The Angriest: December 2018 in review

In 2018 I found it more and more difficult to find the time to update this blog. For one thing there was a difficult medical diagnosis with which to deal. For another what time I have found I dedicated to my more professional film blog FictionMachine. For 2019 I've decided to put this blog on hiatus. Nothing will get deleted, but it's unlikely anything will be freshly posted either.

In December 2018 I posted eight reviews of new and festival films, five reviews of older films, two reviews of videogames, and 27 short reviews of comic books. A full index is included below, but my review of Aquaman was the most popular post of the month.

The Angriest: November 2018 in review

I spent November in Singapore on vacation and in Taipei serving on the Fipresci Prize Jury at the Taiwan Golden Horse Film Festival, and that didn't leave too much room for writing. Hopefully I can find time to speed up the schedule before the end of the year. With only one piece published this past month on The Angriest, the most popular post was a foregone conclusion. Over at FictionMachine it was a bit more competitive, but the review of The Meg won through - everyone loves reading about bad movies.

Overall in November I wrote two short essays on Japanese silent film, seven film reviews, and short reviews of eight comics books. A list of all posts is included below.

The Angriest: October 2018 in review

I spent the whole of October on long-service leave (it's an Australian thing) and mostly overseas, so there wasn't too much blogging going on around the net. A review of the 2000 Sega Dreamcast game Samba de Amigo did, however, get a huge number of hits on The Angriest. Over at FictionMachine, the most-read new review was of the Australian fantasy film Harmony.

In total October saw the publication of three new and festival film reviews, one older film review, one videogame reviews, and short reviews of 10 comic books. A full index is included below.

The Angriest: September 2018 in review

Reviews of comic books, including Giant Days and The Immortal Hulk, proved the most popular new post at The Angriest last month. Over at FictionMachine it was a retrospective review of Spider-Man 2 that proved the greatest new attraction.

It was a slow month in September due to work and health commitments. That said, it was very much a month for quality over quantity: online publications included an interview with Star Trek's Gates McFadden and a full-length essay on Japanese classic Humanity and Paper Balloons, plus reviews of four new theatrical and festival releases, three older films, the first episode of The Crown, and short reviews of 19 comic books. All the links are below the cut:

The Angriest: August 2018 in review

With the Melbourne International Film Festival dominating August, most of my blogging this past month was based around film reviews for both FictionMachine and FilmInk. Over here at the Angriest, the most popular posts included reviews of comic books including Daredevil, Oblivion Song, and Hawkman, and the classic videogame Ikaruga. Over at FictionMachine, the most popular new reviews were of the films Crazy Rich Asians and The Happytime Murders.




Altogether in August 2018, I wrote 12 reviews of new and festival films, two older films (both, weirdly, starring Tom Cruise), three Dreamcast videogames, and 32 comic books. A full index of posts is below the cut.

The Angriest: July 2018 in review

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places" is an odd sex comedy episode, but my review of it was far and away the most popular post on The Angriest this past month. The Season 5 reviews were pretty much the most popular posts in July, including "Nor the Battle to the Strong" and "The Ship". Over at FictionMachine, and the review of the excellent Taiwanese documentary Black Bear Forest was the most popular new post, yet the 2016 essay on the making of Bedknobs and Broomsticks remained the most-read post overall.

Overall in July 2018, I reviewed 10 new theatrical or festival films, four older films, five TV episodes, two videogames, and 47 comic books. A complete list of reviews, published at The Angriest, FictionMachine, VCinema, and FilmInk, is included below.

The Angriest: June 2018 in review

Some fairly significant health issues (I have been diagnosed with MS) slowed down the rate of posting on The Angriest and FictionMachine, so thank you for reading what I did manage to get out over the past 30 days. The most popular post on The Angriest this past month was a review of the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Tuvix" - it's my least favourite episode of the whole series, so it's nice to see something positive came out of it. Over at FictionMachine, it was the review of Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom that was the most-viewed new post (although the most-viewed overall continues to be the June 2016 essay on Bedknobs and Broomsticks, a post that just keeps on giving.

