TRASH IN MY EYE Reviews: Halloween

Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Comics Review: "JOSIE Annual Spectacular #1" is Rockin' the Monster Suburbs

JOSIE ANNUAL SPECTACULAR, NO. 1

ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

STORY: Ian Flynn, Holly G!

PENCILS: Steven Butler; Dan DeCarlo; Holly G!

INKS: Lily Butler; Jim DeCarlo; John Costanza

COLORS: Glenn Whitmore; Bill Yoshida

LETTERS: Jack Morelli; Bill Yoshida

EDITORS: Jamie Lee Rotante; Vincent Lovallo; Stephen Oswald

EiC: Mike Pellerito

COVER: Steven Butler and Lily Butler with Rosario “Tito” Peña

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2024); on-sale November 6, 2024

Rating: All-Ages

Josie and the Pussycats in “Encore No More!”

In December 1962, Archie Comics introduced the character, Josie Jones, in Archie's Pals 'n' Gals #23 (cover dated: Winter 1962-1963). Created by Dan DeCarlo, Josie Jones would become “Josie McCoy,” and she would join her friends, Melody and Valerie, in the band, “Josie and the Pussycats.”

Archie is releasing a trio of “annual spectaculars” that involve the machinations of a new character, “Mother Striga.” She made her debut in Sabrina Annual Spectacular, No. 1. Her story continued in the Archie Halloween Spectacular. Striga's debut arc concludes in Josie Annual Spectacular, No. 1 (November 6, 2024).

Josie Annual Spectacular, No. 1 includes one new story and two reprint stories with the second reprint being a two-part tale. The new story, the Mother Striga tale, is entitled “Encore No More!” It is written by Ian Flynn; drawn by Steven Butler (pencils) and Lily Butler (inks); colored by Glenn Whitmore; and lettered by the great Jack Morelli.

Josie and the Pussycats in “Encore No More!”:

Alexandra Cabot makes an emergency call to her friend, Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Apparently, Mother Striga has bewitched Josie and the Pussycats, and their concert at Eyegore Estates has turned into a real monsters ball. Their music is brainwashing the monster-people. Luckily, Sabrina believes that this state of affairs can play in her favor in ending the threat of Mother Striga. But she'll need Alexandra's help to do it.

Meanwhile, Sabrina's cat, Salem Saberhagen, and Alexandra's cat, Sebastian, are reunited. Now, it is up to them to do their part to free Josie and the Pussycats.

THE LOWDOWN: I have been a fan of the Josie and the Pussycats franchise since I was a small child. I am crazy about classic Josie comic books that were published from the 1960s to the early 1980s, and I still love the two 1970s animated television series based on the comics.

Josie Annual Spectacular No. 1 brings an end to the Mother Striga introductory story arc. I imagine that the character will make a return, likely in an “Archie Horror” one-shot. Writer Ian Flynn does good work getting a lot out of what amounts to a 15-page story that is serialized over three issues. Honestly, he offers enough subplots and ideas for three full issues, but he ends this arc on a nice and unusual note. I must mention that while “Encore No More!” is ostensibly a Josie and the Pussycats tale, Josie supporting character, Alexandra Cabot, and Sabrina are the leads.

I am really impressed with the art throughout this arc. The team of Steven Butler (pencils) and Lily Butler (inks) deliver some really good-looking art. Their compositions are like an homage to Josie and the Pussycats legend Dan DeCarlo, but with a stylish modern sensibility. It really is eye candy. The colors by Glenn Whitmore add a surreal touch to the art and to the story, while also giving the narrative a kind of low wattage occult edginess. The lettering by the great Jack Morelli gives voice to the spicy dialogue which closes this story on a winning note... and a note of warning.

In these reviews, I always warn readers that I will always recommend classic-style Archie Comics titles. Josie Annual Spectacular No. 1 is kinda new because it is classic-style Archie Comics with an eye towards reinvigorating it. I recommend this entire “Mother Striga” line.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of classic-style Archie Comics and of Josie and the Pussycats will definitely want to get a copy of Josie Annual Spectacular No. 1.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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Thursday, October 31, 2024

Review: "HALLOWEEN ENDS" Because It Ran Out of Gas

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 45 of 2024 (No. 1989) by Leroy Douresseaux

Halloween Ends (2022)

Running time: 111 minutes (1 hour, 51 minutes)

MPA – R for bloody horror violence and gore, language throughout and some sexual references

DIRECTOR: David Gordon Green

WRITERS: David Gordon Green & Danny McBride and Paul Brad Logan and Chris Bernier (based on the characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill)

PRODUCERS: Malek Akkad, Bill Block, and Jason Blum

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Simmonds (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Tim Alverson

COMPOSERS: Cody Carpenter, John Carpenter, and Daniel Davies

HORROR/THRILLER

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Rohan Campbell, Will Patton, Jesse C. Boyd, Michael Barbieri, Destiny Moné, Joey Harris, Marteen, Joanne Barron, Rick Moose, Michele Dawson, Keraun Harris,Kyle Richards, Michael O'Leary, Jaxon Goldenberg, Candice Rose,Jack William Marshall, and Omar Dorsey

Halloween Ends is a 2022 slasher-horror film from director David Gordon Green. It is the thirteenth installment in the Halloween film franchise. It is also the third film in a trilogy of sequels to the original 1978 Halloween, the first of that trilogy being 2018's Halloween. Halloween Ends finds Laurie Strode wondering if the troubled young man that her granddaughter is dating carries the evil she saw in her decades long nemesis, Michael Myers.

Halloween Ends opens in Haddonfield, Illinois on Halloween night, 2019. Twenty-one-year-old Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) is babysitting a bratty 11-year-old boy. The night ends tragically, and Corey becomes a pariah in Haddonfield.

Three years later, it is 2022. Haddonfield is still reeling from the aftermath of the killing spree launched by the notorious Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney) in 2018 (as seen in 2018's Halloween and 2021's Halloween Kills). Michael has vanished, and his main victim, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), is writing a memoir and living with her granddaughter, Allyson Nelson (Andi Matichak). Corey is working at his stepfather, Roger's (Rick Moose) salvage yard.

A bullying incident brings Corey into contact with Laurie, so Corey meets Allyson, who is immediately taken with him. It seems as if the pariah Corey and the traumatized Allyson have found the perfect mate in each another. However, Corey has a strange and unexpected encounter that might lead to the creation of a new serial killer.

One could argue that Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) is a soft reboot of the first two films in the franchise – Halloween (1978) and Halloween II (1981). Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) was a reboot of the franchise in that it ignored franchise entries four through six. Rob Zombie's 2007 film, Halloween, was an ever harder reboot. Halloween 2018 was not so much a reboot as it was a true sequel to the original story. Halloween Kills (2021) was basically an attempt to insert a course correction of Halloween II that would sit between the original Halloween and 2018 Halloween, while kicking 1981's Halloween II partially to the curb.

