Cinetopia

Few directors can claim to have a film on the top ten list of highest grossing films of all-time, even fewer can claim to have more than one of their movies on this list, but only one can claim to have directed the top two highest grossing films worldwide. James Cameron not only has produced numerous chart-topping works, but the diversity of his films sets him apart in the field. His ability to tackle a range of genres is evident in the fact that Avatar, the highest grossing film ever, is a Sci-Fi Fantasy, and the second highest-grossing film ever is Titanic, a historical, romantic drama. Cameron wrote, produced and directed both. Read More…

If you, of your own free will, buy a ticket to a movie’s 5^th sequel or any film starring a former reality TV star, you won’t find any sympathy here. What’s unfair is when a movie is billed with high expectations and top end talent, yet still manages to waste an hour and a half of your life you will never get back. This countdown chronicles the biggest disappointments of the decade,worth avoiding at all costs.10. Two For the Money (2005) Matthew McConaughey, Al Pacino and Rene Russo headline what appeared to be a promising look inside the seedy world of sports gambling. The all-star cast conned many moviegoers into gambling 6.50 on a ticket and losing everything.9. From Justin to Kelly (2003) In hindsight, perhaps this shouldn’t qualify, as no one end their right mind should expect much from two never-acted-before semi-celebrities in a romantic comedy musical. Still, the build up from American Idol’s first season was enough to lure nave audiences to the theater.8. All About Steve (2009) How could a movie starring Sandra Bullock, fresh off her award winning performance in The Blind Side, and Bradley Cooper, who stole the summer comedy stage as part of The Hangover crew, be so awkwardly painful?7. Freddy Got Fingered (2001) Bare in mind, this was early in the decade, back when people still thought Tom Green was funny. Perhaps this was the turning point.6. Fred Claus (2007) This marked the first of two straight holiday seasons in which Vince Vaughn delivered proverbial coal. Though Four Christmases gets the slight edge, “marginally better than Fred Claus” isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement.5. The Love Guru (2008) Oh how the mighty have fallen. Mike Myers was once seen as a comedy guru of sorts, with successful Wayne’s World and Austin Powers series. The Love Guru left viewers wondering if Myers every really knew how to get a laugh. Read More…

With June marking the halfway point on the calendar, we can finally get a grasp of how this year’s movies are stacking up against 2009, a great year for moviegoers by all accounts. In case you’ve already forgotten what last year gave us, this countdown of 2009′s best should refresh your memory.

10. New Moon Based on box office numbers it would place towards the better half of any list, but with so many loose ends leading into the saga’s third movie, Eclipse, New Moon is more of a stepping stone than a complete film.

9. Adventureland Kristen Stewart’s other movie in 2009 didn’t register nearly the same mainstream response, but Adventureland quickly developed a significant cult following. Starring Jesse Eisenberg alongside Stewart, this coming of age story is set in the late 80′s and explores a post-graduate virgin’s struggle to make ends meet both socially and financially.

8. The Blind Side Based on the true story of Michael Oher’s improbable rise to the NFL stage, The Blind Side is carried by Sandra Bullock’s Oscar winning performance. In addition to Bullock’s first career Best Actress award, the film itself received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

7. District 9 This mock-umentary tracks alien life on earth after their 1982 arrival, as the extraterrestrial “prawns” are relegated to slums inside South Africa. More than a mere science fiction flick, District 9 explores issues of race and segregation inspired by the country’s apartheid history.

6. The Hangover Four friends embark on a Vegas bachelor party they will never forget remember in Todd Phillips’ blockbuster comedy. Hilarity ensues as they try to retrace their steps in an effort to find Doug, the missing would-be groom.

5. Up In The Air George Clooney plays the part of corporate terminator and motivational speaker Ryan Bingham, intentionally devoid of personal relationships with the single goal of reaching the mythical 10 million sky mile mark. At the urging of his company’s young new hire Natalie, Bingham is forced to challenge his own philosophy and explore emotions he’s made a career out of ignoring.

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From unrequited love to fairytale romances, the last decade produced many memorable chick flicks. If you’re looking for a sappy film for a girl’s night or something fun to watch with that someone special, we’ve come up with our top picks from 2000-2009.

1. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002): When Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) decides to get out of the family diner and make a few positive changes in her life, she stumbles into a fairy tale romance. Now, she’s faced with planning a wedding around her devoutly Greek and loud family. The perfect combination of laughs and heart-felt moments put this movie at the top of our list.
2. Bridget Jones Diary (2001): This film, based on the book by Helen Fielding, chronicles a year in the life of Bridget Jones (Renee Zellwegger) as she journals her attempts at self-improvement and finding true love, which she discovers in Mark Darcy (Colin Firth).
3. What Women Want (2000): After an accident where he electrocutes himself, Nick Marshall (Mel Gibson) gains the ability to hear women’s thoughts. He tries to use this to his advantage to get closer to his daughter and get ahead of female coworker, Darcy McGuire (Helen Hunt), until his plans go awry when he begins to fall in love with McGuire.
4. Sex and the City (2008): The Movie: The much-anticipated movie version of this long-running sitcom was a huge hit at the box office. After Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is left at the altar by Mr. Big (Chris Noth), the four best friends work together to heal wounds and build new futures, and a lot of broken hearts are mended along the way.
5. Knocked Up (2007): E! News Reporter Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) has a one night stand with Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) that leaves her pregnant. After deciding to keep the baby, Scott and Stone, comically named for his addiction to marijuana, embark on a journey of pregnancy, misunderstanding, and regret. But that baby’s still coming. Read More…

Ever since 2003, 3D movies have been making a comeback in theaters worldwide. It seems James Cameron has followed the 3D mantra from the start, releasing Ghosts of the Abyss, the first full-length 3D IMAX feature filmed with the Reality Camera System. The camera system used HD video cameras instead of film and was built for Cameron specifically by Vince Pace. That same year, Pace’s camera system was used to film Spy Kids 3D: Game Over then The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D in 2005.It appears that the most common films released in 3D format up until 2010 were children’s movies. In addition to Spy Kids 3D and The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, hit children’s movies such as The Polar Express (2004), Chicken Little (2005), Coraline (2009), Up (2009), and Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) were filmed and shown in 3-D. Read More…

If you think back to your favorite romance movies of the past ten years, chances are at least one of them was based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. All of his works combine the perfect amount of conflict, romance and heartache. As silly as it may sound, women actually seem to enjoy a good cry while watching a movie, and Sparks’ works are all tear-jerkers.One of his first hits came with Message in a Bottle, whose screenplay was written by Gerald Di Pego and released in 1999. A woman finds a bottle washed up on the beach with a love letter inside. She tries to find the author, who wrote the letter to his deceased wife, and falls in love with him along the way. Another of Sparks’ novels that made its way to the big screen was A Walk to Remember. In this tale, two people from completely opposite worlds fall in love and grow together out of an approaching death. The transformation of a young boy and an unspeakable tragedy are guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes. Read More…