Monday, July 29, 2013

Review - V/H/S/2 (2013)



















Movie In-Jokes: 2010: The Year We Make Contact

One of the fun games when watching movies is to spot references, secret messages and gags that filmmakers, film crews and actors can slip into movies to pay tribute to films they love, have a bit of fun with their previous work, or give the cinematic equivalent of a shout-out. Here's a spotter's guide to these inside jokes.

This in-joke casts the two collaborators responsible for a science fiction classic into a more combative relationship in this clever bit of prop design for 2010: The Year We Make Contact.


Sunday, July 21, 2013

Movie In-Jokes: Tron

One of the fun games when watching movies is to spot references, secret messages and gags that filmmakers, film crews and actors can slip into movies to pay tribute to films they love, have a bit of fun with their previous work, or give the cinematic equivalent of a shout-out. Here's a spotter's guide to these inside jokes.

This in-joke will be a trip back in time for children of the 1980s, as one of the iconic figures of the era sneaks his way into the computerized world of Tron.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Review - The Lone Ranger (2013)




















Return of the King?

With Pacific Rim out this week, the mind turns to the giant monster movies of yesteryear that inspired it... and the greatest one of all who is scheduled to make a long overdue return to movie screens in 2014.

But then, last time the mighty Godzilla visited America in 1998, the results weren't pretty. However, with Gareth Edwards, director of 2010's amazing low-budget creature feature Monsters, there is potential.

That potential is quickly turning to excitement for me upon seeing this poster which will be offered exclusively at San Diego Comic-Con:

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Spoliers - World War Z (2013)



Ok, if you haven't already checked out my main entry on World War Z, you can find it here.

There's been a lot of talk about the changes to the movie's ending, so we're going to take a look at what might have been here. This necessitates spoiling some important events from the existing film so DO NOT read on if you have not yet seen World War Z and want to keep its surprises intact.

Review - World War Z (2013)




















Thursday, July 11, 2013

Review - White House Down (2013)



















Movie In-Jokes: Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack

One of the fun games when watching movies is to spot references, secret messages and gags that filmmakers, film crews and actors can slip into movies to pay tribute to films they love, have a bit of fun with their previous work, or give the cinematic equivalent of a shout-out. Here's a spotter's guide to these inside jokes.

This in-joke is a bit of a grim one, as a tragic incident that helped inspire one of cinema's most enduring monsters is alluded to in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, commonly known as "Godzilla: GMK."


Monday, July 8, 2013

Review - Now You See Me (2013)




















Overlooked Gems - Living in Oblivion (1995)

With so many movies being released year after year, it’s generally accepted that quality will shine through over time and the truly great examples of the medium will be remembered and celebrated throughout the ages. However, sometimes something goes awry and a fine movie will fall through the cracks. Perhaps it’s released at the wrong time, the marketing fails, or it gets buried by a studio or distributor for some random reason. Sometimes it's even a success in its release but somehow gets dusty and forgotten over time. It’s time these overlooked gems get the attention they deserve...


Saturday, July 6, 2013

Movie In-Jokes: Invaders from Mars

One of the fun games when watching movies is to spot references, secret messages and gags that filmmakers, film crews and actors can slip into movies to pay tribute to films they love, have a bit of fun with their previous work, or give the cinematic equivalent of a shout-out. Here's a spotter's guide to these inside jokes.

This in-jokes features not one but two cameos, as two nemeses face off again over thirty years after their original meeting. The film in question is the 1986 remake of Invaders From Mars.

Spoilers - Man of Steel (2013)



Ok, hopefully you've read my entry on Man of Steel. If not you can check it out here.

After someone expressed their displeasure at seeing a spoiler in a previous review, despite the precautions I tried to take, I thought it'd be best if I discussed spoilers in a separate entry to ensure no one sees anything they don't want to.

So here's your warning: do not read on if you don't want several important plot points from the finale of Man of Steel revealed to you.

Review - Man of Steel (2013)