No need to fear my young Reveridian and Padawan learners, I shall defy the Sith rule of two and take you all on as my young apprentices. It is here that you will recieve instruction in the ways of sci-fi, fantasy, and all things nerd.
As many of you know, I have ban on anything Jane Austen. Especially her crappy books. I've sworn solemn vows that I would never read any of them. Well, I am seriously thinking of temporarily lifting this ban so that I can read this
This book is a posthumous collaboration between Jane Austen, author of Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Persuasion, and other English literature classics, and Seth Grahame-Smith, author of How to Survive a Horror Movie and The Big Book of Porn. I can't think of a better team to bring us this updated masterpiece.
Here is how the book is described:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies features the original text of Jane Austen's beloved novel with all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Complete with 20 illustrations in the style of C. E. Brock (the original illustrator of Pride and Prejudice), this insanely funny expanded edition will introduce Jane Austen's classic novel to new legions of fans.
I'm very curious to hear what all the Jane Austen fans have to say about this. I think its awesome and I can't wait to read it.
Well, Readership, the count down to the end (2012) has begun. Today, Obama was sworn in as President; so starts the moral and economic downfall of our currently thriving nation. I'm proud to say that I saw this coming and blogged about it back in February of 2008. Computer Data tells me that others are concerned about this subject as well. According to Google Analytics, since October 27, 2008, 704 different people have looked at my post titled, "2012: The End of the World." Here is some other data that I am proud of. In the days leading up to the election, Oct 27th- Nov 4th, 143 different people read this post and spent an average time of nearly 7 minutes on the page. I'm sure my impact on the election was huge, but not big enough. Since Nov 5th, the day after the election, 564 different people have logged on to my blog to try and understand how the world will soon end.
My friends, the end is inevitable. At this point we need to stop complaining and start acting. All that matters now is how we spend our time preparing for the end. That is what I would like to speak to you all about. Here is a list of what my female and I are doing to prepare for the end:
1. Build underground bunker (I started digging last Saturday)
2. Put together our food storage (My female has taken charge of this task)
3. Buy lots of guns and ammo (Bought my first gun last week before Obama makes it impossible to do so)
4. Learn self defense (I'm almost a master)
5. Pray that in 2012, Mitt will run again, win, ride into the white house on his white horse to save the constitution and the world from total destruction
As a third degree white belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, I have decided that it is my job to teach you all how to defend yourselves. Over the next few months I have planned a series of posts that will teach you about a few of the self defense techniques that I have mastered. I've used many of these moves while growing up on the tough streets of the upper east side of Salt Lake City and I attest that they do work.
These techniques were taught to me by Master Mashiro and can all be found in his book, one of the greatest books of all time, Black Medicine: Volume II, Weapons At Hand. For each of my posts in this self defense series, I plan to share a few self defense techniques explained by Master Mahsiro. In addition, for those who don't have a concealed weapons permit or may not have your gun with you during the time of an attack, I will share some of Master Mashiro's ideas on everyday household items that you can turn into makeshift weapons in a matter of seconds.
Now, for the first series of techniques. Please pay attention and take very seriously the words of Master Mashiro. The following was taken from the chapter titled, "Striking Points of the Arms and Hand."
"Fingernails: We are all familiar with the fact that fingernails can be used for scratching, an ineffective technique at best. They can also be used for clawing, however, which I more practical. In this context the nails can be used to achieve deep penetration into the eyes, throat and especially the nerve pressure points on the back of the hand. Some dedicated karate and kung-fu artists allow their nails to grow 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, and strengthen them with nail hardener. Naturally they also sandpaper the tips to a sharp edge. The wound produced by four of these nails slashed across a person's throat (like saw teeth) is difficult to believe even when seen." (I am already growing out my fingernails, as should you. I wonder how many throats Master Mashiro has seen slashed by fingernails)
"Tip of Thumb: The tip of the distal phalanx of the thumb, together with the sharp edge of the nail. The tip of the thumb is used for gouging, usually at the opponent's eyes but frequently involving the throat and other nerve pressure points. The trapezius muscle is especially vulnerable to a thumb gouge." Enjoy the picture.
"Thumb and Forefinger: Which of us does not know how to pinch with thumb and forefinger? This pinch can be very painful when applied in the lip or nose region, and can crush a testicle like a soft-boiled egg. When the pinch catches the thyroid cartilage in its grip it can actually be fatal." Enjoy the picture.
The following is taken from the chapter titled, "Makeshift Weapons"
"Bar of Soap: Sooner or later your captors will give you a bar of soap, if only to be relieved of the smell of you. Slip the soap inside your sock (or wrap it in a towel) and use it as a blackjack. Strike for the temple, for the mastoid process behind the ear, or for the collarbone."
"Shit: There is an old story about an oriental warrior who made a mess in his pants, let it slide down his pant leg, and then kicked it into the face of his enemy as a diversion. Just keep in mind the fact that if your place of confinement doesn't contain any dirt to throw in your kidnapper's face, you can always make some!"
Darth Spencer's Tip of the Week: If your shit attack doesn't work, your captors will most likely give you some soap to clean your hands and legs. If they do give you some soap, now you know what to do with it.
Stay tuned for more excellent self-defense techniques.
I haven't been this excited for a new season of 24 for a long time. I loved the fill in the blank movie that they did back in November. It was full of great action, emotion, and a good story line, and excellent African stereotypes.
I found this great article written by Fred Topel about why 24 is Science Fiction. Some are good arguments, others however, are a bit of a stretch. Either way, it got me excited for the upcoming Jack Attack. My favorite was #3. Enjoy--
Like you, we have long thought of Fox's hit action show 24 as something outside our wheelhouse: Jack Bauer chases terrorists in real time, hour by hour, in the real world. No spaceships, no ghosts, no hobbits, no magic.
After six seasons, though, we are starting to change our minds. After careful consideration, we have come to a stark realization: 24 is SCIENCE FICTION!
We talked with star Kiefer Sutherland and some of the show's creators in Los Angeles earlier this week about our startling revelation. And we have to say they couldn't really dispute THE TRUTH.
With season seven starting this Sunday, Jan 11, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, it's becoming abundantly clear we can no longer ignore 24. You can decide for yourself, but here's our eight reasons why 24 is sci-fi.
1. It's in the future! If you add up all the years that have passed since season one, which took place in the present, the show's events are now taking place around the year 2017. They've always said that two years or so pass between each season's "day," and there have been several presidential administrations (whomever David Palmer ran against, David Palmer, Logan, Wayne Palmer and now Taylor). Producer Brannon Braga doesn't deny it! "Yes, technically 24 should have flying holographic cars right now,"
2. There's a fountain of youth. See above regarding how much time has actually passed. But everyone still looks about the same as when it all started! At the very least, the characters have miraculously slowed the aging process significantly. "I'm actually probably now finally my [real] age," Sutherland says. "I think I started out a little younger."
3. Teleportation. Anyone who lives in Los Angeles knows Jack Bauer breaks several laws of physics to get from point A to point B in the time it takes for a commercial break. They must be using some teleportation device or time-travel wormholes to do it. Gridskipper has helpfully calculated the speeds of some of Bauer's movements across Los Angeles: For example, Jack and Derek go from Wayne Palmer's Westwood condo to Ontario (California) International Airport via stolen car, covering 56 miles over 17 minutes, meaning they traveled at 195 mph. The Jacktracker helps you pinpoint how Bauer beams in and out of locations.
Season seven takes place in Washington, where things are closer together and there is mass transit. That gives Sutherland a whole new sense of power: "One thing that kind of struck me when I was there is you could feel the power emanating from the buildings," Sutherland added about his time on location. "It changes the way you walk, and it changes the way you talk. There is a different sense of urgency in that city, and so for me it was great to be there, to get a sense of that." That and the wormholes.
4. The dead rise In 24, it used to be that once you're killed, you don't come back. But this season will see the return of Carlos Bernard as Tony Almeida, who we saw die in Jack's arms from a hyoscine-pentathol injection. And our eagle eye spotted Reiko Aylesworth, who played Tony's deceased wife Michelle Dessler, at the 24 premiere party this week in Hollywood. And we know we saw her blow up!
5. We're in an alternate dimension. 24 is set in a reality similar to our Earth but significantly different in key ways: a world in which there was a black president before Barack Obama, where several presidential administrations had nothing to do with W., and where there is a female president whose first name is not Hillary or Sarah. Also, in this dimension, the federal government and agencies such as CTU are extremely effective and efficient, billionaires still have credibility, and torture actually works. "How wonderful in the light of a television show, if you take a look at all of the interrogation from season one down the line, he always interrogated the right people," Sutherland says of Bauer's taste for unpleasantness.
6. Cyborgs. No one eats, sleeps or pees. The characters must be cybernetic organisms, or humans with cyberpunk-like artificial enhancements implanted in their nerve cores. All they need for fuel is coffee. "I think we get so much grief over staying up for 24 hours, which I've always made fun of," Sutherland says. "There's always at least one day a season where we will stay up 24 hours trying to complete an episode. Generally it's the 23rd or the 24th episode, and we've stayed up for 24 hours. Imagine the adrenaline rush with the stakes that are involved for people that are dealing with counterterrorism." In all seriousness, if you like the continuing rush of Chuck, Sanctuary, Fringe and Lost, you'll also like 24.
7. Advanced technology. Jack Bauer's technological toys would make Captain Kirk weep with envy. Whenever Jack needs something, he just calls Chloe on her headset. She types in a few codes, and he magically has it instantly. "OK, Chloe, send that video imaging and infrared targeting info to my handheld." Five seconds later ... "OK, got it!" No dead spots. No rebooting. No crashed laptops. Cell reception underground. It's a miracle!
8. Because Brannon Braga says so. He should know: He produced Star Trek. Braga knows what's real and what's not. Even he admits that 24 stretches the boundaries of pure action. "24 is an action fantasy," Braga says. "I mean, it is. It's not sci-fi, but it is a fantasy for sure."
