‘Pan’ Doesn’t Fly
The problems here are numerous, the reasons for them ridiculous.
Bill Gibron
If he believed in anything, Bill Gibron believed in the power of voice. Not just the kind that comes with actual spoken statements, but the one that permeates the best of literature and the most compelling writing. This may explain why he gravitated toward authors like Harlan Ellison or Salman Rushdie, scribes who announce their style with every phrase they utilize. It may also explain why he worked as an educator, a coach, and an officer for the state and national speech and debate leagues that make up competitive high school forensics around the country. A big city Chi-Town (Chicago) boy transplanted to the tourist trap known as Tampa, Florida, Bill came to PopMatters with a lifetime of unusual experiences. Sadly, Bill passed in 2018. He is missed. His legacy with PopMatters, however, lives on in our archives.
Eli Roth’s ‘Green Inferno’ Can’t Compare to ‘Cannibal Holocaust’
By mocking his characters instead of having his audience invested in them, the director turns his terror into something trying.
The Best and Worst of Summer Film 2015
From the same old superhero entries to a singular visionary epic, more mediocre Adam Sandler to some surprising new comedic voices, the Summer of 2015 was a rollercoaster of excellence and awfulness. Here are our choices for the best and worst of the popcorn movie season.
‘The Transporter Refueled’ Should Actually Be the Transporter, Rejected
An overly familiar pile of action movie clichés lacking the one element -- Jason Statham -- that made the original franchise worthwhile
Someone Sprayed Paraquat on ‘American Ultra’
This movie will harsh your buzz, man.
Tom Cruise Teaches the Genre What Action Is All About With ‘Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation’
This is the best thriller of the year not named Mad Max: Fury Road.
Audiences Will Have No Fun on This ‘Vacation’
Instead of finding a way to channel the original film's clever cluelessness, this new take on the material is all gross-out gags from two decades ago.
‘Pixels’ Can’t Survive It’s Hackneyed Script
Other elements of the movie almost work. The screenplay definitely doesn't.
‘Ant-Man’ Wants to Be So Much Bigger
Having given up on making stand-alones, Marvel's desire to tie everything into its "universe" hinders Ant-Man's inherent joy.
See Ya Later, Terminator: How ‘Genisys’ Destroyed More Than the Future
From the casting to the concept, this latest attempt to revive the struggling film series is nothing but a CG stunt, a gimmick that gets old quickly.
‘Ted 2’ Is Smarter and Smuttier Than Your Average Bear
Ted 2 is uproariously funny, with just enough sprinkling of social satire to stretch this already thin premise into a satisfying sequel.