Underworld

Underworld: Underwrought

Underworld, released in 2003, offers audiences a heady mix of preternatural action and stunning visuals.  The use of practical effects and the stylish cinematography add verisimilitude to the narrative, making the ancient war between vampires and werewolves seem plausible. And the Gothic cityscape of the film's unnamed location becomes almost…
Real Heat

Real Heat

The life of a film buff is fraught with heartache these days, but every once in a while, you come across a story that makes it worthwhile. Prime example: The legendary conversation between Hanna and McCauley in Heat was taken word-for-word from real life! H/t Twitter user EvilTomHanks Here's the…
participant

No Participation Trophies

If you spent any length of time on social media this weekend, you couldn't escape seeing culture warrior Conservatives backsliding into the Pop Cult slop funnel en masse. Many of the same people who lamented the outrage marketing that turned Captain Marvel from a near-flop to a billion-dollar hit fell…
Yeti Hand

The Oilman, the Funnyman & the Yeti Hand

What do a Texas oil tycoon, a beloved comedic actor, and a mytho-historical cryptid all have in common? A connection to a mysterious artifact - a mummified hand once kept in the reliquary of a remote Buddhist monastery. The cryptid used to be connected to it, at least. Read on…
The Tangled Web of Tony Pellicano

The Tangled Web of Tony Pellicano

Hollywood has its own intrigues that rival international espionage, as this writer learned while pulling a thread left in yesterday's comments by author JD Cowan. [Director John] McTiernan’s career is fascinating. Everything he did was fantastic until the 2000s hit and he got entangled with the feds after his producers…
Hunt for Red October

The Hunt for Red October

The defection of a beloved yet eccentric military commander threatens to tip the balance in a tense standoff between Russia and NATO, leaving the world teetering on the edge of nuclear Armageddon. No, that's not the news. It's The Hunt for Red October. Based on Tom Clancy's breakout thriller and…
Heat

Heat

Few films have captured the bloody logic and shifting loyalties of the criminal underworld with as much intensity and finesse as Michael Mann's 1995 classic, Heat. This movie is the high point of High 90s cinema, and with good reason. As we'll see, every element is executed with virtuoso precision…
Darkman

Darkman: Shadier Than The Shadow

In the domain of pulp-inspired superhero movies, Darkman stands as a shining example of how to adapt a beloved character to the silver screen without featuring that character at all. What do I mean? Read and learn. Released in 1990, Darkman not only delivers a thrilling narrative but also proves…
The Mummy

The Mummy: The Post-80s Indy We Deserved

This blog's comparative movie reviews have struck a chord with readers. Today, we embark on a thrilling expedition into one of the most underrated treasures of the late 20th century: The Mummy (1999). As we dust off this Brendan Fraser-led gem, we'll explore how it outshines any post-1980s Indiana Jones…
Mothman Prophecies

The Mothman Prophecies: More X-Files than The X-Files

In the paranormal thriller genre, few franchises have captured the imagination of audiences like The X-Files. Its gripping tales of relentless investigations into high strangeness for the pursuit of truth have become iconic. However, when it comes to translating the essence of the series onto the big screen, 1998's The…