Signs that people might be a true-blue film buff

Joe Cianciotto. The difference is that true-blue film buffs keep the act of watching films sacred. Here are signs that a person might be a true film buff.

Image source: pixabay.com

Image source: pixabay.com

They get rid of distractions.

Film buffs switch off phones when in theaters. At home, they close the doors, turn off anything that might distract them, even tell their friends or family members not to disturb them, and watch the film through and through as though in a movie theater. Joe Cianciotto.

They position themselves in a comfortable (but not too comfortable) manner.

At home, film buffs set up everything from dimming the lights to shutting the drapes to prepping the snacks and drinks before watching the movie.

They don’t overthink on the first viewing.

As difficult as it may seem, film buffs try not to overthink things during the first viewing. They try to take in the experience and leave the more technical insights like on cinematography, dialogue, and editing the next time they watch. Joe Cianciotto.

They are immersed.

Probably the most important thing film buffs do is to be immersed in a film. They can imagine being part of the movie as if the characters are right in front of them. Joe Cianciotto.

Ranking the top five MCU films to date

Joe Cianciotto. And just like that, the Marvel Cinematic Universe wraps up its Phase 3 with a bang. After "Avengers: Endgame" came and went, leaving record box-office numbers in its wake on its way to becoming the highest-grossing film of all-time, "Spider-Man: Far From Home" capped things off with a heartfelt epilogue.

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Image source: Disney.com

In line with this, below are the top five MCU Films to date. Joe Cianciotto.

5. Avengers: Infinity War

Edging out Endgame on this list, many people believed that Infinity War had a tighter story altogether and provided more gravitas to the overall story of the MCU.

4. Spider-Man: Far From Home

Joe Cianciotto. With the split of Disney and Sony, Far From Home will probably be the last time audiences see Spidey in the MCU. If that’s the case, it couldn’t have been a greater exit. Far From Home is the best Spider-Man live-action film in over 10 years.

3. Marvel’s The Avengers

The first Avengers film wasn’t so much a film as it was an event. Much like the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, something of this magnitude had never been done before in cinema history. Joe Cianciotto.

2. Thor Ragnarok

While some of the more traditional fans still balk at how Ragnarok mocks the God of Thunder rather than raise him up to a status worthy of a god, it was far and away the most original of the MCU films. It was also hilarious. Joe Cianciotto.

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The peak in MCU storytelling, this second Captain America film turns everything and everyone on its head with a twist that had forever changed the MCU. It also deepened many of the main characters’ stories, laying the groundwork for the rest of the existing MCU phases. Joe Cianciotto.

Three inspirational films to come out of Hollywood in the past 50 years

All heart -- Joe Cianciotto

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Image source: nbc.com

Hollywood has come out with a number of inspirational movies in the past half-century, films that have made audiences tear-up at their most triumphant or emotional moments.

As the first part of a tribute to all the inspiring films in the past 50 years, here are three movies that have tugged at audiences’ hearts.

Rudy (1993): Americans love football, and they love football movies. And while there have been a dozen or so quality films on the sport, none of these films was as inspiring as “Rudy.” The film, based on the life of Daniel Ruettiger, wasn’t a box-office hit, but it created a cult following that endures until today, with many people saying that watching the “Rudy” saved their lives. Joe Cianciotto.

Rocky (1976): Probably the most inspirational film on combat sports ever made, “Rocky” is the original and definitive underdog Hollywood hero. In it, Sylvester Stallone plays the down-on-his-luck prizefighter who is given a once-in-a-lifetime chance and makes the most of it, finding redemption, love, and destiny all at once. Joe Cianciotto.

Braveheart (1995): “Braveheart” is a historical epic loosely based on Scottish medieval history. Mel Gibson both directs and stars in the Oscar-winning movie that’s both brutal and beautiful. At its heart, the film tackles one of man’s basic needs – freedom, and his determination to get it at all costs. Joe Cianciotto.

