by Jen

There's been plenty of hoopla in the geek community about the announcement of the 13th Doctor - but what drew me to binge Broadchurch was actually the presence of the 10th Doctor, beloved Scottish actor David Tennant.

I'm the odd (wo)man out when it comes to this show - I actually watched the American version, called Gracepoint, before I'd ever seen the BBC show it was based on.  While I enjoyed Gracepoint, and heard that the ending was somewhat different, I kept hearing great things about the British show - and with the third and final season currently airing on BBC America, I decided it was high time to watch the acclaimed original.

Tennant isn't the only Doctor Who alum on the show - Arthur Darvill, often recognized as Rory Williams, plays the vicar, and other actors have made appearances in various seasons of Who as well.  But Broadchurch is definitely a force to be reckoned with all on its own - the plot will grab you from the first episode, and the twists and turns will take you to unexpected places and leave you wanting to know more about this small town and its residents.

I've finished the first season and started on the second, and I'm recording the third season on my DVR to watch as soon as I've caught up on all the episodes Netflix has to offer.  I can hardly to see what happens next in this enthralling British drama!

And of course there's the added benefit of getting to know Jodie Whittaker, who will be the new Doctor once Peter Capaldi regenerates! Her character is definitely central to Broadchurch's plot, and I am excited to be getting to know her here first - her talent shines, and gives me hope for the future of Doctor Who under a new show runner in the new season.

To be honest, I gave up on the Transformers movie franchise about fifteen minutes into the first movie.  Friends can attest that after a few drinks I can sometimes be heard mumbling about Michael Bay trampling on the cherished memories of my childhood. 

​And yet, when given the opportunity to see a (free!) preview of Transformers: The Last Knight, I found I was unable to pass up the opportunity.  Maybe it won’t be that bad!  After all, Anthony Hopkins is in it!  Maybe he can class the joint up a bit!

I’m capable of enjoying mindless action movies as much as the next geek girl, but even though I tried to check my brain at the door and take this movie on face value, it was still too much of a hot mess.  ​

You don’t have to take my word for it – but if you simply must see Transformers: The Last Knight for yourself, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

by Annie

​I have a confession, even though I'm in my 30s, I love YA novels. I have read all of the Mortal Instruments books by Cassandra Clare. I have strong feelings about certain characters and I would love to read or write a fanfiction about Church the cat. So I was intrigued by FreeForm's  Shadowhunters TV adaptation of the books. I thought the story would be better represented as TV show (rather than the terrible movie we shall not speak of) since there is a lot of drama, characters and side plots. I also thought Freeform (formerly ABC Family) would be a good fit for the show as they run other teen dramas.

​This show is spectacularly bad - but in many entertaining ways! By the third episode, I deemed it "so bad that it is good" and I will watch it until it's inevitable cancellation.
 
Why is it so amusingly terrible? 

​​This is basically Tiger Beat magazine, Shadowhunters edition. 

​The special effects are so very cheesy. I don't know how to do computer animation but I'm pretty sure I could watch a couple of Youtube videos on it and produce similar graphics. They are trying, they really are - but it's just bad. Like remember the season of Doctor Who with the 9th doctor? Those graphics are better. 

​There's also some scenes from the books that have been drastically changed in ways that are less exciting and just left me wondering if they just ran out of time or effects money. Maybe the writers left that day or something?

For example, in the third episode a character gets kidnapped by vampires and the Shadowhunters go rescue him. In the book, this is a huge fight scene with a whole clan of vampires, a pack of werewolves and the Shadowhunters. Then the kidnapped character escapes because he turns into a mouse! But in the TV show, they just beat up a couple of guards and then go out onto the roof into the sunlight, because vampires don't do sunlight, that's it. BORING!

Still, it passes the time. ​So grab a glass of wine, some popcorn and your sense of humor because you can totally make Shadowhunters your own personal weekly Rifftracks.
 
Or you could read the books instead.  

by Annie

A new fantasy mini series hit MTV a few weeks ago and it is a fun escape from the crappiness of winter. The Shannara Chronicles is based on the popular book series by Terry Brooks and, although some book details have been changed, it is very enjoyable and captures the spirit of the novels. 

You might recognize some familiar faces in The Shannara Chronicles, like John Rhys-Davis (Gimli from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy) plays Eventine the King of the Elves. Arrow fans will also be excited to see Manu Bennett (Slade Wilson/Deathstroke) playing the ancient Druid elder Allanon. Manu Bennet is also another tie to the LOTR franchise as he plays Azog in the Hobbit movies. 

​The series was shot in New Zealand - hey, just like Lord of the Rings!- so you know the scenery is beautiful, sweeping and epic. The different dwellings of the elves, Rovers and humans are all varied and have enough detail and realism that you really get a feel for the world of 'Shannara' being vast and dynamic.  

​The special effects are a little above video game quality, they're not terrible but occasionally the demons look computer generated, but let's not forget this is a TV show not a big budget movie.

