June 30, 2009

Eureka is Back July 10, 2009




I, like so many others have been waiting for quite awhile for this. Just
a heads up: this article has some spoilers in it. Not enough to ruin
an episode, but if you're one of those that doesn't want to hear
anything then don't read this.
Eureka Returns with Welcome Back Carter : SF Universe


Can't Stop the Serenity: North Texas

Got a movie screening on Saturday July 11, 2009, of the movie 'Serenity'.
There will also be a screening of Neil Patrick Harris' 'Doctor Horrible's Sing-
a-Long'. This will be at the Addison Studio Movie Grill and you can purchase
tickets at the link below.

Can't Stop the Serenity: North Texas


35th Annual Saturn Award Winners

Saturn Awards are given out by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy
and Horror Films for work on film, TV and on DVD. Check out some of
the big winners here.

Galactica, Dark Knight Win Big at Saturn Awards : SF Universe



Latest Anime Release this week

'The Unwritten' brainiest and most interesting comic of the year




Already on stands, issue #3 comes out in July. I like comics that don't usually
fit the mold of what you would consider comic book fare. Do any of you have
a favorite comic that you would not consider a typical comic book story?

The Unwritten Blurs Conspiracy, Lit Into Meaty Metafiction | Underwire | Wired.com




Cyberpunk turns 25

Having recently picked up copies of "Mona Lisa Overdrive" and "Count Zero" by
William Gibson, I came across this piece of fan fiction dealing with Gibson and other
writers in the 1986 "Mirrorshades." This gentleman had produced a news update
that was a catch-up of what the authors were doing as of 2011. It's pretty cool reading.
I still find it hard to believe that "Neuromancer" is 25 years old now. Makes me feel old.

theinferior4+1 - Antique Cyberpunk Spoof




June 29, 2009

'The Game' movie trailer

This looks like a movie I can get into. Almost like a cross between
Death Race 2000 and The Running Man and I loved both of those.

Empire: Movie News - International Trailer For Gamer Online

Death Race 2000



The Running Man



Virtuality on Fox fails to score

I have to admit that it was a little slow, but I tend to like those kind of shows. I could
tell my wife was getting a little bored with it, so if it does survive, which I don't think
it will, I will watch it by myself. If the pace was picked up a little more and maybe some
characters that you cared about, it might make a good run. Not seeing it happen.

Virtuality crashes and burns on Fox, so don't expect a series | SCI FI Wire


June 28, 2009

Independence Day Planetstrike with Games Workshop July 4th, 2009

Planet Strike Event July 4th

In all North American Hobby Centers
Saturday, July 4th

Help a world achieve its Independence with a Planetstrike.

Planetstrike is the latest rules supplement for the 40K game which enables you to launch massive assaults on planets from the skies. Utilize the most elite of your forces whilst the defender chooses the terrain and deploys the toughest of troops to repell your assault. Come in to get your copy of the Planetstrike rules and other super cool releases like the Imperial Bastion, Aegis Defence Line, or Skyshield Landing Pad.

Your local Hobby Center staff will help you assemble your new terrain and give you all kinds of cool tips on how to paint them up!



2009 Origin Awards winners listed by Critical Hits

Me being new to the gaming arena after a 25 year hiatus, I thought this
would give me a list of games to try out. Do you keep track of these
awards? Do they give you gaming ideas?

Origins Awards 2009 | Critical Hits


June 26, 2009

The Last Air Bender by M Night Shyamalan

Can Aang defeat the armies that rise against him? Played by Noah Ringer
the movie is set for some time in the summer of 2010. Oh, yeah, did I
mention that it's M Night Shyamalan's baby?



Dallas Showing of Director's Cut of 'The Watchmen' July 17

Though I haven't found any locations yet, I'll stay on this and keep
everyone posted. According to sources, it will have an extra 25 minutes
of footage. I'm curious as to what was added. Question! Is 25 minutes
worth going and seeing it again? Will you just get the DVD? Did you
even like it the first time?

Empire: Movie News - Watchmen Is Back - And Even Longer


Ethan Hawke in Daybreakers January 8, 2010

Here's another movie where vampires are created by a virus. I can only hope
that they get a little more creative with this plot than some others have.

Empire: Movie News - Daybreakers Trailer Now Online
"The film co-stars the ever-scary Willem Dafoe playing against
type as a good guy human, the usually nice-as-Australian-pie
Sam Neill as intimidating leader of the vampires, Claudia Karvan,
Michael Dorman, Vince Colosimo and Isabel Lucas."




