FRED Entertainment

Tag: comic-con

  • TV News: Anticipation

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    Anticipation

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    I’ve heard a lot of folk say that this is their favourite time of the year. They like the fact that it’s still pretty warm out, the fact that the leaves are starting to turn a little bit brown, the fact that the nights are a little bit cooler and it’s easier to sleep but it still stays bright to a pretty reasonable hour so the days still feel a little bit longer. But me, I love this time of year for a slightly different reason.

    Anyone who’s been paying attention will know that San Diego Comic Con happened in the course of the last few weeks. And no matter how you feel about the ever increasing movie and media presence at this “Comic Con”, you can’t help but deny that the convention is a fantastic source of information and generator of anticipation for the TV shows and movies that will grace our screens later in the year.

    Every year, Comic Con seems to mark that start of the overload of information about what we’ll be watching and reading in the year to come. In the last week or so, I’ve been eating up every morsel of information that I can get my greedy little hands on about my favourite shows. And there’s a part of me that loves the run up to the return of the shows more than the actual return itself, because this time of year holds the unspoiled promise of what has yet to come.

    Comics are obviously still a huge part of what Comic Con does, but the comic book world already has a pretty well established promotion machine. Comic books are solicited at least two months ahead of their release dates. Other comic related good like statues or the forthcoming “Earth One” graphic novels are announced and hyped months ahead of the time that they’ll be realized onto the retail market for public consumption. I think that a part of the reason for this is that the world of comic books exists on a pretty long timeline as almost all of the regular titles are released on a monthly basis. TV shows live week to week and they tend to live or die on the spin of a dime so announcing too far ahead of time what’s going to be happening isn’t usually possible.

    But just like Christmas there comes a time once a year when the American TV Networks pimp their shows for all they are worth, sometimes for even more than they are worth. So in that beautiful area of time in between the “media event” that Comic Con has become and the Season Premieres we get teased, we get small glimpses of what has yet to come, tacit promises are made and we build up hopes that may take twenty episodes to be fulfilled. I’ve seen trailers and read teasers and vainly tried to avoid spoilers for the shows that I love. Normally I try to avoid an overload of spoilers, but the news that we get bombarded with at this time of year tends to be general for the entirety of the next televisual year. In no particular order of chronology or importance, these are the shows that I’ve been looking forward to the most and the news that has me anticipating them all the more.

    HOUSE

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    One of the main pieces of news that we’ve received about the new series of House is something that delights me and deeply saddens me all at the same time. We’ve been told that when House picks after the Season break, House and Cuddy will still be a couple. Think about all the shows you’ve seen where two characters who plainly love each other just can’t seem to find a way to make it happen. We’ve seen it in Star Trek: TNG with Picard and Crusher, we’ve seen it in Smallville with Clark and Lana, we’ve seen it in Firefly with Mal and Inara. Hell, we’ve even seen it with Jessica Fletcher and every gray haired guy within a thousand miles of Cabot Cove. The general wisdom is that romances don’t work for the main characters of a TV show. In fact one of the only times that I can think of a TV couple actually getting together was in the 90’s Superman show “Lois & Clark“. Despite the fact that the main focus was always supposed to be on the relationship between Lois and Clark more than Superman himself, the producers and writers of the show seemed to be unable to cope with the corner that they got painted in to by the fact that Lois and Clark got married in DC Comics’ continuity. Let’s just say that it didn’t end well. And the less we speak about “Myrtle Beach”, the better off we will all be.

    But with the sixth Season of House which premieres at the end of September, I honestly believe we’ll see a relationship that can work. It won’t work because DC Comics says it has to, or because a focus group says that it should, it’ll work because five years of foundation has been written into this, because it’s what the viewers have wanted since day one, because it’s what the characters have wanted since before day one. But most of all, it’ll work because it has to.

    In fact the only thing that I’ve seen about the next season that I don’t like is the fact that I’m already being presented with (sigh) “Huddy”. Mankind has done many amazing things in the past few million years. We’ve invented fire, we’ve conquered flight, and we’ve been to the stars. But for some reason we still cannot resist defining two people in a relationship with one reductive, insulting name. “Huddy” sounds like a sexist marketing device to sell Hummers to women who can’t drive.

    Some casting news about the new Season also indicates that Olivia Wilde will be absent for part of the Season due to movie commitments and Jennifer Morrison’s character of Alison Cameron will be returning roughly around mid-season. And without spoiling too much….she won’t be alone.

    There’s also a part of me that’s really curious as to whether or not House will be rocking a new cane this Season, and if he does, will it be as instantly identifiable as the flame cane he used in half of Season Three and through all of Season Four.

    DEXTER

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    OK, there’s not one single person in the entire waking world who saw the close of the last Season of Dexter who isn’t frantically anticipating the start of the new Season. What intrigues me the most about the new Season is that it picks up immediately after the events of the most recent episode.

    If you’ve seen the last episode of the last Season, you know exactly what events I’m talking about. But what always fascinates me about shows that pick up immediately from the previous Season is the logistical issues involved. Yeah, I’m a nerd, but just humour me on this one.

    Dexter has traditionally employed a “three months later” device when going from Season to Season. This allows for the actors to get new hairstyles, get tans etc. without having to explain why the characters suddenly look different. Back in the halcyon days before SDCC, one of the first things that I heard was that Julie Benz would be appearing in the new Season and that her appearance wouldn’t be in a flashback and that it wouldn’t be as a Harry-style ghost. If I’d put any amount of thought in to it, it would have made sense that Julie Benz would be appearing as the same character in the same time frame as before. The only other scenario that I could come up with was that she might be in a video journal with the kids of some description. Hey, nobody ever said that I was a creative genius.

    But what I’m most excited and terrified about in the upcoming Season is the inclusion of the fantastically talented Irish singer and actor, Maria Doyle-Kennedy. Anyone who’s ever seen The Commitments knows that Doyle-Kennedy can act rings around most anyone and has a wonderful, natural Dublin accent (yeah I’m biased here). This is the reason that I’m excited, the reason that I’m terrified is that there’s a fierce tendency to use a stereotype when portraying the Irish on TV in America. I still weep when I think of the scenes in Heroes a few years ago that were set in Cork where Peter got involved with some gangsters who were looking for their stolen OiPods.

    But keep your fingers crossed that the writers and producers will keep their wits about them and let Maria do what she does best. Also, if she happens to break into a rendition of “Son of a Preacher Man”, I won’t be overly upset either.

    STARGATE: UNIVERSE

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    There was a time when I wasn’t sure if there actually would be a second Season of Stargate: Universe Don’t misunderstand me, I loved the show right from the start, but we live in a world where Firefly can get cancelled, so it’s best not to be overly cocky about the survival of any good science fiction show.

    The first piece of news that came out about the new Season is that the Season’s recurring villain is going to be played by Robert Knepper who played T-Bag in Prison Break. The character that he’ll be playing is designed to butt heads with Louis Ferreira’s Colonel Young. Though that’s not to say that things between Young and Robert Carlysle’s Doctor Rush will get smoother any time soon. We learn pretty soon into the new Season that Rush has made a pretty huge discovery relating to control of The Destiny. But Rush keeps the discovery to himself and the eventual revelation brings major conflict between the two characters and leads to a scene that runs to eleven pages. That scene won’t be happening until the seventh episode of Season Two but it’s going to be worth the wait, that much is almost guaranteed.

    Before the advent of SDCC this year, there was a half-news item what was released by the producers of Universe revealing that there would be a Universe / Atlantis crossover roughly mid-way through Season Two. There was no indication at that point as to exactly what cast members from Atlantis would be appearing on Universe or even in what capacity. At SDCC, it was announced that the two guest stars would be David Hewlett and Robert Picardo. Hewlett was sort of obvious, seeing as his character is the most loved character from Atlantis and has more in-series knowledge of the technology than anyone else in the world.

    HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

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    I don’t think that there’s ever been a time when I wasn’t looking forward to the next episode of How I Met your Mother. But this year, the writers and producers basically went out in front of the world’s press and admitted that they screwed up on some things in the last Season. I’ve publicly declared my love for How I Met Your Mother, and it’ll take an awful lot for me to fall out of love with the show, but I will admit that there did seem to be an absence of forward momentum in the area of finding out who the Mother is in the last Season.

    The producers have stated that there will be more forward momentum in the new Season, and they’ve also gone out of their way not to confirm or deny the possibility that the Mother will be introduced at some stage and that the show will keep running after the revelation and introduction.

    But for my money, the biggest and best announcement about the new Season is that there will be a new future. Not an alternate future, just a look at a different timeframe in Ted’s future. This could potentially be amazing. We might get to see Future Barney, we might get to see Future Robin and if I’m at all correct, we might get to see that Future Barney and Future Robin are a couple. We still don’t know exactly how far in to the future the new scenes are going to be, but I have a feeling that they are going to give us answers to some old questions, answers to questions we didn’t even know that we had. Mostly though, we’ll be entertained and we’ll get to see that it doesn’t matter how you tell a story, and that sometimes different parts of a story need different details.

    So what shows are you looking forward to in the upcoming year? What storylines? What guest stars? Let us know!

    – Simon Fitzgerald

  • Trailer Park: Olivia Wilde of FIX

    By Christopher Stipp

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    I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right HERE for free.

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    Olivia Wilde of FIX – Interview

    You just don’t bring up that Olivia Wilde was named #1 in Maxim’s Hot 100 list of nice looking ladies.

    I don’t know if this speaks to the fact I don’t read Maxim or that the only reason I know who she was, before seeing the wonderment that is FIX, was that she sat in on a press conference for TRON LEGACY at Comic-Con over the summer. So enamored I was to speak to Jeff Bridges that I completely gave Wilde the Heisman as I used my one question to talk to The Dude. I felt bad for doing that, as every geek in the room wanted to talk to Jeff about his role in the new TRON iteration but when I had the chance to talk to Olivia about this film I knew I had to address her presence there over the summer.

    I only wish all my interviews went as well as my talk with Olivia as chatting about how a movie that had to be shot on the weekends, being directed by your husband Tao Ruspoli and what that did to the relationship, and what this film means to her overall aims as an actress. Sure, playing a part in next year’s behemoth in-making, TRON LEGACY, won’t hurt but she handles herself with the kind of openness not usually seen from actors of her caliber. Just a delight.

    FIX is now playing and will soon be available through Netflix.

    tao41CHRISTOPHER STIPP:  Hi, Olivia.

    OLIVIA WILDE: How are ya?

    CS:  Doing fine.  How are you doing?

    WILDE: Pretty good.  Exciting weekend.

    CS:  I would imagine.

    WILDE: Yeah, we had a great premiere.

    CS:  Where was the premiere held?

    WILDE: The premiere was at The Tribeca Grand Hotel

    CS:  Really?

    WILDE: It was really, really fun.

    CS:  Which gets to the first question I have is that when I was researching this, this isn’t something that was one 6 months ago.  It seems like this movie ““ I should say it’s been out there for a while ““ but it’s seems like there’s a story why it’s taken so long for it to come out.

    WILDE: I think it’s like any true independent film. It’s a bit of a process to get widespread distribution because no sacrifices were made in making the film.  We weren’t trying to be commercial.  We were sticking true to the type of film we wanted to make or I should say, Tao wanted to make.  So when you have a film like that and haven’t made any sacrifices, you have to stick to your guns and keep it small.  And the great thing about film festivals is they really appreciate that.  The true indi, art house, honest film.  So we went around the world, went to 35 different festivals and won big awards at about 14 of them and won best actor (tape is blank here Christoph).  For a lot of independent films the last step is finally getting distribution and the great thing about film festivals is that they do provide a home for independent films and for people to see them and we were such a smash hit at these festivals, starting at Slamdance in 2008, it garnered a lot of attention and now we have theatrical distribution in New York on November 20th at the Village East for one week and if that goes well, they’ll go live.  So it’s really exciting.

    CS:  I would imagine.  Like you said, it is quite a process now to get these independent films out there to compete with the bigger dogs.

    WILDE: Yes.  But, I think people like them.  In a film world awash with G.I. Joe it’s refreshing to see a film that is very unique and very honest and really a labor of love.

    CS:  And it feels like that.  One of the questions I was going to ask Tao but I will ask you too, is that he’s primarily known for making documentary films.  This actually seems like a departure of what he’s really known for.  What did you see in this script?  What did he see in this story, and I don’t know how true ““ it says based on real life events, what did he take from that and what did he run with?

    WILDE: I think he has documentarian sensibilities which means I think he’s interested in finding the true experience ““ really capturing all the messiness of real life and I think that’s the spontaneity and immediacy that you feel with a documentary, you really feel that with Fix.  As an actor, it changed the process a lot and made it much more of an involved shooting process – meaning that you had to be on at all times.  You never knew when the camera was going to swing around and capture you.  And so it was a lot of fun.  It was more of a teamwork, family, project than anything I’ve ever done and I’ve witnessed it from it’s inception to the premiere.  I really now learned what goes into making a film, which is just extraordinary.

    I think Tao, as a documentary filmmaker, is able to really appreciate what we can capture by allowing the camera to linger and what kind of idiosyncrasies and little messy real life moments make a story interesting.  The film ended up being about 25% improvised and I think it’s only possible to have that much freedom if you are shooting in the documentary style because we don’t have to worry to much about continuity and such because it was a single camera and we weren’t covering one person’s coverage one at a time.  It was more of a fly by the seat of your pants process.  I think that’s why the experience of watching it is so exciting.  People aren’t sure what real, who’s an actor, who’s not.

    oliviaFor instance, the scene that happens in Watts is entirely made up of non actors except for the main characters.  I think you have a sense for that.  A sense that you are capturing real life.  I think that’s what makes it all so interesting and unique.

    CS:  You are used to being ““ like you said in the summer of G.I. Joes ““ you being on the set of big productions to now having to downshift to this independent world where now a catering truck isn’t there ““

    (Laughs)

    WILDE: It was great.  All those luxuries are great and they are comforting but you really forget what you want to do and that’s to make a story about something together and it involves everyone’s dedication.  I think the fact that we didn’t have hair and makeup, we didn’t have catering, we didn’t have trailers, everyone was completely present at every time.  When we moved, the actors would help the location scouts move a truck.  All the driving in the film is actually real driving.

    The line between real and fake is blurred in this film.  And it’s great to be a part of that.  I didn’t feel like I was downshifting.  I was shifting into high gear working harder than I’ve ever worked.  I was invested on an emotional level more than I’d ever been because I am close to the real person it’s based on and the story is something I am intimate with.  So for me it was a challenging experience and so much more personal than anything I’ve ever done.  It was extraordinary to be a part of and something I hope to do again.

