REVIEW: 3 Gates of the Dead

PLOT: Sometimes, the most evil things come from the most holy… Conflicted with his faith in God and the hypocrisy of the church, Aidan Schaeffer, a young assistant pastor, is in a constant state of spiritual turmoil. When Aidan learns that his ex-fiancée is the first victim in a string of ritualistic killings, he finds himself in the middle of an even deeper fight. Tormented by demonic threats and haunted by spirits, Aidan throws himself into investigating Amanda’s death; all the while supernatural forces have begun to attack the people around him. The more questions he asks, the more he is drawn into the world of a mysterious Anglican priest, a paranormal investigation group and a rogue female detective investigating the murders. As the gruesome rituals escalate, ancient hidden secrets and an evil long buried threaten to rip Aidan’s world apart.

REVIEW: I for one, was not expecting at all what I read in 3 Gates of the Dead. Usually with first time authors, you tend not to expect so much in terms of a complex story or writing style. At least, in my amateur experience as a professional reader, I've never come across something so well written in a debut book. However, Jonathan Ryan sets out to prove me wrong, and I'm sure countless others, by writing a superb tale of the supernatural. Aidan Schaeffer is a doubting, but unconsciously faithful pastor who we find at one of the worst times of his life. Automatically, Aidan is a character that almost any reader can identify with because of the questions he asks about life, religious or not. After going through a lot prior to the story, our main character finds out that there is much more that he has yet to learn.

What I found so unbelievable about this book was how well the main character was written. Constantly throughout the book, I found myself relating to Aidan and understanding his inner turmoil with God. This book focuses a lot on Aidan's relationship with a higher power, obviously because he is a pastor. But he's a pastor with questions, to which the answers only cloud his beliefs further. I feel that no matter what side of the religious debate you're on, there is something endearing about a person struggling to figure out where they stand on life. Not only that, but to continuously push themselves into finding their true self a midst a handful of issues that would cause most to fold under pressure. Even though we find our protagonist at a crossroads in his life, as soon as the book starts, Mr. Ryan immediately hooks the reader into caring about Aidan and his troubles. It also was neat to read a book that takes place not that far from home for me, and has a lot of material that I can relate to personally (like the argument over whether Ohio State is a good football team or not).

There are obviously a lot of reasons I would like this book. The horror elements like ghosts, the supernatural, and the occult. Also, the mystery elements like shocking twists and a reason for our character to further torment, and examine his outlook on the world. But the reason I could not put this book down was because of Ryan's excellent writing. I was astounded that this was his first book, and as I was reading I kept asking myself "how is this possible?" Sure you could say that maybe I wasn't expecting much so I was more easily impressed, but I think I could easily compare this to some of the greater works of horror fiction. The characterization is on point from Aidan to Mike, his troubled partner at the church, to Jennifer, the girl he finds himself swooning over, and right down to the dead people at the bottom of the credits. 3 Gates of the Dead is damn near as perfect of a first book that one could read, and certainly leaves me wanting more.

I would hope to see that if this book is turned into a movie, which I read is a possibility, that the filmmakers take good care of this subject material. It's such an amazing story on the page, that it would be a shame to see it go to waste on B-movie talent and more than likely focus on the supernatural, and not the human aspects of it. It's a perfect story about the main character Aidan, and his journey through reality and the supernatural, in finding his true beliefs and opinions of the world and greater. This book is so much more than a ghost story, and it's so much more than a murder mystery. This is a grade A novel of suspense, intrigue, and self-discovery that will leave any reader, no matter what preference, asking for book two as soon as possible. Bravo Jonathan Ryan, you have gained a loyal fan and I'm sure countless others, who are eagerly awaiting more of your wonderfully crafted tales. As a human constantly learning for himself what it means to be on this planet, I can certainly appreciate a fictional story that you almost believe is real until you hit the last page... or is it?

RATED : ( PG-13 )

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 10 / 10 )

COVER : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: You're Next

PLOT: When the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back.

REVIEW: I was lucky enough to get passes to an advance screening of this film last night, two days before its release, and I am so happy I was able to see this this week. With The World's End releasing this weekend I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to be able to make it out to see You're Next despite the great reviews and my unquenchable thirst for horror. You're Next is getting all kinds of rave reviews, similar to The Conjuring earlier this summer, for being not so much a unique kind of horror movie but more a formulaic, back to basics take on slashers. I have to say that just about every early review I've read up to this point is dead on. You're Next is nothing new, it's not original, and it's not even really all that creative. However, it's quite possibly the greatest and downright best slasher film I've seen in at least 10 years. At least to my recollection, You're Next is the best at getting all of the conventional slasher bits down pat but also never takes itself too seriously.

