"I enjoy playing the audience like a piano." — Alfred Hitchcock When I was 12, I bought my first of many Roger Ebert Home Movie Guides. Having watched him for a few years on Siskel & Ebert I was curious to get a better sense of his thoughts on films - after all, he is the only film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize. I was immediately hooked. I was fascinated with his well thought out takes on every film, even when I didn’t agree with him. Reading Roger Ebert made me develop a better sense in my taste in film as well as honed my ability to express my burgeoning cinematic opinions. So imagine my surprise when I saw his 4-star review of Halloween. Mind you, I had not seen the movie at the time, bu
The music video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller," released in December of 1983, was nothing less than a watershed cultural moment for not just Jackson as an artist, but for pop music and music videos as well. "Thriller" was MTV's first world premiere video, and the fact that big names like director John Landis, make-up artist Rick Baker, and actor Vincent Price signed on to make the short film really helped legitimize the new(ish) medium as a legitimate art form. But what about the spooky, creepy, and downright disturbing music videos that have come in the wake of "Thriller"? This list counts down my top 10 favorite thrill-ing music videos (other than "Thriller"). Trigger Warning - although
Ghouls. Zombies. Monsters. There are a million to one Halloween tropes dating back to the legend of the headless horseman. Halloween is a week away and instead of re-watching oldies, take your TV to 2018 with these modern takes. Zombies iZombie: Liv Moore was a medical student turned zombie after a zombie outbreak boat-party massacre. She now satisfies her brain cravings working at a morgue for the Seattle Police Department and helps solve crimes with the flashbacks of the eaten deceased. While the show is juvenile as times, the storyline is consistent and fresh for the most part. Santa Clarita Diet: Drew Barrymore stars in her new show, Santa Clarita Diet, as a realtor turned zombie after e
As I mentioned previously, my wife’s research into zombies and zombie media means that I have seen a lot of zombie movies. At times, too many. But every once in a while, I discover a film that transcends the genre. A film that is more than just a zombie film or a horror film. A film that, despite the chaotic nature of the impending undead apocalypse, finds a way to give us sharply drawn and relatable characters that make us examine our own sense of humanity. 2016’s Train to Busan is definitely one of those films. From writer-director Sang-ho Yeon comes a film that will put you through the ringer: viscerally, psychologically, and emotionally. The film tells the story of Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), a
Welcome to Sci-Fi Saturday, a column that is devoted to all things science fiction: film, television, comics, novels, video games, and local Metro Detroit events. If there is a topic you'd like to see covered in an upcoming column, email us at kinoclub313wsu@gmail.com! Earlier this year, we quietly passed the milestone of original Futurama being off the air for fifteen years. I know the show found a second life in reruns and then the reboot (which wrapped up on Comedy Central about 5 years ago - the series finale aired in September 2013), but I can't help but feel nostalgic for those original seasons. Futurama fandom was one of my first forays into the world of science fiction, so I have to
Title: Delirium (2018) Genre: Horror, Thriller Director: Dennis Iliadis Stars: Topher Grace, Patricia Clarkson, Genesis Rodriguez Grade: C+ In a Nutshell: After being discharged from a psychiatric hospital, Eric from That 70s Show – er, I mean Tom (played by Topher Grace), is placed on house arrest for thirty days inside his late father’s spooky mansion (yes, there is in fact a creepy portrait of the man hanging up on a wall). Isolated from the outside world with the exception of visits from his parole officer and Manic Pixie Dream Girl love interest, Tom must grapple with disturbing hallucinations and haunting memories from his traumatic childhood as his mind constantly blurs the line betwe
Title: The Glass Scientists (TGS) Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy Webcomic Creator: Sabrina Cotugno Bias: Full disclosure, I am absolutely obsessed with anything Jekyll and Hyde, and this webcomic is a unique retelling of the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. So, naturally, when I found out of about this webcomic, I ran to the first page. But for good reason. Who doesn’t like a retelling of a deeply visceral and interesting story about the human psyche? Grade: A+ In a Nutshell: The webcomic is still ongoing, so there is no ultimate ending just yet. But, without spoilers, this webcomic is about Dr. Henry Jekyll and his journey of being a gentleman scientist who is responsible for an entire bui