    CS:  And how was it shooting in Los Angeles proper?  Were you seriously running and gunnng it or were you doing permits and other accruements?

    WILDE: We didn’t break any laws but we were definitely grassroots scurrilous style filmmaking.  It was really fun because we were seeing parts of LA that people never see and we were shooting 10 pages a day and really moving fast.  We actually shot mostly in order so it was kind of organic in the way that everything was developing.  I think you can really sense that in the story.  As the character sort of evolves, the filmmaking changes as well because since we were shooting on the weekend we were forced to shoot around my house schedule.  Each weekend we’d have edited the scene from the weekend before so we really had a sense of what we needed.  Everything became sharper by the end and I think that worked.  But that’s only because we were able to shoot in order.

    It was really a fascinating to be shooting a scene where I’m driving the 1960 Impala around LA and would actually stop at a fruit stand downtown, buy fruit, work that into the scene, and go to the next location.  Completely organic.  And lots of moments in the film when I watched it for the first time, I was like, oh my god, Tao, I didn’t know you were filming that.  It was kind of amazing that that was all captured and then left it in, which is a testament as well to our amazing editor.  A guy named Paul Forte, who was able to take all this experimentation and weave it together and create a film that feels so natural but you would never know how much work went into it.

    Sky 360 by DeltaCS:  That’s a curious thing you bring up to.  You obviously shot a metric ton worth of footage, when you got into the editing room, did Tao, did they see what movie they ended up with and were they surprised at what they eventually came up with?

    WILDE: Tao can actually answer that better than I can.  The editing room was actually the bottom floor of our loft so I witnessed a lot of that process.  I think they were amazed at how much was coming out of the shooting process.  The improvisation was adding life to certain scenes where we weren’t sure.  There were scenes that completely exploded hilariously.  One of my favorite scenes is when we go steal the espresso machine.  I love that scene.  It was such a simple scene When they wrote it it was a small tight little scene, maybe a page long and it turned into this fun and surprising moment and I think every actor there just ran with it and it had an energy that no one really expected.  So, surprise moments like that in the editing room were adding flavor and color to the film and they were just getting more and more excited as it went along.  It was such a different process.

    Not only did we not have trailers, we all traveled in one funky RV and followed the production car from location to location and the editor would sit in the back with his laptop and download the footage or capture the footage as we shot it.  It was really happening as we were shooting it.  It was amazing to see how far the film had come after we were done shooting it.  So experimental and unique.  People will have a sense of that when they watch it.  A sense of discovery.  I think it would be hard to re-create with a bigger budget or much slower production.

    CS:  And one thing about the film, it’s compressed timeline.  Like 16 Candles.  All happens with a tight timeline.  Was that difficult balancing continuity?

    WILDE: Yes.  Because whenever you have a film where everything happens in one day you have to think about things like daylight.  The good thing about LA is that the weather never changes so you can sort of lie.  But I think it’s impossible to match completely but I think we came pretty damn close.  We had amazing producers who sat there figuring it all out and timelining it and it was impossible to do but we did a really good job.  I think it’s kind of a real visceral experience of LA that a lot of people have never had.  Dragging from one location to the next and it’s completely how it feels spending the day with Tao’s brother in real life.  You feel you’ve been on this oddesy and you have to real relinquish all control and just learn and I think that’s what the audience has to do while watching Fix and definitely what my character has to do and I feel that she sort of becomes the eyes of the audience.  She represents the journey emotionally the audience goes on, initially skeptical and eventually game.  So it all feels in the end a really fun experience.

    olivia2CS:  And speaking of experience, I have to at least ask the question because I was there in July when you were there at Comi-Con.

    WILDE: Were you really?  Great.

    CS:  I was in that room for the press conference and intrinsically I felt bad because no one was asking you or Garrett anything?

    WILDE: I think it was appropriate this year, but next year it’s going to be a different experience.

    CS:  How as that?  I’m always curious to know what’s it like to be besieged by screaming geeks and nerds and that experience of what these people love about this movie?

    WILDE: I think it’s really an honor at a place like Comi-Con.  They are really discerning fans and I think they feel a certain ownership of a film like  Tron, it’s a part of their lives and feel they know it well and they are sensitive to the recreation of the Tron world and are interested in knowing if it will maintain the integrity that the original had.  It was really fun to reassure them that it indeed would and be able to show them just a tiny bit of evidence of that.

    CS:  It was a shred”¦it was just enough.

    WILDE: Yes, just enough.  I think it’s good to keep them wanting more and I think next year I think San Diego might explode.  It will be a lot of fun.

    (Laughs)

    CS:  If I had one more question for you it would be based on your experience in doing this.  Your resume is so impressive.  You have been so accessible.  A movie like this and doing an independent film had to at least put you in check in terms of realizing there is still lots to learn.

    WILDE: Yes.  I think it’s important to do that throughout the rest of my career.  I look up to actors who go back to their roots and continue to do small independent small budget films.  Someone like (Parka Pozie?)who is constantly doing small independent experimental films and it’s often where she really gets to shine.  She takes more risks and someone like Catherine Keener is the same.  Kate Blanchett I look up to too, she appeared in Lord of the Rings, and then a Jim Jarnosh film.  So I really look up to that and it does keep you in check.  I certainly learned a lot about the filmmaking process and learned to really respect the independent filmmakers and all that they go through in order to bring their art to the world.  I was certainly humbled by it and can’t wait to do it again.

  • Toy Box: Top 10 Best – and Worst – from SDCC 2009

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    As every geek on the planet knows, last week was the San Diego Comic-Con, the biggest hootinerdy in pop culture and geekdom of the year. I’ve been going every year for more than a decade now, and this was their 40th anniversary. As always, it was exhausting, it was frustrating, and it was a blast.

    If you head over to my site, you can find my complete photo coverage of the show, including the displays of Hasbro, Sideshow, Mattel and many others. Today I’ll briefly cover my Top Ten Best and Worst of the Con starting with my ‘bests’, but in no particular order:

    1 – okay, I lied. This is my number one, no doubt about it. Regular readers know I’m a huge Batman fan, and Toynami was showing off their large scale Batwing and Batmobile. They looked about 1/8th or 1/9th scale, and they were gorgeous. They are only making 500 though, and I’m betting you could buy a 1:1 scale used car for what they’ll cost. But one can always dream!

    2 – Let’s stick with Toynami for a moment, and their newly showcased Cinemaquette of Superman, as played by Christopher Reeves. Is it expensive? Oh, yes my dear, very expensive. We’re talking better than a grand, but less than two. Once the sticker shock wears off though, you can begin to appreciate the beauty of this quarter scale marvel. While the one at the con had a pretty plain base, Toynami tells me that they’ll be adding some ‘ice crystals’ jutting upward, ala the Fortress of Solitude.

    3 – Jumping over to Sideshow, they had on display their new 1:1 scale Darth Vader. Damn, he looked good. Oh, I thought the helmet looked a little off, but the realism in the alternate scarred head was just outstanding.

    4 – I’m going to stick with Sideshow for another one – the Premium Format Abomination. Here’s a character I don’t care about personally, but the size, mass and beauty of this PF will take anyone’s breath away. “Whoa” is always going to be the first thing out of someone’s mouth when they see this bad boy, and your kids will have nightmares about him coming to life in the middle of the night. What more could you ask for?

