Alien 3, though now undergoing something of a critical reappraisal, was not a popular movie when released, and was panned by audiences and critics. Despite its problems and public opinion, Alien 3 did provide closure for the franchise; Ripley – the centre of the series – was dead, and in both thematic and narrative terms, there … Continue reading
Critical opinion regarding the first two Alien movies is fairly unilateral; the first is considered a masterpiece of science-fiction horror, the second is seen by many as one of cinema’s strongest sequels. When it comes to Alien 3 however, opinions get a little more divisive. The film, directed by then unknown filmmaker David Fincher, came … Continue reading
Alien was a critical and commercial success, but 20th Century Fox had little interest in a sequel until James Cameron came along. Cameron had a love for Ridley Scott’s original movie and a vision for the expanding the Alien universe, and after wetting Fox’s appetite with a powerhouse script – not to mention proving his … Continue reading
These days, Spielberg’s War of the Worlds tends to be unfairly overlooked. Though it made a considerable amount of money upon it’s 2005 release, it was met with mixed reviews, and these days, the general public seem to have forgotten about it. War of the Worlds has never taken on the iconic status of Jaws, … Continue reading
Francis Ford Coppola has made some of the greatest movies of all time, and remains one of the world’s most influential filmmakers. The Conversation, The Godfather and it’s sequel, and Apocalypse Now were all seminal, cinema-altering movies which went some way to defining the American New Wave. Sadly, Coppola never really adapted once the Hollywood … Continue reading
Carrie is the sort of movie you watch as a teenager and enjoy without getting much out of. It’s only when you revisit it as an adult, having gained a far greater understanding of cinema, that you understand what an accomplished and brilliant movie it is. Brian de Palma’s 1976 horror movie is a fantastic … Continue reading
John Carpenter’s Halloween defined a genre and lead to a boom of imitators. Most of these – Friday the 13th, Prom Night – were bloodier retreads, with non of Halloween’s restraint, scares or sense of style. But as the 80s began, slashers proved to be big business – profitable franchises which could be churned out … Continue reading
