Humanity is constantly evolving every day, and as our world changes more and more rapidly every day, the way we tell and perceive stories also changes. Some mediums and genres seem more resistant or baffled by change than others, who embrace the change head-on. So far, I think the genre that has been the most welcome to change has been horror. Some may be “shocked” by that, but if you think about it, there’s nothing surprising about that at all.

No matter how many faceless avatars on the internet want to argue about how horror is only for gore-hounds (it’s…

Death, taxes, and resurrected nostalgic properties in Hollywood (regardless of profit). Three things that can always be counted on in life, no matter what. The film in question today even takes an opportunity to clown on this notion halfway through.

It’s been thirty-three years since Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and Semmi (Arsenio Hall) ran away from the kingdom of Zamunda to Queens, New York to steal the hearts of American audiences in the original comedy classic, Coming To America. Considering the success of the film, it is kind of astounding that it took this long for a sequel to happen…

Wanda Lamb could think of a hundred and one places she’d rather be at this very moment.

She could be in the library, cramming in a few stories before closing time.

She could be in her living room, watching TV with mom and dad.

She could be in her basement, where all her video games were.

She could be in her bedroom, underneath her sheets, with a pen, paper, and ink, drawing her own little ghosts and ghouls, illuminated by nothing but the beam of a flashlight.

And so on.

But no, instead, she was freezing her fingers and toes…

A universal truth for the horror genre is mankind’s undisputed fear of the unknown. We don’t know what lies in the shadows. …

Let’s be honest, satire is probably the hardest genre to truly pull off successfully. Most masterclass examples of satire are either untouchable classics like Dr. Strangelove or fantastic pieces of work that satirized their subject so well that they tragically became enveloped into the very organism they were poking fun at like Fight Club. It’s the kind of genre where every step the storytellers take is part of a balancing act on a tightrope smaller than a piece of string. …

Honestly, what does one even begin to say about the year 2020? If you had an even marginally good time, chances are, you’re a monster. Absolutely nothing was left unscathed by the wildfire that was last year, including moviegoing. Our entire concept of moviegoing has been warped. I’m desperate to return to a theater but also terrified of whether or not it’ll still be the same. Regardless of what happens in the future, what got us through the past was movies, and it’ll always be movies for me. All of the best films of a year in some way capture…

It felt like sheer dumb luck finding shelter at this time of night, in this kind of weather, but there it was. He could barely make it out through his whirring windshield wipers, desperately trying to push back the torrent of rain pelting against his car, a little wooden, hand-painted sign, illuminated by two lights hanging on the top bar, pointed down to draw attention to the carved-out letters reading “Florence Home Bed & Breakfast.” Howard closed his eyes tight and rubbed them as hard as he could to make sure that he wasn’t dreaming, but sure enough, that little…

“Time to go,” said the impossibly tall man standing in the corner of Lawrence’s dressing room. Lawrence leaned back in his chair and stared down the unwelcome guest, twirling his mustache.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lawrence did his best to never take his eyes off the figure, even if he couldn’t see his opponent’s eyes for himself. They were shrouded in a shadow cast over his face from the old threadbare traveler’s hat resting on his head. The only identifying mark that Lawrence could make out was the long, grey beard poking out from the…