Tag: women

  • Death Game and Knock Knock by Jonny Numb

    Double Feature: Death Game and Knock Knock Death Game: Bad Times Ahead Peter Traynor’s Death Game is a strange bird: the simple plot has financially successful father George Manning (Seymour Cassel) home alone while his wife rushes off to address an out-of-town emergency with one of their children. Cue a rainstorm that brings two soaked…

  • Pearl by Jonny Numb

    Pearl: A Return to Form “Return to form” is a slippery little phrase in the film-critic world. It accompanies rave reviews of “comebacks” from established filmmakers who’ve had some stumbles since their last “good” effort. It’s also a backhanded compliment that implies a director’s most recent work carries an air of familiarity that corresponds to…

  • Wishmaster 25th Anniversary

    Wishmaster 25th Anniversary: Wish On, Child Special effects guru, Robert Kurtzman’s Wishmaster turns 25 this year. At one point, I had considered the film a “guilty pleasure” but over time realized I was being ridiculous. The film, starring Tammy Lauren as Alexandra Amberson, Andrew Divoff as the Djinn, and potent appearances from Robert Englund, Ted Raimi,…

  • X by Jonny Numb

    X: A Questionable Lark (This review contains possible SPOILERS) Ti West’s X feels like a lark, so maybe I should just lighten up and enjoy it as such. But for as much as it does right, it’s also questionable in ways that have nothing to do with its actual content. The inquiry at the core…

  • Crimes of the Future by Jonny Numb

    Crimes of the Future: Creative Evolution The challenge of describing David Cronenberg and his body (heh, heh) of work in new and exciting ways has become an exercise in futility. “Genius!” they cry. “Visionary!” they hail. “The King of Venereal Horror!” they shout with glee. Long ago, these descriptors felt unique enough to properly encompass…