NEAR-PERFECT MOVIE (Spoilers) REVIEW: ALIENS!
In the first of two columns, Steve deconstructs and reviews James Cameron’s “Aliens,” the first sequel in what proved to be a profitable franchise. What’s he got to say? Read it and find out!
“PERFECT” GENRE MOVIES 1: NEAR DARK (Spoilers)
Few genre movies are perfect, but Steve will look at one he feels is nearly so. Whether vampire movies are your thing or not, Steve thinks you should look at this one!
I’m Not Saying it’s Aliens, but….
You knew we were going to get here sooner or later, didn’t you. One of the most interesting things about aliens showing up in videogames is that they often serve the same purpose as they do in broader science fiction.
A MIKE MYERS-LESS SHREK and GIBSON’s ALIEN 3 SCRIPT!
Steve likes musical theatre. Steve watched Shrek the Musical. Did Steve like it? Read it and find out. Also, William Gibson writes an illustrated Alien 3 with Johnnie Christmas
New Science Fiction Romances Arrive
More new science fiction romances have hit the figurative ebook shelves, with everything from space pirates to a tale strongly reminiscent (to me) of both “Aliens” and “Jurassic Park.” Shall we start there? The Colony by Laurel Richards, which I read in one sitting, does a terrific job of amping up the questions and the […]
IS THERE A “PERFECT” MOVIE? Review of “GROUNDHOG DAY”
Have I written this column before? Have I written this column before? Steve asks, as he takes a closer look at Groundhog Day, a classic “time-warp” movie with Bill Murray.
FREAKS OF NATURE film review, plus POLAR BOREALIS—a new semiprozine!
This week, Steve reviews the 2015 Horror-humour film “Freaks of Nature” and finds it rather flat, then alerts the media (us!) about a new semi-pro Canadian SF/F e-magazine!
BOOK REVIEW: SATURN RUN by John Sandford and Ctein
Steve picks up and reviews a brand-new hard SF book—a thriller—by best-selling mystery writer John Sandford and SF pro artist & photographer Ctein, and finds it a fast, fun read!
Big Brain Aliens
Look at the aliens from This Island Earth. If they are so smart, why are the denizens of Metaluna all such big headed pricks?
James Horner – Obituary
Film composer James Horner has died in a plane crash.
Art Goes Hollywood: SF and Fantasy Concept Art
It seems that all good fantasy artists head for Hollywood
Review: Another War by Simon Morden
Another War is an early novella, published in the UK by Telos Publishing in 2005, by the British writer Simon Morden, who has since come to prominence with the Philip K. Dick Award-winning Metrozone series. It is a fast-paced horror story paying homage to HP Lovecraft, William Hope Hodgson, Quatermass, and even UNIT from Doctor Who.
Beauty, the Eye of the Beholder and Miss Universe
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That is to say that beauty is subjective and, despite the human condition that every one of us shares, is subject to cultural biases as well as personal ones. This point was underlined recently with an online social experiment conducted by journalist Esther Honig, Her project, Before […]
Scide Splitters: Unidentified Funny Objects 3 edited by Alex Shvartsman
Science fiction and fantasy’s only annual humor anthology returns with stories from Robert Silverberg, Mike Resnick, Tim Pratt, Piers Anthony, Kevin J. Anderson, Jody Lynn Nye, and more.
AMAZING PEOPLE: Kristina Grifantini Story Publication
Kristina Grifantini, blog contributors, has sold a story to an SF-Horror anthology.
Re-reading Alien, Aliens, and Alien 3
Titan Books brings us the movie novelizations of all three books written by Alan Dean Foster in the original Alien saga. This powerful trio exemplifies why Foster is the master of movie novels.
The Top Ten Greatest Aliens
A list of the top ten best Alien movies.
TV Review: Star-Crossed
A look at the new alien show on TV, Star-Crossed.
UFOs and Aliens
I guess what I’m saying is, extraordinary claims don’t really require extraordinary evidence; they just require good, scientific evidence. The same kind that proved the Earth wasn’t flat and F = MA.
Movie Review: After Earth
Review of After Earth starring Will and Jaden Smith.
Quatermass II – revisited
Quatermass II is a rare sequel that is an improvement over the original in every respect.
Too Long After – A Time Limit On Sequels & Prequels?
How long after is too long? Returning to a great original is fraught with difficulties at any time, but the more time goes by, the more the problems compound.
Hot Enough For You? Science fiction, the Weather And Anarchy In the UK.
In the UK, hot weather is so remarkable that we have even been known to make science fiction films about it.
Interview with Peter F. Hamilton, author of Great North Road
Peter F. Hamilton is one of Britain’s best-selling SF authors. Hamilton’s novels hark back to the great days of science fiction, reveling in big ideas and unafraid to tackle hard science.
Movie Review: Grabbers (Blu-Ray)
Grabbers has been dismissed in some quarters for not doing anything original. Well most films don’t do anything original, and Grabbers does achieve a couple of things I’ve never seen before.
A Fan’s History, Episode 12: More Fanspeak
What the heck is a “slanshack”?
Jurassic Park is 20 – What Went Wrong?
Jurassic Park opened in the UK 20 years ago this month. A 3D conversion was foisted upon an indifferent a few months ago. Universal is making Jurassic Park IV. All of which got me thinking about the original film and all its many failings compared to Michael Crichton’s novel. Not least being its candidacy for […]
Review: GRABBERS (2012)
There’s nothing better than a good monster movie. The problem is, most monster movies these days suck. Some intentionally (Sharktopus, I’m looking at you). The Syfy Channel seems to specialize in these CGI stinkers that spotlight bad acting, sloppy uniforms and the latest in re-painted paintball sidearms. Grabbers is a welcome change from all that. […]
Why are we afraid of monsters?
A while back I did a few articles regarding “science horror“, or works where the tropes of both SF and horror are blended together to create a gory speculative fun house. Recently, however, I began to think about the lessons learned from the experience and wondered: why are we afraid of monsters? Let’s break down […]
David Fincher’s Alien 3, and What It Can Teach Us
According to my extensive academic research over at Wikipedia this afternoon, the third installment in Fox’s Alien Quadrilogy (’Cause why use the word tetralogy, right? What a lousy word . . .) went through development hell for several years, and despite the criticism it’s received since from longtime fans and critics alike, it should’ve ended up a much worse film […]