I’m Trying

Posted on December 16, 2025 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

“I’m trying” is a deceptively simple statement because, in spite of its brevity, it can have two meanings. The most obvious one is that I’m attempting to do something difficult. The other one is that I’m taxing someone’s patience.

In The Empire Strikes Back, the wise Yoda’s patience was certainly tested when his student Luke Skywalker unenthusiastically said “I’ll try” about using the Force to lift his X-wing out of a swamp. Yoda responded, “No! Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” Luke proceeded to fail in his attempt and then learn a valuable lesson about the power of belief. He tells Yoda, “I don’t believe it.” And Yoda sadly explains, “That is why you fail.” Continue reading →

Posted in Random Stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Groundhog Day and the Importance of Doing Things in the Right Order

Posted on December 9, 2025 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Have you ever noticed something interesting about the way Phil Connors ends his two “perfect” days with Rita Hanson? He says nearly the same things, but he gets completely opposite results.

The first time Phil gets Rita to care about him, he does it by pure manipulation. He figures out all of her likes and dislikes, and then he acts like he has all the same ones. In the end, his selfishness drives her away. The last time Phil gets Rita to care about him, he does it by pure happenstance. He serves the needs of everyone in town, and then he acts surprised when they thank him in front of Rita. In the end, his selflessness wins her over. Continue reading →

Posted in Significant Scenes | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When Was the Last Time You Said, ‘That’s the Coolest Thing I’ve Ever Seen’?

Posted on December 2, 2025 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I love movies. There’s a power in being shown something I’ve never seen before. In my life, I’ve had many times when I’ve been able to say, “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” However, I worry that that’s becoming an extremely rare thing to say.

When was the last time you said that? I remember exactly when I did. Before I reveal my most-recent occurrence, I’d like to share some of the previous times I’ve had the chance to say those words. I’ll present them in the order in which I saw them, rather than the films’ chronological order.

These are movie scenes that left me so stunned, there were no other words except, “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!” Continue reading →

Posted in Significant Scenes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I’m a Square One Back at Square One in My Job Search

Posted on November 25, 2025 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

This message is aimed squarely at anyone who’s going through a hard time right now. Normally for my Thanksgiving article, I like to talk about what I’m thankful for. This time is a little different. Continue reading →

Posted in Random Stuff | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

60 Examples of Cinematic Chiasmus

Posted on November 18, 2025 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Since 2014, I have written a lot of Cinematic Chiasmus articles. These explore the symmetry of individual films, trilogies, and even TV miniseries. I would like to present about 60 films (give or take) that mirror themselves in remarkable ways.

I know that all of these are already on my main Cinematic Chiasmus page, but they are not listed in a way that makes them super-easy to find on there. They are simply listed in the order they were published. I want to make it easier for you to find specific films, so I’ve put them in alphabetical order below. Continue reading →

Posted in Cinematic Chiasmus | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

This Scene from Witness Shows What Happens When People Don’t Act Christian Anymore

Posted on November 11, 2025 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

It’s not normal to return good for evil or to love one’s enemies. For most of world history, we have accounts of people seeking revenge for wrongs committed against them, hating their enemies, and allowing anger to supersede patience and mercy.

Despite this, it’s easy to think that turning the other cheek and abiding by the Golden Rule are normal behaviors and attitudes. That’s because we have been surrounded by so many good people who are followers of Jesus Christ. It requires constant effort to maintain this fragile balance of love for everyone against our baser instincts. And we could be witnessing the end of an era if Christianity becomes less dominant in the world. Continue reading →

Posted in Significant Scenes, Videos | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Movie Matchups: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse vs. Back to the Future Part II

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is similar in many ways to Back to the Future Part II. I’m too excited to say much more than that in this introduction, so let’s just fly through their connections and see what sticks. Continue reading →

Posted in Movie Matchups | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When Bill Murray Turned a Baby Ruth Into a Tootsie Roll

Posted on October 28, 2025 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

All right, I’m in the mood for something fun. And since it’s nearly Halloween, I want to relate it to candy. Continue reading →

Posted in Random Stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Edge of Tomorrow’s Most Impressive Parlor Trick

Posted on October 21, 2025 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

In Edge of Tomorrow, Major William Cage experiences a time loop every time he is killed in battle fighting a horde of aliens called mimics. He also falls in love with a fellow soldier named Rita Vrataski along the way. Even though this might sound familiar, Edge of Tomorrow is more than a Groundhog Day meets Aliens movie mashup. It’s a magic trick. I’d like to explain what I mean by exploring my favorite sequence in the film. Continue reading →

Posted in Significant Scenes | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Idiocracy Speaks to Me on a Personal Level

Posted on October 14, 2025 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

When people watch Idiocracy, I imagine most of them are focused on the world it creates, not the main character Joe Bauers. He’s just supposed to be a vessel for reacting to all the craziness around him. But when I watch that film, I’m entirely focused on Joe and how he changes over the course of the story. It’s a perfect setup to force him to grow. Continue reading →

Posted in Pleasant Surprises | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment