Welcome to the last of my series on essential horror flicks. If you dont know the reasoning behind the list by now, go back to the first entry and start from there.
This section is from 1990 to present day. During this time period, the Hollywood studio system became even more restricted and became more dedicated to the big box office receipts. The good news is the US independent film scene exploded with thoughtful and innovative movies. We also saw an explosion in world cinema with more countries producing more films every year.
81. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (released 1990, made in 1986)
This one is odd. It was made in 1986, but censors -- I mean the MPAA -- deemed an X rating. Finally it was released in 1990 with the new NC-17 rating and found a cult following on video. This is one of the best movies about a serial killer ever made. No glam or glitz, just pure dark emotions that unravel the viewer.
82. Misery (1990)-
The sledgehammer scene still gives me the chills. A great acted film which is very intense.
83. Scream(1990)-
A true classic that sprung new life into the genre by breaking all the rules the genre created...and letting the audience in on the joke.
84. Tremors (1990)-
What's not to like about this creature feature. It has aged well with time.
85. Begotten (1991)-
I'm not sure how to even describe this work of art. Gruesome imagery is all I come up with
in this story with no dialog.
86. The Resurrected (1991)-
A great H.P. Lovecraft tale which makes an outstanding flick. One of several entries by screenwriter Dan O'Bannon on my list.
87. Candyman (1992)-
This may be the scariest movie based on a Clive Barker story ever made. Just dont say his name three times!
88. Cemetery Man (1994)-
Love conquers all...even death. Or does it? This cemetery caretaker attempts to find out and make sense of it.
89. The Kingdom (1994)-
This Dutch masterpiece is down right freaky. One of the most terrifying flicks about hauntings.
90. Mute Witness (1994)-
An interesting movie set in Russia about a mute who witnesses a snuff film being made, then the makers come after her.
91. Seven (1995)-
This movie puts you on the edge of you seat. Beautifully filmed and well acted, it is evil at its core.
92. Tokyo Fist (1995)-
A Japanese entry here about fighting, love, and body mutilation. The damage this trio does not only to their body, but their minds is terrifying.
RELATED FILMS: Fight Club, Tetsou II
93. Funny Games (1997)-
Some kids in a remote village terrorize a couple on vacation. Truly horrific because it could easily happen (and does). Another foreign entry.
94. Ringu (1998)-
Japan came up with an overabundance of long haired, spooky female ghost movies over the last few years. It's part of their culture. I think this one is the creepiest.
REALTED FILMS: Dark Water, Phone, Ju Dou: The Grudge
95. Audition (1999)-
If you love bizarre and possibly even offensive movies and have not yet discovered Japanese director Takeshi Miike, you must do so immediately. He is fantastic and many of his flicks have to be seen to be believed. This is no exception.
RELATED FILMS: {Miike films} Vistor Q, Gozo, Ichi the Killer
96. The Blair Witch Project (1999)-
This is an example of great marketing for a movie that cost damn near nothing to make. A simply concept, lets make a documentary about a witch by going into the woods where it is suppose to live. Sounds like a great time to me.
97. The Sixth Sense (1999)-
After you set through the movie, you want to beat yourself in the head for not figuring it out. It's that simple. Guess it proves how much a person can get sucked into a good film.
98. Battle Royale (2000)-
A Japanese movie about a game show which puts a bunch of kids on an island in a fight to the end. There can only be one winner. It's Lord of the Flies on octane!
REALTED FILMS: Suicide Club,
99. Ginger Snaps(2000)-
This is a darn good werewolf movie. Enough said.
100. The Isle (2000)-
A Korean entry by Ki-duk Kim that's borderline horror, but I love it. Love and suicide can sum it up best.
101. The Devil's Backbone(2001)-
Guillermo Del Toro made this ghost tale in Mexico before moving onto big budget Hollywood pictures. The man has a gift for storytelling threw a lens.
102. Donnie Darko (2001)-
It's just a weird damn movie that's sort of about time manipulation.
103. Frailty (2001)-
A father believes he is on a mission from God to destroy demons in human bodies. Needless to say it has some affects on his two sons.
104. Session 9 (2001)-
This is creepy film about a haunted psychiatric ward being renovated.
RELATED FILM: The Machinist
105. 28 Days Later (2002)-
A zombie movie that's not really a zombie movie. Turned the genre upside and never looked back.
106. Dog Soldiers(2002)-
A group of soldiers run moves in a dense forest which happens to be inhabited by werewolves.
