MONDO BIZARRO

Shudder Day: 'Tales from the Crypt' - 'The Trap'

2026-08-16T13:00:00.000-04:00

Show me the Director Fox!

A handful of Episodes of this Show were Directed by surprising names.
Besides Arnie (here), we have Season 3, Episode 3.

It was Directed by Michael J. Fox.

How is it?

Our Host introduces the idea of Insurance and consequences in his Segment.

It's funnier than I made it sound.

A man named Luigi (Bruce McGill) is in deep debt, is kind of a jerk and is desperate for a way out.

He comes up with a crazy plan...

He essentially blackmails his Brother (Bruno Kirby) into faking his death.

He does his best, even if Luigi is full Paul Bearer in that makeup.

It seems to fool the Police (like James Tolkan here), but there are lingering bits of evidence.

They knocked him out to help fake his death and his blood is on the fire poker.
That might come into play later.

The ruse works and they get the insurance money.

However, his Wife- Terri Garr- clearly has eyes for his Brother.

They convince Luigi to hide out in South America for a few months to sell the con. He also gets plastic surgery down there too.

After 6 months, he finally comes back and they've married in his absence...as well as spending a good chunk of the money.

He tries to out them and the scheme, but...it ends poorly.
I'll avoid SPOILing the Ending for you here.

A fun, silly and twisted Episode.

In other words, it fits right in!

I suppose the fact that this is actually an adaptation of a real Comic Story does explain it.
Sorry, Racer Brad Pitt.

The Episode is full of talented (and sadly, mostly now dead) Actors like Kirby, Garr, Tolkan and McGill.
They absolutely make the Dark Comedy work.

Credit also goes to Fox, of course, who Directs this one quite well. Why he did this (and one Sitcom Episode) and stopped Directing is a question I don't have an answer to.

Speaking of which, he managed to find the perfect guy to play a Prosecutor in the Finale...

An Episode that truly fits the weird, twisted spirit of the Show. Here's hoping that other unlikely Directors brought as much as Mr. Fox did here!

Tubi Thursday: Dark August (1976)

2026-08-13T23:15:45.444-04:00

It's August.
It's Dark out right now.

This seems right...

A man is living out in a rural area.

He should be happy with his girlfriend and solitude.

Why is he upset?

He's seeing a strange, hooded man at various places.

He feels weird.
He feels at odds with everything and everyone.

His girlfriend tries to help him.

He tries to get through things, but something is clearly eating away at him.

A year earlier, he accidentally hit a young girl as she was running across the road.

After that, the girl's Grandfather puts a Death Curse on him, which comes at him in waves (like having a panic attack) or making him see the cloaked figure.

He tries to work through things, even getting his fortune read by a friend's girlfriend.

Even so, the Grandfather is still out to get him.

Can he get the help of a Mystic to save himself?

Well...kind of...sort of.

The whole Ending is rather vague and it won't make your PETA members happy.
The End.

A weirdly interesting Film...to a point.

The Plot is intentionally vague at the beginning, making you wonder what is going on. That can be interesting with the right Actors.

These guys and gals do alright.

When you find out what is really happening, you can feel like it is going somewhere.
It eventually gets there, but sure takes awhile.

The Film is all about vibes and feelings. It's a '70s thing.
It's also a Low-Budget Film thing.

If you're into Films that are more vague, about the Characters and eventually get to a weird place, this is for you.
Clearly there are lots of you out there, since we're up to Volume 2 of this...

A Film with promise, but some odd priorities. It's not a bad Film, but it sure is a vague, listless one.

Forgotten TV: Bionic Ever After? (1994)

2026-08-11T21:40:34.487-04:00

Are you ready to get Bionic?!?

This is Bionic Ever After, the 1994 TV Movie that serves as the final (so far) entry in the Six Million Dollar Man/Bionic Woman Series.

If you don't know what that is, you're probably taking a break from TikTok.

In short, a man and a woman were given bionic upgrades (legs, an arm and eyes) to help the Government stop bad guys (and sometimes Bigfoot).

They returned in a 1987 TV Movie which was a Backdoor Pilot for a new Show.
They next returned in a 1989 TV Movie which was also a Backdoor Pilot. It famously features Sandra Bullock.

Five years later, the Cast (minus the new additions) returned for this final TV Movie to wrap things up!

In the Plot, the Bionic Woman is having mechanical issues while a bad guy plans to 'do a Die Hard' in Nassau. When both of them have issues, can they save the day?

This one did NOT introduce a new Bionic Character, so you'll have to make do with a stupid Wedding.

To find out how this weird finale turned out, read on...

5 years after the last one, Jamie Summers and Steve Austin are finally getting married.

How sweet.
(It's also the only reason that she came back as Jamie).

However, someone is out to get them.

Based on this shot, it's Dr. Claw from Inspector Gadget!

I mean, they are agents with bionic parts and he was too.

However, Jamie is having problems with her bionic parts.

She loses a game of racquetball, which is Steve's first clue.

Why is this happening?

Sabotage!

This mysterious stranger is messing with the chips that run her bionic parts and making her break down!

While this is going on, bad guys take a whole party full of people in Nassau hostage. The goal- get this Tennis Player who is possibly going to defect.

In the Intro, we see Jamie counseling a sad Agent.
Later, she's sent out into the field with Steve when Jamie goes down from her issues.

Shock twist- she's a bad guy!
She sabotages Steve's arm bionics (but not his legs or eyes, because reasons).

Luckily, they are able to fix Jamie.

They figured out that the lady was the traitor, since she blamed the OSI for taking all of the credit for her Dad's co-creation (the bionics).

An upgraded Jamie saves the day as Steve got caught.

The bad guys brought A NUKE with them, but it's just a distraction. What?!?

They are kidnapping the Player, since he's worth $20 million to somebody.

Their elaborate plan involves dressing up like the good guys and leaving in a hurry, being authoritative to a random guy.
It's how they got in too!

His bionics not all of the way working, Steve can't stop them.

Thankfully, Jamie shows up and chucks a sewer lid at them like a discus!
This kills nobody.

Steve gets his moment, shooting the detonator and saving the day.

The duo finally get married.

It ends with a stinger of Steve jokingly asking about having kids...forgetting that he has a bionic one already from the first TV Movie!

The End.

A decent TV Movie, even if it drops the pretense of the original Films.

The first Film introduces a new Bionic and some bad guys.
The second Film introduces a new Bionic Heroine, as well a surprise villain who is also Bionic.

The third Film has a random bad guy and then a pair of normal bad guys.

That's...odd.

The Plot is fine, giving us the big payoff to the 2 Leads finally getting married.
We don't get the most amount of bionic action here and some of it is a bit silly. Do we need Lee Majors running in slow motion and doing nothing? Nah.

The whole thing is alright, but if you're not already a fan, it's just a so-so TV Movie.

That said, I do suddenly grave a Frosty for some reason.

Not AI. That's really Dave from Wendy's.

Next time, let's finally pay off my purchase of Daywatch. I spent $1 a year (or so) ago and I'm going to get my money's worth! Stay tuned...

