Forces of Geek: we like pop culture

Contest! Win HELL ON WHEELS Season 1 Blu-ray!

noreply@blogger.com (Stefan Blitz) — Sat, 19 May 2012 10:07:56 PDT

Hell on Wheels tells the epic story of post-Civil War America, focusing on a soldier who sets out to exact revenge on the Union soldiers who have killed his wife. His journey takes him west to Hell on Wheels, a dangerous, raucous, lawless melting pot of a town that travels with and services the construction of the railroad, an engineering feat unprecedented for its time. The lavishly-produced series documents the railroad’s engineering and construction, as well as institutionalized greed and corruption, the immigrant experience and the plight of newly emancipated African-Americans during Reconstruction. Chronicling this potent turning point in our nation’s history, this fan favorite series shows just how uncivilized the business of civilization can be across 10 absorbing episodes.

Hell on Wheels: The Complete First Season is available NOW on DVD & Blu-ray, and thanks to our friends at Entertainment One, we're giving away three copies on Blu-ray to Forces of Geek readers.

To enter, please send an email with the subject header "HELL ON WHEELS" to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following question:

Hell on Wheels creators Tony and Joe Gayton previously wrote and produced this 2010 film starring Dwayne Johnson?

Please include your name and address (U.S. Residents only).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on June 17th, 2012

Image Comics Brings On The Dystopia With DEBRIS

noreply@blogger.com (Stefan Blitz) — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:00:03 PDT

THE COLOSSALS ARISE IN DEBRIS

New dystopian mini-series from Image Comics in July

The future looks bleak for humankind in DEBRIS, the new Image Comics/Shadowline mini-series by the co-creators of the critically acclaimed GREEN WAKE, Kurtis J. Wiebe (PETER PANZERFAUST, GRIM LEAPER) and Riley Rossmo (REBEL BLOOD, COWBOY NINJA VIKING). Earth itself, covered with the detritus of civilization, has risen up against humans, as ancient spirits called the Colossals take physical forms constructed from the debris to wage war against the destructive species.

In the midst of this chaos, a warrior woman named Maya becomes the champion of humankind. She sets out to find the world's last source of pure water, combatting Colossals along the way as she fights to save her fellow humans.

"I'm very fond of Scandinavian and European folklore, so I injected a lot of those concepts into the monsters that will appear throughout the series," Wiebe told Comic Book Resources in an April 25th interview. "It's also very influenced by Native American (Canadian) mythology and even a touch of Mayan for some of the creatures. I like the idea that all these ancient monsters were once part of our world and have returned to end us when we are at our weakest."

With a look inspired by video games like Final Fantasy, DEBRIS boasts extraordinary creature design by Rossmo and vivid colors by Owen Gieni (AVENGELYNE) that set the comic apart from many other post-apocalyptic visions of Earth.

In an April 27th interview at IGN about the influence of the revolutionary video game series, Wiebe noted that DEBRIS shares the subject of "a world-changing battle against impossible odds, which is a constant theme throughout Final Fantasy." The IGN feature also included several FF-inspired teasers, showing Maya in battles against various Colossals.

In May, Wiebe also talked about the hotly-anticipated series at iFanboy, where a six-page preview of DEBRIS #1 was posted.

DEBRIS is a monthly four-issue miniseries published under Image Comics' Shadowline imprint. The first issue will be in stores on July 25. It is available for pre-order now from the May issue of PREVIEWS with the code MAY120516.

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS

Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

Contest! Win a Retro DOCTOR WHO 3-DVD Set!

noreply@blogger.com (Stefan Blitz) — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:30:00 PDT

BBC America has been doing a pretty amazing job releasing all of the classic Doctor Who series, and this month three storylines are hitting DVD for the first time.

Doctor Who: Nightmare of Eden
Two spacecraft fuse in a hyperspace collision. Fortunately the Doctor (Tom Baker), Romana and K-9 arrive to help. But when a crewmember is found clawed by a ferocious animal, it seems there's something even more frightening stalking the corridors. The answers lie with zoologist Professor Tryst, his CET protection machine, and a planet called Eden - the home of the ferocious Mandrels.

