Author: Tippi

World Without End – Wonderful and Terrible in Equal Measure

Tippi3 Comments

Pillars of the Earth was a bestselling novel by Ken Follett, published in 1989. I read it a few years ago, and it was a truly epic undertaking; probably close to a thousand pages. It bucked convention, killing main characters (before George R.R. Martin made it cool) and allowing horrible things to happen to good… Continue reading World Without End – Wonderful and Terrible in Equal Measure

I love Mandy Lane too!

Tippi2 Comments

For the past few months, I have been pondering the question: Why do I watch so many horror movies? I can't attribute my interest to any of the explanations Piece of Cape offers up: the thrill rush, the gore, the "sport." In reviewing The Descent I expressed an appreciation for the survivability aspect, my admiration… Continue reading I love Mandy Lane too!

“Mama” feels like a cheap Del Toro knock-off

Tippi23 Comments

The latest offering from Spanish filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro follows two feral little girls, abandoned in the woods with none but the mysterious "Mama" to watch over them for five years. When they are finally recovered by their uncle and his reluctant girlfriend, the two sisters bring Mama back with them. By any measure, this… Continue reading “Mama” feels like a cheap Del Toro knock-off

War in Movies: World War I

Tippi15 Comments

Since I've pretty much exhausted all the mythology-related movies I'm familiar with (or at least the ones worth talking about), Courtney and I will now embark on a new blog series: WAR IN MOVIES! Which is a tough category to narrow down, considering the number of incredible films centering on war. But we'll do our… Continue reading War in Movies: World War I

Les Miz

Tippi8 Comments

Les Miserables is an overwhelming spectacle. It is ambitious in its loyalty to the source material, the use of recitative and the mixture of established Broadway professionals with Hollywood amateurs. Unfortunately, in attempting to please both theater fans and regular moviegoers, the filmmakers have muddied the waters. In between the few bright shining moments, we… Continue reading Les Miz

The Descent: Survival of the Fittest

Tippi18 Comments

I love horror movies. I'm fairly certain that some day I will be caught in the middle of some horrible disaster, and I need to be prepared to survive it. This is why I regularly quote "The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes and Why" in casual conversation (fun fact: did you know that most… Continue reading The Descent: Survival of the Fittest

Mythology in Movies: The Egyptians

Tippi7 Comments

While Greek myths are often reinterpreted and adapted into modern-day tales, Egyptian mythology rarely takes shape on the big screen. When it does, more often than not it's the trappings of the ancient culture that fascinate us, rather than the gods in the pantheon. The Mummy Probably the most successful depiction of Egyptian mythology on… Continue reading Mythology in Movies: The Egyptians

Taken 2 is the mindless action movie we’ve been waiting for

Tippi8 Comments

Often when I criticize a movie like Skyfall for half-baked plots and shallow characterization, what I hear in response is, "Whatever, it's just a mindless action movie." But I don't believe that's true. A movie decides what it's going to be - Daniel Craig's Bond was a deviation from previous movies in that it wanted… Continue reading Taken 2 is the mindless action movie we’ve been waiting for