Films – Page 40 – ÜberSciFiGeek

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen now available at RiffTrax

At its heart, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a love story. A love story between two dogs, Mojo and Frankie, who are shown humping several times in the first fifteen minutes of the movie*. Stunningly, this remains a highlight over the next two hours of movie. We don’t see much of the dogs after their owner, Shia LaBeouf, leaves for college, but we found our thoughts frequently drifting back to them as the human characters dropped their pants, ran into things, and stammered incoherently. Who was feeding the dogs? Were they getting along with the other dogs at the dog park? How was Frankie adapting to the new diet the vet had put him on back in June?

Sadly, these questions go unanswered. In fact, any question you may have regarding Transformers will go unanswered, because Transformers movies are not in the business of answering your questions. Transformers movies are like the street corner rantings of a tinfoil hat wearing lunatic. You don’t expect that guy to actually stop and explain to you what he meant by “The IRS built Yellowstone National Park on the same evening 180 years ago that the Lizard People shot down Sputnik with a rifle made from Avogadro’s Number!” You just slink past him and try to wash the spittle off of your jacket when you get home. The same applies for Transformers. Don’t you dare ask it “How did these characters whose names I don’t know get to this location and what is their purpose once they get there and who is punching who right now?” Just lie back and think of the dogs. Focus on the dogs… Always on the dogs…

The tinfoil hat guy gave Mike, Kevin and Bill’s riffing of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen two thumbs up, a rating he had previously only given to a shopping cart wheel that he believed influenced the 2004 presidential election.

*This is not a joke.

Get it here.

Also available: Dragon Wars: D-War!

Dangerous Game: Steph Song Talks About Her Role as Roulette on Smallville

When we last spoke with Steph Song, she had just finished principal photography on the films The Thaw and Paradox and was about to begin the film festival circuit promoting the wonderful Dim Sum Funeral. She was kind enough to catch us up recently on what she’s been up to.

Be sure to watch Steph as Roulette on Smallville this Friday October 23rd. The Thaw is now available on DVD and Paradox is still in post-production. jPod is available to watch streaming on CBC.com and TheWB.com, and can be purchased from Amazon.com. Also, don’t forget to stop by stephsong.com and islandfilms.net to keep up-to-date on Steph’s latest projects.

Other Steph Song Links:
Steph Song on Twitter
Steph Song on Facebook

Catherine Taber Talks Undercover Padmé

from StarWars.com:

The latest episode of The Clone Wars features Padmé Amidala in the thick of enemy intrigue as she undertakes a controversial spy mission on the behalf of the Jedi Council. She is tasked to spy on a former flame who is believed to be conspiring with the Separatists. Actress Catherine Taber, who provides the voice of Padmé Amidala was kind enough to answer a few questions about this episode, “Senate Spy.”

This episode takes a break from the battlefield action to slip Padmé behind enemy lines to spy. Did you enjoy the opportunity to explore a bit of Clone Wars espionage for a change?

This episode is full of action — just a different kind than we are used to seeing. I had a lot of fun recording this episode — the back-and-forth with Matt Lanter (Anakin) was so much fun for starters. And of course the idea of being a spy is so cool, I loved it!

What do you think makes Padmé particularly suited for this mission?

I think she is pretty calm and collected — good attributes for a spy. She doesn’t panic easily and she is very smart. Plus, she is pretty adept at being able to use her, shall we say, “feminine charms” to distract… kind of like her own version of a “Jedi mind trick”!

While Anakin is over-protective of Padmé by nature, it almost seemed to strengthen her resolve to go forward with the mission — one she had initially refused. Do you think Anakin’s over-protectiveness (and underlying jealousy) may have contributed to her decision to spy on an ex-lover?

To me, there is a strong stubborn nature running through both Padmé and her daughter Leia — so, I love when we can explore that character trait. It is not wise to tell either of these women they can’t do something. You are pretty much guaranteeing they will do it. Which is fun for me to play because I think anyone who knows me would say I am the same way. “Never tell me the odds!”

Any chance the Jedi Order might come to her again for future missions on the sly?

She is sure up for it. Not only is she always looking for any way she can personally help the cause of the Republic but I think she is also very eager to get out of the stuffy old Senate building and into the action any chance she gets. I know I am!

Screamfest 2009 Starts Tomorrow

Screamfest 2009 officially begins tomorrow at Grauman’s Chinese Theaters! Scheduled for October 16th through 25th, Screamfest features full-length and short films in the horror and sci-fi genres. Screamfest was created by producers Rachel Belofsky and Ross Martin (and partnered with Stan Winston) in 2001 as a way to help filmmakers and writers showcase their work to other people in the industry. As a result, many of these gems have received distribution over the years.

This year’s line-up includes features like The Tournament, Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl, Mutant Swinger from Mars and The Fourth Kind, and shorts such as The Familiar, How I Survived the Zombie Apocalypse and Tinglewood. The complete listing of features can be found on their website at screamfestla.com.

“Hellboy” and “The Umbrella Academy” Now Available on the iPhone

from Dark Horse Comics:

Dark Horse is proud to announce that Mike Mignola’s Hellboy and Gerard Way’s The Umbrella Academy are now available on the iPhone.

At the time of their publication, both Seed of Destruction and Apocalypse Suite were immediately renowned by critics as unique and talented debuts by independent creators.

Soon, industry heavyweights joined the chorus. Hellboy: Seed of Destruction is the beginning of the now legendary series Alan Moore calls, “a passport to a corner of funnybook heaven you may never want to leave.”

Similarly, Grant Morrison calls The Umbrella Academy “one of the great new comic books of this decade,” while Newsarama says the first volume of the series, Apocalypse Suite, is “flawless.”

With two blockbuster Hellboy films by Guillermo del Toro and an Umbrella Academy movie in preproduction at Universal Studios, there’s never been a better time to have the start of these monumental comics at your fingertips. A perfect way to introduce friends and pop-culture fans to two of the most important comics series today, or a great way to revisit the magic of amazing sequential art, the mobile editions of Seed of Destruction and Apocalypse Suite are a necessary addition for new and serious readers alike.

The first impressive issues of Hellboy and The Umbrella Academy are now available through the iTunes Store, with subsequent issues available soon. Seed of Destruction is available as four issues at $0.99 each, or as a bundle of all four issues for $3.99. The first issue of Apocalypse Suite is available for free, with issues #2–#6 only $0.99 each, or a bundle of all six issues for $4.99.

Weta Marks 10 Years in Middle-earth

from Weta:

Hey Weta fans,
10 years since filming began on The Lord Of The Rings! How do we celebrate that?

Listen to the Anniversary Podcast!
Daniel Falconer has recorded a very special podcast episode, walking around the workshop, asking the crew who were here back then to share some of their stories and memories. It’s a truly fantastic walk through the workshop, where you meet Richard Taylor, Gino Acevedo, Gareth McGhie, Matt Appleton, Emily-Jane Sturrock and MANY others!

As Daniel mentions in the interviews, we’re releasing a new product to commemorate the 10th anniversary — the Red Eye of Sauron — a pin that has a history very much tied in with Weta’s role in the Lord Of The Rings. Designed by John Howe and adorning Weta’s crew gear, it became the symbol of Weta staff on-set and whenever anyone needed a Weta technician, they would just look for the Red Eye. Now you too can feel like part of the Weta crew!

And don’t forget all the other products we have released recently as we return to Middle-earth, like the Argonath, the Master Swordsmith’s Collection, the Gandalf cloak, the Miniature shields, the life size Gollum bronze statue.

Fresh Ink Online Presents: Brian Michael Bendis Interview

from G4:

Dig this 2-part Fresh Ink Online special where host Blair Butler chats with comic book legend Brian Michael Bendis at Golden Apple Comics in Hollywood.

In Part 1, they chat about the evolution of Spiderwoman, from The Avengers to his upcoming print and motion comic editions, which leads to a spirited discussion of comics going digital via Kindle, iTunes, and Apple or Microsoft tablets. What does the future hold for comic books and does going digital represent the death of print media?

