I was in a bookstore in Montreal, browsing for some suggested reads for my sister, when a song started to play over the P.A. system. It was a great tune, very catchy, but my attempts to Shazam and identify it proved futile, so I flagged down one of the floor staff and asked if she…
June 30, 2014: The Star Trek TOS re-watch continues with…The Enemy Within!
Hi! I'm Joseph Mallozzi. And me Cookie Monster. And we're your co-hosts for this Star Trek: The Original Series re-watch. Today's episode under discussion: The Enemy Within! Me: As I said when we started this re-watch, I haven't screened these episodes since I was a kid so I'm expecting to have some of my naive…
June 28, 2014: The Star Trek TOS re-watch continues! Let’s discuss The Naked Time!
Cookie Monster and I will get the ball rolling on the discussion. Join in the comments section! Me: Of all the iconic images of the original Star Trek, the shot of a shirtless Sulu running the corridors with his fencing swords ranks up there as one of my favorites. Again, it's great to see the…
June 27, 2014: Continuing our Star Trek TOS re-watch with…Where No Man Has Gone Before!
Cookie Monster and I continue our casual discussion of old Star Trek episodes... Me: Okay, I've discovered my threshold for consecutive Stark Trek episode watching. Two! More than two, and I get a little stir crazy. As a result, I didn't appreciate this episode as much as I should have because it really is a…
June 26, 2014: Our Star Trek TOS re-watch continues with Charlie X!
Let's continue our Star Trek (Not Stargate! I keep making that mistake!): The Original Series re-watch. Today, Cookie Monster and I discuss Charlie X... Me: A very strong episode this one, reminiscent of The Twilight Zone's equally creepy "It's A Good Life", based on the short story by Jerome Bixby. It stands the test of…
June 25, 2014: Let’s kick off our Star Trek TOS re-watch with The Man Trap!
Hello and welcome to our Star Trek: The Original Series re-watch. Cookie Monster and I will be your co-hosts. We'll open the casual discussion on the show's first five episodes, then ask you to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section. THE MAN TRAP Me: A rocky start for the Enterprise and its…
June 24, 2014: Jelly tries to put the kibosh on my travel plans!
The other night, I was awakened by a kerplunk (!), the unmistakable sound of a portly, elderly pug falling off the bed. I sat up to discover 15 year old Jelly, struggling to stand up on the polished hardwood floor. She seemed surprised but otherwise okay. Just in case though, I brought her out to…
June 18, 2014: Join our Star Trek TOS re-watch!
Full disclosure: I haven't watched a full episode of Star Trek TOS since I was a kid. And, sure, we've come a long way since then and a lot of this old series will, no doubt, feel charmingly outdated by today's standards but, damn, if I don't feel a shiver of excitement every time I…
June 17, 2014: Back on the mean streets of Sesame!
Well look who it is. If it isn't our old friend Cookie Monster who, only last summer, announced he was through hosting our weekly Supermovie of the Week Club and done penning reviews of such big screen classics as The Dark Knight, Spiderman, and Abar: The First Black Superman. Well, what a difference a year…
June 16, 2014: July under-the-radar movie releases to look forward to! Or not!
LIFE ITSELF Release Date: July 4, 2014 What it’s about: A documentary on the life of film critic Roger Ebert. What it’s got working for it: As someone who grew up watching Siskel & Ebert, I'm interested. What’s it’s got going against it: Those unfamiliar with his work may not be quite as intrigued. * ROAD TO…
June 15, 2014: July movie releases to look forward to! Or not!
TAMMY Release Date: July 2, 2014 What it’s about: A lifetime loser embarks on a road trip to Niagara Falls with her grandmother. What it’s got working for it: Two great actresses in Melissa McCarthy and Susan Sarandon. What’s it’s got going against it: But you've got to give them material to work with. Very hard to…
June 3, 2014: My Top 10 Most Hated Game of Thrones Characters!
Well, if nothing else, Sunday night's episode of Game of Thrones ("The Mountain and the Viper") reaffirmed that old sports adage: "Always play to the whistle." Having read the book, I saw it coming but, at the same time, I didn't see it coming. And so, coming off that shockingly gruesome instalment, I thought it might…
June 1, 2014: My Top 10 Favorite Game of Thrones Characters!
10. Brienne of Tarth I love the fact that she's an atypical heroine and I find her sense of honor and principled loyalty so gosh darn endearing. 9. Asha Greyjoy Equally atypical is the ass-kicking Asha. Love her swagger and no-bullshit attitude. 8. Jonah Mormont Such a rich, textured and, ultimately, tragic character. 7. Cersei…
May 30, 2014: Stargate Returns!
Wait. What trilogy? Oh, THIS trilogy: Yep, I'd heard rumblings - and they've finally been confirmed. 20 years after the original movie, Devlin and Emmerich will be rebooting Stargate for the big screen. I continue to be amazed by the franchise's staying power and continuing evolution, from a Devlin-Emmerich feature film that grossed 200 million to…
May 25, 2014: Upcoming June under-the-radar movie releases to look forward to! Or not!
BORGMAN Release Date: June 6, 2014 What it’s about: A mysterious vagrant, a modern day Rasputin, insinuates himself into the lives of an upper-class family What it’s got working for it: Now that is one creepy and intriguing trailer. What’s it’s got going against it: Has the potential to be really good - or weird and…