Halloween Ends is spiritually related to Rob Zombie's 2007 film, at least a little. Zombie's film asks the question what creates a monster like Michael Myers. Halloween Ends depicts how a town's toxic legacy and history and its shitty townsfolk can come together to create the kind of monster and inhuman killer that will stalk the town's streets and kill the townsfolk.

Halloween Ends flirts with brilliance, but director David Gordon Green and his co-writers turn the second half of the film into a tedious display of ultra-violence. The film has a lot to say about scapegoating, pariahs, grief, trauma, post-traumatic stress, victim-blaming, and mercilessness, to name a few. In the end, however, Halloween Ends has to be a Halloween movie and bodies need to be dismembered, smashed, crushed, shot, and violently penetrated.

I really enjoyed this movie for a time; then, I was ready for it to... end. The performances are good, but no one performance really stands out to me, although (sexy) Will Patton as Deputy Frank Hawkins certainly tries, as he usually does in all his film and television performances. Whatever future this franchise has, it is time to move on to something really new. Halloween Ends is a good, but not great way to end the murder spree that began with the original film.

6 of 10

★★★ out of 4 stars

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

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Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Review: "HALLOWEEN III: Season of the Witch" is More Strange Than Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 155 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

Running time: 98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)

MPAA – R

DIRECTOR: Tommy Lee Wallace

WRITER: Tommy Lee Wallace

PRODUCERS: John Carpenter and Debra Hill

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dean Cundey (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Millie Moore

COMPOSERS: John Carpenter and Alan Howarth

HORROR/SCI-FI/FANTASY

Starring: Tom Atkins, Stacy Nelkin, Dan O’Herlihy, Michael Currie, Ralph Strait, Jadeen Barbor, and Brad Schacter

Halloween III: Season of the Witch is a 1982 American horror and science fiction-fantasy film from director Tommy Lee Wallace. It is the third installment in the Halloween film series and the only one not to feature the franchise's star antagonist, Michael Myers. British science fiction author, Nigel Kneale, and series co-creator, John Carpenter, joined director Tommy Lee Wallace in contributing to the writing of this film. Season of the Witch focuses on a doctor who uncovers a plot use children and a particular brand of Halloween masks to resurrect an ancient ritual.

When her father is murdered in his hospital bed, Ellie Grimbridge (Stacy Nelkin) begins to suspect the involvement of a powerful novelty company with whom her father, Harry (Al Berry), had a relationship. She convinces an over-stressed physician Dr. Daniel “Dan” Challis (Tom Atkins) to accompany her to the headquarters of the company, Silver Shamrock, where they meet the company’s creepy owner Conal Cochran (Dan O’Herlihy).

Silver Shamrock’s big sales push occurs at Halloween, and everywhere the two go, they encounter omnipresent television ads for the company’s three Halloween masks. As Halloween gets closer, the world around Dan and Ellie becomes more perilous and stranger, and they delve deeper into Silver Shamrock’s evil plans for the holiday.

After wrapping up the story he began in the 1978 film, Halloween, in the sequel, Halloween II (1981), John Carpenter had different plans. He intended Halloween III: Season of the Witch to be the first in an annual series of Halloween movies that each told a different Halloween related story. Each film would, of course, have the “Halloween” brand name, but this film failed at the box office and killed that plan. Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, the film editor of the original Halloween and for Carpenter's 1980 film, The Fog, Season of the Witch is average horror film with the potential to be something really great. It is gross-filled genre fare having equal doses of horror, mystery, and science fiction.

It is difficult to point out concretely just where it all went wrong. The mystery element is great, while the science fiction element is far fetched and more fantasy than science. The sci-fi/fantasy element fails because of a lack of proper execution and because the magical elements are flat and unconvincing. The horrific aspects are strong, and the dénouement is bracing and unsettling. Somewhere along the line, however, it all falls apart, and the movie can leave the viewer as unsatisfied as it will leave him curious about what happens in the story after the movie fades to black.

Still, I’d watch it again. There’s something in it, warts and all, that intrigues me, and I wish the filmmakers had taken the time to get whatever it is right.

4 of 10

★★ out of 4 stars

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Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Comics Review: "ARCHIE Halloween Spectacular #1" Wants to Party on the Dark Side

ARCHIE HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR (2024)

ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

STORY: Ian Flynn; Dan Parent; Francis Bonnet

PENCILS: Steven Butler; Dan Parent; Rex Lindsey; Bill Galvan

INKS: Lily Butler; Bob Smith; Rex Lindsey; Bill Galvan

COLORS: Glenn Whitmore

LETTERS: Jack Morelli; Rex Lindsey

EDITORS: Jamie Lee Rotante; Vincent Lovallo; Stephen Oswald

EiC: Mike Pellerito

COVER: Steven Butler and Lily Butler with Rosario “Tito” Peña

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (November 2024); In-store October 2, 2024

Rating: All-Ages

Archie and the Gang in “Party Hardly!”

Eternal high school student and teenage boy, Archie Andrews, and his friends made their debut in M.L.J. Magazines' Pep Comics #22 (cover dated: December 1941), and before long, Archie was the publisher's headliner character. In 1946, the company changed its named to Archie Comic Publications, also known as “Archie Comics.”

Archie is releasing a trio of “annual spectaculars” that involve the machinations of a new character, “Mother Striga.” She made her debut in Sabrina Annual Spectacular, No. 1. Her story now continues in the Archie Halloween Spectacular. It will conclude in Josie and the Pussycats Annual Spectacular, No. 1 (November 6, 2024).

Archie Halloween Spectacular offers four reprint stories and opens with a new five-page story featuring Mother Striga, “Party Hardly!” It is written by Ian Flynn; drawn by Steven Butler (pencils) and Lily Butler (inks); colored by Glenn Whitmore; and lettered by the great Jack Morelli.

Archie and the Gang in “Party Hardly!”:

As the story opens, Sabrina warns Jughead that something strange is going on in the Fae Folk community. Meanwhile, over at Hodge Manor, the party to end all Halloween parties is happening. How did Veronica convince her father, Hiram Lodge, to let a wild party go on in his home? Does Mother Striga have something to do with that? And why is Archie on the arms of magical bad girl, Amber Nightstone?

THE LOWDOWN: Over the last few years, Archie's marketing department has been sending me PDF copies of some of their titles for review. One of the most recent is the new one-shot comic book, Archie Halloween Spectacular (2024 edition).

This Halloween special includes three reprint stories featuring classic Archie Comics superheroes such as “The Web” and “The Crusaders.” The highlight, of course, is the new story, which is the middle part of the Mother Striga story arc. A lot happens in this story with writer Ian Flynn filling every panel with action and dialogue that informs the readers and moves the narrative forward. Flynn makes “Party Hardly's!” manic weirdness work.

As was the case with the Sabrina Annual Spectacular, the stars here are the art team of penciller Steven Butler, inker Lily Butler, and colorist Glenn Whitmore. They create a playfully macabre and pop Gothic sensibility that really sells this story's setting, plot, and characters. Whitmore's other-worldly, almost psychedelic colors are the perfect accompaniment to the Butlers' monster-mash aesthetic for this story. Also, Jack Morelli's lettering puts the finishing touch to this delightful tale. They make me wish that “Party Hardly!” was a longer story.

