Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on October 12th, 2012
"Bad things happen to good people, and they deserve to have their stories told."
I have to say that the horror film market has disappointed me of late. With October in full swing, I expect to be exposed to all kinds of horror films, from unknown independent projects to the standard franchise entries that pop up every year around this time. The trouble is that the films I've seen at the theaters so far have either been very disappointing or not really horror films at all. Thankfully, Sinister is not disappointing,
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 11th, 2012
"Every ambition has a dark side."
And that includes the world of the cable television series. The world of cable series has brought us some of the most ambitious and compelling television shows we've ever seen. There's no censor board to answer to, so that means the shows have the freedom to expand into visual areas that have long been taboo on network shows. Nudity, sexuality, language, and even violence are often huge parts of these kinds of shows. Because there isn't really a ratings pressure, the shows can also cater to more specialized audiences.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 10th, 2012
“Did you pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?... Have you ever been to Poughkeepsie?... When you were in Poughkeepsie, you sat on the edge of the bed, didn’t you? You put your fingers between your toes and you picked your feet…. If I can’t bust you on this other thing, I’m going to bust you for picking your feet in Poughkeepsie.”
There can be no argument on this point. The 1970’s was a golden age for the cinema.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 10th, 2012
“Mentalist: Someone who uses mental acuity, hypnosis, and/or suggestion. A master manipulator of thoughts and behavior.”
This time around Baker stars as Patrick Jane, a psychic who was riding high bilking folks out of their hard-earned money by playing on their desires to contact their deceased loved ones. He would justify his con as providing closure for his marks and never looked back. That is, until one day he makes a fatal mistake. He never fooled himself into believing any of it was real. He wasn’t psychic. He just paid close attention.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 10th, 2012
Three-time widower Ben Cartwright (Greene) runs his famous Ponderosa Ranch with the aid of his three grown sons from three different mothers. There’s Little Joe (Landon), Adam (Roberts) and Hoss (Blocker). Set some time in the mid 1800’s, this long-running series followed the family’s many exploits. In the late 1950’s westerns accounted for six of the top ten programs on TV. Only Gunsmoke had a longer run than Bonanza. From 1959 to 1973, Ben Cartwright and his boys rode across the small screen.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 9th, 2012
As a film, Hostel is in a class of its own. It takes the “disturbing gore” genre to a whole new level. There isn’t much in between ground for this film. You will either really enjoy the film or you will be very much disgusted. The plot of the film revolves around two college students and a friend they recently met as they journey across Europe. They are looking to have a good time and “meet” as many women as possible along the way. They journey from Hostel to Hostel.
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on October 8th, 2012
Some horror directors just start out with a bang. That's certainly the case in point for Darren Lynn Bousman. He directed Saw II, III and IV to start his career. He's also responsible for the remake of Mother's Day and the quirky cult favorite Repo! The Genetic Opera. This time around it's True Blood's Stephen Moyer in The Barrens. I had a chance to chat with Bousman last week. Check out what he had to say. Bang it here to listen to my talk with Darren Lynn Bousman
Posted in: Expired Contests by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2012
Our friends over at Lifetime have given us a copy of Dance Moms Season 1on DVD to giveaway. Dance the nights away in your own home with this reality series from Lifetime. Travel to the Abby Lee Dance Company and the ticket is on us and Lifetime.
To win just follow these instructions.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2012
"Sometimes dead is better."
From the rather twisted mind of Stephen King, Pet Sematary is actually one of my favorites of his horror novels. It’s scary to think the story was never meant to be published and only offered up to finish a contract with his earlier publisher. As has been the Stephen King plague at nearly every turn, something ends up lost in the translation. In the novel, the deeper subtexts that King is so adept at take several hundred pages to set up and ultimately pay off. Unfortunately a mere couple of hours of celluloid never …seem to scratch the graveyard surface soil
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on October 5th, 2012
To his credit, Tim Burton has managed to keep the art of stop motion alive and well in Hollywood. He's also proven that it can still be quite effective and just as commercial with such classics as A Nightmare Before Christmas. Since that time he's had a modest number of hits and misses but nothing that has come close to the holiday staple...until now. Frankenweenie is destined to become a Halloween tradition at our house, and I suspect I'm not alone.
