Definitely more horror than comedy, Sam Raimi nonetheless made an indelible mark in a short film that was part of master-of-the-macabre John Carpenter’s 1993’s anthology, Body Bags. (Raimi made a couple of cameos in it; keep yer eyes peeled. Horror king Wes Craven also makes a cameo, and one of the main roles.)
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If Sam Raimi’s ‘Send Help’ Has You Begging for More Horror-Comedy, Watch This John Carpenter Short Film in Full
Posted in Favorite Films, Features, Videos with tags Body Bags, David Naughton, John Carpenter, Sam Raimi, The Gas Station on 05/12/2026 by Kurt OrzeckJesus Lizard Screamer David Yow’s Acting Demo Reel Is Pure Gold
Posted in Favorite Films, Features, Videos with tags David Yow, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore, Jesus Lizard, Southbound, the Jesus Lizard, The Toxic Avenger, Under the Silver Lake on 05/03/2026 by Kurt OrzeckDavid Yow’s penchant for physical prowess is not only evident in his four decades as noise-rock’s ultimate madman; the Jesus Lizard frontman also taps into his mesmerizing contortions and transformations as an actor. Fans of Yow and his bands – which have also included Scratch Acid, Qui and Flipper – may be aware of his various forays in film, but only a select few have seen this wacky demo reel he used to clinch acting roles.
A short list of movies on Yow’s resumé include 2017’s I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore with Elijah Wood; 2023’s The Toxic Avenger with Peter Dinklage; 2018’s Under the Silver Lake with Andrew Garfield; and the 2015 cult-favorite horror anthology Southbound.
Continue readingAn Easter Exultation to Cinema’s Still-Sorely-Missed King of Kings, David Lynch: Watch His ‘Rabbits’ Short Film
Posted in Favorite Films, Features with tags David Lynch, rabbits on 04/05/2026 by Kurt OrzeckFavorite Films: Did You Catch These Easter Eggs in ‘One Battle After Another’?
Posted in Essays, Favorite Films with tags Benicio del Toro, Leonardo DiCaprio, movies, One Battle After Another, Sean Penn on 02/15/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Do we still have to say “spoiler alert”? Then fine: spoiler alert.
Here are observations from someone who has watched the best movie of 2025 too many times:
1. Let’s start with the obvious: Leonardo DiCaprio has said in interviews that he loosely based his character, nicknamed “Ghetto Pat,” after “The Dude” – or “El Duderino,” if you’re not into that whole brevity thing – from The Big Lebowski. For one, both Pat and Jeffrey Lebowski are essentially confused throughout the duration of each movie.
2. Both characters have goatees, occasionally tie back their hair and dress similarly with bathrobes, flannel and sunglasses. (HalloweenCostumes.com actually sells a “Big Lebowski The Dude Bathrobe Costume for Men.”)
Favorite Films: Dummy Give Thumbs-Up to ‘Psycho Goreman,’ ‘Megan,’ ‘Creep,’ ‘Nosferatu’
Posted in Favorite Films, Features, Interviews with tags Creep, Dummy, Green Room, Megan, Nosferatu, Paranormal Activity, Psycho Goreman, The Cursed, The Northman, The Substance on 01/17/2026 by Kurt Orzeck
Last March, we had the pleasure of catching up with L.A.-based psych-pop band Dummy ahead of their set at Treefort Music Fest in Boise. In addition to talking about their second album, Free Energy, and accompanying remix LP, Bubbelibrium DLC, Alex Ewell and Joe Trainor – each of whom plays multiple instruments – talked about their favorite movies. We present you with that portion of our conversation, if you’re looking for something worth watching this weekend.
Continue readingFavorite Films: Jacob the Horse Singer Digs Russ Meyer, Nolan, Tarsem Singh, William Friedkin
Posted in Favorite Films, Features, Videos with tags Christopher Nolan, Jacob the Horse, Russ Meyer, Tarsem Singh, William Friedkin on 12/20/2025 by Kurt OrzeckAviv Rubinstien, singer for Los Angeles indie punks Jacob the Horse, reveals which movie scene inspired him to want to become a filmmaker, explains how Russ Meyer influenced his band video for “666 Chicks” and defends William Friedkin’s divisive movie “Sorcerer.”
The interview took place on December 14, 2025, less than two weeks before Jacob’s Horse dropped “666 Chicks” – and ahead of the March 20 release of their new album, At Least It’s Almost Over.
Also, don’t miss our conversation with Rubinstien as part of The Bad Penny‘s On Tyranny series.
Favorite Films: Napalm Death’s Shane Embury Picks ‘2001,’ ‘Inception,’ ‘Forbidden Planet’
Posted in Favorite Films, Features, Interviews with tags 2001, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Forbidden Planet, Hammer Horror, Heredity, Inception, Napalm Death, Rosemary's Baby, Shane Embury, The Beyond on 12/13/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Napalm Death bassist Shane Embury isn’t one to sit on his laurels – even if they’re extreme-metal laurels. Even though he’s played bass and backing vocals for the grindcore legends since 1987 (man, is that hard to believe), he’s also dallying with his side project Dark Sky Burial, whose new album, The Secred Neurotic, which dropped yesterday via Consouling Sounds.
We’ll have plenty to discuss about that project in the near future, but since it’s Saturday, we found it fitting to roll out a new edition of Favorite Films, in which musicians talk about the best movies they’ve ever seen and recommend some cult classics unfamiliar to most of us.
Continue readingFavorite Films: Dying Remains’ Frontman Treasures ‘The Thing,’ ‘Suspiria,’ ‘City of the Living Dead,’ ‘Wounded Fawn’
Posted in Favorite Films, Features, Interviews, Lists with tags City of the Living Dead, Damon MacDonald, Dario Argento, Dying Remains, John Carpenter, Maggot Stomp, Suspiria, The Thing, Wounded Fawn on 11/29/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Two months in, we’re still savoring the delicious drivel dealt by death-metal band Dying Remains via Merciless Suffering following its mid-September release. We’re also grateful to have recently connected with the Maggot Stomp band and chatted up vocalist/guitarist/bassist Damon MacDonald about its debut LP.
While we had MacDonald on the horn – or the Zoom, or the whatchamacallit – we picked his brain about movies, as we were armed with the knowledge ahead of time that he’s a fan of horror movies. Here are his choice picks:
1. The Thing (1982)
“The first movie that comes to mind is John Carpenter’s The Thing,” MacDonald said. “That was one of the first couple of horror movies I saw when I was young. I think I was 7, and my old man showed it to me, and I was like, ‘This is so cool.’ [My love of horror movies] started there.”
When asked whether he believes in the notion publicly proffered by notably untrustworthy director John Carpenter that there’s a way to determine whether the two guys at the end, MacReady (Kurt Russell) and Childs (Keith David), had become The Thing, he replied:
“There was a game that came out tied to The Thing on PS2 and Xbox in 2002 – and it’s been stated that it’s canon – and Carpenter made a jab by having MacReady alive at the end of the game. But it’s still just one of those things that are open to interpretation. You’re never going to figure it out. [There’s also the theory that] the whiskey [the characters drink at the end of the movie] was actually gasoline, but it’s like I don’t know if I buy it.”
When asked to identify his favorite scene in the film, MacDonald said: “The defibrillator scene when [a] stomach opens up and rips [the] hands off [another character is] so sick. It’s gnarlier than the [first] Alien scene with the [chest burst].”
Favorite Films: Heavy Heavy Low Low Vocalist Lists His Favorite Flicks as Halloween Creeps Closer
Posted in Favorite Films, Interviews, Lists, Reviews with tags An American Werewolf in London, David Lynch, Halloween, Heavy Heavy Low Low, Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive, Night of the Living Dead, No Country for Old Men, Robbie Smith, The Coen Brothers on 10/25/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
It’s not uncommon for an actor to form or join a band – after all, it takes a certain gene to drive a person to be at the center of attention as much as they possibly can. But this past summer, when we caught up with vocalist Robbie Smith of sasscore squad Heavy Heavy Low Low, we learned that the inverse isn’t necessarily as common.
Sure, he enjoys fronting the band from San Jose, California, and writing and recording their songs – which are so unhinged and berserk that even Guantanamo Bay couldn’t restrain or temper them. Nonetheless, Smith also enjoys stepping away from the physical intensity of the band’s concerts to focus on an artistic endeavor he may value even more than crafting music: filmmaking.
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