Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) – Mike Newell

The fourth entry in the Harry Potter franchise is the first to get itself a PG-13 rating, reflecting the fact tht the stories themselves are getting darker, and dealing with heavier subjects. It also sees a new director behind the camera, Mike Newell, who continues the world-building of the series, embracing the visual aesthetic that…

A Gathering of Shadows (2016) – V.E. Schwab

The second installment in V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy transports me easily, and enjoyably back to Red London, as well as fiving us glimpses of White and Grey Londons, but before you pick it up, a little warning… this is book two of a trilogy, you have to know that this one is going…

Mission: Impossible (1968) – A Game of Chess, and The Emerald

The IMF team takes on yet another corrupt member of some unnamed Soviet Bloc country in A Game of Chess. Written by Richard M. Sakal, this episode was first broadcast on 14 January, 1968. Phelps (Peter Graves) and his team take on Nicholas Groat (Don Francks), a chess grandmaster who is also organising a theft…

Star Trek: Voyager (2000) – Drive, and Repression

Captain’s log: stardate 54058.6 Micheal Taylor pens this episode that first screened on 18 October, 2000. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), after getting the okay from Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) enters the new Delta Flyer in a lightspeed race, a friendly competition held by four species who were originally at war. The event is being held…

Black Moon Rising (1986) – Harley Cokeliss

My time with John Carpenter continues as I delve further into the Sci-Fi Chronicles book. This time around it’s an action thriller that Carpenter penned and sees Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Hamilton and Robert Vaughn caught up in the action. Jones is Quint, a professional thief, who is hired by the FBI to gather evidence…

Hot Docs 2016: Wizard Mode -Nathan Drillot & Jeff Petry

  Robert Gagno is a brilliantly talented pinball wizard, he is also autistic.  And amidst the flashing lights, electronic sounds, and crowds of people, he comes of age as he travels to Pinburgh, the pinball  competition mecca of the world. Wizard Mode introduces us to Robert, a young man, with an easy smile, a knack…

Hot Docs: Last Woman Standing – Lorraine Price and Juliet Lammers

The film opens with three important facts. Women’s Boxing has been added as an official medal event at the 2012 Olympics for the first time in history. The world’s two best female boxers reside in Canada. Only one can be selected to compete for Olympic gold. All that in itself would make for a captivating…