In the early days of IMAX, you had to go to a science museum or other specialized installation to see the large-format films. Many of these presentations were made inside domes or other structures rather than on traditional movie screens. Over two decades later, most major theaters have an IMAX screen. The early draws were […]
Two young siblings spend a disturbing week with their estranged grandparents in the painfully sophomoric thriller The Visit. Single mom Paula Jamison (Kathryn Hahn) left home in a huff 15 years ago and never looked back. A decade-and-a-half later, Paula feels the guilt of raising two children with no knowledge of their own grandparents. She […]
A highly debated and mostly unaccepted theory to housebreak a dog is to rub its nose in the mess that it left behind to try to teach it not to do it there again. After seeing The Visit, the latest release from Philly’s own M. Night Shyamalan, I feel like the filmmaker is rubbing our […]
Movie critics often compare films to roller coasters. There are highs and lows as well as exciting parts and quiet moments. I’ve done it myself. Sometimes, that’s exactly what the experience in the theater feels like. Imagine if a ride took off and stayed at an intense speed for the duration. They exist. These speed-focused […]
The best horror-film villains can be resurrected from film to film and have those appearances somehow seem fresh depending on the filmmakers and plots. Although there were many bad entries in the Friday the 13th series, I always enjoyed seeing Jason Voorhees and his iconic hockey mask in the latest installment because he was the […]
A reclusive corporate tycoon is on the hunt for a genetically engineered super soldier in the erratic video game adaptation Hitman: Agent 47. The characters and concept behind this film come from a popular 15-year-old video game series. The success of such films often pales in comparison to the success of the games on which they’re based. […]
Have you ever run into an old friend or schoolmate and tried to escape as quickly as possible? Small talk can’t possibly get any smaller in situations like that. Maybe you don’t remember that person, or maybe the reason for that awkward feeling is that you know them all too well. This kind of random […]
Love him or hate him for any reason, Tom Cruise remains an international movie star and box office draw. Some movie companies stake their budgets on these facts, and it doesn’t always work out. Over the past two decades, the Mission: Impossible franchise has featured some of Cruise’s best work in that time period. Characterized […]
The ‘70s and ‘80s were a breeding ground for what became known as slasher films. In almost all of the plots, there was some person or event in the past that had an effect on the present. This is true for Halloween, Friday the 13th, Prom Night, A Nightmare on Elm Street and many other […]
It’s tough to think of Arnold Schwarzenegger and not immediately recall such classic lines as “I’ll be back” or “Hasta la vista, baby.” These two are from The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day respectively. Although there are lots of other things going on in both films, including buff badass Linda Hamilton, Schwarzenegger is the […]
Certain movie scenes stick with you forever. Some are iconic for everyone like the finales of Casablanca or Gone with the Wind, and others are more personal. One of those scenes for me is the T. rex attack on the jeep in Jurassic Park. I remember seeing it the first time in a packed theater. […]
A scientifically engineered dinosaur wreaks havoc on an unsuspecting theme park in Jurassic World. In 1993, director Steven Spielberg unleashed a monster of a film on a voracious populace. Jurassic Park boasted exceptional special effects, a creative story, several strong performances and some very memorable lines. Audiences couldn’t get enough. The fourth installment in Hollywood’s […]