Hello Monsterkids, welcome to the Kweeny Todd Blog!

After putting all my energy into weekly updating my YouTube Channel the last couple years, I have decided I dont have the time or energy to keep up with thos blog. If you have found my presence through my other social media, them feel free to read the old blog posts here. I'm not taking them down, even if I dont update here anymore. This blog helped me build the confidence enough to do YouTube, so I'm gonna keep it up for that reason, if nothing else. But if you want more from me, here are my social media links I use from my most used to the least used platforms. Thank you to all my blogger friends I have made, for all the comments and support! 💚🖤🐺

The Kweeny Todd Show on Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/user/KweenyTodd
Kweeny Todd on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kweenytodd
Marrow Minded Crafts on Storenvy: http://marrowmindedcrafts.storenvy.com
Kweeny Todd on Twitter: @kweenytodd
Kweeny Todd on FB: https://www.facebook.com/pg/KweenyTodd/
Kweeny Todd on Instagram: @kweenytodd
Marrow Minded Crafts on Instagram: @marrowmindedcrafts

Kweeny Reviews: The Berzerk Death Dealer

I like to try and support all kinds of horror media. But I don't always get the chance to. The most easily accessible media for horror is film. So I do a lot of reviews on it. But this time, I get to do a metal horror comic!

What makes today comic, THE BEZERK DEATH DEALER, special is the at that there are real people starring in it. You might know the name of the dark temptress Tristan Risk, but if you haven't just look up the name. you'll want to. She is an actress and performer and now, a comic book villain! Though in this case, I think everyone is a villain in this comic.

The world of The Bezerk Death Dealer is a dark one. There is guts and gore, people doing horrible things to each other, and a hero who has a fucking rad demonic cat-beast-thing who turns into a motor cycle! It's pretty bitchen, and I think the beast-bike is my favorite part of the book. Who doesn't want a loyal, sassy, monster bike who helps you get your job done?

The plot isn't exactly the most deepest, moving thing I have ever read, but it's fucking fun! And sometimes, that's all you want to read. The low down is this: Death is an all powerful being and makes the Death Dealer character do his bidding. When he wants something taken out in a spectacle of gore and madness, he sends the Bastard of Death and his doggo. When they are tapped to assassinate someone, the pair is getting high with his bike buddy. The party is done for a time, until they entire Gothic Town. Yup, the place is called Gothic Town. For real.

If you can handle Troma movies with their silly stories and all over nasty gore messes, you will be into this.

Love this realistic version of Maz Latex

So Gothic Town. There are a lot of assholes in Gothic Town. Reality imitates life. *wink* It's a place damned souls get stuck in and die. We see people being terrible to each other, and we know this is build up for our...hero and his pet to show us what they are made of. The Death Dealer gets a phone call from "Big Boss" and gets to work. We see the duo get dressed up in their finest gothic attire and the dog turns into a bike. Or is it a cat? I think he's a dog since he barks, but he is very stylized. I love him. I don't care what he is. I want to drive off into the sunset on his back.

(So the bike-beast actually has a name Rockabella! Perfect! A worthy name of a bike-beast. This could mean the bike is female, but gender doesn't change my love of the character.)

There' some cool panels of the Diablo riding Rockabella as they move toward destiny, and we find out his name is Diablo. Super gothic name bro. When he breaks into his targets domain (which is full of torture and sexy rubber clad bitches) he prepares a bomb called, "The Bomb Boner."

This is my face as I see the reveal of The Bomb Boner:

But that's how it goes in Gothic Town! So run with it!

So the servants of the realm are called Da' Festish Queenz, and they are ruled by the biggest, baddest bitch of them all. Tristan's character: Maz Latex. She has some experimental drug she stole from Big Boss called BEAST MODE and drinks it when the show down with Diablo gets heavy.

Maz in Beast Mode is a creature to be feared!

The Death Dealer sets off his bomb and for a moment, it bothers our big Queen bee. But then she smiles. Because it means war. Death Dealer puts on his "I'm serious business now" mask and looks damn stylish. If I can say one thing about all this ultra violence silliness, it's that it looks real good. The art style is fantastic and shows the work of someone who's taken years to perfect their craft. The storytelling is shallow but fun, and I think that is the point. If you go into this comic with ideas other than a fun time with ultra sexy violence, then this isn't for you. This comic is exactly what it says on the front cover, and I love it. I love it for being boldly, stupidly fantastic. Horror comics mixed with gothic aesthetic are bad ass. We need more of them. I don't care if they are cliché. I love it. And I love Tristan Risk's character so much because she's a vicious, beautiful warrior who leads with sadistic joy. She almost trumps Diablo in how over the top she is.

Look at the detail! This is Diablos mask.

The creators of the comic really put a lot of time into making this crazy madness. It shows in the art. Because no one who doesn't love their work makes a replica mask for nothing:

In summary, this comic is a fun, crass romp with beautiful visuals and a hardcore presentation.you can tell by the effort the creators had that this is a passion project. I'd like to see more from Death Punk Comix in the future, and they told me they plan to do just that. Get on your wild beast-bike roaring into the distance, and read this one. You'll have a gory good time.

Kweeny Goes to Crypticon 2017!

I killed it!

If you've been following me on social media, you know last weekend I went to Crypticon. You also know I had a fucking blast and I am still recovering from it! You know it's a good con when you come home limping. And I didn't get to go to any parties!

Demons to some...

So this review is going to be from a vendor's point of view. So keep that in mind. I tried to go to as much stuff as possible, but I was mostly in the Dealers Room. Which had good points and bad points. Good point was I got to see Doug Bradley right away! It was amazing guys! He is a gentle-beast and a Hellpriest. He over heard us all talking about Nightbreed and how amazing a movie it is, and when I came up to meet him, after shaking my hand and asking my name he went right into an amazing story about how he, Clive Barker, Barbie Wilde and more were all working on Hellraiser. He shared stuff about the filming of Nightbreed and for an aspiring filmmaker like myself, it just made me squee inside my head. That stunned look I got on my silly mug is because I am still buzzing from the story. LOL! I was so honored to meet him. You all know by now how much Clive's work moves me. How meeting actors in his films is important to me. I wanted to go find Median growing up. I was a monster, I knew where the monsters lived.

But I have found were the monsters live: Horror Cons. it's all about the horror cons monster kids. And that's part of what makes Crypticon so special. My favorite part of the con was running around hugging my friends. This was my second year of Crypticon, but I have been to a few cons and festivals around the PNW, so now people know me. Some, even like me! Some, wanna party with me, but I am not working with a full bar of energy. I love my con friends. they are all really talented and passionate folks who inspire me to do better. I want to vend my own stuff some day. And I still want to make movies. I went to some filmmaking panels, and one by the lovely Gigi Saul Guerrero of Luchagore Productions, suggested I see.

Some of my favorite indie filmmakers! 

She was so fucking right too! This is how a good panel should leave you feeling. Ready to try some shit out for yourself! I think supporting each other is so very important. All my friends have worked hard to get where they are. Be they Con Staff, to even us vendors. I noticed from vending that everyone helps each other in this game. Once you're all in, you've got back up. People know me as Press usually so my vending confused some folks. But it's all connected. All part and parcel of a con.

I didn't go party with my favorite folks (you know who you are), because I couldn't get a ride home and I was in pain. Still in pain. The pain was worth it, but it hurts like a hell priest ripping your skin off. I'll party with you one day, mark my words!

I need an Evac!

If there is one thing I took away from this con it's this: Thank you for reminding me what #HorrorFamily really means. We gotta make pockets of Median were we can. Because we ARE the monster kids. This is why we make cons like Crypticon. The Saw is Family.

Kweeny Reviews: O Unilateralis

Hey Monsterkids! It's your old pal Kweeny Todd here with a movie review! I'm trying to get back on the blogging horse. So here it goes:

Recently I had the pleasure to watch the indie found footage film O Unilateralis. This movie is full of little details that really make it feel real. O Unilateralis is not your typical found footage film, and I adore it for that. It starts off normal enough though. Two Travelers filming their road trip pick up a girl named Abby along the way, and from there things take a dark turn. This isn’t even the most interesting part of the film. Just some details we need to get to the really good parts.

Now I am going to be honest here, found footage bugs me. I hate the style and I find it’s over used. But this movie uses it in a way I could get into. It actually made things seem more real because of the places the story goes with it. When you realize a dark conspiracy is happening, it adds a sense of realism to the movie. And the story unfolding between the three travelers is its own dark tale. They drive through some really scenic parts of Oregon to get to their cabin getaway, only to find weird things along their path. Like a police blockade that causes them to take the back roads because Troy has weed and freaks out. Troy gets high and starts acting like a dick to pretty much everyone all in the name of “fun.” But no one else around him is having fun. Especially after what he does near the end. I will warn you, there is rape in this film. And graphic violence. The gore is done really well for an indie film and there are some scenes that really fucking shine gore wise.

