James Garner
As a TV and movie star for nearly six decades, the Oklahoma kid made the hard art of acting seem like a game — as deft and persuasive as a gambler’s con He was a man’s man who relied on…
Kevin Sorbo Miffed
Before there was Lucy Lawless and Xena: Warrior Princess, there was Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, starring Kevin Sorbo. Sorbo hasn’t been flying high post-Hercules, and can often be seen appearing as himself in the service of 90s nostalgia. Most recently,…
Deliver Us from Evil
A jump scare isn’t just a jump scare in the films of Scott Derrickson, which isn’t to say this wannabe master of horror has entirely perfected the art of sudden dread. In one intensely jolting scene from his new film,…
Ms.45
After Joe Delia’s teenage band The Bruthers signed to RCA in 1966 he became an in-demand gun for hire, playing live back up to Stevie Wonder, Chuck Berry and The Isley Brothers. Then in the 1970s he progressed on to…
The Zombeavers Verdict
Let’s just get this out of the way right up front. Yes, Zombeavers is about zombie-beavers. No, they don’t look even the slightest bit realistic. Yes, you’re still going to love this movie anyway. Three sorority sisters head to a…
Remaking Plan 9
ohn Johnson never planned to be the guy who brought to life a remake of Ed Wood’s camp landmark “Plan 9 from Outer Space.” And yet, it seems as though he was destined to do so, even from childhood. “Most…
Adjust Your Tracking
I’ve always had a thing for VHS tapes. It’s the nostalgic feeling you get matched only by the excitement that comes along with it. I still own a good pile of VHS tapes, but after watching this documentary, I’m pretty…
Thinking About Zombies
ombies, love them or hate them, their dominance of the games industry is unprecedented. Once of schlocky B-movie origins, even George A. Romero’s seminal contributions to cinema struggled to alter the lowbrow perception; despite attempts to elevate the genre with…
Walter Hill: a life in the fast lane
The man who reinvented the American action movie chuckles. “Ah,” he says, “The Driver. You can’t outlive anything any more …” If The Driver has come back to haunt Walter Hill, then surely it is the good kind of haunting….
‘The Purge: Anarchy’
The title may imply heightened scope and stakes, but only the premise is out of order in “The Purge: Anarchy,” a swiftly delivered, surprise-free sequel to 2013′s economical sleeper hit. Moving out of the home and into the streets, writer-helmer…
You Can’t Escape Sharknado
There aren’t any sharks on the New York City set of Sharknado 2. Of course there aren’t—movie monsters, especially those that swirl up in a tornado, are made on computers. The only fishy thing in sight on this cold February…
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953)
Bud and Lou finally decide to invade outer space and interplanetary relations will never be the same after Abbott and Costello Go To Mars. And they couldn’t even get that right because it’s Venus they wind up on. Bud does…
Albert Pyun Loves Cyborgs
With a career spanning over 30 years, Hawaiian director Albert Pyun has worked in just about every genre, and forged a reputation as a modern era answer to Ed Wood. Pyun’s career has pretty much entirely taken place in B…
Jennifer
Surprisingly effective little low budget shocker here that proves once again that just because a horror movie from the 1970s has a PG rating that doesn’t mean it’s for kids. This one has some genuinely sick material though not in…
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock (1959)
A historically important film for all the wrong reasons this one is. This sad feature was released five months after the death of its star Lou Costello but it’s also best remembered today for it being his sole feature without…
The Immoral Mr. Teas (1959)
Having spent his WW II military duty wisely, obtaining formal training in both photography and cinematography (ostensibly to document war scenes), Russ Meyer spent the intervening decade trying to gain foothold in Hollywood, contributing connecting footage for THE JAMES DEAN…
A Brief History of the Modern Movie Trailer
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, movie trailers were just commercials, disposable ads for upcoming films. Then, in 1998, came the trailer for what was then the most eagerly awaited movie in years: Star Wars: Episode…
Ruby (1977)
The title of this film and Piper Laurie’s presence clearly derive from CARRIE (1976) – though I was misled into thinking that Ruby was the possessed child rather than the mother. While I’m not sure the EXORCIST trappings were really…
Snowpiercer
Those pinhead libs in Hollywood are at it again! This time, they’ve got something called, and are trying to distract us with simmering tension, a smart script and terrific action, but the hidden agenda is clearly just another unwarranted attack…
Up! (1976)
Boy, did I ever have trouble writing a review for UP. This is my third attempt and hopefully my last one. Having seen every Russ Meyer film now, I can say without a doubt that UP is Meyer’s most erratic…