Who Wants to be a SuperHero?

Always wanted to be a Superhero? Stan Lee and Sci Fi Channel are giving people a chance in their new reality show.

According to the website, they will

produce a six-episode, one-hour weekly competition reality series that will challenge a lucky few to create their very own Superhero and reward the winner with the best reality competition prize yet: immortality!

Immortality means your own comic book and a Sci Fi Channel movie where you will have the honor of being played by Casper Van Dien or a lesser Baldwin.

Still, I am enough of a ham to enter. I just need someone who can sew tights together. I better head upstairs from the basement and ask my mom.

Octavia Butler Has Died

There are some authors that make me feel glad that I am alive today along with them, and I will keep on reading their work as long as they keep on writing it. Orson Scott Card is one such author, so is Neil Gaiman. Octavia Butler was another.

Octavia Butler's work was extraordinary. In fact, she was probably a more imaginative and better writer than the two I listed above, and I don't mean no disrespect to Mr. Card or Mr. Gaiman.

Octavia Butler's brand of science fiction was completely unique. Her protagonist was almost always a strong black woman, but this was not rubbed in your face. Nope, the protagonist was a decent human being, and we cheered her on because we hoped that we would be as smart and courageous as her, were we in her sitaution.

I didn't always agree with Octavia Butler, but in the end we hope for the same thing; that humanity's good side will prevail in the end.

Thank you, Ms. Butler, for sharing your entertaining and intelligent writing with us.



June 22, 1947-February 25, 2006

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Spidey Looks Good in Black!

Superhero Hype had the new Spiderman 3 teaser poster today, and he's in his black spidey-suit. I always loved the black in the comics. It's going to look great on the big screen.

ABC welcomes the Masters of Science Fiction

IDT Entertainment and Industry Entertainment, the people who brought up the cool anthology Masters of Horror for Showtime, the show that brings together the best horror writers and directors out there to produce hour long movies, has signed a deal to bring Masters of Science Fiction to ABC!

This is going to be really good or really bad.

According to Sci fi Wire,

Writer Michael Tolkin (The Rapture) is already on board to adapt and direct an episode, while the producers are also in talks to produce works such as Harlan Ellison's "The Discarded" and Asimov's "The Last Question." IDT and Industry also hope to sign Bradbury to adapt his "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed."

What, no Orson Scott Card? Come on people! He is only the best sci-fi writer alive today and he seems to be chomping at the bit to make films. He also has directed a few small things and this would be a great opportunity to turn him loose upon network TV. Get him! No Blasters says so!

If Masters of Science Fiction is anything like Masters of Horror there will be some amazing episodes mixed in with some really bad ones. I have been meaning to put something on here about Masters of Horror for a while now. I will save the amazing “Incident on and off a Mountain Road” for another time, but I will say that “Cigarette Burns” and “Sick Girl” were a little disappointing and gave me nothing (plot wise) that I hadn’t seen before.

I am getting ready to watch “Dreams in the Witch House” based on a Lovecraft tale and directed by Stuart Gordon (of Re-Animator fame). I will pass on what I thought of that one when the time comes.

What other sci-fi authors could they get to do some episodes? Drop a comment if you have a favorite!

The Hills Have Eyes Looks Like the Horror Remake That Will Set the Bar for Horror Remakes

I woke up this morning with a nice surprise hiding in my bloglines. FilmFocusUK have an interview with Alexandre Aja, director of the Hills have Eyes remake. The more I read about this movie, the more I'm convinced that this one is more than the throw a bunch of WB stars in and make it cuddlier horror remakes that we have seen in the past few years. Of course, it's cut down (at least that is what Aja talk about in the interview), but most of the stuff that was cut is so gruesome it would never have even been in the script for House of Wax or The Fog.

Check out the interview and a nice still gallery HERE

via aintitcoolnews

Cameron should let Battle Angel Fly First!

James Cameron’s announcement that he will be working on the top secret, Project 808 is very cool, but that means that Battle Angel, a movie that I have wanted to see made for a long time is now way on the back burner. Cameron told Entertainment Weekly that Project 808 would be 2007 and Battle Angel would be 2009, but we all know that BA wont come that quick. Cameron is never that quick.

If you’re wondering why I am freaking out you should check on the manga of Yukito Kishiro’s Battle Angel Alita. It is an amazing story that should be easily adapted into a wonderful film.

