Since epic force known as Twilight his the main stream every company has been trying to match or rival it's success. HBO came up with True Blood and had an instant hit. Now the IFC has gotten the rights to turn another popular supernatural book series onto the small screen.
That's right folks the Anita Blake books are coming to the Independent Film Channel sometime in 2010. Honestly I'm surprised the rites to produce this show didn't go to a larger network with more experience making fictional television series. All and all it's a very smart move for IFC. The Anita Blake series has a huge following.
The Anita Blake series is about a woman who lives in an alternate version of earth where all creatures of myths and legends are true, and Vampires have just been made full fledged citizens. Anita is an Animator, a person with the natural ability to raise the dead. She also does side work helping out the cops with supernatural cases and she is also a licensed vampire executioner. Naturally she ends up getting mixed up in all sorts of supernatural politics.
I think a lot of fans are going to be excited about this series. Mainly because it will be starting at the very beginning of the Anita Blake books, way back when they were still kickass supernatural mysteries and not sleezy supernatural romance novels. A lot of fans (including myself) gave up on the series after the content got too racy. I think all of the fans would be happy to return and see the old hardass wise-cracking Anita Blake.
The first few books of the Anita Blake series are really well done enjoyable stories, and I think they will translate very well to TV. I am predicting that this will be a real hit.
The only foreseeable problem (for the first season or two) is that it will be hell trying to do casting for men as good looking as the ones described in the novels. But that's a small problem.
Anyway here is the address to the official press release.
http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/Anita/AnitaBlakeRelease.htm
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
A Clip from Season 2 of True Blood
I can't say it surprises me, but that's probably because I've read all the books. Never the less looks like we are in for another good season.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Knowing 1/2 review
A friend asked me to review Knowing, largely because he had watched it and was so utterly disappointed by it that he wanted me to seek verbal revenge on the evil creature known as Nicholas Cage. In some ways I have failed, you see I didn't make it all the way through the movie. I took a bathroom break and never came back "Knowing" that there was no way for the movie to ever redeem itself. A good film critic would have walked back in there and finished their job, but I just didn't feel like it.
Let me start out by saying that I'm biased. I hate Nicholas Cage with a passion. In his very prolific career he has done two good movies (Moon Struck and Raising Arizona)a few decent ones, and many many bad movies. I know that somewhere out there he actually has fans but I just don't get it. He is a mediocre actor at best, his voice is annoying as hell, and honestly if it weren't for the fact that he is a Coppela I don't think he would have a career.
Now if you told me nothing about the movie Knowing and just showed me the first five minutes or so I would be really excited to see this. It starts out in the 50's with a very creepy little girl who frantically writes a series of numbers on a piece of paper due for a time capsule, and ends up disappearing in a basement where she is found with her hands covered in blood (presumably from trying to scratch away at the walls) begging for someone to make it stop.
That right there seems like the beginning to a really cool horror flick. Already I knew that everything from this point on is going to get worse.
Nicholas Cage plays a total loser. To be fair the hero of the story is a mathematician. So right off the bat you kind of expect them to be a bit boring and absent minded. To give him a bit of an edge they decided to make the character a functioning alcoholic, but it doesn't add much flavor to the text. A good actor would be able to make this character somehow relateable or worthy of pity, Nicholas Cage succeeds in neither. His acting for the entire movie has three speeds mumbling with the charisma of a tree stump, overreacting, he can also give a blank stare. A surprising amount of the movie is dedicated to showing Nicholas Cage staring.
One of my major problems with Nicholas Cage movies is that his character always managed to end up as the main character, even if this is not the best perspective to tell the story from. In "Windtalkers", which should have been about the Navajo code talkers who played a crucial role in WWII, they turned it into a movie about Nicholas Cage the white dude who just so happened to be a leader of their unit. Similarly in this movie the story would be a lot better if the movie was more about his son.
There is one scene were there are tons of creepy noises and the kid gets out of bed to see his front yard and a bunch of woodland creatures on fire.
Side note who though of that? They are sick. Sometimes in horror films a lot of fear comes from seeing disturbing images, but a flaming moose was just over the top.
So anyway instead of having the kid scream, or seeing the heart to heart where he tells his Dad that he is seeing and hearing some creepy stuff. They cut to Nicholas Cage in the front yard (which is not on fire) yelling for people to stay away from his house and angrily hitting a tree with a flashlight.
Really doesn't that about say it all. This is not a well thought out movie.
As much as I would like to I can't blame this all on Cage giving a crappy acting performance. The script is terrible, and the general plot idea just seems old and predictable. Nicholas Cages character should come off as being somewhat tortured but heroic, instead he comes off as being insane. Here he is trying to save people, but I still don't like him.
Honestly this piece of overblown garbage is just not worth watching. I mean there exists the possibility that I am wrong and that the movie somehow redeems itself in the end, but I really doubt that.
There are a few random hints of something more then the numbers going on in the background. Shadowey figures in the background, weird noises, and guys randomly pulling over and giving Nicholas Cages kid a black pebble. All of the numbers seem to perfectly correspond with bad things that are happening. But there is no possible way to resolve this movie and not have it be completely lame.
My gut instinct tells me that the writer of this saw "Signs" and read The Bible Code and thought he would blend them in some sort of unholy manner. I am betting that Nicholas Cage ends the movie believing in some sort of fate of higher power, and that all of this scary conspiracy stuff has been leading up to one big statement about spirituality or something like that.
Again I could be wrong. But honestly the movie has dug itself so deep into the reals of crappiness that it can not be saved. Apparently I walked out just before a scene in the subway which is supposed to very well done, but I feel satisfied having seen it in the movie trailer.
Let me start out by saying that I'm biased. I hate Nicholas Cage with a passion. In his very prolific career he has done two good movies (Moon Struck and Raising Arizona)a few decent ones, and many many bad movies. I know that somewhere out there he actually has fans but I just don't get it. He is a mediocre actor at best, his voice is annoying as hell, and honestly if it weren't for the fact that he is a Coppela I don't think he would have a career.
Now if you told me nothing about the movie Knowing and just showed me the first five minutes or so I would be really excited to see this. It starts out in the 50's with a very creepy little girl who frantically writes a series of numbers on a piece of paper due for a time capsule, and ends up disappearing in a basement where she is found with her hands covered in blood (presumably from trying to scratch away at the walls) begging for someone to make it stop.
That right there seems like the beginning to a really cool horror flick. Already I knew that everything from this point on is going to get worse.
Nicholas Cage plays a total loser. To be fair the hero of the story is a mathematician. So right off the bat you kind of expect them to be a bit boring and absent minded. To give him a bit of an edge they decided to make the character a functioning alcoholic, but it doesn't add much flavor to the text. A good actor would be able to make this character somehow relateable or worthy of pity, Nicholas Cage succeeds in neither. His acting for the entire movie has three speeds mumbling with the charisma of a tree stump, overreacting, he can also give a blank stare. A surprising amount of the movie is dedicated to showing Nicholas Cage staring.
One of my major problems with Nicholas Cage movies is that his character always managed to end up as the main character, even if this is not the best perspective to tell the story from. In "Windtalkers", which should have been about the Navajo code talkers who played a crucial role in WWII, they turned it into a movie about Nicholas Cage the white dude who just so happened to be a leader of their unit. Similarly in this movie the story would be a lot better if the movie was more about his son.
There is one scene were there are tons of creepy noises and the kid gets out of bed to see his front yard and a bunch of woodland creatures on fire.
Side note who though of that? They are sick. Sometimes in horror films a lot of fear comes from seeing disturbing images, but a flaming moose was just over the top.
So anyway instead of having the kid scream, or seeing the heart to heart where he tells his Dad that he is seeing and hearing some creepy stuff. They cut to Nicholas Cage in the front yard (which is not on fire) yelling for people to stay away from his house and angrily hitting a tree with a flashlight.
Really doesn't that about say it all. This is not a well thought out movie.
As much as I would like to I can't blame this all on Cage giving a crappy acting performance. The script is terrible, and the general plot idea just seems old and predictable. Nicholas Cages character should come off as being somewhat tortured but heroic, instead he comes off as being insane. Here he is trying to save people, but I still don't like him.
