9/11: few combinations of numbers hold as much power as these three. This is a date which lives in infamy and remains an enduring symbol of loss and confusion, even over 10 years later. While there is some controversy over whether or not Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is focused on 9/11, the reality is [...]
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is written so that you don’t need to have seen the first chapter in order to understand most aspects of the story, so it is easy to forget that it is a sequel. Still, there are weaknesses typical of a second outing in a series. The movie attempts to [...]
Believe me, I am as big a fan of fiction as anybody. However, there’s something about true stories like Milk that is compelling in ways not possible with fiction. Milk is a great drama, and very worthy of the awards and accolades it received. But the primary source of its compelling nature undoubtedly lies in [...]
Movies based on true stories are often more compelling than fiction because of the authenticity associated with factual events and people. But movies that base only certain aspects of their narratives on true stories and fill in the gaps with fictional elements tend to be even more entertaining. The Departed is a great example; the [...]
Wait…Disney actually made another Pirates movie? Weren’t the first three movies enough? When is Disney going to just let go?! These are all fantastic questions that I’m sure have gone through a majority of people’s heads when they first got word about Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. However, when I learned the basic [...]
The X-Men are about as ingrained into American pop culture as Superman (or Wolverine, at least), but somehow I had managed to remain ignorant of pretty much everything X-Men-related until a few days ago. It is an interesting way to go into First Class since, as a prequel, it should be about as unsurprising as [...]
The Avengers are almost assembled. Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America are already in place, and so is Marvel’s muscle man, The Hulk (a.k.a. Bruce Banner). You may have missed it, but thanks to the upcoming assembly of the Avengers, you still owe it to yourself to check this 2008 blockbuster out. The Hulk, as [...]
Marvel is at a point now where it has already released movies starring their most popular superhero characters to mostly positive results, and is now reaching further, either restarting franchises or putting slightly more obscure heroes into the limelight. Which isn’t to say that Cap is obscure, but he is when compared to Spidey or [...]
It’s great to see Disney making such good plays lately (at least when it comes to animation). (Photo courtesy of filmofilia.com) In an era of animation dominated by Pixar, Disney itself has dipped down from the critical and commercial heights of the “Disney Renaissance” that spawned classics like Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The [...]