Doctor Who: Dragonfire
At the Iceworld Space Trading Colony on Svartos, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Mel unexpectedly encounter an old ‘friend.' The penniless and desperate Sabalom Glitz has only one option to leave Svartos: find the fabled ‘Dragonfire' treasure concealed somewhere in the depths of the planet.

Doctor Who: The Happiness Patrol
Two spacecraft fuse in a hyperspace collision. Fortunately the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy), Romana and K-9 arrive to help. But when a crewmember is found clawed by a ferocious animal, it seems there's something even more frightening stalking the corridors. The answers lie with zoologist Professor Tryst, his CET protection machine, and a planet called Eden - the home of the ferocious Mandrels.

And we're giving away two collections of all three DVDs!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header "THE DOCTOR" to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following question:

Which actor only portrayed the Doctor once in television continuity?

Please include your name and address (U.S. Residents only).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on June 17th, 2012

BLADE RUNNER: Weirdness and What We Know About The Sequel

noreply@blogger.com (Stefan Blitz) — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:00:02 PDT

There's some strange stuff happening with Blade Runner these days.

First, the film was not given permission to screen at the Alamo Drafthouse's Summer of 1982 series.

Second, the Blu-ray suddenly went out of print.

Third, it was reported several months ago that original star Harrison Ford was in talks to reprise his role as Rick Deckard in the sequel. In less than 24 hours, that rumor was squashed.

Why would Alcon Entertainment, owners of the property suddenly want to prevent it from being seen, especially now there's more interest than the film has had in years?

Do you think director Ridley Scott, who only recently has even acknowledged that Prometheus is strongly related to his film Alien, is specifically misdirecting Ford's involvement?

Here's what we know:

Hampton Fancher, who wrote the original draft of Blade Runner, has been hired to develop the story for the project.
The story will be set “some years after the first film concluded.
Scott and Fancher originally conceived of Blade Runner as the first in a series of films incorporating the themes and characters featured in Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
The sequel will "definitely be featuring a female protagonist."

Via: THR, Variety, The Daily Beast

DANIEL RADCLIFF Might Have Strings If GUILLERMO DEL TORO Has His Way

noreply@blogger.com (Stefan Blitz) — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:30:01 PDT

Guillermo del Toro's stop motion adaptation of the Carlo Collodi classic Pinocchio is getting ready for it's 2014 debut and mumurs of voice casting are just starting to emerge.

According to THR, "Del Toro is busy creating a dark, atmospheric tale with the story of Pinocchio and his father Geppetto.

He said Daniel Radcliffe had approached him "to get involved in the project" and said Tom Waits was on his wish list to play a part as one of the voice cast. Throwing out names, del Toro also said he instantly thought of Christopher Walken when he imagined the part played by the fox in the story but was at pains to point out that no one has yet signed to the voice cast."

Nick Cave has long been mentioned as composing the score to the film and co-writer Gus Grimly is certainly familiar with the material. It's his version of the film that this adaptation is based.

Check out two gorgeous production paintings by Grimly after the jump.

The Comic Feed: DiDio On BEFORE WATCHMEN, ERNIE CHAN R.I.P. & MORE!

noreply@blogger.com (KD) — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:00:01 PDT

Another legend passes away, Dan DiDio talks Before Watchmen, and a new (old) bad ass hero chick.

Here's your Comic Feed for May 18, 2012.

Ernie Chan, R.I.P.

Famed Marvel and DC Comics artist Ernesto “Ernie” Chan, 71, passed away on May 16th after a long battle with cancer. His family confirmed it via Facebook.

Chan migrated to America from the Phillipines at age 20, and became a part of the DC family, working on Batman, Claw, Sandman, Swamp Thing, and Jonah Hex.

He was also a pivotal part of the Marvel crew where he worked on Dr. Strange, Dracula, Daredevil, Doc Savage, Thor, Fantastic Four, and Power Man and Iron Fist.

His most popular work remains to be the work he did on Conan and The Incredible Hulk.

This comes on the heels of the death of Tony DeZuniga, another Filipino artist, who worked on Jonah Hex.

Award-winning comic artist Gerry Alanguilan noted on his blog, “It’s sad to lose one, but it’s truly crushing to lose so many in such a short… time."

