The creator of Doug says that he has plans for a new Doug movie, but that Disney doesn't have any interest in making it happen. Creator Jim Jinkins tells Entertainment Weekly that he has "ideas" for a second film but that Disney owns the rights to it and doesn't want to move forward...

"Maybe if I wrote it like a book and put it out there, Disney would give me permission to do tha...I keep qualifying it, I guess out of being a cock-eyed optimist, but right now they explained they’re not interested in moving Doug forward. In the past, they have expressed interest in a play. Now, that would be a great play. So, I don’t know! But I do think I have a great story for fans to get a feel for where Doug is headed, and I thought that would be an awesome thing to deliver.”

Jinkins shared some ideas including Doug and Skeeter living together in an NYC setting, Pork Chop being alive and well, and his sister Judy doing weird off-Broadway productions. I think it would be cool to see Doug adapted as a Broadway play! It would be goofy, but they made Spider-Man happen, so why not? I don't think I would see a second Doug movie though...what about you?

You don't know Dan Perri, but you know his work. Perri has designed the title text for films like The Exorcist, Raging Bull, and even Star Wars. Think about that last one and how often you see it! That's a man's legacy printed over tens of thousands of merchandise items sold daily, and only about .01% of the population knows who he is!

Its time we change that. Watch this feature on him below courtesy of Academy Originals. Thanks Slashfilm for the heads up!

We knew that one day we would get a Man of Steel sequel. At one point Mad Max director George Miller was looking to direct it, but the film was eventually put on hold until the studio could figure out what they want to do with it and how it will fit in with their current DCEU plans.

It looks like they are ready to move forward with it, as The Wrap reports that the studio is moving the film into active development. The report says:

Despite Superman’s battle with Batman, DC has been silent on a sequel to “Man of Steel” featuring Superman solo, leading many frustrated fanboys to believe that another film wasn’t going to happen. But a person close to the project told TheWrap that Superman is a top priority for the studio and getting the character right for audiences is of tantamount importance.

I think Henry Cavill makes a great Superman, I just haven't personally cared for how the character has been portrayed in the recent films. He just seems like a very dark, depressed, and moody guy. I want to see the bright and hopeful Superman back up on the big screen! Some rumors regarding the plot and villain of the sequel leaked last year. If you're interested in reading up on those, click here. 

There's no information on when this second Superman solo film will fly onto the big screen, but I imagine it won't happen until after the Justice League movie is released. So we're looking at a possible release year of 2019 or 2020.

I really do hope that Superman becomes a brighter character in these upcoming films. Are you excited to hear that Superman's solo film is moving forward? I doubt Zack Snyder will come back to direct it, and if that's the case, who would be your ideal director to take it on?

As many of you already know, I'm a huge fan of The X-Files, and I absolutely loved the last season of the series which consisted of six episodes. Ever since the last season concluded, I was hoping that Fox would pick it up for another one. Everyone seemed like they would be on board to do it, and now it sounds like there is some progress being made in making it happen!

According to Deadline, Fox has been in the process of trying to secure more episodes for a new season. Fox Entertainment president David Madden recently said: 

“We would love to do other season. There are significant talks with all three principals. We are working hard, and would like to get a new season soon.”

The three principles that Fox is in talks with are creator Chris Carter and stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. After all, without them, there is no show. When asked if the network would want to make any creative changes to the show due to mixed reviews, Madden said:

“I actually think the season was strong. The episodes represent Chris and his team’s vision, and we will take our cue from them. The show was off the air for a very long time. It was introduced to new viewers, and (the writers) had the challenge of filling in the mythology. Going forward, there won’t be the same obligation to reset the series.”

I'm so happy to hear that there could be at least another six episodes. I think it would be amazing if they actually went for a full season. I doubt it will happen because everyone is so busy working on other projects, but a fan can hope. 

With things moving forward like this, I'm pretty confident we will get to see another season of The X-Files, and I can't wait to see what Carter and his team give us! 

