Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 256th Edition and Horror Marathon: Odious Oozes Week 1

Welcome to the 256th Edition of my series. This also includes the first week results of the Horror Marathon where I look to keep my title "king of the loopholes and possibly even win. Much of my October selections will be Halloween related. This is due on Sunday but I need to do it today because I don't know if I'll get to a computer tomorrow.

Wilderness (1996): This is my werewolf film for this week. This is a bbc tv movie which stars Amanda Ooms who is a disturbed girl who also becomes a wolf when the full moon comes out. She is seeing a psychiatrist who is having a hard time believe her and believes they are more sexual repressions. Her boyfriend also has a hard time believing she is a werewolf but they do learn. I was not sure what to think of this film but I found it enjoyable with a pretty nice ending. This is not really a horror film, just a character study analyzing who she really is but Ooms was very good in the movie. It is available on Netflix.

The Cry of the Owl (2009): My stepmom had this from Netflix and I recalled it being on my own list so I went ahead and checked it out to get it out of my queue and to even see if it fit into the contest but I cannot argue this one to be included. Paddy Considine plays Robert Forrester who is going through a bad divorce and is having a lot of problems at work. He then begins to stalk a young woman named Jenny, played well by Julia Stiles, who is having her own boyfriend problems. When she catches Robert, instead of panicking and calling the police she becomes very curious of him and invites him into her home becoming friends. Her boyfriend becomes quite jealous and after disappearing Robert becomes the main suspect leading into lots of betrayal from everyone. Like the last one featured, I really did not know what to expect but was quite surprised. It was not the greatest thing I ever saw but I felt it moved pretty well.

Gas-s-s-s (1970): This is my Roger Corman film for the week and his counter-culture film. We start where a gas has been let loose that kills people under 25. A group of hippie friends then set out to find a hippie utopia. This was not what I expected as reading the description I thought we would have more a sci-fi film but it's really just the premise that is sci-fi but still has its moments. I'm sure people from the 60s can relate to it. I liked the use of Edgar Allen Poe on a motorcycle with Lenore and the raven. Actors like Ben Vereen, Cindy Williams, Bud Cort and Tally Coppola co-star. Tally Coppola is best known today as Talia Shire who plays Adrian in the ROCKY series and Connie Corleone in THE GODFATHER series. There were some moments and hit and many that missed but provided some fun.

Crossing Arizona (2006): This is my 1st documentary for this week. This was presented by the multicultural center at Ball State and was shown at the Pruis Hall building. This documentary takes a look at the illegal immigration problems that we have in this country where the Arizona border is used for them to come in. This really takes a good look on all sides where it in no way favors anyone. It does take a look at the harsh realities of Mexicans trying to get into our great country for a better life and their efforts of crossing the harsh desert with no water and many dying. It focuses on a couple men leaving water for the immigrants to keep them alive. We also go into the great Tombstone, Arizona where many ranchers become frustrated because their fences get broken and become more difficult to repair. We also see the rise of the Minuteman group. There were lots of gray areas in this film where I can see the points of view on both sides and it is unfortunate we have this kind of problem. I know our ancestors immigrated here for a better life which is really what the Mexicans want. It does not look like it has gotten much distribution but hopefully it will become available sometime. In October on the last Wednesday, the multicultural center will show THE LARAMIE PROJECT, a film based on the aftermath of the Matthew Shepherd murder.

Laura (1944): This is my film noir for the week where Gene Tierney plays the title character who we first meet on the floor and dead. Dana Andrews plays Lt. McPherson who is investigating Laura's murder and the more he sees her picture and reads through her diary and other writings, he begins to fall in love while trying to find who did the murder. Vincent Price co-stars as her fiance Shelby Carpenter and Clifton Webb plays Waldo, who helped Laura in her journalism career. This was a very good mystery with lots of twists.

Molly Moo-Cow and the Butterflies (1935): I decided to delve into my animated shorts for this week which features the character Molly Moo-Cow. This is actually a cow which was a character in a few shorts in 1935 and 1936 through the Van Beuren Studio. In this short we see the dancing cow and also the cow saving some butterflies with their gratitude. This is something good for classic animation buffs. These can be found through public domain.

On Any Sunday (1971): This is my second documentary for the week and this one focuses on the dangerous sport of Motocross and looks at a few successful riders and the danger of the sport. This documentary also features Steve McQueen who had quite a racing background and took part in some of these races while apparently using a fake name. This is a very informative documentary and can be found instant on Netflix.

