I haven’t been the biggest fan of Ridley Scott’s output over the years, but there’s no denying his one two punch of “Alien” and “Legend” is immense. Often times modern audiences forget to cite “Legend” as one of the benchmarks of the fantasy genre. It’s probably the quintessential dark fantasy film and the one film I think of when I refer to fantasy films. There’s everything here from goblins, and trolls, to unicorns, and a valiant warrior, in the form of Tom Cruise. There’s also the unparalleled performance by Tim Curry whose delivers a stunning turn as the Lord of Darkness.
“Chucky” is a Return to Form for the Series
The original Don Mancini 1988 horror film “Child’s Play” was both a slasher movie and a psychological thriller. We’re given an immense amount of exploration in to the mind of serial killer Charles Lee Ray, and we see him transfer his body in to the Good Guy doll. But when Andy is given the cursed doll, every time someone dies and the body count rises, there is the suspicion that perhaps Andy is committing the murders and Chucky is an outlet for his feelings of alienation. “Chucky” reaches back in to the original narrative and brilliantly adjusts it for a modern setting.
Alien on Stage (2020) [Nightstream 2021]
A group of bus drivers who put together a show every year decides to veer away from their usual pantomime and go for something bolder, something they’ve never done before. They decide to adapt Alien to the stage. In doing so, they attract the attention of a pair of filmmakers and end up moving the show to the West End for one night only.
Bloody Oranges (2020) [Nightstream 2021]
In a small French town, an elderly couple enters in a dance competition in the hopes to win enough money to get themselves out of debt. Meanwhile, a teen girl prepares for her first time, a politician makes budget cuts, and a creep awaits his next victim.
The Manor (2021)
After a fall at her own birthday party, Judith is taken to go live at The Manor, a residence for aging people who can no longer take care of themselves. There she meets new friends and finds that all is not as it seems to be.
Joe E. Brown: A Second Look
Most people remember Joe E. Brown from “Some Like It Hot,” but during the 1930s and 1940s he was one of America’s most popular funnymen. In this premiere episode of “The Online Movie Show” podcast’s sixth season, new attention is given to Joe E. Brown’s full career with guest James L. Neibaur, author of “The Joe E. Brown Films.”
“I Know What You Did Last Summer” Is a Failure on Every Level [Digital]
After whatever that MTV reboot of “Scream” was, networks and companies seem to be learning all the wrong lessons from it. Rather than breathe new life in to a once solid slasher series, Amazon has botched it from out the gates. Instead of a tense, white knuckle slasher/murder mystery, Lois Duncan’s novel is adapted in to an erotic teen drama thriller. Think less “Slasher” and more “Riverdale.” It’s a glacially paced glorified drama with a horror tint that downplays the horror and slasher aspects of the aforementioned movie series in favor of gratuitous sex, pointless nudity, and droning dialogue.