Tag Archives: relationships

Forgotten Film Gems: Guarding Tess

Guarding Tess is a combination of Driving Miss Daisy and In the Line of Fire. In fact, it came out right in the middle of a slew of films focused on the president and/or the Secret Service: 1993’s Dave and … Continue reading

Posted in Forgotten Film Gems | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in Cinematic Chiasmus | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Forgotten Film Gems: Exodus (1960)

They don’t make ‘em like they used to. Old epics are usually better than new ones. Seriously, I’d rate Spartacus (1960) higher than Gladiator (2000), Tora! Tora! Tora! higher than Pearl Harbor, and The Ten Commandments (1956) higher than this … Continue reading

Posted in Forgotten Film Gems | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Movie Matchups: Atlantis: The Lost Empire vs. Stargate

Stargate debuted in theaters exactly 20 years ago today. It was so good that they released it again seven years later, except that time it was called Atlantis: The Lost Empire. These movies are so closely related that it’s crazy that Roland … Continue reading

Posted in Movie Matchups | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

‘I’ll Be Back’ Takes on New Meaning: Terminator 2: Judgment Day’s First Half Mirrors Its Second Half

October 26, 2014 marks the 30th anniversary of the theatrical release of The Terminator. That was James Cameron’s first real directing job, and he followed it up with the even better Aliens and The Abyss. In 1991, he returned to … Continue reading

Posted in Cinematic Chiasmus | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

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

Posted in Cinematic Chiasmus | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 46 Comments

Movie Matchups: Who Framed Roger Rabbit vs. Chinatown

Some people have speculated that Who Framed Roger Rabbit is some sort of sequel, remake, or homage to Chinatown. But it’s none of those things. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is actually a perfect parody of that classic murder mystery. I … Continue reading

Posted in Movie Matchups | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

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

Posted in Cinematic Chiasmus | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 86 Comments

Pleasant Surprises: High School Musical 2

I’m fascinated by High School Musical 2, not because it’s a particularly deep movie but because I absolutely love it. By all rights, I should hate it. It’s a TV movie that bridges the gap between two utterly forgettable (if … Continue reading

Posted in Pleasant Surprises | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

‘Lego’ – A Parody of ‘Let It Go’ from Frozen

I wrote a funny version of “Let It Go,” from the wonderful Disney movie Frozen, and I’d like to share it with you, my kind readers. My sister and her children turned my words into a pretty cool music video. Sit … Continue reading

Posted in Random Stuff, Videos | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments