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Smallville: Random, Awesome and WTF?! - S3E16: Crisis

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Clark gets a mysterious phone call from Lana saying that she’s in mortal danger…but the call is from the future, proving that even the future hates Lana Lang.

Do us a favor, CK, just let it happen. You’ve screwed fate enough.

The Random:
1. Smallville’s teen crisis hotline rings off the hook, unsurprising considering the amount of trauma these kids see on a regular basis.

2. Chloe’s got some pretty high tech programs on her computer for a high school girl working on the school paper. Or is that standard in schools these days? I suppose it goes hand in hand with the police scanner she also has at the Torch.

3. Aaaaaaaaand as predicted, Dr. Teng joins the cast of extraneous characters serving as cannon fodder for the zaniness of Smallville’s plots. At least she’s not heading back to North Korea, so that’s gotta count for something.

"Chloe, who exactly authorizes and pays for all this crap?!”

The Awesome:
1. Lex plays to Lionel’s ego and tells him he wants to run Dr. Teng’s program, so Lionel waits until there’s a brutal murder and covertly signs it all over to him so Lex looks guilty and the police come down on him again. Lionel doesn’t play. Of course, Lex decides to strike a deal with the FBI to bring him down. It’s about to get real.

2. Clark must have recently grown a pair of balls considering the way he calls BS on Lex’s denial of Dr. Teng’s lab and strongarms him into taking him to confront Adam. It’s about time, CK.

3. The final scene with Lionel coming to terms with his terminal disease and putting a loaded gun to his mouth as the episode ends is simply chilling.

Once again, Lionel steals the show…

The WTF?!:
1. I know these Smallville folks have seen some weird crap go down, but they’re taking this “mysterious call from the future” pretty nonchalantly. “Oh, the call’s from the future. Sure, let’s work with that. And then try and get other people to believe us and then act surprised that they look at us like psych ward escapees. It’s a plan!”

2. Another day, another late night kidnapping at knife point in the school. Do the students all have a key, or do they just not bother locking the doors? You’d think that after over fifteen afterhours occurrences like this, they’d spring for a padlock or something. They’re like 3 bucks at Sports Authority.

3. Lana tries to understand what’s happened to her by attempting to read through Einstein’s works. It doesn’t work that way, Double L. You failed waitressing. You’re not getting a handle on this.

Lana Lang: Hated in Every Tense




STEVEN SPIELBERG Talks TINTIN Sequel

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The inevitable Tintin sequel is on the way, but the creators are all being a bit secret about it. Spielberg talked a bit and this is what he had to say.

In a quick chat with Totalfilm, Spielberg mentioned the regular things we expected like the fact that Peter Jackson will be directing it with himself producing. The biggest thing he said is that “We’re not telling the world what books we’re basing the second movie on yet."


A deal was made early on between Jackson and Spielberg that went along the lines of "I’ll direct the first one, you direct the second one." They are sticking to that plan and after Jackson finished filming The Hobbit he will go straight into the month of performance capture that will be needed.

While producer Kathleen Kennedy once said the story for the sequel would be based on The Calculus Affair, Spielberg denied that saying, “We haven’t decided that yet. She’s throwing a monkey wrench into your story! It could be that. I like The Calculus Affair. So it could be."

While he wont say which book they want to do, he did mention that “We have completed a story outline now. We have a writer on it. I’m just not declaring what it is. It will be more than one book, but no more than two.”


KIRK CAMERON IS GONNA SAVE AMERICA...One Confused Look At A Time

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Mike Seaver, that adorable scamp from the richly thoughtful and deeply intellectual sitcom Growing Pains, is out to make America great again by wandering around the world with a confused look on his face and saying things like "I just thought Pilgrims wore big hats".

His documentary Monumental (a re-boot of National Treasure apparently) is all about a monument that contains the keys to America's true origins and Mike wants to release it's hidden knowledge on us all.

It's so cute when people want to grow up to be Nic Cage isn't it?

Source: Videogum


Six James Bond Films That Must Be Made To Support A Fan Theory (Or, Old Friends 4 Sale)

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By Kevin Bowden
Let’s just get right into it, OK?

During WWII, Ian Fleming was part of an elite branch of the UK military (the Special Operations Executive) along with many others, including Christopher Lee.

Yup, THAT Christopher Lee (Count Dooku, Dracula, Dr. Catheter from Gremlins 2, and some other movie about lords and rings).

Fleming
Fleming went on to write the fictional character of James Bond, basing many characters and situations on real-life experiences. The stories then became popular motion pictures based loosely on the books (sometimes only the title of the movie was the only thing in common with the original story).

Since 1962, six actors have portrayed James Bond, Agent 007.

They are Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig.

The question is: regardless of the fact that the Bond of Fleming’s stories was one man, how do you explain that for 50 years of motion pictures Bond stayed roughly in his 30’s?

Surely MI6 hadn’t discovered the Fountain of Youth, that would be ridiculous (like a crocodile submarine, cigarette missile, invisible car, bagpipe flamethrower, fake third nipple).

How do you explain that?
 
The theory that people with nothing better to do have been kicking around for years is that James Bond is not one man, but several men, and "JAMES BOND, 007" is simply a job title within the British Secret Service.
 


You do your job and then one day you die (or retire, resign, get your license to kill revoked….only to die another day) and some young jerk with fresh ideas takes your place.

Seems fair enough, the characters of M and Q have changed hands, but in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service James Bond (played only once by George Lazenby) marries Teresa “Tracy” Draco. Their wedding day ends with Tracy being gunned down by Blofield and Irma Bunt.

For the idea of different Bonds to work there is one main obstacle to get over….the fact that his marriage is referenced in other films. There’s a way around this to support the theory and I’ve figured it out (I’m so sorry).

I propose that a few more 007 movies have to be made, as period pictures, to take place throughout the last 50 years. These stories can be your typical Bond movies except with a subplot explaining where one Bond ends and another Bond begins (a human centipede of secret agents, if you will).

Below is a list of every James Bond movie released so far and inserted into the list is where the transitional film will be placed.

Dr. No (1962)

From Russia With Love (1963)

Goldfinger (1964)

Thunderball (1965)

You Only Live Twice (1967)



STOP! Here is where the 1st transitional film is placed in which Bond resigns and retires to St. Kitts to open a bar.

Enter George Lazenby.


On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) *In this film Tracy Bond is gunned down by Blofeld and Irma Hunt*

STOP! Following the events of OHMSS Bond quits over the loss of his wife.

Agents are sent to St. Kitts to plead with the Connery-era Bond to return to active duty for one or two missions until a suitable replacement is found. He agrees.


Diamonds Are Forever (1971) *We assume that after this Connery goes back to St. Kitts. Enter Roger Moore.

Live And Let Die (1973)

The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Moonraker (1979)

STOP! Upon returning from trying to upstage Star Wars, Bond is contacted by a mysterious man on his deathbed.

That man is former-007 George Lazenby.

He retells the story of losing his wife and pleads with Bond to do him two favors: Kill Blofeld for good, and leave flowers at the grave of his dead wife (on the anniversary of their wedding) as he is too weak and bed-ridden to do so himself.


Roger Moore, being the saint that he is, agrees to carry out his predecessors dying wish.


For Your Eyes Only (1981) *This film begins with Moore leaving flowers at the graveyard and killing Blofeld by dumping him from a helicopter into a chimney*

Octopussy (1983)

A View To A Kill (1985)

STOP! Bond retires, becomes an MI6 consultant, mentoring Timothy Dalton as he trains for the 007 gig.

