Ken's Alternate Universe!

The Walking Dead Season Nine Premiere!

The Calm Before The Storm?

Sunday night saw the beginning of the ninth season of AMC’s highly successful The Walking Dead. Despite sagging ratings in recent years, it’s still one of the most watched shows on television. The new season brings with it a few changes in front of and behind the camera that have given the series an entirely new tone. Scott Gimple is out as showrunner, with Angela Kang, a long time writer for the series, now in charge of the gang. Gimple’s tenure ceased with the end of the “All Out War” that saw the Hilltop, the Kingdom, Alexandria, and Oceanside come together to stop Negan’s tyrannical rule over their communities. The Scavengers were obliterated by Simon, leaving only their leader, Jadis, alive. Carl dies from a walker bite while helping Siddiq and Morgan has hit the trail once again. Maggie shows signs of breaking away from Rick’s vision for the future of all of their communities.

Prior to the premiere, information was released stating that the ninth season would see the exit of Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan). The loss of both of them means that the series will take a major detour from the comics yet again. This brings up a ton of questions such as who will take Rick’s leadership role in Alexandria? Who will replace Maggie? Will they die or will they leave like Morgan? What happens to Judith? We won’t know for at least a few more episodes.

the-walking-dead-season-9-episode-1-andrew-lincoln-danai-gurira — Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne, Chloe Garcia as Judith – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

Mild Spoilers Ahead!

Season nine opened with Rick, Michonne (Danai Gurira), and young Judith (Chloe Garcia) having a nice little family moment and all of the communities settled into a mildly pleasant atmosphere. As the show continues, though, we see that some communities aren’t quite as idyllic as they appear. Many of the survivors at the Sanctuary, which is now under the guidance of Daryl (Norman Reedus), are beginning to grumble about not having enough food. They also appear to dislike Daryl and prefer Rick, treating him like a nicer version of Negan (but signs, literal signs, are everywhere showing that the community still respects Negan). Maggie has set up a sound little democracy on the Hilltop, but has to deal with dissenters such as the persistently devilish Gregory (Xander Berkeley) on a daily basis.

gallery-1525429412-the-walking-dead-season-9-gabriel-jadis — Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) and the Scavenger formerly known as Jadis, Anne (Pollyanna McIntosh) set out on a supply run.

While on a joint community supply run, Ezekiel (Khary Payton) is almost killed by walkers. When he is rescued, he and Carol (Melissa McBride) share a kiss. He eventually proposes to Carol on their return from the supply run, but she denies him. The group is then forced to take an alternate route back to their communities as a bridge has collapsed under the weight of a walker herd. When one of the wagons gets stuck in the mud, the group’s struggle to free it attracts walkers and one of the Hilltop’s younger citizens, Ken (A.J. Achinger), is killed while attempting to free the horses.

Once Maggie returns to the Hilltop, she notifies Ken’s parents of his death. Brett Butler is nearly unrecognizable as Ken’s mother, but she does an excellent job as a mother spiraling into severe depression after learning of her son’s death. Gregory sees Ken’s death as a chance to make a play for power in the community, and he manipulates Ken’s father (John Finn) into assisting him.

the-walking-dead-season-9-maggie-cohan-daryl-reedus-935-early-release-featured — Ezekiel (Khary Payton), Carol (Melissa McBride), Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Daryl (Norman Reedus) on a supply run in Washington, D.C.

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! STOP NOW IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE PREMIERE!!!

With hints here and there about unease in the communities, specifically the Hilltop and the Sanctuary, the leaders make moves to remedy the situation. Daryl tells Rick that he doesn’t want to lead the Sanctuary anymore and shows signs of siding more with Maggie than Rick. Carol offers to take over as the leader of the Sanctuary (a pretty solid move in my opinion, as she has consistently proven that she can handle herself quite well in bad situations). Maggie’s moves are a bit more vicious.

twd_901_jld_0509_5468_rt — Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee, Xander Berkeley as Gregory – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

Rick approaches Maggie, whose community is thriving, about providing more assistance for the other communities, specifically the Sanctuary. She agrees, but only at a large price, making demands that Rick agrees to, but with some obvious reservations. The tension is getting quite thick between these two. Maggie is then attacked by Ken’s father, who has been convinced by Gregory to murder her.

It is at this point that Maggie makes her own power play. Instead of imprisoning Gregory, she has him hanged in the community in full view of many of the citizens. Daryl apparently supports her decision, but Rick doesn’t appear to agree with her. Michonne notices children watching the hanging and attempts to stop it, but is too late. Maggie, not phased one bit, tells the people to get their kids back in bed. Gregory dies begging for his life. It’s a brutal end for the character, but not necessarily undeserved.

Summary

This episode was full of new things. From the growing divide between Maggie and Rick to the revelation that the communities are growing not only food, but corn for use as fuel in vehicles. Governments appear to slowly be developing in the communities as well. Carol once again seems to have her head on straight and while she doesn’t want to marry Ezekiel right now, she appears to be open to a romantic relationship with him. Enid is in a wheelchair thanks to Ken’s father, but that’s probably just a temporary thing. Characters that have taken a backseat in recent seasons are now moving to the front of the story. Heck, even the title sequence has been freshened up for the new season.

The only thing really missing from the episode was Jeffery Dean Morgan as Negan. No doubt that he’ll be taking on a bigger role in later episodes, but for now, showrunner Angela Kang has him on the backburner.

The episode was very good. It wasn’t the best season opener (Season Two’s opener is still my favorite), but it was definitely a nice change of pace. I was never really that upset with any of Scott Gimple’s choices in the series except for the death of Carl, but the tone of the series has definitely changed under Kang’s guidance and that was immediately evident in the first episode. Hopefully the season will only get better.

On a sad note, I hated hearing that Scott Wilson, who portrayed Hershel on The Walking Dead, passed away over the weekend due to complications from leukemia. The series paid tribute to him at the end of the episode. Wilson was an excellent actor and his portrayal of Hershel was one of the best things about The Walking Dead while he was on the series. He’s one of the cast members that I always wanted to meet but never had the chance to see in person. Rest in peace, Mr. Wilson.

