Half-Assed Horror Reviews (Chapter 1)

   Every year around this time there are numerous requests from people all around asking "What horror movies should I watch?". I am one of those people that like to fill my entertainment with tales of terror, and things that make me hate having to get up to piss in the middle of the night. So instead of being one of those people asking what to watch, this year I'm going to try and be the middle man. Whether it's Vampires, Zombies, Ghosts, or old ladies, I have tasked myself with informing the ones who seek, on their path of horror goodness. completely spoiler free (hopefully).

 The following are in no particular order, but are well worth a watch.

• The Taking of Deborah Logan: This movie was a wonderful treat, having not heard much about it before taking the plunge. I suggest staying away from trailers before you watch. The movie takes you into the world of an Alzheimer patient that may have something a little more sinister going on and they nailed the delivery on the head. Lately it seems that most movies I've watched in the horror genre are "found footage" type movies and this happens to be one of them. I didn't know this going in, but I also don't have a problem with it. The atmosphere of the movie is quite believable as it plays off struggles of Alzheimer's and the paranomal leaving you on the edge of your seat and possibly scaring your socks off a few times. Netflix has it at a 4 out of 5 star rating and I can't agree more.

          This movie can be found streaming on Netflix. Also available for Rent or own on other media.

• The Houses October Built: Another movie that happens to be found footage and is played off as "real events", but instead of playing off the fears of the supernatural and paranormal, this movie looks at a fear that is real, other humans. If you like to partake in the annual haunted houses and other like events this one will really help add a fear factor the next time you visit a haunt. I also had little to no knowledge of the film before my initial watch through. Although it only has a little over 2 stars out of 5 on netflix and 3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, I'd like to say it deserves a little more on the Netflix side of things. It's not the greatest of all time, and i've seen a ton worse, but it's worth a watch this time of the year especially before heading out to your next haunted attraction.

         This movie can be found streaming on Netflix. Also available for Rent or own on other media.

• Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil: If you haven't seen this movie by now then you should stop reading this and come back after you have finished the movie. I'm not going to spoil anything, I just find this movie to be one of the best Horror Comedies to hit the shelves in a very long time. Don't watch any trailers or find clips before watching as it could likely ruin the movie. It is the highest rated horror currently on Netflix with, just about, 5 stars out of 5, and has 4 and a half out of 5 stars on Amazon.

         This movie can be found streaming on Netflix and Amazon Instant Watch with Prime.

• Zombeavers: Let's add another Horror Comedy to the list while we are at it. Zombeavers is exactly what you'd probably expect from the title of the movie. Zombie Beavers. It's campy, it's and B class horror that any horror fan would love. The use of practical effects really adds to the enjoyment with very little shitty CG. It's hilarious, has boobs, blood, and as man beaver related innuendos you can think of. At least watch it once if you're a fan of horror you'll probably be a fan of this.

         This movie can be found streaming on Netflix. Also available for Rent or own on other media.

• Bloodsucking Bastards: Keeping on with the current trend I have going, this Horror Comedy revolves around working in an office that happens to also have Vampires. The movie is loads of fun, although it starts off semi slow, by the end of the movie you'll be laughing and loving the buckets of blood leaving you saying "Bam, Snap!". 

         This movie can be rented via Amazon Video, Microsoft, Google Play, and Itunes

• The Babadook: Children's stories can often be pretty creepy, but the story of The Babadook is a bit more scary. I saw a trailer for this one and instantly placed it on my watch list. It is thrilling, scary, and a very all around good horror movie. With a little over 4 stars on Netflix you can tell many others thought so as well. 

         This movie can be found streaming on Netflix. Also available for Rent or own on other media.

• Insidious (Chapters 1 and 2): I am only including the first 2 of the Insidious movies because I can. The first two chapters really stick out and are really well done, but the 3rd is sort of a disappointment. The first and second are in order of how you'd expect with the third taking place shortly before the first. A lot of people may think I'm a little crazy but the second movie, for me, was the best of the 3, but wouldn't make as much sense without watching the first. These movies are definitely worth watching and will leave you scared to be alone in the dark. Be prepared for numerous jump scares with these. Sadly only Chapter 2 seems to be streaming on Netflix and none of them are streaming with an Amazon Prime account. 

         Insidious Chapter 2 can be found streaming on Netflix. The other will need to be rented or                  purhcased. 

• Grave Encounters: This one was definitely a hidden gem and I would have usually passed over such a movie if I hadn't been curious enough to look at reviews. Grave Encounters brings you into the world of a reality tv "ghost hunting" type show where usually nothing of interest happens. It really makes me think of the show Ghost Adventures, but a lot more interesting. It's filmed in the style that these tv shows would be filmed so mostly handheld cams "found footage" style (again). It's not as well known and easily can be passed over if judging by the cover, but I always bring it up when someone asks about a hidden horror online. There is a follow up sequel available on netflix as well. It's not as good, but still a fun watch.

