Through his X movies, Ti West has created one of the best, most ambitious horror series going right now. And while we’re on the cusp of his trilogy coming to an end after the slow-burn ‘70s homage X and demented origin story Pearl, some may be eager for more after this summer’s MaXXXine. But will that ever happen?
Ti West confirmed that MaXXXine “will probably be the end of the Maxine era” but did also note, “I do have one idea that plays into these movies that could maybe happen. I don’t know if it’ll be next. It might be. We’ll see.” That’s not too hopeful, but we did go in knowing that Ti West would be delivering a trilogy, so we can’t be all that disappointed if it ends where it was intended to.
Ti West also said that MaXXXine is by...
Ti West confirmed that MaXXXine “will probably be the end of the Maxine era” but did also note, “I do have one idea that plays into these movies that could maybe happen. I don’t know if it’ll be next. It might be. We’ll see.” That’s not too hopeful, but we did go in knowing that Ti West would be delivering a trilogy, so we can’t be all that disappointed if it ends where it was intended to.
Ti West also said that MaXXXine is by...
- 5/8/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
‘AHS: Delicate’ enters early labor with a fun, frenzied episode that finds the perfect tone and goes for broke as its water breaks.
“I’ll figure it out. Women always do.”
American Horror Story is no stranger to remixing real-life history with ludicrous, heightened Murphy-isms, whether it’s AHS: 1984’s incorporation of Richard Ramirez, AHS: Cult’s use of Valerie Solanas, or AHS: Coven’s prominent role for the Axeman of New Orleans. Accordingly, it’s very much par for the course for AHS: Delicate to riff on other pop culture touchstones and infinitely warp them to its wicked whims. That being said, it takes real guts to do a postmodern feminist version of Rosemary’s Baby and then actually put Mia Farrow – while she’s filming Rosemary’s Baby, no less – into the narrative. This is the type of gonzo bullshit that I want out of American Horror Story!
“I’ll figure it out. Women always do.”
American Horror Story is no stranger to remixing real-life history with ludicrous, heightened Murphy-isms, whether it’s AHS: 1984’s incorporation of Richard Ramirez, AHS: Cult’s use of Valerie Solanas, or AHS: Coven’s prominent role for the Axeman of New Orleans. Accordingly, it’s very much par for the course for AHS: Delicate to riff on other pop culture touchstones and infinitely warp them to its wicked whims. That being said, it takes real guts to do a postmodern feminist version of Rosemary’s Baby and then actually put Mia Farrow – while she’s filming Rosemary’s Baby, no less – into the narrative. This is the type of gonzo bullshit that I want out of American Horror Story!
- 4/18/2024
- by Daniel Kurland
- bloody-disgusting.com
Michael Jackson‘s “Smooth Criminal” is Satanic. It’s not a song about Satan or the occult, but it is a song about a Satanist. The King of Pop worried this could cause controversy for multiple reasons. “Smooth Criminal” wasn’t one of the biggest hits from that era of Jackson’s career, but it produced a hit cover.
Michael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’ was inspired by a killer who worshipped Satan
Jermaine Jackson was a member of The Jackson 5. In his 2011 book You Are Not Alone: Michael, Through a Brother’s Eyes, Jermaine noted the Al Capone theme of the “Smooth Criminal” video. “‘Smooth Criminal’ was actually inspired by a serial killer who spread fear throughout Los Angeles and San Francisco between 1984 and 1985,” Jermaine wrote.
“Richard Ramirez, a self-confessed devil worshipper, was the ‘Night Stalker’ who took 14 lives,” he added. “In most cases, he forced his way into people...
Michael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’ was inspired by a killer who worshipped Satan
Jermaine Jackson was a member of The Jackson 5. In his 2011 book You Are Not Alone: Michael, Through a Brother’s Eyes, Jermaine noted the Al Capone theme of the “Smooth Criminal” video. “‘Smooth Criminal’ was actually inspired by a serial killer who spread fear throughout Los Angeles and San Francisco between 1984 and 1985,” Jermaine wrote.
“Richard Ramirez, a self-confessed devil worshipper, was the ‘Night Stalker’ who took 14 lives,” he added. “In most cases, he forced his way into people...
- 4/18/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Associated Press journalist Linda Deutsch was already a legendary court reporter when O.J. Simpson stood trial for killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. She’d covered high-profile criminal legal proceedings involving everyone from Charles Manson and Patty Hearst to Sirhan Sirhan and the “Night Stalker,” Richard Ramirez.
But Judge Lance Ito designated Deutsch the trial’s pool reporter and she soon became a familiar face to millions as a trusted TV commentator providing context for the case. Simpson himself approved of her coverage and, after he was acquitted, she became his go-to media contact for exclusive interviews in the ensuing decades.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Deutsch, who retired in 2014, after the Simpson family announced the Heisman winner turned actor and pitchman died on April 10.
You’ve said you never decided if Simpson was guilty. Was that a personal decision or a professional one?
My...
But Judge Lance Ito designated Deutsch the trial’s pool reporter and she soon became a familiar face to millions as a trusted TV commentator providing context for the case. Simpson himself approved of her coverage and, after he was acquitted, she became his go-to media contact for exclusive interviews in the ensuing decades.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Deutsch, who retired in 2014, after the Simpson family announced the Heisman winner turned actor and pitchman died on April 10.
You’ve said you never decided if Simpson was guilty. Was that a personal decision or a professional one?
My...
- 4/12/2024
- by Gary Baum
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The initial trailer for MaXXXine has been released ahead of its highly anticipated premiere in theaters this summer.
This new installment in the X series marks the third entry, following the original film and its prequel Pearl, both released in 2022.
Returning as the protagonist Maxine, Mia Goth reprises her role as the adult film actress who emerged as the lone survivor of the events depicted in X. However, this time, she’s supported by an impressive ensemble cast.
Among the cast are Giancarlo Esposito from Better Call Saul, Lily Collins from Emily in Paris, Elizabeth Debicki from The Crown, Bobby Cannavale from Ant-Man and The Wasp, and the iconic Kevin Bacon.
While X was set at the end of the 1970s in rural Texas, this film moves the action into the ’80s and to the glamour of Los Angeles, as Maxine attempts to pursue a career as a big Hollywood starlet.
This new installment in the X series marks the third entry, following the original film and its prequel Pearl, both released in 2022.
Returning as the protagonist Maxine, Mia Goth reprises her role as the adult film actress who emerged as the lone survivor of the events depicted in X. However, this time, she’s supported by an impressive ensemble cast.
Among the cast are Giancarlo Esposito from Better Call Saul, Lily Collins from Emily in Paris, Elizabeth Debicki from The Crown, Bobby Cannavale from Ant-Man and The Wasp, and the iconic Kevin Bacon.
While X was set at the end of the 1970s in rural Texas, this film moves the action into the ’80s and to the glamour of Los Angeles, as Maxine attempts to pursue a career as a big Hollywood starlet.
- 4/8/2024
- by Kristyn Clarke
- Age of the Nerd
Quick: Name five stars who got their start in horror movies. This is such an easy question, even for much of today’s modern crop of Gen-z talent. So posing it in the 1980s is hardly fair. And yet, that is what Mia Goth’s eternally striving dreamer does at the top of the new MaXXXine trailer from A24.