Gulf Coast Fan Fest is this weekend. I’ll be there and so will three cast members of The Walking Dead. Seth Gilliam, Denise Crosby, and Joshua Mikel will all be at the event and I hope to meet all of them. I’ve had opportunities to meet Denise Crosby before, but time and/or expenses always prevented me from approaching her. Seth Gilliam was supposed to be at an event I attended last year, but he had to cancel and I didn’t get to see him. This will be the first opportunity for me to meet Joshua Mikel, and I really want to tell him just how much I loved to hate his character, Jared.

As always, thanks for reading. Keep an eye open for my Throwback Thursday post and a full report on Gulf Coast Fan Fest after this weekend!

7th Annual Lake Charles Film Festival

Southwest Louisiana

On Friday, October 5th, at the Brimstone Museum in Sulphur, LA, the 7th Annual Lake Charles Film Festival kicked off with a series of short films and music videos and a screening of Tarzan of the Apes in celebration of the silent film’s 100th anniversary. Kelsey Swire was the emcee for the evening and she introduced each short and music video as well as the anniversary presentation of Tarzan of the Apes. She also introduced the guest of honor, Jay Underwood, best known for his work in projects such as The Boy Who Could Fly, Not Quite Human, and the unreleased (but much loved thanks to bootleg copies) The Fantastic Four (1994). Festival director Patrick Bennett presented Mr. Underwood with the official festival cake and asked him to cut the cake with a celebratory sword.

43372315_10215370499948965_7057969914144882688_n — Jay Underwood and his wife, Julie, cut the festival cake. Entirely too dark photo taken by me, Ken Fontenot.

After the screening of Tarzan of the Apes, the event moved to Rikenjak’s Brewing Company for a festival kickoff party where attendees, guests, and presenters got a chance to mingle with one another and talk about film and all sorts of other things. Rikenjak’s did an excellent job of serving the party, making sure that everyone received their food and drinks in a timely manner. There was also live music at the venue.

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I arrived early on Saturday morning to assist with the setup of some of the rooms for the festival. I was then asked to help out in one of the viewing rooms. Luckily for me it was the very room that Mr. Underwood would be showcasing Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four in later that day. I presented Jim DeVault’s Azteq Vs The Prowler, an independent horror flick that mixed luchadores and a deformed killer and Brandon Katcher’s Circular Resonance, a documentary about Noah Frisch, a Didgeridoo maker, and his world travels.

43348568_10215378210821732_4371548822040477696_n — Photo taken by Patrick Bennett.

After those films, Mr. Underwood presented Doomed! and provided excellent commentary during and after the presentation. It was especially fun to hear about the rat-infested studio where the film was shot and how the cast and crew spent a lot of their own time and money to get the project finished. After the presentation and Q&A, Mr. Underwood signed autographs, took photos, and had copies of the Doomed! documentary for sale. I received an autographed photo from him on which he thanked me for showing his film. That was pretty cool.

More films were shown throughout the day. I managed to see a few of them in their entirety and a couple of them for just a few brief moments, but I enjoyed every one of them. Doomed! was a real treat and Little Eden by the Lockhearts was my favorite music video. My personal favorite of all of the documentaries and films that I was able to see in their entirety, though, was Last Beer at the Pig’s Ear. It told the story of the final days at the Pig’s Ear, a 152 year old pub in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada and focused on some of the people that made the place so special. I fell in love with the people and the place, and by the end of the film, I was almost moved to tears. It is a great documentary and I highly recommend that you check out the website here or visit and like their Facebook page.

42666846_2013465112042975_77394095198175232_n — Taken from the LCFF Facebook page.

The festival was topped off with an awards ceremony at my favorite watering hole, MacFarlane’s Celtic Pub. I enjoyed my usual, fish and chips with delicious colcannon on the side, and I sipped on some mead as well. Despite mosquitoes and lovely Louisiana humidity, the event was great.

Here are the winners:

Home Grown:

1000 Year Flood
Cover Me
Into The Green

Feature Narrative:

The Maestro
Evol
One Nation Under God

Short Narrative:

The Hollow Earth
Dependents
Little Pictures

Documentary Feature:

1000 Year Flood
Poured In Pennsylvania
Up To Snuff

Documentary Short:

The School of Honk
Western Jubilee
Bee-Sharp Honeybee

Feature Script:

The Lady Pirates
A Self Made Man
Life In The Country

Short Script:

Sombra City
Life With Bill: “Waiting On Cahill”
Abandon All Hope

48 Hour Film Sprint:

The Writer
Tin City
Tooth

Animation:

The Modern Lives
The Story of God
Ego

Student Film:

L.A. Fadeaway
Into The Green
A Hard Gamble

Music Video:

Mice or Men
We’re All Mad Here
Private Eye

Web Series:

Bail Out: I Am Lorenzo Lamas
So SOHA Season Two
The Strategy of Water

Foreign Film

By Blood
Balloon
Ainhoa

Scallywag Award:

Presented to Jay Underwood for his thirty plus years of work in film and television.

Be sure to come out to the Lake Charles Film Festival next year. This event has steadily grown in size and the film selection gets increasingly better as well. It’s a great way for filmmakers, writers, actors, and film fanatics to get together and talk about their favorite subject.

Special thanks go out to all of those that made this event happen, especially Patrick, Kelsey, Thom Trahan, and the Brimstone Museum.

As always, thanks for reading. I’m heading to Gulf Coast Fan Fest this weekend and I’ll be posting about it in the very near future. I’ve also got a special treat for Throwback Thursday this week. Tomorrow I’ll be blogging about last night’s Season Nine premiere of The Walking Dead. Featured in the episode is another great performance from Xander Berkeley who portrays Gregory on the show. He was also featured in The Maestro, which took top honors in the Feature Narrative category at the Lake Charles Film Festival. See you all again real soon!

Throwback Thursday : The Fantastic Four (1994)

Something Fantastic!

