Reviews and thoughts about movies, books, pop culture, and Doctor Who
Author: Peter Kanelis
I was born in Portland, Oregon and currently reside in Texas. I am an avid reader and movie watcher. I also am a long-time Doctor Who fan and collect the audio dramas as well as watch the television series. I have been writing reviews of this nature on social media for a few years now and want to expand on that practice.
Big Finish Productions does not make that many mistakes when it comes to their Doctor Who audio range, however Daleks! Genesis of Terror appears to be one of few outright missteps. This is basically a retelling of the classic serial known as Genesis of the Daleks, which starred Tom Baker. This version is based on the first draft submitted by Terry Nation. Baker returns to perform the first part and is joined by Sadie Miller as Sarah Jane Smith and Christopher Naylor as Harry Sullivan. Nicholas Briggs provides much of the narration, and other cast members read much of the synopsis for the remaining five parts.
The Doctor is sent by the Time Lords to the early days of the creation of the Daleks where he is tasked with trying to avert the terrible genesis. He meets the creator, Davros, while the war between the Kaleds and the Thals raged mercilessly.
The screen version is one of my favorite stories, but this is essentially a repeat of that although most of it was just summarized by Briggs and several other narrators.
I guess there is some mild interest to be found here, but I am not sure retelling one of the most popular serials was all that necessary. Big Finish releases this as part of the Lost Stories range, but this was just an early draft or treatment of something that’s already considered a classic among the fans.
There is another release of this sort from Big Finish based on The Ark in Space, and I am not that motivated to try that one…at least not yet.
Old Dads is an unsurprisingly raunchy comedy film directed by Bill Burr; however, it is not as funny as his stand-up routine. Burr co-wrote the script with Ben Tishler, who was apparently not much help. Bobby Cannavale and Bokeem Woodbine co-star as his two best friends and business partners.
The premise here is that these three buddies are older that most typical fathers and their struggles to understand the younger generation, which includes their wives and significant others. The three friends had sold their company but were able to remain on as employees with a Gen Z supervisor who doesn’t respect their supposed wisdom or something. Burr’s character has gotten sideways with a progressive daycare principal. He has an erratic temper, which is what Burr relies on for his stand-up routine. All three of these guys have some friction in their relationships. Basically, they have to save their relationships, get their jobs back, and learn how to play nice with others.
There was no one I could bring myself to actually like or root for. I like Burr’s comedy generally, but somehow it didn’t translate all that well for this film. The profanity was a bit much, and I can tolerate a lot. There were times that I could almost sympathize with Burr’s character, Jack, such as when he called out his wife for not standing by him all that much. Just because he has a temper didn’t mean that he was always wrong.
I think there is a goldmine here with the idea of some of these older fathers with young children, but Burr didn’t seem to tap into it very effectively.
I didn’t have very high expectations for this one, but this still turned out to be surprisingly disappointing.
The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni has an intriguing plot and an interesting protagonist, but it still fell short of being that impressive somehow.
Trussoni does bring up some fascinating aspects in her main character named Mike Brink. Brink was once a promising college football star when he suffered a head injury that did not cripple him physically, but he did not escape unscathed. There is a rare medical condition known as acquired savant syndrome. Brink woke up with a peculiar ability to see patterns and solve the most complex of puzzles. It took him a while to get the hang of controlling the sudden flood of information. His football career came to an end, but he found a new outlet with becoming a celebrated puzzle maker.
Brink is asked to meet with a woman in prison for murder after she constructs a strange puzzle that he recognizes. Jess Price has spoken very little, but Brink starts having strange dreams, and his investigation into the woman’s circumstances open the door for him to get a look at something called the God Puzzle. The plot behind the murder conviction of Jess Price turns into something stranger and more spiritual than he could anticipate.
This is another novel that ends up not being terrible but somehow still unsatisfying. The problem could be that the plot required quite a bit of technical exposition due to the nature of the complex puzzles introduced. The main character has a fascinating condition and is pretty likeable. Trussoni is likely going to revisit Mike Brink and his unique abilities, and I may not be too deterred from trying out a follow-up.
In spite of some of my dissatisfaction with this novel, I can understand why another reader would appreciate it more. The basic plot idea is pretty compelling, but I have issue with how it was written. There were times that the story sort of stalled.
