Happy Place — It Turns Out the Naming Rights! Membership Option Was For Real and Someone Is Now Five Hundred Bucks Poorer Presents Nat

1994's Clean Slate Was a Cross Between Memento and Groundhog Day But Boring and Mediocre and a Woeful Vehicle For Dana Carvey

One of y’all generous weirdoes paid me one hundred dollars to see one of several films that failed to elevate Dana Carvey to cinematic superstardom as a romantic leading man.

Stuart Gordon's King of the Ants is a Nifty, Nasty Neo-Noir Rooted in the Inexorable Horror of the Human Condition

Frightmaster Stuart Gordon ended his career as a director of feature films with a trilogy of nasty Neo-Noirs, beginning with the meat and potatoes 2003 thriller King of the Ants.

Control Nathan Rabin 4.0Nathan RabinMay 25, 2023

The 2001 James Dean Meditation Almost Salinas Is a Colossal Waste for Everyone Except People Writing Up Every Virginia Madsen Movie And Film About the Movie Industry

The sleepy 2001 drama Almost Salinas is a goddamn waste for everyone except people writing books about movies and covering Virginia Madsen’s complete filmography for an ambitious, years-long project. Thankfully I’m that guy!

Control Nathan Rabin 4.0Nathan RabinMay 18, 2023John Mahoney, James Dean, Virginia Madsen, Ian Gomez, diner, bad

The Graphic Novel Collection Southland Tales: The Prequel Saga is the Perfect Literary Companion to Richard Kelly's Cult Satire

Richard Kelly was right. The future HAS proven more futuristic than scientists predicted.

Manos: The Hands of Fate Proved Conclusively That NOT Everyone Can Make a Movie, But Everyone Sure Can Try!

One of you generous weirdoes paid me one hundred dollars to finally get around to experiencing the exquisite madness of Manos: The Hands of Fate, a Mystery Science Theater 3000-roasted camp classic and popular contender for worst film of all time that was everything I hoped it would be and more.

In Its Own Weird, Wonderful Way, Plan 9 From Outer Space Is a Miracle

In honor of Ed Wood’s birthday I am rerunning a piece collected in The Joy of Trash on Plan 9 from Outer Space, his masterpiece.

Control Nathan Rabin 4.0Nathan RabinMay 11, 2023Ed Wood, Bela Lugosi, bad movie culture

The Atmospheric 2001 Allegory Frailty Was a Triumph for Bill Paxton as an Actor and a First Time Filmmaker

The late, lamented Bill Paxton showed extraordinary promise as a filmmaker as well as a character actor with his masterful 2001 directorial debut Frailty.

1954's Killers From Space is Like Plan 9 From Outer Space Except It Was Directed By Billy Wilder's Talentless Brother

Did you know that Billy Wilder had a brother whose movies fucking sucked? It’s true!

Control Nathan Rabin 4.0Nathan RabinMay 4, 2023Peter Graves, Ed Wood, Billy Wilder, aliens

Stuart Gordon's 2001 H.P. Lovecraft Adaptation Dagon Is Another Spooky, Scary Sleeper From the Legendary Frightmaster

Control Nathan Rabin 4.0Nathan RabinMay 3, 2023Stuart Gordon, H.P Lovecraft

Tune in Tomorrow Is Engaging Fluff Undermined by Keanu Reeves' Horrifying Attempt at a New Orleans Accent

Keanu Reeves wrestles boldly if unmistakably with a thick New Orleans accent in this fizzy, silly adaptation of Mario Vargas Llosa’s Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter.

Control Nathan Rabin 4.0Nathan RabinApril 27, 2023Peter Falk, Keanu Reeves, Barbara Hershey, John Larroquette