Controlling the Transmissions - Year Six

Tribunal

2012-02-01T18:27:00.001-08:00

CW casts a new 'Green Arrow'

2012-01-31T19:16:00.001-08:00

For those longing for the halcyon days of Smallville and Justin Hartley’s recurring, then series regular role, as the Green Arrow, get ready as the CW has ordered a pilot for the DC superhero called Arrow. But Hartley will not be Oliver Queen, as the role has gone to relative newcomer Stephen Amell, a Toronto born 30 year-old actor who has worked steadily in Canada, but has also made appearances on American shows such as 90210, CSI and NCIS: Los Angeles. He also was part of the cast for the second season of The Vampire Diaries. He’s also shown off his sexy body on Queer as Folk, Dante’s Cove and Hung. Amell will play the vigilante superhero who fights crime using archery, martial arts and technology under his secret identity as Oliver Queen, a wealthy playboy and billionaire industrialist-turned-outspoken politician in Star City. David Nutter is directing the pilot, written/executive produced by Andrew Kreisberg, Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim.

2012-01-31T13:14:00.001-08:00

Time's Arrow

2012-01-30T23:08:00.001-08:00

Eye of the Beholder

2012-01-29T15:22:00.001-08:00

The Masterpiece Society

2012-01-28T11:18:00.001-08:00

Cast & Crew of Judas Kiss

2012-01-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

Julian LeBlanc

Rhys Cooper & Richard Harmon

Timo Descamps, Carlos Pedraza, Matt Buccy (rear), Associate Producer Charlie Brewer, Richard Harmon

Catspaw

2012-01-26T14:12:00.001-08:00

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

2012-01-25T14:45:00.000-08:00

In January of 2011, 4 months after principle photography finished, crew and some of the cast, returned to Seattle to film a few pick-up shots.

From L to R: Director J.T. Tepnapa, Genevieve Buechner, Richard Harmon and background actor James Firth. Standing behind James is Erynn Vaehne, another background actor who are now dear friends. Producer Jody Wheeler has his back to the camera.

The steps that lead up to Guggenhiem Hall at U-DUB, where most of the film was shot

The College Inn was a real place in Seattle, where Production Designer Rodrigo DeMedeiros and Unit Production Manager Tellier Killaby returned to for that one day of pick-ups

Dear God

2012-01-25T10:47:00.000-08:00

hope you got the letter, and...
I pray you can make it better down here.
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
but all the people that you made in your image, see
them starving on their feet 'cause they don't get
enough to eat from God, I can't believe in you

Dear God, sorry to disturb you, but... I feel that I should be heard
loud and clear. We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
and all the people that you made in your image, see them fighting
in the street 'cause they can't make opinions meet about God,
I can't believe in you

Did you make disease, and the diamond blue? Did you make
mankind after we made you? And the devil too!

, don't know if you noticed, but... your name is on
a lot of quotes in this book, and us crazy humans wrote it, you
should take a look, and all the people that you made in your
image still believing that junk is true. Well I know it ain't, and
so do you, dear God, I can't believe in I don't believe in

I won't believe in heaven and hell. No saints, no sinners, no
devil as well. No pearly gates, no thorny crown. You're always
letting us humans down. The wars you bring, the babes you
drown. Those lost at sea and never found, and it's the same the
whole world 'round. The hurt I see helps to compound that
Father, Son and Holy Ghost is just somebody's unholy hoax,
and if you're up there you'd perceive that my heart's here upon
my sleeve. If there's one thing I don't believe in

it's you....

All Our Yesterdays

2012-01-24T12:38:00.000-08:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pectus_excavatum

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

2012-01-23T16:01:00.000-08:00

Genevieve Buechner, who is also Richard Harmon's girlfriend

Julia Morizawa and Sean Paul Lockhart

Rhys Cooper, Timo Descamps and Genevieve Buechner with onset photographer Shawn Anderson (back to camera)

Cable Channel Starz signs lead for 'Da Vinici's Demons'

2012-01-23T13:54:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, I read a recent posting on Facebook that accused Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich’s Civil War novels as being inaccurate when it came to historical aspects, that his facts were wrong, and making the South a little more sympathetic to slavery than portrayed in the history books. But, the truth of the matter is, that his trilogy (and this is mentioned on the covers of the books, so no could argue this point) is a sort of “alternate” version of the Civil War. Alternate universe versions of history have been a staple in science fiction for eons, and while Gingrich’s work may not be shelved in the sci-fi/fantasy section of bookstores, it is a fictional re-telling of a historical truth.

But the crux of any “alternate” re-telling (and the theory behind it) means major historical events happen in these other universes, its just certain aspects will make them unwind differently. So, the Civil War happens in this universe Gingrich has created, but certain historical events can be adjusted, such as characters motivations and other actions, to fit whatever story he wants to tell. Harry Turtledove has spent the last decade telling alternate histories of major historical events, and no one has criticized him for changing certain facts.

The only argument in this non-story might be that the novels are placed in the standard fiction section instead of the sci-fi/fantasy area. But these days a lot of authors command a certain amount of power and can actually dictate where their books should be placed. A few examples include Anne Rice, who’s vampire novels are shelved not in horror, but fiction. Walter Mosely is shelved in mystery, where he once started out in the African American section. Nicholas Sparks is shelved in fiction as well, though he’s considered a rare breed of a male romance writer (and a lot of women think that’s where he should be shelved, in the romance section).

So now that the long-winded introduction is done, here is the point of the posting.A few months ago, the premium cable channel Starz announced a new show called Da Vinci’s Demons, a series they describe as “a historical fantasy following the ‘untold’ story of the world’s greatest genius during his turbulent youth in Renaissance Florence. Brilliant and passionate, the twenty five-year old da Vinci is an artist, inventor, swordsman, lover, dreamer and idealist who begins to not only see the future, but invent it.” It was announced this week, that British actor Tom Riley had been cast in the lead.

Now history records, with some probability, that Leonardo da Vinci was a homosexual, as he and three others were once charged with sodomy in 1476, when he was 24. The charges were dropped due to lack of evidence, but while he kept his life private (and one would, considering the time period he lived in), he did live with another man, once a pupil, for 30 years starting in 1490. Whether it was a sexual relationship or not -the student was the face of the Mona Lisa apparently- is up for conjecture, as there is no real evidence.

The issue is, will Starz deal with this in their new series? Or, because they are calling this a “historical fantasy,” will they change those presumed facts by saying its a re-imaging, an alternate universe story of Leonardo da Vinci? While I realize this is cable, and Starz is the network that brings the world Spartacus in all its violent, gory, sexual glory, are they willing to deal with a hero of a TV series who is -again- presumed gay?

Series creator David S. Goyer makes no mention of if they’ll deal with this, but he says Riley came into the audition and was able to capture what they were looking for in da Vinci, a “tormented (person), because, as a true visionary and polymath, he was ostracized for his ideas as much as he was celebrated.”

