If an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind, what happens when the first person to take revenge doesn’t go for equal punishment? What happens when he choose to torment the original perpetrator in a bizarre reconditioning experiment? And what happens if the desire to repeat the offense is amplified by the violent intrusion? That’s the premise of …
Horror does not have a great track record of respecting women. Some of the most revered titles hinge themselves on putting a female lead through serious emotional, physical, and psychological stress. If the character is actually three dimensional with a reason for existing beyond the torment, their horror can rise above pretty girl in peril into something worthwhile. Sadly, that’s …
Heartless is a brutal spin on the legend of Faust. Jamie was born with dark purple birthmarks all over his body. The most prominent is large heart covering half of his face. People are shocked by his appearance and he has settled for a lonely life. Then he witnesses a strange group of creatures brutally murder a father and son …
Time travel is tricky. You’re dealing with a theoretical construct that can radically change the course of everything we know or will know in the future. Make the wrong move and you’ve destroyed the world. Looper plays fast and dangerous with this concept. In 2042, time travel does not exist. But it does exist in 2072. A powerful mob has …
Sometimes, a movie has so much heart and soul that you’re willing to overlook its flaws. Other times, those flaws are an intentional device to make you realize how messed up a certain kind of movie is. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is a silly and heartfelt meta-horror commenting on the backwoods/hillbilly horror sub-genre. All lifelong friends Tucker and Dale …
The Possession is a very effective exorcism film pulled down by the weight of bland and irrelevant character development. You need to connect to the characters in this style of horror to fully invest in the terror. Unfortunately, any defining characteristics of the family in peril are totally arbitrary. Clyde and Stephanie are divorced parents of two girls, Hannah and …
How to Make Webcomics is not a book you’re going to pick up as a casual read. It’s a well-planned guidebook to all the big technical topics that come into play when you want to launch a webcomic. Brad Guigar (Evil, Inc), Dave Kellett (Sheldon), Scott Kurtz (PvP), and Kris Straub (Starslip Crisis) break down everything you need to know …
P!nk knows how to write a catchy song. She’s also developed a clear artistic identity that is instantly recognizable once she starts singing. There’s a wild side to her vocals matched with aggressive, personal lyrics. The Truth About Love is an album filled with catchy songs. Any track could be a single that gets Top 40/CHR play without issue. The …
The Resident Evil film series is the most successful series of video game films ever made. No matter how you slice it, the wildly uneven series based on the ever expanding zombie film franchise has lasted for a decade, taking in millions of dollars around the world with every new picture. It’s also one of the strangest examples of fan …
Next to a lakeside cabin, is there a more common setting for teen-centered horror than a school dance? Hundreds of young people gathering in the same room while emotions and libidos run high: it’s a recipe for bad news. But what about the students who opt out of the academic sponsored festivities? The Loved Ones is about the sickest anti-prom …
Amanda Palmer is an artist obsessed with creating connections. She writes personal songs in such an open and honest way that listeners are forced to respond. Love her or hate her, you cannot accuse her of taking the easy way out. Her latest project see the addition of The Grand Theft Orchestra to her piano-driven rock/alternative music. If anything, the …
A married couple in Iran have amicably agreed to a divorce. There is only one sticking point: who does their daughter, Termeh, live with? If Termeh goes with her mother Simin, they’ll be leaving Iran within a few weeks on a visa. If she stays with her father Nader, she’ll be helping him care for his rapidly ailing father in …
David Cronenberg knows how to create a universe. Even when adapting his films from novels, there is never a doubt as to ownership of the film. Cosmopolis is an adaptation twice over, working with the premise of Don DeLillo’s 2003 novel Cosmopolis and the more rigid structure of Homer’s The Odyssey. Eric Packer is worth so much money that he …
I’ve hit an odd roadblock in reviewing Lawless. When I saw it on Friday, I was enthralled with it. Now, just a few days later, I’m struggling to remember what I found so compelling. How do you account for such a fleeting feeling of satisfaction when evaluating a film? Lawless is based on Matt Bondurant’s historical novel The Wettest County …