The reason is particularly stupid. The whole article is dedicated to proving that 24 is science fiction. Then on the last reason, the post a quote from one of the shows creators in which he specifically states that it is not sci-fi.
Have you ever wondered what your intro music would be if you were the one walking out through the bleachers on your way to fight in the WWE, UFC, or a Boxing Match? I always think about this. For me, I would need something that in addition to pumping me up, would also strike fear into the heart of my opponent. I have finally found the perfect song for my into music; Warriors of the World United, by Manowar.
Manowar has to be one of the greatest American Metal bands. In 1984 they were included in the Guinness Book of World Records for delivering the loudest concert. They have since broken their record twice and hold the current loudest concert record. The also have the longest Heavy Metal concert record after playing for 5 hours and 1 minute in Bulgaria in 2008.
Here are my favorite lines from the song:
"Now swear the blood upon your steel, will never dry"
"If I should fall in battle My brothers who fight by my side Gather my horse and weapons Tell my family how I died Until then I will be strong I will fight for all that is real All who stand in my way will die!!! BY STEEL!!!"
Readership, I have excellent news. Josh Schwartz, the creator of The OC, Gossip Girl and Chuck has been selected to write the script and possible direct the next X-Men spin off, X-Men: First Class, which will be an X-Men movie about teen mutants. I think that Chuck Bass would make an excellent young Magneto...so diabolical.
Check out this trailer for a movie called Special, starring Michael Rappaport. It was an indie film that came out couple of years ago. Its finally found some footing and will receive a nation wide release. Its about a timid nice guy who loves comic books. After trying out an experimental antidepressant, he discovers that has developed super powers. He amazingly has telepathy and the ability to levitate and run through walls. As any good superhero lover would do, he decides to use his powers to fight crime.
The twist is what makes this movie look incredibly funny. Are his powers real or just a psychological side effect to the experimental drug?
I recently finished reading the Thrawn Trilogy. The trilogy takes place in the Star Wars Expanded Universe and was written by Hugo Award winning author Timothy Zahn. The first book in the series was the first book written for the Star Wars Expanded Universe and many still claim that these are the very best Star Wars books out there. The first book takes place 5 years after the evens of Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi.
I really enjoyed these books. My favorite part about the books was the author's ability to bring Han Solo's personality to life. He was able to capture the voices of all the characters, but Han stood out the most for me.
In addition to the regular cast of characters, Zahn introduces us to some great new characters. They are: Talon Karde, a smuggler whose operations have filled the void left by the death of Jabba the Hutt. Mara Jade, the former Hand of the Emperor who after finding herself unemployed after the Emperor's death, has found a job working for the smuggler Karde. Master Jorus C'baoth, a once master Jedi turned mad clone by the emperor. All of these characters are great, but the best by far is Grand Admiral Thrawn. Thrawn is neither Jedi nor Sith. He is the last living Grand Admiral and commander of the Imperial Fleet. He is dead set on finishing the Emperor's work and destroying the New Republic. His character brings so much fun to these books. He is incredibly brilliant and a master strategist. The book is full of incredible, creative and well thought out war strategies. As a reader, you never know what Thrawn is going to do next, but after a while you become convinced that the New Republic doesn't stand a chance.
The three books in the series are: Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command. Check them out. You will be happy you did.
Let me ask you a question. While watching Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, Lost, re-runs of Star Trek TNG, or Chuck, have you ever said to yourself, "This show is pretty awesome, but I wish it was just a little bit nerdier."? For all of you who answered YES, have I got great news for you.
The creators of Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess are back to the small screen and they have brought with them something that fans of fantasy have been waiting for for years. The Legend of the Seeker. The Legend of the Seeker is a new TV series based off of The Sword of Truth book series from Terry Goodkind. There are 11 books in this series. I am about to start book 5. I love the series. Its full of excellent story telling, creative original creatures, original uses of magic, fun characters, brutal violence, and for those of us with a softer side, heart pounding romance. The books are each pretty long; around 900 pages each. The producers of Legend of the Seeker plan to cover each book over the span of a 22 episode TV season. They have stated that they are going to stray from the books at certain parts and expand upon the series mythology. I hope they get it right.
The new show starts this weekend on the CW. I think they are going to show one hour on Saturday and then the second hour on Sunday. From then on, the show will be on every Saturday night.
Please enjoy a Youtube clip of the first 10 minutes of the show.
Harold Ramis, Egon, of Ghostbusters recently wrote in to the Chicago Tribune to confirm that a script for Ghostbusters 3 is in the works. Ramis confirmed that the writing team for Ghostbusters 3 will be himself, Gene Stupintsky, and Lee Eisenberg. The three of them recently finished up Ramis's most recent film, Year One, which was co-produced by Judd Apatow. Ramis also stated that he is hoping to tap into Apatow's talents and the young talent of actors that Apatow works with.
Ramis also stated that Dan Aykroyd and original director Ivan Reitman are currently involved on a consulting level and that Bill Murray will also be involved in certain aspects of the script.
Ramis explained that the original Ghostbusters would appear in the film in some mentor capacity.
I'm pretty excited about this news. I really wish that we could get another Ghostbusters movie with the original guys still in the prime of their lives and comedy careers, but I think that has past. I'm content with just having them be in the movie at all.
So, if the original Ghostbusters will be in the film as mentors, what cast of actors would you like to see as the apprentices? If Apatow is attached and Ramis likes those who tend to be attached to Apatow films, then chances are, it could be any of the following: Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Adam Sandler, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogan, Jonah Hill, John C. Reilly, James Franco, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Jason Segel, Michael Cera, Martin Starr, or Jack Black. Thats all I can think of right now.
Who would you like to see as the new Ghostbusters? How do you feel about new Ghostbusters? Who do you think would ruin the Ghostbusters franchise if attached as a new Ghostbuster?
My dream team would be Steve Carell, Jason Segal, Seth Rogan, and Ben Stiller My kill list would be Jack Black and Adam Sandler
My literally thousands of readers have been screaming for me to come out with my fall TV preview. It is very clear that my readership respects my amazing ability to watch TV. Here are my thoughts at the shows that I will or won't be watching this fall.
Monday Nights- 7:00 PM on Fox-Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, started off its second season the other night. I'm going to continue to watch, but the episodes have gone progressively down hill since its amazing pilot. I am going to watch this show for one reason, Terminator Salvation, the next Terminator movie staring Christean Bale as John Conner. The guys behind the movie are also tied into the TV series. The problem with the TV series is that we already know whats going to happen in the future. There is no real suspense. We all know that Sarah Connors is going to die, Skynet is going to launch the bombs, John Connor is going to become the leader of the Resistance and figure out a way to defeat Skynet. So, my hope is that the guys that are involved in the TV show and movie will create a new idea to expand the mythology of the story. Something that is just amazing which takes place in the TV series that is a key plot element in the new movie. That would be very cool.
7:00 PM on NBC- Chuck, this is a fun show with excellent lead and supporting characters. On top of that, Buster from Arrested Development joins the cast as the new Buy More Assistant Manager.
7:00 PM on CW- Gossip Girl, Spotted, DS and A with a TIVO overload. Three shows to record Mondays at 7:00. What are two St. George westsiders to do? Simple. Record Gossip Girl with the TIVO in their bedroom. There's no better way to set the mood than by sitting down and sharing an hour with S, B, C, Lonely Boy & N. I know you love me, XOXO, Gossip Girl. If you have a void in your life that was left by Dawson's Creek or The OC, then this is the show to fill it.
8:00 PM on Fox- Prison Break, I've watched Prison Break from day one. The first season was amazing. The second and third, not so much. But I've stuck with it and I'm glad that I have. We've already seen the first two episodes of season 4 and both have been excellent. They've finally figured out a logical and somewhat realistic way of keeping all of the characters involved. The magic of the first season was Michael and his pre-meditated plans to escape from prison. They've been able to capture this magic again now that Michael has resources available to him. Plus, we are learning all sorts of fascinating things about civil engineering.
8:00 PM on NBC- Heroes, I've blogged more about Heroes than any other show on TV, most of which have been complaints. I rag on Heroes so much because up until the season 1 finale, it was my favorite show. The writing and story lines have gone down hill in a big way. I've seen the ads, read the articles and drunk the purple koolaid. I'm convinced that season 3 is going to be awesome. They better kill some heroes off for real this season. That would really up the drama.
9:00 PM on NBC- My Own Worst Enemy, This is a new show starring Christian Slater. The easiest way to describe it is Bourne Identity meets Jekyll and Hyde. I'm excited for this new action drama with a sci fi twist. And for all of you nay sayers who are wondering why in the world they cast Christean Slater in an action role, I've got something to say-- Gleaming the Cube. Action and drama at its best my friends.
Tuesday Nights 7:00 PM on NBC- Biggest Losers Family Edition, I'm not going to watch it this year. I hate when they stray from the norm and do couples or families or friends or crap like that. Its never as good. Plus I'm super skinny and hot right now so I don't need the extra motivation to exercise.
7:00 PM on CW- 90210, Holy crap I was excited for the relaunch of one of the greatest shows of all time, and man have I been disappointed. Two episodes into the season and West Beverly High just isn't the same. No side burns, no cool school dj's, and no one has accidentally shot themselves in the head with their dad's gun. The cast is annoying and everyone is too nice and fake. I'll keep watching to see if they can up the drama.
8:00 PM on CBS- The Mentalist, This is a new show about a cop that is visited by dead people who help him solve murder mysteries. How many crap shows like this are the networks going to try and put out. I will not be watching. CBS is on the shit list for cancelling Jericho and replacing it with crap like this.
8:00 PM on Fox- Fringe, This new show is a must watch for all fans of the Sci Fi Nerd Blog. Its the latest incarnation from JJ Abrams and the writing team behind Transformers and the new Star Trek movie. We've already seen the pilot and it was awesome. The show deals with fringe science which covers such topics as reanimation, teleportaition, telekenetics, and other cool stuff. There was quite a bit of science talk, but I actually really liked that. Did I mention that Pacey is one of the leads? Yes he is and he will be awesome once again.
