Have A Merry Whedon Christmas

Christmas is less than two weeks away, but the average TV viewer will bump into at least one holiday special a day, whether it be Rudolph, Scrooge, George Bailey or the Grinch.

The odds get even better thanks to cable TV offering literally hundreds of Christmas movies, mainly thanks to the Hallmark Channel and Lifetime. Their holiday libraries are so big they usually start just after Halloween, and wrap up on New Year's Eve. Through all those movies, it's likely that several members of the Whedonverse may appear.
In fact, there's several movies where we see our favorite actors...

Dear Santa:  Lifetime premiered this movie three years ago. Amy Acker plays a party girl named Crystal, whose parents demand she straighter herself out by Christmas or they'll cut off her credit cards. She gets an idea from a letter to Santa from a seven year old girl, who wants her widowed dad named Derek to get a new wife. He also runs a soup kitchen. Crystal volunteers there, but also has to battle Derek's jealous girlfriend. Acker is really cute in this movie, quite different from her roles on Angel and Person of Interest.

Holiday Wishes:  Also a Lifetime movie, I thought this had one holiday trope too many, but it's still OK. Amber Benson plays woman looks for her missing sister, and gets support from her boyfriend who may not be who he seems (hint: think angel). Then there's a rich girl and an orphan who switches bodies thanks to a magical ornament. With those three typical holiday plots, it's a bit crowded, but the helpful boyfriend does play a part is resolving things before his true identity is revealed.

Call Me Mrs. Miracle:  This was a sequel to a Hallmark Channel movie with Doris Roberts as the angelic helper who gets a job at a department store although no one remembers hiring here. Jewel Staite plays an assistant to a fashion designer, and she'd like to get her nephew a popular toy. Mrs. M comes up with a better idea that helps her and her store, and gives off a Jennifer Aniston vibe. Despite beng well-known to Firefly and Stargate Atlantis fans, it would be great to see her in a rom-com or two. I reviewed it in my other blog.

A Golden Christmas:  This is from Ion Television. Nicholas Brendon is in this story about a lawyer who's upset her family home has been bought by Brendon's character. The story makes her look like a Scrooge when she tries to get the stop the sale, but a dog plays a big part in changing her attitude. It also turns out they knew each other as kids, but she doesn't remember.

Help for the Holidays:  Another cute holiday movie from Hallmark, with Summer Glau as an elf who helps out at a Christmas store. It seems the owners put too much time in their store and not enough on their kids. She also has a purse that is a smaller version than the one Mary Poppins has. She also starts falling for a guy, which threatens her mission. Glau is a great elf, but I said in my review the story had a ton of missed opportunities.

A Christmas Wish:  The original Buffy, Kristy Swanson, is a woman with three kids whose husband leaves her and leaves her penniless. She gets a job waitressing at a diner that may also close down. However, thanks to finding a root beer recipe, thinks will be looking up for them. Swanson is in a new holiday movie on Ion called Merry X-mas, where she plays a woman who's about to divorce her two-timing husband thanks to some misleading photos. He can't get her to hear his side, but he hopes a blizzard could help.

Road To Christmas:  we can't leave out our favorite SHIELD agent, Clark Gregg, from the list. A Lifetime offering from 2006, it's about a fashion photographer who's on her way to a dream wedding, but is held up by bad weather. Gregg is an artist turned teacher with a teenage daughter. He takes in the photographer, and if you suspect she falls for the teacher, then you know your Christmas plots. Seems inevitable, since the photographer is played by Gregg's wife, Jennifer Grey

Snow Bride:  Tom Lenk plays a small role in this Hallmark movie>He's a reporter for a website hoping to get some dirt on a political family about to announce an engagement. A female rival tries to infiltrate the family, and does thanks to an accident. Thing is, this big-shot political family is more down-to-earth than the reporter thought. It doesn't stop the editor of the website from planning to use some info Lenk uncovers, whether it's true or not. Lenk's also sporting a mustache in this movie.

If you click the DVD covers, you will find out when they will air through Christmas. If not, you'll get a link to where you can buy the DVD.

My Buffy Movie Page In a New Home

As I am getting older, I am making some changes.
I've looked at my Yahoo home page, and whether I still need it. Since I have two blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Tumblr, my homepage is no longer the source of news it used to be. It used to be an update for Whedon shows, and a weekly episode guide, too. However, I could only save my Dollhouse episode guide through this site and Whedonopolis. I really wish I could have saved some of my episode reviews from Buffy and Angel. I never did review Firefly or Serenity, although I did comment on special events. 

So, I will have a new website through Wix that will be the new home for my memorial of The Bronze, and the day Angel was cancelled by the WB. It'll also be the home for some of my favorite cons, including the Flanvention, Wolfram and Hart Revue, Browncoat Ball and other events. 

I still need a home for my original page talking about the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie from 1992, and my dreams of it being riffed on by this guy and his two robots. Since Rifftrax has targeted Super Mario Brothers and Psycho II, plus both Doctor Who movies with Peter Cushing, there's always a chance. 

So, this is what I said about the original Buffy, with some updated comments:

Since the dawn of Man, the vampires have walked among us...killing...feeding.
The only one with the strength and skill to stop their henious evil is the Slayer.

She who wears the birthmark, the Mark of the Coven.

Trained by the Watcher, one Slayer dies, and the next is Chosen

It's very difficult to turn a good movie into a good TV show (MASH, Dr. Kildare, The Odd Couple, and not much else) or even a good TV show into a good movie (The Fugitive, MST 3000, The X-Files...maybe, South Park)

But turning a bad movie into a great TV show? Our Slayer may be the only character who has done that successfully...but it may have cost her respect and recognition that she so richly deserves.
The movie may be the reason why. Maybe it was a good idea that just wasn't executed as well as it should have.
Several actresses were up for the part, including Drew Barrymore, Allysa Milano and Alicia Silverstone (who was too young).
It was supposed to make Kristy Swanson, who played Buffy, a star. It was supposed to be Luke Perry's breakout role after several years as the male lead in Beverly Hills, 90210.Somehow, it didn't turn out that way.
On the other hand, it did have a well-known actor (Donald Sutherland as Merrick, the Watcher), two future Oscar winners (Hillary Swank and Ben Affleck), and a comeback role for Paul Reubens, alias Pee-Wee Herman..who was coming off a sex scandal that destroyed his career as a kids' TV host.
Not only that, it had David Arquette, who went on to fame in the Scream movies and telephone commercials, and wound up marrying Courtney Cox (and was a pro wrestling champion for a while).

The movie wasn't the sleeper hit 20th Century Fox had hoped. The major newsmagazines panned it. Time blamed the director for not having confidence in the script, while Newsweek blamed the script for not being able to merge the scary and funny bits as well as (and I swear to God this is true) Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

But the director, Fran Rubel Kazui, says the movie just wasn't marketed well, and didn't find its audience until it was released on video. The budget was seven million, but earned nearly 16 point seven million in the theaters. However, some criticized her for her hands-off style of directing. Joss Whedon, who wrote the movie, even admitted the movie didn't meet his vision. He talked about it in an interview with The Onion ...

I had major involvement. I was there almost all the way through shooting. I pretty much eventually threw up my hands because I could not be around Donald Sutherland any longer. It didn't turn out to be the movie that I had written. They never do, but that was my first lesson in that. Not that the movie is without merit, but I just watched a lot of stupid wannabe-star behavior and a director with a different vision than mine--which was her right, it was her movie--but it was still frustrating. Eventually, I was like, "I need to be away from here."