Before the doomed travelers (who are all fantastic actors) get to that point, we are given little hints about what’s happening. An old lady attacks Abby, and if you know anything from horror movies, if you are bitten by someone, you’re fucked. When we find out what is causing the outbreak, and if you look up the name of this film, it will all make sense. Is this a zombie film? Not sure that part matters really. A sickness is infecting people and making them attack each other. That’s all you need to really know. The plot goes from two guys go on an adventure and a girl comes between them (Because one of the guys is an asshole rapist), to, “Holy shit what did I just see? Did she eat that guy? LOL!”

It’s a great film with a lot of meat on its bones. If you want to watch a found footage conspiracy that has people behaving badly and shows A LOT of the grisly details, this movie is for you. I’m looking forward to seeing what Michelle Nessk does next for sure.

Kweeny's Dream Loot Crate: The Kweenybeast Box

Recently the people at Loot Crate contacted me about helping to create content on my site for my ideal loot crate. A box full of stuff that would make Kweeny Todd squee with delight upon receiving in the mail! And I do love getting mail as it is. Subscription boxes do seem like getting a birthday present every month.

So what kind of box would I create? Hang on to your seats monsterkids! Here's my picks for a Loot Crate full of Kweeny's favorite nerd treats! I all this crate The Kweenybeast Box!

First off, my box would have something Deadpool in it. I know he's super popular. Especially after they did an awesome job with his movie. But I have loved Deadpool since I found him in comics as a kid. He's insane, can't die, has a romance with death herself, has multiple perosnalities, is in constant, horrific pain, and is hilarious! Not to mention he;s Canadian, and I love Wolverine and all, but Deadpool has a sense of humor about everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. So that's why I need a little Deadpool in my box.

I'm also a bit of a Harry Potter nerd, so something from my house would be nice. And my house is Slytherin! It's not as popular as houses like Gryfindor, but we are not a house to be ignored. Not all Slytherin are evil, but being that close to the dark side of magic means it's easier to be tempted by it. So I would want something in my box to represent my Slytherin pride.

Now let's delve deeper into the darkness and bring out monsters! One of my favorite monsters is in the movie Aliens. That movie was action packed and intense, especially when Riply faces down the Queen Alien! So a cute little plush alien or something like it would be really cool in this box. Cute and monstrous, just like me!

My next choice to add to our box of freaks and monsters, is from my favorite movie of all time: Repo! The Genetic Opera! I have to have something from this show in here. I know it might be harder to get a handle on, but I would take anything! A piece of art signed, the soundtrack, I just want something from this wonderfully outrageous show! More people need to know about it.

Of course I need something werewolf related! I am a child of the moon, and I'm known as the Sexy Werewitch on my podcast: Archivists Bet On Sexy Witches.  So something werewolf related from the long history of horror and werewolves is good by me! You could get really creative too. Like werewolf magnets, mittens, etc. Extra points if they put something from Ginger Snaps in there, like a shirt.

And lastly, I know I need something from Hellraiser in there. If they put this puzzle box in there, I would be super ecstatic! Hellraiser is one of my favorite horror movies ever, and it helped shape a lot of my personality growing up. Pinhead and his crew haunted my young dreams for years. This will be a prize that will tear my soul apart!

Hopefully this gives you ideas for your own subscription box! Loot Crate is pretty wonderful and constantly trying to up their quality of merch they send you. If you are interested in checking out Loot Crate for yourself, here ya go: Loot Crate. If you are interested in the Kweenybeast Crate, you can let Loot Crate know.

Kweeny Visits The H.P. LOVECRAFT FILM FESTIVAL!

One of the awesome things that happens during the month of October is Portland's H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival! This weekend was my second time attending the fest. My friends and I had the intention of seeing all the features this year as last year we did all the shorts. We did see quite a few, but our experience was sadly cut short due to one of my friends slipping in the theater and hurting herself. Ouch! I told her she should stop wrestling shogoths in the bathroom. ;)

As for the fest itself, I will give you a description of what I did get to experience:

One of the things about the festival that I love is all the vendors. They are all really weird and interesting, with a lot of strange oddities about. You can find everything from H.P. Lovecraft inspired comix, monster jewelry and oddities, make up, leather and metal work, and of course, tentacled wonders. There is everything a good cultist could ever want to spend money on.

