2021
Spiderman: Homecoming
I was surprised by how good this Marvel entry was. It’s genuinely funny, the main villain is well fleshed-out,... more
To Be or Not to Be
This is an odd duck with weird tonal issues. There are plenty of gonzo Mel Brooks moments but the... more
Captain America: Civil War
The story of the rift between the Avengers was not very compelling and is more of an excuse to... more
Malignant
The story feels like a cheesy straight-to-video horror movie that came out in the late 80s but the visual... more
Avengers: Age of Ultron
The story is not very interesting and the movie is almost 60% dudes fighting in the sky lameness. We’re... more
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
The Guardians films remain the best of the Marvel movies. This is mostly due to their disconnect from Earthly... more
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
This one is a little better than the last few Marvel movies I’ve watched. The first half is basically... more
Thor: The Dark World
None of the actors except the guy who plays Loki appear to be having any fun. Everything just feels... more
Iron Man 3
These Marvel movies feel like a Television series, and by Television Series I mean a mindless sitcom that you... more
Thor
Fish out of water parts were okay. The stuff in Middle Earth was really dumb.
Iron Man 2
The great superhero slog continues. Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal is fun, but nothing interesting really happens in this movie... more
The Beach House
An okay horror movie with some annoying acting at the beginning but it get better as the horror ratchets... more
Dead & Buried
I really didn’t know anything about this movie even though I remember the box art from the video rental... more
Captain Marvel
I have largely ignored superhero movies since the first Avengers movie. I never really dislike the ones I’ve seen,... more
Stop Making Sense
I’ll admit it, I really don’t like the Talking Heads. Their 3 or 4 radio hits are okay, but... more
In a Lonely Place
Bogart is screen writer with a short fuse who is wrongly accused of murder. His alibi is his new... more
Annette
I went into this knowing what to expect on the music side of things. It’s a further exploration of... more
The Zombie Walks
What a wonderfully goofy and fun movie. This is the first German Krimi film I have ever watched and... more
Dark Waters
A Russian horror movie about a island convent that houses some sort of demon that is released when a... more
There Will Be Blood
Daniel Day-Lewis acts up a storm while talking in a weird deep voice. He main nemesis comes across as... more
The Sparks Brothers
Since the late 80s, Sparks has been one of my favorite bands. Despite their long career there isn’t much... more
The Death of Stalin
A dark comedy in the vein of Dear Reader in which historical events are depicted in their absurd reality.... more
Troll Hunter
Found footage film about a group of Norwegian documentarians following a guy who hunts gigantic CGI trolls. Better than... more
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
The skillful and clever style of this movie has become an aesthetic touchstone for just about every gaming YouTuber... more
Venus in Furs
I have had this on DVD for quite some time now and am re-watching it after noticing I never... more
Dredd
There are hints of The Terminator (the first one) and Robocop in this but it doesn’t quite rise to... more
Sound of Noise
A group of avant-garde percussionists decide to go rogue and put on the ultimate performance by breaking-in to various... more
The Editor
A horror-comedy that takes aim at lampooning Italian giallo and horror films. It never quite nails the comedy part... more
The Kid Detective
What happens when a child prodigy detective like Encyclopedia Brown graduates out of schoolyard mysteries into solving real crimes?... more
Murder in an Etruscan Cemetery
In keeping with animal themed giallos, this is also known as The Scorpion with Two Tails. I don’t know... more
Tropic of Cancer
Similarly to Jess Franco’s film Venus in Furs, this has nothing to do with the classic book of the... more
The Etruscan Kills Again
An alcoholic archeologist (aren’t they all?) is at the center of this murder mystery that jumps from scene to... more
Assault
A British mystery thriller featuring Suzi Kendall. The more I see of Suzi the more I like her acting... more
The Wolf of Snow Hollow
