John Sanchez
I am a hopeful screenwriter who has had interest in one script but no sale thus far. I am a movie nut and a die hard Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears fan. My favorite authors are Stephen King, John Steinbeck and Michael Chricton.
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The 10 Best Films of 20112011 was a very good year for movies in my opinion. I saw nearly 50 movies during the year that I would rate above average or better. That is an incredibly high, and highly unusual ratio.
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Retro Look - Christmas Movies of 1981There were thirteen movies released that December. Many of them were not well regarded. Many of them flopped at the box office. None of them were smash hits though some did make money.
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Retro Look - Christmas Movies of 1976Many of the films were box office hits and of the eleven films released, seven of them would be remembered at Academy Awards time. Two of the films would go on to be nominated for Best Picture and one of them would take home the top prize.
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Retro Look - Christmas Movies of 1971There were thirteen movies released and eight of them would be remembered at Academy Awards time, though only one of them would be found in the list of five for Best Picture
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Retro Look Back - Christmas Movies of 1966Only nine movies were released at Christmas of 1966 due to the holdover popularity of such films as "The Sound of Music," "Alfie," and "Georgy Girl."
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Recapping the Summer Movies of 2011All in all the summer movie season wasn’t all bad. I saw a total of thirty-four of the movies released from May through August and four of them have real possibilities of being on my list of the ten best pictures of the year.
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Summer Movie Releases of 1981Amazingly there were only three sequels for the summer of 1981 and there were two monumental box office flops. James Bond returned to the screen and we were introduced to Indiana Jones.
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Summer Movies of 1976 - a Look BackSummer of 1976 was a pivotal year for Hollywood. It was only one year removed from the summer of 1975 when Jaws would turn into the first major summer blockbuster and become the highest grossing movie of all time.
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Summer Movie Releases - 1971The 1971 summer movie season consisted of 27 first run releases and was an eclectic mix from adventures to documentaries to horror films to more artsy fare.
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Summer Movie Releases of 1966Of the 20 movies released only 4 would be remembered at Academy Awards time with two of them being recognized for Best Picture.
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Retro Review - "Time After Time" (1979)Of all the films I have recommended to people I have yet to hear a negative reaction to my recommendation of a 1979 romantic thriller called Time After Time.
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Review - Insidious - a Good Old Fashioned Ghost StoryJames Wan's Insidious is, for the first hour, a truly creepy and effective haunted house chiller.
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Retro Review - "The Stunt Man" (1980)There have been many films made about making movies but few of them seem to be so much in love with the filmmaking process as Richard Rush's 1980 black comedy "The Stunt Man."
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Ten Must See Films by Director Blake EdwardsEdwards was a master at comedy, particularly slapstick, having likely been influenced by the great clowns of silent screen. But he could also make serious, touching, disturbing and downright scary movies as well.
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Retro Review - "The Conversation" (1974)Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation is a masterpiece and for the life of me I don't understand how this is not better known.
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The Ten Worst Films of 2010It seems as if Hollywood fails to grasp that audiences are not stupid because each romantic comedy uses the same formula without little to no exception.
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The Ten Best Films of 2010This is a look at 20 films from 2010 that should not be missed.
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Christmas Movie Releases of 1980In total only eleven movies opened over the holiday season. It wouldn't be wrong to say that this was not a memorable list of movies to follow.
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Dad and Me - Movie MemoriesI am going to reach back deep into the recesses of my mind to tell some brief movie memories that will mean nothing to any of you but have resonated in my mind all these years for whatever reason.
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Christmas Movie Releases - 1970Christmas of 1970 saw the release of 11 movies. Four of those movies would go on to be nominated (and win in some cases) for Academy Awards but only one of those four was nominated for the coveted Best Picture award
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Christmas Movie Releases of 1975Twelve movies were released during the holiday season of 1975. Of those twelve only five would be recognized at Academy Awards time but one of those four made a major splash at the Awards
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Christmas Movie Releases of 1965A look back at the nine major movies that were the big Christmas releases.
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Fair Game: Movie ReviewThis is based on the book by Vaierie Plame, former CIA operative and her husband, writer Joseph Wilson and what they say happened to them.
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Retro Review - "LOCAL HERO" (1983)This is a movie I have seen a half dozen times or so since its release in 1983 and it never fails to make me smile. It is utterly whimsical, charming and delightful all rolled into one.
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Review - Paranormal Activity 2The one thing that scares me most in movies and it's a device that is so rarely used it amazes me, is the terrifying things you hear but do not see.
