Darkly funny with nice production values and distinctive performances, filmmaking collective Radio Silence deliver a crowd-pleasing thriller with 2019’s Ready or Not. Laced with biting class satire, the film aims to entertain as well as skewer. Wide-eyed Grace, the product of humble foster homes, is about to marry Alex, the youngest son of a wealthy family.
Read MoreThe Mothman Prophecies (2002) #RetroReview
With Mothman sightings currently being reported in Chicago, I decided to revisit 2002’s The Mothman Prophecies last night. My initial viewing of director Mark Pellington’s film was probably eight or nine years ago and my appreciation for it has only grown over time. Though it’s ostensibly based on true events, there are obvious fictionalizations present before even considering the supernatural elements.
Read MoreKrampus (2015) #RetroReview
Michael Dougherty made a splash in genre circles back in 2007 with his imperfect but highly enjoyable Halloween horror anthology, Trick ‘r Treat (a work he wrote and directed). After a bit of a hiatus, he returned in 2015 and pulled double duty again, this time with a Christmas themed creature feature. Besides the obvious holiday focused approach, Krampus is reminiscent of his previous effort in that it is flawed but still entertaining.
Read MoreReturn of the Living Dead III (1993) #RetroReview
For years, I’d avoided 1993’s Return of the Living Dead III. There was something about the cover art that screamed cash in, low effort sequel to me. Books and covers, I know. I should’ve known better, too, considering I really like the theatrical poster for II but find the actual movie to be merely okay.
Read MoreWinners and Losers of Disney+ Launch (2019)
Disney unveiled its Netlflix-like streaming service to the world yesterday, and, of course, it wasn't without criticism. While I had my reservations, I think it is safe to say that Disney, like usual, has their shit together, and while a lot of us were met with the now-infamous "unable to connect" screen, it wasn't long before we were swimming through an impressive array of content, new and old. The launch included 7,500 episodes of current and concluded TV shows, 100 recently-released Disney theatrical films, and 400 movies from Disney’s exclusive catalog.
Read MoreSatanic Panic (2019) #BluRay
In Satanic Panic, Sam’s first day as a pizza delivery driver is not going according to plan. At the end of a long day and not enough tips, her last delivery turns out to be for a group of Satanists looking for someone to sacrifice. Now in a fight for her life, Sam must fend off witches, evil spells and demonic creatures, all while trying to keep her body and soul intact.
Read MoreFandemic Tour Houston (2019)
Fandemic Comic Con Tour is the newest traveling pop-culture convention. The tour offers a blend of popular celebrities from the hottest television shows and movies. The tour also features vendor booths for shopping, celeb and artist panel discussions, gaming, tattoo artists and even speed dating for those of you who are single and ready to mingle!
Read MoreGwen (2018)
I kept seeing comparisons to The Witch, and I can see why, but Gwen is far from a perfect film. Both movies do have a sense of dread that hangs from start to finish, and Gwen can pass as a decent companion piece, but the finale is far from rewarding and made me, and I’m sure many others, feel as if they wasted a quiet evening in. Don’t get me wrong, the film is beautiful, but, if I wanted to sit in silence for two hours and stare at something pretty I’d just turn on the Planet Earth.
Read MoreSpace Bastards - Volume 1 (2019)
To be honest, I wasn't sure what I was going to get with this book. I had initially assumed it was somehow connected to Scout Comics' run of Star Bastard, but after I started reading, I realized that Space Bastards was an entirely different animal. The rear cover depicts an old cowboy relieving himself, so I knew I was in for something special.
Read MoreSatanic Panic (2019)
Full Disclosure: I know quite a few people who work for Cinestate and Fangoria, the people behind Satanic Panic. My former CineDump colleague, horror writer extraordinaire Preston Fassel, works for the production company and writes a recurring column for Fangoria magazine, “Corrupt Signals.” And to be completely honest, I had no plans to write about this movie at all because of my personal connection to the film.
Read MoreOne Man Dies a Million Times (2019)
Every year I look forward to the “slow cinema” selection at the Oak Cliff Film Festival. As the programmers who introduce the movie usually joke, “Some of you are here because you love this kind of cinema, and the rest are here because you’re hung over.” I happen to fall into the former camp.
Read MoreKnives and Skin (2019)
I caught Knives and Skin at the cozy, sweetly intimate Bishop Arts Theatre Center as part of the Oak Cliff Film Festival, and to be honest, I didn’t even want to see this movie. Having read the blurb describing the film in the program for OCFF, my immediate reaction was, “Fuck. How many movies about murdered girls do we need?” I will spend exactly three sentences ranting before I tell you why you should see Knives and Skin
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