If youtraceback through the officialcannon of theStar Warstimeline, you may recall that the saga concluded when Lando Calrissean swooped in and demolished the second Death Star and ridded the galaxy of a tyrant.You could argue that it was a metaphor for the turning tildes brought about by the prequels to follow.In this case, the Death Star is Star Wars, which George Lucas labored for decades to buildonly to--with one perfectly aimed shot --start a chain reaction that lead to its ultimate destruction.OK, ... read more »
Netflix has recently announced that nearly 2,000 movies titles were being removed from its streaming library. We won't know the extent of the damage until we get conduct a queue count. I did a spot-check and noticed that the classic Star Trek episodes remained intact. In fact, I noticed some new additions, such as 1996's Big Night whose video rights were, somehow, reacquired. But many of the Warner Bros. classics were gone -- seemingly forever so the studio to trumpet their own competing streaming servic... read more »
Today, Hollywood lost one of its great magicians. Ray Harryhausen -- the stop-motion and special effects pioneer -- died today at the age of 92. To me, Harryhausen remains an icon as large asa Tom Cruiseor Arnold Schwarzenegger.You never saw him on camera.Hismovie stars were mere one-feet tall puppets, who, thanks to Harryhausen's genius, became wondrous and occasionally terrifying feats of fantasy and imagination. In lieu of his death, we willhear a collage of respectand tributes from all corners of the... read more »
A three-year-old girlfidgets with toys while a movie plays on the television. An asshole checks Facebookon his cellphonewhile sitting adjacent to attentive move-goers in a dark theater.These are two movie experiences I recently encountered. Both parties were seeminglydistracted; caring little for the magic fillingtheir respected screens. In fact, they were oblivious. It's atrend that's becoming more evident with each 'S'that's added tothe newest incantation of the Samsung Galaxy. Movies already face stif... read more »
Clarissa's Blogoffers fascinating commentary on higher education issues from an academic's perspective. There was recently a speech from the president at the university in which she is currently employed and she interprets them in way that's easily understandable for the rest of us.Link:http://clarissasblog.com/2013/04/24/from-our-president2. Our university is thecheapestto attend in the state. 3.Enrollments at respectable universities are plummeting. This happens because crowds of people prefer to pay... read more »
The success of this week's newest Hollywood release, Oblivion, has a sense of severity to it. It's as if its fate will immediately mirror the career lifespan of one of our last movie stars.Tom Cruise has dominated our cinemaplexes for three decades. There is no other movie star like him in our generation. But in the last few years his movies have been lackluster; his appeal has been tainted by his personal eccentricities (couch jumping, wife leaving, spaceship waiting). The gossip columns have fueled aud... read more »
Wastelands stripped of vegetation, poisonous pools brimming with dying and dead waterfowl, thick black corrosive liquid oozing out of ruptured pipelines like some malevolent slug, filling backyards, spilling into creeks, and rivers are just some of the images that come to mind when one thinks of the tar sands. Nothing, I repeat nothing in life [...] read more »
If there's one obsession that matches my filmlust, it would be a good bargain!Although some would prefer togloat over theirtop arcade, basketballskillsor SAT numbers, Ialways preferred bragging about my painstaking frugality. Don't believe me? Just check out my grocery receipts sometime.WheneverI ring up my items and the checkout clerk beckons the manager -- meaningmytotal savings exceeded$100 -- I'd do a subtle celebration danceand soaked in collectedlooks of astonishment by the housewives and elder sho... read more »
I don't recall when I wanted to be a film critic, but it involved a pair of thumbs. Today, the balcony finally closed forever. Chicago Sun Times critic Roger Ebert, who, along with his Chicago Tribute writer, Gene Siskel, became the most famous critical duo and a television celebrity, died today after his decade-long battle with cancer. Ebert remains the only film critic to win the Pulitzer. He was, in many ways, my hero. Yes, a pudgy, short, film nerd with heavy framed glasses is the reason you see this... read more »
Jim and Jane Henson Yesterday Jane Henson lost her battle to cancer nearly 23 years after losing her husband, Jim. Together they created the Muppets and established a legacy. The two met at a puppetry class and eventuallymarried in 1959. Jane worked behind the scenes, drafting talents and supporting Jim's desire tocement puppetry as a respectable art form in both television and in the movies. Although the two separated in 1986, Jane created the Jim Henson Foundation in 1991 shortly after her husba... read more »
