christmas special countdown: 21 days

Forget presents, I need Doctor Who!

While we wait here’s a video (thanks jlynn) that combines two wonderful things (three if you count the phenomenon that is John Barroman), Wicked and Doctor Who.

Highlander:The Source wins the battle, but the war isn’t over

I started working on my recap/review of Highlander:The Source last night, after fortifying myself with a glass of wine (or a couple). Two chocolate martinis and 2,000 words later, I’d made it 15 minutes into the 90 minute film. Folks, this project may kill me. I suppose I could lay off the snark a bit and just write an abbreviated recap, but I just don’t see how that kind of inattention to detail would do this classic movie justice. I took some time off tonight (I’m reading “Stardust” again to let the power of the Gaiman heal my wounded soul), but tomorrow is a new day, and I won a bottle of shiraz in our office dirty santa exchange!

The first part is high on exposition and low on Adrian, so I’m thinking it will get easier. Gods I hope it will, otherwise the mushroom cloud caused by the meltdown of my brain will be viewable around the globe.

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Different topic: I love how the lion in “Stardust” purrs like an earthquake. Too bad that scene got cut from the movie – if you haven’t read the book you are missing a lot of lovely little bits like that, though I will admit that the Captain in the movie version is much more entertaining – and if you haven’t seen the movie, then shame on you! It runs laps around the current box office fantasy winner Enchanted.

To demonstrate:

Stardust trailer

Enchanted trailer

I’m sorry, that just looks mind-numbing to me. Hold the frilly dress and cheesy music and give me some Beowulf style gore or a snarky fallen star instead please!

pretend you’re excited

The newest SciFi rumor that has me in tizzy? SCI FI Wire is reporting that The Pretender may be returning! Not only that but star Michael T. Weiss has been approached about reprising his role as Jarod.

For me the show took a shark-jumping turn when it started bringing in supernatural elements instead of sticking with the ‘super-genius on the run from a shady evil corporation’ formula. Watching Jarod outsmart the Centre every week while trying to discover the secrets of his past and how they intertwine with those of Miss Parker and the other Centre minions never got old, watching him chase ghosts and mystical prophecies or whatever it was (I’ve blocked it out) was painful.

If you’re a fan of The Pretender here are a couple of vids you might like.

Jarod and Miss Parker moments:

Video created by the group campaigning for a third movie:

In honor of the season – a pretender Christmas:

Heroes finale

I think most Heroes fans would agree with me when I say that I have wondered many, many times during this sad little beleaguered season of television what exactly Tim Kring was smoking all summer. The plot and characterization problems have been enormous, causing me to almost want to stop watching. I held out hope for improvement and finally got it in the last couple of episodes, but this series needs a reboot like nobody’s business.

This sophomore slump is especially disheartening because the outrageous success of Heroes last season brought the networks around to the idea that science fiction in prime time is not only doable, but when done well is just as good as any drama or procedural out there. I think the mistake they made was in assuming that the first seasons success gave them carte blanche to jerk the fans around and that they would be forgiven. Not so NBC! True science fiction fans are some of the most demanding entertainment consumers to be found on this planet. Their devotion levels are unlimited, their ability to forgive not quite so much. NBC and Kring had better have learned their lesson well if they want to keep me as a fan – I’ve dropped shows before (The X-Files, *sob*) and I’m not afraid to do it again.

Here’s the preview for tonight’s finale. Looks like it will be action filled, usually a recipe for a good episode in this series.

Buffy Season 1

Jumping into a fandom after its heyday has mostly come and gone is not a new thing for me (Firefly, Highlander) but none of them quite measure up to Buffy levels in terms of numbers and internet presence. I’ve given up on trying not to be spoiled, even the most innocent of googling turns up droves of information about the Buffyverse, and since the TWoP recaps for season 1 were actually written during season 4 I can’t even count on them to be spoiler free. Oh well, that there are so many fans out there generally is a good sign, and I can’t wait to start watching season 2. (I would like to point out that if there was much decent current television I wouldn’t feel the need to go back to the 90′s for my entertainment. Thanks, hollywood, for sucking so much.)

More of my season 1 impressions:

• The clothes are all beyond awful. Xander’s shirts frighten me, Buffy alternates between middle aged and slut, and I don’t even know what to say about Willow, though I tend to prefer her weirdness to Buffy’s micro-minis.
• I take back everything I thought about Giles in the first episode (Grant you were completely right), he is awesome and I want one for myself. He can organize my bookcases and make me tea.
• The episodes were 80% completely predictable, but the ventriloquist dummy one threw me. Loved it.
• Hated the witch one and the praying mantis one, though Buffy’s spazzing out was entertaining to behold.
• REALLY hated the whole demon in the internet thing. Dumb, dumb, dumb. It’s only redeeming quality was that it introduced the computer science teacher/supernatural expert character, her arguments with Giles about the merits of technology were quite entertaining.
• The white dress paired with the leather jacket in the last episode was the kind of overt symbolism that hits you over the head with it’s obviousness, but it seemed fitting. However, what was that fabric that could survive being submerged in a murky pool and rolled around on a cave floor and still look pristine? I need some!
• The master storyline felt a little anticlimactic. They build it up for 12 episodes, and then Buffy throws him into a glass ceiling (snerk) and he’s dead. Poof. I hope the zoom in on his skeleton (and why does he get a skeleton when the rest turn completely to exploding dust?) means that he will be back later.
• Angel’s tattoo is pretty. Angel’s shoulders are pretty. Angel’s personality is kind of boring. Xander would win with me any day.
• Buffy and Veronica Mars have some interesting similarities, what with both of them starring smart-ass little highschool blondes who fight evil and solve crimes. Mac and Willow remind me of each other quite a bit also (highly intelligent geeks with a unique fashion sense). I wouldn’t be very much surprised to learn that Rob Thomas is a Buffy fan.

hell yes!!

Rose is coming back!