Re: [scifinoir2] Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
I might check it out this weekend. From what I've heard, it's more Michael Bay than the first one (whose action I enjoyed, but whose groan-inducing writing and acting made me wince). Had a really tiring week, so maybe it's just the thing for a fun time to just put the brain on hold. But I will say, the whole concept of "summer movie" continues to bother me. What is it such that a movie released in the summer months must be light on drama, quality writing, acting, and substance? Is there something genetic such that our brains can't process drama in June, or, conversely, that they can only process drama in the winter? I find it puzzling that a "Jaws" here and "Star Wars" there has spawned an all but unshakeable mindset. I know, they say that in the summer months more kids are out and go to see movies, families go to see movies, teens are free to see movies, and that translates into more lighthearted fun fare. But still it bothers me. When I was kid we saw what was out, whether it was drama in summer or action in winter. - Original Message - From: "Augustus Augustus" To: "Sci Fi" Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:48:41 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [scifinoir2] Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Without a doubt, GREAT! saw it at the 12:30am showing (had nothing 2 do and my son and daughter wanted 2 do a midnight movie) and it was packed in Hollywood 24. the movie is 2 1/2 hours long and is in my opinion, more more intense and fun than the first one. i saw a couple of reviewers (and who pays these people i will never know) saw that it was terrible and that the dialogue was not witty, but i beg 2 differ. there was plenty of action and a very good mix of humor. yes there were more robots than u can shake a stick at, but who cares? it is summer entertainment at it's best. lots of explosions, lots of funny scenes interlaced with the action. have 2 admit, with all of the new robots i was hurt the i did not see Ultra Magnus (maybe next time?) or even Hot Rod (just as long as they do not make him Rodimus Prime). SPOILER: there is one battle that takes place out in the woods were Optimus was totally kicking ass and taking names! brilliant! i tell u, brilliant! if you want 2 be entertained for a good 2 1/2 hours, it's a must see! 3 Stars in my book! so speaks Dr. Fate
Re: [scifinoir2] Syfy explains why behind name change
They're idiots. All they have to do is instead of changing their name, promote the fact that they're a scifi/fantasy/paranormal shop. Speculative fiction. Truth is, they just don't know how to market and they'll turn into another Spike tv at this rate. ~ "Where love and magic meet" ~ http://www.adriannebrennan.com Experience the magic of Blood of the Dark Moon: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/botdm.html Take a bite out of Blood and Mint Chocolates: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/bamc.html Dare to take The Oath in this erotic fantasy series: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#the_oath On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 6:47 PM, ravenadal wrote: > http://siboow.notlong.com > > chicagotribune.com > > Syfy explains the 'why' behind the network's name change > > Maureen Ryan > > TV critic > > July 2, 2009 > > Cable networks have to work extra hard to establish their brands, unlike > broadcast networks whose longevity and prominence make them difficult to > miss. > > Through creative advertising campaigns and noteworthy shows, cable networks > such as TNT, FX, USA and lately AMC have established their identities with > the public. We tend to know what we'll be getting when we tune in to those > channels: crafty escapism on USA, sophisticated storytelling on FX, > mainstream procedurals on TNT and urbane, cinematic drama on AMC. > > So why would an established cable network mess with a good thing? > > For Sci Fi -- which changes its name to Syfy Tuesday -- it's a matter of > survival. > > The old way of doing business -- in which a network merely airs programs > and collects ad dollars -- won't quite cut it in the multimedia future, said > Sci Fi president Dave Howe in a recent interview. And the name Sci Fi -- > which also applies to an entire genre of film, books and other forms of > media -- wasn't something the network could trademark. > > "Nothing gets greenlit unless we believe the business model is much more > than linear, live viewing," Howe said, citing DVD movies, video games, > Webisodes, Web sites and iPhone apps as just a few of the multimedia > ventures the network sees as vital to its future. But Sci Fi wanted to brand > those kinds of ventures with a name it could own and trademark. > > "When people understand the rationale, they do get it," Howe added. "You > can't have a brand called 'Sport' or 'Drama' or 'News.' It's just not a > brand name." > > Certainly, awareness of Sci Fi, which was launched in 1992, had grown in > recent years, especially during the era of the award-winning "Battlestar > Galactica," which ended its run in March. During Howe's tenure -- he's been > at Sci Fi for eight years -- the network went from exporting shows to a few > other countries to shipping programming to more than 50 territories. > > As the network expanded worldwide and into multimedia realms, executives > wanted a more distinctive name, but finding a name that would not only work > for the network but be available legally and obtainable in the online realm > (the network's new site will be syfy.com) took two years. > > "The issue that we've always had with Sci Fi is that it only communicates > three things: Space, aliens and the future," Howe said. "That's the default > perception, and that's a barrier to entry for people who we know like > [reality fare such as] 'Ghost Hunters' and 'Destination Truth' " as well as > "Eureka", which returns July 10, and the sprightly and amusing "Warehouse > 13," which premieres Tuesday.There was a fair amount of mockery, especially > in the online realm, when the name change was announced in March, but Howe > said that compared to the cancellation of "Stargate Atlantis," which > overwhelmed his e-mail inbox for months, he's only gotten a couple of dozen > snarky e-mails about the Syfy switch. > > "We expected fans not to like it. The reaction from fans always same > default reaction -- it's that we're going to abandon the genre," Howe said. > "This isn't want that's about." > > mor...