Series creator/writer/director Chris Carter, actress Gillian Anderson (Dana Scully), actor Mitch Pileggi (Walter Skinner), executive producer/writer Frank Spotnitz and executive producer/director Rob Bowman (currently executive producer and director on ABC’s hit "Castle") reunite at the Beverly Wilshire hotel on November 14th, 2009 at 2:00pm to talk all things “X-Files” and answer burning questions from fans (eg all those rumors about X-Files 3 and the 2012 mythology). This is a rare opportunity for fans and filmmakers alike to get behind-the-scenes scoops on the process of making this iconic television series, ask questions about the panelists’ new projects and raise money for some very worthy causes.
Tickets for the Q&A event are now available athttp://www.ibginc.org/tickets. Proceeds from this amazing event will be donated in support of the participants’ chosen charities, including The Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Off the Street Kids, Fezeka and Children of the Night.
If you were alive in the late seventies/early eighties, you may remember the glut of Star Wars wannabe films and the incorporation of scifi elements in commercials and music videos. This is a classic example of such an incoroporation. What being a Loverboy has to do with a knock-off cantina scene from Star Wars is anyone's guess, but I like it!
This show fills my X-Files void. Anyone notice the homages to the X-Files thus far?
1. Ep 1: X-Files episode: Dreamland playing in the background
2. The shapeshifting Super Soldiers
3. mention of the X-Projects as the threat of this and Fringe division being closed down (before an FBI subcommittee).
4. The House from X-Files, Season 4 episode, Home with it's own inbread occupant.
Walter is perhaps the most imaginitive character currently on television. Leonard Nimoy's involvement is icing on the cake.
Smallville
I like Smallville and followed it since Season 2. However, this show mythos has become muddled. The Zod subplot seems confused, Tess Mercer living in the Luther mansion (always working out) still feels out of place. The death of Jimmy Olson, Lex Luthor and departure of Super Lana sits wrong with me, but of course I'll watch this until CW sees fit to replace it with some regurgated 90210 knockoff or a bad reality series.
Supernatural
I miss the shows season 1 formula. Remember when Sam and Dean were like the Hardy Boys investigating urban legends and supernatural stuff? This whole apocolyptic angels vs. demons, God vs. Satan makes me feel like I'm in some sort of seminary class gone wrong. Could we lighten up a little bit guys? Whatever happened to Dean's love of 80's buttrock on cassette?
Over the past few years, the Scifi channel...err, the SyFy channel has become an easy target of mockery for the SciFi community. As stated in aprevious post, the network name change was not the "jump the shark" moment...(again), those waterskis and leather jacket were donned years ago when B-movies and wrestling replaced showings of Star Wars and other A-List science fiction. Todays rant regards the newly redesigned website. It's not good. Remember when the web was new and everyone discovered geocities? Remember visiting these homemade sites? People would post any ani-gif they could find; upload every jpg known to man. It was sensory overload. That is what the new syfy.comsite feels like. In this case, it feels like someone discovered Flash for the first time and really went to town. Regarding content; forgot the "less is more" principle.
I've wondered for sometime if those who ran this channel really knew what they were doing. Their website is one more thing that proves they may not.
Rumors of V's return to television are officially put to rest. While some were hoping for a continuation, the decision for a reboot is perhaps the better idea. Like its predecessor, this will debut as a mini series. However, the numbers could lead to a regular show if strong (like the original). At this time there is no word on whether any original cast members will return. To view current actors casted,click here.
MY BRIEF TREKKIE BIO It all began as a small child in the late seventies. My dad and I would catch reruns of Star Trek (TOS) every Saturday evening after dinner. My favorite villian at that time was the Gorn. My favorite hero was of course, Captain James T. Kirk. Then came Star Trek: The Motion Picture. To my delight (and probably my father's sanity), I saw this in the theater no less than 11 times. I'm a Trekkie. My passion is TOS. TNG is fine and the spinoffs, okay, but Star Trek will always be to me the original crew of the USS Enterprise. So...did this Trek purist like the new film?
MY REVIEW OF THE NEW MOVIE You bet! In one word, Star Trek is: AMAZING! The first 12 minutes of this film are epic and emotional. The battle scene is one of the best Trek battle scenes of all time. The death of George Kirk and birth of James Kirk is compelling. To the hardcore Trek fan, this is also a turning point in Trek history as the past, present and future of the Star Trek universe is forever altered.
The common misgnomer of Star Trek XI is it's an origins story of when Kirk met Spock. It is this, but not as we the Trek fan once knew it. In short, a rogue force of future Romulans travel back to the past to right a percieved wrong. This group led by Captain Nero blames Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) for the destruction of Romulus. To avenge this, his plan is to capture Spock so that he too will witness the destruction of his planet, Vulcan. This, along with the death of George Kirk at the hands of these same Romulans, completely disrupts the timeline of events from the unaired Star Trek pilot: The Cage forward.
Through this we are reintroduced to all the key players: Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Scotty, Chekov, Sulu, etc. as they go through starfleet academy and make their way to the Enterprise. In a nice nod to the pilot, Captain Christopher Pike helms the Enterprise at the start of the mission.
The Good:
The Cast: The actors played their roles with great reverence to the original. Karl Urban as McCoy stole the show. It is also worth paying attention to Chris Pine's entrance onto the bridge at the end of the film from the walk to the leg crossing. Give him a cup of coffee and Yeoman Rand at his side and it's the Shat in all his glory!
Special FX: The mix of practical and CGI were seamless
The Uniforms: Kudos and much thanks J.J. You did not fail us here! You gave us the old red, yellow and blue shirts and skirts.
Kirk gets the Green Girl! While any trekkie knows that it is actually Captain Pike who hooks up with the green Orion slave girl in The Cage. However, J.J. plays on the common fallacy of the casual fan by having Kirk kiss Green girl.
The return of both Leonard Nimoy (Spock) and Majel Barrett (Computer). Both actors were there in the original pilot. They spanned all iterations of the Star Trek universe. How appropriate they are there for the kick off Trek's new beginnings.
What People are Whining About:
The relationship between Spock and Uhura. I get it...Spock's not supposed to have feelings. Uhura and Spock have no romantic issues in TOS. I refute those claims by pointing out Spock's half human and also will point out the ongoing subtle feelings between he and Nurse Chapel in the series. Also, the timeline is changed...forget what you knew in TOS and accept it!
The Score: I have to agree. I thought the score was a little weak. While there were echoes of both Alexander Courage and James Horner, I felt it needed more familiar Star Trek themes.
The Ship: As much as I loved those cardboard sets...I'm glad they modernized a few things. The exterior is the familiar NCC-1701. In the interiors, there are some nods to old sets integrated with new ideas. I do have to agree the engine room was a little odd.
The weird Alien that chased Kirk on Delta Vega. Yeah...not sure what that was either. Did someone invite George Lucas to the set?
The Poster: If you read my earlier posthere, I think it is one of the lamest Star Trek movie posters ever.
For those of us diehards that doubted...forgive us Mr. Abrams. Star Trek is in good hands. Now, to quote Kirk: "Buckle Up!" We want more!
An April Fool's Day joke was played recently, proclaiming Sega was relaunching its console division ready to take on Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft. Many of us laughed...and well...kinda wished it were true.
Flash forward one month later and well...it is...sort of...back. According tothis Joystiq article,brand new Dreamcast units are being sold online for the low price of $99.00 and competing head-to-head with the PS2 market...the very system that killed the DC.
Yeah...it's wierd and it's wierd that just 2 months ago I broke mine out of storage and played Crazy Taxi for a week straight. It was ahead of its time offering online gaming and introduced us to some great games like the 2k sports series.
Maybe if a bunch of us buy them..just maybe Sega will launch a DC2...stay tuned!
Once again, Reaper finds itself at death's door, hell's gates...the chopping block! Rumors are fueled by news of the show's creators leaving to work on another project. While nothing is official, it's worth noting shows like Smallville continue on without the original creators. Reaper also regularly outperforms other CW shows like Gossip Girl and 90210. It's a fun show. If you've never watched it, I encourage you to check it out. If you're already a fan, checkout the online campaigns to fight for it's survival:
I am a Trekkie. I own the original TOS series on DVD (original Special FX intact). I viewed all, but Nemesis in the theater (including the infamous TMP, 8 times). I attended and witnessed the Shat at a Star Trek Conference. I own memorabilia. I love me the Trek...and have held all judgment (against my better judgment) on the latest J.J. Abrams vision(with the exception of signing a "Bring Shatner Back" petition).
