A Few Good Horror Flicks

Thanks to reading Fangoria and Rue Morgue magazines again I've found quite a few gems in the horror industry lately that I may have otherwise missed. I've been sort of out of the loop on non-mainstream releases for the past few years, but it's good to be back in the know. It sucks having to wait for dvd releases, but at least my city wasn't skipped over for the Hatchet release! What a great movie. Here are a few of the more noteworthy films that I've seen lately beginning with Hatchet but in no particular order:

Hatchet - Wow, was this movie awesome! A horror movie for horror fans for sure. It actually exceeded my lofty expectations. It was bloody. And it was funny. It was bloody funny, haha. The story itself was good (it was cool to see Kane Hodder as the monster again), the acting was good (Joel Moore impressed me), and the timing of the horror and comedy was GREAT. Adam Green's got what it takes. This is one of the best recent horror films I've seen. And definitely some good old fashioned American horror.

Severance - Fun flick! It's a dark comedy about a group of co-workers (of a weapons company) who go off on a team building weekend trip in the mountains of Eastern Europe only to find they are being hunted by a group of crazed killers. It could've been a little bit tighter in spots, but overall it was a well made movie. It's lighter on the gore than what I expected, but there is one scene that had me cringing right along with the cast. Humor, good acting, well defined characters and good plot make this one a fun time for dark comedy/horror fans.

Wind Chill - For a movie that takes place in such a small area (on a secluded piece of snowy road) and almost entirely in the confines of a (wrecked) car, I truly felt a sense of tension. It's a low budget but well written movie. And I liked it very much. I only rented, but a purchase would not have been a disappointment. It was well paced and for a movie to rely so much on its characters, was well acted, too. And I'm glad the writer didn't go for a cheap thrills ending. It made for a very moody ghost story.

Dog Soldiers - Werewolf movies are like Vampire movies. They usually suck. However, Dog Soldiers is definitely an exception. Anyone who likes werewolves and military-like settings should check this out. You'll enjoy the characters and appreciate the developed plot. Oh, and the werewolves are badass.

The Changeling - I'm embarrassed to admit that I had not seen this before until recently. But it's never too late, right? Great ghost story/haunted house movie. It's without a doubt one of the best ghost stories and does not get the attention it deserves. Well acted, well written, well paced and well directed.

The Host - Good movie. Cool monster. I was very impressed with the mix of sadness and humor and really liked the lead character. The bonehead in all of us can relate to this guy, lol. I didn't really understand why the need for an epilogue, but whatever. Maybe not the classic Jaws is, but I think The Host lived up the expectations I had for it.

First Draft Blues

Actually, I don't have the blues, it's just the best I could do on short notice.

Whew! Who would've thought that writing a script for a 20 minute short would feel just as taxing as if I were writing a feature length script? Not me! But I'm not complaining. It's good practice working on a 3 act structure and character development regardless of its length.

The good news is that I am officially done with the first draft of Project: Bigfoot. However, there is still work to be done. Like adding more suspense and tension!!!

*cue scary music*

Top Ten Horror Movies

After making a list of all of my favorite horror movies across all decades and seeing how long it is, I had a thought. Could I make a top 10 list of my all time favorites? Could I actually single out 10 of them? It was a painstaking task, but here it is.

10. Jaws
09. The Exorcist
08. Puppet Master
07. The Thing
06. The Fog
05. A Nightmare on Elm Street
04. The Mist
03. Poltergeist
02. Children of the Corn
01. Halloween

Developing Characters Can Be Fun?!!!

Ideas come about in the oddest of ways. This latest project I'm working on came about in such a way, as I'm sure a lot of stories do, that wasn't what I originally planned. Craig made an off-the-cuff remark about making a bigfoot short. Well, I started outlining an idea I had and BOOM! a story was born. However, now "Project: Bigfoot" is shaping up to be much more.

When I started this project, I had a central idea in place which I would then have to build characters around. Once I laid out the action and various scenes, that scary thought arouse. I had the task of creating characters, giving them depth, and making them likable to the audience! Scary stuff to be sure. But this is the challenge that I think I've been seeking.

The thought of developing characters is overwhelming, especially when the project is new, but getting to invent these characters' personalities, their backgrounds, and even lines they deliver during conversations can be very exhilarating. I mean, I can do anything I want! It's so freeing. I think more than anything "Project: Bigfoot" (I'll reveal its final name soon) will be the launch pad to help me get into the groove.

Ramblings From an Ex-Frustrated Writer

It feels good when the ideas flow out of me naturally. After several months of assisting Craig with Legion, adapting a short story of mine into a script, and brainstorming ideas for future stories, I am finally nearing completion on a script for another short film. It feels good to create something from nothing. It's been a long time since I wrote something completely original (aside from assisting and adapting). The satisfaction I already feel, and the first draft isn't even complete, is so liberating. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. And at the other end is another idea waiting to be harvested.

Plus, I'm learning that we have a niece who may have some natural acting ability and who may even have some friends who do, too. Things are definitely looking up. Casting for future films may not be the most horrible thing ever to pull off after all.

It's funny, I stopped gaming because I felt I was wasting my life away. Now that I'm using that spare time to write (among enjoying other life activities), I'm finding I can squeeze in time for gaming and actually enjoy it again. I'm not gaming every single spare moment I have - I hope to never fall into that rut again - and it allows me to appreciate my time much more.

Because of my breakthrough, I'm feeling a little less frustrated. At least for now.

Bike Mod #4 - Cruise

A week ago today (Aug 2, 2007), I added another mod to my Shadow. It's called a Universal Vista Cruise. It's not a full cruise control but rather a "throttle lock." The extended trips we're starting to take on the motorcycles sometimes cause my right shoulder/neck to ache. I've got a bit of arthritis in it from 20+ years of competitive softball and cold weather or continuous stress on it causes it to hurt. So, to help alleviate the pain I tried different throttle locks. After finally deciding on the UVC, I am quite pleased. It's a bit bigger than I'd prefer, however it's not much of an eye sore, so I'm happy.

Here's a photo that I found on the HondaShadow.net forums.

Catching Up

It's been a while since I last updated, mainly because I was working on my personal website but have since put that on hold for now. Besides that, it got warm out and I've been soaking up the summertime! Here are a few updates on various subjects:

Legion - We filmed the bulk of the movie back in May. We need to get a few exterior shots and then finish the score and we'll be done. Craig's been editing as he goes, so there's not much to be done there. Unfortunately, Craig isn't real happy with how it's turning out. I keep reminding him that this was only to get our feet wet and to get him re-familiarized with shooting, lighting, editing, etc. Regardless, I am proud of what we've done and will be happy to see it finally completed.

Script Writing - As mentioned in a previous post here, I turned an old short story of mine into a script for a short film. The plan is to film this one next. I've got about four ideas floating around in my head (for shorts and features), but haven't put a whole lot down on paper yet. The summertime bug bit me real bad and after vacation I got real lazy. Haha. What's bad is that I've found a time for a little gaming.... time I should spend writing. Shhhh!

Piano - Still playing! Again, I've slowed down a lot due to the warm weather, but I still sit down to tickle the ivories every now and then. I'll get back to a stricter schedule this fall. I'm still loving it, though. It's so soothing to sit down and play.