I love the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. It has always been my favorite movie series, probably because the movies always frightened the FUCK out of me. As a kid, I had a lot of nightmares, so when I got a little older and watched Freddy Krueger murdering teenagers in their nightmares, it really resonated with me. I watched the remake last night and I thought I'd come on here and give my thoughts on the series as a whole. This isn't going to be a plot synopsis, but just what I thought about the movies.
A Nightmare on Elm Street:
The original. Without this one, none of the others would have been made, and it's still the best. Heather Langenkamp as Nancy is believable as a protagonist, and while the others are completely disposable, they play their roles. It's worth noting that this movies is Johnny Depp's first role in a movie. Who knew that this kid who got yanked into the bed in a horror film would actually turn into a world famous actor?
Being the movie that started it all, it's not nearly as campy or humorous as later films would be, its much darker and it still holds up after all these years.
Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
I hate this movie. I really cannot explain why, but I really hate it. I cannot say more about this one.
Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Hell yes. To me, this is really where the series got good. It's also where it started to get really campy but I can overlook that. Heather Langenkamp coming back as Nancy was awesome again, and I loved the dream powers of all of the kids. This movie was one of my favorites until I saw some of the later movies.
Nightmare on Elm Street 4: Dream Master
Yet another great movie, in the same vein as Dream Warriors. It brings back 3 of the characters from the previous movie and adds its own cast of teenagers for Freddy to kill. It's a little more campy and over the top, but I don't mind that. Alice's own dream power of absorbing the powers of her friends, making her into the Dream Master, makes her a foe that Freddy hasn't seen since Nancy. A great movie, surpassed in my eyes by only the next in the series.
Nightmare on Elm Street 5: Dream Child
This, in my eyes, is the best of the series, combining the surreal images of the dream world with a premise that's quite original. Freddy using the dreams of Alice's own child to get at her friends is a great idea, that could have been terrifying if they hadn't kept up the camp factor. By using Amanda Krueger to put an end to her undead son, I feel that it put an end to the series better than the next movie.
Nightmare on Elm Street 6: Freddy's Dead, The Final Nightmare
Another movie that I fucking hate. Even taking away the insipid 3D factor, the movie sucks hard. It starts with the humor and doesn't let up. It's completely idiotic, and I don't even bother with this one when I watch the whole series.
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
Ah the New Nightmare. I used to loathe this movie. I guess I just didn't understand the point of it, but I get it now that I'm older. It's a great movie, but I hardly expect anything less from Wes Craven.
Freddy Vs Jason
Yet another idiotic movie. The premise is stupid, the whole thing is a typical new type slasher movie: set up a bunch of stereotypes that everybody in the audience will hate and want to die. That is not scary. It's scary when we see characters we care about in danger. Cheering on the killer is not scary, its pointless, gory idiocy.
Nightmare on Elm Street (Remake)
Initially I did not want to see this movie. I saw it as a pointless remake, and it is. But let's face it, all remakes are pointless.
I'm going to get this out of the way right now: this movie was fucking awesome. I've heard that the kids were all disposable. In what Nightmare movie were the kids not disposable? Here, I saw character even in the obviously dead characters. Nancy in this was a quiet, introverted loner, instead of the center of a large group of friends, and I dug that. I was the same way in school, and I thought that the actress pulled off the sleep deprivation well. Some have said she didn't have the charisma or personality that Heather Langenkamp had, but I disagree. Not taking anything away from Heather, but this girl acted like someone who'd been up for several days would; I know from experience.
Jackie Earl Haley was great as Freddy. He seemed more physically imposing that Robert Englund and the fidgeting with the blades on his hand really drove home, to me at least, that these things are deadly. I didn't mind him roughening up his voice, not unlike Christian Bale as Batman, and it makes sense that he would sound like that, due to smoke and heat damage to his throat. I thought the make up was ridiculous, he looked like Voldemort's Asian cousin, but honestly, that was the only problem I had with the remake. I thought it reused certain scenes from the original to decent enough effect, except when Freddy comes out of the wall. That bit of CG sucked, to the point that I actually laughed and commented that it looked better in the original. Most of the others were well used; when Nancy sees Chris in the body bag at school, it really drives home just how sleep deprived she is, showing that she's started to dream while she's awake.
Despite my misgivings, the remake of Nightmare was very well done, it brought Freddy back to his darker roots, and even added some of Wes Craven's original ideas back into the movie. Very well done.
