John Hansen

Vicious

Bertino’s latest ‘knock at the door’ horror is ‘Vicious’-ly boring

Movie review: It’s no fault of Dakota Fanning or even the technical craftsmanship. “Vicious” simply makes no narrative or thematic sense.

Bride of Chucky

‘Bride of Chucky’ (1998) successfully hitches to post-‘Scream’ era

‘Child’s Play’ flashback (Movie review): Mancini and a game cast find the perfect horror-comedy balance in the saga’s fourth installment.

Marple Season 5

‘Agatha Christie’s Marple’ Season 5 (2010-11) offers something old, something new

Sleuthing Sunday (TV review): A Miss Marple short story finally gets adapted, along with two non-Marple novels and one of her standout novels.

Child's Play 3

Chucky becomes clunky in dour, timid ‘Child’s Play 3’ (1991)

‘Child’s Play’ flashback (Movie review): Though the production values remain high, the storytelling discipline is shoddy in the third Chucky tale.

In Cold Blood movie

‘In Cold Blood’ gets colder for Brooks’ 1967 film adaptation

Throwback Thursday (Movie review): In a film that pries into the nature of evil, it’s the lack of a good answer that’s most disturbing.

Monster Volume 1

Start of this ‘Monster’ (1995) epic hints at a masterpiece

Book club book report: I wade into the world of manga with the beginning of a mood-drenched, character-heavy saga from Naoki Urasawa.

Child's Play 2

Dourif, Mancini lean into the premise for ‘Child’s Play 2’ (1990)

‘Child’s Play’ flashback (Movie review): The actor and saga creator Don Mancini realize what they have here — a vicious killer trapped in a doll’s body – and they fully play it up.

Buffy Bewitching Hour

‘Buffy: The Bewitching Hour’ (2023) a treat for Tara fans

‘Buffy’ flashback (Book review): Ashley Poston goes back to Season 3 for a tricky novel about what Tara was doing in her senior year of high school.

Marple Season 4

Handoff to McKenzie is intriguing – if not exactly smooth – in ‘Marple’ Season 4 (2009)

Sleuthing Sunday (TV review): Though Marple’s personality changes, she still fits the elderly sleuth’s flexible template in four engaging episodes.

Child's Play 1988

‘Child’s Play’ (1988) delightfully codifies killer-doll subgenre

‘Child’s Play’ flashback (Movie review): Evil toys go mainstream as Chucky joins the pantheon of Eighties slasher icons.