Movies for nerds is a deeper category than just “Star Wars” and “Avatar.”  Retrovo’s Jennifer L. Jacobson looks at the long tail of geek cinema.  More at http://www.retrevo.com/content/blog/2011/12/epic-nerd-approved-movies-see

Epic Nerd-Approved Movies To See Before You Die

Not to quote Ned Stark, but, “Winter is coming.” And what better way for any self-respecting nerd to spend the season than hunkered down in the glow of some of the best nerd-approved films of all time. But you’ve watched your favorite films a billion times, so how do you find the films you haven’t seen yet, but should?

Well, today I’m putting my Cinema “Minor” to work and that means digging through film history and pulling out title gems that are too often overshadowed by Avatar or the all-impressive Star Wars. These films will change your life (or they should), so sit down, strap in and load these puppies up in your Netflix queue. Here are the best of the best in their respective categories. Enjoy these films. You will be a better nerd for watching them.

*Note: All films should be watched in the aspect ratio they were shot in and if possible, watch the director’s cut. None of this “4:3″ nonsense when a film was shot in widescreen. Also, may of the older films on this list are now on Blu-ray. For a more technical overview of a specific film’s transfer to Blu-ray, please query The Blu Ray Blog. Now, please… enjoy the show.

Straightup Nerd-Tastic Films (AKA Category 1)

Dark City (1998)

Film Notes: If you liked Metropolis, The Matrix, and Inception, you have to see this film. I wrote an entire master’s thesis on it. If you can, watch the commentary by Rober Ebert.

The Fifth Element (1997)

Film Notes: This eye-candy adventure is one of the most charming, beautifully shot, creative, colorful sci-fi films of all time.

Forbidden Planet (1956)

Film Notes: Before Star Trek, there was Forbidden Planet. It’s amazing to see what was possible to the imagination circa 1956.

Stargate (1994)

Film Notes: If you think Terra Nova awesome or could be better… you must see this film. Groundbreaking special effects.

Minority Report (2002)

Film Notes: This Steven Speilberg directed film is based on the thrilling Philip K. Dick short-story and stars Tom Cruise. Let’s just say… it’s totally worth seeing.

THX 1138 (1971)

Film Notes: Before he made Star Wars, George Lucas made this sanitary, haunting vision of the future. … and part of it was shot in Studio One at my alma mater, San Francisco State University!

Dune (1984)

Film Notes: Dune is one of the most impressive, well written sci-fi films of all time, Dune will amaze your inner nerd.

War Games (1983)

Film Notes: It’s good to see Matthew Broderick in something besides a musical – I mean, if you loved your Atari, you’ll love this film. How what started as a game, almost became nuclear war.

Serenity (2005)

Film Notes: From the creator of Angel, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this wild-west-meets-pre-cog-human-weapon sci-fi dance through space will blow you away. It’s hard to call yourself a nerd, if you haven’t seen it.

Paprika (2006)

Film Notes: This is one of my favorite movies, I have it on Blu-ray and it’s worth watching in a proper home theater. If you want to see what animation can do and where your dreams can take you, (and if you thought The Matrix and Inception was cool) Paprika is a film you just have to see.

Blade Runner (1982)

Film Notes: Find out if androids dream of electric sheep, and if you can, find out by watching the director’s cut of the film Blade Runner. This touching, beautiful, mind-bending film is one of my all-time-favorites. Quote: “It’s too bad she won’t live… but then again, who does?”

Brazil (1985)

Film Notes: I love Terry Gilliam’s style. Brazil is one of the best no-holds-barred cotton-candy films of all time. Do yourself a favor and be sure to watch the director’s cut as opposed to the theatrical release of this film.

V for Vendetta (2006)

Film Notes: I’ve watched this film so many times. It’s a beautifully told story and stands on its own from the graphic novel on which it is based. That said, you should also read the graphic novel.

Tank Girl (1995)

Film Notes: This movie is proof that filmmakers in 1995 weren’t just making “girl movies” like Clueless.

For categories 2-5, visit www.Retrovo.com.

I give you this list so that you may know and understand all things nerd, for no one is simply born a nerd. We are a people, drawn in by the light of technology, science fiction and the possibilities of humanity and the future. We come in every age, gender, hue and kind and we are not simply born nerds… we become nerds.

By Jennifer L. Jacobson, Retrevo.com

Matt Smith and Steven Moffat each settle in more comfortably in their second seasons on “Doctor Who,” the science fictional BBC production about a time-traveling benevolent alien. He traverses time and space in the TARDIS, a ship that’s bigger on the inside than the outside, and that looks from the outside like a 1950s police call box.

Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) are the Doctor’s main companions for this series. He also frequently crosses paths with River Song (Alex Kingston), who has a connection to all of the principals, and whose meetings with the Doctor occur in jumbled chronological order.

Moffat took over as executive producer from the much-acclaimed Russell T. Davies. His main push seems to have been giving the seasons more of an arc, which is in full effect this season. The Doctor, played by Smith, is faced with his upcoming death in the season’s first episode, and while the season has its detours, clues and movements key to the overall arc are seen throughout.

The Blu-ray contains the episodes “A Christmas Carol,” “The Impossible Astronaut,” “Day of the Moon,” “The Curse of the Black Spot,” “The Doctor’s Wife,” “The Rebel Flesh,” “The Almost People,” “A Good Man Goes to War,” “Let’s Kill Hitler,” “Night Terrors,” “The Girl Who Waited,” “The God Complex,” “Closing Time,” and “The Wedding of River Song.”

The sixth series Blu-ray set kicks off with the Christmas special, “Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol,” which features the Doctor time-traveling through various years with a young man in order to avoid a particularly Scrooge-like fate.

Neil Gaiman (“Coraline,” “The Sandman”) writes the episode “The Doctor’s Wife,” in which the Doctor follows a distress signal to a mysterious asteroid searching for another Time Lord. The asteroid’s secret will threaten the TARDIS, and reveal much about the Doctor and a longtime relationship.

By the time “The Wedding of River Song” concludes, the questions raised by “The Impossible Astronaut” have been answered, and the mystery of the creepy villains the Silence has been at least partially unveiled. Smith remains a quick and quippy Doctor when it’s called for, but he also manages to pull real emotional depth throughout, as well. Gillan and Williams are well-cast as the charming but frequently star-crossed lovers who have served as the Doctor’s most recent companions.

The Blu-ray contains lots of extras, including between-the-episodes “Night and the Doctor” scenes, Comic Relief 2011 mini-episodes, prequel trailers, audio commentaries and featurettes.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Amanda Tapping

Amanda Tapping is Nerdage’s #11 actress with geek appeal. She played Samantha Carter in “Stargate SG1″ and “Stargate Atlantis.” She now stars in and executive produces “Sanctuary.” The fourth season of “Sanctuary,” in which she plays Dr. Helen Magnus, is in production now.

Here’s how Syfy describes the series:  Sanctuary follows brilliant scientist Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) and her team, who use their unique combination of instinct, medicine and cutting-edge science to find and aid a clandestine population of beings that the world refuses to believe exists. The series also stars Robin Dunne as forensic psychiatrist Dr. Will Zimmerman, Agam Darshi as the quick-witted Kate Freelander, Ryan Robbins as tech wiz Henry Foss and Christopher Heyerdahl as the sinister John Druitt.

The first and second seasons are available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Amanda Tapping’s related charity, Sanctuary for Kids, has raised more than $200,000 to improve the lives of children around the world who need protection and are in crisis.   Amanda Tapping’s official website is found at www.amandatapping.com, and you can also follow her on twitter.

- Matt Price

The special features for the Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-rays were announced today – as part of Star Wars Day festivities at maythe4th.starwars.com. Star Wars: The Complete Saga will be on sale in North America on Sept. 16. You can also see a video about the release at the site.   What do you think? Does this make you want to buy the Star Wars films?  Does it make you want to buy them again, if you already own them on DVD?   Details on the features are after the break.

- Matt Price

Bring home the adventure and share Star Wars™ with your whole family – when STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment! To be released beginning on September 12 internationally and on September 16 in North America, the nine-disc collection brings the wonder of the entire Saga direct to your living room, where you can revisit all of your favorite Star Wars moments – in gorgeous high definition and with pristine, 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. Dive deeper into the universe with an unprecedented 40+ hours of special features, highlighted by never-before-seen content sourced from the Lucasfilm archives.

Special Features:

STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA ON BLU-RAY is presented in widescreen with 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. Special features include:

* DISC ONE – STAR WARS: EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE

o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Scott Squires

o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

* DISC TWO – STAR WARS: EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES

o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, Pablo Helman, John Knoll and Ben Snow

o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

* DISC THREE – STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH

o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Rob Coleman, John Knoll and Roger Guyett

o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

* DISC FOUR – STAR WARS: EPISODE IV A NEW HOPE

o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren

o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

* DISC FIVE – STAR WARS: EPISODE V THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren

o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

* DISC SIX – STAR WARS: EPISODE VI RETURN OF THE JEDI

o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren

o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

* DISC SEVEN – NEW! STAR WARS ARCHIVES: EPISODES I-III

o Including: deleted, extended and alternate scenes; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; matte paintings and concept art; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; a flythrough of the Lucasfilm Archives and more

* DISC EIGHT – NEW! STAR WARS ARCHIVES: EPISODES IV-VI

o Including: deleted, extended and alternate scenes; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; matte paintings and concept art; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; and more

* DISC NINE – THE STAR WARS DOCUMENTARIES

o NEW! Star Warriors (2007, Color, Apx. 84 Minutes) – Some Star Wars fans want to collect action figures…these fans want to be action figures! A tribute to the 501st Legion, a global organization of Star Wars costume enthusiasts, this insightful documentary shows how the super-fan club promotes interest in the films through charity and volunteer work at fundraisers and high-profile special events around the world.

o NEW! A Conversation with the Masters: The Empire Strikes Back 30 Years Later (2010, Color, Apx. 25 Minutes) – George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan and John Williams look back on the making of The Empire Strikes Back in this in-depth retrospective from Lucasfilm created to help commemorate the 30th anniversary of the movie. The masters discuss and reminisce about one of the most beloved films of all time.

o NEW! Star Wars Spoofs (2011, Color, Apx. 91 Minutes) – The farce is strong with this one! Enjoy a hilarious collection of Star Wars spoofs and parodies that have been created over the years, including outrageous clips from Family Guy, The Simpsons, How I Met Your Mother and more — and don’t miss “Weird Al” Yankovic’s one-of-a-kind music video tribute to The Phantom Menace!

o The Making of Star Wars (1977, Color, Apx. 49 Minutes) – Learn the incredible behind-the-scenes story of how the original Star Wars movie was brought to the big screen in this fascinating documentary hosted by C-3PO and R2-D2. Includes interviews with George Lucas and appearances by Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.

o The Empire Strikes Back: SPFX (1980, Color, Apx. 48 Minutes) – Learn the secrets of making movies in a galaxy far, far away. Hosted by Mark Hamill, this revealing documentary offers behind-the-scenes glimpses into the amazing special effects that transformed George Lucas’ vision for Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back into reality!

o Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi (1983, Color, Apx. 48 Minutes) – Go behind the scenes — and into the costumes — as production footage from Return of the Jedi is interspersed with vintage monster movie clips in this in-depth exploration of the painstaking techniques utilized by George Lucas to create the classic creatures and characters seen in the film. Hosted and narrated by Carrie Fisher and Billie Dee Williams.

o Anatomy of a Dewback (1997, Color, Apx. 26 Minutes) – See how some of the special effects in Star Wars became even more special two decades later! George Lucas explains and demonstrates how his team transformed the original dewback creatures from immovable rubber puppets (in the original 1977 release) to seemingly living, breathing creatures for the Star Wars 1997 Special Edition update.

o Star Wars Tech (2007, Color, Apx. 46 Minutes) – Exploring the technical aspects of Star Wars vehicles, weapons and gadgetry, Star Wars Tech consults leading scientists in the fields of physics, prosthetics, lasers, engineering and astronomy to examine the plausibility of Star Wars technology based on science as we know it today.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (AP)

Arnold Schwarzenegger is out of politics and heading back to movies.   The Hollywood Reporter indicates Schwarzenegger wants to return to perhaps his most-successful franchise, the “Terminator” movies.   Are you excited about a possible Arnold return in “Terminator 5″?

I picked up a copy of “Wandering Star” Vol. 1 at the recent Planet Comicon in Overland Park, Kansas.   The trade paperback collects the first seven issues of Teri Sue Wood’s space adventure “Wandering Star.”  After reading it, I found out that Wood – now Teresa Challender – is serializing the series online.  So you can check out the first four issues at her web site.

In “Wandering Star,” the daughter of Earth’s president is sent to a galactic academy, where humans are seen as warlike and backward.  She tries to deal with the prejudices, and make new friends, but finds herself drawn into a larger conflict with interplanetary ramifications as the series progresses.

The story is told in flashback, as Casandra Andrews reflects on her time in the “Wandering Star” spacecraft.  The story is set in the future, when a still-warlike Earth is needed by an alliance of aliens to defend themselves.  The aliens, being more peaceful, never developed the destructive weapons of the earth.  But even though they need the humans, they don’t necessarily respect them.

The artwork is strongest in the interpersonal elements, and the lettering in places is reminiscent of Dave Sim’s terrific use of lettering in “Cerebus.”   It’s not necessarily hard sf, with many scientific details left unexplained, but the characters and the relationships feel very genuine.   Worth seeking out, but if you’re on the fence, you can try out the first four issues online.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 539. Still to go: 1472.

In this film publicity image released by Universal Pictures, Paul the alien, voiced by Seth Rogen, left, and Simon Pegg are shown in a scene from the film, "Paul." (AP Photo/Universal Pictures)

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost star as British geeks visiting America in the sci-fi comedy “Paul.” Starting at Comic-Con International in San Diego, the pair plan a cross-country trip in an RV, hitting the highlights of alien encounter sites such as Area 51 and Roswell, N.M.

Graeme (Pegg) is an aspiring artist working with Clive (Frost), who’s fallen off the map after his first book. The pair’s revelry at Comic-Con marks the high point of the film, as they celebrate the subculture.

Once they are on their way across the U.S., though, the film slows down. Along the way these two sci-fi fans run across the real thing: Paul, a bigheaded grayish green alien. Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) crash-landed on earth 60 years ago, but now he’s on the run from the government, which has decided to dissect him.

The film becomes a semi-interminable chase scene, as government agents (including Jason Bateman and Tulsa’s Bill Hader) attempt to catch up to the RV.

Along the way, Graeme, Clive and Paul meet Ruth Buggs (Kristen Wiig), a sheltered fundamentalist whose father is stifling her dreams of seeing the world.

When she sees Paul, the boys are forced to bring her along, adding her father to the growing group of those chasing the crew.

The CGI work on Paul is pretty sophisticated, but Rogen never really manages to make him a fully developed character. And Pegg and Frost, as talented as they are, feel as if they are coasting on their relationships from past films. Graeme and Clive’s story never gets fully explored, as director Greg Mottola keeps the pedal to the floor, perhaps hoping that keeping the characters moving will keep viewers from seeing the cracks.

Everybody involved with the film has done better, and most likely will again. There are spots of humor, but the film’s characters seem more suited to a short comedy sketch than a feature film.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Listed on wimgo Movies under Adventure

The first season of the British-produced “Space: 1999” from 1975 comes to Blu-ray. Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, popular from the “Mission Impossible” television series, starred in this sci-fi series.

The science is a bit hokey: After a nuclear explosion, the moon, with astronauts and a moon base aboard, hurtles through space as the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha attempt to find a new world on which to settle.

But if you can overlook the science and the occasionally dull acting, you’ll find a science-fiction show that reveals a direction science fiction might have gone in the pre-“Star Wars” era. The series was developed by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson (“Thunderbirds”), using sets originally developed for their previous outing, “UFO.” Landau stars as Commander John Koenig; Bain is the head of the moon base’s medical section, Dr. Helena Russell. They were a real-life married couple at the time.

The innovative sci-fi program, inspired by films including “Solaris” and “2001,” looks fantastic on Blu-ray, though some flaws are more apparent. Some consoles, for example, are simply drawn on, a detail that wouldn’t have been noticed on 1970s televisions. However, the sets and miniatures for the spacecraft look spectacular in high-definition.

The well-remembered intro, which featured scenes from the upcoming episode to a fast-paced soundtrack, was an inspiration to Ronald Moore in the recent “Battlestar Galactica” revamp. But outside the intro, the show will likely play slowly to modern audiences.

The set includes extras, including commentaries by creator Gerry Anderson, featurettes, text commentaries and alternate opening and closing titles.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Neil Hopkins

Physicist Stephen Hawking warned in a Discovery Channel documentary that humanity’s first contact with aliens might not be a pleasant experience.

“If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans,” Hawking said.

The film “Skyline,” directed by brothers Colin and Greg Strause, takes that premise and moves forward from it, says Neil Hopkins, who plays the would-be womanizer Ray. He and his friend Terry (Donald Faison) work in the field of digital effects.

“He’s constantly trying to pick up on women in ways that are not necessarily proper,” Hopkins said in a telephone interview. “He’s based, supposedly, on somebody they (the Strause brothers) work with, though they wouldn’t tell me who he was.”

Hopkins said the appeal of the unknown draws people to films such as “Skyline,” which features an alien invasion of Earth.

“The less you know about something but the wider the possibility that it could possibly exist, the more the human imagination gets freed up and kind of goes wild,” he said. “Our imaginations have gone into outer space, all the way back to H.G. Wells.”

Hopkins said that unknown element and the infinite possibilities of space have led to humankind’s constant fascination. And he thinks often the fiction we create reflects our concerns as a society at that point.

“Our perception of what would happen with alien invasions in all these movies, going all the way back to ‘War of the Worlds,’ are more of a reflection about ourselves than they are about any would-be civilizations that are out there. We sort of project our own fears and nightmares onto that unknown.”

Hopkins is perhaps best-known for his recurring role playing Liam, the heroin-addicted rock-star brother of Charlie (Dominic Monaghan), on “Lost.” Hopkins was seen in the show’s series finale in May.

“You felt like you were part of this top-secret mission,” Hopkins said of the high secrecy surrounding the finale. “The scope of it was very exciting to be a part of. You just knew it was television history.”

Hopkins said while he doesn’t look exactly like Liam Pace in everyday life, he still gets recognized as the Drive Shaft singer from time to time.

“I get a lot of people looking at me like they know me,” Hopkins said. “You know the ‘Lost’ fans right away; they’ll be like ‘Oh my God,’ and then they’ll start singing, ‘You All, Everybody,’ which is pretty funny. Or it was funny the first 300 times, less so now. It’s a little embarrassing actually.”

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

It’s the most gruesome NewsOK Comics Podcast in history, as Kyle reveals what happened to him in a recent football game.

Star Wars in 3-D

The Los Angeles Times reports that “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” will return to theaters in 3-D in 2012 and will be followed in the stereoscopic format by the five other live-action movies set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

She-Ra turns 25

She-Ra

It’s the 25^th anniversary of “She-Ra,” the He-Man spinoff that featured his sister, She-Ra, protecting the realm of Etheria from Hordak.

Matt Price talked to Melendy Britt, who voiced She-Ra, about how she became the inspirational 1980s heroine.  Look for the article in upcoming editions of The Oklahoman.

Nolan confirms Batman 3 involvement

It’s not a surprise, but Christopher Nolan tells Empire magazine that yes, he will be the director of the third Christian Bale “Batman” film. No word on who the villains will be, however.

“If I haven’t announced it, I think that people probably all know at this point that I’m doing it,” he told Empire.

This week’s reviews are Captain America Patriot 2, Captain America 610, and Time Bomb 2.

Joe Flanigan

David Hewlett

Joe Flanigan and David Hewlett, stars of the science fiction show Stargate Atlantis, are currently auctioning off a chance for a fan to have lunch with them in Los Angeles.  The auction will raise funds for the nonprofit organization Friends of Sarah Geary.

Joe Flanigan played Lt. Colonel John Sheppard in Stargate Atlantis; David Hewlett played Dr. Rodney McKay.  The two appeared in 99 episodes of “Stargate Atlantis” before the show’s 2009 finale.

From charitybuzz: Joe and David are joining with countless others to help their friend Sarah Geary survive a devastating diagnosis of ALS, a motor-neuron disorder that destroys the brain’s ability to control the rest of the body. Without disability or life insurance, Sarah and her family do not have access to the critical care needed to prevent her ALS from becoming fatal. The funds raised through charitybuzz will go directly to giving Sarah the care she needs.

Fans can bid to have lunch with Joe Flanigan and David Hewlett through October 14 at charity auction site charitybuzz at: http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/223701 . For more information about Friends of Sarah Geary, visit http://www.charitybuzz.com/auctions/joeflanigan.

- Matt Price

Oblivion from Radical.

Radical Publishing has made inroads in the comic book field with series including “Hercules,” “Shrapnel” and “The Last Days of American Crime.” It also has made Hollywood connections, as several properties have been optioned for film. In 2011, it will expand into illustrated novels with “Oblivion,” based on a science-fiction idea from “Tron: Legacy” director Joe Kosinski.

“Rex Mundi” writer Arvid Nelson writes a science-fiction tale in which the Earth’s surface has been irradiated beyond recognition. Civilization is in ruins and under attack from Scavenger aliens. The remnants of humanity primarily live above the clouds. The preview, released at Comic-Con International, introduced Jak, a surface drone repairman who discovers a mysterious woman in a crash-landed pod. According to Radical, in the hardcover “Oblivion” illustrated novel, that discovery will set off a chain of events that will force Jak to question everything he knows.

“The Joe Kosinski project came up about two years ago, just when Joe got the job to do ‘Tron,’” said Barry Levine, president and publisher of Radical. “He pitched me a couple of ideas … this one high concept, I loved it. It was ‘Oblivion.’ About two weeks later, he sent me about five, six pages, and I said, ‘I’m doing it.’”

The illustrated novel, set to be released next summer, already has been optioned by Disney. According to Deadline, William Monahan (“The Departed”) is attached as a screenwriter.

