Fanboys Anonymous

Most human beings enjoy feeling scared. According to Dr. David H. Zald, a psychiatry professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, "for many people, everyday life can feel overly routinized and even boring. By contrast, when scared we are fully aware, conscious, and in the moment. We are not preoccupied thinking about what happened yesterday or what we have to do tomorrow."

Screenshot of The House 2.

Dr. Margee Kerr, a sociologist from Pittsburgh and self-proclaimed "scare expert," adds that "psychologically when we make it through a safe yet scary activity, it results in feelings of confidence, competence, accomplishment, and success—it’s a real self-esteem boost."

Conclusion: "safe" fear is actually good for you!

Since we care about the physical and mental well-being of our readers, I have compiled a short list of the best free horror games online. Enjoy them with the lights off and your headphones on.

Five Nights At Freddy's

Designed by Scott Cawthon, this game is quite possibly one of the scariest games one can play online. In it, the player controls a character who just got a job as a night security guard at a pizza restaurant à la Chuck E. Cheese called Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

Seems harmless enough, right?

Freddy's animatronics.

That would be the case if you didn't get a call from your boss at the beginning of the game letting you know that Freddy Fazbear and his other animatronic friends come alive at night and might kill you.

To play Five Nights at Freddy's is to get in touch with crushing paranoia. The player is not able to move or fight back. The only way to protect yourself is to track the robots' movements through several security cameras and, if they get too close, shut the doors at the office to deter them from getting to you.

Freddy Fazbear.

The problem is that you only have very limited electricity you are allowed to use per night, and it gets drained whenever you use the doors. If you run out of power before the night is over, Freddy and his pals will get to you, and since they don't understand human anatomy, they will try to stuff your lifeless body into a furry suit.

The success of this game has been so overwhelming that Hollywood will adapt it into a movie.

Warner Bros is heading up the project and Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment (The Ring, The Grudge), Seth Grahame-Smith, and David Katzenberg of KatzSmith Productions (both from the Beetlejuice sequel) will be producing it.

View of one of the security cameras.

Want to try your fate at Freddy's? You can find the original game (right now it has three sequels) at Desura.

Slender Series

First released on June 2012, Slender: The Eight Pages is a first-person minimalistic game where the player needs to collect eight pages of creepy scribbles and drawings while avoiding an encounter with the dreaded Slender man, a faceless creature with extremely long limbs.

The eight pages.

Every time Slender gets closer, static fills the game camera, and it is up to player to run as fast as he or she can to escape!

A follow-up to the not-so-scary Slenderman, it was deemed by IGN as "pure horror" and that only a "few horror games thrust you directly into the heart of fear (...). Slender is the kind of game that unearths that long-lost sensation inside of you whereby you'd play a game for the addictive novelty value it possessed and not the budget that was thrown at it."

Slender found you.

Slender man himself already had a solid fan base before Eight Pages. In fact, you can find out more about this character and some other disturbing facts by clicking here.

The game was a huge hit among horror players and has spawned numerous games, most of which still follow the same gameplay as the original but are set in different places. Here is a list of all Slender man games, even though some are only available for download:

Slender: The Eight Pages
Slender Mod
SCP Slender Mod
Slender's Woods
Haunt
Slender: The Nine Pages
Slender: The Remake
Slender 2D: Sanatorium
Slender Micro
Slender: Flashlight
Slender: Gaze of Horror
SlenderCraft
Slender: Anxiety
Slender: The Arrival
Faceless
Slender Man's Shadow

No matter what Slender game you decide to play, you will definitely enjoy jump scares and a lot of tension.

Screenshot from Slender: The Arrival.

The House 2

If you are simply looking to quench your thirst for jump scares, look no further. This sequel to Sinthai's point and click flash game The House is filled with them, and since it is short enough for you to complete it in less than an hour, you will get instant gratification.

The House 2.

This is also a good game to start out with if you are new to the horror game genre. The story, however, is not the most original.

(...) Legend has it that there is a house in a small town that has been closed and left empty for decades. The house belonged to a wealthy family. But then one day, all family members; father, mother, daughter, and the maid were found dead in the house from what appeared to be suicide. From that time, the neighbors have closed the house for good as they believe that the house where the whole family committed suicide is cursed. Some said that they heard a woman's screaming voice from that house. Yet no one dare to enter the house.....[will] you?

It is up to the player to enter this forsaken home and investigate each of its rooms, gathering clues along the way to find out what really happened to the deceased family.

Enter with caution.

Unfortunately, the playability of The House 2 is not top notch, and the point-and-click controls can get a bit wonky. In order to advance in the story, for instance, you have to click on the same items several times before you can get any result.

Prepare to flush the toilet over and over again, click on the light switch again and again, check out the same piece of paper several times...before a creepy ghost jumps out in the screen and makes your heart skip a few beats.

So maybe there is a method to Sinthai's madness? You can check out the game at Sinthaistudio.com

One of the clues you will find.

Dungeons Nightmares

Dungeons Nightmares is a very intense indie horror game. It is not only randomly generated (i.e., every time you play, the game will be different) but also filled with jump scares, paranoia-inducing darkness, and sound effects guaranteed to make your heart beat faster.

"Keep moving. They know where you are."

