Category: Andrew Buckner reviews

Horror Movies: The Definitive History (2025) by Jon Towlson – (Book Review)

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by Andrew Buckner

Rating: ***** out of *****.

Horror Movies: The Definitive History (2025) by Jon Towlson is as significant for its intelligent, meticulously researched, concise, straightforward prose as it is for the abounding respect it holds for the title-referenced genre. Clocking in at a brisk 302 pages in length, the latest volume from Towlson ambitiously covers nearly one hundred years of audiovisual terror. It does so by cleverly and efficiently discussing, as they are first called in the subtitle to the engrossing Introduction to the project, the Three Golden Ages of Horror. These are 1931-1945, 1968-1982, and 1999-present. 

Such an approach, which showcases Towlson tackling the creation and impact of key fright films in their corresponding age, makes the wide scope of the endeavor evermore intimate, organized, and focused. It also makes many of the long-standing social issues and major events that are frequently reflected upon, whether directly or indirectly, in the full-length presentations Towlson speaks about in the undertaking (such as racial injustice, the Kent State massacre [1970], The Vietnam War [1955-1975], and the Manson murders [1969]) more visible. What is just as striking is the manner in which Towlson demonstrates how these on-going matters and aforesaid incidents continue to shape modern masterpieces of the macabre. The method in which the chronicle also addresses how censorship drastically altered these compositions throughout the years, especially when it is considering how the Hays Office began enforcing the Motion Picture Production Code in 1934 in Part 1: The First Golden Age of Horror (1931-1945), is similarly captivating.

What immediately riveted me about the tome is how the early sections utilize passages of script from the features being talked about at the time. It also incorporates reviews from critics, journalistic commentary, letters from filmmaking insiders, and initial audience reactions to make the enterprise as immersive as possible. The emphasis on distinct cycles, such as both the pre-code horror and the early stages of the Universal Monsters cycle discoursed in Part 1, as well as associated features that were once considered “lost”, like Michael Curtiz’s two-tone Technicolor wonder Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933), in the literary design is just as fascinating. 

Towlson also does a terrific job of showcasing the trials and tribulations many of the artists whose arrangements are mentioned in his document underwent to get their ventures out into the world in a fashion they deemed acceptable. This is while fighting the ever-shifting barriers of creative suppression and audience expectations. The units in Part 1 which detail these particular difficulties during the making of Tod Browning’s Dracula (1931), James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931), and Browning’s brilliant and revolutionary Freaks (1932) were of the most interest to me. 

Part 2: The Second Golden Age of Horror (1968-1982) is as consistently intriguing and informative as Part 1. The essays Towlson weaves herein on both the fabrication and release of George A. Romero’s magnum opus Night of the Living Dead (1968), Roman Polanski’s seminal Rosemary’s Baby (1968), and Wes Craven’s controversial and uncompromising Last House on the Left (1972) were the standout pennings in this portion. 

Part 3: The Third Golden Age of Horror (1999-Present), aside from a riveting and wildly entertaining probe into Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez’s groundbreaking found footage classic, The Blair Witch Project (1999), and a few other associated endeavors, doesn’t seem as concentrated on individual features as the two previous parts. Though this section is also the most critical of the configurations it disputes, it envelops the largest selection of silver screen offerings. Such a diversion from the formula Towlson has already established is welcome and refreshing. It helps make this component every bit as valuable and enjoyable as Part 1 and Part 2. The related legacies and trends conveyed in Conclusion: Beyond the Horror Boom, which arrives directly after Part 3, ends the configuration on a satisfying and appropriately punctuative note.

I cannot imagine anyone with even a passing interest in fearful cinema not being completely spellbound by every word of Horror Movies: The Definitive History. It’s a superb companion piece and extension of many of the ideas crafted in Towlson’s equally enlightening and in-depth 40 Cult Movies: From Alice, Sweet Alice to Zombies of Mora Tau (2023) and 40 More Cult Movies (2025). Thematically rich and resonant, smoothly paced, endlessly entertaining, and featuring a relatively even amount of time offered to most of the exercises examined in the publication, Horror Movies: The Definitive History is an essential guide to many of the most memorable big screen outings of the past. It ranks among the best books I’ve read all year. 

You can purchase Horror Movies: The Definitive History in Kindle or in paperback format here.

”Say Hello (2025)” – (Short Film Review)

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by Andrew Buckner

Rating: ****1/2 out of *****.

“Say Hello” (2025), from director David Graziano, hums along with compact, efficient, machine-like precision for every one of its fifteen minutes. The short gangster/police procedural film, whose title is an abbreviated reference to one of the most iconic lines delivered by Tony Montana (Al Pacino) in Brian DePalma’s controversial masterpiece Scarface (1983), is a dialogue and character-driven crime-thriller that excels on both fronts. The screenplay by Kasia Skolasa and Killarney Traynor is filled with appropriately brief, enigmatic discourse that immediately pulls audiences into its seedy world of brutality and deception. It also keeps its lightning-like pace zooming breezily along until its foreseeable, but still engaging, carefully constructed, and memorable, climax. 

Moreover, the three leads of the undertaking, Marconi (Graziano), Lieutenant Cole (Skolasa), and Eve Hathaway (Traynor) are brought to vivid, layered life. This is by their exceptional focus and skillful development in the script and by the same said performers who embody them on the screen. Because of these high-functioning traits, the aforementioned principal figures are all relatable, organic, and credible throughout the entirety of the production. Their motivations and individual perspectives are always understandable and clearly conveyed. Coincidingly, all of these elements are demonstrated with an underlying dramatic intensity that makes the finely woven twists and turns, as well as the emotional beats, of the narrative all the more palpable. 

