Peculiar Reviewer

Jurassic Park was one of the possibly 6 movies we had on VHS at my house growing up. Did we watch it at least once a week for a few years straight? Sure, we didn't have Netflix, OnDemand, Hulu, Vudu - we also didn't have voodoo, or money. Our cinematic minds weren't tainted then by Computer Generated Imagery and motion-capture. We were thrilled to be breathing amongst the T-Rex's like never before. Precisely why for the much-anticipated next installment of the franchise executive produced by its own Steven Spielberg, I wanted Velociraptors not Veloci craptors .  Getting the director of the sci-fi indie Safety Not Guaranteed  ( Colin Trevorrow ) was a clever choice. One could hope for a big budget with an indie heart.  Jurassic World returns us to Isla Nublar, where the new owner of the dino park has asked his scientists to create a bigger & better experience for its declining attendees, unaware that some of his staff have become Dr. Frankenstein's. In an eff...

Opening night felt like a momentous event. Stoner nerds and Comic-Con leftovers lined up for the anticipated eccentric Marvel sci-fi experience that is Guardians of the Galaxy . Everyone is here to blast off for Marvel Studios' 10th addition to the Marvel Universe. Chris Pratt ( Parks and Recreation , Moneyball ) in space with aliens is a geek magnet, myself included.  It often begins with someone beaming up. This time, it's Earth 1988. Lone star Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is but a wee lad, and suffers from a major loss in the family. 26 years later we are greeted with a grownup Peter, who is now the pilot of Milano (a spaceship named after Alyssa Milano, director/co-writer James Gunn's childhood crush). Quill is now known in the galaxy as Star-Lord. To give you a sense of the tone of Guardians - this Marvel superhero prances across the room with his "pelvic sorcery" to 70s love grooves, and never leaves without his "Awesome Mix Vol. 1" on tape. Qu...