Movie Review: The 13th Warrior

Ahmed has toughened up a bit from his first appearance.

Movie Review: The 13th Warrior (1999) directed by John McTiernan Ahmed ibn Fahdlan (Antonio Banderas) was not always a warrior. Once he was a poet, esteemed for his skill with words. But then he fell in love with another man’s wife, and to avoid scandal, Ahmed was sent as an ambassador to the far north. There,… Continue reading Movie Review: The 13th Warrior

Movie Review: Braveheart

William Wallace surveys the enemy before his first victory.

Movie Review: Braveheart (1995) directed by Mel Gibson It is late 13th Century Scotland, and the land is without a king. King Edward I of England (Patrick McGoohan), known as “Longshanks”, claims ownership and has sent his armies to occupy the land. After a peace negotiation with Scots lords ends in a war crime by Longshanks,… Continue reading Movie Review: Braveheart

Movie Review: Beast of the Yellow Night

Langdon's night is not going well.

Movie Review: Beast of the Yellow Night (1971) directed by Eddie Romero The year is 1946, somewhere in Southeast Asia (most likely the Philippines as that’s where the movie was shot.) Army deserter, traitor, rapist and murderer Robert Langdon (John Ashley) is at last trapped on a mountain with no food. Near death from starvation and… Continue reading Movie Review: Beast of the Yellow Night

Movie Review: Kitaro (2007)

Yokai love a good party just like humans!

Movie Review: Kitaro (2007) directed by Katsuhide Motoki The Miura family has been going through some tough times. Mrs. Miura died a couple of years back, and Mr. Miura (Go Riju) never got over it. He’s developed a bit of a drinking problem, so teenage daughter Mika (Mao Inoue) has had to step up as caretaker… Continue reading Movie Review: Kitaro (2007)

Movie Review: The Brain that Wouldn’t Die

The Doctors Cortner and Jan shortly before things start going horribly wrong.

Movie Review: The Brain that Wouldn’t Die (1962) directed by Joseph Green The father/son surgical team of Dr. Cortner (Bruce Brightner) and Dr. Bill Cortner (Jason Evers) has just saved a patient with a radical technique involving direct brain stimulation, but this does not sit well with the older Cortner. He disapproves of human experimentation, wanting… Continue reading Movie Review: The Brain that Wouldn’t Die

Movie Review: Princess Mononoke

Holy places can be dangerous.

Movie Review: Princess Mononoke (1997) directed by Hayao Miyazaki When Prince Ashitaka’s remote village is attacked by an accursed boar monster, he is forced to slay the creature. But this passes the curse along to him in the form of scarring on his right arm that gives him superhuman strength, but sometimes takes control of the… Continue reading Movie Review: Princess Mononoke

Movie Review: Gaslight (1940)

Has Bella finally snapped?

Movie Review: Gaslight (1940) directed by Thorold Dickinson It has been twenty years since the shocking crime at 12 Pimlico Square. Alice Barlow was murdered by an intruder, the house ripped apart in a search, and the famous Barlow rubies disappeared. All this time, the house has lain empty. But now someone has been found that… Continue reading Movie Review: Gaslight (1940)

Movie Review: A Bucket of Blood

Carla inspects Walter's creation.

A Bucket of Blood (1959) dir. Roger Corman In 1959, the cool place to be was the Yellow Door, a beatnik coffee house. (For our younger readers, beatniks were the predecessor to hippies, but more focused on artistic expression; both hipsters and goths are distant descendants.) You could listen to word salad poet Maxwell H. Brock… Continue reading Movie Review: A Bucket of Blood

Movie Review: Horror Hotel (1960)

Nan gets ready for light jazz dancing.

Movie Review: Horror Hotel (1960) directed by John Llewellyn Moxey In 1672 Massachusetts, the tiny town of Whitewood has supposedly been plagued by witches. The townsfolk have chosen Elizabeth Selwyn (Patricia Jessel) as their scapegoat and burn her at the stake. Elizabeth curses the villagers as she is consumed by the flames. Cut to Professor Driscoll… Continue reading Movie Review: Horror Hotel (1960)

Movie Review: The Black Room (1935)

Gregor and Anton reunite for the first time in a decade.

Movie Review: The Black Room (1935) directed by Roy William Neill In the Tyrol region of Austria, twin sons are born to Baron Frederick de Berghman (Henry Kolker). He is not pleased by this turn of affairs, as there is a prophecy about his family line. The first Baron de Berghman was stabbed to death by… Continue reading Movie Review: The Black Room (1935)