Produced By Jinsha Moore and Jon Schnitzer
Written and Directed by Jon Schnitzer
Starring Jason Blum, John Murdy, Jen Soska,
Sylvia Soska, Russ McKamey, Donald Julson,
Shar Mayer, Jessica Cameron, Jon Braver

Most people have a memory of going through a haunted house when they were young. Some people were pumped to face the jump scares, others traumatized by the same events, and a small group of die-hard haunted house junkies dreamed of creating their own haunted houses.

Haunters: The Art of the Scare takes a look at these people. From actors who spend every Halloween season scaring people to the back-yard haunted house builders to the creators of extreme interactive terror experiences, this documentary showcases these enthusiasts and let us peek behind the curtain and past the gore to the people who find joy in that special moment when you scream.

Haunters has a very good survey of the history of haunted houses in America from cheap thrills from low budget carnivals to Junior League Halloween parades and fund raiser haunted houses. There are some big examples like California amusement park “Knott’s Berry Farm” transformation to “Knott’s Scary Farm” and “Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.” But the meat and potatoes of this show are the back-yard haunted house builders. Much of the documentary compares the lives of Donald Julson (Nightmare on Loganberry) and Russ McKamey (McKamey Manor).

Longtime scare actor Shar Mayer is also profiled as an avid participant in all levels of haunting from standard hauntings to extreme terror events. Having done some of every kind of haunt she has great stories of the good times and hazards to being a scare actor, including physical assault. She lives for these events but the hobby has taken its toll on her.

Donald Julson runs a haunted house out of his mother’s Orange County house. As a former special effects prop maker for the movies and a longtime volunteer as a performer at other haunted houses, Julson knows his haunting game and works to scare the pee out of at least one person every year.

Russ McKamey is definitely the star of Haunters and he is one twisted haunter. He ran amateur haunted spaces for years wherever he happened to be, from a ship while in the Navy to his backyard near San Diego. For years he ran a traditional haunted house but eventually his haunt morphed into an extreme terror event.

While other standard and extreme haunts are profiled it is the contrast between Julson’s and McKamey’s haunts that stands out as examples of two directions the community has taken. The standard haunting builders, like Julson, don’t like the extreme haunts and feel that they will eventually harm the community. The extreme haunters feel they are just giving their audience what they want. And with a waiting list that is several thousand people long it’s hard to dispute that some people really want the extreme terror event McKamey and others like him provide.

The footage from McKamey’s haunt was frankly disturbing and showed many unsafe practices with respect to fluids (even bodily fluids) and psychological pressure techniques that could lead to long-term PTSD. McKamey does have a process to screen applicants and is totally open about what will happen and has videos of many of the past participants in his haunt that can be viewed online. What makes his segments worthwhile is that he is a compelling character that has many more sides than just an extreme haunt enthusiast.

While I will go nowhere near most of these haunted houses, I can unreservedly recommend this documentary as a great view into this world and the people that find fun and fulfillment scaring the bejesus out of others.

And finally I will tell you the haunted house memory this brought back for me. In the early 1980s my friends liked to go to a haunted house run by a local rock radio station. One year a friend had just purchased a custom made head of the monster from the film Alien. When we brought him up to the haunted house the people running it thought it was the best thing they had ever seen and decided to prank their employees. We went through the house but the people controlling the lights were changing the cues so our Alien head could scare the workers.

And it worked.

Once their shock was over we got many compliments on the scare before moving to the next room.

But, I’m still not letting Russ McKamey anywhere near me.

Haunters: The Art of The Scare arrives on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD
on October 3, 2017

Kino Lorber Studio Classics is proud to announce the Blu-ray and DVD release of the 1982 cult comedy Young Doctors in Love, a refreshingly wacky hospital parody from Garry Marshall, director of Overboard, Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride, and starring Michael McKean (This is Spinal Tap), Sean Young (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective), Hector Elizondo (The Flamingo Kid), Harry Dean Stanton (Paris, Texas), Dabney Coleman (9 to 5), Patrick Macnee (TV’s The Avengers), Ted McGinley (TV’s Married with Children), Crystal Bernard (TV’s Wings) and Michael Richards (TV’s Seinfeld).

The Blu-ray and DVD will be released on October 31, 2017, with a SRP of $29.95 for the Blu-ray and $19.95 for the DVD. Special features include audio commentary by actor/filmmaker Pat Healy and film curator Jim Healy, with a trailer gallery and reversible Blu-ray art.

There’s almost always something funny at City Hospital, where the amorous young interns think that love – or at least lust – is the cure for everything! The new interns at City Hospital are desperately hoping to survive their first year of residency, which could prove difficult, since their minds are on the wrong body parts! Garry Marshall made his feature film directorial debut with this hilarious comedy in a similar vein to Airplane!, Stripes and The Naked Gun.

Grizzlyshark TP
(Collects Grizzlyshark #1-3)
Written and Illustrated by Ryan Ottley
Published by Image Comics
ISBN-13: 9781632158840
$12.99

Grizzlyshark is a graphic novel about a bunch of people being killed by sharks in the woods. It’s supposedly meant to be humorous.

What can I say about Grizzlyshark?

In spite of a couple of encouraging cover blurbs from the likes of Robert Kirkman, I found very little redeeming value in the entire book.

But then, I’m not in its intended demographic. It’s made for the folks who binge watch the Sharknado movies, the folks who found the mindless gore of watching beloved characters get disemboweled in Archie vs. Sharknado side-splitting rather than nauseating.

It’s not just the violence that bothers me. I go back a long way with Herschel Gordon Lewis movies and I’ve seen my share of Troma flicks over the years. My main problem with Grizzlyshark is that it claims to be funny but then it spends an awful lot of time on maimed children and babies, which simply are NOT funny.

When I read or watch these kinds of things, I feel as though spending my time doing just about anything else would be more productive. And what’s the attraction with sharks anyway? Jaws worked but that was four decades ago and everything from Jaws II to today has just seemed redundant.

Is there anything at all good about Grizzlyshark? Well the good and the bad both fall to Ryan Ottley.

Credited with writing, art, and letters, his writing is too juvenile for the level of violence involved and his lettering is haphazard and amateurish looking. Ottley’s art is the sole saving grace of the book, though. If one can distance one’s self from the tasteless subject matter that runs non-stop for nearly a hundred bloody pages, you might discover a very talented cartoonist, with a particular gift for expressive faces. Ryan Ottley is a name I want to remember in the hopes that he’ll eventually get some projects actually worthy of his efforts rather than just cashing in on current trends.

But I could do without seeing any more of Grizzlyshark.

Your favorite creepy doll is back when “Annabelle: Creation” arrives onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital. From New Line Cinema comes “Annabelle: Creation,” with David F. Sandberg (“Lights Out”) helming the follow up to 2014’s hugely successful “Annabelle,” which scared up nearly $257 million at the worldwide box office during its run in theaters. The new film is once again being produced by Peter Safran and James Wan, who previously partnered on “The Conjuring” hit movies.

In “Annabelle: Creation,” several years after the tragic death of their young daughter, a doll maker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shut-down orphanage into their home.  They soon become the target of the doll maker’s possessed creation, Annabelle.

