Scary Film

3 Scary Movies That Will Keep You Guessing

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:17:00 +0000

When it comes to scary movies, you probably assume cheese or at jump scares. While that is a great proponent of many classics, that is not always the case when trying to find the best of the genre. When looking for the best, you will have to look a bit below the surface, and find horrific happenings in some of the more interesting of ideas. The following list will have you second guessing the genre of horror and will get you thinking about possibly watching again, for the first time. The list contains 3 scary movies that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Audition

What’s so crazy about a man that wants to meet a woman for the purpose of dating? At first glance this film is quite tame, until you start to get a closer look at what really is going on. There are several clues sewn throughout the film that will have you guessing, but not everything is fully explained. You will even get a second guess in the end, and you will be wrapped up exactly where Takashi Miike wants you to be. This film is one of the creepier movies you will find. There are moments of brutal terror that relies heavily on only the sound design, which is something you will not necessarily understand the first time you see it.

Frailty

What if God told you to kill the evil ones? Well, that premise is taken into some strange moments with this film. This is one of the gems that you will have to see to believe as there are some super natural elements, slasher, and horror themes that will definitely have you second guessing until the last moments. Is it real? Is it fake? What is really going on with this small town man and his two boys? Is it the devil? What is going on?! Frailty rocks hard and will send sheer horror up your spin.

Seven

David Fincher does something right, and it still has people guessing. Two detective have to solve a string of cases that are deeply rooted in the deadly sins of the Bible. Turn after turn the two get closer to solving the case until they figure it all out, but the villain is the one with the last laugh as he plays one hell of a trick on the police. If you were to make this a Batman film, it would beat out all incarnations of the character, because it is tightly wound and horrific all in the same.

For those that have seen all 3 of the preceding movies, you know exactly what it’s like to venture forth into movies that will keep you guessing, and for those that haven’t seen them, rent or buy these today, they will definitely be worth your time.

Sinister Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:21:00 +0000

There are a lot of movies that come out with the same premise as others, and this one seemed to have a similar idea going for it, although, it tried to make something new out of the trend of found footage horror movies. It’s with that in mind that we start to realize that the genre is not going anywhere, and while I may not love it, it is here to stay, much like the idea of torturous films after the “Saw” series came and went. With that in mind, enjoy the review of Sinister.

I wanted to see this movie when it came out initially, but as always, I wasn’t able to go for a variety of reasons. I tend not to have any money, and since no one that reads this site helps me out financially, it just isn’t possible for me to get entertained and write at the same time. It’s one or the other, and neither one pays. It’s that sort of reality that drives this movie, as we meet our hero, a struggling writer that moves into the house where a whole family is killed on a quest to write the best true crime book that he can. As he starts to connect the pieces of what really happened in the home, a manifestation starts to appear.

Much like other found footage movies, this one relies heavily on the premise that there was something supernatural on the other side of the film that caused the problems. In the end we get to see this demon of sorts and well, it’s highly predictable and laughable the way it ended. I didn’t like the way it turned out as it was a long and tedious romp through boredom to get to the final answer and to really understand what was going on.

Premise and boredom aside, Sinister does bring to light some very unique elements into the horror genre. There is the found footage thing, but the acting, and the urgency of the characters involved made you think twice about simply throwing in the towel for other entertainment choices. I found myself not only caring for the main characters but also wanting them to survive without a scratch. You know that wasn’t going to happen, and when you get the reveal, you feel a bit uneasy.

Overall, Sinister is an ok horror movie. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, unless they are diehard collectors. If you want to get it, it’s available on Blu Ray and other formats. Check it out, buy it on amazon and help a brotha out.

The Pound Coin Turns 30 Press Release

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:19:00 +0000

19th April 2013

NEWS RELEASE

THE £1 COIN AT 30

This Sunday (21st April, 2013) marks the 30th anniversary of the launch of the £1 coin. To celebrate, MoneySupermarket has launched ‘The Story of the Pound Coin’, looking back at the history of the coin and comparing the buying power of £1 now, compared to 1983.

Launched at the height of the Conservative Government, the £1 coin was reportedly disliked by the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, however, its popularity, and distinctive design led to its forerunner, the £1 note, eventually being withdrawn from circulation in 1988.

Although 30 years have passed since its first became legal tender, the similarities between then and now couldn’t be clearer. The UK was recovering from recession in 1983, while politically motivated chart hits weren’t uncommon!

However, the buying power of £1 has changed considerably in 2013 compared to 1983. In 1983, £1 would buy 1.4 pints of beer compared to 0.3 pints currently, while you could get 5.9 Mars bars for £1 compared to just 1.7 now.

In 1983, £1 would let you watch 34 minutes of a Manchester United match, while you wouldn’t even manage to watch injury time at Old Trafford, with £1 buying just three minutes of action. Fans of Glastonbury would be able to see over 6 hours of entertainment for £1 in 1983, compared to just under an hour now.

Clare Francis, editor-in-chief at MoneySupermarket, said: “So much has happened over the last 30 years, with the cost of living having risen significantly. This has had a major impact on what £1 will buy you now compared to when it was launched in 1983. The average family’s shopping basket has rocketed in price, with a loaf of bread increasing over 300 per cent, milk increasing over 250 per cent and the cost of eggs having surged by more than 400 per cent.

“The £1 coin is so familiar to us now, but few of us probably give a second thought to its history. To mark its 30th birthday, we’ve launched an interactive tool so people can track the journey it has come on.”

For more information on The Story of the Pound Coin, visit the website at

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/savings/infographics/story-of-the-pound/.

For more information, please contact Martin Carter.

Contact details: martin.carter@stickyeyes.com, 0113 391 2929.

Full list of references are available on the MoneySupermarket.com The Story of The Pound webpage, or on request.

Milk and Beer statistics: ONS Statistics for 1983 and 2012

Mars bar: http://specials.ft.com/nicocolchester/FT3XZDJSEIC.html and Sainsburys

Man U tickets: http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/prices.htm and current Man U ticket prices on website

Glastonbury: http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/history/1983/ and current Glastonbury ticket prices on Glastonbury website

Coffee, Bread, Eggs: ONS Statistics for 1983 and 2012

Interesting Information

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:03:00 +0000

Dead Cell Phones in Horror

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:53:00 +0000

While watching horror movies in these modern times, you’ll always find that one of the many plot points involves technology. It never really points to it in the positive, in fact, many times you’ll end up seeing negative actions in regards to it. This is especially true when dealing with cellular communication, which many of us take for granted. Sure, in real life, when out far, we depend on certain functions and coverage to help us out, and for those that utilize best orange deals, or something like that, it seems to be quite reliable. However, what about the people in the movies? It seems cliché to lose signal right when you need it most.

There are a lot of movies that this happens in. Most recent in my memory is none other than the horror piece that was The Ruins. That film needed a phone bad, because if there was just a little bit of communication to the outside world, things would have been a lot better for our college kids trying to escape the clutches of a curse on Mexican soil.

