The New Review - Ghostbusters Afterlife

Copyright by Sony

Ghostbusters Afterlife

Starring Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd

Directed by Jason Reitman

Concept: The Ghostbusters franchise coming back around for a Legacyquel of emotional proportions.

Execution

Here we go

Cast: Paul Rudd being his best Paul Rudd. Mckenna Grace was a great lead. And Finn Wolfard is so talented, he will be a legend some day. Surprise Bokeem Woodbine in there too! No doubt... Score: 20/20 (did you find the Josh Gad?)

Presentation: Imagine if the original movie never happened, and it was made now. You would expect better CGI and a modern soundtrack. Now... imagine that, but holding on to the spirit of the original movie. This is the modern Ghostbusters movie you were waiting for. I mean... I was waiting for...... dammit... WE were waiting for. Score: 20/20

Chronicle: So, we have a bit of retread in this movie. Gozer, the Stay Puft Marshmallow man, the protagonists end up in jail. But it is also a means to an end. The original movie, they didn't destroy, trap, or DEFEAT Gozer... they sent it back to it's own realm. It is safe to say, Ivo wasn't destroyed either in the Video Game. So... we have tied it all together, a retread was a necessary journey. It was a great way to end an era from a long standing fan favorite franchise. Score: 30/30

Impact: In an era of Legacyquels, not only did it need to cap off an era in the franchise...... we need a lynchpin for where the franchise can go from here. And... that was accomplished, even more than Tron: Legacy or Blade Runner 2049. Ghostbusters Afterlife is the best Legacyquel I've seen. Period. And... sets the groundwork for future legends Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace to take over. Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: I cried. There is a moment. No spoiler from me...... but if you are a fan of the franchise, you know what is coming. And...... and it still hurt. It was emotional. And... it makes up for some of the harsh words Callie and Ray have for Egon during the movie. Also... I need to highlight that I think Phoebe is on the spectrum. Which means... she is even more like her grandfather. Because Egon was on the spectrum, as well. If I were to guess, I would say Egon was Asperger's. For those who know, how much sense does that make? And that adds more depth to a character who is...... gone. Good work! Score: 10/10

Final Score: 100/100

Final Grade: A++

Conclusion: Impressive Legacyquel that could've been made years ago, but...... the story was so wonderful, it was a better build. The best Legacyquel I've seen. I need more GHOSTBUSTERS!!!!

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat" that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: A MUST SEE! If you haven't yet, make time. It is a wonderful movie. Nostalgic. Emotional. Funny. And fits the formula. This is a Ghostbusters movie. Who you gonna call?

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Well, there you go! Ghostbusters Afterlife gets a 100!!!!!!!

Two 100s in a single movie season? That... happened. And we still have The Matrix Resurrections and Spider-Man: No Way Home to go.

What did you think about the movie? Did you get emotional too? Leave a comment. Share it. Go see this movie.

2021 has been good to us after the long hiatus from the theaters. Let's see if we get another 100.

Until next time, don't forget...

New Review Gaming - Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Pokémon Copyright Owned by Game Freak

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl

Developed by Game Freak

Exclusive on the Nintendo Switch

Concept: The latest in Pokémon remakes, Diamond and Pearl get the upgrade treatment. How does it stack up?

Disclaimer: I haven't finished the game yet, and I'm only looking at Brilliant Diamond. But... as with all Pokémon generations, both games are similar in function.

Execution

LET'S GO!

Presentation: This is a Remake. A remake of a older game with newer tech. Of course it is going to look great. The updated fight effect visuals are a welcome sight. Colors are crisp, and the original digital tracks from the DS era are remixed and present here. As expected... it is yet another solid remake. Not of the level of a new title though, I.E. Sword/Shield. Score: 23/25

Gameplay: So, Diamond/Pearl... remake. That is the foundation of the game, but some quality of life improvements have improved upon it! Retains the EXP Share concept from Sword/Shield. And the new HM system is SO much better. Instead of wasting move slots for the HM moves or wasting a roster spot on a mule, you call wild Pokémon to perform the moves. With it, the TM system has changed. Unlike Sword/Shield, the TMs break upon usage, but how you obtain them determines how many you get. If you buy or find a TM, you get 1. If a stranger gives you a TM, you get 3 of that TM. And if a Gym Leader gives you a TM, you get 5! The cost of them are lower. And they are more readily available. Battles have gained the Effective system, so you can see what moves are best for the fight you are in. Which is great... but even though I haven't finished Brilliant Diamond yet, I know how the original was. And watching a few YouTube videos, this one aspect has been changed...... HARSH level gap between the 8th Gym and the Elite Four. Expect to grind after getting that 8th badge. Score: 24/25

