Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) – Steven Spielberg

If the Indiana Jones films that were set in the 30s were to pay homage to the serials of the time, then by moving Indy (Harrison Ford) into the 50s it makes sense, from a cinematic historical point of view that the film would include nuclear weapons, aliens and UFOs. That doesn’t mean it translated…

George Pal Double Feature – 4K/Blu-Ray Review

If you missed the gorgeous War of the Worlds Criterion Edition blu-ray, then Paramount Pictures has you covered with their 4K version which is upgraded from the same elements giving fans a whole new look at the classic science fiction film. Sure that means you can see some of the wires moving the alien ships…

The Sniper (1952) – Edward Dmytryk

I do enjoy a good film noir, and The Sniper is one I had never heard of, and quite happily dug into, contained as it was in a Film Noir Collection I had been gifted one holiday season. Despite some very sexist trappings, it was the 50s after all, there’s a really fascinating story here….

TAD 2021: Canadian Shorts

Canada delivers its own Shorts programme for Toronto After Dark, with 9 selections, that like the International Shorts features a variety of styles, sensibilities, and genre mashing. There’s some great work in here, and despite the fact that none of the films were as laugh out loud as the highly enjoyable Shiny New World, there…

Tobor the Great (1954) – Lee Sholem

DK Publishing brings me another mechanical menace from its highly enjoyable Monsters in the Movies book. This time around, he’s not so much a menace as he is menace. Very much a product of its time, the 50s, this film, dramatically set in the future of the day after tomorrow, it’s a charming, if not…

Strange Invaders (1983) – Michael Laughlin

The next alien monster film featured in DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies is an interesting one in that it had possibilities and potential, but it’s execution borders on the horrible. Meant to be both homage and satire of the sci-fi movies of the late 50s the story seems like it would work perfectly –…

Roman Holiday (1953) – Blu-Ray Review

For the first time ever, the Audrey Hepburn/Gregory Peck classic, Roman Holiday, from 1953, is being released to blu-ray by Paramount Pictures. It feels look overdue, but this absolutely delightful film proves that good things come to those who wait. Filmed completely on location in Rome, the film, Hepburn’s first made her a star, and…

Diamonds Are Forever (1956) – Ian Fleming

The fourth James Bond adventure by Ian Fleming is on my book shelf this week, and I dug into it eagerly. Despite some troubling moments of racism, 007’s literary adventure in this book is damned enjoyable, and you can see a number of themes and locales survived the jump to the big screen with Sean…

Star Trek: Enterprise (2002) – Shockwave Part II, and Carbon Creek

Captain’s log: February, 2152 Rick Berman and Brannon Braga pen the season two opener of Enterprise, which resolves the Shockwave cliffhanger. The season debuted on 18 September, 2002. While Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) is seemingly marooned in the 31st century with Daniels (Matt Winston), the crew of the Enterprise is taken prisoner by the Suliban….