Twitch has learned that Harrison Ford has entered into early talks to join the new Blade Runner. While this is still very early stages and it is quite possible that things won’t work out the obvious implication is that what we are looking at is not a reboot but a direct sequel to the original.

Read the entire article here. And over at aintitcool, Mr. Knowles has seen the script and gives his thoughts on what to expect from the new EVIL DEAD remake. *Spoiler Alert* Two words: Tree rape.

MST3K Vs. Gamera: Mystery Science Theater 3000, Vol. XXI

Shout! Factory

There can be little doubt that Gamera has always been the “red-headed stepchild” of the kaiju world. While Godzilla and Mothra have always received high praise, Gamera has been a frequent punchline. Whether it be for the fact he appears as a giant turtle with rocket boosters or that his movies make heroes out of children while reducing scientists to hapless morons, the laughs have always tended to be at the films as opposed to with them. So while the films may not be everyone’s cup of tea, Shout Factory has given a gift to the world that makes Gamera films easy to consume.

For those not familiar with MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 (and if you’re not my guess is that you aren’t reading this), it is a show that took old B-movies and gave them a hilarious running commentary from three comedic actors, commenting on anything from poor set design to poor dubbing and strange lines or over-the-top acting. No sacred cows here, the MST3K team goes after anyone and everyone in their path.

That brings us to Gamera. While MST3K was building their following they decided to undertake putting their comedic spins on the GAMERA films (a series that should be ripe for material). What followed were some of the most successful episodes the series had ever produced. The team went on to tackle all five of the original GAMERA films, becoming one of the cornerstones upon which the series’ success was built.

Until now, getting all of the MST3K GAMERA films together was next to impossible. Unless you were fortunate enough to catch (and record) them all on TV, or if you took to “looking for” the movies on the internet, it was a nigh impossible task. . . until now. Our good friends at Shout Factory worked hard to bring this gem to market, and it’s worth every penny. This set comes with all 5 of the MST3K Gamera movies along with some fantastic extras, including original box art for each movie that adds such a great atmosphere to the collection.

First off, if you’re able to get the limited edition collector’s tin, DO IT! It’s awesome. You can use it as a lunch box or desktop storage. Me, personally, I keep the movies in there because, you know, OCD. The tin is definitely display-worthy and a nice conversation starter. I can’t tell you how many ladies I’ve brought home because I promised to show them my Gamera tin (and they’re never disappointed!). Change your life. . . get the tin!

There’s also a great documentary where the cast and crew talk about just how pivotal Gamera was in the success of the show. You’ll find some great interviews with effects masters, The Chiodo brothers, as well as the original Japanese trailers and the original MST3K intros for the films. Last, but certainly not least, is a great conversation with our very own (you guessed it) August Ragone, the Mr. Miyagi of kaiju films. His knowledge is so vast I’ve taken to calling him Sensei Ragone as he schools me in all things giant and Japanese (why is he making me wash the car? I just want to watch Gamera movies!!). He’s going to drop a bunch of Gamera knowledge on you that’ll certainly make you the coolest kid amongst your friends (and if you don’t have friends, you will after watching these movies!).

If you’re an MST3K fan you probably already own this. If you don’t, I’m not sure what you’re waiting for. No money? No problem. Do you have two kidneys? I’ve got a guy that’ll take one off your hands and pay you a nice rate. Kaiju fans can really only see this one way: It’s a must buy. The movies are fertile ground for Joel Hodgson and his robot companions to lampoon. The jokes are chucklers at worst and side-splitters at best. I can’t recommend this box set highly enough. Monster lovers, Sci-Fi aficionados, and people who like to laugh should all give this giant turtle his well-deserved due and pick up this set today!

Godzilla

The Criterion Collection

When it comes to giant monsters, none are more famous than Godzilla. And with Criterion’s new release of the monster’s premiere outing now on Blu Ray, it’s a good reminder as to why the character and the film still remain at the forefront of monster culture. Not only is this a great opportunity for fans to see the best-looking, most complete version of the film with a load of extras, it’s a great way to introduce new fans to the film without having to apologize for poor picture and sound quality.

