One of the most memorable features of the year — The strongest bond between men is born on the frontline — that’s War Movies 101. There’s something pure and virtuous about the trust soldiers form while battling against an appointed enemy together. It’s the sole positive emotion war can produce. Everything else — glory, pride, honor, patriotism — is just…

A look back at Ted Kotcheff’s classic action film. — On this day 40 years ago, Ted Kotcheff’s action film First Blood premiered in theatres all over America. In a retrospective interview, Sylvester Stallone claimed when he first read the script, it was a mess. He liked the idea, but John Rambo, as a protagonist, had no heart. “I didn’t…

Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story — Anyone familiar with Ryan Murphy’s work knows that the television mogul is obsessed with deviants — real or fictional — and their often disturbing lives. If you watched at least a few episodes of his cult classic second series (Nip/Tuck) in the aughts, you’re aware that Murphy’s perversions, incestuous phantasmagories…

Rewatching ‘Anaconda’ is as much savage fun as it was back in 1997 — Despite its reputation, Luis Llosa’s 1997 horror Anaconda isn’t a bad movie (not even an entirely dumb one). Its script juggles B film elements in a way that can make you believe there’s another story underneath its real one. …

Which is a shame because his tennis is out of this world — First things first: I’m a fan of Nick Kyrgios’s tennis. I believe he has at least two Grand Slam victory in him, but he’ll probably never win one because of his mindset. Last night I was rooting for him, and I was glad he won the third round against Stefanos…

For working out complex mental issues, horror is the best soil — Since its 2016 debut, we know that Netflix’s Stranger Things has always been a smart and emotionally intelligent show. The first season proved the creators’ (the Duffer Brothers) passionate love and vast knowledge of horror. They used nostalgia with integrity and paid homage to classic scary movies in a way…

Jerrod Carmichael’s first film tackles mental health issues without illusions — “Almost dying changes nothing. Dying changes everything,” says Dr. House in the Season 5 opener of David Shore’s iconic TV show. Comedian Jerrod Carmichael’s feature debut, On the Count of Three, is a dark comedy exploring that statement. His first movie attempts to dissect mental health, trauma, and the powerful…

Controversy, consent, right or wrong — When one of the showrunners of Pam & Tommy, D.V. DeVincentis, reached out to Pamela Anderson, all he got was silence. If you watched the show — or are old enough to have lived through the real events in the 90s — her (lack of) response was more than understandable…

One of the most underrated TV shows from last year — In November 2021, Paul Rudd was chosen The Sexiest Man Alive by PEOPLE magazine. He couldn’t believe it — nor did his wife, who funnily said that she would’ve voted for Keanu Reeves instead. “Come on, he’s Keanu, I’d vote for him, too,” Rudd told the mag. But it’s easy…