My Bloody Podcast #34 – ‘Unbreakable’, ‘Split’, ‘Glass’!
Here is the super spectacular 34th episode of the most fun horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
Read the rest of this entry » 
My Bloody Podcast #34 - 'Unbreakable', 'Split', 'Glass'! [ 1:35:02 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
read comments (0)‘Glass’ – Film Review!
I genuinely loved every single second of M. Night Shyamalan’s film ‘Glass’. It was the perfect end to a trilogy he started almost 20 years ago with ‘Unbreakable’. Since ‘Unbreakable’ debuted some 19 years ago, we have had a giant influx of superhero films with ‘X-Men’ films, the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, and now the DC Comics franchise of films. I would like to say that this whole comic book craze mostly started with Shyamalan’s ‘Unbreakable’, which was his followup film to his breakout hit ‘The Sixth Sense’. Since then, we’ve come to learn and expect a certain level filmmaking and performances from superhero movies, mostly due to the phenomenal structure and execution of all the Marvel movies. There’s definitely a pattern there and it sticks the landing each and every time.
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My Bloody Podcast #33 – ‘Critters’!
Here is the super spectacular 33rd episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
‘Pledge’ – Film Review!
Not to be confused with the Jack Nicholson vehicle ‘The Pledge’, the filmmakers dropped the “the” and is simply ‘Pledge‘, which is by far the best horror/thriller this year. It will be tough to find a genre movie in 2019 that is this fast-paced, fun, and not afraid to get sticky. There are no sidebars or long tangents going on in this film, as it’s straight and to the point and has the action and terror from the very beginning in this ‘Hostel‘ meets ‘The Skulls‘ story line. In fact, I would imagine the same people that attend the ‘Eyes Wide Shut‘ party for Stanley Kubrick started out in this fraternity that is portrayed here.
Interview with Daniel Robbins, Zack Weiner, Mark Rapaport on 'PLEDGE'! [ 30:11 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download’10 to Midnight’ – Blu-ray Review!
Get your B-Movie nudity excitement ready, because the 1983 horror film ‘10 to Midnight‘ is back with an all new 4K transfer on Scream Factory Blu-ray glory. J. Lee Thompson (Cape Fear) directed this film with a script from William Roberts (The Magnificent Seven) about a serial killer who kills naked women. Well that’s how it sounds on paper, but there’s more to this story, along with a cast of Charles Bronson, a young Kelly Preston, Ola Ray from the Michael Jackson Thriller video, and the diabeetus man himself Wilford Brimley as a police captain. I mean, it doesn’t get any better than that does it?
‘Obsession’ – Blu-ray Review!
Back in 1976, director Brian De Palma (Scarface) and writer Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver) collaborated on a movie titled ‘Obsession‘. It was their tribute to Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo‘ and starred Cliff Robertson and John Lithgow. The film touches on a few taboo subjects, but is nowhere near as violent as the previous mentioned films. ‘Obsession‘ is actually quite a masterpiece of the late 1970s that features a very melodramatic and thrilling story that takes you on a terrifying journey of a man who is still grieving his deceased wife and daughter.
‘Escape Room’ – Film Review!
Hello Everyone, Janet W. here…
Puzzles are amazing. They push you to think and not just any ole thinking. You have to see through, around, up and down, probably why I love being a critic. Anyway, locks slide and toggles click as the screen fades in from black. Escape Room opens with a chessboard followed by a pan around an overloaded study, foretelling much. The sounds did not match the image that appeared. I wanted to like Escape Room… Read the rest of this entry »
Dan Moran’s Top Films of 2018 and his Award Nominations!
This year I saw 102 new movies in 2018. That number is actual movies released in 2018. I count Netflix and streaming movies released this year because that is where we are heading but the majority of the 102 was in movie theaters. I decided not to rank my top movies this year because at the end of the day the difference between #10 thru #3 is usually based on my mood when I write the list. So I just put my top movies in ABC order.
My Favorite Movies Released in 2018!
The year of 2018 has come to a close and over the past 365 days, I’ve seen roughly 175 new films that were released. I had a ton of fun watching each and every single one of them, even if I came out sour towards a film. There were a ton of great films this year that ranged from big action blockbusters, emotional indie dramas, scary-as-hell films that still haunt me, and some laugh out loud movies that always put me in the right mood. I’d chalk 2018 as a winner in the movie business, because there are some films that came out that I will truly cherish for a long time to come.
Holiday Movie Round-Up 2018!
Holmes & Watson
First movie I have walked out of by choice in years. What a steaming pile of crap. I knew it was bad going in, considering they didn’t even try to promote it in any way, shape, or form. There was only one trailer I’m aware of and the same TV spot played occasionally during sporting events. When a studio has a comedy they believe will be successful coming out on Christmas they promote the hell out of it. I wish they buried this one even deeper than they did. I didn’t walk out to make some high brow “cool guy” statement.
‘On the Basis of Sex’ – Film Review!
On the Basis of Sex proves that a mediocre film can still shine when you’re crazy about the subject. People can’t get enough of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) these days. On the Basis of Sex follows on the heels of the RBG documentary that had everyone going gaga over the matron justice and while I enjoyed this film it just isn’t the same with a stand in. The movie covers roughly twenty years of her life, from college to just after her first big case, so the feel is completely different than the whirlwind of the documentary that covered it all, but the real shift is that it’s a big picture flick with big time actors and the whole thing feels rather campy at times.
‘Bumblebee: Film Review!!
Hello Everyone, Janet W. here…
B-127 is a film that is centered on one of the most beloved Transformers. Most people love Optimus Prime and a few “special” people love Megatron, however, B-127 is cooler than them both without question. B-127…you know whom that is, right? Bumblebee formerly known B-127 was sent to Earth under the order of Optimus Prime as its protector. Bumblebee landed on Earth and immediately into battle as well. A Decepticon pounced on Bumblebee and robbed him of his voice communications module. One additional hardship befalls Bumblebee as his memory is corrupted and amnesia weighs him down to an infant child. Plot sound familiar? Read the rest of this entry »
‘Black Christmas’ – My Bloody Podcast #32!
Here is the super spectacular 32nd episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
Mary Poppins Returns: Film Review!
Practically perfect in every way. It describes the nanny known as Mary Poppins, as well as the film that brings her back into the lives of the young and young at heart. Mary Poppins Returns is hitting theaters more than fifty years after Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke made the film a smashing success. This sequel brings a new Mary to life with Emily Blunt as Poppins and Lin Manuel Miranda as her lamplighter sidekick. It’s different, but it doesn’t stray, and it certainly will have audiences smiling, singing, and raving about the delightful nanny’s return.
‘The Rolling Stones’ – The Unbalanced Note Podcast #15!
Here is the SORT OF NEW debut of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘The Unbalanced Note‘, where the show is related to all things MUSIC! Here on this new show, musician Jacob Douglas and I talk about everything we love or dislike about music, musicians, and the music industry.
'The Rolling Stones' - The Unbalanced Note Podcast #15! [ 2:00:18 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download‘Silent Night Deadly Night I and II’ – My Bloody Podcast #31!
Here is the super spectacular 31st episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
'Silent Night Deadly Night I and II' - My Bloody Podcast #31! [ 1:33:20 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadStanley Kubrick’s ‘2001 A Space Odyssey’ 4K UHD Blu-ray Review!
I’m going to stand out here and yell it. I believe Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film ‘2001 A Space Odyssey‘ is one of the greatest if not THE GREATEST movie of all time. I mean it doesn’t hold a candle to ‘Army of Darkness‘, because that’s in its own category of greatness, but for all other films, ‘2001 A Space Odyssey‘ is right at the top of the list. Kubrick was known for making movies in different genres, time periods, and subject matters. He never did the same thing twice. With ‘2001‘, he went to the past and jumped right into the future with perhaps the biggest time jump out of any piece of cinema.
Stanley Kubrick's '2001 A Space Odyssey' 4K UHD Blu-ray Review! [ 12:11 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadLucio Fulci’s ‘ZOMBI’ Blu-ray Review!
Right after George Romero made his opus ‘Dawn of the Dead’ in 1978, the Italians wanted to make a sequel to it. Since Dario Argento (an Italian filmmaker) edited the original ‘Dawn of the Dead‘, they took the liberty to make a sequel with first time director Lucio Fulci and call it ‘Zombi‘ or ‘Zombi 2‘ depending on what part of the world you’re in. The result was nothing short of spectacular and has become one of the most beloved zombie movies ever made. The atmosphere, practical makeup effects, and story are incredible.
Another ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse’ Film Review!
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the best animated movie of 2018. It is funny, charming, exciting, and carries an emotional weight I didn’t expect. Even in a year with Incredibles 2, Spider-Verse manages to reach higher highs in action and storytelling.
Read the rest of this entry »
‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse’ Film Review!
Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is back, but this time he has a fellowship of web-warriors from other dimensions to save the day. In a market currently flooded with Marvel, one might scoff at the idea that ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse‘ has anything new to offer, but prepare for a fresh spin on this radioactive world. This ‘Spider-Man‘ is hilarious, bold and inclusive. It not only reflects diversity in its artistic approach, but also in its cast of characters – and above anything else, the animation is absolutely unparalleled!
My Bloody Podcast #30 with Special Guest Ella Hunt – ‘Anna and the Apocalypse’!
Here is the super spectacular 30th episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
My Bloody Podcast #30 with Special Guest Ella Hunt - 'Anna and the Apocalypse'! [ 18:03 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadDan Moran’s Holiday Movie Guide!
Bohemian Rhapsody
Imagine if someone made a Beatles movie but Ringo was the one who had the final say in every plot point? That’s what you get here. Surviving band members doing everything they can to make sure you recognize it wasn’t just Freddie Mercury in Queen. Guess what? We know that bu we don’t care.
The Unbalanced Note #14 – ‘FRANK ZAPPA’!
Here is the BRAND SPANKING NEW debut of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘The Unbalanced Note‘, where the show is related to all things MUSIC! Here on this new show, musician Jacob Douglas and I talk about everything we love or dislike about music, musicians, and the music industry.
My Bloody Podcast #29 – ‘Candyman’!
Here is the super spectacular 29th episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
‘Widows’: Film Review!
Widows holds itself out as a female heist movie, somewhat in the vein of Ocean’s 8, but from start to finish it delivers a lot more punches. This is not a fun and fancy-free flick, and it definitely is more intense than the previews lead you to believe, so if you are looking for Ocean’s 8, go see Ocean’s 8. This film is dark, deep and twisty. What it does represent correctly from the outset is that Viola Davis is the baddest B around, and this lead role was made for her. Likewise, the rest of the cast seems to have been picked perfectly and shines in roles seemingly written for them.
My Bloody Podcast #28 – ‘Sleepwalkers’!
Here is the super spectacular 28th episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
‘Green Book’ Film Review!
Green Book is a dramedy based on the real-life friendship between the most unusual of friends. Donald Shirley (Mahershala Ali), of The Don Shirley Trio, and “Tony Lip” Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen), a bouncer from the Copa, embark on a concert tour through the South with Vallelonga as Shirley’s driver. The name of the film is taken from the pamphlet that was published during the 1960s that informed black people of establishments that were safe for them to stay in, eat at, or stop at while traveling. That was a foreign concept to me, as well as Vallelonga in the movie, as the only time Green Book is explained is when he is made aware that there will be times the two can’t stay at the same hotels and he is provided with the book.
‘Overlord’ Film Review!
‘Overlord is the latest endeavor from sophomore feature film director Julius Avery and is produced by professional fanboy JJ Abrams. Here’s how I imagine their meeting went.
Avery: So, I have an idea for a video game movie.
JJ: Well, we don’t own the rights to any video games, and those movies always suck.
Avery: Yeah but see I play video games.
JJ: OK, well, what video game do you want to base a movie on?
Avery: ALL OF THEM!!!
Film Review: ‘[The Girl in the Spider’s Web: A New Dragon Tattoo Story]’!!
Hello Everyone, Janet W. here…
In the game of chess, there are rules. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, the brainchild of Stieg Larsson, has wowed and shocked audiences since 2009 when the novel and the Swedish version of the film of the same name were released. The heroine of these provocative tales, Lisbeth Salander, is a genius level conqueror/hacker with who fights injustice. In The Girl in the Spider’s Web, Salander (now portrayed by Claire Foy of the Netflix hit, The Crown, a huge mistake in my opinion) has taken vigilantism to a new level. Do not mess with this chick. Read the rest of this entry »
My Bloody Podcast #27 – ‘The Haunting/Haunting of Hill House’ with Guest Host David Lowery!
