Scream Recommends Adding Sci-Fi to Your Diet

Here’s a couple of good science fiction books that I’ve read in the last year or so. They don’t necessarily make it to my favorites list, but they were very enjoyable.

I just read this last weekend. A Star Trek convention is ruined by a zombie outbreak.This was a lot of fun and a short read.

Space necromancers. Swords. Mystery.

Time traveling historians. Can you imagine getting to pick a time period and go back to witness events firsthand?

Vampires, werewolves, aliens and one woman in charge of keeping the peace.

No spoilers, just some recommendations to consider. Let me know if you pick any of them up and especially what you think when you’re finished!

Adios,

Scream

Sci-Fi Themed Pet Names

Nothing is better than naming your pets after some of your favorite things, whatever that might be. In our case, several of our animals have science fiction themed names. You’ve seen their cute little faces before but today, we discuss their name origins.

This adorable little demon child belongs to Sugar and her husband and her name is Noi. They named her after their favorite character from the anime Dorohedoro (Netflix). I’m currently only part way through this series myself but I would affirm wikipedia’s character description. She has a bold personality, tends to get herself into trouble and has a large appetite. (What puppy doesn’t do those last two things though?) Fun fact: Since her name is so close to the word ‘no’ her parents had to come up with alternative words to get her to stop doing bad things. I call her Little No No so I’m sure I’m not helping but the nickname just came naturally. 😉

Up top is my girl, Samus. My husband and I tend to lean toward videogame names, and he thought of Metroid when we got her. When we went to adopt our boy on the bottom, his rescue name was Wrigley. Keeping with the Metroid theme, he was renamed Ridley, the boss in Metroid. Easy transition.

Do you have any sci-fi themed pet names in your family? What themes do you like best for pet names?

Happy Sci-Fi Month!

It’s November, so you know what that means: It’s officially Sci-Fi Month! After indulging in as many spooky viewing pleasures as we could squeeze in throughout October, we’re ready to explore the stars, set our lasers to kill, and blast off into a month of science fiction books and movies for the whole month of November!

So, that said, let’s talk sci-fi! What are some of your own favorite books and movies in the genre? To break the ice, we’ll get this party started and share some of our own personal favorites.

SUGAR’S PICKS FOR SCI-FI MOVIES:

John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982)

The City of Lost Children (1995)

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

SUGAR’S PICKS FOR SCI-FI BOOKS:

Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams

The Red Rising Saga, by Pierce Brown (though I need to get caught up on these!)

SCREAM’S PICKS FOR SCI-FI MOVIES:

Star Wars (Original Trilogy, babyyy!)

The Fifth Element (1997)

Alien (1979)

SCREAM’S PICKS FOR SCI-FI BOOKS:

Dune, by Frank Herbert

The Wayfarers series, by Beck Chambers

The Inkeepers Chronicles, by Ilona Andrews

How will you be celebrating Sci-Fi Month? Any shows, movies, games, or books you’re looking forward to checking out this month?

My Best Friend’s Exorcism – Buddy Movie Review

Your favorite cackling ghouls are back at another movie review and what’s better than two ghouls? THREE. Melanie from Grab the Lapels joins us again for a new round of demonic possession.

“Teen best friends Abby and Gretchen grapple with an otherworldly demon that takes up residence in Gretchen’s body.“

What are your thoughts on the casting?

Melanie: All the glossy 90’s slashers that I grew up with cast people around ten years older than the high school-age characters they were playing, so I often had a poor selse of self. Basically, I did not look like the people in movies, whether they were the hot girl or the good girl. In My Best Friend’s Exorcism, the actors are actually the same ages as their characters, and it shows. Teens look far younger than I assume because of that warped reality I grew up in, and I was happy to see their baby faces and pimples.

Sugar: I was pretty fine with the casting overall. No real complaints or anything. I was trying to figure out for a while why the girl who played Abby looked so familiar to me, and at first I assumed it was because she kind of reminded me a little of Maisie Williams, but then I finally realized it was because she was in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie from earlier this year.

