Why Modern Films Stink… Especially the Disney Ones
The other day I found myself stuck in a waiting room and one of the Marvel Disney movies was playing on the wall TV. I…
Tag: The Empire Strikes Back
John Carpenter’s Relationship With the Moviegoing Public
John Carpenter has a special place in the hearts of many, many film fans. His output from 1978 to 1988 is the sort of…
Hollywood Already Made a “#Woke Avatar”… and It Sucked
I see that the Hollywood recycling plant is adding another shift, this time a yet another attempt to squeeze more money out of Avatar:…
The Age of Creative Desolation and the Perils of Prequels
We live in an age of creative desolation. The big players aren’t interested in art, only wringing money out of sure bets. Some might say…
Superhero Movies & the Strange Death of Character Development
We are constantly told that one of the reasons for the proliferation of superhero movies is Hollywood’s thirst for foreign (particularly Chinese Communist) money. …
Hollywood’s Problem is That It Has Lost Its Sense of Fear
Some years ago, I met a man whose leg had been horribly wounded while he was serving in Afghanistan. He was part of an advanced…
Pacing Lessons from George Miller’s ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’
Many writers labor under a common misconception about what makes a book feel fast-paced. Slamming chapters together with no space in-between doesn’t necessarily give readers…
How Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Connects to Doctor Who
One of the unique things about Star Wars compared to other science fiction franchises has to do with George Lucas’ decision to make everything…
Like 007, Star Wars Has Officially Entered the ‘Genre Movie’ Ghetto
The other night I watched You Only Live Twice and followed it with For Your Eyes Only – sort of an oddball Bond mini-filmfest.…
Disturbance in the Force: How the ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’ Came to Be
The Star Wars Holiday Special is one of the most mysterious and intriguing pieces in all of Star Wars history. Released after A New Hope, but before The Empire Strikes Back,…