Watching “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” years after it became a cult hit, it’s easy to see where shows like “Blue’s Clues,” and “Yo Gabba Gabba” obtained their influence. Though it’s absolutely surreal, “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” dares to be different and innovative, while putting the lovable character of Pee Wee Herman on display. What’s even more refreshing is that show host Pee Wee instills positive ideas in his audience, without derailing the show entirely. There are subtle lessons about imagination, creativity, enjoying sweets with moderation, and how to deal with bullies.
Category Archives: Halloween Horror Month
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Watching “The New Batch” is still a very disappointing experience, as director Joe Dante, and the writers seek out to destroy almost everything likable about the original movie. The fantasy and dark whimsy is gone, the menace is gone, and the monsters are more gimmicky than ever. “Gremlins 2” is such an unusually mean jab at the original film, it even mocks the more compelling aspects of the original, including the broad rules for keeping a mogwai, and Phoebe Cates’ haunting story about Christmas. Billy’s inventor father is also nowhere to be found, in favor of Dick Miller who appears to deliver flat running gags and becomes a cheesy plot device. There’s even a lame meta-joke where the movie stops mid-way thanks to the Gremlins that replace the film with their favorite film “Snow White.”
Gremlins (1984)
It’s interesting that Joe Dante’s “Gremlins” is the inadvertent start of a sub-genre that would copy “Gremlins” in every aspect, except for its appealing story and characters. There’s never been a more interesting film creature than the Mogwai simply because it’s so enigmatic. Surely, Gizmo is an adorable creature in our reality, but I’ve always wondered what he’s thought of in his own time. Is Gizmo an adorable but menacing beast that’s hunted by local villagers? Or is he cherished beast that needs to be respected lest he breed his own evil spawn? Is there a caretaker for the Mogwai assigned through time? And does Gizmo (played memorably by Howie Mandell) ever breed any good copies of himself?
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
Tim Burton’s adaptation of the comedy eighties icon is still a film that’s an acquired taste all things considered. Pee Wee begins as a slightly grating presence, but his enthusiasm eventually wins you over. Even to this day easing in to “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” is a fun and unique fantasy film with Pee Wee Herman managing to entertain with his charismatic presence, unusual voice, and still excellent dance sequence to “Tequila” in a biker bar. I remember just about every kid in the late eighties would at one point imitate Pee Wee’s dance on the pool table.
Our Top 5 Horror Video Games
It’s the Halloween season, and as usual I’m digging in to my pile of vintage video games to play some of my favorite horror titles of all time. Stuff from the SNES and Genesis just never gets old. And though I’m not a gamer anymore, its fun to re-visit some of the better horror based games, some of which I’m still trying to beat. Hey, I said I was an ex-gamer, not a skilled ex-gamer.
Candy [Kindle Edition]
Full Disclosure: While author Doug Brunell is a close friend of ours, “Candy” was purchased at our own discretion.
After reading author Doug Brunell’s bleak and gory cannibal thriller “Nothing Men,” I was literally prepared for anything with “Candy.” I’d heard almost nothing about it, and the premise online is cryptic. At only thirty three pages, “Candy” is just about what you’d expect from author Doug Brunell. He not only challenges expectations, but takes the fantasy genre and bashes its head in with a claw hammer mercilessly. That’s not a criticism, either.
Murderdrome (2013) (DVD)
I love the idea of a horror movie centering on heroines that also happen to be brawling roller derby babes. And I love the idea of a slasher film centered on the whole roller derby motif, but it seems that director Daniel Armstrong has a nugget of an idea for a horror movie centering on roller derby, and then really has nowhere to go with it. The DVD case describes “MurderDrome” as equal parts action, romance comedy, and slasher, and yet all three of those elements are never balanced out. Everything about “MurderDrome” feels painfully uneven, to where fans of either sub-genre will be anxious to see director Armstrong deliver. Truthfully the characters were so fun I wouldn’t have minded a romance comedy about roller derby squads, but “MurderDrome” desperately wants to be a horror movie. Even if the horror feels awkwardly tacked on.