“Jamie Lee Curtis, John Travolta, Demi Moore, and—” Maxine’s video store clerk buddy rattles off. She cuts him off before what surely must have been Kevin Bacon. At least it’s easy to presume this, because the trailer almost immediately cuts to a shot of a slightly older Bacon, who’s transitioned from big screen heartthrob to cinema statesman, stating, “My employer is a very powerful man.” Once upon a time, Bacon might’ve said the same thing about Sean S. Cunningham. After all, Bacon got his start in Cunningham’s ‘80s schlock classic,...
“Jamie Lee Curtis, John Travolta, Demi Moore, and—” Maxine’s video store clerk buddy rattles off. She cuts him off before what surely must have been Kevin Bacon. At least it’s easy to presume this, because the trailer almost immediately cuts to a shot of a slightly older Bacon, who’s transitioned from big screen heartthrob to cinema statesman, stating, “My employer is a very powerful man.” Once upon a time, Bacon might’ve said the same thing about Sean S. Cunningham. After all, Bacon got his start in Cunningham’s ‘80s schlock classic,...
- 4/8/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Mia Goth reprises her role as Maxine Minx in the concluding film in Ti West’s horror trilogy. Take a look at the first MaXXXine trailer.
With The First Omen, Immaculate and Late Night With The Devil now in cinemas, horror fans are feasting again. And 2024 is only just getting started with the violent delights it has to offer.
Ti West returns to helm the final part in his ambitious trilogy of horror films. Both X and Pearl were big hits with audiences and critics and now, MaXXXine is set to bring the trilogy to an explosive conclusion.
Take a look at the MaXXXine trailer.
Now that’s how you do a trailer!
Here’s the official synopsis: In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.
With The First Omen, Immaculate and Late Night With The Devil now in cinemas, horror fans are feasting again. And 2024 is only just getting started with the violent delights it has to offer.
Ti West returns to helm the final part in his ambitious trilogy of horror films. Both X and Pearl were big hits with audiences and critics and now, MaXXXine is set to bring the trilogy to an explosive conclusion.
Take a look at the MaXXXine trailer.
Now that’s how you do a trailer!
Here’s the official synopsis: In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.
- 4/8/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Two years after Ti West's "X" unleashed aspiring movie star and blood-soaked final girl Maxine (Mia Goth) into the world, she's back in the first trailer for "MaXXXine" -- and closer than ever to achieving her dream. "You're a f**king movie star," she whispers to herself in the mirror at the end of the film's just-released first trailer, and it's easy to believe her.
A few years after driving away from the Texas farmhouse where she was nearly killed, Maxine Minx has rebranded herself as a bombshell blonde in double denim, and she's quickly building a resume in the adult film industry. The movie seems to kick off with Maxine earning a role in a legitimate horror movie, but her aspirations are soon threatened by something neither the women who work alongside her in L.A.'s sex work scene nor fans of West's franchise saw coming: the L.
A few years after driving away from the Texas farmhouse where she was nearly killed, Maxine Minx has rebranded herself as a bombshell blonde in double denim, and she's quickly building a resume in the adult film industry. The movie seems to kick off with Maxine earning a role in a legitimate horror movie, but her aspirations are soon threatened by something neither the women who work alongside her in L.A.'s sex work scene nor fans of West's franchise saw coming: the L.
- 4/8/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
A skid row hotel best known for its grisly Netflix true crime examination of a young woman’s mysterious death is now for sale.
The Cecil Hotel was the subject of an episode in the the 2021 Netflix series Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. The story examined Elisa Lam, a Canadian student who went missing in the hotel under mysterious circumstances before later being discovered drowned in a rooftop water tank.
The Cecil Hotel was transformed in recent years into a privately funded supportive-housing complex for the formerly homeless. A new owner would be required to take over the 99-year ground lease, which allows its long-term use and development.
No price has been set for the hotel, but the property’s land and improvements were assessed at $31 million in 2023.
The building opened in the 1920s as a luxury hotel, but quickly became something less as the scene of several murders,...
The Cecil Hotel was the subject of an episode in the the 2021 Netflix series Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. The story examined Elisa Lam, a Canadian student who went missing in the hotel under mysterious circumstances before later being discovered drowned in a rooftop water tank.
The Cecil Hotel was transformed in recent years into a privately funded supportive-housing complex for the formerly homeless. A new owner would be required to take over the 99-year ground lease, which allows its long-term use and development.
No price has been set for the hotel, but the property’s land and improvements were assessed at $31 million in 2023.
The building opened in the 1920s as a luxury hotel, but quickly became something less as the scene of several murders,...
- 3/9/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
The second episode of John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams presents one of the most horrific criminal cases involving a serial killer named Allan Legere, who was quite notorious in the suburbs of Miramichi, New Brunswick. This episode is way more horrifying than the ghost story of the previous episode and brings to light a real-life horror incident beyond mere imagination. Allan Legere may not be a widely known serial killer like Dahmer or Richard Ramirez, but his horrific deeds are unsettling and gut-wrenching enough to spread terror within a neighborhood. Let’s unravel the mystery behind the killer of Miramichi, explored in episode 2 of John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams.
Spoilers Ahead
Who Did Rick And David Find Out?
Rick MacLean and David Cadogan were two newspaper journalists who covered the bone-chilling crimes committed by the serial killer Allan Legere. Rick and David lived in Miramichi, where they had run into...
Spoilers Ahead
Who Did Rick And David Find Out?
Rick MacLean and David Cadogan were two newspaper journalists who covered the bone-chilling crimes committed by the serial killer Allan Legere. Rick and David lived in Miramichi, where they had run into...
- 10/13/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
It might seem contradictory that the rise of short video clip popularity coincided with the popularity of long form journalism, but Netflix may be the common factor. The streaming network didn’t invent true crime documentation, but it helped shape the style, and keeps a vast repository of the hottest cold cases.
Real-life crime stories are riveting, whether the watcher is concerned about avoiding such events or solving them. There is something for every taste, from feature-length documentaries to full series. Not all crimes are equal under the laws of public opinion, but these are some of the most dangerously addictive true crime offerings currently available on Netflix.
Making a Murderer (2015)
Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi’s 10-part documentary on Steven Avery catapulted Netflix to the top of the True Crime streaming game. Making a Murderer spurred the fascination with the genre more than any other series. Avery served 18 years...
Real-life crime stories are riveting, whether the watcher is concerned about avoiding such events or solving them. There is something for every taste, from feature-length documentaries to full series. Not all crimes are equal under the laws of public opinion, but these are some of the most dangerously addictive true crime offerings currently available on Netflix.
Making a Murderer (2015)
Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi’s 10-part documentary on Steven Avery catapulted Netflix to the top of the True Crime streaming game. Making a Murderer spurred the fascination with the genre more than any other series. Avery served 18 years...
- 9/8/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
From their windowless sub-basement office, FBI Agents Fox “Spooky” Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) began their assignment on The X-Files chasing little green men, or rather gray, as Mulder points out during the third episode, “Squeeze.” The “Pilot” episode was about alien experimentation. “Deep Throat” was about pilots who fly experimental craft, possibly designed using extraterrestrial technology. Season 1 episode 3 was more down to earth, while still out of this world.
According to both his DNA report and FBI profile, animal control officer Eugene Victor Tooms (Doug Hutchison) would be due to wake up some time in 2023, if only he’d have stepped off that mini-mall escalator. Fan favorite Tooms wasn’t only the first monster-of-the-week on The X-Files, but one of very few monsters who showed up on two different weeks. He wedges himself into the episodes “Squeeze” and “Tooms.” Both from season 1, these episodes set a tone,...
According to both his DNA report and FBI profile, animal control officer Eugene Victor Tooms (Doug Hutchison) would be due to wake up some time in 2023, if only he’d have stepped off that mini-mall escalator. Fan favorite Tooms wasn’t only the first monster-of-the-week on The X-Files, but one of very few monsters who showed up on two different weeks. He wedges himself into the episodes “Squeeze” and “Tooms.” Both from season 1, these episodes set a tone,...
- 6/17/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
She’s baaack! Emma Roberts has reportedly signed on to star in “American Horror Story” Season 12, the details of which are still being kept under wraps. (See everything to know about the new installment.) This former “Scream Queen” is of course an “AHS” stalwart who previously appeared in “Coven,” “Freak Show,” “Cult,” “Apocalypse” and “1984.” But which of her former spooky roles is Your favorite? Read through our Emma Roberts “AHS” characters ranked listing below, and then be sure to vote in our poll.
See‘American Horror Story’ aliens explained: How does ‘Asylum’ connect to ‘Double Feature: Death Valley’?
1. Madison Montgomery (“American Horror Story: Coven” & “American Horror Story: Apocalypse”)
Madison is the quintessential Emma Roberts character: sassy, sexy and self-centered. When we first meet her, she’s a teenage witch at Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies with the power of telekinesis. After her throat is slit by...
See‘American Horror Story’ aliens explained: How does ‘Asylum’ connect to ‘Double Feature: Death Valley’?
1. Madison Montgomery (“American Horror Story: Coven” & “American Horror Story: Apocalypse”)
Madison is the quintessential Emma Roberts character: sassy, sexy and self-centered. When we first meet her, she’s a teenage witch at Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies with the power of telekinesis. After her throat is slit by...
- 4/11/2023
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Late last week, Ryan Murphy’s latest project Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (catchy name) premiered on Netflix. Of course the serial-killer saga came with a large amount of controversy, specifically from one of the victims’ families, who said that the felt being re-traumatized by the show.
But another ugly product of Hollywood’s serial-killer fetish has reared its ugly head. The show has created another wave of thirst for Dahmer, who brutally murdered 17 men and boys then engaged in acts of necrophilia and cannibalism with their corpses.
On Twitter,...
But another ugly product of Hollywood’s serial-killer fetish has reared its ugly head. The show has created another wave of thirst for Dahmer, who brutally murdered 17 men and boys then engaged in acts of necrophilia and cannibalism with their corpses.
On Twitter,...
- 9/28/2022
- by Brittany Spanos
- Rollingstone.com
The blood was in the water for Netflix's "Dahmer" well before the series hit the streaming platform on September 21, 2022. The awkward full title aside ("Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story"), the series should have been Netflix gold: it combined the streamer's knack for dramatic true-crime storytelling with the star power of Evan Peters and Ryan Murphy. Certainly, there's been no shortage of content about or inspired by serial-killers in recent years, especially on Netflix.
So why did "Dahmer" drop with such a quietly squishy plop?
"Dahmer" did not received the traditional Netflix treatment, which is never a good sign. As Stuart Heritage notes in The Guardian, the lack of marketing and manufactured buzz for the series screams of low-faith from the streamer:
"Dahmer" just arrived. There was no premiere. No media were granted preview access, none of the show's stars were made available for interview. Unless you caught...
So why did "Dahmer" drop with such a quietly squishy plop?
"Dahmer" did not received the traditional Netflix treatment, which is never a good sign. As Stuart Heritage notes in The Guardian, the lack of marketing and manufactured buzz for the series screams of low-faith from the streamer:
"Dahmer" just arrived. There was no premiere. No media were granted preview access, none of the show's stars were made available for interview. Unless you caught...
- 9/25/2022
- by Sarah Milner
- Slash Film
After movies, shows, and docs about Ted Bundy, Richard Ramirez, John Wayne Gacy, and others, Netflix now turns its attention to one of America’s most infamous serial killers: Jeffrey Dahmer. And “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” sees the streamer give its subject the deluxe treatment. It’s a ten-episode limited series told from the point of view of Dahmer’s victims.
Read More: Netflix Fall Film Calendar: ‘White Noise,’ ‘Bardo,’ & ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ With Christian Bale Dated For December
Evan Peters stars as Dahmer, leading an Emmy Award-winning cast that includes Richard Jenkins, Penelope Ann Miller, and Molly Ringwald.
Continue reading New ‘Dahmer’ Trailer: ‘Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ Hits Netflix Tomorrow at The Playlist.
Read More: Netflix Fall Film Calendar: ‘White Noise,’ ‘Bardo,’ & ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ With Christian Bale Dated For December
Evan Peters stars as Dahmer, leading an Emmy Award-winning cast that includes Richard Jenkins, Penelope Ann Miller, and Molly Ringwald.
Continue reading New ‘Dahmer’ Trailer: ‘Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ Hits Netflix Tomorrow at The Playlist.
- 9/20/2022
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
At this point, it’s clear that Netflix and its subscribers love true crime in all its varieties. Whether it’s films, series, or docs, the streamer produces almost constant content about some of the world’s most notorious crimes and killers, especially serial killers. In recent years, Netflix has covered Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Richard Ramirez, and more. But now it’s time for a series based on one of America’s most infamous murderers: Jeffrey Dahmer.
Continue reading ‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ Trailer: Netflix Gives Notorious Serial Killer The Mini-Series Treatment at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ Trailer: Netflix Gives Notorious Serial Killer The Mini-Series Treatment at The Playlist.
- 9/16/2022
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
Fifty years from now when we look back to explore what sort of entertainment defined the 2010s into the 2020s, true crime and serial killer stories will absolutely be at the top of the list. Birthed out of the true-crime podcast boom of the 2010s which led to the true crime docuseries/adaptation explosion we're currently living through, filmmakers and screenwriters have been forced to get a lot more resourceful with their crime stories, considering the truth is often stranger than fiction.
One of the newest examples of this is "The Patient," the psychological thriller limited series starring Domhnall Gleeson as a serial killer who kidnaps his therapist (Steve Carell) not to make him yet another victim, but in the hopes that he'll be able to cure him of his homicidal urges. According to a recent interview in Decider, it was this decidedly unique take on the serial killer subgenre...
One of the newest examples of this is "The Patient," the psychological thriller limited series starring Domhnall Gleeson as a serial killer who kidnaps his therapist (Steve Carell) not to make him yet another victim, but in the hopes that he'll be able to cure him of his homicidal urges. According to a recent interview in Decider, it was this decidedly unique take on the serial killer subgenre...
