New Geek DVD day - 04/28/09

 

The Good:  JCVD

 

Why It's Good:  It's Jean Claude Van Damme, playing himself.  In the film, JCVD is an aging action star who keeps losing movie roles to his rival Steven segal.  His ex-wife is fighting him for custody of his kid, and he has tax and money problems.  In a desperate state, the actor decides to hold a post office hostage in exchange for money.  It's Jean Claude poking fun at himself and other action stars, and the hollywood industry too.  It's supposed to be pretty damned entertaining.

 



 

The Badass:  Star Trek - The Original Series - Season One on Blu-Ray

 

Why It's Badass:  The series that started it all is finally available on Blu-Ray.  Join the crew of the USS Enterprise as they go on their 5 year mission to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.  And now, that journey is in high definition.  This is season one of the classic 1960's show starring James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock.  The DVD set features seven discs which showcases every episode from the first season of Star Trek in stunning HD picture clarity and 7.1 surround sound.  This is now the best way to watch this show.  Every Trek fan will want to own this.

 



 

The Awesome:  X-Men - Volume 1 and Volume 2

 

Why It's Awesome:  Fox's animated X-Men TV series from the 1990's has finally come out on DVD.  I loved this show when it first aired on TV, and it's taken far too long for this show to come to DVD, but the wait is finally over.  For its time, the animated X-Men series was the most faithful adaptation of the X-men comics into any other form of media.  A number of the shows storylines were taken directly from the comics too, like the Days of Future Past, and a lot of mutants who you usually wouldn't see elsewhere like Cable or Bishop were given cameos or even full stories of their own as well.  Up until the new series Wolverine & The X-Men came out, I would have said that this was the greatest X-Men adaptation ever.  And even with the new animated show out, that doesn't detract from the awesomeness that was this great series.  I can't wait to buy these sets.

I Ain't Afraid Of No Ghosts

 

The above video is apparently the opening cutscene for the new Ghostbusters Videogame that will be coming out on the X-Box 360 and the PS3.  The Wii, unfortunately, is getting some wacky animated looking version of the game, and for people who only own a Wii . . . I weep for you.

 

There's a lot to love in this opening cutscene.  First of all, the game is set in 1991.  It's back when the Ghostbusters are still at their prime, so you don't have to worry about them trying to make up some crappy explanation as to why the original Ghostbusters still look exactly the same in the year 2009.  Secondly, the game's story will have to do with a museum exhibit on Gozer the Gozerian, and you know that's just going to lead to trouble.  And lastly, was Peter Venkman's offhand comment about, "Franchises available soon" a sly nod to the much talked about new live-action Ghostbusters sequel?  One can only hope.

You Too Can Own Super Expensive (And Super Creepy) Wax Figures Of Your Favorite Geek Icons

 



 

Since you're reading this site, I'm assuming you're a big lover of geeky things like comic books, movies, sci-fi, etc.  So I'm assuming that you'd be into knowing about something involving rather . . . unique . . . collectible items.  And if you're at all a fan of interesting collectible, and you happen to have a ton of spare cash laying around, you may want to look at this list of items available for purchase.

 

It turns out the Hollywood Wax Museum has become a bit overstocked with celebrity figures, and they've decided to sell off some of their older, less popular figures.  The list of figures they are selling is rather impressive too.  Most of them are movie characters, and a suprisingly large percentage of those are icones from some wide ranging geek favorite properties.  Pictured above are wax figures of a Zombie Michael Jackson from the thriller music video and Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock from Star Trek.  Other notable figures that can be purchased are Dr. Zaius from Planet of the Apes, Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator, The Alien from the film Alien, Mr. T, Christopher Reeves as Superman, a Klingon, Beetlejuice, Batman and the Joker from Tim Burton's Batman, Hulk Hogan, Indiana Jones, Bruce Willis as John McClane, Dick Tracy, Kevin Sorbo as Hercules, Zorro, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Maul, Padme Amidala, Morpheus from The Matrix, Abraham Lincoln and many, many more.

