Time for some links of note:
7 Great Movie Endings Demolished by Test Audiences.
SFX looks at the Top 20 hottest names working in sci-fi now.
Empire looked at the possibilities of fictional bands playing the Glastonbury music festival.
12 great sci-fi speeches. (Note: if you're catching up on Buffy or BSG, beware SPOILERS). Also, they don't like the "Why I hate X-mas" speech in Gremlins? That's brilliant.
I live in one of the best places to live, apparently. I'll remember that when I'm flying "home" to Georgia every weekend in the fall.
8-Bit Trek. I really need this on a t-shirt. So fucking adorable.
Speaking of Trek, here are "14 things you didn't know about Star Trek." (I knew 10).
Paste lists their Top 10 sci-fi and fantasy shows of all time. And also their Top 11 most villainous sci-fi species.
SFX published the results of their Top 200. Lots of great geeky lists there.
It's rare that I agree with Glenn Beck, but yep, he's right. (Bonus points for the Jefferson quote which nicely sums up my political philosophy).
As you know, Torchwood is coming to US TV via Starz. (WooHoo!). And they've got a writing staff that resembles the '27 Yankees.
FINALLY, Coach and Mrs. Coach get a little Emmy love. About damned time. And the actors are just as adorable as you'd think they'd be.
Fun photo mashups: Firefly crew as original Trek, and Mad Men as Trek:TNG.
Showing posts with label Sci-Fi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sci-Fi. Show all posts
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Good TV Reminder
Yes, November sweeps are over, and the nation is breathlessly wondering "what the fuck is going on with Tiger Woods?!" But that doesn't mean there isn't tubey goodness to be had:
Tonight, we have the season 2 finale of FX's terrific outlaw biker drama Sons of Anarchy. And it's 90 minutes, so check your DVRs accordingly.
Also on tonight, there's a new show on the Science Channel called Sci-Fi Science hosted by Dr. Michio Kaku, author of "Physics of the Impossible." He will examine the scientific plausibility of things like lightsabers, warp drive and stargates. I want to build a time machine out of empty whiskey bottles, paper clips and my BlackBerry. I wonder if this will help.
There's a new Glee tomorrow, and hopefully it will be fake baby-free, or this plot will get aborted soon.
There's also a new Fringe Thursday. It's been struggling on Thursday nights, so show up and watch, y'all.
And Friday, there's not one BUT TWO brand spankin' new Dollhouse episodes (with Ray Wise! And Summer Glau!).
Oh, and if you'd given up on House after it squandered the potential of the wonderful season premiere, catch last night's "Wilson" episode on the intertubes. It was a great, "Zeppo" or "Lower Decks" look at Hugh Laurie's sidekick.
Tonight, we have the season 2 finale of FX's terrific outlaw biker drama Sons of Anarchy. And it's 90 minutes, so check your DVRs accordingly.
Also on tonight, there's a new show on the Science Channel called Sci-Fi Science hosted by Dr. Michio Kaku, author of "Physics of the Impossible." He will examine the scientific plausibility of things like lightsabers, warp drive and stargates. I want to build a time machine out of empty whiskey bottles, paper clips and my BlackBerry. I wonder if this will help.
There's a new Glee tomorrow, and hopefully it will be fake baby-free, or this plot will get aborted soon.
There's also a new Fringe Thursday. It's been struggling on Thursday nights, so show up and watch, y'all.
And Friday, there's not one BUT TWO brand spankin' new Dollhouse episodes (with Ray Wise! And Summer Glau!).
Oh, and if you'd given up on House after it squandered the potential of the wonderful season premiere, catch last night's "Wilson" episode on the intertubes. It was a great, "Zeppo" or "Lower Decks" look at Hugh Laurie's sidekick.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
I'll take potpourri for $6,600, Alex
Warning: Objects in this blog are closer than they appear.
Mark Sheppard, one of the best character actors on TV today (Badger! Tanaka! Manservant Neville! Romo Lampkin!) explains his plan to take over the world.
Oh dear lord. MUST HAVE. The Big Damn Serenity.
A fun look at some obscure Google logos.
Some gorgeous designs for the Nautilus. If you're rebooting 20,000 Leagues, you should start here.
Top 75 spaceships in movies and TV. Great list, with pictures!
15 Most atrocious movie accents. (of course Costner is on it).
Have we outgrown the need for "belief?"
Most CSI fans are happy about Sara returning and Riley leaving. I, however, am not among them. I can't stand Jorja Fox as an actress, and never liked the Sara character. I was hoping she would get stung by one of Gil's exotic insects in the jungle and die. And I was quite fond of Riley's quirky CSI and think Lauren Lee Smith is adorable. (Google her, safe search off, and most guys should agree).
Pop Candy brought back the "favorite R.E.M. song" topic this week, based on a Top 20 list from Paste. I've addressed this subject before, which you can find here, and I have to agree more with Whitney's list than the one from Paste. Plus, any list skips Chronic Town (Box Cars) AND has the accursed "Swan Swan H" at number three (on a list of "good" songs!) makes my head want to explode.
SI writer Jeff Pearlman takes on last week's SI cover boy, the carnival snake handling cult leader and pulpit pusher (and occasional fullback/awkward thrower of the ball) from Gainesville. I run hot and cold with some of Pearlman's opining, but I like this one. Here's a follow up.
Along similar lines, hypocrisy gets fatter. Yes, McMackin's comments were stupid, close-minded and thoughtless, no question. But for Weis, representing an organization that institutionalizes bigotry and actively seeks to prevent equal legal rights for people who differ philosophically with their myth-making, to take "offense" is vomit-inducing. Fittingly, that's about the only "offense" to come out of South Bend in quite some time.
Having trouble finding "original" television theme songs? I know I was, until I stumbled across this marvelous website. Kudos, sir.
A good list of 10 great sci-fi novels. (Needs Dune and Hitchhiker, though).
I'm more Libertarian and Objectivist than most, but this "How to succeed as an Ayn Rand character" flowchart cracks me up.
Mark Sheppard, one of the best character actors on TV today (Badger! Tanaka! Manservant Neville! Romo Lampkin!) explains his plan to take over the world.
Oh dear lord. MUST HAVE. The Big Damn Serenity.
A fun look at some obscure Google logos.
Some gorgeous designs for the Nautilus. If you're rebooting 20,000 Leagues, you should start here.
Top 75 spaceships in movies and TV. Great list, with pictures!
15 Most atrocious movie accents. (of course Costner is on it).
Have we outgrown the need for "belief?"
Most CSI fans are happy about Sara returning and Riley leaving. I, however, am not among them. I can't stand Jorja Fox as an actress, and never liked the Sara character. I was hoping she would get stung by one of Gil's exotic insects in the jungle and die. And I was quite fond of Riley's quirky CSI and think Lauren Lee Smith is adorable. (Google her, safe search off, and most guys should agree).
Pop Candy brought back the "favorite R.E.M. song" topic this week, based on a Top 20 list from Paste. I've addressed this subject before, which you can find here, and I have to agree more with Whitney's list than the one from Paste. Plus, any list skips Chronic Town (Box Cars) AND has the accursed "Swan Swan H" at number three (on a list of "good" songs!) makes my head want to explode.
SI writer Jeff Pearlman takes on last week's SI cover boy, the carnival snake handling cult leader and pulpit pusher (and occasional fullback/awkward thrower of the ball) from Gainesville. I run hot and cold with some of Pearlman's opining, but I like this one. Here's a follow up.
Along similar lines, hypocrisy gets fatter. Yes, McMackin's comments were stupid, close-minded and thoughtless, no question. But for Weis, representing an organization that institutionalizes bigotry and actively seeks to prevent equal legal rights for people who differ philosophically with their myth-making, to take "offense" is vomit-inducing. Fittingly, that's about the only "offense" to come out of South Bend in quite some time.
Having trouble finding "original" television theme songs? I know I was, until I stumbled across this marvelous website. Kudos, sir.
A good list of 10 great sci-fi novels. (Needs Dune and Hitchhiker, though).
I'm more Libertarian and Objectivist than most, but this "How to succeed as an Ayn Rand character" flowchart cracks me up.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
I'll take potpourri for $6,500, Alex
A roundup of links, thoughts and ephemera. Now with no MSG added.
What would have happened on Pushing Daisies had it not been cruelly canceled?
Brilliant, funny baseball "charts." Must see.
Basketball trick shot artist. Starts out interesting, then gets downright unbelievable.
Countdown of the top 50 movie robots.
This football league probably doesn't believe that teh gays are allowed to be starters. And I assume they think football was created 6 years ago.
A look back at the first good dragon movie.
Just who I look to for my 911 conspiracy theories.
Blowjobs are for ugly girls. I think the photographic evidence says it all, really.
10 greatest "false deaths" in movies (SPOILERS AHOY).
EPSN SEC blogger lists his favorite conference stadiums.
15 sci-fi movie sequels that didn't suck.
15 movies that were almost turned into TV shows. (I would have loved a TV version of the mucho underrated Zero Effect or Buckaroo Banzai).
For some reason, this video clip makes me think of the 3rd and 4th Planet of the Apes movies:
80s movie action cliches: the witty retort!
Best spy tips from Burn Notice.
7 Star Wars characters who dropped the ball.
A thoughtful mega essay on how the Battlestar Galactica finale screwed the pooch. Related: all the things the "god" of BSG had to be "responsible" for. Also related: how does Katee Sackhoff feel about her role in the finale? (trivia: Katee auditioned for the female detective role in Castle!)
New Harry Potter movie out today! Here's a list of the Top 25 characters in the series. And sports related, a funny list of Potter lookalikes from the world of sports.
What would have happened on Pushing Daisies had it not been cruelly canceled?
Brilliant, funny baseball "charts." Must see.
Basketball trick shot artist. Starts out interesting, then gets downright unbelievable.
Countdown of the top 50 movie robots.
This football league probably doesn't believe that teh gays are allowed to be starters. And I assume they think football was created 6 years ago.
A look back at the first good dragon movie.
Just who I look to for my 911 conspiracy theories.
Blowjobs are for ugly girls. I think the photographic evidence says it all, really.
10 greatest "false deaths" in movies (SPOILERS AHOY).
EPSN SEC blogger lists his favorite conference stadiums.
