FanDominion

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July 11th, 2008

Review of Reviews: Critics say don’t bother to Meet Dave

Opens: July 11, 2008
Rated: PG (Mild slapstick violence, potty humor, adult language, sexually suggestive humor)
Genres: Science Fiction, Comedy

After his Oscar nomination for best supporting actor in the 2006 Dreamgirls, movie critics expect more out of Eddie Murphy.

But he seems content to make slapstick gross-out comedies aimed at the 10-to-13-year old market (and those who laugh like pre-teens).

His latest movie, Meet Dave (previously called Starship Dave before some P.R.-type decided to de-sci-fi the title), has Murphy returning to comedic science fiction.

His last outing in the genre was 2002′s The Adventures of Pluto Nash which was a box office failure, but has gained a cult following due to its campy nature.

Meet Dave has Murphy teamed with Norbit director Brian Robbins (a former child actor and teen heartthrob in the 1986-1991 series, Head of the Class, who grew up to be an executive producer of Smallville).

Judging from the reviews, most mainstream film critics are not fans of the Murphy-Robbins duo. And if they have to choose a target of their venom – it more often than not is aimed at Robbins.

Positive notes include kudos to Murphy’s mastery of subtle characterization mixed with the broad comedy of physical slapstick humor.

Negative comments include digs at a supposedly tired concept, overacting by everyone except Murphy and humor that may insult the intelligence of anyone past puberty.

WATCH THE TRAILER

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  • Pre-teen family friendly if you don’t mind slightly naughty potty humor

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  • Overacting by most of the cast
  • Cited for poor direction
  • Plot runs thin

{/rw_bad} –>

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{for="Los Angeles Times" value="3"}

"If Murphy seems to have learned something from the scathing reaction to the excessive and generally grotesque "Norbit," Brian Robbins, who directed that movie as well as this one, has not. As if to make up for Murphy's tightly controlled performance, the movie's other actors are pushed past the limits of parody. " – Sam Adams

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{for=”New York Times” value=”4″}

“The movie plays like a half-hour sitcom episode that has been stretched — principally through Mr. Murphy’s walking and talking — to feature-length running time.” – Manola Dargis

{/for}

{for=”Reuters” value=”4″}

“Like most of Murphy’s recent output, the movie aims low — as in, the targeted pint-sized audience — and its family-friendly results should translate into some solid summer numbers up on its Friday release.” – Michael Rechtshaffen

{/for}

{for=”Boston Herald” value=”2″}

“With toilet humor, such corny-as-Kansas lines as ‘How do you know when you feel love?’ and a too-predictable scenario that never lets Murphy do much more than mug, Meet Dave deserves a ‘no thanks.’” – Stephen Schaefer

{/for}

{for=”Orlando Sentinel” value=”6″}

“It says volumes about the state of Eddie Murphy’s comedy career that Meet Dave, his latest, is his least hateful film in years. For an actor known for making fun of gays, women, fat people, white people, gays, Asians and homosexuals, that’s saying something.” – Roger Moore

{/for}

{for=”San Francisco Chronicle” value=”7″}

“His new comedy, Meet Dave, isn’t likely to win Murphy another Oscar nomination. But at least it allows him to do what he does best – loads of physical comedy – and doesn’t rely principally on special effects for its humor.” – Ruthe Stein

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Tribune” value=”5″}

“Murphy as a brother from another planet inhabited by a team of little men and women supplying his every word and move, is its occasional funniness amid a sea of pablum. If it were completely rank, it’d be less frustrating.” – Michael Phillips

{/for}

{for=”Philadelphia Inquirer” value=”7″}

“In Meet Dave, family-friendly as a Fourth of July picnic, Murphy and Norbit director Brian Robbins redeem themselves with a performance and scenario that might have been developed for Steve Martin.” – Carrie Rickey

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

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Posted in Movies, Reviews, Trailers | No Comments »

July 10th, 2008

Review of Reviews: Critics agree, Hellboy II is a red hot hit

OPENS: July 11, 2008
RATING: PG-13
GENRES: Dark Fantasy, Comedy, Steampunk
NO SPOILERS

Writer/director Guillermo del Toro (director of three-time Oscar-winner Pan’s Labyrinth as well as Blade II and the original Hellboy) is on a roll, according to mainstream movie critics, who hail him as everything from the next Hitchcock to the next Ovid.

Although not all the critics loved the film – almost 9 out of 10 gave it positive reviews – which is an accomplishment for a genre film since the mainstream press seems hellbent on dismissing anything with an out-of-this-world imagination.

Not so with Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

Critics universally praised del Toro for his unique visual style and ability to set a mood like not other directer working today. Also, the actor playing the title role, Ron Perlman (TV’s Beauty and the Beast) an unlikely action hero at age 58, was praised by most as being at the top of his game.

Of the few negative comments, some found fault with the story as too simplistic or unbelievable, as if they forgot they were watching a social commentary disguised as a horror comedy about a big red demon who cut off his horns, loves kittens and decided to fight for the good guys.

The absurdity of life is the message, guys.

Del Toro’s next films: Doctor Strange in 2010 and in 2012 – The Hobbit (official prequels to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy)

WATCH THE TRAILER

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  • Outstanding special effects
  • Great visuals in cinematography
  • Genuine chills – and laughs
  • Moody and original dark fantasy elements

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Action, violence and language may be too harsh for children.
  • A few critics found the plot too predictable.

{/rw_bad} –>

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{for="Los Angeles Times" value="8"}

"Starting with characters created by Mike Mignola for Dark Horse Comics, writer-director Del Toro, whose one-of-a-kind Pan’s Labyrinth won a trio of Oscars in 2007, is almost alone in his ability to re-create on screen the wide-eyed exhilaration and disturbing grotesqueness that is the legacy of reading comics on the page.” – Kenneth Turan

{/for}

{for=”Seattle Post-Intelligencer” value=”8″}

“It definitely gives us our money’s worth in the sheer volume of its imaginative fantasy creatures and it’s that rare superhero-movie sequel that’s better than the original.” – William Arnold

{/for}

{for=”Slate” value=”8″}

“Mexican director Guillermo del Toro has started to look like a legitimate successor to Ovid. Del Toro is not so much a creator of myths as a collector of them, a transhistorical myth nerd whose pantheon of influences ranges from Hesiod to Harryhausen (with liberal helpings of steam punk and Catholic iconography).” – Dana Stevens 

{/for}

{for=”Kansas City Star” value=”6″}

“Here’s the problem: too much razzle-dazzle. Not enough Ron Perlman.” – Robert W. Butler 

{/for}

{for=”The Vancouver Sun” value=”9″}

“In a season of endless comic book superheroes, Hellboy II is a unique visual feast.” – Jay Stone

{/for}

{for=”Minneapolis Star-Tribune” value=”9″}

“Guillermo Del Toro’s stylish sense of wonderment makes for the best superhero movie of the summer. ” – Colin Covert

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Tribune” value=”7″}

“in the right hands, digital effects, creature design and directorial elan can work together to give you the best sort of willies.” – Michael Phillips

{/for}

{for=”Rotten Tomatoes” value=”9″}

“Del Toro crafts a stellar comic book sequel, boasting visuals that are as imaginative as the characters are endearing.” Tomatometer

{/for}{/rw_score} –>

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Posted in Movies, Reviews, Trailers | No Comments »

July 6th, 2008

Review: The Nines – the best little genre film of the past year

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A very thoughtful and thought-provoking film combining the metaphysical, the spiritual and the human element, The Nines is directed by acclaimed screenwriter John August and stars Ryan Reynolds, Melissa McCarthy, Hope Davis and Elle Fanning.

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RATING: R (For brief drug use and mild sexuality)
NOW SHOWING: On DVD
GENRE: Science Fiction
NO SPOILERS

In these days of multi-million-dollar special effects extravaganzas, movie studios seem to be pumping most – if not all – of their budget dollars into getting flashier and more impressive computer-generated imagery on screen.

