DAVID BIANCULLI

Founder / Editor

ERIC GOULD

Associate Editor

LINDA DONOVAN

Assistant Editor

Contributors

ALEX STRACHAN

MIKE HUGHES

KIM AKASS

MONIQUE NAZARETH

ROGER CATLIN

GARY EDGERTON

TOM BRINKMOELLER

GERALD JORDAN

NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
2017
Oct
23
 
 
Tonight’s a marvelous night for movies on television. It begins with this moody, emotional, utterly beautiful 1980 black-and-white drama, starring John Hurt as John Merrrick, the disfigured man who is discovered in, and rescued from, a Victorian freak show. This film was produced by Mel Brooks for his new Brooksfilms company, and he kept his name off all publicity when the movie was released because he didn’t want it incorrectly anticipated as a comedy. (That also, by the way, explai
 
 
 
  
 
 
2017
Oct
23
 
 
Sundance Channel, tonight, presents a double feature that would have been one of the ultimate double features for my then-teen daughter: The Princess Bride, followed by Labyrinth. First up: This 1987 delight, adapted by screenwriter William Goldman from his own novel and directed by Rob Reiner. Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, Christopher Guest, Chris Sarandon, Andre the Giant – and don’t forget Peter Falk and a young Fred Savage – help make this flawles
 
 
 
  
 
 
2017
Oct
23
 
 
In this episode, the mutant rebels plan a surprise attack to rescue one of their own – which has a woman with unusual powers and purple hair teaming with a girl with unusual powers and blonde hair to rescue a woman with unusual powers and green hair. If this series isn't sponsored by Clairol, it should be...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2017
Oct
23
 
 
This 1986 film by the late, great Jim Henson is about a teenager (played by a young, already beautiful Jennifer Connelly) who wishes ill upon her baby brother – a wish that is granted by the Goblin King, played magnificently, and maleficently, by the late, great David Bowie, leading Connelly’s Sarah to find a way to save herself, and her baby brother, from the goblin Gareth’s clutches.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2017
Oct
22
 
 
The horror, the horror . . . The Simpsons’ 28th Treehouse of Horror...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2017
Oct
22
 
 
“Treehouse of Horror XXVIII.”  I remember watching, and reviewing, the very first “Treehouse of Horror,” back in 1990. Tonight we have edition number 28 – or, in Simpsons parlance, XXVIII – and these anything-goes Halloween treats haven’t lost a step, or a trick. Tonight’s trilogy of tales takes aim, at long last, at The Exorcist, with baby Maggie being possessed. Other stories have Lisa finding an alternate world inspired by the movie version
 
 
 
  
 
 
2017
Oct
22
 
 
SEASON PREMIERE: It’s the start of Season 8 for this long-running, immensely popular dystopian horror series. And this year, Rick has amassed enough allies from neighboring communities to make his war against Negan more of a fair fight. For a full review, see David Hinckley's All Along the Watchtower. 
 
 
 
  
 
 
2017
Oct
22
 
 
Tonight’s episode is called “Au Reservoir” – a clever title for an episode which has the police of New York City trying to clean up the streets and sweep away the prostitution around Times Square. Well, not sweep it away, so much as sweep it under the rug. And the rug, in this case, is a metaphor for indoor “massage parlors.”
 
 
 
  
 
 
2017
Oct
22
 
 
Ray is used to getting his clients out of jail, and his colleagues, and even his brothers and (sometimes) his father. But in tonight’s episode, the person Ray is striving to free from incarceration is his own daughter, Bridget.
 
 
 
  
 
 
2017
Oct
22
 
 
This has been a great season for Curb, once again – how about Salman Rushdie appearing as himself, last week, to give Larry tips on the unexpected babe magnet appeal of “fatwa sex”? But tonight’s episode promises something even more delicious: Bryan Cranston, guest starring as Larry’s therapist, and dueling with him verbally in a counseling session. Cranston, of course, has worked with David before – on Seinfeld, where Cranston memorably played a dentist.