Early in my college years, I would often shrink away from people for a few hours and walk over to the local K&B Drugstore (sadly, long gone) and look through their selection of magazines and comics. Once in awhile I would read an article about rumors surrounding a potential X-Men film or other superhero flicks. One of the movies I remember reading about was the supposedly complete Fantastic Four film. I searched like crazy to find out when the film would be released and if and when a VHS copy would be made available but I kept on hitting dead ends. I eventually gave up hope and quickly forgot about the film, content with watching other superhero films such as Blade (1998) and the first X-Men film in 2000.

2005 found me extremely excited to finally see a Fantastic Four film on the big screen. It was by no means perfect, but I really enjoyed seeing four of my favorite heroes doing there thing against Doctor Doom. The film starred the very capable Ioann Gruffudd as Mr. Fantastic, a young Chris Evans as Human Torch, the gritty Michael Chiklis as the Thing, the delightfully dastard Julian McMahon as Doctor Doom, and Jessica Alba going through the motions as Invisible Woman. The film was followed up in 2007 with Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and featured all of the first film’s main cast reprising their roles. I enjoyed this film even more than the first one, but the critics and most audience members disliked it, resulting in the atrocious 2015 reboot.

With the release of the film in 2005, I was reminded of the 1994 film and began to seek it out once more. I eventually found a bootleg copy of the film online and watched it. Oddly enough, I really enjoyed the film. Much like the 2005 flick and its sequel, this film was far from perfect, but it was fun. The film featured a very solid lineup of actors that did very good jobs with the script that they were given.

Alex Hyde-White played Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic in a very believable manner. He was intelligent and cared deeply for his friends. Speaking of friends, Michael Bailey Smith played Ben Grimm while Carl Ciarfalio played Ben as the Thing. The Thing is actually probably the best part of the film, as he legitimately looks like the Thing from the comics. Animatronics were used to move Thing’s eyebrows and mouth and despite a film budget of just one million bucks, he looked great.

Rebecca Staab portrayed Sue Storm/Invisible Woman. She was a little too “damsel in distress” at moments, but she was still solid in the movie. Her brother, Johnny Storm/Human Torch, was played with youthful flair by Jay Underwood, best known for his work in the Not Quite Human television films and in supporting roles in films like Uncle Buck and television series like Star Trek: Voyager.

211full-the-fantastic-four----------------------------------(1994)-photo

Joseph Culp chewed up the scenery as Victor Von Doom. In his pre-accident form, he’s Reed’s college pal (albeit jealous of Reed’s intelligence). Once he is severely injured in a lab accident in the film (Reed thought he was dead), he is brought home to Latveria where he makes plans to destroy New York with a giant laser. Thankfully the Fantastic Four get their powers just in time to try and thwart Doom’s plans.

carlff — The cast in a more recent photo. L to R: Jay Underwood, Joseph Culp, Michael Bailey Smith, Rebecca Staab, Alex Hyde-White, and Carl Ciarfalio.

As mentioned before, the film only had a budget of one million dollars and was executive produced by B-film legend Roger Corman, so I wasn’t expecting much in the way of special effects. With that being said, the film’s effects weren’t that terrible. The Thing looked great as I’ve already said. His facial expressions reminded me of the turtles in the live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) film. His movements were fairly fluid and I really liked the fact that Ciarfalio’s eyes could be seen through the mask. Doctor Doom’s costume crinkled….a lot…and I believe that Joseph Culp intentionally wrung his hands throughout the film just because he could. It’s a rather funny part of the film in my opinion.

The Invisible Woman’s vanishing act looked as good as any other vanishing act on screen at the time, and her force field powers looked pretty good as well. Johnny’s powers were held back until late in the film. For the most part, Jay Underwood would strike a pose and flames would “shoot out” of his hands. Later in the film, though, his character finally goes into “flame on” mode and that effect was handled with traditional animation similar to the animation of Kirk Alyn’s Superman in 1948 whenever he took to the sky. The GIF below is from the film.

Poor Reed Richards got the short end of the stick when it came to his special effects. Wonky arm extensions and an even goofier tripping scene made Mr. Fantastic not so fantastic. Still, Hyde-White’s performance was one of the best in the film, so I’ll give him a pass.

The film is available on Dailymotion as of this writing and I’m sure it’s available in other places as well. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it. It’s a fun movie that people of a certain age will definitely appreciate. Let your kids watch it as well, if for no other reason than to be thankful for modern special effects.

Also, if you’re in the Lake Charles or Sulphur, LA area this weekend, you have the opportunity to meet the Human Torch himself, Jay Underwood, at the Lake Charles Film Festival. Be sure to check out their webpage for times and locations for all of their planned activities.

As always, thanks for reading. I’ll have a full report on the film festival (and hopefully a photo or two with Mr. Underwood) early next week.

It’s October, Ghoulies!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Last year I tried and failed to watch and review thirty-one horror films in thirty-one days in celebration of Halloween. This year I’m very happy to have an excuse to not do that this year. Why? Because I’m going to be busy having way too much fun. I have something planned for every weekend this month (in some cases, more than one event) and will have plenty of things to cover up to and including Halloween itself.

Here’s a brief rundown of some of the many things that I’ll be doing over the course of this month. I’m also including a few events that I won’t be able to make but want to include because they’ll be just as awesome as the things I will be able to attend.

This weekend I will be attending the Lake Charles Film Festival. The festivities kickoff on Friday evening at 5:30 at the Brimstone Museum in Sulphur, LA with a screening of Tarzan of the Apes, the first Tarzan film which happened to be shot on location in Morgan City, LA. The festival will then spread out over the Lake Charles and Sulphur areas with different films, panels, and music. Jay Underwood is the guest of honor this year. You’ll recognize him from The Boy Who Could Fly, Star Trek: Voyager, and the Not Quite Human television films. He was also in the Roger Corman Fantastic Four film which was never released. Doomed!, a documentary about the film and its demise, will be shown at the festival and Mr. Underwood will be available to give attendees firsthand knowledge of what went down with the film.

More information about the festival, including all of the scheduled films, panels, and other events and their locations, is available at the festival homepage with additional information at the festival’s Facebook page. I’ll be there Friday night and all day on Saturday, so look for me if you happen to be in attendance! This is a free event, so come out if you are able!

