VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) on Demand This Week
This week’s VOD lineup spans Italian drama, Serbian horror, and a Japanese‑inspired MMA story, with most titles earning middling grades. Brian Austin Green’s counterfeit‑currency thriller "Golden" and Billy Zane’s meta‑horror "Int. Hallway / Night" both receive C‑range scores for weak narratives. The Serbian anthology "Videotheque" and Takashi Miike’s "Blazing Fists" land C grades, while the Italian erotic drama "Blue" stands out with a B‑ for its stylish execution. Collectively, the slate illustrates the flood of low‑budget, internationally sourced content crowding digital shelves.
Larry Cohen Made a Grindhouse Vertigo with the Sleazy Noir Special Effects
Larry Cohen’s 1984 film *Special Effects* offers a grimy, low‑budget reinterpretation of Hitchcock’s *Vertigo*, swapping De Palma’s sleek style for grindhouse sleaze. The story follows a deranged director who murders an aspiring actress and then turns her death into a movie,...
VODepths: What to See (and Avoid) on Demand This Week
This week’s VOD lineup showcases a mix of low‑budget genre experiments and internationally‑styled action. Jonas Odenheimer’s NFT‑themed horror Cursed Images stalls after a lengthy crypto infomercial, while Elina Psykou’s documentary Stray Bodies follows European women chasing restricted medical procedures across...
Aging Outlaws With Aching Joints: Robin and Marian at 50
Robin and Marian (1970) reunites Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn as aging outlaws confronting love and mortality after two decades apart. The film blends gritty action, humor, and melancholy, highlighting the physical toll of battle on veteran heroes. Connery delivers...
Harvey’s Hellhole: Il Postino (The Postman)
Harvey Weinstein aggressively positioned the Italian romance Il Postino for Oscar glory in 1996, expanding its theatrical run and launching a high‑profile awards campaign. The film earned over $21 million domestically, secured five Academy Award nominations—including Best Picture—and won Best Original Score....
Review: Pompei: Below the Clouds
Gianfranco Rosi’s new black‑and‑white documentary *Pompei: Below the Clouds* offers a poetic, narration‑free portrait of life in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. The film juxtaposes serene daily routines with the ever‑present threat of volcanic eruption, using stark imagery and ambient...
A Matter of Time: L.A. Confidential and the Art of Aging Well
L.A. Confidential, Curtis Hanson’s 1997 neo‑noir thriller, earned nine Oscar nominations but only two wins, losing Best Picture to Titanic. While critics’ groups crowned it Best Picture across major cities, the film has outlasted many contemporaries, becoming a benchmark for...
Review: Scream 7
*Scream 7* returns with original creator Kevin Williamson at the helm, yet critics say it lacks the sharp wit of earlier installments. The film leans on new cast members and forced references to past characters, but delivers weak kills and overused...