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About Mark Sanchez
Oregon based media and communications consultant Mark Sanchez is on the fifth or sixth step of his recovery program from his career as a television news reporter. And that’s the way it is. Mark has been an Oregonian since the Reagan administration and shows no signs of leaving. He lives in Portland — a city that is famous for its transit system, its rain, its independent film community and, lately, for the TV series Portlandia, which Mark notes is about half-true, but to protect confidential sources he won’t say which half.

Balls of Fury (2007) -vs- Dodgeball (2004)

September 3, 2007 Mark Sanchez 1

The Smackdown Films — at the highest level of achievement — illuminate, entertain, even influence events. They usually don’t aim that high. Movies mostly reinforce our existing preferences for drama, romance, horror — or in […]

Invasion (2007) -vs- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

August 28, 2007 Mark Sanchez 5

Nothing persists like a good idea. Its power and elegance hold up no matter how it is reinterpreted in movie sequels, prequels and remakes. “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” became a surprise science fiction hit in 1956 and remains a popular model for imitation. You can trace elements of the basic storyline on film and TV today: Bad things happen when you fall asleep. This sturdy premise spawned well-made remakes in 1978 and 1994. Now, a new version of Jack Finney’s tale of alien takeover steps up, “Invasion.” This remake arrives with plenty of drama behind the camera. It offers an otherworldly Smackdown: Does “Invasion” snatch a good idea from the original movie, or lose its identity?
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Hairspray (2007) -vs- Hairspray (1988)

August 6, 2007 Mark Sanchez 38

The Smackdown “Hairspray” sets up a Smackdown! as unsettling as meeting another person with your name: something is familiar, but the other elements don’t quite fit. Mark Twain anticipated this frustration when he said some […]

Lucky You (2007) -vs- Rounders (1998)

May 24, 2007 Mark Sanchez 1

The Smackdown Leading a directed life–or just being happy–is hard enough without being complicated by some pesky obsession. Now, throw in a quirky twist  or two and you describe the structure of many dramas that […]

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