Tuesday arrives in roar of a fast engine, and sirens as I hit the road again in pursuit of that iconic outlaw, Bandit... On his way to open the Coca-Cola 600, a chance encounter with a mob boss's girlfriend sends Bandit on a detour involving a tour bus of nudists... And some nuns... And an Elvis impersonator... " Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit " is a silly movie- but one that harkened back to the rather silly antics of Burt Reynolds in the original movies (and it's spiritual relative, " The Cannonball Run ").  The story, while not engrossing, certainly was capable of pulling several chuckles and smiles from me. Brian Bloom, brought his usual charm and lighthearted sense of wit to the role of Bandit again.  Kathy Ireland was a big name back in the 1990's as a supermodel- but not so much as an actress.  I'd have to guess that the franchise was trying to use her name as a draw for audiences. The best thing that connected this installment of the franchise...

  Open hailing frequencies!  It's time again to dip into the Star Trek franchise.  This time, we check out 1998's " Star Trek: Insurrection "... While on a mission, Data is injured and attacks his team mates.  When Picard investigates he and the crew stumble upon a conspiracy that could bring about eternal youth for the members of the Federation. But it could cost Picard and the Federation it's soul. .. This installment in the franchise is slower than the previous one, and is a return to the feeling of an extended episode.  And to be honest, it would've probably done better as an extended episode, rather than a movie. While the sets and models, and costumes are fantastic, visual effects aren't up to the same level- especially the sequence involving the cloaked Data and observation post.  In fact, it felt TV level. The story itself isn't too bad- though I think the theme of colonization and forced relocation might've had more impact if the village i...

  Are you tired of my " Star Trek " movie reviews yet? No? Good, because we're heading at full warp into " The Final Frontier " with this week's installment! A mysterious Vulcan has taken the Federation, Klingon, and Romulan ambassadors on Nimbus III hostage.  Their demand?  A starship. The USS Enterprise is dispatched to rescue the captives, and arrest the fugitive Vulcan.  Soon, however, they discover that this enigmatic figure is going to take them to the final frontier... where no one has gone before... " Star Trek V: The Final Frontier " is- sadly, one of the weaker films of the franchise (with some arguing that it's only beaten by " Star Trek: Insurrection "... but I'll get to that eventually).  While some of it can be laid at the feet of William Shatner- since he directed, he can't bear ALL of the blame, as there were some behind the scenes things (such as huge budget cuts, executive meddling, and Industrial Lights ...

  Welcome back to #CocktailHour!  This week, I check out an easy and tasty drink called a "Peppermint Pattie" This is- like the previous two drinks I've discussed, a really easy drink to make.  All you need is ice, peppermint schnapps, Kahlua, and club soda.  For this particular one, I used McGuinness schnapps- though I must confess that I prefer Dr. McGillicuddy's.  In addition, you can also replace the club soda with Sprite as well to give it a bit of a citrus taste. As with the other two I'd talked about, a Peppermint Pattie is a sipping drink- though you're likely to down them a bit faster.  They're a nice little pub drink, though you may find that two or three are enough before the sweetness becomes a bit too much to handle. The peppermint taste of the schnapps is balanced nicely with the coffee taste of the Kahlua.  The sweetness of the two are cut and diffused a bit by the club soda.  The combination of three give the drink a solid mint cho...

  Since it seems that my #52BottlesOfBeer series did so well last year (and because my liver hadn't been punished enough during it), I was asked to see if I could do something similar for 2021... So, here I am.  Drinking.  Again.  With a difference though. This year, I will be making, drinking, and discussing a different cocktail, high ball, or other boozy beverage each Wednesday. I decided that I would start simple.  Real simple... Rum and Coke simple. All you need is rum, Coca-Cola, ice, and maybe a lime slice for that fancy pants feeling. For this one, I used Bumby Rum.  It has a nice vanilla flavor by itself- so having a shot of the rum itself is acceptable.  Traditionally, I use Lamb's Navy Rum.  If you don't have some rum with a vanilla taste, you can use Vanilla Coke instead.  You can also use light rum as well. I just happen to prefer dark rum as it's a bit stronger. It's a drink that requires very little effort or energy to make, and...