Dear readers, I will always recommend classic and classic-style Archie Comics stories. So, of course, I think you should read this.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of classic-style Archie Comics will definitely want to get a copy of Archie Halloween Spectacular.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://archiecomics.com/

https://twitter.com/archiecomics

https://www.instagram.com/archiecomics/

https://www.facebook.com/ArchieComicsOfficial?ref=tn_tnmn

https://www.youtube.com/user/ArchieComicsOfficial

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8914136-archie-comics

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Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Comics Review: "SABRINA Annual Spectacular #1" Brings on the New Baddie

SABRINA ANNUAL SPECTACULAR, NO. 1

ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

STORY: Ian Flynn; Dick Malmgren; George Gladir; Frank Doyle

PENCILS: Steven Butler; Dick Malmgren; Bob Bolling; Dan DeCarlo

INKS: Lily Butler; Jon D'Agostino; Rudy Lapick;

COLORS: Glenn Whitmore

LETTERS: Jack Morelli; Bill Yoshida

EDITORS: Jamie Lee Rotante; Vincent Lovallo; Stephen Oswald

EiC: Mike Pellerito

COVER: Steven Butler and Lily Butler with Rosario “Tito” Peña

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (October 2024)

Rating: All-Ages

Sabrina in “Awakening!”

Sabrina the Teenage Witch is an Archie Comics character that was created by writer George Gladir and artist Dan DeCarlo. Sabrina Spellman first appeared in Archie's Madhouse #22 (cover-dated: October 1962).

Archie is releasing a trio of “annual spectaculars” that involve the machinations of a new character, “Mother Striga.” She makes her debut in Sabrina's Annual Spectacular, No. 1. Her debut story will continue in the forthcoming Archie Halloween Spectacular, No. 1 (October 2, 2024) and Josie and the Pussycats Annual Spectacular, No. 1 (November 6, 2024).

Sabrina Annual Spectacular offers four reprint stories and opens with the new five-page story that introduces Mother Striga, “Awakening!” It is written by Ian Flynn; drawn by Steven Butler (pencils) and Lily Butler (inks); colored by Glenn Whitmore; and lettered by the great Jack Morelli.

“Awakening!” opens in the neighborhood of “Eyegore Estates,” the place that hosts all the things that go “bump in the night.” Sabrina the Teenage Witch and her cat, Salem, are shocked to discover that everyone is acting like zombies... even the zombies.

Soon, Sabrina learns that her nemesis, Amber Nightstone, has unleashed an evil more powerful than she expected. It's Mother Striga, the first witch and the mother of all witches!

THE LOWDOWN: Over the last few years, Archie's marketing department has been sending PDF copies of some of their titles for review. One of the most recent is the new one-shot comic book, Sabrina Annual Spectacular, No. 1.

In the the opening story, “Awakening!,” writer Ian Flynn teases big things to come, but this first chapter can really only tease. The stars here are the art team of penciller Steven Butler, inker Lily Butler, and colorist Glenn Whitmore. They create a playfully macabre and pop Gothic sensibility that really sells this story's setting, plot, and characters. Whitmore's other-worldly, almost psychedelic colors are the perfect accompaniment to the Butlers' Charles Addams' like aesthetic in this story. Also, Jack Morelli's lettering puts the finishing touch to this delightful tale. Although “Awakening!” is only five pages long, it is really a classically cool comics story.

Two of the reprint stories are from Sabrina's creators, George Gladir and Dan DeCarlo. The classic Sabrina story, “Haunt Taunt,” is written by Gladir and drawn by Bob Bolling and Rudy Lapick and originally published in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch #60 (cover dated: June 1980). DeCarlo pencils “Strange Love,” written by Frank Doyle and published in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch #1 (cover dated: April 1971).

Dear readers, I will always recommend classic and classic-style Archie Comics stories.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of classic-style Archie Comics and of Sabrina the Teenage Witch will definitely want to get a copy of Sabrina Annual Spectacular, No. 1.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://archiecomics.com/

https://twitter.com/archiecomics

https://www.instagram.com/archiecomics/

https://www.facebook.com/ArchieComicsOfficial?ref=tn_tnmn

https://www.youtube.com/user/ArchieComicsOfficial

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8914136-archie-comics

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Friday, October 21, 2022

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 16th to 22nd, 2022 - Update #7

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From THR: New Line Cinema is developing "The Conjuring 4" with writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick ("Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom").

MOVIES - From Deadline: Director Jeymes Samuel will follow up his Netflix Western, "The Harder They Fall" with the film "The Book of Clarence" and has lined up LaKeith Stanfield and Omar Sy to star in the picture.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline: "Friends" star, Matthew Perry, reveals that he almost died from his opiod abuse in an upcoming memoir. [WTF!]

TRAILERS - From Variety: There is a trailer for "Creed III," with star and now director, Michael B. Jordan, returning to face Jonathan Majors as his opponent. The film is due in theaters March 3, 2023.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 10/14 to 10/16/2022 weekend box office is "Halloween Ends" with an estimated take of 41.2 million dollars.

TELEVISION - From Deadline: The revival of the video game cable TV network, G4 TV, has ended. Comcast had revived the network November 2021, but announced a shutdown Sun., Oct. 16th. The original version of the network ran from 2002 to 2014.

MOVIES - From THR: After helming his "Halloween" trilogy that ended with the recent "Halloween Ends," director David Gordon Green is moving on to "The Exorcist"...

AMAZON - From Deadline: Inside the finale of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" Season One and a look ahead to Season Two.

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From Reuters: Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.

From TheDailyBeast: Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox: Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN: A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th. Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN: The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN: "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN: Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports: The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN: According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."

Saturday, October 8, 2022

Comics Review: "ARCHIE HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR" 2022 Introduces "Trick & Treat"

ARCHIE HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR (2022)
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

STORY: Ian Flynn; Francis Bonnet; Bill Golliher; Dan Parent; Rich Margopoulos
PENCILS: Ryan Jampole; Pat & Tim Kennedy; Bill Golliher; Dan Parent; Gene Colon
INKS: Ryan Jampole; Jim Amash; Bob Smith; Rudy Lapick
COLORS: Glenn Whitmore
LETTERS: Jack Morelli; Bill Yoshida
EDITORS: Jamie Lee Rotante; Vincent Lovallo; Stephen Oswald
EiC: Mike Pellerito
COVER: Dan Parent with Rosario “Tito” Peña
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (November 2022)

Rating: All-Ages

Eternal high school student and teenage boy, Archie Andrews, and his friends made their debut in M.L.J. Magazines' Pep Comics #22 (cover dated: December 1941), and before long, Archie was the publisher's headliner character. In 1946, the company changed its named to Archie Comic Publications, also known as “Archie Comics.”

Archie Comics frequently publishes themed one-shot comic books featuring Archie's characters (sometimes referred to as “the Archie Gang”). One of them is the Archie Halloween Spectacular, which Archie has been publishing since 2017. This year's edition features four Halloween-themed reprint stories and one brand new story. Entitled “Spirits of Halloween,” the new story stars Archie Comics' newest character duo, “Trick & Treat.” The story is written by Ian Flynn; drawn by Ryan Jampole; colored by Glenn Whitmore; and lettered by the great Jack Morelli.