So that's my thoughts about the Nightmare on Elm Street series. Sure it's campy at times, ridiculously stupid at others, but scared the fuck out of me as a kid and will always hold a special place on my movie shelf.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
And now for something completely different.
A few days ago I read a story someone on The Lord of the Rings: Online had written concerning his character and I thought that I should attempt that. I've been writing short stories off and on since the first grade and this is probably the first one I've managed to write all the way to the end in probably 11 years. This is basically a backstory for my main character on the Elendilmir server, Ruras the Warden.
A lone elf stands on a hilltop near the bounds of The Shire. He had been in this country before; he adored the rolling green hills and the lush farmland. He came here to think, it was one of the few places left in Middle-Earth peaceful enough to sit and think about all that had happened to him over his long, long life.
He was found by Marchwardens of Lothlorien near the Great River Anduin. They supposed his parents had been slain by the orcs of the Misty Mountains, but they could never be sure. As is the way with the Eldar, he grew quickly among the people of Lorien, and learned the skills of the Warden. He became known throughout his homeland as a hunter of orcs, for the hatred of their kind burned more fiercely within him than in others of his kindred. A need for some sort of vengeance seemed to consume him.
This was why he was in The Shire now. Rumours had reached him in Bree that camps of foul orcs and goblins had been seen near the bounds. Sitting atop this hill, he could see several camps, not just of orcs, but also goblins and bandits. Raising himself slowly, gripping the rawhide-wrapped haft of his spear for support, he let out a sigh and set out for the nearest orc camp, running full-tilt, not feeling the weight of the shield on his left arm, or the javelin on his back. Occasionally he used his spear to brush aside branches of trees but otherwise he ran unimpeded.
Skidding to a stop a few hundred yards away from the camp, he gripped his spear in the same hand as his shield and took down his javelin. The orc guarding the entrance to the camp was not only hideously malformed but was also inattentive; perhaps the eye it was missing had something to do with it, or the fact that its ears had been melted off, probably by a spell. The warden slowed his footsteps, making sure not to tread on anything too noisy he snuck up on his unknowing quarry. Muttering softly in Elvish, he hurled his javelin at the orc.
The javelin flew true, as it always did when he threw. It sailed through the air and embedded its self in the orc's skull, the steel head buried in the soft flesh of the creature's brain. Charging forward, he transferred his spear to his right hand and planted the head in the creature's chest, making certain the foul beast was dead. He pulled his spear and javelin from the orc and cleaned its blood off his tools. He pushed forward into the camp, killing silently where he could, wielding his spear as the farmer wields the scythe, cutting down orcs as quick as they sprang up.
Nearing the end of the encampment he began to hear muffled struggling. Ducking into a shrub near a small hill, he surveyed the area ahead of him. The leader's tent was near, and he could see several hobbit prisoners near, as well as...He armed sweat from his brow, blinked his eyes and looked again. Yes, he was right; a lady elf. He took in her appearance. Tattered robes, face smeared in ash and plaster dust, and the satchel at her side all signified a rune-keeper. Trained in the tongues of Men and Elves, they used words and runes of power for both healing and destroying their opponents. She would make a powerful ally if the warden could but save her.
That was where the problem lay. He had never faced orcs of this type before, they were bigger than the orcs of Mordor, could bear the light of the sun without harm and bore a strange sigil on their armour, that of the White Hand. This was not a problem, these creatures died like any other orc.
Summoning all his strength for the final charge, he let out a yell and bounded down the hill, throwing his javelin at one of the orc guards at the entrance to the camp, and plunging his spear into the throat of the other. Yanking it free of the foul creature, he spun and plunged the head deep into the guts of another orc. Slashing the throat of another with the head of his spear, he pulled a throwing dagger from his belt and, almost casually threw at another beast, taking it in the eye.
The warden glanced at the lady Elf and saw the gag around her mouth turn instantly to ash. She raised herself up to her full height, bonds also falling to ash. Pulling a runestone from her satchel, she muttered something in Elvish and pointed the stone at the warden. He felt his muscles come alive as the healing magic took effect, and he resumed the fight, bashing orcs with his shield, shouting taunts and impaling them with spear and javelin.
The rune keeper also joined the fray, not only healing the warden's wounds, but throwing lightning bolts, and doing a curious bit of foretelling, prophesying how her opponents would fall. The two Elves worked around each other flawlessly, each covering the other's back, taking down orcs by the dozen. Finally the foul creatures were dealt with and the two warriors looked at each other. Standing to his full height, the warden bowed.
