Junji Ito, to a J-horror fan, is probably best known for the film adaptations of his mangas Tomie, Uzumaki, and Marronnier. I recently discovered the joys of horror manga with a Grudge comic, but Ito’s artwork leaves it in the dust. His illustrations are wondrously eerie, and his stories are both disturbing (in a goodContinue reading “‘Fragments of Horror’: Junji Ito is a National Treasure (book review)”
Author Archives: GhoulieJoe
My Root (essay)
When I am asked why horror movies are appealing to me, I think of the (non-horror) movie But I’m a Cheerleader. It’s about a group of gay teenagers sent to a conversion camp. Part of their “therapy” is wracking their brains to find their root—the trauma that made them gay. Their answers are ridiculous—for example,Continue reading “My Root (essay)”
‘The Tommyknockers’: Hostile Aliens, Corny Gadgets, and Gratuitous Sex Scenes
Bobbi (Marg Helgenberger) is a writer living out in the Maine woods who (literally) stumbles onto a spaceship. Deciding it would be a good idea to dig it up, she and soon the whole town feel the effects of the aliens inside: they “become,” which involves having a ton of energy and being inspired toContinue reading “‘The Tommyknockers’: Hostile Aliens, Corny Gadgets, and Gratuitous Sex Scenes”
‘Twilight Zone: The Movie’: Worth Watching, Even if You’re Not a Fan of the Show
Remakes of episodes of The Twilight Zone, organized into four stories. Segment 1 involves angry, racist white man Bill (Vic Morrow) being suddenly transported back in time, finding himself in the shoes of oppressed members of society. Segment 2 takes place at a rest home, where Mr. Bloom (Scatman Crothers) shows the elderly residents thatContinue reading “‘Twilight Zone: The Movie’: Worth Watching, Even if You’re Not a Fan of the Show”
‘Pathology’: Restrained and Thought-Provoking, But the Characters Suck
Ted (Milo Ventimiglia) is the newest pathology resident at the county morgue. His group of peers there are arrogant jerks, from leader Jake (Michael Weston), interchangeable white guy number 1 Griffin (Johnny Whitworth), interchangeable white guy number 2 Chip (Dan Callahan), unremarkable Catherine (Meiling Melançon), and sex kitten Juliette (Lauren Lee Smith), who’s sort ofContinue reading “‘Pathology’: Restrained and Thought-Provoking, But the Characters Suck”
William Malone’s ‘Parasomnia’: GhoulieJoe Angry!
Danny (Dylan M. McKnight) is a sad sack who’s moping over his girlfriend leaving him. He cheers up in a hurry when, while visiting a friend in drug rehab, he spies Laura (Cherilyn Wilson), a traditionally attractive girl with Sleeping Beauty Syndrome. This is characterized by her sleeping most of the time and having nightmares,Continue reading “William Malone’s ‘Parasomnia’: GhoulieJoe Angry!”
‘Paranormal Activity’: Love it or Hate it, It’s a Seminal Film
Katie (Katie Featherston) and her boyfriend Micah (Micah Sloat) are experiencing odd events in their home, like hearing footsteps and voices they can’t identify. Katie suspects that the demonic presence that’s been following her since she was eight has something to do with it. So she and Micah film themselves during the day and setContinue reading “‘Paranormal Activity’: Love it or Hate it, It’s a Seminal Film”
Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’: The Master Outdoes Himself!
Spain, 1944, during the Spanish Revolution. Young Ofelia’s (Ivana Baquero) pregnant mother Carmen (Ariadna Gil) has just married the leader of the effort to suppress the resistance, Captain Vidal (Sergi López). Ofelia, obsessed with fantasy stories, finds herself in a real-life fairy tale when a faun (Doug Jones), recognizing her as the reincarnation of theContinue reading “Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’: The Master Outdoes Himself!”
‘Pandorum’: Dense and Kinda Boring, but Overall it Delivers
It’s 2174, and Earth, being vastly overpopulated, sends a Noah’s Arc-type spaceship to planet Tanis, which is compatible for living on. Unfortunately, the captain got a case of Pandorum, which causes paranoia and erratic behavior, and he sabotaged the mission. Eight years later, crew members Bower (Ben Foster) and Payton (Dennis Quaid) wake up, confusedContinue reading “‘Pandorum’: Dense and Kinda Boring, but Overall it Delivers”
Jaume Collet-Serra’s ‘Orphan’: The Director of ‘The Shallows’ Explores Other Predatory Animals
Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John (Peter Sarsgaard) are a married couple with two children, and are about to adopt a third. Too bad they pick Esther, a nine-year-old sociopath (Isabelle Fuhrman), who does stuff like push girls off playground equipment, kill a nun, and terrorize her adopted siblings (Jimmy Bennett, Aryana Engineer). Kate sees throughContinue reading “Jaume Collet-Serra’s ‘Orphan’: The Director of ‘The Shallows’ Explores Other Predatory Animals”
