What I Watched in May 2026

Damian McCarthy’s most recent film HOKUM (2026) is an excellent supernatural tale and as a follow up to ODDITY (2024) seems the perfect continuation of themes that he is addressing through horror. Both films use grief as the catalyst for actions taken by the main characters. In each story this grief leads to violence but in HOKUM the focus is not on revenge but on how grief can stunt the ability to move forward, twisting emotions into their darkest forms.

 

In the film successful author Ohm Bauman is dealing with writer’s block and decides to take his parent’s ashes to Ireland to spread them in a place they loved. Adam Scott’s phenomenal lead performance brings a cynical, layered desperation to the film that allows for shifts in tone a few times. When we get to know the character in the first act he is an offensive, unlikeable bastard with a pitch-black worldview. We are shown a visualization of the story he is currently working on and its darkness is clearly born of deep misanthropy. We follow him into the second act because the mysterious old inn with its tale of a haunted honeymoon suite is fascinating, not because we find him appealing. The folklore of the place and the odd individuals working there are interesting enough to keep us watching even as we have doubts about our main character’s personality. Slowly we become aware of his feelings of grief which mitigate some of the harsher judgements we are tempted to ascribe to him but we’re then distracted by odd occurrences with his place as an avatar for our curiosity  sufficient to stay engaged. Then the corpse shows up and all bets are off! Luckily, as the story unspools, we learn more about Ohm’s tragic history with his parents making him less of a jerk while never completely softening him. This is a smart, gorgeously photographed tale of the evil that we are capable of laced with enough hope to make its ending satisfying. I eagerly await McCarthy’s next film. 

 The List

SPECTERS (1987) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

HOKUM (2026) – 8

 

MOONLIGHT SWORD & JADE LION (1977) – 6 (Angela Mao searches for her master’s brother)

HELL HAS NO BOUNDARIES (1982) – 7 (well played Hong Kong horror)

ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE (2023) – 9 (excellent documentary)

DEAD MEN DON’T WEAR PLAID (1982) – 7 (should have watched this years ago)

DJANGO STRIKES AGAIN (1987) – 7 (rewatch)

THE SHEEP DETECTIVES (2026) – 8 (heartwarming, funny and a good mystery as well)

MALOMBRA (1984) – 5 (dull Spanish softcore gothic)

ANTIVIRAL (2012) – 8 (Brandon Cronenberg’s futuristic thriller)

IN THE GREY (2026) – 7 (another well made action film from Guy Ritchie) 

OBSESSION (2026) – 8 (disturbing analogy for mental illness in romantic relationships)

THE SNOW WOMAN (1968) – 8 (excellent Japanese supernatural tale)

THE SLIME PEOPLE (1963) – 3 (rewatch on Blu) 

MALOMBRA (1942) – 8 (Italian gothic novel adaptation)

THE CRAWLING HAND (1963) – 4 (rewatch on Blu)

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU (2026) – 7

 

TEX AND THE LORD OF THE DEEP (1985) – 5 (fumetti adaptation that should be better)

What I Watched in April 2026

Last year I caught director Kristoffer Borgli’s excellent, uncomfortable DREAM SCENARIO (2023) and loved it. Darkly observant about human foibles the film was willing to allow the viewer to sit with painful emotional moments without turning away from their universality. The only cushioning it gave the audience was its base fantasy idea of a universally shared dream about a single unimportant man. With his new film Borgli has stripped even that slight bit of distancing from the story he tells and forces the audience to confront things baldly. This pays off in amazing ways as the tale told in THE DRAMA (2026) is more recognizable in kind if not in its particulars. It presents the question of how far a person’s basic human empathy and romantic commitment can be pushed. Can you love the actual, flawed person, or do you only love the sanitized image you’ve built of them in your own mind? This is a question I’ve wrestled with my entire adult life and being shown this film’s nightmare of conflicting emotions so well presented was both enlightening and distressing. It had me reexamining my own romantic relationships with a dark view of expectations and needs. The movie gives no easy answers because there are none in the reality presented. THE DRAMA is one of those rare, provocative satires that trusts its audience enough to sit with extreme discomfort and absorb the various points of view. It balances sharp dialogue, existential relationship dread, and laugh-out-loud awkwardness with flawless precision. It is easily one of the most audacious, thought-provoking, and unforgettable films I’ve seen in years and I haven’t been able to get it out of head for weeks. So, you have been warned, I guess. 

THE LIST

WARRIOR QUEEN (1987) – 3 (terrible tale of Pompei and Vesuvius) 

EYE WITNESS (1989) – 7 (Bava thriller about a blind crime witness)

THE LADY IN THE MORGUE (1938) – 7 (Crime Club entry is top notch)

GINA (1975) – 6 (slow-burn Canadian rape/revenge film)

THE WITNESS VANISHES (1939) – 6 (interesting Crime Club mystery)

MICHAEL SHAYNE, PRIVATE DETECTIVE (1940) – 7 (rewatch)

DRESSED TO KILL (1941) – 7 (rewatch) (one of the best of the series)

THE DREAMING (1988) – 7 (Australian horror tale of ghosts)

THE DRAMA (2026) – 9 (excellent look at fear and trust in a relationship)

JUST OFF BROADWAY (1942) – 6 (Michael Shayne mystery that stretches credulity)

TIME TO KILL (1942) – 7 (Shayne tale adapted from a Chandler novel)

DESTINY (1944) – 6 (rewatch)

TRUCK TURNER (1974) – 7 (rewatch)

Lee Cronin’s THE MUMMY (2026) - 7 (basically a remake of EVIL DEAD RISE)

SEX BEYOND THE GRAVE (1984) – 5 (Shaw Brothers combine Poltergeist, The Shining and the Exorcist and the Evil Dead to little effect)

DEATHSTALKER (2025) – 6 (the dialog is too modern but the creatures are well done)

DUST BUNNY (2025) – 9 (simply marvelous)

SPECTERS (1987) – 6 (Italian horror - feels like Fulci would have been the perfect director)

NORMAL (2026) – 7 (great little crime tale)

NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER (1980) – 7 

ORGY OF THE DEAD (1973) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) (a.k.a. The Hanging Woman)

TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE (1962) – 8 (rewatch) 

 

What I Watched in March 2026

Kirill Sokolov’s THEY WILL KILL YOU (2026) is a hyper-stylized, violent rocket ride that prioritizes gory spectacle and shock reveals over all other considerations. This highly entertaining film feels like a feverish mix of KILL BILL and EVIL DEAD II set within a New York City high-rise hotel that feels like the setting of BARTON FINK. The director leans heavily into his cinematic influences utilizing rapid smash zooms, chapter titles, and over the top physics-defying action sequences. It feels like a mad action nightmare experienced after a movie marathon programmed to push heart rates high and make logical thought impossible. This film is derivative but it feels like a creative, slightly comedic variation on a theme rather than a pale copy of better work. Star Zazie Beetz commands the screen like she was born to play the role of the revenge seeking badass hunting her missing sister. I hope she is given more big screen chances to dazzle larger audiences but I suspect her performance here will become the stuff that inspires future potential action movie stars. This is a fun, popcorn action effort with grotesque horror elements and sometimes that is exactly what I want. 