Josh Howard at Boomerang Comics


I know, I'm slow. This happened last Saturday and here it is a week later and
I'm just now posting about it. Well, I've been busy, but I'm here now. When
I got to Boomerang Comics on Saturday the 20th, Josh was already surrounded
by people and drawing complimentary art for them.

I ran into and met a few other new people (new to me at least) and
while we waited we talked about the usual things. One question that popped
up concerned how to do what you love and make a living until doing what you
love makes the living for you. Well, the perfect example was sitting right there in front
of us, drawing pictures and signing copies. I asked Josh what was his gig like
before he got signed and he told me that he used to do temp jobs like data entry.
He also worked the comic book shops and what not. Jamel and I agreed that if
we could work at a comic shop or gaming shop, it would not be considered a j-o-b.
In fact, those were the first places that I started applying when looking for a job.
I know these places don't pay alot, but I'm a firm believer that if you work
hard enough the money will come to you. Josh is evidence of that.

It's guys like him that give the amateurs hope. When nobody would publish him, Josh
went out and made copies at Kinko's and stapled them together and handed them
out. He got a fan base going and publishers notice that kind of thing. That led us to
talking about web comics and online publishers like lulu.com. See Jamel. I told you I'd
remember the name of it, eventually. Sure, you can do the Kinko's route and get
noticed locally, but nowadays you can get self-published online and get noticed
everywhere.

MovieGeekFeed got a chance to interview Josh while Jamel and I continued
to talk with Dan and Zach. You can view the interview here. I'm the guy that you can hear in the
background of the interview. I've already apologized on MGF and I'm
apologizing here. I didn't realize that I talk that loud, so here on out I'll only
whisper. Yeah, that'll last a while.

P.S. Just came across some new artwork of Josh's here.

June 25, 2009

Transformers 2 with Boomerang Comics at Lewisville Studio Movie Grill


I think I got all the pertinent in there. Tickets are still on sale at Boomerang
Comics
for $8.50 so get there soon. I think that Neal usually shuts the shop
down about 5pm so as to get everything ready, so make sure you get to the
shop before then. He also urges everyone to get to the theater about 6pm.
They don't usually decide what theater we're going to be in until we get there,
but most of the movies start between 7pm to 7:15pm. Neal and the crew
usually do drawings or trivia with prizes before the show so you also need
to bone up on your trivia.



June 24, 2009

Star Wars: The Old Republic Webcomic and Video Game

I'm beginning to find a ton of great online comics such as the
Star Wars: The Old Republic's Threat of Peace!

SWTOR's Threat of Peace concludes its first chapter - Massively

Here's a previous post on the Star Wars: The Old Republic video
game and the following is an interview excerpt from the game
developers as posted on the Star Wars Blog.


June 23, 2009

Zombieland and Dead Snow: Fun and Flesh!

Zombies seem to be the order of the day on the internet.
The first has Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg blowing
their way across a ruined landscape cutting through hordes
of zombies. The second movie, Dead Snow, has the premise
of folks taking on Nazi zombies in a winter wonderland. I've
never been much into zombie films, but these look like so
much fun that I immediately started looking for a local showing
of Dead Snow here in Texas. It was released on the 19th and
no joy. I can't find a showing anywhere in the state. Looks like
I'll have to use my Netflix account. Check out these trailers and
let me know what you think.






June 22, 2009

Geeks of Doom talk web mini-comics from Silber Media

I spoke to Josh Howard of Dead@17 fame and asked him how he got started.
One of the things he said that he did was to self-publish by making little small
books printed at Kinko's and stapled and then handed out. I commented about
how the internet makes it so much easier these days, and here Geeks of Doom
come along and point out a very viable option for artists and writers out there.

Take A Peek At Silber Media’s Mini-Comics


June 21, 2009

Megan Fox talks Jennifer's Body among other things

Megan has her first starring role and she looks good as always. Question. When an
actress looks that good, does she really have to act? Or does that leave her in the
same category as porn stars?

Megan Fox on Jennifer's Body, those naked photos and 'inappropriate comedy' | SCI FI Wire





June 20, 2009

'Sorcerer's Apprentice' Photos with Cage and Belluci

'V' Trailer Looks Good But Doesn't Improve on Story

I was in jr. high when the original show came on tv. With
Marc Singer as the human Mike Donovan and Robert Englund
as the alien Willie I watched every episode. With passage of
time, I, unfortunately, can't remember how the show ended.
I do know as I watch this video that the new one will follow
the original pretty closely. If they aren't going to do anything
new, why make a new one? I think the original still stands on
it's own as a pretty good show. What do you think? Are you
even old enough to remember the original?

