Phil sees THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 in 2D at the Cinelux Alamden Cinema-May 2, 2014

Marvel Studio's juggernaut onslaught of major blockbusters to dominate movie theaters this year continues with this past Friday's newest release. Now if you recall, I disliked the relaunch of America's favorite wallcrawler THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. In fact, I ripped that film a new one in my review and gave it only one star! In fact, the last statement I wrote in it was, "Sony Pictures wants to recapture the magic of the Sam Raimi films, but after seeing this, it looks very doubtful." Now two years later, Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Sally Field and director Marc Webb return with the latest installment of the franchise THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2. And this time, the filmmakers finally got it right!

The film's official synopsis: It's great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there's no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp.

Right off the bat the on-screen chemistry between Garfield and Stone is much better and more believable and makes the audience care about their respective characters. Of course it doesn't hurt that Garfield and Stone are actually dating in real life. So their acting is honest and real and really quite enchanting to watch. Plus Garfield's Peter Parker looks and sounds like his comic book counterpart and Stone's Gwen Stacey is more three dimensional and sounds and looks like a real woman. Two vast improvements over their previous performances in the first film.

For the newbies in the film, really outstanding jobs all around. Jamie Foxx proves that he has ability and capability to portray a truly deadly super villain. His version and vision of Electro is a sympathetic and tragic person who embraces his inner most desire of vengeance against those who wronged him. Hey, if I had his electrical powers I'd wreak havoc all over the place! Here we get to see the evolution of the timid gaining the powers of a god and as the old saying goes, "Absolute power corrupts absolute." Foxx's Electro is a perfect example of this. My vote for Best Villain of 2014! A great performance on the part of Foxx!

Dane DeHaan's performance and his version of Harry Osborn is again another improvement of the previous incarnation, this being the James Franco version from the original Sam Raimi trilogy. Here, DeHaan's Harry is, to me, much more fleshed out and much more interesting. His background is more complete, the animosity between him and his dying father Norman, his strained friendship with Peter, and suddenly the young heir  is given the keys to the Osborn Kingdom are all interesting aspects to his character development. And his rise as the Green Goblin, Spider-Man's most deadliest foe of all time. Kudos to Dane DeHaan for making Harry a more well-rounded character and for bringing back that element of pure evil!

Once again Marc Webb steps into the director's chair and has improved tremendously. The look of the film is way more dynamic, looks like the comic book coming to life before our very eyes. Instead of imitating what Sam Raimi did (like he tried in the first film), Webb transforms the franchise and makes it his own; visually stunning and entertaining, gripping action scenes, tender moments of human emotions, and the ultimate sacrifices that capture the audiences' interests. Also congrats to screenwriters Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner and James Vanderbilt for crafting a smart, personal, exciting, and entertaining story, which is based on the old comic story by the legendary team of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

Now the film is available in both 2D and 3D. I saw it in 2D since there was no 3D version available at that time frame. However, I am very interested in seeing it in 3D, just because these is so much action in film, I am very curious in what it looks like in 3D.

Overall THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is an impressive, all-out action packed, thrill ride of a superhero movie! It superiority over the first film is dully noted and those who didn't like that film will love this one! Hands down one of Marvel's best summer films! 4 out of 5 stars!! Recommended!!

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is currently playing in both 2-D and 3-D in theaters nationwide, including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil hosts the Cult Movie Screening of OLDBOY at the Camera 3-April 17, 2014

Hello again everybody and welcome to the 2014 Cult Movie series at the Camera 3 in Downtown San Jose! Now for those of you who are late to the game, let me explain this cool series. In 2011 the Camera Cinemas started up the Cult Movie series (which for years had been called the Midnight Movie series). They would show one cult film twice a month (Thursday nights at 9:30 and Saturday nights at midnight) from February through November. This past Thursday night yours truly was back as the host! The series continued with the screening of Park Chan-Wook's 2003 film OLDBOY! Prizes were donated by Streetlight Records and by Time Tunnel Toys, both located here in San Jose. There were also yummy donuts to eat, courtesy of Psycho Donuts located in the lobby.

