Ghoulish Grin Films

 Back in 1985 a song featuring an all star group of singers and musicians came out in support of hunger relief in Ethiopia. It was called "We Are The World," produced by the late, great Quincy Jones. It was written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson. I was a massive fan of Michael Jackson, and he was riding high from his blockbuster album "Thriller." But this was my first time seeing another music titan. My first time seeing and hearing Bruce Springsteen. I was a bit thrown back by his aggressive style but of course thought he was super cool. Later on in my teen years I became more aware of his musical achievements through classic rock radio, though in the '80's you couldn't get away from "Born In The U.S.A." It was as big a hit as you can get in the '80's, and the '80's was the pinnacle of popular music. So seeing a preview of the new film "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere," I was jazzed! The past couple of year...

 Around the time I was starting to obsess over Star Wars, there was an equally groundbreaking sci fi franchise...1982's "Tron." I knew of it through my cousin, who had action figures of Sark and Tron himself. I always enjoyed looking at the clear blue and red plastic figures. And I also experienced the Tron film when I rode the Peoplemover at Disneyland. It was perhaps the most exciting part of a 'ride' that was more of a resting vehicle for parents. Still...good times. As for the film itself, I always enjoyed its whimsical, fairy tale vibes as it existed not in a traditional fantasy setting but in a living video game/computer world. The effects absolutely look dated now, but back then they were pretty darn cool. This was the period in the '80's when the great Disney empire was struggling to maintain relevancy, believe it or not. And funny enough, some of my favorite Disney properties were made in this era..."Tron," "The Black Cauldron,...

 I have a hard time committing to a television show...especially if it contains multiple seasons that I have to catch up on. Having said that, when the first feature film based on the Downton Abbey series came to movie theaters, I was very much interested in seeing it. Normally, certain television series like "The X-Files" would release a feature film that was accessible to audiences who weren't fully steeped into the shows. I always appreciated that when it came to those type of theatrical releases. And the 2019 film was no different. Setting the cast of the show in a somewhat historical happening as King George V and Queen Mary toured Yorkshire (an event that actually happened in the late 1920's), the film was able to tell a standalone story that still managed to capture the charm of the show. Later on in 2022, a sequel entitled "Downton Abbey: A New Era" set the stage for newer characters to take the spotlight...all while a standalone story of a film crew...