap.

From the opening scenes of 'Bloodlines', you quickly realize how completely horrible this is going to be. I think that when *spoilers* the woman's hand is cut off and it opens to make the '5' in part 5.... I should have made the decision to shut it off right then. For whatever reason, I stuck it out. I tried so hard to find the good in this movie. Something that would restore what little faith I had. What I got instead, was a kick in the nuts. A hard kick in the nuts. The main characters were unlikable, the bad guys were even more so. It's as if everything in this movie was oozing with some kind of anti-charisma. However, at some point in my life, I made the decision that I would stick out every movie I watched. Because you never know when something will flip a switch or turn a corner and suddenly be the greatest movie ever made. But you would have missed it, because you gave up too soon! I didn't want to ever be that guy. Oh well, my mistake.

The basic story line here, if you can call it a story, is this: A group of college students, go on a trip for the Mountain Man Festival on Halloween in West Virginia. The festival is similar to Coachella or Burning Man or any of those big festivals going on these days. The big difference is that it allows the insane, inbred killers to walk around freely.... unnoticed by the general population. By a freak accident, the college students encounter the group of cannibals, who want to save their cousin from jail. The only reason he's in jail, is because of the freak accident. Soon they're in a fight for their lives as they try to keep the cousin in jail and themselves from being eaten.

By the way, the scene on the cover of the DVD.... it never happens in the movie.

Are you interested to watch it now? I sure hope not.

Everything about this movie is wrong. Everything about it is cliched and dumb. This is what's wrong with horror film making today. There is no soul here. It's just an attempt at a cash grab, with a failing franchise that is on its last leg. They got no name actors to fill in the parts. They spent all of their money on Doug Bradley (Pinhead from the 'Hellraiser' franchise) and he does the best with what he has. I would go so far as to say that he's the ONLY reason to watch this train wreck. The characters make stupid decisions which lead to their stupid deaths. The cruelty and viciousness that the inbreds dispatch with the students is horrible. It's like a car accident that you can't turn your head a way from. The budget left over after hiring Doug, made it difficult to make this movie seem realistic. They basically are on a closed set for 80% of the movie and it's obvious. The lighting crew tried to hide that fact, but it's so blazingly obvious that only Stevie Wonder might miss it. It's also very clear that they couldn't afford to pay the cast for the whole shoot, as they all vanish after the first act. The streets of this city are basically abandonded. The reason? The music festival. Yeah.... whatever. They also seem to be suffering from a severe lack of cell phones and modes of transportation. Also, they're fighting 3 inbreds over 1 other inbred. How can 3 inbreds take out about 7 - 10 young and healthy people, one of whom has access to a police station full of weapons!?!? The other thing is, why didn't they just leave right away? If the sheriff was aware of how much of a ghost town it would be once the festival started, why wouldn't she take that as a hint to hot foot it out of there? It was very obvious, very quickly that she was in deep doo doo. Why not cut your losses and run? Why was the make up so bad that I could clearly see they were wearing masks?

By the end of this movie, I had basically given up. The make up was piss poor. The script was about as entertaining as reading the phone book. Nothing about this movie made me glad that I wasted the time on it! Then, to top it all off, the last girl left.... makes the dumbest decisions ever. And she continues to make them until the credits roll. It's like she was dropped on her head as a child and as a result.... she became an idiot. Ugh. Just writing about this movie is dropping my IQ.

In summary, don't watch this. Nuff' said. This is the final nail in the 'Wrong Turn' coffin, I hope. I don't think that the world could survive a sixth one. 2 out of 5 stars and the 2 I did give it were solely for Doug Bradley, nothing else. And one final thing: (*spoilers*) everyone dies and the one, stupid girl that remains.... is doomed to be raped by 4 inbred serial murderers in North Carolina. WOW! That sounds fantastic! Not.

