Monthly Media Recap - September 2026

 Happy October Eve!

This month's Media Recap is going up a day early because tomorrow starts the post-a-day Countdown to Halloween! Every year, many bloggers and I Countdown the most wonderful time of the year with daily posts about all things Halloween, horror, spooky, kooky, you name it!

 

Not a lot of movies this month as I spent around 5 movies worth of time catching up on American Horror Story. Title links will take you to a trailer. 

Roll it!

 

Series

 

Spider-Noir (2026, Prime)
Why can't Sony deliver Spider-adjacent movies that are this good?! Cage is at his Cage-iest and that's exactly what the role needs. You can watch it even if you barely know anything about Spider-Man but fans will catch a lot more. Highly recommend watching the B&W version for maximum noir pulpiness. The camera angles and shot compositions are a love letter to classic Hollywood.

American Horror Story Season 10 (Hulu)
Usually my biggest issue with any season of AHS is that it falls off the path somewhere after the mid way point. Here, you get two mini seasons of 6 and 4 episodes. I think they both really shine due to their shorter runs time making their stories tighter. Who knew aliens were behind Marilyn Monroe's death?

 

Gatchaman Progress

Only 3 this month, but there's only 13 more to go! Currently up to 93.

 

Movies

 

Strange Darling (2023, Shudder)
At first I didn't like this one. It has 6 chapters and they're shown out of order. But as I stuck with it, I really began to enjoy the non-linear story telling and putting the pieces together of what was going on. They definitely made the right choice for how to spoon out the story and keep it interesting. Strongly recommend going in cold on this one and enjoy the ride. The trailer is well done in that it doesn't give anything away.

Rating: 7/10

 

Penny Lane is Dead (2025, Shudder)
A modern day Ozploitation revenge thriller that takes place in 1986. It's an odd blend of home invasion, great practical gore effects, and punk vibes. The bad guys have a wicked mean streak which makes it all the more satisfying when they get what's coming to them. Still debating if I like the ending or not.

Rating: 7/10

Enola Holmes 3 (2026, Netflix)
As much as I've enjoyed the series so far, I think this is the low point for me. The mystery didn't quite grab me and while Cavill is back (still needing a spinoff!) he spends a lot of the movie being the MacGuffin and not having as much to do. MBB is still a delight to watch even as her character continues to mature.

Rating: 6.5/10

Borderlands (2024, Apple TV)
How do you turn a beloved video game franchise into a movie that sucks the soul out of what makes the game so much fun? Easy, blend Temu Mad Max and wannabe Guardians of the Galaxy. If I didn't know anything about the game, this would be an ok sci-fi action flick that would get me to check out the game. The characters just felt kind of flat compared to their digital counterparts. Cate Blanchett is as good as you'd expect her to be. A lot of the supporting characters and stuff about the world, they nailed...just not the important stuff. And I don't care what you do, you can't make me believe Kevin Hart is any kind of action hero. 

Rating: 5/10

 

 

Backrooms (2026, HBO Max)

This was so good! The pervasive feeling of dread while navigating a liminal space that feels like it was filmed from a bad dream is fantastic. I can't say enough about how perfect the set design is. It just captures the wrongness of a familiar nightmare. Be sure to stick around after the credits.

 

Rating: 8/10

 

This Month

New: 5  Rewatch: 0

 

Year to Date

New: 61  Rewatch: 2

Monthly Media Recap - June 2026

Have yourself a happy, and safe, holiday!

Title links will take you to a trailer.

On with the show...

 

 

Gatchaman Progress

Finally getting back on track, knocked out 5. Currently up to 82

 

Series 

 

Deli Boys (S2, Hulu)

So glad this came back but not thrilled with the season only being 6 episodes. Maybe there's more coming? Anyway, the addition of Fred Armesin this go round as a shady casino owner is extra icing on this already delicious show. 

 

Regular Show: The Lost Tapes (HBO Max)

Like seeing a couple of old friends and jumping right back into things. Is it just more episodes of Regular Show? Yes! And that's the best praise I can give it.

 

Something Very Bad is Going to Happen (Netflix)

This horror thriller mini series is a slow burn that keeps you guessing if something bad is really going to happen (spoiler alert: it's in the title) or if it's in the main characters head. The burn pays off in the climax with one of the most horrifying scenes I've seen.