15 sci-fi movie sequels that didn't suck.
15 movies that were almost turned into TV shows. (I would have loved a TV version of the mucho underrated Zero Effect or Buckaroo Banzai).
For some reason, this video clip makes me think of the 3rd and 4th Planet of the Apes movies:
80s movie action cliches: the witty retort!
Best spy tips from Burn Notice.
7 Star Wars characters who dropped the ball.
A thoughtful mega essay on how the Battlestar Galactica finale screwed the pooch. Related: all the things the "god" of BSG had to be "responsible" for. Also related: how does Katee Sackhoff feel about her role in the finale? (trivia: Katee auditioned for the female detective role in Castle!)
New Harry Potter movie out today! Here's a list of the Top 25 characters in the series. And sports related, a funny list of Potter lookalikes from the world of sports.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
I'll take potpourri for $6,400, Alex
Top 10 Reasons why Trek is suddenly cool. (And none of those have anything to do with "Spock's Brain.")
Frak my life. Just read it and giggle.
Rating Woody Allen's films, from 1 - 40. Nice rankings, though personally, I'd put Annie Hall at #1. And probably have Bullets Over Broadway and Vicky Christina Barcelona higher. And Stardust Memories lower. Related: 10 Woody Allen proxies. Yeah, Celebrity was not up to snuff, but damn if Branagh didn't perfectly channel the Woodman.
I clipped this story about John Ensign and his hypocrisy on the whole ridiculous "defense of marriage" bullshit last week. And that was before another married with kids bible thumping nutjob jetted off Argentina to schtup his mistress. Yes, Sanford rejected the "stimulus package" because he was already getting his package stimulated. Haaaay-yooo.
Star Trek cakes. How cool are those? Here's an expanded look.
Are these the best sci-fi cliffhangers?
Hysterical! Michael Bay's keyboard.
Novel idea for sneaking booze into a ballgame.
The Madden ratings for the Atlanta Falcons.
Another TNRLM twitter suggestion shows up in the wild.
Interview with the delightful Julie Benz. I didn't realize she originally also read for "Deb" on Dexter.
Fantastic gallery of spaceships on io9.
Count down the Top 70 Marvel Comics covers ever. Definitely worth a look if you're a comic geek.
I know he was from Florida, and went to college at Tennessee, but somewhere along the way, didn't Travis Henry ever learn about condoms? Hell, the "pull out" method would seem to be more successful.
Highlights from the recent Bear McCreary BSG concert. Awesome.
Pop Quiz, Hotshot: famous TV homes. (I got 80%, BTW).
Great article on how the "standard" MLB camera angle is so misleading. Yes, the "off center" approach composes a better picture, especially in the widescreen era, but dead center certainly gives you a better idea about the pitches.
Did anyone else know there was a "University of Andy" web supplement to Weeds? Here Andy explains how to hold your liquor.
Are these the 10 most polarizing films of the last decade? Certainly a solid list, and think I wind up on the "pro" side of most of these.
Interview with Hope Davis, who was so mesmerizing on In Treatment this year.
IFC put together a list of the 50 greatest movie trailers of all time (with clips). Also, while I couldn't find a link to the actual list with clips, preeminent movie magazine Empire also assembled a similar list a while back.
Did Ayn Rand want Farrah to play Dagny Taggert? (Still waiting on an Atlas Shrugged flick, and I think Angelina or Rachel Weisz would make a great Dagny).
The dangers of quitting smoking.
Supernatural casts their Lucifer. Great choice, but I wonder what this means for Lost?
Doctor Who returns tonight! Alan Sepinwall talks to Russell Davies, and Mo Ryan chats with David Tennant.
Frak my life. Just read it and giggle.
Rating Woody Allen's films, from 1 - 40. Nice rankings, though personally, I'd put Annie Hall at #1. And probably have Bullets Over Broadway and Vicky Christina Barcelona higher. And Stardust Memories lower. Related: 10 Woody Allen proxies. Yeah, Celebrity was not up to snuff, but damn if Branagh didn't perfectly channel the Woodman.
I clipped this story about John Ensign and his hypocrisy on the whole ridiculous "defense of marriage" bullshit last week. And that was before another married with kids bible thumping nutjob jetted off Argentina to schtup his mistress. Yes, Sanford rejected the "stimulus package" because he was already getting his package stimulated. Haaaay-yooo.
Star Trek cakes. How cool are those? Here's an expanded look.
Are these the best sci-fi cliffhangers?
Hysterical! Michael Bay's keyboard.
Novel idea for sneaking booze into a ballgame.
The Madden ratings for the Atlanta Falcons.
Another TNRLM twitter suggestion shows up in the wild.
Interview with the delightful Julie Benz. I didn't realize she originally also read for "Deb" on Dexter.
Fantastic gallery of spaceships on io9.
Count down the Top 70 Marvel Comics covers ever. Definitely worth a look if you're a comic geek.
I know he was from Florida, and went to college at Tennessee, but somewhere along the way, didn't Travis Henry ever learn about condoms? Hell, the "pull out" method would seem to be more successful.
Highlights from the recent Bear McCreary BSG concert. Awesome.
Pop Quiz, Hotshot: famous TV homes. (I got 80%, BTW).
Great article on how the "standard" MLB camera angle is so misleading. Yes, the "off center" approach composes a better picture, especially in the widescreen era, but dead center certainly gives you a better idea about the pitches.
Did anyone else know there was a "University of Andy" web supplement to Weeds? Here Andy explains how to hold your liquor.
Are these the 10 most polarizing films of the last decade? Certainly a solid list, and think I wind up on the "pro" side of most of these.
Interview with Hope Davis, who was so mesmerizing on In Treatment this year.
IFC put together a list of the 50 greatest movie trailers of all time (with clips). Also, while I couldn't find a link to the actual list with clips, preeminent movie magazine Empire also assembled a similar list a while back.
Did Ayn Rand want Farrah to play Dagny Taggert? (Still waiting on an Atlas Shrugged flick, and I think Angelina or Rachel Weisz would make a great Dagny).
The dangers of quitting smoking.
Supernatural casts their Lucifer. Great choice, but I wonder what this means for Lost?
Doctor Who returns tonight! Alan Sepinwall talks to Russell Davies, and Mo Ryan chats with David Tennant.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
I'll take potpourri for $6,000, Alex
The Lost finale is still cooking my noodle, and I'll have more on that next week. However, here's an overstuffed basket of potpourri for your Saturday morning enjoyment:
Need a quick way to identify which Trek movie you're watching? Here's a handy chart.
How does Spock's mom stay so young looking? Big gulps of water, apparently. (Plus, any chance to indulge my lifelong crush on Winona Ryder is always welcome).
How big is the new Enterprise? Pretty fucking big.
i09's 5 favorite Trek ripoffs (and you really have to click the video for the "Phoenix 5.")
Here's a great podcast about movie scores. You'll find at the top of the list a episode about the music of Trek. Good stuff.
More Trek! Here's the wallpaper on my CrackBerry:
io9 has compiled a great collection of Trek Top 10 lists.
More Trek goodies, including a trivia quiz administered by "Q." (Yeah, I scored 20 out of 20).
Great set of annotations to the new Trek movie.
Can you tell that I FLOVED the new Trek film? Okay, on to other things...
This is AWESOME. The "world's three best visual illusions."
Flat screen TV's are now an apparent danger to children. Here's a solution: keep your fucking kids away from the TV. Here's another: get your priorities in line. TVs are much more important; don't spawn in the first place.
One man's take on why Fringe is attracting more viewers than Dollhouse.
Speaking of Fringe, how about that fantastic finale? Here's a closeup of a newspaper from the other dimension. JFK is still alive! (Does Oliver Stone have no career in this other dimension?) Len Bias still alive, and leading the Celts to a title! Stock market closed! White House rebuilt!
Michael Emerson chats with the AV Club.
Joss Whedon's "7 Things I Love About Sci-Fi."
io9 posits that Dollhouse is Joss's "greatest work." (I don't agree, but it's an interesting read nonetheless).
The gorgeous Juliet Landau talks about writing Drusilla for the Buffy comics.
Nathan Fillion Q&A with EW about Castle (which also got renewed, along with Better Off Ted. Yippee!). More Nathan here.
An oldie but a goodie from PJ O'Rourke, "I agree with me."
This cracks me up: the "history of everything" in timeline form. Which option makes more sense?
Asteroids couldn't have killed the dinosaurs. Wait, all this happened in 6,000 years?
Oh yeah. Marriage equality leads to bestiality, pedophilia and polygamy. Keep talking, Pat. It makes everyone else look smarter.
Thoughts on Joss's script for Alien Resurrection, and what happened as it was translated by the director.
Nice Interview with Jim Beaver, from Supernatural. (And damn, was I glad Bobby lived through that kickass finale).
Wizard Universe lists the "TV Greatest Sci-Fi Shows Ever."
How cool is this? The Tarantino Mixtape:
Today in Idiocy: I watch the Weather Channel occasionally, but didn't realize there was a type of "wind" that would only blow in the direction of nipples, while leaving the hair unmoved.
Need a quick way to identify which Trek movie you're watching? Here's a handy chart.
How does Spock's mom stay so young looking? Big gulps of water, apparently. (Plus, any chance to indulge my lifelong crush on Winona Ryder is always welcome).
How big is the new Enterprise? Pretty fucking big.
i09's 5 favorite Trek ripoffs (and you really have to click the video for the "Phoenix 5.")
Here's a great podcast about movie scores. You'll find at the top of the list a episode about the music of Trek. Good stuff.
More Trek! Here's the wallpaper on my CrackBerry:
io9 has compiled a great collection of Trek Top 10 lists.
More Trek goodies, including a trivia quiz administered by "Q." (Yeah, I scored 20 out of 20).
Great set of annotations to the new Trek movie.
Can you tell that I FLOVED the new Trek film? Okay, on to other things...
This is AWESOME. The "world's three best visual illusions."
Flat screen TV's are now an apparent danger to children. Here's a solution: keep your fucking kids away from the TV. Here's another: get your priorities in line. TVs are much more important; don't spawn in the first place.
One man's take on why Fringe is attracting more viewers than Dollhouse.