    5 – The movie Trick R Treat, by Michael Dougherty, has been almost in theaters or on DVD for over three years now. For those of us that love great horror, it’s been a painful wait, all the more so because we’ve been teased with not one but TWO action figures based on the main character, Sam! Well, it finally comes to DVD in October (let’s keep our fingers crossed) and there was a special screening at Comic-Con. Yes, it’s a very funny, gory, original horror flick that I really enjoyed, enough so that I’ll pick up the DVD to add it to the collection. And Anna Paquin, pre True Blood, gets chased by a vampire. How prophetic is that?

    6 – I didn’t make it to many panels this year, and I’ll be bitching about that a bit more in the Ten Worsts, but one panel I did make was for Lost. I’ve hit their panel every year since before the show first aired, and they’ve always done a terrific job of giving the fans a funny, enjoyable hour or so. Yea, they never give away too much, but they make up for it with some nifty presentations and funny back and forth dialog. This year was their last panel, so it was a bit sad, but I’m sure this creative team will bring us more great shows in the future. Until then, I’m going to be glued to the final season of Lost!

    7 – One of my favorite Con exclusives is the Weta guns, based on the designs of Greg Broadmore. I could never afford one of the full size guns, which run in price from several hundred to several thousand, so the smaller and less expensive con exclusives were my only alternative. Ah, but Greg has heard our cries of pain! Weta will be producing full sized plastic version of their guns that will retail for less than $100 each, and they had one on display at the show. It was quite impressive, and I expect great things from this line. Finally, I’ll be able to own a Grordbort’s Raygun and not end up in divorce court because of it!

    8 – While many other companies held back and were working from limited budgets, Kotobukiya really stepped up their presence. With a larger booth, more product, and a number of interactive activities (including an on site live sculpting demonstration), Kotobukiya went from a quiet, subdued exhibitor to noisy, active participant in one swoop.

    9 – Before Comic-con started, I ran a poll as to what company people were most looking forward to hearing new stuff from. The clear winner, with 38% of the vote, was Sideshow (and Hot Toys, since Hot Toys displays at Sideshow’s booth). The second place company was Mattel, way back at 18%.

    Before the con started, I closed the poll. Once it was complete, I started a new poll to see what most folks were NOW looking forward to. Sideshow has managed to remain in first place…so far. But Mattel has made a commanding rush toward first, now just a few percent behind the front runner. How did they do it? With an extremely good showing at the con. They had a ton of DC product on all fronts, they showed some terrific MOTUC figures, their Ghostbusters line is looking good, and they have the new much talked about Avatar license. They went from a distinct second to the potential of first by showing off great new product – simple as that. Being a big DC fan, I was extremely happy to see all the support for the license across multiple sizes and styles of figures.

    10 – Another company that re-emerged for me was DC Direct. I haven’t picked up much product from them in the last couple years outside of Batman Black and White statues, but they had an excellent showing of product, including their 13″ deluxe figures. They also showed off a large Batman vs Killer Croc statue that is going to be a must have for me.

    So that’s what I loved this year. Ah, but there was some suckitude as well, and here’s my ten worsts, again in no particular order:

    1 – the fine folks from Elite Security continue to work their hardest to redefine the meaning of the word. Just about everyone who goes to the Con comes back with a bad, annoying or just plain ridiculous story about the security folks at the show. While some of it has to do with the individuals involved, I think most of it is simply a mis-managed company that provides little to no training, guidance or procedure to its employees. There has to be an alternative in San Diego, and the con promoters need to find it.

    2 – Usually, I hit several panels every day of the con. Not this year – the lines were simply insane. As much as I wanted to attend the panel for Big Bang Theory, Avatar or True Blood (and believe me, I really, really wanted to be there), I wasn’t going to spend two or more hours waiting to get in, only to be turned away. This is the ONE thing that will kill SDCC – attendees not being able to see the panels once they’ve made the trip.

    By next year, they need to get this under control, or the sheer size of the show will cause it to collapse. Friends and I discussed this all weekend, and I’m sure it was a topic with just about every other attendee. I see two possible alternatives:

    I – set up the opportunity to sign up for panels when you register. This is a process employed by other large conventions, like Oracle Open World. Your badge is coded with the panels you’ve signed up for, and there’s a card reader at the door. This one will cost them money and time, but give you the opportunity to have a guaranteed seat if you sign up early enough.

    II – broadcast the key panels into other rooms, much like how they do the Masquerade on Saturday night. They could even explore broadcasting it into larger rooms in the nearby Hilton and Marriot, where they have started holding sessions already.

    I know some folks would like to see them clear the rooms between each panel, but I don’t think it’s logistically possible. They used to do that when the show was half this size, and the amount of time it required was already delaying their daily schedule. I know there are more (and probably better) options than the two I came up with, but the Con folks must get on this problem for 2010 and get on it now, as it’s easily the largest risk they face.

    3 – Many of the things I’ll be mentioning in the worsts all roll up to the overall effect the economy is having on the industry. It was apparent everywhere, from limited budgets to do show marketing, to some missing major players (remember Sci-Fi aka SyFy’s big booth from years past? Nope, not this year…) to rehashed product, the overall effects of the economic downturn was one of the big downers.

    4 – Several companies that are normally always there were missing this year, and the one I thought was the most telling was McFarlane Toys. Todd was still there, and he did a signing or two, but the company had no real presence. Just another sad sign that the company that once set the bar in action figures that all others tried to meet is quickly becoming a non-issue.

    5 – Another outcome of the bad economy was the ton of recycled or slightly less than new announcements. Products like the quarter scale Harry Potter and Voldemort from Gentle Giant have been seeing the cons for a couple years now, so while it was nice to see Voldemort join them, it didn’t mean a whole lot. Let’s see you actually get the first two out before we worry about the next one, ‘kay? It wasn’t just Gentle Giant, as lots of companies were showing the same product as last year that still hasn’t been released.

    6 – As I mentioned with the panels, there were plenty of crowds all around. Wednesday night was easily the worst, with everyone packed on the floor for Preview Night, and not much in the way of panels to draw them off. The lines for exclusives were, at times, nuts, and I have another of my handy dandy suggestions.

    The companies know how many exhibitors there will be, and they should be able to produce about the right number of exclusives (given a limit) for that group. Instead of putting off the exhibitors, welcome them early, selling the exclusives to them BEFORE the show opens. Don’t let them buy DURING. Set a limit, keep them to that limit, and let them make their purchases separate from the rest of us. That will shorten the lines for the regular patrons, and yet take nothing away from them, since the companies should still be able to accurately gauge (perhaps even better) how many they need to produce. As it is now, exhibitors flock to the lines right at opening, clogging up the system for the rest of the day for everyone else.

    7 – Another company disappointment was Enterbay. They had a few of their current figures displayed through one of their distributors, but there was only things we’ve already seen, like Bruce Lee, Kato and Godfather. There were zero new announcements, and I think they really missed the ball on this one. I know that there’s a huge toy show over in Tokyo during this same period and that takes away a lot of the Asian company concentration, but considering the size of the American market (and potential market), I think Enterbay needs to show it a bit more attention.

    8 – For me, the con exclusives were far less appealing than in past years. Of course, this is a disappointment that varies from individual to individual, but for me there was clearly less that interested me. And considering how much there is out there that does interest me (it’s not like I only collect one type of toy or figure), that probably says a lot about the overall situation.

