Like I always like to do, I’m going to try to sum up the year that was in my final post of the year partially entitled ‘Goodbye’. So, goodbye to 2022. There are a lot of things one could talk about. I like to keep things cheery so the title of the post has been kept to filmmaking and the movie theater industry.
Continue reading “Goodbye 2022: Did Cameron & Cruise Resuscitate Movie Theaters?”Tag: James Cameron
REVIEW: Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Directed by James Cameron — Screenplay by James Cameron, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver.
The long-awaited sequel to Avatar that many have bemoaned was unnecessary (in spite of the original film being one of the biggest films of all time) is here. Frankly, I wasn’t sure it was ever going to come out, but, after a 13-year waiting period, it is finally here. It exists. I was 16 years old when the first film was released. Now I’m 29. The wait is over. And, hey, it’s actually an excellent improvement on the first film. Moreover, it definitely is a must-see transportive theatrical experience.
Continue reading “REVIEW: Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)”Avatar (2009) is pretty great, even though its story feels very common | Retro Review

Directed by James Cameron — Screenplay by James Cameron.
Whether it’s due to disbelief, overhype, or that product having been oversold, I think we’ve all been guilty of calling something widely praised or beloved ‘overrated.’ When Avatar first came out, people were perhaps slightly hyperbolic when it came to praising the somewhat allegorical James Cameron sci-fi epic. I was a teenager when it was released, and I remember once standing in line at a Blockbuster as people were over-the-moon excited to own the film on physical media. I hadn’t seen it in theaters and, after having seen it, I struggled to really be as thoroughly overwhelmed by it as other people seemed to have been. I really enjoyed the Leona Lewis song, and I thought it looked really good. I recognized that it was a solid picture, but, when I finally saw it, I do remember thinking something along the lines of “is that what all the fuss was about?” It wasn’t the best thing since sliced bread, which it certainly felt like it had been sold as.
Continue reading “Avatar (2009) is pretty great, even though its story feels very common | Retro Review”REVIEW: Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

The following is a review of Terminator: Dark Fate — Directed by Tim Miller.
Just a couple of years ago, Terminator Genisys broke my heart. Nevertheless, on Friday, I found myself in a movie theater ready to watch the next Terminator-film in its opening weekend. Terminator, a long-running franchise that hasn’t found a lot of success since James Cameron left the film series’ director’s chair and let multiple others sit in it, has been run into the ground. The first two films, which were both directed by James Cameron, are both iconic and Terminator 2: Judgment Day might be my favorite action film ever made. Since then Jonathan Mostow, McG, and Alan Taylor have all tried and, to varying degrees, failed to resurrect and reboot the film series in a successful and satisfying way. Continue reading “REVIEW: Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)”
Introducing: ALIEN Week

It’s finally time for the next film in the ALIEN franchise. Very soon I’ll be seeing Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant, but, leading up to that film’s release, I want to review each and every film in the franchise. Therefore next week is ALIEN Week. Continue reading “Introducing: ALIEN Week”
CLASSIC REVIEW: Aliens (1986)

The following is a review of the classic science-fiction action film ‘Aliens’. This review was written in July 2016 in honor of the film’s 30th Anniversary.
After the success of 1984’s The Terminator, 20th Century Fox gave James Cameron the go-ahead to direct a sequel to the amazing science-fiction horror film, Alien. No one could’ve predicted the success Cameron’s sequel would get. Even though Alien is, itself, somewhat of a horror classic, Cameron somehow managed to make a sequel that was remarkably different from the original film, but still ended up being a classic, being iconic, and being, easily, one of the best sequels of all-time. Continue reading “CLASSIC REVIEW: Aliens (1986)”
Favorite Thespians #1 – Leonardo DiCaprio

Premiering today is a new monthly opinion piece wherein I name one of my favorite actors or actresses. Favorite Thespians contains three separate sections: one section on the first film I saw the thespian in (“On My Radar”), another section on 5 films you need to see to know the thespian (“Homework”), and a section on my favorite performance from him/her. This month my favorite thespian is Leonardo DiCaprio!
Continue reading “Favorite Thespians #1 – Leonardo DiCaprio”

