Saw VI ( ..review of Saw movies continued)

In 2008 I did a Quick Review of Saw Movies so far.

And what I wrote after reviewing part V was...
"However, when they make yet another version, I do hope that
1) the plot is well thought of
2) they end the series there.
3) they don't make Jigsaw's former wife the new Jigsaw because that would be the ultimate lame thing to do (unless its extra-super-hyper-extremely-well scripted which I'd doubt)"

So ...

Saw VI
The script was recycled. They did make Jigsaw's former wife to be one of the people responsible for the kills and they didn't end the series there.

Now prediction for the future Saws:
1. They'll bring Jigsaw back for sure at some stage
2. They'll most likely bring Amanda back as well and
3. They'll propably will 'kill' (as in 'try to kill but she manages to survive') Jigsaw's wife in the next Saw

Things put to correct perspective

Click for a larger view!

Stargate Universe is Excellent!

I was quite surprised about the user comments at imdb. Should have guessed it though, most of the comment makers were fans of Atlantis (which can't be compared to sgu). SGU is not Atlantis nor SG-1! And that's an excellent thing! Let's spell it out...

WHAT WE DO NOT GET:

INSTEAD, WE GET:

- excellent cast, plot and quality camera work with expensive setting

So, What this series is about then?
High quality scifi with believable characters in believable situations. With more realistic setting and plot. It's about the dynamics of a crew who has landed in a hostile situation. More like a mainstream show set in space.

What it's not?
Unscary plastic monsters, theatre costumes, cheap settings, unbelievably resilient human bodies that can withstand 15 meter crashes without any injury... No Merlin, no Ori, no Wraiths and no Jaffas for heavens sake...

Who is this series is for?
SGU is for people who really appreaciate good quality series. It's more for those people who appreaciate quality series in general than scifi series perhaps. But it combines both sides.

Let's only hope that the right audience finds this show and it gets the appreciation it deserves!


Editor's note: I did enjoy SG-1 if that's what you are thinking

Where the world has gone?

In the old golden 80ies werewolves were scary:


Now they are just ridiculous. Why not to insert Silver Fang -characters instead..

In the 80s even the children's movies had more in them. So there's no excuse in saying that this movie is targeted for the teenaged. What's more is that the makers seem to be rather serious about their creations (clip here if interested).

All in all? I better excavate Dog Soldiers from my archives..

Addition: and wolves looked -at least- like Huskies (i.e. live creatures)

It's been awhile without Chuck Norris content

So here we go, to perk up the stats.

Chad Vader

Muahhahhhhhahhhhhh!



More here:
> Chad Vader, season 1 Playlist
> Chad Vader, season 2 Playlist
Geek. So very geek. But excellent.

David Lynch: Problem Solver!

Follow-up for the previous post. I found this from the net and must absolutely share!!



More Problem Solving:
> David Lynch Problem Solver Playlist
More Lynch stuff from the same group:
> David Lynch & Crispin Glover's Big Box Office Blockbuster Playlist
Even more Lynch stuff from the same group:
> More Lynch Videos Playlist

and last but not least, the actual website:
> http://www.mynameischrisdotson.com/ <

David Lynch on product placement

David Lynch on Product Placement:

Truer words were never spoken!

Geekest thing of the week, especially with those yellow letters.

Branded Entertainment trends

I came across an article from productplacement.biz, an article which actually refers to a report from futurescape.tv. Nevertheless here are the main things from the report:

"The report identifies three major trends in original online TV series.

Trend 1: Increasing numbers of famous actors, producers and directors are launching Internet TV series, with blue chip sponsors

Examples:
- Director Bryan Singer (X-Men) is working on a scifi Web series.
- Director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) is backing scifi production Purefold.



Trend 2: Sound business models and commercial opportunities are emerging

- digital download sales
(e.g. Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog's production has been distributed online via video aggregator Hulu, with advertising, and as a paid-for download via Apple's iTunes, before its DVD release. Whedon says the show became profitable from downloads alone.)
- major brand sponsorship
- web site commissions
(e.g. Video aggregation sites Babelgum and My Damn Channel offer Web show producers new commissions and exclusive distribution windows)
- cross-promoting commercial interests
(e.g. Hilary Duff's series The Chase features her fashion collection, Femme for DKNY Jeans.)
- reaching TV viewers via games consoles
(e.g. Microsoft funded two seasons of gamer comedy the Guild to provide original content direct to TV viewers for the Xbox 360 Live Marketplace.)


NEIL PATRICK HARRIS !!!

