Movies of the Year 2018
2018 was hit or miss as a movie year, but there were still a fair number of films that blew me away. Here's my list of favorites...
A postmortem on our 2018’s Star Wars coverage…
We've spent a year talking about The Last Jedi. Now let's wrap it all up with a look at the state of Star Wars going into 2019...
On The Last Jedi, and Rey’s (true) origin story
The mystery surrounding Rey continues, even after we supposedly got answers in The Last Jedi. Matthew breaks down if what we were told makes sense from a storytelling perspective and offers a theory that might bring even more depth to the character in Episode IX...
The Nightmare Before Christmas is still awesome, twenty-five years later…
The debate rages over whether or not The Nightmare Before Christmas should be considered a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie. Let's settle things once and for all as we look back on a "holiday" classic from twenty-five years ago...
Your official ALTERNATE Christmas movie watchlist
From superheroes to average joes and from oddballs to monsters, Christmas movies can be about more than just Bing Crosby tap dancing with Danny Kay. These are my picks for the best ALTERNATE Christmas movies to watch during this holiday season!
Ranking Harry Potter’s Seven Christmases
Despite the fact that Halloween seems more appropriate, Harry Potter has sort of fallen into being a Christmastime event. You'll get no complaints from me; on the contrary, here is our ranking of each of the seven Christmases that Harry enjoyed during the series, from least to most memorable...
Luke’s journey in The Last Jedi
The Last Jedi is, unfairly in my opinion, criticized for "ruining" the character of Luke Skywalker. On the contrary, as far as I see it, the movie gave him a fitting and beautiful send off...
Grumpy Old Men is still awesome, twenty-five years later…
Take a run of the mill rom-com premise, up the ages of everyone involved by a factor of three, toss them in the middle of the Minnesota Tundra, and you've got the makings of a nearly-forgotten comedy-classic. Let's talk about Grumpy Old Men, and why it's still awesome, twenty-five years later.
Excelsior! Remembering Stan Lee, 1922-2018
One of the pillars of the comic book culture has died. Stan Lee will forever be remembered as the man who made Marvel, but his impact on our culture at large is even more remarkable...
Planet of the Apes: 50 years later
A look back at one of the greatest stories in the history of the sci-fi genre. Fifty years ago Rod Serling gave us Planet of the Apes, and though its punch has lessened over the half-century, its significance still resonates...
Your official Halloween watch-list for 2018!
It's time again to grab a bag of popcorn, shut off the lights and indulge in something frightful. But if you can't decide on a scary movie to watch this October, let me help you out...THIS is your 2018 Halloween Watchlist!
The Last Jedi and the rejection of the Mystery Box
The Last Jedi's greatest crime is that it dared to answer questions. In so doing it set us on the path to Episode IX with fans having no idea what to expect. That is fresh and exciting. Naturally fans are furious...
Robin Hood (Men in Tights) is still awesome, twenty-five years later…
A tribute to one of Mel Brooks great tributes. Men in Tights is a worthy companion to Prince of Thieves, one of the best Robin Hood adaptations ever made. That's right, I said it. Full retrospective inside...
On Disney buying Fox: What ELSE they gained (part two)
Disney buying Fox is about a lot more than just X-Men and Fantastic Four. The company has acquired a host of other film franchises and big name rights. Here are just a few of the movies that the House of Mouse now owns...
Happy 30th to the inimitable BEETLEJUICE
Thirty years ago, Tim Burton's Beetlejuice showed just how much crazy could be packed into a movie about a ghost who will "eat anything you want him to eat, swaller anything you want him to swaller (and if you come on down he'll...chew on a dog?)" It's weird, macabre and yet playful and entirely delightful...
on Disney owning Fox…what ELSE are they getting?
Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox is about more than just Marvel and Star Wars. A library of film and television properties dating back eight decades is about to be added to the House of Mouse's already-huge library. Here are just a few...
Tombstone is still awesome, twenty-five years later…
Skin your smoke wagons and order some room service, it's time to look back on one of 1993's great films, the Wyatt Earp/OK Corral action-western, Tombstone!
How THE LAST JEDI deals with “Force Training”
Matthew breaks down (yet another) of The Last Jedi's controversial topics, that of Luke's training of Rey, how easily she grasps it and proficient the student seems to be with the mystical power...
Why The Predator (1987) succeeded where its sequels failed
With the newest entry in the Predator franchise coming soon, it's good to look back on the excellent original, a quintessential 1980's action movie that has yet to be outdone by any of its sequels. Why is that? Let's discuss it...
James Gunn is out…who is in?
With the shocking (until you learn why) news that James Gunn has been fired from Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 3, attention turns to who might replace him in the director's chair. Fortunately, there are a few candidates who seem perfect for the task...