Archie Halloween Spectacular opens with Trick & Treat in “Spirits of Halloween.” Meet Trick & Treat, a pair of impish magical creatures that come around every Halloween and eventually cause chaos. Trick, a pumpkin-headed fellow who also sports bat wings, loves the three “S's” of Halloween: suspense, screams, and scares. Treat, a Caspar-like ghost, loves the three “C's”: costumes, creativity, and candy.

This year, the duo arrives in Riverdale for some Halloween fun and then, fall into disagreement. Which imp's view of Halloween is the better? They decide to make a wager of it, one that involves Archie and his rival, Reggie. How much mischief will Trick & Treat cause Riverdale and Archie while everyone is out trick-or-treating?

THE LOWDOWN: Trick & Treat are impish characters like “The Great Gazoo” from the animated television series, “The Flintstones” or “Jiminy Cricket” of Walt Disney's Pinocchio. Although introduced as Halloween characters, I think Trick & Treat can cause trouble anywhere and anytime in the universe of the Archie gang.

The reprinted stories are comprised of two “Betty and Veronica” stories, and one of those guest-stars Sabrina the Teenage Witch. There are also two “Archie” stories, including “The Secret Project,” a fun story featuring Archie and his pal, Jughead Jones.

Dear readers, I always have to be honest. I have enjoyed what little of the modern Archie Comics that I have read, but I grew up on classic-style Archie Comics. Thus, I will always recommend such Archie titles, so I am giving Archie Halloween Spectacular 2022 a hearty recommendation.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of classic-style Archie Comics will want to find a copy of the 2022 edition of Archie Halloween Spectacular.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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Sunday, October 2, 2022

Review: Original "HOCUS POCUS" Still Casts a Friendly Spell

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 56 of 2022 (No. 1868) by Leroy Douresseaux

Hocus Pocus (1993)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some scary sequences, and for language
DIRECTOR: Kenny Ortega
WRITERS: Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert (from a story by Mick Garris and David Kirschner)
PRODUCERS: Steve Haft and David Kirschner
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Hiro Narita (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Peter E. Berger
COMPOSER: John Debney

FANTASY/COMEDY/FAMILY

Starring: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw, Stephanie Faracy, Charles Rocket, Sean Murray, Amanda Shepherd, Larry Bagby III, Tobias Jelinek, Doug Jones, and Jason Marsden (voice) with Garry Marshall and Penny Marshall

Hocus Pocus is a 1993 fantasy, supernatural comedy, and Halloween film directed by Kenny Ortega. The film focuses on the new boy in town who ignores local Halloween legend and lore and unwittingly awakens a trio of scheming witches who were executed 300 years earlier.

Hocus Pocus opens on October 31, 1693 (All Hallow's Eve), in Salem, Massachusetts. A boy named Thackery Binx (Sean Murray) tries to save his little sister, Emily (Amanda Shepherd), from the schemes of Winifred “Winnie” Sanderson (Bette Midler) and her two sisters, Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy), who are all witches. Thackery fails to save Emily, whose life force is drained in order to make the witch sisters young again. The witches curse Thackery with eternal life and transform him into a black cat. However, the vengeful townsfolk capture the Sanderson sisters and hang them, but not before Winifred casts a curse. According to this curse, the Sanderson sisters will be resurrected during a full moon on All Hallows' Eve if a virgin lights the “Black Flame Candle” in their cottage. Thackery, now a black cat, decides to guard the cottage in order to keep anyone from bringing the witches back to life.

Three hundred years later, it is October 31, 1993 – Halloween. Teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz) is the new kid in Salem, where he has moved from Los Angeles with his sister, Dani (Thora Birch), and their mother (Stephanie Faracy) and father (Charles Rocket). Max's parents force him to take Dani out trick-or-treating. One of the houses they visit is the home of Allison (Vinessa Shaw), Max's classmate at Jacob Bailey High School and a beautiful teen girl upon whom he has a crush.

Looking to do something different on Halloween, Max, Allison and Dani visit the former Sanderson cottage, which became a museum before it was shut down. There, Max, a virgin, lights the Black Flame Candle which, in turn, resurrects, Winnifred, Sarah, and Mary. Now, the three children join the still alive Thackery the black cat (voice of James Marsden), and William “Billy” Butcherson (Doug Jones) the zombie in a bid to stop the Sanderson sisters from sucking the souls out of all the children of Salem, which would give them eternal youth and immortality.

I remember that Walt Disney did mount a somewhat strong marketing campaign for Hocus Pocus upon it original release in 1993, but the film under-performed at the theatrical box office. [I won't describe it as a box office bomb, as some do.] In the 1990s, I worked at a video store and our VHS copy of Hocus Pocus was frequently rented, especially during Halloween. During the last decade and a half, Hocus Pocus has exploded in a popularity due to repeated shows on “The Disney Channel” and what is now known as “Freeform.” That popularity resulted in the production of a recently released sequel, Hocus Pocus 2 (via the “Disney+” streaming service). The arrival of the sequel was the impetus I needed to finally watch the original Hocus Pocus from beginning to end, which I had never done, although I had been putting it off literally for decades.

Having finally seen it, I really like it. Honestly, despite my best attempts, I can't find anything to dislike about it. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy are a riot as the Sanderson sisters, even if Midler is a little too over the top … here and there. The sisters' costumes and the Halloween costumes worn by the townsfolk are impressive and imaginative, especially the sisters garb. The sets and art direction are visually perfect, creating a pop Gothic mood and playful macabre sensibility that are pitch-perfect for a family-oriented Halloween film.

The child actors: Omri Katz as Max, Thora Birch as Dani, and Vinessa Shaw as Allison are quite good, and Max ably carries the film. I do find the emphasis on Max's virginity to be a bit odd. Billy the zombie and Thackery the black cat are pitch perfect supporting characters for this film. Hocus Pocus is an impressive bit of directing on the part of Kenny Ortega and also smooth editing on the part of Peter E. Berger. Hocus Pocus never stops moving; it has a brisk and appealing pace that can make the viewer lose track of time. I certainly did.

I highly recommend Hocus Pocus for a family viewing night. It is not a masterpiece of American cinema, but it is simply as perfect and as effective as it can be. The critics who initially panned Hocus Pocus were sourpusses, and may still be sourpusses … dead or alive.

