By CJ Tiernan A mockumentary is a film that is crafted like a documentary in almost every way. It is telling a story with talking heads, wherein the characters are interviewed. They may break the fourth wall and the camera work will often utilize techniques like “shaky cam” that mimic a handheld, improvisational style. The difference is, the story and the characters (almost always) aren’t real. It is a small, but important difference, allowing what is otherwise an often sto

By CJ Tiernan Jay Dixit, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Character actor is the term often used for people that make a career playing supporting roles rather than starring as your typical leading man or leading lady. When you call J.K. Simmons one of the most prolific character actors to ever grace the silver screen, you pay him great compliment. He has earned it. Simmons has worked alongside countless stars and held his

By CJ Tiernan Over the years, my vernacular has become heavily populated with movie lines. There are certain circumstances that arise that you can more or less set your timepiece to me delivering a line from a movie, like Woody with a pull string. Off the dome, I’m remembering “Reach for the sky,” “This town ain’t big enough for the two of us,” “There’s a snake in my boot,” and “Somebody poisoned the waterhole.” In that sense, I'm a walking if-then statement. One’s youth is

By CJ Tiernan I'm writing this one on Halloween so, 'tis the season. The horror movie genre definitely isn't as inextricably linked to the calendar as Christmas movies, but they certainly get a bump this time of year. I know that some people aren't huge fans of the horror genre and I don't blame them. I go to a movie to be entertained but often it's more than just that. In a comedy, you want to be friends with the funny people. In an adventure, you want to be on that adventur

By CJ Tiernan Saturday Night Live (SNL) has just entered its 51st season. That is an impressive run in a genre that is ever-evolving: comedy. It is a show that has been on for so long, it has touched and shaped the comedic sensibilities of generations. I've seen clips of some of the shows that came out before I as born, but with one or two exceptions, my list is comprised of people that were on the show when I was old enough to watch. Below is a list of my 11 favorite comedia

By CJ Tiernan I like to watch TV shows that make me laugh. Some of the most fun comedy is the comedy that is born of breaking free of its previously established conventions or commenting on the standard conventions and styles. Meta means self-referential, as in referencing itself or its own genre. Below, I've compiled a list of the TV Shows I consider to be the most meta, or best at being self-referential. Please enjoy and feel free to offer up your own list in the comments.