Author: Mark Salcido

It’s 2020 and Marvel is looking to dominate the pop culture zeitgeist with their slew of entertainment news and releases. At last year’s D23, Marvel showcased a ton of new shows that are in the works and planned for a release on Disney’s streaming service that got fans and non-fans hyped. She-Hulk, Loki, The Falcon, and The Winter Soldier, and Wandavision. One of the shows that personally caught me off guard was the soon to be produced show, Ms. Marvel – featuring Khamala Khan. The first Muslim superhero from Marvel Comics, Khamala Khan has garnered a lot of fans since…

Most of my knowledge of H.P Lovecraft is second hand from colleagues and certain memes that are of the Cthulhu variety. However, I do understand the influence that the weird and horror fiction writer has left upon this world. Many creative minds like John Carpenter, Stephen King, and Guillermo Del Toro have cited the author’s work as inspiration into some of their most memorable creations. That’s one reason that piqued my interest in checking out the movie, Color Out of Space. The other is writer/director Richard Stanley. Color Out of Space is the second feature film from Stanley since his…

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been considered one of the most anticipated movies of 2019. Star Wars: The Last Jedi had set a course into new territory with the franchise and a tidal wave backlash was followed by the people who call themselves “Star Wars fans”. The franchise has certainly had its ups and downs, but this new direction was created to bring this story back to its glory days before becoming the laughingstock (cough, cough, prequels) of the movie industry.  Sure the animated series, The Clone Wars, was able to limp the franchise over the years, but…

If you type in “Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Theories” you will probably find yourself falling into and slowly be devoured by the stomach acid of the internet’s Sarlacc Pit. There’s probably a clone of the Emperor down there as well. So, why not add another theory on top of the canon fonder of Storm and First Order troopers. Many people have stated that the current trilogy has no direction but I would argue that isn’t entirely true. The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi have been leading up to an ultimate conclusion for the Skywalker Legacy and I…

Say what you will about Rian Johnson and his take on the Star Wars franchise, the guy gets the craft of filmmaking. The director has been making a name for himself since his 2005’s film Brick and people around Hollywood want to work with the man. Knives Out is Johnson’s return to his routes of showcasing colorful characters and lively direction that is flashy and pushes the limit of compelling storytelling. Some of those things that I mention can work at times during the movie, however, it seems like Johnson might have taken a few missteps when trying to emulate…

Stephen King’s The Shining is a classic novel. It goes without saying but I did so to get this review started. What is equally a classic is Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film version of the psychological horror story that is still being discovered by new cinephiles to this day. It’s no secret that the King considers Kubrick’s vision of his novel an insult but through some major convincing from director Mike Flanagan, the sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep, was put into production. I’m a fan of King’s and Kubrick’s work of the sequel’s predecessor, so my curiosity was peaked when…

Takaki Waititi is one of those guys that gets the joys of filmmaking. The director, writer, actor, and sometimes mocap wearer made his start with short films and few indie movies. The guy was offered a chance to prove himself to Marvel and the masses when given a chance to bring the Thor franchise from the brink of early death. Yet, Waititi turned the franchise around, and to some extent, made Thor: Ragnarök one of Marvel’s best installments—even Quentin Tarantino likes the movie. Having proved himself to Hollywood, Waititi was given—what some directors have taken decades to achieve—a chance to…

Todd Phillips’s Joker has been hitting every branch falling down the news tree. Information about the film had been steadily released online for so long that you swore the movie had already been released in theaters, at home, and already working on the third sequel. The character that the film is based on has a had long history of news well before Phillips’s even tinker with the idea of tackling the character and it hasn’t always been positive. The legacy of Batman’s arch-nemesis has faced wins and lose and recently stirred up quite a bit of controversy because of the…

Ridley Scott’s Alien has been called a masterpiece in the horror genre and the world of cinema. Scott’s collaboration with H. R. Geiger, Ron Cobb, Dan O’Bannon, Sigourney Weaver and many of the other cast members brought to life a cultural impact that is rarely done. The film kicked started a series of sequels, comics, novels, art, and obsession that has lasted—and will continue—for many generations. Different filmmakers from all walks of life have said that these movies have given the inspiration and jumpstart to a career in the film industry. The 40th anniversary of Scott’s classic occurred this year…

Bruce Campbell is a legend among horror and cult film enthusiast. The man has had a long career that spans through the decades and his fanbase has been him following along the way since he swung an ax to kill some Deadites in Evil Dead. The Sam Raimi directed film has been seen a classic over the years and has warranted sequels, comics, video games, a remake, and even a TV series on Starz. Some of the levels of popularity towards the film can be contributed to Campbell’s great acting and comedic timing. Though the actor has popped in other…