It Came From The Man Cave!: September 2017

Never Take Off the Mask

Director: Gore Verbinski

Writers:

Justin Haythe

Ted Elliott

Stars:

Johnny Depp

Armie Hammer

William Fichtner

In the 1930s, an elderly Tonto tells a young boy the tale of John Reid, the Lone Ranger. An idealistic lawyer, he rides with his brother and fellow Texas Rangers in pursuit of the notorious Butch Cavendish. Ambushed by the outlaw and left for dead, John Reid is rescued by the renegade Comanche, Tonto, at the insistence of a mysterious white horse and offers to help him to bring Cavendish to justice. Becoming a reluctant masked rider with a seemingly incomprehensible partner, Reid pursues the criminal against all obstacles. However, John and Tonto learn that Cavendish is only part of a far greater injustice and the pair must fight it in an adventure that would make them a legend.

Man, I love blogathons for one simple reason it gives me an excuse to watch a movie that has been on the back burner forever. So when Quigly over at The Midnite Drive-In announced his blogathon based in Texas I could not wait to jump in and watch a western. I have also been waiting for the negative dust to settle before firing up the new version of an old hero of mine The Lone Ranger. All that bad press is why I held out, so the question at hand was it worth the wait? Well, join me shall you as we take an adventure back to the 1800's.

Director Gore Verbinski is most famous for bringing us three Pirates of the Caribbean movies throughout the years along with two highly acclaimed horror flicks 2002's "the Ring" and 2016's "A Cure For Wellness" so Disney definitely found the right man for the job. Verbinski along with his buddy cinema photographer Bojan Bazellie (The Ring, Petes Dragon) paint a very light and dark western world that really sets the tone! Sadly thanks mainly to critics blasting this film The Lone Ranger has now become one of Disneys biggest flops and this film is one of the biggest financial flops of all time which lost the studio between 94 and 119 million dollars.

I hate talking about negatives but this movie sadly has a few of them. The "frame story" feels so out of place it was confusing. I felt like I was watching the Princess Bride of the Western world.

So a young boy Will meets the old Tonto at the Wild West sideshow called "The Thrilling Days of Yesteryear." Now, this was the opening narration of the radio broadcast so of course, this takes place in 1933 the first year of the radio show which the movie is trying to base itself on? I don't know like I said its confusing and not necessary. So the movie gets rolling and your enjoying the story when all of a sudden we jump back to Will and Tonto again ugh just stop already and get on with the film.

Is this old Tonto or Bob Newhart?

I did like the fact the story was a little bit more about Tonto that the Lone Ranger this was a fresh take. But I did not like how he was written to be dumb. I get that Tonto means "fool" in Spanish and Italian but that was not how he was written in the tv show or the serials (At least in my 9-year-old brain anyway) The problem critics had with the film, was mostly due to the casting of Johnny Depp as Tonto, and that Depp played Tonto too much like Captain Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise. But I disagree to an extent I felt Depp was wonderful in his role, in fact, one of the bright spots for the film.

The actor that annoyed me had to be Armie Hammer has the Lone Ranger! Again maybe I remember my Hero being just that a Hero, not a baby or maybe am wrong and the Lone Ranger was always a wimp and if that is the case my childhood is based on a lie! Hammer drove me crazy he just did not fit the bill as one of America's legends. If anything this movie has peaked my curiosity to go back and listen to the radio show and read a few books. Ok enough negativity that's not me so let's look at some of the good...

Out side of the movie just looking amazing and transfering you to another time the action is this flick is top shelf. From good old gunfights to a train chase scene this movie has it all. Bad guys that are so bad and ruthless they push this movie into its PG-13 rating. Also, this film pays homage to John Ford in many ways. Plus we get a stellar soundtrack that includes none other than the William Tell Overture, by Gioachino Rossini that pumps through your surround-sound making you sit up in your seat to take noticed has this movie is about to get crazy!

It's funny I am sitting here trying to be positive about a movie that I did not hate at all and yet I seem to remember more of the bad things. It was not Jonny Depp that tanked this movie it was more on the writers and casting director. Am so torn I cannot stop thinking about the movie and that is a good thing! This is a fast-paced wild ride well worth your time. You get a different look with this story of the Lone Ranger that wraps's itself up tight in the Indian spirits and legends rather than just bad guys. Amazing to look at to the point you will feel the need to dust off your boots when it is over because you sure will feel like you took part in the old west. Maybe not the greats Lone Ranger movie but a fun one at that.

3 Smoking Gun's out of 5

Again make sure to check out the other bloggers during The Texas Blogathon.

Halloween Countdown

Ok, I think I have my Halloween Theme's set for this years countdown to Halloween. Going to pepper in some new haunts to write about like video games and the good old world of Clowns. So here you go this is my faithful reads is you can expect for Halloween 2017!

