A look at three slasher film series - Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Halloween, and what the varying levels of the fantastic within them says about their place in horror, and fantasy. 

Religion and film have been deeply tied together for more than a century. Here, we're looking at a religious multi-media experience that was a marvel to behold... and might be the spiritual ancestor of 4D amusement park experiences! 

There are so few Miro works I enjoy, and this was one. I look at why that is, and also what all this art meant within the environment

WHat happens when you combine a P.G. Wodehouse script with music by The Gershwins, dancing by Fred Astaire, and the comedy/dance stylings of Burns & Allen? Well, a Damsel in Distress is what! 

George Burns was born (in the 1890s...) to play God, and in Oh God! he finally got to! 

A brief look at the up-coming screening of the Silicon Valley Science Fiction Short Film Festival at the Computer History Museum this Friday! More details at www.computerhistory.org/events/upcoming/#silicon-valley-science-fiction-short

It's a Wonderful Life is Frank Capra at his most Capraesque. Also, what does Ambrose Bierce and Jacob's Ladder have to do with anything?

If you want to understand the origins of film, you need to understand that Edison, the Lumieres, all of 'em did not just hit on the right combination at the start. No, I am not saying that they had to fail a bunch of times before they hit on the right recipe, in fact they were on-target with their first attempts most times and went looking for an easier methodology (just like Edison with his lightbulb!) 

Monkeyshines #1 was an attempt at using a cylinder to store image for use in Edison's Kinetoscope. It was not ideal, and as you can see in the quality of the images that remain, the resolution was terrible, but it was the start. 

I can't help but think of experimental films of the 1950s and 60s when I watch this. It feels as if this could have been shot and seen at the most avant garde film festivals alongside Jonas Mekas or Emlen Ettin. These are beautifully abstract images that aren't meant to be abstract. The fact that they were made when nearly all of the Impressionists were still alive is an interesting fact, especially since many would claim they were both doing the same thing - trying to represent the world around them the best that they could. 

Tropic Thunder is a film that 100% be on the Registry. Not eligible until next year, here I talk about what it represents, and why it might be the most meta of all the meta Hollywood comedies.