Movie #14 of 2026: Creed II (2018) Rocky IV (1985) was the low point of the original Rocky movies, but it ended up representing an important piece of the backstory for the spinoff Creed (2015). As such, I suppose it’s fitting that this next installment in the saga continues to draw from that source, this …
Author Archives: Joe Kessler
Book Review: The First Bright Thing by J. R. Dawson
Book #44 of 2026: The First Bright Thing by J. R. Dawson This novel has a lot of heart and a couple interesting ideas that unfortunately just don’t cohere together for me. The tone often feels like it was written with a middle-grade audience in mind, but it touches on some pretty heavy topics and …
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TV Review: Homicide: Life on the Street, season 2
TV #13 of 2026: Homicide: Life on the Street, season 2 A very short season at only four episodes, reportedly because NBC wasn’t confident the series had enough of an audience to justify making any more of it. (Contrary to those concerns, the show would ultimately last for another five standard-length seasons, followed by a …
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Book Review: Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy
Book #43 of 2026: Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy There’s a raw edge in author Jennette McCurdy’s debut novel that makes sense if you’ve read her autobiography I’m Glad My Mom Died, adding up to some very striking passages illuminating a young protagonist who likewise doesn’t have the support structure of a caring parental …
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Movie Review: KPop Demon Hunters (2025)
Movie #13 of 2026: KPop Demon Hunters (2025) Even after it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature last night, I sort of assumed that this musical fantasy cartoon was being overhyped on the basis of its ubiquitous breakout track “Golden” (which also won Best Original Song). As it turns out, however, the rest …
Movie Review: Creed (2015)
Movie #12 of 2026: Creed (2015) An unexpected franchise spinoff that swiftly establishes its own unique vision around a different protagonist played by an outstanding Michael B. Jordan. The Rocky movies ended for the natural reason of the titular character’s advancing age, and it was already silly in 2006, thirty years after his debut, to …
TV Review: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, season 1
TV #12 of 2026: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, season 1 A reasonably successful merger of the larger Star Trek franchise with the rhythms of a CW-ish teen drama. This is a Discovery spinoff by means of Jett Reno and Admiral Vance in the supporting cast, but the main focus is on a small cohort of …
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TV Review: Classic Doctor Who, season 24
TV #11 of 2026: Classic Doctor Who, season 24 One of the last real times of change for the old British series before its long hiatus, introducing us to the final classic TV Doctor and (eventually) companion. The transition is bumpy and short, spanning only four stories and fourteen episodes in total, which is down …
Book Review: Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle
Book #42 of 2026: Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle Horror screenwriter Misha Byrne is having a hard time lately, even besides his upcoming twentieth reunion in the hometown where he hasn’t come out of the closet yet. Either someone is playing an elaborately cruel trick on him, or he’s experiencing a psychotic break, or …
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Book Review: Shining in the Dark: Celebrating Twenty Years of Lilja’s Library edited by Hans-Åke Lilja
Book #41 of 2026: Shining in the Dark: Celebrating Twenty Years of Lilja’s Library edited by Hans-Åke Lilja Although I’ve generally enjoyed the short stories in this collection, I have to admit that I don’t quite get the point of it as a project. Lilja’s Library is a website dedicated to the writing of Stephen …
The Lesser Joke: book reviews and more 