Let's start this off by saying Eschaton is THE sleeper hit of Gen Con 2016 everyone should be talking about. While the larger tabletop publishers had their massive...read more on Gametyrant

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Who didn't think Future Trunks from Dragon Ball Z was badass back in the day? This Saiyan comes out of nowhere from the future and cuts a reconstructed Frieza in half with a sword!

I always wanted to be like Future Trunks when I was younger, and now it looks like I can! Man at Arms created the sword used by the time traveler for me to have! I'm so glad they're going to send this to me for free... Right guys? RIGHT?!

Paramount Pictures has been looking to get another Friday the 13th film off the ground for years. it looks like they've finally found a director to take on the challenge. That director is Breck Eisner who is best known for making films such as The Crazies and The Last Witch Hunter.  He knows how to make a solid B-movie, and if that's the style that the studio is looking for in their latest Friday the 13th movie, then he's a solid choice. 

Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes will be producing the project. They are the production company behind the 2009 film, which I wasn't a big fan of. This next chapter in the story could prove to be interesting, though, as it is said to introduce Jason Voorhees' dad, and it will supposedly also give us an origin story for the iconic character that will feature something we've never seen before in the Friday the 13th franchise. 

I've been intrigued with what I've been hearing about this new film in the horror franchise, and I think Eisner is a decent choice to bring Jason back to the big screen. Deadline also points out a fun little piece of trivia regarding Eisner's involvement: Eisner is the son of Michael Eisner, who was the head of Paramount Pictures during the time when they acquired the rights to Friday the 13th franchise.

The new film is expected to be released sometime next year. As a longtime fan of the horror franchise, it would be nice to see this turn out to be a great Friday the 13th film. If it doesn't, they might as well just kill it. 

In Episode 32 of #cinematiclivesmatter, Couch Tomato, Hulk, and PD talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly on Suicide Squad and the bad and the ugly with Rotten Tomatoes. Listen on PodTyrant

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If you guys missed the premiere season of Vixen on CW Seed last year, you missed out on something great! For those who have missed the classic style of DC Animation, Vixen brought that back...even if it was a little shorter than the typical show. Season two will be coming back to CW Seed, and according to DC All Access, the heroine will be joined by animated versions of the Legends of Tomorrow cast.

Check out some footage of Firestorm and the new season in the video below!

Last week, HBO announced a surprise concert event set to happen at the Hollywood Palladium yesterday morning that would feature live music from the Game of Thrones score, and a Q&A between composer Ramin Djawadi and actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright (who plays Bran Stark). They also teased the announcement of "an extension to the Game of Thrones universe," and while I speculated that might be an official reveal of a spin-off show or movie since the series is closing in on its final two seasons, it turns out that the extension is actually a nationwide tour that begins next year featuring Djawadi and his music from the show.

The event is described as “an immersive music and visual experience that will bring the Seven Kingdoms to life on a scale never seen before. Using state-of-the-art technology, Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi, along with a full orchestra and choir, will take fans on a musical journey through the realm – from King’s Landing to Winterfell, along the northern stretches of the Kingsroad to The Wall and across the Narrow Sea to Braavos, Meereen and beyond.”

Tickets go on sale at 10am on August 10th, and you can see the full list of cities and dates at the very bottom of this article.

I was able to cover the event, and I took a bunch of photos and videos to share with you. To begin the morning, the USC marching band performed in the parking lot as fans waited in line to get in.

USC marching band rolls up in the parking lot #GameofThrones #MusicIsComing pic.twitter.com/CNRintA0g2

— Ben Pearson (@benpears) August 8, 2016

Then everyone was allowed inside where displays were set up highlighting some of the show's costumes and props, along with an interactive Hall of Faces exhibit.

#GameofThrones #MusicIsComing pic.twitter.com/9mIuCZm1oJ

— Ben Pearson (@benpears) August 8, 2016

Hempstead-Wright and Djawadi came out and introduced themselves, and spoke very briefly about the tour (Djawadi said they've built a 360 degree stage, so "there won't be a bad seat in the house" if you go to see one of the shows in a city near you) before they left the stage and a conductor and the orchestra came out and played a selection of music from the show. Check out my photos and video below, along with the full list of tour dates.

