// Category Archive for: Current Faves

Music Review: Alain Goraguer, La Planète Sauvage (Fantastic Planet) Original Soundtrack

By Noreen Sobczyk

OK, full disclosure: as a sort of sommelier of the strange, I’m embarrassed to say I had never seen La Planète Sauvage (a.k.a. Fantastic Planet) until recently. But never fear, because this should prove to even the most jaded, freaky, boogie children that it’s never too late to discover something mind blowingly cool. If you haven’t seen this gorgeously animated Science Fiction philosophical allegory, seek it out immediately. Do not pass go; do not collect 200 dollars.

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Blu-Ray Review: The Death Kiss

By Brad Henderson

I feel privileged to watch The Death Kiss. Kino Lorber is awesome for putting together this transfer and working with the Library Of Congress to give this film the best release it has ever had and a full-on 35mm restoration. Wow.

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DVD Review: Evils Of The Night

By Brad Henderson

Mardi Rustam directed Evil Town, a film that I’ve loved since I was little. Until a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t know this director did anything else. Then Gorgon Video decided to lay down the law with their new release Evils Of The Night.

I knew something in my life wasn’t right. I knew I was missing some weird, key component to happiness. I now know that Evils Of The Night is the one thing that completes me.

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Blu-Ray Review: Ragnarok

By Brad Henderson

Norwegian cinema has yet to disappointment me. They’ve caught my attention with horror films such as Manhunt, the Cold Prey series, Dead Snow, Trollhunter, Bitter Flowers, Dark Souls, and a few others. Last year at Fantastic Fest a little film called Ragnarok was announced and all I knew about it going in was that it was from Norway. Nothing else mattered.

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Music Review: Brian Altano, Misanthrope

By Tyler Hodg

Lyrics are often the easiest way for a listener to develop a connection to a song. They can be manipulated to convey whatever meaning you desire and can bring a new perspective to the notes that they accompany. Brian Altano (IGN, The Comedy Button) defied the importance of lyrics to create an instrumental album that explores the notion that words aren’t the only way to make music a personable and thought-provoking experience. The result is Misanthrope, and it’s truly a remarkable ride.

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Music Review: Various Artists, An Americana Christmas

By Melissa Bratcher

The worst Christmas song I’ve ever heard that isn’t “The Christmas Shoes” is its glurgy precursor, Red Sovine’s “Is There Really A Santa Claus?” I heard the song on a country Christmas compilation I picked up at a flea market for a buck. In it, a widower (dead mom alert!) who has been very cross with his children on Christmas Eve (telling them there was no Santa Claus, that jerk) realizes the error of his ways and goes out to get them presents, hoping the stores haven’t closed. He gets hit by a car. The kids’ presents? Delivered by . . . Santa. The song is jawdroppingly awful, yet awesome.

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Music Review: TV Eyes, TV Eyes (Reissue)

By Less Lee Moore

Fans of Jellyfish and Redd Kross will already know about TV Eyes but what about the uninitiated? That’s who really needs to read this review.

The storied history and devoted fanbase of both groups would take at least two books to describe fully (someone get on that please, by the way), but you may be familiar with three names from those bands: Roger Joseph Manning, Jr.; Jason Falkner; and Brian Reitzell.

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Music Review: Wand, Ganglion Reef

By Less Lee Moore

Fans of psychedelic music are lucky to be alive during the glory days of its resurgence. There are a lot of great bands out there doing inventive things with psych rock and one of these is Wand, whose debut Ganglion Reef should make several Top Ten lists this year.

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DVD Review: The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story

By Brad Henderson

These days, made-for-TV movies are not good. I don’t want that to sound like an insult but it’s just how I feel and many others feel the same way. Back in the 1970s and ‘80s there were a ton of made-for-TV films and they were fantastic. Sadly, that time has passed and now we are left with some awful films, the majority of which come from Lifetime.

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Blu-Ray Review: Shock Waves

By Brad Henderson

When I started watching all the zombie films I could get my hands, I stumbled into the realm of Nazi zombies, a.k.a. Nazisploitation. I started with Zombie Lake (which looked great but is not a good film) and then I watched Oasis Of The Zombies (I’m thankful I didn’t slit my wrists during that viewing). Needless to say, when Shock Waves came into my hands I looked away, rolled my eyes, and took a step back. After a year or so, I finally gave it a shot because I found out Ken Wiederhorn directed it and I loved Return Of The Living Dead Part 2, Meatballs 2, Eyes Of A Stranger, and a lesser-known film called Dark Tower.

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