Stand-up special or biography? As it turns out it was a little of both. Before this DVD I did not know who Paul Rodriguez was; now I am proud to say I’m a bit of a fan. His stand-up, Just for the Record, gave an informative insight into his rise from migrant worker to professional comedian. He exudes an air confidence from beginning to end, but more than that, he breathes soul into his act with stories that make you feel something within yourself and that is something I have not felt from a comedy special in a very long time.

Rodriguez has been a fixture on the comedy circuit for years, getting his start at “The Comedy Store” in West Hollywood, where such notables as Richard Pryor and Robin Williams performed regular sets. Rodriguez first gained notice on the ABC television series, A.K.A. Pablo. Despite the show’s cancellation after only seven episodes, Rodriguez continued to work regularly with guest star roles on Golden Girls, as well as a yearly long stint as the host of The Newlywed Game.

There are many kinds of horror films. Today's trend appears to go the route of graphic blood and guts. It's what we call torture Porn. You know the kind I'm talking about. The Saw and Hostel franchises best illustrate that kind of sub genre. The more classic horror films often feature a monster or creature of some kind. The best of these portray the monster not as evil, but terribly misused or misunderstood. These films have been with us since James Whale and Boris Karloff delivered Frankenstein to our collective consciousness. Then there's the good vs. evil fight that was best brought out in The Exorcist. But perhaps the most frightening films of all come from none of these extremes of violence or supernatural forces. The most frightening circumstances come from those things which are most realistic. The kind of situations and events that we know could actually happen to us. Open Water was a very effective film in that respect. There's an almost instinctual fear of sharks, helped along no doubt by a certain Mr. Spielberg. Most of us can relate to being in the ocean with a killing machine that's as real as the very air we breathe. Enter the misleadingly titled 247°F.

The film starts pretty much according to the standard formula. Four young adults are heading to an isolated cabin on a lake for a before-season getaway. There's the standard drug and alcohol breakout and the expected pairing off for a romp in the bed. There's the mysterious caretaker, and before long our pre-programmed minds are expecting someone or something to deliver the traditional slice-and-dice routine. But that's where 247°F deviates from the norm.

"I have a surprise for you."

"Boo." Don't be scared, unless you happen to be a delivery guy from UPS or Fed Ex. It's just me. I'm Baby, and I'm the German Shepherd/Chow that runs security here at Upcomingdiscs. It's been a while since Gino let me in the theater to review a movie. Something about speaker wires not being chew toys. Anyway...I don't want to talk about that right now. What I do want to talk about is a movie called Vampire Dog, and this doggie is more of a pain in the neck than a choker collar, and that spells G A G.