Riverdale: Innocent Small Town or Dark Dystopia?

When I think of Riverdale, Archie Comics is the first thing that comes to mind. The comic debuted in 1941 and is as American as sweet apple pie. However, certain things have changed over the last 77 years.  The comics have gotten darker, introduced mystical elements like witches and werewolves, and we've even seen the Archie gang go up against the dreaded Sharknado.  Yeah, that's real.  But one of the biggest things to happen in the world of Archie Comics is the premiere of the CW's live-action series, Riverdale.

EDITORIAL: Hollywood Heads In The Right Direction As Female-Driven Films Lead The 2017 Box Office

In the year of #MeToo and the Time’s Up movement, Hollywood has been the center of a lot of negative press.  So, when a story hits that puts Hollywood in a more positive light, I feel it’s important to make sure it gets shared, so that we can see that there’s still some good out there.

EDITORIAL: Has Hollywood Gone Too Far???

What do you think of when you hear the word "Hollywood"? Fancy dinners, powerful people, influence, wealth, beautiful women... the list goes on and on. Hollywood's been in the news recently and the reasons are despicable. There have always been whispers of sexual harassment in Hollywood. Some say, "What's the big deal"? because sexual harassment has always existed and not just in Hollywood.

EDITORIAL: Has Video Piracy KO’d Yuri Boyka & The 'Undisputed' Franchise?

The Undisputed franchise began in in 2002, however British martial arts actor Scott Adkins didn’t join the franchise until Undisputed II: Last Man Standing, which was released in 2006, when he took on the role of the antagonist, Yuri Boyka to Michael Jai White’s protagonist, George Chambers (taking over the role formerly played by Ving Rhames). 

EDITORIAL: Hellboy: It's A Bit Complicated

With the recent news that David Harbour (Stranger Things) is in talks to become the next Hellboy, I was hit with the same reaction I think many other fans of the first two films (starring Ron Perlman) felt; shock and disappointment. This news marked the official death of actually ending the beautiful story and world that director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) had created. If the rumors are true, then it's up to Neil Marshall (The Descent) to return us to the world of Hellboy. I decided to take this news to revisit Hellboy and Hellboy 2: The Golden Army and give you guys a review.

EDITORIAL: Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and Over-creating

“There are a few significant things that happen in Han Solo’s life, like acquiring a certain vehicle and meeting a certain Wookiee that will happen in this film. But you will also discover how he got his name.” 

—Bob Iger, Disney CEO on the new Han Solo Movie

There are questions you'd probably rather never know the answers to. Since Disney’s 2012 purchase of Lucasfilm, we have seen a push for new films, toys, games, and other sellable items (hello Star Wars CoffeeMate Coffee Creamer). At first, admittedly, I was incredibly excited. A chance for new Star Wars movies? Perhaps an Indiana Jones movie if we are lucky? New video games and clothes? Even a Star Wars Universe at Disney World?! Hell yes. However, with this new parent company looking to make a return on their $4 billion investment, we are seeing some things that I think could taint the Star Wars universe, just like what has happened with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

EDITORIAL: Hollywood’s Other Glass Ceiling

There has been a lot of discussion in social media and news stories concerning the inequality in pay between men and women. It’s part of what’s known as the 'glass ceiling’.  The issue has been affecting actresses in the entertainment industry at all levels for years.

In an August 2016 article in the Washington Post, the author stated that the top ten highest paid actresses in Hollywood still made less than half of what the top actors earned.  While this is a hot topic of discussion that gets media and audience attention, there is another ‘Glass Ceiling’ in Hollywood movie making that rarely gets any kind of attention. Just like the one that does get attention, this other ‘Glass Ceiling’ has been created and controlled by money.

EDITORIAL: The Importance of the Blockbuster in an Age of Indie Film

Blockbuster films have been a big part of the theater experience for decades.  These are the types of films that tend to draw large crowds to the theater, and it's these crowds that keep studios and theaters alike running.  But lately, it's the independent film that has been gaining popularity, as we see more and more these films getting awards attention, and for good reason.  You want a fun, exciting time at the theater?  Then you'll probably want to see a blockbuster like Rogue One or Doctor Strange.  But, if you're looking for something with more heart and depth, something with a story that will stick with you long after seeing it, then independent films, such as Moonlight or Sing Street, are the way to go.

IN MEMORIAM: 2016 - A Tribute To Those We've Lost

In a time of social media, when any celebrity dies, millions of fans pour over the internet to say their piece, some genuinely, others just by circumstance. Where others condemn this 'tradition' away, I think we have lost something and that is the real emotion for select individuals that happens when icons like David Bowie or Gene Wilder pass away.

EDITORIAL: A Tribute to Carrie Fisher

Tragedy struck just before Christmas when we all heard news that the enigmatic Carrie Fisher had suffered a massive heart attack on a flight between London and Los Angeles. That tragedy was made all the more painful on December 27^th as we learned that the brilliant actress had passed away as a result.

EDITORIAL: Who Should Host The Oscars?

We are now less than three months away from the 89th Annual Academy Awards! The race has begun and films like La La Land, Moonlight, Manchester By The Sea, Silence and so many more are campaigning in full force.

The National Board of Review just named the aforementioned Manchester By The Sea as the best film of the year (and it is pretty freaking great), The New York Film Critics Circle named La La Land their best film of the year, and Moonlight won the Gotham award for best film of the year, so the race is pretty open right now. But I'm not here to talk about the race, and to predict what film will win what. I love predicting the Oscar winners and nominees, I do it all the time, but the most interesting aspect of the 89th Annual academy awards, is who will take on the challenge of host?

Editorial: THE MPAA RATING SYSTEM AND HOW IT COULD BE FIXED

This is an editorial about an oft discussed matter amongst films lovers and the public at large: the MPAA film ratings system. The MPAA (or the Motion Picture Association of America) is a voluntary trade association with a wing for filmmakers to voluntarily submit their films to receive a rating. The assignment of a rating (and what those ratings are) looks, from afar, like an extremely basic thing, however, when we look under the hood the process and system turn out to be more nefarious and functionless than presumed on the surface. This editorial will dig into the current ratings system and will propose some changes to make it better at achieving its aims.

Thanksgiving Editorial: 2016 Retrospective

2016 has been a tough year, everyone. Regardless of your political leanings or your social status, a lot has happened this year to make a lot of people very, very depressed. Even within the film community, we’ve been hit with some dismal disappointments (from Independence Day 2 to Insert-Comic-Book-Movie-Here-That-You-Hated).

But, in America, today we are celebrating Thanksgiving -- a time to remember the good and be truly grateful. And, 2016 has given us much to be thankful for as film fans. Here’s my little trip down Memory Lane of, dare I say it, a DAMN good year for cinema-lovers.

EDITORIAL: Scream - From Film to Television

In 1996, Wes Craven came up with a masterpiece that would forever change the horror genre. The movie was Scream and it brought back the popularity of the slasher movies from the '80s. It boasted a hot young cast consisting of Neve Campbell, Drew Barrymore, Courtney Cox and David Arquette. Scream spawned three sequels and a TV series.

EDITORIAL: Denis Villeneuve To Bring Back 'Blade Runner' For A New Generation

Blade Runner 2049 is one of the most interesting films coming out next year. It is being directed by acclaimed filmmaker Dennis Villeneuve (whom we've been talking about all week), shot by iconic cinematographer Roger Deakins, and will even see Harrison Ford return to reprise his role as Rick Deckard. Ford is joined by Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling, who I am sure will be the "hero" of the movie, while Ford plays a similar role to what he played in The Force Awakens.

EDITORIAL: 'The Walking Dead' Season 7 Premiere And Why I WONT Be Dropping The Series

So, ever since the amazingly brutal season 7 opener for The Walking Dead, I've seen several articles written about how the writer is no longer going to watch the show because it was "too much" or "went too far".  Well, in my opinion, this is a bulls*** excuse. 

EDITORIAL: Hawaii Five-0: What Were They Thinking? - The Real Jack Lord vs. CGI Jack Lord

My latest editorial is a 'What were they thinking?' reaction, trying to make sense of a CGI rendition of a deceased actor that was used recently in an episode of the TV series, Hawaii Five-0. The actor in question is the late Jack Lord who starred as Steve McGarrett in the original Hawaii Five-0 series, which ran for twelve years on CBS, where he played the leader of an elite branch of the Hawaii State Police answerable only to the governor. Almost everyone who ever watched the original series can agree that Jack Lord, with his good looks, piercing eyes and steely voice, had a charismatic and commanding screen presence. For many he WAS Hawaii Five-0. Not that Dan “Dano” Williams didn’t have his charms.  The original Hawaii Five-0 series ended in 1980. Jack Lord went on to make one movie after that and retired from acting. He died in 1998. Hawaii Five-0 was his lasting legacy.

EDITORIAL: The Future of James Bond

First, let me start this off by getting something out of the way. I am not one of those James Bond movie watchers who thinks that Sean Connery is the epitome/end all, be all of the character of James Bond. He’s okay in the role, but to me he is not the best. I read all the James Bond books long before I saw any of the movies. In my head, I had a visualization of the character, his mannerisms and the sound of his voice. Connery did not match at all. In fact none of the actors matched until they hired Timothy Dalton to take on the iconic role of superspy, James Bond.

EDITORIAL: Will 'The Lost Boys' Survive As They Head To The CW?

If you are familiar with any of my movie reviews, then you know how much I love '80s cinema. My most recent review was of the 1987 vampire film, The Lost Boys. Well, it seems this movie is becoming a TV series on the CW network, according to Deadline. They were the first to report the story followed by Entertainment Weekly last month.

EDITORIAL: Gene Wilder - A Celebration

After a career spanning the better part of five decades, renowned comedian, Gene Wilder, has passed away at age 83. The star of some of the most beloved comedies of his time, we'd like to take this opportunity not to discuss his death, but to celebrate his life and career.