Shudder Day: Tales from the Crypt - 'King of the Road'

2026-08-10T12:04:05.840-04:00

This Episode features a famous Guest Star.
This Episode also feels very different- and there's a reason for that.

Before all that, let's dive right into...

The Cryptkeeper appears and talks about how he's in a Theater Troupe.

This has nothing to do with the Story whatsoever and...well, there's a reason for that.

The Story is about a young, brash and tattooed guy- Brad Pitt- who is a Street Racer.

He bests someone in a classic car and moves on to a new conquest.

Apparently, the town Sheriff used to be a racer named Iceman (was his name Bobby) and is hiding from his old life.

Mostly because there's a manslaughter charge against him (presumably from a race).

Pitt tries to bait him into racing him and goes after his Daughter.

He doesn't take kindly to his actions, beating the guy up when he's at his House with his Daughter.

Pitt drops the other shoe by threatening to out him if he doesn't race.

Oh, and he's also got his Daughter hostage.

Their date went south really fast!

The Sheriff goes to his old buddy, who has apparently been keeping his car in racing shape for all of these years.
I have no follow up questions.

The pair have a race!

Pitt wins, but his celebration is short-lived as he runs into a construction vehicle!

He tries to get one last bit of pain in by making the car explode, but the guy gets away in time.

Cool explosion, bro.

The End.

A fun Episode, but how is this a Tales from the Crypt Episode?

Aside from the Intro and Outro & the ironic fate of the villain, this feels different.

Well, it is different.

In 1992, the Producers tried to expand their brand by making a Pitch Pilot Movie called Two Fisted Tales.
The idea was to adapt ANOTHER 50s Comic into an Anthology Show. This one is more about Action than Horror.

The Pilot had three Segments.

When it didn't sell, the 3 Segments were then released as 3 different Episodes of Tales from the Crypt.

So yeah, this one is good, but different for reasons that aren't as obvious 34 years (and 2 days) after the airing.

I am now looking for Two Fisted Tales to watch/Review, but all I've found so far is...

An enjoyable, albeit out of place Episode. Why do I keep running into Brad Pitt in these?

Forgotten TV: The Outer Limits - 'Patient Zero'

2026-08-08T23:30:34.318-04:00

Another Time Travel Episode makes the Top 5 Highest Rated Episodes.

How does this one match up?

Let's find out in...

In the Year 2001, a man (Michael Rooker) kills a Doctor with a poisoning glove and then jumps into a portal (right in front of an oncoming truck).

He jumps back to the Future- 2015!

That world was devastated by a virus and he's trying to stop the Patient Zero from making it happen.

Time is literally running out- or, to be more accurate, resources are running out.

This might be his last trip as they find the *real* Patient Zero and he's dumped into a pile of trash back in 2001.

The arrival goes poorly as he's bit by a car and then meets a woman, who helps him.

She's Patient Zero.
He's there to kill her, but they bond over shared trauma (both lost spouses).

Now he's determined to simply stop her from getting infected and becoming Patient Zero.
He shows her the truth via his very 2015 Smart Phone of exposition.

However, he's created a causality loop.

His arrival causes HIM to be infected by all 3 necessary carriers (his arrival, the Doctor and her).
He lets his companion kill him and seemingly save humanity.

The End.

A low-fi Drama that fits the Show's Themes just enough.

The heart of this Story is Sci-Fi as it involves Time Travel and a vague 'super virus.'
Beyond that, it could be any drama.

We're also in Season 7 (yes, a Season 7 Episode is the #1 worst and the 5th best), so the Budget is a bit lower and there's no tacked-on nudity (these ran on regular TV).

Rooker is the hear of this and he really carries this one well. He goes from being gruff to understanding to outright nice. His whole arc- working hard to stop the cause and then tragically becoming it- is a good one.

Tanya Allen as the would be Patient Zero is good here, but she doesn't get as much to do. She makes you feel for her, which is the key to this whole thing.

The final twist works because it was built up subtly (like the first infection). This one, as mentioned, is right on the edge of fitting the Show's feel.

Let's not make things awkward as we leave now...

Next time, the 6th highest rated Episode is from Season 1. It's from the Director of Species 3, so...color me cautious.

Tubi Friday: Son of Darkness- To Die For 2

2026-08-07T19:42:40.043-04:00

It wouldn't have been fair to watch and review a 2nd Movie after Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

As such, let's do one today.
My site, my rules!

To Die For is a Film that I watched so long ago that I made Channel Awesome references in it.

Regardless, all you need to know is that this woman is raising a baby that no Doctor can seem to treat.

That is, until she meets Dr. Shreck, who she falls for as well.

Well, he's a Vampire.

As one says later, Vampires 'travel in flocks.'

As such, there's a Vampire there with him- Amanda Wyss- who feels rejected by him.

That works out well for...

...his Brother, who also managed to survive the last Film.

He's followed Shreck (aka Vlad) to this small Mountain town, but he's not sure why the guy is hiding out there.

As it turns out, the baby is Vlad's.

The Mother was spared and had a hybrid baby, long before the Twilight Films.

He's trying to get access to it and turn the baby.

His Brother is not on board.

The Film has about 3 other Subplots intersecting here.

The new Mom's Brother- the guy from The Last Starfighter- is eventually seduced and turned by Wyss.

There's also another Vampire lady, who doesn't want to get involved in any conflict.

Lastly, the Hero from the last Film has come to Town after reading about Vampire killings.

The guy meets with the Vampire lady, but it turns bad when the Brother finds out and leaves her to die!

It all comes down to a very busy climax involving all of the players.

The Brother tries to save his Sister and gets Ashed (aka his head cut off with a chainsaw) by the Brother.
Wyss stakes him, but he wounds her to death as well.

Vlad is about to turn the Mom (and then kid) when the Hero stakes him and he dies dramatically.

The Mom leaves and they tease that the kid is a Vampire.
I mean...yeah, we knew that. That was the whole Plot of this, right?

The End.

A decent to good attempt at making lots of Stories intersect.

Did the Film need this much going on?
They probably could have cut some of it- like the neutral Vampire Lady- and spent more time on other things.

Regardless, they do many things right here.

The Brother is a real delight, playing a hammy but also scary villain throughout. The Scene where he's stalking the lady in the Boatyard stands out.

Wyss does good with what she's given as well, getting a little Arc for her Character.

The Vampire effects are mostly subtle here. That's fine, honestly. This way they didn't do more than they could do.

The only real problem here is that with so much going on, the Film can be a bit unfocused and thus less interesting.

Now I do have to wonder why Vlad thought appearing to her in her dreams would somehow not disturb her...

A Film with a few high points and many good Actors. Unfortunately, there's too many Players and it drags a bit at times.

Immediate Response: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)

2026-08-06T19:38:46.534-04:00

Alright- it's Spider-Man Day!

Let's do this!

The Good

* The Plot is a fresh one, involving Damage Control, a mysterious menace and Peter's struggle to make peace with himself.
* The Film looks great, with fun visuals for him swinging and great CGI.

* With Crestin as Director, the Action looks more dynamic and his experience with Shang-Chi shows.
* Bringing The Hulk back (no SPOILER to anyone who's seen any Trailer) was so worth it.

* Bernthal as Punisher is a nice foil for Spider-Man.

The Bad

* You have to be familiar with the events of the Spider-Man 'Home' Trilogy to get the most out of this.
* The melodrama can be a bit heavy-handed at times.

* As fun as the Easter Eggs are, I just want more Boomerang, Tarantula and others.
* If you're not a fan of the Comic Retcons to give Peter his organic web shooters and the like, it is more of that. Blame James Cameron- the Organic Web shooters were created for his unused Script from the '90s.

Bottom line- this is a fun, creative Marvel Film. It's great to see more Spider-Man and done in such a great way.

Poor Bastards of Cinema: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)

2026-08-05T21:05:46.449-04:00

A guy who doesn't even get his name mentioned on the Wiki Page!

In Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, a young couple move into a new House.

The Wife is showing off what needs work done to her Interior Decorator friend.

He vanishes from the Movie after this Scene.

He returns in Act 3 as he's visiting the Wife again about work to be done.

Like before, they go downstairs.

...only for the creatures to set out a rope line and trip him!

He falls (off camera) and is shown to be dead at the bottom of the stairs.
(This Film was shot in a week- no time for Stunts!)

Yeah...that's it for him.

This guy didn't even really know about ANY of the danger. He wasn't a threat to the creatures.

He was collateral damage, as they meant to trip her instead!

The moral- don't be a Designer in a '70s Movie. You either end up dead (him) or as a Vampire...and then dead (Blacula).

It's not worth the risk.

New(er) Flix: Wolfcop (2014)

2026-08-04T20:04:36.956-04:00

It must be a Full Moon (no TM) if I finally break out this DVD!

This is Wolfcop, the 2014 Horror Comedy from Canada. I've had the disc longer than I would care to disclose.

Why wait until now? Dunno.

The Plot involves a Cop who becomes a Werewolf. Did you guess that?
There's more to the Story, but I'll get into the insanity there soon enough.

Is this another Kung Fury or Manborg? Should this have led to even more for its Director like Rubber or Psycho Goreman did?

Did I at least like it better than the last Werewolf Film I watched?

To find out, read on...

Lou Garrou (get it?!?) is a Cop in a small, Canadian Town.

He's not a good Cop, as he's lazy and a drunk.

He's forced to work by his Boss, which means he has to go out and investigate noise complaints in the Woods.

He's attacked and loses time.

He has vague recollections of what happened- a ritual- and sees that his body has been marked!

That's not good.

He tries to go back to work as the Town approaches its annual Drink and Hunt.

That's not good.

As the Full Moon approaches, he changes in very gory (albeit super up-close) shots.

A Canadian Werewolf in...um, Canada?

He gets some help from a local weirdo, who found him that night and brought him home.

Now motivated (and less drunk), Lou finds out that Werewolves are connected to a strange lore involving Shapeshifters, 'The Reckoning' and the Solar Eclipse.

Guess what is coming up soon?

His second transformation is more controlled, albeit just as gory.

This version of the Superman shirt rip is NOT advised.

He finally becomes the titular Wolfcop as he retains his humanity (as it were) and fights crime.

They set up a trio of robbers known as The 3 Little Pigs and pay it off here.

He also takes out some bad guys, notably ripping one guy's face off (the guy then runs away).

Back at the Station, he's seduced by the Barmaid (who made eyes at him as a human) and they make mostly-off-screen whoopie.

She drugs him and we learn that a trio of Shapeshifrters have been driving things, disguised as the Barmaid, the Sheriff, a Cult Leader and the Mayor (below).

Thankfully, the only good Cop (Tina) comes to his rescue.

The group plans to drink his blood during the Eclipse because something something it doesn't really matter.

They win a bloody fight and live to make a Sequel in 2017.
The End.

A fun, if uneven Horror Comedy.

Positives- the Makeup and Gore Effects are good. They obviously use shortcuts (like closeups), but that's not a big thing.

The bizarre tone of the Film is pretty fun too.

You're never quite sure what is going to happen.

As far as Negatives, the Pacing is a bit off and they don't do a great job of making you root for the guy at first. We eventually get his backstory, but it takes a bit.

He's at least a good guy in the end, as opposed to the guy from Space Cop.
I've seen lots of weird Cop Films, haven't I?

The Film is for people who love old-school gore, makeup work and dark Comedy.
If that's not for you, then maybe skip this Franchise.

Otherwise, this might happen to you...

Next time, a look at a forgotten TV Movie that unites two TV Shows. Who doesn't love a Wedding? Stay tuned...

Forgotten TV: The Outer Limits - 'Decompression'

2026-08-02T20:10:35.721-04:00

We're still in the Top 5 here with The Outer Limits.

Does this one deliver as well as the last ones?

In 'Decompression,' a man- Bruce Boxleitner- is a Senator who just won his first Presidential Primary.

What could go wrong?

A mysterious woman- CCH Pounder- appears on his plane and tells him that he'll die in less than an hour.

His plane will crash!

The catch: nobody can see her when he calls in help.

She keeps appearing to him, but him talking to her behind closed doors is worrying people.

It gets worse as he doesn't have the panache that Sam on Quantum Leap has with this.

Pounder says that she's a Time Traveler (another one!) who is appearing only to him to keep him alive, in order to save the future.

Also on the Plane is a Reporter, who is quick to jump on what appears to be the Senator having a breakdown in mid-air.

Is he correct?

As the ticking clock winds down, Boxleitner is convinced that the only way to survive is to shoot out the window and take a leap of faith!

He does it, whereupon Pounder reveals that HE was the future Dictator and she was sent back to stop him.
He crashes to his death, surprisingly not looking like what happens when you spill an entire tray of lasagna!

A dark version of Quantum Leap that I'm all on board for.

This is a nice example of how there's still good Episodes buried deep in the run of this Show. We're in Season 6 and this is really good.

Boxleitner is good as a Politician that seems good...to a point. With a different Actor, it might not have worked.
He would have seemed either too evil or too good.

CCH Pounder is great too, being menacing and helpful in alternating lines/Scenes.

This is about corrupt Politicians, so it will always be topical (as long as we still have Elections). This is from 2000, so any similarity to real people now is just a coincidence.

Even so, this was a good Episode and I'm looking forward to seeing how the Top 10 rounds out.

Next time, an Episode about Time Traveling (yes, again), causality loops and...a Pandemic. I'm really glad that I got back into this Show in 2026 and not 2020!

Tubi Thursday: Scream of the Wolf (2022)

2026-07-30T22:53:35.840-04:00

I was going to watch Scream of the Wolf (1974) because it was a Dan Curtis Film.
...sadly, the Tubi Copy is like a 4th Generation VHS rip, so...what's Plan B?

Scream of the Wolf (2022).

Let's do this!

Somewhere out in the in descript regions of the UK, a bunch of folks are making a Vampire Film.

Nice misdirection there.

A couple new guys are called out to work on it and we *sort of* get an American Werewolf in London reference with them asking for directions at a Pub.

It's about the only comparison I'll make to a good Film, so enjoy it.

