Features
Cinephile goodness in the form of insightful editorials and entertaining, analytical features from the CinemaNerdz writers.
Bela Lugosi’s Not Really Dead: A Vampire Movie Primer
Vampires are so commonplace in entertainment these days that I cannot fathom how anyone could find them mysterious, otherworldly, or especially frightening. In our narcissistic age, people romanticize vampires because the idea of staying young forever trumps any of the existential sadness of such a proposition. Furthermore, the horror aspect of the undead has been entirely co-opted and taken to ex...[Read More]
How Marvel Films Made Me a True Believer in The Avengers!
The folks behind the latest crop of Marvel superhero movies have done the impossible – they made me care about The Avengers. I’m a very cynical comic book fan (ed. Note: see Why I Hate the New Superman Costume!) and I’ve never really been keen on the heroes who make up the Avengers. I hate Captain America just as much as I hate Superman. Thor bores me, and as hard as I’ve tried, I could never get ...[Read More]
The Tragic History of the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour
The fall of 1967 found The Beatles feasting on the critical and commercial success of the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album and looking for a follow-up. Since the record’s June release, the group had become cultural and musical icons and had attained a form of rock sainthood. They were, by all accounts, perceived as infallible. Then, in early September, just a few weeks after the death o...[Read More]
When Good Comics Turn Into Bad Movies: A Case Study of Dylan Dog: Dead of Night
Comic book characters in movies have been around for a very long time, though not since the age of the serials have they been in such high demand as they seem to be today. Sure, Batman broke box-office records when it came out in 1989, and Superman before that had been a surefire winner (at least, until Superman IV: The Quest for Peace), but for many years, the two DC superheroes were the only one...[Read More]
Ten Great Summer Grindhouse Movies
The proliferation of midnight/cult movie programming at movie theaters great and small during the summer months has made it easier to catch up with the classics many of us were too young to see the first time around, discover new curiosities, and be reminded of the essential communal aspect in truly appreciating the intentions of genre filmmakers. Horror plays best late at night with an anxious an...[Read More]
Why I Hate the New Superman Costume!
Last week, Warner Bros. released the first official picture of Henry Cavill as Superman in Zack Snyder’s franchise reboot Man of Steel. After looking at it a few times, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m just as underwhelmed with this reboot of the Last Son of Krypton as I was of Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns in 2006 (although Brandon Routh at least resembled Christopher Reeve). Unfortunately,...[Read More]
Top 20 Comic Book Characters That Need a Movie Adaptation
The summer of 2011 has quickly become the “Summer of the Comic Book Movie.” The God of Thunder has already graced the silver screens in Thor and the latest X-flick, X-Men: First Class, is a success (though not as much as earlier entries in the series). Moviegoers will soon be bombarded with big-budget big-screen adaptations of Captain America and the Green Lantern as well. In total, there are more...[Read More]
The Ten Best Johnny Depp Movies
With the latest chapter in Disney’s juggernaut Pirates of the Caribbean franchise hitting theaters this week, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, CinemaNerdz takes a fond look back on one of the most dynamic marquee names in film today – Johnny Depp – who only recently found his footing with popular audiences thanks in large part to director Tim Burton’s recent forays into bloated childre...[Read More]
The Legacy of the Scream Films: A Fan’s Opinion
When Wes Craven’s original Scream motion picture was released in the winter of 1996, I was still too young to see the film in theaters unaccompanied by an adult. In fact, this was still true in 1997 for Scream 2, and also for the release of Scream 3 in 2000. However, despite the ardent efforts of my parents, the Motion Picture Association of America, and several very strict ushers, I still managed...[Read More]