Movie Scum

Two weeks from Halloween opening. We can do it, guys.

Even having seen the VHS cover for Chopping Mall more times than I can count, I never got around to this time capsule of 80s high-concept “horror” movies. No one will confuse Chopping Mall with high-art but it is a solid movie from its era that will make you wonder why they never made Chopping Mall 2 .

One of the key elements of a good mystery is immersion. It trumps a decent plot and interesting characters because the thrills are derived from a seemingly shared experience. As long as the audience feels like they’re solving a problem alongside the cast, they’ll go along with most anything. This does not include lackluster acting and an overly formulaic approach to storytelling…

The Shape is back! And he’s slashed all concepts of canon and connectivity to shreds! Depending on who you ask, it’s either been eleven years since the last “good” Halloween film or much longer. However, the new David Gordon Green -directed Halloween sequel-reboot-thing may just be the film die-hard fans have been waiting an indeterminate amount of years for.

For being a zombie movie, Cargo is not so much about zombies as it is making peace with situations that cannot be controlled.

I didn’t think we needed a live-action Winnie the Pooh movie. Clearly, I was wrong.

For anyone who grew up in the late 80s or early 90s, the Karate Kid films were a staple of your childhood. Now, the story continues and ... what the fuck, is Daniel LaRusso the villain here?

Earlier this week, Sony released the trailer for Venom , starring Tom Hardy with nary a Spider-man in site. I dig it, even though real critic’s reactions are decidedly mixed.

The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League may be back on the field soon, courtesy of Amazon’s TV arm.

Going in to see Ready Player One, I didn’t have any expectations. For one, I haven’t read the book – no, you can’t have my gamer card. Second, the idea that a movie can be carried solely by its numerous pop culture references is absurd to me; recent films that have followed this formula are proof of such, like the somewhat amusing yet ultimately shallow Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Thankfully, Steven Spielberg ’s nostalgia parade is more than the sum of its parts!