vintage
Vintage geek content from the archives of the geek, comic, and entertainment collections.
What Is The Funny?
Here I am on another Saturday night, staring at a screen and wondering what to do with myself. I spent most of the day at a book sale for a community organization and have just finished two separate earlier reads that I had put aside for far too long. I have also willfully sacrificed some other books for Montreal’s Livre-Service book boxes (a perfect way to contribute to public reading and a method of discovering what else is out there to cudgel the brains). As I cleaned up, I discovered some writings I had left on a shelf and wondered about for quite some time: S.J. Perlman’s New Yorker writings were there, a torn back cover and an intact front cover with the title The Rising Gorge. I had only read two or three pieces in it before abandoning it as a well-intentioned work of comedy that did not make me laugh. And now, as I attempted to read something light – Angela Carter and Mohsin Hamid were the writers I had imbibed earlier – I found the same difficulties facing me. I simply did not find it funny.
Kendall DefoePublished about a year ago in GeeksWhat’s in the Box?
What is in the box, exactly? In no particular order, it could very well be the following: Is it Gwyneth Paltrow’s head? A fair soon to be mother, whose life was cut short from an overzealous and envious man whose sole purpose was to expose the seven deadly sins.
Rand EinfeldtPublished about a year ago in GeeksDoctor Who: 100 Review
To mark the 100th Doctor Who release (barring specials) from Big Finish, we got "100": an appropriately titled collection featuring four stories for the Sixth Doctor, all linked by the theme of 100. While a pretty meta concept for an anthology release, this set of stories was backed up with a strong hook: the writers were four of the best ever to put their name to Doctor Who. And, while there are some niggles with some of the tales, this collection is another example of experimental and ground-breaking Doctor Who, the likes of which hasn't been seen for some time. Taking in temporal meddling in Ancient Rome, meeting legendary composer Mozart, a gruesome curse on a seemingly innocuous family and a trip up and down the Doctor's timeline, this collections runs the gamut of Doctor Who stories and really does offer something for everyone.
Joseph A. MorrisonPublished about a year ago in GeeksDoctor Who: The Girl Who Never Was Review
In 2007, the Eighth Doctor was given a new lease of life when Big Finish combined with BBC Radio 7 to bring us the Eighth Doctor Adventures. Partnering him with Sheridan Smith's Lucie Miller, the series was a hit success, and paved the way for a whole new format for Paul McGann's Time Lord. However, there still remained the thorny issue of McGann's previous companions: Edwardian adventuress Charlotte Pollard and Eutermesan C'rizz. And so, towards the end of 2007, Big Finish released two stories to conclude the character's journey's: "Absolution", which brought C'rizz travels to an end, and "The Girl Who Never Was", which would write out Charley. And this is as fitting a finale as you can get, with high stakes, some dramatic cliff-hangers, and, of course, the return of the Cybermen. This all makes for a fine send off for the Edwardian adventuress.
Joseph A. MorrisonPublished about a year ago in GeeksThe Long History of Character Swiping in Comics
If you're a comics fan, or just the big and small screen adaptations, you've likely seen the preview images for the "Black Panther" sequel, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," or you've seen the film. If you have, you've seen the widely discussed and semi-controversial reveal that Namor the Sub-Mariner, one of Marvel's first characters, is in the film. For some fans, this is a moment to celebrate. Wakanda is on the screen again, and Namor will be in a film for the first time. However, other fans are cringing. Why?
Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles: The Invasion of E-Space Review
Season 18 of Doctor Who was one of the most groundbreaking and experimental in the show's history. To this day, it remains one of the most thematically consistent seasons of the classic series, and, while it isn't one that has been revisited that often in the years since, it is one that is still held in huge regard by Doctor Who fans. So, when, in 2010, Big Finish released "The Invasion of E-Space", there was a lot of anticipation for this story. Added to that was the fact that this would be the first story written by Andrew Smith since his debut, "Full Circle" (the first part of the E-Space trilogy from Season 18), back in 1980. As such, there was a lot of anticipation for this story, and it is a shame that it isn't quite as strong as a lot of Doctor Who fans were hoping for. Don't get me wrong - "The Invasion of E-Space" is a perfectly serviceable, decent Doctor Who story. However, this doesn't really have a lot of the heart the Companion Chronicles traditionally employ, and there's nothing here that makes this standout from most other Doctor Who stories: something that, at its best, Season 18 did in spades.
Joseph A. MorrisonPublished about a year ago in Geeks#60yearsofJamesBond: GoldenEye
This instalment of #60yearsofJamesBond is dedicated to the memory of Robbie Coltrane - 1950-2022. The early 1990s was a particularly bleak time for James Bond. While the preceding two films in the series, 1987's "The Living Daylights" and 1989's "Licence to Kill", had been fairly successful, there was a sense that, even with Timothy Dalton's reinvigorated take on James Bond, the franchise was in serious need of a rampant success story. Added to that, the end of the Cold War, a new era of political correctness, the beginning of the countdown to the new millennium, and legal difficulties between Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Danjaq, who held the rights to the Bond film series, and it felt like there might never be another film: in many ways, "Licence to Kill" had felt like a place to end, and one that, perhaps, they wouldn't come back from. As such, it looked like the end of the swarve secret agent: a situation made even more likely by the protracted legal situation between Albert R. Broccoli and MGM. By 1993, it looked like Bond would be returning to the silver screen: however, despite sounding interested in the film's initial development, Dalton decided not to reprise the role as he felt unable to commit to more films beyond "GoldenEye". As such, Barbara Broccoli, who was now producing the Bond series with her husband Michael G. Wilson, would have to find a new Bond. To find their new Bond, the producers went back to their initial choice for Roger Moore's replacement: Pierce Brosnan. Released in 1995, "GoldenEye" was the smash success the producers had been hoping for, and has since gone on to be seen as a high watermark for the series. However, while I see a lot of the appeal of this film, I personally don't find it as good as most other Bond fans do. There's a lot of good ideas here, and some aspects of the film work surprisingly well. However, there's something just something missing for me, and it isn't quite the high watermark for Bond films as some seem to claim that it is.
Joseph A. MorrisonPublished about a year ago in GeeksHarry Styles love triangle
If the people in your life are like a family to you, then the film My Police is the perfect companion for this holiday season. It's a story about how life can change in an instant, and how we all need to be ready for it.
Gu Wei Di QiPublished 2 years ago in GeeksHalloween 1978 is a true classic
When people look back at certain genres they all have instant classics that come to mind. Horror is no different as the slasher era has gone on to redefine what it means to be a horror film. A few films had inspiration over that change but perhaps none more than Halloween in 1978.
Reel VibesPublished 2 years ago in GeeksDoctor Who: The Companion Chronicles: Return of the Rocket Men Review
One of the breakaway hits of the Companion Chronicles series was John Dorney's "The Rocket Men", a powerfully emotional tale that introduced a brand new foe for the Doctor in the form of the Rocket Men. The jetpack-wielding pirates were a surprise hit with listeners, as was the story's emotional content, and a sequel was quickly developed. Now with a new writer and a new companion, however, could this sequel capture the same magic as the original, while still offering listeners something new and fresh? In a word - yes. Emphatically. "Return of the Rocket Men" is a perfect sequel, in that it recaptures what you loved about "The Rocket Men", but it also offers a completely new take on what made it a success. It makes, therefore, for a sequel that won't leave you disappointed, no matter what your expectations are for this story.
Joseph A. MorrisonPublished 2 years ago in GeeksFarrokh Ghaffari: The Man Who Changed the Face of Iranian Cinema
Iranian cinema is regarded and acknowledged highly as an art cinema all over the world. The films made are loved and lauded by the critics and audience alike.
Javed BalochPublished 2 years ago in GeeksThe Timeless Masterpieces of Studio Ghibli
Here we go! Part 3 in here. I hope you have enjoyed our journey through the wonderful world of Studio Ghibli. I would love to hear if you watched a new film because of this series in the comments below.