Tag Archives: 1980s

1996 Was the Year the Macho ’80s Action Hero Died

If you wanted to pinpoint the exact moment that the ‘80s action hero died, this is it! Continue reading

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Most Comedic Actors Have a 10-Year Window of Greatness

Nothing lasts forever. Case in point, comedic actors. Even the ones who reach superstar status and enjoy years of success eventually slip into mediocrity. The interesting thing is the pattern they follow. I’ve noticed that usually these kinds of actors … Continue reading

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Is Superman II as Good as It Gets for Superman Films?

I saw the trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice this weekend, and I couldn’t help asking: Is this what they think we want in a Superman film? It looks dark, depressing, and charmless – the exact opposite of … Continue reading

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5 Reasons Why Star Trek V Needed to Exist

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is generally considered one of the worst Star Trek films, if not the worst. It certainly has ambitious ideas, but the perfect storm of a writers’ strike, an overburdened Industrial Light & Magic, and a … Continue reading

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10 Clever Uses of Old Pop Songs in Modern Movies

I love good music. And while I appreciate how some films (for example, Star Wars) manage to create a completely original orchestral accompaniment that complements the action, sometimes I like to relax in familiar territory with some good old pop … Continue reading

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Something New to Admire About The Last Starfighter Besides Its Special Effects

I have to admit I was wrong about The Last Starfighter. In one of my first articles on this website, I mocked that film and said that it was a bad movie with good music. A few years later, I … Continue reading

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Forgotten Film Gems: Always

Always is the one Steven Spielberg film that no one ever talks about. People like to rag on 1941 as Spielberg’s one true bomb or discuss Hook’s shortcomings or Empire of the Sun’s good qualities. But no one seems to care … Continue reading

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Another Reason to Love Aliens – It’s a Symmetrical Film

I’ve heard Aliens described as a “rollercoaster” because it’s such a thrilling ride. It turns out that that metaphor is true on an entirely new level. The first and second halves of that movie closely mirror each other, creating another … Continue reading

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Bill and Ted’s Symmetrical Adventure

In my last Cinematic Chiasmus, I demonstrated how the entire Back to the Future Trilogy follows the same pattern backwards and forwards. This time I’ll delve into another classic ‘80s time-travel movie: Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Wait. A seemingly … Continue reading

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Great Scott! The Entire Back to the Future Trilogy Is One Big Chiasmus

I’ve discovered that some films follow a chiasmus formula in the way their stories are set up. What is a chiasmus? It’s an ancient writing structure in which ideas are listed in one order and then repeated in the opposite … Continue reading

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