Scream: I’m tired of a lot of Hollywood actors so I was happy to see faces I’ve never seen before. I enjoy fresh casting.

Were you scared watching the movie?

Melanie: No, I’m not afraid of demons largely because they’re always positioned as the opposite of the Christian (typically Catholic) church, and I’m not a Christian. I will say parasites are gross, but the CGI was juuuust off enough for me to be taken out of the moment.

Sugar: No, but I thought it was a fun horror movie though.

Scream: No. It’s almost impossible to scare me so this didn’t even come close.

There are some funny moments. Do you like horror that injects some humor?

Melanie: I see horror comedy and horror with comedy as totally different things. This is a horror comedy, so I’m expecting some gross-out moments, but the goal seems largely to make you laugh with your friends on the couch all while talking through the movie. Horror with comedy is more like The Terrifier, during which you are horrified the whole way through, and then the murderous clown kinda half-way flirts in a diner. Such meme-worthy moments.

Sugar: Yesssss!! Horror and Comedy are like a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Get the ratios all wrong and it’s a hot mess, but when you get it right it’s just chef’s kiss! This movie was definitely giving me Heathers meets Jennifer’s Body with a pinch of Evil Dead for some extra flavor vibes all the way through and I enjoyed it for that.

Scream: I like Melanie’s comparison of two different types of comedy and horror. I enjoy both. As much as I love a serious horror movie, I like a good laugh thrown in here and there as well. Art the Clown = love.

Did this movie accurately capture the 80’s or did it feel too modern?

Melanie: Well, it looked just like other popular horror set in the 80’s right now, namely Stranger Things and the updated, two-part film IT. I remember more spandex, slip-on shoes (way before Tom’s), and push-down socks. Also, why is it dudes never wear those beach pants my dad had back in the 80’s??

Sugar: I don’t think it felt too modern at all. I loved all the little references peppered in throughout the movie that made it feel like an 80’s movie. The technology, pop culture references, clothes, etc. all seemed accurate to me, but I wasn’t born until the tail-end of the 80’s so maybe I’m not the best expert on authenticity for that decade. lol

Scream: Needs more spandex!

If you had to exorcise a demon out of your BFF and religion wasn’t working, what things would you call on to get that demon out? (That last question has to do with the end when she’s saying things like, “By the power of jelly shoes, I command you!”)

Melanie: Honestly? It would just be horror movie trivia, cuz that’s all I got in my back pocket. Maybe some Metallica facts.

Sugar: Haha I love this question (and that part of the movie) so I’d say, “By the power of dark chocolate, books, coffee, fur baby snuggles, horror movies, and Halloween spookiness, I command you!”

Scream: “By the power of SHARKS, CORGIS, HUSKIES, ANIME, BAILEY, BAKED GOODS AND SUCCULENTS, I command you!” And then if that didn’t work, I would summon a demon to possess myself and join her in terrorizing the neighborhood.

Have you seen My Best Friend’s Exorcism? What did you think? How did it compare to the book? What would be your demon name?

TBT: Predator 1 and Predator 2 Re-Watch

After having an absolute blast a little while back nerding out with Imperial Rebel Ork over Prey (2022), the latest installment in the Predator franchise, I (Sugar) figured it was time to revisit the classics. I had memories of watching these with my dad as a kid, but I honestly didn’t remember a whole lot about them since it had been so long, especially the first one, so this re-watch has been long overdue.

Predator (1987)

A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.