After lots of stalling and nothing, we learn that a Werewolf has made it to the Manor.
Is that why this is also called Wolf Manor?

It sometimes kills some folks- like the guys on the way to the Manor- but sure takes his sweet time.

This Film has time for lots of complaining by the old guy playing the Vampire AND for him to have a $36 Dream Sequence (one lady in a top hat dances while music plays).

Can you start killing some folks again, Mr. Wolf?

Thank you.

In the most telegraphed of endings, we see the old guy has a silver cane and uses it to stab the Wolf and walk away in the morning.

Confusingly, we then cut to a bunch of Werewolves all meeting on the road by the Manor...since I guess the victims are now transformed?

That or there was always five of them? Who cares?
The End.

Okay, let's jump right into positives.

The Werewolf Suit looks cool. I like Practical Werewolves (more than Practical Magic). It's nice and furry.

There are also some decent gore and fake limbs.

The Setting is nice.

Sadly, that's it, as the Film drags for long, long stretches of time.
The Werewolf can't enter the House...until he can. That will get us to the mandatory runtime!

I'm only here since there's a bad copy of a Film I wanted to see, so I got what I was going to get.

Is this a Werewolf Comedy or a decent Werewolf Film? They say its one, but it is certainly not the other.

Immediate Response: Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey (2026)

2026-07-29T20:27:33.837-04:00

Before I see the big Tom Holland Film this Summer, I needed to see...the big Tom Holland Film of the Summer.

Look- I just went to see...

The Good

* The Film is epic is scope and absolutely delivers on what you expect from 'Christopher Nolan does The Odyssey.' Clearly, they cut NO corners.

* The Acting is really good across the board, from the Leads like Damon and Holland to people in smaller, but integral roles like Page and Nyong'o.

* All of the moments you expect to see are here (in some form or another).
The Cyclops is a real standout, from the FX to the overall execution.

* Everyone gets a moment to shine here, which is great to see in a Film like this.
* The Score deserves a mention here. Big, booming and a big highlight.

The Bad

* The Film has some really violent moments in it. Just a warning for anyone who, you know, doesn't know the Story.

* I don't necessarily know if this one needed to be told somewhat out of order (not to the extent of Oppenheimer). It's not a huge deal, but the framing is notable.

* This is probably just a 'me' thing, but they built up finally showing us Agamemnon for so long that when we see him, I was expecting some big surprise Star. Not a knock on the guy, but I was expecting someone else.

* It's a shame that things like them changing how the Gods are represented to who they cast in certain roles.

Honestly, don't let it keep you from seeing this!

Please don't judge the Film on the many Fake AI Image Generated Trailers either.
Like...why is this a thing?

Nolan does Nolan stuff with a big Budget and a retelling of a literal Epic.

Is It Bad?: Spider-Man 3 (2007)

2026-07-28T21:31:18.657-04:00

Is Raimi's final Spider-Man Film the worst one ever?

Spider-Man 3 is a contentious Film to many people, myself included.

After nearly 20 years, I gave this one another shot.

Pro: We get to see Peter and Mary Jane happy. They were kept apart in various ways for the last 2 Films.

They are doing well on their own and they are happy.

Enjoy it while you can!

Pro: Harry Osborn's Arc comes to a head, which is a great use of the Film Trilogy format. He becomes like this Father and tries to kill Peter.

Con: The Plot Point of him getting amnesia is not great for a single Film.
Like other parts of the Film, having him set up for Spider-Man 4 would have helped.

Pro: The arc of him being Peter's friend is still good though.

Pro: Sandman is a good villain. I'm glad that technology caught up enough to make him work on screen.

His Arc as a guy who had 'bad luck' and did bad things is good.

Con: Having his Origin tied to a retcon about Uncle Ben's death was a big miss.
There were other ways to make Peter hate him.

Pro: Tobey (as Peter) really commits to the slow, subtle changes to his personality because of the Symbiote.

Pro: Finally introducing Gwen and Captain Stacy is great.
Con: The Film does almost nothing with them, especially Captain Stacy.

If there's a Spider-Man 4 (as there should be for this Plot), they could do more with him.

Pro: I don't hate Emo Peter acting cool.
Con: Every Lead in the Film clearly was auditioning for Musical Theater Roles in this Film.
Dunst sings in the Play and dances with Franco. Maguire does...jumping?

Con: James Franco.
Do I need to explain this?

Pro: He's honestly decent in this, especially when you're supposed to hate him. It just feels...natural.

Pro: Venom looks cool and I do like the Arc setting up Eddie Brock as Venom.

Con: This is a great set-up...for Spider-Man 4.

Seriously, set up a villainous Franco and Grace for that Film. Use another villain- like Mysterio- if you want too.

Just this Arc being rushed is too much.

Pro: The chaotic Final Battle- rushed as the Character Arcs are- is cool.

Con: The aftermath is paced oddly, with a prolonged bit with Sandman and then one with Franco.
It's not quite full Return of the King.

Con: The Film doesn't end with him proposing. Weird to drop that, no?

What is Good?

The Acting is really good. Every returning Actor nails their parts here.
J. Jonah even gets some great moments of comeuppance that Simmons plays well.

The Visual Effects are really good here, mostly. They attempted to blend the Live-Action and CGI Models together. They *mostly* hold up in HD.

The Character Designs and overall Production Values are great. Even the new Score is good.

What is Bad?

Too much Plot for one Film. It's the obvious answer.

Pick Sandman and keep the Franco opening bit and return- just save the blow-off for Part 4. Same with the Venom set-up.

The Film can also come off a bit melodramatic at times. Raimi and Company have moments of that in other Films, but this one is especially notable.

There are not a million bad things- just a few big ones that define the Film.

So...

Is It Bad?

NO.

The Film is disappointing and certainly a victim of Studio overreach. Raimi has made it clear that Venom was a Studio mandate.
I just wish that they could have worked things out Plot-wise, because so much of the Film is good!

Like X-Men 3: The Last Stand, enough time has passed for me to look at this with a broader, less emotional viewpoint. It's still disappointing in the wake of just how great Spider-Man 2 is.

Shudder Day: Exit 8 (2025/6)

2026-07-27T13:55:22.784-04:00

Liminal Horror.
Do you need to Google what that means?

When you're done, check out the one that is NOT Backrooms.

This, instead, is...

An unnamed man rides the Tokyo Subway, ignoring bad behavior by those along the way.

He goes to meet his Girlfriend at the Hospital and just needs to take Exit 8.

A simple task.

One long hallway.
A Corner.
Exit...1?

As he soon figures out, he's stuck in a Loop known as Exit 8.

He has to go back if there are anomalies (like a sign changed) or keep going if things are normal.

Easier said than done though.

Things get creepier as time goes on.

The Film also sometimes switches focus to the other people we sometimes see like The Walking Man.

As things get worse and quite strange, can the Unknown Man learn more about himself and why he ended up in this place.

With a kid in peril, can he rise to the occasion?

Can he regain his future?

To find out, stream it now.

A Film that has a thin premise and tries to make the most of it.