On the surface, this a horror movie about a small mountain town that has been plagued with a number... more
The Fifth Cord
The two big positives of this giallo are: a creepy, abstract Morricone score and lots of wonderfully composed shots... more
2020
The Long Hair of Death
Italian Gothic horror from 1964 featuring Barbara Steele. Shot in glorious black & white, I was ready to give... more
Hell Bound
1957 noir film about a gangster who organizes a heist of drugs from a ship at sea. The movie... more
Hell of the Living Dead
I have seen the DVD cover of this low-budget Italian zombie movie a zillion times. It’s pretty cool box... more
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
German speaking Spanish conquistadors float down a river in search of El Dorado and eventually the title character goes... more
Die Screaming Marianne
Maianne is a young dancer who knows the account number of her dead mother’s Swiss bank account and her... more
Death Laid an Egg
This is quite possibly the sexiest movie about chicken farming that I have ever seen. Death Laid an Egg... more
Strip Nude for Your Killer
Well, if there’s one thing you can say about this giallo, it’s that the title is not a lie.... more
Pulsebeat
Pulsebeat has been on my must-see bucket list for at least a decade. Ever since I found a clip... more
Panic Beats
Panic Beats has been on my radar ever since I saw a few clips from it in to Mondo... more
Demonia
Another late stage Fulci horror movie that disappoints despite the awesome title music and excellent poster/box art. From the... more
The Perfume of the Lady in Black
I had never heard of this psychological mystery until I saw it posted on a giallo site. It’s not... more
Seven Murders for Scotland Yard
I think about 40% of this movie is just boring shots of Paul Naschy limping through the streets of... more
Shadows Unseen
A journalist has been murdered and the department really wants to find the killer quickly and brush this case... more
The Death and Resurrection Show
A documentary about one of my favorite bands, Killing Joke. It’s an okay overview of the band’s history as... more
Death Occurred Last Night
An early 70s Italian police thriller that has one of the weirdest/dumbest plots ever. The main story here is... more
Puzzle
Also known as L’uomo Senza Memoria, this is a 1974 giallo about an man suffering from amnesia who reconnects... more
Johnny Cool
Johnny Cool is a black and white gangster movie from 1964 featuring a pre-Bewitched Elizabeth Montgomery and, in the... more
A Chinese Ghost Story
Admittedly, I didn’t really give this one my full attention while I watched. At one point when I came... more
The Ghost Galleon
The third film in the Blind Dead series features the return of the terrifying cheap skeleton hand prop. A couple of models... more
Nick the Sting
A small-time crook is accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He then spends the rest of the movie... more
Nightmare Castle
Black and white Gothic horror with Barbara Steele in a dual role as blonde lady and brunette lady. I... more
Dr. Goldfoot & The Girl Bombs
Mario Bava at his absolute worst. There is so much lost in translation and editing that this is barely... more
La Mala Ordina (Manhunt)
Well, here I go down the Eurocrime rabbit hole. The plot in this one is odd. The film starts... more
The Boss
Another exciting Italian crime thriller directed by Fernando Di Leo, director of Caliber 9. All the characters are scum, even the... more
Baby Driver
The concept of this movie is that all the action and camera work is scripted to go along with... more
Escape from New York
Another gaping hole from my 80s cinema to-do list. The premise is extremely cheesy and the execution isn’t much... more
Train to Busan
Korean fast-zombie movie that is largely bloodless but manages to remain entertaining to the end. Dad takes his daughter on... more
Bastard Swordsman
Dueling clans seek to attain the highest level of kung-fu: silkworm style. The fighter literally shoots out webs of... more
The Million Eyes of Sumuru
This movie shouldn’t be as enjoyable as it was, but I found myself entertained throughout. It’s basically the type... more
Demon City Shinjuku
Why is so much anime so bad? The plot is as follows: demon destroys city in epic battle, loser’s... more
Shanghai Fortress
Alright, time to dig in to some CGI-heavy, big budget, us vs. the blue laser summer blockbuster fare from... more
Machine Gun McCain
