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There’s never been a pop-girl summer anything like 2024 — ever — and Sabrina Carpenter is one of the crucial reasons why. With “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” she can claim two prime Song of the Summer contenders. But she caps off her amazing ascendance with Short n’ Sweet, her full-on coronation album, flaunting her knack for turning romantic roadkill into flippantly brilliant pop. Sabrina’s give-a-fucks aren’t just on vacation — they’re in a coma. These songs are usually filthy, always funny, often mean, yet she roasts herself along with everyone else.

Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet is finally here, and so is the vicious video for her latest single, “Taste,” which also stars Jenna Ortega.

The clip finds Carpenter and Ortega feuding over a boy and coming up with increasingly gruesome (and, frankly, hilarious) ways to murder each other. There are knives and shotguns, voodoo dolls, chainsaws, and even excessive shocks from a defibrillator. Despite the maniacal violence, the clip ends with Carpenter and Ortega deciding it’s probably best to put aside their differences and find common ground: Actually,...

Sabrina Carpenter shared a teaser of her upcoming music video “Taste,” which features Jenna Ortega.

The “Please Please Please” singer took to social media to share a 16-second teaser of her new music video, which will be released on Friday.

In the preview, Carpenter is seen grabbing a knife from a bed full of weapons. Carpenter then enters a home with a knife in hand and goes upstairs, where she sees Ortega in the shower with a man. Carpenter opens the shower curtain and charges at Ortega as fear takes over her eyes.

“Taste” is the third single of Carpenter’s sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet, which is scheduled to release on August 23.

Taste! Coming this Friday...

Sabrina Carpenter’s “Feather” isn’t the most provocative song but its music video changed all that. The clip was set in a church and it created a firestorm of controversy for the “Espresso” singer. Carpenter reacted to these events with some of her trademark humor.

Sabrina Carpenter dismissed the controversy around ‘Feather’ by comparing herself to Jesus

The music video for “Feather” featured a bunch of men fighting each other to the death in an oddly bloody sequence for a pop video. Carpenter then dances around at their funeral in a Catholic Church. It’s not exactly a respectful portrayal of Christianity, which often promotes pacifism. Variety reports that the clip was filmed in a Catholic Church in Brooklyn. The priest who gave her permission to film there was removed from administrative duties and the building was re-blessed.

The “Please Please Please” star explained her feelings about all this.

Soon after the New Hollywood generation took over the entertainment industry, they started having children. And more than any filmmakers that came before—they were terrified. Rosemary’s Baby (1968), The Exorcist (1973), The Omen (1976), Eraserhead (1977), The Brood (1979), The Shining (1980), Possession (1981), and many others all deal, at least in part, with the fears of becoming or being a parent. What if my child turns out to be a monster? is corrupted by some evil force? or turns out to be the fucking Antichrist? What if I screw them up somehow, or can’t help them, or even go insane and try to kill them? Horror has always been at its best when exploring relatable fears through extreme circumstances. A prime example of this is Larry Cohen’s 1974 monster-baby movie It’s Alive, which explores the not only the rollercoaster of emotions that any parent experiences when confronted with the difficulties of raising a child,...

Netflix may be the top streaming service on the planet but they’ve never been great at putting classic movies into the feeds of their subscribers. A quick glance at the streaming service at any given time will mostly assault your eyeballs with new originals and recent hits, with older movies from the 70s, 60s, 50s and earlier being almost completely absent from the service.

That’s why it’s great to hear that Netflix is currently celebrating the cinema of 1974, and it’s the first phase of their Milestone Movies: The Anniversary Collection initiative.

Netflix explains the project, “Starting this month on Netflix in the US, you can watch a robust roster of movies released in 1974 and turning the big 5-0 this year.”

Additionally, “More offerings from 1984 (turning 40), 1994 (turning 30), and 2004 will follow in April, July, and October, respectively.”

Netflix’s 1974 Collection is now streaming, and it includes Larry Cohen’s killer baby horror movie,...