There’s a chance I may enjoy this more if I give it a second read or I try another one of Trussoni’s works. It’s not like it was a torturous read, but I was hoping I found a surprise literary gem. Alas, my hopes were dashed, but I have read worse.
Next up, I will return to the forests of Wyoming and observe game warden Joe Pickett as he solves his own puzzle that is occurring In Plain Sight.
In the Bleak Midwinter sees the welcome return of Paul McCann behind the microphone at Big Finish Productions in another pretty solid collection of audio dramas with the Eighth Doctor. Ken Bentley returns as director for this trilogy of episodes that has the Doctor and his two companions, Charlotte Pollard and Lady Audacity Montague fighting some pretty eerie manifestations over the Christmas holidays.
India Fisher reprises her role of Charley Pollard with Jaye Griffiths as Lady Audacity for these three stories. The guest cast includes Jason Watkins, Nickolas Grace, John Banks, David Robb, and Lucy Goldie.
Long-time and prolific contributor John Dorney starts off the set with Twenty-Four Doors. As the Doctor shares the delights of an Advent calendar with his companions, Al Norton, a department store Santa, is hearing some strange singing in his mind, and he is about to meet this TARDIS crew for what could be a joyous Christmas or a tragic one.
Jason Watkins I know from a detective series entitled McDonald & Dodds, and he is quite good here as the hapless Al Norton. The episode is pretty well-written and kind of unusual, which is not surprising since it’s a John Dorney script. The dynamic between Charley and Audacity is pretty compelling well. Fisher has been playing this part for over two decades, and I am finding that Griffiths has a very distinctive vocal presence that I am beginning to enjoy.
The Empty Man is the second episode and is written by Tom Foley. This time, the Doctor and his friends meet one Eldridge Brinkwood, an old man who shares his scary stories on the radio. An entity that takes the form of its next victim is stalking him, and the Time Lord may not be able to keep him safe.
Grace is the lead guest star here and is able to hold his own with the main cast. This is another pretty interesting story once I was able to work out the method of the creature. The TARDIS also seems drawn to the Christmas season, which is a bit of a mystery to her crew. Brinkwood is a rather witty character in spite of the fearful circumstances. McGann continues to deliver a familiar yet still compelling performance as the Doctor.
Finally, Roy Gill brings us to a close with Winter of the Demon. An industrialist named Donald Shaw, played by David Robb, is going to light up a city, but he may also be bringing an ancient demon to life
I had a little harder time getting into this one. It wasn’t a bad story, but I guess the other two resonated a little more.
Overall, the collection is pretty good with the performances of the main cast submitting some excellent performances. I enjoy this TARDIS team and hope to hear some more with them together. Paul McGann continues to deliver some wonderful moments as his version of the Doctor. Hearing Fisher back as Charley is a welcome treat as well. Now that I have spent a little more time with Lady Audacity, I have come to really look forward to hear how her character develops. She has taken on the role as a kind of surrogate older sister to Charley, and the two of them have a nice spark to challenge the Doctor at times.
It may have to become a proper Christmas tradition to indulge in the soundscape of In the Bleak Midwinter.
The Bikeriders, written and directed by Jeff Nichols, has an interesting premise and a talented, compelling cast, but it does seem to feel longer than it actually is. Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Mike Faist, and Norman Reedus are part of a pretty solid cast in this film based on the book by Danny Lyon.
The Vandals are a fictional motorcycle club in Chicago. They like to drink, fight, and cause some mischief, but as the years roll on, they become something a bit more sinister. Danny Lyon is a writer and photographer who has managed to be allowed to observe and interview the group. Most of the tale is related by Kathy, played by Comer, who is married to Austin Butler’s Benny, one the youngest riders with the Vandals. She tells Lyon of the complicated and trying camaraderie among the group and how they were led into deeper criminal activities, and how her husband was ruled by his sense of loyalty to the club. Tom Hardy portrays the leader known as Johnny and is unsurprisingly rather compelling.
All of the main performances were quite good. Comer does a great job with her character and some of the narration she provides during her interview scenes. Hardy really has an interesting and complicated role here. Austin Butler, who is kind of a rising star, is pretty good, but the more experienced cast members keep the bar pretty high here. Hardy and Comer, in particular, were fairly captivating.