He then goes back to California to become a stand-up comedian specializing in Christopher Walken impressions.

Timothy Dalton graduates from Spy School.

The Living Daylights (1987)

License To Kill (1989)

STOP! Bond is killed in the opening sequence.

MI6 chooses 7 new recruits to form TEAM 007.


During their first mission all but one are killed and he inherits the James Bond moniker (either that or the 7 recruits compete in a reality-TV show titled So You Think You Can Spy).

Enter Pierce Brosnan.

Goldeneye (1995)

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Die Another Day (2002)

STOP! Bond and Jinx use the stash of diamonds they acquired during the escape at the climax of Die Another Day, go AWOL, and move to Cuba where they first met....to open a bar.

MI6 suspends the double-0 program indefinitely.

Casino Royale (2006) *The series is rebooted with Daniel Craig in the lead role, it does not take place in 1961, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it*

Oh yeah, and Quantum Of Solace (2008)


So there you have it! My solution to making the fan theory a reality. Hold on, my phone is ringing. It’s my roommate Jamie. I emailed him a rough draft of all the above. I hope he liked it…

“Hello?”

“Kevin, this sucks! You left out a lot of stuff.”

“Like what?” I ask.

“For one you left out 1983’s Never Say Never Again.”

“Doesn’t count. It wasn’t an Eon Film Production and even though Sean Connery stars as James Bond it’s just the result of legal disputes about the ownership of the Thunderball screenplay. Basically it’s a remake of a movie he was already in.”

He pauses for a second.

“Well, in The Spy Who Loved Me a character impresses James with the knowledge they’d gathered on him, including the fact that he’d been married once.”

“But he quickly changes the subject because at the time he was not aware of this aspect of his predecessors life. Besides, it’s a closely guarded secret that 007 hasn’t always been one person.”

“Fair enough. How about License To Kill? It’s brought up there as well.”

“Nope, because in my proposed ‘link’ film Roger Moore informs Timothy Dalton of this as he’s mentoring him in case it comes up so he doesn’t get caught off guard like he did back when he was a spy that loved someone. Moore avenges her death for Lazenby so it’s kind of important.”

“I thought it was a closely guarded secret?”

“Welp, Roger Moore has kind of a big mouth!”

GOLDENEYE!” He thinks he has me now.

“I gather you’re referring to Alec Trevelyan asking Pierce if he ‘found forgiveness in the arms of all those willing women for the dead ones you failed to protect?’ THAT LINE?”

“Yes.”

“That could mean anyone. In his line of work you can’t save everyone.”

“Mm, I guess, but if Alec mentioned Aki then we could just end this now.”

“Good thing he didn’t….or Corinne Dufour.”

“Which one was she from?”

Moonraker.”

“Naw he left the estate so it can be presumed he had no knowledge she was mauled by dogs….unless he read the novelisation.”

“Wow dude! So? Any more ways to try to stump me? There’s one more!” Now I’m trying to stump him.

“Isn’t that enough?”

“Jamie, the world is not enough.”

“I hate you! What happens in The World Is Not Enough?”

“I thought you’d never ask. Elektra King asks Pierce Brosnan if he’s ever lost a loved one….”

“Okay, okay! I get it. Who hasn’t lost a loved one? And since they never mention Tracy by name he could’ve been thinking about his dog, Indiana.”

“I was thinking about calling George Lazenby ‘the Pete Best of the Bond Universe’.”

I hear Jamie sigh, then silence.

“C’mon that’s funny!”

“Alright Kevin. Who’s gonna play Bond in these inserted films? Connery is retired plus he can’t play a version of himself from like 40 years ago. Who’s gonna play Connery’s version of Bond?”

“British singer Robbie Williams.”

“Okay I’m hanging up now…”

“No no no no! YouTube the music video for his song ‘Millennium’. The whole point of that video is to convince us he’s James Bond, or Sean Connery.”

“Wait a second……hold on……I GOT YOU! I proved that this won’t work! FELIX LEITER! He was with the CIA and helped Bond numerous times, and he was played by like 8 different actors, and I will not accept that the CIA had a similar program where they swap out agents and give some new guy the name like this ridiculous Bond theory that we’re still talking about.”

“Well then…uh…. he was a master of disguise, like Hannibal from The A-Team, and not until Casino Royale do we find out that he’s black actor Jeffrey Wright…..or Bernie Casey in Never Say Never Again, but we’re not counting that movie anyway.” I pause to catch my breath then ask Jamie one last question. “Do you want to know the name of the first Bond movie that takes place between Sean Connery and George Lazenby?”

“Go ahead.”

Old Friends 4 Sale.”

“Doesn’t ring a bell. Where’s that come from?”

“It’s a Prince song.”

“Do you have to work Prince into every conversation?” (I do this a lot)

“Hear me out. Watch any of the earlier Bond titles sequences, the ones with all the silhouettes of guns and girls, turn off the volume and play the Prince song over it. Wait! But NOT For Your Eyes Only, Sheena Easton’s lips won’t match up with the words, but anything else up to and including A View To A Kill. Oh oh! Make sure it’s the version off the album The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale, not the previously unreleased version with different lyrics about his former bodyguard, you know, the guy that played the doorman in Purple Rain. Play the Prince audio and the film sequence at the same time. It’s the new Dark Side of the Moon/Wizard of Oz. Hey, did I tell you Prince has a vocal range of 4 octaves, 3 notes, and 2 semitones?”

*click*

“Hello? Jamie?


Paramount Is Remaking Hitchcocks SUSPICION

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Hitchcock is getting a few remakes soon. The latest being Suspicion, which Paramount has decided need to be redone.

According to Variety, the studio has picked up Veena Sud from AMC's The Killing to write the script. The project is being produced with Montecito Pictures who are also working on a behind the scenes type Hitchcock project.


The original film follows a young woman that marries an "irresponsible charmer." As time goes on she starts to suspect that the man her father warned her of is in fact planning to kill her. Joan Fontaine won a best actress Oscar for the performance in 1941.

The project will be the first film script for Sud who will use the same source material from the 1932 novel Before the Fact by Francis Iles. Suds past TV credits include writing on Push, Nevada and being an executive producer on Cold Case.

The newest plan for a Hitchcock remake comes right after DreamWorks announced their project to remake Rebecca with Steven Knight, the writer of Eastern Promises.


TIM DALY Returns As SUPERMAN For JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM

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The quintessential voice of the Man of Steel – primetime television star Tim Daly – once again returns to his original animated role of Superman in JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM, the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies.

Daly set the standard as the voice behind the world’s ultimate super hero for Superman: The Animated Series as well as in several animated movies and video games. While fanboys hail his vocal performance as their point of recognition, the Emmy nominated actor is known well throughout the world for his primetime television series roles, including eight seasons on Wings, an intense recurring role on The Sopranos, a memorable turn on HBO’s landmark mini-series From The Earth To The Moon, and his current ABC hit series, Private Practice.

Daly has joined the festivities surrounding the West Coast Premiere of JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM on Thursday, February 16 at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills. The actor will appear for red carpet interviews and take part in the panel discussion following the film – alongside his co-stars Phil Morris (Seinfeld, Smallville), Paul Blackthorne (The River), Oliva d'Abo (The Wonder Years) and Susan Eisenberg (Justice League, Justice League Unlimited). Also confirmed to attend is director Lauren Montgomery and dialogue/casting director Andrea Romano.