But, every so often a lower-budget film comes along that reminds us of the power of great writing in filmed speculative fiction; how an audience can me moved and come to love a movie through its characters and by deft story telling.

The Nines is one of those films. It succeeds as a science fiction movie without space ships or with computer-animated cartoons as main characters as is all the rage these days.

Unfortunately, during this film’s original theatrical run during late 2007, it was lost in the shuffle of Holiday blockbuster wannabes and was relegated to just a handful of theatres in just the biggest U.S. cities. Luckily, thanks to home video, The Nines now has a home on DVD and is available to all.

Like recent lower-budget speculative fiction films like Donnie Darko and The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Nines uses story and character in the contemporary world to pose its ”what if.” This is a lesson we’ve known since The Twilight Zone first appeared on TV screens in the 1960s.

So, big-budget studios, listen up. The secret to how a good movie is made: You need to start with a great story.

The fact that a great story is at the heart of The Nines should be no surprise. It was written by director John August, the writer of such screenplays as Go, Titan A.E., Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride and the forthcoming movies, Billy Batson and the Legend of Shazam and Dark Shadows.

A Twist

The problem with writing a review for The Nines is that the film is set up like M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense. There is a surprise ending that would spoil full enjoyment of the film if you knew what it was before you start watching it.

What I can say is that the film is set up as a triptych of sorts, a series of three short films starring the same three actors centered around the characters of Ryan Reynolds (Blade: Trinity, Amityville Horror, and the forthcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine) who plays Gary, a troubled actor; Gavin, a television show runner; and Gabriel, an acclaimed video game designer.

None of those stories appears to be the least bit science fiction or fantasy until the final scene of the final story. That’s when it all comes together as a metaphysical fable to appeal to those living in the 21st century’s Internet age.

The Cast

Reynolds is joined by independent cinema star Hope Davis (American Splendor, Six Degrees) as the characters, Sarah, Susan and Sierra. Melissa McCarthy (Gilmore Girls) plays the characters Margaret, Melissa and Mary.

The cast and acting are top-notch and that quality of this film never falters helps the viewer suspend disbelief enough for this weird ride of a movie.

Reynolds shines playing three distinct characters in a self-obsessed actor, a big-hearted TV writer and a devoted family man. Davis is downright spooky as her character walks a line without letting the audience truly know of her character’s real intentions or motivations until the very end.

But it is Melissa McCarthy’s performance that is the standout. Her character is the heart and soul of this film and the actress pulls it off. It is through her eyes that we ultimately realize what is going on.

The Rating

The movie is rated R for foul language and brief drug use and sexual situations in the first of the three vignettes about the action movie star, although these scenes are much less disturbing than many of the blood-gore shootouts in many PG-13 summer blockbusters these days.

The Trailer

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  • Top-notch writing by John August
  • The three main actors are flawless at their craft
  • The twist ending is both poignant and thought-provoking

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Not meant for children.
  • Drug use and mild sexual situations may be a turn off for some.
  • People who prefer action movies, fight scenes and space ships may be bored by the pace of this film.

{/rw_bad} –>

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Posted in Home Theatre, Movies, Reviews | No Comments »

July 2nd, 2008

Review of Reviews: Is Hancock the most-hated blockbuster of 2008?

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According to critics, it’s a toss-up between Hancock and Speed Racer for worst big-budget film of 2008.

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OPENS: July 2, 2008
RATING: PG-13
NO SPOILERS

Will Smith has a new big-budget blockbuster film out this 4th of July weekend and most film critics hate it.

In Hancock, Smith stars alongside Jason Bateman (Juno) and Charlize Theron (Aeon Flux) in a film about the ultimate super anti-hero.

Of particular note is the phrase “Super Zero” that has shown up in many, many of this film’s negative reviews.

Of those who do not like Hancock, most took particular time to point out that the film contains gritty, realistic violence that normally is reserved for R-rated films.

Also noted as negatives were a haphazard script and a confusing and undeveloped plot.

Of the few who liked the film, Hancock was praised as being daringly original. Particular praise was given to the on-screen chemistry between Theron and Smith.

Watch the trailer: (Warning some minor spoilers)

A choice selection of Hancock film reviews follows:

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  • Outstanding cast
  • Smith and Charlize Theron shine

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Level of bloody violence worse than you’d expect for a PG-13 film
  • Not recommended for children younger than 17.
  • Plot not cohesive.
  • Excessive foul language may be too much for some.

{/rw_bad} –>

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{for="Minneapolis Star-Tribune" value="3"}

"Almost any moviegoer should be able to find something to enjoy, but it's hard to imagine anyone liking this mishmash from beginning to end."- Colin Covert

{/for}

{for="Bloomberg" value="5"}

"In this summer of superhero movies, Hancock stands out like a homeless beggar on a millionaire's yacht. " – Rick Warner

{/for}

{for="The New Yorker" value="9"}

"Hancock suggests new visual directions and emotional tonalities for pop. It’s by far the most enjoyable big movie of the summer.” – David Denby

{/for}

{for=”Washington Post” value=”5″}

“Hancock is indigestible. It’s a movie with an identity crisis that seems to offer one gentle pleasure but instead offers a harsher experience by far. It’s very, very strange.” – Stephen Hunter

{/for}

{for=”CNN” value=”4″}

“Hancock will likely post strong long weekend figures, but just watch those numbers plummet as the word gets out. A superhero can overcome many things, but not a movie that goes off the rails.” – Tom Charity

{/for}

{for=”San Francisco Chronicle” value=”5″}

“The movie feels trivial as an emotional piece and never takes off as an action movie. The special effects are ho-hum, and in the dramatic scenes, the actors seem to be feeling a lot more than the audience. That’s never a good sign.” – Mitch LaSalle

{/for}

{for=”NPR” value=”4″}

“It has to be emphasized that though the film’s trailers carefully hide it, Hancock has a blisteringly profane tongue. How diatribes that would make a stevedore blush got a PG-13 rating is a question for another day.” – Kenneth Turan

{/for}

{for=”Boston Globe” value=”3″}

“Yet once the vulgar comedy dissipates, we’re left with poorly photographed, bullet-riddled summer-action mayhem. The only thing drunker than Hancock is the editing and camerawork.” – Wesley Morris

{/for}

{for=”USA Today” value=”5″}

“What starts out with a sense of quirky fun loses direction and devolves into a mishmash of story lines. The finished product is so poorly conceived and misguided that even Will Smith, with all his charm, can’t save it.” – Claudia Puig

{/for}

{for=”Chicago Tribune” value=”3″}

“It depresses me to think of all the preteens who’ll be sitting through this, since it squeaked by with a PG-13 rating; the violence and the general abrasiveness are a genuine drag.” – Michael Phillips

{/for}

{for=”Cinematical” value=”8″}

“one of the weirdest studio movies in some time, and not one without precedent. Superhero satires tend to get regarded as passable comedies, but they’re often loaded with pertinent social commentary. As long as America continues to obsess over good guys in funny costumes, there’s a benefit to satirizing them: It helps us understand the mania. .” – Eric Kohn

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

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Posted in Movies, Reviews | 2 Comments »

June 29th, 2008

Remembering Jack Speer (1920-2008)

Longtime fan Jack Speer passed away early in the morning June 28, 2008. A member of First Fandom (FF), he was inducted in the FF Hall of Fame in 1995 and was the FGoH (fan guest of honor) at the 2004 Worldcon.

He died as approximately 3 a.m. Saturday morning in his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as discovered by Ruth, his wife of many years.

In the mundane world, John Bristol Speer was a retired lawyer who resided in Albuquerque since 1962; previously, he was a Democrat state representative from the Bend, Washington area during 1959-1961.

Jack was a giant in science fiction fandom, a founding member of N3F, FAPA and the original historian of science fiction fandom.

