2010 Year-End Wrap-Up

2010 was a tough year for me. Sadly, my mom passed away in July. I would like to thank my fellow bloggers and my readers for your kind words. They helped me through a rough time.

I didn't get around to watching many horror films this year, and most of the ones I did see, I didn't like. Saw 3D was a mediocre end to the franchise. The Human Centipede was surprisingly not very gory for a movie about a mad doctor who sews people's mouths to others' asses. And I haven't really seen many others. But within the past two weeks I've finally seen two movies I enjoyed: one enough to call it the best movie of 2010, and to give the other a honourable mention.

BEST MOVIE: Splice

I actually didn't watch this until a few days ago when I bought the DVD on Boxing Day and I really enjoyed it. It's nothing like what I expected and had a couple of pretty disturbing and twisted scenes, which made it better than I anticipated. I know Splice doesn't have many fans and probably won't appear on any other "best of" lists, but I find it fascinating.

HONORABLE MENTION: Frozen

I also just saw this film recently and it was pretty good. Frozen is tense and suspenseful. I was surprised that it held my interest considering it only has three characters and one setting, but the film managed to do it with its interesting characters and dialogue.

BEST BOOK: Dweller by Jeff Strand

If you haven't read this yet, go read it now. Dweller was not only the best book I've read this year, but possibly the best book I've ever read. I loved Owen at least equal to how much I love my cat, Betty, and I want my own pet monster now too.

HONOURABLE MENTION: Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite

This book was actually released in 1996, but I'm including it because I read it for the first time this year. Even though I read it way back in January I never forgot about it because it made such an impact on me. Very gory and disturbing and I recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it yet.

BEST T.V. SHOW: The Walking Dead

Well, there aren't exactly a lot of horror T.V. shows to choose from, but at least there's one amazing one. The Walking Dead premiered on AMC this past Halloween and was a treat for all horror and zombie fans. But I was less than thrilled with how short the season was - a mere six episodes. And it won't be returning until October 2011! That's far too long of a wait, but I guess I'll just have to suck it up and try to be patient.


HONOURABLE MENTION: Scream Queens Season 2

 I enjoyed season 2 of Scream Queens even more than the first. Jaime King replaced Shawnee Smith and Tim Sullivan replaced James Gunn, both of whom I like better and the actress I was cheering for from the beginning won! When Gabby West won, I was so excited it was like I won myself. Too bad the role she won was only a 30 second non-speaking appearance.


BEST SONG: Nightmare by Avenged Sevenfold

I thought I would include my favourite song of the year because of this awesome A Nightmare On Elm Street tribute video featuring it:



3 TECHNOLOGIES THAT CHANGED MY LIFE IN 2010:

I realize that I am waaay behind the times, but I finally caught up a bit in 2010 with the following gadgets that I acquired this year.

1. DVR

I finally got a DVR thanks to a free promotion with Bell and I don't think I've watched T.V. live since. I can't believe I didn't get one sooner. No more commercials for me! And I've watched at least double the amount of movies since I can record movies when I'm not home, sleeping, or otherwise occupied.

2. Kindle

I haven't gone anywhere without my Kindle since I got it. I originally was unsure if I would like it, but I absolutely love it. It's so much lighter than a book, so it's convenient to carry around in my purse, it's easy to read one-handed, and if I finish a book or get sick of one I can start reading something different. Thanks to my Kindle I'll be reading much more in 2011.

3. Wii & Netflix

Here in Canada we just got Netflix a few months ago. And a few weeks ago I got a Nintendo Wii from my super awesome boyfriend. So of course I got Netflix immediately and have been addicted to it ever since. Now I can watch as many movies and T.V. shows I want for only $7.99 a month, and I'll be taking full advantage of that.


 THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY YEAR: Fan Expo '10

I attended my first horror convention this past summer and got the chance to meet Heather Langenkamp and get her autograph (see left)! I had a great time and I'm saving my money to go again in 2011. I can't wait!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year's!

BOOK REVIEW: The Zombie Survival Guide: How to Live Like a King After the Outbreak by Etienne Guerin DeForest

There are several zombie survival guides out there, but none like this one. No other guide will explain how getting blackout drunk can help a zombie bite or how to turn a zombie into a sex slave. But luckily this one explains everything you need to know in order to "live like a king" after the zombie outbreak - from zombie crabs to zombie pimps.

The Zombie Survival Guide: How to Live Like a King After the Outbreak is crude yet hilarious. Several moments in the book had me laughing hysterically. Here's one of my favourite passages as an example:

When approaching a prospective human, first ask them what their name is.

• If it replies "Brains," blow its head off.
• If it replies "Brian," ask it again, as you may have encountered a zombie with a speech impediment, or a zombie that was mildly retarded in life.
• Keep in mind that it is entirely possible that you did encounter a human named "Brian."

That passage still cracks me up and there are plenty of other laughs. Including some from the amusing diagrams featured in the book.

But I should caution readers that if you don't like politically incorrect jokes, or get offended easily this is not the book for you. At times it can be racist, homophobic and just generally offensive. But as long as you don't take it too seriously, you'll find it funny.

The survival guide is very thorough including information on zombie history, origins of zombies, weapons, dealing with humans and zombies after the outbreak and training zombies. And it's a quick read at just 117 pages which fly by thanks to its entertaining content.