 

Young Sherlock (Amazon)

Guy Ritchie returns to Holmes with his signature style for an extremely entertaining and fun ride. If I could have binged the whole thing in a day, I probably would have. Sherlock is great but Moriarty oozes scoundrel charm when he's on screen. It's got plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. 

 

Movies 

 

Supergirl (2026)

Don't listen to the whiny fanboys. If you're thinking about seeing this, do it! It's definitely not Superman. It's a bit grungier, for lack of a better word. Kara is not the shining beacon that her cousin is. This is about her figuring out the kind of person she wants to be. Milly Alcock is the best thing about this movie and I hope we get more of her. If you have a problem with Krypto, I can only assume you've never owned a dog or just hate animals.

 

Rating: 7/10 

 

 

 

You Might Be the Killer (2018, Tubi)

Take The Mask from the movie of the same name but replace Loki with Jason Voorhees and you get this quirky, comedic summer camp slasher. It doesn't tackle meta quite on the level of Scream but I have to hand it to them for doing something original. Definitely a must for slasher fans.

 

Rating: 6/10

 

In Search of Darkness 1995-1999 (Shudder)

While the first half wasn't as interesting because I didn't know a lot of the movies, I really started getting into horror in the late 90s so there was a lot more here that was familiar to me. It was also fun to see the evolution of the teen slasher post Scream.

 

 

Scream 7 (2026, Paramount)

As much as the original Scream redefined horror, the series has become the very thing those characters were making fun of. It's not terrible but it doesn't feel like it was necessary other than to introduce Sydney's daughter to possibly carry the final girl torch. There are a couple of good kills and I like that the trailer doesn't show the biggest plot point (which ends up being a bit of a let down that they didn't go further with it). I don't get how/why this series keeps going with different people being Ghostface but I'll keep turning up to see what weird hoops they'll jump through to make it happen.

 

Rating: 5/10

 

 

They Will Kill You (2026, Netflix)

I put the trailer here but I'm begging you, don't watch it if you plan to see the movie. This insane melding of Tarantino and Sam Raimi should be experienced blind for maximum fun! This movie is crazy and unpredictable. The cinematography choices are chef's kiss and the fight scenes are as wild as a Saturday afternoon Hong Kong flick!

 

Rating: 8/10

 

Disclosure Day (2026)

I don't know, I didn't love it like a lot of people do. I can't put my finger on it but something about the whole viewing just felt a little off for me, like I was watching a three episode season finale arc condensed into a movie. I will say, the female anchor at the end of the movie deserves an award for her performance.

 

Rating: 6/10 

 

This Month

New: 6  Rewatch: 0

 

Year to Date

New: 40  Rewatch: 1

Monthly Media Recap - May 2025

 I will be talking a little about The Mandalorian and Grogu, but no spoilers, I promise!

 

 

Gatchaman Progress

Slacking this month and didn't watch any. Currently up to 77

 

Streaming 

 

The Boys S5 (Prime)

Great social commentary wearing a cape. It may be the final season but they're still going strong with the over the top gore and gross out moments. They did an amazing job and managed to give a satisfying wrap up. Not sure if we need a prequel spin-off series but I trust Eric Kripke and more importantly, Jensen Ackles will be back so I'll be tuning in.

 

Maul: Shadow Lord (2026, Disney+)

I don't know if anyone thought it was a good idea when Maul showed up alive in the Clone Wars series but they've proved that it was more than just a cheap gimmick. Of course, if you're not up on your Maul history, you won't get as much from this series but it's still really, really good!

 

Movies

 

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

This is essentially and 80s action hero movie with loads of effects, puppets, and stop motion and I'm here for it. The great things is, they made this so anyone can go see it but they also put in a ton of stuff that will have long time fans doing the Leo pointing meme without it feeling like fan service. The best compliment I can give it is that it's the kind of movie that will get a kid to love Star Wars.

 

Rating: 8/10 

 

 

Night Patrol (Shudder, 2025)

Justin Long continues to make his mark as a Scream King in this bad cops vs street gangs flick with a vampire twist. The action and effects are great. The final act goes a little wonky and doesn't seem sure which direction it wants to go but it's still a good time.

 

Rating: 6/10

 

 

Thrash ((2026, Netflix)

The decent effects put this a notch above the average SyFy Original. The characters are all fairly one dimensional and I was never really rooting for any of them. They knew this storm was coming and didn't leave so that's on them! The ending has a couple of eye roll inducing bits that are more action movie camp than the rest of the movie which just made me sour on it even more.

