Retro Reviews & More

SEVENSES BATMAN Welcome to the third edition of Sevenses. The basic idea is to choose seven films of a category, which are of course of high quality but are also distinct in some way. It's not the same as a ranked list, because there are times better films might have been passed over for this purpose. For some, examples are a more effective explanation, so I encourage reading of the previous editions on westerns and biopics . A slight deviation, I have listed a handful of films as "also considered" in more than one slot. Batman. It is a genre in itself at this point. I own nearly forty films with either his name or other moniker in the title in addition to others that feature the character prominently and television series of both kinds. As I stated before in the intro to Into the Fray: Batman , the film history of Batman is nearly as old as the character. I would technically consider it a subgenre of superhero which is typically a subgenre of action . But others are mix...

SEVENSES   BIOPICS Welcome to a second edition of Sevenses. To get an idea of what that is, please read the first edition on westerns found here . In short,  it is taking a similar group of films and choosing seven that might be distinct from most every other one or the best of a subgenre. It is not a tier list , and thus not a ranked list. A rule I made, I must own the film in a home media format to be considered. Biopics. It is a genre nearly as old as the film industry itself. If we, as a people, were not intrigued by others' lives, books about famous, and infamous, figures, would not have proven popular, and many of these include photographs. So, it was only fitting that moving pictures would follow suit. They are typically also drama and can literally be about anyone notable in her or his field, including presidents, inventors, musicians, sports figures, and in the vein of art imitating life, actors. A couple of common specifics often encountered  in a biographical ...

SEVENSES Westerns Welcome to the first edition of Sevenses, a new type of post. The idea started as a list of seven items that ranked supreme in a category, but then I realized that concept is too similar to  tier lists so this is an opportunity to write an opinion piece without that level of contention. So, what is Sevenses? It is taking a similar group of films such as genre or those who have featured the same main character many times (like Batman, a probable future edition) and choosing standouts. High quality, according to my opinion, is a given. But some entries might have a unique trait to make them distinct or the best of a subgenre, and there may be others not included that are actually better films overall. In other words, it may not be a list ranked 1 through 7, but all would grade high enough if doing so. (Instead, I use release order.) Last thing, a rule of sorts, I must own the film in a home media format to be considered. I will likely include an abridged version of...