Here is the super spectacular and very special 27th episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
My Bloody Podcast #27 - 'The Haunting/Haunting of Hill House' with Guest Host David Lowery! [ 1:11:26 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadThe Unbalanced Note #13 – ‘BEASTIE BOYS’!
Here is the BRAND SPANKING NEW debut of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘The Unbalanced Note‘, where the show is related to all things MUSIC! Here on this new show, musician Jacob Douglas and I talk about everything we love or dislike about music, musicians, and the music industry.
My Bloody Podcast #26 – ‘TRICK ‘R TREAT’!
Here is the super spectacular 26th episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
The Unbalanced Note #12 – ‘GHOST’!
Here is the BRAND SPANKING NEW debut of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘The Unbalanced Note‘, where the show is related to all things MUSIC! Here on this new show, musician Jacob Douglas and I talk about everything we love or dislike about music, musicians, and the music industry.
‘Siberia’ Blu-ray Review!
Keanu Reeves is one of the most fun and best actors around. We all love him in a variety of films and we can’t wait until the next installments of ‘John Wick‘ and ‘Bill and Ted‘. In between these films, it’s really hit or miss with the movies Keanu chooses, but one thing is and will always be true – Keanu Reeves is a badass and a great actor. So ‘Siberia‘ is his most recent film that probably took a couple of weeks to shoot and I’ll compare it to Leo DiCaprio’s ‘Blood Diamond’ movie because it has Keanu Reeves in the diamond business under shady and dangerous conditions.
‘Transporter 3’ 4K UHD Review!
Has there really been three ‘Transporter‘ movies? Well yes, there has and the third and final one came out ten years ago in 2008. What is a ‘Transporter‘ anyway? It’s someone who is hired to deliver a package or person, mostly in dangerous situations. Jason Statham is the Transporter for all three films, which was conjured up by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) and the last two films directed by Olivier Megaton (Taken 2 and 3). It’s business as usual with this third film as Jason Statham is a Transporter headed to Russia with some nasty Russians on his tail.
Dallas Fan Days Comic Con 2018!
A couple of times a year, Fax Expo HQ puts on a great Comic Book Show, complete with celebrities, voice actors, comic book artists and writers, and cosplayers. This year with Dallas Fan Days is no different, which took place on October 19-21st at the Irving Convention Center. This year, the big draw was ‘Dragonball Z‘, which the main voice actor Chris Sabat was in attendance and had a ton of people wanting his autograph and picture. Dallas Fan Days even had an entire Dragonball Z setup with cosplayers, artwork and statues. It looked great.
‘Uncle Drew’ 4K UHD Review!
With a quick glance at the poster or film, you’d think this is just another one of the 100s of Tyler Perry films where someone dresses up as an elderly person and comedy ensues. That’s not the case with ‘Uncle Drew‘ though. Shock and awe for sure. If you’re unfamiliar with ‘Uncle Drew’, this idea came from a Pepsi commercial where a big basketball star dressed like an old man and show up the young kids on the court.
‘Ocean’s 8’ 4K UHD Review!
At some point recently, Hollywood decided to start remaking movies that came out not too long ago with all-female casts for the sake of just being all-female casts. It never goes over well, at least thus far. The most recent terrible remake was ‘Ocean’s 8‘, a remake of the ‘Ocean‘ trilogy that starred George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon amongst others.
The Unbalanced Note #11 – ‘The Beatles’!
Here is the BRAND SPANKING NEW debut of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘The Unbalanced Note‘, where the show is related to all things MUSIC! Here on this new show, musician Jacob Douglas and I talk about everything we love or dislike about music, musicians, and the music industry.
‘Beyond Re-Animator’ Blu-ray Review!
The third and final installment (thus far) in the ‘Re-Animator‘ film franchise comes ‘Beyond Re-Animator‘ from 2003 and directed by Brian Yuzna who was a producer on the original ‘Re-Animator‘ movie. This third film is a ton of fun and still packs the insane amount of gore these films are known for. Set about a decade after the first film, it follows our favorite doctor (played by Jeffrey Combs) who is in prison now and still trying to perfect his experiment of bringing the dead back to life as we’ve seen in the previous movies.
‘Dagon’ Blu-ray Review!
There isn’t a horror film like this out there – past, present, or future. This film ‘Dagon‘ is so off-the-wall that it has to be seen to be believed. Directed by Stuart Gordon (‘Re-Animator’) in 2001, ‘Dagon‘ follows two couples who are vacationing off the coast of Europe. At one point during this vacation, one of them sees a mermaid or so he thinks. Soon enough there is a big storm and crashes their boat. One of the couples heads off to get help at a local village to save their friends. Sounds easy and pleasant enough, right? WRONG! Turns out this village is inhabited by some evil fish people all led by a mutant fish monster who must have blood sacrifices.
My Bloody Podcast #25 – ‘CREEPSHOW’!
Here is the super spectacular 25th episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
‘King Cohen’ Blu-ray Review!
Larry Cohen is one of those old-school filmmakers that has been around a long time and is universally loved in the business. Cohen is mostly known for his B-movie films and having a penchant for not taking “no” for an answer. His filmmaking methods are pioneering and risky, but all have been a big success in their own way. Over the past few decades, Choen has amassed a ton of great friendships with other filmmakers, who all talk about Cohen her in this documentary called ‘King Cohen‘.
‘The Unbalanced Note #10 – ‘Bon Jovi’!
Here is the BRAND SPANKING NEW debut of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘The Unbalanced Note‘, where the show is related to all things MUSIC! Here on this new show, musician Jacob Douglas and I talk about everything we love or dislike about music, musicians, and the music industry.
Film Review: ‘[Bad Times at the El Royale]’!!
