Spooktober: “House on Haunted Hill” (1959)

“House on Haunted Hill” is famed horror director William Castle’s best movie. It’s got all the campiness of classic Castle, but with an intriguing, twisty plot that makes for a genuinely thrilling tale. Vincent Price, who also teamed up with Castle that year for the horror thriller “The Tingler”, stars as millionaire Frederick Loren, who […]

Streaming Movie Recap: October 2020, Part 1

This month has felt pretty busy, hasn’t it? In terms of movies, there have been a lot of new releases, from spooky films for Halloween to the first rumblings of potential awards season contenders. I wanted to get this out as soon as possible because my mini reviews will be split into at least three […]

Spooktober: “Eyes Without a Face” (1959)

The French-Italian horror film “Eyes Without a Face” is a prime example of how opinions on films can change drastically over time. At the time it was made, British horror films from Hammer Studios were quite popular, and French produced Jules Borken decided to capitalize on this by bringing in Georges Franju—primarily a documentary filmmaker—to […]

Spooktober: “The Bat” (1959)

“The Bat” does not contain any of the cheesiness normally associated with horror films of its era. Despite being a low budget thriller, “The Bat” is a taut, suspenseful film that will keep you guessing from start to finish. Based on a 1920 Broadway play of the same name, “The Bat” was put on film […]

Spooktober: “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1931)

One of the greatest special effects ever put on film are the transformation sequences in 1931’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde“. Fredric March, who plays the kind scientist who changes into an evil man when he takes a potion, looks right into the camera in these scenes as his face undergoes dramatic changes. The cuts […]

Spooktober: “House of Wax” (1953)

“House of Wax” is one of the most notable horror movies to come out of the 1950s, for technical reasons and because it’s simply a great film. It’s actually a remake of the 1933 movie “Mystery of the Wax Museum“; while that film is also great, this one has more distinct horror elements in it. Vincent Price stars […]

Streaming Movie Recap: September 2020

September’s streaming releases are largely dominated by some big movies from Netflix, from Charlie Kaufman’s latest and the all-star ensemble of “The Devil All the Time” to the controversial “Cuties” and the crowd-pleasing period piece “Enola Holmes.” Read my reviews of those movies and more below. “I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS” (Netflix) “I’m Thinking of […]

Review: “A Call to Spy”

“A Call to Spy” contains many of the typical hallmarks of a World War II movie. We follow the heroes through action, espionage, struggle, and sacrifice, all performed on behalf of their country. But these movies usually follow male heroes, whether they be soldiers on the front lines, spies trying to covertly gather intelligence against […]

NYFF Review: “Nomadland”

Driving down a lonely highway. Floating in a creek. Gazing at the sweeping vistas of the American West. Writer and director Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” is comprised of many of these quiet moments. The film serves as a character study for Fern (Frances McDormand), an older woman who, after losing her job and her home in […]

Review: “Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles”

A bevy of beautiful desserts delight the eyes of the viewer throughout “Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles.” But this documentary directed by Laura Gabbert doesn’t delve much deeper beyond what we see on the surface, despite touching on some very serious and fascinating issues. The film revolves around a 2018 gala at New York’s […]