The Muppets Take Manhattan But Kermit Gets Amnesia

The Muppets Take Manhattan as everyone’s favorite felt performers look to break a leg on Broadway and learn it is not that easy. It is a complete coincidence that I am covering the film as it also arrives today on 4K Ultra HD. I rewatched the film last week after borrowing it from the public library. It is surprisingly not available through a streaming service, only to buy or rent. It is not on Disney+…

"The Muppets Take Manhattan But Kermit Gets Amnesia"

Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut

Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut replaces the theatrical ending by restoring musical’s original ending to the film. Before The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, both Howard Ashman and Alan Menken adapted a 1960 film, Little Shop of Horrors, as an off-Broadway musical. Roger Corman did the original film as a joke. It would go on to grow a cult following. The musical is proof that one can turn a bad…

"Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut"

Attack of the Clones: Reevaluating The Star Wars Prequel

After watching The Clone Wars and Obi-Wan Kenobi, I’m reevaluating Star Wars: Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones with a new review. My initial review ran during the Road to IX but since that time, I feel that the prequels were really enhanced by The Clone Wars. When one watches The Clone Wars, they get more out of the prequels. Adding onto that, Part V of Obi-Wan Kenobi puts the movie into a completely…

"Attack of the Clones: Reevaluating The Star Wars Prequel"

Sundance 2021: Street Gang

Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street is a nostalgic look at the beginnings of one of the most iconic children’s TV program. It’s honestly surprising the Sesame Street story has not been told before as a documentary.  What we get in the film’s run time barely touches the surface.  I’m not saying that this is a bad thing because it certainly is not.  What I am saying is that there is so much…

"Sundance 2021: Street Gang"

Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Road to IX

Star Wars: The Last Jedi may or may not be the best film in the franchise but writer-director Rian Johnson delivers the goods in the eighth installment. What follows below the asterisks is the bulk of my original review–first published in 2017.  My feelings on this film have not changed in two years.  In fact, the film only improves with time.  Rian Johnson would turn out to be the perfect filmmaker to take on the…

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Road to IX"

Star Wars: Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi

Star Wars: Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi brings about the end of original trilogy with a crushing defeat of the Galactic Empire. It’s back to Tatooine to rescue Han Solo (Harrison Ford) from Jabba the Hutt.  Rescuing Han is not going to be a one person job and I love how they manage to include everyone.  From C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) to Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew)…

"Star Wars: Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi"

Star Wars: Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars: Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back continues the saga by giving audiences a new thrilling adventure with our favorite heroes. Darth Vader certainly has it out for Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).  Meanwhile, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) take refuge in Cloud City.  It just so happens that Han’s friend, Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), is the administrator of Cloud City.  The Millennium Falcon is in dire need of…

"Star Wars: Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back"

Star Wars: Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars: Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith comes the closest to capturing the original trilogy’s magic as any of the prequel films possibly could. Unlike the original trilogy, Revenge of the Sith is the darkest of the first three films.  There’s a lot riding on the film because it must complete Anakin Skywalker’s (Hayden Christensen) turn to the dark side.  Anakin’s path towards becoming Darth Vader started in the previous film but let’s…

"Star Wars: Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith"

Star Wars: Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones

Star Wars: Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones has the hard part of setting up much of the next film in the trilogy but was terrible in execution. This film had a few things to do.  One is setting up the relationship between Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman).  The second is coming up with the origins of the Clone Wars, where Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) fought alongside Skywalker.  At some…

"Star Wars: Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones"

Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace

Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace takes us all the way back to the start of Anakin Skywalker’s story as the saga begins. Long before there was ever a Darth Vader to taunt the galaxy, there was a young kid named Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) living in the Outer Rim territories on Tatooine.  All young Anakin wanted to do was to escape this planet and become a pilot.  Life isn’t easy, my young…

"Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace"