This will be an odd comparison, but AGATHA ALL ALONG is the closest Marvel Studios has gotten to a Mike Flanagan series. If you think about it, especially after viewing the final two episodes, there’s a lot here about the effects of grief on an individual and how that (coupled with greed and power) can corrupt them. Each member of the coven confronts fears and traumas episodically and makes peace with the idea of death. And given that, I have…
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For my first time at AFI (American Film Institute) Fest, I have to say I made a couple of mistakes when it came to signing up for screenings. I admittingly was lacking when it came to signing up for some of the big red carpet premieres that were here. Films like here (starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright), Maria (starring Angelina Jolie), Juror #2 (which may be the very last film from Clint Eastwood), and heretic (starring Hugh Grant) will…
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The premise of HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON is inherently silly – a 68-year-old “teenage” vampire is kicked out of her parent’s home because of unwillingness to prey on humans. The film plays out a bit like a dramatic version of WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS or a comedic version of TWILIGHT. HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant) takes place in French Canada and follows parallel stories of reluctant vampire Sasha (Sara Montpetit)…
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I love a lot of John Carpenter movies. HALLLOWEEN, ASSAULT ON PRECINT 13, THE THING, THEY LIVE. Before watching it to review it, I wasn’t sure I had ever seen THE FOG. Now that I have, it’s unfortunately not one of my faves. I might draw some flack for this review. I know THE FOG has become a cult favorite among horror fans. I don’t think it deserves that status. It’s not engrossing enough or scary enough to reach the…
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SHAUN OF THE DEAD is a witty look at the undead. It leaves viewers with a silly grin on their faces until the gruesome end. It was a successful zombie movie that killed off main characters in a grisly way, all while keeping the tone light and acceptable.…
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There are two things that horror movies tend to iconize. The obvious ones are horror characters. Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers, and Leatherface are what I like to call the big four. Venerable horror figures with franchises that can last the test of time. Horror characters that multiple actors can play without anybody getting upset about it. I’m a man of a certain age, and the Halloween costumes of all four characters are just as relevant now as they were in…
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A soaring tale about society and the environment, this Hitchcock classic claws at you, then flies high above expectation.…
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Every theatre arts teacher has one or two plays or musicals they always wanted to produce and direct on stage. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS was one of mine. There never seemed to be the right time, and timing is everything when creating an okay season for my community. It is a regret. Ever since I first heard the opening number of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, I was smitten with plant fever and a huge crush on Seymour, played by Rick…
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OCULUS gets consistently more convoluted as it progresses, but Flanagan is able to keep us as oriented as we should be.…
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