Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Aussie Indie goodness

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes looks pretty intense. Too bad we have to wait till July to see the next Planet of the Apes movie.


And here are some still portraits from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.


Filming for the Indie flick Arrowhead is going on in the outback this winter. Arrowhead reached its Kickstarter goal, but the filmmakers want to generate more buzz via Kickstarter to make the most of the launch and recoup some of the funds they personally invested. Here's the teaser and a 10 minute proof of concept that got the initial funding. The film is slated to premiere on TV in Australia in September 2014. No word yet on a US release date.

Arrowhead Show Reel from Arrowhead: The Movie on Vimeo.


Arrowhead: Signal from Arrowhead: The Movie on Vimeo.

Win a Plantronics Gamer Headset - Odds are Goods at ScifiODD!

The Minister of Chance is in its final countdown before production of the short film The Prologue with Paul McGann which reprises the role of Durian. Tim McInnerny will play The King. 

The audio series remains free to download via www.ministerofchance.com and thery have exciting perks on the Make The Film page. Search "minister of chance" in the Google search box to the right on this blog to read my many reviews. It's a fabulous sonic movie that will surely be a hit feature movie.

Here's another look at the next Hobbit movie.



This is on my watch list. Coming out in December.



Now the giveaway for my gamer readers. Want to win one?

Leave a comment here about your favorite game to be entered to win. I'll put your name in a hat and have my cute little granddaughter pick a name. She can't read yet, so it's fair. ;) She'll pick the name from the comments on Tuesday next week and I'll post the winner on Wednesday morning.

For more information about this sweet gamer headset, read Plantronics' press release.

***

Finally, of interest if you're local, I'll be reading a ghost story 

by candlelight in a mausoleum tonight at 7PM. Santa Rosa Memorial Park on Franklin Ave. 

***

Monsters! Robots! Monsters vs. robots!

 
Pacific Rim

Review by Lyda Morehouse 

Release date: July 12, 2013

Director: Guillermo Del Toro

On the drive to the theatre to see Pacific Rim, I told my friends, “You know what I want this movie to be?  Monsters! Robots! Monsters vs. Robots!”

One-hundred and thirty-one minutes later, I nodded sagely and pronounced gleefully, “There were monsters! There were robots!  They fought!”

What I loved about Pacific Rim is that Guillermo Del Toro didn’t even pretend that wasn’t exactly the sort of movie he set out to make.  Before we even see the movie title credits we’re thrown into a montage that explains everything we need to know: for reasons unknown (and who cares!?), alien monsters started rising out of a rift/wormhole in the Pacific and humanity bonded together to create giant robots to stop them from stomping Tokyo (and Sidney, San Francisco, etc.) to smithereens (never mind that our giant robots do at least as much damage, because: Monsters! Robots! Monsters vs. Robots!)

The story rather foolishly, in my opinion, follows our handsome, indistinguishable dude-hero, Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam) as he falls from grace as a jaegger, a monster/kaiju hunter (aka robot driver), when a mission goes horribly wrong.  Eventually, and as a surprise to no one but our hero, Raleigh is called back to action when the kaiju mysteriously power-up and he is needed.  Having lost his jaegger partner, he’s paired up with Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi), a sexy badass with a mysterious past and a controlling father-figure.

For my money, Mako would have made a better main character.  I found her back story compelling and her moment of honor and revenge was by far the most emotionally satisfying and visually awesome (swords!) part of the movie.  My only other disappointment of the movie was that Mako didn’t get to beat her own apology out of the indistinguishable jackass rival-character.

There were side plots involving somewhat mad scientists and Ron Perlman being awesome in gold-plated shoes.

My only true caveat about Pacific Rim is that I think it appeals most to either serious or casual fans of the kaiju genre (which is all the Godzilla films as well as some others.)  I fall into the casual fan category, but, on the flipside, I’m a big shonen manga/anime fan. I will happily watch hours and hours of movies and TV shows that involve fight scene after fight scene where our clichéd hero powers-up and shouts things like “Thundercloud formation!”  (an actual moment in Pacific Rim, by the way, but not done by our hero.)  I’ve been told by people much more knowledgeable about such things than I, that there are not only a ton of homages to the original Godzilla films, but also moments that will feel gleefully familiar to fans of Mazinger Z, Mobile Suit Gundam and Zeta Gundam, Evangelion.