I can be silent no more. This is perhaps the worst Star Trek film poster I've ever seen. I keep waiting for the punch line; the revelation that this is a fanboy's photoshop attempt at Trek art, but alas...this is it. While the days of grand posters and in-theater promotions have given way to the era of big DVD releases and YouTube promotions, it seems a franchise like Star Trek deserves better. All we, the fans can hope for is a better product on screen than the product hanging on the theater wall.
One of my favorite podcasts,Horroretc, landed a coveted interview with Robert "Freddy" Englund himself. If you are a Nightmare on Elm Street, V, or general horror fan, treat yourself to one of horror's true icons.
Has the Scifi Channel jumped the shark? Yes, but that Fonzi jacket and those water skiis were donned years ago. When the channel began airing Z-Grade movies, embarking on Reality Television and wrestling, many of us knew it was over. Now NBC, owner of the cable network is finally "admitting" with the name change, this is no longer a SciFi-only channel. Here are some excerpts from Network president, Dave Howe taken from thefull article found at MSNBC:
“We love being sci-fi, and we’re still embracing that, but we’re more than just space and aliens and the future -- the three things most people think of when they think of ’sci fi.”’
“What this does is hopefully give us the best of both worlds...You keep the heritage, but also open up to a broader range of content.”
“Our core audience will use it an opportunity to question our motives -- they always do...But what we’re embracing is the total sci-fi landscape -- fantasy, paranormal, action-adventure, mystery ... it’s imagination-based entertainment.”
Count me as part of the disappointed "core audience"...and what an opportunity for an investor out there to start up a true scifi channel.
SciFi Wire is reporting the possibility of Glen A. Larson's originalBattlestar Galactica continuingas a theatrical release. Universal has not officially confirmed this nor has there been any word on reprisals of roles by the original cast. Admittedly, my inner 7 year old can't help, but hope this is for real. Stay Tuned!
Kim Manners passed last night in Los Angeles after battling cancer. Famous for his work on the X-Files and most recently with CW's Supernatural, Kim Manners brought a passion and intensity to his work. The above video is a behind the scenes look at the X-Files episode, Humbug he directed. He will be missed.
To read Frank Spotnitz statement, check out hisblog. You can also read Supernatural's Eric Kripke's reaction at theX-Files News.
In 1979, Paramount Pictures reintroduced audiences to the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. However, it was not until 1982 the Star Trek franchise was truly relaunched by The Wrath of Khan.
TWOK, based off the episode,Space Seed was about a (penal) ship (The Botany Bay) filled with genetically enhanced humans (all exiled/deposed rulers of Earth) launched into space in the year 1999 at the conclusion of the eugenics war. Led by Khan Noonien Singh, it would be Captain Kirk and his crew who would discover who they (the mysterious Botany Bay Crew) were and their hunger for conquest (in this case, The Enterprise). Once contained and controlled, the Enterprise would re-exile Khan, his crew, and ship historian, Marla McGivers to Ceti Alpha V.
Flash forward approximatley 15 years to Khan and his remaining crew who are rediscovered by the U.S.S. Reliant. The ship is quickly taken over and Khan's quest for revenge begins!
TWOK has long been considered the gold standard of Star Trek feature films. More importantly, Montalbán's reprisal and portrayl of Khan was what made this film what it was (and still is). Montalbán's Khan has become the template of the perfect villian within the Star Trek universe. Often imitated, but never surpassed...Khan set out to destroy Kirk, the Enterprise and her crew, but in his quest saved and relaunched a franchise that continues unto this day.
Note to J.J. Abrams: Leave this one alone in your quest to re-imagine Star Trek.
With the X-Files sequel completed and ground swell beginning for XF3...the Time is Now to return to the world of Frank Black and Millennium. A campaign is underway over at: http://www.backtofrankblack.com/. The best part: Lance Henrickson, in arecent interviewwith the campaign expressed an interest in reprising the role of Frank Black. This campaign has also caught the attention of Frank Spotnitz who along with Carter have expressed in revisiting Millennium. What can you do? Start by visiting the website itself! There is contact information and other campaign ideas. Something else I always suggest is visiting Message Boards and other Blogs and leaving a link to the campaign.
Will Frank Black be back? Let's just say I want to believe....
For those of you who have been hiding in a wormhole or trapped in the V'Ger cloud, J.J. Abrams will be unveiling his vision of TOS in theaters in 2009....here's what Shatner has to say about it:
As reported by Moviehole.netand confirmed by Frank Spotnitz, X-Files 3 is not only a possibility, but Fox Chairman, Tom Rothman stated that it is up Chris Carter and the gang if they want to continue the quest of Mulder, Scully and all things X.
Both FTF and IWTB are slated for release this month. IWTB will hold the distinction of being Fox's first endeavor into Blu-Ray.
I had a chance to catch X-Files: IWTB on opening day in a fairly packed movie theater. With the mixed critical reviews, I was of course wondering what I might be in for. Admittedly from the opening scene of nightfall, the classic X-Files logo and Mark Snow's trademark theme, I was immediately drawn in. The last time we saw Mulder and Scully, Mulder was a fugitive running from the military, FBI and Super Soldiers. Flash forward, six years later we find Mulder hiding out, still wanted and living with Dr. Scully who has returned to a full time career in medicine. Scully, approached by an FBI agent, played by Amanda Peet is seeking Mulder and has promised Mulder's exoneration if he helps them on a case that has (to quote Mulder) a certain paranormal bouquet. Mulder agrees as this is a case involving a disgraced priest, psychically connected to a series of abduction of women, the latest being that of a missing FBI agent and how and why he is connected.
The Good:
It is hard to believe Duchovny and Anderson have been away for six years as these characters. The chemistry between these two is undeniable.
The story. I admit for a MOTW, standalone episode, I would have loved to have seen a "Tooms" type character. However, if you watched the show (and I believe many of the critics did not), many of the episodes were either creepy, psychological thrillers or character studies. IWTB is very much a "Clyde Bruckman" meets "Paper Hearts".
The music. Mark Snow is the only person that could truly score this.
Atmosphere. The snowy backdrop, quickcut editing and the jump scares really built on each other.
Skinner's cameo. This was just awesome!
The Bad:
It does feel like a very good, two part episode and can agree with critics that it does not have the same cinematic feel as FTF
This was billed as a film to bring in the uninitiated and for those who enjoy more of a psychological thriller without prior knowledge to this show will enjoy it. However, those who are expecting alien invasions and massive CGI explosions will be disappointed.
FOX's marketing and release. I feel that a Fall (Halloween?) release date, not a release date following TDK and better marketing would have been much more beneficial to this film.
My Verdict is this: IWTB is a very enjoyable and rich film. I am very excited to for it's release to DVD and count myself as one of those hoping for an XF3. Throughout the week all parties involved in the making of this film have all expressed the same interest. If you count yourself an X-Files fan, I highly recommend it!
A little over a year ago I purchased my first IPOD. Soon thereafter, I discovered the wonderful world of podcasting. One podcast that I enjoy is theB-Movie Cast, hosted by Vince Rotolo. It was here that I first heard of "Public Domain Movies". In short, public domain films, are films that are no longer owned or controlled by anyone, making them free and accessible for download by the public. A couple of sites that I have discovered are: www.archive.organd http://www.publicdomaintorrents.com/. I am a sucker for a good (bad) Sci-fi/horror flavored b-flick and these sites have helped me discover such lost "gems" such as:Teenagers from Outer Spaceand Teenage Zombies! Check them out...you won't be disappointed!
The title and date is set! X Files: I Want to Believe will be coming to a theater near you, July 25, 2008. As mentioned, this is a stand-alone, monster of the week adventure with the promise of being scary. While this film has been shrouded in secrecy, Chris Carter and company have made their intentions clear that this a relaunch of the franchise with more films and a continuation of the mythos.
Here is one more reality to those of us who have waited. The official poster has been revealed and the official X-Files website is up and running at:http://www.xfiles.com/. July 25, 2008 is the still the target date for release and has been shooting up in Vancouver B.C. where seasons 1-4 were shot!
The truth is out there! This past weekend at WonderCon in San Francisco, Duchovny, Anderson, Carter, and Spotnitz made an appearance with a first glimpse of the long anticipated X-Files 2 film. To read more, check out this article atSciFi.com.
It has also been recently reported byxfilesnews.comthat Annabeth Gish and Robert Patrick will not be in the sequeal, but there are talks of an X-Files 3 and a continuation of the mythos/plot that played out in the 9 seasons and first movie. According to Gish, a 3rd film will be contigent on the success of the 2nd. Stay tuned...
