Tag: science fiction

The narrow, orderly focus trips up ‘Chaos Walking’

Jeff Mitchell

Tom Holland is rightfully enjoying massive success in the movie biz these days. Hear!  Hear! Holland, 24, easily fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-man, but he’s not just a red-and-blue superhero.  He’s starred in other big-studio films, like “In the Heart of the Sea” (2015), “The Lost City of Z” (2016), “Onward” (2020), and “The Devil All the Time” (2020). His characters handle themselves just fine when saving humanity or diving into a one-on-one scrap, and his friendly bravado translates into real-life. Holland is a certified star, but no…

31 Scary Movies: ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’

Jeff Mitchell

“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1956) – With hair sprayed across his brow, his clothes soaked in sweat and a wild look in his eyes, Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) desperately tries to explain his plight to a handful of doctors and police. “Will you tell these fools I’m not crazy? I’m not insane,” he screams. He certainly resembles a man who just escaped from a mental hospital, but Dr. Bennell begs to tell his story, in Don Siegel’s (“Dirty Harry” (1971), “The Shootist” (1976)) landmark science fiction picture that…

‘Kin’ misfires its laser gun story

Jeff Mitchell

“Kin” –  Speaking from personal experience, many preteen boys who grew up in the late 1970’s enjoyed “Star Wars” (1977) and wished to own laser guns similar to Han Solo’s and/or Chewbacca’s.  Sure, sheriffs and outlaws firing rifles during “Bonanza” reruns carried a certain admired machismo, but laser guns discharging explosive light missiles provided an indescribable allure. With certainty, a significant subset of these anxious, excitable kids asked their fathers, “Dad, have ‘they’ invented laser guns yet?” Again, speaking from personal experience. In 2018 Detroit, one would be hard-pressed to…