- 8/31/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
A motion by city officials for Los Angeles to enter into a master lease with the Skid Row-adjacent Cecil Hotel for a permanent housing program to address homelessness on Thursday advanced in the Homeless and Poverty Committee.
The hotel, a historic building which has attracted public fascination for its sordid past, has been the inspiration for a number of film and TV productions. American Horror Story: Hotel, Season 5 of the FX anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, was based in part on the Cecil Hotel. The building was also the subject of the 2021 Netflix documentary series Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, which explored the 2013 death of 21-year-old Canadian student found in the property’s water tank. In 2017, Investigation Discovery did a three-episode crime series called Horror at the Cecil Hotel.
The property was converted into an affordable housing complex last December, but six months later,...
The hotel, a historic building which has attracted public fascination for its sordid past, has been the inspiration for a number of film and TV productions. American Horror Story: Hotel, Season 5 of the FX anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, was based in part on the Cecil Hotel. The building was also the subject of the 2021 Netflix documentary series Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, which explored the 2013 death of 21-year-old Canadian student found in the property’s water tank. In 2017, Investigation Discovery did a three-episode crime series called Horror at the Cecil Hotel.
The property was converted into an affordable housing complex last December, but six months later,...
- 8/13/2022
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
“Hypochondriac” informs viewers right away that it is “based on a real breakdown,” which certainly provides a new wrinkle on the now-wildly-overused “true story” proviso. Nonetheless, clarity of hindsight is not a major virtue in this adventurous first feature by writer-director Addison Heimann.
The offbeat indie drama features Zach Villa as a Los Angelean whose troubled past threatens to unravel his domestic partnership and his very sanity. The combination of gay protagonists, mental illness exploration, horror tropes, and surreal elements that gesture toward “Donnie Darko” make for an ambitious mix that holds attention, even if the uneven, somewhat muddled results are ultimately more effortful than insightful.
Following a festival tour that includes a midnight berth at SXSW and fitting slot in genre-focused Fantasia, XYZ Films will open the film in limited release on July 29, with digital and VOD release following Aug. 4.
A prologue reminiscent of 1960s/’70s post-“Psycho” chillers...
The offbeat indie drama features Zach Villa as a Los Angelean whose troubled past threatens to unravel his domestic partnership and his very sanity. The combination of gay protagonists, mental illness exploration, horror tropes, and surreal elements that gesture toward “Donnie Darko” make for an ambitious mix that holds attention, even if the uneven, somewhat muddled results are ultimately more effortful than insightful.
Following a festival tour that includes a midnight berth at SXSW and fitting slot in genre-focused Fantasia, XYZ Films will open the film in limited release on July 29, with digital and VOD release following Aug. 4.
A prologue reminiscent of 1960s/’70s post-“Psycho” chillers...
- 7/22/2022
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
Patrick Healy is calling it a career at Knbc-tv in Los Angeles.
L.A.’s NBC affiliate announced the newsman’s retirement today after 37 years there. Healy covered such major local stories as the Rodney King beating and the officers’ subsequent trial, the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the O.J. Simpson chase and aftermath, the Night Stalker case, the investigation into Michael Jackson’s death, the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash and many more.
Watch NBC4’s video tribute to Healy and his career below.
“I am extremely fortunate to have been given a chance to be a part of the best news shop In Los Angeles, and then be able to work the better part of my career with the most talented, most dedicated — and most caring — journalists in the TV news business,” said Healy, a Los Angeles native and UCLA grad whose father is the late L.A. sports radio legend Jim Healy.
L.A.’s NBC affiliate announced the newsman’s retirement today after 37 years there. Healy covered such major local stories as the Rodney King beating and the officers’ subsequent trial, the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the O.J. Simpson chase and aftermath, the Night Stalker case, the investigation into Michael Jackson’s death, the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash and many more.
Watch NBC4’s video tribute to Healy and his career below.
“I am extremely fortunate to have been given a chance to be a part of the best news shop In Los Angeles, and then be able to work the better part of my career with the most talented, most dedicated — and most caring — journalists in the TV news business,” said Healy, a Los Angeles native and UCLA grad whose father is the late L.A. sports radio legend Jim Healy.
- 12/1/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
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Obsessed with true crime? You’re not alone. From “House of Gucci” to “Tiger King,” true crime stories are more popular than ever, and thanks to podcasts, movies, TV shows, and documentaries, the ways to indulge in real-life crime stories are seemingly endless.
If you’ve been searching for great gifts for true crime lovers, we put together a list of killer ideas that are perfect for the holidays, birthdays, and other occasions. Keep reading for a roundup of immersive murder mysteries, novelty gifts, board games, and more ideas for true crime fans. For more unsolved mysteries to get lost in, see our picks for the best true crime documentaries streaming on HBO Max,...
Obsessed with true crime? You’re not alone. From “House of Gucci” to “Tiger King,” true crime stories are more popular than ever, and thanks to podcasts, movies, TV shows, and documentaries, the ways to indulge in real-life crime stories are seemingly endless.
If you’ve been searching for great gifts for true crime lovers, we put together a list of killer ideas that are perfect for the holidays, birthdays, and other occasions. Keep reading for a roundup of immersive murder mysteries, novelty gifts, board games, and more ideas for true crime fans. For more unsolved mysteries to get lost in, see our picks for the best true crime documentaries streaming on HBO Max,...
- 11/10/2021
- by Latifah Muhammad
- Indiewire
It’s not exactly a compliment when a person is told that they could pass for Richard Ramirez but in the context of playing the individual in a movie, it’s not exactly an insult either since looking at the guy one has to admit that he’s pretty creepy-looking and has the kind of appearance that might be pleasing to some and downright eerie to others. During his time the media-dubbed Night Stalker committed quite a few heinous crimes and never once appeared sorry for any of them. The truth about the guy is that he was a stone-faced killer and no
Five Actors Who Could Play Richard Ramirez in a Movie...
Five Actors Who Could Play Richard Ramirez in a Movie...
- 7/16/2021
- by Tom
- TVovermind.com
Emmy voters may give an involuntary shudder while poring over potential nominees in the documentary categories. They abound with tales of mass murderers and eldritch crime: John Wayne Gacy, the Manson Family, the Night Stalker Richard Ramirez, the Australian serial killer known as the Night Caller, and the Golden State Killer.
Most of those series fit neatly within the true crime niche, but I’ll Be Gone in the Dark represents an exception. Yes, the HBO docuseries explores how Golden State Killer Joseph James DeAngelo was ultimately apprehended after decades eluding identification. But it does so through the perspective of gifted writer and amateur detective Michelle McNamara, who became obsessed with tracking down the mysterious killer and gave him his memorable three-word moniker.
Oscar nominee Liz Garbus executive produced the series through her Story Syndicate production company. She is one of four directors credited on it, along with Myles Kane,...
