Source: FOX | Official X-Files | X-Files News | Written By: Dan Geer

So hey, any of you hear about some little sci-fi/horror TV series from the 90s called The X-Files returning to television next January? Have you always wanted to watch it (because it sounded so awesome, of course) but have never been able to? Well, now is probably the best time to dig into the show for the first time (or revisit, if you haven’t seen it in a while), as it is readily available to stream online, and starting now would really give most anyone ample time to complete the series in time for when the show returns next year.

In light of the new miniseries officially beginning production today, and the likelihood of many people streaming the show over the rest of this year into next, PopcornMonster.com has decided to put together a beginner’s guide to the show, addressing everything a newbie to the franchise should know about The X-Files in order to have a proper understanding of the series and be ready in time for the premiere of the new six-episode limited series. Read on to peruse an introduction to the story of The X-Files (no real spoilers there) its impact on television and pop culture, how to properly watch the series, and what to expect from the new miniseries event next year (and don’t worry I won’t attempt to lay out the alien mythology!).

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Written By: Brandon Engel

Dracula was published in 1897 and has since inspired numerous incarnations over all media formats, the most recent being last year’s Dracula Untold. Movies, shows, comic books and more have all had some version of Bram Stoker’s tale told and retold. Of all the movies, which there have been many, it is Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which is being rerun this month on the El Rey network (check here for availability) that really stays true to the author’s original story and spirit. Let’s take a look at the two and see how they match up.

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Written By: Brandon Engel

While a rom-com romp starring Sandra Bullock or Tom Selleck might be the obvious choice for a night in on Valentine’s Day, there’s something to be said for sitting through a gruesome bloodbath with your significant other. Vampires have an enduring allure, and there’s a mysterious charm in the way that zombies refuse to make eye contact. Even a chainsaw can be endearing in context. Stop me before I say too much; make it through one of these frightful flicks with the object of your affection and you’ll know you’ve found a keeper.

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Written By: Brandon Engel

The United States of America has proved itself excellent at quite a few things, but one expertise that this fine nation has taken from a rude practice into a precise science is the concept of marketing and the upcoming holiday season is the perfect evidence of said mastery. The day after Thanksgiving, or Black Friday as it is colloquially known, is the official beginning of the Christmas/Holiday season and while the ideal of the holiday season involves good cheer, charity, and thankfulness, those qualities generally fade away amidst the maelstrom of bargain hunters prepared to draw blood for their favorite brands. Yet, despite the fact that the holiday season may or may not have been hijacked by consumerism, it has never faltered as a good reason to spend some quality time with one’s family. While most of the country may look at this upcoming season through White Christmas-inspired rose-colored glasses, there is a still a minority of those rebellious tradition-breakers who seek to celebrate the holidays in their own way and in that vein of thought, here’s a list of some of the best movies to watch on Black Friday for those with a slightly darker disposition.

Spoiler alert: There is no Santa Claus.

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Written By: Brandon Engel

John Carpenter is a popular American film director best known for horror and science fiction movies. In a career that has spanned more than four decades, Carpenter has amassed a large body of work. He is not simply a director of horror films, but a successful filmmaker who has both written and directed action and science fiction films as well as horror. His best known and appreciated films include Halloween, The Thing, Escape From New York, Starman and They Live, starring professional wrestler Roddy Piper.

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Written By: Dan Geer

The original Star Wars films are probably the most influential movies in the history of film-making, and are definitely the most referenced in pop culture. They have formed an incredibly relatable modern myth that movie-goers have fervently latched onto for over 30 years. Since the original film’s conception in 1977, a franchise was created that quickly became a “force” to be reckoned with, through its various popular sequels/prequels, animated series, TV movies, books and countless amounts of collectables. To this day, Star Wars is an unstoppable marketing machine, having birthed into existence the biggest, most passionate fan base on the planet when it comes to movies, and showing absolutely no sign of fading away. Like it or not, Star Wars is forever.

So it goes without saying that, ever since Star Wars creator George Lucas officially announced the release of all all six flims in one Blu-ray Set last year at the Star Wars: Celebration V convention in Orlando, FL, it became the most anticipated Blu-ray box set from that point on – right up to its release a little over a week ago on September 16th (Sept. 12th in the UK). In its first week of release, one million sets were sold around the world, raking in $84 million dollars – making it the bestselling catalog Blu-ray set of all time.

And yet, along with the release of the new set has come a vicious swarm of controversy. Fans are all over the map with this one, varying from embracing all the great special features and accepting the new changes made to the films, to flat out rejecting all of it simply because the original theatrical cuts of the original trilogy are not included. Because of all the insane debating and nitpicking going on over the set, I felt compelled to give my own take on it – after having already viewed what’s on the box set, unlike many who immediately dismissed it without even giving it a fair chance. I can only offer my reasoning behind why I chose to purchase the set, and from there the reader can evaluate (or reevaluate) whether or not this is a set worth owning. Sure, it is not really that important in the grand scheme of things. But, this is a movie website after all, and it’s Star Wars, so the following commentary on this set was pretty much inevitable.

You ready? Let’s get geeked…

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