CINEMA REMEMBERED: Magnolia and the “WISE UP” Moment
THIS WEEK: Magnolia (1999). A strange tale of tightly woven storylines and entangled characters, examining the unusual coincidences in life.
Enjoy the…
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Depression and the Monster Inside The Psychological Thriller ‘The Babadook’
There is a moment in The Babadook, the 2014 Australian-Canadian psychological horror film written and directed by Jennifer Kent, where Amelia (Essie…
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The Good Son and the MAKE A CHOICE Moment
After the traumatic death of his mother, and the sudden need for this father to travel on business out of the country, 12-year-old Mark Evans (Elijah…
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2 Movies 1 Moment: A Bike Ride
This Week: A Bike Ride
Bikes in movies have long been a staple. They can reveal a quirky character trait or hint at a philosophy or be the mechanism…
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Jurassic World Review
Jurassic World is a 2015 action thriller about a new theme park, built on the original site of Jurassic Park, that creates a genetically modified…
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That Moment In The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown (1957): A See Through Kiss
REVIEW: Laurel Stevens (Jane Russell) has a new movie premiering called The Kidnapped Bride, a sexy new romantic thriller that is so hot the censors…
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Fletch and the IT’S ALL BALL BEARINGS NOWADAYS Moment
The One-Line Summary: Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher (Chevy Chase) is an investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times and is offered $50,000 dollars to…
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Fire in the Sky and the ALIEN EXPERIEMENTS Moment
Fire in the Sky is a 1993 drama about an Arizona logger who mysteriously disappears for five days in an alleged encounter with a flying saucer in…
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Sullivan’s Travels and the TAKE ME WITH YOU Moment
The One-Line Summary: John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea) is a popular Hollywood director famous for light, insubstantial comedies and for his next movie,…
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CINEMA REMEMBERED: To Kill A Mockingbird and The ATTICUS SHOOTS Moment
THIS WEEK: To Kill A Mockingbird (1962): A widowed lawyer juggles raising his children in the backwards South, with defending a Black man accused of…
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14 Cool Movie Moments When A Door Helped Make The Difference
Doors in film are pretty much unmemorable, as they are just a prop device that is often unnoticeable, which is the point. But every so often a door…
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That Moment In ‘Anaconda’ When Serone Gets Swallowed Whole
Anaconda is a 1997 action-horror film about an expedition on the Amazon River that encounters huge, man-eating snakes. A throw-back to monster movies…
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2 Movies 1 Moment: A Birthday Party
This Week: A Birthday Party
Birthday parties are a heavy favorite in films as they are a great way to introduce characters, bring characters together,…
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Rambo and the LIVE FOR NOTHING OR DIE FOR SOMETHING Moment
The One-Line Summary: A few decades after his battles in Afghanistan, John Rambo, living near the Burmese border as a snake hunter and water taxi…
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Uncle Buck and the CHANGE OF PLANS Moment
The One-Line Summary: After Bob and Cindy Russell and their three kids, 15-year-old Tia, 10-year-old Miles, and 6-year-old Maizy, move to a Chicago…
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6 Reasons Why Adam Sandler’s The Cobbler Is Actually A Superhero Origin Film
REVIEW: It's difficult to understand Adam Sandler. On the one hand - a very big hand - he churns out one mindless, by the numbers, comedy film after…
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Beavis and Butt-Head Do America and the DO MY WIFE Moment
The One-Line Summary: Beavis and Butt-head, two heavy metal music loving, intellectually underwhelming, socially awkward rocker archetypes who seem…
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Hod Rod and the I LIKE TO PARTY Moment
The One-Line Summary: Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg) dreams of being a famous stuntmen, following in the footsteps of his dead father, but fails…
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CINEMA REMEMBERED: Watchmen (2009) and the MEMORIES ON MARS Moment
THIS WEEK: Watchmen (2009). A former superhero group is hunted down and assassinated, one by one. Complex relationships intertwine in a tightly woven…
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That Moment In ‘Back to the Future’ (1985): George And His Destiny
