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AWESOME-tober-fest 2012: Review of the final book in Guillermo Del Toro’s Strain Trilogy

Posted in Halloween, holiday with tags AWESOME-tober-fest, AWESOME-tober-fest 2012, Book Report, books, Halloween, holiday, monsters, reviews, vampires on October 29, 2012 by Paxton

This is the final week of AWESOME-tober-fest 2012. And it’s a half week, as Halloween is on Wednesday. I’m sad to see it all end. So, since we are on a short week this week, I’m going to stray from the movie maniac theme today and tomorrow and do a couple of updates to previous AWESOME-tober-fest entries.

Last year for AWESOME-tober-fest 2011, I reviewed the first two books in The Strain trilogy by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan. I said they were very good vampire novels which made the concept of the vampire scary again. As of that writing, the third book wasn’t released yet. I was going to wait until paperback, but earlier this year I was able to find the third book in hardback at a used library sale for less than $2, so I picked it up. And as of now, I have read the final book in the Strain trilogy, The Night Eternal.

So, the story picks up a few months after the second book. The Master has destroyed the other Ancients and the world has been overtaken by his vampire horde. It’s pretty dark stuff. Society is in shambles. Abraham is dead. The world is covered in a thick cloud cover that only allows about an hour or two of sunlight each day. There’s constant acid rain. Blood farms are setup to harvest blood for the ruling vampires. As long as you are obedient, you aren’t sent to these farms. Vampires are also breeding people on these farms in order to create more people. It’s pretty horrific post-apocalyptic stuff.

So our group of heroes must regroup after The Master’s destruction of the Ancients and the vampire usurping of society, with the help of a vampire that was created by the Master many centuries ago, and take down the ruling vampires and restore humans as the dominant life form.

I thought the second book was dark, but this book is darker. We learn more of the Master’s plans, and it’s very interesting to see how society has adapted to the new vampire rule. It’s also interesting to see our heroes coming back together after a few dismal months of vampire rule and, essentially, a losing battle. The action is good and Chuck Hogan’s writing style is dark and brutal. The finishing arc for our heroes is great and really feels like they aren’t going to make it at times. Plus, we learn some very interesting information about the formation of the Ancients as well as The Master himself. Honestly, I didn’t see it coming, but it was interesting nonetheless.

Overall, I really enjoyed this trilogy. It’s was dark and hard to read in spots mainly due to the situations presented. But the journey was worth it and I really felt like the authors earned their ending.

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

AWESOME-tober-fest 2012: A review of the 2003 Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot

Posted in Halloween, holiday, Leatherface, movies, pop culture, Texas Chainsaw Massacre with tags AWESOME-tober-fest, AWESOME-tober-fest 2012, Halloween, holiday, Leatherface, movies, pop culture, reviews, Texas Chainsaw Massacre on October 26, 2012 by Paxton

In 2003, Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes released a “reboot” of the 70s classic horror movie, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The movie was co-produced by Tobe Hooper, the director of the original movie. It was directed by Marcus Nispel and starred Jessica Biel, Eric Balfour and Erica Leerhsen.

I’ve heard mostly good things about this reboot. However Rotten Tomatoes gives it less than 40%. I re-watched it recently for this review and I still say I enjoy it. I thought the set design and the tone of the film were perfect. Everything seemed grungy and dirty. The Chainsaw family were fairly creepy and scary. The house they lived in was horrifying. I just loved the “look and feel” of this movie.

As for the cast, they were okay. Easily the standouts were Jessica Biel as Erin and R Lee Ermey as Sheriff Hoyt. But Mike Vogel as Morgan was good as well. Not only did Biel look pretty hot in her midriff showing top, but she actually believably played her character. And Ermey was wickedly dark and funny as the sheriff. The scene in which he wraps up a dead body’s head in cellophane in the back of the van is amazing. As is his interrogation of the character Morgan in the van about said dead girl. It’s intense as hell and totally envelops you in the scene. Really well done.

Leatherface

Other things I liked about this movie, they got John Larroquette to return to do the bookend voice overs. I thought that was a nice touch. He delivered the prologue and epilogue very nicely. I enjoyed Leatherface. He was only a small part of the movie, but he was pretty good. Not the star of the show, but he wasn’t really the star of the original either. I like that you see some of the underbelly of the house. You can see where they store some of the “meat” as well as you can watch Leatherface prep a victim for skinning.