Chronicle: With the introduction of this new type of review post, we need to throw a new predecent in. I have never played Pokémon for the story. Not once. I love the gameplay. So, I will highlight the story...... um...... it's Pokémon. Kid go out with a animal, kicking the asses of other animals, all while an evil organization is taking on more than they can muster...... and that is it. But since I don't play it for story... Score: N/20

Legacy: Again, it is a remake. Diamond/Pearl was the first Pokemon game on DS, and that is a pretty solid achievement. So how do the remakes make an impact? Yes and no. So personally, Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby have been the best remakes... and Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl improve on the formula, incorporate some from Sword/Shield, but I wish they would've used the full sprites instead of the chibis. Now... it is the first remake to hit the Switch. Just makes me think they could make a game with all the areas. Keep the chibi sprites... give me all the areas. Still fun... but a health reminder what could be possible. Score: 16/20

Extra Oomph: For the first time, I don't have anything here. That isn't a single aspect that jumps out at me aside from the HM system. It is cute that Bidoof is usually the Pokémon that helps you when you call for an HM helper. Bidoof was the perfect HM Mule. So... tongue-in-cheek humor from Game Freak. So...... Score: 5/10

Final Score: 68/80 (85%)

Final Grade: B

Conclusion: It's a remake. A remake of a wonderful game. A wonderful remake of a wonderful game. And... it aspires to be more.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat" that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: If you have never played it, buy it. If you played the original, I leave it up to you if you want to. I bought it because I LOVE the Pokémon gameplay.

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There you go! Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl has gotten a B!!!!

Does that shock you?

What you think about the gaming review format? I will have better ones in the near future, consider this the test run.

Until next time...

Game Of Functions - Nintendo 2021 Edition

We are starting something new on here! We are going to start including gaming! And up above are the new logos for the segments(at least the ones starting up). Game Of Functions will be the Musings for Gamings. And New Review Gaming will be... reviews.

And we are startint with a hybrid. I want to highlight a product and service, give some opinions/reviews on them... but there will be no scoring on this post.

Let's begin...

The product in question is the Nintendo Switch OLED. After searching for one, I was finally able to get one. And this is my FOURTH Switch. I got one when it released... and sold it. I fell off it. Then I got a second one when Diablo 3 came out for it... and stuck with it. Earlier this year, I got the Mario Anniversary Red one, with the upgraded battery. And now... here we are on the OLED. I knew going into the OLED, I was primarily a docked user. Just the way I did it. But I had been playing handheld due to routine changes. And that is where the OLED shines. So many rumors about a Switch Pro, those people who bought into that were disappointed. And I get it. But they did it to themselves. Nintendo never promised that. Never even brought it up. What they released was a Switch with an OLED screen...

So... let's talk about WHAT Nintendo upgraded on this model. First, the screen. It is in the name. OLED. What is OLED? Organic LED. Individual pixel lit up with organic material. OLED gives you a better chance at clear brightness, color contrast(with OLED, 2 pixels next to each other can be ANY color), and OLED tends to draw less power meaning better battery life. The screen is bigger than previous models. It is brighter than previous models. The color contrast is wonderful. And Nintendo released the red box models with double the battery life, but I never got the full 5-6 hours on the Mario Red model, close... but never got it. The OLED, on the other hand, I definitely get the battery life out of it. They boasted better sound quality. And out of the Switch OLED's speakers, it is a drastic improvement. Tabletop mode boasted a better kickstand, and that is very clear, but I don't use it in Tabletop. And then... double internal storage, but if you aren't using an SD Card already, then the extra storage doesn't matter. And this...... is all in Handheld/Tabletop modes. The ONLY improvement for docked more is a LAN port. This was ALL Handheld. And......

It made me a primary Handheld user! It may still only be 720p in Handheld, but it looks so much better. And if you say you don't see it... you do, you are just whiny. I recommend the OLED for ANYONE that is primarily a Handheld user. Just... good luck finding one.

Now... the service in question... Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass. This caused so much controversy. Why? Entitled whiny ass bitches who don't understand that Nintendo makes money... off their stuff. So I will tell you how my pricing changed. I was doing a family membership(still am). Went from $35/year to $80/year. A $55 increase. That is quite a bit, considering what the cost was. But a family plan can have 8 users, that is $10/year/user. So... if you have an issue with cost, get 7 of your friends together and split the cost. Individual membership went from $20/year to $50/year. A $30 increase. For those that still have a Wii U, an N64 game on Virtual Console costs $10/each. And the N64 Switch Online service launched with 9 games. That is $90. So to play those games on VC, it would cost you $90. That is 3 years worth of the $30 increase to your Individual Membership cost...... and there are MORE N64 games coming, plus the other perks...... speaking of which...

The perks of the Expansion Pass are small, for now. It launched with the Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis Switch Online services. 9 N64 games(including heavy hitter Ocarina of Time) and 14 Genesis games. With a promise to grow those services(with the N64 highlighting Majora's Mask, Paper Mario, and Banjo-Koozie), it'll have more games to play with. And that isn't even including the long list of Genesis games coming too. And then the DLC. Currently, those with the Expansion Pass can get the Paid Animal Crossing DLC for FREE. $25 DLC. Free. On my account, I'm sure of 2 users, possible a 3rd, on my account that play Animal Crossing. That is $75(3 users) that no one had to pay for it. If that ends up being the standard, can you imagine a game like Breath of the Wild 2 getting DLC included on the Expansion Pass? This a great idea for the loyalists! I'm down. We will see how it develops. As for the value... it is a great value considering how much it would be get the equipment and games to play these classics legally. And if you don't see value in it...... that it YOUR opinion. Also... if you use emulation and ROMs as your reasoning, shut your damn mouth.

Last piece... we are going to touch on Anniversaries. Specifically, the Zelda 35th. So far... a Game & Watch, Skyward Sword HD, and Ocarina of Time on the N64 service... oh and a set of Joy-Cons. And that is it so far. What the hell is up with that?(of course I bought all of those)

There you go, everyone. The first edition of Game Of Functions. No need for reciew scores, because I haven't figured out what I need for a scoring system for gaming. But I will figure it out.

Until then... Game On Until It Is Game Over!!!

Renewed Musings - The Turkey and The Stuffing

Welcome Readers! I would like to introduce you to "Renewed Musings"! This segment will be opinion/editorial pieces. Whatever just... works. But I need to warn you before hand, in the past, these kind of posts never really had structure. I tend to ramble, and I don't mean to. But... passion is the name of the game.

So... let's get this going... with our first topic: Thanksgiving. More so... Thanksgiving in movies.

Before we get to the movies, I need to make clear my stance on the holiday season. I hate most of it. I'm not an overly positive person. But I get why so many people love the holiday season. And I do have a favorite holiday in the stretch. Halloween. Spooky season is amazing. And then of course, for many people, Christmas is a huge tent pole(if you don't celebrate Christmas, and celebrate another holiday instead... that isn't the point... doesn't apply here). But what about Turkey Day? I mean... usually, my local Walmart starts putting out Christmas shit the day after Halloween. This year, they started BEFORE Halloween! And either way, what about Thanksgiving? Turkey Day accessories? Maybe fall themed placemats? Plushie Cornucopia? I mean... the browns and oranges would make for GREAT decor! But...

Why forget about Thanksgiving!?!?! Sure... Halloween... dressing up in costumes... spookiness... and candy. And Christmas is the Holiday for Capitalism and gift giving. But Thanksgiving is about food, family, and togetherness. Makes me miss all my family and friends that I've lost, but makes me thankful for the ones that are still here. So why doesn't Thanksgiving get more love?

Same thing goes for Hollywood. Just about every long running TV series has some kind of Thanksgiving episode... but movies... not so much. I wanted to make a Top 10 list, but... I only got 5 or 6 movies(that I've seen) that I MIGHT consider Thanksgiving movies. Movies that have to do with Thanksgiving as a plot point. I make that distinction, because I was researching T-Day movies... and Ranker threw Rocky at me. Rocky isn't a Thanksgiving movie. So... I will highlight these few movies... and we will come back.