“I was looking to make a science-fiction film that I could do on a budget,” Kosinski said in a news release about the initial concept. “It’s grown since then, but it’s intended to be a very spare science-fiction film, with a small cast but big ideas and big landscapes.”

Andree Wallin’s art in the preview draws the viewer into the landscapes, spacecraft and alien conflicts. Wallin, a digital painter from Sweden, said at deviantart.com that the art style of “Oblivion” is different from his usual work.

“The art is very different from what I usually do. While most of my personal stuff is very Michael Bay-ish in the style, ‘Oblivion’ is quite the opposite: dark, gritty and sometimes very sparse color palettes to enhance the toxic and dangerous feel to the world, but still extremely varied.”

Radical’s executive vice president, Jesse Berger, says the format of “Oblivion” will allow Radical to explore some new markets, as well,

“It’s also started a new format for Radical, that we’re really looking to explore further, which is doing prose versus just the graphic novel format,” Berger said. “We’re taking it in a different direction … it really allows us to explore different markets.”

Levine said “Oblivion” also would work well on an iPad or digital reader.

“You have two pages, and then you have a fully rendered image.”

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

As part of Milla Jovovich Week at Planet 46, I’ve taken a look at her role in the 1997 sci-fi film “The Fifth Element.”

As “The Fifth Element” begins, a professor uncovers an archaeological relic in 1914.  It almost seems as if the viewer is about to begin an Indiana Jones-style action-adventure, perhaps starring the professor’s assistant, played by Luke Perry.

But within a few moments, the tables have turned, and 1914 is just a piece that puts the plot in motion, as a great evil is scheduled to return to planet Earth some 300 years hence.   Earth’s only protection appears to be a fifth element, held by an alien race, that can overcome a great evil when wielded properly.

After a leading role in 1991′s “Return to the Blue Lagoon” and a small role in Richard Linklater’s “Dazed and Confused,” Milla Jovovich had a comeback role in 1997 with the Fifth Element, playing Leeloo, a perfect being who is rescued from police by cab driver Korben Dallas, played by Bruce Willis.

Click here for the full article. Jovovich’s “Resident Evil: Afterlife” opens on Friday.

- Matt Price

Amanda Tapping (AP)

Amanda Tapping is Nerdage’s #13 actress with geek appeal.   She played Samantha Carter in “Stargate SG1″ and “Stargate Atlantis.”   She now stars in and executive produces “Sanctuary.” The third season of “Sanctuary,” in which she plays Dr. Helen Magnus, is in production now, and the second season comes to DVD this June.

Last fall, she talked to Nerdage about “Sanctuary”:

The show is shot primarily on green screen, using virtual sets.

“Building sets the size and the scope of the Sanctuary is nearly impossible,” said Tapping, who is also an executive producer of the show. “It gave us so much more freedom in terms of where we shot and how we shot, and places that we could go.”

Tapping said using green screen allowed for many more locations to become part of the show.

“In Season 1, we were everywhere from the Bermuda triangle to the Himalayas to the catacombs under Rome,” she said. The first season of “Sanctuary” came to DVD last month.

- Matt Price

Bruce Willis stars as FBI agent Tom Greer in “Surrogates,” based on the graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. In an alternate reality, robots have been developed that stand in for people in their everyday lives. People project their consciousness into these mechanical doppelgangers, which keep them safe from the dangers of the outside world. A small subset of humanity has rejected the use of the surrogates and lives in gated, humans-only communities. They are led by the Prophet (Ving Rhames), who decries the use of the surrogate technology.

Greer is called in to investigate the first murder in years, in which someone kills a surrogate operator via a weapon used on the surrogate. That’s not supposed to be able to happen — and it becomes an even bigger surprise when Greer discovers the murdered man is the son of the inventor of surrogates (James Cromwell).

It’s an interesting premise, but Jonathan Mostow (“Terminator 3”) doesn’t take a lot of time exploring how this world is different from our own; instead it becomes a slam-bang action flick. It’s not even entirely clear that it’s supposed to be an alternate reality without watching the audio commentary. Viewers may wonder how humanity has all these high-tech robot duplicates, but no advancements have been made in vehicles or cell phones.

Mostow has created a visually compelling film, with wide-angle shots and lots of right angles. He’s also made Hollywood actors appear even more perfect, and slightly unsettling, as robot duplicates of themselves. While the film, like “The Matrix” and others before it, has a point about overdependence on technology, it doesn’t give the audience much time to ponder.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

It could be the power of nostalgia, but I didn’t find the new pilot for “V” to be as intense or as creepy as the original.  ”V” is a new ABC series detailing aliens who come to earth, professing peace, but with a dark secret.   Spoilers ahead as in this review of last night’s episode.

While I like Elizabeth Mitchell, her character seemed pretty clueless about her own son (Logan Huffman), who immediately supports the visitors (largely because he’s attracted to the character played by Laura Vandervoort.)

Morena Baccarin plays Anna, the leader of the Visitors, who addresses the world first via their spaceships, and then later via a very controlled interview with a TV anchor played by Scott Wolf.   Joel Grestch portrays priest Father Jack Landry, who finds his small congregation growing in size once the visitors arrive, though he still doubts their intentions.

As it turns out, the aliens aren’t here for the first time – some of them have been here in disguise for years.  (Though at this time, only a small group are aware of this.)  The infestation of the aliens prior to their arrival was a little too similar to Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” for my taste, though that’s obviously just coincidental.

Slate points out one interpretation reads as pretty hostile towards President Obama.  (The original V was an allegory about the Nazi occupation of Europe.)  In the new “V,” aliens promising hope and universal health care are scaly aliens with secret plans.  Meanwhile, the only people who know the truth are gun-toting conspiracy theorists.

