As I write this review, I'm about to visit my family to celebrate Yom Kippur. It is the Jewish holiday associated with atonement and reflecting on the human condition... and "Sling Blade," though it does not directly deal with Jewish culture, confronts the moral ideas...

It's hard to say what exactly makes a certain movie "rewatchable." Obviously you need an interesting story, a talented cast, well developed characters and top notch writing. It usually helps to build a world around your plot, or at least give the impression that a...

I am not here only to review "Manhunter," but I definitely recommend it. The obscure 1986 crime thriller is mostly remembered for being the first movie to feature iconic fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter, although the part is played by Brian Cox instead of...

I'm not a fan of Westerns, but I loved "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs." To understand my reluctance to embrace Westerns, check out this piece I wrote for Salon three years ago in which I compared the cinematic genre to superhero movies. Like superhero flicks, Westerns...

"The Bye Bye Man" is one of those movies that takes on a completely different meaning when you know its backstory. Like actors John Cazale in "The Deer Hunter" and Chadwick Boseman in "Black Panther," a major creative force in shaping "The Bye Bye Man" struggled with...

What is a human being? The scientific answer to that question, at least insofar as it relates to the human species, is simple. We are a primate, highly intelligent and skilled at utilizing tools, which has managed to overtake the planet with a vigorous effectiveness...

I just watched "7500" and was left with a one word response after it was over: Wow. I can't think of a better pandemic era distraction. This movie captures our claustrophobic, paranoid zeitgeist — despite being made before we entered this chapter of history. The bulk...

I am a die-hard fan of Rod Serling's classic TV series "The Twilight Zone." From 1959 to 1964, the anthology of science fiction, fantasy, horror and other supernatural stories offered me escape. It did more than that: There is a political philosophy behind "The...

The only reason my title for this review describes "Dagon" as "one of the scariest movies ever made," instead of as "the scariest movie ever made," is because I haven't seen every film. It is certainly the scariest movie that I have watched. The little known 2001 cult...