Back to the Future is a 1985 comedy about a high school student who goes back in time to when his parents met to try and make sure they stay together.…
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The ‘Burbs and the WE’RE THE LUNATICS Moment
The One-Line Summary: Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) lives in a nice cul-de-sac with his wife and young son, enjoying the comforts of their tiny community…
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That Moment In The Host (2006): Hyun-Seo’s Bravery
REVIEW: On an American military base near Seoul, a pathologist instructs a Korean assistant to dump what he considers to be large supply of spoiled…
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That Moment In ‘Ghost in the Shell’ (1995): The Puppet Master’s Plan
Hello. My name is The Vern and I write for The Vern's Video Vortex as well as help host the podcasts The Film Pasture and As You Watch. Today I am…
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‘A Late Quartet’ And The Few Bars Back Moment
Twenty-five years ago, four musicians started a Fugue String Quartet and on the eve of their next season, receive some devastating news. Peter…
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Lethal Weapon 2 and the GUYS LIKE YOU DON’T DIE ON TOILETS Moment
The One-Line Summary: Los Angeles police sergeants Riggs (Gibson) and Murtaugh (Glover) are back on the job in this live action-cartoon buddy cop…
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5 Reasons Why Spike Lee’s Oldboy Remake is Better Than You Think (And 2 Reasons Why it…
Let's get this right out of the way. Park Chan-wook's Award winning 2003 film adaptation of the classic Japanese manga of the same name is a…
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CINEMA REMEMBERED: Terminator 2 (1991) and the Thumbs Up Moment
T2: Judgment Day is 1991 intense time travel action flick with killer robots. Oh, and Arnold Schwarzenegger at the height of his action hero movie…
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That Moment In The Rewrite (2014): Professor Weldon Reveals Her True Self
THE REWRITE IS A 2015 ROMANTIC COMEDY ABOUT AN OSCAR-WINNING WRITER IN A SLUMP WHO LEAVES HOLLYWOOD TO TEACH SCREENWRITING AT A COLLEGE ON THE EAST…
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San Andreas Review
San Andreas is a 2015 disaster movie set in the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, where a rescue-chopper pilot makes a dangerous…
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Dog Day Afternoon and the THEY’RE COMING IN THE BACK Moment
The One Line Summary: Getting cash to pay for a sex change operation has never gone so horribly wrong as a couple of spectacularly…
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That Moment In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986): Catherine Learns the Truth
REVIEW: In the far reaches of space, up near the Neutral Zone, the United Space Ship Saratoga encounters something unlike anything previously known.…
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¡Three Amigos! and the OH GREAT. . . REAL BULLETS Moment
The One Line Summary: In 1916, Bearded Bandit bad guy El Guapo and his notorious Mexican gang of thieves and villains are robbing the local town of…
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Clueless and the JOSH KISSES CHER Moment
The One Line Summary: Naive, superficial blonde hottie Batgirl, er Cher, navigates the cliques and clubs of her Beverley Hills high school,…
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Ghost and the BOO Moment
The One Line Summary: Handsome banker Sam and potterer Molly move to a beautiful New York City apartment where a friendly neighbor introduces Sam to a…
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That Moment In Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984): David’s Fate
REVIEW: At the end of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Mr. Spock sacrificed himself to save the Enterprise by fixing the warp core by hand, a…
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Wild Things and the THREESOMES NEVER WORK OUT Moment
When Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon) a high school guidance counselor, is accused of rape by two female students who are on opposite ends of the social and…
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What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and the Gilbert Comes Back Moment
The One Line Summary: The eldest son of a troubled family fights to cope with a morbidly obese mother, a mentally handicapped little brother and a…
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That Moment In Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan (1982): Fooling Khan
REVIEW In the depths of outer space, the starship Enterprise receives a distress signal from a fuel-carrying cargo ship. The Kobiashi Maru has hit a…
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L. A. Confidential and the Rolo Tomassi Moment
The One Line Summary: Bad cops, good cops, and Kim Basinger duke it out in the seedy underbelly of 1953 Hollywood sex, murder, and police corruption.
