Nick Rocco Scalia

Writer, filmmaker, video producer, faculty in Communication & Media Studies, @FilmThreat contributor, co-host of @ShudderingPod and all-around cinema obsessive.

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@JamesWortman Man, once you bring in aliens, then all bets are off. Crystal Skull awkwardly turned this from an adventure series steeped in mythology and religion into a sci-fi series steeped in nonsense, and now anything goes in that universe (Multiverse? Those are hot now, too. Groan...).

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@gilbertramirez Oh, dude... That was brutal (and beautiful).

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@correianbbq A pleasant surprise: 1/3 full theater for Skinamarink the other night, and literally everyone was respectfully silent the entire time. Two people did leave around the halfway mark, but at least they did so quietly.

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@KMcomicsandtoys That's one reason why even I haven't seen it yet, and you know how much I love (most) Kevin Smith. I'm reminded of my own mortality on a daily basis, thanks... Stick to the old "dick and fart jokes," please.

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@SuckerCarlson Zero Dark Thirty IQ

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

Then there's 2000's Inferno, a smaller but MUCH more coherent and complete film that shows how versatile this franchise can be, genre-wise (this one is as much noir as it is horror). GREAT new cenobites, striking visuals, solid direction from a young @ScottDerrickson. #Cenovember

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

Back to #Cenovember: Hellraiser: Bloodline is an absolute mess, but I'll admit, I kinda loved it. An ambitious and creative attempt to broaden the series' scope, hamstrung by acting, plot, and budget issues, but a fun watch nonetheless. And, hey, Pinhead's got a doggie, now!

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@mrstevehunt @ShudderingPod Tenebrae is AWESOME, especially that splatter-ific final act. We're doing two later-period films this time around (Dark Glasses and a mid-80s flick), and I definitely think we'll be dipping into his filmography again soon.

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

...And then, we have Hellraiser III, which is where things take a serious turn for the silly. Tonally VERY different from 1 & 2, and far, far dumber. BUT: Doug Bradley is excellent, and he's worth the price of admission alone. #Hellraiser #Cenovember

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@mrstevehunt That's definitely understandable! We'll see how far I get, but there's definitely going to be some pain in store.

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

My take on Hellbound: Hellraiser 2, as #Cenovember continues: Decent follow-up to HR1, kind of like two sequels in one -- the first half is a clever retread of the original, while the second half takes the fantasy/worldbuilding into interesting, over-the-top places. I dug it!

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@mrstevehunt 100%! I really think you'll appreciate it. I'm looking forward to Banshees... Going to sneak out and catch a matinee of it ASAP.

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

This is, flat-out, my favorite film of 2022 thus far, and it was also one of the most gratifying and enjoyable review assignments I've ever had. If you love film, have a sense of humor, and care (or used to) about Star Wars, I can't recommend this one enough.

[Film Threat @FilmThreat]

“…[an] obsessive movie fan, was invited by Lucas himself to view an early iteration of his then-uncompleted film…” Nick Rocco Scalia loves the love letter to old-fashioned movie magic that is 5-25-77.
https://t.co/S9Fzt9NZ7x #SupportIndieFilm #StarWars #ComingOfAge

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@SeansPage1 Fair, though I think I love both equally. The real underdog of the Leone films, though, is For a Few Dollars More -- the neglected middle child of the Dollars trilogy!

[Film Threat @FilmThreat]

“…[an] obsessive movie fan, was invited by Lucas himself to view an early iteration of his then-uncompleted film…” Nick Rocco Scalia loves the love letter to old-fashioned movie magic that is 5-25-77.
https://t.co/S9Fzt9NZ7x #SupportIndieFilm #StarWars #ComingOfAge

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

OK, let's get this #Cenovember thing started with the O.G., Clive Barker's Hellraiser (1987). Simply put, it's a near-perfect horror film, grim and gruesome but also deliciously dark-humored and sexy. Killer performances, outstanding practical FX, and a lovely score, to boot.

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@correianbbq @ShudderingPod Misunderstanding? How so? 🤣

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

As I promised/threatened on the Halloween episode of @ShudderingPod, I'm going to spend the next month watching EVERY film in the long-running #Hellraiser franchise. I'll post short capsule reviews and eventually do a complete ranking. #Cenovember begins!

[Nick Rocco Scalia @CinematicNick]

@SeansPage1 @ShudderingPod That is very cool, and I'm glad to hear that about him! Of all the sequels (SO many sequels), Inferno is the one I'm most looking forward to, specifically because of SD's involvement. Definitely a talented guy... I'm a big Sinister fan.