Author John E. Meredith

January 2, 2016 0 7

Well, there you have it. We like STAR WARS because of the toys . . . or maybe because it gives us hope. Or something.

Popcorn Cinema: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)

December 26, 2015 0 10

Dude, it's SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS! Ain't nobody can be all depressed when they see this flick.

Popcorn Cinema: Santa Slashers

December 19, 2015 0 4

There is a special subgenre of the Christmas horror movie that fills our twisted hearts with tidings of comfort and joy: the Santa Slashers.

Popcorn Cinema: Krampus (2015)

December 12, 2015 0 9

Krampus is being touted as a Christmas horror classic, like Gremlins, but it doesn't feel that cohesive for me.

Popcorn Cinema: Santa Claus, Doo Doo, and Rare Exports (2010)

December 5, 2015 0 2

RARE EXPORTS is a bit like THE THING. If, instead of Kurt Russell, it starred the kid from A CHRISTMAS STORY.

Popcorn Cinema: Valhalla Rising (2009)

November 21, 2015 0 11

In VALHALLA RISING. The pagans are violent. The Christians are violent. Even the native people in the New World . . . are violent.

Popcorn Cinema: The Peanuts Movie (2015)

November 14, 2015 0 6

The filmmakers got that much right, even if their story ultimately fell short of the original PEANUTS.

Popcorn Cinema: The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

November 7, 2015 0 17

John kicks off POPCORN CINEMA with a look back at 1973's The Spirit of the Beehive.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 31 – Trick ‘r Treat

October 31, 2015 1 17

Michael Dougherty's TRICK 'r TREAT is a chain of interlocking tales, like a perfectly timed watch that's permanently set on the witching hour.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 30 – Going to Pieces

October 30, 2015 0 7

GOING TO PIECES is a historical and critical look at the much-maligned slasher films that really took off in the early '80s.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 29 – The Danse Macabre

October 29, 2015 1 8

So dim the lights, cue the music, and bring on the horror of the Danse Macabre.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 28 – Christine

October 28, 2015 0 11

There is a spark, then flames. Christine pulls out of the inferno, completely engulfed in flames.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 27 – Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II

October 27, 2015 0 11

Prom Night II is a funhouse mirror reflection of about twelve better movies, a drunken misremembering of CARRIE and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 26 – Heavenly Creatures

October 26, 2015 0 19

While it's not my favorite Jackson film, Heavenly Creatures is probably the one where he's drawn the most realistic characters.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 25 – Clownhouse

October 25, 2015 0 8

Well, somehow I missed all of this molestation business until after I had already seen CLOWNHOUSE a couple times.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 24 – The Rapture & The Devils

October 24, 2015 0 7

Roger Ebert called Michael Tolkin's THE RAPTURE "one of the most radical, infuriating, engrossing, challenging movies" he had ever seen.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 23 – Ginger Snaps

October 23, 2015 0 27

In Ginger Snaps, the girls are showing us how good a werewolf movie can be.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 22 – The Stendhal Syndrome

October 22, 2015 0 5

THE STENDHAL SYNDROME isn't my favorite Argento. Like just about everyone else, that would probably be SUSPIRIA or DEEP RED.

31 Days of Halloween 2015: Day 21 – Funny Games