Tag Archives: film

‘Send Help’ Avoids Normal Cliches As A Dark Comedy On Social Structure

A movie like Send Help seems to have arrived at the right time. Following the Texas snow winter storms of 2021, many of these doomsday preppers found themselves unable to survive a week with no electricity. When the fit really hits the shan, they’re SOL. Rachel McAdams plays Linda Liddle, a mousey strategist at aContinue reading “‘Send Help’ Avoids Normal Cliches As A Dark Comedy On Social Structure”

Before ‘Scary Movie’ There Was The Horror Parody ‘Student Bodies’

Horror comedies have been around for decades all the way back when ‘Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein’ had the two sharing the silver screen with Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi. And then Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder gave us ‘Young Frankenstein.’ In 2000, the Wayans brought us ‘Scary Movie,’ a crude but hilarious parodyContinue reading “Before ‘Scary Movie’ There Was The Horror Parody ‘Student Bodies’”

RIP Donald Gibb, aka Ogre

Donald Gibb may have never won an Oscar or Emmy but his 6-foot-4 hulking feature made him a memorable actor. Originally playing for the San Diego Chargers, his sports career was sidelined early following an injury from an automobile accident.  But who better to play a football player than a football player?  In 1984, heContinue reading “RIP Donald Gibb, aka Ogre”

‘Dead Alive’ Isn’t Your Typical ‘Braindead’ Zombie Flick

Sometimes fame and fortune doesn’t have the end results we expect. While some filmmakers might think a lot of awards and recognition might bring them more freedom, I think it has the opposite effect sometimes.  Now, Peter Jackson is an Oscar-winning filmmaker and respected documentary producer. But about 40 years ago, he was a youngContinue reading “‘Dead Alive’ Isn’t Your Typical ‘Braindead’ Zombie Flick”

Oh, My! ‘Anaconda’ Don’t!

A movie like the recent “Anaconda” is a trend of movies that is still unfortunately on life support following its surprised box office return of $135 million worldwide making three times of what it cost to produce it. Call it what you want. It’s a nostalgia reboot/remake or meta-reboot, but this trend of movies isContinue reading “Oh, My! ‘Anaconda’ Don’t!”

Swipe Left On ‘DTF St. Louis’

We’ve kinda reached the point where movie studios are only throwing money at big budget movies that stories like “DTF St. Louis” are being released as limited series.  But what should’ve been a two-hour family drama movie in the vein of “Rashomon” is a shaggy dog story that is stretched over seven episodes that areContinue reading “Swipe Left On ‘DTF St. Louis’”

It’s Time To Give ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ The Hook

Back in 1997, a friend and I went to go to the movies. “Jungle 2 Jungle,” Tim Allen’s followup to “The Santa Clause” was about to be released. The movie was a remake of the French movie “Little Indian Big City” which had been heavily panned by critics when it opened in America a yearContinue reading “It’s Time To Give ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ The Hook”

‘Dead Of Winter’ Has Thrills

In the mid-1990s, Emma Thompson became an A-lister she appeared in many period piece movies mostly made by the Merchant-Ivory filmmakers. She won an Oscar for acting for “Howard’s End” and an Oscar for adapted screenplay for “Sense and Sensibility.” But it seemed she was already getting typecast. Thankfully Mike Nichols cast her as aContinue reading “‘Dead Of Winter’ Has Thrills”

‘Friday Night At Freddy’s 2’ Feels Like Filler For Future Franchise Film

“Friday Night at Freddy’s 2” might be one of the most useless, extraneous, pointless sequels ever made.  The first movie came out in 2023 almost 10 years after the video game franchise started. During that time, there was “The Banana Splits Movie,” “Willy’s Wonderland” and horror short “The Hug.” Still there could have been someContinue reading “‘Friday Night At Freddy’s 2’ Feels Like Filler For Future Franchise Film”