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That Moment In Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979): Kirk’s Obsession
REVIEW: In the far reaches of space, a strange blueish geometric cloud of immense size is on a destructive path to planet Earth. Ships and space…
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That Moment In Drop Zone (1994): A Liability is Handled
REVIEW: So there's this genius nerdy gangly fellow locked up in prison with some highly developed hacking skills that needs a transfer to a more…
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Favorite All Time Movie Moments (Vol.1)
In response to The Vern's 20 favorite scenes, (and his response to A Fistful Of Films call for favorite moments) here are 20 of my growing list of…
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That Moment In Twins (1988): Vincent Learns The Truth
REVIEW: How many fathers does it take to make an Arnold Schwarzenegger? Turns out, the answer is 6. Six strong, mentally and spiritually superior men.…
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That Moment In The Ghost and the Darkness (1996): The Hospital Trap
REVIEW: Unfortunately, the movie starts with narration. A heavily accented English voice explains that even the most impossible parts of this story…
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That Moment In Twilight (2008): A Confession in the Woods
REVIEW: One spring day, a gloomy seventeen-year-old girl named Isabella (Kristen Stewart) moves from the hot deserts of Arizona to the rainy chill of…
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That Moment In Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011): Deception at the Top of the World
REVIEW: On a rooftop in Budapest, Sawyer crashes through an access door, chased by two men from The Others. Wait, what? Sawyer? Hold on. Am I watching…
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That Moment In Mission: Impossible III (2006): A Deadly Countdown
Impossible Mission Force agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has officially retired, which right away means that he won't be for long because no agent or…
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That Moment In Mission: Impossible II (2000): A Personal Betrayal
REVIEW: In a neon lit laboratory with a wild-haired bespectacled scientist, we learn that every hero needs only one component for keeping relevant: a…
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That Moment In Mission: Impossible (1996): Ethan Puts it all Together
Mission: Impossible is a 1996 action thriller about an American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, who must discover and expose the real spy…
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Top 5 Greatest Movie Moments from Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne was born in 1961 and began acting when he was only eleven years old. A few years later he famously lied about his age and got a…
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That Moment In Star Trek’s The Devil in the Dark: A Fond Farewell to Mr. Spock
Growing up, there was nothing like coming home from school and flipping on the TV to catch reruns of Star Trek the original series. Filled with…
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That Moment In 48 Hrs. (1982): Reggie Takes Charge
The beat up truck barreling down the dusty dirt road can only mean one thing. Something bad. The prisoners in the road gang digging on an old railroad…
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Top 5 Greatest Most Awesome Movie Moments from Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage, born Nicolas Coppola, changed his name when he started acting to avoid being associated with his family relationship to renowned …
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That Moment In Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013): A Painful Past Retold
REVIEW: A nice walk in the woods with your dad sounds like a good enough time, right? That's what young Hansel and his sister Gretel were probably…
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The Hunt for Red October (1990): The Crazy Ivan
The Hunt For Red October is an action thriller about a Soviet-era nuclear submarine that breaks from the fleet and heads for the east coast of the…
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That Moment In World War Z (2013): A Madman In Korea Has A Theory
REVIEW: Gerry Lane tries to be a typical dad. In the morning, he cooks pancakes for his two daughters, he sips coffee with his wife, makes jokes and…
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That Moment In Silver Linings Playbook (2012): Tiffany is the Lucky One
Pat Solatano, Jr.(Bradley Cooper) is dealing with a few issues. His wife left him after having an affair with the history teacher in her school, his…
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That Moment In The Interview (2014): Dave Discovers The Lie
Sometimes opportunities come when you least expect it. You're minding your own business, doin' ya thang, when, BAM, there's a big ol' knock on that…
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That Moment In Carlito’s Way (1993): A Fateful Choice
Carlito's Way is a crime drama about an ex-con who return from prison only to be pulled back to the life he wanted most to leave behind. A powerfully…
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Wreck-it Ralph (2014): Ralph Makes a Sacrifice
Remember that time when the characters in the video game you were playing came to life and started eating all the food in your refrigerator,…
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That Moment in Field of Dreams (1989): Archibald’s Sacrifice
Field of Dreams is a 1989 drama about a man who hears voices in his cornfield and goes on an epic journey of personal discovery.
The thing about…
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‘Dangerous Liaisons’ and the Beyond My Control Moment
Being rich is a pretty sweet gig. Just ask the French in the late 18th century (Well, before that whole revolution and guillotines thing). Those rich…
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That Moment in Jurassic Park III (2001): Billy’s Sacrifice
Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), paleontologist and survivor of the original Jurassic Park tells an audience that no force on Earth or Heaven could get him…
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That Moment In Internal Affairs (1990): An Officer and a Gentle Killer
On a rural street in a suburb of Los Angeles, an early morning drug bust leaves one suspect shot after a patrolman believes he was about to be…
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That Moment in Rain Man (1988): Raymond is Rain Man
Rain Man is drama about a troubled young man who discovers he's been denied something he thought he deserved, only to find out a family secret that…
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That Moment in ‘My Cousin Vinny’ When Vinny Avoids A Bar Brawl
REVIEW: In a dusty green Buick convertible, NYU students Stan (Mitchell Whitfield) and Billy (Ralph Macchio) are driving through the South on a road…
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That Moment in Forrest Gump (1994): Lt. Dan Makes His Peace
Forrest Gump is drama about a man who experiences a number of significant historical event incidentally, his focus more on the love of his only girl…
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That Moment in Demolition Man (1993): Finding Friendly
Demolition Man is an action adventure film set in the future and was a huge box office hit, though critics weren't impressed. Another winner for…
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That Moment in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005): Order 66
Revenge of the Sith is the final chapter in the second trilogy, bringing to an end the origin story of Darth Vader. The better of the three parts, the…
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That Moment in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002): Anakin Raids the Tusken Camp
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is the second is a sci-fi adventure film and the immediate sequel to The Phantom Menace, part of the Star…
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That Moment in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999): Duel of Fates
Much maligned, Episode I was once the most anticipated film in cinema history, a stigma that surely set it up for massive let down. While the movie…
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That Moment in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983): A Son and His Father
Episode IV: A New Hope Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
REVIEW: C-3PO remarks: Here we go again! The rebels continue to be handed defeats…
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That Moment in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980): Assault on Hoth
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away . . . a young hotshot pilot on his first mission got close enough to exploit a weakness in the Galactic…
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That Moment in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977): A Troubling Discovery
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is the first in the hugely popular and long-lasting sci-fi epic film series about a young man learning of his place…
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SCREENSHOTS Game: Santa
Time for some Holiday fun! Take a look at each Santa and then guess which movie he is from! Happy Holidays!
