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Deconstructing the Star Beast: How the 'Alien' Saga Went Wrong

Alien was a planned B-Movie that transcended its genre and spawned the rare sequel that is neither imitation nor complete deviation. Then the saga went to hell.

Film

Tie Goes to the Computer: 'Side By Side'

Christopher Kenneally's documentary does its best to level the playing field between celluloid and digital cinema, but here even fairness can be a losing battle.

Reviews

Building the Perfect Star Beast: The Antecedents of 'Alien'

The impact of Alien is undeniable, and with Prometheus breathing new, terrifying and artistic life into the saga, Alien's legacy could go anywhere. However, Alien didn't spring, fully-formed onto movie screens as the near-perfect Star Beast that it is.

Film

Apologies to James Cameron: 'Avatar' a Sign of Changing Cinema

'Avatar' is pop culture at its most popular. It captured the world immediately, and I never saw it coming. I predicted all hype but didn't think Cameron could do it. Again.

Film

Blue World: James Cameron's 'Avatar'

Cameron's evocations of everything from Blackwater's Iraq massacres to the Trail of Tears gives his story an uncommon resonance.

Film

Titanic: 10th Anniversary Edition

While it's understandable that after raising one of film history's most massive success stories from the depths of potential financial ruin, Cameron might rest on his laurels a bit, you sometimes get the feeling that he has spent a good chunk of his post-Titanic life still thinking about Titanic.

Jesse Hassenger

Reviews

Ghosts of the Abyss (2003)

Bill Paxton's banal banter and overacting alienate us, as we try to ignore him and focus on the live-action images of Titanic.

Jennifer D. Wesley

Film

Pop Ten

The 25 Best Classic Progressive Rock Albums

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 1: 100 - 81

Jackie Chan's 10 Best Films

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 5: 20 - 1

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 3: 60 - 41

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '90s - Part 1 (100 - 81)

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Deconstructing the Star Beast: How the 'Alien' Saga Went Wrong

Alien was a planned B-Movie that transcended its genre and spawned the rare sequel that is neither imitation nor complete deviation. Then the saga went to hell.

Tie Goes to the Computer: 'Side By Side'

Christopher Kenneally's documentary does its best to level the playing field between celluloid and digital cinema, but here even fairness can be a losing battle.

Building the Perfect Star Beast: The Antecedents of 'Alien'

The impact of Alien is undeniable, and with Prometheus breathing new, terrifying and artistic life into the saga, Alien's legacy could go anywhere. However, Alien didn't spring, fully-formed onto movie screens as the near-perfect Star Beast that it is.

A pair of 'Avatar' sequels is on its way from James Cameron

Apologies to James Cameron: 'Avatar' a Sign of Changing Cinema

'Avatar' is pop culture at its most popular. It captured the world immediately, and I never saw it coming. I predicted all hype but didn't think Cameron could do it. Again.

Blue World: James Cameron's 'Avatar'

Cameron's evocations of everything from Blackwater's Iraq massacres to the Trail of Tears gives his story an uncommon resonance.

Titanic: 10th Anniversary Edition

While it's understandable that after raising one of film history's most massive success stories from the depths of potential financial ruin, Cameron might rest on his laurels a bit, you sometimes get the feeling that he has spent a good chunk of his post-Titanic life still thinking about Titanic.

Ghosts of the Abyss (2003)

Bill Paxton's banal banter and overacting alienate us, as we try to ignore him and focus on the live-action images of Titanic.

Rebelling Against the Rebellion: British Punk's Second Coming

The Ugly and Unlistenable Death Spiral of Eddie Van Halen

Punk Rock's V98 Channel Their Fury Stunningly on "Conversation Killer" (premiere)

Americana's Midnight North Take the "Long View" with New Single (premiere)

Rachel Mazer's "Is It So Wrong" Is a Celebration of Love (premiere)

"She's Older Now" Is a Previously Unreleased Tune From Roger C. Reale and Rue Morgue, Featuring Mick Ronson (premiere)

Pinto Bennett Dishes the Lonely Blues on "I Like Singin' the Blues in a Honky Tonk Song" (premiere)

Deep Tan Amplify the Groove on New Single "Shimmer" (premiere)

Signe Marie Rustad Finds Companionship In "A Thousand Lights" (premiere + interview)

Andrea von Kampen Crafts Reflective, Picturesque Folk on 'Twilight & Evening Bell' (EP stream) (premiere)

John Salaway Celebrates "The Beauty That Surrounds Us" (premiere)

Money isn't everything, although in film making it counts for a lot. These eight films defy their minuscule budgets.

Alien was a planned B-Movie that transcended its genre and spawned the rare sequel that is neither imitation nor complete deviation. Then the saga went to hell.

Christopher Kenneally's documentary does its best to level the playing field between celluloid and digital cinema, but here even fairness can be a losing battle.

The impact of Alien is undeniable, and with Prometheus breathing new, terrifying and artistic life into the saga, Alien's legacy could go anywhere. However, Alien didn't spring, fully-formed onto movie screens as the near-perfect Star Beast that it is.

'Avatar' is pop culture at its most popular. It captured the world immediately, and I never saw it coming. I predicted all hype but didn't think Cameron could do it. Again.

Cameron's evocations of everything from Blackwater's Iraq massacres to the Trail of Tears gives his story an uncommon resonance.

While it's understandable that after raising one of film history's most massive success stories from the depths of potential financial ruin, Cameron might rest on his laurels a bit, you sometimes get the feeling that he has spent a good chunk of his post-Titanic life still thinking about Titanic.

Bill Paxton's banal banter and overacting alienate us, as we try to ignore him and focus on the live-action images of Titanic.