Wednesday Nights 7:00 PM on NBC- Nightrider, NBC tried to kick start this new series with a Nightrider movie that aired last Spring. It came with mixed reviews. I never watched it even though I really wanted to. Apparently they've made some changes and are excited about the show. I'll give it a try but am hesitant. Some of the writers who worked on Bionic Woman last year are giving it another go with the new Nightrider. Lets hope its better than Bionic Woman. I have a feeling that Wednesday nights will be a night to catch up on shows that I have recorded from previous nights.
8:00 PM on FX- Sons of Anarchy, This is a new and original series from FX. Its about a motorcycle club. I've already watched two episodes and I'm very pleased. This isn't one for the kids. So far there has been plenty of excellent violence. On this weeks episode, a guy to an axe to the back of the head. He actually walked around for a second with a dizzy look in his eyes before collapsing dead to the ground. It was a great scene. I was most surprised by how many cast member I recognized.
Thursday Nights 7:30 PM on NBC- Kath and Kim, Molly Shannon and Selma Blair take on over the top roles in this remake from a popular Australian show. I'm really excited for this one. My Name is Earl has lost its magic for me so I'm hoping that this can become a regular comedy for me.
8:00 PM on NBC- The Office, Nothing really needs to be said about this amazing show which is easiest one of the funniest shows on TV if not the funniest.
8:00 PM on ABC- Grey's Anatomy, Code Black, Code Black!!!! Grey's is easily the most dramatic show on TV, which is why I love it, even though I often find myself wanting to slit my wrists rather than deal with the drama.
8:00 PM on FX- Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, this great comedy starts its 4th season this fall. This show was started by a few friends who just couldn't land the roles that they wanted in Hollywood, so, they decided to create their own. They filmed a pilot for super cheap. I think the only thing they paid for was the digital tape for the camera, and then sold it to Fox. Because of its gritty content, the show landed on FX. If you've never watched it, then now is the time to start. It is so incredibly funny. In my opinion, Charlie, is one of the funniest characters on TV. Here is a classic clip from the show. Charlie is the one singing the song.
8:30 on NBC- 30 Rock, This is another comedy must watch. Its going to be great to see how they incorporate the presidential race into the show.
9:00 on ABC- Life on Mars, This is a new show about a contemporary cop who gets hit by a car and somehow gets teleported back to 1973 where he continues to be a cop and fight crime. Though this will be a cop drama, there is some buzz about the pre-politically correct era comedy in the show. Should be funny. I'll give this a try. They are describing it as a cop show without the fake forensics crap that is found in CSI. More focus will be put on the bad guys. I'm going to give it a try though it could get lost in the shuffle on a night that is full of great TV.
Friday Nights 8:00 PM on NBC- Crusoe, I'm going to TIVO it and see if I like it. Its never a good sign if a new show starts out on Friday nights.
We are still feeling the effects of the writers strike. They really had to rush to get the new shows for this season into production. Luckily for the networks there are a number of returning shows that have been pretty popular in the past and they didn't have to try to come up with replacement shows. The good thing is that a lot of the new shows that were not filmed in time for fall will come out mid season. There are some great new shows to look forward to such as, Welcome to the Dollhouse, Virtuality, and The Legend of the Seeker. I'll keep you posted on these new shows.
Have I got a treat for you. As some of my readership may know, I am totally into heavy metal right now. Some of my favorite bands include Iron Maiden, Dragonforce, Dark Moor, Nightwish, Hammerfall, and of course, Rhapsody of Fire. Not only is Rhapsody of Fire an Italian Symphonic Power Metal band, they pretty much invented the genre. These guys are big time fantasy nerds, and I love it. So what is symphonic power metal you ask? Well, its power metal that combines elements of baroque and classical music. On top of that awesomeness, their lyrics are focused on epic fantasy themes. It only gets better from here.
Every album that Rhapsody of Fire has released has been a rock opera. Their first five albums told a story called, "The Emerald Sword Saga." Each album released was a new chapter in the saga. The booklet included in each album started the chapter, but the lyrics and musical content of each song would further the story. The Emerald Sword Saga is an epic fantasy story filled with heroes, evil lords, dragons, monsters and wizards. The story is about the Warrior of Ice, a brave and fierce warrior who sets out on a magical quest to find the Emerald Sword. The only sword with the power to slay the evil dark lord.
In 2004, they came out with the album, Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret. This is the album that I have. This album starts The Dark Secret Saga. It is the same idea as The Emerald Sword Saga except for that this saga holds an extra super special surprise. This time around, the narrator of the tale is none other than Count Duku himself, Christopher Lee. When I heard the first song, I said to myself, "that sounds like Saruman." I was of course correct. I have no idea how he got involved in this project. I am forced to assume that he also recognized the greatness in Rhapsody of Fire. In fact, he loved being part of the project so much that not only did he agree to be a part of the their latest album, the second album in the Dark Secret Saga, he also insisted that they allow him to sing back up lyrics on some of the tracks. I can't wait to hear it.
