The best Simpsons episodes are usually from the same couple of seasons, and there's a reason for that. While the funniest Simpsons character is debatable, Homer is absolutely a contender. This show was built as a response to the sitcoms of the decade previous to its airing, and its original creators, succeeded in that vision. But Homer Simpson changed somewhere along the way, this is a look at how.
The best Rick and Morty Episodes all have one thing in common, and its one thing the show is doing better than a lot of its contemporaries. Rick and Morty has been one of its networks most successful shows and season 4 continued that ratings trend. But for every funny moment, or even emotional one, there's a writer trying to better understand these characters. Rick and Morty may not be perfect, but its writers are nailing one of the most important tasks in television.
The very best Spongebob episodes are all pretty unique of one another, there’s no formula or exact science. Yet episodes like Squid’s day off and Pizza Delivery have a few things in common. Spongebob and Squidward have combined for some great moments, but there’s a few moments that I think mark the best of the show. This is a look at what a perfect Spongebob Squarepants episode looks like.
Back To The Future is one of the most talked about movies in film history, but most people don’t know that the first Marty McFly is not the one that made it screens. These movies are still being screened across the world to this very day and are still huge talking points for people that love the medium. But Before Back to the Future 2 was even a thought, there was some serious casting changes happening on set. The same goes for another major character who didn’t make it past the first movie. Marty McFly was fired from Back to the Future and the other character walked away from the franchise.
Futurama is one of the greatest animated shows of all time. Bender, Fry and the rest of this universe may also be a great example of what can go wrong with one of modern medias most talked about trends, the retcon. While the best Futurama episodes all stand the test of time, one was changed, and not for the better. If you know anything about a waiting dog, you might be one step ahead. Sometimes the best media can magnify what works and what doesn't within a medium, Futurama is one of those pieces of media.
Interstellar is Christopher Nolan at his most grandiose. The movie, its score, Nolan's direction is a beautiful continuance of everything he accomplished in Inception. Yet, in Interstellar exists a movie inside a movie, a set piece done so perfectly that it could literally exist as its own film. This is the Inception of Interstellar.
Shazam is one of my favorite DC superhero movies. In fact, its a super hero movie that I had more fun with than any in recent memory. Yet, it does one thing that Man of Steel and plenty of other films in this genre do that I don't understand. I couldn't stop thinking one thing. Stop flying while fighting.
Us is the second movie Jordan Peele has written and directed and it is one of the most interesting movies to get the mass hype of hollywood. In Us sits 7 seconds that are borderline perfect. This is a movie that seems to understand exactly what it is, and a director in complete control over that film.
Adventure Time is one of the very greatest animated shows of all time. The best Adventure Time episodes are far more than what their surface presents, and this is part of its charm. Jake, Finn and Princess Bubblegum created a world that was complex, nuanced, and importantly, surprisingly harsh. That is exactly why Adventure Time is so hard to forget, it became a mirror the very things we experience and recognize.
Hey Arnold was one of Nickelodeon’s most recognizable shows. The best Hey Arnold episodes, one’s that focused on Gerald or Mr.Wynn, we’re some of the best that animation had to offer on the network. Yet, one day, the show just kind of disappeared, tossed to the side for seemingly no reason. But there was a reason, Hey Arnold got the short of the stick and this is the story of why.
This is my dream. I've been tossing this film around for two years and I'm hoping to finally make it a reality. For those of you supporting Nerdstalgic, I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. Hope to see you guys in the movies!
The Lion King Remake has a scene in it that I think might put on display everything wrong with Disney's live action remakes. Aladdin and Lion King are two sides of the same coin for Disney. On one hand, the company clearly wants to modernize their animated classics, but on the other, they seem to be confused about what that means. With Mulan switching things up even further, this Lion King scene might be an indication of what's to come.
Danny Phantom was a huge part of Nickelodeon's line up and popularity. The best Danny Phantom episodes are some of the best pieces of animation to come out of Nick. Yet the show did not have an incredibly long life. It did, however, play with cliche in a way that made the show more memorable than a lot of the other shows that saw similar success. This is what made Danny Phantom so hard to forget.
Marvel movies have been a huge part of the medium for over a decade now, but the Hulk was once incredibly different. This is the story about why Marvel fired the original Hulk and why they decided it wasn’t worth making individual Hulk movies moving forward.
Dialogue writing in film is far from a science. From Pulp Fiction and Tarantino to The Social Network, films have a writing style that is sometimes instantly recognizable. Sometimes, movie characters don’t talk the way we think they should, that might be ok.
The best Seinfeld episodes have a few things in common. The Contest might epitomize those things better than any other episode in the Seinfeld catalogue. Jerry, Elaine, Kramer and George participate in what would end up being one of the most famous competitions ever put to TV. It also happens to put on display exactly what makes Seinfeld special.
Marvel has done a great job of creating a cinematic universe in which Thanos and Tony Stark could reasonably lead the same film. When it comes time to kill a super character in film, things get a bit more difficult. Now that Avengers Endgame is well behind us, it's time to take a look at that very challenge.
Family Guy has now been a staple of comedy for longer than could have been expected, and yet the conversation now revolves around what the show has become. The best Family Guy episodes put the Brian, Stewie, Peter and the Griffins in situations that are well thought out, but most importantly, structured. The quality of the show may vary, but what is certain is that the best Family Guy jokes all have a rhythm and set of rules that make the ones that land work.
There's a lot of discussion about the worst episodes of The Office. Some feature Michael Scott, others come after his departure. However, while episodes like Dinner Party and The Injury are great, what about the ones that aren't, cause the fall of those episodes? The Office in general is one of televisions most successful shows of all time, but this is what it looks like when it isn't at its best.
The best Big Bang Theory episodes understand exactly what the show is and is trying to be, but its original pilot did not. The Big Bang Theory used to be a very different show, and it certainly was not a good one. The original Penny was fired, cast members weren't written in yet, and the whole thing almost didn't happen. This is a look at the original Big Bang Theory pilot and how it went so wrong, that Penny had to be fired.
Nickelodeon was a mainstay for anyone growing up in the 90's. But why exactly did Nickelodeon basically dominate every kids television for years on end? The answer may not be as simple as you think. Nickelodeon had a formula for hit after hit, and we remember every moment.
Children of Men does something very few movies have pulled off. Two of the best one shots in movie history. Long one shot's are very technical and difficult to pull off, but with Alfonso Cuarón in the directors seat, he makes it look easy.
Indiana Jones is as revered a character in film as one can be, but conversation has shifted the past few years. Is Indiana Jones an important character in his own movie? That’s the question at hand.
Through out the entire series run of Scrubs, it was able to bring you hours of laughter and happiness as well as a few moments of sadness. In the episode My Screw Up, Scrubs is able to take its audience through a vast range of emotion in telling one of the best stories the show has to offer. My Screw Up is truly a perfect episode.
When Zack Snyder developed the DCEU he should have used the DCAU as a blueprint for the entire universe. All the things the DCEU seems to get wrong, the DCAU has gotten extremely right, especially the Justice League. But how exactly did the Animated Universe succeed where the Cinematic Universe failed? Could a proper blueprint have saved the Justice League movie? Would we even need a Snydercut?
Kevin Smith a.k.a. Silent Bob, created the very FIRST Cinematic Universe with his View Askew movies set in New Jersey. Using an ultra low budget with Clerks, Kevin Smith was the first indie director to begin his journey connecting his next several movies together in the SAME universe!
Danny Fenton, aka Danny Phantom, is best known for blowing up his parents laboratory and becoming a ghost hunting superhero. But what exactly made Danny Phantom such a hit?
Community was not your average sitcom. Time and time again Dan Harmon took Community in directions that were not typically seen in NBC's dynamite line up of half your comedies in the mid 2000's. The episode titled "Modern Warfare" is the prime example of taking a typical sitcom premise, and elevating it to a degree that only Dan Harmon could.
It's not often a cast as strong as Parks and Recreation comes together so seamlessly. Each and every character is funny and memorable, with the exception of Mark Brendanawicz. He never quite found his footing between characters like Leslie Knope, and Ron Swanson. And once we are introduced to Ben Wyatt and Chris Traeger, there was just no room left for Mark to thrive. Parks and Recreation will forever be remembered for the amazing cast of characters, with the exception of Mark Brendanawicz.
No matter which generation you are growing up in, Disney Channel always had a solid line up of Original Movies, or DCOMS, week after week that capture the imagination of so many people. Theres a big reason we remember them so fondly, and it proves Disney Channel knew what they were doing the whole time.
For a lot of people The Flintstones brought animated television to Prime Time, but it was actually Jonny Quest who perfected the medium. There hadn't quite been a show as ground breaking as Jonny Quest. Without Jonny Quest, several of your favorite animated shows may not exist as they do today. Yes, including The Flintstones.
Fast and the Furious movies push the envelope in so many different ways. With each new installment they get faster, and even more furious. But in Fast 5, they take their practical stunts. to a whole new level. Dragging an actual bank vault through the streets!
30 Rock on NBC was Tina Fey's crowning achievement, outside of Saturday Night Live. And it's finally coming back to Netflix! Throughout the history of 30 Rock sitcom, one episode stands out as perfect. It may not be the funniest episode, but this specific episode of 30 Rock ranks supreme.
Steven Universe is a breathtaking show. No other animated series on Cartoon Network has taken on the topics and themes quite like Steven Universe has. The show has come and gone, but the ideas and message behind Steven Universe will live on forever.
For a lot of us Boy Meets World was a fundamental show through our childhood. It taught a lot about friends, relationships, and life in general. No other show quite like Boy Meets World has had this much of an impact on an entire generation.
That 70's Show was a staple in households for 8 Years. But in that 8th year we lost our main character, Eric Forman. That 70's Show never recovered from Eric's departure. Even the introduction to a new character, Randy, couldn't save the dwindling audience numbers.
Whether you're a fan of Marvel or DC, there is one growing problem with our Superhero Friends, their costumes. Superhero costumes have all become the same since our heroes hit the big screen. But how did Marvel and DC get here?
There are many episodes of New Girl that I could consider perfect. The character development on New Girl has given it's audience the best version of Friends since, Friends. Everyone has a different favorite New Girl character, and all for different reasons. That's what makes a sitcom like this so special.
Mission Impossible is one of the most popular movie franchises of all time. Especially the later sequels, having put some of the greatest stunts ever put to film. But we would not have these spellbinding movies, if it weren't for Mission Impossible 3. MI:3 completely changed the tone and landscape of what these movies could be, and introduced a new style of action that would carry through the rest of the franchise. Mission Impossible 3 absolutely saved the franchise.
The Animaniacs have been around for decades now, but they continue to be as relevant as ever. Even with the newest reboot, it seems our favorite Animaniacs Yakko, Wakko, and Dot have not missed a beat. This show is genius in the most bizarre ways.
Donald Glover is known for many things. Acting, Stand Up, Writing, Show Running, Rapping, and much more. But through all that one of his crowning achievements is his FX Show Atlanta. Not only is Atlanta fresh, exciting, and unlike most shows on television. It has easily the best Pilot Episode of any TV Show in the last 10 years.
Breaking Bad will go down in history as one of the greatest hour long dramas ever created. The show itself could be considered Perfect, but this one episode in particular stands out as a series best. A lot of people would consider Ozymandias to be the ultimate Breaking Bad episode, but this episode stands out as the best in the series.
Jurassic Park is by far one of the best blockbuster movies ever put on screen. It's considered an all time favorite by so many people, for so many reasons. But Jurassic Park is so much more than a fun Spielberg Classic. Much like Spielberg's Jaws, Jurassic Park is a very well made Horror Movie disguised as a summer blockbuster.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is one of the most interesting shows on television. Not just for the hilarious cast, insane story lines, or the pure genius of Larry David. But it does something that very few shows do, work without a script. Curb Your Enthusiasm is an improved based sit com, and until they start rolling cameras, no know knows what the other actor is going to say. It's pure Controlled Chaos.
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. When it first came on the air, Will Smith and company took the sitcom world by storm. The Fresh Prince challenged what typical sitcoms were doing and provided commentary on vast array of social issues. Will Smith made sure that everything about The Fresh Prince of Bel Air would still be relevant 20 years later.
The Power Rangers have been a pop culture staple for decades. We all grew up with one version or another of our favorite Rangers. But did you know 3 of the original cast members were fired? That's right, they fired 3 of the original Power Rangers and replaced them after the first season.
How I Met Your Mother is often seen as another run-of-the-mill sitcom about a group of friends navigating life in their mid-twenties. But one thing How I Met Your Mother does often is take your expectations and turn them on their side. This episode perfectly weaves mystery, hijinks, and comedy to give us a near perfect episode.
The first Matrix movie released in 1999, and change the game for movies. The mind-bending VFX blew audiences away. A few years later they broke new ground with The Matrix Reloaded. Giving us one of the greatest chase sequences ever put to film.
Superman has by far had one of the most storied histories on the silver screen. From the first time we see Superman on screen, to today's modern version, the way in which The Man of Steel is portrayed has changed drastically. The CWverse however, has found a way to bring our favorite superhero back to the ideals of the early years.
The hit sitcom Friends was a universally loved phenomenon. It was the biggest show in the world at one point, and now that the show lives on HBOMax audiences can get their fill of Friends anytime they want. Out of all the classic episodes of Friends however, are a couple that fall short.
As Brooklyn Nine-Nine approaches it's final season, it's hard to look back and find just one perfect episode. That's because Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been one of the most consistent comedies on TV for years. Andy Samberg's procedural comedy is beloved by many, and we'll all be sad once it's off the air. NINE-NINE!
These days, Harry Potter seems to be beloved by everyone on the planet. Generations of Potter fans look back fondly on the series of books and movies that have spanned most of their lives. But in the early days of Harry Potter fandom, there were a lot of people who thought differently. Leading to the Harry Potter books being one of the most banned books in all of America.
In today's world of Stranger Things, A Quiet Place, and the bevy of other Monster content being made it seems a lot of the Monsters in these properties all start to look the same. It's not due to lack of creativity, but potentially the idea that limitless possibility has created a bottleneck for "what works". The days of rubber Monsters and guys in suits are long gone, but why do we remember those classic monsters so fondly over the modern CG versions?
War Machine is now a mainstay in the Avengers franchise. The character of James Rhodes has come a long way since Iron Man 1, especially when it comes to the actor who plays him. War Machine has been played by both Terrence Howard and Don Cheadle, but why the switch?
Today, it's hard to find someone who has never heard of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For over a decade we have had a steady stream of great Marvel movies hitting screens across the world. But now that we are on the cusp of a new phase in the Marvel Cinematic Universe we are starting to see some of the same problems Marvel Comics had for a long, long time.
In the beginning of Parks and Recreation, Andy Dwyer was a shiftless, layabout, that took full advantage of his girlfriend Anne Perkins. But after that first season, the writers of Parks and Rec fell in love with Andy, and began his rebirth as one of the funniest, most charming characters in a sitcom. Without a doubt Parks and Recreation saved the character of Andy Dwyer.
A few movies come to mind when thinking who actually kicked up the modern Superhero Craze we're all in. Some point to the Fox X-Men movies, some point to Rami's Spider-Man trilogy. But before all that, one leather clad vampire hunter named Blade came to the silver screen and proved that modern Superhero movies were actually profitable. The Blade Trilogy may not have stood the test of time with most audiences, but with the upcoming reboot for Marvel, our favorite Vampire Hunter will be back in action and better than ever before.
A lot of people look back on Spider-Man 3 as one of the worst superhero installments ever made. Looking back, there is one big reason Sony's Spider-Man flopped, Too Many Villains. Though Spider-Man isn't the only movie franchise to suffer from this problem, it's a large reason this movie in particular gets the most hate of all. Will they repeat this problem in Spider-Man No Way Home?
