Movies these days are more of a production than a simple story led by a cast. If there is no pomp and circus around it, chances are, it won’t do much business. Even with some really popular names attached to projects, sometimes that is not enough. And Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt starrer The Fall Guy is a prime example of that.
Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in The Fall Guy
Sometimes, even if a movie has good reviews and high critic scores, people tend to wait for it to get to streaming services to watch it, rather than buying tickets for the theaters. And this is the biggest issue with today’s industry. Most movies go to streaming, even if it is a year later, and people are willing to wait for them. Unless the production around a movie is so hyped that watching it in theaters on...
Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in The Fall Guy
Sometimes, even if a movie has good reviews and high critic scores, people tend to wait for it to get to streaming services to watch it, rather than buying tickets for the theaters. And this is the biggest issue with today’s industry. Most movies go to streaming, even if it is a year later, and people are willing to wait for them. Unless the production around a movie is so hyped that watching it in theaters on...
- 5/5/2024
- by Swagata Das
- FandomWire
Russell Crowe will save souls and ride Lambrettas again: "The Pope's Exorcist" is officially getting a sequel! Producer Jeff Katz took to Twitter on Wednesday evening to announce the news, posting, "Amorth Nation -- I just got the call...It's Officially Happening!!!" Katz followed up with an Italian phrase, "È un seguito, amici miei," which translates to "It's a sequel, my friends."
Never one to miss a chance to reference Crowe's character's motorized scooter (aren't we all?), Katz also wrote, "Thank you to the amazing #ThePopesExorcist fans. You made this happen. Gas up your Lambretta - and get ready to ride."
"The Pope's Exorcist" was both a slightly campy novelty and a surprise box office success when it dropped in April 2023, earning nearly $77 million worldwide against a comparatively slim budget of just $18 million (per Variety). The film blew past initial expectations -- the Variety article cited above guessed it would earn $10 million in U.
Never one to miss a chance to reference Crowe's character's motorized scooter (aren't we all?), Katz also wrote, "Thank you to the amazing #ThePopesExorcist fans. You made this happen. Gas up your Lambretta - and get ready to ride."
"The Pope's Exorcist" was both a slightly campy novelty and a surprise box office success when it dropped in April 2023, earning nearly $77 million worldwide against a comparatively slim budget of just $18 million (per Variety). The film blew past initial expectations -- the Variety article cited above guessed it would earn $10 million in U.
- 5/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
With things being so slow at the box office in the early going of 2024, you would half expect to hear people reporting sightings of tumbleweeds rolling across the floors of their local movie theaters. Praise to the cinema gods, May is finally arriving with a promising crop of tentpoles to help rejuvenate the marketplace, starting with director David Leitch's much-buzzed-about '80s series turned contemporary action-comedy "The Fall Guy" (you can read our own Jacob Hall's glowing review of the picture here). But never fear! If you're searching for something to watch at home, too, Netflix will provide in bountiful amounts.
Well, sort of.
Truth be told, next month is looking kind of sparse when it comes to Netflix exclusives outside the purview of shows with firmly established fandoms (see: the latest season of "Bridgerton") or the service's usual smattering of specialty offerings, including live comedy events and ongoing anime series.
Well, sort of.
Truth be told, next month is looking kind of sparse when it comes to Netflix exclusives outside the purview of shows with firmly established fandoms (see: the latest season of "Bridgerton") or the service's usual smattering of specialty offerings, including live comedy events and ongoing anime series.
- 4/27/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
As anyone who's seen it will attest, 1989's "Road House" is an odd movie. Starring the inimitable Patrick Swayze as a "cooler" named Dalton who's hired to run security for a small town bar, the film feels so niche, so specific, so delightfully bonkers that you almost can't believe people signed off on pumping millions of dollars into making it. There's an inherent goofiness to that version, even if the characters aren't winking at the audience. In many ways, it's a relic from a different era, and a modern remake of "Road House," like the one now available on Prime Video from director Doug Liman and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, was never going to be able to recapture the original's ineffable magic. I had some fun with the new version, but tonally, it's much darker than the first film.
The reason it feels darker is because the new film falls into...
The reason it feels darker is because the new film falls into...
- 3/21/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
At the risk of barging too hot out the gate, I'm going to co-sign Chris Evangelista's argument for /Film that there are no bad "Alien" movies. Sure, the various follow-ups to Ridley Scott's classic 1979 original can be polarizing -- especially Scott's gothic prequel films "Prometheus" and "Alien: Covenant" -- but they're never boring, and "Alien" itself remains the rare IP where each individual entry retains the hallmarks of the directors who made them. As though any other franchise would ever let Jean-Pierre Jeunet come in and make a no-holds-barred Jean-Pierre Jeunet sci-fi horror film like "Alien: Resurrection." Just sayin'.
For as much as I would've liked it if Scott got to finish telling the story of the beloved homicidal android David (Michael Fassbender) with his intended prequel trilogy finale "Alien: Awakening," I'm curious to see what Fede Álvarez comes up with playing in this particular sandbox. The "Evil Dead...
For as much as I would've liked it if Scott got to finish telling the story of the beloved homicidal android David (Michael Fassbender) with his intended prequel trilogy finale "Alien: Awakening," I'm curious to see what Fede Álvarez comes up with playing in this particular sandbox. The "Evil Dead...
- 3/20/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
This article contains major spoilers for the finale of "True Detective: Night Country."
In 2019, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) accused the police in Nome, Alaska of "a systemic and disastrous failure" to protect Native women. The accusation came in the aftermath of the rape of an Inupiaq woman named Clarice Hardy, a case she claimed was not investigated thoroughly by law enforcement. The accusation came less than two weeks after an AP investigation was released following multiple complaints from Alaska Native women from Nome and the surrounding villages, all claiming that their reports of sexual assault were not "investigated aggressively."
A cursory Google search will bring similar reports from Indigenous communities across the globe. The National Crime Information Center reported that, in 2016, there were 5,712 reports of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls. However, the US Department of Justice's federal missing person database, NamUs, only logged...
In 2019, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) accused the police in Nome, Alaska of "a systemic and disastrous failure" to protect Native women. The accusation came in the aftermath of the rape of an Inupiaq woman named Clarice Hardy, a case she claimed was not investigated thoroughly by law enforcement. The accusation came less than two weeks after an AP investigation was released following multiple complaints from Alaska Native women from Nome and the surrounding villages, all claiming that their reports of sexual assault were not "investigated aggressively."
A cursory Google search will bring similar reports from Indigenous communities across the globe. The National Crime Information Center reported that, in 2016, there were 5,712 reports of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls. However, the US Department of Justice's federal missing person database, NamUs, only logged...
- 2/19/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Are we officially at the point where we can say that, other than maybe the great Giancarlo Esposito, no other actor is enjoying a better post-"Breaking Bad"/"Better Call Saul" universe career than Bob Odenkirk? Best known for playing the criminal lawyer Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill, Odenkirk could've easily taken his foot off the gas pedal and coasted on the good will (and residual checks!) from starring in two of the best shows of the 21st Century. Instead, the talented actor has made a point to go with the exact opposite approach.