Sabrina Carpenter might still be opening for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour, but she’s personally entering her own holiday era. On Friday, the singer released her six-track EP Fruitcake, featuring five original Christmas songs — and a classic with a twist.

“Just sayin I never seen Santa Claus and Sabrina Carpenter in the same room,” joked Carpenter on Instagram, sharing the news of her EP’s release.

The singer announced the EP was coming earlier this month, sharing a photo of herself holding a fruitcake (it’s the EP...

Today, platinum singer/songwriter Sabrina Carpenter releases her debut holiday EP, fruitcake. The six-song collection is filled with original seasonal tracks and includes the previously released, ‘A Nonsense Christmas’, which is a festive twist on Sabrina’s smash hit, ‘Nonsense’. The new rendition of the fan-favourite single is filled with holiday-themed innuendos that capture the spirit of Christmas. fruitcake was produced by John Ryan and Julian Bunetta.

Fruitcake is a continuation of Sabrina’s holiday celebrations as she recently released the official music video for ‘Feather’ on Halloween in honour of the spooky season. Described as “instantly iconic” by Cosmopolitan, the music video amassed an impressive 5.2M views within one week of release.

The EP arrives as Sabrina is on the road with Taylor Swift for the South American leg of the highly acclaimed Era’s Tour. Sabrina will continue the run in Australia and Singapore at the top of next year.

Today, platinum singer/songwriter Sabrina Carpenter releases her debut holiday EP, fruitcake. The six-song collection is filled with original seasonal tracks and includes the previously released, ‘A Nonsense Christmas’, which is a festive twist on Sabrina’s smash hit, ‘Nonsense’. The new rendition of the fan-favourite single is filled with holiday-themed innuendos that capture the spirit of Christmas. fruitcake was produced by John Ryan and Julian Bunetta.

Fruitcake is a continuation of Sabrina’s holiday celebrations as she recently released the official music video for ‘Feather’ on Halloween in honour of the spooky season. Described as “instantly iconic” by Cosmopolitan, the music video amassed an impressive 5.2M views within one week of release.

The EP arrives as Sabrina is on the road with Taylor Swift for the South American leg of the highly acclaimed Era’s Tour. Sabrina will continue the run in Australia and Singapore at the top of next year.

Los Angeles, July 31 (Ians) Singer Harry Styles was photographed with a never-before-seen tattoo while on a boat ride with friends, including James Corden, eight months after it was confirmed he and actress Olivia Wilde had split.

While on a boat trip with friends in Bolsena, Italy on July 28, the singer was photographed for the first time sporting a thigh tattoo that appears to read, “Olivia”, reports eonline.com.

Styles’ outing took place eight months after he and Olivia Wilde broke up after two years of dating.

In photos shared by tmz.com and pagesix.com, Styles appeared on the boat with Late Late Show host James Corden and his wife Julia Carey, plus Victoria’s Secret model Jacquelyn Jablonski and her reported partner Xander Ritz.

Several fans have speculated on social media about the meaning of Styles’ tattoo.

While many believe it to be a tribute to Wilde, others have noted...

Burbank, CA – Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the most universally acclaimed film in the Dark Knight’s legendary cinematic history when the newly-remastered animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, comes to 4K Ultra HD for the very first time. From Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, the film will be available to purchase on 4K Ultra HD on September 12, 2023.

The release will also include an all-new featurette Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight, which takes a look at the legacy of Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman for 30 years in film, television, video games and more.

Rooted in DC’s acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series and released theatrically on Christmas Day 1993, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm has not only been ranked by Time magazine as one of the 10 best Super Hero movies ever, but is also arguably the core fans’ all-time favorite Batman film. The movie has been rated at the...

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the most universally acclaimed film in the Dark Knight’s legendary cinematic history when the newly-remastered animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm comes to 4K Ultra HD for the very first time on September 12, 2023, Bloody Disgusting has learned.

The release will also include an all-new featurette Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight, which takes a look at the legacy of Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman for 30 years in film, television, video games and more.