          This movie can be found streaming on Amazon Instant Watch with Prime. The sequel is also               on Amazon and streaming on Netflix

• V/H/S (1 &2): These movies are unique and full of 4 to 5 short horror films by different directors in a found footage style (once again). Each story is found on a VHS tape (hint: thats where the name comes from), and portrayed as stuff that really happened. These are full of jump scares, blood and guts, anything someone would really like in horror. Some may say it's going for the shock factor a little too much, but hey, there are worse (Human Centipede 2). I'd say each both of these movies are really well done and there are a couple shorts within each they could have done without, but there are also a couple in each that stand out as high end and for that reason is why I would recommend these movies. They made a 3rd movie V/H/S: Viral, but it didn't feel the same and the shorts didn't really hold up to the first two movies'. 

         These movies can be found streaming on Netflix and the first V/H/S can be found on Amazon            Instant Watch for Prime members.

• Tusk: Not to be confused with a movie about elephants, this movie is about turning a man into a walrus. That's right, a fucking walrus. If you want to watch something that makes you literally say "What the fuck am I watching right now", this is your go to movie. Made by Kevin Smith and Starring Justin Long you can already tell this movie is going to have a comedic undertone that the mind of Smith brings. Do not look up any information of this movie before watching as it does have some surprises. Highly recommended to watch this movie with a group of people that have yet to see it. 

         This movie can be found streaming on Amazon Instant Watch with Prime Membership.

   So there you have it, the first chapter of horror (or horror comedy) movies you can look into to fill your Halloween season needs. There are plenty of horror movies on both Netflix and Amazon that I can't name all the ones I've seen over the years, but these ones definitely stood out in recent memory. 

New Trailers for Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles!

   Every time a new trailer for this movie comes out a little part of me gets excited, but a bigger part of me gets discouraged. TMNT is something I've loved for, pretty much, my whole life. This current project seems to be taking everything I've learned about the turtles and throwing it out the window. I am always one for originality, but I also believe in "if it isn't broken, don't fix it". I'm all for the creative team to add some sort of spin of their own to the mix, but is Shredder and The Foot some kind of big American evil corporation?

   Take a look

   Now I could go on about how much the new looks of a couple of the turtles makes me really upset, but it's not a end all for me. The problem with this trailer is Shredder. I understand they want him to be some sort of bad-ass, but they make him seem like he can only be strong because of the armor he wears. Is he not the same character from any other universe of TMNT? Did you see those blades magically fly back to his armor? Since when is Tony Stark making armor for TMNT bad guys? 

   The plus side is that there is a hint that Fichtner's character may not be the Shredder after all? Check it out around 1:13 - 1:15ish of the trailer and see him talk to a shadowed figure that could potentially be Oroku Saki. Some of us over at /r/TMNT think it would add a lot to the movie and quiet the number of people saying there isn't any Japanese influence with Shredder and The Foot. 

   This has nothing to do with the movie in general, but I think the trailer would have hit me in a better spot without the dubstep. I'm not really a fan of the genre and, to me, it didn't portray the scenes that were happening whilst said music was playing. Also the sound in the trailer seemed a little off, but that may be my headphones. 

Dumb and Dumber To - Official Trailer Premiere

   It's finally here! The first trailer for probably one of the most anticipated sequels to ever hit theaters. This will definitely be the soup de jour of trailers today.

   I don't know if it was the anticipation, but I have a hard time believing this could live up to it's first installment, but I am hopeful that it's going to be entertaining. Hopefully the trailers aren't going to give up too many of the great scenes before the movie is released. 

Ratchet & Clank Movie Trailer | E3 2014

   There's nothing more to say about this, other than the nostalgic feels that are brought about when thinking of Ratchet and Clank. We never had everything brand new thing to come out growing up, but I did have Ratchet and Clank. Something about running around with up-gradable weapons, destroying baddies, and collecting nuts and bolts, that would fall out of them like some weird robot pinata, was amazingly satisfying. 

  E3 2014 has now surfaced the first trailer for a movie based off a game series that has kept many occupied for hours on end. The movie is set to release in 2015.

  A lot of video game to movie adaptions really don't live up to the name, but I find it hard to believe that this will be disappointing. Ratchet and Clank almost seem like a perfect fit for the big screen. 

Evolve E3 2014 Trailer!

   E3 is an exciting time of the year when we get all sorts of goodies revealed in the video game world. What really caught my eye today was this trailer (below) for Evolve. I've been really looking forward to this game for a while now, and even had a chance to try it out when I was at PAX East in April. The game places four hunters on a map full of dangerous creatures, plants, and many other hazards to hunt down 1, human controlled, monster. When played at PAX there was only one map, 4 hunters, and 1 monster. Since then we've seen a trailer for new Hunters and this latest trailer shows off a new monster that has a similar appearance to Cthulhu.

  This game is set to release in October, but I really wish I didn't have to wait that long. From my experience with the PAX version (demo?), I thought the game was incredibly fun. It has the all the right tools from co-op with each player controlling a class based hunter, to PVP when you must team up to attack the Monster that could be controlled by a friend or someone hundreds of miles away. Make sure to add this one to the wishlist. 

Toe Tag Riot! A Comic About Zombie Punks Vs. The Westboro Baptist Church.

ZOMBIE PUNKS VS. THE WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH

From Press Release:

   Told in a tongue-in-cheek style that can best be described as a comical orgy of blood and guts, the story follows TOE TAG RIOT, a mid 2000s street punk band who are cursed with temporary recurring zombification that transforms them into rotting undead whenever they perform their music. Meant to destroy their career, the woman who cursed them clearly understands nothing because Toe Tag Riot's new monster-punk look only propels the band into punk rock stardom.

   Finding that the transformation back into regular, filthy, punk rockers is taking longer and longer every time, the members of Toe Tag Riot go on a last cross-country tour in pursuit of the cure to their affliction, but being the ethical sometimes-zombies that they are, the band sticks toslaughtering only the worst of what humanity breeds: the homophobes of ONE MILLION MOMS, sexist date rapist DUDEBROS, and racist SKINHEADS, all on a path to an explosive showdown with the “God Hates Fags” hatemongers known as THE WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH.

   Combining elements of classic horror like Night of the Living Dead with a comedic monster edge a'la a GWAR live concert, TOE TAG RIOT is being described as “a satirical book for anyone who loves FUN and hates JERKS like the Westboro Baptist Church.”

   “I've always wanted to take a look deep inside the mind of a Westboro Baptist Church member. And by that, of course, I mean I want to see zombies eat their freakin' brains.” - MATT MINER, writer.

   “We all know deep down inside that Shirley Phelps is a terrible human being and we want to show people some of those insides. Like on the floor, or wherever." - SEAN VON GORMAN, artist.

CREATIVE TEAM

Writer: Matt Miner (LIBERATOR, OCCUPY COMICS, LIBERATOR/EARTH CRISIS)
Artist: Sean Von Gorman (PAWN SHOP, FUBAR, OCCUPY COMICS)
Colors: John Rauch (INVINCIBLE, VENOM, THE DARKNESS)

Standard Cover Art: Tristan Jones (SILENT HILL, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES)
Standard Cover Colors: Doug Garbark (PROPHET, IN THE DARK)
Variant Wraparound Cover Art: Vincent Kukua, colors by John Rauch

KICKSTARTER INFORMATION

   Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform used to fund new ideas and bring new concepts to life. Toe Tag Riot's Kickstarter project is running for 30 days, starting May 22, 2014.

  Backers to the Toe Tag Riot Kickstarter project have a wide range of rewards available to them including copies of Toe Tag Riot, original art, T-shirts, and appearances in the book itself.

The Kickstarter can be found at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattminer/toe-tag-riot-comic-series-by-matt-miner-and-sean-v

or by using the redirect URLs of toetagriot.com or godhateszombies.com

LINKS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Please direct all media inquiries to toetagriot@gmail.com

Matt Miner on Twitter: @MattMinerXVX
Sean Von Gorman on Twitter: @VonGormanArt

Toe Tag Riot Twitter hashtags: #toetagriot #godhateszombies #punkisundead

   If there is a comic on Kickstarter to back, this is the one! Pledges from $7 up start getting you great rewards.The first stage will get you a digital copy of the first issue and a thanks (in the issue you are getting). The more you can pledge, the cooler the prize. 

   I am really hyped about this comic. It's got originality, controversy, Zombie Punks, and, what I assume, is going to be an epic battle between said Zombie Punks and The Westboro Baptist Church. If you've never heard of the WBC; it's pretty much a bible thumping group of ignorant hatemongers that should have been swallowed before conception. WBC have already taken notice on Twitter once news started breaking of this series going to Kickstarter. 

I'm going to follow this one closely. 

WolfCop Trailer

   Today I happen to come across a trailer for a movie I'm surprised I haven't heard about yet. This is WolfCop, a movie about a cop that also happens to be a Werewolf. With a tag line like "half cop, half wolf, all WolfCop", how can this go wrong? A mix of horror and comedy fill the trailer with blood and laughter to create the type of concoction that really grabs my attention. I'll mark this one down on my "Need to watch" list.

   There is also a campaign going on over at Indiegogo here, to help expand upon WolfCop with things such as toys, comics, and other greatness. Help out if you can, but hurry because today is the last day!