Tag: reviews

Doctor Who Audio Review: The Doctor Has So Much Fixing To Do

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Doctor Who: Fixers brings another trilogy of adventures featuring the Seventh Doctor from Big Finish Productions, and he has an interesting new companion for this round. Sylvester McCoy is joined by Sara Griffiths, reprising her role as Ray, who was first introduced many years ago in the television serial, Delta and the Bannermen. This set is brought to us under the direction of Samuel Clemens.

The guest cast is comprised of Rhian Crowley-Mclean, Celia Imrie, Poppy Miller, Anne Odeke, Marc Silk, Sion Tudor Owen, and Annie Wallace.

Chris Chapman is first up to the plate with his script entitled The Executor. The Doctor receives word of the death of Time Lady known as Peg and is tasked with taking responsibility for her TARDIS. The Doctor and Ray find that there is something else aboard, and he has to call upon her hologram to lend assistance.

This is a strong start to the set. Imrie’s portrayal of Peg is quite engaging, and she sparks off McCoy’s performance quite effectively. I was a little unsure of how much I would enjoy bringing Ray aboard the TARDIS, but my doubts were quickly assuaged. Griffiths brings a more mature version of the character than was seen in the television serial, and it works.

This is a pretty intriguing story because it does add another layer to the Doctor’s history without a lot of explanation as to what the nature of the relationship between him and this new, now deceased Time Lady.

Oil and Water, written by James McDermott, is the almost obligatory plotline warning us all about the dangers of pollution. In this case, mutated seals are killing people, and it seems that some sentient well of oil is at the heart of the tragedy. The Doctor and Ray have to contend with a grieving woman who is hungry for vengeance. Also, it seems that seals are not the only ones possessed by this unique presence.’

It’s an interesting idea, but the growing friendship between the Doctor and Ray carries it through more than the actual story. I found it to be once again a little too politically heavy-handed, but it’s not the first time that Doctor Who has almost bludgeoned the audience with this topic.

McCoy and Griffiths still make this worth the time as well as the other performances. It just isn’t going on the list of favorites for this listener.

Finally, Much Ado About Racing by Fio Tretheway, finishes up this set with the Doctor and Ray coming across some kind of galactic race between two women who are apparently bitter rivals but with a more complicated history. Ray is hearing a voice in her head that is bringing old regrets from her past. The Doctor finds there is another entity at work feeding on others’ sorrow.

It was a better episode than the second one but not as strong as the first.

The set started off pretty strong, but the remaining two stories didn’t quite hold my interest as well as the first episode. Still, the performances make this work, and I like Ray travelling with the Doctor for this collection. She is not done yet apparently.

Overall, it’s an enjoyable addition to the Big Finish catalog. None of the stories need to be ignored entirely. I think a couple of them could use a bit of fixing, but the set still functions pretty well as a whole.

In the meantime, I will wait for the next installment with the Doctor and Ray together at the TARDIS console. This should be a fun journey as it usually is when it comes to Doctor Who.

Doctor Who Audio Review: Turlough Makes His Choice

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Doctor Who: Reunion is another collection of audio plays from Big Finish Productions that continues the rather intriguing series of adventures that has former companion, Turlough, return to the TARDIS alongside the Sixth Doctor and Peri. Turlough has to contend with a Doctor with an unfamiliar aspect and make his way back to his home planet in the throes of an invasion., He may first have to endure a couple of other adventures alongside before he faces the ultimate test of his loyalties.

Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant are reunited behind the microphones of Big Finish with Mark Strickson reprising his role as the complicated, and seemingly duplicitous Turlough which culminates in a homecoming fraught with peril. All of this is under the steady direction of Samuel Clemens

The first of the trilogy is Matthew Sweet’s Save the Date. The Doctor, Turlough, and Peri are in 1969 London and come across a rather unusual dating agency which seems to have an alien influence. Peri is hired on as a secretary while her friends take on the roles as very eligible bachelors looking for love in the deadliest places.

The guest cast is comprised of Annette Badland, Jo Castleton, and Faith Omole.

This episode kicks off with a more humorous tone. The Doctor does display a more tender side to his often-spiky persona, which Baker performs quite nicely.