Trend 3: Web shows will break out across the entertainment sector generally

Example:
To promote the show's third season, the producers created a music video with an original song, Do You Wanna Date My Avatar, uploaded it on YouTube and invited fans to buy the song as iTunes and Amazon downloads.

Without a conventional marketing campaign or record label, the song gatecrashed the music download charts, going to no. 1 on Amazon MP3 downloads and no.1 on iTunes music video downloads, overtaking acts such as Black Eyed Peas."

The complete article here: > Productplacement.biz
Reports on the Web TV business: > Futurescape.tv

A True Gentleman helps the lady first!

Shatner bit of the week! Click the image to view the video!


Ladies first!

What's in there? The hunt for the ...

No, can't find anything...


Getting warmer.. she's getting it, she's getting it!


She got it!

Bruce Willis' .. Tupee!
I am sure I'm not the only one who draw my attention to it. Nevermind, of course I made this post only to be able to use this awkward transition to mention these two things:

a) This movie seems to kick ass
b) Willis looks rocking-good in this movie without the hairdo

If you don't believe me, check out the trailer below:
> Surrogates HD trailer

Couple of sick & sweet posters

#1 Pandorum posters
Artists are really having fun here and you can feel it!
Edgy, talented and we want more.



# 2 Pandorum motion poster
Motion poster is a relatively new thing and propably yet to be fully exploited. Here it has been made of good usage! Enjoy!
>> pandorum twisted and sweet motion poster<<


# 3 Jeremy Saunder's Antichrist Poster
More artistic. Yet creepier and more horrible.

Last but not least. I'm afraid you cannot fully appreaciate this poster until you have seen the movie. But it hits the mark when you have and will leave an imprint in your memory once you know.

True Blood Drinking Game

I found this from youtube and must absolutely share. It seems that I am one pitiful sucker (yes, sucking pun intended) for that show.



"Teacup humans"

Next Lambert?

Once there was talk who would be new Schwarzenegger after Arnold. Then, Sly Stallone after Stallone or Bruce Willis after Willis. However, there never was any mention of Lambert after Lambert. Being fair and all, I thought we ought to give it a go. It's only reasonable now that Christopher Lambert is no longer that awful (an actor) what he used to be back in the Highlander days. And that's what we're trying to mimic here.

I only have two unfortunate nominees (so far) to be replaced as the next Lamberts.

1. Thomas Jane
Proof of Lambertism: Punisher



The look and feel. He's way better than this. It's a shame this movie sucked.

2. James Purefoy
Lambertism pick: Solomon Kane

(trailer removed due to dead link)

Ok, let's hope not. This fine specimen can actually act (Rome anyone?) and speak (with a lovely accent too). Let's also hope this movie is a tad better than Highlander 'cos that what it appears. Not to say it wouldn't be fun in a twisted kinda way but let's hope Purefoy doesn't get typecasted away and lands on more ..hmm.. top-notch movies. Or maybe I'm just overreacting and this movie what it is, will be his opening to big screens!

LAST MARKINGS..

Both nominees (left: Jane, right: Purefoy)

Nominees introduced & all said, I actually do hope than none of them ends up being the next Lambert because they have much more in them. So no more Lamberts please, especially since the one has cleaned up his act (see Southland Tales and pick him up there -acting!-).

Michael Shanks drinking game

RULES

1. Get a load of series/movies where Michel Shanks is in.
2. Take a sip (or more) every time:

• he looks perplexed (e.g. see above)
  

3. And then some more when:

a) his character's wife/girlfriend/any related girl dies/is dead/has died/something bad happens to her
b) his character dies
c) his character comes back from the dead
(and ends up being naked )

Kurt Russell drinking game

RULES

1. Get a load of Kurt Russell movies.
2. Take a sip (or more) every time:

• his character looks serious (the eyebrows!) and mumbles something barely audible
• you spot a connection to Elvis

3. You get to drink the whole bottle at the end of the movie if you happen to notice that it's Thursday.

Kurt Rocks!
The Specials:
- Snake Plissken special: growls
- Jack Burton special: is knocked out
- Soldier special: lifts his eyebrow

More Self-Made Special Effects!

A link my friend send me

How to make a Hollow Man

(courtesy of vision02.com)
Go to: http://vision02.com/hollow-man/

Have you ever wondered what would happen if...

You'd mix Tom Cruise and Christian Bale?


(no, not a real american psycho but)
Here's the answer, you'd get
Miles Fisher!

Go:
>> Miles Fisher The Talking Heads' This Must Be The Place -cover
(or click the image)

A Nice Web Site for making movie effects !

