Tag Archives: movies based on books

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Uplifting Films | Tagged ben-hur, classic films, drama, forgiveness, history, jesus christ, movie review, movies, movies based on books, relationships, revenge movie, roman empire | Leave a comment

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.

Posted in Movie Matchups | Tagged academy awards, action movies, drama, forrest gump, james bond, james cameron, leonardo dicaprio, movie review, movies, movies based on books, oscars, relationships, robert zemeckis, titanic, tom hanks, tomorrow never dies, true lies | Leave a comment

The Secret Secret Garden Film Adaptation

Posted on February 17, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I have a copy of The Secret Garden novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett that I didn’t realize contained a secret hiding in plain sight. The pictures on it are from a film adaptation I didn’t know existed. You see, I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Forgotten Film Gems | Tagged 1980s, childhood, children films, colin firth, drama, family, films, movie review, movies, movies based on books, the secret garden | Leave a comment

How to Train Your Dragon and the Job Hunt

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I think we all feel like Hiccup sometimes. When it comes to finding a job, at least, I have a lot in common with him.

Posted in Random Stuff | Tagged animated films, dreamworks, films, getting a job, how to train your dragon, job, movie review, movies, movies based on books, personal, work | 2 Comments

Why Isn’t This Amazing Piece of Music on the How to Train Your Dragon Soundtrack?

Posted on January 13, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I’ve listened to and thoroughly enjoyed the How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack for many years, and something dawned on me just recently. It’s missing a really amazing piece of music from the film! Have a listen to this.

Posted in Random Stuff, Videos | Tagged animated films, dreamworks, films, how to train your dragon, movie review, movies, movies based on books, music, soundtrack, videos | 2 Comments

The Natural and the Epidemic of Sports Betting

Posted on January 6, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

The Natural is a special kind of movie that gets better every time I watch it. I was recently pondering on the dangers of sports betting, and this movie came to mind.

Posted in Movies That Improve | Tagged baseball, classic films, drama, films, gambling, major league baseball, money, movie review, movies, movies based on books, robert redford, the natural | 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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Significant Scenes | Tagged 1980s, action movies, avengers, comic books, films, fugitive, independence day, james bond, licence to kill, lord of the rings, movie review, movies, movies based on books, return of the jedi, science fiction, sequels, spiderman, superman, terminator, the dark knight, the matrix, the sixth sense, tron, who framed roger rabbit | 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. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinematic Chiasmus | Tagged action movies, animated films, chiasmus, classic films, comic books, films, movie review, movies, movies based on books, science fiction, sequels | 3 Comments

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.

Posted in Movie Matchups | Tagged across the spider verse, action movies, animated films, back to the future, comedy, comic books, films, movie review, movies, movies based on books, relationships, science fiction, sequels, spiderman | 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. … Continue reading →

Posted in Significant Scenes | Tagged action movies, edge of tomorrow, films, movie review, movies, movies based on books, relationships, science fiction, tom cruise | Leave a comment