Easter eggs fans might have missed in 'Avengers: Endgame'

"Avengers: Endgame" marks the end of phase one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after 21 films. It was a three-hour extravaganza containing all the humor, heartbreak, and action to cap the movie. And like most Marvel movies, this too had its fair share of Easter eggs served to fans who are extra observant or who’ve done multiple viewings of the film. Here are some Easter eggs fans might have missed in Avengers Endgame. Joe Cianciotto.

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It’s no longer a secret that Tony Stark dies at the end of the film. During his wake, the camera scrolls to all those who are present which are mostly members of the Avengers and their factions. There was one sore thumb in the scene, a teenage boy whom fans have never seen before. The young man is actually the kid from "Iron Man 3," Harley Keener. Joe Cianciotto.

It hasn’t been hinted yet that the X-Men universe existed in the same universe as the MCU. That is until an Easter egg was found in the scene where Antman was looking for his daughter’s name among those who have disappeared. During the search, the name Roberto da Costa appeared on the list. Da Costa, of course, is a member of the New Mutants called Sunspot. Joe Cianciotto.

Lastly, several MCU films have featured cast members of the Russo’s previous show Community. They’ve featured Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, and Jim Rash before. And in Endgame, they added Yvette Nicole Brown and Ken Jeong to the list. Joe Cianciotto.

Real estate photography tips that highlight great architecture and design

Real estate photography tips and tricks Joe Cianciotto

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Image source: sellingguide.realestate.com.au

Always in demand, real estate photography should be done right at all times. Otherwise, photographers could be selling untruthful photos to their clients. Photography tips and tricks come in handy in this field in order to showcase every corner and detail of a property. Joe Cianciotto.

Create a standard shot list for every property. Of course, no two homes have the same features, but having typical shots will never go wrong. This ensures a photographer a point of reference even if a shooting day gets a little awry. Prepare the gear in advance. Most photographers get their gears ready the night before a shoot. Doing this affords one peace of mind and gives them more time for their creative juices to flow. Joe Cianciotto

De-clutter the property for an effective shoot. Be sure to shoot the exteriors using natural light. Shooting during the golden hour never fails. Interior photography also benefits greatly from natural light, as most subjects. Highlight kitchen tiles, countertops, and other must-see aspects of the kitchen. Some properties may have a library or an office. Play with lighting to see which approach would let the details of the room pop better. Joe Cianciotto.

Camera height is important. If one is unsure about the right height for the image, try a few before deciding which one must be sent to the client. Never be afraid to ask a client regarding their perspective. While a photographer can help them sell their property, their opinion in relation to the images matter. Joe Cianciotto

Freeze! Famous movie FBI agents

Reel agents -- Joe Cianciotto

There is no shortage of movies and TV shows that highlight the work of the FBI. For instance, five Hannibal Lecter films -- “Hannibal Rising,” “Manhunter,” “Red Dragon,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” and “Hannibal” – showcase not only the bureau but its agents as well. In fact, many actors and actresses have made their mark in Hollywood playing famed FBI agents on film and TV. Below are some of them.

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Image source: pinterest.com

All in a day’s work --- Joe Cianciotto

Clarice Starling: While many preferred Jodie Foster’s take on this very popular character, some fans are quick to point out how Julianne Moore also gave the role some justice as well. Clarice Sterling was Hannibal Lecter’s “muse.” She starts off as a naïve trainee, who eventually becomes a full-fledged FBI agent. Later in her career, she became quite the trigger-happy law enforcer, even being recognized as the FBI agent with most kills. Joe Cianciotto.

Fox Mulder and Dana Scully: For many fans, the pair is a perfect union. While the two first gained following in the cult TV series, they also had two movies together, “The X-Files Movie” and “The X-Files: I Want to Believe.” Long-time FBI partners Mulder and Scully went through countless adventures and even ended up together.

Agent J: Many movie fans consider “Men in Black” as part of a secret FBI organization. And Will Smith’s portrayal, alongside Tommy Lee Jones’ Agent K, is downright hilarious. Joe Cianciotto.

Production design tips for your first film

My name is Joe Cianciotto, and I’ve been a movie buff for the longest time. Lately though, I’ve been toying with the thought of finally making my own short film. Two nights ago, I met up with a friend of mine who just graduated from interior design school and we got to talking about production design for film. She told me that it was her dream too to be part of a film production and she had even done her research on it.

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Apparently, we won’t need to spend top dollar for a decent production design. She showed me just how.

First off, we have to be picky with our location shootings. Some of the cheapest locations are inside our own homes or around our communities. This saves money of trips and rent.

Next, my friend told me that if our short film is set in today’s world, it’s pretty easy to move some stuff around our places to make them look different. However, if it’s set in a different world or time, we can hire friends to make sets for us. This is much cheaper than say renting a hotel room for a few days.

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Finally, my friend told me that we can recycle old stuff in abandoned places, stuff that nobody uses anymore. It may take some time, but at least it’ll be considerably cheaper than buying props.

I’ll keep you posted on everything. Joe Cianciotto, future film director

Hi, the name’s Joe Cianciotto, and I’m a San Francisco Bay Area-based architect. I like to write about buildings, new gadgets, and movie blockbusters. Follow me on Twitter for similar updates.

'The Crow': A classic that will never be forgotten

My name is Joe Cianciotto, and I’ve been a movie buff for as long as I can remember. Like many of you, I love a well-made superhero movie. As we know, not all films based on comic books are made equal. Some are just better than others. And one movie that in my mind, stands out from the rest is 1994’s "The Crow."

Image source: mentalfloss.com

Based on James O’Barr’s exquisitely dark graphic novel, "The Crow" has become one of the biggest cult phenomena in film history. And director Alex Proyas deserves a standing ovation for bringing the dark world of O’Barr’s masterpiece to life.

However, a huge part of the success of "The Crow" belongs to the late great Brandon Lee who like his father, the legendary Bruce Lee, lost his life way too soon. In Brandon’s case however, he was killed while shooting a scene from "The Crow" from a bullet in a gun that wasn’t supposed to be there.

Image source: slashfilm.com

Lee’s death only served to deepen the lore of the film and create an aura of darkness and tragedy which a huge part of the film’s appeal is built upon.

Add to that a soundtrack filled with rising angst and fading hope, and you have one of the, if not the most iconic, unforgettable, and heart-wrenching comic book movie of all-time. It surely has the Joe Cianciotto seal of approval.

Joe Cianciotto is an architect based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Aside from architecture, Joe loves movies. Read more about his passion on this page.

Salute: Remembering 'Band of Brothers'

My name is Joe Cianciotto. I’m a movie fanatic, but I also love a well-made TV show. Probably, the most well-made single-season TV show I’ve seen is "Band of Brothers."

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Steven Spielberg’s "Saving Private Ryan" is my number one war movie of all-time, and "Band of Brothers" complements it and adds so much more.

Produced by both Spielberg and Tom Hanks and released by HBO in 2001, "Band of Brothers" takes us all on the journey of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. At times harrowing, sometimes introspective, this brilliant and stunning series has left me in tears more than times than I can imagine watching a series.

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The episodes take us through the training, and afterwards a number of the most important operations of Easy Company. They conduct recons and raids and hold their ground against all odds in the rain and the murdering winter cold. They gain ground but lose scores of their brothers while fighting for the Allies in the greatest war humanity has ever known.

I don’t personally know a WWII veteran, but I feel now like I do. Because of the series, I’ve gained a different insight into what it means to be a soldier, fighting for what you believe is right, and what it means to have brothers who are in no way related to you by blood.

Do you like "Band of Brothers" too? Message me, Joe Cianciotto, on the comment section below and let’s discuss more epic TV series.

Joe Cianciotto is an architect based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Aside from architecture, Joe loves movies. More musings from him here.

The 10 greatest action movies of the ‘80s

I’m Joe Cianciotto and I love movies. I believe every era offers a general treatment unique to the times. One of my favorite eras is the ‘80s. I’ve already written blogs about fantasy films of the decade. Now, here are my top ten action movies from the ‘80s (in no particular order)

Image source: imdb.com

Aliens (1986): James Cameron’s finest in my opinion, and the best of the franchise (sorry, Ridley Scott).

Die Hard (1988): My favorite Christmas movie ever, “Die Hard” is one of the best action vehicles, ever.

Top Gun (1986): This is the film responsible for catapulting Tom Cruise into superstardom. And what about that soundtrack.

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Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back (1980): The decade of film opened with a bang with the greatest film of the Star Wars saga. Definitely a Joe Cianciotto favorite.

Lethal Weapon (1987): The gold standard in buddy-cop films. I’ll never be too old for this.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): Spielberg and Lucas create magic with an exhilarating adventure.

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989): Spielberg and Lucas create magic once again, on an even larger scale.

Big Trouble in Little China (1986): A cult classic from horror master, John Carpenter.

Blade Runner (1982): Ridley Scott’s stunning, unsurpassed vision of the future.

Predator (1987): Pure testosterone versus the most ruthless hunter you’ll ever come across.

Joe Cianciotto is a San Francisco Bay Area-based architect. He is a movie buff and enjoys a diverse selection of genres, including superhero films, independent science fiction, mumblecore, and Golden-age dramas and epics. Read more on this page.

A look at some of the best set design in film

My name is Joe Cianciotto, and I’m an architect. During my spare time, I love watching movies. Because of my background, I can’t help but marvel at some of the set designs I see.

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Take for example the HBO series, “Game of Thrones.” Sure, some of the parts of the set may be CGI, but that hardly dampens the magnificence of its architectural accomplishments. In fact, many of the fantasy feature films and TV shows have set design that blows my mind.


In “The Lord of the Rings,” Peter Jackson had several locations converted into structures from Middle Earth. The results were breathtaking, especially when caught with the right camera angle. They can all still be seen in New Zealand. The Shire alone evokes so many emotions of warmth and merriment.


Harry Potter’s Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry also has several magical sets in the main structure that viewers actually feel both the magic and ominous overture of He Who Must Not Be Named.

Image source: pinterest.com

Not to be outdone, science-fiction films have also gone that extra mile in set design. Films such as “Blade Runner” and “Aliens” have made full use of the creativity of set designers, much to the audience’s awe.


What film has your favorite set design? Message me, Joe Cianciotto, in the comments section below and share your favorites.


Joe Cianciotto is a San Francisco Bay Area-based architect. He is a movie buff and enjoys a diverse selection of genres, including superhero films, independent science fiction, mumblecore, and Golden-age dramas and epics. For similar posts, visit this page.

Japanese horror: A genre unlike any other

If there’s one genre in film I want to explore, but I’m hesitant too because it’s simply too creepy – it’s Japanese horror. I’ve seen a few J-Horror films and I have to say, they are exquisitely uncomfortable to watch, which is a good thing.

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Here are three examples.

Ringu (1998)

The pinnacle of J-Horror, “Ringu” kept me awake for a week. I rented the DVD with a couple of friends before the American remake came out and we had a blast watching it. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife. For those who haven’t seen it, it’s about a videotape that’s cursed. The tape kills anyone who watches it after seven days.

Image source: Wikipedia.org

Audition (1999)

Takashi Miike is by no means, a simpleton. This Japanese director has a brilliant vision, which he oftentimes mixes in with his own twisted fantasies. The most well-known of his works is 1999’s “Audition” (“O-dition”). The first half of the film is akin to a romantic drama. But the second half spirals down into hell so fast that you want have time to adjust. The visuals alone will leave you catatonic for a bit.

Ju-On: The Grudge (2000)

“The Grudge” as it is known by Western viewers is a fun, dark ride in the vein of “Ringu.” Though this is another curse-based plot, “The Grudge” pours more of itself into horror than creepiness. Another must-watch.

Hi, the name’s Joe Cianciotto and I’m a San Francisco Bay Area-based architect. I like to write about buildings, new gadgets, and movie blockbusters. Follow me on Twitter for similar updates.