Star Trek: The Next Generation (1991) – Unification I & II

Captain’s log: stardate 45233.1 Written by Jeri Taylor from a story by Michael Piller and Rick Berman, the first part of this crossover two-parter first aired on 4 November, 1991. With the final voyage of the original Star Trek crew preparing for release in December (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country), and the death of…

Gremlins (1984) – Joe Dante

Practical effects, matte paintings and a dark, playful sense of humour… They just don’t make them like the used to. I was delighted when I returned to the Family section of the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book that Joe Dante’s horror comedy Christmas movie (it’s set at Christmas therefore it IS a…

South Park: The Complete Second Season

South Park’s second season came fast on the heels of the first season, but this time, there were eighteen episodes set in the snow clad Colorado town. To celebrate its twentieth anniversary, Paramount Pictures has re-released the early seasons on blu-ray, and I was eager to take a look at them. Despite my recall of…

Little Women (1933) – George Cukor

The next big title in DK Canada’s The Movie Book is the Civil War epic Gone With the Wind, which I had previously reviewed, so, once again, I moved onto the always educational What Else to Watch list to delve into other titles. That brought me to Cukor’s adaptation of Little Women from 1933. Despite,…

South Park: The Complete First Season

It’s hard to believe that South Park is twenty years old! And what better way to celebrate than a re-release of the series previous seasons on blu-ray from Paramount Pictures? As I settled in to watch this show, for the first time in a very long time I was struck by a couple of things….

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1990) – Brothers, and Suddenly Human

Captain’s log: stardate 44085.7 The theme of family which runs through this entire season of Next Generation is very prevalent here in this episode that was written by Rick Berman. First airing on 8 October, 1990, this is a very Brent Spiner-heavy episode. A medical emergency necessitates a run to a nearby starbase, however, Data…

The Breadwinner (2000) – Deborah Ellis

House of Anansi press has released an updated version of Deborah Ellis’ poignant and beautifully written tale, The Breadwinner. Aimed at younger readers, the book puts a face to stories that help the reader empathise and understand some of the issues that are taking place in Afghanistan. Canadian born Ellis has crafted a whole series, with…

Billy Elliot (2000) – Stephen Daldry

The final recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my viewing of West Side Story isn’t necessarily a musical, but it definitely shares the same love of dance. Billy Elliot, which has since inspired a stage musical perfectly captures joy in dance and simultaneously juxtaposes the ordinary events of day…