In spite of the violence and other sorts of mayhem, the film still manages to drag a bit at times. There are some very interesting examinations exploring some of the motivations for being a part of this outlaw motorcycle club. I kind of liked the presence of Mike Faist as Danny Lyon and how he was tolerated by the club. The interview set-up was pretty well-done. I found Kathy to be particularly charming as a narrator. It’s hard not to like her and feel some sympathy for her as she navigates this complicated dynamic with her husband being a part of a motorcycle club.
The film has a lot of great components, but somehow it falls short of being a great cinematic experience. The moments that seemed to bog the story down are pretty noticeable. It may be that I need to take some time away and watch the film later to see if a second viewing will improve my outlook. I would still recommend going to see it. I wouldn’t be surprised if this film showed up in some sociology classes in the future.
Anyway, it’s another film with some flaws, but it’s still worthwhile to give it some attention.
Big Finish Productions releases another welcome Fourth Doctor audio boxset starring Tom Baker. Metamorphosis contains three new audio plays that continue the Doctor’s travels with Harry Sullivan and Naomi Cross, as played by Christopher Naylor and Eleanor Crooks, respectively.
The guest cast includes the vocal talents of Annette Badland. Geoffrey Beevers, Nicholas Briggs, Mark Gatiss, Glen McReady, and Lydia West. As usual, I have no complaints about the casting or the performances.
The first story is entitled Matryoshka by Aurora Fearnley and is directed by Helen Goldwyn. The TARDIS has been forced to land on Earth where the Doctor, Naomi, and Harry encounter a toy inventor searching for his missing daughter. They also meet a supposed psychic who has made contact with a Toymaker of the celestial kind.
Annette Badland has taken on the role of the Toymaker, who was originally played by the late Michael Gough. The Toymaker’s inclusion in this story is rather clever because the role was not really recast as a woman. He is communicating with the voice of the psychic. Anyway, the Doctor squaring off against the Toymaker is always fun, particularly when it’s the Fourth Doctor. The friendship between Harry and Naomi continues to be entertaining. Harry is not as enthusiastic about his continued travels with the Doctor as Naomi, but he still manages to brave his way through the chaotic journey. He’s a bit of a bumbler, but somehow, I would still like to have him at my side in a crisis. I did have a little trouble interpreting some of the events in the story. It’s not really a bad effort from the writer, but it isn’t that easy to follow.
The second episode is written by Matthew Sweet, directed by Nicholas Briggs, and is entitled The Caged Assassin. The Doctor and his companions encounter a radioactive tiger that has somehow gotten into the TARDIS. This story somehow seems a little more confusing than the first one. There are alien wombats involved, and the Doctor and his friends meet a historical dealer in exotic animals named Charles Jamrach. The wombats he has in his possession are a bit more exotic than he expected. I was not that impressed with the story overall, but it still has Tom Baker giving a strong, enthusiastic performance even if the actual plot didn’t quite keep me rivetted.
Finally, Metamorphosis by Lisa McMullin wraps up the trilogy. Jamie Anderson directed this entry and does a good job. Geoffrey Beevers returns to the role of his version of the Master. This is the decaying husk version introduced during the Fourth Doctor’s era. Beevers is older, but the silky malevolence in his voice is as captivating as ever. The TARDIS crew lands on a planet known as Jaxus where some of its denizens are disappearing. There is an abandoned prison nearby, but the Master has made use of it and plans to restore his health at the cost of others’ lives. This is a pretty strong finish for this collection. Beevers’ performance alongside Tom Baker really gives the story an extra punch.
Overall, this set ends up being a bit on the disappointing side compared to some of the previous releases. It isn’t terrible, but the stories were lacking a little. I think there were too many moments where the sound effects or the dialogue didn’t paint an effective or cohesive picture for the imagination. The dynamic between the Doctor, Harry, and Naomi does remain pretty amusing. The main cast is still an enjoyable combination, and no one really tanks here. I will likely return to this one, but probably not as quickly as many of the other Big Finish releases.
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is one of the most elegantly written novels I have read in some time filled with all kinds of interesting Russian history and culture seen through the eyes of an aristocrat who is placed under house arrest at the luxurious hotel in Moscow where he resides.
