When was the last time you heard “I can’t wait to see that new William Hurt movie”? I’m fascinated by those performers who have had long, storied careers with lots of recognition, but who never really become what would be considered “stars”. William Hurt had a really strong run in the 1980’s, complete with three … Continue reading Altered States (1980)
In my review of Friday the 13th, Part III, I only briefly touch on the second wave of 3-D movies, which really got going in 1981, and started slowing back to normal in the spring of 1983. During this short period, there were three notable horror sequels that made use of the gimmick. The first … Continue reading Jaws 3-D (1983)
Welcome to M20, a personal recollection of the most important albums of my life, starting in 1999. I will choose an album released that year that had the most impact on me. This is not necessarily the best of the year, and they may not necessarily continue to hold up. This is about the journey. … Continue reading M20: Fuck me, I’m falling apart in 2015
So it’s been about a week since I started this little introspective tangent, and I guess now we’re getting into what one could term “the good stuff”. Here’s where I deal with the big realities, in the order they came. I’m not straight. I only allowed myself to believe this near the end of my … Continue reading Who I Am Now
Altered States City of the Living Dead The Fog Friday the 13th Inferno Maniac The Shining Best Non-Horror of 1980 Worst Horror of 1980 This might be a controversial pick, as I haven't actually sat down with the film, but I find Cannibal Holocaust to be one of the rare films that offends me … Continue reading 1980 Index
It’s been kind of a rough week for Amanda Seyfried, relatively speaking. Sunday was the 93rd Academy Awards, and Seyfried had received her first Oscar nomination for Mank. She played Marion Davies, and it is by far her most critically acclaimed role to date. Unfortunately for her, the Oscar went to Youn Yuh-jung for her … Continue reading Things Heard & Seen (2021)
On a national level, things seem to be moving along at a decent clip. Though President Trump had historically been in favor of legalization, the 2020 GOP wasn't about to let that slide. The election of Biden and a gain in Democratic seats theoretically provides the best chance marijuana legislation has had since 2016. Unfortunately, … Continue reading April 20, 2021 – State of the State: 420 Edition
When I first saw the trailer for The Snowman, I was genuinely interested. The Scandinavian murder mystery aesthetic is one that’s just sort of clicked for me. It’s hard to describe, but there’s a certain moodiness seen in movies like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and television like The Killing that I’m particularly drawn … Continue reading The Snowman (2017)
The Exorcist was going to have a sequel. You can’t bring in those kinds of box office numbers and not end up with a sequel. But like many sequels, it faced an uphill battle right out of the gate. Writer William Peter Blatty was out. Director William Friedkin was out. Ellen Burstyn would not return … Continue reading The Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
By the end of 2002, my teenage disdain of all things horror was really beginning to dissipate. Wide release movies like The Ring and 28 Days Later had challenged my preconceptions, and I would find myself more and more interested in the genre as my library expanded. These were also the days when I was … Continue reading Feardotcom (2002)
We first see her at one end of the bar, alone, wearing a garish yellow blouse, a short leather skirt, and tall leather boots. At the other end of the bar, the bartender, who somewhat resembles Walter Matthau, is engaged in some kind of game with a young man named Dave. Dave is played by … Continue reading Play Misty for Me (1971)
In 2016, New Orleans resident Jim Cummings (not to be confused with the voice actor of the same name) released Thunder Road, a 13-minute short about a police officer eulogizing his mother. The short won a number of awards at film festivals such as Sundance and SXSW. Upon its success, Cummings used Kickstarter to raise … Continue reading The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)
