I used to listen to Kumail Nanjiani’s “X-Files Files” podcast, and occasionally he’d reference the time when his girlfriend was in a coma. Although it registered with me as an unusual thing to have in one’s background, I didn’t realize it was enough of a story for a full movie. A few years later, I’m lauding […]
In “Return to Chaos” (December 1998), the second novel of the adult “Buffy” series, Craig Shaw Gardner – in his only “Buffy” entry — gets to a lot of concepts before the TV show does. That makes the book an interesting historical curiosity, but it also means it hasn’t aged particularly well.
TV review: Ten years after its initial airing, “Family Guy’s” “Blue Harvest” episode remains one of the funniest “Star Wars” parodies.
There are more good TV shows than ever before – so much so that TV overload has become an issue for even the biggest TV geeks – but they premiere throughout the calendar year now. As such, Fall TV ain’t what it used to be. Still, there’s something traditional and nostalgic about getting that Entertainment […]
Like all successful SF/fantasy franchises, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” quickly inspired spinoff novels. The first handful were in the young-adult genre, but when it became apparent that the show appealed to not only high schoolers but to anyone who had ever been in high school, a new series of “adult” novels was commissioned. The first, […]
TV review: Along with Wood in the lead, a big reason why “Westworld” entertained me is because it bounces between the sci-fi and Western genres.
Book review: Alan Dean Foster’s novelization helps fans connect with the world of the “Prometheus” sequel.
“It Comes at Night” (now available via Redbox and streaming) is the latest scary/smart horror-thriller, eschewing haunted houses and possessed children and instead taking its place with “Maggie,” “It Follows,” “The Witch,” “Don’t Breathe” and “Get Out” by showing how people react in intense situations. It throws us into a world where a plague – which […]
My look back at the “Star Wars” saga comic adaptations concludes with the best and the most disappointing entries, both from the legendary duo of Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson (“Classic Star Wars”), along with background artist Carlos Garzon: “Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back”(1980) and “Episode VI: Return of the Jedi” (1983). “Empire” is exactly what we […]
‘Star Wars’ flashback (Comic book reviews): Here are my takes on the “A New Hope” original (1977) and Special Edition (1997) adaptations.