​Overall, this is a very enjoyable show especially if you love fantasy. I have started listening to the audiobooks of the original Terry Brooks series too - they are fantastic and also worth your time. 

by Jen

Have you always had a fondness for Regency-era romances, but found them a bit lacking in violence?  Then Pride & Prejudice & Zombies is the film for you!  

In 2009, author Seth Grahame-Smith penned this creative twist on the beloved Jane Austen novel; now, writer/director Burr Steers has taken it a step further and brought this fantastic retelling to the silver screen.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this film.  I've read several of Grahame-Smith's books, but didn't particularly enjoy the film adaptation of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, so I was a bit hesitant to get my hopes up for PPZ.  Turns out I held my breath for nothing!

This film was fantastic - it's quite possibly my new favorite film version of Pride & Prejudice. (Sorry, Bride & Prejudice - you'll always have a special place in my heart, but your Bollywood musical numbers can't compete with battles with the undead!)

But it's not all violent destruction and hunger for brains - the chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett is palpable, even when they appear to despise each other; and Matt Smith is absolutely hysterical as Parson Collins.  Beautiful Regency costumes were not made any less lovely by the addition of deadly weapons, and the classic Austen dialogue is delightfully interspersed with fantastic fight choreography.

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies will be in theaters February 5, and I heartily recommend seeing it for yourself on the big screen!

Now, will someone please ask Burr Steers to get started on a film adaptation of Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters?

by Jen

Where will you be when the zombie apocalypse becomes a nightmarish reality?  What if you  were all alone, in the picturesque wilderness of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, with no explanation of the madness that was overtaking the world around you?

This is the premise of the amazing horrormentary I Am Alone, which stars Gareth David-Lloyd as survivalist Jacob Fitts and Gunner Wright as producer Mason Riley.  The story is told from the dual perspectives of Jacob, who is meant to spend seven days alone in the wilderness shooting footage for his reality tv show, and Mason, who has witnessed the terror of "the afflicted" overtaking a small town in Colorado and is now forced to watch Jacob's footage in the basement of a CDC compound where scientists are struggling to find the answers - and possibly a solution to the chaos that has erupted worldwide. 

It's easy to see why this unique zombie film has captured the imagination and accolades of horror fans and festivals around the world.  Gareth's character undergoes an incredible metamorphosis, from the good-natured, optimistic survivalist to the shell-shocked man who must come to grips with the imminence of his own demise after he is attacked in the woods.  Gunner's character is equally transformed, from the driven television producer to the victim who has supposedly survived but must still live with the horrors he experienced and the uncertainty of the future.

The end of the story doesn't feel like an end at all - it definitely leaves the viewer hungry for more!  I'll be anxiously awaiting the sequel, and you will be too once you experience the emotional rollercoaster that is I Am Alone!

by Jen

I hate to admit it, but with all the hype over the new Star Wars movie that I almost forgot Mockingjay Part 2 was opening this weekend!  Fortunately, Facebook reminded me, and I managed to score a ticket to a nearly sold-out showing tonight.

Last year's Part 1 left us hanging, and Part 2 picks up literally right where it left off - no huge opening sequence, just the story resumed where they last left us.  And just like that, I was pulled back into the story of Katniss and her quest to kill President Snow.  

Of the Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay was my least favorite book - the macabre examination of the dark side of human nature that begets the horrors of war, and the post-apocalyptic horrors that leave no possibility of happy endings, is not as intriguing to me as the earlier books in the series.  This darkness translates well onto the screen - I may not have loved the story, but I couldn't take my eyes off it.

If you read the books, and enjoyed the last three movies at all, you should see this one.  There are no big surprises for those familiar with the story arc, but the tale is still moving and there are a few jump scares and unexpected smiles along the way.  The ending was as unnatural on the screen as it was on the page, but I appreciate Suzanne Collins' desire to wrap things up as neatly as possible.  

Overall, I give it a thumbs up - definitely worth watching on the big screen!

by Jen

I have to admit I fell off the Bones bandwagon years ago.  I had been a fairly ardent fan, but the whole baby-born-in-a-stable storyline jumped the shark too much for my taste, and shortly after that I found my interest in the show as a whole waning.

But when I heard about last night's crossover with Sleepy Hollow, I was both horrified and intrigued.  I do love the haunted vibe of Sleepy Hollow, but it was difficult to picture Abbie and Ichabod making a smooth transition into the world of Booth and Bones - or vice versa.

And of course it was chock full of deliciously awkward moments.  Most of the action paired Booth with Abbie, leaving Ichabod behind to engage with Bones - resulting in a lot of moments that looked like this:

The crossover lasted for two episodes (one from each show).  Since the first brought the Sleepy Hollow team to the Jeffersonian. I anticipated that the second would take the Bones investigators to Sleepy Hollow - but alas, that was not to be.  I imagine that Bones' strictly scientific point of view wouldn't have made much sense in the supernatural climate surrounding Sleepy Hollow!  So the second episode brought Abbie and Ichabod to Washington once again, to investigate a mystery in a crypt that was originally built for George Washington -which, of course, had a tie-in to the mysterious Revolutionary War-era corpse that starred in the first episode.