Here's a video from the sound check:

And the rest of these come from the real performance, which is just a tease of the epic scope of what we'll see when the actual tour begins next year:

#GameofThrones #MusicIsComing pic.twitter.com/euHCkdFolZ

— Ben Pearson (@benpears) August 8, 2016

Tour Dates:

Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017: Kansas City, Missouri, Sprint Center
Friday, Feb. 17, 2017: St. Paul, Minnesota, Xcel Energy Center
Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017: Chicago, United Center
Monday, Feb. 20, 2017: Detroit, Palace of Auburn Hills
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017: Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide Arena
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017: Buffalo, New York, First Niagara Center
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017: Uncasville, Connecticut, Mohegan Sun
Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017: Philadelphia, Wells Fargo Center
Wednesday, March 1, 2017: Washington, DC, Verizon Center
Friday, March 3, 2017: Montreal, Bell Centre
Saturday, March 4, 2017: Toronto, Air Canada Centre
Monday, March 6, 2017: Boston, TD Bank Garden
Tuesday, March 7, 2017: New York, Madison Square Garden
Thursday, March 9, 2017: Charlotte, North Carolina, Time Warner Cable Arena
Saturday, March 11, 2017: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, BB&T Center
Sunday, March 12, 2017: Tampa, Florida, Amalie Arena
Tuesday, March 14, 2017: Atlanta, Philips Arena
Thursday, March 16, 2017: San Antonio, Texas, AT&T Center
Friday, March 17, 2017: Houston, Toyota Center
Sunday, March 19, 2017: Denver, Pepsi Center
Tuesday, March 21, 2017: Salt Lake City, Maverik Center
Thursday, March 23, 2017: Los Angeles, The Forum
Saturday, March 25, 2017: Las Vegas, MGM Grand Garden Arena
Sunday, March 26, 2017: Phoenix, TalkingStick Resort Arena
Wednesday, March 29, 2017: San Jose, California, SAP Center
Friday, March 31, 2017: Seattle, Key Arena
Saturday, April 1, 2017: Vancouver, Rogers Arena
Sunday, April 2, 2017: Portland, Oregon, Moda Center

If you’re excited or curious about Michael Bay’s upcoming Transformers: The Last Knight, we’ve got a few new things from it for you to check out today! We’ve got a first look at the “Honorable Warrior” Drift in his new Autobot robot form. The biggest change to the character is that he went from blue to red. There’s also a new look at the new little robot character Sqweeks. This is a character that befriends the young human character Izabella, who is played by Isabela Moner. The character transforms into an old Vespa. We’ve also got an image featuring the character Crosshairs, who was one of the Autobots that stayed back on Earth to protect the Yeager family at the end of that last movie. Then there's Hound, who seems to be sporting a new look as well. I also included a video from the set of the film featuring the Autobots racing into action.

The cast of Transformers: The Last Knight also includes Mark Wahlberg as Cade Yeager, Josh Duhamel as Lieutenant Colonel William Lennox, and Tyrese Gibson as Robert Epps, as well as Jerrod Carmichael, Anthony Hopkins, and Peter Cullen as the voice of Optimus Prime.

Transformers: The Last Knight is set for release June 23, 2017.

Source: Michael Bay

The first photos have been released for a new alien invasion sci-fi film called Arrival. The film was directed by Denis Villeneuve (Sicario), and it stars Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, who are both featured in the photos. We also have some additional details on the movie thanks to USA Today.

I actually got to see some very early footage of this film at Cinema Con earlier this year. It looked like it could be a great movie. 

The film is based on a 1998 novella called Story of Your Life. Adams and Renner play members of a team brought in to help figure out the intentions of an alien race that has invaded Earth. Adams plays Louise Banks, “a linguist hired by the government to decipher an extraterrestrial language when a dozen alien pods pop into the atmosphere and hover mysteriously near the ground.” Renner plays a physicist named Ian Donnelly. 

