Pan’s Labyrinth: Criterion Collection

There are two kinds of Guillermo del Toro films – the ones he makes for the Hollywood studios, like Pacific Rim (2013), and the ones he makes independently, like The Devil’s Backbone (2001). Both kinds are personal statements for the filmmaker but... 

Psycho Beach Party: Blu-Ray

Surf’s up all you hep cats and hep kitties! Psycho Beach Party (2001) is a crazy movie that parodies and celebrates those kitschy beach party movies of the 1960s and sci-fi films of the 1950s. The prelude sets the tone of the movie perfectly. Chicklet... 

Eraserhead: Criterion Collection

The arrival of 1977 saw the release of two important films – Eraserhead and Star Wars. Both films couldn’t be more different visually or thematically, and yet they share a common bond in the sense that each features a filmmaker with a unique vision.... 

Scanners: Criterion Collection

For a good part of his career, David Cronenberg has been fascinated by secret societies, be it the New Age-y psychotherapist and his patients in The Brood (1979) or the people addicted to an immersive video game in eXistenZ (1999). With Scanners (1981),... 

The Uninvited: Criterion Collection

The Uninvited (1944) was based on the best-selling novel Uneasy Freehold by Dorothy Macardle and marked the directorial debut of Lewis Allen who had cut his teeth in the theater with successful productions in London’s West End and on Broadway before... 

The Devil’s Backbone: Criterion Collection

Cronos (1993) was Guillermo del Toro’s auspicious feature film debut and it established him as an up-and-coming horror film auteur. Hollywood came calling and he made Mimic (1997), a compromised vision that still had Del Toro’s stylistic flair, but... 

When a Stranger Calls / Happy Birthday to Me

For better or worse, Halloween (1978) has a lot to answer for, having inspired a whole wave of slasher horror movies – some good, most bad. Among the better ones was a creepy little movie known as When A Stranger Calls (1979) about young babysitter... 

The Blob: Criterion Collection

The Blob (1958) is one of the classic monster movies made during the 1950s. Common origins for a lot of creatures from these kinds of movies were either as a result of atomic energy or from outer space. Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.’s movie opts for the latter... 

Frankenweenie

Since the 2000s, Tim Burton has played it relatively safe, often falling back on his name as a familiar (and marketable) brand that mainstream audiences know and recognize. With the horrible misfire that was the Planet of the Apes (2001) remake, he directed... 

2 Movie Double Feature

Before he hit the big time with The Mummy (1999) reboot, director Stephen Sommers cranked out a nifty little B-monster movie called Deep Rising (1998). It had nothing more on its mind than to deliver an entertaining thrill ride and for the most part achieves... 

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