Category Archives: Entertainment

Visionaries J.J. Abrams & Joss Whedon spill their guts at Comic Con

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At this year’s Comic Con in San Diego, a panal called “Visionaires” brought my two favorite people together: J.J. Abrams (MI: III, Cloverfield, Star Trek, Lost, Fringe) & Joss Whedon (Serenity, Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse).  The panel, conducted by Entertainment Weekly’s Jeff Jenson, is literally packed with all sorts of intriguing information.  Jenson starts things off with the question, “When did you guys decide you wanted to be storytellers?”  Whedon and Abrams are also asked about their takes on comic books, 3D movies, the current and future states of television (including what it wants and supports, the waning of serialized story format), and the outlook for new media (shooting for the web, web content).  They also delve into their respective past and upcoming projects.  Whedon makes it official that he is directing Marvel’s The Avengers and briefly elaborates on the direction he plans to take the movie; he also talks about his now-on-hold horror flick Cabin in the Woods and what’s up with the impending Dr. Horrible sequel.  Abrams shares an anecdote surrounding his super-secret Super 8 movie (which is set to start production this September) and the collaboration with producer Steven Speilberg.  During the 3D movie discussion, Abrams confirmed that Super 8 will not be shot for 3D; he pans 3D and that it adds an unnecessary barrier between the viewer and film.  Although Joss is “totally into” watching 3D flicks, he hopes that his upcoming Cabin in the Woods doesn’t get the streoscopic treatment.  While going back and forth about the state of the serialized story format for TV, Abrams spilled that his upcoming NBC show Undercovers will be self-contained episodes (meaning you can miss a few episodes and still know what’s going on), but there will be an overall mythology to keep week-to-week viewers satisfied.  Speaking about mythology, Abrams also shares his thoughts on the final episode of Lost (spoiler: he loved it).  Whedon continues the conversation by bringing up the demise of FOX’s Dollhouse.  All in all, it’s a great watch and interesting look into two very successful film and TV artists that shouldn’t be missed.  Head over to EW to access the 5-part stream.  Or click here to watch an abridged interview.

Trailer #2: Tron: Legacy (+ Daft Punk tracks!)

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We’re one teaser and two trailers deep into the expansive world of Tron (catch the others here & here).  This latest one is fresh from its 2010 Comic Con debut.  I really don’t know how they do it, but somehow these Tron sneak peeks get better with every trailer.  I don’t give a damn if you have never heard of Tron or don’t take any interest in the movie/1978 arcade game; you will watch this trailer and like it.  And if you are a Tron fan and are highly anticipating its December 17 release in IMAX 3D like a respectable human being, well then…you’re in for a treat!  Load in HD, turn up your speakers, and let it rip.

Note: You should know that actor Jeff Bridges starred in the original 1982 Tron flick as Kevin Flynn, and that he reprises his role as Papa Flynn in Legacy.  At timestamp 1:08 we are introduced to Clu, a villianous rogue program in the Tron universe, who might look eerily similar to a young Jeff Bridges to you.  Well that’s because it is a young Bridges!  Thanks to advanced CGI technology, a performance-capture suit, and impeccable editing skills, the Tron special FX crew was able to create a Kevin Flynn as he appeared in Tron almost thirty years ago.  Crazy (and a bit creepy), right?!  Moving on…

It was leaked quite some time ago that Daft Punk would compose the score for Tron: Legacy.  And over the course of the last year we were teased with the theme music in the trailers that have been released.  Today that tease disappears!  Online radio station “The End” got their hands on exclusive streams of six tracks from the movie soundtrack, including the epic theme from the trailers.  They’re dark and appropriately cinematic in scope.  Click here to take a listen.  (Bonus note: The electric Daft Punk duo will have cameo roles in the movie–gasp!–sans characteristic helmets!

[Via MTVuk]

Trailer: Saw 3D

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The seventh and final chapter in the highest grossing horror film franchise begins with this first theatrical trailer for Saw 3D.  The tagline?  “This October, the traps come alive.”  After a fantastic start (well II was pretty awful, III was freaking awesome), the Saw movies have steadily drifted downhill in value.  Sure the traps are always fun, but for me it was ultimately the twist endings and the John Kramer mythos that hooked me at the start.  After watching this brief trailer and reading what director Kevin Greutert (Saw VI) has to say about the final Saw, I’m excited to see how it’s all going to end.  “There’s something miraculous about creating a final chapter to the Saw chronology that not only gives the core fans everything they want and deserve, but also serves as a perfect introduction to audiences who are new to the series,” says Gruetart who served a role in every Saw movie.  Thoughts from producers Oren Koules and Mark Burg: “It’s been an amazing ride. As filmmakers it was important to us that Saw was one story in seven chapters rather than just a series of sequels.”  Tobin Bell (Jigsaw), Costas Mandylor (Mark Hoffman), and Betsy Russell (Jill Tuck) will reprise their roles.  Also, Cary Elwes (Dr. Lawrence Gordon), who has not been seen since the original Saw (not including archived/flashback footage), is back for revenge.