Rooted in DC’s acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series and released theatrically on Christmas Day 1993, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm has not only been ranked by Time magazine as one of the 10 best Super Hero movies ever, but is also arguably the core fans’ all-time favorite Batman film. The movie has been rated at the top of the Dark Knight film franchise by such popular entertainment media as Empire,...

One Direction’s Irish bard has always been the soul of warmth and charm, always ready to bust out his acoustic guitar and make a stadium feel like a rowdy pub. But Niall Horan elevates his game with The Show, his third and finest album yet. The last time he dropped an album, Heartbreak Weather, it was just in time to see the world shut down for the pandemic. His big solo tour was over before it began. For an artist who clearly lives for the onstage experience, it must...

A new PopBuzz podcast, Making The Album, is where one prolific artist reveals what their album really means to them. In the first episode of the podcast and video series, host Sam Prance speaks to singer-songwriter Niall Horan as he breaks down his third album The Show. He talks about his inspirations and dreams, his long-term goals and his creative synergy with producers Joel Little and John Ryan.

One Direction were never the best people to go to for advice. In 2013, they shared the Midnight Memories deep cut “Don’t Forget Where You Belong,” which featured possibly the least reassuring words of wisdom ever written: “If you ever feel alone, don’t.” Luckily, Niall Horan has sharpened his comforting skills over the past decade. On his latest single, “Meltdown,” which will appear on his forthcoming third album, The Show, the singer really commits to showing up.

“Sleep is so thin, out of habit/Hard to tell the real...

Niall Horan’s certified lover boy era has commenced. On “Heaven,” his first single in three years, the musician crosses the line from romantic infatuation into full-blown obsession – and he’s unabashedly reveling in it.

“Strange light revolves around you/You float across the room,” Horan sings on the opening verse, listing out observations about this ethereal being he’s encountered. “Your touch is made of something/Heaven can’t hold a candle to/You’re made of somethin’ new.”

New was necessary. The last we heard from Horan, when...

26 January 2023 – On February 17, Capitol Records/Universal Music Canada will release Niall Horan’s new single, “Heaven”—his first new solo material in almost three years. The chart-topping artist wrote the track with John Ryan and Joel Little, who also produced, and Tobias Jesso Jr. Horan recorded the song in Southern California. Pre-save “Heaven” Here. The 7” vinyl and CD editions of “Heaven,” which will be released in April, are available for pre-order now.

Niall Horan said, “One thing I’ve learned over the years is that society loves to pressure us into reaching certain milestones by a certain age. Whether that’s getting married or anything else that really should be based on our own instincts. As I’ve gotten older I’ve tried to let go of those expectations and just follow my heart. The chorus of this song is saying that what I have in my life currently is amazing.

British singer Zayn Malik seems to be marinating in nostalgia at least that’s what his social media post suggests. Zayn, who was earlier a part of the English-Irish boy pop band ‘One Direction’, shared a video on his Instagram on Tuesday.

The 30-second black-and-white video shows Zayn singing One Direction’s 2014 single ‘Night Changes’, reports ‘Billboard’.

In the new video, Malik sings the second half of the chorus — originally recorded by bandmate Harry Styles – crooning, “Everything that you’ve ever dreamed of/ Disappearing when you wake up/ But there’s nothing to be afraid of/ Even when the night changes/ It will never change me and you.”

While Malik mostly avoids addressing his days in One Direction, this is actually the second time he’s revisited the band’s catalogue on social media in the last three months.

According to ‘Billboard’, back in June, he posted a video of...

It’s not that Sabrina Carpenter was putting up a front in her music before, it’s just that she — a Disney Channel actress since age of 13 — was “programmed” to be confident “till the day I die.” With her new music, Carpenter changes out the Disney-girl chip and lets the unfiltered thoughts in her brain run free, even if it places her in a place to be judged. She’s gotten used to that, anyway.

“I had to fight the urge to do what I normally do — cover it up...