'The Box' Travels From Twilight Zone to Big Screen

I remember seeing the story on Twilight Zone a long time ago. It stood  in my mind as
a really mental twister. What would you do in this situation? A man shows up at your
door with a box and a button. Every time you push the button, you get $50,000 but
somewhere a complete stranger dies. Could you do it, knowing that your necessity
(or greed) actually spells someone's untimely demise? Do you?

Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly reveals just what's in The Box | SCI FI Wire


Josh Howard at Boomerang Comics Today

freakcrossed
Josh Howard Signing Today!

Hosted by Boomerang Comics

DATE: Today, Saturday June 20

TIME: 1:00 - 3:00 pm

LOCATION: Boomerang Comics

INFO: Bring your books to get signed or stop in and purchase his newest book that released this week, Dead@17: Rebirth!

He will be signing books and doing sketches!

Courtesy of email from Boomerang Comics

'Deadworld' Will Make It To Theaters


The story of survivors in a a post-apocalyptic earth overtaken by undead
will be produced by Dark Hero Studios. I haven't read this one, so maybe
I'll get to the shop and see if I can track down some old issues. Anyone

out there ever read this and if so, what is your take on it?

‘Deadworld’ Getting the Big Screen Treatment | Scifi Watch


June 19, 2009

Star Wars Adventure Game Books

Remember those old "Choose Your Own Adventure" books? There were several by
other names and I think there are some that are still in print. But, you never thought
you'd see these, did you?

Geek Orthodox: Adventure Game Books Making a Comeback Star Wars Style!


Red Dawn Remake Due to Hit Theaters September 24, 2009

I'm really getting tired of seeing every movie from the past thirty years being
scrutinized to see if it can make money as a remake. There are just movies
that don't need to be remade. Now, it's different if it's a retelling. If you take
the story and change some of the elements and make it new and fresh, then
I have no problem with it. I'm really worried about this one. I loved it when it
came out. To me and my friends, it was what the Breakfast Club was to others.
No, we don't live in a compound in the woods, though we did grow up in the
woods of north Louisiana. What movie remake are you most dreading?

The ‘Red Dawn’ Remake Adds Two More To Its Cast; Tony Gilroy Rewriting Script



James Cameron's 'Avatar' Game and Movie To Be Released Simultaneously

Though we only have stills and artwork to look at, I'm really looking forward to this
project. If it is only half as epic as it looks, it will still be a pretty kick "a" game.

More images from James Cameron's Avatar make us want to see this film NOW | SCI FI Wire
News briefs: Avatar mecha, Ghostbusters site, new Heroes cast | SCI FI Wire
Video: James Cameron unveils details about Avatar movie and game | SCI FI Wire


2012 Trailers Illustrate Roland Emmerich's Trademark Vision


Watching a tidal wave a half-mile high roll an aircraft carrier into the Whitehouse is
not only so awe-inspiring that it puts a lump in your throat, but it makes you wonder
what Roland has against the Whitehouse. If you remember, he had the home of our
nation's leader obliterated in Independence Day. This movie looks to be one wild
jaw-dropping scene after another. I've been looking forward to this ever since
I saw the tease almost a year ago.


New full trailer for 2012 shows that director Roland Emmerich really hates New York | SCI FI Wire
Sci-Fi Trailer: Roland Emmerich’s 2012 | SciFiCool.com




Harry Potter Book Seven Will Spawn Two Movies

The producer David Heyman says that the seventh book has Harry taking part in so much of the story
that he couldn't possibly cut out scenes without muddying the story on screen. He feels that they've
cut the story in a spot that will not detract from either movie. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
opens July 15.

Longtime Harry Potter producer David Heyman on the films' end—and splitting book 7! | SCI FI Wire




June 18, 2009

Dr. Who Holiday Special

The Donatellos at Fat Daddy's Sound Shack June 19

6/19/2009 7:00 PM at Fat Daddys Sound Shack
127 main street, Lewisville, Texas
Cost: 5/7 dollars

Here's the link to their MySpace page.

Geek Orthodox with a blog of note

"Julian Comstock" by Robert Charles Wilson

I tend to bounce around in my reading topics. One day it will be personal finance books, the
next it will be action thrillers like the Dirk Pitt novels of Clive Cussler. I always look for things
that stand out and this review by Sci Fi Wire has sparked my interest. What books do you
read? Cyberpunk? I've got three William Gibsons lined up to re-read. Game fiction? I'm into
a Shadowrun novel, also. Did I mention that I tend to read several books at one time?

