Happy 75th Birthday Batman!

March 30, 1939...the world was given the single greatest gift in the history of mankind, the Batman. Yes friends, it was a mere 75 years ago today that Detective Comics #27 hit the comic racks and introduced young readers to the most important character ever conceived. Join me in wishing a very happy birthday to the Dark Knight, here's to 75 more!!!

I don't allow myself to splurge very much. Most of my modest income goes toward providing the bare essentials for my two ungrateful, mooching children. That said, the allure of DC Direct's Batman Black and White statues is often too much for me to ignore, particularly when based on a design by an artist I like. Now, I've got probably close to 20 of them, and almost NO shelf room whatsoever left for new ones, however when I flipped through the new Previews at work Thursday and saw this...

well, the rest of this blog post pretty much writes itself then, doesn't it? The third statue in the series based on a Neal "God" Adams design, and it's the Zombie Batman design! This beauty is limited to 5,200 pieces, so if you want one for yourself, and of course you do, pre-ordering in the way to go. I've of course already got mine ordered. It will be a few months before it actually ships, and I have it here in the Batcave, but rest assured there will be more pics coming when it does. 

Phantasm V Trailer

New Phantasm! Oh boy!!!

Cheap Thrills Review

After hearing lots of great things from people lucky enough to be able to attend film festivals, and an excruciatingly long wait, I finally got a chance to check out Pat Healey's new film, Cheap Thrills for myself. I knew the basic premise, but purposely avoided any reviews or previews of the film itself, as I knew Healey was in it, and that's pretty much all I need to know at this point. Thankfully, the movie did indeed deliver on it's promise to thrill.

Cheap Thrills tells the story of Craig (Healey) a down on his luck writer, facing his family's eviction from their small apartment, due to financial problems. Things go from bad to worse when he shows up to his day job, changing oil at a local auto shop, only to be laid off. On his way home, he stops by a bar to drown his sorrows, when he runs into an old friend, Vince (Ethan Embry). The two of them start to catch up, and eventually drink the day away. Later that night, they run into a wealthy, eccentric couple (David Koechner and Sara Paxton) who are out celebrating. The couple begins to dare Craig and Vince to do small-time pranks, enticing them with monetary reward. Craig is at first reluctant, but knowing how bad he needs the money, eventually plays along. Throughout the night, the dares go from mostly innocent to downright sadistic, each time upping the ante and payoff, pushing the limits of just how far Craig and Vince are willing to go for the allure of the almighty dollar.

You may think you've seen this movie before, and while it's true Cheap Thrills tells the kind of story that's been done before, it sets itself apart a bit by asking not only how far you're willing to go for money, but just how much you're willing to do to a friend for it. I continually asked myself if I'd be willing to do these things to a friend, old or new, for the money being offered. It's in this that Cheap Thrills not only manages to engage ,but ultimately becomes fairly disturbing toward it's climax.

The cast all perform admirably, with a couple of standout performances. Sara Paxton and David Koechner are believably odd together, as wealthy people tend to be. Cheap Thrills centers though, around the relationship between Craig and Vince, and Pat Healey and Ethan Embry bring their A-game. The two of them work extremely well together and really make you believe that at one point these two characters were close friends. Ethan Embry (Can't Hardly Wait) was particularly good, so good in fact that I almost didn't recognize him.

Cheap Thrills wins points for attempting to differentiate itself by successfully adding a human element to a formula in which films either ignore or sadly miss the mark normally. It at times plays as a dark comedy, but it's got a mean streak that really shows during the third act. There's not much in the way of gore, but if you're looking for disturbing, there's some of that to be found here, particularly the very last shot. It stuck with me for a couple days. Director E.L. Katz may be making his debut here, but he's proven that he's got some chops already, and his name is one I fully expect to be hear a lot more of in the future. Cheap Thrills is a must see.

Infinite Playlist Oderus Urungus Memoriam

It's with a heavy heart today that I bring the Batcave out of retirement to remember Dave Brockie, better known as GWAR frontman Oderus Urungus. I've lived through my fair share of rock and roll deaths, including Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, and Peter Steele to name but a few. As a person who enjoys music as much as I do, some of these have hit me harder than others. I will never forget the day in high school when my friends and I got the news about Kurt Cobain. Last night, yet another voice that I've known, heard, and connected with for over 20 years, was silenced forever, and I've been bummed all day. Rest in peace, Dave. I wasn't ready for life without GWAR, music won't be the same without you...

1963-2014