George Seaton’s literal feel-good comedy is the flipside of pandemic films like Contagion: a powerful virus ‘cures’ grumpiness and bad vibes, encouraging a kind of Urban Utopia. The picture has nothing more to say than ‘have a nice day,’ yet it’s difficult to argue with any positive sentiment, especially these days. George Peppard and Mary Tyler Moore battle nobly with the material, which varies from good parody (Dom DeLuise) to awful vaudeville schtick to wafer-thin satire to terrible musical interludes. A Toucan bird from South America steals the show — his trainer Ray Berwick should have won an Oscar.

What’s So Bad About Feeling Good?

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1968 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 94 min. / Street Date August 24, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95

Starring: George Peppard, Mary Tyler Moore, Susan Saint James, Don Stroud, Dom DeLuise, John McMartin, Charles Lane, Nathaniel Frey, George Furth, Morty Gunty, Frank Campanella, Thelma Ritter,...

Actor Clayne Crawford joins Josh and Joe to discuss a few of his favorite flicks.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Two Mules For Sister Sara (1970)

Kramer Vs. Kramer (1979)

The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – John Landis’s trailer commentary. Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review.

Mad Max (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary. Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review.

The Killing Of Two Lovers (2021)

Metropolis (1927)

On The Waterfront (1954) – John Badham’s trailer commentary.

Top Gun (1986)

Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review. Tfh’s Gremlins celebration.

Young Guns (1988)

Citizen Kane (1941) – John Landis’s trailer commentary.

Star Wars (1977)

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Moonraker (1979)

Robocop (1987) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary.

12 Monkeys (1995) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review.

Brazil (1985)

Predator (1987)

Rocky (1976)

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary.

The Fisher King (1991)

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

Five Easy Pieces (1970)

Easy Rider (1969) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary.

Batman (1989)

Grand Hotel (1932)

It’s Alive (1974) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary.

Akira Kurosawa wrote the original story for this slam-bang action picture that finally got Cannon Films on a, ‘Hey this is a great movie’ list or two. Mean, nasty, desperate men make an impossible escape attempt across a frozen landscape that might as well be on the moon. Jon Voight gets to use the same eccentric gimmicks that Dustin Hoffman exploited, and comes off great while Andrei Konchalovsky showed Cannon what a brilliant director could do. The show also established Eric Roberts and Rebecca De Mornay as talents to watch.

Runaway Train

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1985 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 111 min. / Street Date March 16, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Jon Voight, Eric Roberts, Rebecca De Mornay, Kyle T. Heffner, John P. Ryan T.K. Carter, Kenneth McMillan, Edward Bunker, Hank Worden, Danny Trejo, Tommy Lister, Don MacLaughlin, Loren James, Dick Durock, Dennis Franz.

Cinematography: Alan Hume

Original Music: Trevor Jones

Written by Djordje Milecevic,...

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“Hey, Manny!”

By Raymond Benson

One of the generally underrated and mostly forgotten great action thrillers of the 1980s was Runaway Train, a sleeper that took audiences by surprise in late 1985/early 1986. Produced by the low-rent team of Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus for the now-defunct Cannon Films, Train was not the partners’ ordinary B-movie action fare. The picture’s pedigree assured that there was going to be something interesting within, and there was.

Runaway Train was originally an Akira Kurosawa project. The Japanese director had conceived the movie, co-written a screenplay with two of his regular colleagues, and planned to make it in conjunction with a Hollywood studio in the late 1960s. According to the supplements on Kino Lorber’s new Blu-ray release of the film, Kurosawa wanted to cast Henry Fonda and Peter Falk in the lead roles of escaped convicts...

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Kino Lorber Studio Classics:

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New York, NY -- December 8, 2020 -- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, the '80s sci-fi classic TV series and 1979 theatrical feature starring Gil Gerard, is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Buck Rogers: The Complete Collection, available on Blu-ray includes both seasons of the TV series plus the 1979 Theatrical Feature. The Theatrical Feature is also available individually on Blu-ray.

