The Occasional Solipsist

Labels: comics, everything else, movies

I have long been a fan of the X-Files. The pilot aired something like 16 years ago, and I spent the first few years of the show's lifespan in an adolescent altered state, and since I was already a hardcore scifi fan anyways, it was a natural fit for me to get into the show.

I have really been looking forward to the new movie, and was one of the faithful fans hoping that it would have gotten made years ago. The above clip is a decent, spoiler-free interview with Producer/Creator/Mescaline-freak Chris Carter about what viewers can expect from 'The X-Files: I Want to Believe', and maybe the future.

For my end, I consider myself a skeptic in the face of the supernatural, (I even hate the word 'supernatural', what a cop-out phrase) but there are many things that I do indeed Want to Believe in. I even have the poster to prove it:



I'm not going to get to go to Comic-Con this summer as I had planned. I was to have attended as press with the company I review movies for, but because I would have paid too much of the expenses out of my own pocket, it just wasn't something I could justify spending the money on.

But I am particularly bummed that I am not going because the movie debuts over the course of the event and it is certain that there would have been a screening, and an interview panel. I might even have gotten to interview Gillian Anderson, or Duchovny. But that's maybe for the best anyways, cause if I did interview Anderson my inner fanboy might have won out and I might have just sat there giggling at her, and with Duchovny I would probably have just kept repeating how fantastic he is in Californication and forgotten all about the movie completely.

However I do get to see it, I Want to Believe that this movie is going to rock. And [begin irony] I have faith [end irony] that it will.

Labels: movies, scifi

Labels: movies, scifi

We shall be waiting for your answer.
The decision rests with you...

There is not one self-respecting science fiction fan that doesn't know the meaning behind the words Klaatu barada nikto, the key phrase used in the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. And even though its been around since 1951, this movie carries a resonance with it that no other movie that I have ever seen has been able to beat.

It is a cautionary tale that pre-dates the bulk of the cold war that tells the story of first contact with a visiting alien, and the very human reaction to the visitation. But second to the very knee-jerk and certainly plausible reaction of the panicked humanity is the reason for his visit. Because the movie was made as the proliferation of nuclear weaponry was in its infancy, it was Hollywood's first real good warning on the dangers that these weapons posed not to just to ourselves, but to a fictional (?) galactic community. Personally, I think a lot of people could use a watch of this timeless classic. I'm looking in your general direction North Korea...

The Day the Earth Stood Still is a really, really cool flick that holds up just as well almost 60 years later as it did when it was first shown. I highly recommend it. If you haven't seen it, seriously go get yourself a copy and enjoy.

Now that being said, I am so very cautious about the remake that is coming out this December, starring Keannu Reeves. As much as I loved The Matrix movies, I am not 100% sure that Neo should be running around Washington pretending to be the alien threatening humankind's extinction. I guess we'll know after this December if remaking this one was a good idea or not.

I will probably see it, but I don't know that my mind will be as open as it normally is. I certainly don't want to be one of those fanboys crying foul at their treasured memories. And I won't be watching this one and doing a frame by frame comparison, or whining about the horrible mis-casting of Mary Jane Watson. Oops, wrong movie. But I will have a hard time figuring out why this movie is being remade at all. Maybe someone has decided that its time to bring the metaphorical slap in the face back into movies; 'March of the Penguins', 'The Day After Tomorrow' and 'Wall-E' notwithstanding. But regardless, I am kind of looking forward to seeing what modern CG can do for Gort.

Labels: movies, scifi

I finally got around to seeing Cloverfield tonight, and I know I am way late to this party, but I hadn't seen it in theaters, and the guy I review Blu-Ray's for hasn't sent this one my way yet. For all I know it hasn't even been released yet. As I write this I am offline, and can't check on that. And the chances of me remembering to check and edit this post later, they are slim. We're over at the Out-Laws place tonight watching their house and dog while they're out of town, and their high speed connection is a no-show. I love living in the bush, but fuckme do I miss having fast, reliable internet.

So I just finished watching a copy of the flick, and it was so shockingly good that I can't believe I didn't go see it at the theater. Like a 90 minute heart attack, but without all that numbness and dying. Just a really immersive, pulse poundingly good scary flick. Think something like a Godzilla movie, but good, and shot from one perspective just like The Blair Witch Project, without giving you vertigo.

I hate to admit to being a cliche but I really was on the edge of the couch as I leaned over my laptop with this one.

And speaking of monsters: I was to have seen The Incredible Hulk tonight, but one of my movie-going buddies bailed on me and I never heard from another. No worries though, as Superwife and I are going to go see it later this week. She rocks so hard, that she is willing to use one of our very infrequent dates to go see it with me. She does have an affinity for the big green guy though; she used to watch the old 70's show with an afghan over her face to get her through the scary parts. We went to see the Ang Lee Hulk a few years ago and I almost lost out on taking her to comics-inspired flicks entirely, she was that disappointed. Hopefully this time Bruce Banner and his alter-ego will put on a better show.

Labels: family, movies, scifi

Ok, so I am sitting here tonight, cranking out a few reviews for a couple of flicks I watched today, for my it-doesn't-pay-but-I-get-free-movies other job and I am realizing a new added benefit of living in the middle of the goddamn woods that I was heretofore unaware of. The moths. Certainly I knew about the black flies, and the mosquitoes, both of which are an ongoing issue around here that doesn't look to be resolving itself soon. But, moths? Really?

The things out here are so gigantic, and there are so many of them that I feel like we moved out to a country version of The Lost World or something. One of them was banging into the screen so hard just now that I thought it was a fucking bird. A big one. Not sure what to do about this other than hang moth balls around the roof line. These things are so big I could get a shotgun and that might actually work.

And by the way, one of the 2 flicks I reviewed tonight was 'Strange Wilderness' which is so shitty and stupid that I would only recommend using it for the purposes of torture, and even then I'm sure it would violate the Geneva Convention somehow.

The other was 'The Golden Compass' which is so good that if you haven't yet seen it, I would recommend putting this blog down immediately and going to whatever means you use to get films and consume it. Its that good.

Labels: movies, our new house, rants, scifi

So I am sitting in a hotel room in Toronto right now, while Trin and Superwife slumber away in the double bed beside me. And I can't sleep even though I have been on day shifts for the last 4 days. My mind would just rather be awake then asleep I guess.

We came down here to take Trin to the zoo and either delight her with the fact that all those animals she sees on tv and in books are real, or scare the shit out of her with that same fact as they stomp around in front of her. Either way, we're hoping for a big reaction.

Oh, and here's an update: I went to see Indy 4 after work last night with a pal, and don't listen to anyone that tells you otherwise, this movie. Is. Fucking. Awesome. Fucking awesome I tells ya! Its fun, campy and full of comedy, just like all its predecessors. Yes, there is a very scif-fi MacGuffin instead of the usual religious tripe. So? If anything, that made the movie better than any of the first three. Check out this thread if you're interested in hearing more on the debate. If you are a fan of these movies, don't be a sheep and listen to the naysayers. Go see it. You won't have more fun at the movies this year until, well, until you get around to seeing Iron Man. Or until Dark Knight comes out. Or Hulk. Or X-Files 2. Well still, it is very good.

And just so its been said, Shift Work FTW!, cause its a Tuesday night and my workweek is over til Friday night.

Labels: family, movies, scifi, superwife, trinity, work

So this week Superwife and I sat through 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and 'The Last Crusade' by way of getting me ready for 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. We skipped 'Temple of Doom' because I caught part of it on a movie channel a few weeks ago, and it is my least favourite of the three anyway. All that stupid death cult crap.

Anywho, the B-I-L, a couple of buddies and I went out to see the premiere of Indy tonight, after buying my tickets online earlier only to discover that a car accident across town had somewhow killed power to the only movie theater in the city, and the night's show had been cancelled. Kee-rist. The joys of living in near a small town are becoming increasingly apparent.

I am back to shift work again tomorrow, but hopefully I will get to see the show sometime soon, before someone goes and pulls a 'Darth Vader is Luke's father' on me.

Labels: movies, rants

So my laptop is back and now I so am I, at least in a connected sense. If anyone is wondering what kind of warrantee service HP offers, it rocks. Had my baby back in no time, and it is as good as new now.

UPS however, is a gang of douchebags for leaving my repaired laptop on my porch in a Northern Ontario winter, but since it was mild (for here) and my laptop was none the worse for the experience, I am going to forego making a stink and just let it go.

While I waited for my laptop to come back and have been off on the long break part of my swing shifts, I have been keeping busy doing a ridiculous amount of ice fishing, had a great bud of mine stay with us for a few days, fixed my snow blower (all by myself and I am SO proud of myself about it), watched a few movies, notably the fantastic Juno, and the lackluster Justice League New Frontier, and got caught up on every comic book in my read pile that I hadn't yet gotten to.

And about those comics: My take on the recent Spider-Man One More Day/Brand New Day business is that it fucking stinks. Spider-Man's marriage to Mary Jane and its subsequent Omega Level Retcon was nothing short of ludicrous. I love Spider-Man (and usually JMS), but I don't see how erasing his marriage, his revealing his identity to the world and pretty much anything else than lent substance to the character is supposed to make the character better. And as some kind of struggle between the devil and god no less. Grrr. I always loved the idea that Superheroes can have family lives and still be cool, and the fact that I myself am a family man probably has something to do with that appeal. So, boo Marvel. Bad decision.

And did I mention that I single-handedly diagnosed and fixed my snow blower? I did? Oh. Cause I did. All by myself.

Labels: comics, everything else, family, movies, narcissism, rants

At some point in the near future, sometime after Superwife goes back to work and we have something resembling a disposable income, we are going to be finishing our basement. And one of the things I like to pretend I'll get my way about is that I will get to put in a proper home theater when the time comes.

So, while I'm pretending, I will imagine that my home theater could someday look like the above picture of an actual Star Trek themed theater that is currently taking up space at some rich bastard's place in Florida. I so want to have this. The shitty thing is that whatever I do to my home theater when we do finish the basement, it won't look enough like this one, so its going to be a disappointment right from the start.

The Batcave one found on the same site is cool too, but its not Star Trek, and Batman wouldn't be caught with his parents dead with such a small monitor.

On a somewhat related note, the new beard is growing in nicely, and a not-at-all-trek-fan-friend-of-mine today told me how much it made me look like William Riker. Right in the middle of the office, like something that had just come to him in a flash. 'Riker!!' He yelled across the room. I couldn't have been paid a better compliment. So now, the growing of the beard is going to be called The Riker Manoeuvre, which coincidentally enough I was already calling it. Just not previously in public.

Labels: comics, movies, our new house, star trek

Blu-Ray FTW!
Originally uploaded by raistlinsghost

With the recent announcement that HD-DVD is being dropped by WB, its almost a guarantee that Blu-Ray will win the High Def war.

I bought my PS3 for the games but if I needed another reason to remain a Sony fanboy, there it is. Did my pen from CES 2007 just go up in price?

Labels: gaming, movies, tech

That actually seems like a reasonably hard to live up to headline. Especially because most of King's books that have been made into movies have sucked balls. Notwithstanding The Stand, The Shining, and maybe IT. But anything else, from Christine to Salem's Lot to Needful Things; well they pretty much all sucked.

Awesome books, usually very scary and well written, but most just haven't translated too well.

However. This month The Mist came out and I have such high hopes for this one. Based on a genuinely scary short story that's basically a survival horror bit with a horrible MacGuffin just outside, you've got the makings of a decent flick. Throw in a few religious crazies and some government tests on the barriers of reality, and you've got yourself a winner. Plus, in the short story I have always remembered the part where the husband and protagonist, whose wife has been missing (and presumed horribly, horribly dead) since the opening few pages somehow finds time to cheat on her while locked in the supermarket where the survivors are cooped up. That kind of asshole bears remembering.

I might even forgo downloading this and actually pay to rent/buy this movie when it comes out. Which, since it is a Stephen King movie that no one will go to the show to see, is likely to be soon. Here's the link to the site

Labels: books, everything else, movies

I just watched one of the most interesting and truly thought provoking movies that I have seen in a long time. The movie was called 'The Man From Earth', by Jerome Bixby, a guy I had never heard of but who it turns out makes for an interesting footnote in the history of science fiction.

The movie starts with a group of college professors getting together to celebrate the early retirement of one of their own. The retiree has decided that before he vanishes to parts unknown, he is going to tell the rest of the group the shocking truth of his life, that he is a 14,000 year old man, and over the course of the movie divulges his unique perspective on human history.

As the story unfolds, it basically becomes a 12 angry men scenario as more details of the man who currently calls himself John Oldman's life are revealed and the group attempts to put what he is telling them into something they can understand, and decide if he is crazy, lying, or telling them the truth.

Aside from some of the really interesting historical observations in the film, it is it's discussion about religion that ends up taking center stage and provides for the most interesting dialogue. It turns out that John Oldman ends up playing a fairly pivotal role in the evolution of modern religious ideology, much to his own disappointment, and it is this part of the movie that provokes the most reflection.

I don't want to give too much more away than I already have, but this movie should be required viewing for pretty much any thinking person.

And it opens up some interesting lines of thought as far as the religious references go. I am an unapologetic atheist, as anyone who has stopped by here before is likely to already know. I just have such a hard time understanding why theists have to attribute more than there already is to the natural world. I look at the universe and marvel at its breadth, depth and grandeur and I see theists as looking at the same view and saying, 'Yeah so what else is there?' I can empathize with the need for an afterlife to settle up with the innate fear of death, but once you get past that, I guess I wonder why what is just isn't enough.

But I got thinking about one of the film's premises and got to wondering about this Jesus character. On some days, I think that there might once have been some dude named Jesus who lived 2000 years ago, made a few reasonably on point comments, and was subsequently gangbanged over and over again by revisionist history and a power hungry religious empire. On other days I have thought that maybe the guy is a total fiction, fabricated completely from the minds of that same self-serving organization that still seeks to own the nonexistent souls of its members through fear. How's that for a Jedi mind trick eh? Teach the masses that they have some unknowable, unseeable eternal spiritual avatar, and then teach them that the only way to avoid that avatar spending eternity in agony is by doing exactly what you tell them to. Uh huh.

But maybe this Jesus guy was a real guy, just some regular schmuck with the idea that things could change. What if, as the film suggests, he were around now to see how his unorthodox teachings had been used and bastardized over the generations between? Would he see the many different churches grown up in his name as anything other than abominations? Would he go mad, cry, seek to repair the damage? Or would he quietly hide out, hoping that someday we might drop all the religious nonsense and get back to his original message that people just be nice to each other?

It really was that good of a movie. Every thinking person should see it at least once. And if you’re a theist that refuses to allow rational thought in for fear that it might throw that antiquated belief system into the unrelenting glare of obvious truth, then you need to see it even more.

Labels: atheism, movies, philosophy, scifi

Labels: fantasy, movies

Ok, so I am up late and just finished watching the old vampire flick Fright Night, more out of sentimental attachment than anything else. It used to be one of maybe three or four VHS movies I had when I was a kid and because of that I have seriously seen this movie about 50 times.

Now, it being the cheesy B horror flick it is, you'd think I would be used to the camp. But one thing, a small piddling detail, has always bugged me about the ending to this movie. At the end, the hero's girlfriend Amy gets turned into a vampire and can only be changed back by killing the head vampire. I know, I already said the movie was lame. But here's the thing: When she becomes a vampire, somehow her hair turns red and grows much longer, her tits get bigger, and she gets this monstrous over sized mouth. But when the head vampire dies a few minutes later (did I really have to call spoiler there?) she goes back to normal. I have always been fine with the rest of the physical changes for some reason, except for the hair. How the fuck does her hair go from being red, curly and halfway down her back to a very short ugly mousy brown bob just because the vampire that bit her kicks it?

I'm not sure why out of all the myriad things I could choose to find ridiculous about this movie I chose that one, but that has always bugged me since I was a kid.

Maybe its because she looked much better with the red hair.

Labels: movies, rants

Just got home from seeing Superbad with a friend. Awesome movie about a couple of high school kids having one last good time together before going their separate ways to college.

Reminded me so much of me and my boy Cooley, back in the day. All of that swearing and talking about boobs. And how to get our inept, untrained hands on some. Oh the talks Jon and I used to have. If I didn't know better, I'd think the writers of this movie used us as source material.

Too tired to blog about it anymore (it is a workday tomorrow!), but it was so good that it deserved some kind of entry, short though this one is.

Labels: everything else, funny, movies

I just came back from watching The Bourne Ultimatum with 2 of the guys that I'll be working with up here, and I had a great time.

Up until this installment, the similarities between the fantastic Ludlum books and the films began and ended with the bit about Bourne having amnesia. Pretty much the rest of the plot was absent from the rest. Good movies, but still.

This final (?) flick tried to make up for that by finally telling the story of how Bourne went from David Webb to the killer he forgot he was. Still no Carlos the Jackal, but a really great flick nonetheless.

That's all I've got tonight: Just sending a little love for something I will get nothing in return for. Is it paying it forward if you get other people to spend money on a movie?

Labels: everything else, movies

One of the funniest movies I have ever seen, and easily the movie I have watched more times than any other is Spaceballs, Mel Brooks' brilliant spoof of almost all things science fiction.

I have seriously seen this movie hundreds of times, and quote it very often, much to the chagrin of Superwife.

I read an article today that reports that after almost 20 years, Spaceballs 2 is finally getting made. Not in the format that Yogurt was so hoping for, but it is coming to tv as an animated series.

So if you're so inclined, get ready to watch Lone Star, Barf and the gang make space tracks again sometime in 2007.

Story here.

Labels: funny, movies

You know that moment *just* prior to orgasm? The one where the blood is pounding so hard in your ears that the only thing it is possible to think about is the expectation of what's coming next? (ooh, good pun!)

Well, I've been having that moment all day, ever since I caught the tail end of a story being reported on Attack of the Show about a rumour recently circulated at this year's Comic Con concerning everyone's my favourite fictional space station: Babylon 5.

The bit that I caught went something like "... and so fans can look forward to new episodes of Babylon 5 in the near future. Now, to the MySpace girl of the day..."

So naturally I have been in a state of perpetual almost ready-to-orgasm ever since. The hands-down best scifi show ever made, and the precursor to ALL good non-trek scifi is going to get new episodes made!

