John Hansen

The Clocks

Spy-murder mashup ‘The Clocks’ (1963) is worth your time

Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Christie’s playfulness is on display in “The Clocks,” where she gets amusingly cynical about the spy state.

A Return to Salem's Lot

‘A Return to Salem’s Lot’ (1987) a sequel that sucks

Stephen King flashback (Movie review): The popular miniseries gets a film sequel. But it has little in common with the original beyond its name.

The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side

Christie, Marple still sharp in ‘The Mirror Crack’d’ (1962)

Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): The author and her detective lament the new Development near St. Mary Mead, but crime-solving principles remain unchanged.

Salem's Lot TV miniseries

‘Salem’s Lot’ miniseries (1979) sucks life out of King’s book

Stephen King flashback (TV review): King adaptations have a proud history in the miniseries format, but the first one doesn’t stand the test of time.

Ordeal by Innocence

‘Ordeal by Innocence’ (1958) badgers the bystanders

Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Agatha Christie shows that when everyone is a suspect, the guilty person catches a break, and the innocent suffer.

Gremlins 2 The New Batch

‘Gremlins 2: The New Batch’ (1990) not as bizarre as its rep

Frightening Friday (Movie review): Despite the great “Key & Peele” sketch, “Gremlins 2” isn’t a uniquely strange sequel; its bigness is typical for the era.

Deep Water

Affleck, de Armas keep ‘Deep Water’ from sinking

Movie review: Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas keep us engaged as a psychologically off-kilter rich couple, but “Deep Water” is too simple to achieve greatness.

Scream 5

‘Scream 5’ smartly illustrates fan feedback loop 

Movie review: The “Scream” franchise returns to the big screen to examine the creator-fan feedback loop that has emerged in the past decade.

Blade Runner 2029 Volume 2 Echoes

‘Blade Runner 2029’ gets more generic with ‘Echoes’ (2021)

PKD flashback (Comic book review): The second volume of “Blade Runner 2029” is oddly intent on making its antagonist particularly villainous.

Adam Project

‘Adam Project’ adds Reynolds’ riffing to kiddie plot

Movie review: Ryan Reynolds’ charm is in place, but the time-travel plot is so basic one wonders if this was conceived as a kids’ film.