So let's start with "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving". At least Charles Schultz remembered the Turkey. He had plenty of holiday specials, including The Great Pumpkin... but he DID bring the stuffing. I just gotta point out, the dinner the Peanuts gang put together... WAS accidentally racist. It was awesome that they included Franklin(the only black kid in the group) to be a part of the dinner, but did they really have to give him a side of the table to himself? Regardless... it is a good animated movie highlighting the togetherness of Thanksgiving.

Next movie I want to highlight is "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles". Legendary inadvertent buddy comedy starring the iconic Steve Martin and John Candy, directed by another legend, John Hughes. Mishaps befall this duo trying to make it across country for this holiday. Sometimes regarded as the ONLY Thanksgiving movie. That means something. Watch it, if you haven't.

Another movie to point out is "Dutch". Starring Ed O'Neill(yes, Al Bundy). Dutch is dating a rich girl. Due to plans getting canceled, Dutch goes to bring her snobby son from a private school home for Thanksgiving. A road trip, buddy comedy with Turkey as the goal. Guess what? Written by John Hughes!!!

Next movie I need to bring up is "The War At Home". Starring Emilio Estevez. Directed by Emilio. Co-produced by Emilio. Co-starring Martin Sheen. About a soldier with PTSD being forced by his father to adjust to civilian life and Thanksgiving.

Don't worry, I'm not going to forget about "Son In Law". During the height of Pauly Shore's Paulyness. Farm girl goes to college, meets and falls in love with the Pauliest of Shores... and decided to take him back home for Thanksgiving. And then more Paulyness ensues. Did I mention this was a Pauly Shore movie?

And one Unlockable Gem for you all... "The Ice Storm". Ang Lee and I have a torrid history. Some GREAT Asian Epic films, Life of Pi, Brokeback Mountain... but I avoided Gemini Man and... Hulk(Eric Bana) felt like it was made from the perspective of a Nerd with ADHD that just came out of a coma. But "The Ice Storm" is underrated.

There are a few other movies where Thanksgiving is present or at least present, but not a plot point. "Spider-Man" and "Addams Family Values" are just 2 example. But it all goes to show that there isn't much love for T-Day in movies, and honestly... why the hell not!?!

And I have to highlight one more...... just to show you how absurd it is! The movie is... "Dan In Real Life". Steve Carell killed in this movie. And as the center of it is an annual family get together. An... annual... family... get... together. This could've been a Thanksgiving movie. This could've been a Christmas movie. But it was neither of those things. The perfect up for a wonderful Thanksgiving movie...... and it isn't set during ANY holiday at all...

People love family comedies. Thanksgiving is about family, and friends, and food! Hollywood... come on... you can do something with that! You have for DECADES! And honestly, you can adapt those random family comedies. It can't be that hard...

Just add the Turkey and the Stuffing...

The New Review - Dune(2021)

Copyright belongs to Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures

Dune

Directed By Denis Villeneuve

Starring Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Issac, Rebecca Ferguson, and many more

Concept: Frank Herbert's legendary novel that inspired decades of sci-fi epics, including Star Wars. Sci-fi mixed with geopolitical plots at the forefront of a Messiah story. Hollywood has struggled to get this movie made... and aside from one particular critically panned classic, this is the test to see if it can be done.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: A LARGE cast. Chalamet, Issac, Ferguson, Stellan Skarsgård, Zendaya, Brolin, Momoa, and did I see a David Dastmalchian? AND a Javier Bardem? AND a Dave Bautista? Stacked. And no part seems small. Even the ones that COULD be small serve a purpose. But breakout performances from Timothée Chalamet and Oscar Issac...... Score: 20/20

Presentation: An Epic score you would expect from a sci-fi epic film. One or two off CGI moments, but I saw an homage to old school sci-fi with a paper maché explosion and practical effects mixed with beautiful CGI. And if you feel comfortable enough, watch this on the biggest screen you can. Because Denis uses ALL of the screen real estate he could. Score: 20/20