Signal plays a role in a lot of ways, especially when it’s no longer an option to use when moving forward in a plot. For instance, that of the plot points in The Human Centipede, or better yet the atrocious remake of The Hills Have Eyes. Did you catch those two plot twists? The signal that was so strong, just so happened to break away and drop to oblivion. Perhaps it was an accident that takes it out, because of course if someone has one of these great devices, they are going to immediately call the authorities right? Well in the film Funny Games, it just didn’t happen, and that’s unfortunate.

The death of cellular communication seems to be something that many people don’t really talk about until it happens in the movies of horror based characters. Think about this for a moment, it just so happens that this is an answered question in nearly all major movies, including the last few that I personally reviewed. Maybe the answer is not so much that it’s there, but that it’s used with care and featured with a certain amount of brevity for the audience to buy into. For instance, Scream utilizes this for a great deal of the film’s franchise and it doesn’t bother me. Then again, the signal was strong, so maybe that wasn’t a good example after all. I don’t know about you, but it’s going to bug me a lot, until movie makers stop using that crutch.

The Proliferation of Horror Movies Online

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:44:00 +0000

Rewind the years and you will find that getting the best in horror movies was not exactly an easy task. In fact, if your local video store didn’t have a good selection of the genre, you didn’t get to watch a lot of things outside of the movie theaters. That has all changed with the proliferation of streaming content. With so many people using high speed internet in their home, it’s interesting to see how many are starting to find out some of the best media in the world can be streamed into their home. Whether you’re looking to Stream movies online in the UK or you’re doing it anywhere else in the world, you’ll find that these modern times are perfect for the modern horror fan.

It’s not just the horror fans that need to rejoice, any other genre of movie that you can think of is available at your finger tips on your computer, or even video game console! Many of the best movies aren’t just free to stream some can be purchased or rented. That means that you will not have to go to your local video store and hope they have it in stock, and that means that you can test the waters and see if a film is worth your money before you invest in purchasing it on blu ray or anything like that.

Don’t get me wrong, I was once a fan of the local video store, but since there are none in my area, I have found that streaming content is far easier and cheaper for that matter. No longer am I dropping hundreds of dollars a week on renting physical media when I can easily just click a button and in a few minutes I can be watching the latest and greatest in horror, science fiction, comedy, or anything I desire for that matter.

Some of the best movies I’ve seen in the past few years, even the ones on this website that I’ve reviewed has been through streaming. For instance, the last review of Scream 4 that I just did, was done through online viewing instead of buying or renting the blu ray. I didn’t end up seeing it in theaters and didn’t want to drop a lot of money on purchasing it from a store if I could easily see it online or through my video game console. It’s this type of methodology that is going to continue to proliferate online, and I for one am up for it.

New Light on Scream 4

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:35:00 +0000

Scream 4 Poster

I changed my mind on the horror franchise.

The other night I decided to watch Scream 4 again, my previous thoughts on the movie were dry, and devoid any sort of spark. I was in a different place back then, financially better off, just starting to blossom as a grad student, and now look at me! I’m broke, beyond belief, and can’t even afford to keep the lights on in our home. Well, I take that back, they haven’t shut off our lights or other utilities, but it’s headed that way unless this site starts kicking in, so if you have a little bit of money drop me a line sirjorge at gmail dot com and help me literally keep the lights on, I wish that was a joke.

Scream 4 is one of the many movies that I wanted to see in theaters when it came out, but instead found myself sitting on a red painted curb smoking a clove cigarette. I wouldn’t say that I’m an addict, but I miss spending time smoking, it relaxed me. Why is it that such a terrible vice calmed my nerves? At least there’s other smoking options that do the same in these modern times, but that’s for another conversation. Back to the movie, I wanted to see this in person and never did. I finally rented it while I was living in Koreatown and a new relationship was blossoming after my divorce and things in the horror world seemed boring to me. That’s why my review of this film previously didn’t ring true to what I think now.

Suffice to say that I love this movie, far more than I do the original sequels. Now, don’t get me wrong, the original movie is awesome and showcased a revival for Wes Craven after making some cheese ball movies. Albeit, my favorite is still SHOCKER, even though I am alone in thinking that. I found this movie to be stellar on the second viewing and for a lot of different reasons, actually.

I Know That Actor!

That’s right, the actors on my first go around were not that recognizable, at least not the ones that were introduced for this movie. However, that’s not the case now, I definitely spotted people I knew, included TODD from that Canadian cult show about the book of pure evil, and many others. It was then that something started to click, and the popcorn started to pop. This movie is far more entertaining than I originally thought.

The overall movie is interesting on many different levels, with our main character coming back to town in order to sign and market a self-help book on how to get over traumatic events. We then get a struggling writer and now sheriff involved in trying to resurrect her career when serial slayings start to occur. That’s not before getting a lot of self aware rants and raves about the current landscape of horror. All in all the movie flows far better than the previous incarnations, and I absolutely was thrilled with the stellar moments, and even the not so hot moments where Craven decided to pull the camera away for dramatic effect.

All in all, Scream 4 is one of my favorite horror movies to come out in recent years, and that’s say a lot, because I am usually jaded about all of these things. But not today, even though I am a few months away from being homeless, with no career to speak of, I found that this movie let me stop thinking about thing for a few hours. It gets my recommendation, even though no one will agree…so I say. Drop me a line if you have thoughts on the mater, and please, donate by purchasing items through amazon or directly through paypal, I absolutely am in need right now, thank you.

A nod to European Horror

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 07:58:00 +0000

Here's another post from a guest. I've been battling sickness, writing a lot, starting a business, and just haven't had time to watch as much horror as I'd like to. I will return to a full schedule sooner than later, but until then, check this out.

It’s a known fact that they sure know how to make movies that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up over there on the old continent. For all the faithful horror fans out there- just the mere mention of names as Dario Argento or Guillermo del Toro, but the last decade has witnessed a lot of involvement from part of the Scandinavian, Russian and Serbian directors who’ve managed to offer some truly amazing titles that are surely to earn a permanent place in the Horror Hall of Fame. Let’s take a quick look at some of the most memorable ones.

Sauna (2008)

A very strong title born from the collaboration of Finland and the Czech Republic. The somber and depressing movie has a solid plot with a feasible background story, which is all the more painful as it deals with the horrors of war or, more precisely, the aftermath of these horrors and the way everything good in the human nature crumbles before the atrocities we are capable of committing.

Philosophy of a Knife (2008)

Written and directed by the promising Russian talent Andrey Iskanov, the movie follows the true story of the notorious Japanese Unit 731 - known for unbelievably brutal human experiments during WW2. The atrocities carried out in the infamous unit are far too horrendous to require extra video effects, which is something the Russian director was fully aware of. His movie is but a peak into the hellish nightmare that devoured thousands of men, women, children and infants.