'Mae govannen. Im Ruras.'
The rune keeper laughed softly and replied in the Common Speech:
'Greetings Ruras. I am known as Lalaith, though that is not my true name. Come, let us loose these merry folk and be upon our way.'
As the two set the hobbits free, Ruras asked, 'Lady Lalaith, how do you know our path goes the same way?'
Smiling, she answered, 'The runes tell me much of what is to be. Surely a warden of Lothlorien has encountered such powers of foresight?'
'Indeed not, lady. I was a march warden and did not often journey to Caras Galadhon. If we are journeying together, whither are we going? Into the West?'
Lalaith shook her head sadly and looked into Ruras's eyes.
'Nay, strong-heart. The West is denied us for now, our road lies East; into Shadow. You are a hunter of the creatures of the Enemy, you feel the same hatred for them as I. As long as they haunt Middle-Earth, neither of us shall leave.'
Adjusting the rawhide wrapping on his spear, and replacing the javelin on his back, Ruras smiled.
'Then let us begone.'
A lone elf stands on a hilltop near the bounds of The Shire. He had been in this country before; he adored the rolling green hills and the lush farmland. He came here to think, it was one of the few places left in Middle-Earth peaceful enough to sit and think about all that had happened to him over his long, long life.
He was found by Marchwardens of Lothlorien near the Great River Anduin. They supposed his parents had been slain by the orcs of the Misty Mountains, but they could never be sure. As is the way with the Eldar, he grew quickly among the people of Lorien, and learned the skills of the Warden. He became known throughout his homeland as a hunter of orcs, for the hatred of their kind burned more fiercely within him than in others of his kindred. A need for some sort of vengeance seemed to consume him.
This was why he was in The Shire now. Rumours had reached him in Bree that camps of foul orcs and goblins had been seen near the bounds. Sitting atop this hill, he could see several camps, not just of orcs, but also goblins and bandits. Raising himself slowly, gripping the rawhide-wrapped haft of his spear for support, he let out a sigh and set out for the nearest orc camp, running full-tilt, not feeling the weight of the shield on his left arm, or the javelin on his back. Occasionally he used his spear to brush aside branches of trees but otherwise he ran unimpeded.
Skidding to a stop a few hundred yards away from the camp, he gripped his spear in the same hand as his shield and took down his javelin. The orc guarding the entrance to the camp was not only hideously malformed but was also inattentive; perhaps the eye it was missing had something to do with it, or the fact that its ears had been melted off, probably by a spell. The warden slowed his footsteps, making sure not to tread on anything too noisy he snuck up on his unknowing quarry. Muttering softly in Elvish, he hurled his javelin at the orc.
The javelin flew true, as it always did when he threw. It sailed through the air and embedded its self in the orc's skull, the steel head buried in the soft flesh of the creature's brain. Charging forward, he transferred his spear to his right hand and planted the head in the creature's chest, making certain the foul beast was dead. He pulled his spear and javelin from the orc and cleaned its blood off his tools. He pushed forward into the camp, killing silently where he could, wielding his spear as the farmer wields the scythe, cutting down orcs as quick as they sprang up.
Nearing the end of the encampment he began to hear muffled struggling. Ducking into a shrub near a small hill, he surveyed the area ahead of him. The leader's tent was near, and he could see several hobbit prisoners near, as well as...He armed sweat from his brow, blinked his eyes and looked again. Yes, he was right; a lady elf. He took in her appearance. Tattered robes, face smeared in ash and plaster dust, and the satchel at her side all signified a rune-keeper. Trained in the tongues of Men and Elves, they used words and runes of power for both healing and destroying their opponents. She would make a powerful ally if the warden could but save her.
That was where the problem lay. He had never faced orcs of this type before, they were bigger than the orcs of Mordor, could bear the light of the sun without harm and bore a strange sigil on their armour, that of the White Hand. This was not a problem, these creatures died like any other orc.
Summoning all his strength for the final charge, he let out a yell and bounded down the hill, throwing his javelin at one of the orc guards at the entrance to the camp, and plunging his spear into the throat of the other. Yanking it free of the foul creature, he spun and plunged the head deep into the guts of another orc. Slashing the throat of another with the head of his spear, he pulled a throwing dagger from his belt and, almost casually threw at another beast, taking it in the eye.
