Sequels and Trilogies

Sequels and Trilogies

 We have all gone through that one moment while the credits are rolling on an amazing movie we just watched, thinking to ourselves, "Wow. I hope they make a second one!" But are they as good as we hoped they would be?

Well, unfortunately not all of these flicks meet our expectations. But some of them rise above their predecessors and make us believe in the magic once more! 

So with that being said, what are your favorite movie sequels or trilogies? 

As you may already know, my favorite movie franchise is the Paranormal Activity films (if you didn't know that already, check out my previous blog, "My All Time Favorite Movie Genre"). But I'm going to talk about a different movie franchise that comes to mind when I think of sequels and trilogies. 

And that movie is...

                                               "Scream" 

Directed by Wes Craven

 

When I was young, I remember staying up late one night, surfing through the television channels when I came across "Scream 2". I couldn't watch anything else. That night was the first night I actually watched a slasher flick, and it's the movie that got me to become a fanatic of Horror flicks. 

 

  The story follows Sidney Prescott, who is at first a young teenager coping with the murder of her mother. Then, one year later, she and everyone around her is terrorized by the person who claims 

to be the one that killed her mother. 

 As the movie became a sequel, the sequel quickly became a trilogy. Now, we have a fourth "Scream" that is speculated to be the first of three more Screams!

 If you haven't seen any of the Scream films, check out the trailer for the original "Scream": 

But yet another franchise that comes to mind, and I'm sure almost all of us know what I'm referring to, is...

"Star Wars" 

Directed by George Lucas

We all know what Star Wars is about. But what's amazing with this immensely successful franchise is that the first trilogy actually takes place years after the second trilogy. This story is so beautifully put together that it shows you what has happened, then explores how it became that way.

  

 This was a truly different style of film-making than most others. It was science fiction at its finest, and still remains a legendary saga to this day. 

But if you had to pick 
just one movie franchise, 
whether it be a sequel or a trilogy, 
what would that flick be?

Share your thoughts!

Follow Me on Twitter and Become a Fan on Facebook! 

The Highest Grossing Box Office Hits of All Time

What is your favorite movie?

We all have one particular movie that comes to mind when we ask ourselves this question. Is yours an older classic, or is it this year's hottest summer blockbusters? For many flick fanatics, they will even see a movie more than once while it's still in theaters! And with today's movie ticket prices, that shows commitment! 

So when we want to think about what the most popular movies are, a great way for us to gain some valuable insight is to take a look at the highest grossing box office hits of all time--this just in, from Box Office Mojo:

#3: "Marvel's The Avengers"

 Lifetime Gross: $623,357,910

Having a lifetime gross of over $623 million, this movie was explosive! Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D (a superhero group composed of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, The Incredible Hulk, and Hawkeye) must lead the group into saving the world against the threat of Thor's brother, Loki). Packed with action and superheros galore, this movie will have you itching for more.

 #2: "Titanic"

 Lifetime Gross: $658,672,302

 

Yes, you guessed it: "Titanic" has made the top 3. A James Cameron film, Titanic tells the remarkable story of the famous sinking of the Titanic. It follows the story of two people, who share differing standards of life, yet they fall madly in love with one another. Little do they know, their time spent with one another may be short-lived.

...and the highest grossing box office hit of all time goes to....

 #1: "Avatar"

 Lifetime Gross: $760,507,625 

When Jake's (a papraplegic marine) brother is tragically killed, he is enlisted to take his brother's place on a mission in Pandora, a distant planet full of wildlife and a clan called "The Navi" who are connected to Pandora through their senses. While on an intel-gathering mission, he grows accustomed to the Navi's ways, and falls in love with a Navi woman. As the humans move towards demolishing the Navi's land and thus, their entire existence, Jake and Neytiri must lead the Navi in a fight for their survival.

Are these movies in your top 3?

Share your comments!

Follow me on Twitter and Become a Fan on Facebook!

The Best Romantic Movies of the Past Decade

When it comes to movies, there are some many different genres to choose from, whether it be horror, comedy, drama, mysteries,thrillers...the list goes on! But there's one movie genre that gets the best of us all--the romantic ones.

I'm sure many of you are thinking, "Romantic movies are just cheesy and sappy". And yes, that is true for many of them. But some of these films can be so extraordinary that they bring back to life the magic of movies. 

