Physical Media Anonymous: The Art of Double Dipping

Posted on by

I was sharing my physical media collection a couple weeks back and mentioned organizing them alphabetically so that all my copies of a specific title were in a single location. It immediately occurred to me how nutty that must have read to a non-collector and I suppose, logically, it is. Every year I tell myself I’m not going to purchase another release of a film I already own and every year I do exactly that. I’m sure I’m not alone. If any of you fellow super collectors out there have only one release of JAWS (1975). The THING (1982), or Halloween (1978) then pat yourselves on the back because you’re a far stronger person than me.

Continue reading →

Andrew Neiderman’s PIN: An Above Average Paperback from Hell

Posted on by

Most of the vintage horror paperbacks in my collection are a lot more fun to look at than they are to read. I should know. I plowed through as many as I could last year before landing myself in a reading rut; fatigued from an overdose of absurd plotlines and bad writing. Lately, I’ve had more success with modern novels while peppering a few old pulpy Paperbacks from Hell in-between. My latest choice, PIN by Andrew Neiderman (1981), proved a pleasant surprise. Despite featuring many of the fantastical elements of your typical ‘80s horror paperback, there are interesting psychological twists as well. Consequently, PIN is more sophisticated than many in its genre.

Continue reading →

How I Organize My Physical Media Collection

Posted on by

Back in 2011, I wrote a post about how I organized my DVD/Blu-ray collection. At the time, I kept my discs in large, leather binders; alphabetized for easy storage and retrieval. A lot has changed since then. DVD/Blu-rays have since graduated to Blu-ray/4K’s and the movie hoarder I was ten years ago has since evolved into a more serious collector.  For me, it’s no longer just owning a copy of a movie, but also its unique presentation and packaging. And once that occurred, owning a “compact” collection was no longer possible. Easy retrieval, on the other hand, still is. This post is designed to supersede that old blog and show you how I organize my collection today. Please note, I’m not suggesting my methods to be the best nor the most economical. They are, however, what I found works best for me. 

Continue reading →

A24’s “X” or What Happens when a Slasher gets turned on its head?

Posted on by

Let’s have a conversation about A24 and their latest horror film, X (2022). Since this independent film company began ten years ago, it’s truly made its mark in creating unique entertainment you’ll ponder long after the end credits have scrolled. Consequently, A24 films can, and will, divide their audience. Not everyone is looking for deep, artsy, or often weird experiences when watching a horror movie. Sometimes this is made worse by fellow enthusiasts who respond to A24 criticism with an air of superiority – You say you hated Midsommar? Well, maybe it was just too deep for you? Thereby fanning the flames even further.

Continue reading →

No Exit: Taylor Adams’ Book vs the Movie

Posted on by

One of my favorite recent reads was “No Exit” by Taylor Adams. This fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller wasn’t just a universal favorite on BookTube but guaranteed to pull you out of any reading slump. It only took me a couple of days to finish and I remember thinking how the story would make for an excellent film adaptation. Little did I know that HULU was way ahead of me; dropping their screen rendition late last month. I was excited by the news but also worried the live-action version wouldn’t do justice to the written word. Before I break things down, be warned this post is loaded with heavy SPOILERS for both the book and film. This is geared for those who’ve already read the book so, if you haven’t done so already, I suggest you stop reading this blog and immediately seek out the novel. I think the less you know going in, the more fun the ride will be, and this comparison will certainly be waiting for you upon your return.

Continue reading →

Bigfoot, Ghosts, and UAP’s Sighted at the 2022 Chicago Paranormal Conference!

Posted on by

This past Sunday, I headed over to Summit, Illinois to attend The Chicago Paranormal Conference. This free event featured unique vendors, palm readers, and interesting speakers discussing ghosts, UFOs (now referred to as UAPs – Unidentified Aerial Phenomena), and Cryptozoology. I only learned of it the day before but, since it was only about thirty minutes from me, decided to check it out.

Continue reading →