Movie Review: Deathdream (aka Dead of Night)

Well before he was making mainstream films like Porky’s and Rhinestone, and way before he directed the Christmas bomb that became a Christmas classic (A Christmas Story), Bob Clark was creating horror movies. It is hard to picture, but it’s true. He made his debut in 1972 with the (in my opinion) overrated Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things (I know I have friends who love it, believe me, I’ve tried). He would peak in 1974 with the classic Black Christmas. However, earlier in 1974, he released another horror movie that, despite it’s alluring title, tells a tale that could easily fly under the radar. The movie is called Deathdream (aka Dead of Night, which is the title on the actual transfer presented here). I had seen pieces of it before, but this is the first time I have seen it in its entirety. The best thing to start with is to say: See this movie.

Movie Review: Brightburn

When I first saw the trailer for Brightburn, I have to admit to being a little confused. On one hand, it certainly looked intriguing, but on the other hand, I could not help but be reminded of the origin of Superman. It is a story everybody knows, I feel that Superman’s origin is like the tale of Frankenstein’s Monster at this point, everyone is born knowing it. There is no need to tell and retell the story time and time again, there is nothing new you can bring to the table. It is possible to tell a story about Superman without starting with his origin. I have felt that there are lots of origin stories that can be skipped. The worthwhile origins are those like in the Unbreakable-verse, which i new and fresh (not commenting on whether you like it or not, just that it is new), or in the case of Brightburn, where an element gets turned on its ear and makes the familiar new again.

Movie Review: The Dead Don't Die (2019)

The Dead Don’t Die is a movie that came to my attention quite literally out of nowhere. I seem to recall hearing something about a movie being made locally, to me, and it turns out it was this. I do not know precisely where, but the locations seem vaguely familiar to me. I was also clued in by the majority of the audience at my screening were zombie extras in the film. In any case, the movie itself is a dry-witted, masterpiece. I absolutely loved the simplicity of everything.

Movie Review: Hellboy (2019)

So, Hellboy, a movie that caused a stir among the masses when it was announced, or rather, that subset of the masses that care about such things as genre and comic book movies, and even then, a further subset of the masses that cares about remakes and reboots. It is a stir that has lasted right up to and through the movies release this weekend. Fortunately, I am not a part of that subset. I am a part of the movie loving public that likes to see movies prove their worth on their own terms, and not have to fight off non-existent foes before their time. With that said, I quite enjoyed this new interpretation of the source, it felt true in spirit but does not find itself beholden to what came before, meaning it has a distinctly different flavor than Guillermo del Toro’s vision. This is a good one.

Movie Review: Pet Sematary (2019)

When it was announced that a remake of Pet Sematary was in the works, it was met with a mixture of interest and derision. For my tastes, I like the 1989 version, but cannot say I have any particular love for it, so I clearly fell on the interested side. On the other side of the coin, I know someone who loves the original, and while interested, was certainly approaching it with a good deal more skepticism than I. Now that it is here, it is open season for everyone to compare the two, as well as its value as another Stephen King adaptation. I cannot comment on the last bit as I have not read the book, which is amazing considering how much I love King and how much of his older output I’ve read.

Movie Review: Venom (2018)

It has been a long time since I have really followed Venom in the comics. That really goes for pretty much all comic books, these days I get my superheroes on the big screen rather than the printed page. With that said, there is likely a good portion of you out there that have now discounted anything that I have to say about a Venom movie. So be it. Even without an extensive knowledge, I still have some thoughts of this as a movie, with, perhaps, a bit of what I do know tossed in. Now, would it surprise you to know that I actually liked the movie? Granted, it could be because my expectations were on the low side, or it may be that I don’t expect greatness from every movie.

Movie Music: Halloween - "The Shape Returns"

Any new take on a classic is usually met with a cacophony of derision. It’s true, most of them do fail to live up to expectations. I also find that many just can’t in no matter what, before they get made people clamor for something new, when that happens they wail for something familiar, or vice versa. In any case, I am trying not to get overly excited for this new Halloween, but I do like what I have seen so far. Now, I can add what I hear to the list, as this first unveiled track for the new film is pretty great.

Movie Review: Dr. Butcher, M.D. (aka Zombie Holocaust)

What is it about Italian genre film making of the 70’s and 80’s that makes it so attractive? There is just something about those movies that I find irresistible. Yes, they run the gamut in terms of quality from all-time classics to utterly atrocious, but they have a distinct look and feel to them. They also seemed to have cornered the market on ripping off other movies, from blatant remakes to unofficial sequels, whose connection to their predecessors is tenuous at best. Then there are the times where they rip themselves off. There are the likes of Zombi 2 (made as a sequel to Dawn of the Dead), Alien 2: On Earth (somehow this is supposed to be connected to Alien), and Star Crash (a clear attempt to cash in on Star Wars), then you have Dr. Butcher, MD, aka Zombie Holocaust.

Movie Review: Revenge (2018)

Rape/Revenge movies have a long and grimy tradition in the cinema world. These movies don’t glorify the prior act, while putting the latter on a pedestal. This is the way it should be, rape is in no way shape or form a defensible act; however, in the form of a rape/revenge movie it can become quite exhilarating to watch the woman overcome and have her revenge on her attackers, thus destroying the male gaze. The films in this genre can be as grimy as they come, like House on the Edge of the Park and I Spit on Your Grave, they can be unsettlingly artistic like Ms. 45 and Irreversible, they can even be popular mainstream films like Death Wish and Kill Bill, Vol. 1. Of late, there have not been all that many that I have been aware of. Now, I have Revenge to fill that hole.

Critical Capsule: Slender Man (2018)

Using Moviepass of late has turned into a sad game of Whack-A-Mole. I had intended to see The BlackkKlansman, but since those showtimes disappeared from the app, I turned towards the next available film. I was sent down the rabbit hole of Slender Man. I guess it should be said that I never cared about Slender Man, never looked into the modern viral phenomenon that gave birth to the guy, I also feel like the golden time for a movie is long since passed. In any case, I went to the movie and swear I found a cure for insomnia.

Slender Man crawls at a snail’s pace, relies on jump scares, and aside from a couple of neat camera tricks feels like a crappy version of The Ring mixed with a touch of Sinister. I never felt interested in the creature or the characters, the characters never really felt genuine. I think I would have been better served reading on the spawning of modern legend. The movie has nothing to say and gives the characters very little to do other than go through the motions of a mainstream, teen-targeted horror film. I would love to see more theatrical horror films let go and not be afraid af getting truly bizarre and scary. I think that might be asking too much. Slender Man is a hard pass.

Movie Review: The Black Hole (1979)

Recently, I decided to revisit a movie I remember loving as a child. I was curious to see how it held up, if it held up, and if my opinion of it has changed in the intervening years. The movie is none other than Disney’s 1979 science fiction epic, The Black Hole. Burned into my memory since my youth are the robots, the floating VINCENT, the malevolent Maximilian, the swirling of the black hole, and, of course, that rolling, flaming meteor that threatened to eliminate our intrepid heroes as we steamed towards the climax. Now, I have seen the film a few times over the years, but I cannot recall the last time i saw it. I was also sad to discover that I did not have it in my collection (thankful for the local library).

Critical Capsule: Blumhouse's Truth or Dare?

Sometimes you hear bad things about a movie, but you have to see it for yourself. That is what happened in the case of Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare? It is a movie that looked to be all right while also feeling familiar in a Final Destination sort of way. The movie was a big waste of time. Soulless, heartless, and pointless, a product designed to separate you from your money. It centered on a group of unlikable college kids who get suckered into a possessed game of truth or dare that doesn’t end until everyone is dead. Best part had to be the fart face the people make when under the influence of the game. It really was annoying he way it played out, and then that ending…. Can’t get much worse. Funny thing, I think the idea has promise, sadly, this was made as a product, not a movie.

Critical Capsule: Hellraiser - Judgment

The Hellraiser franchise has never been a great. I love the first two, I like the third and fourth, but after that, well, the less said the better. So, the idea of a new film, one without Doug Bradley, would seem like a fool’s errand. Surprisingly, I quite liked Hellraiser: Judgment. Writer/director Gary Tunnicliffe brought some interesting concepts to the film and has made the first genuinely interesting Pinhead film in years. There are some nice gore effects and I would have liked to have seen some of the ideas (like the Auditor and Surgeon Cenobites) expanded on in a longer film. On the other hand, I felt it fell into the same traps as many of the DTV entries where it is just some detectives tumbling into the Hellraiser world rather than being more about that world. Feels too much like two different movies shuffled together. Still, I have no problem recommending this.

