Posted on August 5, 2009 by Darren
It surfaces every now again. Talk of a Sopranos movie. It’s the same deal-io with the oft-requested Veronica Mars movie or a sequel to Serenity. It seems that the big screen has become the desired home for any number of TV shows – whether they ended before their time (as Firefly did) or as planned (per the Sopranos). I’m a little surprised, though, that everyone seems to think this is a good idea.
Seeing red...
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Filed under: Movies, Television | Tagged: adaptations, bewitched, big screen, films, firefly, franchises, get smart, in the loop, in the thick of it, miami vice, Movies, serenity, simpsons, simpsons movie, small screen, sopranos, sopranos movie, starsky & hutch, state of play, Television, the simpsons, the simpsons movie, veronica mars, veronica mars movie | 4 Comments »
Posted on July 27, 2009 by Darren
The Avengers has gone form being the movie project I was most skeptical about to one of my most anticipated movies of the comic years. Indeed, the summer of 2011 is looking to be one for the books with a whole rake of massive cult and comic book films coming out – Thor, Captain America, Green Lantern and, should Gary Oldman be believed, Batman 3. However, the culmination of Marvel’s planning within the cinematic world will be the release of The Avengers in 2012. I’ve never been much of a Marvel fan, but I will concede that they have pulled off an amazing movie-making feat. They have created a fully-integrated film universe from a variety of disparate sources building to to a clear target.
Avengers Assemble...
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Filed under: Comics, Movies | Tagged: ant-man, avenegrs, captain america, co-exist, comic books, crossover, crossovers, fantastic four, fictional universes, franchises, hugh jackman, hulk, iron man, iron man 2, john munch, kenneth branagh, marvel, Movies, samuel l. jackson, shared continuity, shared storyline, shared universe, Television, the icnredible hulk, thor, tommy westphall, tony stark, universes, wolverine, x-men | 1 Comment »
Posted on July 24, 2009 by Darren
I discovered a really fascinating movie-related concept this week, from my better half, who in turn picked it up from the Irish Times magazine. Basically, it’s The Bechdel Rule. Basically it states that the eponymous author will only watch movies that meet three simple conditions:
It has to have at least two women in it…
… who talk to each other…
.. about something besides a man.
There’s also a suggested corollary (known as the Mo Movie Measure) that the two women must be named characters. I’m dubious about using the test as a measure of quality, but it is interesting to think about how many movies meet that criteria. And which movies don’t.
So, does talking about how crap their lives are because they are oppressed by men count?
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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: bechdel rule, equality, feminism, feminism in movies, gender, Movies, popular culture, roles, Television, the bechdel rule, the mo movie measure, women, women in movies | Leave a comment »
Posted on July 24, 2009 by Darren
I caught an episode of CSI: Miami last night and I am ashamed to admit that I had forgotten the cheesy power of Horatio Caine and the Sunglasses of Justice. I suspect that, isolated from each other, neither would be of note but, combined, they are unstoppable. Sure, some may question the ability of lead actor David Caruso, but I think it is a breathtaking performance. If he is a wooden performer, he is fashioned from rich mahogany. If he is two-dimensional, he is a Looney Tune of two-dimensionality. If he is a bad actor, he is the Marlon Brando of bad actors. And, in fairness, are you watching for anything other than the one-liners?
Raising Caine...
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: csi, csi: miami, david caruso, drama, horatio caine, miami, one liners, puns, sunglasses of justice, Television | 1 Comment »
Posted on July 21, 2009 by Darren
The Tennant/Davies era of New Doctor Who is well-and-truly over. Despite fandom’s speculations about what a Doctor Who panel at Comic Con means (movie! movie! movie!), it seems that – for the moment at least – the most recent incarnation of the Timelord has made room for his replacement. Filming began yesterday on the first episodes produced by Stephen Moffat and starring Matt Smith as the lovable time traveler. Of course, the photos started showing up around noon. So, what do we make of the newest actor in the role? What do we expect from Moffat as a showrunner (as compared to Davies)? Do we know anything at all?
Who is he? He is Who...
Note: This article contains spoilers. Lots and lots and lots of spoilers, based off rumours about Tennant’s departure and the set photos revealed yesterday.
