1990s
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Spontaneous Combustion Deserves More Respect
Spontaneous Combustion is a largely forgotten horror film directed by Tobe Hooper and starring Brad Dourif. I’m a huge fan of them both and, while the film might not be perfect, I think it absolutely deserves more respect. Here’s why… Read more
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Peppermint Candy is Essential Cinema
“Peppermint Candy” is one of South Korea’s finest dramas. Writer, director Lee Chang-dong might not be quite as well known and admired in the U.S. as the likes of Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook, but he is undoubtedly a filmmaker that deserves adulation worldwide. This video was originally intended as a normal review but ended… Read more
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Boxing Helena Deserves More Respect
Boxing Helena was the controversial first film from David Lynch’s daughter, Jennifer Lynch. The movie was panned by critics, and Jennifer Lynch even won the Razzie for worst director, but Boxing Helena deserves more respect. Here’s why: Read more
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How to Craft the Perfect Car Chase
A video essay examining the construction and execution of the car chase sequence and a tribute to the best car chases throughout cinema history. This video essay includes footage from The Seven-Ups, Vanishing Point, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Shadows in an Empty Room, Bullitt, Gone in 60 Seconds, Mad Max, The Road Warrior, Fury Road,… Read more
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The Scream Series Retrospective
This video is a huge retrospective review examining the entire Scream series started by horror master Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson. We’ll be taking a look at Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4, and Scream 2022 AKA Scream 5. Each movie is reviewed individually and then the Scream franchise is ranked overall —… Read more
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The Halloween Franchise Retrospective
A big retrospective looking at and reviewing every Halloween sequel, remake, reboot, remake sequel, and reboot sequel. This tangled series includes the original 1978 “Halloween,” “Halloween II,” “Halloween III: Season of the Witch,” “Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers,” “Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers,” “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers,” “Halloween H20:… Read more
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The Lovers on the Bridge is Essential Cinema
The Lovers on the Bridge AKA Les Amants du Pont-Neuf is a 1991 drama romance written and directed by French filmmaker Leos Carax and starring the pairing of Denis Lavant and Juliette Binoche. This video essay aims to convey why The Lovers on the Bridge should be considered an essential work of cinema. 10/10 Read more
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Why John McTiernan Disappeared for 20 Years & Tracking Down His Lost Documentary
John McTiernan directed Predator and Die Hard back-to-back as his second and third films. He would make several other films over the next few years before stopping abruptly in 2003 after Basic. The reason for his disappearance and why he hasn’t made another movie in the 20 years since is a big, complicated affair. This… Read more
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The Psycho Sequels Deserve More Respect
Alfred Hitchcock left huge shoes to fill with his timeless “Psycho,” so the decades-later sequels were bound to be met with a rocky reception, but I’m here to tell you that “Psycho II” and “Psycho III” are far better than you may have been led to believe, and “Psycho IV” isn’t that bad either. Read more
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How a South Korean Horror Film Became A Japanese Musical
1998’s The Quiet Family from South Korean writer/director Kim Jee-woon is a dark comedy horror/thriller. When Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike decided to remake the film as The Happiness of the Katakuris, he did so as a musical with goofy humor and wild stop-motion animation. This video essay explores how the story translated into different genres… Read more
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