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‘A Simple Plan’ (1993, 1998) chillingly shows how easily things can spiral

“A Simple Plan” (1993) is the consummate novel about cause and effect, choices and consequences, and the differences between inner thoughts and outward appearance. In

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Idiosyncratic ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ (2004) is still flippin’ sweet

“Napoleon Dynamite” (2004) has a simple but ingenious concept: Tell a typical coming-of-age story, but have almost everyone be super awkward in their performances. Like

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‘Man in the Attic’ (1953) not quite ready to be psych-horror

Watch Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog” (1927) to get the suspense of Marie Belloc Lowndes 1913 novel “The Lodger.” If

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‘Poirot’ Season 2 (1990) finds groove with Christie-Exton mash-ups

Even more so than in Season 1, “Agatha Christie’s Poirot” Season 2 (1990, ITV) locks in as a cozy mystery TV series. The experience of

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‘Ghost World’ (2001) gets more substantial on repeat viewings

It’s the mark of great cinema that a movie can mean one thing to a 20-something and another thing to a 40-something, but remain profound.

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

Surprising for a nationalistic era in human history, 2023 saw the release of two World War II films that aren’t particularly complimentary toward their source

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

With “Throw Momma from the Train” (1987), prolific sitcom writer Stu Silver uses the premise of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Strangers on a Train” (1951) as a

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

“Mind Body Spirit” (Hoopla) is evidence that micro-budget indie filmmaking is alive and well – maybe even healthier than ever. Writer-directors Alex Henes and Matthew

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‘The First Omen’ is stylistically grand, narratively odd

Holy cow – or should I say “unholy cow” – “The First Omen” is actually a worthy prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 classic “The Omen,”

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‘Grave Encounters 2’ (2012) goes humorously meta

The Vicious Brothers – writers-directors Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz – had a sense of humor when making the “found footage” horror film “Grave Encounters”

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