Fox; 569 mins; Amazon

Available now on DVD from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is The Gifted: The Complete First Season, featuring all 13 episodes from the 2017-2018 series.

Created by Max Nix, The Gifted is set in the X-Men film universe, but in an an alternate timeline where the all of the X-Men have vanished. All that is left is an underground network of mutants, who are being chased down by the Sentinel Services agency.

The series stars, Stephen Moyer (True Blood), Amy Acker (Suits), Natalie Alyn Lind (The Goldbergs) and Percy Hynes White (Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb) as the Strucker family. Also featured in the series are Sean Teale (Voltron) as Eclipse/Marcos Diaz; Jamie Chung (Gotham) as Blink/Clarice Fong; Emma Dumont (Pretty Little Liars) as Polaris/ Lorna Dane; Blair Redford (CSI) as Thunderbird/John Proudstar; and Coby Bell (The Game) as Sentinel Services Agent Jace Turner.

The Gifted centers around Reed and Caitlin Strucker, a husband and wife who are trying to protect their mutant children, Lauren and Andy, from being taken by the Sentinel Services, which is lead by Jace Turner. The Strucker family takes refuge with an underground network of mutants, which consists of Sonya Simonson (Dreamer), John Proudstar (Thunderbird), Marcos Diaz (Eclipse), Lorna Dane (Polaris), and Clarice Fong (Blink).

While the mutants aren't outrunning the Sentinels and their robots, they must find a way to stop Roderick Campbell (played by Garret Dillahunt), a military researcher who is obsessed with capturing the Strucker children. To make matters even worse, the Hellfire Club is slowly rebuilding their mutant army against humanity.

The first day of October is almost here, which means the Halloween season will official begin. Well, at least for me it will be the beginning. For others, the season started many weeks ago, which would explain why I've been seeing Halloween decorations in people's yards in September. For me, the All Hollows' Eve season starts on October 1st and ends at 11:59 PM on October 31st!

While Halloween is my #1 favorite holiday, it has become a very depressing event for me for the past few years. Since I was a teenager back in the mid-90s, I have always went all out, with me decorating the porch or yards (I've moved over the years.) with frightening decorations. Then I would put together little bags of candy for the trick-or-treaters. Lastly, I would carve a pumpkin and roast the the seeds, so I could eat them late that night while I watch my favorite movie - Halloween (1978).

This year I'm planning on making a few changes. I'm not going to put out the Halloween decorations, which included three inflatables, orange lights, hanging ghosts & goblins, and a huge graveyard scene full of tombstones, skeletons, zombies, and a fog machine, and I'm not putting together the trick-or-treat bags. Actually, I'm not even going to give out candy this year. Instead, I'm going to turn off lights and hope nobody bothers me.

Why the change of heart this year?

Do you sneak a peek at the number of views your posts have gotten?

2. Enter the link to your post in the linky list below (enter your Blog Name and the direct link to your post answering this week’s question. Failure to do so will result in removal of your link).


3. Visit other blogs in the list and comment on their posts. Try to spend some time on the blogs reading other posts and possible become a new follower.  The purpose of the hop is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.
  

My Answer:

I used to be a bit crazy about the post views, but anymore I don't really care much about it.

As a horror fan I feel rather fortunate that so many of my favorite thrillers released on the year of my birth. A quick Google re-search will reveal a VHS candy store of goody gore and lovable murderers, from The Thing to Poltergeist to Halloween III (the one without Myers) to Amityville II: The Possession (the one that was like The Exorcist but with incest) to The New York Ripper to Pieces, Parasite, The Slumber Party Massacre, and... Friday the 13th...PART 3D (cue groovy disco music). And among the other entries in the franchise, PART 3D is I would say my second favorite. There are many factors that play into my rating but unless you've seen it you probably won't understand. So, do me a solid and go pop in that flayed VHS cause this review will be chopped full of SPOILERS. Readers...you have been warned!

Directed by: Steve Miner

Writing Credits:  Martin Kitrosser, Carol Watson, and Sean S. Cunningham.

Music by: Harry Manfredini

Special effects: Martin Becker

Release Date: 13 August 1982 (USA)

"Having revived from his wound, Jason Voorhees takes refuge at a cabin near Crystal Lake. As a group of co-eds arrive for their vacation, Jason continues his killing spree."

Among many reasons why I love Friday the 13th part III, one would be that it is the first true Jason Voorhees slasher. Yup. Obviously part 1 was really about mommy Voorhees, a character who wasn't even given a first name until...what, part 2? And while fantastic in its own right, it was not a "Jason" movie, not yet anyway. Now some would say, "But hey, Tommy, what about part 2? Isn't that considered a Jason Voorhees movie, it does have Jason in it after all?" And I would of course nod my head knowledgeably. Yes, part 2 does have Jason...but not the Jason. What we got was a backwoods deranged potato sack wearing weirdo who at times certainly had classic Jason mannerisms, but in the end still just an inbred acting mongoloid. Now that said, part 2 has its charm and some really excellent kills, but if you want Jason as we love him today (hockey mask and all), you gotta start with part 3.

Part 3 is also really awesome because it has what every good indie horror movie should, a cast a unrecognizable actors and actresses. While still young, parts 1 and 2 had some fairly recognizable cast members, including Kevin Bacon, John Furey (a known TV actor), Harry Crosby (son if Bing Crosby), and not to mention the late great Betsy Palmer who was one of the most veteran and highly respected actors on set. Part 3? Nadda. They didn't even have Chong, of the Cheech and Chong variety, star as the lead stoner, instead they dressed some dude named Chuck in a blue bandanna, green button down, and red pants with not quite as much weed as Up In Smoke.

I'd be amiss not to comment on what PART 3 has no other addition does. Shelly. Shelly is the best part of this movie. From humble awkward to cartoonish to a astonishingly flamboyant runner, Shelly is still by far my favorite character in the film. Sure, he fails to get the girl Vera and he's socially immature, who isn't?!? Shelly does have a few things going for him. Sweet yo-yo skills and a magic box that is literally "his entire world" full of tricks and gags to annoy the entire gang of friends, and the largest white-boy fro ever shot on a 3D film.  On a low par, I wasn't all that thrilled with leading lady Chris Higgins (Dana Kimmell).  She seemed too annoyed at times. Bored. And too drawl. The best part about her, I thought, was her really strange back story of a previous "unfilmed" encounter with Jason Voorhees. An encounter that sounded almost as if it were some kind of sexual assault. Going back to the amazing documentary

Crystal Lake Memories, actress Dana Kimmell confirms this backstory, but she says that producers did not want to pursue it in any kind of depth. This revelation is kinda dark for a Friday the 13th film as they typically follow a blood, guts, and gags methodology.

So, we've covered the more manly killing machine Jason. We got the actors. Next is the music. Harry Manfredini, who scored most of the Friday the 13's, including the original, crafted one hell of a soundtrack for this third installment. Part disco, part horror, 100% awesomeness. It is also one of the few, if not only, horror sound track to garner its own cover band by the name of Nilbog. Check them out on YouTube. Link provided below.

But like any horror slasher flick, there's gotta be a seemingly solid foundational plot. In PART 3, Chris Higgins invites a gang of friends to include a pregnant bestie (who gets slaughtered later btw...also a very dark moment for a Friday the 13th movie), two stoners, a Mexican chick, and Shelly. They met up later with lurch looking boytoy Rick (Paul Kratka). Events escalate into a series of weed smoking, beer drinking, skinny dipping, practical jokes, and heartfelt life lessons until Shelly and Vera end up pissing off a low-level biker gang. After Shelly runs over some of their motorcycles, the b-squad gang vows revenge that never really materializes. Instead, after following Shelly and Vera back to the cabin, they are quickly dispatched by Jason.

After Chris goes off with Rick to blow off some steam, the night consummates in more weed smoking and beer drinking, a sexual encounter, and Shelly in a wet suit. I know, sounds amazing doesn't it? Where does all this debauchery go? To one of the coolest kills. Once Shelly is dispatched, Jason finally obtains his moniker look by putting on the hockey mask that Shelly was so kind enough to bring along. Jeez, imagine if he brought a faded Captain Kirk mask? Talk about a lawsuit! Anyways, with Jason now complete, he causally strolls out on to the deck where a waiting Vera is fishing for Shelly's dropped wallet on the edge of the lake. He aims at her, much to her confusion, as she thinks he's Shelly. Just as she says, "Wait...who are you?" Jason pulls the trigger on the speargun popping her eye out the back of her head. Simply amazing. Its the small things folks.

More killings ensue until finally Rick and Morty...oops, Rick and Chris arrive back at the cabin. With everyone gone and blood everywhere, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together. During the attack, ole handsome lurch Rick gets his eyeball popped out his socket, which must have been a real thrill for kids who matched this back in 1982 in 3D. And finally, Chris and Jason go toe to toe. During the struggle, one of the surviving bikers revives just to be killed again, but distracting Jason long enough for Chris to throw a noose around Jason's neck and shove him out the barn. When that proves useless, she plants an ax deep in his skull. That seems to have done the trick and as the credits roll, the cabin is surrounded by police and paramedics.

For me, my horror appetites are not hard to please. And PART 3D, given some of its flaws, is a groovy good time for a slasher flick, and especially a Friday the 13th slasher flick.

Book Boss Publishing; 334 pages; Amazon

When any book has "coffee" in the title, it automatically gets my full attention, which would explains why I spent my last weekend reading Cars, Coffee, and a Slightly Used Casket by K.C. Hilton. It's the second book in the Julia Karr series, with the first book being Cars, Coffee, And A Badass Ninja Toilet. (You can read my review for the first book here!)

The book series centers around Julia Karr, a middle-age woman who owns a used car lot. Well, technically she co-owns the business with her husband, Romeo. She's the one who runs the business while her husband is busy at his day job, so she has to deal with all the crazy customers. And, yes, I mean CRAZY!!!!

Similar to the first installment, the sequel showcases the weird and too-realistic customers who enter Julia Karr's chaotic life. (Yes, I really mean realistic! I think I've seen some of the people shopping at Walmart!) It seems her customers believe they still own their cars even though they quit paying their monthly payments months ago. This results in Julia ordering the repossession of fifteen vehicles.

Running a used car lot can be extremely stressful, and Julia really needs a vacation. And that what's she's planning on doing - well, sorta. She made a deal with her husband that if she can add ten fifteen new customers in two weeks, he would take her on a vacation of her choosing - AKA - Disney World!

Of course the next two weeks is going to be hell for Julia. It seems like one thing after another goes wrong, which includes getting stuck with a twenty-something juvenile delinquent who got himself stuck in the office window in the attempt to rob it. Being the nice person that Julia is, she agrees to let Slick (that's her nickname for the boy) do his community service at the car lot, which mostly involves him washing cars.

While Julia's not repossessing cars and hunting down a chocolate chip cookie recipe in a cemetery, she's on a personal quest to find the cheapest casket! When your customers are literally trying to kill you, you should probably have your funeral already planned!

Disney; TV-G; 90 minutes

Now available on DVD from Disney Home Entertainment is the new musical Freaky Friday!

Based on the musical Freaky Friday: A New Musical by Bridget Carpenter, which is also based on the 1972 children's book "Freaky Friday" by Mary Rodgers, the 2018 Disney Channel film stars Cozi Zuehlsdorff as Ellie; Heidi Blickenstaff as Katherine; Ricky He as Adam; Alex Désert as Mike; and Jason Maybaum as Fletcher.

Directed by Steve Carr, the movie centers around teenager Ellie and her over-organized mother, Katherine, who accidentally switch bodies after they both touch a magical hourglasses at the same time. Of course, this event happens the day before Katherine's wedding to Mike Harper.

After breaking the hourglass (which was given to Ellie by her late father), they decide the best option to switch back to their own bodies is to track down the other hourglass that Ellie's father had given to Katherine. However, there is one problem, Katherine sold the hourglass to an antique store. 

Katherine and Ellie must live in the other's shoes for the entire day, until they can find the hourglass. Katherine has to go to school, deal with her daughter's bully, and participate in a scavenger hunt. Ellie must act like her mother so you can fool a wedding journalist and photographer. Plus, she has to help Mike with the last minute wedding decisions.

Bonus Features include:

• Bonus Track - "Not Myself Today"
• Blooper Reel
• Audition/Movie Song Mix Up
• "Today and Ev'ry Day" - Musical fun of the actual song mixed up with the audition/rehearsal footage.

Fox; TV-MA; 509 mins;

Now available on DVD from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is American Horror Story: Cult: The Complete Seventh Season, featuring all 11 episodes from the horror anthology series. The only special features on the 3-disc set are FX Promo Spots.

Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the Cult season stars Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Cheyenne Jackson, Billie Lourd, and Alison Pill.

Set in Brookfield Heights, Michigan around the 2016 U.S. presidential election, this seventh season centers on Ally Mayfair-Richard (played by Sarah Paulson), a restaurant owner who becomes extremely upset after Donald Trump wins the election. She has suffered from several phobias, including a deep fear of clowns, and all of these fears come back to haunt her after the election, which impacts her wife, Ivy (played by Ivy Alison Pill), and their son, Oz (played by Cooper Dodson).

After a serious of bizarre incidents, Ivy starts to suspect Ally is losing her mind. However, the truth is that Ally has been targeted by a cult, lead by psychotic Kai Anderson (played Evan Peters). Kai is a troubled young man who feeds off the fear and hate of others. After the election, he jumps into the world of politics by running for a seat on the city council with a little help from his cult members, who uses violence to get their way.