Classics Review: The Pit and the Pendulum

In 1843, Edgar Allen Poe published a short story titled, “The Pit and the Pendulum.” Set during the Spanish Inquisition, an unnamed man sentenced to death must confront his fears. Suddenly, he wakes up in a dungeon with a bottomless pit, and a swinging pendulum. The man must overcome fear and evade obstacles if he […]

Classics Review: The Fly (1958)

In 1957, George Langelaan published a short story in a Playboy magazine titled, “The Fly.” It’s about a scientist working on a teleportation device in an attempt to push the boundaries of science. One day, the scientist enters a chamber that test it on himself. Unbeknownst to him, a fly entered the same chamber. Emerging […]

Classics Review: High and Low

In 1959, crime fiction author, Evan Hunter (under the pseudonym, Ed McBain) published a novel titled, “King’s Ransom.” The tenth installment of the “87th Precinct” series focuses on a businessman who gets caught in a moral predicament. Refuse to pay the ransom money to a kidnapper in exchange of letting a kid free or keep […]

Spaceballs: The Review

During the ’80s, Mel Brooks directed “History of the World Part I.” Produced (his name uncredited) serious movies outside his comfort zone including “The Elephant Man” & “The Fly.” One parody film in particular pokes fun at “Star Wars.” Before “Spaceballs” was green-lit, Mel made a deal with George Lucas not a single piece of […]

Flashback Review: Napoleon Dynamite

In 2002, college student, Jared Hess produced and directed a slice-of-life short film titled, “Peluca”. Jared’s fellow classmate and friend, Jon Heder plays a gawky teenager named, Seth. He skips school with his friends. One Year Later, Peluca was screened at the 2003 Slamdance Film Festival earning positive reactions. Afterwards, Jared dropped out of college […]

Slither (Universal’s Flops Vol. 1 #11)

After writing scripts for “Tromeo and Juliet, “The Specials,” the live-action “Scooby-Doo” movie, its sequel and Zack Snyder’s “Dawn of the Dead” remake, James “JG” Gunn worked on his directorial debut known as, “Slither.” A throwback to ’80s body horror films starring Nathan Fillion as a small-town sheriff who must find a way to put […]