Thursday, September 30, 2010

TV Shows that deserve to be released on DVD

Years ago, I would have placed War of the Worlds at the top of the list of tv shows that I thought deserved a DVD inclusion (however, both seasons have finally been released on DVD- with the second season being released this October). That being said, there are plenty more shows that deserve DVD treatment. These shows include:

CAPTAIN POWER AND THE SOLDIERS OF THE FUTURE




A supposed show for children that featured plenty of adult themes and story lines, Captain Power was a show that centers on a resistance group fighting in a post apocalyptic future against machines that intend to exterminate humanity. It also features some of the first CGI on television. It may look primitive now, but the stories and characterization are enough to warrant a DVD release.


NIGHTMARE CAFE




Wes Craven + Robert Englund + a pre- Heroes Jack Coleman= a creative and original show that rightfully deserves to be on DVD.


Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light




This cartoon is one of Sunbow's best, and even though it has been released on DVD in the UK, it has never been released in the US. Please Shout Factory try to secure the rights to this cartoon asap!

WEREWOLF




Shout Factory was about to release this series on DVD, unfortunately a few artists who had problems with the songs being used on the series, caused the cancellation of the DVD. Who knows of this show will ever be released at this point. It's a damn shame too because I remember this show scaring the daylights out of me as a kid (it was one of the first shows FOX aired when they started as a network in the 80's).


LIQUID TELEVISION




Early Beavis and Butthead, Aeon Flux and early Milton from Office Space fame... should I go any further as to why this show should be on DVD already? Not to mention the various other bits that were a part of this ground-breaking television show. This show has been in desperate need of a release, hopefully, it will one day see the light of day.

HOUSE OF BUGGIN'



I was torn between "The Edge" or "House of Buggin'" but I think that at the end of the day, "House of Buggin'" is the better comedy series. It features Leguizamo with some truly inspired bits- and with the great Luis Guzman in tow, the show is ripe for a release. Whether FOX will ever do it though, remains to be seen.

There are tons more, but these are the ones that come to me at the moment.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Trent Reznor and HBO moving forward with ‘Year Zero’ sci-fi series


Trent Reznor says HBO and BBC Worldwide Productions are moving forward with the development of “Year Zero,” the grim sci-fi epic that Reznor has chronicled in his music as well as in a celebrated Alternate Reality Game (ARG).

“We are in [the development phase of] pre-production with HBO and BBC [Worldwide Productions] to do a miniseries,” Reznor said Monday. “It’s exciting. I probably shouldn’t say too much about it except that I understand that there’s a thousand hurdles before anything shows up in your TV listing. It’s been an interesting and very educational process and it cleared the HBO hurdle a few months ago and now we’re writing drafts back and forth. So it’s very much alive and incubating at the moment.”

Reznor is working with the team of Lawrence Bender, best known for producing Quentin Tarantino films such as “Pulp Fiction,” “Inglourious Basterds” and ”Reservoir Dogs“ as well as the documentaries “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Countdown to Zero,” and Kevin Kelly Brown, who was executive producer on “Roswell.“

“BBC [Worldwide Productions] was the first to show interest and came on as the studio,” Reznor explained. “Our writer is Daniel Knauf from ‘Carnivàle’ and he’s busy with pages right now and revising the overall world Bible. It’s been an interesting collaborative effort but I’ve learned that [television development] moves at a glacial pace.”

“Year Zero” began (as so many things do in the music of Nine Inch Nails) from a place of wrenching emotion and sonic adventure. Reznor found himself increasingly outraged by the geopolitical situation during the Bush years and he wanted to express the fury in music, but he found himself bored by traditional approaches to protest music. To read more about ”Year Zero,” read our 2008 interview with the rock auteur.

– Geoff Boucher



I must say, I'm very excited to see what Trent will do with this story. I think it's going to be very exciting.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Grow up please, Dallas fans

I normally don't post anything sports related on my blog or ever because I save my written words for obscure and geeky aspects of everything pop culture. However, football season has rolled around and as a die-hard Washington Redskins fan, I had to support my team against the team's arch-nemesis, the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins beat Dallas in a tight nail biting game with the Skins coming out on top, 13-7.

First, this video that shows the joy and defeat of a Dallas fan all in a few seconds:



I love how the dude screams, "What are you talking about?!!" as if he cannot tell that Alex Barron of Dallas was practically putting Brian Orakpo of the Redskins in a fucking sleeper hold or some variation of a wrestling move. Why did he do that? Because doing something so flagrantly illegal is the only way to prevent Orakpo from sacking Romo. Would it have happened? Let me check the Magic 8-Ball which reads:

Without a doubt.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Magic 8-Ball never lies. Have faith in the Magic 8-Ball.

Which brings me to the heart of this blog, my amusement at the Dallas Cowboys fan base. They lose one freaking game and it's too much for them. Their world is shattered. You would think they went through a Holocaust of some sort. It's a freaking football game. Mind you, I'm glad my team is the one that came out the winners- but I guess Redskins fans are so numb at this point, we have coped with handling losses.

The Cowboys fans I've met (with the exception of a close friend of mine, who I respect greatly- and am always civil in victory (which is few) and defeat (which is far too often)) for the most part love to rub the Dallas victory in your face. I mean, just take your face and just rub it in there and step on you. I remember when the Redskins lost to Dallas so regularly, I remember a Dallas player commenting, "I wish we played the Redskins every game, we would be undefeated."

So, from the sheer pomposity of that comment alone, I could wipe my fuzzy ass with the sadness of a Dallas Cowboys player or most of their fans after this loss.

And naturally, they can't even credit the Redskins with the win. I had to copy and paste this comment I found online from a disgruntled Dallas fan:

Ok, we’re guilty of what should be Alex Barron’s farewell play as a Dallas Cowboy. We’re guilty of all the other penalties as well. I’ll accept that. What I won’t accept is the feeble excuse for officiating as it pertains to the Redskins O line pulling off the same sort of hanky panky only without a flag. I watched the game twice as I typically do. Once like any other would do. Then the second time I’m using the pause, forward, and reverse functions as any player or coach will do in the film room. On the last FG drive by Washington, Kieth Brooking was horse collared by a Redskin O lineman – no flag. On another occasion Anthony Spenser was taken advantage of by a Redskin O lineman. I cannot recall right now, but there were 2 other instances where blatant and in your face infractions like these were not called. If the call on Brooking had been made, We’d have a 10-7 game on our last possession. I’m not making excuses. The game is over now. But something has to be done about these officials who are unable to handle diversions within the game that stifle their ability to perform at an optimum level. Players are heald accountable. The officials need to as well.

My dear misguided Dallas Cowboys fan, that was nothing but a long-winded excuse. How many games have I had to watch (as a Skins fan) Dallas receive the favorable calls against the Skins and practically assault our wide receivers and get no flag? Redskins fans had to eat it because we just simply were not good enough to beat Dallas. One loss and suddenly it's the ref's fault you lose? Get over yourself- I'm crying invisible tears for you crybabies.

This was another comment I found hilarious:

The Redskins didn't beat us, we beat ourselves.


Re-check the stats and outcome, you knucklehead. No matter how you cut it, the Redskins beat you. There isn't an option of win/loss/tie/beating yourself. If that was factored into our record, the Redskins would have been Super Bowl bound the last few years.

It's what amuses me of a lot of Dallas fans and Dallas personnel as well. Jerry Jones, the Dark Sith Lord of Dallas commented that he had to give the Redskins "some credit". As if admitting they outplayed the 'Boys would ruin his carefully built reputation of an ignorant asshole (which he still comes off as).

Do I think the Redskins are Super Bowl bound? Of course not. I think they will be definitely improved but I don't believe in an instant turnaround. It takes time. You have to build a winner. Face it Dallas, your time isn't that great. Just because Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips, and Tony Romo blow smoke up your ass, doesn't make it reality.

The play-calling for Dallas is troublesome (and as a Redskins fan, I know inept play-calling), your quarterback is decent but very overrated, the offense isn't consistent, and your defensive I can say is solid. Otherwise, as with every season, the Cowboys come in tooting their own horn- but can't put it together. Maybe, I'm wrong- it is only the first game after all, but you sheep who believe that Dallas is a lock for the Super Bowl need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid.

And as a Redskins fan, I can respect Emmitt Smith and assorted other Dallas Cowboys players who I honestly can't remember at the moment, but this team assembled right now? Lots of talent but nothing to show for it. And Dallas fans, learn to be more humble in your wins, when the shoe is on the other foot, it would make me hesitate in gloating.

Until then, here is D'Angelo Hall running back for a touchdown last night:



All Redskins fans, please be advised that a parade will be held on Wednesday in honor of Alex Barron of the Cowboys. Don't be too sad, Alex- we 'Skins fans aren't mad at ya.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Richard Chaves interview



The quality of this video is poor but it's always great to see this fine actor talk.


Looking forward to seeing how the second half of the season will unfold. It looks like lots of New Cap City action, lots of James Marsters as Barnabas (hopefully, they'll keep him around), and more Tauron gangsters (Sam was an unexpectedly one of the best characters on the show so far).

And Grandma Adama is badass. Hopefully, her grandson takes notes before he heads the BSG.

Good thing that Syfy (I hate calling it that name by the way) is bringing the show back on October 5th. After watching the first season of BSG, I think Caprica has plenty of potential like it's predecessor.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

The great Transformer Headmasters fan dubs..

These fan dubs are so horrendous, they're hilarious. I could imagine the Mystery Science guys ripping into this but I have compiled a few of my favorite clips which leave me wondering, "WTF?!":




New Soundwave? What a creative new alias.





I have no clue what Galvatron, Sixshot and Cyclonus were talking about in the above clip.

Rutger Hauer is a Hobo With A Shotgun



There are not enough adjectives to describe the kick-assery of this trailer.