A J Black, Author at Film Stories

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan | Exploring its powerful ending

by A J Black | Oct 30, 2023 | Feature

Our in-depth, multi-part dissection of Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan ends with a close look at its iconic, powerful ending. Spoilers within:

Ridley Scott revisited: The Duellists, an assured debut

by A J Black | Oct 27, 2023 | Feature

Ahead of Napoleon's release, we take a look back at Ridley Scott's career to date, beginning with his 1977 feature debut, The Duellists....

The Walking Dead essential episodes | Exploring its intense 2010 debut

by A J Black | Oct 27, 2023 | Feature, TV

Frank Darabont brought a sense of the cinematic to The Walking Dead's debut, Days Gone Bye. We look back at the first, essential episode.

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan | Exploring Kirk's journey from regret to rebirth

by A J Black | Oct 23, 2023 | Feature

Our spoiler-y dissection of Star Trek II continues with a look at how The Wrath Of Khan sees James T Kirk confront his mortality and regrets, and ultimately regain his youth.

Frasier season 1 episode 3 review | One for the ‘Craniacs’

by A J Black | Oct 23, 2023 | Reviews, TV

Frasier season 1 really finds its stride in episode 3, First Class, with some solid character dynamics and gags. Our review:

loki season 2 helmers Benson and Moorhead have been hired to direct the new Daredevil

Loki season 2 episode 3 review | A timely romp at the World's Fair

by A J Black | Oct 23, 2023 | Reviews, TV

The latest episode of Loki - 1893 - is impressive, but also serves as a metaphor for where the Marvel Cinematic Universe has landed. Spoilers......

Bodies review | A bold, time-hopping Netflix TV murder mystery

by A J Black | Oct 20, 2023 | Reviews, TV

Streaming now on Netflix, Bodies is a refreshing high-concept TV mini-series with a murder mystery that kept us hooked to the end. Our review:...

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan | How its space battles redefined the franchise

by A J Black | Oct 16, 2023 | Feature

Our spoiler-y dissection of Star Trek II continues, as we look at how The Wrath Of Khan revolutionised the look of the franchise's space battles.

Frasier (2023) season 1 episodes 1 and 2

Frasier season 1 episodes 1 and 2 review | back in Boston with a new lease of life

by A J Black | Oct 16, 2023 | Reviews, TV

Frasier returns, but can he can buck the trend of reboots and ‘legacyquels’ which largely fail to recapture the magic of their own past? Our rev...

Loki season 2 episodes 1 and 2 review | Marvel tries to bring order to the multiverse

by A J Black | Oct 16, 2023 | Reviews, TV

With spoilers, we delve into the first two episodes of Loki season 2, Ouroboros and Breaking Brad. Can Marvel make us care about its increasingly...

Monsters and Godzilla | The creature movies of Gareth Edwards

by A J Black | Oct 11, 2023 | Feature

Gareth Edwards is back on the big screen with The Creator, but it was a pair of monster movies - Monsters and Godzilla - that first brought him to...

The Reckoning review | A chilling dramatisation of Jimmy Savile's heinous crimes

by A J Black | Oct 11, 2023 | Reviews

Steve Coogan plays Jimmy Savile in the BBC's dramatisation, The Reckoning: here's our review of a contentious and controversial drama....

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan | A spoiler-y look at a question of fate

by A J Black | Oct 09, 2023 | Feature

Our dive into the world of Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan looks at the whole idea of fate in the acclaimed sequel: spoilers lie ahead.

Boiling Point, The Bear and drama in the kitchen

by A J Black | Oct 03, 2023 | Feature, TV

First a film, now a TV series, Boiling Point has a lot in common with the The Bear. We compare and contrast two taut, intense restaurant-based dramas.

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan | God, science, and the return of Noonien Singh

by A J Black | Oct 02, 2023 | Feature

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan explored themes of playing god and rebirth as well as bringing back Khan Noonien Singh. AJ Black's series continues.

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan | A series rejuvenated

by A J Black | Sep 25, 2023 | Feature

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan reinvigorated the franchise in 1982. In the first of a multi-part series, AJ Black explores its themes of sacrifice and rejuvenation.

A Haunting in Venice, Talk to Me, and the modern meaning of the seance

by A J Black | Sep 21, 2023 | Feature

A Haunting In Venice and Talk To Me contain their own twists on the seance - but both speak to our desire for connection in the modern world.

Last Action Hero: revisiting Arnold Schwarzenegger's meta action thriller

by A J Black | Sep 19, 2023 | Feature

A 1993 vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger, Last Action hero was a catastrophic failure. Still, there's plenty to enjoy in John McTiernan's deconstruction of violent action flicks...

Star Trek revisited: The Motion Picture (1979), and a film whose reputation has enhanced over time

by A J Black | Sep 18, 2023 | Feature

We start our adventures exploring the Star Trek movies, and our voyages begin with Star Trek: The Motion Picture - a bumpy start to the big screen...

Murder On The Orient Express: Poirot's humanity, history and his eggs

by A J Black | Sep 14, 2023 | Feature

How Kenneth Branagh and his facial hair brought Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot back to the screen and made a modern day detective....

The joy of the ads and trailers: defending a cinematic experience

by A J Black | Sep 08, 2023 | Feature

Do you like sitting through the ads and trailers at your local cinema? And do you think it's all part of the experience?...

The X-Files revisited at 30: The unmade The X-Files 3 movie

by A J Black | Sep 07, 2023 | Feature

The box office performance of the second X-Files film pretty much ended hope of The X-Files 3 - but that doesn't mean there weren't plans....

The X-Files revisited at 30: I Want to Believe (2008)

by A J Black | Sep 06, 2023 | Feature

The second X-Files movie proved to be much lower profile than the first - but is there gold in I Want To Believe? We've been taking a look....

The X-Files revisited at 30: Fight The Future (1998)

by A J Black | Sep 05, 2023 | Feature

The X-Files is celebrating its 30th birthday this year - and the first X-Files movie, Fight The Future, is 25. We've been looking back....

Ben Wheatley revisited: In The Earth (2021)

by A J Black | Sep 01, 2023 | Feature

Shot during the first year of COVID-19, Ben Wheatley's In The Earth is a low budget, back to his roots kind of film: we've taken a look back....

Armie Hammer and Lily James in Rebecca, directed by Ben Wheatley

Ben Wheatley revisited: Rebecca (2020)

by A J Black | Aug 31, 2023 | Feature

In 2020, Ben Wheatley's Rebecca was released as a Netflix exclusive - we take a closer look at the director's take on the Daphne du Maurier classic,...