Random Film of the Week: Horror Express

Posted on November 1, 2013 by geelw

To me, Horror Express is an excellent example of a perfect “B” movie. Not FLAWLESS, mind you, but perfect in the solid manner it locks you into your seat right from the beginning and takes you on a nearly non-stop roller coaster ride that’s terrifying, amusing and very, very satisfying by the time the credits roll.

Granted, the version I first saw on New York City’s WOR-TV (Channel 9, to those in the know) had no end credits at all and subsequent countless viewings on that channel (where the film seemed to be in heavy horror rotation every few months) led me to believe this was the way the film was in its initial theatrical release. However, when checking this horror classic out recently on a borrowed Blu-Ray, I discovered the film did indeed have credits, but they were in Spanish, meaning whomever prepared the US version or television edit saved some money (and about a minute or so of time) by merely chopping off those end titles and that was that…

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Sniper Elite Nazi Zombie Army 2: Your Next “Horror Movie/FPS” Is Here…

Posted on November 1, 2013 by geelw

Sure, Activision and Treyarch did the Zombie Nazi thing first as a Call of Duty bonus, but in my opinion, Rebellion is doing it better thanks to the much more realistically violent Sniper Elite V2 engine and its not for the kiddies gore. The first NZA was a nicely nasty surprise (and pretty damn scary when it needed to be) and the just released Sniper Elite Nazi Zombie Army 2 is bringing the pain (wait, can undead even feel pain? Nope? Oops…) in what’s looking like an even better experience. The developer has even gone and posted two live gameplay videos on YouTube (one yesterday and another today) you can check out if this one seems up your alley. Hey, it’s better (and a LOT more interactive) than digging out those musty old VHS copies of Shock Waves and The Keep, right?

Yes, I know Nazi zombies getting filled full of lead (well, actually… that lead is passing through their bodies from what I’ve seen) isn’t for ALL tastes. But the appeal for me is seeing this dev team do such great work on a few fronts and yes, keep the whole “zombies in games” flame alive just a bit longer. It’s so played out that it’s gotten predictable to a fault, but the best zombie games seem to be the ones that go for the expected gore (although a tip of the head goes to the Plants vs. Zombies folks for making the words “cute” and “undead” work perfectly…

Mail’s In! (Or: Well, My Weekend Is SET, It Would Seem…)

Posted on November 1, 2013 by geelw

OK, I got Skylanders SWAP Force last week, but I’m finally getting around to finishing up the review I started. Everything else here arrived this week and yup, means save for a trip to the library to swipe their bandwidth (hey, it’s FREE!) people-watch and hopefully avoid catching another bad cold, I’ll be camped out at home in front of the telly for a wee bit too long. Now, had I been smart enough to buy that cheap Banksy original when I had the chance (or get someone to buy it for me), I’d not need to be writing reviews because I’d be counting money and sewing a comforter out of dollar bills or something. But noooooo, I’m still poor and have games and a spectacular DVD box set to review. Yeah, Edie Adams is keeping me up all night, folks. You’d stay up late too if you knew of her many talents. And before you get the WRONG idea, Skippy… hit the Google for some research on the talented lady. Me, I’ve known what I was in for since I was about five or six years old…

The Walking Dead Season Two: More of the Same Is A GREAT Thing From Telltale and Skybound…

Posted on November 1, 2013 by geelw

Telltale Games is going to drive me nuts one day, but that’s probably a good thing. How the heck do they keep knocking it out of the park with these adventure games (a genre some not in the know say is “dead” or “dying”)? Eh, maybe I don’t need to know what voodoo they do out thataway, as the end result is always enjoyable and in the case of The Walking Dead series, scary as hell and completely engrossing. Developer extreme Skybound is going all out to make sure fans of the first game are just as (or even more) thrilled with this follow up and as this teaser trailer shows, a familiar face is back and set for some pretty intense times ahead…

Even better, PC gamers who pre-order the digital download of Season Two NOW get 10% off ($22.49 instead of 24.99) and get a collectors DVD at the end of the season just for the cost of shipping and handling. Very cool, I say. Current-gen console and Mac owners won’t be left out it seems, as the game seems to be headed to PS3, Xbox 360 and Mac as well. Guaranteed hit on anything it lands on, I bet. Commence the waiting period! Back with an update when it hits…

Vampirella Gets Tooned Up For The New Year Thanks To Sideshow Collectibles

Posted on November 1, 2013 by geelw

Growing up reading and collecting those Warren magazines she starred in, I don’t recall ever wanting so say “D’aaawwww!” (ever!) at anything Vampirella did, but THIS figure is so stupidly cute I couldn’t help myself when I clicked on the link in the email I got. Sideshow Collectibles has teamed up with Tracy Mark Lee of Electric Tiki to bring fans of that Girl From Drakulon this lovely 10.5 inch statue in a limited edition of 750 pieces, set for a January 2014 launch.

Naturally, pre-orders are being taken NOW and at $159.99 (with free shipping AND you can pay in installments if you so desire), this one’s geared for the core collector who wants something fun for that shelf, desk or airtight display case. Of course, there will be some fans who turn up their nose at this statue because they want a more SERIOUS Vampi, buy fear not, you elites… Sideshow is going to be taking care of your blood frenzy pretty soon, too.