Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s mystery novel, Murder on the Orient Express has its good and bad points. I love Branagh’s attention to detail in bringing the Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, to life. Unfortunately, that same attention isn’t given to the supporting cast that brings to life the trouble Poirot finds himself embroiled in….
M*A*S*H (1981) – Wheelers and Dealers, Communication Breakdown, and Snap Judgment
Thad Mumford and Dan Wilcox deliver Wheelers and Dealers which first aired on 23 November, 1981. While Potter (Harry Morgan) deals with taking a remedial driving class due to an incident on leave, B.J. (Mike Farrell) gets some news from home. It seems the second mortgage on the house is coming due and to help…
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) – Rachel Talalay
Despite the poster’s tagline about saving the best for last, the sixth film in the Nightmare on Elm Street series is nothing short of a franchise killer. So horrendously bad there doesn’t seem to be any redeeming qualities to the film although there’s an actual interesting seed of an idea regarding Freddy’s offspring. Filled with…
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1981) – The Satyr, and Shgoratchx!
Buck (Gil Gerard) and Twiki (Felix Silla, voice by Mel Blanc) find themselves in a bit of a fantasy story with The Satyr. Written by Paul Schneider this episode first debuted on 12 March, 1981. The Searcher arrives at a planet and Buck draws the assignment to go and catalog it. Upon arrival he and…
Mission: Impossible (1971) – Encore, and The Tram
Encore, written by Harold Livingston, feels like a missed opportunity for the Mission: Impossible series. If it had been done one season earlier it would have been a fantastic reunion because it boasts William Shatner in its guest cast. Can you imagine if he had played a baddie going up against Leonard Nimoy’s Paris? Instead,…
Shards of Earth (2021) – Adrian Tchaikovsky
Before I could dig into Eyes of the Void by Adrian Tchaikovsky, available now through Orbit Books, I had to familiarize myself with the characters of the universe he created by reading the first volume, Shards of Earth, also available from Orbit Books. Within pages of Tchaikovsky’s book, I was wrapped up in the imagination…
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1981) – The Golden Man, and The Crystals
Buck (Gil Gerard) finds him stuck in a run-of-the-mill adventure that feels a little bit like a fairy tale, perhaps because of the planetary setting and a little silly because of the reveal at the tale’s end. Written by Calvin Clements Jr. and Stephen McPherson, The Golden Man first aired on 19 February, 1981. The…
Battle Royale (2000) – Kinji Fukasaku
It’s been over a decade since I last watched this iconic action film. And while I didn’t remember all of the characters and details of the film I knew it was a kick-ass film and was eager to take a look at it. Wrapped in blood and violence the film is a harsh coming of…
Alien Code (2018) – Michael G. Cooney
Somewhere along my prowling of the internet, I stumbled across the trailer for this film, and was suitably intrigued enough to add it to my viewing queue. Watching it, there’s an intriguing premise, a well-orchestrated execution of subject matter despite budget constraints, and despite overreaching on its subject matter (seemingly wanting to throw every piece…
M*A*S*H (1981) – Identity Crisis, Rumor at the Top, and Give ‘Em Hell, Hawkeye
David Ogden Stiers slips into the director’s chair for Identity Crisis which was written by Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford and had an original airdate of 2 November, 1981. Father Mulcahy (William Christopher) gets some of the spotlight in this episode when he encounters a wounded soldier played by a young Joe Pantoliano. He claims…
