Science Fiction

The Vast of Night

/ / Home Video
  • Title: The Vast of Night
  • IMDb: link

The Vast of Night movie reviewPresented as something very similar to an episode from the original Twilight Zone, The Vast of Night offers a glimpse into a non-descript small town on a night when almost all are gathered for a high school basketball game and only a scattered few become aware of odd goings on in the night sky. The small town, set in the 1950s, focused on radio and reel-to-reel recordings, sets just the right mood for story which will slowly unfold. Self-financed, the low-budget film from writer/director Andrew Patterson is something to behold as it slowly builds before earning its final shot.

Our main characters are the night telephone operator Fay Crocker (Sierra McCormick) and her friend and local disc jokey Everett Sloan (Jake Horowitz) who become aware of an odd signal broadcasting across phone and radio lines. Putting the sound on the radio, in hopes others might be able to identify it sends the pair down a rabbit hole starting with the story of a soldier (Bruce Davis) about top secret military projects and including the account of an elderly shut-in (Gail Cronauer) forcing both characters to question what they believe.

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Star Trek: Discovery – Terra Firma

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Star Trek: Discovery – Terra Firma Part 1 & 2
  • wiki: link
  • wiki: link

Star Trek: Discovery - Terra Firma television review

The two-part episode allows Star Trek: Discovery allows the show to return to one of its more popular storylines: the mirror universe. It also offers a reference to the original Star Trek with the return of the Guardian of Forever which allows Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) to return to her past in the mirror universe and find where she belongs. The extended sequence, involving the more evolved Georgiou making changes to her previous actions while hoping for a different outcome, takes up the majority of both episodes. The return of the Guardian, with an updated design (and much more personality), not only allows the show to say farewell to Michelle Yeoh in style but also offers the chance to change the past if Michael (Sonequa Martin-Green) discovers the cause of the Burn.

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Darth Vader #9

/ / Comics

Darth Vader‘s fight for his life on Mustafar continues in Darth Vader #9 as the Dark Lord of the Sith stays one-step ahead of Ochi who has been joined by an army of killer droids who mistakenly believe Vader’s parts are what give the Sith his power (and hope to steal a bit of that for themselves).

Despite his makeshift limbs, Vader proves more than enough for his adversaries. Armed with his lightsaber and new purpose, the arc makes yet another tie to The Rise of Skywalker with the introduction of a Sith wayfinder and Vader’s discovery of the existence of the Emperor‘s secret facility on Exegol.

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Palm Springs

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Palm Springs
  • IMDb: link

“It’s one of those infinite time loop situations that you might have heard about.”

Palm Springs movie reviewPalm Springs would fit perfectly in in a triple-feature nestled snuggly between Groundhog Day and Edge of Tomorrow. When we meet Nyles (Andy Samberg), through the eyes of bridesmaid Sarah (Cristin Milioti), he’s already stuck in a time loop around the events of the wedding of Sarah’s sister Tala (Camila Mendes). A flirtatious night between the pair leads to Sarah accidentally becoming trapped in the loop as well (although her circumstances are a bit more complicated than simply being a guest at the wedding).

Director Max Barbakow and writer Andy Siara team-up to deliver an incredibly smart, engaging, and charming film centered around the two leads (and to a lesser extent J.K. Simmons as the only other person aware of the loop). Time is rebooted once they fall asleep, lose consciousness, or die. Unable to break free of the loop, Nyles and Sarah struggle to find meaning in a meaningless existence where one day literally is the same as the next. Although it doesn’t break new ground with the concept, Palm Springs knows how to make the most out of each day and delivers the best comedy of 2020.

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Star Trek: Discovery – The Sanctuary

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Star Trek: Discovery – The Sanctuary
  • wiki: link

Star Trek: Discovery - The Sanctuary television review

“The Sanctuary” introduces Michael (Sonequa Martin-Green) to Book‘s (David Ajala) home world of Kwejian which is under attack by Osyraa (Janet Kidder) and the Emerald Chain because of Book’s role in the events from the previous episode. The takeaways from the encounter are that the Emerald Chain is a lot less impressive in action than in rumors (its flagship is beaten by the limited firepower of Book’s courier vessel) and that Ryn (Noah Averbach-Katz) may prove to be a valuable ally for Discovery and the Federation. The disappointment of the Emerald Chain is a reminder to the underwhelming reality of Voyager’s journey through the Delta Quadrant giving us new races such as the Kazon. Going where no one has gone before sounds great… until you need to fill it with interesting aliens.

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