FOUR STARS

THE SURFER — CANNES 2024

Australian Cinema, Cannes Film Festival, Capsules Blog, FOUR STARS, , Surfing, Transgressive Cinema

May 15, 2025

One takeaway from “The Surfer” is if you find yourself in a situation where you are being embarrassed, humiliated, or…

HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL — SHOCKTOBER!

B-Movie, BDSM, Black and White, Black Comedy, Capsules Blog, Children's Cinema, Classic Cinema, Criterion Channel, Cult Film, FOUR STARS, Horror, SHOCKTOBER!

October 2, 2024

William Castle’s 1959 B-Movie horror classic retains its goofy charm with a litany of gimmicky sight gags that, however tame…

MIDSOMMAR — SHOCKTOBER!

BDSM, Black Comedy, Capsules Blog, Cult Film, Dystopia, FOUR STARS, Magical Realism, Serial Killer, sex, SHOCKTOBER!, , Surrealism, Swedish Cinema, Transgressive Cinema, Women's Cinema

September 28, 2024

All you need to know going into this transgressive (if surrealistic) film is that it covers: animal abuse, cannibalism, incest,…

RATED X

BDSM, Biopic, Capsules Blog, FOUR STARS, Independent Cinema, Porn, sex, Women's Cinema

September 26, 2024

Tasteful, dramatic, and fascinating, “Rated X” is a damned good movie that is sorely overlooked. This is one wild ride.…

THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE — SHOCKTOBER!

BDSM, British Cinema, Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Criterion Channel, Cult Film, Erotic, FOUR STARS, Gothic, Horror, LGBTQ, Magical Realism, sex, SHOCKTOBER!, Suspense, Women's Cinema

August 20, 2024

“The Legend of Hell House” is a hoot and a half. Hilarious. Cole Smithey.

FEUD: CAPOTE VS. THE SWANS

Biopic, Capsules Blog, FOUR STARS, LGBTQ, Literary Adaptation, sex, , Women Filmmakers, Women's Cinema

July 7, 2024

Mired in the cruelty of its real-life characters, the series starts off bumpy. If you can make it past the…

IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Cult Film, FOUR STARS, Horror, SHOCKTOBER!, Transgressive Cinema

November 5, 2023

John Carpenter’s 1994 finale to his Apocalypse Trilogy is a no-holds-barred blitzkrieg of horror that will have you watching the…

ENTER THE VOID — SHOCKTOBER!

Argentinean Cinema, Capsules Blog, Dystopia, FOUR STARS, Horror, sex, Sexploitation, SHOCKTOBER!, , Transgressive Cinema

October 30, 2023

“Enter the Void” is such a virtuosic, if orgiastic, piece of experimental exploitation cinema that the audience is simultaneously repulsed…

HARD CANDY — SHOCKTOBER!

BDSM, Capsules Blog, FOUR STARS, Psychological Thriller, sex, Sexploitation, SHOCKTOBER!, , Women's Cinema

October 30, 2023

Strikingly filmed and exquisitely performed by its principally two-person cast (Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson), “Hard Candy” is an intense reversal…

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FEET STREET — SHOCKTOBER!

Black Comedy, Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, FOUR STARS, Horror, Musical, Play Adaptation, SHOCKTOBER!, Women's Cinema

October 28, 2023

Director Tim Burton’s screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s 1979 Grand Guignol musical is at once mesmerizing and disappointing. Outstanding singing…

PAN’S LABYRINTH — SHOCKTOBER!

Cannes Film Festival, Capsules Blog, Children's Cinema, Classic Cinema, Criterion Collection, Cult Film, FOUR STARS, Horror, Mexican Cinema, Political Satire, SHOCKTOBER!, , War, War Fantasy, Women's Cinema

October 28, 2023

In discussing the leftist political themes of “The Devil’s Backbone” and “Pan’s Labyrinth,” gothic horror maestro Guillermo del Toro responds…

CABIN FEVER — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Cult Film, FOUR STARS, Horror, sex, Sexploitation, SHOCKTOBER!, Women's Cinema

October 25, 2023

Indeed, “Cabin Fever” is filled with lovingly realistic gore that’s sustained by a revved up plot that makes big cities…

THE ORPHANAGE — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, FOUR STARS, Horror, SHOCKTOBER!, Spanish Cinema, Women's Cinema

October 24, 2023

Guillermo del Toro (director of “The Devil’s Backbone”) executive produced this richly layered Spanish gothic horror movie by director Juan…

BLACK SHEEP — SHOCKTOBER!

Black Comedy, Capsules Blog, Cult Film, FOUR STARS, Horror, New Zealand Cinema, SHOCKTOBER!

October 24, 2023

The lush hills of New Zealand provide an ironic backdrop for this witty little horror show about a farm where…

PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, FOUR STARS, Horror, Literary Adaptation, SHOCKTOBER!

October 24, 2023

Opulent and grotesque, this brassy achievement from director Tom Twyker (“Run, Lola, Run”) is based on the best-selling novel by…

THE HOST — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, FOUR STARS, Horror, Korean Cinema, SHOCKTOBER!, , War

October 24, 2023

Part social satire, horror, comedy, and family drama “The Host” is an exciting example of cinematic bravura that signals a…

TROPIC THUNDER — SHOCKTOBER!

Black Comedy, Buddy Movie, Cannes Film Festival, Capsules Blog, Cult Film, Filmmaking, FOUR STARS, Hollywood, Horror, SHOCKTOBER!, , Spoof, War, War Fantasy

October 23, 2023

A heady blend of outrageous Grand Guignol comic set pieces and fast-twitch dialogue, “Tropic Thunder” walks a fine line of…

PANIC ROOM — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Coming-of-Age, FOUR STARS, SHOCKTOBER!, , Thriller, Women's Cinema

October 23, 2023

Director David Fincher’s “Panic Room” opens with a sumptuous credit sequence so captivating that you’re drawn into the movie before…

PSYCHO II — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, FOUR STARS, Franchise, Horror, Podcast, SHOCKTOBER!, Women's Cinema

October 21, 2023

SHOCKTOBER! rolls on with PSYCHO II. Anthony Perkins reprises his role as Norman Bates “22 years later.” Cole Smithey.

DRIVE — SHOCKTOBER!

Cannes Film Festival, Capsules Blog, Car Racing, Cult Film, Danish Cinema, FOUR STARS, Horror, Neo-Noir, Romantic Drama, SHOCKTOBER!

October 20, 2023

Playing with a William Friedkin-like level of patient intensity, atmospheric style, and shocks of violence Dutch director Nicolas Winding Refn…

COLE SMITHEY’S CLASSIC CINEMA

FOUR STARS

HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL — SHOCKTOBER!

RATED X

THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE — SHOCKTOBER!

IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS — SHOCKTOBER!

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FEET STREET — SHOCKTOBER!

CABIN FEVER — SHOCKTOBER!

THE ORPHANAGE — SHOCKTOBER!

BLACK SHEEP — SHOCKTOBER!

PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER — SHOCKTOBER!

PSYCHO II — SHOCKTOBER!

DRIVE — SHOCKTOBER!

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COLE SMITHEY’S CLASSIC CINEMA

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