Due out this week from Anansi Press is this beautiful collection of stories, the first fiction to come out of North Korea. They say write what you know, and while I recognise that these stories are fiction, they have their roots in the real world, and as such, give the reader a fascinating glance inside…
Tag: humanity
Arrival (2016) – Denis Villeneuve Blu-Ray Review
Anyone who follows this blog knows I am passionate about my science fiction cinema, but that doesn’t mean it’s always good. Therefore when a smart piece of sci-fi film making comes along, I feel I have to champion it, to cheer it on, revel in it, and share it with all who will listen. Villeneuve’s…
The Twilight Zone (1959) – Where is Everybody?, One for the Angels, and Mr. Denton on Doomsday
This week, we dive into The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series, available now from Paramount! The Twilight Zone got underway on 2 October, 1959 with Rod Serling plunging Earl Holliman as Mike Ferris into madness with Where is Everybody? Mike Ferris doesn’t know who he is, and he doesn’t know where everyone else in the…
TIFF Bell Lightbox – Trek Talks Go Boldly!
TIFF Bell Lightbox continues to pull out all the stops in their celebration of Star Trek’s 50th anniversary. In support of the iconic show, the Lightbox will continue to screen episodes and all 13 films of the series, as well as a fundraiser party, and the absolutely engaging, thought-provoking and stunning lecture series called Trek…
The Twelve (2012) – Justin Cronin
Justin Cronin’s vampiric trilogy continues in the fast-paced, raising of the stakes (pun intended?) second book, The Twelve. It’s been five years since the events of the previous book, The Passage., and things have changed for a number of our characters. We check in with Sara, Peter, Michael, Hollis, Alicia, and of course Amy, and none…
Morning Star (2016) – Pierce Brown
Pierce Brown’s epic science fiction trilogy comes to an explosive, and emotionally satisfying conclusion with Morning Star, this week’s title on The Book Shelf. After the stunning cliffhanger of Golden Son, I was left to wonder what Brown would do to finish off the story, and what would the cost be to characters I’ve…
Deep Impact (1998) – Mimi Leder
Releasing the same year as Michael Bay’s big budget, small story, extravaganza, Armageddon, Deep Impact got a little lost in the rubble. But with Steven Spielberg’s name attached to it as executive producer, it’s my next stop on the Sci-Fi Chronicles. Eschewing the flash-bang, style over substance, popcorn nature of Bay’s film, Deep Impact, ably…
Star Trek: Beyond (2016) – Justin Lin
The latest Star Trek film, celebrating the long-lived series 50th anniversary hits screens nationwide today, and once again, film-goers are invited to Boldly go… And for the most part, it’s pretty damned enjoyable, and arguably a step up from the previous entry. While I was unsure of Lin taking the helm (I’m not a…
Glory (1989) – Edward Zwick
An all-star cast, including Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Andre Braugher bring the next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of The Red Badge of Courage. Based on the letters by Robert Gould Shaw, played in the film by Broderick, the film…
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) Martin Scorsese
Paul Schrader adapts Nikos Kazantakis’ powerful novel about the life of Christ (portrayed powerfully by Willem Dafoe) comes to life under the sure hand of Martin Scorsese, bringing the Christian character to life in a way unseen on the screen before this. Raising questions not only about the concept of Christ, as well as…
The Mind Reels 