The end of James Bond’s first year at Eton is almost here, and the young boy, still thirteen, is working to figure out what to do with his summer holidays. His Aunt Charmain endorses his choice to go on a school trip to Sardinia, with the caveat that if it gets too dull, he can…
Tag: cinematic
With a Mind to Kill (2022) – Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz delivers one last 007 adventure, this one set after the last novel in the Ian Fleming series, The Man with the Golden Gun. James Bond had been brainwashed by the Russians and sent to kill M, something he almost did. But after some rehabilitation, 007 proved himself once again by going after Scaramanga….
The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007) – Brian Selznick
I remember being completely enchanted when I realized the movie, Hugo, was not only about a boy who lived in a train station, but about Georges Melies, the famed French director, and his wonderful collection of films. It absolutely swept me up in it’s narrative. But I had never read Brian Selznick’s original book, which…
Shutter Island (2010) – Martin Scorsese
I remember when Shutter Island hit the cinemas, and then hit home video, everyone was raving about it. When I finally had a chance to watch it, I had the mystery figured out pretty quickly, though I will say it was wonderfully executed. Scorsese delivers a gorgeous looking film, and makes great use of visual…
Punch-Drunk Love (2002) – 4K Review
I’ll be honest. I wasn’t a fan of Adam Sandler. I never really found him that funny. His style just didn’t appeal to me. When I saw him in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love, however, I saw a completely different side of him as he took on the lead role of Barry Egan in a…
The World is Not Enough (1999) Raymond Benson
Raymond Benson’s next Bond story was the adaptation of the Pierce Brosnan film, The World is Not Enough. It doesn’t differ too much from what ended up onscreen, but because it’s the written word, it allows one to recast the film, and I happily eject Denise Richards as Christmas Jones from the movie in my…
Heat 2 (2022) – Michael Mann & Meg Gardiner
Iconic Holywood writer/director Michael Mann pairs up with acclaimed novelist Meg Gardiner to revisit and expand on the world of cop Vincent Hanna, thieves Neil McCauley and Chris Shiherlis and the pursuit of their goals before and after the events portrayed in the 1995 film. Coiled like a spring, this crime thriller ratchets up the…
1883 (2021) – Blu-Ray Review
It has been a while since I was utterly gobsmacked and left wordless following a television show, but 1883, an origin story for the hugely popular Yellowstone series (which I’ve yet to start) did that. It is available today on Blu-ray and DVD from Paramount Pictures. Written and created by Taylor Sheridan, who also created…
The Batman (2022) – 4K Review
Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson’s take on the World’s Greatest Detective, The Batman, is available now from Warner Brothers Canada on DVD, Blu, and 4K. They were kind enough to ensure I had a copy on hand to take a look at, and I was more than happy to take a look at the film…
Zero Minus Ten (1997) – Raymond Benson
While I may not have cared for Raymond Benson’s 007 short story, Blast From the Past (to be clear I liked everything but for the Penthouse Forum ending of the story) I was more than ready to return to the world of James Bond, and see what Benson could deliver with his first novel featuring…
The Mind Reels 