It's Only A Paper Moon

2012-01-23T13:46:00.001-08:00

Turnabout Intruder

2012-01-22T18:31:00.001-08:00

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

2012-01-22T15:52:00.000-08:00

Production Assistant Rhys Cooper (who also provided additional Visual Effects) and Richard Harmon -they've been friends since they were 5.

Dale Bowers and Charlie David rehearse under the watchful eye of First Assistant Director Mike Drobinski

Second Unit Director/Documentary Director Matt Buccy

Joe Paterno dies

2012-01-22T11:27:00.000-08:00

The death of Joe Paterno today, essentially, gives the former head coach of Penn State football a Get Out Jail Free Card. Over at CNN you can read about the "outpouring of emotions" as Penn State students rally around the statue of Paterno.

Yes, I'm not from Penn State, so I can't see all the good Paterno did for the college, but I can also see reality far better than these students. His accomplishments as the coach, no matter what, will now always be overshadowed by the Sandusky sex scandal that happened under his long watch at the college. Is that fair? Perhaps not, but he had to know something about some of the allegations against former coach Jerry Sandusky. I mean, seriously, could he be that egotistical (and, hell, they have a statue of you, so maybe he could) that he simply ignored some of the assertions? Maybe, as it appears he chose to ignore what was probably right in front of his face, so not only would it protect his job and his reputation at Penn State, but also the financial stakes of a college as well.

Joe Paterno turned the other cheek, and by doing so he allowed someone like Jerry Sandusky to abuse more children, and for what? So he could die with the fan's crying their eyes out, touching his statue and telling the world what a good man he was? Maybe he was a hero, maybe even a great man, but in the end, he was a bad leader. And while his epitaph in Pennsylvania will always be the greatest coach in history of Penn State, outside the state, he'll always be remembered as the coach who help hide a dangerous soul.

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

2012-01-21T13:36:00.000-08:00

Visual Effects Designer Joël Bellucci places "markers" on a license plate to be later reworked in post production.

Actors Richard Harmon and Timo Descamps rehearse

Make-up Artist Tonya Carlson-Jolly (far left) with Key Make-up Artist Anne Sellery, Production Designer Rodrigo DeMedeiros and Script Supervisor Rhona Rubio

The Changeling

2012-01-21T11:10:00.000-08:00

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

2012-01-20T18:28:00.000-08:00

Actors Charlie David & Samantha Rund shoot their scene, while Sound/Boom Operator Alexander Ibrahim records the dialogue

Model Stephen Mitchell and actor Troy Fischnaller (Topher Shadoe)

Once again, writer/producer Carlos Pedraza and director J.T. Tepnapa talk about things...

Tomorrow is Yesterday

2012-01-20T11:50:00.001-08:00

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

2012-01-19T19:01:00.000-08:00

Costume Designer Anthony Tran

Director of Photography David Berry (in white hat) ponders a set-up

Director J.T. Tepnapa and writer/producer Carlos Pedraza talk

In a Mirror, Darkly

2012-01-19T09:43:00.001-08:00

Tacking Into the Wind

2012-01-17T12:41:00.001-08:00

Fuck

2012-01-16T13:24:00.000-08:00

In 8 months and 1 day I will turn 50. It's a big number for most, and for me, I feel I might never want to reach it. The job searching is becoming tedious, and while I get platitudes from people that things will get better, that I will find a job eventually, I fear deep down that none of that will come true.

Life is becoming one stupid, blurry day after another. I wake up, drink some coffee, read and peck on the job web-sites for something that I can fit into. And then I wait. Between the time Borders closed in September to January 1st, I had one job interview and no call backs from any of the places I applied to. The only reason I got the interview with Follet was because someone works fro them and was able to push my application through. But, of course, I did not get it.

Since the beginning of the year, I've had two call backs and two interviews. The first one, for Hallmark, I did not get. The second, for an internet vintage clothing company called Nasty Gal, has yet to call back about my interview on Thursday last week. And the sad part is, I don't expect them to call.

So, a new week has begun, and I sit once again trying to find a job. While finding job listings are easier, it still very hard to get a foot in the door. Almost all the companies I've applied for don't want you calling them and following up with an application. And even if you get an interview, they still don't want you following up with them, even though goes against many things EDD has told me.

Maybe, in the end, I should just start over at Target or Walmart. I know those jobs should be easier to get, but none would be full-time, none would offer any type of medical insurance I can afford on the sad salary they pay, and none offer any real future. I'm willing to work my ass off, but its got to amount to something tangible.

School seems pointless, mostly because I have no idea what to study. I have no dreams, no desires, no inspiration at which I can throw a line to. So like everything else, I feel adrift, lost and wondering what lies in the darkness of the undiscovered country.

I lack the courage of my convictions, of course. I feel stupid for writing such words, but I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel, I don't see why I should be excited to turn 50 if I have no job, no hope for one.

I'm tired. Oh, so tired. The fighting spirit is gone. Gone the way of the dodo, gone the way of the summer leaves. Gone the way of sour wine. I just want it to end.

Sometimes the end does not come with a bang, but a whisper.

Jonas

2012-01-16T12:06:00.001-08:00

The Storyteller

2012-01-15T21:29:00.001-08:00

Torso

2012-01-14T18:26:00.001-08:00

Books: The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson (2011)

2012-01-13T20:29:00.000-08:00

In this often offbeat, often hilarious and weird novel, author Kevin Wilson gives us The Family Fang , led by Caleb and Camille Fang, who are avant-garde performance artists who will do anything and everything to cause chaos and see (and film) how people react to their art. They have also involved their children, Annie and Buster in their performances, much it seems, to their own horror as they grow-up.

But both children escaped eventually, with Annie becoming a successful actress while Buster a novelist (his first book was a success, the follow-up not so good and is now a struggling free-lance writer for various magazines). But after a melt-down on the set of her latest film, Annie decides maybe going home can save her sanity -which is odd considering her parents ability to cause a lot of insanity around them. Meanwhile, Buster has gotten himself injured on an assignment, and with bills to pay, he too ends up back home. But both kids discover that old chestnut of not being able to go home again, and quickly discover their parents are still trying to push the boundaries of their art. Whether their kids want to be involved or not.

There is a lot to like in this debut novel, as Wilson explores the damages Caleb and Camille do to their children -parents whom seem marvelously oblivious to what they've done. The droll humor in the flashbacks to their strange and memorable past events is the highlight of book. Those vignettes are truly hilarious and at times, makes the present parts a little dull. Still, this is an excitingly well written book for artists about artists. But its also the human drama -with a lot of funny bits in between- that will make non-artist really enjoy this book.

All Our Yesterdays

2012-01-13T16:16:00.001-08:00

For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky

2012-01-12T16:57:00.001-08:00

Extreme Measures

2012-01-11T17:55:00.001-08:00

Truth

2012-01-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

I’m a fighting liberal by Steve Gilliard

    You know, I’ve studied history, I’ve read about America and you know something, if it weren’t for liberals, we’d be living in a dark, evil country, far worse than anything the conservatives could conjure up. A world where children were told to piss on the side of the road because they weren’t fit to pee in a white outhouse, where women had to get back alley abortions and where rape was a joke, unless the alleged criminal was black, whereupon he was hung from a tree and castrated.