Eight Men Out (1988): This film is based on the 1919 team of the Chicago White Sox. Nowadays when we look at the big problems in baseball we think of the steroid issue but in this era, way long before Pete Rose did what he did, there was a lot of problems with gambling in baseball, a lot of which possibly because the pay was not as good as it is now. There has been some evidence that Ty Cobb did a lot of gambling on baseball that was not proven then. On this team, there were some players who were angry with their owner Charles Comiskey, played by Clifton James, who made a lot of promises that were not kept. In turn some gamblers see this and decide to take advantage and they get mobster Arnold Rothstein to put together a big fix on the 1919 World Series when the White Sox played the Cincinnati Reds. Some reporters observe some play and analyze if it is actual bad play or if it is what was intended. John Cusack plays Buck Weaver who in this movie never gets involved with the scam but is still implicated in their trial years later. Other actors the title indicates are David Strathairn, D.B. Sweeney, Michael Rooker, James Read, Don Harvey, Gordon Clapp, and Perry Lang. Correct me if I am wrong there. John Sayles directed this true story of a scandal that then rocked the world of baseball.

Horror of Dracula (1958): This is the Hammer Films version of the Bram Stoker classic. This one is done a bit differently than the classic and even the Universal version. Christopher Lee plays the title character in this one. John Van Eyssen plays Jonathan Harker who in this one takes employ with Dracula as his librarian whose real motive was to destroy Dracula. In most stories, Harker is a real-estate agent who goes to Transylvania to sell him land. Peter Cushing plays Van Helsing in this one who was a friend of Harker in this one. I really favor this one of the Univeral classic starring Bela Lugosi where I feel there is still a pretty good chill factor to the Hammer version though my favorite is the 1994 version. Also there is a more climatic fight scene between Dracula and Van Helsing which lacks in the 1931 version and maybe that is for the story of DRACULA in general. This is available on Instant Netflix so if you're looking for a good vampire feature I don't think you'll be disappointed here.

Jennifer's Body (2009): I take this horror film for what it was and for what it appeared to be intended for which was a cheesy horror film. Karyn Kusama directed this and Diablo Cody wrote the screenplay. Megan Fox plays the title character who has everything going for her and is the high school cheerleader. BIG LOVE alum Amanda Seyfried plays her unlikely friend Needy, who is more reserved and nerdy. One big night, they decide to go see a band perform in a nightclub where Jennifer is never the same again. She appears to be possessed and brutally murdering classmates where Needy then does what she can to stop her. One person I liked in the film was OZ alum J.K. Simmons whose character was totally different than he usually plays. In this he is the teacher and is more nerdy than usual where I always see him as more of a take charge type person. If you are not looking for real life scares, this is a pretty fun one to watch especially if you have a lot of friends with you.

Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you love and what you hate and stay tuned for next week. Also, keep reading to see the Horror Movie Madness selections that I have come up with.

HORROR MARATHON: ODIOUS OOZES WEEK 1

This is my third time in the greatest movie watching contest of all time. Every year Elizabeth and Duckboy come up with this contest where all the movie watching peers participate. It is very liberal and I take quite advantage of that which has made me the "King of the Loophole" through the years. This year I will separate by categories so read on and see what else is being featured. When the names are present that means that anything they acted, wrote, directed, and/or produced qualifies. Otherwise I will just put the category I feel they belong into. I know they want ratings so I will give these movies up to four 6's but remember, I hate rating films.

BRUCE CAMPBELL (2 points)

1. Sky High (2005): This is what would be considered a loophole as it is a Disney film about a superhero family. My idol Bruce plays Coach Boomer where he qualifies this into a Horror contest. 666 1/2 (2 points)

ROGER CORMAN (4 points)

1. Little Shop of Horrors (1960): Roger Corman films count no matter what and this is what would later become the great musical we love today but it had to start somewhere and this is where it starts. The nerdy, harmless, bumbling Seymour finds a strange plant which helps save the flower shop he works for but at what price? This plant proves to be very ruthless and turns Seymour into a killer with his demands for blood. This was a good b-movie dark comedy. Jack Nicholson has a cameo in this in a very early film for him. Also look for the customer who loves to eat flowers who becomes kind of an adviser to the plant shop. 66 1/2 (2 points)

2. Gas-s-s-s (1970): This is more of a Corman loophole here where I used his movie he did ten years later from the first one. Most of what I have to say is in the recommendations 66 (2 points)

JEKYLL AND HYDE (2 points)

1. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920): I bring you the silent version of the horror literary classic from Robert Louis Stevenson classic of good and evil. Jekyll is a good doctor but with an experiment gone wrong, he becomes the murderous Hyde so no doubt this qualifies. John Barrymore stars in this one. 666 (2 points)

