Dragon*Con is Proud to Announce the Addition of Scott Bakula, Brandon Routh, James and Oliver Phelps, and More!Dragon*Con may only be twenty-two days away, but we are far from done! Just a few of our exciting new guests and performers are: Scott Bakula best known for his portrayal of Sam Beckett in the series Quantum Leap for which he won a Golden Globe and four Emmy nominations, has gone on to play such memorable parts as Captain Jonathan Archer in Star Trek Enterprise and Stephen Bartowski on Chuck. He can currently be seen TNT’s series Men of a Certain Age. Former fashion model, Brandon Routh is best known for his role as Clark Kent/Superman in Superman Returns. Currently, he can be seen portraying Daniel Shaw in seasons 3 and 4 of Chuck, and inScott Pilgram vs. the World as Todd Ingram an arrogant, narcissistic bass player that derives psychic powers from his vegan lifestyle. James and Oliver Phelps are identical twin English actors, best known for playing Fred and George Weasley, respectively, in the Harry Potter film series. Recently, they helped plant trees at the National Forest, in Leicestershire—ensuring the wood that makes the Harry Potter broomsticks would be around for the next generation of wizards! Don’t miss any of the late night action! Come rock out with WEEP featuring Doc Hammer,Pandora Celtica, Gavin Goszka, Ego Likeness, Leslie Fish, and join steam-punk madness with The Extraordinary Contraptions! More than forty other guests added just this week! For a complete listing of the 2010 guests and performers, visit the Dragon*Con Guest List today! Dragon*Con Joins the Madness at the High Museum of Art Madman or genius? Whatever you call him, Salvador Dalí was a master of the unexpected. From melting clocks to an éclair on Alice Cooper’s head, Dalí rebelled against convention like no one else. A purple velvet suit? He wore it. A crazy, twisty mustache? He sported it. A little black book that read like a who’s-who of 1970’s pop culture? He had one. Immerse yourself in Dalí’s world Labor Day weekend. Bring your Dragon*Con badge to the High September 2nd through the 5th and get $5.00 off an adult admission to see Dalí: The Late Work. Enter Dalí’s world now! Super Heroes, and Star Trek, and Steampunk, Oh My!Look up in the air… it’s a bird… it’s a plane… no! It’s a super hero changing history while boldly going where no one else has gone and breaking world records along the way! Last year, 903 of you came out and helped us make it into the Record Holder’s Republic book for the largest number of people dancing to Thriller! It was so much fun we decided to give it another THREE tries! And no, it is not for the record number of Stormtroopers we can fit into an elevator! Although… just kidding! For more information, vist us atworldrecords.dragoncon.org today! Forget to Book a Hotel Room? Afraid You Are Out of Luck?Don’t be! All of the fabulous overflow hotels below still have a few rooms left, but don’t procrastinate much longer, because they won’t last forever! Hilton Atlanta Airport Hotel Midtown Atlanta Renaissance Atlanta Hotel Downtown Regency Suites Hotel Twelve Hotel and Residences Limited Early Bird Autograph Tickets for the Amazing Stan Lee Announced A LIMITED NUMBER of Early Bird tickets will be offered for Stan Lee’s autograph. The early bird price for this special opportunity is $50.00 per autograph. Ticket will be available until they are sold out or until Sunday, August 29th at 11:59 pm PST. For more information, visit Desert Wind Comics. Dragon*Con Parties with Pop Icon Shag and the Cemetery Surfers at the Georgia Aquarium Dragon*Con invites you to celebrate the inaugural appearance of pop art icon Shag at this year’s show by joining us for a Shag-themed party at the Georgia Aquarium! There will be music by the Cemetery Surfers, limbo, and surprises as we swing the night away, Shag-style! Break out your best vintage loungewear and join us Saturday, September 4, 2010 starting at 9:00 pm at the Georgia Aquarium! Get your advance tickets to the Aquarium for only $17 at Georgia Aquarium Dragon*Con Night! Dragon*Con’s Got Talent!Thank you for your many, many colorful submissions for our newest event, Dragon*Con’s Got Talent! Dragon*Con’s Got Talent will take place on Monday, September 6, 2010 at 1:00 pm in the Centennial ballroom at the Hyatt Regency. We will have prizes…cash prizes! And not just for first place. We will have prizes in multiple categories. You do not want to miss this! Submissions are now closed! However, iIf you have a special talent and you think you could be the most talented con-goer out there, let us know by sending an email todctalent@dragoncon.org. For more information on these and all of the exciting guests, performers, games, and events at Dragon*Con, visit us today at www.dragoncon.org!

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Nanny McPhee (2005)
NO SPOILERS

Of all the so-called family films I’ve seen in the past 12 months, two have stood out as films I’ve told adults to go see – whether they have children or not. One is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the second is Nanny McPhee.