Chronicle: So, if you aren't aware... this is a part 1. One of the biggest issues I had with the original movie was how so much story was crammed into one movie. Sacrifices had to be made, like the nerfing of The Weirding Way. This one, however, showcases what Hollywood couldn't figure out... split it into 2 movies. Focusing on the Geopolitical portion of the story, it was built around the emergence of the heir to an empire he really doesn't feel ready for. Clever uses of premonition and foreshadowing, while making it a CHARACTER ATTRIBUTE. Even the short roles of certain characters, everyone has good to GREAT character development. Only the beginning. Score: 30/30

Impact: The Novel was the inspiration for MANY sci-fi franchises. And this movie is a masterclass on how to inspire many more. Hollywood has been afraid of making this into such an epic because of the plots and subplots throughout the first book... and well... the series of books overall. Denis Villeneuve did a WONDERFUL job at making Blade Runner 2049 as a vessel to bring Blade Runner to modern audiences...... and I TRUSTED him with making Dune as amazing as he could. And... not only did he not let me down, he exceeded my expectations. And it is an example of how if you believe in the material, you should take it... and run with it. So... not only do I hope Dune inspires more sci-fi franchises, I also hope other directors look at Hollywood's fear materials... and run with them(as much as I was okay with John Carter... I would LOVE someone else to take a stab at A Princess of Mars... I've even started a fancasting for it). Hopefully this(and subsequent part 2) inspire DECADES more sci-fi epics. Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: So this one is gonna be a little spoilery, but not for this movie... for the trilogy as a whole, as compared to the original cult classic and the novels themselves. There are FIVE actors/roles I want to point out. They are Brolin/Gurney, Momoa/Idaho, Zendaya/Chari, Bautista/Rabban, and Skarsgård/The Baron. Brolin, Momoa, and Bautista... all feel a little typecast, each with only a small role this time around(at least 2 of them will get featured more going forward... up to you to figure out which 2), but each one serving a MAJOR purpose in the story regardless. And Denis did the same thing with Bautista in Blade Runner 2049. Then we look at The Baron... I thought that was Stellan Skarsgård, but I wasn't for sure the whole movie. And dammit...... I like that. And that leaves Zendaya. I credit my friend Bob for this one... because I saw it... and he put it into words. Chani isn't featured with solid lines until the end, but she was shown as the central figure in Paul's dreams/visions throughout the film(trailers spoiled that, sorry not sorry). And with that, she had MORE character development and was used in a much better way than she is as MJ in the MCU Spider-Man films. Denis Villeneuve's vision... but Zendaya's range. Zendaya has an Emmy already. I'm calling it... she will end up with an Oscar someday. And I'm ready to see what she does in Part 2. Thank you to Denis for bringing out MORE that potential in her. Score: 10/10

Final Score: 100/100

Final Grade: A++ or S-Class

Conclusion: Frank Herbert's legendary novel has been brought to life as it should be. Stunning. Emotional. Detail oriented. Fierce action met with rich storytelling that it NEVER lost hold of. Even the battles told stories(something that I feel Star Wars lost more times than not). Sci-fi Masterclass. Denis Villeneuve does it again.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat" that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: I have some evaluating to do for where to put this movie in my top 10 of all time. That should tell how bad I want each of you to see...... no... how bad I want you to EXPERIENCE this movie. Come back and thank me later.

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Well there you go...... Dune get a 100!!!!!!!! A perfect score!!!

Full disclosure... this was going be a make/break movie. I was looking forward to it. I had very high expectations. But... I do try to be fair. Small oopsies would've been forgiven, but this one... was important to me. So if Denis Villeneuve would've screwed up ONE part in a major way, this score might've been drastically different. But I put my faith in Denis, and he did me proud... so much so, I say once he gets through this trilogy, give him A Princess of Mars... give him any other sci-fi novel and just let him go do his thing. This was VISIONARY! And it could've gone wrong in someone else's hands.

I think the delays for release due to Covid made it that much sweeter. Great things come for those who wait...... well... get me a part 2... now!

So what did you all think? Comment down below. Share the hell of this. And if you haven't seen it... go... do... so... as soon as possible. You won't regret it.

My movie of the year for 2021. What else could top it? Yeah... nothing.

Whether you watch it at home or in the theater, don't forget...

Renewed Top 10 - Slasher Films

Another edition of Horror Themes Top 10!

Already posted the Non-Slasher Horror Films... now it is time for the Slashers.

Some of these will mention whole franchises. Some will be an individual movie in a franchise. And some will be multiple movies in the franchise when I only liked a few of them. You'll understand as you go along.

Also... some of these franchises have had reboots... and sideboots... and Erasequels. And that may or may not factor in each franchise. Like I said... You'll understand as you go along.

Oh... and the killer MUST have been human at some point.

So......

Top 10 Slashers Films/Franchises

Here we go...

11. Child's Play: The franchise centered around a serial killer possessing a doll, and contining the killing spree. Very successful franchise... with a recent reboot with Chucky being voiced by Mark Hamill AND a new TV series.

10. Sleepaway Camp: During the dawn if the Campy Slasher film, here is another one about a killer... in a camp. This one makes the list because it contains one of the GREATEST twist endings in movie history. So great...... you have to watch it. You won't find it here.

9. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Franchise... remake... prequel. One of the main franchises inspired by real life killer Ed Gein. The original film made for less than $140k($700k adjusted for inflation). All centered around a family of cannibals and the chainsaw wielding Leatherface.

8. Friday the 13th: Long standing franchise... machete... hockey mask. Iconic when it comes to the slasher genre. Not every movie in this franchise is gold... the idea of "Campy" horror... I associate with this franchise. And if you need proof of how Campy it is... look no further than Jason X, set... in space.

7. Candyman: Written by Clive Barker. Son of a slave murdered in the late 1800s comes back and spreads fear and terror. Tony Todd with one of the most iconic voices breathes life into this amazing Slasher Urban Legend. I haven't seen the new one yet, so for now... this is just for the original movie.

6. Scream: Wes Craven decided it was a good idea to start a franchise that lampoons the genre and the tropes. And one of the best openings, using a huge start like Drew Barrymore, and killing her outright. An enjoyable franchise with a new one coming very soon.

5. Hellraiser: Clive Barker directed inter-dimensional hellspace hellscape movie franchise(Barker directed the original... wrote the books). A lot to unpack about the franchise. But yes... even though the Cenobites are Extradimensionial beings, all of them but one were human at one time... even Pinhead.

4. Maniac(2012): A remake. But I will be honest, I didn't watch the original. This one though... stars Elijah Wood. And unless you knew that ahead of time, you would have a few small moments to see him... because he plays the killer, and the ENTIRE movie is filmed through the killer's eyes. Great idea. And the movie is a pretty good movie. It gets a high spot due to the uniqueness.

3. Psycho: Alfred Hitchcock's masterclass in horror. Psychological. Norman Bates has inspired many a parody and other copycats. And the shower scene is just as iconic and Hitchcock himself.

2. A Nightmare On Elm Street: Wes Craven. Freddy Krueger. The Razor Fingers gloves. The Boiler Room. A franchise about a man who was brutally murdered by the parents of children he was harming...... turning into a demon that can kill people in their sleep. Some very unique, over the top stories. Not all of them good... but still entertaining. New Nightmare was a very cool meta movie about Freddy coming to kill the ACTRESS that played Nancy. And then... a remake of the original film that was darker, and more fun(with Wes Craven's vision for Freddy's origin story). Plus... I share a birthday with Robert Englund.

And now... the Number 1 Slasher Film/Franchise

1. Halloween: THE Slasher. Michael Myers. This has had more than a few movies... some strange one. A remake helmed by Rob Zombie(2 movies... and I liked them). And we are in the middle of an Erasequel trilogy(as of posting, I haven't seen Halloween Kills yet). And you can point out any of the movies in this franchise that you want to...... but I want to focus on the original. As I said...... THE SLASHER. But look at this movie now, it gave birth to the modern Slasher, but this movie is NOT a Slasher at heart. It was a Psychological Thriller. Once Michael makes it to Haddonfield, his presence is in every scene. Not even just the obvious ones. Rewatch this movie. Look for the car. Even in scenes you shouldn't be thinking about the car... LOOK FOR THE CAR. Yes... Michael gets Slashy. But until then, it is 100% Subliminal for the audience. And this is why it takes the Number 1 spot!