In Part 2, Blair and Brian chat about the evolution of intellectual property and creator owned books. They get into the history of bringing his acclaimed comic Torso to the big screen and he gives insight into consulting on the Iron Man movie and being part of the Marvel creative committee. You’ll also get juicy details on the Powers TV pilot for FX, plus updates on Kenneth Branagh’s upcoming Thor movie and the upcoming Avengers movie. In addition, Brian talks about the re-launch of Powers on November 27 and the December launch of Marvel’s 4-issue mini-series Siege, which kicks off with the Siege of the Cabal debut issue, unites Thor, Iron Man and Captain America, and marks a seismic shift in the Avengers books via the end of the Dark Reign plot. Whew!

Check it out here!

Tonight’s the night! RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 Encore!

from RiffTrax:

The Encore screening of RiffTrax: Plan 9 from Outer Space is finally here! Tonight at 7:30pm, the original evening of live riffing captured on August 20th will be rebroadcast to movie theatres nationwide. This exciting event is ONE NIGHT ONLY, and time is running out!

Whether you are experiencing The Comedy Event of the Year for the first time or are coming back to enjoy it again, now is your last chance to buy tickets! Don’t miss out on the fun. Click the link here to buy your tickets now!

Also new to the RiffTrax store: Bob Executive T-shirts! You, too, can now proclaim to be a Bob Executive, with this handsome t-shirt designed exclusively for us by Len Peralta of Jawbone Radio. Stand tall and be proud as the image of Bob Executive himself stepping off his plane in Phoenix is emblazoned across your chest!

This is the image immortalized by the RiffTrax Live short Flying Stewardess. Wow your friends, terrify your enemies, and get yours today!

Dragon Wars gets housebroken! Plus, Plan 9 Encore this week!

from RiffTrax:

When we heard that Korean studio Younggu-Art Movies was making a picture called Dragon Wars, we were both excited and disgusted at the same time. Excited because we have had many conversations about which Korean movie studio would direct our “dream” dragon movie, and the name Younggu-Art Movies just kept coming up. But we were also disgusted, because the movie title failed to provide its own abbreviation as part of the title.

This is a major gripe that we have with just about every single movie that has ever come out: Abbreviations of a movie’s title should always be included as part of the title. In today’s busy web 2.0 world, who has time to refer to anything by its whole name? However, we run into trouble when movies don’t specify how we should abbreviate their titles, and competing, non-standard abbreviations are adopted. Fortunately, our disgust was misguided, as Dragon Wars bucks the trend and includes its own abbreviation in the title: D-War. A true abbreviation, where Dragon becomes D and Wars becomes War, Dragon Wars: D-War provides the consumer with something so sorely missing from movie titles today: Choice.

So whether you choose to experience the fantastical creatures and hi-octane action sequences of Dragon Wars, or prefer the ancient story of a love that knows no bounds of D-War, you must know one thing: this D-movie D-bites D-hard.

Mike, Kevin and Bill decided to D-riff Dragon Wars: D-War, because a fan in attendance at our 2009 Comic-Con panel suggested it. The moral of the story? Don’t do that.

Get it here.

And don’t forget! This week is the RiffTrax Live Encore of Plan 9! Get tickets and showtimes here.

The Return of Ahsoka

from StarWars.com:

Ahsoka Tano is back as The Clone Wars: Rise of the Bounty Hunters debuts on Cartoon Network on Friday, October 2 at 8pm (check local listings). In the two-part season premiere, the young Padawan leads clone forces that are outnumbered on the planet Felucia. Her actions land her in hot water, and she is assigned guard duty within the Jedi Temple. It’s no quiet assignment, however, since there are villains plotting moves against the Jedi within their very headquarters.

This time, Ahsoka will have to tangle with enemies far more formidable than disposable battle droids. She’s going to go head-to-head with Cad Bane, notorious bounty hunter.

“Ahsoka is in a bit over her head with these bounty hunters,” admits Ashley Eckstein, the actress who voices Ahsoka. “Ahsoka at times, can be very headstrong and think ‘Okay, I can take them down; I can achieve everything! I can get ’em’, but she’s sometimes in over her head.”

Over a year ago, Ahsoka Tano’s debut came as a bit of a surprise to longtime fans — after all, who knew that Anakin Skywalker had a Padawan during the Clone Wars? Now, though, the young Togruta apprentice is an established character within the pantheon of Star Wars heroes, and especially beloved among young fans who have taken to the animated series.