The premise of the game is quite simple. You wake you in a dungeon every night for seven nights straight, and you have to figure out a way to survive in almost complete darkness while strange creatures and skeletons chase you. You are armed only with a flimsy candle that keeps going out and a map. On your way through various rooms, you can unlock chests and doors, but be aware, they do not open quickly.

Dungeons Nightmares plays with one of the most basic human fears: fear of the unknown. It is not made clear where you are or what is going on, and every corner you turn seems darker than the last.

A ghoulish woman will come after you.

The sound design in the game is highly successful. Just like with all the other games presented in this article, play it with your headphones.

You can check out this game at Gamejolt.com.

Are you ready to try your hand at these beauties? These games are not for the faint of heart and Fanboys Anonymous does not hold any responsibility for ruined underpants. So play responsibly.

What do you think of these games? Any other games we should had included in this list? Let us know by leaving your comments below!

Welcome to the latest edition of Making the Grade—a review format segment here on Fanboys Anonymous where we break down the five major components of something and give it a score based on the standard report card lineup: A, B, C, D, and F for a total failure.

The next report card is for a film based on the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, entitled Everest.

Everest—directed by Baltasar Kormákur; written by William Nicholson and Simon Beaufoy; starring Jason Clarke (Rob Hall), Josh Brolin (Beck Weathers), John Hawkes (Doug Hansen), Robin Wright (Peach Weathers), Michael Kelly (Jon Krakauer), Sam Worthington (Guy Cotter), Keira Knightley (Jan Arnold), Emily Watson (Helen Wilton), and Jake Gyllenhaal (Scott Fischer).

CHARACTERS: B+

Let's get one thing out of the way first. Everest is based on John Krakauer's Into Thin Air. The book is Krakauer's account of the events that transpired when he joined Rob Hall's Adventure Consultants group to summit the mountain. The movie is pretty faithful to the book—the biggest difference being that it focuses more on Hall than on Krakauer.

Rob Hall, chief guide and owner of Adventure Consultants, is leading a summit attempt and the stakes are high: not only does he have a magazine writer on his team detailing the endeavor, the mountain is experiencing an extremely crowded season, and the previous year he failed to take his clients to the top. He needs to make this work. At home, his wife is carrying their first child, and he knows he needs to be back for her birth as well. With all his responsibilities, Hall is a kindhearted leader, which in many other instances would be an absolute strength, but when it comes to climbing the highest mountain in the world, it will be a death sentence.

Beck Weathers, family man from Texas, feels he needs to climb the Everest. He is tough and sometimes obnoxious but is likable just the same. His good physical condition is his savior, and before you start complaining he could not have survived in real life, shut up. He did, and he suffered everything that was shown in the movie.

Doug Hansen, a mailman who has tried to conquer the mountain before, wants to get to the top to inspire kids. He wants them to see that even a "normal guy" can achieve the impossible. Doug stole my heart in the book and in the movie. He is a good guy you want to see succeeding, but he is not in great shape and the audience is left knowing something bad will happen to him.

John Krakaeur, a writer for The Outsider magazine, seems to be the only one to follow his instincts. His friendship with Doug is downplayed in the movie (probably because they ran out of time) and Michael Kelly does a fine job portraying him.

Scott Fischer, Mountain Madness guide, competes with Hall, but soon decides to team up to avoid more problems while attempting the summit. He is a party dude who has a serious problem with knowing his limits. His intense need to keep pushing it is his downfall.

ACTING: B

With a cast filled with well-respected actors, it is hard to imagine the acting would be bad in this movie. It is not. In fact, I truly believed I was watching the real-life characters I had read about in Into Thin Air. Clarke and Hawkes truly shined in particular. They were vulnerable and very faithful in their portrayal of Rob Hall and Doug Hansen, at least based on the book.

Robin Wright (Peaches Weathers), though only a supporting character, brings warmth and relatability as the wife of true Texan Weathers (an entertaining Josh Brolin). If anything, I wished she had more screen time, but that could easily just be my House of Cards–thirsty self.

VISUALS (FX, MAKEUP, COSTUMES, SETS): B–

The visuals in this movie are breathtaking to say the least. Although I'm not particularly fond of the whole IMAX 3D experience (sue me) I am glad I watched this movie under these conditions. The CGI and digital sets were so seamlessly integrated to the movie's physical aspects, I had a hard time trying to figure out what was real and what was not. Yes, the incoming storm was a bit heavy, but I have never—and will never—climb a mountain like that to know how storms behave in really high altitudes. Overall, they did a really amazing job.

The makeup was also well done. The frostbite and the various degrees of wind burn were delicious. They looked real and gnarly without venturing into gory movie territory. The work done on Beck was faithful to all the injuries the real Beck suffered.

I believe costuming this movie was somewhat of a challenge to the production. How can you have characters covered from head to toe in extreme weather gear and still allow the audience to tell them apart? Though I have to confess I caught myself trying to guess who was who at certain points, especially when most of the characters had their faces covered with oxygen masks, my questions were easily answered by the acting.

In my mind, the costumes were still a success because they did not fall into the trap of designating one specific color to every single character, which would have made them look like mountain-climbing Power Rangers.

