THE DANMAN CAN

"In 22 seconds, I could break your fucking spine. In 22 seconds, I could pinch your head off like a fucking insect and spin it all over the fucking pavement. In 22 seconds, I could put 22 bullets inside your ridiculous gut. What I seem unable to do in 22 seconds is to keep you from fucking up my film!"

R.I.P.  Sam Kieth  (January 11, 1963 – March 15, 2026), my favorite comic book artist, responsible for my favorite comic book,  The Maxx  (later an animated series on MTV). I was so taken by Sam's art that I had a page from the first issue of The Maxx  tattooed on my back (by the also insanely talented Cory Kruger, who did my entire backpiece; pictured below). Sam wrote and/or illustrated many, many other comics as well, all worthwhile, and I have no doubt in my mind that I missed something from my collection in the images below.  Kieth had a one-of-a-kind (and instantly recognizable) voice and style, often blending techniques and media in ways that no other comic artist did. His work ran the gamut from child-like sketches to beautifully painted fine art, and his stories were deeply human and characters deeply (often endearingly) flawed. You'll be missed, Sam .

Another perfectly serviceable, entertaining film by Radio Silence , purveyors of perfectly serviceable, entertaining films. Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come (2026)* includes some fun (if a few underutilized) additions to the cast and some creative kills, but it's a touch longer than it needs to be and I wish the visual style was a little more distinctive. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett Feature Films Ranked *The title card for the film does not include the "2" and, personally, I think it's better without it (also, it's not necessary).

Liquid Sky   (1982) is a truly bizarre, unique, and highly influential cult film. I first saw it when I was 13 or 14 years old and it left a definite impression. If you love weird, transgressive cinema,  Liquid Sky  delivers one of a kind neon thrills with its blend of amateur acting (including brilliant dual androgynous performances by  Anne Carlisle ), early '80s NYC backdrop, Punk/New Wave fashion, a squonky/eerie  Fairlight CMI  score, and experimental style. I loved screening this for an unexpecting audience!

Perhaps it's the surreal and fantastical elements or his lack of shying away from occasional dark moments that set  Nobuhiko Obayashi 's films apart, but in another director's hands the same stories would feel overly sentimental. No one captures the qualities of youth (excitement, confusion, embarrassment, sincerity, melodrama, love, heartbreak) in the way that he does. The Girl That Leapt Through Time (1983) is a beautiful motion picture filled with Obayashi's visual flair. 🎶The idiot pear takes 18 years🎶 Nobuhiko Obayashi Feature Films Ranked

"I don't take my skates off." "It, it kicks. It, it turns. It curls up your belly. Makes you wanna freaky deaky, right?" "Those are really cool. Are they lizard?" "No, they're Italian." "This is the film I want them to remember me by." Paul Thomas Anderson Feature Films Ranked Top 20 Directors

"The sky is sure full of stars tonight." David Lynch Feature Films Ranked Top 20 Directors

I appreciate its ideas, its audacity, and its production design, but The Bride! (2026) could have used better editing, a shorter running time, and wow, what a schizophrenic film (reminded me a lot of 2013's  Gangster Squad   [ review ]).

A simple, unadulterated genre exercise featuring believable performances (most notably  J.T. Walsh  in the final role released during his lifetime), taut direction, a rich score by  Basil Poledouris , and a whopper of a finale,  Jonathan Mostow 's road thriller  Breakdown   (1997) is about 90 minutes of just pure tit (IYKYK).  Recommended for fans of  The Hitcher  (1986) [ review ],  Duel  (1971) [ review ], and  Hitch-Hike   (1977) [ review ].

Slays. John Boorman Feature Films Ranked

And ya don't stop

"Sloppy with your drink." Michael Crichton Films Ranked

Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story Of Cannon Films (2014) is a really fun documentary about the infamous  Cannon Group  that paints a picture of what sounded like a truly unhinged time in cinema history. Several of the films discussed were shown at Weirdo Wednesday  during its  Luna Theater  run, so it was fitting to screen this for Freakout Friday at  The Owl Theatre . Can anyone tell me why 1986's  Cobra  (one of Cannon's best films, in my opinion) wasn't even mentioned though? If you'd like to hear more about documentaries shown at WW, take a listen to Episode Ten of the podcast that I cohost with   Uncle Spooky  and  Lil Spooky .