The List

SCREAM 7 – 7 (another whodunnit that entertained me)

ATTACK OF THE ROBOTS (1966) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

THE BRIDE! (2026) – 8

COBRA MISSION (1986) – 5 (ridiculous Uncommon Valor rip-off)

JUNGLE RAIDERS (1985) – 6 (slightly silly Indiana Jones rip from Margheriti)

CREEPAZOIDS (1987) – 3 (awful low budget ALIEN/THING rip)

LOVE CAMP (1977) – 4 (Jess Franco jungle brothel plod packed with nudity)

DANGER ON THE AIR (1938) – 6 (Crime Club mystery is entertaining)

READY OR NOT HERE I COME (2026) – 7 (sequel gets a little dark before the end but is still solid)

HAUNTEDWEEN (1991) – 4 (terrible horror film made in Bowling Green, KY)

THE WESTLAND CASE (1937) – 7 (first Crime Club film is quite good)

THEY WILL KILL YOU (2026) – 7

ISLAND OF THE DOOMED (1967) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

PROJECT HAIL MARY (2026) – 9 

 

What I Watched in February 2026

The short form critique of CRIME 101 (2026) is that is attempting to be a variation of Michael Mann’s HEAT for the 21^st century. I suppose that is a valid way to look at the film but it seems dismissive of the effective work being done on every level here. The entire cast is working in top form, the story is well constructed and the direction is tight and precise. I enjoyed it for the entire runtime and it left me with a satisfied smile at its conclusion. I don’t think it is as sharp as the aforementioned HEAT but it doesn’t need to be to be a good thriller. I look forward to seeing it a second time to luxuriate in watching the pieces rotate around the clever criminal plans before clicking into place. 

The List

THE MINOR (1974) – 6 (Italian sex drama/comedy)

COME DIE WITH ME (1974) – 6 (TV murder drama movie)

STREET GIRLS (1975) – 6 (low budget, grimy tale of strippers)

SEND HELP (2026) – 8 

THE SNOW CREATURE (1954) – 3 (terrible low budget yeti film)

THE ABOMNIBLE SNOWMAN (1957) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

THE PUMAMAN (1980) – 4 (not as bad as I feared – not good either)

SHOT IN THE DARK (1933) – 6 (short British murder mystery/old dark house tale)

DRACULA (2026) – 7 (Luc Besson rips off several other films but his stew is tasty)

DEATHSTALKER (1983) – 6 (rewatch)

BLACK DRAGONS (1942) – 4 (rewatch)

CONVOY BUSTERS (1978) – 7 (Maurizio Merli slaps smugglers around)

CRIME 101 (2026) – 7 

CASTLE OF EVIL (1966) – 6 (interesting old dark house tale)

THE SIMON’S JIGSAW (2015) – 7 (entertaining documentary about Juan Piquer Simón)

EXTRA TERRESTRIAL VISITORS (1983) – 3 (I finally see the uncut film and it is bad)

THE BLACK DOLL (1938) – 6 (Crime Club mystery)

MOTHER OF FLIES (2025) – 8 (excellent slow burn folk horror)

NIGHTMARE AT 43 HILLCREST (1974) – 6 (TV movie about a criminal police prosecution) 

PHENOMNA (1985) – 7 (rewatch on 4K)

THE MYSTERY OF THE WHITE ROOM (1939) – 5 (Crime Club mystery)

HOUSE OF FEAR (1939) – 6 (Crime Club mystery in a ‘haunted’ theater)

 

What I Watched in January 2026

I loved 28 YEARS LATER (2025) finding it to be a brilliant revitalization of the film series. In fact, it felt like a story that almost needed a couple of decades to feel relevant in our zombie saturated media world. If you leave it up to scriptwriter Alex Garland to come up with a scenario and characters chances are good that he will bring something of quality to the screen. Director Danny Boyle seems to have enjoyed returning to this post-apocalyptic world and he keeps the energy high while prolonging the mysteries at the core of the drama.

With THE BONE TEMPLE Boyle has turned things over to the very talented Nia DaCosta who is slowly becoming someone I wish would just make nothing but horror films. Her CANDYMAN sequel from a couple of years ago and now this excellent series shifting entry show her as a surehanded director capable of working very well in other creator’s playgrounds.

This film picks up right after the end of the previous movie returning us to the tale of young Spike who learns to regret his decision to live on the mainland since Britain remains long abandoned by the outside world with the infected still roaming in packs. Quickly Spike is absorbed into the roaming violent group we saw in the final scene of the 2025 film and forced to kill to survive. The group is under the leadership of a mad Satanist named Lord Jimmy who sees the changed world as fodder for his Lord and Master’s cruel vision of correcting humanity. The group views the infected as demons loosed upon the world to inflicted punishment.

Meanwhile Dr. Kelson (a brilliant Ralph Fiennes) has found that his morphine-based sedative allows him to calm the monstrous rage virus infected ‘Samson’ to the point of establishing a relationship. This development gives us a glimpse inside the creature’s mind and a possible path to a cure. But when Jimmy’s group discovers Kelson among his human bone monument and speaking to Samson they think they have found Old Nick himself.

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE is as viscerally violent and dread inducing as fans of the series might expect but it is more emotional than even the 2025 movie. It expands the series’ universe in a thoughtful, unsettling way that has the potential to bring the entire story to an impressive end. If you are expecting relentless sprinting infected and nonstop carnage this may feel subdued. But for those interested in how horror evolves over time this film offers a chilling, contemplative chapter in a franchise that still understands how to disturb. With any luck we will get the promised third film in this tale so writer Garland can show us his conclusion.