If you don't know and didn't Google it first, Liminal Horror is about people being trapped in spaces with no end, usually in the form of a loop.

This one is shiny and not yellow, which is a plus.

The early parts of the Film are going to be what hopefully hook you. As things go on, the sense of familiarity works with and against the Film.

There are occasional glimpses of other locations- for reasons I won't SPOIL- so they clearly knew that this was a potential issue.

If you stick with the middle parts, the Ending will definitely hook you and feel satisfying.
Just be on the lookout for moments that make you react like this...

A Film with a great premise that is, admittedly, difficult to adapt into a Film. I think that it mostly succeeds and will live on in my memory for a while.

Forgotten TV: The Outer Limits - 'Afterlife'

2026-07-25T18:10:15.983-04:00

We continue to look at the BEST Episodes of the 1990s Series, at least as far as User Ratings are concerned.

This time, a familiar Character Actor + The Military + Aliens = Excitement?

This is...

A man- Clancy Brown- is sentenced to death for the Murder of 11 People.

He says that he's innocent...and then suddenly he's offered a new lease on life!

There's a catch, of course.

To live, he must submit to an experiment for the Military.

Sadly, he does not become Captain America.

Instead, he's being injected with Alien DNA to see how his body reacts to it.

'Not well' is the answer.

He continues to state his innocence and outright blames the Military for framing him.

His higher ups (including the Hippie Dad from Dharma and Greg) don't believe him or care.

Brown continues to transform.

He eventually seems to become a brand new, hybrid life form and escapes from his cell.
Aliens were big at this time, with Species and all that.

He escapes, but that was the plan.
He also KNEW it was the plan and went along with it.

However, there's still one more twist...that I won't SPOIL for once.

To find out, stream the Episode now.

Is this truly the best non-Time Travel Episode? I'd argue 'yes,' but it is a close one.

The Plot is pretty good here, with Brown's Character and his transformation getting the right focus. We get a hint of the other stuff going on, but he's the main attraction.

He's really good here too. You really believe him and feel for his plight.
Clancy Brown 100% makes this work.

The make-up work is well done, as you get a nice hint of in this piece. We see the change gradually happen and they do it with no morphing effects.
Was it even legal to NOT use morphing effects in the 1990s?!?

Joking aside, this one is really, really good. The Acting across the board makes it work, the intrigue as it plays out is nice and the resolution works very well.

It's also a thrifty Episode, as we see the cryogenic container from 'The Heist' make a reappearance!

Next time, we go on Air Force One for a 'Bottle Episode' of sorts. Do you risk your life or trust a stranger? Stay tuned...

Tubi Thursday: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010)

2026-07-23T22:53:40.820-04:00

Guillermo Del Toro was apparently a big fan of the 1973 TV Movie.

As such, we got a Remake in Theaters in 2010.

Let's see if it was necessary...

In a Flashback Scene, a guy named Lord Blackwood makes a sacrifice to some unseen creatures to free his Son.

It goes poorly.

In the Present, a divorced Dad (Guy Pearce) and his new Girlfriend (Katie Holmes) move into the same House.

His Daughter is forced to move in with him too.

She's not happy.
Not about any of this.

She uncovers the hidden entrance to the Basement, in spite of the Groundskeeper's protests.

She opens the grate and the unseen creatures try to bring her comfort.

When she finally sees them, however, they are far less friendly.

Their lashing out against the Parents makes her look guilty as well, which doesn't help.

Holmes believes the girl- as much as she can- and gives her a polaroid camera, knowing that whatever she sees is afraid of light.

Can she finally convince people that the creatures are real?
Can Holmes find out what is going on?

Do I kind of miss the furry guys with almond shaped heads?

To find out the answers to (most of) those questions, stream it now.

A Remake that does its own thing most of the time.

That said, this one feels familiar in many ways.

Del Toro is one of the 3 Writers (counting the 1973 Film's Writer) and boy, does it show!

It takes place at a Gothic Mansion, has a kid experiencing fairy tale trauma, the creatures are a form of fairies and the Dad is not a lot of help.

I'll just say this too- making the Heroine into a kid is a Cheat Code for mining sympathy.

If you don't know the Original, you won't see the story beats from it (the groundskeeper being attacked, tripping people with the rope).

Again- this Film is much more than just the same Film again.

Even so, I feel like if we just got someone like Del Toro to make an updated version of the original in its essence, it would be better.

As it is, I feel pulled between two divergent opinions- this is different and should it be?

A Film that is thankfully more than just a shinier, CGI-filled Remake. That said, it is too familiar in about every other way.

Rare Flix: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)

2026-07-22T23:30:12.210-04:00

Is it possible to scare lots of people with a simple TV Movie?

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark was, you guessed it, a TV Movie from 1973. It was made as part of a TV Movie Series for ABC.

Back before VHS, DVD and later Streaming, Movies of the Week were a big deal. Think of them like Netflix Originals, but for the bunny ears on TVs Generation.

The Plot involves a young Couple who move into a House and the Wife is drawn to a bricked up fireplace. This didn't end well for the Amityville bunch, but will it here?

She eventually learns that something was living down there and now its free. As a liberated '70s woman, however, everyone thinks that she's just nuts!

Can she solve the mystery and save, well, herself?

To find out, read on...

A young couple settle on an old House to live in while the Husband works towards a promotion.

Something about this locked room with a bricked off fireplace draws the Wife to it.

The Handyman tells her to leave things alone and that it is impossible to mess with it.

These two facts seem contradictory.

He also doesn't just explain things, so the Movie can happen.

The Movie happens, naturally, and she does open the fireplace.

After she leaves, we see a green glow and strange voices talking.

Weird stuff happens around the House, but only around her.

Her Husband thinks that she's just stressed and imagining things.

'70s Husbands were the worst!

As it turns out, she was right.

There are weird little...whatever they are that escaped.

They want her. But why?!?

They plan to go after her while the Husband is away meeting with a client.

It also seems that the creatures change sizes as they were last seen the size of a switchblade. The next time, they are as tall as trash cans.

The Wife and her Friend are at the House while he's still away.

They take the power out and put some sleeping pills (given to her by a Doctor) in the lady's coffee.

The friend gets locked outside- these guys are fast as hell!- while the Husband leaves to get the information from the Handyman.

The House was built in the 19th Century and the Man who owned it was dragged down the fireplace hole, hence it being boarded up.

Can they get there in time to save the Wife as she's being dragged away by the creatures?

Nope- it's the '70s.
People were really bleak then.

Sorry- I hope you have better luck in the Remake.

A strong, tightly focused tale of terror (with a few silly details).

It should be noted that this one was fast-tracked into Production on account of a looming Writer's Strike. It was done in just two weeks.

With that in mind, the final product is still pretty darn good.
The Plot works, making you empathize with this poor woman that nobody believes.

The main issue- the creatures.

They look odd and creepy- no question.
The look of them aside, they change in scale, their mouths don't move and we don't really know why they are doing what they are doing.

If you can accept how strange and kind of silly the creatures are, you can have a good, frightful time!

Next up, I check out a Horror Comedy that I've been putting off for ages. If you like Wolves, you're in luck, right? Stay tuned...