The best part about You're Next is that it blends in a sense of humor along with all of the horror. The movie isn't really that scary, but what it does it entertain the crowd like a horror movie should. Horror movies aren't really known to be films that the Academy chases after to praise, but they are movies that audiences chase after in hopes of their next scream or smile, however demented the latter may be. Some have gone as far as saying that this is a black comedy, or horror comedy, and I'd like to agree because while it has a very dark and serious look, the characters are a bunch of cartoon characters. There's one of every type of person present in the movie, and it's the one that nobody expects to be much else than what she is said to be, that ends up being the major player. I loved this part of the movie because no slasher movie is complete without its survivor girl, ask Leslie Vernon, and Sharni Vinson fits the bill perfectly.

For every cheesy line or awkward moment of dialogue that provides laughs, there is an equal reaction of disturbed violence or haunting visual to match it. There are quite a few scenes in the film that draw the heebie jeebies out from under the skin, one of which makes monsters under the bed seem like a dream in comparison. There's blendy of blood, and little to no gore (at least in my standards) and that allows for the kills at the end of the movie to pack a bigger punch. Sharni Vinson as Erin was the biggest surprise of the movie, as no one in the film struck an familiarity with me but she does an outstanding job emerging from the large group of characters and becoming the survival girl. At first, some could find it hard to believe her as the main protagonist but at the same time it's very believable that a young female college student would be the one to keep her head on straight in a crisis involving several people.

One of the things I really liked about the movie outside of the survival from masked killers put on by Erin, was the score behind the film. For me, it sounded an awful lot like an old 80's slasher film. It has the feel to it and it gives the film that strange feeling that you've been there before, or experienced this in some way shape or form, and enjoyed it. I think the score was one of many ways that You're Next was a love letter to its predecessors. It wasn't hugely original, but it paid homage to the classics that had been there and started in the game from the beginning. While it may have not been an entirely original story, it was definitely one of the freshest takes on the genre that we've seen in awhile. It's not a remake, or a reimagining, but it's a tribute to all those who came before them and dances carefully between the classics and the B-list horror movies that have tried to mimic those classic slashers and what made them as relevant as they are today over all the schlock that we've received since.

Even though it was pretty obvious to me that a few twists and turns were in store, I still had a ton of fun with You're Next. There are several twists at the end that leave you interested in the movie all the way through, but you'd have to be pretty oblivious not to know that some of them are coming. I didn't let any of that ruin the movie for me, as I kept the twists in the back of my head I was still able to enjoy whatever was taking place on the screen. You're Next's strongest quality is the fact that once it starts with a two-kill title intro, it never lets go and continues to build the suspense of the animal mask killers. I didn't find myself surprised or completely at a loss for what was going on once in the movie, but kill after kill provided plenty of entertainment. There really are no lulls in the film, and it paces itself very well for a slasher. Where most slashers have a lull in the center after extraneous characters are killed but the head honchos are headed towards, this one does a fairly good job of killing off one character at a time. The masks are particularly as scary as I imagined them to be, as the killers seem pretty human in motion and action and unlike most masked killers, they never seemed to be supernatural in any way. Maybe that's what makes You're Next so enjoyable and relatable for audiences. You pretty much know from beginning it's man vs. man, or man vs. woman in this case, and you really don't know who's going to come out on top in such an even matchup. You're Next definitely leaves me wondering though, what's next? For Adam Wingard, after successes with V/H/S and its sequel, and now this, many are wondering if this guy is the next real deal in the genre of horror. Only time will tell, and hopefully all you horror fans get out to see this movie this weekend, because that's all I have to say, You're Next.

ACTING : ( 6 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

EXECUTION : ( 9 / 10 )

POSTER : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: The Conjuring

PLOT: Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.

