Its action sequences are flawed, and don’t look anywhere as near as cool, and sharp as they could, but 1996’s The Substitute (which spawned three increasingly bad direct-to-video sequels) is packed with familiar faces. The cast is led by Tom Berenger, and includes Raymond Cruz, Luis Guzman, William Forsythe, Rodney, A. Grant, Ernie Hudson, Marc…
Author: TD Rideout
Allan Quatermain & The Lost City of Gold (1986) – Gary Nelson
Gary Nelson, who directed my beloved The Black Hole, directed the sequel to 1985’s King Solomon’s Mines, Allan Quatermain & The Lost City of Gold, which was filmed back to back with the first film. In fact, it steals a large portion of Jerry Goldsmith’s score for the first film as a way to save…
Avatar: The Last Airbender – Book 1: Water (2005) – Jet, The Great Divide, and The Storm
Problems arise for our heroes, when they meet a young revolutionary named Jet (Crawford Wilson). This episode, written by Aaron Ehasz, was first broadcast on 6 May, 2005. After stumbling upon a Fire Nation encampment, Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen), Katara (Mae Whitman) and Sokka (Jack De Sena), Jet rescues them and reveals his hidden encampment…
The Addams Family (1991) – Barry Sonnenfeld
I remember enjoying The Addams Family from Barry Sonnenfeld when it came out in 1991, as it brought back memories of watching the original show on TBS in the evenings. I loved Raul Julia’s portrayal of Gomez, the family patriarch, and consequently, I figured it was time for a revisit. It’s definitely not aimed at…
Star Trek: Picard (2023) – Dominion, and Surrender
Things are getting intense as we race towards the series finale. Dominion ups the stakes again. Written by Jane Maggs, it debuted on 30 March, 2023. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Crusher (Gates McFadden) learn some shocking truths about these new Changelings (augmented and developed by Starfleet under Project Proteus), especially Vadic (Amanda Plummer) as they…
Family Ties (1986) – Checkmate, Engine Trouble, and A Word to the Wise
Alex (Micheal J. Fox) learns the difference between countries fighting for honour, and two people playing chess for the love of the game in Checkmate. Written by Micheal J. Weithorn, it first aired on 30 January, 1986. Alex is gearing up for a showdown with a Russian chess champ, Ivan Rozmirovich (Albert Macklin) and despite…
Easy Go (1968) – Micheal Crichton
Easy Go should have been my favourite of Micheal Crichton’s early novels. Written under his John Lange pseudonym while Crichton was still in med-school, the book includes some archaeology, some Egyptology, and the idea of a heist. Barnaby has discovered the possibility of a lost tomb, an undiscovered cache of wealth and a forgotten king….
Star Trek: Picard (2023) – Imposters, and The Bounty
Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the Titan may have gotten away from Vadic (Amanda Plummer) and the Shrike, but their troubles may only be starting in Imposters, as Jack’s (Ed Speelers) visions become stronger and increasingly violent. Written by Cindy Appel and Christopher B. Derrick, this episode debuted on 16 March, 2023. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) returns…
Mississippi Burning (1988) – Alan Parker
Mississippi Burning was relevant when it was made in the late 80s (it was relevant when I watched it nine years ago and wrote about it then), and sadly, here in 2024, it’s still relevant, because racism still seems to be way too rampant. The Oscar-winning film (Cinematography) has a stellar cast and is based…
Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire (2023) – Zack Snyder
I’ll say this. Snyder can create some great visual images, but as a director, I often find myself disappointed by his work. Sadly, the first installment in his Rebel Moon series leaves me unimpressed with what he’s created. Playing as a cross between Star Wars: A New Hope (apparently Rebel Moon was originally going to…
The Mind Reels 