Twins (1988) – Ivan Reitman

Arnold Schwarzenegger in shorts and converse is laugh-worthy on its own. From that first reveal I was in for the ride, and while some of it isn’t so great, there’s a lot of heart and laughs to be mined from this classic 1988 comedy. Julius (Schwarzenegger) is a product of a genetic experiment, and has…

Magnum P.I. (2023) – Hit and Run, and Three Bridges

Jin (Bobby Lee) opens the episode with a ridiculous interpretation of Robin Masters’ new book as the group takes turns visiting with T.C. (Stephen Hill) as he settles into a veteran’s hospital in an attempt to get used to the possibility of being stuck in a wheel chair and paralyzed below the waist for the…

Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (2021) – Patrick Hughes

Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, and Salma Hayek return to cause problems, violence and dole out colourful language in the sequel to The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard. Director Patrick Hughes remains in the big chair and delivers a fast-paced sleek tale, that feels a little tighter in its storytelling, and its runtime. Michael Bryce…

Scratch One (1967) – Micheal Crichton

Michael Crichton’s second novel, which he wrote under his pseudonym of John Lange, is a fast-paced thriller that plays on the familiar trope of mistaken identity. This time out an American lawyer, Roger Carr, finds himself mistaken for a high-profile hitman and finds himself stuck between opposing sides in an arms deal which has its…

TIFF’23: Knox Goes Away

I’ve said it before, and I know I’ll say it again. I love a good noir, and Knox Goes Away directed by and starring, Micheal Keaton may be one of my new favourites. making fantastic use of his framing, lighting, score and production, Knox Goes Away, despite its modern trappings, feels like a throwback to…

The Equalizer (1985) – Desperately, and Reign of Terror

Robert McCall (Edward Woodward) is feeling a little under the weather, but there’s always someone who needs help, desperately. Written by Charles Grant Craig, this episode first debuted on 4 December, 1985. A bored and neglected housewife, Alison Webster (Blanche Baker) heads into the city one day to spend it with her friend, Samantha (Tovah…

The Equalizer (1985) – The Children’s Song, and The Distant Fire

William Zabka is back as Robert McCall’s (Edward Woodward) son, Scott, and there’s a television debut for Bradley Whitford, Ed O’Neill shows up as a local doctor, and Dana Barron from National Lampoon’s Vacation is this week’s person in need of help from McCall’s Equalizer. The Children’s Song was written by Howard Chesley, Joel Surnow…

Sorcerer (1977) – William Friedkin

Iconic director William Friedkin took on an adaptation of The Wages of Fear, creating his own nerve-biting version of the French film, and novel. The film stars Roy Scheider as one of four unlucky men from around the globe who have found themselves, for one reason or another, stuck in a Latin American country that…

Night Shift (1978) – Stephen King

I was craving some Stephen King, but couldn’t decide which of his novels to tackle next, so instead, I figured I fill that need with some short stories, and fug into his first published collection, which gathered a variety of different tales under the title of Night Shift. I remember seeing the paperback cover as…