I looked at the second episode of The Lowdown, which continues to be an enjoyable noir featuring a somewhat idiotic protagonist. Gettin' My Eps In: The Lowdown S1E2 open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I found a new show to cover in weekly episodic reviews, and it’s a good one. Here’s my look at the pilot episode of The Lowdown: Gettin' My Eps In: The Lowdown S1E1 open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I wrote about One Battle After Another. I was only barely able to discuss most of what it was doing, I thought it had a fascinating take on the conflict between idealism and responsibility. One Battle After Another: That's modern life for you open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My publishing schedule has been messed up lately, but I was able to do a new Blaxploitation review, covering the enjoyably cheesy, low-budget martial arts movie TNT Jackson. Blaxploitation Education: TNT Jackson open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I didn’t get a chance to share this yesterday, but I wrote about a short story collection by Debbie Urbanski that was pretty interesting, if kind of exhausting. Portalmania: The impulse to get away from this world is understandable open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I wrote a review of Dungeon Crawler Carl, the most popular example of the burgeoning LitRPG genre. I found it to be enjoyable, even if there’s not a lot of substance to it. Dungeon Crawler Carl: For those who prefer to read RPGs instead of playing them open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I’m late sharing my Blaxploitation review for this week, but it was a good one, looking at Sweet Jesus, Preacherman: Blaxploitation Education: Sweet Jesus, Preacherman open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I didn’t share this yesterday, but I published a review of the hilarious and thought-provoking Tim Robinson/Paul Rudd comedy Friendship. I liked it a lot. Friendship: Masculinity in crisis can still be funny open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I’m doing a bad job of promoting the stuff I write lately. Here’s my latest Blaxploitation review, covering a low-budget knockoff of The Exorcist. Blaxploitation Education: Abby open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reviewed the novel The Third Rule of Time Travel, which I found to be a disappointing failure to do the things I like in time travel stories. The Third Rule of Time Travel: Yes, it's the obvious one open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reviewed the novel The Compound, which involves a surreal reality TV show that serves as a symbol for everything that’s wrong with modern society. The Compound: Reality TV will destroy us all open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

Ian Fleming was a sexist, racist asshole, and the films are all violent colonial fantasies. It's unlikely that anything can change that, and the whole franchise really should have been retired a long time ago. 1

My Blaxploitation review for this week covers Solomon King, an Ed Wood-style bit of inept auteurism that I found to be pretty enjoyable in its ridiculousness. Blaxploitation Education: Solomon King open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I wrote a review of the book Chain Gang All-Stars, which was a harrowing experience due to the way it conflated fictional violence with the real-life horrors of the American prison system. Chain Gang All-Stars: The "Battle Royale" genre has rarely been so upsetting open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I wrote a review of the movie Freaky Tales, which contained so many things that seemed to be specifically for me that I wondered if the filmmakers were tapping into my brain. Freaky Tales: This movie might not only be for me, but it sure seems like it open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My latest Blaxploitation review covers a movie that gave me the opportunity to talk about Black Lives Matter and the ways visual evidence affects our perceptions of racist violence. Blaxploitation Education: Shoot It Black, Shoot It Blue open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reviewed a new sci-fi novel by Adrian Tchaikovsky that I thought was pretty great. It’s a fascinating look at what alien life might be like, and it also provides an excellent critique of rampant capitalism. Shroud: Alien life is certainly alien open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My latest Blaxploitation review covers The Dynamite Brothers, a low-budget martial arts picture that isn’t especially good, but I still found to be enjoyable. Blaxploitation Education: The Dynamite Brothers open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

For my movie review this week, I took some shorter looks at a few recent horror movies I’ve seen. They’re all fairly mediocre, but Until Dawn was probably the best of the lot. Recent Horror Movie Roundup: Opus, Until Dawn, Death of a Unicorn open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My latest Blaxploitation review covers Black Samson, which seemed to be somewhat generic at first but ended up building to a really effective climax involving community justice. Blaxploitation Education: Black Samson open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reviewed the upcoming novel by the author of My Sister, the Serial Killer. It’s a good one, full of family drama and lessons about relationships. Keep an eye out for it. Cursed Daughters: Poor approaches to relationships are pretty universal open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reviewed the new Fantastic Four movie, although I ended up writing more about the comics it’s based on and the difficulties of adapting them into movies. The Fantastic Four: First Steps: Retro-futurism may be making a comeback open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My latest Blaxploitation review covers The Black Godfather, a fairly inept attempt at a crime movie that I still managed to enjoy, at least during the parts where I wasn’t struggling to stay awake. Blaxploitation Education: The Black Godfather open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

If you see this, post Jack Kirby art. From "Even Gods Must Die!", a story that appeared in a reprint of New Gods.