Overall, I had expected much more insanity in this crossover - but it was just mildly uncomfortable overall, and the storyline was entertaining.  It didn't take away from my enjoyment of Sleepy Hollow, and it was nice to visit with the Bones crew after taking a few years off.

I just hope that Fox doesn't make this a regular thing.  Once was a novelty, twice could be disastrous...which is not to say I wouldn't tune in if they did it again.  Even I can't resist a good trainwreck!

by Jen

It seems like I have been waiting forever for Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak to come out!  I am an ardent admirer of del Toro's work - clearly I'm a sucker for atmospheric gothic horror films - and the cast of this film made me anticipate this film all the more.  I even drove an extra twenty minutes to see the film in an IMAX theater, because any del Toro film is made better by a bigger screen!

I know some reviewers have been disappointed with the overall experience of Crimson Peak, but I enjoyed it tremendously.  Yes, it is different than del Toro's earlier gothic romances (The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth), but different does not equal bad!  

The characters immediately drew me into the story.  Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, and Charlie Hunnam were intriguing as Thomas Sharpe, Edith Cushing, Lucille Sharpe, and Alan McMichael; but I also enjoyed the performances of Jim Beaver as Edith's father, Burn Gorman as the shady private investigator Holly, and Leslie Hope as Alan's mother.  Hope had a fantastic one-liner - upon seeing Edith enter a party on the arm of Thomas (who she had intended as a potential suitor for her daughter), she says to the girl, "Don't worry, my dear; everyone has a place, and I'll make sure you find yours."

And of course the Sharpe's dilapidated manor house is a character all its own.  Allerdale Hall, with its weird red mud and decrepit structure, would seem haunted even if its halls weren't host to actual ghosts.  

And the ghosts are brutally visual, but we would expect nothing less of specters that materialized from the mind of del Toro!  Poor Edith is haunted, not only by the tragedies in her life but by the literal phantoms in her new husband's family home.

There's not much more I can say without giving away essential elements of the plot, so I'll just leave you with this thought: Crimson Peak might not be the scariest film you see this October, but it's definitely worth the ticket price.  (I'd pay that much just to see the scene at the depot on the big screen again!) 

by Brooke

Last Friday I saw The Martian in 3D. I had read a little more than half of the book when I went to the theater to watch Mark Watney’s Mars adventure. Here’s my short-and-sweet movie review with as few spoilers as possible.

THE ACTION
 
The Martian is space porn and landscape porn at its best. Normally I’d never say this, but do yourself a favor and see it in 3D. Regular post-process conversion 3D movies are a guaranteed headache for me and the jerkiness drives me nuts. The Martian was filmed with RED 3D cameras and it’s seamless.

The movie is tense and action-packed. In a nutshell, a manned mission to Mars goes awry and botanist-astronaut Mark Watney is left behind. He puzzles together unlikely ways to science Mars into a habitable environment with only a few tools at his disposal. We get to watch him grow food in his own poop, create water from inorganic compounds and blow himself up a couple of times. All the while we know the clock is ticking, and every setback is heart wrenching.

THE ACTING
 
Matt Damon’s performance as Mark Watney is spot-on. He brings both gravitas and wry humor to the role. The movie does give us displays of emotion that Watney’s journal omits in the book, and Damon nails these short bursts of hopelessness.
 
The rest of the cast does an excellent job of interpreting their roles, however I do have a few gripes about other casting choices and character changes.

For one, Chiwetel Ejiofor is fantastic in his role of “Vincent” Kapoor. But couldn’t they have cast an Indian actor? Venkat Kapoor’s character was very clearly written to be a man of Indian Hindu background, and many brilliant South Asian actors could have filled the role.
 
Kristen Wiig could have given a powerful performance as Annie Montrose, but the script edits cut off the firecracker PR guru’s balls. Her role in the story is lost, and she seems on the verge of tears in every scene.

Jessica Chastain seems like an odd choice for the tough Commander Lewis. Her honeyed voice, sweet smile and uber-feminine appearance and body language irked me for someone who’s meant to be a no-nonsense military commander. I felt like another opportunity was missed to cast a less “Hollywood” actor.

THE MOVIE VS. THE BOOK

Overall the movie is mostly faithful to the book, though it does take some liberties. Viewers who did not read the book may enjoy the movie a little more than those of us who went in knowing how much more meat there is to Mark Watney’s story.
 
Unlike the book, the focus of the movie is really on how to get Watney home, rather than on his convoluted methods of survival on a hostile planet. This means producers had to edit out most of Watney’s journal entries and scientific breakthroughs, and they even cut a few dramatic events. There is no other way to fit the book into an exciting 2-hour thriller, but as a consequence Watney’s brilliance is underemphasized.

IN CONCLUSION: GO SEE IT
 
The Martian has all the thrill of a summer blockbuster with the brains of a science channel documentary, scientific inaccuracies aside. The movie will get your heart pumping and pique your brain cells. This is high-level entertainment. I highly recommend it to all science, sci-fi and movie lovers. Now go read the book.
 
Watch the new trailer for The Martian by Ellen DeGeneres here: