MOVIES

‘Dune’ Became A Beacon For The Fledgling Environmental Movement
MOVIES

‘Dune’ Became A Beacon For The Fledgling Environmental Movement

How ‘Dune’ became a beacon for the fledgling environmental movement − and a rallying cry for the new science of ecology. “Dune,” widely considered one of the best sci-fi novels of all time, continues to influence how writers, artists and inventors envision the future. Of course, there are Denis Villeneuve’s visually stunning films, “Dune: Part One” (2021) and “Dune: Part Two” (2024). But Frank Herbert’s masterpiece also helped Afrofuturist novelist Octavia Butler imagine a future of conflict amid environmental catastrophe; it inspired Elon Musk to build SpaceX and Tesla and push humanity toward the stars and a greener future; and it’s hard not to see parallels in George Lucas’ “Star Wars” franchise, especially their fascination with desert planets and giant worms. And yet when Herbert ...
50 Years Ago ‘Jaws’ Portrayed Sharks As Monsters And Inspired A Generation Of Shark Scientists
MOVIES, VIDEO REELS

50 Years Ago ‘Jaws’ Portrayed Sharks As Monsters And Inspired A Generation Of Shark Scientists

‘Jaws’ portrayed sharks as monsters 50 years ago, but it also inspired a generation of shark scientists. Human fear of sharks has deep roots. Written works and art from the ancient world contain references to sharks preying on sailors as early as the eighth century B.C.E. Relayed back to land, stories about shark encounters have been embellished and amplified. Together with the fact that from time to time – very rarely – sharks bite humans, people have been primed for centuries to imagine terrifying situations at sea. In 1974, Peter Benchley’s bestselling novel “Jaws” fanned this fear into a wildfire that spread around the world. The book sold more than 5 million copies in the U.S. within a year and was quickly followed by Steven Spielberg’s 1975 movie, which became the highest-grossing...
Catch The Explosive Hit That Thrilled Movie-Goers Everywhere 30 Years Ago ‘The Crow’
MOVIES

Catch The Explosive Hit That Thrilled Movie-Goers Everywhere 30 Years Ago ‘The Crow’

Paramount Pictures will be releasing a 4K UHD version of The Crow on May 7th. The release will also include the option of a limited-edition steelbook. But before that. Catch the explosive hit that thrilled movie-goers and critics everywhere 30 years ago! Brandon Lee (Rapid Fire) plays Eric Draven, a young rock guitarist who, along with his fiancee, is brutally killed by a ruthless gang of criminals. Exactly one year after his death, Eric returns-watched over by a hypnotic crow, to seek revenge, battling the evil crime lord and his band of thugs, who must answer for their crimes. Tragically Brandon Lee was killed during the making of this movie. Every product/service is selected by editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.
‘The Exorcist’ Hollywood’s Imagination, And Our Obsession With Evil
MOVIES, SUPERNATURAL

‘The Exorcist’ Hollywood’s Imagination, And Our Obsession With Evil

50 years later, ‘The Exorcist’ continues to possess Hollywood’s imagination, reflecting our obsession with evil. When the “The Exorcist” premiered 50 years ago, in December 1973, some theatergoers fainted or broke down in tears. A few even vomited. The film, which cast a young Linda Blair as a girl claiming to be possessed by the devil, was an almost instant success, with moviegoers waiting in line for hours to secure tickets. It went on to gross over US$440 million worldwide. The horror film eventually received two Oscars, for Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay. In the 50 years since, the cultural fascination with Satan has persisted. But as religiosity has waned, popular portrayals of Satan have also changed. Rather than embody pure evil, Luciferian characters that are complicated – ...
The Barbie Movie A Bold Step To Reinvent And Fix Past Wrongs Or A Clever Ploy To Tap A New Market?
MOVIES

The Barbie Movie A Bold Step To Reinvent And Fix Past Wrongs Or A Clever Ploy To Tap A New Market?