Also happening this weekend is Louisiana Comic Con in Lafayette, LA. I’ve attended this event in the past and have had a really good time. This year looks to be just as fun as previous years. Some of the guests include Kathy Najimy (Hocus Pocus, Sister Act), Ryan Hurst (Sons of Anarchy), and Josh Herdman (the Harry Potter films). The event will also feature cosplayers, fan groups, panels, and lots of other activities. There’s a very slim chance that I might ride over there on Sunday, but I can’t say anything with confidence. If you are around the Lafayette area, be sure to attend this event! Go to their website for more information.

Next weekend (October 13, 14), I’ll be in beautiful Biloxi, MS for the Gulf Coast Fan Fest at the Mississippi Coast Convention Center. This event will be packed with panels, cosplayers, artists, film and television stars and more! I will be part of a The Walking Dead on Sunday afternoon, so please come and see me if you are at the convention. I will also be there on Saturday and hope to attend the kickoff party on Friday evening.

I’m most excited to meet the fifth Doctor, Peter Davison, as well as Seth Gilliam, Denise Crosby, and Joshua Mikel from The Walking Dead. Werewolf fans will definitely want to meet David Naughton of An American Werewolf In London, and there will be plenty of other celebrities from pop culture on hand as well. Get tickets and more information at their webpage. If you order your VIP pass or three weekend pass before midnight tonight, you’ll also get a free Yoda print by Derec Donovan that he and the voice of Yoda, Tom Kane, will sign for free at the convention.

Something else that is near and dear to my heart will be happening that weekend as well, but it will be in Beaumont, TX. Hurricane Pro will be taking over the Beaumont Civic Center once again with an event that I’m truly sad to be missing. The current and first ever Hurricane Pro women’s champion, Miranda Alize, will be defending her title in a fatal four way match against Shimmer, WWE, and Ring of Honor stars Britt Baker, Santana Garrett, and Rachael Ellering. I was there to witness Miranda win the belt the first time and it was a crazy match. I’m sure that this title defense will be just as awesome.

Other matches that have been announced include Rey Fury vs. Kody Lane vs. Billy Wayne III (with the devious Divinity) in a Triple Threat match, the Pump Patrol vs, Make Your Own Path and a mystery guest for the tag titles, Brysin Scott vs. P.J. Hawx, and heavyweight champion Jordan Jensen defending his belt against Andy Dalton.

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VIP passes are currently available and are twenty-five dollars each. They include a meet-and-greet and photo-ops with the wrestlers prior to the event. Individual seats are ten bucks each and a family four pack can be purchased for thirty dollars. Tickets and more information can be found at Hurricane Pro’s webpage. This is a family friendly event and I’ve taken my kids many times now. Hurrican Pro has become a monthly experience for myself and my kids, and I’m really going to miss it this month.

On Saturday, October 20th, I have quite the decision to make. The Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA will be hosting ArtsFest at the Lake Charles Civic Center and I might end up going to the Texas Renaissance Festival. I haven’t decided yet as to which event I will be going to, but I will be attending one of them on this weekend. ArtsFest has always been a fun local event to attend, with the theme changing year to year. This year the theme is “Outer Space” and will feature mediums such as pottery, painting, drawing, and craftwork. This is a free event for the children of Lake Charles, and I hope to bring my kids there on Saturday.

If the kids decide that they don’t want to attend ArtsFest, I’ll be heading to the Texas Renaissance Festival for their Pirate Weekend! This is my favorite festival and I love to go each year. Unfortunately I missed last year’s festivities, but I’ll definitely make it on at least one weekend this year. The sights, sounds, and smells of this event keep me coming back. If and when I do return to TRF, I’ll be sure to give a full report.

My final planned event to attend will take place on Saturday, October 27th, near the Arnaudville, LA area. Atelier de la Nature will be hosting the family friendly Halloween Art & Nature Festival and it will have all sorts of wonderful Halloween themed events and crafts. The festival will feature local artists, live music, crafts, trick or treating, a haunted hayride, zombie gardening, and lots of other activities. I’ve never been to this event before and I’m not sure if this is the first year. In any case, I’ll have a full report here on my blog after I attend.

I also hope to attend the Living History Cemetery Tour on Friday, October 26th. This event will feature actors in period specific clothing telling the stories of important people in the history of the Lake Charles and southwest Louisiana. My plans for this event are up in the air right now, as my job may prevent me from checking this out, but I do hope that any local friends and readers will check this event out if they are able.

As always, thanks for reading. I have a very busy month ahead with full weekends and traveling for my real job. I’ll keep you all updated on any and everything that I attend or will be attending.

Throwback Thursday: The Goonies (1985)

They Are Good Enough

1985 will go down in history as one of my favorite years. The NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) was test marketed in the United States, eventually leading to a countrywide roll out early in 1986. Artists such as Duran Duran, Madonna, The Cure, and Bruce Springsteen had huge hits on pop radio. Transformers and G.I. Joe dominated my toy box. Some of my all time favorite films were released as well. A few of them that were released in 1985 were Back To The Future, Ladyhawke, Enemy Mine, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, and Fright Night.

There was also a little film called The Goonies that was released just a few days before my birthday. With names like Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, and Richard Donner tied to it, you pretty much knew that it was probably going to be a great film. In hindsight, the film’s screenwriter, a guy by the name of Chris Columbus, was also a pretty important part of the puzzle, as he was fresh off of writing Gremlins (1984) and would go on to direct some of the most popular films in history including Home Alone, the first two Harry Potter films, and Mrs. Doubtfire.

The film centered on a small group of kids who set out to find a legendary pirate’s treasure, hoping to save their families’ homes from foreclosure. If the families fail to make payments, the group of kids would be split up as they would all have to move away from the “Goon Docks” of Astoria, Oregon.

The group bites off more than they can chew as they find themselves being chased by a family of outlaws known as the Fratellis. The criminals hope to cash in on the pirate treasure as well, and will stop at nothing to get their hands on the prize. The kids risk their lives as they take on multiple booby traps set by One-Eyed Willy, the pirate that hid the treasure along the Oregon coast, and try to stay away from the Fratellis as well.