I watched a few features, one being the Q & A with Stuart Gordon, director of the classic From Beyond! We even got to see a cut of the film that hasn't been seen before! I loved being in a crowd of fellow nerds laughing at From Beyond and all the over-the-top cheese! There is something rewarding about watching a movie on the big screen. It's more of a group experience then a personal one. "Every time I come to this festival I learn a little more about Lovecraft." Stuart Gordon said during the Q & A, "I think Lovecraft is inherently funny. Hence my little call backs like 666 on the door and Benevolent St. The 1980's was a good time for horror movies. Horror films thrive when you have a Republican president."

Listening to him speak was a treat. I love listening to filmmakers talk. And I think Stuart Gordon was a kind, funny man who was very down to earth. check out his work and you'll find a legend underappreciated.

One of the other films I saw and liked was The Creature Below. It was a cool take on Lovecraft, with a lady who goes deep sea diving and comes back with something from the depths. It was a very entertaining film, and the main character was really creepy near the end.

Another film I saw was Downhill. I almost liked this one, but they had some annoying shaky cam bits, and I think they left us with too many unanswered questions. A little more fleshing out of the script might have helped made this story more solid. There is a fine line between mystery building and just being too vague.

I have a whole list of films I wanted to see, like Badass Monster Killer (doesn't the name alone tell you how cool a exploitation Lovecraft film could be?), and animated film called Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom, and lastly, The Unkindness of Ravens. I'm sad I missed these films!

There were other event's too! I didn't get to any of them due to time constraints and the accident, but there were fun things like game demo's, meet and greet's with the filmmakers, author signings, audio drama's, costuming Lovecraft, and so much more! I would have loved to go to more things. Maybe next year I will.

Once again the festival won my heart and made me feel like I was not just a film goer, but a part of a weird little family of fellow Lovecraft nerds! Even while standing in line I made friends, talking to people who share a passion. Portland tends to have some of the greatest and kindest horror nerds you'll ever meet. I'm hoping Seattle will grow more of their horror community so I can feel more at home here. It's likely I just know more about the Portland scene.

UNTIL NEXT YEAR CULTISTS! Check out the site and see what cool stuff we were up to this year: http://hplfilmfestival.com/hplfilmfestival-portland-or

KWEENY REVIEWS: Killer Party and talks HHMMM!

Once again the moon is full, the month is October, and I have crawled out of my putrid grave to celebrate! And I'm thinking, let's start off this month of MADNESS with a movie review!

For those of you unawares, I spend the month of October doing a crazy movie watching contest called HALLOWEEN HORROR MOVIE MARATHON MADNESS, or MADNESS for short. It's a Facebook group that is full of nerds like me, who like to use October as an excuse to marathon the shit out of every horror or Halloween themed movie in existence! My team is called Team Killing Joke, after one of my favorite Joker stories. There's a lot of cool events and teams this year, and our theme for movie watching is:

So when I got emailed to do a review of the movie KILLER PARTY, it seemed almost like destiny that I wait and review it at the start of the Horror Marathon! Bring on the crazy clown! *honk*

Killer Party is about a bunch of acting friends get together for a baby shower. Little do they know, this baby shower will turn into a fight for their lives! When some weird phenomenon makes people go completely bonkers, (not quite a zombie outbreak, because people who get sick retain all their normal functions. Which makes them a little scary.) these quirky friends try to survive and find a way out.

It's a simple set up, nothing that hasn't been done before. Except the clown from the party gets sick. And then some of their neighbors. And then some of their friends. The shenanigans the group gets up to doing things like look for food is some funny shit! I laughed so hard during some scenes, but I don't want to spoil it and tell you too many details...

Another thing I loves was the failed actors group. Each one had a unique character they brought to the group, even the ones that seemed like assholes. If they were amateur actors for real, I don't know. But I do think they gave convincing performances. So many times when I watch indie films the acting is th first to go. Glad to say this isn't the case here. I think people just had fun shooting this film, and it comes out. It's not filmed in a special way, but it's decent cinematography. Each character felt like they had a good moment, and a reason to be there. and I have to applaud Mary (Played by Rachael Dummond) for being actually pregnant on set! That belly is real folks! The clown is probably my other favorite character. Just pure evil in bright colors. Does the clown get his comeuppance? Check out Killer Party and find out!

