Comrade Courant Culture Critic

Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988): Not “So Bad It’s Good”—Just Brilliantly Good "A masterclass in practical effects, satirical worldbuilding, and committed absurdity—disguised as a B-movie." — 4/5 Stars Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) review: Let’s be clear—this is not “so bad it’s good.” It’s simply good . Brilliantly, joyfully, inventively good. Directed by Stephen Chiodo and brought to life by the Chiodo Brothers’ legendary practical effects team, this cult classic isn’t a joke. It’s a fully realized, satirical sci-fi horror that treats its absurd premise with total sincerity—and in doing so, achieves something rare: a film that’s both hilarious and genuinely unsettling. The premise is deceptively simple: evil extraterrestrials who look like circus clowns descend upon a sleepy American town, using cotton candy cocoons, balloon animals, and popcorn guns to harvest humans for foo...

The Last Circus (2010): A Masterpiece of Grotesque National Grief "Most horror clowns want to kill you. The clowns in The Last Circus are already dead—killed by fascism, machismo, and a country that never buried its past." — 5/5 Stars The Last Circus (2010) reveiw: In the oldest sense of the word, this Spanish tragicomedy is incredible : awe-inspiring, grotesque, stunning, and heartfelt. Directed by the visionary Álex de la Iglesia, this Spanish tragicomedy uses the clown as a vessel for national trauma, transforming the circus ring into a bloodstained arena where Spain’s unburied past—Franco, fascism, machismo—rages like a ghost that refuses to rest. Set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War and its long, suffocating aftermath, the film follows Javier (Carlos Areces), a gentle soul born into a family of circus clowns, who is drafted into a militia and forced to trade laughter for ...