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Brainstorm 2007 - Issue # 1
The Brainstorm crew welcomes in the new year, stylishly late with a recap of the best sci-fi moments of 2006 and a preview of what's to come in 2007 in the world of science fiction. Now, with extra lemon - Brainstorm 2007!
(mid-conversation, prior to the official session start)
Grimzo hah, the gang is back together! Happy belated New Year to you all!
Proteus4 Towel trick?
Grimzo Douglas Adams has a towel trick, but that's to stave off the ravenous bugblatter beast of traal
Proteus4 I would talk about Star Trek Legacy tonight but I HAVE NO 360! Yeah, I'm a bit pissy about it.
Jiggyj You apparently wrap your 360 in a towel, turn it on for like 15 minutes, and apparently it fixes broke systems.
Proteus4 Really?
Jiggyj By what I read.
Proteus4 It just needs warmth and attention?
Grimzo This is too hitchhiker's for me
Proteus4 Hmmm, I'll give it a try since I have nothing to lose.
Grimzo Go for it, you have nothing to lose.
Proteus4 Yeah, I am going dress up my system like Arthur Dent and take pictures.
Grimzo try it now and tell us how it works by the end of Brainstorm
Proteus4 ok... give me a minute
Grimzo should it be a wet towel?
Grimzo ok topics for today:
Grimzo best sci-fi of 2006
Grimzo what we're most looking forward to in 2007
Proteus4 Sounds good.
Jiggyj Heroes for TV Series and two-way tie between Children of Men and The Fountain for movie.
Proteus4 I haven't seen Children of Men yet!!
Proteus4 The Fountain was good though. Trippy... but good.
Grimzo I didn't even know that was sci fi
Jiggyj Children of Men was excellent
Grimzo ok, so those are two big topics, we can just do those two
Jiggyj righty o
Grimzo let's make for start!
Jiggyj Agents...GO!
Proteus4 Wait, I thought you hated EBA?
Jiggyj Sadly in love with the game now since I bought it.
Proteus4 Told you.
Topic One: Best Sci-Fi of 2006
(Warning: Major Spoilers for at least one movie that Proteus likes)
Grimzo Best Sci-Fi Game
Grimzo (EBA rocks btw)
Jiggyj Elite Beat Agents!
Jiggyj Lost Planet is really good though short
Grimzo I'll be safe and go with Gears of War
Jiggyj Oooh, yeah Gears of War easily for the win.
Proteus4 Best Sci-Fi game... Gears of War. Honestly, I haven't played Resistance so I can't really compare but I would go with Gears of War out of the pool of games I have played.
Proteus4 Have you played Resistance Jiggs?
Grimzo How does Resistance compare, Mr. PS3
Jiggyj Resistance is good, but I like its multiplayer more than the single player story.
Jiggyj How was special?
Grimzo I haven't seen it yet
Jiggyj I hope Sci-Fi shows Torchwood so I can see it.
Proteus4 The special was pretty good. Not as good as last years but I enjoyed the stuff with Catherine Tate.
Jiggyj Was the new companion introduced yet?
Grimzo Well speaking of Torchwood, and since we're pretty much all in agreement about Gears - what's the best Sci-Fi TV show of 2006?
Proteus4 It also helped him come to terms with Rose leaving to the alternate dimension.
Proteus4 No she was not introduced.
Jiggyj ah
Proteus4 Best Sci-Fi show = Doctor Who.
Jiggyj Heroes
Jiggyj Doctor Who second
Grimzo I'd say Battlestar Galactica overall, with Heroes and Doctor Who tied for second.
Proteus4 Heroes 1st? It still needs to develop for me but it is definitely my second favorite show with BSG a close third.
Grimzo Doctor Who was awesome, but there were quite a few filler episodes.
Jiggyj I don't know. Battlestar has been good, but not great to me so far this season.
Grimzo Well since we're counting 2006, i'd argue that the end of the second season and the first few episodes of the third season where phenomenal
Proteus4 I really want Battlestar to do something shocking or drastically different. I know they are the cutting edge of sci-fi already and they rarely have a bad episode but maybe they should inject some humor into the show once and a while.
Proteus4 It's always doom and gloom.
Grimzo I'd love to see more humour as well
Jiggyj I want a Cylon to give Gaius toast
Proteus4 Yeah, I would like to see that.
Grimzo There's some great potential for some comedy and they never take advantage of it
Proteus4 Just like 24... someone needs to crack a joke on that show.
Grimzo I'd like to see Gauius try to get in bed with the Minority Report submerged woman Cylon.
Jiggyj I haven't watched 24 this season.
Proteus4 Oh, I was just about to type a spoiler too.
Jiggyj Soylent Green is people!
Grimzo 24 this season is basically like other seasons, but with bigger explosions and more shock value.
Grimzo "Damn them, damn them all to hell"
Proteus4 24 is very repetitive and it isn't to hard to spot the twists anymore. It's getting a bit tiring. The show is already outrageous... they should have some fun with it. Hire Tony Jaa and have Jack fight him half way through the season or something.
Grimzo I want to see Jack fight a Giant Terrorist Robot
Proteus4 Or create a SPECTRE like organization the has to fight with zainy villains with iron hands.
Jiggyj That is my problem with 24. It is the same show every season.
Jiggyj That is why I haven't watched it for like three season.
Grimzo I like villains with iron hands! good idea.
Proteus4 It's addictive but predictive.
Jiggyj I want Lockjaw
Proteus4 Sure, why not.
Grimzo I want to see giant robots on 24.
Jiggyj I can't wait for Drive. That should be cool. Nathan Fillion baby.
Proteus4 He needs to fight Metal Gear or something.
Proteus4 The character would fit right into that universe anyway... why not give him the same over-the-top villains.
Proteus4 Drive does look good.
Jiggyj Jack Bauer needs to fight Oddjob
Grimzo Totally. It's the best idea I've heard for 24 in a long time.
Grimzo What's Drive?
Jiggyj Tim Minear from Firefly is doing it. Death race across country for money basically.
Grimzo Also, while we don't agree on the top TV show, we all agree that Lost doesn't belong anywhere near the top
Grimzo I think the biggest surprise for me this season is how much Lost sucks.
Jiggyj I can't put Lost on there for sole fact only saw 6 episodes so far. Still love Lost though.
Proteus4 Yeah, that show will hopefully find it's focus in the second half of the season.
Grimzo I've given up on the show altogether.
Grimzo I skim through it on the rare occasions that I do watch it.
Proteus4 What time did I agree to wrap my 360 in a towel?
Grimzo about 15 minutes ago
Grimzo for those of you reading this late (can that happen) - Proteus agreed to wrap his dead 360 under a towel in order to make it work.
Proteus4 Fission Mailed! The towel didn't do the trick.
Jiggyj booo
Grimzo Noooooooooooo! Doh!
Grimzo Best Sci-Fi Movie?
Proteus4 My 360 is still dead... no Lost Planet or Star Trek for me.
Jiggyj Tie between Children of Men and The Fountain
Jiggyj You aint missing nothing with Star Trek
Grimzo how bad is Legacy?
Proteus4 Damn, I want to say my best sci-fi movie for this year but I can't without spoiling the damn movie!!
Proteus4 That was a double negative?
Grimzo I can't not disagree.
Jiggyj It is frustratingly hard and it sucks to play for 40 minutes, lose, and have to play the whole thing over again
Jiggyj What movie can't you talk about without spoiling?
Proteus4 I have a friend who absolutely love it.
Proteus4 Well, if I say it then I spoil the movie.
Jiggyj How is that?
Jiggyj I'm confused
Grimzo maybe the movie isn't billed a sci-fi film
Proteus4 Well, the big reveal is directly related to the movie's sci-fi element.
Jiggyj You can't even say the name?
Proteus4 It isn't billed as a sci-fi but it turns that way towards the end with fantastic results.
Jiggyj I must see this film!
Proteus4 Nope, then people will know.
Grimzo I really liked Superman Returns. It was flawed, but it was nice to see Superman.
Jiggyj I want to know now though
Proteus4 I can't tell you what this film is... you have to see it for yourself.
Grimzo What movie is this again?
Jiggyj He won't say!
Proteus4 I can't tell you.
Grimzo But then how can I see it....
Jiggyj We'll edit it out or something. I need to know!
Proteus4 It came out in the last quarter of 2006.
Proteus4 It was one of the two magician films.
Grimzo the Illusionist?
Jiggyj The Prestige?
Jiggyj haha
Proteus4 Jiggy wins.
Jiggyj woot. I bought the book. I need to read it.
Proteus4 I just spoiled it for you.
Proteus4 The book might be different so that isn't too bad.
Jiggyj I'm imagining it is something like Assasin's Creed now.
