Fragile Things (2006) – Neil Gaiman

I love curling up with a Neil Gaiman book, be it a novel or a collection of short stories, for me he is literary comfort food – engaging, a joy to lose myself in, and a spark for my own imagination. His collection of short stories and poems gathered in this volume, some of which…

Back to the Future: Part II (1989) – Robert Zemeckis

My time with the Sci-Fi Chronicles is coming to a close, and I made sure it ended with a couple of my fave films, from one of my favourite trilogies… Back to the Future: Part II. Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd bring the beloved time travelling pair of Marty McFly and Doc Brown to…

Predator 2 (1990) – Stephen Hopkins

Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Bill Paxton, Robert Davi, Maria Conchita Alonso and Ruben Blades are in the sights of an alien in Predator 2, the next stop as I close in on the end of the Sci-Fi Chronicles book. Following on the trail of the original 1987 film, Predator 2 is a bit of a…

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) – Colin and Greg Strause

Picking up where the first film left off – with the strange Predalien bursting into existence, this ill-advised sequel continues to pair up two of the greatest movie monster creations against one another, with humanity stuck between them, and because of the terrible way it’s handled, no one can be bothered to care. Unfortunately, for…

Toronto After Dark 2016: The Void – Jeremy Gillespie & Steven Kostanski

Isolationist horror with Lovecraftian overtones and readily apparent influences of both Clive Barker and John Carpenter; coupled with the school of less is more when showing the monster, combine in The Void. Toronto After Dark’s closing night film for 2016 at the Scotiabank Theatre. Let me get two things out of the way, as much…

TIFF Bell Lightbox, Trek and My Birthday

It’s October 12, my birthday, if you hadn’t circled it on your calendar, and TIFF Bell Lightbox will be my birthday starbase today apparently. First up, at 6:30 this evening is the first of the fantastic sounding Trek Talks programs, this evening’s topic, An Astronaut’s Voyage to the Final Frontier. Presented by Lt. Col. Jeremy…

Futureworld (1976) – Richard T. Heffron

  This sequel to Westworld is the next stop on the Sci-Fi Chronicles book. It sees Yul Brynner returning, ever so briefly, and in the oddest way possible, as the Gunslinger, while two reporters, Chuck (Peter Fonda) and Tracy (Blythe Danner)investigate the strange theme park, Futureworld, after another reporter is killed while trying to get…

Star Trek: Yesterday’s Son (1983) – A.C. Crispin

  Yes, I’m still digging through Star Trek books, I’m enjoying them, and it means I’m constantly reading (something I can’t imagine not doing). This week’s non-canon visit to the 23rd century brings us the first Star Trek book to break onto the bestseller list, and it does so for good reason. Penned by the…

Doctor Who (Peter Davison) – Snakedance

  Teagan (Janet Fielding) falls under the influence of the Mara again in this sequel to Kinda. This four-parter ran from the 18th to the 26th of January, 1983 and was written by Christopher Bailey. Using Tegan and an alien named Lon (Martin Clunes), the Mara plans to steal ‘The Great Crystal’ which will help…