After making time for fantastic supporting turns in Steven Spielberg's "The Post" and Greta Gerwig's "Little Women" followed by his unexpected swerve into action leading man territory in 2021's "Nobody," Odenkirk is now setting his sights on an even more attention-grabbing collaboration. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor will join forces with director Ben Wheatley ("High-Rise,...
After making time for fantastic supporting turns in Steven Spielberg's "The Post" and Greta Gerwig's "Little Women" followed by his unexpected swerve into action leading man territory in 2021's "Nobody," Odenkirk is now setting his sights on an even more attention-grabbing collaboration. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor will join forces with director Ben Wheatley ("High-Rise,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
In 1950, French author Georges Arnaud wrote a novel with the translated title of "The Wages of Fear," and three years later, director Henri-Georges Clouzot adapted it into one of the most tense films ever made. When a gargantuan fire breaks out at an isolated oil derrick in the middle of nowhere, the only way to stop the problem is to literally blow up the entire site. The problem is, it will take a hell of a lot of nitroglycerin to do that. Naturally, that compound is highly combustible and incredibly sensitive. If you jostle it around, it explodes. It turns out the only way to transport it is to pack it into the back of trucks, physically drive it across incredibly rough terrain, and hope for the best. The drivers, broke and trapped in a dead-end town with no prospects, are offered astronomical sums of money to make the trek,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Director Damien Leone has established a new slasher mainstay with his "Terrifier" series. After taking his Art the Clown character, who'd previously appeared in several short films, and putting him at the center of 2016's "Terrifier," the director followed up that lackluster effort with 2021's "Terrifier 2" — a movie too brutal for some horror fans. While "Terrifier" had been, in the words of /Film's Chris Evangelista, "crap," the sequel had more narrative and lore-building. As such, it amounted to not only a surprise box office hit, but a markedly better movie.
After the release of "Terrifier 2," audiences — many of which reportedly fainted at screenings — were excited to see more of Art, the bloodthirsty harlequin who had started to gain some pop cultural recognition. His nightmarish visage could be seen cropping up in "Bupkis" cameos and generally seemed to be transcending the niche horror genre from which he came.
All...
After the release of "Terrifier 2," audiences — many of which reportedly fainted at screenings — were excited to see more of Art, the bloodthirsty harlequin who had started to gain some pop cultural recognition. His nightmarish visage could be seen cropping up in "Bupkis" cameos and generally seemed to be transcending the niche horror genre from which he came.
All...
- 1/29/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
The Sundance Film Festival returned to Park City this year, bringing with it a cavalcade of new films, many of which we'll probably be talking about throughout the rest of 2024. We've rounded up looks at every film we watched at Sundance this year, bringing you insight into the best, the worst, and everything in between. As always, we urge you to seek out these films for yourself. Movies live and die by their audience, and many of the films at Sundance are small affairs that need to find viewers in order to thrive. So don't just take our word for it — give yourself over to a new movie, one you might not even have noticed. There are more than big studio blockbusters in the film world, and they need your help. Our list below is merely a guide, it's up to you to take the journey.
Read more: These Are...
Read more: These Are...
- 1/29/2024
- by SlashFilm Staff
- Slash Film
Another Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth collaboration was not a square on our 2024 pop culture Bingo card, yet it looks like we're about to check it off. Moviegoers are due to see the pair of Aussies team up for the second time in as many years in February's military action thriller "Land of Bad." The pair recently co-starred in the 2022 movie "Poker Face" (no relation to the TV show of the same name), a thriller about a high stakes poker game gone wrong that was directed by Crowe himself.
This time around it's not a card game that goes wrong, but a mission. "Land of Bad" follows a group of military men on an extraction assignment in the Philippines that takes a bloody turn, leaving one young officer at the mercy of the elements and local militia. Fortunately, he's not alone: he's got Russell Crowe's drone pilot droning in his ear,...
This time around it's not a card game that goes wrong, but a mission. "Land of Bad" follows a group of military men on an extraction assignment in the Philippines that takes a bloody turn, leaving one young officer at the mercy of the elements and local militia. Fortunately, he's not alone: he's got Russell Crowe's drone pilot droning in his ear,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters."
Ever since it was announced that the Monster-Verse would expand to television with (the somewhat clunkily-titled) "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters," it felt clear that the series would have to balance kaiju action with human drama in a way none of the big-screen efforts have quite managed to accomplish so far. The early returns have been promising enough, with last week's episode "Terrifying Miracles" perhaps finding the best of both worlds. That storyline, involving our present-day characters searching for Cate and Kentaro's long-lost father Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira), intersected dramatically with the (re)discovery of Godzilla.
By comparison, this week's "Will the Real May Please Stand Up?" dives right back to its human-sized concerns ... but, in the process, includes some major Easter eggs that further connect the two most recent "Godzilla" movies while also hinting at the long-term stakes of the series.
Ever since it was announced that the Monster-Verse would expand to television with (the somewhat clunkily-titled) "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters," it felt clear that the series would have to balance kaiju action with human drama in a way none of the big-screen efforts have quite managed to accomplish so far. The early returns have been promising enough, with last week's episode "Terrifying Miracles" perhaps finding the best of both worlds. That storyline, involving our present-day characters searching for Cate and Kentaro's long-lost father Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira), intersected dramatically with the (re)discovery of Godzilla.
By comparison, this week's "Will the Real May Please Stand Up?" dives right back to its human-sized concerns ... but, in the process, includes some major Easter eggs that further connect the two most recent "Godzilla" movies while also hinting at the long-term stakes of the series.
- 12/22/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's" trilogy is some of the most fun you can have with a movie. They are hyper-enjoyable heist romps about a group of guys being dudes. As our own Chris Evangelista put it, "Ocean's 11" is "a hang-out movie, where all the people hanging out are also plotting a massive heist." Even the sequels have some excellent gags, like Julia Roberts' character impersonating the real Julia Roberts in "Ocean's 12," or "Ocean's 13" having the whole "the nose plays" bit and the hilarious and poignant subplot about factory workers in Mexico going on strike — a bit that just get more timely with age.
It's been over 15 years since the last with Clooney and Soderbergh, and we haven't heard about a reunion — until now. Speaking with Uproxx, George Clooney has an exciting update about a potential follow-up to "Ocean's 13."
"We have a really good script for another 'Oceans' now,...
It's been over 15 years since the last with Clooney and Soderbergh, and we haven't heard about a reunion — until now. Speaking with Uproxx, George Clooney has an exciting update about a potential follow-up to "Ocean's 13."
"We have a really good script for another 'Oceans' now,...
- 12/14/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Horror remains as vital as ever. While other films flounder at the box office, horror almost always reigns supreme. Audiences simply cannot get enough. We inherently love to be scared; to be disturbed; to be frightened. To sit in the dark and let something scary take hold of us. The horror films of 2023 were an eclectic bunch — weird, wonderful, both fresh and familiar. Slasher throwbacks, modernist takes on classic tropes, and bold new voices in the genre all presented themselves to us, giving us the creeps in the process.