Do you watch romantic movies, or are they just something to do with your significant other? For me, an avid horror flick fan, I still enjoy watching a romantic movie from time to time. In the past decade, there are a few romantic movies that caught my eye and stole my heart:

"The Vow"

" I vow to fiercely love you in all your forms, now and forever. I promise to never forget that this is a once in a lifetime love. And to always know in the deepest part of my soul that no matter what challenges might carry us apart, we will always find our way back to each other."

-Leo 

I saw this movie when I had gone on a date with someone. At first, before the movie started, I thought to myself, "Oh man, this is going to be the biggest chick flick!" Even though it was pretty much a chick flick, I actually really enjoyed the story and the message that the movie portrayed. It tells the story of a young couple, Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum), living in New York City, who have an undying love for one another. Then, one cold, winter night while they were driving, they got in a car accident and Paige lost her memory. It shows the struggles that Leo goes through trying to win her heart over again, one date at a time. 

"Crazy Stupid Love"

"I will never stop trying. Because when you find the one... you never give up."

-Cal 

I loved this movie. This is a romantic movie with an edgy side of comedy. Starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and Julianne Moore, this flick will surely have you laughing and loving. Cal Weaver has lost his manhood. And because of this, he is getting a divorce. However, one night while at a local club, he runs into Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a ladies man and ultimate bar star. Jacob and Cal become close friends, and Jacob helps Cal take back his manhood, one girl at a time. It's an incredible mixture of romance and comedy that will warm your heart with laughter.  

"The Host"

"It's not the face, but the expressions on it. It's not the voice, but what you say. It's not how you look in that body, but the thing you do with it. You are beautiful."

-Stephanie Meyer

"The Host" is a film adaptation of "The Host", written by Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight Series. It begins with Earth being taken over by an alien race who infiltrate the human bodies and live through them on Earth. The world is peaceful--there is no conflict. However, there are a few humans who have not been inhabited by a host, and they are fighting for the survival and revival of the human race. Melanie Stryder, the main character, is a teenage girl who gets inhabited by an alien. However, the alien who has inhabited her can feel her struggles and her pain, and the two bond with one another and lead the rebellion against the alien species. I thought the message behind this film was incredibly powerful: if you can grow to love yourself, no matter how many forms you may take on through life, you will be able to overcome all.

 What are your favorite romantic movies? 

Share your thoughts below!    

Follow Me on Twitter and Become a Fan on Facebook! 

The Greatest Book-to-Film Adaptations

The Greatest Book-to-Film Adaptations

As film history has shown us in the past, film adaptations are very popular amongst the movie buffs. I, for one, love watching a film that was inspired by or based on a novel or a series of books.

 There are even a few classics that come to mind—did you know that Steven Spielberg’s Jaws was based on Peter Benchley’s book “Jaws”, published in1974? Although the book incited a fear of sharks, the movie not only brogutht that fear to the big screen, but also brought with the most intense special effects of its time. Sink your teeth into that!

In the 21^st Century, there have been a few films that have been amazing adaptations from their successor books. What’s your favorite film adaptation? There are so many to choose from!

One movie franchise that is a huge success, and of course,  also a film adaptation, is “Harry Potter”.  The “Harry Potter” books was an extremely successful fad amongst kids, teenagers, and even adults. 

 Written by J.K. Rowling, the series of novels follows Harry Potter, a young boy who sets out to learn to become a Wizard, but along the way, encounters enemies of his past. The movies are a great depiction of the books, and are magical to the last wand.

 Check out the trailer for their latest and final installment of the Harry Potter franchise, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"!

Another book-to-film adaptation I thought was amazing

 yet is still to be seen (for the most part) is 

"The Hunger Games".

These books follow a girl who is living in a world where others view their survival as a hit television show. 

 It's a "last man standing" world out there, and no one is a match for Katniss Everdeen.

Watch the trailer for The Hunger Games 2: Catching Fire, coming to a theater near you November 22, 2013!

What are your favorite book-to-film adaptations? Share your thoughts!

Follow me on Twitter and Become a Fan on Facebook!

Melissa McCarthy: The Queen of Comedy

Who do you think is the funniest actress in Hollywood? 

Over the years, I have admired many different comedian actresses, including Tina Fey, Sarah Silverman, Anna Faris, Sandra Bullock, the list goes on! 

However, in this day and age, only one actress stands out above others: 

Melissa McCarthy

Melissa started her career as a stand-up comedian in New York City, where she performed comedic acts at New York's famous venues, Stand Up New York and The Improv. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1990s and began her acting career there. 

In my opinion, Melissa McCarthy is today's true Queen of Comedy. Over the years, she has been in some of the decade's funniest films, and these films were hilarious due in large part to her roles. Although many of you know her from her hit TV series "Mike & Molly", she became very well known as a comedian for her theatrical debuts. 

One of my favorite movies of all time is "Bridesmaids", and the reason for that is because of Melissa McCarthy. Although the movie's cast is mainly made up of comedians from Saturday Night Live, Melissa's role takes the movie to a whole new level. She brings in that "awkwardly funny" aspect that we have grown to see in comedies over the last few years. 

If you haven't seen "Bridesmaids"yet, you need to check it out! I promise you will be on the floor laughing!!

When I first saw that movie, I thought to myself, She needs to come out with a new movie right now. I can't wait! And then, my prayers were answered. "Identity Thief" was released in 2013, in which Melissa McCarthy had the main role. 










Although I thought the movie was hilarious, it was not Melissa's funniest. I was a little disappointed at first, but then "The Heat" came out, starring Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock. If you haven't gotten a chance to see "The Heat", I strongly suggest you check it out. The film is about an FBI Special Agent (Sandra Bullock) who enlists the help of a local Boston Police Officer to take down a brutal drug lord. I think that Melissa's role in this movie solidified her status as the "Queen of Comedy" and hopefully, she will bring us more to come!

Who is your favorite comedian actress? 

I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

Follow me on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

My All Time Favorite Movie Genre

What’s your favorite movie genre?

For me, my favorite genre is...

Don’t get me wrong, I love every movie genre. Every once in a while I’ll be itching for a “tear-jerker”, but in most cases, I always find myself popping in a horror flick. I absolutely love watching horror flicks because they always keep me on the edge of my seat, biting my lip and covering my eyes, in anticipation of what may or may not jump out at me! And most of them have a good storyline to go with it. Granted, from time to time, you will come across those horror flicks where you think to yourself, “Well, there’s two hours I’ll never see again”, but at one point or another, you are bound to come across those flicks in any genre. 

However, as time went on, horror movies have evolved and directors are becoming more creative in terrifying their audiences. I think that "Paranormal Activity" is a perfect example of this generation’s idea of a horror movie—a movie that is shot from the perspective of a camcorder, recording all different rooms in the house, and catching supernatural phenomena.

  

To the audience, these films look real and the thought that something so terrifying could in fact be real is the new fad. I remember when the first "Paranormal Activity" came out, I saw the opening show at midnight. I remember in some parts of the movie, I literally jumped in mid-air! And when the movie ended, I went home to my studio apartment and could not fall asleep until about 5 AM (with all the lights on, of course).

Paramount Pictures has officially announced that there will be two more installments to the "Paranormal Activity" Franchise.



“Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones”, a spin-off to the series, is scheduled to hit theaters in January 2014. 

The spin-off follows a man named Jesse (played by Andrew Jacobs), who has been marked by the same demonic force that we have seen throughout the series. The trailer reveals some pretty frightening moments in the film, from bite marks on Jesse’s arm, to people getting thrown across the street by an unknown force! 

             Check out the trailer...
              and see for yourself!

                  

                

In addition to the spin-off, Paramount has also announced that they will be continuing the original series with a "Paranormal Activity 5", which is scheduled to hit theaters in October 2014.

What do YOU think 

about the "Paranormal Activity" Franchise? 

Many people believe that a movie franchise loses its touch after the third or fourth installment, but do you think that these next two installments will bring the terror and revive the series once more? 

Share your thoughts!

Follow me on Twitter and Become a Fan on Facebook!

Welcome to Flick Fanatix!

Hello Fellow Flick Fanatics, Friends, Bloggers, and Stumblers!

My name is Ryan Larson. 

Let me tell you a little about myself. 

                                                           

                                I live in Pure Michigan

and attend Graduate School at Walsh College. I am a Senior Member Service Representative at LAFCU, a local Credit Union in Lansing. But when I'm not "hitting the books" or balancing people's checkbooks, I'm a HUGE movie buff! Ever since I can remember, I've always had a profound interest in entertainment, and movies have always been my sweet escape. For me, there's nothing more magical and creative than bringing a story to life on the big screen. Movies pull at our emotions and fill our minds with incredible stories that can often provide us with the greatest messages in life.

So with that said...

Welcome to Flick Fanatix! 

I can't wait to share my thoughts, judgments, critiques, and admiration of all types of movies with you! 

From Comedies to Horror, and everything in between, this blog will cover it all! 

I hope you'll enjoy yourself as you read through my posts. And don't forget to sit back, relax, grab some popcorn, share your comments and tell your friends! 

Follow me on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!