The Imagery and Themes of Zach Cregger’s WEAPONS: On Soup Cans, Whales and Justine Gandy’s Glasses

Visuals are an integral part of thematic presentation in Zach Cregger’s WEAPONS. Cregger admitted in a behind the scenes interview in an iTunes extra for the recent digital release that he had all of WEAPONS visually planned out in his head when writing the screenplay and prior to even shooting a frame of film. And … Continue reading The Imagery and Themes of Zach Cregger’s WEAPONS: On Soup Cans, Whales and Justine Gandy’s Glasses →

The Chronological Daily Timeline of Zach Cregger’s WEAPONS… And Those Newspapers

A valentine to harbored resentment and the perils of ignoring evil to maintain and a sense of normalcy, Zach Cregger’s WEAPONS is up there with my favorite American movies this century. I use the words “American” and “movie” very intentionally. Don’t get me wrong, there have been better, or at least more probing, films by … Continue reading The Chronological Daily Timeline of Zach Cregger’s WEAPONS… And Those Newspapers →

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS in 4D at the El Capitan Theatre: Worth it in 2024? Review and Photos!

The El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles is one of the most underrated Disney experiences in the US. Located directly across the street of the Dolby Theatre and just a few yards away from the TCL Chinese Theatre, it occupies a very hallowed space among Hollywood's movie palaces. The El Capitan Theatre … Continue reading THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS in 4D at the El Capitan Theatre: Worth it in 2024? Review and Photos! →

Did Todd Phillips Want JOKER 2 To Bomb? Dissecting The Themes Of FOLIE À DEUX To Uncover Director’s Intent.

On The Perils of Self-Sabotage, Perception, Idolatry, Rehabilitation, and Devotion “When I decide to do something, I stick with it, total commitment.”Joaquin Phoenix As I first left director Todd Phillips’ masterful if purposely contradictory and confounding JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX (aka JOKER 2), I was left pondering, “what is the message of this film?” Unlike … Continue reading Did Todd Phillips Want JOKER 2 To Bomb? Dissecting The Themes Of FOLIE À DEUX To Uncover Director’s Intent. →

Jennifer Lee IS BACK! Why her return to Direct FROZEN 3 is GREAT News For The Franchise

Today the Walt Disney Company announced that Jennifer Lee is leaving her position as Chief Creative Officer at Walt Disney Animation and will be returning to the FROZEN franchise to write and direct FROZEN 3 (officially titled FROZEN III - I think Jennifer Lee likes Roman numerals) and write FROZEN 4 (officially FROZEN IV) - … Continue reading Jennifer Lee IS BACK! Why her return to Direct FROZEN 3 is GREAT News For The Franchise →

FROZEN 3 at D23 – Unanswered Questions and New Characters!?

At yesterday’s D23 Disney Entertainment Presentation at the Honda Center, Jennifer Lee presented a much desired update on the status of FROZEN III. It was not very long - just about five minutes in length - and it was the only project that Jennifer Lee talked about - even thought she is ostensibly the head … Continue reading FROZEN 3 at D23 – Unanswered Questions and New Characters!? →

Deadpool’s Mini Chimi Bang Bangs at Jack in The Box – A Fast Food Tie-In Review

Jack In The Box's Deadpool and Wolverine Mini Chimi Bang Bang Fan Favorite Box DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE released in theaters last Friday. I’ve seen it. I enjoyed it (though it was my least favorite of the three DEADPOOL films). But I love a good movie tie-in as readers of this blog know well. So when … Continue reading Deadpool’s Mini Chimi Bang Bangs at Jack in The Box – A Fast Food Tie-In Review →

Mae in KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES: Analyzing the Character’s Complex Journey

2024 has already been a year of great films AND great characters. Original films like I SAW THE TV GLOW, CIVIL WAR, and HIT MAN have delivered excellence AND incredibly, so have the studio’s franchise films, with standouts including DUNE: PART 2, FURIOSA, THE FIRST OMEN, INSIDE OUT 2, and KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF … Continue reading Mae in KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES: Analyzing the Character’s Complex Journey →

How FURIOSA’s Praetorian Jack Concludes The Mel Gibson/Mad Max Era

Tom Burke as "Praetorian Jack" in FURIOSA Before watching Furiosa, I was anticipating what George Miller could bring to the table in terms of action, spectacle, and special effects. I was not looking forward to any sort of continuation of Mel Gibson’s MAD MAX, let alone a conclusion - in this film. And yet somehow, … Continue reading How FURIOSA’s Praetorian Jack Concludes The Mel Gibson/Mad Max Era →

Reviewing The Netflix Animated Barbie franchise and the new movie “Barbie and Stacie To The Rescue”

“Barbie and Stacie to the Rescue” is the seventh film in Nextflix’s “Barbie” franchise. That's right - seventh. And this is a continuity that is far from over. This is also a Barbie universe set far, both ideologically and in continuity, from that of the recent Warner Bros. film. Instead Netflix offers a Barbie that … Continue reading Reviewing The Netflix Animated Barbie franchise and the new movie “Barbie and Stacie To The Rescue” →