REVIEW: There are a lot of things about The Conjuring that line up perfectly for me. One being that now one of the biggest horror directors of today, James Wan, was directing the film. On top of that you have Vera Farmiga who is one of my favorite actresses, partly because she's great and the other because she's pretty pretty. This looked like a big budget scare that was going to get under your skin and really scare you without all of the jumpy noises and whatnot for cheap screams. Surprisingly to me after seeing the trailer, the film debuted with very high reviews and ratings and was being hailed as one of the best horror films in recent years. Anytime a horror movie gets hyped, you can almost guarantee that it's all hype and no different than any of the others you've seen. That's not me knocking horror films, because I'm a big fan, but usually the popular vote is not the quality vote, take Paranormal Activity for example. Similar to 2010's Insidious, also directed by Wan, and 2012's Sinister, Wan's new film conjures up the feeling that you're going to see something disturbingly unique and haunting without all of the "boom there's a loud noise to scare the teenagers" schtick. The trailer seemed to portray a film that would be deeply haunting, and grab root in your mind and just put you under the spell that Wan seemingly had with Insidious, which I loved. I came out of The Conjuring feeling a little deflated and disappointed, and I don't think that was the movie's fault. It's being hyped, plain and simple. If you hype yourself up too much and anticipate feeling like everyone else that seems to think this movie is amazing, and you go in and it's only great, you're going to be disappointed. That was my mistake, but remember everyone is scared of something different and often times it's the unknown that's scariest of all.

James Wan has been on the rise over the last few years and it all started for him in 2004 with his horror megahit Saw. Saw was one of the most original and profoundly disturbing movies I'd seen in my young years as a horror fan. Yeah, it was gory and most people are going to be bothered by that on the surface but underneath the hacksaws and severed limbs there was a pretty terrifying tale. I'll avoid spoilers, but Saw probably has one of the best twist endings you'll ever see in film today. If you see the end coming then you're a freaking genius, and it all goes to show what a quality written story in horror can do for the overall film, even if the rest is just grossouts and gore. It's not even that Saw is particularly scary, it's just unsettling and that's not all credit due to the blood and guts. In 2007, there was Dead Silence which was his next film after being an executive producer on several of the Saw films after the first. It was pretty much the new scary doll movie for a new generation, and while it wasn't the greatest thing I'd seen, it was still unnerving because of the story behind the dolls and the tale Wan was trying to tell. Then there was Death Sentence in the very same year with Kevin Bacon that was more of a thriller than a horror film, and proved that Wan could do more than just scary and still write a compelling story. Then comes 2010's Insidious, which to me was one of the most entertaining and simultaneously scary films I'd seen in years. It wasn't just another haunted house movie, as it was more than that with the villain creeping into dreams and Patrick Wilson, who also stars in The Conjuring, having to hunt his child down from evil. Again, Insidious stirred something inside of me that while it wasn't the jump scares that got me, but it was the concept of the stories and the excellent execution of making an extremely creepy villain with story and background to match. Wan had written the stories for Saw, Dead Silence, and Insidious, but not for The Conjuring.

I have to think that maybe that was the reason I wasn't as into The Conjuring as I would have been with something similar but written by James Wan. All of the Wan-esque things were present, the dolls, the noises, the faces, the creeps, all in his style. But something about the story was just so slow, and it never really seeped out of the movie and into my head. To scare me, the story needs to come out of the screen, and it needs to involve me somehow and not just make me jump because I'm a human being. With The Conjuring I felt like I was watching yet another haunted house movie, but at least this time it wasn't garbage and it was done right. That's my one positive about this film is that despite it being some of the same old, same old, it was at least very enjoyable to watch because it was made with care and it had a quality to it that only a few directors could achieve with this overused material. There has been a lot of ranting and raving though about performances, and the story, and the directing. I'm with the directing completely, and I'm with the performances for the most part, but the story just dragged on and on and you could see where the two stories would come to a head in an ultimate showdown at the end which was fairly underwhelming. It was no secret to me as a viewer, and it took forever to get there, which just isn't good. My other complaint is that 75% of the scares were in the trailer, and it's fine if you want to show a scare or two in the trailer to show off your horror flick but don't freaking put the whole point of the movie out for free. By the time the movie was over, there was only one or two things that I didn't know I was going to see that involved blood, demons or evil in some way. Everything was in the freaking trailer, and you just can't have that, especially with a horror film.

