Phil counts down to CREATURESCON 3 during the Big Wow! ComicFest at the San Jose Covention Center May 17-18, 2014

During the Big WOW! ComicFest at the San Jose Convention Center May 17th-18th, there will be another special convention happening simultaneously. CreaturesCon 3 is "the world's ONLY convention dedicated to the Bay Area's beloved TV phenomenon Creature Features." For those of you who live outside the Bay Area, this legendary show ran on KTVU Channel 2 in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1971 to 1984. The show was hosted by Bob Wilkins, and later by John Stanley, who took over in 1979. During the convention, we celebrate this beloved television show!

Celebrities in attendance for CreaturesCon 3 are as follows: Creatures Features host John Stanley, filmmaker and Creature Features archivist Tom Wyrsch, Strephon Taylor from November Fire, HARDWARE WARS director Ernie Fosselius, and Bay Area horror host Lord Blood-Rah. Bob Wilkins, who hosted the show from 1970-1979, passed away from Alzheimer's disease on January 7, 2009

John Stanley with Bob Wilkins in his famed yellow rocking chair.

There will be informative Programs and panels for fans to attend: "CreaturesCon 3" and the other "Remembering the Ackermansion." There will be a props area, cool Creatures Features items for sale, but the biggest event happening is that there will be a LIVE Creatures Features show hosted by John  Stanley!! That's right! I said a LIVE CREATURES FEATURES SHOW HOSTED BY JOHN STANLEY!! Now I grew up watching the show, and to see it live, it is a dream come true for not only myself, but for fans of the show! And the film that John will be screening is none other than George A. Romero's 1968 zombie classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD!

So for all you horror fans out there in the Bay Area, make sure you come out d be part of all this fun! To learn more about the CreaturesCon 3 and to purchase tickets and passes, please visit their official website at www.creaturescon.com. To purchase tickets and passes for the Big WOW! ComicFest, visit their official website at www.bigwowcomicfest.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show

Phil counts down to the BIG WOW! COMICFEST at the San Jose Convention Center May 17-18, 2014

Hey kids! What time is it? That's right! It's summertime! School's out. College graduations are commencing. And you know what else? That's right! The Big WOW! ComicFest returns to the San Jose Convention Center this weekend May 17th and 18th! Yes, San Jose's premier comic book show is back with comic book artists, gamers, filmmakers, cosplayers and costume contests, local and international celebraties and so much more!

With Hollywood's big GODZILLA remake opening this weekend, Big WOW! pulled out all the stops by having several  legendary Japanese actors appearing at the fest! First is Kenpachiro Satsuma, who first came to fame by donning the famous Godzilla suit for the 1984 film RETURN OF GODZILLA. After the film's release, he would play the famed reptile 11 more times! Joining him are actors Satoshi “Bin” Furuya, best known for being the original Ultraman, and Daisuke Ban, best known for his title roles in "two of the most iconic series of all time, KIKAIDA and INAZUMAN!" If you are a true Japanese fan, then you will want to meet these three acting icons!

There are numerous comic book personalities already signed up to appear at the convention and all are icons in the industry: Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), Mike Mignola (creator of Hellboy), Joe Linser (Cry for Dawn) Sergio Aragones (Groo the Wanderer), Michael Golden (The 'Nam, Dr. Strange), Joyce Chin (Vampirella, Xena, Guy Gardener: Warrior), Mark Badger (Spider-Man, X-Men), Arthur Adams (Superman, Godzilla, Monkeyman and O'Brian), and Neal Adams (Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow) just to name a few.

Along with comic book personal, there will be other celebrities appearing from all avenues. In the entertainment world, fans can meet local stars such as Balrok and Cave Girls Shotzi Black Heartt and Madison Hannah from the hit KOFY TV20 television show Creep KOFY Movie Time, horror hostess Miss Misery from Miss Misery's Movie Massacre, horror host Lord Blood-Rah of Lord Blood-Rah's Nerve Wraking Theatre, Strephon Taylor from November Fire, local documentary filmmaker Tom Wyrsch and legendary Creature Features host John Stanley.

As for Big WOW! celebrities, look no further than William Katt (from the TV series The Greatest American Hero, CARRIE, HOUSE), Clare Kramer (from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, BRING IT ON, and BIG ASS SPIDER), Richard Kiel ("Jaws" in the James Bond films, HAPPY GILMORE) Costas Mandylor (from the TV series Picket Fences, the SAW series), Kevin B. Grevioux (co-writer and producer of the  UNDERWORLD films), Jane Wiedlin (guitarist of The Go-Go's), and Alison MacInnis ( Dana Mitchell the Pink Ranger on the current season of Power Rangers Super Megaforce) just to name a few!

Fans will also meet some of the finest cosplayers around, including Valerie Perez (Wonder Woman),  Anthony Misiano (The Joker), Ivy Doomkitty, and Vegas Powergirl for starters. Then there's all the comic book artists at the Underground and Artist's Alley creating original works of art, the cool Anima area that includes my friend Carlyfornia, plus all the dealers, toys, comics and everything else you can imagine!

There's also cool programs and panels during the two days, including a Power Rangers panel, Top Cow Studios panel, Cosplay 101, Cultural Diversity in Comics, a Costume Contest and so much more. Plus there's also going to be a Magic the Gathering Tournaments for all you gamers out there!

