Author: Matt Conway

Halloween today is remembered as an iconic horror franchise, but what many don’t realize is that most of the sequels to the iconic original are quite bad. While the Rob Zombie remakes have a cult following, all of the Halloween sequels are currently “rotten” on Rotten Tomatoes, showing just how difficult it is to have lightning strike twice. Instead of entering the rabbit hole of mythology that the sequels developed, this Halloween reboot starts from scratch as a direct sequel to the original. Set 40 years after the original, the film follows Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) as she continues to deal with the post-traumatic…

The Fall movie season is a time of celebration for film fans, as Oscar season kicks-off with a steady number of award-worthy films. With many films debuting this past month at the different film festivals, I sat down with film critic at The Fantastic Film Fans and awards pundit Jason Osiason, who previously won Gold Derby’s famed Oscar pool back in 2016. If there is anyone who would have a pulse on this year’s Oscar races, it would be him. Much of the early year talk fixated on Black Panther and its possible Oscar chances, do you think that talk is…

Drew Goddard may not be a household name to all audiences, but his talent is certainly deserving of such recognition. From his sharp scripts like The Martian and Netflix’s Daredevil series to his outstanding directorial debut The Cabin in the Woods, Goddard has proven himself as one of the sharpest and most unique voices in the industry. His latest writing and directing project Bad Times at the El Royale continues Goddard’s trend of inspired projects. Set in 1968, the film follows several strangers who check in at the El Royale, a hotel that is located in-between California and Nevada. Over the course of a night, the strangers and…

The western genre is one of the most tride and true in the industry, with the few films released often not straying far from the beaten path. The Sisters Brothers on the other hand,which is Jacques Audiard’s English film debut, moves to the beat of its own drum, helping to create one of the year’s most surprisingly moving and accomplished films. Eli (John C. Riley) and Charlie (Joaquin Pheonix) are brothers who have worked as assassins much of their lives. The duo are chasing after a gold prospector (Riz Ahmed) with the aid of a scout (Jake Gyllenhaal), but when their plan…

A Star is Born is a timeless tale, mainly since it’s been remade several times throughout film history. This time, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga take center stage as the respective music stars, with Cooper also making his directorial debut behind the camera. Not only does the film work, but it’s one of the most accomplished and emotionally profound films of the year so far. Cooper stars as Jack, a rugged and famed musician who goes through his days in a drunken stupor. When he stumbles upon Ally (Gaga), a remarkable gifted signer, the duo grow attached as Ally rises…

Suicide Squad is one of the most bizarre superhero films of the decade, as it was both simultaneously a massive success and failure. This quagmire makes Suicide Squad 2 an even harder proposition, as DC is stuck deciding whether to make a film that will appeal to the fans of the first or change it up and try to appeal to critics. Well it appears they may have a name that could change their brand in a big way, and it will likely upset Marvel Cinematic Universe fans a great deal. Former Guardians of the Galaxy director, James Gunn. Gunn is currently in…

Clint Eastwood, despite nearing the age of 90, continues to be an active filmmaker today. His results however, have been a decidedly mixed bag. While he’s had some success, Oscar bait flops like J Edgar and bizarre misfires like 15:17 To Paris have been a more accurate representation of his current career arc. Even though 15:17 came out earlier this year, Eastwood is back with another film, this time featuring him in the staring role. Entitled The Mule, Eastwood’s latest will be sneaking in at the end of the year as a late Oscar push for the legendary talent. Check out the film’s first trailer, along with an…

With the supernatural being the focus of most mainstream horror films, the slasher genre has seemingly vanished in cinemas today. Aside from the upcoming Halloween remake, most studios will not green light a slasher film today, with their grisly content often being viewed as alienating to some audiences. Trying to resurrect the once proud genre is Hell Fest, a throwback inspired by the 80’s heyday of the genre. Perhaps inspired is the wrong word though, as very little of the film’s actual execution has much in terms of effort or originality. The film follows a group of friends who attend a horror-related theme…

It may have a minor group of fans, but I believe most would agree that Suicide Squad was hot garbage. Disjointed and unprecedented in just how juvenile its execution is, it easily ranks among the worst superhero outings we have seen in recent memory. That being said, the DC film made a boat load of money, with a sequel and spin-off already in the works. While Suicide Squad 2 has yet to be given a release date, the director of the original David Ayer recently chose to reflect about the process on Twitter via fan questions. When asked about The Joker’s “damaged” tattoo, Ayer…

After all the hype and controversy, it’s exciting to know that the Venom movie will finally be hitting theaters this weekend. After a mixed bag of trailers, a disappointing PG-13 rating, and even an Eminem song, there is a lot to be skeptical about heading into the theaters this weekend even with that initial excitement. Well it appears there is even more news that could make fans apprehensive. Venom’s star Tom Hardy recently revealed that 40 minutes have been edited out of the film’s final cut. Here’s Hardy’s explanation on some of the content he enjoyed that didn’t make it into the film. “Things that…