Monster Men Ep. 22: The Pez Episode

It's a spooky and sweet episode of Monster Men as we take on Pez. First I recount my visit to the Pez HQ in Orange, CT and then Hunter and I showcase some cool Halloween and horror themed Pez dispensers. We also sample some Pez flavors that you may not even know exist.

Monster Men Ep. 21: A Tribute to Grant Wilson, Ghost Hunter

In this episode of Monster Men, Jack and Hunter pay homage to a guy they both admire and will miss on own of their favorite shows. On May 16, 2012, Grant Wilson's last episode of Ghost Hunters will air on the Syfy channel. So here is a tribute to Grant Wilson, one of the greats in the industry and a trailblazer in the field of paranormal research.

Good luck Grant and thanks for everything. On to the next!

The Avengers Assemble a Great Movie

The Avengers is a movie that I, along with millions of superhero fans, have been waiting for. Waiting anxiously ever since that teaser with Nick Fury at the end of Iron Man in 2008. But really, we’ve been waiting our whole lives for this.

I am happy to report that The Avengers makes it worth the wait. And a big part of the reason is that they let Joss Whedon (He of Buffy and Firefly) take the reigns. This guy knows how to deliver amazing moments, witty banter and great characters. He does all of that here. The Avengers is a wild and fun ride with lots of laughs along the way. Best of all, it delivers a lot of things we geeks have always wanted to see on the big screen.

Remember the TV movie The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988), where The Hulk meets Thor? I remember it and also I recall I was quite disappointed. Well, thanks to The Avengers, I finally got to see The Hulk and Thor together in action, done right… squaring off against each other and fighting side by side. It was awesome.

One of the great things about The Avengers is that it gives each member their own moments and plays to each one's strength. For instance, Tony Stark/Iron Man, wonderfully played by Robert Downey, Jr., gets both great moments in the suit, but also delivers a ton of laughs. But he does not dominate the film nor does he turn it into a flat out comedy.

A few things that impressed me about this movie.

1.     Black Widow and Hawkeye: I wondered how they would integrate two non-super powered people into the mix with the other heavy weights. They do a great job… especially Scarlett Johansson, who brings a lot more to the table than just her good looks.

2.     Loki: He’s a great bad guy. He oozes with ego and contempt and he chews up scenery. He’s a big part of the movie and you are never bored when he is on screen. And he is able to pull off that goofy, horned helmet. Impressive.

3.     The Hulk: This is the biggest thing… not just literally. To me, this was the best rendition of The Hulk yet. They nailed both Banner and the Green Guy better than any live action outing previously. And I include the TV show. The TV show was fun, but I was always frustrated that he never fought any super human foes. I hated the first Hulk movie but liked the second, but I did not think Eric Bana nor Edward Norton really captured Bruce Banner properly, but Mark Ruffalo certainly did this time out. And The Hulk gets to be heroic while also being menacing. He by far steals this movie.

I could go on and on about this film, but the bottom line is this…. a crowd full of people in the sold out theater were cheering and laughing throughout the whole thing. The Avengers is a really good movie that entertains you like few others do. I would put it up there with the best superhero movies of all time. This movie gives you your favorite superheroes fighting together against a formidable foe and it delivers a few of the best moments in the genre’s history. It's all the stuff we've been waiting for, finally, on the big screen.

Sure, you may find a thing or two you don’t like about the film… that’s natural. Let’s remember though, a lot of past superhero movies considered classics eventually show some flaws, but we still love them.  I am telling you, the last hour of this movie will blow you away and elevates the film into that legendary status.

I can’t wait to see it again and I look forward to the Director’s Cut on Blu-Ray someday. Excelsior!

 

Note: Stay until the very end of the credits! There are not one, but two extra scenes worth sticking around for. 

Monster Men Ep. 20: When Animals Attack!

The Monster Men have made it to episode #20! This one is about horror movie animals gone wild (think Jaws, Arachnophobia and Cujo). Creepy, crawly and pretty funny. 

What are your favorite "animals-gone-wild" horror movies? And which one's did we miss? Come to our Facebook page and join the conversation. 

Book Review: Forest of Shadows

Forest of Shadows, by Hunter Shea, is good read. If you like a creepy ghost story with wonderful character development, atmosphere and a healthy dose of good old fashioned horror, then you should check out this book.

Let me say up front that you might consider me a bit biased. I happen to co-host a horror/paranormal themed video podcast with the author called Monster Men. So yes, I am prone to say nice things about my friend. But on the other hand, if you watch the show, you know I am a pretty seasoned horror fan... so I also know what I am talking about when it comes to spooky subject matter. So take my review with as many grains of salt as you'd like. I just know that I really enjoyed this book.

One thing that impressed me about this book was the relationship between the father, John Backman and his daughter, Jessica. Among all of the supernatural chaos and madness lie a lot of emotions, fear and unconditional love that is the foundation of the entire story. Also, the cultural differences between the locals and the outsiders, and that inherent mistrust of outsiders, give the story some interesting texture and grit.

But of course, I liked this book mostly because it's a great horror novel. The beginning of the book punches you in the gut. It sets the tone and immediately hooks you.

After winning the lottery, John Backman suffers a personal tragedy that forever changes his life. We pick up a few years later, where John has dedicated his life to investigating the paranormal. This brings him to Shida, Alaska... a town that would give Twin Peaks the creeps. Something horrible is stirring in the woods and people are starting to die.

The story builds steadily, with plenty of paranormal scares and equally disturbing townies. All the attention to detail helps make the horror parts that much more scary, because we have gotten to know the characters and we care about them.

The last few chapters of the book are where it all pays off for the horror fan. Like a good roller coaster, this book as plenty of ups and downs but saves the big thrills for the last act. Let's just say that the horror fan in me simply loved the climax of this book. And we all know how many books fall flat at the end. Not this time.

I really enjoyed Forest of Shadows and I look forward to Hunter's next book, Evil Eternal. And I would love to see a sequel to this book someday.

You can catch Monster Men here at Back in Jack or at Hunter's blog: www.huntershea.com

Monster Men Ep. 19: A Review of the Paranormal Podcast with JIm Harold

Jim Harold is the host of "The Paranormal Podcast" and several other great shows like "Jim Harold's Campfire", "The Paranormal Report" and "Weird News Radio." His Plus Club offers a ton of additional content and he even has a book based on his listener's true ghost stories; "Jim Harold's Campfire." If you are not familiar with Harold's work, check out this episode and see what it's all about. if you are all ready a fan, good for you. Enjoy the show.

Monster Men Ep. 18: Horror Author Brian Keene - One Cool Ghoul

The new episode of Monster Men is up: A tribute to horror author Brian Keene. Brian is one of the best in the business and a favorite of The Monster Men. A movie based on his book GHOUL debuts on the Chiller Network on Friday, 4/13/12. If you are not reading Brian Keene, check this out and see what you are missing.