More from Richard Newby
Why ‘Civil War’ Is Making Audiences So Uncomfortable
[This story contains spoilers for Civil War.] “The footage you’re about to see may be disturbing.” That content warning, broadcast on the news too often in modern history, was stuck on a loop in the back of my mind as I watched Alex Garland’s latest film, Civil War. As I sat through the credits, I […]
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All Six of ‘The Omen’ Movies, Ranked
The Omen was never conceived with the intention of spawning a franchise and yet it has remained one of Hollywood’s most enduring horror properties. The original theatrical trilogy ended in the early ’80s, when religious horror gave way to slasher film. But in five short years, The Omen had cemented a legacy within pop culture. […]
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All the King Kong Movies, Ranked
The Eighth Wonder of the World! King Kong has been a global pop-culture icon for more than 90 years, and the great ape shows no signs of slowing down. While most audiences are familiar with just a few Kong entries, you might be surprised to know there are 13 Kong films, including the most recent […]
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22 Godzilla Monsters, Ranked From Best to Worst
When it comes to the question of which character has the best rogue’s gallery, most people immediately go with Batman or Spider-Man. Some of the more initiated might even go with The Flash. But be encouraged to think bigger — much bigger. Over 69 years, and four eras — Showa, Heisei, Millennium and Reiwa — […]
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Every ‘Ghostbusters’ Movie, Ranked
No one expected Ghostbusters to become the phenomenon it has over the past 40 years. In 1984, Columbia Pictures was just hoping the Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis-penned high-concept film could break even and, at the very least, turn a small profit, despite director Ivan Reitman’s prior success. No one expected it to become the […]
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Bending the Elements: How ‘Avatar’ VFX Team Brought Aang, Koizilla and Animated World to Life for Netflix’s ‘The Last Airbender’
It’s no easy task to bring the world of animation into live-action. When it comes to Avatar: The Last Airbender, with its expansive kingdoms, mystical creatures and deities (and of course physical-defying bending abilities), the task might almost seem insurmountable. But VFX supervisors Jabbar Raisani and Marion Spates proved to be more than up for […]
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‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Boss Talks Top-Secret Casting Process, Stories Left Behind and Series Gameplan
The live-action series adaptation of the popular animated show Avatar: The Last Airbender has been a long time coming. And, like any great saga, hasn’t been without its share of challenges ahead of making it to the top of the mountain. Now, the eight-episode series, “Book One” is available in its entirety on Netflix. Geared […]
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How ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Broke New Ground 20 Years Ago
Water. Earth. Fire. Air. In 2005, these four elements opened up a whole new world. A world filled with history, heroes, villains, deities and immense powers. While it has been said by pundits on numerous occasions that there will never be another modern mythology the likes of Middle-Earth, Star Wars or Harry Potter, they were […]
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What Did Dakota Johnson Actually Say?
Oh, what a tangled web we’ve woven. Sony’s latest entry in its Spider-Man Universe, Madame Web, opened this week to dismal reviews and pessimistic box office prospects. I’m not here to defend the film. But I am here to take issue with the discourse surrounding the movie in recent weeks. It seems it’s no longer […]
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The Best Horror Movies of 2023
While the industry as a whole felt more downs than ups this year, horror films continued to be a consistent attraction overall. While the studio hits were not quite as splashy as they were 2022, the year saw the birth of new franchises (M3GAN, The Pope’s Exorcist, Talk to Me, Thanksgiving), the revitalization of the […]
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Why the Age of Marvel Is Not Quite Over
There was a time, not so very long ago, when a new release from Marvel Studios would be a guaranteed hit, regardless of whether the film starred one of the world’s most popular superheroes or introduced audiences to characters few knew. Pundits wondered how long such an interconnected franchise could sustain itself, as the Marvel […]
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Insomniac Has Cracked the Code to Spider-Man, But Will Marvel Listen?
Balance. It’s the core theme of Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2 for the PlayStation 5, the follow-up game to Spider-Man (2018) and Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020). The game alternates between Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Mary Jane, each character taking on different missions, both focused on strengthening their communities and protecting NYC from the emergence of threats […]
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