Movie Review: Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)

I grew up in the 1990s, when thrash metal was really growing. There were four bands that really set the core of that genre. Those were Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth and Metallica. Though they're my least favorite of the four, there's no doubt that Metallica is the biggest. Don't get me wrong here, I enjoyed everything up to the black album, but Metallica never seemed to feel as free or open as the other three bands. It seemed like they created more marketable stuff, especially from the black album forward. Load was terrible, and Re-Load was worse. What I heard from St. Anger seemed very effected by modern boring metal. To be honest, I would rather watch a doc on any of the other bands, but the idea of watching such a legendary band from my youth go through counseling and the loss of Jason Newsted was very intriguing to me.

Buy Metallica: Some Kind of Monster on DVD

Tech Review: Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700

A few weeks ago, I finally replaced my laptop. My old Dell, which I loved dearly and had many good times with, died well over a year ago. After talking to people with laptops, I had my mind set on a Sony Vaio, and that's what I got. Thanks to a good sale, I came in way under budget, so I decided to get a few needed accessories. One of those was a lap desk.

Buy the Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700 on Amazon.com

I'd spent many days with hot legs thanks to my old Dell, and that may have been a contributor to its demise. I wanted to take care of my new toy and work station, so I decided to get a lap desk with a built in fan. As I looked at what was available, I noticed one that was different from the rest. Logitech always makes interesting computer products, but this really caught my eye. I was used to having weak speakers on my old laptop, so I have simple external speakers that I used to plug in. That was great, but I always had to have an outlet. Speakers that worked off the headphone jack were never worth using.

The Beyond "Weird Wobbler" Bobblehead Doll

Cult Collectibles in association with Grindhouse Releasing is proud to announce the upcoming release of THE BEYOND "Weird Wobbler" bobblehead figure. From the classic 1981 film by legendary Italian director Lucio Fulci comes the world’s first bobblehead figure to include a separate detachable face.

"The films of Lucio Fulci are incredibly important to me, THE BEYOND especially, so I wanted to make absolutely sure that this figure was like nothing ever created before,” says Cult Collectibles owner, Mark Jason Murray. Taking the character of the young girl “Jill”, played by Maria Pia Marsala, and putting it into figure form was no easy task. “I got the idea right away that it would be incredible if the figure could have two faces, one in her ‘possessed’ state and another destroyed by gunshot, to duplicate one of the most shocking moments in the film.”

Interview: Studio Happy Chicken Pink Owner Charlie Maib

When did you form Studio Happy Chicken Pink? I must say the name is very interesting.

Find Studio Happy Chicken Pink on Amazon.com

Studio Happy Chicken's official birthday is April 4, 2009. That's the day we shot our first release, Sundae Girl. The name and the chicken logo existed before that, though. A long time ago I fancied myself a manga artist (this was before anime was cool in the US… Back when the only way to see new releases was through mail-order fansubs that were translated on Tandy computers) and I did a comic that involved penguin suits. I attempted to draw a penguin, but it ended up looking like a chicken. I thought that the chicken looked especially happy, so I drew three lines over it's head to show that it was REALLY happy. I was never any good at drawing boys so I represented myself in the comics by drawing me as this happy chicken. Later, I launched a magazine called Service Service and we needed a name for the company, so I called it Studio Happy Chicken. That's where the chicken in a circle design comes from. We folded after a few issues because of the investment vacuum created by 9/11. Fast forward 8 years and I adopted the chicken logo again for the gravure studio; and because of the sexy nature of the films, I made the chicken pink… Thus Studio Happy Chicken Pink. A long answer to a short question… Probably more than you wanted to know.

The App Burrito: Volume 2 - Getting Schooled

Smartphones are not only a great place to play games and listen to music. They can also be portable learning centers. I use mine for just about everything, and as a later-in-life student, I have found several apps that serve as excellent reference material. It doesn't matter if you're studying astronomy, law, math or history. There is an app to help you through all of it. These are a few of my favorites.

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United States Constitution

We hear plenty about our Constitution these days. The problem is that most of the people that swing it over their heads have never read it. This app not only brings you the constitution, it breaks it down by Preamble, Articles and Amendments. It lists the signatories, gives a history and even lists failed Amendments. The app also provides a variety of complete documents such as the Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation and the Miranda Warning. You can also read important speeches such as the Liberty or Death speech, the Gettysburg Address and I Have a Dream. The app is simple yet spectacular, and every American should have it. It's absolutely free, so there's just no excuse not to own it.

