Sunday, October 07, 2012

Musty TV's Maniacal Movie Countdown - Day 7

Trick 'r Treat is a movie I kind of stumbled upon, getting it from Netflix after putting it in my queue for reasons I can't really remember since it was a direct-to-DVD release, so didn't have much buzz.

It turned out to be surprisingly good, and a lot like Creepshow, in that it's an anthology of sorts, and filled with black humor.

It's showing on Logo, which is just weird, and I can't attest to that network's practices when it comes to editing for content, so I would of course advise a rental of some sorts as a first choice. But if you don't choose that route it's on at 5:30pm.





Saturday, October 06, 2012

Musty TV's Maniacal Movie Countdown - Day 6

The Exorcist tends to go on most people's lists of top ten scariest horror movies, but I have to admit, I never found the movie that scary. Disturbing, yes. Spooky, yes. But it never really haunted my dreams.

Maybe that's because I didn't have a religious upbringing, so it's not taping into any residual trauma such an upbringing can sometimes result in.

Or maybe I just don't fine pea soup that horrifying.

I WILL say this, though. The hospital scenes made me terrified of getting x-rays, which was not a good thing since I ended up having to get a lot at a young age. So let me reassure anyone with the same fears: X-rays are not scary.

MRIs on the other hand...hoo-boy!

(Just kidding. They aren't scary either. Just intensely annoying.)

Watch it at 5pm on IFC.


Friday, October 05, 2012

Musty TV's Maniacal Movie Countdown - Day 5

Let's Scare Jessica To Death is one of those weird 1970s horror movies that's more a psychological thriller than something truly horrorific. Unless bad 70's clothing and hairdos send you over the edge, of course.

It's on TCM at 1:15am tonight, which is technically tomorrow, but whatever. You can watch it then, or watch it over on YouTube right now!




Thursday, October 04, 2012

Musty TV's Maniacal Movie Countdown - Day 4

I saw Videodrome when it was released in 1983, and I don't think thirteen was the best age to see it. Granted, I had seen a lot of weird horror movies by that point, but Videodrome is something else, and its inherent...sleaziness was just off-putting at the time. And because of that early dislike, I think I only ever watched it once more in ensuing years.

I'm gonna try and watch it again tonight at 11:10pm on Indieplex. Perhaps it will come off better when viewed with adult eyes...



Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Musty TV's Manical Movie Countdown - Day 3

Mystery of the Wax Museum isn't the one in 3D featuring Vincent Price and a paddle-ball. Instead, it's the original version that movie was based on. Released in 1933, it was also one of the first Technicolor movies, which at the time was just two colors. Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray star.

You can watch it at 5pm on TCM, or right here right now!



Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Musty TV's Maniacal Movie Countdown - Day 2

One of my favorite horror movies when I was a pre-teen was Creepshow, (and I will be talking about my experience seeing it for the first time over on my other blog Mulling Movies next month), and I've come back to it a lot over the years.

Of course, it being an anthology movie, I liked some of the stories better than others. I'd say order of preference is probably:

1) "The Crate" ("Just call me Billie, everybody does!")

2) "Father's Day" ("I want my cake!")

3) "Something to Tide You Over" ("You'd better hold your breath!")

4) "They're Creeping Up On You" ("What's the matter, Mr. Pratt? Bugs got your tongue?")

5) "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill" ("Meteor shit!")

Watch it on IFC at 5pm and 9:30pm.



Monday, October 01, 2012

Musty TV's Maniacal Movie Countdown - Day 1

Welcome! Day one! Halloween! Woo!

I will admit I had never heard of the movie Tooth & Nail until this very moment. And I will also admit I am only listing it here because it stars Michael Madsen, and usually--usually--that's enough for me. Although in this case, I'm not so sure.

It's post-apocalyptic, and includes cannibals, and a mute little girl. In other words, not exactly the most original story ever told...

Watch it at 11pm on IFC.




Sunday, September 30, 2012

The Countdown to Halloween Begins!

For the sixth year in a row, I am participating in the bloggy Countdown to Halloween, which means you should come back here all the damn time!

I will try my best to find something spooky for you to watch on TV every day throughout the month. Most of the time, it will be a movie, but I'll also be throwing in Halloween specials here and there.