The film featured a stellar young cast, most of whom would go on to bigger and better things. This was the feature film debut for the movie’s star, Sean Astin, who played Mikey Walsh, the unofficial leader and lone optimist of the Goonies. Astin would go on to have a long and steady career that is still going strong. He has had starring and supporting roles in films like Rudy (1993), Toy Soldiers (1991), The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003), and Memphis Belle (1990) and television roles in shows such as Stranger Things (2017) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012-2017). Josh Brolin portrayed Mikey’s older brother, Brandon. Like Astin, Brolin has had a solid career that continues to this day. Some of his work includes roles in The Young Riders (1989-1992), W. (2008), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Jonah Hex (2010).

Corey Feldman was already a veteran of television and film, having had roles in Gremlins, Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), and multiple appearances in commercials and supporting roles on television including episodes of Cheers and Mork & Mindy. His star would continue to shine in films such as Stand By Me (1986), The Lost Boys (1987), and a number of highly successful films with Corey Haim including Dream A Little Dream (1989). Feldman’s career would quickly spiral out of control due to alleged sexual abuse he suffered as a child actor and drug abuse. Feldman eventually cleaned up and has managed to gain a number of roles in film and television (including a reality series with Haim) and has written a memoir and also released multiple albums. Feldman also became an extremely vocal advocate for child actors.

Martha Plimpton, who played Stef, started her career as a model prior to appearing in The Goonies and went on to have a very steady and successful career in film in television. She has had multiple film roles over the years including work in Parenthood (1989), Running On Empty (1988), and I Shot Andy Warhol (1996). She has also starred in television shows such as Raising Hope (2010-2014) and The Real O’Neals (2016-2017).

Jonathan Ke Quan was fresh from his role as Short Round in 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when he took on the role of Data in The Goonies. He would go on to star in final season of the television series Head of the Class (1991) and had a few more roles in both film and television. Quan would also find work as a stunt rigger and coordinator.

Kerri Green (Andy) starred in the hit film Lucas (1986) just one year removed from The Goonies but would not star in another hit film. She had a few more starring roles and minor roles in film and television, but would eventually take a break from acting in order to attend college. She now appears occasionally on screen in small roles and has a production company.

The man who gave us the Truffle Shuffle, Jeff Cohen (Chunk), had just a few roles outside of The Goonies. He had roles on Family Ties, She’s The Sheriff, Amazing Stories, and a few others, but would turn his attention to college and eventually become a respected entertainment lawyer. He eventually opened his own firm in Beverly Hills.

I could go on about this film and how much I love it, but I would rather you go out and watch it for yourself. The film was very successful and has become a favorite among folks around my age. From Sloth’s signature “Hey, you guys!” to Data talking about his “slick shoes,” The Goonies is one of those films that stuck with pretty much everyone from my generation.

Honestly, who didn’t love this film growing up in the 1980’s? Who didn’t have a crush on Kerri Green or Josh Brolin? Myself, I had quite the crush on Martha Plimpton. Still do. I wanted to go on adventures like these kids and find pirate treasure. The Goonies was the perfect film for 1985, and it’s still perfect today.

Thanks for reading. If you loved this film, let me know in the comments. Also, feel free to share this post with anybody that you know who loved this film as well.

Paranoia? Faith? Witches?

New England, the 1630’s

Horror films come in all shapes and sizes. You have your standard slasher films, haunted house flicks, monster movies, and suspense thrillers. You also have those trendy found footage films, Japanese ghost stories and comedy horror as well. Religion is often at the center of many horror films, and 2015’s The Witch uses religion to give us a not-so-traditional tale that’s more thought provoking than thrilling.

Based on the stories and folktales that he grew up with, writer and director Robert Eggers’ film introduces us to a family that is banished from their Puritan community after the patriarch, William, refuses to change his stance on the New Testament of the Bible. The devout family heads out on their own and settles in a large clearing deep in the woods.

Minor Spoilers Ahead

Katherine, the family’s matriarch, gives birth to Samuel at their new home. Not long after that, he is apparently stolen by a witch that lives in the forest while being cared for by his sister, Thomasin, the eldest child in the family. Katherine turns to God, praying for the safe return of her infant son. William believes that a wolf carried the child away. The oldest son, Caleb, begins to take notice of his older sister and while he makes no advances on her, it’s very obvious that he is at the age where young boys start becoming attracted to women (this comes into play later in the film). The youngest living siblings, the twins called Mercy and Jonas, are seen throughout the film talking to Black Phillip, one of the family’s goats. They chase him and sing songs about him.

Soon enough, another tragedy strikes the family and paranoia begins to settle into the mind of Katherine. She becomes convinced that Thomasin is a witch and that she has written her name in the book of the Devil. William tries to defend Thomasin at first, but even he begins to question not only his daughter, but his faith as well. Thomasin blames the twins, claiming that they are in league with Black Phillip, whom she believes is a familiar of Satan.

More tragedy soon follows, and the family spirals out of control. Begging God for mercy, forgiveness, and salvation, the entire family becomes convinced that a witch is at work against them. Whether or not that is true, we never really know. Watch the film and decide for yourself if it’s a witch, bad luck, or mental breakdowns that break the family apart.

This film has no true jump at you scares in it. Other than a couple of grotesque images and a little gore, there’s not much that will make you queasy. The real horror in this film comes from the way the family breaks under the pressure of either their faith (or lack thereof), paranoia, isolation from other people, or actual witches. Eggers never shows us the man behind the curtain in this film, so we are left wondering about who actually does all of the damage to the family.

The film is extremely bleak. Almost all of the scenes feature very little light. After cruising the web for a bit, I learned that Eggers intentionally used natural light and candle light to add to the film’s dark tone. The music is minimal as well but works perfectly when it is utilized.