A lot of people are talking about Vera Farmiga's performance as Lorraine Warren, the wife of ghost hunting and demonologist duo, the Warrens. She really does turn in a great performance as a traumatized but intrigued woman who wants nothing more than to help those suffering from possession or similar woes because it's her specialty and some could say God-given gift to do so. The other Warren, Ed, was played by Patrick Wilson who seems to have found a good niche for his acting in the horror department, because he works equally as well. Her character though is really where most of the interesting story lies, but despite the movie being about the Warrens they really aren't on the screen as often as you'd think. Which is funny because in the trailer they really don't even show the family that you're following around for the entire movie, it seems as if they're the main characters. Hell, even every description of the movie talks about the Warrens but no mention of the Perrons, played by Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor, who really serve as the film's main characters. I like Livingston, but I just couldn't buy him as the dad in this film and it was really hard for me to like Lili Taylor in her role as well. Part of me thinks it was just because I wanted to see more of the Warren storyline, and the other part of me thinks it's just because Ron Livingston was in Office Space years ago.

There was good stuff about this movie though. It has a classic feel to it, and despite it being yet another haunting movie, Wan has perfected the craft and seemingly figured it out for himself, as I'm sure others will try to imitate the success of The Conjuring. If you make a movie on the end of a trend, and it's good, then you're obviously doing something right and that is what speaks volumes to me about this film, and Wan's ability as a director. There were some good scary parts that weren't in the trailer, and I'm not even going to breathe a slight mention of them as to not ruin them for you because they are seemingly hard to come by. The obvious clapping hands and ghost on the armoire come when you expect them, and even though the demon possessing the house is scary looking, it's not creepy enough to scare the crap out of you on its own. There are a lot of jump scares in the movie, but there are also a lot of well placed pieces on the set that trick the eye into thinking you see something in the background when you don't. I don't know if it was on purpose, or if I was that observant, but I'd like to think that Wan is a fairly intelligent enough director to try something like that. The best part about the movie was definitely the first 30 minutes, as it wound the story up with the dolls and possessed artifacts but then eventually wound down very slowly to its end. The intro credits were insanely awesome and classic horror looking, with the yellow type font and scrolling words to explain our story before jumping right into it. And the big yellow font The Conjuring rolling across the screen before the movie starts just brought back an old classic horror movie feel to me. It was a nice feeling, but unfortunately the movie didn't live up to the hype that I'd heard for it, nor the hype in my head that I'd generated on my own. I think waiting for Blu-ray would have been a safer bet for me, but that's not to say I didn't think it was good. The Conjuring was good, but not great. It was creepy, but not terrifying. It was imaginative, but occassionally dull. It's all in the execution, but the material isn't enough to stand out by itself. I am looking forward to the future of Wan's career and let's hope after he's done with Fast & Furious 7 that he returns to horror fast, and furiously, to bring us something the likes of which we've never seen in the genre, again. The movie did quite well over the weekend beating out all competition, and for an R-rated horror film to beat out two PG-13 actioners R.I.P.D. and Red 2, as well as the family friendly Turbo over its initial weekend, it's a pretty big deal not only for horror, but the future of James Wan and horror together.

ACTING : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

EXECUTION : ( 7 / 10 )

POSTER : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Apocalypse Cow

PLOT: Forget the cud. They want blood. It began with a cow that just wouldn't die. It would become an epidemic that transformed Britain's livestock into sneezing, slavering, flesh-craving four-legged zombies. And if that wasn't bad enough, the fate of the nation seems to rest on the shoulders of three unlikely heroes: an abattoir worker whose love life is non-existent thanks to the stench of death that clings to him, a teenage vegan with eczema and a weird crush on his maths teacher, and an inept journalist who wouldn't recognize a scoop if she tripped over one. As the nation descends into chaos, can they pool their resources, unlock a cure, and save the world? Three losers.Overwhelming odds.One outcome . . . Yup, we're screwed.

REVIEW: Obviously I picked up Apocalypse Cow because it was a book about zombies, and cleverly titled to show that the author had a sense of humor. One would assume that this book would be beyond silly, and not really worth much at all but for a few laughs. The cover, title, and plot summary makes you think this is just some B-level trash. In all honesty however, this book was entertaining as hell. I haven't read a book so genuinely fun and exciting since something like Wayside School back in the days of elementary school. Michael Logan did an outstanding job at making a story of zombies or infection unique, creative, and it stands out as some of the best work in the genre.

The book definitely kind of reads like a B-movie in the horror genre, but there's something about Logan's writing that is just laugh-out-loud hysterical. I haven't been tempted to laugh frequently when reading a book, or even as often as I did while reading Apocalypse Cow and that really speaks volumes for how great this book is. It's not just a silly book, and it's not full of only laughs and witty writing. The book is equally as disgusting and horrifying as it is hilarious, and it goes to show why Michael Logan won the Terry Pratchett Prize for this book even though it's his very first full-length novel. I was so impressed by Logan's writing, especially being that it was his first novel ever written. Everything was present at the beginning of the book to get you reading, all of the humor and comedy draws the reader in. Then as the book progresses, it gets more intense and a lot more metaphorical as the story shapes up. It is really such a perfectly layered work of fiction, it makes you wonder how Michael Logan has never published a full book before.

There's so much content in this book, and I wish I could talk about it more in depth to explain how this could be one of the greatest horror/comedy experiences I've ever had. I'm a huge fan of horror/comedy film, and to be as impressed by this as I am by one of my favorite films Shaun of the Dead, I'd say Michael Logan did a great job. There is plenty of blood and gore here, there are plenty of characters with variety to empathize with. Geldof (the Gray) was a very likable, innocent, but intelligent protagonist who serves as the main voice of the story. Lesley is your ditzy blonde character in typical horror fashion, and Terry is your bad ass guy that has to be the ring leader at times to get things done in the apocalypse. The greatest characters in this book however, are the infected animals. There are some outrageous and completely wacky scenes with these creatures, and their entrances into their scenes were always classic. From cows to pigs, and squirrels to rats, there was no shortage of animal gags and gross-outs. I would highly recommend Apocalypse Cow to anyone looking for a good book of laughter, a unique take on the zombie genre, or just a downright entertaining book. Don't let the cover and title fool you, this book won the Terry Pratchett for a reason. May Michael Logan milk the success of this book for as long as he wants, it is well-deserved, but please bring us some more this greatness please!

RATED : ( R )

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 ) 

COVER : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hellblazer, Volume Two: The Devil You Know

PLOT: To Hell and Back. It's been a long and difficult road for John Constantine – one that's left him with demon's blood in his veins and dead friends' voices in his head. Still, with his sharp tongue and unequaled shrewdness, the sorcerer from Liverpool has manged to raise himself to a position as rarefied as it is dangerous: being the magician of last resort for a world under constant siege from the forces of chaos and evil. That same rough path has also sharpened his mind, and taught him a thing or two about ruthlessness. Now, with the outcome of an ancient prophecy hanging on his actions, it's time for Constantine to bring the scales of justice back into balance – at Hell's expense.

REVIEW: After having read the first volume of the New Editions of Hellblazer, I wasn't really expecting too much from this second volume. The problem that I had with the first reoccurred here, because again I found myself struggling to make much sense of what was going on. I definitely understand that this comic is supposed to be fucked up, and it's supposed to be gross and terrifying and Hellish. But this comic is proof that shock value doesn't always equate to quality, and Constantine's narrative really lacks direction at times. I'd both love and hate to get inside the mind of Jamie Delano for 5 minutes, and 5 minutes only. Where Hellblazer lacks a real major arc, there are some good stories in here. The 2 Horrorist issues were fantastic, as was the art in them. I wasn't much of a fan of the middle story with the weird old people wizards or whatever they were. The first issue of the volume was definitely the most messed up of all though. I really want to like these because they are what one could consider "horror comics" but I think this lacks in places that today a horror comic would really thrive. Reading these New Editions really just makes me really want to get my hands on some New 52 Constantine. The artwork in these Hellblazer comics is also outstanding, reminiscent of some Sandman work. But I continue to struggle with the undeniably depressing, dark and disorienting stories of Mr. John Constantine.

WRITING : ( 6 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 4 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Patient Zero

PLOT: When you have to kill the same terrorist twice in one week there's either something wrong with your world or something wrong with your skills... and there's nothing wrong with Joe Ledger's skills. And that's both a good, and a bad thing. It's good because he's a Baltimore detective that has just been secretly recruited by the government to lead a new taskforce created to deal with the problems that Homeland Security can't handle. This rapid response group is called the Department of Military Sciences or the DMS for short. It's bad because his first mission is to help stop a group of terrorists from releasing a dreadful bio-weapon that can turn ordinary people into zombies. The fate of the world hangs in the balance...

REVIEW: Let me just start by saying that I only picked up Patient Zero because of, well, zombies. On my quest to read everything and anything zombie I was constantly told to pick this book up. For months I'd had the sequel The Dragon Factory sitting on my shelf but not until I finally went to read it did I realize that it had a predecessor. My, oh my, am I glad that I read its predecessor first because now I cannot freaking wait to jump into the second Joe Ledger novel The Dragon Factory.

Joe Ledger is a badass beyond measure. If you put literary character Jack Reacher together with the likes of TV hero Jack Bauer, you still only have about half of what Ledger is. Joe is an absolute machine, and if there is one thing Maberry did without flaw it was create this unbelievably badass character. When Joe is fighting the baddies, you can tell that Maberry is at his strongest. Often times when action is written, it's really hard to follow fluidly so that it comes out looking as awesome in the reader's imagination as it did the writer's. Jonathan Maberry is the master of writing awesome Joe Ledger fight scenes, because he writes them so well you just read it non-stop and it flows together so well it's as if you're watching some kung fu master before your very eyes on the page. The first time that Joe's fighting style is analyzed by Mr. Church, who I'll get to in a second, it's very obvious that Maberry knew what he was doing with Joe from the start. I can't recall a literary character as downright heroic and unstoppable as Joe Ledger, he simply makes this book all on his own.

The thing about Patient Zero though is that there isn't just one character that is written very well. Every single character is written with perfection, and I could not get over how many quirks each individual character had, and how much personality everyone had. Typically I'm not a fan of multi-character storylines, and there aren't here either, though Joe has a terrific supporting cast. Joe's buddy Rudy is a perfect balance for it to be believable that they are best friends, despite incredibly different careers and thought processes. Mr. Church who hires Joe for the DMS is just incredibly chilling on every page, even though he's technically on the good side. His fascination with cheap cookies is such a simple trait to add, but it works so well with his character. Also, Joe's team that he ends up leading around from place to place to stop the terrorist threats all have a bit of character to them.

Even the baddies all have unbelievably fleshed out traits, and El Mujahid who is the main villain is so cold, and so evil it's just so easy to believe. Though he's not in the book for maybe more than 20% of the time, his storyline is flowing along with Joe's all the same. It's just such a well-written book the way all of the villains including El Mujahid, his wife Amirah, Sebastian Gault, his buddy Toys, and others are all perfectly placed within the story and only deal with certain characters in the book. To not reveal much to ruin the story, but not all of the bad guys ever get the chance to meet Joe and I think that's what makes this battle of good vs. evil so special.

Back to why I picked this book up, zombies. Yes, there are zombies in your typical sense but they come about from an unusual threat not seen in zombie fiction, at least to me so far in my new interest of the subject. The terrorists have found a way to manufacture a virus that they plan to attack America with and just set us back to 0. The possibility of this actually happening, while it is science fiction, is actually somewhat high. I would not put it past our technology and intelligence today to come up with something so hanus and actually have the capability and determination to use it for a cause. Just imagine a season of TV's 24, but instead of a day it's a week long, and instead of terrorists using bombs they're using bio-weapons, and instead of Jack Bauer, there is... Joe Ledger.

Do yourself a favor, fan of zombies or not folks. Go pick up this book and give it a read, I promise you won't be disappointed. This is definitely in my new top 3 for all-time favorite fiction, and I have a feeling it's going to remain there for quite awhile. It's a superbly written thriller, a cleverly written tale of horror, and a suspenseful story. Well worth the time and money spent, and now my sights are set on the latest entry in the Joe Ledger series Extinction Machine, which came out March 2013! Bravo, Jonathan Maberry, bravo!

RATED : ( R )

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 10 / 10 )

COVER : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hellblazer, Volume One: Original Sins

PLOT: The very first Hellblazer collection ORIGINAL SINS is available in a new edition that includes John Constantine’s appearances in SWAMP THING. This is the first of a series of new HELLBLAZER editions starring Vertigo’s longest running antihero, John Constantine, England’s chain-smoking, low-rent magus.This first collection is a loosely connected series of tales of John’s early years where Constantine was at his best and at his worst, all at the same time.