Some of the big events to check out is the1st Annual Famous Monsters Film Festival, hosted by the fine folks over at Famous Monsters of Filmland, "the magazine that has inspired generations of imaginations such as Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, Steven Spielberg, and many more." The film festival will be running the entire first day and some of Sunday morning. Also worth checking out is the Batman Museum: Celebrating 75 years of the famed Caped Crusader! Witness and marvel (no pun intended) at rare original artwork, toys, games, posters and collectibles of all kinds!

So what are you waiting for? Start planing to attend Northern California's premiere comic book and entertainment event! To learn more about the convention and to purchase tickets and passes, please visit Big WOW! ComicFest's official website at www.bigwowcomicfest.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil celebrates the 34th Anniversary of FRIDAY THE 13TH-May 9, 2014

Greetings and salutations my fellow horror hounds! Today is a very special day not only in horror film history, but for film history in general. On this exact date, 34 years ago, a horror icon was born and a franchise was created. On May 9, 1980, Paramount Pictures released a small, low budget horror movie called FRIDAY THE 13th. And the cinematic world of horror was forever changed for the better.

Theatrical Movie Poster (1980)

Now if you haven't seen this film yet, or you have only seen the 2009 remake, then you really need to see this! I have seen this film an ungodly amount of times; to the point that I could recite the whole film in my sleep! This summer camp slasher classic tells the story of a group of camp counselors who are stalked and killed on the eve of the grand re-opening of Camp Crystal Lake. Look for Kevin Bacon making his film debut as Jack Burrel. Also appearing in the film is the great Besty Palmer as Mrs. Pamela Voorhees, who seems to know more about the grizzly murders than she's letting on. The ending is still one of the greatest endings in modern day horror films.

The film was directed by Sean S. Cunningham, who in 1972 teamed up with A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET creator Wes Craven on the exploitation classic THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. Make up legend Tom Savini supplied the gore for the film with his then cutting edge tricks and techniques. While seem tame by today's standards, these make-up effects were revolutionary at that time. Except in Italian horror films, American audiences had never seen a throat slash open and spew out blood before. Nor see arrows piercing through neck, an axe to the head, and we all have to thank Savini for all of this!

Mrs. Voorhees herself, the great Besty Palmer.

The film grossed an unbelievable $59,754,601 during its theatrical run (the film's budget was only $550,000). Paramount was so pleased with their investment that the studio immediately demanded a sequel. In fact, during the Paramount years, there were a total of seven sequels! In 1981 FRIDAY THE 13th: PART II was released, with others shortly behind: FRIDAY THE 13th in 3D, FRIDAY THE 13th: THE FINAL CHAPTER, FRIDAY THE 13th, PART V: A NEW BEGINNING, FRIDAY THE 13th, PART VI: JASON LIVES, FRIDAY THE 13th, PART VII:THE NEW BLOOD (the first appearance of Kane Hodder as Jason Voorhees), and FRIDAY THE 13th, PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN. Due to dwindling box office receipts for each film, Paramount decided it was best to let the franchise leave.

Young Jason Voorhees portrayed by Ari Lehman.

The rights of the series reverted back to its creator Sean S. Cunningham. He then made a deal with New Line Cinema, which was the home to another horror icon Freddy Krueger of the NIGHTMARE OF ELM STREET series. With a new distributor, Sean and team cranked out two more films: JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY and JASON X. But the big reason why Sean chose New Line was to finally pit two of the greatest horror icons in one epic movie. For fans it was dream came true when on August 15, 2003 FREDDY VS JASON was released to theater nationwide, grossing an outstanding $82,556,855 million in North America and another $32,286,175 in foreign sales. With renewed interest in Jason, Sean Cunningham and his team decided it was time for a remake. Enter Michael Bay and his company Platinum Dunes, the same folks that made the THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE remake back in 2003.

Jason Voorhees Action Figure from PART VII.

The FRIDAY THE 13th remake combined elements from the first three films and was released to theaters on February 13, 2009. It went on to gross $65,002,019 in the states, and $26,377,032 in foreign sales. The final tally for the film was an astonishing $91,379,051. Even as I write this tribute, a sequel is currently in production.

It's hard to imagine the horror film landscape with out FRIDAY THE 13th. It launched many actors and actresses careers, brought the world of special effects center stage, and created one of the greatest legends in horror film history. Jason Voorhees is as popular, recognizable, and profitable as Micky Mouse. Action figures, costumes, comic books, posters, games, cards, even plush dolls and bobble heads bear Jason's likeness.

So today is a day of celebration! Even though it's not the 13th, it's still Friday and so it's the perfect day to go watch this horror classic. It's available on DVD, Blu-Ray and even in the ultra cool Blu_ray Tin Boxset! So there's a number of ways to watch this film. So grab a bunch of your friends, order some pizzas and sodas, kick back and watch FRIDAY THE 13th!! Just make sure that Mrs. Voorhees doesn't show up and ruin your fun!

FRIDAY THE 13th and the entire series is available on both DVD and in a special Limited Edition Tin Blu-Ray Boxset. To purchase these films, visit your local retailer. To learn more about the series, and to make purchases, visit the official website at fridaythe13thfilms.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the screaming!

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!