Screening Report: Uncle Sam at Alamo Drafthouse, Yonkers (4/17/18) w/ Bill Lustig

It must have been a year or so ago that I attended a screening at the Alamo, in Yonkers, that was hosted by Bill Lustig. I forget what movie it was, but I want to say Vigilante or Maniac Cop 2. Wait a minute, you don’t know who Bill Lustig is? For shame. He is a director and producer who has been in and around the industry for decades, and he is responsible for bringing us such classics as Maniac and Maniac Cop. Well, in any case, after the screening, there was some discussion about any possible interest in seeing his last directed film, Uncle Sam. I was the first one to say that I would be there. It is not that it is a great movie, but it is a fun one that I thought would be fun to see with an audience. Now, here we are basking in the afterglow of a screening of said movie.

Critical Capsule: The Strangers - Prey at Night

The Strangers was a scary and effective horror film that had an unsettling realism about it. Now, we have the sequel that I don’t think anyone was really asking for, bearing the subtitle Prey at Night. The best thing I can say about this movie is that it has some well shot sequences. The movie itself seemed intent on doing nothing like the first one, thus defeating the purpose. Rather than terrifying the characters, it was more about terrifying the audience with unearned jump scares. On one level, I can sort of enjoy this, but then I get distracted by the terrible choices made by those behind the camera. It is as if they are seeking to undermine the elements that made the first so effective. In many ways I hated this movie.

Movie Review: A Quiet Place (2018)

It seems like every year has that one genre film that breaks out and gets on the hype train. In many cases, the hype is deserving. Even though hype has a way of leading to backlash, i have found the films to get the positive hype to be more than deserving. One thing that I am liking is that in recent year the films are retaining the quality and are skewing closer to mainstream success. I love the idea of more people discovering genre films and letting the sickness spread. In case you didn’t know, the movies I am referring to are It Follows, The Babadook, The Witch, Get Out, and now we have A Quiet Place. I make no secret that I love them all.

Movie Review: Mayhem (2017)

On one hand, Mayhem is just the kind of movie that I should love. On the other hand, Mayhem is just the kind of movie that I should hate. With that said, I guess it makes some sort of sense that I am somewhere in the middle with regards to how I feel about it. There is about as much to like about it as there is to dislike. In some ways I wish this was a short film, as that is one of the problems, it feels stretched, straining to be a feature length feature film. There is nothing worse than padding, right? Stop saying these meaningless words and get to the point Just get to the action already. Get on with it. Right?

Movie Review: Winchester

Being a horror fan, i sometimes feel obligated to get out and support horror movies in the theater. This means i often sit through awful mainstream dreck without an ounce of artistry to its money sucking soul. Of course, I do like being surprised by mainstream horror, movies like The Conjuring and Insidious did just that. So, when i first saw the trailer for Winchester, I thought I was in for that rare mainstream treat. The film, based on the trailer, had an interesting look, an interesting premise, plus the added bonus of Helen Mirren. Then I started hearing that it was no good, slow and boring and I almost took a pass on it, but faced with sold out Black Panther screenings, it looked like a good alternative to me, so I gave it a shot.

Movie Review: Leatherface (2017)

Is there a movie series with as convoluted a timeline as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? I am not sure there is. You have the original film, two sequels that are not directly connected to the original, a fourth that is just sort of there, a remake, a prequel to the remake, a direct sequel to the original, and now this, a supposed prequel to the original. For the most part, it is probably better not to think of any supposed connection between them, especially when it comes to this movie. Coming into my viewing, I had heard everything from it being pretty good to avoid it like the plague. Now, clearly being me, I was no going to pass this movie up. The only question that really remained was going to be what my reaction was.

Movie Review: Christmas Evil

As the Christmas season rolls around each year, there are a few certain films that always get watched. I always visit seasonal classics such as Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Elf, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Then there are the action regulars, most notably Die Hard, Die Hard 2: Die Harder, and Lethal Weapon. Those are all well and good, but being a horror movie fan, there are the darker holiday films that need to have some time spent with them, this includes the likes of Black Christmas, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Krampus, and Red Christmas. In recent years a new film has come to my attention and has quickly risen through the ranks, Christmas Evil.