Before the xenomorph, there was the ‘Space Jockey’. Slaughtered from the chest out and fossilized, this mysterious pilot was our introduction to the macabre environment of Alien. Nick Abadzis look back at Ridley Scott and H.R.Giger’s 1979 partnership and its first victim… It’s difficult to imagine now how immediate and visceral an impact Alien had when it was first released in 1979 … Read more
Bradley Cooper plays a con man drawn to Cate Blanchett’s femme fatale in this ’40s-set noir thriller, directed by horror maestro Guillermo Del Toro. Achingly stylish, superbly acted and deliciously dark, it’s one of the best films of the year. Matthew Turner savours the atmosphere. A labor of love for director Guillermo Del Toro, Nightmare … Read more
The first trailer for next year’s The Lost City has dropped online – and it looks hilarious. The film’s about a romance fiction writer by the name of Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) who, while embarking on a book tour with her star (played by Channing Tatum), is whisked away to a mysterious island by a wealthy, slightly … Read more
The first trailer for James Wan’s new horror feature, Malignant, is here, and it’s suitably disturbing. Malignant is a return to the genre by Conjuring universe architect James Wan (Aquaman, Furious 7) based on a screenplay by Akela Cooper (The Nun 2), and a story by Wan & Ingrid Bisu and Cooper. Wan is currently beginning production on Aquaman and the Lost … Read more
The second part of Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy goes back to 1978 for a thrilling summer camp slasher. Drawing on the likes of Friday the 13th, the film delivers plenty of shocks, scares and axe-based horror, while cleverly setting up the third and final installment. Matthew Turner runs and hides. Netflix’s ambitious Fear Street trilogy – based on the … Read more
Scarlett Johansson’s solo Marvel film, Black Widow, featuring Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz, is out at last, marking the first MCU film release in over two years, as of early July. In this movie, Johansson portrays the iconic Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a Black Widow, one final time. The film’s timeline is set prior to … Read more
The title for the next Transformers movie is a blast from the past: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Promising elements of the popular ‘Beast Wars’ generation of Transformers toys and animated series, Rise of the Beasts, like Bumblebee, is going to be set prior to the Michael Bay movies, in 1994 New York City, as well as Peru’s Machu … Read more
From the comic books to the big screen, Deadpool has made his mark as a fan favorite. Wade Wilson has used his fourth-wall-breaking narration to absolute gruesome (and gleeful) perfection, showcasing his antics and celebrating them. You can step into any comic con, in any country, and find yourself staring at a sea of familiar … Read more
Ahead of tomorrow’s World Environment Day, David Black looks at how sci-fi has dealt with ecological issues and humanity’s impact on the planet. Science fiction often has a moral undertone and taking care of the environment is a compelling one. A world on which people have destroyed their homes through arrogance is not an uncommon trope. … Read more
The Maze Runner’s Dylan O’Brien headlines this hugely entertaining monster apocalypse adventure that’s currently available to stream on Netflix. Combining imaginative creature designs, a witty script, appealing characters and exciting action sequences, it deserves to be a monster hit. Matthew Turner brings a crossbow to a giant centipede fight. Given the nature of most genre … Read more