Semum (2008)

A surprisingly original Turkish horror, despite the fact that it exploits a theme that we’ve seen one time too many. The effects are pretty decent for this kind of budget and the plot is as simple as it is effective. Allegedly the movie is based on the real-life events of Canan Karaca. Definitely worth checking out.

Let the Right One In (2008)

The movie is actually a remake of a previous one by director Tomas Alfredson. A different and quite unorthodox story about vampires, which is as eerie as it is endearing. Every minute of the film is brilliantly steeped in the characters’ emotions and the cinematographic and music are both beautiful.

Srpski Film / A Serbian Film (2010)

In case you have missed out on this one it’s time to make up for it. Serbia has single-handedly given to the world some of the best movies in the past several years and A Serbian Film is one of them. A brutally honest, disturbingly realistic visual experience - this movie is about as snuff as it’s ever going to get. As if the topics it deals with are not atrocious enough, the camera doesn’t shy away from the violence in a way that will make you sick to your stomach.

Indie Horror Films Worth Checking Out

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 03:17:00 +0000

I'm starting to feel better, but still am not at 100%, so you'll have to deal with guest postings yet again. I'll return to the helm with all new reviews for Chemical Burn Studios work.

Indie movies are often overlooked by fans, mainly due to the fact that their limited budget and unrecognizable actors don’t make for a very appealing advertising campaign. If you don’t frequently browse through the horror fests’ lists of indie flicks, you risk missing out on some of the best, chilling, original and disturbing titles the horror genre has ever witnessed. For those of you, who’ve only stayed up-to-date with the mainstream titles released over the past few years, we offer a list of a few brilliant indie horror films that are definitely worth checking out.

Joshua (2006)

Travis Betz is an f-ing genius for single-handedly writing and directing one of the most dark, demented and truly disturbing horror flicks of the past decade. It is truly amazing what can be done with just few mediocre visual effects and an extremely strong background story and tight plot. Betz’s efforts have been rewarded with this realistically disturbing tale of human downfall into depravity and insanity.

Splinter (2008)

A very effective Sci-Fi horror flick, which is one of those movies that actually gains from not revealing too much about the cause of events, is what you find here. The effects are decent and the gore is just the right amount to contribute to the build-up of suspension and feeling of dread throughout the movie. Director Toby Wilkins has done a marvelous job with the plot as well as with the cast.

Dead Girl (2008)

A very powerful and disturbing movie, exploring serious social issues, full of horror that should shake you is presented here. This memorable stomach turning flick deals with the most depraved choices people make when nobody is watching. The director is sparing of effects, but effectively creates a dark tale that starts off slow, but quickly builds up to a climax of absolute destruction and carnage.

Triangle (2009)

This is more of a psychological type of horror, but still it is worth mentioning, as it is quite fresh with a very unexpected turn of events. Although the movie starts out as just another slasher, pretty soon it takes a turn for the worse and the viewer is introduced to something much more sinister than just another deranged killer hunting down a group of good-looking folks.

Perkins’ 14

Perkins’ 14 is an unusually stark flick, superbly directed and filmed by Craig Singer and it’s one of the best things to come out from the After Dark Horror Fest in recent years. The unique style and engaging script only add to the movie’s effective somber atmosphere, which draws the viewer into a downfall of horror, psychological pain and brutal violence.

Amazon.com Widgets

Clive Barker's Books of Blood Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 01:01:00 +0000

(Buy the Book Here)

Your old pal Sir Jorge is still sick. I haven't been able to do a whole lot of writing, so you will have to enjoy another guest blogger attempt to get you interested in horror of a different kind. Enjoy.

Clive Barker is a well-known name in the world of horror and fantasy. His biography of a director and producer holds titles such as ‘Hellraiser’ and ‘Jericho’, which are trend-setters in times, when people thought that everything has been done before. Having said this, Barker’s true talent shines most in the field of literature. Known as one of the most promising writers in the horror genre and proclaimed by none other than Stephen King as the future of the said genre, all of Barker’s books prove that he will most certainly live up to these expectations.

The first volume of the Books of Blood consists of 6 stories and 3 introductions. The first story carries the title ‘The Book of Blood’ and it unfolds the tale of how the said book came to be. The narrative is original and grim with brilliant twists and the incorporation of paranormal elements. It is interesting to point out that Barker doesn’t abide by the rules imposed on authors at the beginning of their careers for a strict word count of their works and creates every story as he sees fit. The end result is compact, concise stories that are surprisingly engaging and influential.

The second story in the book is ‘The Midnight Meat Train’, which most people will recognize as the film adaptation with Vinnie Jones and Bradley Cooper, which was actually pretty decent. The author himself has expressed his desire for the movie to become the first of a trilogy, which will shed some light on the creatures that are behind all existence and demand bloody sacrifices for it.

In ‘The Yattering and Jack’ Barker offers an interesting insight into the mishaps of an inferior daemon. Even though someone might argue that comic is not a term that ought to be used when we’re reviewing a book in the horror genre, this story has an undeniable humoristic element to it. Time and again Barker manages to offer something fresh and original, proving that he definitely doesn’t fall under any categories of the said genre.

‘Pig Blood Blues’ makes the infamous scene from Hannibal pale in comparison. Barker is truly at his best in terms of ruthlessness and brutality that makes the reader squirm with disgust. Another proof that he is willing to experiment and explore different angles and approaches of the genre, playing with and pushing the limits of sane and normal.

In ‘Sex, Death and Starshine’ the plot unfolds following the pattern of…well..sex, death and starshine. Although far from frightening, the story is quite intriguing. The dead too require a healthy dosage of entertainment and apparently they know how to get it.

‘In the Hills, the Cities’ deservedly is placed at the end of the first volume of the ‘Books of Blood’ as it is truly the best work of the author of the 6 stories. Barker’s imagination has really surpassed all limits and ventured into realms of unimaginable horror and dread.

As a whole ‘Books of Blood’ has its weak and strong points. As we mentioned before, Barker is not amongst the authors to follow predetermined patterns in their style of writing or narrative and he’s definitely not the one to spare his readers any brutality. He’s exhaustive and thorough to the point where it can get physically unsettling for the person on the other side of the book. His works are a must-read for anyone who’s looking for something different than the mainstream horror formula.

Silent Hill Revelation 3D Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:17:00 +0000

(Buy silent hill here)

From time to time, your pal Sir Jorge (me) gets sick. This week I got the flu, so in that case, I had a little help from a guest blogger. This guest blogger didn’t want to be named, just wanted a shot at posting on the old blog o rific, so without further adieu, here you go.

We dare to dream of the day that Hollywood will stop trying to make movies based on game sequels, but alas that day is yet to come…For the time being we’re forced to sit through a [yet another] mediocre and downright laughable cinematic version of one of the greatest horror game franchises that were to ever grace the face of this pitiful planet. KONAMI must really be regretting selling the rights to the franchise to an American company - now that the fellow Americans hold the legal rights to the game(s) and movie(s) all bets are off.

