GEORGE TAKEI TO APPEAR IN STAR TREK PREQUEL?

Word is getting around that George ‘Sulu’ Takei may show up in JJ Abram’s new STAR TREK movie. Oh come on, seriously. The film already concerns the old Spock communicating with the young Spock. We don’t need any more faces from the classic series/films. The thing is, people are asking if William Shatner is going to show up in it too. Now, if you remember, Kirk died in the seventh movie, and even though he was resurrected in the billion novels Shatner put his name on, I doubt the moviegoing public would know this. Spock being in the new movie can be forgiven- he’s a Vulcan after all, but putting other classic characters in there for the sake of it would do little other than steal the show from the new cast.

Now, these Sulu rumours are largely being circulated due to Takei saying ‘No comment’ when asked about any involvement in the new film. Naturally, the net went insane with ‘Sulu is in the new movie!’ claims.

I could well be wrong and Abrams will handle it perfectly, with the original cast providing something of a bookend for the film. Granted, Hollywood STILL CANNOT THINK OF ANYTHING NEW, which is seriously ticking me off, but at least this is looking promising. Just don’t mess it up, okay? Make sure that if it isn’t another Khan, its at least another Undiscovered Country. Pretty please? At least it has Simon Pegg in it, which is a brilliant idea.

Personally I think the remake/prequel/redux/whatever shouldn’t have been made, and that a whole new, Abrams-led era of Star Trek could begin, taking place after the era of TNG/DS9/Voyager. That said, I am looking forward to seeing Kirk and Spock reborn onscreen for a new generation, even if this re-imagining of the franchise only lasts for one film.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to play the teaser trailer again. Mmmm… spaceships…

PRODUCT REVIEW- THE GODFATHER FIGURE

THE GODFATHER

Don Vito Corleone Action Figure

McFarlane Toys

A great likeness, but not a great figure overall.

Mcfarlane Toys continue expanding their range of movie licenses with this, a 7 inch action figure of Marlon Brando in his iconic Don Vito Corleone role from the Godfather movies. Well, I say ‘Action’, it is more just a ‘Figure’ as it isn’t articulated at all. The Sculpt is of a high standard, resembling the late star rather well, but its bland diorama base and lack of accessories (not even a cat for him to stroke!) smacks of a rush release. The packaging, a fiddly clamshell, is smaller than the usual McFarlane releases, and I hope it doesn’t hint of things to come as it is a rather unattractive package, and the weak hook on the top of the packaging and will break off easily, so take note if you want to hang it in its package.

Granted, anyone that wants a Godfather figure probably isn’t going to want to use it for much other than a display piece, but that in itself should have made McFarlane throw in some interesting accessories. A rare dud for the usually reliable McF. How about re-releasing it as a box set with a cat and desk? Just a thought.

STARS OUT OF 5: **

FOR FANS OF: The Godfather, Goodfellas, Scarface

X-FILES 2 FOOTAGE LEAKED

The exclusive X-Files 2 teaser that was screened at Wondercon has, surprise surprise, leaked all over the internet. How does it look? Well from the grainy, tiny, phone-cam shot version I saw, it probably isn’t an actual teaser. I’m guessing this is just a selection of completed scenes, cut together into a teaser trailer. Well, it does exactly what it says on the tin- it teases.

From the intriguing shots of Billy Connolly flanked by FBI agents as he strides across a snowy wasteland crying out ‘It’s here, it’s here!’, to the tantalising glimpses of action scenes, and of course our first look at Mulder and Scully in years, it looks, well, like the X-Files. I am very happy about this. It only runs to about 35 seconds, but it looks very interesting indeed. Who is the man with the scratches on his face? Why are Billy Connolly’s eye bleeding? Who (or what) is being dragged across the ice?

Where the first film (Fight The Future- remember that?) may have been close to the series in spirit, it lost a little something by giving the story such a massive scale onscreen. This new X-Files movie is billed a standalone story, and is rumoured to be of a supernatural nature. Chris Carter has gone record at Wondercon to say that while the mythos of the show- i.e. the conspiracy aspect- will be mentioned and dealt with, it isn’t the crux of the story. This is a very good sign. The show got too boged down with its own continuity and lost a bunch of viewers along the way. The standalone stories were generally superb, and also the most memorable (Tooms!).

It is wonderful to know there’s a new story on the way, and great to see Mulder and Scully on the big screen again. Early word is that the chemistry between the two main characters is as good as ever, just the right side of flirtatious, and the interplay is back how it was in the early years of the show.

Judging from the reaction at Wondercon in the video (the screams an applause are deafening) it would seem that all the old X-Philes are hungry for more. Just you wait and see come this summer- the X-Files are open again, and by the look of it, all hell is about to break loose.

Cloverfield: The Starstore review

The ingenious viral marketing campaign for Cloverfield, great as it was, really doesn’t prepare you for the assault on the senses you get when watching the movie. The film itself is a superb reimagining of the monster movie genre, and while its detractors may describe it as little more than ‘The Blair Witch Project meets Godzilla’, but it is so much more. It is an excellent piece of modern film terror, and more than aptly fits the ‘Godzilla for the Youtube generation’ moniker its producer, JJ Abrams, gave it.

The basic premise, that of a monster invading Manhattan, told from the viewpoint of a handheld digital camcorder, is a great way of keeping the story at a very human level, as opposed to the usual predictable spectacle of the monster movie genre. Cloverfield is a film that takes hold of the standard elements of the genre and rips them to pieces. The monster, when you see it, is absolutely horrific, and is thankfully far from the usual ‘Giant Dinosaur’ design these kind of films tend to lean towards. I won’t describe it here, you really should see it for yourself.

I loved the fact that the main characters don’t just get the odd cut and bruise- these people really do suffer in their fight for survival, and what a fight it is. The military are terrified, the public even more so. What the monster does to the city is chilling and has you on the edge of your seat for its duration. The set up may feel like it goes on too long, but there is a reason, and the inclusion of what was originally on the tape between the attack footage is a stroke of genius and plays out a plot point to a perfect conclusion. Watch it and see what I mean. The editing, while intended to look like it hasn’t been edited at all, is also incredibly effective.

The fact that you don’t actually see the monster that much adds so much by way of drama and intensity. The glimpses are tantalizing, and its trail of destruction is insane.

There are some shots that echo the 9/11 footage in tone and content, but that was to be expected really. One scene in particular, once the monster attacks, is a frame for frame recreation of a certain piece of 9/11 footage. It may sound a little crass, but it fits with the film. The tension is through the roof.

While there is the odd ‘Hollywood’ moment in there, it comes across as gritty, frightening and utterly compelling. It isn’t a film for the faint of heart, and the shaky camera work may make your eyes ache a little, but I implore you to see this on the big screen. The sound design is inspired, the script mostly comes across as natural, and the use of editing and background to fill in the plot is a great thing to see. Far from being another dumb big monster movie, this is an incredibly intelligent and, scarily, believable film.

10/10

Incidentally, there is a large scale action figure of the monster on the way, and it looks incredible. The promo photos looks superb, and give you a great look at the monster that you never really see all of in the movie itself.

GAMBIT CAST IN WOLVERINE MOVIE

Sam and Rich have already shouted their opinions over my shoulder regarding the breaking news of taylor Kitsch being cast as Gambit in X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE (hey guys, can you think of an even clunkier title please? jeez...), but I'm undecided yet- mainly because I have no idea who the guy is. Maybe he'll be great. Who knows? Now, he was in teen warlock cheapie THE COVENANT, so at least he's somewhat familiar with making genre films, but I'm yet to see if he can bring anything to the part other than a sculpted chin.

Here's his IMDB page.

Gambit has been a fan favourite character ever since his first appearence in the comics and subsequently the 1990s cartoons. With his wisecracking personality and constant flirting, it was his character more than his mutant abilities that made him star, even if the charged-up playing cards were cool. This Wolverine movie is a strange thing though- it is being billed as an origin tale, and features a young Sabretooth, the Blob, Gambit and apparently Deadpool as well. There's a distinct risk that the thing could become too overcrowded, but I'm hoping for the best. What I would really like is for the title to be changed, as it just sounds like a TV movie with the current monicker, which, of course, will be repeated with X-Men Origins: Magneto.

Once we have some pics and maybe a scene or two, I maight get excited. For now I'm sceptical.

DOCTOR WHO: Series four is coming...

The trailer currently playing in cinemas across the country for series four of Doctor Who's new era is a beautiful thing. Edited just like a movie trailer, it teases, tantalises and raises all manner fo questions. The biggest thing in the trailer, naturally, is the single shot of Billie Piper, back in the role of Rose Tyler. This may well only be for one episode, but it is something the fans are goiung to lap up. Also, what the hell is Martha covered in at the end of the trailer? The goo makes her looks like she's just come out of the Matrix! A clone maybe? Even Donna (Catherine Tate) looks okay- she doesn't seem anywhere near as annoying as in The Runaway Bride, which can only be a good thing. I'm yet to be sold on season four really... The three big villains are all back now, Daleks, Cybermen and The Master have all come and gone, which leaves... Davros. Think about it. Dalek Caan escaped at the End of S3's Evolution of the Daleks. He is the last surviuving Dalek in existence, and where else would he go but back to their creator? I do hope this happens, as a new-era version of Davros would be an awesome thing to see on the screen. Davros was always one of the more convincing villains of the classic era, and also a good old fashioned bad guy in that he was absolutely and totaly evil in every way. Newer fans may not be familiar with stories such as 'Revelation of the Daleks', but that stands as a great example of the nastiness he is capable of. In one of the most unnerving scenes of 80s Doctor Who, we are privy to a severed human head, trapped inside a clear Dalek casing, begging to be killed by its own daughter. Davros was harvesting humans and building Daleks from the parts. This was supposedly kids TV! I do feel a new incarnation of him would go down a treat.

Then there are the Sontarans, which do pop up a couple of times in the new series. I'm not convinced yet that the new audience won't think of them as a knock-off Judoon, and their short stature and modified (almost cute) makeup doesn't help much either.

Something that did strike me when watching the trailer (check it out on Youtube while it lasts!) is the overwhelmingly bleak atmosphere. The music and Donna's monologue are rather downbeat, and the way it is edited suggests that this series is going to be quite harrowing in tone. Could this be the tenth Doctor's swansong? Will the wisecracking Time Lord finally be bettered by an enemy and be forced into regenerating into his eleventh incarnation? personally I'm looking foirward to finding out. Bring on series four, and lets hope the BBC continue to trounce everyone else in the originality stakes.

WGA WRITER'S STRIKE ENDS!

Hey all, I'm in the middle of a bunch of deliveries and stuff right now so I'll keep this brief. The writer's strike is over! This was announced officially last night, with 3,492 votes to 283 in favour of ending it. All the WGA workers can officially get back to their keybords now. All good news, but bear in mind the Screen Actor's Guild contract expires in June. More trouble on the way?

Quick, make stuff!!!