Toronto After Dark 2017: Poor Agnes – Navin Ramaswaran

The second feature screening tonight at Scotiabank Theatre as part of the Toronto After Dark film festival is another new favourite. Poor Agnes, having its Toronto premiere this eve, is a disturbing drama that haunts and troubles even as its story captivates. Agnes (Lora Burke) is a serial killer, and she is a master at…

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1989) – Manhunt, and The Emissary

Captain’s log: stardate 42859.2 Between last week’s episode Up the Long Ladder, and the first episode this week, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier opened on 9 June, 1989. It was also the only Trek movie I never saw in the theatre. ten days later, on 19 June, (days after I graduated high school) Manhunt aired…

Sherlock Jr. (1924) – Buster Keaton

The Movie Book from DK Canada continues to provide laughs and entertainment as I take in another Buster Keaton film, Sherlock Jr. as I work through their What Else to Watch list following my screening of Steamboat Bill, Jr. Running at a brisk 45 minutes, this iconic film is everything you would expect from a…

Out of the Past (1947) – Jacques Tourneur

Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer and Kirk Douglas bring the noir genre to roaring life on the big screen with this 1947 adaptation of the novel by Geoffrey Holmes. It’s also the first recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Point Blank. Mitchum is Jeff Bailey. He lives…

Quantum Leap (1989) – Play It Again, Seymour and Honeymoon Express

  Season 1 of Quantum Leap comes to a close this week with Play It Again, Seymour. This nod the noir films of yesteryear was penned by Scott Shepard and Bellisario from a story by Shepherd, Bellisario and Tom Blomquist. It had an original airdate of 17 May, 1989. Sam (Scott Bakula) leaps into trouble…

Magnum, p.i. (1988) – Resolutions Part I & II

  This is it, after eight seasons, one of my all-time favorite series comes to its conclusion. Chris Abbott and Stephen A. Miller wrote both parts of the two hour conclusion that aired on 1 May, 1988. Part one sees Magnum (Tom Selleck) is visiting home in Tidewater, Virginia, recalling his life, his time with…

Magnum, p.i. (1988) – Legend of the Lost Art and Transitions

  This is it, the penultimate entry for Magnum (Tom Selleck). This week’s installment starts off with a great sense of fun with Legend of the Lost Art. Selleck was originally in line to play Indiana Jones before Universal optioned the series, and this seems to be a little bit of a nod to that….

Magnum, p.i. (1987/1988) – The Love That Lies and A Girl Named Sue

  The Love That Lies opens Magnum’s (Tom Selleck) case book this week. Originally airing on 18 November, 1987, this episode was written by Jeri Taylor (who would later go on to work on both Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Star Trek: Voyager). Brenda Babcock (Eileen Brennan) hires Thomas to find the child she…

Magnum, p.i. (1987) – Limbo and Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts

  Originally meant to be the final episode of the series, before they were picked up for a shortened 8th season, this week’s trip to Hawaii has a sense of finality to it. Limbo was written by Jay Huguely, Bruce Cervi and Chris Abbott from a story by Chas. Floyd Johnson and Tom Selleck. It…

Magnum, p.i. (1987) – Laura and Out of Sync

  Ol’ Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra finds himself in Hawaii this week, with the episode Laura. Written by Chris Abbott, this one aired 25 February, 1987. Sinatra is Michael Doheny, a New York cop, who in the midst of celebrating his retirement party, has his granddaughter kidnapped, and murdered by a pair of sexual predators….