But onto the movie, we will see... It’s hard to write a coherent review for a movie that’s all over the place, so let’s just use the same approach to do it justice. This movie has no reason to exist. Period. After the dreaded and insufferable Silent Hill from 2006 a lot of game fans were convinced the making of films based on games had hit rock bottom and nothing worse could ever live to see daylight. Apparently scriptwriters, directors and visual artists in Hollywood mistook this for a personal challenge and thus - Revelation was born. Sometimes I think virtually every movie based on a game is doomed to failure and the guys from the East Coast seem pretty keen on proving me right (note: no, putting Angelina Jolie in the lead role does NOT a movie make or save; she’s freaking hot as hell, yes, but if I wanted to watch an hour long of a hot chick flashing her curves from every angle I’d just play me some random Sasha Grey clip).

As a religious fan of the game sequel I have to shamefully admit I was timidly hopeful for the second Silent Hill movie after having experienced one of the worst disappointments of my life sitting through the first (seriously, I wasn’t that upset when I found naked pictures and ongoing correspondence of my boyfriend with his ex, leading to an ugly break-up). Further to this the fact that it would be loosely based on the third installment of the game series, which is one of the strongest and sickest in the sequence, only added to that adorable pitter-patter of my heart and the butterfly feeling in my stomach. By the time the credits appeared on the screen I was deeply pensive about whether to pull a James Holmes on the theatre (alright, this was completely inappropriate in the light of the recent events, but you get what I am trying to say) or go home and slit my wrists with broken DVD pieces.

See? I promised you a review as coherent as the movie and so far I think I’m delivering. In all seriousness, though, the movie is all over the place - like literally. There isn’t the slightest effort from part of the script-writer to put together anything even remotely decent in terms of background story (the glue that hold together all Silent Hill-related stories no matter how irrelevant or unrelated they might seem in the beginning) and the director has only assisted with throwing in here and there random images in the spirit of the game franchise. Apart from recognizing some of the series most infamous monsters there is little that the fans will be able to relate to. As if in a meek attempt to block out these flukes, several up-and-coming and one or two famous actors have been thrown in the movie, but they’re just as out of place as everything else. Almost all of the casting of ‘Game of Thrones’ is present, which goes on to prove that when the industry has decided to promote someone, they’re going to promote the living shit out of them - even if that person can’t act to save his life (which is kind of ironic since one of the actors in question does die in the movie…and in ‘Game of Thrones’ for that matter. Wonder if it was due to bad acting). Carrie Anne Moss hasn’t acted in a scene as laughable as the infamous last dialogue with Neo from the 3rd Matrix, where he tells her she can’t die, but she argues that she can and dies, until now.

Things are not looking good in the soundtrack department either, which is baffling to say the least. With a monumentally genius composer like Akira Yamaoka, who single-handedly ensured that musically Silent Hill is just as eerie and disturbing as the story and gameplay intended it to be, the music to the movie is nothing like any of the brilliant tracks we get to experience in the games.

Without spoiling the movie for those who will bravely venture into the theatre to catch a glimpse of the abomination that it is, let me just shout out a fair warning to all faithful game fans - the notorious, but beloved Pyramid Head appears in the most unimaginably grotesque (not in a good) way - one that will leave you with nightmares for weeks to come and will possibly result in several shrink appointments.

The general atmosphere of the movie is dark and somber, albeit in a way that has little to do with the sad hopelessness that the games used to make the player care. You will find it doesn’t really matter whether the characters live or die and will fail to be thrilled by their personal tragedies, which are told in a more of a soap-opera-drama style. The safest choice you could make is to take my word that the best thing about this movie is the poster and move on with your life.

My Favorite Zombie Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:58:00 +0000

(Buy Nightmare City Here)

Nightmare City (1980) is my favorite Zombie Movie

One of the easiest prompts you can get as a writer is simply about yourself. Any subject matter that deals with what you enjoy, love, and want to share can become the greatest piece of writing because it comes from the heart, right? Well, in a series of articles that I will be posting in the coming future, starting today, I’m going to be talking about my favorite movies in the horror genre. Today, for example, I will be talking about my favorite zombie movie. That is going to an Italian-Spanish flick that came out in 1980 known as Nightmare City.

The plot of the movie is one that is definitely note worthy. A report is at an airport awaiting a famed scientist that has been linked to a nuclear accident. When a military plane shows up, the doors open with fast running zombies and chaos starts to reign at the airport. They stab, shoot, and run with reckless abandon. Meanwhile, the reporter catches all of this and tries to warn the general public but is thwarted, and instead seeks to find his wife so that they can flee to safety while the zombie apocalypse jumps off. The twist ending is definitely one of note and will probably bring about a lot of arguments as to what really happened.

The whole movie is a great piece of European cinema, and the Italian and Spanish film making style is evident throughout. You have to give it up to them for creating a frenetically paced movie without the use of shaky cam to introduce the monsters. You feel like you’re involved in a serious apocalypse, albeit with monsters that resemble something out of the old Power Rangers television program. Sure, there are some tongue and cheek moments, the whole thing plays off like a made for television Stephen King picture, but so what?

The music is great, the acting is ok, the dubbing is fantastic, and the premise most certainly can fit into modern day worlds. You will find Nightmare City to be one great piece of zombie filmmaking and even George Romero might give it a nod or two. But that doesn’t really matter, does it? This is my favorite zombie movie, and though there are a lot of great ones out there, nothing seemed to have the impact that this one had. I saw it several times in my years, but most recently I enjoyed it with Spanish subtitles, a great one to enjoy an IPA to. If you haven’t seen this in a while, make sure that you buy Nightmare City here, and see why it’s my favorite zombie movie.

Rosemary’s Baby Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 04:28:00 +0000

(Buy Rosemary's Baby Criterion)

A Mother’s Worst Nightmare Comes True

Love it or hate it, the slow moving era of movies still reaches to the depths of fear and comes out charging in a relevant way. Whether you’re watching something that came from the mind of Bava or Argento or you’re watching Rosemary’s Baby, you realize that not every horror movie has to have a baby that’s exploding with violence and gore all over the place. Thank you Peter Jackson, but you will have to take a backseat to t his one, as it is far more emphatic through the reveal than anything produced in the last 10 years, although, there was that one movie about the orphan that turned out to be an older woman, what’s that movie called again? Something about adoption, who cares, who knows, let’s talk about this child molester’s movie…what, he was acquitted? No?

Rosemary’s Baby is indeed a classic for a variety of reasons. It could be the naivety that is portrayed by the main character, coming up pregnant amidst what seems like a very odd backdrop. Each 20 minute interval reveals another piece of the puzzle and as the movie continues through a variety of steps, it’s leading up to something big, and you know what the twist is, but you don’t know how it’s going to be revealed. The knowing, the slow pace, deliberate lines and lots of clues lead you to believe that there is something going awry, and when all is said and done, it is truly revealed that the devil is in the details, the little hands, and the laughter, and the coven of witchcraft that has produced the birth of the devil!