American Theatrical Poster (2003)

The film's official synopsis: An average man is kidnapped and imprisoned in a shabby cell for 15 years without explanation. He then is released, equipped with money, a cellphone and expensive clothes. As he strives to explain his imprisonment and get his revenge, Oh Dae-Su soon finds out that his kidnapper has a greater plan for him and is set onto a path of pain and suffering in an attempt to uncover the motive of his mysterious tormentor.

The film is the second chapter in Wook's Vengeance Trilogy. First came SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE which was released in 2002. OLDBOY was released in 2003 and the final installment LADY VENGEANCE came out in 2005.

The films were released here in the states by Tartan Asian Extreme. Eventually all three films were available DVD boxset, then it came out on Blu-ray. This film was just released in a 10th anniversary Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, the new home for the Tartan label.

Upon the film's theatrical release, it garnered positive and soon rave reviews. The website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a score of 80% based on 133 reviews. One of those fans was filmmaker Spike Lee, who remade the film with star Josh Brolin in 2013 to less than critical acclaim.

What a great crowd we had that night!! Over 30 people showed up to see this modern day cult classic! And we're only getting started! Next month we'll be showing Walter Hill's 1976 cult film THE WARRIORS! Now that show will be sold out fast! To view the full 2014 Cult Movie schedule, visit the Camera Cinemas website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!  

Phil sees CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER in 2D at the Cinelux Plaza Theater in Campbell-April 5, 2014

Hello once again everybody! After my SoCal trip, I decided to take a break until the next big movie release. Of course that only last a week because on Friday, the release of Marvel Studio's CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER came out! OK this is a big deal and I'm gonna see this one! So I along with my friends Alison and Craig headed on over to the Cinelux Theater in Campbell to see this latest installment in the Marvel Cinema Universe.

The film's official synopsis: After the cataclysmic in New York with The Avengers, the film finds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (Chris Evans), living quietly in Washington D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web in intrigue that threaten to put the world at risk. Joining forces with Natasha Romanoff aka the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off assailants sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy - the Winter Soldier.

While watching the film, my mind was remembering George Orwell's novel 1984, in it he warned us that Big Brother is watching us. Well, Big Brother was watching us, and he was making huge weapons of mass destruction. This thought occurred when Sgt. Fury (once again by Samuel L. Jackson) was showing Steve the newest weapons from S.H.I.E.L.D. The best line came from Steve when he said, "This isn't freedom. This is fear." This is a horrifying and sobering thought to process while watching a comic book movie sequel.

The film is a throwback to the 1970's spy and espionage films from America and from Great Britain. James Bond films, In Like Flint, All the President's Men are just a few that stand out in my mind. Kudos goes to screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely for writing such a thrilling and compelling script, fleshing out all the major characters (especially Steve and Natasha), creating new villains like the Winter Soilder (Sebastian Stan), all new characters like Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) and Sam Wilson aka the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). Plus the story is filled with a lot of twist and turns and surprises that totally caught me off guard. And this is what I look for in a sequel: does it take all the main characters to the next level? Am I being entertained? Is it a worthy entry to the overall franchise? I say a thundering "Yes!" to all three on my criteria.

Chris Evens once again as the Cap does an impeccable job with adding more depth and humanity to his character while still kicking major ass. His on-screen chemistry with Johansson is fantastic and they play off one another very well in the movie. Of course it also helps that they're also good friends in real life. Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury is bad ass as always, but Robert Redford's acting is top notch!! He proves once again that he can take any role and make his own. And he takes the Alexander Pierce character and he not only runs with it, but scores a major touchdown! Phenomenal acting on the part of Redford!!

Stepping in the director's chair are brothers Joe and Anthony Russo. These two have directed other films like WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD and YOU, ME, AND DUPREE plus episodes of televisions shows like Happy Endings and Community. They did such a great job directing this film, that they've already been assigned to direct the next sequel.

Overall CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER is a solid, entertaining and thrilling blockbuster!! This is the film that all the other Marvel films will be judged by! This is the milestone in the Marvel Cinema Universe! Go see this movie today!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!! 

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER is currently playing in both 2-D and 3-D in theaters nationwide, including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the RETURN TO NUKE 'EM HIGH: VOLUME 1 signing at Dark Delicacies in Burbank-March 30, 2014

Boy, this was one crazy busy weekend!! Not only was I attending Monsterpalooza at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, but I was also at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica Saturday night to attend the Troma Marathon! Now on Sunday, after spending the last day at Monsterpalooza, Bobby, Michelle, and I then headed down the street to the Dark Delicacies Bookstore to checkout the RETURN TO NUKE 'EM HIGH: VOLUME 1 signing with Lloyd Kaufman and two of its stars Stefan Dezil (Slayer) and Gabriela Fuhr (Kelly). It's been a couple of months since I was at the bookstore and I was really looking forward to going back to this excellent place where horror is alive and well!

The lovely Pat Kaufman.

Once again Lloyd's wife Pat was there managing the Troma merchandise table. While there I did a little birthday shopping for my younger siblings. For my baby sister Stephanie, I bought her a DVD copy of POULTRYGEIST: NIGHT OF THE CHICKEN DEAD and a poster of CITIZEN TOXIE: THE TOXIC AVENGER IV. For my younger brother Thomas, I got him the TOXIC AVENGER Boxset and a 8x10 pic of Lloyd Kaufman. To make their gifts even more Tromatic, Lloyd personalized them all, which proves without a shadow of doubt that he truly does love his fans!

Oh I almost forgot. The previous night at the Aero Theatre, I won a RETURN TO NUKE 'EM HIGH poster in a raffle. So I also got that and my Blu-ray copy signed by Lloyd as well as by Stefan and Gabriela!! I also saw my friend Del Howison, the owner of Dark Delicacies. I told him to keep up the great work of getting these events because I will continue to come down from San Jose to attend these!!

Lloyd Kaufman, myself, and the Toxic Avenger.

And that, ladies and gentleman, is a wrap from sunny Southern California!! Wow, what an incredible weekend!! I don't think I've had this much fun in one weekend before! First I want to personally thank Lloyd Kaufman for taking the time out to autograph all my Troma memorabilia and for chatting it up with me! Big hugs to Pat for being such a sweetheart! To all the people I got to meet at Monsterpalooza and to all my friends living in SoCal, it was great to see you all again! So far this was my third trip down here, so you know for a fact that I'll be back down here again soon for another one of my crazy adventures! And last, but not least, thank you all out there for reading my articles! I really appreciate that you take time out of your busy lives to read all my wacky reviews and trips! Till next time my friends! And don't forget, to learn more upcoming events at Dark Delicacies, business hours, and product, visit their website at www.darkdel.com. To learn more about Troma, their film library, and to make purchases, visit their website at www.troma.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the TROMA MARATHON at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica-March 29, 2014

The Aero Theatre marquee displays the Troma Marathon.

Hello again! So while Bobby, Michelle, and I were attending Monsterpalooza, that same weekend there was a Troma Movie Marathon over at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, which was about a half hour away from Burbank. They were going to show four classic Troma movies: THE TOXIC AVENGER, CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH, TROMEO & JULIET, and it's newest release RETURN TO NUKE 'EM HIGH: VOLUME 1. Now what made this event even more special was that Troma President and co-founder Lloyd Kaufman was there live in-person!! Now I have been a fan ever since I saw the first three TOXIC AVENGER films on the old USA Up All Night program back on a cold Saturday night in February of 1992. These three films changed my life forever, and 22 years later, I was going to finally meet my hero and idol!!

Mark Torgl and myself outside the Aero Theatre.

The theater lobby was packed with fellow Tromites (Troma fans as they are affectionately called) and for the first time, I felt like I was home. Lloyd and his wife Pat had a table set up filled with Troma merchandise: DVDs, Blu-rays, stickers, buttons, posters, comics, they had it all! Plus Toxie was there as well as other celebrities such as Mark Torgl, who played Melvin the mopboy in the first TOXIC AVENGER film and the sequel CITIZEN TOXIE: THE TOXIC AVENGER PART IV. I was able to shack his hand get an autograph from him. A really cool guy who also just happens to have an Indiegogo fundraiser to help make his new project TOXIC TUTU. To learn more about this project and to make a donation, please visit the website http://toxictutu.com.

I also saw some old friends of mine. SpookyDan was on hand there, as well as Will Keenan from TROMEO & JULIET, TERROR FIRMER, and a film I saw at Cinequest 22 entitled THE GHASTLY LOVE OF JOHNNY X (you can read all about that infamous screening here). Also in attendance was Alyce LaTourelle, Will's co-star from TERROR FIRMER who also just happens to be his wife! How cool is that? Plus Count Smokula was there to entertain fans with his outstanding accordion skills and E. Yarber, the man who wrote tonight's program that was handed out to fans entitled 40 Years of Troma-More Than Meets the Bile. At 7:30pm, it was time for the marathon to begin!

Troma President Lloyd Kaufman and Mark Torgl.

Lloyd thanked all the Troma fans out in the audience that came out for this historic event, which was hosted by the American Cinematheque. He engaged the audience by having a Q&A session, which was being video recorded by his lovely wife and former New York City Film Commissioner Pat. Will Keenan and Mark Torgl also participated for bit. Count Smokula also serenaded the crowd. Plus making his first SoCal appearance was Stefan Dezil, who portrayed Slater in the RETURN TO NUKE 'EM HIGH. For me, it was so great to be able to interact with Lloyd, Pat, Mark, and even Will. What I love about Lloyd and Troma is they are very loyal to their fans. I had Lloyd autograph just about everything I own and he did it without hesitation. Name one studio head that would do that? None! As long as there is a Troma, I will always be a fan! Now, let's talk about all the movies I saw on that Tromatic night!!

Theatrical Movie Poster (1984)

THE TOXIC AVENGER (1984): Meet little Melvin. He's a 98lbs loser who works at the Tromaville Health Club where he gets picked on a lot. But when a practical joke goes awry, Melvin falls into a vat of chemical waste, thus transforming him into a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength. Melvin becomes The Toxic Avenger, the first superhuman from New Jersey! Soon Toxie is fighting crime and cleaning up Tromaville, much to the chagrin of its fat corrupt Mayor Peter Belgoody (Pat Ryan). But can Toxie and his blind and beautiful girlfriend Sara (Andree Maranda) survive the wrath of the mayor's revenge?

This is the film that put Troma on the map. Originally, nobody wanted to see the film. But when it was booked at the midnight screenings at the Bleeker Street Cinema, the word of mouth spread. Soon there were lines around the block. With its gratuitous nudity, gore, the infamous head crushing scene, toilet humor, and not so special effects, the film went on to win the hearts of fans and became an instant cult classic! The film spawned three sequels to date (with a fourth one in the works), a children's cartoon show, merchandise, action figures, books, games, etc. As we speak, Hollywood is working on a big budget remake of the film. Click here to view the film's original trailer.

Theatrical Movie Poster (1986)

CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH (1986): Tromaville High is your typical ordinary American high school, with just one exception. It's located only one mile away from the Tromaville Nuclear Power Plant! When the plant has a major meltdown, its toxic chemical waste seeps into the school's water supply, thus transforming students into Cretans! High school couple warren and Chrissy (Gil Brenton and Janelle Brady respectively) are the only ones who notice that something's wrong, but when their mutant baby becomes a chemical creature of destruction, they have no choice but to blow up their school!

