Why Is the Book (Usually) Better than the Movie? |
Books and movies actually get along quite well together. Old books, even ones that most people weren't particularly interested to read in school, are great material for new movies. Dracula, originally written by Bram Stoker in the late nineteenth century, has led to countless film adaptions, many forgettable, some classics. And the widespread popularity of a new movie can, in turn, breath life back into an old book. How many people have read Tolkien since the release of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films? The answer is many, many millions. Contrary to what some may think, books and movies are beneficial for each other, as they both have the effect of expanding the influence of a story and characters. Continue reading...
Is Shyamalan's The Village a Bad Movie? |
In the early 2000s, M. Night Shyamalan was on a hot streak. The Sixth Sense (1999) redefined what a "twist ending" could do, and how a director, good acting, and a solid script could blissfully trick an audience. It's a textbook example of an artful slight of hand, like a David Copperfield trick in movie form. Unbreakable (2000) did not get the fanfare that Sixth Sense received, but it is contains the same subtle power that its predecesser holds. In hindsight, Unbreakable stands as a unique and interesting selection, a superhero movie for the thinking man. Continue reading...
Biopics:The Best Film Genre of the 21st Century? |
Some of the best-written, most-dramatic, and most-captivating films of the past few decades are films about actual people. These stories don't need caped crusaders because the flesh and blood characters in these roles accomplished amazing things within the confines of human reality. While the twenty-first century box office has been dominated by action films and superhero flicks, some of the best contributions have been biopics. Continue reading...
Steve Jobs: An Aaron Sorkin Classic |
Film discussed: Steve Jobs (2015)
Also mentioned: Facebook (2010)
Writer Aaron Sorkin does with words what John Williams does with music: he adds something magic to a film. The result is that films which might have just been okay become real works of art. So is the case with Steve Jobs. Continue reading...
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