Conan teaser poster

Well, well, well... what have we here. From the fine folks at Comingsoon.net we catch our first glance at a teaser poster for the new live action Conan movie. Millennium films, who acquired the rights to the property over the summer, plan for this new adaptation to be closer to the Robert E Howard books than the previous films. While I believe the film should still be solidly in the scripting stage, I'm definitely interested to see what they do with it.

-

G.I. Joe updates

A few wonderful updates on our favorite Real American Heroes. Over the past few days it's been a scramble for the studios to get their scripts locked down before the impending writers strike, and G.I. Joe was one of the few that was going to be worked on up to the wire. In fact it was even reported that Paramount had contracted for 3 different scripts from 3 different writers to finish up the screenplay, and that they were planning to combine the best parts from the 3 scripts. An idea that would've obviously been a sure-fired recipe for failure. Thankfully though Paramount are not idiots and all three writers, lead by Stuart Beattie, were actually working together to finish the one single script and polish the story.

And even more good news for freedom lovers everywhere revealed today, the script is ready, the film has officially been greenlit, casting is in progress, and a projected February 13th start is in line for director Stephen Sommers. Working with a budget around $170 million (which is happily much more than I was imagining it would be) casting rumors have started to fly. Of course we don't definitely know which Joe or Cobra characters will feature in the film, but we can assume the core most popular 4 or 5: Duke, Flint, Scarlett, Lady Jaye, and Snake Eyes on the Joes, and Cobra Commander, Storm Shadow, Destro, and the Baroness for Cobra. I guess that's 9, already a fairly big ensemble, especially if you're looking for known actors. And at least for the lead that seems to be the case.

Reported earlier this week, George Clooney was rumored to have been up for the role of Conrad 'Duke' Houser. Quite a change from the longer standing rumor about Mark Wahlberg in the role. Both of these seem to be incorrect though, as the most popular current rumor has Paramount courting Sam Worthington to step into the fatigues of leadership for the Joes. Worthington is of course currently off working on James Cameron's Avatar, but word is that Paramount is interested enough in him that they are willing to work around his scheduling. Now that's a good commitment.

I'm really glad this film is getting made. I sure hope they've got the balls to do it justice. So far everything sounds great.

-

new AVP-R posters

Care of Shocktillyoudrop.com check out these great new international posters of Aliens vs Predator: Requiem...

-

Very slick. Much better than that last poster if you ask me.

Also, just cause its Halloween, why not watch this great and somewhat gory R-rated clip from the new movie of the Predator and Aliens fighting. Hooray graphic violence!!

-

Point Break 2 gears up

Just a quick update on the surf film that is sure to blow all of our collective minds. The HIGHLY anticipated follow up to the Swazye / Keanu ultra team-up action film from some 15 years ago, Point Break.

"I am an F.B.I agent!"

Man, what a great film. A true American classic. I personally cannot wait for the sequel. Unfortunately at this point it doesn't look like either Swayze or Reeves will play a part in the new film, although that isn't a guarantee. I mean even Vin Diesel showed up in Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift.... Anything can happen. But Cinematical is saying that while both Swayze and Reeves people have been contacted there's no word on participation and the plan for now is to cast the film with Asian lead actors.

According to Comingsoon's recent report we do know that this new film WILL finally tell us the fate of Swazye's character Bodhi who as we all know was last seen paddling out into the giant waves of the 50 year storm at Bell's Beach, Australia. (which incidentally is now something of a tourist attraction for it's historical significance in that film, despite the fact that the break there is only just ok, and the scene wasn't technically filmed at that specific beach). Regardless, the story will revolve around an ex-professional surfer who enlists in the US Navy and is recruited to track down a criminal gang based in Southeast Asia. And the film will mark the directorial debut of Peter Iliff, who wrote both original the Point Break and is also penning this sequel.

The film is said to have a budget of $20 - $30 million and is currently prepping to start shooting in SE Asia sometime in mid '08. Killer.

-

Vanderbilt on Spidey 4

Screenwriter James Vanderbilt has been picked by SONY to write the script for Spider-Man 4. A film which will reportedly be scaled back from the previous installments (especially in terms of budget) and focus more on character than special effects. It is also reported that the film will follow the two villain model of Spider-Man 2 rather than 3.

Vanderbilt previously worked on scripts for Zodiac, The Rundown, Darkness Falls, Basic and apparently a rewrite of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. He was picked because of his attention to character driven story.

This scaled back approach is in my opinion exactly what the series honestly needs. While Sam Raimi has mused that if he did come back he would like to round out a Sinister Six storyline featuring Vulture and Electro I think that's mostly just speculation and wishful thinking. I think what we really need is a simpler darker kind of gritty story. Maybe Kraven the Hunter comes to New York to track down The Lizard. It could take place in dark back alleys and sewers. Even Spider-Man has a few dark story arcs, and I think that would be a good one to tell.

We'll have to wait and see what transpires. For the record the last thing we had previously heard about this film was that David Koepp was being courted to write it, however apparently negotiations with him fell through.

As a final thought and a totally random side note, Avi Arad said recently in an interview that Marvel has a Venom movie in the pipeline... very interesting.

Cross your fingers for more on ol webhead in the very near future. Spidey 4 is currently set for a summer 2010 release. Hope that writers strike doesn't get in the way.

-

Colverfield tidbit

Just a quick note, but because its Cloverfield I thought it warranted a post. According to Comingsoon.net we will get a brand new trailer and the final official title to Colverfield in front of Beowulf, opening on November 16th. So that's very good news indeed.

There's not much happening on the ARG / rumor front, although feel free to marvel at the splash page for Bold Futura, at boldfutura.jp, the full site is coming soon. Bold Futura is a subsidiary company of the Tagruato Corporation, and you can read all about that here.

for all your 1-18-08 news, I recommend Cloverfield Clues :)

UPDATE - CHUD has posted a spoiler filled description of the upcoming trailer. It sounds great! really REALLY cool. And there is a piece of a scene described in the trailer description that matches an AICN post from a while ago that describes more of that full scene. The big news if these descriptions are correct, is that the film will feature both a large size monster, and smaller ones as well. Also that the smaller ones may have the capacity to bite people and make them sick. Monster zombies or vampires maybe? That's probably too cheesy. :) Ok, well we do know that it's for sure a real survival story, as opposed to an Independence Day 'kill em all and reclaim our world' sort of thing. We'll know for sure once it comes out in a few weeks.

-

Escape update

Well, there has been a few small movements on the Escape From New York remake front lately, but nothing truly substantiated until this announcement today, that Gerard Butler has officially dropped out of the film, which has been stalled in pre-production for a while now.

I personally was pretty excited to see the Spartans take on Snake Plisskin, but I understand why he also might want off this ship. The film has reportedly been tossed around to a few different directors in the past while. First it was set up with Len Wiseman, but he left, presumably to get to work on Underworld 3 and the oft rumored Gears of War film. And then reports over the past few weeks seemed to indicate that Brett Ratner was briefly hired onto the film, but now it appears that New Line have settled onto Jonathan Mostow of Terminator 3 fame to retool the script with an option to direct as Butler bows out.

Maybe a rethinking / retooling break is in order for this film. If they do remake it, and I personally hope they do, then I definitely want it to be fan-fuckin-tastic. The franchise has a lot of untapped potential with the right elements in place. Hopefully Mostow is the right man for the job.

-

Wanted trailer

Oh man, you guys have got to see this sweet trailer for Wanted. It just dropped and it it really kicks a lot of ass. Morgan Freeman is just so damn cool doing the voice over "What would you do if no one ever told you that bullets fly straight." And I have to say McAvoy looks fantastic for the part. What a cool movie this is going to be :)

The official website for Wanted has gone online at wantedmovie.com and there you can find links to all sorts of goodies like icons/avatars, wallpaper, a gallery, and of course the trailer. I will post it here once it hits somewhere like Youtube tomorrow. For now though, go check it out at this link and enjoy it. TTYL.

-

The Office spinoff

WHAT?! is this for real???

Well, in todays Ausiello Report over at TV Guide online, the uber-awesome Michael Ausiello scooped that NBC's very funny show The Office will be getting the Grey's Anatomy / Private Practice treatment, and have a new series spun off of it later this year. The proposed Office 2 will not feature any of the current shows core cast but will focus on entirely new characters, and NBC is currently out shopping for a leading funny man...

This is very weird news, that I'm really not sure I like. Even if its a very different premise than The Office, do we really need another show like it? I love the pacing, timing and unique comedy of The Office, but I worry that another series might overload my appetite for quirky downbeat documentarian comedy. Can tv handle more awkward pauses, or foot in mouth moments? While I'm holding back any final judgment until I hear more, I'm not sure Michael Scott would approve of this business move...

-

Van Peebles Unites

The Baadasssss himself, or perhaps I should say son of Baadassss Mario Van Peebles has stepped from the ether into the news spotlight again. This time developing his long time passion project "The Uniter" for the big screen. Van Peebles is set to direct the film based on a script he wrote and developed himself over the last 6 years inspired by his travels through India, and Aztec mysticism.

According to Variety the story "chronicles the journey of a political fugitive who escapes from the future back to the present to teach a 13-year-old how to use his powers to unite the warring factions of the world before it's too late for planet Earth."

Time traveling politicians? Diplomacy at all costs? Sounds like a sure fire winner to me :) Van Peebles hopes to begin shooting in January.

-

Wanted pics

I know I haven't talked about Wanted here, and I'm not really sure why. I think I had something against the comic book maybe, although I can't really figure out what that could be seeing as I've never read it... hmmm. Anyhow, Wanted is a new film starring James McAvoy as Wes, a typical cubicle monkey who is one day offered the opportunity to seek bloody revenge for the murder of his father, who was a super-villain assassin. Wes is invited by his father's former partner Sloan, head of The Fraternity, a secret society of bad ass superheroes (Morgan Freeman), to follow in his father's footsteps. Sloan's second-in-command Fox (Angelina Jolie) mentors Wes. The Fraternity, which uses powers of lightning reflexes, and super speed, follows the death orders issued by the Fates, weavers who read individuals' destinies in fabrics produced by mystical looms.

Empire Online recently snagged the first official photos from the film, and wow, pretty cool. Check out this amazing shot of Morgan Freeman as the Leader of the Fraternity, a man obviously with some serious power. And go over to Empire to see a bunch of other pics, including a few featuring the lovely Ms Jolie.


Watch for a trailer to Wanted to drop sometime next week as it's reported to be attached to prints of the awesome looking Ridley Scott film American Gangster. Wanted is set for release March 28th, '08.

-

live action Akira

Is it really going to happen? A live action adaptation of the manga and extremely popular anime film Akira? Well, apparently is Warners has anything to say about it yes. And soon too.

Bloody Disgusting reports that, Warners have hired Ruairi Robinson to direct the film which they hope to get working on before the impending writers strike... which could hit as early as the end of this week. Robinson has helmed.. well not too much. And nothing I've seen, except this one short film. Which you too can check out, right here. It's an interesting 7 minute horror / sci fi film called The Silent City.

I for one would definitely be up for a live action Akira film. I think it could be really cool.

-

Pumpkin Skull

The pumpkin I carved this weekend looked something like this. I forgot to take a picture of it before I gave it away to a friend, but I thought it turned out pretty darn well.

DC makes some moves

I have to wonder sometimes what exactly Warner Brothers is doing. They waited a solid 5 years after Marvel started making a gagillion dollars on their various movie franchises before even attempting to get in the ring, and then we got what? Halle Berry's Catwoman, and a few REALLY bad ideas... Wonder Twins?! Seriously!?! Jack Black as Green Lantern?! I mean is it that hard to take your own characters just a little bit seriously.

And then along comes Chris Nolan and he makes the world right again. Batman Begins kicks off a new era for WB and their comic book properties. Maybe this can really work. Singer took on Superman and whether wholly successful or not, at least you know he honestly tried, and that he respects the character. But missteps seem a bit inevitable. DC still has a head up their ass quality sometimes. And for every innovative idea like New Frontier, it seems we also are given questionable ones, like what I see as a rushed JLA movie, and two new actors playing the only really currently established movie heroes DC has (Supes and Batman). Granted nothing is set in stone confirming that, but generally at this point everyone seems to think that's the case.

