Somewhere in the mid-1990s, before Scream revived the genre, horror wasn’t in the best place. Arguably, the year 1995 was the nadir for horror in the decade of flannel and grunge. Yes, Se7en shocked audiences across cineplexes that year. Maybe you personally loved Demon Knight, though it’s hardly a classic. But Vampire in Brooklyn, Village […]
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Earlier this month, Nicolas Cage declared he is “never going to retire from acting”. Depending on your perspective, that’s either a promise or a threat. Regardless Cage has definitely found himself amidst a career resurgence courtesy of embracing some gonzo roles. Critics praised Cage’s performance in Michael Samoski’s Pig, which came out this past summer. […]
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Who would have thought that a modestly budgeted home invasion thriller would spawn such a successful franchises? In retrospect, The Purge, which hit theaters in 2013, was exactly the kind of movie upon which Blumhouse Productions has built their success – big concept, small budget. Even if The Purge wasn’t a great movie per se, […]
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We’ve finally reached the end of Netflix’s short-order zombie series, Black Summer. Penultimate episode, Tunnel, clocks in at a mere 20 minutes or so. As such, I’ve opted to review these final two episodes together. Both episodes exemplify all the series’ recurrent problems that have bothered me. Neither episode does much to convince me that […]
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Black Summer’s sixth episode, Heist, takes a similar approach as fourth chapter, Alone. That is, Heist is dialogue-light entry that focuses on suspense and constant momentum. On the hand, it’s an episode that never slows down and features its best zombie moment. Unfortunately, the episode also continues Black Summer’s narrative mess. Black Summer Gets the […]
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Like most Netflix series, Black Summer has a short first season order. Though Netflix’s zombies series has shined briefly for moments, it’s definitely suffering from an overarching sense of aimlessness. And there’s only eight episodes! As we dive into Episode 5, Diner, can Black Summer set some stakes and distinguishing itself from the zombie horde? […]
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Black Summer’s ongoing narrative continues in Episode 3, which is entitled Summer School. As its title implies, Summer School finds the mysterious Spears along with Rose, Ryan, and Lance, seeking shelter in what appears to be an abandoned school. Of course, this is a dystopian zombie series so you probably assume the school isn’t all […]
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