Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.7.2, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Cinematic Diversions this year's sinkhole is next year's water feature. ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://cinematicdiversions.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [9 Souls (Nain souruzu) (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/9-souls-nain-souruzu-2003-review/) - 9 Souls is an enormous disappointment, the reviews gush about a brilliant film and it's in there somewhere, good luck finding it yourself. - [Mystery Science Theater 3000 Episode # 701, Night of the Blood Beast, (1958), /w Once Upon a Honeymoon (1956) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-episode-701-night-of-the-blood-beast-1958-w-once-upon-a-honeymoon-1956-review/) - Night of the Blood Beast is a somewhat well written (not shot mind you) sci-fi story that muddies the water on a lot of gender roles. - [Salvage (Gruesome) (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/salvage-gruesome-2006-review/) - Both too clever by half and not nearly clever enough Salvage keeps your interest if only to see how they are going to fix this mess. - [The Shunned (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-shunned-2005-review/) - The Shunned has some of the longest scenes of two guys talking I have ever seen. One of the longest 70 minutes you may ever experience. - [The Brink (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-brink-2006-review/) - This set up easily takes half The Brink. And since by definition nothing scary can happen till the ghost radio is turned on, it's extremely pedestrian. - [The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-strangers-prey-at-night-2018-review/) - Somehow a Lionsgate style direct to video sequel got a wide release in theaters. The Strangers: Prey at Night is a mediocre slasher movie. - [SpiderBabe (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/spiderbabe-2003-review/) - While not as funny as G-Strings or erotic as Embrace, SpiderBabe deftly mixes lesbian sex scenes and spot on parody into an entertaining romp. - [Perfect Bid: The Contestant Who Knew Too Much (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/perfect-bid-the-contestant-who-knew-too-much-2017-review/) - So they basically make documentaries about anyone nowadays. Perfect Bid: The Contestant Who Knew Too Much (2017): 5 out of 10: Man, this is a weird one. From the name, one would suspect that this documentary is about Terry Kniess, who bid the exact amount for a showcase and made Price is Right history. Outside - [The Pink Panther 2 (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-pink-panther-2-2009-review/) - The Pink Panther 2 is a light, breezy comedy with magnificent scenery and lots of fun cameos. There are some pretty good laughs contained within. - [The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (1998) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-iii-1998-review/) - The Decline of Western Civilization Part III is a look at a slice of life on the margins filled with bad people and awful music. - [The Sorority (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-sorority-2006-review/) - I'm impressed they made The Sorority for so little and I wish the few talented people involved good luck on future endeavors. - [Supersonic Man (1979) with RiffTrax Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/supersonic-man-1979-review/) - Highlights of Supersonic Man include a bulldozer made of balsa and cars that explode when going down a slight incline, - [San Franpsycho (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/san-franpsycho-2006-review/) - I wasn't expecting a brilliant film when I rented San Franpyscho, but I wasn't expecting mind numbing boredom either. - [Highlander (1986) Review with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/highlander-1986-review-with-rifftrax/) - There can only be five films, three TV series and two web series. Highlander (1986): 7 out of 10: There are movies that age gracefully, movies that age badly, and then there is Highlander, which appears to have aged by being struck repeatedly by lightning while Queen played in the background. This is not necessarily - [Mystery Science Theater 3000 Episode #303, Pod People (1983) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-episode-303-pod-people-1983-review/) - Final verdict on the movie? It Stinks. Final verdict on the MST3k episode? While I do not rate it as beloved as some, it is a very solid entry. - [Plagiarism Inception](https://cinematicdiversions.com/plagiarism-inception/) - BIPOC Jumi Bello plagiarizes in Lit Hub in an essay about plagiarism. Tell me I can't read something and I now want to read it - [Alien: Covenant (2017) review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/alien-covenant-2017-review/) - Covenant: An agreement that usually ends with a spaceship full of facehuggers Alien: Covenant (2017): 6 out of 10: Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant starts out much better than it has any right to. In fact, for the first fifteen or twenty minutes, it is almost painfully good. It is serious, chilly, visually handsome science fiction - [Wondering Sight (The Extraordinaries, #2) by Melissa McShane (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/wondering-sight-the-extraordinaries-2-by-melissa-mcshane-2017-review/) - Parlor trick Wondering Sight (The Extraordinaries, #2) by Melissa McShane (2017): 5 out of 10: I was a big fan of the first Extraordinaries novel. It was well-written, confidently built, and centered on a heroine whose power set was, bluntly, a lot of fun. A young woman setting pirates on fire has a certain immediate - [Meg 2: The Trench (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/meg-2-the-trench-2023-review/) - Now with the cutest Dino Puppies Meg 2: The Trench (2023): 9 out of 10: I do not have the kind of ego that expects the producers of Meg 2: The Trench to have read my positive review of The Meg, taken my advice to heart, and built an entire sequel around my biggest complaint. - [Love and Monsters (2020) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/love-and-monsters-2020-review/) - Love and Monsters is a pleasant surprise and a decent monster movie to boot. There are a lot of really nice touches. - [Beyond Hoarding (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/beyond-hoarding-2019-review/) - Beyond Hoarding is a less exploitative option for the hoarding issue. It does away with the artificial drama - [Masters of Horror: Right to Die (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/masters-of-horror-right-to-die-2007-review/) - Pull the plug Masters of Horror: Right to Die (2007): 7 out of 10: I have always enjoyed a good Masters of Horror episode. They are about an hour long, which is often the correct length for this sort of thing, and at their best they feel like a mixture of The Twilight Zone, old - [Master's of Horror: Incident On and Off a Mountain Road (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/masters-of-horror-incident-on-and-off-a-mountain-road-2005-review/) - Masters of Horror: Incident On and Off a Mountain Road is never boring. Add on a story with depth and layers, and you have a very strong start. - [Puppet Master II (1990) review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/puppet-master-ii-1990-review/) - No Strings Attached Puppet Master II (1990): 7 out of 10: is a 1990 horror-fantasy film, directed by David Allen and the second installment in the Puppet Master franchise. The story continues to revolve around the enchanted puppets created by Andre Toulon, a skilled puppeteer, who had developed a formula to bring inanimate objects to - [Armada by Ernest Cline (2015) Review With 372 pages in notes](https://cinematicdiversions.com/armada-by-ernest-cline-2015-review-with-372-pages-in-notes/) - Space Trucking “Armada” by Ernest Cline (2015) with “372 Pages We Will Never Get Back”: 4 out of 10: "Armada" by Ernest Cline follows Zack Lightman, a high school senior known for getting into trouble. He is also one of the top players of the video game Armada, a combat flight simulation where players defend - [12 Angry Men (1957) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/12-angry-men-1957-review/) - 12 Angry Men seems to have a stacked deck with everyone playing (and sometimes overplaying) their roles. It really reminds me of a Twilight Zone episode - [The Godfather Part II (1974) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-godfather-part-ii-1974-review/) - Godfather Part II is a magnificent film and well worth the watch. It really is one of the best sequels. The film overall is a triumph. - [Raptor Island (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/raptor-island-2004-review/) - The filmmakers involved with Raptor Island are hopelessly incompetent. They should probably avoid the visual arts. - [The Godfather (1972) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-godfather-1972-review/) - The Godfather is in a way a mandatory film if one wants to understand the American canon. Fortunately it is still an amazing film. - [Prophecy (1979) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/prophecy-1979-review/) - Prophecy is a terrible movie that takes itself so seriously and is so utterly incompetent that it is kind of funny. - [The Dungeon Predator by Konrad Ryan (2022) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-dungeon-predator-by-konrad-ryan-2022-review/) - The Dungeon Slayer Series Audible read by Austin Rising The Dungeon Predator (2022) by Konrad Ryan: 2 out of 10: In The Dungeon Predator, Tad, a protagonist marked by his void nature and lack of skills following rebirth, faces an arduous journey to save his friends from the clutches of the nefarious creator known as the - [Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/__trashed-11/) - I know Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary is for the fans. My only concern is all the fans are already in the documentary. - [Willard (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/willard-2003-review/) - Glover is watchable in that what the hell is he going to do next kind of way. - [Grave Secrets (Secret Screams) (1989) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/grave-secrets-secret-screams-1989-review/) - There are some interesting ideas in Grave Secrets.The story goes down some surprisingly dark paths. Too bad the script doesn’t. - [XXX State of the Union (2005) review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/xxx-state-of-the-union-review/) - Hopefully, XXX: State of the Union signals an end to the extreme sports trend in action films and back to the mainstay of blowing things up real good. - [The Matrix Reloaded (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-matrix-reloaded-2003-review/) - In Matrix Reloaded one suspects that the Wachowski siblings don't trust their audience enough to simply show and not tell. - [The Pearl Savage by Tamara Rose Blodgett (2011) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-pearl-savage-by-tamara-rose-blodgett-2011-review/) - An irritating piece of sand. The Pearl Savage (2011) by Tamara Rose Blodgett: 5 out of 10: is a young adult dystopian novel set in a distant future where the world is either mostly covered in water because of global warming or humans made a collective choice to live in the Great Lakes. The story - [Swedish Wildcats (Every Afternoon) (1972) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/swedish-wildcats-every-afternoon-1972-review/) - The plot with her pretending to be ballerina finding love with mechanic pretending to be a test pilot is right out of every bad anime ever - [Ready Player One (2011) by Ernest Cline Review with 372 Pages Podcast](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ready-player-one-2011-by-ernest-cline-review-with-372-pages-podcast/) - If the last contest was Family Ties themed, I would have rated higher. Ready Player One (2011): 7 out of 10: by Ernest Cline: Ready Player One is a science fiction novel set in a dystopian future, where most of humanity seeks refuge from the bleak reality of the world through an immersive virtual reality - [Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mindset-the-new-psychology-of-success-by-carol-s-dweck-2006-review/) - You cannot be serious! Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck (2006): 3 out of 10: I was recommended this book through my reading of “The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It by Kelly McGonigal” which I highly recommend. McGonigal often refers - [Merlin: The Return (2000) Review with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/merlin-the-return-2000-review-with-rifftrax/) - Consult the Book of Armaments. Merlin: The Return (2000): 3 out of 10: is a fantasy adventure film that intertwines the legendary tales of King Arthur with modern-day settings. Directed by Paul Matthews, the movie follows the return of the ancient wizard Merlin to the present day in order to thwart the resurgence of the - [Reasons Not to Worry: How to Be Stoic in Chaotic Times (2023) by Brigid Delaney](https://cinematicdiversions.com/reasons-not-to-worry-how-to-be-stoic-in-chaotic-times-2023-by-brigid-delaney/) - A New Pair of Glasses Reasons Not to Worry: How to Be Stoic in Chaotic Times (2023) by Brigid Delaney: 9 out of 10: is a modern exploration of Stoic philosophy, offering practical guidance on how to navigate life’s uncertainties and challenges with resilience, calm, and clarity. Delaney draws on the ancient teachings of Stoic - [The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It (2012) by Kelly McGonigal Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-upside-of-stress-why-stress-is-good-for-you-and-how-to-get-good-at-it-2012-by-kelly-mcgonigal-review/) - "It's not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it." The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It (2012) by Kelly McGonigal: 9 out of 10: "The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It" by - [The Obstacle is the Way Expanded 10th Anniversary Edition: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph (2014) Ryan Holiday](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-obstacle-is-the-way-expanded-10th-anniversary-edition-the-timeless-art-of-turning-trials-into-triumph-2014-ryan-holiday/) - The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph (2014) by Ryan Holiday: 10 out of 10: So, we’ve got Ryan Holiday, who is probably the biggest promoter of Stoicism around. I don’t think it’s wrong to say he really took it to the next level in the last 10–15 years. - [Drag Me to Hell (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/drag-me-to-hell-2009-review/) - Then the movie falls off the rails. Lohman does something so horrific and unnecessary to get rid of the curse she becomes a Black Hat extraordinaire. - [Dog Soldiers (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dog-soldiers-2002-review/) - I've noticed as a result independent B-movies that feature werewolves tend to be more competently filmed, tighter scripted affairs (Think Ginger Snaps). - [Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/interview-with-the-vampire-the-vampire-chronicles-1994-review/) - Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles is an Adaptation of the Anne Rice novel that has aged like a fine red wine. - [Jumanji (1995) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/jumanji-1995-review/) - The solution from the filmmakers? Jumanji is a horror movie that pretends it is a family comedy starring Robin Williams. - [Love of My Life (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/love-of-my-life-2017-review/) - Love of My Life is a comedy of manners, which only really works if it is a comedy. A drama of manners just doesn't have the same ring. - [The Bourne Legacy (2012) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-bourne-legacy-2012-review/) - Meanwhile, in another movie. The Bourne Legacy (2012): 7 out of 10: The Bourne Legacy is a strange film. Written and directed by the almost always solid Tony Gilroy, it’s got a superb cast (look for lots of House of Cards regulars) but, of course, it’s a Bourne movie without Matt Damon. Which immediately raises - [The Mummy (1999) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-mummy-1999-review/) - The Mummy still holds up, and it is better than I remember. A massive hit at the time, I think it is often forgotten when we talk about iconic films. - [Disobedience (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/disobedience-2017-review/) - Do you want to see endless shots of people setting tables or carrying luggage upstairs this film has you covered. Every scene also seems to take a minute longer than it needed to. The film simply does itself no favors. - [Clemency (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/clemency-2019-review/) - I doubt anyone will remember Clemency. Some great acting and research sacrificed at the altar of the auteur. - [Quiz Show (1994) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/quiz-show-1994-review/) - Quiz Show gets overlooked when we talk about great films from the nineties but it shouldn't. It has aged exceptionally well. - [Claire of the Moon (1992) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/claire-of-the-moon-1992-review/) - The Hook-Up Generation Claire of the Moon (1992): 2 out of 10: This is why women's studies majors shouldn't be allowed to write and direct films. Of course, woman's studies does not study all women as women have opinions and accomplishments as varied as men. Woman's studies courses as pointed out by Professors Dapne Patai - [Cellular (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/cellular-review/) - Out of Area Roaming Charges Apply Cellular (2004): 5 out of 10: I'm having Falling Down flashbacks again. Cellular resembles that superior 1993 thriller right down to the same locations. (If I see one more shootout on that damn pier.) Cellular, however, is strangely mixed with a collection of those only in Los Angeles crackpots - [Goodnight, We Love You (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/goodnight-we-love-you-2004-review/) - Goodnight, We Love You is a nice enough film for Diller fans, but one should check their blood sugar levels before watching. - [Mystery Science Theater 3000 Ep. 604 Zombie Nightmare (1987) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-zombie-nightmare-season-7-episode-4-review/) - Zombie Nightmare is ten times worse than you imagine and Manuska Rigaud’s performance as the Voodoo priestess is a hate crime in most countries. - [Amityville: Dollhouse (1996) Review with RiffTrax.](https://cinematicdiversions.com/amityville-dollhouse-1996-review/) - I can recommend Amityville: Dollhouse as a fun movie, not in the so bad its good category but as an above average genre flick. - ['Salem’s Lot by Stephen King (1975) Book Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/salems-lot-1975-book-review/) - A lot of the things we love about King are fully formed in Salem’s Lot. It is a legitimately scary book and bits stick with you. - [Confronting a Serial Killer: Episode #4 Restoring Their Names (2021) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/confronting-a-serial-killer-episode-4-restoring-their-names-2021-review/) - Confronting a Serial Killer gives us another fairly solid episode. Yes, Jillian cries on camera and seems even more self-involved. - [Confronting a Serial Killer: Episode #1 Getting Away With Murders (2021) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/confronting-a-serial-killer-episode-1-getting-away-with-murders-2021-review/) - The first episode of Confronting a Serial Killer does a nice job of setting everything up. It really is an amazing tale. - [Confronting a Serial Killer: Episode #5: No Longer Jane Doe (2021) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/confronting-a-serial-killer-episode-5-no-longer-jane-doe-2021-review/) - Confronting a Serial Killer was always flirting with disaster. This is a train wreck. We are left with nothing but self congratulations. - [Confronting a Serial Killer: Episode #2 Deal With The Devil (2021) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/confronting-a-serial-killer-episode-2-deal-with-the-devil-2021-review/) - In Confronting a Serial Killer our titular killer Sam is true evil. This episode does a good job highlighting this. - [Confronting a Serial Killer (2021) Series Recap](https://cinematicdiversions.com/confronting-a-serial-killer-2021-series-recap/) - In Confronting a Serial Killer author Jillian Lauren develops a relationship with suspected serial killer Samuel Little. - [The Christmas Dragon (2014) Plus MST3K Christmas Special Post Netflix Season #3 Episode #13 Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-christmas-dragon-2014-plus-mst3k-christmas-special-post-netflix-season-3-episode-13-review/) - A very special Morman Christmas. The Christmas Dragon (2014): 5 out of 10: MST3K Version: 7 out of 10: I will admit that I went into this one with my arms at least partially folded. When I realized, rather late in the game, that The Christmas Dragon was not simply another random fantasy movie being - [Jack the Giant Killer (1962) with RiffTrax Live (2011) And RiffTrax (2014)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/jack-the-giant-killer-1962-with-rifftrax-live-2011-and-rifftrax-2014/) - You Don't Know Jack Jack the Giant Killer: 8 out of 10: is a 1962 American fantasy film directed by Nathan Juran. The film is known for its adventure, fantasy, and special effects, and it draws inspiration from traditional English folklore and the "Jack and the Beanstalk" tale. Here's a plot synopsis for the film: - [7 Billion Humans](https://cinematicdiversions.com/7-billion-humans/) - And yet you are still single... 7 Billion Humans (2018): 3 out of 10: There are some reviews that are difficult because the game is complicated, some reviews that are difficult because the game does not leave an impression, and some reviews that are difficult because the game is clearly doing several things well while - [Lawn Mowing Simulator (2021) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/lawn-mowing-simulator-2021-review/) - A Cut Below Lawn Mowing Simulator (2021): 4 out of 10: is an immersive and highly detailed simulation game that offers players the opportunity to experience the beauty and intricacies of mowing the picturesque landscapes of the Great British countryside. This unique simulator allows players to ride and control an impressive selection of real-world, licensed - [Humanoids from the Deep (1980) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/humanoids-from-the-deep-1980-review/) - Roger was right. It is a silly film. Why not go for broke? Humanoids from the Deep is one of the best trashy exploitation films out there. - [Alien Convergence (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/alien-convergence-2017-review/) - Alien Convergence is easily one of the stupidest movies I have ever seen. Yes, even by Asylum standards. Caroline Ivari is cute though. - [Mythos - The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mythos-the-greek-myths-retold-by-stephen-fry-2017-review/) - Mythbusters Mythos - The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry (2017): 10 out of 10: There are books you read because you want to learn something, and there are books you read because you want someone entertaining to sit beside you on a long walk and tell you stories. Mythos somehow manages to be both - [Life Off Grid (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/life-off-grid-2016-review/) - Plugged in Life Off Grid (2016): 8 out of 10: There is a certain comedy built into the title of Life Off Grid, a Canadian documentary about, shockingly enough, Canadians who live off the grid. Anyone who has spent any quality time in Canada can tell you that if a country was ever designed to - [Gears of a Mad God By Brent Nichols (2012)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/gears-of-a-mad-god-by-brent-nichols-2012/) - A Steampunk Lovecraft Adventure Gears of The Mad God: A Steampunk Lovecraft Adventure By Brent Nichols (2012): 7 out of 10: Checks a lot of the boxes one would expect. Steampunk? Check. Lovecraft. Check. Female lead who is not like other girls? Double Check. Gears of The Mad God puts me in a bit of - [Adrift in Manhattan (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/adrift-in-manhattan-2007-review/) - The Artisanal L-Train Adrift in Manhattan (2007): 3 out of 10: There are certain terrible movies I will sit through because there is a promise, however faint, of a decent sex scene somewhere toward the end. Longtime readers are well aware of this weakness. I have sat through absolute dreck because the movie dangled a - [Baby Driver (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/baby-driver-review/) - Some will have a visceral dislike of Baby Driver. It is an artificial construct with a lead character that seems to morph as the script dictates. - [Fanboys (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/fanboys-2009-review/) - The movie suffers from an overall sloppiness. Overall, a hit-or-miss road comedy with a Star Wars veneer, Fanboys is well-meaning but not worth the time. - [Baby Driver : The Phantom Menace Version](https://cinematicdiversions.com/baby-driver-the-phantom-menace-version/) - Shout out to Carnage Boy for his Baby Driver/ The Phantom Menace mash-up. This is brilliant. His description and the video are below. - [The Matrix (1999) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-matrix-1999-review/) - The Matrix is one of the most influential films of the past twenty-five years. Its lexicon has entered the mainstream. Keanu Reeves is still an action star. - [The Matrix Revolutions (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-matrix-revolutions-2003-review/) - Matrix Revolutions is less frustrating than the Matrix Reloaded simply because it doesn't have as much goodwill to squander. % The Matrix was a great stand-alone film, and the two sequels managed to destroy a perfectly fine story. - [Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace](https://cinematicdiversions.com/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace/) - Jar Jar Binks... Menace II Society Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999): 4 out of 10: There are certain movies that almost demand a revisit. Time passes, the discourse changes, your own tastes shift, and what once seemed like a disaster can reveal unexpected virtues. I’ve had that happen more than once. - [Blog Wars (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/blog-wars-review/) - Ned Lamont comes across in Blog Wars as he did in the campaign; a slightly duller, slightly richer, and slightly whiter Dan Quayle. - [Beyond Beyond (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/beyond-beyond-2014-review/) - Beyond Beyond is a beautiful animated film with excellent voice acting. The story, however, doesn’t really add up, particularly for such a sensitive subject. - [Before the Dawn (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/before-the-dawn-2019-review/) - In Before the Dawn Alana de Freitas really sells a vulnerable woman who falls for a male model who is a student in her English class. - [Aliens (1986) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/aliens-1986-review/) - Aliens is a fantastic film. Great practical effects, excellent acting across the board and fantastic direction. A perfect action film. - [The Monuments Men (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-monuments-men-2014-review/) - The Monuments Men is a pleasant experience. The film just never feels confident in its audience to come to their own conclusions. - [The Lost City (2022) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-lost-city-2022-review/) - The adventure is very well shot and there are some good action scenes. The Lost City is genuinely funny and surprisingly touching. - [Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/sky-captain-and-the-world-of-tomorrow-2004-review/) - Put your drink trays in the upright position Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004): 8 out of 10: It was King Kong that made me fall in love with the movie. He doesn’t appear himself (unlike his ring mate Godzilla who cameos in silhouette in a Japanese newspaper.) but his ship and friends - [Ouija Shark (2020) Review With RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ouija-shark-2020review/) - Cut bait. Ouija Shark (2020): 1 out of 10: is a bewildering misfire in the realm of shark-themed horror films. Boasting a baffling premise and subpar execution, it's a movie so bad it makes you reevaluate your disdain for other low-quality shark films. The story revolves around a group of twenty-something girls who somehow summon - [Rogue (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/rogue-2007-review/) - After 'while, crocodile. Rogue (2007): 7 out of 10: Longtime readers of mine will know there are two things I absolutely adore: nature-gone-wild movies and Radha Mitchell. I have sat through some pretty terrible movies because nature went wild in them (Beaks: The Movie). I have also sat through some movies because Radha Mitchell was - [Die Hard (1988) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/die-hard-1988-review/) - Die Hard is an eighties classic that changed the action genre forever. A fantastic Christmas film. - [Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mission-impossible-the-final-reckoning-2025/) - All Sales are Final Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025): 5 out of 10: Longtime readers will know that I have a fairly simple relationship with the Mission: Impossible franchise. I want Tom Cruise to run. I want Tom Cruise to hang off something no sane insurance company would ever approve. I want masks, - [Alien (1979) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/alien-1979-review/) - Alien is a refreshing hardish sci-fi from a different age. Alien is both entertaining and brilliant. 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Still an unpleasant lead drags the film down. - [John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/john-wick-chapter-3-parabellum-2019-review/) - Wick of Arabia John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019): 7 out of 10 Let’s start with the first problem: the title. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. What’s with the Parabellum thing? It feels oddly pretentious for a movie series that began with one of the simplest plots in modern action cinema. Just call - [Greenland (2020) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/greenland-2020-review/) - Greenland smartly uses some of its budget restrictions to tell a better story. A solid Gerald Butler vehicle. - [The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring-2001-review/) - There is so much that works in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. 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If you can ignore the infomercial style advice sprinkled throughout. - [Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mission-impossible-ghost-protocol-2011-review/) - Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is highly recommended even if you were less than enthusiastic about the previous entries. - [Vanished in Paradise (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/vanished-in-paradise-2019review/) - Decent documentary but alas, there is not much to go on. Because let us be honest. Hannah is not coming back. - [The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976) With RiffTrax Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-boy-in-the-plastic-bubble-review/) - this really isn't that bad a movie. Though based on a true story, it really doesn't tie itself to the true (and much more depressing) real life. - [Black Christmas (1974) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/black-christmas-1974-review/) - With Margot Kidder on all cylinders and the cool comforting presence of John Saxon, Black Christmas has a lot to recommend it. - [The 5th Wave (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-5th-wave-2016-review/) - The 5th wave goes full Twilight. You never go full Twilight. They were going for Buffy and Angel and ended up with Xander and a Praying Mantis. - [In Darkness (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/in-darkness-2018-review/) - Blindingly Obvious. In Darkness (2018): 7 out of 10: Natalie Dormer co-wrote and stars in this thriller about a blind Bosnian war refugee in modern-day London still haunted by ghosts of her past. The Good The Good: Ever since her turn on Game of Thrones as Margaery Tyrell, I could watch Natalie Dormer read a grocery - [Mortal Kombat (2021) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mortal-kombat-2021-review/) - Fight Mortal Kombat (2021): 4 out of 10: In the 17th century, Japan witnessed a brutal massacre orchestrated by the assassin Bi-Han, who wiped out Hanzo Hasashi’s clan, including his family. Hanzo, in a fierce battle, confronts Bi-Han but is ultimately struck down, his soul condemned to the Netherrealm. However, Raiden, the God of Thunder, - [3 out of 10 Episode #1 "Welcome to Shovelworks" Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/3-out-of-10-episode-1-welcome-to-shovelworks-review/) - A Flash Game IT Crowd 3 out of 10 Episode #1 Welcome to Shovelworks. An unironic 7 out of 10: There are video games. There are animated shows. And then there’s 3 out of 10, which politely waves at both categories and then sits down somewhere in between with a cup of coffee and a - [Sunshine Cleaning (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/sunshine-cleaning-2002-review/) - Sunshine Cleaning is also wonderfully free of cynicism and snarkiness. While certainly have a place in film, This is a warm comedy. - [The Akron Holy War (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-akron-holy-war-2017-review/) - At the end of The Akron Holy War, they spend ten minutes covering the latest game of the rivalry.It is the people that matter. Give me a reason to care. - [David Byrne's American Utopia (2020) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/david-byrnes-american-utopia-2020-review/) - I like the music. A lot more than I thought I would. David Byrne's American Utopia is a fantastic concert film. - [Smoke and Flesh (1968) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/smoke-and-flesh-1968-review/) - The first half of Smoke and Flesh is cool, albeit disjointed, the second half had me reaching for the fast-forward button. - [Taken (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/taken-2008-review/) - Taken is a fun ride for most of the trip. (The dinner with his French policeman friend was a particular highlight) Liam Neeson kicks ass. - [Romance on the Orient Express (1985) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/romance-on-the-orient-express-1985-review/) - Romance on the Orient Express is fun to riff with loved ones and I can easily watch two hours of Cheryl Ladd wandering around pretty European locations. - [Safe House (2012) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/safe-house-2012-review/) - Safe House is a very above average spy thriller. It sports and excellent cast and location shooting. An excellent film that I highly recommend. - [The Perfect Stranger (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-perfect-stranger-2005-review/) - I still think The Perfect Stranger has its charms, but the messaging is the antithesis of Christian and Jesus' teachings in many ways. - [The Contract (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-contract-2006-review/) - The Contract is a predictable by the numbers thriller that went straight to DVD despite starring Morgan Freeman and John Cusack. - [The Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark (Walk the Angry Beach) (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-film-crew-hollywood-after-dark-review/) - Hollywood after Dark is a depressing movie that just sits there, making one feel both dirty, sad and bored. This is a movie that requires a shower. - [Deadly Deception: The Mark Hacking Story (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/deadly-deception-the-mark-hacking-story-2004-review/) - In Deadly Deception: The Mark Hacking Story mystery is nowhere to be found. Man kills his wife and couldn;t be more obviously guilty. - [The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-sword-and-the-sorcerer-1982-review/) - How have I never heard of The Sword and the Sorcerer? This is both frightening and exciting. Swords, Bikinis and everything great. - [Marauders (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/marauders-2016-review/) - As for now, Marauders is a confusing overstuffed film with some great set-pieces and surprisingly good performances. Yes even Bruce Willis. - [Wrath of Man (2021) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/wrath-of-man-2021-review/) - Lock Stock and two Citalopram Wrath of Man (2021): 7 out of 10: is a riveting story of revenge set in Los Angeles that unfolds in four acts. Act 1: A Dark Spirit A brutal armored truck robbery leaves two guards and a bystander dead. Five months later, Patrick Hill (Jason Statham), nicknamed 'H', joins - [Spectre (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/spectre-2015-review/) - The dead are alive Spectre (2015): 6 out of 10: Spectre is the 24th film in the James Bond franchise, released in 2015, and directed by Sam Mendes. It stars Daniel Craig as the iconic MI6 agent James Bond. The movie continues the narrative arc established in Skyfall (2012), providing a deeper dive into Bond’s - [Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mission-impossible-fallout-2018-review/) - Mission: Impossible - Fallout is easily the best Mission Impossible movie so far, and one of the best action films of the year. - [Arctic (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/arctic-review/) - Arctic is a movie you can watch while doing the dishes. You know there is a reason that they gave Tom Hanks a volleyball to talk to in Cast Away. - [Casino Royale (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/casino-royale-2006-review/) - Bond hits the inside straight. Casino Royale (2006): 10 out of 10: After earning his "00" status with two professional hits, James Bond (Daniel Craig) is sent on a mission that takes him from the crane-tops of Madagascar to the beaches of the Bahamas. The trail leads to Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a high-stakes banker - [Outlaw King (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/outlaw-king-2018-review/) - You can tell this was a true labor of love by director David Mackenzie. Outlaw King has a wonderful understated realistic feel. A beautifully shot film - [Escape From New York (1981) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/escape-from-new-york-1981-review/) - Metal Gear Origins. John Carpenter’s Escape From New York (1981): 9 out of 10: is a grimy 1981 slice of dystopian pulp which remains one of those rare B-movies that both understands its limitations and weaponizes them. Delivering a film that moves with such brisk efficiency and such confidence that modern audiences, now trained to - [Playing Fable II & III the “Wrong” Way: An Essay on Games, Ratings, and Making Your Own Fun](https://cinematicdiversions.com/playing-fable-ii-iii-the-wrong-way-an-essay-on-games-ratings-and-making-your-own-fun/) - A story about gaming... A fable about Fable, if you will. There’s a YouTuber named Mortismal Gaming who covers CRPGs. You know those old-school, stat-driven, PC-centric kind, and he loathes Fable III. Anytime he posts a list of disappointing sequels or games that failed to live up to their potential, Fable III is trotted out - [Ward by Margott Scott (2022) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ward-by-margott-scott-2022-review/) - Tiny Dancer SVU Ward by Margott Scott (2022): 7 out of 10: is a romance novel that follows the story of a 17-year-old girl who is sent to live with her uncle (technically her step-uncle) after her parents die in a house fire. The uncle, a wealthy and dominant man in his 30s, takes her - [The Bourne Supremacy (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-bourne-supremacy-2004-review/) - Bourne Again The Bourne Supremacy (2004): 7 out of 10: In The Bourne Supremacy we find ourselves ricocheting across Europe, from the misty alleyways of Berlin to the sun-scorched landscapes of Goa, all under the watchful eye of a camera that seems permanently caffeinated. Director Paul Greengrass steps into the franchise with a handheld urgency - [The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-bourne-ultimatum-2007-review/) - Jason Doesn’t Know The Bourne Ultimatum (2007): 7 out of 10: Very solid direct follow-up to 2004’s The Bourne Supremacy. Starting minutes after the last one ended, we find Bourne wandering around Moscow post supermodel confession. While the movie spends a little too much time there, we thankfully head out, and the actual plot can - [Rant about Victimhood in a TurboTax Ad](https://cinematicdiversions.com/rant-about-victimhood-in-a-turbotax-ad/) - With a bonus rant about the Retirement Industrial Complex. The Blind If you don't know who Antonia Christa is, don't feel too bad. She is an influencer of some sort. She roller skates and juggles fire. Antonia is young and cute. And she is a disability advocate. Because you see Antonia is disabled. Let me - [The Core (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-core-2003/) - Acting wise Stanley Tucci is a joy and everyone else is forgettable. The Core is enjoyable in that bad 50s sci-fi kind of way. - [Ghost in the Shell (Kôkaku Kidôtai) (1995) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ghost-in-the-shell-kokaku-kidotai-1995-review/) - I wouldn't recommend Ghost in the Shell as baby's first anime. But if you are in the right mood (coffee, not beer) it is one hell of a watch. - [Double Causes Trouble (Shen Yong Shuang Mei Mai) (1989) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/double-causes-trouble-shen-yong-shuang-mei-mai-1989-review/) - Double Causes Trouble has a lot more bondage than one might expect. Carol Cheng and Maggie Cheung are standouts in the slapstick silliness - [Train to Busan (Busanhaeng) (2016) review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/train-to-busan-busanhaeng2016-review/) - Train to Busan is an example of a very well made film rising above its genre. A better than expected zombie film that is solid all around. - [American Made (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/american-made-review/) - American Made is a very solid, handsome outing. Cruise continues to show himself as rising above his material and who always seem to give a 110%. - [Casino (1995) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/casino-1995-review/) - The House always wins Casino (1995): 10 out of 10: Las Vegas in the 1970s was a shimmering mirage of glitz, greed, and good old-fashioned organized crime, and Casino dives headfirst into those neon-lit trenches with all the subtlety of a baseball bat to the windshield. Martin Scorsese, no stranger to stories of men undone - [Terror at Tenkiller (1986) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/terror-at-tenkiller-1986-review/) - Well, Terror at Tenkiller makes for a surprisingly well done RiffTrax track. Hope you like movies about talking on the phone and taking naps. - [The House That Dripped Blood (1971) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-house-that-dripped-blood-1971-review/) - The slow pace, predictable stories and the lack of wardrobe malfunction on Miss Pitt make The House That Dripped Blood a pass. - [Singularity Principle (2013) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/singularity-principle-2013-review/) - Singularity Principle has a real Time Chasers feel to the proceedings. It clearly is a work of love from those involved. - [Rocks at Whiskey Trench (2000) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/rocks-at-whiskey-trench-2000-review/) - Such an amazing story, and yet one feels that Rocks at Whiskey Trench isn't up to the task despite such wonderful access. - [Murder on the Orient Express (1974) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/murder-on-the-orient-express-1974-review/) - The Butler did it. Murder on the Orient Express (1974): 8 out of 10: One of the first film adaptations (there were plenty of teleplays) and easily the best of the Agatha Christie adaptations. With an all-star cast anchored by a fantastic performance by Albert Finney as our Belgian sleuth protagonist Poirot, the film shines as - [The Legend of Zorro (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-legend-of-zorro-2005-review/) - All the complaints above really wouldn't matter if The Legend of Zorro didn't feel twice the length that it was. - [Going the Distance: Rocky (1976) review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/going-the-distance-rocky-1976-review/) - Watch with a raw egg milkshake for extra authenticity. Rocky (1976): 10 out of 10: is an iconic sports drama film that tells the inspirational story of an underdog determined to overcome the odds. Directed by John G. Avildsen and written by its star, Sylvester Stallone, the film follows the journey of Rocky Balboa, a - [The Bourne Identity (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-bourne-identity-2002-review/) - Take the Money and Run The Bourne Identity (2002): 8 out of 10: A man floats unconscious in the Mediterranean Sea, riddled with bullets and bereft of any memory. Pretty standard Costa Cruise experience. Plucked from the brink of death by a passing fishing trawler, our nameless protagonist awakens with nothing but a safe deposit - [The Scorpion King: Book of Souls (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-scorpion-king-book-of-souls-2018-review/) - The Scorpion King: Book of Souls moves fast enough and has enough fighting and fan service to keep one awake for an hour and a half of family friendly fun. - [The Eagle Has Landed (1976) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-eagle-has-landed-1976-review/) - Had they played it straight throughout and allowed the characters to act like real people, The Eagle Has Landed could have been great. - [Mystery Science Theater 3000 Episode #820 Space Mutiny (1988) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-episode-820-space-mutiny-1988-review/) - Space Mutiny has a "The Room" quality as they drive around an industrial warehouse in golf carts pretending to be space warriors. - [Spectral (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/spectral-2016-review/) - Spectral is a solid Sci-fi actioner with a Black Hawk Down/Aliens sheen. A fun film that is better than one might suspect. - [The Hateful Eight (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-hateful-eight-2015-review/) - Eight is Enough The Hateful Eight (2015): 7 out of 10: Quentin Tarantino should really remake The Thing. In fact, he easily could remake it with the cast and setting of this very film. Heck, he already has an incredible Oscar-winning score from Ennio Morricone, who has unironically used unpublished excerpts from his The Thing - [The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-return-of-the-pink-panther-1975-review/) - Do you like slapstick? What is your current threshold for slapstick? The Return of the Pink Panther is going to test those thresholds. - [Revolutionary Road (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/revolutionary-road-2008-review/) - You say you want a revolution? Revolutionary Road (2008): 9 out of 10: The strangest complaint about this movie is that it is painful to watch and too realistic. For example, one critic exclaims “It's unbecoming -- and it should be worked out in private, not in a movie theater." another claims.“This is a movie - [Primal (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/primal-2019-review/) - Primal needed a few more over the top scenes. Cage’s character was all over the place and the redemption arc, romance arc and the end all fall flat. - [The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-chronicles-of-riddick-2004-review/) - The Chronicles of Riddick reminded me very much of Dune because for the first 30 minutes or so I had absolutely no idea what was going on. - [Special Effects (1984) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/special-effects-1984-review/) - Larry Cohen movie’s have great memories and time makes one forget what a slog they can actually be. Special Effects just has to many misses. - [Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mission-impossible-dead-reckoning-part-one-2023-review/) - If they defeat the bad guy in part two by spamming Studio Ghibli requests, I am going to increase my score. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023): 8 out of 10: The world is, once again, teetering on the edge of chaos, which must mean it’s time for another Mission Impossible movie. This - [Rest Stop (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/rest-stop-2006-review/) - Somewhat surprising that a movie called Rest Stop with this much violence, nudity and horror clichés can be so boring to watch. - [The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-crocodile-hunter-collision-course-2002-review/) - The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course itself is simple. Steve and his wife find various Australian wildlife. Wildlife tries to kill Steve. - [The Omen (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-omen-2006-review/) - Outside of some exploitative tie ins to 9/11 and Katrina and a generally lesser cast, this is the same Omen as before. Just not as good. - [The Evil That Men Do (1984) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-evil-that-men-do-1984-review/) - The Evil that Men Do is an okay mix of some nice standout scenes and Mexican locations saddled with some really poor acting and unfortunate pacing. - [The Devil’s Tomb (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-devils-tomb-2009-review/) - The Devil’s Tomb turns into a collection of interesting performances looking for a purpose besides figuring out who is buried in the Devil’s tomb. - [Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/romy-and-micheles-high-school-reunion-1997-review/) - Romy and Michele's High School Reunion takes the high road more often than not and is a pleasant enough to spend an hour or two with. - [The Acid House (1998) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-acid-house-1998-review/) - The Acid House is a collection of three films strung together with wildly different results. Two out of three isn't bad. - [The Mission (1986) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-mission-1986-review/) - There I go praising The Mission, scaring off viewers afraid it will be “good.” It is also entertaining with great action, visuals, acting. - [Virus (Fukkatsu no hi ) (1980) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/virus-fukkatsu-no-hi-1980-review/) - It's the end of the world as we know it and your all dead. Virus (Fukkatsu no Hi) (1980) : 6 out of 10: When it comes to apocalyptic cinema, the late 1970s and early ’80s had a certain flair for doom. The doom was often accompanied by a synth-heavy soundtrack and a Cold War-induced - [The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-ii-the-metal-years-1988-review/) - as a document of this specific place and time, The Decline of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years certainly does a decent job. - [Prisoners of the Lost Universe (1983) Review With RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/prisoners-of-the-lost-universe-1983-review-with-rifftrax/) - Prisoners of the Lost Universe is all in good fun and the stars mentioned above make most of this more palatable than it should be. - [The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-spy-who-loved-me-1977-review/) - The Spy Who Loved Me has more memorable scenes than most Bond films with a great Bond Girl, soundtrack and henchmen. - [Showgirls 2: Penny's from Heaven (2011) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/showgirls-2-pennys-from-heaven-2011-review/) - Rena Riffel has talent. Unfortunately for Showgirls 2 her surreal trip was lost in a deluge of craft errors and poor follow through. - [Spending Thanksgiving with the Moretti's (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/spending-thanksgiving-with-the-morettis-2016-review/) - Go ahead, see if you can make it more than eleven minutes and forty seconds into Spending Thanksgiving with the Moretti's . I couldn't. - [Say Anything...(1989) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/say-anything-1989-review/) - Say Anything... is realistic and flows well. The supporting cast is also excellent. The ending is both realistic and sweet. - [Nightbreed (1990) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/nightbreed-1990-review/) - Nightbreed is entertaining. It reminds me of Monster Trucks in terms of theme and tone. If Monster Trucks had Michael Myers killing families. - [Night of the Wild (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/night-of-the-wild-2015-review/) - Night of the Wild is a fun movie that knows it is fun and simply goes about its business. Well worth the watch. - [Jim Gaffigan: The Pale Tourist: Canadian American (2020) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/jim-gaffigan-the-pale-tourist-canadian-american-2020-review/) - There are worse ways to spend 45 minutes than to listen to Jim Gaffigan: The Pale Tourist: Canadian American provides that in spades. - [Nicotina (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/nicotina-2003-review/) - Overall, Nicotina is nice. It is a pleasant, good time. It is not scary, thrilling, funny, sexy, or clever, and that is its only real fault. - [Sea Beast (Troglodyte) (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/sea-beast-troglodyte2008-review/) - A very competent telling of the bog standard sea monster movie. - [New York Cop (Nyû Yôku No Koppu) (1993) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/new-york-cop-nyu-yoku-no-koppu-1993-review/) - New York Cop has one fatal flaw, however. It stars Tôru Nakamura. Toru doesn’t seem to be able to speak English and he is in almost every bloody scene. - [Never Too Young to Die (1986) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/never-too-young-to-die-1986-review/) - Never Too Young to Die is not a good movie. This, however, is an incredible eighties film. It may not be defensible, but it is sure entertaining. - [Twisted (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/twisted-2004-review/) - The only thing that will be twisted is your patience. - [Hero (Ying Xiong) (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hero-ying-xiong-review/) - Hero is a frustrating movie since the lack of emotional investment keeps one at such a distance that all you can do is admire the pretty pictures. - [My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/my-super-ex-girlfriend-2006-review/) - In My Super Ex-Girlfriend when I get to see a super heroine throw a great white shark into the apartment of her rival I feel nothing but pure joy. - [The Peregrine Dame in Durban (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-peregrine-dame-in-durban-2014-review/) - Miss Parsons makes Durban seem like a lot of fun. Miss Parsons also seems like a lot of fun. And isn't that what travel is about? Having fun? - [My Bloody Valentine (1981) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/my-bloody-valentine-1981-review/) - Overall My Bloody Valentine is a watchable slasher film, especially for those who like the early eighties slasher classics. - [Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/monty-python-and-the-holy-grail-1975-review/) - Monty Python and the Holy Grail is one of the funniest and most delightful films that is almost safe for the entire family. - [Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty By Daron Acemoğlu and James A. Robinson (2012) Audible narrated by Dan Woren.](https://cinematicdiversions.com/why-nations-fail-the-origins-of-power-prosperity-and-poverty-by-daron-acemoglu-and-james-a-robinson-2012-audible-narrated-by-dan-woren/) - Extracting History "Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty" (2012) 7 out of 10: is a non-fiction book by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson. The book aims to explain why some nations are rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine. The book begins - [Maniac (Sex Maniac) (1934) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/maniac-sex-maniac-1934-review/) - Maniac is not a well-made film. It is a curiosity I will grant you. The bad acting and weird segues are amazing in a what the hell kind of way, - [Tin Soldiers (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tin-soldiers-2015-review/) - Tin Soldiers is a heartwarming documentary that left me wanting more. I wish it had dived a little deeper into some of its subjects. - [Eaten Alive! (Mangiati vivi!) (1980) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/eaten-alive-mangiati-vivi-1980-review/) - With enough footage to cause Cannibal watching regulars a serious case of deja vu Eaten Alive is nevertheless an entertaining fun time. - [The Sower (Le Semeur) (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-sower-le-semeur-2017-review/) - This is a slight film. It is relaxing and deliberately paced. Pleasant isn't a negative trait. The Sower is, if nothing else, very pleasant. - [Mamma Mia! (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mamma-mia-2008-review/) - Mamma Mia! Drunken karaoke with talented people making complete asses out of themselves to great pop songs is wonderfully entertaining. - [The Pirate Tapes (2011) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-pirate-tapes-2011-review/) - Wonderful Schadenfreude was enough to make me wholeheartedly recommend watching The Pirate Kings. A wonderfuly misquided documentary. - [Malevolent (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/malevolent-2018-review/) - Malevolent is a decent film with an excellent lead performance by Pugh that seems to change genres two-thirds of the way through and not for the better. - [Magma: Volcanic Disaster (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/magma-volcanic-disaster-2006-review/) - Magma: Volcanic Disaster is average in a field where the competition is awful. Anything above pure pain is a feat of cinematic luck. This is not pure pain. - [Wuthering Heights (1939) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/wuthering-heights-1939-review/) - Wuthering Heights doesn't quite pull it off. Unlikable characters (particularly Oberon) cast a pall over the proceedings. - [Made in America (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/made-in-america-2008-review/) - Made in America struggles once it hits 1980 or so, and that is a shame. I guess the answers for the last twenty-five years of bloodshed are not as clear. - [Lurking Fear (1994) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/lurking-fear-1994-review/) - Lurking Fear is inoffensive, occasionally boring with bits of entertainment. It isn't an unpleasant hour and a half, but it is imminently forgettable. - [Loving Vincent (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/loving-vincent-2017-review/) - As good as the painting technique is I think it is a smidge of a shame that Loving Vincent is shot in 4:3 full screen. - [Living a Zombie Dream (1996) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/living-a-zombie-dream-1996-review/) - So if you are related to director Todd Reynolds.,or own the house whose front yard Living a Zombie Dream was filmed in, I'm sure you have already seen it. - [Xtinction: Predator X (Alligator X) (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/xtinction-predator-x-alligator-x-2014-review/) - had the principal part of Xtinction: Predator X been good I would have found the steering into dark hillbilly gone wild torture porn to be a distasteful. - [Living Death (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/living-death-2006-review/) - Living Death picks up the pace about halfway through and never lets go. Not a great film or a genre classic by any means, but certainly entertaining. - [The Sisters Brothers (Les frères Sisters) (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-sisters-brothers-les-freres-sisters-2018-review/) - This is an excellent film. It's a hell of a lot better than some of its revisionist western contemporaries. I enjoyed The Sisters Brothers. - [Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/lego-dc-comics-super-heroes-justice-league-vs-bizarro-league-2015-review/) - Cheap looking with inferior art design, Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League suffers most from a weak story. - [Killer Workout (Aerobicide) (1987) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/killer-workout-aerobicide-1987-review/) - It is no Death Spa but it is a good cheesy eighties slasher flick. And I have seen enough bad ones to recognize a pleasurable time when I see it. - [Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/legally-blonde-2-red-white-blonde-2003-review/) - Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde is a train wreck. It is a borderline entertaining train wreck however. Plus Bob Newhart. - [Amelie (Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain) (2001)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/amelie-le-fabuleux-destin-damelie-poulain-2001/) - It is only in her pursuit of love that Amelie fails as both a person and a movie. Just like most twelve-year-old girls. - [Mystery Science Theater 3000: Episode 706: Laserblast (1978) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-episode-706-laserblast-1978-review/) - In Laserblast's defense things blow up occasionally. The claymation alien turtles have a certain charm. Overall however, this is one terrible film. - [Futureworld (1976) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/futureworld-1976-review/) - You had one job, Futureworld. Get a bunch of rich, obnoxious people and our two reporter heroes. exploitative sex; exploitative violence; then heroes escape - [Crawl (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/crawl-2019-review/) - Crawl is a creature feature with a wonderful script and good acting to boot. You don’t kick that out of bed for eating crackers. (Or other Floridians) - [Laid to Rest (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/laid-to-rest-2009-review/) - Laid to Rest is an excellent slasher film for those people who like that sort of thing. But be forewarned, this is for fans only. - [Ghost in the Shell 2.0 (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ghost-in-the-shell-2-0-2008-review/) - Bottom line, skip Ghost in the Shell 2.0 and see the 1995 Ghost in the Shell. It is both the same movie, and it is a much better experience. - [Evil Under The Sun (1982) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/evil-under-the-sun-1982-review/) - Evil Under The Sun is a campy adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1941 novel of the same name with an all star British cast. - [Killer Drag Queens on Dope (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/killer-drag-queens-on-dope-2003-review/) - The movie does what is says on the tin. It has drag queens; they are killers, and they do lots of dope. A fun, funny and surprisingly family friendly affair - [Catherine (Kyasarin) (2011) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/catherine-kyasarin-2011-review/) - If you like good more adult themed Anime and don't mind earning your pudding Catherine is an excellent game. - [King Kong (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/king-kong-2005-review/) - This feels like the director's cut.With an easy 30 minutes of film. All that said great action, scary islanders, and tragic romance make King Kong a winner. - [Guardians (Zashchitniki) (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/guardians-zashchitniki-review/) - Guardians grew on me after about an hour in as all the exposition and introductions were over, and I was getting used to the horrible dubbed voices. - [Doom (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/doom-2005-review/) - Come get some. Doom (2005): 6 out of 10: Sometimes films or other media are so eviscerated by the critics that by the time one watches it, one is predisposed to give it little sympathy. The Days Gone video game is actually a good example. It is a perfectly serviceable, if not fun, motorcycle focused - [BloodRayne (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bloodrayne-review/) - Red Rayne Editors note: I recently watched all three BloodRayne's back to back and I have to adjust my score on this one from an 8 to a 6. The story is much more muddled than I remember it with lots of scene and time skips and bluntly the direction impedes the story. BTW BloodRayne: - [Spaceballs (1987) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/spaceballs-1987-review/) - Jews in Space Spaceballs (1987): 7 out of 10: For Spaceballs Mel Brooks puts Star Wars in his crosshairs. The plot is pure parody: the evil Planet Spaceball has squandered all its air and now plans to steal the atmosphere from the peaceful Planet Druidia. (Star Wars returns the favor somewhat by stealing Druidia’s planet - [Leviathan (1989) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/leviathan-1989-review/) - Under The Sea Leviathan (1989): 6 out of 10: dives deep both literally and figuratively into the murky waters of undersea horror, surfacing somewhere between Alien and The Thing with more than a little The Abyss and of all things Sphere in its DNA. It seems on brand that the monster is a genetic mess - [Arena Wars (2024) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/arena-wars-2024-review/) - Here is Subzero! Now, plain zero! Arena Wars (2024): 6 out of 10: In the near future, society has become obsessed with a brutal new sport known as Arena Wars—a televised gladiatorial combat where convicted death row criminals fight a collection of international super criminals in themed costumes to the death for a chance at - [Ready Player One (2018) With RiffTrax Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ready-player-one-2018-with-rifftrax-review/) - Game Over Man. Ready Player One (2018): 7 out of 10: directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 2018, is a science fiction adventure film based on Ernest Cline’s 2011 novel of the same name. Set in a dystopian future where people escape their bleak reality by immersing themselves in a virtual universe called the - [Jupiter Ascending (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/jupiter-ascending-2015-review/) - Jupiter Ascending shares a lot in common with John Carter. It had an even worse box office performance and even harsher reviews. Yet I admit I had fun. - [Doctor Strange (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/doctor-strange-2016-review/) - Scott Derrickson isn’t afraid to let his imagination run wild everything from acid trips to body horror to Inception called and they want their movie back is featured. - [1990: The Bronx Warriors (1982) Review now with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/1990-the-bronx-warriors-review/) - The film is loaded with problems even for an Italian rip off hack job. As Joe Bob Briggs might say 17 breasts, zero of which belong to the ladies. - [How to Rate a Cat: Rate Any Feline Friend from Their Boopable Nose to Their Sweet Toe Beans (2025) by Matthew McGlasson](https://cinematicdiversions.com/how-to-rate-a-cat-rate-any-feline-friend-from-their-boopable-nose-to-their-sweet-toe-beans-2025-by-matthew-mcglasson/) - Rate that pussy (Sorry I could not help myself) ​How to Rate a Cat: Rate Any Feline Friend from Their Boopable Nose to Their Sweet Toe Beans (2025): 7 out of 10: In this illustrated collection veterinarian and social media personality Matthew McGlasson invites readers into the whimsical world of feline appraisal. Drawing from his - [The Meg (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-meg-2018-review/) - I hear the book is better. The Meg (2018): 8 out of 10: is what happens when you blend a big-budget creature feature with a healthy dose of Jason Statham. The setup is straight from the “I wonder what is in the forbidden zone” playbook: a deep-sea research team uncovers something massive, ancient, and very - [F9: The Fast Saga (2021) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/f9-the-fast-saga-2021-review/) - To Slow To Stupid F9: The Fast Saga (2021): 2 out of 10: directed by Justin Lin and starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, and John Cena, is the ninth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film continues the high-octane adventures of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew as they face yet another - [The Black Demon (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-black-demon-2023-review/) - Beelzebub? Belial? Chris Brown? The Black Demon (2023): 5 out of 10: Paul Sturges (Josh Lucas), an inspector for Nixon Oil, sets out to a quaint Mexican town in Baja California with his family to inspect the offshore oil rig, El Diamante (The Diamond). The vacation mood quickly diminishes as they find the town devastated - [Fathomless by Greig Beck (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/fathomless-by-greig-beck-2016-review/) - Dark Water Fathomless (2016): 9 out of 10: by Greig Beck takes readers on a thrilling adventure revolving around the legendary Carcharodon Megalodon, the largest and most fearsome predator in history. The story begins in 1952 on Baranof Island in the Gulf of Alaska, where Jim Granger is on a quest to find a mythical - [Up the Yangtze (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/up-the-yangtze-2007-review/) - Up the Yangtze is a beautiful visit with some young people starting in life with all the overconfidence and fears that entails mixed with a turbulent time. - [Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz: Stories of the Witch Knight and the Puppet Sorcerer by Garth Nix (2024) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/sir-hereward-and-mister-fitz-stories-of-the-witch-knight-and-the-puppet-sorcerer-by-garth-nix-2024-review/) - Puppetmaster Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz: Stories of the Witch Knight and the Puppet Sorcerer by Garth Nix (2024): 9 out of 10: is a collection of delightful short stories featuring, unsurprisingly, Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz. This compilation assembles eight previously published tales alongside a slight new adventure, chronicling the exploits of Sir Hereward, - [RoboCop (1987) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/robocop-review/) - Paul Verhoeven mixes satire and action at a level few have matched since. RoboCop is that rare eighties film that seems to only get better with time. - [DragonHeart (1996) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dragonheart-1996-review/) - This is a fun romp suitable for the wee ones With that in mind and the general fun to be had, one has to give DragonHeart a lot of slack. - [Starship Troopers (1997) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/starship-troopers-1997-review/) - Bugs. Why did it have to be bugs? Starship Troopers (1997): 10 out of 10: is a wild, satirical ride masquerading as a bombastic sci-fi action flick. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the film opens in a shiny, fascist-flavored future where Earth’s militarized government preaches patriotism and citizenship through service. We follow Johnny Rico (Casper Van - [A Perfect Getaway (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/a-perfect-getaway-review/) - A Perfect Getaway cheats a bit as I stated before but this is a thriller rather than a mystery and the journey is more fun than the reveal. - [Below (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/below-review/) - Take away the ghost story (and the endless bump in the night cheap scares that accompany it) you have yourself a serviceable psychological thriller. - [Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/guardians-of-the-galaxy-2014/) - WKRP in Space Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): 9 out of 10: Set in the vast expanse of the cosmos, "Guardians of the Galaxy" follows Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), a space adventurer and self-proclaimed "Star-Lord," who comes into possession of a mysterious orb. After stealing the orb, he becomes the prime target of a relentless intergalactic - [Pitch Black (2000) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/pitch-black-2000-review/) - I wear my sunglasses at night Pitch Black (2000): 8 out of 10: is a sci-fi survival thriller where, while no one can hear you scream in space, alas, they are marooned on a planet. So good luck with that. The story kicks off when a transport ship carrying a mix of passengers crashes on - [Twisters (2024) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/twisters-2024-review/) - Disamance? Romasterpiece? Twistmance? Heartwhirl? Twisters (2024): 9 out of 10: Twisters (2024) serves as a standalone sequel to the 1996 classic Twister, plunging audiences back into the heart of tornado alley. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the film centers on Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a former storm chaser haunted by a tragic tornado encounter during - [King Arthur (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/king-arthur-2004-review/) - Like Troy, the flaws of King Arthur add a humorous dimension to the proceedings. Plus, it has an incredible ice battle unmatched outside of Russian cinema. - [Killer Flood: The Day the Dam Broke (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/killer-flood-the-day-the-dam-broke-2003/) - Killer Flood: The Day the Damn Broke is no diamond in the rough. This is the rough. Brought to you by the folks behind TimeChasers - [KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/katiebird-certifiable-crazy-person-2005-review/) - KatieBird* Certifiable Crazy Person is well shot by Josh Fong. But we lose it in this look three places at once stylistic nightmare. - [The Machine Girl (Kataude mashin gâru) (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-machine-girl-kataude-mashin-garu-7-out-of-10-review/) - I cannot dislike The Machine Girl which features a bra made out of industrial drills. So turn you mind off, send the misses out shopping and enjoy. - [Justice League: War (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/justice-league-war-2014-review/) - Justice League: War may not have been the Justice League movie you wanted, but it could have been a lot worse. cough Justice League cough - [Justice League (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/justice-league-2017-review/) - Originally Justice League was supposed to be a direct sequel to Batman vs. Superman but that film Green Lanterened all over the screen so rewrites galore - [Across The Line (2000) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/across-the-line-2000-review/) - Ice Ice Baby Across The Line (2000): 4 out of 10: is a neo-Western thriller that centers on a small-town Texas sheriff (Brian Bloom) and his involvement with an illegal immigrant (Writer/ Producer Sigal Erez) The Good The Good: The acting is great. It might seem I am complaining about some characters below. But that - [Baby of the Bride (1991) Review With RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/baby-of-the-bride-1991-review-with-rifftrax/) - It's Alive Baby of the Bride (1991): 4 out of 10: Hey it is a Christmas movie. Well Bridgett and Mary Jo take on a Lifetime movie before there were Lifetime movies. Or a double bill with Hollywood After Dark, perhaps. “Baby of the Bride” (1991) continues the story of Margret and John Hix shortly - [Children of the Bride (1990) Review With RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/children-of-the-bride-1990-review-with-rifftrax/) - Question not my judgement, Malachai. I am the giver of His word. Children of the Bride (1990): 4 out of 10: Rue McClanahan, who honestly looks all her 56 years, is getting married to Special Guest Star Patrick Duffy. this is the first sign of problems ahead. This is a movie, not a TV show, - [Last Sunset (Sex & Consequences) (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/last-sunset-sex-consequences-2006-review/) - Last Sunset (Sex & Consequences) is actually decent for the first hour and is worth checking out for Joan Severance’s performance. - [Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/jurassic-world-fallen-kingdom-2018-review/) - The opening bit with the guys trying to get the bone underwater in the rain is excellent. The rest of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is somewhat disposable. - [What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/whats-up-tiger-lily-1966-review/) - What’s Up Tiger Lily is a must-see for fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and of Woody Allen’s early comedy. (And fans of the Lovin Spoonful I guess). - [What We Do in the Shadows (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-2014-review/) - What We Do in the Shadows has good acting, an excellent story and premise, fresh takes on well-worn tropes, and plenty of surprises. - [Confidential (1935) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/confidential-1935-review/) - Some of the fun of old movies like these is the background noise that can fascinate a modern audience. Here we have an agent with a sentimental attachment to a bobblehead of all things. Also a chance to see 1930’s claw machine - [Day of the Animals (1977) Review with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/day-of-the-animals-1977-review/) - I want to watch Day of the Animals for the fifth time merits the movie getting an eight out of ten from me. As for the actual quality? A four was generous. - [Frog-g-g! (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/frog-g-g-2004-review/) - I'm a sucker for nature gone wild movies and movie lesbian sex has never hurt a film. Neither has a catchy theme song with the dancing Sleestak. - [Hospital Massacre (X-Ray) (1981) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hospital-massacre-x-ray-1981-review/) - "A hospital? What is it?" "It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now." Hospital Massacre (X-Ray) (1982): 5 out of 10: also known as "X-Ray" is a 1982 horror film directed by Boaz Davidson. The story follows Susan Jeremy (Barbi Benton), a woman who goes for a routine check-up at a - [Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/boogie-man-the-lee-atwater-story-2008-review/) - Just play dumb and keep moving Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story (2008): 8 out of 10: is a documentary that delves into the life and political career of Lee Atwater, a controversial Republican political strategist and adviser. Directed by Stefan Forbes, the film provides an in-depth look at Atwater's influence on American politics, especially - [Top Secret! (1984) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/top-secret-1984-review/) - How Silly Can You Get? Top Secret! (1984): 8 out of 10: “Top Secret!” is a 1984 action comedy film written and directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker and starring Val Kilmer, Lucy Gutteridge, and Omar Sharif. The film is a parody of spy movies, specifically the Elvis Presley musicals and the - [Before I Say Goodbye (2003) Review with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/before-i-say-goodbye-2003-review-with-rifftrax/) - Walters & Arsdale Before I Say Goodbye (2003): 4 out of 10: Nell MacDermott Cauliff (Sean Young) is a rising politician and the granddaughter of a prominent figure in local politics. She is married to architect Adam Cauliff (Christopher Shyer), who wants to be a lead architect in the new big project in town. Nell - [Airplane! Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/airplane-review/) - Zero Hour for laughs. Airplane! (1980): 10 out of 10: is a comedic tour-de-force, a relentless barrage of gags that satirizes the disaster film genre with unparalleled brilliance. From its iconic opening shot of an airplane tail flying through the clouds to the Jaws theme to its absurdly satisfying conclusion of Howard Jarvis waiting in - [Blood Beach (1980) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/blood-beach-1980-review/) - Shai-Hulud Blood Beach (1980): 5 out of 10: is a horror film about a mysterious creature lurking beneath the sands of Santa Monica beach, devouring unsuspecting victims. Local cops try to solve the mystery while various non-bathing beauties disappear. So Blood Beach scores with a great high concept, some excellent actors, and the fact I - [Big Trouble in Little China (1986) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/big-trouble-in-little-china-1986-review/) - Green Eyed Lady. Big Trouble in Little China (1986): 9 out of 10 follows Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), a loud-mouthed, swaggering truck driver, as he gets pulled into a bizarre and dangerous underworld battle beneath San Francisco’s Chinatown. Jack and his friend, Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), head to the airport to pick up Wang’s green-eyed - [Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign (2017) by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes. Review.](https://cinematicdiversions.com/shattered-inside-hillary-clintons-doomed-campaign-2017-by-jonathan-allen-and-amie-parnes-review/) - Car Crash Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign (2017) by Jonathan Allen, Amie Parnes.: 9 out of 10: Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign is a critical and journalistic exploration of one of the most shocking election outcomes in modern U.S. history. Written by political reporters Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, the book delves into - [My Old Ass (2024) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/my-old-ass-2024-review/) - Canadians! It's a Trap! My Old Ass (2024): 8 out of 10: A very modern Canadian gay girl (Maisy Stella) joins two girlfriends on a deserted island to take shrooms for her 18th birthday. During her shroom trip she meets her future self (Aubrey Plaza) who gives her a dire warning for her future. Stay - [Ju-On: The Grudge 2 (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ju-on-the-grudge-2-2003-review/) - Ju-On the Grudge 2 is the same movie as the others, but with less. This sequel is for a fanatic or completest only. - [Abominable (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/abominable-2006-review/) - A Sasquatch would never parade his crime in front of an open window. Abominable (2006): 9 out of 10: Abominable is a 2006 American horror film directed by Ryan Schifrin. The movie blends elements of creature horror with classic slasher tropes, delivering an intense survival thriller centered on the legendary Sasquatch (or Bigfoot or Yeti - [John Ford Goes to War (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/john-ford-goes-to-war-2002-review/) - John Ford Goes to War is a fascinating story like this should make for a fascinating documentary...unfortantly it doesn’t. - [Joe (2013) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/joe-2013-review/) - Poulter elevates Joe from a lot of the usual southern gothic poverty porn actors showcases and elevates it to a thriller worth watching again. - [Married Too Young (1962) With RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/married-too-young-1962-with-rifftrax/) - Bring Them Young Married Too Young (1962): 4 out of 10: Tommy Blaine (Harold Lloyd Jr.) and Helen Newton (Jana Lund) are two young teenagers who are very horny… I mean um…deeply in love. Eager to escape their restrictive home lives and the disapproval of Helen’s strict parents, they impulsively decide to get married. However, - [Lost Angelas (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/lost-angelas-2019-review/) - I found it Lost Angelas (2019): 6 out of 10: Lost Angelas is a 2019 American neo-noir psychological thriller directed by William Wayne. The film follows Jake Hart, a struggling screenwriter portrayed by Wayne himself, who becomes entangled in the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée (Korrina Rico). The movie is told almost entirely in flashback with - [Jigsaw (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/jigsaw-2017-review/) - Jigsaw is a solid, if over-plotted, horror movie with decent scares, good effects, and some memorable scenes. Worth it for fans of the Saw series - [Jason Bourne (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/jason-bourne-2016-review/) - In Jason Bourne 2016 the acting is decent and entertaining. Only real shame is the plot is such an incomprehensible, silly mess. - [Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/antrum-the-deadliest-film-ever-made-2018-review/) - This is where the fish live. Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made (2018): 4 out of 10: is a horror film directed by David Amito and Michael Laicini. It presents itself as a lost, cursed film from the 1970s, with a reputation for causing misfortune, injury, or even death to those who watch it. The - [Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/unearthed-untold-the-path-to-pet-sematary-2017-review/) - As a stand-alone documentary, even the titular Pet Sematary itself couldn't bring this dead horse to life. - [It Follows (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/it-follows-2014-review/) - It Follows has some very effective scenes and set pieces. It is not a bad film at all. The mixing of styles and technology give a dreamy sense out of time. - [It's Alive (1974) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/its-alive-1974-review/) - As a treat for children of everything seventies, It's Alive is a delight. As a horror film, however, it's a disappointment. - [Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/insidious-chapter-3-2015-review/) - Insidious: Chapter 3 looks cheap and tells a muddled story full of fan service but little else. Instead of creating a new legend, - [The Customer Is Always Wrong: An Unhinged Guide to Everything That Sucks About Work (from an Angry Retail Guy) - The Perfect Funny Gift for Retail, Service, or Office Workers by Scott Seiss (2024) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-customer-is-always-wrong-an-unhinged-guide-to-everything-that-sucks-about-work-from-an-angry-retail-guy-the-perfect-funny-gift-for-retail-service-or-office-workers-by-scott-seiss-2024-rev/) - In need to speak to the manager about that title. The Customer Is Always Wrong: An Unhinged Guide to Everything That Sucks About Work (from an Angry Retail Guy) - The Perfect Funny Gift for Retail, Service, or Office Workers by Scott Seiss (2024): 8 out of 10: The Customer Is Always Wrong is a - [Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/gonzo-the-life-and-work-of-dr-hunter-s-thompson-2008/) - For those unfamiliar with Hunter S Thompson outside of his Muppet form, this is a good start. If it gets people to read his early work so much, the better. - [To Kill a President: An international assassination thriller by Mike Spence (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/to-kill-a-president-an-international-assassination-thriller-by-mike-spence-2023-review/) - Should have used an exploding cigar. To Kill a President: An international assassination thriller by Mike Spence (2023): 5 out of 10: A group of Healthcare CEO’s hire assassins to kill President Clinton. Can counter terrorist forces stop them in time? We will find out. The Good The Good: This is Mike Spence’s first book - [Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/wristcutters-a-love-story-2006-review/) - Suicide is Painless Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006): 7 out of 10: Wristcutters is your standard romantic comedy about the joys of suicide. How does it stand apart from the crowd? Let’s find out. Wristcutters: A Love Story is directed by Goran Dukić, based on the short story Kneller’s Happy Campers by Etgar Keret. The - [Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/insidious-chapter-2-2013-review/) - I liked Insidious: Chapter 2 . It is a proper horror movie, yet it is one that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Patrick Wilson classes the place up, - [National Geographic Explorer: Inside Guantanamo Bay (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/national-geographic-explorer-inside-guantanamo-bay-2009-review/) - Overall, more of an interesting historical novelty rather than a cutting edge documentary. Guantanamo is no Abu Ghraib. - [In the Year 2889 (1967) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/in-the-year-2889-1967-review/) - In the Year 2889 is another Buchanan TV remake, but better than his usual fair. More time wasting curiosity than anything mistaken for entertainment. - [Ikki Tousen (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ikki-tousen-2003-review/) - Give Ikki Tousen a few episodes it may draw you into the history and characterization. Alternatively, you might just be interested in the fan service. - [If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/if-youre-not-in-the-obit-eat-breakfast-2017-review/) - If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast is an uplifting heartwarming documentary where everyone is sprightly and healthy and loved. - [Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ice-age-2-the-meltdown-2006-review/) - The sequel is a bunch of gags barely strung together with a go from point A to point B storyline occasionally interrupted by prehistoric squirrel, Scrat. - [Io (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/io-2019-review/) - If I were to title Io, it would be Indie Platform Walking Simulator the movie. A windstorm and finding a bee isn't cutting it. - [I'll Be There with You (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ill-be-there-with-you-2006-review/) - I’ll Be There With You reminds me of that mess Demonlover. But with a lower budget and less talent on both sides of the camera. - [Young Gods (Hymypoika) (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/young-gods-hymypoika-2003-review/) - Despite being relatively slow placed and occasionally over-dramatic, Young Gods is an enjoyable, realistic and fresh coming of age film. - [Jet Li's Fearless (Huo Yuan Jia) (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/jet-lis-fearless-huo-yuan-jia-2006-review/) - Though Jet Li's Fearless is more fleshed out than say in Hero, the character is too broad to identify with. That said, I loved the fight scenes. - [How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-2019-review/) - As third sequels to animated films go, this is a good one. They put money on the screen and delivered a beautiful product with a satisfying conclusion. - [Hostiles (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hostiles-2017-review/) - Hostiles feels as if it doesn’t know it is a movie. The characters seem like real people dealing with real situations the best they can. - [Hostel (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hostel-2005-review/) - Half EuroTrip style sex comedy (with a seventies level of nudity) and half the doctor scene from Blood Sucking Freaks: Yeah it’s a 10. - [Hopscotch (1980) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hopscotch-1980-review/) - Amiable is a good word for this entire film. Hopscotch is a fun, relaxing, funny movie. Atomic Blonde this is not. - [Hitman: Agent 47 (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hitman-agent-47-2015-review/) - That all Hitman: Agent 47 really is, a forgettable ride among some nice scenery. Sometimes that is enough for a Saturday night on the couch with the wife. - [Hellboy (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hellboy-2004-review/) - Hellboy is better than an action movie or comic book movie should be and immeasurably better than a movie called Hellboy deserves to be. - [Hell or High Water (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hell-or-high-water-2016-review/) - Hell or High Water is great. The acting is more than solid all across the board and the film spends the vast majority of its running time in a good place. - [Heartstopper (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/heartstopper-2006-review/) - Heartstopper is hardly the worst direct to video horror movie I’ve seen. Its biggest fault seems to be it does nothing I haven’t seen. - [Hangman (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hangman-2017-review/) - Hangman is a not a good film.There is little tension when most of the victims are random and unknown until we find them hanging around. - [Inferno (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/inferno-2016-review/) - Overall Inferno is a fun film with good visuals, some decent performances, and a silly story. Grab some popcorn. - [Infamous Second Son (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/infamous-second-son-2014-review/) - Infamous Second Son is a beautiful game with solid mechanics. It is also like playing Saints Row IV with all the fun bits removed. - [Masters of Horror: Haeckel’s Tale (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/masters-of-horror-haeckels-tale-2006-review/) - So in conclusion Masters of Horror: Haeckel’s Tale is decent albeit slow and Savasta will make a man leave his wife and travel a continent. - [Guinea Pig: Devil’s Experiment (Ginî piggu - Akuma no jikken) (1985) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/guinea-pig-devils-experiment-gini-piggu-akuma-no-jikken-1985-review/) - That’s it, no plot, no motive, just Blair Witch tree shots and torture. In Guinea Pig: Devil’s Experiment I was bored silly. - [Border (Gräns) (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/border-grans-2018-review/) - Honestly, a straightforward drama about an ugly person living in Sweden or Denmark would make for an interesting film. Border certainly takes risks. - [Groundhog Day (1993) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/groundhog-day-1993-review/) - Groundhog Day is such a simple premise and yet Director Harold Ramis and star Bill Murray take it some many wonderful wacky ways. - [Jackpot! (2024) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/jackpot-2024-review/) - Everyone is a loser. Jackpot! (2024): 1 out of 10: Jackpot! is an action comedy film directed by Paul Feig, set in a near-future California where the state has introduced the “Grand Lottery” to address financial woes. The lottery has a deadly twist: the winner must survive until sundown, as losing ticket holders are legally - [California Quake (Ground Zero) (2000) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/california-quake-ground-zero-2000-review/) - So no earthquakes, bad villains, and despite a Janet Gunn wet t-shirt contest. Skip California Quake (As if starring Jack Scalia isn’t enough of a clue.) - [Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/grosse-pointe-blank-1997/) - The story is silly and over the top, yet Grosse Pointe Blank somehow keeps the tone just right throughout the proceedings. - [Grizzly (1976) Review with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/grizzly-1976-review/) - We're going to need a bigger picnic basket. Grizzly (1976): 6 out of 10: Famous B-Movie that followed Jaws was made for 750k and it grossed over 30 million. Giant 18 foot grizzly bear terrorizes national park. Many a picnic basket was stolen. The Good The Good: Watching this again make me think I was - [The Brothers Grimsby (Grimsby) (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-brothers-grimsby-grimsby-2016-review/) - Sentimental about the classless freeloading scum and gross beyond the point of funny The Brothers Grimsby is a chore to even watch. - [13 Eerie (2013) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/13-eerie-2013-review/) - 13 Eerie is a solid zombie movie with superb practical special effects and a good cast. Too bad outside of an excellent premise, the script lets us down. - [13 Cameras (Slumlord) (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/13-cameras-slumlord-2015-review/) - We have all had creepy landlords in apartments we have rented. Writer / director Victor Zarcoff successfully exploits this in 13 Cameras. - [Grace (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/grace-2009-review/) - Grace has good acting, the world’s cutest black cat, and some biting social commentary. What it lacks is a killer baby. Stick with It’s Alive - [Goodfellas (1990) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/goodfellas-1990-review/) - The two-and-a-half hours breezes by and the film will stick with you for days. One of the best films ever made without caveats. - [Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (Gojira tai Megagirasu: Jî shômetsu sakusen) (2000) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/godzilla-vs-megaguirus-gojira-tai-megagirasu-ji-shometsu-sakusen-2000-review/) - I know it is a popular pastime to bash “the American Godzilla” but in its defense I would like to give you Godzilla vs. Megaguirus. Where do I begin? - [Godzilla 2000 (Gojira ni-sen mireniamu) (1999) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/godzilla-2000-gojira-ni-sen-mireniamu-review/) - Godzilla 2000 roared into theaters on a mission to erase the memory of “that American Godzilla”. A chance to see a Japanese Godzilla on the big screen. - [Godzilla (1998) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/godzilla-1998-review/) - It has been common recently to revisit Godzilla and declare it not that bad. I agree it is not that bad. Not that good as well mind you - [Girls are for Loving (1973) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/girls-are-for-loving-1973-review/) - Girls are for Loving removes the sadism, rape and nubile young flesh completely and is halfhearted about bondage. A confusing and inept action film. - [Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ginger-snaps-back-the-beginning-2004-review/) - The Beginning really doesn’t make much sense if you haven’t seen the other two Ginger Snaps films and even less sense if you have. - [(T)ERROR (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/terror-2015-review/) - Whatever other failing (T)error has as a documentary the time spent with Saeed’s story and point of view make this a worthwhile watch. - [Gilbert Gottfried: Dirty Jokes (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/gilbert-gottfried-dirty-jokes-2005-review/) - Gilbert Gottfried: Dirty Jokes (2005): 4 out of 10: Notice the “concert film” is called Dirty Jokes not funny jokes. An X-rated Jack Benny routine. - [Ghosts of Mars (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ghosts-of-mars-2001-review/) - With zero tension, no nudity, lame villains, horrible dialog and special effects that bring only one word to mind (Lionel), Ghosts of Mars is a mess. - [Ghost of Mae Nak (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ghost-of-mae-nak-2005-review/) - The non-ghost scenes with the couple buying a house and dealing with various relatives and cultural demands are delightful and fresh to these western eyes. - [Ghost Voyage (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ghost-voyage-2008-review/) - Overall Ghost Voyage gets better as it moves along and is entertaining enough diversion for those interested in the genre. - [Ghost Town Renegades (1947) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ghost-town-renegades-1947-review/) - Ghost Town Renegades has some decent if low-key action and the plot, while out of an old Scooby-Doo episode, is logical and easy to follow. - [Ghost Stories (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ghost-stories-2017-review/) - Ghost Stories alas is not playing fair with the audience and eventually morphs into a very unpleasant The Butterfly Effect meets It. - [Geostorm (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/geostorm-2017-review/) - I am a softy when it comes to disaster films. I also genuinely enjoy Gerald Butler movies more than most. This, however, did not win me over. - [Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/brittany-runs-a-marathon-2019-review/) - Brittany Runs a Marathon shows the positive outcome from focusing on improving oneself through diet and exercise. Being fit is better than being fat. - [Gemini (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/gemini-2017-review/) - Unfortunately, Gemini is the Reader's Digest version of Mulholland Drive with all the mystery and good bits cut out. On its own Gemini is a beautiful film - [Galaxy Quest (1999) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/galaxy-quest-1999-review/) - Galaxy Quest honestly gets extra brownie points for not screwing up a great premise. They get so much right from an excellent score to good special effects. - [G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/g-i-joe-the-rise-of-the-cobra-2009-review/) - The stupid is strong in G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra... but so is the fun. The movie has a video game feel and I mean that in the most complementary way. - [Fyre (2019) and Fyre Fraud (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/fyre-2019-and-fyre-fraud-2019-review/) - So which documentary is better? I gave both documentaries the same score. If I had to choose, I would pick the Hulu doc Fyre Fraud. - [Future World (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/future-world-2018-review/) - Franco is channeling the eighties Full Moon post-apocalyptic desert movies with his Salton Sea locations and simple hero's journey across the wasteland. - [Mirror, Mirror (1990) Review with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mirror-mirror-1990-review/) - Mirror, Mirror is a nice quiet well made horror film. Chances are you will have forgotten you have seen it by the time it rolls back on streaming. - [Mystery Science Theater 3000 Ep. 1004, Future War, (1997) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-ep-1004-future-war-1997-review/) - Even with a budget in the thousands, I am not sure the script is filmable. No nudity, limited gore, and the special effects consist of dinosaur puppets. - [Frontier(s) (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/frontiers-2007-review/) - Unpleasant film about unpleasant people doing unpleasant things to each other in French while covered in pig excrement and fully clothed. Enjoy. - [From Beyond (1986) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/from-beyond-1986-review/) - By the time Barbara Crampton lets her hair down (and her bondage gear on) Jeffrey Combs is bald, naked and making guttural sounds - [Friday the 13th (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/friday-the-13th-2009-review/) - As Friday the 13th movies go this is one of the best. This is a flashier, more competently lensed Friday the 13th, and is that such a bad thing. - [Freezer Burn (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/freezer-burn-2007-review/) - Freezer Burn has a great tone. Kind of silly but also realistic compared to a more polished Hollywood film. Overall, I had a fun time. - [Frankenstein Island (1981) Review With RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/frankenstein-island-1981-review/) - The irony is that the movie has a cast and a premise that could easily have been turned into watchable trash. It is just too incompetent for its own good. - [Frankenstein (1931) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/frankenstein-1931-review/) - While the vastly superior Bride of Frankenstein surprised me with its advanced film techniques Frankenstein surprises with its brevity and staginess. - [Frankenhooker (1990) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/frankenhooker-1990-review/) - The plenteous collection of native crazies Henenlotter puts together make for a dynamic viewing experience. Frankenhooker is also genuinely funny. - [For Your Eyes Only (1981) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/for-your-eyes-only-1981-review/) - Grounded and reasonable James Bond outing. I am not sure grounded and reasonable is the reason I watch James Bond but I enjoyed myself - [First We Take Brooklyn (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/first-we-take-brooklyn-2018-review/) - Enjoyable film that makes want to see more from both Danny A. Abeckaser and AnnaLynne McCord and relieved that Harvey Keitel kept his pants on. - [Finding Nemo (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/finding-nemo-2003-review/) - The simple fact is after being spoiled by Shrek (or even Ice Age) I like my kids films to be more accommodating to adults. - [Finding Dory (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/finding-dory-2016-review/) - Finding Dory will keep the kids entertained and adults will not suffer. - [Final Score (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/final-score-2018-review/) - Die Hard ripoffs remind us how good of a film Die Hard really was. I include all the Die Hard sequels in this statement. - [Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/final-fantasy-the-spirits-within-2001/) - That’s exactly what Final Fantasy feels like. A cult recruiting film for James Lovelock’s Gaia theory. The magic wears off after twenty minutes. - [Feast (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/feast-2005-review/) - In Feast even your best horror movie watching radar will be put to the test as you try to figure out who will survive. - [Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/fatal-contact-bird-flu-in-america-2006-review/) - Fatal Contact swerves wildly from competent scenes (Triage in Grand Central Station) to the ridiculous (Rednecks try to ambush National Guardsman). - [Fantastic Four (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/fantastic-four-2005-review/) - With no villain, unimaginative action set pieces and some shaky special effects Fantastic Four is more mediocre than fantastic. - [Ex Machina (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ex-machina-2014-review/) - Ex Machina is a tightly wound, well-written thriller that makes one think and excites the senses. Starts off slow but give it time. It draws you in - [New York Wildcats (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/new-york-wildcats-2005-review/) - A showcase for some of the worst line reading this side of public access, NY Wildcats doesn’t deliver on the eroticism it promises - [Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/eternal-sunshine-of-the-spotless-mind-2004-review/) - tEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind has a realistic romance between Carrey and Kate Winslet that blows most movies away. - [Escape Plan (2013) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/escape-plan-2013-review/) - Honestly I can watch Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone in Escape Plan as long as neither of them tries to emote and both try to shoot things. - [Embrace of the Vampire (1995) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/embrace-of-the-vampire-1995-review/) - As a Netflix and chill movie, Embrace of the Vampire has just enough plot to not seem like a porn film and just enough porn not to lose the plot at home. - [Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ellen-degeneres-relatable-2018-review/) - I have the feeling Ellen wanted to tear into some people, places, and things but she contained her rage cause it was off-brand. That is a shame. - [Stonehearst Asylum (Eliza Graves) (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/stonehearst-asylum-eliza-graves-2014-review/) - The romance between Sturgess' new doctor and Beckinsale's mental patient seems creepy, wrong and something out of middle school. The horror is non-existent. - [Elektra (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/elektra-2004-review/) - In Elektra Garner is simply not a threat. If the Smurfs were X-rated ninja's, then Garner would still be miscast in Smurfette: Deadly Blue. - [Earth vs. The Spider (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/earth-vs-the-spider-2001/) - Earth vs. The Spider is a Dogma 95 superhero movie minus the good acting and pretension. (And sex and action and Misty Mundae) - [Dunkirk (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dunkirk-2017-review/) - In Dunkirk, the air combat scenes filmed with real fighter aircraft of the era are a sight to behold and simply a triumph. - [Driven to Kill (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/driven-to-kill-2009-review/) - What I want to know why Driven to Kill is considered a return to form (Seagal is back and he is hungrier than ever crows critics.) - [Dreamscape (1984) Review with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dreamscape-1984-review/) - Dreamscape has both Max von Sydow and Christopher Plummer? Why you are just one, Christopher Lee, away from a trifecta of awesome. - [Battle: Los Angeles (2011) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/battle-los-angeles-2011-review/) - Invasion U.S.A. In Battle: Los Angeles (2011): 7 out of 10: the world faces an unprecedented threat when hostile alien spacecraft arrive off the coasts of major cities, including Los Angeles. Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart), a seasoned veteran of the Iraq War who was on the brink of retirement, "Aww man, I was - [X2 (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/x2-review/) - X2 is an improvement over the last film is more coherent and effective action sequences because of a bigger budget and better F/X technology - [Donnie Darko (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/donnie-darko-2001-review/) - One wonders how the filmmakers are going to pull it off. The answer is simple. They don't. - [Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813) Review with Audible by Rosamund Pike.](https://cinematicdiversions.com/pride-and-prejudice-by-jane-austen-1813-review-with-audible-by-rosamund-pike/) - The Earth belongs to the present generation Pride and Prejudice (1813): 10 out of 10: In this timeless piece of literature by Jane Austen, published in 1813, the story revolves around the lively, intelligent, and sharp-witted Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest of five sisters in the Bennet family, living in the rural society of England - [Bird Box (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bird-box-review/) - A remake of The Happening. I have a feeling some people will buy into Bird Box hook line and sinker. Unfortunately, I was not one of them. - [Van Helsing (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/van-helsing-2004-review/) - Someday the mountain might get 'em, but the law never will Van Helsing (2004): 7 out of 10: The titular Van Helsing finds himself sent on a mission to Transylvania to hunt Dracula and prevent a family of gypsies from being trapped in Purgatory. Van Helsing is a huge film that is, at times, overstuffed - [Direct Contact (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/direct-contact-2009-review/) - though Bulgaria has no native word for continuity, it is a country that, for a couple of bucks, you can drive tanks through buildings downtown - [The NeverEnding Story (Die Unendliche Geschichte) (1984) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-neverending-story-die-unendliche-geschichte-1984-review/) - The title is a lie The NeverEnding Story (Die Unendliche Geschichte) (1984): 4 out of 10: The title is a lie. The movie ends after one hour and forty-five minutes. I was glad it was over. You reach a certain age where you let go of childhood things and you also wonder if the song - [Dial M for Murder (1954) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dial-m-for-murder-1954-review/) - Dial M for Murder is a fun movie that holds up extremely well. The story is nice and tight and expertly told. Ray Milland and Grace Kelly perfect. - [We're Going to Eat You (Di yu wu men) (1980) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/were-going-to-eat-you-di-yu-wu-men-1980-review/) - We're Going to Eat You is one silly cannibalistic, kung-fu, action-adventure film. We're Going to Eat You breaks all the rules. - [Destroyer (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/destroyer-2018/) - For in her I saw the destroyer. Destroyer (2018): 7 out of 10 Destroyer is an interesting beast. Part Oscar Bait for Nicole Kidman (they didn't bite, though she managed a Golden Globe nomination), part artistic tour de force by Girlfight (2000) and Æon Flux (2005) director Karyn Kusama and actual part movie about things - [Despicable Me 3 (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/despicable-me-3-2017-review/) - This is the weakest of the Despicable Me films. It also made over one billion dollars. We should look forward to many more efforts down the line. - [Despicable Me (2010) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/despicable-me-2010-review/) - Overall Despicable Me is a great start to what ended up being a fun franchise that never was as good as its first outing. - [Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/desperately-seeking-susan-1985-review/) - Desperately Seeking Susan is a lightweight comedy where the background action is often more interesting than the actual characters. - [Demonlover (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/demonlover-2002-review/) - Demonlover (2002): 4 out of 10: Wow, what an overlong train wreck of a movie. Before I begin to scratch the surface of the ineptitude of this film, let me explain the few things Demonlover does right. Demonlover does some things very well. It has individual scenes that work on their own either as erotic - [Mystery Science Theater 3000: Episode 703: Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell (1988) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-episode-703-deathstalker-and-the-warriors-from-hell-1988-review/) - This movie puts a smile on my face. The potato lady. The batwing helmet. The fact the titular Warriors from Hell would rather just go to the pub. - [Death Wish (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/death-wish-2018-review/) - For a Death Wish film from Eli Roth, it surprisingly has little of what makes either Death Wish Films or Eli Roth movies interesting. - [Death Race 4: Beyond Anarchy (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/death-race-4-beyond-anarchy-2018-review/) - Spend an evening with pornstars, wrestlers, and large giant fireballs. Death Race 4: Beyond Anarchy (2018): 8 out of 10: The fourth movie in a Death Race remake timeline which started with a rather poor Jason Statham vehicle in 2008. A secret agent goes to stop Frankenstein or something seems to be the plot. The - [Death Note (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/death-note-2017-review/) - Death Note is nowhere near as bad as some people made it out to be. Final Destination with a William Defoe demon? Sign me up! - [Dead Space: Downfall (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dead-space-downfall-2008-review/) - My downfall raises me to infinite heights Dead Space: Downfall (2008): 6 out of 10: A prequel to the Electronic Arts video game Dead Space? An Animated version of Event Horizon? A film made by and for 13-year-old boys? Dead Space: Downfall is all three of these. Dead Space: Downfall is a prequel for the - [Dead Kennedys: The Early Years Live (1987) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dead-kennedys-the-early-years-live-1987/) - there is virtually nothing intelligible in the entire program. Which I guess is kind of punk in its own way, after all. - [Dead Again (1991) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dead-again-1991-review/) - Dead Again... Zombie Hitchcock Dead Again (1991): 5 out of 10: On-screen chemistry is a funny thing. Some couples simply have it. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan make a cute believable couple; William Powell and Myrna Loy in their fourteen films together are in my mind the silvers screens best pairing. On the other hand, - [Dawn of the Dead (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dawn-of-the-dead-2004-review/) - Is Dawn of the Dead better than the original? I won't say. Is it one of the best films of 2004? Yes. It is also better than Romero's sequel Day of the Dead. - [Big Man Japan (Dai-Nipponjin) (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/big-man-japan-dai-nipponjin-2007-review/) - The monster bits in Big Man Japan were trying to be funny and in their own way were well done, which is more than can be said for the rest of Big Man Japan. - [Dagon (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dagon-2001-review/) - If you are unfamiliar with the Lovecraftian canon, Dagon is a great B movie. If you love his books however, this is pure bliss. - [Cube (1997) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/cube-1997-review/) - This is a great example of how to make a low budget film with only seven actors, one set, and an engaging, interesting script. - [Crackdown (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/crackdown-2007-review/) - Crackdown scores high in that hard to define fun factor category and when it comes to games, that is always the deciding factor. - [Coraline (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/coraline-2009-review/) - Coraline’s two universes mirror each other in a complicated web rather than a simple black and white as one might expect. - [Coral Reef Adventure (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/coral-reef-adventure-2003/) - Coral Reef Adventure has other faults. It is overproduced by half with wipes and sound effects that look like they belong in a Disney DuckTales movie. - [Colonel Effingham's Raid (1946) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/colonel-effinghams-raid-1946-review/) - Make Fredericksville Georgia great again. Colonel Effingham's Raid (1946): 5 out of 10: A retired Army colonel returns home and starts a fight to save the Confederate War Monument and the historic courthouse from the local corrupt politicians and an apathetic populace. The Good The Good: I usually hate movie reviews that view a historical - [Clutter (2013) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/clutter-2013-review/) - Dan Hedaya, what is your secret? Clutter (2013): 6 out of 10: Carol Kane plays a mother with both a hoarding problem and three children who can not seem to get on with their adult lives. The Good The Good: Any movie with Carol Kane and Dan Hedaya (both who are excellent by the way) - [Clue (1985) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/clue-1985-review/) - Get a Clue Clue (1985): 8 out of 10: Some movies from the eighties have aged poorly (cough The Big Chill Cough). I have to admit that I fully expected this to be one of them. I have wonderful memories of Clue, but it had been a few decades and who knows how my memory - [Closer (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/closer-2004-review/) - I can't help but recommend. Closer (2004): 8 out of 10: Mike Nichols directs this theater adaptation with a top-notch cast comprising Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Julia Roberts, and Clive Owen. Portman and Owen went on to each win a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role only to lose - [Chupacabra Terror (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/chupacabra-terror-2005-review/) - Love saying the name too bad about the film. Chupacabra Terror (Chupacabra: Dark Seas) (2005): 2 out of 10: It was the Navy Seal team that tipped the balance from bad cheesy movie to just bad. Up till then, there was a lot of bad movie baggage but the Seals… They are wearing bicycle helmets - [Children of the Corn (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/children-of-the-corn-2009-review/) - It isn’t like the original Children of the Corn was Casablanca or something but good lord this is an embarrassment for all involved. - [Charlie's Angels (2000) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/charlies-angels-review/) - How many of Charlie's Angels fit on the Head of a Pin? Charlie's Angels (2000): 8 out of 10: Reading the major press reviews I am struck by a time travel quality of their pans. It is as if they are watching another movie entirely. It's as if they were watching the leaden Charlie's Angels - [Catwoman (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/catwoman-review/) - Catwoman is not the worst thing ever but still falls short. Berry isn't awful as simply horribly miscast (lacks a certain erotic nastiness for the role.) - [Mystery Science Theater 3000 Ep. 204, Catalina Caper (1967) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-ep-204-catalina-caper-1967-review/) - Catalina Caper is a lightweight piece of fluff. Overall, however, it is an enjoyable lightweight piece of fluff.Overall, a good time. - [Carriers (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/carriers-review/) - Zombieland the dramatic retelling Carriers (2009): 6 out of 10: What amazes me about Carriers is how it has the exact same plot as Zombieland. A story about two siblings traveling across a devastated and depopulated United States to visit a theme park in California that reminds them of childhood. The movies even share the - [Carrie (1976) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/carrie-review/) - From the last scene in Carrie that has inspired horror films to this day (particularly the first Friday the 13th) to the theme of womanhood equaling horror - [Capturing the Friedmans (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/capturing-the-friedmans-review/) - Is there anything scarier than a children's clown? Capturing the Friedmans (2003): 4 out of 10: Child Molestation, family dysfunction, mass hysteria, homosexuality, and clowns: Where do I sign up? Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki was making a documentary on the high-priced children's clown Silly Billy (David Friedman). A very angry and irrational clown that will play - [Cabin Fever (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/cabin-fever-review/) - Who Cabin Fever is for is a complete mystery. Fans of the original will find this wanting, wooden, and pointless. Those that hated it will still do so. - [Bruno (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bruno-review/) - While there are certainly scattered laughs throughout the film, Bruno is more in the style of an old Mondo Cane movie than a comedy. - [Brooklyn (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/brooklyn-review/) - Last Exit to Ireland. Brooklyn (2015): 4 out of 10. For such a gentle passive costume drama about a 1950s emigrant from Ireland, Brooklyn evoked a surprising amount of ire; (as opposed to Eire). First off, I am surprised that Saoirse Ronan was nominated for an Oscar for this role. She isn't a terrible actress - [Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bridget-joness-diary-review/) - Bridget Jones's Diary tries to come across as a frothy crossover comedy. You know, one of those estrogen flicks that has Hugh Grant. - [Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bride-of-frankenstein-review/) - Save the Whales Bride of Frankenstein (1935): 8 out of 10: Bill Condon's Gods and Monsters has made a viewing of the Bride of Frankenstein de rigueur in certain intellectual (read gay) circles. While there is undoubtedly some homosexual subtext in Bride, and one definitely is hard-pressed to find a campier villain than Ernest Thesiger's - [Body Heat (1981) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/body-heat-review/) - John D. MacDonald the way no Macdonald movie treatment has successfully done. His then-unknown actors William Hurt and Kathleen Turner are pitch-perfect. - [Bloodshed (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bloodshed-review/) - Bloodshed is one of those rare no-budget films where the acting isn't grating; the script is competent, and the direction is good. - [Akira (1988) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/akira-review/) - I recommend Akira for the animation, the music, the realization of cyberpunk Tokyo and some characters.I still think the story is an incomprehensible mess. - [Unearthed (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/unearthed-2007-review/) - Good gore and great action make Unearthed a worth watching. Just wish they explored the sexual tension between the lady sheriff and the lady scientist. - [Blood Simple (1984) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/blood-simple-review/) - Simply Red Blood Simple (1984): 6 out of 10: Some movies are victims of their own success. Alien is a great film, but it seems a little slow nowadays and the plot, while very fresh in 1979, has been done to death. (I still love it mind you but if I saw it for the - [Bleak Future (1997) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bleak-future-review/) - Other than the small fact that the main character, who is in every scene, is a complete tool, Bleak Future is a fairly entertaining film. - [Blade Runner 2049 (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/blade-runner-2049-review/) - Blade Runner 2049 sticks to the ribs after viewing. It seemed even better in retrospect than during the actual viewing. A triumph. - [Spy (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/spy-2015-review/) - Spies Like Us Spy (2015): 8 out of 10: A CIA assistant (Melissa McCarthy) finds herself in the field after the agent she was assisting (Jude Law) is killed on assignment by a big bad (Rose Byrne) who has a list of known CIA agents and a suitcase nuke. The Good The Good: Unless Ghostbusters - [Black Panther (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/black-panther-review/) - While it is no Blade, Black Panther is a treat of music and costumes and some breakout performances. Come for the Panther but stay for the Serkis. - [Ulli Lommel's Black Dahlia (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ulli-lommells-black-dahlia-review/) - When a pigtailed catholic schoolgirl and two masked guys dance around with severed limbs to a Sinatra tune, you can't wipe the smile off my face. - [Bill Burr: Why Do I Do This? (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bill-burr-why-do-i-do-this-review/) - Bill Burr is funny. His act is fresh and the concert film is free from those ridiculous distractions that plague so many comedy concert films nowadays. - [Big Men (2013) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/big-men-review/) - Big Men has made me a Rachel Boynton fan for life. She may not be the most polished documentary maker, but she is one of the best and one of the luckiest. - [Big Fan (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/big-fan-review/) - Talented comedian Patton Oswalt plays the schlub with such conviction that Big Fan has no hope of being a comedy or being feel good and redemptive. - [Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/big-bucks-the-press-your-luck-scandal-review/) - Is there enough material here for a full-length documentary? Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal is fascinating, but this is at best a half-hour episode. - [Beyond Re-Animator (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/beyond-re-animator-review/) - Jeffrey Combs is the reason to see Beyond Re-Animator. His Dr. Herbert West is older, wiser and as demented as ever. Beyond Re-Animator is fun. - [K-12 (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/k-12-review/) - Melanie Martinez has captured a style and feel that many professional directors struggle with. This movie is a visual treat and a visual triumph. - [Behaving Badly (1989) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/behaving-badly-in-four-episodes-there-is-not-one-laugh-there-is-only-confusion-and-pain-it-is-like-a-mike-leigh-sitcom/) - Behaving Badly broke me. In four episodes, there is not one laugh. There is only confusion and pain. It is like a Mike Leigh sitcom. - [Mystery Science Theater 3000: Beginning of the End (1957) Episode 517 Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/beginning-of-the-end-review/) - Excellent riffing. (If only the lady photographer had some way to prove what she saw?) and the classic "The Mountains of Illinois." - [Before I Hang (1940) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/before-i-hang-review/) - A weak film that starts strong and quickly goes nowhere. - [Battle Royale (2000) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/battle-royale-review/) - Battle Royale is...who am I kidding non-stop action, hot chicks in schoolgirl outfits, very dark humor and a great classical music score. - [Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-review/) - A good family film despite the "R" rating and an excellent treat for fans of the bat. - [Basic Instinct 2 (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/basic-instinct-2-review/) - Basic Instinct 2 is worth a look just for Stone's over the top performance but don't be surprised if you check your watch - [Skyscraper (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/skyscraper-2018-review/) - Baby's first Die Hard Skyscraper (2018): 5 out of 10: The Rock hits a hard place (American box-office wise) with this Asian market disaster action movie. You know Dwayne Johnson has appeared in what one would reasonably assume would be cinematic bombs (A Jumanji sequel and a movie based on the video game Rampage). Both - [A Word to the Wives... (1955) with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/a-word-to-the-wives-1955-with-rifftrax/) - Kitchen Aide A Word to the Wives (1955): 6 out of 10: is a lighthearted, comedic exploration of domestic life in mid-20th-century America. The film was developed as an instructional feature by Telamerica and was funded by the Youngstown Kitchens division of American-Standard. Blending humor with subtle product advertising. Although only about 10 minutes long, - [Barbie & the Diamond Castle (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/barbie-the-diamond-castle-review/) - Barbie & the Diamond Castle is a pleasant enough film with decent songs and colorful worlds. For Parents it is a Barbie version of Games of Thrones. - [Black Sabbath: Up Close and Personal (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/black-sabbath-up-close-and-personal-2007-review/) - People think I'm insane because I am frowning all the time Black Sabbath: Up Close and Personal (2007) 6 out of 10: Is a collection of interviews and clips in a brisk 57 minutes about, to no one’s surprise, Black Sabbath. The Good The Good: I think I am at exactly the right level of - [Back to Back (American Yakuza 2) (1996) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/back-to-back-review/) - Bottom line Back to Back is worth a look and it is entertaining but not something I would go out of my way to see. Well, except for that Bobcat explosion. - [A Vigilante (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/a-vigilante-review/) - In A Vigilante Olivia Wilde is hamstrung by a script you could drive a truck through, and the trucks won't stop coming.Bit of a slog with good bits. - [Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/anita-oday-the-life-of-a-jazz-singer-review/) - Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer is a decent film, but I would recommend renting Jazz on a Summer's Day first. It got me interested. - [The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-muppets-take-manhattan-1984-review/) - Mad Men but with Muppets. The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984): 5 out of 10: Nostalgia is doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to “The Muppets Take Manhattan“. While there are moments of charm and a few fun guest appearances, like Brooke Shields and Dabney Coleman, the film doesn’t quite capture the - [Bus 174 (Ônibus 174) (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bus-174-review/) - Despite cursing and brief male nudity, I would recommend Bus 174 to every high school history class to see how the third world really lives. - [Dead Girl Walking (Za horâ kaiki gekijô: Kaiki! Shinin shôjo) (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dead-girl-walking-review/) - Once the girl decomposes, Dead Girl Walking's story arc is pretty well set. its conclusion is never really in doubt. - [Games to Play](https://cinematicdiversions.com/games-to-play/) - Next 10 or so top games to play on all platforms - [Walking Tall: The Payback (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/walking-tall-the-payback-2007-review/) - Better than it had any right to be. Walking Tall: The Payback (2007): 7 out of 10: Kevin Sorbo takes over the Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson's role as a man who is minding his own business but eventually is pushed too far in this direct to video spin-off. You know this is a good movie. - [V for Vendetta (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/v-for-vendetta-2005-review/) - V for Vendetta is a fantasy right up with we will be greeted as liberators and Jodie Foster will love me if I shoot the President. - [Ulli Lommel's Zodiac Killer (2005) Movie Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ulli-lommels-zodiac-killer-2005-movie-review/) - What in the world is Lionsgate doing releasing this garbage? Zodiac Killer would embarrass Troma. - [Tragedy Girls (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tragedy-girls-2017-review/) - Tragedy Girls is the story of two best friends who are serial killers They are some of the most brutal serial killers you will see on film. - [Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/thor-ragnarok-2017-review/) - Thor Ragnarok is simply the most fun I had at the movies this year. Imagine a comic book movie that felt like reading a comic book. - [Closer Than We Think (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/closer-than-we-think-2017-review/) - Enjoy Yourself Closer Than We Think (2017): 7 out of 10: is a documentary that delves into the life and visionary work of Arthur Radebaugh, a futurist Imagineer whose groundbreaking illustrations shaped the collective imagination of mid-20th century America. The film explores Radebaugh's journey from a humble beginning to becoming a pioneer in the realm - [Bubblegum Crisis (Baburugamu kuraishisu) (1987) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bubblegum-crisis-review/) - Bubblegum Crisis allows me to reminisce about my childhood when cartoon characters swore and a gratuitous nude scene followed every battle. - [Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/assault-on-precinct-13-review/) - After the original Assault on Precinct 13 I have had a fear of ice-cream trucks. After this Assault, I have a perfectly rational fear of remakes. - [Armed and Dangerous (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/armed-and-dangerous-review/) - The graphics and gameplay get better as the game progresses and new weapons become available. An overall fun romp. Gotta love that Landshark gun. - [Arachnid (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/arachnid-review/) - I couldn't help but cheer when the puppeteers took the Volkswagen sized spider out for the spin in the second half of Arachnid. - [Apaches (1977) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/apaches-review/) - Apaches is an honestly effective film about the dangers of playing on a farm. A little too effective to be blunt. Perfect live show fodder fo Rifftrax. - [Another 48 Hours (1990) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/another-48-hours-review/) - The film is not worth ten minutes let alone another 48 Hours. The direction by is pedestrian and the jazzy soundtrack practically assaults the audience. - [Anger Management (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/anger-management-review/) - Anger Management was such a good concept and had such a funny execution that it demanded a dark cruel outburst of energy at the end, not painful schmaltz. - [Angels in America (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/angels-in-america-review/) - Creative and fun Angels in America runs a little long (as a miniseries is wont to do) but is worth a look. Mike Nichols deserves great praise. - [Angels & Demons (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/angels-and-demons-review/) - Okay, the story is awful, and it is poorly told. Angels & Demons is at its center a poorly directed and shot film. - [Android Apocalypse (Facing Extinction) (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/android-apocalypse-review/) - Overall Android Apocalypse is a decent if slow Sci-fi time waster. Just do not get your hopes up for an apocalypse. - [Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Red Orchid (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/anacondas-the-hunt-for-the-blood-red-orchid-review/) - With English accented villains, ship crushing waterfalls and paralyzing spiders, Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Red Orchid doesn't need the snake. - [Anaconda 4: Trail of Blood (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/anaconda-4-trail-of-blood-review/) - I don’t have words to describe the draw dropping silliness of Anacondas in Romania. The Carpathian Mountains do not create the proper snake attack vibe. - [American Me (1992) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/american-me-review/) - Oh, and Olmos's character writes poetry. Terrible rhyming poetry. Yup poetry and anal sex, American Me is one makeover away from its own Bravo series. - [Amadeus (1984) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/amadeus-review/) - Amadeus is also a bit long and drags some in the middle. The costumes and settings are on point as only great Hollywood historical dramas can pull off. - [Fertile Fangs: Complete Collection (Five Book Bundle) By Kaitlyn Fox (2017)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/fertile-fangs-complete-collection-five-book-bundle-by-kaitlyn-fox-2017/) - Pointy Teethed Incel. Fertile Fangs: Complete Collection by Kaitlyn Fox (2017): 4 out of 10: is a dark, tantalizing journey of seduction, power, and the supernatural. This five-book bundle chronicles the transformation of Brad, an incel, into a unique and powerful vampire who is still acting like Brad for some reason. "Fertile Fangs 1: Seeding - [Godmonster of Indian Flats (1973) Review with Rifftrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/godmonster-of-indian-flats-1973-review-with-rifftrax/) - Sheeple Godmonster of Indian Flats (1973): 5 out of 10: Set in the remote town of Indian Flats, Nevada, Godmonster of Indian Flats is a bizarre and campy cult classic that combines elements of horror, sci-fi, and western genres. The story follows the discovery and subsequent chaos caused by a mysterious, mutated sheep-like creature. The film - [Smart Tass (2017) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/smart-tass-2017-by-mimi-jean-pamfiloff-review/) - Hunting the Hunter Smart Tass (2017) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff: 8 out of 10: “Smart Tass” follows the story of Tass, a smart and driven young woman determined not to let her childhood tormentor, Hunter Johnson, continue to disrupt her life. Growing up, Hunter was the hot, popular quarterback who enjoyed picking on Tass, teasing - [Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/teen-titans-go-to-the-movies-2018-review/) - The Kids are not alright. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018): 6 out of 10: The popular cartoon series for children heads to the big screen with plenty of cameos from your favorite DC characters (And one Marvelous cameo) as Robin tries to get his own movie deal in a universe that would rather - [Along Came Polly (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/along-came-polly-review/) - It's pretty sad when you are wishing the leads would leave so we can get back to the funny stuff. Though Anniston looks hot in her PG-13 sex scene. - [Alien Outlaw (1985) Review With Rifftrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/alien-outlaw-review/) - Alien Outlaw misses the mark on the whole Aliens attacking people angle but the amateur actors are sometimes decent and the scenery is nice - [Alien Hunter (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/alien-hunter-review/) - Alien Hunter is a disappointing derivative slog that makes me pine for a proper Children of the Corn in Space movie. - [Thanksgiving (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/thanksgiving-2023-review/) - Well, at least it is not a turkey Thanksgiving (2023): 7 out of 10: is a slasher horror movie directed by Eli Roth, inspired by the mock trailer he created for the 2007 "Grindhouse" double feature. Thanksgiving is set in the small town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, where Thanksgiving is a deeply cherished holiday. The story - [Cranky Decision (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/cranky-decision-2002-review/) - The only terrible decision is watching this movie Cranky Decision (2002): 2 out of 10: revolves around Charity (Lota Chukwu), a strong-willed and independent woman who holds firm beliefs about gender roles in marriage. Charity has always been vocal about her disdain for women like her friend Sylvia, who she views as submissive and weak, - [Shrunken Heads (1994) Review with RiffTrax.](https://cinematicdiversions.com/shrunken-heads-1994-review-with-rifftrax/) - Little Girls Shrunken Heads (1994): 5 out of 10: Shrunken Heads is a horror-comedy film directed by Richard Elfman. The story is set a back lot meant to be an unnamed urban neighborhood and follows three teenage boys: Tommy, Bill, and Freddie. They are comic book nerds who spend their days trying to stay out - [Goodbye Uncle Tom (Farewell Uncle Tom) (Addio Zio Tom) (1971) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/farewell-uncle-tom-review/) - Overlong by at least an hour and poorly thought out Addio Zio Tom wears out its welcome but for a short while at least it makes one think. - [Alien vs. Predator (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/alien-vs-predator-review/) - The fun of aliens on earth is watching them walk into a Seven-Eleven and taking out some customers not fighting in a silly pyramid. - [Hannibal (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hannibal-2001-review/) - I’m giving very serious thought... to eating your wife. Hannibal (2001): 7 out of 10: “Hannibal,” released in 2001, is a psychological thriller and sequel to “The Silence of the Lambs.” The plot revolves around Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist and a cannibalistic serial killer. Set ten years after his escape from custody, Lecter - [The Minion (1998) Review with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-minion-1998-review-with-rifftrax/) - Poulet tiki masala In "The Minion” (1998): 5 out of 10: the ancient battle between good and evil unfolds across centuries and continents. At the dawn of the new millennium, the stage is set for the ultimate showdown as the Antichrist’s minion, a malevolent spirit known simply as the Minion, seeks to unleash chaos upon - [Tell Them You Love Me (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tell-them-you-love-me-2023-review/) - Paging James Randi Tell Them You Love Me: 8 out of 10: is a 2023 documentary that examines the highly controversial and emotionally charged case of Anna Stubblefield, a former ethics professor at Rutgers University-Newark. The film meticulously details Stubblefield’s 2015 conviction for sexually assaulting Derrick Johnson, a nonverbal man with cerebral palsy. The story - [The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2001) Review with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-sorcerers-apprentice-2001-review-with-rifftrax/) - Spellbinding The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2001): 5 out of 10: is a tale of magic, power, British real estate transactions and the enduring battle between good and evil. When the wicked sorceress Morgana (Kelly LeBrock) devises a plan to rule the world, the only thing standing in her way is a mysterious stone in the possession - [A.D. Police Files 1-3 (1990) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ad-police-files-1-3-review/) - The animation is very well done with different styles, mixing it up to a great effect. At only 3 episodes, however, AD Police Files left me wanting more. - [A.D. Police: To Protect and Serve (1999) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ad-police-files-to-protect-and-serve-review/) - I'll admit I watched all twelve episodes as they are short and I hoped for a good payoff at some point. I wouldn't recommend. - [A Very Murray Christmas (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/a-very-murray-christmas-review/) - A Very Murray Christmas has been my go-to Christmas special the last two years and I see no reason not to continue that tradition again next year. - [A Quiet Place (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/a-quiet-place-review/) - A Quiet Place is one of the best films of 2018 and one of the greatest horror movies ever made, and that is why it is so hard to write a review about it. - [Teeth (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/teeth-2007-review/) - Bite Me Teeth (2007): 6 out of 10 is a 2007 American comedy horror film written and directed by Mitchell Lichtenstein. The film stars Jess Weixler, John Hensley, Josh Pais, and Hale Appleman. Dawn O’Keefe (Jess Weixler) is a high school student who becomes the symbol of purity for the Christian abstinence group, “The Promise”. - [Exiled (1998) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/exiled-1998/) - Mr. Big goes home again Exiled (1998): 5 out of 10: is a TV movie that continues the story of NYPD Detective Mike Logan (Chris Noth) from the popular TV series Law & Order. The film, directed by Jean de Segonzac and written by Charles Kipps, Dick Wolf and Chris Noth himself, provides a deeper - [A Prayer Before Dawn (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/a-prayer-before-dawn-review/) - Billy Moore's life is so full of tropes and cliches I half expected him to have a necklace whose secret symbol meant he was a prince. - [Ninja Scroll (Jûbê ninpûchô) (1993) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ninja-scroll-review/) - An excellent action film with a great story and some surprisingly deep characters. - [Cargo (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/cargo-review/) - Cargo lacks the excitement or even exploitation the best copycats bring to the table without even an Alien to shoot at. - [!Women Art Revolution (2010) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/women-art-revolution-review/) - Overall the documentary gives snippets of history you might never have known and there are some nice pieces and stories if you dig through the flotsam and self-serving backstabbing that clouds much of the film. - [A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/a-nightmare-on-elm-street-3-dream-warriors-review/) - I think as a result the film has gotten better over time. Never boring, often creative and definitely fun Dream Warriors is a good time at the movies. - [7th Street (2002) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/7th-street-review/) - Nostalgia about one's childhood is a dangerous thing. It permeates 7th street where Josh Pais is clearly too close to the subject - [3 Walls (3 Deewarein) (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/3-walls-review/) - 3 Walls (3 Deewarein) is about the four characters’ interactions and how justice is eventually done despite long odds and corruption. - [Santa Sangre (1989) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/santa-sangre-1989-review/) - Send in the Clowns. Santa Sangre (1989): 8 out of 10: Many reviews in 1989 and 1990 gave Santa Sangre top marks. It was something fresh and new. Roger Ebert probably explains it best in his four-star review. “When I go to the movies, one of my strongest desires is to be shown something new. - [The Eye of Argon (1970) by Jim Theis Review With 372 pages in notes](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-eye-of-argon-1970-by-jim-theis-review-with-372-pages-in-notes/) - The slut should have picked his quarry more carefully! The Eye of Argon (1970) by Jim Theis: 1 out of 10: Oh God, how to explain this novella… where to begin… What was the plot… You know I am going to do something different. As you can see from the notes that follow my review, - [211 (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/211-review/) - 211 isn't fun. It is bad, of course, but it isn't entertainingly bad. It just is kind of there. Why not make something fun? - [2012 (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/2012-review/) - 2012 delivers some of the best disaster porn ever seen on screen and manages this feat better acting and story than this genre often provides. - [20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/20000-leagues-under-the-sea-review/) - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea entertains in places but struggles with seemingly endless underwater nature shots and serious lulls in the action. - [2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/2-fast-2-furious-review/) - Director John Singleton moves the cars around like he has been directing Burt Reynolds's movies all his life. Okay so it's car porn. - [14 Cameras (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/14-cameras-review/) - If you have ever been skeeved out by a less than clean hotel room. If you want to relive that in the dullest manner possible this is your film. - [13 Going on 30 (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/13-going-on-30-review/) - First I would like to throw my full weight behind any effort to give Jennifer Garner a special Oscar for best performance in a bad movie. - [12:01 (1993) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/1201-1993-review/) - With a relatively appealing cast and some nice humor, 12:01 makes for a decent time waster. Just don't be surprised if you feel you have seen it all before. - [12 Days of Terror (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/12-days-of-terror-2004-review/) - So if you like your Jaws slow-paced, with a made for TV Merchant Ivory Productions feel andprefer the first victim be a hunky guy I have got your movie. - [10 to Midnight (1983) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/10-to-midnight-1983-review/) - I hate it when sleaze rears its ugly head in my otherwise fine exploitation movie. And 10 to Midnight is a true exploitation movie. - [It's Alive! (1969) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/its-alive-1969-tv-movie-review/) - In It's Alive we have an unconvincing monster, death march style pacing, and witless dialogue that is almost impossible to describe. - [Legion of Fire: Killer Ants! (Marabunta) (1998) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/legion-of-fire-killer-ants-marabunta-1998-review/) - Ant-man Legion of Fire: Killer Ants! (Marabunta) (1998): 6 out of 10:In “Legion of Fire: Killer Ants!” Dr. Jim Conrad (Eric Lutes) travels to the small town of Burly Pines, Alaska, for a fishing trip. While out with a friend, they come across a moose that has been stripped clean of meat. They assume hunters - [Mystery Science Theater 3000 Episode #612 The Starfighters (1964) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-starfighters-1964-review-mystery-science-theater-3000-season-6-episode-11/) - The Starfighters is one of the more painful MST3K episodes but this certainly is not the fault of Mike, The Bots, or the writers. - [The Pack (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-pack-2015-review/) - Well filmed with an excellent cast but it takes itself too seriously and lets itself down when it comes to genre standards. - [Defiance (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/defiance-2008-review/) - It is not that easy to make a mainstream Holocaust film, release it in December, and get no nominations* for Golden Globes or Oscars. Defiance is trying too hard. - [Blade: Trinity (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/blade-trinity-review/) - The script is awful; they edited the film in a Cuisinart, the blind girl did the continuity, and Blade Trinity's plot is out of my first thriller handbook. - [The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-silence-of-the-lambs-review/) - In Silence of the Lambs when Hopkins finally lets loose, he has lulled us into such a state of admiration that it truly is shocking. - [Scratch: The New Sound of Terror (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/scratch-the-new-sound-of-terror-2004-review/) - The dubbing doesn't distract too much from the fun — Scratch is a real treat for those that enjoy their creature features. - [GoldenEye (1995) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/goldeneye-1995-review/) - While Goldeneye is better remembered for the videogame it spun off than the movie itself it remains Pierce Brosnan's strongest outing and a very entertaining film in its own right. - [Rampo Noir (Ranpo jigoku) (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/rampo-noir-review/) - The whole Rampo Noir movie feels a little like a made for cable anthology series except for the first film that defiantly has NEA grant written all over it. - [Abigail's Party (1977) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/abigails-party-review/) - While insightful into the desperation of some of the middle class of England "Keeping Up Appearances" covers the same ground with more laughs. - [The Last Samurai (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-last-samurai-review/) - I still recommend The Last Samurai highly however as a thinking mans action movie. The picture despite one or two faults works. - [Kingpin (2003) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/kingpin-2003-review/) - Yep, it is Nip/Tuck meets The Shield without the grittiness of either series and a lot of unsubtitled Spanish to wade through. - [Baseball (1994) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/baseball-review/) - Too long and slow for its good Ken Burns Baseball sounds like the old uncle repeating the same stories long after he made his point. - [From the Earth to the Moon (1998) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/from-the-earth-to-the-moon-review/) - The lack of a character or two that can be followed from episode to episode gives one little reason to invest in the slower episodes. There is no payoff. - [The Terminator (1984) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-terminator-1984-review/) - The Terminator handles the conundrum of time travel much better than many films for whom time travel is their raison d'être. - [The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-town-that-dreaded-sundown-2014-review/) - The film is well acted with an excellent polish that one rarely sees in one's backwoods slasher films. Overall, a good movie that hits above its weight. - [Guinea Pig 5: Android of Notre Dame (1989) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/guinea-pig-5-android-of-notre-dame-review/) - Guinea Pig 5's script sometimes writes checks the F/X can't cash Yet, an overall goofiness survives throughout. - [Thir13en Ghosts (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/thir13en-ghosts-2001-review/) - I suspect in Thir13en Ghosts it is the ghosts and house that are the real stars. It is a shame that they had to include this plot and these characters. - [Thrilla in Manila (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/thrilla-in-manila-2008-review/) - In Thrilla in Manila Ali is the villain in this piece and Frazier is the victim. Ali’s doctor got one thing right; Joe Frazier is a stupid man. - [Transformers: Devastation (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/transformers-devastation-2015-review/) - As a free game on the PS4, Transformers: Devastation is perfect. But as an original $50 download. It is less than meets the eye. - [Mother of the Bride (1993) Review With RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mother-of-the-bride-1993-review-with-rifftrax/) - Helmet Hair Mother of the Bride (1993): 5 out of 10: “Mother of the Bride” (1993) follows the chaotic and humorous journey of the Hix family as they prepare for yet another wedding, this time for Anne (Anne Bobby), the youngest and wildest of the clan. Anne’s engagement to the cop who once pulled her - [Trouble Man (1972) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/trouble-man-1972-review/) - Trouble Man is generally well done fast-paced, and it is certainly worth a rent. - [Trouble the Water (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/trouble-the-water-2008-review/) - Kimberly Roberts is a 24-year-old rap hopeful who took some incredible footage just before and during hurricane Katrina. - [Underworld Evolution (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/underworld-evolution-2006-review/) - Despite a wussy good guy character out of an empowerment romantic comedy and a plot that no one could care about Underworld Evolution is a pretty fun ride. - [Vice (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/vice-2015-review/) - Vice is a muddled low effort mess. It fails as a science fiction film, and it fails as a sexploitation film but most of all it fails as an enjoyable film. - [Unforgiven (1992) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/unforgiven-1992-review/) - Unforgiven is brutal in both its action and the psychology of the men involved, and the story works as both a real tale and epic allegory a fantastic movie. - [Valkyrie (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/valkyrie-2008-review/) - Tom Cruise took a lot of flak for making Valkerie. It overall was undeserved and one could hardly place the entire fault at Cruise’s doorstep. - [Vortex (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/vortex-2001-review/) - Total Recalled Vortex (2001): 4 out of 10: If the producers of Overdrawn at the Memory Bank ever tried to remake Total Recall for German television, it would look a lot like this movie. Vortex is a short subtitled German film about an innocent man sentenced to a prison where he has to recreate his - [Wall-E (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/wall-e-2008-review/) - Emotionally satisfying and wonderfully subversive Wall-E is essential viewing for adults. - [Warriors of Terra (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/warriors-of-terra-review/) - The other acting and production values are decent, but the Grudge ghost in an Alien flick concept plays even worse than it sounds. - [Lizard Baby (Watashi no akachan) (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/lizard-baby-watashi-no-akachan-2004-review/) - Spectacular special effects would not have saved either the too obvious by half script or point and shoot direction. Even the acting seems sub-par. - [Welcome Back, Norman (1979) review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/welcome-back-norman-review/) - Welcome Back, Norman the riffs were actually on point, but as another reviewer pointed out, there seems to be no actual purpose for this short. - [Mystery Science Theater 3000 Ep. 904 Werewolf (1995) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/werewolf-mystery-science-theater-3000-season-10-episode-4-review/) - Werewolf is my favorite MST3K episode out of the 200 or so that I have watched. One of the best riffing jobs Mike and the bots have ever accomplished - [With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story (2010) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/with-great-power-the-stan-lee-story/) - With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story: 7 out of 10: A documentary, released in 2010, tells the story of Marvel figurehead Stan the Man basically in his own words. - [The Cavern (Within) (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-cavern-within-review/) - The Cavern is a pretty lousy film, poorly shot with a confusing, improbable, and anticlimactic ending. Not one likable character. - [Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/wyrmwood-review/) - Note to Australian filmmakers. Stop trying to be Peter Jackson. Also if you are going to go to all the trouble to rent camera equipment and hire actors why not write a story down and film that. - [Xchange (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/xchange-review/) - Xchange into a top tier of B-movies. - [Behind the Trees (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/behind-the-trees-2019-review/) - The Wicker Lady In Vikram Jayakumar’s “Behind the Trees” (2019): 5 out of 10:, Amy (Vanessa Curry) and her Indian boyfriend Jay (Sahil Shroff) embark on a romantic getaway to the serene Indian wilderness, seeking respite from the bustle of Los Angeles. Their idyllic retreat takes a chilling turn when they stumble upon a disturbing - [Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/z-channel-a-magnificent-obsession-review/) - Long and talky Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession is a great place to find some obscure films it just isn’t that great a story. - [Scarlett Episode #1(1994) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/scarlett-episode-11994-review/) - Frankly, I don't give a damn Scarlett Episode #1 (1994): 5 out of 10: There are three more of these things? This was almost four hours. (Editor's note: it was only 90 minutes.) "Scarlett" is a 1994 television miniseries, based on the 1991 novel "Scarlett" by Alexandra Ripley, a sequel to Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel - [Pearl Harbor (2001) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/pearl-harbor-2001-review/) - A movie that will live in infamy Pearl Harbor (2001): 7 out of 10: is a romantic war drama directed by Michael Bay that revolves around the events leading up to and following the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. The film begins with childhood friends Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker growing - [Zee-Oui (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/zee-oui-review/) - Overall Zee-Oui lacks a subtle undercurrent that would make this a better film. Every point is pounded home endlessly. Apparently, even God hates him - [Heroes of the East (Zhong hua zhang fu) (1978) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/heroes-of-the-east-zhong-hua-zhang-fu-review/) - If you are looking for an actual story, well Heroes of the East may come across as a little thin. Wikipedia notes that the fights are all honorable. - [Zombie Flesh Eaters (Zombie) (Zombi 2) (1979) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/zombie-zombi-2-review/) - The rest of Zombie does not live up to the topless zombie shark attack scene.. Can one recommend a movie based on one scene? I think I just did. - [About Scout (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/about-scout-2015-review/) - Demi Moore not included. About Scout (2015): 5 out of 10: is a heartwarming and captivating drama released in 2015, following the journey of a rebellious Goth girl named Scout (India Ennenga). Struggling with her dysfunctional family and feeling disconnected from the world, she embarks on a road trip across Texas in search of her - [Superman Returns (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/superman-returns-2006-review/) - Hiding in the bushes it's a bird… Superman Returns (2006): 4 out of 10: This movie is definitely missing the spark that made the first two Superman films fun. (I am talking about 1978’s Superman and 1981’s Superman II, of course. Superman III was pretty awful and Superman IV is one of the worst films - [Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/street-fighter-the-legend-of-chun-li-2009-review/) - Tomb Fighter Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009): 5 out of 10: A Batman Begins style reboot for the Street Fighter series which up to this point comprised one highly derided film released 15 years earlier. In "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li," the story follows Chun-Li's (Kristin Kreuk) journey from a normal life - [The Secrets of Hillsong (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-secrets-of-hillsong-2023-review/) - I met a strange lady, she made me nervous The Secrets of Hillsong (2023); 5 out of 10: is an occasionally unintentionally funny documentary that unravels the dark secrets and scandals surrounding the renowned Hillsong Church. The story follows multiple narratives, exposing the abuse of power, the concealment of crimes, and the exploitation of both - [Spotlight (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/spotlight-2015-review/) - Turn on your Spotlight. Spotlight (2015): 9 out of 10: Everyone has pet peeves when it comes to movies. We hate romantic comedies based entirely on misunderstandings; we hate horror films where no one’s cell phone works, or we simply hate movies that have either the word Adam or Sandler on the poster. I hate - [Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/avengers-infinity-war-review/) - Almost everyone comes to the party (sorry Hawkeye) and it is a blast. Avenger's Infinity War is stuffed with Easter eggs and trivia. - [X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/x-men-origins-wolverine-review/) - The cheese is very heavy in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. One could easily use some bingo cards with TV Tropes on them and play along with the film. - [Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade (1994) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/some-folks-call-it-a-sling-blade-1994-review/) - Some Folks call it a 25 minute Audition Reel Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade (1994): 5 out of 10: A curiosity piece for Sling Blade fans, this short is the opening act of the original film done in black and white with Molly Ringwald as the reporter and some nebbish actor as a - [Scream 2 (1997) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/scream-2-1997-review/) - That the Scream franchise has yet to do a 3d movie or one set in space is the actual crime here. Scream 2 (1997): 8 out of 10: is the thrilling second installment in the Scream franchise, directed by Wes Craven. Set two years after the events of the original Scream, the movie shifts its - [Small Town Crime (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/small-town-crime-2017-review/) - Misdemeanor Small Town Crime (2017): 7 out of 10: is a neo-noir thriller film directed by Eshom and Ian Nelms. The film revolves around an ex-cop named Mike Kendall, played by John Hawkes, who becomes entangled in a web of crime and corruption while investigating the murder of a young woman. Set in a small - [Tammy (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tammy-2014-review/) - Tammy and Louise. Tammy (2014): 6 out of 10: Tammy Banks (Melissa McCarthy), a fast-food worker from Murphysboro, Illinois, has a very bad day: after hitting a deer and damaging her car, she arrives late for work at fast-food joint Topper Jack's and is fired by her supervisor, Keith (McCarthy's real-life husband and Tammy's writer/director - [Confronting a Serial Killer: Episode #3 Behold The Monster (2021) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/confronting-a-serial-killer-episode-3-behold-the-monster-2021-review/) - We spend time with Jillian surrounded by drawings of Sam’s victims and I will give Confronting a Serial Killer its due. It is creepy. - [Cast Away (2000) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/cast-away-2000-review/) - If you haven’t seen Cast Away since 2000 definitely give it another watch. Time has been very kind to this movie. A really well made and entertaining film. - [Three Kings (1999) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/three-kings-1999-review/) - It is a fun movie and often a good story, but not one of these idiots has a lick of sense. That is probably why they were so gung-ho to invade Iraq. - [Zontar: The Thing from Venus (1966) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/zontar-the-thing-from-venus-review/) - I admit Zontar: The Thing from Venus causes a spell on me that transports me my nine-year-old self. My nine-year-old self is quite impressed with Zontar. - [Diablo III (2012) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/diablo-iii-2012-review/) - The Devil You Know Diablo III (2012): 9 out of 10: is an action role-playing video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. The game is set in the dark fantasy world of Sanctuary, a realm caught between the forces of Heaven and Hell. The story begins twenty years after the events of "Diablo II". - [Slither (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/slither-2006-review/) - Weapon Of Choice Slither (2006): 7 out of 10: “Slither” is a horror-comedy film directed by James Gunn. The story begins when in the small town of Wheelsy, South Carolina, a meteorite crash-lands, bringing with it a malevolent extraterrestrial parasite. The parasite infects wealthy resident Grant Grant (Michael Rooker), taking control of his body and - [Slayer (2006) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/slayer-2006-review/) - Raining Blood Slayer (2006): 5 out of 10: is set against the backdrop of the mysterious rainforest of South America, where legends of vampires roaming the jungle have long persisted. However, the creatures have escalated their attacks, targeting humans with newfound aggression and tactical prowess. Colonel Jessica Weaver (Lynda Carter of all people. Yes Wonder - [Addicted to Food: Sharon’s Story (2010) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/addicted-to-food-sharons-story-2010-review/) - Stoned to Death Addicted to Food: Sharon’s Story (2010): 5 out of 10 A stone is fourteen pounds. I do not know why the British insist on using stones to measure people’s weight. I have lived in Ulster and Scotland in the past and I still find it bizarre. Like the way they have a - [Silent Night (2012) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/silent-night-2012-review/) - Prowler needs a jump. Silent Night (2012): 8 out of 10: is a horror film directed by Steven C. Miller, released in 2012. It serves as a loose remake of the 1984 slasher film “Silent Night, Deadly Night.” The film is set in a small Midwestern town on Christmas Eve, where a deranged killer dressed - [Sharknado (2013) Review with RiffTrax Live: Sharknado (2014)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/sharknado-2013-review-with-rifftrax-live-sharknado-2014/) - Asylum Catches The Big One. Sharknado (2013): 8 out of 10: “Sharknado,” a made-for-TV disaster film released in 2013, has gained significant attention for its unique premise and cult following. Directed by Anthony C. Ferrante and produced by The Asylum, this B-movie extravaganza combines elements of science fiction, horror, and comedy, Off the coast of - [Serenity (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/serenity-2019-review/) - Serenity now! Serenity now! Serenity now! Serenity (2019): 8 out of 10: A deep sea charter fisherman Matthew McConaughey is approached by his ex-wife Anne Hathaway to kill her abusive ex-husband Jason Clarke in this neo-noir film The Good The Good: Let me start with something that would be heading “The Bad” in almost any - [Body of Evidence (1992) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/body-of-evidence-review/) - It is both as bad as you remember it, but somehow endlessly entertaining. Body of Evidence (1992): 7 out of 10: A woman is on trial for seducing men to death. Will her lawyer get her off? Will she get him off? Stay tuned for the drama both inside and outside of the courtroom. The - [Secret Window (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/secret-window-2004-review/) - Twisted King Secret Window (2004): 5 out of 10: is a psychological thriller film directed by David Koepp, released in 2004. It is based on the novella “Secret Window, Secret Garden” by Stephen King. The film stars Johnny Depp in the lead role, alongside Maria Bello, John Turturro, and Timothy Hutton. Set in rural upstate - [Nightmare Alley (2021) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/nightmare-alley-2021-review/) - Carnival Magic In 1939, Stan Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) begins his journey in "Nightmare Alley" (2021): 8 out of 10: by hiding a corpse and setting a house ablaze. Seeking refuge, he finds himself in a traveling carnival, where he encounters a bizarre geek show and meets Bruno (Ron Perlman), the strongman, who offers him a - [Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/nineteen-eighty-four-1984-review/) - Big Brother is watching you watching this. In the dystopian world of Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984): 8 out of 10: Winston Smith (John Hurt) navigates a bleak existence under the omnipresent surveillance of the totalitarian regime of Oceania. Working at the Ministry of Truth, Winston alters historical records to fit the Party’s narrative, while secretly harboring - [Oliver! (1968) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/oliver-1968-review/) - Come for the songs. Stay for the domestic violence. Oliver! (1969): 5 out of 10: is a musical film adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel “Oliver Twist.” Set in 19th century England, the story follows the adventures of a young orphan named Oliver as he navigates through the harsh realities of poverty, crime, and ultimately, - [Solitary (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/solitary-2016-review/) - Doing Time the Hard Way. “Solitary” (2016): 7 out of 10: is a documentary film released in 2016, directed by Kristi Jacobson. The film offers a profound exploration into the solitary confinement system within the United States prison system. Through candid interviews and observational footage, “Solitary” sheds light on the psychological toll endured by both - [Mystery Science Theater 3000 Ep. 616, Racket Girls, 1951, /w Are You Ready for Marriage? Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-ep-616-racket-girls-1951-w-are-you-ready-for-marriage-review/) - Wrasslin Racket Girls (1951): 2 out of 10: is a niche film that falls under the genre of exploitation cinema. Directed by Robert C. Dertano and produced by George Weiss, the film is known for its unique blend of wrestling, crime, and drama, which were popular themes in B-movies of that era. Despite its low-budget - [Amityville Island (2020) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/amityville-island-2020-review/) - The Shark is a lie. In Amityville Island (2020): 3 out of 10: the film opens with Kelly Jo Knight (Jamie Morgan), a mother haunted by financial struggles, stumbling upon a yard sale at the infamous Amityville Horror house. (Where I hear you can pick up an ugly lamp) Intrigued by the items, she purchases - [Irrational Fear (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/irrational-fear-2017-review/) - Lepidopterophobia Irrational Fear (2017): 4 out of 10: A van full of psychiatric patients with irrational fears joins a psychology professor (Charles Chudabala) and his protégé TA (Baker Chase Powell) for a weekend retreat to cure them. But could the psych professor himself be as crazy as his patients? The Good The Good: I am - [Hoarders (TV Series) Season 1 Episode 1 Jennifer & Ron/Jill (2009)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/hoarders-tv-series-season-1-episode-1-jennifer-ron-jill-2009/) - Hulk Smash Hoarders (TV Series) Season 1 Episode 1 Jennifer & Ron/Jill (2009): 7 out of 10: So this is where it starts. The hoarding empire, the hoarding tsunami, the Marie Kondo’s and British people with ten thousand matchbox cars still in the boxes, the animal hoarders, and the yards filled with junked cars. Here - [The Happytime Murders (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-happytime-murders-2018-review/) - Felt Up The Happytime Murders (2018): 8 out of 10: is a dark comedy-crime film set in a fictional Los Angeles where puppets coexist with humans. The story revolves around a down-and-out puppet private investigator named Phil Phillips, who used to be the first puppet cop in the LAPD. Phil is hired to investigate a - [Rough Draft (1998) / aka Diary Of A Serial Killer Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/rough-draft-1998-aka-diary-of-a-serial-killer-review/) - We need a RiffTrax Signal like the Bat signal. Rough Draft (1998) / aka Diary of a Serial Killer: 3 out of 10: “Rough Draft,” also known as “Diary of a Serial Killer,” is a psychological thriller film released in 1998. Directed by Alex Wright and starring Gary Busey, it delves into the mind of - [Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/resident-evil-extinction-2007-review/) - Viva Las Vegas Resident Evil Extinction (2007): 7 out of 10: is a science fiction action horror film released in 2007, directed by Russell Mulcahy. It is the third installment in the “Resident Evil” film series, based on the popular Capcom video game franchise of the same name. “Resident Evil: Extinction” is set in a - [Lady of Devices by Shelley Adina (2011) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/lady-of-devices-by-shelley-adina-2011-review/) - Magnificent Devices #1 Lady of Devices by Shelley Adina (2011): 5 out of 10: In a steampunk Victorian England, Lady Claire Trevelyan, a brilliant and ambitious young woman, defies the constraints of her aristocratic upbringing to pursue her passion for science and engineering. After her family's fortune is lost in a disastrous investment, Claire's dreams - [Impact (2004) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/impact-2004-review/) - Fresh Powder Impact (2004): 8 out of 10: is a gripping documentary that delves into the adrenaline-fueled world of extreme skiing. Directed by Max Bervy, the film follows a group of fearless skiers as they push the boundaries of their sport in some of the most treacherous and remote mountain ranges on the planet. The - [Fat Head (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/fat-head-2009-review/) - No Fries with that. Fat Head (2009): 6 out of 10: Cruise ship comedian Tom Naughton makes a scrappy little documentary to counteract the claims of the successful and influential Super Size Me by Morgan Spurlock from a few years earlier. Spurlock famously ate exclusively from McDonald's for 30 days and documented the purported health - [Buffaloed (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/buffaloed-2019-review/) - Wide Right In Buffaloed (2019): 6 out of 10: Peg Dahl (Zoey Deutch) is a street-smart hustler born into a blue-collar family in Buffalo, New York. Inspired by her late father's knack for making money, Peg dreams of attending an Ivy League school and working on Wall Street to escape her family's financial struggles. However, - [My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009) - A Bloody Brilliant Remake!](https://cinematicdiversions.com/my-bloody-valentine-3d-2009-a-bloody-brilliant-remake/) - Heart Shaped Horror My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009): 9 out of 10: Are you tired of mediocre horror remakes? Well, look no further, because My Bloody Valentine (2009) is here to save the day! This film is a masterclass in how to revamp a flick, taking a mediocre Canadian slasher from the early ‘80s and pumping - [A Resonant Ode to Hope - Doin’ My Drugs (2019) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/a-resonant-ode-to-hope-doin-my-drugs-2019-review/) - Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors in da house. Doin’ My Drugs (2019): 7 out of 10: tells the compelling story of Thomas Muchimba Buttenschøn, a Zambian-Danish musician born with HIV. The film chronicles his life as he navigates the complexities of living with a life-threatening illness and how he leverages his musical talents to spark change - [The Fire in the Glass (The London Charismatics Book 1) Jacquelyn Benson (2020) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-fire-in-the-glass-the-london-charismatics-book-1-jacquelyn-benson-2020-review/) - Old London Town The Fire in the Glass by Jacquelyn Benson: 9 out of 10: This is an absolute gem of a book that captured my heart from the very first page. From the richly detailed world-building to the vividly drawn characters, this novel is a masterclass in historical fiction with a supernatural twist. Benson's - [Alice in Acidland (1969) review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/alice-in-acidland-review/) - Filmed with only narration and a jazz soundtrack that sounds like a lot of bad smack was involved Alice in Acidland is your Daddy's porn. - [Some notes on a couple of great Podcasts (Going Rogue and Going Solo)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/some-notes-on-a-couple-of-great-podcasts-going-rogue-and-going-solo/) - Also TFD (The Financial Diet) goes off the rails again when Chelsea's obsession with the rich runs into idiots on TikTok. I am not going to start rating Podcasts. But if I were Going Rogue would get a nine out of ten and Going Solo would get a solid eight. Now first of all these - [Renfield (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/renfield-2023-review/) - Cage with bite. Renfield (2023): 9 out of 10: is a mesmerizing blend of supernatural thrill and modern psychological drama, painting a vivid tableau of New Orleans' mysterious underbelly. With a masterful juxtaposition of early 20th-century Transylvanian lore against the vibrant backdrop of the Crescent City, the film introduces us to R. M. Renfield (Nicholas - [Deep Blue Sea (1999) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/deep-blue-sea-1999-review/) - Chum Deep Blue Sea (1999): 9 out of 10: is a science fiction thriller film released in 1999. The film revolves around a group of scientists who conduct genetic experiments on sharks to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. The experiments involve increasing the sharks' brain size, which unexpectedly makes them smarter, more aggressive, and - [No Hard Feelings (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/no-hard-feelings-2023-review/) - Cherry Bomb No Hard Feelings (2023): 6 out of 10: Maddie Barker (Jennifer Lawrence), a 32-year-old struggling Uber driver and bartender in the picturesque town of Montauk, New York, finds herself in dire financial straits. Her car has been repossessed due to unpaid property taxes on the home she inherited from her late mother. Facing - [You Must Write: Success Through Heinlein's Rules by Kevin McLaughlin (2018)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/you-must-write-success-through-heinleins-rules-by-kevin-mclaughlin-2018/) - You Must Write for the Fight to Publish You Must Write: Success Through Heinlein's Rules by Kevin McLaughlin (2018): 8 out of 10: Heinlein's five rules on writing are a set of guidelines intended to help aspiring writers improve their craft. While they are not universally applicable, they offer valuable insights and principles for writers - [Halloween Ends (2022) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/halloween-ends-2022-review/) - November 1st The Movie. Halloween Ends (2022): 7 out of 10: In this third movie of the current reboot (13th Halloween movie overall) Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) prepares for a quiet Halloween as her psychopath brother has disappeared after killing half the town in the last film. Meanwhile, new character Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) - [The Rats By James Herbert (1974) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-rats-by-james-herbert-1974-review/) - Rat Race The Rats: 9 out of 10: is a horror novel written by James Herbert, published in 1974. The story is set in London and follows the city's descent into chaos as a horde of highly aggressive and mutated rats begins to attack and kill humans. The narrative unfolds with an increasing number of - [The Secret of Moonacre (2008) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-secret-of-moonacre-2008-review/) - I'm Being followed by a Moonacre. The Secret of Moonacre (2008): 6 out of 10: is a family fantasy film directed by Gabor Csupo and based on the novel "The Little White Horse" by Elizabeth Goudge. The movie follows the story of 13-year-old Maria Merryweather, who, after the death of her father, is sent to - [Cinematic Titanic: The Alien Factor (2010) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/cinematic-titanic-the-alien-factor-2010-review/) - In the history of the human species, there’s never been a two-door cop car. The Alien Factor (1978): 3 out of 10: is an American science fiction and horror film directed by Baltimore-based filmmaker Don Dohler. The quiet town of Perry Hill, Maryland, suddenly becomes the ground zero of mysterious and gruesome deaths. The local - [The Burning (1981) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-burning-1981-review/) - We didn't start the fire. The Burning (1981): 8 out of 10: is a slasher horror film that follows a chilling tale of revenge and terror. The movie begins at Camp Blackfoot, a summer camp in Upstate New York. Years ago, a cruel prank gone wrong resulted in a caretaker named Cropsy (Lou David) being - [Case 39 (2009) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/case-39-2009-review/) - The Thirty-Nine Steps In the psychological thriller Case 39 (2009): 5 out of 10:, we are introduced to Emily Jenkins (Renée Zellweger), a compassionate social worker who becomes entangled in a nightmarish world of supernatural horrors. Emily is assigned the case of a young girl named Lilith Sullivan (Jodelle Ferland), who is trapped in an - [The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-unbearable-weight-of-massive-talent-2022-review/) - Face/Off The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022): 4 out of 10: Facing a career slump and troubled personal relationships, Hollywood actor Nicolas "Nick" Cage is at a crossroads. Haunted by "Nicky", an apparition of his younger, more successful self, and faced with the emotional fallout with his ex-wife Olivia (Sharon Horgan) and daughter Addy - [Killing Gunther (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/killing-gunther-2017-review/) - I seek not beyond death Killing Gunther (2017): 7 out of 10: The story centers on a group of eccentric international assassins who are fed up with Gunther, the world's greatest hitman. Not only is Gunther considered the best at what he does, but he also has an annoying habit of taunting his competitors, making - [Saw II (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/saw-ii-2005-review/) - Seen? In the chilling horror film Saw II (2005): 7 out of 10:, the twisted and sadistic serial killer known as Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) returns with an even more diabolical game of life and death. Detective Eric Matthews (played by Donnie Wahlberg) finds himself at the center of Jigsaw's deadly game when he discovers that - [Moonfall (2022) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/moonfall-2022-review/) - The other night I drifted, nice continental drift divide, mountains sit in a line. Moonfall (2022): 6 out of 10: In 2011, astronauts Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson), Jo Fowler (Halle Berry), and Alan Marcus (Frank Fiola) embark on a mission to repair a satellite. The mission goes awry when a mysterious swarm of alien technology - [Independence Day (1996) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/independence-day-1996-review/) - It's flags on lapels and faded decals Independence Day (1996): 9 out of 10: is a science fiction action film set around July 4th, the United States' national holiday. The movie begins with the sudden appearance of massive alien spaceships that position themselves over several major cities around the world. As humanity grapples with this - [Late Night Erotic Reads: A collection of 10 stories by Shelly Hixson (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/late-night-erotic-reads-a-collection-of-10-stories-by-shelly-hixson-2023-review/) - From the home office in Intercourse, Pennsylvania. In the Late Night Erotic Reads anthology, Shelly Hixson has outdone herself by weaving together ten tantalizing stories that beckon readers into a world filled with desire, passion, and exploratory romantic encounters. This is not merely an assortment of erotic tales but a well-curated collection of her previously - [Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (2020) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dungeon-crawler-carl-by-matt-dinniman-2020-review/) - Shoeless Joe Jackson the Lit/RPG Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (2020): 9 out of 10: is a LitRPG novel set in a reality where Earth has been converted into a giant dungeon as part of a sadistic game conducted by alien beings. The story's protagonist, Carl, is a typical guy whose world is completely - [Rayman Legends (2013) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/rayman-legends-2013-review/) - Platforming Perfection Rayman Legends (2013): 8 out of 10: is the latest sequel in the popular platforming series. Players once again step into the shoes of the charismatic hero Rayman, with his friends Globox and the Teensies. After 100 years of sleep, they find that nightmares have infested the Glade of Dreams and it's up - [RiffTrax Cannibal World (Mondo Cannibale) (White Cannibal Queen) (1980) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/rifftrax-cannibal-world-mondo-cannibale-white-cannibal-queen-1980-review/) - No More Love On The Run Mondo Cannibale (1980): 7 out of 10:, also known as "Cannibal World" or "White Cannibal Queen", is a 1980 horror-adventure film directed by Jesús Franco. This movie is often associated with the subgenre of exploitation cinema, particularly the "cannibal film" niche that emerged in the 1970s and early 1980s. - [CHIPS (2017) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/chips-2017-review/) - It's no T. J. Hooker. CHIPS (2017): 5 out of 10: is an action comedy film based on the 1970s television series of the same name. The movie, directed by Dax Shepard, puts a modern, comedic twist on the classic buddy-cop genre. In the film, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is under scrutiny due to suspected - [Bones Season 1 Episode 2 Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bones-season-1-episode-2-review/) - The Man in the SUV Bones Season 1 Episode #2 “The Man in the SUV” (2005): 8 out of 10: This Bones episode originally aired on September 20, 2005. Here's a brief synopsis of the episode: The episode opens up with a horrifying scene as an SUV explodes in the middle of a busy street, - [The Outlaw (1943) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-outlaw-1943-review/) - Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand The Outlaw (1943): 4 out of 10: is a controversial western film directed by Howard Hughes and Howard Hawks, known for its scandalous promotional campaign and the sensual portrayal of Jane Russell's character. The movie focuses on the entangled relationships between the legendary figures of - [Tag (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag-2018review/) - Not It Tag (2018): 5 out of 10: is a comedy film inspired by a true story, revolving around the concept of a game that transcends the boundaries of time, friendship, and geographical limitations. The plot follows a group of five highly competitive friends - Hogan "Hoagie" Malloy (Ed Helms), Bob Callahan (Jon Hamm), Randy - [Night of the Demons (1988) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/night-of-the-demons-1988-review/) - Roger Out Night of the Demons (1988): 7 out of 10: is a 1988 horror-comedy film directed by Kevin Tenney and starring Cathy Podewell, Alvin Alexis, and Hal Havins. The movie revolves around a group of ten teenagers who decide to throw a Halloween party at an abandoned funeral parlor known as Hull House. Unbeknownst - [Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves-2023-review/) - Rolls a natural 20 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023): 10 out of 10: is a tale of revenge, redemption, and family set in the rich and dynamic world of the Forgotten Realms. The story centers around former Harper Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine), who, after a tragedy involving the murder of his wife (Georgia - [Rhymes with Banana (2012) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/rhymes-with-banana-2012-review/) - Wes Anderson's Resident Evil 7 Rhymes with Banana (2012): 5 out of 10: is an indie comedy-drama film directed by Joseph Muszynski and Peter Hutchings, starring Zosia Mamet, Jee Young Han, and Paul Iacono. The film follows the lives of two aspiring actresses, Z (Zosia Mamet) and J (Jee Young Han), who struggle to make - [Putin's Kiss (2011) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/putins-kiss-2011-review/) - Kiss from a Rose Putin’s Kiss (2011): 8 out of 10: is a Danish documentary film directed by Lise Birk Pedersen that tells the story of Masha Drokova, a Russian teenager who becomes a spokesperson for Nashi, a pro-Kremlin youth movement in Russia. Nashi and its effects on young Russians are examined in the film, - [Cocaine Bear (2023) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/cocaine-bear-2023-review/) - Party Animal Cocaine Bear (2023): 7 out of 10: is a dark comedy thriller based on the bizarre true events surrounding a 175-pound black bear that accidentally consumed a large amount of cocaine in the Chattahoochee National Forest of Georgia. The film takes creative liberties with the actual story, intertwining a web of eccentric characters, - [Bones Season 1 Episode 1 "Pilot" (2005) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/bones-season-1-episode-1-pilot-2005-review/) - Starting Block Bones Season 1 Episode 1 "Pilot" (2005): 8 out of 10: In the pilot episode of Bones, we meet Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), a highly skilled forensic anthropologist working at the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington D.C. Brennan, also known as "Bones" due to her expertise in the field, is approached by FBI - [A Soulful Soirée. A Half Sister, Full Love (2015) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/a-soulful-soiree-a-half-sister-full-love-2015-review/) - Surprisingly, Half Sister, Full Love is not a Pornhub category. Half Sister, Full Love (2015): 7 out of 10: originally titled "Et ta soeur," is a French drama-comedy film that explores the complexities of relationships and the intricacies of family dynamics. Directed by Marion Vernoux, the film revolves around Pierrick (Grégoire Ludig), a young man - [Deep Freeze (2001) Review Ice Ice Baby](https://cinematicdiversions.com/deep-freeze-2001-review-ice-ice-baby/) - Full fathom five thy father lies Deep Freeze (Ice Crawlers) (2001): 7 out of 10: The first time I watched this film, I didn't like it. I know this because I had placed a three out of ten score on my IMDb page. Rewatching Deep Freeze, I am at a loss why I was so - [Dog Dayz (2016) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/dog-dayz-2016-review/) - From Wake to Bored. Dog Dayz (2016): 5 out of 10: Dog Dayz is a documentary on wakeboarding that both delights and disappoints. Directed with an eye for aesthetic pleasure, the film is filled with beautiful shots of stunning landscapes and an energizing soundtrack to boot. However, my excitement begins to wane as I quickly - [Legends of Flight (2010) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/legends-of-flight-2010-review/) - A wing and a prayer. Legends of Flight (2010): 5 out of 10: is a 2010 IMAX documentary film directed by Stephen Low that delves into the then brief history of the Boeing 787 "Dreamliner." While the film aims to capture the essence of modern aviation and the journey of the Boeing 787, it falls - [Pretentious Revenge with Mandy (2018) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/pretentious-revenge-with-mandy-2018-review/) - Well, you came, and you gave without taking Mandy (2018): 6 out of 10: Mandy presents a mixed bag of emotions, offering moments of captivating visuals and intense scenes, while others feel slow and overly artsy. The first half hour of the movie is a test of patience, with prolonged pauses and minimal action. It’s - [Gangs, Glitz, and Graffiti: A Cinematic Diversions Review of Road to High & Low (2016)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/gangs-glitz-and-graffiti-a-cinematic-diversions-review-of-road-to-high-low-2016/) - Jigoku's Tennyo Road to High & Low (2016): 6 out of 10: is a unique cinematic experience that slowly but surely grows on you. Admittedly, the first 15 to 20 minutes feel like you’re watching a live-action video game, but once the initial exposition settles, the film’s charms reveal themselves. The Good The Good: Road - [Ouija (2014) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/ouija-2014-review/) - Not a Clue Ouija (2014): 5 out of 10: A teenage girl (Olivia Cooke) house sits for her best friend’s mother (Robyn Lively) after her best friend (Shelley Hennig) commits suicide in the house. Olivia finds an old Ouija board and sees if she can communicate with her late friend with the help of her - [Piranha (1978) Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/piranha-1978-review/) - Piranha has aged well The plot is actually a pretty good idea and what really sets Piranha apart is the top notch John Sayles script. - [Night of the Lepus (1972) Review with RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/night-of-the-lepus-1972-review-with-rifftrax/) - 14 Karrot Kaiju Night of the Lepus (1972): 8 out of 10: After a sizable amount of research, I can declare that Night of the Lepus is the best giant bunny rabbits terrorize town movies ever made. In addition, my extensive research, including almost six months of fieldwork on IMDb, has led to the conclusion - [Greatest Toy of the Seventies.](https://cinematicdiversions.com/greatest-toy-of-the-seventies/) - [Live Laugh Love](https://cinematicdiversions.com/live-laugh-love/) - Just a picture from The Shining ## Pages - [Movie Reviews R](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-r/) - Racket Girls (1951) Rampo Noir (2005) Ranpo jigoku (2005) Raptor Island (2004) Rare Exports (2010) Ratten 2 – Sie kommen wieder! (2004) Raw Deal (1986) Ready Player One (2018) Renfield (2023) Resan till Fjäderkungens Rike (2014) Resident Evil Extinction (2007) Rest Stop (2006) The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) Rhymes with Banana (2012) RiffTrax: 1990: The Bronx - [Movie Reviews H](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-h/) - Haeckel’s Tale (2006) Half Sister, Full Love (2015) Halloween Ends (2022) Hangman (2017) Hannibal (2001) The Happytime Murders (2018) The Hateful Eight (2015) Heartstopper (2006) Hellboy (2004) Hell or High Water (2016) Hero (2002) Heroes of the East (1978) Highlander (1986) Hitman: Agent 47 (2015) Hollywood After Dark (1968) Hopscotch (1980) Hospital Massacre (1982) Hostel - [Movie Reviews # thru A](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-thru-a/) - #1 Cheerleader Camp (2010) 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) 3 Deewarein (2003) 3 Walls (2003) The 5th Wave (2016) 7 Guardians of the Tomb (2018) 7th Street (2002) 9 Souls (2003) 10.0 Earthquake (2014) 10 to Midnight (1983) 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Days of Terror (2004) 13 Cameras (2015) 13 Eerie (2013) 13 Going - [Book Reviews](https://cinematicdiversions.com/book-reviews/) - 28 Books to $100K (2020) Armada by Ernest Cline (2015) Breakers by Edward W. Robertson (2012) Burning Bright (The Extraordinaries Book 1) (2016) by Melissa McShane The Customer Is Always Wrong: An Unhinged Guide to Everything That Sucks About Work (from an Angry Retail Guy) – The Perfect Funny Gift for Retail, Service, or Office Workers - [Movie Reviews M](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-m/) - The Machine Girl (2008) Made in America (2008) Magma: Volcanic Disaster (2006) Malevolent (2018) Mandy (2018) Mangiati vivi! (1980) Maniac (1934) Marabunta (1998) Marauders (2016) Married Too Young (1962) Masters of Horror: Haeckel’s Tale (2006) Master’s of Horror: Incident On and Off a Mountain Road (2005) Masters of Horror: Right to Die (2007) The Matrix (1999) - [List of Reviews (Alphabetical)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/) - Book Reviews Books Recommended Game Reviews Games Recommended Movie Reviews # thru A Movie Reviews B Movie Reviews C Movie Reviews D Movie Reviews E Movie Reviews F Movie Reviews G Movie Reviews H Movie Reviews I Movie Reviews J Movie Reviews K Movie Reviews L Movie Reviews M Movie Reviews N Movie Reviews O - [Games Recommended](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/actress-filmography/) - Armed and Dangerous (2003): The graphics and gameplay get better as the game progresses and new weapons become available. An overall fun romp. Gotta love that Landshark gun. Catherine (2011): If you like good more adult themed Anime and don’t mind earning your pudding, Catherine is an excellent game. Diablo III (2012): Diablo III is - [Movie Reviews T](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-t/) - Tag (2018) Taken (2008) Tales from the Hood 2 (2018) A Talking Cat!?! (2013) Tammy (2014) Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018) Teeth (2007) Tell Them You Love Me (2023) The Terminator (1984) (T)ERROR (2015) Terror at Tenkiller (1986) Thanksgiving (2023) The 5th Wave (2016) The Acid House (1998) The Akron Holy War (2017) - [Movie Reviews C](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-c/) - Cabin Fever (2016) California Quake (2000) Cannibal World (1980) Capturing the Friedmans (2003) Cargo (2009) Carrie (1976) Carriers (2009) Case 39 (2009) Casino (1995) Casino Royale (2006) Cast Away (2000) Catalina Caper (1967) Catwoman (2004) The Cavern (2005) Cellular (2004) Charlie’s Angels (2000) Children of the Bride (1990) Children of the Corn (2009) CHIPS (2017) The - [Game Reviews](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/game-reviews/) - 2064: Read Only Memories (2015) 3 out of 10 Episode #1 Welcome to Shovelworks 7 Billion Humans (2018) AI: The Somnium Files (2019) Armed and Dangerous (2003) Art of Balance (2016) The Artful Escape (2021) Catherine (2011) Crackdown (2007) Diablo III (2012) Fable II (2008) Fable III (2010) Infamous Second Son (2014) A King’s Tale: - [Books Recommended](https://cinematicdiversions.com/books-recommended/) - Breakers by Edward W. Robertson (2012) Sci/Fi Action Horror. Breakers is my second favorite book I have read so far this year. Pride and Prejudice beats it out overall but really who can compete with Jane Austin despite the lack of alien invasions and worldwide plagues in the Regency countryside. I grew to love the writing style - [Movie Reviews L](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-l/) - Laid to Rest (2009) Laserblast (1978) The Last Samurai (2003) Last Sunset (2006) Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain(2001) Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003) The Legend of Zorro (2005) Legends of Flight (2010) Legion of Fire: Killer Ants! (1998) Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League (2015) Le Semeur (2017) - [Movie Reviews S](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-s/) - Safe House (2012) Salvage (2006) San Franpyscho (2006) Santa Sangre (1989) Saw II (2005) Say Anything…(1989) The Scorpion King: Book of Souls (2018) Scratch: The New Sound of Terror (2004) Scream 2 (1997) Screwballs (1983) Sea Beast (2008) The Secret of Moonacre (2008) Secret Screams (1989) The Secrets of Hillsong (2023) Secret Window (2004) Le Semeur - [Movie Reviews B](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-b/) - Baburugamu kuraishisu (1987) Baby Driver (2017) Baby of the Bride (1991) Back to Back (1996) Barbie & the Diamond Castle (2008) Baseball (1994) Basic Instinct 2 (2006) The Batman (2022) Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018) Battle: Los Angeles (2011) Battle Royale (2000) Beaks: The Movie (1987) Before I Hang (1940) Before I Say Goodbye (2003) - [Movie Reviews O thru Q](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-o-thru-q/) - Oliver! (1969) The Omen (2006) Once Upon a Honeymoon (1956) Ônibus 174 (2002) The Other Fellow (2022) Ouija (2014) Ouija Shark (2020) The Outlaw (1943) Outlaw King (2018) The Pack (2015) Pearl Harbor (2001) Perfect Bid: The Contestant Who Knew Too Much (2017) A Perfect Getaway (2009) The Perfect Stranger (2005) The Peregrine Dame in Durban (2014) - [Movie Reviews N](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-n/) - Nain souruzu (2003) The Naked Gun (2025) National Geographic Explorer: Inside Guantanamo Bay (2009) The NeverEnding Story (1984) Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary (2019) Never Too Young to Die (1986) New York Cop (1993) New York Wildcats (2005) Nicotina (2003) Nightbreed(1990) Nightmare Alley (2021) A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) Night of - [Movie Reviews J](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-j/) - Jackpot! (2024) Jack the Giant Killer (1962) Jason Bourne (2016) Jet Li’s Fearless (2006) Jigsaw (2017) Jim Gaffigan: The Pale Tourist: Canadian American (2020) Joe (2013) John Ford Goes to War (2002) John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) Jûbê ninpûchô (1993) Jumanji (1995) Ju-On: The Grudge 2 (2003) Jupiter Ascending (2015) Jurassic Park (1993) - [Movie Reviews E](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-e/) - The Eagle Has Landed (1976) Earth vs. The Spider (2001) Eaten Alive! (1980) El ataque de los pájaros (1987) Elektra (2004) Eliza Graves (2014) Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable (2018) Embrace of the Vampire (1995) Escape From New York (1981) Escape Plan (2013) Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Et ta - [Movie Reviews V](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-v/) - Valkyrie (2008) Van Helsing (2004) Vanished in Paradise: The Untold Story (2019) A Very Murray Christmas (2015) V for Vendetta (2005) Vice (2015) A Vigilante (2019) Virus (1980) Vortex (2001) - [Movie Reviews D](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-d/) - Dagon (2001) Dai-Nipponjin (2007) Dance with Death (1992) Dante’s Peak (1997) Dark Future (1994) Dawn of the Dead (2004) David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020) Day of the Animals (1977) Dead Again (1991) Dead Girl Walking (2004) Dead Kennedys: The Early Years Live (1987) Deadly Deception: The Mark Hacking Story (2004) Dead Space: Downfall (2008) Death Note (2017) - [Movie Reviews G](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-g/) - Galaxy Quest (1999) Gammera the Invincible (Gamera the Giant Monster) (1966) Gangs of Lagos (2023) Gemini (2017) Geostorm (2017) Ghost in the Shell (1995) Ghost in the Shell 2.0 (2008) Ghost of Mae Nak (2005) Ghosts of Mars (2001) Ghost Stories (2017) Ghost Town Renegades (1947) Ghost Voyage (2008) G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra (2009) Gilbert - [Movie Reviews W](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-w/) - Walking Tall: The Payback (2007) Walk the Angry Beach (1968) Wall-E (2008) Warriors of Terra (2006) Watashi no akachan (2004) Welcome Back, Norman (1979) We’re Going to Eat You (1980) Werewolf (1995) What’s Up, Tiger Lily? (1966) What We Do in the Shadows (2014) White Cannibal Queen (1980) Willard (2003) With Great Power: The Stan - [Movie Reviews I](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-i/) - Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006) Ice Crawlers (2001) If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (2017) Ikki Tousen (2003) I’ll Be There with You (2006) Impact (2004) Incident On and Off a Mountain Road (2005) In Darkness (2018) Independence Day (1996) Inferno (2016) Inside Guantanamo Bay (2009) Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) Insidious: Chapter - [Movie Reviews F](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-f/) - F9: The Fast Saga (2021) Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain(2001) Facing Extinction (2006) Fanboys (2009) A Fancy Piece of Homicide (2017) Fantastic Four (2005) Farewell Uncle Tom (1971) Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America (2006) Fat Head (2009) Fearless (2006) Feast (2005) The Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark (2007) Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) - [Movie Reviews K](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-k/) - K-12 (2019) Kataude mashin gâru (2008) KatieBird* Certifiable Crazy Person (2005) Killer Drag Queens on Dope (2003) Killer Flood: The Day the Damn Broke (2003) Killer Workout (1987) Killing Gunther (2017) King Arthur (2004) King Kong (2005) Kingpin (2003) Kôkaku Kidôtai (1995) Kôkaku kidôtai 2.0 (2008) - [Movie Reviews U](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-u/) - Ulli Lommel’s Black Dahlia (2006) Ulli Lommel’s Zodiac Killer (2005) The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022) Underworld Evolution (2006) The Unholy Choice (1968) Unearthed (2007) Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary (2017) Unforgiven (1992) Up the Yangtze (2007) - [Movie Reviews X thru Y](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-x-thru-y/) - X2 (2003) Xchange (2001) X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) (X-Ray) (1982) Xtinction: Predator X (2014) XXX State of the Union (2005) Ying Xiong (2002) Young Gods (2003) - [Movie Reviews Z](https://cinematicdiversions.com/list-of-reviews-alphabetical/movie-reviews-z/) - Za horâ kaiki gekijô: Kaiki! Shinin shôjo (2004) Zashchitniki (2017) Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) Zee-Oui (2004) Zhong hua zhang fu (1978) Zodiac Killer (2005) Zombi 2 (1979) Zombie (1979) Zombie Flesh Eaters (1979) Zombie Nightmare (1987) Zontar: The Thing from Venus (1966) - [Contact](https://cinematicdiversions.com/contact/) - Feel free to reach out with any questions to Cinamaticdiversions@gmail.com or DM me on Twitter @CINEMATICDIVER1 - [Privacy Policy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/privacy-policy-2/) - This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do we store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. We - [Home](https://cinematicdiversions.com/home/) - http://72.18.134.37/~cinemati/games-to-buy-week-of-april-16th-2019/ ## Categories - [Julian's Stoic Reflections](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/julians-stoic-reflections/) - I was using the word credendum because it sounded fancy. It was supposed to mean an article of faith. In reality, I could have used phylactery and been none the wiser. Since it is a new year with a new focus, we are moving towards Stoicism, which I have been practicing for the last few years. As before, this is an uninformed rant that I probably will disavow within five years. That certainly has not changed - [Video Games](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/video-games/) - Video Games: A deep dive into my videogame backlog with Games I may but, Games I am scheduled to play, and the occasional review. - [Movie Reviews](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/) - Reviews of movies in all genres from a possibly discerning eye. - [Movie Genres](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/) - Various Genres of movie reviews - [Movie Review Scores](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/) - Head category for a breakdown of my reviews by the score. - [Score 1 out of 10](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/score-1-out-of-10/) - The worst of the worst. Not just awful but also actually angered the viewer for having to watch - [Score 2 out of 10](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/score-2-out-of-10/) - Horrible movies that did so little I don’t even hate them. Bottom of the barrel - [Score 3 out of 10](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/score-3-out-of-10/) - Worse than mediocre films that may have some good quality such as being in focus. - [Score 4 out of 10](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/score-4-out-of-10/) - Mediocre below average films with no real redeeming qualities. Maybe worth the watch if you really like the genre or the actors. - [Score 5 out of 10](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/score-5-out-of-10/) - Truly average movies that tend not to be good nor offensively bad./ Usually has some redeeming quilty - [Score 6 out of 10](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/score-6-out-of-10/) - Better than average and would be of interest to those who like the genre or actors involved. - [Score 7 out of 10](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/score-7-out-of-10/) - Often very much worth the watch but not a film I could see myself revisiting. Sometimes excellent but otherwise unpleasant films end up with this score. - [Score 8 out of 10](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/score-8-out-of-10/) - Worth watching again. Genre films with this score might have achieved it due to one or two spectacular setpieces even if the overall film is considered lacking. - [Score 9 out of 10](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/score-9-out-of-10/) - Excellent in every way and worth watching whether you think you will like it or not based on plot and actors. Often not an emotional favorite so it does not hold a top spot. - [Score 10 out of 10](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-review-scores/score-10-out-of-10/) - My favorite films. This is a more emotional score than 9 out of 10 and films with this score certainly may have flaws sometimes quite serious. Something about the film works with this reviewer on a personal level. - [Action/Adventure](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/action-adventure/) - The action film is a film genre in which the protagonist or protagonists are thrust into a series of challenges that typically include violence, extended fighting, physical feats, and frantic chases. Action films tend to feature a resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life-threatening situations, a villain, or a pursuit which usually concludes in victory for the hero (though a small number of films in this genre have ended in victory for the villain instead). This genre is closely associated with the thriller and adventure genres, and they may also contain elements of spy fiction. - [Animation](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/animation/) - Animation is a method in which pictures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most animations are made with computer-generated imagery (CGI). Computer animation can be very detailed 3D animation, while 2D computer animation can be used for stylistic reasons, low bandwidth or faster real-time renderings. Other standard animation methods apply a stop motion technique to two and three-dimensional objects like paper cutouts, puppets or clay figures. - [Comedy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/comedy/) - Comedy is a genre of film in which the primary emphasis is on humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement and most often work by exaggerating characteristics for humorous effect. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). One of the oldest genres in film, some of the very first silent movies were comedies, as slapstick comedy often relies on visual depictions, without requiring sound. When sound films became more prevalent during the 1920s, comedy films took another swing, as laughter could result from burlesque situations but also dialogue. - [Crime](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/crime/) - Crime films, in the broadest sense, are a cinematic genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as drama or gangster film, but also include comedy, and, in turn, is divided into many sub-genres, such as mystery, suspense or noir. - [Documentary](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/documentary/) - A documentary film is a nonfictional motion picture intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record. “Documentary” has been described as a “filmmaking practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception” that is continually evolving and is without clear boundaries. Documentary films were called initially ‘actuality’ films and were only a minute or less in length. Over time documentaries have evolved to be longer and to include more categories, such as educational, observational, and even ‘docufiction.’ Documentaries are also educational and often used in schools to teach various principles. Social media platforms such as YouTube, have allowed documentary films to improve the ways the films are distributed and able to educate and broaden the reach of people who receive the information. - [Drama](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/drama/) - In film and television, drama is a genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more severe than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular subgenre, such as “police crime drama,” “political drama,” “legal drama,” “historical period drama,” “domestic drama,” or “comedy-drama.” These terms tend to indicate a particular setting or subject-matter, or else they qualify the otherwise serious tone of a drama with elements that encourage a broader range of moods. - [Fantasy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/fantasy/) - Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The style is considered a form of speculative fiction alongside science fiction films and horror films, although the genres do overlap. Fantasy films often have an element of magic, myth, wonder, escapism, and the extraordinary. - [History](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/history/) - Films taking place during historical events - [Horror](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/horror/) - A horror film is a film that seeks to elicit fear. Initially inspired by literature from authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, and Mary Shelley, horror has existed as a film genre for more than a century. The macabre and the supernatural are frequent themes. Horror may also overlap with the fantasy, paranormal fiction, and thriller genres. Horror films often aim to evoke viewers’ nightmares, fears, revulsions and terror of the unknown. Plots within the horror genre often involve the intrusion of an evil force, event, or personage into the everyday world. Prevalent elements include ghosts, extraterrestrials, vampires, werewolves, demons, Satanism, evil clowns, gore, torture, vicious animals, evil witches, monsters, zombies, cannibalism, psychopaths, natural, ecological or human-made disasters, and serial killers. Some sub-genres of horror film include low-budget horror, action horror, comedy horror, body horror,[4] disaster horror, found footage,[5] holiday horror, horror drama, psychological horror,[6] science fiction horror, slasher, supernatural horror, gothic horror, natural horror, zombie horror, disaster films, first-person horror, and teen horror. - [Kids & Family](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/kids-family/) - Kids & Family are films designed to kids as the primary audience. - [Music & Musical](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/music-musical/) - Musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film’s characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate “production numbers.” The musical film was a natural development of the stage musical after the emergence of sound film technology. Typically, the most significant difference between film and stage musicals is the use of lavish background scenery and locations that would be impractical in a theater. Musical films characteristically contain elements reminiscent of theater; performers often treat their song and dance numbers as if a live audience were watching. In a sense, the viewer becomes the diegetic audience, as the performer looks directly into the camera and performs to it. - [Mystery & Thriller](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/mystery-thriller/) - Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that involves excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element, found in most films’ plots, is mainly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. Tension is created by delaying what the audience sees as inevitable and is built through situations that are menacing or where escape seems impossible. - [Romance](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/romance/) - Romance films or romance movies are romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theaters and on TV that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate, romantic involvement of the main characters and the journey that their genuinely robust, accurate and pure romantic love takes them through dating, courtship or marriage. Romance films make the romantic love story or the search for healthy and genuine love and romance the main plot focus. Occasionally, romance lovers face obstacles such as finances, physical illness, various forms of discrimination, psychological restraints or family that threaten to break their union of love. As in all quite strong, thick, and close romantic relationships, tensions of day-to-day life, temptations (of infidelity), and differences in compatibility enter into the plots of romantic films. Romantic films often explore the essential themes of love at first sight, young with older love, unrequited romantic love, obsessive love, romantic love, spiritual love, forbidden love/romance, platonic love, sexual and passionate love, sacrificial love, explosive and destructive love, and tragic love. Romantic films serve as great escapes and fantasies for viewers, especially if the two people finally overcome their difficulties, declare their love, and experience life “happily ever after,” implied by a reunion and final kiss. In romantic television series, the development of such romantic relationships may play out over many episodes, and different characters may become intertwined in different romantic arcs. - [Science-Fiction](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/science-fiction/) - Science-fiction film (or sci-fi film) is a genre that uses speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial lifeforms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception and time travel, along with futuristic elements such as spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstellar travel or other technologies. Science-fiction films have often been used to focus on political or social issues, and to explore the philosophical problems like the human condition. In many cases, tropes derived from written science fiction may be used by filmmakers ignorant of or at best indifferent to the standards of scientific plausibility and plot logic to which written science fiction is traditionally held. The genre had existed since the early years of silent cinema when Georges Melies’ A Trip to the Moon (1902) employed trick photography effects. The next major example in the genre was the film Metropolis (1927). From the 1930s to the 1950s, the genre consisted mainly of low-budget B movies. After Stanley Kubrick’s landmark 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), the science fiction film genre was taken more seriously. In the late 1970s, big-budget science fiction films filled with special effects became popular with audiences after the success of Star Wars and paved the way for the blockbuster hits of subsequent decades. - [War & Military](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/war-military/) - War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about naval, air, or land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle scenes means that war films often end with them. Themes explored include combat, survival and escape, the camaraderie between soldiers, sacrifice, the futility and inhumanity of battle, the effects of war on society, and the moral and human issues raised by war. War films are often categorized by their milieu, such as the Korean War; the most popular subject is the Second World War. The stories told may be fiction, historical drama, or biographical. Critics have noted similarities between the Western and the war film. Nations such as China, Indonesia, Japan, and Russia have their traditions of war film, centered on their revolutionary wars but taking varied forms, from the action and historical drama to wartime romance. Subgenres, not necessarily distinct, include anti-war, comedy, animated, propaganda, and documentary. There are similarly subgenres of the war film in specific theatres such as the western desert (North Africa), the Pacific in the Second World War, or Vietnam; and films set in particular domains of war, such as the infantry, the air, at sea, in submarines, or a prisoner of war camps. - [Western](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/movie-reviews/movie-genres/western/) - Western is a genre of various arts which tell stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, often centering on the life of a nomadic cowboy or gunfighter armed with a revolver and a rifle who rides a horse. Cowboys and gunslingers typically wear Stetson hats, neckerchief bandannas, vests, spurs, cowboy boots, and buckskins (alternatively dusters). Recurring characters include the cowboys as mentioned above, Native Americans, bandits, lawmen, bounty hunters, outlaws, gamblers, soldiers (especially mounted cavalry, such as buffalo soldiers), and settlers (farmers, ranchers, and townsfolk). The ambiance is usually punctuated with a Western music score, including American and Mexican folk music such as country, Native American music, New Mexico music, and rancheras. . - [Video Game Reviews](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/video-games/video-game-reviews/) - [Book Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/book-review/) - Books. They are like movies but with work. I often read the things when I am not serving my masters (cats, corporate America, that woman that visits on Fridays). So hear me criticize someone’s life work that took years to write with some snarky bon mot using poor grammar and a sixth-grade reading level. - [Comic Book/ Graphic Novel Review](https://cinematicdiversions.com/category/comic-book-graphic-novel-review/) - An in-depth look at an individual comic or sometimes an entire run. Who knows what the latest read will take us, however, as going off on tangents is more the rule than the exception. ## Tags - [Fallout 2](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/fallout-2/) - Fallout 2 is a role-playing open-world video game. The player is free to move at will until they enter into combat. Combat gives them a number of action points to move, fire, check their equipment, reload and the like. General gameplay consists of traveling and interacting with local inhabitants and organizations to complete goals and aid or inhibit the NPCs. The player’s actions dictate what future story or gameplay opportunities are available. Mature themes such as alcohol consumption, drug usage, and sex are present. (Wikipedia) - [Bowling for Columbine](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bowling-for-columbine/) - Bowling for Columbine is a 2002 American documentary film written, produced, directed, and narrated by Michael Moore. The film explores what Moore suggests are the primary causes for the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 and other acts of violence with guns. Moore focuses on the background and environment in which the massacre took place and some common public opinions and assumptions about related issues. The film also looks into the nature of violence in the United States. - [XXX State of the Union](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/xxx-state-of-the-union/) - XXX: State of the Union (with the “XXX” stylized as “xXx” and pronounced as “Triple X”, released as XXX2: The Next Level and XXX: State of Emergency outside North America) is a 2005 American action film directed by Lee Tamahori and a sequel to the 2002 film XXX. It is the second installment of the XXX franchise and was produced by Revolution Studios for Columbia Pictures. - [blaxploitation](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/blaxploitation/) - Blaxploitation or blacksploitation is an ethnic subgenre of the exploitation film that emerged in the United States during the early 1970s. The films, though receiving backlash for stereotypical characters, are among the first in which black characters and communities are the heroes and subjects of film and television, rather than sidekicks or villains or victims of brutality. The genre’s inception coincides with the rethinking of race relations in the 1970s. - [Zontar The Thing from Venus](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/zontar-the-thing-from-venus/) - Zontar, the Thing from Venus (a.k.a. Zontar: The Invader from Venus) 1966, made for television science fiction film, directed by Larry Buchanan, and based on the teleplay by Hillman Taylor and Buchanan. It is a low-budget 16mm film color remake of Roger Corman’s It Conquered the World (1956), which also featured an alien invader from Venus. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/zontar-the-thing-from-venus-review/ - [It Conquered the World](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/it-conquered-the-world/) - It Conquered the World concerns an alien creature from the planet Venus that secretly wants to take control of the Earth. The beast makes radio contact with a disillusioned human scientist, who agrees to help because the scientist believes such an alien intervention will bring peace and save doomed humanity from itself. (Wikipedia) - [Science fiction](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sci-fi/) - Science fiction (often shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction, typically dealing with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, and extraterrestrial life. Science fiction often explores the potential consequences of scientific and other innovations, and has been called a “literature of ideas.”(Wikipedia) - [Television film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/made-for-tv/) - A television film (also known as a TV movie, TV film, television movie, telefilm, tele movie, motion picture made for television, made-for-television movie, made-for-television film, direct-to-TV movie, direct-to-TV film, movie of the week, feature-length drama, single drama and original movie) is a feature-length motion picture that is produced and originally distributed by or to, a television network, in contrast to theatrical films, which are made explicitly for initial showing in movie theaters. (Wikipedia) - [Scooby-Doo (character)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/scooby-doo/) - Scoobert Doo is the eponymous character and protagonist of the animated television franchise Scooby-Doo created in 1969 by the American animation company Hanna-Barbera. Scooby-Doo is a male Great Dane and lifelong companion of amateur detective Shaggy Rogers, with whom he shares many personality traits. Named after a nonsense vocal line in Frank Sinatra’s hit song “Strangers in the Night”, he features a mix of both canine and human behaviors (reminiscent of other funny animals in the Golden age of American animation), treated by his friends more or less as an equal while speaking in a famous (and much parodied) speech impediment. His catchphrase is “Scooby-Dooby-Doo!” (Wikipedia) - [Monster Movie](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/monster-movie/) - A monster movie, creature feature, or giant monster film is a disaster film that focuses on a group of characters struggling to survive attacks by one or more antagonistic monsters, often abnormally large ones. The film may also fall under the horror, comedy, fantasy, or science fiction genres. Monster movies originated with adaptations of horror folklore and literature. Typically, movie monsters differ from more traditional antagonists in that many exist due to circumstances beyond their control; their actions are not entirely based on choice, potentially making them objects of sympathy to film viewers. (Wikipedia) - [Mystery Science Theater 3000](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mystery-science-theater-3000/) - Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) is an American television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Alternaversal Productions, LLC. The show premiered on KTMA (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. It later aired on The Comedy Channel/Comedy Central for seven seasons until its cancellation in 1996. After that, it was picked up by The Sci-Fi Channel and aired for three seasons until another cancellation in August 1999. A 60-episode syndication package titled The Mystery Science Theater Hour was produced in 1995. In 2015, Hodgson led a crowdfunded revival of the series with 14 episodes in its eleventh season, first released on Netflix on April 14, 2017, with another six-episode season following on November 22, 2018. As of 2019, 217 episodes and a feature film have been produced. (Wikipedia) - [Zombie Nightmare](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/zombie-nightmare/) - Zombie Nightmare is a 1986 Canadian zombie film produced and directed by Jack Bravman. It stars Adam West, Tia Carrere, and Jon Mikl Thor, and was filmed in the suburbs of Montreal, Canada. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-zombie-nightmare-season-7-episode-4-review/ - [Michael J. Nelson](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mike-j-nelson/) - Michael John Nelson (born October 11, 1964) is an American comedian and writer, most known for his work on the cult television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). Nelson was the head writer of the series for most of the show’s original eleven-year run, and spent half of that time as the on-air host, also named Mike Nelson. In addition to writing books, Nelson is currently part of the online movie riffing sites RiffTrax and The Film Crew with fellow MST3K alumni, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy. He has written articles for Cracked.com. (Wikipedia) - [Zombie](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/zombie/) - A zombie is a fictional undead being created through the reanimation of a human corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in which a zombie is a dead body reanimated through various methods, most commonly magic. Modern depictions of the reanimation of the dead do not necessarily involve magic but often invoke science fictional methods such as carriers, radiation, mental diseases, vectors, pathogens, scientific accidents, etc. (Wikipedia) - [Zombi 2](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/zombi-2/) - Zombi 2 is a 1979 Italian zombie film directed by Lucio Fulci. It was adapted from an original screenplay by Dardano Sacchetti to serve as a sequel to George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead (1978), which was released in Italy with the title Zombi. It stars Tisa Farrow, Ian McCulloch, and Richard Johnson, and features a score by frequent Fulci collaborator Fabio Frizzi. Frizzi’s score has been released independently of the film, and he has performed it live on tour. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/zombie-zombi-2-review/ - [Shark](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/shark/) - Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorpha (or Selachii) and are the sister group to the rays. However, the term “shark” has also been used for extinct members of the subclass Elasmobranchii outside the Selachimorpha, such as Cladoselache and Xenacanthus, as well as other Chondrichthyes such as the holocephalid eugenedontidans. - [Heroes of the East](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/heroes-of-the-east/) - Heroes of the East, also known as Challenge Of The Ninja, Shaolin Vs. Ninja and Shaolin Challenges Ninja is a martial arts film produced in 1978. It starred Gordon Liu and was directed by Lau Kar-Leung. Lau Kar-Leung has a cameo role as a master of Zui Quan. It’s notable for portraying Japanese martial arts alongside the more typical Kung-Fu used in most Hong Kong martial arts films. - [Martial Arts Film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/martial-arts-film/) - Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films, which feature numerous martial arts fights between characters. These fights are usually the films’ primary appeal and entertainment value and often are a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently featured in training scenes and other sequences in addition to fights. Martial arts films commonly include other types of action, such as hand-to-hand combat, stuntwork, chases, and gunfights. (Wikipedia) - [Zee-Oui](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/zee-oui/) - In 1946 a young man from China named Zee-Oui immigrated to Thailand in the hope of a better life. His only possession was the knife inherited from his mother. However, everything did not turn out as he had thought. He was bullied and humiliated from everyone around him. He tried desperately to survive in this world. He became ill. He missed his mother. At the same time, his instincts increasingly oppressed his thoughts and behaviors. He began killing children, consuming their heart and liver in the belief that it would make him stronger. Whenever he felt weak, he would kill again and again to avoid insecure feelings. In the end, he was caught and confessed to all the killings he had done. He was sentenced to the death penalty as the society returned to serenity. But why there were still missing and murdered children? - [Nida Suthat Na Ayutthaya](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/nida-suthat-na-ayutthaya/) - Born: October 30, 1953 Died: September 26, 2013 Movies: The Man Eater Nominations: Thailand National Film Association Award for Best Screenplay - [Les Miserables](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/les-miserables/) - Les Misérables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original French title. However, several alternatives have been used, including The Miserables, The Wretched, The Miserable Ones, The Poor Ones, The Wretched Poor, The Victims and The Dispossessed. Beginning in 1815 and culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, the novel follows the lives and interactions of several characters, particularly the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his experience of redemption - [Human Cannibalism](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/human-cannibalism/) - Human cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh or internal organs of other human beings. A person who practices cannibalism is called a cannibal. The expression cannibalism has been extended into zoology to mean one individual of a species consuming all or part of another individual of the same species as food, including sexual cannibalism. Some scholars have argued, however, that no firm evidence exists that cannibalism has ever been a socially acceptable practice anywhere in the world, at any time in history. (Wikipedia) - [Flowers for Algernon](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/flowers-for-algernon/) - Flowers for Algernon is the title of a science fiction short story and a novel by American writer Daniel Keyes. The short story, written in 1958 and first published in the April 1959 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1960. The novel was released in 1966 and was a joint winner of that year’s Nebula Award for Best Novel (with Babel-17). - [M (1931 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/m-1931-film/) - M (German: M – Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder— M – A City Searches for a Murderer) is a 1931 German drama-thriller film directed by Fritz Lang and starring Peter Lorre. Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou wrote the film and was the director’s first sound film. The film revolves around the actions of a serial killer of children and the manhunt for him, conducted by both the police and the criminal underworld. Now considered a classic, Fritz Lang deemed the film to be his magnum opus. (Wikipedia) - [Dead Girl Walking](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dead-girl-walking/) - Sayuri is pronounced “dead” on a hospital table, yet her body continues to function. Her wounds continue to fester, and her skin begins to rot. Discovering this, her family begins to despise her. With the home reeking of rotting flesh, the family decides to confront Sayuri. Escaping home, she gets captured by a circus owner and is forced into freak show entertainment. Running away from the circus, she heads to the lonely hills, thinking she has managed to escape. - [Rampo Noir](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/rampo-noir/) - Rampo Noir is a 2005 Japanese anthology film consisting of four segments based on works by Edogawa Ranpo. - [Hideshi Hino's Theater of Horror](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hideshi-hinos-theater-of-horror/) - Hideshi Hino’s Theater of Horror, also known as the Kaiki Gekijou Hexalogy, is a series of six live-action Japanese horror films from Pony Canyon. Based on a few mangas of Hideshi Hino, the series was released theatrically in Japan in the year 2004, and later published in North America in 2006. - [Final Fantasy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/final-fantasy/) - Final Fantasy is a Japanese science fantasy media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and developed and owned by Square Enix (formerly Square). The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science fantasy role-playing video games (RPGs/JRPGs). The first game in the series was released in 1987, with 14 other main-numbered entries being released since then. The franchise has since branched into other video game genres such as tactical role-playing, action role-playing, massively multiplayer online role-playing, racing, third-person shooter, fighting, and rhythm, as well as branching into other media, including CGI films, anime, manga, and novels. - [Dynasty Warriors](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dynasty-warriors/) - Dynasty Warriors is a series of hack and slash action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The series is a spin-off of Koei’s turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese historical text Records of the Three Kingdoms, from which it derives its name in Japanese. - [Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/z-channel-a-magnificent-obsession/) - Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession is a 2004 documentary film about Los Angeles pay cable channel Z Channel which was directed by Xan Cassavetes, daughter of Hollywood director and actor John Cassavetes. It was screened out of competition at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. - [Heaven's Gate (Film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/heavens-gate-film/) - Heaven’s Gate is a 1980 American epic Western film written and directed by Michael Cimino. Loosely based on the Johnson County War, it portrays a fictional dispute between land barons and European immigrants in Wyoming in the 1890s. The film features an ensemble cast, including Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, Jeff Bridges, John Hurt, Sam Waterston, Brad Dourif, Joseph Cotten, Geoffrey Lewis, David Mansfield, Richard Masur, Terry O’Quinn, Mickey Rourke, Willem Dafoe and Nicholas Woodeson, the last two in their first film roles. It is notable for being one of the biggest box office bombs of all time, losing the studio an estimated $37 million ($114 million in 2012 dollars). It was also initially viewed as one of the worst films ever made. - [Salvador (Film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/salvador-film/) - Salvador is a 1986 American war drama film co-written and directed by Oliver Stone. It stars James Woods as Richard Boyle, alongside Jim Belushi, Michael Murphy, and Elpidia Carrillo, with John Savage and Cynthia Gibb in supporting roles. Stone co-wrote the screenplay with Boyle. - [Robocop](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/robocop/) - RoboCop is a 1987 American cyberpunk action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O’Herlihy, Kurtwood Smith, Miguel Ferrer, and Ronny Cox. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, Michigan, in the near future, RoboCop centers on police officer Alex Murphy (Weller) who is murdered by a gang of criminals and subsequently revived by the megacorporation Omni Consumer Products (OCP) as a superhuman cyborg law enforcer known as RoboCop. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/robocop-review/ - [Director's Cut](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/directors-cut/) - A director’s cut is an edited version of a film (or television episode, music video, commercial, or video game) that is supposed to represent the director’s own approved edit. ‘Cut’ explicitly refers to the process of film editing; in preparing a film for release, the director’s cut is preceded by the assembly and rough editor’s cut and usually followed by the final cut meant for the public film release. (Wikipedia) - [Hero (2002 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hero-2002-film/) - Hero is a 2002 Chinese wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. Starring Jet Li as the nameless protagonist, the film is based on the story of Jing Ke’s assassination attempt on the King of Qin in 227 BC. (Wikipedia) - [Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon/) - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a 2000 wuxia film directed by Ang Lee and written by Wang Hui-ling, James Schamus and Tsai Kuo Jung, based on the Chinese novel by Wang Dulu. The film features an international cast of Chinese actors, including Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, and Chang Chen. - [Wire fu](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/wire-fu/) - Wire fu is an element or style of Hong Kong action cinema used in fight scenes. It is a combination of two terms: “wire work” and “kung fu.” - [Scooby-Doo (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/scooby-doo-film/) - Scooby-Doo (also known as Scooby-Doo: The Movie) is a 2002 American live-action/computer-animated family adventure film based on the long-running Hanna-Barbera animated television series of the same name. It is the first installment in the Scooby-Doo live-action film series, directed by Raja Gosnell, written by James Gunn, and starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini and Rowan Atkinson. The plot revolves around Mystery Incorporated, a group of four young adults and a dog who solve mysteries, who reunite after a two-year disbandment, to investigate a mystery on a popular horror resort. - [Never Back Down: No Surrender](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/never-back-down-no-surrender/) - Never Back Down: No Surrender is a 2016 martial arts film, directed by Michael Jai White, written by Chris Hauty and Jai White, produced by Craig Baumgarten and starring Jai White, Josh Barnett, Gillian White, Steven Quadros, Nathan Jones, and Esai Morales. It is the sequel to Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown, and was released on DVD on June 7, 2016. In No Surrender, which picks up two years after the events of the second film, the former MMA champion Case Walker is on the comeback trail to become champion once again. - [Fist of Fury](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/fist-of-fury/) - Fist of Fury (also known as The Chinese Connection) is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei, starring Bruce Lee in his second major role after The Big Boss (1971). Lee plays Chen Zhen, a student of Huo Yuanjia, who fights to defend the honor of the Chinese in the face of foreign aggression, and to bring to justice those responsible for his master’s death. - [Myst](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/myst/) - Myst is a graphic adventure puzzle video game designed by the Miller brothers, Robyn and Rand. It was developed by Cyan, Inc., published by Brøderbund, and released as a PC game for the Macintosh platform in 1993. In the game, players are told that a special book has caused them to travel to Myst Island. There, players solve puzzles and, by doing so, travel to four other worlds, known as Ages, which reveal the backstory of the game’s characters. - [Computer-generated imagery](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/computer-generated-imagery/) - Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the application of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, films, television programs, shorts, commercials, videos, and simulators. The visual scenes may be dynamic or static and may be two-dimensional (2D), though the term “CGI” is most commonly used to refer to 3D computer graphics used for creating scenes or special effects in films and television. Additionally, the use of 2D CGI is often mistakenly referred to as “traditional animation”, most often in the case when dedicated animation software such as Adobe Flash or Toon Boom is not used or the CGI is hand drawn using a tablet and mouse. (Wikipedia) - [Troy (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/troy-film/) - Troy is a 2004 epic period war film written by David Benioff, directed by Wolfgang Petersen and co-produced by units in Malta, Mexico, and Britain’s Shepperton Studios. The film features an ensemble cast led by Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, and Orlando Bloom. It is loosely based on Homer’s Iliad in its narration of the entire story of the decade-long Trojan War—condensed into little more than a couple of weeks, rather than just the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon in the ninth year. Achilles leads his Myrmidons along with the rest of the Greek army invading the historical city of Troy, defended by Hector’s Trojan army. The end of the film (the sack of Troy) is not taken from the Iliad, but rather from Homer’s Odyssey as the Iliad concludes with Hector’s death and funeral. (Wikipedia) - [Total War (series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/total-war-series/) - Total War is a series of strategy games developed by The Creative Assembly for personal computers. They combine turn-based strategy and resource management with real-time tactical control of battles. The first of the series, Shogun: Total War was released in June 2000. The most recent major game released was Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia on 3 May 2018. The series has sold over 20 million copies. - [The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt/) - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a 2015 action role-playing game developed and published by CD Projekt. Based on The Witcher series of fantasy novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, it is the sequel to the 2011 game The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Played in an open world with a third-person perspective, players control protagonist Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter known as a witcher, who is looking for his missing adopted daughter on the run from the Wild Hunt: a mysterious force determined to capture and use her powers. Players battle the game’s many dangers with weapons and magic, interact with non-player characters, and complete main-story and side quests to acquire experience points and gold, which are used to increase Geralt’s abilities and purchase equipment. Its central story has several endings, determined by the player’s choices at certain points in the game. (Wikipedia) - [XChange (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/xchange-film/) - In the future, where it’s faster to travel by exchanging bodies with someone at the destination, a man’s body is hijacked by a ruthless terrorist. Toffler (Kim Coates), a member of the privileged “Corpie” (corporate) class, accidentally ends up in the body of a terrorist named Fisk (Kyle MacLachlan), who has in turn taken over Toffler’s original body. Unable to continue as Fisk, Toffler is forced to use a cloned body (Stephen Baldwin) with a limited lifespan, to track down Fisk and get his original body back. - [Overdrawn at the Memory Bank](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/overdrawn-at-the-memory-bank/) - Overdrawn at the Memory Bank is a 1983 television film, starring Raúl Juliá and Linda Griffiths. It was produced by Canada’s RSL Productions in Toronto. Financing was provided by WNET and New Jersey Public Television (NJPTV), which had hoped to create an entire science fiction series adapting famous works; but, because of lack of funding, this was the last of three productions after The Lathe of Heaven and Between Time and Timbuktu. (Wikipedia) - [The A-Team](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-a-team/) - The A-Team is an American action-adventure television series that ran on NBC from 1983 to 1987 about former members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit. The members, after being court-martialed “for a crime they didn’t commit,” escaped from military prison and, while still on the run, worked as soldiers of fortune. The series was created by Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo. A feature film based on the series was released by 20th Century Fox in 2010. (Wikipedia) - [Sex in film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sex-in-film/) - Sex in film is the presence in a movie of a presentation of sexuality. Since the development of the medium, the presence in films of any form of sexuality has been controversial. Some films containing sex scenes have been criticized by religious groups or have been banned or the subject of censorship by governments, or both. In countries with a film rating system, films containing sex scenes typically receive a restricted classification. Nudity in a film may be regarded as sexual or as non-sexual. (Wikipedia) - [X2 (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/x2-film/) - X2 (often promoted as X2: X-Men United and internationally as X-Men 2) is a 2003 American superhero film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris, and David Hayter, from a story by Singer, Hayter and Zak Penn. The film is based on the X-Men superhero team appearing in Marvel Comics. It is the sequel to 2000’s X-Men, as well as the second installment in the X-Men film series, and features an ensemble cast including Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Bruce Davison, and Anna Paquin. - [Superhero film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/superhero-film/) - A superhero film, superhero movie, or superhero motion picture is a film that is focused on the actions of one or more superheroes: individuals who usually possess superhuman abilities relative to an average person and are dedicated to protecting the public. These films typically feature action, adventure, fantasy or science fiction elements, with the first film of a particular character often including a focus on the origin of their special powers and their first confrontation with their most famous supervillain or archenemy. (Wikipedia) - [Godzilla](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/godzilla/) - Godzilla is a monster originating from a series of Japanese films of the same name. The character first appeared in Ishirō Honda’s 1954 film Godzilla and became a worldwide pop culture icon, showing up in various media, including 32 movies produced by Toho, three Hollywood films and numerous video games, novels, comic books, and television shows. It is dubbed the King of the Monsters, a phrase first used in Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, the Americanized version of the original film. (Wikipedia) - [Scale model](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/scale-model/) - A scale model is most generally a physical representation of an object, which maintains authentic relationships between all essential aspects of the model, although absolute values of the original properties need not be preserved. The fidelity enables it to demonstrate some behavior or property of the original object without examining the original object itself. The most familiar scale models represent the physical appearance of an object in miniature, but there are many other kinds. (Wikipedia) - [GoldenEye](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/goldeneye/) - GoldenEye is a 1995 spy film. It is the seventeenth in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 officer James Bond. It was directed by Martin Campbell and is the first in the series not to utilize any story elements from the works of novelist Ian Fleming. The story was conceived and written by Michael France, with later collaboration by other writers. In the film, Bond fights to prevent an ex-MI6 agent, gone rogue, from using a satellite against London to cause a global financial meltdown. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/goldeneye-1995-review/ - [James Bond](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/james-bond/) - The James Bond series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming’s death in 1964, eight other authors have written authorized Bond novels or novelizations: Kingsley Amis, Christopher Wood, John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks, Jeffery Deaver, William Boyd, and Anthony Horowitz. The latest novel is Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz, published in May 2018. Additionally, Charlie Higson wrote a series on a young James Bond, and Kate Westbrook wrote three novels based on the diaries of a recurring series character, Moneypenny. (Wikipedia) - [Batman](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/batman/) - Batman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger and first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Originally named the “Bat-Man,” the character is also referred to by such epithets as the Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight, and the World’s Greatest Detective. (Wikipedia) - [Cel shading](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cel-shading/) - Cel-shading or toon shading is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make 3-D computer graphics appear to be flat by using less shading color instead of a shade gradient or tints and shades. Cel-shading is often used to mimic the style of a comic book or cartoon or give it a distinctive paper-like texture. There are similar techniques that can make an image look like a sketch, an oil painting or an ink painting. It is somewhat recent, appearing from around the beginning of the twenty-first century. The name comes from cels (short for celluloid), the transparent sheets of acetate, which are painted on for use in traditional 2D animation. (Wikipedia) - [X-Men Origins: Wolverine](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/x-men-origins-wolverine/) - X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a 2009 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics fictional character Wolverine. It is the fourth installment of the X-Men film series and the first spin-off of its standalone Wolverine trilogy. The film directed by Gavin Hood, written by David Benioff and Skip Woods, and produced by and starring Hugh Jackman. It co-stars Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan, will.i.am and Ryan Reynolds. The film is a prequel/spin-off focusing on the violent past of the mutant Wolverine and his relationship with his half-brother Victor Creed. The plot details Wolverine’s childhood as James Howlett (Troye Sivan), his early encounters with Major William Stryker, his time with Team X and the bonding of Wolverine’s skeleton with the indestructible metal adamantium during the Weapon X program. - [Superman](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/superman/) - Superman is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, the character first appeared in Action Comics #1 on April 18, 1938, which marked the rise of the Golden Age of Comic Books. (Wikipedia) - [Liev Schreiber](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/liev-schreiber/) - Isaac Liev Schreiber (born October 4, 1967) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s, having appeared in several independent films, and later mainstream Hollywood films, including the Scream trilogy of horror films, Ransom (1996), Phantoms (1998), The Sum of All Fears (2002), The Omen (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), Taking Woodstock (2009), Salt (2010), Goon (2011), Pawn Sacrifice (2014), and Spotlight (2015). He later became known through a younger generation of audiences for his work in My Little Pony: The Movie (2017) and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). (Wikipedia) - [Defiance (2008 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/defiance-2008-film/) - Defiance is a 2008 American war film directed by Edward Zwick set during the occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany. The screenplay by Clayton Frohman and Zwick was based on Nechama Tec’s 1993 book Defiance: The Bielski Partisans, an account of the Bielski partisans, a group led by Belarusian Jewish brothers who saved and recruited Jews in Belarus during the Second World War. The film stars Daniel Craig as Tuvia Bielski, Liev Schreiber as Zus Bielski, Jamie Bell as Asael Bielski, and George MacKay as Aron Bielski. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/defiance-2008-review/ - [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/arnold-schwarzenegger/) - Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian-American actor, filmmaker, businessman, author, philanthropist, activist, politician, and former professional bodybuilder and powerlifter. He served as the 38th Governor of California, from 2003 to 2011. (Wikipedia) - [Twins (1988 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/twins-1988-film/) - Twins is a 1988 American buddy comedy film produced and directed by Ivan Reitman about unlikely twins (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito) who were separated at birth. The core of the film is the contrast between DeVito’s streetwise persona and Schwarzenegger’s character, who is highly intelligent yet innocent and socially inexperienced. - [Ryan Reynolds](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ryan-reynolds/) - Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, film producer, and screenwriter. - [Deadpool (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/deadpool-film/) - Deadpool is a 2016 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is the eighth installment of the X-Men film series and the first standalone Deadpool film. Directed by Tim Miller from a screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, the film stars Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson / Deadpool alongside Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T. J. Miller, Gina Carano, and Brianna Hildebrand. In the movie, Wilson—as the antihero Deadpool—hunts down the man who gave him mutant abilities and caused his scarred physical appearance. - [Blade: Trinity](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/blade-trinity/) - Blade: Trinity (also known as Blade III or Blade III: Trinity) is a 2004 American superhero film written, produced and directed by David S. Goyer, who also wrote the screenplays to Blade and Blade II. It stars Wesley Snipes, who also produced, in the title role, as Marvel Comics character Blade, with a supporting cast of Ryan Reynolds, Jessica Biel, Kris Kristofferson, Dominic Purcell, Parker Posey, and Triple H. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/blade-trinity-review/ - [Green Lantern (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/green-lantern-film/) - Green Lantern is a 2011 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett, and Tim Robbins, with Martin Campbell directing a script by Greg Berlanti and comic book writers Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim, which was subsequently rewritten by Michael Goldenberg. The film tells the story of Hal Jordan, a test pilot who is selected to become the first human member of the Green Lantern Corps. Hal is given a ring that grants him superpowers and must confront Parallax, who threatens to upset the balance of power in the universe. (Wikipedia) - [Wyrmwood](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/wyrmwood/) - Wyrmwood (also known as Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead) is a 2014 Australian action-horror film that follows a mechanic who finds himself faced with zombie hordes. This feature film directorial debut of Kiah Roache-Turner had its world premiere on 19 September 2014 at Fantastic Fest. - [Wolf Creek (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/wolf-creek-film/) - Wolf Creek is a 2005 Australian horror film written, co-produced, and directed by Greg McLean, and starring John Jarratt, Nathan Phillips, Cassandra Magrath, and Kestie Morassi. Its plot revolves around three backpackers who find themselves taken captive and subsequently hunted by Mick Taylor, a deranged psychopathic xenophobic killer, in the Australian outback. The film was ambiguously marketed as being “based on true events,” while its plot bore elements reminiscent of the real-life murders of tourists by Ivan Milat in the 1990s and Bradley Murdoch in 2001, both of which McLean used as inspiration for the screenplay. - [The Pack (2015 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-pack-2015-film/) - The Pack is a 2015 Australian natural horror film that was directed by Nick Robertson, based on a script by Evan Randall Green. The film had its world premiere on 5 August 2015 at the Fantasy Film Festival and centers on a young Australian family who is terrorized by a pack of wild dogs. Despite the title, the film is not a remake of the 1977 film of the same name. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/the-pack-2015-review/ - [Mad Max: Fury Road](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mad-max-fury-road/) - Mad Max: Fury Road is a 2015 post-apocalyptic action film co-written, produced, and directed by George Miller. Miller collaborated with Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris on the screenplay. The fourth installment and a revisiting. Of the Mad Max franchise, it is a joint Australian-American venture produced by Kennedy Miller Mitchell, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, and Village Roadshow Pictures. The film is set in a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland where petrol and water are scarce commodities. It follows Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), who joins forces with Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) to flee from cult leader Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and his army in an armored tanker truck, leading to a lengthy road battle. The film also features Nicholas Hoult, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough, Zoë Kravitz, Abbey Lee, and Courtney Eaton. - [Wordplay (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/wordplay-film/) - Wordplay is a 2006 documentary film directed by Patrick Creadon. It features Will Shortz, the editor of the New York Times crossword puzzle, crossword constructor Merl Reagle, and many other noted crossword solvers and constructors. The second half of the movie is set at the 2005 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (ACPT), where the top solvers compete for a prize of $4000. Wordplay was the best-reviewed documentary film of 2006, according to Rottentomatoes.com (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/wordplay-review/ - [Quiz Show (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/quiz-show-film/) - Quiz Show is a 1994 American historical film produced and directed by Robert Redford, and written by Paul Attanasio, based on Richard N. Goodwin’s memoir Remembering America: A Voice From the Sixties.[4] It stars John Turturro, Rob Morrow, and Ralph Fiennes, with Paul Scofield, David Paymer, Hank Azaria, and Christopher McDonald appearing in supporting roles. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/quiz-show-1994-review/ - [Yes Minister](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/yes-minister/) - Yes Minister is a political satire British sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Split over three seven-episode series; it was first transmitted on BBC2 from 1980 to 1984. A sequel, Yes, Prime Minister, lasted 17 episodes and ran from 1986 to 1988. All but one of the episodes lasted half an hour, and almost all ended with a variation of the title of the series spoken as the answer to a question posed by Minister (later, Prime Minister) Jim Hacker. Several episodes were adapted for BBC Radio; the series also spawned a 2010 stage play that led to a new television series on Gold in 2013. (Wikipedia) - [Bill Clinton](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bill-clinton/) - William Jefferson Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III; August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Before the presidency, he was the governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981, and again from 1983 to 1992, and the attorney general of Arkansas from 1977 to 1979. A member of the Democratic Party, Clinton was ideologically a New Democrat, and many of his policies reflected a centrist “Third Way” political philosophy. (Wikipedia) - [The Cavern (2005 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-cavern-2005-film/) - The Cavern (released initially as WIthIN) is a 2005 horror film directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi. The film’s original title was changed by the studio to cash in on the success of 2005 films The Cave and The Descent. (Wikipedia) - [Blair Witch](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/blair-witch/) - Blair Witch is a horror film franchise distributed by Artisan Entertainment (now Lionsgate) and produced by Haxan Films that consists of three feature films and various merchandise products. The development of the franchise’s first installment, The Blair Witch Project, started in 1993. The filmmakers Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick wrote a 35-page outline of a story with the dialogue to be improvised. Filming began in 1997 and lasted eight days. The film follows the disappearance of three student filmmakers in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a documentary on the local legend known as the “Blair Witch.” - [The Cave (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-cave-film/) - The Cave is a 2005 American action horror film, directed by Bruce Hunt. It stars Cole Hauser, Eddie Cibrian, Morris Chestnut, Marcel Iureș, Lena Headey, Rick Ravanello, Piper Perabo and Daniel Dae Kim. - [With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/with-great-power-the-stan-lee-story/) - The life and career of the comic book writer and editor. - [Stan Lee](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/stan-lee/) - Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber /ˈliːbər/; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business to become Marvel Comics’ primary creative leader for two decades, leading its expansion from a small division of a publishing house to a multimedia corporation that dominated the comics industry. (Wikipedia) - [Willard (2003 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/willard-2003-film/) - Willard is a 2003 American horror film co-written and directed by Glen Morgan and starring Crispin Glover, R. Lee Ermey and Laura Elena Harring. It is loosely based on the novel Ratman’s Notebooks by Stephen Gilbert, as well as on the novel’s first film adaptation, Willard (1971), and its sequel, Ben (1972). It was not billed as a remake by the producers, who chose instead to present it as a reworking of the themes from the original, with a stronger focus on suspense. Also, Bruce Davison reprises his role as the original film’s Willard in portrait form, with Glover’s Willard Stiles character being the son of the earlier film’s Willard. - [Cabaret (1972 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cabaret-1972-film/) - Cabaret is a 1972 American musical drama film directed by Bob Fosse, and starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York, and Joel Grey. - [Furry fandom](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/furry-fandom/) - The furry fandom is a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics. Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, speaking, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. The term “furry fandom” is also used to refer to the community of people who gather on the Internet and at furry conventions. - [Leonard McCoy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/leonard-mccoy/) - Dr. Leonard H. “Bones” McCoy is a character in the American science fiction franchise Star Trek. First portrayed by DeForest Kelley in the original Star Trek series, McCoy also appears in the animated Star Trek series, six Star Trek movies, the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and in numerous books, comics, and video games. Karl Urban assumed the role of the character in the 2009 Star Trek film and its sequels: Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and Star Trek Beyond (2016). (Wikipedia) - [DeForest Kelley](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/deforest-kelley/) - Jackson DeForest Kelley (January 20, 1920 – June 11, 1999), known to colleagues as “De”, was an American actor, screenwriter, poet and singer known for his roles in Westerns and as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy of the USS Enterprise in the television and film series Star Trek (1966–1991). (Wikipedia) - [Night of the Lepus](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/night-of-the-lepus/) - Night of the Lepus (also known as Rabbits) is a 1972 American science fiction horror thriller film based on the science fiction novel The Year of the Angry Rabbit (1964) by Russell Braddon. It concerns an infestation of mutated rabbits. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/night-of-the-lepus-1972-review-with-rifftrax/ - [Joe Versus the Volcano](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/joe-versus-the-volcano/) - Joe Versus the Volcano is a 1990 American romantic comedy film written and directed by John Patrick Shanley and starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Hanks plays a man who, after being told he is dying of a rare disease, accepts a financial offer to travel to a South Pacific island and throw himself into a volcano on behalf of the superstitious natives. Along the way, he meets and falls in love with the woman taking him there. - [Mulholland Drive (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mulholland-drive-film/) - Mulholland Drive (stylized as Mulholland Dr.) is a 2001 neo-noir mystery film written and directed by David Lynch and starring Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux, Ann Miller, and Robert Forster. It tells the story of an aspiring actress named Betty Elms (Watts), newly arrived in Los Angeles, who meets and befriends an amnesiac woman (Harring) recovering from a car accident. The story follows several other vignettes and characters, including a Hollywood film director (Theroux). (Wikipedia) - [Full Metal Jacket](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/full-metal-jacket/) - Full Metal Jacket is a 1987 war film directed, co-written, and produced by Stanley Kubrick and starring Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio and Adam Baldwin. The screenplay by Kubrick, Michael Herr, and Gustav Hasford was based on Hasford’s novel The Short-Timers (1979). The storyline follows a platoon of U.S. Marines through their training, primarily focusing on two privates, Joker and Pyle, who struggle to get through boot camp under their abusive drill instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, and the experiences of two of the platoon’s Marines in the Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War. The film’s title refers to the full metal jacket bullet used by soldiers. The film was released in the United States on June 26, 1987. It was the last of Kubrick’s films to be released during his lifetime. - [Throw Momma from the Train](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/throw-momma-from-the-train/) - Throw Momma from the Train is a 1987 American black comedy film directed by and starring Danny DeVito, Billy Crystal, and Anne Ramsey, with Rob Reiner, Branford Marsalis, Kim Greist, and Kate Mulgrew appearing in supporting roles. - [What's Up Tiger Lily?](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/whats-up-tiger-lily/) - What’s Up, Tiger Lily? is a 1966 American comedy film directed by Woody Allen in his feature-length directorial debut. Allen took a Japanese spy film, International Secret Police: Key of Keys, and overdubbed it with entirely original dialogue that had nothing to do with the plot of the original movie. By putting in new scenes and rearranging the order of existing scenes, he completely changed the tone of the film from a James Bond clone into a comedy about the search for the world’s best egg salad recipe. https://cinematicdiversions.com/whats-up-tiger-lily-1966-review/ - [Airplane!](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/airplane/) - One of the greatest movies ever made Airplane! (alternatively titled Flying High!) is a 1980 American satirical disaster film written and directed by David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams, and produced by Jon Davison. It stars Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty and features Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Lorna Patterson. The film is a parody of the disaster film genre, particularly the 1957 Paramount film Zero Hour!, from which it borrows the plot and the central characters, as well as many elements from Airport 1975 and other films in the Airport film series. The film is known for its use of surreal humor and its fast-paced slapstick comedy, including visual and verbal puns, gags, and dark humor. (Wikipedia) - [Urotsukidōji](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/urotsukidoji/) - Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend is a Japanese erotic horror manga series written and illustrated by Toshio Maeda. (Wikipedia) - [The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-wizard-of-oz-1939-film/) - The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, currently distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Widely considered to be one of the greatest films in cinema history, it is the best-known and most commercially successful adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Directed primarily by Victor Fleming (who left production to take over the troubled production of Gone with the Wind), the film stars Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale alongside Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Frank Morgan, Billie Burke and Margaret Hamilton with Charley Grapewin, Pat Walshe, Clara Blandick, Terry (billed as Toto) and Singer’s Midgets as the Munchkins. (Wikipedia) - [Bondage (BDSM)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bondage-bdsm/) - In the BDSM subculture, Bondage is the practice of consensually tying, binding, or restraining a partner for erotic, aesthetic, or somatosensory stimulation. A partner may be physically controlled in a variety of ways, including the use of rope, cuffs, bondage tape, or self-adhering bandage. (Wikipedia) - [Red Zone Cuba](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/red-zone-cuba/) - Red Zone Cuba, also known as Night Train to Mundo Fine, is a 1966 American drama film directed by Coleman Francis, who also wrote and co-produced the film, and played the starring role. It follows the meandering adventures of an escaped convict and two ex-convicts he recruits along the way as they become involved in the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion, and a quest to find a hidden treasure in a tungsten mine. - [What We Do in the Shadows](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/what-we-do-in-the-shadows/) - What We Do in the Shadows is a 2014 New Zealand-American mockumentary horror comedy film written, directed by, and starring Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. The screenplay concerns a group of vampires who live together in Wellington. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014. The film was theatrically released on 18 August 2014 by Madman Entertainment. The film earned $6.9 million on a $1.6 million budget. https://cinematicdiversions.com/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-2014-review/ - [Mockumentary](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mockumentary/) - A mockumentary (a portmanteau of mock and documentary) or docu-comedy is a type of movie or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary. (Wikipedia) - [Vampire](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/vampire/) - A vampire is a being from folklore that subsists by feeding on the vital force (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires were undead beings that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deaths in the neighborhoods they inhabited while they were alive. They wore shrouds and were often described as bloated and of ruddy or dark countenance, markedly different from today’s gaunt, pale vampire which dates from the early 19th century. (Wikipedia) - [Werewolf (1996 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/werewolf-1996-film/) - Werewolf (also known as Arizona Werewolf) is a 1996 American direct-to-video horror film directed by Tony Zarrindast and starring Jorge Rivero, Richard Lynch, Federico Cavalli, Adrianna Miles, and Joe Estevez. It is best known for being lampooned in a 1998 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/werewolf-mystery-science-theater-3000-season-10-episode-4-review/ - [Teen Wolf](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/teen-wolf/) - Teen Wolf is a 1985 American fantasy-comedy film directed by Rod Daniel and written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman. The film stars Michael J. Fox as a high school student who discovers that his family has an unusual pedigree when he finds himself transforming into a werewolf. - [The Starfighters](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-starfighters/) - The Starfighters is a 1964 American film. It was written and directed by Will Zens and stars Bob Dornan, Richard Jordahl, and Richard Masters. In an unusual twist based on the storyline of a pilot and his congressman father, pilot and actor Dornan would seek and win election as a U.S. congressman in California. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-starfighters-1964-review-mystery-science-theater-3000-season-6-episode-11/ - [Action role-playing game](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/action-role-playing-game/) - Action role-playing video games (abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of role-playing video games. The games emphasize real-time combat where the player has direct control over the characters as opposed to turn or menu-based combat. These games often use action game combat systems similar to hack and slash or shooter games. Action role-playing games may also incorporate action-adventure games, which include a mission system and RPG mechanics, or massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) with real-time combat systems. - [Visual novel](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/visual-novel/) - A visual novel (bijuaru noberu) is an interactive game genre, which originated in Japan, featuring text-based story with a narrative style of literature and interactivity aided by static or sprite-based visuals, most often using anime-style art or occasionally live-action stills (and sometimes video footage). As the name might suggest, they resemble mixed-media novels. (Wikipedia) - [Steampunk](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/steampunk/) - Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Although its literary origins are sometimes associated with the cyberpunk genre, steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century’s British Victorian era or American “Wild West,” in the future during which steam power has maintained mainstream usage, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. However, steampunk and Neo-Victorian are different in that the Neo-Victorian movement does not extrapolate on technology while technology is a crucial aspect of steampunk. - [Welcome Back Norman](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/welcome-back-norman/) - Welcome Back Norman (Short) A man returns home from a business trip and has trouble trying to leave the airport. - [RiffTrax](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/rifftrax/) - RiffTrax is an American company that produces scripted humorous audio commentary tracks intended to be played in unison with particular television programs and films, featuring comedians Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett and others. The three comedians’ improvised commentating style originated from their earlier television series, Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K), in which they would similarly mock (or “riff”) films aloud while watching them. RiffTrax products are sold online and delivered by app, streaming video, and DRM-free download. It is also featured on Pluto TV and Twitch.tv (Wikipedia) - [Manos: The Hands of Fate](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/manos-the-hands-of-fate/) - Manos: The Hands of Fate (stylized onscreen as “MANOS” The Hands of Fate) is a 1966 American independent horror film. It was written, directed, and produced by Harold P. Warren who also starred in the movie. It is widely recognized as one of the worst films ever made. In 1993, the television comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K), a show based on the premise of comedically mocking B movies, featured Manos: The Hands of Fate, helping the film develop a cult status. (Wikipedia) - [Muppet Babies (1984 TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/muppet-babies-1984-tv-series/) - Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies, commonly known by the shortened title Muppet Babies, is an American animated television series that aired from September 15, 1984, to November 2, 1991, on CBS. The show portrays childhood versions of the Muppets living together in a nursery under the care of a human woman identified only as Nanny (the whereabouts of their parents are never addressed). Nanny appears in almost every episode, but her face is never visible; only the babies’ view of her pink skirt, purple sweater, and distinctive green and white striped socks is shown. The idea of presenting the Muppets as children first appeared in a dream sequence in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), released two months before Muppet Babies debuted, in which Miss Piggy imagined what it would be like if she and Kermit the Frog had grown up together. - [Dinosaurs (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dinosaurs-tv-series/) - Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom comedy television series that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991, to October 19, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs (portrayed by puppets), was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Television in association with Walt Disney Television and distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc. Henson team member Kirk Thatcher designed the characters, the series is set in an alternate history in which dinosaurs never became extinct. - [Warriors of Terra](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/warriors-of-terra/) - Warriors of Terra: A headstrong animal-rights activist group plans a raid on a biotech company to stop the cruelty. They discover the true nature of the experiments that are taking place as they break into a biotech lab, only to have their idealism crushed by the terrifying things they find inside. But when a genetically mutated human with a taste for human flesh gets released, they all struggle to survive! (IMDb) https://cinematicdiversions.com/warriors-of-terra-review/ - [Alien (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alien-film/) - Alien is a 1979 science-fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O’Bannon. Based on a story by O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett, it follows the crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo who encounter the eponymous Alien, a deadly and aggressive extraterrestrial set loose on the ship. The film stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto. It was produced by Gordon Carroll, David Giler and Walter Hill through their company Brandywine Productions, and was distributed by 20th Century Fox. Giler and Hill revised and made additions to the script; Shusett was executive producer. The Alien and its accompanying artifacts were designed by the Swiss artist H. R. Giger, while concept artists Ron Cobb and Chris Foss designed the more human settings. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/alien-1979-review/ - [Ju-On](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ju-on-franchise/) - Ju-On (Juon, lit. “Curse Grudge”, also known as The Grudge) is a Japanese horror franchise created by Takashi Shimizu. The franchise began in 1998 with the release of the short films Katasumi and 4444444444. Shimizu attended the Film School of Tokyo, where he studied under Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Kurosawa helped Shimizu shepherd the Ju-On projects to fruition. (Wikipedia) - [Ring (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ring-film/) - Ring ( Ringu) is a 1998 Japanese horror film directed by Hideo Nakata, based on the 1991 novel by Kôji Suzuki. The film stars Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Rikiya Ōtaka, and follows a reporter who is on the run to investigate the mystery behind a cursed videotape that kills the viewer seven days after watching it. (Wikipedia) - [Ghost](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ghost/) - In folklore, a ghost (sometimes known as an apparition, haunt, phantom, poltergeist, shade, specter or specter, spirit, spook, and a phantom) is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to realistic, life-like visions. The deliberate attempt to contact the spirit of a deceased person is known as necromancy, or in spiritism as a séance. (Wikipedia) - [Terminator 2: Judgment Day](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/terminator-2-judgment-day/) - Terminator 2: Judgment Day (also known as Terminator 2 or T2) is a 1991 American science fiction action film produced and directed by James Cameron, who also co-wrote it with William Wisher. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong as its principal cast. It is the sequel to the 1984 film The Terminator, as well as the second installment in the Terminator franchise. Terminator 2 follows Sarah Connor (Hamilton) and her ten-year-old son John (Furlong) as a new, more advanced Terminator pursues them: the liquid metal, shape-shifting T-1000 (Patrick), sent back in time to kill John Connor and prevent him from becoming the leader of the human resistance. A second, less advanced Terminator (Schwarzenegger) is also sent back in time to protect John.(Wikipedia) - [Walking Tall: The Payback](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/walking-tall-the-payback/) - Walking Tall: The Payback is a 2007 action-thriller film directed by Tripp Reed and starring Kevin Sorbo and Haley Ramm. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/walking-tall-the-payback-2007-review/ - [Dwayne Johnson](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dwayne-johnson/) - Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor, producer, and semi-retired professional wrestler. (Wikipedia) - [Direct-to-video](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/direct-to-video/) - Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film to the public immediately on home video formats rather than a theatrical release or television broadcast. (Wikipedia) - [Walking Tall (2004 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/walking-tall-2004-film/) - Walking Tall is a 2004 American action film directed by Kevin Bray. A remake of the 1973 film of the same name, it stars The Rock and Johnny Knoxville. It can be said to be loosely based on the real-life story of Sheriff Buford Pusser and utilized many elements from his life. Several aspects were changed, including the main character’s name (to “Chris Vaughn”), the character returning to his hometown as a war veteran, and the setting was moved from McNairy County, Tennessee to Kitsap County, Washington, United States. (Wikipedia) - [Death Wish (1974 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/death-wish-1974-film/) - Death Wish is a 1974 American vigilante action film, loosely based on the 1972 novel of the same title by Brian Garfield. The film was directed by Michael Winner and stars Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey, an architect who becomes a vigilante after his wife is murdered and his daughter sexually assaulted during a home invasion. It was the first of the Death Wish film franchise. Death Wish II succeeded it. - [WALL-E](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/wall-e/) - WALL-E (stylized with an interpunct as WALL·E) is a 2008 American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed and co-written by Andrew Stanton, produced by Jim Morris, and co-written by Jim Reardon. It stars the voices of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy and Sigourney Weaver, and was the overall ninth feature film produced by the company. It follows a solitary trash compactor robot on a future, uninhabitable, deserted Earth, left to clean up garbage. However, he is visited by a probe sent by the starship Axiom, whom he falls in love with and pursues across the galaxy. - [Short Circuit (1986 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/short-circuit-1986-film/) - Short Circuit is a 1986 US comic science fiction film directed by John Badham and written by S. S. Wilson and Brent Maddock. The film’s plot centers upon an experimental military robot that is struck by lightning and gains a more human-like intelligence, with which it embarks to explore its new state. Short Circuit stars Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton, and G. W. Bailey, with Tim Blaney as the voice of the robot named “Johnny 5”. A sequel, Short Circuit 2, was released in 1988. (Wikipedia) - [The Incredibles](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-incredibles/) - The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated superhero film written and directed by Brad Bird, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, released by Walt Disney Pictures, and starring the voices of Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, and Elizabeth Peña. Set in an alternate version of the 1960s, the film follows the Parrs, a family of superheroes who hide their powers under a government mandate and attempt to live a quiet suburban life. Mr. Incredible’s desire to help people draws the entire family into a confrontation with a vengeful fan-turned-foe and his killer robot. - [Hello Dolly! (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hello-dolly-film/) - Hello, Dolly! is a 1969 American romantic comedy musical film based on the Broadway production of the same name. Directed by Gene Kelly and adapted and produced by Ernest Lehman, the cast includes Barbra Streisand, Walter Matthau, Michael Crawford, Danny Lockin, Tommy Tune, Fritz Feld, Marianne McAndrew, E. J. Peaker and Louis Armstrong (whose recording of the title tune had become a number-one single in May 1964). The film follows the story of Dolly Levi (a strong-willed matchmaker), as she travels to Yonkers, New York, to find a match for the miserly “well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder. In doing so, she convinces his niece, his niece’s intended, and Horace’s two clerks to travel to New York City. - [Vortex (2001 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/vortex-2001-film/) - Vortex (2001 film) After killing a man in self-defense, Vincent is sent to the Vortex. - [Total Recall (1990 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/total-recall-1990-film/) - Total Recall is a 1990 American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, and Michael Ironside. The film is loosely based on the Philip K. Dick short story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”. (Wikipedia) - [Inferno (Dante)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/inferno-dante/) - Inferno (pronounced [iɱˈfɛrno]; Italian for “Hell”) is the first part of Italian writer Dante Alighieri’s 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy. Purgatorio and Paradiso follow it. The Inferno tells the journey of Dante through Hell, guided by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. In the poem, Hell is depicted as nine concentric circles of torment located within the Earth; it is the “realm … of those who have rejected spiritual values by yielding to bestial appetites or violence, or by perverting their human intellect to fraud or malice against their fellow men”. As an allegory, the Divine Comedy represents the journey of the soul toward God, with the Inferno describing the recognition and rejection of sin. - [Van Helsing (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/van-helsing-film/) - Van Helsing is a 2004 American period action horror film written and directed by Stephen Sommers. It stars Hugh Jackman as vigilante monster hunter Van Helsing, and Kate Beckinsale as Anna Valerious. The film is an homage and tribute to the Universal Horror Monster films from the 1930s and ’40s (also produced by Universal Studios which were in turn based on novels by Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley), of which Sommers is a fan. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/van-helsing-2004-review/ - [Dracula](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dracula/) - Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. It introduced the character of Count Dracula and established many conventions of subsequent vampire fantasy. The book tells the story of Dracula’s attempt to move from Transylvania to England so that he may find new blood and spread the undead curse, and of the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and a woman led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing. - [Frankenstein's monster](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/frankensteins-monster/) - Frankenstein’s monster, often erroneously referred to as “Frankenstein”, is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Shelley’s title thus compares the monster’s creator, Victor Frankenstein, to the mythological character Prometheus, who fashioned humans out of clay and gave them fire. (Wikipedia) - [Werewolf](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/werewolf/) - In folklore, a werewolf (Old English: werwulf, “man-wolf”) or occasionally lycanthrope “wolf-person”) is a human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely or after being placed under a curse or affliction (often a bite or scratch from another werewolf) and especially on the night of a full moon. Early sources for belief in this ability or affliction, called lycanthropy, are Petronius (27–66) and Gervase of Tilbury (1150–1228).(Wikipedia) - [Brides of Dracula](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/brides-of-dracula/) - The Brides of Dracula are characters in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. They are three seductive female vampire “sisters” who reside with Count Dracula in his castle in Transylvania, where they entrance men with their beauty and charm and then proceed to feed upon them. Dracula provides them with victims to devour, mainly infants and children. Like Dracula, they are the living dead, repulsed by sunlight, garlic, and religious objects. In chapter three of the novel, two are described as having dark hair, and the other as a blonde. - [Charlie and the Chocolate Factory](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/) - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 1964 children’s novel by British author Roald Dahl. The story features the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was first published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. in 1964 and the United Kingdom by George Allen & Unwin, 11 months later. The book has been adapted into two major motion pictures: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in 1971, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005. The book’s sequel, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, was written by Roald Dahl in 1971 and published in 1972. - [Frankenstein](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/frankenstein/) - Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel written by English author Mary Shelley (1797–1851) that tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a hideous, sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition of the novel was published anonymously in London on 1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared on the second edition, published in 1823. - [Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde/) - Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886. The work is also known as The Strange Case of Jekyll Hyde, Dr. Jekyll, and Mr. Hyde, or simply Jekyll & Hyde. It is about a London legal practitioner named Gabriel John Utterson who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the evil Edward Hyde. The novella’s impact is such that it has become a part of the language, with the phrase “Jekyll and Hyde” entering the vernacular to refer to people with an unpredictably dual nature: usually excellent, but sometimes shockingly evil. - [The Mummy (1999 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-mummy-1999-film/) - The Mummy is a 1999 American action horror film written and directed by Stephen Sommers. The film stars Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, and Kevin J. O’Connor, with Arnold Vosloo in the titular role as the reanimated mummy. It is a loose remake of the 1932 film The Mummy. In this film, adventurer Rick O’Connell travels to Hamunaptra, the city of the dead, with a librarian and her brother. There, they accidentally awaken Imhotep, a cursed high priest from the reign of the pharaoh Seti I. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-mummy-1999-review/ - [Monty Python's The Meaning of Life](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/monty-pythons-the-meaning-of-life/) - Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, also known just as The Meaning of Life, is a 1983 British musical sketch comedy film written and performed by the Monty Python troupe, directed by Terry Jones. It was the last film to feature all six Python members before Graham Chapman’s death in 1989. - [Gary Oldman](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/gary-oldman/) - Gary Leonard Oldman (born 21 March 1958) is an English actor and filmmaker who has performed in theatre, film, and television. Known for his versatility and expressive acting style, Oldman is regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation. Among other accolades, he has won an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Critics’ Choice Awards, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, along with nominations for an Emmy Award and the Palme d’Or. In 2011, Empire readers voted him the recipient of the Empire Icon Award. - [Tom Cruise](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/tom-cruise/) - Thomas Cruise (born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, July 3, 1962) is an American actor and producer. Primarily known for his work in action films for which he performs risky stunts, he has also received several accolades for more dramatic work, including three Golden Globe Awards and nominations for three Academy Awards. One of the best-paid actors in the world, his films have earned over $3.9 billion in North America, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. (Wikipedia) - [Special effect](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/special-effect/) - Special effects (often abbreviated as SFX, SPFX, or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the film, television, theatre, video game, and simulator industries to simulate the imagined events in a story or virtual world. (Wikipedia) - [Castlevania](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/castlevania/) - Castlevania is an action-adventure gothic horror video game series created and developed by Konami. It has been released on various platforms, from early systems to modern consoles, as well as handheld devices such as mobile phones. The franchise has also expanded into other media, including comic books, an animated TV series, and several spin-off video games. - [Universal Classic Monsters](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/universal-classic-monsters/) - Universal Classic Monsters is a phrase used to describe the horror, fantasy, suspense and science fiction films made by Universal Pictures during the decades of the 1920s through the 1950s. They began with The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera, both silent films starring Lon Chaney. Universal continued with talkies including monster franchises Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon. The films often featured Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, and Lon Chaney Jr. (Wikipedia) - [Valkyrie (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/valkyrie-film/) - Valkyrie is a 2008 historical-thriller war film directed and co-produced by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander. The film is set in Nazi Germany during World War II and depicts the 20 July plot in 1944 by German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler and to use the Operation Valkyrie national emergency plan to take control of the country. The film was released by American studio United Artists and starred Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, one of the key plotters. The cast included Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Eddie Izzard, Terence Stamp, and Tom Wilkinson. - [The Hindenburg (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-hindenburg-film/) - The Hindenburg is a 1975 American Technicolor film based on the disaster of the German airship Hindenburg. The film stars George C. Scott. It was produced and directed by Robert Wise and was written by Nelson Gidding, Richard Levinson, and William Link, based on the 1972 book of the same title by Michael M. Mooney. - [Adolf Hitler](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/adolf-hitler/) - Adolf Hitler was a German politician and leader of the Nazi Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei; NSDAP). He rose to power as Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and later Führer in 1934. During his dictatorship from 1933 to 1945, he initiated World War II in Europe by invading Poland in September 1939. He was closely involved in military operations throughout the war and was central to the perpetration of the Holocaust. We Don’t like Adolf Hitler (Wikipedia) - [Titanic (1997 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/titanic-1997-film/) - Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its ill-fated maiden voyage. (Wikipedia) - [Pearl Harbor (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pearl-harbor-film/) - Pearl Harbor is a 2001 American romantic period war drama film directed by Michael Bay, produced by Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer and written by Randall Wallace. It stars Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Josh Hartnett, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, Colm Feore, and Alec Baldwin. The film presented a heavily fictionalized version of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, focusing on a love story set amidst the lead up to the attack and its aftermath, and the Doolittle Raid. - [Apollo 13 (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/apollo-13-film/) - Apollo 13 is a 1995 American space docudrama film directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris. The screenplay by William Broyles Jr. and Al Reinert dramatizes the aborted 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission and is an adaptation of the book Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by astronaut Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger. The film depicts astronauts Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise aboard Apollo 13 for America’s third Moon landing mission. En route, an onboard explosion deprives their spacecraft of most of its oxygen supply and electric power, forcing NASA’s flight controllers to abort the Moon landing, and turning the mission into a struggle to get the three men home safely. - [V for Vendetta (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/v-for-vendetta-film/) - V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian political thriller film directed by James McTeigue and written by The Wachowskis, based on the 1988 DC/Vertigo Comics limited series of the same name by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. The film is set in an alternative future where a Nordic supremacist and neo-fascist regime has subjugated the United Kingdom. Hugo Weaving portrays V, an anarchist freedom fighter who attempts to ignite a revolution through elaborate terrorist acts, and Natalie Portman plays Evey, a young, working-class woman caught up in V’s mission, while Stephen Rea portrays the detective leading a desperate quest to stop V. - [George W. Bush](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/george-w-bush/) - George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. He had previously served as the 46th governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. (Wikipedia) - [Nineteen Eighty-Four](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/nineteen-eighty-four/) - Nineteen Eighty-Four, often published as 1984, is a dystopian novel by English writer George Orwell published in June 1949. The book is set in the year 1984 when most of the world population have become victims of perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, and propaganda. - [The Phantom of the Opera](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-phantom-of-the-opera/) - The Phantom of the Opera is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialization in Le Gaulois from 23 September 1909, to 8 January 1910. It was published in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierre Lafitte and directed by Aluel Malinao. The novel is partly inspired by historical events at the Paris Opera during the nineteenth century and an apocryphal tale concerning the use of a former ballet pupil’s skeleton in Carl Maria von Weber’s 1841 production of Der Freischütz. It has been successfully adapted into various stage and film adaptations, most notable of which are the 1925 film depiction featuring Lon Chaney, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1986 musical. - [Up the Yangtze](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/up-the-yangtze/) - Up the Yangtze is a 2007 documentary film directed by Chinese-Canadian director Yung Chang. The film focuses on people affected by the building of the Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze River in Hubei, China. The theme of the film is the transition towards consumer capitalism from a farming, peasant-based economy as China develops its rural areas. The film is a co-production between the National Film Board of Canada and Montreal’s EyeSteelFilm with the participation of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, National Geographic Channel, P.O.V., SODEC, and Telefilm. The film is being distributed in the USA by Zeitgeist Films. The United Kingdom distributor is Dogwoof Pictures. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/up-the-yangtze-2007-review/ - [Unforgiven](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/unforgiven/) - Unforgiven is a 1992 American revisionist Western film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood and written by David Webb Peoples. The film portrays William Munny, an aging outlaw, and killer who takes on one more job years after he had turned to farming. The film stars Eastwood in the lead role, with Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, and Richard Harris. Eastwood stated that the film would be his last Western for fear of repeating himself or imitating someone else’s work. - [Gene Hackman](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/gene-hackman/) - Eugene Allen Hackman (born January 30, 1930) is a retired American actor and novelist. In a career that spanned nearly five decades, Hackman was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning Best Actor in The French Connection and Best Supporting Actor in Unforgiven. He won four Golden Globes, one SAG Award and two BAFTAs. (Wikipedia) - [Gran Torino](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/gran-torino/) - Gran Torino is a 2008 American drama-thriller film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood, who also starred in the movie. The film co-stars Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, and Ahney Her. This was Eastwood’s first starring role since 2004’s Million Dollar Baby. The film features a large Hmong American cast, as well as one of Eastwood’s younger sons, Scott. Eastwood’s oldest son, Kyle, provided the score. Set in Detroit, Michigan, it is the first mainstream American film to feature Hmong Americans. Many Lao Hmong war refugees resettled in the U.S. following the communist takeover of Laos in 1975. - [Pet Sematary (1989 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pet-sematary-1989-film/) - Pet Sematary (sometimes referred to as Stephen King’s Pet Sematary) is a 1989 American horror film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1983 novel of the same name. Directed by Mary Lambert and written by King, the film features Dale Midkiff as Louis Creed, Denise Crosby as Rachel Creed, Blaze Berdahl as Ellie Creed, Miko Hughes as Gage Creed, and Fred Gwynne as Jud Crandall. Andrew Hubatsek was cast for Zelda’s role. King, who scripted from his own book, also has a cameo as a minister. The movie’s title is a sensational spelling of “cemetery.” - [Stephen King](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/stephen-king/) - Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy. His books have sold more than 350 million copies, many of which have been adapted into feature films, miniseries, television series, and comic books. King has published 58 novels (including seven under the pen name Richard Bachman) and six non-fiction books. He has written approximately 200 short stories, most of which have been published in book collections. (Wikipedia) - [Tomb Raider](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/tomb-raider/) - Tomb Raider, also known as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider between 2001 and 2007, is a media franchise that originated with an action-adventure video game series created by British gaming company Core Design. Formerly owned by Eidos Interactive, then by Square Enix after their acquisition of Eidos in 2009, the franchise focuses on a fictional British archaeologist Lara Croft, who travels around the world searching for lost artifacts and infiltrating dangerous tombs and ruins. The gameplay generally focuses around the action-adventure exploration of environments, solving puzzles, navigating hostile environments filled with traps, and fighting numerous enemies. New media has grown up around the theme in the form of film adaptations, comics, and novels. (Wikipedia) - [The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/) - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is an action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth main installment in The Elder Scrolls series, following The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on November 11, 2011. (Wikipedia) - [World War Z (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/world-war-z-film/) - World War Z is a 2013 American apocalyptic action horror film directed by Marc Forster. The screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard, and Damon Lindelof is from a screen story by Carnahan and J. Michael Straczynski, based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Max Brooks. The film stars Brad Pitt as Gerry Lane, a former United Nations investigator who must travel the world to find a way to stop a zombie pandemic.(Wikipedia) - [Scarface (1983 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/scarface-1983-film/) - Scarface is a 1983 American crime film directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone, a remake of the 1932 film of the same name. The film tells the story of Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Al Pacino) who arrives in 1980s Miami with nothing and rises to become a powerful drug kingpin. The cast also features Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, F. Murray Abraham, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. (Wikipedia) - [The Godfather (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-godfather-film-series/) - The Godfather is an American film series that consists of three crime drama films directed by Francis Ford Coppola inspired by the novel of the same name by Italian American author Mario Puzo. The movies follow the trials of the Italian American mafia Corleone family whose patriarch, Vito Corleone, rises to be a significant figure in American organized crime. His youngest son, Michael Corleone, becomes his successor. Paramount Pictures distributed the films and released in 1972, 1974 and 1990. The series achieved success at the box office, with the films earning over $550 million worldwide. The Godfather is seen by many as one of the greatest films of all time, while The Godfather Part II is viewed by many as the best sequel in cinematic history. The series is heavily awarded, winning 9 out of 29 total Academy Award nominations. (Wikipedia) - [Vice (2015 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/vice-2015-film/) - Vice is a 2015 American science fiction direct-to-video film directed by Brian A. Miller and written by Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmore. The film stars Thomas Jane, Bruce Willis, and Ambyr Childers. The plot follows Julian Michaels (Willis), who has opened a resort with questionable ethics, where people can act out their fiercest fantasies with the resort’s androids. When one of the androids, Kelly (Childers), becomes sentient and escapes, she joins forces with police detective Roy Tedeschi (Jane) to bring Michaels down and destroy his resort. - [The Endless (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-endless-film/) - The Endless is a 2017 American science fiction horror film directed, produced by and starring Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Benson also wrote the film, while Moorhead acted as cinematographer; both also served as editors. It premiered on April 21, 2017, at the Tribeca Film Festival, before being released nationwide on April 6, 2018. - [The Cheerleaders](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-cheerleaders/) - The Cheerleaders (UK theatrical title: The 18-Year-Old Schoolgirls) is a 1973 comedy film directed by Paul Glickler, starring Stephanie Fondue and Denise Dillaway. - [Exploitation film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/exploitation-film/) - An exploitation film is a film that attempts to succeed financially by exploiting current trends, niche genres, or lurid content. Exploitation films are generally low-quality “B movies.” They sometimes attract critical attention and cult followings. Some of these films, such as Night of the Living Dead (1968), set trends and become historically significant. (Wikipedia) - [Westworld](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/westworld/) - Westworld is an American science fiction-thriller media franchise which began in 1973 with the release of the film Westworld, written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced, Western-themed amusement park populated by androids that malfunction and begin killing the human visitors; it was followed by the sequel film Futureworld (1976). (Wikipedia) - [Westworld (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/westworld-tv-series/) - Westworld is an American science fiction Western television series created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. Produced by HBO, it is based on the 1973 film of the same name (written and directed by Michael Crichton) and to a lesser extent the film’s 1976 sequel, Futureworld. The story takes place in Westworld, a fictional, technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populated by android “hosts.” The park caters to high-paying “guests” who may indulge their wildest fantasies within the park without fear of retaliation from the hosts, who are prevented by their programming from harming humans. - [Westworld (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/westworld-film/) - Westworld is a 1973 American science fiction Western thriller film written and directed by Michael Crichton. Its plot concerns amusement park androids that malfunction and begin killing visitors. It stars Yul Brynner as an android in a futuristic Western-themed amusement park, and Richard Benjamin and James Brolin as guests of the park. (Wikipedia) - [Thomas Jane](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/thomas-jane/) - Thomas Jane (born Thomas Elliott III; February 22, 1969) is an American actor. He is known for appearing in such films as Evening Raga of the West (1987), Boogie Nights (1997), The Thin Red Line (1998), Deep Blue Sea (1999), The Punisher (2004), The Mist (2007), 1922 (2017) and The Predator (2018). Jane’s television roles include Mickey Mantle in the television film 61* (2001) and starring in the HBO series Hung (2009–2011) and the Syfy/Amazon Video series The Expanse (2015–present). - [Bruce Willis](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bruce-willis/) - Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is an American actor, producer, and singer. Born to a German mother and American father in Idar-Oberstein, Germany, he moved to the United States with his family in 1957. His career began on the Off-Broadway stage in the 1970s. He later achieved fame with his leading role on the hit television series Moonlighting (1985–89). He has since appeared in over 70 films and is widely regarded as an “action hero,” due to his portrayal of John McClane in the Die Hard franchise (1988–2013), and other such roles. (Wikipedia) - [Nicolas Cage](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/nicolas-cage/) - Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor, director, and producer. During his early career, Cage starred in a variety of films such as Valley Girl (1983), Racing with the Moon (1984), Birdy (1984), Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Raising Arizona (1987), Moonstruck (1987), Vampire’s Kiss (1989), Wild at Heart (1990), Fire Birds (1990), Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), and Red Rock West (1993). (Wikipedia) - [A.I. Artificial Intelligence](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-i-artificial-intelligence/) - A.I. Artificial Intelligence, also known as A.I., is a 2001 American science fiction drama film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the worst movie ever made. - [Unearthed (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/unearthed-film/) - Unearthed is a 2007 horror film directed by Matthew Leutwyler (Dead & Breakfast) and starring Emmanuelle Vaugier (Saw II) and Luke Goss. It opened on November 9, 2007, as one of the “8 Films to Die For” in the After Dark Films Horrorfest. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/unearthed-2007-review/ - [Emmanuelle Vaugier](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/emmanuelle-vaugier/) - Emmanuelle Frederique Vaugier born June 23, 1976 is a Canadian film and television actress, and model. Vaugier has had recurring roles as Detective Jessica Angell on CSI: NY, Mia on Two and a Half Men, Dr. Helen Bryce on Smallville, FBI Special Agent Emma Barnes on Human Target, and as The Morrigan on Lost Girl. In feature films, Vaugier has appeared alongside Michael Caine and Robert Duvall in Secondhand Lions. She appeared as Addison Corday in Saw II and IV, and had a supporting role in the Josh Hartnett film 40 Days and 40 Nights. (Wikipedia) - [Syfy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/syfy/) - Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel and Sci-Fi; currently stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is owned by the NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. The channel features science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural, paranormal, drama, and reality programming. Syfy is available to 92.4 million households in America. (Wikipedia) - [Underworld: Evolution](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/underworld-evolution/) - Underworld: Evolution (2006) Underworld: Evolution is a 2006 American action horror film directed by Len Wiseman. The film is a sequel to the 2003 film, Underworld and the second (chronologically, the third) installment in the Underworld franchise. In the film, Selene and Michael fight to protect the future of the Corvinus bloodline from its hidden. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/underworld-evolution-2006-review/ - [Saw (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/saw-franchise/) - Saw is an American horror franchise distributed by Lionsgate, produced by Twisted Pictures and created by James Wan and Leigh Whannell, that consists of eight feature films and new media. In 2003, Wan and Whannell made a short film to help pitch as a potential feature film. This was successfully done in 2004 with the release of the first installment at the Sundance Film Festival. The film was released theatrically that October. The sequels were directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, David Hackl, and Kevin Greutert, and were written by Wan, Whannell, Bousman, Patrick Melton, and Marcus Dunstan, and were released subsequently every October, on the Friday before Halloween, between 2004 and 2010. Both of the creators remained with the franchise as executive producers. On July 22, 2010, producer Mark Burg confirmed that the seventh film, Saw 3D, is the final installment of the series. Lionsgate reportedly expressed interest in continuing the franchise in 2012 with a reboot. In November 2013, it was reported that they were in active development of a sequel. An eighth film, Jigsaw, was released in October 2017. (Wikipedia) - [Felicity (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/felicity-tv-series/) - Felicity is an American drama television series created by J. J. Abrams and Matt Reeves and produced by Touchstone Television and Imagine Television for The WB. Brian Grazer and Ron Howard were executive producers through Imagine Entertainment. (Wikipedia) - [Ulli Lommel's Zodiac Killer](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ulli-lommels-zodiac-killer/) - Ulli Lommel’s Zodiac Killer is about a young man who works at a nursing home uses the legendary Zodiac killer’s M.O. to kill people who neglect their elderly relatives. - [The Last House on the Left (1972 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-last-house-on-the-left-1972-film/) - The Last House on the Left is a 1972 American exploitation horror film written, edited, and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Sean S. Cunningham. The film stars Sandra Peabody, Lucy Grantham, David A. Hess, Fred Lincoln, Jeramie Rain, and Marc Sheffler. The plot revolves around two teenage girls who are taken into the woods and tortured by a gang of murderous thugs. The story is inspired by the 1960 Swedish film The Virgin Spring, directed by Ingmar Bergman, which in turn is based on a Swedish ballad, “Töres döttrar i Wänge.” - [Dirty Harry](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dirty-harry/) - Dirty Harry is a 1971 American action crime thriller film produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Inspector “Dirty” Harry Callahan. The film drew upon the real-life case of the Zodiac Killer as the Callahan character seeks out a similar vicious psychopath. - [Twisted (2004 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/twisted-2004-film/) - Twisted is a 2004 American psychological thriller directed by Philip Kaufman, written by Sarah Thorp, and starring Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson, and Andy García. The film is set in San Francisco, California. - [Samuel L. Jackson](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/samuel-l-jackson/) - Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and film producer. A recipient of critical acclaim and numerous accolades and awards, Jackson is the actor whose films have made the highest total gross revenue. (Wikipedia) - [Boys Don't Cry (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/boys-dont-cry-film/) - Boys Don’t Cry is a 1999 American biographical film directed by Kimberly Peirce and co-written by Peirce and Andy Bienen. The film is a dramatization of the real-life story of Brandon Teena; an American trans man played in the film by Hilary Swank, who adopts a male identity and attempts to find himself and love in Nebraska but falls victim to a brutal hate crime perpetrated by two male acquaintances. The film co-stars Chloë Sevigny as Teena’s girlfriend, Lana. - [Quincy M.E.](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/quincy-m-e/) - Quincy, M.E. (also called Quincy) is an American medical mystery-drama television series from Universal Studios that aired from 1976 to 1983 on NBC. Jack Klugman stars in the title role, as a Los Angeles County medical examiner. (Wikipedia) - [Andy García](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/andy-garcia/) - Andrés Arturo García Menéndez (born April 12, 1956) is a Cuban American actor and director who became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman. In the 2000s, he starred in Ocean’s Eleven and its sequels: Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen, and in The Lost City. In recent years he’s had a career resurgence in such films as Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Book Club, The Mule, and My Dinner with Hervé. (Wikipedia) - [The Practice](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-practice/) - The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons on ABC from March 4, 1997, to May 16, 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series and spawned the spin-off series Boston Legal, which ran for five more seasons, from 2004 to 2008. - [Trouble the Water](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/trouble-the-water/) - Trouble the Water is a 2008 documentary film produced and directed by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal. Trouble the Water is a redemptive tale of a couple surviving failed levees, bungling bureaucrats, and their troubled past and a portrait of a community abandoned long before Hurricane Katrina hit, featuring music by Massive Attack, Mary Mary, Citizen Cope, John Lee Hooker, The Roots, Dr. John, and Blackkoldmadina. Trouble the Water is distributed by Zeitgeist Films and premiered in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles on August 22, 2008, followed by a national release in more than 200 theaters. It had its television premiere on HBO and has been rebroadcast on National Geographic Channel and Turner Classic Movies. Trouble the Water is available on DVD. - [Trouble Man (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/trouble-man-film/) - Trouble Man is a 1972 blaxploitation film directed by Ivan Dixon and produced and released by 20th Century Fox. The film stars Robert Hooks as “Mr. T.,” a hard-edged private detective who tends to take justice into his own hands. It is still of note today for its soundtrack, written, produced and performed by Marvin Gaye. - [Across 110th Street](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/across-110th-street/) - Across 110th Street is a 1972 American crime film, directed by Barry Shear and starring Yaphet Kotto, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Franciosa, and Paul Benjamin. (Wikipedia) - [The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-taking-of-pelham-one-two-three-1974-film/) - The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (also known as The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3) is a 1974 American thriller film directed by Joseph Sargent, produced by Gabriel Katzka and Edgar J. Scherick, and starring Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, and Héctor Elizondo. Peter Stone adapted the screenplay from the 1973 novel of the same name written by Morton Freedgood under the pen name John Godey. - [Shaft in Africa](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/shaft-in-africa/) - Shaft in Africa is a 1973 film directed by John Guillermin and is the third and final film in the blaxploitation trilogy of films starring Richard Roundtree as John Shaft. Stirling Silliphant wrote the screenplay.[2] The cost went up to $2,142,000, but the gross fell to $1,458,000. MGM quickly sold the property to television, but the television series was canceled after just seven episodes. - [Coffy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/coffy/) - Coffy is a 1973 American blaxploitation film written and directed by American filmmaker Jack Hill. The story is about a black female vigilante played by Pam Grier. The film’s tagline in advertising was “They call her ‘Coffy’ and she’ll cream you!” - [ABC Movie of the Week](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/abc-movie-of-the-week/) - The ABC Movie of the Week was a weekly television anthology series featuring made-for-TV movies, that aired on the ABC network in various permutations from 1969 to 1975. (Wikipedia) - [The Fifty Worst Films of All Time](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-fifty-worst-films-of-all-time/) - The Fifty Worst Films of All Time (And How They Got That Way) is a 1978 book by Harry Medved, with Randy Dreyfuss and Michael Medved. It presents the authors’ choices for the 50 worst sound films ever made. Each film’s entry includes a story synopsis, the authors’ opinions of its quality, and a selection of contemporary reviews of the film. - [WKRP in Cincinnati](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/wkrp-in-cincinnati/) - WKRP in Cincinnati is an American sitcom that features the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hugh Wilson created the show and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta. Many of the characters and even some of the stories (including season 1 episode 7, “Turkeys Away”) are based on people and events at WQXI. (Wikipedia) - [Sea Beast](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sea-beast/) - Sea Beast, also known as Troglodyte, is a 2008 Canadian-American television monster movie starring Miriam McDonald, Daniel Wisler, Brandon Jay McLaren, and Corin Nemec. It was released to DVD on June 30, 2009. It is the 16th film of the Maneater Series. - [Thomas the Tank Engine](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/thomas-the-tank-engine/) - Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional anthropomorphized steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher, published from 1945 on. He became the most popular character in the series and is the title protagonist in the accompanying television spin-off series Thomas & Friends. - [Transformers: Devastation](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/transformers-devastation/) - Transformers: Devastation is an action hack and slash video game based on the Transformers franchise developed by PlatinumGames and published by Activision. It was released on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One in October 2015. - [Fan fiction](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/fan-fiction/) - Fan fiction or fanfiction (also abbreviated to fan fic, fanfic, fic or ff) is a fictional account of an original work of fiction written by fans about characters or settings, created by fans of that work rather than by its creator. Fans may maintain the creator’s characters and backgrounds or add their own. It is a popular form of fan labor, particularly since the advent of the Internet. (Wikipedia) - [Buffy the Vampire Slayer](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/buffy-the-vampire-slayer/) - Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an American supernatural drama television series based on the 1992 film of the same name. Joss Whedon created it under his production tag, Mutant Enemy Productions, with later co-executive producers being Jane Espenson, David Fury, David Greenwalt, Doug Petrie, Marti Noxon, and David Solomon. (Wikipedia) - [Grand Theft Auto 2](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/grand-theft-auto-2/) - Grand Theft Auto 2 is an action-adventure video game developed by DMA Design and published by Rockstar Games. It was released on 22 October 1999 for Microsoft Windows and the PlayStation, followed by Dreamcast and Game Boy Color releases in 2000. It is the sequel to 1997’s Grand Theft Auto as well as the second installment of the Grand Theft Auto series. The open world design lets players freely roam Anywhere City, the setting of the game. - [Dragon Age II](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dragon-age-ii/) - Dragon Age II is an action role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts (EA) for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and OS X. It is the second major game in the Dragon Age series and was released worldwide in March 2011. Set in the world of Thedas, introduced in Dragon Age: Origins, players assume the role of Hawke, a human mage, rogue, or warrior who arrives in the city of Kirkwall as a lowly refugee, and becomes its legendary champion over a turbulent decade of political and social conflict. In the game, players explore and engage in combat from a third-person perspective. Players encounter various companions, who play significant roles in the game’s plot and gameplay. Depending on players’ decisions and dialogue, a companion will either recognize Hawke as a friend or a rival. - [Tragedy Girls](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/tragedy-girls/) - Tragedy Girls is a 2017 American comedy horror film directed by Tyler MacIntyre, written by Chris Lee Hill and Tyler MacIntyre, and starring Alexandra Shipp, Brianna Hildebrand, Josh Hutcherson, Craig Robinson, Kevin Durand, and Jack Quaid. It was released on October 20, 2017, by Gunpowder & Sky. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/tragedy-girls-2017-review/ - [Serial killer](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/serial-killer/) - A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more people, usually in service of abnormal psychological gratification, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant time between them. Different authorities apply different criteria when designating serial killers. While most set a threshold of three murders, others extend it to four or lessen it to two. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines serial killing as “a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone”. (Wikipedia) - [Black comedy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/black-comedy/) - Black comedy, also known as dark comedy or gallows humor, is a comic style that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are typically regarded as serious or painful to discuss. Comedians often use it as a tool for exploring vulgar issues, thus provoking discomfort and serious thought as well as amusement in their audience. Popular themes of the genre include death and violence (murder, suicide, abuse, domestic violence, graphic violence, rape, torture, war, genocide, terrorism, corruption), discrimination (chauvinism, racism, sexism, homophobia, classism), disease (anxiety, depression, nightmares, drug abuse, mutilation, disability, terminal illness, insanity), sexuality (sodomy, homosexuality, incest, infidelity, fornication), religion, and barbarism. (Wikipedia) - [Horizon Zero Dawn](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/horizon-zero-dawn/) - Horizon Zero Dawn is an action role-playing game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released for the PlayStation 4 in early 2017. The plot follows Aloy, a hunter in a world overrun by machines, which sets out to uncover her past. The player uses ranged weapons, a spear, and stealth to combat mechanized creatures and loot their remains. A skill tree provides the player with new abilities and bonuses. The player can explore the open world to discover side quests. (Wikipedia) - [Infamous Second Son](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/infamous-second-son/) - Infamous Second Son is a decent game despite an irritating protagonist. Infamous Second Son (stylized as inFAMOUS Second Son) is an action-adventure video game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 4. It is the third installment in the Infamous series. The game was released worldwide on March 21, 2014. The player-controlled protagonist possesses superpower abilities that players use in combat and when traveling across the city. The story follows protagonist Delsin Rowe fighting the Department of Unified Protection (D.U.P.) in a fictionalized Seattle. Throughout the game, Delsin acquires new powers and becomes either good or evil as player choices influence his morality. https://cinematicdiversions.com/infamous-second-son-2014-review/ - [28 Days Later](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/28-days-later/) - 28 Days Later is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Alex Garland, and starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Megan Burns, and Brendan Gleeson. - [Fallout (series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/fallout-series/) - Fallout is a series of post-apocalyptic role-playing video games created by Interplay Entertainment. The series is set during the 22nd and 23rd centuries, and its atompunk retrofuturistic setting and artwork are influenced by the post-war culture of 1950s America, with its combination of hope for the promises of technology and the lurking fear of nuclear annihilation. A forerunner for Fallout is Wasteland, a 1988 game developed by Interplay Productions to which the series is regarded as a spiritual successor. (Wikipedia) - [Sylvester Stallone](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sylvester-stallone/) - Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone (born July 6, 1946) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He is well known for his Hollywood action roles, including boxer Rocky Balboa in the Rocky series (1976–2018), soldier John Rambo in the five Rambo films (1982–2019), mercenary Barney Ross in the three The Expendables films (2010–2014) and structural engineer Ray Breslin in the three Escape Plan films (2013–2019). He wrote or co-wrote most of the 16 films in the first three popular franchises and directed many of them. (Wikipedia) - [Three Kings (1999 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/three-kings-1999-film/) - Three Kings is a 1999 American comedy war film written and directed by David O. Russell from a story by John Ridley. The film stars George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze as four U.S. soldiers on a gold heist that takes place during the 1991 uprisings in Iraq against Saddam Hussein following the end of the Gulf War. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/three-kings-1999-review/ - [George Clooney](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/george-clooney/) - George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and businessman. He is the recipient of three Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, one for acting in Syriana (2006) and the other for co-producing Argo (2012). In 2018, he was the recipient of the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, at the age of 57. (Wikipedia) - [Licence to Kill](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/licence-to-kill/) - License to Kill is a 1989 British spy film, the sixteenth in the James Bond film series produced by Eon Productions, and the last to star Timothy Dalton in the role of the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is the first one not to use the title of an Ian Fleming story. It is also the fifth and final consecutive Bond film to be directed by John Glen. The story has elements of two Ian Fleming short stories and a novel, interwoven with aspects from Japanese Rōnin tales. The film sees Bond being suspended from MI6 as he pursues drug lord Franz Sanchez, who has ordered an attack against his CIA friend Felix Leiter and the murder of Felix’s wife during their honeymoon. Originally titled Licence Revoked in line with the plot, the name was changed during post-production due to American test audiences associating the term with driving. (Wikipedia) - [Three's Company](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/threes-company/) - Three’s Company is an American sitcom that aired for eight seasons on ABC from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984. It is based on the British sitcom Man About the House. (Wikipedia) - [The Birth of a Nation](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-birth-of-a-nation/) - The Birth of a Nation (originally called The Clansman) is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed and co-produced by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from the novel and play The Clansman, both by Thomas Dixon Jr., as well as Dixon’s book The Leopard’s Spots. Griffith co-wrote the screenplay with Frank E. Woods and co-produced the film with Harry Aitken. It was released on February 8, 1915. - [Rambo III](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/rambo-iii/) - Rambo III is a 1988 American action-adventure film directed by Peter MacDonald. The film depicts fictional events during the Soviet-Afghan War. It is the third film in the Rambo franchise, following First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II. Rambo in 2008 and Rambo V, in turn, followed it: Last Blood in 2019, making it the last film to feature Richard Crenna as Colonel Sam Trautman before his death in 2003. - [George H. W. Bush](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/george-h-w-bush/) - George Herbert Walker Bush (June 12, 1924 – November 30, 2018) was an American politician who served as the 41st president of the United States from 1989 to 1993 and the 43rd vice president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. A member of the Republican Party, he held posts that included those of congressman, ambassador, and CIA director. Until his son George W. Bush became the 43rd president in 2001, he was usually known simply as George Bush. (Wikipedia) - [Thor: Ragnarok](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/thor-ragnarok/) - Thor: Ragnarok is a 2017 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to 2011’s Thor and 2013’s Thor: The Dark World, and is the seventeenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Taika Waititi from a screenplay by Eric Pearson and the writing team of Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost and stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor alongside Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Hopkins. In Thor: Ragnarok, Thor must escape the alien planet Sakaar in time to save Asgard from Hela and the impending Ragnarök. (Wikipedia) - [Thor: The Dark World](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/thor-the-dark-world/) - Thor: The Dark World is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor. In Thor: The Dark World, Thor teams up with Loki to save the Nine Realms from the Dark Elves led by the vengeful Malekith, who intends to plunge the universe into darkness. (Wikipedia) - [Jeff Goldblum](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jeff-goldblum/) - Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum (born October 22, 1952) is an American actor and musician. He has starred in some of the highest-grossing films of his era, Jurassic Park (1993) and Independence Day (1996), as well as their respective sequels, The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), and Independence Day: Resurgence (2016). (Wikipedia) - [Thirteen Ghosts](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/thirteen-ghosts/) - Thirteen Ghosts Arthur and his two children, Kathy and Bobby, inherit his Uncle Cyrus’s estate: a glass house that serves as a prison to 12 ghosts. When the family, accompanied by Bobby’s Nanny and an attorney, enter the house they find themselves trapped inside an evil machine “designed by the devil and powered by the dead” to open the Eye of Hell. Aided by Dennis, a ghost hunter, and his rival Kalina, a ghost rights activist out to set the ghosts free, the group must do what they can to get out of the house alive. - [The Horror of Party Beach](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-horror-of-party-beach/) - The Horror of Party Beach Radioactive waste dumped off the coastline creates mutant monsters. The beasts attack slumber parties, beaches, and tourists, and terrorize a waterfront community as a scientist. His daughter, her boyfriend, and the local police try to find a way to stop them. (Wikipedia) - [Gone with the Wind (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/gone-with-the-wind-film/) - Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from the 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell. The film was produced by David O. Selznick of Selznick International Pictures and directed by Victor Fleming. Set in the American South against the backdrop of the American Civil War and the Reconstruction era, the film tells the story of Scarlett O’Hara, the strong-willed daughter of a Georgia plantation owner. It follows her romantic pursuit of Ashley Wilkes, who is married to his cousin, Melanie Hamilton, and her subsequent marriage to Rhett Butler. The leading roles are played by Vivien Leigh (Scarlett), Clark Gable (Rhett), Leslie Howard (Ashley), and Olivia de Havilland (Melanie). - [Hellraiser (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hellraiser-franchise/) - Hellraiser is a horror franchise that consists of ten films, a series of books, various comic books, and additional merchandise and media. The franchise is based on the novella The Hellbound Heart by English author Clive Barker, who would go on to write and direct the adaptation of his story, titled Hellraiser. The films, as well as the comic book series, continually feature the Cenobite Pinhead. (Wikipedia) - [Lovecraftian horror](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/lovecraftian-horror/) - Lovecraftian horror is a subgenre of horror fiction that emphasizes the cosmic fear of the unknown (or unknowable) more than gore or other elements of shock. It is named after American author H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937), who is mostly credited as the first author to pioneer the genre. (Wikipedia) - [Fallout 4](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/fallout-4/) - Fallout 4 is more fun than its current reputation would suggest. Fallout 4 is a post-nuclear apocalyptic action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth major installment in the Fallout series and was released worldwide on November 10, 2015, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game is set within an open world post-apocalyptic environment that encompasses the city of Boston and the surrounding Massachusetts region known as “The Commonwealth.” The main story takes place in the year 2287, ten years after the events of Fallout 3 and 210 years after “The Great War,” which caused catastrophic nuclear devastation across the United States. (Wikipedia) - [Cyberpunk](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cyberpunk/) - Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a futuristic setting that tends to focus on a “combination of lowlife and high tech” featuring advanced technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cybernetics, juxtaposed with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order. (Wikipedia) - [Guinea Pig (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/guinea-pig-film-series/) - The Guinea Pig films are a series of six controversial Japanese horror films from the 1980–90s. The series achieved global notoriety mostly for the first two films as the producer needed to prove that nobody was hurt or murdered. The producer Hideshi Hino’s original concept was to create a film adaptation of his manga work. - [Love Story (1970 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/love-story-1970-film/) - Love Story is a 1970 American romantic drama film written by Erich Segal, who was also the author of the best-selling novel of the same name. It was produced by Howard G. Minsky and directed by Arthur Hiller and starred Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal, alongside John Marley, Ray Milland, and Tommy Lee Jones in his film debut in a minor role. (Wikipedia) - [Alien autopsy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alien-autopsy/) - The alien autopsy is a 17-minute black and white film depicting a secret medical examination or autopsy of a purported extraterrestrial being, or alien, by the American military. It was released in 1995 by London-based entrepreneur Ray Santilli. He presented it as an official autopsy on the body of an alien recovered from the 1947 crash of a “flying disc” near Roswell, New Mexico. The film footage was allegedly supplied to him by a retired military cameraman who wished to remain anonymous. - [The Town That Dreaded Sundown](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-town-that-dreaded-sundown/) - The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a 1976 American slasher film by producer and director Charles B. Pierce, who also co-stars as a bumbling police officer named A.C. Benson, also known as “Sparkplug.” Pierce’s fifth film is narrated by Vern Stierman, who had previously narrated Pierce’s 1972 film The Legend of Boggy Creek. Ben Johnson stars as Captain J.D. Morales, the fictionalized version of real-life Texas Ranger Captain M. T. “Lone Wolf” Gonzaullas. Dawn Wells (Mary Ann of Gilligan’s Island) appears as one of the victims. Cindy Butler (Pierce’s girlfriend at the time) plays Peggy Loomis, the trombone victim. The Phantom is played by Bud Davis, who later worked as stunt coordinator on films such as Forrest Gump, Cast Away, and Inglourious Basterds. The film was mostly shot around Texarkana, and several locals were cast as extras. The world premiere was held in Texarkana on December 17, 1976, before its regular run in theaters on December 24. The film is an early example of a slasher film, having been released two years before Halloween (1978), and just two years after Black Christmas (1974) and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), two films considered some of the earliest in the genre. - [The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-town-that-dreaded-sundown-2014-film/) - The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a 2014 American slasher film, a meta-sequel to the 1976 film of the same name. Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon in his feature-length directorial debut, the film was written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and produced by Jason Blum and Ryan Murphy. The film starred Addison Timlin, Travis Tope, Spencer Treat Clark, Veronica Cartwright, and Gary Cole and was one of the last films of Ed Lauter and Edward Herrmann before their deaths in October 2013 and December 2014, respectively. - [Slasher film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/slasher-film/) - A slasher film is a film in the subgenre of horror films involving a violent psychopath stalking and murdering a group of people, usually by use of bladed tools. Although the term “slasher” is often used informally as a generic term for any horror film involving murder, film analysts cite an established set of characteristics which set these films apart from other subgenres, such as splatter films and psychological horror films. (Wikipedia) - [Black Christmas (1974 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/black-christmas-1974-film/) - Black Christmas is a 1974 Canadian psychological slasher film produced and directed by Bob Clark and written by A. Roy Moore. It stars Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin, Marian Waldman, and John Saxon. The story concerns a group of sorority sisters who receive threatening phone calls and are eventually stalked and murdered by a deranged killer during the Christmas season. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/black-christmas-1974-review/ - [Halloween (1978 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/halloween-1978-film/) - Halloween is a 1978 American independent slasher film directed and scored by John Carpenter, co-written with producer Debra Hill, and starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut. The film tells the story of serial killer Michael Myers as he stalks and kills teenage babysitters on Halloween night, fifteen years after he murdered his teenage sister, Judith Myers. After escaping a sanitarium, he returns home to the sleepy town of Haddonfield, Illinois while being pursued by his psychiatrist Samuel Loomis. Michael stalks high school student Laurie Strode and her friends as they babysit and carries out a horrific massacre. Dr. Loomis desperately seeks to find his patient to stop his rampage before the carnage intensifies. (Wikipedia) - [The Terminator](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-terminator/) - The Terminator is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose unborn son will one day save mankind from extinction by a hostile artificial intelligence in a post-apocalyptic future. Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) is a soldier sent back in time to protect Sarah. The screenplay is credited to Cameron and producer Gale Anne Hurd. Co-writer William Wisher Jr. received a credit for additional dialogue. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-terminator-1984-review/ - [Dystopia](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dystopia/) - A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- “bad” and τόπος “place”; alternatively, cacotopia, kakotopia, or simply anti-utopia) is a community or society that is undesirable or frightening. It is translated as “not-good place” and is an antonym of utopia, a term that was coined by Sir Thomas More and figures as the title of his best-known work, Utopia, published 1516, a blueprint for an ideal society with minimal crime, violence, and poverty. - [B movie](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/b-movie/) - A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not an arthouse film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature (akin to B-sides for recorded music). Although the U.S. production of movies intended as second features largely ceased by the end of the 1950s, the term B movie continues to be used in its broader sense to this day. In its post-Golden Age usage, there is ambiguity on both sides of the definition: on the one hand, the primary interest of many inexpensive exploitation films is prurient; on the other, many B movies display a high degree of craft and aesthetic ingenuity. (Wikipedia) - [Piranha II: The Spawning](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/piranha-ii-the-spawning/) - Piranha II: The Spawning, is a 1982 American-Dutch-Italian horror film directed by James Cameron in his theatrical feature film directorial debut. Part of the Piranha film series, it is the sequel to the film Piranha (1978) directed by Joe Dante. (Wikipedia) - [Practical effect](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/practical-effect/) - A practical effect is a special effect produced physically, without computer-generated imagery or other post-production techniques. In some contexts, “special effect” is used as a synonym of “practical effect,” in contrast to “visual effects” which are created in post-production through photographic manipulation or computer generation. (Wikipedia) - [Michael Myers (Halloween)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/michael-myers-halloween/) - Michael Myers is a fictional character from the Halloween series of slasher films. He first appears in John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) as a young boy who murders his sister, Judith Myers, and then, fifteen years later, returns home to Haddonfield to kill more teenagers. In the original Halloween, the adult Michael Myers referred to as The Shape in the closing credits was portrayed by Nick Castle for most of the film, with Tony Moran and Tommy Lee Wallace substituting in the final scenes. The character was created by Debra Hill and John Carpenter and has appeared in ten films, as well as novels, multiple video games, and several comic books. (Wikipedia) - [Jaws (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jaws-film/) - Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel of the same name. In the movie, a giant man-eating great white shark attacks beachgoers on Amity Island, a fictional New England summer resort town, prompting police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) to hunt it with the help of a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a professional shark hunter (Robert Shaw). Murray Hamilton plays the mayor, and Lorraine Gary portrays Brody’s wife. The screenplay is credited to Benchley, who wrote the first drafts, and actor-writer Carl Gottlieb, who rewrote the script during principal photography. (Wikipedia) - [Die Hard](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/die-hard/) - Die Hard is a 1988 American action thriller film directed by John McTiernan and written by Steven E. de Souza and Jeb Stuart, based on Roderick Thorp’s 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever. It was produced by the Gordon Company and Silver Pictures and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film follows off-duty New York City Police Department officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) who is caught in a Los Angeles skyscraper during a heist led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/die-hard-1988-review/ - [The Matrix Reloaded](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-matrix-reloaded/) - The Matrix Reloaded is a 2003 science fiction action film written and directed by The Wachowskis. It is the first sequel to The Matrix and the second installment in The Matrix trilogy. Reloaded premiered on May 7, 2003, in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, and went on general release by Warner Bros. in North American theaters on May 15, 2003, and around the world during the latter half of that month. It was also screened out of competition at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. The video game Enter the Matrix, which was released on May 15, and a collection of nine animated shorts, The Animatrix, which was released on June 3, supported and expanded the storyline of the film. The film generally received positive reviews from critics and grossed $742.1 million worldwide. The Matrix Revolutions, which completes the story, was released six months after Reloaded, in November 2003. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-matrix-reloaded-2003-review/ - [The Matrix Revolutions](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-matrix-revolutions/) - The Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 science fiction action film written and directed by The Wachowskis. It was the third installment of The Matrix trilogy, released six months following The Matrix Reloaded. The film was released simultaneously in 60 countries on November 5, 2003. While it is the final film in the series, the Matrix storyline is continued in The Matrix Online. It was the first live-action feature film to be released in both regular and IMAX theaters at the same time. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-matrix-revolutions-2003-review/ - [Crash (2004 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/crash-2004-film/) - Crash is a 2004 American drama film produced, directed, and co-written by Paul Haggis. The film features racial and social tensions in Los Angeles. A self-described “passion piece” for Haggis, Crash was inspired by a real-life incident, in which his Porsche was carjacked in 1991 outside a video store on Wilshire Boulevard. (Wikipedia) - [From the Earth to the Moon (miniseries)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/from-the-earth-to-the-moon-miniseries/) - From the Earth to the Moon is a 12-part 1998 HBO television miniseries co-produced by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Tom Hanks, and Michael Bostick, telling the story of the landmark Apollo program during the 1960s and early 1970s in docudrama format. Based mainly on Andrew Chaikin’s book, A Man on the Moon, the series is known for its accurate telling of the story of Apollo and the outstanding special effects under visual director Ernest D. Farino. - [Miniseries](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/miniseries/) - A miniseries (or mini-series) is a television program that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. The term “serial” is used in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations, though its meaning does not necessarily equate to “miniseries” in its usage. (Wikipedia) - [Tom Hanks](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/tom-hanks/) - Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Hanks is known for his comedic and dramatic roles in such films as Splash (1984), Big (1988), Turner & Hooch (1989), A League of Their Own (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Apollo 13 (1995), You’ve Got Mail (1998), The Green Mile (1999), Cast Away (2000), Road to Perdition (2002), Cloud Atlas (2012), Captain Phillips (2013), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), and Sully (2016). He has also starred in the Robert Langdon film series, and voices Sheriff Woody in the Toy Story film series. He is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide and is widely regarded as an American cultural icon. (Wikipedia) - [Baseball (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/baseball-tv-series/) - Baseball is a 1994 American television documentary miniseries created by Ken Burns about the game of baseball. First broadcast on PBS, this was Burns’ ninth documentary and won the 1995 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Series. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/baseball-review/ - [Jazz (miniseries)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jazz-miniseries/) - Jazz is a 2001 television documentary miniseries, directed by Ken Burns. It was broadcast on PBS in 2001 and was released on DVD and VHS on January 2, 2001, by the same company. Its chronological and thematic episodes provided a history of jazz, emphasizing innovative composers and musicians and American history. Swing musicians Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington are the central figures. Several episodes discussed the later contributions of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie to bebop, and Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, and John Coltrane to free and cool jazz. Nine episodes surveyed forty-five years (1917–1961), leaving the final episode to cover forty years (1961–2001). Florentine Films produced the series in cooperation with the BBC and in association with WETA-TV, Washington. - [The Civil War (miniseries)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-civil-war-miniseries/) - The Civil War is a 1990 American television documentary miniseries created by Ken Burns about the American Civil War. It was first broadcast on PBS on five consecutive nights from September 23 to 28, 1990. More than 39 million viewers tuned in to at least one episode, and viewership averaged more than 14 million viewers each evening, making it the most-watched program ever to air on PBS. It was awarded more than 40 major television and film honors. A companion book to the documentary was released shortly after the series aired. - [Kingpin (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/kingpin-tv-series/) - Kingpin is an American crime drama television series which debuted on the NBC network in the U.S. and CTV in Canada on February 2, 2003, and lasted six episodes. NBC’s answer to The Sopranos and also influenced by The Godfather, Macbeth, and Traffik, the story was about a Mexican drug trafficker named Miguel Cadena (Yancey Arias) and his family life. It was to be followed by a television series, but low ratings and the network’s discomfort with airing a show with a drug trafficker protagonist canceled those plans. Commercials for the mini-series on NBC featured the song “Más” by the Mexican band Kinky, which also featured in the series. - [American Family (2002 TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/american-family-2002-tv-series/) - American Family, sometimes called American Family: Journey of Dreams is a PBS series created by Gregory Nava that follows the lives of a Latino family in Los Angeles. American Family was the first broadcast television drama series featuring a predominantly Latino cast. It also was the first original primetime American episodic drama to air on PBS in decades—since the series I’ll Fly Away moved to the network. - [Nip/Tuck](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/nip-tuck/) - Nip/Tuck is an American serial medical drama television series created by Ryan Murphy that aired on FX in the United States from July 22, 2003, to March 3, 2010. The series, which also incorporates elements of crime drama, black comedy, family drama, satire, and psychological thriller, focuses on “McNamara/Troy”, a cutting-edge, controversial plastic surgery center, and follows the personal and professional lives of its founders Dr. Sean McNamara and Dr. Christian Troy (portrayed by Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon, respectively). Each episode features graphic, partial depictions of the plastic surgeries on one or more patients, as well as developments in the doctors’ personal lives. Focus is also given to McNamara/Troy’s anesthesiologist Dr. Liz Cruz, Christian’s many sexual partners, and Sean’s family. Except for the pilot, each episode of the series is named after the patient(s) scheduled to receive plastic surgery. - [The Shield](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-shield/) - The Shield is an American crime drama television series starring Michael Chiklis that premiered on March 12, 2002, on FX in the United States, and concluded on November 25, 2008, after seven seasons. Known for its portrayal of corrupt police officers, it was initially advertised as Rampart about the true-life Rampart Division police scandal, on which the show’s Strike Team was loosely based. The series was created by Shawn Ryan and The Barn Productions for Fox Television Studios and Sony Pictures Television. (Wikipedia) - [The Last Samurai](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-last-samurai/) - The Last Samurai is a 2003 American period action drama film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay with John Logan and Marshall Herskovitz. The film stars Tom Cruise, who also co-produced, with Timothy Spall, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, Tony Goldwyn, Hiroyuki Sanada, Koyuki, and Shin Koyamada in supporting roles. (Wikipedia) - [Legends of the Fall](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/legends-of-the-fall/) - Legends of the Fall is a 1994 American epic historical drama film directed by Edward Zwick and starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond, and Henry Thomas. Based on the 1979 novella of the same title by Jim Harrison, the film is about three brothers and their father living in the wilderness and plains of Montana in the early 20th century and how their lives are affected by nature, history, war, and love. The film’s time frame spans from World War I through the Prohibition era, ending with a brief scene set in 1963. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards and won for Best Cinematography (John Toll). Both the film and book contain occasional Cornish language terms, the Ludlows being a Cornish emigrant family. - [Hobbit](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hobbit/) - Hobbits are a diminutive, humanoid race inhabiting lands of Middle-earth in the work of J. R. R. Tolkien. They are also referred to as Halflings. (Wikipedia) - [Abigail's Party](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/abigails-party/) - Abigail’s Party is an awful play for stage and television devised and directed in 1977 by Mike Leigh. It is a suburban situation comedy of manners and a satire on the aspirations and tastes of the new middle class that emerged in Britain in the 1970s. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/abigails-party-review/ - [Television show](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/television-show/) - A television show (often simply TV show) is any content produced for broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, cable, or internet and typically viewed on a television set, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are usually placed between shows. Television shows are most often scheduled well ahead of time and appear on electronic guides or other TV listings. (Wikipedia) - [Play for Today](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/play-for-today/) - Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted. The individual episodes were between fifty and a hundred minutes in duration. A handful of these plays, including Rumpole of the Bailey and The Blackstuff (later Boys from the Blackstuff), subsequently became television series in their own right. (Wikipedia) - [Married... with Children](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/married-with-children/) - Married… with Children is an American television sitcom that aired on Fox, created by Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt. Originally broadcast from April 5, 1987, to June 9, 1997, it is the longest-lasting live-action sitcom on Fox and the first to be broadcast in the network’s prime-time programming slot. (Wikipedia) - [Keeping Up Appearances](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/keeping-up-appearances/) - Keeping Up Appearances is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke. It aired on BBC One from 1990 to 1995. The central character is eccentric and a snobbish lower-middle-class social climber, Hyacinth Bucket (Patricia Routledge), who insists that her surname is pronounced “Bouquet”. (Wikipedia) - [Zardoz](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/zardoz/) - Zardoz is a 1974 Irish-American science fantasy film, and later a book, written, produced, and directed by John Boorman and starring Sean Connery and Charlotte Rampling, and featuring Sara Kestelman.[4] The film, Connery’s second post-James Bond role—after The Offence—was shot by cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth on a budget of US$1.57 million.[2] It depicts a future world where a stone image called “Zardoz” instructs the “Brutals” to kill each other for eternal life. - [Sean Connery](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sean-connery/) - Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930) is a retired Scottish actor and producer, who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, one being a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, and three Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille Award and a Henrietta Award. (Wikipedia) - [Johnny Got His Gun (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/johnny-got-his-gun-film/) - Johnny Got His Gun is a 1971 American drama anti-war film written and directed by Dalton Trumbo based on his novel of the same name, and starring Timothy Bottoms, Kathy Fields, Marsha Hunt, Jason Robards, Donald Sutherland, and Diane Varsi. It was based on the novel of the same title by Trumbo and featured an uncredited writing collaboration by Luis Buñuel. The film was released on DVD in the U.S on April 28, 2009, via Shout! Factory, with unique features. - [Japanese horror](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/japanese-horror/) - Japanese horror is Japanese horror fiction in popular culture, noted for its unique thematic and conventional treatment of the horror genre in light of western therapies. Japanese horror tends to focus on psychological horror and tension building (suspense), and supernatural horror, particularly involving ghosts (yūrei) and poltergeists, while many contain themes of folk religion such as possession, exorcism, shamanism, precognition, and yōkai. (Wikipedia) - [Rape](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/rape/) - Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without that person’s consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person who is incapable of giving valid consent, such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, has an intellectual disability or is below the legal age of consent. The term rape is sometimes used interchangeably with the term sexual assault. (Wikipedia) - [Dominatrix](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dominatrix/) - A dominatrix is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix might be of any sexual orientation, but her orientation does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. The purpose of a dominatrix may not even involve physical pain toward the submissive; her domination can be verbal, involving humiliating tasks, or servitude. A dominatrix is typically a paid professional (pro-domme) as the term dominatrix is little-used within the non-professional BDSM scene. (Wikipedia) - [Masters of Horror](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/masters-of-horror/) - Masters of Horror is an American anthology television series created by director Mick Garris for the Showtime cable network. (Wikipedia) - [Grand Theft Auto](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/grand-theft-auto/) - Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is an action-adventure video game series created by David Jones and Mike Dailly; the later titles of which were created by brothers Dan and Sam Houser, Leslie Benzies and Aaron Garbut. It is primarily developed by Rockstar North (formerly DMA Design), and published by Rockstar Games. The name of the series references the term used in the US for motor vehicle theft. (Wikipedia) - [H. P. Lovecraft](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/h-p-lovecraft/) - Howard Phillips Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American writer who achieved posthumous fame through his influential works of horror fiction. He was virtually unknown during his lifetime and published only in pulp magazines before he died in poverty, but he is now regarded as one of the most significant 20th-century authors of horror and weird fiction. (Wikipedia) - [Saints Row: The Third](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/saints-row-the-third/) - Saints Row: The Third is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition and published by THQ. It is the third title in the Saints Row series. As in the previous games, the player-character leads the Third Streets Saints gang in a turf war against three rival gangs using a variety of weapons and vehicles in single-player and cooperative play. It was released on November 15, 2011, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. A Nintendo Switch port was released in May 2019 release. - [Monty Python and the Holy Grail](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/monty-python-and-the-holy-grail/) - Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1975 British independent comedy film concerning the Arthurian legend, written and performed by the Monty Python comedy group of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, and directed by Gilliam and Jones. It was conceived during the hiatus between the third and fourth series of their BBC television series Monty Python’s Flying Circus. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/monty-python-and-the-holy-grail-1975-review/ - [Kurtwood Smith](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/kurtwood-smith/) - Kurtwood Larson Smith (born July 3, 1943) is an American television and film actor. He is known for playing Clarence Boddicker in RoboCop (1987) and Red Forman in That ’70s Show, as well as for his many appearances in science fiction films and television programs (Star Trek, The X-Files). He also starred in the seventh season of 24. (Wikipedia) - [Starship Troopers (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/starship-troopers-film/) - Starship Troopers is a 1997 American satirical military science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier. It originally came from an unrelated script called Bug Hunt at Outpost Nine but eventually licensed the name Starship Troopers from a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein. The story follows a young soldier named Johnny Rico and his exploits in the Mobile Infantry, a futuristic military unit. Rico’s military career progresses from recruit to non-commissioned officer and finally to officer against the backdrop of an interstellar war between humanity and an insectoid species known as “Arachnids.” (Wikipedia) - [A Song of Ice and Fire](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-song-of-ice-and-fire/) - A Song of Ice and Fire is a series of epic fantasy novels by the American novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin. - [Mamma Mia! (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mamma-mia-film/) - Mamma Mia! (promoted as Mamma Mia! The Movie) Is a 2008 jukebox musical romantic comedy film directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Catherine Johnson based on the 1999 musical of the same name, also written by Johnson, which itself is based on the songs of the pop group ABBA, including the title song, with additional music composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson. The film features an ensemble cast, including Christine Baranski, Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgård, Meryl Streep and Julie Walters. The plot follows a young bride-to-be who invites three men to her upcoming wedding, each one with the possibility of being her father. https://cinematicdiversions.com/mamma-mia-2008-review/ - [Dubbing (filmmaking)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dubbing-filmmaking/) - Dubbing, mixing, or re-recording is a post-production process used in filmmaking and video production in which additional or supplementary recordings are “mixed” with original production sound to create the finished soundtrack. (Wikipedia) - [Anime](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/anime/) - Anime is hand-drawn and computer animation originating from Japan. Anime, a term derived from the English word animation, is used in Japanese to describe all animation, regardless of style or origin. Outside of Japan, anime can refer either to animated works produced in Japan, or to their common visual style, which has since been adopted by a minority of works produced in other countries. (Wikipedia) - [The Silence of the Lambs (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-silence-of-the-lambs-film/) - The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American psychological horror-thriller film directed by Jonathan Demme from a screenplay written by Ted Tally, adapted from Thomas Harris’s 1988 novel of the same name. The film stars Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, and Anthony Heald. In the film, Clarice Starling, a young FBI trainee, seeks the advice of the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist, and a cannibalistic serial killer to apprehend another serial killer, known only as “Buffalo Bill,” who skins his female victims’ corpses. The novel was Harris’s first and second respectively to feature the characters of Starling and Lecter and was the second adaptation of a Harris novel to feature Lecter, preceded by the Michael Mann-directed Manhunter (1986). (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-silence-of-the-lambs-review/ - [Jonathan Demme](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jonathan-demme/) - Robert Jonathan Demme (February 22, 1944 – April 26, 2017) was an American director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the psychological horror The Silence of the Lambs (1991), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director. He also directed Melvin and Howard (1980), Swing Shift (1984), Something Wild (1986), Married to the Mob (1988), the concert film Stop Making Sense (1984), Philadelphia (1993) and Rachel Getting Married (2008). (Wikipedia) - [It Happened One Night](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/it-happened-one-night/) - It Happened One Night is a 1934 pre-Code American romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite (Claudette Colbert) tries to get out from under her father’s thumb and falls in love with a roguish reporter (Clark Gable). The plot is based on the August 1933 short story “Night Bus” by Samuel Hopkins Adams, which provided the shooting title. Classified as a “pre-Code” production, the film is among the last romantic comedies created before the MPPDA began rigidly enforcing the 1930 Motion Picture Production Code in July 1934. It Happened One Night was released just four months before that enforcement. - [Masterpiece (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/masterpiece-tv-series/) - Masterpiece (formerly known as Masterpiece Theatre) is a drama anthology television series produced by WGBH Boston. It premiered on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on January 10, 1971, making it America’s longest-running weekly prime time drama series. The series has presented numerous acclaimed British productions. The BBC produces many of these, but the line-up has also included programs shown on the UK commercial channels ITV and Channel 4. - [Jason Voorhees](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jason-voorhees/) - Jason Voorhees is the main character from the Friday the 13th series. He first appeared in Friday the 13th (1980) as the young son of camp cook-turned-killer Mrs. Voorhees, in which Ari Lehman portrayed him. Created by Victor Miller, with contributions by Ron Kurz, Sean S. Cunningham, and Tom Savini, Jason was not originally intended to carry the series as the main antagonist. The character has subsequently been represented in various other media, including novels, video games, comic books, and a crossover film with another iconic horror film character, Freddy Krueger. (Wikipedia) - [The Fugitive (1993 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-fugitive-1993-film/) - The Fugitive is a 1993 American action thriller film based on the 1960s television series of the same name created by Roy Huggins. It was directed by Andrew Davis and starred Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. After being wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife and unjustly sentenced to death, Dr. Richard Kimble (Ford) escapes from custody (after a bus-train wreck) and sets out to find his wife’s killer, catch him, and clear his name, while being pursued by a team of U.S. Marshals led by Deputy Samuel Gerard (Jones). (Wikipedia) - [Bugsy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bugsy/) - Bugsy is a 1991 American biographical crime drama film directed by Barry Levinson which tells the story of mobster Bugsy Siegel and his relationship with Virginia Hill. It stars Warren Beatty as Siegel and Annette Bening as Hill, as well as Harvey Keitel, Ben Kingsley, Elliott Gould, and Joe Mantegna. James Toback wrote the screenplay from research material by Dean Jennings’ 1967 book We Only Kill Each Other. - [City Slickers](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/city-slickers/) - City Slickers is a 1991 American western comedy film, directed by Ron Underwood and starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby, and Jack Palance, with supporting roles by Patricia Wettig, Helen Slater, and Noble Willingham. - [Homosexuality](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/homosexuality/) - Homosexuality is a romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is “an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions” to people of the same sex. It “also refers to a person’s sense of identity-based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions.” (Wikipedia) - [Psycho (1960 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/psycho-1960-film/) - Psycho is a 1960 American psychological horror film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock and written by Joseph Stefano. It stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, John Gavin, Vera Miles, and Martin Balsam, and was based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch. The film centers on an encounter between a secretary, Marion Crane (Leigh), who ends up at a secluded motel after stealing money from her employer, and the motel’s owner-manager, Norman Bates (Perkins), and its aftermath. (Wikipedia) - [Sleepaway Camp](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sleepaway-camp/) - Sleepaway Camp (also released as Nightmare Vacation) is a 1983 American slasher film written and directed by Robert Hiltzik, who also served as executive producer. The film tells the story of a young girl and her cousin who are sent to a summer camp, where a group of killings begins shortly after their arrival. It stars Felissa Rose, Jonathan Tiersten, Christopher Collet, Karen Fields, and Mike Kellin in his last screen appearance. - [Never Too Young to Die](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/never-too-young-to-die/) - Never Too Young To Die is a 1986 action adventure comedy directed by Gil Bettman. Generally termed a B movie, it stars John Stamos as Lance Stargrove, a young man who, with the help of secret agent Danja Deering (Vanity, also known as Denise Matthews) must avenge the death of his secret-agent father (George Lazenby) at the hands of the evil bisexual hermaphrodite Velvet Von Ragner (Gene Simmons). (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/never-too-young-to-die-1986-review/ - [Philadelphia (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/philadelphia-film/) - Philadelphia is a 1993 American drama film and one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to acknowledge HIV/AIDS, homosexuality, and homophobia. It was written by Ron Nyswaner, directed by Jonathan Demme and stars Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. - [D. W. Griffith](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/d-w-griffith/) - David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American director, writer, and producer who pioneered modern cinematic techniques. He is remembered for The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916). The Birth of a Nation made use of advanced camera and narrative techniques, and its popularity set the stage for the dominance of the feature-length film in the United States. The film has sparked significant controversy surrounding racism in the United States, focusing on its negative depiction of black people and the glorification of the Ku Klux Klan. Today, it is both acclaimed for its radical technique and condemned for its inherently racist philosophy. The film was subject to boycotts by the NAACP; screenings caused riots at several theaters, and it was censored in many cities, including New York City. Intolerance was an answer to his critics. - [Intolerance (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/intolerance-film/) - Intolerance is a 1916 epic silent film directed by D. W. Griffith. Subtitles include Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages and A Sun-Play of the Ages. - [True Lies](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/true-lies/) - True Lies is a 1994 American action comedy film written, directed and co-produced by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Art Malik, Tia Carrere, Bill Paxton, Eliza Dushku, Grant Heslov, and Charlton Heston. It is a remake of the 1991 French comedy film La Totale! The film follows U.S. government agent Harry Tasker (Schwarzenegger), who struggles to balance his life as a spy with his familial duties. (Wikipedia) - [Merlin: The Return](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/merlin-the-return/) - Merlin: The Return is a 2000 British fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Paul Matthews. The film stars Rik Mayall, Patrick Bergin, Craig Sheffer, Adrian Paul, Julie Hartley, and Tia Carrere. The film chronicles the story of Merlin and King Arthur. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 22 December 2000. (Wikipedia) - [General Hospital](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/general-hospital/) - General Hospital (commonly abbreviated GH) is an American daytime television medical drama. It is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running American soap opera in production and the second longest-running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light. Concurrently, it is the world’s third longest-running scripted drama series in production after British serials The Archers and Coronation Street, as well as the world’s second-longest-running televised soap opera still in production. General Hospital premiered on the ABC television network on April 1, 1963. General Hospital is the longest-running serial produced in Hollywood and the longest-running entertainment program in ABC television history. It holds the record for most Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series, with 13 wins. (Wikipedia) - [Pauly Shore](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pauly-shore/) - Paul Montgomery Shore (born February 1, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker best known for his roles in several comedy films in the 1990s. Shore began as a stand-up comedian at the age of 17, before becoming an MTV VJ in 1989. This lead to a starring role in the comedy film Encino Man in 1992, which was a modest hit. Roles in other films followed, including Son in Law (1993) and Bio-Dome (1996). (Wikipedia) - [The Asylum](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-asylum/) - The Asylum is an American independent film company and distributor that focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films. The company has produced titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and scripts very similar to those of current blockbusters to lure customers. These titles have been dubbed “mockbusters” by the press. Its movies are distributed by Echo Bridge Home Entertainment, GT Media, and as of 2015, Cinedigm. They are perhaps best known for creating the Sharknado films and the Syfy original series Z Nation. As of 2009/2010, The Asylum has never had any losses from its film productions. (Wikipedia) - [Castlevania: Symphony of the Night](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/castlevania-symphony-of-the-night/) - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a platform-adventure action role-playing game developed and published by Konami in 1997 for the PlayStation. It was directed and produced by Toru Hagihara, with Koji Igarashi acting as assistant director. It is the direct sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, taking place four years later. It features Dracula’s dhampir son Alucard as the protagonist, rising from his slumber to explore Dracula’s castle which has re-appeared after Richter Belmont vanished. It marks a break from previous games in the series, introducing exploration, non-linear level design, and role-playing elements. - [David S. Goyer](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/david-s-goyer/) - David Samuel Goyer (born December 22, 1965) is an American screenwriter, film director, novelist, producer, and comic book writer. - [Elektra (2005 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/elektra-2005-film/) - Elektra is a 2005 Canadian-American superhero film directed by Rob Bowman. It is a spin-off from the 2003 film Daredevil, starring the Marvel Comics character Elektra Natchios (portrayed by Jennifer Garner). The story follows Elektra, an assassin who must protect a man and his prodigy daughter from another killer who was hired by The Hand. http://cinematicdiversions.com/elektra-2004-review/ - [Van Wilder](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/van-wilder/) - National Lampoon’s Van Wilder (released internationally as Van Wilder: Party Liaison) is a 2002 comedy film directed by Walt Becker and written by Brent Goldberg and David T. Wagner. This movie was inspired by the real-life experiences of “The Real Van Wilder” Bert Kreischer while he attended Florida State University. - [Aliens (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/aliens-film/) - Aliens is a 1986 American science-fiction action horror film written and directed by James Cameron, produced by Gale Anne Hurd and starring Sigourney Weaver. It is the sequel to the 1979 film Alien and the second installment in the Alien franchise. The film follows Weaver’s character Ellen Ripley as she returns to the moon where her crew encountered the hostile Alien creature, this time accompanied by a unit of space marines. Additional roles are played by Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, William Hope, Al Matthews, and Bill Paxton. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/aliens-1986-review/ - [Darren McGavin](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/darren-mcgavin/) - William Lyle Richardson (May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006), known professionally as Darren McGavin, was an American actor. He was known for his portrayals of worldly, often somewhat gruff characters. (Wikipedia) - [Count Dracula](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/count-dracula/) - Count Dracula is the title character of Bram Stoker’s 1897 gothic horror novel Dracula. He is considered to be both the prototypical and the archetypal vampire in subsequent works of fiction. He is also depicted in the novel to be the origin of werewolf legends. Some aspects of the character are believed to have been inspired by the 15th-century Wallachian Prince Vlad the Impaler, who was also known as Dracula, and Sir Henry Irving, an actor for whom Stoker was a personal assistant. (Wikipedia) - [Highlander (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/highlander-franchise/) - Highlander is a film and television franchise that began with a 1986 fantasy film starring Christopher Lambert, who played Connor MacLeod, the Highlander. Born in Glenfinnan, in the Scottish Highlands in the 16th century, MacLeod is one of several Immortals. There have been five Highlander films, two live-action television series, an animated television series, an animated movie, an flash animation series, ten original novels, nineteen comic book issues, and various licensed merchandise. - [Cuisinart](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cuisinart/) - Cuisinart is an American home appliance brand owned by Conair Corporation. The company was started in 1971 by Carl Sontheimer to bring an electric food processor to the US market. The “Food Processor” was the first model, introduced at a food show in Chicago in 1973. The name “Cuisinart” became synonymous with “food processor.” It is also a portmanteau of “cuisine” and “art.” - [Highlander (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/highlander-film/) - Highlander is a 1986 British-American fantasy action-adventure film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film chronicles the climax of an ages-old battle among immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and present-day storylines. - [The Punisher (2004 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-punisher-2004-film/) - The Punisher is a 2004 American action film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, starring Thomas Jane as the antihero Frank Castle and John Travolta as Howard Saint, a money launderer who orders the death of Castle’s entire family. - [The Forbidden Dance](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-forbidden-dance/) - The Forbidden Dance (also released as The Forbidden Dance is Lambada) is a 1990 drama film starring former Miss USA Laura Harring. Made to cash in on the Lambada dance craze by Menahem Golan’s 21st Century Film Corporation, it opened on the same day (March 16, 1990) as a similarly themed film, Lambada, produced by Golan’s former company Cannon Films and his cousin, Yoram Globus. (Wikipedia) - [Adam Sandler](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/adam-sandler/) - Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, film producer, and musician. After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in many Hollywood feature films that combined have grossed over $2 billion at the box office. (Wikipedia) - [Blood Diamond](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/blood-diamond/) - Blood Diamond is a 2006 German-American political war thriller film co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, and Djimon Hounsou. The title refers to blood diamonds, which are diamonds mined in war zones and sold to finance conflicts, and thereby profit warlords and diamond companies across the world. - [Paul Newman](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/paul-newman/) - Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, producer, race car driver, IndyCar owner, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. - [Braveheart](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/braveheart/) - Braveheart is a 1995 epic war film directed, co-produced, and starring Mel Gibson, who portrays William Wallace, a late 13th-century Scottish warrior. The film is fictionally based on the life of Wallace leading the Scots in the First War of Scottish Independence against King Edward I of England.(Wikipedia) - [The Pianist (2002 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-pianist-2002-film/) - The Pianist is a 2002 biographical drama film produced and directed by Roman Polanski, scripted by Ronald Harwood, and starring Adrien Brody. It is based on the autobiographical book The Pianist, a Holocaust memoir by the Polish-Jewish pianist and composer Władysław Szpilman, a Holocaust survivor. - [The Reader (2008 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-reader-2008-film/) - The Reader is a 2008 German-American romantic drama film directed by Stephen Daldry and written by David Hare, based on the 1995 German novel of the same name by Bernhard Schlink. Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet star along with the young actor David Kross. - [Extras (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/extras-tv-series/) - Extras is a British sitcom about extras working in television, film, and theatre. The series was co-produced by the BBC and HBO and was created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, both of whom also starred in it. Extras follows the lives of Andy Millman (Gervais), his platonic friend Maggie Jacobs (Ashley Jensen), and Andy’s substandard agent and part-time retail employee Darren Lamb (Merchant) as Millman muddles through life as an anonymous “background performer” who eventually finds success as a B-level sitcom star. - [Fiddler on the Roof (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/fiddler-on-the-roof-film/) - Fiddler on the Roof is a 1971 American musical comedy-drama film produced and directed by Norman Jewison. It is an adaptation of the 1964 Broadway musical of the same name. - [The Grey (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-grey-film/) - The Grey is a 2011 survival film co-written, produced and directed by Joe Carnahan and starring Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, and Dermot Mulroney. It is based on the short story “Ghost Walker” by Ian MacKenzie Jeffers, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Carnahan. The story follows several oil-men stranded in Alaska after a plane crash, who must wage war against a pack of grey wolves stalking them amidst mercilessly cold weather. - [Twenty-One (game show)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/twenty-one-game-show/) - Twenty-One is an American game show originally hosted by Jack Barry which aired on NBC from 1956 to 1958. Produced by Jack Barry-Dan Enright Productions, two contestants competed against each other in separate isolation booths, answering general knowledge questions to earn 21 total points. The program became notorious for being a rigged quiz show which nearly caused the demise of the entire genre in the wake of United States Senate investigations. The 1994 movie Quiz Show is based on these events. - [Galaxy Quest](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/galaxy-quest/) - Galaxy Quest is a 1999 American science fiction action comedy film directed by Dean Parisot and written by David Howard and Robert Gordon. A parody of science-fiction movies and series, notably Star Trek and its fandom, the film stars Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, and Daryl Mitchell. The film depicts the cast of a defunct cult television series called Galaxy Quest, who are suddenly visited by actual aliens who believe the series to be an accurate documentary and become involved in a genuine intergalactic conflict. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/galaxy-quest-1999-review/ - [Keeping Up with the Kardashians](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/keeping-up-with-the-kardashians/) - Keeping Up with the Kardashians (often abbreviated KUWTK) is an American reality television series that airs on the E! cable network. It is an awful show filled with awful people. - [Reality television](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/reality-television/) - Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unknown individuals rather than professional actors. - [Sitcom](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sitcom/) - A sitcom, clipping for situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who carry over from episode to episode. (Wikipedia) - [Game show](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/game-show/) - A game show is a type of radio, television, or stage show in which contestants, individually or as teams, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles, usually for money or prizes. - [Project Runway](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/project-runway/) - Project Runway is an American reality television series that focuses on fashion design. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted by time, materials, and theme. A panel judges Their designs, and one or more designers are typically eliminated from the show each week. During each season, contestants are progressively eliminated until only a few contestants remain. These finalists prepare a complete fashion collection for New York Fashion Week, which determines the winner. - [House Hunters](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/house-hunters/) - House Hunters is an American reality television series that airs on HGTV and is produced by Pie Town Production. - [Fixer Upper (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/fixer-upper-tv-series/) - Fixer Upper is an American reality television series about home design and renovation aired on HGTV. It stars Chip and Joanna Gaines, based in Waco, Texas. - [Martin Scorsese](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/martin-scorsese/) - Martin Charles Scorsese (born November 17, 1942) is an American and naturalized-Italian filmmaker and historian, whose career spans more than 50 years. Scorsese’s body of work addresses such themes as Italian-American identity (most notably Sicilian), Roman Catholic concepts of guilt and redemption, faith, machismo, modern crime, and gang conflict. Many of his films are also known for their depiction of violence and liberal use of profanity. (Wikipedia) - [Forrest Gump](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/forrest-gump/) - Forrest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. The film stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field. The story depicts several decades in the life of Forrest Gump (Hanks), a slow-witted but kind-hearted man from Alabama who witnesses and, unwittingly, influences several defining historical events in the 20th century in the United States. - [Private Lessons (1981 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/private-lessons-1981-film/) - Private Lessons is a 1981 American sex comedy film starring Sylvia Kristel, Howard Hesseman, Eric Brown, and Ed Begley Jr. - [Wheel of Fortune (U.S. game show)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/wheel-of-fortune-u-s-game-show/) - Wheel of Fortune (often known simply as Wheel) is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin that debuted in 1975. - [MasterChef (U.S. TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/masterchef-u-s-tv-series/) - MasterChef is an American competitive cooking reality TV show based on the original British series of the same name, open to amateur and home chefs. - [The Mummy (2017 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-mummy-2017-film/) - The Mummy is a 2017 American action adventure horror film directed by Alex Kurtzman and written by David Koepp, Christopher McQuarrie and Dylan Kussman, with a story by Kurtzman, Jon Spaihts and Jenny Lumet. It is a reboot of The Mummy franchise and the only installment in Universal’s planned Dark Universe franchise. (Wikipedia) - [Indiana Jones](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/indiana-jones/) - Dr. Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones, Jr. is the title character and protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. - [Raiders of the Lost Ark](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/raiders-of-the-lost-ark/) - Raiders of the Lost Ark (later marketed as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Lawrence Kasdan from a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. (Wikipedia) - [Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008 theatrical film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/journey-to-the-center-of-the-earth-2008-theatrical-film/) - Journey to the Center of the Earth (also promoted as Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D or Journey 3-D) is a 2008 American 3D science fantasy adventure film directed by Eric Brevig and starring Brendan Fraser, Anita Briem, and Josh Hutcherson. - [3D film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/3d-film/) - A three-dimensional stereoscopic film (also known as three-dimensional film, 3D film or S3D film) is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception, hence adding a third dimension. - [Marvel Cinematic Universe](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/marvel-cinematic-universe/) - The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films, independently produced by Marvel Studios and based on characters that appear in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. (Wikipedia) - [2001: A Space Odyssey (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/2001-a-space-odyssey-film/) - 2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick. (Wikipedia) - [The Martian (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-martian-film/) - The Martian is a 2015 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon adapted from the novel of the same name by Andy Weir. The film depicts an astronaut’s lone struggle to survive on Mars after being left behind, and efforts to rescue him, and bring him home to Earth. - [The Dukes of Hazzard (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-dukes-of-hazzard-film/) - The Dukes of Hazzard is a 2005 American buddy comedy road film based on the television series, The Dukes of Hazzard. The film was directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and released on August 5, 2005, by Warner Bros. Pictures. As in the television series, the film depicts the adventures of cousins Bo, Luke, and Daisy, and their Uncle Jesse, as they outfox crooked Hazzard County Commissioner Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. - [It's Alive! (1969 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/its-alive/) - ‘It’s Alive!’ is a 1969 American monster movie directed by Larry Buchanan and distributed by American International Pictures, about a mad farmer who tries to feed a stranded couple to a dinosaur he keeps in a cave. The tagline was “Trapped in a Cave of Terror!”. - [Death Race 2000](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/death-race-2000/) - Death Race 2000 is a 1975 American science fiction sports film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Paul Bartel, and starring David Carradine, Simone Griffeth, and Sylvester Stallone. The film takes place in a dystopian American society in the year 2000, where the murderous Transcontinental Road Race has become a form of national entertainment. The screenplay is based on the short story “The Racer” by Ib Melchior - [Massacre at Central High](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/massacre-at-central-high/) - Massacre at Central High is a 1976 American horror-thriller film directed by Rene Daalder and starring Derrel Maury, Kimberly Beck, Robert Carradine, and Andrew Stevens. The plot follows a series of revenge killings at a fictional American high school, after which the oppressed students take on the role of their bully oppressors. Despite its title, it is not a slasher film but an unusual blend of political allegory, social commentary, and low-budget exploitation; with the exception of the final sequence, no “adult” characters (such as teachers and parents) are seen. - [10 to Midnight](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/10-to-midnight/) - 10 to Midnight is a 1983 American crime-horror-thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson from a screenplay originally written by William Roberts. The film stars Charles Bronson in the lead role with a supporting cast that includes Lisa Eilbacher, Andrew Stevens, Gene Davis, Geoffrey Lewis, and Wilford Brimley. 10 to Midnight was released by City Films, a subsidiary of Cannon Films, to American cinemas on March 11, 1983. http://cinematicdiversions.com/10-to-midnight-1983-review/ - [Charles Bronson](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/charles-bronson/) - Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; Lithuanian: Karolis Dionyzas Bučinskis; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. He was often cast in the role of a police officer, gunfighter, or vigilante in revenge-oriented plot lines, had long-term collaborations with film directors Michael Winner and J. Lee Thompson, and appeared in fifteen films with his second wife Jill Ireland. (Wikipedia) - [Freddy got Fingered](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/freddy-got-fingered/) - Freddy Got Fingered is a 2001 American surrealist black comedy film directed by Tom Green and written by Green and Derek Harvie. The film follows Green as a 28-year-old slacker who wishes to become a professional cartoonist. The film’s plot resembles Green’s struggles as a young man trying to get his TV series picked up, which would later become the popular MTV show The Tom Green Show. - [The Life of David Gale](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-life-of-david-gale/) - The Life of David Gale is a 2003 American drama film directed by Alan Parker (in his final film as a director) and written by Charles Randolph. The film is an international co-production, between the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. - [12 Days of Terror](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/12-days-of-terror/) - 12 Days of Terror is a 2004 television film directed by Jack Sholder and starring Colin Egglesfield, Mark Dexter, Jenna Harrison, and John Rhys-Davies. Based on a true story, it revolves around the 1916 Jersey shark attacks, in which a great white shark begins a series of attacks that takes place of the course of 12 days in New Jersey. It premiered on Animal Planet, and later on The Discovery Channel. http://cinematicdiversions.com/12-days-of-terror-2004-review/ - [Jeepers Creepers 2](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jeepers-creepers-2/) - Jeepers Creepers 2 is a 2003 American horror film written and directed by Victor Salva, produced by American Zoetrope, Capitol Films, Myriad Pictures and distributed by United Artists, a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer division. The film is a sequel to the 2001 horror film Jeepers Creepers. Francis Ford Coppola executive produced the film. - [Brokeback Mountain](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/brokeback-mountain/) - Brokeback Mountain is a 2005 American romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. Adapted from the 1997 short story of the same name by Annie Proulx, the screenplay was written by Ossana and Larry McMurtry. The film stars Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams and depicts the complex emotional and sexual relationship between Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist in the American West from 1963 to 1983. (Wikipedia) - [Beach Blanket Bingo](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/beach-blanket-bingo/) - Beach Blanket Bingo is an American International Pictures beach party film, released in 1965 and was directed by William Asher. It is the fifth, and also best-known, the film in the beach party film series. The film starred Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Linda Evans, Deborah Walley, Paul Lynde, and Don Rickles. Earl Wilson and Buster Keaton appear. Evans’s singing voice was dubbed by Jackie Ward. - [John Rhys-Davies](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/john-rhys-davies/) - John Rhys-Davies (born 5 May 1944) is a Welsh actor, voice actor, and producer, known for his portrayal of Gimli and the voice of Treebeard in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Sallah in the Indiana Jones films. He also played Michael Malone in the 1993 remake of the 1950s television series The Untouchables, Vasco Rodrigues in the mini-series Shōgun, Professor Maximillian Arturo in Sliders, King Richard I in Robin of Sherwood, General Leonid Pushkin in the James Bond film The Living Daylights, and Macro in I, Claudius. He provided the voices of Cassim in Disney’s Aladdin and the King of Thieves, Macbeth in Gargoyles, Man Ray in SpongeBob SquarePants, Hades in Justice League and Tobias in the computer game Freelancer. (Wikipedia) - [Ginger](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ginger/) - A rich society girl is recruited to go undercover and expose a drug/blackmail/prostitution ring in her small town. - [13 Going on 30](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/13-going-on-30/) - 13 Going on 30 (released as Suddenly 30 in some countries) is a 2004 American fantasy romantic comedy film written by Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, directed by Gary Winick, and starring Jennifer Garner. It follows a 13-year-old girl who dreams of being popular. During her birthday party, she is humiliated by classmates and wishes that she was 30 years old. When she eventually does emerge, she finds herself suddenly 30 years old and in 2004, uncertain how she got there. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/13-going-on-30-review/ - [Revenge of the Nerds](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/revenge-of-the-nerds/) - Revenge of the Nerds is a 1984 American comedy film directed by Jeff Kanew, and starring Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, Brian Tochi, Larry B. Scott, Michelle Meyrink, John Goodman, Timothy Busfield, and Donald Gibb. The film’s plot chronicles a group of nerds at the fictional Adams College trying to stop the ongoing harassment by the jock fraternity, the Alpha Betas, in addition to the latter’s sister sorority, Pi Delta Pi. - [Being There](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/being-there/) - Being There is a 1979 American comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby. Based on the 1970 novel of the same name by Jerzy Kosiński, it was adapted for the screen by Kosiński and the uncredited Robert C. Jones. The film stars Peter Sellers and Shirley MacLaine and features Jack Warden, Melvyn Douglas, Richard Dysart, and Richard Basehart. - [Night Trap](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/night-trap/) - Night Trap is an interactive movie video game developed by Digital Pictures and originally released by Sega for the Sega CD in 1992. The game is presented primarily through the use of full-motion video (FMV). In Night Trap, the player takes the role of a special agent tasked to watch over teenage girls (starring Dana Plato) visiting a house which, unbeknownst to them, is full of danger. The player watches live surveillance footage of the house and triggers traps to capture anyone seen endangering the girls. The player can freely switch their view between different cameras to keep watch over the girls and eavesdrop on conversations to follow the story and listen for clues. - [13 Cameras](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/13-cameras/) - A newlywed couple, move into a new house across the country, only to find out that their marital issues are the least of their problems. Unbeknownst to them, their grim and lascivious landlord has been spying on them from day one. http://cinematicdiversions.com/13-cameras-slumlord-2015-review/ - [Christmas](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/christmas/) - Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it is preceded by the season of Advent or the Nativity Fast and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and culminates on the Twelfth Night; in some traditions, Christmastide includes an octave. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many of the world’s nations, is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the holiday season centered around it. (Wikipedia) - [Game of Thrones](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/game-of-thrones/) - Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin’s series of fantasy novels, the first of which is A Game of Thrones. The show was both produced and filmed in Belfast and elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Filming locations also included Canada, Croatia, Iceland, Malta, Morocco, and Spain. The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17, 2011, and concluded on May 19, 2019, with 73 episodes broadcast over eight seasons. (Wikipedia) - [Sixteen Candles](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sixteen-candles/) - Sixteen Candles is a 1984 American coming-of-age comedy film starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, and Anthony Michael Hall. It was written and directed by John Hughes. (Wikipedia) - [Fear Factor](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/fear-factor/) - Fear Factor is an American stunt/dare game show that originally aired on NBC from 2001 to 2006. It was later revived by NBC in 2011, only to be canceled again in 2012. The show was revived a second time in 2017 to air on MTV. The original Dutch version was called Now or Neverland. When Endemol USA and NBC adapted it to the American market in 2001, they changed the name to Fear Factor. The show pits contestants against each other in a variety of stunts for a grand prize, usually of US $50,000. From seasons one to five, the contestants were generally three men and three women, all competing for themselves, but in season six, the show moved to a permanent format of four teams of two people, each with a pre-existing relationship with one another. The show was originally hosted by comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan, produced by Matt Kunitz and David A. Hurwitz, and directed by J. Rupert Thompson. Rapper/actor Ludacris took over as host when the show was rebooted in 2017. (Wikipedia) - [Escape from New York](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/escape-from-new-york/) - Escape from New York is a 1981 American dystopian science fiction action film co-written, co-scored and directed by John Carpenter. It stars Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasence, Ernest Borgnine, Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Barbeau, and Harry Dean Stanton. - [Brooklyn Bridge](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/brooklyn-bridge/) - The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridge in New York City. It connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, spanning the East River. The Brooklyn Bridge has a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m) and a height of 133 ft (40.5 m) above Mean High Water. It is one of the oldest roadway bridges in the United States and was the world’s first steel-wire suspension bridge, as well as the first fixed crossing across the East River. - [Spaceballs](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/spaceballs/) - Spaceballs is a 1987 American comic science fiction film co-written, produced and directed by Mel Brooks. Starring Brooks, Bill Pullman, John Candy, and Rick Moranis, the film also features Daphne Zuniga, Dick Van Patten, George Wyner and the voice of Joan Rivers. In addition to Brooks in a supporting role, the film also features Brooks regulars Dom DeLuise and Rudy De Luca in cameo appearances. (Wikipedia) - [2019 After the Fall of New York](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/2019-after-the-fall-of-new-york/) - 2019, After the Fall of New York (Italian: 2019 – Dopo la caduta di New York) is a 1983 Italian science fiction film directed by Sergio Martino in both English and Italian. It is of the post-apocalyptic Italian genre similar to the films 1990 The Bronx Warriors and Endgame. It is set in 2019, after a nuclear apocalypse, and stars a mercenary out to rescue the last fertile woman on Earth. The film starred Michael Sopkiw and Anna Kanakis, and B-movie regular George Eastman. - [2 Fast 2 Furious](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/2-fast-2-furious/) - 2 Fast 2 Furious (alternatively known as The Fast and the Furious 2) is a 2003 American action film directed by John Singleton and written by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas. It is the second installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise and one of two to not feature Vin Diesel (the other being Hobbs & Shaw). It was released in the United States on June 6, 2003. 2 Fast 2 Furious follows Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) and Roman Pearce(Tyrese Gibson) who team up to go undercover for the U.S. Customs Service to bring down drug lord Carter Verone (Cole Hauser) in exchange for the erasure of their criminal records. http://cinematicdiversions.com/2-fast-2-furious-review/ - [Dodge Dart](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dodge-dart/) - The Dodge Dart is an automobile originally built by Dodge from 1958 to 1976 in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets. The Dart nameplate was resurrected for a Fiat-derived compact car introduced in 2012. - [Cotton Comes to Harlem](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cotton-comes-to-harlem/) - Cotton Comes to Harlem is a neo-noir action film co-written and directed in 1970 by Ossie Davis and starring Godfrey Cambridge, Raymond St. Jacques, and Redd Foxx. The film is based on Chester Himes’ novel of the same name. The opening theme, “Ain’t Now But It’s Gonna Be” was written by Ossie Davis and performed by Melba Moore. It was followed two years later by the sequel Come Back, Charleston Blue. - [Tyrese Gibson](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/tyrese-gibson/) - Tyrese Gibson (born December 30, 1978), also known mononymously as Tyrese, is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actor, model, VJ, and screenwriter. He played Joseph “Jody” Summers in Baby Boy, Angel Mercer in Four Brothers, Roman Pearce in the Fast and the Furious series and Robert Epps in the Transformers film series. After releasing several albums, he transitioned into films, with lead roles in several major Hollywood releases. According to Billboard Tyrese has sold 3.69 million albums in the U.S. - [Star Trek](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/star-trek/) - Star Trek is an American media franchise based on the science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry. The first television series, simply called Star Trek and now referred to as “The Original Series“, debuted in 1966 and aired for three seasons on NBC. It followed the interstellar adventures of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew aboard the starship USS Enterprise, a space exploration vessel built by the United Federation of Planets in the 23rd century. The Star Trek canon includes The Original Series, an animated series, five spin-off television series, the film franchise, and further adaptations in several media. (Wikipedia) - [IMAX](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/imax/) - IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately 1.43:1 & 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating. (Wikipedia) - [The Towering Inferno](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-towering-inferno/) - The Towering Inferno is a 1974 American drama disaster film produced by Irwin Allen featuring an ensemble cast led by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. Directed by John Guillermin, the film is a co-production between 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros., the first to be a joint venture by two major Hollywood studios. It was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from a pair of novels, The Tower by Richard Martin Stern and The Glass Inferno by Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson. (Wikipedia) - [Megafault](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/megafault/) - MegaFault is a 2009 television disaster film by The Asylum, directed by David Michael Latt, starring Brittany Murphy, Justin Hartley, Eriq Lasalle, Tamala Jones, Paul Logan, and Bruce Davison. It is one of the last films to feature Brittany Murphy, as she died some weeks after its premiere. - [Magma: Volcanic Disaster](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/magma-volcanic-disaster/) - Magma: Volcanic Disaster is a 2006 disaster film by Sci-Fi Pictures. Written by Rebecca Rian and directed by Ian Gilmour, the film stars Xander Berkeley and Amy Jo Johnson. It was filmed in Bulgaria. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/magma-volcanic-disaster-2006-review/ - [The Core](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-core/) - The Core is a 2003 American science fiction disaster film directed by Jon Amiel and starring Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Delroy Lindo, Stanley Tucci, Tchéky Karyo, DJ Qualls, Bruce Greenwood, and Alfre Woodard. The film focuses on a team whose mission is to drill to the center of the Earth and set off a series of nuclear explosions in order to restart the rotation of the Earth’s core. The film was released on March 28, 2003, by Paramount Pictures. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-core-2003/ - [The Day after Tomorrow](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-day-after-tomorrow/) - The Day After Tomorrow is a 2004 American science fiction disaster film co-written, directed, and produced by Roland Emmerich and starring Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ian Holm, Emmy Rossum, and Sela Ward. It is based on the book The Coming Global Superstorm by Art Bell and Whitley Strieber. The film depicts catastrophic climatic effects following the disruption of the North Atlantic Ocean circulation in a series of extreme weather events that usher in global cooling and lead to a new ice age. (Wikipedia) - [Roland Emmerich](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/roland-emmerich/) - Roland Emmerich (born November 10, 1955) is a German film director, screenwriter, and producer, widely known for his disaster films. His films, most of which are English-language Hollywood productions, have made more than $3 billion worldwide, including just over $1 billion in the United States, making him the country’s 11th-highest-grossing director of all time. He began his work in the film industry by directing the film The Noah’s Ark Principle (1984) as part of his university thesis and also co-founded Centropolis Entertainment in 1985 with his sister. He is a collector of art and an active campaigner for the LGBT community and is openly gay. - [Woody Harrelson](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/woody-harrelson/) - Woodrow Tracy Harrelson (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor and playwright. His breakout role came in 1985 as bartender Woody Boyd in the television sitcom Cheers. He later became known for his portrayals of Billy Hoyle in White Men Can’t Jump (1992), Mickey Knox in Natural Born Killers (1994), and Larry Flynt in The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996). More recent roles include Tallahassee in Zombieland (2009), Capt. Tony Stone in The Messenger (2009), Dave Brown in Rampart (2011), Charlie Frost in 2012 (2009), Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games film series (2012–2015), Merritt McKinney in the Now You See Me film series (2013–2016), the Colonel in War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), Rex Walls in The Glass Castle (2017), Bill Willoughby in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), Tobias Beckett in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), and Maney Gault in The Highwaymen (2019). - [Matthew McConaughey](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/matthew-mcconaughey/) - Matthew McConaughey (; born November 4, 1969) is an American actor and producer. He first gained notice for his supporting performance in the coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused (1993), which is considered by many to be the actor’s breakout role. After a number of supporting roles in films including Angels in the Outfield and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994), McConaughey’s breakthrough performance as a leading man came in the legal drama A Time to Kill (1996). He followed this with leading performances in the science fiction film Contact and the historical drama Amistad (1997), the comedy-drama The Newton Boys (1998), the satire EDtv (1999), the war drama U-571 (2000) and the psychological thriller Frailty (2001). (Wikipedia) - [End of Watch](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/end-of-watch/) - End of Watch is a 2012 American crime drama film written and directed by David Ayer. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña as Brian Taylor and Miguel Zavala, two Los Angeles Police Department officers who work in South Los Angeles. The film focuses on their day-to-day police work, their dealings with a certain group of gang members, their friendship with each other, and their personal relationships. (Wikipedia) - [Steven Seagal](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/steven-seagal/) - Steven Frederic Seagal (born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, martial artist, and musician who holds American, Serbian, and Russian citizenship. (Wikipedia) - [Hold the Dark](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hold-the-dark/) - Hold the Dark is a 2018 American thriller film directed by Jeremy Saulnier from a screenplay by Macon Blair. It is based upon the novel of the same name by William Giraldi and stars Jeffrey Wright, Alexander Skarsgård, James Badge Dale, Riley Keough, Tantoo Cardinal, and Julian Black Antelope. - [3 Deewarein](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/3-deewarein/) - 3 Deewarein (3 Walls) is a 2003 Indian Hindi crime film written, directed and co-starred by Nagesh Kukunoor. Juhi Chawla, Jackie Shroff, Naseeruddin Shah, and Gulshan Grover form the rest of the cast. The film narrates the story of three prisoners and a documentary filmmaker who, while filming their reformation story in the prison, finds redemption with her own troubled marriage. The film was showcased among the Indian panorama section, at the 2003 International Film Festival of India. http://cinematicdiversions.com/3-walls-review/ - [Bollywood](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bollywood/) - Hindi cinema, often known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is the Indian Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai (formerly Bombay). The term is a portmanteau of “Bombay” and “Hollywood”. The industry is related to Tamil film industry (Kollywood), Telugu film industry (Tollywood) and other industries, making up Indian Cinema – the world’s largest by number of feature films produced - [A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 Dream Warriors](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-nightmare-on-elm-street-3-dream-warriors/) - A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors is a 1987 American slasher film directed by Chuck Russell. The story was developed by Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner. It is the third installment in the Nightmare on Elm Street series and stars Heather Langenkamp, Patricia Arquette, Larry Fishburne, Priscilla Pointer, Craig Wasson, and Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger. The plot centers around the antagonist, who seeks to murder the remaining children of the parents who burned him to death. The kids are committed to a mental hospital where Nancy Thompson, whose parents helped to kill Krueger, works. Freddy does not know that Nancy is training the kids to control their dreams in order to fight him. The film was followed by a sequel, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, a year later. http://cinematicdiversions.com/a-nightmare-on-elm-street-3-dream-warriors-review/ - [Harry Potter](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/harry-potter/) - Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry’s struggle against Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who intends to become immortal, overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic and subjugate all wizards and Muggles (non-magical people). (Wikipedia) - [John Saxon](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/john-saxon/) - John Saxon (born Carmine Orrico; August 5, 1935) is an American actor and martial artist who has worked on more than 200 projects during a span of 60 years. Saxon is known for his work in westerns and horror films, often playing police officers and detectives. (Wikipedia) - [A Perfect Getaway](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-perfect-getaway/) - A Perfect Getaway is a 2009 American thriller slasher adventure film, written and directed by David Twohy, that stars Timothy Olyphant, Milla Jovovich, Kiele Sanchez, and Steve Zahn. The film was originally shot in Puerto Rico and Hawaii and was released on August 7, 2009, in the United States and on August 12 in the United Kingdom. The film was a modest financial success. http://cinematicdiversions.com/a-perfect-getaway-review/ - [The Chronicles of Riddick](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-chronicles-of-riddick/) - The Chronicles of Riddick is a 2004 American science fiction adventure film that follows the adventures of Richard B. Riddick as he attempts to elude capture after the events depicted in the 2000 film Pitch Black. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-chronicles-of-riddick-2004-review/ - [Monty Python](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/monty-python/) - Monty Python (also collectively known as The Pythons) is a British surreal comedy group who created the sketch comedy television show Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series. The Python phenomenon developed from the television series into something larger in scope and impact, including touring stage shows, films, numerous albums, several books, and musicals. The Pythons’ influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles’ influence on music. Regarded as enduring icons of 1970s pop culture, their sketch show has been referred to as being “an important moment in the evolution of television comedy” (Wikipedia) - [Mass Effect](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mass-effect/) - Mass Effect is a science fiction action role-playing third-person shooter video game series developed by the Canadian company BioWare and released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Windows, with the third installment also released on the Wii U. The fourth game was released on Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in March 2017. - [Blade Runner](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/blade-runner/) - Blade Runner is a 1982 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young, it is loosely based on Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968). The film is set in a dystopian future Los Angeles of 2019, in which synthetic humans known as replicants are bio-engineered by the powerful Tyrell Corporation to work on off-world colonies. When a fugitive group of Nexus-6 replicants led by Roy Batty (Hauer) escapes back to Earth, burnt-out cop Rick Deckard (Ford) reluctantly agrees to hunt them down. (Wikipedia) - [The Matrix](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-matrix/) - The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis that stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantoliano and the first installment in the Matrix franchise. It depicts a dystopian future in which humanity is unknowingly trapped inside a simulated reality, the Matrix, created by thought-capable machines (artificial beings) to distract humans while using their bodies as an energy source. When computer programmer Thomas Anderson, under the hacker alias “Neo”, uncovers the truth, he “is drawn into a rebellion against the machines” along with other people who have been freed from the Matrix. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-matrix-1999-review/ - [Forbidden World](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/forbidden-world/) - Forbidden World, originally titled Mutant, is a 1982 American science fiction-horror film. The screenplay was written by Tim Curnen, from a screen story by R.J. Robertson and Jim Wynorski. It was co-edited and directed by Allan Holzman, who had edited Battle Beyond the Stars two years earlier. The cast includes Jesse Vint, Dawn Dunlap, June Chadwick, Linden Chiles, Fox Harris, and Michael Bowen. Forbidden World has also been released under the titles Mutant and Subject 20. (Wikipedia) - [Ninja Scroll](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ninja-scroll/) - Ninja Scroll is a 1993 Japanese animated jidaigeki-chanbara film written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, starring the voices of Kōichi Yamadera, Emi Shinohara, Takeshi Aono, Daisuke Gōri, Toshihiko Seki and Shūichirō Moriyama. The film was a co-production between JVC, Toho, Movic and Animate, with Madhouse serving as the animation studio. Ninja Scroll was theatrically released in Japan on June 5, 1993, and received an English-dubbed release in Western countries through Manga Entertainment in 1995. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/ninja-scroll-review/ - [Seven Samurai](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/seven-samurai/) - Seven Samurai (Shichinin no Samurai) is a 1954 Japanese epic samurai drama film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story takes place in 1586 during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. It follows the story of a village of farmers that hire seven rōnin (masterless samurai) to combat bandits who will return after the harvest to steal their crops. - [The Magnificent Seven](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-magnificent-seven/) - The Magnificent Seven is a 1960 American Western film directed by John Sturges and starring Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, James Coburn, and Horst Buchholz. The film is an Old West-style remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 Japanese film Seven Samurai. Brynner, McQueen, Bronson, Vaughn, Dexter, Coburn and Buchholz portray the title characters, a group of seven gunfighters hired to protect a small village in Mexico from a group of marauding bandits (whose leader is played by Wallach). The film’s musical score was composed by Elmer Bernstein. In 2013, the film was selected for the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. - [Lone Wolf and Cub](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/lone-wolf-and-cub/) - Lone Wolf and Cub is a manga created by writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima. First published in 1970, the story was adapted into six films starring Tomisaburo Wakayama, four plays, a television series starring Kinnosuke Yorozuya, and is widely recognized as an important and influential work. - [Live Free or Die Hard](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/live-free-or-die-hard/) - Live Free or Die Hard (released as Die Hard 4.0 outside North America) is a 2007 American action thriller film and the fourth installment in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by Len Wiseman and starred Bruce Willis as John McClane. The film’s name was adapted from New Hampshire’s state motto, “Live Free or Die”. In the film, McClane attempts to stop cyber-terrorists who hack into government and commercial computers across the United States with the goal of starting a “fire sale” that would disable key elements of the nation’s infrastructure. The film was based on the 1997 article “A Farewell to Arms” written for Wired magazine by John Carlin. - [Naruto](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/naruto/) - Naruto is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who seeks to gain recognition from his peers and also dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. The story is in two parts, the first set in Naruto’s pre-teen years, and the second in his teens. The series is based on two one-shot manga by Kishimoto: Karakuri (1995), which earned Kishimoto an honorable mention in Shueisha’s monthly Hop Step Award the following year, and Naruto (1997). - [Never Back Down](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/never-back-down/) - Never Back Down is a 2008 martial arts film directed by Jeff Wadlow and starring Sean Faris, Amber Heard, Cam Gigandet, and Djimon Hounsou. The movie was released on March 14, 2008. The film is about a frustrated and conflicted teenager who arrives at a new high school to discover an underground fight club. (Wikipedia) - [Bloodfist](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bloodfist/) - Bloodfist is a 1989 American martial arts action film directed by Terence H. Winkless, written by Robert King, and starring Don “The Dragon” Wilson. Wilson plays a dojo sensei in California who travels to Manila to avenge his professional kickboxer brother, who was murdered after a fight. It has become a cult film. (Wikipedia) - [Emily Blunt](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/emily-blunt/) - Emily Olivia Leah Blunt (born 23 February 1983) is an English-American actress. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, and has been nominated for two British Academy Film Awards. (Wikipedia) - [Love Actually](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/love-actually/) - Love Actually is a 2003 British Christmas-themed romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis, and mostly filmed on location in London. It features an ensemble cast, composed predominantly of British actors, many of whom had worked with Curtis in previous film and television projects. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as the tales progress. The story begins five weeks before Christmas and is played out in a weekly countdown until the holiday, followed by an epilogue that takes place one month later. It is an international co-production between the United Kingdom, the United States, and France. - [Alice in Acidland](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alice-in-acidland/) - College students Alice and Kathy are invited to a pool party by lesbian Frieda. Alice gets drunk and uses acid and does not feel well. Frieda takes a bath with Alice and they have a lesbian relationship. Alice joins a group of hippies, uses acid and drugs with them and has sex with every man and woman in orgies. —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil http://cinematicdiversions.com/alice-in-acidland-review/ - [Lesbian](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/lesbian/) - A lesbian is a homosexual woman. The word lesbian is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexuality or same-sex attraction. (Wikipedia) - [Alien Hunter](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alien-hunter/) - Alien Hunter is a 2003 television science-fiction-thriller film, directed by Ronald Krauss and stars James Spader, Carl Lewis, and Leslie Stefanson. http://cinematicdiversions.com/alien-hunter-review/ - [Stargate](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/stargate/) - Stargate (Stylised as STARGΛTE) is a science fiction media franchise based on the film written by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien Einstein–Rosen bridge device (the Stargate) that enables nearly instantaneous travel across the cosmos. The franchise began with the film Stargate, released on October 28, 1994, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, which grossed US$197 million worldwide. In 1997, Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner created a television series titled Stargate SG-1 as a sequel to the film. This show was joined by Stargate Atlantis in 2004, Stargate Universe in 2009, and a prequel web series, Stargate Origins, in 2018. Also consistent with the same story are a variety of books, video games, and comic books, as well as the direct-to-DVD movies Stargate: Children of the Gods, Stargate: The Ark of Truth, and Stargate: Continuum, which concluded the first television show after 10 seasons. - [Alien Outlaw](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alien-outlaw/) - Aliens land in a small town where Jesse Jamison is about to have a gun show and bullets fly after the aliens start killing people. Watch out Diamond Booking agency for your next momentous event! http://cinematicdiversions.com/alien-outlaw-review/ - [The Dark Power](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-dark-power/) - The spirits of dead Indians are haunting a couple’s house, and they call in an exorcist, whose trademark is a black whip, to get rid of them. - [Along Came Polly](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/along-came-polly/) - Along Came Polly is a 2004 American romantic comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg, starring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston in the lead roles. The story follows Reuben Feffer (Ben Stiller), a tightly-wound New Yorker who finds his life falling apart when he discovers his wife cheating on him with a scuba diver on their honeymoon. He then rebounds and finds himself falling in love with his former classmate, Polly Prince (Jennifer Aniston) as she tries to loosen up his rigid ways, which brings him to question his life and some decisions, and that you can’t analyze the safe choice in love all the time. The movie made a gross of $88,097,164 in the US. http://cinematicdiversions.com/along-came-polly-review/ - [Meet the Parents](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/meet-the-parents/) - Meet the Parents is a 2000 American comedy written by Jim Herzfeld and John Hamburg and directed by Jay Roach. Starring Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller, it chronicles a series of unfortunate events that befall a good-hearted but hapless nurse while visiting his girlfriend’s parents. Teri Polo, Blythe Danner, and Owen Wilson also star. - [Goodfellas](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/goodfellas/) - Goodfellas (stylized GoodFellas) is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is an adaptation of the 1985 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese. The film narrates the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/goodfellas-1990-review/ - [Ronald Reagan](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ronald-reagan/) - Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Prior to his presidency, he was a Hollywood actor and union leader before serving as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 to 1975. (Wikipedia) - [American Me](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/american-me/) - American Me is a 1992 American biographical crime drama film produced and directed by Edward James Olmos, his first film as a director, and written by Floyd Mutrux and Desmond Nakano. Olmos also stars as the film’s protagonist, Montoya Santana. Executive producers included record producer Lou Adler, screenwriter Mutrux, and Irwin Young. It depicts a fictionalized account of the founding and rises to power of the Mexican Mafia in the California prison system from the 1950s to the 1980s. http://cinematicdiversions.com/american-me-review/ - [Anaconda 4: Trail of Blood](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/anaconda-4-trail-of-blood/) - Anacondas: Trail of Blood (also known as Anaconda 4) is a 2009 American horror thriller television film directed by Don E. Fauntleroy. The film is a sequel to Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008) and the fourth installment in the Anaconda franchise. It premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel on February 28, 2009. http://cinematicdiversions.com/anaconda-4-trail-of-blood-review/ - [Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/anacondas-the-hunt-for-the-blood-red-orchid/) - A scientific expedition sets out for Borneo to seek a flower called the Blood Orchid, which could grant longer life. Meanwhile, they run afoul of snakes and each other. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/anacondas-the-hunt-for-the-blood-red-orchid-review/ - [Anaconda (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/anaconda-film/) - Anaconda is a 1997 American adventure horror film directed by Luis Llosa, starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz, Jonathan Hyde, and Owen Wilson. It focuses on a documentary film crew that is captured by a snake hunter, who is hunting down a giant, legendary green anaconda, which is discovered in the Amazon rainforest. The film received mixed reviews but was a box-office success and was followed by a series of films. - [The Amityville Horror Part II](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-amityville-horror-part-ii/) - The Amityville Horror Part II is a book written by John G. Jones as the sequel to The Amityville Horror. The book was published in 1982 and recounts the aftermath of the original book and what happened to the Lutzes after they fled 112 Ocean Avenue. This was the final book in the series to be based or inspired by a true story. The sequels had the Lutzes as main characters and were marketed as “The Terrifying True Story Continues…” although there is a disclaimer stating that “This book is a work of fiction, the author created this story” - [Five Easy Pieces](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/five-easy-pieces/) - Five Easy Pieces is a 1970 American drama film written by Carole Eastman (as Adrien Joyce) and Bob Rafelson, and directed by Rafelson. The film stars Jack Nicholson, with Karen Black, Susan Anspach, Ralph Waite, and Sally Struthers in supporting roles. - [Android Apocalypse](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/android-apocalypse/) - Android Apocalypse (also known as Facing Extinction) is a 2006 science fiction film starring Scott Bairstow and Joseph Lawrence. The film was written by Karl Schiffman and directed by Paul Ziller for Sci Fi Channel as a television film. It is set on a post-apocalyptic Earth that is ruled by androids and explores the relationship between a human, Jute (Bairstow), and an android, DeeCee (Lawrence) who is beginning to develop emotions. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/android-apocalypse-review/ - [Blossom (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/blossom-tv-series/) - Blossom is an American sitcom broadcast for five seasons on NBC. It debuted as a pilot preview on July 5, 1990, and premiered as a mid-season replacement on January 3, 1991, and aired until May 22, 1995. Don recreated the series, which starred Mayim Bialik as Blossom Russo, a teenager living with her father and two elder brothers. It was produced by Reo’s Impact Zone Productions and Witt/Thomas Productions in association with Touchstone Television. (Wikipedia) - [Alien vs. Predator (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alien-vs-predator-film/) - Alien vs. Predator (also known as AVP) is a 2004 science fiction action film written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, and starring Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Lance Henriksen, and Ewen Bremner. It is the first installment of the Alien vs. Predator franchise, adapting a crossover bringing together the eponymous creatures of the Alien and Predator series, a concept which originated in a 1989 comic book written by Randy Stradley and Chris Warner. Anderson, together with Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett (both of which previously worked on the Alien films), wrote the story, and Anderson and Shane Salerno adapted the story into a screenplay. Their writing was influenced by Aztec mythology, the comic book series, and the writings of Erich von Däniken. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/alien-vs-predator-review/ - [Alien (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alien-franchise/) - Alien is a science-fiction horror/action media franchise centered on the film series depicting warrant officer Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and her battles with an extraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as “the Alien”. Produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox, the series began with Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott, and was followed by three sequels, Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992), and Alien Resurrection (1997), directed by James Cameron, David Fincher, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, respectively. (Wikipedia) - [Predator (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/predator-franchise/) - Predator is a science-fiction action media franchise centered on the film series depicting mankind’s encounters with a race of extraterrestrial hunters known as “the Predator”. Produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox, the series began with Predator (1987), directed by John McTiernan, and was followed by three sequels, Predator 2 (1990), Predators (2010), and The Predator (2018), directed by Stephen Hopkins, Nimród Antal, and Shane Black, respectively. The series has led to numerous novels, comics, and video game spin-offs such as Predator: Concrete Jungle released in 2005 to generally mixed reviews. The Alien vs. Predator franchise combines the continuities of the Alien franchise with the Predator franchise and consists of two films as well as varying series of comics, books, and video games. (Wikipedia) - [Predator (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/predator-film/) - Predator is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by John McTiernan and written by brothers Jim and John Thomas. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the leader of an elite military rescue team on a mission to save hostages in the guerrilla-held territory in Central America. Kevin Peter Hall co-stars as the Predator who is a technologically advanced monster spying, stalking, and hunting the main characters. Predator was written in 1984, under the working title of Hunter. Filming ran from March–June 1986 and creature effects were devised by Stan Winston. (Wikipedia) - [Angels & Demons (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/angels-demons-film/) - Angels & Demons is a 2009 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman and David Koepp, based on Dan Brown’s novel of the same title. It is the sequel movie to the 2006 film The Da Vinci Code, also directed by Howard, and the second movie installment in the Robert Langdon film series. However, the novel version was published first and acts as a prequel to The Da Vinci Code novel. Filming took place in Rome, Italy, and the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Professor Robert Langdon, while Ayelet Zurer stars as Dr. Vittoria Vetra, a CERN scientist joining Langdon in the quest to recover a missing vial of antimatter from a mysterious Illuminati terrorist. Producer Brian Grazer, composer Hans Zimmer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman also return, with David Koepp coming on board to help the latter. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/angels-and-demons-review/ - [Ron Howard](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ron-howard/) - Howard first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, most notably in an episode of The Twilight Zone. He gained national attention for playing young Opie Taylor, the son of Sheriff Andy Taylor (played by Andy Griffith) in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show from 1960 through 1968. During this time, he also appeared in the musical film The Music Man (1962), a critical and commercial success. (Wikipedia) - [The Da Vinci Code (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-da-vinci-code-film/) - The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard, written by Akiva Goldsman, and based on Dan Brown’s 2003 best-selling novel of the same name. The first in the Robert Langdon film series, the film stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Sir Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jürgen Prochnow, Jean Reno, and Paul Bettany. In the film, Robert Langdon, a professor of religious symbology from Harvard University, is the prime suspect in the grisly and unusual murder of Louvre curator Jacques Saunière. In the body, the police find a disconcerting cipher and start an investigation. A noted British Grail historian named Sir Leigh Teabing tells them that the actual Holy Grail is explicitly encoded in Leonardo da Vinci’s wall painting, The Last Supper. Also searching for the Grail is a secret cabal within Opus Dei, an actual prelature of the Holy See, who wishes to keep the true Grail a secret to prevent the destruction of Christianity. (Wikipedia) - [Prostitution](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/prostitution/) - Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. Prostitution is sometimes described as sexual services, commercial sex or, colloquially, hooking. It is sometimes referred to euphemistically as “the world’s oldest profession” in the English-speaking world. A person who works in this field is called a prostitute and is a type of sex worker. (Wikipedia) - [Seven (1995 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/seven-1995-film/) - Seven (stylized as SE7EN) is a 1995 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. It stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, John C. McGinley, R. Lee Ermey, and Kevin Spacey. It tells the story of David Mills, a detective who partners with the retiring William Somerset to track down a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as a motif in his murders. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/se7en-1995-review/ - [Stellan Skarsgård](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/stellan-skarsgard/) - Stellan John Skarsgård (born 13 June 1951) is a Swedish actor. He is known for his roles as Jan Nyman in Breaking the Waves (1996), Captain Tupolev in The Hunt for Red October (1990), Prof. Gerald Lambeau in Good Will Hunting (1997), Bootstrap Bill Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), Bill Anderson in Mamma Mia! (2008) and the sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018), Commander Maximilian Richter in Angels and Demons (2009), Martin Vanger in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Dr. Erik Selvig in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor (2011), The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), and The Grand Duke in Cinderella (2015). Most recently he portrayed Boris Shcherbina in the HBO/Sky UK television miniseries Chernobyl (2019). - [Damnation Alley (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/damnation-alley-film/) - Damnation Alley is a 1977 post-apocalyptic film directed by Jack Smight, loosely based on the novel of the same name by Roger Zelazny. The original music score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith and the cinematography was by Harry Stradling Jr. (Wikipedia) - [The Image (1975 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-image-1975-film/) - The Image is a 1975 American adult drama that was re-released in an edited version in 1976. The film is also known by two other titles: The Punishment of Anne and The Mistress and the Slave and was directed by Radley Metzger. The film is based upon the classic 1956 sadomasochistic novel L’Image, written by Catherine Robbe-Grillet and published under the pseudonym of “Jean de Berg” - [12:01 (1993 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/1201-1993-film/) - 12:01 is a 1993 science fiction television film directed by Jack Sholder and starring Helen Slater, Jonathan Silverman, Jeremy Piven, and Martin Landau. It originally aired on the Fox Network in the United States. http://cinematicdiversions.com/1201-1993-review/ - [Groundhog Day (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/groundhog-day-film/) - Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and written by Ramis and Danny Rubin. It stars Bill Murray as Phil Connors, a TV weatherman who, during an assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event, is caught in a time loop, repeatedly reliving the same day. Andie MacDowell and Chris Elliott co-star. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/groundhog-day-1993-review/ - [T. J. Hooker](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/t-j-hooker/) - T. J. Hooker is an American police drama television program starring William Shatner in the title role as a 15-year veteran police sergeant. The series premiered as a mid-season replacement on March 13, 1982, on ABC and ran on the network until May 4, 1985. The show was then picked up for a further single season by CBS. - [14 Cameras](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/14-cameras/) - When a family of five rent a beautiful house for their summer vacation, the price seems too good to be true. http://cinematicdiversions.com/14-cameras-review/ - [Found footage (film technique)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/found-footage-film-technique/) - Found footage is a film subgenre in which all or a substantial part of the work is presented as if it were discovered a film or video recordings. The events on screen are typically seen through the camera of one or more of the characters involved, often accompanied by their real-time, off-camera commentary. For added realism, the cinematography may be done by the actors themselves as they perform, and shaky camera work and naturalistic acting are routinely employed. The footage may be presented as if it were “raw” and complete or as if it had been edited into a narrative by those who “found” it. - [Horror film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/horror-film/) - A horror film is a film that seeks to elicit fear for entertainment purposes. Initially inspired by literature from authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, and Mary Shelley, horror has existed as a film genre for more than a century. The macabre and the supernatural are frequent themes. Horror may also overlap with the fantasy, supernatural fiction, and thriller genres. (Wikipedia) - [Jackass (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jackass-franchise/) - Jackass is an American reality comedy television series created by Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze, and Jeff Tremaine, directed by Tremaine and produced by Dickhouse Productions. It originally aired for three seasons on MTV between October 1, 2000, and February 3, 2002. The show featured a cast of ten carrying out stunts and pranks on each other or the public. The cast included Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Brandon DiCamillo, Dave England, Ryan Dunn, Ehren McGhehey, Jason “Wee Man” Acuña, and Preston Lacy. - [1990: The Bronx Warriors](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/1990-the-bronx-warriors-2/) - 1990: The Bronx Warriors (Italian: 1990: I guerrieri del Bronx) is a 1982 Italian action-science fiction film directed by Enzo G. Castellari. http://cinematicdiversions.com/1990-the-bronx-warriors-review/ - [The Bronx](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-bronx/) - The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City, in the U.S. state of New York, coterminous with Bronx County, the third-most densely populated county in the United States. It is south of Westchester County; northeast and east of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of Queens, across the East River. - [The Warriors (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-warriors-film/) - The Warriors is a 1979 American action film directed by Walter Hill. It is based on Sol Yurick’s 1965 novel of the same name, which was, in turn, based on Xenophon’s Anabasis. The story centers on a New York City gang who must make an urban journey of 30 miles (48 km), from the north end of The Bronx to their home turf in Coney Island in southern Brooklyn, after they are framed for the murder of a respected gang leader. It was released in the United States on February 9, 1979. (Wikipedia) - [Cruising (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cruising-film/) - Cruising is a 1980 American erotic crime thriller film written and directed by William Friedkin and starring Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, and Karen Allen. It is loosely based on the novel of the same name by New York Times reporter Gerald Walker about a serial killer targeting gay men, particularly those men associated with the leather scene in the late 1970s. The title is a play on words with a dual meaning because “cruising” can describe police officers on patrol and gay men who are cruising for sex. - [Rollerball (1975 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/rollerball-1975-film/) - Rollerball is a 1975 science fiction sports film directed and produced by Norman Jewison. It stars James Caan, John Houseman, Maud Adams, John Beck, Moses Gunn, and Ralph Richardson. The screenplay, written by William Harrison, adapted his own short story, “Roller Ball Murder”, which had first appeared in the September 1973 issue of Esquire. - [A Chorus Line](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-chorus-line/) - A Chorus Line is a concept musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Centered on seventeen Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line, the musical is set on the bare stage of a Broadway theatre during an audition for a musical. A Chorus Line provides a glimpse into the personalities of the performers and the choreographer as they describe the events that have shaped their lives and their decisions to become dancers. - [The Cannonball Run](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-cannonball-run/) - The Cannonball Run is a 1981 American-Hong Kong comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Dom DeLuise, Farrah Fawcett, and an all-star supporting cast. Filmed in Panavision, it was directed by Hal Needham, produced by Hong Kong’s Golden Harvest films, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film is based on the 1979 running of an actual cross-country outlaw road race beginning in Connecticut and ending in California. - [Ella Enchanted (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ella-enchanted-film/) - Ella Enchanted is a 2004 fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Tommy O’Haver and written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith loosely based on Gail Carson Levine’s 1997 novel of the same name. Starring Anne Hathaway and Hugh Dancy, the film plays with the usual fairy tale genre. - [Jaws (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jaws-franchise/) - Jaws is an American natural horror film series that started with a 1975 film that expanded into three sequels, a theme park ride, and other tie-in merchandise, based on a 1974 novel. The main subject of the saga is a great white shark and its attacks on people in specific areas of the United States. The Brody family is featured in all of the films as the primary antithesis to the shark. The original film was based on a novel written by Peter Benchley, which itself was inspired by the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916. Benchley adapted his novel, along with help from Carl Gottlieb and Howard Sackler, into the 1975 film Jaws, which was directed by Steven Spielberg. Although Gottlieb went on to pen two of the three sequels, neither Benchley nor Spielberg returned to the film series in any capacity. - [Baby Boy (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/baby-boy-film/) - Baby Boy is a 2001 American coming-of-age hood film written, produced, and directed by John Singleton. The film follows bicycle mechanic Joseph “Jody” Summers as he lives and learns in his everyday life in the hood of Los Angeles. It represented the film debut of actress Taraji P. Henson and R&B singer Tyrese Gibson. Gibson and Henson later starred in the film Four Brothers. The film, originally set to star Tupac Shakur, instead switched to Gibson after Shakur’s death in 1996. - [20000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/20000-leagues-under-the-sea-1954-film/) - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1954 American Technicolor adventure film and the first science fiction film shot in CinemaScope. The film was personally produced by Walt Disney through Walt Disney Productions, directed by Richard Fleischer, and stars Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas, and Peter Lorre. It was also the first feature-length Disney film to be distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. The film is adapted from Jules Verne’s 19th-century novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. It is considered an early precursor of the steampunk genre. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/20000-leagues-under-the-sea-review/ - [Zulu (1964 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/zulu-1964-film/) - Zulu is a 1964 British epic war film depicting the Battle of Rorke’s Drift between the British Army and the Zulus in January 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War. It depicts 150 British soldiers, many of whom were sick and wounded patients in a field hospital, who successfully held off a force of 4,000 Zulu warriors. The film is notable for showing the Zulu army as disciplined and governed by strategy. - [Batman (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/batman-tv-series/) - Batman is a 1960s American live-action television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Bruce Wayne / Batman and Burt Ward as Dick Grayson / Robin – two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City from a variety of arch villains. It is known for its camp style, upbeat theme music, and its intentionally humorous, simplistic morality (aimed at its largely teenage audience). This included championing the importance of using seat belts, doing homework, eating vegetables, and drinking milk. It was described by executive producer William Dozier as the only situation comedy on the air without a laugh track. The 120 episodes aired on the ABC network for three seasons from January 12, 1966, to March 14, 1968, twice weekly for the first two and weekly for the third. In 2016, television critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz ranked Batman as the 82nd greatest American television show of all time. (Wikipedia) - [Batman (1966 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/batman-1966-film/) - Batman (also known as Batman: The Movie) is a 1966 American superhero film based on the Batman television series, and the first full-length theatrical adaptation of the DC Comics character Batman. Released by 20th Century Fox, the film starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. The film hit theaters two months after the last episode of the first season of the television series. The film includes most members of the original TV cast, with the exception of Lee Meriwether as Catwoman, the character previously played by Julie Newmar in two episodes of the series’ first season (Wikipedia) - [2012 (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/2012-film/) - 2012 is a 2009 American action sci-fi disaster film co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich. The film was produced by Harald Kloser, Mark Gordon, and Larry J. Franco. Kloser wrote the screenplay with Emmerich, and, the film was distributed by Columbia Pictures and produced by Emmerich’s Centropolis Entertainment. The plot follows novelist Jackson Curtis as he attempts to bring his family to safety as the world is destroyed by a series of extreme natural disasters. The film refers to Mayanism and the 2012 phenomenon in its portrayal of cataclysmic events. Filming, originally planned for Los Angeles, began in Vancouver on August 2008. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/2012-review/ - [Disaster film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/disaster-film/) - A disaster film or disaster movie is a film genre that has an impending or ongoing disaster as its subject and primary plot device. Such disasters include natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, tsunamis or asteroid collisions, accidents such as shipwrecks or airplane crashes, or calamities like worldwide disease pandemics. A subgenre of action films, these films usually feature some degree of build-up, the disaster itself, and sometimes the aftermath, usually from the point of view of specific individual characters or their families or portraying the survival tactics of different people. (Wikipedia) - [The Poseidon Adventure (1972 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-poseidon-adventure-1972-film/) - The Poseidon Adventure is a 1972 American disaster film directed by Ronald Neame, produced by Irwin Allen, and based on Paul Gallico’s eponymous 1969 novel. It features an ensemble cast, including five Oscar winners: Gene Hackman; Ernest Borgnine; Jack Albertson; Shelley Winters; and Red Buttons. Parts of the movie were filmed aboard the RMS Queen Mary. The plot centers on the fictional SS Poseidon, an aged luxury liner on her final voyage from New York City to Athens before being sent to the scrapyard. On New Year’s Eve, she is overturned by a tsunami. Passengers and crew are trapped inside, and a rebellious preacher attempts to lead a small group of survivors to safety. (Wikipedia) - [Independence Day (1996 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/independence-day-1996-film/) - Independence Day (also known as ID4) is a 1996 American science fiction action film directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia, James Rebhorn, Harvey Fierstein, Vivica A. Fox, and Harry Connick Jr. The film focuses on disparate groups of people who converge in the Nevada desert in the aftermath of a worldwide attack by an extraterrestrial race of unknown origin. With the other people of the world, they launch a last-ditch counterattack on July 4th—Independence Day in the United States. - [When Worlds Collide (1951 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/when-worlds-collide-1951-film/) - When Worlds Collide is a 1951 American Technicolor science fiction disaster film, produced by George Pal, directed by Rudolph Maté, and starring Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, Peter Hansen, and John Hoyt. It was distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film is based on the 1932 science fiction novel of the same name, co-written by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer. - [211 (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/211-film/) - 211 is a 2018 American action film directed by York Shackleton and written by York Shackleton and John Rebus. The film stars Nicolas Cage, Cory Hardrict, Michael Rainey Jr., Ori Pfeffer, and Weston Cage. Filming began on February 27, 2018, and ended on April 27, 2018. The film was released on June 8, 2018, by Momentum Pictures. It is based on the 1997 North Hollywood shootout. http://cinematicdiversions.com/211-review/ - [Black Hawk Down (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/black-hawk-down-film/) - Black Hawk Down is a 2001 American war film produced and directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Ken Nolan. It is based on the 1999 non-fiction book of the same name by journalist Mark Bowden about the 1993 raid in Mogadishu by the U.S. military, aimed at capturing faction leader Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The ensuing firefight became known as the Battle of Mogadishu. The film features a large ensemble cast, including Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Eric Bana, Tom Sizemore, William Fichtner, Sam Shepard and Tom Hardy in his first film role. (Wikipedia) - [The Shawshank Redemption](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-shawshank-redemption/) - The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. It tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Over the following two decades, he befriends a fellow prisoner, contraband smuggler Ellis “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman), and becomes instrumental in a money-laundering operation led by the prison warden Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton). William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, and James Whitmore appear in supporting roles. - [A Nightmare on Elm Street (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-nightmare-on-elm-street-franchise/) - A Nightmare on Elm Street is an American horror franchise that consists of nine slasher films, a television series, novels, and comic books. The films began with the film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) created by Wes Craven. The series revolves around the fictional character Freddy Krueger, a former child killer who after being burned alive by the vengeful parents of his victims, returns from the grave to terrorize and kill the teenage residents of Springwood, Ohio in their dreams. The original film was written and directed by Craven, who returned to co-script the second sequel, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), and to write and direct New Nightmare (1994). The films collectively grossed over $457 million at the box-office worldwide. (Wikipedia) - [Pitch Black (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pitch-black-film/) - Pitch Black (titled The Chronicles of Riddick: Pitch Black on its DVD re-release) is a 2000 American science fiction action film co-written and directed by David Twohy. The film stars Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, and Keith David. Dangerous criminal Richard B. Riddick (Diesel) is being transported to prison in a spacecraft. When the spaceship is damaged by comet debris and makes an emergency crash landing on an empty desert planet, Riddick escapes. However, when predatory alien creatures begin attacking the survivors, Riddick joins forces with the surviving crew and other passengers to develop a plan to escape the planet. (Wikipedia) - [Below (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/below-film/) - Below is a 2002 American World War II submarine horror film directed by David Twohy, written by Darren Aronofsky, Lucas Sussman, and Twohy, and stars Bruce Greenwood, Olivia Williams, Matthew Davis, Holt McCallany, Scott Foley, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Flemyng, and Dexter Fletcher. The film tells the story of a United States Navy submarine that experiences a series of supernatural events while on patrol in the Atlantic Ocean in 1943. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/below-review/ - [Documentary film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/documentary-film/) - A documentary film is a nonfictional motion picture intended to document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record. “Documentary” has been described as a “filmmaking practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception” that is continually evolving and is without clear boundaries. Documentary films were originally called ‘actuality’ films and were only a minute or less in length. Over time documentaries have evolved to be longer in length and to include more categories, such as educational, observational, and even ‘docufiction’. Documentaries are also educational and often used in schools to teach various principles. Social media platforms such as YouTube, have allowed documentary films to improve the ways the films are distributed and able to educate and broaden the reach of people who receive the information. (Wikipedia) - [Minimalism](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/minimalism/) - (Yes I know that this is the artistic version of Minimalism but I am using it as a catchall for the philosophy.) In visual arts, music, and other mediums, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include Donald Judd, John McCracken, Agnes Martin, Dan Flavin, Robert Morris, Anne Truitt, and Frank Stella. It derives from the reductive aspects of modernism and is often interpreted as a reaction against abstract expressionism and a bridge to post-minimal art practices. (Wikipedia) - [Cargo (2009 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cargo-2009-film/) - Cargo is a 2009 science fiction film, the first from Swiss production and the first major feature film by Ivan Engler. http://cinematicdiversions.com/cargo-review/ - [Firefly (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/firefly-tv-series/) - Firefly is an American space Western drama television series that ran from 2002–2003, created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as an executive producer, along with Tim Minear. The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a “Firefly-class” spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters who live on Serenity. Whedon pitched the show as “nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things”. - [The Matrix (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-matrix-franchise/) - The Matrix is a science fiction action media franchise created by the Wachowskis. The series primarily consists of a trilogy of feature films which began with The Matrix (1999), and continued with two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (both 2003), all written and directed by the Wachowskis and produced by Joel Silver. The franchise is owned by Warner Bros., which distributed the films along with Village Roadshow Pictures. The latter, along with Silver Pictures, are the two production companies that worked on all three films. (Wikipedia) - [Parasite (1982 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/parasite-1982-film/) - Parasite is a 1982 American science fiction horror film produced and directed by Charles Band. The film is set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future in which the United States has been taken over by a criminal organization who unwittingly create an uncontrollable deadly parasite and set it loose on the population. The film received negative reviews from film critics, who viewed it as a poorly written B-movie with unconvincing special effects. The film features actress Demi Moore in her first major film role. - [Cube (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cube-film-series/) - Cube is a Canadian science-fiction horror film series. The three films were directed by Vincenzo Natali, Andrzej Sekuła, and Ernie Barbarash respectively. - [Cube (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cube-film/) - Cube is a 1997 Canadian science-fiction horror film directed and co-written by Vincenzo Natali. A product of the Canadian Film Centre’s First Feature Project, the film follows a group of people as they cross industrialized cube-shaped rooms, some rigged with various traps designed to kill. http://cinematicdiversions.com/cube-1997-review/ - [Akira (1988 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/akira-1988-film/) - Akira is a 1988 Japanese animated post-apocalyptic cyberpunk film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, produced by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, based on Otomo’s 1982 manga of the same name. The film had a production budget of ¥1.1 billion ($9 million), making it the most expensive anime film of its time. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/akira-review/ - [Ghost in the Shell (1995 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ghost-in-the-shell-1995-film/) - Ghost in the Shell is a 1995 anime cyberpunk film based on the manga of the same name by Masamune Shirow. It was written by Kazunori Itō and directed by Mamoru Oshii, and stars the voices of Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Ōtsuka, and Iemasa Kayumi. Ghost in the Shell was a Japanese-British international co-production, produced by Kodansha, Bandai Visual and Manga Entertainment, with animation provided by Production I.G. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/ghost-in-the-shell-kokaku-kidotai-1995-review/ - [Tentacle erotica](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/tentacle-erotica/) - Tentacle erotica is a type of pornography most commonly found in Japan that integrates traditional pornography with elements of bestiality and a fantasy, horror, or science-fiction theme. Tentacle rape or shokushu goukan is found in some horror or hentai titles, with tentacled creatures (usually fictional monsters) having sexual intercourse, predominantly with females. Tentacle erotica can be consensual but frequently contains elements of rape. - [Western (genre)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/western-genre/) - Western is a genre of fiction incorporating Western lifestyle which tells stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, often centering on the life of a nomadic cowboy or gunfighter armed with a revolver and a rifle who rides a horse. Cowboys and gunslingers typically wear Stetson hats, neckerchief bandannas, vests, spurs, cowboy boots and buckskins (alternatively dusters). Recurring characters include the aforementioned cowboys, Native Americans, bandits, lawmen, bounty hunters, outlaws, gamblers, soldiers (especially mounted cavalry, such as buffalo soldiers), and settlers (farmers, ranchers, and townsfolk). The ambience is usually punctuated with a Western music score, including American and Mexican folk music such as country, Native American music, New Mexico music, and rancheras. (Wikipedia) - [Die Hard (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/die-hard-film-series/) - The Die Hard series is an American action film series that originated with Roderick Thorp’s novel Nothing Lasts Forever. All five films revolve around the character of John McClane (portrayed by Bruce Willis), a New York City/Los Angeles police detective who continually finds himself in the middle of violent crises and intrigues where he is the only hope against disaster. The films have grossed a combined $1.4 billion worldwide. Die Hard, Die Hard 2, and Live Free or Die Hard received positive reviews from critics, while Die Hard with a Vengeance received mixed reviews, and A Good Day to Die Hard was negatively received. (Wikipedia) - [Animation](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/animation/) - Animation is a method in which pictures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most animations are made with computer-generated imagery (CGI). Computer animation can be very detailed 3D animation, while 2D computer animation can be used for stylistic reasons, low bandwidth or faster real-time renderings. Other common animation methods apply a stop motion technique to two and three-dimensional objects like paper cutouts, puppets or clay figures. (Wikipedia) - [The Wicker Man (2006 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-wicker-man-2006-film/) - The Wicker Man is a 2006 American/Canadian mystery drama thriller film written and directed by Neil LaBute and starring Nicolas Cage. The film primarily is a remake of the 1973 British film The Wicker Man, but also draws from its source material, David Pinner’s 1967 novel Ritual. The film concerns a policeman named Edward Malus who is informed by his ex-fiancée Willow Woodward that her daughter Rowan has disappeared and asks for his assistance in her search. When he arrives at the island where Rowan was last seen he begins to suspect something sinister is afoot with the neo-pagans who reside on the island. - [A Prayer Before Dawn (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-prayer-before-dawn-film/) - A Prayer Before Dawn is a 2017 drama film directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, written by Jonathan Hirschbein and Nick Saltrese and starring Joe Cole. It is based on the book A Prayer Before Dawn: My Nightmare in Thailand’s Prisons by Billy Moore. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2017. It was released in the United Kingdom on 20 July 2018, by Altitude Film Distribution, and in the United States on 10 August 2018, by A24. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/a-prayer-before-dawn-review/ - [Undisputed (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/undisputed-film/) - Undisputed is a 2002 American drama sports film written, produced and directed by Walter Hill and starring Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames. It was released in the United States on August 23, 2002. (Wikipedia) - [Prison film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/prison-film/) - A prison film is a film genre concerned with prison life and often prison escape. These films range from acclaimed dramas examining the nature of prisons, such as Cool Hand Luke, Midnight Express, Brubaker, Escape from Alcatraz, The Shawshank Redemption, and Kiss of the Spider Woman to actioners like Lock Up and Undisputed, and even comedies satirizing the genre like Stir Crazy, Life, and Let’s Go to Prison. Prison films have been asserted to be “guilty of oversimplifying complex issues, the end result of which is the proliferation of stereotypes”. For example, they are said to perpetuate “a common misperception that most correctional officers are abusive”, and that prisoners are “violent and beyond redemption”. (Wikipedia) - [A Quiet Place (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-quiet-place-film/) - A Quiet Place is a 2018 American post-apocalyptic horror film directed by John Krasinski, who wrote the screenplay with Bryan Woods and Scott Beck. The film stars Krasinski, alongside Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe. The plot revolves around a family struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by blind extraterrestrial creatures with an acute sense of hearing http://cinematicdiversions.com/a-quiet-place-review/ - [Bird Box (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bird-box-film/) - Bird Box is a 2018 American post-apocalyptic thriller film directed by Susanne Bier from a screenplay written by Eric Heisserer, and based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Josh Malerman. The film follows a woman, played by Sandra Bullock, as she tries to protect herself and two children from malevolent supernatural entities that make people who look at them go insane and commit suicide. http://cinematicdiversions.com/bird-box-review/ - [A Very Murray Christmas](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-very-murray-christmas/) - A Very Murray Christmas is a 2015 American Christmas musical comedy film directed by Sofia Coppola and co-written by Bill Murray, Mitch Glazer, and Coppola. The film features an ensemble cast including Bill Murray, George Clooney, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Rashida Jones, and Miley Cyrus and was released on December 4, 2015, on Netflix. http://cinematicdiversions.com/a-very-murray-christmas-review/ - [A.D. Police: To Protect and Serve](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-d-police-to-protect-and-serve/) - A.D. Police: To Protect and Serve (アドバンスドポリス Adobansudo Porisu) is a Japanese animated television series set in the Bubblegum Crisis universe. http://cinematicdiversions.com/ad-police-files-to-protect-and-serve-review/ - [A.D. Police Files](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-d-police-files/) - A.D. Police Files is a three-part original video animation produced by Youmex and animated by Artmic and AIC. It’s a spin-off of the Bubblegum Crisis series. Due to the legal conflict between Artmic and Youmex, the production of the series was stopped with only three complete episodes made. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/ad-police-files-1-3-review/ - [Alien vs. Predator (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alien-vs-predator-franchise/) - Alien vs. Predator (also known as Aliens versus Predator and AVP) is a science-fiction/action media franchise created by comic book writers Randy Stradley and Chris Warner. The series is a crossover between the Alien and Predator franchises, depicting the two species as being in conflict with one another. It began as a comic series in 1989, before being adapted into a video game series in the 1990s. Produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox, the film series began with Alien vs. Predator (2004), directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, and was followed by Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007), directed by the Brothers Strause, and the development of a third film has been long rumored. The series has led to numerous novels, comics, and video game spin-offs such as Aliens vs. Predator released in 2010 to generally positive reviews. (Wikipedia) - [Goodbye Uncle Tom](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/goodbye-uncle-tom/) - Goodbye Uncle Tom (Addio Zio Tom) is a 1971 Italian mondo film documentary film co-directed and co-written by Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi with music by Riz Ortolani. The film is based on true events in which the filmmakers explore antebellum America, using period documents to examine in graphic detail the racist ideology and degrading conditions faced by Africans under slavery. Because of the use of published documents and materials from the public record, the film labels itself a documentary, though all footage is re-staged using actors. http://cinematicdiversions.com/farewell-uncle-tom-review/ - [Amistad (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/amistad-film/) - Amistad is a 1997 American historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the true story of the events in 1839 aboard the slave ship La Amistad, during which Mende tribesmen abducted for the slave trade managed to gain control of their captors’ ship off the coast of Cuba, and the international legal battle that followed their capture by Washington, a U.S. revenue cutter. The case was ultimately resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1841. - [Sexploitation film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sexploitation-film/) - A sexploitation film (or “sex-exploitation film”) is a class of independently produced, low-budget feature film that is generally associated with the 1960s, and that serves largely as a vehicle for the exhibition of non-explicit sexual situations and gratuitous nudity. The genre is a subgenre of exploitation films. Sexploitation films were generally exhibited in urban grindhouse theatres, the precursor to the adult movie theaters of the 1970s and 1980s that featured hardcore pornography content. The term soft-core is often used to designate non-explicit sexploitation films after the general legalization of hardcore content. Nudist films are often considered to be subgenres of the sex-exploitation genre as well. “Nudie” films and “Nudie-cuties” are associated genres. (Wikipedia) - [Mandingo (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mandingo-film/) - Mandingo is a 1975 American historical drama film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring James Mason, Susan George, Perry King, and boxer-turned-actor Ken Norton. The film released by Paramount Pictures. - [Pornography](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pornography/) - Pornography (often abbreviated porn) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Pornography may be presented in a variety of media, including books, magazines, postcards, photographs, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, phone calls, writing, film, video, and video games. The term applies to the depiction of the act rather than the act itself, and so does not include live exhibitions like sex shows and striptease. The primary subjects of present-day pornographic depictions are pornographic models, who pose for still photographs, and pornographic actors or “porn stars”, who perform in pornographic films. If dramatic skills are not involved, a performer in pornographic media may also be called a model. (Wikipedia) - [E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial/) - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, and written by Melissa Mathison. It features special effects by Carlo Rambaldi and Dennis Muren, and stars Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Pat Welsh. It tells the story of Elliott (Thomas), a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, dubbed “E.T.”, who is stranded on Earth. Elliott and his siblings help E.T. return to his home planet while attempting to keep him hidden from the government. (Wikipedia) - [The Thing (1982 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-thing-1982-film/) - The Thing is a 1982 American science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter and written by Bill Lancaster. Based on the 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. novella Who Goes There?, it tells the story of a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter the eponymous “Thing”, a parasitic extraterrestrial life-form that assimilates, then imitates other organisms. The group is overcome by paranoia and conflict as they learn that they can no longer trust each other and that any one of them could be the Thing. The film stars Kurt Russell as the team’s helicopter pilot, R.J. MacReady, and features A. Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis, and Thomas G. Waites in supporting roles. (Wikipedia) - [Contact (1997 American film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/contact-1997-american-film/) - Contact is a 1997 American science fiction drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis. It is a film adaptation of Carl Sagan’s 1985 novel of the same name; Sagan and his wife Ann Druyan wrote the story outline for the film. Jodie Foster portrays the film’s protagonist, Dr. Eleanor “Ellie” Arroway, a SETI scientist who finds strong evidence of extraterrestrial life and is chosen to make first contact. The film also stars Matthew McConaughey, James Woods, Tom Skerritt, William Fichtner, John Hurt, Angela Bassett, Rob Lowe, Jake Busey and David Morse. (Wikipedia) - [On the Beach (1959 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/on-the-beach-1959-film/) - On the Beach is a 1959 American post-apocalyptic science fiction drama film from United Artists, produced and directed by Stanley Kramer, that stars Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, and Anthony Perkins. This black-and-white film is based on Nevil Shute’s 1957 novel of the same name depicting the aftermath of a nuclear war. Unlike the novel, no one is assigned blame for starting the war; the film hints that global annihilation may have arisen from an accident or misjudgment. (Wikipedia) - [The Andromeda Strain (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-andromeda-strain-film/) - The Andromeda Strain is a 1971 American science fiction thriller film produced and directed by Robert Wise. Based on Michael Crichton’s 1969 novel of the same name and adapted by Nelson Gidding, the film stars Arthur Hill, James Olson, Kate Reid, and David Wayne as a team of scientists who investigate a deadly organism of extraterrestrial origin. With a few exceptions, the film follows the book closely. Douglas Trumbull designed the special effects. The film is notable for its use of split screen in certain scenes. (Wikipedia) - [Children of the Corn (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/children-of-the-corn-film-series/) - The Children of the Corn film series began with Children of the Corn, released in 1984 by New World Pictures. After the release of Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (1992) and the series’ acquisition by Dimension Films, the subsequent installments were released directly to video, and bore little to no narrative continuity, beginning with Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995). In 2009, a television remake of the original film aired on the Syfy network, via Fox 21 Television. A sequel to Children of the Corn: Genesis and tenth overall, titled Children of the Corn: Runaway, was released on March 13, 2018. (Wikipedia) - [Friday the 13th (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/friday-the-13th-franchise/) - Friday the 13th is an American horror franchise that comprises twelve slasher films, a television show, novels, comic books, video games, and tie‑in merchandise. The franchise mainly focuses on the fictional character Jason Voorhees, who drowned as a boy at Camp Crystal Lake due to the negligence of the camp staff. Decades later, the lake is rumored to be “cursed” and is the setting for a series of mass murders. Jason is featured in all of the films, as either the killer or the motivation for the killings. The original film, created to cash in on the success of Halloween (1978), was written by Victor Miller and was produced and directed by Sean S. Cunningham. The films have grossed over $529 million at the box-office worldwide. It was the highest-grossing horror franchise in the world until the release of Halloween (2018), putting that franchise in the top spot. (Wikipedia) - [Jason X](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jason-x/) - Jason X is a 2001 American science fiction slasher film directed by Jim Isaac, written by Todd Farmer and starring Lexa Doig, Lisa Ryder, Chuck Campbell and Kane Hodder in his fourth and final appearance as Jason Voorhees. It is the tenth installment in the Friday the 13th film series. It introduces his futuristic counterpart, Uber Jason. (Wikipedia) - [Pinhead (Hellraiser)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pinhead-hellraiser/) - Pinhead is a fictional character from the Hellraiser series, first appearing as an unnamed figure in the Clive Barker novella The Hellbound Heart. The name “Pinhead” is derived from a sobriquet given to him by the crew of the first Hellraiser film; he is first credited as such in Hellbound: Hellraiser II. Nearly thirty years after The Hellbound Heart was published, the character was given the designations the Hell Priest and the Cold Man in the sequels that followed, The Scarlet Gospels and Hellraiser: The Toll. - [Hellraiser: Bloodline](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hellraiser-bloodline/) - Hellraiser: Bloodline (also known as Hellraiser IV: Bloodline) is a 1996 American science fiction horror film and the fourth installment in the Hellraiser series, which serves as both a prequel and a sequel. Directed by Kevin Yagher and Joe Chappelle, the film stars Doug Bradley as Pinhead, reprising his role and now the only remaining original character and cast member. It also features Bruce Ramsay, Valentina Vargas, Kim Myers and Adam Scott in his first major film role. It was the last Hellraiser film to be released theatrically, the last to have any major official involvement with series creator Clive Barker and also the final installment in chronology. - [Leprechaun (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/leprechaun-film-series/) - Leprechaun is a series of horror comedy films comprising eight films. Beginning with 1993’s Leprechaun (filmed in 1991) the series centers on a malevolent and murderous leprechaun referred to as Lubdan, who, when his gold is taken from him, resorts to any means necessary to reclaim it. None of the films in the series are presented in chronological order. Warwick Davis plays the title role in every film except for the 2014 film Leprechaun: Origins, and the 2018 film Leprechaun Returns, in which the character is respectively portrayed by Dylan Postl and Linden Porco. (Wikipedia) - [Leprechaun 4: In Space](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/leprechaun-4-in-space/) - Leprechaun 4: In Space is a 1997 American science fiction black comedy slasher film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith. It is the fourth installment in the Leprechaun series. - [Bill Corbett](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bill-corbett/) - William D. “Bill” Corbett (born March 30, 1960) is an American writer and performer for television, film, and theatre. He was a writer and performer on the cult television show Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K), for which he voiced the robot Crow T. Robot during the show’s later seasons on the Sci-Fi Channel and played the character Observer and other minor roles. In 2001, Corbett co-wrote the Sci-Fi Channel miniseries The Adventures of Edward the Less with several other former MST3K writers. Corbett also co-wrote the 2008 film Meet Dave starring Eddie Murphy. (Wikipedia) - [Kevin Murphy (actor)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/kevin-murphy-actor/) - Kevin Wagner Murphy (born November 3, 1956) is an American actor and writer best known as the voice and puppeteer of Tom Servo on the Peabody Award-winning comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000. Murphy also records audio commentary tracks with Michael J. Nelson and Bill Corbett for Nelson’s RiffTrax website. (Wikipedia) - [Dharma & Greg](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dharma-greg/) - Dharma & Greg is an American television sitcom that aired from September 24, 1997, to April 30, 2002. - [Amadeus (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/amadeus-film/) - Amadeus is a 1984 American period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and adapted by Peter Shaffer from his stage play Amadeus. The story is set in Vienna, Austria during the latter half of the 18th century, and is a fictionalized biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart’s music is heard extensively in the soundtrack of the film. The film follows a fictional rivalry between Mozart and Italian composer Antonio Salieri at the court of Emperor Joseph II. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/amadeus-review/ - [Historical period drama](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/historical-period-drama/) - A historical period drama (also historical drama, period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical period drama includes historical fiction and romance, adventure films, and swashbucklers. A period piece may be set in a vague or general era such as the Middle Ages or a specific period such as the Roaring Twenties. A religious work can qualify as period drama but not as a historical one. - [Arctic (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/arctic-film/) - Arctic is a 2018 Icelandic survival drama film directed by Joe Penna and written by Penna and Ryan Morrison. The film is an international co-production between Iceland and the United States and stars Mads Mikkelsen as a man stranded in the Arctic. The film premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and was released in theaters on 1 February 2019. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/arctic-review/ - [Casino Royale (2006 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/casino-royale-2006-film/) - Casino Royale is a 2006 spy film, the twenty-first in the Eon Productions James Bond film series, and the third screen adaptation of Ian Fleming’s 1953 novel of the same name. Directed by Martin Campbell and written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, and Paul Haggis, it is the first film to star Daniel Craig as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond, and was produced by Eon Productions for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures, making it the first Eon-produced Bond film to be co-produced by the latter studio. Following Die Another Day, Eon Productions decided to reboot the series, allowing them to show a less experienced and more vulnerable Bond. - [Cast Away](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cast-away/) - Cast Away is a 2000 American survival drama film directed and co-produced by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, and Nick Searcy. The film depicts a FedEx employee marooned on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes in the South Pacific and his attempts to survive on the island using remnants of his plane’s cargo. - [American Made (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/american-made-film/) - American Made is a 2017 American action crime film directed by Doug Liman, written by Gary Spinelli, and starring Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright, Alejandro Edda, Mauricio Mejía, Caleb Landry Jones, and Jesse Plemons. It is inspired by the life of Barry Seal, a former TWA pilot who flew missions for the CIA and became a drug smuggler for the Medellín Cartel in the 1980s. In order to avoid jail time, Seal became an informant for the DEA. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/american-made-review/ - [Casino (1995 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/casino-1995-film/) - Casino is a 1995 American epic crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci. It is based on the nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese. (Wikipedia) - [The Wolf of Wall Street (2013 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-wolf-of-wall-street-2013-film/) - The Wolf of Wall Street is a 2013 American biographical black comedy crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Terence Winter, based on the memoir of the same name by Jordan Belfort. It recounts Belfort’s perspective on his career as a stockbroker in New York City and how his firm, Stratton Oakmont, engaged in rampant corruption and fraud on Wall Street, which ultimately led to his downfall. (Wikipedia) - [Prison rape](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/prison-rape/) - Prison rape or jail rape is rape occurring in prison. The phrase has come into common usage to refer to the rape of inmates by other inmates, and less commonly to the rape of inmates by staff, and even less commonly rape of staff by inmates. - [Sex and the City](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sex-and-the-city/) - Sex and the City is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO. It is an adaptation of Candace Bushnell’s 1997 book of the same name. The series premiered in the United States on June 6, 1998, and concluded on February 22, 2004, with 94 episodes broadcast over six seasons. Throughout its development, the series received contributions from various producers, screenwriters, and directors, principally Michael Patrick King. (Wikipedia) - [Queer Eye](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/queer-eye/) - [Angels in America (miniseries)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/angels-in-america-miniseries/) - Angels in America is a 2003 American HBO miniseries directed by Mike Nichols and based on the Pulitzer-prize winning play of the same name by Tony Kushner. Set in 1985, the film revolves around six New Yorkers whose lives intersect. At its core, it is the fantastical story of Prior Walter, a gay man living with AIDS who is visited by an angel. The film explores a wide variety of themes, including the Reagan era politics, the spreading AIDS epidemic, and a rapidly changing social and political climate. http://cinematicdiversions.com/angels-in-america-review/ - [Anger Management (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/anger-management-film/) - Anger Management is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Peter Segal, written by David S. Dorfman, and starring Adam Sandler, Jack Nicholson, and Marisa Tomei. It was produced by Revolution Studios in association with Sandler’s production company Happy Madison Productions and was distributed by Columbia Pictures. http://cinematicdiversions.com/anger-management-review/ - [The Village (2004 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-village-2004-film/) - The Village is a 2004 American psychological thriller mystery drama film, written, produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, Bryce Dallas Howard, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, and Brendan Gleeson. The film is about a village whose population lives in fear of creatures inhabiting the woods beyond it, referred to as “Those We Don’t Speak Of”. Like other films written and directed by Shyamalan from the same time period, The Village has a twist ending. - [The Blues Brothers (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-blues-brothers-film/) - The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as “Joliet” Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from “The Blues Brothers” recurring musical sketch on the NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. The film’s screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and John Lee Hooker. The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, and John Candy. (Wikipedia) - [Caddyshack](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/caddyshack/) - Caddyshack is a 1980 American sports comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis, and Douglas Kenney, and starring Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O’Keefe and Bill Murray. Doyle-Murray also has a supporting role. (Wikipedia) - [Ghostbusters](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ghostbusters/) - Ghostbusters is a 1984 American fantasy comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. It stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as, respectively, Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz, and Egon Spengler, a trio of eccentric parapsychologists who start a ghost-catching business in New York City. The film also stars Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis and features Annie Potts, William Atherton, and Ernie Hudson in supporting roles. (Wikipedia) - [About Schmidt](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/about-schmidt/) - About Schmidt is a 2002 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Alexander Payne, produced by Michael Besman, Harry Gittes and Rachael Horovitz, co-written by Jim Taylor with music by Rolfe Kent and starring Jack Nicholson in the title role. The film also stars Hope Davis, Dermot Mulroney, and Kathy Bates. It is very loosely based on the 1996 novel of the same title by Louis Begley. About Schmidt was theatrically released on December 13, 2002, by New Line Cinema. The film was both a commercial and critical success and it earned $105,834,556 on a $30 million budget. About Schmidt was released on DVD and VHS formats. It was released on Blu-ray for the first time on February 3, 2015. - [A Vigilante](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-vigilante/) - A Vigilante is a 2018 American drama film written and directed by Sarah Daggar-Nickson in her directorial debut. It stars Olivia Wilde, Morgan Spector, Kyle Catlett, C.J. Wilson, Tonye Patano, Chuck Cooper, Betsy Aidemand Judy Marte. http://cinematicdiversions.com/a-vigilante-review/ - [Destroyer (2018 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/destroyer-2018-film/) - Destroyer is a 2018 U.S. crime film directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. It stars Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Scoot McNairy, Bradley Whitford, and Sebastian Stan, and follows a former undercover police officer who takes revenge against members of a gang, years after her case was blown. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/destroyer-2018/ - [Zombie film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/zombie-film/) - A zombie film is a film genre. Zombies are fictional creatures usually portrayed as reanimated corpses or virally infected human beings. They are commonly portrayed as cannibalistic. While zombie films fall into the horror genre, some crossover into other genres, such as comedy, science fiction, thriller, or romance. Distinct subgenres have evolved, such as the “zombie comedy” or the “zombie apocalypse”. Zombies are distinct from ghosts, ghouls, mummies, Frankenstein’s monsters or vampires. (Wikipedia) - [Death Wish (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/death-wish-film-series/) - The Death Wish franchise is an American action-crime-drama film series based on the 1972 novel by Brian Garfield. The films follow the character Paul Kersey, portrayed by Charles Bronson in the original series, and Bruce Willis in the 2018 remake. While the first film received mixed reviews, the subsequent sequels, as well as the remake, were panned by critics and the series made $87 million against a combined production budget of $61 million. (Wikipedia) - [Another 48 Hrs.](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/another-48-hrs/) - Another 48 Hrs. is a 1990 American action comedy film, directed by Walter Hill and stars Eddie Murphy, Nick Nolte, Brion James, Andrew Divoff, and Ed O’Ross. It is the sequel to the 1982 film 48 Hrs. Nolte reprises his role as San Francisco police officer Jack Cates, who has 48 hours to clear his name from a manslaughter charge. To do so, he again needs the help of Reggie Hammond (Murphy), who is a newly released convict. At the same time, a mastermind known only as the Iceman has hired a biker gang to kill Reggie. http://cinematicdiversions.com/another-48-hours-review/ - [48 Hrs.](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/48-hrs/) - 48 Hrs. is a 1982 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Walter Hill. It is Joel Silver’s first film as a film producer. The screenplay was written by Hill, Roger Spottiswoode, Larry Gross, and Steven E. de Souza. - [Trading Places](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/trading-places/) - [Nick Nolte](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/nick-nolte/) - Nicholas King Nolte (born February 8, 1941) is an American actor, producer, author, and former model. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1991 film The Prince of Tides. He went on to receive Academy Award nominations for Affliction (1998) and Warrior (2011). (Wikipedia) - [Sequel](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sequel/) - A sequel is a literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same fictional universe as an earlier work, usually chronologically following the events of that work. (Wikipedia) - [Apaches (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/apaches-film/) - Apaches is a public information film made in the United Kingdom in 1977. Produced by Graphic Films for the Central Office of Information (COI) for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it was shown extensively in the Southern, Westward, Anglia and ATV regions, before being shown either on film or videocassette in primary schools. It was shot on 16mm film at a Home Counties farm in February 1977, and child actors were selected from a school in Maidenhead, Berkshire. The 26-minute-long film deals with the subject of the dangers to children on farms and has been seen in schools all over Britain, as well as Canada, Australia, and the United States. The timeframe of the film is somewhat confusing, giving a surreal feeling to the events portrayed. (Wikipedia) - [Friday the 13th (1980 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/friday-the-13th-1980-film/) - Friday the 13th is a 1980 American slasher film produced and directed by Sean S. Cunningham, written by Victor Miller, and starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram, Mark Nelson, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan, and Kevin Bacon. The film tells the story of a group of teenage camp counselors who are murdered one by one by an unknown killer while attempting to re-open an abandoned summer camp.(Wikipedia) - [Hostel (2005 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hostel-2005-film/) - Hostel is a 2005 American slasher film written and directed by Eli Roth. It stars Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Eyþór Guðjónsson, and Barbara Nedeljáková. Eli Roth, Mike Fleiss, and Chris Briggs produced it. It is the first installment of the Hostel trilogy, followed by Hostel: Part 2 and Hostel: Part III. A mysterious organization that tortures and kills kidnapped tourists preys upon three friends traveling across Europe. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/hostel-2005-review/ - [Final Destination (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/final-destination-film/) - Final Destination is a 2000 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wong, with a screenplay written by James Wong, Glen Morgan, and Jeffrey Reddick, based on a story by Reddick. It is the first installment in the Final Destination film series and stars Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Smith, and Tony Todd. Sawa portrays a teenager who cheats death after having a premonition of a catastrophic plane explosion. He and several of his classmates leave the plane before the explosion occurs, but Death later takes the lives of those who were meant to die on the plane. - [Final Destination](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/final-destination/) - Final Destination is an American horror franchise composed of five films, two comic books, and nine novels. It is based on an unproduced spec script by Jeffrey Reddick, originally written for The X-Files television series, and was distributed by New Line Cinema. All five films center on a small group of people who escape impending death when one individual (the protagonist of each film) has a sudden premonition and warns them that they will all die in a terrible mass-casualty accident. After avoiding their foretold deaths, the survivors are killed one by one in bizarre accidents caused by an unseen force creating complicated chains of cause and effect, resembling Rube Goldberg machines in their complexity, and then read omens sent by another unseen entity in order to again avert their deaths. (Wikipedia) - [Leaving Las Vegas](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/leaving-las-vegas-2/) - Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 American romantic drama film written and directed by Mike Figgis and based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by John O’Brien. Nicolas Cage stars as a suicidal alcoholic in Los Angeles who, divorced and recently fired, has decided to move to Las Vegas and drink himself to death. He loads a supply of liquor and beer into his BMW and gets drunk as he drives from Los Angeles to Nevada. Once there, he develops a romantic relationship with a pretty but hardened prostitute played by Elisabeth Shue, which forms the center of the film. O’Brien died by suicide after signing away the film rights to the novel, (Wikipedia) - [Arachnid (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/arachnid-film/) - Arachnid is a 2001 American horror film directed by Jack Sholder. The film centers on a group of plane crash survivors who are stalked and killed by giant alien spiders. The film stars Alex Reid, Chris Potter, Rocqueford Allen, Robert Vicencio, and José Sancho. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/arachnid-review/ - [Monster](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/monster/) - A monster is often a type of grotesque creature, whose appearance frightens and whose powers of destruction threaten the human world’s social or moral order. (Wikipedia) - [Nudity in film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/nudity-in-film/) - Nudity in film is the presentation in a film of at least one person who is nude, partially nude or wearing less clothing than contemporary norms in some societies considers “modest”. Since the development of the medium, inclusion in films of any form of sexuality has been controversial, and in the case of most nude scenes has had to be justified as being part of the story, in the concept of “artistically justifiable nudity”. In some cases, nudity is itself the object of a film or is used in the development of the character of the subject. In some cases, nudity has been criticized as “superfluous” or “gratuitous” to the plot, and some film producers have been accused of including nudity in a film to appeal to certain audiences. Many actors and actresses have appeared nude, or exposing parts of their bodies or dressed in ways considered provocative by contemporary standards at some point in their careers. (Wikipedia) - [Armed and Dangerous (video game)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/armed-and-dangerous-video-game/) - Armed and Dangerous is a 2003 video game created by Planet Moon Studios and released by LucasArts. It is a third-person action-adventure shooter that parodies both other games and several other media such as The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail, using humorous in-game dialogue and cutscenes. The game features known actors and voice actors such as Brian George as main hero Roman, Jeff Bennett, John Mariano, and Pat Fraley as his sidekicks Jonesy, Rexus and Q (respectively) and Tony Jay as villain King Forge. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/armed-and-dangerous-review/ - [Third-person shooter](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/third-person-shooter/) - Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D shooter games in which the player character is visible on screen during gaming, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. - [Shrek](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/shrek/) - Shrek is a 2001 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 fairytale picture book of the same name by William Steig. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson in their directorial debuts, it stars Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow as the voices of the lead characters. The film parodies other films adapted from fairy tale storylines, primarily aimed at animated Disney films. In the story, an ogre called Shrek (Myers) finds his swamp overrun by fairy tale creatures who have been banished by the corrupt Lord Farquaad (Lithgow) aspiring to be king. Shrek makes a deal with Farquaad to regain control of his swamp in return for rescuing Princess Fiona (Diaz), whom Farquaad intends to marry. With the help of Donkey (Murphy), Shrek embarks on his quest but soon falls in love with the princess, who is hiding a secret that will change his life forever. - [Platform game](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/platform-game/) - Platform games, or platformers, are a video game genre and subgenre of action games. In a platformer, the player-controlled character must jump and climb between suspended platforms while avoiding obstacles. Environments often feature uneven terrain of varying height that must be traversed. The player often has some control over the height and distance of jumps to avoid letting their character fall to their death or miss necessary jumps. The most common unifying element of games of this genre is the jump button, but now there are other alternatives like swiping a touchscreen. Other acrobatic maneuvers may factor into the gameplay as well, such as swinging from objects such as vines or grappling hooks, as in Ristar or Bionic Commando, or bouncing from springboards or trampolines, as in Alpha Waves. These mechanics, even in the context of other genres, are commonly called platforming, a verbification of platform. Games where jumping is automated completely, such as 3D games in The Legend of Zelda series, fall outside of the genre. (Wikipedia) - [Assault on Precinct 13 (2005 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/assault-on-precinct-13-2005-film/) - Assault on Precinct 13 is a 2005 French-American action thriller film directed by Jean-François Richet, starring Ethan Hawke and Laurence Fishburne. The cast also includes John Leguizamo, Maria Bello, Ja Rule, Drea de Matteo, Brian Dennehy, Aisha Hinds, and Gabriel Byrne. It is a loose remake of John Carpenter’s 1976 film of the same name, with an updated plot. http://cinematicdiversions.com/assault-on-precinct-13-review/ - [Assault on Precinct 13 (1976 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/assault-on-precinct-13-1976-film/) - Assault on Precinct 13 is a 1976 American thriller film written, directed, scored and edited by John Carpenter. Austin Stoker stars as a police officer who defends a defunct precinct against a relentless criminal gang, along with Darwin Joston as a convicted murderer who helps him. Laurie Zimmer, Tony Burton, Martin West and Nancy Kyes co-star as other defenders of the precinct. - [Remake](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/remake/) - A remake is a film, television series, video game or some other form of entertainment that is based on an earlier product, often telling the same story and updating it for contemporary audiences. (Wikipedia) - [Action film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/action-film/) - The action film is a film genre in which the protagonist or protagonists are thrust into a series of events that typically include violence, extended fighting, physical feats, and frantic chases. Action films tend to feature a resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life-threatening situations, a villain, or a pursuit which usually concludes in victory for the hero (though a small number of films in this genre have ended in the victory for the villain instead). Advancements in CGI have made it cheaper and easier to create action sequences and other visual effects that required the efforts of professional stunt crews in the past. However, reactions to action films containing significant amounts of CGI have been mixed, as films that use computer animations to create unrealistic, highly unbelievable events are often met with criticism. While action has long been a recurring component in films, the “action film” genre began to develop in the 1970s, along with the increase of stunts and special effects. Common action scenes in films are generally, but not limited to, explosions, car chases, fistfights, and shootouts. (Wikipedia) - [Rio Bravo (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/rio-bravo-film/) - Rio Bravo is a 1959 American Western film produced and directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, and Ward Bond. Written by Jules Furthman and Leigh Brackett, based on the short story “Rio Bravo” by B. H. McCampbell, the film is about the sheriff of the town of Rio Bravo, Texas, who arrests the brother of a powerful local rancher to help his drunken deputy/friend. With the help of a “cripple” and a young gunfighter, they hold off the rancher’s gang. Rio Bravo was filmed on location at Old Tucson Studios outside Tucson, Arizona, in Technicolor. - [Helicopter](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/helicopter/) - A helicopter, or chopper, is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward, and laterally. These attributes allow helicopters to be used in congested or isolated areas where fixed-wing aircraft and many forms of VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft cannot perform. (Wikipedia) - [Night-vision device](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/night-vision-device/) - A night-vision device (NVD), also known as night optical/observation device (NOD) and night-vision goggles (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness. The image may be a conversion to visible light of both visible light and near-infrared, while by convention detection of thermal infrared is denoted thermal imaging. The image produced is typically monochrome, e.g. shades of green. NVDs are most often used by the military and law enforcement agencies, but are available to civilian users. The term usually refers to a complete unit, including an image intensifier tube, a protective and generally water-resistant housing, and some type of mounting system. Many NVDs also include optical components such as a sacrificial lens, or telescopic lenses or mirrors. An NVD may have an IR illuminator, making it an active as opposed to passive night-vision device. - [Comic relief](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/comic-relief/) - Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. (Wikipedia) - [Avengers: Infinity War](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/avengers-infinity-war/) - Avengers: Infinity War is a 2018 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to 2012’s The Avengers and 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, and the nineteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). It was directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and features an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Josh Brolin, and Chris Pratt. In the film, the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy attempt to prevent Thanos from amassing the all-powerful Infinity Stones in a quest to wipe out half of all life in the universe. http://cinematicdiversions.com/avengers-infinity-war-review/ - [Alien 3](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alien-3/) - Alien 3 (stylized as ALIEN³) is a 1992 American science fiction action horror film directed by David Fincher and written by David Giler, Walter Hill and Larry Ferguson from a story by Vincent Ward. It stars Sigourney Weaver reprising her role as Ellen Ripley and is the third film installment in the Alien franchise, preceded by Aliens (1986) and succeeded by Alien Resurrection (1997). (Wikipedia) - [Star Wars prequel trilogy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/star-wars-prequel-trilogy/) - The Star Wars prequel trilogy is a series of epic space-opera films written and directed by George Lucas. It was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The trilogy was released from 1999 to 2005 and is a prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy (1977–83). It consists of Star Wars: Episode I–The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode II–Attack of the Clones (2002), and Episode III–Revenge of the Sith (2005). It is the second of the three trilogies in the Skywalker saga in terms of release order, but chronologically is the first act. - [Easter egg (media)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/easter-egg-media/) - While the term Easter egg has been used to mean a hidden object for some time, regarding an Easter egg hunt, it is more commonly used to mean a message, image, or feature hidden in a video game, movie, or other, usually electronic, medium. The term used in this manner was coined around 1979 by Steve Wright, the then Director of Software Development in the Atari Consumer Division, to describe a hidden message in the Atari video game Adventure. (Wikipedia) - [Captain America: Civil War](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/captain-america-civil-war/) - Captain America: Civil War is a 2016 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger and 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the thirteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, with a screenplay by the writing team of Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America, alongside an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Tom Holland, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, and Daniel Brühl. In Captain America: Civil War, disagreement over international oversight of the Avengers fractures them into opposing factions—one led by Steve Rogers and the other by Tony Stark. - [Super Mario Bros. (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/super-mario-bros-film/) - Super Mario Bros. is a 1993 American science fantasy adventure comedy film loosely based on the Mario video game series by Nintendo. The film was directed by the husband-and-wife team of Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel, written by Parker Bennett, Terry Runté and Ed Solomon, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios through Hollywood Pictures. Its story follows the Mario brothers (Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo) in their quest to rescue Princess Daisy (Samantha Mathis) from a dystopic parallel universe ruled by the ruthless President Koopa (Dennis Hopper). - [X-Men (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/x-men-film-series/) - X-Men is an American superhero film series based on the fictional superhero team of the same name, who originally appeared in a series of comic books created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and published by Marvel Comics. 20th Century Fox obtained the film rights to the characters in 1994, and after numerous drafts, Bryan Singer was hired to direct the first film, released in 2000, and its sequel, X2 (2003), while Brett Ratner directed X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). (Wikipedia) - [Bubblegum Crisis](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bubblegum-crisis/) - Bubblegum Crisis (Baburugamu Kuraishisu) is a 1987 to 1991 cyberpunk original video animation (OVA) series produced by Youmex and animated by AIC and Artmic. The series was planned to run for 13 episodes but was cut short to just 8. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/bubblegum-crisis-review/ - [Macross](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/macross/) - Macross is a Japanese science fiction mecha anime media franchise/media mix, created by Studio Nue (most prominently mechanical designer Shōji Kawamori) and Artland in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth and the human race after the year 1999, as well as the history of humanoid civilization in the Milky Way. It consists of four TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel, and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West Advertising, in addition to 40 video games set in the Macross universe, 2 crossover games, and a wide variety of physical merchandise. (Wikipedia) - [Pokémon](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pokemon/) - Pokémon also is known as Pocket Monsters in Japan, is a media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, a Japanese consortium between Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures. The franchise copyright is shared by all three companies, but Nintendo is the sole owner of the trademark. The franchise was created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1995 and is centered on fictional creatures called “Pokémon”, which humans, known as Pokémon Trainers, catch and train to battle each other for sport. The English slogan for the franchise is “Gotta Catch ‘Em All”. Works within the franchise are set in the Pokémon universe. (Wikipedia) - [Baby Driver](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/baby-driver/) - Baby Driver is a 2017 action film written and directed by Edgar Wright. It stars Ansel Elgort as a young, musically driven getaway driver seeking freedom from a life of heisting with his lover Debora (Lily James). Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Eiza Gonzalez, Jamie Foxx and Jon Bernthal (among others) appear in supporting roles. Eric Fellner and his Working Title Films partner Tim Bevan produced Baby Driver in association with Big Talk Productions’ Nira Park. Sony and TriStar Pictures handled the commercial distribution of the film. Baby Driver was financed through a partnership between TriStar and Media Rights Capital. http://cinematicdiversions.com/baby-driver-review/ - [Shaun of the Dead](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/shaun-of-the-dead/) - Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 horror comedy film directed by Edgar Wright, who co-wrote it with Simon Pegg. The film stars Pegg and Nick Frost as mates Shaun and Ed, Londoners who are caught in an apocalyptic zombie uprising and attempt to take refuge in a local pub with their loved ones. The film co-stars Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, and Penelope Wilton. It is the first installment in Wright and Pegg’s Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, followed by Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World’s End (2013). (Wikipedia) - [Scott Pilgrim vs. the World](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/scott-pilgrim-vs-the-world/) - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a 2010 action comedy film co-written, produced and directed by Edgar Wright, based on the graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O’Malley. It stars Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, a slacker musician who must battle the seven evil exes of his newest girlfriend Ramona Flowers, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. (Wikipedia) - [Logan Lucky](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/logan-lucky/) - Logan Lucky is a 2017 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh, based on a screenplay credited to Rebecca Blunt. Soderbergh came out of retirement to direct the film and distributed it independently through his own company, Fingerprint Releasing. The film features an ensemble cast consisting of Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Riley Keough, Daniel Craig, Seth MacFarlane, Katie Holmes, Hilary Swank, Katherine Waterston, and Sebastian Stan. The film follows the Logan family and their attempt to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway whilst avoiding security officers and the FBI. (Wikipedia) - [Dunkirk (2017 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dunkirk-2017-film/) - Dunkirk is a 2017 war film written, directed, and produced by Christopher Nolan that depicts the Dunkirk evacuation of World War II. Its ensemble cast includes Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard, James D’Arcy, Barry Keoghan, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, and Tom Hardy. The film was distributed by Warner Bros. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/dunkirk-2017-review/ - [Grand Theft Auto V](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/grand-theft-auto-v/) - Grand Theft Auto V is an action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It was released in September 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, in November 2014 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and in April 2015 for Microsoft Windows. It is the first main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series since 2008’s Grand Theft Auto IV. Set within the fictional state of San Andreas, based on Southern California, the single-player story follows three criminals and their efforts to commit heists while under pressure from a government agency. The open-world design lets players freely roam San Andreas’ open countryside and the fictional city of Los Santos, based on Los Angeles. (Wikipedia) - [La La Land (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/la-la-land-film/) - La La Land is a 2016 American romantic comedy-drama musical film written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It stars Ryan Gosling as a jazz pianist and Emma Stone as an aspiring actress, who meet and fall in love while pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles. (Wikipedia) - [Back to Back (1996 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/back-to-back-1996-film/) - Back to Back, also known as American Yakuza 2, and Back to Back: American Yakuza 2, is a 1996 American action film. It is directed by Roger Nygard and written by Nygard and Scott Nimerfro (who is credited under the name, Lloyd Keith). The film was produced by W.K. Border, Thomas Calabrese, Takashige Ichise, Aki Komine, Michael Leahy, and Joel Soisson. It stars Michael Rooker, Ryo Ishibashi, and Danielle Harris. It is a sequel to the 1993 film, American Yakuza. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/back-to-back-review/ - [American Yakuza](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/american-yakuza/) - American Yakuza is a 1993 American action crime film directed by Frank Cappello and starring Viggo Mortensen, Ryo Ishibashi, and Michael Nouri, with supporting roles by Franklyn Ajaye, Yuji Okumoto, Anzu Lawson, and Robert Forster. The screenplay by John Allen Nelson and Max Strom is based on a story by executive producer Takashige Ichise. (Wikipedia) - [Pulp Fiction](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pulp-fiction/) - Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, who conceived it with Roger Avary. Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman, it tells several stories of criminal Los Angeles. The title refers to the pulp magazines and hard-boiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th century, known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue. (Wikipedia) - [Leland Orser](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/leland-orser/) - Leland Jones Orser (born 1960/1961) is an American actor. Orser has appeared in various roles in a wide variety of films and television series, including Chief of Surgery Dr. Lucien Dubenko on the television series ER. (Wikipedia) - [Stoner film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/stoner-film/) - Stoner film is a subgenre of comedy film that revolves around the recreational use of cannabis. Generally, cannabis use is one of the main themes and inspires much of the plot. They are often representative of cannabis culture. (Wikipedia) - [Strip club](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/strip-club/) - A strip club is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease or other erotic or exotic dances. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, and can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style. American-style strip clubs began to appear outside North America after World War II, arriving in Asia in the late 1980s and Europe in 1978, where they competed against the local English and French styles of striptease and erotic performances. (Wikipedia) - [Stripper](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/stripper/) - A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing a striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at a bachelor party or other private event. (Wikipedia) - [Barbie & the Diamond Castle](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/barbie-the-diamond-castle/) - Barbie and the Diamond Castle is a 2008 direct-to-video computer-animated musical film and the 13th entry in the Barbie film series. The film features the voice of Kelly Sheridan as Barbie. It is the third musical in the series. http://cinematicdiversions.com/barbie-the-diamond-castle-review/ - [Barbie](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/barbie/) - Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lillias her inspiration. (Wikipedia) - [Uncanny valley](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/uncanny-valley/) - In aesthetics, the uncanny valley is a hypothesized relationship between the degree of an object’s resemblance to a human being and the emotional response to such an object. The concept of the uncanny valley suggests that humanoid objects which imperfectly resemble actual human beings provoke uncanny or strangely familiar feelings of eeriness and revulsion in observers. “Valley” denotes a dip in the human observer’s affinity for the replica, a relation that otherwise increases with the replica’s human likeness. - [Basic Instinct](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/basic-instinct/) - Basic Instinct is a 1992 American neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas, and starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone. The film follows a police detective, Nick Curran (Douglas), who is investigating the brutal murder of a wealthy rock star. During the investigation, Curran becomes involved in a torrid and intense relationship with the prime suspect, Catherine Tramell (Stone), an enigmatic writer. (Wikipedia) - [Basic Instinct 2](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/basic-instinct-2/) - Basic Instinct 2 (also known as Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction) is a 2006 erotic thriller film and the sequel to 1992’s Basic Instinct. The film was directed by Michael Caton-Jones and produced by Mario Kassar, Joel B. Michaels, and Andrew G. Vajna. The screenplay was by Leora Barish and Henry Bean. It stars Sharon Stone, who reprises her role of Catherine Tramell from the original, and David Morrissey. The film is an international co-production of Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Spain. http://cinematicdiversions.com/basic-instinct-2-review/ - [Batman: Gotham by Gaslight](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/batman-gotham-by-gaslight/) - Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is a 2018 American animated steampunk superhero film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, featuring an alternate version of the DC Comics character Batman. It is the thirtieth film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies series. It is directed and produced by Sam Liu and written by James Krieg, loosely based on the one-shot graphic novel of the same name by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola. http://cinematicdiversions.com/batman-gotham-by-gaslight-review/ - [Robin (character)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/robin-character/) - Robin is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson originally created the character, to serve as a junior counterpart to the superhero Batman. The character’s first incarnation, Dick Grayson, debuted in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940). Conceived as a way to attract young readership, Robin garnered overwhelmingly positive critical reception, doubling the sales of the Batman titles. The early adventures of Robin included Star Spangled Comics #65–130 (1947–1952), which was the character’s first solo feature. Robin made regular appearances in Batman related comic books and other DC Comics publications from 1940 through the early 1980s until the character set aside the Robin identity and became the independent superhero Nightwing. The team of Batman and Robin has commonly been referred to as the Caped Crusaders or Dynamic Duo. (Wikipedia) - [Joker (character)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/joker-character/) - The Joker is a supervillain created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson who first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman (April 25, 1940), published by DC Comics. Credit for the Joker’s creation is disputed; Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker’s design while acknowledging Finger’s writing contribution. Although the Joker was planned to be killed off during his initial appearance, he was spared by editorial intervention, allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero Batman. (Wikipedia) - [Battle Royale (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/battle-royale-film/) - Battle Royale (Batoru Rowaiaru) is a 2000 Japanese dystopian thriller film directed by Kinji Fukasaku and written by Kenta Fukasaku, based on the 1999 novel by Koushun Takami. Starring Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, and Takeshi Kitano, the film follows a group of junior-high-school students that are forced to fight to the death by the Japanese totalitarian government. The film drew controversy and was banned or excluded from distribution in several countries. Toei even refused to sell the film to any United States distributor for a long time, because Toei was worried of potential controversy and lawsuits (until Anchor Bay Entertainment eventually acquired the film in 2010 for direct-to-video release) http://cinematicdiversions.com/battle-royale-review/ - [Schoolhouse Rock!](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/schoolhouse-rock/) - [Dawn of the Dead (1978 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dawn-of-the-dead-1978-film/) - Dawn of the Dead (also known internationally as Zombi or Zombie) is a 1978 Italian-American independent zombie horror film directed by George A. Romero. It was written by Romero in collaboration with the Italian filmmaker Dario Argento and produced by Richard P. Rubinstein. It was the second film made in Romero’s Night of the Living Dead series and shows in a larger scale the apocalyptic effects on society, though it contains no characters or settings from the film Night of the Living Dead. In the film, a phenomenon of unidentified origin has caused the reanimation of the dead, who prey on human flesh. David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, and Gaylen Ross star as survivors of the outbreak who barricade themselves inside a suburban shopping mall amid mass hysteria. (Wikipedia) - [A Clockwork Orange (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-clockwork-orange-film/) - A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 dystopian crime film adapted, produced, and directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on Anthony Burgess’s novel A Clockwork Orange. It employs disturbing, violent images to comment on psychiatry, juvenile delinquency, youth gangs, and other social, political, and economic subjects in a dystopian near-future Britain. - [Kill Bill: Volume 1](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/kill-bill-volume-1/) - Kill Bill: Volume 1 is a 2003 American martial arts film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Uma Thurman as the Bride, who swears revenge on a team of assassins (Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, and Vivica A. Fox) and their leader, Bill (David Carradine), after they try to kill her and her unborn child. Her journey takes her to Tokyo, where she battles the yakuza. - [Kill Bill: Volume 2](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/kill-bill-volume-2/) - Kill Bill: Volume 2 is a 2004 American martial arts film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Uma Thurman as the Bride, who continues her campaign of revenge against the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, and Vivica A. Fox) and their leader Bill (David Carradine), who tried to kill her and her unborn child. - [Before I Hang](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/before-i-hang/) - Before I Hang is a 1940 American science fiction, the horror film released by Columbia Pictures, starring Boris Karloff. The film was directed by Nick Grinde (under the working title The Wizard of Death) and was one of several films Karloff starred in contract with Columbia. http://cinematicdiversions.com/before-i-hang-review/ - [Young Frankenstein](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/young-frankenstein/) - Young Frankenstein is a 1974 American comedy horror film directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder as the title character, a descendant of the infamous Dr. Victor Frankenstein, and Peter Boyle as the monster. The supporting cast includes Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, Richard Haydn, and Gene Hackman. Wilder and Brooks wrote the screenplay. (Wikipedia) - [Beginning of the End (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/beginning-of-the-end-film/) - Beginning of the End is 1957 independently made American black-and-white science fiction giant insect film, produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon. It stars Peter Graves, Peggie Castle, and Morris Ankrum. The film’s storyline concerns an agricultural scientist (Graves) who has successfully grown gigantic vegetables using radiation. Unfortunately, the vegetables are eaten by locusts (the swarming phase of short-horned grasshoppers), which quickly grow to a gigantic size and attack the nearby city of Chicago. Beginning of the End is generally known for its “atrocious” special effects and is considered to be one of the most poorly written and acted science fiction films of the 1950s. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/beginning-of-the-end-review/ - [Them!](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/them/) - Them! is a 1954 American black-and-white science fiction monster film from Warner Bros. Pictures, produced by David Weisbart, directed by Gordon Douglas, and starring James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon, and James Arness. The film is based on an original story treatment by George Worthing Yates, which was then developed into a screenplay by Ted Sherdeman and adaptation by Russell Hughes. (Wikipedia) - [Cannibalism](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cannibalism/) - Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is well-documented, both in ancient and in recent times. - [Experimental film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/experimental-film/) - Experimental film, experimental cinema, or avant-garde cinema is a mode of filmmaking that rigorously re-evaluates cinematic conventions and explores non-narrative forms and alternatives to traditional narratives or methods of working. Many experimental films, particularly early ones, relate to arts in other disciplines: painting, dance, literature and poetry, or arise from research and development of new technical resources. (Wikipedia) - [Beirut (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/beirut-film/) - Beirut, also known as The Negotiator (UK), is a 2018 American political thriller film directed by Brad Anderson and written by Tony Gilroy. Set in 1982 during the Lebanese Civil War, the film stars Jon Hamm as a former U.S. diplomat who returns to service in Beirut in order to save a colleague from the group responsible for the death of his family. Rosamund Pike, Dean Norris, Shea Whigham, Larry Pine and Mark Pellegrino also star. Principal photography began in Morocco in June 2016. http://cinematicdiversions.com/beirut-review/ - [Jon Hamm](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jon-hamm/) - Jonathan Daniel Hamm (born March 10, 1971) is an American actor, best known for playing advertising executive Don Draper in the AMC television drama series Mad Men (2007–2015). (Wikipedia) - [Rosamund Pike](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/rosamund-pike/) - Rosamund Mary Ellen Pike (born 27 January 1979) is an English actress who began her acting career by appearing in stage productions such as Romeo and Juliet and Skylight. After her screen debut in the television film A Rather English Marriage (1998) and television roles in Wives and Daughters (1999) and Love in a Cold Climate (2001), she received international recognition for her film debut as Bond girl Miranda Frost in Die Another Day (2002), for which she received the Empire Award for Best Newcomer. Following her breakthrough, she won the BIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Libertine (2004) and portrayed Jane Bennett in Pride & Prejudice (2005). (Wikipedia) - [Deus ex machina](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/deus-ex-machina/) - Deus ex machina plural: dei ex machina; English ‘god from the machine’) is a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem in a story is suddenly and abruptly resolved by an unexpected and seemingly unlikely occurrence, typically so much as to seem contrived. Its function can be to resolve an otherwise irresolvable plot situation, to surprise the audience, to bring the tale to a happy ending, or act as a comedic device. (Wikipedia) - [Mad Max (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mad-max-franchise/) - Mad Max is an Australian dystopian action media franchise created by George Miller and Byron Kennedy. It began in 1979 with Mad Max, and was followed by three films: Mad Max 2 (1981, released in the United States as The Road Warrior), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). Mel Gibson starred in the first three films and Tom Hardy took over as Max in the fourth film. - [Mad Max](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mad-max/) - Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action thriller film directed by George Miller, produced by Byron Kennedy, and starring Mel Gibson as “Mad” Max Rockatansky, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns, and Roger Ward. James McCausland and Miller wrote the screenplay from a story by Miller and Kennedy. Set in a future Australia, the film presents a saga of societal collapse, murder, and revenge in which an unhinged policeman becomes embroiled in a violent feud with a savage motorcycle gang. The first Australian film production to be shot in anamorphic widescreen, principal photography for Mad Max, took place in and around Melbourne, and lasted six weeks. - [Psychological thriller](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/psychological-thriller/) - The psychological thriller is a thriller narrative that emphasizes the unstable or delusional psychological states of its characters. In terms of context and convention, it is a subgenre of the broader ranging thriller narrative structure, with similarities to Gothic and detective fiction in the sense of sometimes having a “dissolving sense of reality”. It is often told through the viewpoint of psychologically stressed characters, revealing their distorted mental perceptions and focusing on the complex and often tortured relationships between obsessive and pathological characters. Psychological thrillers often incorporate elements of mystery, drama, action, and paranoia. Not to be confused with the overlapping psychological horror genre, which involves more terror than psychosomatic themes. (Wikipedia) - [Rabbit of Caerbannog](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/rabbit-of-caerbannog/) - [Musical film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/musical-film/) - Musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. (Wikipedia) - [Fantasy film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/fantasy-film/) - Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered a form of speculative fiction alongside science fiction films and horror films, although the genres do overlap. Fantasy films often have an element of magic, myth, wonder, escapism, and the extraordinary. (Wikipedia) - [Wes Anderson](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/wes-anderson/) - Wesley Wales Anderson (born May 1, 1969) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. His films are known for their eccentricity and distinctive visual and narrative styles, and he is regarded by some critics as a modern-day example of the auteur. Three of his films—The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Grand Budapest Hotel—appeared in BBC’s 2016 poll of the greatest films since 2000. (Wikipedia) - [Heathers](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/heathers/) - [Carrie (1976 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/carrie-1976-film/) - Carrie is a 1976 American supernatural horror film directed by Brian De Palma from a screenplay written by Lawrence D. Cohen, adapted from Stephen King’s 1974 epistolary novel of the same name. The film stars Sissy Spacek as Carrie White, a 16-year-old diffident teenager who is consistently mocked and bullied at school. Her peers are unaware that she possesses telekinetic powers. The film also featured Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, Nancy Allen, William Katt, P. J. Soles, Betty Buckley, and John Travolta in supporting roles. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/carrie-review/ - [Brazil (1985 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/brazil-1985-film/) - Brazil is a 1985 dystopian science fiction film directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam, Charles McKeown, and Tom Stoppard. The film stars Jonathan Pryce and features Robert De Niro, Kim Greist, Michael Palin, Katherine Helmond, Bob Hoskins, and Ian Holm. (Wikipedia) - [Snowpiercer](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/snowpiercer/) - [Magic realism](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/magic-realism/) - Magical realism, magic realism, or marvelous realism is a style of fiction that paints a realistic view of the modern world while also adding magical elements. It is sometimes called fabulism, regarding the conventions of fables, myths, and allegory. “Magical realism”, perhaps the most common term, often refers to fiction and literature in particular, with magic or the supernatural presented in an otherwise real-world or mundane setting, commonly seen in novels and dramatic performances. It is considered a subgenre of fantasy. (Wikipedia) - [Scenic design](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/scenic-design/) - Scenic design (also known as scenography, stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, and film or television scenery. Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but in recent years, are mostly trained professionals, holding a B.F.A. or M.F.A. degrees in theater arts. Scenic designers design sets and scenery that aim to support the overall artistic goals of the production. There has been a consideration that scenic design is also production design; however, more accurately, it is a part of the visual production of a film or television. (Wikipedia) - [Beyond Re-Animator](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/beyond-re-animator/) - Beyond Re-Animator is a 2003 Spanish-American horror film directed by Brian Yuzna and starring Jeffrey Combs, Jason Barry, Simón Andreu, Elsa Pataky, and Santiago Segura. It is the third and final installment of the Re-Animator film series. http://cinematicdiversions.com/beyond-re-animator-review/ - [Re-Animator (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/re-animator-film-series/) - [Re-Animator](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/re-animator/) - Re-Animator (also known as H. P. Lovecraft’s Re-Animator) is a 1985 American horror comedy film loosely based on the 1922 H. P. Lovecraft serial novelette Herbert West–Reanimator.Directed by Stuart Gordon and produced by Brian Yuzna, the film stars Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West, a medical student who has invented a reagent which can re-animate deceased bodies. He and his classmate Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) test the serum on dead human bodies, and conflict with Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale), who is infatuated with Cain’s fiancée (Barbara Crampton) and wants to claim the invention as his own. (Wikipedia) - [Comedy horror](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/comedy-horror/) - Comedy horror is a literary and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Comedy horror has been described as able to be categorized under three types: “black comedy, parody, and spoof.” It often crosses over with the black comedy genre. Comedy horror can also parody or subtly spoof horror clichés as its main source of humor or use those elements to take a story in a different direction, for example in The Cabin in the Woods or Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. (Wikipedia) - [Natural Born Killers](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/natural-born-killers/) - Natural Born Killers is a 1994 American satirical black comedy crime film directed by Oliver Stone and starring Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Sizemore, and Tommy Lee Jones. The film tells the story of two victims of traumatic childhoods who became lovers and mass murderers, and are irresponsibly glorified by the mass media. - [Street Trash](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/street-trash/) - Street Trash is a 1987 American black comedy body horror film directed by J. Michael Muro (credited as Jim Muro). It won the Silver Raven at the Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film. The film has gained a status as a cult classic independent horror-comedy and is one of several films known as “melt movies”. - [Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/big-bucks-the-press-your-luck-scandal/) - On May 19, 1984, an out of work ice cream truck driver from Southwestern Ohio broke the bank on CBS’ hit game show of the mid-1980’s “Press Your Luck” and made TV history by setting a record for the most money won by a contestant in one appearance on a daytime game show; A record which may have been long been surpassed with the Big-Jackpot game shows of today, but still stands strong as the biggest win in “Press Your Luck’s” history. Was it brilliance? Was it cheating? And how did he do it? “Press Your Luck’s” host and crew, the family of Michael Larson – the man who walked away with $110,237 in cash and prizes – and Michael’s opponents from that fateful day gathered in Hollywood 19 years later to relive the events of that remarkable event in TV history. http://cinematicdiversions.com/big-bucks-the-press-your-luck-scandal-review/ - [Press Your Luck](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/press-your-luck/) - [Perfect Bid: The Contestant Who Knew Too Much](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/perfect-bid-the-contestant-who-knew-too-much/) - Perfect Bid: The Contestant Who Knew Too Much is a 2017 American documentary film that profiles Ted Slauson, a super fan of The Price Is Right. Interviews with Slauson reveal how he became fascinated with the show in the early 1970s, which drove him to memorize the prices of products, and his involvement with contestant Terry Kniess, who bid perfectly on a showcase in 2008. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/perfect-bid-the-contestant-who-knew-too-much-2017-review/ - [The Price Is Right](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-price-is-right/) - The Price Is Right is a television game show franchise originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, and created by Bob Stewart, and is currently produced and owned by Fremantle Media, now Fremantle (Endemol in Netherlands). The franchise centers on television game shows, but also includes merchandise such as video games, printed media and board games. The franchise began in 1956 as a television game show hosted by Bill Cullen and was revamped in 1972. Bob Barker originally hosted this version. Since 2007, Drew Carey has hosted the program. - [Unsolved Mysteries](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/unsolved-mysteries/) - [When Animals Attack!](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/when-animals-attack/) - [Big Fan](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/big-fan/) - Big Fan is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Robert D. Siegel, and starring Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Michael Rapaport, and Scott Ferrall. The story revolves around the bleak yet amiable life of the self-described “world’s biggest New York Giants fan”, Paul Aufiero (Oswalt). Big Fan garnered positive reviews at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. The film had a limited release in the United States beginning on August 28, 2009. http://cinematicdiversions.com/big-fan-review/ - [Precious (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/precious-film/) - Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, or simply Precious, is a 2009 American drama film, directed and co-produced by Lee Daniels. The script was written by Geoffrey S. Fletcher, adapted from the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire. The film stars Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, and Mariah Carey. This film marked the acting debut of Sidibe who portrays a young woman struggling against poverty and abuse. - [The Onion Movie](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-onion-movie/) - The Onion Movie (released in some countries as News Movie) is a comedy film written by The Onion writers Robert D. Siegel and Todd Hanson. It was filmed in 2003 and released on June 3, 2008, direct-to-video. - [The Wrestler (2008 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-wrestler-2008-film/) - [Lawrence Taylor](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/lawrence-taylor/) - [Incest](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/incest/) - Incest is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption, clan, or lineage. (Wikipedia) - [Big Men (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/big-men-film/) - Big Men is a 2014 documentary film produced and directed by Rachel Boynton. It examines corruption in the oil industries of Africa. The film was released on March 14, 2014, to critical acclaim. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/big-men-review/ - [Dateline](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dateline/) - [Bill Burr: Why Do I Do This?](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bill-burr-why-do-i-do-this/) - One of America’s fastest-rising comedians, Bill Burr wields his razor-sharp wit with rare skill. You’ve seen him on Chappelle’s Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman and HBO’s One Night Stand. In this brand-new stand-up performance, Bill takes aim at the stuff that drives us crazy, political correctness gone haywire, and girlfriends, or as he calls them, “relentless psycho robots.” A keenly observant social commentator, Bill Burr is also one of the funniest voices in comedy today. http://cinematicdiversions.com/bill-burr-why-do-i-do-this-review/ - [Bill Burr](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bill-burr/) - William Frederic Burr (born June 10, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster. Outside of stand-up, he is known for playing Patrick Kuby in the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad (2008–2013), creating and starring in the Netflix animated sitcom F Is for Family (2015–present), and co-founding the All Things Comedy network. He has hosted the bi-weekly comedy podcast, Monday Morning Podcast, since May 2007. - [Stand-up comedy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/stand-up-comedy/) - Stand-up comedy is a comic style in which a comedian performs in front of a live audience, usually directly to them. We commonly know the performer as a comic, stand-up comic, comedian, comedienne, stand-up comedian, or a stand-up. Comedians give the illusion that they are dialoguing, but in actuality, they are monologuing a grouping of humorous stories, jokes and one-liners, typically called a shtick, routine, act, or set. Some stand-up comedians use props, music or magic tricks to enhance their acts. Stand-up comedy is stated to be the “freest form of comedy writing” that is regarded as a fictionalized “extension of” the person performing. - [Concert film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/concert-film/) - A concert film or concert movie, is a film that showcases a live performance from the perspective of a concertgoer, the subject of which is an extended live performance or a concert by either a musician or a stand-up comedian. (Wikipedia) - [Dawn of the Dead (2004 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dawn-of-the-dead-2004-film/) - Dawn of the Dead is a 2004 American action horror film directed by Zack Snyder (in his feature film directorial debut), produced by Richard P. Rubinstein, Marc Abraham and by Eric Newman and the screenplay written by James Gunn while the special effects for the film were done by Heather Langenkamp and David LeRoy Anderson, who co-own AFX Studio. It is a remake of George A. Romero’s 1978 film and stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, and Mekhi Phifer. A handful of human survivors living in a shopping mall located in the fictional town of Everett, Wisconsin, are surrounded by swarms of zombies. Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Kevin Zegers, and Lindy Booth play supporting roles; the original’s cast members Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, and Tom Savini appear in cameos. The film was released by Universal Pictures on March 19, 2004, and grossed $102 million worldwide against a budget of $26 million. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/dawn-of-the-dead-2004-review/ - [The Happening (2008 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-happening-2008-film/) - The Happening is a 2008 psychological thriller film written, co-produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, and Betty Buckley. An Indian-American production, the film follows a group of four as they try to escape an inexplicable natural disaster. (Wikipedia) - [The Black Dahlia (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-black-dahlia-film/) - The Black Dahlia is a 2006 neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Brian De Palma, written by Josh Friedman, and starring Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, and Mia Kirshner. It is an adaptation of the 1987 novel of the same name by James Ellroy, in turn drawn from the widely sensationalized murder of Elizabeth Short. (Wikipedia) - [Conan the Barbarian (1982 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/conan-the-barbarian-1982-film/) - Conan the Barbarian is a 1982 American epic sword and sorcery film directed and co-written by John Milius. It is based on stories by Robert E. Howard, a pulp-fiction writer of the 1930s, about the adventures of the eponymous character in a fictional world of dark magic and savagery. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Earl Jones and tells the story of a young muscular barbarian warrior named Conan (Schwarzenegger), who seeks vengeance for the death of his parents at the hands of Thulsa Doom (Jones), the leader of a snake cult. Buzz Feitshans and Raffaella De Laurentiis produced the film for her father Dino De Laurentiis, with Edward R. Pressman as an executive producer. Basil Poledouris composed the music. (Wikipedia) - [Black Panther (comics)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/black-panther-comics/) - Black Panther is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Jack Kirby, first appearing in Fantastic Four #52 (cover-dated July 1966) in the Silver Age of Comic Books. Black Panther’s real name is T’Challa, king, and protector of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. Along with possessing enhanced abilities achieved through ancient Wakandan rituals of drinking the essence of the heart-shaped herb, T’Challa also relies on his proficiency in science, rigorous physical training, hand-to-hand combat skills, and access to wealth and advanced Wakandan technology to combat his enemies. - [Black Panther (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/black-panther-film/) - Black Panther is a 2018 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the eighteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole, and stars Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther, alongside Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis. In Black Panther, T’Challa is crowned king of Wakanda following his father’s death, but his sovereignty is challenged by an adversary who plans to abandon the country’s isolationist policies and begin a global revolution. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/black-panther-review/ - [Avengers: Age of Ultron](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/avengers-age-of-ultron/) - Avengers: Age of Ultron is a 2015 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to 2012’s The Avengers and the eleventh film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, James Spader, and Samuel L. Jackson. In the film, the Avengers fight Ultron, an artificial intelligence obsessed with causing human extinction. - [Thor (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/thor-film/) - Thor is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it is the fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Kenneth Branagh, written by the writing team of Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz along with Don Payne, and stars Chris Hemsworth as the title character, alongside Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson, Idris Elba, Kat Dennings, Rene Russo, and Anthony Hopkins. The film sees Thor banished to Earth from Asgard, stripped of his powers and his hammer Mjölnir, after reigniting a dormant war. As his brother Loki plots to take the Asgardian throne, Thor must prove himself worthy. - [Thor (Marvel Cinematic Universe)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/thor-marvel-cinematic-universe/) - Thor Odinson, more commonly known as Thor, and sometimes by his title as the God of Thunder, is a fictional character portrayed by Chris Hemsworth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name and the Norse mythological god of the same name. In the MCU, he is depicted as one of the most powerful Asgardians, an ancient alien civilization with long ties to Earth, who humans consider to be gods. Thor wields a powerful hammer called Mjolnir, and is initially depicted as the arrogant heir to the throne of Asgard, whose brash behaviors cause turmoil among the Nine Realms under Asgard’s protection. This brings him into conflict with his villainous adopted brother, Loki. Thor commits himself to the protection of Earth and becomes a founding member of the Avengers. Thor eventually becomes the King of Asgard after Odin’s death, but the entire realm is destroyed during Ragnarök. Following the Blip, he passes the crown of New Asgard to Valkyrie and joins the Guardians of the Galaxy. (Wikipedia) - [Do the Right Thing](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/do-the-right-thing/) - [The Lion King](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-lion-king/) - The Lion King is a 1994 American animated musical film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd Disney animated feature film, and the fifth animated film produced during a period known as the Disney Renaissance. The Lion King was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and has a screenplay credited to Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. Composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice wrote its original songs, with a score by Hans Zimmer. The film features an ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Rowan Atkinson, Robert Guillaume, Madge Sinclair, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and Jim Cummings. The story takes place in a kingdom of lions in Africa and was influenced by the Biblical stories of Joseph and Moses, and William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. (Wikipedia) - [Iron Man (2008 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/iron-man-2008-film/) - Iron Man is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it is the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Jon Favreau directed the film from a screenplay by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, and Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, and stars Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man, alongside Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Shaun Toub, and Gwyneth Paltrow. In Iron Man, Tony Stark is an industrialist and master engineer who builds a mechanized suit of armor and becomes the superhero Iron Man. (Wikipedia) - [Blade (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/blade-film/) - Blade is a 1998 American superhero film directed by Stephen Norrington and written by David S. Goyer based on the Marvel Comics superhero of the same name. It is the first part of the Blade film series. The film stars Wesley Snipes in the title role with Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson and N’Bushe Wright in supporting roles. In the film, Blade is a Dhampir, a human with vampire strengths but not their weaknesses, who protects humans from vampires. - [Blade Runner 2049](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/blade-runner-2049/) - Blade Runner 2049 is a 2017 American neo-noir science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. A sequel to the 1982 film Blade Runner, the film stars Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, with Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri, Lennie James, Dave Bautista, and Jared Leto in supporting roles. Ford and Edward James Olmos reprise their roles from the original. Set thirty years after the first film, Gosling plays K, a Nexus-9 replicant “blade runner” who uncovers a secret that threatens to destabilize society and the course of civilization. Original director Ridley Scott served as an executive producer on the film. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/blade-runner-2049-review/ - [Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/apocalyptic-and-post-apocalyptic-fiction/) - Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction is a subgenre of science fiction, science fantasy, dystopian or horror in which the Earth’s technological civilization is collapsing or has collapsed. The apocalypse event may be climatic, such as runaway climate change; natural, such as an impact event; man-made, such as nuclear holocaust or resource depletion; medical, such as a pandemic, whether natural or man-made; eschatological, such as the Last Judgment, Second Coming or Ragnarök; or imaginative, such as a zombie apocalypse, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics or alien invasion. (Wikipedia) - [Star Wars (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/star-wars-film/) - Star Wars (also known as Star Wars: Episode IV–A New Hope) is a 1977 American epic space-opera film written and directed by George Lucas, produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Peter Mayhew. It is the first installment of the original Star Wars trilogy and was later rebranded as the fourth episode in the “Skywalker saga”. (Wikipedia) - [Blood Simple](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/blood-simple/) - Blood Simple is a 1984 American neo-noir crime film written, edited, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It was the directorial debut of the Coens and the first major film of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, who later became a noted director, as well as the feature-film debut of Joel Coen’s wife Frances McDormand, who subsequently starred in many of his features. http://cinematicdiversions.com/blood-simple-review/ - [Film noir](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/film-noir/) - Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the “classic period” of American film noir. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key, black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography. Many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hard-boiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Great Depression. (Wikipedia) - [Neo-noir](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/neo-noir/) - Neo-noir is a revival of the genre of film noir. The term film noir was popularized in 1955 by French critics Raymond Borde and Étienne Chaumeton. It was applied to crime movies of the 1940s and 1950s, mostly produced in the United States, which adopted a 1920s/1930s Art Deco visual environment. The English translation is a dark movie, indicating something sinister and shadowy, but also expressing a cinematographic style. The film noir genre includes stylish Hollywood crime dramas, often with a twisted dark wit. Neo-noir has a similar style but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements, and media. (Wikipedia) - [Cheers](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cheers/) - Cheers is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across eleven seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association with Paramount Network Television and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles. The show is set in a bar named Cheers in Boston, Massachusetts, where a group of locals meets to drink, relax, and socialize. The show’s main theme song, co-written and performed by Gary Portnoy, lent its refrain “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” as the show’s catchphrase. (Wikipedia) - [BloodRayne (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bloodrayne-film/) - BloodRayne is a 2005 German-American fantasy action horror film set in 18th-century Romania, directed by Uwe Boll. The film features a cast of Kristanna Loken, Michael Madsen, Matthew Davis, Will Sanderson, Billy Zane, Udo Kier, Michael Paré, Meat Loaf, Michelle Rodriguez, Ben Kingsley, and Geraldine Chaplin. The screenplay by Guinevere Turner is based on the video game of the same name from Majesco Entertainment and the game developer, Terminal Reality. http://cinematicdiversions.com/bloodrayne-review/ - [Film adaptation](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/film-adaptation/) - A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dialogic process. (Wikipedia) - [House of the Dead (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/house-of-the-dead-film/) - [Raptor Island](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/raptor-island/) - Raptor Island is a Sci-Fi original film about an island in the South China Sea. The film debuted on the Sci-Fi Channel on August 21, 2004. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/raptor-island-2004-review/ - [Vampire films](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/vampire-films/) - Vampire films have been a staple since the era of silent films, so much so that the depiction of vampires in popular culture is strongly based upon their depiction in films throughout the years. The most popular cinematic adaptation of vampire fiction has been from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, with over 170 versions to date. Running a distant second are adaptations of “Carmilla” by Sheridan Le Fanu. By 2005, Dracula had been the subject of more films than any other fictional character, save for Sherlock Holmes. - [Doom (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/doom-film/) - [Resident Evil (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/resident-evil-film-series/) - [Camp (style)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/camp-style/) - Camp is an aesthetic style and sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its bad taste and ironic value. Camp aesthetics disrupt many of modernism’s notions of what art is and what can be classified as high art by inverting aesthetic attributes such as beauty, value, and taste through an invitation to a different kind of apprehension and consumption. (Wikipedia) - [The Simpsons](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-simpsons/) - The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of working-class life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture and society, television, and the human condition. (Wikipedia) - [Adult animation](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/adult-animation/) - Adult animation, adult cartoon or mature animation, is any type of animated motion work that is mainly targeted towards adults and older adolescents, as opposed to children or all-ages audiences. Works in this genre may be considered adult for any number of reasons, such as complex themes, sexual or suggestive content, graphic violence, profane language or dark humor. Works in this genre may explore philosophical, political, or social issues. Some productions are noted for sophisticated and/or experimental storytelling and animation techniques. - [Mass Effect 2](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mass-effect-2/) - Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in 2010, and PlayStation 3 in 2011. Mass Effect 2 is the second installment of the Mass Effect series and a sequel to the original Mass Effect. The game takes place within the Milky Way galaxy during the 22nd century where humanity is threatened by an insectoid alien race known as the Collectors. The player assumes the role of Commander Shepard, an elite human soldier who must construct and gain the loyalty of a diverse team and stop the enemy in a suicide mission. With the use of a completed saved game of its predecessor, the player can impact the story of the game in numerous ways. (Wikipedia) - [James T. Kirk](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/james-t-kirk/) - James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk (William Shatner) first appeared in Star Trek: The Original Series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise as captain. Kirk leads his crew as they explore new worlds, new civilizations, and “boldly go where no man has gone before”. Often, the characters of Spock and Leonard McCoy act as his logical and emotional sounding boards, respectively. Captain Kirk has been portrayed in numerous films, books, comics, webisodes, and video games. (Wikipedia) - [Gears of War](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/gears-of-war/) - [The Sims 4](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-sims-4/) - The Sims 4 is the fourth major title in the life simulation video game series The Sims developed by the Redwood Shores studio of Maxis and published by Electronic Arts, The Sims 4 was originally announced on May 6, 2013, and was released in North America on September 2, 2014, for Microsoft Windows. A Mac compatible version of the game was made available for digital download on February 17, 2015. The Sims 4 is the first PC game to top all-format charts in two years. The game has received mixed reviews since its release, with the majority of criticism directed towards its lack of content. (Wikipedia) - [Bloodshed (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bloodshed-film/) - Bloodshed is a 2005 United States horror film by Jim McMahon based on a script by Jim McMahon and Michael Victor Roy, featuring Íce Mrozek, Christopher Childs, and Shana Lee Klisanin. In this movie, two mentally unbalanced brothers become the prime suspects in a murder. http://cinematicdiversions.com/bloodshed-review/ - [San Franpyscho.](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/san-franpyscho/) - [Dark Harvest 3](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dark-harvest-3/) - [Cinema of the United States](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cinema-of-the-united-states/) - The cinema of the United States, often metonymously referred to as Hollywood, has had a large effect on the film industry in general since the early 20th century. The dominant style of American cinema is the classical Hollywood cinema, which developed from 1917 to 1960 and characterizes most films made there to this day. While Frenchmen Auguste and Louis Lumière are generally credited with the birth of modern cinema, American cinema soon came to be a dominant force in the industry as it emerged. It produces the total largest number of films of any single-language national cinema, with more than 700 English-language films released on average every year. While the national cinemas of the United Kingdom (299), Canada (206), Australia, and New Zealand also produce films in the same language, they are not considered part of the Hollywood system. Hollywood has also been considered a transnational cinema. Classical Hollywood produced multiple language versions of some titles, often in Spanish or French. Contemporary Hollywood offshores production to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. (Wikipedia) - [National Treasure (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/national-treasure-film/) - National Treasure is a 2004 American adventure film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was written by Jim Kouf and the Wibberleys, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Jon Turteltaub. It is the first film in the National Treasure film series and stars Nicolas Cage, Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight, Diane Kruger, Sean Bean, Justin Bartha and Christopher Plummer. - [Body Heat](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/body-heat/) - Body Heat is a 1981 American neo-noir erotic thriller film written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan. It stars William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, and Richard Crenna, and features Ted Danson, J. A. Preston, and Mickey Rourke. The film was inspired by Double Indemnity. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/body-heat-review/ - [Erotic thriller](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/erotic-thriller/) - Erotic thriller is a film subgenre defined as a thriller with a thematic basis in illicit romance or erotic fantasy. Most erotic thrillers contain scenes of softcore sex and nudity, but the frequency and explicitness of those scenes vary. (Wikipedia) - [Idiocracy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/idiocracy/) - Idiocracy is a 2006 American science fiction comedy film directed by Mike Judge, who co-wrote it with Etan Cohen. Starring Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph and Dax Shepard, it tells the story of Joe Bauers (Wilson), an American soldier who takes part in a classified military human hibernation experiment, only to accidentally awaken 500 years later in a dystopian society, in which commercialism has run rampant, and mankind has embraced anti-intellectualism and is devoid of intellectual curiosity, social responsibility, and coherent notions of justice and human rights. (Wikipedia) - [The Big Chill (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-big-chill-film/) - The Big Chill is a 1983 American comedy-drama film directed by Lawrence Kasdan, starring Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, and JoBeth Williams. The plot focuses on a group of baby boomers who attended the University of Michigan, reuniting after 15 years when their friend Alex commits suicide. Kevin Costner was cast as Alex, but all scenes showing his face were cut. It was filmed in Beaufort, South Carolina. - [The Maltese Falcon (1941 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-maltese-falcon-1941-film/) - The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 film noir directed and scripted by John Huston in his directorial debut, based on Dashiell Hammett’s 1930 novel of the same name. It stars Humphrey Bogart as private investigator Sam Spade and Mary Astor as his femme fatale client. Gladys George, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet co-star, with Greenstreet appearing in his film debut. The story follows a San Francisco private detective and his dealings with three unscrupulous adventurers, all of whom are competing to obtain a jewel-encrusted falcon statuette. (Wikipedia) - [Body of Evidence (1993 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/body-of-evidence-1993-film/) - Body of Evidence is a 1993 American erotic thriller film produced by Dino De Laurentiis and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and originally had the rare NC-17 rating. It was directed by Uli Edel and written by Brad Mirman. The film stars Madonna and Willem Dafoe, with Joe Mantegna, Anne Archer, Julianne Moore and Jürgen Prochnow in supporting roles. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/body-of-evidence-review/ - [Presumed Innocent (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/presumed-innocent-film/) - [A League of Their Own](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-league-of-their-own/) - A League of Their Own is a 1992 American sports comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). Directed by Penny Marshall, the film stars Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, and Lori Petty. The screenplay was written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel from a story by Kelly Candaele and Kim Wilson. - [Showgirls](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/showgirls/) - Showgirls is a 1995 erotic drama film written by Joe Eszterhas and directed by Paul Verhoeven. It stars former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, and Gina Gershon. The film centers on a “street-smart” drifter who ventures to Las Vegas and climbs the seedy hierarchy from stripper to showgirl. (Wikipedia) - [Ant-Man (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ant-man-film/) - Ant-Man is a 2015 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics characters of the same name: Scott Lang and Hank Pym. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the twelfth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Peyton Reed, with a screenplay by the writing teams of Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, and Adam McKay and Paul Rudd. It stars Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man, alongside Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Anthony Mackie, Wood Harris, Judy Greer, David Dastmalchian, and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym. In Ant-Man, Lang must help defend Pym’s Ant-Man shrinking technology and plot a heist with worldwide ramifications. (Wikipedia) - [Bride of Frankenstein](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bride-of-frankenstein/) - Bride of Frankenstein (often incorrectly styled The Bride of Frankenstein) is a 1935 American science-fiction horror film, the first sequel to Universal Pictures’ 1931 hit Frankenstein. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest sequels in cinematic history, with many fans and critics considering it to be an improvement on the original Frankenstein. As with the first film, Bride of Frankenstein was directed by James Whale and stars Boris Karloff as the Monster. The sequel features Elsa Lanchester in the dual role of Mary Shelley and the Monster’s mate at the end of the film. Colin Clive reprises his role as Henry Frankenstein, and Ernest Thesiger plays the role of Doctor Septimus Pretorius. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/bride-of-frankenstein-review/ - [Science fiction film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/science-fiction-film/) - Science fiction film (or sci-fi film) is a genre that uses speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception and time travel, along with futuristic elements such as spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstellar travel or other technologies. Science fiction films have often been used to focus on political or social issues, and to explore philosophical issues like the human condition. In many cases, tropes derived from written science fiction may be used by filmmakers ignorant of or at best indifferent to the standards of scientific plausibility and plot logic to which written science fiction is traditionally held. (Wikipedia) - [Gods and Monsters](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/gods-and-monsters/) - [Dark City (1998 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dark-city-1998-film/) - [Romantic comedy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/romantic-comedy/) - Romantic comedy (portmanteaus: romedy, romcom, rom-com or lovecome) is a subgenre of comedy and slice-of-life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plotlines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is “a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily”. Another definition suggests that its “primary distinguishing feature is a love plot in which two sympathetic and well-matched lovers are united or reconciled”. (Wikipedia) - [Renée Zellweger](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/renee-zellweger/) - [Hugh Grant](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hugh-grant/) - [Andrew Davies (writer)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/andrew-davies-writer/) - Andrew Wynford Davies (born 20 September 1936) is a Welsh writer of screenplays and novels, best known for House of Cards and A Very Peculiar Practice, and his adaptations of Vanity Fair, Pride and Prejudice, Middlemarch, and War & Peace. He was made a BAFTA Fellow in 2002. - [Jane Austen](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jane-austen/) - Jane Austen (16 December 1775—18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen’s plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage in pursuing favourable social standing and economic security. Her works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her use of biting irony, along with her realism, humour, and social commentary, has long earned her acclaim among critics, scholars, and popular audiences alike. (Wikipedia) - [Pride and Prejudice](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pride-and-prejudice/) - Pride and Prejudice is a romantic novel of manners written by Jane Austen in 1813. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. Its humour lies in its honest depiction of manners, education, marriage, and money during the Regency era in Great Britain. (Wikipedia) - [Sleepless in Seattle](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sleepless-in-seattle/) - Sleepless in Seattle is a 1993 American romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Nora Ephron, based on a story by Jeff Arch. It stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, alongside a supporting cast featuring Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger, Rob Reiner, Rosie O’Donnell, Gaby Hoffmann, Victor Garber, and Rita Wilson. Released on June 25, 1993, the film was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $227 million worldwide. - [Chick flick](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/chick-flick/) - Chick flick is a slang term, sometimes used pejoratively, for the film genre that appeals more to a female audience and deals mainly with love and romance. Although many types of films may be directed towards a female audience, the term “chick flick” is typically used only regarding films that contain personal drama and emotion or themes that are relationship-based (although not necessarily romantic as films may focus on parent-child or friend relationships). Chick flicks often are released en masse around Valentine’s Day. Feminists such as Gloria Steinem have objected to terms such as “chick flick” and the related genre term “chick lit”, and a film critic has called it derogatory. - [Strange Brew](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/strange-brew/) - Strange Brew (also known as The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew) is a 1983 Canadian comedy film starring the popular SCTV characters Bob and Doug McKenzie, portrayed by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis, who also served as co-directors. Co-stars include Max von Sydow, Paul Dooley, Lynne Griffin, and Angus MacInnes. - [Brooklyn (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/brooklyn-film/) - Brooklyn is a 2015 romantic historical period drama film directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby, based on the novel of the same name by Colm Tóibín. It is a co-production between the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Canada. The film stars Saoirse Ronan in the lead role, with Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, and Julie Walters in supporting roles. Set in 1951, the plot follows Eilis Lacey, a young Irish woman who emigrates to Brooklyn to find employment. There she marries an Italian plumber called Tony, before being forced to choose between her home town of Enniscorthy or her new life in Brooklyn. Filming began in Ireland in April 2014 that lasted three weeks, until production was moved to Montreal, Quebec for a further four weeks. Additional filming took place on Coney Island. http://cinematicdiversions.com/brooklyn-review/ - [Romance film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/romance-film/) - Romance films or romance movies are romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theaters and on TV that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes them through dating, courtship or marriage. Romance films make the romantic love story or the search for strong and pure love and romance the main plot focus. Occasionally, romance lovers face obstacles such as finances, physical illness, various forms of discrimination, psychological restraints or family that threaten to break their union of love. As in all quite strong, deep, and close romantic relationships, tensions of day-to-day life, temptations (of infidelity), and differences in compatibility enter into the plots of romantic films. (Wikipedia) - [Brooklyn (novel)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/brooklyn-novel/) - Brooklyn is a 2009 novel by Irish author Colm Tóibín. It won the 2009 Costa Novel Award was shortlisted for the 2011 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and was longlisted for the 2009 Man Booker Prize. In 2012, The Observer named it one of “The 10 best historical novels”. - [Casablanca (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/casablanca-film/) - Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz based on Murray Burnett and Joan Alison’s unproduced stage play Everybody Comes to Rick’s. The film stars Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid; it also features Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Dooley Wilson. Set during World War II, it focuses on an American expatriate who must choose between his love for a woman and helping her and her husband, a Czech resistance leader, escape from the Vichy-controlled city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Germans. (Wikipedia) - [Mary Sue](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mary-sue/) - A Mary Sue is an idealized and seemingly perfect fictional character. Typically, this character is recognized as an author insert or wish fulfillment. They can usually perform better at tasks than should be possible given the amount of training or experience, and usually are able through some means to upstage the protagonist of an established fictional setting, such as by saving the hero. (Wikipedia) - [Brüno](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bruno/) - Brüno is a 2009 British-American mockumentary comedy film directed by Larry Charles and starring Sacha Baron Cohen, who produced, co-wrote, and played the gay Austrian fashion journalist Brüno. It is the third film based on one of Cohen’s characters from Da Ali G Show; the first were Ali G Indahouse and Borat. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/bruno-review/ - [Comedy film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/comedy-film/) - A comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement and most often work by exaggerating characteristics for humorous effect. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). One of the oldest genres in film–and derived from the classic comedy in theatre–, some of the very first silent movies were comedies, as slapstick comedy often relies on visual depictions, without requiring sound. When sound films became more prevalent during the 1920s, comedy films took another swing, as laughter could result from burlesque situations but also dialogue. (Wikipedia) - [Da Ali G Show](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/da-ali-g-show/) - Da Ali G Show is a British satirical television series created by and starring English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. In the series, Baron Cohen plays three unorthodox journalists — faux-streetwise poseur Ali G, Kazakh reporter Borat Sagdiyev, and gay Austrian fashion enthusiast Brüno Gehard. These characters conduct real interviews with unsuspecting people, many of whom are celebrities, high-ranking government officials, and other well-known figures, during which they are asked absurd and ridiculous questions. - [Borat](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/borat/) - Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, more commonly known as Borat, is a 2006 satirical mockumentary comedy film co-written and produced by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen who also plays the title character, Borat Sagdiyev, a fictitious Kazakh journalist travelling through the United States recording real-life interactions with Americans. The film was directed by Larry Charles and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Much of the film features unscripted vignettes of Borat interviewing and interacting with real-life Americans who believe he is a foreigner with little or no understanding of American customs. It is the second of three films built around Baron Cohen’s characters from Da Ali G Show (2000–04): the first, Ali G Indahouse, was released in 2002, and featured a cameo by Borat, and the third, Brüno, was released in 2009. The film is produced by Baron Cohen’s production company, Four By Two Productions. (Wikipedia) - [Mondo Cane](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mondo-cane/) - [Roger Corman](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/roger-corman/) - Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American director, producer, and actor. He has been called “The Pope of Pop Cinema” and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Much of Corman’s work has an established critical reputation, such as his cycle of low-budget cult films adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe. (Wikipedia) - [XXX (2002 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/xxx-2002-film/) - [XXX (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/xxx-film-series/) - [Wuxia](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/wuxia/) - [Ratman's Notebooks](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ratmans-notebooks/) - [Willard (1971 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/willard-1971-film/) - Willard is a 1971 American horror film directed by Daniel Mann and starring Bruce Davison and Ernest Borgnine. Based on the novel Ratman’s Notebooks by Stephen Gilbert, the film was nominated for an Edgar Award for best picture. The supporting cast included Elsa Lanchester in one of her last performances before her death, and Sondra Locke in one of her first. The film was a summer hit in 1971; opening to good reviews and high box office returns. - [Ben (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ben-film/) - [The Descent](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-descent/) - [Prequel](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/prequel/) - A prequel is a literary, dramatic, or cinematic work whose story precedes that of previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work. - [Logan (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/logan-film/) - [The Wolverine (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-wolverine-film/) - [Box-office bomb](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/box-office-bomb/) - In the motion picture industry, a box-office bomb or box-office flop is a film that is considered highly unsuccessful or unprofitable during its theatrical run, often following significant hype regarding its cost, production, or marketing efforts. Generally, any film for which the production and marketing costs exceed the combined revenue recovered after release is considered to have “bombed”. The label is generally applied to films that miss earnings projections by a wide margin, particularly when they are very expensive to produce. Although this often occurs in conjunction with middling or poor reviews, critical reception has an imperfect connection to box-office performance. (Wikipedia) - [X-Men (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/x-men-film/) - [Halle Berry](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/halle-berry/) - Halle Maria Berry (born Maria Halle Berry; August 14, 1966) is an American actress. Berry won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the romantic drama film Monster’s Ball (2001), becoming the only woman of African American descent to have won the award. - [X-Men: The Last Stand](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/x-men-the-last-stand/) - [Thriller (genre)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/thriller-genre/) - Thriller is a genre of fiction, having numerous, often overlapping subgenres. Thrillers are characterized and defined by the moods they elicit, giving viewers heightened feelings of suspense, excitement, surprise, anticipation, and anxiety. Successful examples of thrillers are the films of Alfred Hitchcock. (Wikipedia) - [Kokusai himitsu keisatsu: Kagi no kagi](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/kokusai-himitsu-keisatsu-kagi-no-kagi/) - [Bram Stoker](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/bram-stoker/) - Abraham Stoker (8 November 1847 – 20 April 1912) was an Irish author who is celebrated for his 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. During his lifetime, he was better known as the personal assistant of actor Sir Henry Irving and business manager of the Lyceum Theatre, which Irving owned. In his early years, Stoker worked as a theatre critic for an Irish newspaper and wrote stories as well as commentaries. He also enjoyed travelling, particularly to Cruden Bay, where he set two of his novels. During another visit to the English coastal town of Whitby, Stoker drew inspiration for writing Dracula. He died on 20 April 1912 due to Locomotor ataxia and was cremated in north London. Since his death, his magnum opus Dracula has become one of the most well-known works in English literature, and the novel has been adapted for numerous films, short stories and plays. (Wikipedia) - [Mary Shelley](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mary-shelley/) - Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (Godwin; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818). She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet, and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley. Her father was the political philosopher William Godwin and her mother was the philosopher and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. - [The Wolf Man (1941 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-wolf-man-1941-film/) - [Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/frankenstein-meets-the-wolf-man/) - Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man is a 1943 American horror film produced by Universal Studios starring Lon Chaney, Jr. as the Wolf Man and Bela Lugosi as Frankenstein’s monster. This was the first of a series of “ensemble monster films combining characters from several film series. This film, therefore, is both the fifth in the series of films based upon Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, directly after The Ghost of Frankenstein, and a sequel to The Wolf Man. - [The House of Frankenstein (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-house-of-frankenstein-film/) - The House of Frankenstein is a 1944 American monster crossover horror film starring Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr., directed by Erle C. Kenton, written by Curt Siodmak, and produced by Universal Studios as a sequel to Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and Son of Dracula the previous year. The cast includes a mad scientist (Karloff), the Wolf Man (Chaney), Count Dracula (John Carradine), a hunchback (J. Carrol Naish), and Frankenstein’s monster (Glenn Strange). This “monster rally” approach would continue in the following film, House of Dracula, and the 1948 comedy Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. - [House of Dracula](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/house-of-dracula/) - [Thriller film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/thriller-film/) - Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films’ plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. Tension is created by delaying what the audience sees as inevitable and is built through situations that are menacing or where escape seems impossible. (Wikipedia) - [Political thriller](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/political-thriller/) - A political thriller is a thriller that is set against the backdrop of a political power struggle. They usually involve various extra-legal plots, designed to give political power to someone, while his opponents try to stop him. They can involve national or international political scenarios. Political corruption, terrorism, and warfare are common themes. Political thrillers can be based on true facts such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy or the Watergate Scandal. There is a strong overlap with the conspiracy thriller. - [V for Vendetta](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/v-for-vendetta/) - V for Vendetta is a British graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd (with additional art by Tony Weare). Initially published, starting in 1982, in black-and-white as an ongoing serial in the short-lived UK anthology Warrior, it morphed into a ten-issue limited series published by DC Comics. Subsequent collected editions have been typically published under DC’s more specialized imprint, Vertigo. The story depicts a dystopian and post-apocalyptic near-future history version of the United Kingdom in the 1990s, preceded by a nuclear war in the 1980s that devastated most of the rest of the world. The white supremacist, neo-fascist, outwardly Christofascistic, and homophobic fictional Norsefire political party has exterminated its opponents in concentration camps, and now rules the country as a police state. - [From Hell (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/from-hell-film/) - From Hell is a 2001 American slasher film directed by the Hughes brothers and loosely based on the graphic novel From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell about the Jack the Ripper murders. - [The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-league-of-extraordinary-gentlemen-film/) - The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, also promoted as LXG, is a 2003 steampunk-dieselpunk superhero film loosely based on the first volume of the comic book series of the same name by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill. It was released on July 11, 2003, in the United States, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Stephen Norrington and starred Sean Connery, Naseeruddin Shah, Peta Wilson, Tony Curran, Stuart Townsend, Shane West, Jason Flemyng and Richard Roxburgh. - [Revisionist Western](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/revisionist-western/) - The Revisionist Western, Anti-Western or Post-Western is a subgenre of the Western film that traces its roots to the mid-1960s and early 1970s. (Wikipedia) - [Clint Eastwood](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/clint-eastwood/) - Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor, film director, producer, and composer. After achieving success in the Western TV series Rawhide, he rose to international fame with his role as the “Man with No Name” in Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone’s “Dollars Trilogy” of Spaghetti Westerns during the mid-1960s, and as antihero cop Harry Callahan in the five Dirty Harry films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. These roles, among others, have made Eastwood an enduring cultural icon of masculinity. His accolades include four Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, three César Awards, and an AFI Life Achievement Award. (Wikipedia) - [Underworld (2003 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/underworld-2003-film/) - Underworld is a 2003 action horror film directed by Len Wiseman and written by Danny McBride, based on a story by McBride, Kevin Grevioux, and Wiseman. The film centers on the secret history of vampires and lycans (an abbreviated form of lycanthrope, which means werewolf). It is the first (chronologically, the second) installment in the Underworld franchise. The main plot revolves around Selene (Kate Beckinsale), a vampire Death Dealer hunting Lycans. She finds herself attracted to a human, Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), who is being targeted by the Lycans. After Michael is bitten by a Lycan, Selene must decide whether to do her duty and kill him or go against her clan and save him. Alongside Beckinsale and Speedman, the film stars Michael Sheen, Shane Brolly, and Bill Nighy. (Wikipedia) - [Underworld (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/underworld-film-series/) - Underworld is a series of action horror films created by Len Wiseman, Kevin Grevioux, and Danny McBride, that follows characters who are caught up in a war between vampires and werewolves (called “Lycans” within the films). Most of the movies star Kate Beckinsale as the protagonist, Selene. The first film, Underworld, was released in 2003; it introduces Selene, an elite vampire-warrior who defies her orders, and Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), a human who gets caught up in the war. The second film, Underworld: Evolution (released in 2006) follows Selene and Michael as they are hunted by their enemies. The third film, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009), is the prequel to the series, chronicling the origins of the vampire-Lycan war. The fourth film, Underworld: Awakening (2012) is the sequel to Underworld: Evolution. In this film, humans have discovered the existence of vampires and Lycans, and are trying to eradicate both species. A further sequel, titled Underworld: Blood Wars, was released internationally on November 24, 2016, and in the United States on January 6, 2017. (Wikipedia) - [Cinéma vérité](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cinema-verite/) - [Crime film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/crime-film/) - Crime films, in the broadest sense, are a cinematic genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as drama or gangster film, but also include comedy, and, in turn, is divided into many sub-genres, such as mystery, suspense or noir. (Wikipedia) - [Maneater (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/maneater-film-series/) - [War film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/war-film/) - War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about naval, air, or land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle scenes means that war films often end with them. Themes explored include combat, survival and escape, the camaraderie between soldiers, sacrifice, the futility and inhumanity of battle, the effects of war on society, and the moral and human issues raised by war. War films are often categorized by their milieu, such as the Korean War; the most popular subject is the Second World War. The stories told may be fiction, historical drama, or biographical. Critics have noted similarities between the Western and the war film. (Wikipedia) - [Heist film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/heist-film/) - The heist film or caper film is a subgenre of crime film. One of the early defining heist films was The Asphalt Jungle (1950), which Film Genre 2000 wrote “almost single-handedly popularized the genre for mainstream cinema”. It featured robbers whose personal failings ultimately led to the failure of their robbery. Similar films using this formula were Armored Car Robbery (1950), The Killing (1956), and The Getaway (1972). By the 1990s, heist films “experiment and play with these conventions” and focused more on character relationships than the crime itself. (Wikipedia) - [Supernatural fiction](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/supernatural-fiction/) - Supernatural fiction or supernaturalist fiction is a genre of speculative fiction that exploits or is centered around supernatural themes, often violating naturalist assumptions of the real world. (Wikipedia) - [13 Ghosts](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/13-ghosts/) - 13 Ghosts is a 1960 American horror film, produced and directed by William Castle, written by Robb White, and starring Jo Morrow, Rosemary DeCamp, Martin Milner, Donald Woods, and Charles Herbert. The film also co-features experienced character actress Margaret Hamilton. 13 Ghosts was released in 1960 on a double bill with either 12 to the Moon, The Electronic Monster, or Battle in Outer Space, depending on the film market. - [Manga](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/manga/) - Manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, though the art form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term manga is used in Japan to refer to both comics and cartooning. Outside Japan, the word is typically used to refer to comics originally published in the country. (Wikipedia) - [James Cameron](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/james-cameron/) - James Francis Cameron CC (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. Best known for making science fiction and epic films, he first gained recognition for directing The Terminator (1984). He found further success with Aliens (1986), The Abyss (1989), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), and the action comedy True Lies (1994). He also directed Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009), with Titanic earning him Academy Awards in Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film Editing. Avatar, filmed in 3D technology, earned him nominations in the same categories. (Wikipedia) - [Docudrama](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/docudrama/) - [Television documentary](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/television-documentary/) - A documentary television film is a documentary film made specially for television stations or for specialty documentary channels, or in case of political and historical documentary subjects in news channels, without the intention of showing it in movie theaters. This film is include in television movies and distinguished with theatrical feature films. Another good example of television documentaries are the travel documentaries that are featured in specialized geographical or tourism television channels like the National Geographic Channel. The films might end up showing through in film societies or in theaters that specialize in showing documentaries. However, in rare occasions, the television documentaries become so popular that they are launched for wider release in movie theaters. - [Drama](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/drama/) - Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television. Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been contrasted with the epic and the lyrical modes ever since Aristotle’s Poetics (c. 335 BC)—the earliest work of dramatic theory. - [Epic film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/epic-film/) - Epic films are a style of filmmaking with a large scale, sweeping scope, and spectacle. The usage of the term has shifted over time, sometimes designating a film genre and at other times simply synonymous with big-budget filmmaking. Like epics in the classical literary sense, it is often focused on a heroic character. An epic’s ambitious nature helps to set it apart from other types of film such as the period piece or adventure film. (Wikipedia) - [Comedy of manners](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/comedy-of-manners/) - In English literature, the term comedy of manners (also anti-sentimental comedy) describes a genre of realistic, satirical comedy of the Restoration period (1660–1710) that questions and comments upon the manners and social conventions of a sophisticated, artificial society. The satire of fashion, manners, and outlook on life of the social classes, is realised with stock characters, such as the braggart soldier of Ancient Greek comedy, and the fop and the rake of English Restoration comedy. The clever plot of a comedy of manners (usually a scandal) is secondary to the social commentary thematically presented through the witty dialogue of the characters, e.g. The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), by Oscar Wilde, which satirises the sexual hypocrisies of Victorian morality. (Wikipedia) - [Satire](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/satire/) - Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming or exposing the perceived flaws of individuals, corporations, government, or society itself into improvement. Although satire is usually meant to be humorous, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit to draw attention to both particular and wider issues in society. (Wikipedia) - [Anthology film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/anthology-film/) - An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a subgenre of films consisting of several short films, often tied together by only a single theme, premise, or brief interlocking event (often a turning point). Sometimes each one is directed by a different director. These differ from “revue films” such as Paramount on Parade (1930)—which were common in Hollywood in the early sound film era to show off their stars and related vaudeville-style acts—composite films and compilation films. (Wikipedia) - [Ronny Cox](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ronny-cox/) - Daniel Ronald Cox (born July 23, 1938) is an American actor, singer, songwriter, and storyteller. His best-known roles include Drew Ballinger in Deliverance (1972), George Apple in Apple’s Way (1974–75), Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil in Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), Dick Jones in RoboCop (1987), Vilos Cohaagen in Total Recall (1990), and The President in Captain America (1990). Cox is also active as a musician, performing over 100 times per year at festivals and theaters each year as of 2012. (Wikipedia) - [Spy film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/spy-film/) - The spy film genre deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way (such as the adaptations of John le Carré) or as a basis for fantasy (such as many James Bond films). Many novels in the spy fiction genre have been adapted as films, including works by John Buchan, le Carré, Ian Fleming (Bond) and Len Deighton. It is a significant aspect of British cinema, with leading British directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Carol Reed making notable contributions and many films set in the British Secret Service. (Wikipedia) - [Ian Fleming](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ian-fleming/) - Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer, journalist and naval intelligence officer who is best known for his James Bond series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his father was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Henley from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917. Educated at Eton, Sandhurst, and, briefly, the universities of Munich and Geneva, Fleming moved through several jobs before he started writing. (Wikipedia) - [Dominic Purcell](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dominic-purcell/) - [Blade (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/blade-franchise/) - [The Mummy (1932 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-mummy-1932-film/) - [Mummy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mummy/) - [The Fast and the Furious](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-fast-and-the-furious/) - Fast & Furious (originally The Fast and the Furious) is an American media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with illegal street racing, heists and spies. The franchise also includes short films, a television series, live shows, video games and theme park attractions. It is distributed by Universal Pictures. - [Paul Walker](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/paul-walker/) - [Cole Hauser](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cole-hauser/) - [Adventure film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/adventure-film/) - Adventure films are a genre of film that typically use their action scenes to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way. (Wikipedia) - [Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/twenty-thousand-leagues-under-the-sea/) - [Harald Kloser](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/harald-kloser/) - [Drama (film and television)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/drama-film-and-television/) - In film and television, the drama is a genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular subgenre, such as “police crime drama”, “political drama”, “legal drama”, “historical period drama”, “domestic drama”, “teen drama” or “comedy-drama”. These terms tend to indicate a particular setting or subject-matter, or else they qualify the otherwise serious tone of a drama with elements that encourage a broader range of moods. (Wikipedia) - [Samurai cinema](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/samurai-cinema/) - [Spy fiction](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/spy-fiction/) - Spy fiction, a genre of literature involving espionage as an important context or plot device, emerged in the early twentieth century, inspired by rivalries and intrigues between the major powers, and the establishment of modern intelligence agencies. It was given new impetus by the development of fascism and communism in the lead-up to World War II, continued to develop during the Cold War, and received a fresh impetus from the emergence of rogue states, international criminal organizations, global terrorist networks, maritime piracy and technological sabotage and espionage as potent threats to Western societies. As a genre, spy fiction is thematically related to the novel of adventure (The Prisoner of Zenda, 1894, The Scarlet Pimpernel, 1905), the thriller (such as the works of Edgar Wallace) and the politico-military thriller (The Schirmer Inheritance, 1953, The Quiet American, 1955). - [Sofia Coppola](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sofia-coppola/) - Sofia Carmina Coppola born May 14, 1971 is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and actress. The daughter of filmmakers Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola, she made her film debut as an infant in her father’s acclaimed crime drama film, The Godfather (1972). Coppola later appeared in a supporting role in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) and portrayed Mary Corleone, the daughter of Michael Corleone, in The Godfather Part III (1990). Her performance in the latter film was severely criticized, and she turned her attention to filmmaking. (Wikipedia) - [Maya Rudolph](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/maya-rudolph/) - [Rashida Jones](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/rashida-jones/) - [Original video animation](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/original-video-animation/) - Original video animation, abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animated video), are Japanese animated films and miniseries made especially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theatres, though the first part of an OVA series may be broadcast for promotional purposes. OVA titles were originally made available on VHS, later becoming more popular on LaserDisc and eventually DVD. Starting in 2008, the term OAD (original animation DVD) began to refer to DVD releases published bundled with their source-material manga. (Wikipedia) - [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/paul-w-s-anderson/) - Paul William Scott Anderson (born 4 March 1965) is an English film director, producer, and screenwriter who regularly works in science fiction films and video game adaptations. - [Mondo film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mondo-film/) - Mondo films are a subgenre of exploitation films and documentary films. Many mondo films are made in a way to resemble a pseudo-documentary and usually depicting sensational topics, scenes, or situations. Common traits of mondo films include portrayals of foreign cultures (which have drawn accusations of ethnocentrism or racism), an emphasis on taboo subjects such as death and sex, and staged sequences presented as genuine documentary footage. Over time, the films have placed increasing emphasis on footage of the dead and dying (both real and fake). The genre is also noted for the graphic footage of death and deceased people often shown in many such films, leading to the popular nickname of “death film”. - [Biographical film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/biographical-film/) - A biographical film, or biopic, is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person, and the central character’s real name is used. They differ from docudrama films and historical drama films in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a single person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their lives. (Wikipedia) - [Anaconda (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/anaconda-film-series/) - Anaconda (also known as Anacondas) is a series of American horror films created by Hans Bauer, Jim Cash, and Jack Epps Jr. Produced and distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, the series began with Anaconda (1997) directed by Luis Llosa, and was followed by one theatrical standalone sequel, Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004) directed by Dwight H. Little, and three television sequels, Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008), Anacondas: Trail of Blood (2009), both directed by Don E. Fauntleroy, and Lake Placid vs. Anaconda (2015) directed by A. B. Stone and is a crossover with the Lake Placid series. Each installment revolves around giant man-eating anacondas and the efforts of various groups of people to capture or destroy the creatures. The fictional plant is known as the Blood Orchid and the company Wexel Hall Pharmaceuticals, as well as the fictitious Murdoch family, are repeatedly referenced in the films. - [Mystery film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/mystery-film/) - A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction. (Wikipedia) - [Survival film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/survival-film/) - The survival film is a film genre in which one or more characters make an effort at physical survival. It often overlaps with other film genres. It is a subgenre of the adventure film, along with swashbuckler films, war films, and safari films. Survival films are darker than most other adventure films, which usually focus their storyline on a single character, usually the protagonist. The films tend to be “located primarily in a contemporary context” and so film audiences are familiar with the setting, and the characters’ activities are less romanticized. - [Public information film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/public-information-film/) - Public information films (PIFs) are a series of government-commissioned short films, shown during television advertising breaks in the United Kingdom. The US equivalent is the public service announcement (PSA). (Wikipedia) - [Surrealism](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/surrealism/) - Surrealism was a cultural movement which developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I and was largely influenced by Dada. The movement is best known for its visual artworks and writings and the juxtaposition of uncommon imagery. Artists painted unnerving, illogical scenes, sometimes with photographic precision, creating strange creatures from everyday objects, and developing painting techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself. Its aim was, according to leader André Breton, to “resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality into an absolute reality, a super-reality”, or surreality. (Wikipedia) - [Parody](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/parody/) - A parody also called a spoof, send-up, take-off, lampoon, play on (something), caricature, or joke, is a work created to imitate, make fun of, or comment on an original work—its subject, author, style, or some other target—by means of satiric or ironic imitation. As the literary theorist Linda Hutcheon puts it, “parody … is an imitation, not always at the expense of the parodied text.” Another critic, Simon Dentith, defines parody as “any cultural practice which provides a relatively polemical allusive imitation of another cultural production or practice”. Parody may be found in art or culture, including literature, music (although “parody” in music has an earlier, somewhat different meaning than for other art forms), animation, gaming, and film. (Wikipedia) - [The Lord of the Rings (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-lord-of-the-rings-film-series/) - The Lord of the Rings is a film series of three epic fantasy adventure films directed by Peter Jackson, based on the novel written by J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are subtitled The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers(2002) and The Return of the King (2003). Produced and distributed by New Line Cinema with the co-production of WingNut Films, it is an international venture between New Zealand and the United States. The films feature an ensemble cast including Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis and Sean Bean. (Wikipedia) - [Star Wars](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/star-wars/) - Star Wars is an American epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas. The franchise began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The original film, later subtitled Episode IV – A New Hope, was followed by the sequels Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983), forming what is collectively referred to as the original trilogy. A prequel trilogy was later released, consisting of Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). Ten years later, a sequel trilogy began with Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), continued with Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017), and will conclude with Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019). The first eight films were nominated for Academy Awards (with wins going to the first two released) and were commercially successful. Together with the theatrical anthology films Rogue One (2016) and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), the combined box office revenue of the films equates to over US$9 billion and is currently the second-highest-grossing film franchise. (Wikipedia) - [Brian Dennehy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/brian-dennehy/) - [The Avengers (2012 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-avengers-2012-film/) - Marvel’s The Avengers (classified under the name Marvel Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom and Ireland), or The Avengers, is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner as the titular Avengers team, alongside Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård, and Samuel L. Jackson. In the film, Nick Fury, director of the spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D., recruits Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, and Thor to form a team that must stop Thor’s brother Loki from subjugating Earth. (Wikipedia) - [Dave Bautista](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dave-bautista/) - David Michael Bautista Jr. (born January 18, 1969) is an American actor, retired professional wrestler, former mixed martial artist and bodybuilder. (Wikipedia) - [Josh Brolin](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/josh-brolin/) - [Chris Pratt](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/chris-pratt/) - Christopher Michael Pratt (born June 21, 1979) is an American actor and film producer. He rose to prominence for his television roles, particularly as Andy Dwyer in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–2015), for which he received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2013. He also starred earlier in his career as Bright Abbott in The WB drama series Everwood (2002–2006) and had roles in Wanted (2008), Jennifer’s Body (2009), Moneyball (2011), The Five-Year Engagement (2012), Zero Dark Thirty (2013), Delivery Man (2013), and Her (2013). (Wikipedia) - [Michael Rooker](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/michael-rooker/) - Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955) is an American actor, known for his roles as Henry in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), Chick Gandil in Eight Men Out (1988), Terry Cruger in Sea of Love (1989), Rowdy Burns in Days of Thunder (1990), Bill Broussard in JFK (1991), Hal Tucker in Cliffhanger (1993), Jared Svenning in Mallrats (1995), Detective Howard Cheney in The Bone Collector (1999), Grant Grant in Slither (2006), Merle Dixon in AMC’s The Walking Dead (2010–2013) and Yondu Udonta in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and its sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017). (Wikipedia) - [Computer animation](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/computer-animation/) - Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animated images. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images. Modern computer animation usually uses 3D computer graphics, although 2D computer graphics are still used for stylistic, low bandwidth, and faster real-time renderings. Sometimes, the target of the animation is the computer itself but sometimes film as well. (Wikipedia) - [Barbie (film series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/barbie-film-series/) - [Battle Royale (novel)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/battle-royale-novel/) - [Battle royale game](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/battle-royale-game/) - [Independent film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/independent-film/) - An independent film, independent movie, indie film or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies. Independent films are sometimes distinguishable by their content and style and the way in which the filmmakers’ personal artistic vision is realized. Usually, but not always, independent films are made with considerably lower budgets than major studio films. (Wikipedia) - [Morris Ankrum](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/morris-ankrum/) - Morris Ankrum (born Morris Nussbaum; August 28, 1896 – September 2, 1964) was an American radio, television, and film character actor. (Wikipedia) - [Black and white](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/black-and-white/) - Black-and-white (B/W or B&W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of gray. (Wikipedia) - [Shea Whigham](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/shea-whigham/) - Franklin Shea Whigham Jr. (born January 5, 1969) is an American actor. He portrayed Elias “Eli” Thompson in the HBO drama series Boardwalk Empire, and also had notable supporting roles in Kong: Skull Island, Death Note, Take Shelter, the first season of True Detective, the third season of the anthology television series Fargo, and Joker. He appeared as Agent Michael Stasiak in Fast & Furious and Fast & Furious 6. (Wikipedia) - [Submarine films](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/submarine-films/) - [Holt McCallany](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/holt-mccallany/) - Holt McCallany (born Holt Quinn McAloney; September 3, 1963) is an American actor, producer and writer. He is known for portraying FBI Special Agent Bill Tench on the series Mindhunter (2017–2019) and has had several supporting roles in various television series and films, including Casualties of War, Alien 3, Three Kings and Fight Club. (Wikipedia) - [Comedy-drama](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/comedy-drama/) - Comedy-drama or dramedy (a portmanteau of drama and comedy), is a genre of dramatic works (including film, television, and theatre) in which plot elements are a combination of comedy and drama. It is a subgenre of contemporary tragicomedy. Comedy-drama is especially found in television programs and is considered a “hybrid genre”. (Wikipedia) - [Michael Rapaport](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/michael-rapaport/) - [Red Harvest](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/red-harvest/) - [Michelle Rodriguez](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/michelle-rodriguez/) - Mayte Michelle Rodriguez (born July 12, 1978) is an American actress. Her breakout role was as a troubled boxer in the independent film Girlfight (2000), which was met with critical acclaim and earned her several awards, including the Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award for Best Debut Performance. The following year, she starred as Letty Ortiz in the blockbuster film The Fast and the Furious (2001), a role she has reprised in five additional films in the Fast & Furious franchise. During her career, Rodriguez has played in several successful action films, including Resident Evil, S.W.A.T., and Avatar. - [Cult following](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cult-following/) - A cult following comprises a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a work of culture, often referred to as a cult classic. A film, book, musical artist, television series or video game, among other things, is said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fanbase. A common component of cult following is the emotional attachment the fans have to the object of the cult following, often identifying themselves and other fans as members of a community. Cult followings are also commonly associated with niche markets. Cult media are often associated with underground culture and are considered too eccentric or subversive to be appreciated by the general public or to be commercially successful. (Wikipedia) - [Frankenstein (1931 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/frankenstein-1931-film/) - Frankenstein is a 1931 American pre-Code gothic monster horror film from Universal Pictures. It is about a scientist and his assistant who dig up corpses to build a man animated by electricity. The project goes awry when Frankenstein’s assistant accidentally gives the creature an abnormal murderer’s brain. James Whale directed the film and adapted from the play by Peggy Webling, which was based on Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/frankenstein-1931-review/ - [Cabin Fever (2002 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cabin-fever-2002-film/) - Cabin Fever is a 2002 American horror comedy film co-written and directed by Eli Roth (in his directorial debut) and starring Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, James DeBello, Cerina Vincent, Joey Kern, and Giuseppe Andrews. The story follows a group of college graduates who rent a cabin in the woods and begin to fall victim to a flesh-eating virus. The inspiration for the film’s story came from a real-life experience during a trip to Iceland when Roth developed a skin infection. (Wikipedia) - [Friday the 13th (2009 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/friday-the-13th-2009-film/) - Friday the 13th is a 2009 American slasher film directed by Marcus Nispel and written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. The film is a reboot and the twelfth installment of the Friday the 13th film series, which began in 1980. This film follows Clay Miller (Jared Padalecki) as he searches for his missing sister, Whitney (Amanda Righetti), who is captured by Jason Voorhees (Derek Mears) while camping in woodland at Crystal Lake. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/friday-the-13th-2009-review/ - [My Bloody Valentine 3D](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/my-bloody-valentine-3d/) - My Bloody Valentine 3D is a 2009 American slasher film directed and co-edited by Patrick Lussier, and starring Jensen Ackles, Jaime King, Kerr Smith, and Kevin Tighe. It is a remake of the 1981 Canadian slasher film and focuses on residents in a small mining town that is plagued by a serial killer on Valentine’s Day. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/my-bloody-valentine-3d-2009-a-bloody-brilliant-remake/ - [Capturing the Friedmans](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/capturing-the-friedmans/) - Capturing the Friedmans is a 2003 HBO documentary film directed by Andrew Jarecki. It focuses on the 1980s investigation of Arnold and Jesse Friedman for child molestation. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2003. http://cinematicdiversions.com/capturing-the-friedmans-review/ - [Jerry Springer](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jerry-springer/) - [P. J. Soles](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/p-j-soles/) - Pamela Jayne Soles (née Hardon; born July 17, 1950) is a German-born American actress. She made her film debut in 1976 as Norma Watson in Brian De Palma’s Carrie (1976) before portraying Lynda van der Klok in John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) and Riff Randell in Allan Arkush’s Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979). (Wikipedia) - [Grease (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/grease-film/) - Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy film based on the 1971 musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Written by Bronte Woodard and directed by Randal Kleiser in his theatrical feature film debut, the film depicts the lives of greaser Danny Zuko and Australian transfer student Sandy Olsson, who develop an attraction for each other. The film stars John Travolta as Danny, Olivia Newton-John as Sandy, and Stockard Channing as Betty Rizzo, the leader of the Pink Ladies. (Wikipedia) - [Carriers (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/carriers-film/) - Carriers is a 2009 American post-apocalyptic horror film written and directed by Àlex and David Pastor. It stars Lou Taylor Pucci, Chris Pine, Piper Perabo, and Emily VanCamp as four survivors of a viral pandemic attempting to avoid the looming threat of becoming infected. Filmed in 2006, it received a limited release in the United States on September 4, 2009. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/carriers-review/ - [Chris Pine](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/chris-pine/) - Christopher Whitelaw Pine (born August 26, 1980) is an American actor. Pine made his feature film debut as Lord Devereaux in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), and is known for playing James T. Kirk in the Star Trek reboot film series (2009–2016), Will Colson in Unstoppable (2010), Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods (2014), Jack Ryan in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014), Toby Howard in Hell or High Water(2016), Bernie Webber in The Finest Hours (2016), Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman (2017), Dr. Alexander Murry in A Wrinkle in Time (2018), and Robert the Bruce in Outlaw King (2018). (Wikipedia) - [Zombieland](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/zombieland/) - Zombieland is a 2009 American zombie comedy film directed by Ruben Fleischer in his theatrical debut and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The film follows a geeky college student (Jesse Eisenberg) making his way through a post-apocalyptic zombie apocalypse, meeting three strangers (Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin) along the way and together taking an extended road trip across the Southwestern United States in an attempt to find a sanctuary free from zombies. (Wikipedia) - [Star Trek (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/star-trek-film/) - [Comedy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/comedy/) - In a modern sense, comedy is a genre of fiction that refers to any discourse or work intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, television, film, stand-up comedy, books and novels or any other medium of entertainment. The origins of the term are found in Ancient Greece. In Athenian democracy, the political satire performed by the comic poets at the theaters influenced the public opinion of voters. I can describe the theatrical genre of Greek comedy as a dramatic performance that puts two groups or societies against each other in an amusing agony or conflict. Northrop Frye depicted these two opposing sides as a “Society of Youth” and a “Society of the Old.” A revised view characterizes the essential agony of Comedy as a struggle between a relatively powerless youth and the societal conventions that pose obstacles to his hopes. In this struggle, the youth is understood to be constrained by his lack of social authority, and is left with little choice but to take recourse in ruses which engender very dramatic irony which provokes laughter. (Wikipedia) - [Splatter film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/splatter-film/) - A splatter film is a subgenre of horror film that deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence. These films, usually through the use of special effects, display a fascination with the vulnerability of the human body and the theatricality of its mutilation. The term “splatter cinema” was coined by George A. Romero to describe his film Dawn of the Dead, though Dawn of the Dead is generally considered by critics to have higher aspirations, such as social commentary, than to be simply exploitative for its own sake. - [Catalina Caper](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/catalina-caper/) - Catalina Caper (also known as Never Steal Anything Wet) is a 1967 comedy musical mystery film starring Tommy Kirk. It is one of the last (if not the last) in the beach party film genre. This entry blends the beach format with a standard crime-caper comedy. It was shot in and around Santa Catalina Island, California. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-ep-204-catalina-caper-1967-review/ - [Beach party film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/beach-party-film/) - The Beach party film was an American film genre of feature films produced and released between 1963 and 1968, created by American International Pictures (AIP), beginning with their surprise hit, Beach Party in July 1963. With this film, AIP is credited with creating the genre. In addition to the AIP films, several contributions to the genre were produced and released by major and independent studios alike. According to various sources, the genre comprises over 30 films, with the lower-budget AIP films being the most profitable. (Wikipedia) - [Star Trek: The Original Series](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/star-trek-the-original-series/) - Star Trek is an American science-fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and its crew. It later gained the retronym of Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS) to distinguish the show within the media franchise that it began. (Wikipedia) - [Catwoman (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/catwoman-film/) - Catwoman is a 2004 American superhero film loosely based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Directed by Pitof and written by John Rogers, John Brancato and Michael Ferris with music by Klaus Badelt, the film stars Halle Berry in the title role, Benjamin Bratt, Lambert Wilson, Frances Conroy, Alex Borstein, and Sharon Stone. The film centers on Patience Phillips, a meek designer who discovers a dark conspiracy within the cosmetics company she works for that involves a dangerous product that could cause widespread health problems. After being discovered and murdered by the conspirators, she is revived by Egyptian cats that grant her superhuman cat-like abilities allowing her to become the crime-fighting superhero Catwoman, while also falling in love with a police detective who pursues her. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/catwoman-review/ - [Eroticism](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/eroticism/) - Eroticism is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, sculpture, photography, drama, film, music, or literature. It may also be found in advertising. The term may also refer to a state of sexual arousal or anticipation of such – an insistent sexual impulse, desire, or pattern of thoughts. (Wikipedia) - [Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ballistic-ecks-vs-sever/) - [Cellular (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cellular-film/) - Cellular is a 2004 American action thriller film directed by David R. Ellis. The film stars Chris Evans, Jason Statham, Kim Basinger and William H. Macy in the lead roles while Noah Emmerich, Richard Burgi, Valerie Cruz, and Jessica Biel are featured in supporting roles. The screenplay was written by Chris Morgan and Larry Cohen. http://cinematicdiversions.com/cellular-review/ - [Action thriller](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/action-thriller/) - Featuring guns, cool explosions and amazing set pieces, this movie type first developed in the 1970s in such films as Dirty Harry and The French Connection, and became the exemplar of the Hollywood mega-blockbuster in the 1980s in such works as Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. These films often feature a race against the clock, lots of violence, and a clear—often flamboyantly evil—antagonist. Though they may involve elements of crime or mystery films, those aspects take a back seat to the action. Other significant works include Hard Boiled, True Romance, Point Break, The Warriors, Bullitt, The Seven-Ups, Cobra, First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III, Taken and John Wick. The Die Hard subgenre, in which the story takes place in limited location; a single building, plane, or vessel – which is seized or under threat by enemy agents, but are opposed by a single hero who fights an extended battle within the location using stealth and cunning to attempt to defeat them, has become popular in Hollywood because of its crowd appeal and the relative simplicity of building sets for such a constrained piece. Examples include Under Siege (terrorists take over a ship), Broken Arrow (terrorists hijack a nuclear weapon from a B-2 bomber), Snakes on a Plane (poisonous snakes take over a passenger plane), Speed (terrorist takes over a bus), Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, and Derailed (hostages are trapped on trains and buses), Sudden Death (terrorists take over an Ice Hockey stadium), Passenger 57, Executive Decision, and Air Force One (hostages are trapped on a plane), Con Air (criminals take over a transport plane), and Half Past Dead and The Rock (criminals or terrorists take over a prison). Paul Blart: Mall Cop is a recent spoof of this trend (as Die Hard in a mall). - [Jason Statham](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jason-statham/) - Jason Statham ( born 26 July 1967) is an English actor and film producer. Typecast as the antihero, he is known for his action-thriller roles and portraying tough, irredeemable, and Machiavellian characters. Throughout his film career, Statham has regularly performed his own stage combat and stunts. (Wikipedia) - [Falling Down](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/falling-down/) - Falling Down is a 1993 American action film directed by Joel Schumacher, written by Ebbe Roe Smith and released by Warner Bros. in the United States on February 26, 1993. The film stars Michael Douglas in the lead role of William “D-Fens” Foster, a divorced and unemployed former defense engineer. The film centers on Foster as he treks on foot across the city of Los Angeles, trying to reach the house of his estranged ex-wife in time for his daughter’s birthday. Along the way, a series of encounters, both trivial and provocative, causes him to react with increasing violence and make sardonic observations on life, poverty, the economy, and commercialism. Robert Duvall co-stars as Martin Prendergast, an aging Los Angeles Police Department sergeant on the day of his retirement, who faces his own frustrations even as he tracks down Foster. (Wikipedia) - [Volcano (1997 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/volcano-1997-film/) - Volcano is a 1997 American disaster film directed by Mick Jackson and produced by Neal H. Moritz and Andrew Z. Davis. The film stars Tommy Lee Jones, Anne Heche, Don Cheadle and Keith David. It tells the fictional story of an effort to divert the path of a dangerous lava flow through the streets of Los Angeles following the formation of a volcano at the La Brea Tar Pits. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Jerome Armstrong and Billy Ray, and was inspired by the 1943 formation of the Parícutin volcano in Paricutin, Mexico. (Wikipedia) - [Out in Fifty](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/out-in-fifty/) - Out in Fifty is a 1999 independent film directed and written by Bojesse Christopher and Scott Leet, starring Leet and Mickey Rourke. The film also stars Christina Applegate, Peter Greene, Ed Lauter, Balthazar Getty, James Avery and Nina Offenböck. It is an action-packed psychological thriller film. - [Speed (1994 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/speed-1994-film/) - [Charlie's Angels (2000 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/charlies-angels-2000-film/) - [Action comedy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/action-comedy/) - A subgenre involving action and humor. The subgenre became a popular trend in the 1980s, when actors who were known for their background in comedy, such as Eddie Murphy, began to take roles in action films. Comedy films such as Dumb & Dumber and Big Momma’s House, that contain action-laden sub-plots, are not considered part of this combined genre. Action scenes have a more integral role in action comedies. A common stratum of action-comedy is the buddy cop film, including 48 Hrs. (1982), Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Lethal Weapon (1987), Midnight Run (1988), Bad Boys (1995), Rush Hour (1998), The Rundown (2003), Hot Fuzz (2007), The Nice Guys (2016), and the animated Zootopia (2016). Other common strata of action comedy are the martial arts comedy, which became popular in Hong Kong action cinema since the 1980s, with Jackie Chan being the most famous example, along with Sammo Hung and Stephen Chow. - [Charlies Angels (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/charlies-angels-franchise/) - Charlie’s Angels is an American media franchise that began with the original 1976 television series of the same name created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts. - [Charlies Angels](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/charlies-angels/) - Charlie’s Angels is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 110 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by Aaron Spelling. It follows the crime-fighting adventures of three women working in a private detective agency in Los Angeles, California, and originally starred Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett (billed as Farrah Fawcett-Majors), and Jaclyn Smith in the leading roles and John Forsythe providing the voice of their boss, the unseen Charlie Townsend, who directed the crime-fighting operations of the “Angels” over a speakerphone. There were a few casting changes: after the departure of Fawcett and Jackson came the additions of Cheryl Ladd, Shelley Hack, and Tanya Roberts. - [Drew Barrymore](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/drew-barrymore/) - Drew Blythe Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress, producer, director, author, model, and entrepreneur. She is a member of the Barrymore family of actors, and the granddaughter of John Barrymore. She achieved fame as a child actress with her role in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA nomination. - [Cameo appearance](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cameo-appearance/) - A cameo role or cameo appearance (often shortened to just cameo) is a brief appearance or voice part of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly either appearances in a work in which they hold some special significance (such as actors from an original movie appearing in its remake) or renowned people making uncredited appearances. Short appearances by celebrities, film directors, politicians, athletes, or musicians are common. A crew member of the movie or show playing a minor role can be referred to as a cameo as well, such as Alfred Hitchcock’s frequently performed cameos. (Wikipedia) - [LL Cool J](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ll-cool-j/) - [Harvey Keitel](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/harvey-keitel/) - Harvey Keitel (born May 13, 1939) is an American actor and producer. He has starred in films such as Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), The Duellists (1977), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Bugsy (1991), Thelma & Louise (1991), Reservoir Dogs (1992), Bad Lieutenant (1992), The Piano (1993), Pulp Fiction (1994), From Dusk till Dawn (1996), Cop Land(1997), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Youth (2015) and The Irishman (2019). - [Charlies Angels: Full Throttle](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/charlies-angels-full-throttle/) - Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle is a 2003 American action comedy film directed by McG and written by John August, and Cormac and Marianne Wibberley. It is the sequel to 2000’s Charlie’s Angels and the second installment in the Charlie’s Angels film series, which is a continuation of the story that began with the television series of the same name by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts. - [Children of the Corn (2009 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/children-of-the-corn-2009-film/) - Children of the Corn is a 2009 horror television film directed, written and produced by Donald P. Borchers. It is based on the 1977 short story of the same name by Stephen King and the eighth installment of the Children of the Corn series. Set primarily in 1975 in the fictional town of Gatlin, Nebraska, the film centers on traveling couple Burt and Vicky as they fight to survive a cult of murderous children who worship an entity known as He Who Walks Behind the Rows, which had years earlier manipulated the children into killing every adult in town. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/children-of-the-corn-2009-review/ - [Children of the Corn](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/children-of-the-corn/) - “Children of the Corn” is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the March 1977 issue of Penthouse, and later collected in King’s 1978 collection Night Shift. The story involves a couple’s exploration of a strange town and their encounters with its denizens after their vacation is sidelined by a car accident. The story has been adapted into several films, spawning a horror feature film franchise beginning in 1984. - [Children of the Corn (1984 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/children-of-the-corn-1984-film/) - Children of the Corn (advertised as Stephen King’s Children of the Corn) is a 1984 American supernatural horror film based upon Stephen King’s 1977 short story of the same name. Directed by Fritz Kiersch, the film’s cast consists of Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton, John Franklin, Courtney Gains, Robby Kiger, Anne Marie McEvoy, Julie Maddalena, and R. G. Armstrong. Set in the fictitious rural town of Gatlin, Nebraska, the film tells the story of a malevolent entity referred to as “He Who Walks Behind the Rows” which entices the children of the town to ritually murder all the adults in town and a couple driving across the country, to ensure a successful corn harvest. (Wikipedia) - [Chupacabra: Dark Seas](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/chupacabra-dark-seas/) - Chupacabra: Dark Seas (released on DVD as Chupacabra Terror) is a 2005 Syfy channel original film directed by John Shepphird and starring John Rhys-Davies, Giancarlo Esposito, Dylan Neal, and Chelan Simmons. It was filmed on location in the Turks and Caicos Islands. http://cinematicdiversions.com/chupacabra-terror-2005-review/ - [Role-playing video game](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/role-playing-video-game/) - A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or an RPG as well as a computer role-playing game or a CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (and/or several party members) immersed in some well-defined world. Many role-playing video games have origins in tabletop role-playing games (including Dungeons & Dragons) and use much of the same terminology, settings, and game mechanics. Other major similarities with pen-and-paper games include developed story-telling and narrative elements, player character development, complexity, as well as replayability and immersion. The electronic medium removes the necessity for a gamemaster and increases combat resolution speed. RPGs have evolved from simple text-based console-window games into visually rich 3D experiences. - [Action-adventure game](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/action-adventure-game/) - Action-adventure is a video game genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. (Wikipedia) - [Saints Row 2](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/saints-row-2/) - Saints Row 2 is a 2008 open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition and published by THQ. It was released in October 2008 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and ported to Microsoft Windows in early 2009, and to Linux in 2016. A mobile tie-in version was developed by G5 Entertainment and released the same month. The game is the second title and first cross-platform release in the Saints Row series, following 2006’s Saints Row. It is succeeded by 2011’s Saints Row: The Third and 2013’s Saints Row IV. (Wikipedia) - [Alien: Isolation](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alien-isolation/) - Alien: Isolation is a 2014 survival horror video game developed by Creative Assembly and based on the Alien science fiction horror film series. It was published by Sega and originally released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The game is set 15 years after the events of the 1979 Alien film and follows Amanda Ripley, daughter of Alien protagonist Ellen Ripley, as she investigates the disappearance of her mother. (Wikipedia) - [Claire of the Moon](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/claire-of-the-moon/) - Claire of the Moon is a 1992 lesbian-themed erotic drama film directed by Nicole Conn and starring Trisha Todd and Karen Trumbo. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/claire-of-the-moon-1992-review/ - [Sherrybaby](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sherrybaby/) - [Alone in the Dark (2005 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alone-in-the-dark-2005-film/) - Alone in the Dark is a 2005 action horror film loosely based on the fourth installment of Infogrames’ video game series of the same name. Directed by Uwe Boll, the film stars Christian Slater as supernatural detective Edward Carnby (the main character in the games), and also features a cast of Tara Reid, Stephen Dorff, Frank C. Turner, Matthew Walker, Will Sanderson, Mike Dopud, Mark Acheson, Darren Shahlavi, Karin Konoval and Ed Anders. Upon release, the film was both a commercial failure and a critical disaster. Many have considered this to be one of the worst films ever made. Despite this, a sequel was released in 2008. - [Romance novel](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/romance-novel/) - A romance novel or romantic novel generally refers to a type of genre fiction novel which places its primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and usually has an “emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.” However, precursors include authors of literary fiction, such as Samuel Richardson, Jane Austen, and Charlotte Brontë. (Wikipedia) - [Softcore pornography](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/softcore-pornography/) - Softcore pornography or softcore porn is commercial still photography or film that has a pornographic or erotic component but is less sexually graphic and intrusive than hardcore pornography, defined by a “lack of penetration” (such as stripteases, lingerie modeling, erotic masturbation, etc.) and emphasis the sensual appreciation of the female or male form. It typically contains nude or semi-nude actors involved in love scenes and is intended to be sexually arousing and aesthetically beautiful. (Wikipedia) - [Laura Dern](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/laura-dern/) - Laura Elizabeth Dern (born February 10, 1967) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and five Golden Globe Awards. Born to actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, Dern embarked on an acting career in the 1980s and rose to some prominence for her performances in Mask (1985) and David Lynch’s Blue Velvet (1986) and Wild at Heart (1990). She received an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of the titular orphan in the drama film Rambling Rose (1991) and achieved international recognition for her role in Steven Spielberg’s adventure film Jurassic Park (1993), a role that she reprised in the 2001 sequel Jurassic Park III. (Wikipedia) - [Julia Roberts](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/julia-roberts/) - Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress and producer. She established herself as a leading lady in Hollywood after headlining the romantic comedy film Pretty Woman (1990), which grossed $464 million worldwide. She has won three Golden Globe Awards, from eight nominations, and has been nominated for four Academy Awards for her film acting, winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Erin Brockovich (2000). (Wikipedia) - [Clue (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/clue-film/) - Clue is a 1985 American ensemble black comedy-mystery film based on the board game of the same name. The film was directed by Jonathan Lynn, who collaborated on the script with John Landis, and stars Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, and Lesley Ann Warren. The film was produced by Debra Hill. http://cinematicdiversions.com/clue-1985-review/ - [Tim Curry](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/tim-curry/) - Timothy James Curry (born 19 April 1946) is an English actor, voice actor, and singer. He is known for working in a diverse range of theatre, film, and television, most often portraying villainous characters. Curry rose to prominence with his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), reprising the role he had originated in the 1973 London and the 1974 Los Angeles stage productions of The Rocky Horror Show. (Wikipedia) - [Debra Hill](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/debra-hill/) - Debra Hill (November 10, 1950–March 7, 2005) was an American film producer and screenwriter, best known for producing various works of John Carpenter. - [Murder by Death](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/murder-by-death/) - [Ouija (2014 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ouija-2014-film/) - Ouija is a 2014 American supernatural horror film directed by Stiles White in his directorial debut, produced by Jason Blum, Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Bradley Fuller, and Bennett Schneir and written by Juliet Snowden and White, who previously together wrote The Possession. It stars Olivia Cooke, Daren Kagasoff, Douglas Smith, and Bianca A. Santos as teenagers who have unleashed spirits from a Ouija board. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/ouija-2014-review/ - [Battleship (game)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/battleship-game/) - [Battleship (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/battleship-film/) - [Remaster](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/remaster/) - Remaster (also digital remastering and digitally remastered) refers to changing the quality of the sound or of the image, or both, of previously created recordings, either audiophonic, cinematic, or videographic. - [Catherine (video game)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/catherine-video-game/) - Catherine is a puzzle video game developed by Atlus. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in Japan and North America in 2011, in PAL regions by Deep Silver in 2012, and for Microsoft Windows by Sega in 2019. A re-release with additional content, titled Catherine: Full Body, was released in 2019 for the PlayStation 4 worldwide and for the PlayStation Vita only in Japan, with a Nintendo Switch version set to be released worldwide in 2020. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/catherine-kyasarin-2011-review/ - [Open world](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/open-world/) - In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the player can explore and approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. While games have used open-world designs since the 1980s, the implementation in Grand Theft Auto III (2001) set a standard that has been used since. (Wikipedia) - [Pinball FX 3](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pinball-fx-3/) - Pinball FX 3 is a pinball simulator video game developed and published by Zen Studios and released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 in September 2017 and then released for the Nintendo Switch in December 2017. (Wikipedia) - [Clutter (2013) (IMDB)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/clutter-2013-imdb/) - A family must de-clutter or lose their home. http://cinematicdiversions.com/clutter-2013-review/ - [Hoarding](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hoarding/) - Hoarding is a behavior where people or animals accumulate food or other items. (Wikipedia) - [Transparent (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/transparent-tv-series/) - Transparent is an American comedy-drama web television series created by Joey Soloway for Amazon Studios that debuted on February 6, 2014. The story revolves around a Los Angeles family and their lives following the discovery that their parent (Jeffrey Tambor) is a trans woman named Maura. Transparent‘s first season premiered in full on September 26, 2014, and its second season on December 11, 2015, third season on September 23, 2016, and fourth season on September 21, 2017. - [Colonel Effinghams Raid](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/colonel-effinghams-raid/) - Colonel Effingham’s Raid (UK title: Man of the Hour) is a 1946 comedy film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Irving Pichel. It is also known as Berry Fleming’s Colonel Effingham’s Raid, Everything’s Peaches Down in Georgia and Rebel Yell. The screenplay was written by Kathryn Scola, based on a 1943 novel by Berry Fleming. The music score is by Cyril J. Mockridge. The film stars Charles Coburn, Joan Bennett, and William Eythe. The plot involves a retired career Army colonel who returns to his hometown, starts writing a column in a local newspaper and takes on the corrupt local politicians to not replace the historic county courthouse. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/colonel-effinghams-raid-1946-review/ - [Donald Trump](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/donald-trump/) - Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th President of the United States from 2017 to 2021. (Wikipedia) - [Confidential (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/confidential-film/) - Confidential is a 1935 American crime film directed by Edward L. Cahn and written by Wellyn Totman and Olive Cooper. The film stars Donald Cook, Evalyn Knapp, Theodore von Eltz, Warren Hymer, J. Carrol Naish, and Herbert Rawlinson. The film was released on October 16, 1935, by Mascot Pictures. http://cinematicdiversions.com/confidential-1935-review/ - [Serial film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/serial-film/) - A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, generally advancing weekly, until the series is completed. Generally, each serial involves a single set of characters, protagonistic and antagonistic, involved in a single story, which has been edited into chapters after the fashion of serial fiction and the episodes cannot be shown out of order or as a single or a random collection of short subjects. (Wikipedia) - [Coral Reef Adventure](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/coral-reef-adventure/) - Coral Reef Adventure is a 70mm American documentary film released in 2003 to IMAX theaters. It is narrated by actor Liam Neeson and directed by Greg MacGillivray. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/coral-reef-adventure-2003 - [Crosby Stills Nash & Young](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/crosby-stills-nash-young/) - Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) are a folk rock supergroup made up of American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills, and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash. When joined by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young as a fourth member, they are called Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY). They are noted for their intricate vocal harmonies, often tumultuous interpersonal relationships, political activism, and lasting influence on American music and culture. - [Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/nineteen-eighty-four-1984-film/) - [Big Brother (Nineteen Eighty-Four)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/big-brother-nineteen-eighty-four/) - Big Brother is a fictional character and symbol in George Orwell’s dystopian 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. He is ostensibly the leader of Oceania, a totalitarian state wherein the ruling party, Ingsoc, wields total power “for its own sake” over the inhabitants. In the society that Orwell describes, every citizen is under constant surveillance by the authorities, mainly by telescreens (with the exception of the Proles). The people are constantly reminded of this by the slogan “Big Brother is watching you”: a maxim that is ubiquitously on display that is shown to be throughout the novel. (Wikipedia) - [DuckTales](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ducktales/) - [DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ducktales-the-movie-treasure-of-the-lost-lamp/) - [Coraline (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/coraline-film/) - Coraline is a 2009 American stop-motion animated dark fantasy horror film directed and written for the screen by Henry Selick Based on the 2002 novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman. Produced by Laika as its first feature film, Coraline stars the voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgman, Robert Bailey Jr., and Ian McShane. The film depicts an adventurous girl named Coraline finding an idealized parallel world behind a secret door in her new home, unaware that the alternate world contains a dark and sinister secret. http://cinematicdiversions.com/coraline-2009-review/ - [Stop motion](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/stop-motion/) - Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames, so they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames is played back. Any kind of object can thus be animated, but puppets with movable joints (puppet animation) or plasticine figures (clay animation or claymation) are most commonly used. Puppets, models or clay figures built around an armature are used in model animation. Stop motion with live actors is often referred to as pixilation. Stop motion of flat materials such as paper, fabrics or photographs is usually called cutout animation. (Wikipedia) - [Dark fantasy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dark-fantasy/) - Dark fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy literary, artistic, and cinematic works that incorporate darker and frightening themes of fantasy. It often combines fantasy with elements of horror or has a gloomy dark tone or a sense of horror and dread. (Wikipedia) - [Coraline](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/coraline/) - Coraline is a dark fantasy children’s novella by British author Neil Gaiman, published in 2002 by Bloomsbury and Harper Collins. It was awarded the 2003 Hugo Award for Best Novella, the 2003 Nebula Award for Best Novella, and the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers. Gaiman started writing Coraline in 1990. The titular character’s name came from a typo in “Caroline”. According to Gaiman, “I had typed the name Caroline, and it came out wrong. I looked at the word Coraline and knew it was someone’s name. I wanted to know what happened to her.” It has been compared to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and has been adapted into a 2009 stop-motion film, directed by Henry Selick. - [Neil Gaiman](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/neil-gaiman/) - [Ian McShane](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ian-mcshane/) - Ian David McShane (born 29 September 1942) is an English actor and voice actor. He is known for his television performances, particularly the title role in the BBC series Lovejoy (1986–1994) and as Al Swearengen on the HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006) and its 2019 film continuation, the original series garnering him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series nomination. He portrays Mr. Wednesday in the Starz series American Gods (2017–). (Wikipedia) - [Novella](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/novella/) - A novella is a work of narrative prose fiction, longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. Publishers and literary award societies typically describe a novella’s word count as falling between 15,000 and 40,000 words, although definitions vary. - [James and the Giant Peach (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/james-and-the-giant-peach-film/) - [The Nightmare Before Christmas](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-nightmare-before-christmas/) - The Nightmare Before Christmas (also known as Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas) is a 1993 American stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy Halloween-Christmas film directed by Henry Selick and produced and conceived by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, the King of “Halloween Town” who stumbles through a portal to “Christmas Town” and celebrates the holiday. Danny Elfman wrote the songs and score and provided the singing voice of Jack. The principal voice cast also includes Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, Ken Page, Paul Reubens, Glenn Shadix, and Ed Ivory. - [Halo 3](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/halo-3/) - Halo 3 is a 2007 first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in 2001’s Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in 2004’s Halo 2. Halo 3‘s story centers on the interstellar war between twenty-sixth century humanity, a collection of alien races known as the Covenant, and the alien parasite Flood. The player assumes the role of the Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced supersoldier, as he battles the Covenant and the Flood. The game features vehicles, weapons, and gameplay elements not present in previous titles of the series, as well as the addition of saved gameplay films, file sharing, and the Forge map editor—a utility which allows the player to perform modifications to multiplayer levels. (Wikipedia) - [Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/super-street-fighter-ii-turbo-hd-remix/) - Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is a two dimensional fighting game released using the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Arcade download services. A physical copy of the game was later released as part of Capcom Digital Collection. It is a remake of Super Street Fighter II Turbo (the fifth arcade iteration of the Street Fighter II: The World Warrior series) featuring the original game and a high definition version using graphics drawn by UDON Entertainment, and arranged music by OverClocked ReMix members. The game was designed by Backbone Entertainment’s David Sirlin to be the sixth definitive version of Street Fighter II, although it is in fact the seventh being released after Hyper Street Fighter II. (Wikipedia) - [Grand Theft Auto: Vice City](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/grand-theft-auto-vice-city/) - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the sixth title in the Grand Theft Auto series and the first main entry since 2001’s Grand Theft Auto III. Set within the fictional Vice City, based on Miami, the game follows Tommy Vercetti following his release from prison. After he is caught up in an ambushed drug deal, he seeks those responsible while building a criminal empire and seizing power from other criminal organisations in the city. (Wikipedia) - [Rain Man](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/rain-man/) - Rain Man is a 1988 American comedy-drama film directed by Barry Levinson and written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass. It tells the story of abrasive, selfish young wheeler-dealer Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise), who discovers that his estranged father has died and bequeathed all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his other son, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), an autistic savant, of whose existence Charlie was unaware. It leaves Charlie with only his father’s beloved vintage car and rosebushes. Valeria Golino also stars as Charlie’s girlfriend Susanna. (Wikipedia) - [Dagon (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dagon-film/) - Dagon (released in Spain as Dagon: La Secta del Mar) is a 2001 Spanish horror film directed by Stuart Gordon and written by Dennis Paoli. Despite the title, the plot is actually based loosely on H. P. Lovecraft’s novella The Shadow Over Innsmouth rather than his earlier short story “Dagon” (1919). The film takes place in “Imboca”, a Spanish adaptation of “Innsmouth”. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/dagon-2001-review/ - [Big Man Japan](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/big-man-japan/) - Big Man Japan (Dai Nipponjin) is a 2007 Japanese film written and directed by and starring Hitoshi Matsumoto. It was well-received by critics in the U.S., after many months of showings at various festivals and film events. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/big-man-japan-dai-nipponjin-2007-review/ - [Godzilla vs. Megalon](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/godzilla-vs-megalon/) - Godzilla vs. Megalon (Gojira tai Megaro) is a 1973 Japanese kaiju film directed by Jun Fukuda, written by Fukuda and Shinichi Sekizawa, and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka, with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano. Produced and distributed by Toho Studios, it is the 13th film in the Godzilla franchise, and features the fictional monster characters Godzilla, Megalon, and Gigan, along with the mecha character Jet Jaguar. The film stars Katsuhiko Sasaki, Hiroyuki Kawase, Yutaka Hayashi, and Robert Dunham, alongside Shinji Takagi as Godzilla, Hideto Date as Megalon, Kenpachiro Satsuma as Gigan, and Tsugutoshi Komada as Jet Jaguar. (Wikipedia) - [Super Friends](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/super-friends/) - Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1985 on ABC as part of its Saturday-morning cartoon lineup. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera and was based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics. (Wikipedia) - [The Young Ones (TV series)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-young-ones-tv-series/) - The Young Ones is a British sitcom written by Rik Mayall, Ben Elton, and Lise Mayer, starring Adrian Edmondson, Mayall, Nigel Planer, Christopher Ryan, and Alexei Sayle, and broadcast on BBC Two for two years from 1982 to 1984. The show focused on the lives of four students and their landlord’s family on different plots that often included anarchic, offbeat humour. The show often included slapstick gags, visual humour and surreal jokes sometimes acted out by puppets, with each episode also featuring a notable selection of guest stars and a musical number from one of the noted performers during the programme’s broadcast period. (Wikipedia) - [Tom Savini](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/tom-savini/) - [Action horror](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/action-horror/) - A subgenre combining the intrusion of an evil force, event, or supernatural personage of horror films with the gunfights and frenetic chases of the action genre. Themes or elements often prevalent in typical action-horror films include gore, demons, vicious animals, vampires, and most commonly zombies. This category can also take elements from the fantasy genre. Examples include Aliens, Army of Darkness, Resident Evil, Ghost Rider, They Live, Planet Terror, Predator, Undead, I Saw the Devil, Train to Busan, Doomsday, Underworld, Constantine, Swamp Thing, Priest, The Crow, Dawn of the Dead, Deep Rising, From Dusk till Dawn, Blade, Legion, and End of Days. - [James Gunn](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/james-gunn/) - [The Maltese Falcon (1931 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-maltese-falcon-1931-film/) - The Maltese Falcon is a 1931 American pre-Code crime film, based on the 1930 novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and directed by Roy Del Ruth. The film stars Ricardo Cortez as private detective Sam Spade and Bebe Daniels as Ruth Wonderly. Maude Fulton, Brown Holmes, and Lucien Hubbard (who went uncredited) wrote the screenplay. The supporting cast features Dudley Digges, Thelma Todd, Walter Long, Una Merkel, and Dwight Frye. (Wikipedia) - [Pre-Code Hollywood](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pre-code-hollywood/) - Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in pictures in 1929 and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known as the “Hays Code”, in mid-1934. Although the Code was adopted in 1930, oversight was poor, and it did not become rigorously enforced until July 1, 1934, with the establishment of the Production Code Administration (PCA). Before that date, it restricted movie content more by local laws, negotiations between the Studio Relations Committee (SRC) and the major studios, and popular opinion, than by strict adherence to the Hays Code, which was often ignored by Hollywood filmmakers. (Wikipedia) - [Psycho (1998 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/psycho-1998-film/) - Psycho is a 1998 American horror film produced and directed by Gus Van Sant for Universal Pictures and starring Vince Vaughn, Julianne Moore, Viggo Mortensen, William H. Macy and Anne Heche in leading and supporting roles. It is a modern remake of the 1960 film of the same name directed by Alfred Hitchcock, in which an embezzler arrives at an old motel run by an insane killer named Norman Bates. Both films are adapted from Robert Bloch’s 1959 novel of the same name. (Wikipedia) - [Day of the Dead (1985 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/day-of-the-dead-1985-film/) - [Dungeons & Dragons](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dungeons-dragons/) - Dungeons & Dragons (commonly abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. It was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR). It has been published by Wizards of the Coast (now a subsidiary of Hasbro) since 1997. The game was derived from miniature wargames, with a variation of the 1971 game Chainmail serving as the initial rule system. D&D‘s publication is commonly recognized as the beginning of modern role-playing games and the role-playing game industry, and also deeply influenced videogames, especially the Role-playing video game genre. (Wikipedia) - [Red Dead Redemption 2](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/red-dead-redemption-2/) - Red Dead Redemption 2 is a 2018 action-adventure game developed and published by Rockstar Games. The game is the third entry in the Red Dead series and is a prequel to the 2010 game Red Dead Redemption. The story is set in 1899 in a fictionalized representation of the Western, Midwestern and Southern United States and follows outlaw Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang. Arthur must deal with the decline of the Wild West whilst attempting to survive against government forces, rival gangs, and other adversaries. The story also follows fellow gang member John Marston, the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption. - [World of Warcraft](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/world-of-warcraft/) - World of Warcraft (WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the Warcraft fantasy universe. World of Warcraft takes place within the Warcraft world of Azeroth, approximately four years after the events at the conclusion of Blizzard’s previous Warcraft release, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. The game was announced in 2001, and was released for the 10th anniversary of the Warcraft franchise on November 23, 2004. Since launch, World of Warcraft has had eight major expansion packs produced for it: The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, Legion, Battle for Azeroth, and Shadowlands. - [Ice Age (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/ice-age-franchise/) - Ice Age is an American media franchise centering on a group of mammals surviving the Paleolithic ice age. It consists of computer-animated films and TV specials and a series of video games. The films are produced by Blue Sky Studios, a division of 20th Century Fox Animation as a part of Walt Disney Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox). The series features the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Chris Wedge, who are the only constant cast members. Five films have been released in the series thus far: the original film of the same name in 2002, Ice Age: The Meltdown in 2006, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs in 2009, Ice Age: Continental Drift in 2012, and Ice Age: Collision Course in 2016. As of April 2016, the franchise had generated $6 billion in revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. (Wikipedia) - [Day of the Animals](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/day-of-the-animals/) - Day of the Animals is a 1977 American natural horror film directed by William Girdler and based on a story written by Edward L. Montoro. Premiering on May 13, 1977, the movie reunited stars Christopher George and Richard Jaeckel, director Girdler, and producer Montoro from the previous year’s hit film Grizzly. Leslie Nielsen stars as the main human antagonist. In 1978, Film Ventures International re-released the film to theaters as Something Is Out There. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/day-of-the-animals-1977-review/ - [Grizzly (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/grizzly-film/) - Grizzly (also known as Killer Grizzly on television) is a 1976 American thriller film directed by William Girdler, about an 18-foot-tall, 2000 pound, man-eating grizzly bear that terrorizes a National Forest. It stars Christopher George, Andrew Prine and Richard Jaeckel. Widely considered a Jaws rip-off, Grizzly used many of the same plot devices as its shark predecessor, which had been a huge box-office success during the previous year. A Kodiak bear named Teddy, who was 11 feet tall portrayed the giant grizzly bear in the film. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/grizzly-1976-review/ - [Frogs (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/frogs-film/) - Frogs is a 1972 American horror film directed by George McCowan. The film falls into the “eco-horror” category, telling the story of an upper class U.S. Southern family who are victimized by several animal species, including snakes, birds and lizards, and the occasional butterfly. Nature, the movie suggests, may be justified in exacting revenge on this family because of its patriarch’s abuse of the local ecology. The film was theatrically released on March 10, 1972 as a double feature with Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster. (Wikipedia) - [The Creeping Terror](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-creeping-terror/) - The Creeping Terror (a.k.a. The Crawling Monster) is a 1964 horror-science fiction film directed and produced by, and starring, Vic Savage. The plot is centered upon an extraterrestrial, slug-like creature that attacks and devours people in a small American town. Widely considered being one of the worst films of all time, The Creeping Terror has attained a cult status. (Wikipedia) - [Romantic thriller](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/romantic-thriller/) - A Romantic thriller or a romance thriller is a narrative that involves romance and thriller. Etymology of the word thrill comes from English root meaning “to pierce”. A thrill is a sharp sensation. - [Robin Williams](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/robin-williams/) - Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951–August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Born in Chicago, Williams began performing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and Los Angeles during the mid-1970s. After rising to fame playing the alien Mork in the sitcom Mork & Mindy, Williams established a career in both stand-up comedy and feature film acting. He was known for his improvisation skills and the wide variety of memorable character voices he created. Many critics have lauded Williams as one of the funniest comedians of all time. - [Grand Theft Auto IV](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/grand-theft-auto-iv/) - Grand Theft Auto IV is an action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. They released it for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles on 29 April 2008 and for Microsoft Windows on 2 December 2008. It is the eleventh title in the Grand Theft Auto series, and the first main entry since 2004’s Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Set within the fictional Liberty City (based on New York City), the single-player story follows a war veteran, Niko Bellic, and his attempts to escape his past while under pressure from loan sharks and mob bosses. The open world design lets players freely roam Liberty City, comprising three main islands. (Wikipedia) - [Fallout 3](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/fallout-3/) - [Heavy Metal (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/heavy-metal-film/) - Heavy Metal is a 1981 Canadian adult animated science fantasy anthology film directed by Gerald Potterton, produced by Ivan Reitman and Leonard Mogel, who also was the publisher of Heavy Metal magazine, which was the basis for the film. It starred the voices of Rodger Bumpass, Jackie Burroughs, John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Don Francks, Martin Lavut, Marilyn Lightstone, Eugene Levy, Alice Playten, Harold Ramis, Percy Rodriguez, Susan Roman, Richard Romanus, August Schellenberg, John Vernon, and Zal Yanovsky. The screenplay was written by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum. (Wikipedia) - [The Dark Tower (2017 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-dark-tower-2017-film/) - The Dark Tower is a 2017 American science fantasy Western action film directed and co-written by Nikolaj Arcel. Based on Stephen King’s novel series of the same name, the film stars Idris Elba as Roland Deschain, a gunslinger on a quest to protect the Dark Tower—a mythical structure which supports all realities—while Matthew McConaughey plays his nemesis, Walter Padick (The Man in Black) and Tom Taylor stars as Jake Chambers, a boy who becomes Roland’s apprentice. (Wikipedia) - [Outlaw King](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/outlaw-king/) - Outlaw King, stylized as Outlaw/King, is a 2018 historical action drama film about Robert the Bruce, the 14th-century Scottish King who launched a guerilla war against the larger English army. The film largely takes place during the 3-year historical period from 1304, when Bruce decides to rebel against the rule of Edward I over Scotland, thus becoming an “outlaw”, up to the 1307 Battle of Loudoun Hill. Outlaw King was co-written, produced, and directed by David Mackenzie. It stars Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh, Billy Howle, Sam Spruell, Tony Curran, Callan Mulvey, James Cosmo, and Stephen Dillane. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/outlaw-king-2018-review/ - [Death Race (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/death-race-film/) - Death Race is a 2008 action thriller film co-produced, written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. It stars Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Ian McShane, and Joan Allen. - [Death Race: Beyond Anarchy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/death-race-beyond-anarchy/) - Death Race: Beyond Anarchy is a 2018 American action film. It is a sequel to the 2008 film Death Race and was directed by Don Michael Paul. The film was released on October 2, 2018, and the fourth film in the Death Race remake series. http://cinematicdiversions.com/death-race-4-beyond-anarchy-2018-review/ - [Death Race (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/death-race-franchise/) - The Death Race series is a car combat franchise encompassing a series of films and other media centered on a reality show set in a prison, where inmates race against each other in order to win their freedom. - [Pornographic film actor](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/pornographic-film-actor/) - A pornographic film actor/actress, adult entertainer, or porn star is a person who performs sex acts in video that is usually characterized as a pornographic movie. Such videos tend to be made in a number of distinct pornographic subgenres and attempt to present a sexual fantasy and the actors selected for a particular role are primarily selected on their ability to create or fit that fantasy. Pornographic videos are characterized as either “softcore”, which does not contain depictions of sexual penetration or “extreme fetishism” and “hardcore”, which can contain depictions of penetration or extreme fetishism, or both. The genres and sexual intensity of videos is mainly determined by demand. Depending on the genre of the film, the on-screen appearance, age, and physical features of the main actors and their ability to create the sexual mood of the video is of critical importance. Most actors specialize in certain genres, such as gay sex, lesbian sex, bondage, strap-on sex, anal sex, double penetration, semen swallowing, teenage women, interracial or MILFs. (Wikipedia) - [Piranha 3DD](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/piranha-3dd/) - [Piranha 3D](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/piranha-3d/) - Piranha 3D is a 2010 American 3D comedy horror film that serves as a loose remake of the comedy horror film Piranha (1978) and an entry in the Piranha film series. During Spring break on Lake Victoria, a popular waterside resort, an underground tremor releases hundreds of prehistoric, carnivorous Piranha into the lake. Local cop Julie Forester (Elisabeth Shue) must join forces with a band of unlikely strangers—though they are badly outnumbered—to destroy the ravenous creatures before everyone becomes fish food. - [Escape Plan 2: Hades](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/escape-plan-2-hades/) - Escape Plan 2: Hades is a 2018 American prison action thriller film directed by Steven C. Miller. It is the sequel to the 2013 film Escape Plan and the second installment in the Escape Plan film series. It stars Sylvester Stallone and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson reprising their roles from the first film, with Dave Bautista, Huang Xiaoming, Jaime King, Jesse Metcalfe, Titus Welliver, and Wes Chatham joining the cast. They released the film a straight-to-DVD in the United States but received theatrical releases in such countries as Russia on June 28, 2018 and in China on June 29, 2018. The film received negative reviews from critics and grossed $17.6 million against a production budget of $10 million. http://cinematicdiversions.com/escape-plan-2-hades-2018-review/ - [Sports film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/sports-film/) - A sports film is a film genre that uses sport as the theme of the film. It is a production in which a sport, sporting event, athlete (and their sport), or follower of sport (and the sport they follow) are prominently featured, and which depend on sport to a significant degree for their plot motivation or resolution. Despite this, sport is ultimately rarely the central concern of such films and sport performs primarily an allegorical role. Furthermore, sports fans are not necessarily the target demographic in such movies, but sports fans tend to have a large following or respect for such movies. (Wikipedia) - [Death Wish (2018 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/death-wish-2018-film/) - Death Wish is a 2018 American vigilante action thriller film directed by Eli Roth and written by Joe Carnahan. It is a remake of the 1974 film of the same name starring Charles Bronson, based on Brian Garfield’s 1972 novel. The film stars Bruce Willis as Paul Kersey, a Chicago doctor who sets out to get revenge on the men who attacked his family. Vincent D’Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Dean Norris, and Kimberly Elise also star. http://cinematicdiversions.com/death-wish-2018-review/ - [Vigilante film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/vigilante-film/) - [Death Wish 3](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/death-wish-3/) - Death Wish 3 is a 1985 American action thriller film directed and edited by Michael Winner. It is the third film and the last to be directed by Winner in the Death Wish film series. It stars Charles Bronson as vigilante killer Paul Kersey and sees Kersey do battle with New York street punk gangs while receiving tacit support from a local NYPD lieutenant (Ed Lauter). Despite being set in New York City, some of the filming was shot in London to reduce production costs. It was succeeded by Death Wish IV. (Wikipedia) - [Death Wish II](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/death-wish-ii/) - Death Wish II is a 1982 American vigilante action film directed and co-edited by Michael Winner. It is the first of four sequels to the 1974 film Death Wish. In the story, architect Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) moves to Los Angeles with his daughter (Robin Sherwood). After his daughter is murdered at the hands of several gang members, Kersey is once again forced to become a vigilante. Unlike the original, in which he hunts down every criminal he encounters, Kersey only pursues his family’s attackers. The sequel makes a complete breakaway from the Brian Garfield novels Death Wish and Death Sentence, redefining the Paul Kersey character. It was succeeded by Death Wish III. - [I Spit on Your Grave](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/i-spit-on-your-grave/) - I Spit on Your Grave (originally titled Day of the Woman) is a 1978 American rape and revenge horror film written, directed and edited by Meir Zarchi. It stars Camille Keaton, Eron Tabor, Richard Pace, Anthony Nicholls, and Gunter Kleemann. The film tells the story of Jennifer Hills, a fiction writer based in New York City who exacts revenge on each of her tormentors after four men gang rape and leave her for dead. (Wikipedia) - [Godzilla (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/godzilla-franchise/) - The Godzilla (Gojira) franchise is a Japanese media franchise created and owned by Toho, centered on the fictional kaiju character Godzilla. It is recognized by Guinness World Records to be the longest continuously running movie franchise, having been in an ongoing production from 1954 to the present day, with several hiatuses of varying lengths. The film franchise comprises 35 films, 32 produced by Toho and three Hollywood films. (Wikipedia) - [A Boy and His Dog (1975 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/a-boy-and-his-dog-1975-film/) - A Boy and His Dog is a 1975 American science fiction black comedy thriller film produced and directed by L. Q. Jones, who co-wrote the script with Alvy Moore. The film stars Don Johnson, Susanne Benton, Ron Feinberg, and Jason Robards. They distributed it in the United States by LQ/JAF Productions and in the United Kingdom by Anglo-EMI Films Distributors. The film’s script is based on the 1969 cycle of narratives by fantasy author Harlan Ellison titled A Boy and His Dog. - [Jason Robards](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jason-robards/) - [Side-scrolling video game](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/side-scrolling-video-game/) - A side-scrolling game, side-scroller, or horizontally scrolling game is a video game in which the gameplay action is viewed from a side-view camera angle, and the on-screen characters can only move to the left or right. These games make use of scrolling computer display technology. The move from single-screen or flip-screen graphics to scrolling graphics, during the golden age of video arcade games and during third-generation consoles, would prove to be a pivotal leap in game design, comparable to the move to 3D graphics during the fifth generation. Although side-scrolling games have been supplanted by 3D games, they continue to be produced. (Wikipedia) - [Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/deathstalker-and-the-warriors-from-hell/) - Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell, also known as Deathstalker III: The Warriors from Hell, is a 1988 sword and sorcery fantasy film. It is the third film in the Deathstalker tetralogy. http://cinematicdiversions.com/mystery-science-theater-3000-episode-703-deathstalker-and-the-warriors-from-hell-1988-review/ - [Deathstalker (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/deathstalker-film/) - Deathstalker (Cazador de Muerte) is a 1983 Argentine-American fantasy adventure film directed by James Sbardellati (credited as John Watson) and starring Rick Hill, Barbi Benton, Bernard Erhard, and Lana Clarkson. - [Flesh and Blood (1985 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/flesh-and-blood-1985-film/) - Flesh and Blood (stylized as Flesh+Blood) is a 1985 romantic erotic historical adventure drama film directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Burlinson and Jack Thompson. The script was written by Verhoeven and Gerard Soeteman. The story is set in the year 1501 in Italy, during the early modern period, and follows two warring groups of mercenaries and their longstanding quarrel. - [Demonlover](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/demonlover/) - Demonlover is a 2002 neo-noir thriller film by French writer/director Olivier Assayas. The film stars Connie Nielsen, Charles Berling, Chloë Sevigny, and Gina Gershon with a musical score by Sonic Youth. It premiered at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, although it was more widely released several months later. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/demonlover-2002-review/ - [Nudity](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/nudity/) - Nudity, or nakedness, is a state of being in which a human person is not wearing clothing. Modern humans are the only primates that are essentially hairless and the only animals that wear clothing. For humans, nudity and clothing are connected to cultural categories such as identity, values, and moral behavior. (Wikipedia) - [Alices Adventures in Wonderland](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/alices-adventures-in-wonderland/) - Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (commonly shortened to Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a young girl named Alice falling through a rabbit hole into a subterranean fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults and with children. It is considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre. (Wikipedia) - [Hentai](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/hentai/) - Outside of Japan, hentai is anime and manga pornography. In the Japanese language, however, “hentai” is not a genre of media but any perverse or bizarre sexual desire or act. For example, outside of Japan a work of animation depicting lesbian sex might be described as “Yuri hentai”, but in Japan it would just be described as “Yuri”. - [Desperately Seeking Susan](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/desperately-seeking-susan/) - Desperately Seeking Susan is a 1985 American comedy-drama film directed by Susan Seidelman and starring Rosanna Arquette and Madonna. Set in New York, the plot involves the interaction between two women – a bored housewife and a bohemian drifter – linked by various messages in the personals column of a newspaper. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/desperately-seeking-susan-1985-review/ - [Screwball comedy](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/screwball-comedy/) - [Farce](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/farce/) - In theatre, a farce is a comedy that aims at entertaining the audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, and thus improbable. Farce is also characterized by physical humor, the use of deliberate absurdity or nonsense, and broadly stylized performances. It is also often set in one particular location, where all events occur. Farces have been written for the stage and film. - [Laurie Metcalf](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/laurie-metcalf/) - Laura Elizabeth Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress. Over the course of her four-decade career, she has been the recipient of numerous acting awards and nominations. She has won three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and has been nominated for an Academy Award. - [Toplessness](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/toplessness/) - Toplessness refers to the state in which a woman’s breasts, including her areola and nipples are exposed, especially in a public place or in a visual medium. The male equivalent is barechestedness, also commonly called shirtlessness. (Wikipedia) - [Stranger Things](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/stranger-things/) - Stranger Things is an American science fiction horror web television series created by the Duffer Brothers and released on Netflix. The siblings also serve as executive producers with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. The first season which was released in 2016, stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Cara Buono, and Matthew Modine, with Noah Schnapp and Joe Keery in recurring roles. For the second season, Schnapp and Keery were made series regulars, as were newly cast Sadie Sink, Dacre Montgomery, Sean Astin, and Paul Reiser, with Priah Ferguson appearing in a recurring role. Maya Hawke joined the cast for the third season, while Ferguson was promoted to a series regular. (Wikipedia) - [Despicable Me](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/despicable-me/) - Despicable Me is a computer-animated media franchise centering on Gru, a reformed super-villain (who later becomes a father, husband, and secret agent), and his yellow-colored Minions. It is produced by Illumination and distributed by its parent company, Universal Pictures. - [Despicable Me (franchise)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/despicable-me-franchise/) - Despicable Me is an animated media franchise produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal Pictures, consisting of four feature films, thirteen short films, and additional merchandise. It centers on Gru, a reformed super-villain (who later becomes a father and secret agent), his yellow-colored Minions; his three adoptive daughters, Margo, Edith and Agnes, and his wife, Lucy Wilde. - [The Addams Family](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-addams-family/) - [The Godfather](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-godfather/) - The Godfather is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Albert S. Ruddy, based on Mario Puzo’s best-selling novel of the same name. It stars Marlon Brando and Al Pacino as the leaders of a fictional New York crime family. The story, spanning 1945 to 1955, chronicles the family under the patriarch Vito Corleone (Brando), focusing on the transformation of Michael Corleone (Pacino) from reluctant family outsider to a ruthless mafia boss. (Wikipedia) https://cinematicdiversions.com/the-godfather-1972-review/ - [Steve Carell](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/steve-carell/) - Steven John Carell (born August 16, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He played Michael Scott in The Office (2005–2011; 2013), NBC’s adaptation of the British series created by Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais, where Carell also worked as an occasional producer, writer and director. Carell has received numerous accolades for his performances in both film and television, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for his work on The Office. He was recognized as “America’s Funniest Man” by Life magazine. (Wikipedia) - [The Pink Panther](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-pink-panther/) - The Pink Panther is a British- American media franchise, primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The franchise began with the release of the classic Pink Panther film in 1963. The role of Clouseau was originated by and is most closely associated with Peter Sellers. Blake Edwards wrote and directed most of the films, with theme music composed by Henry Mancini. Elements and characters inspired by the films were adapted into other media, including books, comic books and animated series. (Wikipedia) - [Gemini (2017 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/gemini-2017-film/) - Gemini is a 2017 American mystery thriller film written, directed, and edited by Aaron Katz. It stars Lola Kirke, Zoë Kravitz, Greta Lee, Michelle Forbes, Nelson Franklin, Reeve Carney, Jessica Parker Kennedy, James Ransone, Ricki Lake, and John Cho. The plot follows the assistant of a Hollywood actress who must clear her name after her starlet boss is found murdered in her home. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/gemini-2017-review/ - [Charlize Theron](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/charlize-theron/) - Charlize Theron (born 7 August 1975) is a South African and American actress and producer. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, an American Cinematheque Award, and the Silver Bear for Best Actress. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016, and she is one of the world’s highest-paid actresses, as of 2019. - [Monster (2003 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/monster-2003-film/) - Monster is a 2003 biographical crime drama film written and directed by Patty Jenkins. The film is about a serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a former street prostitute who murdered seven of her male clients between 1989 and 1990 and was executed in Florida in 2002. Charlize Theron produced the film and played the role of Aileen Wuornos; Christina Ricci played her semi-fictionalized lover, Selby Wall (based on Wuornos’s real-life girlfriend Tyria Moore). - [The Butterfly Effect](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-butterfly-effect/) - The Butterfly Effect is a 2004 American science fiction thriller film written and directed by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber, starring Ashton Kutcher and Amy Smart. The title refers to the butterfly effect, a popular hypothetical situation that illustrates how small initial differences may lead to large unforeseen consequences. (Wikipedia) - [Peter Benchley](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/peter-benchley/) - [Jaws (novel)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/jaws-novel/) - Jaws is a 1974 novel by American writer Peter Benchley. It tells the story of a great white shark that preys upon a small resort town and the voyage of three men trying to kill it. The novel grew out of Benchley’s interest in shark attacks after he learned about the exploits of shark fisherman Frank Mundus in 1964. Doubleday commissioned him to write the novel in 1971, a period when Benchley worked as a freelance journalist. (Wikipedia) - [Steven Spielberg](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/steven-spielberg/) - Steven Allan Spielberg (born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. We consider him one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era and one of the most popular directors and producers in film history. Spielberg started in Hollywood directing television and several minor theatrical releases. He became a household name as the director of Jaws (1975), which was critically and commercially successful and is considered the first summer blockbuster. His subsequent releases focused typically on science fiction/adventure films such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and Jurassic Park (1993), which became archetypes of modern Hollywood escapist filmmaking. (Wikipedia) - [Were Going to Eat You](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/were-going-to-eat-you/) - We’re Going to Eat You is a 1980 Hong Kong horror comedy film directed by Tsui Hark. The film is about a secret agent, Agent 999, who is attempting to capture a thief named Rolex. Agent 999’s hunt leads him to a village that is inhabited by cannibals. The film was not as big a success in Hong Kong as Tsui’s later 1980 film Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind. http://cinematicdiversions.com/were-going-to-eat-you-di-yu-wu-men-1980-review/ - [Cannibal film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/cannibal-film/) - Cannibal films, alternatively known as the cannibal genre or the cannibal boom, are a subgenre of exploitation films made predominantly by Italian filmmakers during the 1970s and 1980s. This subgenre is a collection of graphically violent movies that usually depict cannibalism by primitive, Stone-age natives deep within the Asian or South American rainforests. While cannibalism is the uniting feature of these films, the general emphasis focuses on various forms of shocking, realistic and graphic violence, typically including torture, rape and genuine cruelty to animals. This subject matter was often used as the main advertising draw of cannibal films in combination with exaggerated or sensational claims regarding the films’ reputations. - [Kung-Fu flick](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/kung-fu-flick/) - [Slapstick film](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/slapstick-film/) - Slapstick films are comedy films where physical comedy that includes pratfalls, tripping, falling, practical jokes, mistakes are highlighted over dialogue, plot and character development. The physical comedy in these films contains a cartoonish style of violence that is predominantly harmless and goofy in tone. (Wikipedia) - [Transvestism](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/transvestism/) - Transvestism is the practice of dressing and acting in a style or manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex. In some cultures, transvestism is practiced for religious, traditional, or ceremonial reasons. The term is rarely applied to women. (Wikipedia) - [Dial M for Murder](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/dial-m-for-murder/) - Dial M for Murder is a 1954 American crime mystery film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings, and John Williams. Both the screenplay and the successful stage play on which it was based were written by English playwright Frederick Knott. The play premiered in 1952 on BBC Television, before being performed on stage in the same year in London’s West End in June, and then New York’s Broadway in October. Originally intended to be shown in dual-strip polarized 3-D, the film played in most theatres in ordinary 2-D due to the loss of interest in the 3-D process (the projection of which was difficult and error-prone) by the time of its release. The film earned an estimated $2.7 million in North American box office rentals in 1954. http://cinematicdiversions.com/dial-m-for-murder-1954-review/ - [Whodunit](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/whodunit/) - A whodunit or whodunnit (a colloquial elision of “Who [has] done it?”) is a complex, plot-driven variety of a detective story in which the puzzle regarding who committed the crime is the main focus. The reader or viewer is provided with the clues from which the identity of the perpetrator may be deduced before the story provides the revelation itself at its climax. The investigation is usually conducted by an eccentric, amateur, or semi-professional detective. This narrative development has been seen as a form of comedy in which order is restored to a threatened social calm. (Wikipedia) - [Glengarry Glen Ross (film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/glengarry-glen-ross-film/) - Glengarry Glen Ross is a 1992 American drama film adapted by David Mamet from his 1984 Pulitzer Prize–winning play of the same name, and directed by James Foley. The film depicts two days in the lives of four real estate salesmen and how desperate they become when the corporate office sends a trainer to “motivate” them. He tells them that, in a week’s time, all except the top two salesmen will be fired. The story is set in Chicago; it was filmed in New York City. (Wikipedia) - [Labyrinth (1986 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/labyrinth-1986-film/) - [Disney's The Kid](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/disneys-the-kid/) - The Kid (also known as Disney’s The Kid) is a 2000 American fantasy comedy-drama film, directed by Jon Turteltaub and written by Audrey Wells. The film follows a 40-year-old image consultant (Bruce Willis) who is mysteriously confronted by an eight-year-old version of himself (Spencer Breslin); Emily Mortimer, Lily Tomlin, Chi McBride, and Jean Smart also star. (Wikipedia) - [Stoicism](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/stoicism/) - Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the early 3rd century BC. It is a philosophy of personal ethics informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world. According to its teachings, as social beings, the path to eudaimonia (happiness, or blessedness) is found in accepting the moment as it presents itself, by not allowing oneself to be controlled by the desire for pleasure or by the fear of pain, by using one’s mind to understand the world and to do one’s part in nature’s plan, and by working together and treating others fairly and justly. (Wikipedia) - [Damsel in distress](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/damsel-in-distress/) - The damsel-in-distress, persecuted maiden, or princess in jeopardy is a classic theme in world literature, art, film and video games; most notably in those that have a lot of action. This trope usually involves beautiful, innocent, or helpless young female leads, placed in a dire predicament by a villain, monster or alien, and who requires a male hero to achieve her rescue. Often these young women are stereotyped as very physically weak and almost completely dependent on the male lead. After rescuing her, the hero often obtains her hand in marriage. She has become a stock character of fiction, particularly of melodrama. Though she is usually human, she can also be of any other species, including fictional or folkloric species; and even divine figures such as an angel, spirit, or deity. - [The Hills Have Eyes (1977 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/the-hills-have-eyes-1977-film/) - The Hills Have Eyes is a 1977 American horror film written, directed, and edited by Wes Craven and starring Susan Lanier, Michael Berryman and Dee Wallace. The film follows the Carters, a suburban family targeted by a family of cannibal savages after becoming stranded in the Nevada desert. - [Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/star-wars-episode-ii-attack-of-the-clones/) - Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space-opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the second installment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and stars Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Frank Oz. It is the second film (though the fifth in release order) in the nine-part ‘Skywalker saga’. - [Direct Contact](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/direct-contact/) - Direct Contact is a 2009 American action film written, produced and directed by Danny Lerner, and starring Dolph Lundgren, Michael Paré, Gina May and Bashar Rahal. The film was released on direct-to-DVD in the United States on June 2, 2009. http://cinematicdiversions.com/direct-contact-2009-review/ - [Schindlers List](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/schindlers-list/) - Schindler’s List is a 1993 American historical period drama film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the novel Schindler’s Ark by Australian novelist Thomas Keneally. The film follows Oskar Schindler, a Sudeten German businessman, who saved more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories during World War II. It stars Liam Neeson as Schindler, Ralph Fiennes as SS officer Amon Göth, and Ben Kingsley as Schindler’s Jewish accountant, Itzhak Stern. (Wikipedia) - [Disobedience (2017 film)](https://cinematicdiversions.com/tag/disobedience-2017-film/) - Disobedience is a 2017 romantic drama film directed by Sebastián Lelio and written by Lelio and Rebecca Lenkiewicz, based on the novel of the same name by Naomi Alderman. The film stars Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, and Alessandro Nivola. Set in North London, it tells the story of a woman who returns to the strict Orthodox Jewish community for her father’s funeral after living in New York for many years, having been estranged from her father and ostracised by the community for a reason that becomes clearer as the story unfolds. The film was produced by Rachel Weisz, Ed Guiney, and Frida Torresblanco. (Wikipedia) http://cinematicdiversions.com/disobedience-2017-review/