Matthew Kresal
Bio
Matthew Kresal was born and raised in North Alabama though he never developed a Southern accent. His essays have been featured in numerous books and his first novel Our Man on the Hill was published by Sea Lion Press in 2021.
Stories (99)
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Bond: The Living Daylights At 30
Once upon a time, the James Bond film series was in trouble. Despite financial success, the series seemed to have sputtered somewhat with the last two Roger Moore Bond outings. When Moore confirmed he was leaving the role in December 1985, fans of the nearly 25-year-old franchise may have been left wondering what would happen to the series next. The answer came in the summer of 1987 when not only a new Bond film called The Living Daylights appeared but a new Bond as well. His name? Dalton. Timothy Dalton. The result was to be the beginning of a new era for the series.
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Geeks
Doctor Who: World Enough And Time Review
Warning: Potential spoilers ahead for the episode. “All good things must end,” as the old expression says. That is true for seasons of our favorite TV series and the tenth season of the BBC's regenerated Doctor Who is no exception. In what seems like the blink of an eye, the final season for both Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor and Steven Moffat's tenure as showrunner has come to the first half of a two part finale. World Enough And Time sets the ball rolling and does so in style.
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Futurism
So Ron Howard's Directing a Star Wars Movie...
In what might be a new record between rumor and official confirmation, Lucasfilm announced on June 22nd that Ron Howard would be taking over the directing duties on the (as yet still untitled) Han Solo Star Wars spin-off film. Howard takes over the director's chair from Lego Movie filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller who left the production officially days earlier due to “creative differences.” With less than a year to go before the announced release date and months into production already, Howard certainly has his work cut out for him. What might we expect from his entry into the Star Wars canon?
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Futurism
Doctor Who: The Eaters Of Light Review
Warning: Potential spoilers ahead for the episode. The current season of Doctor Who is coming to its inevitable end. Before the season arrives at its two-part finale story, viewers have been treated to a couple of single episode tales. Following on Mark Gatiss' Empress Of Mars, this past Saturday saw the TARDIS crew head to Roman Britain with an episode written by a writer whose presence marks something of a first for New Who. For the first time, the 21st century incarnation of the series was being written by someone who had written for its original run with the return of noted playwright Rona Munro (who penned the Sylvester McCoy era story Survival that closed out the original series back in 1989). So how was Munro's foray into New Who?
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Futurism
Doctor Who: Empress Of Mars Review
Having wrapped up the Monks trilogy that had come to define much of the middle of this season, Peter Capaldi's Doctor looked set to continue his last hurrah with the return of an old foe. The Ice Warriors, reptilian warriors from the planet Mars were one of the most iconic monsters to come out of the classic series of Doctor Who but had featured only once previously in its 21st century incarnation (ironically enough in Matt Smith's final season as the Doctor in 2013). Written by Mark Gatiss, Empress Of Mars would not only bring the Red Planet warriors back but fill in part of their story while also telling an immensely satisfying SF action/adventure story along the way.
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Futurism
White Knight
Everything was in motion at once. The vibration came from the fuel pumps below kicking into life, sending the rocket's lifeblood in motion. Those pumps would have to help the engines to produce enough thrust to get the twenty-one ton vehicle in motion.
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Futurism
Doctor Who: The Lie Of The Land Review
Warning: Potential spoilers ahead for the episode. The trilogy is a most dangerous form of storytelling. It assumes that you will be able to tell one large story across three separate parts (or acts if you prefer) with each standing up on its own. The opening can be good, the middle can be strong, but it is the ending that might ultimately determine how the story is remembered. What has been termed “the Monks trilogy” has seen the long running British science fiction series Doctor Who attempt a trilogy in the middle of its tenth season with the titular aliens coming and taking over the Earth. So could the dystopian The Lie Of The Land bring the trilogy to a satisfying close?
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Futurism
The Fire Next Time
Climate change has hit the headlines again in the last few days with the decision made by the current administration to withdraw from the Paris Accords. There's been all the usual discussions: should we or shouldn't we be a part of it, is climate change even real, and so forth. In my own mind though was a miniseries I recently watched on the recommendation of a friend and fellow writer called The Fire Next Time that, despite being aired in 1993, touched upon much of what we're dealing with in the year it was set in.
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Futurism
Old Man 'Logan'
There is the old saying that tells us that “all good things must end.” For Hugh Jackman, the actor who has played Marvel's comic book character Wolverine since 2000, now would seem a good time to say goodbye to the character. Thus Logan, released earlier this year, was announced to be his last time in the role. Not only that but the film looked to be quiet different from any of the previous X-Men films or even the solo Wolverine outings. The resulting film is an interesting piece of work to say the least.
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Geeks
Doctor Who: The Pyramid At The End Of The World Review
Warning: Potential spoilers ahead for the episode. Science Fiction often is a way for us to see our world through different eyes. As classics like The Twilight Zone or the original series of Star Trek have shown, there is something about the genre that allows us to remove ourselves slightly and see the world we live in in a different context. Doctor Who has also shown itself capable of this both in its original run and with its current 21st century incarnation. The Pyramid At The End Of The World, aired on the 27th of May, was to prove that once again with an episode that combined the genre and the show's most recent story arcs with the world we live in now.
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Futurism
