Tag Archives: franchise

Vacation Retrospective Part 5

Posted on July 31, 2015 by castordurden

VACATION (2015) To scrutinize what went irredeemably wrong with the latest Vacation reboot is to pinpoint exactly where comedy went awry in the mid-90’s. The Farrelly Brothers came to providence and their movies slathered both gross-out, scatological humor with pathos … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Reviews | Tagged chevy chase, comedy, ed helms, franchise, vacation | Comments Off

Vacation Retrospective Part 3

Posted on July 29, 2015 by castordurden

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION If the dreary European Vacation proved anything, it’s that the Griswolds are at optimal dysfunction when they are stateside which explains why Christmas Vacation is a mirthful, gregarious return-to-form for the franchise. While the ensemble of … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Reviews | Tagged chevy chase, christmas vacation, cousin eddie, franchise, john hughes, national lampoon | Comments Off

Vacation Retrospective Part 2

Posted on July 28, 2015 by castordurden

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S EUROPEAN VACATION Odd that the theme song for these films is “Holiday Road” and so far in the series, they haven’t acknowledged any holidays except for the yuletide season. Much to my chagrin, the Pig in a Poke … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Reviews | Tagged amy heckerling, chevy chase, european vacation, franchise, john hughes, travelogue | Comments Off

Mission Impossible Retrospective Part 4

Posted on July 26, 2015 by castordurden

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE- GHOST PROTOCOL Of the films thus far, Ghost Protocol is the most giddy and exuberant. The first film was a Tom Clancy potboiler. The second film was an operatic ballet. The third was a gritty crime drama. Part … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Reviews | Tagged franchise, mission impossible, simon pegg, spy film, tom cruise | Comments Off

Mission Impossible Retrospective Part 3

Posted on July 25, 2015 by castordurden

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 3 J.J. Abrams attempts to tether Mission: Impossible with both forlorn heart and continuity neither of which is required. This series of films are episodic by design and can be stripped down to the elemental pleasures of globe-trotting … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Reviews | Tagged espionage, franchise, mission impossible, philip seymour hoffman, spy film, tom cruise | Comments Off

Mission Impossible Retrospective Part 2

Posted on July 24, 2015 by castordurden

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 John Woo has been and will always be one of the action directors that I genuflect to. His movies are hyperkinetic extravaganzas with dollops of elegiac poetry (the dove trademark, the slow-motion theatrics, etc.). This is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Reviews | Tagged espionage, franchise, john woo, mission impossible, spy, tom cruise | Comments Off

Mission Impossible Retrospective Part 1

Posted on July 20, 2015 by castordurden

With Tom Cruise committing his suicide to celluloid (or digital) again for Rogue Nation on July 31st, I thought it would be appropriate to dissect the entries leading up to his latest untenable assignment.

Posted in Movies, Reviews | Tagged espionage, franchise, mission impossible, spy film, tom cruise, ving rhames | Comments Off