Sandberg directs from a screenplay by Gary Dauberman, who also wrote “Annabelle.” The film stars Stephanie Sigman (“Spectre”), Talitha Bateman (“The 5th Wave”), Lulu Wilson (“Ouija 2,” “Deliver Us from Evil”), Philippa Coulthard (“After the Dark”), Grace Fulton (“Badland”), Lou Lou Safran (“The Choice”), Samara Lee (“Foxcatcher,” “The Last Witch Hunter”), and Tayler Buck in her feature film debut, with Anthony LaPaglia (TV’s “Without a Trace”) and Miranda Otto (Showtime’s “Homeland,” “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy).

Serving as executive producers on “Annabelle: Creation” are Richard Brener, Walter Hamada, Dave Neustadter and Hans Ritter.

“Annabelle: Creation” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and DVD for $28.98. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition on Blu-ray; and the DVD features the theatrical version in standard definition. The Blu-ray Combo Pack include a digital version of the movie. Fans can also own “Annabelle: Creation” via purchase from digital retailers beginning October 20.

Additionally, all of the special features, including interviews with filmmakers, new original shorts, featurettes, and deleted scenes, can be experienced in an entirely new, dynamic and immersive manner on tablets and mobile phones using the Warner Bros. Movies All Access App, available for both iOS and Android devices. When a Combo Pack is purchased and the digital movie is redeemed, or the digital movie is purchased from an UltraViolet retailer, the Warner Bros. Movies All Access App allows users to watch the movie and simultaneously experience synchronized content related to any scene, simply by rotating their device. Synchronized content is presented on the same screen while the movie is playing, thus enabling users to quickly learn more about any scene, such as actor biographies, scene locations, fun trivia, or image galleries. Also, users can share movie clips with friends on social media and experience other immersive content. The Movies All Access app is available for download on the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.

The Blu-ray discs of “Annabelle: Creation” will feature a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“Annabelle: Creation” Blu-ray Combo Pack contain the following special features:

• The Horror Continues
• Horror Shorts: Attic Panic and Coffer
• Director’s Commentary
• Directing Annabelle
• Deleted Scenes Featurette

“Annabelle: Creation” Standard Definition DVD contains the following special features:

• Deleted Scenes Featurette

Facebook.com/AnnabelleMovie

Originally published by DC’s Zuda Comics imprint in 2007 and the Winner of the Harvey Award for Best Online Series, High Moon is a unique western and horror genre mash-up about Matthew Macgregor, a former Pinkerton agent and current bounty-hunter who investigates a series of strange happenings in a small Texas town. Drought has brought famine and hardship to Blest. The summer heat pushes the temperature to unbearable heights during the day. The nights are even worse– for the streets are haunted by strange, unnatural creatures. And even as Macgregor works to uncover the truth about the creatures, he struggles to keep his own supernatural nature a secret.

Now, the acclaimed graphic novel series by writer David Gallaher and artist Steve Ellis arrives in the first of three volumes of the definitive edition of the series, with remastered artwork and new covers by artist and co-creator Steve Ellis. High Moon Vol. 1: Bullet Holes and Bite Marks arrives just in time for Halloween from Papercutz’s Super Genius imprint.

David took some time to discuss the origins of the series, it’s influences and his upcoming projects.

*  *  *  *  *

FOG!: High Moon comes back to print a decade after it was first released. For those unfamiliar, what is the series about?

David Gallaher: High Moon is the story of a bounty-hunter named Matthew Macgregor who is too damn stubborn to change with the world. On the search for an outlaw and a missing girl, he finds himself forced to make a decision to either live like a beast or die like a man. It draws on real historical events — the expedition to Jim Bowie’s silver mines, the All-Black towns of Oklahoma, the expansion of the railway, the murders of H.H. Holmes and the Wounded Knee Massacre — to illustrate the violence that moved west with young America, and the people who who tried their damnedest to stop it.

What was the genesis of the project and how did you and Steve Ellis come together to collaborate?

The genesis for the project came to me in a dream.

Thirteen years ago, I had this dream about a werewolf showdown at midnight in a dusty, dingy old boom town. I sprung up from the dream with the title High Moon. My roommate thought I was bonkers, especially after I elaborately described the plot, the characters, and the tropes to him in lavish detail.

For three years, I battered it around in my skull. I’d write some notes on in a coffee house one day. A week later, I’d scribble some dialogue there. A month later, I’d draw some character designs on a napkin. That sort of thing. It was a project that almost emerged fully-formed, but required some extra muscle to get it to where it needed to be fully-realized.

In the early part of 2007, Kwanza Johnson, who was DC Comics’ digital editor at the time, approached me about submitting a project for their [as of yet unnamed] digital comics line.

A few days later, I ran into Steve Ellis at New York Comic Con and we started talking about the different projects we were working on. I started to describe the ideas for High Moon to Steve in pretty elaborate detail and from there this awesome, collaborative partnership sort of emerged.

Strangely enough, Steve and his family ended up moving just a few blocks away from my apartment — and I think High Moon really benefited from that close working relationship. We’ve been working on projects like Green Lantern Corps, The Only Living Boy, and Box 13 ever since.

Why do you think Zuda didn’t work? Technology? Timing? Do you think publishing High Moon as web-series affected the pacing and storytelling when collected?

Zuda was a beautiful experiment that no comic publisher has really been able to quite emulate. On one hand, I think it DID work. It earned Eisner nominations, won Harvey awards, swept the Glyphs. In 2007, using the web as a space to pilot new comics before they hit print was also fairly novel idea. That insight allowed Zuda to bring new creators and a new audience to the DC website month after month after month. It’s a landscape format of storytelling preceded the iPad by a few years and if the imprint had continued, I really think it would have thrived.

While there are a lot of little moments you could probably point to that lead to Zuda’s fall as an imprint, I think the most damning were the The Great Recession of the American economy and the DC’s corporate reorganization in 2009, following the tremendous success of The Dark Knight. So, yes, I guess it was timing.

If you’re translating a comic from digital to print, there are always going to be challenges. Having worked at Marvel Interactive developing digital comics, I knew that every page of High Moon would have to be a cliffhanger — that it would have to give the readers a reason to read the next page. When adapting it to print, we went over every page and every caption, remastering the lettering and the art, to ensure that the reading experience didn’t feel too abrupt or choppy.

Papercutz is reprinting the first two volumes and you’re going to be finishing the story with a third volume. A decade later, is this the story that you originally wanted to tell or did it change over time?

I originally envisioned High Moon as this massive 600 page epic. Once the third volume is printed, we’ll be just around the 500 page mark. Bringing the series to Papercutz has given us the opportunity to look at the series’ original ending and shift some moments so that we’re making the absolute best use of every panel on every single page. The ending is the ending I’ve had since the start of the series and I’m pleased as punch we’ll get to share it with our readers sooner rather than later.

You and Steve have also collaborated on The Only Living Boy. How has your storytelling changed from a decade ago until now?

It’s funny you bring this up because I was just writing a script for High Moon this morning and I was just thinking about this very question. Steve and I have worked on a variety of projects together. We tend to work best when we’re collaborating at every stage of the process from plot to pencils to dialogue to colors. The biggest difference between something like The Only Living Boy and High Moon is the denseness of the scripts. High Moon, for instance, is written in the ‘full script’ format and rolls deep with historical references. A four page script for the series might actually be twenty pages long, filled with pictures, references, and hyperlinks. The level of authenticity is important to me for a project like that.

Scripts for The Only Living Boy are much breezier, heavy on the action and the movement of the characters. We’ve certainly learned how to navigate a range of different formats and I think that’s really been a great benefit to our partnership and to our storytelling.

Were there any specific influences on High Moon?

Visually, Steve will tell you that he drew a lot from films like High Plains Drifter, which uses a very intense color palette. That film is hot, sweaty, and dirty. He also referenced films like The Good, Bad and the Ugly and the original Django films which both have this gritty intensity. Steve wanted a dirty texture for High Moon and I think it really shows in the artwork.

To tell you you truth, I never really cottoned much to Westerns. That is not to say that there aren’t some fantastic stories of the Old West, but for the most part, I found many of the tales of the Old West a little too simple for my tastes. The man who changed that perception for me was a writer by the name of John Meston. John doesn’t get a lot of credit these days, but he was the principal writer behind the radio series Gunsmoke. Meston thought that few Westerns gave any inkling of how brutal the Old West was, and he was dedicated to destroying the cherished archetypal Western hero. Working with producer Norman Macdonnell, Meston made a list of every single western trope they could think of — and during the run of the series decided to break each and every single one. That’s the sort of thing that really influences the stories we’re telling with High Moon.

What else do you have coming up?

Steve and I are always incubating new ideas and new stories. We liken ourselves to mad scientists with dozens of projects sitting on shelves, not all of which we can talk about. I mean, we’re thrilled that new High Moon stories are debuting next year and this October we’ll have the fifth (and final?) volume of The Only Living Boy hitting the stands, and there is this awesome nautical adventure we’re interested in telling.

I can say that Steve just finished N-KRYPT — a free-to-read digital comic series for Engineering@Syracuse, the online master’s degree in cybersecurity from Syracuse University — which explores the challenges of cyber-security. It’s perfect for fans of Mr. Robot.

Fans of our work can also keep up with our new projects (like High Moon, The Only Living Boy, and the aforementioned mysterious nautical project) by heading to our website: bottled-lightning.com

What are you currently geeking out over?

Steve is re-watching Game of Thrones and digging how the narrative can shift from intrigue to horror to suspense so fluidly. We talk about it a lot. He’s also totally geeking our on Walt Simonson’s Ragnarok and finishing up on Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo’s work on Doctor Strange.

I’m reading a couple of great books right now. Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because he was one of the co-writers on Marvel’s Doctor Strange film. It’s a robot western about survival, nihilism, and humanity. It has characters that are amazingly complex and vivid. I’m also reading Dietland by Sarai Walker, which explores the beauty industry, society’s obsession with weight loss, and eating disorders. It’s sort of like the feminist Fight Club — and incredibly subversive.

High Moon Vol. 1:Bullet Holes and Bite Marks is available in both
hardcover and paperback in bookstores and comic specialty shops
on October 17th from Super Genius Comics.

Skelton Crew Studio, a comic book replica studio based in the wilds of Maine, has collaborated with “CHEW” creators John Layman and Rob Guillory to create a brand new mini-bust of fan favorite Poyo.

This officially licensed bust stands 4.75-inches tall and has been long awaited by fans since the original Poyo mini-bust sold out in 2014. Secret Agent Poyo is a brand new sculpt by Jamie Macfarlane featuring the rooster’s cybernetic components, as well as the metal crate used to drop Poyo into hot zones.

Skelton Crew Studio has worked with the “CHEW” creators since 2012 when it released the original pink 6-inch vinyl Chog. Every piece of “CHEW” merchandise released by the studio has sold out hit, so fans are encouraged to order early.

“This bionic badass bird is beautiful,” said studio head Israel Skelton. “The original Poyo is without a doubt one of the most popular pieces we’ve ever produced judging by the number of can’t-you-please-release-him-again emails we get every month, so we’re stoked to be able to offer him to fans again in this gorgeous variant.”

As a sweet fan bonus, every mini-bust will come with a Poyo fight ticket signed by Layman and Guillory.

Secret Agent Poyo is only available for one month, until Oct. 16, before he’s sold out and flown the coop for keeps.

“Skelton Crew has always brought an incomparable attention to detail to every piece of ‘CHEW’ merch they’ve produced, and we couldn’t be happier with the addition of Secret Agent Poyo to their catalogue,” said Guillory. “As always, they nailed it.”

Added Layman: “Teaming up with Skelton Crew is one of the best things that ever happened to ‘CHEW.’ They are great people, and their commitment to quality is unparalleled. I love all the stuff they’ve done for ‘CHEW,’ but I love this new Poyo statue. It’s one of the best things yet!”

Fans can find the Secret Agent Poyo mini-bust and
other limited edition replicas at www.skeltoncrewstudio.com

Photo courtesy Alamo Drafthouse

I’ve been peripherally involved in the Austin film community for over 20 years ( peripherally because I attend many festivals, but I haven’t made a film since graduating from college.) The scandal that has engulfed the Austin Film community is different from anything I have seen.

Let’s start at the beginning.

I love the Alamo Drafthouse.

I’ve been a customer since day one, when their pizzas were frozen and their hamburgers were nearly inedible. The first year they were open was my first year of working SXSW. I wandered into the original Alamo on Colorado for the first time and fell in love with the concept. It was a dirty, rickety theatre up a long flight of stairs. As close to a real Grindhouse as you can get.

I’ve admired Tim and Karrie League since I learned their names and saw what they were doing: building a theatre ground-up that has since turned into a juggernaut of film exhibition. The Grindhouse/William Castle/repertory concept still hasn’t been done better.

Fantastic Fest has been my favorite festival since its first year.

It was the first genre festival that I had ever been to and I honestly felt like I had found my people. Even if I never got super close to the folks at the festival, I always felt at home. (And I’m an awkward dude. I ALWAYS feel a little out of sorts in public.) I found people who loved horror, sci-fi, fantasy and exploitation films as much as I do.

That’s a beautiful thing. Add to that the focus on foreign genre films (each year recently has focused on a different country) and you’ve got the perfect festival for me and people like me.

Harry Knowles is…different.

The first time I saw him, he gave away the ending of a short film during an introduction he was giving at Austin Film Festival. (I’ve never fully forgiven him for that.) I didn’t know who he was until much later once Ain’t It Cool News made it big. And it was still years before I started going to Butt-Numb-a-Thon, mainly by the grace of a few friends who were close to Harry.

Despite not being close to Harry, BNAT became a HUGE part of my year. What geek wouldn’t want to spend 24 hours watching kick-ass movies with 200 people who treated you like family? The years when I wasn’t chosen were hard to take.

Last year was particularly good. I finally felt like I was fully part of the BNAT family. A bunch of us banded together to make sure that a couple who couldn’t make it for financial reasons had the resources to get their butts to Austin and in seats. THAT is the kind of thing that makes Drafthouse and Austin film culture so amazing and unique. Not only that, but I met a very special lady that day who, for some reason, decided to become my girlfriend. (I’m still trying to figure out what’s in it for her.)

And none of this is even mentioning the movies.

Since I started going to BNAT, I’ve gotten to know Harry a tiny bit. Not super well, but well enough that I knew him as a friendly geek who could definitely sometimes rub people the wrong way. I have never been a constant reader of AICN. I go there occasionally, but not often enough to know any one writer’s particular voice. Not even Harry’s.

I tell you all of this so that you know where I’m coming from. These are my people. I feel more at home at the Alamo than I do with my own blood family.

It hurts that this may be because I’m a man.