@tribune.com > > Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune > > > > > > Post your SciFiNoir Profile at > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/app/peoplemap2/entry/add?fmvn=mapYahoo! > Groups Links > > > >
[scifinoir2] Syfy explains why behind name change
http://siboow.notlong.com chicagotribune.com Syfy explains the 'why' behind the network's name change Maureen Ryan TV critic July 2, 2009 Cable networks have to work extra hard to establish their brands, unlike broadcast networks whose longevity and prominence make them difficult to miss. Through creative advertising campaigns and noteworthy shows, cable networks such as TNT, FX, USA and lately AMC have established their identities with the public. We tend to know what we'll be getting when we tune in to those channels: crafty escapism on USA, sophisticated storytelling on FX, mainstream procedurals on TNT and urbane, cinematic drama on AMC. So why would an established cable network mess with a good thing? For Sci Fi -- which changes its name to Syfy Tuesday -- it's a matter of survival. The old way of doing business -- in which a network merely airs programs and collects ad dollars -- won't quite cut it in the multimedia future, said Sci Fi president Dave Howe in a recent interview. And the name Sci Fi -- which also applies to an entire genre of film, books and other forms of media -- wasn't something the network could trademark. "Nothing gets greenlit unless we believe the business model is much more than linear, live viewing," Howe said, citing DVD movies, video games, Webisodes, Web sites and iPhone apps as just a few of the multimedia ventures the network sees as vital to its future. But Sci Fi wanted to brand those kinds of ventures with a name it could own and trademark. "When people understand the rationale, they do get it," Howe added. "You can't have a brand called 'Sport' or 'Drama' or 'News.' It's just not a brand name." Certainly, awareness of Sci Fi, which was launched in 1992, had grown in recent years, especially during the era of the award-winning "Battlestar Galactica," which ended its run in March. During Howe's tenure -- he's been at Sci Fi for eight years -- the network went from exporting shows to a few other countries to shipping programming to more than 50 territories. As the network expanded worldwide and into multimedia realms, executives wanted a more distinctive name, but finding a name that would not only work for the network but be available legally and obtainable in the online realm (the network's new site will be syfy.com) took two years. "The issue that we've always had with Sci Fi is that it only communicates three things: Space, aliens and the future," Howe said. "That's the default perception, and that's a barrier to entry for people who we know like [reality fare such as] 'Ghost Hunters' and 'Destination Truth' " as well as "Eureka", which returns July 10, and the sprightly and amusing "Warehouse 13," which premieres Tuesday.There was a fair amount of mockery, especially in the online realm, when the name change was announced in March, but Howe said that compared to the cancellation of "Stargate Atlantis," which overwhelmed his e-mail inbox for months, he's only gotten a couple of dozen snarky e-mails about the Syfy switch. "We expected fans not to like it. The reaction from fans always same default reaction -- it's that we're going to abandon the genre," Howe said. "This isn't want that's about." mor...@tribune.com Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune
[scifinoir2] Miyazaki's films win praise; don't earn much money
http://urahph.notlong.com
>From the Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL
'Ponyo'
Hayao Miyazaki's films win praise in the U.S. but don't earn much money. The
newest will get a bigger push.
By Susan King
June 27, 2009
Walt Disney Pictures has achieved great critical success distributing the
fanciful, inventive works of the legendary Japanese anime filmmaker Hayao
Miyazaki.
His "Spirited Away," which was released in the U.S. in 2002, earned the Academy
Award for best animated feature -- Miyazaki is the only anime filmmaker to have
won the animation Oscar -- and 2005's "Howl's Moving Castle" received an Oscar
nomination in that category as well.
But financially, the films have fizzled. Though "Spirited Away" made $264.9
million internationally, the hand-drawn 2-D animated film barely made $10
million in America. "Howl's Moving Castle" did even worse domestically, with
just $4.7 million, as opposed to the $230.5 million it grossed internationally.
Veteran producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy ("The Color Purple," "The
Curious Case of Benjamin Button") are hoping to turn the trend around with
Miyazaki's latest creation, "Ponyo," which opens in the U.S. on Aug. 14 but is
closing the Los Angeles Film Festival with a special screening on Sunday night.
