After the success of AMC’s much-heralded Walking Dead series, television producers doubtless began to ask: “Are there other ideas that can effectively explore the human condition inside an established genre format?” TNT’s Falling Skies believed it had the answer. The pilot for the series aired on the network las [...]
Author Archives: Robert Falconer
Green Lantern Not Very Illuminating
This summer’s bumper crop of superhero films would seem like a windfall for comic book fans. Thor, X-Men, Green Lantern, Captain America—all have arrived, or are about to arrive, in theaters. The most expensive of the lot, Green Lantern, was criticized early on by some (CinemaSpy included) and championed by other [...]
X-Men: First Class Demonstrates Superior Genes
Richard Donner. Christopher Nolan. Sam Raimi. And now, Matthew Vaughn. All directors who know how to properly execute a comic book-to-motion picture superhero film. Not as twistedly cerebral as Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, as colorfully choreographed as Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, or as sweepingly epic as Ri [...]
We Pick the Ten Greatest ‘Best Picture’ Movie Posters
When The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hands out all its various artistic and technical awards each season, there’s one category that’s omitted: promotional artwork. And there’s no more famous artwork for motion pictures than the ‘one-sheet’, or movie poster. The clear purview of the marketing depa [...]
The Hangover Part II: Take Two Aspirin and Call Me in the Morning
Yours truly never much cared all that much for the original Hangover film, if I’m honest. Sure, it was funny, in that puerile sort of way that characterizes so many comedies these days. And it definitely had me laughing out loud during a number of moments. But a number of moments do not an entire movie make, and wh [...]
ABC’s Castle Goes Out with a Bang in Possibly the Best Season Finale Ever
“I love you, Kate,” declares Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) to a fallen Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) in the closing moments of the third season finale of ABC’s Castle. It was some of the best television yours truly has ever seen. Feeling more like one of the finer episodes of 24, Castle demonstrated last night [...]
Paul Bettany’s Priest Needs a Confessional
Actor Paul Bettany’s flirtations with religiously-themed roles isn’t necessarily helping his career. While his portrayal of Silas in The Da Vinci Code was suitably creepy, his turn as Michael in director Scott Stewart’s Legion did little to elevate a convoluted and languid moviegoing experience. Stewart’s second [...]
Smallville’s Series Finale Offers Frustrating Mix of Meaning and Mediocrity
Don’t be put off by the headline of this article. Not just yet, anyway. Watching the series finale of Smallville last night I found myself frequently on the edge of my seat with anticipation. The two-hour conclusion to a ten-year franchise was, in many ways, beat perfect. Threads were wrapped up nicely. Clark (T [...]
Soulless Fringe Finale Leaves This Viewer Cold
Over the past few months, yours truly has found himself PVRing episodes of Fringe and then not bothering to watch them (until recently for the purposes of this article). It prompted me to ask the following question: At what point did Fringe go from a compelling hour of television, to no longer being “must-see” TV f [...]
Director Kenneth Branagh Deftly Mixes Spectacle and Humanity in Thor
Right off the top: Thor is terrifically entertaining. Sure, there are caveats — when aren’t there in films today? — but if you’re considering Marvel’s latest superhero entry as a possible popcorn muncher this weekend, you could do far, far worse. Since Iron Man, Marvel Studios and President Kevin Feige have [...]