One thing I didn’t like? In one scene you get a glimpse of Harry Knowles’ head on Leatherface’s workbench. Not a big deal if you don’t know who he is, but if you do, it sticks out like a sore thumb and completely brings you out of the movie. Terrible choice by the filmakers. TERRIBLE.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this remake. I thought they modernized parts of the movie while still keeping a nice look and feel. It’s definitely a modern version of the 70s “look and feel”, but I enjoyed it. To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of the original 70s Texas Chainsaw Massacre films, so it’s probably no surprise that I was willing to accept this movie as it is.

Give it a shot, if you are open minded about it, I think you’ll like it.

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

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AWESOME-tober-fest 2012: A review of Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

Posted in Halloween, holiday, movies, pop culture, reviews with tags AWESOME-tober-fest, AWESOME-tober-fest 2012, Freddy Krueger, Halloween, holiday, movies, Nightmare on Elm Street, pop culture, reviews on October 19, 2012 by Paxton

Platinum Dunes had a minor success with their Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot in 2003. 2009’s Friday the 13th reboot also actually made some money. So, in 2010, New Line and Platinum Dunes decided to reboot the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.

I am a fan of Freddy Krueger as well as the slasher movies of the 80s. However, if I had to pick, I was more of a Jason guy myself. But I enjoyed the Nightmare movies, especially the first one and the third one. I was intrigued by this reboot, I enjoyed the Friday the 13th reboot by New Line/Platinum Dunes in 2009 and I loved the idea of Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy, so I was anxious to see how well they pulled this off.

Unlike the Friday the 13th reboot, I had not watched this movie beforehand, it was my first viewing. I was intrigued by the idea of Jackie Haley playing Freddy and I really liked the look of Freddy from the trailer. I didn’t go into it with HIGH expectations, per say, but I was optimistic.

Check out the trailer:

I think the best thing about the movie is the “look and feel”. It was definitely grittier and more dark than the later Nightmare movies. I also liked Haley as Freddy. His mannerisms and his look were very well realized. I even thought Haley was slightly more menacing than the original Freddy, well at least the version from the later movies. The wise-cracking jokester killer. All in all, I enjoyed it. It sort of fell apart at the end, mainly because I think the teens in the movie weren’t very interesting. I didn’t really like anybody. Rooney Mara was okay if a bit understated as Nancy. Katie Cassidy did pretty good, but I think I just got bored with the teens by the end. I like the way Freddy is “dispatched” in the final battle and how the final stinger shot is sort of an homage to the final shot in the original Nightmare movie.

I liked it, but I didn’t love it. However, that being said, I would watch another Jackie Haley as Freddy Nightmare movie. I think the potential is there to have a really good sequel. Especially if they follow along the story lines of Nightmare 3: Dream Warriors.

And they have to reunite Dokken for the soundtrack. That is a must.

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

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AWESOME-tober-fest 2012: A review of Friday the 13th (2009)

Posted in Halloween, holiday, movies, pop culture, reviews with tags AWESOME-tober-fest, AWESOME-tober-fest 2012, Friday the 13th, Halloween, holiday, Jason Voorhees, movies, pop culture, reviews on October 12, 2012 by Paxton

In 2009, New Line and Platinum Dunes released Friday the 13th. It was a reboot/re-imagining of the horror movie franchise from 1980.

I’m a big fan of Jason Vorhees and the Friday the 13th franchise. I enjoy most of the installments but my favorite ones are Part VI: Jason Lives and Part III in 3D. I also enjoy Jason X because it’s balls out crazy with Uber Jason. So I’m a fan going in and that means I have the potential to hate everything about this reboot. Let’s see if I do.

The story starts with a mother going crazy and killing all the counselors (except one) at Camp Crystal Lake after her son drowns. Unknown to the mother, the son, Jason, was still alive and watches her get beheaded by the last surviving counselor. Years later, Jason is surviving off the land and lives in the tunnels hidden underneath the camp. A group of partying kids stumble upon the remains of Camp Crystal Lake and Jason does everything he can to protect “his turf” against the interlopers. Now, that synopsis is decidedly biased towards Jason, but that is essentially what happens. Overall, the story follows a typical Friday the 13th structure. Teenagers partying, stumble upon abandoned camp, show boobies, incur the wrath of Jason, get killed.

