Outside the Wire: A Future Aided By Robots

Outside the Wire imagines a world in 2036 where human troops on both sides are assisted by robotic soldiers and drone pilots. No, the film is not set in Baltimore.  It is clear to me that nobody is bothering to heed the warnings of the great machine uprising given to us in The Terminator films.  Next thing you know, some genius will attempt to open a theme park with dinosaurs.  Actually, that’s not a bad…

"Outside the Wire: A Future Aided By Robots"

The Terminal: Spielberg Goes Back To Comedy

The Terminal may not be the top of the line for filmmaker Steven Spielberg but the film still makes for compelling material when viewing. It’s fascinating to watch The Terminal in 2020, over fifteen years following its theatrical release. So much has and hasn’t changed when it comes to immigration. Because Krakozhia breaks out into civil war during his flight, the United States no longer recognizes the country. Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks) basically becomes a…

"The Terminal: Spielberg Goes Back To Comedy"

Stars Fell on Alabama Plays Within Rom-Com Rules

Stars Fell on Alabama, a film with a Hollywood twist, is the first romantic comedy film to be released in theaters or VOD in 2021. Before I dive into the film, you should know that there are short clips during the credits.  Aside from this, there is a post-credits tag.  The other thing to know about the film is it is set during 2019.  This way, you don’t have to scream about so many people…

"Stars Fell on Alabama Plays Within Rom-Com Rules"

Gangs of New York Is A Flawed Epic

Gangs of New York may have a lot to enjoy about the film but at the end of the day, it is a flawed epic and well short of being a masterpiece. In many ways, this is the history of New York City according to Martin Scorsese.  The script itself is based on Herbert Asbury’s The Gangs of New York.  However, it gets an original screenplay nomination because they drift so far from the book’s…

"Gangs of New York Is A Flawed Epic"

The Opening Act: Stand-Up Comedy Isn’t Easy

The Opening Act is a fictional account depicting the harsh realties that come with trying to make it in the business as a stand-up comedian. Writer-director Steve Byrne injects some of his own real-life experiences into the script.  Byrne has been in the industry for two decades so basically, he’s calling friends and casting them in the film.  This aspect certainly shows through in the production.  It honestly feels like one agrees to this kind…

"The Opening Act: Stand-Up Comedy Isn’t Easy"

Minority Report: Spielberg Tackles the Future

Minority Report might take place some fifty years after the film was shot but the film’s themes are still relevant almost twenty years later. This film marks the first collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise.  The film has audiences asking some important questions.  What if we knew what was going to happen in the future?  After you ask yourself the question, what if the person knowing this found out he was going to kill someone? …

"Minority Report: Spielberg Tackles the Future"

Always: My Least Favorite Steven Spielberg Film

Always departs from the rest of Steven Spielberg’s 1980s filmography in that the film goes for sentimentality more than anything else. It’s not uncommon for Spielberg to release multiple films in the same year.  The summer saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  While there is some nice action in the aerial scenes in Always, the two films couldn’t be further apart.  Maybe this is why it has taken me until now to watch Always. …

"Always: My Least Favorite Steven Spielberg Film"

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: Another Spielberg Classic

Following Raiders, Steven Spielberg gets back to science fiction and gives us his most personal film in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. I have a confession to make.  It wasn’t until the late 1990s/early 2000s before I watched E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.  A lot of this is because I am prone to nightmares and like Mars, Inc. at the time, I thought E.T. was scary.  Let me tell you how wrong I am for this line of thinking.…

"E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: Another Spielberg Classic"

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: A Classic

In spite of the logistical challenges in putting the film together, Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a Steven Spielberg classic. Much like George Lucas and Star Wars, Steven Spielberg also continued working on Close Encounters.  Ultimately, Spielberg kept working on it and gave us his ultimate version in 1998.  Most of the reason for the Special Edition is because the studio wanted to go inside of the ship.  In the end, Spielberg would…

"Close Encounters of the Third Kind: A Classic"

Thirteen Days Marks 20th Anniversary

Thirteen Days may have been critically acclaimed but the film takes some major dramatic licenses in revisiting the Cuban Missile Crisis. If we want to get technical with the anniversary, the wide release didn’t come until January 12, 2001.  But for the sake of Oscar qualification, New Line released the film on December 25, 2000.  There weren’t many critics groups giving the film many awards.  The Critics Choice Awards were among the few to honor…

"Thirteen Days Marks 20th Anniversary"