Tag: Star Wars

RETRO REVIEW: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

Drew Struzan’s Release Poster – 20th Century Fox

The following is a retro review of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, a George Lucas film.

The first return of Star Wars didn’t go as well as planned. Way back in 1999, George Lucas resurrected the greatest movie franchise of all-time with The Phantom Menace. It included politics, fan-service, and a very young Darth Vader. Fans were certain that this franchise reboot was going to work, but, unfortunately, the end result did not live up to most fans’ expectations. To this day, the end result is remembered as one of the worst examples of prequel films, but, while I can’t say that I like the film, I don’t think it is as catastrophic as its sequel. Continue reading “RETRO REVIEW: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)” →

‘The Next Spielberg’ – Motion Picture Thoughts #8

MOTION PICTURE THOUGHTS

Every means of entertainment has a couple of greats. The next Michael Jordan – the next Elvis Presley – the next Lionel Messi. I’m sure there are a number of ‘nexts’ you can come up with at the drop of a hat. Today, I want to discuss the label ‘the next Spielberg’, which I’ve seen thrown around a lot. Some times it’s gift, and some times it turns out to be a curse. What is in the Spielberg-name? What does it mean to be the next Spielberg? And… Well, who is the next Spielberg?  Continue reading “‘The Next Spielberg’ – Motion Picture Thoughts #8” →

We Need To Talk About Kylo – Dagobah Day #10

Dagobah Day - 2016

Attention: the following post contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens!

I’ve spoken to numerous people about the newest villains in the Star Wars saga, and what has become abundantly clear is that I don’t see eye to eye with a lot of the people criticizing the character of Kylo Ren. I’ve found myself defending his character, his development, his design, and the like on multiple occasions. I’m getting really tired of seeing people misinterpreting the greatness of Kylo Ren, so this month’s Dagobah Day is all about Kylo! Continue reading “We Need To Talk About Kylo – Dagobah Day #10” →

88TH ACADEMY AWARDS: REACTION – MOTION PICTURE THOUGHTS #7

MOTION PICTURE THOUGHTS

Leonardo DiCaprio – Academy Award-Winning Actor! Finally! The 88th Academy Awards was a great show, with a lot of great winners. Chris Rock was a really solid host, and, as a whole, it probably was one of the better Oscar shows in recent memory. Continue reading “88TH ACADEMY AWARDS: REACTION – MOTION PICTURE THOUGHTS #7” →

88th Academy Awards: Predictions – Motion Picture Thoughts #6

MOTION PICTURE THOUGHTS

I love the Academy Awards. There’s just something special about that show, even if I don’t think they pick the right winners each and every year. Often times I find myself agreeing with the nominees for the BAFTAs instead, but only the Academy Awards can make me straight-up giddy to see accolades being handed out. Today I’m trying to predict the winners of each and every category! Continue reading “88th Academy Awards: Predictions – Motion Picture Thoughts #6” →

Who Could Del Toro Be Playing in Episode VIII? – Dagobah Day #9

Dagobah Day - 2016

Dagobah Day is an opinion/news piece on all things Star Wars, which posts on the first monday of every month. Beware of spoilers for the Star Wars Saga-films.

Benicio Del Toro is one of the most talented actors out there. Del Toro is best known for starring in 21 Grams, Traffic, The Usual Suspects, and now Sicario. A couple of years ago, Del Toro apparently decided to star in more mainstream films, along came Guardians of the Galaxy, and, suddenly, Del Toro was the Collector to a whole new generation. That is about to change as he has signed on to star in Star Wars: Episode VIII. Today, on Dagobah Day, I mention some of the possible characters that he could play. Continue reading “Who Could Del Toro Be Playing in Episode VIII? – Dagobah Day #9” →

The Collection #1 – Star Wars: The Original Trilogy

The Collection - Star Wars

  • Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) – Directed by George Lucas.
  • Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – Directed by Irvin Kershner.
  • Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi (1983) – Directed by Richard Marquand.

The Collection is a monthly opinion piece, which features a single film, trilogy, or the like that I consider to be one of the best of all-time – a must watch film or franchise. A new entry in The Collection will be highlighted and revealed on the third Monday of every month. This month I’m starting The Collection with the original Star Wars trilogy, arguably the best trilogy of all-time. Continue reading “The Collection #1 – Star Wars: The Original Trilogy” →

Reaction to the 88th Academy Award Nominations – Motion Picture Thoughts #5

MOTION PICTURE THOUGHTS

The Academy has announced what films are worthy to call themselves the best of 2015. The Revenant, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Martian were shown a lot of love in the nomination process, but Star Wars: The Force Awakens did get a handful of nominations as well. Now, let’s look at the nominations and discuss the odd Oscar snubs and the nominations that caught some by surprise. Continue reading “Reaction to the 88th Academy Award Nominations – Motion Picture Thoughts #5” →

Predicting the Nominees for the 88th Academy Awards – Motion Picture Thoughts #4

MOTION PICTURE THOUGHTS

By this time tomorrow we will know which films will battle for some of the biggest awards in western cinema. One of my favorite days of the year is when the Academy announces the nominees. Cinephiles always have opinions about award snubs, and I’m always excited to take part in that conversation. This year it’ll probably end up being The Revenant versus Spotlight for the big awards, but don’t be surprised if the Academy shows a lot of love for either Mad Max: Fury Road or The Martian. Let’s try to predict the nominees! Continue reading “Predicting the Nominees for the 88th Academy Awards – Motion Picture Thoughts #4” →