Tank (1984) – Marvin J. Chomsky

1984. A few short months before my family would be posted to a new home in the middle of the ocean, I was of an age that I was allowed to go see movies in the theatre with my friends (despite the fact that the theatres were in the city proper and not on the…

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest (2009) – Daniel Alfredon

The third installment in the Millennium Trilogy, based on the novels by Stieg Larsson delivers a white knuckle ending to the film series that is just as engaging and character driven as the books on which they are based. Noomi Rapace returns as Lisbeth Salander, who is in the hospital, and then arrested following the…

The Mysterious Mr. Quin (1930) – Agatha Christie

Long before DC introduced us to Harley Quinn, a variation of the traditional harlequin character, Agatha Christie created her own Harley Quin, and introduced him to the world in a collection of short stories first published in 1930. This Harley Quinn is a tall mysterious man who appears at prime opportunities in the story, and…

Shogun (1980) – Disc 2

The epic mini-series adaptation of James Clavell’s novel (he also served as one of the show’s producers), Shogun continues this week, as I dive into disc two, which includes episode two and parts of episode three which originally aired on the 16th and 17th September, 1980, following the airing of the three hour premiere on…

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1996) – Accession, and Rules of Engagement

Station log: stardate unknown Jane Espenson pens this episode that first aired on 24 February, 1996. It shakes things up for the Bajorans and the station a little, when a three hundred year old Bajoran craft emerges from the wormhole, and its occupant, Akorem Laan (Richard Libertini) claims to be the Emissary… Which would mean…

Miami Vice (1985) – Nobody Lives Forever, Evan, and Lombard

The final trio of episodes that wrap up season one are up for viewing this week starting with Nobody Lives Forever. Written by Edward Di Lorenzo this tale first aired on 29 March, 1985. Detective Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) has his hands full with a new romance, but it may end up distracting him from…

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1994) – Tribunal, and The Jem’Hadar

Station log: stardate 47944.2 Avery Brooks directs this episode from a story by Bill Dial that sees O’Brien (Colm Meaney) stuck in a Kafka-esque nightmare when he seized and arrested by the Cardassians, purportedly for working with The Maquis. Charged with an unknown crime, all we know from past experience is that Cardassians courts, are…

Miami Vice (1984) – One Eyed Jack, and No Exit

Edward James Olmos joins the main cast this week as the division’s new lieutenant, Martin Castillo, and with his steely eyed glare on Crockett (Don Johnson) the story swings into high gear. One Eyed Jack was written by Alfonse Ruggerio Jr., and first aired on 2 November, 1984. An old flame of Crockett’s Barbara Carrow…

Miami Vice (1984) – Calderone’s Return Part I & II

This two parter sees the threat of the pilot episode come back to wreak revenge on Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) and Ricardo Tubbs (Philip Micheal Thomas). The first episode, originally aired as The Hit List was written by Joel Surnow, and first broadcast on 19 October, 1984. Sonny is due in court for a divorce…