While in Chicago this past weekend, I had a few hours to kill so I dropped $12 on a sweet luxury seat at AMC’s Dine-in theatre to watch the latest Disney/Marvel superhero blockbuster, Captain Marvel. Continue reading Captain Marvel in One Word: Adequate
Tag Archives: special
Thoughts on the New Doctor Who, the One Without the Penis
Oh fucking hell. I love the new Who. I just fucking love it. And this surprises me greatly. Continue reading Thoughts on the New Doctor Who, the One Without the Penis
Review of Europa Report
Europa Report was a mid-budget fairly hard science fiction film that came out in 2013. I had watched it immediately, and something about it had rubbed me the wrong way. I definitely recall starting to write a full review. But it seems that memory is a delusion: I had written no such review. Continue reading Review of Europa Report
Review of Hal Clement’s Mission of Gravity
In this crazy modern era of politicized writing, wherein fiction books are vetted by committees applying litmus tests for cultural sensitivity, appropriation, representation, I found myself craving a simpler time of storytelling. Continue reading Review of Hal Clement’s Mission of Gravity
#StargateRising
As you all know, if you read this site with any frequency, I am a pathological fan of the Stargate franchise. I was naturally excited when I learned that many of the producers, writers, and actors of the original series had organized a so-called “Tweetstorm” for Friday March 9, 2018, that would force the topic of Stargate to a top worldwide trending Twitter topic, maybe garnering the attention of MGM to bring the show back in some capacity. Continue reading #StargateRising
Black Lightning: First Thoughts
If you haven’t been keeping score, there’s a new entry into the DC comics’ TV shows on the CW network. Joining Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl comes another Greg Berlanti production… Black Lightning.
Review of 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
I used to adore reading fiction. Like many of you, I was one of those kids who would gladly sacrifice his eyesight to fill his imagination with one more sprawling story. It’s why I eventually became a writer: novels are jewels in this life, timeless packages of virtual reality. Continue reading Review of 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
Star Trek Discovery: the Good, the Bad, and the Ferengi
Star Trek, the original series, recently celebrated its 50th birthday. Star Trek: The Next Generation, is about to celebrate its 30th birthday. In fact, a review of its pilot episode was my very first newspaper article. I was a really bad writer back then, and an even worse reviewer. (Some say I never improved.) I predicted that the show would not last. Clearly, I’m an idiot. In my defence, I was 20 years old. Most people are idiots at 20. Continue reading Star Trek Discovery: the Good, the Bad, and the Ferengi
Fast Review of Star Trek Beyond
Legion and Powerless: Review of Two New Shows
Superhero TV shows are all the rage, and I’m certainly a sucker for them. Netflix’s Jessica Jones is one of the finest examples of the genre I’ve ever seen. The Flash has been required weekly viewing for three years now. And season 2 of Netflix’s Daredevil caused my draw to literally drop (when the Punisher walked into the courtroom… Oh. My. God… we get to see the trial of the motherfrackin’ Punisher!)
So it was predictable and understandable that the frequency of genre shows would accelerate, despite Spielberg himself saying that superheroes would soon go the way of the Western.
I was with some trepidation that I watched the newest offerings: the pilot episode of FX’s Legion, and the first two episodes of NBC’s sitcom, Powerless. Continue reading Legion and Powerless: Review of Two New Shows