When Tim League defensively admitted to hiring back Devin Faraci and justified it by saying that Devin was “doing the work” of fixing himself with therapy and addiction treatment, I honestly didn’t think too much of it at first. “Oh, Tim is helping his friend out. Huh.”

Then I did something that a lot of people apparently have a hard time doing: I listened.

I read the stories of former employees of the Alamo and other patrons (mostly female) who had been assaulted by Devin or even other staff members. I spoke with women who shared stories of feeling isolated in the Austin film community and the film community at large.

So, when Tim continued to defend the re-hiring of Faraci after being confronted with how people felt, it was disheartening. Shouldn’t the man who recently helped host multiple all-women screenings of Wonder Woman (defying tens of MRAs to do so) be a little more open to criticism of this decision that made women feel less welcome in his establishment? What was going on? It was so weird and terrible.

Slowly (too slowly), Tim started to come around. Devin resigned, and Tim apologized for the re-hiring and the poor handling of its aftermath. After one seemingly forced apology, Tim finally started to sound sincere.

At this point, stories about Harry started to be made public. People asked why we were all so concerned about Devin, but didn’t seem to care that Harry was still around.

I hoped that the allegations about Harry weren’t true.

But more and more women came forward. Some publicly, some in private. It felt like everyone had a story about how Harry had done or said something that made women feel unsafe. Harry was so flippant about it all. People railed at him, but he just ignored them and tweeted as if nothing were happening. He claimed innocence with the first accusation, but we had all already heard far more than just that one. He couldn’t seriously say that all of these women were lying. Could he? But nothing substantive from Harry came. Just more quick takes on movies. More giggles.
Most tellingly, he began losing his longest running contributors and just said, “Best of luck!” on their Facebook post explaining why they’re leaving.

Harry Knowles / Photo by Charlie Llewellin

Here’s the deal: I’ve always known that Harry leered at women. One of the jokes around BNAT was “just show some cleavage and you’re in.”  But most of the women I knew at BNAT were close friends of Harry’s. Anytime he touched them or grabbed at them, it seemed like they didn’t mind. Was that only because I wasn’t paying attention? Was it because they didn’t want to let on that they were shuddering? Did I just not want to see something worse? Or was I just “lucky” in only seeing that happen with his really close friends? I really can’t say.

Earlier this week, after liking a tweet that called Austin film geeks an angry mob, Harry announced that he was handing the reigns of AICN over to his sister, Dannie. This was the first good decision he’d made since women started going public. He also said that he would be going into detox and therapy while trying to figure things out. He still did all of this in his flippant style, though. And he seems to be blaming alcoholism (or some sort of addiction) on his terrible behavior. Many people are skeptical about his commitment to change and understanding of what he has done, with good reason.

BNAT was magical.

I loved seeing amazing new films and being surprised and shocked by the older ones that Harry sprung on us. (I especially loved being shocked. Sometimes, I can be a cinema masochist.)

It lasted for eighteen wonderful years.

Harry isn’t magical.

He’s human and he’s done horrible things. I hope that he’s going to get the help that he needs to not hurt other people. I hope that he’s being sincere and just attempting a to put on a brave face. It feels like he doesn’t know how to process everything that he’s lost. Even if he never becomes a public figure again, I’m pulling for him to be healthy and happier, and to no longer be predatory toward women.

AICN is in good hands with Dannie. Harry needs to step FAR away and do some serious self-reflection and hold himself accountable. (And maybe Dannie needs to take down some of Harry’s creepier reviews. As I said, I wasn’t a constant reader, so I missed a LOT of that.)

The Alamo is magical.

It will go on and hopefully become better and more inclusive.

Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League / Photo by Annie Ray

Tim isn’t magical.

He’s human and sometimes makes mistakes that show he still has a lot of work to do in becoming a better ally. He also needs to work on his business practices even beyond the “boys’ club” that he’s unfortunately fostered over the last twenty years. (Not only have stories of sexual harassment and assault come out, but stories about how awful it sometimes is to work at the Alamo and how bursts of violence are sometimes completely ignored have become public.) I honestly hope that during the meetings that he’s having with his staff all over the country, he’s truly listening to everyone to see what he can do to fix things.

And that’s the real moral, here: LISTEN!

Men, listen to women. Believe women. Don’t tell them to “just stay away from” people who harass or assault them. Don’t tell them to ignore it. Even if the perpetrator is someone you like or admire. Don’t use “innocent until proven guilty” as an excuse to ignore possible assault. Don’t treat the accused with more respect than the accusers.

Feminists Joss Whedon and Devin Faraci

Do something. Say something. EARN TRUST!

And don’t, don’t, don’t be a fake feminist.

Don’t abuse the trust you earn from being an effective ally to prey on women.

Don’t make your feminism contingent on women appreciating your efforts.

Accept that you will be an imperfect ally and make mistakes.

Accept feedback about those mistakes, and learn from it.

To anyone outside of Austin (which is probably most of you): don’t think badly of all of us because of this. We’re trying really hard. I know this is awful and it involves two of the biggest names (along with many other people who will probably be nameless for a while), but the rest of us are trying to work toward creating and safer and more inclusive culture.

Even though I didn’t make it to Fantastic Fest this year, I heard that it was already benefiting from the insight that these events have caused. (Barring a surprise porn screening that was…ill-advised.)

Kristen Bell (not the actress), who has always been amazing, is getting a larger role in the festival and will go a long way to making the Alamo a safer place for everyone.

And the rest of us will help weed out the assholes.

I’m cautiously optimistic.

After a fatal accident, Yu-gon, a former police inspector, is sentenced to hard time in a prison he once helped fill. Once inside, he discovers the entire penitentiary is no longer controlled by the guards, but by a vicious crime syndicate that breaks out at night, using their prison sentences as the perfect alibi to commit intricate heists. Looking for revenge against the system that placed him inside, Yu-gon joins the syndicate… but with every man out for himself, how long can the perfect crime last?

And we’re giving away three copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “The Prison” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following question:

What is your favorite Prison movie?

Please include your name, and address (U.S. only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on October 15, 2017.

This column is no longer Pilot Error.

Why? Because I just signed a book deal with Schiffer publishing to write them a book on unaired TV pilots so continuing that here would be a tad redundant.

This is now Death Slot where I will look at obscure television from all genres. Depending on how much there is on a given series it may be 2-3 per entry, or simply 1 if the backstory is great enough. That said while I have a huge list of shows I want to eventually talk about in this space I also wanted to open it up to you guys and gals.

Any short lived oddball TV shows you want me to examine?

With Halloween coming upon us faster than we might like I thought we could start this with the 2 “name” TV series of the late horror cycle that each had their own ups and downs. Freddy’s Nightmares and next time, Friday the 13th: The Series. Now. these may not be obscure in the same way that if I had chosen to look at something such as Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense, or perhaps the James Coburn Darkroom series, but these shows have been all but left to die by today’s audiences.

A Nightmare on Elm Street was the surprise hit of 1984 and almost single handily put New Line Cinema on the map as being a contender for one  of the “Mini-Majors”. This was so true that by the late 1980’s New Line was pejoratively nicknamed “The House That Freddy Built” as the Nightmare on Elm Street (NOES) movies were the only consistent hits the studio could churn out.

With sequels rolling out annually and with an arguable peak to “Freddy Mania” in 1987 into 1988 it was only a matter of time before Freddy came to television (although not to “Prime Time Bitch”).