Grimzo Well I'll try to check it out.
Proteus4 Damn Kristen Bell... you look so good but your a hotbed of spoilers!!
Jiggyj Isn't that the truth. Course that one video of the game spoiled it too though.
Proteus4 I want say anymore about The Prestige... but it is my favorite sci-fi film of the year.
Proteus4 Yeah, that one video hinted but Kristen came right out and revealed the premise.
Jiggyj Blast it! Now I'm so intrigued I'm going to have to start reading the book now.
Proteus4 Still, a great idea for a game.
Grimzo Very well. I'll reserve judgement on the Prestige until after i've seen it
Proteus4 I wonder how will the story works as a novel... I am curious.
Grimzo Are there any giant robots?
Jiggyj haha
Proteus4 Giant Robots.... no.
Grimzo pity.
Jiggyj Hugh Jackman is really not in the movie, but rather it is a dream of his from The Fountain
Proteus4 I want the Blu-Ray... and a PS3.
Grimzo Giant Robots would have made the movie much better
Jiggyj I like my Wii more than PS3. However, my PS3 is making for a great PS2.
Proteus4 Hugh Jackman is having a dream while in Scoop which happened to be dreaming about while on the set of X3.
Proteus4 Jackman has been busy this year.
Proteus4 You'll get your Giant Robots this summer.
Grimzo So while we're on the subject, what is our most anticipated movie for 2007?
Topic Two: Most Anticipated Sci-Fi in 2007
(Disclaimer: Jiggy actually thinks the upcoming Michael Bay Transformers movie might be good. His opinion does not represent those of anyone directly or indirectly involved with putting this Brainstorm piece together.)
Jiggyj Transformers looks really good and I'm not a fan at all
Proteus4 You know... that is why it probably looks really good to you then.
Grimzo I don't like the way Megatron looks at all.
Proteus4 I grew up with Transformers and I'm still wrapping my head around those robot designs.
Grimzo I'm completely confused by the designs.
Grimzo Why mess with the classic designs? I don't get it.
Grimzo The only robot that sort of works is Optimus.
Jiggyj At least they are getting the two main voice actors to do the movie
Proteus4 Is Welker confirmed?
Grimzo But Megatron looks NOTHING like the real one.
Jiggyj Optimus is confirmed. The other is just rumor I think still right now.
Grimzo I have zero expectations for the movie actually.
Proteus4 Well, after reading the screenplay I can tell you that the Transformers have very little dialogue.
Grimzo I'm expecting it to be a butchered story that disrespects fans and confuses non-fans.
Grimzo Well I'm not surprised. I'm expecting it to both suck and tank at the box office.
Jiggyj See, it will suck, then transform into a tank.
Grimzo heh, it's still sad to see such great potential wasted
Proteus4 Well, I just saw the trailer for Sunshine and I am eagerly anticipating that but my most anticipated film is Spider-Man 3.
Proteus4 Venom, Sandman and Half-Assed Goblin... should be good.
Jiggyj I can't think of anything much. Spider-Man 3 definitely. Sunshine looks good.
Grimzo Spiderman 3 above all others
Grimzo And while it's not sci-fi, I am looking forward to the next Harry Potter.
Proteus4 I am kinda looking forward to FF Rise of the Silver Surfer just for some Galactus action.
Proteus4 If we are talking non-scifi... 300.
Grimzo Is that coming out this summer? (FF)
Proteus4 Yeah... FF comes out around Tranformers and that movie with the cop who goes around blowing stuff up.
Grimzo Giant Robots!
Jiggyj I've got to head. Later.
Proteus4 Later.
Grimzo thanks for dropping by Dr J.
Grimzo So Video Game for 2007. What are you most anticipating?
Proteus4 Ummm... my 360 just booted.
Grimzo As if there's even a need to ask the question with Halo 3 due to come out this year.
Grimzo it did?
Grimzo No way!
Proteus4 I'll leave it on for a while.
Grimzo nice, let me know if you'll be on live later
Proteus4 Yeah, 360 is my most anticipated game but I am also looking forward to Mass Effect and if it makes it... TOO HUMAN!
Proteus4 Shadowrun and Metroid Prime 3 look great too.
Grimzo They do, but Halo overshadows all
Grimzo Though Mass Effect is a close second.
Grimzo Will we see MGS4 on the 360?
Proteus4 It all depends on how confident Konami is in the PS3.
Proteus4 If the PS3 can't get into a good chunk of homes they might have to also release it on the 360.
Proteus4 The game costs millions to make and they need to recoup some of that money.
Grimzo That would be nice
Proteus4 You can't do that with such a small install base.
FINAL THOUGHTS
(Caution: Many Spoilers ahead for Halo: Ghosts of Onyx)
Proteus4 But... we will have to wait and see.
Proteus4 Microsoft customer service sucks.
Proteus4 I have been waiting a month for them to replace my 360.
Grimzo that's very odd,because i got mt 360 serviced in a week
Proteus4 Well, then they just don't like me.
Grimzo Maybe they'll tell you about the towel trick when you call them.
Grimzo Spoiler Alert for Ghosts of Onyx!
Grimzo What did you think of it?
Proteus4 Kurt kicks all kinds of ass especially his last line.
Grimzo Kurt is cooler than the master chief
Grimzo I hope Halo Wars is about him.
Proteus4 Now, I assume that Nylund is planning another book and I wonder if Cortana's line about being Chief's "sword" and "shield" in Halo 3 is somehow connected.
Proteus4 Shield = Shield World and Sword = Halo.
Proteus4 They practically say it in the book.
Grimzo hmm, I didn't think of it that way
Grimzo but you're right
Grimzo though it could just be a coincidence
Proteus4 At one point I believe the Doctor translates something and it says "sword and shield".
Grimzo Bungie has a tendancy of ignoring Nylund's work though.
Proteus4 It's been a mixed bag but I haven't seen too much ignored.
Proteus4 The end of First Strike had a fair bit of connection to Halo 2.
Proteus4 They just ignore all the other Spartans.
Grimzo completely
Grimzo I think that's why they ended onyx the way they did
Grimzo solves the spartan problem
Proteus4 I am looking forward to another novel about the aftermath of that situation.
Grimzo I am too
Grimzo Hopefully before Halo 3 comes out
Grimzo Well it's nice to be back doing our first Brainstorm of the year. Thanks for reading!
Smallville (6.11) “Justice” – Review
By: jesuiscanadien
This is the episode we’ve all been waiting for. When the stars align and the signs all combine to portent a coming together so incredibly important to the entire universe, it has all the little fanboys and girls doing something unmentionable in their proverbial pants. Yes, we have justice. We have the first sign of what will become the “Justice League”! Green Arrow, the Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman, and our own little Clark Kent, aka Superman, together at last! Can you stand it?
The beginning of the episode has Chloe speaking to Clark, who’s chasing down leads in South America for the escapees from the Phantom Zone. Chloe’s got a meeting with Dr. Caselli, the chap from Belle Reve who’s been signing out patients with special abilities to god knows where. Caselli shows up early, and when Chloe confronts him about his perceived complicity with the Luthor project 33.1, he pulls out a gun. Nail-biter time as Chloe tries to talk him down, but then a flash of red and Caselli is disarmed. Chloe turns around and there’s Clark, so she assumes he has saved her yet again. Nope, Clark admits he just got there, but when he chases down the suspicious red flash, he finds out that it is Bart Allen. They go back to the farm and talk about what Bart’s been up to. Chloe drops by and flirtation ensues. After she leaves, Bart cops to being a courier, but Clark isn’t completely buying it.
Meanwhile, Oliver and Lois have come back from a lovely lunch and before things can get personal, Ollie gets a call that he cannot ignore. He tries to placate Lois, but she is having none of it, and he suggests that they take a break. Lois interprets this as seeing other people, but Ollie means a vacation to Monte Carlo. Lois goes off to pack as Ollie attends to other business.
Lex, the misguided chap that he is, is mulling over a security cam photo of a red blur. Lionel comes in to talk to him about the LuthorCorp facilities that have been hit by thieves, when Lex shows him the photo. Lionel thinks it’s Clark, but when he confronts him, Clark tells him that it isn’t him. When Clark goes back to the farm, he demands to know what Bart has gotten himself into. Bart can’t or won’t tell him, and takes off before Clark can grill him further.
While Bart is breaking into another LuthorCorp facility, Chloe is asked to track Bart’s cell. She finds out that he’s been calling Oliver Queen. Bart is caught by some electrical charge when he tries to hit the mainframe, and is knocked unconscious. He is taken prisoner by Lex, who continues to believe that the “aliens are out to get Earth”.