Here’s a description of the footage that I saw:

The footage they showed was very dark and moody. It starts out with Amy's character talking about the day "they" arrived. As she is teaching an almost empty college class, one of the student's phones start going off, and when Amy asks if she has any news to share we cut to a news report showing alien objects that have landed all around Earth. Forrest Whitaker also stars in the film, and it's at this moment that he shows up in her office and asks her if she would help translate a recording of aliens. Apparently, deciphering languages is her specialty. The recording features someone asking the alien why they are here, and the response is very creepy and strange sounding. We then cut to Amy's character in a helicopter with Renner, and they are headed to one of the spacecrafts, which stands upright and is extremely tall and kind of shaped like an elongated egg. It's levitating about 50 to 100 feet over the ground in a giant field. They throw on some hazmat suits and head on into the ship where they are met with a very bright light, and then we get a glimpse of the aliens, which kind of look like floating squids, but we really don't get a good look at them. Of course, Adams wants to communicate with them, so she puts her hand on a glass separating them, then a big tentacle slams into the other side. There's a news report that claims the aliens may be trying to pit humans against each other, which is definitely an interesting premise. There's some discussion regarding the aliens, and Amy insists that if the aliens stay, the humans have to stay. The footage then cuts to a series of chaotic shots and action with explosions, and we see a craft fall from the sky.

Talking about the film, Adams said:

“This isn’t a graphic-novel universe or creating a new universe. This happens in our world today, as it exists. Not having to transport myself to a universe where superheroes exist, which is also fun, really helped me ground the character and the experience.”

The actress talked about her character a bit and how she is a damaged woman who is going to some personal issues when the aliens arrive. 

“She felt real, like somebody I would know and somebody I would like to have a conversation with. Emotionally, the journey she takes in this was devastating to me.”

She also revealed that her character doesn’t trust the government and that this is an event and duty that she needs in her life. Reiner added that there are no “goofy creatures with guns” who are trying to kill them. He went on to say that the film is like a blend of Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg and compared it to Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Contact. He also explained that the movie is going to be a hard one to watch for parents, saying:

“If you’re a parent, it’s going to wreck you. It’s big and there are thriller elements and tension, but it’s going to lean much more into a thinking person’s film.”

I really liked what I saw at Cinema Con, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the film turns out! I imagine we’ll get to see a trailer soon, so stay tuned for that! Arrival will be released in theaters on November 11th.

We already heard that there was a ton of deleted footage from David Ayer’s Suicide Squad and a lot of it involved The Joker. Yesterday we posted an unconfirmed list of scenes that you can check out here if you haven’t already. According to actor Jared Leto, there was enough deleted footage from the film to make a full movie about The Joker. While talking to BBC Radio 1 (via Variety) the actor said:

“I think that I brought so much to the table in every scene, it was probably more about filtering all of the insanity, because I wanted to give a lot of options, and I think there’s probably enough footage in this film for a Joker movie.”

There was only about 10 minutes of The Joker in Suicide Squad, and most of it involved his history with Harley Quinn. I actually kind of wish they would have made a film that focused on just The Joker and Harley Quinn before Suicide Squad happened, but that’s obviously not how it went down.

Maybe one day the two characters will get their own film, but only time will tell. Regardless, I do hope that all of this footage ends up in the special features of the Blu-ray/DVD. Leto goes on to say that he and Ayer would have liked the film to get an R-rating.

“I always wished this film were rated R. It felt like, if a film was ever going to be rated R, it should be the one about the villains.” 

Regardless of the bad reviews, Suicide Squad managed to earn a record-breaking $135 million this weekend, beating out Guardians of the Galaxy for highest grossing box-office weekend in August. 

