Every so often, a film emerges from the fray to prove its popularity and warrant a sequel. More and more, franchises are planned out in advance, but when one film turns into a franchise, a cash register sound goes off in the ears of the studio. Even though the kid stays in the picture, sometimes the director does not. Maybe the director is done working with the material. Maybe the producers want a more seasoned hand. Maybe a simple schedule conflict keeps him or her out of the chair for the next round up. But the show must go on, so the producers find another director to fill the slot – a director who ostensibly inherits all the strengths and weaknesses of a franchise birthed by someone else. Cinematic sloppy seconds that could have easily turned into sloppy sequels if it weren’t for a steady, talented director guiding the ship. Here’s a list of the ten best.

As I type up this week’s Blu-ray bonanza, I have a clear view of a beautiful mountain range that surrounds Park City, Utah. But I can’t let that distract me. Eyes on the prize.

Just over 3,000 films were released in the past ten years. Instead of sleeping, Neil and Cole (with the help of a supercomputer) whittle that list down to the best 1%.

The star of The Messenger talks about losing loved ones, his X3 disagreements with Brett Ratner, and the film he turned down five times.

This week, on a very special episode of Reject Radio, we delve deep into the world of why The Oscars should nominate more populist best pictures. And we rob a bank.

After being blown away by The Hurt Locker, I was lucky enough to talk to Mackie about his role, the experience of the Middle East during Ramadan, his work with Matt Damon, his friendship with Wynton Marsalis, and his confidence in Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar chances.

Ever since Ian Fleming began penning his James Bond series in 1953, spy adventures and espionage have been hot topics for cinema and television. From Xander Cage to Maxwell Smart, we’ve got the top 10 spies influenced by James Bond.

Due to Daylight Saving Time, I actually got the Sunday Cinematic Listology loaded on Sunday. Thanks arbitrary temporal shift! In this edition, we respond to Christopher Nolan’s assertion that there are no good third movies.

Universal has very casually confirmed the existence of a fourth film that will include both Matt Damon and Paul Greengras.

It’s a surprising shortlist for the best visual effects Oscar this year, with some startling inclusions and some even more startling omissions.

Looking back on the year that was 2007, what scenes or moments from films will live on? What will people be quoting a year from now — McLovin or Dewey Cox?

The third title in a series is like middle age for movies. By now audiences know what to expect.

Compared with its standard DVD counterpart, the HD version is a must have. It does not include a cornucopia of special features, but what it does have is plenty interesting enough.

In spite of, or because of, the flashbacks to the very legal water boarding that I undertook, I found even more reason to love this movie now that it’s on DVD.

Matt Damon has delivered a nice little early Christmas present to movie fans worldwide recently, by making it known that he may be interested in a fourth installment of the Bourne franchise. Yahoo is reporting that the 37 year-old actor has said he is open to the idea of starring in another film as Jason Bourne, if his director is keen for the project too.