Honestly this piece of overblown garbage is just not worth watching. I mean there exists the possibility that I am wrong and that the movie somehow redeems itself in the end, but I really doubt that.
There are a few random hints of something more then the numbers going on in the background. Shadowey figures in the background, weird noises, and guys randomly pulling over and giving Nicholas Cages kid a black pebble. All of the numbers seem to perfectly correspond with bad things that are happening. But there is no possible way to resolve this movie and not have it be completely lame.
My gut instinct tells me that the writer of this saw "Signs" and read The Bible Code and thought he would blend them in some sort of unholy manner. I am betting that Nicholas Cage ends the movie believing in some sort of fate of higher power, and that all of this scary conspiracy stuff has been leading up to one big statement about spirituality or something like that.
Again I could be wrong. But honestly the movie has dug itself so deep into the reals of crappiness that it can not be saved. Apparently I walked out just before a scene in the subway which is supposed to very well done, but I feel satisfied having seen it in the movie trailer.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Witches, and Vampires, and Goths oh my: A completly inapropriate post for Easter Sunday
Lets face it for some reason or another vampires are really in right now. The youngins seem to quite entranced by the twilight series and any similar stories. If you are not a teenage girl then your probably not too into the whole vampire thing, and if you are you certainly have better taste then to watch twilight.
Many fans of the vampire genre have turned to HBO's hit series "True Blood." Sadly the second season won't be out till June 14th. Yet have no fear there are plenty of vampire or supernatural series to keep your inner goth tided over till then.
Show:"Buffy The Vampire Slayer"
People of Note: Almost all major characters have gone on to star in popular tv or movie projects, the show is written by Joss Whedon aka that genius behind "Firefly", "Dollhouse", and "Dr. Horribles Sing Along Blog"
Supernatural Stuff: Over it's many seasons just about every supernatural creature you can think of appears, but the show mainly focuses on Vampires although expect a fair deal of witches and demons as well.
Overall Review: In the off chance you have never heard of the show allow me to explain. Buffy is a high school student (at the start of the series anyway) who has the power to kick serious ass. Although her role as a slayer is supposed to be secret a few close friends find out and end up helping her. The show is a wonderful blend of comedy, drama, and action. The characters are so well developed that you will most likely end up wishing you were part of the scooby gang. If you have not seen it already you should do so now.
Downsides: Like most sci-fi shows the plot gets a bit more crazy and out there as the seasons wear on.
Bonuses: More funny pop culture references then you can shake a stick at, and there is a musical episode.
Show: Hex
People of Note: There are no big name actors in this show, but don't let that turn you away. The cast does a great job ... for the most part. Actually Michael Fassbender may be a household name in the future he has been in "300", has a role in "Inglorious Bastards", and a few other large projects.
Supernatural Stuff: Witches, Ghosts, and Demons (Nephilim to be exact)
Overall Review: The show is very gothic in nature. There is a witch at a boarding school, although she is pretty she just doesn't fit in with the rich kids at her school. Everything changes when she discovers that she is a witch, the leader of the nephilim wants to be her baby daddy, and wannabe baby daddy ritualistically sacrifices the witches best (and only) friend. The show is suspenseful but has a lot of really funny moments. By far the best and funniest character in the show is Thelma the lesbian ghost, she is what keeps the show running when things get a bit dark.
Downsides: There are a few hilariously bad transformation sequences. Also, you can tell the exact moment in season two where the producers were informed that the show was getting canceled and they decided to make the show as crazy as possible.
Bonuses: Great soundtrack, some hilarious moments thanks to Thelma, and for the gentlemen out there and naturally certain ladies there are some lesbian make out scenes.
Show: Blood Ties
People of Note: No one even remotely famous, but they do a good job.
Supernatural Stuff: Vampires, Demons, and Witches although all sorts of other supernatural characters appear in small roles.
Overall Review: Blood ties is a supernatural cop show, a somewhat cheesy combination I know but it's very enjoyable. Vicki Nelson was a cop who got kicked off the force because she is going blind. Vicki decides to open up her own detective agency and somehow manages to dive headfirst into a supernatural case that ends with her being marked by a demon. The mark gives her some powers, but mostly seems to attract trouble. She meets up with a witch for her secretary, and her partner in crime is Henry Fitzroy the bastard son of Henry the 8th who just happened to be turned into a vampire. The show is just fun to watch. There are a lot of good one liners and great character dynamics. The show is kind of cheesy but it totally embraces that fact so you don't end up minding.
Downsides: There are some historical innacuracies involving the age of Henry Fitzroy that bother me, they talk about how bad Vicki's eyes are getting but her poor vision doesn't seem to effect her, the special effects are kinda lame, and some of the stories aren't very compelling.
Upsides: Some of the dialogue is hilarious, and of the shows mentioned this is easily the least angsty or dark. If you want a slightly cuter and lighter sort of vampire story this is the one for you.
Show: Being Human
People of Note: There is a possibility that the actors in this are big in the UK but I have never seen them before.
Supernatural Stuff: Vampires, Ghosts, and Werewolves
Overall Review: I'll admit it, I've only seen the first three episodes. So far the story is about a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf that all share an apartment together. Despite such a cute premise the show is pretty dark. It shows how difficult life is when your an outsider, and how much torment you go through when your different. Despite all of the darkness the stories are somewhat compelling and you find yourself wanting to know more about the characters and what is going to happen to them.
Downsides: When I say this show is dark I mean it. The angst level is right up their with an emo kid listening to Dashboard Confessional cutting himself with the shattered pieces of his broken dreams. It's a little depressing. Oh and the way the Werewolf dude screams like a girl every time he transforms is really annoying.
Upsides: Nice production values, fantastic soundtrack, and werewolf transformations aside pretty well acted.
I hope this helps you cope till True Blood returns.
Many fans of the vampire genre have turned to HBO's hit series "True Blood." Sadly the second season won't be out till June 14th. Yet have no fear there are plenty of vampire or supernatural series to keep your inner goth tided over till then.
Show:"Buffy The Vampire Slayer"
People of Note: Almost all major characters have gone on to star in popular tv or movie projects, the show is written by Joss Whedon aka that genius behind "Firefly", "Dollhouse", and "Dr. Horribles Sing Along Blog"
Supernatural Stuff: Over it's many seasons just about every supernatural creature you can think of appears, but the show mainly focuses on Vampires although expect a fair deal of witches and demons as well.
Overall Review: In the off chance you have never heard of the show allow me to explain. Buffy is a high school student (at the start of the series anyway) who has the power to kick serious ass. Although her role as a slayer is supposed to be secret a few close friends find out and end up helping her. The show is a wonderful blend of comedy, drama, and action. The characters are so well developed that you will most likely end up wishing you were part of the scooby gang. If you have not seen it already you should do so now.
Downsides: Like most sci-fi shows the plot gets a bit more crazy and out there as the seasons wear on.
Bonuses: More funny pop culture references then you can shake a stick at, and there is a musical episode.
Show: Hex
People of Note: There are no big name actors in this show, but don't let that turn you away. The cast does a great job ... for the most part. Actually Michael Fassbender may be a household name in the future he has been in "300", has a role in "Inglorious Bastards", and a few other large projects.
Supernatural Stuff: Witches, Ghosts, and Demons (Nephilim to be exact)
Overall Review: The show is very gothic in nature. There is a witch at a boarding school, although she is pretty she just doesn't fit in with the rich kids at her school. Everything changes when she discovers that she is a witch, the leader of the nephilim wants to be her baby daddy, and wannabe baby daddy ritualistically sacrifices the witches best (and only) friend. The show is suspenseful but has a lot of really funny moments. By far the best and funniest character in the show is Thelma the lesbian ghost, she is what keeps the show running when things get a bit dark.
Downsides: There are a few hilariously bad transformation sequences. Also, you can tell the exact moment in season two where the producers were informed that the show was getting canceled and they decided to make the show as crazy as possible.
Bonuses: Great soundtrack, some hilarious moments thanks to Thelma, and for the gentlemen out there and naturally certain ladies there are some lesbian make out scenes.
Show: Blood Ties
People of Note: No one even remotely famous, but they do a good job.
Supernatural Stuff: Vampires, Demons, and Witches although all sorts of other supernatural characters appear in small roles.
Overall Review: Blood ties is a supernatural cop show, a somewhat cheesy combination I know but it's very enjoyable. Vicki Nelson was a cop who got kicked off the force because she is going blind. Vicki decides to open up her own detective agency and somehow manages to dive headfirst into a supernatural case that ends with her being marked by a demon. The mark gives her some powers, but mostly seems to attract trouble. She meets up with a witch for her secretary, and her partner in crime is Henry Fitzroy the bastard son of Henry the 8th who just happened to be turned into a vampire. The show is just fun to watch. There are a lot of good one liners and great character dynamics. The show is kind of cheesy but it totally embraces that fact so you don't end up minding.
Downsides: There are some historical innacuracies involving the age of Henry Fitzroy that bother me, they talk about how bad Vicki's eyes are getting but her poor vision doesn't seem to effect her, the special effects are kinda lame, and some of the stories aren't very compelling.
Upsides: Some of the dialogue is hilarious, and of the shows mentioned this is easily the least angsty or dark. If you want a slightly cuter and lighter sort of vampire story this is the one for you.
Show: Being Human
People of Note: There is a possibility that the actors in this are big in the UK but I have never seen them before.
Supernatural Stuff: Vampires, Ghosts, and Werewolves
Overall Review: I'll admit it, I've only seen the first three episodes. So far the story is about a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf that all share an apartment together. Despite such a cute premise the show is pretty dark. It shows how difficult life is when your an outsider, and how much torment you go through when your different. Despite all of the darkness the stories are somewhat compelling and you find yourself wanting to know more about the characters and what is going to happen to them.
Downsides: When I say this show is dark I mean it. The angst level is right up their with an emo kid listening to Dashboard Confessional cutting himself with the shattered pieces of his broken dreams. It's a little depressing. Oh and the way the Werewolf dude screams like a girl every time he transforms is really annoying.
Upsides: Nice production values, fantastic soundtrack, and werewolf transformations aside pretty well acted.
I hope this helps you cope till True Blood returns.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Eminem's New Video " We Made You"
Ok this isn't Eminems best work, but it's ok. The video pokes fun of all the people whose names got dropped during the song, and adds a few other spoofs in for good measure. Of course the video makes no real sense, nor does it follow any sort of narrative plot; but as far as I can tell neither does the song.
My only real complaint really is more embaressing for me then it is for Eminem. My problem is with the fight sequence where Eminem is dressed up like Spock. Why would Spock be using a traditional Klingon bat'leth, I mean everyone knows Vulcans prefer unarmed combat. All the same I'm sure Spock would use any weapon given to him in a battle, but all the same it bugs me.
Yep I am actually that big of a nerd.
Although I did have to look up the name for the Klingon sword of honor.
Anyway I'm done nerding out for today. Here is the video. Like I said it's ok, but generally I expect a lot more from Eminem. I'm not a big fan of the music but usually his videos are a bit more fun then this, it's like he sacrificed some sense of visual coherence in order to keep the video pace up to his very fast rapping. Again it's ok, it's just not that good.
My only real complaint really is more embaressing for me then it is for Eminem. My problem is with the fight sequence where Eminem is dressed up like Spock. Why would Spock be using a traditional Klingon bat'leth, I mean everyone knows Vulcans prefer unarmed combat. All the same I'm sure Spock would use any weapon given to him in a battle, but all the same it bugs me.
Yep I am actually that big of a nerd.
Although I did have to look up the name for the Klingon sword of honor.
Anyway I'm done nerding out for today. Here is the video. Like I said it's ok, but generally I expect a lot more from Eminem. I'm not a big fan of the music but usually his videos are a bit more fun then this, it's like he sacrificed some sense of visual coherence in order to keep the video pace up to his very fast rapping. Again it's ok, it's just not that good.
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