 

Rating:  4/10, if you want to see this kind of thing done well, watch Crawl instead

 

In Search of Darkness 1990-1994 (2024, Shudder)

Continuing on into the 90s, this 6 hour documentary takes a look at some of the iconic horror movies of the time. I LOVED the 80s version of this but this one was a little bit of a slog for me. Not because it was lesser in quality but because I wasn't as familiar with a lot of the movies covered. Still, it was fun and gave me a few things to throw on my watch list. 

 

 

Send Help (2026, Hulu)

Sam Raimi injects his dark humor into this mashup of Castaway and Misery. Rachel McAdams may never be a convincing mousy/frumpy type but she's really great when she goes psycho! I had a lot of fun with this one because it keeps ramping up the crazy as it goes.

 

Rating: 7/10

 

SlashFM (Tubi or free on YouTube)

I was braced for the worst when starting this horror anthology. The opening story is terrible, but thankfully only a little over 5 minutes and is the worst of the bunch. The second segment (I Love You So Much, It's Killing Them) is by far the high point. The rest after that are decent, and short, enough to stay entertaining.

 

Rating: 6/10

 

Anaconda (2025, Netflix)

Not linking the trailer because it gives away some of the best gags in the movie! It probably could have been a little better story-wise but Rudd and Black help make up for it. There's a couple of genuine laugh out loud moments and at the end of the day, it's a perfectly fine movie to turn off your brain and have some popcorn.

 

Rating: 6.5/10

 

This Month

New: 7  Rewatch: 0

 

Year to Date

New: 34  Rewatch: 1

Tron in 3-2-1 Contact Magazine (1982)

Did you sing the show theme when you read the post title? Then you remember the PBS science show 3-2-1 Contact. It's kind of funny how you can trace my growth as a human through the PBS shows I watched growing up. Contact was an instant favorite as they explored science principles in fun ways and also introduced The Bloodhound Gang, a group of teen detectives that solved crimes using science.

 

 

I could probably go on about the show but, as the title says, I'm talking about the accompanying magazine. I recently discovered there's about 90 issues uploaded to the Internet Archive. Being a fan of the show, I did get the occasional magazine and it's crazy how many covers I recognize. Me being me, I keyed in on the cover of the October 1982 issue which mashes up two of my favorite things: computers and Halloween. I was thrilled to see this "Special Computer Issue" has a story about Tron. 

 

  

 

Tron had just come out in July, which was probably bad news for any kid just finding out about the movie in October! The article spends time with Larry Elin, one of the computer graphic artists that worked on the movie. He worked at MAGI (Mathematical Applications Group, Inc) one of the first 3D computer animation companies.

 

Not only was he an animator, but also the VP in charge of hiring some of the other folks that worked on the movie. He worked on the iconic vehicle sequences in the movie including the Lightcycles, Tanks, and Recognizers. 

 

MAGI was located in NY and this page mentions how Disney execs in CA wanted to see how the effects scenes were progressing every day. They had a "computer link" to share the scenes coast to coast. I'm curious what that involved in the early 80s!

 

 The last page of the article shows someone programming a Grid Tank into the computer. Another article in this issue features a young girl named Cori Grimm that makes computer graphics for some educational games. If you want to browse the full magazine, you can find it here.

 

I'll leave you off with the theme here but there's also plenty of full episodes up on YouTube if you want to dive down a nostalgia rabbit hole.

 

 

Monthly Media Recap - March 2026

 For an April 1st post, there's not a lot of stinkers this month!

As usual, linked titles will take you to a trailer. 

 

Gatchaman Progress

Only watched 2. Now up to: 75

 

Streaming Series

 

Wonder Man (Disney+)

The MCU TV series can really shine when they take a chance and do something different. This isn't a "superhero" show. It's a show about a guy making his way through life that happens to have super powers. I love how they made "Wonder Man" an 80s sci-fi movie icon and that they brought back Trevor. who has no trouble stealing the scenes he's in. Looking forward to season 2!

 

Ted (S2, Peacock)

Simultaneously more crass than last season (hilariously so) but also balanced with an equal amount of heart. MacFarlane has said this is the last season due to the cost of the show which is really too bad because it's just so damn funny.

