Once a year over at my 366 Weird Movies reviewing gig, I turn in one philosophical rant about the nature of weirdness in art. The new one is a little bit of Zen navel-picking speculation I call “Questions Are Beautiful.” It was provoked by a comment somebody made on my review of Cube (1997), saying an analysis of the ontological mystery would make good meat for an essay, so I green-lighted myself to accept the challenge.
Author: Penguin Pete
Take good care of my memes; I've raised them since they were daydreams!
Beetlejuice is Tim Burton’s Weirdest Movie
Hello, care for a fan wank? Over at 366Weird, a bit of controversy spiked up awhile back: What to do about Tim Burton? He’s obviously a director of *somewhat* unusual films, but most of them are not at all up to being ranked with the weirdest. But shouldn’t we give him an honorary bone?
Which is it to be? All us weirdies haggled for awhile, but the site administrator went with Batman Returns (1992). “Blasphemy!” responded those of us on the Beetlejuice (1988) side. Well, this week I got to make my pitch for Team Beetlejuice as the weirdest Tim Burton movie. Join my crusade!
Bonus buck on the click:
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New at 123ish: The Mediterranean Diet, and why It’s the opposite of American eating
Big whoopie, I’m a food blogger now! Well, OK, we’ve gotta fill categories somehow, so it’s been food a couple times. I am far from the only blogger online to rave about the Mediterranean Diet, but it’s the only sensible diet there is to find with real research to back it up.
Naturally, sticking to the Mediterranean Diet is just about the most anti-American thing you can do. Walk home from the store with a bottle of actual olive oil (easier said than done) and a bag of kale and pick-ups like these:
will follow you down the street yelling “FAGGIT!” So I go into how American food culture is one big conspiracy to keep you tubby as a hippo. This brings us to a very topical subject…
New at 366Weird: Let My Puppets Come (1976)
Yeah, I’ve been so crazy busy lately that I can hardly find the time to view a whole movie, let alone review one. But I did manage to return to the vineyards of 366 Weird Movies to become one of the first web authors to review Let My Puppets Come (1976), a puppet porno-comedy.
Now you’re probably thinking it was a parody of The Muppet Show? Nope, Kermit and his pals debuted after this movie’s release! Or perchance you expect it to be a rehash of ground already well-trod in Peter Jackson’s Meet the Feebles? Nay, this was 13 years before Feebles saw light of day! Seeing how it was so far ahead of its time, it’s doubly disappointing how tame it is.
Anyway, puppet porn. If that’s your bag, enjoy!
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How I Became A Detective Tracking Down Poison THC Vape Cartridges
I’m Just As Surprised As You Are!
Somewhere in my online journalism career, winging into its third decade, I must have come to think of myself as a member of the counterculture. Certainly, the “geek culture” beat I’ve been pounding on is no longer underground, but part of the mainstream and transformed into a hyperthyroid monster of its own. So much so that we enablers sometimes wish we’d saved the cork to the genie’s bottle in case it gets out of control. Ever since undertaking to branch out into swampier horizons, I’ve sought new catacombs of popular culture. There has to be a skull or spiderweb or two here sufficiently gruesome to hold aloft and fascinate some of you.
And then they legalized weed.
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New at Spookwire: Exploring the Denver Airport’s Wacky Conspiracies
Ah, Denver International Airport! Nothing adds spice to the most controversial – and most expensive – public works project in history like decorating it with Nazi murals, demonic horses, grimacing gargoyles, and Freemason symbols. Join me on a tour of DIA, as we delve into the mysteries surrounding this nexus of nuttiness.
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New at 123ish: My top kitchen gadget tips
Wait, what? After all the blogging for all these years about science fiction, horror, paranormal, Linux, all this geeky freaky stuff, I’m going to write… KITCHEN TIPS???
Yeah, just once. See, Mrs. Penguin and I raised four kids, who are now experiencing adultness in various degrees. So that’s some 20-something years feeding a household of six (not counting live-in chums, visiting relatives, couch critters, and the occasional cat) on a freelancer’s budget. And nobody complained! At least, not to my face. I must have done something right.
It’s so shockingly out of character for me, I might just try it again some time.
New at Spookwire: What’s in Area 51 worth storming?
Aliens, you say? That’s not confirmed, but there’s plenty of other weird stuff going on at Area 51 in Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, even without aliens. Join me as I get to the bottom of what’s hiding at Area 51 and why – the answers may surprise you!
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New at Spookwire: The Best Cannibal Horror Movies
Who loves horror? Who loves really sick horror? Who loves horror that lends itself to lots of sick jokes? Memememe, and all you other crazy wonderful bent weirdos out there! So over at Spookwire I got to list the top 7 cannibal horror movies – the ones I consider most essential cores to the genre, anyway.
And at the end of the post at Spookwire, I left a little present: links to several news stories reporting humans being served in restaurants. I don’t mean “served” like a patron, I mean “served” in a Damon Knight sense.
But wait, the post isn’t finished yet! Click through for seconds, and save room for dessert!
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New at 123ish: Spotlight on Junji Ito, Legendary Horror Mangaka
In my continuing self-indulgence as a soapboxing manga fan, I got the opportunity to rave about the works of Junji Ito, the horror mangaka behind The Enigma of Amigara Fault, Uzumaki, and many other groundbreaking horror manga classic works.
I capture video interviews with Ito himself, links to discussions of his work, and much more. Some say Junji Ito is more silly than scary, but I actually see a balance in the man’s work. It really is like a far-east capture of the spirit of western horror anthology comics, such as EC Comics (Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, The Haunt of Fear) & company.
“This is my hole! It was made for me!”
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