Most franchises that run this long eventually become about the franchise instead of the people in it. New leads show up, old ones get a nostalgic cameo, and the theme park (sometimes literally, in this case) keeps expanding while the actual characters quietly calcify into action figures. Jurassic Park has done plenty of that too. … Continue reading Life Finds a Way Back: How Grant, Sattler, and Malcolm Grew Up Alongside the Franchise
Jurassic Park
Two Notes, Five Notes, and Fifty Years: How John Williams Became the Sound of Steven Spielberg
There are directors and there are composers, and then there are pairings so fused that it becomes hard to imagine one without the other. Hitchcock had Herrmann, at least for a while. Burton has Elfman, most of the time. But no director-composer relationship in film history has lasted longer, produced more, or shaped the sound … Continue reading Two Notes, Five Notes, and Fifty Years: How John Williams Became the Sound of Steven Spielberg
Life Finds a Way… But Should It?
There's a moment near the beginning of Jurassic Park — the novel, specifically — where chaos theorist Ian Malcolm sits across from the park's creator, John Hammond, and delivers what amounts to the entire thesis of the book in a single paragraph. He explains, with the patient condescension of a man who has done the … Continue reading Life Finds a Way… But Should It?
Jurassic Park: The Revolution of Visual Effects in Cinema
There's a moment early in Jurassic Park — you know the one — where Dr. Alan Grant's jaw goes slack, he reaches over and physically turns Ellie Sattler's head to look in the same direction as he is, and the two of them just stare. John Williams' score swells. A Brachiosaurus crests a hill, impossibly … Continue reading Jurassic Park: The Revolution of Visual Effects in Cinema
Jurassic Park and the Dangers of Scientific Hubris
Every time I see a headline about scientists successfully extracting ancient DNA or making breakthroughs in de-extinction technology, I can't help but think: Haven't we literally watched this movie? Multiple times, in fact. Yet here we are in 2025, with researchers seriously discussing mammoth cloning and genetic resurrection while seemingly having learned nothing from Steven … Continue reading Jurassic Park and the Dangers of Scientific Hubris
Jurassic Park’s Legacy in Pop Culture: References, Parodies, and Homages
When Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park roared into theaters in 1993, few could have predicted the seismic cultural impact it would have. Based on Michael Crichton's bestselling novel, the film revolutionized visual effects with its groundbreaking blend of CGI and animatronics, forever changing how dinosaurs were portrayed on screen and in the public imagination. But beyond … Continue reading Jurassic Park’s Legacy in Pop Culture: References, Parodies, and Homages
How Music Brings Prehistoric Worlds to Life
In 1993, Steven Spielberg accomplished something extraordinary – he made dinosaurs live again on the silver screen. But it wasn't just groundbreaking visual effects that brought these ancient creatures to life; it was the masterful musical work of composer John Williams that truly made us believe in their world. Williams' score for Jurassic Park stands … Continue reading How Music Brings Prehistoric Worlds to Life
Ranking Cinema’s Most Terrible Characters: A Definitive List
Recently, I stumbled across one of those viral social media videos where someone ranked four infamous movie characters from bad to worst. While I agreed with the premise that all four characters are problematic, I couldn't help but disagree with their final ranking. So let me set the record straight on how these characters should … Continue reading Ranking Cinema’s Most Terrible Characters: A Definitive List
The Best Movies from My Second Decade
Last week I began a series of posts that take a look at my favorite movies from every year I've been alive. I took inspiration from a post I read last year over at Fairly Professional. Since I'm 41, I've decided to just keep it to my first 40 years. And since that's a lot, … Continue reading The Best Movies from My Second Decade
My Favorite Movies #32 – Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park 1993 Directed by Steven Spielberg Quick synopsis... A multimillionaire (Richard Attenborough) unveils a new theme park where visitors can observe dinosaurs cloned using advanced DNA technology. But when an employee tampers with the security system, the dinosaurs escape, forcing the visitors to fight for their survival. Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern … Continue reading My Favorite Movies #32 – Jurassic Park