The loose adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" -- about
an enchanting female goldfish who wants to become a human -- has been receiving
a lot of attention. For the first time in his career, Miyazaki will be
appearing at Comic-Con in San Diego in July showing clips from "Ponyo," which
has made $182.1 million internationally.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will also be showing "Spirited
Away" on July 17; Pixar's John Lasseter, who has executive produced the
American-language version of the last three Miyazaki films, will be
interviewing the master animator at the academy on July 28 (the event has
already sold out).
Since their first screening of "Spirited Away," Marshall and Kennedy have been
big fans of Miyazaki. "We have always been struck by his imagery and
imagination and the world he created," Marshall says.
When Miyazaki and Ghibli producer Toshiro Suzuki came to the couple to ask them
to produce the American version of "Ponyo" and raise the awareness of Miyazaki
and his Studio Ghibli where he makes his films, they jumped at the chance to
work with them and Lasseter.
Because "Spirited" and "Howl's" were relegated to the art-house circuit, it
gave the films a "certain air," says Marshall. "The challenge for us is to
bring people to the movie. We have been through a lot of these family-oriented
movies. Hopefully we have an idea of how we can get attention and awareness
created."
One way to increase attention was to line up a strong voice cast, which
includes Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, Betty White, Lily
Tomlin and Cloris Leachman. Miley Cyrus' kid sister, Noah, supplies the voice
of Ponyo.
"We wanted well-known people," says Marshall. "A lot of them are friends and
lot of them have kids. For example, Matt Damon didn't know about Miyazaki. When
I sent him a few of the films, he said, 'I'm in.' They wanted to be a part of
it."
When it hits theaters this August, "Ponyo" will play on more than 800 screens.
"It's going to be opening in almost four times more screens than any other
Miyazaki film has in the U.S.," says Marshall.
susan.k...@latimes.com
[scifinoir2] Tranformers' Bay gets his revenge at box office
http://ohjay.notlong.com
chicagotribune.com
'Transformers' ' Bay gets his revenge at box office
By John Horn
Tribune Newspapers
July 2, 2009
HOLLYWOOD -- Director Michael Bay has never been a critics' favorite, but the
thrashing he received for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" was the worst
of his career.
Reviewers ridiculed the new sequel about battling robots as "beyond bad"
(Rolling Stone), "bewildering" and "sloppy" (the Village Voice) and "a great
grinding garbage disposal of a movie" (the Detroit News). Critics at the
Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times also had unkind words for the movie.
But rarely have critics been more disconnected from what audiences want and
love.
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," which arrived just after midnight
Wednesday, sold more tickets in its first five days -- an estimated $201.2
million -- than any other movie except last year's "The Dark Knight" (which
grossed $203.8 million in its first five days and went on to earn $533.3
million at the domestic box office). By the end of this week, "Transformers"
probably will surpass "Up" and "Star Trek" to become this summer's
most-attended release.
"They just don't understand the movie and its audience. It's silly fun," Bay
said over the weekend of the many "Transformers" critical detractors. "I am
convinced that they are born with the anti-fun gene."
His film's strong debut cements Bay's reputation as one of Hollywood's most
consistently commercial directors. Bay's six movies ("The Rock," "Armageddon,"
"Pearl Harbor," "The Island" and two "Bad Boys" films) before his two
"Transformers" efforts averaged $152.5 million in domestic theaters, according
to the Web site Box Office Mojo. That places him alongside "Transformers"
producer Steven Spielberg (average gross: $156.9 million as a director),
"Titanic's" James Cameron ($163.8 million) and "The Lord of the Rings' " Peter
Jackson ($159 million). What's more, all of Bay's previous movies have grossed
more overseas than they have domestically.
Movie-review aggregator Web sites assigned the new film average scores ranging
from 21 percent positive to 40 percent positive, with Rotten Tomatoes giving
the "Transformers" sequel the lowest marks in Bay's career.
Audiences saw the movie quite differently. At a suburban Southern California
theater Friday night, the majority of the film's showings were sold out, and
some "Transformers" fans waited two hours to get into an open screening.
Fred Aldaco, 23, visiting from Phoenix, said Bay had respected the Transformers
legacy, which includes toys, comic books and an animated television series.
"He did a good job with it," Aldaco said. "They took their time and knew how
they were going to do the story. You can hardly say that about any other
comic-book" movie director.
Paramount's national exit polling was notable. Although the first
"Transformers" film, released in 2007, skewed 60-40 men over women, the split
in the new film was more even at 54 percent male and 46 percent female. More
than 90 percent of those surveyed said the new movie was as good as or better
than the first film. About 67 percent of moviegoers polled said the film was
"excellent," a better score than that generated by Paramount's "Star Trek," one
of the year's best-reviewed movies.
