Meet Abe Spinney, A Reeler Movie Reviewer

(Abe with the legendary George A. Romero)

A little over a year and a half ago, I moseyed into my then-new writer's group and took to the big table, excited to read the opening to my steampunk short story, "The End of an Era." Among the unfamiliar faces that night was a talented young man named Abram Spinney who was in the thick of crafting a movie review of a flick memorable for all the wrong reasons, a 1980s Gremlins knockoff. Abe's love-hate relationship with the material was so hilarious in its delivery that I nearly spilled out of my seat, making me an instant fan -- and eager for his future takes on cinema's best and worst.

Abe's passion for film inspired him to create A Reeler Movie Reviewer, where some flicks are exulted while others get skewered in his inimitable style.  It was my great pleasure to sit down and talk with Abe about his celluloid dreams...and nightmares.

What's the worst movie you've ever seen and why does it hold that distinction for stink-tion? 

Wow, that is quite the question! Since I started doing this I have encountered only a few movies that define the very definition of pain and misery, mostly just pain. Three films stick out among all the contenders I have seen so far. The first is The Lost Continent, one of my earlier reviews which is well known for its agonizing twenty-minute rock climbing sequence. The second would definitely have to be Monster A Go Go, an abomination of spliced-together footage, boring and pointless sequences that go nowhere, and an ending so bad that it's practically a middle finger to anyone who watched it to the end. The third is one I am still preparing a review for -- I don’t know if you have heard of The Garbage Pail Kids, a film adaptation based on a series of trading cards.  To this day I’ve been mustering up the courage to tackle it.

What's the best/your favorite flick of all time? 

That’s a really broad question, actually, as there are so many movies that I enjoy, each for different reasons.  Here is my list of favorite movies based on their genres:

Horror: Dawn Of The Dead (the original) and The Host
Fantasy: The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad
Science Fiction: John Carpenter’s The Thing and Alien
Comedy: Monty Python And The Holy Grail
Crime Thriller: The Chaser and Red Dragon
Action: The Dark Knight and Predator

Your film reviews are hilarious! What got you started writing summaries of bad cinema? 

Mystery ScienceTheater 3000 is one inspiration, but also the website That Guy With The Glasses, where some of my favorite web shows are. My three favorite shows are The Nostalgia Critic, The Cinema Snob, and Linkara. Watching their shows got me interested in the idea of doing my own reviews, so here I am!

Take us into your process -- do you sit down with a particular movie, take notes as you watch, or handcuff your arms behind your back to prevent you gouging your own eyes out?

First I have coffee. Lots and lots of coffee -- and I always have a cup on standby. Only a few movies have really driven me to the brink of insanity, but the worst that most others movies can do to me is cause me to fall asleep. It usually takes a second viewing of my topic before I know what I want to do for my article. I also learn about the movie or show's production history and how its was recieved by general audiences, whether it be good or bad. I try to be both humorous and informative in my reviews to give a sort of balance.

If you could interview anybody for your blog, who would it be and why?

If I had the opportunity to interview anyone it would be the cast from Mystery Science Theater 3000 -- Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett, Michael Nelson, the original host Joel Hodgson, and everyone else on that show, especially the “Mads“. I absolutely loved that show! It was one of the factors that really pushed me to start reviewing movies, especially the bad ones. I still follow the trio on Rifftrax looking forward to what they’ll riff on next.

So why not microwave some popcorn, log onto A Reeler Movie Reviewer, put your feet up, and enjoy the show!