Films That Matter
Ymir Fear in Roma
Despite not being written or directed by the famed special effects expert Ray Harryhausen, that latter honour going to Nathan Juran instead, there is no denying that the magic man’s hands are all over this horror infused sci-fi monster bash. Spawning the unique concept originally titled as The Giant Ymir, while also suggesting it be set in Rome, Italy instead of the United States (why you may ask... he simply always wanted to vacation there), whilst also being in charge of the stop-motion animation that makes this feature succeed, the final product eventually became known as 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957). A strong warning of the fears of moving too quickly into ‘futuristic’ ways, which is clearly a callback to ample anxiety revolving around the atomic bomb... which, with it, could bring possible nuclear annihilation, here we have the result of space exploration of the planet Venus.
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Men are from Mars
The MartianJanuary 29, 2016There are a wide array of interesting and unique motion pictures nominated for this years 88th Academy Awards – from big budget epics to small time period pieces. One that follows the former is the Ridley Scott space saga The Martian.
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Rag-Tag Team Rocks Through the Galaxy
Guardians of the GalaxyJanuary 8, 2016The anti-hero, who can be described as a vital character that lacks typical heroic qualities, has been a staple of both film and television over the past several years. Actors like Hugh Laurie, who created the iconic game-playing character House and Johnny Depp, who modelled his likeable yet sketchy pirate Jack Sparrow after Keith Richards, are just two examples of the moral ambiguity that comes with many a character nowadays. Perhaps a recent film that best exemplifies this term is when a group of rag-tag criminals come together to save multiple worlds in Marvel’s 2014 space action adventure flick Guardians of the Galaxy.
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The Nostalgia is Strong With This One
Star Wars: The Force AwakensJanuary 3, 2016Star Wars: The Force Awakens has taken the world by storm. Before I wrote this review, I wanted to watch the film for a second time in a theatre – this time, in 2D, yet it was sold out more than two weeks after its opening night.
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Star Pick with Joe Kraemer
Take a Return Journey to a Galaxy Far, Far AwayStar Wars: Episode IV - A New HopeDecember 27, 2015Star Wars is the talk of the town once again. Episode 7, entitled The Force Awakens is sweeping the box office by storm. So, perhaps it is wise to return to the year 1977 to look at the first film: A New Hope.
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A Tribute to the Late Roger Ebert
Dark CityApril 8, 2013As most of you probably already know, Roger Ebert passed away last Thursday after a bout with cancer at the age of 70. If there is such a thing as a superstar movie reviewer, Ebert would be it. Since the 1960s he reviewed films for the Chicago Sun Times and spent years bringing motion pictures to his audience through his television programs which featured his iconic two thumbs up rating system. Though I did not always agree with his opinions, he had the amazing knack of reaching both knowledgeable film experts and the ordinary moviegoer. As a tribute to this gargantuan movie expert, I will highlight three films that he loved during my next three articles.
