Tag Archives: action movies

My Favorite 20 Seconds of the Independence Day Soundtrack

Independence Day is a bombastic movie with an equally bombastic soundtrack. I love it for its simplicity. The villains have scary music, and the heroes have heroic music. Not much ambiguity there. But there are about 20 seconds tucked away … Continue reading

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Like RoboCop, Starship Troopers Is as Symmetrical as It Is Satirical

My Cinematic Chiasmus series began 12 years ago with 1987’s RoboCop, a film directed by Paul Verhoeven, produced by Jon Davison, and co-written by Ed Neumeier. I had noticed that the film seemed to repeat itself quite a bit, and … Continue reading

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My Kinship with Daniel Jackson in Stargate

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 … Continue reading

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Everything Changed with James Bond After The World Is Not Enough

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 … Continue reading

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James Cameron’s Amazing Flip from 1994 to 1997

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.

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

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 … Continue reading

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I’m Trying

“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 … Continue reading

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

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 … Continue reading

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60 Examples of Cinematic Chiasmus

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. … Continue reading

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

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 … Continue reading

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