 

The List

SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWI (1967) – 5 (Korean kaiju silliness)

STAGE FRIGHT (1987) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

QUENTIN DURWARD (1955) – 8 (widescreen period adventure)

WE BURY THE DEAD (2025) – 7 

DOCTOR WHO & THE DALEKS (1965) – 7 (rewatch on 4K)

BEATRIZ (1976) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

VENOMOUS (2001) – 4 (starts out well….) 

VHS: HALLOWEEN (2025) – 5 (some good moments but too much doesn’t work)

PRIMATE (2025) – 7 (obvious but effective thriller)

THE MAD EXECUTIONER (1963) – 7 (excellent krimi)

MISS V FROM MOSCOW (1942) – 4 (WWII propaganda from RPC)

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE (2026) – 9 

THE ROAD TO SINGAPORE (1931) – 6 (well-made William Powell pre-code drama)

STATION-SIX SAHARA (1963) – 7 (tense drama with Carroll Baker)

SO YOUNG, SO LOVELY, SO VICIOUS… (1975) – 6 (sexy drama that gets more serious as it goes along)

SHADOW OF FEAR (1974) – 7 (solid TV mystery movie)

THE GIRLS OF THE GOLDEN SALOON (1975) – 2 (terrible Euro-western packed with nudity)

THE DEADLY GAME (1965) – 6 (anthology espionage film) (a.k.a The Secret Agent)

HEAT LIGHTNING (1934) – 7 (great little drama at a desert gas station)

KNIVES OF THE AVENGER (1965) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

THE INVASION OF CAROL ENDERS (1974) – 6 (TV movie with a supernatural side)

What I Watched in December 2025

I’ve enjoyed both SISU films but they both make the same mistake that keeps them from being elevated to the upper echelon of action cinema. At a certain point the ever-escalating kinetic madness asks us to believe something that I simply cannot accept as grounded enough to roll with. Until that moment I’m fully onboard with the insanity and rooting for the main character and the film itself to maintain its level of grittiness and over-the-top violence until the end credits. But both films reach a point where my willing suspension of disbelief is shattered and I become just an observer curious about how things will end instead of an invested fan. I’m not sure, but I think they break my involvement at nearly the same point in their respective running times as if the filmmakers reach the final stretch and go too far on purpose. It’s a shame because, overall, I really enjoy them. I just wish they sustained their admittedly heightened level of credibility for the whole tale.  

The List

THE VIOLENT BREED (1984) – 3 (damn, this sucks)

ALIEN: ROMULUS (2024) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE (2025) – 7

WHOEVER SLEW AUNTIE ROO? (1971) – 6 (rewatch)

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981) – 9 (rewatch on Blu)

THE TATTOOED STRANGER (1950) - 6 (solid noir with some shaky acting)

KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR (2025) – 9

GRUMPY CAT’S WORST CHRISTMAS EVER (2014) – 4 (self-aware but it helps very little)

NEMESIS (1992) – 6 (the usual slightly confused but energetic Pyun action film)

ALIEN 3 (2003) – 8 (rewatch of the assembly cut on Blu)

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT (2025) – 7 (wow! A solid reinvention of the idea)

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. FAUST (1969) – 5 (avant-garde swirl of ideas)

SANTA CLAUS (1959) – 5 (rewatch – I can’t call it good but I am fascinated)

THE HOUSEMAID (2025) – 7 (solid twisty thriller)

YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES (1985) – 7 (rewatch)

WAKE UP DEAD MAN (2025) – 9 (the best of the three?)

DITIRAMBO (1969) – 6 (bizarre Spanish detective tale)

THE DETECTIVE AND DEATH (1994) – 6 (Spanish tale of deceit and death)

TWO O’CLOCK COURAGE (1945) – 7 (Anthony Mann noir with more humor than expected)

 

What I Watched in November 2025

I’m aware that KEEPER (2025) is not a film that is built to appeal to a mass audience. It is slowly paced and hides its true genre for as long as possible before the horror of the events onscreen is revealed and explained. I’ll tread carefully since I think it is best to see this tight thriller with as little foreknowledge as can be managed. The central performance by Tatiana Maslany is brilliant and the entire film hinges on her skills as an actress. I expect her to be this good because of my introduction to her broad talent on the television show Orphan Black years ago. She shoulders the narrative perfectly as both our view inside this anniversary weekend in the woods with her boyfriend and the creeping dread of what begins to happen inside the cabin. Maslany’s ability to convey dozens of shades of emotion and intelligently give voice to subtle concerns elevate her performance into something award worthy. Sadly, director Osgood Perkins seems to be one of the few creators out there that recognizes her range and employs her accordingly. She is a rarely tapped resource that the entertainment field would be smart to cast more frequently.

 

As stated, I will not spoil the shocks the film deploys but I have to say that I find the final images to be some of the most satisfying of any horror film of recent vintage. KEEPER wasn’t made for a large audience but it is a deeply effecting tale for those who find its wavelength. 

The List 

THE YEAR OF THE CANNIBALS (1969) – 7 

THE SEVENTH VICTIM (1943) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

BUGONIA (2025) – 9 

PREDATOR: BADLANDS (2025) – 8 

A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE (2025) – 8

BRONSON (2008) – 7 

BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA (1971) – 6 (rewatch)

MORBO (1971) – 7 

THE RUNNING MAN (2025) – 7 (good but not great)

KEEPER (2025) – 8 (exceptional slow burn horror) 

KLEINHOFF HOTEL (1977) – 7 (erotic drama with Corinne Clery)

SISU (2022) – 7 

MURDER IS MY BEAT (1955) – 6 (classic hard-boiled noir)

What I Watched in October 2025

I find myself in an odd position with the Tron (now) trilogy. I still do not think much of the original TRON (1982) film, considering it fairly dull and only intermittently visually interesting. Since it was a box office flop I suspect I wasn’t the only viewer that thought it was less than wonderful but the highly successful video game and associated ephemera made the film stick to the lower levels of public imagination over the decades. In 2010 curiosity and the desire to hang out with a pair of buddies lead me to see TRON: LEGACY theatrically and I was surprised to enjoy it far more than the first film. With that movie the creators seemed to have found an engaging reason for revisiting the world setup but it still didn’t manage to earn big money. With a second financial failure on their hands Disney once again let the concept go fallow with no direct follow up happening. Cut to 2025 and the franchise rises from the dead yet again with TRON: ARES. Shockingly I really enjoyed it. Sporting an actually interesting plot to bolster the amazing special effects it is an engaging bit of science fantasy that has a slick feel and a winking sense of humor. I was expecting it to be terrible but I left the theater with a grin on my face. Is this a franchise that gets better with each new entry? It really is a shame considering the box office failure of this one means no new Tron cinema for a decade or so if the time between sequels/cash-in attempts continues to shrink. 