The App Burrito: Volume 1 - Fightin' Words

I might be considered a grammar Nazi to some people. I can't help it. I love words. If I didn't, I wouldn't write so much. It is super fun for me. I suppose it goes back to my comedy hero, George Carlin. The guy made language his bitch. I think that's why I enjoy the following apps. The greatest thing about smartphones is that you can do anything with them., What do I choose to do? I play a century old board game and do crossword puzzles. Old am I.

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Wordfeud

I never played a ton of Scrabble when I was a kid. I always enjoyed it, but it just never came up. I am a spelling guru, and I love to learn new words. Wordfeud is a game that basically lets you play Scrabble without boundaries. I have played some vile words on this game. My friend and I have played JAGS, CUNT, SHAT and so many other horrific things. There are some words that somehow don't make the cut, like ZEN, but for the most part, you can do what you want. The game allows you to randomize the bonus spaces like double and triple word score. It also allows you to play with specific people or random strangers. You can chat within the game, which is also very cool. Each player has up to seventy-two hours to take a turn, so it can fit into your busy life at your pace. When it is your turn, you can choose to receive a notification from the game. At the time I write this, I think I have nine games going.

Interview: Viscera Film Fest's Heidi Martinuzzi and Shannon Lark

Women in Horror month has officially wrapped for 2011, and although I like to think that everyone will keep celebrating the lovely women who contribute to the genre all throughout the year (regardless of it being February or not), I'd like to thank the fabulous females behind The Viscera Film Festival (an independent film festival held in Los Angeles every year that specifically focuses on horror shorts made by women) Shannon Lark and Heidi Martinuzzi.As a follow up to my Women in Horror month feature that I posted earlier in February, here are full interviews with Lark and Martinuzzi.

Interview: "Kill Devil Hill" Director Ace Jordan

By James DePaolo


I just witnessed this short 12 minute film called Kill Devil Hill. It started off innocent enough, a husband and wife and their two boys are just getting ready for bed. By the end of this 12 minute nightmare, it gets bizarre and very brutal. I decided to ask the man himself Ace Jordan what the hell he was thinking, when he gave me this sadistic vision.

1. What can you tell the fans plot-wise about Kill Devil Hill?


Kill Devil Hill is a short film about an unexplained double homicide in North Carolina. The film is loosely based on real events. The names and the location have been changed. I don't want to say anymore because it could ruin the movie for people. Just watch it. But be warned, if you're pregnant or have a heart condition this film is not for you!

Eats & Drinks Review: Sun Drop Citrus Soda

We are told in science class that two thirds of a person is made up of water. I would estimate that I am made up of nearly eighty-seven percent caffeine. I need a boost quite often. I was never into cocaine or speed, so I go for the next best thing. For most of my generation, Mountain Dew tends to be the soda boost of choice. Of course, Jolt cola takes precedence if it rears its ugly can, but that should go without saying. As I perused the soda section today looking for something different, I came upon something called Sun Drop.

Buy Sun Drop on Amazon.com

At first, I figured it would be another Sprite. I looked at the label where the caffeine content is now listed. I don't know if the government requires this, but if not, it's a brilliant marketing tactic. Anyway, Sun Drop actually had more caffeine than Mountain Dew. I decided to give it a shot. It's so new to this area that even the guy at the counter asked me how it was. I said I'd let him know.

Article: Man Without a Saddle

You may or may not be aware of my work as a filmmaker. But to ste outside of my role as critic for a moment, I wanted to let you all know about my next project. It's a western with a horror twist, and a piece I am very excited about. 

MAN WITHOUT A SADDLE is based on Kipling's classic story, Mark of the Beast, transferred from colonial India to the American west of 1870. Three ex-Army regulars, Strickland, Fleete and Barton, are hired to convince a Shoshone shaman to move on to the reservation. The shaman, Tanupah, guards a stone petroglyph, sacred to his people. Fleete, in a drunken fit, urinates on the petroglyph and dishonors its spirit. In retaliation, he is cursed by Tanupah, turning him into a raging creature, half man, half wolf. After subduing the creature (an act which very nearly costs them their lives), Strickland and Barton torture Tanupah until he removes the curse. However, in so doing they all feel deep shame, and forced to examine their belief systems. This is especially true of Strickland, a deeply religious man, who finds his foundation (his "saddle") rocked to the core.