Towles takes us readers back to 1922 Russia where Count Alexander Rostov faces a Bolshevik tribunal over some poem that was attributed to him. Apparently, the tribunal found that the Count was a little enamored with his aristocratic position in society. The Count has spent some years living at a luxury hotel known as the Metropol in Moscow. He is sentenced to house arrest and is not allowed to leave the hotel. To add insult to injury, the Count is moved out of his usual suite and has to take up residence in the old servants’ quarters in the attic. During his years there, the Count does manage to cultivate some friendships with some of the staff and guests. He also has the opportunity to raise a child that has come into his care. History is made in Moscow outside of the doors of the Metropol, and the Count keeps up as best he can. The unexpected blessing that he receives over the years is a sense of purpose that was missing for much of his life. Although there are worse places to be confined, the Count still has to adapt to a loss of freedom and manages to actually thrive in some ways.
Towles chooses to create a character who sort of rolls with the punches in a strangely whimsical manner. The Count even manages to adjust to his new lodgings in the attic with a certain impressive stoicism. Some may read this and believe the Count to be a rather boring protagonist, but he is anything but. The Count is a fascinating character because many of his reactions are atypical to the circumstances.
The story unfolds over a pretty long span of time. The Count has had some heartbreak in his past and does care more deeply about family. He even manages to become an adoptive parent when a child is left in his care.
Towles can appear a bit wordy at times, but I find his style reminiscent of authors from late nineteenth to early twentieth century. Sometimes the exposition slows the plot down at times, and there is still a temptation to skim over some of the heavier passages. I would encourage other readers to take their time and enjoy the prose as much as possible.
This novel was published in 2016 and has enjoyed quite a bit of acclaim over the past several years. The applause is well-earned here. Towles does well to recreate the setting. Although Count Rostov is a product of Towles’ imagination, the Metropol is actually a real place. Maybe if Moscow appears more welcome to tourist within my lifetime, it would be tempting to check this place out. I would likely also need to experience an improbable financial windfall to afford such a venture.
Anyway, there is not much to criticize this novel. It is very entertaining and enlightening. Amor Towles is likely becoming a writer who I intend to follow a bit more intently.
The next indulgence is a return to the crime thriller genre, but this is another author I have not read before. I am looking forward to allowing author Danielle Trussoni to introduce me to The Puzzle Master.
Brats is an engaging documentary directed by Andrew McCarthy which explores the impact the moniker “Brat Pack” had on the group of young actors in the 1980’s who endured the unflattering label over the years,
The Brat Pack consisted of young actors such as Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, and McCarthy himself who appeared together in certain films which launched a genre of films that depicted the angst and complicated relationships of those coming of age during the 1980’s. Films such as Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and of course, The Breakfast Club are considered the creme de la creme of this category. I almost forgot to mention St. Elmo’s Fire as well,
McCarthy reconnects with and interview some of his old colleagues. Many of them avoided contact with the others after the article published by New York magazine stuck them with the label. A couple of prominent members such as Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson chose not to participate in the documentary, however McCarthy included them with archived footage.
McCarthy puts forth a pretty compelling examination of the past. He wanted to get a sense of what some of his fellow actors thought at the time and how some of their impressions have changed over the past few decades. McCarthy himself seems to have some complicated and nuanced view of the consequences of that article, and it was fascinating to see him wrestle with those emotions.
David Blum is the journalist who wrote the infamous article, and McCarthy sits down with him, which is great.
I have seen few of the movies themselves, but I was aware of the Brat Pack and generally enjoyed their works as separate films. Of course, I was too young at the time to appreciate the potential effect and consequences of the label at the time.
Emilio Estevez even agrees to talk to McCarthy. How long has it been since he has been in front of the camera?
It’s not the most earth-shattering documentary, but it is interesting and amusing. It’s even a little educational from a pop culture standpoint. McCarthy seems like a pretty nice fellow in spite of some of the lingering resentment over the impact on his career, which still ended up being pretty good.
Bigger fans of this group of actors will likely appreciate this film even more, however I was pretty impressed with the final edit. I still learned a lot and appreciated the sense of nostalgia the film evoked.
The Watchers is a supernatural horror film that has some interesting concepts and moments; however, it is another one that just fails to really stand out in the genre.
Ishana Night Shyamalan has written and directed this film, which is based on a novel written by A.M. Shine. Dakota Fanning is in the lead and is joined by a pretty talented cast which includes Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouere, Oliver Finnegan, and John Lynch.
Mina is an American living in Ireland, which is a situation I kind of envy. She has carried considerable guilt about the circumstances of her mother’s death which occurred fifteen years previously. She works in some exotic animal establishment and is asked to deliver a rare sort of parrot to Belfast. Mina somehow ends up on a route which takes her through a dense forest, and her car breaks down. While wandering in the forest, Mina encounters an older woman who leads her to a bunker building where two other people are residing. There is a large, mirrored window. During the night, creatures emerge from the tress to observe this little group. They are allowed to leave the Coop during the day but must return by nightfall or some unpleasantness would be afoot. Of course, living this way indefinitely is not what Mina has in mind, so a daring escape is planned once some questions are answered regarding the origin of the Coop.
Ishana Night is the daughter of long-time horror director M. Night Shyamalan, and the family resemblance apparently carries over into directing styles. Much like I have noted about M. Night’s film, the initial concepts are compelling, but somehow the execution doesn’t quite impress as much as I hope. Ishana does little to make her effort more distinct from her father’s style of filmmaking. The performances were somewhat interesting. Dakota Fanning is the only one on the cast I recognized immediately. I don’t mind that because I sort of like coming across actors that don’t have that immediate name recognition. There are some diamonds in the rough among that group of actors. I think the cast is talented enough, but I am not sure this project makes the best use of that talent.
The visual effects were pretty good, but that’s not hard for these studios to do these days.
I think Ishana has some potential. Despite my reservations about this film, I have seen worse, and I was genuinely interested to see what would happen next. The film has a rather peculiar and messy resolution, but I didn’t find everything about it to be irredeemable. Ishana may just need some experience and willingness to come out with something that would feel different from her father’s works.
I believe Ishana Night Shyamalan could be a good director and writer, but she may need to be more discerning about her future projects. This could just be one of the clearest examples of the novel likely being much better than what we got on screen.
Blessing of the Lost Girls is a very interesting and somewhat unusual mystery novel by the prolific J.A. Jance and may be one of the better ones in her lengthy catalogue.
Jance writes quite a few series these days. This one takes place in Arizona within the jurisdiction of Sheriff Joanna Brady of Cochise County. Brady herself is not in this one very much. The lead protagonist is a feral agent named Dan Pardee, who works with a new federal agency which investigates the disappearances or murders of Native Americans in particular. Some burned human remains was finally identified after a few years of their discovery. They were once a lovely young woman who was a rodeo contestant and a Native American. She also was acquainted with one Jennifer Brady, the daughter of the aforementioned sheriff. Jenny Brady has grown up since her introduction to readers and is currently studying criminal justice. She has figured out a way to be of some help to this new investigation which reveals the presence of a serial killer who has been stalking the rodeo circuit for many years. Pardee is the son-in-law of another lawman created by Jance. That would be Brandon Walker, who did not appear as frequently as Brady or Jance’s other best-known detective, J.P. Beaumont. Jance has also decided to introduce her killer pretty early in this one, however there are still some alarming secrets to be discovered about this one.
Jance has delved fairly frequently into some American Indian lore over the years, and she does so even more here. The structure of the story seems a little different than her usual method, and I found myself enjoying the change of pace. I do miss having Joanna Brady more involved in the action in this one, but I am not one to begrudge authors for introducing new heroes.
Aspects of the plot still seem a bit far-fetched, but that’s not unusual for this genre or for this author. Jance remains to be a very compelling writer in this genre. Her characters go through a lor, but I like their steadfastness and pragmatism during the worst of circumstances. Jance also writes afterwords where she reveals some of the inspiration, so it’s a bit of a treat to sort of understand how these characters and stories develop in her mind.
Jance has done a good job of sort of freshening up her characters a bit, and teasing her readers with potential new directions such as how would an agency primarily responsible for investigating heinous crimes on a Native American reservation.
I am always game for new Joanna Brady and J.P. Beaumont novels, but I would not mind getting to know Dan Pardee and his family more as well.
Next up, it is time for author Amor Towles to introduce me to A Gentleman in Moscow.
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