Dan DiDio Hopeful About Before Watchmen

The Guardian spoke with publisher Dan DiDio about the soon to be released and oft controversial Before Watchmen. The underlying feeling around the release of the new book is that even though the controversy has been loud, the product is good. He said, "We’re not going to shy away from the controversy on this – as a matter of fact we're embracing it because we have belief in the strength of the product and stand behind it."

When the comic industry started to take a dive last year, DC came up with The New 52. This was a way to refresh the books that were coming out and the industry as a whole. With that in mind, they looked for other materials that were beloved and could stand on their own with a reboot.

"Once we reintroduced our line it gave us the strength to say we should look at other things that we knew would excite the fans. When you have a product like Watchmen that is as worldwide known as it is, and the fact there are millions of copies in print, we wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't go out and say, 'is there other ways we can grow new material from this?' We went out and reached the original creators and they had passed, but we still believed this was the right choice to make. And in doing so we went out with the strongest creators possible, so while you may question the decision you can't question the quality of the product and the quality of the people behind the product."

While Moore has been very loud about his opinions on the Before Watchmen books, DiDio did offer a positive outlook on the strife between Moore and the new work, stating if Moore "did get a chance to read them, I hope he looks at them with an open mind and a chance to understand this is a love letter to what he created, and more importantly that the strength of his work is allowing other people to grow and tell other stories which will hopefully inspire other creators along the way. In the way he was inspired by the creators when he was younger, we're hoping these ideas and these books are inspiring new people, so that we continue to grow the comics business as a whole."

Captain Marvel…A Girl Super Hero!

I love badass chicks in comics. This one you can call Captain! Captain Marvel that is.

Marvel Comics has released a preview of Captain Marvel, written by Kelly Sue DeConnick, art by Dexter Soy, and covers by Ed McGuinness and Adi Granov. Captain Marvel #1 will hit stores on Wed, July 18th, 2012, and will see Captain America as a guest star.

The Crow Set in Japan

IDW has released details of the upcoming The Crow comic. The book, featuring James O’Barr’s iconic anti-hero, is written by John Shirley, who was one of the screenwriters of the original Crow movie. Artwork is by Kevin Colden (Fishtown). This new series is set in Japan where the same vengeance of the Crow spirit returns, but this time in the form of foreign exchange student Jamie Osterberg, who much like the original is looking for revenge for a loved one’s death. The Crow is slated to ship to retail in July.

HOW PUNK WAS THE 90s? This Punk

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Young) — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:30:01 PDT

As someone whose taste has always leaned toward Punk (The Dead Kennedys, Fear, The Clash, Television, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, The Buzzcocks, etc.) I have to say that this 90s commercial for a punk rock compilation album in which HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS appears, leads me to believe someone should be shot in the face...a lot.

Look, I get it. Obviously this was conceived by some old dude in a bow-tie who got all mixed up between punk, new wave and pop, but wasn't there anyone at the company that said, "You know, I don't think Karma Chameleon is a punk song"?

No one?

Next time dude, call me when you want to sell a punk compilation. My mix tapes alone could fuel a set of four CDs that you can charge $49.99 for.

Source: Odd Stuff Magazine

Get A Hint of WHAT MAISIE KNEW In This First Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Brendan O'Connell) — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:00:06 PDT

Today we finally get to know What Maisie Knew. Well, at least we get to see a trailer for it.

The comedic drama stars Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgård and Steve Coogan. Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, the story is described as showing the "chaos and complexity of modern marriage and family."

From the trailer it looks like it's going to make us laugh, cry, and think about our own odd families. But I'll never be able to look at Alexander Skarsgård without thinking about that time he drank from a heart like it was a juice box.

Here's What The UK Gets For a COSMOPOLIS Trailer and Poster

noreply@blogger.com (Brendan O'Connell) — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:30:00 PDT

Robert Pattinson stars in Cosmopolis, and the UK has a new trailer and poster for the film.

Based on the novel by Don DeLillo, David Cronenberg directs Pattinson who plays a bored millionaire looking for something new that will get him to show so some emotion, or at least that's what I get from the trailer. The new trailer looks to be a chopped version of the earlier international trailer, and I'm still not quite sure what's happening.

The poster shows pretty much the same thing that the trailer does, Pattinson sitting, disaffected by the outside world. The typeface and color of the text also matches that from the trailer. Continuity is a good thing, people should know this by now.