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: alex kingston, bbc, david tennant, doctor who, matt smith, regeneration, russell t. davies, science fiction, stephen moffat, Television, the doctor, the eleventh doctor, the tenth doctor, timelords | 1 Comment »
Posted on July 20, 2009 by Darren
This is one of those ideas I am not too sure about. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way has announced that they are moving forward with a new Twilight Zone movie. With The Box coming out later this year, I imagined that Hollywood’s thirst for remakes could soon find its way to these precious anthology series (which have themselves been remade). It makes sense – there’s a lot more scope and freedom in taking a name from a show without a regular cast or confined to single storyline but still has name recognition. The only problem is that, without these staples, what exactly are they going to do to create a two hour movie?
If only the Twlight Zone were so easy to find...
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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: anthology, anthology show, appian way, fantasy, film adaptation, films, Leonardo diCaprio, Movies, remakes, science fiction, Television, twilight zone, twilight zone movie | 1 Comment »
Posted on July 19, 2009 by Darren
One of the very few movies to get even more relevent after it was made, The Truman Show is one of the best movies Hollywood has produced in the past two decades. One part mythical fable about identity and control and another part biting satire on consumerism and reality television, it is one of those rare movies that deserves the description ‘masterpiece’.
For the world is hollow and I have touched the sky...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: american idol, ed harris, jim carrey, laura linney, Movies, non-review review, reality television, review, satire, Television, the truman show, truman show | 2 Comments »
Posted on July 14, 2009 by Darren
I am a nerd. I openly acknowledge that. In fact, I revel in it. I like to think I enjoy a broad sampling of all artforms, enjoying a nice play, a well-illustrated comic book, a compelling television miniseries, a smartly put together Oscar-baiting drama and a nice book, among other things. I’m not a snob – I love ‘big dumb fun’. I also like niche and wacky nerdy stuff. And I can appreciate the occasional bad writing that creeps into these genres – because isn’t bad writing everywhere? (Anyone reading this blog would likely agree.) And I really enjoy the vast majority of fans – the people who have a genuine interest in the subject matter. I never got why if you were an expert in Lewis Carroll Stevenson you were a literary connoisseur, but if you embraced the world of JRR Tolkien you were a fan. I love that people embrace these works and discuss them and think about them. That’s something encouraging to see in any media – engagement. But there is one element about these niche artforms that does throw me for a whirl, and it’s a perception that makes my somewhat shy to acknowledge that I embrace these forms of art. Yes: it’s the dreaded fanboy.
Things David Tennant would rather listen to than fanboy complaints...
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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: backlash, children of earth, cult, fanboys, fandom, fandumb, fans, james moran, Movies, popular culture, Television, torchwood, torchwood: children of earth | 3 Comments »
Posted on July 11, 2009 by Darren
That was… intense, in a word.
I really didn’t come to the miniseries expecting too much. The first two seasons of Torchwood had been entertaining – for the most part – but nothing special, and seemingly lacking the va va voom of its older sister series. The promise of a more mature and considered Doctor Who was more-or-less unfulfilled – unless you consider nudity and sex jokes to be mature. Then Children of Earth aired.
Frobisher initially thought the alien ambassador was full of hot-air...
Note: This review contains spoilers. Really. Lots and lots of spoilers. If you want a recommendation: go watch it. It’s the best sci-fi you’ll see on TV this year. Then come back and talk about it.
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: 456, aliens, bbc, captain jack, children of earth, doctor who, drama, john barrowman, miniseries, peter capaldi, review, russell t. davies, science fiction, Television, torchwood, torchwood: children of earth, whoniverse | 3 Comments »
Posted on July 10, 2009 by Darren
I’m so used to watching American television and movies that I’ve almost forgotten what it feels like not to know what happens next. The era of the internet means that anything that has aired anywhere is up for discussion anywhere. Sure, you’ll have the odd spoiler notice, but most American web sites take that down once the episode has aired. If you want to participate in the discussion about the shows, you have to jump into the pool of information already circulating out there. So, when Torchwood did the unthinkable during its five-episode run this week (I won’t elaborate here, for any readers in countries still to receive the show), I was shocked.
I promise I won't reveal whose body this is...
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: american, american television, bbc, britain, children of the earth, internet, Ireland, irish television, spoil, spoilers, Television, torchwood | Leave a comment »
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