Truth Seekers (2020)

“How can I put a Smyle on your face?”

With the one-two comedic punch of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost at the helm, 2020’s Truth Seekers combines supernatural horror, science fiction, and comedy in order to create a really enjoyable series. Written by Pegg, Frost, James Serafinowicz, and Nat Saunders, the series follows the adventures of Gus Roberts (Frost), the number one broadband installer for the Smyle communications company, who moonlights as a paranormal investigator and host of the fledgling YouTube series Truth Seekers. Along for the ride are Elton John (Samson Kayo), the newest Smyle hire, and Astrid (Emma D’Arcy), a mysterious young woman who is haunted by multiple malevolent spirits. The series also features Malcolm McDowell and Susie Wokoma in major supporting roles as Gus’ father-in-law, Richard, and Elton’s agoraphobic sister, Helen.

In the series, Gus, Elton, and Astrid investigate haunted locations that, with each episode, prove to be tied together in some way. Elton and Astrid have their own issues to deal with as well. A number of potential villains and allies arise over the course of the show, and the series comes to a close with an open ending that begs for a second season. Sadly, that second season will not become a reality according to Nick Frost.

Each episode follows a basic outline: 1) Open with a flashback that ultimately ties into the situation in the present, 2) Gus’ boss, David (Pegg), gives him and Elton their assignment, 3) Gus and Elton find a solution to their problem, and, finally, 4) A new problem is introduced. From spirits trapped in WWII radio equipment to a vengeful spirit that possesses a doll, Gus, Elton, and Astrid deal with a number of supernatural events, some loaded with humorous moments and others taking on a more sinister feel. All of the events in the show culminate in a showdown with the primary villain in the eighth and final episode.

The show features a number of genuinely creepy moments. I was especially creeped out by the encounters with the ghosts that haunt Astrid. Fans of Pegg and Frost may find the show somewhat lacking in laughs compared to their other work, but the series is interesting enough that the absence of humor at times is not missed. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of humorous moments in the series, just not as many as Pegg/Frost fans would expect in one of their productions.

The biggest strengths of the series are its writing and ridiculously likeable cast. Pegg, Frost, Serafinowicz, and Suanders terrify, tickle, and tear jerk the audience in every episode with their story. Frost, Kayo, and D’Arcy are easy to watch on the screen and their characters make you laugh and pull at your heartstrings as well. McDowell and Wokoma steal every scene. McDowell provides many of the laughs in the series and Wokoma makes you laugh and cry at the same time. The rest of the cast, including Mike Beckingham, Kelly Macdonald, Morgana Robinson, Taj Atwal, and Julian Barrett, are superb as well. Their performances are brilliant.

A lot happens over the series’ short eight episodes, and I hate to see that there will not be a second season. That said, I’m glad that I was able to find this hidden gem on Amazon Prime. If you haven’t watched it yet and love horror and comedy, give it a look!

Thanks for checking out today’s post! I appreciate your support!

Cult Classic: Killer Workout (1987)

“She was so pretty…..”

Aerobics were all the rage in the 1980s. Slasher films were insanely popular as well. 1987’s Killer Workout (also known as Aerobicide) fused them together in the hopes of raking in the big bucks. The result was a ho-hum slasher flick featuring a killer with a fondness for laundry pins, endless shots of women exercising in form-fitting workout clothes, and lots of bad acting.

In the film, a young model named Valerie dies in a tanning bed accident just moments after receiving some great news about her modelling career. The film then jumps ahead five years where Valerie’s twin sister, Rhonda, is running a successful aerobics studio. One by one, beautiful young women (and a few muscular dudes) are picked off by an unseen killer that primarily uses a giant laundry pin to stab victims to death. A new hire appears out of nowhere and a local detective starts to dig deep into the case in order to find the true murderer. Who is the killer? Watch Killer Workout to find out the truth!

This film will most likely only appeal to hardcore slasher fans. It features all of the standard tropes of the genre, from multiple suspects to decent kills to gratuitous nudity, that will definitely keep viewers interested, but it doesn’t cover any new ground. It’s a pretty cookie-cutter killer flick.

