The X-Files (2002) – William, and Release

David Duchovny returns this week, behind the camera to direct an episode that he thought up alongside Frank Spotnitz and series creator Chris Carter, who also penned the teleplay. It first aired on 28 April, 2002, and puts Scully’s (Gillian Anderson) baby, William front and center, and gives us the heartbreaking ending first… she gives…

The X-Files (2002) – Providence, and Audrey Pauley

Series creator Chris Carter directs this episode, Providence, that he co-wrote with Frank Spotnitz, that concludes the story begun next week, while pushing the mythology arc forward with the super-soldiers, baby William and the UFO cult that wants him. First airing on 10 March, 2002, the cult, who believes that the ship they have uncovered,…

The X-Files (2002) – Hellbound, and Provenance

Reyes (Annabeth Gish) brings an unusual case to Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) in Hellbound. She also has a strange connection to it that she can’t quite figure out. Written by David Amann and first airing on 27 January, 2002, the agents find themselves a series of deaths involving ex-cons who were skinned…

The X-Files (2001) – 4-D, and The Lord of the Flies

Steven Maeda pens 4-D which makes Reyes (Annabeth Gish) put the idea of parallel universe to the test. First airing on 9 December, 2001, the episode opens with a bit of a shocker when Reyes has her throat slit and dies in the pursuit of a serial killer, Lukesh (Dylan Haggerty), and Doggett (Robert Patrick)…

The X-Files (2001) – Nothing Important Happened Today II, and Daemonicus

Scully (Gillan Anderson) gets pulled deeper into the super-soldier investigation by Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Reyes (Annabeth Gish) when Shannon McMahon (Lucy Lawless) reveals more about the program in Nothing Important Happened Today II. Written by series creator Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, this episode first debuted on 18 November, 2001. And as the opening…

The X-Files (2001) – Existence, and Nothing Important Happened Today

Series creator Chris Carter closed out the eighth season with Existence, which debuted on 20 May, 2001. Picking up where the previous episode left off, we see the metallic skeletal frame of the alien replicant/super soldier version of Billy Miles (Zachary Ansley) reforming itself so it can continue its pursuit of the pregnant Scully (Gillian…

Days of Thunder (1990) – Tony Scott

Tony Scott re-pairs with Tom Cruise after their success with Top Gun, add in a score by Hans Zimmer and throw in a cast that includes Robert Duvall, Nicole Kidman, John C. Reilly, Micheal Rooker, Randy Quaid, and Cary Elwes, and producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, this sounds like nothing but win, but Days…

Tom Cruise 4K Triple Threat Tuesday

Tom Cruise comes home in the 4K treatment from Paramount this week with three remastered titles, a double Tiny Scott feature, Days of Thunder and Top Gun, and the Steven Spielberg 21st century take on the classic tale of War of the Worlds. Of the three films I was most eager to dig into Top…

Fan Expo 2018: An Exploration of Fandom, Age,and Being a Geek

There are few things that portend the end of summer for me more than Toronto’s Fan Expo, falling around the Labor Day Weekend it is one last big sendup and celebration of countless fandoms. And this year Expo made sure to pull out all the stops, there were celebrities and panels, parties and purchases that…

The Princess Bride (1987) – Rob Reiner

The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of The Fellowship of the Ring is this fantastic adaptation by William Goldman of his highly enjoyable novel, The Princess Bride. Director Rob Reiner gathers a fantastic cast that includes Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy…