“Born Again” is an example of how the X-Files can weave a compelling mystery story out of, almost, thin air. This is entirely a “freak of the weak” kind of episode, but it manages to find cohesion thanks to a thoroughly captivating and engrossing mystery. That’s not to say that this is an outright classic, merely that this installment proves that even the most pedestrian of X-Files episodes contain a story that is told with skill and craft.

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Topics: Mystery, Sci-Fi, TV Review
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In my efforts to make The Andira Chronicles as much of a multimedia production as possible, I’ve tried my hand at doing a bit of songwriting. Admittedly, I’ve literally no qualifications whatsoever — and I’m sure my efforts rank far below “amateur” — so I’m not expecting this to be a major element to the production. But hopefully it’ll add to the overall experience.

Click below to listen.

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“What they need is a union” – Russell

In many ways, this season of The Wire is darker and grittier … but it has yet to live up to the consistently stellar output of the first season. “Hot Shots,” however, is a clear improvement over its predecessors. The narrative, while still sprawling, is much more tightly knit. And the characterizations begin to have some real payoff. The result is an episode which, though a bit uneven, pushes characters and events along much more consistently, and with greater purpose than any installment so far this season.

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Topics: Crime, Mystery, TV Reviews
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The morning broke clear, crisp, and calm. As Tomas opened his eyes to the slants of sunrise slicing through the wooden gaps of the structure, he could hardly recall the night before. Indeed, it seemed more like of bad dream than the harsh reality which he now faced: another day of dust and creepers, of despair and frustration.

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“Tooms” is a return to the character and story first introduced in the episode, “Squeeze.” The explicit continuity is a nice development for the series. But the episode has a couple of other important elements going for it as well. First, there’s the appearance of the Smoking Man and Skinner, and their threats against the X-Files division. More importantly, there’s a nice thematic element involving the natural tension between a going “by the book” and working on little more than a hunch. The result is a solid, classic, if somewhat imperfect episode.

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Topics: Mystery, Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
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If ever there were an episode meant to capture the spirit and wonder of deep space exploration, “Explorers” would be it. From start to finish, it is a testament to curiosity, ingenuity, adventure and the indomitable desire to experience something new. For the most part, the story is a sublime one, opting for muted tones and conflicts in favor of a more mature, refined and meaningful voyage of discovery. It’s the kind of episode that can be too easily overlooked because it isn’t “dark” or full of major conflict. And yet, at the end of the day, it’s a tale about the sense of wonder we all carry – from our earliest moments – and how important it is to hold on to those sensibilities for as long as we can, regardless of those who might doubt us.

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The game is afoot!

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary sleuth — that’d be Sherlock Holmes, if you must know — is updated style for its third century in a new film titled, simply, Sherlock Holmes. It’s unlikely that a strict adaptation of Doyle’s original incarnation of the Holmes character would find much success in a run through the modern box office gauntlet. So there are many changes afoot for not only Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.), but also for his partner and confidant, Dr. Watson (Jude Law). The emphasis is on character interaction (though not character development). The action is, inevitably, ramped up. And the dialogue is meant to appeal more toward humor than to character development, or even the typical exposition necessary in mystery stories. The mystery itself seems to be merely a means to an end, provided the necessary engine that drives its characters in and out of often dangerous, and usually amusing, situations. And if there was one word to summarize the film’s entire approach, it’d be: bravado. The result is a film that has the potential to be quite entertaining — even if it is, ultimately, just a hollow and empty tale.

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Topics: Film Review, Mystery
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“They can chew you up but they gotta spit you back out.” – McNulty

“Collateral Damage” builds on the foundation established by the season premiere. As expected, the narrative is less overwhelming, and more easy to navigate. That’s not to say, however, that there’s an explicit focus. There’s a kind of scattershot approach which, while easier to follow than the premiere, nonetheless slightly dilutes the impact of each plot thread. There’s a very delicate balancing act at work here and, as yet, the season has yet to find its footing. The result is another strong episode, but one which isn’t quite as successful as, say, season one.