As is always the case when making a list like this, it's important to recognize the titles that didn't make the cut. So while we're proud of our ranked list of the top 10 horror movies of 2023, we also want to highlight several titles not on the list — "Knock at the Cabin," "The Sacrifice Game," "Haunted Mansion," "The Conference," "The Outwaters," "The Passenger,...
As is always the case when making a list like this, it's important to recognize the titles that didn't make the cut. So while we're proud of our ranked list of the top 10 horror movies of 2023, we also want to highlight several titles not on the list — "Knock at the Cabin," "The Sacrifice Game," "Haunted Mansion," "The Conference," "The Outwaters," "The Passenger,...
- 12/13/2023
- by SlashFilm Staff
- Slash Film
Well would you look at that, there's actually a good movie at the top of the Netflix charts. I kid, of course ... kind of. The biggest streaming platform in the world is notorious for the sheer volume of "content" it produces, and for the most part, that means a heck of a lot of, shall we say, forgettable films and shows — most of which you could swear you've seen but probably can't recall a single scene.
For instance, there was the time a truly abject Spanish slasher climbed the Netflix most-watched charts despite decidedly bland reviews. Or the time everyone watched the disappointing Michael Fassbender thriller "The Snowman" and seemingly proved that Netflix users will watch anything. Recently, we had a film that looked like it could actually be the real deal in the form of the Benicio Del Toro-led thriller "Reptile." Indeed, the movie had the Netflix charts...
For instance, there was the time a truly abject Spanish slasher climbed the Netflix most-watched charts despite decidedly bland reviews. Or the time everyone watched the disappointing Michael Fassbender thriller "The Snowman" and seemingly proved that Netflix users will watch anything. Recently, we had a film that looked like it could actually be the real deal in the form of the Benicio Del Toro-led thriller "Reptile." Indeed, the movie had the Netflix charts...
- 12/13/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Doug Liman's 2005 movie "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" had a killer premise: What if the two of the hottest people in the world were seemingly living a mundane married life, but neither knew the other was secretly a spy? And what would happen if they were eventually tasked with killing each other? When a TV adaptation was announced, originally meant to star Donald Glover and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, it was easy to picture those actors slotting into the archetypes from Liman's film. You could picture a simple version of what that show would look like. And it might have been pleasant, given the inherent charisma of both of those actors.
But thankfully, as the first trailer shows, this show isn't interested in being a beat for beat remake of the film. Similar to the way series like "Fargo," "Westworld," and "Scott Pilgrim Takes Off" took inspiration from their cinematic forebears and...
But thankfully, as the first trailer shows, this show isn't interested in being a beat for beat remake of the film. Similar to the way series like "Fargo," "Westworld," and "Scott Pilgrim Takes Off" took inspiration from their cinematic forebears and...
- 12/12/2023
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
2023 was a surprisingly great year for several movie genres, but action fans in particular had a bounty of terrific options to choose from. When it came time for a few of the /Film writers and editors to get together and rank our favorites, our individual lists were overflowing with great titles. But in accordance with the unwritten laws/demands of the Internet, we were forced to make some tough decisions, whittle our choices down to a collective ten films, and rank them accordingly.
As is often the case, the movies that didn't make this list could easily comprise an impressive list of their own. When the inventive and propulsive "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," the energetic and comedic "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," the brutal and pulpy "Sisu," the touching and hilarious "Polite Society," and the moody and subversive "The Killer" get relegated to honorable mentions, it becomes clear how...
As is often the case, the movies that didn't make this list could easily comprise an impressive list of their own. When the inventive and propulsive "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," the energetic and comedic "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," the brutal and pulpy "Sisu," the touching and hilarious "Polite Society," and the moody and subversive "The Killer" get relegated to honorable mentions, it becomes clear how...
- 12/12/2023
- by SlashFilm Staff
- Slash Film
There's a reason the young adult dystopia fad took off when it did in the 21st century. After a decade that saw the U.S. waging multiple wars overseas and a worldwide financial crisis, stories centering on oppressive, totalitarian governments and socioeconomic inequality very much spoke to the concerns of young people. While Norman Patridge's 2006 novel "Dark Harvest" is a horror-fantasy rather than sci-fi and came out two years before the first "Hunger Games" book, it, too, was clearly informed by what was happening in the 2000s, particularly how the United States' "War on Terror" paralleled its approach to the Cold War and Vietnam back in the 1960s.
By comparison, director David Slade's "Dark Harvest" movie adaptation was late to the party when it finally came together, only to be bounced back multiple times as a result of Covid-19 before quietly being released on digital just in time for the 2023 scary season.
By comparison, director David Slade's "Dark Harvest" movie adaptation was late to the party when it finally came together, only to be bounced back multiple times as a result of Covid-19 before quietly being released on digital just in time for the 2023 scary season.
- 12/6/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Creator/director of the "Terrifier" series, Damien Leone originally developed Art the Clown as one of many ghoulish antagonists for the short films "The 9th Circle" (2008) and "Terrifier" (2011). The blood-thirsty antagonist, who was inspired by iconic horror killers, then took center stage in 2013's "All Hallows' Eve," wherein two kids and their babysitter discover an unmarked VHS tape that showcased the homicidal clown's gruesome deeds. But it wasn't until 2016 that David Howard Thornton took over the role from the original Art actor, Mike Gianelli, for the first official "Terrifier" movie.
In the film, Art wreaks havoc on Halloween night as he hunts down Tara Heyes (Jenna Kanell) and her sister Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi). Unfortunately, as /Film's Chris Evangelista put it in his "Terrifier 2" review, the first official installment in the "Terrifier" canon was "little more than a plotless, storyless, valueless excuse to showcase gore and not much else." The...
In the film, Art wreaks havoc on Halloween night as he hunts down Tara Heyes (Jenna Kanell) and her sister Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi). Unfortunately, as /Film's Chris Evangelista put it in his "Terrifier 2" review, the first official installment in the "Terrifier" canon was "little more than a plotless, storyless, valueless excuse to showcase gore and not much else." The...
- 12/2/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
He's back.
John Woo, one of the true maestros of action cinema, has returned to U.S. shores after 20 years to make another Hollywood movie. He left to make movies in Asia after the 2003 dud "Paycheck," but two decades later, he's at the helm of the Christmas-set thriller "Silent Night," starring "For All Mankind" actor Joel Kinnaman. "Those who have been missing Woo's masterful touch on action will likely find plenty to embrace here," /Film's review states, and even if the film never reaches the highs of his previous work, it's exciting to have him back in this mode again at 77 years old.
After all, we're talking about one of the most influential directors of the 20th century, here.
Starting with 1986's "A Better Tomorrow," which catapulted Chow Yun-fat to international superstardom, Woo established himself as one of the most exciting voices in action cinema by blending his unique style...
