As the title
Jar Jar Binks Must Die
indicates, Daniel M. Kimmel is not only a film critic with strong opinions, he's also a fan. In this collection of essays, he covers movies from
Metropolis
(1927), answering the absurd claim that the restoration of this silent classic negated its status as a science fiction film, to how
Star Trek
,
Avatar
Moon
, and
District 9
may have made 2009 a "miracle year" for the genre. Along the way he looks at neglected works like
Things to Come
(1936), explains why remakes aren't always bad, and how seeing
E.T.
in an empty screening room changed his mind about Steven Spielberg. Whether to rediscover old favorites or add new titles to your Netflix queue, this is a must-have for lovers of SF movies.
Author Bio
Daniel M. Kimmel is a past president of the Boston Society of Film Critics. When it was discovered he is also a science fiction fan he started getting invitations to participate at a number of SF conventions, which he continues to do. He reviewed for the
Worcester Telegram and Gazette
and now writes for Northshoremovies.net. He is a correspondent for
Variety
, the "Movie Maven" for the
Jewish Advocate
and teaches film--including a course on SF and horror--at Suffolk University. His essays on classic science films have appeared in several publications including
Clarkesworld
Space and Time
, and the Internet Review of Science Fiction. He is the author of a history of FOX TV,
The Fourth Network
(2004) which received the Cable Center Book Award. His other books include a history of DreamWorks,
The Dream Team
(2006) and
I'll Have What She's Having: Behind the Scenes of the Great Romantic Comedies
(2008). He is also the author of three novels:
Shh! It's a Secret: a novel about Aliens, Hollywood, and the Bartender's Guide
(2013)
Time On My Hands: My Misadventures In Time Travel
(2017), and
Father of the Bride of Frankenstein
(2019).