How to Start Watching: Dario Argento
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
Where do you start with a figure that looms so large in cult and horror cinema?
PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES offers a window into the past of sci-fi/horror
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
If, like me, you’re interested in the history of your genre films, this is a great pickup.
THE UFO INCIDENT shares an account of a 1961 alien abduction
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
The UFO Incident is quite the oddity…
GUIDANCE gets points for ambition, even when it doesn't quite land all of of its choices
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
It really felt like the film was written with a strong understanding of where and how those effects could have the most impact.
Dario Argento's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA shows the director succumbing to his own instincts
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
As even the most fervent giallo fan will tell you, though, Argento after 1987’s Opera must be approached with caution.
WITHOUT WARNING is an MST3K-worthy alien flick, but not much more
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
It’s a genuinely bad movie and, though it never quite reached the heights of absurdity I was hoping for, if you’re looking to watch some silly sci-fi horror this definitely fits the bill.
THE INNOCENTS is a competently made but problematic supernatural drama
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
It’s almost as though the film were intentionally leaning into as many regressive stereotypes as possible.
LUX ÆTERNA is Noé’s take on the art and strain of filmmaking
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
It would be an oversimplification to say that Lux Æterna is just another in the long tradition of films about filmmaking, though that is certainly what it depicts
Artist biopic CHARLOTTE is a step in the right direction
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
For all its missteps, Charlotte is still an interesting film. Charlotte’s story is an intriguing but challenging one to tackle in the span of a 90-minute film
NEW YEAR'S EVIL is an early slasher with a unique feel
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
Three magic words: “producers Golan-Globus.”
TENTACLES contains none of what it promises
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
Anyone sitting down to watch the 1977 Jaws knock-off Tentacles in this, the year 2022, does not do so expecting to see a cinematic masterpiece.
YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER is a chilling and layered horror debut
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
Though the horror in Mother is definitively folkloric, as a film it felt most closely related to John Carpenter’s classic Halloween (1978) and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook (2014).
BIG GOLD BRICK offers little for anyone, but especially its own female characters
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
Watching Big Gold Brick, the debut feature by writer/director Brian Petsos, felt like trying to assemble a jigsaw puzzle with half the pieces missing.
STARSTRUCK at 40: It's time to give the spotlight to this New Wave gem
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
Where are our Starstruck Blu-rays? Remastered soundtrack releases? Stage adaptations?
THE ANTICHRIST (1974) shows an Exorcist influence, but sometimes too much
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
I’m a huge fan of ‘70s Italian horror and watching The Antichrist was a wonderfully pleasant surprise.
AIR DOLL remains poignant, if uncomfortable
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
Here we are in 2022, over a decade after the film’s original release in Japan, and its emotional impact is stronger than ever.
KING CAR will take you for a wild ride
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
Maybe this is a sign that I need to start watching more Brazilian films?
So May We Start: How 2021 was the Year of Sparks
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
Who are Sparks, you might be asking?
WIFE OF A SPY is too passive with its lead character
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
I really appreciated the visual flair that Kurosawa and the crew brought to the film.
DEAD PIT shows a lack of experience for future cult filmmakers
by Clayton Hayes, Staff Writer
While the effects are praiseworthy, the cast isn’t up for the challenge.