Ian Bryce, who has produced three Bay movies (including both "Transformers"
films) and also worked with Spielberg and "Spider-Man's" Sam Raimi, said Bay's
background in advertising -- he directed the award-winning "Got Milk?" spot
about Aaron Burr -- gives him the ability to sell his characters to audiences.
"Mike's got a unique talent in being able to capture extremely commercial
imagery," Bryce said.
Said Paramount Pictures Chairman Brad Grey: "I think audiences are mesmerized
by what he's able to do on screen. What is unexpected for the moviegoer is that
his characters have heart and warmth."
Speaking from his Miami vacation home as the box-office figures piled up, Bay
said his "Transformers" sequel was succeeding because it appealed to "the kid
in all of us -- it's a wish-fulfillment movie. This one is just a big, epic
adventure. It's got scope beyond belief, and it's got more heart" than the
first "Transformers" movie, which grossed more than $319 million domestically.
Bay said his commercial training helped teach him the importance of lighting,
camera moves and close-ups -- how to sell something as efficiently as possible.
"The one thing commercials teach you is how to convey a message in 30 seconds,"
he said.
Tribune Newspapers reporter Juliette Funes contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] For many stars, summer movies have not been hot
(standing ovation) -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [RE][scifinoir2] For many stars, summer movies have not been hot Date : Thu, 2 Jul 2009 11:32:51 -0700 (PDT) From : Milton Davis To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com A bad movie with 'good' actors still sucks. --- On Tue, 6/30/09, Martin Baxter wrote: From: Martin Baxter Subject: [RE][scifinoir2] For many stars, summer movies have not been hot To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 8:37 PM (standing ovation) -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] For many stars, summer movies have not been hot Date : Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:02:03 - >From : "ravenadal" To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Whereas the real lesson of this summer season is "nobody knows anything," the lesson studio execs will take to heart is the necessity for more franchise and product-releated movies. ~(no)rave! http://zuama. notlong.com chicagotribune. com For many stars, summer movies have not been hot By Claudia Eller Tribune Newspapers June 30, 2009 HOLLYWOOD -- The stars are not twinkling bright this summer. Hollywood's movie studios, hopeful that marquee-name actors would push their summer box office receipts to record levels, are finding that the heavyweights aren't winning over audiences like they used to. With all but a couple of big-budget films already opened, the summer of 2009 is shaping up to be one of the worst on record for Hollywood's A-list talent. The studios stocked the summerwith "star vehicles," including "Land of the Lost" with Will Ferrell, "Year One" featuring Jack Black, "Imagine That" with Eddie Murphy, and Denzel Washington and John Travolta in a remake of "The Taking of Pelham 123." But those movies have underperformed dramatically. The brightest stars of the lucrative popcorn season, which typically accounts for about 40 percent of annual ticket sales, instead have turned out to be mostly movies with no-name actors -- or no actors at all. So far, the summer's most profitable film has been Warner Bros.' surprise hit "The Hangover," a $35-million- budget, R-rated comedy about a bachelor party in Las Vegas that boasts not a single household-name actor but has reached $183 million in U.S. ticket sales since its June 5 opening. Other summer hits such as J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" and Michael Bay's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" showcase eye-popping visual effects along with up-and-coming talent. And, the highest-grossing summer movie so far? Walt Disney's Co.'s "Up," the Pixar-animated movie starring the voice of Ed Asner. The studios are witnessing a new reality: Even the most reliable actors can be trumped by what Hollywood executives like to call "high concepts" (a bachelor party gone awry), movies based on brand-name products (Transformers toys) and reinvented franchises (not your father's "Star Trek"). "I think we're seeing a transformation in what the value of the star system represents," said Marc Shmuger, chairman of Universal Pictures, which will take a significant loss on Ferrell's "Land Of The Lost." There's also, he said, an "incredible hunger among audiences for something new and different." Indeed, that was the appeal of the buddy comedy "The Hangover." "Movie stars still hold an incredible value both creatively and financially, " "Hangover" director Todd Phillips said. "But it's getting to be more about the movie and whether it delivers on the promise of its trailers and commercials. " Moreover, with the Internet, word of mouth about movies spreads instantly. Doug Belgrad, production president of Sony Pictures Entertainment, whose studio is behind "Year One" and "Pelham," said stars alone no longer can compete against the draw of franchise movies and sequels. "Movie stars in the right films provide a certain amount of value from a marketing point of view," he said. "But, there is no star power that you can throw at a movie that gives you the kind of brand awareness you get from pre-sold titles." Of course, the right star in the right movie can still lure large audiences, as evidenced by 20th Century Fox's Ben Stiller sequel "Night at The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," with Hugh Jackman. "The Proposal," Disney's romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, had a strong opening two weeks ago at more than $33 million and will be profitable because it cost only about $40 million. "There's something to be said for chemistry between actors, and you don't need to be a star to have chemistry," said Oren Aviv, Disney's president of production, suggesting that is exactly what the casts of "Proposal," "Star Trek" and "Hangover" all have in common -- "combined with an idea that people connect with." Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds http://www.yo
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans?
