So this Santa’s Elf PEZ dispenser may look like it’s full of holiday cheer, but I don’t care how much you want a piece of candy. It absolutely can’t be a good idea to push around anything that bears such an uncanny resemblance to Martin Scorsese.

Test your knowledge of this year’s crop of movies by competing in The Juggernaut during December’s special year-end Movie Mania trivia contest. WorldOfPop.com has teamed up with Vh1.com/Movies to bring you a special batch of the toughest, most mind-blowing movie trivia questions we’ve ever featured! Our big winner will be treated to a very cool prize pack courtesy of Vh1!

If you haven’t had a chance to play The Juggernaut yet, here’s how it works: every single day, you will be presented with one super-hard brainteaser. You’ll be challenged to identify obscure dialogue from a movie one day, then filling out a crossword puzzle the next. No matter what kind of question you are presented with, one thing remains the same — the faster you are able to answer the question, the more points you’ll accumulate! And then, at month’s end, one winner will be crowned champion of The Juggernaut!

Think you’ve got what it takes? Bring it!

One last thing. If you plan on conquering The Juggernaut in December, now’s probably a good time to begin brushing up on your movie trivia. With that in mind, take a spin over to Vh1.com/Movies today for a refresher course in all things cinematic. Good luck!

Hey everyone, it’s Kyle from APS2.0 here. Been busy with vet school applications, but there’s nothing like the holiday season to force me out of the woodwork. Actually, it’s been difficult to hold on to this post as long as I have, I started listening to Christmas music October 1st!

‘Tis the season for a Top 10 Christmas Movies list, Eric Melin-style.

(Please note: you may look as hard as you can, but you will not find A Christmas Story anywhere on this list. With apologies to Fragilay, I truly cannot stand that movie! As a Christmas nut, I have tried and tried and tried to like it, but I just can’t. TBS is my archnemesis come Christmas Eve.)

Without further ado…

1. It’s a Wonderful Life
Such an obvious #1, so let’s get it out of the way quickly. It’s the quintessential Christmas flick, what more can anyone really say?

2. Home Alone
If I wouldn’t feel totally guilty about bumping It’s a Wonderful Life, this would truly be my #1. I’ve watched it 3 times this month already, it never gets old! If this movie didn’t make you want to sled down your stairs and out your front door, you’re dead inside.

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I love Christmas! Best time of the year for me. I try to ignore the commercialism and focus on the traditions. I’ll admit that a few traditions include some of the old television specials: Charlie Brown and the spindly tree, Ralphy and his Red Rider, and of course Heat Miser.

But I remeber the two worst Christmas “Specials” ever. One was A Kenny Loggins Christmas, (I was out of town, staying at a family member’s house… and had no choice… but to suffer.) and the other was a Star Wars special in which Chewbacca was trying to get home for the holidays. I would never have picture Wookies being monotheistic, let alone Christians?

Can you come up with the worst TV special, gift, gimmick, or other, as they pertain to Christmas? Don’t even say the Chia Pet because that’s a given.

Eric and J.D. from Westerburg High and Scene-Stealers check in with another on-camera movie review with clips from the film. Below is Eric’s print review as well. Enjoy!

(Note: This review is of the 3-D IMAX version of “Beowulf,” which is not showing at all theaters. Check your local listings for details.)

It is oddly appropriate that the oldest surviving epic poem in the English language is the inspiration for the absolute newest in motion picture technology. Director Robert Zemeckis has chosen to tell the centuries-old tale of Beowulf, the original larger-than-life Anglo-Saxon hero, by using equally larger-than-life cinematic technique. Read the rest of this entry »

Eric and J.D. (from Westerburg High and Scene-Stealers) saw the number one movie at the box office this past weekend, and this is what they had to say about it. Visit the Scene-Stealers YouTube page for more video fun from 2/3 of Westerburg High. And, here’s a special Halloween-related Top 10 list from Eric:

Eric’s Top 10 Overlooked Scary Movies

Every Halloween, video stores are bombarded with the same question:

“Do you know any good horror movies I haven’t seen yet?”

Believe me, I know– I used to work at one. Unfortunately, most of the people that are looking for a new scary movie to rent stick with the tried-and-tired franchises like “Friday the 13th,” “Halloween,” “Children of the Corn,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” etc. and have very little or no adventurous bones in their bodies. For them, a scary movie has a lot of gore and a high body count. For me, anything that creeps me out and keeps me there for two hours is a scary movie. The 10 movies on this list do just that. You may have heard of some or all or none of them, but these are 10 scary films that I think are too often overlooked. When you go to the rental store this weekend, try one of these. Enjoy!