And I'm talking about hands-down, not cgi effects!!



Enjoy!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Hollywood-Gunshot-Blood-Effect!/

Lousy branded entertainment sucks in True Blood

I got into this new HBO series of True Blood. Gosh, it's a series that has made me an addict. Yes, that Bill character is right out of the vampire books (corny) all the vampires are marvellously written (and a bit corny) but the series is so what a vampire series should be. Not buffy but something wonderful. Ah.. but enough of praising the show.

What really pissed me off is the horrible advertising in it. By far I have counted at least 5-6 ads which of two are memorisable for being very weak, cheaply and "sold out"-ly made.

#1 Starbucks sold out trash ad
Starbucks with the "selling", cheap and ugly lines:
"Why would anyone want a 3 $ coffee?"
"Have you heard that people are getting more d-vitamin with milk added into coffee"
(or something like and the answer of something like:)
"I guess it's okey then"

Very weak and I duly hope people are not as susceptible and stupid as Mr. Starbucks believes.

#2 Nintendo Wii sold out trash ad
The other was Nintendo Wii. How lame is this clip? Honestly now, how poorly and obviously can an advertisement be included? It's like the target audience is thought to be half-minded goons that need to be spelled everything. Irritating. Here's the clip:

BOTTOM LINE:
Please, if you do include plugs MAKE THEM WELL INTEGRATED! (thank you)

MacGyver Hair Saloon

It's been a slow month at It's a Geek Thing. So here's something old but always entertaining to fill in some kind of quota:

How to make interesting bad guys?

= add shades + color and a bit of smugness

The examples:

> Collateral - Vincent

~ whitish grey

> Fight Club - Tyler Durden

~ multicolor + gotta love that personality

> Bad Apple - Bells

It takes Robert Partick to a different level.

> Die Hard with a Venegance - Simon

~ take notice of that apple tie + remeber the blue shirt?

> Face Off - Castor Troy

~ what a smug! with nice style!

Sean Bean Drinking Game

RULES

1. Get a load of Sean Bean movies.
2. Take a sip (or more) every time Sean Bean's character:

a) looks perplexed (as in anxious)
b) is a bad guy
c) ends up being the bad guy
c) ends up dead

3. You get to drink the whole bottle when you find a movie where he's the good guy and won't end up dead.

** Kirk and ... GORN!

Oh, the glory days! Check out the vid below the pic! Totally worth seeing!

>>> Kirk Fights with Gorn vid <<<

BUT Behold ..! CAPTAIN PICARD counterstrikes!
It would be really hilarious/fun to watch this movie:

>>> Detonator -trailer <<<

Home come I have missed such an obvious pearl? With that voice, hmm.. the bad guys are going to have a tough time (the BritHisH accents, my my my.. )!

And Finally, Me thinks that this week's quota of totally nerdish thingies has been fullfilled!

I would like to see him use his talent

Vin Diesel

* darn it was hard to find a decent pic of him among those cheesy ones..

I know he has more talent than the stereotyped roles may have given the impression of. Here is a proof of it:

>> Multi-Facial short (1999) <<
(watch it 'til the end, the beginning is a bit boring)

Man can choose his roles as he pleases but personnally I would like to see him in a more challenging role. Or any role that does not cast him as 'blockbuster action hunk'. Now, don't get me wrong: there is an audience to that kind of movies and they are quite entertaining flicks BUT think of the possibilities man behind those roles could bring if given an entirely a different role?! For instance some small role as junkie or something else.. I can smell an award of some kind. Anyway, 'til that happens I have relatively high hopes of Hannibal and let's hope that is a bit better and more original than the other productions of late.

BRUCE!

The exception I make about posting crappy videos into this blog.

Most likely a crappy Nice show, but Bruce! It's almost that Beetle-game you play: when ever you see a beetle you are entitled to punch you buddy. Could it be applied to Bruce?

Have you ever wonder what would happen if...

You'd mix Hugh Jackman and Willem Dafoe?



Well, I didn't either but I came across this picture and got an answer for one of the deepest questions of life:


Something just about that!
(Sorry about the bad quality of the pic: it's scanned from a newspaper ad, you can click for larger version)

And yes. It's late and I've been in front of the computer monitor for too many hours doing way too detailed a work. So spare me the lame fun I have! By the way I never knew (until now that I had to find a pic of Dafoe) that Dafoe's first name is Willem not William! Wow. The same thing about David Twohy -until yesterday I always though that his name was Thowy. How boring!

