Monday, December 27, 2021

NinetyForChill: The #Podcast - 2021 Top Ten - Bill & Ted vs. Jeff & Geena

 

 NinetyForChill.com: The #Podcast

Episode 50: Bill & Ted versus Jeff & Geena (Top Ten Discoveries of 2021)

Skimble may be changing into a fly. He already lacks an ear.




This past Christmas, ThePoeticCritic spent an hour with her little brother Cool Movies Darth to help comprise a list of NinetyForChill's best discoveries of 2021. Her movie research is not as narrow as this podcast's host, but she chooses five movies that will make the list. It is up to CM Darth to determine which five of the remaining 15 films will make for a well balanced countdown.

 

ThePoeticCritic did spend Christmas Eve and Day at her source of income, so she was not in a playful mood to try and draft a list. So instead of a "her pick, his pick" game, she offers some analyst of how her brother is choosing this list. The challenge for CM Darth becomes how not to offend previous guests by dismissing films they came to the show to praise.

It pained him, but there is a chance that "John Dies at the End" falls from number two to oblivion. My apologies Kodiak, but in a way, it seems fitting.

David Cronenberg's "The Fly", European, animated family feature "Nocturna", Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas", Robert Zemeckis's "The Polar Express" and the Hammer horror feature that started the modern take on classic monsters, "Dracula (aka Horror of Dracula)" are TPC's choices. These are the remaining features CM Darth has to choose from:

  1. Bill & Ted Face the Music
  2. You're Next
  3. Lady Snowblood
  4. John Dies at the End
  5. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
  6. Bit
  7. Castle Freak (1995)
  8. Death Race 2000
  9. Hellraiser
  10. Nighthawks
  11. Risky Business
  12. Rushmore
  13. Spiral: From the Book of Saw
  14. Teddy Bear
  15. Waiting for Guffman

And Ally's Accessories Shop on Etsy's Trash Features Revue offers a post recording variable. Does the gangster feature with Jena Malone and Joe Mantenga is supporting roles, "10 Cent Pistol", sneak into this top ten list. Does completing the computer alphabet (A to #) by featuring this flick catch CM Darth off guard?

As a struggling screenwriter, he is empathetic to actors JT Alexander and Damon Alexander along side writer Michael C. Martin putting everything on the line to get this feature made.

My Twitter account is @catbusruss. This is where I want your hate to be directed if you disapprove. Otherwise, positive feedback would be best displayed as subscriptions to my podcast and five-star reviews. Lets work that algorithm.

If you think you have a film or franchise that you are an expert on. Send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. Most franchises have at least one feature that will qualify for NinetyForChill. The runtime just needs to be between 74 and 99 minutes. We have four episodes to fill.
 
I have been asking for weeks for assistance in composing an episode dedicated to vampire features like "The Lost Boys" trilogy, "Near Dark", and the "Underworld" movies. Here is to hoping that this bunch of critiques will stir up some inspiration in my audience to step up and hold off on the garlic. If this is a topic you up for discussing, feel free to send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. All I need is a half hour on Zoom to get this done.

I hope I am impressing or at the very least amusing you with this podcast and I am open to any and all criticism. My biggest want is more guests and more suggestions on what to chat about (@catbusrussrussthebus07@gmail.com@coolmoviesdarth). If we can get 3 hours out of "Little Nicky", the possibilities are endless. Thanks for visiting.

After WrestleMania Backlash, I will tell you that we need to take zombie pro wrestling back. My suggestion is that we finally get my low-budget zombie movie, "Main Event of the Dead" off the ground. The script lacks a lumberjack match, so you know it has got to be better than the "Army of the Dead" advertisement. Ask for a treatment or give me suggestions on how to get it to a crowd-sourcing stage with an email to russthebus07@gmail.com.

Only the Best in the World: All of 2021's Champions.

 *This blog post was started on December 23, 2021.

I had received a flu shot on Sunday. And my dentist told me to wear a night guard...again on Wednesday. It is difficult to see me not being in the best condition for next week's vacation. Too bad staying sterile seems to be necessary. What kind of trouble could that possibly get me in?

Christmas is going to be a small affair. My niece ended up with Covid. She is fine, but the quarantine is making it so my little sister's family will be cleared the day we leave for Florida. My little brother's family has called off coming down because his girlfriend/mother of his child is an ER nurse.

I understand that a nurse should not risk exposure when there are enough issues being brought into her place of work. My mom is of the opinion that she does not like our family or is just trying to control my brother, but she has always assumed that when it comes to the baby of the family. He was at least planning on coming down, but you never know what kind of messages the matriarch is sending. Needless to say, Yule Tide bar hopping amongst brothers shall not be happening either way.

Since I am bringing up a character from "Fight Club", I do not see comparing myself to Chloe being out of line. The end of the year is certain and all I want to do get laid for one last time.

Snapchat has provided enough reason that Omicron is a legitimate problem. Where have all the seemingly legit Premium Snaps have gone? How much does a bot maker earn for all the fake ones out there? Have I missed another calling?

Damn, this is going to be a difficult head trip to transition to wrestling. Since I do not post the "NinetyForChill.com - The #Podcast" drafts on this blog, it is tempting to walk away from this. But I gotta keep "MainEventOfTheDead.com" looking nice. I do not want to provide a reason for those to ignore my calls to produce my z-budget, pro-wrestling zombie comedy. "If the website is shit, surely the screenplay cannot be better," is an assumption I do not need.

What I do need are inquiries. If you want a treatment of my z-budget, horror comedy about a bunch of barely trained indie pro-wrestlers being tricked into fighting off zombies, send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. I will also be happy to receive any advice on how to get this project out of developmental hell. Thanks.

As I stated, it is the end of the year, so might as well give you something related to it. No title bouts are scheduled until the fourth of January, so why not review the title changes that occurred in the world of Disgruntled's Real Championship Wrestling.

The Disgruntled's Real World Championships of 2021.

The Disgruntled's Real Men's World Champions:

The 96th Disgruntled's Real World Champion
AEW World Champion: Kenny Omega (2nd Reign)
He reigned from December 2, 2020 to November 13, 2021.
Omega defeated Jon Moxley for the championship.

The 97th and Current Disgruntled's Real World Champion:
AEW World Champion: Adam "Hangman" Page
His reign began on November 13, 2021.
Page defeated Kenny Omega.

The Disgruntled's Real Women's World Champions:

The 47th Disgruntled's Real Women's World Champion
AEW Women's World Champion: Hikaru Shida
She reigned from October 20, 2020 to May 30, 2021.
She was awarded the title after Sasha Banks defeated Bayley for the Smackdown Women's Championship. Shida won the AEW championship on May 23, 2020.

Banks has never defended her championship successfully since NXT five years prior. Hikaru Shida's defeated the best big woman, Nyla Rose, to earn the championship and proved to be superior than NWA's champion, Thunder Rosa. The word on the street is Thunder Rosa has signed with WWE, so they cannot trade wins, so AEW has themselves a more legitimate champion than a past Real Women's Championship. Banks can blame WWE talent relations for me not choosing her.
 
The 48th and Current Disgruntled's Real Women's World Champion
AEW Women's World Champion: Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D.
Her reign began on May 30, 2021.
She defeated Hikaru Shida.

The DRCW OCHO (Real Secondary) Champions:

The 151st DRCW OCHO Champion:
WWE Intercontinental Champion: Big E
He reigned from December 22, 2020 to April 11, 2021.
He defeated Sami Zayn for the championship.

The 152nd DRCW OCHO Champion:
WWE United States Champion Sheamus (2nd Reign)
He reigned from April 11, 2021 to August 21, 2021.
He was awarded the championship after Apollo Crews defeated Big E for the Intercontinental Championship.

Apollo Crews's IC championship victory came via assistance while Sheamus and Riddle stole the undercard. Sheamus is also the more established champion.
 
The 153rd DRCW OCHO Champion:
AEW TNT Champion: Miro (2nd reign)
He reigned from August 21, 2021 to September 29, 2021.
He was awarded the championship after Damian Priest defeated Sheamus for the United States Championship. Miro won the TNT Championship on May 12, 2021.
 
If only Darby Allin title reign would have featured all its defenses before Sting arrived, we could have forgotten the fact that WWE forgot about even booking Apollo Crews and Sheamus. When you ask about who the Intercontinental Champion is, I bet half of the viewers would not guess Shinsuke Nakamura. 
 
The 154th DRCW OCHO Champion:
AEW TNT Champion: Sammy Guevara
He reigned from September 29, 2021 to December 24, 2021.
He defeated Miro to become champion.

The 155th and Current DRCW OCHO Champion:
IWGP United States Champion: KENTA
His reign began on December 24, 2021 after Cody Rhodes defeated Sammy Guevara for the TNT Championship.

With how Rhodes is still playing babyface despite the outstandingly negative reaction he is receiving, it seems dethroning one of the undisputed pillars of AEW is a poor decision. WWE's champions have remained the same since Sheamus lost their United States Championship, so to remedy this, I think a title that has been defended on AEW is appropriate.

The 149th Disgruntled's Men's World Tag Team Champions:
AEW World Tag Team Champions:
The Young Bucks: Matt and Nick Jackson (3rd Reign).
They reigned from November 7, 2020 to September 5, 2021.
They became champions by defeating FTR for the AEW World Tag Team Championship.

The 150th and Current Disgruntled's Men's World Tag Team Champions:
AEW World Tag Team Champions:
The Lucha Bros.: Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero Miedo.
Their reign began on September 5, 2021 by defeating the Young Bucks.

The 48th and Current DRCW Modern Poser Champion:
WWE Universal Champion: Roman Reigns (2nd Reign).

There have always been better world champions than the Universal Champion.
His reign began on August 30, 2020 when he defeated Braun Strowman in a one-fall, triple-threat match. Bray Wyatt was the defending Universal Champion.

The DRCW Unified Gnarly Men's Doubles World Championship:

The 155th DRCW Unified Gnarly Men's Doubles World Champions:
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi
They reigned from October 9, 2020 to January 4, 2021.
They were awarded the championship after Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura lost the Smackdown Tag Team Championship. They defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi to with the IWGP championship.
 
This is two single stars coming together. Taichi was a successful Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion with Yoshinobu Kanemaru.

