Category: Review

Review books, tech, games and movies

Post Apocalypto

Posted on by Bill Kandiliotis in Books, Film, Review

Post-apocalypse movies have been a popular genre for decades, largely thanks to that ‘Mad Max’ movie that came out in 1979, a movie that defined the genre. These films depict what the world would be like after a catastrophic event, and how humanity survives or perishes in the aftermath. They often employ a distinct visual style, the gritty wastelands standard established by the ‘Mad Max’ trilogy, characterized by a distinctive visual style that immerses viewers in a world of desolation and survival. Barren and desolate landscapes, such as parched deserts or urban ruins, dominate the scenery, often rendered in muted, dusty tones.

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The Fence

Posted on by Bill Kandiliotis in Film, Review

Which side of the fence are you on? When making a film about a civil war, it’s a good question to ask.

So, when a director attempts to craft a harrowing and immersive experience set in a dystopian near-future America, deploying evocative cinematography, art-house editing and eclectic use of music, against a screenplay so bereft of logic and meaning, the result is some of the dumbest shit committed to film. This is quite an achievement considering how bad cinema has devolved since 2016.

It’s not that formidable a task, and yet here we are.

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Tarantino 10

Posted on by Bill Kandiliotis in Film, Review

Quentin Tarantino is undeniably one of the most distinctive and influential filmmakers of our time. With his unique blend of genre-bending storytelling, razor-sharp dialogue, and unapologetic style, Tarantino has carved out a niche for himself in the world of cinema that is entirely his own. However, perhaps equally as intriguing as his films themselves is his decision to limit his directorial career to just ten movies.

Tarantino has been vocal about his intention to retire from filmmaking after completing his tenth feature film. This decision has sparked curiosity and speculation among fans and critics alike. Why would a filmmaker at the peak of his career choose to impose such a strict limit on his output?

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The Belmondo Effect

Posted on by Bill Kandiliotis in Film, Review

Cinema, as a medium, has undergone a remarkable evolution since its inception, with various genres adapting and transforming over time to capture the ever-changing tastes and sensibilities of audiences. One of the most dynamic and enduring is the action genre, having matured into a multifaceted cinematic realm that explores complex themes, character development, and innovative storytelling techniques. As visual entertainment, the action genre has continuously evolved, reflecting the shifting cultural, and societal dynamics involving thrills and violence on the screen. Within this evolution, certain individuals have left an indelible mark on specific genres, forever altering the trajectory of filmmaking. One such luminary is the iconic Jean-Paul Belmondo, whose charismatic presence and groundbreaking performances have left an enduring influence on the action genre, including stunt work, car chases, and martial arts in cinema.

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The Conglomeroid Cocktail Party

Posted on by Bill Kandiliotis in Books, Review

There are many benefits to writing short stories. Writers do it to practice and develop their storytelling style, allowing them to explore singular ideas, concepts and themes. The narratives are easy to control, the outcomes have less room for error, and you can get your story out quickly.

Readers benefit for the same reasons. They’re quick reads with a specific sci-fi message. They are the Tiktok of literature and the best way to experience them is via a short story collection or anthology. These allow the reader to explore an author and get to know their style before they invest time in reading one of their novels.

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The Omega Legend

Posted on by Bill Kandiliotis in Books, Film, Review

Among all the tropes, the “Last of a Kind” concept stands out as a rare narrative device that seamlessly blends theme, plot, and character, achieving an almost mythical status with a single masterful stroke. Richard Matheson’s classic vampire novel reigns supreme as its definitive exemplar. ‘I Am Legend (1954)’ is an ingenious hybrid of two previous classics, Mary Shelley’s ‘The Last Man (1826)’ and Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula (1897)’. Vampirism and plague, a combination that captures the definitive pretext for a last man alive narrative, grounding the myth of the supernatural with the reality of pathogens.

Matheson also deploys another trope in the finale of the story, one that is more devastating in its social commentary. The vampires, the pandemic, and the last man on Earth are just the setup for the novella’s central message, and it’s the one element shunned by all the film adaptations to date.

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Gods of Wokeness

Posted on by Bill Kandiliotis in Film, Political, Review, Writing

The golden age is over.

Works of art are no longer produced to quench a bored populace, who thirst for the type of content that frees them from their mundane lives, enhancing their outlook on life with fascinating stories, old and new, inspiring them to understand their lives and the world they live in.

Post-2016, works of art have degenerated into force-fed garbage that nobody wants, needs or trusts anymore. Deranged by political agenda or succumbing to incompetence, producers still want your money but aren’t willing or capable of delivering what the consumer wants.

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