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Apr. 7th, 2008

[info]ethan_thomas

[REVIEW] The Mist / Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror

Stephen King's The Mist [2008]
Director: Frank Darabont
Studio: Genius Products (TVN)
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 Stars

Monsters aggravate me, in the plural sense. Throw a lone vampire my way, and I'll eagerly follow his story. Small packs of werewolves have also been known to intrigue. Still, when the creatures start coming in hoards, I grow cold no matter how impressive they are or how terrifying their kills might be. Repeated exposure generates boredom not fear, and a climax that depends on something too big or too strange to be believed always leaves me thinking one thing: "Aw man! It's just a giant praying mantis!"

That bias taken into consideration, The Mist was an unavoidable, if well-acted letdown. The slow disintegration of artist and father David Drayton ensured I will look up more of Thomas Jane's acting in the future, and the return of Laurie Holden of Silent Hill fame was a treat. She, like everyone else in the film, gave a solid and compelling performance, her work hampered only by the occasional heavy handling of stereotypes in the script.

In a tale of man slipping back into savagery, stereotypes are a necessarily evil given that we must believe this could happen to the people we see every day. That said, characters that can be summed up with labels like "the dumb hick" or "the crazy bible thumper" make it impossible for viewers to connect on a deeper level. This distance further softened the horror, in my opinion, and left The Mist 3.5 out of five stars.


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Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror [2006]
Director: Stacy Title
Producer: Ted Chung
Studio: Snoopadelic Films Inc.
Rating: 3 1/2 of 5 stars

Let's be realistic--I didn't go into watching this movie with high hopes. I purely wanted to see it because it was the last movie in the 8 Films to Die For series.

In Hood of Horror, Snoop plays an urban Crypt Keeper, narrating three short stories set in the inner city. Tattoos from the devil, Vietnam veterans getting revenge on a slumlord, and a rising rap star who takes his nickname a bit too literally all make an appearance, with the idea that Snoop must collect a certain number of souls tying the tales together.

The film is typical fare, really, and hindered by a over the top acting, but still serves as a great tribute to the era of televised short horror skits. Each story lasts just long enough to keep the viewer interested, while including a decent amount of gore and creep. If you're looking for a fun, no-thought-required movie, this is the one for you.


Mar. 31st, 2008

[info]ethan_thomas

Thaneros Debut Issue!

The debut issue of Thaneros is now up. Thaneros specializes in dark erotica, particularly erotica with a speculative element--in other words, kinky sci fi, fantasy, and horror.

In this issue, you'll find:
* Heat of Battle by Van Michaels
* Fine Lines by Alexander
* The Art of Dan Skinner
* Feature Review - Nikolai - by Val Kovalin
* In House Reviews - Zombie Honeymoon / Perfume

Thaneros publishes weekly. Keep up to date by joining [info]thaneros.

Mar. 25th, 2008

[info]ethan_thomas

[FEATURE REVIEW] Nikolai by Angelia Sparrow

Nikolai by Angelia Sparrow
Publisher: Circle Dark Publishing
Reviewed By: Val Kovalin

Nikolai by Angelia Sparrow concerns the re-education of a young criminal named Nick. It's told in third-person viewpoint. In the year 2093, Nick commits a crime and gets recruited into a secret group working to undermine the fundamentalist Christian theocracy now controlling much of the former United States.

His new master, Mr. Ligatos, likes to collect talented criminals and exploit their potential. He offers Nick a high standard of living beyond that of other white males, the only ones to enjoy full citizenship within the Confederated States of America. The downside is that Nick must indulge Mr. Ligatos's taste for frequent sadomasochistic sex. Not that Nick minds too much. He finds his sex toy duties to be an excitingly subversive role to play within the realm of the CSA where homosexual acts are punished by public stoning.

The gripping plot turns upon Mr. Ligatos' plan to manipulate an upcoming election that will decide whether or not the contested state of Kentucky is allowed to secede from the CSA. Another civil war could result.

What's to dislike about Nikolai? Well, the characters are psychopaths. It's to the author's credit that one comes to care – reluctantly – about Nick. What's to like? The author has a true gift for both dark satire and complex world-building. The fine writing should please fans of science fiction and erotica. Nikolai is available as a 195-page ebook from Circle Dark Publishing.

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Val Kovalin reviews gay fiction at ObsidianBookshelf.


[info]ethan_thomas

[REVIEW] Zombie Honeymoon / Perfume

Zombie Honeymoon [2004]
Director: David Gebroe
Producer: David Gebroe
Studios: Hooligan Pictures, Sky Whispers Production LLC, Glass Eye Pix
Rating: 5/5 Brilliant!

In the good old days, it took a whole 24 hours for your husband to become a zombie. Recent films milk quick transformations for extra drama and hurk factor. Zombie Honeymoon goes in the opposite direction, dragging out Danny's change over one brutal week. Add to that the devotion of his new wife, Denise, and you can forget about Shaun of the Dead.

A low budget hampers most of its special effects, but that hardly matters. This isn't your typical horror movie in the conventional sense. This is a zombie romance.

Zombie Honeymoon is the best B grade movie in a long time. It deserves every one of its five stars.



Perfume: Story of A Murderer [2006]
Director: Tom Tykwer
Producer: Bernd Eichinger
Studio: Constantin Film Produktion
Rating: 5/5 - Brilliant!

Ben Whishaw stars as Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, an orphan peasant with the world's greatest sense of smell. After a brutal childhood, he is sold to a tannery.
During a trip to the local market place, Grenouille develops a strange obsession. When a failed romantic encounter leads to the strangulation of a young woman, he dedicates his life to the arts of perfuming and distilling in the hopes of recapturing her scent. His quest for the final, perfect ingredient plucks more than the flowers of Grasse, the perfume capital of the world. It plucks girls from streets and parlors alike.
Perfume combines gritty realism with magical sequences into a fascinating narrative. The director sets the mood so vividly that the scents portrayed seem real. This movie is truly a feast for all your senses.


Jan. 2nd, 2008

[info]ethan_thomas

[REVIEW] Halloween 2007

Halloween (2007)
Director: Rob Zombie
Producer: Malek Akkad & Rob Zombie
Studio: Weinstein Company
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

In recent years, studio after studio have tried put a modern spin on classic horror films. Rarely have they pulled it off and, even if they had, many fans believe fixing something that isn't broken is unoriginal and absurd. In most cases, I would agree. However, Halloween done Rob-Zombie-style is anything but.

With Zombie at the helm, we get to see the man behind the mask. Better yet, we get to see the boy, watching as an abused child grows into the monster who terrified us at both slumber parties and in movie theaters. Step by step, we get to see his mind devolve. Frustration leads to killing small animals first. It is, as we all know, only the beginning of Michael Meyers' dark journey, but it is the journey itself that makes this movie so enjoyable.

Daeg Faerch is brilliant as young Michael, his creepiness rising with each transgression. When he finally snaps, the viewer is ready, but still horrified. Filled with jerky camera cuts and odd angles, Rob Zombie's Halloween does not fail to live up to its older siblings. Definitely a must see.

[info]ethan_thomas

Welcome to Thaneros!

What is Thaneros?

Thaneros is taken from the longer word "thanateros," the place where love and death meet. Starting in early 2008, Thaneros Online Magazine shall publish fiction which explores that place where sex and darkness collide, presenting one story per week, as well as reviews of a variety of dark delights. It is intended for mature readers.

And it needs your help!

Full guidelines under cut. )

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