This week’s journey into the dark reaches of the psyche as I continue my travels with Paramount Pictures through the Twilight Zone starts with one of the series iconic episodes – The Monsters are Due on Maple Street. Rod Serling penned this episode that had an original airdate of 4 March, 1960. Disaster is about…
Tag: Alien
Arrival (2016) – Denis Villeneuve Blu-Ray Review
Anyone who follows this blog knows I am passionate about my science fiction cinema, but that doesn’t mean it’s always good. Therefore when a smart piece of sci-fi film making comes along, I feel I have to champion it, to cheer it on, revel in it, and share it with all who will listen. Villeneuve’s…
Doctor Who (Paul McGann) – The Movie
Seven years after Sylvester McCoy’s last story, Survival, a weird co-production involving Fox television and the BBC, introduced Paul McGann as the Doctor when McCoy regenerated into him after being shot in San Francisco (actually Vancouver), at the end of the 20th century. The story is deeply flawed, conflicts with canon in a number of…
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) – Colin and Greg Strause
Picking up where the first film left off – with the strange Predalien bursting into existence, this ill-advised sequel continues to pair up two of the greatest movie monster creations against one another, with humanity stuck between them, and because of the terrible way it’s handled, no one can be bothered to care. Unfortunately, for…
Alien 3 (1992) – David Fincher
Sure the special edition taken from Fincher’s workprint wasn’t unveiled until 2003, but it’s the only way I’ll watch the movie now, and makes the film a little stronger than its original theatrical cut. This corner of the Alien universe is my next stop on my journey with the Sci-Fi Chronicles, as it seems I’ve…
Doctor Who (Sylvester McCoy) – Dragonfire
The final story of Season 24, and McCoy’s first comes to a close this week, with the three part tale, Dragonfire. Written by Ian Briggs, this serial ran from 23 November to 7 December, 1987. This was Mel’s (Bonnie Langford) last adventure with the Doctor, and a new companion, Ace (Sophie Aldred) joins the Time…
Alien Nation (1988) – Graham Baker
Before District 9, Earth took in the Newcomers, and as they attempted to fit into our society, despite racism, prejudice, and simple confusion in customs, a pair of cops, one human, one newcomer, try to work together. This one is the next stop in the Sci-Fi Chronicles as I spend some more time with James…
Galaxy of Terror (1981) – Bruce D. Clark
The next stop for me in the Sci-Fi Chronicles book is the works of James Cameron, and this is where he got some of his start (and where a behind the scenes worker, Bill Paxton, also did some work) as the film’s production designer. Cameron did some special effects work for this Roger Corman produced B-movie (something…
Star Trek: The Original Series (1967) – The Squire of Gothos and Arena
Captain’s log: stardate 2124.5 The Squire of Gothos. Oh man, what a fun episode. Penned by Paul Schneider this episode had it’s first airing on 12 January, 1967. Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Lt. Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) vanish from the bridge, and when Spock (Leonard Nimoy) sends a landing party, led by…
Ender’s Game (2013) – Gavin Hood
No matter what you think of Orson Scott Card’s personal politics, there is no denying that Ender’s Game is a solid, strong and involving novel. It shouldn’t have taken as long as it did for a film adaptation for this one to come along, but it finally did in 2013, and is my next stop…
The Mind Reels 