The Futurist and the Future
I’m writing and editing for a new film website called The Cinessential, which launched this week under the guidance of fellow writer and OFCS members Aaron Pinkston. The site will highlight one noteworthy title each week with a variety of thematic essays. For our kickoff, we chose two titles — Aliens and Terminator 2: Judgment […]
True Lies Review
RATING: (3 STARS) If James Cameron ever got his hands on the 007 franchise, the result would almost certainly look and feel a lot like True Lies. It’s a very solid action film that never takes itself too seriously, but there were some elements that didn’t totally work. Besides being overlong, I thought one of […]
Terminator 2: Judgment Day Review
RATING: (4 STARS) After the smashing success of The Terminator on home video and the brilliance of Aliens, director James Cameron was giving the keys to the kingdom for Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The budget increased exponentially over the first film in the series, and Cameron was permitted to take a major risk—turn Arnold Schwarzenegger’s […]
Aliens Review
RATING: (4 STARS) James Cameron’s sequel to the Ridley Scott sci-fi/horror classic Alien is a whole different kind of film than its predecessor. Instead of focusing on the scares, this film ratchets up the action 100 percent. After a lengthy exposition, the film kicks it into gear and never lets up. I was left breathless […]
Avatar Review
RATING: (4 STARS) James Cameron’s “Avatar” is unlike any experience I’ve ever had at the movies. It’s the kind of movie I expect people will feel like they need to see in order to be part of the popular culture. In ten years, when people look back on the films of 2009 (and of this […]