Written by: Dan Geer
It seems like only yesterday that PopcornMonster.com was created. I never would have thought it would still be around a decade later, but here we are!
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Written By: Dan Geer
For kids of the 1970s and early 80s, Star Wars was the big blockbuster movie experience, and rightly so. Nothing was bigger. For me personally, while I technically saw Return of the Jedi in the theater when I was three, I don’t really remember much from that day. I highly enjoyed the films growing up, and even had a few of the action figures, an R2-D2 toy toter, and the original three films on VHS. But I never truly experienced seeing the Star Wars films in the theater until the Special Editions were released in 1997.
It was really the first Batman from 1989 that was my first big blockbuster theatrical experience. Aside from Superman: The Movie (1978), the comic book genre had really disappeared into oblivion with the abysmal sequels in the 1980s. So when Tim Burton’s Batman came along, it was the biggest craze since the Pet Rock, and put comic book movies back on the map. As a kid, nothing was more cool than that film. NOTHING.
Written By: Dan Geer
Just as a preface, this list will not include simple dramas, comedies or musicals, but will instead focus on films in the science fiction, fantasy, action and horror genres from the last 40 years.
Many movies go underappreciated for any number of reasons. Sometimes we have favorites that the majority (or very vocal minority) do not seem to appreciate but are actually quite good. Other times films are just not really great per se, but perhaps better than people give them credit for. After all, even an average film can be entertaining and fun on multiple levels.
Whatever the reason, there are many films that are simply underrated or misunderstood, or have even been forgotten that deserve more appreciation that they commonly receive, whether by critics or the general movie-going public. The following list represents Popcorn Monster’s top 10 most underappreciated genre films of the last 40 years (click on the titles for trailers)…
Source: Back to Frank Black | Posted By: Dan Geer
Are you one of the thousands of fans of Chris Carter’s Millennium TV series that wonder why the series is still not streaming on Netflix? After all, Carter’s The X-Files has already been streaming there for years now, allowing more and more people to discover the show who didn’t watch it when it aired. Not only that, but Millennium was the only other truly successful TV series Chris Carter created, gaining better ratings than many shows that stay on the air today. Let’s face it – Millennium was the original crime procedural series that paved the way for similar shows like CSI or Criminal Minds, and tackled much deeper and darker themes than any other shows that followed in the footsteps of Millennium. With so many other sub-par TV shows and movies currently streaming on Netflix, it makes all the sense in the world for a quality show like Millennium to enjoy a firm place there as well.
Source: FOX | Official X-Files | X-Files News | Written By: Dan Geer
So hey, any of you hear about some little sci-fi/horror TV series from the 90s called The X-Files returning to television next January? Have you always wanted to watch it (because it sounded so awesome, of course) but have never been able to? Well, now is probably the best time to dig into the show for the first time (or revisit, if you haven’t seen it in a while), as it is readily available to stream online, and starting now would really give most anyone ample time to complete the series in time for when the show returns next year.
In light of the new miniseries officially beginning production today, and the likelihood of many people streaming the show over the rest of this year into next, PopcornMonster.com has decided to put together a beginner’s guide to the show, addressing everything a newbie to the franchise should know about The X-Files in order to have a proper understanding of the series and be ready in time for the premiere of the new six-episode limited series. Read on to peruse an introduction to the story of The X-Files (no real spoilers there) its impact on television and pop culture, how to properly watch the series, and what to expect from the new miniseries event next year (and don’t worry I won’t attempt to lay out the alien mythology!).
Written By: Dan Geer
Not since Disney’s Return to Oz in 1985 have we visited the world of author L. Frank Baum’s classic series of Oz novels on the big screen. Needless to say, many fans of both Baum’s works and the original 1939 musical, The Wizard of Oz, have been waiting a long time for someone to take on the series again, and to do it justice at that. Of course, other fans may just want to leave well enough alone out of fear of ruining a classic. After all, the 1939 musical is one of those films that has stood the test of time for decades and still resonates with families all over the world today, and so to create a film that acts as a quasi-prequel to such a beloved classic is simply asking for the most harshest of criticisms. It’s inevitable. How could anyone possibly produce a new film that does justice to Baum’s novels and director Victor Fleming’s original 1939 film? Believe it or not, Disney may have just pulled it off with Oz the Great and Powerful.
Written By: Dan Geer
Back in 1993, Chris Carter was a new name to the television business when he delivered the pilot episode for The X-Files, a science-fiction series that raised the stakes for what could be done with fictional storytelling on TV, and gradually became one of the Fox network’s biggest hits. By the time the show’s third season rolled around, it was clear to Fox that Chris Carter had practically become a household name, and that any new series with his name on it could potentially give the network its next groundbreaking success. In light of this revelation, Fox decided to give Carter another crack at developing something entirely new for the network that might captivate audiences just as much, if not more than The X-Files. Millennium was Carter’s bold response to that challenging proposition.
Source: Deadline | Posted By: Dan Geer
Back in the 90s, Chris Carter was a name that was inescapable for regular television viewers of the time. After creating The X-Files, one of FOX’s biggest hits of all time, it was clear the man had talent and could take TV to places it had never gone before. He also developed such cult hits as Millennium and Harsh Realm, but they unfortunately never really got the attention they deserved and were canceled far too soon.
Lately, however, Carter has been working his way back to TV. Last year, it was reported that he was developing a “female-lead mystery police thriller” titled Unique, which unfortunately ended up getting canned before it could ever get off the ground. Now, he’s back at it again, this time with a show more in the vein of The X-Files called The After, featuring a story centered around a mysterious event that contains elements of “science fiction, suspense, and real-world fear and paranoia,” according to Deadline. Read on for details!
Source: Back to Frank Black | Fourth Horseman Press | Posted By: Dan Geer
It has been a while since PopcornMonster.com’s last report regarding the Back to Frank Black campaign and their efforts to get a movie made based on Chris Carter’s much beloved cult TV series Millennium, which starred actor Lance Henriksen (The Terminator, Aliens) as the main character, Frank Black, and ran for three seasons on the FOX network before it was canceled in 1999. While a movie still has yet to be green-lit, whether in the form of a feature film or TV movie, the movement still continues to gain support from Carter, Henriksen, series producer Frank Spotnitz, and countless fans all around the world.
BTFB‘s latest effort comes in the form of an extensive companion book to the series titled Back to Frank Black: A Return to Chris Carter’s Millennium, slated for release by the end of this month. The book includes forwards by Henriksen and Spotnitz, as well as an introduction by Carter. The book’s content consists of a number of interviews with the cast and crew from Millennium, including writers Glen Morgan and James Wong (who wrote some of my favorite episodes from the show), and even boasts an essay written by fan-favorite Brittany Tiplady, who played Frank Black’s daughter. Also included are various essays from a number of well-respected authors with a wealth of knowledge regarding the TV series, including award-winning media critic John Kenneth Muir, who recently published Horror Films of he 1990s last year.
For Millennium enthusiasts, this book is definitely a must-have, and a great way to show that the fanbase behind the series is still very much alive and well, and continues to gain new fans to this day. For a refresher of what the show was all about, as well as more info regarding the new book, hit the jump for a short video and press release!
Source: Universal Pictures | Posted By: Dan Geer
Universal Pictures has finally released the full details regarding the release of eight classic Universal Monster movies in one Blu-ray set in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the company. Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection marks the first time each of these films have been “digitally restored from high resolution film elements in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound,” according to the press release. The Blu-ray set will be released on October 2nd.
The films included in the set are Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), The Wolf Man (1941), The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), and Phantom of the Opera (1943). Bonus features include previously released documentaries and commentaries from The Legacy DVD Collections, plus all-new features never before released. Not only that, but the original 3D version of Creature from the Black Lagoon will be included, marking the first time this particular version has been made available to the public. Read on for the full press release for all the fang-tastic details!