The film stars Marcia Karr, David Campbell, Teresa Vander Woude, Ted Prior, and Fritz Matthews. Karr appeared in a number of exploitation and cult films during her career including Chained Heat, Maniac Cop, and The Concrete Jungle. Outside of her, Ted Prior is probably the best known actor in the film. He’s best known for action films such as Hardcase And Fist and Raw Justice.

If you love 80s slashers and/or exploitation films, Killer Workout is for you. It’s definitely on the lower end of slasher films, so don’t go into it expecting very much.

Thanks for checking out my review. Let me know what you think about this film in the comments section.

Louisiana Comic Con 2024!

Photo by Louisiana Comic Con Staff.

Lafayette, LA

I’ve honestly lost count on how many times I have attended Louisiana Comic Con. What I do know is that every time I’ve attended this event, whether as an attendee or as a panelist, I’ve had a great time. This year’s event featured DJ Qualls, Kim Rhodes, Kevin Nash, Cerina Vincent, Nakia Burrise, and many, many other actors. It also featured some amazing artists and wonderful vendors. The panel lineup was awesome as well.

I attended the event as a panelist and as a representative of Filmsquatch. I arrived early on Saturday morning to set up my table and then made one quick pass around the event to get my bearings for the weekend. When the doors opened on the convention center, wave after wave of attendees came crashing through the fan group area located on the second floor. There were some amazing cosplays by attendees and pros alike, and I cosplayed (I’m using that term loosely) as Pugsley on Saturday and as Charlie Brown on Sunday.

My panel on Saturday, The Cinematic History Of Batman, was the most attended panel that I’ve ever presented. I don’t know the exact number of attendees, but almost all of the chairs in the Mardi Gras Ballroom were full. The audience interacted well with me and appeared to really be enjoying themselves. My Sunday panel, Max Fleischer: Animation Pioneer, had a lighter crowd, but that’s most likely due to the fact that Fleischer is a very specific topic to cover. Those that did attend that panel, however, offered up some great questions and seemed to like the panel. The response to my panels this year have taught me a lot, and I plan on using that information to make my panels better in the future.

Since Saturday was so busy, I didn’t get to leave my table very often. Sunday, however, gave me the chance to cruise around a bit more and I checked out the vendor area. There were so many things that I wanted to purchase, but I settled on a Creature From The Black Lagoon ornament and a Creature air freshener for my car. I also snagged a few books and some cool freebies from the other fan tables. I also did a little networking with other podcasts and hopefully you’ll be hearing the Filmsquatch guys on other podcasts in the near future.

Louisiana Comic Con was awesome this year! They’ve already announced the dates for next year, March 8-9, and you know that I’m gonna be there! I hope that you can make it out as well!

Oh, and props to Liquid Death for providing drinks for panelists!

Thanks for checking out my post!

CoastCon 2024!

Biloxi, MS

I finally got the chance to return to one of my favorite conventions this year. CoastCon 2024 was a great event and I attended as a representative of Filmsquatch! I arrived on Friday afternoon and quickly set up my table. I got to meet a ton of great folks including many young filmmakers interested in submitting films to the Lake Charles Film Festival (which I’m also a part of at the moment). The rest of the evening was spent catching up with a few good friends that I haven’t seen in a long time.

I went to The Reef for supper on Friday night. It’s one of my favorite restaurants in Biloxi. I had a Let It Riptide drink to “settle my nerves” for the evening and headed to my hotel room at the South Beach Hotel in Biloxi. I chilled out for the rest of the night and woke up refreshed and ready for Day Two of CoastCon! I spent the entire day talking with more folks and managed to squeeze in a little time in the vendor area. I also ran into more friends and got to hang out with them for a little bit.

I hit my favorite souvenir shop in Biloxi, Sharkheads, on Saturday evening and tried Snapper’s Seafood Restaurant for the first time. The food was awesome! I highly recommend the Gulf Club Wrap. I’ll definitely be going back there on my next trip to Biloxi.

I spent Sunday at CoastCon in full cruise control mode. The crowd was really great, especially for a Sunday. I visited with more of my friends, checked out the vendor area, and had a mimosa for breakfast at the convention. It was a very laid back day. That’s what I love the most about CoastCon. It’s a true Southern Gulf Coast event that is laid back, fun, and easy to enjoy.