In June 2018, I reviewed five new or festival films, seven older films, five episodes of Star Trek, and 56 comic books. A complete list is included below for your convenience.

The Angriest: May 2018 in review

A review of Star Trek: The Next Generation's penultimate episode "Preemptive Strike" was the most-read post on The Angriest last month. Other popular posts included a review of the first hour playing Kirby's Epic Yarn on the Nintendo Wii, and a bunch of comic book reviews. Over at FictionMachine, the most popular new reviews were for Solo: A Star Wars Story, Deadpool 2, and a feature essay on Tomorrow Never Dies.

All up, May 2018's activities involved one film essay, eight reviews of new or festival films, six reviews of older films, four TV reviews, one videogame review, and short reviews of 40 comic books. A full index of May's posts is included below.

The Angriest: April 2018 in review

A set of comic book reviews for 21 March (link), headlined by Stan Sakai's new miniseries Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden, was far and away the most popular blog post on the Angriest this past month. Other popular posts included reviews of episodes of Outlander (link) and Star Trek: Voyager (link).

Over at FictionMachine, the most popular reviews were understandably of new releases Avengers: Infinity War (link) and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (link).

In April 2018 I blogged an obituary, an interview, reviews of 10 films in new release or at festivals, 13 reviews of older films, seven TV episode reviews, and mini-reviews of 55 comic books. A full index of posts for the month are included below the cut.

The Angriest: March 2018 in review

Comic book reviews of Songs for the Dead, Batman, Aquaman and a bunch of others wound up being the most popular post on The Angriest this past month. Other popular posts included reviews of the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Resistance" and the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Emergence". This was also the month when The Angriest finally racked up 1,000,000 hits since this version launched; thanks for reading! Over at FictionMachine, the most popular reviews were unsurprisingly of Ready Player One, Thor: Ragnarok and (maybe a little surprisingly) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Altogether in March 2018, I posted one film essay, seven reviews of new films, 12 reviews of older films, eight TV episode reviews, and mini-reviews of 66 comic books. A complete index to March's posts is included below.

The Angriest: February 2018 in review

Star Trek: Voyager is still liked at The Angriest, with the review of the Season 2 episode "Parturition" being the most popular post of February 2018. Other popular Voyager reviews included the episodes "Persistence of Vision" and "Tattoo". Over at FictionMachine, and far and away the most popular film review for February was for The Shape of Water.

February's total output consisted of one full-length essay, eight reviews of new films, 12 reviews of older films, eight TV episode reviews, one manga review, and short reviews of 41 comic books. A full index of reviews and posts - including those at FictionMachine and FilmInk - is included below.

The Angriest: January 2018 in review

What were the best comic books of 2017? It's a question that a lot of people were clearly keen to ask, since my own countdown was the most-read blog post on The Angriest in January. Other popular posts this last month include comic book reviews for 20 December (link), a review of the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Twisted" (link), and a look at the Black Mare album Death Magick Mother (link).

Over at FictionMachine, the most popular post was - not surprisingly - my top 10 list of 2017's best films (link). Also popular were reviews of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (link) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (link).

All up, across The Angriest, FictionMachine and reviews on FilmInk and VCinema, January's blogging consisted of five reviews of new films, 11 reviews of older films, one full-length essay, two year's best articles, 12 TV episode reviews, one music review, and short reviews of 68 comic books. A full index of posts and reviews is included below the cut.

The Angriest: December 2017 in review

The most popular post on The Angriest last month, and by a considerable distance, was the review of Black Cab's recent electronica album (and anime tribute) Akira. Other popular posts in December 2017 included reviews of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Eye of the Beholder" and the Highlander: The Series episode "Road Not Taken". Over at FictionMachine, the most popular review published was (unsurprisingly) of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

During December 2017, I reviewed three new films and eight older films, nine TV episodes, two music albums, and 63 comic books.

A full index of reviews is included below the cut.

The Angriest: November 2017 in review

An absolute age after reviewing the first episode of Star Trek: Voyager Season 2 (I'm not joking - it was more than four years ago), I suddenly felt the urge to rewatch a few more episodes. The review of "Initiations" was the most-viewed post on The Angriest this month, as were the reviews of "Projections" and "Elogium". Over on the comic book side, reviews of comics from 18 October (here and here) proved unusually popular.

Over on the film side, readers of FictionMachine (where I keep all of my new film reviews and essays now) were most interesting in Justice League and Grosse Pointe Blank.

All up in November 2017, I reviewed three new films, seven older films, eight TV episodes, one music album, and 68 comic books. A full index is available below the cut.

The Angriest: October 2017 in review

I am yet to be impressed by Riverdale, but my review of its second episode - "A Touch of Evil" - was the most-read post on The Angriest in October. Other popular posts included comic book reviews for 20 September (link), the review of the Colditz series finale "Liberation" (link), and reviews of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes "The Pegasus" (link) and "Sub Rosa" (link).

All up in October 2017 I wrote one film essay, six film reviews, 11 TV episode reviews, three artist profiles, and short reviews of 48 comic books. A full index is included below the cut.

The Angriest: September 2017 in review

Lieutenant Worf's crazy journey through an array of parallel universes in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Parallels" was a pretty fun episode to review, and it became the most-read post on The Angriest in September. You can read the review here. Also popular with readers were reviews of the Doctor Who episode "The Pandorica Opens" (link) and the Colditz episode "Chameleon" (link).

Altogether, in September 2017, I wrote one full-length film essay, two new films in cinemas, five older films, 10 TV episodes, one anime review, and short reviews of 51 comic books. A full list of posts with links is included below the cut. Thanks for reading The Angriest this past month.

The Angriest: August 2017 in review

All roads led to Rome in August; at least, the most popular post on The Angriest did. The review of Part 2 of the 1965 Doctor Who serial "The Romans" topped all other pieces for the month. You can read it here if you missed it. Other popular posts this month included comic reviews for 26 July (link), and a review from "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" (link).

Altogether in August 2017, I conducted one interview, 12 films in theatres (thanks mainly to the Melbourne International Film Festival), 7 older films, 9 TV episodes, one anime episode, and 62 comic books. A full list of my reviews and posts from The Angriest, FictionMachine and FilmInk for the month is included below. Thanks for reading.

The Angriest: July 2017 in review

When Richard Curtis agreed to write an episode of Doctor Who, he did not hold back in unleashing his talents. "Vincent and the Doctor" is a remarkable hour of television, presenting the reality of depression to a family audience with enormous sensitivity and effectiveness. I rewatched the episode in July, and my review was the most popular post on The Angriest for the entire month.

In July 2017, across The Angriest, FictionMachine and FilmInk, I wrote one interview, four new film reviews, 20 reviews of older films, 7 TV episode reviews, as well as short reviews of 52 comic books. A full index of my July blog posts is included below.

The Angriest: June 2017 in review

A lot of people remain very excited about the return of David Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks, so I am not too surprised that my review of the second season premiere was the most popular post on The Angriest this month. The Star Trek: The Next Generation reviews continued to be popular as well, particular those for "Timescape", "Descent" and "Descent, Part II".

In June I published one full-length essay, four reviews of new movies, another 10 reviews of older movies, plus reviews of 15 TV episodes, one anime episode, one CD, and 44 comic books. A full index of reviews published here and on both FictionMachine and FilmInk, is available below the cut.

The Angriest: May 2017 in review

With the long-awaiting return of Twin Peaks in May, I went back and reviewed the entire first season from 1990. The review of the series pilot was the most-read post on The Angriest this past month; you can check it out here. Most of the other popular posts in May were reviews of Twin Peaks episodes, although rather a lot of people read this Izetta: The Last Witch review as well.

Reviews of Doctor Who continued over at FilmInk, notably this one on "Thin Ice". Over at FictionMachine, where I now publish the bulk of my film reviews, readers seemed most interested in a long-form essay on Alien 3 (celebrating its 25th anniversary) and my review of Guy Ritchie's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Across all websites, in May 2017 I reviewed five new films, 14 older films, 22 TV episodes, 2 anime episodes, and 74 comic books. The month's FictionMachine essay was on Alien 3.

A full index of May 2017 posts is included below.