Fox executives also wanted the movie to be less funny and more scary, but Kuzui ignored those suggestions. He did have some nice things to say about Paul Reubens as Count Pee Wee, and that Rutger Hauer wasn't as bad in the movie as people thought.  The movie was supposed to end with Buffy setting the gym on fire (probably after she burns Lothos' head). The closest thing to his original script is in the three-part comic series, "Origin". 

There's not much connection between the movie and the TV show. In "Becoming, part one," the first meeting between Buffy and Merrick was MUCH different than in the movie: she met him in the TV show outside her high school, and he didn't look anything like Sutherland (more like Wilford Brimley). In the movie, of course, Merrick meets Buffy at the gym, and tells her about her "birthright." Also, there's no mention of a "Pike" in Buffy's past in the TV show, although there is in a Buffy novel. I suspect that there never really was a Pike, and they just added him for effect.

While the movie didn't make an impression in theaters, at least two of the producers, Gail Berman and Sandy Gallin, decided that Buffy would make a great TV show. If not for that, Buffy the Vampire Slayer would have been nothing more than fodder for Mystery Science Theater 3000 (whose first supervising producer was Gallin!)

In fact, I have this dream that the Satellite of Love lands mysteriously in Los Angeles. Buffy and her Slayerettes investigate, and then are surprised to meet Mike, Servo and Crow. Then, they find this movie about a cheerleader who fights vampires, and Buffy says, "Guys, we have got to riff on this!"
And who could blame them?

There were plans for a Buffy movie for a new generation...and but without Joss Whedon or Sarah Michelle Gellar. (Edited to add: since Joss is busy in the Marvel-verse, and the TV cast has aged some, this may be more likely). More people are wondering why anyone should try. After all, more people look for the TV show, not the movie.
If Fran Kuzui wants to make a new Slayer movie, one word of advice:  any name except Buffy.
That way, if a new Slayer movie is done right, the real thing can show up, and give her blessing, which would also be Joss Whedon's.
For we all know, he is the one true parent of Buffy Anne Summers. 

(Also, the Nerdist website speculated what kind of Buffy movie we'd get if it was made in the 1970's. Actually, the casting's not bad: Cybill Shepherd as Buffy, Peter Cushing as Giles, Kurt Russell as Xander, Susan Dey as Willow, Morgan Fairchild as Darla. Not sure about Leonard Nimoy as the Master, though. This was during a time when he wanted to prove he was more than Spock, but I'm not sure this would be it.)
A blog called The Exploding Kinetoscope did a very detailed essay on the movie. It makes my essay look quite lacking. It compares the original Buffy movie to lots of other movies, and praises Sutherland's performance. Well, I had my angle and this blogger has his. Click here, and see for yourself.
AAAANNNDDD...someone found an article in Movieline that gives a detailed look at the movie, with a lot of emphasis on how this affects Luke Perry's chances to breaking away from his role on 90210. It didn't, but you wonder if it could have if the movie was closer to Joss' original plan, and people decided this was NOT a kid's movie.

Now, after we have had a flood of vampire genre on TV and the movies...for good and bad...could it be time for an all new version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, based on what Whedon really had in mind? If so, he, or Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tanchareon, should be involved somehow. That way, it will be done right.
Besides, wouldn't Emma Roberts look great mowing down the Hellspawn?

And for the record, my new website that's devoted to the many Buffy-related activities I've attended is http://davidmello4.wix.com/impalergeneral. 

This Fake Poster Is A Big Fat Spoiler

Consider this a spoof of the poster for Johnny Depp's latest movie, Transcendence. It's also a big fat spoiler from Captain America:  The Winter Soldier. All I can say is, when I saw a certain scene where Cap and Black Widow find a hidden room once owned by SHIELD, it was already better than what Depp can do.

Mork and Buffy: A Look At The Crazy Ones

CBS' new advertising sitcom, The Crazy Ones, was promoted as the return of two TV icons, Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar. While Williams decided to go back to his roots after a long movie career, Gellar wants to prove that she's more than someone who battled vampires in the late 1990s. Either she'll be able to keep up with the quick-witted Williams, or wind up as the next Pam Dawber.

It's also the comeback of David E. Kelley, best known for L.A. Law, Boston Legal, and Ally McBeal. This show looks like trying to pack a typical episode from either of these shows in 30 minutes.

It begins with Gellar as ad creative director Sydney Roberts auditioning with her assistant Zach (James

Volk), hoping to find the right kid for a cookie commercial. When she gets back to the office, she discovers that McDonalds wants to fire the agency. Her dad and agency partner Simon Roberts (Williams) should be there to convince them to stay, but he's busy battling a life-sized Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot. She winds up knocking the robot out, and tries to get Simon to focus and not tell jokes that make the staff laugh. That's supposed to show she's the responsible one.

However, Simon is no fool....all the time. He comes in and tells the McDonalds ad guys about how he and Sydney used to share a Happy Meal when she was young. On the spot, he decides to update the "You Deserve A Break Today" ad. Great idea, and he'll promise a famous voice. OK, the McDonalds people say. He has until tomorrow.

The first half is dominated by Williams and Volk. They try to convince Kelly Clarkson to sing for the new ad, even though she says she doesn't do jingles. She'd like to do a sexy song, and Simon and Zach come up with one. Williams and Volk make a pretty good team, except Gellar is supposed to be the other half of that team. So far, she stands around looking worried. When does she become funny? At least Dawber got in some good jokes on Mork and Mindy. Anyway, Clarkson has her own sexy hamburger song, but when she senses they're really trying to make her do a jingle, she walks out.

Finally we get a scene between Gellar and Williams. Of course, he does the funny stuff (even imitating a tribal elder) while she doesn't. They are the new Mork and Mindy, but Gellar can do more than react to his lines. It also shows Kelley is making a sitcom as a shorter version of one of his dramas. It doesn't work because we're still waiting for Gellar to be funny.

She finally gets that chance when she tries to convince Kelly that "You Deserve a Break Today" isn't a jingle for an idea of a family getting together. Ironically, Sydney does this while Kelly is with her family at a local restaurant. Kelly then dares Sydney to sing the song, once more with feeling. Sydney's singing isn't as smooth but it's sincere, and it convinces Kelly to do the commercial. Sydney is her father's daughter after all.

It is great to see Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar back on TV, but Kelley has to understand how to tell a good and funny story in 30 minutes, not an hour. He should also know Williams is good in drama as well as comedy. He doesn't have to be goofy all the time. That was so 1976. Gellar, again, should be responsible but be able to be off the wall to keep up with WIlliams. We'll give it more time, but the show still needs some work to be so crazy that it works as a successful sitcom.

Ratings report: The show clobbered everyone at 9 PM, even Michael J. Fox, Glee and Grey's Anatomy, with more than 15.6 million viewers. However, that was helped by the return of Big Bang Theory, which was number one on the night. Expect those numbers to fall when The Millers take the 8:30 time slot. If it stays close to Grey's, and the shows balances Robin and Sarah better, we will call it a comeback.

Comic-Con At Home: Time Lords at Petco

Before he packed Hall H on the final day of Comic-Con, Matt Smith enjoyed a more intimate meeting of fans at Petco Park with fellow Doctor Who castmate Jenna Coleman and Stephan Moffat.

First off, Nathan Fillion continued his hosting duties, and welcomed his guests. Of course, there were some people who begged Matt not to go, but if he's got to go....

It puts Jenna in an interesting situation: she is the one with the most seniority on the show, since she'll be the first Companion who sees her Doctor change bodies since Rose Tyler in 2005. She's up for it, though.
The first question was the cast being asks where they were when they found out the show had some openings. Matt said his mom texted him about the search for a new Doctor. He got the script for "Eleventh Hour" under top secret conditions, and he had to keep quiet until it was finally official. Jenna, meanwhile, recalled holding an avocado at a supermarket when she was told Amy and Rory would be leaving. Moffat, of course, was writing for the show when Russell Davies asked him to take over.