Most of those series fit neatly within the true crime niche, but I’ll Be Gone in the Dark represents an exception. Yes, the HBO docuseries explores how Golden State Killer Joseph James DeAngelo was ultimately apprehended after decades eluding identification. But it does so through the perspective of gifted writer and amateur detective Michelle McNamara, who became obsessed with tracking down the mysterious killer and gave him his memorable three-word moniker.
Oscar nominee Liz Garbus executive produced the series through her Story Syndicate production company. She is one of four directors credited on it, along with Myles Kane,...
- 6/23/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The reverent Mark Twain once said, truth is stranger than fiction. His words strike the right chord than ever with ‘true crime’ igniting curiosity amongst the viewers. Equal parts interesting and terrifying, audiences are devouring the fast-paced mystery of real-life crimes unraveling on the screen. From giving you a sneak peek into the inner workings of criminally insane, to presenting edgy and mystery induced drama, these crime docuseries will keep you gripped till the end.
Here is a listicle of a few captivating true crime shows across on Ott.
True Life Crime UK [Voot Select]
This arresting TV series investigates the most harrowing crimes against innocent youngsters. These unsolved crimes have made it to the national headlines, uncovering the daunting questions behind them. The team’s quest to find the truth leads to unexpected breakthroughs no one saw coming in their wildest dreams. Witness families pursue justice as journalists probe the mystery of these shocking crimes.
Here is a listicle of a few captivating true crime shows across on Ott.
True Life Crime UK [Voot Select]
This arresting TV series investigates the most harrowing crimes against innocent youngsters. These unsolved crimes have made it to the national headlines, uncovering the daunting questions behind them. The team’s quest to find the truth leads to unexpected breakthroughs no one saw coming in their wildest dreams. Witness families pursue justice as journalists probe the mystery of these shocking crimes.
- 6/15/2021
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
This story about “Night Stalker” first appeared in the Race Begins issue of TheWrap’s Emmy magazine.
Making a documentary about sadistic serial killer Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker, was no easy feat for filmmaker Tiller Russell. The director/producer knew he would have to respect the victims’ trauma while showcasing Ramirez’s crimes, which were extremely violent in nature. By anchoring the story in the perspective of Gil Carrillo, one of the detectives who helped solve the case, he was able to carefully craft the Netflix docuseries, “Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer,” set to the tone of Hollywood noir.
“Had I not met Gil or Frank, I would’ve never done the story,” Russell said. “It was their experience of it that anchored me to it. Frank and Gil were this odd couple of detectives who had this journey which you can tell...
Making a documentary about sadistic serial killer Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker, was no easy feat for filmmaker Tiller Russell. The director/producer knew he would have to respect the victims’ trauma while showcasing Ramirez’s crimes, which were extremely violent in nature. By anchoring the story in the perspective of Gil Carrillo, one of the detectives who helped solve the case, he was able to carefully craft the Netflix docuseries, “Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer,” set to the tone of Hollywood noir.
“Had I not met Gil or Frank, I would’ve never done the story,” Russell said. “It was their experience of it that anchored me to it. Frank and Gil were this odd couple of detectives who had this journey which you can tell...
- 6/1/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
True crime is a genre that has taken over, allowing many people who have found themselves curious by these cases have a sense of understanding.
With women being the predominant victims in these situations, watching this content allows them a sense of control.
It is almost like the more we know, the better prepared we can be.
The influx of documentaries also allows a bigger platform for certain stories that deserve to be heard.
And sometimes, it is just about you being in the mood to sit down and watch some true crime.
These are just a few true crime options worth the watch because they are truly fascinating watches or because of the conversations that started afterward.
With many more coming this year, it felt only right to get ready by looking back at some of the most fascinating so far.
But this is only the beginning, with the...
With women being the predominant victims in these situations, watching this content allows them a sense of control.
It is almost like the more we know, the better prepared we can be.
The influx of documentaries also allows a bigger platform for certain stories that deserve to be heard.
And sometimes, it is just about you being in the mood to sit down and watch some true crime.
These are just a few true crime options worth the watch because they are truly fascinating watches or because of the conversations that started afterward.
With many more coming this year, it felt only right to get ready by looking back at some of the most fascinating so far.
But this is only the beginning, with the...
- 3/12/2021
- by Yana Grebenyuk
- TVfanatic
Photo: 'Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel'/Netflix ‘Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel’ series director and 2012 Oscar nominee Joe Berlinger delivers a magnetizing and jaw-dropping account of one of the most recent and terrifying mysteries that captured the world, with there still being obsessive subcultures of people trying to solve the case. Critically and commercially acclaimed executive producers and creative partners Ron Howard and Brian Grazer demonstrate their evolving creative success by trusting keen talent to steer important projects like this in the right direction. This Netflix docuseries is eerily gripping, incredibly fascinating, and masterfully directed and edited that elevates this show as one of Netflix’s best crime documentaries, which is high praise considering their wildly successful recent ‘Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer’, centered on serial killer Richard Ramirez, which ‘Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel’ is almost directly...
- 2/11/2021
- by Armando Brigham
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
The Cecil Hotel has been haunted by a dark history of grisly crimes and murders. Focused on the disappearance of Elisa Lam, Netflix's Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel also dives deep into the Cecil's disturbing history of serial killers. Episode three of the docuseries unpacks the terrifying case of the serial killer Jack Unterweger, who resided at the hotel during the Summer of 1991. Just years after Richard Ramirez terrified Los Angeles as the Night Stalker, Unterweger made his way into the hotel to study the nearby red-light district. Soon after Unterweger's arrival, sex workers started dying. So, who exactly was Jack Unterweger? To those who first met him in Los Angeles, he was simply an Austrian journalist on assignment.
Johann "Jack" Unterweger had a history. In 1974, he abducted and murdered 18-year-old Margret Schafer, claiming to see his mother's face in Schafer when he strangled her with her own bra.
Johann "Jack" Unterweger had a history. In 1974, he abducted and murdered 18-year-old Margret Schafer, claiming to see his mother's face in Schafer when he strangled her with her own bra.
- 2/10/2021
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
When Gil Carrillo joined the homicide division at the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in the early Eighties, his future partner Frank Salerno was already something of a celebrity. He had recently collared the so-called Hillside Strangler, a.k.a. cousins Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono Jr., a serial killer duo who terrorized the L.A. area in the late Seventies, raping, torturing, and killing 10 women.
“When I met Frank; he was going through the trial for the Hillside Strangler,” Carrillo tells Rolling Stone. “I asked him about it and he said,...
“When I met Frank; he was going through the trial for the Hillside Strangler,” Carrillo tells Rolling Stone. “I asked him about it and he said,...
- 2/10/2021
- by Brenna Ehrlich
- Rollingstone.com
Dubbed creepy nicknames such as "Hotel Death" and "The Suicide," the Cecil Hotel harbors a dark history as a hotbed for death, suicide, and murder. A magnet for crime, it was formerly home to serial killers such as Richard Ramirez and Jack Unterweger. In 2013, its notoriety hit off once more when 21-year-old Canadian traveler Elisa Lam was found dead in the hotel's water tank days after police released a chilling video of her in an elevator.
Lam's story is now the focus of Netflix's Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, which interviews experts and hotel workers to clarify the context around her case. But this docuseries isn't the first time we've seen the Cecil or Lam's story referenced on the small screen. Back in 2015, the Cecil actually inspired Ryan Murphy to create American Horror Story: Hotel, which focuses on the disturbing events at the fictional Hotel Cortez.
Lam's story is now the focus of Netflix's Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, which interviews experts and hotel workers to clarify the context around her case. But this docuseries isn't the first time we've seen the Cecil or Lam's story referenced on the small screen. Back in 2015, the Cecil actually inspired Ryan Murphy to create American Horror Story: Hotel, which focuses on the disturbing events at the fictional Hotel Cortez.
- 2/10/2021
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
Netflix's Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel explores the strange and tragic case of Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old Canadian traveler who was found dead in the Cecil Hotel's water tank in early 2013. Lam's death, officially ruled an accidental drowning, was met with sensational speculation because of the Cecil's gruesome history. Given that the Cecil has been riddled with death and crime, many web sleuths were convinced by theories of ghosts and foul play. Episode two of Crime Scene especially unpacks how the hotel's dark past marred its reputation. Over the years, the Cecil has earned unsavory nicknames such as "Hotel Death" and "The Suicide." Management even rebranded part of the Cecil as a trendy youth hostel called "Stay on Main" to distance away from its unsettling background.
So, what were the unspeakable crimes at the Cecil? Whether or not the Cecil is haunted by ghosts, it has...
So, what were the unspeakable crimes at the Cecil? Whether or not the Cecil is haunted by ghosts, it has...
- 2/10/2021
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
(Spoiler alert: Do not read on if you haven’t seen Netflix’s “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel.”)
Elisa Lam was a 21-year-old student visiting Los Angeles for the first time when she mysteriously disappeared in 2013, and was found in a water tank of the Cecil Hotel in Downtown L.A. 19 days later.
Police later said there was no evidence of trauma and her death was accidental, even if the exact circumstances leading to her demise remain unknown. Nonetheless, theories on why Lam vanished and how she died have circled ever since. Some blame hotel guests and staff, other suggest she was hunted and murdered, and still others say she was playing a Korean game that took on a tragic dimension. That all might be because the hotel in question has been linked to several notable murders and suicides over its 94-year history.
Joe Berlinger’s “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel...
Elisa Lam was a 21-year-old student visiting Los Angeles for the first time when she mysteriously disappeared in 2013, and was found in a water tank of the Cecil Hotel in Downtown L.A. 19 days later.
Police later said there was no evidence of trauma and her death was accidental, even if the exact circumstances leading to her demise remain unknown. Nonetheless, theories on why Lam vanished and how she died have circled ever since. Some blame hotel guests and staff, other suggest she was hunted and murdered, and still others say she was playing a Korean game that took on a tragic dimension. That all might be because the hotel in question has been linked to several notable murders and suicides over its 94-year history.
Joe Berlinger’s “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel...
- 2/10/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
(Spoiler alert: Do not read on if you haven’t seen Netflix’s “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel.”)
Netflix’s documentary “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel” goes live on the streaming service Wednesday, and while the series focuses mostly on the Elisa Lam case, the Cecil Hotel is a Los Angeles landmark that has a haunted history dating back to the 1930s.
The 21-year-old student Elisa Lam, the subject of the Netflix series, is now the Cecil Hotel’s most famous lodger. Lam was found floating dead and naked in the hotel’s water tower on the roof in February 2013 after a brief stay. The last recorded moments of Lam’s life were captured by a now-famous elevator security camera video, which shows Lam frantically pressing all the door buttons and apparently speaking to someone out of view.
Lam’s case is still cold — a killer was never identified,...
Netflix’s documentary “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel” goes live on the streaming service Wednesday, and while the series focuses mostly on the Elisa Lam case, the Cecil Hotel is a Los Angeles landmark that has a haunted history dating back to the 1930s.
The 21-year-old student Elisa Lam, the subject of the Netflix series, is now the Cecil Hotel’s most famous lodger. Lam was found floating dead and naked in the hotel’s water tower on the roof in February 2013 after a brief stay. The last recorded moments of Lam’s life were captured by a now-famous elevator security camera video, which shows Lam frantically pressing all the door buttons and apparently speaking to someone out of view.
Lam’s case is still cold — a killer was never identified,...
- 2/10/2021
- by Samson Amore and Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Netflix documentary Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel explores the strange case of Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old Canadian woman who disappeared in January 2013 while she was staying at the Cecil Hotel in downtown LA. It’s a very famous case with many theories posited across the internet, which captured people’s imaginations after some very odd footage of Lam was released by the LAPD, hoping to find out what happened to her. More than two weeks after Elisa was last seen her body was discovered in a water tank on top of the hotel, after guests at the hotel reported a drop in pressure and discoloration of the water.
Was she murdered? Was it suicide? Was it an accident? Or could it even have been something supernatural? This four part docuseries from Joe Berlinger, who made the excellent documentary Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, delves...
Was she murdered? Was it suicide? Was it an accident? Or could it even have been something supernatural? This four part docuseries from Joe Berlinger, who made the excellent documentary Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, delves...
- 2/10/2021
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
This article contains spoilers for The Little Things and Seven.
Critics have not been kind to The Little Things, the new Warner Bros./HBO Max psychological thriller starring Denzel Washington and Rami Malek as two Los Angeles cops obsessed with catching a vicious serial killer. Although the film is apparently doing very decent business–especially on the streaming end–it sits at a mediocre 48 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with many comparing it to the 1995 classic Seven. In that juxtaposition, The Little Things is coming up short.
On the surface, there are a number of similarities between writer-director John Lee Hancock’s new police melodrama and David Fincher’s masterpiece from 25 years ago. Yet despite parallels in the two films’ plot structure, character relationships, settings, and themes, there are key differences that set them apart upon a closer look. These distinctions may also provide The Little Things with a more level critical playing field.
Critics have not been kind to The Little Things, the new Warner Bros./HBO Max psychological thriller starring Denzel Washington and Rami Malek as two Los Angeles cops obsessed with catching a vicious serial killer. Although the film is apparently doing very decent business–especially on the streaming end–it sits at a mediocre 48 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with many comparing it to the 1995 classic Seven. In that juxtaposition, The Little Things is coming up short.
On the surface, there are a number of similarities between writer-director John Lee Hancock’s new police melodrama and David Fincher’s masterpiece from 25 years ago. Yet despite parallels in the two films’ plot structure, character relationships, settings, and themes, there are key differences that set them apart upon a closer look. These distinctions may also provide The Little Things with a more level critical playing field.
- 2/3/2021
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Devil Detail: Hancock Probes Processes in Neo-Noir Throwback
In a city of angels, there are an awful lot of devils dwelling, which is part of what makes Los Angeles a perennial hotbed for genre, from the annals of film noir through the fluctuating offerings of contemporary neo-noir. John Lee Hancock switches up his directorial trajectory with The Little Things a 1990 set throwback to cinematic serial killer fodder from a decade rife with them.
Revisiting a metropolis barely recovered from the terror of the Night Stalker Richard Ramirez, the time and place are ripe for narrative possibility. While Hancock’s vintage vibes don’t quite capture the spirit of early 90s Los Angeles, neither does it convey a contemporary mood, which lends it a sort of pulpy ghost story feeling about cops and killers dredging through dreadful nightmares of the dead.…...