Wow, this movie is SO hardcore 80’s it hurts! It effortlessly nails every high octane, testosterone-overloaded movie trope you can imagine, but was also so good that I couldn’t pull my eyes away for even a second. Action movies are not my go-to genre in the slightest, BUT this movie brings some serious sci-fi horror and I am here for it! 😀 All the horror bits are excellent and really bring the movie to the next level. Even though the CGI bits obviously didn’t age well since 1987, ALL of the practical effects were top notch. The gore was all done really well, and the damn Predator himself was an absolute force to be reckoned with, and SO creepy! He already looked so badass with the metal helmet on, but when he finally takes it off and we get the full face reveal . . . *total chef’s kiss moment* It really is amazing how good the practical effects hold up after all this time. I definitely enjoyed this one and will make a better effort going forward to not go so long between re-watches. 😉

Predator 2 (1990)

The Predator returns to Earth, this time to stake a claim on the war-torn streets of a dystopian Los Angeles.

Between the first two movies, this was definitely the one I remembered more of, especially the end of the movie. After re-watching it again finally, I can completely see why. The first part of Predator 2 mostly just had me missing the first one, but the second half got really good and I ended up enjoying it overall. Still had awesome practical effects, but the added bonus of better CGI this time around as well.

What is your favorite Predator movie? Do you like he franchise? What movies have you revisited lately, and did they hold up as well as you remembered?

TBT: Stephen King’s It (1990 Miniseries) Rewatch

In 1960, seven preteen outcasts fight an evil demon that poses as a child-killing clown. Thirty years later, they reunite to stop the demon once and for all when it returns to their hometown.

It’d been a while since my original hangout with the Losers’ Club in Derry, Maine, but what better season to revisit one of the horror movies from your childhood than during Spooky Season? I (Sugar) very much enjoyed both the original miniseries when I was growing up, AND Andy Muschietti’s more recent films featuring Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise. Rewatching the original just confirms how good of a love letter Muschietti’s versions are, all while bringing their own charm and amped up scares. Is it weird to describe horror movies as having charm? I mean, horror aside, It really has always been a coming-of-age story when you boil it down.

I don’t have a fear of clowns, but Pennywise was that one special case that really creeped me out as a kid. I have fond memories of going to Detroit with my grandma to the Fox Theater when I was young, but also of being absolutely freaked out by the steam creeping out of the sewer grates and manholes on the streets after dark because I was positive it meant that Pennywise was nearby and hungry.

Tim Curry is always such a master at giving a deliciously villainous performance, and his take on Pennywise is no exception. Whether he’s terrorizing the kids, or the adults they grow into, Pennywise is a relentless and deadly menace, and absolutely revels in every minute of it.

I really enjoyed this horrific trip down Memory Lane. Coming back all these years later sort of paralleled the Losers’ Club’s own return to Derry in a way, remembering the fear I felt as a kid and then returning to face that fear again as an adult. Luckily for me, I just got to sit back and enjoy the ride rather than go toe to toe with a child-eating monster determined to feed on my fear.

I’m glad to see that the miniseries holds up so well. The creepy bits are still good, the childhood bond of the Losers’ Club and the true test of that bond as they’re all drawn back to Derry by the return of Pennywise, gives you a solid cast of characters you feel you can genuinely root for and fear for. It’s neat too seeing Emily Perkins and Seth Green play the childhood versions of Beverly and Richie.

For anyone who dreads returning to their childhood hometown, this movie is all-too relatable, just hopefully without trans-dimensional demonic entities posing as homicidal clowns. Have you seen the original It miniseries? What do you think of it? I still have yet to read the novel but, I enjoy both live action versions of the story. Do you like the remake as well? Or the book? Let’s talk Stephen King’s It!

Bad Moon (1996) Horror Movie Buddy Review

Even though we got a bit of a late start with the Halloween horror movies this year, we couldn’t pass up reviewing a werewolf movie or two, so for this post we’re talking all about 1996’s Bad Moon, a werewolf movie where a man who is struggling to contain the beast within is quickly sussed out by the protective and loyal family dog Thor for what he truly is. The question is, will Thor’s owners recognize the monster living among them before it’s too late?

Fun Fact: This movie is based off the novel Thor by Wayne Smith, a book told from the POV of the family dog.

