Steve Fahnestalk
B-MOVIES: SHARK WEEK IS HERE AGAIN! A “CLASSIC” COLUMN REDONE
This week Steve brings back—in honour of Shark Week—a column from six years ago about the SYFY movie Sharknado. Does it hold up? Maybe we’ll all have to watch it to find out!
FLINT: ONE LAST KICK AT THE CAN!
What’s a “movie novelization”? Steve tells you about two of his favourite movies that were novelized. Was it well done? Yes... and no. Read it and find out!
F&SF REVIEW: MAY-JUNE 2020
Steve reviews the May-June issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and finds that it holds treasures for the readers of both science fiction and fantasy!
REDUX: SIXTIES, SCIENCE FICTION AND SECRET AGENTS
Steve repeats (with lots of new edits) a column from 2013 about one of his favourite movie series.
RETRO REVIEW: DAMN YANKEES (1958)
This week Steve retros back to 1958, taking a look at a fantasy musical, “Damn Yankees,” with Tab Hunter and Gwen Verdon. Did he like it? Seems like it, doesn’t it?
ROBERT J. SAWYER’s NEW BOOK – THE OPPENHEIMER ALTERNATIVE
Steve reviews Robert J. Sawyer’s terrific new book, The Oppenheimer Alternative, and loved it. Yes, really... he loved it.
BOND… THEMES BOND! (Part 2)
Steve finishes his list of, and rating of, 27 James Bond themes and theme songs, throwing in a bunch of related stuff about the films. Bet you can find at least one thing you didn’t already know!
BOND… THEMES BOND (Part 1)
James Bond themes: love ‘em or not, they’re an indisputable part of a long-lived franchise. SF or not, who cares? Steve talks about his favourites.
“NEAR-PERFECT MOVIE” REVIEW: ALIENS (MAJOR Spoilers) Pt. 3
Steve concludes his three-part review of James Cameron’s “near-perfect” SF movie, Aliens. Was it too much detail, just right, or too little? You tell us!
“NEAR-PERFECT” MOVIE (Spoilers)! ALIENS (PART 2)
Steve is continuing his very granular, spoiler-filled description and review of James Cameron’s Aliens, arguably one of the few sequels that’s as good as, or possibly better than, the original movie. Steve thinks it’s possibly even better. What about you?
NEAR-PERFECT MOVIE (Spoilers) REVIEW: ALIENS!
In the first of two columns, Steve deconstructs and reviews James Cameron’s “Aliens,” the first sequel in what proved to be a profitable franchise. What’s he got to say? Read it and find out!
TIMELY REVIEW! F&SF MARCH-APRIL 2020!
Steve continues his F&SF reviews with the current (Mar-Apr) issue. He finds it a nice blend of SF (even some “hard SF”) and fantasy (even “hard” fantasy!).
I’M LATE! F&SF JAN/FEB 2020 REVIEW!
Steve is unforgivably late with his review of the Jan/Feb 2020 F&SF. He hopes you’ll forgive him if he posts the next two issues’ reviews on time!
REVIEW (Spoilers!): Riddick (2013)
Adding to his list of perfect/near-perfect genre movies, Steve looks at Riddick, starring Vin Diesel. Is it one of them? Steve thinks so.
“PERFECT” MOVIES #2 — PITCH BLACK (Spoilers!)
For his second “perfect” genre movie, Steve calls your attention to gravel-voiced Vin Diesel’s first genre movie, Pitch Black. Science fiction films don’t get a whole lot better, in Steve’s opinion!
“PERFECT” GENRE MOVIES 1: NEAR DARK (Spoilers)
Few genre movies are perfect, but Steve will look at one he feels is nearly so. Whether vampire movies are your thing or not, Steve thinks you should look at this one!
QUICK MOVIE REVIEW: GEMINI MAN (Spoilers)!
Will Smith’s newest movie, Gemini Man, has not received a favourable response from viewers or critics. How about Steve? Did he like it? Check out his review!
BBC/NETFLIX DRACULA (Part 1 only) SPOILER REVIEW!
Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffitt, who created the BBC’s “Sherlock,” take on Dracula with the help of Netflix. Is it good? Well, yes and no. Read the review but BEWARE OF SPOILERS!
SPOILER REVIEW: THE WITCHER (Season 1)!
Steve, not being much of a gamer, was unimpressed by the blurb for the TV version of The Witcher. Did he change his mind when he actually saw the series? Find out for yourself!
ALL 2019 COLUMNS LISTED PLUS HORROR WORKOUT!
Steve looks at all his 2019 columns and talks a bit about zombies and naked people. Why? Maybe he gets bored easily.
MY LAST COLUMN: Lisa Mason’s CHROME and F&SF Nov.-Dec. 2019
For his last column of the year and the decade, Steve reviews two excellent items: a new book by Lisa Mason, and the last 2019 F&SF. Both are well worth the read!
WHAT DOES THE WIND BRING? Matt Hughes knows!
Author Matthew Hughes has written a “slipstream” historical novel with fantasy elements. But much of it is true. Is it SF/F? You decide (I already think so!)
CREEPSHOW RESURRECTED! (Shudder….)
Many of us loved the old Creepshow movies, but Greg Nicotero did something about it. It’s back, baby!
HEINLEIN AND BUTLER, REVISITED
In this redo of his fifth column from 2013, Steve talks about visiting Butler, Missouri, the town where Robert A. Heinlein was born. Are they proud of him? Heck, yes!
F&SF 70th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE (SEPT/OCT 2019)!
Steve reviews the 70th Anniversary Issue of F&SF and finds it good. Excellent, in fact. There’s still time to read the issue before the Nov./Dec. one comes out!
TREASURY OF GREAT SF VOL. 1 CONCLUSION
After a delay, Steve finally finishes his review of Volume 1 of Anthony Boucher’s Treasury of Great Science Fiction from 1959. Surprisingly, most of these 60-plus-year-old stories still hold up!
DEREK FLINT RETURNS! (But only in this column….)
In this slightly revised version of his 85th column, Steve revisits an old cinematic friend, and the best spy who ever broke out of the cold! All he can say is “ZOWIE!”
GETTING INTO SF: A CLASSIC ANTHOLOGY SET
Steve reviews part of the first volume of a classic set of SF anthologies. What’s up with only reviewing part of a book? Read it and find out!
NO CLOWNING AROUND: Revisiting IT (1990)!
IT, Part II is out. Steve looks back at the 1990 TV-series version. Which one does he like? The oldie or the new one? Find out here!
A MIKE MYERS-LESS SHREK and GIBSON’s ALIEN 3 SCRIPT!
Steve likes musical theatre. Steve watched Shrek the Musical. Did Steve like it? Read it and find out. Also, William Gibson writes an illustrated Alien 3 with Johnnie Christmas