Review: Robert Charles Wilson turns from space to steampunk in Julian Comstock | SCI FI Wire


Flashforward Debuts September 24, 2009

For two minutes and seventeen seconds the entire planet blacks out.
Awakening to the chaos caused by this, ten people tell the story of
what they saw and what they find out about the event. Looks great
and I can't wait to see it. Premiers September 24.

New T.V. Promo Vids For ABC’s Flash Forward | SciFiCool.com



G.I. Joe Tv Spot and New Character Art

I've come across a mix of feelings about this movie. Some people, just from
watching the trailer, have already lodged complaints about costumes, plot,
actors chosen, and a myriad of other things. Have any of you already
formed opinions about the show? Ready to see it? Could care less?
Let me know! Show hits theaters August 7.

Empire: Movie News - Brand New G.I. Joe TV Spot Online


June 17, 2009

Green Lantern set for summer of 2011



It seems that the movie will center around Hal Jordan. Bring on the Green!


Empire: Movie News - Green Lantern Power Ring Up


'Warehouse 13' Primer

Here's a definitive look at the new show Warehouse 13 airing on
the ScyFy channel July 7 at 8 PM Central. That's ScyFy, not SciFi,
because during the airing of the show, SciFi will become ScyFy.
Don't know why but you can read their version here.


'Merlin' to hit U.S. Tvs on June 21, 2009

This isn't your daddy's Merlin. NBC has gotten the 13 episode mini-series from the BBC
and will unleash on American audiences on June 21 at 8 PM EST. That's 7 PM for you
folks here in Texas. Head over to Geek Orthodox and check out some of the clips and
trailers and let me know what you think. Will you be watching this or reruns?

Video: Want More Fantasy On TV? ‘Merlin’ Miniseries Comes To NBC This Month


Mountain Dew Game Fuel and World of Warcraft

This is just too freakin' cool! Nuff said!



10 Best RPG T-shirts from geeksix


Josh raises the question that all geeks have come to face. What shall
I wear today? These are some of the best shirts on the market, though
they are not all of them. If you know one that is funnier or sums it up
better, shoot me a link and I'll post it. What are you wearing?





Ed Greenwood and why he loves roleplaying

David over at The RPG Corner found this Dragon Magazine article from
Ed Greenwood explaining how he got into gaming. It's a very powerful
letter and brings forth emotion and imagery that makes me think of
when I first started. What got you to playing whatever RPG it is that
you play? Girls? Fame? Fortune? Girls? Let me know!


Gaming Schedules

I had been promising myself that I was going to get this done
in a timely manner, but no, Mr. ADD here (and I'm not talking
RPG) gets sidetracked very easy. If you click on "Link" to the
right, it will take you to a page where you will find local game
shop event links. Find a store that hosts open play and try
out something new today. Also, if you know of a place near you
hosts open play feel free to give me the info and I'll post it with
the other links.

Captain America: Reborn

I'm so behind on anything comic-related, so I figured I would jump right in
with the release of Captain America #600. I haven't even cracked the book
yet, but know that it's going to be a great story. I, like so many others, feel
that Steve Rogers should have never died, but how are they going to
bring him back? There are many theories out there. What's yours?

Report: Captain America will live again | SCI FI Wire




Boomerang Comics hosts Josh Howard June 20, 2009





Josh Howard will be signing copies of his new book Dead@17: Afterbirth on
June 20. Check out the news here on the Boomerang site.


Virtuality on Fox June 26, 2009


There seems to be quite a bit of interest in this show. The question is whether
Fox will pick up on that and move beyond the 2-hour movie and make the
series. It seems to be a pretty good premise and I'm looking forward to seeing
it. What do you think? Will a show written about a scientific rescue mission/reality
TV show be interesting enough to keep viewers? Follow the link below to see
a "news" clip about the event.

A Clip from FOX and Ron Moore’s Virtuality | SciFiCool.com


Angela over at SciFiChick gets some great gigs. I'm jealous. Really. She
gets to sit in on a conference call with Ronald Moore and ask him some
questions about the new show which was to air originally on July 4. Also
on Angela's site is the press release giving all the juicy details of the show.



June 16, 2009

Indiana Jones V - Shia LaBeouf says so

So according to Shia LaBeouf, Steven Spielberg has started penning another Indiana Jones.
There seems to be as much dissent about a new movie as there was about the last one. Many
people think that the franchise should be left alone. Quite a few did not like Crystal Skulls and
think that for that reason it should die. I for one love Indiana Jones in every movie. Yes,
Indy is old and that was the main point of the last movie. Heroes get old and they die. Another
point that people didn't like was aliens. Well, folks this movie takes place in the 50's and the
dawning of the atomic age, so you have aliens. I think that CS left it kind of obvious that
Shia would take over as Indiana, but I could be wrong. I for one loved CS because I did not
go into the movie theater with preconceptions about it. I enjoyed it as a fantastic story with a lot
of action and I was not disappointed. What about you? Did you hate it? Love It? Want to see
another? Want to see Mutt's heart ripped out by a Thugee Priest? Let me know.