The warden glanced at the lady Elf and saw the gag around her mouth turn instantly to ash. She raised herself up to her full height, bonds also falling to ash. Pulling a runestone from her satchel, she muttered something in Elvish and pointed the stone at the warden. He felt his muscles come alive as the healing magic took effect, and he resumed the fight, bashing orcs with his shield, shouting taunts and impaling them with spear and javelin.
The rune keeper also joined the fray, not only healing the warden's wounds, but throwing lightning bolts, and doing a curious bit of foretelling, prophesying how her opponents would fall. The two Elves worked around each other flawlessly, each covering the other's back, taking down orcs by the dozen. Finally the foul creatures were dealt with and the two warriors looked at each other. Standing to his full height, the warden bowed.
'Mae govannen. Im Ruras.'
The rune keeper laughed softly and replied in the Common Speech:
'Greetings Ruras. I am known as Lalaith, though that is not my true name. Come, let us loose these merry folk and be upon our way.'
As the two set the hobbits free, Ruras asked, 'Lady Lalaith, how do you know our path goes the same way?'
Smiling, she answered, 'The runes tell me much of what is to be. Surely a warden of Lothlorien has encountered such powers of foresight?'
'Indeed not, lady. I was a march warden and did not often journey to Caras Galadhon. If we are journeying together, whither are we going? Into the West?'
Lalaith shook her head sadly and looked into Ruras's eyes.
'Nay, strong-heart. The West is denied us for now, our road lies East; into Shadow. You are a hunter of the creatures of the Enemy, you feel the same hatred for them as I. As long as they haunt Middle-Earth, neither of us shall leave.'
Adjusting the rawhide wrapping on his spear, and replacing the javelin on his back, Ruras smiled.
'Then let us begone.'
Monday, July 18, 2011
So starts my vacation.
I took a week off from work and so I'm going to spend the whole time cooking. So I've decided to detail my successes and failures here. I got the idea to talk about my own cooking on here from a friend online and I have to admit it makes sense. Food is my passion; if I could afford it, I'd go to culinary school and start my own restaurant.
Anyway, I started yesterday, which was my birthday. I didn't make dinner, but I did make my birthday cake. It was kind of an experiment, as I've never made a layer cake before. My problem was I picked a very labor intensive cake to be the first one; I made a coconut cake, and used fresh coconuts.
So after roasting, cracking, peeling and grating 3 coconuts, I kinda wanted to kick my own ass for doing this to myself. But I sallied forth and made the coconut cream and milk. I used store-bought extract because I don't habitually keep vodka around.
The cake turned out good. Light, tender, fluffy, all the adjectives they like to bandy about when talking about cake. The problem was that because I used a darker colored pan, the bottom and sides got a little crispy and it was kind of hard to cut through. Also, when I split them, they split unevenly because of the technique I used, so i got 2 semi normal layers and 2 that are just domes of cake. After frosting the cake with a 7 minute coconut frosting, it looked great. It tastes awesome, if a little sweet...Ok, a lot sweet. I could only eat one piece before I thought I may go into a sugar coma; coffee would have helped.
Other than the pan being uncooperative and the fact that I don't have a round cake stand, I call this one a success, but hey, it's cake right? Even a fucked up cake is almost edible. Tonight will be different, as I'm making ravioli. I've made cheese stuffed ravioli before, but tonight I'm going to experiment with a meat filling. When it's done, I'll make sure to post the results and my thoughts on how I could have done better.
Anyway, I started yesterday, which was my birthday. I didn't make dinner, but I did make my birthday cake. It was kind of an experiment, as I've never made a layer cake before. My problem was I picked a very labor intensive cake to be the first one; I made a coconut cake, and used fresh coconuts.
So after roasting, cracking, peeling and grating 3 coconuts, I kinda wanted to kick my own ass for doing this to myself. But I sallied forth and made the coconut cream and milk. I used store-bought extract because I don't habitually keep vodka around.
The cake turned out good. Light, tender, fluffy, all the adjectives they like to bandy about when talking about cake. The problem was that because I used a darker colored pan, the bottom and sides got a little crispy and it was kind of hard to cut through. Also, when I split them, they split unevenly because of the technique I used, so i got 2 semi normal layers and 2 that are just domes of cake. After frosting the cake with a 7 minute coconut frosting, it looked great. It tastes awesome, if a little sweet...Ok, a lot sweet. I could only eat one piece before I thought I may go into a sugar coma; coffee would have helped.