Another great thing about CoastCon is the fact that it’s in Biloxi! I skipped out a little early on Sunday afternoon and cruised the beach for a bit before the long trip back home. CoastCon was great this year and I hope that I can attend again in 2025!

If you haven’t attended CoastCon, I recommend that you do so as soon as possible. It has gaming, fantasy, science fiction, and more in one convenient and beautiful location. You can catch representatives for CoastCon at multiple events across the Gulf South. They are eager to get you prepared for their next event, so be sure to tell them hello at an event near you!

Thanks for checking out my post!

McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse Black Manta

“I’m going to kill Aquaman and destroy everything he holds dear.”

One of the most vicious villains in all of DC Comics in my opinion, Black Manta came to life in the first Aquaman film and makes his triumphant return in Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom. Portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in both films, Manta also comes to in seven inch figure form thanks to McFarlane Toys.

The figure is a very good representation of Black Manta from the film. His helmet is not removable. The tubes on his helmet are connected to the pack on his back. Unlike the Aquaman figure from the same line, Manta’s movement is hindered at the hips due to his suit. The tubes on the helmet also limit Manta’s head from moving very much. Other than those two issues, the figure is very cool.

Manta’s only accessories are two thruster blasts that can be detached from his pack. He also comes with the customary collector card with somewhat mediocre artwork on it and a display stand that allows Manta to be posed in a swimming or floating fashion.

There isn’t much detail in the suit from the film, but McFarlane does a great job of catching all of the details that are in the suit. I do wish that he had a second set of hands or a trident, but as it always is with McFarlane, accessories are far and few between. Hopefully they will release an unmasked version of this figure and include a trident with it. Overall, though, this is a really cool figure and he looks great with Aquaman in his stealth suit.

Thanks for checking out my post!

CoastCon Starts Tomorrow!

At last, Ken’s Alternate Universe has come back to CoastCon!!!

It happens tomorrow! Ken’s Alternate Universe will be in attendance all weekend at CoastCon in beautiful Biloxi, Mississippi! I’ll be there as a representative of Filmsquatch with my co-host, Patrick Bennett. I will arrive at some point on Friday and hope to be set up that evening. Patrick (and a special, very hairy guest) will arrive on Saturday and will hang out with me as long as he can since he has a few other responsibilities to deal with over the weekend. I’ll also be there on Sunday. Be sure to come by and say hi. We’ll have a few prints to give out (and we’ll autograph ’em if ya want), Filmsquatch buttons and stickers, Bigfoot Film Appreciation Circle buttons, Ken’s Alternate Universe stickers and my new business cards, and a few other assorted stickers and freebies.

There will be a ton of awesome guests, panels, artists, authors, and vendors on hand, so be sure to join me and all of the other cool kids at CoastCon THIS WEEKEND! I’ll be sure to write a full review of the event (and my travels to and from Biloxi) on Monday or Tuesday of next week. Instead of reading about it, though, come to the event! I hope to see you there!

Thanks for checking out my post!!!! See you soon!

Dark Harvest (2023)

“To a violent world with me.”

Loosely based upon the 2006 Norman Partridge novel of the same name, 2023’s Dark Harvest is a decent little thriller that blends stories such as The Lottery with supernatural horror like Night Of The Scarecrow and Pumpkinhead. It tells the story of a small Midwestern town wherein a sinister creature with a jack-o’-lantern for a head rises from the fields outside of the city limits and makes its way to the local church. Terrible things await the residents of the town if the supernatural beast enters the church, so the teenage boys of the town go on a deadly Halloween run to try and kill the creature before it gets to the church. The boy who slays the beast is given a large check and a fancy car….and the opportunity to leave the town.

In 1963, one year after his brother, Jim, successfully kills the beast called Sawtooth Jack, young Richie Shepherd decides that he wants to make the run himself. The only problem is that once a family member defeats Sawtooth Jack, the rest of the family is exempt from the run. As Richie pushes boundaries, takes abuse from his peers, and falls for the new girl in town, the members of the Harvesters Guild pressure his parents to stop him. When Sawtooth Jack arises to make his way to the church once more, a gory hunt begins. How does it end? Watch Dark Harvest to find out!

I went into this film with low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. I wasn’t aware that it was based upon a novel and, as is usually the case, found out that the novel has a very different ending from the film. I actually prefer the film ending and hope that a sequel comes to fruition. I figured out rather quick that something was amiss with the Harvesters Guild Halloween Run, but that didn’t deter me from enjoying this movie.

The film is carried on the shoulders of its impressive young leads, Casey Likes as Richie and E’myri Crutchfield as Kelly, the girl he likes. The rest of the teens in the film don’t have much to do but get murdered by Sawtooth Jack. Despite a small role in the film, Britain Dalton does well as Richie’s brother, Jim. The rest of the cast is rounded out with a number of strong character actors like Elizabeth Reaser (Twilight, Easy), Jeremy Davies (Saving Private Ryan, Helter Skelter), and Luke Kirby (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), all of whom do outstanding jobs.

The story isn’t perfect by any means, but it’s interesting enough that I could look beyond its shortcomings. The blend of CGI and practical effects that gave life to Sawtooth Jack are done very well. While the film isn’t necessarily scary, it has tons of atmosphere. I also like the fact that there are references to the Misfits, from direct quotes from songs to the masks that some of the boys wear bearing the skull of the Fiend. Of course, if you’re a fan of serials, you know that the Fiend is actually the Crimson Ghost from the serial of the same name.

Is Dark Harvest worth checking out? Yep, if you enjoy Halloween and/or harvest-themed horror. It’s a fun film with some very good acting and decent creepy moments.

Thanks for reading my review!

McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse Gold Label Aquaman Stealth Suit With Topo

“We can’t leave our children in a world without hope.”

While I still haven’t seen Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom, I’ve been enamored with the figures ever since they started hitting pegs. I plan on seeing the film soon enough, but for now I’ll review the Target Exclusive McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse Gold Label Aquaman Stealth Suit With Topo. Yep, it’s a mouthful to say, but this figure is pretty sweet.

The figure looks great. It features Aquaman in his stealth suit from the film. The suit reminds me of the one that he wore in the 1986 Neal Ponzer/Craig Hamilton Aquaman miniseries. It has a ton of textured designs on it that look amazing. It also features Aquaman’s “A” belt. Aquaman’s legs, forearms, and hands feature a graded transparency. They get lighter the lower you go on Aquaman’s body. The figure has a decent looking sculpt of Jason Momoa’s face and even includes the scar over his left eye. Aquaman’s fists are clenched shut, so he can’t hold anything.

The articulation on the figure is some of the best I’ve seen on a McFarlane figure. This is primarily due to the fact that Aquaman doesn’t have any bulky armor, cape, or any type of skirting to hinder his movement. The only weak spot is his head, which is slightly hindered by Momoa’s hair.

Aquaman comes with zero accessories outside of the standard collector card and figure stand. Yep, he comes with Topo, but I don’t consider him to be an accessory. Topo is a sidekick. He has zero articulation. Despite this, he looks awesome. He is rather bendy but does not have any wiring to change his pose. He’ll look great on a display shelf.

This is a really great looking action figure with nearly full-range motion. Topo looks amazing as well. This duo will look good on the shelf with one another. There is another version of this figure that comes with a trident and the full suit, but he doesn’t come with Topo. I highly recommend grabbing the version with Topo if you only one want figure from this…..wave!

Thanks for checking out my post! See you soon!

Thanksgiving (2023)

“There will be NO leftovers!”

Gore god Eli Roth took sixteen years to finally give his fans Thanksgiving. The 2023 film is based upon a trailer that he made for the Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarentino Grindhouse double feature (2007). Along with screenwriter Jeff Rendell, Roth developed the story about a vengeful slasher who goes after the people who ruined his life after a terrible Black Friday tragedy in which multiple people met violent ends.