107. In My Skin(2002)-
This French movie is about a woman who become obsessed with her body after a life altering accident.
108. Irreversible (2002)-
Another French movie that is very hard to watch because of one scene. It plays out so real that it's scary. A very unique movie.
109. Requiem of a Dream (2002)
The horrors of drugs and its users. Simple enough.
110. Haute Tension (2003)-
A surreal serial killer flick from France which will have you shaking your head at the end and thinking.
111. Open Water (2003)-
Ever been lost at sea. Without a boat. And sharks circling you. Me neither, nor do I want to.
112. Club Dread (2004)-
An awesome horror comedy which plays up the serial killer subgenre.
113. Old Boy(2004)-
Another movie from Korea, this time for Chan-woo Park. He loves revenge flicks and this is an entertaining one.
RELATED FILMS: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Lady Vengeance
114. Saw (2004)-
It didn't event torture in movies, but it started a whole new subgenre in the horror realm. An outstanding picture.
115. Shaun of the Dead (2004)-
Horror and comedy at its best in this send up of the zombie movie.
116. The Descent(2005)-
Claustrophobia sets in as a group of women get trapped inside some caves and find out their are not alone.
117. Feast (2005)-
A nice creature movie that has a little bit of everything, some scares, some gore, some comedy, and some skin.
118. Hard Candy (2005)-
A movie that's difficult to watch because of its subject matter. It makes you think after watching it.
119. Slither (2006)-
All that is good about horror is rolled up in this one.
120. To be announced at a later date. Surely there is something for 2007 that deserves to be on here.
- The Official Website of Sean Kimmmel -
This blog has evolved over time. It started as a horror movie reviews, which is now called Fringes of Horror. Then it became a place to put my writing, which is now a page called Tales of Fiction. Now, this blog is now more about the things happening in my life. My thoughts, travels, relationships, or whatever pops in my mind that I feel like writing about. Why one would care... I have no idea. But enjoy it none the less.
10.10.2007
10.03.2007
Wrestling #7: One Helluva Tournament
Last weekend, IWA-MS had its annual Ted Petty Invitational Tournament in Chicago. For the third straight year I was in attendance and once again, not disappointed.
There is a strong history with the tourny, from the beginnings when it was called The Sweet Science Sixteen to the name change in 2003 after the death of Ian's close friend Ted Petty aka Rocco Roc and expansion to 24 wrestlers through today. Some of the best indy talent has made their way through this tournament over the years and the list of names to win the event is quite impressive: Chris Hero, CM Punk, BJ Whitmer, AJ Styles, Matt Sydal, and Low-ki. The tournament used to feature mainly IWA-MS talent, which has been plentiful in the promotion's near eleven year existence. What began as a tournament to showcase wrestling skills for the performers of his own promotion (with an occasional big indy name thrown in the mix), Ian has turned this into one of the top events on the US wrestling scene. The changed occurred in 2004 when the event featured a who's who of young performers who would make a name for themselves only a few short years later. Part of that years list included Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Alex Shelly, Claudio Castagnoli, Matt Quackenbush, Chris Sabin, Super Dragon, Petey Williams, Matt Sydal, Homicide, Nigel McGuinness, Chris Hero, CM Punk, Jimmy Rave, Bryan Danielson, Austin Aries, and Roderick Strong. Some called it the best tournament of all time.
The last three years have all promised their share of big names, which led to a few drop outs every time, trying to live up to the standard 2004 created. This year was no exception as the initial twelve were awesome. However because of certain issues and money problems, several wrestlers announced months were changed. Many fans were pissed off when the announcement was made about a week before the event.
Even though I was disappointed in the changes, the tourny still looked very good on paper. I viewed the changes as a return to the event's roots as Ian had to use more of his normal IWA-MS talent as fill ins for the dropped wrestlers (Chuck Taylor, Josh Abercrombie, Brandon Tomaselli). The event still had former regulars Chris Hero, Claudio Castagnoli, Nigel McGuinness, Nate Webb, and BJ Whitmer along with Eddie Kingston, Davey Richards, Mike Quackenbush, Brent Albright, Human Tornado, Joey Ryan, and (2 Cold) Scorpio. I was still pumped for the show and the chance to hang out with my wrestling buddies.
Going into the event, Mike Quackenbush was the fan favorite to win this year. The masses love this guy and for great reasons. This was the first time the Lightweight champion (Quack) and the IWA-MS champion (Taylor, who has held the title almost one year to the day) were both in the tourny and both men defended the title in each of their matches. Before going any farther, please note there are spoilers in the rest of this article.