8 of 10
A
★★★★ out of 4 stars

Sunday, October 2, 2022

The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Thursday, February 3, 2022

Review: "HALLOWEEN KILLS" is the Best "Halloween" Sequel in Decades

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 3 of 2022 (No. 1815) by Leroy Douresseaux

Halloween Kills (2021)
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence throughout, grisly images, language and some drug use
DIRECTOR: David Gordon Green
WRITERS: David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, and Scott Teems (based on the characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill)
PRODUCERS: Malek Akkad, Bill Block, and Jason Blum
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Simmonds (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Tim Alverson
COMPOSERS: Cody Carpenter, John Carpenter, and Daniel Davies

HORROR/THRILLER

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Nick Castle, Will Patton, Thomas Mann, Jim Cummings, Dylan Arnold, Robert Longstreet, Anthony Michael Hall, Charles Cyphers, Scott MacArthur, Michael McDonald, Kyle Richards, Nancy Stephens, Diva Tyler, Lenny Clarke, Brian Mays, Sr., Michael Smallwood, Carmela McNeal, Jibrail Nantambu, and Omar Dorsey

Halloween Kills is a 2021 slasher-horror film from director David Gordon Green. It is the twelfth installment in the Halloween film series and is a direct sequel to the 2018 film, Halloween, and to the original Halloween, the 1978 film that was the first in the series.

Halloween Kills opens on October 31, 1978 in Haddonfield just after the events depicted in the original Halloween (1978) film. Michael Myers failed to kill Laurie Strode, but he survived being shot by Dr. Samuel Loomis. Now, the sheriff's department is desperately searching for Michael. While searching for him in the ruins of his childhood home, Deputy Frank Hawkins (Thomas Mann) accidentally shoots his partner, Peter McCabe (Jim Cummings), dead while trying to save him from Michael. Hawkins also prevents Dr. Loomis from executing Michael.

Forty years later, on October 31, 2018, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis); her adult daughter, Karen Nelson (Judy Greer), and Karen's daughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak), have escaped Laurie's fortified house. They believe that they have defeated Michael Myers who had returned to do what he had not forty years earlier – kill Laurie Strode. They believe that Michael will die in Laurie's now-burning house, even as they see firefighters responding to the blaze.

While the medical staff of Haddonfield Memorial Hospital try to save the badly injured Laurie's life, survivors of Michael original rampage celebrate the 40th anniversary of Michael's imprisonment. Two of them are the adult Tommy Doyle (Michael Anthony Hall) and the adult Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards), the two children Laurie Strode was babysitting back in 1978 the night Michael attacked. When Tommy learns that Michael Myers has returned to Haddonfield, Tommy forms an every-growing mob of vengeful Haddonfield residents to hunt down and kill Michael. Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Laurie and an older Deputy Frank Hawkins (Will Patton) wonder if Michael can really every be stopped.

Halloween Kills is the sequel to Halloween 2018, which is both a direct sequel to Halloween 1978 and a reboot of the entire franchise. Halloween 2018 literally made all the sequel films to the 1978 film irrelevant. Halloween Kills, however, takes elements from one of those sequels, the excellent Halloween II (1980), and rewrites them to explain what happened to Michael immediately after the events of the 1978 film. In Halloween II, Michael escapes the police and stalks Laurie to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital. In Halloween Kills, the sheriff and his deputies and Dr. Loomis capture Michael before he ever makes his way to the hospital to attack Laurie again.

In fact, Halloween Kills pretty much keeps the now-elderly Laurie Strode in the hospital and out of the fight this time around. Halloween Kills is the first Halloween film that pits Michael Myers against the residents of Haddonfield rather than having him stalk Laurie Strode, a version of her, or a descendant, while killing anyone who happens to be connected directly or indirectly to his target.

I like that. It refreshes the franchise in a way that Halloween 2018 did not. Halloween Kills is honest, in a way. Michael Myers won't be killed off because, as a movie character and as intellectual property, he is a cash cow. In the world of the film, Michael suffered injuries in Halloween 1978 and 2018 that should have caused his death. The very nature of his violence creates the atmosphere and conditions that keep him alive and returning to kill more. Michael can't be killed, even in the world of these films.

I like Halloween Kills much more than I liked Halloween 2018. The inventive script and David Gordon Green's aggressive and confrontational directing style result in two good things. First, the actors' performances are individualized, so no one is the same. Thus, when Michael kills a character, it feels like he is killing a real resident of Haddonfield rather than a generic victim in a horror film's typically high body count. Let's be honest, dear readers, the main problem with the Friday the 13th horror film franchise is that the vast majority of the victims seem like the same people.

Secondly, Green and company offer some of the most creatively brutal kills that the audience will find in a slasher horror film. No one killing is the same, and they all seem well thought out even when they happen quickly. I really enjoyed Halloween Kills, and several times, I caught myself cheering and whooping it up. I will say that Halloween Kills is a near-masterpiece of the genre, and it is a more worthy successor to Halloween 1978 that Halloween 2018 is.

8 of 10
A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint syndication rights and fees.

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Friday, October 22, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 17th to 23rd, 2021 - Update #25

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BREAKING NEWS - From Deadline: The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed Thursday night that Alec Baldwin “discharged” a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the movie, "Rust." As a result, one crew member, director of photography Halyna Hutchins, was killed and director Joel Souza was injured and remains in a local hospital - his condition unknown.

From Deadline: The fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" may have been "recorded" according to detective for Santa Fe Sheriff's Department.

From Deadline: The production company behind the film, "Rust," will launch an internal safety review after the fatal accident that killed Halyna Hutchins; possible prior gun incidents; and a camera crew walkout.

From CNN: Crew member yelled "cold gun" as he handed Alec Baldwin prop weapon, court document shows.

From Variety: Actor Alec Baldwin releases statement on the death of Halyna Hutchins: "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness."

From Variety: The prop gun that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on during an on-set accident on Thursday contained a “live single round,” according to an email sent by IATSE Local 44 to its membership.

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TELEVISION - From THR: CBS has given a full-season pickup to its supernatural comedy, "Ghosts."

AWARDS - From THR: The nominations for the 2021 Gotham Awards have been announced in both film and TV categories. The winners will be announced Monday, Nov. 29th.

MOVIES - From Deadline: Emily Blunt is in talks to join Christopher Nolan's film, "Oppenheimer."

TRAILER - From ETCanada: There is a new trailer for the film, "Being the Ricardos," starring Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz. The film, directed by Aaron Sorkin, focuses on a week in the production of the classic television series, "I Love Lucy." It will be released on "Amazon Prime" on Dec. 21st.

NETFLIX - From Deadline: Netflix says that its hit, "Squid Game," the Korean sci-fi dystopian series, has been streamed by 142 million households in its first four weeks.

MOVIES - From THR: Steve McQueen has won the inaugural European Film Award for Innovative Storytelling for "Small Axe," an anthology of five films set between 1969 and 1982 that explore the experiences of London’s West Indian community.

STREAMING - From Variety: Hulu has ordered "History of the World, Part II," a TV variety series that will act as a sequel to Mel Brooks' classic film comedy, "History of the World, Part I" (1981). Brooks will be a writer and executive producer on the series.

TELEVISION - From Deadline: Lionsgate is developing, "The Continental," a three-night, special event TV series that will act as a prequel to the "John Wick" film series. Actor Mel Gibson is the first star signed to appear in "The Continental," which is set to appear on Starz.

From Variety: Actor Colin Woodell will play a young "Winston Scott" in Starz's "John Wick" prequel series, "The Continental." Winston Scott is played by actor Ian McShane in the "John Wick" films.