Moffat also says that each writer that tackles an episode should write as if they owned the show. They basically give their personal stamp to each episode.

The cast were then confronted with the idea of a "bucket list", which isn't as well-known in Britain. Matt said his list would include Jennifer Lawrence, and conquering time travel. Take that what you will.
They also talked about how big the fandom for Who can be. Jenna talked about two people at Heathrow who were talking about building their own TARDISes

A fan asked Matt how it feels to be the youngest man who play the Doctor, and how it's strange since the Doc is about a thousand years old. He says if you think about all the things The Doctor has seen, he has no choice but to move forward in life with youthful enthusiasm, or it'll become too much.
His only advice to the actor who becomes #12? He would just wish that person luck.
But what if that person is Nathan? Matt:  "You're going to have the best time. Please don't be better than me...."

Oh, and a Firefly fan suggested what it would be like if the TARDIS suddenly landed, maybe in the 26th century, near some Big Damn Heroes...

Moffat did admit to being a big fan of Firefly. Personally, one thing would be certain: River would be able to handle the TARDIS almost immediately if she had the chance.

So, here's the panel, a little shorter than the other ones but still chock full of Time Lord goodness

Comic-Con At Home: Clones Welcome at Nerd HQ

Much to my surprise, apparently the Whedonopolis staff couldn't get inside the Nerd HQ panels. However, I could see them live at home. That's how I can cover the Orphan Black panel with Tatiana Maslany, Jordan Gavaris (Felix) and Dylan Bruce (Paul).

Right off the bat, the crew talks about how the cast responds differently to all the sides Tatiana expresses from Sarah the troubled mom to Cosima the science geek, Alison the housewife, Beth the cop and Helena the killer. Jordan agrees, but is worried he said that in a wonky way.

Now they're asking what role would they want Tatiana to be. Jordan suggests Carrie While, while Dylan suggests Martina McFly. She does say it's tough playing against her fellow clones because there's no one there except a tennis ball. Still, she does it very well.

She was crying when she read the script for the final episode because she wasn't sure if there would be a season two. Jordan agrees, saying that it was gripping. Dylan was tempted to smoke

Tatiana says she's closer to Cosima because of how she observes and investigates everything. Jordan says none of the clones are cartoons. They are whole people, even if they are copies of one. Jordan, meanwhile, praised the set decorators for creating Felix's loft, and how it's a reflection of himself.

He also talked about how some people did like his portrayal of Felix as a gay man, but heterosexuals did not because they thought he was a cliché.  He argues that Felix doesn't represent all gay people any more than Cam does on Modern Family.

She isn't sure if she has a favorite clone. She loves all of them. She also says season two will provide more information about how they know each other. Dylan hopes for more info about Beth, and why Paul is a jerk.

How about a Felix clone? Jordan isn't sure, but admits anything is possible.

At one point, Alan was looking out into the field, as if he was expecting someone. It's either zombies or a concert.

They also talk about their favorite artists, what kind of clone they'd like to add to the show, how it takes a while for Tatiana to switch personas and their auditions, and there's a surprise cover version of a Taylor Swift song by J-Swift.

Here's the whole thing. Enjoy!!

Comic-Con At Home: In Praise of Nerd HQ

Suddenly, I'm not so sad that I can't go to Comic-Con.
If they somehow broadcast more of these panels live, or charged two bucks to see them live, it would be worth it.

Anyway, Zachary Levi has figured out that even if people head to the big con in San Diego, they can't see the panels they want because they sell out real fast.

So, why not have them available?

Here's the panel from Thursday morning featuring Seth Green and his Robot Chicken pals. It also includes two short films that will leave you stunned.

Comic-Con At Home: Reviewing Rock Jocks aka Armageddon't

Usually, during this time of the year, I would be battling two-mile-long lines and grabbing a ton of swag as part of my annual pilgrimage to Comic-Con for Whedonopolis. However, I am have to stay home because of my job limbo.

So, I'll review a movie that Geek and Sundry fans will likely see this week: Rock Jocks! I saw a postcard about it at Comic-Con a couple of years ago, and wondered if it would be a web series. Well, the movie is available at various sources, including iTunes. I checked it out, postponing the ESPYs for a while last night.

The movie's about a secret section of the Defense Department called the Asteroid Management Initiative (AMI)  that repels big meteors that threaten the Earth. It's a big job, but not well-respected. It has technology that uses satellites to fire lasers at the meteors, but it's barely above Windows XP.

The crew includes John ( Andrew Bowen, Magic City), the leader of the group who's a bit of a burnout. He's upset he has to cancel his comet-watching trip with his son and work on his day off. His second in command, Alison (Felicia Day of The Guild and lots of other things) really wants to get promoted. She's good at her job, but missing some interpersonal skills. Ken (Kevin Wu) is the son of a "Rock Jock", and has problems trying to live up to the family name. He also may have a crush on Alison. Seth (Justin Chon, Twilight)  is a smart aleck who likes to prank Kevin. He got into the group because of his video game skills. Tom (Gary Bednob) has been there the longest, and takes a nip or nine to get through the shift.

They get a visit from Austin Pratt (Mark Woolley), a bean-counter from the DOD who wants to interview the crew, and decide if they can be replaced with an automated system with a very sinister name. Seeing them in action, mostly sniping at each other and getting bored in between meteors, may make the decision easy for him.

Observing all of this is a mysterious alien called "Smoking Jesus" (Doug Jones, Buffy, The Neighbors, Pan's Labyrinth, Falling Skies). He apparently helped set up AMI, and observed how its budget's been cut to the marrow. He also sets up Rube Goldberg-type setups that actually comment on what happens next in the story.

During their shift, John wonders how he can leave to meet with his son, Alison worries she'll never get promoted, Seth exploits Ken's insecurities, and Tom rants about unpleasant things. Meanwhile, there may be a meteor shower that no one can stop. It's a more realistic, and funny, version of Armageddon, only without Bruce Willis or a soundtrack including Aerosmith.

The cast also includes Robert Picardo (Star Trek: Voyager, Stargate: Atlantis) and Jason Mewes (yep, Silent Bob's pal) as two security guards who discuss what kind of princess each would be, and the versatility of a well-known obscenity. There's also two cameos, if you look and hear closely.

Rock Jocks will be featured twice at Comic-Con as part of Geek and Sundry's programming. A meet and greet is scheduled at Jolt N' Joe's with Felicia and Jason at 4 PM. It'll be shown at 5 PM at the same place Saturday, with Felicia introducing the movie.

If you can't make it to Comic-Con, head to iTunes or Amazon. You can rent or buy the download. It will be available in DVD form next month. It's also available at rockjocksthemovie.com, with a special package which includes the poster, HD download and two pins featuring Alison and Smoking Jesus.

Picked The Wrong Year To Skip Comic-Con

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.--Lloyd Bridges, Airplane!

I've been going to Comic-Con since 2004, when Sarah Michelle Gellar finally decided to go to plug her new movie, The Grudge. I discovered some new shows that we still remember, including Bones and Lost. It was big, but not and airy, and getting into any panel you want was a reality, not a pipe dream/deep delusion that it is today.

This year would have been my tenth straight Comic-Con, except I am still in between jobs. I send resumes to hundreds of prospective employees, and about nine out of ten of them automatically throw them away. So, I have to stay home.