To many avid Lord of the Rings fans, the death of Saruman not being included in the theatrical release was very confusing. To those who didn't read the Lord of the Rings books, the sudden disappearance of one of the best movie villains was even more so. But what led Peter Jackson to make the decision to cut Saruman from The Two Towers and eventually The Return of the King?
When The Sopranos first aired on HBO, it took the world by storm. Instantly becoming one of the greatest TV Shows in the history of the medium. But one episode of The Sopranos stands out as truly the best in the series. It's the first time we really see Tony Soprano deal with the realities of his double life.
The Kingsman: Secret Service blew audiences away with its modern approach to the James Bond era of spy thrillers. One scene in particular though stuck with movie goers long after the credits rolled. The famous Church Brawl in The Kingsman is a perfect example of how the perfect director, editor, cinematographer, stunt coordinator, and music direction, can take a fight sequence to a place we've never seen before.
When the Faculty was produced, it was hot off the tails of teen slashers like Scream. All things considered The Faculty should have ben another box office smash for Dimension Films. But what happened? Why did a movie made with such star power in front and behind the camera fail? How did a movie with all the ingredients of Scream flop so hard?
For many fans of the X-Men Universe, Rogue was a massive character that we were waiting to see blossom to her full potential. But with each new installment of the X-Men franchise, we saw Rogue get less and less screen time. Why did such an important character to the X-Men Universe suddenly disappear?
Malcolm in the Middle was a massive hit when it premiered in the year 2000. But Malcolm wasn't your average sitcom. Malcolm in the Middle change the landscape for what a sitcom could pull off in a half hour time slot. Gone was the multi-cam, and laugh track, and in came a new way to look at what sitcoms brought to the table.
It's become common place for villain redemption arcs in movies. Whether it's Loki, Scarlett Witch, Darth Vader, or even Venom, each villain is given their chance to make up for their wrong doings. Venom walks a fine line when trying to redeem the symbiotic Spider-Man villain. But creating a complete story arc for Venom has proven to be even more difficult when Spider-Man isn't around.
Since the Original Ghostbusters hit screens in 1984, studios have been trying to replicate the same success. But with every sequel it seems no one can get the Ghostbusters formula right. With the upcoming release of Ghostbusters Afterlife, will they finally find the balance between the horror and comedy?
When John Wick exploded onto movie screens audiences were blown away by the slick action sequences, bright color palate, and the meticulous stunt work known today as "Gun-Fu". Directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, former stuntmen themselves, brought a John Wick to life in a way audiences haven't seen in a long time. Establishing a new blueprint for action movies going forward. But with each attempt at a copy cat, no one can match the excellence of John Wick.
Many fans of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia have their idea of a perfect episode, and that's what makes It's Always Sunny so great. You ask 20 different fans, you'll get 20 different answers. But this episode in-particular is truly the best mix of the show's emotional and technical abilities. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia continues to push the envelope season after season, but this episode stands out above the rest. Especially when you have Charlie Kelly, played by Charlie Day, in the drivers seat.
When Marvel's Daredevil came to Netflix, audiences were blown away by Vincent D'Nofrio's powerful portrayal of Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin. By far the standout villain from the Marvel Netflix shows. He could have rivaled Thanos or Loki for the MCU's best villain. But because of the failure behind the rest of the Netflix effort we may never see Wilson Fisk enter the MCU. Though fan's have high hopes we will see Kingpin in Spider-Man No Way Home.
Ted Lasso has been one of the stand out shows of the last 2 years. It is beloved by fans, and continues to rack up award wins and nominations. But what makes Ted Lasso stand so far above other shows on television? The perfect balance of Commitment to Jokes, and Simplicity in it's Absurdness make Ted Lasso truly one of the best shows on TV.
For a lot of people Megan Fox has been written off as just a pretty face. Especially after her very public firing from the Transformers Franchise after its second installment. But what exactly led Michael Bay to fire Megan Fox from Transformers? Was Michael Bay right to let his lead actress leave? Or was Megan Fox rightfully standing up for herself in the midst of a problematic set experience?
The Coen Brothers award winning film No Country for Old Men delivered one of the most terrifying villains in movie history. Javier Bardem, as Anton Chigurh, delivers a bone chilling performance that could rival any horror villain of the last 30 years. He is quiet, but calculated, going after anyone that might get in his way. No Country for Old Men will be remembered for a lot of things, but Anton Chigurh will be at the top of that list.
With the recent influx of Star Wars series on Disney+, audiences may not realize there was another Star Wars show that produced test footage but ultimately found its self back on the shelf permanently. No one other than the small creative team and George Lucas were supposed to see this Star Wars show, and most never will.
Many people growing up in the 90's loved the Power Rangers, but few know of their exact origins. Though Super Sentai fans of course remember Bioman and Galaxy Rangers. Without them, The Power Rangers would not exist in the way they do today. Thanks to some creativity and persistence, The Power Rangers were brought to life in the US.
In 1999, 10 Years after Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, filmmakers wanted another shot at an action/adventure story that took place in the early 1900's. The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser was their answer. When The Mummy finally hit the big screen, fans realized this was the Indiana Jones sequel we've always wanted. Yes, Last Crusade is amazing, but The Mummy immediately took us back to the inspiration that got Indiana Jones off the ground.
Modern Family at one time was the biggest sitcom on television. Giving us a brand new sitcom that broke barriers in showing what a true Modern Family looked like in 2009. As well as a dynamite cast that included TV Legends and several new comers. But by the end of Modern Family's run, the show lost the charm and appeal of the family sitcom, and audiences were left unfulfilled by the series finale.
The X-Files was once one of the biggest shows on TV. The Sci-Fi nature, mysterious alien story lines, and the on screen chemistry between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson (Fox Mulder and Dana Scully) was incredible. Fans of The X-Files tuned in week after week to see their favorite Agents search for UFO's. But late in the shows run its star David Duchovny's Fox Mulder seemed to disappear. Why did The X-Files seemingly get rid of their biggest star?
In today's modern age, it seems we're in a transition from the sequel era into the prequel era. Movies like Fantastic Beasts, Alien Covenant, and Black Widow have been made to take audiences back to the inception of their favorite franchises. But theres one big issue with prequel films like Fantastic Beasts, trying to create new adventures within stories we already know.
Leading into the 2000's, Horror movies had started to fall off the cultural zeitgeist. The road was ending for 80's slasher villains like Michael Myers (Halloween), Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th), and Freddy Kruger (Nightmare on Elm Street), as well as the 90's teenage horror genre. In 2002, The Ring took audiences by storm. The Ring completely changed the landscape for what American audiences were expecting. Movies like The Ring were beginning a new wave of remakes of original Asian Horror ideas and making them for audiences in the US.
Much like DC Comics, the DC Extended Universe has started going down a road causing many die hard fans to suffer from Crossover Fatigue. Every few years DC Comics puts out another Crisis Book seemingly to clean up the timelines they have created over the last decade. When this happens over and over again, fans of DC Comics start to notice the stories becoming old and tired. Can the DCEU prevent this from happening? Or has it already started?
Remember, Remember the casting change that potentially saved V for Vendetta and made it the iconic film it is today. Originally James Purefoy was cast as the titular V, but after a few weeks of shooting the Wachowski's stepped in to make a change. Bringing in fellow Matrix collaborator Hugo Weaving brought V for Vendetta out of trouble and saved the film from it's own demise. V for Vendetta would not be the film it is today without some creative casting choices.
When fan's heard Mad Max was coming back they didn't quite know what to expect. Then Mad Max: Fury Road came out and blew audiences away. The visuals, stunts, and practical effects were above and beyond what audiences were expecting. This was only accomplished because George Miller meticulously planned and prepped this movie frame by frame before cameras even rolled. Mad Max: Fury Road is a perfect action movie, only accomplished due to George Millers persistence and perfectionism.
When That 70's show came to an end, the creators next logical step was to enter the new decade with a new show, That 80's Show. Don't remember it? That's because That 80's Show did not have a long life on television. Completely missing the chemistry and creativity That 70's Show brought to the table with characters like Eric Forman and Michael Kelso. That 80's Show was just a shallow attempt at catching the same fire That 70's Show had for a decade.
If you know anything about Christian Bale you know that his preparation for a role is nothing short of extreme. Using a term called Method Acting, Christian Bale brought the character of Patrick Bateman to a whole new level for American Psycho. Without the amazing performance by Bale, American Psycho would not have the following it does today. Whether it's Christian Bale in American Psycho, Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood, or even Jared Leto as The Joker, Method Acting is a tool used by only a few actors today but it seems to bring out the best in all of their performances.
Over the many seasons of Star Trek we have seen many crews of the USS Enterprise. But after the initial pilot was shot, the entire crew was actually fired except for Leonard Nimoy's Spock. Many Star Trek fans may have heard of The Cage, the first pilot of the show. But few probably know what led to everyone but Spock being replaced with a new crew including the famous William Shatner as Captain Kirk taking over the Enterprise. Star Trek would not be the franchise it is today without this major overhaul.
Cowboy Bebop is long considered one of the best anime's of the last several decades. Beloved by fans, the artistic direction, music, characters, and story bring Cowboy Bebop to a level not seen by many of its contemporaries. With the premiere of the live action Cowboy Bebop, we take a look back at where this storied Anime became a fan favorite.
For some, Lost is seen as one of the greatest shows ever put on television. A truly ground breaking, survivalist drama that changed the way we think about hour long TV Drama's. For others, the longer the show went on the more questions they had, with zero answers. But throughout the entire run of Lost, one episode stands out as truly game changing. Introducing new ways of story telling, while continuing the concept of JJ Abram's Mystery Box, gave audiences a continued sense of intrigue while expanding the world even more.
For many of us, Terminator 2 is the pinnacle of not just action movies, but sequels as a whole. It perfectly wraps up the story set up in the original Terminator film, and gives us an ending in-line with what T2 set up. But a franchise like Terminator is had to leave in the past. Sequel after sequel, this franchise has taken a giant step backwards from what James Cameron initially set out to make. Which is a major problem many legacy franchises have when trying to make new, modern sequels to beloved films.
South Park has gone down in history as one of the most popular animated sitcoms of all time. After 24 Seasons and counting, many South Park fans have their own view on the Perfect Episode. Even the shows creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker have different episodes which they believe brought South Park to the next level. We dive into what exactly makes this episode of South Park perfect and why it has such a lasting impression on the series as a whole.
Modern Horror movies have drastically shifted in tone since the days of the boom in 80's Slasher Villains and 90's Teen Slashers. Films like Get Out, A Quiet Place, Us, and The Purge have all moved towards higher concept ideas, rather than memorable characters. The days of Freddy Kruger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers are long gone, instead studios today rely on high concept scares. Will Modern Horror ever bring back truly memorable villains? Or are we destined for horror movies that scare us more with ideas?
Through out the run of How I Met Your Mother the character of Barney Stinson has gone through a rollercoaster of transformations. From a diabolical ladies man, to a best friend, to a hopeless romantic, back to the ladies man, then to a husband, and eventually a father. It's not often shows like How I Met Your Mother take a main character on such a journey, but for Barney Stinson his character needed the journey to maintain his lovability. Without this change to Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother might not have lasted as long as it did.
Welcome to The Rankdown! A new show on Nerdstalgic with industry professionals breaking down iconic scenes they have worked on. We have Stunt Coordinator and Action Director Jack Grill from The Fast and the Furious franchise breaking down his favorite stunts in his career. Everything from The Fast and Furious franchise, to Venom, Date Night, and a lot more. Jack Gill takes us through an in depth look at his incredible work with car stunts on Fast 5, Venom, Date Night, and Furious 7.
For many fans of Brooklyn Nine Nine, it's tough to pick an episode that's truly bad. Most episodes of the beloved sitcom are top tier comedy. Especially when it comes to the 99's cast of Jake Peralta, Terry Jeffords, and Captain Ray Holt. But one fan favorite character got a very special send off episode, only to be brought right back into the fold only 11 episodes later as someone completely different. Brooklyn Nine Nine had the chance for a perfect exit, but instead almost ruined a characters legacy.
With the boom in Superhero movies over the last 15 years, one thing has become a major issue. Studios don't know how to close a Superhero movie with a decent third act. Most Marvel and DC movies have to end with the character still able to come back for more installments. It's the nature of Comic Book stories. Though none have had a more disastrous third act than Wonder Woman. The first Wonder Woman had a incredibly strong first and second act following Diana's fish out of water story. All for it to come crumbling down when Wonder Woman is face to face with Ares.
Before The OC first aired, Nerd Culture was seen as something to be mocked. Liking things like Comic Books, Star Wars, and Indie Music would get you laughed at and made fun of. So young Nerds never got the feeling that what they liked was actually cool. Until The OC aired and Seth Cohen, played by Adam Brody, came along. Seth Cohen made all that was once made fun of, actually cool for the first time on Television.
The debate over whether or not a film is a "Christmas Movie" has gone on for years. Movies like Die Hard, Gremlins, Batman Returns, Home Alone, and Iron Man 3 all take place during the Holiday of Christmas, but is that enough to qualify it as a Christmas Movie? Iron Man 3 director Shane Black has a habit of setting his stories around Christmas for a very specific reason.
It's not often a TV show has villains at the caliber of Breaking Bad. That's because the series creator Vince Gilligan used clinical psychology when he was developing the antagonists of Breaking Bad. Each one more evil than the next, but all for different reasons. Vince Gilligan was a master at creating truly evil characters throughout Breaking Bad's 5 season run.
For most people, it would be hard to imagine anyone else besides Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine in the X-Men franchise. He's become so iconic in playing Logan, it's like he was born to play this role. But did you know Hugh Jackman wasn't originally cast in the role? Only a crazy series of events landed him the part of Wolverine in X-Men.
Batman the Animated Series is by far one of the most regarded animated Superhero shows of all time. Creators Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm treated the source material with respect and created a show about The Dark Knight that would stand the test of time. But the real reason this show succeeded as well as it did is all due to the Villains. Without The Joker, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, or Two Face the show doesn't see the success it does.
Through the years we've seen many Supervillains appear on the silver screen. Through every Marvel or DC movie there has been a vast array of Villains that have been great and others that have fallen short. But in 2002's Spider-Man directed by Sam Rami, Willem DaFoe gave us one of the most terrifying Supervillains ever, The Green Goblin. DaFoe's Green Goblin was sinister, evil, and could only be brought to life by Willem. Even appearing in the latest Spider-Man No Way Home, DaFoe's Green Goblin stole the show once again.
For many growing up in the 90's, Nickelodeon's Rugrats was not only an original Nicktoon, but a staple in every household. We grew up watching Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil go on adventures and attempt to figure out life. Though one episode of Rugrats was extremely heartbreaking as we learned about a characters tragic backstory.
For many people, James Cameron's Titanic was a cinematic marvel when it hit screens in 1997. The film about The Ship of Dreams not only set box office records, but was recognized with a number of prestigious awards including the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director. Though the ending we saw in theaters was much different than what James Cameron shot. This alternate ending was a big shift in tone, and could have ruined an otherwise perfect movie. Sometimes directors have to make tough decisions when editing a movie. It's a good thing James Camera made this call on Titanic.
Seinfeld will forever be considered one of the best sitcoms to ever appear on television. The shows creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David were a perfect team, keeping the balance of their personalities drives the shows success. But when Larry David left Seinfeld, it almost broke the entire show. Jerry held it together, but after Larry David left Seinfeld was never the same.
Rick and Morty has become one of the most popular shows on television, and for good reason. The series creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland have a very unique ability to borrow and steal tropes and storylines from other popular TV Shows and Movies to create a world like no other. The adventures that Rick and Morty go on continue to become more and more ridiculous as time goes on, but continue to stay grounded in what audience know and expect. The longevity of Rick and Morty is endless, especially with multiple timelines and universes filled with Ricks and Morty's exists.