The first night was a good time. Lots of entertaining matches with different styles; a little high flying, a little brawling, a little violence, and a little mat work. If you ask five different people what the best match was, you'd probably receive five different answers. My favorite three matches were Chuck Taylor vs Jimmy Jacobs, Brent Albright vs Tank, and Chris Hero vs Scorpio. A Kingston vs Hero Last Man Standing match was set up for night two and both champs kept their title and moved on.
The second night was when the emotional ride really started. As stated, nearly all wanted Quack to be victorious but no one was 100% sure he would win. The quarter finals saw Taylor again make a successful defense, this time against the veteran Scorpio (which surprised some). Claudio Castagnoli beat Davey Richards in a rapid fire event. Human Tornado bested Nate Webb in not only a match, but a dance contest (though Nate would probably disagree on the later). Also winning were Josh Abercrombie and Brent Albright. Not to be forgotten, Quack took a victory against Joey Ryan. During the match Quack dove outside the ring and his foot caught the ropes. He hit the floor hard and the crowd was silenced. He got up and finished the match with a glazed look in his eyes and moving on instincts.
After intermission, Ian informed the crowd that the NWA representative Ed Chuman said Quack wouldn't be able to perform any longer tonight (yes IWA-MS is a member of the NWA). The crowd went silence for the next two matches as their fallen hero would come up short yet again. Lost in the mix was another title defense by Chuck Taylor beating the Human Tornado and a great match with Claudio winning over Albright. Abercrombie came out to get announced as the last man in the finals. Suddenly Quackenbush burst through the curtain and the venue exploded in cheers and chants of "Quack". He was going to have his match. In a spectacular technical match, Quack come out on top. Ian came out and said he wanted to thank Quackenbush because by him wrestling, it got IWA-MS out of it's NWA affiliate contract. Storyline or shoot, I could care less as I was caught up in the emotional rollercoaster of the tournament.
The last man standing match was brutal as Hero got the early advantage and pounded Kingston. It all came to an rather abrupt end with one big spot as Kingston got the victory over his nemesis. Next up was the IWA-MS Tag Champion match with the Tomaselli's (champs) vs Nigel & Whitmer, who agreed to help him out. The lost and Albright did a run in setting up a possible Whitmer & Albright vs the Iron Saints match in the future. Onto the finals.
Quackenbush vs Chuck Talor vs Claudio Castagnoli for both the IWA-MS Lightweight and World Championship belts and the 2007 TPI title. The match was fast paced and rapidly moving along with hardly any wasted time. Claudio was the first man to go down, which left champion vs champion. Shortly after Quackenbush got the victory. Choking back emotions Quack gave an emotional speech, which nearly had me in tears as I was completely lost in the moment. Ian gave a speech of his own and said he was proud to have a class act like Quack not only as his champions and the TPI winner but as a friend. The show ended with chants of "Teddy", a thing the crowd does to honor Ted when they witness a great moment or spot. And what an incredible moment it was.
There is a strong history with the tourny, from the beginnings when it was called The Sweet Science Sixteen to the name change in 2003 after the death of Ian's close friend Ted Petty aka Rocco Roc and expansion to 24 wrestlers through today. Some of the best indy talent has made their way through this tournament over the years and the list of names to win the event is quite impressive: Chris Hero, CM Punk, BJ Whitmer, AJ Styles, Matt Sydal, and Low-ki. The tournament used to feature mainly IWA-MS talent, which has been plentiful in the promotion's near eleven year existence. What began as a tournament to showcase wrestling skills for the performers of his own promotion (with an occasional big indy name thrown in the mix), Ian has turned this into one of the top events on the US wrestling scene. The changed occurred in 2004 when the event featured a who's who of young performers who would make a name for themselves only a few short years later. Part of that years list included Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Alex Shelly, Claudio Castagnoli, Matt Quackenbush, Chris Sabin, Super Dragon, Petey Williams, Matt Sydal, Homicide, Nigel McGuinness, Chris Hero, CM Punk, Jimmy Rave, Bryan Danielson, Austin Aries, and Roderick Strong. Some called it the best tournament of all time.
The last three years have all promised their share of big names, which led to a few drop outs every time, trying to live up to the standard 2004 created. This year was no exception as the initial twelve were awesome. However because of certain issues and money problems, several wrestlers announced months were changed. Many fans were pissed off when the announcement was made about a week before the event.
