If you’re reading this review, I presume that you have an interest in the George R.R. Martin “A Song of Ice and Fire” series of novels and preferably you’ve read at least the first two (or at least watched the HBO television series up to season 2). I have become a big fan myself, and…
Category: Reviews
Midseason TV 2013
For a couple of years, I thought that the networks were taking a genius new direction in developing a year-long TV schedule, where ultimately there would be great new shows premiering throughout the year. Instead, midseason seems to have reverted to its old ways of being a dumping ground for shows that were not good…
Oscar Schmoscar 2013
Each year I write this post for two reasons: 1) to show how much I don’t really care about the nominees (not really true) and 2) do quickie reviews of the nominated movies that I haven’t already reviewed separately. Back when there were fewer Best Picture noms, I tried to watch all of them by…
Alvin’s 10 Favourite Movies of 2012
In years past, I would post year-end faves from the big and small screens, but 2012 marked the sad continuation of a dry spell on tv. Of the new shows that debuted in 2012, not a single one would I consider “must-see”, and even the ones that I enjoyed in the past have all begun…
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Movie Review
I have to say, it’s nice to be back in Middle Earth. While The Lord of the Rings trilogy definitely left me craving more of Peter Jackson’s vision of Tolkien’s magical realm, I was worried that The Hobbit would be an epic letdown. Then there was all the talk about how they were going to…
The Life of Pi – Movie Review
The Life of Pi has often been considered an “unfilmable” book, and I’m not sure if that’s because the bulk of the story is given by the protagonist’s monologue and has almost no interaction with other human characters, or because it’s an ocean-bound tale with animals playing major roles. In either case, director Ang Lee…
Rise of the Guardians – Movie Review
Just when you think that animated holiday films had run out of ideas, turning childhood imaginary icons like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Jack Frost into magical super-heroes is kind of a surprisingly imaginative twist. That’s not to say that Rise of the Guardians doesn’t have its share of…
Fall TV 2012: Week Four
After the week-of-few-premieres, we wrap things up mostly with The CW and its “big” premieres. After having given up on Smallville halfway through its run, I think I would probably have overlooked The CW (I’m not exactly its target demo) if not for The Vampire Diaries, a show which I also gave up on until…
Fall TV 2012: Week Two/Three – Returning Drama
Most dramas these days like to end a season with some kind of climax or cliffhanger. While I can’t say that I spent the summer waiting with bated breath for any epic conclusions, it was nice to see some of those story threads tied up; and to see what kinds of lasting changes might have…
