Grim Future Awaits ‘A Boy And His Dog’

Hopefully, we’re nowhere near the dystopia wasteland that is 2024 that is the setting for A Boy and his Dog. World War IV has happened and both America and the Soviet Union has launched all nuclear missile from the silos and not much is left of human civilization, at least in America. Some humans stillContinue reading “Grim Future Awaits ‘A Boy And His Dog’”

‘Licorice Pizza’ Looks Good But Leaves Bad Taste That’s Hard To Swallow

I generally like a lot of Paul Thomas Anderson’s works. A lot of of his movies are set in the San Fernando Valley because that’s where he was born and raised. It’s an odd community where a hairdresser like Jon Peters can live in a nice house in the hills and date Barbara Streisand. It’sContinue reading “‘Licorice Pizza’ Looks Good But Leaves Bad Taste That’s Hard To Swallow”

Always Be Together In ‘Electric Dreams”

Of all the celebrities that seemed to have passed away in the past week, some people probably do not know who Lenny Von Dohlen was. They may have remembered him from Twin Peaks where he played the agoraphobic Harold Smith who had met Laura Palmer when she delivered meals to his house. He also appearedContinue reading “Always Be Together In ‘Electric Dreams””

‘Escape From New York’ Was Kurt Russell’s Escape From Disney

There’s an anecdote about the filming of Escape from New York in which Kurt Russell, during a break, went walking down a neighborhood in East St. Louis, Ill. while in costume as Snake Plissken. In one version, Russell is walking with John Carpenter, director and co-writer, as they are talking about an upcoming scene. EitherContinue reading “‘Escape From New York’ Was Kurt Russell’s Escape From Disney”

‘The Bad Guys’ Are Not Too Bad

Animated movies like The Bad Guys are going to be the norm now, I’ve theorized. There’s a hip, wiseacre notion to the characters in this movie. The older animated movies made by Disney and Don Bluth still carried a childish quality to them. That’s not saying this is a movie for adults. But it’s gearedContinue reading “‘The Bad Guys’ Are Not Too Bad”

‘A Perfect Getaway’ Keeps Viewers On Their Toes

The best thing a movie can is to make you want to go back and watch it from the start, especially in a case like A Perfect Getaway. Part of the success of The Sixth Sense was people going to see it again to see what they missed and how they missed it. Not toContinue reading “‘A Perfect Getaway’ Keeps Viewers On Their Toes”

‘X’ Lacks Real Thrills, Just Has Cheap Meta Feels

There’s a scene in the movie Funny Farm where Chevy Chase plays an inspiring writer who more or less stands over his wife, played by Madolyn Smith, as she reads part of his novel manuscript and points at pieces he thinks are the best. But to his dismay, she later mentions she doesn’t like it.Continue reading “‘X’ Lacks Real Thrills, Just Has Cheap Meta Feels”

‘Jaws’ Still Has Its Bite

When Jaws hit the theaters in the summe of 1975, it came after a very long and difficult production that would determine whether the young director Steven Spielberg would have a career in movies or would drift through the TV wasteland of forgotten cop dramas and canceled too earlied sitcoms. Nicknamed Flaws by the productionContinue reading “‘Jaws’ Still Has Its Bite”

Women Came Into Their Own In Many Ways In 1990s Movies

Without a doubt as the 1990s came upon people, times were changing. Women were allowed to be sexy instead of sex objects. Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock duked it out in the theaters on who could give off the more “Girl Next Door” vibes. But there was more going around in these movies. Hillary ClintonContinue reading “Women Came Into Their Own In Many Ways In 1990s Movies”

‘Belfast’ Tells A Story We’ve Seen Too Many Times Before

A movie like Belfast has been made before, and probably will be made again many times I suspect. Directors love to make semi-autobiographical movies. John Boorman did it with Hope and Glory. Barry Levinson did it with Avalon. Greta Gerwig did it with Ladybird. You’d almost wish they’d just do a movie about themselves butContinue reading “‘Belfast’ Tells A Story We’ve Seen Too Many Times Before”