If you are looking for something else to watch: 'Wrong Turn 2' (if you HAVE to watch one of them), 'The Hills Have Eyes' (either of them/ original or remake) and 'Mutants'

my thoughts on.... 'The Collection'

I really enjoyed all of the 'Saw' films. I own them all and have seen them all, several times. What does that have to do with 'The Collector' and/or 'The Collection'? A lot, actually. Marcus Dunstan, co-writer and director of the 'Collector' films, was also the co-writer of parts 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the 'Saw' films. Maybe that's enough of an endorsement to sway you one way or the other, right off the bat. Maybe now. Either way, I really appreciate Mr. Dunstan's love of the genre and he has quite the eye for horror. His films have their own unique voice and vision. While they might not be the top of the heap, they're pretty damn amazing overall.

I recently talked about, on episode 65 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour', the new crop of horror directors to keep an eye on. For whatever reason, I passed over Marcus Dunstan and that was a shame on my part. I'm now officially adding him to my list. I mean, after seeing how his films evolved from 'The Collector' to the 'The Collection', I can see big things in his future. His visual style reminds me of an early Alexadre Aja ('High Tension'). There was something very fresh about both of these films. This review is really for 'The Collection', but I feel that there should at least be some mention of the other films he's worked on. The world that 'The Collector' set up, is very similar to the world of 'Saw'. Where those films end, seems to be where 'The Collection' begins. It's almost as if it was a hybrid of those films.

'The Collection' begins with a brief back story on our main heroine and then quickly jumps right into the meat of the film. With the characters having already been established in the last film, there's no need for a ton of exposition. That, to me, is the way a sequel should be. You soon are re-introduced to the main character from the last film and all hell breaks loose from there. It's as if 'The Collector' was the appetizer and 'The Collection' is the main course. This film is amped up heavily with more kills, bigger sets, bigger production value, a meaner killer, a stronger set of heroes and a whole lot of horror. There's so much good going on in this film, that it's hard to find the negative. The big thing to keep in mind though, is that this is a horror film and not an academy award nominated film. It's meant to entertain and scare you, nothing more. Granted, he re-invents the wheel in some ways, but this won't re-write the genre. There's a lot of things here that are familiar, but it doesn't matter.... because there's so much more that's new and interesting. It's as if The Collector is Bruce Wayne/Batman, if he was a psychotic mass murderer with no remorse and no regrets. Not unlike the much lower budgeted 'Laid To Rest' movies. Those follow a very similar character arc and storytelling. The big difference is style and budget. Those are by far the lower budget movies. Mr. Dunstan seems to have some people with money that think he has promise and something new to say. It shows.

I feel like I'm heaping a whole lot more praise on these films then I did after the first time I saw them, but over time.... I've seen other movies and grown to appreciate what I missed the first time out. 'The Collection' is a fun, thrill ride that starts out strong and never really lets up. It has a memorable and likable cast. It has characters you actually care about and root for and it gives you an ending that leaves you feeling full and satisfied. It begs the question of a sequel, but doesn't assume that one will actually happen. My hope is, that it will spawn another installment, as I want to see where things go. I never expected these films to become a franchise, but with the path it's taken, I wouldn't be surprised if it takes on a life not unlike 'Saw' did. There's a potential here for another horror soap opera of epic scope. Even the potential to turn an extremely dark villan into a really dark anti-hero. I don't want to provide any spoilers for the endings, but things could head many different directions in part three.

If you're like me and you think that you've seen everything....twice, then this might be the film(s) for you. It's like settling down for another viewing of 'Friday the 13th' on a 25 year old VHS copy, that's been watched to death. Then, suddenly, putting in a Blu-ray special edition of it and watching it in full stereo surround sound on a 100 inch flat screen. It's night and day. This is the way horror should be made. Again, it's not the greatest ever and it's not adding anything new to the genre. It's really just a clean, fresh breath of air on a hot, muggy day. Just what that doctor ordered, whether you realized you needed it or not. It also has instilled a firm belief in me that Marcus Dunstan is a man to watch. He's just getting warmed up and I feel that there's some more amazingness headed our way soon. Mark my words.

3 out of 5 stars, heavily leaning on 4.

