Stern Pinball, known for their Godzilla pinball machine, has just announced a Venom themed pinball machine. For those living under a couch cushion, the alien symbiotic lifeform Venom is a Spider-Man foe and the star of Venom (2018) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), wherein the said garbage disposal voice symbiote absorbs with investigative journalist Eddie Brock and eats criminals’ heads. While that may or may not be a bonus level on the pinball machine, it’s nice to see antiheroes get a little coin-operated love.
From the press release: “Set to debut at San Diego Comic-Con — running from July 19 to July 23 — the pinball machine features more than 20 characters from Venom‘s side of the Marvel universe, including Eddie Brock, Flash Thompson, Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker, Black Suit Spider-Man, Miles Morales, Riot, Agony, Lasher, Phage, Doppelganger, Venomized Hulk, Venomized Wolverine, and Venomized Captain America. The cabinet is adorned with hand-drawn comic style art by Zombie Yeti’s Jeremy Packer and features music by Mark Tremonti.”
FYI: You’re gonna need a LOT of quarters to own and play the Venom pinball machine. There are three separate editions: Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition, which cost $6,999.00, $9,699.00, and $12,999.00, respectively. Sayin’ bye-bye to my horribly underfunded 401k.
As such, I’m no good at pinball. Every time I play a pinball machine, I tilt. Then again, whenever I drink refreshing adult beverages, I tilt as well. So while we go to the San Diego Comic-Con to show off our pinball wizardry, here are a few up coming horror/sci-fi movies that may or may not had a budget about the same as a horribly underfunded 401k…
THE MOON / August 2, 2023 (Theaters/Korea), Release pending 2023 US (VOD)
“In 2030 the manned lunar exploration project has progressed considerably. Astronaut Hwang Seon-woo ends up stranded on the Moon alone in space beyond 384,000km due to an accident on the lunar surface, and Kim Jae-guk, the former head of the space center, must desperately try to save him.”
I liked this better when it was called The Martian (2015).
IMMORTAL SPECIES / September 21, 2023 (Thailand), US release pending 2023
“Chalawan, an herbal plant, is sent to Nava, a senior botanical student. Wishing to learn about the origin of this rare plant, he sets up a team of friends to travel through the jungles of the west where encounter a massive man-eating crocodile.”
I liked this better when it was called Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004).
PET SEMATARY: BLOODLINES / October 6, 2023 (Paramount+™)
“In 1969, a young Jud Crandall has dreams of leaving his hometown of Ludlow, Maine behind, but soon discovers sinister secrets buried within and is forced to confront a dark family history that will forever keep him connected to Ludlow. Banding together, Jud and his childhood friends must fight an ancient evil that has gripped Ludlow since its founding, and once unearthed has the power to destroy everything in its path.”
A prequel. Didn’t see that coming. When the original Pet Sematary came out (1983), I thought it’d be cool to be buried in that place and then come back super evil. With my luck, though, I’d probably come back super nice. And that just won’t do.
THE BECOMERS / Release pending 2023 (VOD)
“A body-snatching alien who comes to Earth, reconnects with its partner, and tries to find their way in modern America.”
Okay, weird. I like the body-snatching part, but finding their way in Modern America is something we’ve all been trying to do — and not with much success.
Drinkin' & Drive-in 