    What has conservatism given America? A stable social order? A peaceful home life? Respect for law and order? No. Hell, no. It hasn’t given us anything we didn’t have and it wants to take away our freedoms.

    The Founding Fathers, as flawed as they were, slave owners and pornographers, smugglers and terrorists, understood one thing, a man’s path to God needed no help from the state. Is the religion of these conservatives so fragile that they need the state to prop it up, to tell us how to pray and think? Is that what they stand for? Is that their America?

    Conservatism plays on fear and thrives on lies and dishonesty. I grew up with honest, decent conservatives and those people have been replaced by the party of greed. It is one thing to want less government interference and smaller, fiscally responsible government. It is another thing entirely to be a corporate whore, selling out to the highest bidder because the CEO fattens your campaign chest. They are building an America which cannot be sustained. One based on the benefit of the few at the cost of the many. The indifferent boss who hires too few people and works them to death or until they break down sick. Cheap labor capitalism has replaced common sense. “Globalism” which is really guise for exploitation, replaced fair trade, which is nothing like fair for the trapped semi-slaves of the maquliadoras. In the Texas border towns, hundreds of these women have been used as sex slaves and then apparently killed, the FBI powerless to do anything as the criminals sit in Mexico untouched by law.

    For the better part of a decade, the conservatives made liberal a dirty word. Well, it isn’t. It represents the best and most noble nature of what America stands for: equitable government services, old age pensions, health care, education, fair trials and humane imprisonment. It is the heart and soul of what made American different and better than other countries. Not only an escape from oppression, but the opportunity to thrive in land free of tradition and the repression that can bring. We offered a democracy which didn’t enshrine the rich and made them feel they had an obligation to their workers.

The conservatives around disdain that. They think, by accident of birth and circumstance, they were meant to rule the world and those who did not agree would suffer.

    Liberal does not and has not meant weak until the conservatives said it did. Was Martin Luther King weak? Bobby Kennedy? Gene McCarthy? It was the liberals who remade this country and ended legal segregation and legal sexism. Not the conservatives, who wanted to hold on to the old ways.

    It’s time to regain the sprit of FDR and Truman and the people around them. People who believed in the public good over private gain. It is time to stop apologizing for being a liberal and be proud to fight for your beliefs. No more shying away or being defined by other people. Liberals believe in a strong defense and punishment for crime. But not preemption and pointless jail sentences. We believe no American should be turned away from a hospital because they are too poor or lack a proper legal defense. We believe that people should make enough from one job to live on, to spend time on raising their family. We believe that individuals and not the state should dictate who gets married and why. The best way to defend marriage is to expand, not restrict it.

    It was the liberals who opposed the Nazis while the conservatives were plotting to get their brown shirts or fund Hitler. It was the liberals who warned about Spain and fought there, who joined the RAF to fight the Germans, who brought democracy to Germany and Japan. Let us not forget it was the conservatives who opposed defending America until the Germans sank our ships. They would have done nothing as Britain came under Nazi control. It was they who supported Joe McCarthy and his baseless, drink fueled claims.

    Without liberals, there would be no modern America, just a Nazi satellite state. Liberals weak on defense? Liberals created America’s defense. The conservatives only need vets at election time.

    It is time to stop looking for an accommodation with the right. They want none for us. They want to win, at any price. So, you have a choice: be a fighting liberal or sit quietly. I know what I am, what are you?

Prophet Motive

2012-01-10T13:36:00.001-08:00

Books: Something Like Summer by Jay Bell (2011)

2012-01-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

Gay fiction can be hard to write. Like any author penning a particular genre geared toward a certain demographic, you got to give the audience what it mainly buys the book for. And in a lot of gay fiction, its about sex. There are, however, a few authors who have tried to break out of the stereotype of that genre, authors like Armistead Maupin, Alan Hollinghurst and Scott Heim and others, try to sort of transcend the idea that gay authors who write gay fiction have have wall-to-wall sex, partying like there is no tomorrow and just being snarky bitches.

Jay Bell's Something Like Summer tries to make an evolutionary leap out that dark corner of popular fiction. He has created believable characters, with believable issues and created a love story that tries to say something. Split into three sections, the novel take a unique style of a long relationship that has just as many lows as it does high.

We meet Ben, average, skinny, (maybe) twinkish Texas boy, has been out for a few years. While he's unsure what he wants to do with his life (at age 16, who does), he enjoys singing and shopping with best friend Allison and stalking the new boy in town, Tim (a extraordinary, good-looking athlete who could be a model for Ambercrombie & Fitch apparently). At first, Ben is unsure what team Tim plays for but eventually they begin a love affair. But like a few jocks in today's world, Tim is not ready to admit he is gay. He even has difficulty saying he's bi.

And this will be a defining issue with them during their long relationship, until they almost get caught having sex at park late at night. And Tim ends their affair.

We fast-forward a few years, and Ben is in college in Chicago. He's had one relationship after another, but nothing has stuck like the time spent with Tim. After a return visit and a chance encounter with a flight attendant, Ben thinks he's found the love of his life. But like bad debt, or a bad penny, Tim comes back into his life to test Ben's commitment to Jace and his not-so buried feelings for his first love.

Here is where I feel Bell stumbled a bit. Ben has discovered Jace is having an affair while flying across the country for his job, and then Ben has sex with Tim, only to find out later that it was a ruse by Tim to break Ben and Jace up. This soap-opera aspect is silly, but it does drive a further rift between Ben and Tim. But like any love story, as you read you begin to wonder how Ben and Tim will reconcile their problem. I mean, after all, since the beginning, we the readers know that Ben and Tim are destined to be together.

Here's where I wished the book went another direction, and I felt the ending could have, should have been different. In the meantime, Bell has created a wonderful character in Ben, who matures from gawky teen to a wonderful, three-dimensional adult. It's an enjoyable book and recommend it.

Note: This book is also going to be adapted into a movie, to be written by Carlos Pedraza and directed by J.T. Tepnapa, my close friends who won acclaim in 2011 with their feature film debut, Judas Kiss.

Let This Be Our Last Battlefield

2012-01-09T09:52:00.001-08:00

Books: A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (1999)

2012-01-07T19:42:00.000-08:00

A comet the color of blood and flame cuts across the sky. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who hold sway over an age of enforced peace are dead, victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns. Six factions struggle for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.

In the second volume of Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, your senses are sent reeling as the scope of the story grows even larger. I'm impressed that the author has made this long book sweep by like the wind, as he expands his universe by introducing new characters and brutally killing off many old ones from the first book (which I'll get back to in a bit).

As I've mentioned before, the fantasy novels that have broken out of the three volume set that I grew up with in the 1980's have a tendency to wander from main story, introducing us to elements and characters that distract from the main story. Robert Jordan did this, and while some welcomed the expansion, others felt that these new tangents were designed not to enhance the series, but to supplement the authors pockets.