Just to give you a taste of their awesomeness, I've included a YouTube video of one of my favorite songs from Rhapsody, Unholy Warcry. The first part of the video features Christopher Lee as he begins the narration of the The Dark Secret Saga. It then transitions into the song. The clip is pretty long so you may want to FF through some of it. There is a sweet power metal guitar solo at about 7.5 minutes into it. Enjoy.
In case you need further proof of how awesome they are, check out the cover art from a few of their CDs.
Devil's Cape is the name of a fictional city in Louisiana that was founded back in the 1800s by the pirate, St. Diable. Having been founded by pirates, you can guess that the city has a vast history of corruption, greed, crime, and murder. Actually, its very similar to Gothem City. In all honesty, a lot of the stuff in this book is similar to the Batman comics, so if you love that stuff, you will most definitely love this. To the authors credit, though it does share some similarities with Batman and other various comics, it is jam packed with tons and tons of fresh and creative, dark and sinister, good guys, bad guys, and narrative. Devil's Cape is a wonderful setting for one of the funnest books that I have read in a long time.
The novel is pretty much a comic book that was written in novel form. My favorite thing about this book was the Cirque de Obscurite (The Circus of Darkness). This group of bad guys were once a traveling circus freak show made up of a strong man, fire eater, contortionist, bearded boy and other great circus freak characters. In a great flash back sequence, we learn how the circus freaks get their power. Basically, they blow up a superhero who was genetically engineered by the US government. Whatever the Government used to give this super hero his powers, splatters all over the freaks. Somehow, this enhances their already freak like human abilities in amazing ways and they morph into super villains.
Spoiler Alert!!! Don't read this post unless you don't mind having one of the exciting conclusions of The Dark Knight ruined for you. I've seen The Dark Knight twice already and I really loved it both times. Instead of doing another review of the movie, I wanted to blog about the secondary villain, Harvey Two-Face. Though I enjoyed Aaron Eckhart's portrayal of Harvey Dent, I wasn't that amazed with what he did with Two-Face. I've come to realize that I can't really blame Eckhart because it was pretty hard not to compare him with the other bad guy in the film, and just about any bad guy would seem weak compared to Heith Ledger's portrayal of The Joker. In fact, for me, the coolest thing about Two-Face was the way that The Joker pushes him over the edge from sanity to insanity, and how The Joker used Two-Face as his puppet in an attempt tear down the morale of the people of Gothem City. After thinking on it for a bit, I've decided that even though I wasn't blown away by Two-Face, I would like to see more of him in a future Batman movie. I think that given the chance to be the mastermind behind his own schemes, that Eckhart/Two-Face would be extremely entertaining. Which brings me to my big question. Do you think that Two-Face is dead?
I don't. I believe that they will bring Two-Face back in the next film. There is an ongoing theme in the comics between Batman and Two-Face. Batman never stops seeing the good in Two-Face. Every time Two-Face gets out of Arkham Asylum, he returns to a life of crime. Soon, Batman captures him and sends him back to Arkham, hoping that this time, Two-Face will return to how he once was. I believe that Batman and Gordon secretly sent Two-Face to Arkham to rehabilitate.
I did a little bit of searching about the subject of bringing Two-Face back and this is what I found. Producer Emma Thomas said that "Two-Face's fall at the hands of Batman was ambiguous enough to suggest that he may still be alive." Also, Eckhart has stated that given the chance, he "absolutely" would return to the role in a possible sequel. Of all the other stuff that I've read, the only real interesting thing that people have noticed is that after he falls, there is a shot of his coin which shows that the unmarked side us up, suggesting that chance says he lives.
So, is Two-Face dead or alive? What did you think of Eckhart's performance? Which bad guys would you like to see in the next Batman movie?
And its not just because I like el sabor latino; he is also a genius and is one of the most talented directors out there right now. My crush on Guillermo started about a year ago after I saw Pan's Labyrinth, which is now one of my all time favorite movies. The other night I saw Hellboy 2 with the Rumbler and we were both blown away. After watching both these movies for the first time, I was deeply motivated to go out and do something creative. I was left with a longing desire to create something as original and fun as the story that I had just seen. Its rare that a movie or a book can do this and I love when it happens.
The original Hellboy didn't do that much for me when I saw it a few years ago. I watched it again in preparation for Hellboy 2 and I must admit that I enjoyed it much more the second time, but I still wasn't blow away. Hellboy 2 was amazing. Guillermo did such an amazing job of writing a fun and original story. I'm amazed at how well he is able to make up a fairy tale. Though I've come to really like Hellboy as a character, I think that I loved the second movie much more than the first because the focus seemed to be not on Hellboy himself, but on the world that surrounds him, and this world was increadibly entertaining. The movie reminded me a lot of Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman in the sense that we share our world with magical unseen beings. They surround us, yet we are blind to their existence.
So whats up next for Guillermo? According to IMDB, Guillermo is set to direct Doctor Strange, which is a comic book movie. Dr. Strange is the Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe, responsible for defending it from mystic threats. He is a master of the mystic arts, using his abilities to battle evil magicians and other supernatural villains. He is also often consulted by other superheroes on supernatural matters. Neil Gaiman has been approached to write the screen play. This should be awesome.
After that, Guillermo heads off to New Zealand where he will direct The Hobbit and The Hobbit 2. After Peter Jackson decided that he did not want to direct, but instead decided to stay on as the executive producer, his first task was to find a director. He decided on Guillermo. I'm extremely excited about his decision. I hope that they work very well together. The interesting thing is that the first Hobbit movie will be based on the book. The second will be an original story written by Jackson, Guillermo and their creative team. The story will bridge the gap between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Some may have mixed feelings about this, but I am extremely excited to see what they come up with. I have a ton of faith in Guillermo's creative mind and writing ability.
Here are some of the monsters that Guillermo helped to create:
Holy crap!!! I have a new favorite band. I was playing Guitar Hero III tonight and was able to unlock the bonus song, Through the Fire and the Flames by DragonForce. It was pretty much the coolest song I had ever heard. DragonForce is a power metal band from England whose signature sound is duel guitar solos. I'm totally running over to East Millcreek Library tomorrow to see if they have any of their CDs. Here is a music video of the song that I got to play on Guitar Hero III. My favorite parts of the video? The incredible hair of every member of the band, the keyboard player head banging, the duel guitar solo at the end. You'll love the picture picture effect that allows you to see an up close look at the intricate guitar work and an up close of the guy's face at the same time.
I thought I would try to increase my readership by posting these pictures of Angelina's new twin babies. I'm pretty confident that those who want to see my exclusive pics (my aunt is a nurse at the hospital in France) are the same demographic that love science fiction blogs. So to bridge the gap between Angelina Jolie lovers and scifi, I'm going to do a movie review of Wanted.
Today was Duane's bday, so for our hot date, I let Duane pick the movie. He must be a huge Angelina Jolie fan because this was his first choice. Wanted is about a secret creed of assassins called the Brotherhood whose members are assigned a person to kill. This assignment comes by the powers of fate and a weaving loom. The main character is a loser, a nobody, a blank wall, until he finds out that he is a member of this secret assassin group. It only takes him a day and some money in his pocket for him to magically transform into a total bad A. I must say that there are some excellent action sequences and some very clever and fun special effects. There his a huge level of violence, always a plus in my book.
On the downside, the characters are extremely unlikable. This movie was adapted from a graphic novel. I usually love comic book movies because I am a nerd and its easy for me to relate to the main characters. Peter Parker is the best example of this. Well, its a bit different in the movie Wanted. I would say that the kind of person who would really like the characters and would relate most to their personalties would be someone who played high school football. I'm going to go ahead and say that this is the Varsity Blues of comic book movies.
Even for a nerd, I have hit rock bottom. I am currently reading or listening to 3 different epic fantasy series. For those who don't know, epic fantasy is a genre of fantasy where the stories are epic in scope and deal with themes of grand struggles against supernatural, evil forces. Typically, these stories are full of fantastical elements such as elves, dwarfs, magic, wizards, invented languages and are usually multi-volume stories. The best example and the one that just about every fantasy author lists as being a major influence on their work would be The Lord of the Rings. I've done some research and there currently about 4 very popular epic fantasy series that were either finished recently or are currently being written. The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind, A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin, and The Dark Tower series by Stephen King.
In all honesty, I've turned to epic fantasy to fill the void in my life that came as a result of finishing all the Harry Potter books. I'm sure that many fans of epic fantasy would turn their noses up at me for saying that. In fact, my good buddy who was the first to tell me about The Wheel of Time series told me that he refused to read Harry Potter and that he doesn't consider a book to be true fantasy unless its full of chics in iron clad bikinis. With that in mind, here is a little bit about each of these epic fantasy series in case you would like to start reading one. At the end of each brief review, I will give a ranking of Wizard's Wands on a scale from 1-10, one being the least and ten being the greatest for numerous categories which could help you decide which you would or wouldn't like to read.
The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. I just finished listening to the first book, Wizards First Rule. It is the only book that I have read or listened to in this series. I really enjoyed it. The narrator wasn't the best, but it was a good listen. This book examines themes such as truth and the powers of love and hate and how they can be used by both good and evil people. Though a bit cheesy at times, the violence and creative wizard magic made up for it. I am excited to read the next book in this series. There are 11 books in this series and it has been completed. The first book is currently being made into a TV series for ABC. Sam Raimi the director of the Evil Dead series and Spiderman 1, 2, & 3 will produce and oversee the show.
Wizard's Wands:
Use of Magic: 8
Was it written well?: 5
Violence: 6- My favorite violent act was when one of the characters uses magic to force a pedophile to cut off his own testicles and eat each them before she kills him.
Sex: 1- This book is very clean and has no sex.
Language: 1- There are only a couple of swear words
A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin. I've read the first book and I'm about a 1/4 of the way through the second. So far, this is my favorite series. I really enjoy it because it tells the story from the good guys and the bad guys perspectives and gives almost equal time to both. Also, you never know who is safe and who is going to die because the author does not shy away from killing main characters off. So far, the use of magic in this series has been very limited but I can see that it is being set up future books. The characters in this are excellent. Its full of both very likable and hateable characters. My favorite character is a midget who has a sharp tongue and who adds great intelligence and humor to the books. So far, there are only 4 books in the series. The fifth comes out in a couple of months and then the author has plans for 2 more. HBO is currently working on turning the books into one of its TV series. Wizard's Wands: Use of Magic: 3 Was it well written?: 8 Violence: 9- Lots of Braveheart type violence. The description of the overall battle strategies and individual violent acts are incredibly detailed and very bloody. Sex: 6- Unfortunately there is a lot of sex and even some incest in this book. Language: 8- Lots of swear words. Even the really bad ones.
The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I've read the first two books and really enjoyed both of them. The twist or the difference between this and the others is that The Dark Tower series takes place in a time that is similar or the same as ours. So far, it ranges from what feels like the old west to modern day 1980s. Its interesting how King blends fantasy and magic in a modern day setting. It took King over 30 years to create this story and put it to paper. He considers it his greatest work. Wizard's Wands: Use of Magic: 4 Was it well written: 7 Violence: 6- Lots of shoot 'em up old west type violence Sex: 3- Some sex. Not too bad. Language: 10- Lots and lots of swear words. Even the really really bad ones.
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Perhaps the most popular epic fantasy series out there right now. I've heard so many people tell me how much they love this series, but I am hesitant to read it. I've also heard that the author died before he finished the last couple of books. His son took up the task of finishing the story based off of his father's notes and journals. I've heard that the last couple of books fall way short of the others and it leads to a disappointing end. I will probably read them but its quite a commitment to read a 10,000+ page series all for a measly end.
Last night was the grand opening of Barnes and Noble here in St. George. I am very proud to say that I was there for this great moment and that I was the first person to go into the Science Fiction/Fantasy section. This truly will be a moment that I can share with my grandkids some day. Here is what I picked up.
The second book in the Song of Fire and Ice Series. The only thing cooler than reading a 1000 page epic fantasy novel is reading a bright purple 1000 page epic fantasy novel.
After listening to Neverwhere, I couldn't resist trying something else out by Neil Gaiman. This book is a blend of Americana, mythology, and fantasy. This book won the Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker awards for best novel.
I'm sure you will all wait in suspense to hear what I think about them.
A lot of you have heard about the protesters, gathering in droves, writing catchy phrases on their picket signs, and shouting at the top of their lungs at the human rights violations that are going on at the Beijing, China Olympics. I would like to speak about one of these atrocities today. Apparently, a frakking cylon/human hybrid has been cleared to run in the Olympics.
The bionic man in question, South African Oscar Pistorious, and his cybernetic magic legs are once again training for the Olympic qualifiers. Just four days ago, he was unsure if he was going to be able to compete or not. For some time, the Olympic committee had rightly said that he could not compete because the cyborg legs created an unfair advantage. Luckily for Oscar, there must be a fellow cylon skin job on the European Court of Arbitration for Sports, the group that gave him the go ahead. For the last couple of months leading up to the decision, Oscar was busy at work with MIT, running tests (no pun intended) to determine if his robot legs that he wears when he runs gives him a biochemical or a metabolic advantage over regular humans. MIT says that the legs do not give him an unfair advantage. What do a bunch of nerds know about running anyway?
Here is further proof that Oscar is a Cyborg. Check out this YouTube clip. The music that plays during the clip is perfect robot like music.
Please voice your opinion and fears about robots competing against humans.
Mr. Rumble and I went and saw Iron Man last Saturday night and we both really enjoyed it. The evening started off on the right foot when we were able to buy excellent assigned seats for the movie at the Gateway. This meant that we were able to go see a movie on opening weekend and enjoy the comfy feeling of not being rushed or worried about sitting on the front row. We showed up right as the Prince Caspian trailer was ending and went right to our empty seats. Amazing. Mr. Miller, you may hate gay people (Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist), but you sure do know how to run a movie theatre.
Things just got better from there. I was curious to see Downy Jr. as a superhero. I had some mixed feelings about him playing Tony Stark, but soon, all worries were put to rest. I instantly fell in love with the character. Downey does an excellent job. I can't wait to see him in Tropic Thunder this summer.
Mad props to Jon Favreau on his directorial skills. Iron Man was an excellent blend of story telling, special effects, acting, and some really cool shots. I must say that that this is probably the first movie I have ever seen where the special effects looked 100% real. They were amazing.
Another cool thing was that after the credits, there was a cameo by Samuel L. Jackson playing the part of Nick Fury (Mr. Rumble and I didn't see this, but it can now be seen on YouTube). He showed up to tell Tony Stark about The Avengers. The Avengers is an elite team of superheroes fighting for the good of the world. The team is made up mainly by Iron Man, The Hulk, Ant Man, Thor and Captain America. It is rumored that a similar cameo will be made by both Iron Man and Nick Fury in the upcoming Incredible Hulk movie, obviously to build momentum for a future Avengers franchise. Very cool.