In a city of angels, there are an awful lot of devils dwelling, which is part of what makes Los Angeles a perennial hotbed for genre, from the annals of film noir through the fluctuating offerings of contemporary neo-noir. John Lee Hancock switches up his directorial trajectory with The Little Things a 1990 set throwback to cinematic serial killer fodder from a decade rife with them.
Revisiting a metropolis barely recovered from the terror of the Night Stalker Richard Ramirez, the time and place are ripe for narrative possibility. While Hancock’s vintage vibes don’t quite capture the spirit of early 90s Los Angeles, neither does it convey a contemporary mood, which lends it a sort of pulpy ghost story feeling about cops and killers dredging through dreadful nightmares of the dead.…...
- 2/3/2021
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Since opening in the 1920s, the Cecil Hotel has harbored a dark reputation with many robberies, assaults, murders, and suicides in its checkered history. In fact, it was home for serial killers such as Richard Ramirez and Jack Unterweger. Netflix's upcoming docuseries Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel unpacks the 2013 disappearance of Elisa Lam, contextualizing the historic building's haunting background that increased interest in the case. Given its notoriety, is the Cecil still open? While the Cecil officially closed its doors in 2017, it's currently being renovated for future guests and residents.
Interviewing former manager Amy Price, Crime Scene dives deep into the significant effort to repair the Cecil's reputation in 2011. The hotel's management decided to restructure the building and rebrand certain parts of it as a trendy hostel hotel called Stay on Main. Floors two and three were for tenants, four through six were for Stay on Main guests,...
Interviewing former manager Amy Price, Crime Scene dives deep into the significant effort to repair the Cecil's reputation in 2011. The hotel's management decided to restructure the building and rebrand certain parts of it as a trendy hostel hotel called Stay on Main. Floors two and three were for tenants, four through six were for Stay on Main guests,...
- 2/1/2021
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
This article contains The Little Things spoilers. You can read our spoiler-free review here.
Despite what those looking for clear answers after that ending might hope, The Little Things is not based on any specific true story or serial killer investigation. It was a 1993 screenplay penned by writer-director John Lee Hancock. However, there are similarities to several well known cases. The film even mentions the Night Stalker, aka Richard Ramirez, all while stopping short of naming names or committing to a specific lethal predator in its own yarn.
This is by design. In a recent interview with The Wrap, Hancock said “the whole reason I wrote the script” was to lean into the ambiguity and frustration of criminal investigations. Yet several ongoing serial killer investigations during the time of his writing raises questions about whether this intent was partially influenced by two open-ended searches for serial killers.
In the near...
Despite what those looking for clear answers after that ending might hope, The Little Things is not based on any specific true story or serial killer investigation. It was a 1993 screenplay penned by writer-director John Lee Hancock. However, there are similarities to several well known cases. The film even mentions the Night Stalker, aka Richard Ramirez, all while stopping short of naming names or committing to a specific lethal predator in its own yarn.
This is by design. In a recent interview with The Wrap, Hancock said “the whole reason I wrote the script” was to lean into the ambiguity and frustration of criminal investigations. Yet several ongoing serial killer investigations during the time of his writing raises questions about whether this intent was partially influenced by two open-ended searches for serial killers.
In the near...
- 2/1/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Some faces you just can't forget. That was the thought lurking in the back of our heads as we tried to figure out why the culprit at the heart of Netflix's Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer seemed so familiar to us. As true crime fans, we've consumed many hours of bone-chilling docu-series and fictional films about serial killers. Still, as we tuned into the Netflix docu-series for the first time, which dropped on Jan. 13, Richard Ramirez's face was eerily familiar to us. Before long, it hit us that season nine of American Horror Story had incorporated Ramirez's haunting murders into their narrative. So, it wasn't technically Ramirez who we were recognizing, it was the...
- 1/31/2021
- E! Online
This The Little Things analysis contains spoilers. Read our spoiler-free review here.
The Little Things can be seen as a tainted police procedural with its murky ambiguity and troubling ending. But it’s also the story of a man for whom the allure of a charismatic serial killer goes too far. After all, serial killers make up less than one percent of homicides but they average a double-digit percentage of Hollywood crime films, and probably a majority of prison fan mail. What is it about these one-percenters we love so much?
Directed by John Lee Hancock, the supposed sociopath in The Little Things is Albert Sparma, a drifter who works as a repairman. Jared Leto is certainly magnetic in the part, serving Sparma up with a now-stereotypical “charismatic serial killer” vibe. But the Oscar-winning actor also brings an ambiguous energy to the part, suggesting he may merely be a serial killer groupie.
The Little Things can be seen as a tainted police procedural with its murky ambiguity and troubling ending. But it’s also the story of a man for whom the allure of a charismatic serial killer goes too far. After all, serial killers make up less than one percent of homicides but they average a double-digit percentage of Hollywood crime films, and probably a majority of prison fan mail. What is it about these one-percenters we love so much?
Directed by John Lee Hancock, the supposed sociopath in The Little Things is Albert Sparma, a drifter who works as a repairman. Jared Leto is certainly magnetic in the part, serving Sparma up with a now-stereotypical “charismatic serial killer” vibe. But the Oscar-winning actor also brings an ambiguous energy to the part, suggesting he may merely be a serial killer groupie.
- 1/30/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
While WandaVision takes inspiration from many other shows, one superhero shows in particular predates the Disney+ series’ weirdness: FX’s Legion.
“Although what we’ve seen of WandaVision so far doesn’t have much in common with its MCU predecessors, there is one recent TV series that the Disney+ title is reminiscent of — FX’s Legion, which is currently streaming on Hulu.”
Read more at Inverse.
So much of our food waste are created from us throwing away perfectly good food. Here are ten common food items you can eat after their “best by” or “sell by” dates.
“You’ve just unearthed a long-forgotten box of spaghetti from the back of your pantry that looks normal, smells normal, and has no sign of mold. According to the ‘use by’ date, however, it expired three weeks ago. Worried that the pasta is harboring some invisible but hazardous bacteria, you mutter ‘Better safe than sorry,...
“Although what we’ve seen of WandaVision so far doesn’t have much in common with its MCU predecessors, there is one recent TV series that the Disney+ title is reminiscent of — FX’s Legion, which is currently streaming on Hulu.”
Read more at Inverse.
So much of our food waste are created from us throwing away perfectly good food. Here are ten common food items you can eat after their “best by” or “sell by” dates.
“You’ve just unearthed a long-forgotten box of spaghetti from the back of your pantry that looks normal, smells normal, and has no sign of mold. According to the ‘use by’ date, however, it expired three weeks ago. Worried that the pasta is harboring some invisible but hazardous bacteria, you mutter ‘Better safe than sorry,...
