June 2, 2008

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Trailer

(Filed under: Trailers)

The trailer for the latest installment of Star Wars, the animated Clone Wars is now available. The film will be in theaters August 15, 2008.

Yep, George Lucas is back with an animated feature from the Star Wars universe, this time telling a story that takes place between Episodes II and III, which will set up the upcoming Clone Wars TV series. If this all sounds oddly familiar, that's probably because the original Clone Wars animated TV series came out in 2003. Apparently this time it's 3D instead of 2D.

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June 6, 2006

Someone Tell Sam Jackson He's My Bro

(Filed under: Extracurricular)

Check out this video parody of U2's "Sometimes I Can't Make It On My Own" done as "Someone Tell Sam Jackson He's My Bro," complete with loads of snakes on a plane references. Hilarious.

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May 4, 2006

Othercott DaVinci

(Filed under: Buzz)

When Christians are trying to decide whether they should be up in arms over the movie adaptation of The DaVinci Code with Tom Hanks or embracing this opportunity for cultural dialogue, one voice stands out in the wilderness: Barbara Nicolosi. The founder and director of Act One, a group that trains Christians to work in the film industry, and editor of Behind the Screen: Hollywood Insiders on Faith, Film and Culture, is suggesting that Christinas should "othercott" DaVinci (or read her original blog entry) and go see a different movie the weekend it comes out.

Her point is fairly simple: The movie (and book) are about basic heresy and anyone interested in these questions is more interested in bashing Christianity than signing up. Therefore dialogue is pointless. Outright boycotts and protests never work and just end up giving the object of Christians' wrath more publicity. The only thing Hollywood understands is ticket sales, so Nicolosi recommends we vote with tickets and vote for a different movie. She recommends the computer-animated Over the Hedge.

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Original Star Wars Coming to DVD

(Filed under: News & Updates)

The original version of the Star Wars trilogy is coming to DVD on Sept. 12. But isn't it already out on DVD, you ask. No, the digitally altered version that somehow comes closer to George Lucas' vision came out last year and Lucas scoffed when fans complained about all his digital shinanigans, including adding Hayden Christiansen into Return of the Jedi. The new DVD releases will be the original theatrical versions from 1977, 1980 and 1983 and will come individually as two-disc sets with the digitally altered versions.

As if forcing diehard fans to buy another copy of the digitally altered versions isn't bad enough, the sets will supposedly only be available through Dec. 31.

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April 24, 2006

Create Your Own Subtitled Movies

(Filed under: Technology)

Bombay TV is a fun little site that lets you create your own subtitled movies. They provide all kinds of horrible clips from B movies and you can insert your own subtitles.

It's a fun site, though it's too bad it loads so slowly and they don't let you download the movies you create.

Posted by kevin at 2:32 PM | TrackBack (0)

April 20, 2006

Rehasing Movie Trailers

(Filed under: Trailers)

Editing and music are everything. You can completely change the tone and feeling by changing the cuts or the music. You've probably seen the rehashed trailers for The Shining and Back to the Future, but now TBS is doing the same for their promotion of their showing of The Lord of the Rings.

"It Sucks To Be Frodo" has to be one of the best, simply for the sake of originality, though the Frodo/Sam as lovers trailer is more well done. And the Gollum trailer has the makings of a great gross out comedy. (link via Kottke)

And while we're talking about rehashes, how about Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Friends (link via InFuze).

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March 21, 2006

Unaired Buffy the Vampire Slayer Pilot

(Filed under: TV)

Just when you thought all was quiet in Sunnydale someone uncovered an unaired pilot episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It has some glaring differences from the original, most notably a different actress playing Willow and a half-hour format. Many of the scenes are still the same, though they're often shot differently in different locations with a different set up. Makes for interesting Buffy-fan viewing.

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February 21, 2006

Free Download of Conviction Pilot

(Filed under: Buzz)

NBC's new legal drama Conviction debuts next week, starring fromer Joss Whedon alums J. August Richards (Gun on Angel) and Eric Balfour (the short-lived Jesse on Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

Or you can just head over to iTunes now and download a free copy of the pilot.

Posted by kevin at 2:14 PM | TrackBack (0)

February 6, 2006

Fear of Girls D&D Mockumentary

(Filed under: Buzz)

Twin Cities filmmaker Ryan Wood put together a hilarious mockumentary for $800 about a couple of over-the-top Dungeons & Dragons geeks called Fear of Girls. Apparently MTV is now knocking at Wood's door.

Posted by kevin at 10:49 AM | TrackBack (0)

Networks Love iTunes Video Downloads

(Filed under: Technology)

It looks like low-resolution video downloads on iTunes are a hit. The Office and Lost are among the most popular shows and the networks seem pleased with the results so far, saying that it's good revenue and also adds to the broadcast viewership. Of course the article doesn't give any numbers, so it's hard to figure out what any of that means.

Posted by kevin at 10:19 AM | TrackBack (0)

January 27, 2006

The Tick on DVD

(Filed under: Animation)

"Spoon!"

That nigh-invulernible superhero in blue spandex is finally coming to DVD. The original cartoon version of The Tick is rumored to be released on DVD in 2006 by Disney.

Can you say, "right on!"?

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Firefly Season 2?

(Filed under: Buzz)

Will the cancelled TV show Firefly that came back as the movie Serenity return yet again as a second series of the TV show? A guy named Ace Underhill think so, and he's started a Firefly Season 2 web site to gauge interest in non-broadcast revenue models and secure rights to the series.

Will it actually fly? Firefly/Serenity creator Joss Whedon has never heard of Underhill, who originally began campaigning to continue Firefly in 2003. Underhill says he won't do it without Whedon's consent, but it seems unlikely Whedon would let somebody he hasn't worked with continue his creation.

Posted by kevin at 7:10 PM | TrackBack (0)

January 24, 2006

CW Network to Replace UPN and WB

(Filed under: TV)

There's some big rumblings in the world of broadcast TV: CBS and Warner Bros. are partnering to merge UPN and the WB and replace them with the CW Network. It's an interesting idea that brings together successful shows like Everybody Hates Chris, Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls and Smallville. It could make the combined WB/UPN an actual threat in the broadcast landscape (and really minimize the opportunities for new shows).

But what isn't discussed is how such a big move in broadcast happens. Local TV stations are affiliates for national networks, and this could leave affiliates all over the country scrambling for programming, much like they scrambled several years ago when UPN and the WB debuted. Could we be returning to the days when the low budget local TV station has no affiliate and plays nothing but reruns and old movies? Or, more likely, will another network step up to provide content to all those affiliates?

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January 9, 2006

The Book of Daniel

(Filed under: TV)

So I watched The Book of Daniel, the new NBC dramedy about an Episcopal priest and his family. Oh, and said priest regularly sees Jesus--a long-haired, white-robed, European Jesus, as stereotypically hippie as you can imagine. Of course the show is more Desperate Housewives than Joan of Arcadia. I'm always intrigued when a show tries to explore religion, though more often than not it doesn't work.

Continue reading "The Book of Daniel"

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January 6, 2006

Snakes on a Plane

(Filed under: Buzz)

Snakes on a PlaneSeriously. That's the title of a movie starring Samuel L. Jackson. Snakes on a Plane. Apparently New Line tried to re-dub it Pacific Air 121, but Jackson wouldn't have it. He signed on to do Snakes on a Plane, and that's what it's going to be.

There's even a lovely cartoon and a script doctor going zen over it. Snakes on a plane, man.

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