Prequels are terrible. That is, until they aren’t. It used to be that the idea of checking out the earlier adventures of beloved characters was nothing more than a craven cash grab. You had the tomfoolery of Butch and Sundance: The Early Years, the nonsense of Hannibal Rising, and the blatant idiocy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Done well, a prequel can add texture and character to a franchise. It can fill in the blanks and even recontextualize the original work. Despite the clunky execution, mostly poor acting, and thunderingly obvious storytelling, George Lucas deserves credit. His Prequel trilogy... Read More

In 1984, Blood Simple was released. A nasty slice of Texas noir, it showcased a mix of comedy, cruelty, and oddly formalized dialogue. It only could have been written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. In 1989, Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing was released. Set in the Bed-Stuy section of Brooklyn on the hottest day of the year, it’s an achingly romantic and fiery look at the neighborhood and the people who live there. Nobody but Spike Lee could have created this masterpiece. In 1992, Reservoir Dogs was released. Quentin Tarantino’s crime thriller about a jewel heist gone... Read More