Overall, a very funny book that will "not only teach you how to survive the zombie outbreak, but how to do it with STYLE." If there is ever a zombie apocalypse this is the guide I will use to survive. It's available on Amazon for $7.99 and the Kindle edition is only 99 cents.

Rating: 4/5

E-book Sale!

Until December 31, the five e-books released by Books of the Dead Press will be 75% off on Smashwords. All you have to do is visit the Books of the Dead Press blog, get the promotion code for each book and type it in at the checkout. Every e-book is regular priced at $4.95, so after the discount they're only $1.24 each! These are the five e-books to choose from:

 Want the Greatest Zombie Stories Ever Written? BEST NEW ZOMBIE TALES Vol. 1 Includes Amazing Fiction by Ray Garton, Matt Hults, Jessica Brown, Kealan Patrick Burke, Jeff Strand, Robert Swartwood, Gary McMahon, Harry Shannon, Gord Rollo, Brian Knight, Simon McCaffery, John Grover, John L French, Kim Paffenroth, Charles Black, Jonathan Maberry, Steve Wedel, Bev Vincent and more...

Want the Greatest Zombie Stories Ever Written? BEST NEW ZOMBIE TALES (Vol. 2) Includes Amazing Fiction by: Bram Stoker Award Winner, David Niall Wilson, British Fantasy Award Nominee, Rio Youers, Bram Stoker Award Nominee, Nate Kenyon, Multiple Award Winning Author, Cody Goodfellow, Bram Stoker Nominee, Mort Castle Bram Stoker Award Winner, John Everson, and more... 

Classic Vampire fiction at its very finest! Includes amazing stories by: J. Sheridan Lefanu, M. R. James, F. Marion Crawford, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, James Robinson Planche, Johann Ludwig Tieck, Bram Stoker, E. F. Benson, and Algernon Blackwood!

From the author of THE DEAD PARADE comes 13 tales of horror, suspense, and imagination. Enter the gore-soaked exhibit, the train of terror, the graveyard of the haunted. Meet the scientist of the monsters, the woman with the thing living inside her, the living dead... James Roy Daley unleashes quality horror stories with a flair for the hardcore. Not for the squeamish.

Killer on the warpath. Monsters on the street. Vampires in the night. Zombies on the hunt. Welcome to Terror Town, the place where no one is safe. Nothing is sacred. All will die. All will suffer. From the mind of James Roy Daley, author of The Dead Parade, comes one of the most brutally violent horror stories ever written.

Happy Holidays!

BOOK REVIEW: Dead of Night by C.M. Saunders

When Nick plans a camping trip for himself and his new girlfriend, Maggie, he ignores the stories about the location he has chosen. Supposedly the area was used as a burial ground for Civil War soldiers and several disappearances have been reported in the area. But Nick and Maggie learn the truth when they are woken by a Confederate zombie in the middle of the night.

The plot isn't the most unique, but Dead of Night is still entertaining for zombie fans. Although it has lots of gore, it isn't all about the blood and guts. Instead it is suspenseful and atmospheric. The scene where Nick wakes up in the middle of the night and first spots a zombie is tense. And being in the middle of nowhere, disconnected from the rest of the world with no one to turn to for help, added to the creepiness.

At the beginning, C.M. Saunders takes time to establish the characters, and although some may find that part slow, I found their relationship and discussion of Michael Jackson interesting. Since Nick and Maggie were well-developed I cared about them and found the story more interesting.

The Confederate zombies in Dead of Night were a little different than other zombies in fiction. They were more intelligent and were armed with guns - and could actually use them. Making Nick and Maggie's fight for survival even more challenging and exciting.

My only complaint is that, as most horror characters, Nick and Maggie made some stupid mistakes. But I suppose if they didn't this novella would only be 10 pages long.

Dead of Night is a quick, suspenseful read and recommended for all zombie lovers. You can buy the ebook from Damnation Books here for a mere $4.50 or from Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

MOVIE REVIEW: Saw 3D

I'm not a huge fan of the Saw franchise. I think the first one is okay, the second one is good, but the third one kind of sucks and made me lose interest in the subsequent sequels. ...Until a few months ago when Saw V and Saw VI were playing back to back on Super Channel and I decided to watch them, expecting nothing more than gore. And, to my surprise, I actually enjoyed them. Not as much as Saw II, but pretty close. They actually made me want to see the newest installment, Saw 3D. And when my favourite actress from Scream Queens Season 2, Gabby West, won a role in the film, I wanted to see it even more. So after finally convincing my horror movie hating boyfriend to go with me, I've seen it and think it was just okay.

The plot is the standard Saw fare: lots of gore and inventive traps, but with a few twists thrown in. I was surprised by the major plot twist in the movie, but it didn't make sense in context with the rest of the films in the series. In general, there wasn't much of a plot, just massive amounts of gore, which is what I expected and was looking forward to.

The 3D was unnecessary. It definitely wasn't worth the extra $2.50, since it was barely noticeable save for a few instances of blood and guts flying at my face.

But the biggest disappointment in Saw 3D was Gabby West's role. She had no lines - other than screaming, of course. Chester Bennington (from Linkin Park) even had more lines than her! If I had to endure catfights with bitchy actresses, John Homa's brutal acting class and just generally working my ass off to win a part in a film where I didn't have any lines and was only onscreen for 30 seconds, I would not be impressed.  Especially while the previous winner of Scream Queens, Tanedra Howard, had several lines in Saw VI, and in Saw 3D. Oh well, hopefully we'll see more of Gabby in other films.