MUSIC & SOUND: A–

By no means I am an expert in sound design, but I truly feel the sound mixing and music in this movie were special. The ice cracking, the wind, and the storm made me feel I was there climbing the mountain and that made me anxious, just like the characters were feeling. I tend to be somewhat sensitive to sounds, which made me a bit nervous about watching this movie in IMAX, but I was not overwhelmed (in a negative way) in any moment. Yes, I got startled a couple of times and felt my heart beating a bit faster, but that was probably the filmmakers' objective.

TONE (ACTION, ROMANCE, COMEDY): A–

Suspense and tension shroud this movie just like the mountain's shadow hang around Beck's mind for years. This is not for the faint of heart, and it almost feels like a documentary reenactment at times, especially if you read the book, which I highly recommend as well. That aspect, however, is not a negative in any way. Movies based on real-life tragedies should be treated with some respect and authenticity. Everest does it.

ACTION: Attempted rescues, ice breaking, ladders sliding...this movie is filled with suspenseful action. The characters are not action heroes, however, and they make mistakes along the way just as their real counterparts did.

COMEDY: There are some lighter moments where one might crack a laugh, but this is not a funny movie.

ROMANCE: Nothing overwhelming (thank the gods). We get a glimpse of Hall's and Beck's family lives and their relationships with their wives. The love they share is established and feels real. No complains.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Everest is a solid man-versus-nature movie. The fact that it is based on real events just makes it more intense and allows the audience to connect with characters on a more personal level. We care for these characters, and it hurts us when they fall prey to the mountain.

With that said, if you like movies with a happy ending, this is not for you. Most characters die in horrible ways, and sometimes you don't even get a chance to say your goodbyes. However, anyone who watches the trailer and has seen movies like The Perfect Storm will be able to tell that men who challenge nature hardly ever leave as the winner.

Watch this movie in IMAX if you can and bring a jacket. You will get cold.

Welcome to the latest edition of Making the Grade—a review format segment here on Fanboys Anonymous where we break down the five major components of something and give it a score based on the standard report card lineup: A, B, C, D, and F for a total failure.

The next report card is for the story of Irish mobster James "Whitey" Bulger and FBI agent John Connolly, entitled Black Mass.

Black Mass—directed by Scott Cooper; written by Mark Mallouk (screenplay), Jez Butterworth (screenplay), Dick Lehr (book) and Gerard O'Neill (book); starring Johnny Depp (James 'Whitey' Bulger), Joel Edgerton (John Connolly), Benedict Cumberbatch (Billy Bulger), Dakota Johnson (Lindsey Cyr), Peter Sarsgaard (Brian Halloran), Jesse Plemons (Kevin Weeks), Adam Scott (Robert Fitzpatrick) and Kevin Bacon (Charles McGuire).

CHARACTERS: A–

This is a little weird, as it's an ensemble cast which really ends up being a one man show. Obviously, James Bulger is the main driving force of the film and is given the bulk of the characterization, but John Connolly's life is followed in the narrative as well, allowing both the mafia side of things and the FBI's perspective to all get a chance to play. There's also this weird dynamic where nobody seems like a good guy, but you also kind of root for everyone, too. Some characters obviously were more fleshed out than others, and I would have liked some more information on what happened with Dakota Johnson's Lindsey Cyr, a little more elaboration on Juno Temple's Deborah Hussey and some others, but I feel there was a good balance overall.

ACTING: A

Despite how there were big names that popped up and I recognized here and there, only for a split second did I think to myself "oh hey, that's Benedict Cumberbatch" as opposed to thinking of these characters on screen as the actors themselves. Everyone pulled their weight and I can't really point out a single bad performance whatsoever.

Needless to say, the true star of the movie is Johnny Depp, and this is my favorite performance he's put on in years. He went into a rut where it seemed like all he was interested in portraying was effeminate and usually gothic Tim Burton characters and once you've seen Edward Scissorhands and Pirates of the Caribbean, you've already exhausted all avenues of that well, I feel. This was a change of pace where I felt like he was back to his roots of being a legitimate great actor, sinking his teeth in a role that was a little different and required a lot of effort. I would not be surprised whatsoever if he's nominated for an Academy Award.

VISUALS (FX, MAKEUP, COSTUMES, SETS): C–

Obviously, a movie like this doesn't have extensive special effects for action sequences or anything too elaborate as far as costumes and sets go, but that's not why I'm docking it some points. Honestly, I felt like the makeup used for Depp was distracting at points and seemed a little over the top and fake. Also, I couldn't tell much of a difference between the time periods. Over ten years goes by and I recall thinking to myself "wait, why does everything and everybody look exactly the same as they did in 1975?"

MUSIC & SOUND: C–

As I've stated in pretty much every edition of Making the Grade, I'm not the guy to be calling out sound design flaws and as such, I essentially think that something is a pass if I don't notice anything weird. For an example of a fail, check out Interstellar. However, I do feel underwhelmed with the overall audio. This movie struck me as the 2015 edition of GoodFellas or The Departed and both of those films have recognizable songs or a distinctive score. This doesn't. Nothing was offensive, but I can't tell you anything about the audio in any capacity outside of one of the songs used in the trailer, which of course doesn't have anything to do with the finished product of the film as a whole.

TONE: A–

If you're into mobster movies and things like the two films I just mentioned above, you'll feel at home with Black Mass as it is just as heavy as those. There were scenes that were played for laughs and got some genuine chuckles out of me. There were deeply dramatic scenes that hooked me into the moment. Everything was treated in earnest and I got exactly the type of movie that I was expecting to get when I saw the trailers.

FINAL GRADE: B+

This was one of the better films that I've seen this year, overall. It's not absolutely perfect, but it delivered in every way I was expecting it to, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Strong performances and an intriguing story make this something that I endorse, even though I don't see myself ever necessarily watching it again as the running time felt a too little long to want to sit through again, even though I'm glad that nothing more was cut as that could have hurt the film.

Newcomers on the indie music scene, Betsy, have an eclectic sound that reminds me of the early '90s era. From the slow ballad of "It Breaks My Heart" to the 311 type arrangements of "Rocky Road," the band has definitely shown its vast talent in its debut four-track EP.

In a music industry that constantly changes, a new band needs to show something spectacular in order to stand out. Betsy has done all this and more. Members of this band include Joe Rattanavong, Spencer Armada, Billiejoe Jones, Zack Field. In an exclusive interview with lead singer and guitar player Joe Rattanavong, I learned about the inspiration behind the music and how this band came together.

Fanboys Anonymous: First off, tell me about the members of your band.

Joe: I guess I'll start with our bass player, Spencer Armada. He's a big nerd with a sweet heart,
a grad student, and killer bass player. He's been with Betsy since the beginning. One of my best friends, Billie Jo Jones, is our guitar player. I like to think of him as a man of steel who plays guitar exceptionally well! No, but things changed a lot once he joined the band. Our sound became much fuller. There was a point when we first started the band where I was trying to do a lot of rhythm and lead stuff on my own. I got the job done, but it was just a much different sound. It was a little too raw for our liking. Zack Field is our drummer. He's been the most recent addition to the band; perhaps the most important. Not just because he's an amazing drummer but because we were stranded without one for a small while. He was a blessing. These guys are all amazing, and I'm super stoked to be playing with them.

FA: Your debut self-titled EP, Betsy, just released this month. What's your favorite song off the album and why?

Joe: I don't really have a favorite. I guess if I had to choose, it would be "Rocky Road," just because it's come such a long way from when I wrote it. Also, I feel like we all contributed something crucial to the song. Everyone wrote great parts. The drum and bass at the beginning really start the groove, and once Billie and I come in, it really comes full circle. There's also a trumpet section that Spencer and I wrote. It really added a lot of color to the song.

FA: What influences your music?

Joe: I guess the obvious answer is other people's music. I try and see a show at least once a month and really hone in the experience. You can always walk away being inspired after a great performance. Also, living in San Francisco has been a huge influence in my writing. Traveling and seeing people is always a great way for me to write music. Even traveling a short distance. I take the train every day and can write for an hour in my notebook just by sitting and thinking.

FA: Do you find that the San Francisco area responds well to indie artists? Are there any local venues or festivals you hope to play in?

Joe: Well, San Francisco is a really accepting town so, yes. However, the music scene here is sort of dragging right now. Bands and musicians are starting to relocate to other parts of the bay or California. Venues are shutting down. A lot of bands are moving to Oakland because it's just cheaper. San Francisco is so expensive, musicians can't afford to live here. I've noticed bigger names are moving to L.A. I don't know. I think most people just want new scenery. Yeah, now that this EP is out, we're going to start playing everywhere in town. We're a fresh band, so we'll have to start from the bottom. We're ready and excited.

FA: Tell me about the recording and mixing process.

Joe: We recorded at Hyde street studios here in San Francisco. It's a legendary studio. A lot of great bands have recorded here—Janis Joplin; Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young; Green day recorded Insomniac there! Sun Kill Moon did Benji there! So, we felt really fortunate to be able to work in such a nice studio. We recorded all the tracks in one day with the help of our good friend and engineer Dan Shalev, who also produced and mixed the record at his house. It took us about 2 months, but that's because Dan's work is so tedious. We really took our time on it though, listening to different versions of the song every day until we knew which one was right. He did such a great job on this project. Without him, these songs wouldn't sound as good as they do.

FA: In your opinion, what sets you apart from other artists? What makes your music unique?

Joe: I don't know. I try not to think about that. Once I start thinking about it, I start questioning myself and my music. I've had this problem in the past. so I just do what I do. Luckily, the band is able to come up with good ideas that keep things interesting.

FA: What's your band's story? How did you come together and decide "Hey, let's start a band?"

Joe: It kind of just happened. I lived in a house full of musicians. My old roommate/best friend Nate White, who I played music with in Tennessee, started playing drums a lot, so I would find myself playing guitar with him all the time. Spencer is a close friend of ours, and he would come over and jam. I guess one thing led to another, and we started Betsy. Nate eventually started playing in a band called The Persons but was a big part of Betsy in the beginning.

FA: What's next for this year? Anything special?

Joe: Just playing shows and finishing our full length. We'll probably do a small tour soon but mainly just continue to write and play out.

FA: My favorite bands include Lydia and Copeland, which have been around for at least a decade. In ten years, do you hope to be together still or expanding into other projects to keep things fresh?

Joe: Keeping a band together for ten years would be a dream come true. I'll definitely be doing other projects though. Starting new things are always fun.

FA: My favorite song (that I've heard so far) is "Summer's Over," which seems to fit well with the fact that summer is ending. Can you tell me about how that song came about?

