My Singing Monster Halloween Spooktacle

We're back with more My Singing Monsters. Play Monster Fun! is giving us a couple of specialty monsters. For those who don't use the app, My Singing Monsters offers different skins for the holidays as well epic and rare versions of the monsters. They make the same sounds, but the changes in look add great variety to the islands, and makes breeding more of a challenge. If you couldn't tell from the title, this time, we're getting Halloween Furcorn and Mammott. Halloween is my favorite holiday, so these made me very excited.

What do you think of these, and who do you think Play Monster Fun! should make next? Which holiday should they tackle?

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Get Ready for Halloween ComicFest!!!

That's right, Halloween ComicFest is tomorrow.  In case you didn't know, comic shops all over are handing out special Halloween issues of comics FOR FREE!  Not every shop is participating though, so check out the ComicFest site to find the closest one to you!  Then, just get ready for some scary reads!

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It's Time for All Hallow's Read!!

With Halloween right around the corner, everything is coming up scary. Most people turn to TV and movies to reach their fear quota. However, Neil Gaiman is encouraging all of us to read more with his All Hallow's Read. That's right put down the remote and pick up a comic or book. Here are some suggestions to frighten up your Halloween week.

Sunday Links for October 30

I hope you all had a Happy Halloween weekend before the big day tomorrow! Here are some of my favorite Halloween-y stories from the week:

To get you in the holiday spirit, read this very compelling academic theory that geeks created our modern Halloween.
(via Total Fan Girl)

Everyone is so worried about a zombie apocalypse or alien invasion that we are not even seeing the true enemy. The giant Lego invasion is underway!
(via Yahoo! Games)

With the #Occupy protests taking over the globe, everyone is getting involved. Even zombies are taking a side....
(via Pink Raygun)

Check out these fantastic pumpkin carvings. I just love how detailed and creative they are!
(via Facebook)

Have a Happy Halloween, filled with plenty of scares and a full candy belly!

Until next week.....


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Halloween Premiere Weekend: Werewolves and Zombies and Internet Sensations, Oh My!

Last weekend was a great time for some geek-tastic TV premieres.  The Syfy channel premiered Red: Werewolf Hunter and AMC finally premiered the Walking Dead series.  Any card-carrying nerd can tell you why these two premieres have been hotly anticipated since their initial announcements, but if you have been under a rock or failed your official Nerd-License Exam (keep trying, you can do it!), I'll tell you why.  First, Felicia Day.  The Guild writer and star has been on fire over the past few years, with her own show and prominent guest spots on hit shows like Fox's House and Lie to Me.  Second, The Walking F'ing Dead.  The multi-Eisner award winning comic series by Robert Kirkman being made into a live-action series by the station that brought us Breaking Bad & Mad Men?  No brainer.  So, lets get down to the details.  How did each of these shows live up to the hype?  Read on...

Red: Werewolf Hunter

All of the camp, none of the guilt!

Couresty of SyFy

This is a Syfy Original Film...

Normally that'd be enough to end any credible review, but in this case we have a unique exception.  Sure, Syfy has a long-standing reputation of quality films like Sharktopus & Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus, but we won't let their record (and apparent sea-creature fetish) taint our judgment. The main attraction for this gem is its red-headed star, Felicia Day.  As I've mentioned, Felicia has recently been putting out an impressive collection of work, but this film is different for a few reasons.  First, it's a leap into the world of science-fiction action, which is not necessarily new to her, but definitely out of her niche of awkward comedy.  Second, she's taking the lead in a full length (for TV) feature.  Her most note-worthy roles are in web-based short episodes, and I mentioned her guest spot on House; however, we all know that all the sick person ever gets to do is fall over, then convulse after a wrong-guess diagnosis.

The plot of the film is a spin on the Red Riding Hood tale, and promises to be the first in a line of fairy-tale exploitation films from Syfy.  It starts with Red (Day) introducing her fiance to her family and eventually their family tradition of hunting werewolves.  What starts out as a fun weekend with the folks turns hairy (sorry) when Red's man gets himself snacked on by a werewolf and begins to manifest his own transformation.  From there it becomes a Romeo & Juliet tale of love versus family loyalty.

Any movie that starts with "Syfy Original" is going to have some issues with writing, but despite that, the cast was able to deliver some decent performances and some memorable moments.  I particularly enjoyed Rosemary Dunsmore's performance as the rifle packing Grandmother.  All-in-all the movie lived up to the hype by delivering a fun experience.  The IGH crew actually had a lot of fun playing our own little Riff-Trax session while watching.  Let's face it, we all watch the awful Syfy channel movies anyway, at least this time we can say it was to support Felicia (my love!).  So in closing, I'd give Red: Werewolf Hunter an IGH rating of 7 lycanthropes.

The Walking Dead

In a perfect world all apocalypses would look like this.

Courtesy of AMC

To start, I'm a huge fan of the Walking Dead comic series.  I first picked it up when they were around issue #50 and I've been a steady reader ever since.  If you haven't looked at it yet you owe it to yourself to pick up the first trade.  Robert Kirkman's epic "horror movie that never ends" has set the new standard in horror/suspense books and garnered an immense fan following as a result.

The story begins with our protagonist, Sheriff Rick, waking from a gunshot-induced coma in an abandoned hospital.  Confusion turns to cold-blooded panic when he finds he's not alone in the world, but instead there are hordes of walking undead dying to invite him to dinner (I really can't help it!  Sorry!). After meeting some warm bodies, Rick sets off to search for his missing family, and from here the series will lead us through the story of Rick and the many survivors he meets along the way.

The series is being directed by Frank Darabont, who also brought us classics like The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile.  It's obvious from the first episode that he has studied the source material and has a deep respect for Robert Kirkman's original vision.  So many scenes were ripped right from the book and the direction and acting made it seem completely natural.  I was fortunate enough to be at the Walking Dead AMC panel at San Diego Comic Con and got a first-hand account of how Robert and Frank have been working together.  The collaboration has clearly paid off big time.  We all know the pitfalls of comic book adaptation, especially to a TV series, but what the Walking Dead has pulled off is nothing short of perfection.  I personally cannot wait to see how the rest of the series plays out, and how far they'll get this season.

When it comes to living up to hype, this show not only lives up to, but surpasses expectations.  I would, with confidence, give AMC's The Walking Dead the patented IGH rating of 18.9 head shots.

I hope you've enjoyed these shows as much as I did.  I also hope you enjoy my review.  Let us know what you thought on the comments, or send a tweet our way @IGHInsider.

Mata atode aimashou!

Halloween - Things to See and Do

With Halloween is right around the corner, it was time to put together a list of some of the fantastic events happening in New York City.

Let's start with the Abrons Arts Center Henry Street Settlement & Third Rail Projects have come together to bring us once again, the Steampunk Haunted House. Billed as "a beautiful and terrifying dreamscape of neo-Victorian elegance and phantasmagoric clockwork horrors" it's said to terrify and delight without spilling a drop of blood.

Oct. 26 

Head into Astoria, Queens for Haunted Oktoberfest at Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden, New York City's oldest beer garden. Going on through the weekend, be sure to check out their Jack O' Lantern and costume contests as you enjoy some of the best beers around. 

Oct. 27

At The Times Center, sit down with horror meisters Wes Craven ("Nightmare on Elm Street," "Scream," "My Soul to Take") and Oren Peli ("Paranormal Activity", "Area 51") as they talk about horror and scary movies with Times theater critic, Jason Zinoman. 

Oct. 28

 After Dark at Madame Tussauds New York allows you to explore the attraction in almost complete darkness while trying to figure out who's real and who's not.

Swing by Bushwick, Brooklyn for The Horror Show. Set in a half abandoned 1900's brewery, patrons climb to their seats and watch amazing twisted acrobatic feats in this gothic circus-ballet created by Anya Sapozhnikova.

Oct. 29

Head over to Forbidden Planet for their Annual Costume Contest. Stop in at any time starting at 10 am on the 29th until 9:30 pm on the 31st and get your picture taken for entry. 

Straight Up Vampire at Joe's Pub is what happens when you put vampires, 80's pop, Paula Abdul and Quakers together. A young Quaker girl loves a young, politically idealistic vampire but is being forced to marry someone else and MC Skat Kat and Benjamin Franklin vie for power in the Assembly.

92YTribeca is hosting a Labyrinth Sing-Along and Costume Party. Whether you're dressed as the Goblin King or any of the muppet cousins, you'll have a beer in hand as you sing your heart out.

Oct. 30 

Party Like a Rockstar at Hudson Terrace. It features a complimentary open vodka bar, only for an hour so get there early, live performances, special effects and a costume contest with the winner taking home $500. 

Union Hall in Park Slope, Brooklyn will host A Very Heathers Halloween, an event dedicated to all things Heathers. Featuring drink specials such as the Hull Clean and all your favorite 80's chart toppers. 

The Spirit of the Golden Age Halloween Party at Opia Restaurant is the place to throw on your best 60's attire and enjoy vintage cocktails, prizes, a live big band, and tons of fun. 

Oct. 31

Starting early, the Highline Ballroom will be hosting a few of Halloween events, beginning with Phantasmagorey, An Edward Gorey Halloween Brunch Spectacular, and ending with Hussies From Hell! A Divas and Deviants Halloween Party where you can hang out with drag queens, go-go dancers and burlesque performers. 

Oh! You Pretty Things: The Rocky Horror Picture Show 35th Anniversary Bash is an all-night event filled with live performances, a Rocky Horror stage show, a costume contest and various other fun things.

Webster Hall will be transformed into Webster Hell and all four floors will be filled with "ghoulish freaks to badass queens to sexy nymphos and everything in between." There'll be plenty of excitement as you watch the virgin sacrifice ritual as well as many other spectacular theatrics and entertainment. Don't forget about their $5000 costume contest featuring some of the sickest, most creative and interesting costumes you can find. 

Of course, you can't forget New York's Village Halloween Parade. The best Halloween parade around, join various dancers, artists, bands, puppets and tons of New Yorkers in their Halloween best as you walk your way through the village.

These are just a few of the many options available for Halloween fun. There are also plenty of events happening on Long Island if you can't get into the city. Be sure to click the links because many of these events run through the weekend. Remember to be safe, don't do anything too stupid, take tons of pictures if you do and have lots of fun! Happy Halloween!