  In 2020, I worked my way through all of the " Star Wars " movies, and reviewed them.  Well... I'm at it again- but this time working my way through all of the " Star Trek " movies... After a mysterious cloud absorbs a Klingon fleet, Starfleet sends it's best ship and crew in an attempt to stop it.  Will Kirk and the others be able to do what the Klingons could not? Unlike the movie, this review is going to be fairly short.  " Star Trek: The Motion Picture " is a beautiful film- but a tad too long.  While watching it, I couldn't help but have some flashbacks to my time watching Stanley Kubrick's " 2001: A Space Odyssey ". The look and feel was very much influenced by Kubrick's film, and the story is also quite lofty in nature- though a bit more character driven.  As gorgeous as the sequences showing the USS Enterprise for the first time... and leaving dock... and moving through the mysterious cloud were, they were unnecessari...

  There are times when I just want to escape to the 1940's, and their larger than life heroes and villains.  Conspiracies and mobsters.  Spies and mad scientists.  Men of mystery and femme fatales. A message traced in blood reads, "The Devi's Horns"; a political boss lies paralyzed.  The city he controls now in the hands of killers; and The Avenger must decipher the bloody message... or die ! Kenneth Robeson- who brought the world Doc Savage also created Dick Benson- The Avenger.  A man of mystery with almost super human abilities, he is the sort of hero that could easily blend into the world of Doc Savage, and The Shadow. This book isn't very long- only about 160 pages, but is still an enjoyable escape from day to day life.  There are enough twists and turns in the story to keep me interested in uncovering the plot behind "the devil's horns".  It's not a deep story, but is a suitable way to pass a bit of time and relax to. I would certainly like...

  I have found over the years, that sometimes, reality can be more horrific than fiction.  This can truly be said of the Jack the Ripper killings... Using forensic techniques, Patricia Cornwell (author of the Scarpetta series), pieces together a case regarding the true identity of the infamous Jack the Ripper ... " Portrait of a Killer " is an interesting piece of non-fiction writing.  The style is fairly easy to follow, though some areas are a bit murky to understand due to use of technical jargon.  Cornwell's writing also flows nicely  too- with her being able to make even the drier parts interesting and engaging.  I liked the fact that she goes to to out of the way places in search of evidence to support her case, and she does a credible job of it too.  Credible, but not altogether convincing.  While her presentation of the evidence is persuasive and skilled, there is still reasonable doubt as to whether or not her suspect was actually Jack the...

Back in the day, I discovered the "Point & Click Adventure" genre of games on the PC.  In fact the first game in the genre I played was " Lights Out: The Journal ".  I remember playing it in a darkened room, moving through a beautifully creepy hotel searching for clues, solving puzzles, and find odds and sods that filled in the backstory of ghostly characters, and the desperate situation you found yourself in. As game consoles became more advanced, such PC games like that sorta went out of style, and  became harder and rarer to find. Until this month at least... On the eve of your elopement with Elizabeth Williams, her father discovers your plans, and steals away with her to the isolated island of Sker.  He plans on forcing her to be the "Maid of Sker"- the lead singer at the Sker Hotel. At her behest, you travel to the desolate hotel... and discover that her father's plans go further and deeper than keeping you two apart... The story is very Victo...

 Two of the creatures of the night that seem to be pitted against each other in horror movie are werewolves and vampires.  This was no different back in the 1970's than it is now... Elvira and Genevieve are searching for the grave of a medieval murderess and alleged vampiress when they are stuck in the middle of nowhere.  Fortunately, Count Daninsky lives nearby in a secluded castle.  He offers to help them search for the tomb... but only because within it may lay the key to curing of his curse.  It seems the Count is an immortal werewolf ... " The Werewolf vs Vampire Women " (original title, " La Noche de Walpurgis ") is a Spanish horror film that helped to create a horror movie boom in Spain. The premise is actually one that kinda makes me shake my head.  Not because it's stupid or anything- but rather because such pairings tend to lead to a rather silly movie.  And when one stops and examines this movie, it is...

  So far, as part of this year's "Halloween Day by Day" franchise days, I've reviewed " The Omen " (original and the remake), and " Damien: The Omen II ".  This week, I tackle, " The Omen III: The Final Conflict "... Damien Thorn is grown up and appointed as the US Ambassador to Great Britian.  When an astronomical alignment occurs, Thorn realizes the time of The Second Coming is upon him, and he puts plans into operation to prevent it from happening.  Soon, Thorn and a group of priests are in a confrontation that will lead to mankind's destiny resting in the balance. .. " Omen III: The Final Conflict " isn't  a bad movie.  I wouldn't say that it's a classic, but there are some things that I really liked. The story is fairly solid, and well paced.  It gives all the characters a chance to be developed, and play a significant role in the events taking place.  Very few of the characters are filler.  Damien, Harvey D...

  Last week, I reviewed the 1976 release of " The Omen ," and it's 2006 remake .  This week, I bring you my thoughts on " Damien: The Omen II ". Seven years after the deaths of his parents, Damien Thorn is staying with his uncle and aunt.  He lives a safe, happy life until people start dying.  Soon, Damien learns the truth: that he'll play a major role in the battle between good and evil The storyline is pretty good in this movie.  It was fairly easy to follow, with enough side stories to provide depth to the main plot.  The pacing of the story in this movie is also a little faster than in " The Omen ," so I wasn't bored with it.  There is a serious flaw though with the storyline, and that's the fact that it relies on people having watched the first movie to understand a bit more about the plot.  On it's own, the story isn't as effective. The story was certainly strong enough to allow for decent development of the characters.  Even ...

  Across the cultures, there abound tales of people transforming into animals and stalking the wood.  Such tales have been used to illustrate the duality of humanity... and simply to make you feel uneasy walking in the woods... Campers have been found mutilated in the woods near an Indian Reservation.  Legends about a spirit that transforms people into bloody thirsty bears are being whispered... and one man races to save the soul of the woman he loves from an ancient evil... " Crooked Tree " isn't that bad of a book.  It's not great, but is a decently diverting read.  The story has a good flow to it, and follows a fairly simple and logical progression of events, while still having a nice building of suspense throughout it.  The characters are interesting, relatable, and actually have roles other than gore fodder.  The characters aren't wasted, and used quiet well. I loved the idea of using an old legend of the First Nations as the premise for the ...

There was a time when going to summer camp was a common thing for children to do.  They got to socialize with other people of their ages, the parents got a few weeks of quiet to themselves... and a psycho was gainfully employed killing them... Angela and Ricky are sent to Camp Arawak for the summer.  Angela, unfortunately becomes the target for bullies. When those bullies start to die...it becomes clear that someone has a lust for blood... but who's doing it- and who'll be next? " Sleepaway Camp " is one those films that can- by many, be considered a "guilty pleasure".  You know you shouldn't enjoy it that much... but you do. But is it any good, though?  Well, on the surface, it's rather shallow.  At first viewing, it reads and looks like a cheap knock off of "Friday the 13th".  But, on closer viewing- and contemplation, there is a fair bit of depth to it. Especially if you view it through the lense of being a trans-narrative movie. The sto...

  On a smokey, hazy day like today, the wood smell almost reminds me of a campfire... and makes me want to drink a beer... This week's entry- Dave Bomb Double IPA by Red Collar Brewing has a nice, whimsical label that brings a much needed smile, and sense of light heartedness to the chaos of 2020.  The illustration is both simple, yet full of detail.  While it's the focal point of the label, it doesn't detract from the popping of the red text.  I also really loved the understated colour scheme as well with the black, tan, and red colours contrasting while still maintaining a harmonious and unified look. This beer has a beautiful golden amber colour to it that I found quite pleasing.  It looked flavorful.  It doesn't really hold a head of foam very long though.  There's a bit of haze to it when first poured, but it cleared up fairly quickly- allowing me to gaze into it and just enjoy the play of light in its depths. The first sip is enough to make you t...

There's a fascinating thing I've discovered over the years about historical figures- when you read about many of their exploits... you'd swear you were reading fiction... I'm going to start with doing something rare: discussing the cover of the book.  I love the cover art for the edition of Colleen McCullough's " Antony & Cleopatra " that I have.  It's elegant, stylish, and eye catching.  I especially love the font, the gold highlights, and the papyrus textured background. The story itself is great.  Based on the well-known relationship between Mark Antony and Cleopatra, this book follows it in a fairly realistic fashion, while adding depth to it, and the relationship between the members of the Second Triumvirate.  While the characters are made out to be a bit more plainer and average than they've been portrayed in most tellings, they are still fascinating historical figures to read about.  It's a pretty thick book, so it took me a f...

It's Wednesday again- which means it's time to fire up the X-Wing Fighter, and speed off to a galaxy far far away and battle the First Order again... The First Order has destroyed the Republic Senate- and is working it way towards the Resistance headquarters.  The Rebels are forced to flee as hope slowly disappears. Only one person can save the Resistance now: Luke Skywalker- the Jedi Master that defeated the Empire years ago.  But will he come out of his self imposed exile to bring hope back to the struggling Rebels...? I'm not going to lie.  " The Last Jedi " is not my favorite of the sequel trilogy.  Of the various story lines, the one I did like the most was that involving Rey and Luke... though dipping into the "exiled Jedi Master" element makes you wonder why the Jedi haven't learned to deal with failure all that well.  Obi-Wan, Yoda, Luke...  When shit hit the fan, they didn't stay in the fight.  They ran and hid.  Luke's runn...

It's Friday again- which means it's time for another tip and sip!  So, join me as I kick back and relax with a bottle in the sun... One of the few beer labels where I could actually apply the word, "cute" to.  The white label is "textured" with sliced lemons and cucumbers.  I found it to be a cheerful and light hearted label that actually made me smile with appreciation and the cleverness and how "cute" it was.  It's a light type of label for a light (5.2%) beer. I'd been delving pretty deep into the heavier craft beers up until now, and was in the mood for something lighter, and summery.  When I saw that this was a light lager with salted lemon and cucumber, I figured I'd give it a try.  The first sip was actually interesting.  I'm not entirely sure how to describe it.  I was uncertain about the flavour, and decided I need to investigate further.  As I take a few more exploratory sips, I realized that it was very lightly ...

War never changes... oh, wait... wrong franchise. A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, I started a journey through the Star Wars franchise.  This week, we come to our second stop on the trip: 2002's " Episode Two: The Attack of the Clones "... The Republic is crumbling.  A seperatist movement has begun, and planets are starting to rebel about the government.  After an assassination attempt on Queen Amidala's life, Obi-Wan and Anakin are tasked with investigating who's behind the attack.  Things get... complicated as Anakin reveals his true feelings for the Queen, and Obi-Wan tracks down a bounty hunter... The plot for " Episode Two " is a nice- and very natural continuation of the threads created in the first movie.  It develops it while increasing the tension, suspense, and drama.  There is a nice amount of intrigue, and I was engaged by the plot developments as the movie went along.  The pace is interesting in that there are some pretty sl...

Last week, I finished my journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  This week, I start my travels through another cinematic universe.  The Star Wars Universe... T he planet Naboo is under attack.  Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi are sent to negotiate a peace treaty... but things don't go well, and they are forced to flee with Naboo's Queen to a small desert planet as they seek answers to galaxy changing questions. Who is behind the conflict?  Who is the mysterious enemy trained in the ways of the Force?  How will a young slave boy put them on a path towards the phantom menace? " Star Wars: Episode One " gets a lot of flack from Star Wars fans.  Since I'm more of a "Star Trek" sort of guy, I can be a bit more impartial in my views.  The story, at it's core isn't bad.  In fact, it makes for a nice space opera.  If there's a flaw with the story and plot, it's more a matter of pacing than anything.  I...