But, all that being said, I went along with one friend who was bored almost to tears by Pacific Rim, because it wasn’t her thing. The idea of “Monsters! Robots! Monsters and Robots!” was not enough for her.  She wanted decent dialogue, a bit of humor, characters to care about, and maybe, you know, a story.

Eh, whatever.  We agreed to disagree about Pacific Rim. Because: Swords! Acid spitting kaiju! Elbow rockets!  Wing-sprouting monsters!

And . . . did I mention?  There were monsters!  There were robots!  They fought!

Shakespeare's Star Wars and may the Fourth be with you!

Happy Fourth of July! Declare your independence from the mundane today! 





I can't wait to dig into this lovely little book. Mind you, I'm reading two books and a magazine at the moment. Pretty neat trailer, eh?



In Minister of Chance news, the prologue and all five episodes of this fabulous sonic movie are available for download at iTunes for free. Meanwhile, their Kickstarter campaign needs your help as they bring the story to the screen as a feature movie. Visit www.ministerofchance.com to download the sonic movie and help them get the feature film going. This is a spin-off of sorts from the Dr. Who series and stars Julian Wadham, Lauren Crace, Jenny Agutter (Logan's Run anyone?), Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann. The sound and acting is top-notch. I've reviewed more than one episode here on Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys. Put Minister of Chance in the google search box on the right to find them.

The magazine I'm reading is the second volume of Galaxy's Edge. So far, I'm liking it better than the first. Some of the stories are riveting. The full review will follow next week. Meantime, my review of issue one is available here and volume three was just released on the first. Get it at Phoenix Pick's site, where you can also download a free novel. This month's Phoenix Pick's free book is Rogue Queen by L. Sprague de Camp. The description calls it a ground-breaking science fiction novel that was the first to explore sexual themes. Really? I find that hard to believe. Anyway, you can read it for free, so nothing lost. See what you think. The code to enter at Phoenix Pick is  9991539 and is good through July 2013.

May the Fourth be with you!

The Magnificent Minister (of Chance) is BACK!

The Minister of Chance is at it again. I can NEVER say enough good things about this exciting, well-done, audio space-opera series. The characters and settings are limited only by your imagination. The sound effects and acting are superb! If you love Dr. Who, you'll love the Minister, too. If you don't love Dr. Who, well, I guess you'll also not get half my jokes. Use the Google search engine on the right if you haven't read all my reviews of this fabulous series. There are also quite a few interview videos posted here as well.

graphic by Radio Static/Lee Sullivan

The Minister of Chance

starring Julian Wadham,  Jenny Agutter,  Gethin Anthony, Lauren Crace,  Paul Darrow,  Beth Goddard,  Tamsin Greig,  Sylvester McCoy,  Paul McGann

NEWS RELEASE -November 22, 2012

The response to our crowd-funding campaign for Episode 4 of the Minister of Chance was incredible and we were able to greenlight it entirely based on fan support.  However, as you may have already heard if you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, we then had to delay its recording because Lauren Crace, our lovely 'Kitty',  had a baby!  He's very beautiful and we're very excited to be starting recording in a couple of weeks time.

We've used the waiting time to get the Episode 5 script ready for pre-production too  -  and this would be the final one in the first season.  In an attempt to get straight onto that after Ep 4  we are therefore starting the crowd- funding campaign for Episode 5 on 23rd of November and it will run for one month until 23rd December with a host of new perks.

We are always overwhelmed by the support of our fanbase and from so many of you, and we really, really appreciate every posting, every retweet and every Facebook mention.

NEWS RELEASE -December 3, 2012

More exciting casting news for The Minister of Chance: Mad Dogs and Life on Mars star Philip Glenister joins the production for Episode 5!  Philip comes fresh from the National Theatre stage where he has been appearing in the sell-out show THIS HOUSE, which also starred the Minister of Chance's Julian Wadham. Phil is looking forward to the opportunity to play another role opposite his cast-mate. He'll play The Summer King opposite The Minister in an episode which will also include The Hobbit's Jed Brophy as The Pilot.

