Short Stories That Grew Into Big Films

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Films can come from anywhere. They can be original ideas or adaptations of stories from other media. When they’re based on literature, they usually have a lot of source material to draw from. But what happens when they’re based on short stories? Then it’s usually up to the filmmakers to fill in the gaps and craft something interesting, using the short story as a springboard for their creativity.

With this in mind, I’d like to share 10 short stories that served as little kernels that germinated into big films. Some films are good, some are bad. But they all show something about how the filmmakers chose to put their distinct mark on the material they were given. Continue reading →

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Mary Poppins, The Twilight Zone, and the Epidemic of Male Suicide

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

What drives a man to take his own life? Not my usual topic, I know, but I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the epidemic of male suicide in the United States in my own peculiar way by seeing what films and TV shows have to say about it.

Let’s go back 50 years to a couple of pieces of popular entertainment that approach the problem of male suicide from two very different angles: Mary Poppins and the classic Twilight Zone episode “A Stop at Willoughby.”

Mary Poppins is about two children who desperately wish to spend more time with their middle-aged father. “A Stop at Willoughby” is about a middle-aged man who desperately wants to get away from his miserable life. What on earth could these two seemingly disparate things have in common with each other? Read on and it will become quite apparent. Continue reading →

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The Art of Stuttering in Film

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I have a stutter. I’ve stuttered since I was a kid. Over the years I’ve managed to gain more control over it, but at times when I’m overly eager to say something or I’m nervous, my speech impediment has a tendency to rear its ugly head.

Stuttering isn’t something that’s usually explored in films – probably because it’s not conducive to storytelling when you have a character who’s hard to understand. But a few brave films have broached the topic, and I’m going to talk about a few interesting ways stuttering has been used to inform characters. And as a stutterer, I will also share my own insights into these films’ instances of stammering. Continue reading →

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Why It’s a Wonderful Life Succeeds and Click Fails at Telling the Same Story

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

It’s a Wonderful Life quietly debuted in 1946 and went on to become one of the most beloved Christmas classics of all time. Sixty years later, Click showed up as yet another example of Adam Sandler’s slowly declining career after the apex of The Wedding Singer.

One tells a charming tale of a man learning that his life means more than he ever thought possible to many people while the other tells the story of a man learning that everyone in his life would be better off without him. But oddly enough, they’re both telling the same story. It’s a Wonderful Life simply succeeds while Click utterly fails.

With Christmas right around the corner, let’s compare these two films and find out why one is a delight to watch again and again while the other is painful to sit through even once. Continue reading →

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Why Uncle Buck Is an Almost Impossible Film to Categorize

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Uncle Buck is so many things that they all seem to cancel each other out, making it extremely difficult to fit the film into a single category or genre. I’ve always liked it, but I’ve never been able to put my finger on exactly what it is. It has a lot of elements of a comedy, but it has an equal number of elements of a drama and even kids movie. It doesn’t seem to fit any mold I can think of.

There are at least five categories contained in this one film:

  • A screwball comedy
  • A teen movie
  • A drama about a man struggling to overcome his vices
  • A romantic comedy
  • An irreverent kids movie

So, is Uncle Buck a comedy with dramatic elements or a drama with comedic elements? Let’s find out by exploring the five categories it might fit into and seeing how they interact and finally come together in the end. Continue reading →

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What Star Trek: Nemesis Did Right

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Star Trek: Nemesis has aged surprisingly well. I’m not saying it’s a flawless film or a misunderstood masterpiece. It deserves pretty much all of the criticism it has received. I’m simply saying it has quite a few positive qualities I hadn’t noticed buried beneath the badness.

It had been more than 10 years since I last saw this movie when I finally gave it another shot last week. I was surprised to find myself enjoying it much more this time around. I’d like to share what Star Trek: Nemesis did right to find the good in this maligned movie. Continue reading →

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James Bond’s Awkward Yet Awesome John Glen Years

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

The end of the Cold War, the escalation of the War on Drugs, the end of two James Bond actors’ careers, and the beginning of the modern Hollywood blockbuster are just a few world-changing events that took place under director John Glen’s watch over the Bond franchise from 1981-1989.

Terence Young and Guy Hamilton are frequently mentioned among the greatest directors of James Bond films. They helped to set the tone for the series in its formative years in the 1960s. Other directors came and went in the 1970s, but then something unprecedented occurred. For an entire decade and five straight films, one man was in charge of it all: John Glen. He is responsible for more Bond films than any other director. In fact, Sam Mendes is the first one since him to direct two in a row.

I’d like to talk about the many beginnings and endings that occurred during John Glen’s tenure and how he managed to keep the series going through so many changes. Continue reading →

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Thank You to My Wonderful Readers

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

My biggest priority in creating and maintaining this website is to have fun sharing new ways of looking at movies. And I’m so pleased that I’m reaching an ever-growing audience of people who are as eager to explore films as I am.

I don’t have anything super clever to say this week. All I want to say is thank you. Thank you for being a part of this website, for liking what I share week after week and just being a part of the Deja Reviewer experience.

I’d like to say thank you to individuals who have made a real impact on me through their kindness throughout this past year. So it’s my turn to shine the spotlight on all of you. Let the gratitude begin. Continue reading →

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Modern Hollywood Trends the Salkinds Were Doing Decades Ago

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Ilya and Alexander Salkind may not be household names, but that’s certainly not for lack of trying. The father-son producer team were influential and ambitious all the way from 1973-1992. In fact, right up to the bitter end, they were innovating in ways that Hollywood didn’t truly appreciate until recently.

They are most famous for buying the rights to, and producing, the first three Superman films. But they did much more than that. They started trends that are now being used all over Hollywood without getting any credit. So I’d like to give credit where credit is due and talk about four modern Hollywood trends the Salkinds were doing decades ago. Continue reading →

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The Best Time-Travel Movie You’ve Never Heard of: Timescape

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Timescape (also titled Grand Tour: Disaster in Time) is the best time-travel movie you’ve never heard of. It’s a quiet little movie filled with interesting ideas. The filmmakers did a lot with a limited budget, mostly by hinting at bigger things and relying on good old suspense, mystery, and likable characters to carry us through the film.

I highly recommend you go check out this movie. It feels like something out of a Ray Bradbury novel. Anyway, let’s take the grand tour and discover what makes Timescape a forgotten film gem. Continue reading →

Posted in Forgotten Film Gems | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments