The Grouchy Editor

I might have been a bit too hard on this documentary in my review of it back in July.  I focused a lot on what the movie did not do:  satisfactorily resolve a mystery (it probably couldn’t), and present a more balanced perspective (it probably should have).  But the filmmakers do present a suitably creepy look at some real-life child killings in New York, and an examination of the drifter who might or might not be responsible.  Read my review of Cropsey here,  then watch the documentary for free by clicking here.

© 2010-2025 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

Horror spoofs are nothing new.  You can go back to 1948 and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein if you want to laugh at monsters.  But clever horror parodies are hard to find.  Shaun of the Dead comes to mind.  So does The Return of the Living Dead, a 1985 romp that takes aim at George Romero and his zombie movies, hitting the mark more often than not.  Watch it for free by clicking here.

© 2010-2025 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

Sure, it’s sentimental goo, schmaltzy and hokey and ridiculous on one level.  But The Way We Were boasts a couple of classic scenes (including the ultimate bittersweet ending), and it does have Streisand and Redford in their movie-star primes.  Plus, the title tune is a great song.  Watch it for free by clicking here.

© 2010-2025 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

I don’t have a good excuse for liking this movie.  It’s cheap, stupid, and has no social value.  But it’s also a lot of fun.  Night of the Demons is pure exploitation — but with absolutely zero pretentiousness.  It has gratuitous nudity and violence — but always with a sense of humor.  Read my review of this guilty pleasure here, then watch it for free by clicking here.

© 2010-2025 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

Think American politicians are corrupt?  Is the average American too glued to the boob-tube, too into junk like reality TV?  It could be worse.  You could live in Italy.  If you don’t believe that, read my review of this 2010 documentary, and then watch it free on Hulu.  (You’ll have to create a Hulu account, but it’s free, it takes 30 seconds, and they don’t spam you.)

© 2010-2025 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

Sometimes you don’t really need to write a “review.”  You can simply list the talent behind a film.  Story:  Agatha Christie.  Director:  Billy Wilder.  Cast:  Charles Laughton, Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power, Elsa Lanchester.  Now do yourself a favor and go watch this great courtroom drama from 1957.  It’s free when you click here.

© 2010-2025 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

These are heady times for fans of Kirk Douglas’ son.  Michael Douglas wowed critics earlier this year in Solitary Man, and next month he stars in the much-anticipated sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.  Ten years ago, Douglas gave a rare comic performance in what I think is one of his best films, Wonder Boys.  Read my review of that movie here, and then watch it for free by clicking here.

© 2010-2025 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

A new documentary called Best Worst Movie just opened at art-house cinemas.  It is a look at the making of 1990’s Troll 2, a movie reputedly so bad that it is rivaling Plan 9 from Outer Space for the crown of Worst Movie Ever Made.  I have not seen this documentary, although it’s generating positive reviews.  That’s more than can be said for its inspiration, which you can watch for free by clicking here.

© 2010-2025 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

If you’re looking for a plot-driven movie where “lots of things happen,” you might want to take a pass on this odd-but-fascinating film from director Lasse Hallstrom.  On the other hand, if you like character-driven drama and are curious about early work from current heartthrobs Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio, by all means watch this one.  Depp plays a put-upon young man who finds himself responsible for a dysfunctional (to put it mildly) family that includes his obese mother — who hasn’t set foot out of their house in seven years — and his mentally retarded younger brother (DiCaprio).  Watch it for free by clicking here.

© 2010-2025 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

Blake Edwards is a filmmaker best known for two things:  1) He is married to Julie Andrews, and 2) he directed the first Pink Panther movies.  I can’t speak for his married life, but to me it’s a shame that his legacy seems to be those Peter Sellers comedies.  Edwards also directed great drama (Days of Wine and Roses, Breakfast at Tiffany’s) and, I think, one of the best suspense films of the 1960s, Experiment in Terror.  Go here to read my review of this 1962 chiller starring Glenn Ford and Lee Remick.  Otherwise, jump right in and watch it for free by clicking here.

© 2010-2025 grouchyeditor.com (text only)