Last week I spoke about 2014’s The Babadook and the way it effectively establishes mood and uses isolation to enhance paranoia. Writing that piece made me think about another overlooked horror film that utilizes the same motifs. 1993’s Body Snatchers is the 3rd cinematic adaptation of Jack Finney’s classic sci-fi novel, following Don Siegel’s 1954 film and Phillip Kaufman’s 1978 version – both titled Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This time around indie auteur Abel Ferrara, best known for King of New York and Bad Lieutenant, gives us a modern version that is just as eerie as its predecessors but with a Gothic feel largely thanks to its setting on a remote Alabama military base. This version
The Halloween season is upon us, and the weather has finally hit that perfect "snuggle up on the couch and binge some TV" temperature. Check out some of my top 9 favorite Halloween episodes, all available to stream now! 1) Bob's Burgers - "Full Bars" (Season 3, Episode 2) While Bob and Linda are hanging out at Teddy's awkward Halloween party, the kids are trick-or-treating solo for their very first time - on King's Head Island! Things go sideways for the parents when Teddy discovers that someone has stepped on Francis (his beloved guinea pig) and for the kids when they run into teenage bullies on bikes. Highlights: The kids costumes - Gene is Queen Latifa in her UNITY phase, Louise is Edward
Title: Spider-Man System: PS4 Exclusive Studio: Insomniac Games Genre: Superhero Bias: I'm a comic nerd and a casual gamer, so this review is coming from that perspective. Grade: A+ In a Nutshell: After eight years of web-swinging, Spidey has finally managed to take down Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime. However, a new crime boss, Mister Negative, steps into the vacuum left by the fall of the Kingpin. Mister Negative is driven by a desire to gain revenge against Norman Osborn, the mayor of New York. Can Spider-Man fight off this new villain, while juggling his responsibilities to his mentor, Otto Octavius, helping Aunt May at F.E.A.S.T. and figuring out whether he and MJ are on-again or off
A classic convention in horror films is when no one will believe the protagonist. There you are, being haunted, being terrorized and despite your pleas for help and belief, you are ignored. On the one hand, your sense of fear is magnified. On the other hand, you start to question your sanity as the isolation intensifies. One of the most effective uses of this device is in 2014’s The Babadook. From writer-director Jennifer Kent comes an old school scary film that relies less on CGI and more on mood and good performances. The film tells the story of Amelia and Samuel, a widowed mother and son played respectively by Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman in a duo of haunting portrayals. Amelia has never
Welcome to Sci-Fi Saturday, a column that is devoted to all things science fiction: film, television, comics, novels, video games, and local Metro Detroit events. If there is a topic you'd like to see covered in an upcoming column, email us at kinoclub313wsu@gmail.com! In two weeks I'll be in Brooklyn Heights, NY for an academic conference called Graphic Justice Discussions 2018, where I'm presenting my research on the Image Comic series Chew (2009-2016). Although I'm obviously excited to talk about one of my all-time favorite comics AND to visit NYC for the very first time, I'm equally excited that the conference keynote is Ann Nocenti (comics author, filmmaker, and all-around cool human).
Title: SOMA Studio: Frictional Games Genre: Survival Horror Key Creators: Thomas Grip (Director), Mikael Hedberg (Writer) Grade: A+ In a Nutshell: Without spoiling anything, here’s the idea. You are Simon, an ordinary guy with a tumor who signs up for an experimental brain scan. When you sit down and close your eyes for said scan, you open your eyes to find yourself in a mysteriously empty and foreboding environment devoid of other humans but full of broken machines and weird oily-goop. With the help of your trusty AI guide who lives in your omnitool (this tool just opens things for you and works many of the computers), you set off to explore and find a way out of what turns out to be an und
“Con men are more appealing than run-of-the-mill villains, who want to take your money because they are stronger or more dangerous than you are. Con men want to take it because they're smarter than you are.” – Roger Ebert Who doesn’t love a good con movie? Intricate films headlined by characters who are equal parts smooth and shady intent on outwitting their marks, as well as the audience members. For my money the holy trinity of con movies are The Sting, House of Games, and The Grifters. These films, as well other good con movies, are studies in psychology and focus. How much would you trust a total stranger in a given situation? How truly observant are you? How far would you go, both crimi