Is DC doing things ass-backwards? Launching the team story in Justice League before single editions introducing the characters? Marvel is just ramping up for an Avengers movie now, after years of establishing characters. And unlike DC they don't seem to be in any huge rush; they know that their single character stories are working their way into mainstream American consciousness, before throwing a handful of unknown characters to the moviegoing wolves. And I think that's a pretty smart idea. But Warner Brothers made two announcements yesterday that might change all that. No, it doesn't look like they're scrapping the JLA film in favor of single serving hero pics. Instead they're going to do it all at once, and have a blockbuster sweeping superhero slate.

It was reported by MTV in their surprisingly good Movies Blog that David Dobkin, director of Wedding Crashers, and the new Fred Claus will be taking on The Flash. This makes him the third director attached to the project (following David Goyar, and Shawn Levy). Even better news is that Dobkin's scarlett speedster will be the same one we meet in George Miller's JLA movie, currently in endless casting. When asked which version of The Flash would feature in his film, Dobkin told reporters that it would be the modern age Flash that most people are familiar with, Wally West. He also said this film would be a continuation of the character and story established for Wally in the Justice League film.

And then hot on the heels of the Flash news came Variety's report that a director has also been hired to helm a Green Lantern film! Greg Berlanti, who is best known as exec producer and writer on such shows as Dirty Sexy Money, and Brothers & Sisters will write and direct the film, which unlike the case of The Flash is said to not follow the Justice League GL, reported to be John Stewart, but instead the silver age fan favorite Lantern Hal Jordan. Presumably it will still take place in the same universe as the JLA film, as there are many Lanterns operating at the same time in the comic continuity, but that hasn't been confirmed yet.

Both Flash, and Green Lantern films will be released after George Miller's Justice League film. And as for the JLA film... well I know I haven't been talking much about it. As you can tell I have a few doubts about it, but I'm definitely still interested. A lot of film sites these days are following the endless speculation on casting; and while I admit I'm definitely intrigued as to which young Hollywood hottie will get to play Wonder Woman I also get pretty frustrated by the non stop speculation. So I'm not going to talk about any of that stuff here. Instead what interests me more at this point is the story. If you're interested as well, and don't mind a few kinda bigish spoilers, I encourage you to check out this VERY enlightening article on Ain't It Cool News where they talk through a number of plot points, including what villains will appear.

I honestly want this film, all these films, to be good. I may have grown up a Marvel zombie, but I've read a lot of DCs stuff in the past few years and its really solid. They've got some great complex characters, and at times deal with pretty mature themes. Flash, and especially Green Lantern are good characters, and I have faith that they can hold a film. I just hope DCs strategy doesn't deliver more films of Catwoman quality. That would make me very very sad. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

UPDATE - Surprise, surprise, Joel Silver who has been the standby producer on a proposed Wonder Woman picture says that the Amazonian's solo efforts have been temporarily stalled until after the JLA film has been completed. I guess Warners didn't want to overload their plate...

-

Marié Digby's Umbrella

Ok, so generally speaking I'm not a huge fan of this kind of music, but I have to admit this girl is really talented. Marié Digby is the YouTube phenom that makes some great folky music of her own but is best known for a few of her acoustic cover songs. Her breakout came with this cover for Rhianna's Umbrella. Check it out.



Obviously a part of her appeal is that she's pretty easy on the eyes too, but her voice is really just fantastic. Check out a full version of the song here, or her performance on Last Call here. Her EP, titled Start Here is available on iTunes for $4. Pretty nice :)

-

Sci Fi opens Warehouse 13

Following the recent news about Sci Fi Channel's upcoming show Revolution, they have announced work on a pilot for another new series called Warehouse 13.

The show according to Variety will be X-Files meets Moonlighting. The "comedic drama follows two agents -- a man and woman -- as they're given a "promotion" to head up the hush-hush "Warehouse 13" in South Dakota. The facility is home to a collection of strange materials collected by the government. The pair are charged with hunting down missing objects and discovering new ones -- and then bringing them back to the vaults." Unfortunately "just as a romance starts to develop between the two lead characters, one of the mysterious artifacts brings the female FBI agent's dead partner back to life -- creating quite the bizarre love triangle."

So far only a pilot has been approved, but should the show get picked up it will follow the more episodic story style of Eureka, which will according to programming VP Mark Stern maintain accessibility and appeal to a wider audience, especially females.

Sounds like this could be a fun show, we'll have to see what becomes of it.

-

And the wolves come out to play

Underworld 3, is ramping up to get going and a few details have started to surface. It is being called Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans. I betcha by the time it makes it to theaters they drop the 3. Anyhow, the film is in fact a prequel and will explore the beginnings of the age long feud between the vampires and werewolves (aka Lycans).

According to Variety the film "traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (Michael Sheen) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, Sonja (Rohna Mitra), in his battle against the Death Dealer army and his struggle for Lycan freedom."

It is also the first of the Underworld films to really center on the Lycan way of life. A good move if you ask me, as this just opens more territory to explore. Of course the film is being directed by neophyte director, and former VFX artist who designed the creatures for the first two films, Patrick Tatopoulos. But hey you've got to start somewhere, and I think this is a great opportunity. I am disappointed of course to see an Underworld film without Kate Beckinsale, but Michael Sheen is really a wonderful actor that I'm always glad to watch. And I think we can all agree he's much better than Scott Speedman.

I'm looking forward to see where they go with this film. I really enjoyed both of the Underworld films, and this one despite not being a direct sequel could be pretty fun. Underworld 3 goes into production January '08 in New Zealand.

-

Enter the Predalien

Thanks go to my friend Bernard for pointing me to the story this morning where USA Today got the first look at the infamous Predalien (a Predator-Alien hybrid) from the upcoming Aliens vs Predator: Requiem film. According to their interview with directors Greg and Colin Strause the film is set to be darker and grittier than past installments in either franchise. They really want to bring the Aliens back to Ridley Scott's roots. Expect darkness, scary situations, lots of rain, a favoring of men in costumes over extensive CG, and I'm sure some pretty kickass action.

As for these pics of the Predaliens, well I have to say I'm not really sold on them. And like I was discussing with Bernard, it doesn't even make sense. I mean the Predators are already aliens. Why are we changing their name?! What we should be doing is finally actually giving the Aliens a real name. My recommendation is to either use the Marvel comics name for their creatures that are obviously based on the Aliens, The Brood, or the name used in Starcraft for them, the Zerg. I mean considering how many times we've seen them now, don't you think we could think of something more imaginative than Aliens... Check out these pics, and go to the USA Today for more.