One year after the Black Friday tragedy, a slasher in a John Carver mask begins systematically and violently killing people involved with the event. He also uploads the murders or their aftermath on social media. Sheriff Eric Newlon (Patrick Dempsey) tries to figure out who the killer is before more people die. A group of well-to-do and popular teens who witnessed, videoed, and downloaded the Black Friday tragedy to social media realize that the killer is taking out people associated with the event and do their own investigation in an attempt to stop the murderer. At the center of the chaos is Jessica (Nell Verlaque), whose father had the sale where the deaths occurred. She has a few suspects in mind and eventually teams up with the sheriff to put an end to the slaughter. Does she succeed? Watch Thanksgiving to find out what happens.

If you’re familiar with some of Roth’s other work such as The Green Inferno (2013), the Hostel films (2005, 2007), and Cabin Fever (2002), you already know what you are getting in Thanksgiving. That said, Thanksgiving gives viewers the same ol’ same old that they expect from Roth but on a toned down scale in my opinion. Yes, there are some very gory, exploitative scenes of violence involving everything from turkey thermometers to the traditional axe, but they aren’t as excessive as Roth’s earlier work. There’s almost no nudity, something Roth always manages to unnecessarily throw in his films, in the film as well. There’s only a brief flash of a bare bottom. There isn’t much humor in the film, either.

What it does have is a cast of very unlikeable characters that I had no problem watching meet a violent end. It also has an easily picked out slasher. I knew who the killer was almost immediately despite Roth giving us quite a few suspects.

The acting was okay. Dempsey does his best to hold the audience’s interest, but outside of his performance there is nothing that really stood out to me. Gina Gershon has a very brief role in the film and she and Rick Hoffman are really the only characters worth paying any attention to in my opinion outside of the sheriff. The teens are nothing more than annoying fodder and I honestly couldn’t tell you their names (except for Scuba) without looking them up on IMDb.

Fans of torture porn will probably like this film, but even they will be left wanting. Overall, Thanksgiving is good enough for one viewing. I have no plans to go back for seconds. Eli Roth has never been a favorite of mine and this film certainly didn’t change my opinion of him or his work.

Thanks for checking out my review.

Wish Upon (2017)

“Be careful what you wish for….”

I was completely unaware of 2017’s Wish Upon until I decided to do a random “horror” search on Peacock one night. The film, which stars Joey King, tells the story of Clare Shannon (King) and her use of a sinister Chinese wish box that her father (Ryan Phillippe) unwittingly gives her as an early birthday present. Clare is granted seven wishes, each which comes with a deadly price. For every wish granted, someone that Clare is close to must die. After her final wish, the demon living inside of the box will claim Clare’s soul.

While it was little more than a blip at the box office in July of 2017, I really enjoyed Wish Upon. The film feels a lot like an amalgamation of the classic Wishmaster films (minus the Djinn) and the more recent Final Destination franchise. Like Wishmaster, each wish comes at a cost, and very much like Final Destination, almost all of the deaths feature a strange series of events that lead to the brutal death of a character.

Unlike a lot of modern teenager horror films, the cast of young characters is very likeable. Joey King does a really good job as Clare. She spirals into a sort of mad desperation once she realizes what her wishes are doing to others. Stranger Things alum Shannon Purser co-stars as one of Clare’s best friends, June, and The Walking Dead‘s Sydney Park co-stars as her other bestie, Meredith. Ryan Phillippe has a supporting role as Clare’s father and Twin Peaks star Sherilyn Fenn appears as Clare’s loving and friendly neighbor, Mrs. Deluca. Also appearing in the film are Josephine Langford, Mitchell Slaggert, Elisabeth Rohm, and Kevin Hanchard. Ki Hong Lee has a major supporting role as Ryan, a young man that attends Clare’s school who has a crush on her and helps her decipher the wording on the wish box by introducing her to his cousin, Gina (Alice Lee). Also look for a cameo by Jerry O’Connell.

The film was ill-received by critics, but I believe that is due to the fact that it heavily resembles Final Destination and also suffers in a few spots with bad dialogue. Other than those two misfires, this film is very enjoyable in my opinion. Give it a look if you currently subscribe to Peacock and enjoy films like Final Destination or other teen horror flicks.

Thanks for checking out my review!