Besides the sick traps and inventive twists, if there’s anything I’m going to miss from the Saw franchise it’ll be Charlie Clouser’s fantastic and chilling score.  “Hello Zepp”, the song used in the first movie and recycled in the rest of them, will remain one of my favorite instrumentals of all time.  (FYI, it’s the song featured in the trailer above…and can be downloaded here.)

Saw 3D will duke it out with Paranormal Activity 2 this Halloween.  Look after the break for the movie poster.

[Via IGN] Continue reading Trailer: Saw 3D →

Trailer #3: Machete (red band)

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You’ve seen the “illegal” and first theatrical trailer for Robert Rodriguez’s Machete.  Now it’s time to feast your eyes on the NSFW red band trailer.  (NSFW = Not Stuff For Work = the video contains blood, guts, nudity, and tons of other fun and inappropriate content.)  Due to its NSFW nature, I’ve embedded the trailer after the break, so click through if you dare.

[Via IGN] Continue reading Trailer #3: Machete (red band) →

Trailer: Syfy’s Red (starring Felicia Day)

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Waay back in March news broke that The Guild/Dr. Horrible‘s Felicia Day would star in a Syfy original movie called Red, a dark re-imagining of the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood.  This past weekend at Comic Con the trailer for it was finally debuted.  To call this a “dark” version of the tale is an understatement.  There’s guns and blood and creepy CGI wolves.  Ah, I won’t spoil it all for you; check it out in the video above.  Red is expected to air next July.

[Via Syfy]

Domino medley uses a wonderful arrangement of instruments

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Brett Domino and his partner-in-crime Steven Peavis are back to perform a medley of popular songs using an ecclectic choice of instruments.  Said instruments include (in order of appearence) soft drink cans, an iPod Touch (using the DigiDrummer app), accordion, Roland E-36 keyboard, Korg digital piano, Stylophone beatbox, theremin, ukulele, egg shaker, Roland AX-Synth keytar, recorders, glockenspiel, kazoos, and stylophones.  From Jay-Z to Bieber to Ke$ha the talented duo cover it all.

Gary Numan plays hit song “Cars” on cars

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Apparently one Platinum DieHard battery can power a cube of lights, a double-stacked keyboard, 24 cars without batteries, and um, Gary Numan.  Watch the ’79 one-hit wonder perform “Cars” on keyboards hooked up to car horns.  He’s aged, hasn’t he?

Over three days in the desert, a team of six engineers worked on 24 cars and removed the batteries from each. Instead, they connected them all together to a central computer and a keyboard. The horns inside the cars were removed and instead an MP3 player was used to tune it. The entire set-up was hooked to one DieHard battery. .. As Numan hit each key on his keyboard, the software turned on the lights and sound for the corresponding car.

[Via Wired]

Hans Zimmer scores big with Despicable Me (+ Pharell Williams) and Inception soundtracks

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German composer and producer Hans Zimmer has played a part in over 100 films, and his latest two ventures do not disappoint. Zimmer teamed up with N.E.R.D. frontman Pharell Williams and Heitor Pereira to compose the score for Universal Pictures’ Despicable Me. I fell for the score last September when the first teaser trailer for the animated flick came out. When it was made known that Pharell would have a hand in the music production, there was little doubt that the soundtrack would attract moviegoers. The movie opens with the slow tempo “Despicable Me” track and it hits the ground running as other Pharell-infused songs add an extra touch to support the gorgeous animations. The soundtrack features four solo cuts from Pharell; he also produced and wrote songs for a number of the characters including “Minion Mambo” (co-written by Lupe Fiasco) and “The Unicorn Song.” Robin Thicke, The Bee Gees, and The Sylvers lend their voices to the soundtrack, too. Preview and purchase the soundtrack at iTunes, or at least get the catchy “Despicable Me” track.

Having worked magic on Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, director Christopher Nolan decided to call up Zimmer’s services a third time to formulate the score for Inception. The soundtrack is, in a word, brilliant. Zimmer was going for “a very electronic score”, and after researching how it would be best to mash together “the playfulness” of math and music he succeeded in making a score that perfectly matches the dizzying and exciting on-screen action. From the chilling “Half Remembered Dream” track that was featured behind the theatrical trailer to the heavy, melancholy “Dream Is Collapsing” and “Dream Within a Dream” tracks to the final track “Time” that is both uplifting yet ominous, Zimmer manages to capture the suspense and thrill of the movie in music. Download the soundtrack at iTunes.

Showrunners Robert Kirkman & Frank Darabont talk up AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’ (first BTS video!)