John Woo, one of the true maestros of action cinema, has returned to U.S. shores after 20 years to make another Hollywood movie. He left to make movies in Asia after the 2003 dud "Paycheck," but two decades later, he's at the helm of the Christmas-set thriller "Silent Night," starring "For All Mankind" actor Joel Kinnaman. "Those who have been missing Woo's masterful touch on action will likely find plenty to embrace here," /Film's review states, and even if the film never reaches the highs of his previous work, it's exciting to have him back in this mode again at 77 years old.
After all, we're talking about one of the most influential directors of the 20th century, here.
Starting with 1986's "A Better Tomorrow," which catapulted Chow Yun-fat to international superstardom, Woo established himself as one of the most exciting voices in action cinema by blending his unique style...
- 11/30/2023
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Sitcoms are among some of the most beloved TV shows ever made. Unlike respected premium drama series like "The Wire," "Breaking Bad," or "True Detective," which regularly top lists of the greatest TV shows ever made, shows like "Friends," "Seinfeld," "Cheers," and "The Office" are beloved in a way that feels a lot more personal. Sitcoms are feel-good experiences, even when they're shows about nothing, and are the exact opposite of David Fincher's intense thrillers.
Which is why I can't shake the feeling that the auteur is making fun of himself with his latest effort. As /Film's Chris Evangelista wrote in his review of "The Killer," "I'm not saying Fincher is on the same level as a cold-blooded killer, but he clearly sees a lot of himself (and his approach to his work) in his latest protagonist." But if the director was trying to draw this parallel between the...
Which is why I can't shake the feeling that the auteur is making fun of himself with his latest effort. As /Film's Chris Evangelista wrote in his review of "The Killer," "I'm not saying Fincher is on the same level as a cold-blooded killer, but he clearly sees a lot of himself (and his approach to his work) in his latest protagonist." But if the director was trying to draw this parallel between the...
- 11/25/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
We take our rankings very seriously here at /Film, especially when we're dealing with material that can be best described as "sacred." And the Indiana Jones series, even with its ups and downs, is sacred stuff. Arguably one of the most famous fictional characters to emerge from 20th century popular culture, Harrison Ford's quick-witted, indefatigable archaeologist, adventurer, and professional Nazi-puncher is one of cinema's greatest gifts. A two-fisted pulp hero. A charming, debonair sex symbol. A source of surprisingly reliable goofball comedy. And perhaps most importantly, a protagonist defined by his inability to stay down whenever the villain knocks him on his ass. In Henry "Indiana" Jones Jr., Ford, director Steven Spielberg, and producer George Lucas created an icon who has persisted for over 40 decades, and one who will enthrall folks for years to come. Even the "bad" movies in the series contain noteworthy sparks and brilliant moments.
So...
So...
- 11/25/2023
- by SlashFilm Staff
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters".
At what point do we finally acknowledge that multiple other properties have been doing this whole shared universe thing more effectively than any of the major blockbuster franchises out there? First, "The Boys" pulled off what its Marvel and DC predecessors could not after debuting "Gen V" to rave reviews and taking a genuinely nifty approach to building an interconnected universe between both shows -- without ever making either one feel like homework, importantly. Now, "Monarch" is bringing the world of Titans to the small screen and, as of episode 3, has integrated and re-contextualized a surprising moment from "Godzilla" (2014).
While the overall series is not entirely without its flaws, it's been a joy to see how this series has incorporated and added to the world-building of the MonsterVerse. Its latest instance comes about in a wonderfully organic way,...
At what point do we finally acknowledge that multiple other properties have been doing this whole shared universe thing more effectively than any of the major blockbuster franchises out there? First, "The Boys" pulled off what its Marvel and DC predecessors could not after debuting "Gen V" to rave reviews and taking a genuinely nifty approach to building an interconnected universe between both shows -- without ever making either one feel like homework, importantly. Now, "Monarch" is bringing the world of Titans to the small screen and, as of episode 3, has integrated and re-contextualized a surprising moment from "Godzilla" (2014).
While the overall series is not entirely without its flaws, it's been a joy to see how this series has incorporated and added to the world-building of the MonsterVerse. Its latest instance comes about in a wonderfully organic way,...
- 11/24/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
The consensus thus far on Ridley Scott's "Napoleon," including from /Film's own Chris Evangelista, is that it feels like the shadow of a greater film — namely, the four-hour cut that Scott has confirmed will premiere on Apple TV+ at a later time. This wouldn't be the first time that such a fate befell one of Sir Scott's historical epics. Let's go back to 2005 when his opus "Kingdom of Heaven" met a muted response.
Set in the late 12th century, the film follows French blacksmith Balian (Orlando Bloom), who joins his long-lost father Baron Godfrey (Liam Neeson) on a quest to Jerusalem. Balian is seeking redemption; his wife died by suicide after the death of their child, denying herself entrance to Heaven, and he then killed the village priest (Michael Sheen) after the man mutilated her corpse. Balian is caught in the middle of power struggles; power-hungry knight Guy de...
Set in the late 12th century, the film follows French blacksmith Balian (Orlando Bloom), who joins his long-lost father Baron Godfrey (Liam Neeson) on a quest to Jerusalem. Balian is seeking redemption; his wife died by suicide after the death of their child, denying herself entrance to Heaven, and he then killed the village priest (Michael Sheen) after the man mutilated her corpse. Balian is caught in the middle of power struggles; power-hungry knight Guy de...
- 11/21/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters."
Apple TV+ is getting into the kaiju business with the new Legendary MonsterVerse series "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters," and we couldn't be more excited. The new show isn't the first TV series in the long-running Godzilla franchise, but it's the first big-budget live-action American show, and as such, it's got plenty to prove to fans of big creatures that love to stomp all over humankind.
The first two episodes of "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" just dropped on the streamer, and while they're plenty intriguing on their own merits, they also tie directly into previous movies in the American saga that started with 2014's "Godzilla." That movie came out nearly a decade ago, though, and the multiple timelines and new cast members in "Monarch" mean even the most loyal fans will be downloading a lot of new information while trying to keep track of the old stuff.
Apple TV+ is getting into the kaiju business with the new Legendary MonsterVerse series "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters," and we couldn't be more excited. The new show isn't the first TV series in the long-running Godzilla franchise, but it's the first big-budget live-action American show, and as such, it's got plenty to prove to fans of big creatures that love to stomp all over humankind.
The first two episodes of "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" just dropped on the streamer, and while they're plenty intriguing on their own merits, they also tie directly into previous movies in the American saga that started with 2014's "Godzilla." That movie came out nearly a decade ago, though, and the multiple timelines and new cast members in "Monarch" mean even the most loyal fans will be downloading a lot of new information while trying to keep track of the old stuff.
- 11/18/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
If there's any one rule that good monster movies (or shows) need, it's this: They need to effectively convey a sense of scale. Guillermo del Toro's "Pacific Rim," as silly as it became at times, was pretty effective at capturing the full weight and sheer size of the combatants during the film's many knock-down, drag-out tussles. And in a similar (though much more grounded) way, Gareth Edwards' "Godzilla" accomplished much the same thing -- just with a far grander and more mythic tonal approach. The new Apple TV+ spin-off series "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" is very much taking its cues from that 2014 movie.