The only things that aren’t minimalized in the film are the performances of the cast. Ralph Ineson (Game of Thrones, the Harry Potter films) plays William. Katherine is portrayed by Kate Dickie (Game of Thrones). Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger, and Lucas Dawson play Caleb, Mercy, and Jonas, respectively. All of these actors do a brilliant job with their respective roles. Ineson shines while showing a father torn between the love of his family, his staunch faith, and trying to rationalize the tragedy around him. Dickie goes completely over the edge as Katherine. Scrimshaw does fine work as a young man who is beginning to have certain feelings and urges about women. The twins are brutally annoying but quickly transition into young children that are terrified of someone or something that’s destroying their family.

The brightest star in the film is Anya Taylor-Joy as Thomasin. In a film that lacks a lot of action and relies heavily on dialogue and emotion to get itself across, Taylor-Joy does a fine job of telegraphing her feelings of terror onto the viewer.

Some have called this film boring for its lack of traditional scares. Others have said that it’s a slow burner that never really takes off. I see it as a film that simply tells us a story about life in New England in the 1630’s where an isolated family succumbs to their own fears or possibly an actual witch. Again, Eggers never reveals what’s really going on with the family. On the surface (especially at the film’s conclusion), it looks like a witch really is tormenting these people, but there’s just enough hysteria thrown into the mix to leave the audience wondering.

As always, thanks for reading my post. Let me know in the comments if you’ve seen this film and if you enjoyed it (or were bored out of your brains). It’s certainly an unconventional horror film and it’s not for everyone. Still, I think that it deserves a look.

Throwback Thursday: The Music Of DC Comics (2010, 2016)

The Sound Of Superheroes

Founded in 1934, DC Comics has made its mark on the printed page, the small screen, and the big screen. With its new subscription streaming service, DC Universe, officially underway, the world of heroes such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, has become even more available to anyone with a device connected to the web. The streaming service will offer everything from original content to a rotating catalogue of classic films, cartoons, and television programs.

While not everything that DC has put out has been a hit, there have been plenty of films, cartoons, and television shows that have left their mark on pop culture. We’ve all hummed along to the Batman (1966) theme song and who hasn’t puffed out their chest and pretended to fly when hearing the iconic Theme From Superman from John Williams’ score for the 1978 film?

In September of 2010, DC Comics released The Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection as a celebration of the music that accompanied the live action and animated content from DC. At first you might not think that comic books and music make a good pair, but you’d be wrong. By just listening to the first few tracks on this album, you realize just how important music is to building up a character or setting the tone for a film or series.

The collection features quite a few expected tracks such as the previously mentioned Superman film theme and the 60’s Batman theme, but it also features plenty of other songs that take you on a trip down memory lane. The tracks are listed by hero and include voice overs and sound effects. Starting with Superman and ending with Wonder Woman, the album covers decades worth of great music from films and shows featuring characters like Swamp Thing, Plastic Man, The Flash, and lesser known heroes that you might not have known had their own shows like Hawkman and The Atom.

Some of my personal favorites from the album include the Batman Beyond theme from 1999, Green Lantern First Flight from the 2009 animated film, and Batman: The Electrical Brain from the classic 1943 serial. It also included Danny Elfman’s iconic The Batman Theme from Tim Burton’s 1989 film.

As massive as the collection is (featuring thirty-one tracks), it is far from complete. There is a ton of musical content related to DC Comics and its many characters and it would be very difficult to include all of those tunes on a disc. Thankfully DC released released twenty-nine more tracks in July of 2016 with The Music of DC Comics: Vol. 2.

This volume proved to the fans that there’s way more music to explore in the DC Universe than one might initially believe. While the first collection featured some of the most recognizable tracks that one might think of, it was missing a few big tunes as well. Starting with Superman and ending with Wonder Woman once again, Volume 2 gave us songs such as Danny Elfman’s Batman: The Animated Series (1996) theme and The Flash TV Series Theme from 1990. It also included songs from series featuring characters such as Metamorpho, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and DC’s recent DC Superhero Girls theme.

Volume 2 offered even more juicy tracks like Mark Hamill’s Joker singing Jingle Bells Batman Smells from the classic Christmas With The Joker episode of Batman: The Animated Series and Mischeif (Harley Quinn’s Theme) from the 2015 Infinite Crisis game. It also featured a number of selections from the surf guitar heavy The Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale.

While both of these volumes have some great music on them, there’s still enough music left for even more volumes. It would be really cool if DC started releasing character focused albums that feature music strictly from individual characters. It would be great to have an entire volume of music collected from the entire legacy of characters such as Batman, Superman, and the rest. Hopefully the upcoming Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Shazam! films will be successful enough that more volumes will be released that focus solely on those characters and others.

As always, thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me. I’ll be posting again in the very near future about some upcoming events that I’ll be attending. I hope to see you there!

Ooooh, That Smell!

Somewhere in the 1950’s

Every once in awhile I watch a film knowing that it’s going to be bad. Everything about the film, from the title to the plot description, screams “bad movie” but I watch it anyway. Why? Because sometimes you just have to watch a bad movie for the fun of it. I Was A Teenage Wereskunk is one such movie, but it is intentionally bad in a good way.

Neal McLaughlin wrote and directed this cheesy B-movie that makes fun of and pays homage to classic horror films from the 1950’s that featured primarily at drive-in theaters. Obviously one of the films that inspired this movie is I Was A Teenage Werewolf, which featured a young Michael Landon (Little House on the Prairie, Highway to Heaven) and Guy Williams (Lost In Space, Zorro). From the transformation sequence to the use of a trigger to start the transformation, there are a few nice nods to that classic film.

In the film, Curtis Albright (Scott Monahan) struggles with his relationship with Mary Beth (Shey Lyn Zanotti). He’s not sure if he should ask her to be his “steady” despite tons of pressure from his friend, Jerry (Jonathan Rosetti), who has plans of his own with Sally (Christian Drerup). He also gets involved with a local beatnik and bad seed named Finn (Sean Cork), who encourages Curtis to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, and trespass on another person’s property in order to enjoy some time at the pool with some tragically hirsute lady friends.

As the film rolls along, Curtis comes into contact with a skunk that sprays him while he’s in a state of “excitement” while peeking into the window of the local veterinarian, Dr. Nancy (Dawn Brodey). He soon finds himself transforming into a wereskunk any time that he becomes aroused and he goes on a killing spree.