The next day Clark confronts Ollie, which makes him one busy guy with all those darned confrontations. Isn’t he supposed to be a pacifist or something? Then he finds out about AC (Arthur Curry) and Victor Stone being on Ollie’s team. Ha! Ollie has a team! How delicious is that? So as things go, Clark brings Chloe in on the game, to find out where Lex may be keeping Bart, and now Chloe knows about the team. OMG, now we’re getting somewhere. Clark gets the intel on where Bart may be, and as he is wont, goes off half cocked to “save the day”. So yada yada, Ollie et al, plan their intrusion, and then they get the news from Chloe that Clark may be walking into trouble as LuthorCorp is refining meteor rock at the same place. Now the mission is a serious go, and the newly minted Justice League comes in to save the day. Suffice it to say, that it was pretty darned cool to hear Ollie refer to Chloe as “watchtower”.
So, Green Arrow splits off to save Clark, Aquaman swims in to get to the mainframe room, and Cyborg meets up with Aquaman there to do something with the mainframe. He’s interfacing, but I’m not really clear as to what he’s trying to do. Destroy the mainframe? Download the entire sucker? It went by a little too fast for me to catch. Sorry, no Tivo. I know, I’m bad. Anyways, Clark gets saved, Bart gets rescued, Green Arrow sets up the place to blow to high heaven, and the mainframe gets doodled with. Oh, that sounds a wee bit dirty. Anyways, Lex is warned the place is going up in smoke and everyone evacs. Once Green Arrow gets the all clear from Chloe, he wants to blow the joint, but Clark wants to make certain that everyone is safe. Chloe tells him that she’s 100% certain there are no other lifesigns, and Clark says it’s okay to blow ‘er up. Then we get my favourite scene. All five of them are walking out of the plant’s grounds with the buildings blowing up behind them. I was totally taken back to the scene from Angel’s “Smile Time” when everybody was walking down the hall with a puppet Angel leading the way holding a very large axe…you had to be there.
Anyways, the next day Ollie is cancelling on Lois yet once again, and he breaks up with her, telling her that she’ll be the one thing he regrets when he leaves. She doesn’t understand of course, but that’s pretty much Lois. Back at the mansion, Lex is telling Lionel that they have to keep on going with the 33.1 project, ‘because the Earth is vulnerable more than ever’ crap. He points out that he thinks Clark may’ve been involved due to the description the guards gave him, but Lionel provides an alibi for Clark, saving his bacon.
The junior “Justice League” meets up at the Kent barn with Chloe and Clark. Ollie tells them that he’s found out that Lex is up to his old tricks with more labs for 33.1, and he asks Clark to come along. Clark begs off, telling them about the problem he is trying to fix, without actually telling them about the zoner escapees. Ollie says okay, but keeps an open invite to the party for when Clark is ready. The episode ends with Ollie, AC, Bart and Victor walking out into the sunshine like the heroes you expect them to be.
All right, from the amount of fan-person squealing I heard all over the globe, you can assume that a lot of people were pretty happy this episode came to fruition. People I had not heard from for quite some time were up and about, calling out their massive appreciation of this particular ep. It was pretty funny to listen to. I mean, I like the show, but I’m not obsessed or anything. These people? Pretty obsessed.
Now I delve into delicate territory. The stuff I enjoyed and the stuff that annoyed me. Don’t yell at me if you don’t agree. This is, after all, my opinion, not a stone tablet from God. I do not claim to be any type of authority, nor would I want to. I am merely human, and subject to the laws defining humanity.
This episode was particularly enjoyable, simply because we saw the newbie “Justice League”. How much fun was that? Seriously. It was great fun. Plus, as was pointed out to me numerous times by friends, mucho man-candy. Now I like a good-looking guy as much as the next girl, but I must say, this was a little overwhelming. What did the CW do? Hire every sexy body on the West Coast? Cuz, if that’s the case, it’s a little sad for those of us living on the Best Coast. Hopefully there are more around. Anyways, man-candy good, fire bad.
I thought the costumes were a bit over the top, but then DC Comics aren’t known for their subtlety. The cape slash jacket thingy that Bart was wearing, with the lightening bolt on the back, got a laugh from me. I mean, Green Arrow has the costume that looks like Robin Hood on ‘roids, but the Flash with that whole ensemble? Oh dear. At least Victor as Cyborg and AC as Aquaman look mostly normal. I know, nobody cares about clothes, but as a woman I have to say, there is something to be said for subtlety.
I feel for poor Lex. Somebody needs to sit that guy down and tell him that he’s after the wrong people. Paranoia is also not very sexy. And neither is being misinformed. He becomes evil because he has bad intel, how ironic is that? I have to admit that this grey area he’s been living in is making him look idiotic not evil. How hard is it, with all the means at his disposal, to get accurate intel? And how difficult is it to keep an open mind, especially with everything he has been through? Apparently, it is impossible, because as we know, he becomes evil. Whatever. The logic here is awkward.
The whole, breaking and entering thing was really bad. Bart looked like one of the most amateur thieves on the planet. Uh, make sure no one is coming dude. You’re making me nervous. Everytime he did anything, a la Flash, he made me nervous. I was sure he was going to get busted, so when he did, I groaned and thought he was toast. Lex sure does get creative with his detention devices, but even there I got a little impatient. The prison was glass? Why didn’t Bart use the laws of physics and make the harmonics from the sound he generated from running, break the glass? The glass just crumpled when Clark came to the rescue, so why didn’t Bart think about the casing holding him and use basic tenth grade science to get himself out? Was he even awake during Science class?
Overall, gripes aside, I loved this episode. It was fun and made me laugh. Okay, I was also nervous, but that’s just because…oh never mind. I would rate this episode 8.5 out of 10.0 for its deliciousness, and the fun I had seeing the “Justice League” for newbies.
Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 22, 2007
McMahon on Doom in 'Fantastic Four 2'
superherohype.com is reporting that Julian McMahon revealed details about Dr. Doom in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer to DailyBulletin.com:
"Two years have passed for Doom, trapped in this casket," McMahon says. "Needless to say, he's not happy."
He's also not the only bad guy, competing with the powerful master of energy, the Silver Surfer (Doug Jones, who plays Pan and the Pale Man in "Pan's Labyrinth"). Doom being Doom, he doesn't want to play nice. He wants to take the Surfer's powers.
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'Lost' Gets Back To Basics
scifi.com is reporting that Daniel Dae Kim, who plays Jin in ABC's hit SF series Lost, told SCI FI Wire that the upcoming second half of the third season will focus on the entire cast, rather than the story of Jack, Kate and Sawyer, which was showcased in the first six episodes of the season. "It's been a season of transition, I think," Kim said in an interview at the Television Critics press tour in Pasadena, Calif., last week. "Because we went from an ensemble show to one that focused on a smaller number of characters. So for a lot of us, it's meant having more free time than we originally thought. But now it's changing again, and we're getting back to the island, and we're finding a rhythm."
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'Jericho' Backstory Unveiled
scifi.com is reporting that Lennie James, who plays the mysterious Rob Hawkins on CBS' post-apocalyptic series Jericho, told SCI FI Wire that writers will begin to fill in the details of his character's past when the show returns from hiatus next month. "He's got a storyline that's kind of coming up, [where] he goes someplace where you really didn't expect him to go," James said in an interview at the Television Critics press tour in Pasadena, Calif., last week. "And maybe Hawkins will come back around. And also one of the other things that's happened is that, because of where we've come back, in episode 12, there's an arc that happens for Hawkins and his family that drags us to episode 15 [and then episode] 16."
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More Of 'Heroes' Cop To Come
scifi.com is reporting that Greg Grunberg, who plays mind-reading cop Matt Parkman on NBC's hit Heroes, told SCI FI Wire that his character will feature heavily in upcoming episodes—and (spoiler ahead!) that a big secret will be revealed about Matt's wife, Janice (Elizabeth Lackey). "She has a huge secret from me. Huge," Grunberg said in an interview at last week's Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif.
"I mean, when I read that, I was like, 'Are you kidding me?'" Grunberg said. "[It's] bigger than [her] having an affair. Yeah, much bigger. ... You'll have to watch. ... It's pretty great. It's pretty great. And it affects everything.... And she's really happy."
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
Roswell (2.15) “Viva Las Vegas” – Review
By: jesuiscanadien
It has been a couple of weeks since the “Alien Our Gang” saved Laurie Dupree from the alien crystals, and Michael is feeling guilty about the ‘blood money’ he received from Bobby and Meredith to get gone. Michael tells Max he needs to get away and he needs Max to come with him to have some fun. Max counsels caution and tells Michael that they need a plan to make their getaway not as suspicious, and when he asks where Michael had in mind for them, Michael tells him he wants to go to Las Vegas.