While A Clash of Kings has some problems (really, do we need to know the names of every ship in everyone's fleet?), George R.R. Martin has found a way to move the plot forward at a pace that leaves the readers little time to whine about some the pages devoted clothes people wear. That is, in my opinion, that makes this series work for many.

I read somewhere that this series is like The Sapranos (with dashes of The Tudors), and I can see how one might look at this as a medieval version of that famous HBO series. Like that mob story, people die horribly, and life means little in a game of power and riches -though I often think its not about money, but pure power.

People die here, usually in some gawd awful way, losing heads, arms, eyes and sex organs. The violence is, at times, stomach churning. Never a huge fan of this, I have found myself rather disturb by Martin's glee at the way he kills these people.

Still, there is one clan that seems destined to be the moral compass of this land, but treachery hounds them. And while it took a long time to get to the end, I'm none the less willing to take on volume three, which is well over a 1,000 pages. Martin is a good writer, and he balances a lot of balls in the air to keep the story moving. We'll see if this continues.

Behind the Scenes: Judas Kiss

2012-01-06T17:56:00.000-08:00

Preparing for the opening scenes of the film, which were actually Day 3 of production

Actress Sharon Savene (who's scenes were cut) chats with model Stephen Mitchell, the star of the fake Blood & Barcelona

Actress Samantha Rund (left) with Costume Designer Anthony Tran, Make-up Supervisor Anne Sellery (back to the camera) and Second Assistant Director Kate Sultan

Soldiers of the Empire

2012-01-06T15:19:00.001-08:00

Behind the Scenes: Judas Kiss

2012-01-05T18:15:00.000-08:00

Production Designer Rodrigo DeMedeiros -with aide from assistances- sets the scene while Make-Up supervisor Anne Sellery. Second Second Assistant Director Bryan Campbell and Visual Effects Supervisor Joel Belluci confab.

Director J.T. Tepnapa and Executive Producer Steven Parker during the January pick-up shots.

Scissor lift is moved in by the camera crew, while Puget Sound beckons

Improbable Cause

2012-01-05T13:13:00.001-08:00

On the set: Judas Kiss

2012-01-04T21:01:00.001-08:00

The Crew between takes.

Rehearsing

Accession

2012-01-04T18:06:00.001-08:00

Love the look on the lady. I would be smiling too!

The Two

2012-01-03T12:59:00.001-08:00

The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole

2012-01-02T18:20:00.001-08:00

Coming April 24, 2012

Behind the Scenes of Judas Kiss

2012-01-02T17:44:00.001-08:00

Stars Richard Harmon and Timo Descamps between takes

Director J.T. Tepnapa observes as Richard Harmon and Julia Morizawa rehearse the scene

The "fake" movie poster for Blood &Romance. Blood & Barcelona is its sequel

Pirates! Band of Mifits

2012-01-01T19:54:00.001-08:00

This is the second trailer for Pirates! Band of Misfits, which are based on The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists and The Pirates! in an Adventure with Ahab, the first two novels Gideon Defoe's often laugh out loud parody. Books three and four are, respectively, The Pirates! in an Adventure with Communists and The Pirates! in an Adventure with Napoleon. A fifth one, The Pirates! in an Adventure with the Romantics is due to be released in the UK in June (though no American release has been announced).Meanwhile, the animated film version hits in March and stars the voices of:

Hugh Grant as The Pirate Captain

Salma Hayek as Cutlass Liz
Jeremy Piven as Black Bellamy
Imelda Staunton as Queen Victoria
David Tennant as Charles Darwin
Martin Freeman as The Pirate with a Scarf
Lenny Henry as Peg-Leg Hastings
Brendan Gleeson as The Pirate with Gout
Ashley Jensen as The Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate
Brian Blessed as The Pirate King
Russell Tovey as The Albino Pirate

War Horse

2012-01-01T15:50:00.000-08:00

At its core, War Horse is an extraordinarily old fashion Hollywood film in tone, style and camera moves (though it uses more hand held than those old films never had). It's basic story of a boy who raises a horse and then must let the horse go into war goes for the heartstrings and does not care that some cynics will see it as nothing more than a adaptation of a children's novel from 1982.

Under the deft hand of Steven Spielberg, who has spent more times directing and producing stories about World War II, now tackles World War I and reminds us the horrible impact of war. While this is no Private Ryan, and we see little or no blood, we do see the waste of war and impact it has on the souls who must die for their country.

Newcomer Jeremy Irvine, all watery-eyed and handsome, does a fine job as Albert who decides to prove that his father's purchase of horse (one he over bid on) can save them from owner of the land he and his parents tend.

Then the film becomes an ensemble, as Joey the horse moves from one owner to another of the four year battle that is World War I. It is here that the film builds its emotional core as we see both German, English and the French falling and taking care of the horse.

For animal lovers, they'll connect to the film, while people who see them not as anything else but animals may find it difficult to understand why one horse means so much to so many.

There is, perhaps, one problem with it. David Thewlis plays the landlord of home in which Albert lives. Thewlis is the "villain" if you will, a heartless business man who sees only money. While I'm certain these type of people existed then as they do now, he was portrayed too much as mustache twirling bad guy. It's distracting and one that could have been toned down had they cast someone of a lesser name perhaps?

Anyways, Spielberg loves these type of stories, understands things about family and sacrifice (though his fairytale endings do get tedious after a while), and knows where and how to set his camera (the English countryside has never been filmed so magnificently). War Horse is a good film, worthy of awards it will be nominated for. It's not Best Picture film, but it is what Hollywood used to make when times were hard in the real world. And despite him not glossing over the hell of war, he does a great job of communicating it without hitting you over the head with it.

Parting Shot

2011-12-31T21:26:00.001-08:00

I can assume that when these boys look at this picture, oh 10 maybe 15 years from now, they'll say "Why did my mom let me leave the house dressed like a clown?"Emo-boys. Pretty, but really poor dressers.

Final Post of 2011

2011-12-31T17:55:00.000-08:00

With the ending of 2011 today, I'm hoping that 2012 becomes a better year. The year started with questions about Borders further existence. The company was on the ropes, and was hoping the 2010 holiday season would see us make even a small bit of profit. But soon, we learned, that did not happen.

Borders began not paying vendors and eventually announced Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection and began to reorganize. It was forced to close 220 Borders at first, then hoped that with the remaining 400 or so, it could survive. By July it became apparent that Borders was finally doomed. By the end of September, a 40 year-old company was gone. And I was unemployed.

Which is where I remain on this December 31.

I have mixed emotions with 2012, an election year and the continued downturn in the economy. I have no idea when, or if I'll find a job. One of the many reasons Borders failed was its inability to evolve. Sadly, I'm in the same position. Retail is what I know, but it's a dying -or becoming just a collection of a few gigantic corporations- due to the internet.

And what I know most is books, though I can do anything in retail. I'm just one to believe that what is not that important with in a retail environment is the shareholder. Anyways, I'm aware that the book business is evolving, but I remain hopeful the physical book is not going the way of LP's (though they're still preseed for dance bars).

And the sad part is maybe even I have failed to evolve. My resistance to buy an e-reader just kinda of proves it, right?

So with the end of 2011, I'm hoping things brighten in 2012. But I'm sadly thinking -even though I will try- that more or less, things will remain the same.

Mirror Image

2011-12-31T12:31:00.001-08:00

The Nerdist? On BBC America?

2011-12-30T14:37:00.000-08:00

It seems incredibly strange that The Nerdist Podcast would get picked up for various TV specials by BBC America, and not the cable net (supposedly) devoted to science fiction -and thus nerds and geeks- The Sci Fi Channel. Oh wait, they call themselves SyFy, which seems to have given them license to do as little science fiction as possible.

The Nerdist Podcast was started by Chris Hardwick, host of the E! cable series Web Soup. The weekly show is about, as Hardwick says, "what it really means to be a nerd." It began in February of 2010, and Harwick has had an eclectic group of guest that have included Rob Zombie, Stan Lee, Jeri Ryan, Ozzy Osbourne, Drew Carey and Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame.

It's success led to a 2011 TV pilot with guest appearances by Craig Ferguson and current Doctor Who, Matt Smith. The pilot scored well with BBC America, which then ordered five more specials to air beginning Christmas Eve and to continue on the cable net through 2012.

As I watched it, I began to wonder what a show that is devoted to mostly nerdom -super-hero, science fiction and fantasy movies, along with everything in between -sci fi TV, games, music, science and which actress was hotter (though, sadly no books or anime) is on a BBC America and not, say the damn Sci Fi...sorry, SyFy Channel? This is not a slight against BBC America in any way, because somehow this cable network is filling a void left by NBC/Universal's dismal attempt to crossbreed science fiction with Daytime Television story lines, while airing snooze inducing reality programs, game shows and wrestling.Not only is Doctor Who been a hit since moving from the Sci Fi Channel, they've brought us Being Human (and have tried a poor copy here in the US) and other well done British science fiction.

I know there is a audience for it, though. Sadly, SyFy's low-budget crap-a-thon Saturday Night Cheese Fest Movies (and the more silly the title, the more viewers apparently as well) does extremely well for them. I'm unsure though they care that they are producing crap that -perhaps- Roger Corman should not be suing them for copyright infringement. It seems, in the end, about profit and the shareholders. It seems Craig Engler, the senior executive at Syfy, is in reality the real Jack Donaghy of one NBC's best comedies, 30 Rock. Donaghy will do almost anything to get ratings up at the series "fictional" NBC network, and will scrap the barrel if he has to do it. His "synergy" has lead to some hilarious (MiLF Island) interactions on how network TV considers shareholders first, viewers last (even though I believe a show like this would actually work. No one would admit they watch it, but it could get great ratings).

I've tweeted Engler a few times over the last few months about his cable net, being critical of such sci-fi lite programs as Warehouse 13, Eureka and Haven (which gets the award for producing a fantasy show based on classic Raymond Chandler style noir novel called The Colorado Kid by Stephen King, which had no elements of fantasy at all). He, of course, believes the "millions" who watch these shows would take a critical view of the way I think they're trash. Which is fair, everyone has an opinion. My arched eyebrow comes from the extreme knowledge that I no longer am part of the demographic that this cable net is after. That means -for some reason- I can no longer have great shows like Caprica, Battlestar Galactica and Farscape because they're themes, as the late Michael Piller once said about Star Trek: Voyager, were "too lofty for a (show like Voyager's) broad-based audience." Somehow, I think this is how Engler approaches series development.

Part of the blame is that there is so much to view these days, so many platforms for people to watch them on, that the cable nets (who don't have the same budgets that broadcast net's have) have to produce shows cheaply. But that being said, if money can't be spent on sets, visual effects and location shooting, why are the scripts not more character driven? It seems they know a plot driven show is expensive, but ignore it for paint-by-numbers characters and trying to show more sex than most nerdist need, or want. After all, a nerdist likes the girls (lesbians's included), but they're terribly afraid of the opposite sex. Gay male nerdist have it the worst, in my opinion.

So why is not the Nerdist a weekly, monthly or occasional special on SyFy? Did no one think at NBC/U that people would watch this? Though, even as I say thing, I can picture Engler printing out reams of data indicating that they would not. But the show would be cheap to produce, and even a tepid rating would make money for them -would studios not be interested in airing trailer for their upcoming nerdist movies on a show like this?

Yes, true science fiction has been regulated to "cultish" nerd girls and boys, but with the rise of social media, explain to me why a cable net that was designed -at least at first- as a place for all nerdist to live, has kicked us to the curb in favor of wrestling and ghost hunting? With the continued success of certain superhero based movies and, on occasion, a pretty good sci fi film (which does escape me at this moment) and fantasy we nerds deserve a show like what Hardwick is doing.

And as much as I love BBC America, this show should be on The Sci Fi Channel.

Sitting

2011-12-29T15:16:00.001-08:00

Duo

2011-12-28T12:24:00.001-08:00

Seeking

2011-12-27T10:39:00.001-08:00

New Presents

2011-12-26T16:07:00.001-08:00

Hobbit stuff

2011-12-26T15:45:00.001-08:00

Books Read in 2011

2011-12-26T11:03:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Borders going under, I was able to read a bit more than I would have this year. If I had continued working, I probably would have only finished about 28 books. I mean the last 4 out of 5 books well well over 500 pages, with King, Martin and Williams being between 700 to 900 plus. Basically, I probably would have finished Stephen King and been happy with it. Until I get a job, I'm going to work on a few long books. The next 4 books in the George R.R. Martin books total somewhere in the area of 4,000 pages, so that's first. I'm also wanting, for the first time since there original release dates, to re-read the 7 volume Harry Potter series, and re-read the entire Lord of the Rings series (including The Hobbit) before the end of next year (because The Hobbit film adaptation hits in December). All of this, or course, depends on if I get a job.

And I don't kill myself.

01. Horns by Joe Hill
02. Starbound by Joe Haldeman
03. Spooner by Pete Dexter
04. Beyonders by Brandon Mull
05. Shadowrise by Tad Williams
06. I Don’t Want To Kill You by Dan Wells
07. Star Trek: DTI: Watching the Clock by Christopher Bennett
08. A Dark Matter by Peter Straub
09. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
10. Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde
11. The Passage by Justin Cronin
12. The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde
13. Summer of Night by Dan Simmons
14. A Winter Haunting by Dan Simmons
15. Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde
16. First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde
17. The Bothers Sisters by Patrick de Witt
18. The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
19. One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde
20. Living Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu
21. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
22. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
23. Star Trek: Ishmael by Barbara Hambly
24. The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde
25. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
26. The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde
27. Parrot & Olivier in America by Peter Carey
28. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
29. Canticle for Leibowitiz by Walter Miller, Jr.
30. The Poet by Michael Connelly
31. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
32. Shadowheart by Tad Williams

Unwrapped

2011-12-24T16:37:00.001-08:00

Holiday Tunes 14

2011-12-24T10:27:00.001-08:00

This song means more to me than any other Christmas Carol. There is truth here.

Trailer Park

2011-12-23T12:30:00.001-08:00

Books: Shadowheart by Tad Williams (2010)

2011-12-23T10:31:00.000-08:00

Tad Williams is a great talent at world building, and for no more other reason than that, he is brilliant at what he does. Fantasy has always depended upon an author’s ability to create a believable world with easily defined characters to make up for all the fairies, elves, gnomes, dwarfs and magical monsters that inhabit the world they create. The success of The Lord of Rings trilogy as a book series and movies always hinged on how much real humanity you brought to the characters.

However, at times, much like the late Robert Jordan, these authors get so wrapped up in their universes, that the books become bloated and so long that you wonder if the a good editor needs to stand up and say, enough is enough.

This series, originally planned as trilogy, but became a tetralogy (much like his Otherland series) due to many things, I’m sure. And I praised the last book, Shadowrise, as a book that moved swiftly and felt that there was not much Williams could have cut to shorten to a trilogy. But for the first time reading Williams, I feel he went on too long. Shadowheart, at 722 pages, goes on forever. To me, it’s about 300 pages too long (the first half took me forever to get through).

We do see all the puzzle pieces finally falling into place, as we begin to understand why Southmarch is so important to the Gods of this series. The characters, and there are many, are separated into so many stories –some less interesting than others- that the action is sometimes forgotten for these little character pieces. Which is not say I don’t like a well-drawn out tale of character plotting; it just that when you are approaching the finale, some of these stories should have been ended by now, or at least truncated.

Still, I give Williams accolades for ending the series in a less than happier way. It reminds us that while war, power and death are some horrible aspects of life, it never ends with everyone living happily ever after.

Prometheus

2011-12-22T19:46:00.000-08:00

For months now, Ridley Scott has denied again and again that Prometheus is a prequel to his classic 1979 film Alien. Today's trailer seems to indicate that its some sort of hybrid of that film. IO9 did a frame-by-frame analysis of the trailer, and it seems to confirm that this new film will take place sometime before Ellen Ripley ever entered the picture. Since the original film never told us at what point in the future it is set, it's hard to judge where this film will fit in the timeline. One of the problems of doing a prequel 30 plus years later is the technology has advanced. Back in 1979, some of the stuff -especially the computer core- was probably somewhat cutting edge. Now, in 2011 those intervening decades have made what we saw then extremely archaic. So, how many years this film will take place before Alien, and more importantly how different the technology is will be interesting to see. I mean, Star Trek: Enterprise certainly does not fit in with canon (on so many levels), but years from now, watching the franchise in linear fashion will be jarring.

So you take this film and put it ahead of Alien and its going to be very obvious these films were made a long-time apart.

So how much of Prometheus is a prequel will probably answered in the coming months. But, like The Hobbit and The Dark Knight Rises trailer, 2012 looks to be a great year in visual filmmaking.The

Holiday Tunes 13

2011-12-22T14:56:00.001-08:00

This is an entry for a contest sponsored by Perez Hilton. Michelle Monica is a friend of Brian Lam, a friend of mine, who contributed 2 songs to the JUDAS KISS soundtrack.

American Horror Story

2011-12-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

This show was...difficult to like. Mostly, I think, due to its continuous desire to throw a thousand plot lines against the wall and see what stuck. It's not that the show wasn't linear, but what bothered me the most was Murphy and crew just getting cra-cra because they could do it. It was a hot mess from week-to-week, and you were left with your mouth open, and not because they went there, but because they went there with no plan as to figure out why they went there. Which is what is going to make season two more difficult. I'll agree with some, that the show will need to shift away from the Harmon clan and The Murder House. Perhaps what we are seeing here in the final moments of the finale is another take on The Omen (why not, the ripped off so many other movies, why not this one as well?). It's my understanding that Lange (along with the rest of the main cast) all signed on for one season. And to be honest, after viewing the finale, I would be happy if the series DID NOT go on. They tied up so many loose ends, that it seems anticlimactic to return to the Harmon family and the house for another season of scaring people who move in (all you have would be a Ghost War, which is silly).

I will say the whole personal responsibility thing was a good idea. We've had a long history of blaming others for our misfortunes -especially the ones we cause our selves. While Ben was a complete ass when he was alive, death gave him a new insight. His parley with Tate was brilliant, and I admit its about time someone realized that Tate was evil and should not be thought of as some anti-hero. The series tried so hard for so long to make the audience to like Tate -that he was a victim of circumstance (he mentions he burned to death his Mom's boyfriend, but I;m not sure we ever got a full explanations as to why he did it), but in the end I think they did the right thing.

As for Hayden, my least favorite amongst a cast of characters that are all pretty annoying, I agree with her when she tells Tate to grow a pair. She's crazy as a box of hair, but she is does have one moment of clarity. Still, Tate mourns he'll get her back if it takes an eternity. And they have a lot of that. And if that remains a plot line for season two, then its going to get old very quick.

Jessica Lange, perhaps in more control than from the start, gives a good performance (the mirror speech reminded me of the evil queen in Snow White for some reason). She is delusional as the rest, and perhaps the craziest of them all, but I see Constance now as the mother of a killer who is, maybe, I don't know, the devil? Again, I sense that season two may shift towards Constance grooming little toe-headed Michael for greater evil. What we shall, perhaps, was prologue to another story (The Omen?)-a story that needed to be told to explain things that will happen later.

I don't know. In the end, I was left with mixed feelings. AHS is good when it does not show all the crazy stuff up close and personal. When it goes for the jugular, well, it makes it no better or worse than a Friday the 13th movie. Horror is not about cutting someone in half, or showing guts falling out, its what the mind sees, not the eyes.

Something Like Summer

2011-12-21T19:52:00.000-08:00

It became official this week that my friends J.T. Tepnapa and Carlos Pedraza, who won acclaim this summer for their first film Judas Kiss, will adapt Jay Bell's novel Something Like Summer as their next project.

Love, like everything in the universe, cannot be destroyed. But over time it can change. The hot Texas nights were lonely for Ben before his heart began beating to the rhythm of two words; Tim Wyman. By all appearances, Tim had the perfect body and ideal life, but when a not-so-accidental collision brings them together, Ben discovers that the truth is rarely so simple. If winning Tim's heart was an impossible quest, keeping it would prove even harder as family, society, and emotion threaten to tear them apart.

Something Like Summer is a love story spanning a decade and beyond as two boys discover what it means to be friends, lovers, and sometimes even enemies.

Holiday Tunes 12

2011-12-21T19:41:00.001-08:00

Hump

2011-12-21T09:35:00.001-08:00

Self

2011-12-20T17:07:00.001-08:00

Terra Nova

2011-12-20T12:16:00.000-08:00

I’ve been accused of being a curmudgeon, and not happyunless I can complain about something. I am very aware, at times, that I can bevery critical of things like movies and TV shows that insult my intelligence,but I don’t think that makes me a curmudgeon. To me, it makes me more aware ofthe manipulation by these folks who run the studios that if they cart out a fewexplosions and add a few sex scenes, I’ll not notice their stories are sopaint-by-number.

