A bit of a forgotten entry in Steven Spielberg’s 80’s filmography, EMPIRE OF THE SUN is still a worthy viewing due to its gorgeous visuals, insightful script, and a great central child performance, from an actor I don’t usually even like that much! So, why doesn’t it have the same clout as some of Spielberg’s other films? It may be a matter of timing.

This week, Steven Spielberg begins to expand his directorial palette with 1985’s THE COLOR PURPLE, a sweeping literary adaptation featuring many great performances, and an ever-growing master behind the camera. However, it’s ever fascinating for the moments where you catch Spielberg being unsure with how best to depict serious stories of human misery. Yes, it begs the question: was he the right person for the job? But one also has to ask: without this, does Spielberg become the director we know him to be today?

This week, Spielberg Summer 2: The E(igh)T(ies) continues with one of the darker-toned films Spielberg ever made: it’s INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM! A film that has only grown in reputation over the years (and was largely responsible for the creation of a new MPAA rating!), it’s got action and theatrics to spare…even if only there weren’t that one person screaming the whole time.

Today, our look through the Spielberg works of the 80s continues with E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, a movie that I watched often as a kid, but always held at a little bit of a distance. Maybe it’s because it was unafraid to be a little scary and a lot sad, elements I greatly admire about it now as an adult. Let’s shine a light on this film that delves into the darkness that can enter a household.

This week, Spielberg Summer returns with a weekly walk-through of the Spielberg films of the 80’s. We start off with perhaps his biggest and most popular movie ever, the initial Indiana Jones adventure, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK! The thrills! The action! The…surprisingly relatable fallibility of our main hero? Read along for more!

It’s finally here! I finally close out my long LOST retrospective by breaking down the controversial final season. Centered around a Big Gimmick, the structure of LOST Season Six highlights the things it always did well, but it also made plain that the show may be have been running out of gas as it sprinted to the finish line. Does its famous finale make it all worth it? Read along and find out!

This week, as I put the finishing touches on my LOST Season Six retrospective spectacular, let’s take a look back at the summer of 2009, when my friends and I traveled to San Diego in order to start saying goodbye to the show that bonded us. Yes, we got to be there LIVE for the sixth and final LOST Comic-Con panel! But the weekend had other surprises, some fun, some just strange. Come along with us to experience it all!

This week, let’s take a full look back on the most well-regarded action franchise of the past thirty years. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE went from a trendy classic TV adaptation in the 1990’s, to a stunt show spectacular by the 2010’s. Along the way are some classic John Woo nonsense, the pros and cons of J.J. Abrams, and the cartoony delights of Brad Bird. Your mission, should you choose to accept it…watch along with me as I break down all eight MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movies!