This is personally my favorite Troma film. It has it all: hot naked chicks, high school pranks, mutant monsters, Cretans, teenage rebellion, destruction to private and public property, and drug usage. What's not to like about all of that? My favorite scenes were all the exterior shots, which were filmed beautifully. Troma Fun Fact: When the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, the radioactive dust from Chernobyl was blowing over the south of France (this fun fact came courtesy of Lloyd Kaufman's first book All I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger which I highly recommended reading). Click here to view the film's original trailer.

Theatrical Movie Poster (1996)

TROMEO & JULIET (1996): Body Piercing, Kinky Sex, Dismemberment. The things that made Shakespeare great! With both Will Keenan and Jane Jensen cast in the lead roles as our favorite star crossed lovers, the film takes place in the modern world where the war between the Capulets and the Ques begin to escalate. But can true love conquer hate or will Tromeo and Juliet suffer the same fate as their past incarnations?

After being in a creative slump, Kaufman bounces back with this ingenious adaptation of Shakespeare's beloved classic. The film also boasts an exceptional soundtrack with music by bands such as Motorhead, Superchunk, Ass Ponys, Supernova, The Meatmen as well as Jane Jensen herself. Troma Fun Fact: the movie was written by James Gunn, who would go on later to write the two SCOOBY-DOO films and the DAWN OF THE DEAD remake. He also wrote and directed the horror film SLITHER, the superhero parody SUPER, and the upcoming Marvel Studio blockbuster GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. Hard to believe it, but it's true! Click here to view the film's original trailer.

Theatrical Movie Poster (2014)

RETURN TO NUKE 'EM HIGH: VOLUME 1 (2014): The newest Tromamasterpiece from Lloyd Kaufman. The Tromaville Nuclear Power Plant has been torn down to make way for the Tromorganic Foodstuffs Conglomerate. But when bloggers and lesbian lovers Chrissy and Lauren (Asta Paredes and Catherine Corcoran respectively) begin to sense that something is amiss, the Tromaville High Glee Club is mysteriously transformed into a vicious gang of Cretins! And just what is wrong with Lauren's pet Kevin the Wonder Duck? Can these two luscious lipstick lesbian loves lick this investigation?

While both equal parts a remake and a sequel, Kaufman demonstrates that he still has that magic touch. The film is filled with humor (both political and satirical), social commentary on school lunches, evil corporations, violence in schools, and gay rights. Oh, and it still has all the gore, violence, and nudity that one would expect from a Troma movie. Originally the film was one long feature until Quentin Tarantino suggested to Kaufman that he split the film into two volumes like he did with his film KILL BILL. Overall this is another worthy entry in the franchise that all of you out there should see! And guess what? The movie is available on both Blu-Ray and DVD so go out there and pick up a copy for yourself! Click here to view the film's trailer.

And folks, there you have it! One of the most amazing cinematic experiences I have ever had! Meeting Lloyd, Pat, Mark, Keenan, Toxie and the rest of the gang was awesome!! So do yourself a favor, if you've never seen a Troma film, I would recommend seeing these four movies today! All of these cinematic gems and more are available to buy on Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital download. To learn more about Troma, their film library, and to make purchases, visit their website at www.troma.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends MONSTERPALOOZA 2014 at the Marriot Hotel and Convention Center in Burbank-March 28-30, 2014

Greetings and salutations from Burbank!! Oh, why yes, I am back down in SoCal for another one of my many adventure! But this was no ordinary adventure! No, no, no my friends! I was there attending the convention known as MONSTERPALOOZA, which was held at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. For almost three days, yours truly (along with my friends Michelle and her boyfriend Bobby) had once again the most amazing time! I got to meet cool horror celebrities, saw some amazing make up effects and designs, got a ton of autographs, bought a bunch of cool stuff.

I had the pleasure of meeting several horror actors and actresses during this weekend. Of course I don't want to brag, but here's who I got to meet: Nancy Allen from DRESSED TO KILL, BLOW OUT and the ROBOCOP series, Bela Lugosi Jr., Ron Chaney and the rest of the Chaney Family, the cast of the HELLRAISER series, Courtney Gains and John Franklin from the original CHILDREN OF THE CORN, Sara Karloff, historian Bob Burns, just to name a few. Now there was a lot to see and do for those three days! Lucky for all of you , I took an insane amount of pictures! So for all of you out there on the world wide web, sit back, relax, and have fun checking out my favorite pics from this year's Monsterpalooza!!

Outside the Marriott waiting to get in.

The guys at the Midnight Syndicate Films were on hand to offer up some excellent chills and thrills. They had several movies on hand to purchase, as well as their awesome soundtracks like the newly released MONSTERS OF LEGEND! I picked up their 3 Disc Deluxe Edition of THE DEAD MATTER. For more info check out their website at www.midnightsyndicate.com.

Scares That Cares is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization that "fights the REAL MONSTERS of childhood illness, burns and breast cancer by helping families that are experiencing these extraordinary hardships cope with the financial burden." To help make a donation, please visit them at www.scaresthatcare.org.

Oh the sea of humanity!!

Me with actress Nancy Allen from CARRIE, BLOW OUT, and the ROBOCOP series.

Genie from the Bottle. How cool looking is this?

This is Christopher R. Mihm. This talented writer/director is based out in Minnesota & makes the ultra cool retro 1950's sci-fi & monster movies! I recommend them all! Check out his website www.sainteuphoria.com.

The main entrance to the Exhibit Area.

And let the draining of my bank account begin!! Look at all this cool stuff I need to buy!!

Composer  John Harrison was on hand to sign the newly released CDs of CREEPSHOW and DAY OF THE DEAD!! I of course bought DAY OF THE DEAD because it's my favorite!

Amazing detailed models and statues on display for collectors to purchase.

Awesome custom made dioramas for your action figures.

Here I am along with cult actor/director Greydon Clark! He stared in the cult classic SATAN'S SADISTS. He went on direct other classics such as SATAN'S CHEERLEADERS, JOY STICKS, FINAL JUSTICE, and ANGEL'S REVENGE. The last two films become popular on the hit TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000. Go check out his website at www.greydonclark.com and pick up his new autobiography On The Cheap: My Life in Low Budget Filmmaking!

Rotten Cotton "is the best Underground Horror, Sleaze, & Exploitation T-Shirts in the Universe!" And it's based out in Antioch, CA! So check them out at www.rottencotton.com. And remember kids: If it ain't Rotten Cotton, it ain't shit!

Alien space babes! Why yes, I would like to mate with you!

The autopsy table with the body of the late, great Frankenstein's Monster.

Hey it's Mia from the EVIL DEAD remake. This awesome replica comes from Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights and it was made by Patrick Magee of MAGEE FX!

The Reaper wants your soul!

This is what happens when you fall asleep in a tanning bed kids.

What's scary than a freaky looking puppet? Two freaky looking puppets! Want these two to add to your collection? Then head on over to www.thescarycloset.com today!

Another awesome creepy looking product courtesy of the fine folks over at www.thescarycloset.com. This of course is from the incredibly scary James Wan film INSIDIOUS.

Me again with another beautiful model who's name I can't recall. Well, this explains why I don't have a girlfriend. I can't remember beautiful women's names!

Oh Brittany! You've done it again!!

This is what happened to Snoopy during the zombie outbreak.

OK, I am trying to recall her name right now, but I cannot recall what it was. Mainly because I was so enthralled with her! I mean, c'mon! Look how hot and spooky she looks! I wanted to marry her right then and there!

Yup, it's just me hanging out with my old friends Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, and Freddy Kruger.

This was such a kick for me! To see this young girls (who was about 10 years old) got dressed up to meet her idol Tippi Hedren, star of Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS. I thought this was fantastic, especially since she wasn't even born when the film first came out!

Here's actor Russ Tamblyn autographing my original one sheet poster of the cult classic SATAN'S SADISTS. The other signature on the left is by Greydon Clark.