 

Most of the statues have starting bids between $3,000 to $5,000 so they won't come cheap, but if you've always wanted your very own life size Kevin Sorbo in your home, now's your chance.  I have to say though, the inherent creepiness of the figures sort of puts me off.  They're all really creepy looking, to the point where I wouldn't feel comfortable having these things in my home for fear that they might come alive one night and kill me in my sleep.  They just don't look right.  Even if I had the money, I wouldn't pay for one of these things.

 

Ok, that isn't entirely true.  There was one figure I would willingly pay for if I had the cash.  It's this one right here:

 



 

Come on . . . . . it's Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.  Can you blame me?  Aside from being the only wax figure I saw in the entire catalog that wasn't super creepy . . . . . it's Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.  Who doesn't want a sexy Catwoman just sitting around their house, am I right?

 

Anyways, the auctions for the figures are only open for another four days, so if you want any of these creepy, geeky pieces of memorabilia, you'd better act fast.

Why Leonard Nimoy Came Back To Play Spock One More Time

 

In an exclusive interviw with the Sci-Fi Wire, Leonard Nimoy explains why he decided to come back to the Star Trek Universe after so many years to once again don the pointy ears of everyone's favorite Vulcan . . . . . Mr. Spock.

 

"I don't think I ever said that I was done with Star Trek," Nimoy said in an exclusive interview a few weeks ago. "I think that Star Trek was kind of done with me for a while. I acted in the first six films. I directed two of them. I wrote story for two of them. I produced one of them. I was very, very active in the first six films. When the next film came [Star Trek: Generations] along, there was no role for Spock. And they killed Kirk. So one would have to ask the makers of those films, and the next few, why I was not involved. I was never offered anything that was like a Spock role. I was asked to direct the seventh film. I didn't think much of the script, and I passed."

 

But Abrams came to Nimoy with more than a cameo role, and it was enough to entice Nimoy out of semi-retirement. "In this particular case, they came to me with an idea that really valued the Spock character, valued my presence, gave me a role to play that I felt was worth coming back for, and I came back," he said. "So I don't think I ever turned my back on Star Trek. I think I was just allowed to drift away."

 

Ok, now this may bother a number of my fellow Trek fans, but I have to say that I for one am kind of glad that Leonard Nimoy didn't direct Star Trek: Generations.  I don't mean that to disparage the role Mr. Nimoy has played in history of Star Trek.  Far from it.  Nor do I doubt his excellent directing ability, I just don't think that he should have had a part in the Next Generation films because to do so would have taken away from what should have been the focus of those films . . . . namely the Next Generation crew.  Generations was their coming out film.  It was the passing of the torch film from the original crew to the next crew of the Starship Enterprise.  Having Kirk and Picard work together in that film was all that was needed to pass that torch.  Having Spock show up, or having Nimoy direct the film would have distracted from that.

 

I guess what's really been bugging me lately is the fact that we'll never again get to see a Next Generation film.  As much as I love the original series (and I really do), I have to say that I love the Next Generation more as a whole.  The crew as a whole are all around better characters, and the interactions between the characters are more nuanced and entertaining to me.  The original series is all about Kirk and Spock and sometimes McCoy.  Everyone else is just sort of background or filler.  I hate to say that, but it's true.  Do you really think we'll ever see a Star Trek film where Pavel Chekov is the main star?  Or Sulu?  Or Uhura?  No, you won't.  They're supporting characters.

 

Meanwhile, the Next Generation Trek films, while being admittedly heavily about Picard and Data, had a lot more going on with the other characters too.  The rest of the crew were given their own story arcs and had fuller, more likeable characters because if it in my opinion.  As happy as I am to see the new Trek film next week, I am also saddened at the same time at the realization that we'll never get to see another big screen adventure starring Picard, Riker, Troi, Data, Worf, Geordi, Dr. Crusher and of course Wesley Crusher too.

 

Wil Wheaton deserves a major Trek film role damn it, and I'm sad we'll never get to see it because people only demand to see Kirk and Spock again and again and again.  There should have been more Next generation films.  They got ended too soon, and I'm really sad because of this.