This year looked like slim pickings to me compared to previous years, mainly because the Harry Potter and Twilight franchises, which really packed the con in years past, are over. Not to worry, because other franchises have taken over, including Marvel, Hunger Games, and the Hobbit. TV has also taken over, with its wealth of genre shows from Arrow and Walking Dead to True Blood and Game of Thrones to take over for past classics including Buffy the Vampire Slayer (natch), Battlestar Galactica, X-Files, and Smallville.

For those who think comics aren't that important at Comic-Con anymore, think again. Some titles pull in the fans, including the perennials such as Batman, Superman and Spider-Man, but comics connected with TV shows (even Adventure Time and many Dark Horse titles) keep them as a major part of the con. Toys are also getting bigger, thanks to Mattel, when they roll out models exclusive to the con.

What I'll miss most of all if that I can't cover stories for Whedonopolis. I am at my happiest when I write a story that, for the most part, wind up as exclusives that no other internet news site has. Did any other website interview Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker just before Much Ado About Nothing premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival..and came back for the movie's first officials weekend? Did anyone else talk to the original Slayer, Kristy Swanson, when she was in Sacramento for a small con in Sacramento? I did that, and I am sure I would have found a story at Comic-Con no one else could find.

So, what will I miss?

the panel for Intelligence, featuring Sawyer from Lost as the first internet-connected secret agent,
an EW panel that includes both Matt Smith and David Guintoli (and the Grimm and Doctor Who panels, too),
the 5th anniversary of Dr. Horrible,
a panel for Agents of SHIELD which should include lots from the pilot,
Joss of course,
maybe a preview of The World's End (Pegg and Frost's version of This Is The End),
what's next for Geek and Sundry,
the Veronica Mars movie,
how Amy Acker will try to break up Husbands (think scorned ex-fiancé who won't accept being the wrong gender for one of them),
the Eric Andre Show (mostly because of how he greeted Tea Party supporters with hoods...on TV),  How I Met Your Mother,
Matt Smith with Chris Hardwick at the Balboa (will burritos be included again?),
and the annual showing of Once More With Feeling.

Granted, I'd be lucky to see half this stuff, or even a third, if I was able to go this year. I was lucky to be at the Firefly panel thanks to lining up many, many hours ahead of time. Comic-Con has gotten so big, you have to stand in line at 6 AM to see anything...even if it's for something at 6 PM. That's why if I did get a ticket to the Nerdist podcast taping at the Balboa, I really wouldn't have to go to the Doctor Who panel the next day. Of course, I would have wished I could get him to autograph a burrito but that's unlikely. Who can autograph a burrito?

Fortunately, thanks to YouTube and similar sites, someone will be smart enough to record as many of these panels as possible, and I can still see them. Sadly, I wouldn't be able to find a story no one else finds, but I can still see what happened eventually.

Missing Wondercon and Comic-Con this year has been a real bummer this year, but I am glad I am still useful to Whedonopolis. I still wrote stuff about the SHIELD show, and two articles about Much Ado in San Francisco. I just wish I had some idea about whether people are reading my stuff, or even like it. The old Whedonopolis site measured how many hits my articles got, and I knew people actually read my articles.

Then again, there's one big reason why I'm mad I can't go....the swag!
I could always use another big tote bag that's really a portable billboard to the next big TV show, movie, comic book or whatever. It's still cool.
Sure, I found really rare swag that was never offered for sale, like a t-shirt from an early Butt Numb-A-Thon Harry Knowles hosted, or a Moonite t-shirt that recalled the day they accidentally put Boston on Red Alert six years ago. Still, it would be nice to have a foam TARDIS, a Kick-Ass 2 hat, or a plastic Captain American shield or Thor hammer...or a Mockingjay pin.

I will say I have done pretty good overall. Who else has way too many Joss autographs, but still has one framed...and even a picture? Last year, I got Tarantino's autograph on a Django Unchained poster, which is more valuable since he won an Oscar for Original Screenplay. I still have the dog tags from the Inglorious Basterds premiere, and a few other posters that can't be found anywhere else.

So, I have to stay home, but someday, I'll be back. Maybe I can return in time for Avengers 2.

Buying A Piece of KFBK's History

This is another of those "Thrift Shop" stories:

I was at the Salvation Army stores on 16th Street in Sacramento when I found this t-shirt:

If anyone from KFBK remembers what this was all about, I'd like to know. All I know is what is on this t-shirt:  in may 1993, then-financial news chief, and now daily talk show host for Fox News Radio, Tom Sullivan went to something called "Dan's Bake Sale" in Fort Collins, Colorado. You notice that Tom autographed the shirt. Here's a closer look:

There's also "pending government approval", too. Who was Dan, and how big was the bake sale, and what was the money from the sale used for? If there's anyone who knows, please write your comments on this blog. Thank you

Joss Whedon Joins Twitter: What Does That Really Mean?

Like many fans of Joss Whedon, I woke up this morning, still excited about the first promo for the ABC show Marvel's Agents of SHIELD. Mostly, we were really stoked about what could be the catch phrase of the summer: "Don't touch Lola," uttered by the literally indestructible Agent Philip Coulson. How he's indestructible...well, that will be explained sometime, but let's enjoy it.

Then I find out on Facebook that Joss has finally made the plunge into Twitter, the 21st century equivalent of sending telegrams to friends, family or people who you think are just wrong.

According to his page @JossActual, he started his account sometime after 11 PM Pacific Time. His first words:

It's me! Joss! My own account! No more hiding under studio skirts! I'm FREE! @MuchAdoFilm @AgentsofSHIELD @Marvel @roadsidetweets #free

Then, his next tweet:

MY account! I got strong opinions! I'm gettin' POLITICAL! (Heads up, LEMURS.) And making wry observations about mundane stuff!

That sounded good to me. So, I followed his account and, just because I can't help it, I try to write something that's as quirky as he is...

@JossActual Welcome! We Tweeters will follow you to the ends of the Earth, but not that tacky boutique over there, or that boring disco

OK, it isn't as quirky...or maybe it is. You decide. I follow that with something more intelligent:

@JossActual Of course, congratulations on @AgentsofSHIELD (is Luke Cage included?) and enjoy Seattle this week in #MuchAdoRulestheWorld

That's less quirky, but I had to say something about Much Ado About Nothing about to kick off the Seattle International Film Festival. Maybe it will get an award there, or it will rule the world (at least the indie film part).

He sent some tweets before when he used the @MuchAdoMovie Twitter feed just before the movie's premiere during South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. He also wrote a few after that. This may be why he decided to get his own account.

This does not mean I'll be tweeting Joss 7200 times a day. I can be quirky elsewhere, and often. I do think that Joss will get a mountain of thank-you tweets when Much Ado finally gets a regular run next month, and then Comic-Con, and then the TV show. Maybe he'll get comments from readers of his Dark Horse comics. They can do that now.

Joss finally joining Twitter is the nerdy equivalent of Miley Cyrus coming back to Twitter, but over-active Whedon fans should keep the tweeting at a minimum, and make those tweets count. After all, it's all about quality, not quantity. That goes for how many followers you have. He has 67 thousand followers as of Monday afternoon. That will get much bigger, but not in the Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber territory. It'll still be impressive though.

Meanwhile, much of the Whedonverse is already on Twitter, from David Boreanaz and Alyson Hannigan, to Seth Green, Nick Brendon, Tom Lenk, Fran Kranz, Morena Baccarin, Jewel Staite, Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Seam Maher, Alan Tudyk, Camden Toy, Doug Jones, Eliza Dushku, Felicia Day, David Fury, Jane Espenson, Charisma Carpenter, Kristy Swanson, Amber Benson, James Marsters, Tim Minear....nearly everyone.
Sarah Michelle Gellar isn't on Twitter, but that can always change.