Troy Patterson writes at Slate:

Indeed, if the show is to have the symbolic import that we expect from a science-fiction story, this is the only possible way to read V as a coherent text. The only problem with this analysis lies in its generous presupposition that the text is, in fact, coherent.

And that’s a fair point: the old “V” showcased a thoughtful allegory in the guise of a high-action sci-fi miniseries.  The new show showcases better special effects and higher production values, but I’m not convinced there’s even intended to be an allegory behind it.

ABC is airing the first four episodes this fall, then holding the remainder for spring. (Perhaps somehow like the original “V” aired as a miniseries and was followed up with a season.)   I’m intrigued enough to watch a few, but so far this “V” doesn’t seem to improve appreciably on the original.

- Matt Price

Elizabeth Mitchell (“Lost”) headlines “V,” a remake of the 1980s series about an alien occupation. Mitchell plays FBI Counter Terrorist Agent Erica Evans. The rest of the cast, as reported by NewsOK’s TV blog, includes Logan Huffman as Tyler; Scott Wolf as Chad Decker; Morena Baccarin as Anna; Joel Gretsch as Father Jack; Morris Chestnut as Ryan Nichols; Lourdes Benedicto as Valerie; Laura Vandervoort (“Smallville”) as Lisa.  The show airs at 7 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC.

With Mitchell and Vandervoort, the show has some Nerdage-friendly actresses on board.    Last year, I talked to the show’s original creator, Kenneth Johnson, about his book continuing the series.  The new ABC series is a reboot rather than a continuation, however.   You can check out a trailer here in advance of watching tonight’s show.

- Matt Price

To celebrate the Solar System Premiere of Columbia Pictures’ new animated comedy Planet 51, which will be released in theaters on Earth November 20, 2009, the film (on disc) is currently orbiting the planet on the International Space Station.

What better way to celebrate a space movie than … sending a movie into space?

A copy of Columbia Pictures’ animated comedy “Planet 51,” which comes to theaters Nov. 20, is currently orbiting the Earth on the International Space Station, according to a release.   The film was launched on the Space Shuttle Discovery on August 28, 2009.   A few days later, astronauts transferred the film to the space station.

The film is now cruising high above Earth at 17,500 miles per hour and orbiting the planet every 90 minutes.  As the release notes, 90 minutes is the running time of the film, so the space-bound copy of the movie will make a full Earth orbit as the movie premieres on the ground.

In a joint statement, producers Guy Collins and Ignacio Perez said:  “Planet 51 is a fun film for all the family and one of its strong messages, particularly for children, is to not be afraid of the unknown. That is what NASA has been showing the world for 50 years and I hope that our film will encourage children to increase their understanding of the Universe and NASA’s work.”

Planet 51 is an animated feature in which American astronaut Captain Charles “Chuck” Baker lands on Planet 51 to find the planet inhabited by little green people living in a 1950s-like world.  The film features the voice talents of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Jessica Biel and Seann William Scott.

- Matt Price

The music video for Adam Lambert’s “Time for Miracles”  will debut on MySpace Music on Wednesday, it was announced today.  “Time for Miracles” is from the Roland Emmerich film 2012, which comes to theaters on Nov. 13.

The song is available for purchase on iTunes and will be included on Lambert’s upcoming album.

The video will include images from the film and will be viewable at www.myspace.com/music starting midnight Wednesday.

Adam Lambert was the runner up to Kris Allen in the eighth season of “American Idol.”  In the “Idol” finale, Lambert won raves for his performance of “We Are the Champions” with Queen.

- Matt Price

Lambert is currently recording his first album on 19 Recordings/RCA Records for a November 2009 release.

Monsters, aliens and creatures now have a sanctuary. In the Syfy series “Sanctuary,” airing at 9 p.m. Fridays, Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping, “Stargate SG-1”) leads a team of scientists seeking out often-grotesque creatures. If possible, the team, which includes daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup) and psychiatrist Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunn) will help these strange creatures, in the vast Sanctuary, a repository for the supernatural and otherworldly.

The show is shot primarily on green screen, using virtual sets.

“Building sets the size and the scope of the Sanctuary is nearly impossible,” said Tapping, who is also an executive producer of the show. “It gave us so much more freedom in terms of where we shot and how we shot, and places that we could go.”

Tapping said using green screen allowed for many more locations to become part of the show.

“In Season 1, we were everywhere from the Bermuda triangle to the Himalayas to the catacombs under Rome,” she said. The first season of “Sanctuary” came to DVD last month.

“Sanctuary” had its origins as an Internet show. The original conception of “Sanctuary” was to merge an internet program with gaming and social networking.

“Lofty goals to be sure, and a great idea,” Tapping said. “But unfortunately I think we were quite a few years ahead of our time. And in terms of figuring out how to monetize it on the web, that’s the biggest issue that we had. We had a lot of eyeballs watching Sanctuary, but not a lot of eyeballs were paying for it.”

So while the Web show didn’t make money, it did lead to new opportunities.

“Out of the ashes of the Web series rose the phoenix that is the television series,” Tapping said.

The “Sanctuary” creators rewrote and re-shot most of the pilot once the show was picked up for television. But even so, the groundwork helped.

“We knew the characters, and we knew the creatures and we knew the Sanctuary … so it definitely gave us a leg up rather than starting from scratch,” Tapping said. “Having the web series as a starting point was a huge help.”

New characters arrive in the second volume of “Primeval,” which contains the third season of the U.K. production. (The first two seasons are available in “Primeval Vol. 1.”)

Joining the Anomaly Research Centre this season are Egyptologist Sarah Page (Laila Rouass) and security leader Becker (Ben Mansfield). “Primeval” features Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall) and his team of scientists who investigate time anomalies that allow gates to the past and future to open, and often-dangerous people and creatures to come through. The dinosaurs that often appear are dynamically portrayed; credit that to series’ co-creator is Tim Haines (“Walking With the Dinosaurs”).

Cutter’s team is attempting to track and close the anomalies. Until it can, the team must stop the dinosaurs and other creatures from running wild throughout England.

Cutter began investigating the anomalies in a search for his wife, Helen (Juliet Aubrey). But Helen is working at cross purposes with Nick, as she believes his actions will lead to an apocalyptic future they’ve both seen. Helen’s determination to save the planet — but perhaps not humanity — puts Cutter’s team at risk.

Police officer Danny Quinn (Jason Flemyng) encounters the team at a thought-haunted house where his brother was killed. Quinn becomes a catalyst as the 10-episode season progresses.

The team faces threats from the government and Helen, but there is time for romance between fresh-faced Connor (Andrew-Lee Potts) and spirited Abby (Hannah Spearritt).

Extras include an interview with Douglas Henshall that recaps the first two seasons, and a featurette on creature creation.

— Matthew Price

Juliet Aubrey in Primeval.

Dinosaurs, knights errant and other entities from the past pass into the modern world through time anomalies in “Primeval,” a British action series now available on DVD.

Volume 2 of “Primeval,” which features the third series, came to DVD last month, and a marathon of episodes is airing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today on BBC America (Cox 176, Dish 135 and DirecTV 264).

Juliet Aubrey stars as Helen Cutter, the wife of Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall). Nick is the scientist responsible for investigating these time anomalies. Nick begins his investigation into the anomalies while searching for Helen, who disappeared eight years ago, but discovers his wife has her own agenda.

Aubrey describes Helen as a driven and ambitious woman who becomes a “time-traveling eco-warrior.”

“Helen … becomes slightly bored with her life and finds out about these rips in time and decides to go and explore,” Aubrey said in a recent phone interview.

“She prefers living with dinosaurs, really, to her husband, so she stays there. … To her, time is a river, and you should be able to dive into it at any point in the past or present or future.”

The series was created by “Walking With the Dinosaurs” creator Tim Haines and Adrian Hodges. As such, the dinosaurs that escape into the world of “Primeval” are particularly well-designed. Aubrey said the appeal of ancient eras added to her enjoyment of the research for “Primeval.”

“I studied archaeology myself, so I’m really interested in those kinds of things, in the past and all of that,” Aubrey said.

Aubrey said the future becomes Helen’s obsession, and trying to prevent an apocalyptic future puts her in conflict with Nick’s team, tasked with stopping the creatures that come through the anomalies. Connor Temple (Andrew-Lee Potts) and Abby Maitland (Hannah Spearritt) are other members of the team. While Helen’s respect for the environment may be admirable, her methods become extreme.

“(She) believes that humanity has completely destroyed the planet and we don’t really deserve to live here,” Aubrey said. “She’s … definitely dangerous to know.”

- Matt Price
From Monday’s The Oklahoman ]]> http://blog.newsok.com/nerdage/2009/10/12/dangers-of-past-roar-into-present-in-primeval/feed/ 0 http://blog.newsok.com/nerdage/2009/08/12/bryan-singer-may-be-in-line-for-battlestar-galactica/ http://blog.newsok.com/nerdage/2009/08/12/bryan-singer-may-be-in-line-for-battlestar-galactica/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:38:38 +0000 nerdblog http://blog.newsok.com/nerdage/?p=5022

According to HitFix, Superman Returns director Bryan Singer may produce and could even direct a feature film version of Battlestar Galactica.  The deal Universal signed in February this year with Glen Larson was for a new version of the property.

Singer had been in line to bring a sequel …

Read more here

According to HitFix, Superman Returns director Bryan Singer may produce and could even direct a feature film version of Battlestar Galactica.  The deal Universal signed in February this year with Glen Larson was for a new version of the property.

Singer had been in line to bring a sequel to the original Battlestar Galactica to TV in 2001.   This series was derailed in the aftermath of 9/11.

At Comic-Con 2008, “X-Men” producer Tom DeSanto talked about Singer’s plans for the property before it was shut down:

DeSanto correlated the “Battlestar Galactica” story to the Biblical Exodus of the Jews.  The sequel would have followed that story.

“What if the Jews had stopped at Mt. Sinai and built Las Vegas?” he said.

The story was set 20 years after the events of the original series, when the remaining humans voted to build a new society and stop the search for Earth.  They became unprepared for the Cylons, who eventually found them.

“9-11 paralleled our story very much,” he said. “Cylons came back with a fury.”

See the entire article from Comic-Con 2008 here.

If Singer is again attached, would he follow a similar storyline?  It’ll be interesting to see what develops with “Battlestar Galactica.”

- Matt Price

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According to MovieTickets.com, District 9 has moved into this week’s top 5 ticket sellers.

The film, which cost just $30 million to make, broke into the list at No. 5 as of 10:30 a.m. Pacific time.

According to a recent MovieTickets.com poll of almost 2,000 ticket buyers, 60 percent of males and 36 percent of females aware of the film intend to see “District 9″ on opening weekend.  The movie is scheduled to open Friday.

The film is directed by Neill Blomkamp and stars Sharlto Copley.  Peter Jackson is a producer.   The film features a group of aliens stranded on Earth and the government agency that deals with the alien problem.