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Retro Review - After Hours (1985)This is a hard film to watch. It's not violent or cruel but Scorsese creates such an atmosphere of discomfort that many audience members squirmed in their seats the final hour those that were able to stay in their seats.
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Review - "It's Kind of a Funny Story"Every so often a movie buff such as myself will come across a movie they know little to nothing about but go to see it just because -- . well, they are movie buffs and that's what happens.
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Review: Wall Street: Money Never SleepsStone is acutely aware, as a filmmaker, that the times indeed have changed and today's financial world is still trying to recover from some bad times over the past few years.
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Retro Review: The Last of Sheila (1973)This is a look at The Last of Sheila, one of the most intriguing movie mysteries ever made. Any fan of mysteries or puzzles will delight in watching this film over and over.
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Review: George Clooney in The AmericanI can breathe again. After being smothered for the last four months by a glut of summer movies filled with car chases, explosions and breaking glass, the fall movie season is upon us.
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2010 Summer Movie Re-CapTo put it plain and simple, the summer movie season of 2010 was dreadful a good portion of the time. To be sure there were some good films '" but not many. -
Retro Movie Review - Targets (1968)Each month I am going to write a review of an older movie that I like that either is obscure, failed at the box office or simply isn't well remembered today and deserves re-discovery. -
The Troubling Onslaught of 3-D MoviesMovies are being released in 3-D and patrons are being asked to pay $3 to $5 more per ticket so they can wear a pair of plastic glasses for a few hours, glasses they aren't even allowed to keep.Also published on:
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10 Films from the 00s You Liked that I Didn'tThese are films I have argued endlessly with friends and colleagues so I figured I would put them all out there for you to see as well.
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10 Films from the 00's I Liked that You Didn'tThis article is going to cover ten movies from the last decade that, for one reason or another, audiences (what few that saw some of them) didn't like but were films that I admired.
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My Brief Encounter with George CarlinMy favorite brief encounter came in the fall of 1983. I'll never forget the day or the movie involved. This particular Friday the theater was unusually busy for a mid afternoon performance (around 4pm).
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Movie Review - "Winter's Bone"Winter's Bone, a hit at this year's Sundance Film Festival and now slowly making its way around the country. If it happens to be within a reasonable distance I strongly suggest you seek it out as it is one of the best films of 2010 thus far.
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20 Overlooked Movie Gems of the 00'sIf you have seen them I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did and if you haven't I hope you seek them out and enjoy them.
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Summer Movie Releases of 1985Teen comedies had taken over the market and were so popular that PG, PG-13 and R rated comedies were becoming popular and even the promise of nudity-less films weren't enough to turn the teens away.
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Summer Movie Releases of 1980Because of all of these screens there was plenty of product to go around and by the end of the summer of 1980 there were 38 movies released. -
Summer Movie Releases of 1975The summer of 1975. The year when everything changed not only for me personally but for the film industry in general.
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Summer Movie Releases of 1970Twenty movies were released during the summer of 1970. Once again, and oddly enough, only one of those was geared towards children and it came from the Walt Disney Company.
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Summer Movie Releases of 1965This (1965) was the first summer of my life so I obviously didn't see any of these then but have seen many of them since then. -
The 10 Best Comedies of the 00sIn doing an article where I pick the ten best comedies of the last decade I know I am opening myself up for attack, insults or just plain stares of wonderment.
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Directors and Their Work in the 00'sThis article will take a look at careers of popular directors, some of my favorites, directors to watch in the next decade, the worst director of the decade and finally my pick for the 3 best directors of the decade.
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The Sci-Fi Spectacular #4 at Chicago's Music Box TheaterSaturday, April 10th was the 4th annual Sci-Fi Spectacular at the Music Box Theater in Chicago and, for the fourth consecutive year, my nephew Curt and I made the jaunt to the Music Box for 14 hours of sci-fi entertainment. -
The Ten Worst Films of the 00'sMake no mistake about it. This article is to guarantee that you readers don't waste even one valuable second of the gift of your life watching these movies.
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The 10 Best Films of the 00'sAs always my goal to the reader is to find a film or two they may not know and seek them out. I treasure everyone's opportunity to see any one of these films for the first time. -
Academy Award PredictionsLet me start by saying that "Avatar" will be the big winner in number of awards. I think it will take 7 Oscars of the 9 it is nominated for.
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Movie Review - Shutter Island - Scorsese with a Dash of HitchcockScorsese, one of our best directors of the last thirty-five plus years, directs with an air of assurance and confidence that makes a film fan know from frame one you are in for a treat.
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The Ten Worst Films of 2009These are the films to read about now so you don't have to lose one minute of your life watching them.
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The Academy Award SnubsNow that the Oscar nominations are over twenty-four hours old I thought I would join those who have a thing or two to complain about to the Academy. This article is about the Oscar snubs, of which there are always a few.
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The Ten Best Films of 2009In compiling my list of the ten best films of the year I joyfully discovered that, for the first time since 2003, I could have compiled a ten-best list twice.
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Christmas Movie Releases of 1984Oddly six comedies were released during the usual Oscar-bate season of dramas.
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Christmas Movie Releases of 1979Several of these films were big budgeted, loud event pictures that failed to live up to expectations. A great director saw his first flop, a comic genius made his starring film debut as did a rambunctious singer.
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Christmas Movie Releases of 1974In 1974, there were 13 movies released over the holiday for movie fans. Movie palaces were still in the forefront though twin screens and triples were all over the suburbs.
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Christmas Movie Releases of 1969This list comes from 1969 and there were only ten movies released over the holiday for movie fans. Movie palaces were still in the forefront though twin screens were popping up all over suburbs.
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Christmas Movie Releases of 1964The first list comes from 1964 and there were only ten movies released over the holiday for movie fans.
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10 Movie Suggestions for Halloween of 2009You won't find on my lists such conventional horror films as Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, The Exorcist and so on. Anyone can comprise a list with those films and that wouldn't make it bad.
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Five Actors in Need of a Career MakeoverWhy do actors repeatedly waste their God given talents on roles they have played over and over again in films that are not worthy of the talent they bring to it?
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Review - "The Shark is Still Working" - Definitive but We Still Hunger for More"The Shark is Still Working" is the answer to every fan of the movie "Jaws" and their wish to see a definitive look at the making of this classic 1975 movie which would change summer movies forever and how they were marketed and sold to the public.
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10 Well Liked Movies that I Don't LikeThis is an article where I am opening myself to accusations, ridicule or just plain name calling. As a movie buff one of the best things about film criticism is the differing opinions people have.
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Director John Hughes Dies at 59A tribute to a director who touched a whole generation.
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Summer Movies of 1984This is a look at one of the most successful summer movie seasons of the last thirty years.
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Summer Movies of 19791979 was a hit-and-miss summer and nothing really in between. An astounding 34 movies were released in the 14-week period and most of the films were either solid hits or flat-out flops.
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Summer Movies of 1974This was the final summer where movies were released and not watched closely for blockbuster status. All that changed one year later with JAWS.
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Summer Movies of 1969Take a look at the odd assortment of movies released in the summer of 1969 - many you would likely never see released during summer these days.
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Summer Movies of 1964Five of the movies released were designed for the teenage and college audience while, amazingly, eight movies were targeted at a mature audience. Today you are lucky to see more then two come out in the summer months.
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The 3rd Annual Sci-Fi SpectacularThis year was the best of the three Sci-Fi spectaculars as the programming was top notch with one good film after another.
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DVD Review - Drive-In Cult ClassicsWhat I found most surprising about these movies is the levels of violence and the unsuspecting paths some of these films take. Most sound like sex romps but none of them really are.
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The Day the Clown Cried:The Lost Jerry Lewis MovieFilm equipment was repossessed because rental checks either bounced or were never issued to the suppliers. Crew members came to Lewis to complain that their first paychecks had bounced. -
The Birth of a Movie Buff's Love for Movies and 10 Lessons I Have LearnedAnyone who knows me or has been following my articles on this very website knows that I am a movie lover. -
Steve Dahl: Chicago's Most Famous Disc Jockey Out of a JobSteve Dahl is the Howard Stern of Chicago radio. Actually that is an insult because Dahl was doing his thing in Chicago a few years before Stern became known in New York and several years before the rest of the country caught wind of him.
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Christmas Movies of 1983That year was another interesting year as 12 films were released that season and while there were six solid hits there were also 6 major flops, a few one of them quite surprising.
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Christmas Movies of 19781978 was a good movie year but moviegoers must have been on the grouchy side during the Christmas holidays as many of the high profiled releases were box office flops. -
Christmas Movies of 1968At the time Roadshow movies, movies that were released on one screen in big cities where tickets were ordered through the mail only, were still popular and taking up screens for months, sometimes a year, at a time.
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Christmas Movies of 19731973's Christmas selection included two blockbusters that would become two of the highest grossing films of all time up to that point.
