1408 (2007) – Mikael Hafstrom

John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson star in this big screen adaptation of the Stephen King short story. Cusack, who has always been a favourite of mine, is Mike Enslin, a writer who cranked out one good (and seemingly forgotten novel) and after a personal tragedy, which had him walking out on his grief-stricken wife…

Fringe (2011) – Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, and 6:02 AM EST

It’s time for Bell’s (Leonard Nimoy) soul to leave Olivia’s (Anna Torv) body but there seems to be no way to oust him from her body, and with him as the dominant consciousness, Olivia’s time to recover is running out. So Walter (John Noble) comes up with a shocking plan in Lysergic Acid Diethylamide. Written…

Night Call: A Walking Shadows Novel (2020) – Brenden Carlson

Brenden Carlson’s Night Call, available from Dundurn Press is set in the past, an alternate 1933, and yet in describing it, I lean towards the phrase retro-future noir. We are introduced to the cynical hard-boiled detective, Elias Roche, who is haunted by an incident in his past and walks a fine line between the law…

Crimson Peak (2015) – Guillermo del Toro

The first time I watched del Toro’s gothic tale I didn’t pay attention as much as I should and consequently, I grew bored with it. The advertising had made it look more akin to a horror film which is what I thought I wanted. I wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of lurid colors, and what…

The Natural (1984) – Barry Levinson

Barry Levinson and Robert Redford deliver one of the all time great baseball fairytales with their adaptation of Bernard Malamud’s stirring novel of the same name. Set in a gloriously rendered version of yesteryear, the film follows Roy Hobbs (Redford) the best ball player that ever was. The film gives us this hazy beautiful look…

Mimic (1997) – Guillermo del Toro

del Toro has long been a favorite director, so I thought it was time to go back and visit Mimic. The film has a bit of a sordid past, not the least of which is Weinstein’s involvement, who clashed constantly with del Toro. The director swore off the film, but was finally able to give…

The X-Files (2018) – My Struggle III, and This

After an almost two year wait, The X-Files returned on 3 January, 2018 with a season opener that was written and directed by series creator, Chris Carter. Viewers may have felt they got stiffed a little by the reveal that the season finale, My Struggle II, was actually just a vision had by Scully (Gillian…

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) – Shane Black

Excluding The Predator (what the hell was that?) Shane Black has been one of my favorite Hollywood writers, and I was super-excited when it was announced he was getting into the director’s chair for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Set, like most of Black’s tales, at Christmas, this one is a slice of modern noir. Robert…