I have owned the soundtrack to Gli Intoccabili for years. The title song is one of the best themes Ennio Morricone ever wrote,... more
Midsommar
In the post Wicker Man world, I guess creepy European folk culture turned death-cult is now officially a horror sub-genre. I... more
Caliber 9
Caliber 9 is a highly regarded Eurocrime thriller about an ex-con who is released from prison and everyone suspects he’s... more
The Lighthouse
A weird, arty film about a pair of lighthouse keepers that is reminiscent of David Lynch. I’m sure there... more
L’assassino
Marcello Mastroianni is an antiques dealer who is taken in by the police, accused of murdering his lover. It’s... more
Furie
Vietnamese martial arts picture about a female kung-fu loan collector whose daughter is kidnapped and taken to Shanghai. There... more
Gangs of New York
I appreciated the 19th Century art direction, especially the hats, but it was way too long for such a... more
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny
While I think it is a reasonably good wire-fu martial arts movie, Sword of Destiny isn’t really a worthy sequel to... more
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
As with all Tarantino movies, this is entertaining from beginning to end with tons of nostalgic details. I don’t... more
The Fog
Had not seen this one before. John Carpenter certainly knew his stuff. There’s barely a movie here but it... more
Super Inframan
If I was 9 years old this would be the greatest movie ever. It’s basically the Shaw Bros. version... more
Frozen II
This is an animated movie about an ice princess who occasionally sings Broadway numbers. The overall message here is... more
2019
The Rise of Skywalker
This was an entertaining mess. I thought The Force Awakens was great, but it is so sad that whatever... more
One Cut of the Dead
Excellent Japanese zombie movie that isn’t quite what it seems. Avoid spoilers and just watch this. The title refers... more
Mister America
If you haven’t followed “On Cinema” on Adult Swim, I can’t imagine appreciating this movie. If you’re a fan,... more
The Horrible Dr. Hichcock
This was directed by Riccardo Freda but I wouldn’t be surprised if Bava had some behind the scenes role.... more
Solo
Well, at least it wasn’t embarrassing. The movie exists as yet another way to try to give backstory to... more
Dolemite Is My Name
Entertaining but hollow biopic about the early days of Rudy Ray More as played by Eddie Murphy. It’s hard to... more
Millennium Actress
The follow-up to Perfect Blue is downright whimsical compared to its predecessor. There are still more grown-up themes than your typical... more
Bone Tomahawk
Western with a twist that shows its hand in the first frame of the movie but you very quickly... more
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
If you read this Web site with any regularity (in reality that means nobody), you know that I am... more
Voices from Beyond
Well, you can generally count on Lucio Fulci for at least one fun scene in any movie he creates.... more
Rosemary’s Baby
This is always getting cited as one of the best horror movies ever made. I was not impressed. Yes,... more
Ip Man
This is the “true story” of Bruce Lee’s teacher, Ip Man. The WWII setting gives it some gravitas as characters live under... more
C.H.U.D.
More 80s horror catch-up for me. I wasn’t sure if this movie was so well known merely for it’s... more
Q: The Winged Serpent
A piece of 80s shlock that’s much better than it should be mostly due to the excellent cast and... more
Boxer from Shantung
A small-time hood uses his fighting mastery to become the boss of his own gang. Features a fight with... more
John Carter
A standard, post-LOTR epic movie with clashing armies and English accents. This should be a fun fish out of... more
Twins of Evil
The late-stage Hammer vampire film tries to keep up with the times be amping up the gore and the... more
Mandy
I absolutely hated Beyond the Black Rainbow but felt I had to watch it before watching this. Mandy might be a tad over-hyped,... more
Female Prisoner Scorpion: Grudge Song
The final installment in the Scorpion series is much more straightforward than the previous movies. From what I can... more
Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable
A huge drop in quality for this the third Scorpion movie. Much of the visual flair is gone and... more
Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41
The second film in this series has the same visual flair of the first. This entry is a pretty... more