Canadian author Nick Cutter (aka Craig Davidson) really knows to deliver a tale that gets under your skin, and horrifies you, and he does it again with The Queen. Combining a coming-of-age tale with explicitly detailed body horror, this one was a page-turner from the beginning and is completely engrossing. Cutter plunges readers right into…
Tag: charity
The Exorcist: Believer (2023) – David Gordon Green
For the first few minutes of The Exorcist: Believer I thought that maybe the reviews were wrong, that they had been too harsh, or maybe didn’t understand what the film was trying to do. It’s opening felt, to me, very much in line with the original film, until the earthquake hit, and from that moment…
Batman (1967) – Batman’s Anniversary, and A Riddling Controversy
The Riddler is back, but with Frank Gorshin still in contract negotiations, they recast him… with John Astin. And as much as I love Astin and his style, his look and his delivery, he simply can’t compare to Gorshin’s manic delivery. I’m all for Astin making a guest appearance in the series, but maybe they…
Mission: Impossible (1967) – The Seal, and Sweet Charity
Phelps (Peter Graves) and his IMF team take part in some high tech theft in The Seal, the first episode up this week, as I continue to explore The Complete Series on blu-ray from Paramount Pictures. Written by the team of William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, this episode was first broadcast on 5 November,…
M*A*S*H (1975) – Bulletin Board, The Consultant, and House Arrest
Alan Alda steps behind the camera to direct Bulletin Board, a bit of a vignette episode written by Simon Muntner and series developer Larry Gelbart. It debuted on 14 January, 1975. Trapper (Wayne Rogers) is writing a letter home to his kids (and occasionally smooching a nurse or two), Frank (Larry Linville) and Margaret (Loretta…
Fan Expo 2019
Somehow just like that, Fan Expo, in its 25th year is over. Packed with a plethora of guests the four day event was filled with fans, booths, collectibles, tees, and a fandom moment for everyone. I was totally eager to see how things played out this year, spending time with friends new and old, and…
Cujo (1981) – Stephen King
This week’s visit to the Book Shelf brings me another early King classic. Apparently he wrote this one quickly, and was under the influence while he did, and doesn’t even remember it. Unlike some of his other earlier works, this one didn’t wow me, and for the first time I came across a King story…
The Greatest Showman (2017) – Michael Gracy
Last night I had a chance to take in Hugh Jackman’s passion project, The Greatest Showman, a musical based on the life of P.T. Barnum, as well as his famed circus. Jackman plays the titular character and easily slips back into his song and dance roots. Joining him on-screen is Michelle Williams, as Barnum’s wife,…
Into the Wild (2007) – Sean Penn
The final recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of American Beauty is this drama that casts Emile Hirsch in the role of Christopher McCandless. A top student, a promising athlete, Christopher, upon his graduation from Emory University, gives away his money to charity, and begins a…
Batman: The Animated Series (1992) – I Am The Night, Almost Got ‘Im and Moon of the Wolf
Batman (Kevin Conroy) makes Gotham’s streets a little safer this week, with three more episodes from the classic series. First up is I Am The Night, which aired 9 November, 1992, Batman examines his role in the city, and if he is good enough for it, when Commissioner Gordon (Bob Hastings) is critically injured….
The Mind Reels 