Director Gareth Edwards revealed some intriguing new details Lucasfilm’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In particular, he talked about the planet Jedha in the story and how it is a force-sacred world. The director explained that Jedha becomes a combat zone in the story because it is a holy land that is inhabited by people who follow the force. Edwards told EW:

“The Force is basically in Star Wars like a religion, and they’re losing their faith in the period that we start the movie. We were trying to find a physical location we could go to that would speak to the themes of losing your faith and the choice between letting the Empire win, or evil win, and good prevailing. It got embodied in this place we called Jedha. It’s a place where people who believe in the Force would go on a pilgrimage. It was essentially taken over by the Empire. It’s an occupied territory… for reasons we probably can’t reveal. There’s something very important in Jedha that serves both the Jedi and the Empire. It felt very much like something we could relate to in the real world.”

When he talked about something being very important to both the Jedi and Empire on the planet, the first thing I thought of were Kyber crystals, which are used to create lightsabers. This is just speculation, but there’s a chance that Jedha could be one of the homes of this resource, and the Empire could be using it to create the energy to help power the Death Star’s weapon of destruction. Edwards went on to say:

“Within Jedha, even though there’s the oppressive foot of the Empire hanging over them, there’s a resistance that won’t give up and our characters have to go and meet people there to try and secure a person from this group. In a wider level, there must be loads of people who just believe in the Jedi and believe in the Force and have been affected by it. If it’s a really ancient religion, as Obi-Wan Kenobi said, it’s got to exist in thousands or millions of people in the galaxy.”

The report also revealed that the planet’s streets are “filled with priests, scholars, and holy men and women.” One of its inhabitants is a warrior monk named Chirrut Imwe, who is played by Donnie Yen, “a blind man who is accompanied by his protector and guide Baze Malbuz (Jiang Wen), a non-believer in the supernatural who nonetheless has great faith in his friend.” They also say that it’s the homeworld of another character named Bodhi Rook, who is played by Riz Ahmed, “a pilot who was formerly conscripted into Imperial service but now serves the growing movement against Emperor Palpatine’s regime.”

I’m not sure how much of the film takes place on this planet, but it’s obviously is going to play a pretty important part in the story. Rogue One follows a team of resistance fighters who are brought together to embark on a mission to steal the plans for Death Star. The movie hits theaters on December 16th, 2016, and I can’t wait. A new trailer is set to be released on Thursday this week, so stay tuned! 

Marvel has released a new full trailer for their upcoming Netflix series Luke Cage, and this character is an indestructible badass! Marvel has done such an incredible job with these superhero series. Both Daredevil and Jessica Jones turned out to be awesome, dark, and intense, and it looks like they are bringing that awesomeness to Luke Cage as he is out protecting the streets of Harlem.

One of the cool things about the trailer is that it gives us a tease of the origin of Luke Cage, and there's a shot of him wearing metal head and wrist bands. 

After a sabotaged experiment leaves him with super strength and unbreakable skin, Luke Cage (Mike Colter) becomes a fugitive who attempts to rebuild his life in modern day Harlem, New York City. But soon he is pulled out of the shadows and must fight a battle for the heart of his city – forcing him to confront a past he had tried to bury.

The cast of the series also includes Simone Missick as Misty Knight, Frank Whaley as Rafael Scarfe, Mahershala Ali as Cottonmouth, Theo Rossi as Shades, Alfre Woodard as Mariah Dillard, and Rosario Dawson returns as Claire Temple.

The full 13 episode season of Marvel’s Luke Cage will be released on September 30th at 12:01 AM Pacific on Netflix.

Ever since Fox's TV series Gotham started, I was wondering if we’d ever get to see characters like Harley Quinn and Killer Croc in the series. Turns out, these characters will eventually make their way onto the series. The characters will start out as “proto-versions,” which means they will be introduced as early versions of the characters who will grow into the villains that we all know and love. 

The introduction of Harley Quinn and Killer Croc won’t happen this season, but they are in the long term plans. Executive producer Ken Woodruff explained that the Indian Hill research facility under Arkham Asylum will help in this process of bringing these characters to light:

“The Indian Hill that exists in Gotham, that’s the bridge to these villains like killer Croc and Solomon Grundy.”

