If not the first horror movie ever made, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was an early feature film to explore the macabre side of cinema. While exact records of its critical and financial reception back in 1920 are somewhat unreliable and often contradictory, the film proved highly influential on the development of the horror genre,… Read More Deathly Silence | The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) 4K Ultra HD
While the cultural phenomenon of Batman ushered in a wave of comic book adaptations throughout the 1990s, the Caped Crusader’s own movie series burned out quickly and none of his imitators caught fire in quite the same way. As the new millennium approached, the genre waned once again, almost to the point of fading from… Read More What Would You Prefer, Yellow Spandex? | X-Men (2000) Blu-ray
In the fall of 1992, I was deep into a phase of Clive Barker fandom. I’d read all of the author’s books available to that point and watched both Hellraiser and Nightbreed often enough to put serious wear on my VHS copies. When a new movie based on a short story from one of Barker’s… Read More What’s Blood for If Not for Shedding? | Candyman (1992) Unrated Cut Blu-ray
With a terrific sense of foreboding atmosphere and a strong lead performance from its star, the Hulu film Hold Your Breath nails two of the most important qualities necessary for any horror-thriller. By that measure, it’s a success. On the other hand, the further it goes, the story feels more and more familiar to another… Read More Too Much Dust in the Air | Hold Your Breath (2024) on Hulu
Originally planned for a wide theatrical release, the George Clooney/Brad Pitt crime comedy Wolfs had its run in theaters cut short to just one week – the minimum required to satisfy both stars’ contracts – before being rapidly whisked to its long-term home on streaming. In years past, a film like this might have brought… Read More Smooth Operators | Wolfs (2024) on Apple TV+
Walter’s Hill’s 1979 The Warriors was a box office hit and has grown to become an even greater cult classic over the years, but was released to considerable criticism and controversy at the time. Unfortunately, that reputation led Hill, decades later, to create a Director’s Cut in 2005 that attempted to water down the content… Read More Miracles Is the Way Things Ought to Be | The Warriors (1979) Arrow Video 4K Ultra HD
Whether they’ve actually seen the movie or not, I doubt many classic film fans need it explained that 1945’s Story of G.I. Joe has no direct connection to the Hasbro toy company’s popular action figure line. This isn’t a prequel to the adventures of Snake Eyes, Destro, or Cobra Commander. However, Hasbro did take inspiration… Read More Just the Mugs Along for the Ride | Story of G.I. Joe (1945)
Arnold Schwarzenegger was already a celebrity by the early 1980s from his bodybuilding career, TV appearances, and featured screen time in the popular documentary Pumping Iron, but his attempts at acting didn’t really take off until he landed the lead in Conan the Barbarian. A screen vehicle well-tailored to both his strengths and limitations, the… Read More Days of High Adventure | Conan the Barbarian (1982) Arrow Video 4K Ultra HD
At the end of 2023, collectors of the 1980s G.I. Joe toy line received a wonderful gift in the form of a huge coffee table book documenting The Art of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (reviewed here previously). Supporters of that project’s original Kickstarter campaign were additionally promised a supplemental Blu-ray set to follow… Read More Snap-On, Stay-On | The Art of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Blu-ray Digipack (2024)
Once an unstoppable box office powerhouse, the Terminator movie franchise has seen its fortunes dwindle with subsequent installments as audiences moved on to other sci-fi diversions, many of which have borrowed from the foundation James Cameron originally built. Nevertheless, the property remains valuable enough to keep active in some form, if no longer on movie… Read More Skynet in the Shell | Terminator Zero: Season 1 (2024) on Netflix
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