Episode 4 of the series starts recording this week, financed entirely by its fanbase, and a crowd-funding campaign for Episode 5 is currently underway. Fans can grab a variety of exclusive perks ranging from cast-signed art to limited-edition mugs, caps and tees..

The first three episodes and a prologue for this epic sonic movie are available as a free download from www.ministerofchance.com

Photo by Ian Nolan

Sylvester McCoy
at recording of Episode 3 

Our pals over at Phoenix (www.PPickings.com) have another free ebook for you...
L. Neil Smith’s The Venus Belt. December’s code is  9991305 and will be good through December 31.

The Host released a new trailer. Looks very exciting, but I kept thinking "V". I guess there really are no new plots.

And in the age of Indie Films and Kickstarter crowd-funding, there's always some new flick or the beginnings of one to share. Check it out and let him know what you think.

PROSPECT: Concept Reel from Shep Films on Vimeo.

Let's go to the movies - well almost

Note from Blogger/Editor Ann Wilkes: Sorry, sf fans. I have been without Internet access at home for a week!!! I'm cobbling this post together for you at Starbucks. Now, imagine carrying on with two online classes without Internet at home. It's been a difficult week to say the least. On the other hand, my job prospects just improved tremendously. I'm even going to have benefits. Would you believe that one of them is a free monthly massage? I'm so ready for that to happen!

Can't wait to see this!



Now we nerds will have our day! And it's on YouTube!

The internet and nerddom alike are irrevocably changed with the launch of The Nerdist Channel on YouTube today. Chris Hardwick and Nerdist Industries are bringing a truckload of celebrity talent to the Nerdist Channel. They’re going to take you Face to Face with Weird Al Yankovic interviewing top celebrities. Neil Degrasse Tyson and Neil Patrick Harris will both be bringing their star power to the Nerdist Channel, one more literally than the other as Neil Degrasse Tyson is bringing his hit radio program Star Talk to the channel. Rob Zombie will be bringing his own brand of awesomeness to play in the Nerdist landscape and the Dudesons are going to take this party past the legal speed limit in Gumball 3000.

The Nerdist Channel show lineup has something for everyone. Harry Knowles has unleashed his inner puppet on the film news world in Ain’t It Cool thanks to The Henson Company. See Chris Hardwick knock famous people down a pin or two as he bowls them over in Chris Hardwick's All Star Celebrity Bowling. If your word for nerd is “otaku,” revel in Weird S#!t from Japan. And if you just like to see cute things exploding, there's a show called...uh...Cute Things Exploding. Plus new ways to experience some of your favorites like Kids in the Hall, Farscape and Simian Undercover Detective Squad.

Chris Hardwick has this to say about his brainchild, the Nerdist Channel: "Our programming mandate was simple: what would WE want to see exist in the world? Unlike many production companies or networks, we are actually IN the demographic of the content we're creating... We program stuff we love. All of our shows are very personal and we're very passionate about what they represent." You can read more of what Chris Hardwick has to say about his channel launch in his letter to Nerdist fans.

Viewers can subscribe here.

I've been getting a flurry of short film requests. I'm going to post them here without commentary. (I did mention the bad week.) You can tell me which is worth getting behind.

Hibernation is a sci-fi short film in which an astronaut has a close encounter with his female instructor rather than whatever else he expected to find in space. Not a lot to go on. Hopefully the film is better than the description.

Trailer
Campaign video


OK, these guys say their script brought them to Sundance this year.
EMIT
Yeah, it's time spelled backwards. And that's what the film is about: time running backwards.
Here's their Kickstarter page.

This is for the guys. I'll look the other way while you watch this movie in which, well, it's sexist and has boobs. Lauren Francesca has been shooting these sf clips for Barelypolitical: http://youtu.be/pgapQkMkWNU

Now if I can just track down and watch that video for school before 8PM Sunday night, things will be peachy. Have a great weekend!