    There were still a few companies that managed to snag my dollars, like Sideshow and Mattel, but in past years I would ship home four large boxes of ‘must haves’ back home. This year, there were only two. While this made my wallet and wife happy, it made my heart sad.

    9 – the missing voice actors from Futurama. They normally are there each year, and part of the funniest panel…instead, because of the dispute over their contracts for the new Futurama episodes, they were a no show. The studio has put out casting calls to replace them, but I’m hoping this is merely a negotiation ploy to try to scare them. I mean, they couldn’t possibly be stupid enough to think they could recast the voices of the main characters, and the show wouldn’t fail? Right? Right? RIGHT?

    10 – the con prices. I don’t mean the price of the Con itself, but the prices of everything around it, driven by the high attendance. Three dollars for a bottle of water? Seriously? Two dollars for a cookie? Really? And don’t even get me started on the inflation rate on all the hotel rooms for this one week of the year. I already mentioned that the top issue that could kill the con was being able to get into the panels, but pricing out the average person is a damn close second.

    So that’s my top 10 bests and worsts for this year – what’s yours?

    If you’re looking for coverage of the goodies shown this year, be sure to head over to my site and check it out!

  • TV Or Not TV: 7/27 – 8/2

    tvornottv-header.png

    Welcome to another edition of TV or Not TV where I wasn’t anywhere near San Diego this weekend.

    I’m not exactly sure when the San Diego Comic-Con became the entertainment experience juggernaut that is has but once again another year has come and gone without my being in attendance. Every year I long to go but being a person that lives a life of social seclusion I admit some trepedition to the thought of queueing in long lines to sit in on the many panels that different show runners / guests hold. After spending another year sitting outside of this fish-bowl I realize that since I’m not the kind of guy to try to get Vork to sign my The Guild t-shirt I can get the highlights of spoiler information from articles without the travel, hassle and lines that come from being there.

    The bargain hunter in me longs to go for the endless supply of useless crap that they hand out. You know the stuff I mean? The things that seem really cool when you are there on the floor but when you get home you discover that your Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince canvas bag is overflowing with glowing bouncie-balls and a Burger King style crown featuring the cast of New Moon. Let’s face it, the stuff is future land-fill.

    Truth be told I’d still love to go to Comic-Con one year, but in the interim if you hit up Entertainment Weekly or E! Online you can find out the information you would have hoped to have gained and you may even find a video or two of the panels I would have never had the patience to get in to.

    Let’s turn away from the gathering of awesomeness that I once again snubbed and instead examine the sea of ineptitude that I like to call this week’s viewing choices.

    MONDAY

    ABC – 8:00 PM: It’s the event I’ve not watched all season for when The Bachellorette finally decides which of her two suitors she will be entwined with for at least the next two weeks in the media with. I know, I’m such a romantic.

    TBS – 10:00 PM: Now that My Name is Earl has been unceramoniously dismissed from NBC tune in with me for the final hour of Earl‘s (thankfully) short stay in prison.

    HIST – 9:00 PM: Winner of “Best Show Title of the Week” goes to Sex in ’69: Sexual Revolution in America.

    TUESDAY

    DISNEY – 7:00 PM: Looks like the house of mouse is trying to capture that coveted 3 to 13 year old little girl demographic with the airing of Return to Neverland followed by the Tinkerbelle movie.

    NBC – 8:00 PM: If you’ve been following America’s Got Talent than I’m sure you won’t mind agreeing with me that it, in fact, does not.

    USA – 8:00 PM: This week’s award for “Most Confusing Sounding Double Feature” goes to USA network with the airing of The Break-Up followed by 50 First Dates.

    CBS – 10;00 PM: In case you missed Medium when it was virtually ignored by NBC during its last season you can catch it Tuesday nights until its Friday night fall premiere on CBS. Tonight’s episode involving daughter Ariel‘s health class partner gave me quite the chuckle the first time around and the episode has a good and solid kick in the gutt kind of ending.

    WEDNESDAY

    E! – 8:00 PM: Flash back with me and watch 50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up followed by Favorite Child Stars: Where Are They Now?

    ANIMAL PLANET – 9:00 PM: It’s Parasite city tonight on Monsters Inside Me.

    TLC – 8:00 PM: The “Oddest Night of Subsequent Programming” award for this week goes to The Tinniest Toddlers followed by I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant and Toddlers & Tiaras.

    THURSDAY

    CBS – 8:00 PM: Another nut is kicked out of the asylum tonight on Big Brother 11. Want to play a fun game with me? Pay close attention to all the ways that host Julie Chen seems to be trying to cover up her pregnant belly.

    NBC – 8:30 PM: The 30 Rock/The Office block party is broken up with repeats of Parks and Recreation. Since I gave up on it last season I may as well see it through now, right?

    KQEDDT2 – 8:00 PM: This night’s winner of “Best Show Name that Sounds Nothing Like What it’s About” goes to Okie Noodling, a documentary about Oklahoma fisherman that use their bare hands to catch their underwater prey.

    FRIDAY

    NBC – 8:00 PM: Another NBC show returns in repeats with Southland airing it again from the beginning here on Friday night.

    AMC – 8:00 PM: One of the best and most surprising movies for me to come out of 2001 was Training Day. I can watch it again and again but the harshness of it makes me want to curl up in a ball.

    ANIMAL PLANET – 10:00 PM: Even though it originally bowed in May, the winner of the award for “Show Name that Could Be a Porn” goes to River Monsters: Amazon Flesh Eaters.

    SATURDAY

    NBC – 8:00 PM: There’s nothing like tapping into the hottest thing from 2005. Regular people take on the pros in a game of poker, hoping for the million dollar cash prize, in Face the Ace. Pretty soon we really are going to see things like Strip Solitaire aren’t we?

    TRAVEL – 8:00 PM: The “Funniest Pairing of Channel and Movie” award goes to the Travel channel for tonight’s airing of National Lampoon’s Vacation.

    ABC – 10:00 PM: Just as I was getting used to enjoying Castle at this time the alphabet net has decided to burn off the remaining episodes of Dirty Sexy Money. Here’s the last one of the two remaining.

    SUNDAY

    MSNBC – 8:00 PM: The “Creepiest Marathon” award goes out to tonight’s three hour block of To Catch A Predator.

    ABC – 9:00 PM: The alphabet merges science fiction with Private Practice in their new space series Defying Gravity. Hey, at least Ron Livingston from Office Space is in it.

    NBC – 9:00 PM: THE STORM is still out there! Hide underground! (Really, why did you keep watching after Merlin anyway?)

    DISCOVERY – 9:00 PM: You may want to not have a steak dinner tonight as Shark Week kicks off with Blood in the Water. I know, tasty huh?

    – Will Wilkins may have has some portions not relevant to the outcome of the game cut for time purposes.

  • Trailer Park: $50,000 For Me And 15 Movies For You.

    By Christopher Stipp

    The Archives, Right Here

    I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right HERE for free.

    McCafe MY Day

    mccafe

    How often have I asked anything of you? Not much, not many, not very often.

    I need something from many of you: votes.

    What’s in it for you is lots and lots and lots of movies and, if I actually win this thing, 15 films.

    What happened was that I was futzing at home on my computer one afternoon after hearing that McDonald’s was going to be entering the coffee market. I don’t like coffee, I eschew everything coffee, I can’t relate to anyone anywhere when they talk about their morning fix and I certainly don’t understand the long queues that build up for people waiting in line to get that brown beverage.

    But what I can and do love is my iced mochas.

    That’s a drink I understand kicking down a door to get at if the time’s right.

    So, I found out that McDonald’s was offering iced mochas and a short time after I procured one I entered their McCafeYourDay contest. The contest wanted to know why you deserved to have your day, essentially, made better with $50,000.

    Well, I was coming off some fairly heady financial woes, those of you who have been affected by the recession know how much this thing has messed around with more than just one aspect of your life, and just wrote a passionate mini-missive about why I thought I deserved to win. They wanted a picture to go along with it and I uploaded one at the same time when I entered.

    I forgot about the contest a couple weeks after sending my entry in. Didn’t even give it a second thought.

    Lo and behold, a couple of weeks ago I received a FedEx in the mail letting me know I was a finalist in this contest. I had forgotten about what the prize was, forgotten about what I wrote and, just a few days ago, was on a call letting me know that my story was was going to compete with 4 others at Mcdonaldsmccafeyourday.com. I was just as shocked as anyone and was caught completely unaware that I even made it through the gauntlet of over 12,000 people who entered this contest.

    Voting goes from now until July 26th and you can use every e-mail in your arsenal once every 24 hours. The longer version of my story will be up at azcentral.com this weekend and I’ll be profiled in the local Scottsdale Republic here if you happen to live in the Scottsdale area. It’s a sappy story, one that’s a little too sensitive for me to copy and paste in here but here is what I want to offer anyone who is willing to toss a few votes my way.

    I am giving away a cinematic cavalcade of DVDs to one person who can send me a screenshot of their vote confirmation from their e-mail box. I will enter every screenshot for a drawing to get this pile. There is incentive galore at your fingertips so I hope if you have a church group, a room full of shut-ins with access to a computer or an honest way of spreading the word I will not only appreciate it but I will reward the effort with a glorious compendium of free movies.

    Go straight here (http://www.mcdonaldsmccafeyourday.com/) and help me win this thing. Even if you think I suck, shoot a vote my way and help out the cause, please?

    Again, I don’t ask much but I’m just looking for a vote. After you read the entry you’ll see what you would be helping to do.

    If you win the bushel of movies here is what’s included in the bonanza:

    DEATH RACE 2000, BLINDNESS, THE MUMMY 3, PINOCCHIO on Blu-ray, BOLT, WALL-E, CAPRICA, BURN AFTER READING, THE MINDSCAPE OF ALAN MOORE, A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY, ROLE MODELS, WANTED, CHOCOLATE, SWING VOTE and HELLBOY II.

    Good luck to everyone…

    COMIC-CON – 2009

    comicconSo, who’s going next week? I know many of you are planning to descend on the land that is known for its temperate climate and willingness to let hoards of geeks and nerds pick apart San Diego in a frenzy that only would have heightened my sense of geekery had I started attending when I was 13.

    Alas, I was in my late 20’s before I went to my very first one and this year celebrates my 6th straight year going to this cavalcade of comics and cinema. Those of you who are going, and have gone before, know what a violent ride we’re all in for as no one is safe from the “red shirts” of Elite Security who seem to know nothing more than their name, their hair color and that, “You can’t enter here!” Even someone like me, who is already being left off the lists of many events where the mighty will mingle I am just happy to be getting the drippings from the table.

    Focus Features, it should be yelled from the mountaintops, are one of the studios who I love, love, love working with at the Comic-Con. They may concern themselves with wondering whether you’re worthy enough to be talking to those they’re bringing to the Con but from getting invited to a cocktail party to help spread the awareness of their film 9 to getting invited to the screening of their new film THIRST to getting a Comic-Con Survival kit in the mail and then following that up with this rather large pouch of simulated blood (one of the best promo items I’ve seen this year) I can’t say enough about this studio who really does have a human touch.

    I am still unsure of what I’ll be doing while there, I got confirmation of a possible 1:1 with a director that many of you would dig to read about, a 1:1 with some people who have a film this year that I’ve heard is completely and homogeneously great and a handful of other things that still haven’t been finalized yet. As we head closer just pay attention to my Twitter feed, @Stipp, to see what and where I’ll be.

    So, don’t be shy! Shoot me a note and let me know if you’ll be around…

    Plus, be sure to stop by Geek Monthly’s booth, 4112. Geek Monthly will be running a piece I did on the John Hughes documentary you’ve seen here in their August issue.

    Thanks to Ed Douglas of ComingSoon.net for supplying the photo of his own pouch of Capri-Sun blood.

    FUNNY PEOPLE – SCREENING

    fp_feild_300x250Many of you in Phoenix and beyond who have been hitting me up for screening passes have been just great in showing up and enjoying these films. Since the response has been so good on my end in getting these tickets out to those who love a good free film I once again have passes to see a sneak preview.

    This time it’s FUNNY PEOPLE, starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen, and the screening will be Tuesday, July 28th at 7:00 p.m. at Tempe Marketplace in Tempe, AZ. If you’re interested in seeing this film hit me up at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and just let me know you want tickets. It’s just that simple and I hope to see you there. For those who need a synopsis, here it is:

    Over the past few years, writer/director Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) has shown that nothing – not even losing your virginity or the miracle of childbirth – is sacred. About his third film behind the camera, he says, “I’m trying to make a very serious movie that is twice as funny as my other movies. Wish me luck!” Apatow directs Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann in Funny People, the story of a famous comedian who has a near-death experience.

    Adam Sandler, Eric Bana, Jason Schwartzman, RZA and newcomer Aubrey Plaza join a cast that reunites Judd Apatow with Seth Rogen, Leslie Man and Jonah Hill in their third comedy together.

    HURT LOCKER/LIGHTBULB – REVIEWS

    Summer of our Discontent ““ Maybe

    Has the droning of explosives and colliding metal have you down yet? Why are so many movie previews starting to look the same with hard driving soundtracks, jacked up heroes that have less personality than a Ken doll without a thought behind their dialogue and special effects that are no longer special ““ merely hum-drum ““ attempting to maintain an artificial heartbeat in a DOA story? You cannot blame it all on the Peter Pan prone movie executives and filmmakers that have not matured since the age of 12. Part of the blame is on the movie-going audience that insists on getting suckered in on what they think is going to be special. The marketing and commercial community has finally taken over the entertainment industry by parlaying crap on a stick and making so many think it is steak on fine china. If that was not enough, now we are about to be inundated with 3D kiddie-fare; some computer animation is getting as mundane as President Obama’s stand-up routines.

    I defy anybody to come out of a set of previews from “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (By “Fallen” does that mean the money out of our pockets and our hopes for a better movie?), G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra, Terminator Salvation, Gamer and X Men Origins: Wolverine and tell me they don’t all look like the same movie. It is homogenized action without a thought of creativity and depth.

    Then there is the promise of action with two great stars and a hit-and-miss director at the helm of, “Public Enemies”. First off, why would anybody cast Johnny Depp as John Dillinger? Would it not make more sense to have him portray “Pretty Boy” Floyd or “Baby Face” Nelson in a different movie? And, did we not just see this story from a less than enthusiastic film, but with at least two bravura performances, Sean Connery and Robert DeNiro? If you can’t do better than the last film ““ don’t even bother. Speaking of which, “Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3” is leaving theaters faster than a speeding subway. Also, below ground and already buried is the absent of laughs comedies “Year One” and “Land of the Lost”. Why does Jack Black insist on undermining himself after gaining our trust with “Tropic Thunder”? The Harold Ramis moaner is more slap-dash than “Mel Brook’s History of the World Part 1” and “Caveman” with far less entertainment value. I’d say wait for the DVD, but I would not suggest wasting one’s time even if it were on free cable. As for “LOTL” no “lol” here, just stupid jokes with dinosaurs that are far less entertaining than the ones in “Ice Age” ““ a bad TV show made into a worse movie.

    If there is a glimmer of hope and a reason to get your butt back in a theater seat it began with J.J. Abrams’ re-imagining of “Star Trek”. For all those non-Trekkies, which I can be included, my wife who stays away from anything science fiction ““ especially “Star Trek” ““ actually enjoyed the movie. If you are not a fan, it’s almost as much fun as having seen “Star Wars” for the first time. If you are a fan ““ it’s the wet dream you’ve been waiting for. Following the fun of it all is another Pixar great, “Up” and that’s exactly how one feels coming out. This may be the very best yet from Pixar. For those opposed to “cartoons” it’s time to have an open mind and treat yourself to one of the most lovingly created stories that will have you laugh as well as cry. Even my 15-year-old shed a tear, and that’s a first in a movie. It is wildly creative and may rank up there with, I dare say, “Wizard of Oz”.
    As for laughs, “The Hangover” has caught everyone by surprise including myself with a great cast of characters and comic timing that has some doubled-over hysterical. It’s refreshing to go into a comedy and laughing nearly all the way through rather than just walking out with a memorable scene or two ““ kinda like having the experience of buying a CD of your favorite band and only getting two or three worthwhile songs. Speaking of memorable, “the stripper with the heart of gold” is given genuine warmth with an engaging performance by Heather Graham. The Tyson scene is not as much fun as expected, but the rest of the hijinks more than makes up for it, especially the ending with some of the raunchiest, but flat-out funny pictures I’ve seen in years. The film proves to be another hit for director Todd Phillips of “Old School”.

    A Hell Lot of Hurtin’ Goin’ On

    That’s more than enough commentary, now for a review or two owed to you. If there is one movie that will take you places few ever do and leave you exhausted, yet wanting more it is Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker”. What “The Wrestler” did for Mickey Rourke, “THL” should do for Bigelow. After seeing this monumental achievement of guts, glory, action/drama mixed with a little testosterone humor you may walk away shaken and wondering where on earth has the real Bigelow been. After blowing everyone away with one of the very best vampire films ever, “Near Dark,” Bigelow went on to empty-headed action with “Blue Steel” and “Point Break”. She showed some promise with “K-19: The Widowmaker,” but now, 20+ years later, she proves to be that force to be reckoned with once again with her latest thought-provoking venture into knee-jerking suspense.

    THL chronicles the life and death struggles of a bomb disposal unit in Iraq while also giving us a glimpse not only of the unnerving ticking of bombs, but inside the head of the highly-trained men that risk their lives every moment of every day. Talk about adrenalin junkies. Bigelow displays what we’ve turned these boys into and what little they may have to look forward to as they come back home”¦if ever. In that sense, the film nearly echoes the sensitivity of “The Deer Hunter” yet Bigelow is far subtler in her message. The real shell shock of this story is not only does the director make you feel like you’re in Iraq through her documentary-style take, but also ups the ante with freestyle kills. No one is safe in “The Hurt Locker,” not even our lead. I don’t think I’ve been this surprised about characters dying in a film since Hitchcock’s, “Psycho”. This leaves us on edge at every unsettling empty garbage-ridden street, deserted building and even child that may appear to be a friendly street urchin hawking chocolates and DVDs.

    This is not a one-note movie ““ just waiting for the next bomb to be discovered. In fact, the first scene is so meticulously set up, one begins to wonder, “Have we just seen the best part?’ It’s one showstopper after another coupled with layers of sub-stories. How dangerous is Staff Sgt. William James to his men? How far will the men back him or will they follow through on plans to kill him so they may save themselves? Who will survive the next day out? Is their life after war and what is it worth? How well can one operate after an all-night drinking binge? What is the value of human life? The list goes on and on.

    All the performances are natural and lend credence of realism that few movies match these days. From the street urchin and his adult partner to Anthony Mackie’s strong play-by-the-rules Sgt. Sanborn. The players almost come across organic with the story itself with one exception, Jeremy Renner’s bravado performance of Staff Sgt. William James. Can we say a star is born? His persona captures a cross between a young Alan Ladd and John Wayne. Yet he is able to show a vulnerable side that takes us by surprise. Dare I even say that Renner’s performance will probably prove to be one of the breakout performances of the year? He exudes a charisma rarely seen in film today and infuses it with a natural performance that goes way beyond action hero just like the way Bigelow has orchestrated her film.

    This is the “must see” film of the summer. It has all the action one desires out of a summer movie and a great story that captivates us from start to finish. Bigelow, the crew and the cast are to be lauded for a film that may not be as big as “Apocalypse Now” or “The Deer Hunter” but has all the power packed in its small frame. It’s also a testament to our men and women in the Middle East. I encourage anyone 15 and older to see this intense portrait of war.

    Speaking of urging one to catch great work”¦

    Phoenix Film Festival: Gamer Dysfunction, Breakfast Club Meets Clerks, and a Bright Idea From a Couple of Dim Bulbs

    386When I last reported on this site, I happen to mention I would finish up my take on a few other gems from the Phoenix Film Festival. I find it sad that so many turds have made their way to the screen with marketing budgets that nearly rival the film itself while smaller and vastly more entertaining fare has been virtually ignored. I guess it’s the way of the business ““ a fine female body draped over a motorcycle and nondescript machinery plowing into one another over a down-to-earth story that could actually makes us feel human again.

    While at the festival I had the pleasure of checking out the feature film competition. A combination of quirks, jerks and even Turks. The funny thing is that the titles of some of the better films (and the winner of best picture) were less than enthusiastic. Even the posters were dull and the synopses in the program did not make one want to run out and buy a ticket. Perhaps that’s why some of these features were pleasant surprises, but marketing really needs to step it up a notch or two.

    First off, “Corpse Run” the trials and tribulations of a group of dysfunctional gamers and the individual among them that starts to question who, what and where they are. Think of “The Big Chill” fast-forwarded to the age of gamers. It’s an interesting premise that is not as slick as TBC, but has something to say for those then and now. It’s generation gamer angst and if you are a gamer, which there is a whole generation of, you are likely to pick up on the flippant jargon far easier than most.

    John-Michael Thomas (writer/director) plays Nick, the young man questioning life outside the box. He opens with a chronicle of how he and his generation became hooked on this alternative, and to some preferable, lifestyle. It’s amusing to see the evolution from the game of “Pong” to “Atari” “Nintendo” and beyond. How the invention of video games has captured a generation while creating a barrier nearly sheltering themselves from real people and emotions can be fascinating. But I have to admit; this reviewer’s age may have caught up with him and the fact that I never went any further than an hour with the game “Diablo”. Perhaps this is why I felt my interest wane on the film.

    The players are amusing ““ especially Brea Adams (before “Heroes”). She is fun to watch and adds a bright light to the dark cloud that follows the group that sometimes comes across pitiful. If I sound schizoid with this review ““ it’s because I am. At one point I admired Thomas for his valiant effort and originality, but as the film progressed I found myself getting antsy with an urge to play my PS3 rather than continuing watching others discover themselves outside a world of made up heroes, villains and monsters. It may be too early to consider writer/director/actor Thomas a triple threat, but that does not mean he’s not one to watch out for. He shows promise in all three and most likely has an audience for this film that should really be pushed at any comic con or gamer convention.

