Retro Reviews

In an understandable attempt to be different, Jason Takes Manhattan begins with a Charles Bukowski-esque poem about how “I love this city,” and visual scenes of how tough New York City is. To kids like me who lived in a small town, it was something to see. Of course, Jason Voorhees …

A lot of film nerds wax nostalgic about the “classic” films of the 1980’s and early 90’s. By “classics” they generally mean the slasher flick boom, the original Star Wars trilogy, Indiana Jones and the like. But some of us long for the days of batshit crazy, over-the-top, mind scrambling …

Growing up, I got sick a lot. My parents just went off to work, and I would watch Summer of Sam all day. I feel familiar with it, so we are doing a 25th Anniversary review. Unfortunately, this movie fell off many RADARs, even though it made a lot of …

My family never had any traditions, but we had bonding time in front of the TV. The Amityville Horror was my mom’s favorite, so it was the one thing we agreed on. Was it right to have parents let their kids watch these movies? The short answer is absolutely. It …

Back in the summer of 1999, I found myself recently single after a lengthy relationship and dealt with my grief by going to the movies. A lot. I went to the local movie theater at least once a week that summer, and saw films such as The Haunting, The Blair …

Growing up, the horror aisle was full of these types of movies—however, Terror Toons was our favorite. The straight-to-video concept was like the Wild West. We were young and dumb, but we still wanted more. Something different, and boy, did we get it. In 2002, Joe Castro released Terror Toons, …

Vampire’s Kiss is a movie that I’d been dying to see for years and finally caught earlier this year. For fans of Nicolas Cage at his most unhinged, this film is an absolute gem. After releasing on June 2, 1988, Vampire’s Kiss celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2024. Read on …

John McTiernan’s Die Hard stands as a quintessential example of the action-thriller genre, weaving suspense and adrenaline-pumping sequences into a tightly knit narrative. The film’s thriller elements are deeply embedded in its characters, plot, and setting, creating a gripping experience that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. The Menace …

Producer/director/actor Shane Ryan generated considerable buzz, and controversy, with 2006’s Amateur Porn Star Killer. A film that set the found footage/snuff sub-genre on it’s head with shocking realism and subject matter. The film, and it’s subsequent sequels, are finally enjoying a wide release DVD drop from Wild Eye Releasing. Synopsis …

In the summer of 1986, I remember seeing the trailer for Maximum Overdrive one afternoon and thought that it looked promising. Mainly because the creepy-looking Stephen King standing in front of the even creepier-looking Green Goblin head in the background promising to scare the Hell out of us intrigued me. …