Last night I finally saw the modern classic The Big Lebowski. It was not good. I admit, I laughed a good deal. And for about the first half I was enjoying it. Then I started to realize that the film wasn't going anywhere. Or, if it was, it wasn't anywhere good. I don't think I've seen such … Continue reading Quick Thoughts on ‘The Big Lebowski’
Movies
When Reviews Are Meaningless
A lot of times people (myself included) will say of some film that they're on the fence about seeing 'it depends on what the reviews say.' If the general consensus appears to be that it's worth seeing, then we'll go see it. If not, we won't. When it comes to something like Star Wars, though, the … Continue reading When Reviews Are Meaningless
The Star Wars Holiday Special
One of my personal holiday traditions is to open the season with a viewing of The Star Wars Holiday Special, courtesy of Rifftrax (I’m not insane enough to watch it ‘pure’. People have died that way). In case you haven’t heard of it, the year after the first Star Wars became a sleeper hit, someone … Continue reading The Star Wars Holiday Special
Making a Character Prodigiously Powerful Will Not Make Them Interesting
So, I was watching the trailer for 'The Last Jedi,' where Luke is telling Rey that he's only seen her kind of power once before, that she's amazingly in tune with the Force and so on and so forth and I thought "Man, I am tired of the heroes in these kinds of stories being … Continue reading Making a Character Prodigiously Powerful Will Not Make Them Interesting
Thoughts on ‘My Little Pony: the Movie’
Just got back from seeing My Little Pony: The Movie (yes, opening day. I am not ashamed). And some thoughts: -Overall, I'm giving it a 'good-not-great' rating: a solid 3-3.5/5. I enjoyed it, it's still the same great characters, voices, writers, and world that I've grown to love. The animation is really good, I laughed a … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘My Little Pony: the Movie’
The Land Before Time and the Proper Approach to Prejudice
Over the weekend I posted my first video review, of The Land Before Time. I discovered how time-consuming such things are to make, and so I wasn't able to address everything I wanted to. In particular, I glanced over the film's approach to prejudice, partly because it's actually kind of a minor theme compared to its … Continue reading The Land Before Time and the Proper Approach to Prejudice
RIP Haruo Nakajima
I've just learned that Haruo Nakajima, the stuntman and actor who originated the role of Godzilla himself, has passed away at the age of 88 of pneumonia. Now all the major players of that greatest of monster films are gone, with the sole exception of Akira Takarada. Mr. Nakajima was a stuntman and bit player … Continue reading RIP Haruo Nakajima
Dunkirk Thoughts
I saw 'Dunkirk' over the weekend. Briefly put, my reaction is that I thought it was an amazing film; probably one of Christopher Nolan's best (which is saying something). It was completely unlike any other war film I've seen, punishingly intense, and engaging all the way through. A few things to note: Though I thought … Continue reading Dunkirk Thoughts
Doctor Who and Swiping Male Characters
You know, I’m not really a big ‘Doctor Who’ fan. I’ve watched several episodes from both the classic and the modern series (Tom Baker’s my favorite), and enjoyed them, but I just haven’t really gotten into it. That said, I do have an opinion of this ‘making the Doctor a woman’ gimmick. And make no … Continue reading Doctor Who and Swiping Male Characters
Why I Love ‘Independence Day’
When Independence Day came out, it was a huge hit, but ever since then it’s kind of become the poster-child for the big, dumb, CGI-fueled blockbusters of the late 90s. And, yes, in a way it is, but…well, that’s kind of beside the point. The Story: On July 2nd, a massive alien craft appears … Continue reading Why I Love ‘Independence Day’
Serpent's Den 