Posts by Brent Lorentson

I have to admit, seeing Ralph Macchio in any role other than in The Karate Kid is a bit jarring for me.  Growing up in the 80’s, it’s hard to see Macchio and not hope for him to randomly balance on one leg and do a crane kick, but alas, decades have passed and Macchio has come a long way.  Now we get to see Macchio all grown up step into the role of dad in his new film A Little Game.  While Macchio may share the headlines of this all-star cast that includes F. Murray Abraham, Janeane Garofalo, and Olympia Dukakis, the real star of the film is a name many would be unfamiliar with, Makenna Ballard.

Despite Stephen King’s place in modern literary history, Hollywood continues to be hit-or-miss at successfully adapting King’s work for the big screen and television. Personally The Mist is one of my favorite films based off of King’s work, but one can never forget The Shawshank Redemption. Unfortunately, though, there are many more duds than there are successes when it comes to adapting “the Master of Horror’s” work.  Big Driver is the most current work to be brought to the screen.

Whether you believe in horoscopes or not, just about everyone out there knows their “sign”.  I never really put too much stock in astrology; it always seemed like harmless fun people can have for a few moments each day as they read their horoscope for the day to see what possible good fortune can come their way.  In the new film, Zodiac: Signs of the Apocalypse, the film takes a different look at these astrological signs.  Rather than be signs that help reveal one’s personality, these symbols instead are supposed to be warnings for the upcoming apocalypse. 

Thanks to Chappelle’s Show, Comedy Central has helped pave the way for comics on the cusp of breaking out to produce their own sketch comedy shows to springboard themselves to a larger audience.  Key & Peele has flourished in the sketch comedy scene, and now there is Nick Kroll with his own sketch comedy show Kroll Show.  But in the world of sketch comedy, is there really a need for more shows? After all, NBC still has Saturday Night Live; well, to be fair, it has been a while since SNL has been consistently funny.

OK, so I have a confession to make, ever since I was a kid and saw Children of the Corn, I’ve been terrified of the Amish.  Does this fear make any sense whatsoever? Of course not, but I figure I can’t be too crazy, since people are afraid of numerous things like rabbits.  I still remember the day my parents hung a large picture frame filled with B&W photos of seemingly innocent Amish folk partaking in their day to day activities.  This frame I hold responsible for numerous night terrors and only reinforcing my fear.  When it came time to settle in and watch The Devil’s Hand, little did I know this would only reignite a fear I felt I had conquered. 

It’s just about impossible to not know who Grumpy Cat is; the loveable grumpy-faced cat that has been the subject of numerous memes has become an internet sensation that has its own product line.  I love cats, so I didn’t see anything wrong with the celebrity this feline has gained, but the moment I heard Grumpy Cat would be getting to star in a movie – well, I was about to say maybe a movie would be a bit much…then again I was easily reminded that such pop culture dregs such as the Kardashians have their own show; perhaps a film about a cat would be a step up from them.