Director David McCool’s short horror film is a nice and clever little interruption of reality, that explores the idea of alternate states and the paradoxes of time. McCool plays a man at his computer who gets a mysterious call, and is disturbed by a sudden power outage. In an effort to test out a new odd device in a socket, he is electrocuted, and awakens to learn he’s facing an enemy he never expected.
The Beast Within (!982) [Blu-Ray]
It’s an understatement to call “The Beast Within” one of the more unusual horror anomalies of the eighties. Director Phillipe Mora’s film garners an inherent subtext, but what kind, I’m still not sure. “The Beast Within” operates on an almost fever dream kind of narrative that takes twists and turns without ever even trying to form a coherent story thread. Even once. I’m still not sure why there’s a giant anthropomorphic bug monster roaming around, but nonetheless, it’s a pivotal plot point.
The PC Thug: A Little (Final) Rant on “Star Wars”
Don’t get me wrong, I love Star Wars, I think it’s fun escapism that’s dunderheaded but still massively entertaining, but the prospect of the entire series being continued in such a hectic rush is irritating, if only because it feels like a car wreck waiting to happen. I’m glad Disney bought the rights for the series from Lucas, but we’re not sure what difference it will make yet.
Captain Phillips (2013)
One thing that director Paul Greengrass seems intent on exploring is that “Captain Phillips” by no means turns in to “Air Force One.” Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips doesn’t fight people, he doesn’t gain the ability to operate hand guns, and there isn’t a catchy one liners he spouts at his Samalian kidnappers. Captain Phillips is first and foremost a human being under very stressful conditions, doing whatever he can to keep his crew alive. Even if it means sacrificing himself. Tom Hanks gives one of the most amazing performances of his career, playing what is one of the most average men thrust in to a perilous situation.
Our Top Ten “The Simpsons” Episodes of All Time: 4. The Way We Was
Before the series wore out the gimmick like a bad pair of pants (Homer was a Seattle grunge rocker? Seriously?), “The Simpsons” had the tendency to evoke some of the most heartfelt nostalgic episodes of all time. They not only were hilarious and infinitely quotable, but they also packed a lot of heart. “The Way We Was” chronicles the beginnings of Homer and Marge’s tumultuous romance, and how they managed to find love in one another in spite of being polar opposites. The episode has great meaning to me, if only because it introduced me to one of my favorite songs of all time, “The Joker” from Steve Miller.
Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver (2011)
Well, if the writers don’t give a shit anymore, why should we? “Gingerdead Man” has seemingly given up trying after the first film, so I’ve given up trying to make sense of anything that’s happening in this movie series. When last we saw Gingerdead Man he was trolling a movie studio killing actors and directors for some reason. Now he’s being held in a prison with other psychotic baked goods. Spoofing “Silence of the Lambs,” he meets with female detective who wants his help in a case. It’s an obvious satire sans the laughs, but we now know there are other psychotic baked goods out there.
The First Wave (2014)
Director David Frayne’s “The First Wave” is intended as a prologue for a now in the works feature film. And from what I’ve seen in the entire six minutes of this short introduction, the feature film version of “The First Wave” promises to be quite an incredible twist on the zombie sub-genre.After a massive epidemic of flesh eating zombies plagues the city and families are consumed, science has finally found a way to cure the epidemic. Now once walking dead cannibals are turning up in hospitals cured, as doctors anxiously try to move forward and maintain the steady rise of recuperated monsters.