My Crazy Youth: The X-Men Episode With Charles Darwin!

2026-07-21T21:29:28.117-04:00

The original X-Men Cartoon is a classic.

That said, the final Season was weird for numerous reasons (that are widely available online).
All you need to know here is that a different team of Animators worked on it and whatever leftover Stories there were got used.

That's how we got the penultimate Episode of the Series called 'Descent'

With just one Episode to go before the Series Finale (which is still not great), they decided to do an entire Episode about Mr. Sinister's backstory.

Sure- why not?!?

Jack the Ripper is on the loose in 19th Century England.

On the case is James Xavier (Charles' ancestor) who says that he knows who the killer is.

Nathaniel Essex!

He tells a long flashback tale (inside of a flashback tale) about how he was friends with Essex years ago (he has no muttonchops in these Scenes) and tried to help cure his ailing wife.

Both of them met Charles Darwin as he was promoting The Origin of Species.
Essex looks up to him and wants to show off his work.

Said work turns out to be unlocking the latent powers in Mutants, which is viewed as a parlor trick.

He disappears into his work, beginning to experiment on himself (getting his white skin and powers) and his wife.

Xavier finally investigates his Asylum and finds it to be hellish.

Essex loses his Wife's affection when she sees his condition (like glowing red eyes) and he escapes.

In the Present (of the initial Flashback), we learn that he created Jack as a Mutant and he makes a getaway to America, leaving the signed book from Darwin behind.

In the actual Present, Charles Xavier wakes up (did he just see that?) and puts the book away, possibly hearing his ancestor's words about someone hunting down Sinister.

Sinister appeared in the 2-Part Opener and not again.

A weird attempt to fill in the blanks at a late hour, but I can at least appreciate the flex here.

Saban and Company had made many, many X-Men Episodes at this point. I don't fault them for wanting to try something new.

The main problems are the same ones that affect this entire Season- Production Values.
The Characters look alright, but feel like the 2nd pass (of at least 3) at the final product.

The timing and placement of this is odd too. Why do his Origin Story now of all times?
Slip it into Season 3, maybe?

Having an entire Flashback Episode with NO X-Men in it was also strange. Is there a way to tell this with a better Framing Device than 'Xavier sleeps with the Book next to him?'
There had to be.

Lastly, having a literal appearance by Charles Darwin here is very, VERY on the nose. Referencing him- sure. Having him Guest-Star- that's too much.

There's so much weird that I can't even get into the 'Mr. Sinister created Jack the Ripper' Plot! It's still not as weird as Manimal becoming a Time Traveler to stop him though!

Part of me wonders if this will ever be mentioned in X-Men '97 at some point. I doubt it!

Bail Bond: Moonraker (1979)

2026-07-20T17:05:18.725-04:00

Bond is back and he's inspired by a Galaxy Far, Far Away!

In 1977, they released The Spy Who Loved Me and the intent was to follow it up with For Your Eyes Only. That changed when Star Wars was a mega hit, staying in Theaters for over a Year straight!

That brought us Moonraker in 1979. It's one of the...Films with Sir Roger Moore in it.
Opinions are very strong about this one- there's almost no middle ground.

The Plot involves an evil billionaire who kidnaps a Space Shuttle and Bond is sent to find it. Old Enemies and new ones join forces to stop him and a new Bond Girl on their mission!

Bond travels the Globe...and beyond!

To be fair, the Film was nominated for an Oscar (it lost to Alien) and was the highest grossing Bond Film until Goldeneye.

Is it all bad...or kind of fun? To find out, read on...

In the Cold Open, two guys sneak out of hatches and steal a Space Shuttle (aka Moonraker) being transported via plane.

Speaking of planes, Bond is forced out of one in pursuit of the Pilot aka the guy with the parachute.

They have an extended fight/fall that apparently took 2 months to film!

Bond is sent to see Hugo Drax, the man who apparently paid for Moonraker's creation.

He's upset that it is missing, but his anger is as big of a facade as the establishing shot of his House.

Also, I'm just going to just put this out there- he looks like full-sized Peter Dinklage.

Bond is nearly killed by a machine that trains Astronauts for G-Forces, but escapes thanks to his wristwatch/dart launcher.

He pretends like nothing happened and seduces Drax's Pilot for information.

He also kills a would-be assassin, marking the only time that Bond fires a traditional gun in this Film.

Sadly, the Pilot did not get so lucky.

Bond goes to Venice and meets Dr. Goodhead again (she showed him the G-Force Simulator).

As it turns out, she's a CIA Agent working the same case.

So, to review, we now have 2 Bond Films in a row where the lady is a fellow Agent and both are trying to stop a mad billionaire who wants to wipe out humanity.

The best boat chase in Venice until The Last Crusade takes place and Bond shows off his one-time gondola/hovercraft.

Weird Fact: they were filming in the area when Pope Paul VI died!

Throughout the Film, Jaws has been being hired by the various villains (we must assume) to kill Bond. Now Drax hires him.

His plot to fight them on a Cable Car backfires as it crashes.

A woman saves him from the wreck and they fall in love.
And no, she does NOT have braces.

This is not AI, Mandela Effect Believers.

* Incidentally, they shot in Brazil and DO NOT SHOW us Christ the Redeemer. Is that just a modern trope to always show it in Films set in Rio De Janeiro?!? *

Bond and Goodhead reluctantly work together- Bond forget his last lady and the point of that mission, I guess- until the latter is captured by Drax in the Amazon.

Bond fights an anaconda and survives after darting it.

Both are captured, but escape onto one of Drax's Shuttles.

He's launching multiple Moonrakers to his hidden Space Station (which blocks radar and just looking up to see it).

It's at this point that the Film gets pretty damn silly as the Marines in Space Suits are shot up and a big laser fight ensues between Drax's men and the Marines!

Jaws' redemption arc is completed as he aids Bond when he learns that him and Dolly (his love) are not part of Drax's Master Race equation.

The whole thing is blown up, the duo are rescued by Marines (from an escape pod) and our Heroes must stop the last few pods full of poison that got launched to kill humanity.

For what feels like the 500th time, MI6 is surprised to see Bond having sex with his lady. The End.

A pretty fun Film that only gets really silly in Act 3.

Moonraker is not the most serious Bond Film. Even so, it never goes fully into Comedy.
It does treat Jaws like Wile E. Coyote, which is a carry over from The Spy Who Loved Me TBF.

Bond still has a quip on hand for every death.

The biggest problem- moving the Film Order around meant some obvious repetition from Spy.
As mentioned, we get a fellow lady Agent and a mad Billionaire who wants to destroy the Earth from afar (Space, not the Ocean).

To keep things 100 (do people still say that?), the finale is just plain nuts. It goes as far afield into Sci-Fi as it would get until Die Another Day. That one 'killed' the Franchise, so...you know, not a great comparison.

I still wouldn't say that it was BAD Film- just a silly one when all is said and done.

To make a modern comparison though, Jaws here approaching here in an oversized Carnivale mask is as close as Bond ever got to Liminal Horror like The Backrooms.

