Archives for January, 2020

The Academy Awards (2019): Oscars So Trite II

Welcome to the second annual “Oscars So Trite” feature. Another evening of sanctimony and cliché. How wonderful and extraordinary for the Academy to engage in the courageous act of patting itself on the back for another year of simply existing, making an occasional good movie or two. A red carpet ceremony with a who’s who […]

“Game of Thrones” (2010 – 2019): A Game Lost (Review)

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published on the Cinematic Katzenjammer in May 2019. The Core of Ice and Fire What is Game of Thrones? You can describe it in hundreds of ways. The term itself invites worlds of thought and myriads of emotion. It’s Tolkien for adults, The Sopranos with dragons and undead, allegorical […]

“Game of Thrones” – The Arya Arc

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published on the Cinematic Katzenjammer in May 2019. Game of Thrones is a show about ice zombies – except for when it isn’t. When it isn’t ripping off The Walking Dead, World War Z, Resident Evil, and other things undead-related, it’s a show about the living – their honor […]

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” – The Six Hour Problem

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published on the Cinematic Katzenjammer in December, 2018. Sometimes obsessing over the issue of time will destroy your movie faster than time being a plot hole. Star Wars: The Last Jedi has this problem. Movies do funny things to our brains, specifically with our conception of time. One of […]

The Academy Awards (2018): Oscars So Trite

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published on the Cinematic Katzenjammer in January, 2019. “The Oscars are coming!” That used to be exciting. Now it sounds like something a new Paul Revere should be saying while out of breath and on his way to a dumb rally. Yes, the Sun has once again made its […]

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” – Anthropomorphizing a Galaxy Far, Far Away

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published on the Cinematic Katzenjammer in January, 2016. Dr. Manhattan: “Don’t you see the futility of asking me to save a world that I no longer have any stake in?.” Silk Spectre II: “Jon, don’t be ridiculous! Earth’s too important to hinge on one relationship!” Dr. Manhattan: “Not to […]

“Star Wars” vs. “Rogue One” – Canons of Construction

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published on the Cinematic Katzenjammer in December, 2016. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story contradicts the Original Star Wars. Not the trilogy; just the original 1977 movie. This article is a nerdy litigator’s exercise in construction, but stick with it. This ain’t CinemaSins. It’s fun. I assume two things: […]

The “Star Wars” Prequels: The Most Interesting Bad Movies Ever Made

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published on the Cinematic Katzenjammer in December, 2015 shortly before the theatrical release of Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. The individual discussed, whom I refer to as “Karol” is my friend Paul Vollmer, whose opinions and statements I have shared on this blog before, albeit on […]