Musicals are all about presence, spectacle, high emotions, and lowered expectations of realism. It seems natural that that format would translate pretty well to film, and most of the time it does. But there were a few decades there where Hollywood studios were barely making anything but musical pictures. While the movie musical will never … Read more
There was a wave of what could be called interactive animated films in the video game world in the 2010s, led by Telltale Games and their excellent adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s “The Walking Dead.” Telltale would release games in chapters, almost like a limited series comic book on a monthly release schedule. And they would … Read more
The ’90s were a strange and glorious time. The stock market was up. The internet made a weird series of mechanical noises every time you turned it on by accessing it via your phone. Cell phones were the size of bricks. And grocery stores were filled with foods never before dreamed of in human history. Some … Read more
Few things in this world hold a more powerful connection to memory than food. The smell of a familiar dish or snack alone can bring you back to childhood. Case in point: I don’t even need to taste what’s inside; just a look at a Kellogg’s Fun Pak — the plastic-wrapped assortment of eight mini boxes of cereal — and … Read more
One of the towering presences in movies, television, and theater — not to mention one of the most distinctive voices of the 20th century — has died. James Earl Jones passed away on Monday morning at his home in New York. He was 93 years old. His death was confirmed by Deadline. They did not list a … Read more
While known as a Hollywood tough guy, Mel Brooks remembers a softer side of actor James Caan, who gave him a dog he had for 15 years (and still misses). While he may be best remembered for his tough guy roles in classics like The Godfather and (Best Movie You Never Saw fave) Thief, actor … Read more
Some movies wind up having a cast that ages like a fine wine. As I watched the new Can’t Hardly Wait 4K release, it was wild seeing just how many familiar faces are in the 1998 teen comedy. Beyond the retroactively stacked main cast, even minor characters are played by actors who would later find … Read more
We chat with Supervising Director Jake Castorena about the honor and exciting challenges of making Marvel’s X-Men ’97. Reviving the classic X-Men animated series takes guts. In a list of beloved shows from a bygone era of Saturday Morning television, Marvel’s X-Men stands among select others at the top of Mount Nostalgia, with adamantium claws popped and a dream … Read more
The film industry has been making adaptations of famous books pretty much since movies were invented. Nowadays, if an author publishes even a mildly successful novel, it’s a good bet that a movie studio will swoop in to scoop up the rights—sometimes even before the book is published. With so much of Hollywood dominated by … Read more
Marvel Studios has finally released the official X-Men ’97 trailer for the long-awaited return of the iconic animated series. The video confirms that the Disney+ revival will explore the aftermath of the original series finale, which saw Professor X saying goodbye to his X-Men. It also provides a glimpse of what to expect from the … Read more