For many people Quentin Tarantino is one of the greatest film makers or our generation. Films like Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and Kill Bill will stand the test of time as some of the best movies ever made. His 6th film, Inglourious Basterds will go down as giving us one of the greatest cinematic villains ever, Hans Landa played by Christoph Waltz. Christoph would go on to win the Academy Award for his performance in Inglourious Basterds, and the movie would not have been successful with anyone else in the role. Tarantino knew the entire film would hang on this performance, and he found the perfect actor to play Hans Landa in Christoph Waltz.
Kermit the Frog is one of the most iconic characters ever created. Jim Henson' The Muppets took the world by storm, and has carried a legacy of comedic entertainment for almost 50 years. But when Disney acquired The Muppets from The Jim Henson Company, one performer started pushing back to preserve the legacy of Kermit the Frog and ended up being let go from the iconic character.
For many people that grew up watching Johnny Bravo, we think of this Macho Ladies Man in a fondly nostalgic way. But looking back on Johnny Bravo as a whole, the question that must be answered is, Who Was This Made For? Through the lens of modern media, it seems a character like this would never get made today, but are most people misunderstanding Johnny Bravo and his purpose within the show?
For 15 Seasons, and more to come, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has made some of the greatest episodes of television ever made. But early on in the show's run, they decided to try something a little different and it ended up being the worst episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia in the show's historic run.
For over two decades Pixar has generated some of the best animated movies ever created. Toy Story, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc., and so many more will span generations of movie fans. But how is Pixar able to generate box office hit after box office hit? Well, they have a very specific "Pixar Process" that has been proven to work.
On paper, Disney's Tomorrowland should have been a home run. Coming off the success of Pirates of the Caribbean, Tomorrowland was Disney's next venture in creating a movie franchise based on a theme park attraction. But as Tomorrowlands clunky marketing took off, and audiences didn't flock to theaters. It was obvious this was a major mistep for Disney, but how did this happen?
With Spider-Man No Way Home swinging it's way to the top of the box office week after week, we wanted to take a look back at a version of Spider-Man that many have forgotten. Spider-Man Unlimited, possibly the strangest version of our friendly neighborhood wall crawler ever put on television.
Scrubs will always be remembered as one of the best sitcoms of all time. The timeless cast and emotional storytelling created a truly unique half hour comedy. But the legacy of Scrubs took a major hit when ABC decided they wanted to extend the life of the show and try a soft reboot with Scrubs: Med School. Which after a near perfect Season 8 Finale, would ultimately be the shows downfall.
For many, Dexter is one of the best shows to ever air on television. Though many fans would argue that after the incredible 4th Season the show went down hill fast. Dexter's original series finale has gone down as one of the worst TV finales of all time. Finally years later Dexter fans had a shot at a new ending with Dexter: New Blood. Only for the series to miss the mark once again as the season came to an end.
Batman has been a staple of Superhero animation. Batman the Animated Series is considered one of the best animated shows of all time, but Batman Beyond created one of the best Batman stories ever made. Batman Beyond can sometimes be overlooked due to the success of Batman TAS, but still hold a place as some of fan's favorite episodes.
Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood will go down in history as one of the best movie's of it's time. Coming home with multiple Oscar Awards and critical success, There Will Be Blood cemented it's self in cinema history. But none of this could have been possible without the terrifying portrayal of Daniel Plainview by Daniel Day Lewis. Daniel Plainview is the backbone of There Will Be Blood, and his intensity can be felt by every person that sees the film.
There was a time when fans of The Office thought one of the worst things during the show's run was the departure of the beloved Michael Scott played by Steve Carrell. That was until the final season of The Office. When the writers almost broke the hearts of their fan base. Luckily this wasn't the case, and The Office gave fans exactly what they wanted in the end.
Parks and Recreation is by far one of the best sitcoms ever put on television. Season after Season, Parks and Rec grew and evolved to create an ensemble cast that delivered comedic and heart felt stories for 7 seasons. It's hard to choose a bad episode through the run of Parks and Recreation, but there was one episode that almost hindered the shows success early on.
The Fantastic Four has been a long sought after movie franchise that has never quite hit the mark. After several attempts at bringing the Marvel Family to the big screen, no one seems to have understood the source material and what makes the Fantastic Four so special. The series reinvented the wheel for Marvel Comics, can Marvel Studios actually produce a film that will reinvent the superhero movie?
For many fans of the Transformers, the franchise has been headed in a downward spiral for years and years. With each new chapter from Michael Bay the Transformers franchise has just become a mangled mess of explosions and shaky camera work. Until 2018 when the studio opted for a soft reboot of the series with a stand alone Bumblebee movie. Taking Transformers back to square one has been the best thing to keep the series from completely bottoming out.
That 70's Show was at one time one of the most popular sitcoms on television. Building memorable characters in Eric Forman, Michael Kelso, Donna, Jackie, Hyde, and Fez gave audiences a nostalgic look back at the 1970's. As the show grew, the actors became more famous and in demand. After Topher Grace left the show, and they tried to force this new Randy character on us the ratings took a nose dive. Until this one episode saved the entire 70's Show series.
Baby Driver, directed by Edgar Wright, is by far one of the coolest movies ever made. This story about a savant getaway driver named "Baby" is intricately told through a faced paced, music driven script, and stunt work that rivals some of the best in history. It's rare to see an entire character set up using a single stunt, but Baby Driver delivered this like no one has seen before. The music, stunts, action, and story all give Baby Driver one of the most unique stories told in the last 10 years.
With the release of James Bond's Casino Royale in 2006, the world was not only introduced to a new era of Bond Films but also a new era of Bond Villains. Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre was a very different turn for a long list of classic James Bond villains. Gone we're the over the top, mustache twirling bad guys, and in was a dark menacing villain with his back against the wall. Le Chiffre is hands down the most terrifying Bond Villain of all time.
NBC's hit sitcom "The Good Place" was able to captivate audiences for 4 strong seasons by keeping viewers invested in character, and the ever developing version afterlife created by Michael Schur. This perfect episode had some of the best twists in the show, and cemented The Good Place as an all time great. Michael Schur rarely misses, with hit shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine Nine, but The Good Place was something special.
Silicon Valley was a beloved show, that had an all-star cast, and a unique take on the ever changing world of tech. The chemistry between the cast on Silicon Valley is a major component to the overall success HBO saw during the shows 6 season run. But when TJ Miller's Erlich Bachman was written off the show, Silicon Valley took a drastic turn in quality. When the chemistry holding a show together is broken, the show rarely survives.
Marvel's The Punisher series produced by Netflix had a rocky start out of the gate. The character of The Punisher was so perfectly introduced during Daredevil's second season. So why did Netflix and Marvel Studios feel they needed to backtrack and rehash the characters origin story? Let alone, returning to that well throughout the first season of The Punisher. For some reason Hollywood thinks audiences will be lost without a lengthy origin story, but why?
Spider-Man has been a fixture in entertainment for decades. Though, each new version seems to tread the same water with portraying Peter Parker's origin in becoming Spider-Man. Until the recent MCU version of the friendly neighborhood wall crawler. Tom Holland's Spider-Man was thrown right into the middle of an ongoing plot line, forgoing a lengthy origin. That is, until Spider-Man No Way Home finally gave Peter Parker a noteworthy origin for him to become what Spider-Man actually represents.
Batman Beyond is an animated DC Comics series with a die hard fan base. So big, that when brainstorming possible Spin Off's for the series, a lone character that appears in only one episode got the green light. At that moment, The Zeta Project was born. But why exactly did this obscure Batman Beyond character warrant it's own show?
For many, when the original trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog premiered, Sonic seemed like he was designed from someone's nightmares. The internet exploded with harsh criticism over Sonic's almost human-hybrid design. The studio heard the fan's complaints and went into a total redesign before the final film was released. Fans were much happier with the new version of Sonic the Hedgehog.
"LIVE FROM NEW YORK IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT" has been a phrase synonymous with comedic excellence for decades. Saturday Night Live has been a staple of television comedy for over 40 years. Through all the various hosts, musical guests, and cast members the show has taken many forms. Not every host will be a home run, and one in particular almost caused SNL to replace them entirely, days before the show, in favor of an "all cast episode". That didn't happen, and what we ended up getting was one of the worst episodes of Saturday Night Live ever.
Denzel Washington has been a household name for decades. Starring in hit movies like Man on Fire, Inside Man, American Gangster, and Remember the Titans. But his leading role as Alonso Harris in Training Day was by far his most captivating. Earning him his first Oscar for Best Actor, and cementing him as a powerhouse in Hollywood. Training Day will forever go down as one of his best performances in his career.
The Lord of the Rings is by far one of the biggest achievements in film history. Peter Jackson's adaptation of the three books written by J.R.R. Tolkien have won a ton of awards and was highly regarded by critics. Though the Lord of the Rings trilogy was in trouble from the beginning. Viggo Mortensen was not the original actor cast to play the once and future king of Gondor. But luckily when he was eventually brought in, it was proven that the Lord of the Rings would not have been the same movie without him.
When Scott Pilgrim vs The World first hit theaters, it was viewed as only a moderate success. But in the years following, during a massive boom in comic book movies, Scott Pilgrim found new life with a massive cult audience. During an age where superheroes rule the box office, Scott Pilgrim vs the World lives in a world that leaned almost completely into the comic styles in which it was adapted from. Rarely do we see a movie replicate a comic book so well.
Over the years South Park has expanded hundreds of once side characters into hour hold names. Though none have had a bigger impact on the show than Randy Marsh. In the beginning of South Park he was just Stan's Dad, but over the coming seasons we saw Randy take center stage and transform into one of South Parks most popular characters aside from Cartman, Kyle, Stan, and Kenny of course.
Shrek is a franchise that has maintained a hardcore fanbase for over over 20 Years. Mike Myers beloved voice of Shrek, Eddie Murphy's Donkey, and Cameron Diaz's Princess Fiona have become synonymous with the success of the franchise. Though originally both Shrek and Fiona had completely different voices. A tragic turn of events led to Shrek and Fiona being recast, and Shrek was never the same.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been entertainment icons ever since the original comics made their debut. Through countless comics, tv shows, and movies, the Heroes in a Half Shell have seen many different iterations. None more drastic than the tonal change between their first few live action movies. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles continue to push themselves into new territory, but it makes you wonder how they would have been perceived if they followed the tone of the original TMNT movie.
Doctor Strange made his first appearance in the MCU in 2016, but studios have attempted to make a Doctor Strange movie for decades. At one point producers over at Full Moon Entertainment bought the rights to make a Doctor Strange movie, but for some reason never fully acquired them. So what did they do? Create a movie exactly like Doctor Strange but change the Sorcerer Supreme's name to Mordrid. Easy as that.
Bruce Lee was a cultural icon. His stunt work, martial arts, and general persona were admired for decades, even after his tragic passing. 30 years later, Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill hit screens as a gritty martial arts film. But Kill Bill was secretly Tarantino's secret revenge film attempting to right the wrongs Bruce Lee saw during his time in Hollywood.
Batman has been one of the biggest pop culture icons for decades. From Comic Books, Television, Movies, Video Games, Merchandise, Batman continues to be loved by generations of fans. But do you know the complete story of how Batman became the cultural juggernaut that he is? In this new series we are going to walk you through the complete history of Batman. From his inception in Detective Comics through the Michael Keaton Era, Animated Series, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson. This will be the definitive timeline of Batman from inception to present day.
For decades, Quentin Tarantino has crafted some of the most ruthless villains in film history. The evil that dwells within these characters can truly be felt by audiences with every line they speak. But it wasn't until Django Unchained that Tarantino created a villain so horrible, that it him uncomfortable. Played by Leonardo DiCaprio, Calvin Candie in Django Unchained will forever be one of the most reprehensible characters ever put to film. And DiCaprio's performance in Django Unchained truly sells the horrific qualities of Calvin Candie.
Saturday Night Live has been a cultural staple for over 40 years. Building memorable characters that audiences would want to see week after week. The characters on SNL became so popular that Lorne Michaels finally started creating feature films around them. Movies like Waynes World, The Blues Brothers, and Coneheads proved that SNL Characters could translate from small to big screen. But over the coming years the popularity started to fade, and eventually lead to the death of seeing our favorite Saturday Night Live characters on the big screen.
When The Kingsman: Secret Service hit theaters, audiences were blown away at the slick action, stylized comedy, and unique storytelling. This James Bond style spoof was a major hit both critically and financially. When The Kingsman: Golden Circle released, it seemed audiences wanted more Kingsman, but were let down by the lack of innovation. Then the prequel, The Kings Man came out, and was far from what Kingsman fans wanted from the beloved franchise. How did The Kingsman movies all go south so fast?
Friends will forever be seen as the quintessential primetime sitcom. During its run, it was by far the most popular show on TV, and paved the way for countless other shows copying the format to match its success. Show like How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory definitely succeeded, but both made the format their own. New Girl however, had great success sticking almost too close to the format set by Friends. New Girl and Friends aren't carbon copies, but there are more than enough similarities to prove where New Girl got its inspiration.
The Big Lebowski will forever be one of the greatest cult classics ever made. The Dude, Walter, Donny, and The Jesus will forever be some of the greatest characters on film. Though, one question begs to be asked, did anyone really need a Big Lebowski Spin Off movie starring ONLY Jesus Quintana? John Turturro thought so, and gave us Jesus Rolls. But who was this movie really for?
Jackie Chan has been a cultural staple for decades. His unique brand of comedic martial arts has taken him on a road very few have walked. Influenced by Bruce Lee, Charlie Chaplin, and Buster Keaton, he is not only a superb martial artist, stunt man, and actor, but he is known to put everything on the line for his artform. This includes his own life. One stunt in particular almost took Jackie Chan's life from him, and he never had a second thought. Executed to perfection, Jackie Chan's famous stunt from Police Story will forever be one of the most dangerous stunts he ever performed.
In this second installment of our three part series, we take a look at the next chapter in the long legacy of Batman. After Batman and Robin tanked at the box office, Warner Brothers needed a new direction for The Dark Knight. Bringing in up and coming director Christopher Nolan, WB was taking Batman into a more gritty, realistic tone of storytelling. The release of Batman Begins, and the follow up The Dark Knight will stand the test of time as not only the best Batman Movies ever made, but they started a cultural shift in what audiences expected from the superhero and comic book genre.
When The Boys first premiered on Amazon Prime, it took the world by storm. It was the first time other than Deadpool we saw Superheroes in a gritty, violent, R-Rated environment. Audiences were instantly pulled into this heightened reality of superheroes in real life. Though the original comics of The Boys written by Garth Ennis doesn't quite hold up to the TV Series. The Boys, on Amazon, took the source material and really improved upon the stories and themes they were telling.
Jurassic Park will forever be considered one of the greatest blockbuster films of all time. Steven Spielberg delivered a film that will live in the minds of movie goers forever. Though, with each attempt at a sequel to the beloved franchise, it seems making a good one is near impossible. With the introduction of the Jurassic World franchise, it's become even more clear. Jurassic Park will forever be the only good installment in the franchise. But why?
Back in 2009, Cartoon Network decided to push the envelope and try a new slate of premium programming with Cartoon Network Real. The network primarily known for animated tv shows was dipping it's toes into live action with a series of shows trying to compete with the likes of MTV and Nickelodeon. Cartoon Network Real was almost doomed from the start, and never really caught on. But how did Cartoon Network Real even get it's start in the first place?
Damien Chazelle's movie Whiplash is the perfect representation of what a toxic student/teacher relationship can be. J.K. Simmons portrayal of Terence Fletcher will forever be one of the most terrifying and chilling representations of the mental stress a teacher can put on a student. Terence Fletcher is a manipulative and sociopathic teacher at a top music school, using his tactics to bend the will of his students into what he believes is greatness. Whiplash would not hold the weight it does without Terence Fletcher's insanity on screen.