- 1/28/2021
- by Ivan Huang
- Den of Geek
Room service? More like, doom service. On Tuesday, Jan. 26, Netflix dropped the first look at its latest true crime documentary series, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. Season one of the series, which will premiere on February 10, will unpack the dark history of Downtown Los Angeles' Cecil Hotel (aka "Hotel Death.") In the just-released footage below, a voice-over warns, "Throughout its history, the Hotel Cecil has always had a dark persona." Per the preview, the infamous hotel was "a place where serial killers let their hair down." Case in point: Serial killer Richard Ramirez, whose twisted story is examined in Netflix's documentary Night Stalker: The Hunt For a...
- 1/26/2021
- E! Online
The trailer for Netflix's next breakout documentary has arrived. Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, premiering Feb. 10, centers on the mysterious death of Elisa Lam. The Canadian college student disappeared during a trip up the California coast in 2013, and her last known location is just one of the many bizarre things surrounding the case.
Lam was staying at the Cecil Hotel, a once-glamorous hotel near Los Angeles's notoriously violent Skid Row. Over the decades, the Cecil had hosted numerous killers, including Night Stalker Richard Ramirez and Austrian serial killer Jack Unterweger. Deaths (accidental or otherwise) at the hotel itself may stretch into the hundreds, but it's Elisa Lam's untimely death that led to countless theories by internets sleuths because of a tape the police released of her strange behavior in the hotel's elevator.
Whether you've heard of the case or not, the trailer will surely pique your interest.
Lam was staying at the Cecil Hotel, a once-glamorous hotel near Los Angeles's notoriously violent Skid Row. Over the decades, the Cecil had hosted numerous killers, including Night Stalker Richard Ramirez and Austrian serial killer Jack Unterweger. Deaths (accidental or otherwise) at the hotel itself may stretch into the hundreds, but it's Elisa Lam's untimely death that led to countless theories by internets sleuths because of a tape the police released of her strange behavior in the hotel's elevator.
Whether you've heard of the case or not, the trailer will surely pique your interest.
- 1/26/2021
- by Maggie Panos
- Popsugar.com
Netflix's Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer takes us back to the mid-'80s with the chilling case of the Night Stalker, aka Richard Ramirez. As the show retraces the infamous investigation, it features a politician whose name you may have heard of: Dianne Feinstein. The California senator has had her fair share of controversial moments lately, from her dismissive remarks toward youth environmentalists to her hug with Lindsey Graham at Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearing. So, how did Feinstein play a role in the Night Stalker case? Back then, she was the mayor of San Francisco. While the Night Stalker was known for terrorizing Los Angeles, one case linked him to San Francisco during the height of his murder spree. Episode three of the true-crime miniseries revisits one of Feinstein's biggest blunders: the time she released confidential investigation details in a press conference.
The Night...
The Night...
- 1/22/2021
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
In Stephen King’s novel The Shining, the Overlook Hotel is an expansive structure with a dark past, located in the remote Rocky Mountains. Despite its opulent beginnings, the hotel becomes a place where brutal murders occur, madness sets in, ghosts lurk, and evil itself is a permanent occupant.
Relocate King’s Overlook to Downtown Los Angeles’ Skid Row, and you have its closest real-world equivalent: the Cecil Hotel. The hotel’s checkered history, and lore involving curses and ghosts, has made it a dark tourism landmark situated at the crossroads of true crime and paranormal fascination. But despite lots of interest on the internet, the Cecil, since rebranded as Stay on Main Hotel, has never officially permitted cameras inside for a paranormal investigation.
Until now. Enter Zak Bagans.
(Disclaimer: I have previously worked with Zak Bagans on television shows, and currently appear as an expert on the Travel Channel series Paranormal Caught on Camera.
Relocate King’s Overlook to Downtown Los Angeles’ Skid Row, and you have its closest real-world equivalent: the Cecil Hotel. The hotel’s checkered history, and lore involving curses and ghosts, has made it a dark tourism landmark situated at the crossroads of true crime and paranormal fascination. But despite lots of interest on the internet, the Cecil, since rebranded as Stay on Main Hotel, has never officially permitted cameras inside for a paranormal investigation.
Until now. Enter Zak Bagans.
(Disclaimer: I have previously worked with Zak Bagans on television shows, and currently appear as an expert on the Travel Channel series Paranormal Caught on Camera.
- 1/22/2021
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
The latest true crime obsession is the 4-part docuseries on Netflix called Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer, which details the heinous crime spree of serial killer Richard Ramirez in the '80s. The docuseries is quite well-done and makes you second guess whether or not you locked your doors and windows at night but this latest story has made it intersect, oddly enough,…...
- 1/22/2021
- by Gaius Bolling
- JoBlo.com
Hollywood screenwriter Ed Solomon on Thursday shared a creepy mix-up story about the time he was momentarily suspected of being the Night Stalker, who in the mid-’80s terrified California.
The Night Stalker case is back in headlines due to the popularity of a new four-part Netflix docuseries about the serial killer, who was later identified as Richard Ramirez. He was finally captured and put on death row. He died of cancer in 2013.
Solomon, screenwriter of such films as the Bill & Ted series and Men in Black, recalled one night in the summer of 1985 when reporters began to call and police came knocking ...
The Night Stalker case is back in headlines due to the popularity of a new four-part Netflix docuseries about the serial killer, who was later identified as Richard Ramirez. He was finally captured and put on death row. He died of cancer in 2013.
Solomon, screenwriter of such films as the Bill & Ted series and Men in Black, recalled one night in the summer of 1985 when reporters began to call and police came knocking ...
- 1/21/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Hollywood screenwriter Ed Solomon on Thursday shared a creepy story about the time he was suspected of being the Night Stalker, who in the mid-80s terrified California.
The Night Stalker case is back in headlines due to the popularity of a new four-part Netflix docuseries about the serial killer, who was later identified as Richard Ramirez. He was finally captured and put on death row. He died of cancer in 2013.
Solomon, screenwriter of such films as the Bill & Ted series and Men in Black, recalled one night in the summer of 1985 when reporters began to call and police came knocking on his door....
The Night Stalker case is back in headlines due to the popularity of a new four-part Netflix docuseries about the serial killer, who was later identified as Richard Ramirez. He was finally captured and put on death row. He died of cancer in 2013.
Solomon, screenwriter of such films as the Bill & Ted series and Men in Black, recalled one night in the summer of 1985 when reporters began to call and police came knocking on his door....
- 1/21/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Photo: ‘Night Stalker’/Netflix To start 2021 off, Netflix released a new limited series that focuses on Richard Ramirez aka the “Night Stalker”. Convicted serial killer, rapist, and kidnapper, Ramirez has had 14 victims connected to him and many more that have yet to be officially proven. During the 1980s, he terrorized the greater Los Angeles area as well as San Francisco and committed a series of murders, rapes, and robberies within a short amount of time. Netflix’s newest documentary symbolizes a big change from its usual format of true crime documentaries, instead of focusing on the serial killer, they focused on the detectives and the victims. Related article: ‘City on a Hill’: No Rest for the Wicked in Boston Crime Drama Related article: ‘I’m Your Woman’: A Unique Spin on the Crime Drama and a Standout Performance from Rachel Brosnahan The ‘Night Stalker’ documentary uses a mixture of photographic evidence,...
- 1/20/2021
- by Jordan Qin
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
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