FOLLOWING FILMS - Podcast, Movies, Music, and More

If you want to understand the exact moment that high fantasy on the big screen transitioned from campy fairy tales into something visceral, blood-soaked, and operatic, you have to look at John Boorman’s 1981 masterpiece, Excalibur. Long before Peter Jackson brought a literalist grit to Middle-earth, Boorman was out in the Irish countryside capturing a version of the Arthurian legend that feels less like a history lesson and more like a collective fever dream. It is a film that exists in a state of constant, shimmering intensity, where every suit of armor glows with an otherworldly chrome and every forest seems to be breathing. It is easily one of the most beautiful and deeply strange movies ever made, and it remains the definitive cinematic take on the rise and fall of Camelot. The story follows the entire arc of the legend, starting with the brutal, rain-slicked nights of Uther Pendragon and ending with the misty departure to Avalon. What makes Boorman’s approach so unique is that he ...

If you’ve ever wondered what it would look like if an Italian filmmaker tried to rip off The Omen, Star Wars, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind simultaneously while high on espresso and fever dreams, you’ll find your answer in the 1979 madness that is The Visitor. This isn't just a movie; it’s a psychedelic artifact of a time when the cinematic rulebook was thrown out the window in favor of pure "vibes" and avian-based violence. The film opens in a blinding white void where an intergalactic warrior named Jerzy—played with a magnificent, weary gravitas by the legendary John Huston—meets a cosmic, bald Christ-figure played by Franco Nero. They are surrounded by dozens of bald children in a scene that looks like a high-fashion cult meeting. They are locked in a multi-dimensional war against "Sateen," an ancient evil force whose genetic legacy is currently manifesting on Earth in the form of a foul-mouthed eight-year-old girl named Katy who lives in Atlanta. It...

When Creepshow came out in 1982, it felt like a splash of lurid color ripped straight from the pages of EC horror comics. George A. Romero directed with style, Stephen King supplied pulpy stories, and the result was a mix of camp and menace that captured the spirit of twisted morality tales. Five stories, bound together by a sharp comic-book aesthetic, gave it both variety and energy. A sequel seemed inevitable, and in 1987, Creepshow 2 arrived with Romero stepping back into the role of screenwriter while his longtime cinematographer Michael Gornick took the director’s chair. Right away, the difference is clear: the sequel is leaner, offering just three stories instead of five. There’s plenty of gore, gallows humor, and supernatural justice, but it never reaches the same heights as the original. It feels smaller, less ambitious, and sometimes clumsier, though still worth a look for horror anthology fans. The film keeps the comic-inspired wraparound, this time featuring a character call...

In the pantheon of '80s action films, Cobra stands out not only for its relentless action and bat-shit crazy lead performance but also for its memorable set pieces, distinctive character dynamics, and a pulsating synth-heavy score that perfectly encapsulates the decade’s aesthetic. Directed by George P. Cosmatos and featuring Sylvester Stallone in one of his most iconic roles, this 1986 thriller captures the era's obsession with tough, no-nonsense heroes and over-the-top violence. Interestingly, Stallone was originally cast in Beverly Hills Cop but left the project due to creative differences, seeking a more action-oriented and brutal approach.  Cobra  became  his vehicle for that darker, grittier vision. Stallone stars as Lieutenant Marion "Cobra" Cobretti, an LAPD cop with a rebellious edge and a fiercely independent streak. Tasked with protecting a key witness, played by Brigitte Nielsen, from a psychopathic gang known only as "The New World," Cobra tak...

By the time Jason X rocketed onto screens in 2001, the Friday the 13th franchise had already taken audiences through psychic battles, Manhattan alleyways, and hell itself. So where else could it go? Naturally, the answer was space. While that premise sounded like a joke to many at the time, over two decades later, Jason X has become a minor cult classic—remembered not for reinventing the franchise, but for boldly embracing absurdity and delivering pure, unapologetic entertainment. The film begins in the near future. Jason Voorhees—once again captured by the government—is being held in a high-security research facility. After yet another attempt to contain or destroy him fails, he and scientist Rowan (Lexa Doig) are cryogenically frozen. Fast forward 445 years: Earth is an uninhabitable wasteland, and a group of students and researchers aboard a spaceship discover the frozen pair. They bring both back onboard their vessel, the Grendel, where Jason inevitably thaws out and resumes hi...