The plotline concerns Lieutenant Cole, whose issues with her turbulent past and caring for her daughter weigh heavily on her mind, being approached by mob boss Marconi. As Marconi asks Lieutenant Cole for personal assistance In a matter that puts her in a terrible position, a series of trying events threaten to bring violence into the life of Lieutenant Cole.


Though such a story is inherently familiar, it is delivered in a smart, suspenseful manner. It is one which makes the material feel fresh at every avenue. What also helps matters is the crisp, breathtaking cinematography from Christopher Di Nunzio, which visually reiterates the raw, gritty tone of the piece to masterful effect. Continually, the editing from Traynor is just as powerful. There is not a single frame of the project that can be deemed extraneous. Furthermore, the costume, makeup, camera, and sound work are sharp and proficient. The gently employed music from Kevin MacLeod is atmospheric and fitting. It heightens every scene in which it is incorporated.

Boosted by a superb, mesmerizing depiction of Frankie by Claire Aucoin, the latest cinematic offering from Graziano, whose guidance of the venture is smart and slyly stylish throughout the composition, utilizes its small cast and sparse, intimate locations to potent effect. The quick, quiet opening and closing credits sequences are suitable for the exercise. They nicely compliment the steely demeanor of both the account and its atmosphere. In turn, “Say Hello” overcomes its conventional nature with respect for its genre and with deft, loving craftsmanship from all involved. Compelling in its ever-timely and timeless themes of processing trauma and revenge, it’s one of the best fabrications of its type of the year.  

“Fight or Play Basketball” (2022) by Mike Messier (Book Review)

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By Andrew Buckner

Rating: ****1/2 out of *****.

Clocking in at a lean 158 pages, Fight or Play Basketball: every shot counts (2022) by filmmaker Mike Messier is a knockout novel. The 44-chapter project is a lot like the lead of the narrative, Jack Scratch. It’s authentic, scrappy, wide-eyed, ambitious, and filled with heart. Moreover, the exercise is elevated by the lively, clear, vivid, and to-the-point prose from Messier. Just as importantly, his paragraphs are never overwhelmed with unnecessary details or figures of speech. In short, his writing is perfect for a young adult audience. The pacing of the work is similarly brisk, efficient, and effective. There isn’t a single excessive or overlong sequence in the effort.

What also enhances the quality of both Messier’s auteurship and the piece overall are the sharply rendered central figures. For example, Scratch is a flawed yet likable and occasionally comedic high school senior that spectators of all ages should find relatable. Scratch’s energetic and defensive mother, Janet Trap, is a constant source of amusement in the fiction. The same can be said of the boxers which assist Scratch on his journey, Karl “Sweet Sugar” Brown and Paveli “Punch” Pangora. They offer elements of humor, inspiration, personality, and leadership to the material. There are even sparks of romance as the duo attempt to win over Trap. Scratch’s basketball coach, “Quick” Rick Steele, is comparatively more garden variety. Nonetheless, he is still a credible and wonderfully developed entity with a pivotal role in Scratch’s life. Such is the case with everyone in the undertaking. In so doing, Messier’s tapestry of realistic dialogue, situations, and characters, as well as their influence on one another, accentuates the richness of the design.

The plot revolves around Scratch: a player of immense skill on the North Providence Cougars basketball team. He has the potential to receive a scholarship from Providence College. There are even whispers that he may be chosen to become involved with the National Basketball Association. His daily muscle-building routines, such as riding his bike in the mornings through North Providence and shooting hoops in the nearby outdoors basketball court, have become a sturdy foundation for him. One morning, his single mother, Trap, is the victim of a failed robbery. The individuals who came to Trap’s rescue during this botched crime, Pangora and Brown, begin to assist Scratch with his boxing abilities at Sweet’s Sweat Box Gym, where they are prominent trainers. As Scratch fosters his abilities on the basketball court and in the boxing ring, he ponders if he should “fight or play basketball”.

Even if the article follows the familiar beats of related items, Messier does a brilliant job of reiterating Scratch’s title-referenced deliberation. Messier specifically addresses where this idea came from in the fascinating “About the Author” section at the end of the tome. Still, there is an intimacy to this inquiry, like all rulings that alter the course of our lives, that is universally relevant. What augments this thoughtful touch, which is so delicately composed throughout the entirety of the volume, is the organic manner with which Messier also taps into the inherent symbolism of this weighty choice.

Boosted by superb cover art design from Nadine G. Messier, which nicely evokes the classically gritty atmosphere of the arrangement, Fight or Play Basketball proudly wears its Rocky (1976) inspiration on its sleeve. This is spied in many of the explicit and indirect references to director John G. Avildsen’s academy-award-winning masterpiece, as well as connected fare, that pleasantly permeate Messier’s opus. Lovingly peppered into the proceedings, these welcome bits align beautifully with the events of Scratch’s story. They also deeply pleased the rampant cinephile in me.

Opening, continuing, and closing in equally strong ways, the latest literary achievement from Messier is excellent on all fronts. True to the spirit of the greatest sports chronicles, it is incessantly entertaining and genuinely motivational. It has a tough edge. However, it is a kind, joyous, and immersive read. Likewise, it doesn’t fully give into the tropes which are anticipated in its finale. The flirtatious relationship between Mindy Kim and Scratch, who bond over their shared interest in athletics, punctuates the emotional accessibility of the venture. It also makes the thematically time-tested yet sturdy construction even more layered. In turn, Messier has crafted a magnificent and passionate coming-of-age drama. It’s one of the best books of the year.

You can purchase Fight or Play Basketball in eBook, hardcover, or paperback format at the following link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VL87KC2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1.