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‘Good Boy’ is a good and gruesome pet-centered horror movie
By: Gordon Briggs
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I’ve seen several thrillers in my day that had celebrities with multi-million dollar budgets, and plenty of jump scares, only to have them fail because they didn’t have a point… Read More
What to watch if you liked ‘One Battle After Another’
By: Gordon Briggs
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One Battle After Another is a gripping action drama about the hunt for political revolutionaries. Watching the movie, I was reminded of three other films that deal with revolution and… Read More
‘One Battle After Another’: a tense and timely look at America at war
By: Gordon Briggs
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This movie is wild. Right from its fluid opening sequence, where we see a group of revolutionaries raid a detention center, it’s clear One Battle After Another is going to… Read More
‘HIM’ is an entertaining, but unusual, blend of sports film and horror movie
By: Gordon Briggs
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I’ve seen plenty of horror movies in my time, but I haven’t seen many that venture into the world of sports. With its fetishizing of the male body, blood doping,… Read More
‘The Long Walk’ is a harrowing journey, but one that’s worth taking
By: Gordon Briggs
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Our world seems to be awash in cinematic dystopias. Whether it’s the world of horror with zombies, science fiction with evil AI enslaving humans, or action movies featuring any number… Read More
‘Dahomey’: A superlative documentary about art, history, and storytelling
By: Gordon Briggs
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I must confess that I haven’t watched many documentaries lately. It feels like streaming platforms have been overloaded with true-crime documentaries, celebrity bios, and retrospectives of various tragedies. Unique educational… Read More
Don’t See ‘Honey Don’t’: When it comes to Ethan Coen’s new movie, the title says it all
By: Gordon Briggs
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All the elements of an entertaining crime flick are here. You’ve got a talented cast that have all been good in other movies, an award-winning director, and plenty of bad… Read More
‘The Roses’ is a dark comedy that proves that married life is no bed of roses
By: Gordon Briggs
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Hollywood seems to be in the midst of a renaissance of breakup movies. Some fall into the category of horror, some are science fiction, and others are award-winning dramas about… Read More
‘Caught Stealing’ is a crime film worth catching
By: Gordon Briggs
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Hank Thompson is having a terrible week. He’s got a screwed-up liver, the cops are on his case, a pair of oddball hitmen are on his tail, and worst of… Read More
‘Highest 2 Lowest’ is a rare remake of a classic that stands on its own
By: Gordon Briggs
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I had serious doubts when I heard that Spike Lee was remaking Akira Kurosawa’s classic High and Low. However, I’m happy to report that this re-imagining is both a sharp… Read More
What to watch if you liked ‘Weapons’
By: Gordon Briggs
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Weapons hooked audiences and became a surprise summer hit with its story of missing children, macabre characters, and memorable suburban setting. Watching it, I couldn’t help but think of other… Read More
With its blend of horror and humor, ‘Weapons’ proves 2025 is a standout year for horror movies
By: Gordon Briggs
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It all begins with a mystery. What triggered a group of local children to mysteriously wake up and quickly abscond into the night? From that central question, Weapons will spin… Read More
It’s alright to laugh: With its story about trauma, perseverance, and friendship, ‘Sorry, Baby’ is one of the standouts of 2025
By: Gordon Briggs
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Her name is Agnes, and she is a young writing student played here by the film’s director (Eva Victor). Even weeks after first seeing Sorry, Baby, I found myself thinking… Read More
Now Playing: In the body horror movie ‘Together,’ breaking up is hard to do
By: Gordon Briggs
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I call them “couples horror” films. There are recent movies like Midsommar, The Invisible Man, Strange Darlings, and Companion that tell the story of a couple’s break-up, only these movies… Read More
Now Playing: ‘The Naked Gun’ is a funny movie that hits its mark
By: Gordon Briggs
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One of the best parts about being an avid filmgoer is being in a crowded theater where everyone is laughing along with a movie. In the aftermath of Covid lockdowns… Read More
Cinema in the time of plague: movies set during the COVID-19 lockdown
By: Gordon Briggs
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The recent film Eddington is one of a series of films that attempt to address life during the 2020 pandemic. Some of them have been thrillers, others have been offbeat… Read More
Now Playing: ‘Eddington’ is a surreal but unsatisfying look at America in 2020
By: Gordon Briggs
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We all remember the dark days of 2020. When COVID-19 swept across the globe, it brought death, lockdowns, mask mandates, and protests. All of which unfolded during a contentious presidential… Read More
Cinema of Lost Worlds: A look at three movies about lost worlds and prehistoric monsters
By: Gordon Briggs
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Jurassic World may be the most popular dinosaur franchise. Still, it’s one of a series of ‘Lost World’ stories, a subgenre of fantasy or science fiction where explorers discover a… Read More
A Bungle in the Jungle: ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ retreads and repeats the familiar beats of an aging franchise
By: Gordon Briggs
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You know all the ingredients of these movies: a mysterious island, a parade of man-eating dinosaurs, a group of scientists, and fortune hunters fighting for survival. All those components are… Read More
If you had powers, who would you hurt? A look at three different kinds of superhero films
By: Gordon Briggs
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Now Playing is a column by film scholar Dr. Gordon Briggs. This installment in the series corresponds to the Now Playing column that ran on Tuesday, July 15 about Superman. If you had… Read More
‘Superman’: I’m invincible, but I’m still in pain
By: Gordon Briggs
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Superman has always been a symbol of truth and justice. However, in a world where truth has become subjective, and justice feels evasive, how can someone truly be a hero?… Read More
Beyond the boundaries of horror: a look at Stephen King’s non-horror adaptations
By: Gordon Briggs
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Now Playing is a column by film scholar Dr. Gordon Briggs. This installment in the series corresponds to the Now Playing column that ran on Wednesday, July 9 about The Life of Chuck. … Read More
Dancing through the end of the world: ‘The Life of Chuck’ is a standout of 2025
By: Gordon Briggs
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The world is coming to an end. After months of internet and power outages, various natural disasters, and a general feeling of hopelessness, The Life of Chuck starts by showing… Read More
Now Playing: 21st century zombies – three standout zombie films from the last 25 years
By: Gordon Briggs
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Now Playing is a column by film scholar Dr. Gordon Briggs. This installment in the series corresponds to the Now Playing column that ran on Tuesday, June 24 about 28 Years Later. The… Read More
Now Playing: ’28 Years Later’ proves this zombie franchise still has bite
By: Gordon Briggs
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In a media landscape saturated with zombies and other post-apocalyptic content, the real achievement is creating a sequel to a popular movie that looks and feels like its own entity…. Read More