Shia LaBeouf says that a new Indiana Jones movie is in the works | SCI FI Wire



Bustin' Makes Me Feel Good

So, I got word at the last minute about the Ghostbusters
game release party at the local Gamestop. Thanks to my
friendly neighborhood Boomerang Comics owner, Neal for
the heads up. I was already in a rush trying to get this
computer back up. Last Wednesday nights storms knocked
out my video card and my ethernet. No pictures and no net.
Not a good combo. But, it's back up with a stepped-up
video card and right as rain (no pun intended.) Anyway, I
hustled back to the house to get the news on the site and
to twitter. If you don't twitter, the link is to the right.

I headed to the Gamestop about nine and there was a small crowd
already gathering. The Ecto-1 was there and lights were flashing
and I was as giddy as the first day I saw the movie! I got
lots of pictures and you can see the rest here. There is even
a cute ghostbuster wearing what I would consider a "non-
standard issue" uniform. You'll have to go to the link to see
her. There was food and give-aways and "Ghostbusters"
playing on the speakers and it was just cool! Geeky Cool!

The local Dallas Ghostbusters were in attendance with
full gear. They were helping with the drawings and
demonstrating the equipment as well as posing for photos.
I found this video from another day. The guys who shot the
video are 8 Bit Mickey and ClassyMan for The Game Heroes
web-site. You can check out their page here and hopefully
they'll have video up soon for tonight.

I got a chance to talk to Dewayne who is the caretaker of
Ecto-1. Unfortunately, I didn't get his last name but then
again, I'm not a journalist. I did ask Dewayne a few questions
and he was happy to answer them for me. The car is still owned
by Sony and makes the rounds for all the cons and openings.
He was recently at E3 and actually got to play the demo. His
review was that the controls were a little difficult but his not
being a big video game player may have been the contributing
factor there. After this he's loading Ecto-1 back in the trailer
and headed to California and I wished him a safe trip.

If anyone got a chance to go and has pictures they would
like to share or if you want to share a story, please shoot
me an email at agalaxycalleddallas@gmail.com

P.S. I am aware that the Dallas Ghostbusters site is not
working. I will keep you posted on that.

June 15, 2009

Lewisville Gamestop to host Ghostbusters Game Release

Just found this out a little earlier from Neal Rhone of Boomerang Comics. Gamestop #688 at
Vista Ridge Village which is right across from Vista Ridge Mall will be hosting a midnight release party.
Team members from Terminal Reality, the game's designer, will be in attendance as well
as many members of official Ghostbusters Fan Clubs. They will also have the restored
Ecto-1 on site. If my sources are correct, they will also be showing the movies. Sorry
that I did not find out about this sooner, but here ya go. If you get pictures or just want
to tell me about your visit, shoot me an email at agalaxycalleddallas@gmail.com
Gamestop #688
565 E FM 3040
Lewisville TX, 75067 US
(972) 459-1828


Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters Summer – The Midnight Game Release Parties! [UPDATE June 12th] | protoncharging.com


June 13, 2009

'Ghostbuster: The Game' coming June 16, 2009

Star Runners on Sci Fi

Can they not have a sci-fi shoot'em up without bugs? What do sci-fi tv screenwriter's have
against insects? Happens tonight at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Heroes' James Kyson Lee fights giant space bugs in Star Runners | SCI FI Wire


Marcus Nispel to Direct Conan



I have Pathfinder coming in from Netflix this week so that I can see
what this guy can do. My question is why the need to remake
this movie. Anyone have a guess?

Empire: Movie News - Marcus Nispel To Direct Conan




Gnome Stew gets the picture with character portraits

I had a friend in high school that would do pictures for us. I tended to dabble
in recreating cover art from my comic books and would sometime use that.

A Thousand Words: Character Portraits - Gnome Stew, the Game Mastering Blog


Blast! into the International Year of Astronomy

I was an amateur astronomer when I was a kid. I guess I still am,
though I don't have the books and tools that I did way back when.
I came across this website and the video below. It's looks to be
a very interesting movie and I will try and track it down to watch
it. This is the "Official Special Project of the International
Year of Astronomy
."