Even though I was disappointed in the changes, the tourny still looked very good on paper. I viewed the changes as a return to the event's roots as Ian had to use more of his normal IWA-MS talent as fill ins for the dropped wrestlers (Chuck Taylor, Josh Abercrombie, Brandon Tomaselli). The event still had former regulars Chris Hero, Claudio Castagnoli, Nigel McGuinness, Nate Webb, and BJ Whitmer along with Eddie Kingston, Davey Richards, Mike Quackenbush, Brent Albright, Human Tornado, Joey Ryan, and (2 Cold) Scorpio. I was still pumped for the show and the chance to hang out with my wrestling buddies.
Going into the event, Mike Quackenbush was the fan favorite to win this year. The masses love this guy and for great reasons. This was the first time the Lightweight champion (Quack) and the IWA-MS champion (Taylor, who has held the title almost one year to the day) were both in the tourny and both men defended the title in each of their matches. Before going any farther, please note there are spoilers in the rest of this article.
The first night was a good time. Lots of entertaining matches with different styles; a little high flying, a little brawling, a little violence, and a little mat work. If you ask five different people what the best match was, you'd probably receive five different answers. My favorite three matches were Chuck Taylor vs Jimmy Jacobs, Brent Albright vs Tank, and Chris Hero vs Scorpio. A Kingston vs Hero Last Man Standing match was set up for night two and both champs kept their title and moved on.
The second night was when the emotional ride really started. As stated, nearly all wanted Quack to be victorious but no one was 100% sure he would win. The quarter finals saw Taylor again make a successful defense, this time against the veteran Scorpio (which surprised some). Claudio Castagnoli beat Davey Richards in a rapid fire event. Human Tornado bested Nate Webb in not only a match, but a dance contest (though Nate would probably disagree on the later). Also winning were Josh Abercrombie and Brent Albright. Not to be forgotten, Quack took a victory against Joey Ryan. During the match Quack dove outside the ring and his foot caught the ropes. He hit the floor hard and the crowd was silenced. He got up and finished the match with a glazed look in his eyes and moving on instincts.
After intermission, Ian informed the crowd that the NWA representative Ed Chuman said Quack wouldn't be able to perform any longer tonight (yes IWA-MS is a member of the NWA). The crowd went silence for the next two matches as their fallen hero would come up short yet again. Lost in the mix was another title defense by Chuck Taylor beating the Human Tornado and a great match with Claudio winning over Albright. Abercrombie came out to get announced as the last man in the finals. Suddenly Quackenbush burst through the curtain and the venue exploded in cheers and chants of "Quack". He was going to have his match. In a spectacular technical match, Quack come out on top. Ian came out and said he wanted to thank Quackenbush because by him wrestling, it got IWA-MS out of it's NWA affiliate contract. Storyline or shoot, I could care less as I was caught up in the emotional rollercoaster of the tournament.
The last man standing match was brutal as Hero got the early advantage and pounded Kingston. It all came to an rather abrupt end with one big spot as Kingston got the victory over his nemesis. Next up was the IWA-MS Tag Champion match with the Tomaselli's (champs) vs Nigel & Whitmer, who agreed to help him out. The lost and Albright did a run in setting up a possible Whitmer & Albright vs the Iron Saints match in the future. Onto the finals.
Quackenbush vs Chuck Talor vs Claudio Castagnoli for both the IWA-MS Lightweight and World Championship belts and the 2007 TPI title. The match was fast paced and rapidly moving along with hardly any wasted time. Claudio was the first man to go down, which left champion vs champion. Shortly after Quackenbush got the victory. Choking back emotions Quack gave an emotional speech, which nearly had me in tears as I was completely lost in the moment. Ian gave a speech of his own and said he was proud to have a class act like Quack not only as his champions and the TPI winner but as a friend. The show ended with chants of "Teddy", a thing the crowd does to honor Ted when they witness a great moment or spot. And what an incredible moment it was.
7.01.2007
Low Budget Originality
I'll be honest. I tend to be more forgiving on an average lower budget horror movie, than a big budget studio movie that is equally as mundane. Let's explore why I have this mentally (other than my slight negative bias towards the stifling Hollywood system).
The independently produced film usually has more freedom for the players (I use this term to some up the entire crew from writers, directors, producers, actors, and other staff) to work freely and express ideas which could be shied away from by the constraints of Hollywood. This freedom can result in a new twist on an old story, exploration of a taboo subject matter, and loads more of gore. It also forces these players to use innovation and their brains to get the most out their money.
The other place to find this items in other countries. I often turn to horror movies from other corners of the globe to see new, refreshing ideas. It's fascinating to me to watch horror from another cultures unravel, though many Asian Horror films these days have been following a trend of the haunted object and creepy ghost child.
The above statements do not apply to every film. Many low budget and foreign movies are absolute crap, just as some Studio flicks are damn good. I guess it all comes down to the fact that with all the extra money spent one a big budget Hollywood movie, the end results should turn out better. And originality instead of regurgitated material.
I'd like to expand more on this subject, but just wanted to lay out the ground work right now. In the meantime...
Here's some lower budget horror, sci-fi, and foreign made movies I've seen recently that grabbed my attention. You may want to check them out.
- The Hunt
- Altered
- The Fountain
- Wilderness
- 13 Tzametti
- Roman
- Dark Remains
- Head Trauma
- Strange Circus
The independently produced film usually has more freedom for the players (I use this term to some up the entire crew from writers, directors, producers, actors, and other staff) to work freely and express ideas which could be shied away from by the constraints of Hollywood. This freedom can result in a new twist on an old story, exploration of a taboo subject matter, and loads more of gore. It also forces these players to use innovation and their brains to get the most out their money.
The other place to find this items in other countries. I often turn to horror movies from other corners of the globe to see new, refreshing ideas. It's fascinating to me to watch horror from another cultures unravel, though many Asian Horror films these days have been following a trend of the haunted object and creepy ghost child.
The above statements do not apply to every film. Many low budget and foreign movies are absolute crap, just as some Studio flicks are damn good. I guess it all comes down to the fact that with all the extra money spent one a big budget Hollywood movie, the end results should turn out better. And originality instead of regurgitated material.
I'd like to expand more on this subject, but just wanted to lay out the ground work right now. In the meantime...
Here's some lower budget horror, sci-fi, and foreign made movies I've seen recently that grabbed my attention. You may want to check them out.
- The Hunt
- Altered
- The Fountain
- Wilderness
- 13 Tzametti
- Roman
- Dark Remains
- Head Trauma
- Strange Circus
6.27.2007
Wrestling #4: The Tragic Death of the Benoit's
Like many fans in the wrestling world, the death of Chris Benoit and his family has left me deeply saddened, pissed off, and confused.
When the news first broke that Benoit and his family was found dead, I felt heavy hearted because a great performer was gone. A man who gave it his all each and every time out would never be seen again. I teared up. I was emotional. But not as emotional as maybe I should have been. This guy was one of my favorite workers. And I knew the reason why...the way the police found the bodies. Deep down, I knew it was going to be grim. Either they entire Benoit family was murdered by an outside source or the brutality was committed by one of the parents.
I watched the RAW tribute to Chris Benoit. I cried. I listened to his peers talk about how decent of a person he was and he loved his family to his fullest extent. When the show was over, I turned off the TV and waited until morning, with an uneasiness in my stomach, for more news to break.
On Tuesday the details of the event came to light. It was in fact my worse fear, a murder-suicide. Benoit strangled his wife Nancy, smothered his son with a pillow, then hung himself in the weight room. Steroids and human growth hormones were found in the house and the police tracked down where the substances were purchased. Track marks were found in 7 year Daniel's arm; the speculation is that since the child was undersized Benoit felt the need to put chemicals into his system. All of this makes me sick to stomach. How could a man who appeared to be so noble on the wrestling stage, be such a monster in real life?
And rightfully so the media has turned this into a crusade against wrestling. This form of entertainment is being put through the ringer. It's no secrets steroids are rampant in the industry, especially at the top levels, and some measures need to be taken as too many performers die too young. But that is a topic for another day.
Certainly more details of this horrible event will unfold in the weeks to come and I wont like hearing one bit of it. My opinion on Chris Benoit the wrestler will never change. He was one of the greatest in ring performers to lace up the boots. But my opinion of the man Chris Benoit is forever altered. I am disgusted by the actions he committed and because of this, I'm not certain a match of his will ever again be viewed by eyes. It will take a long time for the wound to heal.
It brings me to a thought about people in general: No matter how close you are to another person or how much you think you know another person; you truly never do.
When the news first broke that Benoit and his family was found dead, I felt heavy hearted because a great performer was gone. A man who gave it his all each and every time out would never be seen again. I teared up. I was emotional. But not as emotional as maybe I should have been. This guy was one of my favorite workers. And I knew the reason why...the way the police found the bodies. Deep down, I knew it was going to be grim. Either they entire Benoit family was murdered by an outside source or the brutality was committed by one of the parents.