So, despite knowingthe track record of Brannon Braga (Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise)and his corporate utopian views, I watched Terra Nova each week to see if thissci fi adventure show had anything to offer beyond the sci fi lite that thecable network the SyFy Channel offers viewers.

I do think the premise is interesting, showing us a verypossible future of 2149 where man has basically destroyed the Earth. And whilethe idea of a space-time rift actually exists is silly, I can forgive thembecause that’s what makes sci fi so great, the idea. So a select group of people (gays not included, it seems. Imean, I guess your “re-populating” the Earth, so the biblical message is [sortof] subtle, but it’s there) are traveling back to an alternate Cretaceousperiod some 85 million years into the past (and it’s a one-way passage, oncethe people are here, they can’t get back, but they can communicate with thefuture). The series centers around the Shannon family, father Jim, a cop, hiswife Elisabeth, a scientist, and their three kids, Josh, Maddy and Zoe. We knowfrom the start that the Shannon family are rebels –having three kids in 2149 isforbidden, and Jim serves time for it (thus setting up the classic “daddy”issues between him and emo son Josh). As soon as they arrive, they becomeinvolved in the politics of Terra Nova along with an ongoing feud betweenNathaniel Taylor (Commander of Terra Nova), his son Lucas and a group of renegadepeople known as the Sixers.

So the premise was pretty good, and as the seriesprogressed, we learned that a cadre called The Phoenix Group in 2149 wascommunicating with the Sixers in hopes of exploiting the past to help thefuture. But since we were told that no one from the past could return to theirfuture, how did the Sixers and the Phoenix group intend to roll out theirplans? Well, we also learn that Taylor’s son Lucas was a brilliant scientistwho is working for this group to enable the portal to be a 2-way access, and therewe have our main conflict.

And that is where things fall apart.

The characters are all archetypes, which are not so bad, butwhile every story has been done before, why make all the characters so blandand stereotypical? Jim, while not remorseful for having a third child, becomesthe Saint of Terra Nova when he and his family arrive, seemingly the only onewho has the ability to think in any logical thought process. I like Jason O’Mara,who plays Jim. He embodies the character with a certain earnestness that beliesthe characters stick-figure creation. Still, as the season progresses, youwonder why he’s not in command of Terra Nova. He can be emotional when it comesto his family, but Commander Taylor is a complete asshole, hiding what anemotional mess he truly is, because his son is a prick and the Sixers exist tobegin with.

And by making Taylor an asshole, and a variation on hischaracter in Avatar, you’re supposed to love the Shannon family even more,despite the fact they are the most boring kids on the planet. We have son Josh,played by an actor who has just one facial look –emo-hang-dog- by LandonLiboiron. It was obvious that this actor was selected more on looks, than hisability to play a character that needs to have an emotional struggle withleaving his girlfriend in the future and a disappointment with his father.Perhaps it was the failure of the writers to create a better conflict, or itwas Liboiron’s inability to grasp the motivations of his character that led tothe role of Josh being so bland, so emo-ish. But in the end, he became indistinguishablebetween every other teen on TV that you could no longer care what happened tohim. I often hoped that his boorish rebellion would get him killed off. Butalas, this is a “family” show, and killing off someone like Josh was never evenconsidered (someone should be watching shows like Game of Thrones to understandwhat I mean).

Maddy, played by Naomi Scott, is –perhaps- the mostinteresting of the Shannon’s kids. But sadly, even Scott cannot not escape thereality she is playing the TV version of Lex Murphy from Jurassic Park movies.She’s smart, bookish, making her so much like Lisa Simpson, it isn’t funny. Andlike any teenage girl, she immediately falls for Mark Reynolds, the handsome militaryman played Australian actor (doing a good American accent) Dean Geyer. Throughthe first season, we see their attraction grow, and even in the finale we seethem kissing (with Reynolds partially out of uniform, mind you) when her dadwalks by, catching them. But Jim seems to have no issue that Reynolds is nearlyshirtless, with his tongue down his daughter’s throat. Sure, they break away(Geyer gets kudos for being able to portray Reynolds as an awkward kid inlove), but had Dad not stumbled in on them, where would this “family” show havetruly gone?

Zoe, I can careless about her. Her main function on thisshow is to appeal to 10 year-old girls. This means she does cute things (likehugging Commander Taylor after learning about the death of hissecond-in-command) and getting into trouble every couple of episodes.

Shelley Conn is underused as mother Elisabeth. The seriestried to introduce a former flame into the mix, but it was painful to watchMalcolm moon over her. This was also, I think, a plot device to make theaudience think Malcolm’s loyalties were questionable. Would he sacrifice TerraNova for his lost love, Elisabeth? Conn has the mother lode of techobabble tosay, but she seems unsure of what she really is saying.

Then we have Lucas Taylor (played with so much mustachetwirling gusto by Ashley Zukerman), who seems have the bigger “daddy issues”than Josh. He is shown as brilliant scientist, yet mentally unstable andruthless all because he has resented his father ever since his mother diedbecause Taylor could not save her. Never mind the fact that it was revealed inthe season finale, that his mother couldnot be saved. But hey, then we would have no drama.

The problem of Lucas is that he becomes such a cartoonvillain, spouting out the silliest of dialogue, that there is no subtly to him.A good villain needs not always be so obvious. He’s ruthless, but even hiskilling of Washington is an over the top act. It’s like the writers decidedthat Lucas was not coming over evil enough, so they had to have him murdersomeone in cold blood. That, the writers seemed to say, is to show the asleep audiencethat Lucas can no longer be redeemable (unlike Skye, who betrayed Terra Nova anumber of times by passing info to the Sixers. Though it’s revealed that her illmother is being held by the Sixers, and being forced to do these things againsther wishes).

Then they turn Lucas into Jason Voorhee’s. He is shot twiceby Skye, yet is able to get away without either her or Taylor noticing he left,even though the two did not move away from where he was shot!

The whole series reminds me of Deep Space Nine in many ways.Which, I guess is not bad, as DS9 was best of the later Star Trek series. Butthe wholesale lifting cannot be so ignored any more. Terra Nova is then spacestation at the mouth of a time portal (i.e. the wormhole). There exists, on theother side of this portal, a mysterious company called The Phoenix Group (theChangelings/the Dominion) who havenefarious plans for Terra Nova and beyond. In the finale, to protect TerraNova, Taylor plans to destroy the portal (where DS9 mined theirs to stop theJem’Hadar and the Dominion). There is a bar in Terra Nova, run by the shifty TomBoylan, who occasionally trades with the Sixers. He’s Quark, really. And seriously,is not Jim Shannon really Constable Odo? Lucas is Gul Dukat (well, the crazypart. It’s an insult to Marc Alaimo who the Cardassaian, I know).

So, as pointed out to me, all the stories have been donebefore. Okay, I can accept that. Then what is left is too create more believablecharacters, one’s who stories are not so paint-by-number. What makes EuropeanTV shows so much better is that they challenge the audience to like what are essentiallyunlikable heroes. Plus, to give a show some heightened suspense, main characterscan be killed off at any given time (some American TV shows are starting to embracethis concept, but they mostly exist primarily on the premium cable channels). Iwould be less critical had Terra Nova killed off a larger character thanWashington. Killing off one the Shannon kids, or someone more important to thesurvival of Terra Nova would have been impressive. Instead they kill of areplaceable red shirt military girl.

This is where Terra Nova fails to be creative. This is wherebroadcast TV and basic cable fail every time. If every story has been told,then let’s try to create interesting characters. People are so different, theirstories so different, you think someone would want to try to make themstand-out. But instead, we get poor characters with ill-defined lives, playedby actors who seem to unaware of how to play them.

Again, perhaps it’s the writers and producers fault morethan the actors?

In the end, I’m through with this show. FOX has said they’llmake a decision on Terra Nova’s future sometime in 2012. Its ratings have beentepid at best, and it’s a hugely expensive show to produce. They may renew it justto see if they can get a return on their investment, but unless the show canprove to be something more than the sum of its parts, I would call the casthome. Not since The X Files has this network given us a sci fi show that breaksout the typical TV series tropes (well, there was Firefly and Wonderfalls).

Still, if the upcoming Alcatraz is successful, and Housefinishes its run in 2012, Terra Nova could be back.

Critical, yes, but I don’t like the moniker of being a curmudgeon.I don’t think expecting a lot from movie or TV shows is horrible thing. Settingthe bar high is not a wrong thing.

You know?

Smile (?)

2011-12-19T11:15:00.001-08:00

Holiday Tunes 11

2011-12-19T11:11:00.001-08:00

Holiday Tunes 10

2011-12-18T18:04:00.001-08:00

Should note that this kid is just 16 years-old. He comes from a musically talented family in Ontario, Canada, as well.

Sole

2011-12-18T13:59:00.001-08:00

Hair

2011-12-17T22:13:00.001-08:00

Holiday Tunes 9 -Shameless

2011-12-17T19:43:00.001-08:00

Holiday Tunes 8

2011-12-17T13:13:00.001-08:00

The Ponds to depart the TARDIS

2011-12-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

In what is probably not a surprising announcement (it's happened before, and it will happen again) Doctor Who show-runner Steven Moffat has confirmed that while Amy and Rory will be returning for the series 7th (33rd) season, their story will come to "a heartbreaking end." At what point actors Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvil will depart is unknown -either mid season or at its end. While it is always sad to see companions leave, the truth of the matter is what makes this series so unique is its ability to change its cast (including its lead) from time to time.

It's longevity is based on this successful ability.

As to who will replace them is not known, but I'm sure news will leak out sometime in 2012, when the series resumes production in the Spring for a fall premiere.

Slip Down

2011-12-16T21:48:00.001-08:00

Holiday Tunes 7

2011-12-16T19:31:00.001-08:00

one 4 one

2011-12-14T19:26:00.001-08:00

Judas Kiss Behind the Scenes 4

2011-12-14T18:56:00.001-08:00

Rooms

2011-12-13T18:01:00.001-08:00

Hats & SpongeBob

2011-12-12T18:59:00.001-08:00

Star Peace

2011-12-11T20:24:00.001-08:00

Games

2011-12-11T17:48:00.001-08:00

Holiday Tunes 6

2011-12-11T11:21:00.001-08:00

Books: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (1996)

2011-12-10T22:10:00.001-08:00

Why, fifteen years after its publication am I finally getting to A Game of Thrones, the first book in George R.R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire? After all, I’ve been a fan of epic fantasy for nearly 30 years. I’ve read so much of the genre, why not this?

As I’ve written before, part of the reason I’ve sort of abandoned the genre is due to its length, and the number of years between volumes. It started with Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time series. Begun in 1992, Jordan said the series was to be seven volumes- I’m of the opinion that most series should be only three volumes. Anyways, after a year between books, the publication dates got longer and it became clear Jordan had no intention of making the Wheel series 7 books. And tragically, Jordan would never live to see his series end, as he passed away in September of 2007, even though he was –supposedly- one volume away from finishing it. When Brandon Sanderson was chosen to finish the series, using Jordan’s copious notes, he realized that it could not be done in only one volume. Yes, the final book would be split into three.

But even Sanderson ran into some problems finishing it. The first volume was released in November 2009, the second a year later with the last planned for November 2011. But now the final volume will be released in March of 2012 -20 years after it began.

That, to me, is way too long to wait for a conclusion.

And I think, Martin’s series will take just as long, but will only be (supposedly) seven volumes. Between 1996 and 2005 he put out 4 books in the series. It took 6 more years for book five, to finally find its place on the bookshelves, which was released this past July. With 2 more books to go –and Martin recently said he’s at work on book six, and is estimating it will be about 1,500 pages- and even if it takes him another five years between each, he’ll finish them in 2021, some 25 years after it began.

Again, that is way too long to force fans to wait.

Of course, the HBO series based on the first book also spurned an interest to finally begin this series. I’ve yet to see it, but I thought this first book was good, and I’m kind of excited to see. After all, the series has gotten a lot of praise, including a few Emmys. But here lies a problem. Season two, which launches in 2012, is based on book two of the series. A third season, while not confirmed with HBO, is already in the works for 2013. If the cable net wants to continue to the end, theoretically, season 4 would air in 2014, season five in 2015, which means Martin would need to get book six out by 2015 -just four years from now- to be ready by 2016. And the span between book 6 and 7 gets shorter to be ready to air on HBO by 2017. It's all speculation, for sure, and interest of viewers have a tendency to wane, so who knows if HBO will want to finish the novels.

So, A Game of Thrones is well written, despite its length and 500,000 characters you are desperately trying to remember (this was what eventually caused me to put Jordan’s series down) and the multiple names of Gods and objects. If anyone has watched The Tudors, this series is just like it – except it’s a dysfunctional family multiplied by 7 kingdoms. Everyone is out for power, for glory and will kill as quickly as they breathe. It’s extremely violent, with enough spouting blood to fill a few Stephen King novels.

But that being said, Martin has created a very real world of say 13th Century England. It’s not a pleasant place to live, and treachery, faith and great river are never far away. But he balances the violence with humor –the character of Tyrion appears to be Martin’s favorite (and the fans love him, and actor Peter Dinklage won an Emmy for portraying him as well).

So book two looms next, though I might skip it to finish Tad Williams Shadowmarch series.

Holiday Tunes 5

2011-12-09T21:28:00.001-08:00

A&F

2011-12-09T18:33:00.001-08:00

For Jonah Mowry. What's going on?

2011-12-09T15:04:00.001-08:00

Jeans

2011-12-09T14:46:00.001-08:00

Low

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2011-12-08T14:21:00.001-08:00

Poses

2011-12-07T18:10:00.001-08:00

Holiday Tunes 3

2011-12-07T12:04:00.001-08:00

Holiday Tunes 2

2011-12-06T12:45:00.001-08:00

Cuties

2011-12-06T12:22:00.001-08:00

The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe prequel

2011-12-06T11:34:00.001-08:00

Holiday Tunes

2011-12-05T21:15:00.001-08:00