Riddick might see a trilogy after all

How many of you saw cool sci-fi indie film Pitch Black? How many of you were (it’s OK, we can say it) suckered into the theatres to see its big-budget sequel Chronicles of Riddick? I was definitely one who expected the same kind of tight, cool Alien-esque movie as Black, rather than the sprawling, Dune-esque…

Happy 20th to Star Trek: The Next Generation

If there’s one bad thing that anniversaries do, it’s make you feel old. I can’t believe that even Star Trek: The Next Generation came on the air two whole decades ago. In honour of the show that really brought me into the sci-fi fold, here are my favourite episodes (one per year) in no particular…

New Abrams Series; Future Plans for Narnia

New Abrams series in the works – Fringe (future-Yay!) This story is being reported all over: JJ Abrams is at it again (ManiaTV) Fox scares up J.J. Abrams’ ‘Fringe’ (Variety) J.J. Abrams, the tv and movie wunderkind behind such shows as Alias, Lost, and such movies as M:I III and the new Star Trek has…

Fall TV 2007 Pt. 2 – New Shows

The new shows that caught my eye this year are mostly those with a little bit of oddness to them. This season there are a few shows that try to add a bit of specialness to otherwise “ordinary” characters (I guess that’s the Heroes influence). Bionic Woman Easily my most anticipated, this latest “reinvention” from…

Fall TV 2007 Pt. 1 – Returning Shows

Everyone starts with the new shows, but since I watched the old shows first, that’s where I’m going to begin: Heroes I’m assuming you all watched the return of last year’s hot new show, so let’s get to it. I’m still not convinced that Hiro’s time-trip back to feudal Japan isn’t a premature shark-jumping, but…

Alvin’s 50 Favourite Shows

Welcome to my 100th post. To honour this auspicious milestone, I’ve decided to do what many web sites seem to be doing — come up with my top 50 TV shows of all time (I started with 100, but it was just too much — and even with 50, I hope you’ll stick with me)….

Sunshine – Movie Review

I’m really excited about a certain pop-cultural sub-genre that seems to be growing: brainy sci-fi. Movies like Children of Men (about a few individuals trying to save a childless world’s last hope) and indie film Primer (about a couple of guys who invent a time machine in their garage) and even the Tom Cruise vehicle…

Transformers – Movie Review

Whenever Hollywood decides to adapt an existing pop cultural franchise for the big screen, I hate to hear that this adaptation will appeal both to die-hard fans as well as to the masses. With the possible exception of the Harry Potter films, that statement is almost never true. What it usually means is that they’ve…

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer – Capsule Review

As the summer of sequels continues, it take more and more blockbuster magic to impress. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer already had a knock against it, being the sequel to an incredibly mediocre super-hero first installment. While all the same actors are reprising their roles for the sequel (even the terribly miscast Jessica…