Ever since fans of “Insidious” got wind that “Insidious Chapter 2” was on the way, a floodgate of questions opened up. Still, if you are one of those people (like me) who slept with the night light on for at least a week after viewing the 2011 otherworldly ghost story from James Wan, then the more »

In pertaining to recent developments, I believe it is safe to say that Hollywood is officially obsessed with superheroes. Brand new comic book franchises are getting launched at an increasingly rapid rate. And it’s not only the popular comics that feature the jocks that are hogging the spotlight and box-office glory. These days, even the more »

I have to admit, I love movies like “This is The End.”    You know the type of movie I speak of. First off, at the core lies a talented ensemble of gifted comedic actors who are familiar with each other – on-screen and off. Secondly, it features cameos from every corner of the entertainment more »

About a year-and-a-half ago a group of independent filmmakers decided to put together an anthology in order to pay homage to the spirit of the gratuitous gore and nudity-filled horror films of the 1980’s. Their creation, which debuted at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival to fairly favorable reviews, was called “V/H/S” and focused on the more »

I wish I could have been a fly on the wall over at Universal Pictures during writer/director James DeMonaco’s pitch meeting for “The Purge.” I can see it now… [The following conversation is a fictional reenactment and – in no way, shape or form – did any of it actually take place. Or did it? more »

You can change your appearance, but you can’t change your parents.   That seems to be the premise behind “The Kings of Summer” – the new coming-of-age tale from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts and first-time screenwriter Chris Galleta. The film chronicles the life of three high school buddies from Ohio and their quest for emancipation from their more »

Can “After Earth” bring back M. Night Shyamalan’s career from the dead? First, let’s play a little game, shall we? Let’s pretend that M. Night Shyamalan grew up in the wealthy suburbs of Lower Merion and instead of idolizing Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg, he was fascinated by the rugged moustache and sweet swing of more »

Documentary films have it tough during the summer movie season.   I mean, even if the movie tackles the most interesting subject known to man, it still gets lost in the shuffle, while all the movies about superheroes, international car thieves and outer space travel get all the attention and monetary gain. If it’s a more »

Every now and then, a film comes along that affects you in a major way. It might be a tell-all documentary about a fascinating and controversial subject matter. It might appear as a poignant historical drama that chronicles the life of an important and courageous human being.  It’s even a possibility that it might emerge more »

  A few weeks ago I compared viewing a horror movie to a comforting night of fast- food dining. If that’s the case, then animated children’s films are like a big bag of tooth-rotting, rainbow-colored candy. This is especially the case for “Epic:” the latest animated feature released by Blue Sky Studios (“Ice Age,” “Rio,” more »

“Star Trek” has always taken itself very seriously.   Ever since it was created for television consumption in 1966 by Gene Rodenberry, the franchise has been considered a super-serious and intellectual property. It never had to resort to transforming the space western (as Rodenberry called it) into a fluffy, watered-down product just to gain the more »

Horror movies are like fast food.   They’re cheap and predictable, but that’s just the way we like ‘em. At times, they might bring a strange wave of comfort over you when you truly need it. And most of the times they’re just plain gross and nasty. However, this nastiness could be looked at as more »