Saturn 3 Blu-Ray/DVD Bound: Heckling Hector and Company For Their Less Than Stellar Work…

Posted on October 13, 2013 by geelw

OK, I didn’t think it was possible, but it looks as if someone is actually putting the wretched mess Saturn 3 out on Blu-Ray. The otherwise great director Stanley Donen’s flawed folly of a feeble flick is headed out to retail on December 3, 2013 from the fine folks at Shout Factory.

This big budget sci-fi/horror non-epic non masterpiece (it’s not even a “so bad it’s good” experience) completely wastes the talents of all involved and is a total mess from start to finish. Thankfully, it looks as if the disc’s handful of bonus features just may save this one from being the “WTF did you get me this crap for?” movie of the year. Trust me, there’s not one redeemable quality about the theatrical version, but I know some movie fans find elements of this junk heap intriguing enough to want to go back and watch this a few too many times.

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GRAVITY Is Number 1, So NWA World Has Some Fun…

Posted on October 7, 2013 by geelw

Of course, when you’re on top of the world (or a few hundred miles above it), your success become ripe for the picking at from a few sources. The folks at NMA World pull no punches here with their take on deleted scenes, but you may need a refresher course on current Chinese news and history in order to get everything here. I still haven’t seen Gravity yet as the movie theater near me is still closed and I’m completely clueless (well, a bit more clueless than usual) as to when it will reopen. If I don’t see any life signs there within a week, I just may need to settle for traveling a bit. I certainly WON’T go for a cheap Chinese bootleg at all (fake outtakes or not), as this is the sort of flick that needs money going where it’s supposed to when all is said and done…

106 Newly Found Doctor Who Episodes Prove Time Travel Exists. Sort Of.

Posted on October 7, 2013 by geelw

“Are we going to Addis Ababa, Mr. Luthor?”

OK, this is weird, folks. Hmmm. Remember that classic Doctor Who episode where they bury a box of mysterious and seemingly random stuff in the desert in Africa in the distant past and the Doc says (with a grin, of course) “Now, this will be REALLY important one day in the future!”?

Anyone? No?

Well, that’s probably because that episode is most likely in this set of 106 formerly “lost” Who shows found by fans in Ethiopia recently. Longtime fans know a good chunk of the 1960’s shows were ~~erased or taped over~~ “lost” by the BBC, but according to The Daily Mirror website, 106 shows from between 1964 to 1969 ended up being sold to the Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency. Why? Ask the Doctor, I say. I’ll bet he knows. Anyway, I’m gathering BBC will no doubt be getting these cleaned up and re-aired (and sold on DVD) sooner than later, as the historical value on these is probably going to be ratings platinum for the network. I’m hoping they run them here in the US at the same time on BBC America, as it’ll be annoying hearing spoilers and such spill out from over the pond from overly giddy fans there.

Edit: Aha. the Beeb will be airing these shows starting this week. Yay and boo, as we BBC America viewers haven’t a clue as to when we’ll be seeing them. Still, I’m a happy and patient camper, so I’ll wait until these eventually make the trip over and stay away from forums discussing the new old shows.

“I wonder what they’re wearing in Addis Ababa?”

Looks like a burnous, Miss Tesmacher. Looks like a burnous.

(Hmmm, someone better tell Miss Tesmacher and Otis that not only are we NOT going to Addis Ababa, they’re completely in the wrong post…)

Random Film of the Week(end): MAROONED

Posted on October 6, 2013 by geelw

While Alfonso Cuarón’s GRAVITY is raking in its massive weekend box office bank and garnering all sorts of critical accolades and yes, awards potential, I thought I’d crack open the vaults and take a look at the first major Hollywood hit about a crew of astronauts lost in space. Granted, the doomed crew of 1950’s Rocketship X-M got lost, ended up somewhere scientifically implausible and came back down to Earth in the worst way possible first. And yes, yes… the crew of the Discovery from Kubrick’s epic 2001: A Space Odyssey don’t quite count because they were done in by a very confused computer in such a low-key manner that by the end their deaths are forgotten in that film’s grander cosmic scope.

But John Sturges’ 1969 film (which won an Academy Award for its visual effects) has the benefit of some much better actors performing in lead and supporting roles, although the film’s science and yes, now dated “by today’s standards” visual effects don’t hold up all that well these days. It’s worth a viewing these days when it pops up on TCM just to see how Hollywood was trying hard to make a timely sci-fi film while chasing (and not coming close to) the higher level of quality Kubrick and his team of SFX technicians spent years crafting…

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Gravity “Now Playing” Spots 1 & 2: What Are You Doing At Home Reading This?