Guess I need to invest in running shoes as well... -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? Date : Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:11:35 -0400 From : Justin Mohareb To : "scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com" Do you hate yourself? If so, go see Transformers. Otherwise, run far away. Justin On 2009-07-02, at 2:27 PM, Milton Davis wrote: > > > Still debating if I should see Transformers 2.. > > --- On Thu, 7/2/09, B. Smith wrote: > > From: B. Smith > Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? > To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 4:04 PM > > Always a good Plan B. I just finished A. Lee Martinez's Monster > (awesome Gaimanesque fun) and I have Warren Fahy's Fragment in > addition to some other things in the to be read pile. > > I might finally get to watch Let The Right One In in addition to > Blade Runner. I finally watched Caprica the other night and managed > to sit through 3 minutes of The Spirit before I gave up. > > --- In scifino...@yahoogro ups.com, "Martin Baxter" > wrote: > > > > I'd hoped finally to be able to get to the movies to see "Up" and > "The Hangover", but a crimp in my financial outlook has come up, and > I need to tighten my belt. Odds are, SF for me will be TZ and the > stack of unread books I have on hand.. :-( > > > > > > > > > > > -[ Received Mail Content ]-- > > > Subject : [scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? > > > Date : Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:07:21 - > > > From : "B. Smith" > > > To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com > > > > > Is anyone going to the movies, watching the Twilight Zone marathon > or doing anything else fun or exciting this weekend? > > > > I plan to cook a few brontosaurus burgers and finally watch the > Blade Runner special edition when it gets too hot outside. My wife > has never seen the movie so I'm torn on whether to show her the > international version(my favorite) or the Final Cut with the > remastered special effects. > > > > > > > > > > http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds > > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans?
Do you hate yourself? If so, go see Transformers. Otherwise, run far away. Justin On 2009-07-02, at 2:27 PM, Milton Davis wrote: Still debating if I should see Transformers 2.. --- On Thu, 7/2/09, B. Smith wrote: From: B. Smith Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 4:04 PM Always a good Plan B. I just finished A. Lee Martinez's Monster (awesome Gaimanesque fun) and I have Warren Fahy's Fragment in addition to some other things in the to be read pile. I might finally get to watch Let The Right One In in addition to Blade Runner. I finally watched Caprica the other night and managed to sit through 3 minutes of The Spirit before I gave up. --- In scifino...@yahoogro ups.com, "Martin Baxter" wrote: > > I'd hoped finally to be able to get to the movies to see "Up" and "The Hangover", but a crimp in my financial outlook has come up, and I need to tighten my belt. Odds are, SF for me will be TZ and the stack of unread books I have on hand.. :-( > > > > > -[ Received Mail Content ]-- > Subject : [scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? > Date : Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:07:21 - > From : "B. Smith" > To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com > > Is anyone going to the movies, watching the Twilight Zone marathon or doing anything else fun or exciting this weekend? > > I plan to cook a few brontosaurus burgers and finally watch the Blade Runner special edition when it gets too hot outside. My wife has never seen the movie so I'm torn on whether to show her the international version(my favorite) or the Final Cut with the remastered special effects. > > > > > http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds >
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans?
Milton, go and see Transformers. --- On Thu, 7/2/09, Milton Davis wrote: From: Milton Davis Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 2:27 PM Still debating if I should see Transformers 2.. --- On Thu, 7/2/09, B. Smith wrote: From: B. Smith Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 4:04 PM Always a good Plan B. I just finished A. Lee Martinez's Monster(awesome Gaimanesque fun) and I have Warren Fahy's Fragment in addition to some other things in the to be read pile. I might finally get to watch Let The Right One In in addition to Blade Runner. I finally watched Caprica the other night and managed to sit through 3 minutes of The Spirit before I gave up. --- In scifino...@yahoogro ups.com, "Martin Baxter" wrote: > > I'd hoped finally to be able to get to the movies to see "Up" and "The > Hangover", but a crimp in my financial outlook has come up, and I need to > tighten my belt. Odds are, SF for me will be TZ and the stack of unread books > I have on hand.. :-( > > > > > -[ Received Mail Content ]-- > Subject : [scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? > Date : Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:07:21 - > >From : "B. Smith" > To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com > > Is anyone going to the movies, watching the Twilight Zone marathon or doing anything else fun or exciting this weekend? > > I plan to cook a few brontosaurus burgers and finally watch the Blade Runner > special edition when it gets too hot outside. My wife has never seen the > movie so I'm torn on whether to show her the international version(my > favorite) or the Final Cut with the remastered special effects. > > > > > http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds >
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press?