Check out the trailer:

However, when you delve into the details of this movie, it is slightly different than the formula. Most especially with the behavior of Jason. The movie turns Jason into a survivalist. He isn’t just killing to kill. It is implied that Jason has lived on the grounds of old Camp Crystal Lake for years by himself. He only becomes “active” when someone “invades his area”. He’s protecting his ground in the most egregious way possible. They’ve also made this Jason leaner, faster and more calculating. He’s actually laying traps for his victims. I for one love this portrayal of Jason and I love that we see his lair and that he can get around camp underground in the tunnels without being seen. I always wondered how this giant murderous dude in a hockey mask walked around the wide open camp without being seen except at the last moment. Jason knows this camp like the back of his hand, so this combined with the tunnels is a great solution.

Now, I guess, let’s discuss the teens. They were what they were. You have the hot, horny party chicks. The prude chick. The douchebag guy. The sweet guy. The stoner. The black guy. They are all there and they all serve their purpose, to be killed off in a spectactular fashion. For instance, Jason scores a sweet bow and arrow kill on a guy around the 45 min mark. Yes, he actually shoots an arrow with a bow into a guy’s head that is driving a boat on the lake. BAD. ASS. Jason also stabs one of the horny blondes in the head from above. So the kills are pretty good and imaginative.

As for the hot girls, the movie delivers. For me, the hottest chick in the movie was Bree, who is played by Juliana Guill (see pic below). Followed very closely by Amanda, played by America Olivo with Willa Ford as Chelsea a close third. All three of these chicks are smoking hot and make a fine addition to the Friday the 13th babe museum. And all three show boobs (BONUS).

Hello, I’m Bree and I’m incredibly hot. And drunk.

So, overall, this reboot isn’t that bad. I really like what they did with Jason and I liked a lot of the kills. I also enjoyed how Jason started off with the sack over his head for the first few kills in an homage to the original Part II. Jason Vorhees didn’t get the hockey mask until the mid point of Part III so this version also doesn’t get the mask until mid-way through the movie. That was a nice touch. And the black and white intro that replayed the climatic scene of Mrs Vorhees getting beheaded was also really well done. I liked what this movie did with the Jason mythos and I would enjoy seeing more of this Jason on the big screen. However, it’s unclear whether we are actually going to get a sequel, even though this movie made pretty good money.

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

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AWESOME-tober-fest 2012: Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives by Simon Hawke (1986)

Posted in books, Halloween, holiday, movies, pop culture with tags AWESOME-tober-fest, AWESOME-tober-fest 2012, Book Report, books, Friday the 13th, Halloween, holiday, Jason Voorhees, Movie Novelizations, movies, pop culture, reviews on October 10, 2012 by Paxton

Today, we are going to look at a novelization for one of my favorite entries in the Friday the 13th franchise, Part VI: Jason Lives.

This novelization was written by Simon Hawke and published during the original release of the movie in 1986. Hawke would go on to write novelizations of the first three Friday the 13th movies in 1987 and 1988. Hawke’s novelization of Part III would be the second novelization for that film. I reviewed both novelizations in yesterday’s article. And I don’t know about you, but that book cover is AWFUL. I don’t know why they didn’t just use the awesome poster for the movie.

This would have been a much better book cover.

This particular novelization, like many of the other F13 and Nightmare books, has become very hard to find. Again, I want to thank my friend Jason for loaning me them for the purpose of this review.

This novelization is a very good adaptation of the movie. Not much new in so far as cut scenes. However, what Hawke does here that he would carry over into his novelizations of Parts I-III is to go into the heads of not only the main characters, but also Jason himself. There are many passages in which Jason questions his undying existence and wonders about his constant blood lust. It makes the story more interesting and adds an extra depth to the mute Jason. These inner monologues are used to fill in backstories for many of the other characters as well like Sheriff Garris and Tommy Jarvis.

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