 

Movies

 

Project Hail Mary (2025, IMAX)

I've only really seen Gosling in Barbie and the Fall Guy and he does a phenomenal job here. His co-star is no slouch either and will likely be one for the record books. There was a lot more comedy that I was expecting which is kind of ironic as Lord and Miller were booted off Solo: A Star Wars Story for trying to make it more comedic. If you're on the fence about seeing this in a theater, do it! The little kid in me that used to stare at the moon through a telescope and wonder what was out there is glad he did.

 

Rating: 9/10 

 

 

The Last Video Store (2023, Shudder)

The Videonomicon, a strange video tape, traps two people in a video store and forces them to face off against movie characters. I often rip on low budget horror but then there's ones like this that have something special that I thoroughly enjoy. Just about everything hits for me: the synth score, the meta movie tropes, and the knockoff fictional stereotypes of famous movie characters. Horror kids that grew up renting everything and anything in the 80s, this one's for you!

 

Rating: 8/10

 

The Running Man (2025, Paramount+) 

Solid action movie with a social commentary that's a little too close to home these days. It's one of those movies where some things don't make sense if you stop and think about it, but it's also not that kind of movie and before long there's another action set piece to keep things moving.

 

Rating: 8/10

 

Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021, Prime)

Speaking of movies that don't make sense... I mentioned with the first one of these how crazy it was that Someone constructed these elaborate escape rooms which must cost into the billions and that's even more true here. Not only that but it feels like things happen because that's the way they have to in order for the plot to progress. Even just the way the main characters are forced together must have taken an improbable amount of planning. Still, kind of a fun watch for the traps.

 

Rating: 6/10 

 

 

Alligator (1980, Prime)

This is one of those movies that was always at my periphery of horror. It was always on the rental shelf, frequently saw it popup on TV but for some reason never watched despite it being one of my favorite sub genres: giant animal on the loose. It may be a B movie Jaws knockoff but they pull it off! I was surprisingly entertained for the whole thing

 

Rating: 7/10, not really but it was a fun watch

 

 

Alligator 2: The Mutation (1991, Prime and YouTube)

As much fun as the first one was, this direct-to-video bomb needs an MST3k treatment to get to the same level of fun. It's a poor retread of the original and everything about it is worse. The plot, the acting, the effects, you name it. At one point, the alligator is making its way through a fair and it's clear they're just shooting the snout from the side while it's on a dolly, rolling it through the crowd.

 

Rating: 3/10, flush it

 

Ready or Not (2019, Prime/Hulu)

Have you ever watched a movie that you've never seen but parts of it felt familiar? That was my experience here, very odd. Anyway, it's a pretty wild ride and if it's possible seven years later, best to go in blind. The plot becomes apparent to the audience almost immediately but the build up to the main character being let in on it and the roller coaster that follows is wonderful and the dark humor woven in is chef's kiss.

 

Rating: 8/10

 

 

Relaxer (2018, Shudder)

I feel secure promising you, you've never seen and will never see, another movie like this in your life. The basic plot is about a guy trying to get to the Pac-Man kill screen on New Year's Eve 1999. The whole movie takes place in his living room with the occasional visit from oddball characters. And there's some extra weird layered on top of all this. It's something you have to see for yourself because I sure as hell can't explain it! While I kind of get what they were doing and the performance of the main character was fantastic, it's just a little too out there for me...and I love Rubber!

 

Rating: 4/10 

 

This Month

New: 8   Rewatch: 0

Year to Date

New: 22   Rewatch: 0

Thundarr the Barbarian Comc Book

 It's still pretty early in the year but I think I can safely say Thundarr the Barbarian from Dynamite is my most anticipated comic of the year!

 

As far as Saturday morning cartoons go, Thundarr is at the top of my list and was likely a factor in my picking up the D&D Basic rule set at that age. If, for some reason, Thundarr isn't known to you, check out the show's intro. A post-apocalyptic world combining sci-fi and fanatasy? Doesn't get much better than that! 

 

 

 Like many comics these days, Thundarr has multiple cover variants. The above one is my favorite since Jack Kirby himself worked on the show's production design including most of the villains, which are all memorable in their own way. Not only is in done in a very Kirdy-esque style but there's a not so subtle Kirby tribute on the cover.

 

 The comic hooked me from the first few pages. Obviously, I'm an easy mark but even in the opening scene, they bring back a few of the bad guys Thundarr crossed paths with in the show. Being an 80s Saturday morning show, Thundarr was pretty episodic and usually dealt with a new threat each week. To see some of them pop up from the get go, told me these folks are really paying attention to the source.