As far as connecting with Joss through Twitter, we shouldn't go too far. One big Twitter-lanche, and he might be scared off. Just welcome him, and think of an impressive tweet you can use when the time is right. That's the best way.
When he has a thought that is longer than 140 characters, we head to Whedonesque, like we always do..

First Look At Saturn Award Nominations

While the Oscars will be remembered for the Best Director that didn't get nominated, the Saturn Awards may get some attention between April and June over who will be up for awards.

Unlike the Oscars, the Saturn Awards, run by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films gives genre films their due. In fact, they even let some unexpected movies into the mix. That's due to giving out four different "Best Pictures" for Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action/Adventure and Horror/Thriller. While some films that the Oscars usually ignore get their due in these awards, other nominees may puzzle some people. A musical? Anne Hathway gets two nominations? What's Robot and Frank or Compliance? (Netflix will answer that question). This is my take on the major movie nominations...

SCIENCE FICTION

The Avengers is nominated along with Cloud Atlas, Chronicle, Hunger Games, Looper and Prometheus. While The Avengers may have the edge because it earned a lot of cash, there may be support for Looper, the first Time Travel Noir film. I'll pick Avengers.

FANTASY

The Hobbit will compete with The Amazing Spider-Man, Life of Pi, Snow White and the Huntsman, Ted and Ruby Sparks. The big support for Hobbit will lead to a big win.

ACTION-ADVENTURE

People are wondering why Les Miserables is nominated. Musicals are not action-packed, although there was some here. However, it'll be a battle between The Dark Knight Rises, Skyfall and Django Unchained, while 007 just coming out on top. Taken 2 and The Bourne Legacy fills out the list

HORROR/THRILLER

The Cabin in the Woods was the ultimate sleeper film because it was on the shelf for years while MGM tried to get its financial house in order. Lionsgate wound up releasing the film and did well. It looks like the favorite here,  but the other nominees are surprises: Argo, Zero Dark 30 and The Impossible. Also on the list are Seven Psychopaths and The Woman in Black.

There's also a category for independent films. That is going to be tough, because Compliance (which could be called a thriller and horror film) is up against Killer Joe, Hitchcock, Seeking a Friend at the End of the World, Robot and Frank (which puts new meaning to the term "computer crime"). The Paperboy and Safety Not Guaranteed. Netflix should help me catch up, but Compliance may have an edge because of the subject matter.

Now to acting:

BEST ACTOR

Daniel Craig has the edge for Skyfall, the most successful Bond movie ever, and one that marks a big change in the franchise, too. He'll be challenged by Joseph Gordon-Levitt for Looper and Matthew McConaughey for Killer Joe. The other nominees are Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Rises), Martin Freeman (The Hobbit) and Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables).

BEST ACTRESS

It'll be Katniss vs. Maya this time, but they'll face some interesting competition. Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain are the front runners, with Lawrence in the race for Hunger Games. However, look out for Ann Dowd in Compliance. She may win this award. Also on the list are Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks), Helen Mirren (Hitchcock) and Naomi Watts (The Impossible).

SUPPORTING ACTOR

This could be very interesting: Christoph Waltz will still have Oscar momentum thanks to Django Unchained, but Javier Bardem may have a better chance for his role in Skyfall. There's also Gordon-Levitt in Dark Knight Rises, Clark Gregg in The Avengers, Ian McKellen for The Hobbit, and Michael Fassbinder in Prometheus. It'll be Bardem by a handful of voters over Waltz.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Anne Hathaway has a good claim here, but not as Fantine. She stole The Dark Knight Rises, but the fact she's also nominated for Les Miserables may hurt her chances. A sleeper choice may be Judi Dench in Skyfall or Gina Gershon for Killer Joe. Also nominated are Charlize Theron for Snow White and the Huntsman and Nicole Kidman for The Paperboy.

Best screenplay will be interesting. Joss Whedon has two nominations, The Avengers and Cabin in the Woods (with Drew Goddard). Quentin Tarantino is also in there for Django Unchained, Tracy Letts for Killer Joe, Martin McDonagh for Seven Psychopaths and David Magee for Life of Pi. Whedon may be able to survive the vote split and win with Drew for Cabin.

Then there's Best Director. Some may wonder why Tarantino isn't in the race, but the choices make sense: Joss for Avengers, Christopher Nolan for Dark Knight Rises, Ang Lee for Life of Pi, Rian Johnson for Looper, Peter Jackson for The Hobbit and William Friedkin for Killer Joe. My preferences are Whedon, Lee and Johnson, but I am not sure. Good thing I have some time before the ballot arrives.

You can look at the entire list of nominees here, and join the Academy to have a say on who should win. Just visit saturnawards.org. Voting starts in April, and the winners will be announced in June.

Joss Whedon Dominates the Oscars...Sort Of

Since I am at a loss of how to pass the time this afternoon while I am waiting for The Walking Dead, BAFTA Awards and the Grammys, I will write a really cheesy column about how the inventor of Slaying, Vampires with Soul and Big Damn Heroes actually has a big connection with the Academy Awards in two weeks.

Joss Whedon won't be at the Academy Awards next weekend. He'll will be busy in Glasgow and Dublin showing Much Ado About Nothing to the film festivals there.  He would belong at the Oscars though, aside from his nomination for a screenplay award for Toy Story in 1995. It's actually because of his connection with what could be the favorite for Best Picture

Joss' biggest connection is Argo, the movie with the Best Director of 2012 (sorry, whoever wins the Oscar). The most obvious one Clea DuVall, who played Cora Lijek, one of the workers from the US Embassy who hid in the Canadian Embassy in Iran in 1979. She also played Marcie Ross, the invisible girl who was gunning for Cordelia  in  Buffy's first season ("Invisible Girl" or "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"). It would have been great to see what happened to Marcie after the FBI grabbed her. My guess is her invisibility wore off after being away from Sunnydale, but she figured out how to work undercover in other ways. DuVall was an FBI agent in Heroes, so it's plausible.

It doesn't stop there. Keith Szarabajka, who was Angel's nemesis Daniel Holtz, played Adam Engell one of the CIA officials discussing how to get the six Americans out of Iran.

Oh, and Ben Affleck was one of the basketball players in the original Buffy movie. It was when one the players suddenly became a vampire.

Oops, I almost forgot Tom Lenk, who plays a reporter for Variety when they have the table read for the fake movie.  He'll be more prominent when Much Ado About Nothing reaches American theaters this summer (aside from SXSW in March).

Yes, Browncoats, Alan Tydyk should be included, too. He is the voice of the Candy King in Wreck-It Ralph, a likely favorite for Best Animated Film

AHHH! I know, Tara fans. Amy Adams was also in the Buffy episode "Family", five years before she earned her first of four Oscar nominations for Junebug. She's in the Supprorting Actress race for The Master (no, not the one who was clobbered a formerly dead Slayer). Sorry about that.

Of course, the Oscars announced the cast of The Avengers will be presenting, while the film is up for the award for Best Visual Effects. You can't ignore a comic book movie that earns as much as the gross national product of a couple of small island nations.

I just wonder if Much Ado About Nothing, which was made at Joss' house in 12 days for the cost of a really long limousine, could get some awards, too. Maybe Joss may find himself in the Independent Spirit Awards in 2014. Wouldn't that be interesting?