June 12, 2009

John Carter of Mars is headed to Earth

Disney has decided to bring to life
the story of John Carter of Mars.
Edgar Rice Burroughs, the man
ow gave us Tarzan, tells the tale
of John
Carter, a Civil War veteran
mining for gold in Arizona who
is attacked by Indians. In his run
for freedom he is somehow
transported to the planet Mars or
Barsoom, as the locals call it.

Taylor Kitsch will play John and
Lynn Collins will be his love interest
as the Princess of Mars, Dejah Thoris.

You will recognize both these names from X-Men Origins: Wolverine as
Gambit and Silver Fox. Andrew Stanton of Finding Nemo and Wall-E
fame has co-written the movie with Mark Andrews, who has done
story-boarding for Cars among other things.

Shooting begins in November and will find the desert of Utah as the surface
of Mars. The movie is planned for a 2012 release.

I'm excited to see the movie finally being made. I've read several of the dozen
or so books in the series and always thought it would make a great movie.
My only problem is that I think it's too dark a subject matter for Disney. I'm afraid
that Disney will attempt to make it a more family-friendly movie. I know the
Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is not really family material, but it has
enough of a comedy element to make it light movie fare. I don't think that
will make John Carter a good movie. John Carter is an epic type movie with
sweeping vistas, grand battles, and lusty damsels in distress. I'm keeping my
fingers crossed.

What do you think? Will Disney pull it off? Have you read the
books? Did you like them? Let me know.

June 11, 2009

Mickey Rourke in Iron Man 2 as Whiplash

When I first saw this photo for the movie, Iron Man 2, I thought it was
just another publicity shot from The Wrestler. Rourke plays Ivan Vanko,
a Russian bad guy with a pair of whips and a chest piece similar to Iron Man.
Speculation is that the suit will get more complicated later in the movie.
I'm glad to hear it.



The A-Team set for June 11, 2010

They've got Hannibal and Face picked out, now who to cast as B.A. and Murdock? I would
be worried about this project but they've got Ridley Scott on it, so it's got to be good, right?

Liam Neeson in talks for 'A-Team' - Entertainment News, Exclusives, Media - Variety




Movie Trailer for "9"

I came across this movie well before I started this blog and
just recently came across it again. It looks to be a great film.
It started as an Oscar-nominated short by Shane Acker and
when he started to write the screenplay, Tim Burton and Timur
Bekmambetov
, director of Wanted, gave him some ideas to
get it to the theater.



June 10, 2009

Dungeons and Dragons Online goes FREE

DDO has decided to cut the chains to your wallet (somewhat) and get
rid of the monthly subscription fee with the start of the closed beta testing
of Dungeons & Dragons Online®: Eberron Unlimited™ (DDO Unlimited).
With boasts of a new level cap at 20, new classes, and new adventures for
all levels, I'm really interested in trying it out. I have not read very many good
reviews for the original DDO: Stormreach, but I'm willing to try it out, if it's free.
Of course, I said your wallet will be freed somewhat. Premium features and a
subscription will beavailable for a small fee. As soon as it goes public, I'll post
my views on it. In the meantime, if you have played Stormreach, how do you
feel about it's gameplay? Is it worth the money? Will it be worth it if it goes free?

June 8, 2009

Jumpgate Evolution is latest in MMO releases

Great article on Jumpgate. I for one would like to try it and I hope the hype is for real.
I played EVE for a while, but got to the point that I felt like I was grinding all the time.
Do any of you play or have you played Eve? What's your take on it?

E3: Jumpgate Evolution could make you forget your fantasy MMO | SCI FI Wire


June 5, 2009

Ridley Scott brings Blade Runner-esque Webisodes to the net

Ridley Scott, the man who brought us a dark future called Blade Runner is
set to release Purefold later this summer. Set approximately two
years in the future, the 5-10 minutes episodes will concentrate on "What it
means to be human?" The social media site Friendfeed will help the production
get input from it's viewers. Ridley's new entertainment division, Free Scott will
work with independent studio Ag8 to produce the series which will not have any
direct connections with the movie, but will have similar themes.



Sherlock Holmes Trailer

There are going to be some people who watch this trailer and cry foul. Just like Lord of the
Rings, or most recently, Star Trek, people will complain that it doesn't follow any of the original
story lines. Look, I don't care if it follows or not. Just make it interesting.

This movie looks great.
  1. Robert Downey, Jr. I've always liked him and love his style of acting. Iron Man was a most excellent movie and look forward to number two.
  2. Rachel McAdams. Just hot, hot, hot.
  3. Jude Law. Another favorite.
  4. Guy Ritchie. Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.
  5. Sherlock Holmes. I read his stories all through junior high and high school. After seeing this I want to pick them up and read again.
What do you think?