1. Sisters (1973)

A reporter believes she’s seen a hot young actress (Margot Kidder) commit a murder (“Rear Window” anyone?), but there are more surprises in store when it is discovered there are separated Siamese twins involved. Brian De Palma is at his crazy best in this disturbing bloodbath with one of the most terrifying murder sequences (in split screen, no less!) ever. A showy camera zoom into an eye brings on some insane hallucinogenic asylum thrills, and Bernard Herrmann’s horn and synthesizer score keeps the trashy story in check.

2. Martin (1978)

A young man descended from East European immigrants in a crumbling steel town named Martin is so certain that he’s a vampire that he subdues women, slashes them with razor blades, and drinks their blood. George Romero shot this one, like always, on a shoestring budge—which makes Tom Savini’s bloody SFX all the more convincing. What’s really creepy, though, is the sense of inevitability Martin feels about his calling. Romero slips in his usual amount of social criticism as well. When things get tough, Martin reaches out to a local radio talk show and becomes a minor celebrity. “Martin” is a chilling and surprising vampire flick with more depth than a million “30 Days of Night”s combined.

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Eric from Westerburg High and Scene-Stealers here again with another Top 10 for you to argue about! This summer was heavier in sequels than any in recent memory— “Pirates 3,” “Spider-Man 3,” “Fantastic Four 2,” “The Hills Have Eyes 2” (again), “Shrek 3,” “Die Hard 4,” “Rush Hour 3,” “Bourne 3,” “Harry Potter 5,” “28 Weeks Later,” “Daddy Day Camp,” “Evan Almighty,” and more. In addition, most of them were major letdowns. It’s hard to capture the magic twice, and even harder to improve on the original. These ten movies buck the trend, and somehow managed to not only eclipse the original film, but also kick ass on their own. Be sure to check back for J.D.’s list next Tuesday at Scene-Stealers, but for now, please enjoy my list of the Top 10 Best Sequels.

1. The Godfather Part II (1974)

The best sequel of all-time is both a prequel and sequel to Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 movie “The Godfather.” This time, Coppola gives the saga historical perspective by interweaving the story of a young Vito Corleone’s rise to power (with an Oscar-winning turn by Robert DeNiro) while paralleling his son’s frightening ascension. Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone is one of the most cold-blooded bastards ever, and the final moments of the film have come to define what we know of the modern mob movie— a grim reminder that family doesn’t mean what it used to anymore. “The Godfather” and “The Godfather Part II” are the only movies in a series to both win Best Picture.

Michael Corleone: I know it was you Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!

2. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Like “The Godfather Part II,” this movie actually improved on a predecessor that is also considered a classic. Drawing partly from a plot in the original Mary Shelley novel, “Bride” also has lots of dark humor owing much to director James Whale. It was a risky move to have Boris Karloff (as the Monster) speak, but one that paid off greatly, as the character has even more sadness and depth. The set design, special effects, and cinematography are all top notch, and Whale’s sardonic wit results in some wonderfully funny and thinly-veiled homosexual undertones.

Dr. Pretorius: To a new world of gods and monsters!

3. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

This is how you make a superhero movie. Having gotten the back story out of the way in “Spider-Man,” director Sam Raimi forged ahead to create a perfectly balanced character drama and action movie. His technical prowess put the audience in the middle of swooping camera shots and amazingly staged fight scenes, never forgetting to keep the entire fable grounded emotionally. Raimi’s slapstick comedic touches are just the trick when the constant abuse heaped on Peter Parker gets to be too much, and the hospital scebe with Doc Ock’s tentacles fighting back is terrifying. On top of all that, “Spider-Man 2” becomes a touching fable about growing up.

Elevator Passenger: Cool Spidey outfit.
Spider-Man: Thanks.
Elevator Passenger: Where did you get it?
Spider-Man: I made it.
Elevator Passenger: Looks uncomfortable…
Spider-Man: Yeah, it’s kind of itchy……and it rides up in the crotch a little bit, too.

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I often wonder how different life would be if everyone could just bust out in song and dance anytime a situation occurred. Seriously think about it. Self-expression at it’s fullest, people running around dancing off tables and singing in the streets. Actually putting some feeling and meaning into the conversation, and really letting someone know how you feel. In high school my friend Natalie and I tried to make this happen by performing to all our friends. Not all the time, just when a unique state of being occurred. It fizzled after a few months, I guess it would have helped if we had a choreographer. I still keep the idea alive by singing/dancing to people now and they always seem responsive, so I’m encouraging you to try it. Next time that moment arises, bust a move. Or at least go watch a musical.

My Top Musicals

(it’s too hard to put them in any kind of order)

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

A Chorus Line

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