The movie is drawn out, long, boring and fully realized by a true artist. You really get tense because of the way the plot thickens into a cesspool of cool. Regardless of your take on the director, you will get a chill up your spine the way things turn out. The scariest moments aren’t really gorey, they are just moments that you see how society has changed in many ways. The hysterical wife that confides in her doctor, only to get taken to her husband, who is in on it, or how everyone involved is very much part of a cult. The whole movie churns its way through several momentous plot points, none of which deliver quite like the pay off.

All in all, Rosemary’s Baby is an example of an older movie that has some scary ideas. However, when it comes full circle it’s actually a tad on the boring side. I liked the overall artistry, it’s a work of great triumph, but in the canon of scary films, this one is not going to win over modern fans. However, if you’re a mother, father, pregnant, or are going to get pregnant, this presents a whole new level of fear that is definitely as scary today as it ever was before. Roman Polanski outdoes himself with such grace here; you don’t really get the age until you start to realize this was made in the late 60s. Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes do a fine job here, and I’m surprised at how much money this made when released. It’s a long one, so strap in for a game of scrabble!

5 Horror Novelists You That Will Keep You Up At Night

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 23:25:00 +0000

Lovecraft

The Horror Novelists Worth Checking Out Today

Whether you are reading traditional format books or you have an electronic device that you can scroll through, you most likely can appreciate a good horror novel. A lot of the movies that are revered, as the greatest scary films of all time have been first created by someone with a literary dynamic first, than converted to the visual medium. When speaking on this subject several names come to mind, but which ones are going to give you the most bang for your proverbial buck? The following 5 horror novelists you want to read today is just a quick write up of names that came to mind this morning while drinking my morning coffee.

5. H.P. Lovecraft

Despite the fact that he was deathly afraid of women, this guy can creep you completely out with some of the most lingering and slow burning horror elements known to writing. He creates a very educated sprawl of weird and horrific moments and at times does so in a very short and condensed manner. You’ll be surprised at how quickly your spine tingles, and your mind starts playing tricks on you. The absorbing writer is seen as one of the greatest of all time. Suggested reading: The Call of Cthulhu (buy it here)

4. David Wong

Some might find this guy to be annoying, but he makes horror fun with a very cool and interesting way of describing certain matters. Much like my sense of humor, Wong creates a tapestry of references that you would only make with your friends or to your cats. I for one talk to my cat friends as they look at me appalled. Sometimes I tell my girlfriend and she just looks at me appalled too. I guess you just can’t win, unless you’re writing horror novels. I wish I had more time. Suggested reading: John Dies At The End (buy it here)

3. Clive Barker

Someone once told me that Clive Barker was a poor man’s Stephen King, and they couldn’t have been more wrong. Barker creates a world rich with an aural sin element that is almost like eating fried chicken when you’ve got a heart condition. His way of creating madness and chaos into a sensual feast is really something to behold. While all his books aren’t as nightmare filled as other novelists, he can sure take something as simple as taking a nap and turn it into an insane asylum within a few hundred pages. Suggested reading: Books of Blood (buy it here)

2. John Saul

John Saul is one of those writers that has been churning away stories of pure evil and while he has garnered a great bit of success, you probably haven’t heard of him. He has created a lengthy list of thrillers and horror novels that deal with a variety of human and supernatural elements all the same. He continues to build upon his success, jumping into the comic book world with “The God Project” but his novels have been bestsellers for many years now, and there’s something about the way he writes that will have you believing that things aren’t what they seem in your neck of the woods. Suggested reading: Sleep Walk (buy it here)

1. Stephen King

Did you really think I’d pick someone else? The king of horror novels (pun intended) once said he was the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and Fries. Sure he may be an easy pick for the #1 spot and some might argue that he’s overrated, but with a legion of fans, and books that sell out their first printings within hours of being released, you gotta give the guy some credit. He might be a little longwinded in his story telling, but time and time again he brings out the horror with the greatest of ease. Suggested reading: The Stand (buy it here)

If you love horror movies, than it is an easy transition to move to reading horror novels. The aforementioned authors are just a handful of the best that you’ll find when you’re exploring the bookshelves that are left in your town. If you are going to shop online for any of the books mentioned above or for just about anything else, check out the selection online through amazon, you’ll be surprised what you’ll find.

The Raven Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:37:00 +0000

(buy The Raven here)

John Cusack is Edgar Allen Poe in this dark horror thriller of mediocre proportions. It is available now on blu ray here.

When you think of John Cusack, at least when I think of him, you often times remember the guy that is always chasing that one lost love. Whether he’s in the middle of a break up or he’s trying to win the affections of a hot chick that won’t give him the time of day, Cusack is known for wearing his heart on his proverbial sleeve, and this movie in some ways is a culmination of all his previous work, only it is wrapped in the fat head of Edgar Allen Poe.

The movie is a tale of thrilling proportions, or at least it tries to be, with a gothic feel that is quite interesting. There are a lot of components to the way the actors portray the characters that makes it fit for a stage play rather than a full-length movie. In fact, I often times wondered what it would be like to see this in person live on stage, but that would mean having a lot of money because good quality stage plays cost a lot of money to see live in Los Angeles.

The Raven moves through several acts where Poe played by Cusack, has to go through a series of grizzly murders in order to find a missing person, buried alive. The whole movie rings of Poe’s stories and really does a good job with the visual representations of the writings. However, the movie starts to slow down and get really boring towards the third act. Even though there is a slowdown, it’s still has a great deal of action, suspense, and a plot twist that you may see coming a mile away but cheer for anyways.

All in all, I liked The Raven, even if I did have a few problems with the pacing and the overall story. This work of historical fiction really does make me a tad bit more interested in Poe’s work, even though I already find what I know about his writings to be fascinating. For those that haven’t read his work, you can purchase his books here. For those that are familiar with his work the visuals are going to be cool, but the movie as a whole? Well, that’s debatable. It leans towards greatness visually but lacks a certain gusto that I would want from horror movies. Your opinion will vary, I’m sure.

The Haunted Casino

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 13:28:00 +0000

A young man inherits a run-down casino from a distant relative and brings a few of his friends along to check it out. Unfortunately earlier employees of the casino have been killed by the relative and they now haunt the casino as ghosts, eager to get their revenge on the new owner. The story is like any other badly though out horror story, with no big surprises and a very predictable ending.

The story line is extremely vague about why the ghosts haunt the casino and what can be done to stop them. It is very unclear if the motive for the killings are to get silver stored away by the relative who previously ran the casino or if it is about the revenge. To be honest the silver motive doesn’t make much sense as Ghosts wouldn’t really need silver.

The backgrounds of the characters are also lacking a lot in credibility. A guy inherits a casino from a family member he does not know and has never met or heard about, because he is the next of kin. There is no mentioning of any other family members or what has happened to them. Obviously these things make the plot work but it just shows Brand’s lack of ability in creating believable characters. On the other hand he is still great at creating indecent jokes and senseless violence.

