John Hansen

Hilariously inappropriate ‘Bad Teacher’ gets a passing grade (Movie review)

“Bad Teacher” had me at the moment in the trailer when Cameron Diaz’s Elizabeth Halsey — when informed that a meeting is mandatory — says “I don’t give a f–” and then they cut to the next scene.

First episode impressions: ‘Teen Wolf’ (TV review)

The aspect of the new “Teen Wolf” (8 p.m. Central Mondays on MTV) series that has gotten the most criticism is that Scott (Tyler Posey), the wolf-boy in this version, plays lacrosse, whereas Michael J. Fox played basketball in the 1985 movie.

First episode impressions: ‘Falling Skies’ (TV review)

Watching “Falling Skies” (8 p.m. Central Sundays on TNT) is like buying a greatest hits album where you already own all the songs. The opening scenes of the resistance fighters hiding in abandoned tunnels and buildings from the aliens and their mechanized drones is straight out of “Terminator.” And the “harnesses” the aliens put on the backs […]

‘The Killing’ season finale: A great surprise or a silly twist? (TV commentary)

AMC’s “The Killing” has repeat-viewing value that’s rare among crime-solving shows: There’s a certain pleasure in soaking up the pitch-dark murder mystery and the troubled characters the same way the streets of Seattle soak up the rain and wash out the color. But in general, mystery shows don’t have repeat value. The main hook is that we […]

‘Super 8’ gets derailed by crashes and monsters (Movie review)

It’s such a cliched truism that special effects don’t make a movie better that you’d think it wouldn’t have to be said ever again. And yet, “Super 8” — which features a wonderful cast of believable kids that has drawn favorable comparisons to “The Goonies” and “Stand By Me” — shifts its focus from the people to […]

‘Nine Lives of Chloe King’ successfully cribs from ‘X-Men’

First episode impressions (TV review): This new superhero combines traits of Wolverine and Rogue.

‘X-Men: First Class’ goes to head of the class

Movie review: The “X-Men” prequel saga launches in impressive fashion.

X-Files Season 9

All 20 episodes of ‘The X-Files’ Season 9 (2001-02), ranked

TV review: The original run of “The X-Files” bows out in respectable fashion as Doggett and Reyes take the lead. But Mulder and Scully also pop in.

First episode impressions: ‘Love Bites’ (TV review)

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the two genres that lend themselves to vignette-style TV shows are horror (the various incarnations of “The Twilight Zone” and, from a few years back, “Fear, Itself”) and romance. This summer’s “Love Bites” (9 p.m. Central Thursdays on NBC) explores the horrors — and, OK, a few happy moments — […]

Flippin’ sweet! ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ and 10 other shows to watch in 2011-12 (TV commentary)

Intimidated by the list of nearly 50 new shows coming out in the fall? Never fear, I have done the hard work for you of watching the trailers for all the network offerings (and believe me, it wasn’t all fun and games — there are some true stinkers out there).