It's going to be a very cool and fun action film no matter what. Look for it coming at you on Christmas Day.

-

Is tv even good?

Just because I know you've been clamoring for it, I thought I'd take the opportunity, and god given right of every blogger, for a quick update of my thoughts on a few tv shows. While almost all of this season's new tv is still on the air, not all of it has lived up to the hype; and I for one have found myself drawn into some different avenues than I expected this season. So let's start with the big new shows first...

Bionic Woman
This show is seriously losing me. I've been one of the strongest supporters for the show, at least that I know, but no matter what I was hoping for this show seems determined to prove itself to be bad. I enjoyed the pilot, and I think a lot of that had to do with how much better I thought the pilot was than the original version which I saw of it way back at comic con. The second episode had me intrigued. While I wasn't super excited by the "mission" element of the show, I really enjoyed the dynamics of the team. I also really liked the training sequences where Jamie is leaning her powers. But since we've past that point now, episode 5 having just aired I have to admit, this show is really getting worse and worse. The action is really cheesy, the missions totally absurd, and the team element both in practical structure, and dynamics that I liked just a few episodes ago is highly implausible at best. This show is just bad, and despite the news today that they have another new show runner, this time Jason Cahill of Sopranos fame, taking over for their first replacement Jason Katims of Friday Night Lights fame, does not fill me with hope. If this show doesn't get better very soon, it won't just lose me, it will lose everyone.

Journeyman
My official most anticipated new show of the Fall season, started with a bang, then slowed down for a few episodes, where it almost died, but with new episodes on the way it looks like it now might be getting into a groove as the larger overarching story is finally starting to kick into gear. There's a delicate balance people need with their television, we want both smart and fun, interesting and accessible, and it's tough to find that middle ground. No where is that more evident is the dynamic between a show that wants to develop a large overarching storyline, but still maintain the episodic feel. Journeyman is having a tough time finding that right level. As a sci fi story, that is generally trying to take itself seriously it needs the larger mythos. Time traveling pseudo science aside, this genre as a whole tries to be about bigger picture things. But I remember hearing somewhere, on a director commentary of a tv show, some words that seem really true here; that tv shows live and die by their first 6 to 9 episodes, and every single one of those episodes should provide an avenue for someone who is just seeing the show for the first time to join. Journeyman has run the serious risk of becoming too episodic (ie accessible) for its own good. But with the return to the ongoing story elements as the show progresses into episode 4 and 5 I think Journeyman can get on track. Considering the sci fi element already scares a certain demographic off, I hope this show doesn't alienate the actual fans of the genre by ignoring them. It definitely has the potential to still be a very good show, I hope it can deliver.

Reaper
I'm not sure where to begin with Reaper. I mostly liked the pilot, but since then... sigh. Maybe I should mention the good stuff first... Tyler Labine, formerly of Invasion and a slew of other things, is hilarious as the 'wacky slacker friend'. He jumps off the screen, and steals the show every time he appears. One day there will be a great starring vehicle for him, but for now he is the brightest spot in a show that is struggling to keep my interest. The other really nice thing about Reaper is the chemistry, the show is cute, and the cast really has a nice feel to it. Everyone is very natural, and the dialogue is quirky and fun, possibly that can be attributed to Kevin Smith's involvement as a show consultant. But the problems with the show are becoming more and more apparent as we get into the 5th and 6th episodes. The biggest of which being that the totally contrived reasons why the main guy, Sam can't get together with the main girl, Andi. The show is playing their relationship very oddly. They are both likable and have good chemistry onscreen but the reasons for Sam to not ask Andi out seem more and more to be a result of Sam being a total chicken than a good friend. Its frustrating to have your protagonist be such a loser, and frankly out of character considering how his story is developing in the rest of the show. The other big reason Reaper is slowly losing me is that the premise seems to be lending itself to an incredibly repetitive structure. Every single week Sam has to capture a new soul and return him to hell, every single week he gets some awful 'devil power', every single week he gets a 'vessel' that he doesn't understand until the critical moment, and every single week he bitches to the devil about how suckie his job/life are. Its going to get boring very VERY fast.

Kid Nation
I don't even know how to justify why I'm still watching this show. It's so overly engineered. These kids would totally get along in the real world, but the show seems to struggle to create conflict. I find the entire idea that we can use these kids to show us how to be a better world a little nauseating. Its far to simple-minded a theme; heartwarming pap. But the show is really just very very watchable. The kids are entertaining, and thank god, almost all of them are totally genuine in what they're doing. They're just living their lives in this crazy situation, and that is cool. I am hooked, and am not turning back.

I still haven't had time to catch up on the new shows Dirty Sexy Money, or Chuck. Both of which were on my to watch list. For others like Private Practice, or the critically and publicly renowned Pushing Daisies I think I'm just going to totally give up on. I only have so many hours in a day, and as you'll see from this post I'm already watching waaaay to much. Here's some thoughts on returning shows I've been checking out.

Heroes
What played so strong last season has in a way entered what a lot of people are calling a sophomore slump. I say in a way, because I don't really think that it is a slump. I think this is just part of the ebb and flow of a series that has a few really great highs each multi episode story arc (a 'pod' as Tim Kring likes to call them), coupled with a lot of meandering slow plot builds the rest of the time. As season one ended a lot was going on, now that season two is going, especially picking up a full four months after the end of the first one, its not really surprising to me that the show is taking some time to find its footing again. That said, I don't think the super slow paced character builds, unexciting new heroes, or languid plotting are a good thing. Matt and Mohinder seem to be the slowest detectives ever, if Hiro is going to insist on staying in the past for a third of the season then lets actually see some of his adventures, and I don't think anyone wants to see Peter without his powers. It's like everything is just slightly off what I wanted in the new season. Even Claire's story, apparently lifted straight out of an episode of Smallville is kinda boring me. But it's all leading to something that should be very good, and that is what Heroes has a great ability to do, essentially plod along, until a moment of greatness. And on Heroes those moments, where we first hear future Hiro say "Save the Cheerleader Save the World", or have Peter duke it out all lightning bolts, fire and ice with Sylar, or when HRG actually gives up his own memories to save his daughter, or when Ted blows up the Bennet household... those moments are simply the best kind of television. They totally transport you, right into the very moments of the show. That is Heroes at its finest. And I am waiting for that to return; I believe it will, I just hope its soon.