The List

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025) – 8

SUCCUBUS (1968) – 7 (rewatch)

SNAPSHOT OF A CRIME (a.k.a Istantanea per un delitto) – 4 (weak Italian thriller)

SWEETS FROM A STRANGER (1987) – 6 (dry giallo with an interesting ending)

NIGHT OF THE REAPER (2025) – 7 (well done tale of a small-town killer)

DEMON WITCH CHILD (1974) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

HOUSE ON EDEN (2025) – 4 (found footage failure)

TRON: LEGACY (2010) – 7 (rewatch)

THE HAND OF NIGHT (1968) – 5 (mediocre British made Moroccan vampire tale)

CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD (2025) – 4 (tone is all over the place in this horror/comedy)

SILVER BULLET (1985) – 5 (finally saw it)

TRICK OR TREAT (1986) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE (1972) – 6 (Jess Franco krimi that looks magnificent on Blu)

TRON: ARES (2025) – 7 (far better than I thought it would be)

MONSTER ISLAND (2025) – 7 (Hell in the Pacific crossed with Humanoids from the Deep)

THREE CASES OF MURDER (1954) – 6 (interesting anthology film)

DANCE OF THE DAMNED (1989) – 3 (dull vampire tale)

RITA THE MOSQUITO (1966) – 6 (Italian musical comedy)

STAY (2025) – 7 (effective ghost tale about grief)

THE ENCHANTED (1984) – 8 (brilliant Florida folk horror)

BLACK PHONE 2 (2025) – 8 (emotional and effective expansion of the idea)

HOUSE OF DRACULA (1945) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

OTHER (2025) – 8 (excellent creepy mystery)

DOLLS (1987) – 5 (rewatch)

PHANTASM (1979) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

PHANTASM II (1988) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

THE MAN WHO WOULDN’T DIE (1989) – 6 (Italian crime tale)

HALLOWEEN (2018) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

EL PUEBLO FANTASMA (1965) - 6 (Mexican vampire western)

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (2025) – 7 (surprisingly solid sequel)

SHELBY OAKS (2025) - 6 (good idea that needed more ‘zip’)

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1989) – 6 (surprisingly well done)

FRANKENSTEIN (2025) – 9

DRACULA RISES FROM THE GRAVE (1967) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

THE DEVIL’S NIGHTMARE (1971) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

DEMONS OF PARADISE (1987) – 4 (mediocre monster tale)

 

What I Watched in September 2025

2025 has brought us a brand new Red Sonja film, and before I ever got the chance to see the film I heard so much bitching about it that I knew that it had no chance. It had been condemned sight unseen and no matter what, it was going to become a dismissed work. I despise this kind of prejudgment of a film before anyone has actually seen the subject, especially when it is obvious that it is primarily the genre of the film that has the nattering scum feel that attacking it is safe. Surely, no one thoughtful can take this type of cinema seriously – it’s trash and therefore fair game for derisive snobbery.

I have been looking forward to a new Red Sonja film for years. I’m a fan of the character even though I haven’t read many of the comic books produced in the last twenty years or so. I'm a fan of the character as created by Roy Thomas for Marvel Comics back in the 1970s as a part of their long running Conan the Barbarian series.  The comic character of Red Sonja is not really a creation of pulp writer Robert E. Howard but she springs from the same fertile soil.

There was a character named Red Sonya of Rogatino who was in a single Howard called ‘The Shadow of the Vulture’, and then the comics altered her a bit and plunked her down the Hyperborian Age. I'm a big fan of the original Marvel version of the character, especially when Frank Thorne was drawing the comics. And as ridiculous as it is, that's where the chainmail bikini idea originally came from. Iconic but impractical, to say the least!

I saw the first film based on the character back in the 1985 when it premiered and I wasn't impressed at the time. But it's one of those movies that, as time has passed, I've grown to really love. It hasn’t changed but my ability to enjoy it has grown until I find it a complete joy. As a matter of fact, on The Bloody Pit podcast a few years ago Cort Psyops, and I talked at length about the movie so if you want my lengthier (much lengthier) thoughts about the previous Red Sonja film, that's the place. So, understand, I've been hoping for a new Red Sonja film for a very long period of time.

Before I got to watch the 2025 version I couldn’t find a single positive comment about the movie online. As a matter of fact, I was inundated with negative reviews before I ever got the chance to see the thing. It seems as if this has become the latest target for every smarter-than-thou pseudo-critic online to hone their meager typing skills and go into great detail about how awful it is. This was never going to stop me from seeing it, of course.

The first thing I noticed is that it was directed by M.J. Bassett and I am a huge fan of her 2009 Solomon Kane movie. I also remember liking the slasher effort WILDERNESS (2006) but details have faded. So, to my mind, she was an excellent choice to take a shot at the character. She understands the genre and handles visceral violence with style.

I’ll admit that I had lowered expectations because of the mountain of bad online comments but I'm the perfect audience for a sword & sorcery film. As you may have guessed, I enjoyed the hell out of it! I'm not saying it's perfect. There are a couple of moments where I wanted some fine-tuned clarity in the editing. An example is a scene with a character suddenly buying it with an arrow to the eye and we then see Sonja, in the distance. She is presumably the character who shot this person in the head from across a battlefield but she is not holding her bow. Instead, she's charging on horseback with a sword in her hand. I'm not sure if what was trying to be communicated was that one of the other people who we are then shown riding in to help her fired the deadly arrow. That is clumsy editing and while I understand why it was done it is a hiccup in the flow of the scene. My assumption is they wanted to immediately introduce the character in motion and headed toward the people that she's threatening. This is a fairly minor problem considering how much I was impressed with the surrounding sequence.

The only other real complaint I have with the film is that in about four cases they use CGI to craft backgrounds and distant vistas which would have have been done using matte paintings in the past. Normally, I love those things and they usually look great rendered in CGI but these don't look as good as I wish they did. I'm assuming that all boils down to this being a lower budget film, which is a shame.

About the only thing that most people who are hating on the movie can agree on is that Matilda Lutz, who plays Sonja, is fantastic and I have to agree. She is believable throughout this story both as an actress and in the physicality of the role. It can’t be easy to play this kind of sword wielding action hero but she is superb. There's something about her that makes you invested in the character from the beginning. In a better world she would be a major star and if I could work my will upon cinema, she would play Sonja at least a couple of more times. 