Max and Michael get more than they bargained for when everyone in the “Alien Our Gang” invite themselves along for the ride. Maria has arranged for them to stay in a swanky suite in a hotel right on the Strip, and Michael lays out a few ground rules for everyone to follow. They’re all given new identities, with names such as Rob Roy and Brandy Alexander, a bank of three g’s, and are told to leave Max and Michael alone as they have some serious guy crap, ie, debauchery, to handle.
First up, Isabel manages to get into the casino, while Tess and Liz get stopped at the gate. While they’re escorted off to the arcade, Kyle, Isabel, and Alex are all enjoying themselves at the blackjack tables. Alex blows his wad in a rather premature move typical of teenage boys, when Maria comes up to beg for Alex’s assistance in gaining a gig in a Vegas lounge. Meanwhile, Michael and Max are taking their chances at a craps table, but Michael is using his powers to ‘help’ his cause. When Maria butts in to tell Michael about her audition, he blows her off, reminding her about the rules he laid out.
Isabel is now by herself, being bored to death by the slots when a bride-to-be is moaning over her ill-luck. Isabel helps out the bride by removing a stain on her wedding dress and gets roped willingly into playing the bride’s maid-of-honour, as the regular ‘M-O-D’ is out with a case of food poisoning. Over at Maria’s audition, she impresses the manager with her voice, but then is informed the gig is not for a singer, but a stripper. How very Vegas.
Back at the craps table, Michael is pressing his luck with the use of his powers and security gets suspicious. Michael is having too much fun to care, but Max is getting concerned about how this is turning out. The table ends up getting closed down and Michael takes a swing at the floor manager. Both he and Max get busted, and Michael calls the room, only to get snarked at by Maria. When Maria finds out about the bust, she hangs up on Michael. It’s not a permanent condition, as she forces Kyle and Alex to stop gambling and use Kyle’s winnings to bail out the pair from jail.
Up in the room, Isabel is alone with the best man from the wedding she participated in, and they are dancing closely. Dave suggests a change of venue, wanting some nookie and Isabel agrees, but the look on her face seems to not be completely copasetic with the sitch.
In jail, Max and Michael argue about the whole trip and Michael’s actions in the casino. Michael feels that Max ruined the trip for him, but Max feels that Michael isn’t behaving responsibly and needs to stop with the reckless attitude. They get bailed out by Maria, but when they get back to the hotel room, Max books a flight back to Roswell. Maria begs him to stay, but Michael tells her that Max is no longer invited, even though Maria has planned a last night blow-out to use up the balance of Michael’s cash. Max goes and says goodbye to Liz in the arcade, but on his way to the cab he gets a vision of him and Liz stepping out as a married couple.
At the dinner that Maria planned for everyone, Michael has a surprise up his sleeve, and has arranged for Maria to sing in front of everyone in the supper club. While she sings, and Alex takes pictures, Isabel walks in. Alex and she talk about her date that he ended with her beating it out of Dodge before Dave came back with the ice for their evening. Max shows up and tells Liz about his vision, and they dance together. After the evening has ended on a good note, they all return to their hotel suite, only to find Valenti sitting there, waiting for them. He lectures them about how worried he was, how they don’t have an excuse for skipping school, and he demands Kyle and Tess come with him right away.
After that humiliation, Max and Michael go out to get a cup of coffee, and they talk about their friendship, how Max feels responsible for everyone, and how Michael would feel lost without Max. They end up walking down the promenade, talking like the friends they really are.
There are issues with this episode that aren’t limited to how fake the casino looked. While the production values were at an all time low, the math during this episode was clearly from an alternate universe. Eight people given $3,000 each, equals $24,000. That leaves $26,000 to pay for the hotel room, and one night in 2001 dollars would probably not exceed ten g’s, so that would bring us to $34,000. Plus, maybe another $8,000 for meals and clothes (one change for the dinner), would leave the leftover cash of around $8,000. Considering how cheap everything looked, which means the place was not a Wynn property, where on earth did they spend it all? I didn’t see any strippers.
The math wasn’t the only thing that bothered me. Liz hung out in an arcade for six hours! An arcade! There was a spa in the hotel, and she is a girl. How much was seriously wrong with that picture? I feel sick from the lack of realistic response. Any woman worth her salt would be spending her moolah getting a full package, and she would top it off with a spree in the galleria. Is Liz really a girl? This episode made me think she was deceiving us all.
Then there was the whole fancy dinner with clothing to boot. I didn’t see a designer label on the lot. I don’t expect to see Versace scrawled across somebody’s butt, but I am very familiar with the collections of haute couture and ready-to-wear out of the more prestigious fashion houses from around 1987 onwards, and I can tell you, no on was truly dolled up for that dinner. The women looked like they got their wardrobe from Express, and the guys didn’t even look like they had hit the local Men’s Wearhouse. Unacceptable under any circumstances. They were supposed to have dropped some serious cash on this dinner. Even the supper club looked like it hadn’t had a refurb since 1990.
The only thing that was remotely good about this episode was that the Bickersons were back in somewhat fine form. While we did not see the full scope their glory, we got enough to sate the hunger from the last full sighting. It is a sad day when the only positive thing about a normally good show is a fleetingly small glimpse of glories past. Maria and Michael’s stormy relationship was the only thing that kept this sojourn a-float this particular outing.
Overall this episode was a bit of a disappointment. It may have been an attempt to lighten the mood of the show, which has seen some heaviness the past few episodes, but it failed to amuse. Unfortunately, this episode can only garner a 5.0 out of a possible 10.0, but hopefully it is only a blip in the screen, and we see a return to better times soon.
Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 19, 2007
'Jericho' Producers Promise Several Answers
zap2it.com is reporting that although CBS decided that TV critics needed only a small panel discussion with the "Jericho" team, a room overflowing with reporters turned up to hear what's coming up on the post-apocalyptic drama.
Amidst a mushroom cloud of mystery, "Jericho" went off the air at the end of November, starting a multi-month hiatus that won't conclude until Feb. 21. During that time, denizens of the Internet have been left to buzz about a first-year series that has, thus far, been more of a solid performer than a bona fide hit. That left critics to inquire how "Jericho," recipient of mostly tepid reviews, has developed its following.
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'Heroes' Heats Up
scifi.com is reporting that Hayden Panettiere, who plays indestructible cheerleader Claire in NBC's Heroes, told SCI FI Wire that the end of the show's first season will be even more exciting than the beginning. "The next few episodes, oh, my God, you guys," Panettiere said in an interview at the Television Critics press tour in Pasadena, Calif. "I've said to everyone, 'It feels like we're starting a new season.' It's been the most incredible. Like, these episodes, the writing, the acting, the characters have made this huge leap. And it's amazing."
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Who Joins 'Heroes'?
scifi.com is reporting that former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston will appear in several episodes of NBC's hit Heroes as an invisible-man character aptly named Claude, after Claude Rains, star of the 1933 classic SF film The Invisible Man, Tim Kring, creator and executive producer, told SCI FI Wire. "So far, he's been in four [episodes], and then we're trying to work out his dates with his movie that he's doing," Kring said in an interview at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 17. "We'd like to have him come and play with us for a while."
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
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Thursday, January 18, 2007 |
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Anime Review: RahXephon Ep.19
By: samwiseb
Ayato rescues his blue-blooded friend Hiroko Asahina from Mulian-occupied Tokyo, but things don’t go exactly as planned. Not necessarily recommended for sensitive viewers.
Nineteenth Movement: “Blue Friend (Ticket to Nowhere)”
Haruka and Elvy materialize outside Tokyo Jupiter in Vermillion. They contact TERRA HQ and learn that RX has headed north, disappearing from radar.
Ayato meanwhile submerges RX in a lake near Fuchiana, and heads into town with Asahina. They trade their watches in for money, buy some new clothes, and purchase a train ticket to Kagoshima… which Ayato later has refunded. In Voice-Over Diary Mode Asahina marvels at the world outside Tokyo, but fears she doesn’t belong here. She senses Ayato is running from “someone who has need of him”, and wonders who she is compared to this person.
They fall asleep at a movie theater, where Asahina has nightmares of being taunted by an evil doppelganger with a Mulian mask over its face. She awakens to a cartoonish anti-Mulian PSA (“if you see a person with blue blood, please report it immediately”) and becomes frightened.
Scruffy “reporter” Futagami tracks Ayato to the pawnbroker he and Asahina traded with, collects their watches, and finds the depot where they bought their ticket. Betting the boy wouldn’t leave such an obvious trail, he passes the bogus “Kagoshima” info onto acting-commander “White Snake” Isshiki to get him out of his hair. Futagami likens himself to a hunting dog chasing a clever fox.
