“The Sink’s Not Braced!”: Mother! Turns 5

A film that inspires either loving or loathing, but rarely anything in between, Mother! opened five years ago this September. I saw it in the theater by myself, but with a decent number of other moviegoers. As the madness intensified over the film’s running time, I slid lower down in my seat, as if trying … Continue reading “The Sink’s Not Braced!”: Mother! Turns 5 →

“Do You Think I’m Crazy?”: American Mary, 10 Years On

Mary Mason has built a diverse resume: medical student, illegal underground surgeon, and dark avenging angel. Slightly detached and desperate for money to pay for school, Mary auditions for a job at the local strip club. The manager Billy seems smitten. Later he even fantasizes about Mary performing an erotically charged dance—one of several instances … Continue reading “Do You Think I’m Crazy?”: American Mary, 10 Years On →

Twenty Years of Blogs That Inspire Me

I've been thinking a lot lately about writing. What got me into writing, and then what brought me back to it. The ways in which the internet has largely democratized writing—for good and bad—and how several of my writing inspirations over the last two decades have been online, at both "establishment" hubs and small, one-person … Continue reading Twenty Years of Blogs That Inspire Me →

The Neon Demon

I finally watched Nicholas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon (2016) and can’t quite shake its gorgeous aesthetic and haunting mood. Seeing as it’s set in the high-stakes Los Angeles fashion world, it comes as no surprise that nearly every single character is a vapid, raging, sociopathic narcissist. Elle Fanning plays the supernaturally beautiful teenage model … Continue reading The Neon Demon →

Bad Girls We Love: Joanne Clayton from Tales from the Crypt

Out of all the segments in the 1972 British anthology film Tales from the Crypt, "...And All Through the House" makes the best use of its short running time, small cast, and limited setting—all of the action takes place in one house on Christmas Eve. It also happens to be genuinely terrifying. Plus it stars … Continue reading Bad Girls We Love: Joanne Clayton from Tales from the Crypt →

Bad Girls We Love: Barb from Black Christmas

When it comes to bad girls of horror, none are badder than Barb from the original, and still-supreme—no matter how many remakes they throw at us—Black Christmas (1974). The film is legendary, and so is Margot Kidder’s performance as the wisecracking, frequently intoxicated sorority sister Barb. It's filled with outstanding performances, including Olivia Hussey as … Continue reading Bad Girls We Love: Barb from Black Christmas →

Blood Rage: It’s Not Cranberry Sauce!

Here in the States it's time to celebrate that colonialist fantasy holiday known as Thanksgiving. Appropriately, I'd like to offer some recommended viewing for you. Ya know, when you're not stuffing your face with turkey, carbs, and pie. Blood Rage (1987) has become a beloved cult classic in recent years, since it started showing up … Continue reading Blood Rage: It’s Not Cranberry Sauce! →