Movie Review: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) directed by Steven Spielberg We are not alone in the universe. There are beings from beyond the stars, who have visited Earth from time to time. Sometimes there have even been “close encounters”, sightings and nebulous evidence. Now, perhaps, it is time for a true meeting in… Continue reading Movie Review: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Tag: widows
Book Review: The Argosy Book of Adventure Stories
Book Review: The Argosy Book of Adventure Stories edited by Rogers Terrill This collection of exciting tales of action and bravery plucked from the pages of Argosy, the long-running pulp magazine, is most notable for only choosing from those printed between 1946 and 1952, when the collection was published. Thus it had, at the time,… Continue reading Book Review: The Argosy Book of Adventure Stories
Movie Review: Tampopo
Movie Review: Tampopo (1985) directed by Juzo Itami Truck drivers Goro (Tsutomu Yamazaki) and Gun (Ken Watanabe) get hungry on a long haul, and stop at Ramen Lai-Lai, a failing restaurant. To be honest, the food’s not all that good, but Goro gets into a fight with local drunk Pis-Ken (Rikiya Yasuoka), who’s being rude to… Continue reading Movie Review: Tampopo
Movie Review: Rio Bravo (1959)
Movie Review: Rio Bravo (1959) directed by Howard Hawks Rio Bravo is a small town in the West Texas county of Presidio, not too far from the Mexican border. The rancher with the biggest spread nearby is Nathan Burdette (John Russell). He also has something of a monopoly on guns for hire in the area, being… Continue reading Movie Review: Rio Bravo (1959)
Movie Review: Suddenly
Movie Review: Suddenly (1954) directed by Lewis Allen Back during the gold rush, Suddenly, California was the kind of place where things happen in a hurry. Nowadays, it’s a much sleepier town. Slim the deputy (Paul Wexler) jokes to a passing motorist that the town fathers are considering changing the name to “Gradually.” But today’s going… Continue reading Movie Review: Suddenly
Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 5
Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 5 by Naoki Urasawa Note: This review contains SPOILERS for earlier volumes of Asadora! It is 1964, and the Tokyo Olympics are about to begin. But there has been a sighting of “that thing”, a gigantic creature of unknown origins, in the vicinity. If it can’t be driven off, the Olympics… Continue reading Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 5
Webtoon Review: A Tale Dark & Grimm
Webtoon Review: A Tale Dark & Grimm Once upon a time, there were a brother and sister named Hansel and Gretel. They lived happily with their parents until the day their father chopped their heads off. Although the pair somehow survived this experience, it understandably made them wary of the King and Queen, and so… Continue reading Webtoon Review: A Tale Dark & Grimm
Book Review: Widows Wear Weeds
Book Review: Widows Wear Weeds by A.A. Fair (Erle Stanley Gardner) Erle Stanley Gardner became famous thanks to his Perry Mason stories, featuring a defense attorney whose client is always innocent (of the particular murder the story is about.) But not every one of his story ideas fit that mold, so under the pen name… Continue reading Book Review: Widows Wear Weeds
Movie Review: Dementia 13 (1963)
Movie Review: Dementia 13 (1963) directed by Francis Ford Coppola Lady Haloran (Ethne Dunne) has summoned her family to their castle in Ireland for the annual commemoration of her daughter Kathleen’s death. Eldest son John (Peter Read) has sent his regrets, and his wife Louise (Luana Anders), as he has been forced to travel elsewhere on… Continue reading Movie Review: Dementia 13 (1963)
Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine September/October 2021
Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine September/October 2021 edited by Janet Hutchings “The years keep coming and they just keep coming.” It seems like just a few months ago I reviewed a 75th anniversary issue of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, but in fact it was five years ago, and here’s the 80th anniversary issue. It’s… Continue reading Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine September/October 2021