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Having followed the initial murmurs of the new AMC zombie program based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book of the same name, it’s very exciting to see the first behind-the-scenes video footage of  The Walking Dead coming together.  The show follows a group of survivors who are forced to deal with the aftermath of a devastating zombie apocalypse.  Kirkman serves as executive producer.  In the video above he gushes about how swimmingly the show is assembling as the season premiere looms in the near distance (this October).  Writer/director/exec producer Frank Darabont is also having a blast making this show.  “We’re going to following the Robert Kirkman narrative pretty closely,” Darabont reveals.  “We’re giving ourselves permission to veer off the path and find the interesting detours.”  So far, Kirkman has had no problem with Darabont’s methods.  We’ve seen production stills from the set, but there’s nothing like seeing these zombies in action.  And man do they look scary as hell.  But we should expect nothing less from makeup/special FX lead Greg Nicotero.  This show hasn’t even started yet and I’m hooked.  And that’s why I got so excited when I heard Darabont utter these words: “I’d like to do twenty years of zombie TV.”

[Via EW-Popwatch]

David Cross joins FOX’s ‘Running Wilde’

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Now this is fantastic news!  Actor David Cross is joining the new FOX comedy Running Wilde.  The show stars Will Arnett.  The show is created by Mitch Hurwitz.  Have you connected the dots yet?  It’s an Arrested Developement reunion!  In Hurwitz’s Arrested Development, Cross played doctor-turned-aspiring actor Tobias Fünke, the brother-in-law of Arnett’s Gob Bluth.  Cross will be featured in 7 of the initial 13 episodes as “the radical environmentalist boyfriend of Keri Russell’s character” according to IGN.  Hurwitz and Arnett serve as creators, writers, and executive producers.  Arrested Development directors Anthony and Joe Russo and executive producer Jim Valley are also on board.

FOX is giving Hurwitz another chance with Running Wilde, so make sure you tune in Tuesday, September 21 at 9:30PM.  We can’t give the network another opportunity to shun Hurwitz & Co. away from making great TV like they did with the prematurally canned Arrested Development.  With a handful of AD alum signed on, I have a good feeling this comedy will tower over other network premieres in terms of quality.  AD‘s theme was “family first.”  From the looks of the trailer (embedded after the break, along with the synopsis), Running Wilde will take a new yet familar path: Russell’s Emmy to Arnett’s Wilde: “I am going to make you a better man.”  Family, relationships, heart, hilarity.  Welcome back, Hurwitz.

[Via IGN] Continue reading David Cross joins FOX’s ‘Running Wilde’ →

FlashForward might just live to see another day on Starz?

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Ever since ABC axed FlashForward after its first season its hardcore fanbase has been trying to pull whatever strings it can to revive the show.  A Facebook group called “SAVE FLASHFORWARD!” has gained a substantial following; these rapid fans have been sending emails and letters to ABC head Steve McPherson and other network and cable presidents demanding the sci-fi drama deserves at least a second season.  Some have even staged local “blackouts” in front of ABC offices.  It appears as if these efforts might be picking up enough steam to actually influence the fate of the show.  A fan recently posted this comment on the Facebook group wall:

“I just called Starz and the rep told me that they are aggressively seeking the license for FlashForward and that a lot of people have been calling about [the show].”

Upon seeing reading this statement the group moderator followed up with this: “McPherson is allegedly softening.”

I advise you to take what you’re reading here with a grain of salt.  These statements are merely comments by eager fans of the show, so they may or may not be true.  Whatever the case, this is great news for FlashForward fans.  It’s a win-win-lose situation and here’s how.  If these statements are true, FlashForward might just live to see another day on a cable station where Mark Benford can call D. Gibbons Dyson F**k if he really wanted to.  If the statements are false, light of this news is already garnering massive fan support and encouraging people to email and call Starz to push for a renewal.  And the lose situation–well that’s if all of this ends up being for naught and the show stays dead.

Let’s get realistic for a sec.  In order for cancelled show to get brought back to life, the main cast needs to be on board if you want to appease the fans.  As far as I know, four prominent cast members are already booked for fall and midseason shows.  James Callis (Gabriel McDow) plays a new resident in Syfy’s Eureka; Michael Ealy (Agent Marshall Vogel) is joining The Good Wife on CBS; Christine Woods (Janis Hawk) is a series regular in the new NBC comedy Perfect Couples; and Joseph Fiennes (Mark Benford), the crux of the show, is signed on to play the wizard Merlin in the upcoming 10-part series Camelot on Starz.  That’s right, Starz.  If the FlashForward showrunners could somehow replace or remove Vogel and Hawk from the story and conjure up a contract with Starz that enables Fiennes to manage Camelot and FlashForward then a revival could technically happen.  But remembering we’re talking realistically here, so I’m going to say that’s a LONG SHOT.

In the end it all comes to down to scheduling conflicts, network execs, and money.  But if the hardcore fans continue to spread the word of save FlashForward who knows what might happen.  Call Starz’ toll-free line (866-888-4010) to make yourself heard.  Cuz it would be totally awesome to find out what all of little Charlie’s future visions meant!

[Via DigitalSpy; io9]