THE LIST

RED SONJA (2025) – 7 (what is all the complaining about?)

CAUGHT STEALING (2025) – 8 

WHEN EVIL LURKS (2023) – 9 (rewatch)

THE FLYING SAUCER (1950) – 3 (deadly dull Alaskan travelogue) 

REPTILICUS (1961) – 6 (rewatch of AIP cut on Blu) 

HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1944) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

PRINCE OF TERROR (1989) – 7 (Lamberto Bava chiller)

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES (2025) – 7 

REPTILICUS (1961) – 6 (rewatch of Danish cut on Blu)

THE LONG WALK (2025) – 8 

THE NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVE (1971) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

THE NIGHT THE WORLD EXPLODED (1957) – 5 (rewatch on Blu)

SHADOW OF ILLUSION (a.k.a. Ombre Roventi) (1970) – 5 

REVENGE OF THE ZOMBIES (1943) – 5 (rewatch on Blu)

AND THE BONES CAME TOGETHER (1973) – 6 (TV movie ghost story) 

SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES (2025) – 7 

ZORRO THE AVENGER (1962) – 5 (weaker Spanish Zorro effort)

QUEEN OF BLOOD (1966) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

MYSTERE (1984) – 5 (flat giallo crossed with spy tale) 

OBSESSION: A TASTE OF FEAR (1988) – 7 (fascinating futuristic giallo) 

HIM (2025) – 7 

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (1983) – 6 (rewatch)

 

What I Watched in August 2025

The small town in which WEAPONS (2025) takes place seems easily recognizable as a typical American place. The streets, buildings and people all seem exactly like what we see every day from our front yards or sitting next to us in traffic. So, when the majority of a classroom of students disappears one night the panicked reactions and insane accusations slung about seem typically American as well. I’m old enough to remember the Satanic Panic of the 1980’s in this country when madder and madder ideas of hidden child abducting cults grabbing vulnerable kids off the streets became a cartoonish obsession. This film’s small town, confronted with missing children, turns on the teacher and the school lashing out ignorantly but in exactly the ways expected. Frustrated fear becomes anger directed at any target available and lives are ruined accordingly. In this case, some of the parent’s darkest fears are reality but the danger stems from a nesting evil that presents in a disarming fashion. The film is a brilliantly done, chilling look at dangers from within and how dark actions are always waiting for the right trigger. I can even see it making a sly commentary on the older generation leeching the youth to extend its own reach.

 

Weeks after seeing WEAPONS I can still not shake images from it. The Ring doorbell camera footage of children running away from home into the night; the look of anger on Josh Brolin’s face as he wrestles with the mystery; the shadow creeping up behind a sleeping Julia Garner to snip a lock of hair; the flashlight illuminated basement that holds some of the answers. Rarely has a modern horror film drawn me into its story so effectively and haunted my thoughts for so long after I left the theater. Writer/director Zach Cregger knows how to work his way under our skins and presents a vision of America trying to fight off evil it can’t understand. How very modern. 

The List

MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM (1944) – 6 (rewatch) 

QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC (1981) – 7 (Indonesian supernatural classic)

OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE (2023) – 8 (fun Guy Ritchie espionage)

THE WALKING DEAD (1936) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

ELI (2019) – 7 (that took an interesting turn) 

SWEATER GIRL (1942) – 6 (murder mystery musical) 

THE MONKEY (2025) – 9 

REDNECK MILLER (1976) – 6 (small regionally-made crime film)

WEAPONS (2025) – 9 

HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS (2022) – 8 (hilarious live-action cartoon)

ZENABEL (1969) – 4 (dull period soft-core comedy)

OPUS (2025) – 8 

ALLEY CAT (1984) – 4 (sloppy, low-budget revenge film)

GRAVEYARD DISTURBANCE (1987) – 7 (Lamberto Bava horror) 

LONGLEGS (2024) – 8 (rewatch)

THE MONKEY (2025) – 8 (rewatch)

MORBUS (1983) – 3 (Spanish mess with zombies, nudity galore and Victor Isreal!) 

DEATH OF A UNICORN (2025) – 5 (waste of a great cast) 

RELAY (2025) – 7 (well done thriller) 

ZORRO IN THE COURT OF ENGLAND (1969) – 6 (solid adventure - could have used more action)

THE OGRE (1989) – 6 (Lamberto Bava horror) (rewatch on Blu)

LUZ (2018) – 6 (interesting take on possession and desire) 

THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (1944) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

What I Watched in July 2025

EDDINGTON (2025) is Ari Aster’s latest movie and, after weeks of thought, I consider it brilliant. And I feel sure that the best way to describe it is as a movie about a data center being built in New Mexico. Seriously. That is the underlying element of the story that is the catalyst for all the madness that unfolds. The 2020 Covid lockdown pushes things to the breaking point and creates the tensions that erupt into violence but the corporate goal of using the town’s water supply wins out. All the human interactions, failed dreams and dark deeds are merely the details that allow the wealthy to get what they want while the deluded poor are discarded or destroyed. It’s a cruel world and this film is a harsh mirror showing our petty concerns being manipulated to distract from the truly important things. Welcome to 2025. 

The List

MEGAN 2.0 (2025) – 8 

THE DRACULA SAGA (1973) – 7 (rewatch)

ZORRO AND THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1963) – 7 

BODY PUZZLE (1992) – 7 (rewatch)

SPIRAL (1998) – 6 (takes the Ring story in an odd direction)

ASH (2025) – 7 (fascinating sci-fi horror)

WRATH OF MAN (2021) – 8 (rewatch)

SECRET OF THE CHATEAU (1934) – 6 (old dark house murder mystery)

FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN (2025) – 6 

SUPERMAN (2025) – 8 

EYES BEHIND THE WALL (1977) – 6 (interesting drama about voyeurism with John Phillip Law) 

THE STRANGLER OF BLACKMOOR CASTLE (1963) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

THE DEAD DON’T DIE (1975) – 5 (TV movie penned by Robert Bloch needs a restoration)

EDDINGTON (2025) – 7 

SUPERMAN (2025) – 8 (rewatch)

ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (1959) – 5 (rewatch on Blu)

MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM (1944) – 6 

THE LAST MAN TO HANG (1956) – 6 (interesting British courtroom drama) 

FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (2025) – 8 

LORD EDGEWARE DIES (1933) – 6 (Poirot adaptation) 

SWITCHBLADE SISTERS (1975) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

What I Watched in June 2025

28 YEARS LATER (2025) is one of the best films I've seen all year. In many ways it was an unexpected surprise. I did not expect this mostly forgotten series to suddenly spring back to life with possibly its best entry so far and I did not expect the story to be so emotional or touching. I did expect the violence and action which was very well handled in all cases. And I certainly did not expect that bizarre final scene setting up another film. But I'm onboard after this one! Bring it on. 

The List

BRING HER BACK (2025) – 8 

BARBARA (1970) – 5 (interesting if meandering coming-of-age, sex drama)

UNKNOWN WORLD (1951) – 5 (rewatch)

PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS (2025) – 8 

THE PHOENCIAN SCHEME (2025) – 8 

MOUNTAINHEAD (2025) – 7 (dark comedy about tech billionaire scum) 

TERROR OF THE BLACK MASK (a.k.a. The Invincible Masked Rider) (1963) – 8 (rewatch)

BALLERINA (2025) – 7 

ROGUE ONE (2016) – 8 (rewatch after ANDOR)

THE NIGHT THE WORLD EXPLODED (1957) – 6 (small sci-fi disaster tale)

THE UNDERWATER CITY (1962) – 6 (interesting science fiction story)

THE VISITOR (1979) – 5 (rewatch) (so aggressively strange) 

THE UGLY STEPSISTER (2025) – 9 

NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST (1958) – 6 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE CURSE OF THE YELLOW SNAKE (1963) – 7 (excellent krimi)

FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES (2025) – 7 

28 YEARS LATER (2025) – 9 

TALK TO ME (2022) – 8 (rewatch)

A FAMILY AFFAIR (1937) – 7 (first Andy Hardy film)

STRAIGHT-JACKET (1964) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

What I Watched in May 2025

THUNDERBOLTS* (2025) is not just one of the best of Marvel's superhero films. It is also a life affirming look at a group of people mired in serious depression who learn to be better and happier by helping each other. Watching these sad-sack characters, each of whom is at the lowest point in their adult lives, realize that the way forward is to focus on the folks around them that they can support. Every good hero story is about people helping each other survive and this one fits the bill. The group learns that even though they are broken, there are people that can piece you together as long as you try to do the same for them. THUNDERBOLTS is both funny and touching in ways I had not expected. 

The List

UNKNOWN WORLD (1951) – 5 (slow, dull journey to the center of the earth)

THE MEDIUM (1980) – 6 (Italian possession drama)

 

SEX IS CRAZY (1981) – 6 (Jess Franco’s episodic sex comedy)

 

SPECIAL AGENT (1935) – 7 (fast, fun criminal tale)

 

THUNDERBOLTS* (2025) – 9

 

DAMNATION ALLEY (1977) – 4 (rewatch on Blu)

I LOVE A MYSTERY (1945) – 7 (First of the series)

EXTERRITORIAL (2025) - 7 (German action film)

 

THE EQUILIZER 2 (2018) – 7 (well done action film)

THE UNKNOWN (1946) – 7 (third ‘I Love A Mystery’ film is a southern gothic)

FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS (1962) – 7 (rewatch on Blu – the shorter version)

UNTIL DAWN (2025) – 4 (some great cinematography and effects but ineffective)

 

THE AMATEUR (2025) – 7 (solid espionage/revenge thriller)

 

THE DEVIL’S MASK (1946) – 6 (second I Love A Mystery film)

THE PURCHASE PRICE (1932) – 5 (slight romantic comedy/drama with Barbara Stanwick)

SMILE BEFORE DEATH (1972) – 7 (sexy mystery from Italy – giallo?)

ASSASSINATION IN ROME (1965) – 6 (murder mystery from Italy)

AMUCK (1972) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) (giallo)

COMPANION (2025) – 8 (rewatch)

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FINAL RECONING (2025) – 6 (too long)

THE EXECUTIONER OF VENICE (1963) – 7 (excellent period drama/adventure) 

 

What I Watched in April 2025

I can understand why some would feel put off by David Cronenberg’s films over the past two decades. If the thing that drew you to his earlier work were the outrageous visions of horror from exploding heads, mutant vampiric appendages and full body insect metamorphosis then his work in this late period of his career is puzzling. These days the director seems less interested in straightforward formal narratives with his odd, obsessive musings hanging from the story like bits of transparent flesh. In the 21st century Cronenberg has seemed to dig into a style that was always there, but used more as setting than mood. His films have always had a dreamlike vibe that would occasionally push the story forward in an unnatural way, making the viewer unsure if what was being seen was ‘real’ or imagined within the character’s lives. With THE SHROUDS (2025) he seems to be taking that obsession to a new level. I’ll not spoil the film but it seems that the writer/director throws a half a dozen fine ideas at his doppelganger main character (has any actor looked more like his director than here?) only to discard them because they were mere distractions from the story’s real journey and purpose. All the complications about technological conspiracies, sexual betrayals, marital trust and the reverence we owe to the dead are fascinating but are details ‘shrouding’ the important truth of the movie. THE SHROUDS is about the horrors of dealing with bone-deep grief and its final image gives an indicator of Cronenberg’s personal solution to this universal problem. His darkly humorous way of coping is not for everyone, but then neither is this fine film. I suspect it will be found by the people that need to see it as time goes by.

 

As an aside – I think a screening of THE BROOD with this movie would be instructive. 

THE LIST

THE WOMAN IN THE YARD (2025) – 7

 

FRANKENSTEIN’S BLOODY TERROR (1968) - 7 (rewatch of the shorter 3D version)

THE CROSS OF THE DEVIL (1975) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

 

CRIES & SHADOWS (1975) – 5 (silly, sloppy Exorcist rip-off but I kind of liked it)

 

SATANICO PANDIMONIUM (1975) – 4 (Mexican nun tale)

THE SECRET MARK OF D’ARTAGNAN (1962) – 7

 

FROM BEYOND (1986) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

STRANGE DARLING (2024) – 9 (rewatch on Blu)

WOMEN OF DEVIL’S ISLAND (1962) – 7 (rewatch)

NIGHT OF THE BLOODY APES (1969) – 5 (women wrestlers and mad science)

 

SINNERS (2025) – 9 (brilliant period vampire tale)

THE CASE OF THE LUCKY LEGS (1935) – 7 (fast, funny Perry Mason mystery)

THE SHROUDS (2025) – 8 (Cronenberg’s latest is a meditation on grief)

 

THE ACCOUNTANT 2 (2025) – 8

 

THE RULE OF JENNY PEN (2024) – 7 (excellent cast in an elder horror tale)

 

DEAD MAN’S EYES (1944) – 5 (rewatch on Blu)

PSYCHO GIRLS (1986) – 5 (amateurish Canadian horror with some good dialog)

 

THE INVINCIBLE SIX (1970) Poster Art and Lobby Cards

Every now and then, while researching something, I will stumble across a movie that I have never heard of before and immediately realize I must see. This is the one I found today and I will not rest until I can watch it! With that cast and directed by the man who made THE MASK OF DIMITRIOS (1944), JOHNNY BELINDA (1948), TITANIC (1950), THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN (1954) and THE PLEASURE SEEKERS (1964) it is a must find.

