Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)
May21

Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)

Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)     I must say, I do harbour a fondness for obsessives.  You know what I mean:  men and women who take their passion for a particular subject to extreme levels.  As Cthulhu is my judge, how could I not relate to them, since I have my own grand obsessions? But Star Trek enthusiasts?  Man, we are onto a whole different pinnacle there!  It must take a really dedicated fan (atic) perseverance...

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Hannibal: The Series Episodes 1-3
May16

Hannibal: The Series Episodes 1-3

Hannibal:  The Series Episodes 1-3   When I was a young fella the word ‘cannibal’ would generally be associated with the cartoon image of a big African native with a bone through his nose and a missionary in a bubbling cooking-pot.  In the last twenty or so years, of course, it has been almost impossible to hear ‘cannibal’ without seeing a photo of Anthony Hopkins staring through the bars of his cage with a rather disconcerting...

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Custom-Made Terrorists and Big Metal Patriots: Iron Man Three (2013)
May15

Custom-Made Terrorists and Big Metal Patriots: Iron Man Three (2013)

Custom-Made Terrorists and Big Metal Patriots: Iron Man Three (2013)     There are strange people out there who are hedging their bets by giving mixed signals on whether they enjoyed this latest Marvel super-hero outing.  I don’t care, because here it is:  the only thing not inspired, surprising and eye-popping about Iron Man Three is…well, that’s it.  That title.  Iron Man Three. Come on, you guys get paid a ginormous...

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Sad Swan Song: Ash By James Herbert
May09

Sad Swan Song: Ash By James Herbert

Sad Swan Song: Ash By James Herbert   I really, really wanted to like this final novel from the well-known British horror writer James Herbert.  On the surface it looked like just my kind of thing:  a haunted castle in Scotland and a book of a size that you could really get your teeth into.  And as I say, it was the guy’s swan song since he died in March.  But oh, what a disappointment is Ash.  It is in fact not so much a horror novel...

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“We’re All Going Insane Sooner Or Later”: Bernie (2012)
May09

“We’re All Going Insane Sooner Or Later”: Bernie (2012)

“We’re All Going Insane Sooner Or Later”: Bernie (2012) Finally reaching these shores after many months, Richard Linklater’s strange little character study Bernie reminds me that every country is in itself many countries. I mean, here is a movie set in Texas and yet I recognise so much of Ireland in it. How else would you explain those truly weird people in North Tipperary voting in and siding with a known crook and chancer like TD...

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