The exploits of Johnny, Moira, Alexis, David, and Stevie (who basically became a member of the Rose family along the way) were set in a world full of extreme-yet-mundane situations that always came from a place that spoke to 21st century realities. That’s why the show garnered critical acclaim—and grew a dedicated fan base—and became one of the best-loved comedy TV series in history, even receiving multiple Emmy and Golden Globe awards....
Due to my personal tastes, most of my favorite Martin Scorsese movies belong to the crime and thriller genres, where Scorsese’s talents truly shine. The intense and extreme subject matters allow for themes and performances that just aren’t possible in many other genres. True, most of his movies involve horrible people doing horrible things, but Martin Scorsese’s brilliant mastery of storytelling and refined sense of direction will draw you in and have you revisiting his films, characters, and thematic explorations time and time again....
From mopey critics to huge money losses, these legendary movies would eventually garner critical acclaim but started with doozy initial receptions. Only by surviving the test of time were they able to gather fans who unearthed appreciation over the years. Here are several iconic movies that were box office failures when they first came out, but eventually grew into beloved hits. 10. Heathers (1988) Heathers didn’t even gross half of its budget, but still managed to become a teen hit....
But these badass figures weren’t always so badass. In fact, some of the most iconic and most memorable characters of power were those who started off as nobodies, without much strength or notoriety at all. The most common of these tropes is the character who lives in a world of magic but can’t do magic himself. Other explorations involve characters who are weak and useless because they don’t believe in themselves, but become stronger as they grow more confidence in their abilities....
Some of those fun encounters will need to be combat encounters, and part of the difficulty in being a DM is balancing those fights against the capabilities of your players. Another big difficulty is making sure your fights are fresh and unique. Even a well-balanced combat encounter can be boring if it feels clichéd, repetitive, or uninspired. And when you’re running a full campaign, monster variety is the spice of life....
Sadly, most anime productions and their use of tropes fall into the former. They might bank on a certain trope due to unoriginality, as fan service, for views and publicity, or as easy ways to develop scenes. But every so often, an anime series skillfully subverts expectations. Here are some of our favorite examples of common anime tropes that were twisted and upturned in uniquely refreshing ways. 5. Weak Female Lead Characters Many anime series feature weak female lead characters who need protection from a male protagonist....
It’s based on a manga series written and illustrated by Kousuke Oono and was published in an online manga magazine way back in 2018. Netflix released the first part in April 2021, and it wasn’t long before the second part came in October 2021. The first thing you’ll notice when you check this series out is its unusual animation style, one that’s unlike any other anime series you’ve probably seen....
To this day, there are plenty of animated Disney classics that we still love watching because they hold up well. Many of them have been remade into live-action films… to varying degrees of success. Here are the most popular Disney animated movies that have live-action remakes and how the remakes compare to the originals, to see whether any of them have successfully improved on them. 10. 101 Dalmatians (1961 vs....
The EarFun UBOOM L doesn’t do much new, but it takes just the right features and combines them into a solid, great-sounding package that just so happens to be fairly affordable. My review unit was provided for free, but my opinions are my own and haven’t been influenced in any way. EarFun UBOOM L: Overview The EarFun UBOOM L picks up where EarFun’s original Bluetooth speaker (the basic UBOOM) took off....
The Simpsons stuck to those same kind of ideals while parodying and even mocking them at times. Now, as we progress into the 21st century, most of those older TV families have disappeared and only Springfield’s first family remains from the bunch. Homer and Marge Simpson may have started their television lives as parents to unruly children, they’ve evolved over the years—and the couple have impacted our culture’s image of a successful marriage....
Meanwhile, Dr. Watson’s medical background and social skills—it’s been speculated that Sherlock Holmes is on the autistic spectrum—make up for the areas in which Sherlock lacks. The bickering buddies have become an emblem of classic British literature, and they’ve been brought to both the big screen and small screen in myriad adaptations over the years. Here are our picks for the best Sherlock Holmes movies and TV shows of all time and why they stand out as worth watching....
This Golden Age of Hollywood loved a good epic, romance, or family flick, relying on big studios and star contracts to entice audiences. This crucial decade in cinema history became the forerunner for so many of today’s popular genres, technologies, and styles. Here are some of the greatest and most iconic movies from the 1930s that showcase the best of what the decade had to offer. 10. Frankenstein (1931) Frankenstein is a tale as old as time, and one we’ve all come to know....
Which is why it’s especially important for action movies to have strong opening scenes. They need to set expectations and convince viewers that the next 90 to 120 minutes are going to be worthwhile. Here are our picks for the best opening scenes in action movies of all time and why they’re so successfully thrilling. 10. Top Gun: Maverick (2022) Has there ever been a movie star quite like Tom Cruise?...
But then there are children’s movies that are tremendously sad, tragic, and heartbreaking. Here are the saddest children’s movies that punched us in the gut with hardcore, unexpected tragedy. 10. Charlotte’s Web (2006) Who knew the death of an insect could be so heart-wrenching? But Charlotte isn’t some old fruit fly who only lives a day—she’s a caring barn spider who promises to protect her cute piglet friend from being eaten....
LEGO has the power to transcend time. It doesn’t matter if you’re eight years old or 88 years old—there’s much fun to be had, and every year brings even cooler LEGO sets to build and enjoy. Whether you’re already an avid LEGO fan, or you want to rekindle that childhood sense of wonder, or maybe you never had the opportunity to build a proper LEGO set from scratch… Here are some of the best nerdy LEGO sets for adults who want a challenge, who want to impress with their creations....
In video games, the performer has to inhabit the mind and body of a character, all while realizing that the end experience is entirely controlled by the player and his/her decisions. As each player plays the game in their own way, their experiences might diverge—and they’ll reach their own unique conclusions. The player doesn’t just watch events unfold, as they might in a movie or TV show; the player lives those events while controlling the character....
One way is to involve some sort of haunted item or figure. Maybe it gets inherited by an unlucky descendant. Maybe they stumble across it by happenstance. Or maybe it’s an entity that only shows up at night, or in the mirror, or in the attic. Here are some of the best movies about dolls and other creepy figures that prove how effective this kind of horror can be....
In layman’s terms, the contra zoom is when the camera lens zooms in on the subject while the camera itself is pulled backwards. The resulting effect is pretty dizzying, making it look like the subject stays in place while the background morphs around them. The contra zoom is most frequently used to emphasize key moments of realization, to depict mental confusion, or to signal an evil presence. Here are several examples of movies that have iconic sequences that incorporate the contra zoom technique....
And no TV sitcom has had to endure this debate more than the US version of The Office, which adapted the UK version of The Office. Which series was better? The US or the UK? Michael Scott or David Brent? Unsurprisingly, those in the US often side with the US version while those in the UK side with the UK version—each version, after all, was tailored towards their respective audiences....
The depth-of-field of each shot also requires careful consideration, as it helps direct the viewer’s attention and is one way to guide where their eyes land in any particular shot. Very important in certain scenes. Depth-of-field refers to the front-to-back range of each frame’s focus. In other words, what parts are in focus and what parts are blurred. In some shots, the whole frame is sharp. In other shots, the background and/or foreground is blurry and only the subject is sharp....