1.) Did you enjoy the movie?

SCREAM: I very much enjoyed this movie. It was such a different take on the werewolf story. Despite being released in 1996, I found it refreshing as I had never seen it before.

SUGAR: Heck yeah. It’d been a while since I’d seen it, but I remember this one being good and it did not disappoint revisiting it all these years later!

2.) Knowing that this movie is based off a book told from the family dog’s perspective, would you read that book? Do you think the movie did a good job conveying things from the dog’s point of view?

SCREAM: I would read that book and I thought the movie did a great job showing the story from the dog’s point of view. I was really skeptical how they were going to do that without it seeming cheesy, but they were successful.

SUGAR: Yeah, they do a really great job with it in the movie, and I would 100% read the book! It’s actually been on my TBR List for a while. Future buddy read mayhaps? 😉

3.) What did you think of the effects in this movie, both practical and digital?

SCREAM: Practical effects were excellent. The digital effects were some of the worst I’ve ever seen. Lol. That was the one part that took me completely out of the movie.

SUGAR: Haha yeahhh, the CGI bit in the movie is laughable, which is a shame because it makes for a very, very bad transformation scene. That part aside, the practical effects hold up so well even after all this time. Still one of the best-looking werewolves I’ve seen in any horror movie to date.

4.) How does this film stack up against other werewolf movies you’ve seen before?

SCREAM: I thought this stacked up as an original idea and holds its own against other classics. Always trust your dog.

SUGAR: I second the “always trust your dog” line. The other night when my puppy Noi and I were outside with a flashlight for her to go potty she stopped and stood very still and let out a tiny growl that I hadn’t heard her do yet toward the wooded area on the back of our property, and I have seen enough werewolf movies to know it was time to scoop her up and hightail it back inside. I don’t think we have any werewolves in our neighborhood, but we do have coyotes and a very fat raccoon that has been hanging around, so we weren’t about to wait and see what was out there. 😛 And yes, this werewolf movie definitely deserves more attention than what it’s gotten in the past.

5.) Would you recommend this to others, and why?

SCREAM: I would! If someone came to me and said, “Man, I’m so tired of crappy werewolf movies. What’s a guy got to do to see a good one these days?” I would say go back to 1996 and don’t count the one digital effects scene. 😉

SUGAR: Haha so true! 😀

How’s your spooky movie viewing going this October? Have you seen Bad Moon already? If so, what did you think? What are some of your favorite werewolf movies?

Welcome to Our New Lil Monsters

We know, we know. We keep saying we’re going to get back to serious business on our blog, then we post once a month. It’s even our favorite season and we’ve been absent! We both have really good excuses though, we assure you. We added new lil monsters to our mash.

Welcome, Noi the Pumpkin Queen!

Sugar and her husband brought this adorable lil creature into their home just 2 weeks ago. She has a ton of personality and it’s going to be so much fun to watch her grow.

Welcome, Ridley Romero!

I, Scream, brought this tough lil nugget home just over 2 months ago. He’s a severely abused rescue so we were focusing on training when he developed an abscess that burst 2 weeks ago. This has been where most of my focus has been as of late. I’m happy to report that he is healing and feeling better and we’ll be getting back to training ASAP.

Double Trouble!

These two absolutely adore each other and look forward to many, many years of shenanigans together. ❤

Now, once again, we’re promising to be around more. We’re both finally at a place where we feel like we have more free time to do the things that we enjoy. But you can see why we were easily distracted, you try saying no to these cute faces!

New Halloween Decor

It’s that glorious time of the year again, when the stores fill with frightful goods. Ya ghouls here, cannot resist. We’ve already indulged in many treats. Here’s a couple items Scream purchased recently:

What tricks or treats have you picked up for yourself to celebrate the best season of the year?

The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014) Horror Movie Buddy Review

Who says you’re ever too old for sleepovers with your BFF?? September 1st marked Scream and I’s 26th Friendiversary and we still enjoy having slumber parties with horror movies and junk food just as much as we did when we were little kids. Only now, we fall asleep way earlier and tend to enjoy fancy cocktails and cheese instead of candy and “up all night drinks” (aka: sugar-fueled-throw-everything-but-the-kitchen-sink-in-there-abominations). I suspect that even when we’re old and grey, this will continue to be the case. Who knows? Maybe by that point we’ll level up yet again and instead of cocktails and assorted cheeses it will be Ensure and hard candies? That is, of course, if we’re lucky enough to be normal old biddies and not too busy having the more sinister sort of “senior moments” that take place in The Taking of Deborah Logan. (Yeah, I bet you thought that intro was going nowhere at first, didn’t ya?) 😉

The Taking of Deborah Logan is a found-footage movie that follows a group of college students making a documentary about the daily life of a person living with Alzheimer’s Disease. This brings them to the home of the recently-diagnosed Deborah Logan and her daughter Sarah who is newly stepping into the role of caretaker with her mother’s worsening condition, all while still trying to make ends meet. It doesn’t take long for Deborah’s mind and overall health to begin a rapid downward spiral as she loses more and more of herself to the disease . . . or at least that’s how it initially seems. However, it soon becomes very apparent that something far more malevolent may be afoot as unexplained occurrences and increasingly violent episodes begin to pile up.

Aaaand since any images/gifs from this movie venture FAR too much into Spoilet Territory, we’re just going to feature baby animal gifs instead, so enjoy! 😀

1. Sooo, what was your overall opinion of the movie?

SCREAM: Honestly, for the most part, I really enjoyed it. It had an excellent creep factor that I don’t feel like you get much anymore. This could be an unfair comment though because I don’t scare very easily. :3

SUGAR: I agree 100%. It definitely brought the creep factor and I didn’t feel like I was watching just another generic “are they possessed or aren’t they?” kind of flick with this one.

2. What did you think of main actress Jill Larson’s performance as the titular Deborah Logan?

SCREAM: That lady CAN GET IT. The way she could morph from sweet and motherly, to a shrieking banshee deserves some awards. I would like to see half of the Hollywood’s A list actors attempt to do what she did.

SUGAR: Absolutely! She’s got some serious acting range. The amount of subtle menace that woman can put into even just a quiet stare was truly something to behold.

3. If you were part of the film crew making the documentary about the mom, when things start to escalate, would you have stuck around to finish the documentary or would you have said “fuck this” and left?

SCREAM: Oh definitely would have said, “Fuck this noise! I’m out!” Then I would have moon walked my way out the door.

SUGAR: Haha probably the wisest decision given the circumstances. 😛

4. Without major spoilers, what did you think when they revealed what was really going on?

SCREAM: I was pretty surprised actually. I thought it was just going to be a basic possession story, but they added a lot of surprising elements. I’m pretty sure I said out loud at one point, “What the fuck?!”

SUGAR: Same. I loved the different angle this movie was coming from. After finally sitting down and watching the movie, I can definitely see why so many people had previously been buzzing about it.

Mwahaha! Release da spider bbz! This was a horror movie post, you can’t expect us NOT to include some creepy shit!

5. Would you watch this movie again? And would you recommend it to others?

SCREAM: I’m not sure it’s a movie that demands a rewatch. If it was on and I was feeling lazy, I might give it a go again. It’s not one that in a year that I’m going to go, “Damn, I need to watch that again.” I think part of the reason is, when you’ve seen all the reveals, what is left that is worth coming back for? (I’ll answer my own question with, that lady’s acting.)

SUGAR: Yeah, as much as I really enjoyed the movie, it isn’t one I necessarily would have a huge urge to watch again either. Maybe if I was watching it with someone who hadn’t seen it yet, then I might make an exception, because it would be fun to watch their reaction. >:) So, yes, if you haven’t seen it yet, check it out!

Have you seen this movie? What were YOUR thoughts on it?