‘Dune 2’ Made a Mess of Frank Herbert’s Warning
The Big Picture Frank Herbert's message in Dune warns against surrendering to charismatic leaders. Denis Villeneuve alters the story in the Dune film, leading to a muddled antihero concept. Dune: Part Two dilutes the dangers of heroism and lacks visual…
Read more
Why Jack Nicholson Turned Down The Godfather, Explained
Summary Nicholson turned down The Godfather due to personal preferences, opting for projects he found more intriguing and personal. He believed Chinatown and The Last Detail had stronger scripts than The Godfather and The Sting . Although initially interested in…
Read more
‘Late Night With the Devil’ Film Review: A Retro Horror Thrill Ride
If one is going to make a retro-styled motion picture about the devil manifesting itself on a late-night talk show, the filmmakers had better lean into it and make good on such a premise. With the devilishly entertaining new release,…
Read more
This ’60s Neo-Noir Inspired David Lynch, From ‘Twin Peaks’ to ‘Blue Velvet’
The Big Picture Lynch draws from noir film Experiment in Terror for thematic and stylistic inspiration. The film's villains, settings, and themes heavily influenced Lynch's work, particularly Twin Peaks . Experiment in Terror acts as a crucial bridge between classic…
Read more
Why June Will Be the Best Month of TV in 2024
Summary June 2024 will showcase major TV franchises returning for new seasons, promising a thrilling summer of television content. Renowned series like The Bear and House of the Dragon will continue to captivate audiences with new seasons. Expect groundbreaking new…
Read more
“Road House’ Film Review: An 80s Classic is Defamed
All of the performances are beyond terrible. Billy Magnussen’s bad guy is about as menacing as Sally Field. A child wouldn’t be scared of this wimp. Magnussen is quite awful, but Connor McGregor’s embarrassing display takes the cake. To be…
Read more
The Horror Noir Movie That’s Influenced Some of Our Best Greatest Directors
The Big Picture Charles Laughton's The Night of the Hunter starring Robert Mitchum changed horror forever. The film's unique visual style made it haunting and beautiful, analyzing the susceptibility of rural communities to corrupting influences. Despite being initially considered a…
Read more
The Biggest Changes Between Apples Never Fall and the Original Novel
Summary Apples Never Fall on Peacock stars Annette Bening, offering a twisty mystery that diverges from the novel with unique character relationships. Changes in the show include Brooke's affair, Stan's implication in Joy's disappearance, and a different ending that still…
Read more
‘Palm Royale’ Series Review: Good Cast Drowns in Gaudy Excess
The new Apple TV + series, Palm Royale, has a visual style so sunny and candy-colored gaudy that it makes the recent Barbie movie look like David Lynch’s Eraserhead. The show captures the garish clothes, jewelry, and furniture of 1969…
Read more
The Dennis Hopper Western Movie That Set a Guinness World Record
The Big Picture Dennis Hopper's The Last Movie had a 30-minute pre-credit sequence, setting a Guinness World Record at the time. Chaos surrounded Hopper's life on and off the movie set in Peru, where drugs, fights, and confrontations were common.…
Read more
3 Rom-Coms That Paved the Way for Netflix’s Players
Summary Romantic comedies like Players may surprise you with deeper messages about love and relationships. Players pays tribute to iconic rom-coms like Hitch , Crazy, Stupid, Love , and The Ugly Truth . The key takeaway from Players is to…
Read more
How Did Spling Become a Movie Critic?
Stephen ‘Spling’ Aspeling, better known as Spling, has been reviewing film since 2007, but what led him to want to become a movie critic? Having started with a humble blog, Spling has written features and broadcast reviews for many websites,…
Read more