The final episode of Hill Street Blues’ third season, as usual, has a lot going on. Written by Anthony Yerkovich, David Milch, and Mark Frost from a story by Steven Bochco, Jeffrey Lewis and Milch, season three came to a close on 12 May, 1983. While Fay (Barbara Bosson) reveals she’s going to have a…
Month: February 2023
Napoleon Dynamite (2004) – Jared Hess
Napoleon Dynamite was huge. I remember when it came out, and hit home video, it was so big. We played it all the time in the store, it was just fun, and most of us had known someone like Napoleon while we were growing up. That being said, Napoleon (Jon Heder) has a lot more…
The Equalizer (1987) – Mission: McCall: Part 2, and Shadow Play
Edward Woodward’s recovery from his heart attack between seasons necessitated the creation of a story that would cover his absence while he recovered. Mission: McCall: Part 2, is the second half of the storyline to explain his absence. Written by Ed Waters, Scott Shepherd and Robert Eisele from a story by Waters and Coleman Luck,…
Disquiet (2023) – Michael Winnick
There are some fun and familiar ideas at work in Michael Winnick’s Disquiet which is getting a limited theatrical run, and VOD release tomorrow, but it just isn’t as strong as it could be. At just under an hour and a half I still felt the editing could have been tighter, and the characters could…
The Expanse (2019) – New Terra, and Jetsam
Season four saw some behind-the-scenes changes for The Expanse, even as the timeline moves forward over eight months. The series moved from Syfy to Amazon, and the entire fourth season was dropped on 13 December, 2019, allowing fans to devour all ten episodes in a day, if they wanted. Written by Mark Fergus and Hawk…
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999) – Stephen King
Alright, Mr. King. You got me again. I didn’t realize how much stress and worry I was carrying around for little Trisha in this book until I reached the last page and shed my silent tears. Damn, this one reeled me in. Steering away from his the horror storytelling he’s best known for, though over…
The Equalizer (1987) – Encounter in a Closed Room, and Mission: McCall: Part 1
Encounter in a Closed Room feels a little uneven, the editing and narrative a little choppy, but it’s still an enjoyable episode, and features some solid guest stars in the form of Michael Moriarty, Maureen Mueller and Jamey Sheridan. Written by Ann Lewis Hamilton from a story by Hamilton and Schott Shepherd, this episode first…
Batman: Year One (2011) – Sam Liu, and Lauren Montgomery
I have a tough time getting through animated Batman films because when it comes to being Batman, especially in an animated format, it’s all about the voice, and for me, as for countless fans, Kevin Conroy is, and always will be, Batman. But that doesn’t really stop Warner Brothers’ animation department from cranking out a…
All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) – Edward Berger
I missed All Quiet on the Western Front when it screened at TIFF. I just couldn’t make it work with my schedule, so when it dropped on Netflix, you can be assured it went to the front of my viewing queue. Berger’s film, based on the iconic novel by Erich Maria Remarque, is a stunning…
Hill Street Blues (1983) – Spotlight on Rico, and Buddy, Can You Spare a Heart?
Benedetto (Dennis Franz) is back on the Hill with Spotlight on Rico. Written by Jeffrey Lewis, Michael Wagner, David Milch and Karen Hall from a story by Wagner, Lewis and Steven Bochco, this episode debuted on 28 April, 1983. While Hill (Micheal Warren) attempts to get his car out of a tow lot, something that…
The Mind Reels 