Doctor Who (Matt Smith) – Night Terrors, and The Girl Who Waited

After all the heavy stuff of the past few episodes it’s time for the TARDIS to encounter something that is just plain spooky and doesn’t have the weight of the universe on it. Consequently Mark Gatiss penned this episode, based on his fear of  dolls. The episode first aired 3 September, 2011. The Doctor (Smith), Amy…

Doctor Who (Matt Smith) – The Impossible Astronaut, and Day of the Moon

Astronauts, the Silence, the Doctor’s (Smith) death, and some tons of temporal shenanigans launch the sixth series of Doctor Who with The Impossible Astronaut. The episode was written by Steven Moffat and first aired on 23 April, 2011. The Doctor after showing off in history to attract the attention of The Ponds, invites Amy (Karen…

The Mind Reels & Travelers

The science fiction drama Travelers from creator Brad Wright returns for Season 2 tonight at 9pm on Showcase. And believe me you want to tune in, because wow what a start to the new season! With stunning revelations, and great characters this winner, starring Eric McCormack, Nesta Cooper, MacKenzie Porter, Jared Abrahamson, Reilly Dolman and…

A Scanner Darkly (2006) – Richard Linklater

Richard Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly is the last recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book in the Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror genre. Based on the story by Philip K. Dick, the story is fascinating from a couple of perspectives – it’s a digitally rotoscoped animated film, and it features some top…

Stagecoach (1939) – John Ford

The first recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film is the 1939 John Ford/John Wayne classic, Stagecoach. Wayne plays the Ringo Kid, and he and a number of fellow travellers including Dallas (Claire Trevor) and Lucy Mallory (Louise Platt), a drunk doctor Josiah Boone (Thomas Mitchell), and a dangerous gambler, Hatfield (John…

The Lego Batman Movie: The Essential Guide (2017) -Julia March

The Lego Movie when it came out, took the world by surprise with just how fun it was, and it’s breakout character, which should not be a surprise, was Batman. It should come then as no surprise that Lego decided the Caped Crusader should have his own film, which opens next month. DK Canada gave…

Donnie Darko (2001) – Richard Kelly

The final recommendation from this visit to the Family genre in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book is Kelly’s cult film Donnie Darko. While not necessarily suitable for younger viewers, it does involve family and a young troubled boy. This one was one of those films that while I was in the…

Gemina: The Illuminae Files 02 (2016) – Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

The second volume in the Illuminae Files, Gemina, is not only an excellent follow-up instalment in this vibrant and exciting Young Adult series, it is also highly entertaining science fiction and space opera. The first book, told through IM and audio transcripts, descriptions of video surveillance, was brilliant, fun, and probably a game-changer in the…