Whitechapel (2009)
Aug 25, 2009Modern-Day Jack the Ripper Killings
Fascinating British mini-series about a series of modern-day Jack the Ripper copycat killings, one where the writers have clearly done their research
Johnny Harris
Dorian Gray (2009)
Jan 28, 2011Eternally Youthful Libertine
Beautifully produced version of the Oscar Wilde story about a libertine who becomes immortal by transferring his soul into a portrait. This easily stands out as one of the best film versions of the story to date
Black Death (2010)
Feb 20, 2011Mediaeval Journey to a Village of Witches
Powerful film from Christopher Smith set during the Middle Ages about a group on a journey to a village where a priestess can purportedly raise the dead. The film's skewering of faith in an unforgettable ending is stunning
Ultramarines (2010)
Jul 10, 2011Animation/Wargame Adaptation/Space Marines vs Demonic Forces
Animated film based on the popular fantasy wargame. The set-up is a fascinating mix of SF and mediaeval religion but the plot rehashes Aliens without much payoff and the animation is B-budget
The Fades (2011)
Jan 14, 2015Teen Can See the Dead/Apocalytic Resurrection
An underrated mini-series – sort of the anti-Supernatural. This creates a highly original afterlife mythology, some of the best characters arcs of any mini-series, while overspilling with wry nerdish in-humour
Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
May 31, 2012Adult Fairytale Adaptation/Epic Fantasy
The second of 2012's Snow White films after Mirror Mirror, this turns the fairytale into an epic fantasy. Well produced but ultimately a film that lacks anything unique nor pushes far enough into the dark fantasy it promises to be
The Last Days on Mars (2013)
Apr 13, 2014Expedition to Mars/Alien Zombie Infection
This starts out offering a fine astrophysically credible depiction of Mars only to quickly reach for the playbook of Alien cliches to essentially become Zombies on Mars. As long as one accepts the hackneyed premise for what it is, the film generates more than reasonable tension
Monsters: Dark Continent (2014)
May 9, 2015Alien-Infested War Zone
This offers the expectation of a sequel to the sleeper hit of Monsters; what we instead get is not many monsters and a film about recruits in a Middle Eastern war zone. That said, you cannot deny that what we have is an undeniably well made film
A Christmas Carol (2019)
Dec 25, 2020Miser's Redemption/Dark Adult Retelling
A tv mini-series that offers a dark, adult and definitely not family friendly version of the oft-filmed Charles Dickens tale that reinvents the original in quite astonishing ways