Apparently JMS (Creator of the B5 universe) has been given the green light to produce new anthology-style episodes that would each tell stories of individual characters prior to the events of the series.

I'm guessing that these stories won't be about either Dr. Franklin or G'Kar, what with the actors who played them being dead and all.

Here is the link to the only article I've been able to find confirming the rumour at this point. And if you've got the time read through the comments for a few good laughs courtesy of the B5 haters.

Labels: movies, scifi

Yup, as I've maybe mentioned before (here, and here) a new Star Trek movie is coming, and a teaser poster was released the other day to whet appetites like mine.

No, not those kind of appetites.

Not much info to go along with the release of the poster. No hint at the plot of the new film, save for what can be gleaned from the image itself: That its set in the Kirk-era Trek universe. But its enough.

Click the pic for a full sized desktop.

I can't fucking wait for this movie.

Story over at StarTrek.com

And fyi, I have had the exact icon from this image hanging on my rear view mirror for years. I briefly flirted with getting it for my next tattoo, (I'm big on symbols) but my desire for it didn't quite win out over my desire to stay married to Superwife. Not quite, but it was close.

Labels: movies, scifi

So today I finished watching the first (and only) season of Firefly, and man was that ever a great show.

A friend of mine from work and I got comparing thoughts about movies awhile back after discovering that we were both scifi geeks, and I happened to mention how much I enjoyed Serenity; and how shocked I was at how much I liked it, considering it was more Bonanza than Star Trek. He told me that he had watched its television predecessor when it was first aired and that he had snapped up the DVD set as soon as they were released, and would I be interested in borrowing them?

I'm glad I did but at the same time I wish I hadn't. This show was so great that it only served to remind me that not only had I completely missed the boat on getting into the show when it was on but also that they wouldn't ever be making more of them.

Sort of like biting into a chocolate covered apple and finding out it was a lemon inside instead. Sweet yet bitter yah?

But what follows is probably the highest compliment a geek like me can give a show: Out of all of the scifi shows that I watch (and have watched), Firefly's story is the most believable:

People still can't get along no matter how many worlds they're spread across, governments are still oppressive and totalitarian, the rich enjoy the comforts and are a small minority while the vast majority are dirt poor and have to work their asses off for their next to nothing.

Yup, sounds about right.

I'm not saying that Firefly is better than Babylon 5, or BSG, or Trek (although it IS better than some most of the Trek series'). But it is abolutely worth a look for anyone with a little imagination.

Here's the link to the Firefly Wikipedia article, which sums up the show nicely.

Man can that Joss Whedon write a good tv series. He's like the Aaron Spelling of our generation. Except without the talentless daughter.

I'll end with one of the best quotes in the entire series; I don't know why I find it so funny, but here it is:

"If wishes were horses, we'd all be eating steak"

UPDATED JULY 26 - I just read on scifi.com about a so-called entrepeneur that is trying to rally fan support behind producing a season 2 of the series, to be made available via direct download and other formats. Check out the scoop here (at present it is the second article from top) and sign up to support the season 2 initiative here if you're so inclined.

Labels: movies, scifi

"An essential characteristic of the superhero mythology is, there's the superhero, and there's the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When he wakes up in the morning, he's Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic that Superman stands alone. Superman did not become Superman, Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he's Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red "S", that's the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears, the glasses, the business suit, that's the costume. That's the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent? He's weak, he's unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race."
-Bill (David Carradine) from Kill Bill Vol.2

I don't know if I entirely agree with cynical Bill, but the quote makes a good point about The Man of Steel: The man that everyone calls Clark Kent was born to be Superman.

I watched the movie Superman Returns at a drive-in theater with Superwife and my one year old daughter a few nights ago, and it was everything I could have hoped for, and then some. And if you run a search on this blog on the words Superman or Smallville, you'll get an idea of just how high my expectations were.

In a few words: I am a lifelong Superman fan.

And if director Bryan Singer's epic story of the return of Superman doesn't disappoint a fanboy like me, how can it go wrong with the rest of the world?



There are so many little nuances to this movie that make it so great, such an homage to all of the Superman canon that has come before. The initial credits, carefully recreated to mirror those from the 1978 movie; the little snippets of dialogue culled from earlier movies; the recasting of Marlon Brando as Jor-El (see my entry about that masterstroke here); the salute to Action Comics #1 (see photo above); the masterful reworking of the Superman score that everyone knows by heart; the gorgeous special effects; I could go on and on.

The bottom line is that Superman Returns is a triumphant re-imagination of the world's most iconic and beloved superhero. Bryan Singer is to be commended for his careful and loving treatment of the legend of the last son of Krypton.

Here's a (mostly) spoiler free review from Scifi.com.

If you like your reviews spoiler-full (you've been warned!) check out supermanhomepage.com.

And finally a good friend of mine has some very well-written thoughts on Big Blue's Return on his blog here, including an excellent recap of the pertinent events from Superman I and II that directly affect the plot of Superman Returns. And as a parent, his use of Jor-El's words to a young Clark/Kal-El can't help but tear me up everytime I read them.

I think it would take some work to find someone who wasn't aware of the mythology of Superman, regardless of the corner of the world you're looking. Everybody has heard of Superman. In fact, Superwife and I were recently watching a special on aid in South Africa and one of the poverty stricken children waiting in line for a meal was wearing a (way too large) Superman t-shirt. It made me realize just how global the mythology of this character really has become.

What I'm driving at is that Superman is a legend that has touched millions of people across the world and that it would take a lot to satisfy the myriad facets of the character and his exploits that those people have come to enjoy so much over the years. I think that the movie Superman Returns is the best possible realization of that goal, and it is the one movie that I will be recommending to everyone I know, all summer.

I'll finish this love-in about Superman Returns with one of my favourite movie quotes ever, delivered by Brando to a then-young Clark on what he can do for humanity:

"They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all — their capacity for good — I have sent them you, my only son."

Labels: movies, scifi, superman

When I first heard the news about the new Star Trek movie in production, I wrote on this blog my feelings about the project.

As a Star Trek fan, particulary one who has been without new Trek since the (un?) timely demise of Enterprise, obviously those feelings were positive. Giddy, even.

And the fact that the new Trek movie would go back to the series' roots and tell the story of how Kirk, Spock and McCoy first met? I can say it: I was fucking elated.

I also wondered who they could possibly get to play the young Kirk part, a role that catapulted William Shatner to fame (and infamy) through his over the top performance.

And it seems that that question has been answered.

And check out the thread at blogcritics.org on which other actors the fans would like to see in the movie.

Labels: funny, movies, star trek

Not to steal any thunder away from Superman (this is the week of his Return after all, and I will be blogging about the movie as soon as I've seen it), but Apple posted the teaser trailer for Spiderman 3 today.

And holy shit it looks good.

Check out the trailer here.

Why are you still reading this? Go. Now.

Labels: comics, movies, scifi

Pretty much all moderate-to-hardcore Trek fans were aware that there were multiple pitches being thrown around during the demise of Enterprise. Pitches that took Star Trek in different directions; some used new characters, while others re-imagined old ones; some were for tv series, others were for feature films; some stuck with cannon, others threw it right out the window.

What those same fans know is that all of these pitches died without so much as a whimper when the powers that be at Paramount, tired of the miserable ratings that Enterprise was getting (I still liked it!) and bored with a franchise that even I'll admit had gone somewhat stale, let the latest series die and closed the door firmly on Trek. Supposedly for good.

But with the recent announcement of an 11th Star Trek feature film currently in production, a feature that tells us the story of a young Kirk, McCoy and Spock, how they met, and how they ended up working together, (see my post on I wonder who is going to play Kirk) there has been renewed interest in some of the other pitches that were being thrown around.

One such pitch was a complete reboot of the Original Trek, told in the same style as Ron Moore's brilliant and extremely popular Battlestar Galactica re-imagination: Using established characters and universe but removing ALL cannon, and completely starting from scratch. It would probably not be such a notable idea, except that it was co-written by JMS of Babylon 5 fame.

Mostly due to the fact that because there will now be a movie made telling a similar story, the treatment has been made available for all who care to read about it. Read the article and download a copy of the treatment here.

This is a must for any Star Trek fan, both because of what might have been, and because rumour has it that Abrams Trek movie, due out in 2008, is largely based on the plot.

Labels: funny, movies, star trek

I just came across a story about a new movie being made based on The Greatest Cartoon Ever: Gatchaman, known in North America and for my entire childhood as Battle of the Planets.

Apparently an animation studio out of Hong Kong is going to begin production of a completely CG version of Gathchaman sometime next year. If its done with anywhere near the quality of FFVII: Advent Children, this is going to be awesome.

I can't begin to describe how excited about this I am. I can remember tearing home every day to watch this show, and to this day it remains one of those silly adorations from childhood that I haven't been able to shake. There are a surprisingly lot of those, btw. Think I want a do-over on my chilhood much?

I am such a fan of this cheesy old cartoon that when the series was released on DVD in both Japanese and English, Superwife bought me the boxed set. And now I can sing the theme song multilingually. Feel free to call me on that one.

Read the story here.

And here's to hoping this puts me one step closer to getting Superwife into that Princess costume I've mentioned before.

Labels: comics, movies, scifi

Every fan of the Superman movies remembers Marlon Brando's turn as Jor-El, Superman's Kryptonian father.

In my estimation he was memorable more for the over-acting than anything else. But that's likely what made it impossible for Brian Singer to cast anyone else in the role for the upcoming Superman Returns.

So what do you do when the actor you need for the part has been dead for over 2 years?

No, you don't dig him up, as one of my more creepy little voices wants to suggest.

You spend a ridiculous amount of money and time securing the rights to use the dead man's likeness and then painstakingly re-create the actor's movements and voice using old footage and very high tech CG animation.

Check out how Brando was brought back to life in this video.

I for one can't wait to see how it turns out when the movie hits theaters next week.

Labels: movies, scifi, superman

If you haven't seen X-Men: The Last Stand, you'd assume from all of the whining going on, that it's a bad movie.

You'd be wrong.

Making a movie adaptation of a comic book isn't simply converting the stories and characters from paper to film. And it certainly isn't taking one plotline directly out of a comic and writing a screenplay from it. And if it was, exactly which of the myriad, overlapping, continuity-bending plotlines should be chosen to write that screenplay from anyway?

Making a movie adaptation of a comic book is finding out the truth of the characters from all of those myriad, overlapping story arcs and creating a gestalt for each that stays as faithful to the stories they reside in as possible, within the confines of a few hours of cinema. Something that the first X-Men movie did well, the second did much better, and I think this third film does best.

So I am boldly stating, in blatant contradiction of what some so-called fans are saying about it, that X-Men III is a movie for the fans.

And here's why in my spoiler-free review:

The movie's central premise hinges on the discovery of a cure for mutancy, created from a mutant whose own ability is to suppress the mutant gene in others. Magneto and his band use this 'cure' as a rallying cry to wage war on the mundanes humans and the X-Men end up standing as the only force between Magneto and his goal of mutant supremacy.

In the film, we are reunited with many of the characters from the previous movies, with at least one glaring omission. Some characters have changed more than others, but all in direct response to the events of the preceding films. We also get to meet a few other mutants that have been notably absent from the first two films. And almost all the characters are true to the personalities fleshed out over years of development in the comics (or at least as faithful as they can be given the constraints of film - see comments above).

And now let's get the whole Phoenix thing out of the way, shall we? Every X-fan knows that Jean Grey comes back as the Phoenix. If you somehow didn't know about this, then you are not a fan, ergo I am not ruining anything for anyone that matters. And Famke Jansen is all over the trailers and posters (and toys, and slurpee cups, etc etc) anyway, so unless you live in a cave, you knew Jean Grey was in this movie.

Now. Prior to seeing the movie, I wasn't sure how they would handle the whole Dark Phoenix Saga, as it was a very complicated (and probably tied with Crisis on Infinite Earths for most beloved by comic fans) plotline. But the writers came up with a way to bring Jean back, introduce the Phoenix into the story in a meaningful way, and manage to keep the whole interstellar connection out of things. Here's one minor spoiler for you: The Starjammers aren't in this movie. All things considered, I think this major part of the movie was handled very well.

The action sequences are spectacular, the characters are true to their roots, and the franchise delivers its most intense storyline yet.

There are more than a few holy shit moments in the film, as certain things happen to certain characters that no one sees coming.

But the biggest problem I have with those whiners that I was talking about earlier is that the entire movie is basically one big valentine for the fans. I won't give anything away, but there are so many little touches that were painstakingly put into the film to satisfy the fan base that allowed this franchise to be so successful in the first place, I can't believe that fans have anything to complain about.

But I guess you can't please everybody.

I have been reading the X-Men comics for over twenty years, on and off, and after watching the movie a second time today, I don't think I would change one thing about it. (Okay, maybe one thing that had to do with Rogue, but whatever.)

So, if you are a fan of the previous movies, the comic books, or just like a great scifi/action flick with a real story, X-Men III is the movie to see.

And I haven't even brought up the special ending after the credits.... If you do go see this movie, stay through the credits for a coda regarding one of the main characters!

'Nuff said.

Labels: comics, movies, scifi

A friend of mine (thanks M) just sent over a link to a story about the forthcoming 11th Star Trek feature, reminding me that I've been meaning to make a BIG FUCKING DEAL about this.

A new Trek movie is slated for release in 2008!

Just in case you glossed over that last sentence, there is going to be a new Star Trek movie made and it will come out only 2 years from now!!

Rumours have abounded for months (better make that years) that there will in fact even be an 11th Star Trek movie after the dismal treatment and sendoff Paramount gave to Star Trek: Enterprise, and the poor box-office showing of Nemesis (and don't even get me started on that either).

According to an official press release from Paramount, the creative team now in charge of new projects is looking to revitalize the franchise by using 'A' list talent like the creators of LOST and the writers of MI:3. The story is tentatively said to center on the early careers of Kirk, Bones and everyone's favourite pointy eared Vulcan.

Links (each tells pretty much the same story):

• SciFi.com article
• TrekToday's entry
• IGN's take
• A Spacecast/Canadian perspective
• The Variety piece that started it all
  
• Dateline's satire of the announcement (very funny)
• The official and definitive word from StarTrek.com (Paramount owned)
  

Yes I have a rich, full life. The best wife in the universe. A wonderful, healthy daughter. Good job. Relatively good health. Blah. Blah.

Blah.

But now. Finally. A genuine reason to live.

At least until the summer of 2008.

Labels: funny, movies, scifi, star trek

I love William Shatner. As any good Star Trek fan should. But I don't love him exclusively because of Star Trek.

Like everyone else on Earth, I of course know him first from his inimitable portrayal of James Tiberius Kirk in the original series.

But what I love about him the most is that no matter what he has been doing for the last 30 years or so, be it a movie, tv drama, reality show, documentary, commercial, or even music album, he is always taking a little poke at his own persona, in a way that endears him to his fans.

I think anyone in the entertainment industry that can make fun of themselves the way that Shatner does actually gets what a trite and silly thing fame really is.

Case in point: One of my favourite movies is Free Enterprise.

But this. The William Shatner DVD Club. This is just too much.

Btw, the t-shirt above can be found here, a killer vintage tee site that I completely coincidentally have done some web work for. I own one myself and wear it proudly. Though probably not as proudly as I did before I read about this latest silliness.

Labels: funny, movies, star trek

Ok, so maybe its not the greatest news of all time perse, but for Star Trek fans, its the best news we've had in a very, very long while.

Aintitcool.com, likely not the first source you think of to get your news, has posted an article outlining a possible new Star Trek movie to begin production soon. The actors being courted for the movie so far: No less than William Shatner, Patrick Stewart and Scott Bakula, all being asked to reprise their captain's roles.

Not much is being said about the story, save for that the 'mirror universe' device will be used, allowing the writers to do whatever they want without messing with canon, and risking pissing off the hard core fans.

Although for my money, if any fan has anything negative to say about getting a new Star Trek movie made at all, especially in light of Enterprise's recent demise, and the news that Startrek.com is going offline at the end of the year, they are no fans at all.

Now no one is confirming this movie rumour yet, but since Spacecast is carrying the story, there has to at least be some grain of truth to it. Right? Right?!?

Read the whole scoop here.

Labels: movies, scifi, star trek

There have been two truly great movie adaptations of comic books in my lifetime: Spiderman, and now Batman Begins.

Honourable mention should probably go out to Brian Singer's first X-Men outing, but that movie was geared way too much for the kiddies and non-fans, so fell pretty short. And what does it say about a movie when its sequel is inifinitely better than the original?

We could get bogged down in discussing the long list of shitty adaptations (The Hulk, Daredevil, etc, etc), but I just don't have the time.

So. To the Reviewmobile!

Batman Begins does for The Dark Knight what Keaton, Kilmer, and (shudder) Clooney never could: Put the anti-hero in his rightful place in iconic history.

The movie opens with the necessary origin story, a job that is very well done here. We see the genesis of Wayne's phobia of bats before we get an inkling of what happens to his parents behind the theatre. (No spoiler there - everyone knows about that already).

From there we see Wayne travel the world, learning from criminals, being trained as a ninja, and finally making the decision that Gotham can be saved if he is strong enough to choose justice over revenge.

When Wayne finally does return reinvested in assuming his father's quest to clean up Gotham, we are treated with the dark, tough, terrifying figure that those of us who read the comic book know.

This movie makes the Keaton era Batman movies look like third rate fanfic: Gotham looks like a real city, Batman's costume, armour, and cape all make sense, as do all his gadgets. The special effects are awesome, the villains believable, and the acting was top notch, even that coming from Mrs. Tom Cruise.

In fact, the best part of this movie was the acting : Finally, finally Gary Oldman gets to play a good guy! Probably the single most gifted actor I've ever seen, (If you don't agree, stop reading this and go rent True Romance) Oldman has the unique ability to make you forget that he's acting and allows you to look past the actor and see him only for the character he's portraying. And the rest of the cast is well-suited as well: Liam Neeson, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Rutger Hauer, and finally Christian Bale. The big guns were definitely brough to bear to make this movie.

Bottom line, go right past rent and go directly to buy for this DVD. Must have for any fan.

Labels: comics, movies, scifi