Seems to be a ton of new Halloween specials for the kids this year so we can not wait to talk about them on Sundays.

I still love Music Mondays so why change now.

Time to look at those Halloween related video games on Tuesdays.

We have a ton of Cord Cutters out there and man I still love my Roku so on Wednesday's I will be sure to let you know what it out there for free!

How can we not talk about clowns this year?? Thanks to It clowns are back for vengeance! So we can all hold hands on Thursday together and shiver in our shoes.

Can't do this countdown without Fright Flicks Friday!

And of course, Svengoolie will always be a staple on Saturdays.

Like holy crap, October is just a few days away! I think The Man Cave is ready it is going to be another fun year around here!

I woke up in love this morning

On this day in 1970 Suburban widow Shirley and her kids tour the country in a wildly painted bus performing music as a family.

Don't fall asleep.

The Sandman

Director: Peter Sullivan

Writer: Peter Sullivan

Stars:

Haylie Duff (Napoleon Dynamite)

Tobin Bell (Saw)

Shaun Sipos (Final Destination 2)

Amanda Wyss (Nightmare on Elm St)

Peter Sullivan (Ominous, Summoned), not only wrote The Sandman but directed as well. And with Stan Lee producing is Slated to premiere on Oct. 14 at 9 p.m.

Sandman follows the story of an 8-year-old girl named Madison who goes to live with her struggling artist aunt Claire after her father is found dead.

Doesn’t take long before Auntie Claire discovers her niece Madison has powers, including the ability to manifest a boogeyman called The Sandman. Add to that a clandestine government agency, a sinister character named Valentine, and supernatural goings-on, and The Sandman has all the ingredients to be a solid horror movie for this Halloween season.

Groovy!

The video game Phantom Hall's is getting a nice little update for Horror fans and it is pretty Groovy!
Enter a haunted mansion and prepare to face the undead terrors that stalk the phantom halls! Squad up to survive the night using whatever you can find, but remember - you can’t kill what you can’t see, so be sure to bring a...

So here it is! Evil Dead 2 x Phantom Halls, a massive free update that's available now to all owners of the game on Steam Early Access! And as of 9/19, the game is on sale 50% off so around 5 bucks you get a cool looking game and a free expansion pack to play and to fight off the Evil Dead. The game does go off sale after this weekend to head over to Steam.com and act fast.

The Evil Dead 2 x Phantom Halls update includes:

*New Evil Dead 2-themed quests, accessible when you select Ash as your playable character!

*New enemy types and trap encounters: deadites, evil tree spirits, an angry necronomion, and more!

*New environments and locations from Evil Dead 2, including the infamous
Evil Dead cabin, faithfully recreated in Phantom Halls' trademark papercraft style!

*New gameplay mechanics including mini-boss battles: face off against the freakish Gooseneck and battle your way to an upgraded Evil Ash showdown!

10/31 News

Two-time Grammy-winning musician and former drummer for Evanescence makes his directorial debut Rocky Gray released a trailer for 10/31.

Brett DeJager

Rocky Gray

Writers:

Brett DeJager (The Halloween Blizzard of '91)

Rocky Gray ('The Samhain Slasher' segment)

Stars:

Cindy Maples

Jennifer Nangle

Jordan Phipps

A Halloween treat bag of all the things that go bump in the night. From masked killers to scarecrows, witches, and tricksters. There’s a scare for everyone in this anthology of horror and the macabre from the creators of The Barn and Volumes of Blood.

In the vain of V/H/S, Creepshow, and Bodybags this Halloween we get another anthology to toss into the mix. 10/31 has not let much out of the "bag" just yet but they did surprise their fans with a trailer that dropped 9/18. 10/31 will give the viewer five interwoven tales of terror taking place on Halloween last year.

In the film, a videotape given to a group of teens by a sinister trick or treater turns Halloween into a wide-awake nightmare. Hmmmm how many teenagers even know what a VHS tape is or how to use it. And honestly how many homes still have a VCR? Anyway here is the trailer let me know what you guys are thinking on this one!

Christine

Boo! Two

Tyler Perry

Brock O'Hurn

Lexy Panterra

Madea, Bam, and Hattie venture to a haunted campground and the group must literally run for their lives when monsters, goblins, and the boogeyman are unleashed.

Tyler Perry once again writes, directs, and stars in Boo Two, along with Yousef Erakat, Diamond White, Brock O’Hurn, Lexy Panterra, Cassi Davis, and Patrice Lovely.

The first film originated from Perry and Chris Rock including a fictitious Madea Halloween movie in Rock’s 2014 film Top Five, after which Lionsgate then approached Perry and suggested that they actually make the movie a reality.