Back at their hotel, Asahina notices blue blood on her toothbrush (some flossing would take care of them bleeding gums, lady) and again sees her ‘Mulian’ reflection in the mirror. On their way to dinner she tries to tell Ayato what’s happening, but dreads that he will hate her if it turns out she isn’t human. Powerful cinematic moment in which a truck passes by, drowning out her dialogue, while French tiles on the sidewalk are shown to read “How are you?” “I have a problem” “please help me”.
Ayato takes on a part-time job to support the two of them, assuring Asahina it’s not a problem. He promises to bring her family and unstable boyfriend out of Tokyo, but Asahina suddenly realizes she has no memory of her family. He confides with her about his mother, she embraces him and they almost kiss… but RX awakens and calls to him.
A Dolem appears, of distinctly feminine design and colored in a pink that matches Asahina’s dress. This is “Vibrato”. Massive power outage occurs throughout the city. Ayato tells Asahina he thought he had nothing left to lose, but he was wrong. He’s going out to fight this monster and protect her. As RX assimilates him, Asahina calls out that she’ll be right here awaiting his return. The despair in her voice that guarantees this won’t be a happy ending.
With Ayato’s newfound sense of purpose, RX attacks Vibrato in full force. Asahina hastily scribbles in her diary… and her messages appear throughout the city on neon billboards and across building walls (“I don’t want to do this… I don’t want to fight you… I have to tell you,” etc). Futagami witnesses this beautifully symphonic display of electric light and wonders what is happening. Asahina, spurting blue blood from injuries Vibrato has sustained, finally confesses her love to Ayato just as RX delivers a final punch through the Dolem’s chest. Vibrato inflates and explodes. Asahina’s final message “Ayato… goodbye” disperses across the city like a gust of wind; Ayato sees this and is horrified. City lights come back on.
Futagami locates the hotel, finds grief-stricken Ayato sitting next to Asahina’s broken body, her diary in hand with blue smudges all over it. Leaving the building, they are intercepted by Helena from the Bahbem Foundation. Futagami makes a wry comment about a hunting dog not used to being pursued; Ayato meanwhile appears dead to the world. To Be Continued.
First time I watched this episode, I was so disturbed by it that I promptly marathoned the rest of the series and sleepwalked to work the next day. This is probably the most depressing chapter of the series. And I love it. A bit excessive? Almost definitely. And yet it works (I’m afraid to listen to the English-dubbed version, though).
This episode also has some of the best music of the series, most notably the intensely haunting rendition of the closing theme “Yume No Tamago” that plays during the fateful Dolem battle (It’s on the third soundtrack album in anyone’s interested; the one that’s not available domestically). We also get some new fast-beat jazzy tunes for the scenes of Futagami doing his ‘detective’ work, as well as some effective melancholy cues as Ayato and Asahina try to find their way in an unfamiliar world. The absence of music in many of these scenes is equally effective.
I can think of a couple problems I initially had with this episode. Foremost, I wanted more of a sense of what kind of loss Ayato felt in regards to losing Asahina. Also, having Asahina’s body physically break apart due to her link with Vibrato makes little sense from a science fiction standpoint and serves mostly as a dramatic contrivance. But in retrospect, I would not change either of these things. Asahina’s death is painful as it is, and I’d just as soon not have emotional closure from Ayato to help soften it up.
Dare I give this episode a 10 out of 10 for being my personal favorite in the series? I dare. (This of course means no other RX episode will be allowed to score this high). I very much wanted a happy resolution to this particular story arc, but am eternally grateful for having my hopes betrayed.
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Thursday, January 18, 2007 |
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Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 18, 2007
Jon Favreau on 'Iron Man' Status
superherohype.com is reporting that Iron Man director Jon Favreau has posted an update on the production on his official Blog:
Gwyneth Paltrow has been cast as Virginia Pepper Potts. I met her on an indie called Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle many years ago. We begin filming in eight weeks.
Stan Winston is working on the suit. Sets are being built. Fergus and Ostby (Children of Men) are working on the script. Matty Libatique is shooting it. Everything is really coming together.
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Let The 'Sunshine' Trailer In
chud.com now has up the trailer for the upcoming sci-fi movie Sunshine from the director who brought you Trainspotting and 28 Days Later.
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Ellen Ripley going to 'Avatar'?
moviehole.net is reporting that the source isn’t exactly ‘Deep Throat’ so intersperse some table salt all over this one, but according to a tipster for Aint it Cool News, “Aliens” heroine Sigourney Weaver might be re-uniting with director James Cameron for his new film, “Avatar”.
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Producers Speak Out On Third 'Stargate' Series
gateworld.net is reporting that Stargate executive producers Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper are officially on the record regarding the third live-action television series, now in the early concept phase. The two talked about the new series in interviews at MGM's official Stargate Web site.
"That's definitely in the works," Cooper told the site. "It's something the studio is very actively pursuing. We have a concept that we've come up with. ... We've talked at length with the studio about what the concept is for it."
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Six Gets Challenged In 'Battlestar'
scifi.com is reporting that Tricia Helfer, one of the stars of SCI FI Channel's original series Battlestar Galactica, told SCI FI Wire that her characters—all variations of the Cylon Number Six—will face challenges as the series returns with new episodes at 10 p.m. on Jan. 21.
"I think it's mostly Caprica Six, and she's kind of at a crossroads," Helfer said in an interview at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif., last week. She said that the character will do something that won't be looked on kindly by her fellow Cylons.
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Takei Takes On 'Heroes'
scifi.com is reporting that Star Trek veteran George Takei, who will play the father of Masi Oka's Hiro Nakamura on NBC's Heroes later this season, told SCI FI Wire that even he doesn't know what his character's true motives are. "The thing is—and this is the part of the challenge of doing Heroes—I really don't know who my character is and why my character does what he does and what his motivations are and where he's going." Takei said in an interview at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 17. "Because with each new script, I make new discoveries. Is he good or is he bad? Is he domineering or is he being told to behave that way? I mean, there's so many ambiguous things about it."
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007 |
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Star Trek-TNG “Death In Winter” – Book Review
By: jesuiscanadien
Star Trek- The Next Generation have books that tie-in with the television show, and Death In Winter was a hardcover release in September 2005. Written by Michael Jan Friedman, who has contributed nearly 40 books to the Star Trek universe, this book is set after the crew’s experiences in “Star Trek: Nemesis”. Commander Riker and Counsellor Deanna Troi are off on their honeymoon, after they wed at the end of “Nemesis”. Dr. Beverly Crusher accepted a post as head of Starfleet Medical; and only Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge and Lt. Cmdr. Worf are left on board the USS Enterprise-E, as it undergoes a retrofit after their last mission. Captain Jean-Luc Picard is feeling at a loss as he oversees the retrofit. He is happy for his crew that have moved on after their last assignment, but also is feeling their loss, as the familiar changes into something new.
In this story, we see that Jean-Luc has harboured a long time secret love for Beverly, but in the interests of his friendship with Jack Crusher and his professional relationship with his widow, Jean-Luc never acts on it. When Beverly goes missing on Kevratas, a planet on the far side of the Romulan Neutral Zone, while she is on a secret mission to save the people of Kevratas from a plague that is killing the populace; Picard is pulled into the mission to try and finish the job that Beverly began. Picard is directed by Starfleet Command to take his old colleagues from the USS Stargazer, Dr. Carter Greyhorse and Pug Joseph, who will provide for the medical expertise and requisite transportation needs. Dr. Greyhorse had worked with Beverly on the cure for this plague which had made rounds in Federation space, and would be the ideal choice to save the Kevratas, even though he is currently serving time for attempted murder. Pug Joseph left Starfleet years ago and now runs a cargo ship, and is willing to get the small team into Romulan space and assist with the mission. Coming along for the ride is Decalon, a Romulan who was among those spirited out of Romulan space when the Enterprise and Deanna Troi were circumspectly enlisted to aid their cause.
Picard believes that Beverly is still alive and he plans to rescue her once their mission is complete. Unknown to him, the machinations within the Romulan Empire have conspired to keeping Beverly alive for their own purposes. Picard’s old nemesis, Sela, is keeping Beverly prisoner, while a Romulan spy, Manathas, is working to gain her freedom, so he can take her back to Romulus as his prize. Manathas is on Kevratas by order of the current Praetor, and is also serving one of the oldest families on Romulus, and in his duplicity, he is hoping to earn enough to retire comfortably after this mission. So, Picard and his team manage to work their mission, even though Sela has found out that they are on Kevratas. Beverly stays alive and uses her own intelligence and cunning to escape her various captors. The two parties do manage to reunite at the end, but how they get there is interesting, and tension-filled.
The story is well written, as the author has managed to successfully write the characters voices as they are on the show and in the movies. I have noticed that some authors are unable to keep the voices true to the original characters, but Friedman has such an extensive body of work in the Star Trek franchise, his ability to be true to the character is seemingly effortless. The Star Trek universe is kept within the well-defined boundaries of the franchise, but the author manages to build original characters that are completely believable and live within the parameters of the universe they exist within.
I enjoyed how Worf and Geordi are left behind to finish the retrofit, but they figure out what is going on, and try to get involved. This sub-plot was fun to watch, and it was interesting that Friedman didn’t have them more involved in solving the crisis, as the crew of the Enterprise are usually much more entrenched in missions in the previous books and shows. The cameo of Admiral Janeway is a fun spot, as she is imposing in her new position, but still has the warmth and understanding to realize that Picard’s crew is deeply loyal to him and concerned about the safety of both him and their colleague, Dr. Crusher.
The sub-plot regarding the tenuous grip the new Praetor was well-written as well. It was really interesting to see her battle indirectly to keep her power and who the people were that wished to see her hang. The deception and intrigues back on Romulus against and by the Praetor and her supporters were sculpted carefully, breathing a sense of realism into the situation.
Mr. Friedman gave us an interesting look at Beverly’s childhood and her wedding to Jack Crusher at the beginning of the book as well. It is always enlightening to see a character’s depth explained through the actions of their past, and with the peek into Beverly’s past, one sees what impassioned her to be a doctor. It was also a wee bit voyeuristic to see exactly how Picard felt about Beverly and for how long he felt that way. One gets the sense of how one is intruding on Picard’s emotional state as he toasts the bride and groom.
Overall, the book is worth the read. The plot is intriguing as it unfolds, with interesting sub-plots, and the characters stay true to their original voices. It is well-imagined and written; and Michael Jan Friedman has proven once again that he is definitely on his game with this new foray into the “Next Gen” universe. The paperback version will be released on August 28, 2007, so if you want to wait you can pre-order it on your favourite bookseller’s website, but I would spend the extra money and get the hardcover. It is definitely worth the higher price tag. In a rating out of 10.0, I give this story an 8.0. Definitely worth the price of admission.
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007 |
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Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 17, 2007
More Villains & Action in 'Superman' Sequel?
superherohype.com is reporting that Michael Dougherty, co-writer of last year's Superman Returns, told SCI FI Wire that the upcoming sequel will feature at least one villain drawn from the DC Comics franchise. Or more than one? "Maybe," Dougherty said coyly in an interview on the set of his upcoming supernatural horror film Trick 'r Treat in Vancouver, Canada, on Jan. 15. "It's [Mr.] Myxyzptlk," he added, with tongue in cheek.
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Gwyneth Paltrow to Star in 'Iron Man'
superherohype.com is reporting that Gwyneth Paltrow will join Robert Downey Jr. and Terrence Howard in Iron Man, the Jon Favreau-directed film that is being financed by Marvel Studios and released by Paramount Pictures on May 2, 2008.
Variety says Paltrow will play Virginia "Pepper" Potts, personal assistant to an industrialist who develops an armored suit to battle bad guys. Production begins in March in Los Angeles.
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Some Juicy Plot Details on 'Fantastic Four' Sequel
rottentomatoes.com is reporting that "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" screenwriter Don Payne recently spilled a few beans to the guys at Comics2Film.com, and while we're not diving into spoiler territory, there's some stuff here that the fans will probably appreciate.
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Disney Finds Life On 'John Carter of Mars'
darkhorizons.com is reporting that Disney Pictures is in final negotiations to acquire the film rights to "Tarzan" author Edgar Rice Burroughs' "John Carter of Mars" novel series.
The eleven-volume series began with the story titled "A Princess of Mars," published serially in 1912 and in novel form in 1916.
The series told of a Civil War officer named John Carter who is transported to Mars and finds himself a captive of the savage green men from Thark.
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
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Tuesday, January 16, 2007 |
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Heroes 110: Six Months Ago - Review
By: zotquix
Finally some backstory. And a different look at the characters. A glance at them from a different perspective. We find out who Sylar is and what makes him...tick.
I was a little bit jarred by the opening narration. "To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose." Its a bit of an amateur move, making biblical text that is already too well known as song lyrics into super dramatic narration. Still, the narration goes on from there, and does set the stage for a pretty good hour of viewing. It was the sort of episode that gave us all sorts of things to speculate about.
One itch that was finally scratched was the answer to the question, who is Sylar? It was not overly gimmicky or retconned in some idiotic way (as a writer might be tempted to do in an effort to either prove they aren't making it up as they go along, or over dramatize), it was just solidly well done. We meet the character, we find him interesting, believable, and three dimensional, but not so much that we want him to prevail. One of the highlights of this episode was the visual of the inside of the watch. This was actually an effects shot, but it was cleanly done, looked real, was visually interesting, and most importantly, fit into the subtext of the story. We see the inside of the watch, and we see the inside of the life of Gabriel Grey and what sort of person he is. And they both work like clockwork...which can be, unfortunately for Mr. Grey and everyone else he eventually encounters, a little tedious.
Actually this was a good episode to be aware of visual themes in general. When Nathan is told by the Doctor that his wife will not be able to walk, there is an art deco light in the background. It is black with some flare coming out from one side. Essentially it is eclipse that we see recur throughout Heroes. This is cinematic direction, and its not something you see very often on TV, not necessarily even on every episode of this show, though 'Heroes' does have more visual subtext than anything else in its timeslot.
Another example would be the Origami cranes. And here the significance is explained by the characters on screen. There is nothing wrong with that and I think generally, when visual symbolism is employed, its too often overlooked by the casual viewer because it isn't being looked for. It can be difficult to draw attention to what you are doing without ruining the flow of the story, but here, Charlie explains that 1000 cranes may grant someone a wish in a single line and it doesn't detract at all from the moment, but rather adds to it. If any readers thought this was an interesting moment in the show, I would encourage them to read the short graphic novels online at NBC's 'Heroes' site. One of them shows some of Hiro's backstory and talks about the Origami cranes significance some more (probably my favorite of the graphic novels that has been posted there).
Speaking of this scene, one of my pet theories is that Charlie's tumor will be Sylar's undoing. If he truly is taking genetic material into him, maybe the way Sylar dies is not with bang, but a whimper. Could Sylar die of a brain tumor? And then the question becomes, did Charlie know? And for that matter did Sylar? Perhaps he really does fulfill Eden's suggestion, in a roundabout way, just by killing Charlie.
The other stories in this episode are less compelling. We see another side to the Petrelli's, though ultimately Nathan seems to be just who we think he is. Jessica's father is generally well painted as a complex abusive figure with one exception. I didn't like the scene where he yelled at Micah. Its hard not to laugh at a line like "That computer cost ten thousand dollars." On the other hand, "You're only as sick as your secrets," and "You really don't remember do you," really are just the right level of ambiguous.
Anyways, we're now rating shows on Sci-Fi Brain, and I've got to say, 'Six Months Ago' is good television. Heck it's good cinema. So this episode receives an 8. Till next week, there is a time for peace, I swear it's not too late.
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Tuesday, January 16, 2007 |
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Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 16, 2007
'Lost' Writers Have End In Sight
digitalspy.co.uk is reporting that writers of US series Lost are considering how the show will end, though don’t expect any answers too soon.
The show, about a group of plane crash survivors stranded on a mysterious island, is not set to finish in the near future, but producers say they want an end date to “help plan future episodes.”
Speaking for US network ABC at the TV Critics Association press tour in California, the show’s executive producer Carlton Cuse, said: "It's time for us to find an endpoint to the show. It's a struggle for us, because we don't know if we have three years, four years or more to go. If we had an endpoint, then we could figure out where everything goes."
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'Children of Men' Wins Scripter
zap2it.com is reporting that the dystopic drama "Children of Men" has won the 19th-annual USC Scripter Award recognizing the film's book-to-screenplay adaptation.
Writers Alfonso Cuaron, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby were recognized for their work bringing P.D. James' 1992 novel about a future beset by universal infertility to the big screen. Cuaron directed the film, which has received some of the year's very best reviews.
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'Stargate SG-1' Movies Announced
iesb.net is reporting that MGM announced today the extension of the hit "Stargate SG-1" franchise with two movies based on the popular series. Titled "Stargate: The Ark of Truth" and "Stargate: Continuum", the movies will both be made available to the television universe and home entertainment marketplace by MGM. The announcement was made by Charles Cohen, Senior Executive Vice President, MGM.
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Billy Campbell on 'The 4400'
darkhorizons.com is reporting that "Billy Campbell is set to reprise his role as Jordan Collier for the first time as a series regular in the Emmy-nominated and critically acclaimed hit series The 4400. Returning for its fourth season, the series will premiere in summer 2007 with 13 one-hour original episodes..."