Better Call Saul is gearing up to return for it's final season, and there have been many episodes one could consider perfect. The follow up series to Breaking Bad has stood on it's own as a truly great series. But this specific episode of Better Call Saul, that lands directly in the middle of the series, could be considered a perfect episode of television. While we move closer to connecting the timelines of Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, we look back at what made Jimmy McGill become Saul Goodman.
The Michael Mann movie Heat will forever be considered one of the best action movies ever made. The gritty realism, dedication to detail, and razor sharp dialogue puts Heat above almost every other action movie of the last 30 years. But this wasn't Michael Mann's first attempt at directing this script. Before Heat, Mann released his film LA Takedown, which is basically the same movie. But why did Michael Mann direct the same movie twice?
In our final episode of The Legacy of Batman, we take a look at Ben Affleck's Batman effect on the DCEU through Robert Pattinson's gritty portrayal of The Dark Knight. A new wave of DC Heroes have been hitting our screens, but no other has taken the risk of Matt Reeve's The Batman. From the early aughts through present day, Batman will forever be one of the greatest superheroes ever put to page or film.
In the early 2000's it seemed Judd Apatow had a stranglehold on the comedy scene. Movies like The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Anchorman, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Pineapple Express were instant classics. But in 2009, his release Funny People seemed to mark a dramatic shift in Judd Apatow's career. He had moved on from the crazy, raunchy comedy, and towards a more personal take on his stories. Today he seems to be a sort of Godfather of Comedy for many up and coming creatives, and maybe that's all we need.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is by far one of the most successful movie franchises in history. From Iron Man to Avengers End Game we saw a linear timeline, packed with adventure, action, and many surprises. But entering Marvel's Phase 4, starting with Black Widow, it seems the MCU is going down the familiar path that Marvel Comics once went through. Audiences are waiting for the story to click into place, but Marvel is playing the long game.
Bobs Burgers has been a cultural staple since it first debuted in 2011. Turning the sitcom family dynamic on it's head, Bob's Burgers stood out above the other shows at the time. Specifically because Bob Belcher is he perfect evolution of the storied TV Dad trope. Bob Belcher is a kind hearted, patient, loving father that wants to provide for his quirky family. Unlike Homer Simpson, Peter Griffen, and even Fred Flinstone, Bob Belcher is what made Bob's Burgers such a special animated comedy.
Saturday Night Live has been a staple in comedy for over 40 years. With a long list of heavy hitters that have come through the doors of Studio H at 30 Rock, SNL has maintained a level of success never seen in another sketch comedy show. Though one of it's most successful alumni, Adam Sandler, was fired after just a few short years on the show. Leaving SNL behind, Adam Sandler became one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. But how did Sandler make all this possible?
When John McTiernan's Predator came out in 1987, it started a major shift in sci-fi action movies. The main villain, The Yautja, was one of the more terrifying creatures put on screen at the time. A true horror movie filled with plenty of action. Through Predators many sequels and reboots, it seems our main villain has become less and less about actual horror moments and more about big action set pieces. Predator has long moved on from it's horror roots, but that might be it's biggest problem.
Any Marvel fan will tell you the first two Thor movies are less than favorable. It wasn't until Taika Waititi's Thor Ragnarok that fans across the multi-verse finally jumped on board with the Norse God of Thunder. But one key component was missing, Natalie Portman's Jane Foster. Why was Jane Foster suddenly gone from the Thor franchise? Why did Natalie Portman finally decide to come back?
With nearly 40 years of experience in Hollywood, Tom Cruise is typically cast as the main protagonist or hero of a film. Most notable for his outstanding performances in cult classics, blockbusters, and academy award winning films, Tom Cruise decided Michael Mann's Collateral was the best opportunity to explore an evil character. Throughout Collateral, Vincent is a mastermind of manipulation and violence., and Tom Cruise nails the performance.
The short lived sitcom, Dinosaurs, was a big swing in 1991 when it first premiered on TV. It followed the Sinclair family in a world where Dinosaurs and Human roles were reversed. The Jim Henson Company was a big driver in the moderate success Dinosaurs had, but even after a 4 season run, it's hard to tell who Dinosaurs was even made for?
In its prime, The Arrowverse was the most accomplished and impressive Superhero crossover series ever put on television. Leading the charge with shows like The Flash, Green Arrow, and Supergirl, the CW Arrowverse was a major part of the comic book landscape on network television. But after the roster of superheroes expanded, the Arrowverse seemed to lose all it's steam. The once beloved crossover phenomenon had become a bland iteration of the superheroes fans once loved where neither Supergirl, The Flash, nor Green Arrow could save the day.
Harley Quinn, portrayed by Margot Robbie, is by far the best and most popular character in the DCEU. Without Margot's performance, Harley Quinn wouldn't have the success she has today. With the fallout of a shaky start to the DCEU, Warner Brothers knew they had to run with the only thing that was working, Harley Quinn. Giving Harley her own vehicle in Birds of Prey cemented the fact she is capable of leading a film, but where will Dr. Harleen Quinzel go from here?
David Finchers' Se7en, starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, is still one of the most chilling detective stories ever put on film. Se7en is a masterclass in directing, editing, and cinematography that really puts the audience on the edge of their seats as they try and solve the mystery along with our detectives. With an A-List cast, a director paving his way in the industry, and a villain that sticks with you for years, Se7en was a ground breaking achievement in the genre.
Few characters on Television get the farewell given to Michael Scott on The Office. Most of the time when a character leaves, it's a quick goodbye and the show keeps moving. But The Office took its time with an extended episode to give Michael Scott his final goodbye. This final episode for Michael Scott was everything it needed to be and more. The Office was never the same after Michael Scott left, but his goodbye was perfection.
Parks and Recreation will forever be one of the greatest sitcoms ever produced. Originally thought of as a spin-off of The Office, the show didn't start out very strong. But as Parks and Rec progressed, audiences began to fall in love with the cast. This episode of Parks and Recreation finally brought our cast together, and started a run of television rarely seen today.
Robert Zemeckis is best known for timeless classics like Forrest Gump, Back to the Future, and Castaway. But in the years following these classic films, Zemeckis took a turn to a full CG world in Polar Express and Beowolf. This turn towards technology would be his downfall. Gone were the days of Back to the Future, and he was now stuck in a digital world that never stuck with audiences.
The Walking Dead TV Show has been a cultural staple for over a decade now. With the long running series, spin-off shows, and future movies planned, it's hard to tell why exactly Andrew Lincoln stepped away as Rick Grimes on The Walking Dead. The main show is slowly coming to an end, but will we actually see Rick Grimes appear in any future Walking Dead projects?
For many there are a few seminal Mob related movies made in the last 50 years. Films like The Godfather Goodfellas, The Departed, have all crafted some of the best characters in film. But Martin Scorsese's Casino delivers one of the best villains of them all with Joe Pesci's Nicky Santoro. Casino gives us a real dynamic between our main anti-heroes, and Nicky Santoro will forever be one of the best.
After Marvel's Phase 4 ended, fans everywhere were eager to see where the studio would head next. Phase 5 is almost complete, and with mixed reviews. Now, Marvel CEO Kevin Feige has finally announced what the future holds for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it all ends with Secret Wars. But what exactly is in store for Marvel's upcoming Phase 6?
When Peter Jackson's The Hobbit Trilogy was finally announced, we knew going in it would be hard to recreate the magic of the original Lord of the Rings Trilogy. And after seeing the first Hobbit film released, audiences knew it wouldn't. There is a lot to dive into as to why The Hobbit Trilogy failed to connect with audiences, but this scene in the first Hobbit movie encapsulates everything that's wrong with the Trilogy and why it was never going to come close to the original Lord of the Rings.
Seth Rogen has had a long and successful career navigating the roads of Hollywood. With classics such as Knocked Up, Superbad, and The 40 Year Old Virgin, Seth Rogen has cemented himself as a driving force in comedy. Though his collaboration with Judd Apatow on Pineapple Express might be his best accomplishment. Taking the typical "stoner comedy" and elevating it into a true action/comedy is no easy feat, and Pineapple Express will forever be the peak of the mountain top.
Throughout the run of Modern Family we saw our lovable cast of characters grow up right before our eyes. Something like this hasn't been done before, and should have been a story about change and development. Though it seems the Modern Family creators fell short with the character of Haley Dunphy. She seems to grow past the immature demeanor early in the show, only to divert right back to where she was before Modern Family's final episode.
Throughout their 33 year run, The Simpsons have given audiences some of the best episodes of television in sitcom history. Every fan that has seen The Simpsons has a different view on which episode is the best, or their favorite. Though, as the longest running animated sitcom in history, there have been some bumps along the road. This episode in particular will go down as one of the worst episodes of The Simpsons in their storied history.
Almost everyone at one point grew up watching Sesame Street. Learning our ABC's and Numbers from the likes of Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, and countless others. Sesame Street was the best educational show for children on TV. That was until one episode of Sesame Street that was scaring kids so much, parents wrote into the network to get the episode pulled from syndication.
When it comes to wrapping up a beloved television show, none have done it better than Breaking Bad. The AMC Smash Hit starring Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul didn't overstay it's welcome, and delivered an incredible finale that will probably never be rivaled. Breaking Bad's final episode Felina encompasses everything the show had to offer during its run. Now the ending of Better Call Saul, gives the ending of Breaking Bad that much more weight.
Mad Men's Don Draper will forever be known as one of the most compelling and complex characters to ever grace the television screen. Throughout the world of Mad Men, Don Draper is seen as an elitist advertising executive, hell bent on achieving the American Dream. Though, as the show unfolds over its 7 Seasons, Don Draper's story is found to be way more complex that it look on the surface. Mad Men will forever be considered one of the great television dramas, and all of that starts with Jon Hamm's portrayal of Don Draper.
Superhero origin stories seem to be making a big push again through Hollywood. Some are welcomed with open arms by fans, and others like X-Men Origins: Wolverine were so bad, it begs the question why they even made it in the first place. With the fast rise of the X-Men's popularity, and especially Wolverine, it's no wonder the studio jumped at the opportunity. But hindsight is 20/20, and a sloppy Wolverine origin story set the X-Men franchise back quite a bit.
The Matrix will forever be one of the most groundbreaking movies ever made. It's new approach to story telling, effects, and character made The Matrix a timeless classic. But as much as our main character Neo drives the story, the main villain Agent Smith is what brings it all together. Agent Smith is one of the most terrifying and chilling villains in film history, and his story through the Matrix Trilogy will cement it forever.
When Adam McKay's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy hit theaters it took the world by storm. Anchorman was by far one of the funniest movies of the time, and utilized improv to the best it could. A few years later Anchorman 2 was released to less than great reviews. A lot of the negative press around Anchorman 2 was about it's bloated run time and overuse of improv comedy. Proving that too much of a good thing can seriously tank your production.
Without a doubt Andrew Garfield's Amazing Spider-Man movies got off to a very rocky start. Coming out too close to the Toby Maguire Spider-Man Trilogy and a messy rogues gallery of villains basically set this franchise up for failure. Garfield's Spider-Man movies almost got even more complicated with a competing love story between Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy and Shailene Woodley's Mary Jane Watson. Luckily Marc Webb course corrected and Mary Jane Watson was cut from the final film.
The Thundercats animated series was a staple of 90's animated shows. Beloved by many, the Thundercats were a massive success that not only launched a much sought after toy line, but paved the way for many other shows to follow in its footsteps. After the shows cancellation in 1989, it was hard to say whether or not we'd get new stories of our favorite catlike humanoids. Until 2011, when Thundercats came back with an all new rebooted series. Though it received a lot of backlash from the Thundercats fanbase.
Stranger Things has been by far the biggest thing Netflix has ever produced. From the moment Season 1 premiered, it took the world by storm. But now that we're 4 seasons deep, and expecting a 5th, theres one big problem Stranger Things needs to fix. The cast has grown way too big. If Stranger Things wants to come in for a clean ending, it's about time to start cutting down on main characters.
For many fans, the DCAU is the crowning achievement in adapting DC Comics to the screen. Animated stories around Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the Big 7 are still some of the best ever presented. Though the best episode of Batman Beyond was actually in season 2 of Justice League Unlimited. Justice League Unlimited set the bar so high, it was impossible for other shows to overtake it.
As far as Harry Potter villains go, Bellatrix Lestrange is one of the most terrifying. Her love and admiration for Voldemort pushes her to places very few Harry Potter villains go to. It's not about power, overtaking Voldemort, it's about doing whatever she thinks will get his attention like a little girl with a big crush. Her actions are chaotic and psychotic, and the performance by Helena Bonham Carter puts Bellatrix Lestrange into a whole new category of Harry Potter villains.
Between Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Loki, Hulk, Wanda, and many more, it seems that Marvel has run into a Multiverse problem. Through the recent installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, "breaking the multiverse" has almost become the new villain threaded throughout the stories. With every new adventure, it seems the balance of the Multiverse is at steak. But how many times can Marvel actually threaten the destruction of the Multiverse before it loses all its suspense?
When Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings Trilogy first came out, it was thought to be a perfect adaptation of the famous book written by J.R.R. Tolkien. When talks of going back and adapting the Hobbit, it seemed director Guillermo Del Toro was a perfect match to bring Middle Earth back to life. But as things turn out, Del Toro would soon leave the project after months of work, and Peter Jackson would step back into the directors chair for the Hobbit Trilogy we know today.
The original Universal Monsters are by far some of the most iconic horror characters in film history. Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and others were some of the first horror characters to frighten audiences for decades to come. Of course everything has to be rebooted these days, and Universal's attempt at retooling the Universal Monsters to fit a more modern approach failed at every turn. How could they mess up the Universal Monsters this bad?
Family Guy is one of the longest running animated shows in history. Along the likes of The Simpsons and South Park, it seems Family Guy is going to be a mainstay for many years to come. But throughout Family Guy's historic run, there have been a fair share of great episodes, and terrible episodes. We take a look at one of the all time worst episodes of Family Guy.
Have you noticed lately that all Superheroes seem to talk the same? Whether it's Marvel Studios or the DCEU each new iteration in their universe seems to have a very similar tone to how their heroes speak to each other. With quick snappy dialogue, tons of jokes, and seemingly personable characters both Marvel and DC have fallen into a formula that audiences are catching onto.
Kill Bill Vol 1 and Vol 2 are probably at the top of Quinten Tarantino's filmography. The two movies staring Uma Thurman and David Carradine as Bill will forever be two of his crowning achievements. But other than The Bride's spectacular performance, one thing that really makes this movie great is the villain Bill. Though we don't see much of him in Vol 1, his presence is felt throughout the entirety of Kill Bill.
When James Cameron wanted to make a sequel to Ridley Scott's sci-fi epic Alien, there was a lot at stake. Not only was Cameron relatively inexperienced at the time, but the notion of making a sequel to Alien was hard to get green lit. Even as production got started James Cameron hit a pretty substantial speed bump. His original actor playing Cpl. Hicks was fired from production, only to be replaced with a completely new person. But why exactly did they fire the original Cpl. Hicks from Aliens?
During the Saturday morning cartoon boom of the 1980's, it seemed there was a direct line being established between its youth audience and the amount of merchandise being produced for their favorite shows. G.I. Joe, Transformers, Masters of the Universe, Transformers and many others started developing toy lines aimed specifically at kids. Week after week kids would watch their Saturday Morning Cartoons and be exposed to hours of commercials selling their favorite toys. But were these toy lines for animated shows actually brainwashing the kids watching the programs?
When Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's Superbad first debuted, it took audiences by storm. It was a coming of age High School story, about two best friends out for one last night of partying before college. This simple premise captivated it's fan base, and Superbad instantly became one of the best High School comedies ever produced. But the most interesting element of Superbad's production, was it was actually written by 2 kids when they were in middle school.
Marvel's X-Men have had a storied history from their initial appearance in the comics through an animated series, and multiple feature films. Though X-Men the Animated series had some of the best story arcs of any other medium. This is by far the best episode of X-Men the Animated Series.
Doctor Doom has been a mainstay in the Marvel canon for decades. He is one of the best villains ever put to the page, and has had several attempts at adapting him to the big screen. Though it has turned out adapting Doctor Doom to a feature film is a lot harder than expected. Will we get to see a new Doctor Doom before Marvel Studios releases it's Fantastic Four movie?
When Robocop first debuted, it quickly became one of the biggest action franchises of the time. For decades following, Robocop's fanbase would be ravenous for sequels, but this 2014 Remake was doomed from the start. What exactly made this Robocop remake so incredibly bad?
When Better Call Saul first aired in a Post Breaking Bad world, everyone knew it was going to be a tough challenge maintaining the level of quality in a new show. But Better Call Saul immediately proved Vince Gilligan had struck gold twice. Though the entire cast was magnificent, Rhea Seehorn's Kim Wexler was one of the most complex new additions to Better Call Saul and the Breaking Bad Universe.
Throughout Futurama's storied run, there have been numerous cancellations and revivals. It's happened so many times that Futurama actually has 4 series ending within the series. Though the final episode to air, Meanwhile, is by far the most perfect ending Futurama could possibly have.
When Disney first announced it would be taking the famous Disneyland ride Pirates and adapting it into the major motion picture Pirates of the Caribbean, many fans had doubts the House of Mouse could pull it off. But when Pirates of the Caribbean Curse of the Black Pearl first debuted, it was instantly a classic. But as time went on, it seemed Disney was draining every ounce of prestige from the Pirates franchise. Eventually leading to a dramatic downfall of the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
Love it or hate it, Game of Thrones was a cultural phenomenon during it's original run on HBO. Yes, the show as a whole fell off near the end of the series, but that doesn't take away from the monumental achievements the show produced over the years. Game of Thrones Season 6 episode, Battle of the Bastards will forever be one of the greatest battle sequences ever put on television. But how exactly did Game of Thrones create such a compelling sequence only to fall off a cliff the very next season?
Spongebob Squarepants has been a mainstay in pop culture ever since it's debut in 1999. Though few would have predicted the lasting impact Spongebob would have on it's fanbase. It seems the fandom stretches from older millennials all the way to their kids. But going through the history of Spongebob, it's hard to tell who Spongebob was even made for. Kids, or the adults that would be watching alongside them?
James Bond is one of the most storied characters to ever grace the silver screen. With new actor that portrays James Bond, there is a splashy intro to set up who this new Bond will be. Though none have been more impactful than Daniel Craig's intro in Casino Royale. Taking the character in a new direction Daniel Craig's James Bond was a Bond for the ever-changing Hollywood landscape.
When Iron Man 3 first hit theaters, it had a lot to live up too. Not only was the MCU moving along at a high rate of speed, but the Iron Man Franchise was a at a turning point after the middling reception to Iron Man 2. Marketing a showdown with a storied comic villain in The Mandarin, fans couldn't be more excited. But one scene in particular quickly diminished any speculation that Iron Man 3 would be a turning point in the MCU.
Gangs of New York's Bill the Butcher is considered one of Daniel Day-Lewis's best roles. Yes, there are wonderful performances from the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, and Martin Scorsese's direction can't be out done. But Daniel Day-Lewis brought honesty and a ruthlessness to Bill the Butcher that no one else could match. But what exactly makes Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York so terrifying?
The Office's Ryan Howard, played by BJ Novak, is something of an enigma. Starting as the audience POV into the life of Dunder Mifflin Scranton, Ryan Howard had a drastic evolution followed by a devastating downfall. Even though he's billed as a lead member of The Office cast, he never seems to rise to the level of fan favorites, Jim, Dwight or Pam. But what exactly happened to Ryan Howard during his tenure at Dunder Mifflin?
No animated show on earth has lasted longer than The Simpsons, and for good reason. After over 30 years of being on the air, it seems the Simpsons have been working with a winning formula every year. It all began during the early years of the show when The Simpsons was first finding its voice. And as the torch was passed to new show runners, they used the previous blue print to create an absolutely perfect season of The Simpsons.
In today's world it seems like everyone knows the name Darkwing Duck. However, upon looking back at the animated homage to early pulp heroes, it begs the question, who was Darkwing Duck made for? The animation style, characters, and story lines all mimicked the pulp stories of the past, but made them relatable to modern audiences. The Duck Tales spin off, Darkwing Duck was a big gamble, but has proven to have been a major success.
When The Matrix first debuted it instantly became one of the best movies of all time. The Matrix pushed the sci-fi genre in new directions with cutting edge technology and a story unlike any other. Though when it came time for the subsequent sequels, one Matrix star felt he was owed more than he deserved. Eventually being fired from The Matrix sequels, it seems he missed out on a major career move all because of greed.
When Ahsoka Tano was first introduced into Star Wars canon in the original Clone Wars animated movie, it was clear that fans were not happy with Anakin Skywalker's new Padawan. But as time went on, Dave Filoni and the rest of the Clone Wars staff evolved Ahsoka into being one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars Universe. And now that we have our live action Ahsoka Tano, it seems the fandom will only continue to grow within the Star Wars community.
When the first Taken movie hit theaters, it seemed Liam Neeson was on his way to a redemption in the action movie genre. Taken put Liam Neeson into a new light for movie going audiences. Though the popularity led to an immediate green light of 2 sub-par sequels. Both Taken 2 and Taken 3 proved that the magic was not going to last. But what exactly happened to the Taken franchise?
Nightcrawler's Lou Bloom, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, might be one of the creepiest villains of the last decade. It's not just the profession of filming grizzly accidents for the news, but in the way he carries himself. Lou Bloom is what makes Nightcrawler such a great film. And Gyllenhaal does a phenomenal job of selling Lou Bloom's darkest desires.
Mike Judge's King of the Hill set a new bar for father and son relationships in sitcoms. Too often we see the likes of Homer and Bart Simpson or Red and Eric Forman. But Hank and Bobby in King of the Hill elevated that relationship to a place most people can relate to. King of the Hill was not just a powerhouse animated sitcom, it brought a fresh take on how a father and son can be so different but also understand each other.
Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam might be one of the more disappointing movies for the outgoing DCEU. With over a decade of production trouble, as well as a botched marketing campaign from The Rock, Black Adam came out to less than stellar reviews. Which in turn, was the final nail in the coffin for the DCEU franchise. But how exactly did Dwayne Johnson make Black Adam that final nail in the coffin?
Robin Williams portrayal of Mrs. Doubtfire is one of the best performances of his career. The premise alone could be that of nightmares, but Robin Williams brings a sense of humanity, joy, and warmth to Mrs. Doubtfire. Without Robin Williams this movie may not have been made, and Mrs. Doubtfire wouldn't be the cultural staple it is today.
In a world with non-stop sequels, reboots, remakes, and cinematic universes it seems the traditional "movie sequel" may be dead. With the 2nd installment in the Knives Out franchise, Glass Onion, it seems that studios will do anything to force a cinematic universe into existence. Mysteries like Knives Out used to be self contained stories, but when Glass Onion was released with the subtitle A Knives Out Mystery, it proves Netflix is once again trying to establish the next great cinematic universe akin to Marvel or DC.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are by far one of the most popular properties to come out of the 90's. Through TMNT's comics, movies, animated shows, and video games, the Ninja Turtles had taken the world by storm. But when Michael Bay and Co. decided to reboot the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles it obvious the fan community would not be excited about this. And when Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows came out it was certain that this version of TMNT was going to be a complete failure.
For many, Jurassic Park is one of the best films ever made. With each Jurassic Park sequel, none could match the quality of the first installment. That trend would continue with the Jurassic World trilogy. But when the first Jurassic World premiered, this one scene encapsulates everything they did wrong with the Jurassic World franchise.
Often times deleted scenes are taken out for a reason. They often add unnecessary run time and don't support the overall story. But for How I Met Your Mother this deleted scene from the show's controversial finale could have saved the entire episode. How I Met Your Mother's ending falls pretty flat, but with some extra context it could have been seen in a different light. But why exactly did they cut this important scene from the finale of How I Met Your Mother?
Few shows on television deal with family issues the way Arrested Development did. With its intricately woven web of parental mistakes, petty grudges, and inter-generational emotional baggage Arrested Development made looking at family trauma hilarious. It's a fine line to walk, but Arrested Development nailed it.
Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is widely considered not only the best Batman movie ever made, but one of the best superhero films ever produced. The Dark Knight gave us the brilliant Joker performance by Heath Ledger, but it also redefined Batman on the silver screen. And this opening scene from The Dark Knight set the table for Batman to be redefined for the modern era.
Indiana Jones is one of the most celebrated film franchises in history. Mostly due to the titular character of Indiana Jones, but proven through the attempted "passing of the torch" in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It seems any time a major franchise like Indiana Jones attempts this move in order to stretch the franchise, it fails spectacularly.
When Austin Powers first came out, it was seen as a great James Bond parody film. Hitting all the nuances and plot points of a James Bond film, but satirizing the idea of the beloved spy film. But one thing no one saw coming was the immense popularity of the titular villain Dr. Evil. A perfect parody of the James Bond villain Blofeld. Though as time has gone one, it seems people have begun to forget Blofeld and think of Dr. Evil as his own character.
The first Die Hard movie is a near perfect film. Everything about the story, characters, and plot are well crafted and deliver on everything set up. Though as Die Hard sequels kept being produced, each iteration seemed further and further away from what the original Die Hard created. But how exactly did the Die Hard franchise crash and burn this badly?
School of Rock is one of those timeless movies that has appealed to both kids and adults ever since it's initial debut. A big reason for that is the star power behind the movie's lead Jack Black. Jack Black brings a unique energy and point of view to the character Dewey Finn, and to a point that it couldn't be replicated by any other actor. School of Rock didn't make Jack Black's career, but it will always be one of his most popular films.
Through out all the insane stunts in the Mission Impossible franchise, we see Ethan Hunt risking his life to save the world. But one big difference between Mission Impossible and other films in the genre is that it keeps it's lead human. We remain on the edge of our seats because we see a frailty in Ethan Hunt that he overcomes with each installment. Mission Impossible keeps it's characters grounded while pushing them to their limit.
Batman Beyond is one of the more popular animated DC shows. Though the final episode of Batman Beyond, titled “Unmasked”, wasn’t even remotely a finale. It was just a run of the mill adventure. Eventually Batman Beyond would get the ending fans wanted, but inside a completely different show.
Without a doubt Friends is one of the most celebrated sitcoms in television history. The cast of eccentric characters will forever live in the hearts of Friends fans everywhere. Though most of the characters like Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe all have arcs that evolve over the series, Joey ends the show pretty much in the same place he started. But how is it that Joey was the lone Friends cast member left behind?
The American version of The Office is without a doubt one of the most successful sitcoms in television history. Adapted from the popular U.K. version starring Ricky Gervais as David Brent, it rose to such popularity that other countries wanted in on the action. After a number of years countries across the globe were developing their own versions of The Office. But how is it possible that one idea can be molded to fit different cultures so seamlessly?
Theres no question when Deadpool was first introduced on screen in X-Men Origins: Wolverine fans everywhere were extremely disappointed in this portrayal of the Merc with a Mouth. Luckily after a leaked proof of concept, Deadpool was finally given the respect he deserved on the big screen. But how exactly did the studio think first version of Deadpool would win audiences over?
There seems to be an ongoing trend within the superhero genre. Ever since the rise in popularity with superhero films, it seems that every hero seems to fight in the same style as everyone else. Whether its the DCEU or the MCU, there isn't much of a difference behind each character and the way they take on villains. On the page each superhero has a distinct character background that informs how they move. When translated to film, our favorite superheroes seem to all fall into the same gimmick time and time again.
Bob's Burgers is a near perfect show just on it's own. The Belcher family is not your typical animated sitcom family. They operate fully out of love and admiration of each other, even when things seem to work against them. But this episode of Bobs Burgers showcases the Belcher family at their craziest and most wholesome.
Just over 25 years after it's initial release, Titanic is still considered one of the greatest blockbusters ever made. James Cameron perfectly marries his ability to tell timeless love stories with his passion for realism in story telling. The stunt work within Titanic is utilized to sell the immense scope of one of histories greatest disasters. Even 25 years later, these stories, stunts, and connections continue to live on as fans flock back to theaters to see Titanic on the big screen once again.
Ever since James Cameron's first installment The Terminator, John Connor has been set up as this almost mythical being that is destined to save the human race. After meeting him as a child in Terminator 2 Judgement Day, it seemed logical that the next time we'd see John Connor would be fighting the machines in a post-apocalyptic future. Though with each installment after Judgement Day, it seems the idea of John Connor has gotten lost completely.
When the first Scary Movie debuted in theaters, the slasher genre was at an all time high. Movies like Scream and New Nightmare were captivating audiences everywhere. But with Scary Movie's perfect parody being such a success it wouldn't be long for the parody genre to play itself out with a tidal wave of terrible movies. How exactly did Scary Movie's success lead to the downfall of an entire genre?
Uncharted is one of the best video games produced in the last 15 years. Fans everywhere were ecstatic when news broke they were finally adapting Uncharted to the big screen. But what we ended up getting in the Tom Holland Mark Wahlberg feature was the furthest thing from the Uncharted movie we wanted.
When Pitch Black first came out, it seemed Riddick movies were onto something new and special. Though as Chronicles of Riddick came out along side other installments it was clear that Vin Diesels dream was becoming more of a nightmare. But how exactly did the Riddick movies turn out this bad?
Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the most adrenaline fueled action movies to come out in the last 10 years. With it's emphasis on practical stunts, immersive cinematography, and next level production design, Mad Max would push cinema to new heights. Aside from our heroes, Immortan Joe stole the show. Immortan Joe is a villain that stands above many in the genre, and provides a grim out look on the landscape of Mad Max.
Big Bang Theory was a force to be reckoned with when it was at it's peak on CBS. Though not all of Big Bang's characters got the same treatment when it comes to meaningful story telling. Raj Koothrappali was the one main character on Big Bang Theory that seemed to be more caricature than real person. Even when finally given a meaningful story line, the writers were quick to course correct and undo everything they had built.
Will Smith's I Am Legend is the rare movie that could have been saved by it's alternate ending. Theatrically I Am Legend ended with a bang, literally, but the ending left audiences with a bad taste in their mouth. The original, true to the source material ending, would have been a more fitting end to the emotional arc of I Am Legend. And it seems the studio agrees, after I Am Legend 2 was confirmed to be working off the original ending rather than the theatrical one.
Initially, Gargoyles was a massive risk for Disney. Known for their squeaky clean children's programming, Disney was not known for darker more mature stories in their shows. But during the rise of Batman the Animated Series, Disney needed a show to compete, and that show was Gargoyles. Gargoyles was not only a home run, but years later still has a big fan base.
Within Edgar Wrights Cornetto Trilogy, most fans gravitate towards Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz as their favorite installment. Though the Worlds End is the absolute perfect way to wrap up a trilogy steeped in homages and references. Edgar Wright approached The Worlds End from a different angle than Hot Fuzz or Shaun of the Dead. Exploring the ideas of youth, nostalgia, and of course pub crawling.
How I Met Your Dad, not to be confused with How I Met Your Father, was the first attempt at an attempt to recapture the magic of How I Met Your Mother. Though after seeing the Pilot for How I Met Your Dad, it's obvious even the creators of How I Met Your Mother didn't know what they were doing. Everything seemed to fall short of it's predecessor How I Met Your Mother, and test audiences unanimously agreed.
Secret Identities used to be a staple for all superheroes. Clark Kent to Superman, Bruce Wayne to Batman, Peter Parker to Spider-Man, but in todays' modern superhero landscape all that has fallen to the side. The MCU and DCU have put our favorite superheroes into the public eye, and have put more focus on their superhero identity rather than their public persona. Everyone knows who's Iron Man, it's no secret who Black Widow is, but how has that changed how we consume these adaptations?
Adam Sandler without question is a comedy icon. Movies like Billy Madison, The Waterboy, Happy Gilmore, and The Wedding Singer put Sandler on the map. Though as his career moved forward it became obvious that Adam Sandler was building every movie essentially off the same character type. But audiences didn't care. There have been some less than great Adam Sandler movies, but overall his roles in both comedy and dramatic movies have cemented him as an icon.
The first Independence Day starring Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum is universally beloved. ID4 as it's known, has become a timeless classic about peoples will to survive during an aline invasion. The sequel, Independence Day Resurgence basically forgot everything that made the first Independence Day great in the first place. But how did a movie so beloved get a sequel so despised?
In the early stages of Nickelodeon, the network set out to break new ground within kids' animation. Trying to set itself apart from the clean-cut Disney image, Nickelodeon was trying to reach viewers in a different way. 'Hey Arnold' took that thinking to the next level. The entire cast of Hey Arnold was built attempting to relate more to kids and put them into the shoes of the on-screen characters. But what they didn't know at the time was Hey Arnold was about to change kids' animation forever.
The James Bond franchise has had it's share of ups and downs throughout it's 60 year run. Each time a new 007 is brought in the tone of the franchise seems to shift. None bigger though when Pierce Brosnan took up the mantle as James Bond in Goldeneye. Seemingly saving the franchise and breathing life into Bond, it would only take a few more installments for Brosnan to almost destroy the James Bond legacy.
Kang the Conqueror or Kang the Disappointment? After seeing Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania it's hard to tell which side Kang will land on. So far the biggest threat to the Marvel Multiverse hasn't quite lived up to expectations. But how did Marvel go from one of the most compelling villains in history, Thanos, to what seems to be a very messy origin for the newest MCU Big Bad?
Batman Beyond is without a doubt one of the best Batman stories ever made. Though we've passed the torch from Bruce Wayne to Terry McGinnis, they main reason this show was so successful was Batman's Rogues Gallery. Without a sprawling cast of villains, Batman Beyond wouldn't have reached the heights it did.
Prior to his breakout performance in 21 Jump Street, Channing Tatum was seen by most as just "generic handsome guy". Teaming up with Jonah Hill, Christoper Miller, and Phil Lord, finally gave audiences a chance to see Channing Tatum's as more than a rom com hear throb. 21 Jump Street let Tatum show off his acting chops, and even landed him future roles with some of hollywoods biggest directors. Without 21 Jump Street we may have never seen what Channing Tatum could do.
For over 25 years, South Park has been a staple of pop culture. With it's biting satire, and timeless characters, South Park has cemented it's self at the forefront of adult animation. Though fan favorite character Chef seemed to disappear without much notice. Why exactly did Chef leave South Park? And how did South Park creators handle the aftermath?
When The Lego Movie first hit theaters, no one expected the breakout star to be Batman, voiced by Will Arnett. Lego Batman was so popular, a spin off movie was green lit almost immediately. Not only did we get a fantastic spin off, but we got one of the most faithful adaptations of Batman ever put to screen.
Assassin's Creed is hand down one of the more popular game franchises of the last 2 decades. With an expansive world, deep lore, and tons of action, Assassin's Creed seemed like a no brainer for a big screen adaptation. But the Michael Fassbender Assassin's Creed film was far from the adaptation fans wanted. Why did Ubisoft think this was the route fans wanted for an Assassins Creed movie?
Michelle Yeoh. Jet Li. Chow Yun-Fat. Jackie Chan. All were Asian Martial Arts performer who transitions into genuine A-List Hollywood fame. Though these legendary Martial Arts performers have had a long, lustrous career. It seems performers of this magnitude are becoming fewer and far between. Actors like Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa are mainstays in the industry, but the Martial Arts transition to Hollywood has been in a drastic decline.
Ever since International Man of Mystery premiered, Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, and the many other characters played by Mike Myers are still household names. Wish some going so far as to become more popular than the James Bond characters Mike Myers was parodying. Only the legendary Mike Myers could have brought these characters to life, only his silly genius could have created a franchise that stands the test of time.
Hawkins Police Chief Jim Hopper, portrayed by David Harbour, is without a doubt one of the fan favorite characters on Stranger Things. So much so, that Stranger Things creators, The Duffer Brothers, decided to bring the Jim Hopper back in Season 4, even after his on screen death in Season 3. With this one decision, Stranger Things revealed a major flaw with it's handling of fan favorite characters.
Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy The Vampire Slayer is by all accounts a cultural staple of sci-fi television. Though after the initial Buffy pilot was shot, our favorite vampire slayer almost didn't see daylight. Luckily a new pilot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was shot, and the rest is history. But what exactly was so bad about the original Buffy pilot?
Movie Posters used to be one of the mail selling points for films in Hollywood. A great poster can tell an entire movies story in a single captivating image. Though as the years progress, and IP ownership remains king, poster design has become messy and uninspired. Where have the days of Saul Bass, Bob Peak, and Drew Struzan gone? Is the art of movie poster design truly dead?
When thinking of Ridley Scott's Gladiator, your first thought may be the electric performance by the films hero Russel Crowe. Though the most chilling performance belonged to Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of Commodus. Commodus was a cold and unrelenting villain that brought chills to audiences. Joaquin Phoenix may not have taken home the Oscar for playing Commodus in Gladiator, but his performance go down as one of the most chilling villains in film history.
It's no secret that most fans consider the final season of How I Met Your Mother to be the worst in the series. Though not many can put a finger on what exactly went wrong. Some point to Jason Segel's contract dispute with How I Met Your Mother producers, but is that the whole story? Why did one of the central characters of How I Met Your Mother almost jump ship before the shows final season?
Harrison Ford's portrayal of Indiana Jones is one of the most iconic characters in film history. Though his weirdest turn as Indiana Jones had to come in the TV Show created by George Lucas, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. How exactly did Lucas convince Harrison Ford to reprise his role as Dr. Indiana Jones, for this ultimately strange episode?
Ex Machina was a low budget sci-fi movie with ambitions that changed an industry. The visual storytelling within Ex Machina was unlike anything audiences had seen before, and that was due to a world class VFX team and a director willing to take a chance. The painstaking production of Ex Machina may have been low budget, but you can't see it in the final product.
Biopics have been around almost as long as motion pictures. Films like Ali, A Beautiful Mind, Chaplin, Lincoln, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Rocketman, all bring extraordinary real people to the silver screen. Though the modern day landscape of Biopics have run into a problem. Films like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman are often compared, but whats the major difference in films like this? It's the way a Biopic decides how to balance the real persons life with an entertaining narrative.
Theres no debate that stunt work is the most dangerous job in the film industry. When Andy Samberg and the rest of the Lonely Island crew set out to make Hot Rod, they knew things had to be dialed up. The reason Hot Rod works so well is because of the commitment by the stunt team. With out a dedicated crew, Hot Rod wouldn't have been the cult classic it is today.
Superhero movies have been a stable at the box office for over 20 years. But introducing a comic book character to a wider audience takes a certain set of skills. Skill that James Gunn has proved time and time again, starting with the Guardians of the Galaxy. The way Guardians of the Galaxy introduced Star-Lord is not only perfect, but subverts the expectations of many viewers. James Gunn was born to direct the Guardians of the Galaxy, and his entire filmography proves that.
New Girls is hands down one of the more successful sitcoms of the last 10 years. One of the main reasons New Girl lasted as long as it did was the attachment fans had to the primary cast. Though, at first many people found Schmidt annoying and irritating. Luckily over the course of 7 Seasons, New Girl was able to turn Schmidt into a fan favorite character.
Home Alone and it's sequel Lost in New York are widely considered two of the best holiday movies ever made. There is a certain charm around Macaulay Culkin's portrayal of Kevin Mccallister and audiences instantly connected with it. Though as time went on, studios attempted to capitalize on the popularity of the Home Alone brand, but it failed spectacularly. Home Alone without Kevin Mccallister just isn't Home Alone.
Zac Efron was once an actor seemingly stuck in the publics image as, that kid from High School Musical. Though as years progressed, Zac Efron set out to prove he was capable of so much more than playing a teenage heartthrob. Starring in the comedy Neighbors alongside Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, and Dave Franco was that start of a major shift in the roles Zac Efron would be offered. Proving to the movie going public that he was a real talent, and was not about to be typecasted the rest of his life.
After running for 12 seasons, Big Bang Theory is widely considered one of the more successful sitcoms in history. Though not without it's speed bumps, this episode of Big Bang Theory is hands down the worst episode in the series run. How exactly did Big Bang Theory think taking their main characters down this road would sit well with it's fan base?
When the Lego Movie was first announced, no one thought it would have the cultural impact it did. Not only did the Lego Movie exceed audience and critic expectations, it actually changed the animation industry forever. But how exactly did the creators make the Lego Movie look so, Awesome?
At the height of it's popularity, Entourage was a dramatic, hilarious, voyeuristic peak behind the curtain into the lifestyle of Hollywood's rich and famous. But even after Entourage came to a close on HBO, every story line was reopened in order to bring audiences the Entourage Movie. Though today's media landscape and overhaul of the Hollywood system as we knew it has made fans of Entourage start to reevaluate what the show really had to offer.
It's no secret that the Fast and Furious franchise has gotten out of control. When the first Fast and Furious movie came out in 2001, it was basically a Point Break remake but with cars. Now, over 20 years and 10 movies later, it seems our team of street racers have become international spies with super human abilities. But how exactly did the Fast and Furious Family go from the streets of LA to outer space? How has Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto basically become Superman?
Movie Trailers may have started out as a tool to sell films, but over time they have evolved into their own spectacle. Before a film is released there are a multitude of Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots, Web Shorts, and even Trailers before the Trailer starts. How did Hollywood turn from a simple marketing tool, to a an ever expansive industry of movie trailers that mostly give away the entire plot of the film? How did Hollywood crush the Movie Trailer?
When NBC's Heroes first debuted in 2006, it was drastically ahead of it's time in the superhero genre. Airing 2 full years before Iron Man came out, Heroes was a very different look at what superhero stories could be. Though as the series progressed into season 2, the Writers Guild of America went on strike and Heroes would never recover.
Scrubs was a sitcom known not only for it's over the top comedy, but also it's more dramatic story lines. Scrubs ran for 8 Seasons, plus a 9th spin off season, and there are a multitude of incredible episodes. But one entire season specifically pushed our favorite characters to new heights, started new evolving storylines, all while maintaining the silly comedy Scrubs was known for. All coming together for a truly perfect season of television.
Ever since their debut, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been a staple of pop culture. Through several animated tv shows, to live action movies, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have had many different looks and redesigns. But how has each TMNT design influenced it's predecessors? How have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles been able to evolve while also remaining our favorite heroes in a half shell?
The Mission Impossible franchise is best known for the death defying stunts pulled off by it's lead Tom Cruise. Mission after Mission, the franchise pushes the envelope to draw audiences in. Though one often overlooked aspect of the Mission Impossible franchise are the villains. And this entry into the Mission Impossible story provides the franchises most terrifying villain to date.
Superhero's and their Sidekicks have been a staple of the comic book industry since it's inception. A sidekick was not only meant to help combat villains in the superhero universe, but was also a device used to push the main hero forward, keep him accountable, and expand the story week after week. But in the modern superhero filmic landscape, the superhero sidekick has become a thing of the past. But why has Marvel and DC abandoned a once essential part of superhero stories?
The world of contemporary martial arts cinema continually re-invents itself every generation. And yet, The Raid 2 towers above the rest. Both The Raid and The Raid 2 showcase some of the best martial arts stunt sequences ever put to film. In fact, The Raid 2 is considered so good, the director Gareth Evans has said there's no way to top it for a potential The Raid 3. But how is it that The Raid 2 was able to pull of stunt work to such perfection?
The Lord of the Rings will forever be one of the greatest film trilogies to ever hit the silver screen. Not counting The Hobbit movies, The Lord of the Rings changed the landscape of adapting classic novels to the big screen. Though one member of the Fellowship didn't quite live up to his novel counterpart. Legolas, played by Orlando Bloom, didn't really have a whole lot to do in The Lord of the Rings, besides killing some orcs and looking cool while doing it.
Friends is without a doubt one of the most successful sitcoms in television history. Most of that success is due in part to the absolutely perfect cast of Friends. Though as the seasons went on, and the show became more successful, the studio wasn't willing to pay the full cast their fair share. So it came down to paying the cast of Friends what they were worth, or potentially firing two of the main cast members.
Silence of the Lambs is still well known as one of the most disturbing horror movies ever made. The film was so widely regarded, Silence of the Lambs took home several Academy Awards, including Best Actor. Sir Anthony Hopkins portrayal of Hannibal Lecter will forever be one of the most iconic villains in film history. But how exactly did Sir Anthony bring Hannibal Lecter to life for Silence of the Lambs?
Audiences knew well in advance that there were two magician movies coming in 2006. Both The Prestige and The Illusionist were due to hit theaters around the same time. This Twin Film Phenomenon occurs all the time, but how? How do Twin Films end up releasing in the same year. Movies like The Prestige and The Illusionist aren't alone with releases like A Bugs Life and Antz, or more recently White House Down and Olympus has Fallen.
When Frank Miller first created the world of Sin City, it was made to be virtually unfilmable. Until director Robert Rodriguez was able to prove that the world of Sin City would translate to film in a very specific way. But how exactly was Robert Rodriguez able to take Frank Millers vision and adapt Sin City so flawlessly to the big screen?
Sacha Baron Cohen, known for his roles as Ali G, Borat, and Bruno, was one of the pioneers of the modern prank show. Of course shows like Candid Camera existed before Ali G took screens by storm, but Sacha Baron Cohen was able to master the art from and inspire countless others like Eric Andre, Punkd, or the cast of Jackass. Even transitioning to the big screen with all three characters, Ali G, Borat, and Bruno cemented Sacha Baron Cohen as the king of the prank show.
Spider-Man is without a doubt one of the most lucrative superheroes ever put to film. With three different franchises, and countless appearances in the MCU, Spider-Man proves to be successful time and time again. Yet, Sony in their attempt to get a Spier-Man Villain Universe off the ground has failed at every turn.
Steven Spielberg is widely considered one of the greatest film directors of all time. With a filmography containing countless classics like Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, Indian Jones, and countless others. Steven Spielberg has done one thing better than any other director. His sense of wonder and imagination brings films to life in a way no one else can replicate. Steven Spielberg not only invented the modern blockbuster, but has continued to elevate his craft almost 40 years after his initial debut.
NBC's The Good Place was a breakout hit when it's first season debuted in 2016. The initial reveal that our main cast of The Good Place were actually in The Bad Place was a major twist most didn't see coming. Then throughout the following seasons, The Good Place had another major twist in mind, the redemption of it's main villain Michael. But how exactly did The Good Place transform a literal Demon into one of the greatest sitcom characters ever?
Hugh Jackman, most known for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, was once cast as the lead of the movie Drive. Though during a tough pre-production process, the film changed directors and Hugh Jackman decided that he and auteur director Nicolas Winding Refn weren't the right fit. The film would later go on to cast Ryan Gosling in the iconic role, but how different would Drive have been with Hugh Jackman behind the wheel?
Guy Ritchie's first two movies Snatch and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels put the director on the map in the gangster film genre. Though Guy Ritchie's next run of films, mostly from major studios, would not live up to his original outings. Aladdin, King Arthur, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E, we're all panned by critics. Until he rediscovered his roots with The Gentleman, proving that maybe Guy Ritchie should just stick to gangster movies.
Ever since the dawn of motion pictures, filmmakers have been thinking of new gimmicks and tricks to get audiences to go see movies. 3-D movies are far from the first gimmick audiences got tired of quickly. Though movies like James Cameron's Avatar show signs that 3-D can work in cinema, most movies that utilize 3-D to tell stories don't work quite as well. But how did 3-D become so popular, only to fade as quickly as it did?
