Prequels are always problematic because they begin with a distinct disadvantage. They do not continue the story in the original film or series, and even worse, the elephant in the room is that they need to fit into the time line and plot as laid out before without any radical changes. For all of the […]
They were as synonymous with America as apple pie and baseball. No band in American history has had more songs on the music charts than The Beach Boys. Their upbeat melodies and distinct vocal harmonizing would often mark the dawn of summer for an entire nation. For all of their success, their history had almost […]
Disaster movies are an entirely different breed. In most cases, they are over-the-top special effects showcases where the goal is to see how much destruction they can cram into the running time. Unfortunately, special effects are getting cheaper and more prevalent, so today’s disaster movies show no restraint. San Andreas is such a movie. It […]
A determined L.A. fireman struggles to save his endangered family in the earthquake thriller San Andreas. Just below California’s beautiful coastal cities lies a restless sleeping giant capable of reducing its towering skylines to a hulking mass of twisted wreckage with one fatal blow. Should the giant awake, in the form of a long-overdue earthquake, […]
A nerdy, eccentric engineer finds love and wonder in the curious documentary Sunshine Superman. Carl Boenish knew a thing or two about overcoming daunting obstacles. As a child, Carl was stricken with polio, losing the use of his legs for nearly a year. Once back on his feet, nothing could keep him grounded. Boenish would […]
I’m happy to admit that I’m a big fan of Disney animated films and theme parks. That doesn’t mean that I inhale everything Disney without restraint. I have my limits. There was a dull time when Disney churned out such dreck as Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure and Cinderella III: A Twist in […]
A rebellious science student joins forces with a reluctant inventor to decipher the mysteries of the futuristic Tomorrowland. Somewhere in the fabric of space and time, there exists a fantastical place called Tomorrowland. It exists in a dimension unknown by nearly everyone on Earth except for the very few invited to visit. Recruiters from this […]
Certain movies and scenes stay with you forever. That’s the power of the moving image on our impressionable minds. I feel conflicted when someone remakes an iconic movie because I don’t want to taint my memories of the original with variations of scenes or new people in the same situations. The 2015 Poltergeist brings up […]
A resilient survivor teams up with a resourceful counterpart looking to find her way back home in the frenetic chase film Mad Max: Fury Road. George Miller‘s seminal franchise began with 1979’s Mad Max, starring a very young, unknown Mel Gibson. It held the title of most profitable film for two full decades, spawned two […]
A green but loyal officer finally gets her big chance to make an impression in the lukewarm comedy Hot Pursuit. This vapid farce of a film directed by Anne Fletcher continues her unblemished string of entirely forgettable films (The Guilt Trip, The Proposal and 27 Dresses). The story starts off with a nice enough concept. Cooper […]
Marvel is really on a roll these days. Moviegoers and fanboys alike anticipate every film in the Marvel Cinematic Uinverse, even this summer’s Ant-Man, a character who never would have made the transition from comic book to silver screen prior to this heightened interest. Avengers: Age of Ultron kicks off Phase 3 of the Universe […]
A talented artificial intelligence expert is called on to evaluate his boss’s latest evolutionary achievement in the riveting sci-fi drama Ex Machina. The promise of advanced artificial intelligence serves as the centerpiece of countless Hollywood films. 1927’s Metropolis captivated audiences with its cautionary tale of a dystopian future ruled by smart machines. Our own tech […]