That films and other cultural products can show off social fears is hardly a new notion, but here is a very good example of fear of atomic extinction, based in suspicion of US government. A kind version of the mad scientist has been forced to invent invisibility rays by a former US agent. Now, the agent turns a bank robber invisible, in order to earn money enough for his army of invisible soldiers. His plan misfires, and wastes half the county in an atomic explosion. Notice how the nazi scientist gets more sympathy than the US agent.

Probably more charming than exactly good in the conventional sense, who can help but love a film which actually uses a guinea pig as guinea pig?

John Gardner’s revisits and re-imagines the old epic poem Beowulf from the monster’s (Grendel’s) point of view. However, to call the Grendel of Garnder’s tale a monster is of course a mistake. The point of the story is that the tables are turned, and the humans are shown to be petty and vicious. Grendel is an isolated creature, who cannot find his place in the world, and is never accepted into it.

However, his views of the humans are very perceptive and he acts a strong voice for cutting straight through the illusions and pretensions that surround human life. It is this role as astute observer that makes the book so strong, and in a sense also follows the old epic in its view of humanity as inherently flawed.

Jenna Jameson’s brainchild Shadow Hunter is a new comic about a young, hot woman with strange powers, who must fight back darkness to learn about her past life. If you think you’ve heard this before, you have. I have no idea about how many times this cliché has been repeated in the late 90s, but many. Of course, this is just a preview, so things may change once the first full issue, but I doubt it.

The comic’s main feature is that it is conceived by Jenna Jameson and that the main character looks like her. One would imagine that this will result in a comic which alternates between horror-hack’n’slash and titillating semi-nude images of comic book Jenna Jameson. Whatever, it really only goes to show that so much of mainstream comics already incorporates pornographic codes in their presentation of women. It seems easier to just rent a Jenna movie, than glimpse at her in a comic.

Color me unimpressed by this Academy Award Winner. I finally got around to see it, but although the first half is well-constructed and the blurring of reality and madness nicely executed, the film is let down by a preachy, overly optimistic last third. It rushes by, losing the intimacy and detail it had in the beginning, to achieve the celebration of a genius as its climax. This glosses the characters and downplays the struggle with oneself that could have been interesting to see.

Of all the stories that The Fantastic Four can tell, the ones including Galactus have always been a favorite of mine. The awesome cosmic majesty that is the indifferent consumer of worlds always leave an impression. The added treat of tragic hero/villain Silver Surfer promises to make this film so much better than the first.

Somehow, it utterly fails to deliver. The cosmic spectacle is diluted by celebrity wedding troubles and slapstick comedy. To completely ruin a story with Galactus takes talent, but Tim Story delivers – so much potential wasted.

Iain M. Banks has always written challenging and entertaining stories, and this one is no exception. On the one hand, the plot is clear and simple: a Mythic Object needs to be found before an invasion takes place. On the other hand, the way time is handled makes the novel stand out.

Despite being under time pressure, the story still takes place over the course of hundreds of years, and Banks handles the odd extension of time involved with space travel very well. Some of the most memorable aliens are invented here, and the entire concept of time is challenged and distorted. It’s a challenging read for this reason, but well worth the effort. And for once humans aren’t at the center of the intergalactic universe.

Well-executed drama that gains a lot from not being overly melodramatic and teary. There is a nice use of parallel symbolism in the film, which provides a subtle comment on grief and loss. The best in the film is the acting, Benicio Del Toro and Halle Berry really shine here.

What is Ron Perlman doing in this film? Poor plot, poorly executed, poor acting and no sleaze to redeem it. Naughty, ill-behaved Catholic school girls and we have to wait to the end of the film to see some girl-on-girl action? Please, why even bother, then?

A mediocre thriller that wants to be Saw but shies away from everything that made Saw successful. Clichéd plot, vapid acting and a lack of proper slays sucked the energy out of a visually successful film.

There are no two ways about it, this is a great film. Watch how a typical war film suddenly turns on its head, and a wonderful action-thriller. It is rare to find suspense so well-done. The predator remains mysterious and inexplicable, something only to be cheapened in the “VS.” films. Had the film opted for better characterization, it would have failed as no one could have taken it seriously. The film oozes machismo to the end, but that is part of its charm.