Speaking of Fringe, how about that fantastic finale? Here's a closeup of a newspaper from the other dimension. JFK is still alive! (Does Oliver Stone have no career in this other dimension?) Len Bias still alive, and leading the Celts to a title! Stock market closed! White House rebuilt!
Michael Emerson chats with the AV Club.
Joss Whedon's "7 Things I Love About Sci-Fi."
io9 posits that Dollhouse is Joss's "greatest work." (I don't agree, but it's an interesting read nonetheless).
The gorgeous Juliet Landau talks about writing Drusilla for the Buffy comics.
Nathan Fillion Q&A with EW about Castle (which also got renewed, along with Better Off Ted. Yippee!). More Nathan here.
An oldie but a goodie from PJ O'Rourke, "I agree with me."
This cracks me up: the "history of everything" in timeline form. Which option makes more sense?
Asteroids couldn't have killed the dinosaurs. Wait, all this happened in 6,000 years?
Oh yeah. Marriage equality leads to bestiality, pedophilia and polygamy. Keep talking, Pat. It makes everyone else look smarter.
Thoughts on Joss's script for Alien Resurrection, and what happened as it was translated by the director.
Nice Interview with Jim Beaver, from Supernatural. (And damn, was I glad Bobby lived through that kickass finale).
Wizard Universe lists the "TV Greatest Sci-Fi Shows Ever."
How cool is this? The Tarantino Mixtape:
The Tarantino Mixtape from Eclectic Method on Vimeo.
Today in Idiocy: I watch the Weather Channel occasionally, but didn't realize there was a type of "wind" that would only blow in the direction of nipples, while leaving the hair unmoved.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
I'll take potpourri for $5,900, Alex
Happy Birthday, Christina Hendricks!
109 has a look at sci-fi time loops.
Wil Wheaton remembers the Atari. God, I loved that machine. I tried a few times to get into a Nintendo, Sega or X-Box, but there are just too many damned buttons. Joystick and red button, and blow shit up. That's the ticket.
Banning comic sans, the ugliest and most overused font EVER.
Has Chuck been saved? Hey, I bought my $5 footlong! More Chuck, please!
Gillian Anderson on Doctor Who? Swoon.
Swine Flu panic? Let the movies show you how to handle it.
Lostpedia interviews Darlton.
A Lost "in memoriam."
Favorite TV hangouts.
Holier than thou gasbag Sean Hannity calls Kim Kardashian a "role model" for girls. A. I don't think he does much research, and B. when his daughter is getting fucked on camera for a porn tape, maybe he might want to revisit that statement.
Galactica Sitrep found these odd little videos, with animated characters bitching about BSG to a clown standing for Ron Moore.
If this is the case, I should be the least lonely person alive.
E! talks to Dollhouse's Topher.
Paleyfest report on Fringe.
Fake tits, "real" marriage and empty heads.
Anna Faris will start in a new comedy about that age old relationship irritant: What's Your Number? Apparently, her character sets a limit on the number of dudes she can bang in her lifetime: 20. If one of my exes had done that, she'd have hung up her panties during recess.
Speaking of which, I find it odd that this headline was from Columbus Ohio.
Yep, that's my home state. Forget the fish, bread and eternal life. Nothing says benevolent mythological deity like an affordable Korean car.
Like a lot of sci-fi fans, I enjoyed Ender's Game. But the author is a whackjob, and just joined the NOM, to "declare war on the government" if they recognize marriage equality. I guess giant space insects are bigots, too.
Another good interview with Darlton, from Variety.
Televisionary talks with Caprica showrunner (and writer of Friday's AWESOME Dollhouse ep, "Briar Rose") Jane Espenson. BTW, I saw Caprica on DVD, and it was terrific. Highly recommended.
Atlanta sports fans rejoice. Our long national nightmare is over: Terence Moore leaves the AJC. (Typical column: bad owners, race, Aaron, Braves suck, race, bad sentence, race, Big Red Machine, race. Oh, and race).
Good look at UGA from Tony Barnhart.
The 5 Hardest Things to do in Acting. I guess "read dialogue in a George Lucas movie" or "convey emotion in a Michael Bay movie" just missed the cut.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
I'll take potpourri for $5,600, Alex
How much of Lost has now been affected by a sandwich?
DirecTV will be showing some canceled series. (I loved Eyes, which I thought deserved a much longer run).
The Blade Runner ending. Deckard? Yep, Replicant.
50 great "finishing moves" from the movies.
A Lego, musical version of Silence of the Lambs? Of course. It puts the lotion in the fucking basket!!
Interview with Nathan Fillion.
Talk about a narrow built in audience. I think I'm one of the only people on the planet who remembers, and actually had and played with, this toy now becoming a movie.
A chat with Jane Espenson.
TWOP looks at BSG's unanswered questions.
The best DSLs in Hollywood. (And no, that doesn't have anything to do with an internet connection).
You know, this explains a LOT.
Matt Stafford's parents got a divorce when he was a kid. And I'm sure that led to Georgia Tech rushing for 700 yards in the second half, too.
The Suicide Girls weren't particularly enamored with the BSG finale.
10 Sexiest "Damsels in Distress?" MJ hotter than Princess Leia? And even though Spider-Man 3 blew chunks, Gwen Stacy was hotter than MJ. There's really a lot to disagree with in this list.
Still can't get enough Battlestar?
An in-depth analysis of and conversation about, a very underrated sci-fi remake, Solaris. I unashamedly love this movie.
Not sure I agree with the choices, but here's a list of the 25 Best and Worst TV episode titles.
Pure concentrated awesome: Vintage Dharma Ads.
The lovely and talented Alicia Witt will guest on The Mentalist. (I actually watched a painful majority of 88 Minutes on a movie channel the other day because she had a significant role. Truly a terrible, terrible flick).
io9 looks at crazy space racists!
Ron Moore's script for The Thing prequel is getting shelved. Now, the alien no longer appears on Earth to kill and maim an Antarctic expedition because "God wanted it to."
Photos probably forthcoming from Columbus, GA.
io9 tries to sort out Terminator timelines. Get migraine meds ready.
Pajiba checks back in on Dollhouse, and finds it lacking. (Personally, I thought the last couple of episodes, particularly "Man on the Street," were terrific).
The "reboot" hasn't even premiered yet, and the writers are signed for a Trek sequel.
Noted comedy writer Ken Levine has found a letter Lost's Juliet has written to her sister back home.
Economic times are tough, and people are "trading down" on spirits. Is there any difference between the vodkas? (Personally, I keep a bottle of Ketel One for dry martinis, and some cheap stuff for everything else. You absolutely, no pun intended, can't tell the difference in vodkas in Bloody Marys and Screwdrivers).
DirecTV will be showing some canceled series. (I loved Eyes, which I thought deserved a much longer run).
The Blade Runner ending. Deckard? Yep, Replicant.
50 great "finishing moves" from the movies.
A Lego, musical version of Silence of the Lambs? Of course. It puts the lotion in the fucking basket!!
Interview with Nathan Fillion.
Talk about a narrow built in audience. I think I'm one of the only people on the planet who remembers, and actually had and played with, this toy now becoming a movie.
A chat with Jane Espenson.
TWOP looks at BSG's unanswered questions.
The best DSLs in Hollywood. (And no, that doesn't have anything to do with an internet connection).
You know, this explains a LOT.
Matt Stafford's parents got a divorce when he was a kid. And I'm sure that led to Georgia Tech rushing for 700 yards in the second half, too.
The Suicide Girls weren't particularly enamored with the BSG finale.
10 Sexiest "Damsels in Distress?" MJ hotter than Princess Leia? And even though Spider-Man 3 blew chunks, Gwen Stacy was hotter than MJ. There's really a lot to disagree with in this list.
Still can't get enough Battlestar?
- Six of the best BSG moments.
- Top 10 BSG episodes.
- BSG composer Bear McCreary's epic blog post about the music for "Daybreak."
- Ron Moore took to the Skiffy forums to answer some post-"Daybreak" questions.
An in-depth analysis of and conversation about, a very underrated sci-fi remake, Solaris. I unashamedly love this movie.
Not sure I agree with the choices, but here's a list of the 25 Best and Worst TV episode titles.
Pure concentrated awesome: Vintage Dharma Ads.
The lovely and talented Alicia Witt will guest on The Mentalist. (I actually watched a painful majority of 88 Minutes on a movie channel the other day because she had a significant role. Truly a terrible, terrible flick).
io9 looks at crazy space racists!
Ron Moore's script for The Thing prequel is getting shelved. Now, the alien no longer appears on Earth to kill and maim an Antarctic expedition because "God wanted it to."
Photos probably forthcoming from Columbus, GA.
io9 tries to sort out Terminator timelines. Get migraine meds ready.
Pajiba checks back in on Dollhouse, and finds it lacking. (Personally, I thought the last couple of episodes, particularly "Man on the Street," were terrific).
The "reboot" hasn't even premiered yet, and the writers are signed for a Trek sequel.
Noted comedy writer Ken Levine has found a letter Lost's Juliet has written to her sister back home.
Economic times are tough, and people are "trading down" on spirits. Is there any difference between the vodkas? (Personally, I keep a bottle of Ketel One for dry martinis, and some cheap stuff for everything else. You absolutely, no pun intended, can't tell the difference in vodkas in Bloody Marys and Screwdrivers).
Saturday, February 7, 2009
I'll take potpourri for $4,900, Alex
TV's top love triangles.
Time talks to Eliza Dushku about Dollhouse.
So does Suicide Girls.
LA Times chats with Elizabeth Fain and Sarah Craft about Dollhouse.
Talent AND tittays.
Ditto. Especially the latter. Wow.
Finally, good news about the economy.
Bill Paxton chats about Big Love, which is just en fuego this year.
Watching the Super Bowl, I was never sure that there were two feet down on the Santonio Holmes catch. But check out pics 10 and 12 here.
A podcast for my friend Meg.
That's one hot stripper.
Sayid, one man killing machine. But stand up comic? Er, not so much.
I haven't gone through the latest and greatest, but as of Thursday, some stuff that was in the "stimulus" bill. Yep, I feel great about it.
The second episode of Angel was intended to be a lot darker than it turned out. So was Kate.
A brilliant and thoughtful post from Roger Ebert, ostensibly about The Reader (spoilers for that movie), but also touching on politics, religion and "creationism."