Around this time child murderer Fred Krueger became almost as large of a horror poster child as his Paramount rival Jason Vorhees. Freddy was appearing on merchandise of all kinds from toys to shirts to Nintendo games and even an obscure computer game. In this era Freddy was unstoppable so a television series was quickly thrown together.

Produced by New Line Television in conjunction with Stone Television and distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures (later Warner Bros. after they would acquire Lorimar-Telepictures). Originally titled “Freddy’s Nightmares A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series” the show was meant to be a LATE NIGHT syndicated program. Being an after midnight series allowed for a great deal of graphic violence, graphic sex and borderline nudity that could never have slipped through on network television. This would later cause the series loads of problems as various stations would run the show in prime time to snag better ratings and the outcry nearly doomed the show.

Thankfully it had been secured for a 44 episode (2 season) run right off the bat so it was never really in danger of being cancelled perse. If a station bought the show they bought all 44 episodes. In season 2 the title dropped the A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series and merely went as Freddy’s Nightmares.

What was the show about though as it would have gotten VERY stale very quickly if it was simply Freddy chasing teens every week. Freddy’s Nightmares was an anthology series with continuity. Each episode was more or less self contained (although some later episodes were direct sequels to earlier episodes) and was made up 2 half hour stories which were linked. Typically the second half would focus on a character who was supporting the first half. Only rarely did the episodes feature a single hour long story with a single protagonist. This allowed for foreign markets to cut the episodes into 2 half hour shows which was a popular tactic at the time.

The episodes would also be linked in that they all took place in or around Spingwood, Ohio (the location of the movies). Sometimes these episodes were directly related to Freddy Krueger but the majority of the shows were simply horror stories that happened to have small touches of Freddy.

In the show, Freddy was more or less a Cryptkeeper/Alfred Hitchcock/Rod Serling type host, only commentating and popping in before and after a commercial. A few episodes did have Freddy in direct conflict with the unlucky characters but he was mostly relegated to hosting duties. Another thing about the series stories was the ever present nihilism of them. In the 44 episodes only about 8 times did the characters win or come out okay in the end. The show was all about battling uphill against all odds and still losing at the end.

Robert Englund only agreed to be on the series under two conditions. One was that they pushed the envelope as far as television would allow, and two that he could direct a few episodes (he directed two episodes, one each season).

With the series being shot on the cheap (this is an understatement as the show was so low budget it was shot on commercial grade video tape which makes it look exactly like a soap opera of it’s time) it did not really attract high profile guest stars or directors but this then allowed up and comers to get experience alongside slumming old timers. Among the notable faces in front of the camera were Morris Chestnut, Mariska Hargitay, Eva LaRue, Bill Moseley, Yvette Nipar, Lori Petty, Brad Pitt(!), Tim Russ, Jeffrey Combs, Diane Franklin and George Lazenby.

Behind the camera it was even more open. New Line Cinema head Robert Shaye even said that he literally didn’t care about the series as it was nothing more than a marketing gimmick to him and that as far as he was concerned anyone could write or direct an episode if they could do it on time and under budget.

With that said a nice line up of directors either wanted to get their chance to do something or just have some fun.

Tobe Hooper, Tom McLoughlin, Mick Garris, Tom DeSimone, Dwight Little and William Malone all directed episodes. In fact the pilot episode, “No More Mr. Nice Guy” was from Tobe Hooper and was in fact a prequel to the first movie, showing us the events that lead to the burning of Fred Krueger (although very much contradicting the movie version of events).

The show was hardly a hit but it did act to keep the Freddy Krueger “brand” in pop culture until the 5th movie came out. Personally, I find if you can get past the bargain basement production (which the KNB FX team once called the most appallingly terrible show on TV) that there are some good episodes. Granted, there are more duds than there are hits with this particular series but it’s worth checking out.

Checking it out is somewhat of a problem though. After it’s syndication run the show was very hard to find. 5 VHS tapes were released in the US (8 in the UK) and that was it. No Sci-Fi Channel reruns, but in the early 2000’s the Chiller channel began airing butchered episodes (missing 2 minutes of footage per episode). Currently the series airs on the El Rey network and a few episodes were included on the DVD set of the movies. That is it though. New Line has publicly stated there are no plans for a DVD release.

All in all if you are a horror fan I would say check out Freddy’s Nightmares if not for the show itself, but to see just how fucked up late night TV used to be in the 1980’s.

Wands are the single most important magical tool in the wizarding world, allowing a witch or wizard to channel their magic. Each wand is as unique as the witch or wizard who wields it; whether talon-shaped like Lord Voldemort’s or elegantly carved like Hermione Granger’s, each wand was designed and crafted by the filmmakers to be a reflection of its owner’s identity.

This November, Insight Editions in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products is publishing Harry Potter: The Wand Collection, the only comprehensive look into the magical wands from the Harry Potter films and the characters who wield them. Written by Monique Peterson, the book includes fascinating behind-the-scenes insights from the real-life wandmakers—the concept artists and prop makers who created the wands—along with detailed profiles of each wand featuring stunning new photography, statistics, and other filmmaking secrets from the Warner Bros. archive.

This collectible volume allows fans to delve into the creation and history behind these beloved props and further immerse themselves in the magic of Harry Potter.

For more information, visit www.insighteditions.com

If you’ve never seen the 1981 Sean Connery Space Western Outland, you should.

Peter Hyams, coming off the success of the mother of all conspiracy movies, Capricorn One, directed this taught sci-fi thriller set in the not too distant future on Jupiter’s third moon IO (eye-oh.) Outland follows a company mining colonies newly sworn in Marshall O’Niel played by Connery, who quickly realizes the rash of sudden onset insanity induced suicides are the result of the hyper amphetamine given to the miners so they can work for days on end. O’Niel immediately bumps heads with the company General Manger Sheppard, deftly played by Peter Boyle in an amazing low-key performance. O’Niel finds himself outgunned and alone going up against the establishment as he tries to bring justice to a place that knows none.

As far as movie plots go it’s fairly straight forward, and it’s third act mirrors (very deliberately) Gary Cooper’s iconic High Noon. Most film buffs and sci-fi fans will enjoy this even after multiple viewings. But, despite all the cool surface things that make Outland a fine addition to any film library, there’s an element to the film that’s often overlooked: O’Niel’s relationship with his only friend in the Godforsaken mining colony played by Frances Sternhagen.

Sternhagen plays Doctor Lazarus, the exhausted, snarky, and all around wise ass company doctor on the base. Sternhagen is perhaps best known as Cliff Clavin’s ever patient mother on the television show Cheers. She was also widely known for her brilliant stage career and is the winner of two Tony awards. In an interesting piece of movie trivia John Ratzenberger, who would later go on to create the roll of Cliff on Cheers has a small part in Outland with his future TV mom. Lazarus is definitely the smartest person in this no horse space town and far and away the best person to have a drink with. Lazarus discovers O’Niel is very much her equal when she tries to bulldoze over him only discover he’s not like everyone else on this rock, dumb.