It’s not the most remarkable of stories, but it’s a solid enough entry into this set. Turlough trying his hand at romance is also an amusing venture. Turlough, with of all of his complications, seems to have become a favorite companion of mine over the years. I am not one instinctively drawn to the idea of bringing back companions from other eras, but somehow the idea of pairing Turlough with a different Doctor does seem to work.

Writer Paul Sutton then follows up with Poison’s Reach in which the Doctor and his companions must prevent a catastrophe for a colony known as Freefall.

Rosie Jones and Charlotte Harris join the TARDIS crew as a couple of guest performers.

This episode really is the middle story and not all that memorable, Turlough does have an almost romantic relationship with a scientist, which does help spike the interest a little. Of course, the courage displayed by this woman does inspire Turlough to finally make a choice reveal a secret involving his own home.

The story is a key to that brings about the climax to this set in which the audience finally gets to join Turlough during a very complicated homecoming.

Finally, AK Benedict and Guy Adams bring us to the home stretch with Broken Home. Turlough;’s home planet has been invaded by another alien species, and he has brokered a deal which places the Doctor and his TARDIS in their hands. Turlough seems to have betrayed his home and his friends, but the Doctor gambles that his trust is not misplaced regardless of the complicated history between the two friends.

Ryan Gage and Rachel Atkins are included in this guest casr.

Turlough going back to his roots is a welcome addition to this set. The performances are great, and Strickson really gets to sink his teeth into this role.

Although some aspects of the ending are predictable and a bit trite, this story is still kind of a treat, The writers sort of fall short of convincing anyone that Turlough has actually gone that far off the rails, but Strickson still manages to keep one invested in the character.

Nicola Bryant does put forth a powerful performance when Peri really believes that her trust in Turlough has been in vain.

The relationship between the Doctor and Peri has really grown on me since this a period where Peri has rejoined the Time Lord after her abrupt and strange departure in The Trial of a Time Lord. She had lived as a warrior queen for a time and is much more mature than the precocious young woman which was first introduced to the television audience. Yet Big Finish and Bryant still manage to keep her familiar to the audience. She and the Doctor seem to have a much more comfortable and trusting relationship, and I find it quite refreshing.

Anyway, the audience gets to see Turlough take another exit bow, which isn’t too much of a spoiler, but I do hope this is still far from the last time Mark Strickson steps up to the microphone figuratively dons that familiar school blazer yet again.

Of course, I am also always game to have Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant take the helm of the TARDIS on their series of adventures.

Film Review: The Dead Don’t Stay Still In Centerville

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Dead Don’t Die is a rather gruesome horror-comedy written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, which often seems as dead as the persistent zombies roaming the street s in spite of the star power employed here.

The film stars Bill Murray. Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Selena Gomez, Carol Kane, and quite a few others. Even their considerable talents could not keep me fully engaged in this film.

It’s a pretty standard zombie flick in many ways, but Jarmusch injects this deadpan sort of humor that seemingly falls flatter than was intended. In this little town known as Centerville, the dead start walking again due to some strange astronomical event that was nonsensical that I don’t even remember what it was called.

Murray and Driver have a sort of wooden double act as two of the town’s police officers trying to figure out the reason for these mysterious cannibalistic deaths. The town is full of strange characters played by the likes of Steve Buscemi and Danny Glover. It was kind of cool to see Glover.

Also, there were some moments that the fourth wall was breached, which was supposed to enhance the intent of this being a comedy. It didn’t work that well for me. I don’t mind that sort of tactic at times, but a better writer needs to take that on.

I appreciate that Jarmusch was trying to be somewhat innovative in this genre of film, but he just didn’t quite hold it together for me. It could be well that zombie movies are a hard nut to crack when it comes to present a more original vision, but this project didn’t really have the secret to doing that successfully.’

Anyway, it’s a little too bizarre for my taste, and that’s saying something considering my other indulgences when it comes to cinema.

Book Review: A Temporary Assignment Nearly Kills Joe Pickett

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Nowhere to Run by C.J. Box is another solid installment in a pretty compelling series featuring game warden Joe Pickett.