I probably would have enjoyed Saw 3D if Gabby had a larger role, they had made more use out of the 3D and the big plot twist wasn't disappointing. But it's not a terrible choice if you're just looking for lots of gore.

Rating: 3/5

R.L. STINE BOOK OF THE WEEK: Cheerleaders: The Third Evil

Fight, fight, fight or die, die, die!

From the back cover:

IT'S BACK!

Did the evil spirit really leave Kimmy's body? The cheerleaders of Shadyside High can still feel its dark presence, and Corky knows that it is out there, somewhere close. And getting closer.

Corky is tormented night after night by dreams of her dead sister, Bobbi. What terrifying message is Bobbi trying to tell her? When the evil begins again - more horrible, more gruesome than ever - Corky knows it is up to her to learn the century-old secrets and destroy the evil spirit's power for good. But so many have died already - will Corky be next?

My thoughts:

I know it's Thursday and usually I do my R.L. Stine Book of the Week on Sunday, but I didn't have time to post it until now.

Cheerleaders: The Third Evil is probably the goriest of the series - just read the excerpt below for a sample. It's probably the most gruesome thing I've read from R.L. Stine so far. Except the body count is surprisingly low for a book with tons of gore. In fact, it's nonexistent. Not a single person dies in the book (excluding the flashback from the excerpt below, which I don't count). There a lot of bloody accidents, but nothing too serious, which was a disappointment.

The happily ever after ending was also a letdown. I guess you can't expect a book for teens to have lots of death and a not so typical, happy ending, but I thought this one was different since it had so much gore. Oh well, it's still an enjoyable Stine book.

Rating: 4/5

PG-13 gore: She saw herself murdering the man at the mill, the man who had caused her husband's accident. She saw the expression of utter disbelief on the man's face as she grabbed him and shoved him from behind. And she heard the crack and splat as she pushed his head under the mill wheel. And his head was ground up as fine as the corn.

The woman who lived in the big house on the hill was even easier to murder. And what pleasure Sarah had taken in the crime. What delight. After all, the woman insulted the Fears, insulted Simon Fear, insulted Sarah's dead husband, insulted the entire family.

She couldn't utter any insults with that length of clothesline wrapped around her neck. Sarah had pulled the clothesline tighter and tighter, until the woman's face was bright purple, as purple as the violets in her garden. So tight that the rope actually disappeared under the woman's skin. And the blood had flowed out in a perfect ring.

How lucky that Sarah was boiling up an enormous pot of potatoes when the young police officer arrived. She had only to shove his head deep into the boiling water, and wait.

What a struggle he'd put up. Thrashing his arms.

But Sarah had held his head under until the thrashing stopped. Until his breathing stopped, until he was dead, and he slumped lifeless over the black cast-iron stove.

All of his hair had floated off, floated to the top of the pot. And when she finally pulled him up, his head was as white as a boiled potato and nearly as soft.

Body count: 0


Next week: Cheerleaders: The New Evil

R.L. STINE BOOK OF THE WEEK: Cheerleaders: The Second Evil

Cheers - from the grave!

From the back cover:

OUT OF THE GRAVE

Corky Corcoran is sure it's just her imagination when she sees her dead sister rise from the grave. Or is it?

Corky is trying to put the nightmare of Bobbi's death behind her - she's back on the Shadyside cheerleading squad and has become friends with Kimmy and Debra. But everything is not back to normal for Corky - she hears horrible screams in the gym, her friend has become obsessed by the occult, and a strange young man is following her. And then the murders begin again....

Has the evil spirit from the Fear Street cemetery returned to destroy them one by one?

My thoughts: 

The second book in the Cheerleaders series is less cheerleading, more evil spirits, so I was a little disappointed because I found the cheerleading scenes to be the most entertaining parts. But there were still a few awful cheers to keep me interested:

We've got razzmatazz!
Pep, punch - and pizzazz!
Hey, you - you've been had.
Shadyside Tigers got razzmatazz!
RAZZMATAZZ!

I wasn't sure what razzmatazz was so I looked it up in the dictionary, and to my surprise, I learned it isn't a made-up word. It's another word for razzle-dazzle, which is also a real word apparently. Anyway, the Shadyside Tigers has razzmatazz in spades.

But one thing I hate is how Stine recycled scenes from the first book in this one. Kimmy fell during her pyramid flip in the first book, and the same thing happened to Corky in this book. In the first book, Corky happened to drive past the Fear Street Cemetery and see Jennifer dancing on Sarah Fear's grave. In this book, the same thing happened to Corky, except she saw Sarah Beth Plummer dancing on the grave. It's pretty disappointing when several climactic scenes in a sequel are just repeats of scenes from the original.

But the ending was exciting and original, and I was surprised by who the evil possessed. So, overall Cheerleaders: The Second Evil is entertaining, although not as much as the first book.

Rating: 4/5

PG-13 gore: She could tell that he was dead.

Sprawled there in his own blood.

She had to look away. She couldn't keep on staring at him.

She glanced up - and saw the power saw. And realized the steady whirring sound came from the power saw. The blade was spinning loudly.

Louder.

Even louder.

And then Corky's ear-piercing screams drowned out the roar of the whirring saw blade as she caught sight of his severed hand. His hand, cut off at the wrist, rested like a glove beside the blade.