At O’Niel’s behest she helps him figure out a drug is making the miners go crazy and bridges the gap for the overall exposition of the story. However it’s the “relationship” with the Marshall that’s a real story unto itself, especially as there is none. That is to say there is no romance, no innuendo, and no sexual tension. One could easily argue any such relationship would be wholly inappropriate in this situation. After all, O’Niel’s wife leaves him early on in the movie when she wisely sees how bad life was going to be on IO. She leaves him a heartfelt “Dear John” letter in the form of a video message informing him although she still loved him, she and their young son are headed back to Earth with or without him. If that sounds harsh, it not.

O’Niel’s wife, played by Kika Markham, is actually a good person who is clearly doing what’s right. She realizes immediately life on IO would be miserable and all the events that follow more than prove her right. Although saddened O’Niel isn’t really surprised by her departure. Would Connery find solace in the arms of another woman after he was dumped, especially in a place where woman are scarce to say the least? Sternhagen seems to be one of the only rare non-prostitute woman on the remote mining base of 2100 people.

Another argument could be: why insert a love interest in the middle of a thriller space mystery playing out nearly in real time? Of course none of this stopped Hollywood before and this is Sean Connery. A harsher argument could be the casting of Sternhagen herself, a woman, dare we say it the same age as Connery, takes her completely out of romantic consideration. Her character hits this last point home with her self-deprecating sense of humor by often describing herself as “a wreck.” Sternhagen was 51 at the time.

Sternhagen’s Lazurus isn’t someone you settle for, she’s someone you pursue.

She steals every scene she’s in and provides much needed levity to an otherwise heavy film. Sternhagen allows Connery’s O’Niel a less guarded persona which enriches and adds depth to his character. She even proves herself brave as literally the only person on the base willing to assist O’Niel in defending himself from the professional assassins dispatched by Sheppard to murder him. Her performance and character are truly a marvel which is probably why she won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress beating out both Maggie Smith for Clash of the Titans and Helen Mirren for Excalibur the same year.

It’s no secret sci-fi as a genre is usually the first to break down social barriers and taboos. A mere sixteen years before Outland was released Star Trek’s Captain Kirk kissed Uhura on what was, at the time, the first interracial kiss on TV.

Two years later Duane Jones proved a black man could lead an action horror film in the George Romero classic Night of the Living Dead.

And of course in 1979’s Alien, Sigourney Weaver proved a woman could save the day in a place where no one can hear you scream.

I’m not certain Peter Hyams was addressing the male/female plutonic relationship head on purposely or simply lucked out casting an actress that made the material better than expected. Truth is, if the movie was made today they would have either cast Scarlett Johansson opposite Russell Crowe’s O’Niel, or simply cast a man, most likely Josh Gad.

Regardless of his intention in casting Sternhagen, Hyams ended up showing the world the future isn’t too far from the present. After all drugs would still be a problem, corporate greed will still be a problem, unrealistic management goals will still be a problem, but in the future it’s still possible to go out for a laugh with a female equal without anything getting weird.

Then again if everyone were as cool as Frances Sternhagen nothing ever would be.

Outland was a modest hit upon release but later gained a cult following on home video and cable. It remains an important film in sci-fi as it is set in a possible reality not a fantasy one. The hired guns use shotguns, not ray guns. It’s chock full of great performances including the exceptional Clarke Peters (later of HBO’s The Wire) and Hyams regular James B. Sikking who play members of O’Niel’s Marshall team with questionable loyalties. Look out for Stephen Berkoff playing a crazed miner holding a prostitute at knifepoint while high on the drug. Outland also boasts a knockout score by Jerry Goldsmith. I highly recommend you check it out.

After the death of his clan master, Wu-Lin leaves the village for the City of Stone-cold to protect the daughter of the richest family in the city, Fei-Fei. When the city’s most dangerous gang attempts to kidnap Fei-Fei, Wu-Lin is forced to fight them alone and discovers an even more sinister power is taking over the city.

And we’re giving away three copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “Iron Protector” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following question:

Iron Protector star Collin Chou also co-starred in the two sequels to this hit Keanu Reeves trilogy?

Please include your name, and address (U.S. only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on October 15, 2017.

September 25

Game of Thrones: The Complete Seventh Season

The record-breaking phenomenon is back with a season that proved to be well worth the wait! Action-packed from start to finish with the series’ most epic battles yet. Available September 25th, the Digital Download release for Game of Thrones: The Complete Seventh Season includes an exclusive new “Creating the North and Beyond” featurette that takes fans behind the scenes of Jon Snow’s epic trek north of The Wall and his latest battle with the Night King’s army.

In Season 7, Daenerys Targaryen has finally set sail for Westeros with her armies, dragons and new Hand of the Queen, Tyrion Lannister. Jon Snow has been named King in the North after defeating Ramsay Bolton in the Battle of the Bastards and returning Winterfell to House Stark. In King’s Landing, Cersei Lannister has seized the Iron Throne by incinerating the High Sparrow, his followers and her rivals in the Sept of Baelor. But as old alliances fracture and new ones emerge, an army of dead men marches on the Wall, threatening to end the game of thrones forever.

September 29

Zombies

With the world in shambles, plagued by a zombie outbreak, Luke works to clear the streets of the undead, helping anyone left unscathed. After a rescue mission goes off the road, Luke is saved by his old flame, Bena (Raina Hein). Back at camp, they join up with Detective Sommers (Tony Todd) before they are over run by a horde of the undead.

October 3

Lady Macbeth

Lust, power, and murder meet in this sexy, critically acclaimed thriller. Rural England, 1865. Katherine (Florence Pugh) is stifled by her loveless marriage to a bitter man twice her age, whose family is cold and unforgiving. When she embarks on a passionate affair with a young worker on her husband’s estate, a force is unleashed inside her, so powerful that she will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Girls Trip

When four lifelong friends, known as the Flossy Posse, get together nothing can stop them but themselves. As the four independent friends reunite from across the country and travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there’s enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.

Cult of Chucky

Written and directed by Don Mancini, Cult of Chucky brings back original Child’s Play cast member Alex Vincent (Child’s Play, Wait Until Spring, Bandini) as Andy Barclay along with Oscar-nominee Jennifer Tilly (Curse of Chucky, Monsters, Inc.) as Chucky’s bloodthirsty bride, Tiffany and Fiona Dourif (Messenger, “True Blood”) as Nica with Brad Dourif (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Halloween) returning as the voice of Chucky, the homicidal plaything inhabited by the spirit of notorious serial killer Charles Lee Ray.

Confined to an asylum for the criminally insane for the past four years, Nica (Dourif) is wrongly convinced that she, not Chucky, murdered her entire family. But when her psychiatrist introduces a new group-therapy tool — a “Good Guy” doll — a string of grisly deaths plague the asylum and Nica starts to wonder if maybe she isn’t crazy after all.

October 10

Demonic

The film centers on the aftermath of a horrific massacre where five college students were brutally murdered inside an abandoned home. Detective Mark Lewis (Frank Grillo) and psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Klein (Maria Bello) question one of the few survivors who explains they were amateur ghost-hunters, seeking out paranormal phenomenon at the abandoned house, which was believed to be haunted. But what started out as a harmless activity turned into something truly terrifying.

War for The Planet of The Apes

In War for The Planet of The Apes, Andy Serkis returns as Caesar as he and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel (Woody Harrelson). After suffering unimaginable losses, Caesar resolves to avenge his kind, pitting him against the Colonel for a final showdown that will determine the future of the planet.

