The Lion King, Disney’s computer-generated remake, isn’t like the rest. Yes, the story—Hamlet meets Bambi with a touch of The Jungle Book—is intact, as are the memorable Elton John and Tim Rice songs. But The Lion King is different. From the first delicate images of the … Continue reading THE LION KING
Of all the people to get stranded on Mars, Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is the lucky one. Smart, resourceful, cunning, and, most importantly, optimistic, Watney can grow potatoes using human feces, manufacture water simply and reconfigure every possible piece of … Continue reading THE MARTIAN
Formed in 1927 by Louis B. Mayer, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was designed to deal with improving the industry’s image. At that time, movies were not seen on the same sophisticated level as literature, music, and painting, so the Academy decided to congratulate its own in hopes of lending credence to their medium. It worked, and 86 years later, the Oscar ceremony is the largest, most watched and possibly most discussed award ceremony of the major four (Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Awards being the other three). 2013 proved to be one of the best and most diverse years for moviegoing in recent … Continue reading Oscars 2014
2013 was an excellent year at the movies, but I said the exact same thing about 2012. Film critic for The New Yorker, Richard Brody, chose to open his year-end summary with this quote, “The year 2013 has been an amazing one for movies, though maybe every year is an amazing year for movies if one is ready to be amazed by movies.” I am always ready to be amazed by movies, and 2013 did not disappoint. I was consistently surprised how many movies continue to develop and unfold in my mind days, weeks, and months after I saw them. They refused to leave and I … Continue reading 2013: Another Year of Moviegoing
Michael J. Cinema 