Sunday morning, I ate some of my leftover pizza for breakfast and hurried over to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center for the last day of the Chicago Fan Expo. When attending weekend events, it’s unusual for me to stay long on Sundays, as I’ve usually accomplished all of my objectives. Today, however, was a full day, which was more challenging after checking out of the hotel and without my usual sanctuary. Unlike yesterday, I took advantage of my Ultimate pass’ early access in the hopes of getting the Scott Snyder ticket that eluded me then.
Saturday morning, I woke up early and had the buffet breakfast at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. After spending most of the previous day standing in line, today was no exception, and a full breakfast of champions was in order. The Hyatt features an overpass tunnel I could use to get to my car in the parking garage across the street or to Fan Expo at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. A staff member stood inside, making sure anyone heading to the Expo had their appropriate passes. With all the running back and forth I did in those tunnels throughout the weekend, it’s a wonder we didn’t end up on a first-name basis. I had a couple of hours before my scheduled photo op with Kurt Russell, and I wanted to see some comic creators, specifically Scott Snyder, who created the comic world’s latest hit sensation, “Absolute Batman.”
Just over a week after returning from my New Jersey trip, I learned of a startling convention announcement. The incomparable Kurt Russell was coming to Chicago and appearing at Fan Expo in my home city. This would be the actor’s first and, according to him, last such appearance. For a genre fan like me, it seemed inconceivable (as did the prices) while setting off every FOMO alarm in my nervous system. For the next 42 hours before his limited (another FOMO-triggering word) tickets went up for sale, I argued with myself about whether I should bite the bullet. Paying $400 for a signature made no logical sense, and the angel on my shoulder argued how stupid it was even to consider it. However, the devil on the other side proved the most influential. This wasn’t just some MARVEL actor or newly minted celebrity but one of my favorite actors of all time. The great McCreedy in The THING (1982), Snake Plisken in Escape from New York (1981), Stuntman Mike from Death Proof (2007), the wisecracking Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Wyatt Earp in one of my favorite Westerns, Tombstone (1993), and Dean Proffitt from one of only a handful of comedies I’ll rewatch, Overboard (1987). At the end of the day, it wasn’t really a question of whether I would see him, but how to swing it financially. And nearly a month after this event, I’m still swinging!
The Daves would again like to welcome guest writer Brandon Engel with yet another of his insightful blogs!
Zombie movies are plenty scary, and horror films featuring psychos on a rampage are horrific, but there’s one thing that’s even worse: when mother nature gets fed up and doles out some hellish comeuppance. Such movies are increasingly referred to as climate fiction, which combines the horror and sci-fi genres. The scariness lies in the fact that the scenarios presented in these films aren’t far off from becoming reality – ENMAX estimates that in the US alone, only about 20% of our energy needs are met by renewables or cleaner fossil fuels like natural gas; mostly we’re still using energy sources that have been linked to climate change. Here are some cli-fi movies that imagine the consequences of nature truly going wild.
The Thing
Much like some of the climate phenomena that the world is witnessing today, the villain in the 1982 movie The Thing is hard to describe. This sci-fi thriller starring Kurt Russell was a hit because it maintained its mystery right through to its conclusion. What, exactly, is this thing? Where did it come from? How does it keep turning random guys and dogs into terrifying monsters? No one could answer those questions, but what the survivors did know at the movie’s end is that The Thing would eventually be how they met their end.
A French sculptor by the name of Cyril Roquelaine (and you check out more of their amazing work HERE) came across our site and thought we’d like to see one of their amazing creations. It’s none other than the “Norris monster” from one of our favorite films, THE THING!
Friday night at Days of the Dead didn’t have quite the after party Russ and I hoped for. That wasn’t shocking since Saturdays tend to be when convention festivities kick off and it certainly wasn’t everyone else’s fault that we were only staying over on Friday. After we ate dinner the convention rooms closed but Days offered activities in the hotel lounge which included a monster burlesque show.