Body count: 2

Next week: Cheerleaders: The Third Evil

T.V. REVIEW: The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXI

It's still Halloween on Fox tonight! The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXI aired tonight, along with Halloween episodes of The Cleveland Show, Family Guy and American Dad. And since it doesn't feel like Halloween until I see the new Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episode, I'm going to do a belated Halloween post and review the new episode.

The opening segment begins with Homer and Bart having a violent - and bloody - fight. Then Professor Frink warns the audience to use their DVR remote to fast forward through the violent scenes, demonstrating but ending up skipping the entire episode. He then says "I don't deserve to wield the remote," and fast forwards himself into a pile of dust.

Then Frankenstein says "Monster go watch The Office, Dunder Mifflin just like monster's workplace." And a spoof of the opening credits of The Office begins with a sign saying "Transylvania Welcomes You" and a building with the plaque "Monster Mifflin" is shown. Inside the building is a mummy getting his bandages stuck in a paper shredder, a zombie nuking a brain in a microwave and other various monsters.

As a fan of The Office, this was my favourite part of the episode. But don't worry, the rest of the episode is funny as well. Here are the three segments:

War and Pieces

When Marge catches Bart and Milhouse playing a violent video game, she forces them to play a good old fashioned board game. They choose a game called "Satan's Path" because "It's gotta be good if Satan put his name on it." It turns out to be even more violent than a video game when the game comes to life a la Jumanji, bringing all the other board games to life as well.

This segment was pretty funny, especially if you can relate to how much Mouse Trap sucks or ever wondered why Monopoly would include a lame game piece like a thimble.


Master and Cadaver

In a parody of the film Dead Calm, Homer and Marge are having a second honeymoon aboard a yacht when they spot a castaway (Hugh Laurie). After they help him aboard, he tells them how he narrowly escaped being poisoned on his boat, but Homer and Marge think he's the killer and is now trying to poison them.

I didn't find this segment to be funny at all, but I've never seen Dead Calm before, so I didn't understand any of the references.

Tweenlight

Lisa falls for the new student, Edmund (Daniel Radcliffe), who is a vampire and wants to turn Lisa into one.

This spoof of Twilight was the funniest of the three segments. I loved the part when they invited Edmund and his father for dinner, much to his dismay:"I'm 400 years old! I don't need a chaperone!" Marge didn't know what to cook, so she killed Ned and served him on a platter. And Homer keeps asking dumb questions: "If a mosquito bites you, does it become a vampire too? If you bite your tongue, does it become a vampire?" I also loved the scene where it shows the vampire area of Springfield, Dracula-La Land, where it shows "every kind of vampire there is." Including Bram Stoker's Dracula, Nosferatu, Count Chocula and The Count from Sesame Street.

Overall, this was a fun episode despite the mediocre middle segment.

Rating: 4/5

R.L. STINE BOOK OF THE WEEK: Cheerleaders: The First Evil

When the cheers turn to screams...

From the back cover:

"GIVE ME A D-I-E!"

Newcomers Corky and Bobbi Corcoran want more than anything to make the cheerleading squad at Shadyside High. But as soon as the Corcoran sisters are named to the team, terrible things happen to the cheerleaders.

The horror starts with a mysterious accident near the Fear Street cemetery. Soon after, piercing screams echo through the empty school halls. And then the ghastly murders begin...

Can Corky and Bobbi stop the killer before the entire cheerleading squad is destroyed?

My thoughts: R.L. Stine's Cheerleaders series sparked my obsession with Fear Street books. Being one of the first Fear Street books I read, I was impressed with how suspenseful and creepy it was. Now, re-reading it several years later, it's surprisingly just as entertaining as the first time I read it.

Cheerleaders: The First Evil is like The Exorcist meets Bring It On. It's about a possessed cheerleader who causes several horrible accidents at Shadyside High. There's a lot of cheerleader talk and petty high school girl fights, but I found that quite entertaining. Especially the scene where Kimmy confronts Bobbi about "stealing" her boyfriend, Chip, and starts a fight by pulling her hair.

This book also introduces my favourite R.L. Stine character of all time: Corky Corcoran. I don't know if I like her character or just enjoy saying her name. It definitely conjures up an image of a perky cheerleader. But bitchy, little Kimmy with her permanently crimped hair is a pretty fun character too.

And there are five books in the Cheerleaders series, including a Fear Street Saga explaining the origin of the evil entity. So we'll have plenty more of Corky and the gang, starting next week with Cheerleaders: The Second Evil.

Rating: 5/5

PG-13 gore: Her long hair fell off, strands blowing away in the breeze. Her eyes sank back into her skull, then rotted into dark pits. Her cheerleader costume appeared to grow larger as her flesh decayed underneath it, and her bones appeared.

Body count: 2

Next week: Cheerleaders: The Second Evil

John Skipp Appreciation Week

This week has been John Skipp Appreciation Week on Brian Keene's website. Keene posted several interesting interviews with Skipp, which I would like to share with you. Keene also posted the introduction he wrote for Skipp's novel, The Long Last Call, which reveals how Skipp's work impacted his career, which you can read here.

A 25th Anniversary Edition of The Light at the End was just released as an ebook by Crossroad Press and Animals will be released as an ebook sometime in November.

Happy Halloween!

I'm taking a break from my horror movie marathon to wish everyone a Happy Halloween and to share my costume: Sexy Chucky. This costume was a total rip off and I don't recommend anyone to buy it. The knee high socks don't even have feet, they're just tubes! And the jumper looks like it says "Goo Guy" on it. Oh well, that didn't ruin my Halloween fun last night. Here's my costume:

Oh, and don't forget to watch The Walking Dead tonight at 10:00 pm on AMC!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

T.V. REVIEW: Scared Shrekless

What scares an ogre?

