LucasFilm Franchise Wars:
April 30th, 2010 by Sean Ferguson
THE CONTROVERSIAL PREQUELS AND SEQUELS AND HOW HATERS, APOLOGISTS AND FANS HAVE GONE THEIR OWN WAYS… In the interest of full disclosure, Star Wars is the movie that sparked my love of movies and because of that; I’ve wanted to be a director for as long as I can remember. That feeling was solidified when I saw The Empire Strikes Back, which is possibly my favorite movie of all time, except for the days I prefer Raiders of the Lost Ark. Continue reading ‘LucasFilm Franchise Wars:’
The 1980’s were definitely a memorable time. After all, that was my childhood. While I may not have grasped the full meaning of films like The Breakfast Club or Fast Times at Ridgemont High when they came out in theaters, I was definitely onboard with others such as Gremlins and Ghostbusters. These films may not have been Oscar-worthy, but they all staked their claim in the hearts and minds of an entire generation and their success at the box office didn’t hurt either. 
There are so many “what’s the greatest” questions out there. What’s the greatest pizza? What’s the greatest Super Bowl team? What’s the greatest movie? You could literally ask and debate all day long, but how about, ‘what’s the greatest upset in sports?’ Well now, that’s easy…and speak of the devil, we’re approaching the 30-year anniversary of the momentous occasion. 
James Cameron’s Avatar continues to blow the doors off of the competition at movie theaters around the globe. The film presents a world of incredible sights and ingenuity while developing a conflict between man and nature. The world of Pandora is nothing less than spectacular and love or hate the film, that seems to be one aspect that both sides seem to agree on. It is also an aspect that seems to be causing some anguish on at least a handful of movie-goers. 
It is with a great sigh of relief that studios have realized the entertainment and preservation value of transferring many of the old black and white classics to Blu-ray. The accomplishment is two-fold. First, it keeps these movies from falling into obscurity. They are now re-marketed, and quite often, these films gain a new following from new audiences. Second, it cleans up an otherwise grainy picture littered with ‘visual noise.’ 
If the title of this post did not intrigue you, then I am sorry to say that you are not alive. I am just kidding. I recently just returned from a business/vacation trip to Las Vegas. If there is a heaven on Earth, then Las Vegas is that to me. As usual, I did not want to come back to the harsh winter climate of Cleveland, Ohio. Despite the few days of below normal temperatures out in Las Vegas, I can always find ways to have a good time out there. 
Nearly twenty years ago, a wise figure once said, “Death comes for us all, Oroku Saki.” This astute sensei was none other than Master Splinter, from 1990’s 
It’s the end of the year and we’re beginning to see the usual “best-of” lists. Seeing as this is 2009, some of these may even be “best of the decade.” Now, let’s be honest, some of these will be spot on, some will be terrible, but ultimately, they’re all subjective. That’s the beauty of cinema; there will never be two people who fully agree on everything a film has to offer. 
As the Oscar season begins to heat up, there are always a few winter blockbusters thrown into the mix to help relieve some of the public’s apprehension of going to a movie with the fear of seeing something “too smart,” aka boring. This season is no different, with James Cameron’s new special effects epic Avatar. To some, such films are a welcome release, for the audience can sit back in a theater chair and just watch without thinking too much about the plot, but rather enjoy the action. 