Is the Barbie movie a bold step to reinvent and fix past wrongs or a clever ploy to tap a new market? After a months-long marketing blitz, the much-hyped Barbie movie is released this week. From a Malibu Barbie dreamhouse listed on AirBnB, an AI tool that transforms selfies into Barbie movie posters and multiple Barbie-themed brand collaborations ranging from nail polish to roller skates, Barbie is everywhere. She has even gone viral as a fashion trend known as Barbiecore, exploding across social media with people embracing vibrant pink hues and hyper feminine aesthetics. A Barbie world is upon us. Although some have criticized this saturation strategy, it is a very deliberate marketing ploy to revitalize and redefine a brand with a contested position and history. As well as attracting...
A Body Horror Film Of Fatness Fear ‘The Whale’
MOVIES, TOP FOUR

A Body Horror Film Of Fatness Fear ‘The Whale’

‘The Whale’ is a horror film that taps into our fear of fatness. I knew before seeing “The Whale” that it was a movie about a man named Charlie who weighs over 600 pounds, is grief-stricken over the death of his partner, and is effectively trapped in his apartment due to his weight. I also knew that “The Whale” had attracted a great deal of criticism, provoking anger, disgust and accusations of exploitation. Despite the controversy, Brendan Fraser’s performance has been widely praised, and he won best actor at the 95th Academy Awards. But what I didn’t know was that this film would make me cry. As I left the theater, I found myself hyperaware of my own fat body moving through the parking lot, and I started to feel the way I often do when I see a reflection of myself in a mirror: monstrou...
Star Wars – The Real Back Story
MOVIES

Star Wars – The Real Back Story

When someone writes a hit movie or a best seller, it's easy to think it all resulted from a stroke of creative genius and it just happened organically. But in almost every case nothing could be further from the truth. Take the Stars Wars movie franchise for instance. A number of intriguing back- stories exist about how things got to be as they were in the Star Wars movies. Here I should give a plug to a writer called Chris Taylor who discovered them and wrote a book suitably titled: How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: The Past, Present and Future of a Multi-billion Dollar Franchise. For example, Taylor tells the story of when Star Wars creator George Lucas showed a rough cut of the movie to his mates Steven Spielberg and Brian De Palmer, Spielberg thought it was going to be a huge hi...
Why A Night To Remember Is The Definitive Film On The Titanic
MOVIES

Why A Night To Remember Is The Definitive Film On The Titanic

It has been 110 years since the sinking of the Titanic. Over 1,500 passengers and crew perished in one of the deadliest maritime disasters during peacetime. The story of the ship and its passengers has long since taken on mythic proportions and has been committed to film many times. James Cameron’s clunky offering from 1997 might come to mind first, but I recommend going straight to Roy Ward Baker’s highly regarded A Night to Remember from 1958 for a more measured appraisal of the disaster. The Titanic fascinates filmmakers because it has everything a dramatist could ever want: heroism, sacrifice, decency and grace under pressure. Cowardice and self-preservation are there, too. The ship offers up a microcosm of society in which class divisions are given greater urgency when life and deat...
Why Is ‘Blonde’ – Netflix’s Marilyn Monroe Biopic – Rated NC-17 Instead Of TV-MA?
MOVIES, VIDEO REELS

Why Is ‘Blonde’ – Netflix’s Marilyn Monroe Biopic – Rated NC-17 Instead Of TV-MA?

The NC-17 rating has historically been a film certification that’s bad for business due to its adults-only label and pornographic stigma. Yet Netflix’s Marilyn Monroe biopic, “Blonde,” will carry the rating – a first for the company. On Sept. 28, 2022, it will debut on its streaming platform, following a Venice Film Festival premiere. Based on Joyce Carol Oates’s 2000 book and starring Ana de Armas, the film reportedly includes a graphic rape scene and a vaginal point-of-view shot in its treatment of the Hollywood icon’s life and career. I study the rating system and am the author of “The Naked Truth: Why Hollywood Doesn’t Make X-Rated Movies.” Movies carrying the NC-17 rating were often difficult to screen and promote, as they were locked out of some movie theater chains and tradition...
“Radio” One Of The Most Under-Rated And Under-Appreciated Films In Movie History
MOVIES

“Radio” One Of The Most Under-Rated And Under-Appreciated Films In Movie History

Radio - 4 Stars (Excellent) "Radio"-the true story of high school football coach Harold Jones and a mentally-challenged young man named James Robert "Radio" Kennedy-might well be one of the most under-rated and under-appreciated movies in film history. James Kennedy was nicknamed "Radio" by the townspeople of Anderson, South Carolina because he was always listening to discarded radios. As a youth he would push or ride a grocery cart down the street, talking to no one. It was 1976 and Radio did not attend school because he was mentally challenged, and an easy target for kids more fortunate. After some football players on coach Harold Jones' T. L. Hanna High School team harass, intimidate and scare the living daylights out of Radio (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.), Jones befriends and prot...