franchise Archives - Zombies in My Blog

The 2026 #HauntLife Midyear Awards: The Good, the Bad and the Backrooms

Last year, I introduced the #HauntLife Midyear Movie Missteps Awards, a completely unnecessary ceremony honoring the movies that confused, disappointed or irritated me during the first half of 2025. It was both petty and therapeutic in a way. It was… Continue Reading →

Even Heroes Need Saving in Spider-Man: Brand New Day

A few nights ago, my wife and I were talking about how easy it is to lose touch with old friends. It usually does not happen because of an argument or some dramatic falling out. During my first marriage, I… Continue Reading →

August 4, 2026

30 Years Later, Toy Story Still Has Magic

Woody and Buzz watch as Bonnie and her mom look at her new Lilypad tablet in Toy Story 5

In 1995, I was 17 years old and working at a video store. While most people remember Toy Story for introducing them to Woody and Buzz, what I remember most is the feeling that I was watching the future where… Continue Reading →

June 22, 2026

Eternia’s Error: Another Masters of the Universe Misfire

Why is it so difficult for Mattel execs and Hollywood filmmakers alike to create a big-screen He-Man adventure that actually stays true to its original source material? But what is its actual canon, for that matter? Does it religiously follow… Continue Reading →

June 14, 2026

Blind Cop 2 is the Sequel Nobody Asked for… and That’s the Joke

When I was in high school, I worked at Video Quest, a small video rental store in my hometown. This was back before streaming services put thousands of movies at your fingertips. If you wanted to watch a movie, you… Continue Reading →

June 8, 2026

Simple Star Wars Works with The Mandalorian and Grogu

I remember when Grogu first showed up in The Mandalorian and my immediate reaction was basically, “Oh look, here comes Disney’s newest marketing scheme.” It felt obvious to me, at the time. You’ve got this tiny green baby alien with… Continue Reading →

May 26, 2026

Mortal Kombat in the 21st Century

If the mere mention of Mortal Kombat doesn’t immediately bring back fond flashbacks to the days of coin-op arcades, Mortal Monday of 1993 or the Immortal’s “Techno Syndrome (Mortal Kombat) Song,” well… you’re not me. As someone who lived through… Continue Reading →

May 20, 2026

The Problem with Panda Plan 2: The Magical Tribe

Jackie Chan in Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe

Rush Hour was my entry point to Jackie Chan, that perfect storm of chemistry, humor and controlled chaos that made you forget you were watching a guy improvise combat with furniture. Chris Tucker’s mouth and Jackie’s physical comedy created something… Continue Reading →

April 14, 2026

Disney Finally Deems Darth Maul in Demand

What’s the common thread between Darth Vader, Boba Fett and Darth Maul? For decades, my biggest complaint of the Maker, himself, George Lucas, was that he could seemingly create such cool character descriptions of Star Wars antagonists with ease, but… Continue Reading →

April 5, 2026

Terminating Past Mistakes of a Proud Franchise

Years ago, after watching Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), I was pleasantly surprised by the overall outcome (it isn’t perfect by any means) as I departed the movie theater. The once-proud franchise that had remained dormant for 12… Continue Reading →

March 24, 2026

Geek Culture, Zombies... and Other Monsters

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