Best Hauntings to Some

     This week October comes early as we watch three ghoulish offerings for Spooky Season.

     Jimmy Bones was murdered and buried in the basement of his house. A house left abandoned as the neighborhood he loved rotted with it. Twenty-two years later a group of unexpected young entrepreneurs take the property and release Jimmy's vengeful spirit on those who betrayed him long ago. Ernest Dickerson's campy social commentating love letter to 70s blaxploitation, Bones.
     Single mother Carla Moran is repeatedly violently raped by an invisible assailant. Finding no help from psychiatrist Dr. Sneiderman, who believes her trauma is the cause of these events, Carla accepts extremes to escape her horrific situation. Sidney J. Furie's modern gothic parable of cultural female sexual victimization and repression, The Entity.
     A young nursing student goes to visit her grandparents before graduation. There she learns an awful truth and must decide if she will perpetuate this cycle or break it no matter the cost to her family and herself. An incredible debut feature from Yûta Shimotsu, Best Wishes to All (original Japanese title:みなに幸あれ Romanized: Mina no ko are).
     All that and Tyler learns to love American Football, Kevin takes a moment to prepare for OHC, and Dave does literally nothing. Join us, won't you?
   Episode 432- Best Hauntings to Some

West of Temptation and Power

     Bringing February to an end with a four pack of African-American directed films. 

     The film that finally gave Denzel Washington his long overdue Oscar. A film that launched a thousand cheap imitators to dominate the decade's award bait genres. Birthing AFI's 50th Greatest Screen Villain and so far two different TV continuations. Antoine Fuqua's turn of the Century crime classic- Training Day

     Previously only known for his cinematography, Ernest Dickerson slid in with a masterful assurance to deliver a standout feature at the height of the 90s urban crime wave. Starring Tupac Shakur, in only his second film role (his first being a cameo with Digital Underground in Nothing But Trouble the year before) just before the release of his landmark second album, and Omar Epps, in his film debut. Tired of being pushed around and desperate for respect, Bishop talks his friends into robbing a corner store. It all goes very wrong from there but one might still get some Juice.
     One of the most unique vampire films ever made. A minister in training finds himself at a crossroads and visits his friend in New York City. Little does he expect to be brought straight into the sights of the forces of Hell. With Temptation breathing down his neck, can his friends pull him out of its clutches or will they all be Def by Temptation. 

     A western that uses all the genre's features with the laudable goal to bring the focus on real African-American cowboys (who made up between 20-25%, Mexican vaquero accounted for 33%... 30% of Texas settlers were African-American). Tragically, it doesn't quite reach it's target. A large ensemble cast leaves too many with nothing to do and no impact on the narrative or audience. It's determined drive to try and get it's fictional hero a place among the best known Old West folk heroes leaves a lot to be desired. Mario Van Peebles' valiant but messy Posse.  
     All that and Kevin feels the feels he feels, Tyler might be cooking up something in a wheeled kitchen, and Dave has an honest heart to heart with all writers out there. Join us, won't you?

Episode 194- West of Temptation and Power

Bye Demon

      A pair of comedy classics to chill with.

      One of the most successful anthology series in television history makes the jump to features. Jeryline is just trying to get through work release when one day a drifter barges into her church turned flophouse with The Collector hot on his heels. Soon everyone there will be facing the forces of darkness and fighting for their souls, desperately trying to hold out until sunrise. Will anyone survive Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight?
     Craig Jones, recently fired on his day off, spends the day hanging around the neighborhood with his best friend and small-time herb salesman, Smokey. Before too long, the threat of death hangs over the pair by 10:00 PM if they can't pay off the money Smokey owes Big Worm. A modern classic that first showed that there is more to hood life than the violence and menace Hollywood was happily playing up in the flood of crime films at the time. Friday has become an enduring genre staple and one of the most important films of its decade.
     All that and Dave celebrates, Kevin wonders, and Tyler does whatever it is Tyler does. Join us, won't you?

Episode 193- Bye Demon