Shrek claims nothing, but Donkey and Puss in Boots aren't convinced, so they come up with a fun/spooky idea of how to spend their Halloween night. They will take turns telling scary stories and whoever can last through the night will be dubbed "The King of Halloween." And to up the ante, Shrek suggests they tell the stories in Lord Farquaad's supposedly haunted castle.

This 30-minute Halloween special is comprised of three stories and the wraparound story of Shrek and pals spending the night in a haunted castle. These are the three segments:

The Bride of Gingy

After Gingy's girlfriend kicks him out, he arrives on the Muffin Man's doorstep and begs the baker to make him a new girlfriend. But Gingy insists on adding tons of sugar to ensure his new girlfriend is sweeter than the last. Despite Muffin Man's warnings that no one has ever made cookies with that much sugar and that he doesn't know what could happen. Well, Gingy's girlfriend ends up a little too sweet...and clingy.

Boots Motel

Donkey and Puss in Boots collaborate on this story, but try to kill the other one off throughout. On a dark and stormy night Donkey and Puss take shelter in the Boots Motel where Puss takes a well-deserved tongue bath. But he's murdered! Or is he? Perhaps it was Donkey taking a shower until he is interrupted by...  a donkey-eating waffle who wants revenge!

The Shreksorcist

Shrek helps Geppetto put Pinocchio to bed, thinking he can handle it because he takes care of three baby ogres on a daily basis. But it's more difficult than he presumes because Pinocchio seems to be possessed.

Scared Shrekless is a fun Halloween special and had me laughing quite a bit. I love Gingy. He's such a cute and funny character. For instance, in one part when he gets scared he poops out candies. And look at his explanation for why his girlfriend kicked him out:

Gingy: "I dunno something about me being too into myself, blah, blah, blah, yak, yak yak."

Muffin Man: "You?! But you are so adorable!"

Gingy "I know! That's what I keep telling her!"

Oh, Gingy. You really are adorable. Scared Shrekless is even better than I expected. I'm not a big fan of kids' movies or T.V. shows, but while this one is kid-friendly it also has some humor for adults. If you missed Scared Shrekless it will air again on NBC at 8:00 pm on Saturday.

Halloween TV/Movie Schedule (Canadian version)

Get your DVR ready because there are a ton of horror movies and Halloween-themed TV episodes airing in the next few days. TV.com already has a pretty comprehensive list, but since I live in Canada and don't get a lot of the channels featured, I thought I would compile a list of movies and TV shows featuring channels available in Canada.

Scared Shrekless premieres on NBC Oct. 28 at 8:00 pm.

Thursday, October 28

12:15 AM
Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster on AMC

12:30 AM
Grimm Love on Super Channel 2

4:00 AM
Creature From the Black Lagoon on AMC

9:30 AM
End of Days on AMC

11:00 AM
Walled In on MExcess

2:15 PM
Thirteen Ghosts on AMC

3:30 PM
The Frighteners on MovieTime

8:00 PM

Scream on IFC Oct. 28 at 9:00 pm.

Little Shop of Horrors on SunTV
Red Planet on AMC
Scared Shrekless on NBC

9:00 PM
Lost Souls on MPIX
The Reaping on MovieTime
Scream on IFC
Silent Hill on Action

10:00 PM
Beneath on Dusk

10:30 PM
Jason Goes to Hell on AMC

10:40 PM
Hollow Man on MPIX
Thirst on MFest

11:00 PM
The Final Destination on The Movie Network
The Wicker Man (2006) on MovieTime

Friday, October 29

12:30 AM

The Lost Boys 7:00 pm on Dusk, Oct. 29.

Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning on AMC

10:00 AM
Friday the 13th Part 3 on AMC

11:00 AM
Carriers on Super Channel 2

12:00 PM
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter on AMC

1:00 PM
Dementia 13 on SunTV

2:15 PM
Razortooth on Super Channel 2

4:00 PM
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives on AMC

6:00 PM
The Chair on The Movie Network
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood on AMC

7:00 PM
The Lost Boys on Dusk
The Unborn on MExcess

7:30 PM
Zombieland on The Movie Network

The Crazies (2010) airs at 9:00 pm Oct. 29 on TMN.

8:00 PM
Devil's Diary on SunTV
Predator on AMC
Urban Legend on Diva

9:00 PM
The Crazies (2010) on The Movie Network
Children of the Corn (2009) on Super Channel 2
Friday the 13th on Action
Orphan on MExcess
Signs on Dusk

10:30 PM
Predator 2 on AMC

10:45 PM
The Children on Super Channel 2

11:00 PM
Friday the 13th Part 2 on Action
From Within on The Movie Network

11:20 PM
When a Stranger Calls (2006) on Dusk

Saturday, October 30

The Rocky Horror Picture Show 2:00 am on CTV Oct. 30.

1:00 AM
Deep Blue Sea on AMC

1:30 AM
Interview With the Vampire on SunTV

2:00 AM
The Rocky Horror Picture Show on CTV

3:15 AM
Jeepers Creepers on Super Channel 2

3:30 AM
Cocoon on AMC

5:00 AM
Jeepers Creepers 2 on Super Channel 2

9:00 AM
Blood of Dracula on AMC

10:30 AM
They Live on AMC

11:15 AM
Open Graves on Super Channel 2

11:30 AM
Garfield's Halloween Adventure on YTV

12:00 PM
Alvin & the Chipmunks Meet Wolfman on YTV

Alvin & the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein on YTV 12:00 pm Oct. 30.

12:30 PM
28 Days Later on AMC

12:45 PM
The Grudge 3 on Super Channel 2

2:00 PM
Alvin & the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein on YTV

2:20 PM
The Wizard of Gore (2007) on Super Channel 2

3:00 PM
Scary Movie on The CW

4:00 PM
The Hills Have Eyes (2003) on Spike
Monster House on YTV
Smash Cut on Super Channel 2

5:00 PM
The Exorcist on Diva

5:30 PM
Beetlejuice on NTV

6:00 PM
The Flintstones Meet Rockula & Frankenstone on YTV

The Flintstones Meet Rockula & Frankenstone

6:15 PM
Blade Trinity on Spike

7:00 PM
Dracula: Dead and Loving It on CH
Paranormal Activity on MExcess
White Zombie on The CW

7:15 PM
Zombie Strippers on Super Channel 2

7:30 PM
Bless the Child on Diva

8:00 PM
The Host on TVO
Lost Boys: The Tribe on Peachtree TV
Pet Sematary 2 on AMC
Vipers on Global

8:30 PM
Bride of the Monster on The CW

9:00 PM
Daybreakers on The Movie Network
Ginger Snaps on IFC
Halloween (2007) on Spike
Jennifer's Body on Super Channel 2
The Mothman Prophecies on Dusk
Saw IV on Action
Quarantine on MExcess

Videodrome will be on TVO at 10:20 pm Oct. 30.

10:00 PM
Bats on Peachtree TV
The Ring Two on Diva

10:15 PM
Ghost Ship on AMC
Red on Super Channel 3

10:20 PM
Videodrome on TVO

10:30 PM
Dead Snow on MExcess

10:45 PM
The Midnight Meat Train on Super Channel 2

11:00 PM
Saw on Action
Suck on The Movie Network

11:30 PM
Freddy vs. Jason on Spike
The Hole on Dusk

AMC will air Halloween 1-5 on Halloween beginning at 8:00 am.

Sunday, October 31

12:00 AM
1408 on Peachtree TV

12:30 AM
Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever on Super Channel 2

2:00 AM
Feast II: Sloppy Seconds on Super Channel 2

4:45 AM
The Brain Eaters on AMC

6:00 AM
The Flesh Eaters on AMC

8:00 AM
Halloween on AMC

10:00 AM
Halloween II on AMC

10:50 AM
Village of the Damned (1995) on MPIX

12:00 PM
Halloween III: Season of the Witch on AMC

All Poltergeist films will air on Space on Halloween.

12:30 PM
The Burrowers on Super Channel 2
Dreamcatcher on MPIX
Poltergeist on Space

1:00 PM
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on YTV

2:00 PM
Casper on YTV
Dolls on The CW
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers on AMC

2:15 PM
The Descent Part 2 on Super Channel 2

2:45 PM
The Blair Witch Project on MPIX

3:00 PM
Poltergeist II on Space

4:00 PM
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 on MPIX
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble on YTV
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers on AMC
The Witches of Eastwick on SunTV

Drag Me to Hell will be on MExcess on Halloween at 7:00 pm.

5:00 PM
Child's Play on The CW
Final Destination on MovieTime
Poltergeist III on Space

6:00 PM
The Sixth Sense on Diva

7:00 PM
Drag Me to Hell on MExcess

Scary Movie 2 on MovieTime

7:20 PM
Boogeyman on MPIX

7:30 PM
Return to Sleepaway Camp on Super Channel 2

8:00 PM
Dawn of the Dead (2004) on AMC

8:30 PM
Gothika on Diva

9:00 PM
The Amityville Horror (2005) on MPIX
The Collector on MExcess
The Devil's Rejects on IFC
House of Wax (2005) on MovieTime

The Walking Dead premieres on AMC on Halloween at 10:00 pm.

The Seventh Sign on APTN

10:00 PM
The Walking Dead on AMC

10:30 PM
The Amityville Horror (1979) on MPIX
Halloween II (2009) on MExcess

10:45 PM
Killer Movie on Super Channel 2

What I Got For My Birthday

October 19 was my birthday so I'm going to share with you all what I received/bought myself.

First, I bought myself this awesome Chucky t-shirt from RIPT Apparel for only $10:

And I bought myself this cool hoodie from Giant Tiger for only $20:

And of course I saved the best for last. This is what my boyfriend got me:

Yep, that's right, a Kindle! I am so excited and I will be reviewing it very soon.

Halloweek III

I can't believe October is almost over. This month has been busy for me and I'm sorry I haven't posted much.

For the past two years I've dedicated one week to Halloween-related posts and dubbed it "Halloweek".  So this week (well only the next four days, to be exact) I will begin Halloweek III and try to post a lot to make up for my lack of posts in October. Happy early Halloween everyone!

R.L. STINE BOOK OF THE WEEK: Goosebumps: Attack of the Jack-O'-Lanterns

Put one head in front of the other...

From the back cover:

PUMPKIN POWER!

Nothing beats Halloween. It's Drew Brockman's favorite holiday. And this year will be awesome. Much better than last year. Or the year Lee and Tabby played that joke. A nasty practical joke on Drew and her best friend, Walker.