I watched the RAW tribute to Chris Benoit. I cried. I listened to his peers talk about how decent of a person he was and he loved his family to his fullest extent. When the show was over, I turned off the TV and waited until morning, with an uneasiness in my stomach, for more news to break.
On Tuesday the details of the event came to light. It was in fact my worse fear, a murder-suicide. Benoit strangled his wife Nancy, smothered his son with a pillow, then hung himself in the weight room. Steroids and human growth hormones were found in the house and the police tracked down where the substances were purchased. Track marks were found in 7 year Daniel's arm; the speculation is that since the child was undersized Benoit felt the need to put chemicals into his system. All of this makes me sick to stomach. How could a man who appeared to be so noble on the wrestling stage, be such a monster in real life?
And rightfully so the media has turned this into a crusade against wrestling. This form of entertainment is being put through the ringer. It's no secrets steroids are rampant in the industry, especially at the top levels, and some measures need to be taken as too many performers die too young. But that is a topic for another day.
Certainly more details of this horrible event will unfold in the weeks to come and I wont like hearing one bit of it. My opinion on Chris Benoit the wrestler will never change. He was one of the greatest in ring performers to lace up the boots. But my opinion of the man Chris Benoit is forever altered. I am disgusted by the actions he committed and because of this, I'm not certain a match of his will ever again be viewed by eyes. It will take a long time for the wound to heal.
It brings me to a thought about people in general: No matter how close you are to another person or how much you think you know another person; you truly never do.
6.01.2007
Wrestling #2: Candido Cup Thoughts
I went to IWAMS's first annual Candido Cup Tournament, held over Friday & Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The show had some great tag teams from the indy scene with the likes of the The Basham Brothers, 2.0, North Star Express, Tomaselli's, Blackout, and the Havana Pitbulls (unfortunately Arrogance had to pull out due to an injury to Scott Lost). Throw in Homicide & Lowki with Axl Rotten & Mickie Knuckes with BJ Whitmer & Davey Richards with an appearance of legendary Ricky Morton, this was shaping up to be a nice tourny. This time around, the winner would also win the IWAMS Tag Champions.
If you want until to watch the event spoiler free, then skip the rest of the post.
Going into it, I figured one of the regular teams would win like the Tomaselli's or Bashams (thus setting up a kick ass feud with Bad Breed once Ian returns from injury --- something which will probably still happen). So I wasn't all that surprised to see Vito & Sal Tomaselli win the titles back. And in Chicago, these guys are hugely popular. I works for the promotion. The big surprised were some of the teams that advanced, like Cheech & Cloudy in the finals. I admit, these guys are entertaining but I'm a little confused on why they made it that far. And the whole run by Whitmer & Richards just seemed to set up a first round match for the TPI, which I find fun how the story was incorporated with their big singles tourny, but it could have happened early in the tourny.
Directly after the two day show, I came away entertained but a little disappointed. Maybe I expected a little more from this tournament. Maybe I was a little angry it didn't play out the way I thought it should. Maybe I was over thinking the whole thing and should just be content. I still suggest getting the DVD from Smart Mark Video when it's released. You could do a lot worse for indy actions and as I said before, it is an entertaining wresltling show.
Get the DVD at Smart Mark Video
If you want until to watch the event spoiler free, then skip the rest of the post.
Going into it, I figured one of the regular teams would win like the Tomaselli's or Bashams (thus setting up a kick ass feud with Bad Breed once Ian returns from injury --- something which will probably still happen). So I wasn't all that surprised to see Vito & Sal Tomaselli win the titles back. And in Chicago, these guys are hugely popular. I works for the promotion. The big surprised were some of the teams that advanced, like Cheech & Cloudy in the finals. I admit, these guys are entertaining but I'm a little confused on why they made it that far. And the whole run by Whitmer & Richards just seemed to set up a first round match for the TPI, which I find fun how the story was incorporated with their big singles tourny, but it could have happened early in the tourny.
Directly after the two day show, I came away entertained but a little disappointed. Maybe I expected a little more from this tournament. Maybe I was a little angry it didn't play out the way I thought it should. Maybe I was over thinking the whole thing and should just be content. I still suggest getting the DVD from Smart Mark Video when it's released. You could do a lot worse for indy actions and as I said before, it is an entertaining wresltling show.
Get the DVD at Smart Mark Video
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