If you will like to avoid ending up at a haunted casino next time you feel the need to play your favourite casino games you should try the best online casino games at onlinecasinoaustralia.com.au. The chances of being killed by an angry ghost here are next to none, whereas the chances of winning the big jackpot is considerably higher.

The last thing to mention about this movie is that it should maybe have raised the alarm bells when a movie is market under three different titles; Dead Man's Hand, Casino of the Damned and in the end Haunted Casino. I guess you get what you can expect from Full Moon. A horror movie specked with cheesy lines, bad acting and a predictable story line.

Top 5 Valentines Day Movies

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 00:27:00 +0000

The month in which lovers decide to enjoy their courtship and all that jazz is fast approaching. For lovers of horror movies the day can mean a nice romantic dinner followed by a movie of epic gore, followed by whatever it is you’d like to do afterwards. For this list, we’ll focus on the top 5 Valentines Day movies. It’s bittersweet for me because February 14 is my birthday, my sister’s birthday, and a day in which society says that I should be even nicer to my girlfriend, although I try to do that daily. Whatever the case is, here are 5 movies you want to check out.

#5 My Bloody Valentine 3D

A mining community gest an insane bloodbath of terror in this remake, which was not necessarily needed, but still got made by Lionsgate. I for one saw it in theaters when it came out, and was thrilled with the way they did it. The 3D is a bit overblown, but I found it to be quite alright when I saw it again at home. In theaters, I didn’t find it to be as good as I did later, and it is now my #5 pick. You can scope this one out new/used by clicking here.

#4 Let The Right One In

I love foreign horror movies, heck I love foreign movies in general. This one is the better version as it is striking and quite insane when the reveal is finally peeled away. This Swedish movie doesn’t force you to use an allen wrench to watch it, it simply presents a budding relationship between a young vampire and a boy, and well, things get bad, really bad. You’ll enjoy it on a level of romance that is sometimes left to childhood sweethearts or tarts, whatever. You can buy it new/used by clicking here.

#3 Scream

Who is killing off teenagers in a small town? The high school kids each gets taken out and when we are introduced to the killer it’s all about a lack of SEX. My girlfriend and I named our cat partially after the main character, and this was an awesome flick that still holds up today. Scream produced a ton of sequels and even the latest one had me enjoying the popcorn one more time. This is a good one; check it out on the special lover’s day. You can buy it new/used by clicking here.

#2 Bride of Chucky

You know you can’t miss this one, it’s a loving tribute to couples everywhere, and Jennifer Tilly is smoking hot as a little doll. Chucky gets a new gal pal and they seriously want to takeover. This is a classic, it’s terrible, but hey, not all horror movies are going to win Oscars, ok. You can buy it new/used by clicking here.

#1 The Bride of Frankenstein

When it comes to custom making a woman, here is an awesome example of why you should just leave it up to God. In t his sequel to the original, the Bride of Frankenstein is created, comes to life but has a mind of her own! Oh now, a woman that thinks for herself? What next women drivers? I kid, I kid, but come on; this is the number one movie for lovers, right? Right? Click here to pick it up new/used or in a box set.

What are your thoughts? Drop me a line, let me know what you think, it’d be nice to have comments on here.

Support Scary Film Review

If you want to support the efforts of this site, and me (sir jorge) you can do so by buying things on amazon through the links I provide, or you could donate some money via the link in the sidebar. If you would like to see LESS ads, you can subscribe to this website via the RSS feed link on the right. I am 100% freelance, and a pro-writer, I only write and go to grad school, so this site helps me get a cup of coffee and rent horror movies. Please help if you can, otherwise, enjoy the blog.

A Piano In the House Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:56:00 +0000

When it comes to Twilight Zone, there are episodes that are scary and there are episodes that rely heavily on the human condition. They exhibit humanity in a way that is going to be quite difficult to find scary. In this 1962 episode we go through the human emotions that we most likely have to deal with on a regular basis as adults, that of lying to ourselves.

The show is quite interesting, it features a variety of different takes on the classic notion of be careful what you wish for. Once again, I had to think about a variety of different points in my life while watching this, and each of the plot’s twists and turns recycled moments where I could relate to the showcase. This cautionary tale from the show really uses a great amount of timing to deliver the final punch line of what is otherwise a practical joke on the main character.

A Piano in the House follows the story of a man that wants a player piano in his house for his wife. He gives it to her and tells her that she could never learn to play it, so he buys a player piano that automatically plays music. However, when you play songs it causes the true nature of the listener to come out and that’s where we see some greatness in psychological story telling.

Think about it in your own life, do you ever act differently amidst certain stimulus? If the answer is, no, you’re a liar. There are certain things that make us louder, truthful, and even psychotic. I know for me, drinking opens up a wealth of rambling that is not worth listening to.

This episode was ok, it wasn’t my favorite, but it definitely was worth noting for the way personal relationships can grow sour. There is a cool twist at the end, so make sure that you check this one out.

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Paranormal Activity 3 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:35:00 +0000

(buy from amazon here)

I heard a lot about these movies and every year there are a lot of different ads being pushed about the movies. I’m not necessarily a big fan of scare tactics which is what the movie series is all about, well, that and shaking camera footage. If you guessed that I would be reviewing Paranormal Activity 3 than you are probably psychic or you read my post-it notes. I managed to sit through this sequel the other night instead of reading a book, and I am regretting it, but then again, I regret a lot of the movies that I end up watching for the main purpose of reviewing on this website. Sure, I’m a fan of horror, but some things are just awfully slow moving. With that in mind, here are my petty thoughts on this movie.

The movie is your classic haunting tale at first. A family goes into a house and bad things happened before. But that’s not how we are introduced, a box of videocassette tapes is delivered and through the footage strange things start to happen in the home. Is it a ghost? Is it an entity? I don’t know, but it sure is creepy when things start to happen.

You have to pay attention to what is going on throughout this movie. I turned away to stop my cats from killing each other and my girlfriend told me something crazy happened. I could’ve rewound the movie but why? This isn’t vhs era, man I miss those days. Remember the oversized porn boxes? They had cardboard trays inside, oh never mind. There are a lot of boring, things that you will find in this movie especially a lot of dead air. The camera moves left to right and no sound is heard, and at times only a sheet is seen. However, much like a “Where’s Waldo” book, you better be ready to notice what is going wrong, otherwise it’s very quiet.

By the time something really starts to happen, you don’t care, I know I didn’t. Sure there were some moments where evil seemed to takeover, but I didn’t really like it.

My main problem with this movie was that the entity in the movie focused at o ne point at harming a child. I always find that killing children, abusing them, and targeting them for the sake of horror or entertainment is just not something I want to enjoy. It bugs me. It’s odd because I have seen some sick stuff, including many graphic violent and rape scenes, but when you mess with a child, I start to lose interest. With the exception of “Who Can Kill a Child” in which the children were killing all adults and if it the sole survivor didn’t punch out a few children, he was a goner just like the rest of the party.