His father, Sheriff Albright (Charlie Farrell), teams up with officers Maggie (Amy Heidt) and Gary (Melanie Minichino in one of two roles in the film) in order to track down the savage murderer terrorizing their town. When he learns that it’s his son, things get very complicated. Can the sheriff stop the beast? Will Mary Beth go all the way with Curtis? What’s up with Curtis’ mom and dad and circus clowns???? You’ll have to watch every terrifying moment of I Was A Teenage Wereskunk to find out!

The film is very fun to watch. The cast and crew are in on the joke the entire time and have plenty of fun letting the viewer know this fact. The cast channels stereotypical characters from 1950’s cinema and deliver dialogue in a similar tone as well. A couple of the characters appear to be trapped in different films or even different times. Officer Gary is portrayed as a bungling cop reminiscent of Barney Fife (but with a lot more attitude) or any of a number of comic relief officers featured heavily in comedies throughout cinematic history. Officer Maggie uses texts and references Google and Harry Potter in the film, drawing strange looks from the other characters. She’s actually one of my favorite characters in the film.

I also enjoyed the chemistry between Sheriff Albright and Mrs. Albright (the second character portrayed by Minichino in the film). Their relationship is intentionally adult and out of place in this otherwise wholesome film. It pokes fun at the idea of relationships between parents in the 50’s as being spent in separate beds and with absolutely no “dirty talk” or amorous actions. Minichino’s look was hilarious every single time that the sheriff made an off color remark. There’s also another moment in the film featuring some very strong and very out of place dialogue by Mary Beth. It comes out of nowhere and makes for a hilarious moment in the film.

This movie is fun. It’s cheesy, full of innocently disguised adult humor, and worth a watch. It’s definitely not one of the greatest films that you’ll ever see, but it’s perfect for a rainy afternoon, especially if you’re a fan of cheesy horror films like Tarantula! and Robot Monster.

As always, thank you for checking out my blog. Let me know if you’ve watched this film and if you enjoyed it. It’s not for everyone, but for those of us that “get it,” it’s a fun flick.

All photos taken from the I Was A Teenage Wereskunk Facebook page except for the header image, which I found using Google. Visit their page and give them a little love.

This Ain’t No Three Hour Tour!

Crescent Bay Retirement Community

With Halloween just over a month away and the leaves starting to turn, I’ve been on a horror kick. Horror films are hit and miss on Netflix and Amazon Prime and I often find myself checking out of a movie before it’s over. Last night, Amazon delivered with Late Phases (sometimes listed as Late Phases: Night of the Lone Wolf). I’m a sucker for werewolf flicks and this film had a really interesting plot that runs a little bit deeper than one might think.

The film stars Nick Damici, best known as both a writer and the star of horror flicks Stake Land and Mulberry Street. Damici portrays Ambrose McKinley, a blind Vietnam veteran who moves into the Crescent Bay Retirement Community to live out his final years. With him is his service dog, Shadow, who helps him get around.

Mild spoilers and a creature test shot reveal ahead!!!!

Ambrose moves into the community with the help of his son, Will (Ethan Embry of Sneaky Pete, Can’t Hardly Wait, Empire Records), who appears to want to help his father but ultimately leaves him to his own devices.

On his first day in his new home, Ambrose meets his neighbor, Delores (Karen Lynn Gorney of All My Children). They become fast friends as the pair lightly flirt with one another. He also discovers a claw rip in his wall and finds a piece of one of the claws left behind. Later on, Ambrose is “welcomed” to the community by a trio of its other residents, Clarissa (Tina Louise of Gilligan’s Island), Emma (Caitlin O’Heaney), and Gloria (Rutanya Alda). The ladies come off as snobbish and Ambrose quickly lets them know that he’s not the kind of person to take much BS from anyone.

As Ambrose settles down for his first evening in the community, he and Shadow are alarmed to loud screams and growling noises from Delores’ side of the duplex. Ambrose bangs on the wall and asks if she’s okay, but soon finds out that a large beast is attacking her. Once it kills Delores, it is attracted to Ambrose’s home by his noise and the barking of Shadow. The beast bursts through the wall and attacks Ambrose. Shadow manages to fight the creature off long enough for Ambrose to find his gun. He fires in the direction of the beast (remember that he’s blind) and manages to scare it away, but not before it manages to mortally wound Shadow.

Ambrose brings Shadow’s body to the local veterinarian to determine what type of creature killed him and the veterinarian tells him that at first glance it could be a dog, but she never comes out and says that it actually is a dog or any other animal. Police investigate the attack on Delores and Ambrose and write it off as “another animal attack” in the community. They tell Ambrose that these attacks are a monthly occurrence and most likely due to the close proximity of the community to the forest. Ambrose immediately believes that he’s dealing with a werewolf.

Ambrose, knowing that he has one month to prepare, sets out to kill the beast. His month long preparation involves getting to know potential suspects such as fellow residents, the local priest named Father Roger (Tom Noonan of The Monster Squad and Robocop 2), and a resident of the community who set up a shuttle service to the church named Mr. Griffin (Lance Guest of The Last Starfighter and Jaws: The Revenge). Ambrose also has silver bullets and one silver shotgun shell made for his guns and creates a booby trap.

As the next full moon approaches, Ambrose amps up his investigation and the werewolf soon realizes that he/she has been discovered. In order to beef up its chance for survival, the werewolf recruits unwilling members of the community to aid it in its battle with Ambrose by turning them into werewolves. Ambrose and the pack square off at the climax of the film. Who is the werewolf? Does Ambrose survive? Do you prefer Ginger or Mary Ann??? While that debate will continue to the end of time, you’ll have to watch Late Phases to find out about the werewolf and Ambrose!

The film works quite well as a traditional werewolf film. The hero uses the tried and true method of silver bullets to battle the creature and while the beast is supernaturally strong, it’s not so strong that it is unbelievable that Ambrose and Shadow could fight it and not be instantly murdered. The person that is the werewolf also shows some slight remorse for their actions, but succumbs to the bloodlust quickly once the change occurs.