 

 If you watched the intro, you might recognize the guy on the left that appears for maybe 2 seconds. 

 

The comic tells two stories simultaneously: The main story takes place in the present of 3994 and has Thundarr going under cover to break up a human trafficking/slavery ring. The other story is told through flashback and follows Thundarr's life as a gladiator slave leading up to him meeting Ookla and Ariel.

 

 Despite how much I was looking forward to this, the first issue snuck by me and I only found the second issue just released a few weeks ago. This issue spends a little more time in the flashback, you get to see how Ariel ties into things, and Thundarr faces his toughest arena fight yet: Ookla the Mok!

 

Meanwhile, in the present day, the gang confront the Council of Wizards who are involved in the human slave trade. In classic comic tradition, these wizards have all been bested by Thundarr over the show's run and are now gathered together to bring him down! One of them activates a time portal and sends our heroes back to 1994 just moments before the runaway planet passes between the Earth and the moon, kick starting the global apocalypse from the intro!

 

 

Another thing I love about the series so far is they perfectly capture the characters, including Ariel's commentary on Thundarr's recklessness.

 If you're a fan of sci-fi/fantasy that's just being introduced to Thundarr from this post, you'd probably enjoy the comic. But if you're someone that's been craving more Thundarr adventures since the 80s, I think you'll absolutely love this and find it a worthy successor to the show.

 

Monthly Media Recap - January 2026

 Before I jump into anything, I want to take a minute and dedicate this post to Will West. If you read this blog, you probably know who he is and that he had a stroke last week. I don't know him personally but he's one of the bloggers that inspires me. He's got such a great voice online and has a lot to say. I know a lot of us in the blog-o-sphere are pulling for him and hope he recovers soon. There's a GoFundMe out there to help out his wife and two girls and they're getting close to their $40k goal. More than anything, I think he's going to be pissed at having to break his weekly blogging streak.

  

 

Gatchaman Progress

Not only did I forget to log this last month, but I've only watched 5 eps since November.

Current ep: 70 

 

Streaming

 

Stranger Things (S1-5, Netflix)

Usually, when a show comes back after a break, I'll find a 30 minute YouTube recap video but I know how much I loved this show and with it being the final season, I re-watched the first four seasons and am so glad I did! Not only did it make the overall story more cohesive but I got to meet the gang again and be reminded of their interpersonal dynamics. I feel like I need a whole post just to talk about the series but I'm lazy. The first couple eps of season 5 didn't quite click but once it did, I was all in. They managed to stick the landing for me. It was satisfying and emotional. I'm going to miss the Hawkins gang so I'll be diving into some of the books this year.

 

History of the World Part II (Hulu) 

At it's best, it was okay. It probably would have been better as a movie instead of a comedy sketch type show. Does not fill me with hope for Spaceballs 2.

 

Movies 

 

M3GAN 2.0 (2025, Prime)

I see why a lot of people didn't like this. I enjoyed the first one but this is is more like a whole new operating system than an upgrade. It's got a more campy tone, is more violent than I remember the first one being and also somehow feels like a superhero movie? If I saw this by itself, I'd probably like the 90s direct to video feel but as a sequel, it doesn't quite deliver what you liked about the original.

 

Rating: 5/10 

 

 

Igniting the Spark - The Story of Magic: The Gathering (2025, Prime)

I was there at GenCon 1993 when MtG debuted and like everyone else, was instantly hooked. At least for a few years and then I got out. Anyway, this doc starts of with the founding of Wizards of the Coast and then how MtG came to be. If you've ever been into the game, I highly recommend checking this out. If you've never played but are a gamer at heart, I still think its interesting to see how a whole new genre of game was developed.

 

Jurassic World Rebirth (2025, Peacock)

How many freakin islands are there?! Despite the very video game plot (they need to get DNA from a water dino, an air dino, and a land dino), this was a pretty solid monster movie. There's no legacy characters to bog it down and I like the assembled by circumstance adventuring group. It may not really do anything new (other than introduce contractually obligated new dinos) but it's a fun ride that stands on its own.

 

Rating: 7/10

 

 

Killing Mary Sue (2025, Prime)

An action comedy that doesn't quite deliver on either premise. I'm guessing they spent most of the budget on the cast because it sure wasn't on the gunfire effects. This movie wants to be cooler than it really is and that's too bad because it could be fun if handled the right way. I'd recommend Becky and The Wrath of Becky instead of this.

