Stories within Stories

Stories within Stories

People tell stories to entertain, inform, and advise others. As fictional representations of people, it only makes sense that characters in stories often tell stories themselves. Nested stories The nested story--or story within a story--is one of my favorite literary devices. If you make a mental list of your favorite…
November 1, 20162 Comments
Geek Gab Episode 63: Suicide Squad

Geek Gab Episode 63: Suicide Squad

This week on Geek Gab, we give mini-reviews of Jason Bourne and Star Trek Beyond before moving on to the main event: a full review of the new DC Universe movie Suicide Squad. Did Warner Bros. learn the right lessons from the critical failure of Batman v. Superman? Or for that matter…
August 8, 20166 Comments
Over the Target

Over the Target

Denizens of Reddit's deepest bowels have taken umbrage at my observation that Hollywood is now a propaganda machine. You heard it here first ladies: your existence in popular media is propaganda. Even though TFA became one of the highest grossing movies of all time and was pretty much universally well-liked,…
July 26, 2016
Soon to Be Forgotten Remakes of Recent Classics

Soon to Be Forgotten Remakes of Recent Classics

I've written about Hollywood's devolution into an assembly line for ill-advised remakes. As a follow up to that post about (then) upcoming reboots, reimaginings, and ripoffs, here are some remakes of films from the 70s, 80s, and 90s which, unlike the classic originals, are doomed to oblivion. RoboCop 2014 One…
July 19, 201611 Comments
When Is a Movie Not a Movie?

When Is a Movie Not a Movie?

When it's a cynical propagandistic cash grab. Actually, we can scratch the last part now that Ghostbusters 2016 has failed to beat the opening weekend domestic box office take of Ghostbusters II. Here are the numbers Ghostbusters II: $29,472,894 (June 16, 1989) Ghostbusters: $46,000,000 (July 17, 2016) At first glance I seem to have…
July 18, 201620 Comments
In Defense of Ghostbusters (1984)

In Defense of Ghostbusters (1984)

I really shouldn't have to do this. At this point, the best course of action for everyone is to dismiss the artistic and moral failure that is Ghostbusters 2016, let the remake die a quick, unmourned, and forgotten death, and rest secure in the excellence of the one true Ghostbusters film. But…
July 13, 20164 Comments

Geek Gab: Independence Day 2: Try Harder

We're back with more blockbuster movie reviews and bear wrestling! Join the Geek Gab gang as Daddy Warpig grapples with the new Ghostbusters' cynical humorlessness, John wrestles bears for Pepsi, and I explain how the new Independence Day is a stealth campaign ad for America's only sane presidential choice: William…
July 11, 2016

Geek Gab: Battle of the Iron Mans!

Daddy Warpig and I devoted the latest episode of Geek Gab to debating my best Iron Man movie post. The discussion was quite vigorous, to the extent that we broke the normal half hour time limit and did a double length episode. I definitely think the subject merited the extra time.…
June 19, 20163 Comments
The Conjuring 2

The Conjuring 2

With The Conjuring 2 dominating the weekend box office, now seems like a good time to expand on my short review from the most recent episode of Geek Gab. The sequel to 2013's The Conjuring, also helmed by director James Wan, this installment features the dramatization of another case from the…
June 14, 2016

Geek Gab: Super Movie Episode

It's anything goes on this lively episode of Geek Gab. Daddy Warpig discusses a couple of Disney kids' films: Zootopia and The Rescuers. John talks about Overwatch. It's not a movie, but he didn't watch anything this week. Finally, I review The Conjuring 2 form director James Wan. Did he succeed…
June 12, 20162 Comments