PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Twilight Zone: The Movie is a science fiction/horror anthology film released in 1983. Based on the popular television series The Twilight Zone, created by Rod Serling in the 1950s, this 1980s version begins in a classic way. In a great prologue directed by John Landis, two men (played by Dan …
Read More »‘Jurassic Park’ (1993): Why You Still Love It Today – Retro Review
In case you’ve been trapped in amber for millions of years, you’ve heard about Jurassic Park, a science fiction adventure film released 30 years ago on June 11, 1993, directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. Star Jeff Goldblum said of …
Read More »‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994): What It Says About Father/Son Relationships
Released on May 21, 1994, Quentin Tarantino’s crime thriller, Pulp Fiction, follows a bunch of character’s lives interconnect in a complex narrative filled with themes of petty revenge vs. divine retribution, fate vs. freak occurrence, and other ideas such as loyalty. ***Spoiler Alert!*** Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield …
Read More »‘WILLOW’ (1988): What Makes it Great…and Did Disney Drop the Ball?
Willow is a fantasy film directed by Ron Howard originally released on May 20, 1988. The story was conceived by George Lucas (already famous for Star Wars and the Indiana Jones films), and he also served as the film’s executive producer. The movie combines elements of fantasy, adventure, and fairy …
Read More »‘EDWARD SCISSORHANDS’ (1990) and His Dad’s Interesting Creative Choice
Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands brilliantly showcases Tim Burton’s ability to seamlessly blend the fantastical with the mundane, as a bizarre humanoid invention named Edward Scissorhands (Johnny Depp) ends up venturing into suburbia. Edward had been invented by an unknown old man simply called “The Inventor” (Vincent Price), who had temporarily …
Read More »‘THE SHINING’ (1980) and a Father-Son Relationship Gone Awry
Near the intro of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (read our retro review here), we already get the sense that Danny (Danny Lloyd) and Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) have a strained father/son relationship. In addition, the two, along with mother and wife Wendy Torrance (Shelley Duvall), eventually meet a series of …
Read More »Willard (2003): A Man and His Rats Craft Rollicking Revenge
Unfortunately, Glen Morgan’s Willard seems a bit underrated. Then again, that surely fits the theme and overall feel of the story itself. Willard Stiles (Crispin Glover) is constantly mocked and humiliated by his life at home, and at work. Made into a misfit and the butt of life’s joke, Willard’s main …
Read More »‘KING KONG’ (1933) at 90: A Great Movie…That People Frequently Accuse of Racism?!
Is King Kong the greatest monster movie of all time? Possibly. It is certainly among the most iconic, and like so many monster flicks to follow, it really involves people venturing to places they probably should not go. In this case, it’s a troubled voyage to Skull Island. The expedition …
Read More »John Carpenter, A Master Director and Master Composer, Turns 75
John Carpenter turns 75 years old on January 16, 2023. Happy birthday! Let’s look at some reasons Carpenter is such an ironic director and composer, shall we? Oh, and here’s a trailer in case you’ve lived under a rock and have no idea who John Carpenter is: Surely, you have …
Read More »‘LEPRECHAUN’ (1993): Commemorating a Coin-Craving Corny Cobbler’s Carnage!
Where was Jennifer Aniston before she became rich and famous on a generically-titled sitcom? Well, like a lot of us, she was being pursued by a demonic little Leprechaun (Warwick Davis) who was horny to get his gold back. The question is, should Aniston be embarrassed by this movie? Sure! …
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