My Role In Dr. Horrible Screening

I always wanted to know what it was like to help out in a charity screening of something I have on DVD.
Well, since I had a free one-way Southwest trip and lots of points to burn, I decided to do just that. I was security (sort-of) and part of the clean-up crew at the Dr. Horrible screening last weekend at the Barnsdall Gallery Theater. Actually, being a go-fer and spotter for celebrity cars wasn't too bad. I also escorted Shawna Trpcic (designer of clothes for Firefly, Dollhouse and Dr. H) to her seat, and spoke briefly with Greg Aronowitz (propmaster genius), Doug Jones, and Georges Jeanty of Dark Horse Comics. Whedonopolis' video review can be found here. I'd present the whole video, but it's PG-13 in one certain moment. This is the PG version:



Fran Kranz as Walter White, the early years. If Breaking Bad wants a prequel, I think we've found your man. The Whedonopolis link has the complete Fran, you might say. I saw him three times in the lobby and never figured it was him.

These two, though were easy to spot...



Jane Espenson and Cheeks (Brad Bell), the couple who made Husbands the best sitcom TV doesn't air. They showed season 2 on the big screen, and it was a big hit. You don't see Joss Whedon as an actor every day, but after seeing him as a snarky agent that would be a good idea. Jon Cryer, though, is the real star towards the end as the Anderson Cooper-ish talk show host who actually surprises us. To see that show click this Husbands link, plus my review of it.

There was also season five of The Guild, which I enjoyed more with a bigger screen. It included Doug Jones, namely this guy...



Remember, he's part of a classic foreign horror movie that almost won Best Foreign Film at the Oscars (but still picked up a couple). Also, gotta say, they should cast Amy Okuda as a super-heroine somewhere. Someone like Tink could fit into Arrow, for example.

The big event, of course, was Dr. Horrible. A lot of people took pictures of this couple...



That's the look of a girl who is happy an evil doctor game her the keys to a shiny new Australia, although this is also shiny: Australias you can eat!



Looking at it on a big screen for the first time in four years, I actually noticed something I hadn't before. In the tragic but inevitable scene where Penny's about to die after being impaled by collateral damage from the latest Hammer-Horrible tussle, Dr. H tries to help her, but then she says "Captain Hammer will save us". Even in death, Penny has betrayed our poor evil Doctor. THAT is why he embraces evil, folks. He couldn't get the girl no matter what.

Of course, a sequel is still in the works. I wonder if this time Dr. H is so horrible, the Evil League of Evil decides he should be, how you say, expelled quietly but also in a million pieces? Maybe he'll find salvation in an Angelic Penny. Maybe Captain Hammer will have to ask H for (ugh) help. It would be a bit too Megamind-ish, but what the heck? Most likely I'll be surprised if he get an angelic Penny at least. We'll just keep waiting.

Some other sights of the screening:



Greg Aronowitz with the Underwater castle that may or may not be the future of The Game this season on The Guild



An autographed poster that will be sold for charity.
I hear next year Dr. H will be part of a web film fest. No doubt more Guild episodes will be part of it.

Fox at 25, or TV Networks Don't Celebrate Themselves Like They Used To

I taped Fox's 25th anniversary special for a friend last weekend. After looking at it again, I have to wonder if Fox had trouble trying to fit 25 years of highlights into two hours...because it was worried it wouldn't have enough?

First off, anyone notice that Ryan Seacrest did not mention Fox's first star....Joan Rivers?
That's right. Before Fox even had primetime shows, it had the original Late Show, with Joan Rivers being the latest victim to the Hopeless War against Johnny Carson. Of course, this was before Arsenio Hall used a unique battle strategy....get the younger crowd instead of Johnny's usual audience.
Anyway, here's a clip of Joan in action, from the first show (thanks to YouTube, the online version of the Paley Center)



Then, we had Tracey Ullman. Plenty of clips from The Simpsons, who used to be shown in between her sketches. She even earned the network's first Emmys.
Any segment on her? Nope.
So, here's a clip. Notice Francesca's parents. They're just like Rachel Berry's parents....way before she was born.



Fox was way ahead of their time back then. Why not mention that, Seacrest?
To be fair, here's an early Simpsons sketch...



Lately, TV hasn't taken any time to look back at what it used to be. It wasn't like the 1970's, when the big three actually had big specials to celebrate their anniversaries. It started with NBC's 50th anniversary, where they unveiled a new logo....that they had to replace a few years later. Still, it was a chance to see classic TV from the 1950's, and their two hour event was more interesting that what Fox did. They did it again ten years later, including another new logo. CBS used a whole week to celebrate its 50th anniversary. It meant lots of room for song and dance like this....



Think Jon Hamm could do something like that if and when AMC celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2014? Well, I don't think it remembered its 25th anniversary in 2009. Still, he'd pull it off.
ABC used Laverne and Shirley to start its four-hour 25th anniversary special. It also had musical numbers, and cast reunions, too.
Anyway, those three networks had a big advantage: the 1950's. ABC could bring back clips from Disneyland and American Bandstand. CBS could bring back Lucy and Ed Murrow. NBC had Steve Allen and Sid Caesar..and that's for starters.
Fox probably wishes it had stuff that was just as good as the 1950s. It did, only it was the 1980s, and they skipped right through them. OK, we got 90210 and Cops, but they should have given Ullman her due.

Anyone see Comedy Central's big special celebrating its 20th anniversary?
Of course not. They didn't make one.
MTV did nothing for its 30th anniversary. It left the job to VH1 with a two-hour special. VH1 Classic, a digital channel few people get, had the good sense to at least air 12 hours of the best moments of the channel, including the first hour of the network, complete with original commercials. It would have made more sense to present more of that stuff, and send it some of it over to VH1.
It's as if we don't want to think about the past. How can we face our future grandchildren, and explain why Jersey Shore was ever produced, or Toddlers and Tiaras? How can we explain why networks would rather make spin-offs rather than original shows, while cable gave us Game of Thrones and Mad Men?

I'm just saying that if a network reaches an anniversary, it should make a major effort to look back at what it was, then try to convince us the best is yet to come. Sometimes that turns out to be true. While Comedy Central used to have Bill Maher and MST3K, it has Jon Stewart, Futurama (a TV show FOX conveniently forgot it had) and South Park. It should have had a special to mention that.

Did you know E! is about to reach its 25th anniversary? How about some tributes to Talk Soup? Maybe Greg Kinnear would come back? SyFy is about to reach 20 years old. OK, so it has those movies, but how about a special honoring that milestone, and tie that in with the final episode of Eureka, and new episodes of Warehouse 13? AT least have a shindig at Comic-Con.

Nostalgia sells, guys, especially when it's done well. The Original Three proved that in the 1970s, and Fox should have taken the same approach this year with an anniversary week of some kind.
Maybe the CW can do that when it reaches its 10th anniversary in 2016...as long as it also remembers its past as the WB and UPN.
And yes, that includes the Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer. Good with the bad, guys. It's only fair. At least Fox did that with its special. We have to suffer through When Animals Attack to get to American Idol.

The Morgan Spurlock Tour Spends Easter in SF

We've been waiting quite some time for Comic-Con IV: A Fan's Hope, the documentary that Morgan Spurlock and Joss Whedon produced. It's supposed to be an inside look at one of the biggest and most popular events anywhere. After seeing it at the Vogue in San Francisco on Easter night, the movie does deliver in some levels. I just wish it was longer. It's just under 90 minutes, but it needed another 15 or 20 minutes. Well, what he couldn't include in the film, it will be in the inevitable DVD. It'll probably be two discs, although three will do, especially the blu-ray version.



So how can you condense 140 thousand fans and four days of Comic-Con 2010 into under 90 minutes? First you have interviews with fans, a lot of them. That produces 700 hours of stuff. I was one of those fans, but I didn't make the cut. I may have had a chance if I was in costume, which I wasn't. I did dress as Dr. Who the 11th last year and will do so again. I just need a fez or something.

The film does have lots of interviews including Joss, Seth Green, Kevin Smith (who plays a part in one of the story lines), Grant Morrison, Kenneth Branagh, and more. It was also the first time I saw Paul Dini's face after knowing his name from the Batman animated series.

To get to the heart of Comic-Con, Spurlock chose several people who have stories that are connected with the event, We have two budding comic book artists who hope to get a foot in the door. We have a couple who met at Comic-Con 2009 who may be taking a big step if all goes well. It also depends on how the guy can get a very special ring for his girl. There's a collector who's there for only one thing: an action figure. There's Holly, a costume designer who hopes her entry in the Masquerade will turn some heads. There's Chuck Rozanski, owner of Mile High Comics, who has personally seen Comic-Con change from a comics-only convention into, as someone once said, Cannes for Nerds. Chuck's hoping to sell an extremely rare comic book that will keep him in business, in case sales aren't that great.
They are the best part of the film, especially Chuck and Holly's stories.

We also get to see Stan Lee, and Sylvester Stallone, Angelina Jolie and other movie stars that have basically taken over Comic-Con. We get comments about how the con is now a focus group for upcoming movies, which is true. It was the con that boosted Shaun of the Dead and Inglorious Basterds, but also exposed the weaknesses of films that use entire hotel buildings as billboards. Skyline, anyone? Hollywood taking over Comic-Con through product placement, and even "borrowing" a couple of restaurants to plug shows, would have been a great documentary all by itself. Again, if we had more on that, and contrast that with what Chuck and other comic book mavens think about how they're getting forgotten, it would have been a stronger film. It's certain this will be part of the DVD, and maybe something about how other people have become stars not exactly through major movies or TV, but through indie horror or internet shows (hey there, Felicia).



The people at the Vogue were nice enough to let me sit in with both question and answer sessions with Spurlock. He's a cool guy, and had some interesting comments about movie distribution. He noted that while he was on late-night TV plugging The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (his take on product placement), less than 20 theaters showed his movie on its first day of release. So, he decided with the Comic-Con movie, it would be shown in a few theaters, but also on Amazon, iTunes and on demand. In fact, you can see this movie at home or on your iPad for seven bucks. People at the screening paid $10.50, but that's because they wanted to see it the way their ancestors did....in a big dark room with popcorn and movie trailers. Having Morgan be there to sign autographs and talk about it was a bonus that they, and I, were happy to enjoy. The theater was actually two-third full for both showings, probably because it was Easter weekend. They also got dinged by a less-than-favorable review by the San Francisco Chronicle.

So what was left out of the movie? He talked about a girl who made a living dressed in costume, and how complex her costumes were. There was also a Colombian man who wanted to own his own comic book company, and hoped exposure at Comic-Con would help. He got a booth there, but not a travel visa. His wife had to go on his place, although she was not as involved in the business as he was. Spurlock said he would have had to use voice over to tell the story, and he didn't want to do that because the movie is without narration. He did say their company is still viable, and it's switching to digital comics. In fact, he said that digital comics could be the wave of the future.
He also talked about how that infamous stabbing during the Resident Evil panel prevented them from getting a very special romantic moment that was supposed to be one of the big story lines in the movie.

Spurlock also predicted that Comic-Con may be longer, maybe five or six days. That'll be great news to the hotel industry, that's for sure. I expect Petco Park will be the new Hall H, but that's just me.

Spurlock will continue his movie tour to the East Coast this week. His website reveals where he'll be, and how people can host a screening of the movie in their hometown. That should include San Diego because the movie is only available OnDemand at Cox Cable, but it should be in theaters. Heck, it should be at Comic-Con!

Discovering the Secret in Berkeley

It's been a long time since we had a new post here, since Whedonopolis gets priority for all my Whedon-verse posts. There are times, though, where I get to do such stories that someone else at that site has covered.

Nearly three weeks ago, I got to see the long-buried (thanks to MGM's financial problems) movie, The Cabin in the Woods, made by the words and thoughts of Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard--and Goddard directing. My take on it is still here, with the post-picture discussion.

Dread-Central was part of a new round of screenings over the past two weeks, including one this past Wednesday at the Shattuck Cinema in Berkeley.



While we couldn't bring cameras because Lionsgate said so, this was a much more active crowd compared to the one in Anaheim. It really helped when before the movie, Drew said the crowd should be as rowdy as it wants to be as the story unfolds. As my story said at the Anaheim screening, this movie takes a familiar horror story than sends it to places you'd never expect. That goes from what the college students do to where they wind up. I can only wonder what will happen on April 14th, when the "secret" is finally revealed and we can all talk about it. I can just hear the reaction of people being told who exactly is "behind the curtain" as far as the plot is concerned.
Again, no names. April 13th. This movie..your only hope to avoid giving money to a movie that is an even bigger horror, even if it does include Larry David as a nun.

So, what was the place like?

The Shattuck Cinema used to be a department store, but they renovated it for theaters in a section of town where one can choose from at least 15 movies in a three-block radius..and not under the same roof. The theaters themselves are uniquely decorated. They may be small but they are very nice places to check out a movie. My theater had a King Tut feel to it

I went there about 2:30, and found two people in line. An hour later, it was up to ten, and I decided to join in. The chairs are leather with very fancy cup holders. I was n the balcony where they had couches. It was like being at home, but with a very big screen and a stage. The place was filled about ten minutes after the screening was supposed to start. In my section there were a couple of kids that would be too young to see this movie. When you see it for yourself, you'll know why.

Drew and Amy Acker were introduced before the movie. Amy looked great but had cut her hair. That's too bad, since she looked great on Grimm recently with long hair.
Since this was my second time seeing it, I looked for some of the key moments that made this movie special, including how many scenes would have looked better in 3-D (I'd say maybe four or five).

Afterwards, Drew looked pleased abut how things went, especially about how people cheered for a certain item that Starbucks would be reluctant to sell. He also admitted that there are two characters that may remind viewers of Joss and Drew, and they're easy to spot. Again, no names. Go see the movie and you'll see what it is. I'm not the Hollywood Reporter.
He also explained how he tried to get a job being part of John Carpenter's movie, Vampires, in New Mexico. He didn't make it, but wound up working for a TV movie called Scattering Dad with Olympia Dukakis. Apparently it, too, had to wait a couple of years to be shown. Anyway, both movies were being filmed in the same area, which game Drew a chance to visit the set, and eventually meet Carpenter.

Then the discussion went to the chances of a sequel, and what Drew and Joss would have wanted to add to the movie. He also briefly discussed the chances of another Cloverfield movie. He said it depends on getting the right story.

Yes, Amy were there, too. She, too, was excited about working about the movie, and with Richard Jenkins, who...does something. You'll see.

The screening series will be ending soon, then everyone else will see The Cabin in the Woods. You'll find out why in every preview screening, there's one guy who appreciates this movie after the recent string of incredibly disappointing flicks. Seems Silent House is often mentioned.

Also, it gave me a chance to really get to use the BART system. I only used it to get from Fremont to San Francisco..and that was 30 years ago. Heading to Berkeley is good, too, and I may do that again soon. For now, though, I have another special movie screening in San Francisco this weekend. It's a movie I could see on iTunes, but meeting Morgan Spurlock after his Comic-Con movie is something I hope to do.

Much Ado About Avengers In The Woods..with Buffys

Being an overnight guy for a Sacramento radio station, I hear a lot about how the Mayans are predicting the end of the world next year because their calendar runs out, or how a comet from millions of miles away somehow set off Occupy Wall Street.