Joe: I actually wrote it at the end of last summer just noodling around on guitar in my room. I just had words flowing through my head, but the words are quite literal in reference to what I was doing at the moment, ha, I was just drinking by myself and thinking about everything. We had partied a lot that summer. It was ending. My friends were in the next room being loud and annoying. I don't know. It's a cheesy, simple song that I didn't think we would actually use, but it's a lot of fun.

FA: Lightsaber or a magic wand?

Joe: Ha, light saber. No question.

FA: DC or Marvel?

Joe: DC wins.

FA: Favorite movie?

Joe: I'm a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino. I love all the Kill Bills. I can't wait for the next one.

FA: Favorite TV show?

Joe: I'm watching Alpha House right now with John Goodman. I like a lot of older stuff though. Seinfeld is a go-to classic.

If you are a fan of musicians such as Green Day, 311, or Sublime, check out the songs below and leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Every few months, League of Legends releases a new champion. Last time it was a Cajun-style humanoid fish, Tahm Kench, who specializes as a defensive support type. This time around, the new champion is both the wolf and the sheep, with an art style that looks like it leapt out of Ori and the Blind Forest.

The new champion, Kindred, is a ranged jungler that comes with a unique passive, Mark of the Kindred. This ability has global range and marks an enemy for death. If Kindred kills or assists in the kill of an enemy it gets a permanent damage buff.

The rest of Kindred's abilities are a remix of what we've seen from other champions, with a slight twist. For example, Mounting Dread slows an enemy, and if you hit them three times, they lose a percentage of their max health.


Kindred's ultimate is also oddly familiar to Bard's. While Bard's ultimate freezes (effectively stopping allies and enemies from dying for a time) from anyone in the target area, Kindred's stops enemies and allies alike from receiving fatal damage for a time while in the area of effect. In addition, when Kindred's ultimate ends, it will heal for a small amount.

Between Kindred's art style and mix of abilities, League of Legends will be adding an interesting new jungler. Will you be hunting in the jungle as the kindred spirits?

Just as screenwriters can easily look to historical events for inspiration, the same can be said for video game developers. It's easy enough to make another Madden game as it is to throw the Assassin's Creed universe into a different era, right? Of course it is—well, one is probably more complicated than the other, but you get the point. That being said, there's one historical character who definitely hasn't gotten his just due: Spartacus.

Before diving into how he's been wronged in gaming, let's take a look at how he's been treated well in popular culture. The Starz network's aptly titled Spartacus series was short-lived, sure, but it did some marvelous things in its three seasons. Also, one reason it didn't necessarily last as long as it should have was that the first actor to play Spartacus, Andy Whitfield, tragically passed away and the production was delayed. Sure, the ensuing seasons were solid, but Whitfield was fantastic in the role, no doubt reflect in the IMDb rating of the series.

Speaking of ratings, how about this Metacritic score for Spartacus Legends? Yes, this is the game alluded to earlier and, yes, it is a complete and utter disappointment. The only upside here is that it's free to play (for Xbox 360 and PS3 owners), which means you at least your wallet won't feel any pain in this scenario. Your brain will, though, as soon as you fire up what amounts to a mind-numbingly painful experience. The gameplay is dull, at best, and if you want to get past the constant grinding to upgrade your character, you actually have to spend some dough.

Spartacus Legends

The only Spartacus games to exist in recent memory are on gambling casino sites. This area of the online platform exists as a means of giving users something to do between rounds of bingo or as a mini-respite from that particular game. And among the most popular titles, most of which bring to mind your typical animated and cartoon-y casino options, is one starring Spartacus. It's action is described as throwing the player into "an arena of possibility," which makes the desire for a proper Spartacus game that much stronger.

Can you imagine a properly executed title featuring this Thracian gladiator whose history is rich and tale is fantastic? He's the ideal candidate for his own game, especially when you consider the fact that a fictional character by the name of Kratos has one of the best action franchises in God of War. So why not Spartacus, a guy who actually existed and led a freakin' slave rebellion against the Romans?! Come on, developers—get your act together and give this guy the game he so deserves. Maybe it's time to give the HD remakes a break for a year or two and create something truly original. Who knows, if it's done right, we could have a brand-new franchise on our hands that's actually worth playing. It's a long shot, but here's hoping Nolan North's new project is somehow in the same realm.

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out episode 117 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Frank Ward, Gibby and Patty McTitties!!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• The NHL, MLB, NFL, and our favorite: curling!

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

•  Gibby brings the class to the show with weird things going on in the world!

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Frank-tastic facts for your everyday life

::CELEB NEWS::

• Dace is back, and he's packing a punch since he's on some diet pills and Red Bull. Get ready Hollywood!

Plus the occasional game of Who Said It, the crowning of The Doucebag of The Week, and much, much more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

On episode 18 of the FA Movie Club podcast, Fanboys Anonymous members go back to school and give their thoughts on four films set in the most emotional time of someone's life, high school.

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out episode 116 of The Dace Man Show with hosts The Dace Man, Frank Ward, Gibby Aaron and Patty McTitties!!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• The NHL, MLB, NFL, and our favorite: curling!

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

•  Gibby brings the class to the show with weird things going on in the world!

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Frank-tastic facts for your everyday life

::CELEB NEWS::

• Dace is back, and he's packing a punch since he's on some diet pills and Red Bull. Get ready Hollywood!

