In 2006, Sylvester Stallone wrote and directed what was ostensibly the last entry in the Rocky franchise, Rocky Balboa. If left as it was, it would have been a fitting end to the series. However, director and co-writer Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) has relaunched the series through the offspring ofContinue Reading
Over a decade ago, I saw a trailer for a movie that appeared to be about a young film-maker being influenced by Star Wars. It had a strange title: 5-25-77. That was, of course, the date that the original Star Wars was released. As time went on, every now andContinue Reading
While browsing Criterion Collection titles at my local Barnes and Noble, a fellow shopper recommended The Sword of Doom. His opinion was totally unsolicited but I entertained him by looking at the cover. I am by no means knowledgeable about samurai films but the synopsis on the back of theContinue Reading
Craig Daniels (Pat Healy) is having a bad day. As he leaves for work, he finds an eviction notice on his front door. Shortly after that, he’s told he’s out of a job. Rather than go home and face his wife and a newborn son, he goes to the barContinue Reading
Despite originally being a literary character, Count Dracula has spawned multiple cinematic incarnations. From Bela Lugosi’s 1931 iconic interpretation to Leslie Nielsen’s 1995 comedic portrayal, the 500-year-old vampire from Transylvania has spanned generations as a classic horror luminary. 1979’s Dracula casts Frank Langella in the title role. His portrayal avoidsContinue Reading
In 1501, somewhere in Europe, a band of mercenary soldiers led by Martin (Rutger Hauer) is double-crossed by a nobleman named Arnolfini (Fernando Hilbeck.) Initially promising Martin and his men riches if they recapture the town from which he’d been ousted, Arnolfini changes his mind. Once they’ve claimed the townContinue Reading
Debris from construction on a nearby building falls and strikes Frank Thompson (Burgess Meredith) in the head, knocking him out cold. When he wakes up, he waves off medical treatment. However, once he gives his statement to a beat cop, he realizes that something is terribly wrong. Someone else’s initialsContinue Reading