 

Rating: 4/10

 

Black Phone 2 (2025, Peacock)

File this under unexpected sequels I didn't know I needed! But didn't The Grabber die in the first one? Yes, yes he did. Horror fans will not doubt draw comparisons to Freddy here but it all works for me. The psychic dream sequences have a fantastic otherworldly creepiness to them (as they should!) and I really liked how they tied it together with the first one.

 

Rating: 7/10

 

 

Marshmallow (2025, Shudder)

This is one of those where you should go in as blind as possible as it keeps you guessing. The kid actors are pretty good and the counselors play their slasher movie stereotypes well. This should be a good gateway horror flick for young teens that want to dip a toe in the pool...or summer camp lake.

 

Rating: 7/10

 

This Month

New: 6   Rewatch: 0

Year to Date

New: 6   Rewatch: 0

Monthly Media Recap - June 2025

Another month closer to Halloween!

 

Linked titles will take you to a trailer if you're interested.

 

  

Streaming

 

The Residence (Netflix)

At first glance, I didn't think a murder mystery in the White House was going to be up my alley but I'm glad I gave it a chance. It's funny, has some wonderful characters, twists and turns, and fantastic writing. When it ended, I couldn't help but wonder how people managed to weave it all together.

 

The Continental: From the World of John Wick (Peacock)

I wasn't sure how interested I'd be in a World of John Wick  prequel series but setting it in 70s NYC gave it not so grimy grind-house feel. It's not as bombastic or graceful as its parent but still has plenty of action. There are a couple of lulls in the story and while I was never bored with it, it probably could have benefited from tightening up the B stories. And speaking of John Wick...

 

Sincromillian & Glysentry STELLAR Glyos Figures

 About a month ago, Onell Design released wave 104 of their Glyos figures. Many of the figures in that wave are an homage to the 1979 Disney sci-fi classic The Black Hole (I said what I said). I will always, and forever, hold this movie close to my heart. For the love of Mickey, with all the remakes Disney cranks out, I feel like this would be a great one to tackle. I had to restrain myself from getting all the movie-inspired figures to save both my wallet and space.

 

The figures I didn't get were this V.I.N.CENT inspired drone and one of the Sentry security robot. I picked the STAR version over the Sentry because there wasn't a figure of it when I was a kid. Even with the Kenner Star Wars line, the aliens and robots were my favorite figures. Maybe it's because they weren't main characters and you could make up whatever story about them you wanted. With The Black Hole, I only had the robot figures, didn't really care for the humans.

Being Glyos figures, everything comes apart and all the pieces are compatible allowing you to do pretty much what you want with them.

 

They did a nice job recreating the Black Hole's dual blasters by simply using separate pieces to connect to the top and bottom of the hand..

 

This figure is about 2.5" tall and comes with a couple of extra heads and assorted pieces to make your own bounty hunting Murderbot.

 

 

Speaking of Murderbots, if you're doing a Black Hole tribute, you gotta have Maximilian! This 3.5" tall chonky boi has got all sorts of implements for entertaining at your next party in your spaceship that's precariously hanging out at a black hole.

You can keep your Johnny 5, your Robbie the Robot, your Terminator, for me Maximilian is right up there with Artoo and Threepio in the pantheon of movie robots!

These guys, and the Sentry, are still available at the Onell Store. If you're a Black Hole fan, I'd also recommend checking out the Onell Blog to see their Golden Book version of The Dark Vortex.

Monthly Media Recap - September 2024

 As usual, the September Recap is coming to you a day early because tomorrow starts the 31 day Countdown to Halloween Blog-a-thon! Also as usual, the linked titles below are Amazon affiliate links where I may earn from any qualifying purchases.

 

Handmaid's Tale (S2, Hulu)

Some of the scariest non-horror stuff ever because it feels like we're one bad election away from it. I've been a fan of Elisabeth Moss after seeing her in 2020's Invisible Man and she just continues to be amazing in this series, which is also outstanding.

 

American Horror Stories (S1-S2, Hulu)

This took up a whole lotta movie time this month but it's good prep for spooky season. This is a spin-off anthology series where each episode is a self contained story; very Tales from The Crypt. There are occasional references to one of the main series stories but you can fully enjoy this without having seen any AHS. If you know AHS, you're familiar with their opening credits sequences. They do that for each episode, giving it a unique sequence which just adds to the fun.

