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Blade Runner 2019 issue 2 screen 2

Literature

Blade Runner 2019 #2 Review – Ash continues her hunt

After a month we finally have the second issue of the Blade Runner 2019 comic. It is maddening to think this drip-feed release schedule will be maintained for maybe a year. While the first issue was good I did have some concerns I hoped the second issue would address. For more on Blade Runner 2019 #2 read on below. First there is a summary followed by my opinion. Summary of Blade Runner 2019 #2 This second issue of the Blade Runner comic sets off immediately were the first ended. Detective Aahna Ashina – or Ash – is still on the...

Eliza Review 2 - a visual novel from Zachtronics

Computer Games

Eliza Review – Zachtronics returns with a visual novel

Zachtronics has just released their latest game – Eliza. It has been a year since Exapunks was released so I consider us due another indie game. Zachtronics is a small game studio started by Zach Barth. Earlier in the year I reviewed his book Zach-like which contains sketches of many of his ideas. If you are interested in a copy go to his Twitter page because he has started a re-print scheme. Eliza: A very different game Eliza is a very different game from any of Zachtronics previous releases. First and foremost it is a visual novel. As such there...

Mindhunter Season 2 Review - Carr Holden and Tench talk to Gunn

TV-series

Mindhunter Season 2 Review – Fincher returns to Netflix

Mindhunter season 2 is now available on Netflix. The show, created by David Fincher, tells the story of the FBI unit tasked with profiling incarcerated serial killers. Mindhunter is not director David Fincher’s first foray into this topic. His previous show Hannibal also delved deeply into it, with more horror and suspense. Movies such as Seven, Zodiac, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Zodiac have practically defined the serial killer genre in the last 20 years. Mindhunter takes a step away from those stories and gives the viewer a more realistic and nuanced look at serial killers. There are no...

Elementary series finale review - Moriarty's funeral

TV-series

Elementary series finale review goodbye to Sherlock

After seven seasons Elementary is coming to a close. Just like so many other series I will learn with not being able to get my seasonal shot of Elementary. With this episode an era ends in which Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu managed a unique spin with their re-telling of the Sherlock Holmes franchise. And yet there were times Elementary felt like it had outlived its existence. After season 2 the repetitive nature of the show became a problem. Hard-edged stories became fewer while series regulars weren’t regular enough. And so Elementary continued over the years, with some improvements...

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Review poster

Film

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Review

The ninth and latest movie by director Quentin Tarantino is an homage to the late 60s and the final days of Hollywood’s golden age. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood revolves around a trio of characters as they try to make their way in the movie business. I expect most readers to be familiar with Tarantino’s style: violence, grotesque humor and an uncanny ability to integrate popular culture and myths. With Once Upon a Time in Hollywood the director may well have succeeded in dialing every setting to 10. Yes the movie is too long, they almost all are. Yes...

Tomb Raider Omnibus Vol. 1 Review 3

Literature

Tomb Raider Omnibus Vol. 1 Review

A few days ago Comixology released the first volume of the Tomb Raider Omnibus. This is a collection of issues 1 through 18 of the Dark Horse comics that ran from 2014. The comic itself was based on the 2013 Tomb Raider game by Crystal Dynamics – which has since seen two sequels. This comic series deals with Lara Croft’s journey to the island of Yamatai, not unlike last year’s movie starring Alicia Vikander. That said this comic might the least good of all three version of the same story. The story jumps around quite a lot, as you would...

Dune-2020-movie-poster

Literature

Dune retro review – a look at Frank Herbert’s masterpiece

During the last week I reread Frank Herbert’s Dune, a masterpiece of Science Fiction from 1965. Which is hands down my favorite novel. I have been a fan of the franchise for over 20 years. I played Dune 2000 and Emperor Battle for Dune, watched the series from 2000, and its successor Children of Dune from 2003. On top of that I even read all of Brian Herbert’s books (sigh). And yet, I realized I haven’t read the original Dune since 2001. It was something I was meaning to do for years, so during the last week I did so....

Control by Remedy preview Jesse Faden

Computer Games

Control Preview – Remedy returns with more action!

Control is the latest Remedy game set for release later this August for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. Control is a third-person action adventure game. As the game is from the developers of Max Payne, Alan Wake and Quantum Break storytelling is at the forefront. From in-game footage I get a feeling Control is a lot like previous Remedy games. But with a hint of Mirror’s Edge and Deus Ex. Jesse Faden In Control you play as Jesse Faden, the very young director of Federal Bureau of Control (or FBC for short). The FBC seeks out Altered Items...

The Dead Don't Die poster

Film

The Dead Don’t Die Review – a summer zombie slasher

For a few weeks the horror comedy The Dead Don’t Die has been running in theaters. I was surprised the movie received mixed review. I expected that a stellar ensemble cast including Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton and Chloe Sevigny would succeed in creating a classic. Director Jim Jarmusch is an experienced director. Sadly, certain aspects of The Dead Don’t Die feel like a movie made by an amateur. Just like the many reviews I have a mixed opinion about it. I give it a passing grade as it humoristic most of the time. The people of Centerville In...

Star Wars Thrawn Treason Review

Literature

Star Wars Thrawn Treason Review

The Last book of the Thrawn prequel trilogy – Star Wars Thrawn: Treason – is out. Treason improves on a number of elements compared to the previous two books. The Grand admiral is still in control of the Imperial Star Destroyer Chimera. There he has an excellent crew who were trained by and if found inadequate removed form their post. Thrawn still does his thing – he still analyses his opponents art to ascertain their traits, skills and likely course of action. Unlike the previous novels the crew of the ISD Chimera are not left in the dark. Thrawn draws...

Another Life - Katee Sackhoff as Niko Breckinridge

TV-series

Another Life Review – Katee Sackhoff stars on Netflix

Since a few days Netflix has released a new show – the Sci-Fi drama Another Life. The show stars Katee Sackhoff as captain Niko Breckinridge of the interstellar ship The Salvare. Set about a 100 years into the future her crew if tasked with travelling to the origin of an alien artifact that has recently landed on earth. Another Life is a not a difficult show to describe. It is a show that wants to be both Arrival and Star Trek at once. It tries to pack in a lot in just 10 episode, on a low budget. Arguably it...

Alien Covenant Origins cover

Literature

Alien: Covenant Origins by Alan Dean Foster Review

For some time there have been rumblings about a sequel to the 2017 movie Alien: Covenant. That movie was a soft reboot of the franchise, it was also a quasi-sequel to Prometheus. Itself a soft-reboot of the franchise. Prior to Alien: Covenant being released a prequel novel Alien: Covenant Origins written by Alan Dean Foster was released. In anticipation of Alien: Covenant 2 I read this Origins story and here is the review. So what is it all about? So what is the story about? Alien: Covenant Origins is set in the weeks before the colony ship Covenant departs Earth...

Killjoys S05E01 Run Yala Run Review - Hannah John-Kamen as Yala

TV-series

Killjoys S05E01 “Run Yala Run” Review

Killjoys has just started its fifth and final season on Syfy. The first episode of the season, “Run Yala Run”, tries to reconnect with casual viewers. Yet, I found it hard to follow some aspects of the story despite having watched the previous season. That said, the characters fulfill alternate roles in this episodes. The humor and drama make it a fun watch. Killjoys is in many ways similar to series such as Farscape and Firefly. They are all set in a universes with little references to Earth or a specific period in history. This is on purpose of course,...

Blade Runner 2019 #1 - Ash flying her Spinner

Literature

Blade Runner 2019 #1 Review

Titan Comics has released the first edition of the Blade Runner 2019 comic book series. The series is written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson, with the art created by Andres Guinaldo. The series takes place in the year 2019 of the Blade Runner universe, the same year as the original movie. Detective Ash, who is Los Angeles’s top Replicant hunter, is under pressure to investigate the disappearance of the wife and daughter of billionaire Alexander Selwyn. The story of Blade Runner 2019 What follows is Ash’s unrelenting investigation: she uses violence, coercion and subtle interrogation to question people in...

Stranger Things Season 3 Review - Will Mike and Eleven meet cerebro

TV-series

Stranger Things Season 3 Review

Stranger Things is the Sci-Fi / Horror series to watch. This hit-show by Netflix has been going since 2016 and so far had a remarkable record with connecting to its audience. Set in the middle of the 80s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana it follows a group of teens as they uncover the various mysteries that affect them. The first two seasons dealt with the Upside Down, the result of an experiment to open a portal to another universe. The teenage cast includes characters such as Eleven (who has telekinetic powers), her boyfriend Mike and their eclectic set...

Another Life - Katee Sackhoff as Niko

TV-series

Another Life Preview – Starbuck returns with her own show!

Netflix has released a new trailer for its upcoming Sci-Fi series Another Life. The series is set for a release on July 25th and will consist of 10 episodes. It stars Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica and Longmire) as well as Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions and Hellboy). So what is Another Life all about? Well the official synopsis goes as follows “Another Life follows the story of an astronaut and a space crew, who are on a mission to investigate the origins of an alien artifact that mysteriously appeared on Earth. As the crew attempt to search for alien intelligence, they...