It's hard to believe that the  Scream   franchise is 30 years old this year and that I've seen every single film in the series in its original theatrical run. I find it humorous the way fans rate/rank some of the films so  much higher than others, and the reasons they point to as to why one film is superior to another just make me chuckle. I guess that's because I think this series is just fine—outside of 1997's  Scream 2 , I don't really love any of them—so my expectations are always firmly kept in check. Anyway, I had fun with  Scream 7   (2026). You can find my reviews of the previous  Scream  films here:  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 , 6 Scream  Franchise Films Ranked

Ah,  Re-Animator  (1985), a classic that never gets old. I first saw it at the way-too-young age of 12 or 13 and I've loved it ever since. I've seen (and owned) it on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, and now 4K UHD. I've seen it badly projected in a conference room at  Rock And Shock . I've seen it well-projected at the  Luna Theater . The 4K UHD release by Ignite Films features an absolutely beautiful transfer. Stuart Gordon 's splatter masterpiece has it all—camp, comedy, and gore galore, plus an indelible performance by  Jeffrey Combs , who gets most of the memorable lines (and delivers them with aplomb). In my opinion, it belongs on everyone's Top 10 Horror list (it's on  mine ). Stuart Gordon Films Ranked

Greetings  Weirdos ! The beloved  Lil Spooky  makes a return to join  Uncle Spooky  and  Demented Danman  as they dive into the strange world of documentaries.  Listen to  Weirdo Wednesday Podcast : Episode Ten  here .     Let us know what topics/films you'd like to hear us talk about!  Follow us  on your favorite streaming platform and on  Instagram . We love feedback and positive reviews too. Don't forget that  Weirdo Wednesday  takes place every Wednesday evening at  Cinema Salem  in Salem, MA at 7:30 PM (tickets  here ). Dates for winter/spring 2026 FFs at  The Owl Theatre  in Lowell, MA are listed below (tickets  here ). Come get Weird with us in both Salem and Lowell! And don't forget to follow Cinema Obscura Salem ( FB  |  IG  |  Submissions ) for updates on the upcoming film fest (April 25th)! WW Podcast Themes  by...

Look lively, you barbecued slab of pork.

"I don't want a cookie." "I can't do the reporting for my reporters, which means I have to trust them. And I hate trusting anybody." "It's a non-denial denial." The benchmark for slow burn political conspiracy thrillers.

"Medusa will always lead you to my kingdom." A truly bizarre, hilarious, schizophrenic, and sexually charged adaptation. It feels like  Argento  is channeling  Gilliam  and  Jeunet  &  Caro  here. Overall, one of Dario's weaker films, filled with some pretty goofy imagery and poor CGI, though the cinematography is nice and honestly its more gonzo elements are part of its charm. The Phantom Of The Opera (1998) has other enjoyable aspects as well—including the lead performances by Julian Sands and Asia Argento , fun gore gags, and a good  Ennio Morricone  score. Dario Argento Films   Ranked Top 20 Directors

It was interesting to rewatch La La Land  (2016) after having now seen The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg   (1964) [ review ], so I could spot all the parallels and references. Though it drags a bit occasionally, I get swept up in the emotions, the colors, and the choreography every time I revisit the film. I still think that the singing musical numbers are the weakest part of the movie, but most everything else is pure gold (particularly the impressive cinematography). There's great chemistry between the leads and the ending is perfect. Damien Chazelle Feature Films Ranked

I really appreciate that  Brian Yuzna  went in a different direction for 1993's  Return Of The Living Dead III  (especially after revisiting  Return Of The Living Dead Part II  (1988) [ review ] a few years ago and being underwhelmed). Its low budget roots show in some of the action scenes and a few of the cheap effects shots, but the gore and makeup on the whole are great. Yuzna brings familiar elements from  Re-Animator  (1985) [ review ] (which he produced) and  Bride Of Re-Animator   (1990) (which he co-wrote and directed) to  ROTLD3  that suit this  Romeo And Juliet  zombie tale well. The comedy is dialed back and the melodrama is turned way up and it works.  Melinda Clarke  really sells her role—you can tell she understood the trauma of the Julie character and she's a total babe.  ROTLD3  only has tangential connections to the original  1985 film  [ review ] and is of...

"Dead sure or dead." The Mechanic (1972) is an economical thriller in satisfying '70s fashion. It's got a superb opening (almost 16 minutes before  Charles Bronson  utters a line of dialogue), assured direction by  Michael Winner  (who directed Bronson in three Death Wish films), an awesome score by Jerry Fielding , and an exciting, action-packed finale (plus a whopper of an ending). Unfortunately, much of the acting (and dubbing) is underwhelming, but it's well lensed and it's a very good, very entertaining film. Michael Winner Feature Films Ranked

Jonathan Demme 's  Married To The Mob  (1988) is one of those '80s comedies that doesn't take itself too seriously and isn't too deep but also isn't dumbed down to the lowest denominator. It's just a fun, cute gangster farce/screwball comedy in the vein of  Some Like It Hot  (1959) ( review ). Mob  has a strong cast featuring a lot of name and character actors in roles of various sizes.  Michelle Pfeiffer  is a joy as Angela, the vulnerable widower of a mafia man who just wants to start over with a normal, honest life.  Dean Stockwell  is charmingly sleazy as over-amorous mob boss Tony "The Tiger" Russo who pursues Angela, despite his territorial wife Connie (wonderfully played by  Mercedes Ruehl ) threatening both of them. Matthew Modine  is genuinely affable as an earnest FBI agent, keeping tabs on Pfeiffer and (naturally) falling in love with her. The score by  David Byrne  is very non-intrusive and the  ...