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Supernatural 2.21 – Two Minutes To Midnight

May 082010

I just finished watching this weeks episode of Supernatural. The Winchester boys are gearing up for a final romp with the Devil. They got two of the Horsemen’s Rings and now they go after the two remaining. Dean is not happy with Sams plan to say yes to the Devil and then jump in the cage, but Bobby is backing him up.

Castiel was taken by Angles earlier and believed to be dead or at least out of the count, now he is back with no recollection of what happened to him and with his ‘Angelic Battery’ all discharged, so Bobby have to wire him money for airplane fare. I would have liked to see him on that airplane. While he take this more mundane way of transport Dean and Sam goes after Pestilence at a hospital.

Matt Frewer plays a magnificent Pestilence, I love his character in Eureka and this is almost as good. Sam and Dean are detected sneaking in the corridors and Pestilence twist his ring and infect them with deadly viruses. When all seamed lost Castiel storms in and save the day, at least almost. Pestilence’s last words are “You are to late”.

Back at bobby’s hideout they learn that Bobby sold his soul to Crowley. I hope they don’t kill of the King of the Crossroads this season, he is such an enjoyable villain. The scene that also was in the promo with Bobby being asked “Did you kiss him?” No! Then Crawley show them the picture on his cell.

Sam and Dean’s talk was good when they gear up Crawley jumping into the conversation was also good “You guys are lucky you have your looks” when they are a bit clueless. Castiel bitching with Bobby about being useless was also an amusing scene. This is the kind of humor I love with Supernatural.

Remember that future episode, with zombies affected by a disease? The vaccine Pestilence’s henchman was brewing is about to go national in a few days. They have to stop that and get Death’s ring at the same time.

Crawley is a wicked, wicked demon, he gives back Bobby the use of his legs, Bobby is so happy that you can see him considering selling his soul again.

Sam and Bobby goes after the warehouse the vaccine will be shipped from. Good fight there, Sam saves at least ten people and in the end Castiel finds himself useful as he blows the head of a Zombie that is strangling Sam.

Death has a nice theme song as he rides up in his grey Mustang (I think it was a Mustang). Crowley and Dean have to look for him before finding him in a Pizza place. Death is eating Pizza. Would you eat a Pizza offered by death? Dean does. Death wants the devil’s control off. He calls him a bratty child having a tantrum. He gives the ring to Dean on the conditions that Sam is the only one that can stop Lucifer, and Dean has to promise to let him. Dean promises him. Remember you can’t cheat death, Death warns him before teaching him to use the rings.

They now have all the rings. Death told Dean how to operate the rings. Next episode is the season finale “Swan Song” airs May 13.

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Haven – New Stephen King based TV Series on SyFy this Summer!

TV Series No Responses »

Mar 312010

Syfy brings a new TV series called Haven based on Stephen Kings Hardboiled mystery novella The Colorado Kid to the air this summer. The premiere is Friday, July 9.

Haven centers around the town of Haven in Main, where else, which turns out to be a longtime refuge for people that are afflicted with a remarkable range of supernatural abilities.

Emily Rose (Jericho, Brothers and Sisters, ER) plays lead role of Audrey Parker, the shrewd and confident FBI agent with a lost past who arrives in the small town of Haven to solve the murder of a local ex-con. Before long, her natural curiosity lands her in the epicenter of activity in this curious enclave.

This feels a bit similar to Gated and Eureka in setup even if the subject matter is different. I don’t mean that negative in any way, I love Eureka.

As the townspeople’s dormant abilities begin to express themselves, Audrey helps keep these forces at bay while discovering the many secrets of Haven – including one surrounding her own surprising past in this extraordinary place.

Lucas Bryant (Queer as Folk, Dollhouse) will play Nathan Wuornos, the wry local cop who soon becomes Audrey’s partner. Bristling under the thumb of his father, the Chief of Police, Nathan has a quiet, controlled demeanor that often clashes with Audrey’s feisty one: a dichotomy that also makes them perfect complements. As events in the town begin to unfold at a surprising pace, Nathan’s usual controlled sense of calm is put to the test.

Also among the citizens of this eccentric town is Duke Crocker played by Eric Balfour (24, Six Feet Under), a charming yet mysterious jack-of-all-trades. Though Duke outwardly appears to be a free spirit who lives an unobtrusive life on his boat, it becomes apparent that his mellow demeanor may conceal a much darker agenda.

Production on Haven is expected to commence in Spring 2010 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. So far there isn’t any photos out from the filming.

The team behind Haven are heavily from The Dead Zone team.

The pilot is written by Sam Ernst (Shrek the Third, The Dead Zone) and Jim Dunn (Shrek the Third, The Dead Zone) who will also serve as executive producers on the series.

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AMC orders ‘Walking Dead’ to series

TV Series No Responses »

Mar 302010

Is Zombies this year’s Vampires? Maybe for AMC as they pick up The Walking Dead to series. It Premieres in October tied to the network’s popular movie franchise FearFest. So far we have only one cast Jon Bernthal (The Pacific, The Ghost Writer) who will play Shane, Grimes’ partner. Bloody-Disgusting have what they call a forerunner in the cast for the lead character Rick Grimes, Lee Miller (Hackers, Dracula 2000, “Eli Stone”).

Production begins in June in Atlanta for the six episodes of season one.

“The Walking Dead is that rare piece of material that plays on many levels,” says Joel Stillerman, Senior Vice President of Programming, Production and Digital Content. “Kirkman’s series brilliantly captures the social commentary and ongoing human drama of the zombie apocalypse; and let’s us kick a little zombie you-know-what from time to time.”

The Walking Dead tells the story of the months and years that follow after a zombie apocalypse. It follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, who travel in search of a safe and secure home. The comic goes on to explore the challenges of life in a world overrun by zombies who take a toll on the survivors, and sometimes the interpersonal conflicts present a greater danger to their continuing survival than the zombies that roam the country. Over time, the characters are changed by the constant exposure to death and some grow willing to do anything to survive.

Built on the comics with the same name by “Robert Kirkman has created a world in The Walking Dead with real characters, real human emotion, and great stories that paint a very smart, sophisticated, and layered picture,” said Joel Stillerman, the channel’s senior VP of original programming, production and digital content. “In that respect, this is the quintessential AMC version of a property like this, and I think that is what makes these books resonate for so many people.”

The Walking Dead has been published by Image Comics since 2003.

Source: AMC

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First look at Felicia Day in RED

Movies, TV Series 5 Responses »

Mar 132010

Felicia Day in action, gun in hand, throwing knife strapped to her boot and the burning remains of a werewolf in front is the first awesome picture from Syfy’s take on The Little Red Riding Hood – What happened after? RED is about the descendants of the red caped girl, who with Syfy’s usual delightful twist is werewolf hunters.

Felicia looks perfect for the role and I loved her in the Guild.

I really like Syfy’s re-imagining of old classics like Tin Man (The Wizard of Oz) and Alice [review].

We don’t know when it will air, but it usually takes a year from filming to air so early 2011 is the best guess.

Source: Karen O’Hara at Syfy Movies

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The God Engines by John Scalzi, a review

Books 1 Response »

Feb 282010

John Scalzi treads new domains with this dark Gothic Opera of star travel, faith, living gods, sex, violence and space battles which channels the spirit of H.P. Lovecraft.

Captain Ean Tephe is a man of faith, whose allegiance to his lord and to his ship is uncontested. The Bishopry Militant knows this — and so, when it needs a ship and crew to undertake a secret, sacred mission to a hidden land, Tephe is the captain to whom the task is given.

Tephe knows from that the start that his mission will be a test of his skill as a leader of men and as a devout follower of his god. It s what he doesn t know that matters: to what ends his faith and his ship will ultimately be put — and that the tests he will face will come not only from his god and the Bishopry Militant, but from another, more malevolent source entirely…

Author John Scalzi has ascended to the top ranks of modern science fiction with the best-selling, Hugo-nominated novels Old Man’s War and Zoe’s Tale. Now he tries his hand at fantasy, with a dark and different novella that takes your expectations of what fantasy is and does, and sends them tumbling.

Say your prayers…and behold The God Engines.

Info

Format: Hardcover
Length: 136 pages, novella
Illustration and cover: by Vincent Chong, please check out his website, the illustrations are wonderful.

Plot

You have to have faith to be a starship captain, since your engine is a captured and defiled god. The first line of the book is “It was time to whip the god” – just like that. Captain Ean Tephe has a strong faith and his religious superiors uses it and him when their god come under assault from new and strong gods. They send him on a mission to find converts to strengthen his god with new faith. A mission that will challenge his faith and his grasp of reality in unexpected and sinister ways.

Idea

The main focus of the story is faith. How strong faith might move mountains, but also the difference between reflecting and challenged faith compared to blind faith that doesn’t allow challenges. I am not sure that is what John intended, but I feel it has something to tell us all about the follies of blind faith. I should add that this is not a religious book even if it is about faith, there are no identifiable religions in it.

Characterization

One of John Scalzi’s strength is his vivid characters and his uncanny ability to make you feel what they do. I like Ean, I understand his motivations and I chill to the bone like he does.

World building

There is something gothic over the world John Scalzi conjure. A dystropic interstellar empire run by a militaristic church, serving one God that has conquered and captured other gods to be used to power the starships that keeps it together. It is not a world I would like to live in but it is an interesting world I would like to read more about.

My View

The God Engines is a chilling horror story set in a world with living manifested gods, so it has to be fantasy? Well, maybe, there is a lot of Space Opera and science fiction in this fantasy story. I think it’s magnificent and I love the inventiveness of the story, using gods as engines! I am just sorry it is so short, the plot could easily have been made into a full length novel. I say convinced that it would be easy for John Scalzi, him being such a fantastic writer (nudge, nudge).

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Supernatural 5.11 Sam interupted

TV Series No Responses »

Jan 282010

Nice that the Winchester boys are back. In this episode they go totally mental. Sam will have to face those inner demons of his before it is over.

Sam and Dean enter a mental hospital as patients after a series of suicides. The other patients complain about monsters that come and take them. And the Doctor in charge tell them “There is no such things as monsters”.

It is Amusing when Sam And Dean tell the psychiatrist about causing the Apocalypse and hunting demons. It’s not as funny as the rectal exam they get from the nurse as part of their entry exam.

They visit a fellow inmate/hunter in the loonie bin Ted. He was the one that called them.

They soon discover that it is a Wraith they are after. But then things start to go down hill. Is it the Doctor or the clingy patient or the hot doctor in Deans head. Both Dean and Sam become affected by a mental illness with hallucinations and rage attacks. Something is fucking with their minds.

Good episode, I am glad they are back, and that they are back together.

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