Author: Michael Thomas

Ranking the Pedro Almodóvar Films

[This list will be updated as more films get watched over the years!]

In my head, I had seen a lot of Pedro Almodóvar films. When I actually went and tried to figure out which ones I had seen, I realized I had only watched 1-2 in college and then went to the theater a few years back to watch the very good Pain & Glory. The lasting impressions of my apparently brief dive into his work over the years were mostly that Carmen Maura was very good, Antonio Banderas was very good, and lots and lots of colors. Little did I know what I was getting myself into by diving deep into his work with the knowledge that HBOMax was removing all of his stuff after October 31, 2021.

Films to Re-Watch: Pain & Glory

Films to Watch Still: Labyrinth of Passion, Dark Habits, What Have I Done to Deserve This?, Matador, Law of Desire, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, High Heels, Kika, The Flower of My Secret, Live Flesh, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, Julieta

8. I’m So Excited! (2013) Continue reading Ranking the Pedro Almodóvar Films

Ranking the 30 Rock Seasons

30 Rock has always been a show that I have never loved as much as its biggest fans. When it aired at the time, I did not start watching until season 3 or 4, and I just didn’t think it compared as favorably to what at the same time I was seeing from The Office (seasons 4 & 5), Community (Season 1), and Parks & Recreation (Seasons 1 & 2). While I would still maintain that 30 Rock was not as good as those shows in that time period, 30 Rock‘s sensibilities have obviously aged the best. That being said, it was unfortunate that I started watching the show during one of its weaker eras as it clouded my opinion of the show for a long time. With that in mind, here are all the seasons of 30 Rock ranked.

 

7. Season 6 – James Marsden Season 1 Continue reading Ranking the 30 Rock Seasons

Ranking the Hollywood Oral History Books

THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING PROJECT THAT WILL BE SPORADICALLY UPDATED AS NEEDED

Hollywood oral history books are getting cranked out fairly quickly right now relatively speaking. I like reading them because they are mostly easy to read and fascinating regardless of how good they are.

Future Updates: Twin Peaks, Top of the Rock

10. Game of Thrones

Continue reading Ranking the Hollywood Oral History Books

Ranking the Curb Your Enthusiasm Seasons

Updated on 12/27/21 to include season 11.

At The Reel World, we believe instead of paying us money to listen to and read our mundane thoughts on popular culture, you should give back what you can to people who need it. I suggest supporting The Manna-hatta Fund. “The Manna-hatta Fund presents an opportunity for all settlers to support the Indigenous peoples, such as the Lenni Lenape, who were forcefully displaced by European settlers and their descendants to create New York City and the United States.” Follow the beneficiaries on Twitter: @AICHNYC Continue reading Ranking the Curb Your Enthusiasm Seasons

Ranking the Succession Seasons

This is a **fluid** project as the show is not over yet, and I can already anticipate my viewpoints on certain seasons shifting over time. In fact, if anything, Season 3 made me think it was probably stupid to even release this now. But fuck it! Content! Continue reading Ranking the Succession Seasons

Ranking The Animatrix Short Films

Sky Scorchers

There is another Matrix film coming out! This is very cool! Like many people in the world, I am now re-watching everything Matrix before it happens. The one part of the world of The Matrix I know least is definitely The Animatrix. As such, I decided to do a deep dive into it. If you click on the link above there, you can listen to Matt and I discuss the whole Animatrix. I now disagree with a lot of the things I said in it! Not sure what was wrong with me the first time I watched this one! Honestly, it was pretty embarrassing to listen to this episode back on my front. Maybe this is just a thing you need to re-watch to appreciate or my tastes are just much better now.

Continue reading Ranking The Animatrix Short Films

7 Takeaways from the Juggernaut Episode of Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends

It is time to take a look at Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends once again to explore more times they used the X-Men characters.  Welcome to the latest edition of MARVELOUS ANIMATION.

Continue reading 7 Takeaways from the Juggernaut Episode of Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends

8 Takeaways from the “Enter: She-Hulk” Episode of The Incredible Hulk

There was an Incredible Hulk cartoon show in the early 1980s. I did not previously know this. What a world. Anyway, they occasionally brought She-Hulk into the fold. It’s the latest edition of Marvelous Animation!

Continue reading 8 Takeaways from the “Enter: She-Hulk” Episode of The Incredible Hulk