Movie Review: Pigs (1972)

Pigs. Yes, the movie is called Pigs. Sure, it has gone by many names over the years, from The 13th Pig to Menu for Murder, to Daddy’s Deadly Darling, to Love Exorcism. It is one of those movies where when mentioned to mainstream loving friends will be received with a cocked eyebrow and a clueless stare. Rest assured, it is their loss for not knowing it and another notch in your belt for seeking out and watching obscure oddities. Yes, Pigs can and should be considered an obscure oddity. It is also another winning release from Vinegar Syndrome, plus it has some pretty snazzy reversible cover art by Chris at Quiltface Studios.

Movie Review: The Invitation

I enjoy a well crafted blockbuster just as much as the next guy, however, I think I get more excited for movies like this. You know, the bigger the budget eats, the more it has to play to a wide audience, thus compromising the artistic integrity. No, this is not always true, but when it comes to independently produced features, there tends to be more creative control and a willingness to do things a little differently. That brings us to The Invitation, a wonderfully stylized thriller that takes its time to truly cut loose, it moves its players carefully around the board, and then flips it over, letting the pieces fall where they may.

Movie Review: Green Room

The Green Room hit theaters last week and seems to have barely made a dent when compared to the likes of The Jungle Book and Batman v Superman. While I quite like both of those films, Green Room deserves some of the attention. The movie is an intense blast of tense suspense as we watch our protagonists battle for survival. It is a nail biting sort of film that keeps you involved from the first frame all the way to the end, with plenty of crazy moments to keep you glued to the screen. Now, I get the sad feeling it is not going to be in theaters for very long, so I would recommend you get out there and see it sooner rather than later.

Movie Review: The Revenant (2015)

Going in to seeing The Revenant, I found it hard to ignore some facts regarding the production. It is not that I was seeking this information, but when you travel in certain circles, it becomes,a bit difficult to completely avoid it. With regards to this film, much has been made of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu shooting it entirely with natural light, leading to some days only having twenty minutes of shooting time. The there is Leonardo Dicaprio who did much of his own work, going through the rigors of the elements and having some issue with the raw liver. Not that this should have an impact on the movie itself, but sometimes it can color an opinion.

Webisode Review: Tales of Light and Dark - "Truth, Justice, and the American Way"

Tales of Light and Dark is a new web series created by writer/director Glen Baisley. The series is chugging along with the release of episode 3, the first of a three part arc. The series is growing by leaps and bounds, getting more and more ambitious as it has quickly moved from it's initial 10 minute length and moving onto stories that are 20 and 30-minutes in length. This is a good thing as they are quick watches and with multiple parts, you can have bigger stories. If you happen to run into Mr. Baisley out somewhere shooting or at an event like the Hudson Horror Show, be sure to say hi and have a chat about low-budget film making! Just make sure you have the time!

Movie Review: Devil (2010)

M. Night Shyamalan has had an interesting career. He exploded onto the scene with The Sixth Sense, which drew comparisons to Hitchcock. However, that was followed with a couple films meeting mixed reactions before a downward spiral set in that continued through the likes of The Village and Lady in the Water, right through his first time working with someone else's material with The Last Airbender, which proved to be an terribly frustrating experience. Now we have Devil, which is a new angle of Shyamalan material, a move for the better in my book.

Movie Review: Birth

I had no idea what to think going into the movie. The trailers made out to be another supernatural thriller featuring another in a long line of creepy kids. But it turned out to be much, much less than that. It actually turned out to be the worst film I have seen in a long, long time. It was dull, stupid, pointless, it makes The Cat in the Hat (my pick for worst of 2003) look like Citizen Kane. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Movie Review: Godsend

Anti-Cloning Propaganda, a Movie Review
Godsend (d. Nick Hamm, s. Greg Kinnear, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Robert DeNiro, Cameron Bright)
This is the latest in a long line of suspense thrillers to feature a creepy kid. This one, sadly, is not terribly effective. It is plagued by weak acting, cheap jump-scares, and not enough emotion. But, I guess you could say that it does succeed as a film espousing the inherent danger and unpredictability of human cloning in a modern setting.