I first became aware of low-budget British filmmaker Cliff Twemlow when I saw the VHS box art for his 1983 shot on video crime thriller GBH in a Facebook group for grindhouse film fans. For those that don’t know, “GBH” stands for “grievous bodily harm” which is a British legal term akin to assault and battery in the US. It’s possible that the film may have never shown up on my radar were it not for its inclusion on the UK’s notorious list of '80s-era banned/censored works known as the Video Nasties.
Read MoreHouston Horror Film Festival (2023)
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the Houston Horror Film Festival. I mean, I could really consider Houston Marriott Westchase my home away from home at this point, but despite all of the years I’ve attended the event, I’ve always concentrated most of my time in the vendor halls and photo areas. This is the first year that I found the time to catch, enjoy, and critique each and every movie.
Read MoreRE: Blue Ruin (2013) #RetroReview
Writer/director Jeremy Saulnier gave the revenge thriller an exciting jolt in 2013 with the gripping Blue Ruin. Quiet, plausible, and humanistic, I was completely taken by Saulnier's supreme confidence and his relation to what real revenge might look like when I first saw the film. September 22nd is the tenth anniversary of its American debut at Fantastic Fest, so I decided to look back.
Read MorePhiladelphia Unnamed Film Festival (2023)
I remember wanting to cover the Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival last year but I was too late on the draw. This year they contacted me about checking out their event and I couldn't be happier to do so. Honestly, I wish I was closer to the City of Brotherly Love because it seems as if they have tons of parties happening to coincide with the screenings.
Read MoreCanary (2023)
“Things are only impossible until they become possible. That’s the story of human beings, but you don’t know until you try.” And try he has. Danny O’Malley and Alex Rivest’s new documentary, Canary, tells the fascinating story of one Dr. Lonnie Thompson, glaciologist and National Medal of Science winner.
Read MoreThe Last Movie Ever Made (2023) #ChattanoogaFilmFestival
In thirty days, the world will end. Everyone on the planet knows this and accepts this. What would you do with your remaining time?
Read MoreBody Bags (1993) #RetroReview
Originally meant to be an anthology horror TV series for premium cable network Showtime, Body Bags features a more than solid cast and an array of cameos by horror fan favorites. Ultimately, it was deemed to be too close to competitor HBO’s highly successful Tales from the Crypt, so the series idea was scrapped and the initial three episodes were combined into a feature with framing and interstitial sequences.
Read MoreYoung Guns (1988) #RetroReview
Growing up, Christopher Cain’s Young Guns was amongst a handful of films that were perennial favorites in my house. August 12th is the film’s 35th anniversary. I still enjoy it, but it’s definitely hit-and-miss, and I wonder how well it would work for anyone who doesn’t already have some nostalgia for it.
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