Movies

Horny Teenagers Must Die! (2024, Tubi)
Based on the title (and category tags) I assumed this was going to have some comedic elements to it. As it is, it's a pretty generic "horny teens in the woods" slasher that might keep you guessing who the killer is...if you're not really paying attention. If you're going to give your movie a title like this, you have to deliver on it, especially in the kill department.

Rating: 3/10

Star Slammer aka Prison Ship (1986, Tubi)
Back in the 70s & 80s, "women in prison" was a whole sub-genre of exploitation films. This is one of those but innnn spaaaace. It's got a lot of the standard tropes of WiP films and plenty of generic sci-fi stuff to make it entertaining even if it's not a good movie. And how about that knock-off Raiders music?

Rating: 4/10

Gatchaman Comics - Mad Cave Studios

 Back on Free Comic Book Day this year, I was over the moon to see a new Gatchaman comic. Depending on where and when you grew up, you might know Gatchaman as G-Force or Battle of the Planets. Those are both Americanized, edited version of the original Gatchaman anime.

I hadn't heard of Mad Cave Studios before but they're also bringing back Flash Gordon and Defenders of the Earth in comic form. I've read the first two issues of Gatchaman and am loving it so far. You can actually get the FCBD comic from their website. 

 

Thanks to this comic coming out, I finally decided to make my way through the BluRay set of all 105 episodes. I've probably seen every episode of Battle of the Planets multiple times as a kid but the original, unedited series is not quite the same.

If you've seen any version of the cartoon, you'll no doubt recognize this sequence from the first issue. They've done a fantastic job of making it feel like you're watching the show. The art style, bright colors, and kinetic action scenes will make you want to grab a bowl of cereal before reading. 

 

One thing tI'm really interested in about this comic series is that back at the Gatchaman base, there is a backup Science Ninja Team in training.

In addition to the on-going Gatchaman series, there are two more titles!

Star Wars Bounty Hunters Card Game (2024)

 I happened to see someone post about this in a Facebook board game group and pretty much ordered it immediately. Who wouldn't want to play a game where you get to play bounty hunters?

The other reason I ordered it is that I really like the art style they used. Some of the characters have a very manga-esque look to them.

Here's a few of the bounty hunters in the game. All the ones from Empire Strikes Back are in there as well as a couple from The Book of Boba Fett. Below them are some of the droids you can "purchase" to help take down your targets.

And these are the targets and contract cards. To "capture" a target, you have to play hunters and/or droids on them to beat all three color shields. Bounty points (top left) start high but each hunter you play reduces the score. Droids don't have an effect on score but cost credits.

Contract cards are a way to earn more points for your bounties. For example, with the first one, each time you capture Qi'ra or Solo, you get one point. (Yes, you can capture targets more than once, they must be pretty hard to lock up!) If you have them both, you get a total of five points, one for each and three for the pair.

I haven't played yet but did read through the rules. It seems like it could be fun but a little weird that bounty hunters negatively impact scoring. Wouldn't it make more sense to have to pay the bounty hunters credits? That's what they do!

 

Also, the contract cards have odd pairings of characters. But these are minor complaints from someone that wants the game to stick to the lore of Star Wars as much as possible.

You can read a review, and detailed explanation of how to play, over at BoardGameGeek.com.

 

If you want to pick up the game, please use this Amazon affiliate link.

Space Ghosts Returns!

 Space Ghost is back in a new comic book series from Dynamite. Issue #1 dropped last week and there are incredible amount of variant covers. Between foil variants and retailer exclusives, there are over 40!

 

Since my introduction to Space Ghost was Saturday morning cartoons in the 80s, this is my favorite cover. A superhero in outer space. How can you go wrong? Being able to fly and turn invisible are great powers but what I really like are his power bands because it seemed like he had a ray for just about everything packed in there.

Monthly Media Recap - February 2024

 Welcome to the February Monthly Media Recap, now with an extra day!

 

As always, links below will take you to Amazon where you can purchase the movie (or whatever you want) and I may earn a few pennies from qualifying purchases.

Series

Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)

I really enjoyed this. I had no idea this series has a Potter-like fandom. The series has that 80s "kids go on an adventure" vibe to it which kind of made me feel like a kid watching it. And speaking of kids, the young actors were all great. Also definitely recommend the Making Of doc which will just make you like the kids more. I may just pick up the books while waiting for the next season.

