Category: Film

Doctor Who: Things I Miss from the Classic Era

On By Charlie BrooksIn Doctor Who, FilmLeave a comment

As of 2026, Doctor Who is going through a bit of a tough stretch. For the first time since the show came back in 2005, fans don’t have a new season to look forward to. While 2026 promises a holiday special that will hopefully explain why Billie Piper showed up on the TARDIS, there have been no announcements of a new Doctor or even a hint of the series continuing in 2027 and beyond.

But the show’s been off the air before, and hope will always spring eternal that it regenerates again in the future. And while fans wait anxiously for news of the TARDIS’ next voyage, I can’t help but glance backward at the last time the series went off the air. Classic Doctor Who might be known mostly for its low budget effects and outlandish costumes, but it has many elements that I enjoyed and which I would love to see come back in the modern era.

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They Call Him Doctor Who

On By Charlie BrooksIn FilmLeave a comment

When a “true fan” of Doctor Who wants to get really pedantic, they’ll correct a casual viewer who accidentally calls the title character Doctor Who rather than just the Doctor.

“Well, actually…his name is just the Doctor.”

And that’s kind of true. Usually in the show, the mysterious Time Lord is simply known as the Doctor. But sometimes they go by Doctor Who, as well. And no, I’m not talking about the Peter Cushing version…or the fact that the end credits of every episode for 26 years credited the main character as “Doctor Who.”

Here’s a few examples of when the Doctor added the “Who” surname.

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4 Curious Questions about “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”

On By Charlie BrooksIn Film, ParentingLeave a comment

Originally published on BabyCenter.com December 13, 2013

The 1966 animated classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Is, in my opinion, the best Christmas special ever. It takes a wonderful story written by Dr. Seuss and actually improved it through terrific animation by Chuck Jones, narration from the great Boris Karloff, and one of the most catchy tunes ever by Thurl Ravenscroft. In terms of must-watch Christmas specials, this is one of only three items that I feel the need to watch every year – and the other two, Die Hard and the American Dad episode “Rapture’s Delight,” aren’t something I can watch with my kids just yet.

I could go on espousing the glory that is this special, but I’m sure many other people have already done so. Instead, I figured I’d take this time to list just a few odds and ends that have popped into my head upon repeat viewings.

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Doctor Who: Fifteen Thoughts on the Fifteenth Doctor’s Era

On By Charlie BrooksIn FilmLeave a comment

Spoilers for Doctor Who, up through June 2025, below.

The Disney+ era of Doctor Who will be the subject of much debate in the years to come, but one thing that feels certain to me is that Russell T. Davies nailed the casting of the Doctor by picking Ncuti Gatwa. With supreme charisma and talent, Ncuti presented a Doctor who was both familiar and much evolved from his previous incarnations. More emotionally open and at peace with himself, he nonetheless had the sort of flaws and inner conflict that we’ve come to expect from our favorite Time Lord.

Unfortunately, all things end, and Ncuti’s Fifteenth Doctor departed long before many were ready to see him go. So now that his era has come to a close, here’s some reflections on the Fifteenth Doctor’s era and what comes next.

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Wonder Woman in No Man’s Land: Anatomy of a Great Scene

On By Charlie BrooksIn Comics, FilmLeave a comment

Originally posted on Panic in the Skies January 23, 2018

For all its misses, the DC Extended Universe has mustered up a single film that took over the box office while also receiving strong praise from critics. Wonder Woman stands out at the only unqualified success from DC’s cinematic universe so far. It also provided one of the best scenes in any superhero movie.

I’m referring, of course, to the No Man’s Land scene, which nearly got cut from the film. Luckily, director Patty Jenkins won the argument and kept the scene in the final cut despite the fact that Wonder Woman wasn’t fighting a villain. It’s an iconic moment, and the film builds up to it incredibly well.

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Those Blasted Superfriends: Superfriends Rest in Peace

On By Charlie BrooksIn Comics, Film1 Comment

I might seem mean-spirited with these rants against Superfriends, but I laugh because I love. These old cartoons provided me with many hours of entertainment as a kid, although I suppose that’s arguably proof that television rots your brain.

This time around, I’m graduating to the more “mature” version of the show, Challenge of the Superfriends. Specifically, the episode I’m looking at is called “Superfriends Rest in Peace,” which actually proves quite dark for the era and results in the on-screen “deaths” of multiple superheroes.

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Time for Some Christmas Specials: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

On By Charlie BrooksIn FilmLeave a comment

Growing up, there were two things my brothers and I always did every Christmas. First, we’d always listen to my dad read The Night Before Christmas while changing the words each time, much to our consternation. Second, we made it a point to catch the 1966 animated special How the Grinch Stole Christmas! on television. Several filmmakers have tried adapting Dr. Seuss’ classic story since, but none of them ever came close to the perfection that the 1966 crew achieved.

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Those Blasted Superfriends: Evil is as Evil Does

On By Charlie BrooksIn Comics, FilmLeave a comment

I first saw “Sirena, Empress of Evil” as an adult with an adult’s sensibilities. “Evil is as Evil Does,” however, is a Green Lantern episode of Superfriends that I watched and liked as a kid.

What I remember from watching this as a kid: being super excited to finally see Green Lantern get a solo adventure, seeing him face off against another energy-slinging villain named Evil Star, and being generally jazzed about the short but sweet battle between the two foes.

What did I get upon re-watching this as an adult? Read on to find out.

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The Double-Oh Agent

On By Charlie BrooksIn Film2 Comments

In books and film, the James Bond series is one of the most popular and enduring franchises ever. Bond has appeared in dozens of novels and short stories, over twenty feature films, several television series, and countless spoofs. The franchise is a testament to two things: that escapism will always sell, and that moviegoers love things they’ve seen a million times before.

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