Hello Everyone, Janet W. here…
Slam, shuffle, shuffle, creak, shuffle, and plop. Bad Times at the El Royale skillfully opens with a sensory experience and a blank screen effectively peaking audience’s curiosity (Good job Sound team!). Felix (Nick Offerman) frantically hid a secret and, as expected, was murdered. Fast-forward roughly 15 years; Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo) and Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges) meet literally on the state line between Nevada and California, which is straddled by the El Royale. The meeting was apprehensive yet playful. Rounding out the known inhabitants of the hotel are Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm), a traveling vacuum salesman; Miles Miller (Lewis Pullman), the front desk clerk; and Emily Summerspring (Dakota Johnson), a mysterious wildcat with sharp claws. Everyone in burdened by a secret, which adds to the mysterious, dangerous air of the El Royale. Soon they will find out what lurks within its walls. Read the rest of this entry »
My Bloody Podcast #24 – ‘Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon’!
Here is the super spectacular 23rd episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
My Bloody Podcast #24 - 'Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon'! [ 1:06:16 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download‘The Evil Dead’ 4K UHD Review!
Perhaps the best horror film of all time and most certainly the most magnificent cult film of all time that gave us Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi to the world – ‘The Evil Dead‘ from 1981 is truly an extraordinary movie. This super low budget film with tons of gore spawned two sequels, a remake, and even a very successful 3-season tv series on Starz, not to mention countless toys, comics, and video games based off the film. Sam Raimi was just in his 20s when he made this movie with his family and friends, all shot on location in the middle of the woods, much to the chagrin of the actors. They powered through it and it became a huge success with big financing for a movie of this caliber and a winning review from the horror master himself Stephen King.
‘Strait-Jacket’ Blu-ray Review!
William Castle is at it again here with the fun murderous mom movie ‘Straight-Jacket‘ from 1964. Yes, that William Castle who brought the gimmicky movies like ‘The Tingler‘, ‘13 Ghosts‘, and ‘House on Haunted Hill‘. Joan Crawford stars in this film, which came out after her resurgence from ‘What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?‘. She went on to star in very similar roles, but with ‘Straight-Jacket‘, she stars as an ax-wielding murderer – mostly. Of course, production on this film was tense, to say the least, due to Crawford’s presence and diva-like personality. She even got some people fired from the set, but I guess that was the case if you were going to hire Crawford.
‘First Man’ Film Review!
Director Damien Chazelle has boldly departed from his usual song and dance (‘Whiplash’, ‘La La Land’) for a character study about one of America’s most famous, but equally mysterious heroes: Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling). It’s rare to find an individual that hasn’t heard of the moon landing, but ask them about Neil himself? That’s a different story. ‘First Man’ tries to peek behind the helmet into the private life of Apollo 11’s commanding astronaut, but what we ultimately discover about this rocket man is far less interesting than the mission itself. Despite Chazelle’s dedication to his goal, the outcome is a confusingly toned, disconnected and unrevealing biopic that never quite makes a solid landing.
‘First Man’ Film Review #2!
Anytime I see a movie about space the technology seems effortless. Even in space disaster movies, the main character is one button or airlock away from safety. The technology and engineering are always #15 on the list of most movies set in space. Even movies like Apollo 13 romanticize space travel to a large degree and gloss over the real work it takes to even get up there. First Man takes a different approach to launch humans into space by making every single aspect of the space program of the 60s be, frankly, terrifying.
‘A Star Is Born’ Dissection!
I lack the energy and patience to really give a deep dive into A Star is Born. I think the movie is a glorious mess. The first hour is fantastic and then it really loses focus on what it wants to say/do/or be and so it throws a ton of things at the wall before catering to the “This is Us-ification” of current storytelling to force tears from the crowd.
All I wanted to do here is dissect why the most beautiful moment of the movie earned everyone involved their inevitable nominations. I’m not sure anyone will talk about A Star is Born two years from now unless they are directly referencing this scene.
‘The Curse of the Cat People’ Blu-ray Review!
‘The Cat People‘ really thrilled people back in 1942, so in 1944, they made a sequel called ‘The Curse of the Cat People‘. It was all marketing though as ‘Curse‘ barely had anything to do with the original film, besides some of the same characters and actors. Notably, the filmmaker Ray Wise made this movie. Who is Ray Wise you ask? Holy Shit, I’ll tell you. He directed ‘West Side Story‘, ‘The Sound of Music‘, and even edited ‘Citizen Kane‘ to name a few projects he’s worked on. Not exactly a light-weight.
‘Someone’s Watching Me!’ Blu-ray Review!
Not to be confused with Michael Jackson’s song (Rockwell) ‘Somebody’s Watching Me‘, this 1978 made-for-television film called ‘Someone’s Watching Me!‘ was directed by the iconic John Carpenter (Halloween), which interestingly enough, came out a couple of weeks after ‘Halloween‘ was released in theaters. The film stars Lauren Hutton as a young woman who moves from NYC to LA in order to become a TV producer/director. She seems to be enjoying life out there, however, she has a stalker who spies on her from the building across from her with a telescope. This stalker sends her awful messages, harasses her, and even sends her strange gifts in the mail.
‘Night of the Lepus’ Blu-ray Review!
Back in 1972, a man by the name of William F. Claxton made his last feature film with ‘Night of the Lepus‘, before heading into the TV realm with shows like ‘Little House on the Prairie‘. That’s not a joke either. This movie is based off a book by Russell Braddon from 1964 called ‘The Year of the Angry Rabbit‘. Yes, a killer rabbit movie is what ‘Night of the Lepus‘ movie is all about. It’s about as good as you’d expect it to be, which is not very good. That being said, it’s so bad – it’s good and is so much fun to watch.
My Bloody Podcast #23 – ‘Child’s Play’!
Here is the super spectacular 23rd episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
The Unbalanced Note #9 – Funkadelic!
Here is the BRAND SPANKING NEW debut of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘The Unbalanced Note‘, where the show is related to all things MUSIC! Here on this new show, musician Jacob Douglas and I talk about everything we love or dislike about music, musicians, and the music industry.
Film Review: ‘Venom’!
Venom is the latest example of a movie trying to be too many things. I don’t know if we need to blame the writers, director, or studio tinkering but somehow this movie attempts to be everything to everyone and fails miserably. That isn’t to say its a bad time at the movies, I actually truly enjoyed some aspects of Venom. I think if the movie focused on trying to do one thing instead of a million it may have been one of the best comic book movies in years. Instead, as a whole, it should be launched into space.
WARNING: THIS REVIEW WILL HAVE SPOILERS
Film Review: ‘A Star Is Born’!
It’s not surprising that ‘A Star Is Born’ underwent the fourth rebirth with remakes on the rise. The latest version released in 1976 starred Barbra Streisand, but the 1954 version featuring Judy Garland arguably reigns supreme. Perhaps the track record this story has with the academy drove the motivation (2 out of 3 winning Oscars) or maybe this was an opportunity to introduce a classic to a younger audience. Whatever the case, Bradley Cooper had quite the task of not only acting in and directing ‘A Star Is Born’, but presenting this familiar narrative in a refreshing way. Yet in true underdog fashion, he may have just produced the best picture of the year.
Blu-ray Review: ‘Brainscan’!
Remember when computers, the internet, and CD-ROM games were first all the rage in the early 1990s? I certainly do. So did Hollywood, which is why they decided to make a string of films based on that fact. One of the horror films that fit this bill was ‘Brainscan‘, which starred the short-lived popular kid Edward Furlong, mostly known as the young John Connor in ‘T2: Judgement Day‘. The film follows a young teenager who lives in his dad’s wealthy abode but is never around to take care of him.
Blu-ray Review: ‘The Unborn’!
There is a fun horror sub-genre about pregnancy and demonic babies. In 1991, a film called ‘The Unborn‘ was added to that list and could be compared somewhat to ‘It’s Alive‘ and ‘Rosemary’s Baby‘. What’s crazy about this movie is the amount of talent involved before they were A-List. This is filmmaker Rodman Flender’s first film who went on to make a ton of horror movies and TV shows such as ‘The Office‘, ‘Arli$$‘, and ‘Leprechaun 2‘. It was produced by Roger Corman, starred a young Lisa Kudrow, with cinematographer Wally Pfister, who went on to lens all of Christopher Nolan’s movies, including the ‘Dark Knight‘ trilogy. It’s crazy, I know.
Blu-ray Review: ‘Memoirs of an Invisible Man’!
John Carpenter is mostly known as a maestro of horror with movies like ‘Halloween‘, ‘They Live‘, ‘Escape From New York‘, and ‘Big Trouble In Little China‘ under his belt. In 1992, a mostly forgotten movie he made is ‘Memoirs of an Invisible Man‘, which starred Chevy Chase, Daryl Hannah, Sam Neill, Michael McKean, and Stephen “Ned Ryerson” Tobolowsky. Carpenter and Warner Bros. Studios didn’t exactly get along, because they wouldn’t let Carpenter have total creative control here, so the film is safe and family friendly, unlike the rest of his films. In fact, Ivan Reitman of ‘Ghostbusters‘ was set to make this movie, but it never got off the ground and Carpenter was offered the role.
Blu-ray Review: ‘The Tingler’!
Gimmicks used to be a huge thing in horror movies back in the 1950s. They were used all the time in these low budget horror films to conjure up scares, word-of-mouth, and good publicity to sell a movie that wasn’t necessarily any good. In 1959, filmmaker William Castle (House on Haunted Hill, 13 Ghosts) was a pioneer in using these gimmicks. He was known for paying actors to attend movie screenings and scream and or faint during the film to cause a stir. In House on Haunted Hill, Castle rigged a fake skeleton to fly through actual movie theaters to scare the audience. He was a genius for sure, way ahead of his time. In 1959 though, he made a film called ‘The Tingler‘, which starred Vincent Price. His gimmick for this film was to use some of the budget to attach buzzers to theater seats to simulate scares and screams at certain moments in the movie. It worked perfectly and this is the type of movie where this gimmick succeeds.
Blu-ray Review: ‘Piranha II: The Spawning’!
Back in 1981, the world was introduced to filmmaker James Cameron (T2: Judgement Day, Avatar, True Lies). His first feature film was called ‘Piranha II: The Spawning‘ or otherwise known as The Flying Killers and was a sequel to the first ‘Piranha‘ film from a few years prior. The production of this movie had a very troubled history, where Cameron wasn’t even the filmmaker hired for the job. The original director was fired due to differences with the hard-nosed Italian producer. This was also true with Cameron as well, where Cameron had a completely different filmed version and script of the movie that was more or less a comedy horror film that was fun.
4K UHD Review: ‘Halloween’!
John Carpenter’s original ‘Halloween‘ film is iconic, classic, amazing, scary, and still holds up to this day. It paved the way for modern horror movies and slashers and spawned numerous sequels. This film has been released dozens of times over the years on various formats, but this is the first time in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision, which is an upgrade, to say the least. If you’re unfamiliar with the story of the movie, this is a slow burn of a masked killer with supernatural abilities and demonic forces who stalks and kills his victims, most of them high-school students. He’s the one in the dark corners, behind walls, and hidden in the bushes waiting to pounce and brutally kill you.
Blu-ray Review: ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’!
‘Jurassic World‘ burst onto the scene as a sequel/reboot hybrid film that made over $1.6 billion at the box office. Of course, there would be more, but at what cost? ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom‘ takes place a year or so after the events of the first film where the island where the theme park and dinosaurs were on are ravaged by an exploding volcano. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard team up again to save the dinosaurs, however they are misled by a maniacal businessman who has other plans for the dinosaurs, mostly being selling them at an auction to warlords across the country in hopes of turning these dinosaurs into military killing machines with freaking lasers attached to their heads for a profit. I’m not making this up.
Blu-ray Review: ‘Hocus Pocus’ 25th Anniversary!
It’s hard to believe that this film has been out for 25 years. ‘Hocus Pocus‘ had a strange story to it in that it’s a Halloween film from Disney that was released in the middle of Summer in 1993 against the movie ‘Free Willy‘. It stood no chance whatsoever and only made a little bit more than its budget. That being said, over the past two decades, ‘Hocus Pocus‘ has become a strong cult film amongst adults and kids alike where cosplayers and fans still celebrate this movie to this day with giant fandom. Say what you will about this movie, it’s always impressive that a movie that was virtually disliked by a ton of professionals and didn’t make money when it came out, but has become super successful for twenty years and counting is nothing short of a miracle.
Film Review: ‘The Hate You Give’!
More than fifty years have passed since the founding of the Black Panthers in 1966: a political organization determined to contest police brutality against African Americans. Although the party officially dismantled in 1982, their fight for civil rights has sadly remained relevant into the new century and their core beliefs continue to inspire social justice. Adapted from the 2017 award-winning novel, ‘The Hate U Give’ is a commanding film that adds to the Black Lives Matter movement and gives another voice to those who have unfairly lost their lives at the hands of men and women in blue. Don’t let the young-adult label fool you, because this engaging movie doesn’t hold back and packs serious ammunition!
