The Spanish/Portuguese horror classic Tombs of the Blind Dead finally found its way into my viewing schedule. It was a fun and interesting watch, with some curious things going on with the treatment of female characters, but the dead Templar zombies are pretty cool. Virginia (Maria Elana Apron) – arguably the most attractive actor in…
Tag: rape
Hill Street Blues (1982) – Invasion of the Third World Body Snatchers, and Trial by Fury
Season two of Hill Street Blues came to a close on 13 May, 1982 with Invasion of the Third World Body Snatchers which was written by Steven Bochco, Anthony Yerkovich, Jeffrey Lewis and Michael Wagner. Renko (Charles Haid) is left reeling upon learning his father has died, but matters are complicated when the vehicle the…
The Equalizer (1985) – The Defector, and The Lock Box
Very quickly The Equalizer has shown that its willing to go dark and gritty, and while there are some dark moments in The Defector, The Lock Box is even darker. The Defector was written by Heywood Gould and first debuted on 2 October, 1985. An old friend, and former agent of the USSR, Felix (Joe…
Hill Street Blues (1982) – The World According to Freedom, and Pestolozzi’s Revenge
Things get pretty dark on the Hill in The World According to Freedom, and Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) is pissed. Written by Michael Wagner, it first aired on 7 January, 1982. A gruesome collection of murders and rapes seems to be gang motivated, and it makes Furillo and the rest of the precinct incredibly angry….
TIFF ’22: Women Talking
Writer-director Sarh Polley lends her powerful voice to bringing Miriam Toews’ brilliant and acclaimed novel to the screen. What Polley delivers is a stunning, conversation-starting piece that examines patriarchy, power, faith, hope, and dreams for the future. In a remote Mennonite community, a gathering of women takes place to figure out their future. They’ve been…
TIFF 2021: Jagged dir. Alison Klayman
Alanis Morissette. Heralbum Jagged Little Pill is practically synonymous with the 90s. And so many of us can’t help but remember where we were when we heard it, bought it, played it over and over. Critics talked about how angry it sounded, while I remember thinking how human it sounded, how relatable, and how it…
Sudden Impact (1983) – Clint Eastwood
Lalo Schifrin returns to score Dirty Harry’s next adventure which sees Eastwood not only starring as Dirty Harry Callahan, but serves as the film’s producer and director. After causing more problems for the city brass, and not following the law in his own investigations, Harry is assigned to a homicide case that will get him…
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (2018) – Michelle McNamara
Halfway through the HBO docu-series, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, I knew I had to read the source material, and learn more. Written by Michelle McNamara, a brilliant true crime writer, who passed before the book could be published, or the book’s subject caught, sentenced and jailed. As captivating as the series was, the…
Blue Thunder (1983) – John Badham
I remember seeing Blue Thunder when it was released on home video. Or perhaps it was on a free weekend of Super Channel or First Choice. I remember enjoying it as a kid, loved the helicopter, the nude girl doing yoga, Roy Scheider, and the helicopter. It’s been decades since I watched it, and I…
The X-Files (1994/1995) – Excelsis Dei, and Aubrey
Excelsis Dei by Paul Brown plunges agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) into the still incredibly relevant exploration of a long term care facilities, and how those who live there are treated… done, of course, with The X-Files twist. This episode first aired on 16 December, 1994. It seems a nurse, Michelle Charters…
The Mind Reels 