Viddy Well Predicts: The Future Of Movie Theaters
Will theaters go extinct? What's the face of future cinema look like?! We've stared into our mystical orb to peer into the not-so-distant future. Click read more to see what we found.
Read MoreWill theaters go extinct? What's the face of future cinema look like?! We've stared into our mystical orb to peer into the not-so-distant future. Click read more to see what we found.
Read MoreNow that Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has been announced as his 9th film, we’re reminded that it’s just one film away from his alleged retirement. For anyone unfamiliar, QT announced some years ago that he would only direct 10 films. He's since stated this choice is done to preserve his legacy as one of best filmmakers in history. "Drop the mic. Boom. Tell everybody, 'Match that shit'," He reiterated to The Hollywood Reporter.
Read MoreThe Ready Play One variant posters released last week further reinforce the film's pop culture-obsessed future by recreating iconic movie posters using the character's OASIS avatars. The concept is mildly interesting, but it leaves a bit of a wonky taste in your mouth — several of these posters look like a high school student experimenting with Photoshop. Preying on the likes of Blade Runner, Beetlejuice, The Goonies, and The Matrix, amongst others, the posters don't really get us more amped to see the film. If anything, it makes us curious how or if some of these films will find their way into Ready Player One.
Read MoreThe glittery finale in Rudy Ray Moore’s cycle of 1970s blaxploitation gems, Disco Godfather is without a doubt one of the most batshit insane and bewildering blaxploitation offerings to emerge from the 70s. It's full of drug-induced hallucinations, wonderfully schlocky camp, and Rudy Ray Moore at his absolute best. It's tighter and more cohesive than any of the Dolemite films, and it veers into avant-garde experimentation with surprising success. The last ten minutes of this film are hilariously insane and take the war on drugs to an entirely new extreme.
Read MoreLong before we got The Human Centipede, Rudy Ray Moore gave us the hilarious sequel to Dolemite, The Human Tornado. The film is an unruly, ribald cyclone of satiric blaxploitation hilarity, full of cheesy karate action, campy thrills, proto-rap, and hilarious one-liners that only Rudy Ray Moore is capable of delivering with his distinct holler that clearly inspired the likes of Mr. T. The sequel lacks a bit of the blissful looseness of its predecessor, but it manages to be a better film in every respect; without a doubt, it's the most essential of the Dolemite films.
Read MoreMore action and adventure than most blaxploitation films of the era, Cleopatra Jones ventures beyond the city and its ghettos into lands far away. Out of the handful of blaxploitation films we watched in preparation for this month's programming, Cleopatra Jones was by far the most fun and well produced. For such an early entry into the blaxploitation canon, it's positive in its message as well as its depiction of African Americans, which really sets it apart from its peers.
Read MorePerhaps the most lasting element to come out of the blaxploitation movement of the 70s was the music. Some of the most iconic names in funk, R&B and soul contributed to the lush, energetic soundscapes that inhabited the genre's many films. On several occasions, the music becomes bigger and more larger-than-life than the genre's many vibrant characters, and even the films themselves. Take the most infamous and iconic blaxploitation picture, Shaft, for instance. The film can't come to mind without Issac Hayes' driving score.
Read MoreThough Viddy Well is primarily a film blog, Derek W. Lipscomb (writer/illustrator) approached us to discuss his comic book series: The Maroon. We gave it a crack and discovered a fantastic series with genre combinations that have yet to be explored on screen. The Maroon combines Leone’s Man with No Name trilogy with the fantastic mythology of American legends and history, all while never once pulling a single punch or tomahawk throw.
Read MoreOscar season is upon us once again, so it's that time of year to speculate on who we think deserves those silly golden statues.
Read MoreThe thing that you'll quickly find when cruising the net for blaxploitation posters is that they're so similar, they almost become as interchangeable as the films themselves. Even the iconic films of the era, like Shaft and Super Fly, fall victim to the same bland marketing tactics. More often than not, the blaxploitation films that took a step in a more unique direction were the crossover horror and more overtly controversial titles.
Read MoreWe’re taking a look at the lesser known Pam Grier-fronted blaxploitation film, Sheba, Baby. Written and directed by William Girdler (Grizzly), and co-starring Austin Stoker (Assault on Precinct 13) and D’Urville Martin (Dolemite). The film may forever live in the shadows of Coffy and Foxy Brown, but we don’t think it should be entirely forgotten.
Read MoreMelvin Van Peebles' Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song was a revolutionary achievement in black cinema, and is so badass that a double "a" and quintuple "s" are required for explicit emphasis. And, well, speaking of explicit, the MPAA thought Sweetback was so sexually explicit that they slapped it with an X-rating, which Van Peebles churned into one brilliantly badass tagline: "Rated X by an all-white jury." Despite The Man's attempts to keep Van Peebles' film down, it would go on to gross a staggering 15 million dollars (that's 90 million in 2016 dollars), becoming one of the highest grossing films of 1971. Forever famous for its black protagonist who sticks it to The Man and wins, this film shook the fabric of cinema and lit the match that would ignite the blaxploitation movement.
Read MoreDuring the dawn of Viddy Well, we asked each interested contributor to fill out the same questionnaire. The questions spanned from grave to goofy, but the replies were nearly always unexpected. This week our contributors discuss the worst film we've ever seen.
Read MoreThis month, we're taking an in-depth look into the blaxploitation genre and al its cinematic glory. To lay down a proper foundation, we begin by examining the history of the film movement from its formation in the early 70s through its decline in the 80s and revitalization in the 90s to present. Later on in the month, we'll take a look at some quintessential films and key figures of the genre.
Read MoreDuring the dawn of Viddy Well, we asked each interested contributor to fill out the same questionnaire. The questions spanned from grave to goofy, but the replies were nearly always unexpected. This week our contributors discuss who they'd rather take a trip to the pub with: Werner Herzog or Quentin Tarantino.
Read MoreAs some of you may know, Stallone teased the prospect of the Expendables crew getting back together for a fourth installment with "a couple new members." Before Stallone's curious tweet, the last we knew was that he had exited the franchise for "creative differences," which in turn prompted Schwarzenegger to exit the franchise as well unless Sly returned. Well, whether it was a publicity stunt or a legit resolving of creative issues, it seems likely that the band of action heroes will be reunited for a fourth go around. That had us thinking, who would we love to see alongside the already staggering list of stars?
Read MoreDuring the dawn of Viddy Well, we asked each interested contributor to fill out the same questionnaire. The questions spanned from grave to goofy, but the replies were nearly always unexpected. This week our contributors discuss a very important movie theater dilemma.
Read MoreDuring the dawn of Viddy Well, we asked each interested contributor to fill out the same questionnaire. The questions spanned from grave to goofy, but the replies were nearly always unexpected. This week our contributors discuss our preferred viewing arrangements.
Read MoreDuring the dawn of Viddy Well, we asked each interested contributor to fill out the same questionnaire. The questions spanned from grave to goofy, but the replies were nearly always unexpected. This week our contributors discuss our favorite film about new beginnings.
Read MoreAnthony Cleveland is writer, father, and factotum. He recently self-published his first comic book, Silver Skin, a story about two brothers and the werewolf curse that afflicts the youngest of the two, Eddie, who is developmentally challenged. Every full moon, Ricky, must go at length to keep his brother (and everyone else) safe from the primal beast lurking inside Eddie, but how long can he carry on? Silver Skin is a story of grit and heart that will suck you in panel after panel.
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