What I Watched in March 2025

I was only able to get out to see one film last month but it was brilliant. I highly recommend BLACK BAG (2025)! If you are seeking an intelligent, adult espionage tale that deserved more of an audience than it got. I suspect this movie will gain legions of fans over the next couple of years.

The List

THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE DARK (1976) – 8 (rewatch)

CRY OF THE WEREWOLF (1944) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

THE SOUL OF A MONSTER (1944) – 6 (very odd noir/supernatural horror)

 

THE SADISTIC BARON VON KLAUS (1963) – 8 (rewatch)

DICK TRACY’S DILEMMA (1947) – 7

 

THE DAMNED DON’T CRY (1950) – 8 (sharp noir drama with Joan Crawford)

DICK TRACY VS GRUESOME (1947) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

BLACK BAG (2025) – 8

 

TRAP (2024) – 4 (wow! Does this go off the rails. Repeatedly.)

 

MYSTERY HOUSE (1938) – 6 (fun murder mystery)

 

KING OF CHINATOWN (1939) – 6 (what a cast in this Anna May Wong vehicle!)

 

FIVE TOMBS FOR THE MEDIUM (1965) – 7 (Italian version)

 

THE PLAYGIRLS AND THE VAMPIRE (1960) – 6 (rewatch) 

 

What I Watched in February 2025

I simply don't have the time to write up what I'd like to about COMPANION (2025). I'm swamped with far too much work while also trying to complete researching and recording four commentary tracks. Why does everything have to happen during tax season? I'll just recommend seeing it and express my wish that I hadn't known the first twist the film takes because the trailer gives it away. 

The List

JUROR NO. 2 (2024) – 7 (solid courtroom drama)

 

THE CLIMAX (1944) – 5 (rewatch on Blu)

AIR HAWKS (1935) – 6 (a little bit of everything!)

COMPANION (2025) – 8

 

THE EXECUTIONER II: KARATE INFERNO (1974) – 7 (Chiba’s back!)

 

CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER (1972) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

 

GOD’S LEFT HAND, DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND (2006) – 5 (flat Japanese manga adaptation)

 

DICK TRACY (1945) – 7

 

DICK TRACY VS CUEBALL (1946) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

HEART EYES (2025) – 7

 

ZORRO THE AVENGER (1962) – 7 (fun Spanish adventure)

 

SOLOMAN KANE (2009) – 8 (rewatch)

 

TIGER OF THE SEVEN SEAS (1962) – 7 (rewatch)

SUDAN (1945) – 7 (colorful period Egyptian adventure)

 

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD (2025) - 8

 

THE VOURDULAK (2024) – 7 (French adaptation of the Tolstoy tale)

 

TWO WITCHES (2021) – 4 (an ineffectual mess)

TRIPLE FRONTIER (2019) – 7 (NetFlix crime/action film with strong cast)

 

ISLAND OF DOOMED MEN (1940) – 7 (Peter Lorre as an evil prison owner/slaver)

ALIEN 2: ON EARTH (1980) – 3 (rewatch on Blu) 

 

What I Watched in January 2025

I love it when a horror film is able to hide what it is doing from me long enough for me to start to be concerned that it doesn’t have an actual destination. Such is CUCKOO (2024) which bends its narrative into something I could not predict from the first half of the story. This might be off-putting for some but I found it an intriguing change of pace. The film begins with an American family arriving in the German Alps for the parents to begin a new job. Teenager Gretchen has been brought along by her father but she has a strained relationship with her step-mother and mute step-sister. The recent death of Gretchen’s mother hangs over her and this grief is clearly making the transition to her new surroundings very difficult. After taking a part time hotel clerk job offered by her father’s new employer, she gradually becomes aware that there are strange things happening in this isolated location. First is a lurking, cloaked person that seems to only come out of the woods at night and second is a creepy man that checks into the hotel. Gretchen begins to investigate the odd events she witnesses and folk horror and mad science rear their unlikely heads. The film has a great cast and a fascinating, oblique approach to its unfolding secrets that kept me curious the entire time. I suspect this won’t be everyone’s idea of a good time but I loved it. 

The List

DEPORTED (1950) – 7 (criminal is sent to Italy but will he reform)

NAKED EVIL (1966) – 6 (British tale of voodoo)

I HATE MY BODY (1974) – 7 (rewatch)

NAKED ALIBI (1954) – 8 (blistering noir)

WICKED (2024) – 7

RINGU (1998) – 8 (rewatch)

TERROR CREATURE FROM THE GRAVE (1965) – 7 (rewatch)

THE GENTLEMEN (2020) – 8 (rewatch)

KILLERS FROM SPACE (1954) – 3 (I thought I’d seen this boring sucker)

BEHIND THE MASK (1932) – 6 (chiller with Jack Holt and Karloff)

STAR TREK IV: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY (1991) – 9 (rewatch)

THE THREAT (1949) – 7 (tight B-noir tale)

KRAVEN (2024) – 5 (a lot works but it never becomes what it was trying to be)

CUCKOO (2024) – 8 (fascinating modern folk horror)

FAST CHARLIE (2023) – 6 (Brosnan is good but the story is mostly a retread)

MIND FIELD (1989) – 4 (muddled Canadian thriller)

REBEL RIDGE (2024) – 8 (excellent action film)

THE KEEP (1983) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

THE BLACK DUKE (1963) – 7 (Cameron Mitchell as Cesare Borgia)

WOLF MAN (2025) – 4 (never really works)

FEMALE PRISONER: CAGED (1983) – 6 (good roman porno)

THE HOUSE AND THE BRAIN (1973) – 6 (ghost story TV movie)

THE EXECUTIONER (1974) – 7 (Sonny Chiba action film)

RINGU 2 (1999) – 6 (pretty good follow up)

TERROR OF THE RED MASK (1960) – 7 (Lex Barker adventure tale)

THE HOUSE OF CLOCKS (1989) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

PRESENCE (2025) – 7 (Soderberg chiller)

What I Watched in December 2024

Among the many (obvious) joys of Robert Egger’s new NOSFERATU (2024) is a reaffirmation of the timelessness and malleability of the core Dracula story. Each of the three film versions to bear this title tell essentially the same tale but emphasize very different things. And while each has grown organically out of the times in which they were produced they seem to reflect the specific creative ideas burning within their directors. The 1922 classic is a brilliant exploration of then new cinematic ways of employing German Expressionism to visualize horrific images that had never been attempted onscreen before. This was the cutting edge of stage and screen storytelling at the time with the film seeming like a call to others to elevate their visuals. Herzog’s 1979 vision was of societal destruction by a plague of evil and the overwhelming sense that the event was unstoppable and inevitable. This bleak view of the horrors of the (super)natural world clawing at the thin veneer of civilization was typical of the director’s harsh opinion of humanity. Egger’s film shifts the focus to the character who sacrifices herself to end the horrors being visited upon the entire world. His movie centers her struggle with both mental illness and the ways the world treats her affliction because of how it is viewed by the people around her. She is the inevitable hero character and she suffers in more ways than any person should have to with her only solace being that she can save humanity through self-sacrifice. All three films contain each of these elements but the focus shift is fascinating and shows why I hope I live to see another version made in the future. 

The List 

THE HOUSE OF WITCHCRAFT (1989) – 6 (Lenzi supernatural horror) 

THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION (1968) – 5 (sexual freedom ain’t free)

GLADIATOR II (2024) – 8 

BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) – 9 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE RETURN (2024) – 8 

MISSILE TO THE MOON (1958) – 4 (rewatch)

FRANKENSTEIN’S DAUGHTER (1958) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

SHE DEMONS (1958) – 6 (rewatch)

GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN (1958) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

SUPERMAN III (1983) – 4 (rewatch on Blu)

WEREWOLVES (2024) – 4 (nice practical effects but the film is blah)

LARCENY INC. (1942) – 7 (comedic crime with Edward G. Robinson)

INVASION USA (1985) – 5 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT (2023) – 4 (interesting idea but poor execution) 

COVER UP (1949) – 7 (good noir set at Christmas) 

SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE (1987) – 4 (rewatch on Blu)

NERCROPHAGOUS (1971) – 5 (rewatch on Blu) 

NOSFERATU (2024) – 9 

THE TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE (1962) – 7 (excellent German western)

What I Watched in November 2024

Until the final credits rolled I was unaware that CONCLAVE (2024) was based on a novel by Robert Harris but it did not come as a shock. I have been impressed by previous adaptations of his work such as FATHERLAND (1994), ENIGMA (2001) and especially THE GHOST WRITER (2010) so if had known about the source material I might have seen the film sooner.

My enjoyment of CONCLAVE (2024) rests on three sturdy pillars. First, the gripping performances from a cast that seems nearly perfect at every turn. Both the big emotional moments and the dozens of smaller more nuanced things that need to be quietly communicated are handled brilliantly by the veteran ensemble of international actors. It was, in fact, the cast list that primarily drew me to the theater for this dramatic thriller in the first place and it was a joy to revel in their fine work. Second, the gradual mystery at the heart of the story that is only slowly revealed is fascinating and, cinematically, felt like a classic Hitchcockian careful build of tension. I went into this viewing with no knowledge of the high stakes mystery at the heart of the film’s story. I was under the impression that the movie was a straight drama about political intrigue so when the main character shifts into Sherlock Holmes mode I was surprised and pleased. (Have movie-goers been cheated of a potential excellent Holmes performance from Ralph Fiennes? Asking because I want it!) And third, my outsider’s curiosity about the hidden rituals and ceremonies of the Catholic Church. Having been raised in a much less structured church I find the complex details of older religious denominations to be a strange window to another world. This film allows a vision behind the scenes of one of the more organized and controlled processes of Catholicism. Few events both capture the attention of the entire world and serve as an example of the highly systematized form of religious leadership choice. I suppose I’ve always known that such circumstances would be rife with warring factions and larger decisions about the direction of the billion strong Church but this dramatization shows the battle in colorful strokes. I’m sure CONCLAVE is a simplified version of the wrangling that goes on when choosing a new pope, but the dark complexity of inescapable human nature gives the story a feeling of verisimilitude.

 

The List 

DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN (1971) – 4 (Al Adamson’s sloppy, silly monster mash) 

THE HAUNTING OF ROSALIND (1973) – 7 (TV movie of Henry James ghost tale)

CHILDREN OF THE CORN II: THE FINAL SACRIFICE (1993) – 5 (less bad than the first but still not good)

A WOMAN’S VENGENACE (1948) – 7 (noir tale)   

THE SCREAMING SKULL (1973) – 6 (TV movie)

CHILDREN OF THE CORN III: URBAN HARVEST (1995) – 4 (awful but the ending monster scene has to be witnessed) 

CHILDREN OF THE CORN IV: THE GATHERING (1996) – 4 (wastes three good actors)

CONCLAVE (2024) - 9 

CHILDREN OF THE CORN 666: ISSAC’S RETURN (199) – 4 (just nothing going on here) 

ACID - DELIRUM OF THE SENSES (1968) – 5 (drama/documentary on acid use) 

EXTRACTION II (2023) – 8 

I WAS A SHOPLIFTER (1950) – 7 (tight little noir) 

FERRYMAN MARIA (1936) – 6 (German original of Strangler of the Swamp) 

STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP (1946) – 7 (rewatch)

THE VULTURE (1966) – 6 (rewatch on YouTube) 

BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA (1959) – 6 

THE WEB (1947) – 8 

THE BAT (1926) – 8 

ODDITY (2024) – 8 (rewatch)

THE ADVENT CALENDAR (2021) - 8 (rewatch)

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN (1981) – 8 

LARCENY (1948) – 7 (noir with a great cast)

THE BAT (1959) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

HERETIC (2024) – 8 

KISS THE BLOOD OFF MY HANDS (1948) – 5 (very mediocre noir)

TOMIE (1998) – 7 (Japanese horror tale that spawned many sequels)

ABANDONED (1949) – 7 (solid noir about a sordid crime) 

THE MURDER OF DR. HARRIGAN (1936) – 6 (fast murder mystery)