Just in case you don’t know, Indian Hill is where experiments are being performed on humans and monsters. Executive producer John Stephens goes on to talk about the slow development of The Joker on the series explaining: 

“It’s about developing the myth of the Joker, just like we’re developing the myth of Batman. It’s so we can stretch him over multiple seasons. The cult of The Joker began, and we’ll explore how that deepens and changes this year. There are underground movements where they talk about Jerome.” 

Jerome is the character that embodied all of the attributes and characteristics of the Joker and will most likely be the main inspiration for whoever actually ends up being The Joker. 

I really enjoy this show, and I can’t wait to see how all of these characters will be developed over the course of the series. I’m now especially excited to see what they have in store for Harley Quinn and Killer Croc!

Via: Deadline

"We've played a long game, you and I, but now it's over."

The Resident Evil film franchise is finally coming to an end with Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, and it looks like it's going to close out with an explosive bang. The first Japanese teaser trailer has been released, and as it points out, everything has been leading up to this moment.... the final showdown between good and evil! 

We've seen both good and bad films come through this franchise, but for the most part, the franchise as a whole has been entertaining. My favorite film out of the series is the first one, and I'm hoping that this final movie closes it out strong. 

Picking up immediately after the events in Resident Evil: Retribution, Alice (Milla Jovovich) is the only survivor of what was meant to be humanity’s final stand against the undead. Now, she must return to where the nightmare began – The Hive in Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse.

The movie also stars Ali Larter as Claire Redfield, Iain Glen in the role of Dr. Alexander Isaacs, Shawn Roberts as Albert Wesker, Ruby Rose as Abigail, Eoin Macken as Doc, William Levy as Christian, Fraser James as Michael, and Japanese model Rola as Cobalt.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is set to be released on January 27th, 2017.

Fans of Star Wars Rebels won't have to wait much longer for Season 3! Disney XD has released a new promo spot for the Lucasfilm animated series  and it announces that the third season of Star Wars Rebels will premiere on September 24th, at 8:30pm ET. 

The season three premiere of Star Wars Rebels is titled "Steps into Shadow," and it will introduce a couple new characters to the series that include Bendu and Grand Admiral Thrawn. For a little information on what lies ahead for us in season three, here's a plot description of the premiere:

Having established a secret base on Atollon, the Ghost crew, now led by a more powerful Ezra, strengthens the rebel fleet by acquiring new resources and recruits eager to stand against the Empire. However, the Imperial efforts to eliminate the rebellion are now being led by the coldly analytical Grand Admiral Thrawn, whose strategic, tactical and cultural insights make him a threat unlike any they have faced before. In season three, Ezra and Sabine take on new roles and challenges as the rebels prepare for their biggest mission yet – a direct assault on the Empire.

I also included the full trailer that premiered at Star Wars Celebration a few weeks ago. This series just seems to be getting better and better with every season, and this upcoming season looks absolutely incredible! 

Pete Hines is on a roll today as some more news regarding the potential of an Elder Scrolls movie is making headlines. Gamespot writes that Hines says Bethesda...read more on Gametyrant

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As you all know, Suicide Squad opened to some very mixed reviews. A lot of critics didn’t seem to like it at all. I personally enjoyed it and it got me to thinking about other great films that opened to bad reviews that ended up being classics that are loved by movie geeks like myself.

I came up with a list of eleven movies that were met with mixed reviews. Some of them were completely trashed by critics, and I’m sure a lot of you won’t agree with what some of these critics had to say about these films.

I included an excerpt from one review for each film, and there were many other reviews that mirrored some of the statements that were made. The films on this list include Fight Club, The Shining, Predator, The Empire Strikes Back, Psycho, The Exorcist, Alien, Blade Runner, Halloween, and Home Alone. I tried to add several different genres to the mix. Of course, there are several other movies that would fit into this category, but I wanted to keep it limited to eleven. 

So, here are the films accompanied by a bad review and the reviews come from credible critics such as Roger Ebert, Variety, NY Times, and Time. Will Suicide Squad end up being considered a classic years from now? Only time will tell.

