Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 (2013) – Jay Oliva

The second installment of The Dark Knight Returns continues the adaptation of the iconic 80s graphic novel. Redefining Batman for a whole new generation, and putting the dark in Dark Knight, the story continues its exploration of an older (now no longer retired) Batman/Bruce Wayne (Peter Weller – who still can’t separate his Batman and…

Star Trek: Picard – The Dark Veil (2021) – James Swallow

Simon & Schuster delivers another tale set before the first season of Star Trek: Picard with The Dark Veil by James Swallow, this time centering the story on the U.S.S. Titan, and her captain William T. Riker, its counsellor, and the captain’s wife, Deanna Troi, their young sun Thaddeus (which makes what we learn of…

M*A*S*H (1978) – Mail Call Three, Temporary Duty, and Potter’s Retirement

Everett Greenbaum and James Fritzell delivered Mail Call Three, which aired on 6 February, 1978. After a long delayed delivery of mail, a number of problems arrive with the envelopes. Hawkeye (Alan Alda) has been receiving love letters meant for another Benjamin Pierce, which he reads with lustful joy. B.J. (Mike Farrell) learns that a…

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) – Agatha Christie

This week’s Agatha Christie isn’t quite the romp of the previous entry, but like all her tales, is wonderfully engaging and entertaining as she weaves a tale of murder, secret marriages, servants, doctors, drugs, wayward sons, and hidden secrets and truths. And in the middle of it all, Hercule Poirot. This one is a bit…

Gemini Man (2019) – Blu-Ray Review

It should have worked. An Academy Award winning director (though action is not his forte), a bankable lead actor, a solid supporting cast, and the seed of a solid story. Will Smith gets his Bourne on (a couple of times) in Gemini Man, the Ang Lee action film that comes home on blu-ray and DVD from…

Se7en (1995) – David Fincher

The final big title in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book in the Thriller section is The Silence of the Lambs. It should not be a surprise that I have covered that one before, as well as most of the recommendations, except for this one, David Fincher’s noir-esque thriller, Se7en. Starring Brad…

Ran (1985) – Akira Kurosawa

I return to the War section of the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book, and settle in for Ran, Kurosawa’s epic opus. Taking its inspiration from Shakespeare’s King Lear, the film is a visual masterpiece delving into tragedy, drama and action. It is also one of the top recommendations on the What Else…

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1992) – Man of the People, and Relics

Captain’s log: stardate 46071.6 Frank Abatemarco wrote this rather lacklustre episode that should have allowed Marina Sirtis a chance to shine a bit, but instead we’re given another episode that is not only recognisable, but also incredibly predictable. First airing on 3 October, 1992, all this episode did for me was make me want to…