Although the show hails from the main creative trio of Chris Black, Matt Fraction, and Matt Shakman, the production also counts a few holdovers from "Godzilla" among its crew, as well. One of them is VFX supervisor Sean Konrad, whom /Film's Ryan Scott recently interviewed. Of...
Although the show hails from the main creative trio of Chris Black, Matt Fraction, and Matt Shakman, the production also counts a few holdovers from "Godzilla" among its crew, as well. One of them is VFX supervisor Sean Konrad, whom /Film's Ryan Scott recently interviewed. Of...
- 11/18/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
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The 2000s were full of remakes of beloved horror franchises. "Nightmare on Elm Street," "Friday the 13th," "Halloween," "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," and many more were reinvented for a new generation. There were enough of these that the idea of rebooting horror franchises became the main satire target of "Scream 4" — the best of that franchise's sequels. But despite how many of these there were, most failed to leave a lasting impact.
This is why it was so surprising that "Halloween" would find such big success with its second reboot — technically, it's third, if you count "Halloween H20: 20 Years Later." David Gordon Green reinvented the classic horror movie in a legacy sequel that served as a love letter to fans. As /Film critic Chris Evangelista described it back in 2018, the film is "a brutal, scary and sometimes funny...
The 2000s were full of remakes of beloved horror franchises. "Nightmare on Elm Street," "Friday the 13th," "Halloween," "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," and many more were reinvented for a new generation. There were enough of these that the idea of rebooting horror franchises became the main satire target of "Scream 4" — the best of that franchise's sequels. But despite how many of these there were, most failed to leave a lasting impact.
This is why it was so surprising that "Halloween" would find such big success with its second reboot — technically, it's third, if you count "Halloween H20: 20 Years Later." David Gordon Green reinvented the classic horror movie in a legacy sequel that served as a love letter to fans. As /Film critic Chris Evangelista described it back in 2018, the film is "a brutal, scary and sometimes funny...
- 11/18/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Warning: this article discusses kaiju-sized spoilers from the premiere of "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters."
From the moment that Gareth Edwards' criminally underrated "Godzilla" (2014) first lumbered onto the scene, a series further expanding on the mythos and lore established in the movie and the sequels that followed was probably inevitable. "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" (you can read Chris Evangelista's review for /Film here) pays off on that implicit promise, picking up in the years following the climactic action sequence in San Francisco (along with parallel timelines taking place decades in the past) and grounding the monster-mashing spectacle in a more personal, street-level perspective. Thanks to the extra time allotted to the medium of streaming television and its very premise as an origin story (of sorts) for the mysterious organization seen in the films known as Monarch, the Apple TV+ series has the added benefit of doing what all the big-screen blockbusters simply could not.
From the moment that Gareth Edwards' criminally underrated "Godzilla" (2014) first lumbered onto the scene, a series further expanding on the mythos and lore established in the movie and the sequels that followed was probably inevitable. "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" (you can read Chris Evangelista's review for /Film here) pays off on that implicit promise, picking up in the years following the climactic action sequence in San Francisco (along with parallel timelines taking place decades in the past) and grounding the monster-mashing spectacle in a more personal, street-level perspective. Thanks to the extra time allotted to the medium of streaming television and its very premise as an origin story (of sorts) for the mysterious organization seen in the films known as Monarch, the Apple TV+ series has the added benefit of doing what all the big-screen blockbusters simply could not.
- 11/17/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” is a sumptuous feast for the eyes according to film critics who just saw the film. The movie, detailing the life of the Emperor Napoleon (played by Joaquin Phoenix) and his relationship as both a ruler and a husband to Empress Josephine (Vanessa Kirby) is “a lot of movie” according to critic and writer William Bibbiani.
The film will premiere in a truncated two hour and 38 minute cut in theaters, while debuting a four-hour cut on Apple TV+.
Many critics cited the biggest flaw was that it felt like the time had been condensed. According to IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, “Napoleon definitely feels like a 4-hour movie that’s been cut to ribbons, but it’s So funny during the first half when it’s all about Ridley Scott just reading Napoleon for filth and laughing at how embarrassing it is to be a man with ambitions.
The film will premiere in a truncated two hour and 38 minute cut in theaters, while debuting a four-hour cut on Apple TV+.
Many critics cited the biggest flaw was that it felt like the time had been condensed. According to IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, “Napoleon definitely feels like a 4-hour movie that’s been cut to ribbons, but it’s So funny during the first half when it’s all about Ridley Scott just reading Napoleon for filth and laughing at how embarrassing it is to be a man with ambitions.
- 11/15/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Matt highlights one of the most shocking scenes in "When Evil Lurks.")
Halloween may be over, but Scariest Scene Ever doesn't stop just because October vanished in a cloud of smoke. Chris and I have dedicated our lives to keeping tidings terrifying no matter the holiday season. Horror movies don't stop horror-ing because the calendar flips a page or the weatherman predicts a white Christmas. We're here to ensure horror movies like "When Evil Lurks" stay on your mind all year round, because it's always Spooky Season if you try hard enough.
Demián Rugna's follow-up to the critically acclaimed "Terrified" (not counting his segment in "Satanic Hispanics") shows a filmmaker at the top of his craft. "Terrified" emphasizes scares over story,...
Halloween may be over, but Scariest Scene Ever doesn't stop just because October vanished in a cloud of smoke. Chris and I have dedicated our lives to keeping tidings terrifying no matter the holiday season. Horror movies don't stop horror-ing because the calendar flips a page or the weatherman predicts a white Christmas. We're here to ensure horror movies like "When Evil Lurks" stay on your mind all year round, because it's always Spooky Season if you try hard enough.
Demián Rugna's follow-up to the critically acclaimed "Terrified" (not counting his segment in "Satanic Hispanics") shows a filmmaker at the top of his craft. "Terrified" emphasizes scares over story,...
- 11/13/2023
- by Matt Donato
- Slash Film
You know what they say: If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. Luckily, fans of "The Bear" can now look forward to plenty more hours spent in the pressure-cooker, as FX has fired up the grill and renewed the hit series for a third season. After first debuting to rave reviews back in June of 2022, season 3 is officially back on the menu -- provided that the studios finally reach a fair deal with SAG-AFTRA in a reasonable amount of time and end the lengthy strike, of course. The news comes straight from FX, which announced that the Christopher Storer-created show has no plans of throwing in the towel anytime soon. In a statement, president of FX Entertainment Nick Grad had this to say:
"'The Bear,' which wowed audiences in its first season only to achieve even greater heights in season two,...
"'The Bear,' which wowed audiences in its first season only to achieve even greater heights in season two,...
- 11/6/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Following the breakout success of Shirley Jackson adaptation "The Haunting of Hill House," horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan returned to Netflix with a number of other spooky tales, and today opened the doors to his final cursed house in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Loosely based on the collected works of Edgar Allan Poe, the series explores the corrupted legacy of pharmaceutical magnate Roderick Usher and the grim deaths of his spoiled adult children.