Movie masters' style

Over the past couple of weeks I've been shooting some clips for school. For one clip I decided to make a lynchih-style. This is what I learned:


1. Get a wide-lens camera
Wider the better. All the masters use it: Kubrick, Leone, Lynch ...


2. Sound

Choose it wisely. It is, like my friend says, very very very important factor. And way underrated. I found that out while making my own clips. They came alive after sound, so kudos if you manage to do the soundtrack well!

3. Lynch style

Of course NObody can replicate him but there are things that Lynch's work is made up:

• flame, flickering
• smoke
• "lamp" or theatre colours (i.e. quite saturated colours)
• flickering/water/light/mix-up scene
• disturbing scenes (it's usually both violence-scenes and those that just are so out-of-the-place that they are very very disturbing)
• lighting (almost like a theatre lightning)
• animal (occasionally, doesn't need to be real one)
  
• very strong distracting soundtrack (one of the essentials of Lynch's work)
  
• - and of course, the storyline is mixed, plot is bizarre and there is no explaining of anything

What came of my Lynchih-thingy? Well, I missed quite much so not very much. I'm way too scared of Lynch's work to even start refining it. There's a filmmaker that's very demonic. Very (and I have no idea why I still keep watching his movies even though I don't like them -ok, I do like the 'art' they are made but not the movies).

Ryanair, oh why Ryanair?

Recently I found a news item telling that Ryanair is seriously thinking about toilet charge!! (read it here). Then, it became evident that they are in a bit of a cash trouble indeed:


Courtesy of The Coast Of Yemen from B3ta

Personally I got kind of love-hate relationship with this airline. I love it, it reminds me of Mile High (and I liked the service -normal service mind you- what I got there -no PUN intended) but then again I'm not quite sure how to respond to these kind of cut-backs!

These videos are sponsored by a car

Pick the better one:

Sting - Desert Rose
by Sting

This version of the Desert Rose (a video which you can't see in Youtube [see my previous post] if you are from elsewhere than from States...) is actually -if my memory deserves me- a new version. There was an older clip without so obvious marketing (I think you can find that music video from Sting's Brand New Day CD -if I remember correctly, could've been another vid). Nevermind, Sting + car looks awesome, even if the music video is otherwise totally & completely ridiculous with that advertising going on (aka "Sting wandering like headless chicken with camcorder").

And:

Texas - In Demand
by Sanaika

I'd like to see a person who notices the car. I don't. But if I get that kinda of a bloke with the car I'm buying it (that is, when I get filthin' rich)!

Piss you off Youtube

Don't you hate it when you get it:
"This video is not available in your country or your domain"

What is this "my club your club" bullshit?

Please, explain me of what good it is & to whom to restrict videos by country? Hello anybody? Is it the US. authorities who are behind this legislation? Now tell me how and what horrible things will happen if I will be able to see e.g. Sting's old (yes, an old ) video? Will the world blow up?! Who does it hurt? Gesh.. So, honestly f* you off! If it comes to these stupid rules, I will see the video one way or the other whether or not you have made video un-available in everywhere else but in US.

I like to twist that knife

(addition to The Infinite Edition by Look Elsewhere)

Now a test: Have we learned anything

A Pepsi Commercial or What?



Here's a good article:
'Saturday Night Live' Acts as Ad Agency for Pepsi
(sorry about the link but this way you can hopefully see it without logging in)

And here are the clips:
MacGruber 1 (not online any more)
MacGruber 2
MacGruber 3 (not online any more)

And oh, by the way, I really recommend Naomi Klein's Nologo.
A very interesting book.

Movies you ought to see #4

Love Song For Bobby Long



Story about a dead woman Lorraine.
It's a hue of New Orleans.
Story about three people coming together.

Beautiful, serene, calm and touching.

Special effects inspired by Re-Animator

(Head when carried from front)

PRELUDE

I got lucky and made a discovery from our nearest market. Behold and lo, there was the original Re-Animator (1985) -a dvd which has been almost impossible to find. So, I spend the last of my dimes and shall eat macaroni for the rest of this month.

POINT

The movie didn't get kudos for its special effects and esp. makeup for nothing. I scribbled down some (easy and obvious) how-did-those-effects-got-made +one extra not in the movie, in case I need them later.

THE EFFECTS - THE ART OF FRAMING

Most of the work is done by thight framing. And I might say this works better than CGI in some movies. Here they are, Enjoy!

# Headless body:



# Head when carried:



# Head in a box + head being carried sideways:



# And the extra I learned recently,
how to show hanging:



Real pro things, eh ;)?