The Big O throws "us" another bone at the national prayer breakfast.
Long treatise on why conservatism is dead. And of course, it all depends on how you define "conservative."
Sci-fi and supernatural shows that were canceled too soon. No arguments here. (BTW, why don't "canceled" and "traveled" have two "l's?" Like "judgment" with no "e" after the "g," I always misspell those. But the former two aren't in the list of the Top 100 most frequently misspelled words).
I bet the lung capacity shown during his Olympic performance results in some extra tasty bong hits. Dude.
TV Week interviews Joss about Dollhouse. Interesting, in that they ask the "cable question." For the life of me, I've never understood why Joss returned to FOX and network TV after Firefly. Well, I understand in the sense that I know the story (Eliza had a deal with FOX, met with Joss to discuss her career, and *poof* here comes Dollhouse). But I don't understand, when a cable network (FX, AMC, TNT, Sci-Fi, Showtime, HBO) seems like such an OBVIOUS fit. Think about it: At its zenith, Buffy brought in 5.3 million viewers (S3). Angel brought in 4.8 (S1). Both of those shows were outside the Top 100 in the rankings, though at the very top for their tiny network (WB, at the time). Firefly was canceled on FOX for pulling in the same 5 million viewer range. So is there a cap to Whedon-viewing? If Dollhouse pulls in 5 - 6 million on a Friday night, will FOX let that go? For how long? On the other hand, Mad Men lives in the 1-2 million range on AMC. BSG does the same for Skiffy. Shows on FX are successful in the 3 - 5 million range. Shows on HBO or Showtime continue to thrive with 1 - 3 million on their first airing. USA and TNT would love to have something consistently perform in the 4 - 6 million range. And wouldn't they kill to have a loyal, fanatical fanbase that tunes in each week, buys the iTunes versions, buys the DVDs and lights up the message boards? And appreciates the network for supporting their show, rather than a love-hate relationship with the network that they feel is always on the verge of killing their show? Look, I want Dollhouse on FOX to succeed as much as the next fanboy, and I'm looking forward to a Friday night lineup of Sarah Connor and Dollhouse on FOX, followed by BSG on Skiffy. But realistically, I'm not holding my breath about the long term prospects. I just hope that Joss realizes his gift for creating and tell stories in a long-term format, and takes his next show where it belongs, and where it will be appreciated and nourished.
The "grindhouse" style trailers for Sarah Connor and Dollhouse.
LA Times talks with Eliza.
Joss talks with Wharton about monetizing internet content.
Another Dollhouse piece. And another. (Damn, is it next Friday yet?!!)
Tron and Depeche Mode. Two great tastes that taste great together.
An open letter to the new chair of the RNC. Damn straight.
The Watcher chats with the writer of last week's brilliant BSG, "The Oath."
A field guide to various fanboy groups.
Great interview with David Fincher.
Adam Baldwin chats with the AV Club.
The duck in the truck. Cute.
How to do comic book lettering and grammar.
Time talks to Eliza Dushku about Dollhouse.
So does Suicide Girls.
LA Times chats with Elizabeth Fain and Sarah Craft about Dollhouse.
Talent AND tittays.
Ditto. Especially the latter. Wow.
Finally, good news about the economy.
Bill Paxton chats about Big Love, which is just en fuego this year.
Watching the Super Bowl, I was never sure that there were two feet down on the Santonio Holmes catch. But check out pics 10 and 12 here.
A podcast for my friend Meg.
That's one hot stripper.
Sayid, one man killing machine. But stand up comic? Er, not so much.
I haven't gone through the latest and greatest, but as of Thursday, some stuff that was in the "stimulus" bill. Yep, I feel great about it.
The second episode of Angel was intended to be a lot darker than it turned out. So was Kate.
A brilliant and thoughtful post from Roger Ebert, ostensibly about The Reader (spoilers for that movie), but also touching on politics, religion and "creationism."
The Big O throws "us" another bone at the national prayer breakfast.
Long treatise on why conservatism is dead. And of course, it all depends on how you define "conservative."
Sci-fi and supernatural shows that were canceled too soon. No arguments here. (BTW, why don't "canceled" and "traveled" have two "l's?" Like "judgment" with no "e" after the "g," I always misspell those. But the former two aren't in the list of the Top 100 most frequently misspelled words).
I bet the lung capacity shown during his Olympic performance results in some extra tasty bong hits. Dude.
TV Week interviews Joss about Dollhouse. Interesting, in that they ask the "cable question." For the life of me, I've never understood why Joss returned to FOX and network TV after Firefly. Well, I understand in the sense that I know the story (Eliza had a deal with FOX, met with Joss to discuss her career, and *poof* here comes Dollhouse). But I don't understand, when a cable network (FX, AMC, TNT, Sci-Fi, Showtime, HBO) seems like such an OBVIOUS fit. Think about it: At its zenith, Buffy brought in 5.3 million viewers (S3). Angel brought in 4.8 (S1). Both of those shows were outside the Top 100 in the rankings, though at the very top for their tiny network (WB, at the time). Firefly was canceled on FOX for pulling in the same 5 million viewer range. So is there a cap to Whedon-viewing? If Dollhouse pulls in 5 - 6 million on a Friday night, will FOX let that go? For how long? On the other hand, Mad Men lives in the 1-2 million range on AMC. BSG does the same for Skiffy. Shows on FX are successful in the 3 - 5 million range. Shows on HBO or Showtime continue to thrive with 1 - 3 million on their first airing. USA and TNT would love to have something consistently perform in the 4 - 6 million range. And wouldn't they kill to have a loyal, fanatical fanbase that tunes in each week, buys the iTunes versions, buys the DVDs and lights up the message boards? And appreciates the network for supporting their show, rather than a love-hate relationship with the network that they feel is always on the verge of killing their show? Look, I want Dollhouse on FOX to succeed as much as the next fanboy, and I'm looking forward to a Friday night lineup of Sarah Connor and Dollhouse on FOX, followed by BSG on Skiffy. But realistically, I'm not holding my breath about the long term prospects. I just hope that Joss realizes his gift for creating and tell stories in a long-term format, and takes his next show where it belongs, and where it will be appreciated and nourished.
The "grindhouse" style trailers for Sarah Connor and Dollhouse.
LA Times talks with Eliza.
Joss talks with Wharton about monetizing internet content.
Another Dollhouse piece. And another. (Damn, is it next Friday yet?!!)
Tron and Depeche Mode. Two great tastes that taste great together.
An open letter to the new chair of the RNC. Damn straight.
The Watcher chats with the writer of last week's brilliant BSG, "The Oath."
A field guide to various fanboy groups.
Great interview with David Fincher.
Adam Baldwin chats with the AV Club.
The duck in the truck. Cute.
How to do comic book lettering and grammar.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
I'll take potpourri for $4,600, Alex
This week's roundup features and extra helping of geek. Enjoy.
RIP, Ricardo Montalban. Just for good measure. Also, 16 things you may not know about TWoK.
As well documented in the blogosphere, ESPN is increasingly populated with self-absorbed asshats with a tired schtick. However, a rare bright spot on the tube and on the radio is Scott Van Pelt. Here's a good interview with him at The Big Lead.
The Mad-Pocalypse has been averted. Matt Weiner signs for two more seasons. Everyone fuck around, have a martini and smoke up!
A Veronica Mars flick? Get me tickets and popcorn, I'm there.
The Top 50 sci-fi costumes. And here's a detailed history of one all the geeks know is on that list.
Soft-core sci-fi sex coming to Skinemax?
I consider myself a treasure trove of nerd trivia. But I never knew that EJO was offered the role of Captain Picard.
Here's another one for you. Did you realize that Nathan Fillion auditioned for the role of Crichton on Farscape (that eventually went to Ben Browder)?
I'm too old, and geographically undesirable. But seeing ads like this gives me hope for mankind.
The talented and smoking hot Emily Blunt in the Iron Man sequel, possibly as The Black Widow? Mmmmmm.
Speaking of hot and talented, an interview with Amy Acker.
Mo Ryan continues to get geektastic interviews, this time with the Lost boys. Good stuff. Wednesday! Wednesday!
After all the naysaying and hand-wringing over Dollhouse, a few reasons to be optimistic.
Good news for Mondays: Leonard's mom on BBT gets cast, as does Chuck's dad on Chuck.
A solid list of the Top 25 episodes of Angel, along with the 5 worst. (And yep, those are definitely the top 2 worst).
17 revamps that went better than expected.
Reasons to look forward to the new TV season.
Tim Tebow! Praise be to Allah!
Some insight into what's shaping up to be another great season of In Treatment.
Finebaum's SEC coaching rankings. Hard to argue with it.
RIP, Ricardo Montalban. Just for good measure. Also, 16 things you may not know about TWoK.
As well documented in the blogosphere, ESPN is increasingly populated with self-absorbed asshats with a tired schtick. However, a rare bright spot on the tube and on the radio is Scott Van Pelt. Here's a good interview with him at The Big Lead.
The Mad-Pocalypse has been averted. Matt Weiner signs for two more seasons. Everyone fuck around, have a martini and smoke up!
A Veronica Mars flick? Get me tickets and popcorn, I'm there.
The Top 50 sci-fi costumes. And here's a detailed history of one all the geeks know is on that list.
Soft-core sci-fi sex coming to Skinemax?
I consider myself a treasure trove of nerd trivia. But I never knew that EJO was offered the role of Captain Picard.
Here's another one for you. Did you realize that Nathan Fillion auditioned for the role of Crichton on Farscape (that eventually went to Ben Browder)?
I'm too old, and geographically undesirable. But seeing ads like this gives me hope for mankind.
The talented and smoking hot Emily Blunt in the Iron Man sequel, possibly as The Black Widow? Mmmmmm.
Speaking of hot and talented, an interview with Amy Acker.
Mo Ryan continues to get geektastic interviews, this time with the Lost boys. Good stuff. Wednesday! Wednesday!
After all the naysaying and hand-wringing over Dollhouse, a few reasons to be optimistic.
Good news for Mondays: Leonard's mom on BBT gets cast, as does Chuck's dad on Chuck.
A solid list of the Top 25 episodes of Angel, along with the 5 worst. (And yep, those are definitely the top 2 worst).
17 revamps that went better than expected.
Reasons to look forward to the new TV season.
Tim Tebow! Praise be to Allah!
Some insight into what's shaping up to be another great season of In Treatment.
Finebaum's SEC coaching rankings. Hard to argue with it.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
I'll take potpourri for $4,500, Alex
I'm just going to close my eyes and put my hands over my ears and chant "lalalalalalala" and totally ignore the financial machinations of Fox, which might delay the release of Watchmen on its scheduled date. And instead, watch two new videos: A featurette on story and characters, and a look at the making of the iconic "Minutemen" photo. (in Quicktime)
An awesome recap of i09's 2008 "triviagasms."
Lost fonts and logos!
Happy birthday, my favorite hairstyle (er, just to be clear, not for me).
Mandel's early preseason top 10. The plague of evil is number one. And since it's a Mandel column, UGA is nowhere to be seen. Anyone else have that vague "2005" feeling yet? 2004 was the swan song of some celebrated players, and there were great expectations that fell short that year. The next year, we flew a bit under the radar and took care of business. Too soon?
Betty Draper looking smoking hot.
AJ Green voted to all-freshman team (along with Julio Jones). So who was the SEC freshman of the year? Depends on who you ask. Coaches say AJ. AP says Julio.
The top 500 worst (aka "most common") passwords of all time. Evidently, the list was compiled from people that have no imagination, like their own name, are geeks (NCC1701!) and enjoy casual profanity. A funny list to peruse.
Statistical savant Bill James on why the computer models used for the BCS suck.
Apple's latest and greatest:
Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard
Young John Connor talks about the upcoming eppys of T:TSSC, and addresses one of my (few) complaints (too many terminators coming back from the future).
A dog, and elephant, and....aaaawwwwwwww. Sniff.
Recap of this week's Mentalist eppy. A good reason why this show is resonating: it delved into the arc, but upended "regular procedural expectations." When Jane decided he was going after Red John, as a viewer we've been conditioned to think that Lisbon would have a big argument with him and try to talk him out of it. Instead, she was supportive. I like the team here, and it makes this procedural better than average.
The Breakfast Cereal Club. Hilarious.
Interview with Lisa of "Wendy and Lisa" fame. Hot, talented, funny AND a comic-book fan? Awesome.
Let's just make sure we understand the truth: it's NOT a "tax cut" if you don't pay taxes. (It's theft and welfare at gunpoint). It makes my blood boil that the mainstream media ALWAYS overlooks this point. And why do breeders get more of everyone's money? It's a fucking choice.
A baseball writer has some thoughts about Dale Murphy for the HOF.
A little light reading for all the "climate change" and "global warming" nuts. And a prominent politician doesn't toe the "politically correct" line. Good for him.
I love the whole "houndstooth" thing at 'Bama. Look at the gloves.
A pretty misogynistic and disgusting look at dating from one of those "pick up artist" types. But underneath all the disturbing and offensive rhetoric, is there perhaps a kernel of truth? I can probably pick out one horrific and life-wrecking moment from my past, and think that in hindsight, I should have taken the "Danger Will Robinson!" warning signs seriously. Sigh.
And along the same lines, Micheal K never fails to crack me up.
Where were these teachers when I was in school?
An NFL draftnik is a little surprised after doing an analysis of Matt Stafford.
Top 25 fictional ads in sci-fi.
Is this the first step in Skynet and the rise of the machines?
Good list of 14 disastrous revamps.
The flat-earthers take umbrage over a holiday greeting on a sci-fi blog.
An awesome recap of i09's 2008 "triviagasms."
Lost fonts and logos!
Happy birthday, my favorite hairstyle (er, just to be clear, not for me).
Mandel's early preseason top 10. The plague of evil is number one. And since it's a Mandel column, UGA is nowhere to be seen. Anyone else have that vague "2005" feeling yet? 2004 was the swan song of some celebrated players, and there were great expectations that fell short that year. The next year, we flew a bit under the radar and took care of business. Too soon?
Betty Draper looking smoking hot.
AJ Green voted to all-freshman team (along with Julio Jones). So who was the SEC freshman of the year? Depends on who you ask. Coaches say AJ. AP says Julio.
The top 500 worst (aka "most common") passwords of all time. Evidently, the list was compiled from people that have no imagination, like their own name, are geeks (NCC1701!) and enjoy casual profanity. A funny list to peruse.
Statistical savant Bill James on why the computer models used for the BCS suck.
Apple's latest and greatest:
Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard
Young John Connor talks about the upcoming eppys of T:TSSC, and addresses one of my (few) complaints (too many terminators coming back from the future).
A dog, and elephant, and....aaaawwwwwwww. Sniff.
Recap of this week's Mentalist eppy. A good reason why this show is resonating: it delved into the arc, but upended "regular procedural expectations." When Jane decided he was going after Red John, as a viewer we've been conditioned to think that Lisbon would have a big argument with him and try to talk him out of it. Instead, she was supportive. I like the team here, and it makes this procedural better than average.
The Breakfast Cereal Club. Hilarious.
Interview with Lisa of "Wendy and Lisa" fame. Hot, talented, funny AND a comic-book fan? Awesome.
Let's just make sure we understand the truth: it's NOT a "tax cut" if you don't pay taxes. (It's theft and welfare at gunpoint). It makes my blood boil that the mainstream media ALWAYS overlooks this point. And why do breeders get more of everyone's money? It's a fucking choice.
A baseball writer has some thoughts about Dale Murphy for the HOF.
A little light reading for all the "climate change" and "global warming" nuts. And a prominent politician doesn't toe the "politically correct" line. Good for him.
I love the whole "houndstooth" thing at 'Bama. Look at the gloves.
A pretty misogynistic and disgusting look at dating from one of those "pick up artist" types. But underneath all the disturbing and offensive rhetoric, is there perhaps a kernel of truth? I can probably pick out one horrific and life-wrecking moment from my past, and think that in hindsight, I should have taken the "Danger Will Robinson!" warning signs seriously. Sigh.
And along the same lines, Micheal K never fails to crack me up.
Where were these teachers when I was in school?
An NFL draftnik is a little surprised after doing an analysis of Matt Stafford.
Top 25 fictional ads in sci-fi.
Is this the first step in Skynet and the rise of the machines?
Good list of 14 disastrous revamps.
The flat-earthers take umbrage over a holiday greeting on a sci-fi blog.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Head just 'sploded
Check out this awesome chart at io9. I think my xmas break may be consumed with figuring out all the connections.
Note: it's kind of a geek version of the Tommy Westphall Multiverse. Which also makes my head hurt.
Note: it's kind of a geek version of the Tommy Westphall Multiverse. Which also makes my head hurt.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
But sometimes the "bad" ones make ya think
In my previous potpourri collection, I linked to one person's take on the "best sci-fi remakes." Here's another perspective on the "10 worst sci-fi remakes." Oddly, you'll notice some of the same films on both lists.
Of the listed "worst" films on that list, I agree with them all. However, when you get into the "runners up," you'll see two movies that I love, Vanilla Sky and Solaris. I'm sure part of the problem many critics and viewers had with both of these is that they are remakes of critically adored foreign films (Amenabar's Abre los Ojos and Tarkovsky's Solaris). Remaking a beloved foreign language film naturally puts you into somewhat of a cultural gutter, as many think you have to "dumb down" the original material in order to appeal to the popcorn munching masses in the US market. And there's probably a kernel (get it?) of truth to that. I've seen both versions of both movies, and though there are some concessions made in the translations, the central ideas and questions posed by both films remain intact.
One of the first blog posts I ever made (back on my old blog) was related to a rewatching of Solaris and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotted Mind:
Good sci-fi asks the "what if" questions. What if computers develop a personality? What if artificial intelligence aggressively pursues its own self-preservation? What happens if you mess with the time-space continuum? What happens if you have first contact with an alien species? What is the next next step for human evolution?
What I like about the movies mentioned above is that they all wrap their plots in sci-fi trappings and technology, but turn the central questions inward to the human condition. What exactly is real? Are the memories that we recall from the past truly a "recording" of the way events actually happened, or an "alternate reality" created through the prism of our own perceptions? And even in real time, are events unfolding with a "universal truth" or does each individual perception create unlimited, divergent timelines of individual realities?
Flicks that play with those questions in macro (like Total Recall or The Matrix) can make for great, thought-provoking and action packed entertainment. But I find that the movies that bring those stories down a personal level, like Eternal Sunshine, Solaris and Vanilla Sky, stick with me longer and make me ask some unsettling questions about my own human experience.
But no matter how philosophical you get, the Planet of the Apes remake still blows.
Of the listed "worst" films on that list, I agree with them all. However, when you get into the "runners up," you'll see two movies that I love, Vanilla Sky and Solaris. I'm sure part of the problem many critics and viewers had with both of these is that they are remakes of critically adored foreign films (Amenabar's Abre los Ojos and Tarkovsky's Solaris). Remaking a beloved foreign language film naturally puts you into somewhat of a cultural gutter, as many think you have to "dumb down" the original material in order to appeal to the popcorn munching masses in the US market. And there's probably a kernel (get it?) of truth to that. I've seen both versions of both movies, and though there are some concessions made in the translations, the central ideas and questions posed by both films remain intact.
One of the first blog posts I ever made (back on my old blog) was related to a rewatching of Solaris and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotted Mind:
Watched two of my favorite movies yesterday: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotted Mind and Vanilla Sky. Yes, I know one stars Tom Cruise. And yes, I know he's one llama and a chimp away from being Michael Jackson. But dammit, he still made some good movies before the whole couch jumping and Dark Lord Xenu shit. The fascinating thing about both these movies is that they ask one of the most critical questions you can face: what is real?
Is the person that you love or loved the way you see them or they way they are? Or is it some combination? Much like two different people can look at the same cloud formation, and one sees a bunny and the other sees a cheese grater. Your perception of a person is based on a multiplicity of things: what they tell you about themselves (that you can or cannot verify or trust); what you personally observe; the effect of what they do and say and how it impacts you; the filter of your own experiences and values; what others tell you about this person; your own insecurities, hopes, wants and needs and obviously the affection you feel for the person. And does it have a cause and effect component? For example, does how you view someone make them behave in a way that justifies their reality in your worldview? But what is the real truth? Or even, is there a real truth at all? Is there simply a core that is the collection of our behaviors and actions, and the rest of our essence is the way others view us giving each viewer their own separate interpretation of the same person (you) but therefore creating a number of different yous that all exist in the same time and space? Is it possible to change this person, by changing your own worldview? What triggers this?
