Neo-Noir

“People are desperate to tell you who they are.” This lesson is one of many imparted to Stan (Bradley Cooper) in the first act of Nightmare Alley — the story of a rise and fall…

“The past can haunt a man,” that’s what Hugh Jackman’s Nick Bannister utters as Reminiscence — Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy’s feature directorial debut — sets itself in motion in its opening scene, soaring above a water-drowned, near-future…

Growing up, there was a time in my life where only one book series truly mattered: Goosebumps. And within R.L. Stine’s nearly infinite list of book titles was a particularly special set of books, the…

I like to think I’m a fan of most film genres, but there’s something about a taut mystery that is extra exciting. Disappearance at Clifton Hill channels a lot of what makes the genre great, trapping…

It’s been 10 years since the release of Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island and hence, 10 years since I was totally enthralled and disturbed by it as a 14-year-old. When I first heard the film’s ominous…

Blade Runner (1982) sure had a bleak view of what November 2019 would look like. Then again, that’s what neo-noir science fiction tends to do. Thankfully, Ridley Scott’s dark version of the future is far from…

Over twenty years ago, Dark City, Alex Proyas’ follow-up to The Crow, dropped into theaters only to be quietly, ignominiously shuffled out. On its opening weekend, Dark City came in fourth, beaten by not only…

From the Illuminati to backmasked satanic messages on Led Zep albums, the world has always loved a good conspiracy theory. And (no) thanks to the success of pundits like Rush Limbaugh and Alex Jones, we’re…

A Simple Favor, released last month, is a bizarre cocktail of murder, mystery, and a sexy, suave elegance. Although it’s not a perfect film, its themes harken back to the style of a bygone era…