Joe Pickett is wrapping up a temporary assignment in Baggs, Wyoming before returning home to his wife and daughters. He gets reports of some harassment of campers and an elk that was illegally butchered. Pickett looks into the matter and encounters a pair known as the Grim Brothers. When an attempted arrest goes very wrong, Pickett barely escapes with his life. There also seems to be a peculiar connection to an aspiring Olympic runner who had vanished a couple of years earlier. Pickett’s word comes into question when subsequent investigators can find no evidence of his harrowing ordeal with the Grim Brothers. Pickett has to decide if he needs to return to the mountain for the sake of justice and his peace of mind.

Box kind of flirts with the supernatural here when the legend of Wendigos is mentioned. A wendigo is a legendary evil spirit that can resemble a human that may eat human flesh.

Box does a pretty good job of threading together a pretty diverse set of unusual circumstances. Pickett also deals with the challenges of being a father of growing daughters, including a traumatized and sullen foster daughter. The devotion he has for his wife and daughters is rather moving and inspiring.

Pickett is a flawed yet unquestionably noble protagonist and is too often accused of being stubborn. It is an admirable stubbornness, however.

Box continues to be a competent writer and storyteller. He has a pretty good pace when it comes to letting the story unfold.

This novel does get better as more secretes are revealed. There is nothing too extraordinary about this particular installment in the series, but Box does a good job of keeping the reader’s attention.

I have decided to take a different literary path for the time being. The next read is Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States.

Doctor Who Audio Review: The Perils Of Progress

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Doctor Who: Lethal Progress is somewhat disappointingly average collection of audio dramas directed by Helen Goldwyn and released by Big Finish Productions. Tom Baker back in the role as the Fourth Doctor does help it not be a complete waste of time. Sadie Miller is alongside the Doctor as Darah Jane Smith, an iconic role first played by her mother, Elisabeth Sladen.

The guest cast includes Alexander Cobb, Sean Connelly, Orlando Gibbs, Dawn Murphy, and Nisha Nayar. The casting was fine, but none of the three episodes in this set really resonated all that thoroughly with me.

Baker and Miller in the lead roles do make this still a worthwhile listening experience even if the episodes themselves were somewhat bland.

Tim Foley starts off with Green and Pleasant Planet in which the Doctor and Sarah meet a British space expedition on a strange world which contains a peculiar model village. The lifeforms are even stranger and become more lethal.

There are some interesting ideas here, but Foley just doesn’t present them all that coherently sometimes.

The Continuum by John Dorney places the Doctor and Sarah on a space station that is about to go through hyperspace, but there is a dangerous presence aboard, and the whole endeavor turns even more chaotic.

This story is a little better, and Dorney is considered one of the more reliable writers for Big Finish Productions. I appreciate where he was trying to take this story and what likely influenced this episode. It helps to think of the film Event Horizon which had a similar setting. Anyway, it seems a little too confusing for an audio play at times. I can respect the ambitious idea though. Dorney will likely impress me with his next contribution.

Finally, Lizzie Hopley brings this collection to a close with The Audience. The Doctor and Sarah visit a planet in which artificial beings who want to have real feelings use theater as a means to experience something more than just stark programming. The problem is that the plays get a little too real, and Sarah may be forced to give up her life for the sake of an unwanted role.

It’s a little bit of an overused idea in science fiction, but Hopley is not too bad in presenting her take on the concept.

Baker and Miller continue to display a solid chemistry. Tom Baker’s age is starting to show a bit in his performance. He kind of goes a little over the top, although I still enjoy his participation very much.

This release was recorded during the COVID lockdowns in 2021, so that may explain some of the dip in quality here. The set is not terrible, but it just came across as more mediocre than I am used to.

Not every release is going to be the great, and I get that. Tom Baker can still hold court in his performances. Sadie Miller does well in resurrecting the part originated by her mother,

The postproduction work is still well done. The stories just didn’t hold my interest all that consistently, but that’s going to happen from time to time, even with a stellar track record like Big Finish’s.

Film Review: Nothing Like A Nice Hike At Gunpoint

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Long Walk is a dystopian thriller film that was adapted from an early Stephen King novel. Since I have not read the novel, I am uncertain as to its faithfulness to the source material, but it’s a pretty good movie. The screenplay was written by J.T. Mollner with Francis Lawrence as director.

The film’s cast includes Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Ben Wang, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill.

This film takes place in some alternate history where the United States has gone through some kind of civil war in the twentieth century. There is now an annual event called “The Long Walk” in which young men from every state gather to participate in a long walk for as long as they can in order to win a large cash prize and any wish granted they desire. It’s a Stephen King story, so there is a rather gruesome catch. The lads are escorted by the military, and if they fall below walking 3 miles per hour, they are executed after three warnings. Along the way, there is a mixture of some competitiveness and camaraderie. Of course, the other catch is that there can only be one left still standing in order to reap the rewards.

It’s a pretty good movie in spite of most of it taking place on a very long stretch of road. It’s a tough movie to watch because of the ruthlessness depicted at times. Complicated and shifting relationships are king of a staple in a Stephen King story.

Those who have read the book may disagree, and I can sympathize since I also usually prefer the written version in most adaptations like this.

The performances were all quite solid, although Hamill does kind of come off as a little cheesy at times as this blustering Major. I will say that he has had worse performances, so he does not really ruin the film.

It’s a somewhat extraordinary plot in some ways. Honestly, it seems like a pointless endeavor concocted by the government, but it does a provide an interesting vehicle for the banter between the characters.

There are some moments that pull on the heartstrings, and I was actually saddened at some of the deaths. There are some pretty compelling twists as well.

This may not be the best of Stephen King adaptation, but it should hold up as at least being interesting and worthy of atj least one viewing.

Book Review: Strike In Parliament

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Lethal White is the rather lengthy, convoluted fourth novel featuring Cormoran Strike by Robert Galbraith, who is really J.K. Rowling. It is still quite good, but some of the more personal dynamics between Strike and his partner, Robin Ellacott, tends to grab my interest more than the actual murder mystery.

It has been a year since Robin has entered what appears to be a troubled marriage. She has been elevated to partner in Strike’s detective agency. Strike has been gaining some notoriety due his involvement in some high-profile murders occurring in London. He is also the illegitimate son of a popular rock star. He also lost a leg when he served king and country in the military. Needless to say, he is a guy with a colorful past.

Well, this caper starts off with a very troubled young man bursting into Strike’s office and claiming to have witnessed a strangulation when he was a child. When he and Robin start to take a look at this claim, a minister in Parliament shows up and hires the agency to assist in a blackmail situation which sends Robin undercover, much to the frustration of her new husband.

Anyway, a connection between the aforementioned strange visit and this minister’s problem becomes apparent. Once again, Strike and Robin have to risk their lives as they also navigate the complications in their friendship.

Galbraith is unquestionably a talented, interesting writer on the whole, but this novel felt a little more dense than necessary at times. Strike and Robin’s banter certainly helps one navigate this unwieldy plot.

Robin’s situation with her husband feels a bit cliche at times, but it was still interesting. There is an obvious “will they or won’t they” vibe going on between Strike and Robin, which is a little trite but still engaging.

As I work my way through the series, I doubt Lethal White will rank as a favorite, but it’s still worth the time. Galbraith still manages to be compelling enough to keep me returning to the series.

As usual, I will get the next installment a few books down the road. For now, it is time to revisit the living room of 221B Baker Street as Nicholas Meyer unveils the story of Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram From Hell.

Film Review: Even A Pawn Can Take Down A King

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Young Washington is a pretty well-put together film depicting the early failures and successes of the first President of the United States with William Franklyn-Miller in the lead role as George Washington. Jon Erwin sits in the director’s seat of this film which he co-wrote alongside Tom Provost and Diederik Hoogstraten.

Other familiar talents such as Kelsey Grammar, Andy Serkis, Mary-Louise Parker, and Ben Kingsley are part of well-chosen cast.

Much the film delves a bit into Washington’s childhood and reveals that his father died when he was quite young. Washington had an older half-brother who took charge of his education and was apparently an important inspiration to the boy. Of course, older brother Lawrence teaches George the rules governing the game of chess. Washington initially wanted to serve in the British Army but was denied because of his colonial roots. He was given a position in the Virginia Militia where he started making a name for himself. The film then starts to hone on the French and Indian Wars, and Washington’s experiences there, including a rather humbling loss. It takes the love and wisdom of George’s mother to reignite that spark of inspiration that propels him to build on the purpose that will eventually help form a nation from the ground up.

It’s not the greatest historical film I have seen, but it holds up quite nicely and is certainly one of the better projects to hit the screens this year. Franklyn-Miller does a decent job portraying a very young George Washington, although I don’t know there is anything that unique about his performance.

The film seems to not stray too far from historical record, although I am sure there were some flights of fancies utilized.

It was also a pretty straight-forward film in a lot of ways without a lot of strange surprises thrown in for effect. It was a little odd to see Washington portrayed at such a young age during a period of his life that doesn’t seem to have much of lore that most have come to associate with him.

The film is certainly intended to celebrate who would become the United States’ first president, but it also brings out his human frailty and reminds the audience what he had to overcome to be seen as one of the Founding Fathers.

The set design and wardrobe seemed well crafted.

There are times that the film likely exaggerates the accomplishments a bit, but it’s nothing too outrageous. The film does have moments where it could have used a quicker pace, but it’s no worse than many other releases in that regard.

The film still delivers a good time, and I did actually feel like that I learned something new about a period in Washington’s life that is likely overlooked in the schools.

As I write this, I am thinking I should add a more comprehensive biography of the man to the reading queue.

Classic Film Review: Showgirls In Peril

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Trap is not one of the better films to feature Charlie Chan, as played by the late Sidney Toler. Howard Bretherton directed this film which was written by Miriam Kissinger. The character was first created by the late Earl Derr Biggers, who was also given some writing credit. Biggers died in 1933, so he probably didn’t have much to do with this bit of tragic cinema.

Victor Sen Yung, Barbara Jean Wong, Mantan Moreland, and Tanis Chandler are also included in the cast.

It’s kind of a classic murder mystery set-up where a where a theatrical ensemble is staying at a beach house where scandal and blackmail are ruining the camaraderie among the showgirls. When one of the showgirls is murdered, a pair of them fall under suspicion. San Toy happens to know the son of the great detective, Charlie Chan, and reaches out for some help. Jimmy Chan starts his own investigation; however, the big man turns up when he receives some information that Jimmy himself had been murdered. Charlie devises a trap to ensnare a murderer who has claimed a second victim as he discovers the secrets held by the performers.

There isn’t much about this particular film that works. Charlie Chan isn’t all that involved in the story as expected. I did a little research here and learned that Toler had been coping with a severe cancer diagnosis at the time of production. In fact, he died the following year. The story was not that interesting. Well, it did follow the basic tropes of the genre and the other films in the series, but it was not executed all that well. It felt rushed and a bit incoherent. Now that I am aware of Toler’s condition during filming, it does seem the studio was rather ruthlessly trying to make as much money as possible from a star who was terribly sick.

I do think the Charlie Chan movies themselves are worth some viewing time due to the cultural impact at the time of release, but I also believe this particular film deserves a pass. The actors did their best, but the script did little to help.

Film Review: Bart Sees It All

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Night Clerk is an almost painfully mediocre suspense film written and directed by Micchael Cristofer about a motel clerk with Asperger’s Syndrome who sets up cameras in rooms to spy on guests so he can learn how to imitate their mannerisms. He apparently believes this will help him be less socially awkward.

Tye Sheridan is in the lead as Bart Bromley with Ana de Armas, John Leguizamo, Helen Hunt, and Johnathan Schaech included in the pretty small cast.

Bart finds that he is the lead suspect when a pretty lady is found dead in the motel room with him in the vicinity. He is assigned by a sympathetic boss to another location where he meets another pretty lady who flirts with him and reveals that she is in an affair with a married man. The detective, played by Leguizamo, continues to hound the hapless Bart while the real killer is desperate to cover his tracks.

This is a bit of a knock-off of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, which isn’t a bad source for inspiration even if it has been overcooked over the years. The cast is solid enough with convincing performances; however, it just feels so slow. There are no real surprises. Bart does come off as a bit creepy at times, so I found it hard to maintain any real sympathy for him. An actress of Helen Hunt’s caliber feels wasted in the role as Bart’s protective mother. There are also times where it feels that the killer takes a somewhat more convoluted approach than necessary to keep his secret. I can go on and on, but I have a full plate today.

The bright spots in this film were there but seemed a little muted at times. Overall, I think audiences have seen this kind of setup too many times, and Cristofer really doesn’t offer up much in the way of an interesting or unique twist. I didn’t really care much about the protagonist in spite of him being inflicted with a very challenging condition. Sheridan does do a solid job in his portrayal, but that wasn’t enough for me to muster up any real appreciation for the film as a whole.