Mexican Gothic is a wonderfully lush, and haunting novel, embracing all the familiar tropes of the Gothic genre, romance, the old dark house, family secrets, and the hints of something preter- or supernatural all juxtaposed into Mexico of the 1950s. We’re introduced to Noemi, a vivacious, smart, stubborn, flirtatious young woman who is still looking…
Tag: father
The Equalizer (1989) – Prisoners of Conscience, and The Caper
Even as the series closes in on its ending, we continue to get peeks into the character of Robert McCall (Edward Woodward), and this time he’s joined by his actual son, Tim Woodward, who takes on the role of McCall’s father, seen in flashbacks. Prisoners of Conscience was written by Robert Eisele and debuted on…
Skinamarink (2022) – Kyle Edward Ball
What could have been a descent into a childhood nightmarish dreamscape is frustratingly held back by a gimmick that overstays its welcome and leaves viewers struggling to grasp at any strands to form some kind of coherent narrative. With unusual camera angles that prevent the viewer from seeing anything of import or creating a context…
Garden State (2004) – Zach Braff
The Zach Braff film (writer/director/star) Garden State hasn’t aged very well. And even in 2004, some of it seemed questionable. The soundtrack that we all thought was amazing at the time wasn’t, and I have to tell you, I never liked the Shinns no matter how much Braff insisted the song would change your life….
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) – Peyton Reed
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the time for mourning is over. Phase 5 begins with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and launches it with a sense of fun, family, and a reminder that despite our affection and connection to these characters, it’s still just a romp. And who better to lead us in some fun…
Hill Street Blues (1982/1983) – Santaclaustrophobia, and Gung Ho
It’s the holiday season on the hill, and lots of things are going on at the precinct. Santaclaustrophobia, written by Steven Bochco, Anthony Yerkovich, and Jeffrey Lewis, first aired on 16 December, 1982. Belker (Bruce Weitz) is undercover as a bell-ringing Santa, but a young kid keeps spoiling things by revealing he’s a cop. Hill’s…
Imaginary Friend (2019) – Stephen Chbosky
Stephen Chobsky, perhaps currently best known as the author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, gets his Stephen King on with his latest novel, Imaginary Friend, a tale of horror that pits a small town against itself in a battle of good versus evil. At the heart of the story is young Christopher, and…
Troll (2022) – Roar Uthaug
Troll is a fun Norwegian monster movie that ticks off a number of boxes for a kaiju movie. While it doesn’t do anything in terms of stretching character development or plot twists (the big one is seen in the trailer, so that doesn’t do the film any good) it does prove to be a bit…
Quantum Leap: Search and Rescue (1994) – Melissa Crandall
While I didn’t actively dislike this entry in the Quantum Leap novel series, it is arguably the weakest of the bunch so far, and the only thing that really makes it a Quantum Leap story is the fact that both Sam Beckett and Al Calavicci are in it. But there are a number of continuity…
Hill Street Blues (1982) – Invasion of the Third World Body Snatchers, and Trial by Fury
Season two of Hill Street Blues came to a close on 13 May, 1982 with Invasion of the Third World Body Snatchers which was written by Steven Bochco, Anthony Yerkovich, Jeffrey Lewis and Michael Wagner. Renko (Charles Haid) is left reeling upon learning his father has died, but matters are complicated when the vehicle the…
The Mind Reels 