From the Editor: O13…O12…O11…You’re getting sleepy…
Since this summer seems to be the year of three (see our previous posts here and here), we may soon have to change our banner to read: “Three Films, One Review, No Holds Barred.” For […]
2007
Knocked Up (2007) -vs- The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
The Smackdown Even though “Knocked Up” is a major summer movie (maybe even the summer comedy), the same could easily have been said about “The 40 Year Old Virgin” in 2005. Both have similar strengths, […]
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) -vs- Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
The Smackdown Granted, “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” is a loud, raucous installment from a hugely expensive franchise based on an amusement-park ride and “Bend It Like Beckham” is a dollar-scraping, charming indie […]
The Power of Three? | Spider-Man 3 (2007) -vs- Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End (2007) -vs- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) -vs- The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
The Smackdown When it comes to movies, the third time is rarely a charm. For whatever reasons — chalk it up to audience expectations, weary and bored filmmakers, or corporate greed — “triquels” rarely seem […]
Casino Royale (2006) -vs- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
The Smackdown James Bond has a long franchise of adaptations, interpretations, and revitalizations spanning nearly fifty years. With such a lineage, it’s only natural that there’ll be some intra-family rivalry. Today we put up two […]
2007: Year of the Threequels
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) -vs- Spider-Man 3 (2007) -vs- Shrek the Third (2007) -vs- Ocean’s 13 (2007) -vs- Rush Hour 3 (2007) -vs- The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) -vs- Resident Evil 3 […]
Spider-Man 3 (2007) -vs- Superman III (1983)
The Smackdown Since more ink is being spilled on Spider-Man 3 than the Bible these days, we thought we’d reach back for our Smackdown, almost a quarter-of-a-century to 1983 for Superman III. Here we have […]
Lucky You (2007) -vs- Rounders (1998)
The Smackdown Leading a directed life–or just being happy–is hard enough without being complicated by some pesky obsession. Now, throw in a quirky twist or two and you describe the structure of many dramas that […]
The Fountain (2006) -vs- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The Smackdown If a filmmaker sat down in a producer’s office and rambled on about prehistoric ape battles, Mayan/Judeo-Christian theology, homicidal computers, oncology miracles, cosmic fetuses, and Heaven-bound bubble spaceships, he’d probably be shown the […]
28 Weeks Later (2007) -vs- Aliens (1986)
The Smackdown Of course it would be easier to smack 28 Weeks Later up against the film that gave birth to it, 28 Days Later, but most conventional reviews are already doing that. It could […]