And all though I have yet to check out the first one Boo! A Medea Halloween I intend too especially if it was or did good enough for a sequel! How about you guys have you see the first? Is it any good? Leave your comments below. In the mean time here is the trailer for Boo Two.

Amazing! Exciting! Spectacular!

Director: Jack Arnold

Writers:

Harry Essex screenplay

Ray Bradbury story

Stars:

Richard Carlson

Barbara Rush

Charles Drake

John Putnam is a writer and an amateur stargazer with a new home out in the beautiful Arizona desert, which he enjoys with Ellen Fields, his girlfriend, and a local schoolteacher. John is not trusted by the people of the small town near where he lives, certainly not by Sheriff Matt Warren, who feels protective of Ellen, and perhaps something more. One night, John and Ellen see a meteorite crash in the desert. John drags his friend, Pete, out of bed to take him over to the crash site in his helicopter. Once there, John climbs down into the crater. Unfortunately, he does so alone, as Pete and Ellen wait for him. John is the only one who sees the spaceship before a landslide covers it. And John is the only one who catches a glimpse of the hideous thing inside. At first, John's story seems mad until some of the townsfolk begin acting strange - as if they aren't really who they seem to be.

This Christmas, the only thing under the tree is terror.

Director: Craig Anderson

Writer: Craig Anderson

Stars:

Dee Wallace

Geoff Morrell

Sarah Bishop

David Collins

A mother must protect her family on Christmas Day from a demented stranger who is hell-bent on tearing them apart.

I know it seems early for me to post about Christmas but this movie looks bat shit crazy! Artsploitation will deliver the ultimate stocking stuffer with the home video release of the Australian horror film Red Christmas on October 17th. Look for it on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD, including iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, Vudu and more.

“A troubled matriarch must defend her family when a mysterious stranger turns up at her secluded country mansion on Christmas day. A day of celebration becomes a night of terror, as the stranger reveals a secret from the family’s past, and threatens to destroy their future.”

For me, I can not wait to see funny man David Collins from the Nick Jr show Upside Down Show. You need to google him on YouTube and watch some of their skits these guys are funny as hell having done a kids show for years.

The Blu-ray and DVD include a feature-length commentary with Craig Anderson, interviews with Dee Wallace, Gerald Odwyer and Craig Anderson, bloopers and more.

Check out the trailer!! And let me know is this something up your alley or not?

You can bet your sweet candy corn ass I will be reviewing this bad boy in November.

The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom

Announced earlier this summer at San Diego Comic-Con Spongebob Squarepants and Nickelodeon will debut a new stop-motion Halloween-themed special, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom.

So get ready to gather around the boob tube for this spooky Halloween adventure throughout Bikini Bottom with the brand-new, stop-motion special, In the visual style of classic stop-motion animation TV specials, The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom tells the story of the Flying Dutchman (Brian Doyle Murray) who wants to make sure everyone in town is scared, especially SpongeBob, who thinks scary things are funny. The special will premiere this October 2017 on Nickelodeon.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom features an original song, “The Scare Song,” written by Mr. Lawrence, with music by Eban Schletter, and performed by the Flying Dutchman’s crew of pirate ghosts.

The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom is being produced at Screen Novelties, a Los Angeles-based stop-motion animation production company, where miniature puppets and sets bring Bikini Bottom to life in three dimensions.

The production features 27 unique sets, across five stages, where 15 boxes of breakfast cereal were used to create texture on Bikini Bottom’s coral reefs; eight pounds of glitter were used to decorate SpongeBob’s Halloween pineapple house; hundreds of popsicle sticks created the planks of the rollercoaster track that Patrick and SpongeBob ride; and “black lights” were used to create a fluorescent glow across the puppets and sets.

This is the second time Nickelodeon has partnered with Screen Novelties on a SpongeBob SquarePants stop-motion episode. SpongeBob SquarePants: It’s a SpongeBob Christmas! debuted December 2012 and featured Plankton turning everybody in Bikini Bottom from nice to naughty.

The Christmas special was a ton of fun so expectations are running high I the Man Cave as we wait and see! The list for Halloween specials keeps growing I do not know about you but I can not wait!

Kill For Mommy

~~Freddy~~ Michael Vs Jason!

Stryder HD Entertainment has put together yet another fantastic fan made trailer. This time the dream movie for most of us fanboys Jason vs Michael. The team behind did a great job blending the two together giving us a glimpse of what could be...

Michael Jackson's Halloween!

I have such high hopes for this! And thank you CBS for bringing back the Halloween special with something new.

Michael Jackson's Halloween, a new one-hour animated adventure with the King of Pop's acclaimed music as its soundtrack, is coming to CBS this Fall—and you just can't "Beat It."