Fantastic Fest Film Review: ‘Bloodline’!
Taking its cues from the 1970s and 1980s Italian horror films of Lucio Fulci and Mario Bava, the new movie ‘Bloodline‘ delivers in story, style, music, and a killer performance from Sean William Scott. Stifler’s mom would be proud. The average moviegoer will draw parallels to the Showtime series ‘Dexter‘, which will be easy, but ‘Bloodline‘ is so much more than that. The visual style of the film almost feels like we are in a world of ‘Suspiria‘ with a ton of blues and reds throughout that accent each room when something vicious is about to happen. Along with a vintage sounding synth score which is all the rage now by Trevor Gureckis, all of these beautiful yet horrific elements give birth to a wonderful horror film, both metaphorically and realistically.
An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn Interviews at Fantastic Fest 2018!
I had the pleasure to sit down with the ‘AN EVENING WITH BEVERLY LUFF LINN‘ filmmakers at Fantastic Fest 2018 this year, including Jim Hosking and David Wike. You’d remember them mostly from their previous movie ‘THE GREASY STRANGLER‘. Their new film ‘AN EVENING WITH BEVERLY LUFF LINN‘ is a sweet, odd, and magical movie about love, romance, past relationships, and music. The film stars Aubrey Plaza, Jemaine Clement, Emile Hirsch, Craig Robinson, and more. See the full review HERE.
Film Review: ‘[Night School]’!!
Hello Everyone, Janet W. here…
When life hands you lemons, make lemon drops.
Night School opens with young, Teddy Walker (Kevin Hart) struggling to study for his GSAT test. Right off a cool special effect, test questions pop off the page and fly about the room, makes Teddy’s challenge tangible for the audience. Teddy’s father, Gerald, portrayed by the venerable Keith David is convinced that he is dumber than a box of rocks. Coddled by his mother, Carole (Donna Biscoe), Teddy wakes to a gym filled with anxiety. As the questions yet again fly off the page, a tantrum sets in, Teddy storms out spouting claims that he will have money, a beautiful woman, and a fly ride the age-old question looms. Can a person be successful without college? Fast-forward 17 years; Teddy has Lisa, a Porsche Carrera, killer apartment, etc. However, a fiery misjudgment will change his life. With job gone, car gone, Teddy plummets into hysterical panic mode. In order to set his life to rights, he must obtain his GED. It will not come easy either. Read the rest of this entry »
Blu-ray Review: ‘Phantasm IV: Oblivion’!
The ‘Phantasm‘ series is legendary with filmmaker Don Corsacelli and his villain the Tall Man front and center. What’s fun about this series of horror films is that each sequel starts off right where the previous movie left off. This fourth film had an insane pre-production history. Roger Avery of ‘Pulp Fiction‘ and ‘Rules of Attraction‘ actually wrote a screenplay for this 4th film where it centered on a post-apocalyptic future world. It even was set to star Bruce Campbell too.
Blu-ray Review: ‘Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead’!
The ‘Phantasm‘ series is legendary with filmmaker Don Corsacelli and his villain the Tall Man front and center. What’s fun about this series of horror films is that each sequel starts off right where the previous movie left off. This third film plays out like ‘Inception‘ in a way, where characters are living in a dream within a dream, or shall I say nightmare through a lot of the film. There are some incohesive moments, but overall it’s still a lot of fun.
Blu-ray Review: ‘Dark Crimes’!
Jim Carrey is mostly known for his comedic films as well as a very family friendly actor who all audiences can enjoy on the big screen. Over the past decade, Carrey has jumped into more dramatic and even horror territory. His latest show on Showtime ‘Kidding‘ highlights his acting chops quite well as someone who can be a kid-friendly personality to a dark and sadistic would-be killer. In this new film ‘Dark Crimes‘, Carrey plays a Polish detective who goes down a rabbit hole of murder and sex games.
My Bloody Podcast #22 – Fantastic Fest 2018 and Halloween 2018!
Here is the super spectacular 22nd episode of our horror podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
My Bloody Podcast #22 - Fantastic Fest 2018 and Halloween 2018! [ 1:24:19 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download‘You Might Be The Killer’ Interviews at Fantastic Fest 2018!
I had the pleasure to sit down with the ‘You Might Be The Killer‘ filmmakers at Fantastic Fest 2018 this year, including Thomas P. Vitale, Griff Furst, and Brett Simmons. Their film ‘YOU MIGHT BE THE KILLER‘ is a fun-as-hell movie about a group of camp counselors being brutally murdered one-by-one by a masked killer. The head counselor calls his friend back in the city for help since she is a horror movie aficionado and could help him survive. See the full review HERE.
4K UHD Review: ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’!
Disney is on a roll these days with their recent ‘Star Wars‘ franchise. Not only do we have the new Episodes, but we are getting spin-off movies that focus on a singular story from the past or a certain character. One character that we all have loved from the original trilogy, but don’t know a great deal about is Han Solo. Sure, we know he was a smuggler, is an anti-hero, loved the princess, and helped save the Galaxy with his wookie partner Chewbacca, as they flew from planet to planet on the iconic Millennium Falcon. Through the original trilogy, we heard small lines of dialogue that gave us the tiniest glimpse at his background and life before he met Obi-Wan and Luke. Fortunately, we now have ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story‘ to answer all of those questions for us.
4K UHD Review: ‘American Psycho’!
American Psycho became one of my favorite films when it first debuted almost two decades ago. Based on Brett Easton Ellis‘ hit novel of the same name, it follows a square, nerdy, yet hugely successful investment banker in New York City named Patrick Bateman. When Bateman isn’t busy being boring and working, he moonlights as a brutal and vicious serial killer around NYC. In this darkly comedic story that combines comedy, horror, and 1980s pop tunes, you can’t help but laugh and be scared by the OCD of Patrick Bateman as he navigates his business life, business cards, making reservations at restaurants and killing people with axes and chainsaws.
Blu-ray Review: ‘Smithereens’ Criterion Collection!
Smithereens is a film from 1982 that focuses on the end of the punk rock scene in New York City. Directed by Susan Seidelman (She-Devil), the film focuses on a young woman who will do whatever it takes to be a part of the punk scene. I don’t mean a musician either, but rather a groupie or someone in the background. Unfortunately, in real life, there were a ton of these people who met their demise early on in life by way of crime, drugs or alcohol. This one is no different and while it might not be as brutal as Sid and Nancy, it’s just as tragic in a subtle way. It’s a fantastic film and Criterion Collection has brought the film to their amazing collection on Blu-ray. With a new transfer in HD, a mono soundtrack and excellent extras, this film Smithereens is Highly Recommended. Please listen to the review in podcast form below.
Fantastic Fest Film Review: ‘Apostle’!
Easily my favorite movie of Fantastic Fest so far, Apostle is the type of movie that will stay with you hours after watching it. Gareth Evans wrote and directed this disturbing tale of Thomas (Dan Stevens) who infiltrates a religious cult on a remote island in order to rescue his kidnapped sister. Any further descent into the plot would ruin surprises that were a joy to discover during the movie. Evans’ ability to depict brutality and rage is second to none. What’s that? You haven’t seen The Raid or its sequel? Go watch those then come back to this review.
Fantastic Fest Film Review: ‘Hold the Dark’!
Jeremy Saulnier has now made three movies about the darkness at the fringes of civilization. In Blue Ruin it was a revenge tale where a man rejected societal expectations to get his pound of flesh. In Green Room, we follow the journey of a punk rock band trapped by neo-Nazis in a woods far from help. In Hold the Dark, he explores the darkness of remote Alaska to make one of the bleakest movies in recent memory.
Fantastic Fest Film Review: ‘Murder Me, Monster’!
Murder Me, Monster is a horror film out of Argentina that turned out to be absolutely bonkers. In the remote regions of Argentina, a woman’s body is found with no head. Cruz, an officer assigned to the crime, begins to investigate what is going on. While Cruz is looking into the death, he is also having an affair with a married woman. The woman’s husband is named David and he has gone missing again and Cruz sets off to find him. Cruz finds David in an abandoned village in the mountains.
Fantastic Fest Film Review: ‘Suspiria’ 2018!
Fantastic Fest’s Secret Screening this year was the remake of Suspiria starring Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton. Everyone in the theater loved it and the buzz in the Drafthouse afterward was fever pitch. Every review I have seen so far has praised it up and down. Unfortunately, this is not going to be one of those reviews. I recently rewatched the original Suspiria because to say this movie is very hyped in the horror community would be an understatement so I was prepared to see it next month. As the festival got closer and Suspiria wasn’t announced as an opening or closing film it slowly became the odds-on favorite for the secret screening. As I sat down to watch, I was truly excited.
Fantastic Fest Film Review: ‘Halloween’ 2018!
The original Halloween is barred none the best of the slasher genre. It is a simple story, a young boy kills his sister and is put in a mental institution, 16 years later he breaks out and goes on a rampage murdering people on Halloween. Michael Myers is terrifying in a way that Jason or Freddy isn’t. He feels more “realistic” in his behaviors in the first movie. Michael is just an unstoppable force of death who Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) runs in to. All of the sequels to Halloween try too hard to explain things or add significance. Sure, there are some fun entries that with the right amount of inebriation are quick fun. But ultimately they all abandon what was so great about the first, its simplicity. Halloween, 2018, erases all of the sequels in just 3-4 lines of dialogue and goes right back to the roots of what made the original such a groundbreaking horror film.
The Unbalanced Note #8 – ‘The Byrds’!
Here is the BRAND SPANKING NEW debut of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘The Unbalanced Note‘, where the show is related to all things MUSIC! Here on this new show, musician Jacob Douglas and I talk about everything we love or dislike about music, musicians, and the music industry. However, in this 8th episode, Jacob has gone on safari and we have a very special guest host and Boomstick Comics regular Jonathon Kimbrell joining the show from Classic Waxxx Records.
Film Review: ‘White Boy Rick’!
White Boy Rick is a mediocre biopic about the insane Wershe family story. When I say insane, I mean completely insane. When crack was on the rise in the 1980s, Rick Wershe was a police informant, drug dealer, and kingpin for a solid amount of time with the help of his Dad. This story had so many twists and turns related to the rise and fall of this family that a good hour on the ‘Ol Google Machine’ after the movie really left me shocked with how much of it was true. Despite my fascination with the subject matter the movie didn’t land as well as I thought it would. I’d compare it to Black Mass which is another truly incredible real life story that couldn’t figure out how to present it as a compelling movie.
My Bloody Podcast #21 – ‘Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers’!
Here is the super spectacular 21st episode (all-adult) of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
My Bloody Podcast #21 - 'Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers'! [ 1:48:19 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadFilm Review: ‘The Predator’!
Another reboot to the franchise brings more blood, guts, and humor to one of our favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger 80’s film ‘Predator‘. Now, it’s simply titled ‘THE PREDATOR‘, which vaguely addresses the past two films with zero mention of any characters. Shane Black is at the helm of this distant sequel to the original film, which is interesting, to say the least. Shane was in the first film back in 1987 and played the part of Hawkins who told the funny jokes through the film. Shane went on to write the ‘Lethal Weapon‘ movies, ‘The Monster Squad‘ and more importantly ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang‘, ‘The Nice Guys‘, and ‘Iron Man 3‘, before taking this on with his fellow ‘Monster Squad‘ collaborator Fred Dekker.
My Bloody Podcast #20 – ‘Surf Nazis Must Die’!
Here is the super spectacular 20th episode of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
Film Review: ‘The Nun’!
Coming in as WORST MOVIE OF THE YEAR so far, ‘The Nun‘ fails to impress on every level. I don’t say this lightly either. I’m a huge proponent of the horror genre and do believe that ‘The Conjuring‘, ‘The Conjuring 2‘, ‘Annabelle‘, and ‘Annabelle Creation‘ are some of the best modern day horror movies we have around. When we were introduced to this demonic nun un ‘The Conjuring 2‘, I had terrific nightmares where I had to sleep with the lights on. This character was horrific in a fantastic way. This nun was the hit of the ‘Conjuring‘ sequel for sure and now we have a whole entire film, simply titled ‘The Nun‘ that gives us a story about her from a couple of decades prior to the events in ‘The Conjuring‘. It’s not a prequel or origin story though as nothing about this demonic nun known as Valek is discussed. With a terrible screenplay, awful dialogue, dreadful editing, and camera movements, and not to mention stale performances – I prayed for the film to get better, but ‘The Nun‘ let me down at every turn. In fact, the film is so horrendous that I actually started to enjoy it on some comedic type of level.
TV Review: The New ‘JACK RYAN’ Series!
This weekend I had the time to watch the entire first season of Amazon’s new series Jack Ryan. Growing up I enjoyed all of the Harrison Ford versions of Jack Ryan and even liked the Ben Affleck iteration. The reboot attempt with Chris Pine fell pretty flat for me a few years back but I’ve always enjoyed the character. John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan is a perfectly serviceable TV hero but is really bogged down by the story around him. In an effort to be optimistic, I will say that I am hopeful for the second season.
Directorial Interview: Josh and Jonathan Baker, ‘[KIN]’!!
Hello Everyone, Janet W. here…
On August 23rd, I had the privilege to sit with the twin directors of KIN, Josh and Jonathan Baker. Adorable, funny, and in charge, these two are about to take the world by storm. Tune in and discover this handsome duo’s origin, perspectives, and insights as well as the impromptu pop quiz they sprung on me. Josh and Jonathan are a hoot and a half. So much fun and interesting conversation were had.
Film Review: ‘Searching’!
I have to admit that I had no interest in Searching going in. I saw the trailer and thought nothing of it. I saw some positive buzz about the movie the past few weeks and still thought it was going to be a bad movie. Well, I was completely wrong. Searching is a great thriller that really uses its online concept in brilliant ways to keep the suspense and twists coming in ways that feel earned.
My Bloody Podcast #19 – ‘SCREAM’!
Here is the super spectacular 19th episode of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
The Unbalanced Note #7 – JIMI HENDRIX!
Here is the BRAND SPANKING NEW debut of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘The Unbalanced Note‘, where the show is related to all things MUSIC! Here on this new show, musician Jacob Douglas and I talk about everything we love or dislike about music, musicians, and the music industry.
Film Review: ‘[KIN]’!!
Hello Everyone, Janet W. here…
Crash. Pew Pew. Woosh. Boom. Maneuvering through the ruins of an abandoned building, KIN opens with the coolest sound mixing that I have heard and literally felt in a long time. Eli Solinski (Myles Truitt) searches for scrap metal to sell, but finds a weapon endowed with great power and a secret that will alter his life. An outsider, Eli has few friends and lost his mother at a young age. It is no wonder why he is so reserved in his demeanor. At least until you mess with his family. Hal Solinski (Dennis Quaid), Eli’s father, comes home to find Eli suspended for fighting and his elder son, Jimmy Solinski (Jack Reynor) released from prison. Can his day get better? Read the rest of this entry »
Film Review: ‘The Happytime Murders’!
The Happytime Murders is the worst movie I’ve sat through in 2018. It isn’t funny or clever or charming or enjoyable or just so stupid you laugh. It is a horrible script with even worse acting blasted into your poor eyeballs for an hour and twenty-five minutes. This is a terrible one, guys. I hate to say it but avoid this.
My Bloody Podcast #18 – ‘Freddy vs Jason’!
Here is the super spectacular 18th episode (barely legal) of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘My Bloody Podcast‘, where the show is related to all things HORROR! Here on this new show, Preston Barta from Fresh Fiction and the Denton Record-Chronicle and I talk about everything we love about horror movies, tv shows, and horror themed music.
Fantastic Fest 2018 Second Wave of Motion Pictures Announced!
Fantastic Fest is one of the events that is pure bliss for any fan of genre cinema. If you love horror, sci-fi, foreign, action, and even adult-oriented movies from the 1970s, then Fantastic Fest is the place to let that freak flag fly high and be with like-minded individuals that truly appreciate the art of movies. All of the madness and fun will take place in Austin, TX starting on September 20th and run for 10 days at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar St. This year, which is the 14th annual festival of Fantastic-ness, captures the essence of the Korean movie scene with a ton of cool films being showcased from Korea, both new and old. This is something you won’t want to miss.
The second wave of movies (1st wave can be seen here) – has been announced, including the US Premiere of the upcoming sequel ‘HALLOWEEN‘ from director David Gordon Green, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, who reprises her iconic role as Laurie Strode. In addition to that, Jeremy Saulnier‘s new film ‘HOLD THE DARK‘, will have its US Premiere at the festival. Also, Gaspar Noe’s newest movie ‘CLIMAX‘, will be shown too. This is shaping up to be an amazing festival. Below is the complete list of the second wave.
The Unbalanced Note #6 – Boston!
Here is the BRAND SPANKING NEW debut of the newest podcast under the MULTI-MEDIA MEN banner called ‘The Unbalanced Note‘, where the show is related to all things MUSIC! Here on this new show, musician Jacob Douglas and I talk about everything we love or dislike about music, musicians, and the music industry.
Film Review: ‘Mile 22’!
Mile 22 is a movie where John Malkovich (in a weird hairpiece) looks straight into the camera and says, “He’s not a double agent…He’s a triple agent!” That pretty much sums up the quality of this latest collaboration between Mark Wahlberg and director Peter Berg. It is loud, full of action, and constantly twists itself in stupid knots trying to be more than a fun summer blockbuster.
Mile 22 opens with a decently long prologue of a team known as ‘Overwatch’ (no relation to the video game), led by Mark Wahlberg infiltrating a Russian sleeper cell home in a suburban town. Wahlberg’s on the ground team consists of Lauren Cohan and Ronda Rousey. In the sky, there is John Malkovich and a group of computer nerds watching every aspect of the operation. There are also two males on Wahlberg’s team which I will address in a minute. This opening sequence is really, really well done, It has a lot of tension and the suspense builds and builds through the final moments. Despite my enjoyment of the scene overall they still went out of their way to show that ‘Overwatch’, which is allegedly the best of the best and doesn’t exist, is also really terrible at their job because all the planning and technology advantages they still let some 20-year-old guy get the drop on the two male members of ‘Overwatch’ killing them.
Guillermo Del Toro Will Direct 'Beauty and the Beast' Starring Emma Watson!!!