The central conceit of both movies is that there is no clear cut answer -- no clear cut you or your other. If you entered an altered reality, would things be exactly the same, or if you knew that going in, could you actually change things? Can you strip away the biases and experiences and ever see anyone for what they really are? Does the love and affection your feel, and the truths you think you believe, prevent you from realizing they are psychotic, dangerous or cruel? Or are they that way because you created them that way? (VS) Or, if you stripped away the memory and experiences that shaped (or created) the person in your eyes, would you fall in love exactly the same way and relive things tangibly exactly the same way again? (ESSM)
What is REAL?
BTW, another movie that expertly, though somberly and with a sci-fi twist, plays with these same notions is Solaris.
Good sci-fi asks the "what if" questions. What if computers develop a personality? What if artificial intelligence aggressively pursues its own self-preservation? What happens if you mess with the time-space continuum? What happens if you have first contact with an alien species? What is the next next step for human evolution?
What I like about the movies mentioned above is that they all wrap their plots in sci-fi trappings and technology, but turn the central questions inward to the human condition. What exactly is real? Are the memories that we recall from the past truly a "recording" of the way events actually happened, or an "alternate reality" created through the prism of our own perceptions? And even in real time, are events unfolding with a "universal truth" or does each individual perception create unlimited, divergent timelines of individual realities?
Flicks that play with those questions in macro (like Total Recall or The Matrix) can make for great, thought-provoking and action packed entertainment. But I find that the movies that bring those stories down a personal level, like Eternal Sunshine, Solaris and Vanilla Sky, stick with me longer and make me ask some unsettling questions about my own human experience.
But no matter how philosophical you get, the Planet of the Apes remake still blows.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
I'll take potpourri for $4,100, Alex
For fellow comic book nerds: who were the best artists for each superhero?
More official Lost cast photos have surfaced. Does anyone else agree with me that Juliet is hotter than a thousand suns?
Speaking of hot, Kristin Bell outtakes.
Economy in trouble? Here is a brilliant way to help.
One of the writers of the new Trek film discusses science, canon and how the movie fits.
The quotable Alec Baldwin.
Let Barry light up!
Finally, proof of the Almighty.
This cracks me up. The ALL CAPS are just perfect.
A peek at plans Supernatural's new year. BTW, I was late to the party on this show. I guess it got lost in the CW ghetto for me, but I've been catching up via (simultaneously) 4th season shows on TiVo, and the 1st and 2nd seasons on DVD. And I have to say, while it's not quite to the level of Buffy and Angel, this is an tremendously entertaining and engaging genre show, with laughs, scares, arcs and most importantly, great writing and acting. If you haven't checked it out, you should.
Are these the 7 worst guitar solos of all time? And 2 of them are in completely awesome songs, too.
I have no idea what this is about, but the title alone makes me want to see it.
Here's some logic and reason I wish was more prevalent.
Christopher Nolan examines his favorite scene in The Dark Knight.
The fabulous Maura Tierney joins Rescue Me? Awesome.
Marisa Tomei has no problem getting nekkid. And we have no problem say "thanks."
Just last week, I said that Stacey Dales is my favorite sideline princess. And just like that, she's out of a job. In case I have magical powers, perhaps I should say that Lou Holtz, Emmit Smith and Mark May are my favorite analysts.
Great news on the voice of the computer for the new Trek movie.
One take on the "best 7 sci-fi remakes." I agree with most of them, including the oft-bashed and underappreciated Vanilla Sky, and one of the best flicks I've seen in the last 10 years, the Solaris remake, but Burton's Planet of the Apes? Really? Ugh.
A preview of tomorrow's Sarah Connor Chronicles, which I continue to heart with a passion.
More official Lost cast photos have surfaced. Does anyone else agree with me that Juliet is hotter than a thousand suns?
Speaking of hot, Kristin Bell outtakes.
Economy in trouble? Here is a brilliant way to help.
One of the writers of the new Trek film discusses science, canon and how the movie fits.
The quotable Alec Baldwin.
Let Barry light up!
Finally, proof of the Almighty.
This cracks me up. The ALL CAPS are just perfect.
A peek at plans Supernatural's new year. BTW, I was late to the party on this show. I guess it got lost in the CW ghetto for me, but I've been catching up via (simultaneously) 4th season shows on TiVo, and the 1st and 2nd seasons on DVD. And I have to say, while it's not quite to the level of Buffy and Angel, this is an tremendously entertaining and engaging genre show, with laughs, scares, arcs and most importantly, great writing and acting. If you haven't checked it out, you should.
Are these the 7 worst guitar solos of all time? And 2 of them are in completely awesome songs, too.
I have no idea what this is about, but the title alone makes me want to see it.
Here's some logic and reason I wish was more prevalent.
Christopher Nolan examines his favorite scene in The Dark Knight.
The fabulous Maura Tierney joins Rescue Me? Awesome.
Marisa Tomei has no problem getting nekkid. And we have no problem say "thanks."
Just last week, I said that Stacey Dales is my favorite sideline princess. And just like that, she's out of a job. In case I have magical powers, perhaps I should say that Lou Holtz, Emmit Smith and Mark May are my favorite analysts.
Great news on the voice of the computer for the new Trek movie.
One take on the "best 7 sci-fi remakes." I agree with most of them, including the oft-bashed and underappreciated Vanilla Sky, and one of the best flicks I've seen in the last 10 years, the Solaris remake, but Burton's Planet of the Apes? Really? Ugh.
A preview of tomorrow's Sarah Connor Chronicles, which I continue to heart with a passion.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Sunday leftovers
After an amusing guest spot last year, Sara Gilbert will be joining the cast of last year's best new sitcom, Big Bang Theory. Great addition to an already well cast show.
Two character-oriented trailers for the new Coen Brothers movie, Burn After Reading. This looks very funny. Brad Pitt is underrated for his ability to play dimwits, though with the release of Pineapple Express, his turn as a honey-bear bong smoking slacker in True Romance has been getting some ink.
I caught this on TV, but you can also watch online: Alan Tudyk subs for Leonard Maltin on Reelz Channel's "overlooked gems" show, Secret's Out. His guest? Nathan Fillion.
Interview with Mad Men creator Matt Weiner. (Hey, he likes Burn Notice, too!)
Great Summary of "fake American accents" in sci-fi. Obvious: Jamie Bamber is fantastic (Hugh Laurie-like in his ability to suppress his natural Brit-ness) and Michelle Ryan is awful.
What kind of a world do we live in when Tony Barnhart gets a pink slip and Terrence Moore keeps a job? Sheesh.
CEO of the former Pets.com talks about how to move on from life changing mistakes. Sounds good in theory, but years later, I'm still bitter and disillusioned. Maybe I need a sock puppet dog to talk me through it.
The Breck Girl fesses up. Remember all that "two Americas" bullshit?
Nice tribute to the dearly departed Skip Caray.
Two character-oriented trailers for the new Coen Brothers movie, Burn After Reading. This looks very funny. Brad Pitt is underrated for his ability to play dimwits, though with the release of Pineapple Express, his turn as a honey-bear bong smoking slacker in True Romance has been getting some ink.
I caught this on TV, but you can also watch online: Alan Tudyk subs for Leonard Maltin on Reelz Channel's "overlooked gems" show, Secret's Out. His guest? Nathan Fillion.
Interview with Mad Men creator Matt Weiner. (Hey, he likes Burn Notice, too!)
Great Summary of "fake American accents" in sci-fi. Obvious: Jamie Bamber is fantastic (Hugh Laurie-like in his ability to suppress his natural Brit-ness) and Michelle Ryan is awful.
What kind of a world do we live in when Tony Barnhart gets a pink slip and Terrence Moore keeps a job? Sheesh.
CEO of the former Pets.com talks about how to move on from life changing mistakes. Sounds good in theory, but years later, I'm still bitter and disillusioned. Maybe I need a sock puppet dog to talk me through it.
The Breck Girl fesses up. Remember all that "two Americas" bullshit?
"Today, under George W. Bush, there are two Americas, not one: One America that does the work, another that reaps the reward. One America that pays the taxes, another America that gets the tax breaks. One America - middle-class America - whose needs Washington has long forgotten, another America - narrow-interest America - whose every wish is Washington's command. One America that is struggling to get by, another America that can buy anything it wants, even a Congress and a president."Maybe we should add "One America where you can use your cancer-ridden wife for political gain while assuming the faux mantle of populist everyman and getting $400 haircuts, and another America where you can bang and probably knock up a mistress paid off with campaign funds."
Nice tribute to the dearly departed Skip Caray.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
I'll take potpourri for $2,400, Alex
Have y'all seen the early concept and make up tests for The Joker? There's some creepy stuff in there, but all things considered, I think they wound up with the best possible result for Heath's look in The Dark Knight.
Brad Pitt is officially on board for QT's Inglorious Bastards, and the rest of the cast could shape up nicely.
Casting for Lost.
Sci-Fi Wire's Top 10 Brilliant But Canceled*. 1 and 2 are just fine in my book. (And by "just fine," I mean that they deserve to be at the top of the list -- not that it was fine that they were euthanized because the drooling masses just didn't get it).
*"Canceled is one of those words I always want to misspell. Doesn't it seem like there should be another "l" at the end? Cancelled. Doesn't that look better? Like "judgment." Shouldn't it be "judgement?" I remember seeing T2 in the theatre, and when the credits came up, I was like "holy shit! They misspelled the title!"
Time article about the Jamaica Bay plane crash -- a real life event that played a prominent role in last Sunday's brilliant Mad Men.
Hamlet: The Facebook news feed edition. Fucking Funny.
Seized at a traffic stop. Can't we just kill ourselves cheaply? Christ on a cracker, I hate this state. Better yet, wouldn't it have been cool if this van had wrecked, and I had been behind it in traffic? "Help me. I'm pinned under the van. Can you call an ambulance?" "Sorry dude. I'm just picking up some free smokes." (on a related note, I hope no one inspects my duffle bags coming back from GA next month).
Speaking of smoky treats, on a lark I signed up for some online promotion Marlboro was running. I didn't win a grand prize or anything, and forgot about it. However, when I got home last night, I found a package in the mailbox. It was a delightful "thank you for killing yourself slowly" gift.
The creator of the awesome summer show, The Middleman, talks to IO9. The season finale is going to feature an alternate universe, complete with goatees! And if the unthinkable happens, and the show is not renewed, what can fans do? Hmmmmmm. Plus, more appreciation for this hard to define treat.
Great extended interview with the creator of House.
Charles Van Doren, of the infamous quiz show scandals, opens up in a first person essay.
A very interesting look at the "Top 20 Albums of All Time." I think I have them all, except for Metallica.
Wait, if something is 55 million years old, does that make it older than 6,000 years old? Huh. Speaking of which, this made me giggle. Too bad I've already devoted that same automotive real estate to my alma mater.
And talking about the alma mater, welcome to the Bulldog portion of our broadcast:
An amusing and fairly comprehensive run down of "Artificial Intelligence & Human Buddy Comedy Pairings."
A clip has surfaced from the Buffy animated series concept. Cute. A few years ago, I ordered a coffee mug with this image:
Brad Pitt is officially on board for QT's Inglorious Bastards, and the rest of the cast could shape up nicely.
Casting for Lost.
Sci-Fi Wire's Top 10 Brilliant But Canceled*. 1 and 2 are just fine in my book. (And by "just fine," I mean that they deserve to be at the top of the list -- not that it was fine that they were euthanized because the drooling masses just didn't get it).
*"Canceled is one of those words I always want to misspell. Doesn't it seem like there should be another "l" at the end? Cancelled. Doesn't that look better? Like "judgment." Shouldn't it be "judgement?" I remember seeing T2 in the theatre, and when the credits came up, I was like "holy shit! They misspelled the title!"
Time article about the Jamaica Bay plane crash -- a real life event that played a prominent role in last Sunday's brilliant Mad Men.
Hamlet: The Facebook news feed edition. Fucking Funny.
Seized at a traffic stop. Can't we just kill ourselves cheaply? Christ on a cracker, I hate this state. Better yet, wouldn't it have been cool if this van had wrecked, and I had been behind it in traffic? "Help me. I'm pinned under the van. Can you call an ambulance?" "Sorry dude. I'm just picking up some free smokes." (on a related note, I hope no one inspects my duffle bags coming back from GA next month).
Speaking of smoky treats, on a lark I signed up for some online promotion Marlboro was running. I didn't win a grand prize or anything, and forgot about it. However, when I got home last night, I found a package in the mailbox. It was a delightful "thank you for killing yourself slowly" gift.
The creator of the awesome summer show, The Middleman, talks to IO9. The season finale is going to feature an alternate universe, complete with goatees! And if the unthinkable happens, and the show is not renewed, what can fans do? Hmmmmmm. Plus, more appreciation for this hard to define treat.
Great extended interview with the creator of House.
Charles Van Doren, of the infamous quiz show scandals, opens up in a first person essay.
A very interesting look at the "Top 20 Albums of All Time." I think I have them all, except for Metallica.
Wait, if something is 55 million years old, does that make it older than 6,000 years old? Huh. Speaking of which, this made me giggle. Too bad I've already devoted that same automotive real estate to my alma mater.
And talking about the alma mater, welcome to the Bulldog portion of our broadcast:
7 and 24 seem to have their heads screwed on straight.Battlestar Galactica movie is officially happening. Jane Espenson writing, EJO directing, and the focus will be on the cylons. Awesome.
Will AJ Green live up to the hype? CMR seems impressed (and tells some interesting FSU stories). Also, Green outrunning Stafford's arm? Really? Was it a post pattern to Lawrenceville?
Uh-oh. Stewart Mandel opens up the can of worms again.
Carson Palmer says that 7 will be the first pick in the draft next year. Let's hope not. I want another year 'tween the hedges.
Online chat with Coach Richt.
An amusing and fairly comprehensive run down of "Artificial Intelligence & Human Buddy Comedy Pairings."
A clip has surfaced from the Buffy animated series concept. Cute. A few years ago, I ordered a coffee mug with this image:
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Live long and prosper......'tween the hedges
A personal note for my far-flung tailgate compatriots.
Many find my twin obsessions (as evidenced in this post) incongruous. How can you on one hand, own hundreds of geeky sci-fi DVDs; blog incessantly about nerd TV; not shy away from a youth spent building models, reading, writing and illustrating comics and playing D&D in your basement; work out listening to Harry Potter audiobooks; and proudly wear "Dharma Initiative" and "UC Sunnydale" tee shirts to company functions? And yet on the other hand have more UGA football memorabilia than will fit into a tiny temp apartment; cash in millions of Delta miles just to return to home games 'tween the hedges; tailgate like a frat-boy version of Keith Richards; consider "Larry Legend" to be famous for Athens, not Boston; do a dance of joy when the season tickets arrive (to blur the lines, that would be Numfar's dance of joy) and proudly wear UGA logo shirts to company functions?
I've had friends who could recite episodes of Buffy chapter and verse, yet didn't know who the hell Herschel Walker is. And friends who could tell you Frank Sinkwich's collegiate stats, but didn't know what craft is captained by James T. Kirk. You know, in the words of Popeye, "to thine own self be true." Or was it Polonius who said "I yam what I yam?" Whatevs. The point is, I don't find it all that strange to spend all day woofing and drinking and screaming and analyzing the finer points of a no huddle offense and then get to another friend's house after the game, and rejoice because they TiVod the BSG movie "Razor" to watch with me.
Case in point: a few years ago, I was all psyched to attend DragonCon and spend a fantastic Labor Day weekend reveling with my fellow nerds. Of course, that's also the traditional opening kickoff weekend for the Dawgs, but I was bound and determined to leave the hotel in downtown ATL early Saturday morning, tailgate with the best of 'em, go to the game and then leave shortly thereafter to return in time for the geeky merriment that evening. However, the Friday night before the game was the "Buffy Horror Picture Show" party, where they show the classic ep "Once More With Feeling" and dress up and sing along (a la Rocky Horror). We stayed up late getting hammered, and when it was time to drag my ass out of bed, I was moving slowly (it takes a while to get back into tailgating shape, ya know). I decked out in black and red, packed the backpack with radio, media guide, flask, Crown and all the requisite accessories, got in my car and tried to depart the hotel parking garage. As I rolled up to Peachtree Street, my exit was blocked by the DragonCon parade and the troops of the 501st. I watched the stormtroopers go by, and realized there was no way I was gonna make it to Athens. "It's only Western Kentucky (or some other directional school)" I told myself. So I turned the car around, went back to the Con, and spent the afternoon listening to Larry and Lorne and Scott in one ear, and Farscape and Trek panel discussions in the other. When I got back to the tailgate for the game the following week, I caught a lot of shit ("can you say 'Go Dawgs!' in Klingon?"), but did so with a smile on my face. This year, I'm making the Sophie's Choice to follow the Number One Fucking Team In The Land from the get go, and happy about that, too.
However, I'd like honor my geeky heritage while following the Classic City Canines at the season-opening tailgate, and risk crossing the streams.
To that end, I'm proud to announce the
For all our regular tailgaters, the rules are simple:
Tailgaters, bring your thinking and drinking caps, and I'll see you in Athens. Games begin at 10:45 AM.
Many find my twin obsessions (as evidenced in this post) incongruous. How can you on one hand, own hundreds of geeky sci-fi DVDs; blog incessantly about nerd TV; not shy away from a youth spent building models, reading, writing and illustrating comics and playing D&D in your basement; work out listening to Harry Potter audiobooks; and proudly wear "Dharma Initiative" and "UC Sunnydale" tee shirts to company functions? And yet on the other hand have more UGA football memorabilia than will fit into a tiny temp apartment; cash in millions of Delta miles just to return to home games 'tween the hedges; tailgate like a frat-boy version of Keith Richards; consider "Larry Legend" to be famous for Athens, not Boston; do a dance of joy when the season tickets arrive (to blur the lines, that would be Numfar's dance of joy) and proudly wear UGA logo shirts to company functions?
I've had friends who could recite episodes of Buffy chapter and verse, yet didn't know who the hell Herschel Walker is. And friends who could tell you Frank Sinkwich's collegiate stats, but didn't know what craft is captained by James T. Kirk. You know, in the words of Popeye, "to thine own self be true." Or was it Polonius who said "I yam what I yam?" Whatevs. The point is, I don't find it all that strange to spend all day woofing and drinking and screaming and analyzing the finer points of a no huddle offense and then get to another friend's house after the game, and rejoice because they TiVod the BSG movie "Razor" to watch with me.
Case in point: a few years ago, I was all psyched to attend DragonCon and spend a fantastic Labor Day weekend reveling with my fellow nerds. Of course, that's also the traditional opening kickoff weekend for the Dawgs, but I was bound and determined to leave the hotel in downtown ATL early Saturday morning, tailgate with the best of 'em, go to the game and then leave shortly thereafter to return in time for the geeky merriment that evening. However, the Friday night before the game was the "Buffy Horror Picture Show" party, where they show the classic ep "Once More With Feeling" and dress up and sing along (a la Rocky Horror). We stayed up late getting hammered, and when it was time to drag my ass out of bed, I was moving slowly (it takes a while to get back into tailgating shape, ya know). I decked out in black and red, packed the backpack with radio, media guide, flask, Crown and all the requisite accessories, got in my car and tried to depart the hotel parking garage. As I rolled up to Peachtree Street, my exit was blocked by the DragonCon parade and the troops of the 501st. I watched the stormtroopers go by, and realized there was no way I was gonna make it to Athens. "It's only Western Kentucky (or some other directional school)" I told myself. So I turned the car around, went back to the Con, and spent the afternoon listening to Larry and Lorne and Scott in one ear, and Farscape and Trek panel discussions in the other. When I got back to the tailgate for the game the following week, I caught a lot of shit ("can you say 'Go Dawgs!' in Klingon?"), but did so with a smile on my face. This year, I'm making the Sophie's Choice to follow the Number One Fucking Team In The Land from the get go, and happy about that, too.
However, I'd like honor my geeky heritage while following the Classic City Canines at the season-opening tailgate, and risk crossing the streams.
To that end, I'm proud to announce the
First Annual Dawg-Geek Tailgate Trivia Challenge.
For all our regular tailgaters, the rules are simple:
- In rapid fire fashion, I'll fire off 20 questions from the disparate worlds of UGA football lore and nerdly sci-fi/fantasy/superhero arcana.
- First contestant to "buzz in" (method TBD) with the right answer gets a point.
- A wrong answer earns you a shot of our legendary BullDawg Bites.
- Contestant with the most points at the end of the Challenge receives a Grand Prize.
- Contestant with the most points in the UGA category receives a prize, and contestant with the most points in the Geek category also receives a prize.
- Ties broken by sudden death (hopefully, not from an overdose of Bites).
Tailgaters, bring your thinking and drinking caps, and I'll see you in Athens. Games begin at 10:45 AM.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Who wants some leftovers?
A few things I didn't get to in Saturday's potpourri post:
Has anyone taken a gander at Boston.com's list of the "Top 50 Sci-Fi" shows of all time? Boston may have a stranglehold on professional sports championships, but they obviously don't know quality geek TV worth a damn. When you compile a list like that, you should probably have a good working definition of what "sci-fi" really is. Do you include "supernatural" shows? They did, but inexplicably had Buffy ranked at 27 (you mean there are 26 better "sci-fi" shows? You've got to be fucking kidding me!) and Angel not ranked at all. And Firefly at 17? Lost is ranked 11, which seems low, all things considered. But then you click the "next" button and see that they have Sliders at 10? Sliders? Ahead of Lost? And ahead of Buffy, Angel and Firefly? Holy shit. At least their top 4 is respectable and somewhat defensible: X-Files at 4, Star Trek: The Next Generation at 3, (new) BSG at 2 and Star Trek (Original Recipe) at 1. Feel free to peruse the list and gnash your teeth.
Nice article on crime shows, from someone who is not particularly a fan of the genre, singling out The Closer, Burn Notice and In Plain Sight. Last Monday's Closer was the best of the season, and one of the best of the series. Burn Notice also gave Sam a chance to participate in some gleeful interrogation, and against my better judgment, I'm actually starting to like Mary's trampy sister on IPS (though I could still watch an entire hour of Marshal Marshall's droll line readings).
Video interview with Rebecca Mader, Lost's Charlotte. No real spoilers, of course. I didn't find her particularly alluring on that lawyer show with Spy Daddy, but when she uses her true English accent, she's all kinds of adorable. (I wonder if focusing so hard on maintaining the "American" accent drains all the charisma? For example, Michelle Ryan was dreadful on Bionic Woman, except for the one ep where she played an English exchange student, and got to speak in her own voice).
Another day, another trip down toy memory lane. Yep, my family built models of all kinds (cars, planes, tanks...you name it) and we did have a NCC-1701.
Anyone else looking forward to Chuck returning? Here's some kinda crappy video of the extended 6 minute preview shown at Comic-Con.
Has anyone taken a gander at Boston.com's list of the "Top 50 Sci-Fi" shows of all time? Boston may have a stranglehold on professional sports championships, but they obviously don't know quality geek TV worth a damn. When you compile a list like that, you should probably have a good working definition of what "sci-fi" really is. Do you include "supernatural" shows? They did, but inexplicably had Buffy ranked at 27 (you mean there are 26 better "sci-fi" shows? You've got to be fucking kidding me!) and Angel not ranked at all. And Firefly at 17? Lost is ranked 11, which seems low, all things considered. But then you click the "next" button and see that they have Sliders at 10? Sliders? Ahead of Lost? And ahead of Buffy, Angel and Firefly? Holy shit. At least their top 4 is respectable and somewhat defensible: X-Files at 4, Star Trek: The Next Generation at 3, (new) BSG at 2 and Star Trek (Original Recipe) at 1. Feel free to peruse the list and gnash your teeth.
Nice article on crime shows, from someone who is not particularly a fan of the genre, singling out The Closer, Burn Notice and In Plain Sight. Last Monday's Closer was the best of the season, and one of the best of the series. Burn Notice also gave Sam a chance to participate in some gleeful interrogation, and against my better judgment, I'm actually starting to like Mary's trampy sister on IPS (though I could still watch an entire hour of Marshal Marshall's droll line readings).
Video interview with Rebecca Mader, Lost's Charlotte. No real spoilers, of course. I didn't find her particularly alluring on that lawyer show with Spy Daddy, but when she uses her true English accent, she's all kinds of adorable. (I wonder if focusing so hard on maintaining the "American" accent drains all the charisma? For example, Michelle Ryan was dreadful on Bionic Woman, except for the one ep where she played an English exchange student, and got to speak in her own voice).
Another day, another trip down toy memory lane. Yep, my family built models of all kinds (cars, planes, tanks...you name it) and we did have a NCC-1701.
Anyone else looking forward to Chuck returning? Here's some kinda crappy video of the extended 6 minute preview shown at Comic-Con.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
I'll take potpourri for $2,200, Alex
You can read all about my take on the Emmy nominations here. TWOP has posted a gallery of things they're pissed about here. (having a shot of Mary McDonnell at the top of the feature just about sums it up).
I just discovered Google Notebook. What an awesome tool. Works seamlessly with Firefox, Google Reader and all the other online toys.
Stop making me wait, motherfuckers.
NPH has a chat with the Washington Post, and talks about Dr. Horrible, HIMYM and more.
Am I too old for this? Because it's just awesome.
Everyone enjoying the return of Psych? I know I am, and Friday's John Hughes love fest was no exception. Check out this season preview.
How do various heroes compare on a "wish fulfillment checklist?" You have to look over Io9's chart, complete with adorable icons for characters including Malcolm Reynolds, James T. Kirk, Paul Atredies, Spider-Man, Starbuck, Sarah Connor, The Doctor and others.
Mythbusters' Adam and Jamie debate the best movie FX. Not sure what Jamie's fascination with Baron Munchhausen is, but I gotta go with Adam on this one.
Great opening sentences from sci-fi books.
Tim Burton movies can be hit and miss for me (the less said about Planet of the Apes the better), but if he's doing Alice in Wonderland, he certainly hit the bullseye on the casting. This gal was electric and astonishing on In Treatment.
SI's Stewart Mandel on Coach Richt. I bought Mandel's book on CF, and look forward to reading that on the plane trips down the motherland for upcoming season.
Urban Meyer is a narcissistic douchepickle. But that's not exactly news.
I think from now on, I'll become a loyal customer of Accor Hotels.
I just discovered Google Notebook. What an awesome tool. Works seamlessly with Firefox, Google Reader and all the other online toys.
Stop making me wait, motherfuckers.
NPH has a chat with the Washington Post, and talks about Dr. Horrible, HIMYM and more.
Am I too old for this? Because it's just awesome.
Everyone enjoying the return of Psych? I know I am, and Friday's John Hughes love fest was no exception. Check out this season preview.
How do various heroes compare on a "wish fulfillment checklist?" You have to look over Io9's chart, complete with adorable icons for characters including Malcolm Reynolds, James T. Kirk, Paul Atredies, Spider-Man, Starbuck, Sarah Connor, The Doctor and others.
Mythbusters' Adam and Jamie debate the best movie FX. Not sure what Jamie's fascination with Baron Munchhausen is, but I gotta go with Adam on this one.
Great opening sentences from sci-fi books.
Tim Burton movies can be hit and miss for me (the less said about Planet of the Apes the better), but if he's doing Alice in Wonderland, he certainly hit the bullseye on the casting. This gal was electric and astonishing on In Treatment.
SI's Stewart Mandel on Coach Richt. I bought Mandel's book on CF, and look forward to reading that on the plane trips down the motherland for upcoming season.
Urban Meyer is a narcissistic douchepickle. But that's not exactly news.
I think from now on, I'll become a loyal customer of Accor Hotels.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
I'll take potpourri for $2,100, Alex
Wanna fight WWII with alien technology? Try this.
Original Recipe Star Trek catchphrases (including a "He's dead, Jim" montage"). And a list of all the "I'm a doctor, not a......" utterances.
Ichiro's teammates have taught him well. ("August in Kansas City, is hotter than two rats in a fucking wool sock.")
Fringe sounds like it's shaping up very nicely. This will be on the TiVo for fall.
I didn't realize they had subways, other than the sandwich shops, in Columbus, GA. Speaking of which, I wonder if they make these with 4 digits?
Eliza talks about Dollhouse. Good lord, she's so hot I think my monitor just melted.
Hey, I thought it was a proven fact that "he" was unique?!
More proof that the apocalypse is nigh.
Cheesy music aside, if this doesn't make you sniffle, you don't have a heart. Even better? It's true.
The evolution of the Batsuit. And could Batman really exist?
Geeks not exactly in situ.
Damn, I miss home. (h/t Lee).
I've been listening to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince audiobook on the iPod. This is the first fiction audiobook I've actually tried. Holy shit, is Jim Dale the most awesome narrator ever? Question: will any other fiction audiobooks be a step down, where the narrator doesn't do a gazillion unique character voices?
Original Recipe Star Trek catchphrases (including a "He's dead, Jim" montage"). And a list of all the "I'm a doctor, not a......" utterances.
Ichiro's teammates have taught him well. ("August in Kansas City, is hotter than two rats in a fucking wool sock.")
Fringe sounds like it's shaping up very nicely. This will be on the TiVo for fall.
I didn't realize they had subways, other than the sandwich shops, in Columbus, GA. Speaking of which, I wonder if they make these with 4 digits?
Eliza talks about Dollhouse. Good lord, she's so hot I think my monitor just melted.
Hey, I thought it was a proven fact that "he" was unique?!
More proof that the apocalypse is nigh.
Cheesy music aside, if this doesn't make you sniffle, you don't have a heart. Even better? It's true.
The evolution of the Batsuit. And could Batman really exist?
Geeks not exactly in situ.
Damn, I miss home. (h/t Lee).
I've been listening to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince audiobook on the iPod. This is the first fiction audiobook I've actually tried. Holy shit, is Jim Dale the most awesome narrator ever? Question: will any other fiction audiobooks be a step down, where the narrator doesn't do a gazillion unique character voices?
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