If you've yet to watch the 2014 Doctor Who episodes, then you probably should. Or you can enjoy this song Who Are You by The Who, which posits important questions thematically linked to Doctor Who and this post. Like: Well, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?). I really wanna know (Who are you? … Continue reading Doctor Who & Hamlet: Are we who we say we are?
Reviews
Doctor Who: Deep Breath of Comedy, Confusion and Action
The first episode after a regeneration sets the tone, but is also a one-off. The Doctor gets the opportunity to be vulnerable in ways he is mostly not the rest of the time. Much of the rest of the cast can be left to drive the narrative given his erratic behaviour, mental confusion and often … Continue reading Doctor Who: Deep Breath of Comedy, Confusion and Action
The Secret Museum – epiphany and review
I attended a book talk-launch type thing the other evening. It was for Molly Oldfield's The Secret Museum. It was a good talk. Oldfield was erudite - full of interesting and amusing anecdotes about meeting international museum curators and seeing first hand all the things they can't display. To her credit, she coped well with woolly … Continue reading The Secret Museum – epiphany and review
Fellowship of the Orb: Review of Guardians of the Galaxy
If you like Marvel films you'll like Guardians of the Galaxy. You may like it even more if you don't like everything Marvel has done. I liked it. It was smart and sweet and nostalgic, with some great performances from the cast, plus with added bonus surprise cameos and shout outs for long-term comic readers. … Continue reading Fellowship of the Orb: Review of Guardians of the Galaxy
Going Back to Baker Street
'Ere 221B Dragons and Those Who May Spoil Them...mmmkay? Reflexivity When I write something there is me writing it #ObviousStatementisObvious. Yet if there is any art to writing, it is about removing the (obvious) evidence of me. But there is another art, or perhaps a balance, to leaving such evidence in the writing. Sometimes it's … Continue reading Going Back to Baker Street
The Hobbit: Consolations of Structure & Dreaming
Structure and Imagination The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug was mostly a triumph of restructuring and knowing what to do with a story once it's been written. Tolkien followed a dream when he began inventing a world in between stints in the trenches of WWI, and it was one that was continually reshaped over his entire life … Continue reading The Hobbit: Consolations of Structure & Dreaming
Writing the Heroes of Sunny Hollow
So Sleepy Hollow is the west coast's Sunnydale. There is a female lead. So far so yay. Also it is a familiar supernatural tale of how a well read university educated British dude is the Watcher and he how is constantly shocked by the bizarre goings on of young modern Americans, while looking after two Slayers. … Continue reading Writing the Heroes of Sunny Hollow
Shelf Life: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams stole all my best lines...says everyone...probably. He managed to define so much, so succinctly, about the world, about people, that there is little I can say to add to how well he managed it. Except, being a contrary sort, I will anyway. I was in primary school, and as my brothers, my mum … Continue reading Shelf Life: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
The Greater Good – More on Cabin in the Woods
So I saw this film. Suffice it to say it left an impression. If this is too in-depthy, my apologies. As storyteller Joss Whedon is oft concerned to explore the less than wonderful consequences of doing bad things for the greater good. This is especially clear in the film Serenity and most recently in Cabin in … Continue reading The Greater Good – More on Cabin in the Woods
On not writing (much) about War Horse
Joey Come Home I was going to write an in-depth review of War Horse. But I can't. All I have are these: it's a glowing ode to that familiar genre the Devon Western, complete with a righteous property owner and endearing accents. It's a heart-warming rural family saga, with gigantic close ups of characters' faces, … Continue reading On not writing (much) about War Horse
Writing Bec 