One thing you have to give it to the “Maniac Cop” movie series (as well we William Lustig and Larry Cohen) it that it tends to off the more interesting characters without much preamble amounting to some great plot twists. I never expected Tom Atkins to die in the original “Maniac Cop,” and it’s kind of a surprise to see Bruce Campbell, the dashing hero from the original movie, murdered brutally by the titular Maniac Cop. It’s a great entry way in to such a weird, zany slasher series.
Tag Archives: Horror
You Have to See This! Last Night in Soho (2021)
Streaming On: Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play Movies & TV
While director Edgar Wright is still fresh in to his career and has churned out so many superb films, his ambition has managed to help elevate him in to a better filmmaker, one of bigger substance and larger scale. “Last Night in Soho” prove it, as it feels like that poppy bizarre sixties thriller that we might have actually seen in the sixties. Perhaps starring Natalie Wood? Maybe Peggy Lipton? “Last Night in Soho” has everything going for it; it’s the type murder mystery that audiences have been craving. It has a unique horror bent, and Wright has delivered on pop culture cult films like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.”
The Vampire Lovers (1970): Collector’s Edition [Blu-Ray]
A replacement disc program is currently available for this disc. FOLLOW THIS LINK to request one. The cut of the film featured on the first pressing has an alternate edit of the iconic moment of Ingrid Pitt rising from the bathtub.
Filmmakers, writers, and artists alike have always been enamored with the legend of the vampire Carmilla. She’s a mystifying vampire and seductress who bewitches literally every woman she comes across, and “The Vampire Lovers” sets her front and center. While Ingrid Pitt as Carmillla is arguably the central character, she’s hardly what you would define as a heroine. She exists to feast on men and indulge in other women.
The 10 Best Films I Saw in 2021
There was simply too much released in 2021 to catch everything that I wanted to, or intended to see before the end of the year. That’s either a great thing or a bad thing depending on your schedule. In either case, with the influx of movies being released every single week, I managed to catch some fantastic gems that kept me entertained, thriller, and stunned. 2021 had its share of stinkers, but it also bounced back from the lull in 2020 with some bangers, to boot. This is ten of the best I saw this year.
Of course I’ll still be playing catch up with 2021 over the next month.
Krampus (2015): The Naughty Cut (Collector’s Edition) [4K UHD/Blu-Ray]
The big trend this year has been Director’s Cuts as filmmakers like Zack Snyder and Sylvester Stallone have managed to go over past missteps in film and corrected course. Or at the very least, offer movie buffs a different look at a classic. This year Michael Dougherty, the mind behind “Trick r Treat,” teams with Shout! Factory to deliver loyal fans the “Director’s Cut” (or “Unrated Cut”) of his Christmas horror film “Krampus.” While I’d be hard pressed to call this a true director’s cut, I have no problem insisting it’s a great horror film, and a fantastic holiday film about family and appreciating the smaller things in life.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
Watching the sequel to the shockingly successful “Venom” is like watching a screensaver. Sure, there’s a lot of activity and colors, but at the end of it, nothing has actually happened; and then you move on to the next thing. This schlocky follow up to the goofy “Venom” leans more heavily in to the mid-nineties silliness mixing a buddy action comedy with a body horror film. Normally that could be a formula for success, but—again: screensaver.
Achoura (2018)
Following the reappearance of a childhood friend, 3 adults reconnect with this 4th and discover that they had long repressed. As the stakes change, they are forced to take on a Moroccan legend from their childhood.