Next up, a 2-part crossover between a normal Review and Tubi Thursday. Let's see how the original Film made us Afraid of the Dark. Stay tuned...

Forgotten TV: The Outer Limits - 'The Tribunal'

2026-07-19T23:25:29.547-04:00

Fans of this Show sure seem to love Time Travel.

This is the 2nd highest rated Episode of the Show.

In 'The Tribunal,' the Cold Open shows Prisoners of Auschwitz during WWII.

A man- repeat Actor Alex Diakun- is amongst them, grabs an Officer's coat and runs away.
They pull out a device and vanish!

In the Present, a Lawyer- Saul Rubinek- is on his own mission.

He has found out that one of the Auschwitz Guards- Radamacher- is still around and hiding in Town.

The man denies this and now he has to bring evidence to prove this.

The man from the beginning brings him the coat, which belonged to that same man.

That evidence is not enough, since the coat is too well preserved (since it was literally taken moments earlier).

This means that the guy has to go back and get more, which means another trip with the younger version of Radamacher.

He games the system better this time- hiding the stolen evidence in a safety deposit box- and this helps Rubinek's case.

He goes to meet with the guy and sees his strange watch.

This sends him back to 1944 and he narrowly escapes thanks to the Traveler.

He pushes the case against Radamacher and then learns from the Time Traveler that this won't work, as the old man fled the Country.

This pushes Rubinek to threaten him, but then they get a better idea.

They take the old version back to 1944 and he ends up being killed by his younger self, closing the loop and pleasing The Tribunal.

As a bonus, he takes the Granddaughter (who died originally) back to the Present. The Tribunal won't mind.

A really poignant and strong Episode. It is easy to see why this is rated so highly.

Outside of the Plot, this one was personal, as the Writer lost family in the Holocaust.
The Writer actually did a version of this Plot for Quincy M.E. with another Rademacher hiding.

The Sci-Fi Element here is strong, but never takes the focus away from the Story. It is a device to allow the Story to play out and bring emotional resonance to things.

The Acting is all around quite good. No complaints there.

If I were to nitpick, the immersion in the 1944 Scene drops a bit when they just stop speaking German. It's a weird thing to do, all things considered.

That said, a strong Episode that fits the Sci-Fi Theme and is a damn good Story.
Now here's me looking at anyone who thinks that I'm being 'too mean' to the Nazis here...

Next time, a Prisoner faces a choice between Death and Science. In hindsight, the 2nd may have been a bad choice! See you then...

Tubi Thursday: The Beast Within (1982)

2026-07-16T23:34:51.754-04:00

Another Cult Classic that I've somehow missed for all these years is now checked off the list.

I guess I somehow connected it and the far more famous An American Werewolf in London.

Was I wrong to wait so long?
Let's find out!

A young(ish) couple- Ronnie Cox and Bibi Besch- are out in the backwoods heading out on their honeymoon.

When their car gets stuck, Ronnie goes for help and the dog runs off.
The Wife follows, but gets attacked and...well, you can guess, by a creature.

17 years later, they have a teenage son who is experiencing severe glandular issues.

Doctors can do little, so they decide to go back to the source (the attack) for any information.

Bringing the Son was a mistake, however, as he's possessed by some sort of creature/spirit.

He kills this old dude and then is found passed out (but healthier) by a girl.

He falls for said girl and things move quickly...until they accidentally uncover a 'treasure trove' of human remains in the bog.

That's a real mood killer.

The Parents- especially Ronnie- can't come to terms with what is happening, even as the Son gets transformed yet again and kills someone on The Second Night (with convenient James Gun Title Cards).

Why does he seem to be targeting one family?

I just can't believe that I'll come back for a Sequel to The Car.

Our Hero (is he though?) is transforming against his will and a strange growth is appearing.

Hopefully it's not Malignant.

Do you see the AW in London comparisons?

We eventually get an answer from the creepy Judge who has been lurking around the whole time.

It all has to do with a guy who was left for dead, transformed into a Monster and was able to reincarnate as the boy (via the opening bit of non-consent).

Does it make sense? Eh...

Things come full circle as the girl the Son has been wanting to get with just so happens to be out in the Forest and in the path of him.

He's fully transformed into the Titular Creature (picture a skinless chicken breast- just man sized) and, well, does what you expect.

The Son is killed, but does the reincarnation cycle continue? The End.

We are 2 for 2 on unfortunate usage of Body Doubles here.

A bleak, if well made bit of Horror with a dash of Tennessee Williams.

This one has many things going for it.
For starters, it is rife with notable names and Character Actors. You've got Cox, Besch, LQ Jones, Meshach Taylor and Boyce Holleman.

Secondly, the Script- by Tom Holland (not that one) builds nicely.
Third, the Direction by Philippe Mora is strong too. He'd make an actual Werewolf Film in 1985.

That said, the Film is mostly a Series of Scenes that *eventually* tie together, so Pacing is a bit weird. The nature of the whole thing may not be to your liking either.

Either way, it is weird, gross, oddly engaging and kinda bleak.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to tell another Incel about how I actually liked Supergirl...

A Film that has definitely earned it reputation (and a nice HD Transfer). That said, the bleak nature of it may not be your cup of tea.

Lost in Translation: Slithis (1978)

2026-07-15T21:52:21.947-04:00

A Film like (Spawn of the) Slithis is bound to have some good Covers.

It seems like Germany (based on the wording) stepped up to the plate here.

This isn't Slithis. It's...

Run, Pamela Anderson- there's a giant puppet behind you!

That or it is this fella.

Either way, this Title makes it sound like a '50s B-Movie, no?

Shudder Day: Faces of Death (2026)

2026-07-14T12:58:11.787-04:00

Well, I've already covered the original and its most famous rip-off.

Now let's check out the Meta Sequel that was 4 Decades in the making.

This is...

A woman named Margot works as a Content Moderator at a Streaming Platform a la Tik Tok (or Tic Tac if you're Trump).

She sees a video that looks real and has odd narration.

She approves it, but it soon troubled by another one appearing the next day.

As it turns out, they are real!

A weirdo is obsessed with Internet Violence Culture and is reenacting Scenes with real people.

He targets an influencer next...

Margot investigates the videos via Reddit and is told about Faces of Death.

Luckily, her weirdo roommate has a copy of it on VHS and she soon recognizes the original versions of his reenactments.

Before you ask, I don't own the Film on VHS.

The killer takes on more victims and does his own version of yet another Faces of Death Scene.

I guess that this is a World without CNN, because there's no way that this guy showing up in a 'murder video' is not news.

Margot goes deeper and deeper.

Nobody will believe her without more evidence, so she finds some.

Unfortunately, that gets the killer looking at her!

As it turns out, Margot herself was involved in this same culture.

She had an attempt at a viral video go horribly wrong.

So, if she wants to stop the killer, it's all on her!

To find out how that goes, stream it now.

A surprisingly good META Horror Sequel. I know- I wasn't expecting it either.

A Film like this can either be really good or really bad. There's almost never an in-between.
Wes Craven's New Nightmare- good.
Human Centipede 2- bad!

How you feel about this one will also be informed by how you feel about Post-Modern Slasher Films. This is close to one, albeit not one with a mystery reveal of the killer.

A Film like this could get really preachy, but they walk that line pretty well. The Film itself has much to say, but is pretty good about not pointing a finger too much.

Seeing the promotion and trailers for this left me cold, but curious.
The final product, however, was better than I'd hoped and didn't upset me as much as I expected.

A Film that is honestly kind of good and has stuff to say. Marketing this was never going to be easy, but, boy, did they botch it.

Forgotten TV: The Outer Limits - 'A Stitch in Time'

2026-07-11T20:03:35.757-04:00

Is this truly the best Episode of The Outer Limits?

This is the highest rated Episode on IMDB, with a User Rating of 8.4.

The Plot involves, as you might guess, Time Travel and a touch of casualty looping.

Let's have already gone into...

This is Season 2, Episode 1.

In the Cold Open, a woman confronts a man at his home and demands to verify his identity.
When she does, she pulls out a gun and shoots him!

This is Amanda Plummer, last seen here killing her new Husband on Tales from the Crypt.

We also follow an FBI Agent named Jamie who is celebrating (sort of) the upcoming execution of a killer who she put away.
Sadly, she put him away AFTER her best friend was killed by him.

She's working on a strange case involving 17 men killed by the same gun...across 30 years!

We soon find out the truth about what is going on.

Plummer can time travel via sort of logical nonsense and covers her tracks, wiping her clues from the crime scene in the beginning.

Afterwards, the killer on Death Row lays out *exactly* what he did before his first kill (to the day!) and she uses that info to kill him first!

This act undoes Jamie's friend's death, of course.

The strain is getting too much for her, since she retains memories of the past timeline AND the new one. Imagine that, but 17 times over!

Jamie figures out that she is up to something and confronts her, whereupon Plummer reveals her time machine.
She's going to finally go back and save for herself from a creepy kidnapper.

Jamie can't stop her, so she follows her.

In 1976, Plummer manages to save herself and let Jamie kill the guy before he does anything terrible.

However, she can't save her CURRENT self (time travel is confusing) and her older body is left in the past.

Please ignore that Plot Point as we see that this undoes ALL of Plummer's killings (her motivation to do them taken away) and Jamie's friend is dead again.

She is sad and confronts a happier Plummer, who apparently lets her use the Machine to kill the bad guy yet again!

The End.

A really strong premise that nearly gets the focus it deserves.

This one is good- no question.
The only issue here for me is that the focus is rarely on the actual killings done by Plummer. Seeing her do more than 2 would have been nice.

That said, there would be less time for Jamie and her Plot, so...alright.

It would also have been a fun wrinkle to actually begin with Jamie meeting with the happier Plummer and being greeted by her line 'I know you. You're the one that saved me.'
Tell everything else in order and you have a weird, but interesting hook IMHO.

The strongest parts are where it really touches upon the difference between Justice and Vengeance, Correlation vs Causation and Do 17 wrongs make a right?

I've seen far worse Time Travel tales.
Interestingly, the Writer- Steven Barnes- wrote 3 Episodes of the Show and one was the 4th lowest rated one. Here he is with the 1st Rated one now.

Speaking of other Episodes, this one got a Sequel...4 Seasons later?!?

Next time, we jump to Season 5 for a tale involving Nazis. It's sad how topical that subject is in 2026. See you then...

Forgotten Sequels: Piranha 2- The Spawning

2026-07-10T12:31:03.603-04:00

Everyone has to start somewhere in any Industry.
In this case, it is James Cameron getting his first gig as a Director on today's Film- Piranha 2: The Spawning, the 1981 Sequel to the Cult Classic.

There are many caveats here, but I'll get to that.

This is a Sequel made in Italy by a man named Ovidio G. Assonitis. And yes, that is his real last name.
He Produced many Films that only true connoisseurs of foreign nonsense have seen and sometimes love like Beyond the Door, Tentacles and The Iron Warrior.

In this case, he needed an American name on his Sequel (to a Film that he didn't make) and ultimately settled on James Cameron, fresh off working on Roger Corman's Productions.

The Plot involves those damn Piranhas back for more in a Plot that actually mirrors some future Jurassic Park Films.

Is this Euro Trash with an American Title? To find out, read on...

My version has a different Subtitle.

A Cold Open (literally) has a Couple diving down to have sex in a shipwreck. Take note, Kash Patel!
They die.

The nearby Island is full of Tourists and overseen by a single Sheriff/Law Figure- Lance Henriksen.

There's a Jaws-like Mayor figure in the form of the Resort Owner.

He does all of the usual stuff you'd expect.

Our Heroine- who would reunite with Cameron for Titanic- is the Diving Instructor/Tour Guide.

She's this Film's Hooper, but she's also the ex-Wife of Henriksen (this Film's Brody).
As a bonus, their Son is in peril for the climax, giving us a taste of Jaws 2.

While this is officially directed by Cameron, he only claims credit for 2 Scenes.

In the first one, the guy who kept hitting on 'Hooper' goes with her to check out the body of a victim.

They used a real Morgue btw!

They are chased off by a Local Worker, who sticks around with the corpse uncovered long enough for one of the Piranha to fly out of an open wound!

We later learn from the guy above that they were crossbred with a bunch of other species as some sort of military weapon (or something), but escaped.

Yes, this is oddly similar to Jurassic World in that regard.

One of the Fishermen- Gabby- finds his son killed by one of the Piranhas.

He plans revenge, using the dynamite that he and the son were fishing with when Lance first met them.

That night, all of the warnings are ignored and the beach is opened...but at night.

The Tourists act out a ritual where they march to the Sea...and the Piranhas fly at them, killing many!

Gabby shows up after the survivors are behind a door and plans his revenge...only to be killed instantly.

My...arc...was pointless.

The Son and a girl he likes snuck away earlier, setting up the Jaws 2 bit I mentioned.

In the other bit that Cameron Directed, Lance finds them in his Helicopter and, instead of landing, jumps out and it explodes.

Helicopters famously explode upon contact with water.

They take a boat to get away as 'Hooper' and the guy try to set up bombs made by Gabby to blow up the eggs in the wreck.

The guy is killed by the fish- as Story Law demands- and they save the day via a giant explosion.

The End (until the 1995 Remake).

A pretty forgettable 'Sequel,' save for a few minutes throughout.

This one was supposedly going to try and get Kevin McCarthy to make a Cameo as his Piranha character and die off. That never happened.

What we're left with is a Film that very, very much feels like an Italian Monster Movie.
It has all of the benchmarks, including much superfluous nudity and sleazy people.

There is also LOTS of stuff ripped off of/inspired by Jaws, which is pretty damn common in Italian Cinema between 1976 and 1996.

The FX work also led to what made the Face Huggers in Cameron's Aliens, so some good came of this.

I'd love to say more about this being a 'hidden gem' or something, but...nah.
It has some moments, at least.

Speaking of moments, now is the right one to bring this back...

Next time, Roger Moore is back in his (arguably) most maligned Bond Film. Is this Sci-Fi premise too much for the Series? Stay tuned...