New Sci-fi and Fantasy TV Season

Sci Fi Wire has released a must-see list of shows for this summer. I
have to admit I am looking forward to the return of Eureka, Ghost
Hunters and Ghost Hunters International. I saw an episode of
Primeval and will probably pick that one up. I've also seen episodes of
Torchwood and loved it, but it's hit and miss on when it airs in my
area, so if I can find it, I'll watch. I loved Christopher Eccleston as
Doctor Who in 2005 but I'm not real sure about the new guy, Dave
Tennant. I may give him another chance and I'll always be a fan of

I'd watch True Blood, but I won't splurge for HBO. My wife and her best friends are big fans of
the books and I've read the first one and will probably read the rest because they take place in a
make-believe place that is supposedly located near where I grew up in North Louisiana. I
recognize alot of the places in the book. As for the rest of the shows, I may record them and then
watch just to see. I have been known to watch for about 10 minutes and then delete something.

Give me your views and let me know what you will be watching, that way I know what news to keep up with.

TV roundup: Every sci-fi and fantasy show to watch this summer | SCI FI Wire

June 3, 2009

New Movie Releases for June 2009

Friday June 5th, 2009
Land of the Lost Rated PG-13
Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world—a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the "Land of the Lost".

Friday June 12th, 2009
Blood: The Last Vampire Rated R
On the surface, Saya is a stunning 16-year-old, but that youthful exterior hides the tormented soul of a 400-year-old "halfling." Born to a human father and a vampire mother, she has for centuries been a loner obsessed with using her samurai skills to rid the world of vampires, all the while knowing that she herself can survive only on blood like those she hunts. When she is sent onto an American military base in Tokyo by the clandestine organization she works for, Saya immediately senses that this may be her opportunity to finally destroy Onigen, the evil patriarch of all vampires. Using her superhuman strength and her sword, she begins to rid the base of its evil infestation in a series of spectacular and elaborate showdowns. However, it is not until she forms her first human friendship in centuries with the young daughter of the base's general that Saya learns of her greatest power over Onigen may well be her ability for human connection...

Moon Rated R
It is the near future. Astronaut Sam Bell is living on the far side of the moon, completing a three-year contract with Lunar Industries to mine Earth’s primary source of energy, Helium-3. It is a lonely job, made harder by a broken satellite that allows no live communications home. Taped messages are all Sam can send and receive.

Doghouse
Seven men go an excursion to help a friend deal with a divorce, however, when they arrive at a village in the country, they discover all of the women are afflicted with an airborne virus that has turned them into man-hating cannibals.

Friday June 19th, 2009
Year One Rated PG-13
Written and directed by Harold Ramis, this comedy stars Jack Black and Michael Cera. "Year One" is being produced by Ramis and Judd Apatow after the former appeared in the latter's Knocked Up. Oliver Platt, Olivia Wilde, Vinnie Jones, David Cross, and "Superbad's" Christopher Mintz-Plasse co-star in the Columbia Pictures production.

Dead Snow Rated R
A group of teenagers had all they needed for a successful ski vacation; cabin, skis, snowmobile, toboggan, copious amounts of beer and a fertile mix of the sexes. Certainly, none of them anticipated not returning home alive! However, the Nazi-zombie battalion haunting the mountains had other plans.

Tuesday June 23, 2009
Green Lantern: First Flight
The fabric of intergalactic justice is threatened - until Hal Jordan arrives for his initial mission - in the animated Green Lantern: First Flight. Green Lantern: First Flight finds Hal Jordan recruited to join the Green Lantern Corps and placed under the supervision of respected senior Lantern Sinestro. The earthling soon discovers his mentor is actually the central figure in a secret conspiracy that threatens the philosophies, traditions and hierarchy of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Hal must quickly hone his newfound powers and combat the treasonous Lanterns within the ranks to maintain order in the universe.

Legend of the Bog Rated R
When a 2000-year-old murder victim's body is disturbed by a property developer in Ireland, it returns to life and does battle with a cast of Irish, English and American characters.

Wednesday June 24th, 2009
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Rated PG-13
Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots return for the live action follow up to Michael Bay's 2007 blockbuster "Transformers."

David Eddings passes at age 77

Josh Brolin is Jonah Hex

Looking forward to this horror/western. Check out my previous post
on the history of Jonah Hex.
First look at Josh Brolin as Jonah Hex | SCI FI Wire

The Clueless Run Amok in Shadowrun


Tuesday nights are my night to run in the Shadows and me and the crew
have a ball. For those that don't know, Shadowrun is a role-playing game like
Dungeons & Dragons, where you roll up a character and play them in scenarios.
This one takes place in the future where magic has come back to the planet.
So, in addition to computers and sci-fi gadgets, you get elves, dwarves, orks,
trolls, and magic. I happened to be cruising the web looking for websites with
cool SR content and came across this site. It's a little old, but I told the guys
that they should find some of the stories familiar. It's kind of like the Darwin
awards for Runners. I also found this site that lists most of the books that
were published for each version of the rules and then, there is this site, a wiki
for the Sixth World. Enjoy.

Star Wars: The Old Republic on SciFiCool.com


Came across this game trailer for the new "Star Wars: The Old Republic" and
it looks amazing. The folks at scificool.com have some extra info on it, so check it out.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen - 5 new TV spots

More eye candy has been posted on the SciFi Channel's new site, SciFi Wire. Five
thirty-second TV clips with new scenes from the June 24th, 2009 release.
Watching these get me even more excited and I now want to watch the first one again.

5 new TV spots for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | SCI FI Wire

June 2, 2009

23rd ANNUAL TEXAS SCOTTISH FESTIVAL & HIGHLAND GAMES June 5 - 7, 2009

ARLINGTON,TX—Many people discover theyʼre a wee bit Scottish at the TEXAS SCOTTISH
FESTIVAL & HIGHLAND GAMES, now celebrating its 23rd year, and scheduled for June 5-6-7,
2009. Renowned for its outstanding entertainment, the Festival again hosts top Scottish
musicians, professional athletes, and champion highland dancers. An exciting array of food,
merchandise, souvenirs, and beverages from Scotland and Great Britain will be available for
purchase.

Music! Music! Music!
Musical acts include acclaimed Scottish fiddler Brian McNeill, renowned Scottish balladeer Alex
Beaton, and noted folk singer Ed Miller. Celtic groups include: The Killdares, Scottish Rogues,
Clandestine, Jiggernaut, Smithfield Faire, Beyond the Pale, Jed Marum, Margaret Gravitt,
Tullamore, Teribus, and Hugh Morrison. The appearance of the featured group, the high-energy
Celtic rock group Brother will delight audiences. The solo bagpiping contests will feature some of
the premier bagpipers in the world. The featured and host Bagpipe band will be the
Championship North Texas Caledonian Pipes & Drums.

“Canʼt Miss” Events
Professional & amateur athletics, Scottish fiddle workshop, children's games & activities,
medieval Scotland area, genealogy & educational seminars, Gaelic language seminar, military
living history encampment, Scottish country dancing, “bonniest knees” contest, Scotch whisky
tasting and seminars, Celtic harp, a photo contest, All-Scottish breed dog show, Scotch ale
brewing competition, shortbread contest, birds of prey, a 9000 sq. ft. pub tent, a feature Ceilidh,
and much, much more.

How big is it?
The festival has four large entertainment tents this year to showcase the national and regional
Celtic, folk, and Scottish entertainers.
More than 65 colorful tents will represent various Scottish Clans and families, including
MacDonalds, Campbells, MacIntosh, Hendersons, MacIntyres, and Ross Clans.

Food

Scottish foods & ales including: haggis, fish & chips, scotch eggs, meat pies, bridies, and bangers
will be available as well as American festival foods

Stuff to buy
Vendors with a wide variety of merchandise from Scotland & Great Britain will be displaying their
inventory of authentic tartan wear, kilts for the gentlemen, crafts, records, books, and gift items.
Also find unique Celtic designed crafts, jewelry, and art.
Highlander magazine has rated the Texas Scottish Festival the number one Scottish festival in
North America for entertainment and talent.

The 4-1-1
The Festival and Games are open to the general public and is an event for the entire family, with
most activities scheduled continuously each day. Musical entertainment is continuous in several
areas, including the largest pub tent in North America. An attendance in excess of 40,000 is
expected for the three day event.

New
A Friday evening ʻCalling of the Clansʼ ceremony will introduce and honor all the Scottish clans in
attendance for the weekend. Historically, the Calling of the clans was a gathering of clans in
preparation for battle, unifying all the clans as one. We may be more united by community than
by blood, but united we are. Fireworks to follow.

June 5, 6, & 7, 2009
5:00 p.m. to midnight on Friday
9:00 a.m. to midnight on Saturday
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday
Maverick Stadium---University of Texas at Arlington
Admissions
Adults per day
Friday, Sunday $10.00
Saturday $15.00
Weekend Pass $25.00
Children, per day $5.00
For more information
800-363-SCOT (7268)
www.TexasScottishFestival.com