Category Archives: Entertainment

Distracted By The Cracker: The Real Point Of Soylent Green

This article was originally written almost exactly two years ago. So much irony, so little time. UPDATE: Shortly after I wrote this, my friend and Fanboy Planet editor Derek McCaw asked if he could run it there as well. Well … Continue reading

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Review: Carson of Venus: The Edge of All Worlds

Can I tell you about a unique book experience? I’m going to work hard to spoil none of the book’s surprises, while telling you why this is a book you should enjoy. Consider a prolific writer, now long passed, whose … Continue reading

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Cinequest 2018: Little Women

Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women 150 years ago, and [amazon asin=0147514010&text=the classic novel] has been made into several movies since. This year the newest version is showing at Cinequest! First-time Director Claire Niederpruem retells this ageless story in a modern setting. Continue reading

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Cinequest 2018: Peaches

We all know the rules of time travel by now. Never travel to a time and place where you’re sure to meet yourself. Never do it twice at the same time. Three times is a very bad idea. And a dozen or so… well that could be real trouble. Continue reading

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Cinequest 2018:
Charlie and Hannah’s Grand Night Out

This is one of those cases where you’re best prepared when you’re unprepared. 
Trust me. This film is what film festivals are for. Continue reading

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Cinequest 2018: Hunting Lands

The Hunting Lands invites us along for a hunter’s pursuit, stalking a killer of a different kind. Continue reading

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Cinequest 2018: How to Cinequest!

As regular listeners to the Fanboy Planet Podcast know, San Jose’s award-winning Cinequest film festival opened last night.  Opening night at Cinequest typically features an independent film that has or is expected to shortly gain general distribution, and last night’s … Continue reading

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The Dark Tower – Defending the Rose

The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.
Probably the best opening line in literature. Yeah, better than Call me Ishmael.
(Seriously Ishmael, I was just asking you for a name to write on your coffee cup!) Continue reading

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Cinequest 2017: The Festival Opens – This is Meg

Opening Night for Cinequest, and a review of “This is Meg” which in a way is representative of much that you will see at the festival. Continue reading

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Cinequest 2016: Encores and Last Chances

We’re down to the wire at Cinequest! Late last night, the Cinequest encores were announced.  These make up the bulk of Sunday programming in the festival’s final day. As I predicted, there are still too many great films to see them all. … Continue reading

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Cinequest 2016: Catch-up Reviews

Reviews from Cinequest 2016: Demimonde, Eye in the Sky, Friends Effing Friends Effing Friends, Lost In Munich, Parabellium, The Phoenix Incident Continue reading

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Cinequest 2016: Sight Unseen Recommendations

Now that Cinequest is fully upon us, I need to touch on a small subject of interest to those of you going to the festival. There are WAY too many great films to see everything. Way too many. And some are terribly hard to review for reasons that will be obvious in a few paragraphs. But luckily those same programs are very easy to recommend, and do fall on my “Don’t Miss” list.
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Cinequest 2016: Friends Effing Friends Effing Friends

My first must-see entry from the Cinequest film festival is a sexy story that takes the “friends with benefits” motif to the next level. Continue reading

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A Favorite from Cinequest 2014: Nothing in Los Angeles

Cinequest never fails to bring in a ton of innovative, inspiring, thought-provoking, and amazing films to San Jose. Here’s one I missed reviewing in 2014…
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Star Wars VII trailer: Storytelling & the invisible structure

Storytelling and structure from Presentation Zen master Garr Reynolds by way of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and a priest named Father Roderick… Continue reading

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Is GMC In on the Joke?

Allow me to digress. Have to admit that I will listen to a song whose lyrics I don’t necessarily like if it’s got a good beat and I can dance to it. Well, maybe just a good beat, kicky riff, … Continue reading

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Cinequest 2015: Short Catch-Up Reviews

Although I’ve written up a good many of the films I’ve seen at Cinequest, there are several I just hadn’t gotten to yet. Given this is the closing weekend and we have a day of encore showings on Sunday, I wanted to get some notes out to you and hopefully help your viewing decisions. Continue reading

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Cinequest 2015: Bad Exorcists

In the end this film delivers a lot of laughs, mixed with just enough shocks and scares. And that’s exactly what I was looking for. Continue reading

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Cinequest 2015: The House On Pine Street

The House on Pine Street is both a well-crafted traditional horror story, and a modern exploration of what haunting and haunted actually mean. More than a little is left up to your interpretation at the end. But that’s cool, because a film like this should haunt you long after you leave the theater. Continue reading

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Cinequest 2015: Clew

If you like puzzles, especially those that expose a new puzzle when you’ve gotten past the first answer, Clew is for you. Continue reading

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