Via Sci Fi Wire

Review – Finding Serenity

I was hoping that Finding Serenity, which is comprised of essays about Firefly, would be as good as the Pop Culture and Philosophy series. Alas, it is not.

Many essays seem to have been written by fanboys (and girls), so we have a way-too-long section of the book that is comprise of people who whine about the series being cancelled. Granted, the book came out post-cancellation and pre-movie, but still. Move on, people.

Another really annoying thing about the books is that there are way too many essays about feminism and the female mystique. Granted, this is a Joss Whedon show we are discussing, but there is little insight in the essays.

Also annoying are the comparisons to other shows (Star Trek, The Tick). While fans of those shows might find the essays amusing, for me the essays were dull and pointless.

The main problem with Finding Serenity is that the authors seem to be randomly chosen (even though the are not), whereas the Pop Culture and Philosophy books are written by, yep, people with backgrounds in philosophy. The Pop Culture and Philosophy essays make you think and reflect; Finding Serenity Essays don’t necessarily. Take, for example, Jewel Staite’s essay on her top 5 favorite memories of the show. While it is interesting to read, ultimately it just helps the book to look even more fanboy-ish. Perhaps that is what editor Jane Espenson intended, and I am wanting too much out of this book. But compared to the Pop Culture and Philosophy books, this collection of essays leaves much to be desired.

To be fair, there are good and perceptive essays in this book. Even some of the essays in the sections I wrote about above have interesting and amusing parts to them. I would recommend getting this book at you library, or reading it at B&N, rather than spending $17.95.

No Blasters rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Portman "hearts" Alan Moore, but She Has Never Read his Work!

Comic Book Resources has an interview with V for Vendetta star, Natalie Portman. The interview is interesting, but I had to cringe when someone asked her how she felt about Alan Moore's statements about him never wanting the movie made. She states,

I know that all of us making this are obviously huge fans of the graphic novel and want to be as true to it as possible, and hope that it pleases Alan Moore because all of us are such fans of his, and obviously we're so inspired by what he wrote to work on this.

Since, she later states that she thought that graphic novels never had "real stories" and that she was not a "big comic, graphic novel type of person," it would seem that her love is a bit of Hollywood kiss-assing.

Evil Seek: Let's hope the movie is better than the description!

I know I am not the only one who finds descriptions of movies hilarious sometimes, but you never think you will find them on Sci Fi Wire. SFW News has a report that Thomas Jane wants to play Satan in a film called Evil Seek. Is that news worthy? Who knows? His portrayal of Punisher was ok at best, but I am looking forward to his comics with Steve Niles.
I digress, what this post is really about is how horribly bad the movie Evil Seek sounds.
Director Wayne Kramer states that it’s

“a supernatural thriller. And it's about how every thousand years in hell, they elect a new Satan, and the reigning Satan has to take on the body of a mortal and find his successor, the most evil person alive. He takes over the body of an FBI profiler on a terrible serial-killing case in L.A. He's inherited a 13-year-old daughter and an ex-wife, and he's kind of the moral center in a messed up world. It's pretty cool and depraved."

The first thing that turns me off is using the name Evil Seek makes it sound like an Evil Dead movie, which it clearly is not. The next is that the plot. Come on! How horrible is that? Lastly, the icing on the cake is Kramer’s use of the term: “It's pretty cool and depraved." He sounds like he’s in the fifth grade or something.

Of course, since I love B-movies I will probably watch this, but come on! Work on that description a little. It has to be more interesting than that dried out drivel!

Gossip - Firefly

Kristen from E sez:

I've heard the CW is considering bringing it back as a series, miniseries or movie for next season. Hurrah! For you who missed my message board posting, on Tuesday, Nate Fillion, Summer Glau and Gina Torres were seen coming out of one of the exec buildings at Paramount, where they are putting together the new CW unit.

Please let it be so!

Singer Has Me on Logan's Run

Ok, I have said in the past that I am tired of remakes and that I never want to see one of Logan's Run. This movie was cheese in the first place, entertaining cheese but cheese none the less. Well Frakk, Bryan Singer has gone and made me excited by announcing that he is reuniting with his Usual Suspects writer Christopher McQuarrie to draft a script.
Sci Fi Wire has the Story

X-men 3: The Super Hero Life in Leather

Dark Horizon has new stills from X-men 3.

For the most part they look pretty nice. Harry over at aintitcoolnews has some reservations looking at the photos, but it just looks like X-men as usual to me—lots of leather, costumes that you would never really see on super humans and some action shots that look nice but a little flawed.

