The Dark and The Wicked (2020) – Bryan Bertino

Bryan Bertino who wrote and directed the now iconic horror film, The Strangers, delves into supernatural territory with this unnerving little film that occasionally misses the mark by leaning too heavily into its scares while presenting the idea of a demonic presence as more of a hunting animal, preying on the weakest, separating them from…

Nightmare Alley (1946) – William Lindsay Gresham

Before I see del Toro’s new film, which is an adaptation of this novel, I wanted to visit the source material, because I do love me a good noir story, and this one is a classic. And perhaps because the beats and the tropes of the noir genre are so familiar it’s easy to suss…

Star Trek: Voyager (2000) – Flesh and Blood

Captain’s log: stardate 54315.3 The Hirogen return in this feature length episode that first debuted on 29 November, 2000 and was written by Bryan Fuller, Raf Green and Kenneth Biller from a story by Fuller, Green and Jack Monaco. The Voyager answers a distress signal from a Hirogen station only to find death and destruction,…

Star Trek: Voyager (1998) – The Killing Game: Part II, and Vis a Vis

Captain’s log: stardate 51715.2 The conclusion to the thrilling two-parter The Killing Game is the first episode up this weekend. Penned by Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky, it debuted on 4 March, 1998. Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) has regained her autonomy thanks to the Doctor (Robert Picardo) neutralizing her neural inhibitor, and she is now aware…

Star Trek: Voyager (1998) – Hunters, and Prey

Captain’s log: stardate 51501.4 Jeri Taylor pens this episode that first aired on 11 February, 1998. After briefly introducing the Hirogen in the previous episode, this one brings them right to the fore, as the Voyager enters Hirogen space and finds all manner of grief. They are like the Predator of the Star Trek universe,…

Toronto After Dark 2018

It’s that time of year again, and it seems Toronto always knows what to get me for my birthday – a film festival. Specifically the Toronto After Dark film festival. Running October 11th through to the 19th the genre festival features films from around the globe that highlight horror, action and science fiction films that…

Black House (2001) – Stephen King & Peter Straub

Back in 1984, Stephen King and Peter Straub paired up to craft a titanic fantasy novel known as The Talisman. Seventeen years later they paired up again to create a sequel to the tale that brought (Travelin’) Jack Sawyer back into the lives of readers. It’s some twenty odd years later, Jack Sawyer is 31,…

The Day of the Triffids (1963) – Steven Sekely 

  The Sci-Fi Chronicles brings me yet another film I’ve never seen, and yet feel I know, because it shows up everywhere, The Day of the Triffids. based on the classic science fiction tale by John Wyndham. This adaptation fairly mangles the original novel, tagging on a Hollywood Happy ending, or as happy as a…