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Topics: Crime, Mystery, TV Reviews
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“Darkness Falls” is a silly-yet-entertaining episode of the X-Files. It does a decent job of creating and establishing a foreboding mood, and capturing a palpable sense of danger — even if we know everything will turn out alright for our heroes, Mulder and Scully, the circumstances make the means for their rescue enough of question mark to allow the episode to maintain a sense of tension right up until the very end. The result is an above-average, if not quite classic, installment of the series.

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Topics: Mystery, Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
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“Ain’t never gonna be what it was” – Little Big Roy

Season Two of The Wire kicks off with the aptly titled, “Ebb Tide”. The episode itself is modeled very closely on the approach of the Season One premiere to simply throw a whole lot of narrative and character elements at the audience and hope they hang on long enough for it to survive the experience. Considering the success of Season One to make sense out of it all, it’s quite likely that Season Two will see a repeat performance. Throw in a bit of familiarity with the returning characters and the results aren’t nearly as disorienting. But with the familiar characters predominantly in new places, once again, the episode makes for a challenging viewing experience.

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Topics: Crime, Mystery, TV Reviews
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“The Die Is Cast” is the kind of episode you are meant to enjoy. As a direct continuation of the previous installment, “Improbable Cause,” it features an epic storyline, plenty of action, and some powerfully intimate characterizations. From start to finish, the episode is meant to play out in grand style. But this is a case where the devil is in the details. And for a series that has so often defined itself by its attention to character details, the missteps – simply for the sake of creating false drama – are inexcusable. The result is a rousing, entertaining installment that rings more hollow than it ought to have.

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“Shapes” is an example of why the X-Files is such a classic series. Even when the plot of an episode isn’t especially innovative or unpredictable, there’s a palpable sense of mystery and spookiness that makes even the most pedestrian of concepts engaging. And this particular episode goes to great lengths to convey an atmosphere that allows for an “anything is possible” vibe to flourish. This unabashed openness to the bizarre makes this installment all the more intriguing. The events *could* be explained by a reasonable and rational argument. But it’s just as likely that something very dangerous, very lethal, very creepy is stalking the night in the middle of Montana’s most remote lands.

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Topics: Mystery, Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
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“All in the game.” – Traditional West Baltimore

With “The Sentencing,” the first season of The Wire comes to a solid, if somewhat ambiguous close. Without giving too much away, this is a circular ending which, through its construction, provides some of the most compelling commentary on the fundamental state of society. Indeed, the whole cyclical nature of the events of the first season are a microcosm of “real life” in this country. With that in mind, the stylistic decision of the circular ending is exceedingly poignant.

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Without question, Avatar is a visually stunning film. The 3D presentation alone, makes the film a feast for the eyes. But director James Cameron displays a great deal of craft in designing, framing, and displaying the fantastical world of Pandora. Cameron is also a master of choreographing and executing action sequences. Avatar is a beautiful movie … but is this the revolution in filmmaking that Avatar had been billed as?

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Topics: Fantasy, Film Review, Sci-Fi
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“A long time ago, we were apart from nature.

We almost died but now we are together in life.”

Battle For Terra may be one of the best movies you’ve never seen. Visually, it’s an exquisite panorama of color, texture and detail. In terms of character and story, it’s a moving, complex and thoroughly affecting story about not just finding common ground or fighting for your home, but about seeing beyond one’s prejudices to truly build a better world for all. More importantly, this is an emotional film which isn’t afraid to take chances and portray the consequences of conquest — and oppression. From start to finish, this is a work of art — mesmerizing and captivating: visually, emotionally, and philosophically. Despite its cartoonish presentation, this is a decidedly mature film. The result is, simply, one of the more moving experiences I’ve ever had watching a motion picture.

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