Of course, the reports of a bad script may be true, but even if they are, it's not like the plots for the earlier movies were perfect.

Kitty Pryde looks pretty kick-ass and at the least it has to be better than the crap some of the writers have been spitting out in the comic series lately.

Check out the photos HERE

Resident Evil: Extinction - Killing the Dead Again this Year

Speaking of B-movie love. Comingsoon.net are reporting that the third Resident Evil movie titled: Extinction will be starting production this year under the direction of Russell Mulcahy (The Shadow, Highlander). This gets me excited. I love the RE movies and just watched Apocalypse again this week. My only regret is that Paul W. S. Anderson isn't involved, but since his IMDB is listing Castlevania I forgive him!

Evil Aliens Feed Off My B-Movie Fetish

Though I am sure that I won't see Jake West's Evil Aliens until it has a limited dvd release here in the states (damn my mid-western college town life), I will see it. The trailer has all the slapstick and gore of Undead and Evil Dead mixed with some pretty cool digital effects. I will laugh, I will cringe, and I will never get my two hours back, but Evil Aliens has its claws in me now and nothing can stop it.

For more info jump over to Twitch

News- Narnia DVD

Animated-news reports that there will be an extended version of The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe.

More here.

In a World Being Dumped on by Mediocre Animated Movies, Flused Away looks like a Fun Ride!

Dreamworks has a sneak preview of their newest animated film with Aardman Studio, Flushed Away. I have to say it looks a step or two above the huge group of humdrum animated movies that have been advertised lately.

Check out the Sneak Peak HERE

Geek hierarchy

Where are you in the hierarchy?

Lucy Lawless Will Frakking Kick Galactica Butt!

It has been officially announced that Lucy Lawless is joining the cast of Battlestar Galactica. I think everyone who saw the Season 2 episode "Final Cut" both knew and hoped that she would be back. According to Sci Fi Wire

Lawless will become a recurring cast member, reprising her role as D'Anna Biers in a 10-episode arc. The third season begins production in Vancouver, Canada, in April.

Lawless helps fill out an awesome cast of Cylons.

A Picture of Luna Lovegood - Evanna Lynch

Well, since Luna looks nothing like this bleached blonde publicity shot of Lynch, lets hope that they geek her up enough for her part in Hary Potter V. Of course, there is always something screwed up in the movies.

Pic via BBC

Harry Potter V Main Casting is Finished!

Imelda Staunton (queen of the period film) has been cast as Dolores Umbridge, the most evil and heartless Harry Potter character I have ever read (and she isn't even a death-eater!). Staunton will have fun playing the disciplinarian.

Tonks, the shape-shifting witch, will be played by Natalia Tena.

The other coveted spot of Luna Lovegood went to and Irish schoolgirl named Evanna Lynch. She beat more than 15,000 hopefuls. Luna is a nerd and a conspiracy nut. It's going to be fun to see her on the screen.

via Reuters

More info at Sci Fi Wire

Am I the Only One who Thinks Bryce Howard is an Awful Gwen Stacey?

Aintitcoolnews put together a nice comparison shot of Bryce from her Leno appearance the other night and John Romita's Gwen. I just think Bryce looks horrible. I know I have been accused of not liking blondes in the past, but this looks like a dye job you would get at the local Cut-n-Go.

Dark Crystal Sequel a Go!

According to Variety, the Jim Henson Co. has chosen Genndy Tartakovsky to direct Power of the Dark Crystal, sequel to the 1982 fantasy film The Dark Crystal. I have been waiting for this sequel since the first rumors started to hit the net. Tartakovsky created some of my favorite Cartoon Network shows: Samurai Jack, Dexter's Laboratory and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It will be interesting to see his animation style mixed with Henson's puppets.

Via: Sci Fi Wire.

Pulse Trailer

The trailer for Pulse, another remake of a Japanese horror movie, this time starring Kristen Bell (who I just watched and loved in the first season of Veronica Mars) starts out a little slow. After the suicide of one of their friends a group of young Hollywood starts getting email from him. The dead are in their computers and then in their lives. There are a few interesting shots in the trailer, but then it gets really interesting. Not just their lives are affected, but the world around them as well and the trailer ends with a intense scene of a world gone mad and a plane going down over someone’s head. The Official Website has some interesting videos and pics that spread the infection.

I haven’t seen the original, so at first Pulse just seemed like a Ring rip-off, but maybe it has a little more to offer.

See the trailer HERE