My final verdict is this is one to watch. It's funny, sincere, a little goofy, and somethings unnerving. Need another clown movie to get you full points during the HHMMM? Look for this one.

Kweeny Interviews: Tristan Clay and Destinie Orndoff!

I am a little behind on things lately, so I didn't post it right away. But since RED EYE isbeing filmed right now, I figure posting it now is still relevant. Plus I love the interview. The pair of them were kind and understanding. I appreciate that. Supporting the horror genre is important to me. 
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You can always tell when someone is passionate about what they do, and when someone is just doing it for a paycheck. Seeing original, indie film makers rise to the challenge is inspiring. It shows that if you love something enough, you will make sure your passion bleeds through. And that is exactly what Filmmakers Tristan Clay and Destinie Orndoff are doing. At the time I write this, they are almost completely funded on their new project Red Eye. The pair are bringing their horror vision to life. And many of us like myself can’t wait to see what they have to show us. I thought I’d sit down with the pair and ask them some questions from one horror fan to another. So let’s begin…

What shaped you guys as young kids when you first entered the horror genre? 

Destinie: My first horror film was A Nightmare on Elm Street, I was six years old. I remember going to the video store and renting various VHS' and going home to watch them, alone. Yep, alone. Haha! I loved it. I remember my first ever horror film in a movie theater was Freddy VS Jason, I was also six! I just always dug it, always. I grew up on it. And now, it's shaped what I want to do with my life.

Tristan: I grew up in a religious household where the church banned rated R films to be viewed. I had a great amount of restrictions when it came to horror growing up. Although, that never stopped me from sneaking and watching movies I wasn't suppose to. It wasn't that I wanted to rebel, it was because something about horror intrigued me. More so all the behind the scenes and gags. That is what fascinated me to horror films. What truly made the film.

What would you say your influences are? 

Destinie: I'd definitely say Rob Zombie, The Soska Sisters, Wes Craven and from an actress perspective, Danielle Harris.
Tristan: I would say the film's I grew up watching were the most influential. Titles such as "The Grudge," "The Ring," "Jaws," and the remake of "Prom Night."

How did you both meet? Finding kindred spirits who love the same things you do and have the same passion is special. 

Destinie: I met Tristan at HorrorHound Weekend in March of 2015. We previously talked through Instagram about requesting the Soska Sisters to attend the convention and when they got added we decided to meet up and meet them together! We honestly became instant BFFs and talked literally everyday after that day. When we both found out that we had a common dream of (directing - Tris) and (acting - me) we built each other up and decided to start on a feature length horror film. Four months later (that July) he ended up coming to my house to film the first promotional video for Red Eye entitled RUN. 

Tristan: We actually met through Instagram when we teamed up to get Jen and Sylvia Soska at a convention we were both hoping to attend. They ended up getting added and we met up at the con to meet them and go to their panel together! Then, well, the rest is history!

How has funding for Red Eye been? Has the process taught you many things? 

Destinie: The funding was stressful, but in the end it was amazing. All the hours and work we put into it turned positive. We pushed and pushed to make our dream a reality and never gave up and it ended up paying off.

Tristan: If I can be honest, it was the most challenging thing I've done. Quite the learning experience, although, It ended up teaching me a lot about our audience, promotions budgeting, and how to really draw in the attention.

What advice would you give to filmmakers who wanna go this route? 

Destinie: My advice to filmmakers who want to go this route is to be ready to kick ass full time. Everyday you need to be posting, messaging, and letting people know what you're doing, why you're doing it, why they should donate to you, and how they can get involved. You cannot half ass a crowdfunding campaign. You need to market yourself, find a way to have people trust that their hard earned money is going into something passionate and kick ass, you need to put together interesting perks, get your target audience involved through them and if possible, bring together people (cast and crew) who WANT to be there, who have a common passion for what you're doing, then show your audience that. Also if you can, shoot a promotional video to showcase what you're going for and to show your target audience what's in store. It is possible, and if you really want to make a film and see that this is your only way to do so, then I believe you can succeed.
Tristan: I know there are people who like the crowdfunding platforms and some who do not. I personally think it's a great way for others to get involved and the only way to get original ideas made and seen! If you're a filmmaker and you want to go this route...do it! Prepare to promote and work overtime throughout your campaign. Also, make sure to plan ahead and carefully budget everything out!

How was it like for you Destinie on the set of Party Night? 

Destinie: Party Night was SO much fun! It was my first feature, the only things I had done previous were promos for Red Eye and our short film, Sin. It was a dream come true, honestly. I LOVE 80's slashers and to have the chance to be in one was just surreal.

Did it get you excited for more future acting projects? 

Destinie: I am super stoked for any and all future projects, being in horror films was my dream since I was a little girl.

SIN was a pretty brutal little short film. Was it challenging for you to be so vulnerable Destinie? The subject matter was rather intense. 

Destinie: It wasn't too challenging to be so helpless. I'm used to playing the victim so screaming and crying was familiar to do. As for the subject matter, the cross thing was actually my idea so, haha!

Tristan, did you have trouble hearing Destinie cry like that? She has a very convincing scream. Is it hard sometimes to separate business from your personal lives? 

Destinie: I don't think it's hard to separate business from our personal life at all. On set we're professional and working then on breaks we're boyfriend and girlfriend.
Tristan: Boy oh boy, can that sentence be ever more true. It sends chills down my spine most of the times I hear it. And the audio doesn't do her scream justice, it's more sharper and realistic in person. But I guess you can say I'm use to her screams by now.
Is it hard to separate business from our personal lives? Not really for us. When we are on set, we do our thing. When we are off set, we do our thing. I'm lucky to have found someone who has the same goals and passions as I.

What is the most challenging thing about film-making and which part do you enjoy the most? 

Destinie: I think the most challenging thing about our first project was the fundraising first off, and it was kind of difficult to find people that were as passionate as us and wanted to come together to create something amazing. We obviously found those people, I love our cast and crew! Another thing would probably be casting a specific role, a lot of people turned it down due to subject matter. For my favorite part of the process - I really enjoy writing, I've been writing since I was a kid so I love creating this whole world and characters that get put into fucked up situations. Then obviously filming, from a writers perspective its fucking amazing to see your characters come to life, and from an acting perspective I love screaming and getting bloody!!!
Tristan: Finding people who get your vision and truly understand it. For my favorite part that I enjoy most would have to be writing then filming. I'm such an impatient human being that I just want to always bounce from one set to the next with no time in between.

Soon you will be shooting for REDEYE. Did you both expect how successful your fundraiser would be? 

Destinie: I didn't expect it to be as successful as it was. I mean, I expected people to dig it because horror fans are fucking awesome and a good majority supports the indie scene. But, what happened was more than amazing to me. People liked what they were seeing, so many people were excited for something we did, people were buying our perks to support the making of our film. It's just...fucking wow. That's all I can really say. It's a dream come true.
Tristan: I personally did not. Although, I had hoped we would reach our goal sometimes these things are unpredictable but we went two grand over our initial goal and we couldn't be more thankful!

Did you find it difficult to find a good crew to help you make REDEYE? You have some great people on board if you want to talk a little about them. 

Destinie: I talked a little about the crew above and it was kind of difficult but all in all we found some amazing people that have the same amount of passion as us for horror and film.
Tristan: Yes. It was quite difficult finding a good crew. It was the most challenging for one of our characters to be casted because of the content the position required. We've been told we need to tone the script down if we want to get the crew we wish. Luckily, we found someone who gets our vision and will be a key part in bringing this film to life. Once you see the film, you'll know what I'm talking about!

And finally, if there is one piece of advice you can give to would-be filmmakers, what would it be? 

Destinie: Well, we kind of are just starting but the only thing I can say is really a bit of advice and this can answer the next question as well - never give up. Never ever fucking EVER, give up. If this is what you want to do with your life, if you want to make a film and you have the passion to do so then you go make a fucking kick ass film. It is possible. You can do it, and if the first one doesn't take you to that next level then you go out and make another. You go fucking kill it. You only get one chance in this life, don't spend eight hours doing something you hate to get home to do a few hours of something you love. You deserve better than that, chase your dreams and do something that makes you happy. You got it.
Tristan: That would be, always believe in yourself and stand by your vision when no one else will. Never give up.

Thanks for joining me Tristan and Destinie! I can see big and bloody things coming in your future. Feel free to pimp out any links you'd like us to check out of your work below.

Facebook Page for Deranged Minds Entertainment: https://www.facebook.com/derangedmindsentertainment/

Youtube for Deranged Minds Entertainment: 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuuybKwB0fu501-0soJsAOg

Party Night Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/partynightmovie/

Red Eye Movie:
https://www.facebook.com/RedEyeMovie/

Red Eye Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/redeyefilm/

Kweeny Reviews: Krampus

I know I've been lax on my blogging this year, and I am pretty sure Krampus is gonna come for me. If he's half as cool as the one in the recent movie, I am totally gonna squee when he comes to my door!

Too bad I don't have a chimney...

Krampus (2015) is a movie fans of both the legend and of the darker, creepier side of the holidays, will appreciate. From start to finish, it is a morality play that is familiar to all of us. Messages such as be careful what you wish for and once something is done, it cannot be undone. And most of all, when you loose all hope, you loose everything. 

These important lessons both kids and adults need to be reminded of.

Krampus shows us that PG 13 horror can be done, and done well. A lot of horror uses gore as a crutch for scaring and shocking their audiences. While I like a bloody mess of a movie like anyone else, I know horror is more nuanced as a genre than just blood. There is very little blood in this movie. Instead, dread is built up with excellent cinematography, dark, festive imagery, and sound. The sounds in this film are just fantastic. From creepy jingling, stomping, and quiet, hissing monster sounds. Some moments are tense because the dread is built up so beautifully. We don't even get a full look at the big demon himself until closer to the end of the movie. Which is a good thing. There is so much going on building up to his reveal, that you aren't bored at all waiting for him to show his full face. He's seen bouncing around near the beginning and stopping people in the snow, letting us know he's not Santa Clause and he's got a list of his own.

"Krampus doesn't give. He takes." Omi tells us, as the family starts to understand the plight they have been put into. The movie starts off showing us some of the worst parts about the holiday, including the family we are stuck with through the movie. There is someone in the mix for everyone to hate as characters. We all have a relative that is just hard to be around for various reasons. They are all well acted, don't get me wrong. They are just mostly genuinely horrible people. I think Omi and Max are truly the only redeeming people in the mix, though all of them before they are taken redeem themselves a little before they are gone. The movie is really good at playing with tropes you'd find in a typical PG 13 horror movie. I busted a gut at times at not just the snarky dialogue, but at the way the movie would make you think one thing, but do another. Especially near the end. I'd say more, but I don't want to ruin it. It's just brilliant. A prefect way to show the horror of a fate delivered by Krampus.

For a new take on an old classic monster, I think Krampus is a great film. It introduces people to the "Shadow of Saint Nicholas" in the most perfectly unseelie fashion. With monsters, helpers, terror in the snow, evil toys and the horrible darkness of the horned devil himself. I think seeing Krampus alone just stomp around with his hoofed feet is worth the ticket price.

It's nice to see more support for the dark side of the holidays. I can't wait until Krampus is on DVD to add it to my festive horror classics. If you've seen Krampus, feel free to chat with me in the comments about it!

Now if you excuse me, I wanna go put on some horns and harass my husband. *evil witch cackle*

Kweeny's Recap of H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and CthulhuCon!

This last weekend I got the chance to go to my first film festival. And it wasn't just any film festival. I went to the  H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and CthulhuCon!

I didn't know what to expect when I got there, and I sadly missed half the festival. They had a really cool Speakeasy event on Thursday, but since I don't live in Portland it can be hard to get up there. My friend went and said it was fabulous, and people all dressed in 1920's fashion to keep with the Lovecraft theme. However, I did get there for Saturday and Sunday, and me and my friends watched many wonderful short films. The films were mostly really good. The odd one or two needed more fleshing out but nothing I saw was outright bad. I had my favorites of course, like Cool Air, Hum, The Stomach and The Littlest Cthulhuist.

Cool Air was a wonderful retelling of the short story by H.P. Lovecraft. They went out of their way to make it really feel like the 1920's too! I was impressed with everything.

Hum was a creepy short about how sound can drive someone completely mad. Having PTSD, I have felt similarly to how the poor lady felt in the film.  I can be triggered by sound sometimes, and it feels like it is killing you from the inside out. This film was well done.

The Stomach was a really creepy concept of a medium who holds spirits in his belly, and people talk through a tube he puts in his mouth to the spirits. It doesn't end well let's just put it that way.

And The Littlest Cthulhuist was hilarious! It was a fake documentary about families who are practicing "Cthulhu Witnesses". Things get out of hand of course, because one of the teachings of the Cthulhu Witnesses is, "We don't get mad. We get even!"

In between films I got the chance to wander around and check out the small village of booths with amazing art, all dark and inspired by monsters. I didn't have much money to buy anything, but I was impressed with a lot of the stuff I saw.

I also got the chance to hug and meet Jeffery Combs, which made my event! He is super charming and sweet. I would love to see him in more films, even if they aren't horror. We went to the viewing of Reanimator, which was the first time I have seen it on a big screen. It was great to hear people laugh at the same points I do. After the film Jeffery Combs did a great QA with the audience. He really appreciates the horror genre, but he did sound like he wished he could get more work. Acting is a hard gig, so I have nothing but respect for him.

I would highly recommend the film festival, especially if you are a fan of H.P. Lovecraft. It is an amazing event, full of monsters and creeping dread! Perfect way to spend the beginning of October!

Happy Halloween month monsterkids! I will be back with more creepy goodies, so stay tuned to the blog!

KWEENY'S FAVORITE WES CRAVEN FILMS

The horror world was rocked this week when we found out one of our beloved creators, Wes Craven, died. It was a shock too a lot of us. I know I personally was so devastated I had a good cry about it, and I needed time to formulate my thoughts on the matter. Wes was not just a filmmaker. He was one of us. He was a lover of the horror genre and fought his cancer bravely. He will be deeply missed.

I talked about my feelings a little bit on Archivists Bet On Sexy Witches, a podcast I co-host with my other fellow Witches. We all shared our feelings about him, and I was in awe how deeply the horror community was touched by this. We all have come together in one form or another to share our feelings on Wes, because whether you like his films or not, you cannot deny his impact on the genre as a whole. Personally, I think he was a brilliant man, who showed us the power of nightmares made flesh.

Speaking of nightmares made flesh, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite Wes Craven movies with you. These movies shaped me as a kid. Watching them late at night when I was supposed to be sleeping was one of my favorite pastimes. Hell, sometimes my mother would watch them with me anf forget to punish me for staying up.

I do get my love of horror from her.

KWEENY'S FAVORITE WES CRAVEN FILMS

5. Scream

When Scream came out it reinvented the slasher genre, while at the same time giving us great satire. It was gory, funny, and had some amazingly shot kills. One thing Wes was good at was framing a scene, and many scenes in this movie are really great to watch. Plus, the twist ending made the movie live on in slasher history.

4. People Under The Stairs

I love this film for it's weirdness. It has some amazing acting and over-the-top shit like the S&M family relationship. As things unravel we get some really good commentary on child abuse, and I still get chills watching poor Alice clean up after her "parents". The family is downright creepy, and it definitely teaches you that you may be able to break into a house, but you might not find a way out alive after.

3. Last House On The Left

This film is a hard one to sit through for many reasons. It has a great soundtrack and powerful imagery, but it's really not a gentle film. I mean, you know things are going to be bad when the two teens in this film come across some escape convicts who are in the mood to be assholes. The torture and rape in this film is hard to stomach, but I applaud Wes for not pulling punches with it. He shows it ALL. The twist with the parents exacting revenge is well done and really satisfying.

2. The Hills Have Eyes

I put this one above Last House On The Left because I honestly enjoyed it more for the weird, cannibalistic family. It's one of those vacation-horror films that really makes you wonder about people who live in the mountains. There is a strong commentary on suburban folk as well, and how they demonize those they don't understand. Of course, in this case they have a right to be afraid. This time. The kills in this movie as brutal-as-fuck, but that's why I love Wes. He doesn't hold back when he unleashes horrors on you.

1, Nightmare On Elm Street

I know it's probably cliche, but I love this movie best of all. I think out of all his movies, it is the most creative and inventive, and I still get shivers watching Freddy Krueger stalk Tina Grey. There are some really beautifully horrible scenes, like Tina in the body bag, that just stick with me. I watched this at a really young age, and I still remember how afraid I was to sleep after. Krueger is a monster, through and through, and though he becomes more lovable as the series goes on, I never forgot that he was a child-killing bastard who just wanted to hurt people.

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So those are a few of my favorite Wes Craven movies. He will live on among us monster kids in our dark dreams. What are some of your favorite movies? I think I am going to watch The Hills Have Eyes tonight. I haven't seen that movie in years. RIP Wes Craven. Thank you for all the nightmares.