Author: Kevin A. Ranson

Film Critic & Horror Writer. Heeding a macabre calling listening to “Mother Ghost Nursery Rhymes” in kindergarten, Kevin A. Ranson wrote in grade school and filled countless notebooks with story ideas while touring the Mediterranean in the US Navy. Author of The Spooky Chronicles, the thriller series The Matriarch Vampires, and critic for MovieCrypt.com as host Grim D. Reaper #grmdrpr. Sith master of Google-Fu, Bing-Jitsu, and buttered toast (you want some toast?)

The Return of the Crystal Lich!

On By Kevin A. RansonIn CreativityLeave a comment

Friends and fans of MovieCrypt.com may remember the Crystal Lich long before Grim D. Reaper took over hosting duties. After all, MovieCrypt.com was originally an AOL Hometown page called “The Crypt of the Crystal Lich” back in 1997 (gods, I’m old.)

In an effort to better market my online creative works, my homepage of ThinkingSkull.com has gotten an overhaul, and the mystical blue-eyed Crystal Lich has returned to represent. The “Blog” option at the top will take you to all the old content links and to the blog itself while the front page and rest of the site has been rededicated to the cause.

What is it they say? “Laziness is the mother of reinvention?”

Houston, Texas or Jacksonville, Florida?

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Conspiracies, SatireLeave a comment

I’ve been in the Houston area for two weeks. I’ve noticed a few differences between it and Jacksonville.

  • Jack in the Box. They serve breakfast all day long. Can you hear me now, McDonalds?
  • Fry’s Electronics. Best Buy, Radio Shack, and HH Gregg dumped into a Costco building with Walmart prices (not to mention it looks like the International Space Station inside. Seriously.)
  • More comics stores AND more game stores.
  • It’s cooler. The temperature, I mean. Just a little bit.
  • They take hurricanes seriously. Stop being apathetic, Jacksonville.
  • Guns. Lots of ’em.
  • A renaissance fair that isn’t over a hundred miles away. And it runs for eight weekends!
  • My girlfriend lives in the Houston area. Schwing!
  • I ALSO live here now! What can I say? I’m biased.

Goodbye, Florida… Hello, Texas!

On By Kevin A. RansonIn ExistentialismLeave a comment

The secret’s out and the move is on. After the US Navy dropped me off in Jacksonville, Florida back in 1997, the Sunshine State has been my home. Now, forces of nature are pulling me away from the East Coast with whisperings of “Go West, young man!”

I’m going to miss the old gang of friends and the old job’s co-workers, but there are new opportunities opening to me and the timing is perfect. For the first time in my life, I’ll be a permanent resident of another time zone (one shared by my only brother who’ll still be over a thousand miles away) and it’ll no longer be cost effective to drive home to West Virginia for the holidays. But I couldn’t be more excited; by the first of next month, this April Fool will begin anew in the Lone Star state!

Narcissists Are Us!

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Creativity, Existentialism, PhysicalityLeave a comment

In an article I was directed to recently online, it was postulated that flaws are what make us beautiful and that we should embrace them, viewing ourselves as “a work of art.” Agreed, but I think it’s a little more than just looks that are involved.

I don’t think it’s “beauty” we’re all focused on as much as attention in general; appearance is just the first thing most people notice. Everyone wants to be special (just like everyone else) and everyone assumes they are secretly compared to everyone else because, frankly, we do. There are very few of us who wouldn’t like to lose a pound or two, wish our complexion was different, think that something is too big or too small, or compare ourselves with someone we’d rather be like that we perceive as better.

I think the real secret is to simply accept who you are to create and maintain a positive self image. It’s bloody hard for others to accept you for who you and how you look when you can’t accept yourself. Wearing self-confidence always looks good, is always attractive, and is always in style.

Why Did You Become a Movie Critic?

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Creativity, Existentialism, HollywoodLeave a comment

I was recently interviewed by a film student at blah, blah, blah about being a film ciritic. Here were the questions and my answers for those so inclined to partake.

Why did you become a movie critic? I like to watch a lot of movies. When people found this out, they would ask for my opinion. After a while it seemed necessary to form a specific opinion since I kept getting asked about the same films over and over, so posting them online as my first web page seemed like a no-brainer.

Do you enjoy being a movie critic? What are the best things about the job? I haven’t lost my love of movies, but being more directly involved as a critic, I’ve learned the difference between the artistic and business sides of movie making. Helping others to find the kind of films they want to spend their money on is great, but getting advanced copies of new and upcoming films is wonderful perk, especially around awards time.

List some of your favorite movies from 2011 (so far). I thought that “The Green Hornet” was surprisingly effective as a buddy film masquerading as a super film, fun and full of action. “The Rite” was also a better film than I would have expected, especially since Sir Anthony Hopkins really isn’t the main character.

Continue reading “Why Did You Become a Movie Critic?” →

Building the Taj MaHAUL, Part III

On By Kevin A. RansonIn CreativityLeave a comment

Taj MaHAUL II PortableThe “Taj MaHAUL I” mobile con box has two key failings. First, neither bin is big enough to accommodate the three-foot long banner stands (which must be carried on top or separately.) Second, it is neither secure nor flexible enough to fly with should the need arise. It was clear to me that a new way to think this through was required, a self-contained design long enough for the stands, secure and flexible enough to travel, still portable to move about, and relatively inexpensive to create.

So now I am in the process of finishing the Taj MaHAUL II “portable.” As it turns out, Walmart sells a padded, tear-resistant golf club case travel bag (for around $35) that’s long enough for the banner stands (12 inches by 12 inches by 40 inches.) It also zips completely to secure with a single TSA lock to allow it through airport baggage claims. Besides the stands and banners, the inside is equipped with up to four multi-pocketed carry-on bags with crafting tools (scissors, tape, etc.) and non-electronic display parts. While there is an extension cord in the bag, I keep any electronics (netbook, speakers, iPad) in a laptop bag with me. Oh, and it’s a roller bag, too.

So far, the entire thing has managed to come in under 50 pounds fully loaded, which means if you fly Southwest like I do, that’s a free-flying second checked bag.

Building the Taj MaHAUL, Part II

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Creativity1 Comment

Taj MaHAUL ISomething I didn’t update here was when I completed my original “Taj MaHAUL.” With the ideas started in Part I of this idea, I needed something with storage, easy to break down and travel with, and easy to move in and out of a convention haul. Anyone who has been in marketing or had to travel with a display system knows what I’m talking about. In addition, I also needed an on-board crafting kit: scissors, tape, stapler, pens, paper, first aid kit, whatever.

The result is pictured here: the Taj MaHAUL I. Two medium sized and stackable plastic bins on a modified furniture mover with a removable handle. Inside is a series of smaller bins and bags with everything needed to set up a display. I’ve used it for a couple years now, and it has served me well (the bin is large enough to move a 20-inch LCD computer monitor if required.) The look on other presenters faces as I’ve easily brought this in, set everything up, and easily took everything away has been both amazing and hilarious, but it’s just the way I think.

Narcissists ‘R’ Us

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Creativity, Existentialism, Hollywood, SatireLeave a comment

Among my circle of friends, we decided to take a night asking ridiculous questions to one another and get some real answers. One of which was “describe everyone in the group with one word.” Imagine my surprise when everyone nodded upon the label “narcissist” levied upon myself.

After some thought, however, I realized they were right. Moreover, I also realized I didn’t have a problem with it, either. As someone who artistically creates massive amounts of content and presents to anyone who’ll pay attention, I crave the feedback (positive or negative) just to revel in the fact of my relevance. Don’t you?

Inspired by my own response to another blog, some argue that it’s a necessary step to artistic success. If you don’t already think you’re “the man,” why should anyone else think so? Put another way, who would you hire: the person who says “I’ll try my best to do what you want” or the one who claims “No problem… consider it done?”

One could argue that there is a difference between self-confidence and narcissism, but when it’s your name on the side of the truck or your image on a magazine cover, you’ve become a brand, a literal Mr. or Ms. Trademark. To cultivate that brand and leverage the resulting assets, it can become an obsession.

Are you on Twitter? Facebook? STILL on MySpace? Have a blog? A fan site? Go to conventions to present and just attend? Do you hang out with OTHER self-promoting, narcissistic creative types? You’re in good company, my friend (and everyone should have a friend like me.)

The Chinese are Coming? What’s the Big Whup?

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Conspiracies, Existentialism1 Comment

A video by “The Resident” this week threw out the following question:

Chinese are going to totes take down the US! And banks! Which may or may not be true (probs, though). My question is, who cares? What’s the big whup? Can’t someone else have their time on top without the US turning into a cowboy caricature again? This week, let’s talk about that.

It would be easy to say “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” One could also use the words “Red Dawn,” but that would sound paranoid. For your generation, let’s use an example you can relate to: moving back in with your parents.

You’re broke, you need a place to live, and your folks still have some cash. But to live under their roof, you have to follow their rules: what time you go to bed, when you can start making noise, financial expectations (rent? bills? food?), and generally calling every aspect of your former destructive lifestyle into question because you had to come crawling back for help. Do you really want that? To have another country (like China or the former British Empire) essentially tell you what you can and can’t do because you screwed everything up while on your own? And in this example, your children would also be subject to this, and so would theirs. How’s that for a big whup?