The 156th DRCW Unified Gnarly Men's Doubles World Champions:
Raw Tag Team Champions: Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin.
They reigned from January 4, 2021 to March 15, 2021.
They were awarded the championship after the Guerillas of Destiny defeated Sabre and Taichi. They defeated the New Day to become Raw Tag Team Champions.
 
Benjamin's tag team partner will always be Charlie Haas.

The 157th DRCW Unified Gnarly Men's Doubles World Champions:
Impact World Tag Team Champions: David Finlay and Juice Robinson
They reigned from March 15, 2021 to May 17, 2021.
They were awarded the championship after the New Day regained the Raw Tag Team Championship from Alexander and Benjamin.

Robinson has been the premier plug and play partner for NJPW. If he is not part of FinJuice, he is part of DeathJuice with Sami Callihan.
 
The 158th DRCW Unified Gnarly Men's Doubles World Champions:
Raw Tag Team Champions: AJ Styles (3rd Reign) and Omos.
They reigned from May 17, 2021 to August 21, 2021.
They were awarded the championship after Rhyno and Joe Doering used their "Call Your Shot" privilege to defeat a weakened Robinson and Finlay.
They defeated the New Day at WrestleMania to become the Raw Tag Team Champions.
 
The 159th and Current DRCW Unified Gnarly Men's Doubles World Champions:
Raw Tag Team Champions:
Randy Orton (2nd Reign) and (Matt) Riddle.
Their reign started on August 21, 2021 after defeating Styles and Omos.
 
AEW Dynamite and Rampage do not have any defenses being made this week. Raw and Smackdown are always "card subject to change", but unless the Covid outbreak forces some changes, everything should stay the way they are until January 1.
 
Aside from writing my blogs to promote the latest episodes of "NinetyForChill dot Com - The Podcast", I think I can call it a year. Thanks for checking out my rants and I hope to impress you all next year. Hopefully, the impressions will be strong enough to finally get "Main Event of the Dead: The Movie" off the ground. Here is to hope.

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Tits As a Metaphor and 90-minute Discoveries of 2021: R to Z

*This blog post was started on December 21, 2021.

Time is not on my side when it comes to publishing blogs before the year ends. Am I really expected to be posting while I am in Disney World, hopefully?

With omicron (Am I the only one having fun learning the Greek alphabet during the pandemic?) becoming the dominant variant, ThePoeticCritic's paranoia about this family vacation going tits up maybe warranted. I say this because our younger sister is an elementary school teacher whose husband just got over a break through case of delta. She may want to call the trip off.

What I fear is that because she is the only one of my siblings who has not been to England (something she brings up when she wants to get on our parent's tits), her daughter will do the same thing to her if the trip gets cancelled. "Big Brother got to go when he turned five, but I couldn't." It is justice that she act the same way as her mom, but no one should be acting like her mom (at least the version of her mom that had yet to graduate university).

Of course, if you listen to the impromptu episode on "NinetyForChill.com - The #Podcast", "Buddy the Elf and His Zombie Diary", my big sister states how it does not look good that I will get the opportunity to build a light saber at "Galaxy's Edge". I hate to get all schadenfreude, but if I must suffer, maybe all should. Let it be known fate, that is a joke, not an attempt to tempt you.

The biggest problem with a cancelled trip is that my vacation time will be used up on the first week of January. It would make my attempt to succeed in my annual resolution to eat something Buffalo (sauce)-flavored every day easier, but my cats can only stand so much of me not having anything to do. Do not doubt that. They are cats. I do not need to get on those six sets of tits.

As I type this, my manager is telling me about the plans they are making with their classmates to go to Destin, Florida to celebrate their 40th birthdays. It may be the time to look for another job if my Floridian adventures get canned and theirs do not. We already have the disconnect which lead to a pro-worker diatribe on my annual self-performance evaluation. At least we are talking since I sent that rant.

At this moment, I am just disappointed that I have only used tits three previous times in this post. After the second use of it, incorporating the word into the title would have been a wacky way of talking about the remaining features that I discovered this year for NinetyForChill.com - The Website. Which movies are totally tits?

2021 Discoveries for NinetyForChill.com:
"Resident Evil: Extinction" to "The Zombie Diaries"

These are films that I am considering from the 47 available.

  • Risky Business (1983) - Paul Brickman
  • Robot Jox (1989) - Stuart Gordon
  • Rushmore (1998) - Wes Anderson
  • Santa's Slay (2005) - David Steiman
  • Shivers (1975) - David Cronenberg
  • Space Truckers (1996) - Stuart Gordon
  • Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021): Darren Lynn Bousman
  • Stealing Havard (2002): Bruce McColluch
  • Super (2010) - James Gunn
  • Teddy Bear (2012) - Madds Matthiesen
  • Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): Henry Selick
  • Underwater (2020): William Eubank
  • Valley Girl (1983): Martha Coolidge
  • Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008): Woody Allen
  • Waiting for Guffman (1996): Christopher Guest
  • You're Next (2013): Adam Wingard
  • The Fly (1986): David Cronenberg
  • The Ice Pirates (1984): Stewart Raffill
  • The Lair of the White Worm (1988): Ken Russell
  • The New Mutants (2020): Josh Boone
  • The Polar Express (2004): Robert Zemeckis

The Top 10 2021 Discoveries from "Risky Business" to "The Polar Express" (In No Particular Order)

Risky Business

I think this feature maybe the prototype that all teenage sex comedies should look to. "Animal House" is a better movie, but far more problematic. The comedy in this feature is very earnest and the only thing you can really object to is the objectification of women since the second act closes with Tom Cruise running a brothel while his parents are away. In the age of OnlyFans, is that really problematic?

Rushmore

This is the first feature of Wes Anderson's (second film in his filmography) that shows his odd outlook on reality and the natural comedy that stems from it. As a nihilistic teenager, I really wish I saw this when it first came out, but I was turned off by the seemingly sophisticated Bill Murray. Granted, Morton was my home at the time, so finding a cinema showing it could have been tricky. When you sit back and watch this feature, you just wish for more and more absurdity. And it delivers. If it was not actually grounded in reality, it could have been so much more.

Spiral: From the Book of Saw

It could be recency bias since I had just rewatched it, but the film succeeds in showing the directions this franchise can be taken in. This is #ACAB torture porn inside a police procedural with many a wink to the reasons why we came to the theater to watch it. "Spiral" is the "Law & Order: SVU" episode that Dick Wolf is afraid to make.

Teddy Bear

This is just a beautiful coming of age story. It just happens that you are coming up on 40 instead of adulthood. Speaking from experience, understanding the world well enough to make those essential connections is tough. We just end up looking for those connections where boundaries are torn down (In this case, flying to Thailand and for me, frowned upon bars.). If you do not understand people like that, you may not get behind this film. Be a little more patient and understanding please.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas

Laika and Selick have taken stop-motion animation a long way from this point, but without it, the art form would not be where it is. The story falls into a lot of tropes, but Burton's story warps them enough so that we find this charming.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Here is where I fear backlash. I have yet to watch "Allen v. Farrow", but I acknowledge that the director is responsible for some of his former daughter's trauma. But that happens inadvertently to many people. It maybe difficult for me to see it as anything else since this is one of the few sexual abuse cases that did get brought into the legal system. With that said, the early '90s were not a good time for victims. The world truly is "Chinatown".

As for this feature, when you seem to be in love or want to find love with most women, I was totally enamored by the story. Actors always seem to bring their best when working with Allen, so the direction is excellent. Javier Bardem and Scarlett Johansson need more trophies.

Waiting for Guffman

There is very little to complain about with this feature. I would have loved to see this on a larger scale, but that would more than likely remove its charm. This is the first of Guest's improvised pictures, so the formula has not been worn out. If only Hollywood was not so dependent of blockbusters, we would appreciate a fresh batch of these films.

You're Next

I have yet to see a bad horror movie with Barbara Crampton as part of the cast. This has one of the most sincere final girls and once we get past the twist, you get to really root for "Home Alone" tactics to ruin the villains. It is everything I want from a horror movie.

The Fly

Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis provide us with their best performances in Cronenberg's most down-to-earth narrative at the time. It is a slow build to the body horror that the director's reputation was dependent upon at the time, but it is very rewarding once we get to it. You can see that Cronenberg was a fully rounded director with this feature. This is probably his greatest film, but every film that he helms has a chance of being superior.

The Polar Express 

I could have done without a couple of the songs ("Hot Chocolate" was good.), and fewer lines for Eddie Deezen (We could not have found a child to portray the kid?). Tom Waits should have had Tom Hanks role(s) (I was inspired to ask for this after the hobo introduction.), this was a fine introduction to this style of motion capture animation and a very wholesome holiday story. If only "Elf's" influence on popular culture was not so grand or with a few more years to breathe, this would be a Christmas classic.

And the Final Ranking of NinetyForChill.com's 2021 Discoveries:

Will come out with the next set of blog post drops. I think this entry has become lengthy enough. Hope this will perk your interest (tits) for the conclusion.

Monday, December 20, 2021

NinetyForChill: The #Podcast - Buddy the Elf's Zombie Diary

 NinetyForChill.com: The #Podcast

Episode 49: Buddy the Elf and His Zombie Diary (A Pitch Favreau, Caan, and Ferrell Can't Turn Down)

Films Researched for this Podcast: Elf (2003); The Zombie Diaries (2006).

Skimble is an Elf because Eva is the holiday ruler


Oh, the best laid plans of mice. This week's original guest was a last minute scratch, but fortunately Cool Movies Darth can count on family. ThePoeticCritic was kind enough to grace us with her presence to focus on the 2003 Will Ferrell classic, "Elf", and the near 20 years since that have been without a Christmas classic.
 

 

I am still working with Michael Dubois to come with a time to discuss 2019's "Ready or Not". It should be a great show since "You're Next" is still relatively fresh in my mind. That feature would serve well as a point to compare and contrast. The 2019 flick was being rewatched to prepare for the scheduled recording, and I am picking up the finer details about the film. Whenever we get to record our next ode to Samara Weaving, there is a sense it might be one of best episodes.

But ThePoeticCritic never fails to impress.

She had just gotten around to seeing "Elf". The feature impressed her (5 stars) which surprised me. With all its fanfare, I find it hard to not feel like it had been shoved down our throats for the past 18 years. ThePoeticCritic does point out, it may feel overrated because Hollywood has failed to provide us with another feature to honor the holiday.

I should have asked if Marvel has ruined Christmas.

Perhaps streaming services needing seasonal features is where the next memorable holiday feature will end up. She did say "8-Bit Christmas" was a good bit of fun. Being the only Captain N cosplayer, I guess I am obligated to see it. But every couple of years in the '90s (if not the '70s and '80s as well), we got a memorable Santa-related picture. In other words, Hollywood is just unwilling to make a mid-budget feature any more for the big screen. Fortunately, Santa has delivered TPC to this earth, and she will happily guide you to the means to fill that holiday void.

As for horror movies, that brings us to Ally's Accessories Shop on Etsy's Trash Features Revue. She could not find a movie starting with "Z", but when she has spent over $260 on movies for me to breakdown, I shan't hold that against her. With a little extra effort, 2006's found footage zombie feature that is nothing like George A. Romero's "Diary of the Dead", "The Zombie Diaries" got a couple hours of my time. That is a jab at the fans of the British feature who cried foul of Romero's similar concept, not of the feature's quality.

My Twitter account is @catbusruss. This is where I want your hate to be directed if you disapprove. Otherwise, positive feedback would be best displayed as subscriptions to my podcast and five-star reviews. Lets work that algorithm.

If you think you have a film or franchise that you are an expert on. Send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. Most franchises have at least one feature that will qualify for NinetyForChill. The runtime just needs to be between 74 and 99 minutes. We have four episodes to fill.
 
I have been asking for weeks for assistance in composing an episode dedicated to vampire features like "The Lost Boys" trilogy, "Near Dark", and the "Underworld" movies. Here is to hoping that this bunch of critiques will stir up some inspiration in my audience to step up and hold off on the garlic. If this is a topic you up for discussing, feel free to send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. All I need is a half hour on Zoom to get this done.

I hope I am impressing or at the very least amusing you with this podcast and I am open to any and all criticism. My biggest want is more guests and more suggestions on what to chat about (@catbusrussrussthebus07@gmail.com@coolmoviesdarth). If we can get 3 hours out of "Little Nicky", the possibilities are endless. Thanks for visiting.

After WrestleMania Backlash, I will tell you that we need to take zombie pro wrestling back. My suggestion is that we finally get my low-budget zombie movie, "Main Event of the Dead" off the ground. The script lacks a lumberjack match, so you know it has got to be better than the "Army of the Dead" advertisement. Ask for a treatment or give me suggestions on how to get it to a crowd-sourcing stage with an email to russthebus07@gmail.com.

Wrestling Writer's Block? Try Tag Team Wrestling.

 

*This blog post was started on December 16, 2021.

I guess I have found that sleep is a very, very good thing. My angst and frustration over the weekend at C2E2 is not at the front of my mind like it was recording a solo podcast the next day. Sadly, this would also mean that I am promoting pot and vodka (dibs on that band name) because they certainly helped in obtaining slumber.

The fresh stress will be the holidays after this weekend. Is it wrong to hope that the Covid screening may give me an entire weekend off? It was my nephew's birthday party on the day prior that lead to the exposure, not C2E2. Reed Pop does not run a sloppy ship. That is probably why AEW was doing promotion there and not Nick Khan's company.

Speaking of All Elite Wrestling (It is time for a wrestling blog to be posted.) , you cannot say that they are doing anything with a degree of slop. You cannot speak ill of a show that lets Bryan Danielson wrestle for an hour. Well, I suppose you can, especially when you need something to write about, usually a list. If nothing changes, what am I suppose to write about?

Way to not schedule Riho's challenge to Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. Tony Khan. Where is the equality in terms of promotion. I am kidding with that statement. WWE Day 1 is just two weeks away, so we are entering a static season.

My apologies if I am discounting the ROH World Heavyweight Championship. All my rankings would entail is changing the name from Bandido to Jonathan Gresham at the most. Then again, Bandido did not lose the championship, and Gresham was provided a different version of the championship. In other words, would changes need to be made? AEW will not have their updated rankings until next Wednesday anyhow.

This is leading me to believe that it is time to write the history of Women's Tag Team Championship. But, the current Men's tag teams have not been ranked, so sorry ladies for the tease.

The Disgruntled's Real Men's Tag Team Power Rankings (12/16/2021)

The Number 1 Tag Team in the World:
AEW Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero Miedo:
The Lucha Bros.

The Number 2 Tag Team in the World:
Mark Briscoe and Jay Briscoe:
The Briscoe Brothers

  • They are the current ROH World Tag Team Champions (A history recognized by the DRCW World Tag Team Championship).
  • They are the current Game Changer Wrestling Tag Team Champions.
  • They have started a feud with FTR, the current AAA Tag Team Champions and most recent challengers to the AEW World Tag Team Championship.

The Number 3 Tag Team in the World:
Jey Uso and Jey Uso:
The Bloodline

  • They are the current Smackdown Tag Team Champions (A history recognized by the DRCW World Tag Team Championship).
  • They are currently feuding with WWE's greatest tag team champions, The New Day.

The Number 4 Tag Team in the World:
Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows:
The Good Brothers

  • They are the current Impact World Tag Team Championship (A history recognized by the DRCW World Tag Team Championship).
  • They had recently won the NJPW Strong Tag Team Turbulence Tournament.

The Number 5 Tag Team in the World:
Randy Orton and (Matt) Riddle:
Rated RK-Bro

  • They are the current DRCW Unified Gnarly Men's World Doubles Champions.
  • They are the current Raw Tag Team Champions (A history recognized by the DRCW World Tag Team Championship).
  • They defeated The Bloodline (Smackdown Tag Team Champions) at Survivor Series.

The Number 6 Tag Team in the World:
Bestia 666 and Mecha Wolf 450:
La Rebelion

  • They are the current NWA World Tag Team Champions (A history recognized by the DRCW World Tag Team Championship).
  • The Current Crash Tag Team Champions.

The Number 7 Tag Team in the World: Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus: Jurassic Express

  • They are the current number one contenders for the AEW World Tag Team Championship
  • Along side Christian Cage, they recently won their feud with The Elite (The Young Bucks and Adam Cole [Bay Bay]).

The Number 8 Tag Team in the World: King Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston: The New Day

  • They are the current number one contenders for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship
  • They are the greatest tag team in WWE and feuding with The Bloodline puts them in the main event picture of Smackdown.

The Number 9 Tag Team in the World: Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford: The Street Profits

  • They are currently in the finals of the RK-Bronament to determine the next number one contenders for the Raw Tag Team Championship.
  • They were the Smackdown/Raw Champions while The New Day were in their last reign as Raw/Smackdown Champions.

The Number 10 Tag Team in the World: Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio

  • They are currently in the finals of the RK-Bronament to determine the next number one contenders for the Raw Tag Team Championship.
  • They are on a constant verge for a break up.
This should stay pretty static until WWE Day 1. It almost leaves me disappointed that there is not a direct competition between any of these wrestling promotions. Oh the joy that could be had if we had hot shot title changes. At least it would make my writing easier. What do you do when tag team wrestling cannot end writer's block? There are only two trios championships that come to mind.
 

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

NinetyForChill: The #Podcast - "You're Next": A #Movie and A Call for Guests

NinetyForChill.com: The #Podcast

Episode 48: "You're Next": A #Movie and A Call for Guests (Not a Threatening Invitation)

Films Researched for this Podcast: Your're Next (2013); Nocturne (2016).

Cannot cover Skimble's cuteness with a mask


Cool Movies Darth's plans for one horror movie podcast fell through, but fortunately you can rely on Lionsgate and Ally's Accessories Shop on Etsy's Trash Features Revue. This week, CM Darth takes a look at Adam Wingard's cult classic, "You're Next" and revisits the even lesser budgeted "Nocturne" from 2016.
 

 

It was a pretty frantic week. I had scheduled a recording just before I was to head back home to pick up ThePoeticCritic to attend my third Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, but life being what it is, that guest had to postpone their appearance. As for the TPC, she did not really infer any direction by me bringing the podcasting equipment, so we do not have any material from the convention. Granted, her activities kept her to the floor, so it is not like there was any panel information that she could provide. Imagine her rage if I told her Giancarlo Esposito's next franchise he wants to take a part in is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His strong points be damned.

We did attend "Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live: The Time Bubble Tour" at the CIBC Theater. It was a pretty good live show. I think their sketch segments may have been superior to the time I saw them perform with Joel Hodgson. The riffing of the feature may have even been stronger. "No Retreat, No Surrender" is a more ridiculous (yet grounded) feature, so this Roland Emmerich knock off of Steven Spielberg needed the MST3K cast to be on their A-game. If anything was disheartening about this show, it is the realization that Emmerich is an overrated hack.

Because this episode only focuses on two features, I did my best to edit it so that I could get in under the 15-minute YouTube cap. This means that a fair amount of my emotional ramblings about my C2E2 experience being one of feeling alone in a crowd had to be cut. With that, so went the individual thank yous to all of my previous guests. Sorry about that, but as you can see, I only had a second to spare.

I really need to apologize for my lack of gratitude. For the most part, this podcast is the only guaranteed socialization I have. Sorry that I lack Tuxedo Mask cosplay, but how do you not seem weird at a "Sailor Moon" fan meet up with a "Captain N" jacket or a Charlestown Chiefs sweater?

This episode closes out with my review for 2016's "Nocturne", a seemingly beloved z-budget feature. I have described the premise to a few people, and they thought it sounded interesting. It is a part of Ally's Accessories Shop on Etsy's Trash Features Revue, and for the most part, quality is lacking. "You're Next" is an exception. But, "Nocturne" was featured on a bonus episode, so this podcast officially adds it to the cannon of NinetyForChill.com: The Podcast.

My Twitter account is @catbusruss. This is where I want your hate to be directed if you disapprove. Otherwise, positive feedback would be best displayed as subscriptions to my podcast and five-star reviews. Lets work that algorithm.

If you think you have a film or franchise that you are an expert on. Send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. Most franchises have at least one feature that will qualify for NinetyForChill. The runtime just needs to be between 74 and 99 minutes. We have four episodes to fill.
 
I have been asking for weeks for assistance in composing an episode dedicated to vampire features like "The Lost Boys" trilogy, "Near Dark", and the "Underworld" movies. Here is to hoping that this bunch of critiques will stir up some inspiration in my audience to step up and hold off on the garlic. If this is a topic you up for discussing, feel free to send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. All I need is a half hour on Zoom to get this done.

I hope I am impressing or at the very least amusing you with this podcast and I am open to any and all criticism. My biggest want is more guests and more suggestions on what to chat about (@catbusrussrussthebus07@gmail.com@coolmoviesdarth). If we can get 3 hours out of "Little Nicky", the possibilities are endless. Thanks for visiting.

After WrestleMania Backlash, I will tell you that we need to take zombie pro wrestling back. My suggestion is that we finally get my low-budget zombie movie, "Main Event of the Dead" off the ground. The script lacks a lumberjack match, so you know it has got to be better than the "Army of the Dead" advertisement. Ask for a treatment or give me suggestions on how to get it to a crowd-sourcing stage with an email to russthebus07@gmail.com.

Monday, December 13, 2021

Top #Movie Discoveries from 2021 for NinetyForChill: Justice to Rabid

*This blog post was started on December 8, 2021.

Why is it that Blueberry Red Bull is the only flavored version that I can find anytime of the year? Why is it pomegranate for this years holidays? I have never seen pomegranate sauce at the feast. How would they sell that anyway? This "What's the deal with" bit is going to result in me Googling all of these questions, and I will just end up falling behind again.

Right now, I am in a state of restlessness, and with the "Ready or Not" podcast to record tonight Red Bull is a necessity. Will I miss my nephews birthday because of the lack of sleep? The kid is still in grade school, so I might just make it in time tomorrow. But if I do just that bit of rushing, will I have the energy to venture into Downtown Peoria? Is that going to be forbidden since I am driving my older sister up to C2E2? Dad may want to get out of the house, but irresponsibility should not lead to a chauffeur.

But he is a Duran Duran fan. Sing, Blue Silver.

With my busy schedule and sudden Tinder popularity, I guess we can blame the flirtations instead of my computer issues for my set backs. There has not been too much time to think outside of my podcast. Even with C2E2, my podcast setup must be ready. My big sister was not a fan of dragging the boom mic and other accessories while I parked the car when were at Wizard World.

It could be a great editing experience. Why not use my Zoom P4 and my laptop if I can talk someone into record?

As for the blogs, 2021 still needs to be wrapped up, and the podcast has made it so there are twice as many movies to cover. With that said, lets continue my work on this years best of list.

2021 Discoveries for NinetyForChill.com:
"Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths" to "Rabid"

Honorable Mention: Pumpkinhead

I hate to remove Lance Henriksen from contention to advance to the best 20 from the breakdown thus far, but "Pumpkinhead" is more of a effects man trying to prove their worth. Henriksen makes that feature because no one else is worth remembering except him. It is a pretty straight forward mystical revenge narrative. The monster, Pumpkinhead, is effective is scaring us, but without traditional slasher victims, it is not really allowed to do much.
 
Winston's offers up an ideal ninety minute movie, but it is not the best feature I saw this year by any stretch of the imagination. It is easy to argue that it is better than "Killer Klowns from Outer Space" or "Laid to Rest", but they are far more outlandish and rewatchable, one for the comedy, the other for the ridiculous violence.
 
I guess it just comes down to ranking the final 10.

The Top 10 Discoveries of 2021 Ranked (Kaboom to Rabid)

  1. Nocturna (2007) dir. Adria Garcia and Victor Maldonado
  2. Lady Snowblood (1973) dir. Toshiya Fujita
  3. Nighthawks (1981) dir. Bruce Malmuth (Gary Nelson: Uncredited)
  4. Kaboom (2011) dir. Gregg Araki
  5. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) dir. George Miller
  6. London Town (2016) dir. Derrick Borte
  7. Meatballs (1979) dir. Ivan Reitman
  8. Rabid (2019) dir. Jen and Sylvia Soska
  9. Laid to Rest (2009) dir. Robert Hall
  10. Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) dir. Stephen Chiodo 

The Top 10 Discoveries of 2021 Ranked (2001 [Maniacs] to Rabid)

10. Bit (2019) dir. Brad Michael Elmore (previously 8)
 
I thought about replacing it with "Kaboom", but I feel this is the better structured and coherent queer film.
 
9. Castle Freak (1995) dir. Stuart Gordon (previously 7)
 
8. Death Race 2000 (1975) dir. Paul Bartel (previously 6)

George Miller's "Mad Max 2" is a classic, but you know he is wanting to step up the grandeur. It is probably why he made this movie two more times since.
 
7. Hellraiser (1987) dir. Clive Barker (previously 5)
 
6. Nighthawks (1981) dir. Bruce Malmuth (Gary Nelson: Uncredited)

I am initially placing this at number 10 because it is definitely the best Sylvester Stallone feature that I have seen this year. Number 10 from the previous breakdown, "Thanksgiving and #Movies to Distract from the #Racism", was 1986's "Cobra". This was at the peak of his '80s excess and Stallone has acknowledged that his film did not come out the way he wanted it to.
 
5. Lady Snowblood (1973) dir. Toshiya Fujita
 
This feature is a perfect blue print to demonstrate how Quentin Tarantino films features once he was able to step away from his wise guys with guns features that put him on the map. It is quite appropriate that "Kill Bill" was when he really got to show off his talent as a director because it is essentially the same story, just without the over-the-top characters. These two features can duke it out when it comes to over-the-top violence.
 
As for the previous number nine, Bloodsucking Bastards, a comedy that could have been shot in a day by an expert, cannot compare.
Pinterest - @donaldkroth
Pinterest - @donaldkroth
  
4. Nocturna (2007) dir. Adria Garcia and Victor Maldonado
 
I could see this making it all the way up to number two right now, but the top three are very solid. "eXistenZ" is a lot of fun, but it nowhere near the top David Cronenberg features. "Dracula (Horror of Dracula)" set the standard of what a modern-take on classic monster flick should be. "John Dies at the End" is just joyous anarchy from start to finish.

More family movies should be as original and as whimsical as "Nocturna". The experimental style is a refreshing change of pace from the standard "relatable" presentation of American animation. It is a heavy feature, so in the end, it is not as much fun as everything ahead of it.

3. Dracula (a.k.a. Horror of Dracula) (1958) dir. Terence Fisher
 
2. John Dies at the End (2012) dir. Don Coscarelli
 
1. Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) dir. Dean Parisot

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

NinetyForChill: The #Podcast - DC Universe Animated Original Movies vs. Wonder Eva and Gregory Carl

NinetyForChill.com: The #Podcast

Episode 47: DC Universe Animated Original Movies vs. Wonder Eva and Gregory Carl (Do Not Disrespect the Mascot's Effort

Films Researched for this Podcast: Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010): Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015); Reign of the Supermen (2019); Batman: Death in the Family (2020); Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One (2021); Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two (2021).


Eva is ready to impress with her mascot/mascat powers.


Gregory Carl and Cool Movies Darth team up like the "Snyder's Justice League" to provide an introduction into the world of DC Comics' Animated Features. The two bring up at least 20 of these films, and for the most part, at least one of them will recommend of each movie. Your hosts will also express how they got into these features and if you can take the short cut of watching these instead of reading the books that they are based on.
 

 
I believe this is a list of all the DC Universe Animated Original Movies that get mentioned in this podcast.
  1. Batman: Assault on Arkham
  2. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
  3. Batman: Death in the Family
  4. Batman: Gotham by Gaslight
  5. Batman: The Killing Joke
  6. Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One
  7. Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two
  8. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
  9. Batman: The Mystery of the Batwoman
  10. Batman: Under the Read Hood
  11. Batman: Year One
  12. Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker
  13. Constantine: City of Demons
  14. The Death of Superman
  15. Deathstroke: Knights and Dragons
  16. Freedom Fighters: The Ray
  17. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
  18. Justice League: Doom
  19. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
  20. Justice League: Throne of Atlantis 
  21. Justice League: Dark
  22. Justice League Dark: Apokolips War 
  23. Reign of the Supermen
  24. Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
  25. Superman Doomsday 
  26. Superman vs. The Elite
  27. Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
  28. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
 
 
 
How did I forget to bring up "Batman and Harley Quinn"? This is a sad omission since Gregory purchased the original DC Universe over-the-top service for the "Swamp Thing" TV series.

DC Universe Movies serve as an entry way into the experience of growing up a nerd at the beginning of the Modern Age of comics. Tim Burton's "Batman" was the catalyst for both of us to try and collect comics. This resulted in us being very confused. When there is only one "Batman" movie and numerous "Batman" comic book lines, where is a kid to start? Should a parent be supervising?

So the two of us talk about this dilemma, and how it lead us to certain characters to follow and how we decide which stories do we watch on DVD and which ones do we read. From Gregory's experience, you might not want to cross those line. It may bring down the enjoyment of these features.
 
Other things that are brought in our chat are some of the political motivated decisions DC has made and how they affected fans, is there too much Batman in the DCUAOM, and of course there are comparisons to the DC Extended Universe. I think we also left with a greater appreciation of the comics we enjoyed outside of DC and even Marvel. Image Comic Fans: Represent you love for "Bitch Planet", "Maneaters", and "Sex Criminals".

My Twitter account is @catbusruss. This is where I want your hate to be directed if you disapprove. Otherwise, positive feedback would be best displayed as subscriptions to my podcast and five-star reviews. Lets work that algorithm.

If you think you have a film or franchise that you are an expert on. Send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. Most franchises have at least one feature that will qualify for NinetyForChill. The runtime just needs to be between 74 and 99 minutes. We have four episodes to fill.
 
I have been asking for weeks for assistance in composing an episode dedicated to vampire features like "The Lost Boys" trilogy, "Near Dark", and the "Underworld" movies. Here is to hoping that this bunch of critiques will stir up some inspiration in my audience to step up and hold off on the garlic. If this is a topic you up for discussing, feel free to send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. All I need is a half hour on Zoom to get this done.

I hope I am impressing or at the very least amusing you with this podcast and I am open to any and all criticism. My biggest want is more guests and more suggestions on what to chat about (@catbusrussrussthebus07@gmail.com@coolmoviesdarth). If we can get 3 hours out of "Little Nicky", the possibilities are endless. Thanks for visiting.

 
After WrestleMania Backlash, I will tell you that we need to take zombie pro wrestling back. My suggestion is that we finally get my low-budget zombie movie, "Main Event of the Dead" off the ground. The script lacks a lumberjack match, so you know it has got to be better than the "Army of the Dead" advertisement. Ask for a treatment or give me suggestions on how to get it to a crowd-sourcing stage with an email to russthebus07@gmail.com.