Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) – The Nagus, and Vortex

Station log: stardate unknown Ira Steven Behr pens the teleplay from a story by David Livingston which finds Quark (Armin Shimerman) getting into some trouble when the Ferengi Grand Nagus, Zek (Wallace Shawn) arrives on the station. This episode first aired on 21 March, 1993. In a fun bit, O’Brien (Colm Meaney) is overseeing the…

A Wrinkle in Time (2018) – Ava DuVernay

Disney’s adaptation of Madeline L’Engle’s classic young adult novel is a mixed bag at best. The story’ ideas aren’t realised on the screen very well, but there is some nice talk about quantum physics, physics, and science as spiritualism throughout the film that I really enjoyed. Director DuVernay, best known for her documentary work, in…

Doctor Who (Matt Smith) – The Rebel Flesh, and The Almost People

This week’s journey in the TARDIS brings us a two-parter written by Matthew Graham that aired on 21 and 28 May, 2011. The Doctor (Smith), Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) find themselves on 22nd century Earth, after getting caught in a solar tsunami. There, on a remote island, a factory and its employees…

Authority (2014) – Jeff VanderMeer

The second book in the Southern Reach Trilogy finds its way to the Book Shelf this week as I dive further into the strange realm of Area X first introduced in the book Annihilation, which also serves as the title of the upcoming film adaptation. This sequel, released within months of the first book takes…

Toronto After Dark 2017: Rabbit – Luke Shanahan

The Australian film, Rabbit from writer/director Luke Shanahan has it’s Canadian premiere tonight at Scotiabank Theatre for the Toronto After Dark film festival. The film, a slow burn character drama that messes with your mind, stars Adelaide Clemens as Maude, an identical twin who believes that her twin, Cleo, who has been missing for over…

Doctor Who (Matt Smith) – Flesh and Stone, and The Vampires of Venice

The Doctor (Smith) and Amy (Karen Gillan) find themselves surrounded by Weeping Angels as the second part of last week’s story continues with Flesh and Stone. Written by Steven Moffat this story first aired on 1 May, 2010. As the Time Lord, his Companion, River Song (Alex Kingston) and Octavian (Iain Glen) alongside the surviving…

Doctor Who (David Tennant) – The Planet of the Dead, and The Waters of Mars

The Planet of the Dead plunges David Tennant’s Doctor into his ante-penultimate adventure, Planet of the Dead. He’s joined on his adventure by Michelle Ryan as cat-burglar Lady Christina de Souza. Written by Russell T. Davies and Gareth Roberts this special, the second of five, first aired on 11 April, 2009. The Doctor finds himself…