Friday Night Lights
If you aren't watching this show, and I suspect you aren't because I don't think I actually know anyone watching this show other than me, you really should be. To be clear, I am not a football fan. I do not watch the sport, I do not have a favorite team, and I really only know the basic rules to the game. This show is not about football; it is about people set against a backdrop of football. This show is a drama, and it's modeled very closely on the real world. Maybe not always in plot, but definitely always in character. These characters react so naturally, and so consistently that its no surprise to hear that many of the scenes are riddled with improv. I am a huge fan of this show, and the second season is maintaining the very high level of quality as the first. This is a show that 3 or 4 years from now once they win a few emmys you'll discover and wonder to yourself why on earth you never watched it before. I'm telling you now, start watching this show. it's great.

Grey's Anatomy
This is totally a guilty pleasure of mine, and definitely the most girly of all the shows I watch, please don't make fun of me for it. The show is on its 4th season although I've only been watching since the last one I am pretty engrossed in the show. It's a total soap opera, with everyone sleeping with each other, highly implausible yet heart wrenching medical dramas that auspiciously mirror whatever happens to be going on with the doctors personal lives at the moment, and all sorts of touching moments from overly sincere excessively emotional pretty people. If you're looking for fluff, look no further.

House
A great character based medical show that has just begun its 4th season, this is another one of those series that I have just recently started making time for. House is quirky, and biting and funny. It has engaging mysteries and this season a very new cast. I also think you can drop in and out of this series and not miss too much, check it out if you can.

Survivor China
Survivor is Survivor is Survivor. This time its in China. People are still assholes. This game is just as engrossing as I remember, but basically played out. Why am I watching this??? I honestly don't know. It makes me feel kind of dirty. Watching this is almost as bad as watching American Idol. Stay away... if you can.

Robot Chicken
Of all the Adult Swim line up, this is the only show I am keeping up with right now. I have new Metalocalypse, and Frisky Dingo as well as old Saul of the Mole Men and Moral Orel on deck with my DVR, but just can't seem to find the time. Until I can get my grubby mitts on another season of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, this show is by far the best AS has to offer. Only one problem, it's way too short.

How I Met Your Mother / The Office / 30 Rock
These shows are all hilarious. In unique and awesome ways. From Barney, to Dwight, to Baldwin. Watch them; you won't regret it.

South Park / The Sarah Silverman Program
These shows are really crass, but still funny. Like each episode is worse than the last. And I kind of feel bad enjoying them. But I still watch... what does that say about me?

There's a couple shows that I'm catching here and there like Legion of Superheroes (which seems very good this season) and Big Bang Theory (which is actually growing on me a little). But for every one of those there's a Flash Gordon, or a Batman that have fallen by the wayside. :(

To wrap up this extremely long post I wanted to mention two shows that have ended their run but I've just finished watching and wanted to recommend them. The first is the really excellent AMC original series Mad Men. This is easily one of the smartest most original shows I've seen in years. It follows a number of characters who work at an advertising agency in New York in 1960. The writing is extremely clever, and although this is definitely a show that you'll want to seriously pay attention to, if you miss a scene you won't be totally lost like with some other new series. The first season which just ended was absolutely amazing, I highly recommend you try to see this series and catch up by next season. And the last show I wanted to talk about is Flight of the Conchords, which is based on the 'parody' band of the same name. If you ever saw the Tenacious D series, it is ever so slightly like that. The show semi-autobiographically follows the band as they try to make it big. But really they are mostly just parodying themselves, and often they end up in truly absurd and funny situations, usually enhanced by their fish out of water kiwis in America antics. The show is dynamite, I was really just rolling laughing at it sometimes. While there is an element of hit or miss on a few of their songs, overall this show is great, and well worth your time. It's an HBO series that will begin a second season sometime next year.

You know, looking at this list its pretty insane that I can physically watch so much television. And all this is aside from things like The Daily Show, Colbert Report, Best Week Ever, and The Soup. None of which count as they are informational: hence news ;)

Good thing I'm so very very dedicated. Better head off now. Later kids.

-

I Am Legend trailer 2

Wow, this new I Am Legend trailer show a lot more action that the first one. What the heck is going on??? I mean, I've seen the classic Omega Man, and I definitely don't remember anything looking like that... Very interesting, and very cool.

Loggin - Uploaded by IMLX

I Am Legend is coming out just in time for Xmas, on December 14th, '07.

-

new Rambo trailer

Check out this great new "official" trailer for Rambo. Much tamer than the unofficial ultra-violent R-rated trailer that hit the web a few months ago, I think this movie is looking pretty sick. Check it out.



Rambo hits the big screen January 25th, '08.

-

Knight Rider tv update

Just two quick updates on the Knight Rider tv show being produced by NBC as a backdoor pilot for later this year. If you'll remember I discussed this, in some detail a little while ago. But all controversy aside, it looks like the NBC version of the KR saga is moving forward full steam.

News has surfaced that exec producer Doug Liman will not be directing the pilot unfortunately, although the duty has been passed along to a tv veteran Steve Shill. Who recently won some accolades for his work on the Kill Point miniseries which I unfortunately missed :( Anyhow, that's all fine, but what I really wanted to draw your attention to was Ain't It Cool News' excellent somewhat spoiler filled script review of the pilot. Perhaps surprisingly it honestly sounds like it might actually be good!

You know, despite the misgivings I expressed before on this project, I really do think this property could be revamped well, and television is the place to do it. Here's hoping everything comes together and we all end up with a kickass new Knight Rider series we're all happy with.

CORRECTION - Sorry, but as was pointed out to me in the comments, I accidentally said that Doug Liman wrote the pilot script, but in fact it was actually written by David Andron.

-

Mummy updates

If you're at all interested in the new Mummy film you'll definitely want to be reading director Rob Cohen's production blog. It is smart, insightful and has a candor almost unseen from director's during the hectic production schedule. I am impressed with his vision and was honestly touched to read how much he really cares for the property. I have to say I was never a huge fan of the franchise, but I'm really glad to see that the man behind the camera is so dedicated to making a great film.

Filming which began a month or so ago in Montreal, has recently moved to China and is really ramping up. As described on the blog, the film, titled The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, sees "Brendan Fraser return as explorer Rick O’Connell to combat the resurrected Han Emperor (Jet Li) in an epic that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Rick is joined in this all-new adventure by son Alex (newcomer Luke Ford), wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and her brother, Jonathan (John Hannah). And this time, the O’Connells must stop a mummy awoken from a 2,000-year-old curse who threatens to plunge the world into his merciless, unending service.

Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress (Michelle Yeoh) to spend eternity in suspended animation, China’s ruthless Dragon Emperor and his 10,000 warriors have laid forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. But when dashing adventurer Alex O’Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, the reckless young archaeologist must seek the help of the only people who know more than he does about taking down the undead: his parents.

As the monarch roars back to life, our heroes find his quest for world domination has only intensified over the millennia. Striding the Far East with unimaginable supernatural powers, the Emperor Mummy will rouse his legion as an unstoppable, otherworldly force...unless the O’Connells can stop him first."

Sorry for the long description there, but I think it actually sounds like it might be really interesting. I mean can you go so wrong when you've got Jet Li, and Michelle Yeoh. They're both fantastic actors, and despite what people may say about the mummy films, they are fun. I am looking forward to more on this. We'll have to see how it all develops. Until then, check out this very first pic of Jet Li as the Dragon Emperor. Pretty cool.


Oh and if you just can't get enough Mummy action, a direct to dvd prequel to The Scorpion King is in the works as we speak! Unfortunately no Rock in this one, but The Scorpion King: Rise of the Akkadian should be another fun action film. Check out all the details on ComingSoon.net.

-

30 Days of Night review

30 Days of Night is a film that has all the elements of a great movie, but it doesn't come together to reach its potential. That's not to say the film is bad, but its disappointing that there is so much here and it can't deliver on the fantastic, gory and frightening vampire flick it wants to be.

The best thing about this film is the gore, make up, and vampire effects. These feel fresh, and creepy. For the number of vamp films out there its really a pleasant surprise to find a vision so unique and disturbing. The vampires, while inconsistent in character and intent look and kill fantastically. This paired with the truly outstanding set design and cinematography give this story a lot of depth in tone, and a weighty atmosphere.

Unfortunately those alone do not make a good story. This film suffers from a number of problems. Shallow characters mar the film. And this is especially disappointing considering this is a story that has many long character 'driven' scenes, it's just wasted opportunity. Much of this film is spent following the remaining band of humans hiding after the initial vampire attack. They're not fighting back, they're just staying as still as possible. Sure that's probably the smartest thing to do in that kind of a situation, but why would I want to watch a movie where the main characters are actively trying to make nothing happen? Should I root for them, and then get a super boring film. For a huge action-horror film there is surprising little action, or horror. And that latter point is the biggest flaw of this film. It is simply not scary. Its definitely gory, but it just wasn't remotely scary. I'm pretty lenient with horror films, I can look past the plot inconsistencies, and even the lack of strong character; you don't go to a horror film for those anyhow, but I can't forgive a horror film for not being scary.

At one point there's a beautiful panning overhead shot looking down across a few blocks of the town as the vampires are first attacking. It is chaos, destructive, extremely bloody, and surely a total nightmare for any unlucky soul trapped in that fray. That shot gives us 30 Days at its finest. Unruly, chaotic and viceral. But these moments are very few in a movie that falls back on gore to cover the fact that it simply is not scary. What a shame.

30 Days of Night is a film worth renting but unless you're a diehard vampire junkie, you can pass on this in the theater.

1.5 / 5
------

More reviews can be found on my Flixter page.
Why not join and friend me :)

-

Avatar Begins

James Cameron is a directorial machine. He may take his time making films, but man what films they are. His newest piece, a huge action sci fi film Avatar is shrouded in mystery, but its been one of Cameron's many dream projects for literally years. That he's now bringing this reportedly huge vision to the screen is something we should all be excited about. I mentioned this project briefly back in January but now that things are really rolling I thought a refresher was in order. According to this article, filming is kicking off in New Zealand at a budget of approximately $200 million USD. Although a few scened have already been shot in LA the majority of the film will be done on location overseas, with the effects being done by the masters of magic at Weta. For the moment there hasn't been too much buzz on Avatar, but mark my words, there will be. This film sounds great!

the film is set on a distant planet some 200 years in the future, and is as Cameron describes it "an old fashioned jungle adventure with an environmental conscience". In the initial press release on the film it was described more thoroughly as "an emotional journey of redemption and revolution. It is the story of a wounded ex-marine, thrust unwillingly into an effort to settle and exploit an exotic planet rich in bio-diversity, who eventually crosses over to lead the indigenous race in a battle for survival". The film stars Sam Worthington, as Jake Sully, the "paralyzed former marine who undergoes an experiment to exist as an avatar, another version of himself... an alien – 10 feet (three meters) tall and blue." I'm sure he does it all for love and justice though; and that's where the film will get juicy. I mean it almost sounds like a John Carter of Mars story!

The film costars Zoe Saldana who we all know was recently cast as Uhura in Star Trek as the love interest in the film. She is a woman who was at some point in the past betrayed by Sully and is entirely computer generated... okay... hmmm. We also get some fantastic supporting characters with Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez and Giovanni Ribisi all lending their talents.

There's a lot going on with this film, and while buzz hasn't gotten too crazy yet, production is being watched very closely. We should keep our eyes on this one, Cameron back in charge of a huge sci fi epic is definitely something to take note of. More to come on this film as it develops. For now it's set as a May 22, 2009 release.

-

Sci Fi starts the Revolution

Care of the ever awesome Comingsoon.net, Sci Fi channel has greenlit a two hour pilot for a new show called Revolution, the sweeping story of 'New America,' a distant colony on an Earth-like planet struggling for its independence from an increasingly hostile homeland.

"Echoing many contemporary issues and themes, it is a futuristic version of a new world's passionate fight for freedom. The expansive drama centers on the Hart family one of the founding families of New America. Tom, a former military man turned industrialist, is the patriarch of the family facing great pressure from the government to increasingly tax the colonists already heavily burdened. His two sons have struggles of their own with one rebelling against his industrialist grandfather and the old America, the other more radical one heading toward revolution. His 16 year-old daughter is simply trying to find her way in this world. Add to this a new local Governor torn between her allegiance to the colony and her desire for peace, and a young ambitious bureaucrat looking to bring the colony back under control."

