John Hansen

Godzilla Minus One

‘Godzilla Minus One’ (2023) is Japan’s ‘Independence Day’

Movie review: Takashi Yamazaki’s character-driven prequel to 1954’s “Godzilla” illustrates the changing Japanese culture after WWII.

Throw Momma from the Train

‘Throw Momma from the Train’ (1987) a decent throwaway comedy

On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): In one of the more interesting Hitchcock riffs, DeVito and Crystal play out the “Strangers on a Train” premise.

Mind Body Spirit

‘Mind Body Spirit’ is simple yet original low-budget horror

Movie review: Thanks to a winning performance by Sarah J. Bartholomew, the film finds the haunting subgenre still has life.

First Omen

‘The First Omen’ is stylistically grand, narratively odd

Movie review: This prequel honors Richard Donner’s classic with its 1970s style, but bizarrely takes the narrative down different paths.

Grave Encounters 2

‘Grave Encounters 2’ (2012) goes humorously meta

Frightening Friday (Movie review): The Vicious Brothers write a smart sequel commenting on their own work and the genre as a whole, but scares are sacrificed.

John Carter

‘John Carter’ (2012) shows the property’s influence on ‘Star Wars’

Throwback Thursday (Movie review): The first lavish big-screen adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ saga stands as a fun romp in its own right.

Downhill

Hitchcock’s protagonist gets beaten ‘Downhill’ (1927) by life

On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): In a prototype for “I Confess,” Hitch asks how much societal BS one person can absorb before it’s too much.

Grave Encounters

‘Grave Encounters’ (2011) a suitably scary tour of an abandoned asylum

Frightening Friday (Movie review): This might be a pretty obvious premise for found-footage horror, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad one.

Garden State

‘Garden State’ (2004) makes melancholy feel so good

Throwback Thursday (Movie review): A great soundtrack, melodrama, quirky folks and a smoothly understated romance make this a coming-of-age gem.

Pleasure Garden

Hitch’s career respectfully launches with ‘Pleasure Garden’ (1925)

On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): But viewers at the time didn’t get a fair chance to watch the director’s light romance until after “The Lodger” became a hit.