10 film trilogies with bad third chapters

Sometimes it’s because the studio makes so much money they can’t resist developing another sequel. Sometimes it’s because the franchise creators always planned a three-act story arc. Sometimes the studio funnels funds into the hands of franchise creators who don’t really know how to...

Limitations can help filmmakers and GEORGE LUCAS is insane

Is it possible for someone to suddenly change?  I mean, I know that as we age we mature and gain life experience.  We learn from our mistakes and become better people by overcoming life’s adversities.  It’s like dating really, you go through a few (or a lot of) failed relationships until you’re...

SPIDER-MAN 4 scrapped in favour of franchise reboot

Hollywood is officially broken. After a recent flurry of casting rumours (Anne Hathaway, John Malkovich as new villains), delays, script problems and fan plot speculation regarding the planned fourth, fifth and sixth Spidey flicks, Sam Raimi has finally had enough of Sony’s shit, and has officially...

SHERLOCK HOLMES review: where did that come from?

I think the character of Sherlock Holmes is perennially popular for one reason in particular. Everyone likes to think that they could be just as smart and brilliant and witty as Holmes, with a little training and a small change in lifestyle. The formula laid down by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in writing the...

ZOMBIELAND review: limber up

Zombieland is one of those curious beasts that simultaneously flips the bird and cleaves religiously to Hollywood stereotypes, script and character requirements, and audience expectations. One minute the film is busy pulling the rug out from under your feet, the next it’s clumsily explaining already...

A history of violence: film ratings and how they affect art and profit

You’ll often hear directors or producers claim they are angling their yet-to-be released film for a ‘PG,’ ‘PG-13,’ or ‘R’ rating; you occasionally see the ‘NC-17 kiss of death’ mentioned in revenue reports; and you sometimes read in reviews ‘this...

10 movies that should be on Blu-Ray already, but aren’t

Blu-Ray discs have been around for a while now, and there’s a good range of movies from various time preiods that have received the hi-def treatment. As the TV market is finally starting to shift towards selling 30+ inch high definition screens, and seeing as PlayStation 3s are selling like...

4 reasons why 3D movies suck (and how AVATAR can fix them)

By now the hype machine has gotten through to every man and his dog: James Cameron is finally making a return to sci-fi action blockbuster goodness. But what’s this? It’s a cartoon full of blue people? And what’s THIS? It’s in 3D? Despite being around literally for a century,...

Is it too early to reboot Transformers? And, you know, make it PROPERLY??

With all the reboots and remakes being churned out of Hollywood these days, it wouldn’t be too much to ask for a Transformers reboot, would it?  I’d love to see a decent take on the Transformers universe. You know, Cybertron and all that good stuff. Instead, it seems Michael Bay and Steven...