Optimism Vaccine

THIS WEEK: If Footmen Tire You What Will Horses Do? (1971), The Burning Hell (1974), The Believer's Heaven (1977)

Throughout the 1950s and 60s, Ron Ormond and his family made a name for themselves ped…

THIS WEEK: Captain America (1979) and Captain America II: Death Too Soon (1979)

Can you believe we were blessed with not one but TWO made for tv Captain America movies in 1979?

Nothing says FREEDOM on …

THIS WEEK: Dreamaniac (1986), Batas Impian Ranjang Setan AKA Satan's Bed (1986), Night Killer (1990), and Mahakaal AKA The Monster (1994)

Knockoff month has been a dream, but sometimes you eat a supre…

THIS WEEK: Slash (1984), The Intruder AKA Pembalasan Rambu (1985), Strike Commando (1987)

Knockoff month marches on with a visit to Indonesia and the Philippines where we trade in Stallone’s Rambo for…

THIS WEEK: Creature (1985), Creepozoids (1987), Shocking Dark AKA Terminator II (1987)

Knockoff Month has jumped from fake Terminators to a scene-for-scene ripoff of Aliens (1986) inexplicably markete…

THIS WEEK: Assassin (1986), Lady Terminator (1989), Solo (1996)

WELCOME TO KNOCKOFF MONTH

Whether it's a TV movie of the week, a bizarre transmission from the shores of Indonesia, or just a pile of Mar…

THIS WEEK: Straight-Jacket (1964), Berserk (1967), Trog (1970)

After a career resurgence with the hagsploitation classic, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, Joan Crawford spent the final decade of her c…

THIS WEEK: The Intruder, aka I Hate Your Guts (1962), X: The Man With The X-Ray Eyes (1963), Frankenstein Unbound (1990)

The god of independent filmmaking. The mentor who helped jumpstart the careers …

THIS WEEK: Mother's Day (1980), Mommie Dearest (1981), Grand Jeté (2022)

Some cowards only celebrate moms once a year. Here, we're dedicated to eschewing that silly Hallmark holiday and respecting mo…

THIS WEEK: Lake Michigan Monster (2018) and Hundreds of Beavers (2022)

From the Milwaukee shoreline to the snowbanks of the Wisconsin north woods, Mike Cheslik and Ryland Brickson Cole Tews have risen…

THIS WEEK: The Aftermath (1982) and Empire of the Dark (1990)

In the late 1970s a man named Steve Barkett with nothing but a mustache and a dream set out to make a post-apocalyptic sci-fi action epic …

THIS WEEK: Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe (1990), No Exit (1995), The Viking Sagas (1995)

Hunk Month, AKA the quest to explore every muscleman-turned-actor in Arnold Schwarzenegger's orbit, continu…

THIS WEEK: Beretta's Island (1991), Danger in Paradise A.K.A. Taken Alive (1994), Doublecross on Costa's Island (1997), Ancient Warriors (2003)

Oh, you thought Arnold Schwarzenegger was the only big …

THIS WEEK: Pumping Iron (1977), Pumping Iron II: The Women (1985)

We don't agree on much at Optimism Vaccine, but one universal truth around here is our mutual admiration for hunky beefcakes. And when…

THIS WEEK: Road House (1989), Road House 2: Last Call (2006), Road House (2024), Road House (1948)

How do you follow up the Rowdy Herrington helmed, Patrick Swayze starring, down-and-dirty shit-kicker…

THIS WEEK: Santo vs. Infernal Men (1961), Santo vs. the Evil Brain (1961), Santo and Blue Demon vs. the Monsters (1970), Santo vs. Doctor Death (1973)

With a lucha libre wrestling career spanning 50 y…

THIS WEEK: Cobweb (2023) and the other Cobweb (2023)

Last year we were blessed with not one but TWO underappreciated films named COBWEB. One is a wild Halloween-set horror flick buried at your local m…

THIS WEEK: The Prophecy (1995), The Prophecy II (1998), The Prophecy III (2000)

Angels walk among us and it turns out they're just white guys with beautiful hair who wear school shooter trenchcoats. W…

THIS WEEK: Scoundrels (1982), All American Girls (1982), Irresistible (1982), Night Hunger (1983), Nothing to Hide (1981)

It's that time of year again! The big award show! The hottest night in Hollywo…

THIS WEEK: House of Wax (2005), Pledge This! (2006), The Hottie & The Nottie (2008), Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)

Paris Hilton is a global cultural icon whose titles include, entrepreneur, reality t…