It’s been almost three years since Americana premiered at the 2023 South by Southwest Film and TV Festival in March of that year. Since then, three of the main cast members have had their careers explode. I had never seen Euphoria and didn’t recognize Sydney Sweeney from Sharp Objects when I saw her in Reality. One thing I will say is that she has been impressive asContinue reading “‘Americana’ Feels More Like A Collection Of Better Crime Movies”
Category Archives: Movie Reviews
‘Toxic Avenger’ Remake Sizzles In Absurd, Gross-Out Goofiness
Trying to critique a Troma movie is like trying to describe a Jackson Pollock to Helen Keller. It’s an exercise in futility because you have to see a Jackson Pollock to understand his use of colors. And I’m sure Keller never really could distinguish between red and blue. When the movie studio was established in the early 1970s, it was supposed to be different from anything else. And consideringContinue reading “‘Toxic Avenger’ Remake Sizzles In Absurd, Gross-Out Goofiness”
‘Holidays’ A Potluck That Offers Few Goodies And The Rest Can Be Avoided
A movie like Holidays is like a potluck dinner at a family get-together. You don’t really know what you should eat but you’re sure you’re not going to like most of what you choose. Anthologies are like that. They usually have a few good segments, a few not so good and a few you can totally avoid. I wouldn’t say they’re bad, but the filmmakers are usually restrained by a time frame that hurts the story telling. It’s no surprise that theContinue reading “‘Holidays’ A Potluck That Offers Few Goodies And The Rest Can Be Avoided”
You May Not Want To Watch ‘Together’ While You’re Alone
Body horror is not one of my favorite subgenres of horror. Mainly it’s because too many filmmakers get caught up more in the style than the substance. And sometimes body horror switches to a creature feature so the emphasis is more on special effects than story. But the greatest like David Cronenberg realized you can do more with less. The beauty ofContinue reading “You May Not Want To Watch ‘Together’ While You’re Alone”
‘Misery’ Showed That Rob Reiner Could Still Scare Us Silly 35 Years Later
I was watching the sequel to This is Spinal Tap when I read the news that Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle Singer, were fatally stabbed allegedly by their son, Nick. It’s horrible and Reiner was a major pioneer in both TV and movies, making mockumentaries so popular that they’re everywhere now. He had been mostly known for comedies. But in 1990,Continue reading “‘Misery’ Showed That Rob Reiner Could Still Scare Us Silly 35 Years Later”
‘A Christmas Story’ Or ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’?
I’ve asked this question before on social media but never on here. Which do you like best – A Christmas Story or National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation? And why? Please comment.
The Am Meisten Bechissen Christmas Commercia And What It Says About Us
Next to the Super Bowl, the Christmas holiday season produces some of the most memorable commercials. Some are remembered for the wrong reasons. Folgers tried to duplicate the tone of “Peter Comes Homes From Christmas” which premiered 40 years ago in 1985 with an updated version. The original featured a college-aged young man arriving at his childhood home on ChristmasContinue reading “The Am Meisten Bechissen Christmas Commercia And What It Says About Us”
‘Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2’ Is The Christmas Ham For Acquired Tastes
A movie like Silent Night, Deady Night Part 2 had spent years banished into the ether of forgotten low budget movies sitting around in the horror section of some dive video rental place where they still used pinewood shelves and the clerks dressed like they were going to a Grateful Dead concert instead of forced to wear khakis and a pull-over collaredContinue reading “‘Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2’ Is The Christmas Ham For Acquired Tastes”
‘Roofman’ Is A Split-Level Story That Never Feels Cozy For A Movie
At one time on their TV show in the late 1990s, critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert commented some “based on a true story” movies work better sometimes as just a magazine story. I agree. A movie like Roofman is a perfect testament to that. At two hours with credits including real testimonials from his victims, this is mostly a movie that mightContinue reading “‘Roofman’ Is A Split-Level Story That Never Feels Cozy For A Movie”
Happy 100 Birthday Dick Van Dyke!
I find it fascinating that today Dick Van Dyke celebrates his 100th birthday with none other than Taylor Swift. While it is common for celebrities to have the same birthday, both Van Dyke and Swift have done so much for their respective mediums. Van Dyke was already a legend back in 1989 when Swift was born, evenContinue reading “Happy 100 Birthday Dick Van Dyke!”
Zane Says 