Oh Hells yeah

I complained for the first four years that I lived here that Milwaukee might be one of the only big cities to not have any kind of horror convention.

FINALLY three years ago we had 'It Came From Lake Michigan', a horror/sci-fi film festival. The first year I managed to miss it because I confused the dates- DERP- but I did go for one day during the second year. I wouldn't call it a true horror con, but I did manage to spend most of one day watching films and kind of enjoying myself.....it was a really small deal and not very well attended (at least while I was there). But I was happy to support the festival and hoped it would continue to grow.

Last year there was a show in summer called Milwaukee Massacre- complete with Zombie Walk. I wanted to go but my funds were limited- and I thought I'd save my money for the next 'Lake Michigan' show. Also the MM show was partly focused on music- so I hoped it would come back again. But- the Lake Michigan show never happened. Sniff.

Today I decided to look up the MM website to see if there was any news about this year's show- or if there would even be another one.

And lookie what I found:

It's.......................ZOMBIE CON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.zombieconx.com/

Not much info there yet but I'm hopeful ..............
I'll keep you posted.

Doing the Zombie Happy Dance,
Mother Firefly

Movie Update, Lost, and other TV

My movie intake has come to a crawl with the semester starting and getting into the groove of everything. I have three classes and two new roles this semester, so it's taken me some time to get into the groove and learn to balance everything. FINALLY this weekend I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of this.......basically it comes down to learning that Monday through Thursday I just need to commit myself to getting from place to place, going to class, unpacking and repacking my bag, eating, and sleeping.

I have responsibilities day and night through the week, so I've had to come to terms with not accomplishing much else besides being where I need to be and doing the best job I can there.
That's not easy for me because
a)I tend to ALWAYS think I can do more in any 24 hour period than I can, and
b)I like to stay ahead of the game.

But this weekend I finally got up Friday and knocked out a bunch of work. I'm still struggling with wanting to sleep all day long but I did manage to accomplish a lot and still feel like I could take the night off tonight and do some blogging.

So here's some recent movies I've seen:

Midnight Meat Train:
Okay, I swear lately that Netflix just sends me whatever the hell they feel like and pays zero attention to my actual list. I don't even think this movie was near the top, and I wasn't real excited to get it- because I average one movie a week from them, and I'd like it to be a good one. But I have to say it was pretty good- probably the best new horror movie I've seen since Quarantine. It's a pretty simple story about a madman butchering people on the subway, but the acting is good and the movie actually gave us characters to care about. It's also pretty gory (there is one BAD effect featuring Ted Raimi and his eyes popping out of his head) but I thought it was original and well done overall. It's based on a short Clive Barker story (which I read years ago) and I'm not sure they do a really good job of explaining the 'why' behind everything, but I'm always up for some ambiguity. Worth watching if you're a horror fan and tired as hell of remakes and sequels.

Valkyrie: Wasn't my pick. Thank god for a free movie pass and the ability to nap during a movie and not feel bad about it. Can't say I saw more than 25% of it. Can't say I enjoyed any of that 25%.

Gran Torino: The ads for this made me laugh and say, 'Are you freakin kidding me?'
I thought I would laugh at the prospect of Clint Eastwood kickin' ass and takin' names at the ripe old age of 90, or however old he is. But I actually liked this and I never fell asleep. Not once.

The Wrestler: HEART this movie. HEART Mickey Rourke. I remember years ago when he was a big deal, and I never got it. (Although I always have loved Angel Heart) Then he went away and became a boxer. I thought, so what? A couple of years ago I saw Spun. I mostly do NOT like to watch movies about drug abuse where people spiral out of control and get high and do dumb things. Nope. But there was something about Spun and I think it was mostly Mickey Rourke. I kinda started to like him.
This movie just got to me. I don't like wrestling and I know zero about it but that doesn't matter. The fact that it's about wrestling is minor -it could be about any career where someone had his glory days and now is kind of stuck in limbo. He broke my heart. I'd watch it over and over despite the fact that it is not a 'happy' movie. I hope he wins the Oscar tomorrow. I'm entering contests again and he's going on my ballot.

Igor: I love animation and I so wanted to like this. But the story is lame and the animation is sub-par, even on Blu-Ray. Just average.



Deception: Hugh Jackman. EWAN MCGREGOR, for God's sake. A Secret Sex Club.
Recipe for a home run. Started off interesting and then dissolved into averageness. If there's nothing else to rent, not the worst way to get your entertainment. But you'll probably forget about it by the next day.


Swing Vote: Again, another time Netflix seemingly decided to randomly send me something. I saw an ad long before the election that managed to make this movie look interesting. It was okay. Good storyline and acting between Kevin Costner and the girl that played his daughter. Otherwise just average.