Movies

 

Werewolves Within (2021, Shudder)

It definitely has humor to it but I was expecting a little more given the cast. It's a pretty good Whodunit...or Whodawerewolf. My biggest "gripe" is that if you make a rated R werewolf movie, it should be for gore and not the number of f-bombs in the script. Considering it's based on a video game, I'm surprised they didn't try for a PG-13.

Rating: 6/10

 

Monthly Media Recap - January 2024

You might want to grab a drink and some snacks before embarking on this epic Monthly Media Recap featuring 13 movies!

 

As usual, links below are Amazon affiliate links where I may earn from qualifying purchases.

 Streaming

Psych

After eight seasons and three movies, I have completed my Psych journey...at least until the next movie comes out. I stopped posting about finishing each season because there wasn't more for me to say. The show blazed its way into my top TV shows of all time thanks to the writing and characters. I love it!

 

American Nightmare (Netflix)

This true crime doc about a young woman's kidnapping did not go where I thought it would. The most horrifying thing about the story isn't the abduction but how the victims were treated by law enforcement. I don't think I've ever felt enraged after watching a documentary before.

 

Twisted Metal (S1, Peacock)

My sum knowledge of the game series is some kind of demolition derby with tricked out vehicles. Oh, and there's an ice cream truck. The series definitely delivered and was a ton of fun. It brought me back to SyFy's (or were they still SciFi then?) series Blood Drive which I also love. I haven't seen Mackie is much outside the MCU but the dude's got serious charisma. It better get another season! 

 

The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (2003, Tubi)

Given that this is only an hour, they don't spend much time with each movie. I have a couple of problems with this list. First, Galaxy of Terror is listed and shouldn't be anywhere near here. Second, Troll is on here and not Troll 2?!? 

Monthly Media Recap - August 2023

 Welcome to September, the blog hibernation month. This will likely be my only post until the end of the month so I can focus on cranking out 31 posts for the annual Countdown to Halloween starting in October!

 

Streaming Series

 

X-Men: The Animated Series (S1, Disney+)

With X-Men 97 coming soon, I thought I'd revisit the series since I never watched it all the way through. The animation doesn't seem to have held up well in places. Some shots are done with weird angles and characters can have funky proportions. But, I still enjoy the stories and was surprised just what they packed in with plots, villains, and guest characters.

Psych (S2, Amazon Prime)

This show is quickly on its way to becoming an all time favorite and it's just getting better season after season. The writing is so damn funny and I would love to hang out with these characters.

Movies

Death Game (1977, Shudder)

I am usually up for a good grindhouse exploitation flick but this one had a hard time keeping my attention.The sex scenes look like they were done by an alien that's only had the concept of human sex described to them. The only thing that really kept me watching was Colleen Camp, who played Yvette the maid in Clue.

Rating: 4/10

Krull Coloring Book (1983)

 Today's post comes to you courtesy of Archive.org, where I found today's topic: a Krull coloring book from Marvel Comics! Marvel did quite a few coloring books back in the day and not just their own characters. They also did movie based ones and a few Dungeons & Dragons ones featuring characters from the LJN toy line.

 

Krull is one of my absolute favorite 80s fantasy flicks. Not only did thy cram in typical fantasy stuff like a Cyclops, Fire Mares, and a giant crystal spider but the bad guys were aliens with laser weapons. It was an odd mash-up for sure but that's why I love it.

 I did some poking around and it looks like there was one other coloring book and two coloring/activity books for Krull. At least that's all a quick search turned up. You can see the covers, and get digital versions, at Retro Reprints. A Puppy for Titch can be found in its entirety at the Internet Archive.

As you might guess by the title, A Puppy for Titch is not exactly a rip roaring adventure in the world of Krull but there are giant spider and Slayers. Due to the presence of Slayers, I would think this takes place somewhere off screen during the events of the movie. But Lyssa is in the story and Corwin meets the Cyclops. Who cares about continuity in a coloring book?

During my poking around, I also found that Alan Kupperberg did the pencils for the book. He was a comic artist and writer that worked on various issues in my collection including DC's Blue Devil and Fury of Firestorm, Marvel Tales, What If, Crazy and one of my favorite books at the time, Obnoxio the Clown vs the X-Men. You can read a scathing review of that book here. 

 

To be fair, I haven't read it in decades, who knows if I'd even still find it funny. It was probably a favorite because this early 80s X-Men team is my ride or die. They are what launched me into collecting comics.