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MOVIES - From Variety: Rob Zombie has shared the first cast photo from his film, "The Munsters," which updates or reboots the old 1960s TV series of the same name. Universal Studios will release the film.

MOVIES - From Variety: Disney delays the release date of several upcoming films, including "Doctor Strange 2," "Thor 4," Black Panther 2," and "Indiana Jones 5."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 10/15 to 10/17/2021 weekend box office is "Halloween Kills" with an estimated take of 50.35 million dollars.

LABOR - From Deadline: The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) have reached a new film and TV deal that averted the start of a strike by over 60,000 IATSE members on Monday. This article has the details.

DC FANDOME:

From Variety: See all the hot trailers for upcoming DC Comics films and TV series from DC FanDome.

From Deadline: At DC FanDome, director Matt Reeves revealed a new trailer for his film, "The Batman," which is due May 4, 2022.

From Deadline: A preview of DC Film's "The Flash" gives us a peek at a cameo from a certain Batman...

OBITS:

From TMZ: Singer and musician, Tommy DeBarge, has died at the age of 64, Thursday, October 21, 2021. DeBarge was a vocalist and bass player for the R&B/funk band, "Switch," which had it best success in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Tommy and his brother, the late Bobby DeBarge, were founding members of Switch. Tommy and Bobby would later leave the group to mentor their younger siblings in the 1980s group, "DeBarge."

From THR: Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins as died at the age of 42, Thursday, October 21, 2021 after a prop gun incident on the set of the film, "Rust." Hutchins was known for her work on such indie films as "Archenemy," "Blindfire," and "The Mad Hatter."

From THR: Actor Peter Scolari has died at the age of 66, Friday, October 22, 2021 after a battle with cancer. Scolari first game to prominence on the short-lived ABC sitcom, "Bosom Buddies" (1980-82), with friend, Tom Hanks. Scolari joined the cast of CBS' "Newhart" as a recurring character during the series' second season (1983-84), and then, became a series regular from 1984 until the series' end in 1990. He won a "Guest Actor" Primetime Emmy for his role on HBO's "Girls."

From YahooNews: American four-star general, diplomat, and statesman, General Colin Powell, has died at the age of 84, from complications of COVID-19. He was the first African-American U.S. Secretary of State and a trailblazing figure both in the United States and around the world. He also served as the 16th United States National Security Advisor from 1987 to 1989 and as the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993.

From Deadline: The actress, Betty Lynn, has died at the age of 95, Saturday, October 16, 2021. Her best known role was as "Betty Lou," the girlfriend of "Deputy Barney Fife" on "The Andy Griffith Show." Lynn appeared on the series 26 times from 1961 to 1966. In the 1950s, Lynn appeared in "Cheaper by the Dozen" (1950) and "Meet Me in Las Vegas" (1956). Lynn also appeared on four episodes of Andy Griffith's series "Matlock" (1986-92).

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Review: "Halloween" 2018 is a Crazy Film

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 2 of 2021 (No. 1740) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Halloween (2018)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour 46 minutes)
MPAA – R for horror violence and bloody images, language, brief drug use and nudity
DIRECTOR: David Gordon Green
WRITERS: David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, and Jeff Fradley (based on the characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill
PRODUCERS: Malek Akkad, Bill Block, and Jason Blum
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Simmonds
EDITOR: Timothy Alverson
COMPOSERS: Cody Carpenter, John Carpenter, and Daniel A. Davies

HORROR

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Nick Castle, Haluk Bilginer, Will Patton, Rhian Rees, Jefferson Hall, Toby Huss, Virginia Gardner, Dylan Arnold, Miles Robbins, Drew Scheid, Jibrail Nantambu, and Omar Dorsey

Halloween is a 2018 slasher-horror film from director David Gordon Green. It is the eleventh installment in the Halloween film series and is a direct sequel to Halloween, the 1978 film that was the first in the series. Halloween 2018 follows a post-traumatic woman as she plots the final showdown with the masked killer who has haunted her ever since he killed her friends and almost killed her forty years ago on Halloween night.

Halloween opens on October 29, 2018. Michael Myers (Nick Castle) has been institutionalized at Smith's Grove Psychiatric Hospital for 40 years following his killing spree in Haddonfield on October 31, 1978. Myers is being prepared for transfer to a maximum security prison, but the following day, as he is being transferred, Michael manages to escape and returns to Haddonfield.

In Haddonfield, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is still living in fear of Michael Myers 40 years later. She is drinking heavily and rarely leaves her fortified house deep in the woods. Laurie is estranged from her adult daughter, Karen Nelson (Judy Greer), whom the state took away from Laurie when Karen was 12. Karen's husband, Ray Nelson (Toby Huss), does not want Laurie around, but their daughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak), does keep in touch with her grandmother, Laurie.

When Laurie discovers that Michael has escape, she springs into action. Deputy Frank Hawkins (Will Patton), who arrested Michael in 1978, seems to be the only other person who truly understands how dangerous Michael Myers is. As they try to convince Laurie's family and the rest of Haddonfield that Michael (James Jude Courtney) is back, Laurie prepares for her final confrontation with Michael.

Halloween 2018 is called a “direct sequel” to the 1978 original, although I think the 2018 film is a hybrid that is a combination sequel, remake, reboot, and re-imagining of various elements of the Halloween film franchise. If anything Halloween 2018 is inspired by Halloween 1978 and by the fables and culture surrounding it.

That would explain why Halloween 2018 seems incomplete in many ways. Initially, the film presents Michael Myers as a man. When he dons the mask, Michael becomes “The Shape,” which was how the original film's screenplay referred to him. Ultimately, however, Myers is a slasher film villain and when he starts dispatching the denizens of Haddonfield, he becomes what he must be – a killing machine. He kills so many other characters in this film that it just becomes pointless. Apparently, Myers really wants to kill Laurie Strode, but while he strolls on over to his inevitable showdown with her, he must think why not kill a person or two … or three … or four.

What is this movie about, really? I will freely admit that it is one of the most intensely scary movies that I have seen in recent years. So is it about the post-traumatic woman that Laurie Strode is? Is it about the multi-generational affects of violence? Is it about Laurie vs. Michael, and if it is, why is Laurie vs. Michael a thing? After all, Halloween 2018 “retcons” out the fact that Laurie Strode and Michael Myers are siblings, as movie audiences learned in 1981's underrated Halloween II.

The problem is that the original Halloween was a film that director John Carpenter wanted to make, while Halloween 2018 is something birthed by Halloween the cash cow film franchise. Although, Halloween 2018 is very well directed by David Gordon Green, it is not cinematic art; it is simply film as entertainment product.

