Orson Welles, to whom the first episode this week is dedicated, makes his final television appearance as he introduces this unique episode of Moonlighting. Written by Debra Frank and Carl Sautter, the episode debuted on 15 October, 1985, and about twelve minutes into it, transitions to black and white. David (Bruce Willis) and Maddie (Cybill…
Tag: tropes
House On Haunted Hill (1999) – William Malone
I’m not sure how this title, a remake of the classic 1959 William Castle film ended up in the zombie chapter of DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies book, as having just sat through this one, I don’t recall any zombies, or living dead. The concept itself is fun enough, an amusement park mogul, Stephen…
Soul of the Border (2019) – Matteo Righetto
Releasing this week from House of Anansi Press is the English translation of Matteo Righetto’s Soul of the Border. Released in Italy in 2017, the novel became a bestseller and is now getting it’s English release. A brisk, cinematic tale; it’s short chapters deliver a story that sees a young woman in search of her…
Paprebacks From Hell (2017) – Grady Hendrix
Grady Hendrix wowed and delighted me with his nostalgia, and horror filled, My Best Friend’s Exorcism, and I’m always on the look out for the other books he’s written. So when I came across his non-fiction book, Paperbacks From Hell, documenting the paperback horror novels of the 70s and 80s, I had to grab it…
TAD 2018: You Might Be the Killer (2018) – Brett Simmons
The final night of Toronto After Dark gets underway this evening, and while I didn’t get to see all the films I wanted to see (life gets in the way), I enjoyed the ones I did, and loved sharing my thoughts on them with you. The final screening tonight (which does so twice, once at…
Life of the Party (2018) – Blu-Ray Review
With a recycled plot that is straight out of an 80s film, the Melissa McCarthy vehicle, Life of the Party hits blu-ray and DVD this week from Warner Brothers. Despite using all of the university and college tropes that have been in play since National Lampoon’s Animal House, the film arguably takes the story and…
20th Century Ghosts (2005) – Joe Hill
Joe Hill first came to my attention as the writer for the superior comic series Locke & Key, which is alternately fantastical, innocent, joyous and horrifying. As such I think I was properly ready for more of his work, and found a fascinating short story collection to use to expand on our relationship. 20th Century…
Doctor Who (Peter Capaldi) – The Return of Doctor Mysterio, and The Pilot
The Doctor (Capaldi) returned to screens after a year away with the 2016 Holiday Special. Written by Steven Moffat The Return of Soctor Mysterio aired on Christmas Day. This light-hearted adventure follows the Doctor’s encounters with a young boy (and later man) named Grant (Logan Hoffman and Justin Chatwin) who loves his comic books and…
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1992) – Rascals, and A Fistful of Datas
Captain’s log: stardate 46235.7 Airing on 31 October, 1992, Rascals was written by Allison Hock from a story by Ward Botsford, Diana Dru Botsford and Michael Piller. So hey, it’s been a few episodes since we did a kid-centric story, so how about we do one, this time with a transporter accident thrown in for…
Doctor Who (Peter Capaldi) – Robot of Sherwood, and Listen
The Doctor (Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) embark on a bit of a lark with Robot of Sherwood. Written by Mark Gatiss this episode first aired on 6 September, 2014. Clara has always wanted to meet Robin Hood, which the Doctor insists was made up. To prove the point he takes her to Sherwood Forest…
The Mind Reels 