REVIEW: Having only seen the movie previously, I wasn't really sure what to expect from Hellblazer. At times I felt like that writing was a bit outdated. It was that kind of comics writing that I don't particularly like these days, because it's too wordy and over thought. A lot of what is written in these pages are the same thoughts I'd have on my own while reading, just using bigger words and taking longer to reach a conclusion. That said, my first Hellblazer experience was great. I really enjoy the character of John Constantine because while he's hard ass on the outside, there's a soft core to him. The issue where he saved the girl from being married was good evidence of that. His ghosts haunting him, also show that once he loses someone that's not it, he actually cares for the person he loses and it's not something that goes to the back of his mind, it stays in the front and relevant to anything he experiences. I would definitely keep reading the Hellblazer series, and I really enjoyed seeing the Swamp Thing tie-in issues. I had read one of those before in a Swamp Thing volume but I didn't quite understand what was going on, and now I do! There was one thing missing from these issues of Hellblazer, and while I can't tell you what it is, I know that that one thing would make this series rival something like Sandman. All the pieces are there, but there's one string that would tie it all together very well, maybe like an overall arc that would strengthen the story of Mr. John Constantine.

WRITING : ( 6 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 5 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Evil Dead (2013)

PLOT: Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival.

REVIEW: The latest addition to the seemingly never-ending list of Hollywood remakes came out this past weekend, in the form of Evil Dead. Hailed as one of the classics of the horror genre, the 1981 original was destined to be remade after all of the success of previous horror remakes over the last 10 years or so. It's rare that you'll see a large group of people in support of a remake (take Rob Zombie's Halloween, for instance), but I felt over the last few months that there were more moviegoers excited for this one, than there were haters for its creation. I think most of this is due in part to the lack of a highly recognizable name attached to the cast and crew, aside from producers Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, who both are responsible for the cult following of the original Evil Dead. This, on top of the wise decision to stick with practical special effects in the making of this film, provided for a potential screamer in Fede Alvarez's 2013 "re-imagining". I, like most horror fans, was beyond excited for this new vision of one of my favorite horror films, but I think this time around the movie appealed to more than just horror-heads.

The marketing campaign behind Evil Dead in 2013 was certainly brazen, touting "the most terrifying film you will ever experience." on its most popular poster for the film. But the box office success of this Hollywood retread of an 80's cult classic, definitely goes to show the power of the media, in all its forms, and promotion through those means. I was amazed that by mid-March I had yet to see a trailer for the new film, and everyone else I had talked to about movies had already in fact, seen the red-band trailer. Even though I managed to get my hands on a pair of tickets to an advance screening, I was completely blown away at the turnout for the screening when I showed up and saw a line nearly wrapped around the entirety of the theater backed up to the additional parking garage, the likes of which I've never seen at an advance screening previously. This is when I knew for sure, that Evil Dead was to be no box office flop, and was going to be a much-needed jolt to the horror genre. No matter where I looked online, on movie websites, or on Twitter, and really anywhere else for that matter, there were early screening reviews claiming the new Evil Dead was a horror film that must be seen by all. These claims though, obviously made by fans of the classic and others who have probably never seen the original, are somewhat bogus in my opinion. As I did not find that this new version of Evil Dead was all that terrifying, I did discover that it certainly was a blood-fueled joy ride that can almost certainly be enjoyed by any fan of the genre.

What I liked most about Alvarez's Evil Dead was the surprising, but brilliant decision to stick with practical FX for the movie's blood and gore. This obviously being a move to honor the original, in which we see some of the best practical FX ever used in horror, but also to honor that of the genre's great usage of these methods in the past. I was so happy to hear the news when it came out that Evil Dead refused to use CGI for its gross-outs, but instead was going to scare audiences with buckets of blood and horrific prosthetic and makeup. I hope that this marks a resurgence of the use of practical FX, as I find it a much more effective way to entertain your horror audience. Though CGI has its benefits of being cost-effective and can sometimes make impossible visions a reality, it really detracts from the realism that a film is trying to communicate. This is more applicable in horror than any other genre, where frightened moviegoers are constantly being told not to be bothered by scary movies after its run-time because in the end it's all fake, yet they're being made more artificial with each passing year. Something about the use of practical FX can really get under a viewer's skin, even though if what they're watching is something of fantasy and they know it, the use of these real-life effects can go a long way in creating a haunting image in someone's imagination. So with that, I applaud those behind the decision to stick with the usage of corn syrup and latex, being that it was one of the greatest artistic decisions I've seen made by a filmmaker in a long while.

