Cool Stuff and Movies

Being Human (US version) review

2011-02-15T04:02:00.002Z

Not very good. They just haven't been bold enough or tried to take it in it's own direction. Just rehashing the UK plots with a less charismatic cast is utterly pointless.

Josh (George in the UK version) has some good moments, genuine warmth, humour and vulnerability without being as nerdy as his UK counterpart. But Aiden is not a patch on Mitchell and Sally is not as cute as Annie.

One thing it did remind me of was how wonderfully menacing Herrick was in the UK version. I miss him while watching Series 3.

Response to "Heroes vs TSCC" from BDO

2008-11-29T20:20:00.003Z

I know, I know I never post anything here any more. To be honest I can never muster the time and instead whenever I find something interesting I tend to refer it to James over at BDO who always does a much better job of blogging it!

This post started life as a comment again his article "Heroes versus Terminator the Sarah Connor Chronicles". Where he analyses why the former has spectacularly fallen from grace while the latter has slowly placed him in an iron grip.

For the most part I absolutely agree with James. Here is my take....

Heroes was clearly only ever conceived as an origin story arc that played out to a satisfying conclusion at the end of the first series. Sure they added a few cliff hangers on the end to keep us around for the second season but basically things were done and dusted there and then. The cliffhangers got pegged on when it became clear that the show was a phenomenon and they needed a hook to get people to return.
Certainly the writers strike did them no favours in Series 2 but they have no such excuse with series 3 which has become pretty shambolic. As James says they're chasing ratings but their lack of a coherent structure beyond the first season means that they're clutching at straws now. Where do you go when several characters either have every power available or can easily obtain it? Throw in the ability to time travel and the stories spring more holes than a colander.
The problem is that when their focus is on making big effects moments and changing the established rules and characters constantly it just begins to alienate your viewers. Settle things down, give us and the characters a chance to breathe and some time to develop. A few extended downbeats between the big action sequences will give us a chance to invest in the characters and story PLUS it'll be cheaper to produce with less effects shots. I expect the network screening Heroes will have to start making cut backs on budget as the viewing figures dwindle. So maybe this'll force them back to basics. What it needs, as James says, is a detailed structure setting in place that arcs to a conclusion in a couple of seasons time. Then let it play out. This brought Lost back from the brink. Unfortunately I think Heroes went over the precipice the moment I saw Peter and Peter arrive in the future to see everyone on the street flying to work with their briefcases.

So why does TSCC work so well? Firstly, here's where I stand on the movies that preceded it. I love them. Everyone agrees on the first 2 Cameron movies but I also think that the story in the 3rd movie was very strong. The 3rd movie was only let down by the lacklustre direction and unthreatening female Terminator. In particular the notion that the future war could never have been averted was great.
Back to TSCC - there were so many reasons not to think it would work. 1) Sarah Connor being not being played by Linda Hamilton. 2) The assumption that this would be a cynical attempt to coast on the success of the movie franchise. 3) Surely they can't keep throwing Terminators back again and again? Then on the back of all of these negative expectations the writers strike torpedoes the running time available to establish the characters and story.
Despite the low expectations I was hooked enough by the Terminator brand to tune in from day one and I certainly can't say that I was converted overnight. However each episode did just enough to keep me hooked and I was probably aboput 4 or 5 shows in before I realised that I was really getting into it? Why? Well I think that this is a show which is is built from a several really good key components into a really great end product. I'll end up repeating what James has said here but I agree with it all. The casting of Lena Headey was a great move. She's stunningly attractive but understated to the point where you could actually believe that someone this beautiful could blend into the underbelly of LA. Thomas Dekker is pretty good and the guy guy who plays Derek Reese is convincing too. The supporting cast of Cromartie and the FBI agent are solid too. Summer Glau isn't great but her character is becoming more interesting now.
This leads me to another point James made. The characters have been with us for about 20 episodes now and yet we're still learning a lot about them and about the future, the slow reveal keeps us hooked.
TSCC clearly has a smaller budget than Heroes and this forces the writers to be cleverer and use the effects moments sparingly for maximum impact. They can't afford to throw in a mushroom cloud whenever they can't think of a new twist. In the end it does come down to the writing and direction. The subdued tone and style is the antithesis of James Cameron but it works really effectively and rings a lot truer to life. I think I'll do a Google later to see if Cameron has commented on the show. He must have a grudging respect for it at the very least by now.
Anyway, it's Saturday night and I'm rambling now. Just wanted to get some thoughts down -a very late case of blogging withdrawl symptoms......

New Iron Man Trailer

2008-02-29T10:44:00.002Z

This movie looks fantastic. I've never seen an Iron Man cartoon or read an Iron Man comic. However on the basis of this trailer and specifically Downey Jr I am now bumping this to my top 5 movies to see in the coming year.

The Apocalypse draws nearer.....

2008-02-29T09:26:00.001Z

I thought you'd enjoy this in light of the Sarah Connor Chronicles beginning last week on UK television.

I watched the first episode on Virgin 1 and quite liked it. It'll take some time to get used to the characters and the format for the show needs to bed in before I can decide what I think for sure. Still, the fact that I'm willing to watch another episode says something.

I noticed that Virgin 1 are also the first channel to transmit Chuck in the UK too. A show which I think I'll prefer.

Bourne 4 - oh please be true......

2008-02-28T11:49:00.002Z

Colour me very excited if this turns out to be true.....

Torchwood - why is it so bad?

2008-02-15T09:42:00.002Z

James put up his latest review for Torchwood and he's really grappling with why it doesn't work. It's prompted me to have a bash at identifying what's so wrong. My conclusion is this - It's all Russell T's fault. I feel bad for saying this but the blame rests squarely with him. He came up with a great concept but practically everything about the way it has been executed has been flawed and, as he is making the majority of the creative decisions, it's all on him.

POOR CASTING & POOR CHARACTERS: I'm sorry but the actors are a poor fit for the role and the characters are not right almost across the board.

Capt Jack - should be enigmatic but he's more of an attention seeking teenager so why the hell should I care if he has a past or not? He's a show off who spends his time patronising the team. If he was flawed and introvert then maybe I'd give a toss.
John Barrowman - A good looking showman who permanently seems on the brink of breaking into song. Far too attractive.

Eve Myles - a member of secret organisation should physically look like they can handle themselves. She doesn't.
Gwen Cooper - Why on Earth they gave her a boyfriend I don't know. Not convincing in the least. Supposedly the moral compass for the team but too busy organising her wedding and trying (and failing) not to be unfaithful.

