Once upon a time, Tim Burton used to make nothing but must-see films. One of his absolute best, the supernatural comedy Beetlejuice from 1988, turns 35 on March 30th. Imaginative, unique, funny, engaging, well crafted, and nicely performed, it’s about as flawless a film as exists.
Read MoreFire in the Sky (1993) #RetroReview
Though most of Robert Lieberman’s Fire in the Sky is a fine sci-fi mystery, competently crafted if a little mundane, it contains about fifteen minutes of pure undiluted nightmare fuel that justifies a watch. Based on an allegedly true story, Tracy Tormé, who has written for a slew of fan-favorite sci-fi TV shows, took some liberties with Travis Walton’s source account in his script. From what I understand, this was an improvement. In any case, the realization of Tormé’s vision for that particular sequence is absolutely fantastic.
Read MoreCB4 (1993) #RetroReview
Tamra Davis’ hip-hop satire and early Chris Rock vehicle CB4 made its theatrical debut on March 12th, 1993. I decided to take a look back at the film’s 30th anniversary. Care to join me?
Read More10 to Midnight (1983) #RetroReview
Does the idea of Charlie Bronson in a morally ambiguous pseudo-slasher film sound appealing to you? If so, join me in celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of J. Lee Thompson’s 10 to Midnight. Executive produced by legendary B movie figures Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus through their beloved Cannon Films, the film pits Bronson against a Richard Speck-esque serial killer in an unapologetically sleazy and gritty Los Angeles. It was released in theaters on March 11, 1983.
Read MoreThrust (2022)
I first became aware of low-budget filmmaker Victor Bonacore when he released Diary of a Deadbeat: The Story of Jim VanBebber back in 2015. Being a huge fan of VanBebber’s work, I came away thoroughly impressed with Bonacore’s warts and all documentary about the famously volatile western Ohio native. So, when I saw that Bonacore was releasing his first feature-length narrative film, I knew I had to see it.
Read MoreInfinity Pool (2023)
Get ready for the White Lotus on psychedelics. Infinity Pool, disturbing and erotic, is a stylized bloody satire both trippy and mesmerizing. This film, as well as Possessor, has established Brandon Cronenberg as the most exciting young Writer-director in science fiction and horror.
Read MoreWolf Hollow (2023)
A good werewolf film is hard to come by these days. While their bloodsucking brethren, vampires, have enjoyed a long cinematic life, it generally seems to be accepted that werewolf films peaked in 1981 with the release of John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London and Joe Dante’s The Howling, both of which are considered to be the two best werewolf films of all time. While one cannot deny the romantic allure and elegance of a good vampire film, sometimes it’s fun to just sit back and enjoy the pure carnage that a werewolf film can bring to the table.
Read MoreThe Outwaters (2022)
Right off the bat, I need to state that The Outwaters won’t be to everyone’s taste. There is about a thirty-minute stretch of the film’s 110-ish-minute runtime that is probably best described as experimental. That chunk combined with the found footage aesthetic and the script’s reluctance to provide concrete answers makes for an atypical horror experience.
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