Posts by James Roberts

[rating=6.00] A question popped into my head just a few short episodes in to my epic binge of the third season of Orange is the New Black. It was a question that, perhaps, tainted my viewing of the entire season, one that I was unable to shake throughout its 13 episode run. Like a particularly […]

The world lost a true icon earlier today when Christopher Lee passed away at the age of 93. He was a living legend, occupying a place of reverence in the minds of film lovers for seven decades. In his 70 years in the business, he played some of the most beloved roles of all time, […]

[rating=7.00] Like so many franchises, the universe of Jurassic Park went from groundbreaking work of cinematic genius to pale imitation in just a few short movies. As stunning as that initial, Spielberg-helmed film was, its two sequels were a quick descent into the tar pits of mediocrity. The act of creating a movie worthy of […]

As we get closer and closer to the release of Terminator Genisys we can expect to see the hype machine kick into full gear. Buzz surrounding the fifth entry into the Terminator series has been, at best, lukewarm. Though many out there (myself included) were surprised and pleased by what we saw with the first […]

There can be no doubt that the spirit of rock and roll is alive and well in Teri Gender Bender. Like so many of us, Teri (born Teresa Suarez) was an introverted teen, spending her time behind the closed doors of her bedroom, losing herself in a world of music. It’s an image that would […]

Which came first: The Melvins or The Scene? While certainly the Melvins wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t a scene in place for them to exist in, it would be difficult to overstate the importance of the Melvins and frontman Buzz Osborne to the modern scene as a whole. For 30 years, they’ve been blowing the […]

[rating=3.00] It just wouldn’t be the summer movie season without a disaster movie, would it? There’s something about the blockbuster months that inspires the teeming masses to show up to theaters in droves to witness yet another round of mindless destruction porn masquerading as escapism. In recent years, this niche has been filled by the […]

There aren’t a lot of bands like They Might Be Giants. For over three decades, these purveyors of the finest in “nerd rock” have been bucking trends and following the beat of their own drummer with album after album of wildly imaginative, boundary pushing pop-rock that has no comparison nor equal. While never quite managing […]

[rating=5.00] Tomorrowland feels less like a cohesive movie than it does a mish mash of decent ideas desperately in search of a story. Wild and fun concepts are thrown into a blender and spun around until mixed well, and while the resulting concoction looks rather appealing, it doesn’t quite leave you satisfied, and the aftertaste […]

[rating=3.00] It’s heartening to know that movies today still have the ability to meet or exceed one’s expectations. I expected Poltergeist to be a terrible movie, and it did not disappoint. The only thing impressive about this remake is its staggering mediocrity. I’m not the type of critic who will dismiss the concept of a […]

From David Simon, the creator of The Wire, and Paul Haggis, director of the Best Picture Winner Crash comes a brand new HBO miniseries event, Show Me A Hero. Set to debut on Sunday, August 16, the six-part series brings to life the non-fiction book by Lisa Belkin, which examined the real life event in […]

[rating=9.00] It doesn’t take but a moment into Sol Invictus, the long awaited album from a newly reunited Faith No More, to be reminded of all we’ve been missing in the 18 years since Mike Patton and company first called it quits. A stark piano chord flows from the speaker, feeling more like an announcement […]

[rating=10.00] First things first, just so that I am absolutely clear: Mad Max: Fury Road is a work of unmitigated genius, the likes of which you’ve never seen before. It’s rare these days for a film of any sort to transcend the limitations of its genre to become a work of art. Rarer, still, for […]

[rating=8.00] Far From the Madding Crowd is an adaptation you never asked for of a book you’ve never read, but under no circumstances should you let that dissuade you from seeing this magnificent, romantic drama. There’s no doubt that there’s a vast swath of you out there who’re quick to turn your nose up at […]

[rating=7.00] The D Train is a lowbrow, screwball comedy that successfully masquerades itself as highbrow festival fodder. It’s a fine line to walk, to be sure—the slightest misstep would prove disastrous, destroying the very concept upon which the film rests. But writer-directors Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel take that walk, and they take it well. […]

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON ARE CONTAINED WITHIN Captain America 3 is looking a lot more like Avengers 3 after the official casting announcement today. Though rumors about just who might show up in next year’s Captain America: Civil War have been swirling for months, Marvel and parent company Disney put an end […]

Typically, when you think of characterizations of transgender characters in film, you most often come up with a list of tragedies. Films like Boys Don’t Cry and Dallas Buyers Club have done an excellent job at showcasing the trials and tribulations a trans person might go through over the course of their life. Indeed, both […]

[rating=7.00] The question I keep asking myself is whether or not it’s possible for a bar to be set too high. I’ve made no secret in the past about my love for all things Marvel; as a comic book geek in high school, I longed for a day when studios would give us something that […]

Everyone’s favorite pot smoking, promiscuous, foul-mouthed Teddy bear is back and, if the new red band trailer is any indication, fouler than ever. Ted 2, the sequel to Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane’s surprise live-action hit, hits theaters this June and finds Ted (voiced by MacFarlane) and John (Mark Walberg) engaged in an epic legal […]

Last week, Aerosmith front-man-turned-American-Idol-shill Steven Tyler announced plans to release a solo country album for newly revived country label Dot Records. The news sent alternating waves of amusement and bafflement through the Glide offices as we each pondered and discussed the question that was on everybody’s mind: “What the actual fuck is he thinking?” Tyler […]