toledoblade.com --

Welcome to the Blade blog Culture Shock, a three-times-a-week riff by Pop Culture Editor Kirk Baird on pop culture news, events, and trends. The blog will appear Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings here, with the odd night or off-day posting if something is merited.

It's Halloween on Saturday. So, I suppose I should have some sort of Halloween-horror theme for today's blog. But, after several late-night movie screenings -- gotta love Oscar season -- I just don't have much to say.

Therefore, I'm taking the easy way out and sending you to another Web site for a not-so-typical list of horror films:
movielineonline.com

The site was created by Greg Walton, a local/regional film critic. Greg's a horror film fanatic, and was kind enough to put together this partial list of great (and not-so-great) horror films.

Fall means Oscar movies

Before I sign off until Monday, I will say that I had four film screenings on Thursday, two of which will definitely make my year-end list.

You'll be hearing a lot about the quirky comedy-drama Up in the AIr and the heart-wrenching drama Precious in the coming months, and for good reason. The films, as different as they are in tone, share the common theme of the human condition. Both films are blessed with Oscar-caliber performances, including George Clooney in Up in the AIr, and in Precious, its star-making title role played by Gabourey Sidibe, who gives the kind of honest, gutty performance seen only once or twice a decade.

You've most likely never heard of Sidibe, and you're not alone. In the Precious entry on imdb.com, she isn't even listed in the film's credits. That will change very soon.

Guess that's it for now.

Have a great and safe Halloween, and I'll be back Monday morning with something more substantial.

Agree or disagree with a posting? Lemme know. Have a topic or suggestion? Lemme know that, too. Send an e-mail to kbaird@theblade.com or call 419-724-6734.

LINK: For all of Kirk Baird's Culture Shock riffs

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