Sunday Movie Review: The Monster that Challenged the World
August 16th, 2009
This 1957 release is actually a pretty good movie. Admittedly, giant killer mollusks will never rank high on my list of terrifying movie monsters but they work well enough within the confines of The Monster that Challenged the World. Given that there were multiple “monsters” in the movie that challenged the world, I wonder why the title suggests there was one. Really, would making the title of the movie The Monsters that Challenged the World made much of a difference? It would have made more sense.
Anyway, Tim Holt does a fine job as protagonist John “Twill” Twillinger. Hans Conried works well as brainy scientist Dr. Jess Rogers. His lovely assistant, played by Audrey Dalton, provides the required love interest. The monsters themselves, with their big eyes and even bigger shells, aren’t particularly frightening but do appear well-constructed and manage to do a significant amount of relatively believable damage.
HYGOTS No. 44
August 14th, 2009
Another film hitting the ten-year anniversary in 2009 doesn’t actually need any kind of defending, but it may be more significant now than ever. ‘Galaxy Quest’ was one of several absolutely perfect vehicles Tim Allen enjoyed (‘The Santa Clause,’ ‘Toy Story’) in his early transition from television to the movies, and for a while, it was known as the Star Trek spoof that was probably better than many of the Star Treks being made. Released three years before ‘Star Trek Nemesis,’ it might have been a reminder for some that even the rules could be played with a lot more good cheer than fans seem to have found for some time with the franchise. I bet if I asked whether anyone at the time would have watched a ‘Galaxy Quest’ TV show, there would surely have been more enthusiasm than ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’ ever got.
Bryan Singer to Bring Battlestar Galactica to the Big Screen
August 13th, 2009
According to Variety.com, Bryan Singer has teamed with Universal Pictures to produce and direct a feature film version of the 1979 ABC television series Battlestar Galactica. The franchise was previously given a new twist by Ronald D. Moore for Syfy (previously the SCI FI Channel) and ran from 2005 to 2009. The Variety.com article states that Singer’s version will be “a complete reimagination,” suggesting that it, too, will bear little resemblance to the original television series and its lasers, capes and daggits. EW.com confirms that the movie “will be a complete re-imagining of the sci-fi lore that was invented by Larson back in the 70s.”
Whether Moore will be involved with the new movie is unknown. Is the world ready for yet another incarnation of Battlestar Galactica? Will fans of the original series who detested the Syfy channel version boycott Singer’s movie as well? Will the fact that Glen Larson, creator of the original series, is involved as a producer do anything to change their minds? Will Dirk Benedict (the original Starbuck) and Katee Sackhoff (the Syfy Starbuck) have cameos in the new movie alongside the movie Starbuck in an awesome coming together of Starbucks past, present and future?
Only time will tell.
Heroes Season Four Trailer
August 10th, 2009
I’m not quite sure exactly when this became available but this is the first time I’m seeing it. NBC has released a trailer for the fourth season and fifth chapter of Heroes, which is titled “Redemption.” As far as I know NBC hasn’t specified whether “Redemption” will span the entire season or just the first half. On the other hand, it appears Season Four will only run 19 episodes rather than 23 or 25, so perhaps a sole chapter would work best.
As always, the following video likely won’t be available to those outside the United States.
My reactions? Prison Break‘s Robert Knepper will make a fantastic villain (if his character is a villain). Claire in college, though? I’m not looking forward to that. How much more whining about wanting to be a normal girl can viewers stand? As for the idea of a merry band of carnival workers who all have abilities, I suppose that could be interesting. Unfortunately, it looks like one of them — the one woman who “grows” tattoos on her body — can tell the past and/or the future.
That’s one of the biggest complaints I’ve had about Heroes. Characters being able to see the future only leads to muddled time lines. And just how many characters have we seen with some sort of prognostication ability? I’m also not sure there’s anyway a storyline involving Sylar revealing himself inside Nathan can be anything but dull. I’ve said it time and time again: Sylar needs to go.
Season Four premieres on Monday, September 21st with a special two-hour episode running from 8:00-10:00PM Eastern.
Sunday Movie Review: At the Earth’s Core
August 9th, 2009
Watching this movie was a bizarre experience. Released in 1976, it was based on a story by Edgar Rice Burroughs that I have not read, part of his lesser known (in comparison to Tarzan) Pellucidar series. Peter “Grand Moff Tarkin” Cushing and Doug McClure star as a scientist and his partner who decide to test the scientist’s new drilling device and wind up in a dangerous world beneath the Earth. There are dinosaurs and giant plants and several races of intelligent creatures. The two are captured, alongside a group of cave people, by a band of brutish, grunting soldiers. McClure’s character soon decides to overthrow the shackles of the land’s ruling faction: telepathic bird things.
ABC’s V to Arrive November 3rd
August 9th, 2009
the futon critic reports that ABC’s new version of V will debut on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 8:00PM. Earlier, it appeared the show was destined for midseason. The series stars, among others, Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost), Morena Baccarin (Firefly, Stargate: SG-1, Joel Gretsch (The 4400) and Laura Vandervoort (Smallville). Here’s the official ABC fall preview clip:
Quick Review: Warehouse 13, “Elements”
August 8th, 2009
Although it started out strongly, this episode soon fell apart under the weight of its own mythology, and after last week’s strong episode (“Claudia”) I was expecting more. Guest star Joe Flanigan, from Stargate: Atlantis, added nothing of note to the episode, as his role (Jeff Weaver) could have been played by just about anyone. The plot involves two art collectors, a missing sculpture, a feather and the ability to walk through walls.
HYGOTS No. 43
August 7th, 2009
Maybe I’d need to have some kind of young family model to base this off of to reach a different conclusion, but it’s strange to me that I seem to be the only one who thinks of the Pirates of the Caribbean films as the new Star Wars trilogy. The only comparison I could make would have to be the enormous 1996 blockbuster ‘Independence Day,’ which if it’s remembered at all today is probably thought of as the film that launched Will Smith into the box office orbit. These things are a bit inconceivable to me.
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