Paranormal Activity 3 is boring, yet effective. I can see why many people love it, but I don’t know if I loved it. No, I do know, I didn’t love it. It’s slow moving, it’s creepy, and well it’s boring. I did find the jump scares effective, but it really isn’t that great. Maybe you’ll disagree, and if so, drop me a line, otherwise, eh, it’s ok at best.

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Hellblazer Original Sins Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 04:05:00 +0000

(buy on amazon click here)

For fans of horror literature and comic books all the same there wasn’t a lot to love in the mainstream, although there were always graphic comics released in the underground. Then things started to unravel in the late 80s with a lot of super hero stuff getting dark, so some of the mighty comic companies put out a horror themed book that would change the face of one young reader’s mind (me), and that book was Hellblazer. We were introduced into a character that fascinates throughout the series and it all starts for new readers with Hellblazer: Original Sin a graphic novel for fans that haven’t picked up all the issues of this dying series from Vertigo.

Original Sins is the first 9 issues of the comic book series alongside Swamp Thing #76 and #77 towards the end. Readers get introduced to the series from the beginning and a little taste of where John Constantine first started out in another series, which is usually how these things work out. The character is a chain-smoking lad that comes from Liverpool and runs into demons, supernatural worlds, and gets into some dark subject matter that might offend youngsters and parents alike.

He’s a perfect portrait of an anti-hero, an ass of a man that is somehow cherished and dare I say loveable. He has flaws, but there is a good sense of caring written in to his mean streak as he looks into a variety of cases of the unreal. From the very first official issue of his series we find Constantine looking into the case of a demon possession through New York City much like many super hero characters before him. The demon in question jumps around and makes serious problems for our hero. He must get the help from a magic man named Papa Midnight who aligns himself from time to time with John to control demons and the likes. He got his own spinoff at one point.

As you continue to read Original Sins you start to go through the story of Constantine fighting demons in our world that are (for lack of a better word) yuppies by nature and are watching economic growth and the likes. Readers are introduced to a female character that saves the humanity of our antihero, her name is Zed and lets a bit of a foil come through when dealing with what is otherwise a solo project for Constantine. The book continues through story after story of religious and satanic entanglements and really poses to be an interesting arc of stories from the original issues before getting treated to a cool two-part Swam Thing story from the past.

Should You Buy John Constantine Hellblazer: Original Sins?

The short answer is YES.

The first volume of this fascinating series gives you a good taste of everything you’d want from a horror comic book. It includes original covers, sketches from the artists and if you’re a fan of Dave Mckeane than once again you will be treated to awesome artwork. Even though the series is going to be put to an end, you clearly see why it lasted so long with this first book collecting the first signs of life for the iconoclast. Vertigo does a great deal for fans of alternative graphic media, and I for one am a huge fan. John Constantine Hellblazer Original Sins is available by clicking here. It gets a 5 out of 5 rating in my humble opinion.

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Texas Chainsaw 3D Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 22:38:00 +0000

Texas Chainsaw 3D Suckas!

True fans will love it; fake fans will call it stupid.

Last weekend I was excited, I took my girlfriend to see Texas Chainsaw 3D and was excited to see something horror related come to full release, and I was adamant about seeing it. I was reading early reviews on twitter and couldn’t believe how many people were trashing it, including a site that claims they review the “best horror movies” and I immediately went on a tirade to try and cajole people into having fun at the movies once again. I did get feedback from someone that listened to my cries for desperation and end up going through with it and they LOVED IT!

The movie follows up directly after where the first one ended, and it featured some of the same style of film making in the opening credits. The story follows a young girl that is the last female of the family that was killed after the original film concludes. The film features Tobe Hooper’s characters, Bill Moselely, and so many other original actors from the original, and I could’ve sworn that Tobe Hooper produced it according to the credits that rolled before the film, but I’m not 100% sure if that was the end result.

The movie followed a good overall story where the heir to the home of the original family of horror in Texas has a miserable time dealing with her cousin. When leather face realizes that she’s a family member he turns into a sort of antihero that punishes those that burned down his family’s home. The movie then leaves a gap open for subsequent sequels.

There are a lot of different pieces to this puzzle, but the most important parts are that we might get a new set of movies that are related to Tobe Hooper’s original characters. I thought the movie was fun, great, and full of good 3D jump-starts. I saw it in a sold out showing with a lot of African American teenagers and it was the most fun I’ve had in years. Not since Freddy vs. Jason have I fully endorsed seeing a movie in theaters with a crowd. I was rolling in my seat, enjoying myself, and just loved every minute.

Sure, there are dumb moments, sure there are parts that seem overly polished, and logic can easily be interjected to ruin the fun, but you know what?

This is NOT an Oscar movie; it’s a horror movie. If you didn’t like it, you don’t like the genre. It’s a fun romp, much different than the original, much more like the second movie with Dennis Hopper and a great continuation of the story. From what I read online Tobe Hooper loved it, and if anyone didn’t, screw you. I’m sick of all the negative reviews, people should see this if they are fans, and they did, #1 movie in American baby!

HELL YEAH!

Loved it. You will too.

Support this blog’s efforts by donating to the right with the “Donate Button” or buy something via amazon, thank you.

The Dead Zone by Stephen King Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 01:33:00 +0000

Can you picture Christopher Walken here?

The Dead Zone is one of the books from Stephen King that lives on due in large part to the movie, and long time cable series that ran for 80 episodes. When it came out, I’m sure enthusiasts were all about it, as his name truly was one of the big time names in horror literature at the time. This book, is often times noted as being very much a tightly wound thriller with elements of horror, and more leaning on dramatic story telling than gore or violence. I agree, it’s definitely heart felt in many ways.

(buy on amazon)

Remember The Ned Zone?

The Simpsons did a parody of this story in a quick capsule of an episode during Halloween, and I found it hilarious, as many people did, and if you remember the plot from that short cartoon, than you already know what to expect. John Smith gets into a serious accident that keeps in a coma for many years and when he wakes up, he has a serious psychic ability, one that he didn’t desire or want. The pendulum of duality swings heavy in this book, as Smith has to cope with the blessing of knowing what’s to come and, well, knowing what’s to come. As the book continues he ends up finding himself seeing a future where the wrong political party is in charge, creating a nightmare world that he must figure out how to stop before it happens.

Another Big One, No Pictures

For those that are completely enthralled with the work of King, this is another winner. A long drawn out tale that really can be summarized rather quickly, but if you consider the style and who’s the writer, you will note that it’s another piece to the bigger horror puzzle. With The Dead Zone, Stephen King creates a big “what if” scenario that has haunted many every 4 years when election time comes in.