If you like 'The Collection', watch: 'The Collector', 'Laid To Rest' and 'Laid To Rest 2: Chromeskull'

It's a show! ep 66 of 'The Kpants' is online!

The 66th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

I can't seem to keep it under an hour.... Oh well. This weeks topics include healthcare, the "sameness" in the adult industry and jealousy. It's a fun little show, where I sound awful. That's it, ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) Drop The Bomb by Stripwired

2) The Only One by dZ

3) Down The Line by Pretty Visitors

4) Moonlight Everlasting by Fools Chaos

5) Soft Plastic by Halilopeux

6) In A Bubble by The Binge

HOLY CRAP! That's huge! ep 65 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Massacre'....!

The 65th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

It's another JAM packed episode! This week, it's all about 'The Art of the Franchise' and movies. Topics include: the 'Evil Dead' franchise, why tiny TV's and foreign films make film watching more interesting, new CD and DVD/Bluray releases and the 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' franchise. This is a horror lovers dream.... or nightmare. Sit back, relax and ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) Zombie Party Time by Mothra Slapping Orchestra

2) Sleep by Scott The Poolboy

3) Alive by Daznez

4) Reno Nevada by The Great American Robber Barons

5) Kiss You One Last Time by Tom Bertram

6) Watch Maker by Before The Flood

7) Watch Maker (acoustic) by Before The Flood

it's BIG and it's LOUD! it's my AC unit.... and episode 64 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour'....!

The 64th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

I'm back! And please pardon the AC unit blaring in the background.... it's too damn hot to turn it off. Next week, I may just have to, as it's way too noisy. Anyway, this week is a big show....again! Topics include: birthdays, cancelled TV shows, finding joy in everyday tasks and a recent decision by the AMA. It's controversial and fun. ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) Getting Wild by The Getdowns

2) Fresh Guacamole by Roger Houdaille

3) Reduce To White Noise by A New Ending

4) Space Girl by Matthew Heller

5) I Promise You by Jara

6) Last Goodbye by 2 Sided Story

ep 63.5 of The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour.... will fill a small hole.

The 63 and a half episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

This is a supplemental episode of the show, just to tide you over. I really don't talk about anything much.... but I do play one of my favorite bands, The Used.... and a little loud/soft/loud/screaming chick Flyleaf. It's more of a 'Snack' than a full episode. ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) Hospital by The Used

2) I'm So Sick by Flyleaf

episode 63 of 'The Kpants'.... starring Thom from Beijing and me! it's a GREAT one....!

The 63rd episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

On this very special episode, I have my first call in guest! Thom from the band Beijing joins me for the entire show! This weeks topics include getting to know Thom and Beijing, hobbies and the 2nd installment of 'The Art Of The Franchise'. It's a fantastic show and hopefully the start of some more guest stars popping in. Sit back, relax and ENJOY!

Songs played this week are all by Beijing:

1) Violent

2) Broken Glass

3) Silence

4) Open Arms

5) Triggers

6) Standing

To find Beijing on the web, go to:

http://beijing-music.tumblr.com/

http://beijing.bandcamp.com/

https://twitter.com/beijing

http://www.youtube.com/user/ilikebeijing

Matt, my first in studio guest, and 'Kpants'!

The 62nd episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

This is the special episode that everyone has been waiting for.... my first in studio guest! My best friend Matt stops in from Kansas City to visit with me for a bit and talk about everything and nothing in particular. This weeks topics include: 'Doctor Who', watching our children grow, stupid things in the movies and a whole lot more! Check out this over-sized episode and ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) Epic by Faith No More

2) Doctorin' The Tardis by The Timelords

3) Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House

4) No Rain by Blind Melon

5) Swimming In Your Ocean by Crash Test Dummies

6) Hanger 18 by Megadeth

'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' version 2.0 is online and SUPER-SIZED!