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There you go... my TOP 11 Slashers. The pool I used was smaller this time, and Honorable Mention felt like it was disrespectful to whatever one got it. And they all belonged on the list.

Missing one? Different order? Leave a Comment. Share the post.

Happy Halloween and Spooky Season!

And don't forget...

Renewed Top 10 - Horror Films

It is time. It is that time of year. We are going to tackle TWO Best of Lists for the Horror genre. One for Slasher Flims... and one for Non-Slasher Horror films(just going to call it... Horror Films... hope you understand)

Disclaimer... there were ALOT of films that I had in the pools for both lists... and it was incredibly difficult to decide. If there is one on either list you think I'm missing, just know it was probably considered.

So...

Top 10 Horror Films

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: The Ring: Adapted from a Asian Film, about a tape(yes, VHS, scary I know) that if you watched it, you died in 7 days. Sad they made a sequel where it was a viral online video, and it FAILED. Great concept too.

Honorable Mention 2: The Amityville Horror: I'm citing both versions here. Brolin and Reynolds helming their respective versions. A well done psychological thriller. Smart, yet doesn't hold the hands of the viewers.

Honorable Mention 3: The Alien and Predator franchise: Yes, I am lumping them all together because it needs to be done. The penacle of the action horror genre, and they are one franchise, due to the Alien vs Predator movies.

10. Thir13en Ghosts(remake): Gory, more special effects heavy version. But this is the movie that started my love for Matthew Lillard. Enjoyed the lore that goes with this movie, but the overall story was weak... but the movie is goriously beautiful.

9. 1408: A skeptical author visits a supposed haunted hotel room and spends a night in hell. Based on a short story written by Stephen King. Oh... 1+4+0+8=13

8. The Exorcist: One of the most famous horror films of all time. And if you are reading this list, you most likely know about this film. Linda Blair... projectile vomit... "The Power of Christ Compells You"

7. The Silence of the Lambs: FBI Academy Student seeking counsel with Hannibal Lector to catch a killer. Iconic... Legendary... and Anthony Hopkins MADE this movie what it is.

6. Bram Stoker's Dracula: There are many version of Dracula in cinema. Including legends like Christopher Lee and Bela Lugosi. But none are as close to the novel as this one...... and talking about legendary Draculas, this is the movie that made me love Gary Oldman.

5. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: Speaking of movies close to the books, this one was SO close, I got to use it as my book report in 12th Year English. It started my love for Kenneth Branagh. And when you think of Frankenstein, you think of Igor, Boris Karloff, a lightning storm, and "IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!" But...... really, it is Robert DeNiro, electric eels, and a self taught "monster".

4. The Sixth Sense: The movie that made M. Night Shyamalan a household name. One of the greatest twists in movie history. "I see dead people." Who doesn't know that line at least?

3. IT Chapters 1 & 2: This one is where I might lose some people, but I really loved the IT remakes. Tim Curry and the original movie/miniseries(2 episodes) is legendary, and a stacked cast. But I have to go with the remakes for a reason. The book and the original relied heavily on the flashbacks. And I get it. That is the story, set in the adult era, the flashbacks are the members of the Losers Club remembering Pennywise...... but the remakes separated them. The era when they were kids, the era when they were adults... and they still made clever use if the flashbacks. But what we got felt like a complete story. Fluid... and easier to follow. Still had a stacked cast(and helped push Finn Wolfhard's star into outer space). And as much as I love Tim Curry and his Pennywise... I commend Bill Skarsgård in making Pennywise TRULY terrifying.

2. The Shining: Stanley Kubrick... Jack Nicholson... iconically noted for making Stephen King angry for changing the aesthetic of the story, but I loooooooooove this version. And simply... when I think of Jack Nicholson, I think of The Shining. 

And my Number One Non-Slasher Horror Film is...

1. Doctor Sleep: Did it surprise anyone? I really loved this film. A sequel to The Shining. Follows Danny when he is older. And it has one of the most unsettling scenes I've ever seen in a film... and I loved it. Story is solid. And... I didn't think it would do either the Kubrick film of the book justice, and I think it did wonderfully well.

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What do you think? Anything I missed you think I should've added? Any shock you?

Comment... share...

And check out the other Spooky List!

Until next time... remember...