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The Music Box Massacre Part 4After four years the Music Box Massacre (or 24 hours of big screen horror) has been discovered in Chicago. -
Is There Religious Symbolism in Cool Hand Luke?Was Cool Hand Luke really Jesus Christ reborn, or was he just a hard luck guy who never caught a break in life? You decide and remember that whatever way you see it you are not wrong.
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Year Three - 10 More Halloween Movie RecommendationsHere is a new list of 10 films I recommend to watch this month to get you into that proper mood for Halloween.
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Halloween II - Why Some Sequels Should Never Be MadeWhen a film becomes an unexpected smash hit you can bet two things. One is there will be a plethora or films just like it though rarely, if ever, as good. The second is there is bound to be a sequel.
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John Cazale: A Great Actor Largely Forgotten"Wyoming." - Sal's (John Cazale) response when Sonny (Al Pacino) asks him what country he'd like to fly to. "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975)
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Actor Gene Hackman Retires: A Look Back at His CareerHackman studied originally at the Pasadena Playhouse where he was one of two classmates voted "Least likely to succeed." The other classmate was Dustin Hoffman.
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Summer Movies of 19831983 saw a whopping twenty seven movies released that summer. Nine of them were considered big hits while one was an all out blockbuster.
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Summer Movies of 1978However the other side of that coin is that the summer of 1978 produced two of the biggest budgeted flops of the decade, both of which are still considered today among the biggest disasters of the decade.
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Summer Movies of 1973Five of these films were remembered at Academy Awards time the following winter, two of them made the list of Best Picture nominees.
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Summer Movies of 1968You will note that there were 15 movies released that summer but only one that was specifically directed towards children, something unheard of now. One was a sequel but only because of its use of a popular character's name.
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The Second Annual Sci-Fi Spectacular in ChicagoSaturday, May 10th was the second annual Sci-Fi Movie Marathon at The Music Box Theater in Chicago. -
10 Political Movies to Watch to Escape the Politics of the PrimariesThe only way to escape it is to crawl in a hole and keep yourself there until you hear Christmas music in the air. Of course these days Christmas music begins in early November so you better wait until you hear champagne corks flying and the singing of Auld Lang Syne. -
Film Director William Girdler: A Short BiographyWilliam Girdler had no illusions as to the quality of his movies. He would start each movie one of two ways, with the barest thread of an idea stretched out or, if he had no ideas, would simply take a huge hit of the time and mold it into his own vision.
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2001: A Space Odyssey: The Movie that Changed Movies is 40 Years OldThe date was April 6, 1968. That was the day movies, particularly science fiction movies, changed forever. That was the day, 40 years ago, that Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey opened.
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What Happens when an Actor Dies While Shooting a MovieWith the tragic and sudden death of Heath Ledger now over a week old, the old show business adage, "The show must go on" leaps into the story.
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The 10 Best Films of 2007The 2007 movie year is complete and by all accounts it was a terrific year. In compiling my ten best list there were exactly 10 movies I found to be terrific while there were an additional 24 more that were well above average.
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The 10 Worst Films of 2007This list is meant to be a guide. Basically I am telling you not to waste your time with these movies. Don't see them at any cost. See anything else and it will likely be better.
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Sam Peckinpah - Hollywood's Last Rebel DirectorHe was a man's man. He lived life to the fullest. He freely admitted bedding many women during his marriages.
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Christmas Movies of 19821977 saw the release of 13 major movies for the Christmas season. Of the 13 only four would be recognized in some form by the Academy Awards though it should be noted that two of them would be nominated for Best Picture. -
Christmas Movies of 1977The season was not considered "high quality" by critics and awards committee's as only one of the films would rate a Best Picture nomination and only 3 others would receive nominations of any sort. -
Christmas Movies of 1972In 1972 suburban mall theaters were starting to pop up all over with two screens at many of these complexes. The movie palace was beginning its dying days but some managed to last a decade longer. -
Christmas Movies of 1967I thought I would take you back forty years ago to 1967. Back then suburban malls were beginning to pop up while big city movie palaces were still flourishing. -
Stanley Kubrick - A Look at the Films of a GeniusKubrick had a career that spanned 46 years in which only 13 films were made during that period. He was known for perfectionism to a degree of obsessive ness as he would take years to work on a single project. -
Director Paul Thomas Anderson - The Next Scorsese?In his first four films Anderson has twice been nominated for Best Screenplay Academy Awards, has won the Best Director at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and has directed his actors to three acting nominations.