Another plus with this version of the Evil Dead is the casting of a group of unknown talent. Often times with big-budget horror remakes, there's almost always a star or recognizable name attached to the film (Jessica Biel in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or a misplaced Jared Padalecki in Friday the 13th, for examples). I was really happy to see that with this one, as we did not have Channing Tatum channeling his inner Bruce Campbell, nor a pasty Lindsay Lohan covering for demon duty in the cellar (though it could have been equally as disturbing). Instead, we have a cast comprised of all unknowns, at least to me, and it helped a lot in the feeling that this movie was not a cash-grab, but a true desire to give the experience to a new generation of moviegoers and horror fans alike. Capturing most of my attention was Jane Levy in the role of the first-possessed, Mia. As the film starts out and she's dealing with the struggles of addiction, she brings her friends to the cabin to help her quit cold turkey. At first, I was a bit weary of her performance because of the likenesses I drew to Kristen Stewart in my head. As soon as the evil begins however, Levy is able to showcase what is likely the real reason behind her being casted in the role. Better than the rest of the cast, Levy really captured what to me, is one of the more terrifying parts of the original. Commonly referred to as the cellar witch, at least in my experience, to me was the most important and worrisome task to bring to this remake. Easily the most haunting thing to me after viewing the original, that same eeriness was still present in Fede's take of the film, and I imagine was one of his main focuses as well as her performance essentially drives the entire movie. In talking of this film afterwards, I have constantly referred to a scene in which she is taunting one of her friends into making a very permanent decision, which has stuck with me since leaving the theater late Thursday night.

Levy was not the only one to impress though, as several others rounded out the young cast of victims in the new Evil Dead. I particularly enjoyed Lou Taylor Pucci as Eric, the most interesting person in the group of ho-hum intervention participants. Those who have seen the movie will understand why his character is so likeable, but he is easily the most at fault too when things start to go down in the cabin in the woods. He's really the sole bringer of a sense of humor from the group, and works solely as the film's only silly character, thus making him stick out over the rest. Shiloh Fernandez plays Mia's brother David, who the story seems to warp around after Mia's possession, and does an okay job. At times resembling Bruce Campbell in the original, especially towards the end of the film, but never quite breaks through as the film's star. Also, Jessica Lucas and Elizabeth Blackmore turn in spare, but decent performances as Olivia and Natalie respectively, both getting their shot at being one of the possessed.

While the film had a lot of positives going for it, there were some negatives, or at least observations that I made while watching the film. One noticeable difference between this Evil Dead and the 1981 original was the silliness, or offbeat sense of humor, considering the subject matter. The original sticks out in the long list of horror classics not only because of it's terrific use of practical FX, but also its oddball and sometimes slapstick comedy riddled throughout. This humor was something that eventually took over the franchise by the time Army of Darkness rolled out to theaters in 1992, so it was interesting to see how that would be handled with this new telling. There were definitely moments in the new version that I found funny, or could have been seen as amusing nods to the original, but it never crossed the threshold into corniness. While I think it was a wise decision to leave that out this go around, as it was what turned most people off of the original, it would have been nice to see that aspect of its predecessor acknowledged a little more openly. Also, there were scenes or bits that seemed exactly like the original, just updated, but it oftentimes seemed throughout the movie that Alvarez was trying to make something of his own. While I respect not making a shot-for-shot remake of the original, I wish there could have been a few more subtle nods to Ash and what made this whole project possible in the first place. However, this does not detract from the film in any way shape or form, and though I had my grievances, it never took away from me enjoying the new film.

Hopefully Evil Dead can hold some of its audience from this previous weekend and keep raking in some well-earned dollars for the director and crew. As I understand it, the film has already surpassed its cost in revenues, so anything made from here on out is just proof of the film's quality. Like many horror remakes before it, this looked as if it could go either way once it hit screens this April. Making the bold decision to go without CGI in the making of this movie I think really helped its street cred with the horror fanbase, and also upped the nasty for those just looking for a scary movie to see on a date. I would love to see a whole new trilogy come from this, and maybe evolve itself into something just as zany and entertaining as Evil Dead 2 or Army of Darkness but only time will tell. If the scene after the credits holds any water, I'd like to think we're in for quite the thrill when producers come to the table to meet about getting a sequel made. This film is a must-see for all horror fans, fans of the original, and even haters of the original. I think where Evil Dead fell short in 1981 for some fans, it has been taken into account and rose to the occasion in 2013. But please for all that is good in the world, stay after the credits. I didn't and now that I know what I've missed, I may have to make a trip back just to see this wild ride full of buckets of blood and insane visuals again, just to catch the 20-second scene my eyes missed out on, that I can promise you you don't want to.

ACTING : ( 6 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

EXECUTION : ( 8 / 10 )

POSTER : ( 7 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )