Splash remains a magical, enjoyable and funny experience, though some of it hasn’t aged as well as it could have. What it does have is able direction by Ron Howard, wonderful comedic turns by Tom Hanks, John Candy and Eugene Levy, and a beguiling role for Daryl Hannah. It’s a fun little love story that…
Tag: practical effects
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) – J.A. Bayona
Five films in you can’t expect the series to forge too much new ground. They have a formula that works and people love seeing dinosaurs running amok. This story brings back Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) to bookend the film, and puts Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard – bit of a crush) and Chris Pratt…
TIFF 25: Frankenstein dir. Guillermo del Toro
I’ve been a fan of Guillermo del Toro since I took home the film Chronos one night from my video store. Since then, I haven’t missed anything he’s done, and look forward eagerly to each new project. When I heard that he was taking on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, I was delighted. The classic monsters have…
Nosferatu (2024) – Robert Eggers
Robert Eggers writes and directs the latest iteration of Nosferatu, following in the footsteps of the iconic 1922 silent film directed by F. W. Murnau, and the 1979 Nosferatu the Vampyre from Werner Herzog. As the story goes, the 1922 film blatantly ripped off Dracula, and delivered some of the most iconic horror imagery committed…
Poltergeist III (1988) – Gary Sherman
With only Heather O’Rourke and Zelda Rubinstein the only returning cast members from the previous installments, that should be a bit of an indicator of how far the series has already fallen. On the flip side, the series has added Tom Skerritt and Nancy Allen, as well as Lara Flynn Boyle in her feature film…
The Hidden (1987) – Jack Sholder
It’s been a couple of decades since I last watched this cult classic. I remember enjoying it at the time, but I never got around to watching it again, or enjoying if for the blog. Until now. Kyle MacLachlan coming off Blue Velvet, and just about to dig into Twin Peaks (coincidentally his character in…
Alien: Romulus (2024) – Fede Alvarez
The Alien franchise has had its ups and downs, but the original two films, 1979’s Alien, and 1986’s Aliens, are undeniable classics that have held up and continue to entertain. The universe the films have been set in is seemingly ruled over by the tyrannical Weyland-Yutani corporation that seems to own everything or is in…
Raise the Titanic (1980) – Jerry Jameson
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed 1980’s Raise the Titanic, but that doesn’t mean it’s great. While it differs from the Clive Cussler novel on which it was based (the author hated the adaptation) and failed to launch hero Dirk Pitt (played by a bearded Richard Jordan) into a franchise I found…
Demons 2 (1986) – Lamberto Bava
Demons 2 came fast on the heels of the first, now iconic horror film, and while there are some interesting moments, I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one. There are some solid kills, and some pretty sweet practical effects, but it just didn’t have the kick of the first film. Set shortly…
The Mind Reels 