I wanted to like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. I really did. And I enjoyed it enough when I was watching it at the theater. But moments after the credits rolled (and I’d sat through all the mid and post-credit scenes), I left feeling empty. Guardians Vol. 2 is visually stunning, with bright colors […]
Nate’s Top 10 Films of 2014
So many movies released in the past twelve months felt like advertisements that it was nice when the year periodically decided to come back from commercial break. That doesn’t mean that every non-blockbuster was a masterpiece. For every gem like The Grand Budapest Hotel there were duds like Palo Alto or Transcendence. And don’t get me started on The Giver again. I […]
Thibault’s Top Movies of 2014
2014 was a great year for the cinema industry from a critical standpoint, even if it was a terrible year business-wise. Failing box office returns were almost a good thing; I enjoyed the quieter transitional period for U.S. film before we head into a year laden with mega-franchises (Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Avengers, etc.). I discovered comparatively smaller movies in that time, […]
Hailey’s Best Films of 2014
2014 was an entertaining year for film. Marvel experienced huge successes with Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Big Hero 6. We also saw a large influx of action/comedy films, with 22 Jump Street being the prime example of how well action and comedy can mix together. Animated movies also had a good year. […]
Thibault Talks: U.S. Summer Box Office Tanks
Overview It is not an exaggeration to say that this 2014 U.S. summer box office was catastrophic in terms of both profit and attendance. May, ($1.23B, -15.7% compared to May 2013), June (~$994$, -19.2% compared to June 2013), and especially July (~$803M, -39.2% compared to July 2013) were all big disappointments for American studios. We did see a turnaround […]
Guardians of the Galaxy Changed Blockbusters
A little film called Guardians of the Galaxy accomplished something extraordinary this summer. It featured a cast of characters from a lesser-known comic series, essentially subverted the entire superhero film genre and redefined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Oh, and it also had the best August opening in box office history. Summer is the season of […]
Why CGI In Guardians of the Galaxy Works
There are many reasons to love Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s funny, it’s smart and it’s one hell of an action-packed ride. The film was a risk; unlike Captain America or Batman, almost no one knew who the these characters were before the film came out. Making a successful blockbuster out of a no-name property was no small feat. […]
Guardians of the Galaxy
For the first few moments of Guardians of the Galaxy, I worried. I saw elements of tropes rearing their head instantly. I sighed at a roguish hero whose existence screamed traits of other classic movie characters. I cringed at a villain whose antics veered well into the theatrical. I gaped as names of planets, new alien […]
Superhero Madness, Part 2: The MCU
Marvel has made cinematic history with their foray into the movies. Although the rights to two of their most valuable properties – X-Men and Spider-Man – respectively belong to Fox and Sony, Marvel has nevertheless created the most profitable franchise of all time. And along the way, they’ve made some of the best superhero movies […]