I give this book a 4 out of 5, not necessarily great, but fun twisted political thrills done dirt cheap. Speaking of dirt cheap, you can pick this book up via amazon.com and get free shipping on orders $25 and above by clicking here. If you want to support this site, donate $1 and help me get a cup of coffee by clicking the donate button on the right of the page. What are your thoughts on this book? Drop me a line.

The Stand by Stephen King Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 03:13:00 +0000

The book that eventually scared my mom about the end of the world.

The Stand by Stephen King is one of the most popular books to come out from the master of horror, and it is one of the highest searched terms on the Internet, to this day. I’m surprised to see how many people are continually looking for this novel even though it’s been a long time since the original release, and it’s been a while since the television series first aired.

This is definitely a large book, with a great deal of pages, as King does tend to write a great deal of text to create his works. Often times comparing himself to McDonald’s in terms of literature, you can definitely get a good feel for his work with this one as he takes a great deal of time to labor the points that he wants to make across several storylines that intertwine often. The hardcover is worth getting, and if you find The Stand Hardcover in new condition, buy it for your bookshelf, it looks great.

The Stand (buy from amazon)

The Plot of The Stand

As if readers were surprised, the end of days occurs through another pandemic. Much like swine flu should’ve made this book another Nostradamus classic, King takes us through a tale of a deadly plague that has caused the country to go from happy go lucky to scared and afraid. Everyone around the country is turning up dead and survival seems to be quite difficult as the plague is swiping anyone that breathes.

You are introduced to a lot of characters in the first half of the book, and if you are keen on taking notes, do it, because you are going to get lost with the sheer amount of people that get thrown at you fast. You get little background stories for each one, then you are thrown into a scenario that is not unlike other similar plots where a group bands together to hopefully make it out alive!

You are given two sides of the coin, with some holy rollers (as I envisioned them) having to cross paths with some sinners (going to Vegas) and making sure that the world comes out alive is definitely on the mind of each party, whether they show it or not through the text.

A Big Book With No Pictures

This is not a hard book to read, it’s an easy one. However, there is a LOT of writing. If you are a fan of the writer you already know this, and you’ll probably be prepared for what is to come. However, if you’re not familiar this is going to be a daunting task because it’s that big. However, it’s well worth the investment.

Amongst the best dystopian stories, this one seems to be a good epic one that is definitely going to provide readers with hours upon hours of entertainment. This is a great example of why you want to invest in books, they are far more entertaining than movies, and King does his best to add so much description and plot to his characters that you truly feel that you’re getting your money’s worth.

Is this truly how the world Ends?

I ended up asking a lot of questions about the end of times, and it is apparent that King thinks about it in a religious sense after reading the book. There is no way to condense all the plot, all the stories into a quick review, so I’ll just have to say that it’s about a flu, two groups of people, and a juxtaposition of good and evil set in what may just be the near future.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. If you are in the market for a horror novel to read, this is a good one, and you can buy it by clicking here today, and if you buy some other books along the way you can get free shipping. If you’re looking for something cheap, buy The Stand for as low as a penny by clicking here.

2013 Scary Film Review Manifesto

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 19:51:00 +0000

2013 Is The Year of Horror Movies

When I first started this blog, I didn’t want to get into a way to make money. I was living in Seattle at the time and I had a lot of time on my hands before I had to walk 4 miles (in the rain) to work. I was living a dream. I had moved away from Los Angeles to pursue other ventures, and I was definitely in a world that I was not familiar with, but it was exciting. Every new day seemed to blssed and new for a while. The first year was amazing, then things slowly declined and as time went on things changed in the Seattle landscape and I was forced to move away.

I ended up in Moscow, Idaho where I hated to live but made sacrifices to make things work. I fell into a depression that would last more than 18 months, and eventually divorce was imminent.

I didn’t feel like watching horror.

I picked up the pieces and started to write again, and it was inspiration from video stores lin Los Angeles, California that made me start to love the genre one more time. I started to review anything I could watch and in the process was able to meet some cool people and ended up with a wonderful girlfriend too. With the help of my girlfriend I have been able to make a 180 in every aspect of my life and have been able to continue reviewing horror movies on a regular basis.

With the reflection of the past few years and this site looming, I debated whether or not to shut scary film review down. I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue and the revenue that I get form the site is near nothing. After 700+ posts, and 1,000+ links to amazon, begging, pleading, ad sales, and more begging I haven’t turned a profit. I nearly shut the doors.

2013 New Horror Reviews

I’ve decided to keep things going, fresh and clean. I didn’t change the design, I’ve added a donation button and I am still begging for support. If every one of our fans gave me $1 I would able to reinvest in this blog in ways that would only grow it as a community endeavor. I could get better prizes, watch more movies in theatrical release, and give back to you, the loyal reader.

But alas, that seems like a pipe dream.

Scary Film Review will continue to love the genre, even when tragic events question the validity of the art form.

My name is Jorge, aka Sir Jorge, and I am your author and lover of all things macabre. If you at all care, or want to support the cause Please follow the amazon links and bookmark them. Order your goods through them, and help me keep going. I am a professional blogger and this site is one of my only forms of income while I pursue a Master’s degree and try to get into academia as a teacher. Until then, your support is greatly appreciated in this new year.

Until the first review, enjoy the horror movie blog that almost closed down.

- Jorge

American Horror Story Season 1 Episode 3 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sir Jorge) — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 02:18:00 +0000

American Horror Story is one of the more addicting horror television programs that I’ve seen in a long time. Each episode keeps drawing me into a whole new world of story telling and second guessing. I thought I had this thing figured out, then a wrench is thrown into my view, and I have to think on my feet to get moving towards a resolution. The third episode brought onto the screen several different story milestones and things are just beginning, which makes this so much better to watch than your average movie.

At this point in the story we get to find out the original owners of the house of murder, as they are calling it. There was a strange doctor that was giving abortions to women in his basement and there are some interesting Frankenstein moments where he’s working what appears to be a chimaera of sorts. The visuals here are impressive, and I definitely thought hit was a strong point in the episode.

Meanwhile in the present, the marriage that has been rocked by infidelity continues to unravel when the mistress shows up and says she’s keeping the baby. Our two faced friend comes through with a much needed helping shovel to the face which was awesome. However, not all is safe as the doctor is being drugged by someone, and he think it’s the maid!

This is quite the interesting point in the series, with a murder, a helper, and someone trying to drug the man of the house. I liked the way it was going, and it was apparent that the show is building up to something. I haven’t quite made out whether everyone is dead, if only a few of them are dead, or this is all a dream.

American Horror Story season 1 episode 3 really does do a good job of mixing storytelling with horror in a quick capsule of around 40 some odd minutes. It kept me interested, which is hard to do with television programming. I’ll have another review updated sooner than later.

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Also, if you want to shop for movies please visit The Best Scary Movie Store, by clicking here. Lastly, if you want to get anything that I talk about, click the amazon links and buy discounted stuff today. They change prices daily, but offer FREE shipping on orders over $25! That’s like 2 or 3 Blu Rays! Score!