Retro Reviews & More

Welcome to another edition of "Into the Fray". Being that there has only been the one post ( the special 50th one ) in between this and the last,  I will be brief in explaining what "Into the Fray" is. Four contenders are chosen based on criteria, scored based on another somewhat overlapping set, and a winner is determined from those scores. Today's is meant to be a companion to the last one on opening scenes , and a better idea can be obtained by additionally reading the ones on sequels , (unplanned) trilogies , and Batman (actors). Into the Fray: Ending Scene What does one want from a movie's ending scene? Using the same comparisons as with "Into the Fray: Opening Scene", it is much like the last chapter or epilogue of a book or the final portion or coda of a song. The audience should know it has ended (so a song performed live to avoid the simple fade-out of some), and it should feel like the natural conclusion to all that has preceded it. It ...

Welcome to the fourth edition of "Into the Fray". It's been two years since the last one on Batman , more specifically how the character was portrayed by certain actors. So, as is a common occurrence since I revived this blog, here is the rundown of what "Into the Fray" is. I take four contenders for a topic that have been picked by certain criteria and then score them against each other with another set of criteria, often with some overlap between the two. The purpose is to declare a winner based on an equitable measure. To get a better idea, please click here for the one on sequels , here for the one on (unplanned) trilogies , and here for the aforementioned one on Batman . Into the Fray: Opening Scene What does one want from a movie's opening scene? Purely from an artistic standpoint and also to me, it is much like the first chapter of a book or the introductory bars of a song. It's the hook, and to a point, it should establish direction for the re...

This post will be a spinoff of sorts of "Into the Fray". There is enough debate in the subject matter for it to be similar, but also different enough since the goal is not to declare a definitive winner. Akin to "Into the Fray," there are contenders, but dissimilarly there is not criteria to choose them. They simply are, and there are more than four. It could be measurable by another set of criteria, but which is best really depends on objective. Still, some common criteria are inevitable. Star Wars: The  Watch Order Debate Star Wars has a public history of nearly fifty years, with the novelization of the first film predating even it by around seven months. To date, there have been twelve films theatrically released, eleven of them live-action (plus another scheduled to release shortly). Since the single fully animated movie, The Clone Wars , was actually a big screen pilot for the small screen series of the same name, we are only looking at the live-action films. L...

I have already become less regular in blogging. So, breaking a rule I had initially made to force myself to write a variety of types of posts loses its steam. With that...welcome to a third edition of "Into the Fray." This is where I set criteria to pick contenders, a somewhat overlapping set to grade them, a brief write-up and score for each of those, and declare a winner based on an overall score. For a better idea, the first two editions on sequels and trilogies are available here and here , respectively. Into the Fray : Batman Batman. I imagine that word conjures up wildly different images for different people depending on a multitude of factors. Beginning with a theatrical serial of fifteen chapters starring Lewis Wilson in the titular role only four years after the character's 1939 comic debut, Batman's adventures off the pages are a rich if not somewhat checkered history. It is these portrayals that are the subject today. Before many of you say, "Christ...

Welcome to the second edition of "Into the Fray." A quick reminder of how this goes: Using set criteria, I evaluate films, as an example, to declare a winner in a specific topic. One set of criteria is used to pick contenders and another to grade them, with inevitable overlap. I will write brief passages for each contender in each grading criterium followed by a score, and end with an overall score. To get a better idea, click here to read the first edition about sequels . Into the Fray: Trilogies Why a trilogy? Sometimes it is an opportunity to tell a story that will not fit in one film, and these are usually planned, e.g., The Lord of the Rings , The Dark Knight , etc. But, sometimes a first film is successful, and there is enough of a desire to experience that world again, even though it's not quite the same. The number of sequels end up making a trilogy, and that is the subject matter for today. To choose contenders, the trilogy had to have started with a standalone...

This is a new category of post, entitled "Into The Fray." It takes a topic and pits films, as an example, against each other with criteria to score each to declare a winner, at least in my opinion. Before we get into the fray each time, I will state two sets of criteria. The first is to pick the contenders, and the second will be to grade each. Oftentimes, there will inevitably be some overlap of the two sets. Finally, I will write a passage about each film, scoring it in each category, and score it overall. Into The Fray: Sequels What makes a great sequel? I am sure that question has nearly as many answers as people who would answer. For me, it is simple and threefold. First, the original film must be good. Second, a sequel must logically follow the previous film(s), including warranting being made in the first place. This can, of course, include an entry in a planned series of films, but the right story can follow a film that previously stood alone. The main thing is it add...