John W. Allman

John W. Allman has spent more than half his life as a professional journalist and/or writer, but he’s loved movies for as long as he can remember. Good movies, awful movies, movies that are so gloriously bad you can’t help but champion them. In 2009, he started a review column dedicated to the genre films that often get overlooked and interviews with cult cinema favorites like George A. Romero, Bruce Campbell and Dee Wallace. In 2016, he began reviewing films for Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.

jallman1@verizon.net

Arts & Entertainment

Blood Violence and Babes: A conversation with Leah McKendrick

A female writer and actress bares her soul for M.F.A., offers a brutal takedown of sexual assault, and speaks out on why Harvey Weinstein isn’t Hollywood’s only predator problem.

by John W. Allman October 28, 2017August 5, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

Howl-O-Scream rewrites the rule book on how to scare

Tampa’s longtime Halloween destination ups its creep quotient to immerse patrons in fear.

by John W. Allman October 28, 2017July 13, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

College life gets a killer critique (video)

Happy Death Day succeeds by mixing smart social commentary with wicked laughs.

by John W. Allman October 24, 2017May 8, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

It’s official – The Snowman may well be the worst serial killer film ever made

Remember how a 7-Eleven Slurpee can look delicious in theory, but then causes a massive brain freeze? That’s The Snowman, only less satisfying.

by John W. Allman October 20, 2017September 20, 2024

Arts & Entertainment

Blood Violence and Babes: A conversation with Dee Wallace

Elliott’s mom from E.T. talks about her life in genre cinema, her controversial new slasher film and why horror fans are the best.

by John W. Allman October 3, 2017July 17, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

American Made gives Cruise control of his best film in years

The true-life tale of Barry Seal, a 1980’s drug smuggler and government operative turned liability, is almost too crazy to believe — which is why it likely works so well.

by John W. Allman October 2, 2017August 17, 2023

Arts & Entertainment

Excelsior! Stan Lee and Kevin Smith teamed up to rock MegaCon’s opening night

Fans donated $25,000 to help victims of Hurricane Irma, and to dine with Lee and appear in Smith’s next movie.

by John W. Allman September 30, 2017March 15, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

Adventures in Weekending: 10 things to do at or around MegaCon this weekend

More pop culture than you can handle, all in one place.

by John W. Allman September 29, 2017August 17, 2023

Arts & Entertainment

Blood Violence and Babes: (War)lock your door! Crazy Katherine Heigl is coming for you

Two films never to forget: A sequel from the ‘90s and a stellar twist on a tired subgenre

by John W. Allman August 11, 2017August 20, 2024

Arts & Entertainment

Comic Con, ripe for revision: Five reasons we’re glad we went anyway

A big fan, a scary opportunity and one inspirational soldier mark 2017’s event.

by John W. Allman August 3, 2017April 11, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

10 things to expect at Tampa Comic Con this weekend

Get your geek on.

by John W. Allman July 26, 2017July 27, 2024

Arts & Entertainment

Blood Violence and Babes: Come Hell or a hitman scorned

Two new releases prove you can get a lap dance from the Devil, but you should never challenge Keanu Reeves to a gunfight.

by John W. Allman July 11, 2017January 20, 2024

Arts & Entertainment

From the “We Can’t Believe It’s Still in Theaters” department: Vin Diesel drives away with your money in The Fate of the Furious

After seven films, they know what we like. We like the cars, the cars that go boom!

by John W. Allman June 13, 2017January 23, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

Mummy dearest: Universal unveils its revamped monster mash

A change of bandages doesn’t equal big scares, but The Mummy still manages to entertain

by John W. Allman June 8, 2017August 17, 2023

Arts & Entertainment

James Gunn takes the Guardians of the Galaxy on a thrilling ego trip through the cosmos

The second helping of Marvel’s galactic misfits is exactly the pure movie magic we need right now.

by John W. Allman May 5, 2017August 17, 2023

Arts & Entertainment

Blood Violence and Babes: Fangs for the Mammories

Gender (and genre) confusion takes the bite out of an (Ice)-T girl double feature

by John W. Allman April 14, 2017August 17, 2023

Arts & Entertainment

Blood Violence and Babes: A womb with a (weird) view

Two new genre films dive into a big taboo, family love — with mixed (and graphic) results

by John W. Allman March 21, 2017March 4, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

Jordan Peele is afraid of white Americans (and you will be too)

It’s time to Get Out and go see the first great horror film of 2017.

by John W. Allman March 10, 2017August 17, 2023

Arts & Entertainment

Blood Violence and Babes: 50 ways to bleed your lover

A new fetish-torture thriller avoids any shades of grey by tying up its characters — and audience — in knots. Subversive, kinky knots.

by John W. Allman February 15, 2017June 29, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

Blood Violence and Babes: Booking a One-Way Ticket on the Ultimate Terror Train

South Korea barrels into the zombie genre with a breakneck, bloody thrill-ride destined for cult-classic status.

by John W. Allman January 25, 2017August 17, 2023