In 2001, after bursting onto the scene and receiving critical acclaim for his mind-bending sci-fi film “Donnie Darko,” writer-director Richard Kelly stumbled badly with his 2006 follow-up “Southland Tales.” His next major project “The Box,” opening this week, achieves neither the highs, nor lows of his previous efforts. It is, however, a thought-provoking and respectable effort, that proves Kelly is a talent and “Darko” wasn’t entirely beginner’s luck.
 Archive for the 'Sci-Fi & Fantasy' CategoryWho’s definitely not coming back for ‘The Hobbit’October 30th, 2009, 5:17 pm by Jayson Peters New Line Cinema Actor John Rhys-Davies recently told Empire Online that he will not be joining the cast of The Hobbit to play the father of his character from The Lord of the Rings. “Really I am not sure my face can take that sort of punishment any more,” he said in reference to the prosthetic makeup that turned him into Gimli son of Gloin — and gave him a severe allergic reaction that prompted him to ceremonially burn the mask after production wrapped. Read the rest of this entry » Next ‘Doctor Who’ special arrives in time for ChristmasOctober 30th, 2009, 3:30 pm by Jayson Peters
According to a report from Airlock Alpha, the episode, titled “Waters of Mars,” will be available on DVD and Blu-ray Feb. 2. But that’s not all: A five-disc set featuring all of this year’s specials — “The Next Doctor,” “Planet of the Dead,” “Waters of Mars” and the upcoming two-part finale for outgoing star David Tennant, will also be available priced from $50. “Waters of Mars” introduces a new companion for Tennant’s Doctor: the strong-minded Adelaide, played by veteran Scottish actress Lindsay Duncan (pictured above with Tennant in a scene from the BBC special). ‘Avatar’ trailer rammed down sports spectators’ throatsOctober 29th, 2009, 10:02 pm by Jayson Peters
 Images: Twentieth Century Fox The trailer for James Cameron’s upcoming sci-fi epic Avatar will screen Sunday on the world’s largest high-def video display at Cowboys Stadium before kickoff at the Dallas-Seattle game. Twentieth Century Fox says Avatar ads will also be shown Sunday on all Fox-affiliate regional football games and during the Phillies-Yankees World Series game. The film, shot entiredly in 3-D, opens in theaters everywhere Dec. 18. See also: A Very Browncoat HalloweenOctober 27th, 2009, 10:21 am by Jayson PetersGet ready to squee, Firefly fanatics! Your favorite “space cowboy,” Serenity Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, showed up briefly on a Halloween episode of ABC’s Castle, starring Nathan Fillion: 
Weekend ReadingOctober 25th, 2009, 3:01 pm by Jayson Peters
Bradbury’s biographer to speak Friday at Changing HandsOctober 21st, 2009, 4:45 pm by Jayson Peters
Bag lunches for the event are available for $5.50 at the adjacent Wildflower Bread Company; just call (480) 838-9773 and as for the “Food for Thought” special. 12th ‘Wheel of Time’ book out Oct. 27; author visits Nov. 16October 21st, 2009, 10:19 am by Jayson Peters Photo: Tor Books Author Brian Sanderson, who was chosen in 2007 to complete Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series after the novelist passed away, will appear next month in the Valley to promote the release of The Gathering Storm. Sanderson will meet fans Nov. 16 at the Scottsdale Public Library. The book, which releases Oct. 27, is the 12th volume in the fantasy epic that fuses elements of European and Asian mythology. Sneak peek at ‘Doctor Who’ RPGOctober 19th, 2009, 9:45 pm by Jayson Peters
Priced at $59.95, the release is described as a deluxe box set that contains a 144-page Gamemaster’s Guide, an 86-page Player’s Guide, a 30-page Adventures Book, a four-page Quick Start Guide, pregenerated character sheets, blank character sheets, gadget sheets, tokens and dice. The game, originally set for release this month, will be out in November. This is the third official tabletop RPG based on Doctor Who: FASA published one in the ’80s and Virgin in the ’90s. The new game naturally focuses on the 2005 relaunch of the classic series that ran from 1963-89. But with 45 years of accumulated lore from TV episodes, original novels and plays and two spinoffs to date, there is plenty of material to support a full range of gaming supplements — if the market is there for them. See also: ‘Doctor Who’ RPG set for fall release Is the time of making movies Down Under over?October 18th, 2009, 3:23 pm by Jayson Peters
The reason is the power of green — or the lack thereof. As the falling U.S. dollar continues its slide, the once-sound financial strategy to film Down Under has become more expensive. George Lucas took production of his Star Wars prequels to the then-new Fox Studios Australia in Sydney. In 1998, it was a bargain. With a live-action Star Wars television series on the way, the land of koalas and kangaroos has been floated as a possible base of operations for that lucrative venture — but these days even Lucas isn’t so sure. Read the rest of this entry »
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The next Doctor Who special in this year of no regular-season episodes will air Dec. 19 on BBC America, just over a month after it debuts in its native Britain.
On Friday Sam Weller, the authorized biographer for sci-fi author Ray Bradbury, will appear at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe as part of the store’s “Food for Thought” series. Weller, a journalist and professor at Columbia College in Chicago, is the author of The Ray Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury, which describes the writer who envisioned rocket travel to outer space but never learned to drive a car or operate a computer.
Publisher Crucible 7 has released a 
Production of Warner Bros.’ Green Lantern has pulled up stakes from Australia, part of an overall decision by the movie studio to reassess its overseas filming operations, 