The Complete Collection comes packed with bonus features including the Pilot Episode (Awakening), 32 Episodes and Theatrical Version (First Time in HD), New Audio Commentaries for 11 Selected Episodes by Film/TV Historian Patrick Jankiewicz, Author of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: A TV Companion, New Audio Commentary by Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson (Theatrical Feature), New Interview with Co-Star Erin Gray, New Interview with...

By Lee Pfeiffer

In the 1970s and 1980s, Israeli producers Yoram Globus and Menahem Golan took Hollywood by storm by unleashing a tidal wave of low-budget exploitation films that were superbly marketed and which made their Cannon Films company the toast of the town. The fare was generally for undiscriminating viewers who were willing to plunk down their money to see movies about breakdancing, sexual slapstick and over-the-top action movies. They made a feature film star out of the charisma-free Chuck Norris and revived Charles Bronson's career after the major studios had pronounced him to be past his sell date. The glory days of Cannon were relatively short-lived as movie fans sought more sophisticated fare. Still, it must be said that occasionally, Cannon did try to move out its comfort zone by producing respectable, mainstream films, one of which was "Runaway Train" in 1985. The movie starred Jon Voight as Oscar "Manny" Manheim,...

They say you Can’t Go Home Again, but Francis Coppola has pulled a real magic trick — his 1984 gangland musical ended up heavily compromised by outright racism producers that didn’t like the half of the story that favored a black show-biz drama. All the gangster action has been retained in this impressive Encore recut, but with twenty new minutes of performances and backstage intrigues. Gregory and Maurice Hines’ tap dances are extended, and musical numbers have been restored, with the terrific Lonette McKee getting special emphasis. The show was always good, and now it’s much better.

The Cotton Club Encore

Blu-ray + DVD + Digital

Lionsgate

1984-2019 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 139 min. (originally 119) / Street Date December 10, 2019 / 14.99

Starring: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Gregory Hines, Lonette McKee, Bob Hoskins, Maurice Hines, James Remar, Nicolas Cage, Allen Garfield, Fred Gwynne, Gwen Verdon, Julian Beck, John P. Ryan.

Cinematography: Stephen Goldblatt

Production Designer: Richard Sylbert

Film Editors: Robert Q. Lovett,...

Formerly only available via import, 88 Films are set to release to exploitation “classics” on Blu-ray this June 24th- Pets, from director Raphael Nussbaum and Star Time, the magnum opus from writer/director Alexander Cassini. Full details and artwork for both release are below; and you can pre-order both films at the following links: Pets | Star Time.

Pets

Teenage Runaway Bonnie (Candice Rialson) has escaped the clutches of her controlling brother, only to become immediately embroiled in a twisted web of sexual manipulation. Initially convinced to aid in a carjacking, Bonnie is then taken in by a lecherous lesbian artist who hopes to groom her into a sapphic lover, only to have her plans thwarted by the perverse advances of a local gallery owner whose bizarre proclivities include the keeping of an unusual assortment of ‘pets.’ A truly unparalleled exploitation film viewing experience, Raphael Nussbaum’s Pets veers between moments of...

Stars: Bradley Gregg, Traci Lind, Malcolm McDowell, Pam Grier, John P. Ryan, Stacy Keach, Patrick Kilpatrick | Written by C. Courtney Joyner | Directed by Mark L. Lester

Ever wondered what Mark L. Lester did after Commando? Well, he directed a terrible John Candy comedy called Armed and Dangerous. But then he made this bizarre mashup of Escape from New York, The Warriors and Robocop. It’s not as good as it sounds, but like Arnie’s finest 84 minutes, it’s a barrel of stupid fun – and it’s another Vestron “classic” wrenched from the archives and given a remaster we never expected.

In 1999, youth gang culture is so prevalent that all major conurbations have become “free fire zones”, meaning there is no police presence. They’re essentially lawless. The result is that all the youngsters in 1999 wear S&M leather and wield automatic weaponry. It’s not clear where they get all the ammo and bazookas.

Burt Reynolds, one of We Are Movie Geeks favorite actors, has died! Burt suffered cardiac arrest and was taken to Jupiter Medical Center in Florida, where he died at age 82. Rip Burt.

On February 11th, 1936, Reynolds was born in Waycross, Georgia, before his family moved to Jupiter Florida, where his father served as Chief of Police. Young Burt excelled at sports and played football at Florida State University. He became an All Star Southern Conference halfback (and was earmarked by the Baltimore Colts) before injuries sidelined his football career. He dropped out of college and headed to New York with dreams of becoming an actor. There he worked in restaurants and clubs while pulling the odd TV job or theater role. Burt was spotted in a New York City stage production of Mister Roberts and signed to a TV contract and eventually had recurring roles in such shows as Gunsmoke (1955), Riverboat (1959) and his own series,...

Of all the Masters of Horror, none are as singular as the great Larry Cohen. Many horror directors have made great movies that are identifiable as their own either stylistically or thematically (or many times both), but Cohen’s films truly could not be made by anyone else. They don’t necessarily have the technical sheen of Carpenter or the primal, confrontational quality of early Craven, but no one else in the genre combines inspired premises with subversive humor, political commentary, offbeat dialogue, and a specific feel for his locations – most commonly New York, which lives and breathes in Larry Cohen’s movies in a way it rarely does in any other filmmaker’s work. He’s a genuine one-of-a-kind treasure, and seeing his filmography reassessed and celebrated either in the documentary King Cohen or with special edition Blu-rays for movies of his such as Q: The Winged Serpent and The Stuff.

Cannon Films knocks one out of the park: Jon Voight and Eric Roberts escape from prison only to end up on a huge, speeding, out of control juggernaut of a freight train plowing through the Alaskan wilderness. It's both an action bruise-fest and an existential statement, and it's still a wild thrill ride. Runaway Train Blu-ray Twilight Time 1985 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 111 min. / Street Date October 11, 2016 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95 Starring Jon Voight, Eric Roberts, Rebecca De Mornay, Kyle T. Heffner, John P. Ryan T.K. Carter, Kenneth McMillan, Edward Bunker, Hank Worden, Danny Trejo, Tommy Lister, Don MacLaughlin, Loren James, Dick Durock, Dennis Franz. Cinematography Alan Hume Original Music Trevor Jones Written by Djordje Milecevic, Paul Zindel, Edward Bunker based on a screenplay by Akira Kurosawa. Produced by Yoram Globus, Menachem Golan Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

When I stumbled into The Cannon Group on...

Cult filmmaker Larry Cohen is, and has always been, an idea man. Whether commenting on rampant consumerism (The Stuff), religious fanaticism (God Told Me To), or vigilantism (Maniac Cop), Cohen’s films (as director or screenwriter, often both) show an ambition beyond the zippered monsters and flying serpents. And while the biggest caveat regarding Cohen is that his reach often exceeds his grasp, that’s not always true. Case in point: It’s Alive (1974), Cohen’s potent take on abortion, the pharmaceutical industry, and (extremely) unconditional love.

Produced by Warner Bros. and Larco Productions, and distributed by WB, It’s Alive did not wow the executives, who gave it an obligatory release in October with little fanfare. And it did okay business for the small release it was granted. When a new regime came in to WB in ’77, Cohen asked them to take another look at the film – he felt...

Guns! Guns! Guns! John Milius' rootin' tootin' bio of the most famous of the '30s bandits has plenty of good things to its credit, especially its terrific, funny cast, topped by the unlikely star Warren Oates. The battles between Dillinger's team of all-star bank robbers and Ben Johnson's G-Man aren't neglected, as Milius savors every gun recoil and Tommy gun blast. Dillinger Blu-ray + DVD Arrow Video U.S. 1973 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 107 min. / Street Date April 26, 2016 / 39.95 Starring Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, Michelle Phillips, Cloris Leachman, Harry Dean Stanton, Geoffrey Lewis, John Ryan, Richard Dreyfuss, Steve Kanaly, John Martino, Roy Jenson, Frank McRae. Cinematography Jules Brenner Special Effects A.D. Flowers, Cliff Wenger Edited by Fred R. Feitshans, Jr. Original Music Barry De Vorzon Produced by Buzz Feitshans Written and Directed by John Milius

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

There it was in the dentist's office, an article in either...

Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Travis Keune, and Tom Stockman

Burt Reynolds, one of We Are Movie Geeks favorite actors, turns 80 today. Happy Birthday Burt!

On February 11th, 1936, Reynolds was born in Waycross, Georgia, before his family moved to Jupiter Florida, where his father served as Chief of Police. Young Burt excelled at sports and played football at Florida State University. He became an All Star Southern Conference halfback (and was earmarked by the Baltimore Colts) before injuries sidelined his football career. He dropped out of college and headed to New York with dreams of becoming an actor. There he worked in restaurants and clubs while pulling the odd TV job or theater role. Burt was spotted in a New York City stage production of Mister Roberts and signed to a TV contract and eventually had recurring roles in such shows as Gunsmoke (1955), Riverboat (1959) and his own series, Hawk...

Arthur Penn’s notorious, arguably ‘revisionist’ Western The Missouri Breaks makes it to Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber, with packaging that keeps the film’s initial infamous discrepancies alive and well with star Marlon Brando’s name retaining top billing. Though it would be Brando’s last sizeable role, the film’s main protagonist is really Jack Nicholson as a matter-of-fact horse thief who runs up against a prosperous man who holds himself above the law by failing to recognize that the rest of the country’s outlying frontiers have them.

The term revisionist is problematic in reference to Penn’s film, though it attempts to make us sympathize with a villain positioned against a civilized businessman who’s nearly as irredeemable. Two wrongs don’t make a right, so if anything, Penn’s adaptation of Thomas McGuane’s script is anarchist at best. Plagued with a troubled production thanks...

It’s Alive, Larry Cohen’s 1974 cult thriller starring John P. Ryan, Sharron Farrell, James Dixon and Guy Stockwell, is celebrating it’s 40th anniversary with a screening at the Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles. The film will be screening on Thursday, October 16th, 2014 at 10:00 pm. Director Cohen and actress Farrell are scheduled to appear in person to discuss the film. From the press release:

Our modern world is full of marvels—but also polluted … Continue reading →

Horrornews.net...

Stars: Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilly, Joe Pantoliano, John P. Ryan, Christopher Meloni, Richard C. Sarafian, Mary Mara, Susie Bright | Written and Directed by The Wachowski Brothers

Watching Bound you can’t help but be impressed with its style and understand why people cite its importance to the Matrix movies which were the Wachowski next movies to work on. Then you realise that this was their first movie and see just why it is so impressive and brave. Bound is a modern noir that takes two female leads and puts them in the place of power and most importantly a realistic love affair. This may sound nothing surprising now, but at the time it had never been done in this style, especially by two writer/directors who wanted to make an impact in Hollywood. Now that it’s getting the Arrow Video treatment, it’s time for Bound to get the attention it definitely deserves.

Every year, we here at Sound On Sight celebrate the month of October with 31 Days of Horror; and every year, I update the list of my favourite horror films ever made. Last year, I released a list that included 150 picks. This year, I’ll be upgrading the list, making minor alterations, changing the rankings, adding new entries, and possibly removing a few titles. I’ve also decided to publish each post backwards this time for one reason: the new additions appear lower on my list, whereas my top 50 haven’t changed much, except for maybe in ranking. I am including documentaries, short films and mini series, only as special mentions – along with a few features that can qualify as horror, but barely do.

****

Special Mention:

Häxan

Directed by Benjamin Christensen

Denmark / Sweden, 1922

Häxan (a.k.a The Witches or Witchcraft Through The Ages) is a 1922 silent documentary about the history of witchcraft,...