The 60th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

I finally have all my new equipment up and running and this is the true version 2.0! This weeks topics include: why i hate the phrase "I'm bored.", my favorite books as an adult, reconnecting with people and 'The Art of the Franchise'. It's a SUPER-SIZED show that I hope lives up to the hype. (Too bad my air conditioner didn't comply) On that note, ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) Not Good Enough For Truth In Cliche by Escape The Fate

2) Kids... This Is Fabulon by Seed

3) Come Home by Amatorski

4) Into The Rain by Beijing

5) A Good Day To Die Hard by Fortress Of Attitude

6) Summer Serenade by The Happy Hippo Family

meat, potatoes and stuff.... episode 60 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is ready to eat!

The 60th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

This felt like a good show, but I apologize in advance if I offend you. Topics this week include: fast food vs. weight loss, the history of relationships and my favorite books as a child. It's a meaty episode and a fun one.... ENJOY!

Songs played this week are all from the band Motionless!:

1) Frustration Alibi

2) Melody

3) Destination Moon (acoustic)

4) Anyone

5) Stay

6) How To Lose A Friend

It's Friday and time for another weekly dose of 'Kpants'....

The 59th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

An upbeat, yet somber episode this week. It's an odd one indeed. This weeks topics include: tornadoes, being 19 and the loss of time and memories. Listen and I hope you ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) Bottle Of Beer by Bad Pharmer

2) To Make Things Worse by Motionless

3) Silent Night by Andrew Abaria

4) I Tried Coke by The Banditos

5) Blood Rum by The Associated Press

6) Close Encounters by Bankrupt

episode 58 of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is jam-packed full of awesomeness!

The 58th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

This week, on The Kpants: A jam packed episode of amazing music and some jibber jabber. My topics include: fear of failure and fear of success, my new internets, being a science nerd and nostalgia. This is pretty epic, while still being simplistic. It's a keeper, ENJOY!

Songs played this week are all by Tetrastar:

1) Handlebars originally by Flobots

2) Skullcrusher Mountain originally by Jonathan Coulton

3) Rainbow In The Dark originally by Dio

4) Such Great Heights originally by The Postal Service

5) 4 Chord Song originally by The Axis Of Awesome

6) Float On originally by Modest Mouse

'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' version 2.0 is here....! (but not perfected yet.)

The 57th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe, Stitcher Radio and streaming LIVE right here!

The Kpants is now version 2.0! The wait is over and I hope it was worth it. There are still several bugs to work out, but it will only get better. This weeks topics include: garage sales vs. flea markets, telling people how you feel and why I LOVED 1993. It's almost a perfectly timed hour of power. Dig in and ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) White Collar Worker by The Mobbs

2) Against The Sun by Eggstone

3) Hey Kate! by The Fire Apes

4) Why I Don't Like August 93 by Elevator To Hell

5) Now Or Never by I Plead Irony

6) Satisfied by 8Stops7

my thoughts on.... 'Sinister'

Sorry it's been so long since I've written a review, but life seems to have caught up with me. I hope this is a small repayment on a larger investment. Anyway....

Being an old school horror guy, who's been in love with monsters since he was a kid, it's hard for me to feel a scare anymore. It's nice to have that rush every once in a while. 'Sinister' started out with the real potential to be something great. The opening sequence is disturbing, unsettling and generally kind of creepy. What happens for the next 45 minutes after that is also pretty damn frightening. However, at the end of the day.... the payoff just wasn't there. It was yet another horror movie with a great premise and great promise, that seemed to have the writer's lose their train of thought at the end. We've all been in this same situation. I can't tell you how many times I've come up with a fantastic idea for a story and the more I try and flush it out, the less and less fantastic the story becomes. It's as if the producers of this movie only heard the basic concept and didn't take time to hear the whole treatment. This would be one of those times where I wish that a director would take over a movie from another director and re-do his ending, rather than remake another movie that may or many not need a remake. Not that I'm against remakes per say, I'm just tired of watching something and loving it up until the end, only to feel cheated.