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The Music Box Massacre Part 3 - Surviving 24 Hours of Horror FilmsThis year is year number three but only the second time we have attended the event. I can't speak for how year one went but this year was an improvement over last year's. -
10 More Unconventional Movies for This HalloweenI have picked films that are for adults and one that is for the whole family. The list is alphabetical and an appropriate age range for viewing is included at the end of each one.
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Movie Director Sidney Lumet - Poised to Make a Comeback at 82He is considered one of the best directors of the latter half of the 20th Century. His films reveal his finger on the pulse of police, political and social corruption in the Eastern United States. -
The Worst Performances Following an Academy Award WinWhy is it the after an actor wins an Academy Award they seemingly have a choice of any role they want and sometimes make the worst choice of their careers? Is it all about the money or the exposure to a wider audience?
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David Cronenberg: Veteran Director of Eastern Promises Finally Gets His DueA David Cronenberg film now promises more then hard core violence (though that remains), but an honest thought provoking look at everyday life and its oddities. -
Jodie Foster - From Becky Thatcher to Oscar Winner to Action StarIt's been nearly 40 years since Jodie Foster first graced television screens. Since that time she graduated to Disney films before taking on a seriously adult role when she was just 13. -
The Fates of the Hollywood Ten: Jailed and Blacklisted for Not Naming NamesThis is the story of the Hollywood Ten, as they would become known, and what happened to them because of the blacklist. These 10 men, writers and directors, were among the first to be called to testify. -
2007 Summer Movie RoundupThe sound you may be hearing is either that of cash registers opening and closing or the gleeful cheers of Hollywood executives who witnessed the most profitable summer in movie history.
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Jeff Bridges - My Favorite Actor Currently Working"I have played everything from psychopathic killers to romantic leading men, and in picking such diverse roles I have avoided typecasting."
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Emmy Award Predictions - Who Should Win and Who Will WinThe Emmy's usually offer a good surprise or two in an evening that makes the show more fun to watch. -
Early Review of 3:10 To Yuma: Weak Ending Prevents Film from Being Great3:10 To Yuma belongs on a short list of strong Westerns since 1980.
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The Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs: Entertaining and EducationalThe name of the show is Dirty Jobs and if you have never had a chance to see it I highly recommend it. You will be amazed at how addicting it can be. -
The Career of Walter Matthau - My Favorite ActorMatthau commanded the screen and is one of the few who were able to successfully play comedic roles as well as serious ones, sometimes even playing the villain. -
Why I Suspect Healthcare People Really Don't CareThis year I was introduced to the Healthcare system and I have been shocked by their treatment towards people who truly need their help.
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The Career Paths of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck After Good Will HuntingMatt Damon is currently starring in the #1 movie in America, "The Bourne Ultimatum." Ben Affleck hasn't starred in the #1 box office movie in over four years when "Daredevil" opened. -
10 Dubious Brushes of Baseball History Against the Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs. Lovable losers. The team that has gone almost a century without winning a World Series and sixty-two years without reaching the World Series.
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Neil Simon: As the Playwright & Screenwriter Turns 80, a Look Back at his Career"When it's 100 in New York, it is 72 in Los Angeles. When it's 20 in New York, it's 72 in Los Angeles. However, there are six million interesting people in New York - and 72 in Los Angeles." Neil Simon - On why he prefers New York over Los Angeles.
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Early Film Review: No Reservations is Simple, Straightforward and SweetCatherine Zeta-Jones' new romantic comedy that opens this Friday, July 27, is a minor accomplishment in a summer filled with many major disappointments. -
The 10 Best Baseball MoviesWith baseball season now at the halfway point there are some fans out there whose favorite team is already out of the pennant race and finishing the season .500 is their only goal or dream.
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The New Batman Film: An Onlooker's Account of the FilmingBeing a film buff and having about ten minutes to kill it didn't take more then a split second to turn off Randolph and head towards the barricade on the West side of State in front of the grand Chicago Theater. -
Top 10 Movies About or Set in the World of GamblingThe World Series of Poker is in full swing in Las Vegas as I write this and its popularity is rising with each passing year.
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The Curse of Mel BrooksWhen all is said and done these men will likely be best remembered for their work with Mel Brooks. Their collaborations with him were both a blessing and a curse. -
Animal House Trivia and a Look at the Careers of the Cast and CreatorsThis summer will mark 29 years since the release of the classic movie comedy "Animal House." -
The 10 Best Stephen King MoviesHorror fans have had a mixed blessing type of relationship with Stephen King. Several of his films have been well crafted chillers while others have been bottom of the barrel trash. -
The 10 Worst Stephen King FilmsSadly this list was all too easy to compile, as there are a number of terrible films based on King's work out there. -
Celebrating the 4th of July in Munster, IndianaThe town starts dressing for the occasion about a week before the 4th. American flags fly proudly from all businesses while are street lamps are wrapped in red, white and blue paper.