The Flash has been one of DC Comics fan favorite superheroes since his inception in the 1940's. Though after countless comic books, tv shows, and cameos, it seems a truly great movie surrounding The Flash never got any traction. Hope's were high for Ezra Millers feature length The Flash film, but upon it's release it seems the DCU still has a long way to go in order to make a truly great Flash movie.
When Tina Fey first set out to create 30 Rock after her highly successful run on Saturday Night Live, it seemed the pilot was doomed to fail. The one thing that stood out was the casting of Jenna. The original 30 Rock pilot had a completely different actress in the role of Jenna. After pivoting towards a more sitcom oriented actress 30 Rock was given the green light, and the rest is history.
The Wilhelm Scream is a sound effect most people would recognize, but few actually know it's history. From Star Wars, Batman, Lord of the Rings, Toy Story and countless others, The Wilhelm Scream has been an inside industry joke for decades. But how exactly did The Wilhelm Scream become such a staple in Hollywood? How did this Warner Brothers archive sound effect make its way into the cinematic classics?
For close to 85 years, Superman has been a beloved piece of global iconography. Through countless comics, tv shows, and movies, Superman has stood for doing the right thing, and helping others no matter the cost. Though in Man of Steel, Zack Snyder directed a sequence that has most wondering if Superman is still the hero they all love.
Without a doubt JJ Abrams is one of the most recognizable directors of the decade. Resurrecting franchises like Mission Impossible, Star Trek and Star Wars put the director on the map, but one famously personal touch may have gone too far...Lens Flares. JJ Abrams is now more known for his use of Lens Flares than his large body of work. But in his more recent films, it seems JJ Abrams has stepped away from the use of Lens Flares, almost entirely.
Bruce Lee is without a doubt the most well known martial artist to make the jump to American cinema. His skill set would become famous around the world, and audiences would flock to see Bruce Lee in action. Though after his untimely death, there was a massive wave of Bruce Lee imitation films that flooded the movie market. But why exactly were there so many Bruce Lee knock off films?
Since the dawn of cinema, writers and directors have been adapting beloved books and stories into feature length films. Several of these renowned stories have seen multiple adaptations throughout history as well. Willy Wonka, Winnie the Pooh, Harry Potter, Dune, Lord of the Rings, have all seen multiple adaptations from multiple directors. But as we approach yet another adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and possibly a brand new Harry Potter franchise, we start to ask ourselves, do we really need more adaptations?
Christopher Nolan is by far one of the most successful directors of the last 2 decades. With countless films, across many genres, Christopher Nolan seems to have an obsession with Time. Movies like Momento, The Dark Knight, Dunkirk, Tenet, Oppenheimer, and pretty much everything else in Nolan's filmography all have a running thread of time, and how it affects his story. But why is it that Christopher Nolan uses Time as such a key aspect of all his movies?
Movie Ratings today seem like a standard way studios let audiences know what is appropriate for certain ages. Though this seemingly arbitrary system has a deep history of censorship in Hollywood. From the early days of The Hayes Code and it's evolution into the movie ratings system we have today, it seems there are different rules for different players when it comes to releasing feature films. But how exactly did we get to where we are today, and do we even need the movie rating system anyay?
Today, Robert Downey Jr.'s career couldn't be in a better place. After his portrayal of Tony Stark in Iron Man led to the beginning of the most successful movie franchise in history, it seemed RDJ could do no wrong. But in the years before Iron Man hit theaters, Robert Downey Jr. was seen as a major liability and unemployable by most movie studios. But one lucky turn in this Shane Black movie changed everything for Robert Downey Jr., and led to his massive career turnaround starting with Marvel's Iron Man.
When the first Conjuring movie hit theaters, it was a welcome breath of fresh air to a genre that had been on the downturn. Ed and Lorraine Warren's fictional debut was met with high praise, enough to warrant a Conjuring sequel. Though with this new found popularity, an avalanche of Conjuring spinoff's started coming out with Annabelle and The Nun. Making audiences ask themselves, do we really need a Conjuring Cinematic Universe?
It should be no surprise that the DCEU wasn't the first attempt at creating an interconnected universe of characters from DC Comics. Though one attempt at creating a Wonder Woman TV show was destined to fail. Even though shows like Smallville found success on television, a show surrounding Wonder Woman couldn't find the same footing. So why exactly did they fire this version of Wonder Woman, and what could it have led to within DC Comic properties?
In today's movie landscape, when a mid-budget comedy does well, it's only natural studios decide to rush a sequel to capitalize on it's popularity. Though in the case of movies like Ted 2, the sequel completely destroys the legacy of the original. Seth Macfarlane's Ted 2 changed audiences perspective on the first one, but it's not the first time this has happened. So how exactly do sequels like Ted 2 make it to theaters, only to disappoint audiences?
Harry Potter is without a doubt the most famous character Daniel Radcliffe has portrayed in his long career in Hollywood. Though unlike a lot of child actors that are cast in iconic roles, Daniel Radcliffe was able to lift himself out of the Harry Potter image and explore a truly weird and amazing career. Through Swiss Army Man, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, Miracle Works and so much more, Daniel Radcliffe has shown his affinity for the weird and strange. Though he'll still always be remembered for his iconic portrayal of The Boy Who Lived.
Looking back, Agents of Shield may have just been Marvel's attempt at claiming territory in the network television space, but after 7 Seasons it proved to be more than a flash in the pan. Though one glaring issue with Agents of Shield is the complete disconnect from the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One major casting choice could have fixed all of that, by casting Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury as the lead of Agents of Shield instead of Clark Greggs Agent Coulson.
Saved by the Bell is without a doubt one of the cornerstone sitcoms of the early 90's. The cast of characters at Bayside High resonated with audiences at the exact right time. Though Saved by The Bell was originally created as a completely different show, Good Morning Miss Bliss. Though the studio couldn't quite get Good Morning Miss Bliss off the ground, the change to Saved by the Bell literally saved the show from complete cancellation.
The first Shazam movie starring Zachary Levi took movie audiences by surprise. At the time many fans were unhappy with the direction of Zack Snyders DC Universe, but the first Shazam was a breath of fresh air. The sequel, Shazam Fury of the Gods was a different story. Panned by critics, and ultimately a box office failure, Shazam Fury of the Gods came and went with most not even noticing. But how exactly did a sequel to a sleeper hit superhero movie end up this bad? How did Shazam Fury of the Gods fail so spectacularly?
Without a doubt, Groundhog Day has become synonymous with the Time Loop genre. Though a story of a character reliving the same day over and over works across almost every genre imaginable. Groundhog Day may have paved the way for Happy Death Day, Palm Springs, Edge of Tomorrow and countless others, but the real question is how long will Hollywood keep repeating itself with Time Loop stories? Without a doubt, Groundhog Day has become synonymous with the Time Loop genre. Though a story of a character reliving the same day over and over works across almost every genre imaginable. Groundhog Day may have paved the way for Happy Death Day, Palm Springs, Edge of Tomorrow and countless others, but the real question is how long will Hollywood keep repeating itself with Time Loop stories?
When the first LEGO Movie was announced, it seemed like an obvious marketing campaign for the LEGO brand to sell more toys. What we got however, was a truly unique story and next level animation from a team that revolutionized the way real world toys could be animated. But for it's sequel, The LEGO Movie 2 The Second Part, it seemed audiences were not as amazed at the little innovation that transpired between films. So what made The LEGO Movie 2 such a disappointment?
It's no secret that The Office's Michael Scott and Toby Flenderson are mortal enemies. Though, throughout The Office's 9 Seasons, there wasn't a concrete reason for Michael and Toby's animosity. Until a deleted scene was uncovered showing the exact moment Steve Carell decided that Michael Scott and Toby Flenderson were going to hate each other. But what exactly triggered this character moment and changed the course of The Office for the rest of it's run?
When released, the first Saw movie took audiences by surprise and practically invented a whole new sub-genre of Horror films. At the center of Saw is Jigsaw, the engineer of pain and morality, and he has left a trail of carnage that will spread ten movies when Saw X is released. But how exactly did the Saw franchise give audiences such an iconic villain that would stand the test of time over 10 movies? How has Jigsaw become one of the most recognizable villains in Horror history?
The Walking Dead, at one point, was one of the biggest shows on television. Adapted from the comic books of the same name, The Walking Dead, started out as an extremely true adaptation of it's source material. Though one Walking Dead characters story arc was extended a little too long, and the show suffered because of it.
Green Goblin, from Sam Rami's 2002 Spider-Man is by far one of the best comic book villains brought to the silver screen.| Willem Dafoe's performance as Green Goblin is incredible, but one thing is holding this Spider-Man villain back from perfection, his mask. Why does the movie version of Green Goblin have this horrible mask, and why wasn't this Spider-Man villain more comic book accurate?
When it was first announced that Michael Keaton would be returning to the role of Batman after over 30 years, fan's were instantly excited.| Though most were confused by the fact that Michael Keaton's Batman would be making his DCEU debut in 2023's The Flash. Why exactly was this Keatons first shot at jumping back into Batman? And why would it be the last time we ever see Michael Keaton portray the Dark Knight?
Bob's Burgers is not only one of the best animated sitcoms on television currently, it's also one of the most loving and wholesome shows on TV.| Though when Bob's Burgers was first in development, there was a much darker tone to the Belcher Family. Who knows if Bob's Burgers would have the success it has if the show maintained that dark tone. But after 14 seasons, it seems the Bob's Burgers creator made the right call.
For a big part of his career, it seemed Robert Pattinson would forever be associated with the Twilight Saga.| Though, he wasn't the biggest fan of Twilight in general, so Robbert Pattinson set out to change audience perspective. Working on some critically acclaimed indie projects, Robert Pattinson escaped Twilight by showing off his range as an actor, and choosing the right projects at the right time. But what movie specifically separated him from the sparkling vampires of Twilight?
Tom Cruise is without a doubt one of the biggest movie stars on the planet.| Starring in action packed roles like Mission Impossible, it's hard to see Tom Cruise slide into other genres. Though his turn in Tropic Thunder as Les Grossman, might be one of his best roles to date. Tropic Thunder not only showed us the comedic side of Tom Cruise, it cemented his character Les Grossman as one of the best supporting characters in a comedy. But why exactly did Tom Cruise decide to put on the fat suit and bald cap for Tropic Thunder?
The Battle of Helm's Deep is often cited as one of the best sequences of the entire Lord Of The Rings movie trilogy.| Though what we saw in Two Towers was an alternative edit to hide one a very important Lord of the Rings character. But why exactly did Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson decide to alter Helm's Deep in the first place?
From the moment it was conceptualized, A Goofy Movie had to fight to get out from under the overbearing thumb of Disney executives.| But upon it's release, A Goofy Movie proved to be the right move at the right time. Dealing with creative conflict, budgetary constraints, and a disheartening lack of faith within Disney, A Goofy Movie proved that a little faith in a smaller movie can pay off huge in the long run.
Slow Motion in film used to be intentional, powerful, and story driven. Slow Motion was meant to shine light on emotion and impact for certain sequences. Though, in today's filmic landscape, Slow Motion has become more a gimmick than a story telling device. Whether it's every Matrix Ripoff attempting bullet time, or most of the Zack Snyder led DCEU, Slow Motion has inflated run times, and caused a slow death to an effect that used to mean something.
While many people consider Freaky Friday one of the best Body Swap movies ever made, the trope is a tale as old as time. Body Swap stories have been laced throughout history in novels, radio shows, television, and of course film. Freaky Friday may be the most memorable for most people, but movies like Jumanji, Freaky, and even Shazam give us new looks at this age old trope. But do we really need more Body Swap movies?
Throughout film history, there have been several camera tricks used by directors and cinematographer to portray different emotions and tones. The Dutch Angle might be one of the one of the most used tricks in the book. But where did the Dutch Angle actually come from? And why do so many filmmakers use The Dutch Angle in their movies?
Deleted Scenes, Bloopers, and Alternate Endings are noting new when it comes to a movies home release. But Dodgeball may have taken that trend to a whole new level. Upon release of the DVD, Dodgeball fans were treated to some of the weirdest bonus features possibly ever put on a wide release. Including a completely depressing ending that Dodgeball fans have never seen. What do you think of the "original" ending of Dodgeball?
It's no secret that the Anti-Hero is not a new character type. Though for a brief period it seemed most major networks were attempting to create stories around Anti-Heroes specifically. From The Wire, The Sopranos, and Deadwood, to Breaking Bad and Mad Men, these Anti-Hero characters dominated the small screen for almost a decade. But in today's television landscape, it seems the Ani-Hero has been almost forgotten about.
It's no secret that Post Credit scenes have been around for decades. Though The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become so synonymous with the Post Credit scene that audiences have become trained to wait after every movie they see. But this far into the MCU, has Marvel completely killed the allure of the Post Credit scene? Once used to tease new stories that are coming soon, it has now become mostly a gimmick. Has Marvel killed the Post Credit scene for good?
Ryan Gosling is an actor that most everyone seems to have a specific image of. With a run of movies like The Notebook and Crazy Stupid Love, Ryan Gosling was seen as nothing more than a handsome heart throb relegated to romantic comedy and dramas. But one movie proved Ryan Gosling was so much more than that, he was legitimately funny and could carry multiple genres on his back. The Nice Guys was a movie so underrated, no studio even looked at sequel opportunities. Though one could argue, Ryan Gosling doesn't show up as Ken in Barbie, without The Nice Guys.
Today, The Emperor's New Groove is seen as an underrated comedic classic in the Disney vault. But to Disney, The Emperor's New Groove will always be remembered as just a deeply troubled production. So much so, Disney tried to erase an entire behind the scenes documentary about the making of The Emperor's New Groove from existence.
When the animated superhero show Invincible first hit Amazon Prime, audiences were quickly enamored with this new look for comic book adaptations. Invincible was a showcase of next level action-choreography for American animation. The show is both a love letter to and a deconstruction of everything great about superhero stories. Proving that we need more adult centered animation, like Invincible, produced in the US.
American television networks remaking British sitcoms is not a new strategy. Sometimes, like in the case of The Office, it can work out better than expected. In the case of The IT Crowd, it went horribly wrong. The original IT Crowd is immensely popular both in the US and UK, and for good reason. The American reboot of The IT Crowd missed the mark on almost every level. So much so the network decided to turn off The IT Crowd without turning them back on.
Leonardo DiCaprio is by far one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. Though after his initial foray into the Hollywood machine, it seemed the young Leonardo DiCaprio was forever going to be typecast as the teenage heart throb. That is until he made his turn in Scorsese's Gangs of New York. Gangs of New York showed the world that Leonardo DiCaprio was capable of so much more. Leading to roles in The Departed, Django Unchained, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Revenant, and countless other classics.
The Harry Potter franchise will forever be loved by generations of fans. Every Harry Potter fan has their favorite book, or movie, but generally a love for the entire series has grown the franchise into a world wide juggernaut. Though towards the end of the movie franchise, one movie specifically stands out as the absolute worst Harry Potter movie.
The Universal Monsters are some of the greatest horror icons of all time. Monsters like Dracula, Frakenstein and The Wolf Man have been brought to the big screen several times since their inception. Though in 2010, The Wolf Man was adapted into quite possibly the worst attempt ever made. The Wolfman was not only a terrible reincarnation of The Wolf Man, it was one of the biggest financial failures in history at the time.
It's no secret that there were several re-castings throughout the Back to the Future franchise. Though the firing of Crispin Glover who played George McFly started a conversation around an actors likeness that was still being fought over during the 2023 SAG Strike. Re-casting George McFly is one thing, but using prosthetics and makeup to make another actor look like Crispin Glover in Back to the Future 2 was a step too far. But why exactly did George McFly get fired from Back to the Future?
When Season 1 first hit the airwaves, True Detective was a force to be reckoned with. With an cast starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, and a story unlike any of seen before, True Detective was truly lightning in a bottle. Though as we move into Seasons 2 and 3, True Detective began a downward spiral. Can Season 4 of True Detective, Night Country, recapture the magic of Season 1?
Shrek and Donkey will forever be one of the best animated duo's in history. When Shrek first hit theaters audiences fell in love with not only the characters but the story and it's parody on fairy tales. Though the villain of this animated film, Lord Farquaad, may have been a parody of Disney's most powerful executive. Shrek will forever be a beloved children's movie, but as you peel back layers of the onion it seems there's a lot more behind the curtain than audiences realize.
Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul's Gustavo "Gus" Fring, is without a doubt one of the best TV Villains ever to grace the small screen. Starting in Breaking Bad, and continuing through the prequel Better Call Saul, we saw a story of a man who would stop at nothing to achieve success. Gus Fring had an incredibly chilling presence in both shows. But what made Gustavo Fring so terrifying to begin with? How does such an unassuming character grow into one of the most chilling villains on TV?
We've all seen movies start with a phrase like "Based on a True Story" or "Inspired by True Events", but what exactly does that mean? Films like Bohemian Rhapsody, Oppenheimer, Elvis, and countless others use this phrase to trick audiences into thinking the story they are seeing is true. But often times these "Based on a True Story" movies are using the truth as a blueprint to tell their story. When is it ok to bend the truth in order to tell an exciting story?
Captain America: Civil War not only changed the course of the entire MCU, but it set a new bar for superhero movies in general. Though, even with it's boundary pushing elements, Captain America: Civil War is not without it's share of problems. Whether you look at the adaptation from the comic book series, or the larger implications within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its clear Captain America Civil War isn't a perfect movie, but it's dang close.
For many, the worst season of Community is Season 4, also known as The Gas Leak Year. Many Community fans would like to forget that Season 4 exists all together after creator Dan Harmon was not involved, but there is one season of Community that is far worse. When NBC decided not to pick up the hit sitcom, it transitioned to another streaming service, only to fail miserably. Did they green light a final season just to meet the in-joke of "Six Seasons and a Movie", or did they actually think they could reignite the fire?
When Jonah Hill first broke onto the scene, he was instantly a name to watch in the comedy scene. Starring in both cult classics and big studio successes like The 40 Year Old Virgin, Grandma's Boy, and Superbad, Jonah Hill a rising star, but most people saw him as the funny, fat, sidekick most of the time. After his co-lead in Superbad, he decided to make a change, and starring in Moneyball alongside Brad Pitt would be a launching pad to the next level of Hollywood Success.
In the 90's, animated superheroes started taking over the small screen. Superheroes like Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and X-Men were mainstays in households across the country. But as X-Men the Animated Series was coming to an end, Fox was quick to try and keep the Merry Mutants on TV. Though the X-Men project, Generation X was a massive failure, it seems today Disney has tried to erase it from existence all together. But why has Disney attempted to bury this admittedly bizarre attempt at TV Movie in the X-Men Universe?
There might not be an actor in Hollywood that has had a career as insane as Nicolas Cage. Through several massive successes, critical failures, and cult followings, Nicolas Cage has become more than just an actor. Nicolas Cage has become known for wild acting styles, weird personality, and his ability to find diamonds in a sea of independent film scripts. After decades of back and forth success, it seems today Nicolas Cage has ascended traditional Hollywood and has become a genre all his own.
When the original Zombieland first debuted it was an instant classic. Deep in the height of the zombie craze, Zombieland was a smart, witty, and hilarious story of found family surviving during a Zombie Apocalypse. It was so successful that Amazon attempted to remake the movie as a TV Series. Though without the original Zombieland cast, and a subpar script, it didn't make it past the pilot stage. But what made this Zombieland TV Show SO terrible?
Since it's inception, Godzilla has been responsible for binging in literal billions of dollars at the box office. Though, only a select few iterations of Godzilla have truly stood the test of time. But what exactly separates a good Godzilla movie from a bad one? How can different filmmakers lend their voice to bringing the iconic Godzilla to the big screen so many times?
When it was announced that Steve Carell was going to be leaving his character Michael Scott on The Office, fans had no idea how the show was going to continue with out him. When it was announced Will Ferrell would be making a guest appearance on The Office along side Steve Carrell's final episodes, fans suddenly had hope for the future. But when Will Ferrell's episodes finally came, to everyones surprise, it seemed The Office was able to do the impossible. They made Will Ferrell, Not Funny.
X-Men Dark Phoenix was the 12th film in Fox’s long-running mutant-inspired franchise, and it’s the fourth film in the colloquially termed “First Class” era. Though after the success of almost a dozen X-Men films the franchise was starting to lose steam fast. But how exactly did the X-Men franchise fall from grace so hard? Was X-Men Dark Phoenix set up to fail?
When it was first announced that Hellboy 2019 was going to reboot the famous franchise while also being Rated R, most fans were cautiously optimistic about seeing David Harbour as Hellboy. Though most didn't think Hellboy needed a reboot after the successful Guillermo Del Toro movies. When Hellboy 2019 finally hit theaters, most fans worst nightmare was realized. The movie was a mess, and seemed to take all the wrong lessons from the source material. But did Hellboy 2019 even stand a chance at being good?
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is without a doubt one of the best comedies of all time. From renowned director John Hughes, Ferries Bueller's Day Off is a movie that spans generations of fans. Though it was a major surprise when it was announced the Ferris Bueller was getting a TV Pilot adapted from the movie. To no one's surprise, the Ferris Bueller TV show was so bad it was cancelled almost immediately.
Since his inception, Spider-Man has been one of the most popular superheroes to grace a comic book or silver screen. Though because of a tough few years at Marvel, the rights to Spider-Man were sold off and later reclaimed causing the creation of multiple Spier-Man universes. Though some are great, and some are terrible, how exactly is Spider-Man supposed to save so many floundering cinematic universes?
Often times when a film director leaves a scene on the cutting room floor, it's for a good reason. Though when David Yates was finishing Harry Potter and the two part Deathly Hallows installments, one deleted scene could have added world of closure to Harry Potter's life at Number 4 Privet drive. When Harry Potter is leaving his childhood home in the finished film, it all seems very quick and emotionless. But with just a few minutes of deleted dialogue added back in, it could have given audiences the closure Harry needed from the Dursley's and his childhood home.
It seems today there is an influx of pro wrestlers making their way into Hollywood. Whether it's the countless Dwayne Johnson movies, or Dave Bautista attempting to not act like Drax the Destroyer, its seems only one has escaped the type cast of muscle bound action star....AND HIS NAME IS JOHN CENA! Whether it's Peacemaker, his turn in Trainwreck, or his more action packed roles, its obvious now that John Cena is much more than the wrestler he was at WrestleMania. But how exactly did John Cena go from a goofy wrestler in jean shorts, to the Hollywood superstar we know today?
There is one thing that’s consistent about the many adaptations of Dune … some element of the story is always missing. Whether it's the original David Lynch Dune adaptation from 1984, or the current iteration of Dune from Denis Villeneuve, it seems some sacrifices need to be made to bring the novel to theaters. Denis Villeneuve may have gotten the closest, but after all these adaptations of Dune, it seems the book might be unadaptable in it's truest form.
What We Do In The Shadows has been hypnotizing fans since 2019 with its sharp humor, charming characters, and clever use of the mockumentary format. Though when the show was first announced, fans of the original mocumentary film What We Do In The Shadows weren't sure if the format would translate to TV. Turns out, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement were able to take What We Do In The Shadows to the small screen with ease. Approaching it's final season, lets take a look at the source material that made What We Do In The Shadows the best horror sitcom ever made.
Every year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences comes together at The Oscars to give out awards to the years best films. Most of the time the top prize of Best Picture goes to the film that stands out above the rest. Best Picture is supposed to not only recognize the cast and crew for their achievements, but also tell the general public which movies they should go see. Though, more than a few times, The Academy hasn't always given The Oscar to the most deserving film. Which in turn leads to some of these Oscar Winners for Best Picture being forgotten before they are able to cement their legacy. Sometimes The Oscars completely misses the mark, and lets a golden opportunity pass them by.
By this point, most fans think of the Fast and Furious franchise as more of a circus than it's roots as a street racing franchise. Though after Vin Diesel didn't return after The Fast and the Furious for 2 Fast 2 Furious, it wasn't clear the franchise had much gas left in the tank. 2 Fast 2 Furious is now thought to be a lower tier installment in the Fast Franchise, but looking back, the movie is a lot better than you probably remember. 2 Fast 2 Furious not only introduced Tyrese's Roman Pierce and Ludacris's Tej, but it also started the trend of amplifying what made The Fast and the Furious so much fun. We may have gotten away from racing down the streets of Miami, but without 2 Fast 2 Furious we may not have 10 installments, with an 11th on the way.
Like most young actors that strike gold and catch the break of a life time, when Elijah Wood was wrapping up his time as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, there were many roads he could have taken. Not wanting to be soley thought of as Frodo Baggins, Elijah Wood set out and crafted one of the more interesting careers in Hollywood. Never forgetting his roots in Lord of the Rings, Elijah Wood wanted to create new, weird, and interesting works that showed he was capable of a wide range of characters and stories. A big project like Lord of the Rings might ave been it for most up and coming actors, but Frodo had other plans.
Now that Curb Your Enthusiasm has been on the air for almost a quarter century, it's a wonder how Larry David was able to create not one, but two shows about nothing. Curb Your Enthusiasm is known today for Larry David's quirky humor, specific tastes, and endless rants about mundane life. But this specific moment in Curb Your Enthusiasm is what took the show from good, to one of the best comedies HBO has ever produced.
The Incredibles is undeniably one of Pixar’s best films. It also holds the distinction of being one of the greatest superhero movies ever produced. In a world where the superhero landscape is now dominated by the MCU and DCEU, it's hard to distinguish what came before the tidal wave of superhero content. In an era where both the Marvel and DC Cinematic Universes are struggling, perhaps it's time to take a look back at what made The Incredibles work so well for Pixar. Can anything be taken from the Incredibles franchise that could help get the DCU and MCU out of this rut?
By now, when modern audiences think of Aquaman, their minds immediately go to Jason Momoa's turn as Arthur Curry in the DCEU's Justice League. Though this wasn't the first attempt at bringing Aquaman to Hollywood. Back when Smallville was dominating the small screen, talks of giving Reacher's Alan Ritchson his own Aquaman show started to pick up steam. Though they got close on several different occasions. Alan Ritchson would never suit up as Aquaman in his own standalone show.
Starting a story at the end and working towards that moment is nothing new, especially in Hollywood. Films like Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, Memento, Forrest Gump, and Saving Private Ryan all opt for starting the story with how it ends. This can be a powerful tool in the right hands. Immersing the audience in the story immediately and having them along for the ride with the main characters. Though Tarantino, Fincher, and Nolan have all used this trick to great success, it doesn't always work out that way. For every Pulp Fiction or Fight Club there are countless rip offs that attempt the same style but to a lesser degree. But why exactly does starting a movie at the end make for such a compelling story?
The graphic novel titled Watchmen might be one of the greatest graphic novels ever written. Creators Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons created a true masterpiece that many have tried to adapt over the years. When Zack Snyder brought Watchmen to the big screen, at first it was seen as the most accurate adaptation of it's source material. Though upon further inspection, Zack Snyder's Watchmen may suffer from almost being too faithful. Coming off the back of his hit adaptation of 300, it seemed Zack Snyder was truly the one that could bring Watchmen to the big screen faithfully, but did his commitment to the direct translation end up hurting the film overall?
Theres no question that both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are some of the best hour long dramas to ever hit the airwaves. But early in Breaking Bad's production, a prior commitment for Bob Odenkirk meant that Saul Goodman wouldn't be available. So instead Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan created the character of Mike Ehrmantraut to fill the gap. Little did he know, Mike Ehrmantraut would be a seminal part of not only Breaking Bad but the future prequel series Better Call Saul.
During the time of it's premiere, MadTV was set up to be the perfect replacement for a struggling Saturday Night Live. With a fresh cast of talent, and the history of Mad Magazine behind it, MadTV started strong, but quickly lost favor among it's core audience when SNL began it's resurgence. Even though it was brought back for a brief time years after it's cancellation, MadTV never quite found it's footing with a new audience. Should Mad Magazines, MadTV have had a longer legacy? Or was Saturday Night Live just too big to go up against?
At it's peak, HBO's Westworld was one of the most popular shows on TV. After the first season of Westworld though, audience interest quickly started to fall. And after an unfortunate natural disaster at the filming location, Westworld never quite recovered. But was Westoworld always doomed to fall off into obscurity? Or did HBO just not give the creators enough runway to make the show live up to it's full potential?
The Prince of Egypt was supposed to be a giant leap forward in the medium of animation. Pushing away from Disney's family friendly tone and musical numbers, The Prince of Egypt was made with an older audience in mind while also pushing the boundaries of what we thought an animated feature film could look like. Unfortunately for Dreamworks, the movie did not do well at the box office. But in turn it did push the animation industry, Disney included, in new directions with what the Prince of Egypt was able to achieve on screen.
After it's first season, Parks and Recreation wasn't off to the best start. It was panned for it's similarities to The Office, and overall didn't live up to the hype of it's predecessor. But at the end of season two, Ben Wyatt and Chris Traeger were introduced and Parks and Rec would never be the same. It's rare that a sitcom can completely save it's self by adding to the central cast, but shows like The Office and Parks and Recreation took the gamble and it paid off.
The Lord Of The Rings trilogy has a near-perfect ending. Although most Lord of the Rings Fans feel there are closer to 4-5 endings in Return of the King, there is one major event in the books that didn't make it to Peter Jackson's three film epic. When Sam and Frodo's journey comes to an end, and it's time to return to the Shire, things aren't as perfect as the film would depict. But why did Peter Jackson decide to omit this scene from The Lord of the Rings entirely? Could it have made a near-perfect trilogy better? Or was he right to keep the ending of Lord of the Rings as it is?
Matthew McConaughey. You'd be hard pressed to find any movie fan today that doesn't know his name. From the handsome heart throb in Rom Coms, to winning Oscars in heart breaking dramas, Matthew McConaughey has turned his career into one most actors in Hollywood could only dream of. Though when first starting out it seemed Matthew McConaughey was doomed to spend his days churning out nothing but shirtless roles in rom coms. But Matthew McConaughey charted his own path and built a career that no one could have expected.
Theres no question, when it comes to Dune and Dune Part 2, something just feels different. The cinematic experience you feel, especially in 70mm IMAX, is unlike anything else in today's cinema landscape. Denis Villeneuve achieved something special with Dune. A novel once thought to be unadaptable, has become the biggest movie in Hollywood. But what exactly makes Dune and Dune Part 2 stand out above the rest of the sci-fi offerings in Hollywood?
Abbott Elementary has been one of the stand out sitcoms on network TV since it's debut. Since winning Emmy's, Golden Globes, and every other award it's been nominated for, Abbott Elementary has been on a streak very few sitcoms can find in their first few seasons. Some shows like The Office or Parks and Recreation struggled early on, but Abbott has found a way to stay fresh. This particular episode of Abbott Elementary stands out as perfection for not only delivering a compelling story and big laughs, it changed the course of the show after it had to adapt due to the writers strike.
The Planet of the Apes franchise has a long and storied history. From it's original films starring Charlton Heston to the Tim Burton reboot, to the modern trilogy directed by The Batman's Matt Reeves, The Planet of the Apes have seen several different iterations. Though the new trilogy including Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and War for the Planet of the Apes seem to be overlooked in the scope of modern action franchises. Will Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes move the needle at all? Will Hollywood finally recognize this franchise for the masterpiece that it is?