Superman (2025)

"People were going to die!"

This is a different kind of Superman movie. I spent the entire drive home trying to figure out how I felt about it, specifically if I could point out any negatives I had with the film. Besides a couple of minor quibbles, which I will talk about later, I couldn't think of anything bad to say. Just a whole lot of good.

Xena: Warrior Princess Series Review

"In a time of ancient gods, warlords and kings. A land in turmoil cried out for a hero."

Like many I first started watching Xena: Warrior Princess because I loved the light-hearted fun of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. And like so many more I ended up being an even bigger fan of the warrior princess than the son of Zeus. Although both shows possessed the same tongue-in-cheek sense of humour, Xena could often be a much darker, more complex and character driven series. It was also cheesier than the entire dairy section at Sainsbury's due to the writers' willingness to indulge even their loopiest ideas.

Resident Alien: Best of Enemies

"I am your father."

Episode description: "Harry has an unexpected partner as he tries to infiltrate a military base to find his alien baby."

The Black Cauldron (1985)

"Oh, my soldiers... Soon the Black Cauldron will be mine. Its evil power will course through my veins, and I shall make you Cauldron Born... Yes, yes, oh yes! Then you will worship ME! Me... Oh, my soldiers... How long I have thirsted to be a god among mortal men..."

The 1980s was a boom period for fantasy cinema. Everyone was hoping they'd find the next Star Wars and pretty much always failed, but at least succeeded in producing a lot of cult classics. Now, there's two types of cult classics. There's the genuinely brilliant films that just never managed to find a wider audience, and then there's the genuinely bad films that many enjoy because of how entertainingly bad they are.

I'm not sure which group I would put The Black Cauldron in.

Movie Review: Mountainhead

"Eat the chaos."

I told myself I wouldn't watch this. I told friends I wouldn't watch it. Then I told myself I'd try it for 15 minutes, and immediately got sucked into this excellent, hilarious, brutal movie about the most terrible people in the world, directed by subject-matter expert Jesse Armstrong of Succession.

Doctor Who: The Web of Fear

"Maybe I didn't want to be a scientist after all..."

Just when Johnny thought he was old enough to ride the Tube alone...

Season Five, Story 5 (Story Code QQ)

Starring Patrick Troughton as the Doctor
with Frazer Hines (Jamie) and Deborah Watling (Victoria)

All the Sharks

We’re doing something a little different this week. Instead of a shark attack movie, I’m reviewing a shark photography reality competition show from Netflix.

Jurassic World Rebirth

"Science should be for all of us. Not just for some of us."

Dinosaur movies make me happy. So in between shark movies, and before the superhero capes come out next week, let's go see some dinosaurs!

Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett (Discworld 14)

"Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder.

"Elves are marvelous. They cause marvels.

"Elves are fantastic. They create fantasies.

"Elves are glamorous. They project glamour.

"Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment.

"Elves are terrific. They beget terror.

"The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.

"No one ever said elves are nice. Elves are bad."

For the fourteenth book of Discworld, and the fourth witches book, that also features the faculty of UU, we have to deal with the return of the elves. Discworld elves are not the same ones that many lovers of high fantasy are used to. They owe far more of their nature to historical depictions of fay beings that are genuinely horrifying.

Mini Comic Reviews: July, 2025

This month, to celebrate the release of James Gunn's Superman, I'll be taking a look at new and classic adventures from the legendary Man of Steel.

Resident Alien: Cat and Mouse

"You know, the police are downstairs. I could just scream."
"Why scream for the police? Why not scream for your new friend, the Alien Tracker?"

Episode description: "Harry goes head-to-head with one of his biggest enemies."

Squid Game: Season Three

"Player 456, do you still have faith in people?"

Whenever I get to the end of a show, I ask myself if I'm glad that it exists. If I am, then it was successful. This especially goes for shows that were extended beyond their inital planned run. Am I glad that those extra seasons exist? Well...