For a few more bits on the show check out the CS article. But this sounds pretty much right up my alley. I definitely look forward to more on this show...

-

Impending strike

Ok, I'm going to try to make this reasonably short, party because I don't really understand it that well, but also because its pretty darn complicated and I'd rather say too little than get things really wrong. For some initial basics you might want to check out this wiki page.

As we all should know at this point, the WGA (Writer's Guild of America) is facing a looming strike. Their contract with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) will expire on October 31, '07 and for a number of reasons, many of which I'm sure I'm not familiar with, it looks like a general strike will be called for.

This recent article in Variety highlights some of the issues being faced at the moment. It seems like the main reasons behind the strike include the AMPTPs failure to acknowledge or compensate writers for work distributed through "new media" methods, archaic regulations regarding royalties as they pertain to sales of dvds (which as we all know are humongous now), and the failure to acknowledge the work of writers on "reality television". Yes. I know I'm sure there are many more reasons than that, but I get a bit lost in the minutiae of it all; sorry.

I'm not terribly sure how I feel about the whole thing. I mean I definitely agree with the writers, but I suppose selfishly, I don't want this to affect my entertainment. It is what it is though, and I just wanted to present some of the basics of the situation here for people who are reading this and might not know about the current happenings.

There has been a rash of scripts being written in Hollywood for the past few months. To be clear, if a strike does happen, there can be no new scripting done on union projects. The studios and networks CAN ONLY create union approved material. That means this potential strike will also seriously affect the Director Guild, the Screen Actors Guild, and about 15 other smaller unions. So both the film studios and the tv networks are stockpiling projects that are completed and ready to go so they can wait out a potentially long strike if the need arises. Check out this pretty interesting list of projects that are set to be fastracked by the various studios, who are hoping to get the scripts done under the wire if a strike does happen (presumably most of these scripts are done by now). Also I'd like to recommend the Dealfatigue blog for some interesting thoughts on the matter (post 1, post 2) from the perspective of an entertainment lawyer in LA.

Obviously this could be a very big deal... well it already is a big deal. But we're still not sure how it will affect whats happening in Hollywood. Maybe the Guild will actually agree to an extension of their current contract while a study group investigates the impact of new media tech on the industry, but it doesn't sound like it. I haven't found a really good 'layman' site that keeps up on this. If someone knows one, please let me know as it gets a bit much for me. I'll report what I can on the strike here, but if you're really interested you might just have to keep an eye on Variety.

In the coming weeks, anything can happen. Let's hope for the best, and keep our fingers crossed that a deal can be struck saving us hardcore fans some hassle and keeping us looking at quality entertainment well into 2009, and beyond.

-

Rambo poster

Check out this truly awesome poster for Rambo. Despite reports last week that the film's title was changing to Rambo:To Hell and Back, it looks like everyone including Sly hated that and the film is going back to its simple destructive roots. Rambo is set to come out Jan 25th, '08.

-

Flashback 07 - The Nightmare

Last night I had a somewhat disturbing dream. I'm actually already forgetting the particulars of it but it was one of those more real world kind of scary dreams; as opposed to like 'a monster is chasing me' kind of things. As far as I can remember, in the dream I was working at a convention center of some sort. And some of my coworkers there were being threatened by this creepy guy who would come around. So basically the dream was this guy coming around to harass my female coworkers, and I had to get rid of him. Just like in the real world, I imagine, I said things like 'get out of here now or I'm going to call security', The creepy thing was that this guy, a tall, blonde, with a broken arm, (oh man, I just realized, it was Dr Danger, from a show I just saw for the first time last night) anyhow, he was totally threatening me. Saying things like 'I'll leave now, but I'm coming back later on with a weapon'. That was the somewhat creepy part.

I don't think I could go so far as to call this a nightmare, but I definitely woke up creeped out. And it got me thinking about bad dreams a bit.

When I was a kid I had this reoccurring dream, a nightmare that was very scary to me. If you've never had a reoccurring dream, they can actually be a lot worse than a regular nightmare because on some level you realize that its a dream, you know the terror that is coming for you. Before I get into it, some quick set up. When I was a kid I was terrified of my basement, this is before my dad redid it into a rec room. It was just a gutted concrete foundation, with lots of creepy crawlies, the furnace, and the washing machine. The rest you should be able to figure out.

So in the dream I'm upstairs in my room, and my mom calls me down to dinner, as I come down the stairs I realize that the gravity has been reduced to a little less than moon gravity. This is very exciting to me for obvious reasons. (I was always imagining what would happen with the loss of, or reverse in gravity to the point where I'd try to make sure I was under cover of a roof or overhang in real life just in case the gravity did suddenly switch) So first things first I start to do huge moon cartwheels around my house. Flips and handsprings with all sorts of great stuff in there, it was fun, but then because I can't control my decent very well I end up landing directly in front of the basement door (which was always slightly open so the cats could get down to their litterbox) and when I land I'm all of a sudden stuck to the spot. I hear a noise... something is shuffling up the basement stairs coming through the blackness to get me. I try to move but I can't, I know its going to get me. And then its there Dracula comes out of the shadows and bites me. Yes Dracula. Everything goes black, which I presume means I'm dead and I wake up.

I had that dream, a lot. And it always scared me. I have no idea why it was Dracula. I don't think the fact that it was Dracula was especially scary. More that it was just this monster coming to kill me. I did have a terrible fear of a few classic movie monsters when I was extremely little. I think there was a tv show that I'm not really remembering that had some scary version of Dracula and Frankenstein that I saw a bit too young. So point is, I had this dream quite often and it terrified me. I had it so much that I would come to realize that it was a dream while I was in it. But I was still powerless to stop it. My mom tried to help. She always had good advice, very sensible stuff. She told me that if I couldn't stop having the dream to concentrate on trying to change the dream. Lucid dreaming is not something easily done, but it can be achieved and once you get it, you can definitely have some fun.

So after trying for ages I was finally able to do something about the dream. It started same as always. Coming down for dinner, no gravity and doing the cartwheels flips. I land in front of the basement, freeze. I can't move, and I know its a dream, I know whats coming. I hear the shuffling on the steps . Dracula is coming up the stairs to kill me. And I just want to stop him, but I can't I can't move, but maybe I can change the dream. I look to my right, and I can see into the living room. The big bay window is right there. I need help fast, and what happens but help comes crashing through the window in a shower of glass. Who is it? Who can save me? It's Batman.

