Vertigo: Hitch's masterpiece can come off as cold to some on first viewing. Watch it again. The film is an amazing character study, and the ending is absolutely devastating. 2001: A Space Odyssey. Again, cold at first viewing (to some),…
Category: Movies
Movies, My Quora answers
How old was James Bond supposed to be in the various books by Ian Fleming?
Bond was in his late thirties in the books, but if you look at references in the first book Casino Royale he has to be in his mid-40s at least (he was noted to be an experienced gambler before WW…
Movies, My Quora answers
Why does James Bond prefer his martinis shaken not stirred?
Some say that shaking “bruises the gin” which suppossedly affects the taste and that you should NOT do it (and the Bond in the books and film Casino Royale drank gin martinis, not vodka). I’ve found that is a bunch…
Movies, My Quora answers
Where would be the best place to situate a super-villain hideout?
This is the reason I love Quora: questions like this. And the person who asked you to post this question, he wouldn’t happen to have the last name “Blofeld,” does he? At any rate, you have to look at three…
Movies, My Quora answers
What are some great spy movies?
Great spy movies involve some key aspects of real life espionage: subterfuge, observation, and paranoia. Spies pretend to be alerting they are not, observe their subjects and then act to gather information on their subject or… In some instances, to…
Geek, Movies, My Quora answers
What is the best James Bond score?
When it comes to James Bond scores, you have to separate the soundtrack (the music that plays over the whole movie) and the title song (which plays over… Err, the titles). James Bond soundtracks have had many different composers, with…
Geek, Movies, My Quora answers
What are some great movie endings? Why?
Some candidates: Planet of the Apes. Yes, I know, it's a cliche and a punchline now, but the final shot of that movie shocked and surprised audiences and it's still one of the best movie endings ever. The Godfather. The…
Movies, My Quora answers, Trek
Is the latest Star Trek movie better than the old ones?
"Better" is in the eye of the beholder. A movie is both a collaborative effort and the vision of a director – a good director can work from a bad script with top-notch actors, a good editor and a fantastic…
Movies
Quick Movie Reviews – The Social Network, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Inception, and Greenberg
One of the benefits of the 14 hour flight to Sydney is I can catch up on movies that I had been unable to see due to my work and family commitments, thanks to in-seat entertainment center. Here’s some quick…
Geek, Movies, Trek
Photos: I Love LA!
Before this latest trip to the land Down Under I got stuck in LA for a day, so I did what all smart people stranded in the land of movies did… I turned tourist, with the help of my lovely…
Geek, Movies
Great Scott! Back to the Future was released 25 years ago today!
“You made a time machine… out of a DeLorean?!” In more news to make me feel like an old, old man, I note that today is the 25th anniversary of Back to the Future, a movie that is a perennial…
Movies
Belated Movie Review: Iron Man 2 delivers the bombast, but empathy need not apply
I really really wanted to like Iron Man 2. Iron Man was one of the pleasant surprises of two summers ago, a popcorn flick with depth and character, a blockbuster with a beating heart – the heart of Tony Stark,…
Featured Articles, Movies
Citizen Kane, man-child: The ultimate American
I recently had the great pleasure of re-watching Citizen Kane, one of my favorite films, with the added pleasure of watching it while I listed to Roger Ebert’s great commentary track. Ebert, as many of you may know, has had…
Movies
Belated movie review: Avatar
As I write this, I just finished watching James Cameron win both best director and best picture awards for Avatar at The Golden Globes, a semi-phony awards ceremony that is still seen by some as an indicator of chances at…
Movies
Video: A-Team movie trailer
I can’t help it, I’m a guy who grew up watching the silly and bombastic A-Team TV show in the 80s and I’m excited about the new big-budget movie. Here’s the trailer: The opening narration! The Jeep flip! Even B.A.’s…
Movies
Two must-read biographies, from Nicholas Meyer and Roger Moore
Since I have been traveling quite a bit lately I have started reading more, to fill flight time. I have always been fond of biographies because they provide interesting “behind the scenes” perspectives, and I usually focus on biographies of…