The film also takes a subtle look at how the elderly are written off by society. Will has a strained relationship with his father and while appearing to want to assist him on the surface, you can see that he’s really hoping for a way to free himself of the “burden” of his father. Despite monthly brutal murders, the police seem disinterested in investigating the attacks because it’s just crazy old folks that are too weak or too dumb to fight off the wild animal that is attacking them. Even the security guard at the front gate hauls tail once things get furry in the film’s climax.

The cast is excellent, especially Damici and Guest. Damici carries the bulk of the film by himself, with the supporting characters coming into the story to build and frame Ambrose. Damici is believable in the role and while he has a few humorous lines in the film, he never goes in any absurd direction with the character. You’d expect an old guy like Ambrose to act exactly how Damici portrays him in the film.

Despite seeing Lance Guest’s name in the opening credits, it didn’t register with me that he was Griffin until the film ended. He really became that character in the movie.

The creature effects were almost entirely practical with just a few unnoticeable CGI touch ups. The creature’s transformation scene reminded me of An American Werewolf In London and The Company Of Wolves. Its look appeared to be a combination of a lot of werewolves from various films including Dog Soldiers and The Howling.

SONY DSC — A test shot of one of the werewolves from *Late Phases*.

If you enjoy solid story telling and character development, give Late Phases a shot. It definitely has a few weak moments, but it is still one of the better werewolf films from the last twenty or so years.

As always, thanks for reading. If there are any werewolf flicks out there that you enjoy, let me know about them in the comments. Also, if you’ve seen Late Phases, I’d love to hear your opinion about the film. Ohhhhh! Be sure to let me know if you prefer Ginger or Mary Ann, too!!!!

Throwback Thursday: Man Of Steel (2013)

Five Years And A Few Months Ago

It’s hard to believe that it’s only been five years since 2013’s Man Of Steel was released. So much has happened since the release of that film. Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and Justice League have all been released in that time and three more films will be released within the next two years with Aquaman coming later this year and Shazam and Wonder Woman 1984 coming in 2019. There are also plans for films featuring Cyborg, Green Lantern Corps, Black Adam, Flash, and Birds of Prey, as well as another standalone Batman film.

Each of the released films in the DCEU have been met with varying degrees of success and appreciation. Wonder Woman is considered to be the crown jewel in the DCEU, with Man of Steel not too far behind. The rest of the films have been scoffed at and hated by plenty of people, but they also have their fans. I’m a fan of all of the DCEU films, but unlike a lot of folks, Man of Steel is my least favorite.

So why am I revisiting the film? Two reasons: 1) Apparently Henry Cavill (who portrays Superman in the DCEU) was either booted or got out of his contract with Warner Bros. and 2) it started the whole DCEU, so it’s pretty important whether I enjoyed it or not.

The film starred Cavill, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Michael Shannon as Zod, and Laurence Fishburne as Perry White. The supporting cast included Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as Martha and Jonathan Kent (Clark’s parents), Antje Traue as Faora-Ul, a lieutenant in Zod’s army and one of his most loyal followers, Russell Crowe as Jor-El, Clark’s biological father, and Rebecca Buller as Jenny Jurwich, an intern under Perry White at the Daily Planet.

The film gave us a much grimmer version of Superman, at least one unfamiliar to comic fans. As Superman is always looked up to as a shining beacon of hope, his portrayal in the film as someone who was told to rein in his powers came as a bit of a slap in the face to general audiences. It turned a lot of people off to the film and started a massive debate on why Superman allowed innocents to die in the film.

The way I see it is that screenplay writers David S. Goyer (the Blade films, etc.) and Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy, among others), along with director Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen, BvS, etc.), hoped to give us a look at a being that was so totally unique in our world that he felt alone and misunderstood. He struggled with his powers and whether or not he should use them. Later films would show Superman grow into his own, but this film had a very hard task and managed to pull it off with some success.

RUSSELL CROWE as Jor-El in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure “MAN OF STEEL,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

I still find the film to be a bit uneven, and actually enjoyed all of the other DCEU films more than this one. I still watch it on occasion, but it’s not my go-to DC live action film. When I’m in the mood for a DCEU flick, I usually go with Suicide Squad or Wonder Woman.

My favorite character in the film was Faora-Ul. Antje Traue was both fierce and beautiful in the role and I hoped that we would see more of her in later films. That’s up in the air now since talks of Man of Steel 2 or any other film featuring Superman are on hold at the moment. Hopefully Cavill will return in the role in at least one more movie, but I’m finding that opportunity to be slipping away faster with each passing day.

Cavill was very good as Clark Kent/Superman. He’s not my favorite Superman, but I would place him at a solid second place just ahead of Brandon Routh. Cavill was never given much to work with as Supes, but there were flashes of what could be in Justice League, especially once he flew in to help the rest of the gang when they were fighting Steppenwolf.

There’s still so much potential in the DCEU, and I’d hate to see Cavill miss out on what looks like a brighter future thanks to the upcoming trio of films with Aquaman, Wonder Woman 1984, and Shazam! DC’s characters are so much more iconic than the bulk of Marvel’s characters with just Captain America and Spider-Man being the exceptions in my opinion, and I’d love to see DC’s characters get a film that is truly great.

Ben Affleck, who portrays Batman in the DCEU, is also rumored to be out as the Dark Knight. Hopefully the next few films will be better received by general audiences and both Cavill and Affleck will return. Until then you can catch Cavill on the upcoming Netflix series, The Witcher.

Oh, and here’s a video of a moment in Man Of Steel that pays tribute to my favorite Superman, Christopher Reeve:

As always, thanks for reading. Let me know what you think about Man Of Steel, BvS, or any of the other DCEU films in the comments section.

The Calm Before The Storm?

Mild Spoilers Ahead!

Summary

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Southwest Louisiana

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Something Fantastic!

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Busy, Busy, Busy!

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They Are Good Enough

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New England, the 1630’s

Minor Spoilers Ahead

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The Sound Of Superheroes

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Somewhere in the 1950’s

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Crescent Bay Retirement Community

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Five Years And A Few Months Ago

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