Posted on October 4, 2013 by geelw

Yeah, YOU. get out there and go see this one before somebody you know does and blabs out the ending or whatever. Amusingly enough, I can’t even see it if I wanted to in a non-3D version as the movie theater near me closed down (!) with no notice. Which stinks as there used to be three or four within walking distance many years back and they’re all something else now. BOO. If I want to go to the movies now, it’s a few miles walk or a bus trip (but I’m a cheap bastard and I’d probably hoof it on a nice day). So go see this and if you run into me on the way to the movies, don’t tell me a damn thing, grrr…

Gravity “Experience the Third Dimension” Featurette: Your Wallet Will Be Lighter, That’s For Sure…

Posted on October 2, 2013 by geelw

Ooh, look! it’s future home video commentary (I’ll bet you a whole dollar on that, dear readers). While the film is getting some VERY solid scores across the board so far from early screenings, I still can’t justify paying close to $30 for a movie ticket, transportation and food to see this ONE time. It’s definitely the first 3D film I’ve been interested in seeing, but IMAX seems to be the way to go based on the gushing reviews. I’m not that guy who follows mandates like this, so I’m hoping the upcoming Blu-Ray/DVD looks great projected on the wall in the DAF living room. That or my pal George Clooney spots me some ticket money. Hell, I’ll even chase Sandra Bullock around like a nicer paparazzi without a camera if she’ll get me in to see this. Hmmm. perhaps an IMAX “Lite” theater needs to be created for us cheap bastards that aren’t into “experiences” and more into movies for their stories and acting. Of course, where I live, that Lite theater would be a couple of guys with sledgehammers knocking a hole in the wall of whatever IMAX theater is closer and charging less for a ticket, but MORE for a pair of used 3D specs. Ugh.

Gravity TV Spot 6: “And Now I’m Mad About Space Junk”

Posted on September 30, 2013 by geelw

I actually had a crazy dream the other night that the end credits to Gravity were going to be Devo’s 1978 tune “Space Junk”, but we know that’s not going to happen (although it would be a pretty darn amusing joke… well, to me at least. Can you believe DEVO has been around for 40 years? Well, their first LP was release in 1978, but the group first got together in 1972/73! Of course, if you have to ask “Who’s DEVO?”, you need a proper conversion. No need to do anything, dears… it’s all been arranged. Just step outside during the next full moon and look up to the northwest. Things will happen and you’ll be converted. Um, take a good umbrella or even better, a hardhat and remember to not forget to close those peepers. It may sting a little…

More Endings! Doctor Who Reminds You It’s Soon Time For A Big Change…

Posted on September 29, 2013 by geelw

OK, so this teaser is ten seconds of “just you wait and see what’s coming”, but oh well. That holiday show should be a doozy, as each new Doctor means we lose an old one and it’ll probably be in some not too amusing manner given the path this past season has taken. I wonder who, if anyone from this arc will be around with the next Doctor, but on the other hand… change is good in this series if the proper cast is round up. Alrighty then… 33 minutes to Breaking Bad (and hell if I’m going to be online while that’s on).

Gravity TV Spots 4 & 5: Heavy Rotation and Airtime Thoughts…

Posted on September 28, 2013 by geelw

OK, I missed an update thanks to me not watching “normal” TV for a few days last week, but here you go. Everything I’m hearing about this is good, which is kind of rare in that there’s usually at least one or two detractors about any sci-fi film. On the other hand, this is supposed to be a “hard” Sf flick and the buzz on the realism is (so far) also positive. Granted, I can’t think of any time in the past when an event such as this happened, but I’ll let the science geeks have at it once they see the film and decide to pick it apart for things their bigger brains note as incorrect. Although… how would they know unless *gasp!*… they’re frequent space travelers themselves… or aliens.

And yes, that “*gasp!*” was placed in the wrong spot and I’m too tired from gasping (twice!) to move it.

Escape Plan TV Spot #1: No Movie For Old Men… Uh, Oh… Too Late!

Posted on September 23, 2013 by geelw

Or “I’m Getting Too Old For This $#!t!”. Or “Stop, Or My Hip Will Go Out!”. or “Aged Whine and Cheese”… and so forth and so on (I thought up about fifteen other titles). Yeesh, I don’t know who the target audience for this is other than those in on the joke or delusional people close to my age who still think these two aging granite-faced coots are going to be doing stunt work they’ve never done previously AND making a decent movie chewing up the same scenery together. Then again… I bet no one is seeing this for the “acting”, right? RIGHT?!

Yeah, I thought so…

Hmmm. If it were a flick packed with more former action heroes around the same age in that space prison trying to get out, mayyyyyyyyybe it would be good for a chuckle. On the other hand… that’s probably the plot of The Expendables 7, coming to a theater near you in oh, about three years (or two, if it’s straight to video, no chaser)…