Note: I live in San Francisco, so the listed showtimes will be Pacific time, and I may be listing stuff that is only viewable in the Bay Area...

I love, love, love October, and Halloween, and doing this. And I hope you enjoy it all too!

August Round-Up - 2012

August was crazy. I got a job!

I went back to Palm Springs.

I GOT A JOB!

OK, not all that crazy, but a lot compared to some other months this year.

Having a new job has made updating my blogs a little more of a challenge, and I'm going to make it even MORE of a challenge by, once again, taking part in the Countdown to Halloween starting tomorrow. Thirty-one posts in 31 days! Eeek! Talk about scary!

So, in the interest of getting the hell on with it, let's get the hell on with it.

Movies Seen: Ten, with three in a theater. Read my reviews!

Hope Springs

Robot and Frank

Lawless

Books Read: Nine. WHAT!? (Click through for reviews.)

Grow Girl by Heather Donahue

Rancho Mirage by Aram Saroyan

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

To Marry an English Lord by Gail MacColl and Carol M.D. Wallace

Drop Dead Healthy by A.J. Jacobs

Mad Men Unbuttoned by Natasha Vargas-Cooper

Sybil Exposed by Debbie Nathan

The Moviegoer by Walker Percy

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Fancy Dinners Out: Six! There was celebrating!

Dinner at Wexler's, which was smoky goodness.

A return to the Bella Vista for some melt-in-your-mouth steak Diane. (Eventually I will upload the video of the preparation to Flambabes.)

Insanely good pasta at Farina.

Plus two dinners in Palm Springs: at TRIO and Spencer's.

Live Shows Seen: One, kind of. An afternoon Giants game that I guess was of some note because it was the day Melky Cabrera was suspended from the game. Since then, they went on to clinch their division to which I can only say: Melky who?

Shoes Bought: Two pair. These vintage gold stilettos, a steal at under six bucks. And these floral heels which look hideous but are actually awesome.

Friday, August 31, 2012

July Round-Up - 2012

July seems like a lifetime ago. Of course, the highlight of July was my annual trip to Palm Springs with the gals, and as always, it was fantastic. But since then, so much has happened! In fact, I went back to Palm Springs for three days just last week! And I start a new, full-time job this week!

Life is changing! For the better! Finally!

But this Round-up is shamefully late, so I'll have to speak of all that at another time...

Movies Seen: Only six, with two in a theater. Click to read my reviews of The Amazing Spider-Man and Total Recall.

Books Read: Seven! Bless vacation! Click through to read my brief reviews.

We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Columbine by David Cullen

Good Enough To Eat by Stacey Ballis

Postcards From Palm Springs by Robert Julian

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

The Walking Dead – Vol. 15 by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore

Palm Springs Holiday by Peter Moruzzi

Fancy Dinners Out: Six, with the majority in Palm Springs.

We ate at Melvyn's again, where we basically had everything flambéed. And really, the food isn't the point there. It's the spectacle and the fun.

We tried a new (to us) place called Spencer's, and I really enjoyed it. They had a great prix fixe deal and one of the choices was softshell crab, which I love, and they also had some really great cocktails. And! A tiny piano.

We decided to try a place called the Tropicale, because they have a Wednesday happy hour that lasts all night, and the decor looked kind of tropical and kitsch. But I won't be going back. The food was fine. The decor was fine. But we definitely weren't made to feel welcome. I've been to plenty of gay bars and restaurants, and have never been shunned, but here, the waiter basically looked at us, and then went and got a female waitress to wait on us instead. Which, really?

Of course, we also went to the Falls again, for steak and smoking cocktails. Can't go wrong with that.

And finally, a return to Citron. I had a delicious cold soup, but am drawing a blank on what I had as an entree. Doh!

Back in San Francisco, another lunch at the Leatherneck Steakhouse, an excellent bargain as far as steakhouses go.

Live Shows Seen: One! A presentation of music from Pixar movies at the San Francisco Symphony. It was a lot of fun, and yes, it made me cry.

Shoes Bought:
Two pairs. Some gold flats from H&M, and a pair of Easy Spirit flats that look kind of like this, but in all black; got them for a bargain at an outlet store outside of Palm Springs...