Friday Film Fun

It is indeed a happy Friday for me, Ann Wilkes. I landed a job yesterday and sold a story to a pro mag today! w00t! Also of note: My post on suspending disbelief generated a discussion at the Science Fiction Readers, Writers, Collectors and Artists group on LinkedIn and is at 97 comments and counting. Feel free to go join the group and then join the fun there. Perhaps, when I have the time, I'll try to summarize that thread here.

Forgive the lazy linking, but I'm off to celebrate. ;)

This just in from The Hunger Games folks:

HAPPY HUNGER GAMES!

The 74th Annual Hunger Games have finally arrived! Go see the highly anticipated film that has been receiving rave reviews from critics across the country in theaters and IMAX everywhere starting today. The world will be watching this weekend. Will you?

Don't miss out on the movie event of the year. Get your tickets now.

THE HUNGER GAMES is based on the best-selling novel by Suzanne Collins.

*AND*

DEFEND KATNISS AGAINST THE CAPITOL! From the award-winning creators of indie game sensation CANABALT comes the official FREE game, THE HUNGER GAMES: GIRL ON FIRE.

Download the game now for iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch at www.bit.ly/PlayHungerGames!

Play as KATNISS EVERDEEN, the young heroine from District 12, whose sharp instincts are matched only by her even sharper bow-and-arrow shot! Help her find her way back home, while taking down the tracker jackers with your trusty bow and arrow — but be careful once you get to District 12... The Capitol's hovercrafts may come looking for you!

Currently #26 on the iTunes App Store and #17 in Games (the largest and most competitive category) THE HUNGER GAMES: GIRL ON FIRE also has 4.5 out of 5 stars so be sure to download it now!

Please find photos and video previews of the game attached below.

Be sure to check out THE HUNGER GAMES in theaters tonight at midnight!

In the meantime, tour The Capitol!

The Host, based on the novel by Stephanie Meyer (of Twilight fame) premieres March 29th.

Lockout has a new release date of April 13th.





Here's a new five minute clip:

SYNOPSIS:
Starring Guy Pearce and Maggie Grace and set in the near future, LOCKOUT follows a falsely convicted ex-government agent (Pearce), whose one chance at obtaining freedom lies in the dangerous mission of rescuing the President’s daughter (Grace) from rioting convicts at an outer space maximum security prison.

Official Site: http://www.lockoutfilm.com/
Official Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/lockoutmovie
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/LockoutMovie



I also have more AM2 news as follows:

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 3, 2012) – The extremely popular and highly
anticipated sequel KAIJI 2 (2011/Drama, Thriller/Approx. 133 min) to be screened EXCLUSIVELY at this summer’s most anticipated Anime, Manga and Music event AM2. Two screenings will be available-one EXCLUSIVELY for Passport holders ONLY and the second for Passport holders preferred (with general attendees as seating permits).. Ever since first appearing in 1996 as a serial manga in Kodansha’s Young Magazine, KAIJI has amassed a cult-like following, recording book sales of over 18 million copies and
leading to a box office hit film adaptation in 2009 entitled: KAIJI. More info and attendee registration can be found at www.am2con.org

“With our growing guest list, screenings and activities AM2 will be the place to be this summer in Southern California for all that is anime and manga,” states Chase Wang of AM2, “Get your Passports today and join us for all the fun!”

The much-awaited second film is set to hit the screens as KAIJI 2, based on what many assert is the most popular episode from the comic book series, “The Greed Swamp”. Kaiji author Nobuyuki Fukumoto was at the center of the screenplay writing process for the sequel, adding a new high-risk game of his invention to ratchet up the psychological intensity. There’s Chinchirorin, the “dice game from Hell” that lifts Kaiji out of an underground slave labor existence to take part in Princess and Slave, a live-or-die game of choice, and finally, the “Man-eating Swamp” – a monstrous pachinko machine capable of instantly destroying lives of anyone dazzled by its big payoff. On his own, Kaiji stands little chance of beating any of these games. But that won’t stop him from staking his life on saving his friends and restoring everyone’s lives!

*AND*

EXPERIENCE DISNEYLAND'S CARS LAND AT A DISCOUNT WITH YOUR AM2 PASSPORT

Engines Start Revving at Cars Land and Passport Holders Can Be One of the First to Experience Cars Land! Get your Passports Today and Experience the Difference!