What makes this movie interesting, is the back story of the main character and the motives of the killer. Ethan Hawke does a great job, as usual, of playing a writer who'e haunted by the books he writes. He infiltrates the headspace of serial killers and writes books about them and the murders they committed. Sometimes he gets so involved that it causes him to have to move several times and is costing him his marriage and family. Soon, his mind seems to be starting to go too. As he begins work on his new book, we find him moving in to yet another home. What his family doesn't realize is, that this is the house where the last murders took place in his book. Nobody in town wants him living there or in their town and his kids aren't too keen on it either. Soon, he discovers a box of old films and a projector in the attic. Unable to help himself, he begins watching the films. What ends up being on the films are the murders of each family he's writing about. It's almost as if he's being fed information by the killer himself. As he continues watching the films, he starts noticing a figure that seems to show up at each murder site. This plummets him into the mouth of madness and just as everything seems to be falling apart.... we find out the true story behind Mr. Boogie and the murders contained on each film. I just can't say you'll care.

I keep thinking about the ending of this movie and trying to justify what I saw. Sadly, the killer who made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, turns into something far less frightening. The special effects go from disturbing to just plain silly. Ethan Hawke continues to try and sell what you're seeing, but it's just so far fetched and "green screened" that you never regain the fear you had in the beginning. I feel that this is a solid 3 out of 5 star outing. I still want to give it 4, but the way it all wrapped up was just too far fetched and far from the original concept. Why oh why did they have to poop on the finale? If the Bluray has an alternate ending on it, I'd love to see it. Maybe it sheds a better light on things?

My final thoughts are this: The individual 16 mm home movies of each killing, are pretty intense. I've seen far worse, but for a standard Hollywood horror flick, they are better than average and far more disturbing. The killer is fairly scary looking. Anymore, it's hard to come up with something we've never seen before and Mr. Boogie seems to fit that bill. Finally, I've said this many times before about many different movies.... turn this one off about 20 - 30 minutes from the ending. Your guideline on when to stop, is somewhere around when the backwards walking kids start showing up. I have no freaking clue who thought it was a good idea to have the kids filmed backwards and they played forwards, as a device to make them more creepy. Perhaps they took a cue from all of the J-horror flicks out there, but that's not exactly what they're doing and that's not what the J-horror directors were intending. It just comes off as stupid. The whole 5 - 7 minute montage of the kids moving all around Ethan's character, is supposed to be scary. The end result is anything but that. It comes off more as a joke. An unintentional joke.

Anyway, that's it! If you have some spare time, you could do far worse than 'Sinister'. It really reminds me of another set of let down of a good start movies, 'Insidious' and 'Dead Silence'. (both of which were done by James Wan.) Just check your brain at the door, turn off the lights and drink heavily. Perhaps by they time the kids start moving strangely, so will your brain and your vision and you can see past the crap that follows. ENJOY responsibly.

The 56th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and streaming LIVE right here!

All brand new material for you this week! Hot off of my appearance on Obviously Oblivious, comes this show. This weeks topics include some follow up on my OO show, thoughts on last weeks 'Kpants' episode, the current state of music and flirting. It's a weird one, kids. ENJOY!

Songs played this week:

1) How Do I Stand With You (1946) by Alex Barris gandfather of Whitney Ross-Barris

2) Balloon by A New Way To Live Forever

3) Happy Song by Spoons And Chopsticks

4) Apples by Kate Martin

5) Falling Slowly by Nine Times Blue

6) That's How I Like It by I Plead Irony

The 55th episode of 'The Sunshine Happy Kpants Hour' is uploaded and now available through iTunes, Talkshoe and streaming LIVE right here!

I haven't done a straight writing show in a while and i'm not sure if I've done one for myself at all. (On this show.) It's two of my short stories and one poem.... and they're all connected. It's a Frankensteined episode, I hope you like it. ENJOY!

Songs played this week are all by Runaway Dorothy, with a music bed by Michael Mucklow:

1) Matter Of Time

2) Nights Like These Here

3) Volatile

4) Too Young

5) Caulfield

6) With You