Yes, this year Drew and Walker have a plan. A plan for revenge. It involves two scary pumpkin heads.

But something's gone wrong. Way wrong. Because the pumpkin heads are a little too scary. A little too real. With strange hissing voices. And flames shooting out of their faces...

My thoughts: In anticipation of Halloween, for the next five Sundays I will be reviewing a Halloween-themed R.L. Stine book. The first one I chose is Attack of the Jack-O'-Lanterns, which ended up being one of the most uninteresting Goosebumps books I have read so far.

Half of the book is comprised of flashbacks to previous Halloween nights which were ruined by snobby Tabby and Lee's mean (yet dull) pranks. When Drew and her friends finally get revenge, their practical joke is lame and not scary at all. I don't understand how being forced to trick-or-treat forever by jack-o'-lantern people is terrifying. I suppose you would get sick of it eventually, but that still doesn't make it remotely scary. I don't know where R.L. Stine comes up with some of these ideas....

But I enjoyed all the descriptions of autumn, trick-or-treating, costumes and just Halloween in general. And since it made me excited for Halloween to come, I'll give Attack of the Jack-O'-Lanterns a 2 instead of a 1.


Rating: 2/5

PG gore: "Noooo-!" I cried out as two ugly creatures came snarling through the hedge.

I saw only a blur of ragged fur. Open jaws. Saliva-covered teeth.

Before I could move, one of the creatures leaped onto me, snarling and growling. It shoved me roughly down to the grass. And dug its fangs into my shoulder.

Next week: Fear Street: Halloween Party

And the winner of Scream Queens Season 2 is...

GABBY!

I am thrilled that Gabby won Scream Queens. I've been rooting for her since the very beginning and still cheered for her despite a few poor performances in the director's challenges. I knew she could overcome those to win.

It was still a bit of a surprise when Gabby won because Jessica has been consistently good throughout the competition. But Gabby definitely did a better job in the final director's challenge. I felt very "meh" about Jessica's last two performances.

I wasn't planning on watching Saw 3D, but now I can't wait!

R.L. STINE BOOK OF THE WEEK: Goosebumps: The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight

It's a field of screams!

From the back cover:

THEY'RE ALIVE!

Jodie loves visiting her grandparents' farm. Okay, so it's not the most exciting place in the world. Still, Grandpa tells great scary stories. And Grandma's chocolate chip pancakes are the best.

But this summer the farm has really changed. The cornfields are sparse. Grandma and Grandpa seem worn out. And the single scarecrow has been replaced by twelve evil-looking ones.

Then one night Jodie sees something really odd. The scarecrows seem to be moving. Twitching on their stakes. Coming alive...

My thoughts:

Although scarecrows are only supposed to scare pests, many people (including me) find them creepy. The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight is about scarecrows coming to life therefore should be terrifying but is ultimately a letdown.

There are some creepy images (like Grandma's hands being made of straw) but most of them end up being one of Stine's ridiculous chapter ending cliffhangers (oh, Grandma was just holding a broom).

But the book is still fairly suspenseful and keeps you reading to find out if the scarecrows are really coming to life or if Sticks is just playing a prank. And how/why the scarecrows would come alive.

Overall, an okay Goosebumps book. Even if it's a bit of a disappointment, The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight still has its moments of suspense - and evil scarecrows.

Rating: 3/5

PG gore: The corn was a disgusting brown color. And it was moving on the cob. Wriggling. Squirming.

Stanley raised the corn to his face to examine it. And I realized it was covered with worms. Hundreds of wriggling, brown worms.

Next week: Fear Street: Halloween Night

BOOK NEWS: Fresh Blood Writing Contest Winner

The winner for the Fresh Blood Writing Contest was announced a few weeks ago. It is Disunity by Aaron Dries. Here is what was posted on the ChiZine website:

The contest is over. The results are in. The winner is Aaron Dries, whose novel Disunity (now entitled House of Sighs) will be released by ChiZine Publications in a signed limited edition hardcover edition on February 15th, 2011.

There is no mention of the Leisure edition, which was promised to the winner.

Here is what Disunity is about:

Liz Frost is a bus driver. She began the day wanting to kill herself.

It would've been better if she had...

Her passengers are now hostages. They must unite & fight.

But where is the real danger? In the driver, her family, or among each other?

And the book trailers:

BOOK REVIEW: Joyride by Jack Ketchum

Jack Ketchum frequently uses true crime stories as inspiration for his novels. Off Season is based on the legend of the Sawney Bean family, The Girl Next Door tells the horrors that befell Sylvia Likens and this novel, Joyride, is derived from Howard Unruh's killing spree. In Ketchum's afterword, he reveals that he found his story (and the story of Sylvia Likens) in Bloodletters and Badmen by Jay Robert Nash.

 Usually Ketchum's combination of real-life terror and an interesting "what if" scenario hooks me, but Joyride never grabbed my interest and is a mediocre effort from a usually amazing writer.

Carole and Lee planned the perfect murder of Carole's abusive husband. But they didn't count on a man named Wayne watching them. He doesn't want to turn them in or blackmail the couple. He mistakes them for being as sadistic and depraved as himself. What Wayne wants is simple: friends who understand his dark side and can indulge in it together.

