wadewainio

Wade is a wannabe artist and musician (operating under the moniker Grandpa Helicopter), and an occasional radio DJ for WMTU 91.9 FM Houghton. He is an occasional writer for Undead Walking, and also makes up various blogs of his own. He even has a few books in the works. Then again, doesn't everyone?

‘Jurassic Park’ (1993): Why You Still Love It Today – Retro Review

Jurassic Park

In case you’ve been trapped in amber for millions of years, you’ve heard about Jurassic Park, a science fiction adventure film released 30 years ago on June 11, 1993, directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. Star Jeff Goldblum said of …

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‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994): What It Says About Father/Son Relationships

Pulp Fiction

Released on May 21, 1994, Quentin Tarantino’s crime thriller, Pulp Fiction, follows a bunch of character’s lives interconnect in a complex narrative filled with themes of petty revenge vs. divine retribution, fate vs. freak occurrence, and other ideas such as loyalty. ***Spoiler Alert!*** Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield …

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‘WILLOW’ (1988): What Makes it Great…and Did Disney Drop the Ball?

Willow

Willow is a fantasy film directed by Ron Howard originally released on May 20, 1988. The story was conceived by George Lucas (already famous for Star Wars and the Indiana Jones films), and he also served as the film’s executive producer. The movie combines elements of fantasy, adventure, and fairy …

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‘EDWARD SCISSORHANDS’ (1990) and His Dad’s Interesting Creative Choice

Edward Scissorhands

Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands brilliantly showcases Tim Burton’s ability to seamlessly blend the fantastical with the mundane, as a bizarre humanoid invention named Edward Scissorhands (Johnny Depp) ends up venturing into suburbia. Edward had been invented by an unknown old man simply called “The Inventor” (Vincent Price), who had temporarily …

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‘THE SHINING’ (1980) and a Father-Son Relationship Gone Awry

Near the intro of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (read our retro review here), we already get the sense that Danny (Danny Lloyd) and Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) have a strained father/son relationship. In addition, the two, along with mother and wife Wendy Torrance (Shelley Duvall), eventually meet a series of …

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Willard (2003): A Man and His Rats Craft Rollicking Revenge

Willard

Unfortunately, Glen Morgan’s Willard seems a bit underrated. Then again, that surely fits the theme and overall feel of the story itself. Willard Stiles (Crispin Glover) is constantly mocked and humiliated by his life at home, and at work. Made into a misfit and the butt of life’s joke, Willard’s main …

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‘KING KONG’ (1933) at 90: A Great Movie…That People Frequently Accuse of Racism?!

King Kong (1933)

Is King Kong the greatest monster movie of all time? Possibly. It is certainly among the most iconic, and like so many monster flicks to follow, it really involves people venturing to places they probably should not go. In this case, it’s a troubled voyage to Skull Island. The expedition …

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John Carpenter, A Master Director and Master Composer, Turns 75

John Carpenter turns 75 years old on January 16, 2023. Happy birthday! Let’s look at some reasons Carpenter is such an ironic director and composer, shall we? Oh, and here’s a trailer in case you’ve lived under a rock and have no idea who John Carpenter is: Surely, you have …

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‘LEPRECHAUN’ (1993): Commemorating a Coin-Craving Corny Cobbler’s Carnage!

Leprechaun

Where was Jennifer Aniston before she became rich and famous on a generically-titled sitcom? Well, like a lot of us, she was being pursued by a demonic little Leprechaun (Warwick Davis) who was horny to get his gold back. The question is, should Aniston be embarrassed by this movie? Sure! …

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Harley Wallen’s ‘Ash and Bone’ (2022): Try A Taste… You Might Like It! – Movie Review

Ash and Bone

Harley Wallen’s Ash and Bone has already won some awards. Surely, it will also win itself some contrarian detractors (and you’ll find plenty in the comments of the trailer video), so let me get at some of those critiques right now, and maybe some of them halfway through. To begin …

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