In the UK, Cosmopolis will have a June 15th release date. It will premiere this week in Cannes.

Cine-Geek Nuggets:

noreply@blogger.com (Stefan Blitz) — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:00:04 PDT

BOND RETURNS

Skyfall, the upcoming James Bond film get's it's first poster and an official description:

Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

The film stars Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, Javier Bardem and Berenice Marlohe. Sam Mendes is directing.

JUNO TEMPLE IS A PIXIE IN MALEFICENT

Juno Temple is joining the cast of Maleficent, Disney's live-action take on Sleeping Beauty. Angelina Jolie is playing the title character of the fairy-witch, who cursed Aurora (Elle Fanning) to a permanent sleep on her sixteenth birthday. Temple is joining Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville as pixie fairies who take care of the sleeping princess. Also in the cast is Miranda Richardson and Sharlto Copley.

THE ROCK TO ENLIST IN THE DC UNIVERSE?

Twitter reveals that Dwayne Johnson might be suiting up for an upcoming DC Comics property. Or not.

ANGIE HARMON WANTS TO PLAY "SHE-HULK"

Angie Harmon revealed to EW.com that she wants to play She-Hulk (so much in fact that the photo above comes from her).

“I have to be her,” Harmon said. “You don’t understand. I have to be her. It’s the best quote ever when The Hulk turns around and goes ‘I’m always angry.’ I was like, Ohmygod! I stood up in the theater and literally cheered. I did.”

When asked about wearing the Green Giantess' skimpier outfits...

”I would rock that like there is no tomorrow. I would kill that outfit. I’d put these 36Cs on display. Boom!” she said. “And what about her libido? That’s my favorite part. She-Hulk, bed! She-Hulk, screw! Can you imagine? Then she just picks him up and throws him around the room like the Hulk did with the bad guy. [Makes smashing noises.] But apparently, she’s normal size.”

ALEX PROYAS TO DIRECT GODS OF EGYPT

Director Alex Proyas (Dark City, I, Robot) will direct Gods of Egypt, an action fantasy, for Summit Entertainment. "Set amongst the pyramids and sphinxes, the film is the story of a mortal, a god and a goddess who unite to fight an evil force in ancient Egypt.

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN IS MOST WANTED

Philip Seymour Hoffman will star in director Anton Corbijn's adaptation of the John Le Carre spy thriller A Most Wanted Man.

"In present day Hamburg, Germany, a mysterious, tortured and near-dead half-Chechen, half-Russian man on the run arrives in the city’s Islamic community desperate for help and looking to recover his late Russian father’s ill-gotten fortune. Nothing about this young man seems to add up; is he a victim or a thief or, worse still, an extremist intent on destruction? Drawn into this web of intrigue were a British private banker and a young female lawyer determined to defend the defenseless. All the while, they are being watched by the brilliant, roguish chief of a covert German spy unit (Hoffman), who fights to put the pieces together as the clock ticks."

ANTHONY MACKIE JOINS THE F.B.I.

Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, The Adjustment Bureau) will portray an F.B.I. agent opposite Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake in Runner, Runner.

"Timberlake stars as a Princeton student who is cheated out of his tuition money playing online poker. He flies to Costa Rica hoping to reclaim his losses from the site's billionaire owner (Affleck) and ends up becoming the corrupt CEO's right-hand man.

Mackie is in talks to play an FBI agent who has spent years trying to bring down Affleck's character and sees Timberlake as the key to his investigation."

SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR Now Has A Release Date To Kill For

noreply@blogger.com (Brendan O'Connell) — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:30:01 PDT

The highly anticipated sequel to Sin City will be hitting theaters next October.

Multiple sources are reporting that Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame To Kill For will come out next year on October 4th. Miller co-directed with Robert Rodriquez with a script from the pair along with William Monahan.

While not much is really known about the plot other than what happens in the arc from the comics with the same name, Mickey Rourke and Jessica Alba will be reprising their roles, and others from the first film are expected to come back as well.

It's been six years since the first film was released. Production on the sequel is slated to start this summer. In addition to the expected returning cast, a press release from the studio says that more "big names" are coming, so we'll report that when we hear more. There's also a teaser poster after the break, so check that out.

William Cameron Menzies and the Art of Production DesignWilliam Cameron Menzies and the Art of Production Design

noreply@blogger.com (Stefan Blitz) — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:00:03 PDT

William Cameron Menzies was the movies’ first production designer.

Although there had been art directors and set designers working on films since its earliest days, Menzies’ comprehensive visual approach transformed the role of production design.

He is best remembered today as the man who designed the sets for GONE WITH THE WIND in 1939, but he had a very long career, and made great advances in the design of science fiction and fantasy films among others.

Compared with the department-oriented approach of the studio system, or earlier art directors who were strictly concerned with the design and construction of sets, Menzies took an active role in the total, cohesive design of a film. He became the first person to receive a production designer credit with GONE WITH THE WIND. His work on this film set him apart from other art directors of the period, who usually worked under the supervision of a department head.

Menzies was also an accomplished director, having made two classics of the science fiction genre: the 1936 adaptation of H.G. Wells’ THINGS TO COME, and INVADERS FROM MARS, in 1953.

Throughout his career, which spanned from the silent era through the 1950s, Menzies would revolutionize the look of films and the role of the production designer.

Beginning in the silent era, Menzies would serve as art director on a number of significant films, specializing in films on an epic scale, and often with a period setting. His first major project was Douglas Fairbanks’ THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1924), an Arabian Night fantasy, for which he designed some of the largest sets for a film up to that time.

In 1925, he served as art director for THE EAGLE (1925), one of the best starring vehicles for Rudolph Valentino, set in 19th century Russia. This was followed in 1926 by the delightful Constance Talmadge comedy, THE DUCHESS OF BUFFALO, and the John Barrymore swashbuckler, THE BELOVED ROGUE (1927), set in medieval France.

One of Menzies’ most interesting projects was the 1933 version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND,
for which he was officially credited with co-writing the screenplay. Produced by Paramount and featuring an all-star roster of their contract players (including W.C. Fields, Gary Cooper and Cary Grant) portraying the different characters from Lewis Carroll’s book under a variety of masks and makeup, the film was a highly bizarre piece of fantasy, capturing both the whimsy and the nightmarish aspects of the story that have made it a favorite for generations of readers. Unfortunately, when translated to film, these elements stand out, but Carroll’s story, as adapted for the screen, feels choppy and disjointed jumping from one segment to the next.

As William K. Everson notes in his book, “The Art of W.C. Fields”, even though Menzies was
credited only as screenwriter, it is quite likely that he also had a hand in directing the film
(which was officially credited to comedy director Norman McLeod). The emphasis on highly stylized imagery hints that Menzies was involved in a greater capacity that his screen credit would suggest, demonstrating the degree to which Menzies brought a distinct style to every film he worked on.

This would not be Menzies’ only directing work; in fact, he directed close to 20 films over the course of his career.

Of these, THINGS TO COME is perhaps the most notable. Based on the novel, “The Shape of Things to Come”, by H.G. Wells, the film was a futuristic science fiction fantasy film which has by now achieved cult status and remains a favorite of the science fiction genre. Interestingly, Vincent Korda served as set designer for this film, but Menzies surely had a hand in the film’s fantastic and futuristic look, with large Art Deco-inspired sets.

Menzies would serve as art director on various projects throughout the 1930s, but it was with GONE WITH THE WIND that he would do the work for which he would best be remembered.

David O. Selznick’s epic adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s romantic novel set against the backdrop of the Civil War was an unprecedented undertaking, especially for an independent producer like Selznick, and it took technicians, craftsmen and artists of great vision, working at full capacity, to pull off the production.

Chief among these was William Cameron Menzies, who – in addition to taking on the role of Production Designer – also did uncredited work directing second unit footage. Because of the number of locations and sets involved (not to mention the rotating directors who would work on the film at different times), Menzies’ role as production designer became crucial to helping maintain a consistent visual approach to the entire film. The extravagant Southern plantations like Tara and Twelve Oaks were brought to vivid life through Menzies’ designs.

Over the following two decades, Menzies would design a number of notable films for independent producers like Selznick and Samuel Goldwyn, including THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (1942), FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS (1943) and DUEL IN THE SUN (1946). His skill with epic-scale productions made him greatly suited to these larger-than-life stories. THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES was Samuel Goldwyn’s biopic about the life of Lou Gehrig (played to perfection by Gary Cooper), while DUEL IN THE SUN was David O. Selznick’s attempt to create a film so large that it would even dwarf his own GONE WITH THE WIND. While it was nowhere near as successful as that earlier film, it remains a fascinating work for its over-the-top production, which Menzies’ sets perfectly complimented.

Menzies revolutionized the art of designing for film, and left behind one of the most impressive bodies of work of anyone in his field, as well as a legacy to future production designers for whose work he set the standard.

In Today's News PAUL WILLIAMS, STILL ALIVE...Here's The Trailer Anyways

noreply@blogger.com (Brendan O'Connell) — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:30:00 PDT

Perhaps you remember Paul Williams, if you do, would you be surprised to know that he's still alive?

That's the premise of this documentary called Paul Williams: Still Alive. The director Stephen Kessler made this documentary about the man after learning that he wasn't dead. It's been hitting all the festivals and receiving some awards and now the public gets to watch a trailer for the film.

Steal A Look At This New Trailer For THE WORDS

noreply@blogger.com (Brendan O'Connell) — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:00:00 PDT

The Words is a new movie all about success by way of theft of words.

Yes, plagiarism is the subject of this new film that stars Bradley Cooper in the role of the young writer Rory Jansen. After years of writing with no reward, he finally sees his day of fame with "the next great American novel." But there is one tiny problem and that is the fact that he didn't really write any of it. Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid, and Zoe Saldana co-star in the movie set to hit theaters on September 21st this year.

STAR YOUR OWN JURASSIC PARK With This Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Young) — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:30:00 PDT

The folks from Heritage Auctions have an 80 percent completed skeleton up for auction and it can all be yours for a measly $875,000.

Oh sure, that seems like a lot of money, but just think of how much more you will can make by setting this thing up in your backyard and charging children to touch it (its not as if they will get the same chance at a museum will they? So they will be willing to pay more for the opportunity).

And, by the way, if you need a little more prodding, the ladies love them some T-Rex.

So, put the "ass" back in Jurassic and buy this skeleton ASAP.

Source: Uncrate

Smallville: Random, Awesome and WTF?! - S5E13: Vengeance

noreply@blogger.com (Charles J. Baserap) — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:00:02 PDT

Still reeling from the loss of Papa Kent, Clark goes looking for trouble and finds himself face to face with a masked vigilante…who’s all about shooting first and asking questions later.

Hey, when you’re hot, you can get away with crap like that.

I do it all the time…

The Random:
1. One thing this episode does well is bring out the sadness in Clark and Mama Kent and make you feel for them.

2. Our new hero hides her identity by wearing glasses and bumbling around the Daily Planet newsroom. Hmmmm. She might be onto something…

3. Give Clark some credit for tricking those normally wily pizza delivery guys into giving out the address of the punk that stole his dad’s watch. That crap wouldn’t have worked on Domino’s though. Those guys are tough.

“My disguise is foolproof. I should totally be in the CIA.”

The Awesome:
1. Our masked heroine makes her entrance to save Mama Kent after she makes a grief fueled, albeit pretty stupid, decision to visit a craptastic neighborhood after dark…then bitchslap a gang member. Yay for vigilantes!

2. Inane origin of her powers aside, the Angel of Vengeance has that Spider-Man meets Crimson Avenger vibe to her and anytime gang members are getting their asses beat—or stabbed, whichever—I’m good with it.

3. Last episode’s farewell was heartwrenching, but Clark’s breakdown at the end of this one just hits you right in that part of your memory where everyone you’ve ever lost resides.

You will believe a man can cry.

The WTF?!:
1. I’ve been in some bad neighborhoods in my day, but never one that by night has nothing but trash fires roaring on the streets and where people know how bad it is and yet still walk around alone and unarmed.

2. So our Angel of Vengeance got her powers…from a heart transplant. Really? That’s how we’re playing this? A girl killed in the meteor shower got a radioactive heart that gave a stranger superpowers? That’s bad, even for a Smallville character.

3. Remember when Clark was wary of using his powers around Lionel? Yeah, I do, too. Apparently, Clark doesn’t have those reservations anymore as he uses his superspeed right in front of him. Like three times. Dude, he pushed your dad over the edge…and he’s moving in your mom. DON’T trust him…

“So, yeah, my mutant heart gives me the ability to jump really high.”

“It gives you strength, too, right?”

“No, don’t be stupid. That’s from my mutated kidney. Be realistic, man.”

JON HAMM And DANIEL RADCLIFFE Will Have The Same Doctorate In YOUNG DOCTOR'S NOTEBOOK

noreply@blogger.com (Brendan O'Connell) — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:30:01 PDT

In a new U.K comedy drama miniseries, Jon Hamm and Daniel Radcliffe will both be playing the same character.

According to Variety, A Young Doctor's Notebook is based on the Russian novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. The series, split into four parts will be more like a collection of stories set during the Russian revolution. According to Radcliffe, "the book is funny, grotesque and heartfelt in equal measure and I look forward to working with a great group of people to help bring it to life."

Big Talk Productions is producing the project with Hamm playinf the older doctor who has some interesting conversations with his younger self played by Radcliffe. In the UK it will play on Sky, worldwide it will go through BBC.

Hamm said: "Big Talk has been championing this project unabashedly and I share their great enthusiasm for bringing something original, dark, funny and moving to light." He then added, "Also, I have been watching Bridget Jones's Diary on infinite loop, and I think I've finally got this accent thing sorted..."

Radcliffe also noted that, "I have been an obsessive Bulgakov reader for a couple of years now so when the opportunity to become involved in this project came up, I could barely contain my excitement."

DEADMAN TV Series Still Happening

noreply@blogger.com (Stefan Blitz) — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:00:08 PDT

It was just about a year ago that Supernatural creator Eric Kripke was mentioned as developing Deadman, based on the DC Comics character, for television.

There's been no further news until yesterday when CW Network President Mark Pedowitz announced that the project is still in development and, "could potentially be part of the young-skewing network's 2013-14 development cycle."

Deadman had previously been in development as a feature film for Warner Bros. with Guillermo del Toro producing. The character first appeared in 1967. Deadman is in actuality, murdered circus aerialist Boston Brand, who lives on through the possession of other peoples bodies. He helps the inhabited take care of problems in their own lives and then moves on.

ELIJAH WOOD Is A MANIAC, Just Check Out This Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Brendan O'Connell) — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:30:00 PDT

Here's the first trailer for the remake of Maniac starring Elijah Wood.

In the new film from Franck Khalfoun, Wood plays "a deranged serial killer in New York." This isn't the best video, but it does give us the new look for the former hobbit, who's clearly not being typecast as a shorter creepy guy, remember Sin City?

Official synopsis:

Just when the streets seemed safe, a serial killer with a fetish for scalps is back and on the hunt. Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna appears asking for his help with her new exhibition. As their friendship develops and Frank's obsession escalates, it becomes clear that she has unleashed a long-repressed compulsion to stalk and kill. Actress Nora Arnezeder is playing Anna.

WTF FRIDAY: Behold the Power of Cat-Toast!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Young) — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:00:07 PDT

Apparently this is an advertisement for an energy drink called Flying Horse which combines the power of toast and cats to create an alternative energy source.

I totally believe this.

Mostly because I've gotten 6 hours of sleep in the past two days and my world already looks like this:

So the scientific hypothesis of a perpetual motion machine powered by a feline and a toasted bread product put forth by Flying Horse Energy Drink makes perfect sense.

Source:Neatorama

ELI ROTH Lights Up THE GREEN INFERNO

noreply@blogger.com (Brendan O'Connell) — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:30:01 PDT

After a few years of producing, and even acting, Eli Roth is getting back in the directors chair to take on The Green Inferno.

In a press release from Worldview Entertainment it was announced that Roth will be directing the new horror-thriller that he also co-wrote with Guillermo Amoedo. Production is expected to start this fall in Peru and Chile in the same area where Roth also produced Aftershock.

Roth's previous directing job was with the Hostel franchise. Details on this new project are still tightly under wraps, and it could go in a number of different directions. Roth produced and co-wrote The Man with the Iron Fists, and is now producing The Last Exorcism Part II. I image it's subtitled "oops, guess that wasn't really the last one. Coming up he'll be opening Goretorium in Las Vegas.

Roth said recently about his work, "I've had an amazing few years producing, writing and acting, and am very excited to get back in the director's chair. I've been working on this idea for several years, and was inspired by filming in Chile and cannot wait to get back."

He then added, "Worldview backs my vision and believes in me, and is giving me the support I need and the freedom to take risks and make something daring and terrifying. I believe this will be the scariest and most intense film I have made to date. I want to audiences worldwide to feel my return to directing was worth the wait."

Are You Ready To Plan Out Your TV Watching? Here's The New Fall Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Brendan O'Connell) — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:00:03 PDT

Were you waiting to know what you were going to watch this fall? Well here is your answer and a whole schedule for what you can do with primetime.

Thanks to Deadline/TVline, we have this nifty little chart of whats coming up and what times. It simply shows us what's new and returning for this fall season of shows. What are you most excited for? I think I'm most looking forward to Revolution and Arrow, with perhaps a side of Vegas and Elementary.

ICELANDIC POLITICIAN SAVED BY ELVES

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Young) — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:30:01 PDT

Don't Worry, I'll Save You

In 2010, Icelandic Parliament Member Árni Johnsen survived a horrible car wreck in which he attributed his ability to continue breathing to Elves.

While this would probably cause an American politician to "step down" from his elected post, in Iceland Elves are not cause for the looney bin.

And neither is moving the 30-ton rock that Johnsen claims is the friendly Elves home to his own yard "...where they will enjoy a window-side view of the environs" [io9].

In an interview with the Icelandic newspaper Morgunblaðið Johnson explained how the Elves were dealing with the move:

I had Ragnhildur Jónsdóttir, a specialist in the affairs of elves from Álfagarðurinn in Hellisgerði, Hafnarfjörður, to come look at the boulder with me [...] She said it was incredible, that she had never met three generations of elves in the same boulder before [...]

She said an elderly couple lives on the upper floor but a young couple with three children on the lower floor [...] But they asked whether the boulder could stand on grass. I said that was no problem but asked why they wanted grass. ‘It's because they want to have sheep.'

Clearly, we in America, are living the wrong kind of life.

THE QUEEN OF DISCO, DONNA SUMMER, Takes the Eternal Ride To Funky Town (1948-2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Young) — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:00:12 PDT

Donna Summer passed away on Thursday after a battle with cancer surrounded by her family.

While most people know Ms. Summer as the woman who made Disco worth dancing to, the singer was less enamored of the title of Queen of Disco due, in most part, to her love of good ole Rock-n-Roll.

But while the song style of Disco might have pigeon-holed her, Ms Summer's incredible voice and catchy music remain every bit as powerful now as it did back when her song Love to Love You Baby hit the charts in 1975 (which, by the way, was pre-Disco).

Ms. Summer was 63.

After the break is one of my personal favorites from this incredibly talented woman.

The CW Is Right On Target With It's New Shows And A New Digital Platform

noreply@blogger.com (Brendan O'Connell) — Fri, 18 May 2012 06:30:02 PDT

Another day this week means another day of upfronts. Today it's The CW's turn.

We have the first promos for three new shows, Emily Owens, M.D., Beauty and the Beast, and Arrow. Two of those shows are highly anticipated, Arrow being the new show all about The Green Arrow and Beauty and the Beast, well...do I really need to say it?

It was also announced that the network is creating CWD, the CW Digital Studio which will go live this fall. The new platform will be used to launch new original programing and interactive material to go along with the on-air shows. Primarily it will focus on "animation, game shows, comedy, and digital personalities. Launch programs at the moment include Gallery Girl, an animated comedy, Fandemonium, a game show, and a live action series called Stupid Hype.

Click on past the break to check out the new trailers and the descriptions of the new shows.

Emily Owens, M.D.

As a first-year intern at Denver Memorial Hospital, Emily Owens thinks she can put her geeky high school days behind her. But is the hospital just like high school? Emily Owens, M.D. premieres Tuesdays this fall on The CW.

Beauty and the Beast

When she was a teenager, Catherine Chandler was nearly killed. But someone -- or something -- saved her. Beauty and the Beast premieres Thursdays this fall on The CW.

Arrow

Oliver Queen creates the persona of Arrow -- a vigilante -- to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory. Arrow premieres Wednesdays this fall on The CW.