When the notes are sour

So, over 800,000 homes in SE Michigan have lost power due to the crazy high winds Wednesday.

My house joined those numbers at 7am today, loooooooooooooong after the winds were over. Right now there's no estimate of when it'll be back on. Many of my readers and friends are in the exact same boat, so I'm not here for sympathy.

I can see my house from here!

The outage is so large, other states are getting involved. Warming centers are opening, as the temperatures are still in the 30s.

Both Bahamute and I are working today, warm and charging various devices. This evening and tomorrow we'd set aside for a break. Bahamute was planning on playing the new Zelda game all day, while I was going to catch up on some videos, books, and laundry.

This man is a genius, and he has a new review out.

Worst case senario we may prevail upon Bahamutes's brother and brother in law for a few hours of light if the outage lasts. Our animals will be fine for the moment, and I can cook with a gas stove very easily. I can read by candle light, as I literally have 500+ books (not including single-issue comics).

There was time now!

This is just a taste of the power and fury of nature. How easily we forget that at any moment the world around us can literally come crashing down. The ocean can take out destruction-proof cruisers. Winds whirl and kill. Even lakes can swallow ships and sailors.

Amid the temporary loss of our luxuries and trinkets we forget; the world takes people whole. 

Five Nights, No days

Chances are I'm not the first person you know who's talked about the horror franchise Five Nights at Freddy's. Spawning from a single simple point and click jumpscare game, creator Scott Cawthon has created an empire, spawning four sequels, an RPG, 3 books, an upcoming movie, children's toys, clothes, and a cottage industry of  fan created content.

This cutie is Mangle. I keep her head on my shelf, and she lives in unending pain!

In case you live exclusively in reality, the TLDR is this: you are a night guard at a Chucky Cheese style restaurant, Freddy Fazber's pizzeria. Your offical job is to watch the resturant, but unofficially your job is to keep the animatronics from stuffing you into a spare suit, IE killing you.

Also there's a cupcake with eyeballs. We don't get it either.

What is the draw? The first game was beyond simple, the horror mere jump scares (a pet peeve of mine), and the game play graphics were good, but not amazing. So what got people so interested? What got me, a non-gamer, and somebody who's never actually played FNAF into this?

A lot of the interest came from Markiplier and other youtuber gamers playing and getting spooked. Word of mouth spread, and then more games, increasing in complexity and plot, were piled on. The graphics got more...interesting.

This is Nightmare Bonnie. He's not even the scariest animatronic!

For me, the lore is the draw. Beyond the simple jump-scares there's a rich backstory of child murder, ghosts, the undead, familial strife, revenge, and the psychopathic genius who spawned literal decades of pain and misery.

All available at your local Toys R Us. Seriously.

The story is...complicated. MatPat has put out many videos with theories, which are helpful, but not perfect. Even with five games there are a lot of unanswered questions, timeline inconsistencies, and noodle incidents. The book, The Silver Eyes, takes place in an alternate timeline, as will the movie, but they still add pieces to the puzzle. The horror and mystery mix is more than enough to keep me watching videos of others playing, reading the (albeit mediocre) books, and seeing the movie.

Something about the uncanny valley mixing with the supernatural. I can't put my finger on it, but the mix feels fresh and exciting. I've always been drawn to tales of lost innocence. Even as I write this an episode of Law and Order SVU is playing in the background. Different kind of horror, different kind of loss.

Ultimately, if you're a fan of horror, you'll probably find some aspect of FNAF to like, be it the characters, the games, or just the imagery. If you like mysteries with semi-opened ended status, it may also be for you.

If you don't like monsters under the bed, or at least in the closet, stay away.

Ha ha ha, ho ho ho, and a couple of WTFs

Yet another out of genera Oz adaptaion is on its way! Maybe! Better start holding your breath!

 I'm not going to get excited, upset, or anything about the Oz adaptation. If it ever sees the light (no producer is even attached yet). There have been dozens, if not hundreds of Oz adaptations. It's even been given the horror treatment before, in short stories, an RPG game, and a comic.

If it's good, we'll get another movie to put with Tin Man or the newest Wiz. If it's bad it can go with Dorothy and the Witches of Oz, and Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return.

The best line in the film is a shitty gay joke.

Oz is like Wonderland; there are countless adaptations, there will be countless adaptations, and throwing a dark spin on it will always be trendy. The MGM adaptation is my favorite movie, and direct all remake attempts on that have failed.

So why am I blogging about it now? So that in the years to come when casting comes out and trailers, and even the movie, I can look back and say: "Huh, I'm way too involved in this stuff."