Owen - a bit of a twat and therefore reasonably believeable as a technical guy.
Ianto - Gets some funny lines but paper thin.
Toshiko - Why is she even in it?

THEIR WORLD
The backstory to support the concept is sloppy to say the least.

It's based in Cardiff. A convenient way to keep the costs low for BBC Wales. Should've been London (and before you ask I live in Wales). Russell T was serving his country instead of the story when he took this decision.
The structure of Torchwood. "Beyond the Government, Above the United Nations" but apparently well known to everyone they encounter in Cardiff. Due in no small part to the drug dealers Ranger Rover that they nicked and pimped up complete with "Torchwood" emblazoned on the side. WTF?
Where are the rest of them? I thought they were part of a larger organisation with bases in London and other towns? How come, whenever they bring Earth to the brink of Apocalypse, their colleagues never deem it necessary to show up and lend a hand?

Indy is back in trailer form

2008-02-14T13:00:00.002Z

After HOW many years in development hell we're nearly there now......

Torchwood - still crap

2008-01-23T14:52:00.000Z

I forgot it was starting last week and only caught the last 10 minutes.

Utterly Ridiculous – Russell T is to be commended for getting the Doctor franchise started again and starting Torchwood but honestly.... why must he insist on constantly shoehorning unrealistic flirting, unrealistic sexual tension, 'using sexuality as a weapon' and general getting off with each other into every episode!? For the most part it's totally unnecessary and distracting. Perhaps I could cope if some of the characters were more attractive.

I suppose he does it to stop us realising that it's basically just a rehash of the Doctor Who camp that already gets pumped out on Saturdays.
Less dashing about and snogging – more conspiracy and intrigue. Just once it'd be nice to build some real tension, a sense of dread or feel a genuine threat.

Ditch the preposterous motor too

Rant over

KITT is back and looking good

2007-12-14T11:45:00.000Z

Knight Rider is being resurrected as a TV movie in the USA. Doubtless it will be outrageously popular thanks to it's 80's nostalgia value and lead to a new TV series.

Anyway here are the long awaited details of the new car. I think it was originally going to be a Koeniggseg (.sp?) but this looks good and cheaper than the £200k racer they originally chose....

He's back

2007-10-24T13:29:00.001+01:00

YAY

Summer Movies

2007-08-31T10:13:00.000+01:00

I know I know - it's been forever. I'd feel guilty if anyone actually read this blog. Anyway here is a a very quick update on the movies I've seen and what I thought:

Pirates of the Caribbean 3 - a dog's breakfast of special effects and nonsense. Quite entertaining.

Transformers - An SFX riot and surprisingly effective comedy. Very entertaining. Shia Lebeouf was stand out as the young lad. I expect big things from him in the future (Indy 4 being his next big step)

Bourne Ultimatum - Everything I hoped it would be. The stand out, class act of the summer. Superb.

Rush Hour 3 - Just the same as the other Rush Hour movies. Spotted the bad guy within the 60 seconds. Still found myself laughing at Chris Tucker (despite the fact that seemingly everyone else on the planet finds him irritating).

New Simpsons trailer - something special this way comes

2007-06-23T13:59:00.001+01:00

Check here for more

It's been a long time coming....

2007-06-23T13:54:00.000+01:00

But Harrison Ford is finally wearing that hat again on set....... Thank the maker.

Donkey Kong players get their own movie

2007-06-20T20:39:00.000+01:00

Who'd've thunk it?

Shoot 'em up

2007-06-14T15:42:00.001+01:00

This trailer just put a big smile on my face. Does it do the same for you?

Touch computing....

2007-06-02T20:44:00.000+01:00

We've been seeing all kinds of touch screen computing devices for years - some better than others. In the last several months PC manufacturers are putting out more and more experimental looking devices and a lot more investment is apparently now going into this stuff. I'm now genuinely becoming convinced by the real world applications for some of these UIs so long as the cost and implementation are reasonable.... Microsoft have been working on an OS for the last few years and the wraps were taken off this week. Take a look at this link.. I'm impressed and could see some trendy restaurants experimenting with their "surface computing" soon. It'll be great to see how this technology continues to develop in the coming years. It just needs a "killer app" or system that makes the advantages really stand out. On mobile devices I think it'll be the iPhone interface from Apple...... but how long before the mouse has a genuine rival on full size machines?

Spiderman 3 review

2007-05-30T09:33:00.000+01:00

I saw Spiderman 3 la few weeks ago with my Dad at the Printworks in Manchester. It's a great theatre and it was the first digitally projected movie I've ever seen.
Considering its predecessors, this movie has had a comparatively rough ride in the press to date. Reviews have all been around the 3 out of 5 mark as opposed to "best comic book movie ever made". Also, movie web sites such as AICN have generally been fielding reviews by people who were pretty disappointed. The criticisms have mostly been around the fact that there are too many characters in the movie. Certainly to have Peter, MJ and Harry joined by Sandman, Venom and Gwen Stacy sounds like a lot to pack in and the fans in particular thought that Venom was under developed in comparison with the comic book rendering.
My viewpoint doesn't come clouded by any such expectancies. The only Spiderman I've ever been exposed to (apart from the rubbish live action show in the early 80s) was the cartoon on Saturday mornings. I'd never come across Venom at all and so had no preconceptions. So what did I think?
I enjoyed it. Peter Parker as a nerd is always great. The stuff with him and the black suit was really well handled. While Parker is being 'corrupted' he is very entertaining as the "dork bad boy". Some elements of the story are inevitably rushed along but on the whole everyone does the best they can with the screen time and it didn't detract much from my enjoyment.
The set pieces in this movie are something else. Movie technology has now reached the point where truly anything can be rendered on screen. Sandman looked fantastic. The battles and action are pretty much the finest you'll see on film. Frenetic and vastly entertaining.
Ignore the nay sayers - so what if it's not on a par with 1 & 2 - This is still a classy summer spectacle and as such it's great entertainment.

Watchmen is finally coming together

2007-05-22T10:44:00.000+01:00

After being in development hell for ever it seems that Watchmen is as close as it has ever been to seeing the light of day on celluloid. The comic book was a breakthrough. It was epic, realistic and human in the way it depicted superheroes in a world that is genuinely similar to our own.
The movie is now having cast members attached to it and according to AICN Jude Law is down to play the peripheral but crucial role of Ozymandias. Law has been dying to play this role for ages so I'm really pleased for him and I reckon he will do a great job in a role that demands a lot fo charisma. I'm not so sure about the casting of Keanu as Dr Manhattan (the only hero with genuine 'super' powers) I always imagined someone physically larger and less well known in the role. Night Owl is played by a guy I'm not familiar with, which is as it should be.
With Zack Snyder coming right off the back of his success with 300 I have very high hopes for this film (although I still preferred it when Paul Greengrass was attached to direct). Watch this space......