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 9, 2012) The Happiest Place on Earth gets happier on June 15, 2012 with the grand opening of Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and the Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney California Adventure park and AM2 Passport attendees will be able to be one of the first people to experience the new park attractions at a major discount by obtaining an official Passport for the highly anticipated anime, manga and music convention event June 15-17, 2012 at the Anaheim Convention Center! More info and attendee registration can be found at www.am2con.org.

ENTER THE WORLD OF THE CURRY KINGDOM AS AM2 ANNOUNCES US CALIFORNIA PREMIERE
OF THE LEGENDARY MANGA BASED TV DRAMA SERIES SEQEL FILM: KAIBUTSU-KUN THE
MOVIE

One of Many U.S. Convention Film Premieres Happening this June 15-17, 2012 at the Anaheim Convention Center and Anaheim Hilton! Get your Passports Today and Experience the Difference!

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 14, 2012) The extremely popular and highly anticipated sequel to the legendary manga based TV drama series comes to life in KAIBUTSU-KUN THE MOVIE (2011/Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy/Approx. 103 min) to be screened EXCLUSIVELY at this summer¹s most anticipated Anime, Manga and Music event AM2. Two screenings will be available-one EXCLUSIVELY for Passport holders ONLY and the second for Passport holders preferred (with general attendees as seating permits). More info and attendee registration can be found at www.am2con.org.

On IN TIME and suspending disbelief

I watched In Time and it spurred a whole host of questions in my mind. This is definitely a movie where you have to check your brain at the door. But what is it about some movies that make that harder than others? The movies that are obviously not trying to be serious are easier. We can suspend our disbelief for our favorite comic superhero or super heroine. We just want to watch him or her fight bad guys with slick, fun-to-watch skills.

When it comes to science fiction, it's a little trickier. I think the first thing is that the premise has to be somewhat in the ballpark of feasible, right? Or is it just that even if it's too far out there, it has to have logical rules?

In In Time, time is a commodity. Everyone is born with (or inserted with at birth? - not quite clear) a subcutaneous clock on their arm. They have 26 years on the clock. They live for 25 and then the clock "starts." People exchange time on their clocks for services and goods. When their clock starts at 25, they stop aging. But if they don't earn more time to add to their clocks, they'll quickly use the year they start with long before that year is up.

At first glance, it's an interesting premise. It puts a whole new spin on “Time is Money.” It plays to our dual desire to live forever and never age.

In the In Time society, there are time zones - but not like we have today. These zones are to separate the classes. And apparently the powerful system that governs society can raise the cost of living in the zones of the lower classes at will, causing the clocks of those unfortunates to run out. The script suggests that many must die for a few to live forever. But how does the death of some poor soul increase the amount of "time" available to the rich? That’s never explained.

Transactions are conducted by grasping each others arms and magically, the correct amount is transferred sans device. And never is their a suggestion that anyone would take more, even though some are mugged or timed out by thugs or well-dressed, greedy people.

And if this can be done person-to-person and is all digital, what’s with the clunky cases that have a concave edge that fits over the arm to download or upload time? I suspect they’re a device to enhance the whole Bonnie and Clyde thing that the co-stars have going on. A bank robbery isn’t as exciting if you can’t take stuff out of a physical vault. And didn't I see this on the news in the 70s? Her name was Patty Hearst.

What's with the old-fashioned rotary (or perhaps push button) phones again? Is writer/director Andrew Niccol a Battlestar Galactica fan?

And puzzle me these…

If Will Salas (played by Justin Timberlake) and his mother (Olivia Wilde) are so short on time and in debt, where did she get all those fancy, new-looking clothes?

What society would stand by and put up with prices going up arbitrarily on everyday services without any advanced warning? They may be the powerless, lower classes, but they are still the masses! The rich are afraid of accidental death and the poor have nothing to lose.

What's with the women always running (and very well) in high heels? OK, this is just a personal pet peeve that spans all genres.

Wouldn't looking exactly the same all your long life be a little boring? I'm surprised they don't do things to alter their looks in other ways to break the monotony.