Other than the pan being uncooperative and the fact that I don't have a round cake stand, I call this one a success, but hey, it's cake right? Even a fucked up cake is almost edible. Tonight will be different, as I'm making ravioli. I've made cheese stuffed ravioli before, but tonight I'm going to experiment with a meat filling. When it's done, I'll make sure to post the results and my thoughts on how I could have done better.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Restaurant Review: The Shed
Let the choir of angels sing: I have found good barbeque in the south! Between the nasty, how-does-the-health-department-not-shut-this-place-down horror of Anjac's to the gut wrenching disaster Hog Heaven, I thought I'd have to go back to the midwest or open my own restaurant to get good bbq. Thankfully I was wrong!
I should have gone here first. This place has been on the Food Network. They sent Diners, Drive-ins and Dives to this place. They've won awards. But then again, Anjac's claims to have won awards too, and that place is nasty. Ok. Let me start from the beginning. There's a food truck down on the beach, owned and operated by The Shed, a local bbq join. I have no problem with food trucks, hell, I'd open one myself if I could afford it. But after so many bad experiences with southern bbq, I really did not want to go here.
First of all, the price? At this truck at least, you cannot beat it. I think it came out to about $10 for a sandwich and 2 sides. And these sandwiches were not small; I'm a big guy and I thought they were damn near huge. Gotta say the portion size was much better than Hog Heaven. I didn't even eat the bun. It wasn't necessary. The meat was so tender and juicy even without the sauce. THIS is what really well done brisket is supposed to taste like. No fat at all, oh it was beautiful. I could have eaten 5 pounds of it and not batted an eye. The sauce was even great, and I think they sell it by the bottle.
I didn't even care about the sides. I got the beans and potato salad. The beans were very good, and obviously home made. I'm not a fan of southern potato salad though. I prefer mustard in my potato salad and they don't do that here. I can't hold that against them; it's just my own personal taste. The only thing that could have made this meal better would've been fries or onion rings. But it was a food truck so maybe not.
And since it was on the beach, you couldn't beat the view.
I should have gone here first. This place has been on the Food Network. They sent Diners, Drive-ins and Dives to this place. They've won awards. But then again, Anjac's claims to have won awards too, and that place is nasty. Ok. Let me start from the beginning. There's a food truck down on the beach, owned and operated by The Shed, a local bbq join. I have no problem with food trucks, hell, I'd open one myself if I could afford it. But after so many bad experiences with southern bbq, I really did not want to go here.
First of all, the price? At this truck at least, you cannot beat it. I think it came out to about $10 for a sandwich and 2 sides. And these sandwiches were not small; I'm a big guy and I thought they were damn near huge. Gotta say the portion size was much better than Hog Heaven. I didn't even eat the bun. It wasn't necessary. The meat was so tender and juicy even without the sauce. THIS is what really well done brisket is supposed to taste like. No fat at all, oh it was beautiful. I could have eaten 5 pounds of it and not batted an eye. The sauce was even great, and I think they sell it by the bottle.
I didn't even care about the sides. I got the beans and potato salad. The beans were very good, and obviously home made. I'm not a fan of southern potato salad though. I prefer mustard in my potato salad and they don't do that here. I can't hold that against them; it's just my own personal taste. The only thing that could have made this meal better would've been fries or onion rings. But it was a food truck so maybe not.
And since it was on the beach, you couldn't beat the view.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Quick update
Ok, I apparently have been receiving a lot of visitors, so I figure I should at least update once in awhile. I meant to try a positive review for once, just to see if I can actually do it, but I recently developed TMJ and my jaw feels like someone hit me in the face with a baseball bat. So once it heals, I hope I'll be able to get another video up. Maybe I can find my real camera and stop with the bad webcam videos.
Anyway, the next review will hopefully be coming soon. See you guys later, I gotta go ice my jaw.
Anyway, the next review will hopefully be coming soon. See you guys later, I gotta go ice my jaw.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Restaurant Review 2: Hog Heaven.
Shitty video time! Seriously though, sorry about the guerrilla style photography and poor sound and lighting; I'm on my webcam again because I don't know where the charger is for my normal camera.
Caution: I swear alot.
Caution: I swear alot.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
V-log 1/8/11 A few games
Please excuse the guerrilla style videography; I'm recording on my webcam and this is my first video ever. So there are a lot of um's and pauses in here.
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