The new DC Comics movie “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” made about $33 million at the domestic box office this weekend. Now, I personally would love to make that much money in a single weekend, but for a big-budget superhero blockbuster, that number was
So far I’ve really enjoyed all four Westerns I’ve watched for this blog series (actually five if you count the film that inspired this blog series in the first place: “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”). However, it was probably inevitable that I’d run across one that I didn’t
When it comes to Westerns, I’ve learned that the magic word for me is “revisionist.” “Revisionist Westerns” are a subgenre deviating from the classic Westerns of earlier decades, with their noble heroes and more straight-forward themes. Revisionist Westerns present the view that the American West wasn’t necessarily a magical land
I’m pretty sure that I’ve already confessed on my blog at some point that I’m not the biggest fan of John Wayne. I don’t have anything against him personally; it’s just that many of the classic Westerns I’ve seen him in aren’t really my personal style. I tend to gravitate
In some ways, the Western genre is just as much about fantasy as it is about history. Classic Westerns present us with tales of noble heroes fighting outlaws and preserving the peace, set against a backdrop of sweeping, wide-open plains and brilliant blue skies. Of course, the reality of life
Late last year, I had an opportunity to visit the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. I’d been there once before, but a museum centered on such a heavy, sobering topic needs several visits to process. It seems like there’s been a resurgence of interest
For a long time, I thought that I didn’t like westerns. Whatever the reason, this genre just didn’t seem to speak to me personally. However, in 2018 I decided to do a blog series called “Better Late than Never,” where I started catching up on some classic movies I’d never
It may have gotten off to a bit of a slow start, but 2019 really was a great year for movies and TV. When I was compiling my list of personal favorites, I had to limit myself to 10, because this list could have easily gotten out of hand. It
I love “The Last Jedi.” In fact, it’s my favorite Star Wars film. Even two years later, I still enjoy talking about it, although I do have to admit, the Star Wars fandom has made me feel a little…well…weary. Due to the realities of online fandom culture, it’s tough to
I don’t know that anyone was expecting 2017’s “Jumanji” reboot/sequel “Welcome to the Jungle” to be a huge hit. Nobody was really asking for a sequel to the 1995 fan favorite “Jumanji,” a fun adventure movie about a strangely supernatural (and VERY dangerous) board game. It was a cool premise,
It’s easy to tell a story about a couple falling in love, and Hollywood has done it many times. These stories begin in different ways. Maybe it’s a period drama, like “Pride and Prejudice,” where the couple dislikes each other at first but are later forced to admit their growing
World-famous crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is celebrating his 85th birthday with his family at his estate. It appears to be a joyous occasion, but there’s something sinister lurking beneath the surface. The next morning, Harlan is found dead of a suspected suicide. However, renowned detective Benoit Blanc believes there may
