“If you don’t want to be scared in a horror film, don’t close your eyes. Close your ears.”   – Eli Roth A good horror director knows that most of their audience will already be established horror movie fans. And for longtime fans of the genre, they grow savvy to the ways of horror tropes and cliches. I think one of the most important aspects of a successful horror movie is subversion. Subversion of expectations and assumptions to deliver a surprising and effective payoff. The

“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding go out to meet it.” —  Thucydides  Over the years the term blockbuster has become more and more synonymous with shallow entertainment. Mindless spectacle meant to visually capture your attention while providing little else. It’s something to watch while eating your popcorn and chugging a soda pop. It’s an afternoon killer. Empty calories. Sometime

It’s not often that I can start off a most anticipated list having already seen a couple of the movies. But it’s been a weird start to the year and I’ve been sick. And I haven’t felt like doing much of anything. But I must persevere. (It’s a head cold and I’m acting like it’s going to kill me) Movies are important to me and have been for most of my life. So talking about what exactly I’m looking forward to seems only natural. This is probably the twentieth time I’ve done this

“There is something at work in my soul, which I do not understand.”   – Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Christopher Booker theorized that nearly all narratives are variations of seven core archetypes: Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, The Quest, Voyage and Return, Rebirth, Comedy, and Tragedy.  Overcoming the Monster:   Jaws, Star Wars Rags to Riches:   Cinderella, Aladdin The Quest:   The Lord of the Rings, Raiders of the Lost Ark Voyage and Return:   Alice in Wonderland,

“Look around you. You're standing in one of the last great cathedrals in this country, built on the premise that you and you alone are responsible for the consequences of your actions.”  - Robert Duvall as Judge Joseph Palmer When legends of the screen die, as fans we naturally take a look back at their body of work. We remember the greatness. We recall the authenticity. We mourn what will never be. Although ninety-five years old, Robert Duvall’s presence on the silver screen

“You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away and know when to run.”   – Kenny Rogers   Homage can act as a love letter. As they say, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." As with all things, there is a fine line between sincerity and insincerity. Even if well-intentioned, a lack of originality in a film’s story—whether in the plot itself or from a more visual perspective—means the audience can pick up on falsities like inorganic di

“We sit here stranded, though we’re all doin’ our best to deny it.”   - Bob Dylan Say what you will about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – it is one of a small handful of MARVEL movies that has an actual distinct style; it stands out. Eternals , however ill-received it may have been, demonstrates cinematography choices that resulted in one of the best looking movies in the entire MCU. With Doctor Strange 2 , it would seem that Feige and the powers that be took a

“A judicial system is corrupt if truth is denied the right to be a witness.”   - Suzy Kassem Ah yes… January. The month after Christmas when the lights come down and the incessant H&R Block and TurboTax commercials plague our every waking moment to remind us that the most corrupt and incompetent government in the history of this country still expects to collect come April 15th. Along with all this pleasantness comes the end of award worthy cinema and in its place comes what I

2025 is over. Only 3 days into the new year and we’re already being threatened with all out war. So not exactly starting off things on the right foot. So as a true millennial, let’s look back at the last year in music.  As I did last time, ten is five too many so this will be my TOP 5 Full Length Albums of 2025. If there are any EPs I’ll list that separately.  5. ‘Flowers’ by The Devil Wears Prada ‘Flowers’ is a slow revelation. On first listen, it didn’t immediately click, i

I am but one man. I love movies. I doth proclaim too much! Anyway, here are my top ten movies of 2025. But first, some honorable mentions. Honorable Mentions 14. 28 Years Later Long dormant, the 28 Days Later franchise made a triumphant return with the first chapter in an all new trilogy. 28 Years Later takes the mythos established twenty-two years ago and expands upon it with themes of fatherhood and motherhood. It explores themes of entering adulthood and accepting the frag