Daly took a few minutes to offer answers to some questions that haven’t been posed to him – lately.

Here’s what Mr. Daly had to offer



What’s the crux of JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM from Superman’s perspective?

Well, as usual, it’s all about saving the planet. But first, the Justice League has to save the Justice League. Batman disappoints his colleagues in the Justice League by having a plan to stop any rogue
Justice League member, and by allowing those plans to be stolen. Superman understands Batman, though – he really has created these contingency plans for a pretty noble reason. He's trying to protect
the world by inserting some checks and balances into this system, realizing that the Justice League has an incredible amount of power, and he wants to make sure that they always use that power in a way
that's not destructive.

Are you able to turn on and off the Superman voice without hesitation, or is there some sort of warm-up involved – mentally or vocally?

There’s just a lot of technical things to keep in mind. You get warmed up like you do with anything and, after a little rehearsing, it’s all second nature. That doesn’t mean I didn’t want to go back and do a few lines over again – you want these things to be just right. But you don’t necessarily jump straight back in. I mean, it's not like I walk around being Superman in real life. But when you read the script and put yourself in the position that Superman is in – I mean, he's always saving the planet, for God's sake. When you realize that, it's not difficult to take the gravitas of the situation and make your voice do what it needs to do.

As well as you know this character after all of these years, are you ever shy to offer suggestions about how certain dialogue might be presented or altered?

Usually the writing is pretty great, but then again, I can't keep my mouth shut. If I think something can be better, I'll speak up and say so. But I will explain why I’m making the suggestion. I actually find that writers respond very well to being asked questions. “Why would Superman say that?” “Would it be better if I said it this way?” You don’t just want to be critical – that doesn't benefit anyone. The best creative work usually comes from a collaboration.

Have you ever found yourself using the Superman attitude or voice in real life?

I did a little bit when my kids were young. And I found that it worked much better on my daughter than my son. I would say to her, (beefs up his voice), “Stop that right now.” And she would be suitably taken aback. But my son, he didn't really care.

Has providing the voice of Superman helped you learn anything about yourself or changed you in any way?

Maybe a little bit. Maybe some of what gets you through your walks in the world is attitude. Certainly Superman has a lot of power and he doesn't have to be showy, rather he carries that confidence quietly. He knows what he can do. I certainly am not capable of pulling that off in my own life. But knowing that, I can fake that attitude to help me out now and then.

What Superman memorabilia have you collected over the years?

I have a beautiful wooden Superman statue with a removable cape – I really love that piece. I have a cel from the original Superman series cartoons. And I have a gold Superman “S” pin. And then there’s my tights, uh, but don’t tell anymore.

TV and film is usually a one-way experience for you. You don't really get to see the final product with an audience very often. But you’re coming back to the Paley Center in Los Angeles for the premiere of JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM – and this will be your second time seeing one of the DC Universe animated movies alongside the fans. What was your experience like watching Superman/Batman: Apocalypse last time?

It was really great because the fans were so into it. Fan reaction is really wonderful to experience in person, especially fans of this genre. They’re so passionate. And it was also fun because it was just my voice and Superman's image. Usually when I see myself in a film or on television, there's about a six-month period where I can't look at it because all I’ll see are the mistakes. I'm just appalled by the person that I see. The camera sees me from angles that I've never seen myself, so I never think it's me. I look at that and I think, “My God, that's me.” But with these films, I can look up and it is Superman on the screen. So I don't have to go through all that. He has no flaws.

What's the magic of working with dialogue director Andrea Romano?

The great thing about working with Andrea is that she loves it so much, and she's so positive about it. You can't fake that. Even after all this time, doing 41 shows at a time, all the series and films, she’s right there with the same enthusiasm and love for the material. I don’t know how she keeps it all straight. Plus, she really loves actors – you always feel like she’s rooting for you. And that makes it very easy.

Warner Home Video will distribute JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM on Blu-Ray, DVD and for Download on February 28, 2012.


DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION: The Movie

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If there is one thing that can put me in a euphoric mood it's a gang movie about Dance Dance Revolution in which the characters spout off lines like: "Yo Clam Chowder", "This is my house now bitch" and my personal favorite: "I hope you're ready for this shit Cranberry Juice".

It's like a gift from the heavens.

Source: Topless robot


SPENCER FOR HIRE: T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS / THE WORLD BELOW

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Joss Whedon's The Avengers will surely be a blockbuster hit this summer and most teenagers are familiar with the Justice League from the cartoons, but today we focus on the best superhero team you've never heard of, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents.


Named after 60s spy thriller The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Higher United Nations Defense Enforcement Reserves operates outside the boundaries of national interest, working to achieve world peace. The late artist Wally Wood and writer Len Brown created the first series, and now rising star Nick Spencer (Morning Glories, Iron Man 2.0) leads the team to the future.


Dynamo, NoMan, Menthor, Raven and Lightning fight the organization S.P.I.D.E.R. (Secret People's International Directorate for Extralegal Revenue) and also a Subterranean society.

Are these men and women heroes? Not quite. This just may be their last chance to redeem themselves before the suits they are wearing kill them.



22 Panels That Always Work - Wally Wood

Co-creator Wally Wood was a tortured genius. He was the first to draw Marvel's Daredevil in his red suit, and his '22 Panels that Always Work' is the template for a successful comic page. Suffering from alcoholism, his last days were spent in an anonymous apartment in Los Angeles. Wood committed suicide in 1981 by gunshot wound to the head.

Nick Spencer populates the current version of the Agents with redemption, secrets and mystery. Nods to Wood's life show up in the android NoMan. While most of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R Agents are recuited to take over the suit of their deceased predecessor, NoMan remains constant. He exists with the brain signature of his creator, but lacks soul and any human connections.

With his cloak, copies of NoMan can disappear and become invisible. What chronically depressed individual wouldn't give anything to just disappear for a while?

The story in Volume 1 of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents is set in modern times. I appreciate the Watchmen trope wherein present day stories reference the Silver Age in real time. The Higher United Nations recruit a new strongman Dynamo as well as a new speedster Lightning to rescue the original Raven from the clutches of the evil S.P.I.D.E.R. organization. The artist Cafu is joined by masters Howard Chaykin, George Pérez, Mike Grell and more for the flashback sequences that texture the book with a reverence for the past. Female supervillian Iron Maiden is revealed in the third act for a cross-generational conflict to make your head spin.

NoMan page by Walter Simonson

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents exist in the DC Universe, but a dark corner that is unaffected by the reboot. Volume 2 is being released as a limited series currently. Issue #4 of 6 ships at the end of this month. Wes Craig is on the present day artwork, sharing the flashbacks with modern masters Jerry Ordway, Walt Simonson and more. In the current run, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents are facing  a long-standing enemy, the Subterraneans. Subterranean warlord Demo resurfaces to capture Dynamo on a peacekeeping mission. Menthor and the Agents are compelled to rescue him, but what will this cost the team?




Concrete creator Paul Chadwick has created a very different canvas for stories of underground adventures, The World Below.

 Only eight stories are collected so far of the adventures of the Hoy exploration team. Fifteen years ago, a giant robot flies out of a sinkhole. Charles Hoy (technologist/entrepreneur) sends an away team of six to explore and exploit the underground landscape. The team has a Hummer, guns, cycles and rations as their above ground resources to combat the strange and wonderful iridescent creatures and harvest more robots.


Will the team be attacked and harmed by underground brain control zombies? Which member of the team now has an extra appendage to lend a hand? Does one simply eat a meal offered to you by mole-men?

Travel on this sci-fi adventure to find out!



SUPERJAIL! SEASON 2 Arrives May 13th on DVD

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Superjail! Season 2 contains all 10 episodes of the series' second season, which highlight the classic violence and unimaginable acts of insanity expected from the Superjail! inmates. Additionally, the DVD features tons of bonus material including a live concert from Cheeseburger -- the party rock band behind the Superjail! theme song -- and a Cheeseburger animated music video, episode commentary and more. Superjail! is made up of dangerous criminals, fantastic creatures, and a prison warden who has gone bonkers over the years with his crazy mechanisms and irrational schemes. The infamous complex routinely has riots and murders, and while the criminals of Superjail! may escape time to time, their horrible crimes eventually bring them back.


DANA GOULD IS DR. ZAIUS AS MARK TWAIN

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This is the performance that Hal Holbrook could only dream of giving.

Source: The Nerdist


Moriarty Returns

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IMAGE TO CAPTURE THE SECOND VOLUME OF MORIARTY

Moriarty: The Lazarus Tree Gets Collected in March

Writer Daniel Corey returns in March with more adventures of the nefarious Professor Moriarty, arch nemesis of Sherlock Holmes, in MORIARTY: THE LAZARUS TREE VOL 2 TP from Image Comics. Collecting issues #5 through #9 of the ongoing series, MORIARTY: THE LAZARUS TREE features artwork from Anthony Diecidue (Stan Lee's TIME JUMPER) and comic book legend Mike Vosburg (HBO Tales from the Crypt), with colors by Perry Freeze and letters and design by Dave Lanphear.

Following the misdeeds of the original supervillain, it is 20 years after the death of Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty finds himself afflicted with unsettling visions. He sets sail for Burma in search of an old ally, but finds himself caught up in a city on the brink of revolt, a troublesome Imperial Policeman, and a secret that holds the key to his destiny.



MORIARTY: THE LAZARUS TREE, VOL. 2 TP, a 136-page full-color paperback, will be on sale in stores March 14th for $14.99 and is available to order in the January 2012 edition of Diamond Previews (JAN120526, ISBN: 978-1-60706-490-9). For more information, please visit www.professorjamesmoriarty.com and www.facebook.com/daniel.corey.

Here's what reviewers are saying about MORIARTY: THE LAZARUS TREE:

TOP TEN ONGOING COMICS OF 2011 - ComicBook.com

"To me, the book is what I imagine Kubrick's take on Holmes lore might be..." – The Daily BLAM!

"Professor Moriarty is treated with the respect a villain of his caliber should be treated. Pick it up!" - Impulse Gamer

"It's fast-paced, entertaining and extremely clever..." - Comiclist

"This comic is a lot of fun. It’s really easy to get caught up in the adventure of MORIARTY and Corey has crafted a villain of such diabolic proportions." - Freakin Awesome Network

"...It’s an incredible adventure that’ll leave you begging for more by the time you reach the final panel." TOP FIVE BOOKS OF 2011 - Mass Movement Magazine

About Daniel Corey
Daniel Corey is a director, screenwriter, playwright, and novelist. He has authored screenplays, teleplays, stage plays, two comic series, and a novel. www.professorjamesmoriarty.com

About Anthony Diecidue
Anthony’s work includes principal art for Stan Lee and Walt Disney Home Entertainment's digital motion comic series TIME JUMPER and MORTAL KOMBAT VS. DC COMICS for Midway Games.

About Mike Vosburg
Mike Vosburg has worked for Marvel and DC as well as drawing the entire run of cover inserts for the HBO Tales from the Crypt series, and winning an Emmy as a director on the HBO animated series Spawn.

About Image Comics
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.


HEY ARNOLD Season 2, Part 1 Comes To Your Hood This March!

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HEY ARNOLD: SEASON 2, PART 1
IN STORES MARCH 20, 2012

 The First 10 Episodes from the Second Season of
Nickelodeon’s Hit Animated Series Arrives On DVD From Shout! Factory

NEW YORK – February 2012 – Spend more time in the ’hood with Arnold and his best buddy, Gerald, as they endure playground bullies, secret crushes, new teachers, an alien invasion and more! Don your cap and your unbuttoned flannel shirt and head for the TV for 10 big-city adventures on 2 DVDs! Hey Arnold: Season 2, Part 1 will be released on March 20, 2012, for the suggested retail price of $19.93.

Hey Arnold features an all-star voice cast, including Toran Caudell (Recess), Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons), Francesca Smith (Recess) and Jamil Walker Smith (SGU Stargate Universe).
About Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY®-nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com.

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 32nd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 16 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).


HAPPILY DIVORCED Season One Comes Home Amicably on DVD

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FRAN DRESCHER STARS IN THE UPROARIOUS COMEDY ABOUT LIFE AFTER MARRIAGE

“HAPPILY DIVORCED”

All 10 Episodes from Season One, Plus Cast Interviews and More, Debut on DVD
March 6, 2012

Just Prior to the Season Two On-Air Premiere on TV Land on March 7th

They say all the good ones are either married or gay. She got both!

TV Land’s hilarious series “Happily Divorced” makes its DVD debut when the first season arrives in a two-disc set on March 6, 2012. Starring the irrepressible Fran Drescher, “Happily Divorced” follows the unconventional life of Fran Lovett, a Los Angeles florist whose husband Peter (John Michael Higgins, Bad Teacher) came out of the closet, but couldn’t afford to move out of the house. Now after 18 years of marriage, Fran is back on the singles scene looking for Mr. Right… and so is Peter! Can they remain “Happily Divorced” while juggling new relationships and living under the same roof?

The series also features Rita Moreno (“Law & Order: Criminal Intent”), Tichina Arnold (“Raising Hope”), Valente Rodriguez (“George Lopez”) and Robert Walden (“Brothers”).

The “Happily Divorced” Season One DVD is a two-disc set with 10 uproarious episodes, including the Director’s cut of the Series Premiere, plus interviews with the cast and creators, and behind-the-scenes featurettes with the wardrobe designer and theme song composers. Available for the suggested retail price of $21.99, the DVD arrives just in time for the second season premiere of “Happily Divorced” on TV Land on March 7th.

About TV Land
TV Land is the programming destination featuring the best in entertainment on all platforms for consumers in their 40s and 50s. Consisting of original programming, classic and contemporary television series acquisitions, hit movies and a full-service Web site, TV Land is now seen in over 98 million U.S. homes.

About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.


10 Reasons I’m Still Going Gaga for GHOST PROTOCOL 
(Or: Why M:I-4 Is The Greatest Action Flick Since DIE HARD)

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Guess what? Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol doesn’t just live up to the expectations set by its predecessors, it readily surpasses them.

Once the producers recruited the director of The Incredibles, we were all sort of hoping M:I-4 would be cool, weren’t we?

Turns out, it’s the most purely entertaining of the series.

Star/co-producer Tom Cruise and director Brad Bird effortlessly maintain a delicate balancing act while juggling multiple elements during a rough endurance race through a daunting obstacle course.


The whole project is a Master Class celebration of the very art and craft and fun of making a huge action movie.

In other words, a flick that you and your buddies will be sampling forever.