Well, I say 2012 is the Year of the Whedoncalypse, where his mighty hand, and maybe his ears, nose and throat, will shove the Earth into a new state of consciousness, based on the belief that spending millions of dollars on a 3-D movie that blasphemes The Three Musketeers is an embarrassment to our species.

This is really based on that surprise announcement Sunday night that Joss made his version of Much Ado About Nothing at his house with a hefty amount of Whedonverse alumni while no one was looking. We've been too keyed up about The Avengers we didn't know he had this idea in the back of his mind. What's more, he did this on his vacation and his wife was OK with it. That's because it's the beginning of Bellwether Studios, a micro-studio where new technologies and getting around typical studio suits can be the new road to good movies.

Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof as Benedick and Beatrice is a great selling point right there. Wesley and Fred/Illyria together again. Come to think of it, could Illyria, a God to a God, be intrigued by playing Beatrice? Sure, once she realizes blasting demons who sneaked into the play can be dealt with at intermission. I think Amy would add a dash of Illyria playing this role. while Alexis added some Wesley with a trace of the goofy news anchor he played in How I Met Your Mother.

Add Nathan Fillion as Dogberry, Sean Maher as Don John, Fran Kranz as Claudio, Clark Gregg (our favorite SHIELD agent) and Reed Diamond of Dollhouse, and you've got something. The whole press release is here, and it looks like we'll have to wait until March to see it at a film festival near you. Sadly, there isn't one near me, but maybe someone could start one to get this movie to Sacramento.

You should also thank Dr. Horrible for this, too. Making that internet musical for a pittance for the net, leading to massive DVD sales and applause everywhere, showed that you don't need the big studios to get a movie made, or even the usual indie guys like IFC Films. Just do it yourself, get actors who want to make movies for the fun of it and to sharpen their skills, and off you go. Heck, using cable companies and streaming media aside from Netflix can solve distribution problems. Kevin Smith has proven that with Red State.

The best benefit, of course, is seeing our favorite actors from the Whedonverse more often. Wouldn't you like to see Sean Maher despite the fact The Playboy Club is out of business, or Fran after the Dollhouse is closed, or Amy or Nathan? Course ya do.

Now a flood of links: the website for the movie, followed by the Entertainment Weekly article that includes Amy and Alexis together,and looking all Shakespeare like in a 21st Century world.

Of course, that's only the beginning. The Avengers is coming in May, but before that we FINALLY get to see Cabin in the Woods after the MGM bankrupcy drama. Let's also not forget it's Buffy the Vampire Slayer's 15th anniversary...and 20 years since that movie was shown. I was really disappointed by the blu-ray release of that movie. Why no cast reunion, or even more outtakes? C'mon, guys, she gave the WB a reason to exist. You should have worked harder. Then, again let's have the TV Buffy in blu-ray with new extras. That would be even better. Your move, Fox Home Entertainment.
Oh, and Firefly is ten years old in 2012. Browncoats assemble!

Sorry, SMG, But You Look Better Staking Vampires

I tried to give Ringer a fair chance, because it is Sarah Michelle Gellar's return to TV. It's an interesting idea: a story of twin sisters reunited after a long estrangement, one apparently disappears, and the other takes her place to hide from a gangster who wants to kill her; the problem is apparently the other twin made a lot of enemies and was also awful to her husband and stepdaughter.

If it was just about that, I might stick around, but it looks like the show is stuck on Bridget (the god twin by comparison) getting surprised by how awful Siobhan (the bad twin) really was. She learns Shiv had an affair with her best friend's husband, and even talked about killing said best friend. She has a strained relationship with her husband, while her stepdaughter points out Siobhan stole hubby from his first wife. We also find out Siobhan made a lot of enemies, including one that may want to kill her.

All the while, Siobhan is scheming somewhere in Paris. She apparently wants to kill Bridget, who everyone thinks is Siobhan, and start a new life. Thing is, she's pregnant, but the show doesn't think that's important because it hasn't been mentioned since episode three. Bridget has the problem of faking Siobhan's pregnancy, and some of us think that Bridget is pregnant..but isn't.

Also, we have the worst FBI agent in the history of moving pictures. One day, Nestor Carbonell has to explain how he could play an FBI agent so inept. He can blame the writing, and he'd be right. Agent Machado not only can't tell the difference between Siobhan and Bridget, but in his search for Bridget to put away Gangster Guy, he never thinks to talk to the husband. See, Andrew, the husband, thinks Siobhan is an only child. Everyone did, until Gemma (the best friend) suddenly noticed "Shiv" didn't have that cooking scar. Moot point, since Gemma is dead or kidnapped, thanks to Siobhan, who is above it all and convinced no one will ever figure it out. That last plot point convinced me that there's no point in sticking around.

I like Sarah Michelle Gellar when she is taking charge, not scared out of her wits tyring to fake being someone else, and finding out awkwardly how awful her sister was. Maybe she figures she's part of a plan where she dies for her sister's sins, while Bad Twin has a new life as Cora Farrell. Add the fact that Siobhan is smarter than everyone else including incompetent law enforcement.

Compare this to ABC Family's The Lying Game, about long-separated twins who trade lives, but one of them doesn't come back because she's looking for their birth mother. At least the Rich Twin gets mistaken for the other twin, and she has to deal with the consequences. The only thing that would get me interested in Ringer is if Siobhan is mistaken for Bridget, and she has to live HER life for a while. Otherwise, waiting for Bridget to be mistakenly killed has lost its charm. There's also a plotline where Juliet the stepdaughter is having problems in a public high school, and a younger teacher played by Jason Dohring is the only one on her side. Since this is the CW, Juliet has to fall in love with her teacher. It's a miracle this doesn't happen on The Secret Circle.
Well, they are guaranteed 22 episodes, and that's enough time to make the show more compelling. Take out "Bridget is targeted for death" and replace it with "Siobhan is trapped in Bridget's world", and that might help. Of course, how long would Bridget force Siobhan to be trapped? Not long, and Shiv will betray Bridget and no one will notice.

There are other shows that have my attention, including Revenge. At least Emily Van Camp is Emily Thorne, or rather Amanda Clark (although I prefer Emanda Clarke-Thorne), a take-charge gal who has every right to destroy a massively rich couple who totally ruined her life a lot more than they can imagine or care (if they could). It's getting to the point, though, that innocent lives will be taken in this long battle, but it can't be helped. I suspect Emanada may face jail time even though Victoria and Conrad Grayson, the targets of her vengeance, committed more crimes against her. They'll get theirs, too, but Emanda will have to face punishment, even if she lists the evidence of their crimes against her. After that, she still wins..and probably expects to cease to exist when it's all over. I still like Emanda because she's a gal of action, instead of someone who has to pretend, and wonders when will she be exposed, and then dead.
You also have to admit Madeline Stowe is scary as Victoria Grayson. Maybe she should be the evil queen on Once Upon A Time instead.

I also like American Horror Story, which is really disturbing drama, and kind of exciting, too. I also think that if the show has a second season, Dylan McDermott and Connie Britton won't be part of it because the creators will kill their characters off, and admit the real star is Jessica Lange. I also have hopes for Grimm, if they can only make the lead character more interesting. When your sidekick outshines the lead actor, you're in trouble. Add that to competing against science in Fringe, and two other demon hunters in Supernatural, and Grimm will have a tough time attracting viewers.

Xander is coming to Sacramento

Nick Brendon, “Xander” from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is among the guests at the 2011 Sacramento Sci-Fi Horror Show on Saturday, September 24th at the Scottish Rite Center at 6151 H Street in Sacramento. He’ll be talking to fans and signing autographs as well. Other guests will include Marina Sirtis from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Tickets are 10 dollars, and more information is available at http://www.sachorror.com/