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Why Are Video Game Movies Almost Always Terrible?
Hollywood has notoriously had difficulty adapting video games to the big screen. Starting with the original Super Mario Bros. film released in 1993, there have been 47 live-action video game movies that have received theatrical releases. Collectively, these 47 films have a Rotten Tomatoes score of 28.6% and an average Metacritic score of 36/100. As always, aggregated…
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Will the NFL Leave Cable Behind After 2033?
The 2025 NFL season officially kicked off last night with a matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. It was a good game and a classic display of the NFL. Within the first minute, there were multiple delays for injuries, penalties, and unsportsmanlike conduct. There was also an hour-long delay due to lightning. Like…
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Can California’s New Tax Credit Bring Movies Back from Georgia?
Since 2008, the state of Georgia has become a hub for film productions thanks to its generous film tax credit. Film tax credits allow a production company to write off a certain percentage of state income taxes within the state offering the credit. Georgia’s program allows productions to receive a 20% transferable tax credit, with an…
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Icarus in Hollywood: The Uncanny Dilemma of Picture Quality
By Fabian Lornspice Buying Into New Media I’m a Luddite when it comes to new movies and TV. After being burned by the appalling final season of Game of Thrones, I have some pretty serious commitment issues with anything the big budget studios churn out. The ‘remake’ epidemic certainly isn’t helping the situation either; spin-offs,…
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HBO’s New Harry Potter Series is Proof That Hollywood has Lost its Magic
News of HBO’s new Harry Potter television show has been swirling for some time. It’s something I’ve put off thinking about – until I came across a photo of the new actors dressed as Harry and Hagrid on set. My first reaction was simply, “Who the hell are those people?” I grew up on the Harry Potter films. Being…
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Can Dana White Save Surfing?
Since its inception in the 70s, the World Surf League (formerly the ASP), has longed for prominence on the level of professional basketball or football. Professional surfing has experienced numerous ups and downs, but even at its peak, pro surfing’s fan base primarily consisted of surfers. It’s been nearly 60 years, and the WSL still…
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Tony Soprano and The Madonna-Whore Complex
By Fabian Lornspice. The Full Equation If you walked up to Paulie Walnuts at “The Bing” and told him his boss had something akin to an Oedipus complex, he’d probably call you a queer before tossing you out the back door with empty pockets and a bloody lip. At 28, I’ve had plenty of time…
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What Colbert’s Cancellation Says About the Future of Late-Night TV
CBS recently canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, citing financial losses due to a decline in viewership. The Late Show originally aired in 1993 with David Letterman at the helm, Colbert took over the show in 2015 after Letterman’s retirement. Commentators online have theorized that the show’s cancellation may be related to the proposed Skydance-Paramount merger, a deal…
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How TV Censorship Works in the Streaming Age: From the FCC to the Definition of Obscenity
The other day, I was flipping through channels when I caught a minute of a CNN broadcast in which President Trump’s comments on the Israel and Iran conflict were being aired. In the clip, Trump states the two nations “don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.” Setting politics aside, I was caught off guard that…
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Why Can’t Hollywood Quit Cigarettes in the Age of Vaping
As vaping becomes increasingly popular, it’s no surprise that it has begun to seep into television and film. Movies like Everything Everywhere All at Once and shows like Mare of Easttown feature characters who vape. In the movie Blink Twice, Channing Tatum’s frequent vape use is a critical plot device central to the story. Yet cigarettes still reign supreme as…