Finally, we get an homage to Solomon Kane, the other creation from Robert E. Howard next to the far more famous, and widely known, Conan. Now I'll go ahead and say that I've never read any of the books Solomon Kane originally appeared in, but I do like the character immensely after reading a bit about him, and I did just see the movie, and since that's what I am here to talk about, I must say...I am impressed with his screen debut. It's Horror, it's Action, it's Drama...what it's notably missing however, is Comedy, or humor in any form for that matter. Let's get one thing straight, this movie does not try to make you laugh at any point, and while some may find that a strike against it, I find it refreshing and stark in it's presentation. Though things can border on out and out bleakness and gloomy depression at times, I still feel it was the right move where this particular story is concerned. A brief overview/synopsis of the story for those whose attention I've managed to snag:

Solomon Kane is an infamous pirate, he is a bloodthirsty seeker of treasure at whatever the moral cost, as he has none, and further, he revels in the murder and subjugation of those who stand in his way in this pursuit. The film begins by reminding you of this in bloody, violent, fashion as he and his crew storm a castle intent on not only pillaging the valuables, but also utterly destroying anyone their path, and delighting in their slaughter. A brisk pace is taken almost immediately as the movie starts, and you get a very clear picture of the type of man Kane is, and what he is about. Things change, however, almost as fast as they start, when he and his crew find themselves in a very mysterious chamber just before the throne room/treasure room, and while I won't cite any specifics...let's just say it's not what Kane or his men expect after such an easy massacre, and at the end of the scene, Solomon Kane is a changed man. We join him a year later at a religious monastery in the service of good, and on the path of redemption for his many evil deeds following the events in the aforementioned throne room. He is soon approached by one of the brothers and informed of his destiny, which requires him to leave the monastery he has called home for the last year, and where he has found easy comfort in simple inaction, and passiveness, which, for one of his caliber, and prowess in combat...simply will not do. He is destined for more, and indeed, more is required of him.

Now, we all love a true tale of redemption, or at least, I know I do, and this one certainly does not disappoint in that regard. When you get right down to it, this is a thoroughly evil man, who attempts to change that, and he does so with very little back-peddling on the moral standpoint. He does however, find the need to take up arms once again for much nobler, righteous reasons, and the story that unfolds due to that reason is quite...awesome, if not a bit predictable. He does so with reluctance, and an understandable fear of falling back to his old ways, yet the purpose is justified in this case, and his cause is worthy. I can't say I saw anything about this film that would not be at least somewhat attractive to most people I know, as it covers so many genres that many of us adore, and it doesn't lack on any of them. James Purefoy plays the starring character, Solomon Kane, and I will say, he does a fantastic job of it, I was not really all that familiar with his work before this, I knew he had smaller roles in "Resident Evil", "A Knight's Tale", and a few other minor, scattered, television roles, but this in particular really made an impression on me. I want to say that they will make at least a trilogy of Solomon Kane films, as they show a lot of promise, and definitely have that Epic smell about them. But if not, I really enjoyed this one, and am glad I got this one offering at least.

"V/H/S" and some thoughts on "found footage" in general.

Okay, so there's this fairly new flick out right now, it's called "V/H/S". Now let me go ahead and get one thing straight right off, and tell you that I think 90% of "found footage" flicks are absolute piles of dogshit garbage sent by the Elder Gods to torture mankind for some past slight, but this one, THIS ONE, I actually am in love with. A little background for you regarding my experience with "found footage", ever since "The Blair Witch Project" (amateur nonsense that leads nowhere), and more garbage like "The Devil Inside" (just atrocious for many reasons), and the "Paranormal Activity" trilogy (perfect sleep aids) I have been completely soured on this genre, and haven't really seen the appeal since. Okay, I lie, I HAVE actually enjoyed both [REC] 1 and 2, AND "Cloverfield", and I do occasionally like the random effort out of nowhere, and for no reason, barring simple, mindless entertainment even though they are still pretty bad on most counts, i.e. "Diary of the Dead", and the like. But that is largely the extent of my interest, and everything else in this genre is vastly underwhelming for me on the whole, and I don't make the effort to actively seek them out. Then, along comes "V/H/S" to breathe some new life into this tired, contrived, genre. Take a look at the trailer I shared if you've never heard of it, I can assure you, it is well worth your time.

I have always had a weak spot for Horror anthologies, i.e. "Creepshow", "Tales from the Darkside", "Twilight Zone: The Movie", etc. just to name a few, and and have also been partial to the Supernatural side of Horror for most of my life, and "V/H/S" incorporates both of these aspects, and does so very successfully. I shall say no more about it though, as the less you know the better where concerning this particular gem.  With this being my first actual blog entry, I figured I'd keep things as light as possible and simply share my thoughts on one of the most recent Horror films I could think of that actually made an impact on me. While I will be following mostly new Horror here, I will also be discussing various older Horror films as well from time to time, as well as some underrated gems as I come across them (and I DO...often). My hours of sifting through the rough to find the shining diamond will be to your benefit in other words. Until next time.

The intro, the beginning, the WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?

Wellll, lookie here! I have my own blog now, beware all ye unprepared or some shit. I'll tell you what though, I've been thinking about starting one of these for perhaps a few years now, and I've finally decided that this was somehow a good idea, and so here it is. You know, I've been a hardcore Horror fan since I was old enough to tie my shoes, and while I may be less eloquent than some, I can assure you I will offer plenty of my own personal views on certain films, shows, events, others opinions, or what have you. I do not pretend to be a professional, but I can sure pretend to know what I'm talking about in general, and if people nod their heads then I know I am at least getting through in some simple way. Let the games begin.

Hmm, which leads to the next question...how SHOULD the games begin??? How about a totally innocuous photo? YEAH!