Tell us how you did in the comments…
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That Moment in Pale Rider (1985): Toppling a Giant
You know there's gonna be trouble when there's a posse of men riding horseback at full gallop at the start of the film. But let's put aside them for a…
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That Moment in The Sandlot (1993): Benny is the Jet
The Sandlot is a comedy drama about an awkward young boy who moves to a new town and makes friends with a small gang of ball players who face the…
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That Moment in Old School (2003): Frank the Tank Returns
Sure, Mitch Martin may sound like a comic book character but in truth he's just a regular schlub. But that's not a bad thing. He's doing just fine.…
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That Moment in Godzilla (2014): The Beast Comes Ashore
Working at a nuclear power plant has several built-in hazards. That's a given. You've got your coolant tanks, your plutonium rods, those baggy zip-up…
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That Moment in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977): First Encounter
REVIEW: On the outskirts of the Sonoran Desert, in a dusty Spanish-speaking town, a French scientist and his interpreter are having a very strange…
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That Moment In Wayne’s World (1992): Wayne Gets Fired
Wayne's World is a comedy about a pair of care-free party boys with a cable access show who might just hit it big when they get a chance of a…
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That Moment In Tootsie (1982): Dorothy is a Person
Acting is a tough gig. Just ask Michael Dorsey (Hoffman). He's too old. He's too young. He too tall. He's too short. He's not anything they're looking…
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That Moment In Dumb and Dumber (1994): Laxative Revenge
Dumb and Dumber is a road comedy about a pair of dimwits who travel across country to find a girl. Sort of. This wildly popular film has become a…
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That Moment In Revenge of the Nerds (1984): Nerd Party Mayhem
The first day of college can be a real adventure. You've got the new dorm to decorate, a campus to explore, a robot to assemble, and hottie frat girls…
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That Moment In All The President’s Men (1976): Getting the Story
All The President's Men is a historical film based on the newspaper investigation of the infamous Watergate break in and cover up. Highly acclaimed,…
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That Moment In MouseHunt (1997): Blown Sky High
Lars (Lee Evans) and Ernie (Nathan Lane) haven't been having a good run of late. A mishap at Ernie's fancy restaurant, where a large cockroach found…
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That Moment In ‘You Can Count On Me’ When Siblings Have A Cold Lunch
You Can Count On Me is a drama about two siblings who have gone their separate ways after dealing with a tragic past. When one comes home after a long…
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That Moment In WarGames (1983): Consequences of Playing a Game
It turns out that the United States Air Force Strategic Missile defense system, despite its incredible technology and massive arsenal of weaponry has…
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That Moment In ‘The Best Offer’ (2013): A Trap is Set
The Best Offer is a 2013 drama about an older arts art expert hired by a mysterious women to sell her collection, becoming embroiled in a dark secret.…
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That Moment In Scream (1996): Wrong Number Turns Deadly
REVIEW: Casey (Barrymore) gets an unexpected call, a wrong number she thinks, but it quickly becomes a little flirty, a little tempting. She hangs up…
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That Moment In Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein
REVIEW: A desperate man, seeing the moon rise from his London window, pleads with the telephone operator to connect him to the express office in…
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That Moment In Friday the 13th (1980): Marcie Meets Her End
At Camp Crystal Lake, 1958, the summer evening lulls young campers to sleep while the counselors enjoy some light singing in one of the cabins.…
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That Moment In 28 Days Later (2002): A Monster Is Loose
REVIEW: A group of noble but mis-informed animal rights activists break into a secret research laboratory and, despite the pleas of a panicked…
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That Moment In Halloween (1978): Laurie Faces Michael
REVIEW:Two young teens head upstairs, their flirting on the sofa pressing them to go a little further and explore each other alone in her bedroom.…
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That Moment In Frankenstein (1931): It’s Alive!
Frankenstein is a monster horror film about a well-meaning scientist hoping to reanimate life from those who have passed. A classic in the genre and…
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That Moment In The Grifters (1991): Things Fall Apart
The Grifters is a 1990 drama about a small-time conman who has torn loyalties between his estranged mother and new girlfriend--both of whom are…
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That Moment In The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997): A Discovery At Camp
The Lost World: Jurassic Park is the first sequel to the groundbreaking Jurassic Park and was generally considered a disappointment despite its huge…
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The Kid (1921): A Brave Rescue
Describing Charlie Chaplin's The Kid is like trying to describe the Mona Lisa to someone who doesn't know what art is or a sunset over the Grand…
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That Moment In Oscar (1991): The Finucci Brothers
REVIEW: Notorious big city gangster "Snaps" Provolone made a promise to his father on his deathbed. He's going legit. No more crime. Gonna make money…
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That Moment In ‘Big’ (1988): Josh Confronts Susan
Josh Baskin has a lot going for him. Good home, best friend, loving parents. But he's feeling a little stuck. Even in his video game, he gets frozen…
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