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James Bond, AKA Dr. Henry Jones Retires - A Look at the Career of Sean ConneryAmidst repeated inquiries regarding a possible role in the upcoming fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series, Sean Connery has come out and announced that he will not be appearing in the film and plans on staying fully retired. -
The 10 Worst Films of the 1990'sMajor duds provided by Kevin Costner, "Waterworld" and "The Postman" didn't make the list because the list below contains films that are far worse.
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The 10 Worst Films of the 1980'sI also didn't include famous duds such as "Heaven's Gate" and "Ishtar" because I simply don't believe them to be as bad as their reputations and not nearly as bad as those listed here.
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The 10 Worst Films of the 1970'sI did break my rule of not using sequels because there is one so mind numbingly awful that it behooved me to include it.
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The 10 Worst Films of the 2000'sI did break my own rules by including both a sequel and two remakes but there level of awfulness was too deep to ignore.
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The 10 Worst Films of the 1960'sAs usual I am not going for obvious choices like the slew of teenage beach movies or teen motorcycle films. I am also avoiding anything that has Roger Corman's name on it, especially those shot in 2 days or less.
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The 10 Worst Films of the 1950'sYou will not see such titles as "I Was A Teenage Frankenstein" or "Attack of the Crab Monsters" or "High School Confidential." The list includes major movies with top actors and directors.
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The 10 Worst Films of the 1940'sWhile I compile best lists hoping even just one reader will seek out one or more of the titles I have listed, this list is provided so you will avoid these films at all costs.
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The 10 Worst Films of the 1930'sIn compiling these lists I have purposely skipped over low budget films and, in all but one case, sequels that are much too easy to pick apart.
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A Decade by Decade Look at the Career of Paul Newman - Retiring at 82Paul Newman announced last week that, at the age of 82, he is retiring from film work after a career spanning over 50 years with 40+ films. -
The 10 Best Films of the 1990'sThe 90's were an exciting period as a group of exciting new filmmakers made their splash in Hollywood.
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The Top 10 Films of the 1980'sThe 1980's were an interesting decade to be part of. All eyes were on the great directors of the 70's to see if they would continue their genius or fall on hard times.
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The 10 Best Films of the 1960'sThe 1960's were an even bigger decade for teenagers then the 50's.
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The 10 Best Films of the 1970'sThe 1970's introduced the world to new, young and innovative filmmakers. These filmmakers dared to explore subjects previously taboo and often came away with masterpieces.
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The 10 Best Films of the 1950'sThe 1950's brought some hard ships to theater owners with television revolutionizing the country.
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The 10 Best Films of the 1940'sHere is a continuing look at my picks of the best films of the decade.
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The 10 Best Films of the 1930'sWhen one compiles a ten best list they must always be aware that the list is not the end all say all on the subject.
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Can M. Night Shyamalan Recover from his own Ego and a Box Office Disaster?Hollywood is keeping its selective and often disparaging eyes on writer/director M. Night Shyamalan (pronounced Shah-ma-lawn) as he prepares to start production later this summer on his next film, "The Happening." -
Triple Play - The Best and Worse Third in a Trilogy MoviesMost movie series end up stopping after the third film though sometimes a fourth film comes along despite the lackluster results on the screen from film three.
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The 17 Hour Sci-Fi Spectacular at Chicago's Music BoxThe 17 hour Sci-Fi Spectacular, at Chicago's Music Box Theater, followed the hugely successful 24 hour Music Box Massacre - 24 hours of horror films - last October. -
5 Great Character Actors You Should Know by NameHave you ever found yourself watching television or sitting in a movie when you suddenly recognize an actor on screen and realize you've seen him/her many times before but you just can't remember his name? -
Terrence Malick - The Howard Hughes of HollywoodTerrence Malick was an acclaimed director in the 1970's who, after two movies, disappeared from the movie world for twenty years without a word of explanation. -
John Hughes - a Teenager's Favorite Film DirectorIf you are over the age of 30 and are ever asked to name a few of your favorite "teen" movies, you are likely to mention such films as "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club," and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." -
Retro Look - Summer Movies 1982That summer provided moviegoers with 27 total movies, 5 sequels, 1 remake and 3 films geared specifically towards children.
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Retro Look - Summer Movies of 1977If you were old enough to attend movies back in 1977 this might bring back some nostalgic memories of a time that really doesn't seem all that long ago.