Not just any Batman either. It's Adam West's Batman. And he came swinging through the window just as Dracula reaches the top of the steps. Quick as you like Batman whips out a batarang and tosses it at Dracula, hitting him in the face and killing him instantly. Wow! I mean what can you say to that but WOW. I was just saved by Batman. How totally awesome is that?! I can move again, and I go with Batman outside to the waiting Batmobile. From then on Batman and me fight crime, riding around in style, and kicking bad guys butts.

I don't remember ever having the Dracula dream again, but I knew that if I did I could just have Batman show up again. So it was all good, and I stopped being scared. I have had a lot of nightmares since then, but never anything I couldn't handle... well unless you count when I lived in Africa and the malaria medication gave me violent nightmares 3 or 4 times a week, but that's another, far less fun, story.

I was able to save myself with the help of Batman. And I managed to stop Dracula for good. So it all worked out in the end :)

-

Colbert '08

Doctor Onboard

Well it looks like the penultimate piece to the casting puzzle that is Star Trek may actually have fallen into place. While still unconfirmed AICN is reporting that the role of Dr. McCoy has been cast with the ever talented Pathfinder and Doom star, Karl Urban. Wow, good casting, not that I think DeForest Kelley really looked like Urban as a young man, but hey, creative license is a good thing sometimes.

I say the following in whatever way sounds the least gay, but doesn't it seem like maybe with the casting of Urban, Pine, Quinto, and Eric Bana that Paramount may be going for a bit more of the female audience...

-

Star Wars live action updates

The ever awesome film site Ain't It Cool News has scored once again with some great scoops on the upcoming Star Wars live action series, that is in the works for a 2009 release. Check out the article for more explanation, but the core points are as follows.

- The series will follow the rise of the Empire and the subsequent birth of the Rebel Alliance.
- The series will be character driven. It won't forget the action, adventure stuff but much of the tone will be darker and more nuanced than simply good guy / bad guy stuff. Lucas himself has said that it will be similar to Firefly or Battlestar Gallactica.
- Some of the film characters that are slated to be prominently featured in the series include Boba Fett, who will be in his 20s and is rumored to be a major player in the series, Oola, Jabba's green skinned dancing girl who was eaten by the Rancor, and Bib Fortuna, the weak willed Twil'ik who was Jabba's main man.
- Some of the expanded universe characters slated to appear include Thall Joben, who if you'll remember was the mohawked young guy who owned C-3PO, and R2 for a few episodes in the Droids cartoon, the rebellion General Durron, who is supposedly the father of Kyp Durron (of Rogue Squadron fame). another rebel officer with the family name of Naberre, presumably related the Padme, and General Papanoida, who is possibly the same character as the Lucas cameoed Barron Papanoida
- The series will bring back pod races, and all the drama and intrigue of the professional racing circuit. Additionally the show will feature in some capacity the infamous Death Star plans which eventually make their way to Princess Leia and R2 D2 at the beginning of ANH. Does this mean we'll finally get to see some Bothans on film? Because AICN reports that well definitely see all the Rebel hideouts, Imperial Star Destroyers, politic shenanigans, and espionage we can handle.

For even more please go check out the AICN website for their complete coverage on this great scoop. As the series has yet to actually be scripted, I think we can take this information with a grain of salt, but to me it all really sounds great. I am very VERY excited to see Star Wars on the small screen in live action form. I just hope they've got some good writers on the job :)

-

Chris Pine is James T. Kirk

Well, it appears that a decision has been made. As reported by comingsoon.net, and me a day or two ago, the young actor Chris Pine was offered roles as both James Kirk in the new Star Trek film, AND opposite George Clooney in the upcoming thriller White Jazz. Due to unfortunate production scheduling conflicts though he would have to make a decision as to which film to work on. No doubt the decision was a difficult one, but thankfully he has chosen to be a part of the wonderful world of Trek, and we now have our Kirk.

White Jazz director Joe Carnahan posted on his blog yesterday that Pine has bowed out of White Jazz after much deliberation, and will soon board the Starship Enterprise.

-

The Sarah Connor Chronicles trailer

Not sure how I missed this one when it came out, but please click below to check out the trailer for FOX's upcoming mid-season show The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I have to say I'm not totally sold on this, but it sure is interesting to finally see in action...

RE: Extinction mini review

While Resident Evil: Extinction is certainly not as good as the first Resident Evil film, this installment does return to the light popcorn roots of that initial film without worrying too much about silly things like extensive plotting or character development that might get in the way of the gory fun.

RE: Extinction while definitely too short, and not as frenetically action packed as either of the two previous films, seems to value quality gore over quantity. The zombies are great looking, the blood splatters extremely well with Milla's sweet new curved machetes, and I really enjoyed the set up of the post apocalyptic world. This is a Resident Evil that owes as much to Mad Max as it does to George Romero.

The movie is light, fun, and doesn't take itself seriously at all. Milla is as beautiful as ever, and the addition of Ali Larter to the cast is very welcome. This movie delivers exactly what it promises, and leaves you wanting more.

4 / 5

-----

For more reviews check out my Flixter profile. Thanks all and have a great weekend :)

-

Pegg is Scotty and Cho is Sulu!

The very funny British actor Simon Pegg has just been cast as Scotty in the new Star Trek film. You probably know Pegg best as Shaun of the Dead fame, but he has also starred in Hot Fuzz, had a fantastic guest spot on Doctor Who, and before all that starred in a great little Britcom called Spaced. I'm positive hes done a lot more, only that's all I can think of right now... Regardless, to this news I say, really, excellent work. Pegg is hilarious and deserves to be mainstream famous. He is funny and will bring some great life to the role I'm sure.

And to top that great news off we also just heard that John Cho, of Harold and Kumar fame, has landed the role of Navigation officer Sulu. I don't know.... I mean the guy is definitely likable, but do you see a young Takei? meh, I'm sure it'll all be good.

This movie sure is shaping up fast. Let's see if that can land Pine for Kirk. And of course we're still waiting on the casting of Christopher Pike.... I suppose all will be revealed soon enough.

-