When Jason Goes to Hell premiered in 1993, it was met with confusion, frustration, and in some cases, outright rejection. Fans expecting a straightforward slasher with Jason Voorhees stalking teenagers at Camp Crystal Lake instead got a body-hopping supernatural thriller filled with mystical lore, FBI stings, demonic parasites, and magical daggers. At the time, the disappointment was understandable. But in the years since, the film has aged curiously well. Removed from the shock of not being a “real Jason movie,” it’s become easier to meet the film where it stands and judge it on its own offbeat merits. The film opens with what might be the most surprising and action-packed scene in the entire Friday the 13th franchise: Jason is lured into a trap by the FBI and blown to bits in a hail of gunfire and explosives. It’s outrageous and self-aware, sending a clear message that this is going to be a very different kind of Friday the 13th film. What follows is an ambitious genre mashup. Jason’...

Robert Wise’s 1971 adaptation of The Andromeda Strain is a methodical, cerebral, and chilling piece of science fiction that trades spectacle for authenticity—and in doing so, delivers one of the most grounded and unsettling depictions of a biological catastrophe in cinematic history. Based on Michael Crichton’s best-selling novel, the film was ahead of its time in both concept and execution, and today it stands as a quietly influential work whose impact still resonates, particularly in our increasingly bio-aware world. The film opens with an eerie and understated sequence: a U.S. military satellite crashes near a small town in New Mexico, and shortly afterward, nearly all the town’s inhabitants are found dead—apparently killed instantaneously by an invisible force. The government rapidly assembles a team of elite scientists and brings them to a secret underground lab called "Wildfire" to study the satellite and determine the cause of death. The culprit is a mysterious extra...

Alice, Sweet Alice (1976), directed by Alfred Sole, is a chilling and atmospheric psychological horror film that has cemented its place as a cult classic. Released during a golden age of slasher films, this movie stands out for its unsettling blend of religious imagery, family dysfunction, and brutal violence. With its eerie cinematography, effective performances, and shocking twists, Alice, Sweet Alice remains an underrated gem in the horror genre. This review delves into the film’s story, themes, technical aspects, and its lasting impact. Set in 1961 New Jersey, Alice, Sweet Alice centers around a deeply dysfunctional Catholic family. The narrative follows Alice Spages (Paula Sheppard), a troubled 12-year-old girl who exhibits signs of jealousy and aggression toward her younger sister, Karen (Brooke Shields, in her film debut). Karen is the favorite child, beloved by their mother, Catherine (Linda Miller), and adored by the local priest, Father Tom (Rudolph Willrich). However, during...

Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" is a masterclass in filmmaking. It is a bold reimagining of history that blends dark humor, tension, and unforgettable characters into an exhilarating and thought-provoking experience. Released in 2009, the film offers a unique take on World War II, exploring themes of revenge, identity, and the power of cinema itself. Set in Nazi-occupied France, the film intertwines multiple storylines, the most prominent being that of a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as the "Basterds," led by the ruthless Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt). The Basterds are on a mission to inflict terror on the Nazis, with their brutal tactics designed to instill fear and garner retribution for the atrocities committed against Jews during the Holocaust. Their paths cross with Shoshanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent), a Jewish woman who escapes a massacre and later becomes the owner of a Parisian cinema, where she plans her own act of vengeance aga...

Released in 2000, The Cell , directed by Tarsem Singh and featuring Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, and Vincent D'Onofrio, is a psychological thriller that blurs the lines between horror, science fiction, and psychological drama. The film presents an intriguing concept: a groundbreaking technology that allows a psychologist to enter the mind of a comatose patient to uncover the whereabouts of a serial killer. While the premise is compelling, it is the film's execution—both visually and thematically—that leaves a lasting impact. The film begins with a prologue that introduces us to a young boy, locked in a cage, who experiences a nightmarish world within the mind of a serial killer, played by D'Onofrio. As the story unfolds, we learn that FBI agent Peter Novak (Vince Vaughn) is investigating the disappearance of a woman, linked to the deranged killer, who has put his victims into a comatose state. Enter Catherine Deane (Jennifer Lopez), a psychologist who uses an experimental ...

In the annals of cult cinema, few films elicit as much intrigue and confusion as Incubus (1966), a supernatural horror film that stars none other than Star Trek legend William Shatner in a decidedly different role than audiences were accustomed to. Directed by the underrated Leslie Stevens, Incubus is a strange, atmospheric blend of Gothic horror, eroticism, and psychological dread. It may not be the easiest film to digest, but its unique place in cinematic history, as well as its use of an experimental technique, has cemented it as a fascinating curio in Shatner's illustrious career. The plot of Incubus is as bizarre and haunting as the movie itself. Set in an unnamed Eastern European village, the film follows a man named Charles (Shatner), a sensitive but troubled priest, who becomes entangled in a series of strange events surrounding the mysterious and supernatural force of an incubus—an evil demon who is believed to sexually prey on its victims. As the townsfolk are increasingl...