Pacino and De Niro together on film..

2007-05-18T12:30:00.001+01:00

.... about time. Their only scene in "Heat" was superb but all too brief. This movie finally seems to be the one we've all been waiting for. It's a shame that we had to wait until the sunset of their careers for it to happen but they're still doing great work so I'm not THAT bothered.
They're being united for a script written by the guy behind "Inside Man" which I reviewed here. As you can see from the review I loved the movie and this means that my expectations are set at Defcon 1. Fingers crossed.....

Goodbye Tony

2007-05-10T08:52:00.000+01:00

Rest assured that I don't intend to make a habit of writing about anything even vaguely political on this blog. However, I couldn't let Blair's departure go unmentioned. For all of his many failings I have always admired his ability in front of the camera. Blair's delivery always seemed genuine, natural and open, in a way which belied the careful stage management and scripting that underpinned everything he said. An unintentional part of Blair's legacy (and Clinton's) is that a facility with the media is now the most prized asset a politician can have. It appears to me that being able to deliver a sound bite is a more valuable skill to a politician than managing a ministry competently or (dare I say it?) being able to stick to your principles.
We as voters will have to work much harder in this century if we are to see past the slogans and hairstyles to the substance beneath. For example David Cameron, to me, seems to be little more than a Blair clone. It has been nigh on impossible for me to see past his schmooze and understand the genuine direction he would take our country in. Is he a Wolf in Sheep's clothing or genuinely progressive? I simply couldn't tell you yet.
Meanwhile, Gordon Brown is all but guaranteed to take the reigns at Number 10. For all of his alleged technocratic skill he is not media friendly. This fact alone, coupled with "Labour fatigue", will probably see him fail to get through his first general election.
Blimey, what a sad indictment on our media saturated, noughties society this post is turning out to be?! Despite all these prophecies of doom I do still have a lot of belief in the UK political system. The majority of our back bench MPs still appear to be reassuringly "rough around the edges". They strike me as every day people who got into politics for the right reasons and I suppose that they are the real way to gauge the health of British politics. So long as they are the ones choosing their party leaders I will continue to sleep easily.

Gemini Man

2007-05-08T21:36:00.000+01:00

What great premise this is! A sci-fi movie where an aging hit man (Connery, Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis, Stallone?) has to do battle with a younger clone of himself. Having seen the first 10 minutes of X Men 3, where Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan are made younger with CGI, I'm convinced that this could be something special to watch. The perfect casting would be Connery, as AICN have suggested. What do you think?

Patrick Moore - living legend

2007-05-08T12:27:00.000+01:00

He's been transmitting shows on the BBC for 5o years and according to this rather amusing article he has become quite "set in his ways".

Kryptonite really exists!

2007-04-24T12:04:00.000+01:00

..... sort of see here for details.

The future of movie entertainment....

2007-04-22T13:13:00.000+01:00

A couple of things have prompted me to ponder on this. Firstly I read this article yesterday.
During the last few years the home movie experience has come on in leaps and bounds. Why spend the extra going to the cinema when the home experience is that much better?
I saw a demonstration yesterday of Casino Royale showing on a 63" Sony Plasma TV. This was the other thing that prompted me to write this. It was staggeringly good. It was a Sony store so Blu-ray was the chosen format. I can't be sure, but I reckon the picture clarity was better than the cinema.
So what do the studios do? Answer: 3D.
Apparently the big tent pole movies of 2009 will be in 3D. I think that 3D will tip the balance in the short term. It's something that won't be available at home straight away and the word of mouth and buzz surrounding it will make people go and see these films. However longer term I'm not sure how successful this will be. What's to stop it dying a death like it did in the fifties? At the end of the day wearing the spec's is a pain in the backside. Until the effect can be achieved without glasses I don't see how this can have lasting appeal. Thoughts?

Shooter and Sunshine - reviews

2007-04-20T22:41:00.000+01:00

Last week I saw Sunshine while stranded in Torquay with work. A great film, staggering effects, great camerawork and cinematography. Danny Boyle is a great director. The story was solid, the characters were strong but in the final act it was a bit derivative. Danny Boyle gets a 10/10 for creating some gripping, exciting stuff with SUCH polish. Alex Garland (writer) gets a 7/10 for a great premise, a good set of characters and a rehashed ending. The movie gets an 8/10.
Last night I saw Shooter. The Mark Wahlberg sniper movie. I saw this while I was stuck in Teeside for the evening due to work (again). The plot was a bit silly, like a poor man's Bourne Identity. However the action was pretty solid and it didn't take itself too seriously. Antoine Fuqua gets a 7/10 for direction and the movie gets a 6/10.

Did I mention that I was excited......

2007-04-20T22:40:00.000+01:00

.......about this?

300 Review

2007-04-05T13:25:00.000+01:00

I saw 300 last night. Just like in every other review I've seen - it really does exactly what it says on the tin (or trailer). The plot is paper thin, based on the historic record that 300 Spartans fought with superhuman skill and vigour against a Persian army that was more than a million strong.
The action is spectacular, frequent and relentless. Beheadings come thick and fast, to the point where you barely notice them. Instead Keith and I just sat back with a silly grin on our face.
I love the fact that this film doesn't try and be Gladiator or Alexander. It just wants to have a lot of fun. I'm now eager to see Zack Snyder's next movie too.
One last point - Gerard Butler deserves a shot at some bigger movies after his outstanding turn as the ultimate "badass" king Leonidas.

Grosse Point Blank 2?

2007-04-05T13:23:00.000+01:00

In all but name anyway. This looks like a great counterpart to that classic movie of the nineties.

Bourne Ultimatum gathers steam

2007-04-01T20:44:00.000+01:00

Since Doug Liman and Matt Damon exploded out of the blocks with the Bourne franchise, spy movies got cool again. We have their success to thank for Casino Royale being as good as it was and for giving Paul Greengrass a showcase for his own prodigious talent (the best British director working today IMHO).
This latest in the franchise should see Greengrass and Damon excel. "Supremacy" was intense and so assured. I know it's risky to expect the earth from a film and then be let down (Superman Returns anyone?) but I simply can't see how this will be anything other than one of the finest movies of the year. This trailer is sensational - the last shot alone should compel you to buy a ticket in August.

