Midsummer Scream, or the Official Start of Halloween Season 

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Every year, Halloween aficionados converge on the Long Beach Convention Center at the end of July to celebrate the official start of Halloween season. There, one can find everything from haunts in the Hall of Shadows, vendors in the main hall, horror celebrities signing autographs in the autograph section, special effects, merchandise, and just about anything you could want to get you in the Halloween mood in one place. There’s a panel room where this year many showed what they have been working on, but also discussions on issues affecting Halloween and horror fans, there are live podcasts recordings in front of audiences, food trucks, art, even a cultural exhibit around Day of the Dead, and a cat relaxation area with cats and kittens to play with and adopt.  

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“Twisted Metal” is a Wild Ride, Flaws and All

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There was just something so appealing about playing “Twisted Metal” as a kid. I fondly remember when it first came out on Playstation in 1995 and was hooked. When we got our first Playstation we played “Twisted Metal” for hours, finding new ways to eviscerate our opponents and win the battles. For those that have never had the pleasure, “Twisted Metal” is a based on an all out free for all battle video game where you man one of multiple armed vehicles in an attempt to come out the victor. The big bad of the game you’d have to ultimately face off against was the armed Ice Cream car with the clown on top called “Sweet Tooth.” There was always room for “Twisted Metal” to become something of a live action property, but now that video game movies are on the verge of become hotter than ever, it seemed like the right time for an adaptation.

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Aporia (2023) [Fantasia Film Festival 2023]

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Often times time travel movies can get bogged down in particulars and more complicated ideas but “Aporia” is one of the few where there’s not so much of the focus on how, but as to the fallout. Writer-Director Jared Moshé prides himself in making “Aporia” a film that’s mainly about the consequences about time travel more than anything. “Aporia” is a fascinating and touching mix of films like “Primer,” and “Sliding Doors,” to where this version of time travel doesn’t so much reverse time, but alters the reality with it. “Aporia” offers a time travel movie that isn’t so much about altering time but about the ideas of destiny and death.

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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Hare Force (1944)

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2023 marks the 85th Anniversary of Bug Bunny’s first animated appearance in 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt.” Debuting originally as Happy Rabbit, Bugs eventually became one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. In honor of the landmark anniversary, we’re discussing every animated appearance by Bugs Bunny. We’re big fans of Bugsy and we hope that you are, too.

Follow us on this massive journey where we discover and re-discover Every Bugs Bunny Ever.

Hare Force (1944)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Written by Tedd Pierce
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Manuel Perez

What–? Two dog foes in a row? Either Termite Terrace were a fan of the popular trope of Bugs fighting predatory dogs, or they were just out of ideas. In either case, it’s at least a good thing that both dog villains are different. The dog foe in “Hare Force” is funnier and more interesting than the one in “Hare Ribbin’” and that’s mainly because he’s so much less whiny. I also get a kick out of his goofy speech pattern which makes him sound oafish but absolutely hilarious. And he’s at least given a name this time, Sylvester. No relation to the black and white Tom cat, of course.

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BAD MOVIE MONDAY: BAD BEN (2016)

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My favorite thing about watching “bad” movies with my friends is when we accidentally find one that’s really well made. It’s such a nice surprise. Like when you expect that something will taste sour but instead get a mouthful of sweet nectar. On the surface BAD BEN looks like it should be perfect for a bad movie night. It’s very low budget, it’s made by someone who is arguably an amateur, and it’s one of the many imitators following in the footsteps of the found footage genre that The Blair Witch Project catapulted into popularity. However, I enjoyed the hell out of this. Yeah, it’s got a few rough edges, but if you’ve ever read any of my previous reviews you should know by now that I like it rough.

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Thank You, Paul Reubens (1952-2023)

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I was born in 1983, so I was at that point in time where the eighties was just on its way out as I was growing in to adolescence, but I very fondly remember a lot of the decade. I remember how much I loved the comedy of the decade mainly because I grew up around a dad who exclusively lived on a diet of comedy. So I watched Weird Al, and Ernest, and Elvira, and Alf, and Robin Williams. Most of all I watched Pee Wee Herman. Pee Wee Herman played a huge role in my life as a comedy fan and a fan of just entertainment in general. There was a period in the eighties and early nineties where Herman was just an massive icon. I didn’t really catch his stand up material.

But I was there for “Pee Wee’s Playhouse.”

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tOuch Kink (2023) [Fantasia Film Festival 2023]

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I’ve always maintained that, as long as its legal and consensual, we should embrace our sexuality and kinks no matter how unusual it may seem to others. Kinks and fetishes are a form of human expression as much as they are about desire, and they can be important in deciding who we are and how we can operate on the outside. Sexuality shouldn’t be vilified it should be openly explored and embraced. “tOuch Kink” is a refreshing documentary that, while about sex and erotica, is also about humanity. It’s about our inner desires and how they can be a catharsis and even therapeutic.

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