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Remembering Director Bob Clark, 67, Who Made the Classic A Christmas StoryFilm director Bob Clark, 67, and his 22 year old son Ariel were tragically killed when a drunk driver crashed into their car head on in the early morning hours of April 4th in Pacific Palisades, California.
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The 10 Best Films of 20062006 was a very good year for movies. As I looked over the list of movies I saw this year I was struck by how many of them (22) I considered well above average.
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"The Black Stallion" - a Forgotten Classic Children's FilmWhen people are asked to name their all-time favorite children's movies, "The Wizard Of Oz" is almost inevitably the movie first named. -
Review: "The Hitcher" - Pass on This RideAs one who has never been a big fan of movie remakes, I have always been supportive of the idea of remaking a bad movie to make it better.
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Review: Smokin Aces a Nice Homage to TarantinoIf you don't know ahead of time it may come as a surprise to you that Quentin Tarantino does not direct the new action film "Smokin Aces".
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Academy Award PredictionsThe Academy Awards are just around the corner on February 24th. For the first time in many years it appears that the acting categories may be easy to predict but there is no clear-cut front-runner to win Best Picture. -
Review: "Blood and Chocolate" Leaves a Bad TasteA rule of thumb in the movie going world is to beware of any horror movie that isn't released anywhere from late September right up to Halloween.
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Review: "Epic Movie" is Epically BadYou know almost right away how bad "Epic Movie" is going to be. If you've seen the previews (if you haven't you either don't own a television or are unconscious) you know that the film parodies literally a dozen movies from the last year or so.
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The 10 Worst Films of 2006This is a list of the 10 worst films of 2006. These are films that should be avoided at all costs.
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Sensurround - 70s Movie GimmickSensurround was basically large speakers that, at various points in the movie, would emit rumbling sounds to emulate whatever action was on the screen.
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Fatty Arbuckle - Hollywood's First ScandalThe first such scandal to rock Hollywood, and one of the most damaging, involved a popular comic named Roscoe Arbuckle, nicknamed "Fatty." -
From "Airport" to "Airplane" - the Heyday of Disaster MoviesIt all started in March of 1970 when the most influential movie of the entire decade opened. -
"Little Children" - Another Powerful Adult Drama"Little Children," a powerful drama, has been quietly playing in a select amount of theaters since mid-October.
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RFK - was His Assassination Part of a Conspiracy?With the current release of Emilio Estevez' ensemble drama "Bobby," about the lives of several people all staying at the Ambassador Hotel on the day of the assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy, the subject of his death has been brought to light once again.
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Notes on a Scandal - Gripping Adult Drama"Notes on a Scandal" is a rarity for today's moviegoers - It is an intelligent drama for adults. There are no car chases or explosions within a mile of this movie and that's a refreshing change.
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Jackie Earle Haley - Hollywood's Comeback KidThe name probably doesn't ring a bell. The face might look a tad familiar. If you don't know him yet you will remember him. -
"Dreamgirls" - the Hollywood Musical is Reborn (Again)"Dreamgirls," based on the hit Broadway play from the 1980's, has finally made it to the big screen thanks to Bill Condon, who wrote "Chicago" and is the writer/director of "Gods and Monsters" and "Kinsey."
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Academy Award Facts and TriviaAcademy Award season is upon us now. Nominations for the 2006 awards will be announced later this month with the ceremony taking place late next month.
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Review: "Black Christmas" - Ho! Ho! Ho-rribleIn 1974 a horror movie named "Black Christmas" was released from director Bob Clark, who would gain his greatest fame directing "A Christmas Story."
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"We Are Marshall" - Inspiring and Uplifting Despite the TragedyOn November 14, 1970 a chartered plane carrying 75 people including most of the Marshall football team along with coaches, alumni and boosters, crashed less then two miles from the airport killing everyone aboard.
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"Rocky Balboa" - Winner but No KnockoutThe good news is Rocky Balboa is a very enjoyable film. It's not in the same league as neither the great original film nor its first follow up in 1979 but it is miles ahead of parts 3, 4, and 5.
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The Golden Globe Awards - the 1990'sContinuing a look at my three part series on the Golden Globe Awards, here is a look at the awards in the 1990's.
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The Golden Globe Awards - the 1980'sHere is a continuing look at the Golden Globe Awards, this time looking at the decade of the 1980's.
