Esoterica Cinema

#psycho #hitchcock #classichorror #classicfilm Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho was released in 1960 and became a sensation, playing both into and against many tropes of the American studio system. Starring Janet Leigh, the film took many audacious turns with regard to it's story, and as a result, audiences turned out in droves. Now, you may think that any film critic worth their salt has already seen th...

#frombeyond #stuartgordon #jeffreycombs #barbaracrampton #brianyuzna #cultmovies #cultclassic #cultmoviereview #bodyhorror In 1986, Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna, Jeffrey Combs, and Barbara Crampton all reunited for their follow-up to their unexpected hit Re-Animator. While Yuzna was keen to do a direct sequel to Re-Animator (which he would later direct himself), Gordon and the rest of the team wante...

Join Jason Peters from Esoterica Cinema as he guides you through the weird, wild road to greenlight for David Cronenberg's 1986 masterpiece The Fly.

The Fly was released in 1986 and quickly became director David Cronenberg's most successful film, lending itself to a far more mainstream narrative in spite of some serious body horror elements, especially along the back half of the film. Jeff Goldblum was still on the rise and was by no means a bankable leading man, so it was something of a risk when producer Stuart Cornfeld hired him to carry th...

Jason Peters takes a no-spoiler look at Yorgos Lanthimos' most recent film, Kinds of Kindness with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons

Jason & Ryan analyze the harrowing depiction of an utterly broken relationship that is Possession.

Brian Yuzna's film Society took a long time to find distribution in the US, and disappeared from theaters just as quickly as it arrived. Thankfully, with the advent of VHS, the film was able to find its eventual audience in the 90's and 00's. Featuring solid direction from Brain Yuzna, solid 80's acting from Billy Warlock, and some of the best practical effects ever committed to celluloid thanks t...

#poorthings #emmastone #filmcritic #yorgoslanthimos Yorgos Lanthimos has been making films for 15 years, now. And just when you think you've got him figured out, he finds new and creative ways to surprise you. Poor Things is easily his most successful film of all time - certainly financially and arguably creatively - and Emma Stone delivers an incredible, physical performance every bit worthy of h...

Join Ryan as he reviews Atomic Blonde starring Charlize Theron

The Wachowski's Speed Racer was released in 2008 to horrible reviews and an even worse box office performance. But as time has progressed, a small but vocal contingent has gone on to reappraise the film, claiming that it was misunderstood at the time of its release. On this episode "Speed Racer (2008)", you get both sides of the argument as Jason found it a groan-inducing, cheesy bore while Ryan c...

Join Ryan Seybold as he quickly breaks down why you need to see the hilarious new film Hundreds of Beavers from writer/director Mike Cheslik. Made for a modest budget of $150,000, Hundreds of Beavers features mad-dash capers and non-stop sight gags. Google describes Hundreds of Beavers as: A drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by def...

George Miller's post-apocalyptic epic Mad Max Fury Road hit theaters and audiences in 2015 with gale forces of hyperkinetic action and never looked back. The film was an overnight sensation, luring audiences into theaters while managing to impress the critics along the way, being named the Best Picture of the Year by the L.A. Times and picking up 10 Academy Award nominations; no small feat for arg...

Gangubai Kathiawadi from director Sanjay Leela Bhansali sees Alia Bhatt play the notoriously infamous Madame to various effects. On the one hand, the film is a dark and serious look at admittedly difficult parts of her legacy, while at the same time glossing over events to make them seem less sordid and violent than they in fact were. As Jason & Ryan review the film, you'll get both sides of t...

Jason & Ryan get philosophical and ask, "what is art?" while analyzing Ruben Ostlund's 2017 arthouse satire The Square

Tim Burton's Ed Wood rocketed to the top of many critics lists of the best films of 1994. But a lot has changed in 30 years. Join Jason Peters & Ryan Seybold as they break down and analyze why this charming biopic still qualifies as a great movie about the bonds of friendship, however unlikely their origins.

Jason & Ryan get Zen as they study Jim Jarmusch's Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

Jason & Ryan set their eyeballs to "psychedelic" as they review Dario Argento's arthouse horror classic Suspiria.

Jason & Ryan are called before judge and jury to defend their positions on Otto Preminger's 1959 courtroom drama Anatomy of a Murder starring Jimmy Stewart, George C. Scott, Ben Gazzara, and Lee Remick.

Jason & Ryan take a seat for Darren Aronofsky's emotional wallop of a film The Whale starring Brendan Fraser

Jason & Ryan strap themselves to their nuclear weapons whilst watching & reviewing Stanley Kubrick's classic "Nightmare Comedy" Dr. Strangelove, starring the incomparable Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, and a slew of other talent.

Jason & Ryan get erudite with Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch

Jason & Ryan get jacked and review SS Rajamouli's Indian epic RRR

Jason & Ryan strap in to their cockpits ro review Chris Nolan's epic war film Dunkirk

Jason & Ryan remain completely silent as they watch & review No One Will Save You

Jason & Ryan stash their baby carts long enough to review the samurai cult classic Lone Wolf & Cub: Sword of Vengeance.