This film is a modern classic. Like the latest potter movie, and like the classic Disney films of the 1930s and 1940s, the makers of Nanny McPhee know that evil and dark times are required to make the good times matter.

In the title role, Emma Thompson plays the magical Nanny McPhee, who takes on a physical appearance that matches her charges’ behaviour. The more ugly the children’s behavior, the more ugly the Nanny appears.

As the best-known actor cast in a major role in the film, she succeeds in keeping her supporting role from overpowering the other actors and plot of this sweet film. In a bit part, the films biggest star, Angela Lansbury,
does a delightful turn as the pompous Aunt Adelaide, who is near sighted in more than one way.

The true strength of this delightful film is that it is a true family film. It falls happily into a category of its own. It isn’t mind-numbingly boring to adults like most movies for children. Emma Thompson also wrote the script, which is adapted from the Nurse Matilda series of children’s books by Christianna Brand.

It is no wonder that Thompson has won an Academy Award for her abilities to adapt literature for to the big screen. With Nanny McPhee she again does an outstanding job. Here the adults have human faults and the children talk like children, not miniature grownups.

Thompson has a gift for dialogue which is rare, Thompson sets a rhythm and lyrical quality in all of her scripts that are reminiscent of the playfulness in some of Shakespeare’s farces.

Nanny McPhee is one of those films that didn’t set the box office on fire, but is destined to live for years as a classic family film due to its magical mix of wit and moral relevance.

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Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com

Top 40 SF/F-themed films as of Dec. 11, 2005
Key: SF=Science Fiction; F=Fantasy; SF/F=Science Fantasy; DF=Dark Fantasy (Supernatural Horror); films marked with an asterisk “*” by the title are still playing in theatres; films marked with an exclamation point “!” by the global box office are considered to be financial failures for not recouping their production budget from box office ticket sales..

Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Before I begin this review, I have to admit that although I am an avid reader, I have never read any of the Harry Potter books. And, although I have seen all of previous three films, I would not consider myself to be a Harry Potter fan.

Although I am a fan of good juvenile fiction, the Potter series always struck me as … well … to juvenile. The stories were a little unoriginal and dealt way too much with the fictional sport of quidditch… ugh. (I’m not a big sports fan either.)

But for some reason (yet another one of the things we do for our spouse when we are married!) I found myself standing in a VERY LONG LINE on opening night a couple of Fridays ago. In the brisk autumn air, I tried my hardest not to be annoyed by the throngs of giggly school girls who also were standing in line, gossiping loudly and obnoxiously about boys and the weird “nerd” fan adult types who made up the other large portion of Potter premiere night in-line standers.

After we finally made it into the theatre and were seated, the movie started.

Now, not being a Potter fan and not having much in the expectations department for this flick, I sat there underwhelmed… for about the first 4 minutes.

Director Mike Newell, (best known for chick-flicks starring Hugh Grant or Julia Roberts like Four Wedding and a Funeral and Mona Lisa Smile) deftly used his chick flick creds to pull the emotional strings befitting a tale involving teen angst. It’s been more than two decades – not since John Hughes’ Brat Pack-era triumphs of Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club has a film involving teens been so entertaining.

But it didn’t stop there. The action of the film was superb. The dark moments were very dark Newell even added a few frights that one would not expect in a children’s film. He made the dangers seem real – and dangerous.

The best praise I have for this film is that for a two-and-a-half hour film, it didn’t feel like a long movie. I was interested throughout.

The weakest part of the film, I’m sad to say was the writing, which was consistent with the rest of the series. I know J.K. Rowling has made millions of dollars on the back of the Potter franchise. But I found the story to be on the contrived side and a tad derivative.

The young cast and director did wonders with what they had to work with and pulled off a film that not only pleases fans. But also reaches out to people like me who do not consider themselves to be Potter fans … yet.

As we enter the holiday movie season, film companies are pumping out more trailer preview teasers to the Internet.

Here is a collection of the latest offerings for SF/F type films opening within the next few weeks:

Chicken Little
[Latest Trailer] Source: Apple Trailers
Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy
Opens: November 4, 2005
Notable Cast/Crew: Computer Animated

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
[Latest Trailer] Source: Apple Trailers
Genre: Fantasy
Opens: November 18, 2005
Notable Cast Crew: Favorites return

Aeon Flux
[Latest Trailer]
Genre: Science Fiction
Opens: December 2, 2005
Notable Cast/Crew: Charlize Theron

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
[Latest Trailer] Source: AOL Moviefone
Genre: High Fantasy
Opens: Dec. 9, 2005 Notable Cast/Crew: Tilda Swinton

Slither
[Latest trailer] Source: Apple Trailers
Genre: Comedy Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy
Opens: March 31, 2006
Notable Cast/Crew: Nathan Fillion