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"It's a Wonderful Life" - 20 Fun Facts You May Not KnowDirected in sentimental fashion by veteran Frank Capra, "It's A Wonderful Life" is one of the few films that seem to improve with age. -
Remembering Peter BoyleCharacter actor Peter Boyle died Tuesday, December 12th, from heart disease at the age of 71. -
History of the Golden Globe Awards: the 1970'sThe Globes are thought to be the precursor to the Academy Awards but that is sometimes not the case. Last year, for instance, Academy Award winning Best Picture "Crash" was not even nominated for the Globe in the same category.
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The Strange Odyssey of Flight 19On December 5th, 1945, five TBM Avenger planes, known as Flight 19, took off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 2:10 p.m. with 14 crewmen and flew into history.
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John Sayles - America's Best Unknown Film DirectorWriter/director John Sayles is not a household name. Even many movie fans know little of Sayles' work due to most of his films being independent and not receiving wide release. -
The Top 10 Comedy Films of the 1980'sThe 1980’s was another banner decade for film comedy.
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The 10 Best Comedy Films of the 1960'sDying is easy. Comedy is hard. Oscar Wilde
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The Top 10 Comedy Films of the 1970'sWith the 1970’s came change in film comedies. The popularity of such shows as Saturday Night Live and Second City Television led to films that were more manic and crazy.
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Who Is Alan Smithee and Why Does He Make Such Lousy Movies?Alan Smithee has had a nearly forty yearlong career directing everything from B-movies to sequels to made for television movies and even the occasional music video. Most of these endeavors have been bad to put it nicely.
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A Fun Look Back - 1976 Christmas Movie ReleasesEach Christmas movie studios release what is, in theory, supposed to represent the best that each studio has to offer.
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John Cappelletti's Special Gift to His Dying BrotherJohn Cappelletti is a name not well known outside the world of hardcore football fans. He was a star tailback at Penn State University and winner of the 1973 Heisman Trophy, for outstanding college football player of the year. -
Brian Piccolo - Always an Underdog and Always a Fighter"I love Brian Piccolo, and I'd like all of you to love him, too. Tonight, when you hit your knees to pray, please ask God to love him, too." -
The Phantom Killer - Four Months of Terror in TexarkanaSixty years ago in Texarkana, the Phantom terrorized the citizens for four months. Just as quickly as he began, his crime spree he stopped. -
10 Hit Television Shows that "Jumped the Shark"In the television industry, the term "jump the shark" was conceived in the late 1970's. It is defined as the moment when a hit television series takes that almost inevitable turn from greatness to mediocrity or worse.
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"Rocky Balboa" - Stallone Needs a Winner but Will it Get Knocked Out?On December 22nd, the sixth installment of the "Rocky" series, "Rocky Balboa," will be hitting theaters some thirty years, almost to the day, after the premiere of the Academy Award winning original. -
The Onion Field MurderIt was a simple traffic stop, or so thought Bakersfield, California police officers Ian Campbell and Karl Hettinger. When the events of that traffic stop had completely unfolded one of them was dead, the other disgraced.
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Director Robert Altman Dies at 81Robert Altman, one of Hollywood's best and most prolific, original directors, died on Monday, November 20th at the age of 81. The cause of death has not been revealed. -
A Good Year: Not All that GreatA Good Year is not a terrible movie. I suppose you could start smiling from the first scene and never stop.
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The Queen is One of the Best Films of 2006It's a well-written piece with some of the best acting of the year and happens to be one of the best films of 2006.
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They've Never Won an Academy AwardIn just a few months the nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced. As is the case every year there will no doubt be a few shocks as to who was included and who was excluded from the list.
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Resurrection Mary - is She Fact, Urban Legend or Part of an Active Imagination?Every city and every town has its share of ghost stories. Who among us hasn't heard about a ghost that is seen walking the streets searching for a way home from a tragedy from which they never returned in life?
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The Wreck of the Edmund FitzgeraldOn November 9th, 1975, unbeknownst to the captain and crew, the Edmund Fitzgerald set sail one last time for a trip with infamy becoming the most famous shipwreck tragedy on the great lakes.Also published on: -
How Film Directors Bogdanovich, Coppola & Friedkin Fell from GreatnessThese three men would all have amazingly successful beginnings to their careers but would suddenly stumble, seemingly unable to recover as of today.
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Tim Allen in Santa Clause 3: The Escaue Clause: Entertainment for Kids and Grown Up KidsThe third film continues the series infusing enough laughs and charm for kids of all ages while adults can enjoy the film and not feel slighted.
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Running with Scissors: a Dreary, Depressing Filmgoing ExperienceRunning With Scissors is slowly opening around the country in preparation for Academy Award consideration.