No disturbance in the Force here: on the cusp of The Force Awakens becoming The Biggest Movie Ever, the upcoming first-ever Star Wars Anthology film is now the most anticipated movie of 2016. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - which opens nationwide on Friday, December 16th, 2016 - will be the first non-episode "stand alone" live action feature in the franchise's history. Set [...]
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle – *my crew* – Names SPOTLIGHT Best Film of 2015
The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC), of which I'm a member, opened the new year as they traditionally do - on the first Monday - by announcing their choices for the best in film from the previous year. They joined a growing chorus of other critics groups in naming Spotlight as the Best Picture of 2015. The thoughtful, [...]
Nat’l Society Of Film Critics Name SPOTLIGHT Best Pic; CREED’s Michael B. Jordan Best Actor
After two weeks of Star Wars: The Force Awakens dominating the cinema world - and a pause in the year-end critics group awards during that same time - The National Society of Film Critics have resumed the Oscar race on January 3rd by naming Spotlight the Best Film of 2015. While no film has swept the various Oscar harbingers, [...]
FORCE AWAKENS Takes Down One AVATAR Record; Closes In On Its Biggest
(UPDATED with final - and increased - figures) Like a Starkiller, Star Wars: The Force Awakens once again obliterated its box office competition into complete nothingness with an $90.2 million single New Year's Weekend shot. That sets a new standard for third weekend grosses, passing Avatar's previous take of $68.5 million. That now brings Episode VII's domestic haul to $742.2 million, [...]
New Year’s Day Sees FORCE AWAKENS Soar Past JURASSIC WORLD and TITANIC On All-Time List
It only took 15 days for Star Wars: The Force Awakens to become the 2nd Biggest Movie of All Time. New Year's Day was one of celebration for everyone, including those at Lucasfilm and Disney as The Force Awakens took in another $34 million to launch past Jurassic World ($652.3 million) and Titanic ($658.7 million) [...]
Modern Day EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Trailer Gives All The Chills
This has been circulating around for a little while but, if you haven't seen it yet, watching it fresh off the thrills of The Force Awakens is perfect timing. Taking the music and edit structure of the final full trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, here's a fan-made modern trailer for The Empire Strikes [...]
FORCE AWAKENS Breaks Multiple Records In 2nd Weekend; All-Time Looms
(UPDATED with final numbers) Star Wars: The Force Awakens continues to demolish records, racking up several in its second weekend: Best 10-Day Gross, $540.3 million (Previous Record: Jurassic World, $402.8 million) Fastest to $500 million, 10 days (Previous Record: Jurassic World, 17 days) Fastest to $400 million, 8 days (Previous Record: Jurassic World, 10 days) Biggest 2nd [...]
THE FORCE AWAKENS Opening Week Record
Over its first seven days of release, Star Wars: The Force Awakens took in a staggeringly unprecedented haul of $391.1 million, crushing the previous first-week mark of $296.2 million set this past summer by Jurassic World. It almost seem pointless to mention, but the mega-blockbuster's seventh-day take of $27.1 million more than doubled Avatar's previous Christmas Eve record of [...]
THE REVENANT (Movie Review)
**** out of **** My review of The Revenant, at Crosswalk.com, inspired by a 19th Century American Frontiersman's real fight for survival - and revenge. The Revenant is ranked #1 on my Top Ten List for 2015. An excerpt from my review: "...a grueling, often torturous tale, testing the limits of both its actors and audience...Oscar-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman) [...]
THE HATEFUL EIGHT (Movie Review)
*** out of **** Rated R for strong bloody violence, a scene of violent sexual content, strong language, and some graphic nudity Released: December 25, 2015 limited; December 31st nationwide Runtime: 168 minutes Digital; 187 minutes 70mm film “Roadshow” Edition (only 100 screens nationwide) Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Bruce [...]