Flanagan is known for slow-burn stories that are heavy on emotion, but "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a little different. In Flanagan's own words, "'Hill House' is kind of a string quartet, and '[The Haunting of] Bly Manor' is this delicate, kind of beautiful piece of classical piano music, and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' is heavy metal." This latest serving of scares certainly has a lot more gore than any of Flanagan's previous works,...
Flanagan is known for slow-burn stories that are heavy on emotion, but "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a little different. In Flanagan's own words, "'Hill House' is kind of a string quartet, and '[The Haunting of] Bly Manor' is this delicate, kind of beautiful piece of classical piano music, and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' is heavy metal." This latest serving of scares certainly has a lot more gore than any of Flanagan's previous works,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
"No good thing lasts forever" feels like the sort of poignant theme you'd expect to pop up in a Mike Flanagan horror project. So it goes in real life, too, with Flanagan's latest series, the Edgar Allan Poe-inspired modern Gothic drama "The Fall of the House of Usher" (read /Film's review by Chris Evangelista here), slated to serve as his final Netflix offering.
Since his breakout success on the horror film "Oculus," Flanagan has become synonymous with the streamer's scarier output. In addition to directing Netflix's "Gerald's Game" (an all-timer among Stephen King film adaptations that features one of the gnarliest moments put to screen in recent memory), he created the company's acclaimed "Haunting" anthology series, as well as the polarizing but deeply fascinating religious horror drama show "Midnight Mass." So why is Flanagan done with Netflix? The short answer is that he and his producing partner, Trevor Macy,...
Since his breakout success on the horror film "Oculus," Flanagan has become synonymous with the streamer's scarier output. In addition to directing Netflix's "Gerald's Game" (an all-timer among Stephen King film adaptations that features one of the gnarliest moments put to screen in recent memory), he created the company's acclaimed "Haunting" anthology series, as well as the polarizing but deeply fascinating religious horror drama show "Midnight Mass." So why is Flanagan done with Netflix? The short answer is that he and his producing partner, Trevor Macy,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Allow me to engage in some sausage-making, inside baseball nonsense: I've been working in the online film press since 2009 and have spent that entire time realizing that spoilers don't bother me. As I have stumbled up the rungs of responsibility, eventually landing where I am now, as the lead (whether folks like it or not) of Slash Film Dot Com, spoilers have become a fact of life. I learn spoilers when I make phone calls to confirm or debunk stories. I learn spoilers when I work with my team to plan coverage for a new release. Learning the plot of a film, sometimes in great detail, before I see it has never hindered my enjoyment of a truly good movie. Spoilers don't matter. In the grand scheme, plot is the least important part of a movie.
And today, I'm throwing my hands up in the air and temporarily tossing this philosophy out the window.
And today, I'm throwing my hands up in the air and temporarily tossing this philosophy out the window.
- 9/24/2023
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Matt has a close encounter of "The Fourth Kind.")
With the release of Brian Duffield's "No One Will Save You" on Hulu this week, I wanted to revisit a freaky alien abduction flick that doesn't get enough attention. Olatunde Osunsanmi's faux documentary thriller "The Fourth Kind" approaches extraterrestrial horror from both an inquisitive and frightening angle by treating the story as real. Osunsanmi uses Alaskian isolation as a backdrop for otherworldly horror, preying on our fears of little green men who the government just confessed do exist. I can't even say aliens tie into fears of the unknown anymore. What a world!
Osunsanmi creepily distorts realism and movie magic to make you believe what you're seeing actually happened. I mean,...
With the release of Brian Duffield's "No One Will Save You" on Hulu this week, I wanted to revisit a freaky alien abduction flick that doesn't get enough attention. Olatunde Osunsanmi's faux documentary thriller "The Fourth Kind" approaches extraterrestrial horror from both an inquisitive and frightening angle by treating the story as real. Osunsanmi uses Alaskian isolation as a backdrop for otherworldly horror, preying on our fears of little green men who the government just confessed do exist. I can't even say aliens tie into fears of the unknown anymore. What a world!
Osunsanmi creepily distorts realism and movie magic to make you believe what you're seeing actually happened. I mean,...
- 9/22/2023
- by Matt Donato
- Slash Film
(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Chris advises you not to play in the road with "Pet Sematary" 1989.)
We here at Scariest Scene Ever Industries often try to tie our spooky little column to a big new release hitting theaters the same week. And this week, the biggest movie arriving on the big screen is "Fast X," in which cars go vroom. With that in mind, I wanted to do something car-or-vehicle-related. And while there are many options for that — John Carpenter's "Christine," the big pileup from "Final Destination 2," and so on — I landed on one of the most memorable horror movie moments of all time: the untimely death of Gage Creed from "Pet Sematary." So grab your kite and let's go!
The Setup
Adapted...
We here at Scariest Scene Ever Industries often try to tie our spooky little column to a big new release hitting theaters the same week. And this week, the biggest movie arriving on the big screen is "Fast X," in which cars go vroom. With that in mind, I wanted to do something car-or-vehicle-related. And while there are many options for that — John Carpenter's "Christine," the big pileup from "Final Destination 2," and so on — I landed on one of the most memorable horror movie moments of all time: the untimely death of Gage Creed from "Pet Sematary." So grab your kite and let's go!
The Setup
Adapted...
- 5/19/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Chris reminds you he is your mother with "Hereditary.")Ari Aster burst onto the scene in a big way with "Hereditary." The film wowed audiences at Sundance, earned strong reviews (especially for star Toni Collette), and ended up being indie darling A24's biggest box office hit (a distinction it held up until the release of "Everything Everywhere All At Once"). With the release of Aster's latest, "Beau is Afraid," we here at Scariest Scene Ever decided to take a look back at where it all began.
The Setup
After the death of her mother, things grow increasingly worse for Annie Graham (Toni Collette) and her family. Her mother's body disappears from the cemetery; her son Peter (Alex Wolff) gets into...
The Setup
After the death of her mother, things grow increasingly worse for Annie Graham (Toni Collette) and her family. Her mother's body disappears from the cemetery; her son Peter (Alex Wolff) gets into...
- 4/21/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers up to the latest episode of season 2 of "Perry Mason."
When the debut season of HBO's "Perry Mason" came to an end in 2020, the requisite origin story was finally out of the way and our trio of heroes -- Matthew Rhys' criminal defense lawyer Perry Mason, his secretary-turned-attorney Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) -- had formed a strong unit for their fledgling legal team. Season 2, however, started on a completely different note. (You can read /Film's review by Chris Evangelista here.) Instead of criminal law, Mason had shifted gears to the much less stressful (and less triggering) pastures of civil law. And without any real boots-on-the-ground work to keep him paying the bills, the ever-resourceful Drake had largely gone his own separate way.
As the season progressed, however, Mason and Street couldn't help but throw themselves at another un-winnable criminal case,...
When the debut season of HBO's "Perry Mason" came to an end in 2020, the requisite origin story was finally out of the way and our trio of heroes -- Matthew Rhys' criminal defense lawyer Perry Mason, his secretary-turned-attorney Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) -- had formed a strong unit for their fledgling legal team. Season 2, however, started on a completely different note. (You can read /Film's review by Chris Evangelista here.) Instead of criminal law, Mason had shifted gears to the much less stressful (and less triggering) pastures of civil law. And without any real boots-on-the-ground work to keep him paying the bills, the ever-resourceful Drake had largely gone his own separate way.
As the season progressed, however, Mason and Street couldn't help but throw themselves at another un-winnable criminal case,...
- 4/17/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Chris advises you to not cut your own face off while watching "Evil Dead" 2013.)
The idea of a remake of "The Evil Dead" seemed like a form of blasphemy at one point, but horror hounds appear to love Fede Álvarez's remake/reboot/reimagining/etc, the 2013 film "Evil Dead". Me? I'm somewhere in the middle. I love the nasty, gory, overwhelmingly bleak atmosphere Álvarez and company created for the film. However, a lot of the dialogue is so painfully bad that it takes me out of the movie on more than one occasion. I'm not saying I expected Shakespearian prose from "Evil Dead," but I know they could've done a lot better. No matter — the film is still plenty visceral and scary,...
The idea of a remake of "The Evil Dead" seemed like a form of blasphemy at one point, but horror hounds appear to love Fede Álvarez's remake/reboot/reimagining/etc, the 2013 film "Evil Dead". Me? I'm somewhere in the middle. I love the nasty, gory, overwhelmingly bleak atmosphere Álvarez and company created for the film. However, a lot of the dialogue is so painfully bad that it takes me out of the movie on more than one occasion. I'm not saying I expected Shakespearian prose from "Evil Dead," but I know they could've done a lot better. No matter — the film is still plenty visceral and scary,...
- 4/7/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Chris takes a trip to Lake Berryessa with "Zodiac.")
David Fincher's "Zodiac" was a box office disappointment when it arrived in 2007. Despite this, those who bothered to see the dang film came away impressed, and in the years since its release, "Zodiac" has risen to become considered by many (myself included) David Fincher's best film. Meticulously crafted and just as obsessive as both Fincher and the characters in the film, "Zodiac" isn't your normal serial killer movie. In fact, the killings stop rather early in the movie, and from there, "Zodiac" becomes less about the killer and more about the characters on his trail. Tense, funny, shocking, and often overwhelming, "Zodiac" is one of the best movies of the early 2000s.
David Fincher's "Zodiac" was a box office disappointment when it arrived in 2007. Despite this, those who bothered to see the dang film came away impressed, and in the years since its release, "Zodiac" has risen to become considered by many (myself included) David Fincher's best film. Meticulously crafted and just as obsessive as both Fincher and the characters in the film, "Zodiac" isn't your normal serial killer movie. In fact, the killings stop rather early in the movie, and from there, "Zodiac" becomes less about the killer and more about the characters on his trail. Tense, funny, shocking, and often overwhelming, "Zodiac" is one of the best movies of the early 2000s.
- 2/17/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
The "human lie detector" perpetually on the run is coming back for even more sleuthing-related adventures. The latest "howcatchem" series from the mind of filmmaker Rian Johnson has quickly become a hit thanks to the leading charms of Natascha Lyonne and the cavalcade of new (and some familiar) faces she encounters throughout her episodic travels week in and week out. In fact, "Poker Face" has garnered strong-enough viewership that Peacock has decided to go ahead and green light a second season, before the first even comes to a close.
The streaming service revealed the news themselves earlier today, announcing the "No bulls**t" news in a way that even Lyonne's Charlie Cale would appreciate. The critically acclaimed new show premiered on January 26 (you can read /Film's glowing review by Chris Evangelista here) and has succeeded in the early going largely through the strength of its mystery-of-the-week structure, throwing all sorts...
The streaming service revealed the news themselves earlier today, announcing the "No bulls**t" news in a way that even Lyonne's Charlie Cale would appreciate. The critically acclaimed new show premiered on January 26 (you can read /Film's glowing review by Chris Evangelista here) and has succeeded in the early going largely through the strength of its mystery-of-the-week structure, throwing all sorts...
- 2/15/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Matt gets back to the basics of fear in "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.")
Since I picked "The Bear" last time and got cheeky with "Scariest Scene Ever," this week I return to more traditional roots. A finger-lickin' American horror classic. Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" introduced Leatherface to the masses, and kickstarted one of the genre's most erratic slasher franchises. There are a few sequences that horror fans might choose as the scariest from the film, but one too iconic not to honor. We'll get there shortly.
There's little else to say about "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" that hasn't been analyzed to death over the internet, in barrooms, or through academia. Leatherface is on the horror genre's Mount Rushmore equivalent,...
Since I picked "The Bear" last time and got cheeky with "Scariest Scene Ever," this week I return to more traditional roots. A finger-lickin' American horror classic. Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" introduced Leatherface to the masses, and kickstarted one of the genre's most erratic slasher franchises. There are a few sequences that horror fans might choose as the scariest from the film, but one too iconic not to honor. We'll get there shortly.
There's little else to say about "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" that hasn't been analyzed to death over the internet, in barrooms, or through academia. Leatherface is on the horror genre's Mount Rushmore equivalent,...
- 2/10/2023
- by Matt Donato
- Slash Film
As an actor, you can count on George Clooney to deliver the goods -- whether that means flashing that legendary, mischievous smile of his, or buttoning down the charm to play a more conflicted and possibly amoral character. As a director, however, you can never be too sure which Clooney you're going to get. There's the one who gave us the fascinating "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" and the riveting "Good Night, and Good Luck." Then there's the one behind the political thriller "The Ides of March" and the apocalyptic survival drama "The Midnight Sky," both of which have their merits but are hurt by weak stories. Finally, we have the Clooney who helmed stuff like "The Monuments Men" and "Suburbicon," which are baffling misfires given the wealth of talent involved in making them.
Whether you feel Clooney is a capable journeyman who's convinced himself he's an auteur (as /Film's...
Whether you feel Clooney is a capable journeyman who's convinced himself he's an auteur (as /Film's...
- 2/6/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
If there's a large metropolitan city living on the edge of a water bank, chances are that Roland Emmerich has destroyed it. There's almost no section of the planet that the disaster connoisseur behind "Independence Day," "The Day After Tomorrow," and "2012" hasn't demolished for the sake of our entertainment. Although disaster movies have waned down since their rise in popularity, that doesn't mean Emmerich has slowed down one bit. Destroy Earth enough times and you seek a bigger target, so why not just go for the moon?
Last year's "Moonfall" follows Emmerich's cinematic conventions down to a tee, complete with the strained father/son relationship, comedic relief scientist, an all-star cast, and a buffet of destruction. The issue isn't that we've seen all of this before, but we've seen it done better by Emmerich himself, although /Film's Chris Evangelista seemed to have a great time according to his review.
