Saturday, May 23, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Terminator 4 Epic Trailer
Terminator Salvation, director McG almost makes you forget that he was ever known for the two Charlie's Angels misfires. He reignites what was once THE flagship sci-fi action franchise, and brings it into the 21st century, with a relentless juggernaut of a flick that evokes the same feelings The Road Warrior did so long ago. And just like in that movie, the one to watch is an Australian actor, Sam Worthington.He plays Marcus Wright, a death-row inmate executed in 2003, only to wake up in a Terminator hive in 2018. Finding everything a bit topsy-turvy after a nuclear war decimated most of the world, he soon finds two spunky young resistance fighters fighting cyborgs in post-apocalyptic L.A. One of them, Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) is destined to play a major role one day as seen in the first Terminator (where he was portrayed by Michael Biehn). The three journey towards friendlier territory in search of a legendary prophet, resistance leader John Connor (Christian Bale). But when Reese and his fellow fighter are imprisoned in a Terminator fortress, Wright must enlist Connor's help to break Reese out - something, as it turns out, Connor's very existence depends on as well.
The Terminator series has always been a mash-up of sorts, a pastiche of all of the sci-fi stories and low-budget effects technology that influenced writer-director James Cameron (Titanic). So it's no surprise that a lot of this film steals from a number of sources. There are little nods to each of the three previous films, including the notable reuse of L.A.'s Griffith Observatory (where Arnold's Terminator first beamed into our time). Chase scenes in apocalyptic landscapes come directly from the Mad Max films. Snake-like robots with red eyes swishing furiously underwater are right out of The Matrix series. And the action setpieces in the Terminator hive are quotes of similar sequences in both the Alien and Resident Evil series. But it's what McG does with these lifts that makes the movie so special. With each scene of the film, he ratchets up the tension, and the stakes, for the heroes.
Much of the attraction to this film was the anticipation in seeing Christian Bale play John Connor, a performance that should finally allow us to believe that Connor is the messianic savior the films claim he is. And on this count, Bale succeeds. The intensity and compassion he gives Connor outshines the qualities that similarly animate his portrayal of the Batman.
However, the true heart of the film (literally you'll see) is Sam Worthington. Reminiscent of the young babier-faced Mel Gibson (a look which may have been deliberately cultivated by the Mad Max costuming), Worthington is the prime mover of the film's events. And it is through sheer charisma, not the paper-thin backstory of his Marcus character, that Worthington manages to engage us throughout the film to the near exclusion of the always dependable Bale.
Can a blockbuster of this kind be so exciting that you wish they DON'T do a sequel? Where Star Trek seems to re-set the table, with the promise of future movies in the series providing the feast, Terminator Salvation completely satisfies one's appetite in this outing. And all of the credit should rest on the shoulder of McG and the film's lead.
Some surprising good news, and some unresolved no news.
Fox has decided to keep the Joss Whedon show Dollhouse and cancel the lead-in show The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Neither show was getting stellar ratings, and both were rumored to be on the chopping block. The tea leaf readers thought Dollhouse was likely doomed when the show was scheduled for thirteen episodes, but only aired twelve. Tim Minear, a writer and producer who has worked with Whedon on several shows, says that this was intentional all along, the thirteenth episode was always planned to be an extra to entice obsessive fans to buy the first season DVD.
As a spokesperson for fans of sci-fi TV shows, we object to being called obsessive. We don't disagree with the characterization, we just don't like it much.
Why Fox gave the show a reprieve, especially after giving the show the same shabby treatment the network gave to Arrested Development before it was canceled, might be explained by a sudden rise on Amazon of sales of Firefly, the previous Joss Whedon show on Fox that was pulled from the air before all thirteen episodes were shown.
TV executives don't completely understand obsessive sci-fi fans, but they know there is a buck to be made off of them. They just have to figure out how.
While one show I like is getting a second chance, another is struggling to get even a fair shake at its first chance. The NBC show Kings will begin airing again on Saturday, June 13. Five episodes have already been shown. On imdb, titles are given for the sixth and seventh episodes, but not the eighth through eleventh. Episodes 12 and 13 are called The New King, Parts 1 and 2, respectively. The story is going to follow the basic outline of First and Second Samuel, so David has to become king eventually. For my money, if this means they have to get rid of Ian McShane as Silas Benjamin (name changed, but the character is based on King Saul from the Bible), I might not even be interested in a second season of this show. McShane, the guy in the grey suit, second from the right, is the best thing on the series, and the younger cast in the middle of the photo is a lot less interesting than their elders. There is some small hope that instead of killing Silas, he might be sent into exile. Silas put one of his rival kings in the war of unification under house arrest while telling the world he had been killed. This gave the writers a chance to re-unite McShane with Brian Cox, who showed up for too brief a time in the last season of Deadwood.
I have a couple of shows I look forward to over the next few months. Besides the continuation of Kings, AMC gives us the next season of Mad Men, and a mini-series remake of The Prisoner, starring Jim Caviezel as Number Six and Sir Ian McKellan as Number Two.
Exclusive First Look at The Twilight Saga: New Moon Movie Poster!
Exclusive First Look at THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON!In THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) but her spirit is rekindled by her growing friendship with the irresistible Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). Suddenly she finds herself drawn into the world of the werewolves, ancestral enemies of the vampires, and finds her loyalties tested.
Based on the best-selling book series, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON opens in theatres everywhere November 20. It is the highly anticipated next installment to the movie TWILIGHT, which has grossed $380MM globally at the box office, and has become a worldwide sensation and cultural phenomenon.
Tom Hiddlestone Cast As Loki In 'Thor,' Woody Allen Settles Lawsuit With American Apparel, First Look: Robert Zemeckis' 'A Christmas Carol'
On the back of Chris Hemsworth's casting as the lead in Kenneth Branagh's "Thor," little known British actor Tom Hiddleston has joined the project as the nemesis, Loki - who is also Thor's brother. Hiddleston currently co-stars with director Branagh on British television series "Wallander" and was a contender for the lead before Hemsworth's announcement. Looks like Branagh is showing his hand as director - Josh Hartnett had previously been pushed for the role. [Nikki Finke]
Hugh Hudson will direct Colin Firth and Kevin Spacey in an adaptation of George Orwell's "Catalonia." The story revolves around the story of how Orwell and his wife Eileen traveled to Barcelona to fight Stalinism where Orwell joined the Anarchist brigade and fought in the Spanish Civil War. [Variety]
Claire Forlani, Dougray Scott and Rufus Sewell will star in Stephen Kay's contemporary adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's classic story "The Fall of the House of Usher." The film, which will be titled "The Ushers" and be shot in 3-D, follows a brother and sister who have lived in the same mysterious Martha's Vineyard house for a long time, begin to feel trapped in the haunting house and bring in a real-estate broker to help them resolve their crisis. [THR]
Monday, May 18, 2009
Britney Spear's hot news
The pop star's former manager, 34, who was slapped with a three year restraining order Tuesday after a judge ruled he was a threat to her, has notified a Los Angeles court of his intention to appeal. Sam Lutfi's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, argues that Lutfi was only responding to the singer's "cries for help" to buck her father's legal control. "Sam's only crime was trying to help out a friend," says Freedman, who has argued there is no evidence that Spears suffered substantial emotional abuse.
Katie Price the biggest loser in divorce from Peter Andre
KATIE Price is emerging as the main loser in the split with hubby Peter Andre, with their management company dropping her but keeping the Aussie pop star on its books.
Andre yesterday sought solace in the company of his brothers Chris and Michael over a barbecue at the $2 million mansion in Cyprus that he and Price built after their 2005 marriage.
An exhausted-looking Andre was reported to be missing his two children - he hasn't seen them since walking out on Price on Monday.
Andre left the marriage after Price, also known as Jordan, was photographed revelling in a nightclub with several men from her dressage circle of friends.
Jenifer Aniston's hot news
Jenifer Aniston's life is consumed with work, scripts, and movie sets. While she's been super successful as an actress, everyones favorite 'friend' is considering leaving the limelight soon.
Aniston admits that when the time is right, she'll make a transition from acting to directing, and we won't be seeing her on the big screen anymore.
"I'm just waiting for the right thing," she said. "I'm at a place where I feel I can breathe and make some choices that creatively...
Carmen Electra at the Playboy Club
Carmen Electra was at the Playboy Club at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Carmen was working one of the tables, and frankly it would be the only table that I would attend. Her cleavage and body looks pretty stunning,and it only furthers my bunny fetish.Hot celebrity Carmen Electra would help ease the pains of me losing all my money at her table, and maybe I could repay her in a comped hotel room afterwards!
HIDEO KOJIMA'S NEW GAME - REVEALED
It's a web game You sit still on your computer chair and watch a timer count down in front of a fancy Flash background.
It is much more thrilling than Metal Gear Solid. There's literally ZERO talking in it.
Playing it really feels like you're a man sitting on the internet looking at a counter and wondering if there's ever going to be anything more than this to the next 40 years of your life. Congratulations
Sunday, May 17, 2009
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