Halloween 2018 sells a familiar product to audiences, and this product is a scary movie that is supposed to deliver scares, which, once again, I will admit that it does indeed deliver. The writers and director really deliver the horror movie wheelhouse tropes, but do so with the cost being truncated character drama and story development. This film has some quality actors, led by Jamie Lee Curtis, and some quality acting, for instance Haluk Bilginer as Dr. Ranbir Sartain (an underutilized character). But the actors' efforts with these characters feels abbreviated … because the film has to focus on Michael killing lots of characters in the most gruesome fashion. Only child actor, Jibrail Nantambu, as the babysat kid, Julian Morrisey, makes the most of his character, and that is because his character has too little screen time to infer with Michael's killing spree.

However, I must state that if you, dear readers, want to be scared, Halloween 2018 will scare you. It is a genuinely chilling, creepy, and scary film. But I also want to make sure that I emphasize that the true “direct sequel” to Halloween 1978 is 1981's Halloween II. Halloween 2018 was meant to be and is an effective cash cow, and if it were more that that, I would give it an even higher grade.

B+
7 of 10

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint syndication rights and fees.

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Sunday, July 21, 2019

Universal Pictures Announces Two "Halloween" Sequels

"HALLOWEEN KILLS" and "HALLOWEEN ENDS" - Release Dates Now Available

The saga of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode isn't over.

Universal Pictures announced release dates for two new films in the iconic Halloween series.

In response to the global fan enthusiasm for last year's Halloween, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and directed by David Gordon Green, which went on to become the highest-grossing installment in the classic horror franchise at more than $250 million worldwide, Universal Pictures announced release dates for two new films in the iconic Halloween series, from Trancas International Films, Miramax and Blumhouse Productions.

HALLOWEEN KILLS will be released on Friday, October 16, 2020.

Written by David Gordon Green & Danny McBride & Scott Teems, based on characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, the film will be directed by David Gordon Green and produced by Malek Akkad, Jason Blum and Bill Block. John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jeanette Volturno, Couper Samuelson, Danny McBride, David Gordon Green and Ryan Freimann are executive producers. Ryan Turek is overseeing the project for Blumhouse.

HALLOWEEN ENDS will be released on Friday, October 15, 2021.

Written by David Gordon Green and Danny McBride, and Paul Brad Logan and Chris Bernier, based on characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, the film will be directed by David Gordon Green and produced by Malek Akkad, Jason Blum and Bill Block. John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jeanette Volturno, Couper Samuelson, Danny McBride, David Gordon Green and Ryan Freimann are executive producers. Ryan Turek is overseeing the project for Blumhouse.

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Friday, October 28, 2016

VIZ Media Offers "Tomie" Sampler for Halloween 2016

VIZ MEDIA SUPPORTS HALLOWEEN COMICFEST 2016 WITH MANGA SAMPLER FEATURING AN EXCERPT FROM HORROR MASTER JUNJI ITO’S TOMIE

Visit And Support Local Comics Retailers On October 29th For A FREE Sampler Of Upcoming VIZ Media Deluxe Release Of Junji Ito’s Long Out-Of-Print Debut Series

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, gives readers a special treat for its participation in Halloween ComicFest 2016 as it offers a FREE sampler that features an excerpt from manga horror master Junji Ito’s spine-tingling thriller about an immortal femme fatale, TOMIE.

Held annually, Halloween ComicFest will be celebrated on Saturday, October 29th, 2016 at scores of comic shops and retailers nationwide on Halloween or the Saturday just before Halloween. On this day, participating shops offer fans and visitors FREE Halloween ComicFest samplers filled with previews of exciting upcoming titles. For additional information and a list of participating retailers, please visit: www.HalloweenComicFest.com.

Tomie Kawakami is a femme fatale with long black hair and a beauty mark just under her left eye. She can seduce nearly any man, and drive them to murder as well, even though the victim is often Tomie herself. While one lover seeks to keep her for himself, another grows terrified of the immortal succubus. But soon they realize that no matter how many times they kill her, the world will never be free of Tomie.

TOMIE is scheduled to debut on December 20th, 2016 as a hardcover Complete Deluxe Edition published under the VIZ Signature imprint.

Manga creator Junji Ito made his professional debut in 1987 and has gone on to be recognized as one of the greatest contemporary artists working in the horror genre. His critically acclaimed titles include TOMIE and UZUMAKI, which were adapted into critically praised live-action films, as well as GYO, which was adapted into an animated feature film. UZUMAKI, GYO and Ito’s celebrated manga short story anthology, FRAGMENTS OF HORROR, are published in English by VIZ Media in deluxe hardcover editions available under the VIZ Signature imprint. Ito’s influences include classic horror manga artists Kazuo Umezu and Hideshi Hino, as well as authors such as Yasutaka Tsutsui and H.P. Lovecraft.

For more information on TOMIE and other Junji Ito manga titles available from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the field of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at www.VIZ.com.

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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 27th to 31st, 2015 - Update #17

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From VillageVoice: Here is a piece on the late Bill Gunn, whose vampire film, "Ganja and Hess," was the subject of a Spike Lee remake, "Da Sweet Blood of Jesus."

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From YahooNews: Leo DiCaprio said no to George Lucas when offered the role of Anakin Skywalker.

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From TheWrap: "Making a Murder" docuseries has spawned a WhiteHouse.org petition.

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From YahooSports: Kobe wishes he could tell his younger self to "understand compassion."

From YahooSports: Michael Jordan records tribute to Kobe Bryant.

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From YahooNews: No charges in the Tamir Rice killing. Of course not... No justice, no peace.

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From TheWrap: The "Halloween" franchise is looking for a new home after Dimension lets its rights to the property expire.

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From TheWrap: Katherine Waterston is the female lead in Ridley Scott's "Alien: Covenant," the follow-up to "Prometheus." Covenant is apparently the start of a new Alien trilogy and will connect Prometheus to original Alien (1979) film.

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From TheWrap: Chris Nolan's next film is "Dunkirk," a World War II film.

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From TruthVoice: Quentin Tarantino says that he utterly rejects that idea that only some cops are bad apples.

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From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the Christmas weekend box office (12/25 to 12/27/2015) is "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" with an estimated take of $153.5 million. That is the largest second weekend at the box office in history. Meanwhile the film has crossed the $1 billion mark in worldwide ticket sales in just 12 days.

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From Deadline: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has repeated as weekend box office champion, according to early estimates.

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From BleedingCool: Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson praise 70mm in this interview.

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From CinemaBlend: Before Andrew Lincoln became Rick Grimes on "The Walking Dead," Thomas Jane was the choice.

COMICS - Films and Books:

From BleedingCool: Mads Mikkelsen is the main villain in Dr. Strange, apparently.

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Variety: First look at Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Stange.

REVIEWS:

From the VillageVoice: A review of Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson's "Anomalisa."

OBITS:

From TheWrap: Lemmy Kilmister, the front man for the rock band, Motorhead, died at the age of 70 on Monday, December 28, 2015. Once upon a time, I was a Motorhead fan.

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From TheWrap: Meadowlark Lemon, the legendary member of the Harlem Globetrotters, died Sunday, December 27, 2015 at the age of 83. Known as "the Clown Prince of Basketball," Lemon joined the team in 1954 and left in 1978 after a contract dispute. Negromancer sends condolences to Lemon's family. R.I.P.