LLOYD KAUFMAN (4 points)

1. The Toxic Avenger (1984): This one qualifies for double points in this contest for a man being turned into a monster hero from radioactive waste. A very amusing watch. This is very violent, politically incorrect, overacting at its best, really dumb dialogue and characters and every other flawed category but so much fun to watch and let's not forget that beautiful love story between the Avenger and his blind girl. What a chick flick. 66 (4 points)

KEVIN MCCARTHY (3 points)

1. The A-Team: Member's Only (1986): This is part of season four of the A-Team where McCarthy guest stars as Bob McKeever. I will venture to say I am the only person who will include this one. This in my opinion is when the show started going downhill some, only going all the way down the hill by season five. 66 1/2. (1 point)

2. Columbo: Requiem for a Falling Star (1973): This is another loophole I found through this actor. This is the show with the great detective who is out to solve murders. In this episode, McCarthy plays Dr. Frank Simmons. It is a little over an hour so you can get two points with this. 66 1/2 (2 points)

STEVE MCQUEEN (2 points)

1. On Any Sunday (1971): This should further cement myself as the "King of the Loophole" in this Motocross documentary which features Steve McQueen. 666 (2 points)

PARANORMAL (2 points)

1. Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988): This is the best category I could find for this Looney Tunes loophole. This is a compilation of their short cartoons with the story of Daffy Duck opening a paranormal detective agency alongside Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig. There are all kinds of elements here to fit into this contest. We have Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, The Blob, the Mummy, excorcisms, ghosts, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, you name it. 666 (2 points)

VINCENT PRICE (2 points)

1. The Baron of Arizona (1950): This is my western loophole which starred Vincent Price where any of his films count on this so I jumped right at this one when I found it at the library as I know I have to keep including these "loopholes". In here Vincent is out to take over Arizona at any cost. 666 (2 points)

2. Laura (1944): Another loophole with Mr. Price where he is a bit creepy however. This one is more of a film-noir and very compelling. 666 (2 points)

PSYCHO FEMALE (4 points)

1. Single White Female (1992): This was a pretty decent low-budget film where Jennifer Jason Leigh becomes the very psychotic and jealous female to Bridget Fonda. With Jennifer being absolutely crazy, I feel this thriller should qualify into this contest. 66 1/2 (2 points)

2. Jennifer's Body (2009): I decided to include this one in this category and while in the first one she became psycho maybe more from her own situation, Jennifer, while she was arrogant, she became psycho out of possession. As I stated above, I took this one for what it's worth and pretty much enjoyed it. 66 (2 points)

SAM RAIMI (2 points)

1. Drag Me to Hell (2009): This is by no means a loophole but having Raimi's name does not hurt. Allison Lohman gets cursed when not extending a home loan to an old gypsy woman and has all kinds of horrible things happen to her and must stop this curse in three days before she becomes the title. 666 (2 points)

JOHN SAYLES (2 points)

1. Eight Men Out (1988): This would be the baseball loophole directed by Sayles who I can use anything he directs so here is his loophole into a horror contest. 666 1/2 (2 points)

SERIAL KILLERS AND SLASHERS (4 points)

1. His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th (2009): This was a tv special and a documentary on the slasher Jason Voorhies. It gives details about each FRIDAY THE 13TH film and even interviews actors involved including actors who have played Jason like the most known Kane Hodder. While I am not a huge fan of the series, this was a very good documentary and can be enjoyed by fans and non-fans. 666 (2 points)

2. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006): This is the prequel to the start of Leatherface and his big, happy family. Not a bad entry in the series if this is what you like. There is a little bit of gore and violence though. 66 (2 points)

VAMPIRE (4 points)

1. Near Dark (1987): Kathryn Bigelow directed this vampire film which had to go up against the over 1987 hit of THE LOST BOYS which I felt this one holds its own and I actually like this one a little better as we get to see a country boy get sucked into a whole new world. 666 1/2 (2 points)

2. Horror of Dracula (1958): A classic in my opinion and one of my favorite of the vampire genre I get into quite a bit though I have not brought myself into the whole TWILIGHT craze and I'm not a big BLADE fan but this is a film brought to us by the great Hammer Films of Britain which had their big rise from the 50s to the 70s and many starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. They also had some good work towards the FRANKENSTEIN franchise. 666 1/2 (2 points)

WEREWOLF (2 points)

1. Wilderness (1996): This is a feature for this week where we have a disturbed female who turns into a werewolf. 66 1/2 (2 points)

TOTAL: 39 points