28 Weeks Later

2007-03-22T17:04:00.000Z

28 Days Later was great and the sequel is apparently just as promising. That'll make a welcome change after the bunch of low brow, "cashing in on the name", Horror sequels of late.

YYEESSS!!!

2007-02-12T12:29:00.000Z

Look at this and weep for joy

It's been a long time

2007-01-18T12:38:00.000Z

Since I last blogged anything. I'll put that down to being very busy and then, on the occasions I am at home with my PC, I'm too apathetic!

So much to talk about too....

I'll try and muster the courage soon!

300 new trailer

2006-12-07T22:00:00.000Z

The footage that I have seen up to this point has all been really impressive. I've only been able to see this latest trailer with the sound off so far but the visuals are just astonishing.

2006-12-01T12:59:00.000Z

Tony Jaa

By contrast to the previous post these guys seem to know what they're doing. I really will have to look up a Tony Jaa movie one of these days.

2006-12-01T12:49:00.000Z

I could watch this all day long

A little harsh but funny

Borat - movie review

2006-11-20T21:04:00.000Z

My wife and I went to see Borat on Saturday night. It was the best time to see it. The cinema was packed and everybody in there was in the mood to be entertained. None of us were disappointed. It says something positive that the movie is still drawing in such big crowds after a good few weeks in theatres. It took the USA by storm according to Boxofficemojo.com and I can now see why. It's funny. Very funny. Go and see the clips that are online. If you like them you'll love the movie. They saved the best stuff for the cinema so don't worry, you aren't seeing the best bits in the clips or the trailer.

The Prestige - movie review

2006-11-17T11:51:00.000Z

Last night I saw the movie version of The Prestige. My Dad had also read the book and we both wanted to see how Chris Nolan was going to bring it to the screen. The good news is that he did a great job. Arguably he and his brother, who wrote the screenplay together, actually improved upon the book in some ways. Certainly what changes they did make were really worthwhile and improved the drama. The movie unfolds much as the book does with some great revelations towards the end. They're the kind of revelations that make you eager to re-watch the whole movie again in the light of your new found knowledge. This is a similar effect to that of the "Sixth Sense". My only regret really is that I had already read the book. This meant that the "big reveals" were already known to me. I still very much enjoyed the film but I imagine that the challenge of trying to unpick what is going on from scratch would make it even more rewarding. Thoroughly recommended - especially if you haven't read the book!

Spiderman 3 full length trailer online

2006-11-10T13:54:00.000Z

See the trailer here when I have the chance I'll write more.

Superman 2 - New clips online

2006-11-09T20:36:00.000Z

That may sound like an impossibility but Superman II, the Christopher Reeve version from 1980, was nearly a very different film. Richard Donner directed the first movie in it's entirety but he also filmed a whopping 70% of a sequel that was never finished. Some acrimony with Alexander and Ilya Salkind who produced both movies meant that another director (Richard Lester) was drafted into to fill in the blanks of what became Superman II.
Much of what Donner filmed got dumped but since then fans have been really keen to find out what Donner's movie would've looked like. They need not wait much longer. The Donner cut is nearly ready for release on DVD, along with all 4 of the other Christopher Reeve movies. Here you can see 3 clips of this cut that have been put online. I love the ones with Lois figuring out who he is in the offices of the Planet. I would love to see the final article.

If Bruce Lee played Ping Pong....

2006-11-06T13:59:00.000Z

He would've starred in "Balls of Fury". This looks proper stupid.... I'm there.

Joe Carnahan's long awaited next movie gets a trailer!

2006-10-30T19:23:00.000Z

I loved NARC. Since then I've been dying to see what Joe Carnahan would do next and frustrated by how long it's taken. Those who have seen early cuts of this have loved it. It has a killer cast, Ben Affleck, Ray Liotta, Ryan Reynolds, Andy Garcia, the excellent Jeremy Piven plays "Aces" - the guy they're trying to "Smoke". I particularly love Jason Bateman's recent work. As always I'm hopeful.... Smokin Aces.

The perfect "cheese trailer"

2006-10-26T12:44:00.000+01:00

Trailers are an art form all of their own. Many are better than the film they portend (Hulk, Goldeneye and recently, dare I say it, Superman Returns?). While the best trailers try and differentiate themselves, the vast majority, especially those aimed at teenage lads, plump for a tried and tested "formula".
The defining feature of "the formula" is the voice over and to qualify as a "formula" trailer there are 2 criteria that the voice over artist must meet.

First - the voice over artist must be a guy with an exceptionally deep voice. A voice so deep that whales can understand him. In fact you wonder how he can ever communicate with anyone in real life.
Second - You must give him (for it is always a bloke) the immortal line that begins "IN A WORLD .." (e.g. "In a world where water is as precious as gold" or "In a world beyond imagination")

This formula is exemplied by this latest cheesefest of a trailer for the 'post apocalyptic' movie "The Last Sentinel". Class.

"Big Nothing" - the 'other 'Simon Pegg comedy

2006-10-26T12:37:00.000+01:00

The trailer for this one just went online at themoviebox.net and it looks pretty good. I think it'll take some getting used to Pegg with a US accent but apart from that I'm happy to see him getting the bigger roles he deserves.

Payback - a new cut?

2006-10-21T21:45:00.000+01:00

Quite frequently in the magazines and on the websites you see rumours of "alternative cuts" that are made of a movie that is already released. This often happens when a director makes a movie that their studio executives don't like. The studio has concerns about the "accessibility" (for this read 'profitability') of a film and they consequently force their director to do some reshoots (usually making the movie blander but more palatable to a larger audience).
Anyway, today I read this article which really interested me. It seems that the movie Payback was one such film. The director/screenwriter Brian Helgeland wanted to make something radically different but ended up having to water things down. What makes this interesting is that a studio management change has very recently allowed him to re-cut the film as he wanted to have it. New bits are added and the old bits that he disagreed with are gone once more. It's pretty rare that the Director gets a chance to do this so late in the day.
I actually quite liked the version that was released anyway. But with Harry Knowles waxing lyrical about a new 'original vision' I'll be very keen to see this too.

2006-10-20T14:41:00.000+01:00

Panda

The Wife and I love this video

"Hot Fuzz" trailers online!

2006-10-16T22:04:00.000+01:00

See Trailer 1 and Trailer 2 here. I'm still waiting for them to download so can't comment yet!...

I've finally watched them. Fantastic. I've just been to the Working Title website to watch all of their video blog entries. Such a shame we have to wait until February for the movie to open.

2006-10-13T13:10:00.000+01:00

Chad Vader

What a legend. It turns out that Darth Vader had a Saturday job.

The Departed - review

2006-10-12T19:33:00.000+01:00

I've been really looking forward to this movie ever since i heard about it. Jack Nicholson, Martin Scorsese , Leo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Ray Winstone, Martin Sheen, ALec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg. With a team like that I was always going to be excited. What's more I'm pleased to report that they all totally delivered. The movie is based on a Hong Kong movie hit called "Infernal Affairs". I never got a chance to see that but on the basis of this movie it must've been great.
The plot has a great premise at it's core. Leo plays a cop who goes deep undercover with the Irish mob in Boston. Nicholson plays the mob boss (he "knocks it out of the park" as usual) who has been grooming Matt Damon since he was a child to join the Police as his "snitch" on the inside. Damon manages to get promoted to the point where he is leading a team of people who are trying to bring Nicholson down.
From this point on I'd be spoiling it to say any more but suffice to say it rips along at one heck of a pace and delivers a real sucker punch at the end. Every performance is stand out - even DiCaprio who I usually have difficulty liking was compelling to watch. You should really go and seek this out.

"Torchwood" homepage and trailer

2006-10-12T19:14:00.000+01:00

James over at BDO has far more extensive coverage of this than I do but I just found the BBC home page advertising Torchwood. This is the first of a couple of spin off shows from the tremendously successful Doctor Who (the other being a kids show about K-9 I think). Doctor Who derives it's success in part from having an audience that spans the generations, it occupies a slot on Saturday early evening which plays perfectly to the family with kids. Torchwood looks like it will be pitched at elder kids and adults (the "Buffy" generation) who like a bit of sci-fi escapism. It'll be interesting to see how it pans out. I know very little about the plot apart from the constant Torchwood references in Doctor Who. It's some kind of secret governmental organisation that specialises in obtaining and adapting alien technology for use on Earth, presumably for defence against other aliens. Perhaps they're also a kind of "Men in Black" too, regulating and policing alien activity on Earth? Anyway, it sounds like my kind of thing so I'll be keeping an eye out for it in the coming months.

"Iron Man" gets a GREAT star

2006-09-30T19:21:00.000+01:00

I've never read an Iron Man comic but from what I've read online it seems to be one of the more favoured characters to yet have the big screen treatment. Anyway this bit of casting news has certainly made me sit up and take some notice. Jon Favreau is directing none other than Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark! (Iron Man's real world alias). Downey Jr ALWAYS turns in good work. He is funny, he can do serious and brims with more charisma than a hundred Tom Cruises could muster. Cruise was lined up to play Tony a couple of years back and that never got me interested, but a guy like Downey Jr could make a mediocre comic book movie great. Brilliant news - you can learn more here.

Knight Rider arrives in 2008

2006-09-30T19:15:00.000+01:00

Apparently the movie is without script, without cast (althought the Hoff must be cameoing) and without director. However it's coming and that is great news. It looks like a car has been chosen too. It looks gorgeous. Is it a Koenigsegg(.sp?) that's what it looks most like to me anyway?

2006-09-24T20:47:00.000+01:00

Casino Royale trailer

This is pretty awesome looking. In my experience Bond trailers are always better than the actual movie. Goldeneye in particular has an immense trailer that really grabbed me when it came out. Anyhow, this looks like they're doing the right kind of stuff so I can but live in hope....

The Prestige

2006-09-20T10:50:00.000+01:00

James over at BDO has been writing about a book by Christopher Priest entitled "The Prestige" for a long time. I've just been on holiday to Spain and whilst there I had a chance to read it. Now I understand why James enjoyed it so much. Two Victorian illusion artists have successful careers and an intense rivalry. Each has an obsessive desire to learn each other's secrets. Each has a grudge against the other that spans their entire life. I don't want to spoil it but things take a macabre turn towards the end and I found myself riveted. You should really seek it out.

2006-09-12T11:01:00.000+01:00

Doin' his thang

I was on a Stag Do this weekend. Here is the stag doing his thing.

2006-09-08T08:35:00.000+01:00

How Superman Should Have Ended

This is class. The alternative ending to the Chris Reeve/ Gene Hackman original movie.

KITT for the new millenium? Probably not....

2006-09-07T13:16:00.000+01:00

...but it looks cool so I thought I'd post it. I wonder if the Knight Rider movie will ever get of the ground?

Aliens - how well do you know it?

2006-09-06T13:25:00.000+01:00

To pass the time while on our exercise bike I often setup the laptop to play a DVD whilst I'm peddling. Over the last couple of days I've been watching the first hour or so of Aliens Special Edition. By a happy coincidence, I was browsing the web today and found this quiz, posted by Empire Magazine online. You need to follow the link to the Aliens quiz to do it. I managed to get 19/20 in 90 seconds. Thanks mostly to watching the thing last night! Good fun if you have the time.

Loose Change

2006-09-01T12:53:00.000+01:00

If you've any interest in conspiracy theories then this is worth a watch. A well made documentary that seems to bring together most of the conspiracy theories regarding 9/11. I still don't know what I think about all of this but the movie makes compelling viewing.

Cypher Review

2006-09-01T08:23:00.000+01:00

One of the first hidden gems that I've been able to dig out using the new PVR was a movie that I knew very little about - Cypher. It was shown at 1 am (or some other time that proves equally ridiculous when you have a baby) and so the PVR was the only way to go. Cypher is one of those titles that I would dwell on when shopping for some other DVD. It always looked ambiguous enough to get me interested but never quite interested enough to buy it. I knew it was sci-fi and I knew it was low budget which usually means that the writer has to do something interesting and this certainly proved true.

Morgan Sullivan (played by Jeremy Northam) takes a job as an industrial spy for Digicorp. He gets to live under an alias of Jack Thursby and generally becomes quite excited with his new life - taking up smoking and drinking scotch - things that Morgan never would. He meets a femme fatale, Rita (Lucy Liu) who wants to 'save' him, but from what? Who does she work for? Who is Sebastian Rooks and why does he have a really cool helicopter? The movie disorientates and confuses Morgan and the viewer. Does he really work for Digicorp? who is he spying on? and why do details of the Cheese industry require such elaborate counter intelligence? It is baffling but enthralling and the final reveal is certainly worth the wait. I can't say much more without ruining it but you should really dig this one out.

Optimus Prime - Big Gun!

2006-08-31T20:26:00.000+01:00

Here is a picture of Optimus Prime taken from the new Transformers movie. I probably shouldn't be as excited about this as I am. However the prospect of a massive budget movie, with massive robots, bashing each other, gets me giddy. You can say what you like about Michael Bay but nobody argues that he can really put the money on the screen. Bad Boys 2 was a stupid orgy of destruction. How can this be anything else? Plus, in this film the lead players are supposed to act like robots! (Pearl Harbour anyone!)

Fiat vs Ferrari vs F1!!

2006-08-30T22:00:00.000+01:00

Fiat vs Ferrari vs F1!!

Michael Schumacher clearly has too much time on his hands. In this video he pits a Ferrari against a Fiat against his own F1 car, with a handicap start, on a single lap of Imola. It's worth watching just for the final moments.

Ricky Gervais Microsoft Vids

2006-08-30T08:39:00.000+01:00

Watch them while you can! Microsoft are trying to get these withdrawn from public view on the net. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant made these as corporate training videos for Microsoft. Needles to say MS paid handsomely for these shorts and they're none too pleased that an employee has leaked them online. They're really funny though...

28 Weeks Later

2006-08-25T14:16:00.000+01:00

So, 28 Days Later is going to get a sequel - 28 Weeks Later. Order is slowly being restored in a small enclave of London when "the Rage" threatens to break out again...
Does this movie need a sequel? Dunno really but the same creative minds behind the original are making it happen. The difference being that Danny Boyle will only produce this time and the guy behind the movie gem Intacto will call the shots instead. I loved Intacto - it's one of the few things I've ever watched on BBC4. We can but hope that it maintains the standard set by the original...

Create a Hero!

2006-08-25T13:04:00.000+01:00

I wonder if this is what Marvel and DC use when they need a new hero? It's a fantastic little "Hero generator".

Tony Jaa - The Protector

2006-08-23T20:32:00.000+01:00

I never saw Ong-Bak. With luck I'll put that right at some point soon. Apparently this guy Tony Jaa is the hottest thing in kung-fu since Jackie Chan. From the look of the Ong-Bak clips and now this trailer for his new movie The Protector he looks absolutely 'nails'. Closer to Bruce Lee than Jackie Chan - no Harold Lloyd or Buster Keaton style comedy violence here - just a very swift knee (or two) to the face!

Thunder, Thunder, Thunder - Thundercats are back!

2006-08-22T13:39:00.000+01:00

As a kid I loved Thundercats. The music was great and they all looked cool. Anyway, apparently they're the latest in a long line of seemingly dead childrens franchises being remodelled for the noughties. We've already had the Mutant Turtles and Transformers. Now the Thundercats are teenagers, based in LA and play in a rock band. I kid you not.....

Fantastic Mars Mission Animation

2006-08-19T14:24:00.000+01:00

Check this out. A really well rendered and reasonably long CGI animation of a potential Mars mission. Well worth the few minutes to watch and one that I'll look back for in a few years when my son is old enough to appreciate it.

PVR - the way forward

2006-08-13T19:26:00.000+01:00

Today I bought my first PVR (Personal Video Recorder). Two hundred quid bought me a Humax PVR 9200T. A 160 GB hard disk recorder with 2 built in freeview tuners. Using it I can timeshift record (pause live tv), record 2 difernt channels at the same and store up to 100 hours of TV.
This will be a godsend in our house. It'll mean that I can build a high quality library of decent stuff to watch - the stuff I usually miss becase I forget it's on or the Mrs wants to watch Moving House tv shows. Tonight I shall be recording Once Upon a Time in Mexico at the same time as Curb your Enthusiasm. Excellent!

Renaissance - the movie Sin City should've been?

2006-08-13T19:19:00.000+01:00

The trailer for Renaissance is online and looks really good. It's filmed in a very similar way to Sin City but I hope that it's better. I think Sin City suffered from too many stars and a slew of one-dimensional characters (Frank Miller's fault not the movie maker). Renaissance visually looks even more extreme. Not a single shade of grey and the lines all look 'drawn' ("Waking Life" or "A Scanner Darkly" style) . From the trailer I've high hopes for it.

Funny Video

2006-08-03T20:12:00.000+01:00

This is a good laugh

The Fountain Trailer 1

2006-08-01T22:18:00.000+01:00

This looks like an intellectual Sci-Fi movie. The first I can recall since Solaris. We can therefore probably expect it to be A) very good and B) a box office disaster. Take a look.

New Trailers - Children of Men and Turtle Power

2006-07-21T21:06:00.000+01:00

Children of Men - I already wrote here about this one but take a look at the trailer - fascinating idea.....

And now for something completely different. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back. Again. Why? The CGI does look very polished though.

Superman Returns review

2006-07-18T18:32:00.000+01:00

I loved it..... ok perhaps I should expand.
After all of the hype (which I contributed to) I knew that this movie was going to have to be pretty special just to meet my expectations. It didn't disappoint. I suppose if I wanted to be very critical I'd say that it didn't surpass my expectations but as I said already, they were set very high in the first place.
As a youngster the only concern of mine was to have Superman do loads of super feats. However this a story does not make. If the story was to stand up then Superman actually has to experience peril and the possibility of being beaten. If you think about it this isn't actually very easy. After all he's not really "mortal" or personally flawed like Spiderman or Batman. So how do we get genuinely invested in any kind of struggle? (With the exception of the obligatory "Superman gets duped into going near some Kryptonite" sequence). The answer is Lois Lane.
In this movie Lois has moved on. She has won a Pulitzer for slating Supes, had a son and got herself involved with a bloke who is actually pretty cool himself. The movie really succeeds because Brandon Routh and Bryan Singer do a great job of showing how difficult, awkward and lonely life as Clark Kent and Superman must be. He's been away for a few years and his absence has seen the world become a more cynical place, far closer to the world in which you and I live. You really get the sense that this would've been a different flick were it not for 9/11. Lois Lane is not quite so successful as a character. If I'm honest I preferred the feisty Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, she was a lot of fun. However she wouldn't have worked with this script, in this more realistic world. She was too 'cartoon'. Instead Kate Bosworth has to play Lois straight and consequently she is humorless, lacking the spark we'd hope for. That's a real shame but probably necessary to keep the film more grounded and necessarily sober in places. Thankfully Routh's Clark still gets a few comic beats and he really does channel Christopher Reeve. Lex Luthor is also predictably great. Kevin Spacey and his cronies get some great comic moments but Spacey never lets you wriggle free of a feeling of menace when he is on screen. The "obligatory Kryptonite scene" I mentioned earlier was actually pretty dark and presumably what gave this movie a 12a rating rather than the PG certificate.
The plot is also strong. Luthor gets hold of some Kryptonian technology and goes for the kind of ludicrously outlandish world domination plan you'd expect. Superman returns to Earth and makes his "debut" with a truly spectacular Space Shuttle rescue set piece. From here we see Clark trying to settle in to his life again, Lex moving the pieces around the board and then an extended finale that ensures we see all of Superman's powers and weakness. The Lois/Clark/Superman love triangle plays out well throughout upon this the success of the film rested and for me it worked. The stuff with her son is also interesting but may ultimately compromise any sequel that is made (once you've seen the film think about where the story can go from here)
Anyway, I'm rambling. There's a load to love about this movie. The effects and direction are top notch. Brandon Routh is a revelation as the lead. Spacey is predictably great, the story is strong, the action is everything you always wanted from Superman. Go and see it.

A Scanner Darkly - First 24 minutes online now!

2006-07-18T18:29:00.000+01:00

The kind folks at IGN have posted the first 24 minutes of the movie online for us. How generous of them.

Gizoogle - genius

2006-07-14T20:31:00.000+01:00

I found a fantastic website today named www.Gizoogle.com you really should try it out. It'll translate any webpage you choose into "gangsta rap". Try reading some serious CNN articles with this.

Suddenly this:

The creators of "South Park" lambasted Comedy Central Thursday for removing an episode that lampooned Scientology and Tom Cruise from the network's repeat schedule and for blanking out the image of Muhammad during another episode.

Becomes this:
The creators of "South Park" lambasted Comedy Central Thursday fo` blunt-rollin' an episode that lampooned Scientology n Tom Cruise F-R-to-tha-izzom tha network's repeat schedule n fo` blank'n out tha image of Muhammad cruisin' bitch episode fo all my homies in the pen.

Jason Statham is a Crank

2006-07-11T22:21:00.000+01:00

Ever since Statham did a backflip in Lock Stock I've been a fan. The Transporter showed what he could do and this looks like a lot of fun too.

The Prestige - footage online

2006-07-11T21:46:00.000+01:00

James over at BDO drew my attention to the book "The Prestige" by Christopher Priest some time ago. He loved it and when news that Christopher Nolan was to make a movie of it broke he was the first to express how happy he was.
Now the first trailer has emerged. It's only on youtube as a clip taken from Entertainment Tonight but it's still worth a look. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as rival magicians in old London. Cool.

Fancy something a bit different?

2006-07-11T21:24:00.000+01:00

Since Mel Gibson made a fortune for himself by self financing, producing and making The Passion of the Christ he now has more money than sense. He has been able join George Lucas in that exclusive club of film makers who don't need studios to make the movies they want to make. It's a funny situation to be in. Once Lucas released Empire Strikes Back (with his Star Wars cash) he was freed to make tripe like Howard the Duck and Willow. Eventually he came to his senses and returned to the Star Wars prequel cash machine.
With luck, Gibson won't make a turkey next and the good news is that Apocalypto doesn't look like it will be. This instead looks like an interesting film that never would've been made by a studio. Studios only put big money behind movies that appeal to teenage lads. To be honest - that's usually no bad thing for me but it does kind of leave the movie goers who like brain candy out in the cold. A big spectacle film about Mayans (a people that no longer even exist), in their own language (that's no longer spoken either) is a fascinating prospect. Take a look.

The Italian Stallion Returns

2006-07-08T22:10:00.000+01:00

What do you think of this? Rocky comes back to the ring 30 years later

2006-07-08T22:08:00.000+01:00

Superman 1978 trailer remake

How's this for a pointless exercise? Someone has recut the trailer to the original Superman movie with the audio track from the Superman Returns trailer..... it begs the question.... why!? Anyway here it is.

10th & Wolf plus... Snakes on a Plane! - again!

2006-07-05T20:02:00.000+01:00

I'm always surprised by the sheer volume of interesting sounding movies that seem to crash into theatres, one on top of the other, during each summer. As well as the snakes above I came across this today... 10th and Wolf a movie written by the guy behind the excellent Crash. The cast is excellent and it's yet another one on my must see list.

Meanwhile, this is going to be a lot of fun. See my earlier, equally brief, posting too.

Augmented Reality - next step in gaming?

2006-07-04T20:57:00.000+01:00

This sounds really cool. You wear some fancy headgear and suddenly the rel world around you has monsters and opponents overlaid upon it. You can run around a real building playing quake with people. How cool is that? Blimey - with luck this technology will be commonpace by the time my son is turning to video games. I'll have to buy it then - for him - obviously.

"Flyboys" trailer hits

2006-07-04T20:46:00.000+01:00

I can't remember the last World War I action film I saw. It must be well over ten years and so this was interesting to see. I'm no big fan of the actors or acting in this trailer but the aerial combat looks great.

PS Yet more Superman Stuff is online now. I can't believe that Warner's are making us wait until a week on Friday to see this movie. I thought all the tentpole flicks had simultaneous worldwide releases nowadays!?

Sorry - been away again! - Trailers anyone?

2006-06-30T21:41:00.000+01:00

I've been working in Cornwall - only just got back. To make up for it here is a link to the Spiderman 3 teaser trailer! Looks great. While I'm at it how about these movies:

Another Clerks 2 trailer? - I bought "An Audience with Kevin Smith" the other day and loved it. This really gave me an appetite to find out what happened to Randall, Dante, Jay, Silent Bob and the boys.

The Transformers announcement trailer?
Some UK animation? - Rennaisance

Plenty to sink you teeth into.

2006-06-23T21:41:00.000+01:00

The future of Windows desktop?

This is really interesting. Making a windows desktop more like a real desktop. It'd take some getting used to but I think this might work.

I could watch this all night

2006-06-23T21:11:00.000+01:00

Despite the fact that this clip is about 5 seconds long it's the funniest thing I've seen in ages.

Hilarious Borat trailer online...

2006-06-23T20:55:00.000+01:00

Ali G has had is day. All rise for Borat - the funniest guy to ever come out of Kazakhstan.

United 93 Review

2006-06-22T19:14:00.001+01:00

I saw this movie more than a week ago. It's not what you'd call entertainment but it is absolutely essential viewing. The film was utterly compelling from start to finish. It grabbed hold of me and didn't let go once. You could argue that with such subject matter it would never be anything less but this was a very well crafted film and it could've so easily got things wrong. All credit to Paul Greengrass.
There were no stars, there was no discernable political message, there was no obtrusive music. This was just a straight renactment of the events, based upon actual accounts and told from 3 main perspectives. The first was that of the typical passengers who boarded that flight. The second was that of the terrorists and lastly the air traffic control staff across the US eastern seaboard as they try to comprehend the events of the worst day of their careers.
Events onboard the plane are taut, believable and incredibly tense. I learned a lot more about what actually happened. I had no idea how well organised the "rebellion" became. Pieced together from the conversations that passengers were having with their loved ones on the ground, this really was a remarkable feat of collective will.
Events on the ground are just as fascinating. The head of air traffic control for the US was on his very first day on the job, he plays himself in this film which just adds to the "documentary" feeling of the movie. The sense of confusion and frustration was palpable as the controllers began to inexplicably lose their flights as their hopeless efforts to coordinate a response with the military flounder. Everyone was completely unprepared for how rapidly events unfolded around them.
We all know what happened that day but to see an expertly made representation of the events, as they would've played out for those involved, made it so much more immediate for me. It affected me so much that it honestly made me stop and think about my life and my family. It caused me to 'press pause' and look at how precious my life is, how lucky I am.
If you've read this far then I really hope that I've convinced you to watch this. It's what the phrase "essential viewing" was made for.

Superman clips online

2006-06-22T19:11:00.000+01:00

James at BDO has drawn my attention to the fact that YouTube have now posted a collection of clips from the new Superman movie. James claims to be suffering rom Superman Hype overload. Quite understandable I suppose but this may be the first blockbuster to actually fully justify it's hype. By all accounts it's a corker.

Superman Reviews online

2006-06-19T20:11:00.000+01:00

I've been away from this blog for an age - a week in Wales, a busy weekend with the family and a trip to Maidenhead today have left me far far away from this keyboard. Anyway I've returned to find a whole load of Superman Returns Reviews online. AICN have loads posted now and I'm sure that you can find a truck load if you do a google for them. All I've seen look positive so far.....

How did I fail to hear about this?....."The Children of Men"

2006-06-08T19:25:00.000+01:00

This sounds like a really promising little Sci-fi flick. The Children of Men is reviewed at AICN by some folks who saw an early showing. Clive Owen and Michael Caine in the year 2027 where no babie have been born for 18 years. Cool premise. It's directed by Alfonso Cuaron - a man who by all accounts makes very good movies. I've only seen Harry Potter 3 which was just not my kind of film so I will hold judegment. Another one to watch....

In 2027, as humankind faces the likelihood of its own extinction, a disillusioned government agent agrees to help transport and protect a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea where her child's birth may help scientists to save the future of mankind.

Whiteout

2006-06-06T14:02:00.000+01:00

Blimey

Spectacular image taken from ISS

2006-06-04T09:29:00.000+01:00

Courtesy of BadAstronomy.com I found this fantastic picture taken by an opportunistic Astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS). It's of a volcano in the Aleutian Islands erupting. Awesome.

Superman Full Trailer 2

2006-06-01T21:25:00.000+01:00

I was gutted to read that this doesn't come out until mid-July in the UK. I can't believe that we have to wait a full fortnight! Anyway - this'll keep you going until then

Transformers - robots in disguise!

2006-06-01T21:06:00.000+01:00

I haven't posted about this movie yet because it's still a year away and there hasn't been much to post apart from the concept. Steven Spielberg produces, Michael Bay directs "Transformers the Movie". It struck me that the talent seemed too good for the source material but what do I know? Anyway, AICN have posted the first pictures of the vehicles (notice the "Decepticon" badge on the side of this Mustang) that become "robots in disguise" and they look pretty good.
I don't think too much of Michael Bay but this kind of film, with a big budget, should play well to his strengths. Bad Boys 2 was , for all it's faults, incredibly kinetic and it contained some great car chases and gun battles. This coupled with the fantastic test animation job they did on the Citroen C4 advert leaves me with high hopes that this'll be one of my son's first favourite films.

UPDATE!: Courtesy of "Danny's blog of stuff"I found an Interview with Bay regarding the movie.

Hell hath no fury......

2006-05-30T17:28:00.000+01:00

My better half was in our local village - Stockton Heath - the other day and saw hundreds of leaflets swirling around the square. Each one contained an offensive statement about a local girl. In addition, huge slogans, to the same effect, have sprung up all over Stockton Heath calling in to question the morality of this same girl. She's been the talk of the town and we've found out on the grapevine that she is only 18 and apparently knows nothing about the allegations. She even made the local papers!
I just can't believe the sustained effort and fury that must go into a hate campaign like this. The person/people doing it must have several screws loose (as well as defective spelling!) I probably shouldn't find this funny should I? Don't get me wrong, for the people involved it's obviously very hurtful but to those of us who live locally it's no more than an excuse to chat to our neighbours and enjoy the gossip.

Superman in 3D - Singer speaks out

2006-05-28T19:56:00.000+01:00

I know that I'm going overboard with the Superman coverage but I can't help it! Wired magazine have an interview with Bryan Singer online here and he talks among most other things about his use of Imax 3D for the movie. A cleve computer type process can take a normal set of footage and extrapolate the stereo 3D images from it. It's an expensive process and he was allowed 20 minutes of the movie to be "3d-ised".

"The idea is that when Clark takes off his glasses in the movie and becomes Superman, the audience puts on their 3-D glasses and watches the scene in 3-D Imax. Hopefully it will be more fun than disruptive."

Cool idea if you ask me.

Most ridiculous product I've ever seen?

2006-05-28T13:23:00.000+01:00

If this was posted on April 1st I could understand it. Wired have an article about some new trainers by Adidas that have a built in Processor that monitors what the foot is doing and apparently alters the shoe to suit the activity. Crazy.

Superman TV spot 5

2006-05-25T21:33:00.000+01:00

Yet another TV spot for Superman Returns..... Still looking strong.

UPDATE!! Another trailer has surfaced - this one focuses a lot more on Lex Luthor and it's one of the best yet. It's only in Lo-res on Youtube right now but I expect it won't belong before Apple have done the decent thing.

Nicolas Cage is "Ghost Rider" - yet another trailer

2006-05-25T21:09:00.000+01:00

I have never read a Ghost Rider comic book. I know very little about the character apart from what I picked up in this trailer. I remember that ages ago Cage was associated with playing Superman in the remake that never happened. Anyway, he's plumped for this role instead (doesn't it seem that every self respecting actor wants to get at least one mediocre comic character on their CV?).
To be honest they must be scraping the bottom of the superhero barrel by now? I mean do the movie execs just run their finger down a list of Marvel and DC heros looking for one they haven't done yet!?
Anyway, this one has cool flame effects but the stuff with a bike (even a demonic one) running vertically up the side of a skyscraper just looks stupid to me. Nearly as stupid as Nic Cage's dodgy syrup.