Doctor Who Meets The X-Files

 

The Good news:  Two amazing Sci-fi franchises are going to be meeting next year.  The Telegraph is reporting that Gillian Anderson, whom most fanboys such as myself know as Agent Dana Scully from the X-Files, has been cast for a role in a forthcoming episode of Britain's greatest sci-fi show ever . . . . . Doctor Who.

 

The Bad News:  She won't be starring opposite of David Tennant.

 

Ms. Anderson has been chosen to star in a special episode of Doctor Who that will air during next years all new season, with the all new Doctor . . . . . Matt Smith.

 

The American star would play the part of the renegade Time Lady The Rani, a glamorous but evil scientific genius previously played in the series by Kate O'Mara in the 80s.

 

An insider told the Daily Express newspaper: "Gillian obviously has a massive sci-fi following and it's felt that it would be a major coup to have her appear in Doctor Who.

 

"The team behind the show are keen for the next Doctor to have lots of new enemies and Gillian would be a glamorous and impressive addition to the list.

 

"The Rani would be a perfect role for her as the character used to be regarded as one of the Doctor's most deadly opponents."

 

While I will still be wary of newcomer Matt Smith as The Doctor until I've gotten to see a few episodes of the show starring him, I will fully admit to being excited that Gillian Anderson will be appearing on the show.  Doctor Who has had some amazing guest stars over the last couple of seasons including people like Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson and Kylie Monogue.  Having someone from another great sci-fi show that was beloved by many fans can only really add to The new Doctor's appeal.  I can't wait to see her episode.

Now Fox Is Just Messing With Us

 

I think it's fairly safe to say that Fox Pictures are in full panic mode at this point.  They're freaking out that the early leaked version of Wolverine that hit the internet a few weeks back will have a major impact on ticket sales.  In a truly desperate move to get people to buy tickets to see the film, Fox is pulling out all the stops and have announced that the film will have multiple secret endings that can be seen at the end of the credits.

 

The endings will be randomly distributed to different theaters on different prints of the film. so if fans want to see all of the possible endings, the idea is that they'll have to go see the film multiple times, at multiple theaters, and randomly hope for the best that they chose the right theater with a different ending.  There's no word yet on how many different endings there will be.  The only thing known for sure is at least one of those endings will feature Deadpool.

 

This really does feel like a desperation move on Fox's part to boost ticket sales.  After the leak of the early cut of the film online, there's been a bunch of negative buzz generated that the film is less than stellar in quality.  Due to this Fox has been, understandably, freaking out.  I can't say that I blame them for doing something like this to generate possible retrun viewing.  In fact, as far as I can remember, a film hasn't come out with multiple randomized endings since the live-action movie of the boardgame Clue (which is one of my favorite films).  I'm totally for the idea of multiple endings, and I am always in favor of easter eggs included at the end of film credits.  However, if Fox doesn't honestly think that every single one of these endings will be pirated by people with video cameras in the theaters and be posted onto youtube or a dozen different other websites by no later than 10am Saturday morning, they're delusional.

 

I fully intend to pay for a ticket to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine this weekend.  I always do my best to support Superhero films in the theaters by giving them my money and seeing them legally.  If the film is even really good, I'll go see it twice, but the idea of going back to the film in a different theater just to possibly see a different ending is probably something I won't do if the film itself isn't worth it.  It's a good movie that really makes for high levels of repeat viewing, not little bonuses you throw in at the end of the credits.  I hope Fox knows that.

Friday Happy Hour

 

It's Friday.  And you know what that means, right?  It's booze time.  Also, it's time for the second installment of the Friday Happy Hour, bringing you the absolute geekiest drinks possible.  Up today is a Star Trek Themed Drink.  It's called...

 

Beam Me Up Scotchie

 

Recipe

 

2 oz. Glenfiddich Scotch

1 oz. Vanilla Liquer

Add some figs for garnish (strain out fig leaves)

 

With the new Star Trek film coming out soon, this drink is the perfect thing to get us into the mood to go to Warp Factor Drunken.