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From IndieWire: Haskell Wexler, the legendary cinematographer, died this morning, Sunday, December 27, 2015. He was 93. Wexler won two Oscar for his work ("Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and "Bound for Glory"). Negromancer sends condolences to his family. R.I.P.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

VIZ Media Has Two Manga Samples for Halloween Comicfest 2015

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES TWO FREE MANGA SAMPLERS FOR HALLOWEEN COMICFEST 2015

Fans Are Invited To Visit Their Local Participating Comic Shop For Special Samplers Featuring Excerpts From FRAGMENTS OF HORROR And YO-KAI WATCH Manga

VIZ Media invites readers to celebrate Halloween – manga style – as the company announces its participation in Halloween ComicFest 2015 with two special FREE samplers featuring an excerpt from Junji Ito’s critically acclaimed manga short story anthology, FRAGMENTS OF HORROR, and a preview of the just-released new All-Ages supernatural adventure series, YO-KAI WATCH.

Held each year, Halloween ComicFest is celebrated at scores of comic shops and retailers nationwide on the Saturday before Halloween. On this day, participating shops offer fans and visitors FREE Halloween ComicFest samplers filled with previews of exciting upcoming titles. For additional information and a list of participating retailers, please visit: www.halloweencomicfest.com.

FRAGMENTS OF HORROR (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) contains a unique collection of delightfully macabre tales from the master of horror manga. An old wooden mansion that turns on its inhabitants. A dissection class with a most unusual subject. A funeral where the dead are definitely not laid to rest. Ranging from the terrifying to the comedic, from the erotic to the loathsome, these stories showcase Junji Ito’s long-awaited return to the world of horror.

YO-KAI WATCH (rated ‘A’ for All Ages) is a supernatural comedy adventure series is inspired by the explosively popular YOKAI WATCH video game created by LEVEL-5 for the Nintendo 3DS. The YO-KAI WATCH manga is published under the company’s Perfect Square imprint, written and drawn by Noriyuki Konishi under the guidance of the LEVEL-5 team. In the series, Nate Adams is just an average kid until the mysterious Whisper gives him a device that allows him to see what others cannot, Yo-kai of all shapes and forms! Now, armed with the Yo-kai Watch, Nate, Whisper and their new invisible friends embark on an all new supernatural adventure!

For more information on FRAGMENTS OF HORROR, YO-KAI WATCH, or other manga and/or anime titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

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Saturday, September 12, 2015

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of September 6th to 12th, 2015 - Updated #14

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From Variety: Oscar winner A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire) has a "fatwa" issue against him.

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From Deadline: 2 people die in a plane crash on set of Tom Cruise's movie "Mena."

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From YahooMovies: Michael Moore unveils his new film, "Where to Invade Next," at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.

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From YahooTV: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new stamp collection and new ABC special.

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From Vulture: Ronda Rousey is set to be the lead in a remake of the Patrick Swayze flick, "Road House."

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From Variety: Tom Cruise joins Doug Liman for sci-fi film, "Luna Park."

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From Variety: Christopher Nolan's next film, of which nothing is known, is due from Warner Bros. in July 2017.

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From ThePlaylist: Jamie Foxx heads to Edgar Wright's "Baby Driver," which might not show up until 2017.

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From TheHollywoodNews: Grammy winner Sam Smith is apparently going to sing the theme song from the upcoming James Bond film, Spectre.

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From BenBussey: Marcus Dunstan talks about his Halloween franchise re-calibration, "Halloween Returns."

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From RollingStone: Danny Boyle says "Trainspotting 2" is his next film.

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From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 9/4 to 9/6/2015 weekend box office is the religiously-themed film, "War Room," with an estimated take of $9.3 million. In its debut weekend last week, War Room finished second to "Straight Outta Compton." The weekend "Compton" finished second with a take of $8.8 million.

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From THR: Hugh Jackman says that he would consider playing James Bond.

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From Variety: On Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs in the Danny Boyle biopic.

COMICS - Movies and Books:

From ScreenRant: 15 superhero TV shows that almost were.

OBITS:

From DeadlineHollywood: The actor, Martin Milner, has died at the age of 83. Milner was best known for his role as "Pete Malloy" on the popular TV cop series, "Adam-12." Milner was also known for his lead role as "Tod Stiles" on the classic series, "Route 66."

I am a big fan of "Adam-12," and discovered "Route 66" a few years ago. I wish to express my condolences to Milner's family. R.I.P. Martin Milner, and "End of watch, Pete Malloy."

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Tyler Mane to Appear at Los Angles Comikaze Expo 2014

Darby Pop Publishing announced today that Tyler Mane – none other than “Michael Myers” himself from Rob Zombie’s HALLOWEEN -will be appearing at their booth (#806) during the Los Angeles Comikaze Expo on Friday, October 31st and Saturday, November 1st, 2014.

Mane, also known for his role as “Sabretooth” in X-MEN, as well as featured parts in TROY and SCORPION KING, will be signing photos and other memorabilia throughout the weekend. Photo ops will also be available, as will DVDs of COMPOUND FRACTURE, the inaugural film from Mane’s recently-formed shingle Mane Entertainment.

Darby Pop Publishing, an L.A.-based comic book company distributed worldwide by IDW, is about to celebrate its first anniversary. With five original series already in print, Darby Pop has been aggressive about creating both high-quality content and unique opportunities for reader interaction.

Renae Geerlings, who serves as both Mane Entertainment President and Darby Pop Publishing Managing Editor, explained: “Having both companies join forces seemed like a no-brainer, and a fun way for us – and fans of all stripes — to celebrate the holiday together.”

Mane added: “Halloween is obviously my favorite time of year, and I love supporting local shows. Darby Pop has published some outstanding books, and I’m looking forward to hanging out with them for a couple of days and meeting fans of all genres!”

ABOUT Darby Pop Publishing
Founder and Emmy-winning writer/producer Jeff Kline (Transformers: Prime, G.I. Joe: Renegades) created Darby Pop Publishing in 2013 with the goal of telling all-new stories crafted by a small circle of friends. Darby Pop Publishing’s ever-growing array of original titles includes INDESTRUCTIBLE, CITY: THE MIND IN THE MACHINE, THE 7TH SWORD, DOBERMAN, and DEAD SQUAD, all distributed worldwide by IDW. For more information, visit darbypop.com.

ABOUT Mane Entertainment
Founded in 2010, Mane Entertainment, LLC, is a Los Angeles-based production company founded by actor/producer Tyler Mane. Mane Entertainment is committed to producing high-quality films that build on Mane’s cache as a horror icon. Visit Mane Entertainment online at www.maneentertainment.com.

ABOUT Stan Lee's Comikaze
Stan Lee’s Comikaze is Los Angeles’ first and only large-scale, multi-media pop culture convention. Held annually at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Comikaze assembles the most exciting and innovative in comics, video games, sci-fi, fantasy, horror and all things pop-culture. Partnering with comic legend Stan Lee himself and Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Comikaze is the only pop-culture convention owned and operated by true pop-culture icons. Check http://comikazeexpo.com for more info.