"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office." - Aesop Just to list a few of the insane amount of projects Taylor Sheridan is working on: six Yellowstone  spinoffs including 1883 , 1923 , and in development, 1944 , The Madison , Y: Marshals , and another tentatively titled Dutton Ranch . He also helped create   Landman , Tulsa King , Lioness , and the reason you’re here,   Mayor of Kingstown . I think the most amazing aspect of so many projects in v

"It is not power that corrupts but fear." - Aung San Suu Kyi Just to list a few of the insane amount of projects Taylor Sheridan is working on: six Yellowstone  spinoffs including 1883 , 1923 , and in development, 1944 , The Madison , Y: Marshals , and another tentatively titled Dutton Ranch . He also helped create   Landman , Tulsa King , Lioness , and the reason you’re here,   Mayor of Kingstown . I think the most amazing aspect of so many projects in various stages of pro

“Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.”   - Carl Sagan It is estimated that the third Avatar movie, of a planned five film saga, cost 400 million USD. It is one of the most expensive movies ever made. Was it worth the money? Let’s discuss. It was thirteen years between Avatar and The Way of Water . When it was finally time to return to Pandora there was a palpable excitement to once again experience the visual splendor of the world created by visionary writer/d

"Power attracts the corruptible. Suspect any who seek it." - Frank Herbert Just to list a few of the insane amount of projects Taylor Sheridan is working on: six Yellowstone  spinoffs including 1883 , 1923 , and in development, 1944 , The Madison , Y: Marshals , and another tentatively titled Dutton Ranch . He also helped create   Landman , Tulsa King , Lioness , and the reason you’re here,   Mayor of Kingstown . I think the most amazing aspect of so many projects in various

“ Corruption is a cancer that steals from the poor, eats away at governance and moral fibre and destroys trust. ” - Robert Zoellick Just to list a few of the insane amount of projects Taylor Sheridan is working on: six Yellowstone  spinoffs including 1883 , 1923 , and in development, 1944 , The Madison , Y: Marshals , and another tentatively titled Dutton Ranch . He also helped create   Landman , Tulsa King , Lioness , and the reason you’re here,   Mayor of Kingstown . I thi

“If on your journey you should encounter God, God will be cut.”   - Hattori Hanzo I talk about my relationship with Quentin Tarantino's filmography first before I get into The Whole Bloody Affair. Skip down if you only want to read about the film. I was fourteen years old when vol.1 hit theaters. I don’t recall if I had seen Pulp Fiction yet. My parents were quite liberal with what they let me watch when I was young but drew the line at certain content. Violence was one thi

“Selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race.”   - William E. Gladstone * Small Warning : As I was editing this review I realized how many times I brought up Uncut Gems and Good Time . Heads up, it's a lot. It wasn't my intention but those films had certain style choices that were clearly carried over into Marty Supreme . The comparisons were inevitable. Just sayin'... * After seeing Good Time , the Safdie Brothers’ third feature, and hearing them speak of their ins

“This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time.”   - The Narrator (1999, Fight Club) I’ve made it no secret over the years that I am a David Fincher fanboy. He is on my list of creators whose name alone will guarantee me in a theater watching whatever it is they make. Scorsese , Tarantino , Nolan , Flanagan , Villeneuve , and of course, Fincher.  I’m a big horror fan and I think his movies translate well as a horror-adjacent, thriller territory. For movies as dark

"Corruption is simply crime without conscience." - George Richard Marek Just to list a few of the insane amount of projects Taylor Sheridan is working on: six Yellowstone  spinoffs including 1883 , 1923 , and in development, 1944 , The Madison , Y: Marshals , and another tentatively titled Dutton Ranch . He also helped create   Landman , Tulsa King , Lioness , and the reason you’re here,   Mayor of Kingstown . I think the most amazing aspect of so many projects in various st

“The Most Romantic Love Story Isn't Romeo and Juliet Who Died Together, but Grandpa and Grandma Who Grew Old Together.” - unknown Sometimes you can read a movie trailer like a book. You can tell if it’s going to be good or not in those brief two or three minutes. Then there’s instances where it will downright fool you either promising something great, giving you something terrible or it’s an awful trailer for what ends up being a top ten contender. I think there’s a third cat