I’m all for allowing a show to gradually introduce itself as much as the next guy, but all the survival arcs in the first seven episodes of “Stargate: Universe” is starting to wear a little thin. And it’s not as if they’re even slowly introducing new characters with each episode; we already know everyone that matters, which left a lot of really pointless filler stuff like the characters coming home (okay, I like the Eli homecoming scene, but do we really need two of Young and Chloe?), going to clubs (clubbing!) and bedding the ex-wife while you’re a gazillion miles away on an alien ship, nevermind all the implications of your wife having sex with another man, even though it’s you in his mind, but it ain’t you, if you know what I mean. BRRRRRRRR. That episode still gives me the creeps.
Archive for November 10, 2009
Stargate: Universe 1.08 Time Promo Images
Pandorum (2009) Movie Review
Christian Alvart’s “Pandorum” is a creature feature horror film set in space. In that respect, the movie doesn’t really depend on its sci-fi elements in the least, and its premise could have been easily transplanted to any isolated location that requires a large group of people to be locked away from civilization. The grungy, dark spaceship interiors and its many winding, bulky corridors could easily have been swapped for an underground research base, for example. But hey, who’s complaining? It’s been a long time since sci-fi has looked this dark, gritty, and grungy. And of course, deadly.
The Fourth Kind (2009) Movie Review
It’s been written that cannibals refuse to eat divorced women because they are too bitter. They’d be wise to adopt the same attitude towards anyone who sat through “The Fourth Kind”, it’s hard to feel anything else when exiting this failed experiment in scifi cinema verite. What makes the film such a catastrophic failure is that is has so much potential, that writer/director Olantunde Osunsami never seems capable of coming close to fulfilling. “The Fourth Kind” could have been an amazing faux documentary on alien home invasions in the remotest part of America, but instead all we’re offered is a rather boring film that’s occasionally spiked with something mildly interesting.
Catch The Latest Trailer For The Prisoner
The Prisoner, starring Ian McKellan and Jim Caviezel hits the airwaves this Sunday on AMC. It is going to rock. That’s my prediction. Forget the on and off quality of your recent Sci-Fi fare. Flash Forward, Fringe and SGU might be wobbling, but this show, a 6 hour miniseries retelling the classic 60′s paranoid dream, is gold people.
Another Stargate Universe Producer Takes Umbrage with SGU Criticism
This is actually getting pretty amusing. As you’ll recall, last week we posted a blog posting by “Stargate: Universe” producer Joseph Mallozzi, who fired back at critics of “SGU” through his blog. Today, SciFiWire has another intriguing fight with another “SGU” producer over the show, except this time “SGU” producer Brad Wright is picking the fight not with fans, but with a newspaper columnist who dared to call his show anything but great.
Avatar’s Latest Trailer Goes for the Kiddie Adventure Vibe
Apparently whoever is cutting the trailers for James Cameron’s “Avatar” got word from high up at 20th Century Fox that the first few trailers were too gosh darn serious, what with all the military occupation, political backstabbing, planet razing, and alien genocide-attemptin’ going on. The result: this new trailer, which sells the movie as a kiddie adventure film, ala some shitty Disney kids movie. You can’t really blame them for hedging their bets. The budget for “Avatar” has soared somewhere into the $250-$350 million dollar range (trying to get a fix on it is impossible at this point, with special effects not even finished yet), but word is by the time the P&A costs are added in, “Avatar” is going to cost the studio somewhere in the $500 million dollar range. Say it with me, now: “What recession?”
Five Preview Clips from V Episode 1.02 There is No Normal Anymore
Five preview clips from “V’s” Tuesday episode, 1.02, “There is No Normal Anymore”. My favorite clip: Erica stumbling into Father Jack at the FBI, and her priceless quote, “You’re a friggin’ priest???” Love it. Also, Chad the reporter realizes he just sold his soul to the devil, and more alluring V girl action with Laura Vandervoort and Morena Baccarin. Plus, alien wounds are yucky.
What Two Sides Will Tussle In Peter Berg’s BattleShip?
It’s been known for awhile now that Peter Berg is set to direct a film strangely based on the famous Hasbro board game Battleship. Other than the whole ship on ship naval war concept I’m not sure there can be much more to adapting the board game but who knows?
Jake Gyllenhaal and Duncan Jones Find the Source Code
Fans of sci-fi have been looking forward to Duncan Jones’ follow up to his cerebral thriller “Moon”, and recently he’s been talking up the “Blade Runner”-ish film called “Mute”. As it turns out, that may not be his next film after all. THR reports that Duncan has been attached to direct a new sci-fi movie called “Source Code”, and Jake Gyllenhaal is in negotiations to star. The article doesn’t say that Duncan is in negotiations to direct, they say he’s already “attached”, which makes a big difference.
Some More 2012 Run for Your Lives Images
A couple of more pics from Master of Disaster Roland Emmerich’s latest disaster porn, “2012″. These features more of the ladies of “2012″, including Thandie Newton as the Prez’s daughter, and Amanda Peet as the suffering wife of John Cusack’s Everyman Hero character. “2012″ ravages your city November 13, 2009, which should give you a three year head start on that whole apocalypse deal. Can you say, “Party like it’s 1999″?
Stargate Universe Recap 1.07: Earth
On Earth, life is even more complicated for the crew and passengers of the Destiny than their uncertain existence on the ship. That’s the lesson for this week. Man eating dust devils, no water or air and sun surfing, those are easy. It’s relationships that are hard.
Roland Emmerich Blames Fox, George W. Bush for the Lack of an Independence Day 2
German director Roland Emmerich, aka the man who made death porn on a global scale (aka disaster films) popular again, blames the lack of a sequel to “Independence Day” on the studio’s unwillingness to pay Will Smith his due. And oh yeah, that guy George W. Bush is also to blame, too. In a roundtable interview with critics, Emmerich tells CinemaBlend that the reason why he hasn’t been enthusiastic about making an “ID4″ earlier is that Bush was in office at the time and, apparently, he didn’t want to make a movie about a heroic President rallying the world against evil alien invaders.
Enzo G. Castellari’s Bronx Warriors Trilogy Gets the Box Set Treatment
If you haven’t figured out what to get me for Christmas yet, allow me to point you in the right direction. According to Latemag.com, Enzo G. Castellari’s entire post-apocalypic saga — namely, “The Bronx Warriors,” “Escape From the Bronx,” and “The New Barbarians” — will be collected, packaged, and sold as The Bronx Warriors Trilogy, courtesy of the hard-working folks at Shameless Screen Entertainment. Granted, these movies aren’t really everyone’s cup of tea, so your own excitement may be somewhat tarnished if a) you’ve never heard of the films or b) you’d rather broil kittens than ever watch them again. Personally, I think they’re fantastic, and I’m eager to finally get my hands and a version that doesn’t look like its been sourced from a second-generation bootleg VHS. I’m sure the visual clarity will make make for a completely different experience.
Micronauts the Movie? J.J. Abrams? WTH?
The Wall Street Journal, of all places, currently has an article on Hollywood’s gold rush to make movies out of toys and board games following the phenomenal success of Michael Bay’s “Transformers”. Toward the end of the article, it mentions that “Star Trek’s” (and “Lost” mastermind) J.J. Abrams is currently in discussions to produce a movie based on the Japanese toy line Micronauts, which, coincidentally, Hasbro (the same people behind “Transformers”) has just acquired.
V Promo Images: Episodes 1.02 and 1.03
Promo images from the next two “V” episodes: 1.02, “There is no Normal Anymore” and 1.03, “A Bright New Day”.
“V” 1.02: “There is no Normal Anymore”