The spooky special will be packed with the voice talents of CBS fan-favorites, including The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons, MacGyver's Lucas Till and George Eads, The Good Wife's Alan Cumming, The Good Fight's Christine Baranski, and Elementary's Lucy Liu.

Michael Jackson's Halloween will also feature the voice talents of Brad Garrett and Kiersey Clemons.

The animated special follows Vincent (voiced by Till) and Victoria (voiced by Clemons), who "accidentally" cross paths on Halloween night and embark on a magical adventure of personal discovery.

Along with Ichabod—an adorable pup—the duo finds themselves in the mysterious This Place Hotel, aptly located at 777 Jackson Street.

The hour-long event culminates in an incredible dance finale—featuring an animated version of the King of Pop himself.

Michael Jackson's Halloween was created and produced by Optimum Productions, with animation production by Hammerhead.

John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of The Estate of Michael Jackson, serve as executive producers. Daniel Chuba is the producer and Mark A.Z. Dippé is the director.

Stay tuned to CBS.com to find out more about Michael Jackson's Halloween, airing this Fall exclusively on CBS as soon as they post a date I will let you know.

Freeforms 13 Nights of Halloween

13 Nights of Halloween in started in 1998, an annual tradition has been a huge success! So with that being said FreeForm released their schedule for the event starting October 19th.

This year’s schedule is loaded with family-friendly frights, including the films The Haunted Mansion, The Addams Family, Hocus Pocus, Paranorman, Sleepy Hollow, Dark Shadows and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Halloween episodes from shows such as “Last Man Standing” and “The Middle” will also be part of the block.

Also looks like we will get a special night dedicated to Mr. Halloween himself Tim Burton including his short Frankenweenie, Edward Scissorhands, Alice in Wonderland, Dark Shadows, my person favorite Sleepy Hollow and of course to top it off Nightmare Before Christmas!

Check out some highlights below and see the full schedule on Freeform’s web site!

THIS Friday September 15th!!

The ULTIMATE battle between good and evil begins this week as Full Moon excitedly premieres the first episode of the weirdest and wildest Puppet Master movie yet: Puppet Master: Axis Termination! This the 11th film in the series and the final chapter of the Axis Saga, which began with Puppet Master: Axis of Evil and continued with Puppet Master: Axis Rising, and we will premiere it EXCLUSIVELY on Full Moon's Amazon channels (U.S., U.K and Germany) and on Full Moon Streaming in three stand-alone installments. The first episode, "War Toys", will premiere this Friday September 15th, with another installment "Terrorkorps" on September 22nd and the final episode "Blitzkrieg" on September 29th!

Join the iconic Blade, Pinhead, Tunneler, Jester, Six Shooter and Leech Woman in the waning days of WW2 as they join forces with a secret team of psychics working as Allied Operatives. Together, Toulon’s puppets and their telepathic teammates face off against a new pack of scum-sucking Nazi bastards and their even more malevolent Axis Puppets in an explosive showdown that will decide the future of the free world! Don't miss it!

God Bless America

Let us never forget....

Jason IV

Gun Metal Media has released its teaser trailer for the up coming Jason DLC! I have yet to buy or play this game but I have heard nothing but good things. Someday...

Medusa Against the Son of Hercules

Director:

Alberto De Martino

Writers:

Mario Guerra (story)

Luciano Martino (story)

Stars:

Richard Harrison

Anna Ranalli

Arturo Dominici

A warrior does battle against the evil Medusa, her army of stone warriors and a monstrous dragon.

Yes, finaly a new Svengoolie! And watch for a wonderful announcement tonight (Hint, when I am done typing this mine, will be ordered) I never heard of this Italian dubbed flick but it sounds like it is pretty action packed.

Don't forget Sven begins at the new time tonight- 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central, or check the time and channel in your area in your local listings -or at www.metv.com. Chicago viewers will still find our replay from the previous week’s MeTV program – in this case, “Monster on the Campus”- at the same time- 11 am- on WCIU, the U. MeTV invites you to continue live-Tweeting along with the other Sven fans during the show- just use the hashtag #svengoolie.

Believe the legend. Beware the wolf.

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Writer: David Leslie Johnson

Stars:

Amanda Seyfried

Lukas Haas

Gary Oldman

Set in a medieval village that is haunted by a werewolf, a young girl falls for an orphaned woodcutter, much to her family's displeasure.

After winning 2009's Fright Meter award for writing the ever so scary "Orphan" David Leslie Johnson teams up with Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke giving us a dream world set in a medieval time! And boy is the look and feel of this flick beautiful. The screen is often filled with dazzling fall colors to the harsh of winter the surroundings draw you in quickly. But can a movie about a werewolf set in the 1300's with the vibe of Twilight last? Read on my followers read on!

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