4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking.
Are we alone in the universe? To help us consider that question, here are….
4 Shots From 4 Films
The War of the Worlds (1953, dir by Byron Haskins)
Not of this Earth (1957, dir by Roger Corman)
Alien Dead (1980, dir by Fred Olen Ray)
Starship Troopers (1997, dir by Paul Verhoeven)
As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in a few weekly watch parties. On Twitter, I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday and I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday. On Mastodon, I am one of the five hosts of #MondayActionMovie! Every week, we get together. We watch a movie. We tweet our way through it.
Tonight, at 10 pm et, I will be hosting #FridayNightFlix! The movie? 1974’s Big Bad Mama!
If you want to join us this Friday, just hop onto twitter, find Big Bad Mama on Prime or Tubi, start the movie at 10 pm et, and use the #FridayNightFlix hashtag! I’ll be there happily tweeting. It’s a friendly group and welcoming of newcomers so don’t be shy.
See you there!
It’s Spring Break!
For Carly (Tommi Rose) and her friend, Simone (Nikki Nunziato), that means heading down to Florida so that they can drink, dance, and party on the beach.
For Carly’s mom, Beverly (Tori Spelling), it means staying up all night and worrying about her daughter.
Beverly owns a diner and she’s worked hard to put Carly through college. Carly appears to be super responsible and she’s got a bright future waiting for her. She’s going to go to medical school and becoming a doctor. Compared to Simone, Carly can be a bit naive. No sooner has she arrived in Florida than she’s accidentally insulted a local named Luke (Joseph Cannon). Later, when Simone introduces her to the obviously sleazy and tattooed Pete (Nick Flaig), Carly’s first impulse is to ask him what college he goes to.
Pete doesn’t go to college. Instead, he lives in an isolated Everglades cabin. That’s where Carly ends up, tied to a chair and blind-folded after an attempt to humiliate her and Simone goes wrong. Pete, it turns out, is related to Luke. And a plan to simply embarrass a snobbish college student has instead led to Carly getting abducted and Simone ending up in a coma at a local hospital.
When Beverly attempts to report her daughter missing, the local authorities tell her to calm down. It’s Spring Break. College students come down to Florida and forget to check in all the time. Carly’s probably just drunk somewhere. “Not my daughter!” Beverly says and soon, she’s in Florida searching. Helping her out is Ray (Luke Ballard), a hot and rugged local boatman. Even if Beverly doesn’t find her daughter, it looks like maybe she’s found a new husband!
Advertised as being based on a true story, Abducted In The Everglades tells a familiar Lifetime story. That said, as I’ve explained in the past, the familiarity is often the point when it comes to Lifetime movies. One doesn’t necessarily watch a Lifetime movie to be surprised. Instead, one watches to see how the film will embrace the melodrama. There’s a comfort to watching a Lifetime movie. Watching a Lifetime movie is like visiting an old friend who never changes and who always delivers what they’ve promised.
For a lot of viewers, the main appeal of this film will be the chance to see Tori Spelling playing the mother. Back in the 90s, Spelling almost always played the naive daughter who ended up getting kidnapped (Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?) or the snooty popular girl who upset the wrong person (Death of a Cheerleader). Now, Spelling is the one worrying about her college-age daughter. Tori Spelling has never been much of an actress. She wasn’t particularly good in any of her earlier movies and she’s not particularly believable as a blue collar mom in this film. But oddly, that’s part of the appeal of Tori Spelling. It’s not just that she’s a bad actor. It’s that she’s so spectacularly bad that it becomes fascinating to watch.
The rest of the cast is a bit better, especially Luke Ballard and Nick Flaig. That said, the real stars here are the Everglades, the cottonmouths, and the alligators. They all do their bit to bring this Florida film to life. I should note that Jeff and I spent the first half of our summer vacation in Florida and we absolutely loved it. It’s a beautiful state. If Texas ever brings back the state income tax, I know where I’m moving.
In Murder at the Lighthouse, Jessica Vickers (Skye Coyne) is trying to escape her abusive husband, Colton (Mark Justice). She meets up with Rory (Brandon Brooks), an old friend from college who now runs a charter boat service with his brother Anthony (Tyler Noble). It’s implied that Rory has always had romantic feelings for Jessica and, when she asks him to help her escape from Colton, he agrees to use his boat to take her to Canada.
The only problem is that they sail straight into a storm. While Colton is murdering Anthony on the mainland, a tidal wave is capsizing the boat. Rory drowns. Jessica washes up on a nearby beach where, the next morning, she is found by Adeline (Shelli Manzoline). Adeline takes Jessica back to the lighthouse that she calls home. When Jessica wakes up, Adeline explains that the lighthouse is pretty much isolated from the rest of civilization. The nearest town is a few miles away. There’s no landline. There’s no cell reception or WiFi. There’s just Adeline, the lighthouse, and a goldfish.
At first, Jessica keeps her past a secret from Adeline. But, when Colton shows up at the lighthouse and asks Adeline if she’s seen Jessica or Rory, Jessica finally breaks down and tells Adeline everything. Adeline reveals that she is also a victim of abuse and she promises to protect Jessica from Colton.
At first, I was like, “Yay!” Women have to stand up for other women and I was very much looking forward to Adeline protecting Jessica from Colton in much the same way that Lillian Gish protected the children from Robert Mitchum in Night of the Hunter. However, as the film progressed, I noticed that there seemed to be something a bit off about Adeline. I was so happy that she was going to stand up to the vile Colton that it took both me and Jessica a while to notice that she had a possessive streak of her own. It turns out that Adeline has some secrets as well.
Murder at the Lighthouse is a superior Lifetime film, one that plays with the genre’s conventions and successfully lulls the audience into a false sense of security before tossing a few new twists at them. Skye Coyne, Mark Justice, and Shelli Manzoline all give strong performances. Mark Justice is especially intimidating at Colton, a husband who is not just an abuser but also a corrupt cop as well.
What really makes Murder at the Lighthouse stand out, though, is its ominous atmosphere. From the opening shots with the wind howling in the background to the final confrontation at the lighthouse, Murder at the Lighthouse makes a wonderful use of its isolated and stormy setting. The lighthouse is a wonderful location and the movie does a good job of keeping Jessica and the audience disorientated. About halfway through the movie, I was truly asking myself, “How is she ever going to find her way out of there?”
Murder at the Lighthouse is a bit of somber film, especially by Lifetime standards. That said, it keeps you guessing and it ultimately embraces the melodrama in that way that we all love.
Here are the 2025 Nominations of the Puerto Rico Critics Association!
Best Picture
Frankenstein
It Was Just an Accident
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Sirāt
The Testament of Ann Lee
Best Puerto Rican Film
@-Amor
Esta Isla
Parto
Best Director
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Mona Fastvold – The Testament of Ann Lee
Oliver Laxe – Sirāt
Jafar Panahi – It Was Just an Accident
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
Best Actor
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
Best Actress
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
Jennifer Lawrence – Die, My Love
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee
Best Supporting Actor
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Paul Mescal – Hamnet
Josh O’Connor – Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
Best Supporting Actress
Jodie Comer – 28 Years Later
Mia Goth – Frankenstein
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
Best Adapted Screenplay
28 Years Later
Frankenstein
Hamnet
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Best Original Screenplay
It Was Just an Accident
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Sorry, Baby
Weapons
Best Animated Feature
Arco
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
Best Documentary
2000 Meters to Andriivka
Cover-Up
Megadoc
My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow
The Perfect Neighbor
Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk
Best International Feature
It Was Just an Accident
No Other Choice
Resurrection
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sirāt
Best Action Film
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina
F1
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
One Battle After Another
Predator: Badlands
Superman
Best Horror Film
28 Years Later
Final Destination: Bloodlines
Frankenstein
Sinners
The Ugly Stepsister
Weapons
Best Comedy/Musical
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
The Naked Gun
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another
The Testament of Ann Lee
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Best First Film
The Chronology of Water
Eephus
Lurker
Sorry, Baby
The Ugly Stepsister
Urchin
Best Cinematography
28 Years Later
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirāt
Train Dreams
Best Costume Design
Frankenstein
Hamnet
The Phoenician Scheme
Sinners
The Testament of Ann Lee
Wicked: For Good
Best Film Editing
It Was Just an Accident
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sinners
Sirāt
Best Hair & Makeup
28 Years Later
Frankenstein
Sinners
The Testament of Ann Lee
The Ugly Stepsister
Wicked: For Good
Best Production Design
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Sentimental Value
Sinners
The Testament of Ann Lee
Wicked: For Good
Best Original Score
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirāt
The Testament of Ann Lee
Best Original Song
Lowly – 28 Years Later
The Risk – A Big Bold Beautiful Journey
Golden – KPop Demon Hunters
I Lied to You – Sinners
Clothed by the Sun – The Testament of Ann Lee
Train Dreams – Train Dreams
Best Sound
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirāt
Best Visual Effects
28 Years Later
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Frankenstein
Sinners
Tron: Ares
Did everyone have a good Christmas? Did everyone get everything that they wanted?
If the answer’s yes, you have one man to thank for that!
Hooray for Santy Claus!
(You might recognize this song from one of our favorite holiday classics, Santa Claus Conquers The Martians!)
4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking.
Today is not just Christmas! It is also Humphrey Bogart’s birthday! Bogart was born 126 years ago, today! And that means that it’s time for….
4 Shots From 4 Films
Dead End (1937, dir by William Wyler)
Casablanca (1943, dir by Michael Curtiz)
The Big Sleep (1946, dir by Howard Hawks)
The African Queen (1951, dir by John Huston)
by Erin Nicole
Merry Christmas to all!
A Visit from St. Nicholas
By Clement Clarke Moore
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
by Erin Nicole
The Greater Western New York Film Critics Association has announced its nominations for the best of 2025. And here they are:
BEST PICTURE
The Ballad of Wallis Island
Bugonia
Frankenstein
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
It Was Just an Accident
Marty Supreme
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams
BEST FOREIGN FILM
It Was Just an Accident (Iran/France)
Misericordia (France)
No Other Choice (South Korea)
The Secret Agent (Brazil)
Sentimental Value (Norway)
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Arco
Boys Go to Jupiter
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Afternoons of Solitude
Cover-Up
The Encampments
The Perfect Neighbor
The Tale of Silyan
BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Mary Bronstein – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein
Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
LEAD ACTOR
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Jesse Plemons – Bugonia
LEAD ACTRESS
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Jennifer Lawrence – Die My Love
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Emma Stone – Bugonia
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Odessa A’zion – Marty Supreme
Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (Mary Bronstein)
It Was Just an Accident (Jafar Panahi)
Marty Supreme (Josh Safdie & Ronald Bronstein)
Sentimental Value (Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier)
Sinners (Ryan Coogler)
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Bugonia (Will Tracy)
Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro)
Hamnet (Chloé Zhao & Maggie O’Farrell)
No Other Choice (Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Jahye Lee & Don McKellar)
One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson)
BEST ENSEMBLE
It Was Just an Accident
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Frankenstein (Dan Laustsen)
Marty Supreme (Darius Khondji)
One Battle After Another (Michael Bauman)
Sinners (Autumn Durald Arkapaw)
Train Dreams (Adolpho Veloso)
BEST EDITING
It Was Just an Accident (Amir Etminan)
Marty Supreme (Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie)
One Battle After Another (Andy Jurgensen)
Sinners (Michael P. Shawver)
Weapons (Joe Murphy)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Frankenstein (Alexandre Desplat)
Marty Supreme (Daniel Lopatin)
One Battle After Another (Jonny Greenwood)
Sinners (Ludwig Göransson)
Train Dreams (Bryce Dessner)
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Odessa A’zion – Marty Supreme
Miles Caton – Sinners
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby
BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR
Clint Bentley – Train Dreams
Mary Bronstein – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Harris Dickinson – Urchin
Carson Lund – Eephus
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby
Watching the 1964 holiday sci-fi epic, Santa Claus Conquers The Martians, is a Christmas Eve tradition here at the Shattered Lens! So, sit back, turn on Kid TV, and get ready to sing!
S
A
N
T
A
C
L
A
U
S
HOORAY FOR SANTY CLAUS!
Through the Shattered Lens 