I (thankfully) didn’t have many movies to choose from for this list, but I assure you the ones that did make it are pieces of shit of the highest order. Enjoy! Continue reading
2018
The Fast and Fentress Best of 2018
Hey everyone, I know it’s been a while, but somehow Fast and Fentress returned. Once I’ve caught up on my Best and Worst Of lists for 2018 and 2019, I’ll resume my regular reviews. In the immortal words of Randy Quaid, “I’M BAAAAACK!” Now, please enjoy this look back at my favorite films of 2018. Continue reading
The House That Jack Built
Killer Pad
Among his other virtues, Lars Von Trier has always been something of a troll. His movies often act as playful middle fingers to his harshest critics, gleefully confirming their accusations with a devil-may-care attitude. The approach has a rebellious appeal, but it’s also overshadowed some of Von Trier’s lesser works, which have made the mistake of putting shock value above quality. The House That Jack Built sees Von Trier’s devilish style at its best; it shamelessly aims to offend, but backs up its intentions with original, exciting filmmaking. Continue reading
Destroyer
Nicole Un-dimed
“[Actor] as you’ve never seen him/her before” is a movie marketing cliché I’ve grown to hate, but damn if Destroyer doesn’t earn it. As burnout LAPD detective Erin Bell, Nicole Kidman looks, in a word, rough. The beautiful actress is borderline unrecognizable here, sporting the face of an “after” picture in an anti-meth PSA. Erin’s hair is brittle, her teeth are gray, and her blue eyes – her one intact feature – are sunken. Her clothes hang off what appears to be a scarecrow-thin body. It’s an amazing makeup job, is what I’m getting at, and one that never distracts from the core of the movie. Continue reading
Aquaman
I Come from a Land Down Under
There’s a shot early on in Aquaman that sums up the movie better than any review could. Preparing for battle, an underwater cavalry unit enters formation, each soldier mounted astride a bus-sized great white shark. One of the massive beasts, restrained by its rider, thrashes its head and roars. It’s a moment that perfectly encapsulates the movie’s attitude: you’re either on board for all of this lunacy or none of it. For me, the decision was easy. Continue reading
Vice
If nothing else, Vice deserves praise for having one of the best trailers in recent memory. Beginning with a low-key exchange between an instantly recognizable Bush (Sam Rockwell) and Cheney (Christian Bale) set to the opening strains of The Killers’ swagger anthem “The Man,” the song and trailer quickly build to an expertly synchronized crescendo. The combination of audio and visuals whet the appetite the way all good trailers do, showing just enough to get the audience excited but never revealing too much. It’s a masterclass in hype-building, and whichever anonymous editor stitched it together should be proud. Continue reading
Overlord
Overlord, with its high-concept hook of Nazi zombies, itself practically a subgenre at this point, is the kind of movie that could have gone either way. It’s easy to see how it could have been all concept and no execution, the kind of movie with little to offer besides a catchy gimmick at its center. Thankfully it turns out to be anything but, taking its gonzo premise and running with it to create a perfectly satisfying slice of B-Movie cheese. Continue reading
Home About Fright Fest 2018 Review #8 – Halloween (2018)
Subgenre: Slasher
Summary: Forty years after his one-night reign of terror, Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield to finish the job. Continue reading
Fright Fest 2018 Review #5 – Hell Fest (2018)
Subgenre: Slasher
Summary: A masked maniac stalks a group of college students at a Halloween amusement park. Continue reading
The Predator
Unlike its counterpart and occasional crossover property the Alien series, each of the Predator movies has been essentially standalone, their only common thread the titular extraterrestrial. While the Alien series’ best entries undoubtedly surpass those of the Predator franchise, it’s also stagnated thanks to uninspired diminishing returns after Aliens. Meanwhile, Predator’s sequels have proven to be a more eclectic and interesting bunch, never content to self-plagiarize their celebrated predecessor. After the jungle-bound antics of the first movie, Predator 2 moved the action to the city and expounded on the aliens’ lore, while Predators had a similar structure to the first film but flipped the script by dropping its band of warriors on predator turf. Continue reading