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Reviews
Tales from the Darkside: Distant Signals (1985)
Tales From the Darkside goes sentimental and it works beautifully!
It may sound like I'm being facetious, but 'Distant Signals' is honestly one of the most touching pieces of entertainment I have ever encountered. To be fair, there is probably a lot of subjectivity at play, but whatever chord this episode strikes in me is astoundingly potent for a low budget horror anthology show of the 1980s. It all starts with a wonderfully whimsical premise. A "visitor" from far, far away (only referred to as Mr. Smith) comes to town to track down the men behind a long-since-canceled television program, which his "people" lovingly adore and wish to see put back into production to conclude the cliff-hanging story of it's hero, Max Paradise. The original short story by Andrew Weiner is a wonderful work of it's own, but it translates beautifully to the screen here and becomes all the more intoxicating for it. The fairy tale-esque atmospherics, the enchantingly gloomy bits of black and white photography, the dreamy trumpets swirling away in the background, the hauntingly earnest portrayal of Max Paradise by the great Darren McGavin, and the oddball mystique of "Mr Smith", all add up into something truly heart-warming that pushes the viewer's nostalgia button in the most loving way possible. I've watched this episode again and again for years, and I never fail to get goosebumps and a big fat smile on my face every time. I urge you to sit back, put down your smart phone for 20 minutes, and allow this episode to wash over you :)
Lovely Molly (2011)
Gets under your skin
OK, so I know the reviews for this one have been pretty mixed, but for fans of psychological horror that don't mind an ambiguous story line, I highly recommend Lovely Molly. As a massive horror enthusiast who sees EVERYTHING, I can tell you there are only a few films per year that have the ability to get under my skin, and this is one of them. Although not a particularly sadistic or violent film, Molly's (newcomer Gretchen Lodge) descent into depravity is entirely convincing in a very realistic and unpleasant manor. Her back story is left intentionally vague, which makes the proceedings much more horrific. As horror fans we all know the downfall of over exposition...once we know exactly whats going on it's just not scary anymore. To say much more about the story could hinder one's viewing experience but I will say to make sure you CRANK your surround system or watch with headphones because the sound design is a vital part of the film. Many scenes feature sonic subtleties which could easily be missed, and constant attention to detail (take note of the crackle heard every time Molly drags a cigarette). So anyways, Lovely Molly has my vote for one of the year's best in horror, and I can't wait to see what's next for both Sanchez and Lodge.