Anyone who claims to be an action connoisseur who thought M:I-4 it was merely “okay” should rightfully give it a closer look. Like any eminently re-watchable flick, M:I-4 is destined for eternal home video glory, so bring forth the Blu-ray—stat! It’ll make for a great demo disc. You know what I mean: one of those cherished discs that you frequently revisit and permanently keep on deck to demonstrate the capabilities of your home theater system. Ghost Protocol will be one of ’em.

Here’s why:

TOM CRUISE STILL HAS HIS MOJO


Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt is really put through the wringer in this film, and with Mr. Cruise once again gamely performing his own superbly choreographed stunt work, he proves he can still go toe-to-toe with the tried and true big boys of serious action (Willis, Smith, Schwarzenegger, Stallone; Indiana Jones, James Bond). Further, the series-high $600 million global box office take of Ghost Protocol is a muscular vindication of Cruise’s box office vitality in the face of his ’80s and ’90s contemporaries, not to mention all the newfangled action bait such as Matt Damon, Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, and Channing fucking Tatum.

Fans still love Tom Cruise.

This, despite all that ballyhooed couch-dancing on Oprah back before M:I-3.

This, in light of the ensuing histrionics issued by Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone during his retaliatory crusade to have Cruise “evicted” from Paramount after that sofa bit ostensibly cost the studio $150,000,000 in global M:I-3 grosses.

This, regardless of the middling domestic returns of the Smiling One’s recent efforts (Valkyrie and Knight & Day, both of which performed just fine internationally).

And this, despite all the crude publicity of his marriage and his long association with a particularly cultish Church.

Point proven: Tom Cruise can still open a big-budget extravaganza that plays worldwide across multiple demographics. And he’s done it again for Paramount, to boot.

That’s the juicy, ironic part. He’s got this role down pat, and he’s still having an obvious good time portraying it, even if he is juuust starting to show his mileage. The screenplay sneaks in a few satisfactorily snarky political jabs at Bush Jr.’s “Mission Accomplished” blunder, the culture of shifting post-Cold War allegiances and the state of new world paranoia today in the wake of the PATRIOT Act.

The fact that Ghost Protocol turns out to be somewhat timely was perhaps to be expected. The revelation that it’s so darned good—and feels so timeless—is, in a way, the film’s most pleasurable spoiler. Loyal moviegoers showed up in droves for M:I-4, returned for multiple viewings and generated enough immediate goodwill for the producers to fast-track plans for M:I-5.

I’m so there.

SNAZZY TITLE SEQUENCE

A memorable opening credits sequence is pure cinematic comfort food, and director Brad Bird and his squad of animators and editors have conjured up an unexpected doozy for Ghost Protocol. At the utterance of a classic segue, Lalo Schifrin’s indelible theme kicks in and the IMAX screen fills with a giant CGI sparking fuse that snakes through a brisk précis of film we’re about to see—new locations we’ll visit, glimpses of new key players we’ll want to keep track of, hints at impossible scrapes our heroes will get into, and the promise of lots of futuristic espionage and rough-and-tumble action.


I wasn’t sure until I revisited the previous Missions at home that, in fact, M:I-4 is the only film of the series to feature an isolated and fully contained opening credits sequence. M:I-1 has a good one that pays tribute to the classic motif of the burning fuse—but it’s over-edited and the sequence doesn’t technically contain all the credits. M:I-2 and M:I-3 increasingly shirk the burning fuse montage. M:I-4 delivers a slam-bang one, in the classic 007 tradition.

You’ll excuse the cross-pollination of spy thrillers in the mind of a Serious Geek, but if the credits sequence of Ghost Protocol doesn’t get you revved to see this movie, check your pulse…and then go check to see what time The Iron Lady is playing down the hall.

IMAX, BABY!

Now’s a good time to spaz out specifically over the IMAX sequences.

Firstly, we’re talking real IMAX here, using 70mm film projected onto a giant 5-story-tall screen. Not the faux little rinky-dink “IMAX Digital” venues that have sprouted up across the country and sully the IMAX brand. Approximately 27 minutes of Ghost Protocol were shot utilizing high-resolution, large-format IMAX cameras and film stock. Not merely deployed as a gimmick, the IMAX in M:I-4 is fully woven into the very fabric of the film and is repeatedly put to tremendous good use throughout several key sequences.

It’s hands-down the best use of IMAX I’ve yet witnessed in any major motion picture.

Better than The Dark Knight.

Better than Avatar.

Gliding helicopter flyover shots of the film’s distinctive international locations really assist in putting you in the pilot’s seat, hurling you headlong into the bristling action. Later, a startling explosion at the Kremlin pushes to the absolute limit the photorealism of CGI trickery when used in conjunction with 70mm IMAX negatives. The Burj Khalifa Dubai skyscraper earns a glorious money shot, shortly followed by a virtuoso camera movement that opens on a tight shot of Cruise’s ankles, then cranes up and over him while he swings out the window, the camera smoothly hovering over and sliding outside with him, peering perilously down 130 stories.

Sure, some modest CGI was employed to erase the suspension cables, but there’s no faking the obvious stunt of the real Tom Cruise scaling the face of the world’s tallest building.





In 70mm IMAX. With the wind howling and an ominous sandstorm looming on the horizon. When that sandstorm finally blows in, we’re thrown right into the thick of it during an insane foot chase that escalates into a blind chicken race between two cars on a freeway. Later, during the final physical showdown, the enveloping size of the IMAX format captures with incredible detail the whirligig amusement-park thrills of a savage fight on the rotating, elevating platforms of an automated parking tower. In this precisely choreographed ballet of man versus machine, our hero dukes it out with the villain for possession of a vital briefcase—the contents of which provide for a conveniently shifting MacGuffin throughout the course of the plot. But more on that later.

I cannot spaz enough about how spectacular the IMAX footage is, and how strongly it elevates the passive act of watching Ghost Protocol to an all-immersive, senses-tingling, pulse-quickening experience. As M:I-4 winds down its initial theatrical engagement and filters into second-run venues, keep your eyes peeled for the precious few theaters still showing the film in IMAX. I’m not particularly partial to the tiny “faux-MAX” digital screens, but they represent the most obvious choice to continue an IMAX run indefinitely because the theaters don’t have to be custodians of an actual print of the movie. Best of all, if you can catch the film in 70mm “Super IMAX,” you’ll get the most bang for your IMAX buck—and you’ll still get to see the elusive 6-minute prologue for The Dark Knight Rises.

CRACKERJACK ENSEMBLE


Essential for an ensemble cast, each of the players is allowed an opportunity to flex their chops and their characters are given unexpected room for depth and growth.

It wasn’t until J.J. Abrams’ M:I-3 that I began to appreciate the team dynamic and take closer notice what makes Ethan Hunt human, and here in M:I-4 we get to see an even more intriguing aspect of his persona (spoiler alert: much of it explains with unexpected gravitas the absence of his wife from). There is a heavier emphasis on the isolated team dynamic, and it provides the sturdiest springboard for a continuing series of films with new players.

Notably, it’s refreshing to see a woman of color (Paula Patton) holding her own with Tom Cruise, portraying an agent of equal standing to Ethan Hunt rather than a comic sidekick or love interest. (Though they do get to make out—all part of the plan.) She’s got her own character arc to traverse, and she gets the opportunity to bust loose and open not one but two cans of serious whoop-ass during her journey. Gadget geek Benji (Simon Pegg) returns for obligatory comic relief, and his nimble repartee with each of the team members is a lot of fun.

The real revelation is the introduction of Brandt (Jeremy Renner) as a war-weary analyst with more to his resume than initially meets the eye. The filmmakers are obviously grooming his character to carry the series after Cruise steps away from the cameras—maybe in the next film; if not certainly soon after (though I trust Cruise will remain a creative force behind the scenes). Brandt definitely earns his stripes by the end of M:I-4 to secure a prominent spot on the team for future movies.

As Ghost Protocol concludes with a tease for M:I-5, the groundwork for a series of Missions with or without Ethan Hunt has been firmly laid.

NODS TO PREVIOUS MISSIONS (AND A CERTAIN SEMINAL '80s CLASSIC)

There are in-jokes, references and cameos aplenty in Ghost Protocol.


The filmmakers playfully riff on the recurring “red light, green light” motif from M:I-1, rethought here as a running visual gag during the opening prison break, tweaked for the centerpiece skyscraper scaling stunt, and carried on through the final critical moments of the supersonic climax.

Ethan Hunt’s uncanny ability to read lips from across a room, introduced in M:I-3, nicely punctuates a memorable sequence in Ghost Protocol that finds Ethan tiptoeing along a hospital window ledge while a suave detective silently dares him to jump (and is duly gob smacked over Ethan’s narrow escape).

The Burj Khalifa Dubai sequence takes the rock-climbing intro of M:I-2 to far more dizzying heights.

Later, another nod towards the first movie recruits a familiar secondary character under similar circumstances, and his appearance becomes one of several winks at the granddaddy of all modern action thrillers, John McTiernan’s Die Hard.

Another ode to Die Hard: Cruise’s Ethan Hunt mans-up to Bruce Willis’ John McClane when it comes to dangling off a tall building while clutching a fire hose.

The Mission: Impossible tropes and trappings are myriad—self-destructing messages; awkward retinal security scans; high-tech gadgetry; latex doppelganger masks; overly elaborate methods of subterfuge; handy GPS trackers; bad guys who thoughtlessly shoot at any moving target; some manner of aerial acrobatics and assorted complex computer hackings. Bird and Cruise flirt with our expectations of these elements, and find unexpected humor and surprise in playfully undermining each of them.

THAT PIXAR TOUCH

Evidently, some of director Brad Bird’s Pixar magic rubbed off on the cast and crew.

That cool retro vibe you sense during Ghost Protocol is the result of its refreshing old-school mentality. Simple things like an emphasis on character, humor, plot logic and reality-based stunts versus CGI fakery go a long way towards distinguishing this movie not only from most expensive, generic extravaganzas but also from the disheartening spate of Part 4’s that tend to coast along in neutral or slip into complete self-mockery. Further, the smooth cinematography and clockwork editing displayed here are a welcome respite from the shaky, twitchy Bourne Identity flicks and their caffeinated clones.

The save-the-world plot of M:I-4 is minimal, stripped to its barest essentials. The villain is a stalwart staple straight out of the classic Cold War thrillers of yesteryear—the radical renegade Russian bent on nuclear Armageddon. In the glacially paced and overly convoluted M:I-1, director Brian De Palma seemed most interested in framing sleek angular shots. John Woo’s M:I-2 is all adrenalized slo-mo action overload blasting on full volume. For M:I-3, J.J. Abrams never met a lens flare or camera shake he didn’t embrace, but the gritty realism he introduces to the series lends his film an overall air of grimness that sucks out much of its fun.

With Ghost Protocol, we are treated to the purest expression of grade-A popcorn cinema since Officer John McClane crashed the Christmas party at Nakatomi Tower…and maybe even since Indiana Jones first raided the Lost Ark.

THE PHANTOM MacGUFFIN

I nearly lost count of how many times the MacGuffin is switched, but the shifting “prize” is one the film’s slyer inventions.

First it’s stolen launch codes. Then it’s a red-herring. Then it’s a scrambled copy followed by a real copy of the same launch codes. Then it’s a satellite access code. Finally it’s a portable uplink carried in a steel briefcase.


The very plot itself sometimes feels like a MacGuffin, too, inventing an escalating series of events and showdowns that, because they actually live up to the film’s moniker “impossible,” have our heroes scrambling on their feet to improvise their next step. It’s almost beside the point to credit the plot with maintaining its logic (which it does) since the galloping momentum of the screenplay provides for a breakneck ride with little time to worry about the details anyway.

In other words, a terrific way to keep your eyes on the ball and avoid the lethargy that typically sets in during any given Chapter Four of any given series.

(MOSTLY) ORCHESTRAL SCORE

It seems unheard of for a preordained blockbuster, but composer Michael Giacchino gets the entire ending credits crawl to himself, conducting a symphonic reprise of the film’s signature themes that serves as a glorious reminder of the saner days before record company executives held any sway over the treacherous art of shoe-horning generic soundtrack album filler into the movie itself.

Oh, how I miss those days.

Indeed, Giacchino gets full reign of most of the film’s running time, without the typical scenario of a wall-to-wall radio-friendly soundtrack competing for air time with the orchestra. Danny Elfman’s score for M:I-1 is interspersed with various pieces of stock classical music and a Cranberries tune. Hans Zimmer’s go at M:I-2 is louder and undercut by year-2000 pop/rock filler. Giacchino previously scored M:I-3 but I was surprised to recall just how much source material is used on the soundtrack (though, granted, the “We Are Family” gag is priceless).

Finally, in the first three Mission: Impossible movies, we are force-fed rock/hip-hop/techno variations on Lalo Schifrin’s signature theme as interpreted by the likes of two guys from U2, Limp Bizkit, Metallica and Kanye West—and each of the previous Mission films are irrevocably dated as a result of it. Seemingly by conscious choice, director Brad Bird and composer Michael Giacchino dispense with the jukebox of pop ditties for Ghost Protocol and, with one exception, rely on purely orchestral music to complement the film. There’s literally one song on the Ghost Protocol soundtrack, and it’s well utilized.

The resultant film score is a lush and colorful symphony, the likes of which I haven’t appreciated in years.

"AIN'T THAT A KICK IN THE HEAD"

The sole song on the soundtrack, courtesy of Dean Martin, is used to great comic effect during the pre-credits teaser sequence as we’re reacquainted with our muscular and loyal action hero with the daredevil spirit.

Considering the film’s hefty complement of kick-ass action, death-defying stunt work and brutal fisticuffs, the tune serves as an apropos anthem for the grueling endurance test our weary but far-from-worn hero is put through. From strictly an action standpoint, it’s high praise to say this film feels more like Die Hard than any of that film’s three sequels. It also feels more Bond-ian in tone than many legitimate 007 flicks. And this guy could eat Jason Bourne for breakfast.

Bird and Cruise really put Ethan Hunt through the heightened rigors of saving the world in the 21st century, ratcheting up the white-knuckle tension with a series of increasingly breathless cliffhangers and ticking-clock suspense.

Unlike some other high-octane action movies that overstay their welcome, run out of gas and/or succumb to corporate bloat (paging Michael Bay); M:I-4 maintains its lean and feverish drive with barely a wasted moment.

Even after all of Tom Cruise’s running and leaping and brawling, the film sustains its momentum throughout what feels like an extra act—an unexpected sojourn to Mumbai—for the sake of reminding us how viable Cruise remains as a brawny action hero who never loses his wind, and for the fun of capping off the movie with an indulgent, rousing, opulent finale (which is, naturally, a tantalizing tease of the next sequel).

IT'S SHOWING IN "SUPER IMAX" AT THE FREAKING SMITHSONIAN (!)

When I think of seeing films at the Smithsonian, I recall the monumental IMAX experiences of my youth (To Fly!, The Living Sea, Wings of Courage, Space Station, Ring of Fire, et cetera).

M:I-4 has been playing everywhere since Christmas—in regular theaters, on those digital “Junior-IMAX” screens and at select super-duper 70mm IMAX venues (there aren’t many of ’em). Thanks to a happy confluence of programming, Ghost Protocol has been playing on two giant 70mm IMAX screens in my city at two museums of the Smithsonian Institution, and I’ve seen it thrice.

The pure IMAX presentation—which includes the exclusive sneak peek at the Prologue of The Dark Knight Rises—ranks among my Top-10 cinematic experiences of all time: flawless projection, thunderous sound, immaculately maintained auditorium, respectful and attentive audience.

Oftentimes, these giant IMAX screens will host the latest Disney re-issue or the new Happy Feet or whatever family film is currently in wide release, and that film will dubiously share the schedule with the usual line-up of prestigious nature and NASA documentaries.

Upon due consideration, Ghost Protocol actually fits quite comfortably into the programming aesthetic of the Smithsonian Institution: it’s a superbly crafted and finely tuned piece of modern clockwork, the epitome of the big-budget Hollywood spectacle; its use of IMAX is nothing short of awesome; it’s immensely entertaining; and it’s got the longevity and high-repeat factor desired in a movie that could conceivably continue to play for months on their giant IMAX screens, even after the home video release.

More so than the previous three Missions, Ghost Protocol ought to stand the test of time. I’m eager to revisit the IMAX version yet again.

Ain’t that a kick in the head?


The Footprints of Monsters: Symbolism and Biology of KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER's “They Have Been, They Are, They Will Be”

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Before there was The X-Files, there was Kolchak: the Night Stalker.

Most of his cases saw the intrepid reporter, Carl Kolchak, battling vampires, monsters and in one case, an alien visitor. 

The episode “They Have Been, They Are, They Will Be” is one of the episodes cited by Chris Carter, the creator of The X-Files, as a big inspiration for his iconic work.


It has aliens, flying saucers and government cover-ups that make us forget just how incompetent government bureaucracy can be.

Symbolism

There are two primary symbolic elements to this piece.  One is distrust in the government, a growing horror trend at the time to create more tension.  In the 50s and 60s, when the government got involved, the day would be saved (see the horribly tacked on ending to Invasion of the Body Snatchers).  In the late 70s, the Government didn’t always save the day in fact, more often; it either exacerbated the problem or was the source of it. 


But the symbolism of the monster I think is far more frightening.  The Visitor, as I like to call it, is not deliberately out to harm humanity, he kills more cats than people during his visit.  He isn’t here to probe us, contact us, conquer us or even consider us. 

The Visitor has no interest in humans, it completely dismisses humans as anything other than a convenient snack.   It bypasses everything about humans outside what it needs, giving us no more a glance than we do animals and plants.

“What happened? It’s all a point of view really.   A traveler has a breakdown, stops to fix it, gets a road map, has a bite to eat and goes on his way—it’s happened to all of us.  This traveler happened to be light years off his course, instead of miles.”



The title of the episode comes from H. P. Lovecraft’s writing when talking about his alien Great Old Ones and this creature shares their uncaring, alien views.  Humanity is but ants to it.  Leaving us alone and unloved in a vast, cold universe.

A very cerebral horror concept. 

Biology

Invisible monsters are some of the cheapest monsters a movie can create, but they are rarely done well.

My golden example is the titular Invisible Monster in Jonny Quest’s “The Invisible Monster”.   The cause of the invisibility in this case is simple human inability to see the colors that make up its primary composition.   As invisibility explanations go, it’s palatable, and circumvents the problem pointed out by Warren Ellis in Planetary, that if your retinas are invisible, they can’t detect light striking them.

The world would be invisible to you as you would be invisible to the world. 

Being invisible, and apparently leaving no footprints to work from, it’s pretty much impossible to determine what it looks like, though there is one interesting bit of information about it.  When it tears down a cement wall, the wall appears to explode outward.   This may indicate some sort of suction it created or an ability to hook into small parts to pull the wall down from its center. 


The creature appears to feed on bone marrow, and has a two pronged feeding tube to penetrate bone and suck the marrow out.  Most likely is an insertion probe for a proboscis of some sort, but I wouldn’t rule out raw suction given the power of the thing.


Like most monsters for a TV show, it has one weakness that the hero learns to exploit. 

Though in this case, unlike a stake to the heart, it’s not an instant-kill weakness.  Rather, the simple sound of a flash charging up again in Kolchak’s camera drives it away.  It probably found it annoying to a degree, or perhaps painful to be near.  Sonic weaponry has been in the development for years and the Active Denial System uses focused, high volume sound to drive people away.  The creature, being so alien, may have viewed the sound of the flash recharging in a similar manner. The frequency it heard was the right decibel volume to drive it off, but it was too high pitched for humans to hear.


However, a weird thing occurs that shows that maybe the writer did pay attention.   One of the signs of the creature is a black substance that looks almost like a chunk of rubber with the gloss of flint.  The gunk is apparently composed of hydrochloric acid, acetone and bone marrow.  Apparently, even though it did eat a lot, it had trouble digesting it.  This is because of how alien the animal is.  It tried to eat, but the chemistry was just too different for it to digest.  It’s lucky that the food it chose didn’t kill it outright. 


This happens a lot with invasive species (usually, they are poisonous to degrees the native predators are not used to dealing with) and is a very realistic take on an alien creature. 

A nice nod to reality.



CUTENESS OVERLOAD: Real-Life 'Lady and the Tramp' Make One's Heart Implode From All the Adorableness

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If I wasn't dead inside, this might actually make me feel like loving another human being....but I'm married so we know that is impossible.


Blustering Barnacles! THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN Announced For DVD, Blu-Ray and 3D Blu

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From Academy Award®-winning filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson comes the epic adventures of Tintin. Racing to uncover the secrets of a sunken ship that may hold a vast fortune -- but also an ancient curse -- Tintin and his loyal dog Snowy embark on an action-packed journey around the world that critics are calling “fun for the whole family.” (ABC-TV Chicago)

Full details after the jump.


2012 Golden Globe® Winner
~Best Animated Feature Film~

FROM ACADEMY AWARD® WINNERS* STEVEN SPIELBERG AND PETER JACKSON COMES THE YEAR’S MOST ORIGINAL, ACTION-PACKED ADVENTURE

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

Based on One of the World’s Most Beloved Characters, Critically-Acclaimed Adaptation Debuts on Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ and DVD March 13, 2012

The incomparable team of Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson brings the world-renowned stories of Hergé to life in the rollicking and wildly imaginative THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, bursting onto Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD (all with UltraViolet™), On Demand and for Digital Download on March 13, 2012 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. Winner of the 2012 Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN has been called “a grand thrill ride of a treasure hunt” (New York Post) and the “most delightful dose of pure entertainment since Raiders of the Lost Ark” (Minneapolis Star Tribune). Featuring groundbreaking and visually-stunning motion capture animation, an outstanding cast of voice talent headed by Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis and Daniel Craig, and a thrilling story filled with non-stop action, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN is a must-own film that the entire family will enjoy watching again and again.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN three-disc Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack include over 90 minutes of special features that take viewers behind-the-scenes with Spielberg and Jackson to discover how the filmmakers brought the characters to life, learn about Tintin’s origins, delve into the design and animation processes, explore the creation of Tintin’s faithful dog, Snowy, and much more. The film will also be available as a single-disc DVD. All Blu-ray and DVD releases available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies. With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – reliably and securely – to a variety of devices.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description, and with English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description, and with English, French and Spanish subtitles. The disc breakdown is as follows:

Blu-ray
  • Feature film in high definition
  • Toasting Tintin: Part 1
  • The Journey of Tintin
  • The World of Tintin
  • The Who’s Who of Tintin
  • Tintin: Conceptual Design
  • Tintin: In the Volume
  • Snowy: From Beginning to End
  • Animating Tintin
  • Tintin: The Score
  • Collecting Tintin
  • Toasting Tintin: Part 2
DVD
  • Feature film in standard definition

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo pack includes all of the above, plus a Blu-ray 3D presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description, and with English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. The Blu-ray 3D includes the feature film presented in high definition and 3D. 