RocknRolla: ANOTHER random Netflix mailing. But this time they got it right. I loved this, and the movie got better the more I watched it. Made me want to rewatch the older Guy Ritchie movies. Gerald Butler is like someone cleaned up Russell Crowe and gave him to us all over again. Maybe it's time for me to finally watch 300.



TV I Can't Stay Away From:

American Idol :
I get obsessed. I watch every episode, I suffer through every too long elimination episode. Every year there is a 'thorn in my side' and last year he almost won. Every year I think, this is the year I'll get sick of it..and then some dude from Milwaukee ends up in the top 12. He's getting some shit right now about talking too much about his deceased wife, but right now I like him and I think he can sing, dangit.

Rock of Love Bus:
OMG. I keep prayin' that Bret doesn't stop this farce of 'lookin for love' and keeps cranking this crap out. I think even the ho's, ahem, the Contestants, have figured this out and sign up for the free drinks and tv time. I mean, come on. Last week someone that Bret knew died in Iraq and then one of the girls shared with Bret that her father died very recently. Bret listened to her sad story and then SENT HER ASS PACKING. Because nobody else can be competing with Bret when he wants to get all the attention from his ho's, um Potential Rocks Of Love.
whatever. We could actually switch out has been rock stars and the show would still kick ass. Because this mess of the show is all about the drunk strippers, who even after three seasons, manage to be more entertaining/slutty/hysterical than ever.
Witness:

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

Lost:
Holy Crap I Heart This Show. After five seasons, it just keeps getting better and better. On the island-off the island-on the island, time travel, dead people with cryptic messages, a dude who never ages.
And most mysterious of all- how I manage to love a show so much with a main character that I can't stand:
I haven't made any secret who my FAVORITE cast member is:



Dear Jebus, Why Am I So Damn Sexy????


But what has been even better about this year (and part of last season) is the chance for Mr. Yum Yum and others to get off the island, get a shower and a haircut and put on some clean clothes:







My Mr. Yum-Yum has been somewhat missing from recent shows and spent most of at least one unconscious (although he did wake up to bring the whoop-ass out on his would-be-attacker) but I'm happy to see him this last episode awake, cleaned up, and on the plane ...and with some chick that we don't know?

Another candidate in the 'holy cow you clean up GOOD' category is Desmond. I always kinda liked Desmond in that 'sexy Jesus scruffy bearded' kinda way.... and the fact that he could see the future was kinda hot too....but when I saw him at the beginning of the season....well, off island life has been good to a BRO-THAH (say in your best Desmond voice)

and dang, he even dresses up pretty to go out:
DANG. Love love LOVE Desmond and I can't wait to see what role he has in the island. Because apparently he's 'different' than everyone else.

Peace out,
Mother Firefly

Hoping For the Best

Last night I saw pictures of Patrick Swayze not looking very good....he has been fighting pancreatic cancer and the rumors are that they have reached the end of treatments and he has gone home to his ranch to be as comfortable as possible.......

It made me sad.....I will hope that the rumors are not true, but we all also know what a bitch pancreatic cancer is.

I have always had a soft spot in my little black heart for the Swayze. I heart guilty pleasures (everyone needs at least a couple) and I rate the Swayze amongst mine.

Woke up this morning, after a night of nightmares (more on that later), and put in Dirty Dancing.

I prefer Road House (why don't I own Road House anyway??) but this worked....
BTW I don't think 'Nobody puts baby in a corner' is the best Swayze line in the movie.

My money is on:
"You just put your pickle on everybody's plate, college boy, and leave the hard stuff to me."

Hahahaha........LOVES IT
Much love out to my man Swayze,
Mother Firefly

Guess Who Got Adopted?

Chance went to his new home on Friday morning. A very good friend of mine (and fellow RN) adopted him. Chance now has a family and an entire house to himself...and a VERY sweet little boy who was THRILLED to meet him and take him home. By all reports, he is doing just fine....exploring his new home and interacting with his new family. He'll never have to worry about being unsafe or homeless again.

We miss him- he was a great little cat with a loving personality- but we also feel really good that he ended up with such wonderful people. Yay Chance!

-Purrs and Hugs,
Mother Firefly

Chancey Chance

He is developing into quite a beautiful boy:

A 'Lost' Blog

I have a number of blogs listed here that I try to read regularly....including my brother's entertaining slice of life, Project Blue

But today I discovered another entertaining blog from perhaps a not so likely source:

Jorge Garcia, 'Hurley' from Lost.
Here he is with Mr. Yum Yum, I mean Naveen Andrews.

It's a fun blog to read and I found myself going back and reading the entire archive. I added it to my list but here's his blog:
Dispatches from the Island

It's not really about Lost, either, so you can enjoy it even if you don't watch the show. Also, his girlfriend is from Milwaukee and there's some posts and pictures from about a year ago when he visited.

Oh Yeah......

