Movies: P – Page 2

‘Psycho Beach Party’ is a Wacky Comedic Romp

Florence (Lauren Ambrose) is a teenage girl who wants to be a surfer. Despite protests from the all-male surfers, big kahuna the Great Kanaka (Thomas Gibson) teaches her. Things become complicated when Florence discovers she has two split personalities; soon her friends and acquaintances start dying off. Is it Florence’s sinister side? Her suspicious motherContinue reading “‘Psycho Beach Party’ is a Wacky Comedic Romp”

‘Psycho’ 1998: Why???

Marion (Anne Heche) is longing to get married to her boyfriend Sam (Viggo Mortensen), but neither of them have the money. She sees her opportunity when her boss gives her a boatload of money to deposit in the bank, and instead she runs away with it. She winds up at the Bates motel, run byContinue reading “‘Psycho’ 1998: Why???”

‘Population 436’: ‘The Stepford Wives’ Meets ‘The Wicker Man’ (But Not as Cool)

Steve (Jeremy Sisto) from the Census Bureau has just arrived in the quaint town of Rockwell Falls. His mission is to figure out why every year the population equals exactly 436 people. The locals welcome him with open arms, particularly Deputy Bobby (Fred Durst) and his girlfriend Courtney (Charlotte Sullivan). Steve finds out too lateContinue reading “‘Population 436’: ‘The Stepford Wives’ Meets ‘The Wicker Man’ (But Not as Cool)”

‘Poltergeist II: The Other Side’: One of the Better Sequels You’re Apt to Come Across

The film picks up a while after the first one left off (despite being made four years after the original). The Freelings (JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O’Rourke, and Oliver Robins return as Diane, Steve, Carol Anne, and Robbie, respectively) are poor and living with Diane’s mother (Geraldine Fitzgerald), who promptly dies. Meanwhile, TanginaContinue reading “‘Poltergeist II: The Other Side’: One of the Better Sequels You’re Apt to Come Across”

‘Phone’: Eerie and Well-Made

Korean movie, AKA Pon. Ji Won (Ha Ji-Won) is a reporter who has just uncovered a sex scandal. Among her many current difficulties are threatening phone calls, both from a man involved in the scandal and a ghost, who tends to make a screechy noise that either kills people or seriously disturbs them. Ji Won’sContinue reading “‘Phone’: Eerie and Well-Made”

Don Coscarelli’s ‘Phantasm’: Jinkies, What a Great Movie!

Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) and Jody (Bill Thornbury) are brothers who have recently lost their parents. When Jody’s friend Tommy dies, they discover strange goings-on at the funeral home. Seems the proprietor, known only as the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), is stealing corpses and reanimating them (and shrinking them, for some reason) so they canContinue reading “Don Coscarelli’s ‘Phantasm’: Jinkies, What a Great Movie!”

Mary Lambert’s ‘Pet Sematary Two’: Dead Continues to Be Bettah

Jeff (Edward Furlong) is a teenage boy who has just lost his mother Renee (Darlanne Fluegel); he and his veterinarian father Chase (Anthony Edwards) relocate to Renee’s hometown of Ludlow, Maine (home also of the unfortunate Creed family from the original film). Once there, Jeff and his friend Drew (Jason McGuire) experiment with the unholyContinue reading “Mary Lambert’s ‘Pet Sematary Two’: Dead Continues to Be Bettah”

Wes Craven’s ‘The People Under the Stairs’: Campy with a Twist of Somberness

Fool (Brandon Quintin Adams) is a 13-year-old boy with major problems. His mom needs an operation, and because his family is three days late on the rent for their inner city apartment, they’re getting evicted. His sister’s friend Leroy (Ving Rhames) offers him a chance to make some money: break into the house of hisContinue reading “Wes Craven’s ‘The People Under the Stairs’: Campy with a Twist of Somberness”