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Flanigan Hints at New Direction For 'Stargate Atlantis'
gateworld.net is reporting that the season finale 'First Strike' will spin Atlantis in a new direction, actor Joe Flanigan says. In a new interview with Starburst magazine (#346, January 2007), Flanigan hinted at what is to come.
Watch out for minor spoilers below.
"I don't want to give anything away, but what I think is the most brilliant thing we've done on Atlantis during the past three years will happen at the end of this episode," Flanigan said. "Basically, it will be like a 'soft' reset on a ton of issues."
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Anderson Approached For 'SG-1' Films
gateworld.net is reporting that former series lead Richard Dean Anderson has been approached to appear in the Stargate SG-1 direct-to-DVD movies -- but it's too early to know if he will appear in either of the two films already green-lit by MGM.
"I know that Brad [Wright, executive producer] has put a call into Richard Dean Anderson," executive producer Robert C. Cooper said in an interview at StargateSG1.com. "... We're hopeful he'll make an appearance, whether he's in both or just one. We're not sure yet.
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Producers Discuss 'SG-1' Series Sinale
gateworld.net is reporting that plot details on the series finale of Stargate SG-1 are finally trickling in, with the episode set to make its world premiere in the United Kingdom in just two months. Executive producers Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright discussed the episode, titled "Unending," in new interviews now online at StargateSG1.com.
Watch out for minor plot spoilers below.
"[SG-1 gets] trapped on a space ship stuck in a time dilation field and they live out roughly 50 years of their lives -- just our team," Cooper said. "One of the things the fans have always talked about is that they love when the team is together. And so we put them together for 50 years, just them! And you see the relationships that develop and how they evolve.
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Tapping In 14 'Atlantis' Episodes
gateworld.net is reporting that Amanda Tapping will appear in 14 episodes of Stargate Atlantis when she joins the cast in Season Four, executive producers Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper said in new interviews at StargateSG1.com, MGM's official site. Tapping has played the role of Samantha Carter on Stargate SG-1 for the past 10 years.
"Amanda Tapping is coming to join the Atlantis team," Wright said. "She'll be coming in her own spaceship and joining the crew in Atlantis. And we're delighted by that."
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 12, 2007
'Heroes' Creator Talks Upcoming Twists
digitalspy.co.uk is reporting that Heroes creator Tim Kring has revealed that another major death is coming before the first season is out.
Predictably, Kring refused to state exactly who would die but teased: "It'll be someone who was in the opening minutes of the pilot."
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The Predator of 'AVP2' Talks
superherohype.com is reporting that AvPGalaxy has done another Alien vs. Predator 2 interview, this time with Ian Whyte, who played the Predator in both "AVP" and "AVP2." The interview covers how he became an actor, his experiences on "AVP," what it was like working with the Strause brothers on "AVP2," and how the Predator has changed since the first film as well as what we can expect from the upcoming sequel.
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Tim Story Gives 'Fantastic Four 2' Update
superherohype.com is reporting that Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer director Tim Story has posted an update on what is happening at this time on his official Blog:
Here I am guys. Been going strong editing for a couple weeks now (not including the countless weeks doing it while I was shooting). Everything's everything. Wish there was more to share but we're just into so much. Titles, Vis effects, sound - all that. Got a lot to experiment with in regard to sound - The Surfer, the Fantasticar, and...
Okay, so if it could be anyone - who would be the voice of the Surfer? And don't be obvious. The person/voice can't be too recognizable or it will take you out of the movie."
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'Battlestar Galactica' Producers Talk Film Version
darkhorizons.com is reporting that in an interview with the Chicago Tribune, "Battlestar Galactica" producers Ron Moore and David Eick confirmed they are developing and will be making a DVD/TV premiere film version of the show.
The film, which will feature all the same cast and crew, will bridge the gap between the TV show's third and fourth seasons but will NOT resolve the cliffhanger left at the end of season three.
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SCI-FI BRAIN NEWS
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Thursday, January 11, 2007 |
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Roswell (2.14) “How the Other Half Lives” - Review
By: jesuiscanadien
When we last left the “Alien Our Gang”, Michael and Maria had been escorted out of the Dupree Estate. Max, Liz, Tess, and Isabel were trying to figure what to do about the blue crystals that were found underneath Laurie Dupree’s grave. As we rejoin the intrepid heroes, Michael and Maria are holed up outside the Estate, waiting for the right time to make their way back inside. Back in Roswell, Valenti and Agent Duff have stopped Grant Sorenson, due to the info Duff uncovered about him, regarding his work history and the timing of stolen items used in the kidnapping of Laurie Dupree.
As Valenti searches Grant’s car (he has an actual warrant this time), Duff asks for corroboration of some facts regarding said timing and work schedule. Valenti finds a smoking gun in the form of gloves, as well as noticing some recent scratches on Grant’s neck. Over in Tucson, Michael and Maria have managed to get back inside the house, only to be able to reassure Laurie, before security drags them out once again.
The next day, at the Crashdown, Max, Tess, Isabel, and Liz are discussing what to do about the crystals, when Brody as Larek comes in. He explains what the Gandarium (blue crystals) are, and what they will do to destroy the Earth. Tess figures out that Laurie hasn’t become fully infected, which is why the alien crystals are still after her. Larek tells them that it has a hive mentality, complete with a queen, and explains what the queen does. They realize that they must find the queen and destroy it.
Back in Tucson, Maria and Michael figure out that the Estate is in Laurie’s name. Maria plans to use it as leverage, and they go back to confront Laurie’s Aunt and Uncle about their deception. Meredith and Bobby reluctantly let them back in, as Maria explains to Michael that people with money are usually nervous when it is threatened.
Max had called Alex and Kyle in for help, and they are digging their sixth or seventh hole out in Frasier Woods, looking for the hive. They find it, and of course, they climb in. When they decide to leave to tell the others, the crystals seal up their only method of escape. When Max, Tess, Isabel and Liz stumble on their hole, with the crystals covering the opening, Liz gets a call from Kyle, from his cell, on her cell. They are stunned to hear what’s happened and Isabel runs to get the diamond saw from Brody’s collection, as the other three start to dig a new hole in the hopes that they will manage to break through again.
Meanwhile, Maria is letting Meredith know about her knowledge that Bobby and Meredith paid a shrink off to have Laurie put away, as Michael is talking to Laurie about her grandfather. Laurie offers to introduce him, and they go down to Grandpa’s bomb shelter, where his stuff his still stored. She explains that Grandpa was abducted by aliens, and it affected him deeply. When she tells Michael that people are who they are, she adds that she’s crazy, Michael tells her that she’s not. He passionately talks about how she went through something very real, and how this house is hers, and she needs to take her life back.
Back in Roswell, Isabel is kidnapped by Grant Sorenson as she is getting the diamond saw. When she wakes in the car, he tells her that he thinks something is happening to him. She wants him to pull over, but he gets aggressive. They talk urgently about what is going on. The queen, who is inhabiting his body, wants Grant to kill Isabel, and he commands Isabel instead to take his cell phone and get out of the car. Isabel calls Valenti and tells him what’s going on before the cell connection is lost.
At the dig site, Liz, Max, and Tess are still frantically digging, while Kyle and Alex are singing “American Pie” below ground. Kyle accidentally stumbles on the “how to” in killing the crystals. Seems you have to deprive them of oxygen and they go kaput. Max tells the gang that “they die too”, if all the oxygen is sucked out of the cave.
Back at Laurie’s, Michael and Maria are enjoying watching Laurie have a good time in the pool. Michael then gets a call from Max, who tells him that the crystals must be deprived of oxygen, in order to be killed. Michael tells him that there aren’t any crystals there, and Laurie is under his ever-watchful eye. Meanwhile, they are enjoying themselves at Laurie’s home.
When Valenti tells Duff that they need to beat Grant to Tucson, she questions him as to why. He tells her that she will see things that could kill her career if they ever get out. He tells her that she needs to trust him, and get them a plane, and be very selective as to what she puts in her report after it is all said and done.
When Maria rings for service at the dinner table back in Tucson, no one answers, so Michael is sent to investigate. He finds Carmen garrotted, and he gets Maria to take Laurie someplace safe right away. They run off to the bomb shelter, as Michael begins to check the house out. He gets shot by Grant, and Grant runs after the girls. Just as Grant grabs Laurie, Valenti and Duff storm in, guns drawn. During the moment, Laurie gets away, Grant gets shot, and the queen reveals herself. Michael makes it down to the bomb shelter, and sucks all the air out of the shelter, once everyone has left. The queen tries to break out, but dies in the process as her oxygen is gone.
Back in the crystal cave, Kyle and Alex are waiting to die, when the crystals suddenly melt, as their queen is dead. Alex and Kyle pop out of the newly vacated hole, and everyone celebrates the crystals terrible demise, while Isabel finally makes it to Tucson, and mourns Grant’s death. Duff and Valenti talk about what to put in the report, and Valenti counsels her to just walk away. Michael and Maria talk about what to do about the Laurie situation, and Maria tells him that he can protect Laurie with the help of a lawyer. They get that fixed up and leave Laurie in a better place.
I enjoyed this episode, even though I felt the danger from the crystals to be a tad contrived. The queen wasn’t scary either, as she resembled a blob of blue jelly, sort of like a jelly fish, but less pretty. Grant sure looked rough for his last bit of time alive, but hey, he’s a mental case from being inhabited by the queen, so I guess personal hygiene isn’t a bit deal there. Isabel’s sorrow at Grant’s death didn’t seem too convincing, but I didn’t buy their romantic relationship from the get-go. No semblance of chemistry, meant for me at least, a lack of a realistic relationship.
The guys feelings about being a human “chain gang”, and their subsequent victory cry over the death of the crystals, was pretty funny. They provided humour to a bleak situation, which is always good in my book. Making me laugh is always a desired effect.
I liked how Michael took credit for Maria’s deductive reasoning and detective work. There is no way he could convincingly explain how he came up with the idea to look up the property title, but he took credit anyway. He is so anxious to be the hero for Laurie, as she is the only relative he has on the planet, besides the icky Bobby and Meredith. By the way, Bobby and Meredith make funny sleazeballs. I’d be of a mind to have them audited, just for the heck of it. They deserve so much worse.
I must say, that while the crystals just didn’t make very good bad guys, it was an amusing episode. For pure entertainment, even with the things that bugged me (the time issue was ever-present, as was the lack of accountability to parents), I’d still have to give this episode a 7.5 out of a possible 10.0.
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Thursday, January 11, 2007 |
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RahXephon Ep.18 - Review
By: samwiseb
“The color of blood changes, and everyone grows strange. But no one thinks there’s anything odd about that.”
Eighteenth Movement: “The Bond of Blue Blood”
Nighttime in Tokyo, where the year is still 2015. Tracking Ayato on foot, Haruka stops at the middle school which she and he used to attend. She tells Elvy what we’ve already guessed: that they used to be the same age, and that she dated him during that time. She denies still being in love with him, but Elvy detects the lie. Hiroko Asahina meanwhile is at home talking to herself (see header above). She goes into Surreal Flashback Mode and sees Ayato walking with another girl (presumably a younger Haruka). Ayato falls to his knees and wigs out…
…and we cut to Ayato at his home, in the present, wigging out (right where we left off with him last week). Underneath the city, RX re-awakens inside the Room of Rah (oh, you found your way home… good robot) and starts blasting its way out. Metronomes intercept and engage RX as it rampages through the city on its way to rescue the boy (good robot… loyal robot. Have a cookie).
Maya orders Allegretto and Falsetto deployed to subdue RX. She gives her son a shot to help him chill, and explains to him that “This world existed for you Ayato… for you alone. But you left in order to become a true instrumentalist. That’s why this world changed: because it no longer needed to conform to you.”
Through a mirror in their living room, we see the apparitions of two Mulians apparently linked to the Dolem deployed against RX (the same phenomenon witnessed in episodes 1-3). Maya explains that only in this fashion -by linking Dolem with unwitting humans- can a salvageable few Mulians cross over into our reality. The second apparition winks out of existence as “Falsetto” is destroyed. Maya also admits to not being Ayato’s true biological mother, though she wishes she could have been.
Haruka and Elvy find the Kamina residence being gaurded by Mu henchman Kuki and his soldiers. A wandering Asahina is stopped from paying Ayato a visit, and she's surprised to find her boyfriend Mamoru there with the soldiers. She asks if he’s been deceiving her this whole time; unstable boyfriend becomes intense and grabs her, and she claws at him to get away. Confused Mu soldiers begin shooting at Asahina as she flees, until Mamoru yells at them to stop. Blue blood pours out of his face.
Quon awakens in the hospital and goes into Singing Mode (Borodin’s “Polotsvian Dances”, in case you’re interested). Her black egg from episode 12 appears over Tokyo (though the animators seem to forget that it’s black), and she is paid a visit by Mishima/Ixtli. Back at the house Maya senses Quon and resumes chanting in Mulian; Ayato decides that he’s seen enough. The egg disappears, presumably taking Quon with it.
Chasing after Ayato, Haruka runs into Maya and holds her at gunpoint. Confirming she’s from TERRA, Haruka introduces herself as Rikudoh Shougo’s niece (i.e., “I know you were my uncle’s adopted daughter” sort of thing). Maya comments on how strong Haruka's become (since dating her son).
Ayato finds Asahina leaning against a wall, bleeding from a gunshot wound to the shoulder. She falls apart in his arms, and he has to lie to her that her blood’s still red. He tells her he’s leaving, and she goes into Full Meltdown Mode begging him to bring her along (it’s truly horrific to watch; there’s no question her sanity will crack if she's left behind in hell).
RX envelops him, picks Asahina up in a ball of light and warps itself outside of Tokyo. Haruka is absolutely crushed and gets a slap in the face from Elvy. Compare with Maya’s priceless reaction upon hearing that both her son and Quon are reported missing: “Don’t talk to me right now. I’ll shoot you.”
RX rematerializes back in the real world of 2028, Ayato wondering if there’s really anywhere left for him and his blue-blooded friend to go. To Be Continued.
There’s not a lot to comment on that I haven’t already in the past. As with last episode, Ayato remains in a seemingly drugged state of autopilot throughout his Tokyo visit. And much as I love Haruka, I think she overreacts when RX jumps beyond her reach. Maya is excellent as always: both sympathetic in her role as Ayato’s mother, but also quite believably dangerous (and given what we already know about Kuki, I hardly think any of us would mind if she actually did force him into abrupt retirement).
We finally have official confirmation of a relationship that’s been hinted at almost from the beginning. But if you ask me, this mini-arc we’re in now is really about hapless Asahina, who may have once competed with Haruka for Ayato’s affections (it seems a cruel irony that Haruka doesn’t even recognize her former classmate while spying on Ayato’s house). The next episode is my personal favorite of the entire series. In other words, stick around.
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Thursday, January 11, 2007 |
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Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 11, 2007
Halle Berry Calls Out to 'X-Men' Fans
superherohype.com is reporting that when Halle Berry won for "Favorite Female Action Star" at the People's Choice Awards on Tuesday night, she called out to X-Men fans. Here's a good summary of what she said from XMenFilms.net:
"I had no idea you guys loved Storm so much! Wow, thank you, thank you. And I want to thank Tom Rothman for allowing me to play Storm, and Brett Ratner for allowing Storm to finally use her cape and fly this year." said Halle Berry at yesterday's People's Choice Awards.
"But I have something to ask you guys. You guys really love X-Men? Ok, here's what you have to do. Write letters. Every one of you in this building who love X-Men and want to see X-Men 4, write a letter to Tom Rothman at Fox and tell him so and you will get another one, and I'll be there too."
You can write or e-mail 20th Century Fox regarding X4 at:
20th Century Fox Theatricals
ATTN: Tom Rothman (X-Men 4)
P.O. Box 900
Beverly Hills, CA 90213-0900
foxmovies@fox.com
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The 'Synecdoche, New York' Five
chud.com is reporting that Charlie Kaufman, the writer of films like Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Adaptation, is making the plunge into directing with Synecdoche, New York, which is about a theater director/playwright who tries to put on a play inside a life size model of New York City inside a warehouse. Yup, sounds like Kaufman.
Philip Seymour Hoffman had already been announced as the playwright/director. Michelle Williams, Heath Ledger’s spawn-maker, was also announced – turns out she’s playing Hoffman’s second wife. New announcements: Catherine Keener is playing his first wife, Samantha Morton is his lover, and Tilda Swinton will play Catherine Keener’s best friend.
Editor Note: Huge fan of Kaufman and wanted to post this hear, besides, by what I read in an earlier script review, the story will have a sci-fi-esque element to it
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Script Review: Planet Terror
latinoreview.com is reporting that El Mayimbe continues the Month of Latino Kings with a look at the script for Robert Rodriguez's half of the Grindhouse double feature, Planet Terror.
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MassiveGameDude
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Jan 22 '07 7:13 am PST
It's official
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Jan 21 '07 8:39 pm PST
File This Under "I Wish I Could Do That"
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Next-Gen-Gamer
Jan 21 '07 6:06 pm PST
The Sports Media Eats Crow
And for the record, "bad" Rex didn't show up. Even Sean Salisbury was willing to...
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