The Hot Spot Ramblings & Rants

From frozen yogurt to film festivals — a not-so-ordinary journal of all things Hot Spot.

Nightmares in a Damaged Brain (1981)

The Hot Spot Rating Nightmares in a Damaged Brain (1981)Cast: Sharon Smith, Baird Stafford, C.J. Cooke, Mik CribbenDirector: Romano ScavoliniSynopsis: infamous, grim

Gangs of New York (2002)

The Hot Spot Rating Gangs of New York (2002)Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo Di Caprio, Cameron DiazDirector: Martin ScorseseSynopsis: New York’s meanest streets

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

The Hot Spot Rating Curse Of Frankenstein, The (1957)Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Hazel Court, Robert UrquhartDirector: Terence FisherSynopsis: Superlative Hammer version

Mommie Dearest (1981)

The Hot Spot Rating Mommie Dearest (1981)Starring: Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid, Steve Forrest, Howard da SilvaDirector: Frank PerrySynopsis: dishing the dirt on

Magic (1978)

The Hot Spot Rating Magic (1978)Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Ann Margaret, Burgess MeredithDirector: Richard AttenboroughSynopsis: Yet another turn on the psychotic ventriloquist dummy

2,000 Maniacs (1964)

The Hot Spot Rating 2,000 Maniacs (1964)Starring: Connie Mason, Thomas Wood, Jeffrey Allen, Ben MooreDirector: Herschell Gordon LewisSynopsis: hapless travellers are terrorized

The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

The Hot Spot Rating Hills Have Eyes, The (1977)Starring: James Whitworth, Susan Lanier, Robert Houston, Michael Berryman, Dee WallaceDirector: Wes CravenSynopsis: Travelling

The Hitcher 2: I’ve Been Waiting (2003)

The Hot Spot Rating Hitcher 2, The (2003)Cast: C. Thomas Howell, Kari Wuhrer, Jake BuseyDirector: Louis MorneauSynopsis: 17 years on, “the Hitcher”

Heaven’s Gate (1980)

The Hot Spot Rating Heaven’s Gate (1981)Starring: Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, Brad Dourif, John HurtDirector: Michael CiminoSynopsis: Lavish recounting of

Damien: Omen II (1978)

April 29, 2026 No Comments

The Hot Spot Rating Damien; Omen 2 (1978)Cast: William Holden, Lee Grant, Robert Foxworth, Jonathan Scott TaylorDirector: Don TaylorNutshell: Entertaining and devilishly silly

The World’s Best Gelato, 2025

June 28, 2025 No Comments

Gelato had always been central to our story, though perhaps none of us quite realised just how deeply until our reunion in

The Roman Holiday Gelato Adventure – 2023

June 25, 2025 No Comments

Gelato has been central to our story for nearly a quarter of a century now. Whether fortunately or unfortunately, depending on one’s

Mikey (1992)

June 15, 2025 No Comments

The Hot Spot Rating Mikey (1992)Cast: Brian Bonsall, Josie Bissett, Lyman Ward, John Diehl, Ashley LaurenceDirector: Dennis Dimster-DenkSynopsis: Psycho kid movie is

Reform School Girls (1986)

June 15, 2025 No Comments

The Hot Spot Rating Reform School Girls (1986)Cast: Robin Watkins, Linda Carol, Wendy O. Williams, Pat Ast, Sybil Danning, Charlotte McGinnis, Sherri

Drive-in Massacre (1976)

June 15, 2025 No Comments

The Hot Spot Rating Drive-in Massacre (1976)Cast: Jake Barnes, Adam Lawrence, Douglas GudbyeDirector: Stu SegallSynopsis: a movie that gives cheap a new

Wasp Woman (1995)

June 15, 2025 No Comments

The Hot Spot Rating Wasp Woman (1995)Cast: Jennifer Ruben, Doug Wert, Maria Ford, Melissa BraselleDirector: Jim WynorskiSynopsis: Unbelievably cheesy and tacky remake

Wasp Woman, The (1959)

June 15, 2025 No Comments

The Hot Spot Rating “distant version of The Fly” – Cult Flicks & Trash Pics “minor camp classic” – Maltin “Stinker” –

Sssssss (1973)

June 15, 2025 No Comments

The Hot Spot Rating Sssssss (1973)Cast: Strother Martin, Dirk Benedict, Heather MenziesDirector: Bernard L. KowalskiNutshell: obsessed mad doctor yearns to create a

Leeches! (2003)

June 15, 2025 No Comments

The Hot Spot Rating Leeches (2003)Cast: Matthew Twining, Josh Henderson, Stacey Nelson, Tony CarroccioDirector: David DeCoteauSynopsis: Steroid-pumped leeches mutate into humungous huge

Corbeau, Le (1943)

June 15, 2025 No Comments

The Hot Spot Rating Le Corbeau (1943)Cast: Pierre Fresnay, Ginette LeClerc, Micheline Francey, Helena Manson, Jeanne Fusier-Gir, SylvieDirector: Henri- George ClouzotNutshell: a

Curse Of The Doll People, The (1961)

June 15, 2025 No Comments

The Hot Spot Rating Curse of the Doll People, The (Los Munecos Infernales) (1961)Cast: Ramon Gay, Elvira Quintana, Quintin Bulnes, Roberto Rivera,