The plot is more like that of a crime thriller than a horror novel. The story is told from Lieutenant Rule's perspective on the chase of the spree killers, and then Carole, Lee and Wayne's viewpoint in alternating chapters. And there isn't much gore - at least for a Ketchum novel.

It takes several chapters before anything exciting happens and even then the pace doesn't really pick up. There are a few more dull chapters, one action-packed chapter, and then back to the same tediousness. This formula is repeated throughout the novel.

The reason for my boredom is probably due to the lack of depth in the characters. Carole and Lee are fairly bland and hard to emphasize with. While the reasons behind Wayne's madness are never touched upon, he is merely crazy, end of story. Lieutenant Rule is an interesting and well-drawn character, but isn't featured in the story as much as Wayne or Carole.

But I didn't hate Joyride, although it may sound like I did. It's still a Ketchum novel, so it's well-written and the climax is exciting, but it still doesn't make up for the rest of the lackluster novel.

Rating: 3/5

This novel also includes the bonus novella, Weed Species, previously released in 2006 as a hardcover, limited edition from Cemetery Dance.

Weed Species is also based on a true crime story, this time on that of Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo. This story still angers many of us Canadians especially since Homolka is now free and married with a baby although the videotapes found showed that she is just as depraved as Bernardo. And Ketchum's imagining of what happened after Komolka was released from prison is our worst fears brought to life.

 At a mere 86 pages, this novella still packs an enormous punch. Anyone who is familiar with the rapes and murders of Bernardo and Homolka will know the brutality and gore to expect. For those of you who aren't, I'll warn you that there is a lot of violence in this novella, including graphic rape scenes.

Although Weed Species is well-written, interesting and leaves you wanting more, it's so disturbing and graphic that it will have you questioning why you enjoy reading stuff like this. But it takes a great novel to give you that feeling, so I'll give it a 4. This bonus novella is far better than the main novel, so I would recommend buying Joyride just for Weed Species.

Rating: 4/5

Combing rating: 3.5/5

Fan Expo 2010

Two weekends ago I got the chance to attend the 2010 Fan Expo in Toronto. It was a spur of the moment thing so I went late Sunday afternoon and unfortunately didn't get to see some of the big celebrities like David Cronenberg, Lance Henriksen, William Shatner, Adam West or Leslie Nielsen. But I did see William Forsythe, Bill Moseley, Camille Keaton, Summer Glau and Heather Langenkamp. I didn't have much money so I could only afford to get Heather Langenkamp's autograph and a copy of Johnny Gruesome signed by Greg Lamberson. They were both crazy nice and I had a great time.

Me with Heather Langenkamp.

My autograph from Heather Langenkamp: 1,2... Freddy's coming for you!

William Forsythe

Bill Moseley

Camille Keaton

My signed copy of Johnny Gruesome by Greg Lamberson.

Summer Glau

My b/f and I in front of Dean Winchester's car (Supernatural).

Another award!

There's another award going around which I've been given by Brandon Sites at Dollar Bin Horror, Venoms5 at Cool Ass Cinema and Petunia Scareum at Deadly Serious. Thanks so much! Now I'm supposed to list 10 things that make me happy and 10 bloggers to pass the award onto.

10 Things That Make Me Happy

1. My cat, Betty
2. Bubble baths
3. Junk food
4. Horror movies and books (obviously)
5. Thrift stores and yard sales
6. Trips to the library
7. Reading
8. Seeing a band I love in concert
9. Vegging out in front of the TV
10. Sleeping in and spending the day in my PJ's

10 Terrific Blogs

1. Too Much Horror Fiction
2. Paperback Horror
3. The Doctor Is In...
4. Dead in the South
5. Midnite Media
6. The Girl Who Loves Horror
7. The Scream Queen
8. Bad Ronald
9. The Spooky Vegan
10. Stoned Horror Critic

BOOK NEWS: Dorchester Publishing no longer producing mass market paperbacks

It seems that e-readers are doing to books what MP3s did to CDs years ago.

In September 2010, Dorchester Publishing, the publisher of Leisure horror books, will cease publication of mass market paperbacks, replacing them with e-books and print-on-demand trade paperback copies.

I've been a subscriber to the Leisure Horror Book Club for a couple of years now and I'm pretty upset about these changes. First of all, I'm not fond of trade paperbacks. They're more expensive (Leisure has already stated they'll cost $15.00 vs. the $7.99 they cost now), too big to fit in my purse (I always carry a paperback with me) and won't fit on my horror bookshelves, which consist of mostly paperbacks.

Secondly, I don't have an e-reader yet. I was planning on asking for an e-reader for my birthday or Christmas this year, but I don't know how much I will like it. Sure, it has advantages like being able to carry hundreds of books with you, being able to buy and read books instantly without leaving your house, cheaper books (sometimes), saving paper and being more lightweight than most books, but it also has some disadvantages.

First of all, how long do they last? I drop books all the time, splash water on them and they get pretty beat up in my purse. I don't know how long an e-reader could sustain through all the punishment I give to my paperbacks. Secondly, owning an e-book isn't the same as owning a real book. I won't be able to display my books on a shelf with the rest of my horror collection and it will feel like I don't really own them. Thirdly, grabbing a book and reading it is so simple. It doesn't need to be needlessly complicated by having to charge your e-reader or load books onto it.

I don't think that an e-reader could ever replace the feel of a book in a reader's hands. But I guess I shouldn't say that until I try one.

What are your opinions on e-readers? Are my complaints valid? Or are e-readers just as good as reading a regular book?