No problem. It's all good. --- On Sat, 6/27/09, wlro...@aol.com wrote: From: wlro...@aol.com Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Saturday, June 27, 2009, 4:37 AM OK I know I am late, but please forgive, I did not know you were an author. --Lavender From: Milton Davis Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:38 PM To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Subject: RE: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? I got a bit of advice from a writer friend of mine.He told me my audience was anyone who reads. He told me don't tell them my book is either science fiction or fantasy, just tell them what it's about. Get them into the story, not the genre. It's worked pretty well so far. --- On Thu, 6/25/09, Reece Jennings wrote: From: Reece Jennings Subject: RE: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 7:36 PM It might be a combination of all of that, Milton. Yes, Black Women will set up book clubs, and discuss books, etc. But when I mention Sci-Fi to most Black Women, and even try to get the to read some of Ms. Butler's books, they tend to pre-judge and reject without looking. So I keep it to myself...except here, of course.. I think a lot of women are cutting off a vast expanse of great reading by pre-judging SF. From: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com [mailto:scifinoir2@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Milton Davis Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 1:38 PM To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Subject: RE: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? I know a lot a black male fans of Butler. I just seems in my experience most of her fans I've met were black females. But then again that might be because black females read a lot more than we brothers. --- On Thu, 6/25/09, Martin Baxter wrote: From: Martin Baxter Subject: RE: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 4:37 PM That comprises a graduating class of considerable note. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : RE: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? Date : Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:22:52 -0400 >From : "Reece Jennings" To : I love her. She's my favorite because of the social aspect of her writing. I've been a Black Male all say (peeking to make sure!) Of course, we are both 1947 Cancerians, so that might have something to do with it! :o) _ From: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com [mailto:scifinoir2@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Milton Davis Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:32 AM To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? I know plenty young black science fiction fans that credit Octavia Butler as the beacon that led them to science fiction. I'm an old school science fiction fan, raised on Assimov, Delany, Herbert and Ellision. I like Butler's work, but I consider it more social science fiction. She deals more with relationships and issues rather than the technical aspect of science fiction, which we all know gets more attention. I think that's the reason her prose seems to have special appeal to black female science fiction fans.. I enjoyed everything I've read by her but I can't say I'm a fan. She was a greater writer than I'll probably ever be and got her respect among the sci/fi elite if not the mainstream. --- On Wed, 6/24/09, B. Smith wrote: From: B. Smith Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 1:19 AM She's highly regarded but not given the same respect as the legendary hard sci-fi types. Her work falls into the more literary side of the genre and in some ways she was more highly regarded outside the genre. --- In scifino...@yahoogro ups.com, "Martin Baxter" wrote: > > George, it's possible, but I see her lack of props as being more a matter of the mainstream SF press not knowing what the frell it's doing. IMO, they've become like the music industry, more interested in the flavor of the week than actual decent work. When I go to the bookstore and browse the SF/fantasy shelves, the stuff I see is so derivative as to be embarrassing. Nine times out of ten, I can figure out what the story inside the covers is solely by what pose the characters on the cover are striking. Shouldn't be that easy, even for a guy with my brain. > > > > > -[ Received Mail Content ]-- > Subject : [scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? > Date : Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:10:06 -0700 (PDT) > >From : George Arterberry > To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com >
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] For many stars, summer movies have not been hot
A bad movie with 'good' actors still sucks. --- On Tue, 6/30/09, Martin Baxter wrote: From: Martin Baxter Subject: [RE][scifinoir2] For many stars, summer movies have not been hot To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 8:37 PM (standing ovation) -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] For many stars, summer movies have not been hot Date : Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:02:03 - >From : "ravenadal" To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Whereas the real lesson of this summer season is "nobody knows anything," the lesson studio execs will take to heart is the necessity for more franchise and product-releated movies. ~(no)rave! http://zuama. notlong.com chicagotribune. com For many stars, summer movies have not been hot By Claudia Eller Tribune Newspapers June 30, 2009 HOLLYWOOD -- The stars are not twinkling bright this summer. Hollywood's movie studios, hopeful that marquee-name actors would push their summer box office receipts to record levels, are finding that the heavyweights aren't winning over audiences like they used to. With all but a couple of big-budget films already opened, the summer of 2009 is shaping up to be one of the worst on record for Hollywood's A-list talent. The studios stocked the summerwith "star vehicles," including "Land of the Lost" with Will Ferrell, "Year One" featuring Jack Black, "Imagine That" with Eddie Murphy, and Denzel Washington and John Travolta in a remake of "The Taking of Pelham 123." But those