Thriller
Rod Lott
Two outcasts are better than one in Death and Cremation, a better-than-average indie thriller, thanks mainly to mood. Even the smallest of budgets can afford that, yet few think to invest in it.

Documentary
Rod Lott
Susan Marks' Of Dolls & Murder is a rather straightforward documentary on an oddball subject: forensic pathologists teaching medical investigation skills to police officers via "nutshell studies."

Thriller
Rod Lott
Among independents, a recent movement has proven you can do an awful lot with very little — especially when limited to one set, as ATM and Brake nearly do.

Comedy
Rod Lott
I'm torn between whether the horror comedy Girls Gone Dead is misogynist or merely plays pretend. That it’s written by a woman boggles the mind.

Television series
Rod Lott
Sins and sons — those are the driving themes for the sixth season of Dexter, arguably the anchor of the Showtime cable network. Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall in his Golden Globe-winning role) is a Miami Metro PD forensics analyst who moonlights as a serial killer of serial killers.

Thriller
Rod Lott
I'll be a lifelong Boxing Helena cheerleader, so it was with tempered enthusiasm that I greeted Jennifer Lynch's Chained.

Horror
Rod Lott
Aside from re-creating two or three minor scenes, Silent Night in no way could be called a true remake of 1984's extremely controversial Silent Night, Deadly Night. Flicks about a killer Santa Claus have existed before and since; if not for the value of a brand-name, this could be just another.

Hip Hop/Rap
Ryan Querbach
Atlanta rapper and one-half the legendary duo Outkast, Big Boi has released his new solo project, Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors. It’s far from a typical hip-hop album; every song has a different feel to it, sometimes even stepping outside of the genre.

Thriller
Rod Lott
When cast in the right role, which is rarely and does not include Magic Mike, Matthew McConaughey can be an electrifying onscreen presence. His breakthrough bit in 1993′s Dazed and Confused is one of those times; Killer Joe is another.

Thriller
Rod Lott
Can a bad ending ruin an otherwise OK movie? In the case of The Factory, I believe it can.