THIS WAS THE BEST WEEKEND I HAVE EVER HAD!! (OK I know that I saw that phrase a lot, but look at all the fun things I do!) I met so may icons in the horror genre, saw some great movies, party hard with all my friends, stayed up way too late, got up way too early, drank, ate, everyday was party!! This was such a blast! No you're all probably wondering when's the next convention? Glad you asked! There's gonna be a show called Son of Monsterpalooza and it'll be held on September 12-14, 2014! As soon as more details are released. I'll let you all know! In the meantime, to see who else was there, and to learn more about the event, check out their website at www.monsterpalooza.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil's Favorite Films from Cinequest 24- March 20, 2014

Hello again everybody and welcome back! Now that Cinequest is all over and done with, and I've some down time to catch up some well deserved rest, I decided it was now time to give you my Favorite Films of Cinequest 24! Now thanks in large part to my OCD, I have listed my favorites under three categories: Best North American Film, Best Foreign Film, and Best Documentary. So ladies and gentlemen, here are my Favorite Films of Cinequest 24!

BEST NORTH AMERICAN FILM - ETERNITY: THE MOVIE

This should come as no surprise! The film tells the story of Todd and BJ (Barrett Crake and Myko Olivier repectively), two inspiring R&B singers who want to make the best music ever created. Soon this dynamic duo is known as Eternity, the greatest 80's R&B band ever! But their friendship is put to the test as they both fall in love with the same woman (the beautiful Nikki Leonti). Can the guys survive this or will Eternity will be nevermore? Like I said in my original review, "ETERNITY: THE MOVIE is the greatest 80's film never to have been made in the 80's!" Both Crake and Olivier were awesome in their roles and had perfect on-screen chemistry. The production values were top notch!You are not going to find a better indie film than this! To learn more about this indie gem, visit the film's official website at www.eternitythewebsite.com (also make sure to buy the totally radical soundtrack)! Also follow the movie on Facebook and Twitter!

BEST FOREIGN FILM - THE DESERT FISH

The equivalent of reading a poem captured on film! This stark and poetic drama is about a nine-year-old boy named Ahmad who's been having visions of his dead mother, who was lost at sea years ago. While his father dismisses his son's idea, Ahmad decides to travel to his parent's old village by the sea to seek out his missing mother, with the help from his uncle who he hasn't seen in years. Director Mohammad Ghorbankarimi crafted a magnificent film! With its sheer size of emotional heartbreak and the sweeping landscape of Iran, which has never been captured on film before, the movie is a reminder of what art looks like. The combination of the beautiful scenery, amazing  directing, perfect cinematography, astounding script, and riveting performances, THE DESERT FISH is my favorite foreign film of the festival!! To learn more about the film, visit the official website at http://cine4d.com/the-desert-fish and follow the movie on Facebook as well.

BEST DOCUMENTARY -  THE RUGBY PLAYER

What an amazing documentary! This doc focuses on the life of Mark Bingham, one of the heroes aboard the United Flight 93 on 9/11. The film talks about his early life, his time as a rugby player for Cal Berkley (Go Bears!!), his coming out as a gay man, and his act of heroism that inspired a nation. Told through candid interviews by those who knew him and personal video footage shot by Bingham himself, the documentary tells the real story of a local man who became a national hero. This is local history that I knew a little about, but now thanks to the film, many more people will come to know of the courage of Mark Bingham, who has now become a local hero and an inspiration to many. For coming out gay, he broke the common stereotypes that are acquainted with being a gay man. He was a successful business man, a rugby player, a son, a friend, and now a national treasure. My favorite documentary from Cinequest 24!! To learn more about Mark Bingham and his life, visit the film's official website at www.therugbyplayerfilm.com. Also follow the film on Facebook and Twitter.

And folks there you have it! My Favorite Film Picks from Cinequest 24! So be on the lookout for any of these films in your local theater, on cable, or VOD, or any other media outlet! Also, if you would like to learn more about Cinequest, their mission statement, their Picture the Possibilities program, and how to make a donation, please visit www.cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!