The flashing lights on the retro cop cars are too close to the edge of the windshield. That would distract the heck out of the driver. Just saying.

Speaking of the cars…what fuels them? Still using fossil fuels in this advanced medical-manipulation age?

That’s another thing. It seems like the time thing is the ONLY advancement. How likely is that?

The life clocks have to be part software - or wetware. Where are the hackers?

Was I just in a bad mood that night, unwilling to just park my brain and enjoy? Or was it the inconsistencies? I loved Logan’s Run (the 1976 movie based on a similar premise) and didn’t get bent out of shape over the mysterious tech. I can’t wait to see MIB III. I do know how to shut my brain down and enjoy. Why couldn’t I this time?

What makes it hard for you to suspend disbelief? What makes it easier? Let the discussion begin!

Trailer House

Now that's what I'M talking about! Men in Black with time travel and Emma Thompson! Booyah!



I think I may have posted this before, but I'm sure you'll get over it. :)



This is just a teaser, so not much to see...


Finally, this will be a must see for me. I gave the book a very favorable review over at Mostly Fiction when it first came out.

Trailer House - Get your geek on

You've had a hard week. Look both ways, put on the head phones and get your geek on.

On the other hand, if your week's been super hard, this will definitely not cheer you up. That apocalyptic trend is still going strong.











And here's a free read:

Phoenix Pick’s free ebook for November is Paul Cook’s “The Engines of Dawn.”

The coupon code is 9991522 and will be good from November 2
through November 30. Get the e-book download at PPickings.com.

The great engines of the Enamorati have enabled humanity to travel the
stars, but at what cost? Little is known of the jealously guarded engines
while a complacent humanity slowly loses its edge and becomes increasingly
dependent on mysterious alien technologies.

However, when an engine failure strands a university ship, Professor Ben
Bennet and a group of students challenge the status quo and start
discovering hidden secrets that threaten the future of humanity itself.

“A lot of contemporary SF satisfies but doesn’t excite. Cook’s latest
delivers everything you could want”—Science Fiction Chronicle

At www.PhoneixPick.com you can also enter to win a membership to Worldcon in Chicago (Chicon 7) which includes dinner with GOH, Mike Resnick.

Do tricks, get treats

HURRY! This first contest is today (Wednesday, October 19th) only!

Log onto Twitter for your chance to win tickets to the LA premiere of IN TIME, starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried!

Tweet #intimepremiere today to see a virtual map with the location of the ticket giveaways. There will be five people secretly located around Los Angeles with pairs of premiere tickets to give to fans. As the amount of tweets increase,the closer you'll be to discovering the secret giveaway locations... until time runs out.

Each time fans reach a tweet goal, the virtual map will zoom closer to reveal the location. Be one of the first on the scene and say the passphrase "Every second counts" to claim your tickets to the LA premiere on Thursday, October 20th.

Visit www.intimemovie.com to begin the race!


IN TIME

Thriller
Release: October 28, 2011
Written and directed by: Andrew Niccol
Producers: Eric Newman, Marc Abraham
Cast: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Vincent Kartheiser, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Galecki
Synopsis: In a future where time is literally money, and aging stops at 25, the only way to stay alive is to earn, steal, or inherit more time. Will Salas lives life a minute at a time, until a windfall of time gives him access to the world of the wealthy, where he teams up with a beautiful young heiress to destroy the corrupt system.

And how about a chance to win a Worldcon membership and more?

SALUTE THE FANDOM CHICON SWEEPSTAKES

Phoenix Pick / Arc Manor will give one lucky recipient a full voting
membership to Chicon 7 (the 70th World Science Fiction Convention) PLUS a
dinner with select authors including Guest of Honor Mike Resnick. Three
runners-up will also get an invitation to the fully paid dinner.

No purchase is necessary to participate. Sign up at www.PhoenixPick.com

Winners will be notified February 15, 2012.

Chicon 7 will be held in Chicago from August 30 to September 3, 2012.

And now avid SF Readers can find all the best titles in one place. See what you think of Adam Doppelt's BestSFBooks site which rates books by awards they were nominated for or have received. It looks a little like my book shelf...