    “The Waiting List” is an odd piece that seems to divide an audience ““ men enjoyed the sarcasm and witty humor while some women may have laughed but were left unfulfilled. A group of parents attempt to get their kids into the most prestigious pre-school in the area. They have to spend the night in order to get on the school’s precious “waiting list.” I hate to keep making past movie references, but this cries out like Breakfast Club meets Clerks with parental angst. Now that may sound like a possible bummer, but it’s not largely due to the amiable cast and some very clever dialogue.

    The standout amongst the parents is Chris played by Jayme S. Hall who also is the comic relief, a stay-at-home dad with no filter accompanying his thoughts regarding sex, kids, pregnant women, Dora the Explorer. This character is written with such glee and Hall gives a very funny, flippant performance that also touches the heart. I would say that his is the primary reason to see the film, but it’s not. There are genuine moments between Teresa Decher as Ella and Audrey Walker as Audrey. Ella is a teen who may or may not be pregnant and struggling with the notion of it while questioning Audrey who could be giving birth that week. It’s a casual and fun dynamic that does not hit us over the head with moral issues. Instead, it allows us to play with the complexities in our heads.

    Then there is Ben (Bryce Flint-Somerville), the uptight, blackberry cursed, henpecked/work worn father who just needs a break. Unfortunately, he meets up with an old flame played with evil deliciousness by Kathryn Englund. She is the all-consuming bitch that plays hall monitor and snake, attempting everything she can to claw her way to a higher spot on the list so her son can be guaranteed a seat in the precious school. Ben is a great foil and one cannot help cheer for him at every turn. We feel his pain and laugh at it at the same time.

    The film does wander off at times in its rhythm, but just before it loses you Hall breaks in with another funny bit that reels us back in. Budget constraint aside, “The Waiting List” is worthwhile with a cast that is worth the wait.

    And, for those of you who might have lost hope in seeing greatness in a small film again, rejoice with another Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) star-turn and voted best feature length film at the Phoenix Film Festival “Lightbulb”. Attention creative parties of this film, can we at least attach an exclamation point at the end to give this wonderful feature a marketing chance? This was truly a surprise hit at the festival along with the background of writer/producer Mike Cramm. Audiences kept growing with every performance and the word of mouth spread like wild fire. Funny, touching, and sincere in its character portrayal, “Lightbulb” wins one over by its simple story telling, but eventually throws you a curve ball with its remarkable ending that goes way beyond the norm of comedies of late. In fact, writer, Cramm and director Jeffrey Balsmeyer (the quirky British comedy,” Danny Deck Chair”) have crafted the closest thing to the comedies of Frank Capra in a long time.

    Renner is Sam, a sales and pitchman for his long time buddy and failed inventor Matt, played with frustrating warmth by Dallas Roberts. Their journey into the madness of small time inventions ending up on late night TV is a new twist on buddy movies and road comedies. To couple that with a ridiculous, yet genuine addiction to gambling makes for a story where we end up loving and caring for all involved. The next best thing since the pet rock or gia-pet may be just around the corner, but in the meantime, heartbreak, angst and disappointment are the hurdles one must jump several times over with rarely an end to the race of success. Along the way, Ayelet Zurer (Munich, Angels & Demons) is Gina, a grounding rod for the antics of the two and Matt’s long suffering girlfriend who unfortunately enables all of his foils for her devotion to him.

    Writer, Cramm has written a remarkable comedy/drama that sneaks up and attacks from behind. What at first comes across aimless and lighthearted eventually is thought provoking and inspiring. It’s like the title of his piece, “Lightbulb,” it seems like nothing special till it is turned on and sheds a whole new light. Director Balsmeyer knows exactly what he has been handed and plays it with wonderful alacrity. Renner and Roberts make a great team and we feel their frustration with every downfall. It just gets worse by the moment and we are surprised, saddened and laughing at the same time. This film and its cast are too good to ignore. This is Cramm’s first script and he should be applauded for a story that is a step above so many others with carefully drawn characters that touch are soul and make us thankful that there are a still a few artists left in an industry of tinker toys.

  • VENTURE BROS. – New York Comic-Con Panel

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    If you weren’t one of the lucky few who were able to attend the Venture Bros. panel at New York Comic-Con (and to see the exclusive SEASON 3 TEASER), no need to fret – below, you’ll find the entire panel in 5 easy to navigate streaming editions shot with the Quick Stop Uber-Cam system (you’ll find the embed code for each part beneath the respective segment).

    The new season of Venture Bros. premieres June 1st on [adult swim].

  • BOB & DOUG McKENZIE – Exclusive Preview Of The Upcoming Animated Series

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    If you managed to make it into the ultra-tight confines of the Quick Stop Entertainment panel at this year’s New York Comic-Con, you were wowed by a special preview trailer for the upcoming animated series featuring SCTV and Strange Brew‘s Bob & Doug McKenzie, starring Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis in their iconic roles and produced entirely in Canada.

    The series itself will premiere in 2009, but here’s that extra-special preview we premiered at Comic-Con, presented in streaming flash, and introduced by Dave Thomas himself…

    [flashvideo filename=”videos/bob_doug_stream.flv” width=”480″ height=”270″ image=videos/bobdougpreview2.jpg /]
    Want to embed it on your site? Sure thing…copy and paste this.

  • VENTURE BROS. – Exclusive New York Comic-Con Season 3 Teaser

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    If you were one of the lucky few who found themselves packed like sardines into Room 1E15 at this past weekend’s Venture Bros. panel at New York Comic-Con, you were treated to an exclusive preview of the upcoming 3rd season (premiering June 1st on [adult swim]).

    Now, thanks to the fine folks at Astrobase Go!, we present you with that selfsame trailer, in glorious quicktime (as opposed to shaky-fist Youtube). Heck, we’ve even given you an easy-to-view streaming version, as well.

    Either way, rejoice in the look at things to come, and be sure to have those eyes glued to the set when the new season hits the tube.

    Want to embed it on your site? Sure thing…copy and paste this.

  • Quick Stop Invades New York Comic-Con

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    This weekend, the phenomenon known as New York Comic-Con is occurring. In a startling coincidence of Art Bell-worthy proportions, New York Comic-Con takes place in New York City. Even more startling is that technicians from Quick Stop Entertainment will be on hand to witness this event and take readings with small devices that go ping.

    Team Quick Stop will be at the Javits Center in Room 1E16 on Saturday, April 19th, from 5:00pm to 6:00pm.

    There will be prizes. They will not go ping.

    There will be surprises. They will make an odd clanging noise at a frequency unheard by humans.

    There will be live musical performances from Jonathan Coulton (who has been known to ping like a Mother Box) and Paul and Storm (who have been shown in laboratory tests to interfere with toasters).

    There will be reveals. I’m not at liberty to discuss them, but if Ken manages to reveal Frank Morgan behind a curtain, I will give him a dollar. Yes, Ken will be on hand. Ken makes no noises whatsoever. He merely waits. And plans.

    I, Widge, will be there as well, making sure Ken takes his meds. I also have three classic Doctor Who DVDs in my bag for the first person to find me at the Con and say the magic phrase. And that phrase is… “Evil always wants pudding.”

    You have your mission. Good luck.