Director Kevin Tenney loves Halloween, and it’s never made more clearly than during the “Night of the Demons.” The 1988 horror film is still a fun and hilarious horror comedy that doesn’t just embrace its horror tropes, but celebrates Halloween as a whole. From the pumpkin in the opening shot to the book end sub-plots involving a crabby old man preparing for trick or treaters, “Night of the Demons” is a perfect film for a Halloween party, and just a downright fantastic summary of why the eighties were such an unabashed festival of novelties for the horror genre.
Author Archives: Felix Vasquez
Our Top 5 Studio Ghibli Films
2013 signaled the final film release from master director Hayao Miyazaki with his gorgeous and somewhat controversial “The Wind Rises.” Though Studio Ghibli presses on with their slew of amazing films, Miyazaki will leave a large hole in filmmaking. We’ve been fanatics of Studio Ghibli for many years since we first saw “Kiki’s Delivery Service” in the late nineties and fell in love with Ghibli’s sense of awe and wonder. In celebration of the brilliant studio (that we often prefer over Disney, by the way), here are our top five films from Studio Ghibli.
Night of the Demons III (1997)
Movie three and I’m still not sure about what Hull house is, or why it hasn’t been torn down yet by the city. We know it’s built to keep out demons, and we know a man is accused of slaughtering his entire family (all of whom likely possessed by demons), but beyond that we’re not given anymore information. There’s still a lot of material to be mined from the concept, but director Jimmy Kaufman is mainly here to bring us through the motions. Angela is back, and she’s preparing another Halloween party for demonic minions. That’s about it, and that’s all we’re really getting for this final outing. Unlike the second film, Kaufman doesn’t do much with Kevin Tenney’s original premise.
Nicholas Sparks: Limited Edition Collection (DVD)
Whether we like it or not the Nicholas Sparks movies haven’t lost steam. Even when they’re flops, they’re still somehow tapping in to the life line of female movie goers, giving movie studios even more of a reason to adapt Sparks’ dramas about gorgeous Caucasian people with no actual problems, that find love with one another. Their love is, of course, chaste, pure, and innocent, with no real raw looks at the passionate love that become the focus of many of Sparks’ movies. Even posters for his movies show people on the verge of kissing. Nothing more. If aliens ever found these movies as a last remnant of humanity, they’d be convinced humans kissed and mated by rubbing noses together and meeting eyes intently.
The Powerpuff Girls: Dance Pantsed (2014)
I’m surprised Cartoon Network decided to remake and bring back the “Powerpuff Girls.” After their infamous statements in 2013 that their cartoons are aimed for boys and boys only, I’m not too sure what the reasoning is behind bringing back their very entertaining series about the three heroic young girls fighting crime in Townsville. I know, it’s all about the dollar at the end. They want money, and will only invest in series that make money. But when they basically told girls to go bake cookies, and stop watching the network last year, “Powerpuff Girls” is an odd show to re-invent and bring back for a new generation. I almost expected “Foster’s Home” or “Johnny Bravo” to be their target remakes.
Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust (2008)
Gary Busey didn’t come back for the sequel? Was he holding out for more money or did his wrangler have a hard time tranquilizing him? In either case, much of “Gingerdead Man 2” is still just so damn inexplicable and confusing. Michelle Bauer plays Miss Polly who appears at a local film shoot with baked goods. Inside the box is Gingerdead Man. How did he get in there? Why is he there? Is someone sending him around to kill people? It’s never actually explained or remotely hinted.
Counterparts (2014)
Director Patrick Rea’s tale of sibling rivalry and back stabbing that progresses well in to the supernatural is a devious and fun little short film that I enjoyed a great deal. It’s a sick and slick look at karma and really does build upon a slew of characters, all of whom are slimy and very much based on self-gratification and self-preservation, blood bonds be damned.