Buy "Killing Of Jacob Marr" on DVD at Monstermania this weekend!

The creators of the excellent independent horror flick, Killing Of Jacob Marr have a vendor table at the Monster Mania this year in Cherry Hill, NJ. So come on down March 11-13th and say hi, also they'll be selling a limited amount of exclusive Monster Mania pre-distribution copies of "The Killing of Jacob Marr". There aren't many and they will go fast so get there soon.

THE LICKERISH QUARTET Debuts on High-Definition DVD and Blu-ray on April 26th!

RADLEY METZGER’S FANTASY FOURSOME

The 1970 Erotic Arthouse Classic THE LICKERISH QUARTET

Debuts on High-Definition DVD and Blu-ray on April 26

Buy The Lickerish Quartet on DVD or Blu-ray

LOS ANGELES (March 7, 2011) – The New York Times Vincent Canby called director Radley Metzger’s film THE LICKERISH QUARTET “Beautiful! Ripe with incredible color, décor and movement” in the newspaper’s 1970 review. At the film’s premiere in New York Andy Warhol raved that it was “An outrageously kinky masterpiece” and recommended all to “Go!” see it. The film remains one of the first ever to feature elegantly shot sex scenes together with Hollywood type production values. It raised the bar for the portrayal of eroticism in film while still maintaining an R rating. THE LICKERISH QUARTET is Radley Metzger’s magnum opus, a delirious surreal erotic fantasy that is both stylish and elegant.

Movie Review : Worm (2010, Short Film)

Here at Cinema Head Cheese, we generally will tackle most genres of movies. Cult films and horror may be our specialty but it's not out of the norm that we'll review a children's cartoon or a TV series. We have unfortunately not been reviewing short-films, but we have our reasons. Some of the ones we've been sent for consideration have been just awful. It wears on you a little bit when you're sent emails that say "Please review our You-Tube series starring myself and my sister. Watch as I torture her”. Nahh, I'll pass, I'd rather review a shitty full-length feature. It's not easy being a Jim Van Bebber, Douglas Buck or Nacho Cerda; directors who've all shown that unique ability to make a short film that's actually going to stick in your memory like a well-made feature does. Filmmakers Zach Green and Richard Powell aren't those gentleman, but they're damn close. Their short Worm is an unforgettable, horrifying journey into the mind of teacher, Geoffrey Dodd (Robert Nolan).

App Review: WTF All Access

Photos from Android Market

Podcasting continues to evolve on a very serious pace. Some are now streaming live before they hit the download feed. Some are recorded through alternative means such as Skype, laptops or small recorders. The expensive radio studios are no longer needed, and the technology is constantly advancing the medium.

Find Marc Maron on Amazon.com

A wonderful avenue for podcasting is the app. There are programs like Stitcher that deliver the latest episodes of many different podcasts, but that doesn't always give you the archive. When a show has its own app, you can generally interact far more. WTF with Marc Maron is one of the podcasts using the available tools to grow its brand with apps for Android and iPhone. The show is already one of the best available. Maron does it live on occasion, and the quality does not drop off.

Movie Review: Drive Angry 3D (2011)

Blood, boobs and brutal violence—the three key ingredients to your typical Hollywood “guy flick”—and in the case of Drive Angry 3D, one hell of an action-packed thrill ride. Todd farmer and Patrick Lussier have come together to create one of the best 3D-enhanced movies since the explosion of the latest triple-dimensional trend in cinema. 

Buy Drive Angry on DVD or Blu-ray

Every year, moviegoers are force-fed an unnecessary dose of that extra dimension. Sure it’s cool to be looking down the larger-than-life barrel of a shotgun, or have the debris from a massive explosion come flying within centimeters of your face, but in some movies it just isn’t necessary. Lussier did it right, utilizing the 3D element to amplify every mindlessly awesome visual aspect of the film. 

Movie Review: Bushido: The Cruel Code of the Samurai (1963, AnimEigo)

Tadashi Imai was a Japanese director who, throughout his long career, alternated between lyrical historical dramas and preachy Marxist polemical essays. His work is not quite as well known in the West as Ozu or Kurosawa or the small handful of other great Japanese directors; possibly because of his unpopular political stance. At his best, however, he was capable of a lyrical beauty that at times rivaled the masters.

