Sunshine (2007) -vs- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The Smackdown Exactly how crazy can you go during a long space journey — as you begin to realize you probably won’t surivive, or maybe just that the rules have changed so much, nothing you […]
Sci-Fi
Transformers (2007) -vs- Independence Day (1996)
The Smackdown Whenever aliens invade our planet, the vaunted resources of humanity’s technological aggression pale in comparison to their greatest “weapon”: luck. Sure, the heroes of those films will preach about courage, history, and the […]
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) -vs- Armageddon (1998)
The Smackdown Honestly, I wasn’t planning on writing about “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.” Truth is, I hated the first “Fantastic Four” movie and had, shall we say, minimal expectations for the second […]
Fantastic Four (2005) -vs- X-Men (2000)
The Smackdown When I was growing up, my favorite comicbook was the Fantastic Four (okay, it was a tie with the Avengers, but they haven’t made that film yet). Anyway, I collected X-Men and Spider-Man […]
The Power of Three? | Spider-Man 3 (2007) -vs- Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End (2007) -vs- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) -vs- The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
The Smackdown When it comes to movies, the third time is rarely a charm. For whatever reasons — chalk it up to audience expectations, weary and bored filmmakers, or corporate greed — “triquels” rarely seem […]
The Fountain (2006) -vs- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The Smackdown If a filmmaker sat down in a producer’s office and rambled on about prehistoric ape battles, Mayan/Judeo-Christian theology, homicidal computers, oncology miracles, cosmic fetuses, and Heaven-bound bubble spaceships, he’d probably be shown the […]
28 Weeks Later (2007) -vs- Aliens (1986)
The Smackdown Of course it would be easier to smack 28 Weeks Later up against the film that gave birth to it, 28 Days Later, but most conventional reviews are already doing that. It could […]
Next (2007) -vs- Blade Runner (1982)
The Smackdown What a luxury in life– and the movies– to get a “do over.” No mistake remains uncorrected, no last word is ever really final. That’s how it is with the most celebrated screen […]
Children of Men (2006) -vs- 28 Days Later (2003)
The Smackdown The apocalypse has gone post(al) in both of these films set in England. The action in both starts in London then moves to the country, where the living is not easier. In both […]
The Last Mimzy (2007) -vs- E.T. The Extraterrestrial (1982)
The Smackdown Twenty-five years after E.T. ruled the box office comes Mimzy hoping the magic can work again. Both of our films star young kids (a brother and a sister) who discover something strange and […]