movies have underperformed dramatically. The brightest stars of the lucrative popcorn season, which typically accounts for about 40 percent of annual ticket sales, instead have turned out to be mostly movies with no-name actors -- or no actors at all. So far, the summer's most profitable film has been Warner Bros.' surprise hit "The Hangover," a $35-million- budget, R-rated comedy about a bachelor party in Las Vegas that boasts not a single household-name actor but has reached $183 million in U.S. ticket sales since its June 5 opening. Other summer hits such as J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" and Michael Bay's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" showcase eye-popping visual effects along with up-and-coming talent. And, the highest-grossing summer movie so far? Walt Disney's Co.'s "Up," the Pixar-animated movie starring the voice of Ed Asner. The studios are witnessing a new reality: Even the most reliable actors can be trumped by what Hollywood executives like to call "high concepts" (a bachelor party gone awry), movies based on brand-name products (Transformers toys) and reinvented franchises (not your father's "Star Trek"). "I think we're seeing a transformation in what the value of the star system represents," said Marc Shmuger, chairman of Universal Pictures, which will take a significant loss on Ferrell's "Land Of The Lost." There's also, he said, an "incredible hunger among audiences for something new and different." Indeed, that was the appeal of the buddy comedy "The Hangover." "Movie stars still hold an incredible value both creatively and financially, " "Hangover" director Todd Phillips said. "But it's getting to be more about the movie and whether it delivers on the promise of its trailers and commercials. " Moreover, with the Internet, word of mouth about movies spreads instantly. Doug Belgrad, production president of Sony Pictures Entertainment, whose studio is behind "Year One" and "Pelham," said stars alone no longer can compete against the draw of franchise movies and sequels. "Movie stars in the right films provide a certain amount of value from a marketing point of view," he said. "But, there is no star power that you can throw at a movie that gives you the kind of brand awareness you get from pre-sold titles." Of course, the right star in the right movie can still lure large audiences, as evidenced by 20th Century Fox's Ben Stiller sequel "Night at The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," with Hugh Jackman. "The Proposal," Disney's romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, had a strong opening two weeks ago at more than $33 million and will be profitable because it cost only about $40 million. "There's something to be said for chemistry between actors, and you don't need to be a star to have chemistry," said Oren Aviv, Disney's president of production, suggesting that is exactly what the casts of "Proposal," "Star Trek" and "Hangover" all have in common -- "combined with an idea that people connect with." Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans?
Still debating if I should see Transformers 2. --- On Thu, 7/2/09, B. Smith wrote: From: B. Smith Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 4:04 PM Always a good Plan B. I just finished A. Lee Martinez's Monster(awesome Gaimanesque fun) and I have Warren Fahy's Fragment in addition to some other things in the to be read pile. I might finally get to watch Let The Right One In in addition to Blade Runner. I finally watched Caprica the other night and managed to sit through 3 minutes of The Spirit before I gave up. --- In scifino...@yahoogro ups.com, "Martin Baxter" wrote: > > I'd hoped finally to be able to get to the movies to see "Up" and "The > Hangover", but a crimp in my financial outlook has come up, and I need to > tighten my belt. Odds are, SF for me will be TZ and the stack of unread books > I have on hand. :-( > > > > > -[ Received Mail Content ]-- > Subject : [scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? > Date : Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:07:21 - > >From : "B. Smith" > To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com > > Is anyone going to the movies, watching the Twilight Zone marathon or doing anything else fun or exciting this weekend? > > I plan to cook a few brontosaurus burgers and finally watch the Blade Runner > special edition when it gets too hot outside. My wife has never seen the > movie so I'm torn on whether to show her the international version(my > favorite) or the Final Cut with the remastered special effects. > > > > > http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds >
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans?
Always a good Plan B. I just finished A. Lee Martinez's Monster(awesome Gaimanesque fun) and I have Warren Fahy's Fragment in addition to some other things in the to be read pile. I might finally get to watch Let The Right One In in addition to Blade Runner. I finally watched Caprica the other night and managed to sit through 3 minutes of The Spirit before I gave up. --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, "Martin Baxter" wrote: > > I'd hoped finally to be able to get to the movies to see "Up" and "The > Hangover", but a crimp in my financial outlook has come up, and I need to > tighten my belt. Odds are, SF for me will be TZ and the stack of unread books > I have on hand. :-( > > > > > -[ Received Mail Content ]-- > Subject : [scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? > Date : Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:07:21 - > From : "B. Smith" > To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > > Is anyone going to the movies, watching the Twilight Zone marathon or doing anything else fun or exciting this weekend? > > I plan to cook a few brontosaurus burgers and finally watch the Blade Runner > special edition when it gets too hot outside. My wife has never seen the > movie so I'm torn on whether to show her the international version(my > favorite) or the Final Cut with the remastered special effects. > > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds >
[scifinoir2] Re: Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans?
C'mon George, I know you'll be watching the Tranformers for the 4th time. --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, George Arterberry wrote: > > I may catch a few flicks I missed on their original run. > > --- On Thu, 7/2/09, B. Smith wrote: > > > From: B. Smith > Subject: [scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? > To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 10:07 AM > > > > > > > > > Is anyone going to the movies, watching the Twilight Zone marathon or doing > anything else fun or exciting this weekend? > > I plan to cook a few brontosaurus burgers and finally watch the Blade Runner > special edition when it gets too hot outside. My wife has never seen the > movie so I'm torn on whether to show her the international version(my > favorite) or the Final Cut with the remastered special effects. >
Re: [scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans?
I may catch a few flicks I missed on their original run. --- On Thu, 7/2/09, B. Smith wrote: From: B. Smith Subject: [scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 10:07 AM Is anyone going to the movies, watching the Twilight Zone marathon or doing anything else fun or exciting this weekend? I plan to cook a few brontosaurus burgers and finally watch the Blade Runner special edition when it gets too hot outside. My wife has never seen the movie so I'm torn on whether to show her the international version(my favorite) or the Final Cut with the remastered special effects.
[RE][scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans?
I'd hoped finally to be able to get to the movies to see "Up" and "The Hangover", but a crimp in my financial outlook has come up, and I need to tighten my belt. Odds are, SF for me will be TZ and the stack of unread books I have on hand. :-( -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans? Date : Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:07:21 - From : "B. Smith" To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Is anyone going to the movies, watching the Twilight Zone marathon or doing anything else fun or exciting this weekend? I plan to cook a few brontosaurus burgers and finally watch the Blade Runner special edition when it gets too hot outside. My wife has never seen the movie so I'm torn on whether to show her the international version(my favorite) or the Final Cut with the remastered special effects. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds
[scifinoir2] Any Weekend Sci-Fi Plans?
Is anyone going to the movies, watching the Twilight Zone marathon or doing anything else fun or exciting this weekend? I plan to cook a few brontosaurus burgers and finally watch the Blade Runner special edition when it gets too hot outside. My wife has never seen the movie so I'm torn on whether to show her the international version(my favorite) or the Final Cut with the remastered special effects.
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Celebrity Death Hoaxes On Rise
I remember that well. A lot of my friends ran out to scoop up his stuff on DVD, anticipating a rush. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Celebrity Death Hoaxes On Rise Date : Wed, 1 Jul 2009 17:21:40 -0700 From : "Mr. Worf" To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com I have to agree with you on that. I remember last year, that there was a big Sinbad death rumor that happened and that flooded the net. On Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 1:00 PM, Martin Baxter wrote: > I've always believed that this was a case of too many people having too > little time on hand and too much Internet access. > > Martin (listening to "Never Gonna Give You Up" to ease nerves after > near-shock) > > > > > > -[ Received Mail Content ]-- > > Subject : [scifinoir2] Celebrity Death Hoaxes On Rise > > Date : Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:35:06 - > > From : "ravenadal" > > To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > > > http://eijaid.notlong.com > > chicagotribune.com > > George Clooney, Jeff Goldblum, Harrison Ford and Rick Astley: All still > alive > > Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett news sparks Internet celebrity death hoax > wildfire > > By Lauren Viera > > Tribune reporter > > July 1, 2009 > Quantcast > > Relax, people. Rick Astley is not dead. > > Neither is George Clooney. Jeff Goldblum and Harrison Ford are also doing > just fine, thank you very much. > > In the days since Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett died, celebrity death > hoaxes have plagued the Internet. On the heels of Jackson's death last > Thursday, Goldblum was reported to have fallen off a cliff while filming in > New Zealand. Ford supposedly went missing along with a 120-foot luxury yacht > off the coast of St. Tropez. Clooney allegedly went down in a private plane > crash somewhere outside Denver. > > But that was last week. > > Tuesday's rumor du jour, circulated via a faux Associated Press story, was > that has-been British pop star Astley's body was found in a Berlin hotel > room. > > Not true. But still, the rumors persist. Why? > > "It's like a game of telephone," says David Mikkelson, co-founder of > snopes.com, the site famously dedicated to debunking urban legends and > dispelling Internet rumors. "Some [rumors] are just out-and-out pranks, > facilitated by template-based generators of obituaries, where you can just > plug in a few names and get something that looks like a newspaper obit." > > Kelly McBride, professor of ethics at The Poynter Institute and lecturer on > social media, believes there's a cheap thrill in lighting a spark of > information and watching it burn -- legitimate or not. McBride cites the > wildfire spread of Jackson death news as an example. > > "What's happening in the era of social media is that being the one to share > the news of celebrity death creates this positive reinforcement," she says. > "And it's a tiny, little thing; it's fleeting. But it's the thing to do: If > you know something, you share it." > > As for Astley? Next time, consult deadoraliveinfo.com. As of press time, > Astley's name isn't in there. Yet. > > lvi...@tribune.com > > Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune > > > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds -- Bringing diversity to perversity for 9 years! Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds
