23 years of this site still chugging along...
Updated: Ben Browder joining Stargate SG-1
by Doc on Dec.15, 2004, under Television
The SCI FI Channel has announced that Ben Browder (John Crichton from Farscape) will be joining the cast of Stargate SG-1 next season, but no details on the role. Negotiations are still in progress on bringing Richard Dean Anderson in some capacity. The eighth season of both Stargate series picks up again on January 21st, followed by the new Battlestar Galactica. Update 12/20: SCI FI Wire reports that Ben will play a “Lieutenant Colonel” (name hasn’t cleared legal yet). It’s not a character seen before, but “played a key role in some major events that went on.”
Upcoming reviews…
by Doc on Dec.14, 2004, under General News
Seems with the holidays there comes DVDs – and a lot of them. Just wanted to give a heads-up as to what is definitely in the review queue, as I try and put some time into it: The Ultimate Matrix Collection, Crusade: The Complete Series, and Quantum Leap: The Complete Second Season. Lets see – that’s three movies and 35 TV episodes, plus extras – that’s 20 DVDs! Well, 17 – the QL discs are double sided. Obviously I will need to modify set reviews to place less emphasis on the feature itself and more on what is included. And there is more on the way…
Legend of Earthsea premieres Monday at 9PM ET
by Doc on Dec.12, 2004, under Television
The SCI FI Channel will debut its next miniseries with the four hour Legend of Earthsea, adapted from Ursula K. Le Guin’s series of Earthsea novels about a headstrong youth with wizardly powers possibly greater than any wizard. It stars Shawn Ashmore (X-Men 2) as Ged the mage-in-training, Kristin Kreuk (Smallville) as Princess Tena, Isabella Rossellini (Merlin) as High Priestess Thar, and Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon) as the master wizard Ogion. IT airs Monday (12/13) at 9PM ET with several repeats, and the conclusion the following night at 9PM. Update 12/15: Seems Le Guin wasn’t involved much, and does NOT like the result…
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, War of the Worlds trailers online
by Doc on Dec.10, 2004, under Movies
Trailers for both Tim Burton’s version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Johnny Depp, and the Cruise/Spielberg contemporary remake of War of the Worlds (teaser) are now online. Does anyone else think Depp looks scarily like the late Freddy Mercury here?
Babylon 5 movie begins filming in April
by Doc on Dec.09, 2004, under Movies
ComingSoon.net is reporting that Babylon 5: The Memory of Shadows, the long-expected feature film followup to Babylon 5, will start filming in April in the UK. This explains JMS’ office in the UK. The story is to center around an EarthForce intellegence officer seeking to find out who is using Shadow technology after her brother is killed. Galen (I assume played by Peter Woodard), the techno-mage from the Crusade series (DVD on sale now) and the A Call to Arms movie, will also be a part.
Shaun of the Dead out December 21st
by Doc on Dec.08, 2004, under General News
Also out on the 21st is the British spoof of the zombie genre, Shaun of the Dead. An electronics salesman and his slacker roommate fight through Zombie hordes to reach the girlfriend who just broke up with him, but they just keep getting in the way! Stephen King says “it’s a 10 on the fun meter and destined to be a cult classic.” Again, check out the trailers – WMV 128k, 300k, 700k.
Thunderbirds out December 21st
by Doc on Dec.08, 2004, under General News
The live action movie of the classic ’60s Supermarionation series Thunderbirds will hit the shelves on December 21st – just in time for the last minute SF fan. It features Director’s commentary with Jonathan Frakes, behind the scenes, rehersal and design footage, the development of the Fab1 car and more. I missed this in the theater (as I did most recent movies) so I hope to review the DVD soon. Watch the trailer by selecting the appropriate speed for your connection – WMV only – 128k, 300k, 700k.
Logan’s Run still on Singer’s radar
by Doc on Dec.06, 2004, under Movies
Dan Harris, who is writing the script for both of Bryan Singe’s upcoming projects, Superman and Logan’s Run, reasserts that Logan’s Run will get made as soon as Singer is done with Superman. The new movie will revisit the original book wher the residents die at age 21 – in the original movie it was 30. However, I don’t agree with Harris’s assesement that the original movie “…has not aged well itself.”
Doctor Who teaser trailer online
by Doc on Dec.06, 2004, under Television
The BBC has put up a teaser trailer for the upcoming Doctor Who series – and boy is it a “teaser”.
Review of THX 1138 Director’s Cut
by Doc on Dec.02, 2004, under General News, Movies, Video/DVD
I finally got the time to finish going through THX 1138 – The George Lucas Director’s Cut – a newborn has been taking a lot of our time and is a constant distraction – I’d like to view it again before writing this, but I promised a review a while ago. Anyways…in a nutshell, it may have been made in 1971, but it is still a relevant film and wears its age fairly well. And for the first feature film of the man who later gave us Star Wars and Indiana Jones, an amazing film.