Poptic Nerve

A few years ago, I had the dubious privilege of interviewing Ian Nathan during post-production on Aliens Expanded—his “official” baptism into documentary filmmaking, before he doubled down with The Thing Expanded, a five-hour super-documentary from Creator VC, the same collective brain trust behind the In Search of Darkness series. Now, after what can only be described as a long-awaited descent into physical media sanity (and digital release at the very reasonable “please take my money” price of $29.99 🙌 until May 21st), Creator VC was kind enough to send over a review copy. So without further adieu—here are my brutally honest thoughts on The Thing Expanded. This documentary opens with a not-so-humble reminder that The Thing was once critically mauled on release, including a particularly infamous dismissal from Roger Ebert. I also vividly remember NBC’s Alive at Five critic  absolutely obliterating it on-air with the enthusiasm of someone personally offended by Antarctic paranoia...

Ah yes, “Christopher,” the Sopranos episode where subtle storytelling goes to sleep with the fishes and we’re treated instead to a 50-minute group therapy session about Italian-American identity. It’s Season 4, and Tony’s crew—normally masters of organized chaos—somehow manage to get upstaged by a Columbus Day parade and a history lesson gone terribly wrong. The episode opens with Silvio Dante losing his mind over protesters at a Columbus Day parade. Apparently, this is the hill he’s chosen to die on. Forget mob wars, money laundering, or existential dread—this time, it’s personal because someone dared to question Christopher Columbus’ “legacy.” You know, the guy who enslaved half the Caribbean. But in The Sopranos universe, he’s an Italian hero, dammit! The irony writes itself. Meanwhile, Tony couldn’t care less about Columbus or history—he’s too busy trying to wrangle his perpetually unraveling crew. What follows is a comedy of errors: middle-aged mobsters acting like college freshme...

In the vibrant landscape of 1980s pop culture, few franchises captured the imagination of young audiences quite like G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. For many, the journey into this world began with a simple yet electrifying 30-second animated commercial—a groundbreaking tie-in to Marvel Comics and Hasbro toys, often hailed as the first of its kind.  This brief spot crammed explosive action sequences into a limited timeframe, culminating in a catchy jingle that left an indelible mark. It wasn't just an advertisement; it was a gateway, sparking a fervent quest for the accompanying comics and action figures. This personal spark of nostalgia reflects the broader phenomenon: Hasbro's reboot of the iconic G.I. Joe franchise not only achieved commercial success but evolved into a defining cultural touchstone of the decade, largely propelled by the debut of its first miniseries, "G.I. Joe: The M.A.S.S. Device", in September 1983. The miniseries marked a pivotal moment in anim...

Look, I wanted to love "Superman 2025" especially after David Corenswet nailed it as the new "Man of Steel" and Clark Kent. He's  got the jawline of a Kryptonian god and the awkward charm of a bumbling reporter down pat. But he’s not really  the best part of this mess. When he’s sharing the screen with Rachael Brosnahan’s Lois Lane? Sparks fly as their chemistry is electric, like a lightning bolt in a bottle—genuine, warm, but that's  not the reason of  keeping this film from crashing harder than a Kryptonian ship. The script is a fucking  disaster that feels as if it was written on autopilot by an AI that got bored halfway through and just started recycling old superhero tropes. The pacing feels like James Gunn was making it up as he went along, tossing in plot points like he’s throwing darts at a storyboard blindfolded. Where’s the vision? Where’s the soul? It’s a Superman movie, that  although attempts to give us something to believe in, but instead come...

  Let’s rewind to 1985, a time of big hair, synth beats, and a zombie flick that didn’t just shuffle onto the scene—it moonwalked in with a punk rock sneer and a hunger for brains. *Return of the Living Dead*, directed by Dan O’Bannon, is a glorious goriest  neon-soaked, blood-splattered love letter to the undead that’s equal parts horror and hilarity. It’s the kind of movie that grabs you by the throat that screams “BRAIINNNS!” in your face, and leaves you humming punk anthems courtesy of a soundtrack that turned me into a fiend club member, this cult classic still bites hard. And here’s why. Unlike George A. Romero’s grim *Night of the Living Dead*, *Return* doesn’t take itself too seriously. O’Bannon, fresh off co-writing *Alien*, traded cosmic dread for a horror-comedy that’s as gruesome as it is goofy. The chaos kicks off in a Louisville medical supply warehouse when two bumbling workers, Frank and Freddy, unleash Trioxin, a toxic gas that turns corpses into brain-hungry ...

       Ridley Scott’s  Alien  redefined sci-fi horror in 1979 with its claustrophobic tension and H.R. Giger’s iconic Xenomorph. In 2025, Noah Hawley’s  Alien: Earth  brings that terror to Earth itself. Premiering August 12, 2025, on FX and Hulu, the first two episodes,  Neverland  and  Mr. October , blend slow-burn suspense, franchise callbacks, and bold new ideas. Here’s my thoughts on whether or not these episodes honor the  Alien  legacy while forging a fresh path. Warning! ⚠ Spoilers Below!        Neverland  opens with a nod to  Alien ’s aesthetic. The USS Maginot, a Weyland-Yutani science vessel, mirrors the Nostromo’s retro-futuristic vibe—clunky monitors, Ron Cobb-inspired sets, and Jeff Russo’s eerie score. Hawley crafts a  slow-burn atmosphere , lingering on crew banter and cryosleep awakening in 2120, two years before the original film. This pacing builds dread but can feel slu...