Halloween Spectacular X! (Episode 135)

Welcome to our tenth Halloween celebration! We haven't always done dedicated episodes for Halloween, but we've always done something special for it every year. And our ninth anniversary of Cannon Cruisers is no different!

This year we went for a combo we've never touched before! In addition to our month long look at Child's Play, we made today's special looking at the Fright Night movies! These movies were a lot bigger once upon a time, and we'd like to remind you why today!

In the 80s, slashers were king, but there were other types of horror at play as well, and one such example include vampires!

Also, for those unaware, I changed my opinion on the second film between recording the episode and putting it out, so I'm putting the revised score below. My overall thoughts have not changed on the movie, but the more I thought on it, the more my opinion solidified. I think it is as good as the original now.

That aside, let us dive into today's episode as we look at two forgotten gems from one of the best decades for horror movies!

Fright Night (1985)

Randy's Score: 5/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Fright Night Part II (1988)

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 5/5 (Post review revision)

Spotify link here!

Up Next: ???

Episode 134 ~ Bride of Chucky (1998)

Where to even start with this one?

In every horror franchise there comes a point where the formula runs stale, so you have two choices: run it into the ground, or go in a new direction. Thankfully, the Chucky franchise made the right decision with 1998's Bride of Chucky. Like most "Bride" horror movies, this movie turns the formula on its ear to deliver a new context to the old favorite. Child's Play is done, now it's Chucky's turn to be the main character.

And boy is it a ride. Find out how in today's episode!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: Halloween!

Episode 133 ~ Child's Play 3 (1991)

This is it, 1991's Child's Play 3: the end of the trilogy, but not the series. This ends the Andy arc of the series as eight years after the events of Child's Play 2, and almost a decade after their meeting, Andy is a teenager and about to become an adult. It is time to put away childish things, but what if childish things don't want to be put away?

The idea behind this movie is a good one, as there is little way to keep it fresh after the previous two entries, so the third entry is kind of the last go: the last moment before the child becomes an adult, thereby retiring the series title (at least, until the 2019 remake), and changing the series focus to Chucky himself instead.

That said, though it isn't perfect, it is a good ending to the trilogy of one of the more overlooked horror franchises. We can't wait to see where it goes after this!

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: Bride of Chucky!

Episode 132 ~ Child's Play 2 (1990)

Surprise! More Chucky!

We go into the sequel to the horror classic where Chucky finally becomes the icon everyone recognizes and where the stakes are ratcheted up even more! Can poor Andy finally find peace after Chucky ruined his life in the first film? Check out today's episode and find out!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Spotify link here!

Up next: Child's Play 3!

Episode 131 ~ Child's Play (1988)

Time for spooky season!

This month we've decided to pick one series to focus on throughout the month of October, with a different surprise for Halloween itself. We decided on a series we've yet to cover: Child's Play starring the infamous living doll Chucky!

It's also quite a surprise of a movie, managing to remain tense and even darkly funny at times, while remember what made genre classics like the original Halloween and Nightmare On Elm Street work where so many others did not.

Find out why we're starting this month with a bang with 1988's Child's Play!

Randy's Score: 5/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: Child's Play 2!

Episode 130 ~ The Dirt Bike Kid (1986)

The magic dirt bike movie probably needs introduction. Starring the main kid from A Christmas Story, and with some involvement by Roger Corman, here you get a bizarre adventure of a boy and his dirt bike modeled after Jack and the Beanstalk.

Yes, it's as weird as it sounds. How weird? Check out today's episode!

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: Child's Play!

Episode 129 ~ Bingo (1991)

If you're above a certain age, you certainly remember the above poster in every video store at one point. This was the age of the wacky animal movie, after all. However, what is 1991's Bingo actually about? Certainly it must be something.

Turns out it is definitely something, though maybe not what one might figure. It's a wacky anime movie, but not quite what you'd expect. Find out how that is in today's episode!

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: The Dirt Bike Kid!