Last year's "Moonfall" follows Emmerich's cinematic conventions down to a tee, complete with the strained father/son relationship, comedic relief scientist, an all-star cast, and a buffet of destruction. The issue isn't that we've seen all of this before, but we've seen it done better by Emmerich himself, although /Film's Chris Evangelista seemed to have a great time according to his review.
- 2/4/2023
- by Matthew Bilodeau
- Slash Film
M. Night Shyamalan just delivered one of the most artistically audacious films he's made in years with "Knock at the Cabin," and in a new interview, he reveals that he was making the movie at the same time as he was helming one of the most artistically audacious shows on television. In an interview with Collider, Shyamalan spoke about what it was like to make the final season of his dark Apple TV+ series, "Servant," at the same time as his horror adaptation "Knock at the Cabin." It turns out, it was a little bit like playing chess (if Rupert Grint was in both chess games).
"What 'Servant' taught me was, 'Wow, there's a beauty to creating when you have a lot, a lot of things on your table,' Shyamalan shared. "Me as a human being, I don't spend as much time angsting, and I spend more time doing.
"What 'Servant' taught me was, 'Wow, there's a beauty to creating when you have a lot, a lot of things on your table,' Shyamalan shared. "Me as a human being, I don't spend as much time angsting, and I spend more time doing.
- 2/3/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for "Knock at the Cabin."
"Our choices make our destiny." Early in "Knock at the Cabin," after a small family's idyllic vacation is quite literally shattered by the home invasion of four imposing strangers carrying apocalyptic portents of doom, the quiet giant Leonard (Dave Bautista) informs his captives that they have the power to save the world -- but only if they willingly choose to do so. Of course, that takes on a slightly different tone when the actual decision involved requires either killing one of their own or condemning humanity to a grisly fate.
The fickle and sometimes illusionary (though no less potent) nature of choice in this trolley problem writ large isn't exactly an unheard-of topic for M. Night Shyamalan, not when the filmmaker already has such movies as "The Sixth Sense," "Unbreakable," "Signs," and "The Village" under his belt. All deal with protagonists...
"Our choices make our destiny." Early in "Knock at the Cabin," after a small family's idyllic vacation is quite literally shattered by the home invasion of four imposing strangers carrying apocalyptic portents of doom, the quiet giant Leonard (Dave Bautista) informs his captives that they have the power to save the world -- but only if they willingly choose to do so. Of course, that takes on a slightly different tone when the actual decision involved requires either killing one of their own or condemning humanity to a grisly fate.
The fickle and sometimes illusionary (though no less potent) nature of choice in this trolley problem writ large isn't exactly an unheard-of topic for M. Night Shyamalan, not when the filmmaker already has such movies as "The Sixth Sense," "Unbreakable," "Signs," and "The Village" under his belt. All deal with protagonists...
- 2/3/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Chris reminds you of one of the scariest scenes in "The Sixth Sense.")
Spoilers follow. I know the movie is old enough that everyone knows the twist, but this way no one can complain!
"The Sixth Sense" wasn't M. Night Shyamalan's first film, but it was the film that put him on the map. And it seemingly came out of nowhere — the flick was released in August, which is usually a dumping ground for summer movies studios don't have much faith in. But what Shyamalan created proved to have serious legs, as critical raves and hype about the film's "big twist" helped make it the second-highest-grossing film of 1999. While the film is probably best remembered for its whopper of an ending,...
Spoilers follow. I know the movie is old enough that everyone knows the twist, but this way no one can complain!
"The Sixth Sense" wasn't M. Night Shyamalan's first film, but it was the film that put him on the map. And it seemingly came out of nowhere — the flick was released in August, which is usually a dumping ground for summer movies studios don't have much faith in. But what Shyamalan created proved to have serious legs, as critical raves and hype about the film's "big twist" helped make it the second-highest-grossing film of 1999. While the film is probably best remembered for its whopper of an ending,...
- 2/3/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
While Dave Bautista may have started his career as a pro wrestler, he has since distinguished himself as an actor, to the point where he is now probably more associated with his films than his feats of athletic theater. Besides his role as Drax the Destroyer in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies and the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, Bautista has spent the last few years honing his craft. He's worked with acclaimed directors in Denis Villeneuve, Rian Johnson, and Sam Mendes, who've given him supporting roles in the likes of sci-fi epics "Dune" and "Blade Runner 2049," the mystery whodunnit "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery," and the James Bond film "Spectre."
Alongside, Bautista has slowly built a leading-man portfolio for himself, with action thrillers such as "Bushwick," "Final Score," and Zack Snyder's "Army of the Dead." With his latest film, however, the 54-year-old takes on something different.
Alongside, Bautista has slowly built a leading-man portfolio for himself, with action thrillers such as "Bushwick," "Final Score," and Zack Snyder's "Army of the Dead." With his latest film, however, the 54-year-old takes on something different.
- 2/3/2023
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
After a 13-year-long wait, "Avatar: The Way of Water" has been a triumph in every sense of the word. In addition to blowing past box office projections, "The Way of Water" has reasserted that James Cameron remains the king of the world making bigger and better blockbuster sequels. In our review, Chris Evangelista praised the movie's groundbreaking visuals and top-notch action sequences, arguing that it has a far more emotionally complex narrative than the first "Avatar" film. Of course, the internet is going to internet and there have been endless debates about the sanctity of "Avatar: The Way of Water" -- specifically, whether it should really be classified as an animated movie, rather than a live-action one.
When the original "Avatar" came out, there was a clear sense that the film would revolutionize the way we see CGI-driven theatrical projects. The audience was more than ready to accept the existence of large,...
When the original "Avatar" came out, there was a clear sense that the film would revolutionize the way we see CGI-driven theatrical projects. The audience was more than ready to accept the existence of large,...
- 2/2/2023
- by Marcos Melendez
- Slash Film
In case you missed the memo, Dave Bautista is leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe behind him. Over the years since 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy" catapulted his movie career to the next level, the world's greatest wrestler turned actor (with John Cena coming in second) has proven his dedication to the craft, collaborating with the likes of Denis Villeneuve, Sam Mendes, and Rian Johnson while also lending his talents to smaller, off-kilter projects ("Hotel Artemis") and even international genre films ("Master Z: Ip Man Legacy"). Suffice it to say, Bautista is the real deal, and he's here to stay.
With Bautista now collecting accolades for his performance in M. Night Shyamalan's "Knock at the Cabin" (which Chris Evangelista reviewed for /Film), he's already started 2023 off on the right foot. What's more, his dramatic turn in Shyamalan's thriller stands in sharp contrast to his broadly comedic work as Drax the...
With Bautista now collecting accolades for his performance in M. Night Shyamalan's "Knock at the Cabin" (which Chris Evangelista reviewed for /Film), he's already started 2023 off on the right foot. What's more, his dramatic turn in Shyamalan's thriller stands in sharp contrast to his broadly comedic work as Drax the...
- 2/2/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
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