Buy Bushido: The Cruel Code of the Samurai on DVD

AnimEigo is now offering a crisp, beautiful transfer of his 1963 classic BUSHIDO ZANKOKU MONOGATARI, or BUSHIDO, THE CRUEL CODE OF THE SAMARAI. It is an episodic drama of a family, spanning 350 years, which attempts to straddle both schools of Imai’s output: historical drama and political “message” movie. As a result it displays the director’s greatest strengths and weaknesses in one fascinating package.

Movie Review: Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

I have heard plenty about Banksy since this documentary came to light. I heard that he was crazy and hilarious, but he's really the sanity that holds this movie together. In fact, he's quite brilliant in his satirical style. At one point he creates a piece that makes a phone booth look like it has been murdered with a pickaxe. He's really interesting, but he really isn't the focus of the movie. In fact, he really didn't give himself a ton of screen time, which I admire.

Buy Exit Through the Gift Shop on DVD or Blu-ray

The real star of the movie is would-be filmmaker Thierry Guetta, a French transplant who resides in Los Angeles. By day he runs an overpriced clothing store, and by night he spent years filming street artists around the world. Thierry first discovered street art in France while visiting his cousin. Invader, as he is known, builds Space Invaders characters with mosaic tiles, then he glues them up all over France. This overnight rebellious act caught Thierry's attention, and he began to follow more and more street artists worldwide.

Music Review: The Joy Formidable : A Balloon Called Moaning

by James DePaolo

The Joy Formidable:
A Balloon called Moaning

Black Bell Records
Big Hassle Media

Band Members-
Ritzy Bryan
Rhydian Dafydd Davies
Matt Thomas

What has the music industry turned into? You have record stores now a memory. We can now not only grocery shop, get a tire fixed, buy underwear but we can go through a top 40 selection of music to buy. With employees standing around looking scared someone will ask them a question about a band or a CD. Whatever happened to the simple days when music was alive and you go to a record store and hear music you were excited about, and had to purchase. When you looked in a magazine, and read an ad for a upcoming CD that looked like something you could get into. That you would rush to the record store and had to have that CD, and its liner notes and put it in the car and drive home happy. That experience is now online at the new music store called Itunes. It has been destroyed. Elvis Presley now is second to Glee. Seriously, Glee. The Beatles, Beach Boys, and etc. are all now on commercial jingles. Whatever happened to fresh pop music? Whatever happened about being excited about a CD, and putting it in your hands? Now, its silly people doing silly things, from being drunk and pushing the system as racist to coming out of a egg, pop music like our culture is just dying. But, I found a ray of light, a small breath of hope. It is called the Joy Formidable.

Movie Review: Livestock (2009)

Director: Christopher Di Nunzio
Stars: Fiore Leo, Robert Hines, Johanna Gorton, Michael Reardon, Irina Peligrad and Christina C Crawford

Livestock is one of the most ambiguous indie horror films I've ever seen. It would be easy to just dismiss it, for a whole slew of reasons, but I find that I can't do that, even though attempting to explain why will be something of a challenge. It's not a good film but there's a good deal that's good about it. Where it goes wrong isn't where most indie horror films go wrong and it's difficult to lump it in with anything else for a comparison, beyond something as generic as the fact that it shows plenty of promise though that promise doesn't tend to be met. In many ways, it all comes across as schizophrenic, as if the film itself wants to succeed and fail at the same time. Every time it does something dumb, it follows it with something intelligent, and vice versa. It holds our interest throughout, but in a strange way where we consistently want to know where it's going next while somehow not remaining confident that it's going to end up anywhere.

Movie Review: Absentia (2011)

Director: Mike Flanagan
Stars: Katie Parker, Courtney Bell, David Levine, Morgan Peter Brown, Justin Gordon and James Flanagan

I watch as many low budget, independent horror movies as I can get my hands on. One reason is that I just love the genre, but the main reason I have such a enduring fascination with them is that they have traditionally acted as a training ground, teaching filmmakers the arts of cinema so that they can move onto the next level and become someone special. There's a third reason though: every now and again someone appears out of the blue who has already done that, and they are the most special of all because not only do they work their magic for us to wonder at, they do so without moving on to the mainstream. That leaves us something that will be talked about for years: a low budget, indie genre flick that surpasses every expectation and leaves its slick, professional competition in the dust. I'll say this outright: this is the best horror movie I've seen since Let the Right One In, the best independent horror since Night of the Living Dead and it carries the biggest emotional impact of any horror film since... well, since I can remember.