“I think The Clone Wars resonates with kids so much because there’s nothing else like it on television,” says Eckstein. “It allows these kids to imagine themselves as superheroes, basically. What kid does not want to have a lightsaber and be a powerful Jedi and fight for good? Be a good guy and be able to do that?”

The Jim Henson Company Announces “Fraggle Rock Forever” Collection

Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Collection

from The Jim Henson Company:

The Jim Henson Company announced that it is launching a new merchandise collection, Fraggle Rock Forever, based on the global fan-favorite brand that is as popular today as it was when it premiered more than 25 years ago. The collection slated for both the specialty and department store market will have a tiered rollout with a selection of product due in store for holiday 2009 with much more to come in spring 2010.

“We have found Fraggle Rock to be an extremely desirable franchise among the hip fashion industry around the world. The property’s appeal is especially strong to many of the young men and women who loved Fraggle Rock as kids and who are now working in the apparel, accessories and retail business,” said Melissa Segal, Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Products for The Jim Henson Company.

The Fraggle Rock Forever collection, which celebrates the whimsy and celebratory spirit of the classic series, will feature product in categories including apparel, tote bags, belt buckles, jewelry and classic plush. In addition, adult Halloween costumes aimed to appeal to Fraggle fanatic men and women will be available in 2010. Deals have been completed in the U.S. with Bioworld Merchandising, Manhattan Toy, and Rasta Impasta and in the UK with Fashion UK as well as with the popular fashion driven chain Zara which will have Fraggle Rock tees available in their stores around the world.

Also bringing the collection to a new level are hot trend driven designers such as Dr. Romanelli based in Los Angeles and Carri Munden of London based Cassette Playa who appeal to fashion influencers. They are collaborating on the creation of a range of high end clothing which will be featured in upscale boutiques this holiday season. Dr. Romanelli will also be interpreting the brand via a micro-site at drdoozer.com which will host not only the collection of tees, hoodies, jackets, and posters but will also house Fraggle Rock music remixes by hot artists plus clips from the series. (An “under construction” teaser page is online now with the full site to go live in November.) Also, part of this boutique designer collection will feature a high end costume jewelry line designed exclusively by Anita Ko in collaboration with jeweler Pascal Mouawad.

Lionsgate is rounding out the Fraggle Rock assortment with the release of Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Collection. In addition a new DVD special, A Merry Fraggle Holiday, and the much requested Fraggle Rock: The Complete Final Season (Season 4) will be debuting on DVD in time for the holiday 2009 shopping season.

The Jim Henson Company is also launching virtual merchandise including video ring tones and mobile wall paper. The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation.

Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include Sid the Science Kid, and Pajanimals. Features include The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, MirrorMask, and Unstable Fables. Television productions include Fraggle Rock and the sci-fi cult series Farscape. With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. Independently owned and operated by the five adult children of founder Jim Henson, the Company is also home to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state of the art and vintage equipment.

The Company is currently in production on 40 episodes of Dinosaur Train, an animated preschool series teaching concepts of natural science and history, set to debut on PBS KIDS in fall 2009. The Company’s Henson Alternative brand continues to produce Puppet Up! — Uncensored, a live puppet improvisational show that runs monthly at the Avalon Hollywood. The Company has also announced the creation of Jim Henson Designs, a merchandise collection inspired by Jim Henson’s earliest sketches, and The Jim Henson Company: Discoveries, an acquisitions banner that celebrates outstanding third party produced independent film, television and video productions from around the globe embodying the Company’s enduring legacy.

Get more free digital goodies when you attend the Encore of RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 From Outer Space!

from RiffTrax:

The encore screening of RiffTrax: Plan 9 From Outer Space is almost here! The original evening of live riffing captured on August 20th will be rebroadcast Thursday, October 8th in movie theaters nationwide!

And now there are EVEN MORE FREE DIGITAL GOODIES! In addition to receiving the Flying Stewardess downloadable short, autographed digital photo of the guys, and RiffTones song, all event attendees will also get two more RiffTones songs and an animated short of the failed Plans 1-8! More goodies! More fun! All FREE!!!

Tickets are only $10 each and are on sale now! Simply go to the RiffTrax Encore page on Fathom, where you can enter your zip code to find the closest theatre and purchase tickets.

Don’t wait! Get your tickets today!