The Unwritten: Volume 03 (2011)

Dead Man's Knock (2011)

Author: Mike Carey | Illustrator: Peter Gross | Page Count: 160

"When you wake up, you talk to me, or you hit the road. Either way, this all has to stop."

With storytelling's power to influence (and divide) the literate population well-established in Volumes 01 and 02, the time is now right to further explore the secretive cabal that wish to use that power for their own ends.

At the same time Tommy Taylor™ fans across the globe are eagerly anticipating the launch of the fourteenth novel in the fantasy book series. A rumour begins to circulate that the book's author, Wilson Taylor, will be in attendance, even though he hasn't been seen in years.

For Tom and his travelling companions, who are desperately trying to keep a low profile lest they draw the attentions of the authorities and/or the cabal, there are hard decisions to be made about their future.

Ruined Heart (2014)

Ruined Heart: Another Love Story Between a Criminal and a Whore (2014)

Dir. Khavn De La Cruz

I don't know how it is for other folks, whether they be professional reviewer, amateur, or otherwise, but, speaking as a simple hobbyist, when it comes to putting together words to describe a viewing some are easy, some are more challenging, and a special few, like Ruined Heart, are damn near impossible to do justice to.

One of the problems from a reviewing perspective is that it has a dreamlike quality — not in a colourful and floaty way, but in how it moves from scene to scene, from emotive event to artistic intent — and attempting to put that sense of free-form structure into words without sounding pretentious and gob-shitey is difficult.

But before I even make the attempt, below the cut is the film's 'story' as described by the printed blurb on the back of the TWF Blu-ray box:

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

Dir. Terence Fisher

Peter Cushing played the role of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes many times on television but, alas, only once for HAMMER Studios. His ever-alert, energetic portrayal will surely annoy some folks but for me he’s the definitive film version.

So too is André Morell as Watson, a decent detective and a reliable friend, not the bumbling idiot of some other filmed versions.

It’s unmistakably HAMMER, the set-bound elegance is clear to see, and being adapted from a literary source as fine as their many horror works meant it was their equal in almost every way. The only downside is the depiction of the moor itself; it needed a more chilling, eerie mystery characterising it.

Ghost in the Shell README: 1995-2017 (2017)

Ghost in the Shell
README: 1995-2017 (2017)

Author: Shirow Masamune (?) | Page Count: 160

'How am I supposed to stay motivated without my bassets?' - Mamoru Oshii

Described by publisher Kodansha as 'The definitive history of the most influential cyberpunk anime of all time!', the Ghost in the Shell README is perhaps more accurately described as being little more than a cash-grab tie-in detailing the plots of the various filmed versions of Shirow's original manga.

It opens with a brief look at the 2017 live-action movie. An attempt is made to sing its praises but it seems halfhearted at best, and a failure at worst. Having viewed the film, I can understand the trouble the writer must've had, because, besides its visuals, the live-action movie is the worst interpretation that GitS has had thus far - to put it more plainly, the movie is garbage.

Rocky: Films (1976-2006)

Rocky: Films (1976-2006)

V for Vendetta: New Edition (2009)

V for Vendetta: New Edition (2009)

Author: Alan Moore | Illustrator: David Lloyd | Page Count: 296

“Happiness is the most insidious prison of all.”

V for V is set in a post-war Britain. Whilst not directly involved in the nuclear bombardment, the country did suffer some socio-economic fallout after it was over. In response, it became a fascist state controlled by a select few, policed by the power-hungry and morally corrupt elite, and populated by the frightened.

One man, V, a self-elected revolutionary, attempts to pull away the apathy, to wound the totalitarian regime and incite a passion for change in the populace.

V orchestrates a violent and theatrical campaign against the oppressors. He's a personified wake-up call to the sleeping masses. Being rudely awakened is unpleasant, it's more comfortable to go on sleeping, but should we hate the alarm or the reason it was set?

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Dir. Leonard Nimoy

Star Trek II, III and IV are a trilogy telling one story. The middle section explores the benefits of friendship and the burden of responsibility.

In order to write what I want to write about the film, I'll need to refer to events from the previous one. Therefore, there will be SPOILERS for ST II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) hereafter.

Having left the Mutara Nebula behind (see events in TWoK), the USS Enterprise crew are set to return home to Earth for repairs, but their hearts are heavy and the bridge has a missing member.

It's fascinating (no pun intended) that the absence of the characteristically emotionless Spock causes such strong emotions in his human colleagues.

The ship feels half-empty to Admiral Kirk (William Shatner), and in a strange way having Leonard Nimoy ever-present in his role as director yet largely absent onscreen as Spock that same sense of loss affects the viewer. He's there, but he isn't. He's in our hearts and minds, but not visible.