Teen Vamp (1988)

“Teen Witch” came in to existence from a studio’s desires to create a “Teen” monster franchise. “Teen Wolf” would give way to “Teen Witch,” and there was supposed to be “Teen Vampire.” Director Samuel Bradford’s super low budget “Teen Vamp” seems to aim to unofficially complete the trinity amounting to a bizarre eighties teen horror series. Although, you could ague “Love at First Bite,” “The Vampire’s Kiss,” and or “Vamp” completed the trilogy; I’d be more hard pressed to argue that “My Best Friend is a Vampire” feels so much more like a natural end to the desired gimmick. “Teen Vamp” is best left in the heap of obscure eighties video store shelf warmers.

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Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3 (2022)

In 2020’s “Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2,” heroine Addison spent a lot of her arc trying to figure out if she was perhaps the “Great Alpha” werewolf. When that was a bust, we were left on a cliffhanger as Addison was left pondering on her origins. And we were given a clue—from outer space. The idea of Addison perhaps being an alien makes a ton of sense considering the character guidelines the movies follow, and with the final movie in Disney’s “Z-O-M-B-I-E-S,” Disney works fast to seal up any and all lingering questions about Addison and Zed.

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Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2 (2020)

The follow up to the surprise 2018 hit musical is a superior movie in every way possible. Although there didn’t seem to be much that they could do with a follow up, “Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2” does a darn good job in amplifying what was so great about the first one; the writers are great at adding on to the whole mythos of the town of Seabrook offering even more characters, more potential for more monsters, and give cheerleader Addison her own arc. While in the original she sought to fit in with the zombies, now she’s looking for her own group, unsure of where she really belongs after her experiences with Zed and Zombietown.

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Z-O-M-B-I-E-S (2018)

It’s an allegory for class divide. That’s basically all “Z-O-M-B-I-E-S” is. That doesn’t mean it’s not a good movie, but once you can get past the clumsy symbolism of the way the zombies are supposed to be the more impoverished individuals, while the humans are meant to be the upper echelon, “Z-O-M-B-I-E-S” is actually kind of a fun horror comedy musical. You wouldn’t think that they could really pull off a zombie horror comedy for kids, but Disney and director Paul Hoen do a pretty darn good job of it. Even if 2013’s “Bunks” is better.

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Barbie (2023) [4K UHD/Digital]

Whodathunk that the most successful film of the year would be “Barbie”? Despite the somewhat lingering doubt about the IP’s relevance among the modern youth, Greta Gerwig managed to tap in to a rare element where she took a toy and turned it in to an actual film. Greta Gerwig doesn’t just deliver a comedy musical about a doll and her boyfriend, but a conscious, self aware and often meaningful statement about sexual dynamics, and existentialism. Barbie begins to question her purpose in even her own world, and this sets off the chain of events that follow.

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The Toxic Avenger Collection Tox Set (1984-2000): 8-Disc Collector’s Edition Box Set [4K UHD/Blu-Ray]

After some really good individual Blu-Ray releases of his four part Toxie epic, Lloyd Kaufman and Troma usher in their classic series on the 4K UHD format. This should serve as no surprise as Lloyd Kaufman and Troma were the first to jump on to the DVD format, and use it as a basis of entering the new generation of movie lovers. This new box set described as “TA on 4K” includes all four “Toxie” adventure movies but on 4K and Blu-Ray, as well as a massive library of special features and vintage extras.

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