Written and directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, Pete’s Dragon), and boasting a top-notch cast including Academy Award winner Casey Affleck (Best Actor, Manchester by the Sea, 2016) and two-time Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara (Best Supporting Actress, Carol, 2015 and Best Actress, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 2011), A Ghost Story arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD) and DVD October 3 from Lionsgate. A24 debuted A Ghost Story to critical acclaim at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, with reviewers calling it “a poetic meditation on time, memory and spiritual connection” (David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter).

Academy Award winner Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara star as a young couple who — after being separated by loss — discover an eternal connection and a love that is infinite.

And we’re giving away five copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “Ghost Story” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following question:

Writer / Director David Lowery previously collaborated with Affleck and Mara, in this 2013 film                         

Please include your name, and address (U.S. only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on October 15, 2017.

After winning a high-profile martial arts championship, Bruce Lee (Danny Chan, IP MAN 3, KUNG FU HUSTLE) catches the eye of a Hollywood producer, George (Hazen MacIntyre), who sees great potential in the skilled young master and wants to make him a movie star. Eager to break onto the American film scene, exhibit his new kung fu style, Jeet Kune Do, and change the negative portrayal of the Chinese in mainstream media, Bruce throws himself wholeheartedly into a potentially lucrative art. But discrimination in the industry runs deep, and Bruce must fight for his dreams of becoming the first Chinese martial arts film star to achieve worldwide fame.

Danny Chan returns in the final 10 episodes chronicling the life of the incomparable Bruce Lee, whose legacy will continue to impact and inspire generations to come.

And we’re giving away three copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “BRUCE LEE 3” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following question:

Danny Chan starred in two films by director Stephen Chow.  Name one of them?

Please include your name, and address (U.S. only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on October 15, 2017.

SYFY announced that it has acquired the hit animated series “Futurama” from Twentieth Television in a multi-year, non-exclusive deal that includes all 140 HD episodes of the series. “Futurama” will make its SYFY debut in a special weekend stunt beginning Saturday, November 11, with the series airing regularly in primetime on Mondays and Tuesdays from 8PM-2AM ET/PT and on Saturday mornings from 8-11AM ET/PT.

The “Futurama” acquisition comes as SYFY continues to aggressively expand its genre programming following its summer 2017 brand reboot. “Futurama” – the first fully animated series in SYFY’s rebooted lineup – will join a growing roster of ambitious scripted and unscripted originals and high profile acquired series and movies that reflect the rich depth of the genre.

“We’re continuing to invest heavily to give our passionate fans the very best in genre programming, and I can think of no better addition to SYFY’s lineup than one of my personal favorites, ‘Futurama’,” said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks (USA and SYFY) for NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment.

First airing on FOX from 1999-2003, “Futurama” was brought back in 2007 with four direct-to-DVD movies that subsequently aired as 30-minute episodes on Comedy Central. Based on their success, Comedy Central ordered new seasons of the series which debuted in June 2010. Over the course of its storied run, “Futurama” has earned six Emmy Awards®–including two for Outstanding Animated Program, seven Annie Awards, two Environmental Media Awards and two Writers Guild of America Awards.

“Futurama,” created by Matt Groening, developed by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, is produced by The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Television.

In addition to current acclaimed series like THE EXPANSE, THE MAGICIANS and CHANNEL ZERO, upcoming SYFY originals include the December 6 premiere of HAPPY!, an out-there graphic novel adaptation starring Christopher Meloni and featuring the voice of Patton Oswalt as the animated title character – and the highly anticipated Superman prequel KRYPTON (2018). SYFY is also currently developing several notable properties, including pilot orders for an adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s space opera novella NIGHTFLYERS and a reboot of the 1990 cult classic TREMORS.

Produced by Sidonie Abbene, Brion Hambel,
Paul Jensen, Brett Thornquest
Written by Chris Peckover, Zack Kahn
Directed by Chris Peckover
Starring Levi Miller, Olivia DeJonge,
Ed Oxenbould, Patrick Warburton,
Virginia Madsen, Dacre Montgomery,
Aleks Mikic

It’s the Christmas season in an upscale suburban neighborhood and twelve-year-old Luke is awaiting the arrival his babysitter, Ashley.

This night will be Ashley’s last night babysitting Luke and Luke hopes to express his romantic interest in Ashley.

Everything is going seemingly well until a string of strange occurrences such as doors left open, the delivery of a pizza no one ordered, and a brick through the window.

It soon becomes obvious that someone else is in the house and means Luke and Ashley harm, but no one knows who it is and why they are there.

Better Watch Out is a tense but funny film with a solid story. Writer director Chris Peckover has constructed a tense situation with a couple of clever reveals and set pieces that push the envelope. The story is backed by a solid cast of actors, with the three young leads being the most impressive. Levi Miller as Luke, Ed Oxenbould as Garrett, and Olivia DeJonge as Ashely are the solid core of the film. Plus, fans will recognize Oxenbould and DeJonge as the stars of 2015’s The Visit.

Better Watch Out is a fun and frightening good time and soon to become a holiday classic amongst genre fans. If your looking for something with plenty of tension, some unexpected story shifts, and a sly sense of dark dark humor you should add Better Watch Out to your must watch list.

Better Watch Out opens in theaters and On Demand October 6th

It’s not what stands in front of you… it’s who stands beside you. Only the Brave, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, is the heroic story of one unit of local firefighters that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the drive to protect families, communities, and our country become one of the most elite firefighting teams in the nation.  As most of us run from danger, they run toward it – they watch over our lives, our homes, everything we hold dear, as they forge a unique brotherhood that comes into focus with one fateful fire.

Only The Brave stars Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges, James Badge Dale with Taylor Kitsch and Jennifer Connelly.

For the chance to receive two tickets to an advanced screening on Monday, October 16th at 7:00 PM at AMC Boston Common, click HERE!

Television’s first “animated reality show” throws together eight cartoon archetypes, including a party-hearty superhero, a naive princess prone to singing, and a sexually ambiguous anime hero, in a house where cameras are on them all the time. As with most other reality shows, conflict ensues.

Available for the first time in one set, all three uncensored seasons of the irreverent parody series plus the 2010 feature film The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! will be available in Drawn Together: The Complete Collection on October 10, 2017.  The 7-DVD set also includes loads of bonus features such as deleted scenes, audio commentary, karaoke sing-a-longs, interviews, and more.

Ready for shock therapy? This week DC is adamant that it wants to turn our world upside down. There is no shortage of surprises and I think Savage Things and Superman are the most shocking of all.

It is difficult to stay spoiler free with so many twists but one thing is for sure, you’re really going to have a turbulent read!

Welcome to the highlights… and lowlights of the DC Universe this week!

DASTARDLY & MUTTLEY #2 of 6
Part II: And You Ain’t No Friend of Mine
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Mauricet

Unstabilium is being spread across America by a mysterious pilot. The strange substance causes ​outlandish animated effects on anyone it comes into contact with​.​

On the ground, Captain Mutt Muller has suddenly found himself with the face of an animated dog. Agent Perkins, intent on killing the pilot, is armed with a shotgun able to harm Mutt and deform normal humans​.​
With Dick Dastardly’s help, the bizarre duo go on the run hoping to find answers to the strange goings on.

When the President does something shocking on international television, Dick and Mutt realise they may have stumbled into a devious plot.

I enjoyed this issue, but the only way to go with these two was up. It was not like Dick and Muttley had much backstory besides chasing a messenger pigeon or pink racecars.