I went on a manga binge with the series Kaiju No. 8, which I thought was a lot of fun. If you like lots of big monsters and wanton destruction of property, you should check it out. Kaiju No. 8: When it comes to big action, manga delivers open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I wrote about Eddington, which is a movie that I liked after watching, but started to find problems with the more I thought about it. Eddington: Times are tough all over, but especially for morons open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My Blaxploitation review for this week covers Jive Turkey, a low-budget crime movie that isn’t especially good but does have some interesting elements. Blaxploitation Education: Jive Turkey open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I wrote a review of @scalzi.com's latest novel, which manages to wring some interesting ideas and memorable human moments out of a silly idea about the moon turning into cheese. When the Moon Hits Your Eye: Some ideas may or may not need to be explored open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reviewed the new Superman movie. I liked it quite a bit, although I did spend some time lamenting the need to connect everything to a larger shared universe. Superman (2025): Up, up, and away for people who are really into cinematic universes open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My Blaxploitation review for this week covers an adaptation of an autobiography about a kid who gets involved in a street gang. I had some complaints, but it’s still a striking movie. Blaxploitation Education: The Education of Sonny Carson open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reviewed The Dream Hotel, a novel that posits a future where people are locked up based on algorithms that predict whether they may commit crimes. It clearly gave me plenty of food for thought. The Dream Hotel: Big Brother is watching your data and your dreams open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My Blaxploitation review for this week looks at Uptown Saturday Night, which forced me to reckon with the legacy of Bill Cosby. Blaxploitation Education: Uptown Saturday Night open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I ordered one too!

I forgot to share this yesterday, but I wrote about the season finale of Lazarus. I thought it was fine, but I might have to change my viewing patterns whenever a second season happens. Gettin' My Eps In: Lazarus S1E13 open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I wrote a review of the second volume in the Murderbot Diaries series. These books are excellent, and I’m looking forward to reading more of them. The Murderbot Diaries, Volume 2: Emotions can be hard to deal with open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reposted an old review of mine looking at MW, by Osamu Tezuka. It’s a pretty wild story about a psychotic killer, with lots of transgressive content. Good stuff. Warren Peace Classic: MW, by Osamu Tezuka open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

For my movie review this week, I wrote about the new animated Predator movie, which I thought was tons of fun. I’ll be happy if we get more along the lines of this movie and Prey. Predator: Killer of Killers: That may be something of a misnomer open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My Blaxploitation review for this week covers Amazing Grace, a vehicle for the legendary Chitlin Circuit comedian Moms Mabley. Learning about her and her influence on Black comedy has been a real treat. Blaxploitation Education: Amazing Grace open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reviewed Victorian Psycho, a horror novel that I found to be more funny than scary but still very enjoyable. Victorian Psycho: Eat the rich (and everyone else while you're at it) open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I wrote about the second to last episode of Lazarus, and I complained about the highly uneven pacing of the season. One more episode to go, and at this point, I really don’t know if it’s going to be awesome or disappointing. Gettin' My Eps In: Lazarus S1E12 open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reposted a review I wrote back in 2009, covering The Photographer, a very good book about a man’s experiences in a war zone in Afghanistan. Warren Peace Classic: The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My latest Blaxploitation review covers Three the Hard Way, a team-up movie that has lots of fun action but a plot that is pretty dumb. Blaxploitation Education: Three the Hard Way open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I reviewed the new fantasy novel Anji Kills a King. It’s a solid, fast-moving adventure story, with lots of violence and some interesting examination of what it really means to fight against oppression. Anji Kills a King: Keep that story moving open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I wrote about the latest episode of Lazarus, which is speeding toward what will hopefully be a satisfying conclusion to the season. Gettin' My Eps In: Lazarus S1E11 open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

Since I wrote about the second volume of Search and Destroy this week, I also reposted my review of the second volume of that series’ inspiration, Dororo. Gotta love Osamu Tezuka! Warren Peace Classic: Dororo, Volume 2 open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I took a deep dive into the Final Destination series, trying to figure out if its mythology makes any sense and whether that even really matters. In the Final Destination series, Death's plan seems kind of suspect open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

This week’s Blaxploitation review was a fun one, featuring Isaac Hayes as a bounty hunter, a great supporting cast, and lots of crazy action. It's highly entertaining and shouldn’t be missed by fans of the genre. Blaxploitation Education: Truck Turner open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

I published a review of the second volume of Search and Destroy, the cool action manga that’s a cyberpunk adaptation of Osamu Tezuka’s Dororo. Search and Destroy, Volume 2: Thirst for power ruins lives open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

My TV review for the week looks at an episode of Lazarus that’s mostly setup for future events, but I found it to be more effective than some previous entries that had served a similar function. Gettin' My Eps In: Lazarus S1E10 open.substack.com/pub/matthewb...

Live your life so millions of your fellow citizens don't take to the streets to tell you to go fuck yourself on your birthday.