Btw, I did actually have a mini 70's vampire marathon.....I watched a second movie and started a third- then realized the third one really didn't fit in with the Dracula theme. By that time it was too late to start another one, so I finished my blog and went to bed. Oh, the days when a movie marathon actually meant more than two movies....which I realize is more accurately described as a double feature.

But I did watch another film that night that I enjoyed even more than Scars, and that was Blood for Dracula. Blood was made in 1974 and written and directed by Paul Morrissey. I saw the last half of it a few years ago at Cinema Wasteland and I've always wanted to see the entire thing. Blood is a rather naughty movie, with lots of nudity and sex. But remember this is 1974, so these boobies are real, and not the kind we see on Rock of Love Bus.

Side note- do you watch this mess? it's by far the cheapest, trashiest guilty pleasure out there today. Nobody (including Bret Michaels) really thinks he's looking for love anymore (except MAYBE some of the very drunk and disillusioned females on this show) and I find myself actually rooting for the drunkest and the bitchiest to stay because they're the most fun. But I digress.....

So Dracula apparently needs virgin blood. Or he will die. So Drac (played by Udo Kier) and his manservant go off to the Italian countryside to find virgins. Because, apparently, that is where they keep them. Ah, the lovely Italian countryside, where the virgins grow!
(Dig Drac's FUNKY ASS coat, people!)

On arrival, Anton the manservant, goes into town and apparently decided sublety is NOT called for as he announces his master is in town looking for a wife and she MUST be virginal. He is told of a local family named DiFiore who have four unmarried daughters and of course they would be THRILLED to marry off one of them.

Word spreads to the family that some Count dude is in town scouting for a virgin wife, and instead of being freaked out by that, Momma DiFiore thinks that is pretty nifty. Because A)We gotta start marrying off these bitches, and B)they need the money because their home is in ruins.
I mean, just look at this shack.
I don't know how we manage to live in this dump!

So Anton shows up to arrange a meeting, Poppa D thinks Dracula is a pretty neat sounding name, and Momma invites them to stay in their house. Then there's a little entertaining side story where Anton hits the local pub and a young girl is involved in some kind of unseen accident outside the pub and is apparently losing blood. Quick thinking Anton manages to soak up her virginal blood in A LOAF OF BREAD and presents it to his boss, who is already starting to feel weak.
I vant to suck your bread!

Back to the DiFiore household....it's bedtime, and the girls are all talking about the count's impending arrival....soon we find out that a couple of the sisters like to bunk at night with the family's hired hand, Mario.....And that's as naughty as the pictures in this blog are gonna get, folks.

The next day Drac and Anton show up at the house, ready to interview virgins and pick one (or two) out. Eventually Saphria is picked as the first candidate, and even under pressure, she swears to Dracula that she is indeed a virgin.....
You can't lie to Drac, however, because apparently non-virgin blood makes him very ill...what follows is probably the longest 'vomiting blood in a bathtub' scene you're ever likely to see on film.

The next morning, Saphria is acting very strange and sporting a scarf around her neck. We end up repeating the whole cycle with Rubinia, which leads to Dracula spouting one of the best lines of the movie:

The blood of these whores is killing me!

Eventually, Dracula's intentions turn towards the youngest of the bunch, Perla. But Mario the family handyman has managed to figure out what Drac is up to and in a very chilvarous move, takes it upon himself to deflower Perla before Drac can get to her. What a guy!

Drac is a day late and a dollar short, and comes on the scene just as Momma D has caught Mario and Perla in the act (in the hallway, of course). But Mario explains that he's just being a good guy and that Dracula is a vampire, blah blah blah.

There's just no good way to delicately explain the end. Suffice it to say Dracula finds sustenance in what's left behind from Mario and Perla's 'encounter' in the hallway. Oh yeah and then the eldest daugher, Esmerelda shows up and catches Drac.....taking in said sustenance from the marble floor. Yeah, nasty.

Oh yeah, big Sis Esmerelda, she's been kind of forgotten in all this virgin madness....I guess because.......she has weird hair and she's real pale and.....I really don't know why. But Big Sis has saved the biggest surprise for last......

She's the only FREAKING Virgin in the house! And apparently more than thrilled to give up her blood to Dracula. But with Mario gunning for Dracula's hide, their new love may not last long.....

And in what can only be referred to as the Monty Python Holy Grail of vampire killings, Mario severs Dracula's limbs one at a time, reducing him to a writhing bloody torso (although still capable of delivering threats, which I found particularly amusing) before delivering the final stake to the heart. Esmerelda is beside herself and joins her love in death as she impales herself on the stake imbedded in Dracula.

And THAT is Blood of Dracula. It's a great little film and holds up well after thirty years.

Maybe next time 'marathon' will actually develop into a real one.......
-Mother Firefly