Garth Ennis has taken what little there is and created a zany conspiracy story that is actually quite clever and engaging.

As everything in the book is completely new​,​ there is nothing besides the names for fans to latch onto. Unlike the other adaptations of the Hanna Barbera properties, a fresh direction is exactly what is needed.

I think having the art reflective of their animated counterparts and some heavier inking would help the book be more atmospheric. but it is a winner for me.

CYBORG #17
Singularity Aftermath IV: Cybergeddon
Writer: John Semper Jr.
Artist: Will Conrad

When both Cyborg’s realise they share a love for Variant​,​ they decide to work together to defeat the two versions of Anomaly.

One Anomaly rules the streets with a cybernetic army, while the ​other holds Variant hostage. The two villains offer an ultimatum to the doppelgangers;​ a battle to the end, or Variant dies. The red Cyborg and Beast Boy fight on the streets, while silver Cyborg manages to awaken Variant and defeat her captor.

The other Anomaly is met by the blues singer and teleports away, while the other is destroyed forever. The digiverse has been saved, but as the battle returns to our Earth, could ​it have all been for nothing?

What the heck is up with all the Silver Age style names? If this was my first Cyborg issue I am not sure I could take it seriously.

I’ve been along for the bumpy ride since issue one​,​ so I’m prepared to overlook that. What I’m royally annoyed about is the Cyborg versus Cyborg fight​. ​I was cheated with a ‘Martha moment’ (go watch Batman v Superman).

The art was strong, but I was pretty disappointed by this issue.  I hope the pay off is worth it.

GREEN LANTERNS #32
Writer: Sam Humphries
Artist: Scott Godlewski

Simon and Jessica may be back on Earth and fully fledged heroes once more, but there is still much to be done.

The duo throw an unforgettable house party and the Baz family are forced to face their differences once and for all. Are Simon and Jessica finally finding their work/life balance?

If I wanted a soap opera I’d switch on the television.

That being said, after the recent story lines​,​ it is a ​welcome change of pace to take a breather and look at their supporting cast.

We know next to nothing about Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz as human beings​,​ but unlike Clark Kent for example, very little is explored outside of their heroics. It was great to see the dramatic side, but I hope the title achieves a balance regularly instead of devoting a whole issue to civilian life.

GREEN ARROW #32
Gotham Resistance: Finale (Metal Tie-In)
Writers: Benjamin Percy & Joshua Williamson
Artist: Juan Ferreyra

Green Arrow, Robin, Nightwing, Harley Quinn and Killer Croc are battling to save Gotham from the evil forces of ‘The Joker Who Laughs’ and the Dark Multiverse.

When the dark Robin joins the fray,​​ things get much worse​,​ and Damian is badly wounded. In the absence of Batman, it’s up to Ollie to take charge of the rebellion​,​ but he makes a discovery that holds the key to their survival.

Can you tell I hate tie-in comics that disrupt a series? It was a staple of the 90’s​ and annually in TV’s ‘Arrowverse’​,​ and it is really frustrating that I’ve had to read Teen Titans, Nightwing, Suicide Squad, Batman and Metal to get up to speed.  After the superb ‘Hard Travelling Hero’ story-line I was eager to see what was happening in the series with Black Canary, Emi and Star City, instead we have this.

It was beautifully illustrated and if I were more invested in Metals I’m sure the writing would have more gravitas. It was a cool series of action sequences and it was great that Ollie is the one the story pivots on,​ but let’s get back to our regularly scheduled programming please!

SUPERMAN #32
Breaking Point: Part 2
Writer: James Bonny
Artist: Tyler Kirkham

After a damaging expose on Deathstroke by Lois Lane, the ace reporter is number one on his hit list. Lois is suspicious as Slade was cooperative during their interview​,​ and they seemed to share a mutual respect for each other.

Superman takes no chances and when Deathstroke attacks he steps in to save Lois repeatedly, much to her chagrin.

As the attacks escalate and the risks to the public and Lois grow, Deathstroke reveals he knows Superman loves Lois. Clark, like Lois, is an investigative reporter and soon realises there is more to the Deathstroke’s attacks than meets the eye.

Wow, what an emotionally exhausting issue.

This is one of those stories fanboys throw around on a regular basis in general conversation. It is not, however, a story that ever comes to fruition.

James Bonny has taken some big risks here. He has made Lois a focal point and pushed Superman beyond his comfort zone, along with the reader. Few writers would dare to do either and the twist at the end?

Could Superman be forced to join a certain team? I’m psyched!

SAVAGE THINGS #8
Writer: Justin Jordan
Artist: Ibrahim Moustafa

Koenig was instrumental in the programme to create Cain & Abel.
When Koenig goes into hiding, protected by a security detail and a panic room, its child’s play for Cain to track him down.

Trapping the old man inside the panic room, Cain wants to seize control of the programme but Abel and Kira are determined to stop the villain in his tracks.

Cain’s methods may be bloodthirsty,​ but as his motives finally become clear, who is in the ​’​right​’​ comes into question.

Koenig has one last trick up his sleeve that makes everything the brothers have been through seem like a mere a drop in the ocean.

It cannot end like this! I just read Superman and my heart can’t take this many shocks!

After so long believing one side of the story to be true, having everything spin 360 degrees was unbelievable. I can’t give much away but this issue was completely unexpected. Jordan and Moustafa deserve an award for this book.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #30
Legacy: Part 4
Writer: Bryan Hitch
Artist: Fernando Pasarin

Wonder Woman has become infected by evil energy from the future.
As the children of the Justice League prepare to kill her​, only Steve Trevor & Simon Baz stand in their way.

Sovereign arrives in the present day and to safeguard her future she forces Curry to aid her.​

The future Aquaman secretly sends Victor a message and means of escape for the captive Leaguers​,​ so they can stop the villainess.

In the midst of battle, Sovereign reveals her true identity, and it turns the world of everyone involved upside down.

The heroes are faced with an impossible choice. No matter who wins, all sides will lose.

I did not expect Sovereign to be who she was!

Her identity throws a spanner in the works and I am not sure how the story will end. The moments with Arthur and Mera were very emotional​,​ but how he ‘became’ part Cyborg almost eclipsed that.

Are the kids or Sovereign in the right? I’m not sure to be honest and that is down to some clever writing by Hitch.
I’m sad that now that we are getting an amazing story, the creative team are exiting.

NIGHTWING #30
Raptor’s Revenger: Part 1
Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Miguel Medonca

Roland Desmond, aka Blockbuster, rules the criminal underworld of Bludhaven with an iron fist​,​ but that may be about to change.

Nightwing is back after his battles with Spyral​​ and taking down the criminal gang​;​ Kobra Lanceheads.

During his fight Dick receives the unwanted and brutal assistance of his former friend, Raptor. Things turn nasty between the duo and Dick realises he has to put an end to Raptor once and for all​!​
​
B​ut, he can’t do it alone and turns to Blockbuster for help​ in order​ to save his city.

I don’t buy what Seeley is selling in this story arc. I hope there is more to it​, ​but I can’t believe after everything Dick has been through, he’d throw in the towel because of Raptor.

With all his ties, with Huntress at his side, how can he seek out a monster like Blockbuster to save his city?

Not only that, but he makes an offer to the crime boss that is so off the wall I can’t believe it. I can’t help but feeling Seeley has more up his sleeve with this one.