It’s Alive

Directed by Larry Cohen

Written by Larry Cohen

1974, USA

Although not his first feature, It’s Alive helped establish Larry Cohen’s reputation as a director of ingenious low-budget genre films, which come with unexpected twists, conflicted anti-heroes, dark humour, and sympathy for monsters, both human and non-human. Cohen, writer and director of such projects as God Told Me To and Q, made his first foray into the horror genre with this low-budget cult favourite about a murderous mutant baby on a killing rampage. Lenore Davis (Sharon Farrell) gives birth to the hideous clawed and fanged offspring, which immediately slaughters the delivery team and then escapes the hospital to continue to conduct a flurry of killings in its search for food and shelter. When the story becomes front page news, father Frank (John Ryan) joins the police manhunt, determined to exterminate the baby himself.

Scratching under the...

★★★★☆ Andrei Konchalovsky is one of cinema's true enigmas. Loosely descended from Tolstoy and born into tsarist nobility in 1937, he has the genetic make-up of a genius, and once displayed all the signs, but to look back upon his filmography is like staring at a jigsaw with all the wrong pieces. He has disassembled the Soviet psyche and collaborated with Andrei Tarkovsky over the years, but in Runaway Train (1986) there's a joyous lunacy unleashed at full force. It's also one of his most straightforward films, as convicts Oscar 'Manny' Manheim (Jon Voight) and Buck McGeehy (Eric Roberts) attempt a gutsy jailbreak.

Manheim has been sealed off in solitary for three months, before finally winning a court case which will allow him to re-enter the main prison. Of course, these three months have simply given him the time to plan his escape. McGeehy immediately becomes his faithful lapdog, ensorcelled by Manheim's wild rebelliousness,...

Most classic sci-fi movie fans should remember Westworld, but have you seen the sequel? 1976′s Futureworld will be making its Blu-ray debut, courtesy of Shout! Factory, and we have all the details:

“Do you remember that disaster at Delos a few years ago when the “Westworld” robots went out of control and killed a few guests? Well, the entire resort has now been rebuilt and redesigned to be completely fail-safe.

To combat the lingering adverse publicity, Duffy, the Delos representative, has offered the Imc Communication Network exclusive rights to the “new” Delos story. Tracy Ballard (Blythe Danner), the network’s top commentator, has been assigned the story with Chuck Browning (Peter Fonda), the newspaper reporter who broke the original “Westworld” disaster story. But as Tracy and Chuck’s private tour starts, they get the feeling the entire resort might not be as safe as Delos thinks…”

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Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Travis Keune, and Tom Stockman

We like to celebrate the movie tough guys of the ’70s here at We Are Movie Geeks and at Super-8 Movie Madness. We’ve posted Top Ten lists to tie into Super-8 shows featuring Charles Bronson (Here), Clint Eastwood (Here), and Lee Marvin (Here). This month we’re going to honor the #1 top money-making star for five consecutive years – 1978 – 1982 – Burt Reynolds. On February 11th, 1936, Reynolds was born in Waycross, Georgia, before his family moved to Jupiter Florida, where his father served as Chief of Police. Young Burt excelled at sports and played football at Florida State University. He became an All Star Southern Conference halfback (and was earmarked by the Baltimore Colts) before injuries sidelined his football career. He dropped out of college and headed to New York with dreams of becoming an actor. There he worked in restaurants...

by Nick Schager

[This week's "Retro Active" pick is inspired by the star-studded babies-'a-poppin' rom-com What to Expect When You're Expecting.]

Never has a movie made having children seem less appealing than It's Alive, Larry Cohen's terrifying examination of personal and parental anxieties. Cohen's genre gem is unquestionably a horror film, but its mutant-monster terror is its least scary element, not to mention the one Cohen cares least about, a fact made plain from a prolonged introduction sequence in which Lenore (Sharon Farrell) awakens in the middle of the night to inform husband Frank (John Ryan) that the baby is ready to go. That news instigates preparations to depart to the hospital, including getting dressed, packing up clothes, and waking their 11-year-old son Chris (Daniel Holzman) and taking him to stay with friend Charley (William Wellman Jr.), arrangements that Cohen depicts with a laid-back sweetness—be it Frank sticking a cat in slumbering Chris' face, or affecting a jokey Western patois as they drive through the night...