- Matt Price

THE NEXT LEVEL

Meet writers and artists of popular science fiction and fantasy at the 2009 SoonerCon expo this weekend at the Biltmore Hotel, 401 S Meridian.

Writer Dave Wolverton, aka David Farland, is the guest of honor. Wolverton is the author of the “Star Wars” novel “The Courtship of Princess Leia.” As Farland, he has written the “The Runelords” series, including the New York Times best-seller “Wizardborn.” Wolverton is a Guinness World Record holder for the largest single-author book signing, signing 1,845 copies of the science-fiction novel “A Very Strange Trip.”

Wolverton designed and scripted video games at Saffire studios. According to his Web site at www.davidfarland.net, he helped design the storyline, monsters, and weapons for “StarCraft’s Broodwar,” and wrote the story and script for “Xena: the Talisman of Fate.”

The artist guest of honor is Brad Foster, whose art has been published in more than 3,000 publications, including Amazing Stories and Highlights for Children.

Film fans can view selections from the International BareBones Film Festival, held each April in Muskogee. The Best of BareBones will screen films at SoonerCon today and Saturday, hosted by ShIronbutterfly Ray. Several filmmakers will be available for questions about their films.

This year’s theme is “Slideways in Time” and focuses on time travel and alternate histories. Tickets are $20 per day or $40 for the entire weekend. SoonerCon runs today through Sunday.

“It’s going to be high-energy,” said Leonard Bishop, executive director of SoonerCon 2009. “We’ve got 60-plus professional writers and artists; there will be multiple tracks of panel discussions and demos going on.”

Among the demos will be stage combat, belly dance, and performance art. There will also be charity auctions and evening activities.

For more information about SoonerCon, call (405) 694-1555 or visit www.soonercon.com.

- Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

SoonerCon returns to Oklahoma City this weekend at the Biltmore Hotel, 401 S Meridian.

Guests include writer Dave Wolverton, aka David Farland; artist Brad Foster; Selina Rosen; Dirk Hooper; Mario Wytch and more.   Also going on at SoonerCon is the “Best of BareBones” film screening.

This year’s theme is “Slideways in Time” and focuses on time travel and alternate histories. Tickets are $20 per day or $40 for the entire weekend. SoonerCon runs today through Sunday.

Read more about SoonerCon in Friday’s Weekend LOOK section of The Oklahoman.

For more information about SoonerCon, call (405) 694-1555 or visit www.soonercon.com.

– Matthew Price

Doctorow mixes his take on superheroics with a take on activism in “The Super Man and the Bugout,” in which the world’s pre-eminent superhero grew up a Jewish boy in Toronto.  Doctorow captures the dilemma of the super man in a world that no longer needs him for his physical strength — but may still need his courage.

If you like alternate superhero stories — and I do — you might also like “Last Son of Tomorrow” by Greg Van Eekhout, hosted at Tor.com.  It’s also got a skewed look at the relationships and difficulties of being a superhero that I enjoyed.

- Matt Price

Classic science-fiction tales come to illustrated format with the first full-color volume in the “Graphics Classics” line.   The 17th volume of “Graphic Classics” will adapt stories from the original creators of science fiction including “The War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells and “A Martian Odyssey” by Stanley G. Weinbaum.

Also available in this compilation are comics adaptations of “In the Year 2889,” a rare short story by Jules Verne; “The Disintegration Machine”, starring Arthur Conan Doyle’s Professor Challenger; E.M. Forster’s only SF tale, “The Machine Stops;” and shorts by Lord Dunsany and Hans Christian Anderson.

- Matt Price

George Lang at Staticblog gives a sneak peek into his upcoming Anton Yelchin interview, scheduled for this Friday’s Weekend Look section.  Find out about Yelchin’s Terminator obsession, and his love for gelatinous killing machines, in the link. Yelchin played Chekov in “Star Trek,” so far the summer’s biggest hit, and takes on the role of Kyle Reese in “Terminator: Salvation,” co-starring with Christian Bale as John Connor.

- Matt Price

Actress Sonita Henry has an early encounter with James T. Kirk in the upcoming “Star Trek” movie, directed by J.J. Abrams. How early? She portrays the doctor who delivers baby Kirk in an action-packed scene.

“It’s a very dramatic scene,” Henry said in a recent interview with The Oklahoman. “Things are blowing up, and there’s a woman in labor … in the middle of a war zone, I guess.”

She said the gravity of being cast for “Star Trek” didn’t sink in immediately.

“As an actor, you’re like, ‘Great! Another job,’” she said. “And then it slowly begins to sink in that this isn’t just another job, this is ‘Star Trek.’ This is huge. This has millions and millions of fans around the world.”

She began filming on “Star Trek” in November 2007.

“We were shooting in the Long Beach power station,” Henry said. “We had loads of extras running around. We had explosions.”

Henry’s character and the doctor’s aide, are pushing the pregnant Winona Kirk (Jennifer Morrison, “House”) along in a wheelchair through the extras and the explosions.

“And I think at that point was when I was like, ‘Oh wow. OK, this is a huge movie,’” Henry said.

Henry hasn’t t seen the film. In fact, she’s not sure what she’ll look like in it.

“They put little dots on my face, and they’re going to … be morphing my features.”

Henry said it was difficult to turn down one request from Abrams.

“They wanted me to shave my eyebrows, which we hadn’t discussed until the first day on set,” she said. “Believe me, it was not an easy thing for me to say no, (but) … you don’t know if your eyebrows are going to grow back.”

Instead of shaving her eyebrows, Henry went through two hours of daily makeup to conceal her eyebrows with latex covers.

“It wasn’t work for me; I just got to sit there and drink coffee and relax,” she said. “But the poor makeup guys, two hours every morning, had to do that.”