Greg Hammond

Joe Sacco’s War on Gaza, produced by Fantagraphics, is a painful, important read about the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7th raid into Israel.

The Palette and the Sword: Book 1 by Milo Manara is a beautifully drawn
and depicted story about Caravaggio’s first important foray into Rome.

Scott B. Smith’s and Sam Raimi’s A Simple Plan is a perfect little bit of darkness in the midst of small-town America.

Life Sucks by Jessica Abel is a mishmash of Clerks and Reality Bites that, except for the artwork, completely misses the mark.

Brandon Vietti’s Watchmen Chapter 2 continues a visually remarkable re-telling of the classic twelve-part limited comic book series.

Bryan Singer’s Valkyrie, starring Tom Cruise as part of an ensemble cast in a historical drama, delivers excitement without any of that bothersome characterization.

Looney Tunes Collector’s Choice Vols. 1 – 4 is a great place to start for those who would like to begin a stellar Looney Tunes collection.

Bill and Ted’s Most Triumphant Trilogy from Shout! Studios brings the laughs from over three decades of space-time.

Daiei Gothic: Japanese Ghost Stories is an excellent addition to any horror aficionado’s collection.

Errol Morris’s Separated elucidates the recent government policy of separating parents from their children at the U.S. – Mexico border.

Brandon Vietti’s Watchmen Chapter 1 is a visually remarkable re-telling of the classic twelve-part limited comic book series.

Cormac McCarthy’s The Road: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Manu Larcenet is a stellar adaptation of McCarthy’s brilliantly bleak novel.

The Watchers, starring Dakota Fanning, is a strong directorial debut for Ishana Night Shyamalan.

Knuckles the six-episode tv show is a great springboard from the hilarious Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to the to-be-released at Christmas, Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein co-directed Game Night, starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, and created a hilarious game of cat and mouse.

Benjamin Marra’s What We Mean by Yesterday, Vol. 1 is a drug-fueled trip through one man’s life on the edge.

John Krasinski’s IF is too scary for the very young, too boring for teens, and a complete disaster to any discerning adult.

Jody Hill’s Observe and Report stars Seth Rogan and Anna Faris in a comedy that relies on Ray Liotta to tell all its jokes.

Paul Brickman’s Risky Business, starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay, is a coming-of-age story that helped create a mega-celebrity.

Billy Wilder’s The Long Weekend, starring Ray Milland, is a beautifully made vision of the hell that is alcoholism.

Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), starring Michael Keaton, is a wonderful film about love, loss, fame, and fading into obscurity.

Rebecca, Alfred Hitchcock’s only Academy Award winner for Best Picture, and first American-produced film, is a showcase of the greatest talents of the era.

Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey is a top-tier entry in the Predator universe.

Jay Olivia’s Justice League Dark doesn’t earn its R-rating, but has a compelling, adult story all about demons good and demons bad.

Sam Liu’s Teen Titans: The Judas Contract is an action packed thriller with a fast script and intelligent characterizations.

Sam Liu’s Batman: The Killing Joke is a fast-paced action flick starring Batman and the Joker in a psychological thriller that drags you through a carnival of terrors.

Ethan Spaulding’s Son of Batman brings a little glimpse of family back into Bruce Wayne’s life with interesting, exciting results.

Team America: World Police is a slightly dated romp through bad taste and good humor.

Many of the jokes in South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut are still funny over two decades later, but the topical nature of some subject matter hurts subsequent views.

Blue Beetle is a wonderful superhero film about the super strength known as family.

Miroslav Sekulic-Struja’s Petar & Liza is a tender Yugoslavian romance in which broken people do their best to help each other.

All four Trip movies are good, but The Trip to Greece is, unfortunately, the weak one in the bunch.

Jaume Collet-Serra’s Orphan is a strong psychological thriller starring Vera Farmiga and Peter Saarsgard.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space, by the Chiodo Brothers, is comedy-horror at its best.

With 78 episodes and 30 hours worth of bonus features, The Powerpuff Girls: The Complete Series is all you will ever need to satisfy your Powerpuff Girls cravings.

Vitagraph Comedies collects forty short comedic films from 1907 to 1922 in black and white and tinted color.

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998) and Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island are great bookends to 20 years of straight-to-video goodness.

William Wyler’s The Big Country, starring Gregory Peck and Jean Simmons, is a comfortable ride on a slow horse.

Ridley Scott’s White Squall, starring Jeff Bridges, is a white-knuckled actioner you don’t want to miss.

George Miller’s Lorenzo’s Oil, starring Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon, is a “hopeful” story about a dying child.

Tony Richardson’s The Border, starring Jack NIcholson and Harvey Keitel, is one long missed opportunity.

Cosmotropia de Xam’s Phantasmagoria starring Rachel Audrey and Mari K is pretty to look at but the story is nonexistent.

Both of these entries into the Mean Girls oeuvre sing beautifully.

Caye Casas’ The Coffee Table, starring Estefania de los Santos and David Pareja, is a top-notch psychological thriller / horror movie that belongs on your shelf.

John Schlesinger’s Midnight Cowboy, starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman is one of the all time great dramas.

Nicolas Cage is excellent in Ben Brewer’s competent Arcadian, but he just isn’t present enough.

Problems aside, Gigi is a great American musical classic with excellent acting, a fast, entertaining plot, and many memorable songs.

Rick Altergott’s Blessed Be is a raunchy, raucous, fun-filled story of friendship and murder.

Woody Allen’s Coup de Chance is a comedic thriller filled with charm and wit.

William Wyler’s The Best Years of Our Lives is solid storytelling from the outset: it grabs you and never lets go.