Moments of Transcendent Triumph
(Originally posted on June 20, 2018) Moments of transcendent triumph was the only way I could think to describe these instances. These are plot points in movies or television shows where there is a sudden (perhaps unexpected) and dramatic turn of fortune for the protagonists. Sometimes it is merely that a hopeless situation or fight […]
Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris
(Originally posted on June 6, 2018) The Gamera Heisei trilogy comes to a rousing finale in Gamera: Revenge of Iris. Not only is this a solid movie, but it explores issues heretofore ignored or glossed over in kaiju movies. The first two films (which I discussed here and here) skirted some of these issues, but […]
X the Unknown: Low-Key Hammer Sci Fi
(Originally posted on January 10, 2018) I first watched the black & white X the Unknown (1956) in my early teens. This is the period when I sought out every science fiction and monster movie I could find. I stumbled across this one on a lazy Saturday afternoon. The movie was (forgive the irony) a […]
The Blob: (1958) A Glorious Cheese
(Originally posted on December 20, 2017) When I was a young little nipper, I first saw The Blob on late night television. I sought out each and every monster and science fiction movie I had ever read about. Unfortunately, this was before the VHS and then DVD boom. Finding movies to watch consisted of me […]
Unpopular Opinion: Why I Hate Independence Day
(Originally posted on October 4, 2017) Most people seem to love the 1996 blockbuster movie Independence Day. I am not one of those people. I can’t stand it. I’m also not a fan of Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, who crafted this “masterpiece”. When I started this blog, I wanted to concentrate on things I […]
Battle Beyond the Stars: A Forgotten Gem
(Originally posted on September 20, 2017) Battle Beyond the Stars came out in 1980, riding the coattails of Star Wars. Every studio was scrambling to find an equivalent franchise after SW hit the movie scene like a nuclear bomb. Roger Corman, the king of low-budget schlock, slapped together this movie in short order. The results […]
Obscure Indie Film: The Deadly Spawn
(Originally posted on August 16, 2017) The Deadly Spawn is an oddball sci-fi/horror movie from 1983. I hadn’t seen it myself until just recently. I’d seen the poster and a few stills, but that’s all. Fortunately, we live in the age of the internet and YouTube, hence my ability to watch it. First, I’d like […]
Movies That Need More Love: Real Steel
(Originally posted on August 2, 2017) I love Real Steel, directed by Shawn Levy. I simply adore this movie. It earned my love the first time I watched it and it has never diminished. Just to let you know my bias. Is it formulaic? Oh yes. Real Steel owes a great deal to the Rocky […]
The Hidden: An Oddball 80s Movie
(Originally posted on July 5, 2017) The Hidden (1987) is an obscure science fiction film starring Kyle MacLachlan after his role in Blue Velvet, but preceding his Twin Peaks fame. Despite several tropes, the skewed plot line makes it an enjoyable distraction. Essentially a warped version of the “buddy cop” genre, Michael Nouri plays L.A. […]
Quatermass and the Pit
(Originally posted on May 3, 2017) Quatermass and the Pit, or as it’s known in the U.S., Five Million Years to Earth, is a Hammer Film production of a BBC serial. The phenomenon of Quatermass is a uniquely British craze. It has had influences on science fiction for decades, but most Americans are completely ignorant […]