Plus the occasional game of Who Said It, the crowning of The Doucebag of The Week, and much, much more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

On episode 23 of the Fanboys Anonymous Group Meeting podcast, the panel has a roundtable discussion about the upcoming 2015-2016 television show lineup scheduled for the major stations and other networks.

Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Will Casto, Briana Gaitan, Caroline Oliveira and Josephh Stahlman.

Some topics we address:

• Part 1 - ABC
• Part 2 - CBS
• Part 3 - CW
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One of the greatest horror movie maestros has passed away last Sunday. Wes Craven, the man behind The Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream franchises, had been battling brain cancer and took his last breaths at his home in Los Angeles on August 30. He was 76.

Craven.

Nobody can deny the huge impact Craven had in the horror genre. His movies have scared audiences since 1972 and spawned sequels, prequels, and even a MTV television series. In an effort to celebrate his genius, Fanboys Anonymous has compiled a list of his greatest movies.

The Last House on the Left (1972)

"To avoid fainting, keep repeating: 'It's only a movie, only a movie, only a movie...'"

The original 1972 poster.

Talk about a brutal movie. Craven's 1972 debut tells the story of two teenage girls who are taken into the woods and tortured by a gang of lunatics. As if the amount of violence the girls endure was not intense enough, things escalate further when the psychopaths end up seeking refuge in one of the girl's family home. Once her parents realize what has happened to their daughter, they decide to get revenge on the thugs, even if that means they will become murderers themselves.

Upon its theatrical release, The Last House On The Left was met with extreme censorship due to the sadistic violence and rape scenes. According to IMDB, the movie was banned for 28 years in England and for 32 years in Australia. The uncut version was so filled with disturbing scenes that a distribution company tried to market it as a real snuff film.

There was a 1980 sequel and a 2009 remake, but go with the original.

The Hills Have Eyes (1977) & The Hills Have Eyes 2 (1985)

"A nice American family. They didn't want to kill. But they didn't want to die."

The original The Hills Have Eyes poster.

Both movies center around a simple idea: a family gets stranded in a remote part of the Nevada desert and is hunted down by mutated savages. Fun times.

Not running short on disturbing scenes, both movies have become cult favorites. According to IMDB,
"when originally submitted to the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America), the film was given an X-rating which would have relegated it to the porno circuit and severely hurt the box-office returns. Wes Craven cut the film enough to secure an R rating, and the original director's cut is thought to be no longer in existence."

Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

One, two, Freddy's coming for you.
Three, four, better lock your door.
Five, six, grab a crucifix.
Seven, eight, gonna stay up late.
Nine, ten, never sleep again...

The original movie poster.

One of the most successful slasher movies to date, Nightmare on Elm Street introduced the audiences to a very frightening idea: what if dreams could kill?

In the movie, teens are hunted by a cruel serial killer who murders his victims in their dreams. The only chance they have to survive is to stop him before it is too late and not fall asleep in the meantime.

Nightmare on Elm Street was not only Johnny Depp's first movie, but also Freddy Krueger's. Even though Freddy only has about seven minutes of screen time in the first movie, the success was so massive that it saved New Line Cinema from bankruptcy. In fact, it granted the studio the nickname "The house that Freddy built."

Freddy Krueger.

The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise also spawned nine movies, a 1988 television series, novels, and comic books. On August 7th, 2015, it was reported that New Line Cinema is developing a new remake, which is being written by Orphan's David Leslie Johnson.

If all of this awesomeness has not convinced you to watch (or re-watch) Nightmare, picture this: young Johnny Depp, gallons of blood, bed.

Depp in Nightmare On Elm Street.

Go watch it.

The Serpent and The Rainbow (1988)

In the legends of voodoo the Serpent is a symbol of Earth.
The Rainbow is a symbol of Heaven.
Between the two, all creatures must live and die.
But because he has a soul, man can be trapped in a terrible place where death is only the beginning.

Seriously underrated, this movie is based on a nonfiction book by Wade Davis and it tells the story of an anthropologist who goes to Haiti to investigate a drug used by voodoo practitioners to turn people into zombies.

A voodoo priest in The Serpent and the Rainbow.

Not only this is probably one of the best horror movies out there about voodoo, but it also gives us a peek at the political unrest that plagued a pre-revolution Haiti. In fact, "due to political strife and civil turmoil (...) during the production, the local government informed the film crew that they could not guarantee their safety for the remainder of the shoot," which caused them to relocated to Dominican Republic in order to finish it.


The Serpent and the Rainbow is also Craven's first film to get a R rating without any problems by the MPAA.

The People Under The Stairs (1991)

"In every neighborhood there is one house that adults whisper about and children cross the street to avoid. Now Wes Craven, creator of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" takes you inside..."

Original movie poster.

One of Craven's comedy/horror movies, The People Under the Stairs tells the story of a young boy from the ghetto, who while accompanying two older boys in an attempted burglary of the "home of his family's evil landlords, becomes trapped inside their large suburban house and discovers the secret of the children that the insane brother and sister have been 'rearing' under the stairs."

Brandon Adams as "Fool."

The movie was number one at the box office during its opening week and stayed in the Top 10 for a month after. Earlier this year, Craven confirmed he would be adapting it into a television series for Syfy, so hopefully we will get to see a new take on this classic soon.

Everett McGill as "Daddy."

Scream (1996)

"Someone has taken their love of scary movies one step too far. Solving this mystery is going to be murder."

The original poster.

While attempting to cope with her mother's murder, Sydney and her horror movie-obsessed friends are stalked by a crazed killer known as Ghostface.

Scream is considered a big turning page for the horror genre, which had been in decline since the great influx of sequels in the 1980s. Not only it had a popular and attractive cast, it also poked fun on horror movie clichés. Here are some "horror film rules" stated in the movie:

• You will not survive if you have sex.
• You will not survive if you drink or do drugs.
• You will not survive if you say, "I'll be right back."
• You will not survive if you ask, "Who's there?"
• You will not survive if you go investigate a strange noise.
• Everyone is a suspect.

Dead on, right? Skip the sequels and indulge in the original.

Wes Craven will truly be missed. Although not all his movies were described in this article, they should be must-sees in every horror fan's list and will continue to be considered classic no matter what happens in the film industry.


As a horror-obsessed fan, I say thank you Mr. Craven for all the scares, thrills, and laughs.

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out episode 115 of The Dace Man Show with hosts The Dace Man, Frank Ward, Gibby and Patty McTitties!!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• The NHL, MLB, NFL, and our favorite: curling!

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

•  Gibby brings the class to the show with weird things going on in the world!

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Frank-tastic facts for your everyday life

::CELEB NEWS::

• Dace is back, and he's packing a punch since he's on some diet pills and Red Bull. Get ready Hollywood!

Plus the occasional game of Who Said It, the crowning of The Doucebag of The Week, and much, much more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Before we get into this, yes, I'm an Android guy. I've never owned an Apple product for a couple of different reasons—mostly money—but I've never been opposed to the idea of owning Apple products, either. So far, there just hasn't been anything that was so much more interesting and better than the non-Apple alternatives that I could afford and justify the price difference. There are plenty of other people here at Fanboys Anonymous who are more knowledgeable not only about Apple products, but about phones in general. However, that's one of the reasons why I decided to write this article from this perspective: as an Android user, is the iPhone 7 something that appeals to me enough to make me want to make the jump over and switch my phone?

Many people are salivating at the idea of the latest edition of the iPhone series without knowing any information about it whatsoever, just because they're loyalists and fond of the brand. As an outsider, it's going to take more than just the word "new" to get me in line. Since rumors are flying around now about this latest release, I started looking at the details to see if anything stood out to me. Here's some of the information I've come across so far.

Note: Remember that this is speculation on a lot of websites' parts, so don't take this information as 100% fact.

Name = iPhone 7 or iPhone 6s Plus or...

Let's start off with something very basic: the name. Right now, it isn't even confirmed that the name will be the iPhone 7, although most people are referring to it as such. An alternative name rumor is that it will be the iPhone 6s Plus, but there are also reports saying it could be named anything from the iPhone Air to something totally new.

What's in a name? Marketing can go a long way based on a name, but I'm not buying a product based on its name alone. I'd be hesitant to purchase a phone called "The Piece of Shit That Never Works", but you could name it "Totally the Most Awesome Phone Ever" and it wouldn't make me pull out my wallet. More people would be willing to buy the iPhone 7 than the iPhone 6s Plus, though, I'd assume, because it would seem like a bigger upgrade and worth the price difference.

Size = probably 4.7 or 5.5 inches

I'm someone who doesn't like phones that are too huge, but not super small, either. I currently have an LG G3, which is 5.7 inches and sometimes can be a little cumbersome. All in all, if the new iPhone is around this size, I'm okay with that.

As far as the thickness goes, one can assume that it would be slimmer than previous models, but that's not a guarantee. Even if it is, I can't seem to find a straight answer for how much it would be. At a certain point, if phones get too thin while being too wide, they become awkward to hold. As long as they keep that in mind and don't make it super thick, that's a plus.

Standard Improvements

It would be odd to hear that the new iPhone would be worse in any way such as camera resolution, display, battery life, and so forth. Then again, how much of an improvement can you really tell between cameras that are already good or displays that are comparable to one another?

When it comes to battery life, that might even end up being worse than before! Sometimes, stronger processors and such just suck up the juice more by default and these companies would rather not call attention to it. If you start seeing advertisements that basically equate to "Oh, uh, battery life? Well, uh, before I answer that question, let me show you all these cool new features. Woaaaah, totally awesome, eh? So cool! Bells and whistles! Who cares about that battery, am I right? Apple! WOO!" then we'll get our answer that it's a downgrade.

Capacity Expectations

Supposedly, there will be three versions: 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB. This is one of the biggest reasons why I've never gotten an iPhone in the past. I like the idea of being able to put a memory card in and expand my phone's space and it kind of bugs me even just in theory that Apple ignores that idea. That just feels like a means to grab as much money as possible and beat down the consumer with the idea that they should avoid buying products (memory cards, in this case) from other companies in any case.

Pricing

That leads us to the biggest reason why I'm an Android guy, which is the cost. Estimates for the iPhone 7 place it at the $900 mark. Hell no! I'm still trying to pay off my $600 LG G3, which I wrestled with the price of for quite a while. Particularly if you have an iPhone 6 or some other kind of phone, Android or not, that isn't outdated or broken, I just can't see spending a thousand dollars on an upgrade unless that upgrade is massively significant. If money is nothing to you, then my opinion on that matter means even less, so you'll go ahead and get it anyway, but if you're someone like myself who has to watch what he spends, $900 is hard to justify no matter how you cut it.

BOTTOM LINE: Nope, I won't be converted to the Apple side of things.

When you don't have the money to upgrade your phone constantly, you need to be conservative of which upgrades you do. The main reason why I switched to the LG G3 was because my previous phone (LG Optimus L9) was rather outdated and wasn't functioning as well anymore. Since receiving the last Lollipop "upgrade" to my phone, it's had a bunch of problems that it never had before, which are irking the crap out of me, but those problems combined with what's being spoken about for the iPhone 7 aren't enough to convince me to make such a drastic switch.

To an extent, some of this is just the Apple brand's methodology itself. As someone who doesn't own any of their products, it feels like a commitment I'm not willing to make. Most people I know treat Apple loyalty as a lifestyle choice where they get sucked into buying all types of their products down the line. Some of those people, naturally, just do it because they prefer those specs, which is the right reason for purchasing them. Others, though, buy them just because they recognize the name better and like being able to say that they own that product. I've never seen the reason to spend $50 on a plain white t-shirt from a more expensive store if the quality is the same at Old Navy for $5, so if you took an iPhone 7's label off, called it the jPhone 7 and decreased the price to $600, I'd be more open to the idea.

Another reason why I can't see myself changing is the lack of flexibility. 16GB has been more than enough for me so far with my LG G3, but if I found myself needing more storage, I'd be screwed if I had an iPhone. With mine, I can just put in that memory card I purchased for $5 and be all set. I also like being able to use cables and other accessories from a wide variety of vendors rather than needing to have Apple-brand everything, for the most part.

Really, if nothing is screaming out to me to upgrade to the LG G4 at this time, then I'm really seeing even less of a reason to go over to the iPhone 7 for even more money. It may be newer and fancier in some ways, but until it starts pulling out some Minority Report holograms and Iron Man-style J.A.R.V.I.S. artificial intelligence, it's just a big check for some minor improvements in my mind.

The iPhone 7 is set to be released sometime around September with an official launch day not currently announced. Until then, speculation and rumors will run wild and people will be asking whether the iPhone 7 will be a success or a failure.

More importantly than what I think, though, what do YOU think? Are you an iPhone user who is excited about this new release or are you sticking with what you currently have? Are you an Android user who will be making the switch come September?

Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out episode 114 of The Dace Man Show with hosts The Dace Man, Frank Ward and Gibby!!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• The NHL, MLB, NFL, and our favorite: curling!

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

•  Gibby brings the class to the show with weird things going on in the world!

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Frank-tastic facts for your everyday life

::CELEB NEWS::

• Dace is back, and he's packing a punch since he's on some diet pills and Red Bull. Get ready Hollywood!

Plus the occasional game of Who Said It, the crowning of The Doucebag of The Week, and much, much more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Richelle Mead's intricate writing has always captivated me. She has this uncanny ability to mix mythical creatures with a believable plot and a modern-day romance.When her newest adult series, Age of X, hit stores a few years ago, I decided to wait a while before diving in. I'm always distraught over cliffhanger endings, and being able to read a few back to back is just what I need to cure a good book hangover. After finishing both books in the series, I can't believe I waited two years!

Gameboard of the Gods is a dystopian world–driven story that is so well developed, so detailed, that I actually felt as though I were part of its culture. Given that Mead has a Master's degree in comparative religions, I wasn't surprised to find that the story had a lot to do with the gods of different cultures.

The story follows Mae, an enhanced military soldier, and Justin, a drug-addicted and sometimes too snippy religious group investigator. Without giving too much away, the book is exactly as the title says. The entire world is a gameboard of the gods. Deities finding followers, performing miracles, and demanding a lifetime of servitude are just a few of the plots that unravel throughout.

Although Mae and Justin have a relationship not unlike the star-crossed versions of other series, Mead writes with such mature diversity that their relationship cannot be compared to that of the infamous young-adult Vampire Academy series. In fact, if you begin this series expecting it to be anything like her bestselling series, you may not enjoy it. It's told in a third-person limited point of view by three different characters.

At 160,000 words, this epic novel really gets inside the heads of the characters and explores all the twists and turns as each scene unfolds. The sequel, The Immortal Crown, furthers the story as we learn more about the controlling deities who have decided to make Mae and Justin their puppets.

If you are a fan of complex adult novels such as A Game of Thrones, this may be just the book for you. If you want something lighthearted and flimsy, you may want to pass. The third installment in the series is due out early next year. Either way, this book is a must read and is going on my list of top series of all time. Have you read or are planning to read this series? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out episode 113 of The Dace Man Show with hosts The Dace Man, Frank Ward and Gibby!!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• The NHL, MLB, NFL, and our favorite: curling!

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

•  Gibby brings the class to the show with weird things going on in the world!

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Frank-tastic facts for your everyday life

::CELEB NEWS::

• Dace is back, and he's packing a punch since he's on some diet pills and Red Bull. Get ready Hollywood!

Plus the occasional game of Who Said It, the crowning of The Doucebag of The Week, and much, much more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

On episode 17 of the 4 Reel Movie Club podcast, Fanboys Anonymous members give their thoughts on four random movies chosen by some of the staff in the first ever "grab bag" edition.