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN Single-Disc DVD
The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description, and with English, French and Spanish subtitles. The disc includes the feature film in standard definition, plus The Journey of Tintin and Snowy: From Beginning to End.


About THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures Present in association with Hemisphere Media Capital and Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films, and Kennedy/Marshall Production of A Steven Spielberg Film, The Adventures of Tintin. The film is directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright &amp Joe Cornish based on “The Adventures of Tintin” by Hergé. Produced by Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and Kathleen Kennedy, with Ken Kamins, Hergé Estate’s Nick Rodwell and Stephane Sperry as executive producers. The co-producers are Carolynne Cunningham and Jason McGatlin. Spielberg is joined by his Oscar®-winning collaborators, editor Michael Kahn, A.C.E. and legendary composer John Williams.


About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.


DEMONIC LOUIS ARMSTRONG DOLL Will Penetrate Your Soul With Evil

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I don't know about you but my blood runs a bit cold every time he says the word Dolly.

God help us all.


Watch The First 12 Minutes Of SOUND OF MY VOICE

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Check out the first 12 minutes from the Fox Searchlight's upcoming film Sound of my Voice. The clip has special interactive material which is pretty cool.

Sound of my voice is a story about a couple and documentary filmmakers that uncover a secret group. The duo works to expose the young leader of the cult like group and find her true intentions. Slowly they unravel the secrets of this underworld and find themselves starting to question their objective and each other.

Co-written and directed by Zal Batmaglij with Brit Marling, the film stars Marling as Maggie, the enigmatic young leader of the group. Christopher Denham and Nicole Vicius play the roles of the filmmaking couple. Watch Chapter 1 of Sound of my Voice right after the break.




Sound of my Voice opens in theaters April 27, 2012.


TV Casting : TRUE BLOOD, COMMUNITY, And Pilots

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Today in the TV version of casting news, we see old shows like Community and True Blood getting some new character, while the upcoming pilots scramble together a whole new cast.

Big projects like the CW's Beauty and the Beast pilot, Sanjay Gupta and David E. Kelley's medical drama, and Ellen DiGeneres and Portia de Rossi's comedy, all made some big casting choices today. And one Eureka star has a plan for after that show ends. Keep reading for all the news. There's lots today.


The Hollywood Reporter reports that Jacob Hopkins has landed the part of the final member of True Blood’s Vampire Authority. In his recurring role he will play Alexander Drew an Authority chancellor who appears to be only 9-years-old. The young actor joins stars like Peter Mensah, Carolyn Hennesy, and Cristopher Meloni as characters of the Authority. Hopkins recently had a part in Priest which also starred Vampire Bill, Stephen Moyer.



While Community continues to not be on the air, there is some good news for guest casting. Vulture reports that Giancarlo Esposito from Breaking Bad fame will be coming to Greendale. In an upcoming episode, Esposito will play a business associate of Pierce's late father. While the characters reason for returning is being kept secret, it's probably safe to assume that he won't be playing a particularly nice character.


For one of the upcoming Beauty and the Beast shows, Kristin Kreuk from Smallville will be starring. According to THR, the CW has chosen the actress best known for playing Lana Lang to play the lead role of Belle.  Loosely based on the 1980s CBS series, the story is said to be "a modern-day romantic love story with a procedural twist. It centers on Catherine (Kreuk), a tough-minded NYPD homicide detective and the Beast, Vincent Koslow, the survivor of a military experiment that went disastrously wrong. Austin Basis (Life Unexpected) was also recently cast and will play Vincent’s friend JT.

For Fox's upcoming comedy pilot El Jefe, Deadline reports that Ryan Hansen will play the lead. The Party Down and Veronica Mars alum will come to the show as the 30-year-old that is tossed out of his Brentwood home and moves in with his nanny. The humor of the show comes from the head to head situations between Hansen's character the "strong-willed son" of his Latin American nanny. 

In more comedy pilot news, Heather Burns(Bored To Death) is coming to the NBC pilot of Save Me. The show stars Anne Heche as a woman that believes she can channel God after an accident. Burns will be playing her friend.  She joins Lamon Rucker in the cast who is set to play a Dr. John Wilkins.

For the Jekyll & Hyde-style medical drama Do No Harm, Mousa Kraish has been added to the project.  Kraish will play will play the "attending clinical pharmacologist, a man of science and religion who has a sharp wit and sharper mind." Steven Pasquale takes the lead role as a neurosurgeon dealing with his alter-ego who wants to destroy his personal and professional lives.


Deadline also reports that Malin Akerman has signed on for the role of Portia de Rossi's sister in the ABC comedy pilot The Smart One. Akerman plays a former beauty queen, weather girl, and mayor who catches the envy of her sister. Written by Don Todd, the show also recently signed on Jean Smart to play the mother of the sisters.

In drama pilot news, NBC's Chicago Fire has cast Eamonn Walker as Chief Walter Boden. A man who was once a Golden Gloves champ, now thinking about retirement. The show is about the men and women of the Chicago Fire Department and the complex relationships they have. Dick Wolf is executive producing with Jeffrey Nachmanoff directing.

THR reports that Eureka's Colin Ferguson  has been tapped to star in Like Father, the Fox comedy pilot loosely inspired by Cougar Town co-creator Bill Lawrence's relationship with his father. Lawrence will write, direct and executive produce the show that revolves around Will Lyons. The show takes a look at the relationship between Will and his father who will be played by Ferguson.


Michael Urie will be coming to CBS's Partners according to Deadline. The Ugly Betty alum will play a gay friend and business partner to a straight longtime friend. The show comes from Will & Grace creators Max Mutchick and David Kohan. Sophia Bush is already in the cast as the straight guys fiance.

The cast of Ray Donovan is growing now that Pooch Hall is joining the cast of the Showtime drama that stars Liev Schreiber. Schreiber plays Ray, a fixer in LA who takes care of all the problems of the rich and famous, but he can't fix his personal issues. Hall will play a fighter at Ray's brothers boxing gym. 

Sanjay Gupta and David E. Kelley's medical drama pilot Chelsea General is gaining a little more steam as Emily Swallow and Saryu Rao are now on board. Deadline reports that  Swallow will play a young resident who is still learning a lot. Rao is set to play a "fast-talking, Olympic multi-tasker" by the name of Dr. Sydney Saxena. The doctor is so focused on her work that it becomes the only thing she does and ends up hurting her relationships.  


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