DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 30, 2021

Lady in a Cage (1964) Power outage traps a woman in her elevator, then the home invaders arrive. Schlocky, enjoyable thriller with anti-capitalist pretenses. TIL: For refusing to renounce her faith, Bl. Agnes Tsao-Kou Ying was locked in a standing-room only cage until she died.

Dad Rock Diary: Tiny Tim - God Bless Tiny Tim (1968) To love his eccentric vaudevillian flower-child schtick is an acquired taste; to hate it is next to impossible. Laudable Lyrics: And maybe someday, you'll go to heaven, too. If I know your mommy, she saved a place for you.

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 29, 2021

So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) Beat poet worries his true love might be a serial killer. For fans of dark humor, maybe one of Mike Myer's best. TIL: Considering St. Peter of Verona is often pictured with an axe in his head, it's not hard to figure out how he was martyred.

This week for Aleteia I take a look at how ‘The Exorcist’ is a Catholic movie. It ain't just because there are priests in it.

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 28, 2021

Sleepstalker (1995) Serial killer made out of sand stalks the only survivor of his last massacre. Nice setup, but ultimately lukewarm 90's DTV effort. TIL: Yet another victim of Diocletian, St. Castulus was martyred by being buried alive in a pit of sand outside of Rome.

One Sheet Words of Wisdom: Free Ride (1986) "Increase of material comforts, it may be generally laid down, does not in any way whatsoever conduce to moral growth." - Mahatma Gandhi

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 26, 2021

Machete (2010) Ex-Federale takes brutal revenge on his betrayers. Probably worked a bit better as a fake Grindhouse trailer, but worth it to see Trejo in a lead role. TIL: As 14-year-old St. Jose Sanchez del Rio was being hacked at by machetes, his response was "Viva Cristo Rey!"

Dad Rock Diary: Be-Bop Deluxe - Futurama (1975) Just an excuse for Bill Nelson to show off his guitar playing? If so, then by all means, let him keep showing off. Laudable Lyrics: Someone in the garden walking through the moonlight, sailing in the silence, hoping for an insight.

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 25, 2021

The Infernal Cauldron (1903) Hand-colored demons boil sinners in a giant pot to create new ghosts until things go wrong. Another enjoyable silent psychotic interlude from Georges Méliès. TIL: St. Antipas was boiled alive after being placed inside a bronze bull-shaped cauldron.

Hey, it looks like the atheists are finally discovering the historical fact that Halloween never had any pagan roots and is mostly a combination of Christian religious observance and local customs. Now if only we could get the Baptists to do the same :)

Meanwhile, over at Aleteia, Philip Kosloski is asking one of the more important questions of the season, "Can a werewolf receive communion?"

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 24, 2021

Isolation (2005) Irish farmers are beset by mutated cow-spawn. Not bad for a little gross-out creature-feature. TIL: Upset that martyrdom by wild cow was too disrespectful for a woman who had just given birth, the spectators demanded St. Felicity have her throat slit instead.

Still Voices - Fury of the Wolfman (1972) "Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone." - Anthony Burgess

SHORT TAKE: DUNE (2021)

Having seen it twice now, here's some random thoughts on Dune.

(1) Nothing else this year touches this movie visually. It's beautiful. And if you can, see it in IMAX. Of all the movies released so far this year, this is the one which calls for that format the most.

(2) Having said that, watching it a second time on HBO Max with subtitles on was nice as it helped clarify some of the whispering which got lost in the sound mix at my theater. IMAX does tend to rumble.

(3) I know some folks are disappointed with the way the movie ends. It is a little jarring, however, it is the right choice thematically (as long as Part 2 happens) as that is the point in the story at which Paul's story ends and Muad'Dib's begins.

(4) Did they hold a pre-filming séance or something and invoke the spirit of Marlon Brando, because Stellan Skarsgård is definitely channeling him from Apocalypse Now, right? I can't be the only one seeing that, can I?

(5) Just go ahead and give the production design crews all the awards. This thing evoked all those cool science fiction paperback covers of old, and yet looked entirely real and modern. Again, beautiful.

(6) I wasn't sure if the film would tone down the religious aspects of the story, but no worries, it goes all in. I'd expect the usual sources to provide a healthy dose of online essays regarding the movie's theological undertones any day now.

(7) Finally (for now), the movie treasures tone and atmosphere above action, so it's not structured like the typical blockbuster. Sadly, that will be a no-go for some, but don't let the negative reviews turn you away. At least give it a try...

... because if you don't there might not be a Dune Part Two, and if that happens history will forever curse the names of those that prevented it from happening. Don't let that happen to you :)

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 22, 2021

Se7en (1995) Serial killer commits murders based on the Seven Deadly Sins. Nihilistic screed, anti-apathy sermon, or both? Masterfully made whichever interpretation you choose. TIL: After her own martyrdom, St. Symphorosa's seven sons were each executed in seven different ways.

It's spooky season again, so this week for Aleteia I look at 5 more horror movies with Catholic sensibilities.

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 19, 2021

Wild Beasts (1984) Lions and tigers and everything else go berserk after being dosed with PCP. Fairly bonkers Italian take on the animals attack genre. TIL: For refusing to publicly honor the Roman gods, St. Ignatius of Antioch was sent to the Coliseum to be devoured by beasts.

One Sheet Words of Wisdom: Shock Waves (1977) "The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore." - Dale Carnegie

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 18, 2021

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) The unstoppable cyborg returns, only now he's willing to sacrifice all for the good guys. Action classic still holds up. TIL: A Saint killer before his conversion, St. Hippolytus' heel face turn earned him martyrdom by being torn apart by horses.

I was given a peek at the recently resurrected Wonder magazine. It deep dives into the Haunted Mansion ride (finding a few similarities with the Hero's Journey) and reprints some Halloween appropriate G.K. Chesterton. Plus, the WNUF Halloween Special! A definite recommend.

And, yes, I'm plugging someone's magazine. No, I didn't write anything in it. Just thought some of you might be interested in a publication aimed at monster kids that has whole sections devoted to the writings of G.K. Chesterton and Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson.

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 17, 2021

Death Ship (1980) Derelict Nazi tanker drives George Kennedy nuts. Objectively not so good, but overflowing with that patented early 80's haunted house vibe, so enjoy. TIL: Pope St. Clement encountered his own death ship when Trajan had him tied to an anchor and tossed overboard.

Still Voices - Repossessed (1990) "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." - Victor Hugo

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 16, 2021

Sleepy Hollow (1999) Tim Burton's gothic take on the Headless Horseman legend. Pretty, if not much else. Probably gets extra points if you shopped at Hot Topic a lot. TIL: St. Dymphna refused to marry her own father, so the old nut took out his sword and personally beheaded her.

Funny Book Philosophy: Mad Magazine 451 (2005)

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 15, 2021

Eyeball (1975) Group of tourists refuse to cut short their trip through Spain, even after a killer starts stealing their eyeballs. Mid-tier giallo from Lenzi, but fans of the genre should be satisfied. TIL: For refusing to renounce her faith, St Lucy had her eyes gouged out.

Now Showing at a Blog Near You: There is no easy way to work through grief, for the characters or the audience. For Aleteia this week I review Mass, one of the year's better, but also most emotionally exhausting films.

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 15, 2021

Grizzly (1976) Jaws with a bear, sure, but just loopy enough to stand on its own as 90 minutes of entertaining schlock. If nothing else, bear vs. helicopter. TIL: When the lions refused to eat St Euphemia and just licked her instead, starving bears were sent out to do the job.

Now Showing at a Blog Near You: Over at  Aleteia, Philip Kosloski attempts to assemble The Catholic Church’s official guide to comic books based on the few brief mentions the medium gets in published Church documents

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 13, 2021

The Villain (1979) Handsome Stranger Arnie dispatches Kirk Douglas via various Road Runner riffs including many boulder crushings. 90 minutes is 80 minutes too long. TIL: The decidedly unfunny death of St. Margaret Clitherow involved being pressed to death beneath a large rock.

And then there’s this…

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 12, 2021

Atomic Shark (2016) Radioactive shark roasts swimmers and causes seafood to become explosive. Also, random Jeff Fahey. The SyFy shark factory just keeps on cranking. TIL: As St. Lawrence was being roasted alive, he famously quipped, "Turn me over; I’m cooked on that side.”

Dad Rock Diary: July - July (1968) No pop poseurs here. Authentic psychedelia by way of the same road Syd Barrett tread. Laudable Lyrics: You take in beauty, not the bad things. You missed it all. There's more in loving than just the times when minds in tune sing.

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 11, 2021

Sledgehammer (1983) Supernatural slasher, um hammerer, notable only for being among the first SOV flicks to hit VHS. Hey, it was better than renting porn. TIL: St. Sebastian actually survived all those arrows he's shown riddled with, only to be hammered to death soon afterwards.

Funny Book Philosophy: The Beyond 010 (1952) "And when they say to you, 'Consult the mediums and the wizards who chirp and mutter,' should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?" - Isaiah 8:19

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 10, 2021

Village of the Damned (1960) Creepy kids use their mental powers to terrorize a small town. Classic, and the blonde brats are an indelible image. TIL: For refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods, St. Cassian was sentenced to be sliced up by his own students. Which the kids did.

One Sheet Words of Wisdom: Godzilla vs the Smog Monster (1971) "Culture is like a smog. To live within it, you must breathe some of it in and, inevitably, be contaminated." - Richard K. Morgan

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 9, 2021

V/H/S 94 (2021) Fans of old school gore will find much carnage to wince at in this mostly solid installment of the series. TIL: One candidate for grisliest Saint death is St. Bartholomew, who was flayed alive then beheaded for converting the brother of the Armenian king Astyages.

Still Voices - Live and Let Die (1973) "Perhaps the safest prediction we can make about the future is that it will surprise us." - George Leonard

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 3, 2021

Underworld (1985) Kidnapped hooker decide to help sewer mutants get the drugs they need. Clive Barker's dry run for Nightbreed, with the emphasis on dry. TIL: The underground cities of Cappadocia eventually became hiding places for persecuted Christians during the 14th century.

One Sheet Words of Wisdom: Kelly's Heroes (1970) "There's a lot of money in wars, except in the war on poverty. Can't make any bread helping the poor." - Lenny Bruce

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 2, 2021

Mind, Body & Soul (1992) Girl ditches guy after he takes her to a satanic ritual; the Satanists get pissy. It's the 90's, so Wings Hauser also gets involved. TIL: Thessalonians describes us as spirit, body, & soul, with the spirit referring to our soul's inherent longing for God.

Still Voices - The Blues Brothers (1980) "To receive a mission from God always means to grow deeper into the human community. One receives nothing merely for himself. Everything must be shared." - Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen

And fnally, Netflix's Midnight Mass is exactly what you think, and also not what you think at all. My review for Aleteia.