My Kinship with Daniel Jackson in Stargate

Posted on May 26, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Stargate is a really good movie. It takes a compelling concept and turns it into a fun adventure that spans the known universe. But that’s not what I’m here to talk about today. What I actually want to focus on is the main character: Daniel Jackson.

He’s a wonderfully imperfect man who sees the world in a different way than anyone else. He’s not prideful or conceited, even though he makes bold claims in a very childlike way. In fact, he’s always the least-intimidating member of any group he’s in. Continue reading →

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I Love the Relationship Between Judah Ben-Hur and His Adoptive Father

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I recently talked about one aspect of Ben-Hur (1959), but there’s so much more to say about this masterpiece of a film. One thing that has always stood out to me is the loving father-son relationship that develops between Roman Consul Quintus Arrius and Judah Ben-Hur. Continue reading →

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The Lockard Theory Strikes Again

Posted on May 12, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Ten years ago, Netflix dedicated a video to my Back to the Future Trilogy chiasmus. That was extraordinary. What a compliment to have my insights into one of the best film trilogies of all time branded as “The Lockard Theory” after my last name.

It appears that that name still stands because I recently found a video by movies explained discussing a whole bunch of Back to the Future theories put forth by fans. And mine appears prominently in it. If you click the video below, it will begin playing right at the part where “The Lockard Theory” begins. Continue reading →

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Everything Changed with James Bond After The World Is Not Enough

Posted on May 5, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

An actor’s third outing of James Bond is often remembered as his greatest performance and the best film of his tenure. Sean Connery’s Goldfinger built upon the first two films to perfect the template that future films would follow. Roger Moore’s The Spy Who Loved Me revitalized the formula and was that actor’s favorite film to make. Daniel Craig’s Skyfall added new depth to the character that had been missing before that.

What about Pierce Brosnan’s The World Is Not Enough? That’s remembered for being the last film of Q actor Desmond Llewelyn’s long tenure (stretching from 1963’s From Russia with Love) and the great Bond line, “I never miss.” But I would argue that Brosnan’s third turn as James Bond was more significant than his two previous films for one simple reason.

It hurt 007. Continue reading →

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Thunk from The Croods: You Have Issues

Posted on April 28, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Time for some fun. I had a silly thought about Thunk in The Croods, which I then put together into this little graphic. Enjoy! Continue reading →

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Ben-Hur (1959) and the Emptiness of Seeking Revenge

Posted on April 21, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

My wife and I recently rewatched Ben-Hur (1959), that classic film that won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and I discovered something amazing about it. This may not come across as groundbreaking, but I realized that the film paints itself as a revenge story for most of its runtime, but it’s actually a story of how empty it is to spend one’s life chasing revenge on those who wrong us. Continue reading →

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James Cameron’s Amazing Flip from 1994 to 1997

Posted on April 14, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

The years 1994 and 1997 were significant for James Cameron. He had two big films that came out those years that went head-to-head with other big blockbusters. And the results are telling because they flipped spectacularly in Cameron’s favor. Continue reading →

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A Piece of Music That Gets Me Revved Up for a Big Challenge

Posted on April 7, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Do you ever listen to music when you’re about to attempt something difficult? Something that gets your heart pumping. Some people like “Eye of the Tiger” from Rocky III or “Barbarian Horde” from Gladiator.

Those are both solid pieces of music. But for me, there’s nothing quite like “Good luck, Starfighter” from The Last Starfighter. Continue reading →

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11 Things I Learned from 8 Months of Unemployment

Posted on March 31, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I lost my job of 15 years on May 22, 2025 and started a new job on February 2, 2026. So I was out of work for a little over eight months. That wasn’t how I planned to spend last year, but I’m grateful for the experience it gave me. I needed to go through that get to where I am today. And now I’d like to share 11 things I learned to help you if you’re unemployed or otherwise looking for a job. Continue reading →

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Each Story Beat in Fiddler on the Roof Has a Perfect Match

Posted on March 24, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Jo’s matchmaking skills are even better than those of Yente the matchmaker! She already helped me discover the chiasmus in How to Train Your Dragon 2, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, The Lion King, The Hunt for Red October, and Tron: Legacy. And now she’s here again to reveal the symmetry in Fiddler on the Roof, one of my favorite films.

She sent me a huge chiasmus and asked me to fiddle around with it and tighten it up. This is what I pared it down to. Continue reading →

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