I need to use my time better.

And finish my DHMIS post...

I'm not so good with dead Dad movies

Spoilers for Logan ahead.

So, I saw Logan yesterday. And as I suspected, both Xavier and Logan died.

You could call them "ex-men!" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHEVERYTHING HURTS

At one point in the movie Logan calls Xavier his Dad (as part of a cover up). Soon after, the Professor dies, killed by a Logan clone. When Logan is impaled by the same clone and dies, Laura (X-23) breaks down, calling him Daddy and full-on snot bubble crying. He dies sorta-happy, having felt familial love. Then Laura quotes Shane over his grave and the film ends.

Sorry, I need a moment.

So not 1 but 2 father figures bite it, killed by their metaphorical family. As most of my readers know (since I know most of you personally) my Dad died after a short, unexpected, brutal fight with a heart problem in 2009. I was with him when he died. I can't bring myself to talk much about it. The film Inception triggered me into surprised tears when Cillian Murphy's dad died in his dream, as it was so much like when mine did, minus the heartfelt speech. My Dad was incapable of speaking when he died.

I tried to get a picture, but it didn't work, and I'm not trying a second time.

Huh. The dad was played by Pete Postlethwaite. I like him. He's dead too, btw. Cancer in 2011.

Jesus, this is an uncomfortable blog.

The point is, I was still hit pretty hard. I'd have been sad no matter what, it was a great movie, and I'll miss Jackman's Wolverine. The character had a fantastic arc, even when his movies were only so-so. I get it; 17 years playing a part, you want to move on. And it was a fantastic finish.

The last time I had a movie hit me was The Good Dinosaur, which not only had a dead dad that was NOT in the ads, it had a scene where the Dad looks like he's back, and it's revealed to be a cruel trick of the mind. I've had that happen. IT IS

NOT

FUCKING

OKAY.

So, even after 8 years, I'm not so good with dead Dad movies. I don't know if I ever will be. But at least Logan was worth my tears. The Good Dinosaur wasn't.

Seriously.

Fuck that movie.

Trauma high five if you agree!

TLDR; Logan's good, I cried because I'm deeply traumatized, still 10/10. Fuck The Good Dinosaur.

The IT spot: Uno, Dos

So, filming is about to begin for part 2 of IT. It's also been confirmed that the story will progress in a linear fashion, like the 1990s mini-series, since the director is afraid audiences would be confused.

"Me too stupid to understand flashbacks!"

I'm not happy about the decision, but I can understand it. It's obvious the kids live to adulthood, so there's no surprise element lost there, but the juxtaposition of events in the past and present is part of the brilliance of the novel.

I admit it; I'm biased. IT is my favorite book. I still have my original copy, sans the cover (repeated reading wore it off). I'm possessive of it.

It's almost impossible that the interpretation could be worse than the 1990's miniseries. It wasn't a great series, but the acting was good from the kids, John Ritter, and of course...

"Wah-HA! Wah-HA! Wah-HA"

I'm no fan of the new costume, but I can't judge the new Pennywise until at least a trailer drops. I'll hold onto my cautious optimism for now.

Coming home to roost

Last year I watched one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. One so disturbing that neither I, nor my watching companion Grizz, will be watching again soon, if ever.

The Babadook.

Spoilers will be in effect, so if you haven't seen this film and still intend to, stop reading. I'll have another blog soon.

The Babadook is, on it's face, a story about a strange entity haunting an odd little boy, and his emotionally distant mother. Once you dig in, it's the story of how grief and depression will never truly leave you, how you can let it make you into a monster, and how it may be tameable, but never beatable.

This movie handled those complex topics so well, I don't know if the monster was real or not, AND I DO NOT CARE.

Caring about if a monster is real or not is sort of my thing.

There are plenty of horror movies with roots buried in societal fears; zombie movies are 'us vs. them', as is Pod People, and any other number of flicks. Argument are made about horror movies encouraging virginity, abstinence, and female empowerment with the use of idyllic Survivor Girls. Freddy Kruger is adult fear that that cannot protect their children, fear of coming out of the closet, or any other number of things. But the subtex is just that' subtext. The Babadook screams its message along with it's croak of "Ba ba dook...dook...doooook!"

Which brings me to Get Out.

I'm seeing this film tonight with friends. Jordan Peele, the write and director, and half of one of my favorite comedy teams, has said his film is about liberal white racism, and that he hopes to make a slew of 'social demon' horror movies.

The reviews and box office have both been positive for Get Out, and I'm excited to see it. Overt social commentary handled skilfully could be the next big thing for horror, and if The Babadook is its herald, I'm all for it. The industry needs a shot in the arm, and the slew of tired remakes we've been subjected to hasn't helped.

Presented without comment.

I'll post a proper review of Get Out when I'm able, but for now I'm prepping for a night of scares and thought. Excited these are going hand in hand once more.

Meanwhile

In better news, I finished watching Breaking Bad and begun Stranger Things.

I know, I know.

I'm only a few episodes into Stranger Things, and just as I was told, I'm really loving it. Aside from great acting and an intriguing story, it's chock-full of references to pop-culture. Posters of Jaws, The Evil Dead, AND John Carpenter's The Thing? Perfect!

It's nice to have an idea of what's going on without being too confused, or able to call every single thing that's about to happen. I'm looking at you respectively, LOST and Friday the 13th part VI Jason Lives.

It's right in the title!

I've heard season two will have Ghostbusters references.

I've also finished Puella Magi Madoka Magica...

Fuck this thing

Begun the post-Moore Swamp Thing run...

Don't fuck this thing.

And the so-so FNAF; The Silver Eyes.

Spoilers; it's full of teens who sound like they're twenty-five.

Even with my limited free time (AD for 12 Angry Jurors eats up a bit), I'm finally catching up on a lot of books, shows, and movies I've missed out on. I've still got 70+ books to be read, but at least I'm making a dent!

Now, if I could get caught up on my comic books...

Broken News 2.0

In the few hours that have passed since my last blog, Trump suggested that Jews themselves are making the bomb threats.

A spokeperson already's covering for Trump, stating "He means (he) was referring to protesters."

Steven Goldstein has said it better than I can:  “If the reports are true, President Trump has gone over the Anti-Semitic deep end,” Steven Goldstein, the executive director of the Anne Frank Center, said in a statement.” "Mr. President, have you no decency? To cast doubt on the authenticity of Anti-Semitic hate crimes in America constitutes Anti-Semitism in itself, and that's something none of us ever dreamed would disgrace our nation from the White House,” Goldstein added. “If the reports are true, you owe the American Jewish community an apology."

People are going to die, and this MONSTER is blaming the victims. Classic abuser move.

Broken News

Hey, so I haven't made a depressing blog about antisemitism yet.

It's still going on. Headstones wasn't even the beginning; there's been a spike in antisemitism, with 67 bomb threats in 27 states. Yes, that includes the mitten.

After months of threats and desecration, Trump stated it was "horrible" and vowed to take unspecific action. He also refused to call these hate crimes antisemitism. Much like he refused to address that Jews died in the Holocaust. Maybe that's because President Bannon is a not-so-closeted white supremacist.

The Anne Frank Center has decried Trump's inaction several times. Today they stated Trump is at least partly to blame. Steven Goldstein, executive director of the Anne Frank Center, said: "Mr. President, it doesn't matter whether you think you are personally responsible for the continued acts of hate against Jews, including today's latest bomb threats. Rightly or wrongly, the most vicious antisemites in America are looking at you and your administration as a nationalistic movement granting them permission to attack Jews, Jewish institutions, and sacred Jewish sites. Mr. President, you cannot just say this is not your fault. Slow and inadequate responses can make it partly your fault. You must do more than belatedly condemn antisemitism. You must act to prevent it as if all our families were at stake."

Trump has Jewish grand-kids, remember. He can't even muster up the courage to condemn something that DIRECTLY AFFECTS HIS FAMILY.

The Anne Frank Center has condemned Trump and his reactions (and lack thereof) before. They're saying what I've been saying; Trump's (in)action is NOT ENOUGH.

We've seen what happens when these sorts of acts are unaddressed, or half-heartedly condemned.

Maybe there's too much going on for him to address this, you say?



Yeah.

Trump's silence isn't just on this issue. There's been no word from the White House about the fatal terror attack on a Kansas man. Instead he whines about FAKE NEWS, the NY Times, and his cowardice about the White House Correspondence Dinner. And he has the gall to say the media doesn't report terror attacks?

I'm getting off topic.

There's two ways this ends; someone actually kills a Jewish person, or the threats stop and nobody gets hurt. I'll pray for the latter.

I'm prepping for the former.

Ugh

I'm recovering from a cold. I'm working an extra long-shift, which starts a lot later than my old one. My new diet and exercise routine has failed to produce results. Still over a month until my vacation. I haven't worked on the book, or even my fan-work. I'm still mired in taxes, and may actually OWE for the first time in my life. I lost a birthday check, any my keys.

This is not a great Monday.