Fight Club

“With Fight Club he seems to be setting himself some kind of a test--how far over the top can he go? The movie is visceral and hard-edged, with levels of irony and commentary above and below the action. If it had all continued in the vein explored in the first act, it might have become a great film. But the second act is pandering and the third is trickery, and whatever Fincher thinks the message is, that's not what most audience members will get. "Fight Club" is a thrill ride masquerading as philosophy--the kind of ride where some people puke and others can't wait to get on again.” - Roger Ebert

The Shining 

“The crazier Nicholson gets, the more idiotic he looks. Shelley Duvall transforms the warm sympathetic wife of the book into a simpering, semi-retarded hysteric.” - Variety

Predator

"Predator is a slightly above-average actioner that tries to compensate for tissue-thin-plot with ever-more-grisly death sequences and impressive special effects." - Variety

The Empire Strikes Back

“The Empire Strikes Back is not a truly terrible movie. It’s a nice movie. It’s not, by any means, as nice as Star Wars. It’s not as fresh and funny and surprising and witty, but it is nice and inoffensive and, in a way that no one associated with it need be ashamed of, it’s also silly. Attending to it is a lot like reading the middle of a comic book. It is amusing in fitful patches but you’re likely to find more beauty, suspense, discipline, craft and art when watching a New York harbor pilot bring the Queen Elizabeth 2 into her Hudson River berth, which is what The Empire Strikes Back most reminds me of. It’s a big, expensive, time-consuming, essentially mechanical operation. The Empire Strikes Back is about as personal as a Christmas card from a bank.” - NY Times

Psycho

“There is not an abundance of subtlety or the lately familiar Hitchcock bent toward significant and colorful scenery in this obviously low-budget job… The consequence in his denouement falls quite flat for us… The one thing we would note with disappointment is that, among the stuffed birds that adorn the motel office of Mr. Perkins, there are no significant bats.” - NY Times

The Exorcist 

“A chunk of elegant occultist claptrap… a practically impossible film to sit through… It establishes a new low for grotesque special effects…” - NY Times

Alien 

“Technically slick and commercially singleminded, this film attempts to crossbreed the scare tactics of ‘Jaws’ with the sci-fi hardware of ‘Star Wars.’ The result is a cinematic bastard, and a pretty mean bastard at that. ‘Alien’ contains a couple of genuine jolts, a barrage of convincing special effects and enough gore to gross out children of all ages. What is missing is wit, imagination and the vaguest hint of human feeling.” - Time

Blade Runner

“He seems more concerned with creating his film worlds than populating them with plausible characters, and that's the trouble this time. "Blade Runner" is a stunningly interesting visual achievement, but a failure as a story… The movie's weakness, however, is that it allows the special effects technology to overwhelm its story… The obligatory love affair is pro forma, the villains are standard issue, and the climax is yet one more of those cliffhangers, with Ford dangling over an abyss by his fingertips. The movie has the same trouble as the replicants: Instead of flesh and blood, its dreams are of mechanical men.” - Roger Ebert

Halloween

“Carpenter doesn't seem to have had any life outside the movies: one can trace almost every idea on the screen to directors such as Hitchcock and Brian De Palma and to the Val Lewton productions. Maybe when a horror film is stripped of everything but dumb scariness—when it isn't ashamed to revive the stalest device of the genre (the escaped lunatic)—it satisfies part of the audience in a more basic, childish way than sophisticated horror pictures do.” - The New Yorker

Home Alone

"When Kevin’s parents discover they’ve forgotten him, they find it impossible to get anyone to follow through on their panicked calls – if anyone did so, the movie would be over. The plot is so implausible that it makes it hard for us to really care about the plight of the kid." - Roger Ebert

Caddyshack

"Caddyshack never finds a consistent comic note of its own, but it plays host to all sorts of approaches from its stars, who sometimes hardly seem to be occupying the same movie... Caddyshack feels more like a movie that was written rather loosely, so that when shooting began there was freedom, too much freedom, for it to wander off in all directions in search of comic inspiration." - Roger Ebert