His 1944 Fancyclopedia has spawned many imitators over the years (including one on this site) and his 1939 book, Up To Now: A History of Science Fiction Fandom, is still used as a reference almost 70 years after first publication thanks to its recently resurrected electronic form on efanzines.com.

Fellow science fiction historian Harry Warner credited Jack Speer as “the first to stress [fandom's] subcultural aspects. Single-handedly, he made fandom’s ayjays something entirely different from the mundane amateur journalism groups.”

During his early prankster days in fandom, Speer was also known by the fannish name, John Bristol (his first and middle name sans surname).

A fandom innovator, he is also credited with being the father of the fanzine mailing comment.

Jack was the second editor of N3F’s The National Fantasy Fan in the 1940s, after founding editor, E. E. Evans.

LINKS:

Please feel free to leave your remembrances of Jack in the comments section at the bottom of this article.

* Special thanks to Robert Lichtman for fact-checking details of Jack Speers’ life.

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Posted in Fandom, N3F, News | 2 Comments »

June 27th, 2008

Review of Reviews: Incredible Hulk

RATED: PG-13 | NO SPOILERS

Five years after Ang Lee’s disappointing Hulk, Marvel decided to reboot the comic hero with a new film, The Incredible Hulk, which picks up roughly where the 1970s-80s TV series left off; ignoring the 2003 film altogether.

The film also features fa nod to long-time Hulk fans with witty cameos of the stars from the TV series.

Mainstream critics had been lukewarm on the film, with the most scathing comments from those critics who are quick to pooh-pooh most genre films anyway.

But the consensus is that those who are looking for a great action film with killer CGI animation, this Hulk will not disappoint.

Also noted in most reviews is a stand-out performance by Oscar-winning actor, William Hurt – who make the most of his part of a military leader teetering on the edge between loyalty to his orders and loyalty to his conscience.

Some thought the message was a little too preachy and most found the end battle scene too predictable.

Below are selected reviews from prominent critics:

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  • Outstanding Special Effects
  • Great Supporting Cast
  • Action packed

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • Too Scary for Small Children
  • End is Predictable

{/rw_bad} –>

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{for="National Post – Canada" value="5"}

"For all its ground-shaking, the final battle amounts to no more than a pause between the creation story we have just witnessed and the inevitable sequel." – Chris Knight

{/for}

{for="Christian Science Monitor" value="6"}

"Now that we've demonstrated that comic book icons can look like you and me, how about we go back to the Christopher Reeve era when they looked like square-jawed movie stars?" – Peter Rainer

{/for}

{for="CNN" value="7"}

"The climax is a bit of a yawn — it boils down to two big apes slugging it out with an entirely predictable outcome — but most of what precedes it is vigorous and sharp." – Tom Charity

{/for}

{for="Washington Post" value="7"}

"There are sequences that are genuinely beautiful, especially the scenes shot in the Brazilian favela, with its rich visual textures and evocative roofscapes." – Ann Hornaday

{/for}

{for="San Jose Mercury News" value="8"}

" The Incredible Hulk has a few annoying flaws, but it’s gratifying in many of the ways a Marvel Comics movie should be.” – Bob Straus

{/for}

{for=”New York TImes” value=”6″}

“The Adequate Hulk would have been a more suitable title.” – A.O. Scott

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{for=”Chcago Tribune” value=”7″}

“The Incredible Hulk keeps slamming everything forward, satisfyingly.” – Michael Phillips

{/for}

{for=”Entertainment Weekly” value=”7″}

“The audience, in all likelihood, will be so grateful not to see another joyless, inert, pea green dud that it may not mind that The Incredible Hulk is just a luridly reductive and violent B movie — one that clears a bar that hadn’t been set very high.” – Owen Gleiberman

{/for}

{for=”USA Today” value=”6″}

“The saga is uneven and there are plot holes, but as a popcorn movie steeped in action, it keeps our attention.” – Claudia Puig

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

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Posted in Movies, Reviews | 1 Comment »

June 26th, 2008

Review of Reviews: Critics agree – WALL·E is a SF masterpiece

Wall-ERATED: G | NO SPOILERS

In what may turn out to be the most universal of critically acclaimed films of 2008, WALL·E, a dystopian science fiction cartoon made by Disney’s PIXAR studios shines.

Set 700 years in the future, it revolves around a little robot dealing with the aftermath of life on Earth long after humanity fled the plant due to it becoming uninhabitable from environmental short-sightedness.

In what sounds like a depressing and bleak story, critics agree that instead, this is an uplifting film about hope and love even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Of critical response, the film was noted for maintaining the PIXAR tradition of being both child-friendly without being mind-numbingly boring for adults. In fact, most critics found the story very appealing because they were adults.

Also, the movie was noted as having some of the best special effects and storytelling of the year.

Following is a collection of reviews by some of the more prominent movie critics:

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  • Special Effects
  • Family Friendliness
  • Doesn’t Insult Intelligence of Adults
  • Good Story
  • Appealing Characters

{/rw_good} –>

<!– {rw_bad}

  • May be too slow or too scary for very small children

{/rw_bad} –>

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{for="National Post – Canada" value="10"}

"An automatic classic that will stand the test of time and sear itself into the collective memory of a generation, WALL-E is so profoundly moving, so quietly eloquent and so purely magical, it may well be movie of the decade." – Katherine Monk

{/for}

{for="Hollywood Reporter" value="9"}

"This is getting to sound like a broken record: Pixar Animation Studios has just topped itself. Again." – Kirk Honeycutt

{/for}

{for="Los Angeles Times" value="9"}

"Part robot romance between two mismatched mechanized marvels, part science fiction saga with deliberate echoes of Stanley Kubrick's '2001,' this may be the first animated feature to pivot around novelist E.M. Forster's famous imperative, 'Only connect.'" – Kenneth Turan

{/for}

{/for}

{for="Chicago Sun-Times" value="8"}

"I thought I had just about exhausted my emergency supply of childlike credulity, but here is a film, like “Finding Nemo,” that you can enjoy even if you’ve grown up. That it works largely without spoken dialogue is all the more astonishing; it can easily cross language barriers, which is all the better, considering that it tells a planetary story." – Roger Ebert

{/for}

{for="Washington Post Family Filmgoer – Kid Friendliness" value="9"}

"Although it is funny and exciting, with vivid characters, albeit robotic, some kids might fidget at times and be upset by some parts. Scary bits include roaring dust storms, explosive lasers and fiery spaceship landings. The movie is preceded by "Presto," a breathlessly funny animated short, also rated G, about a magician and his rabbit." – Jane Hortwitz

{/for}

{/for}

{for="Associated Press" value="9"}

"Within the rumbling, stumbling hunk of junk that is WALL-E beats the sweetest, warmest heart – a robotic representation of humanity's highest potential." – Christy Lemire

{/for}

{for="Chicago Tribune" value="8"}

"All the elements fold into a unified creation. Stanton doesn't strain for a message or for his emotional effects. The story's core may be closer to "The Little Prince" than "The Little Mermaid," but this vision of an optimist surviving a pretty rough patch in his planet's history just plain works. Like Voltaire's "Candide," WALL-E learns to tend to the garden. While I may argue with the little guy's taste in musicals, it's remarkable to see any film, in any genre, blend honest sentiment with genuine wit and a visual landscape unlike any other." – Michael Phillips

{/for}

{for="USA Today" value="8"}

"WALL·E is at once futuristic, funny and fantastical. It’s an extraordinarily captivating adventure, laden with equal parts humor and heart and populated with memorable and endearing characters.” – Claudia Puig

{/for}

{/rw_score} –>

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Posted in Movies, Reviews | No Comments »

June 25th, 2008

New Amsterdam star lands lead role in ‘Virtuality’

Nikolaj Coster-WaldauFans of sexy red-head Nikolaj Coster-Waldau are rejoicing. The star of the cancelled-too-soon FOX fantasy series, New Amsterdam, will be back on home theatre screens in 2009 starring in a new science fiction show called “Virtuality.”

Coster-Waldau will play “Commander Pike” (a not-so-subtle nod to Star Trek fandom), the highest-ranking officer on an interstellar spaceship named Phaeton.

The premise of the new show follows the crew of the first manned spaceflight on a 10-year journey from Earth to a nearby star system. Being that the trip will take years in cramped quarters, the crew are mostly kept sane by tapping into an on-board computer to allow their minds roam free in computer simulated adventures. And, of course, SOMETHING GOES HORRIBLY WRONG!! (Viola, a science fiction TV series)

The concept was created by TV power producer team Lloyd Braun and Gail Berman (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel).

The concept was developed into a two-hour TV pilot by the writing team of Battlestar Glactica veterans, Michael Taylor and Ronald B. Moore. [Moore also either created or wrote scripts for Carnivale, Roswell and Star Trek: TNG, DS9 and Voyager.]

The director is Peter Berg, who is best known for creating the critically-acclaimed Friday Night Lights on NBC and is currently in pre-production for re-making Dune as a feature film to be released in 2010.

Officially being promoted as a 2-hour science fiction television movie set to air in early 2009, media newspapers are calling Virtuality a “backdoor pilot.” This means is enough people watch it, it could be ordered to full series.

Other actors cast to be in the show include:

  • James D’Arcy (Exorcist: The Beginning), the “psych officer” who creates the virtual reality programs the crew engages in.
  • Joy Bryant (Spider-Man 2) as “Alice Thibadeau”
  • Sienna Guillory (Eragon) as “Rika Goddard”
  • Nelson Lee (Blade: The Series) as “Keni Yamaguchi”
  • Richie Coster (The Dark Knight) as “Jimmy Johnson”
  • Omar Metwally (Rendition) as “Dr. Eyal Meyer”
  • Jimmi Simpson (Carnivale, Rose Red) as unknown character
  • Kerry Bishé (Sex and the City) as unknown character

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Posted in News, TV | No Comments »

June 23rd, 2008

Torchwood Renewed for 3rd season – sort of…

News from the BBC: Captain Jack Harkness will be back with more adventures in 2009 as Torchwood got the green light for more new episodes.

But in a disappointing turn for Torchwood fandom, the “season” will consist of only five new episodes, which begin filming in August.

This announcement comes after series creator Russel T. Davies said that after in 2009, he would be leaving BBC Wales, where he produces Torchwood as well as the newly invigorated Doctor Who series and spin-off Sarah Jane Adventures.

Doctor Who also is affected by Davies’ departure. It will have only 4 episodes in 2009 – which are being aired as specials on the BBC. There is no news whether Sci FI Channel, which airs Doctor Who in the U.S. will pick up those four specials next year.

In the United States, the five new Torchwood episodes are expected to air on BBC America beginning in January or February 2009.

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Posted in News, TV | No Comments »

June 22nd, 2008

Remembering George Carlin – 1937-2008

Although he is best known as a stand-up comedian and his infamous list of words one can never say on TV, George Carlin, who died at age 71 Sunday, also left a mark among science fiction and fantasy fans.

From 1979′s Americathon film of alternate history to roles in Kevin Smith’s Dogma or Disney/Pixar’s Cars, Carlin used humor – often in fantasy and speculative fiction settings to deliver a biting commentary on modern society.

After a long history of heart ailments, Carlin died at 5:55 p.m. June 22 in a Los Angeles hospital of heart failure. He was 71.

The following is a list of some of his more “far out” character performances in science fiction, fantasy and horror-related film and TV.

  • Happily N’Ever After as The Wizard (2006)
  • Cars as Fillmore (2006)
  • Tarzan II as Zugor (2005)
  • Scary Movie 3 as Architect (2003)
  • Dogma as Cardinal Ignatius Glick (1999)
  • The Simpsons as Munchie (1998)
  • Shining Time Station as The Conductor (1991-1993)
  • Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey as Rufus (1991)
  • Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure as Rufus (1989)
  • Justin Case as Justin Case (1988)
  • Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends as The Narrator (1984)
  • Americathon (1979)

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