GODZILLA has always separated itself from many of the subsequent kaiju films by having a true sense of humanity and genuine heart.  Whereas follow-up films focused on monster destruction and explosions, Godzilla was seen as a tragic creature (much like Harryhausen’s Ymir from Venus in 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH) whose existence was more the result of man’s hubris and destructive nature, a tale of caution about man’s ambitions and their consequences. From the beautiful B&W cinematography and Eiji Tsubaraya and Haruo Nakajima’s teaming to bring the monster to life, to Akira Ifukube’s haunting score that will stay with you long after the closing title card, all brought together under the watchful eye of director Ishiro Honda, the elements combine to make something that simply transcends the boilerplate monster films and creates an experience even an art house filmgoer can appreciate.

With that being said, the real question about Criterion’s release isn’t the quality of the film, but the quality of the presentation. Criterion has THE reputation for taking classic films and putting them through brilliant restorations and loading them with valuable extras. GODZILLA is no exception. The meticulous restoration process results in what is easily the best-looking Gojira we’ve ever seen (even better than any revival print). Like previous releases such as ISLAND OF LOST SOULS, it shouldn’t be expected that the restored film will look like a Blu Ray reference copy, devoid of all dirt and scratches where every frame has the look of a re-touched photograph. Criterion has struck a wonderful balance, cleaning up the film and balancing out the contrast and brightness without taking away the feel of the film or sterilizing the print to the point of giving it the emotional detachedness of digital enhancements. The mono soundtrack has also been remastered and is nothing short of astonishing as to its clarity and power. When Godzilla’s footsteps thunder from the distance, you feel it. When he emits his trademark roar, it’s a chilling as it’s ever been. If the film had been released just like this with no extras it would still be worth the pick up. Fortunately for us, Criterion has included so much more.

One of my favorite extras (and it’s funny to me that it’s considered just an “extra” along with interviews and mini-documentaries) is the restored version of GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, the version of the original film that was re-cut for American audiences and had extra scenes shot in English featuring actor Raymond Burr (of PERRY MASON fame). Again, the print and audio are fantastic—even cleaner in many spots, like the newer shots with the American actors or Japanese doubles. The film doesn’t have the emotional content of the original, focusing more on the action and destruction elements of the film, using Burr’s voiceover to move the narrative along at an incredibly brisk pace. It’s the only version that many in the US had seen for years since the original was not available and there was no home video market for almost three decades. While it is a film that is polarizing to many, it is nonetheless an important entry into the Godzilla canon, a part of the the history that can’t be ignored. It’s inclusion on the disc definitely adds to the sense of “completeness” that this set has.

Aside from the two movies there are a wealth of interviews, including original “man-in-the-Godzilla-suit” Haruo Nakajima, original composer Akira Ifukube, and star of the film Akira Takarada (Hideto Ogata). There’s also a piece about the special effects used in the film, a documentary about the Daigo Fukuryu Maru fishing ship that was a partial inspiration for the film, trailers for both films, and—something that has been much needed—the most accurate and reader friendly subtitles the film has ever had. No mistranslations, misspellings, or “dubtitles” (“Hey bro, it’s Godzilla, dude!).

There’s also a great commentary from Godzilla historian David Kalat. My only disappointment here is that our good friend August Ragone didn’t get the nod to include something for the disc. We even had ourselves a little lobbying effort here to make it happen. Everything I’ve learned about Godzilla I learned from August Ragone. (*note to Criterion: if you do any more Kaiju films, August. . . got it! Hey, I edit one of the oldest monster mags on planet earth, you can trust me on this.) But David does a great job and you’ll learn more than you ever thought possible about all things Gojira. Even the box art is top notch. Criterion hired artist and comic maestro Bill Sinkiewicz (sin-KEV-itch) to do the renderings of the giant beast. The inside pop-up cover is a lot of fun, although not from the original film (yes, this has been a point of contention on the internets—it looks great and doesn’t even remotely detract from what is THE definitive Godzilla edition).

And there you have it. The bottom line is that if you enjoy Godzilla, this is a “must buy”. It doesn’t matter what version of this you have, Criterion’s is better in every respect. From image and sound to subtitles and extras, it’s an improvement on all fronts. As I’ve mentioned before, I think that Blu-Ray is going to be about the highest these older films can go and still look great. Any larger format will start to magnify the imperfections, I would guess. This may very well be the final version of this film you’ll ever have to purchase. . . and purchase it you should!

With a May 11th theatrical debut of the new Dark Shadows film (directed by Tim Burton and starring Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jackie Earle Haley, Helena Bonham Carter, and Johnny Depp as “Barnabas”), it’s probably no surprise that new DVD releases are being planned of the original Dan Curtis-created TV series which started it all.

On the Internet, all those same guys that are complaining I made a change are completely changing the movie,” Lucas tells the New York Times in a new profile, referring to YouTube fans who have re-cut his films in retaliation for the small changes he has made. “I’m saying: ‘Fine. But my movie, with my name on it, that says I did it, needs to be the way I want it.’”

Combine that experience with the cool reception the three “Star Wars” prequel films received in the late 90s and early 2000s, and Lucas says he’s done making new films in the canon.

“Why would I make any more,” Lucas says, “when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?

So it looks like we’ll never see those amazing Timothy Zahn HEIR TO THE EMPIRE sequels turned into the proper films they should be. It’s a shame, really. People can say what they want about the newer films, but I’d always welcome a new STAR WARS movie. Treat them like BOND films and grab new superstar directors for each installment. Lucas is a fine producer and has one of the most creative minds in storytelling. He needs to exercise that talent more. Here’s to hoping.

The film will release nationally on April 13th and features Chris “Thor” Hemsworth and a group of “teens” who go for a leisurely trek to a (insert title here). What looks great about this movie is that it plays with many of the conventions of the genre, turning them on their head to give us a most unexpected journey. The trailer released earlier was cut so that the intro looked as regular and cliché, only to then start blowing minds at about the half-way point.

One final note: Although we’ve been referring to it (and will continue to) as Joss Whedon’s CABIN IN THE WOODS, the film is actually being directed by Drew Goddard, who’s been writing and producing for J.J. Abrams and Joss Whedon projects (LOST, ANGEL, BUFFY, ALIAS). This is his directorial debut. But given that the story is a Joss Whedon creation and that Mr. Goddard has worked with different series that excelled in blowing minds, I think this will shape up to be one of the more notable entries in the 2012 release calendar.

Check out the trailer from our previous post here.

The idea was to do this with a very focused “you are there” documentary feel. Not going all shaky-cam, but still making it a bit rawer and grainier than the rest of the show. We’d start with a squad of maybe seven or eight soldiers being dropped into the city by chopper. They have map coordinates they need to get to; they’ve been told to report to a certain place to provide reinforcement.

The letter from Mr. Darabont was a follow-up to a video featuring actor Sam Witwer, who alluded to what the opening was going to be, where Darabont confirms—and then goes on to detail—how the whole opening episode would have played out. Spoiler: It’s awesome. Proof positive as to why Frank Darabont is Frank Darabont. Read the entire piece here.

Whether it was planned ahead of time or a response to all the Walkies whose heads exploded at all that onscreen zombie slaying goodness, Gerber brought this thing of beauty to life with a limited run of 200 kits (which are now listed as “Out of Stock” on Gerber’s website). My guess is that with the success of the show and sales of the kits, Gerber will do another round (we can certainly hope). So what’s in the kit? We’ve got the three types of machetes from the church scene at the end of the first episode (The Gator-Shane’s weapon of choice in the church, the Bear Grylls Parang-Rick’s orange-handled blade of undead destruction, and the Gator Pro-Daryl’s hook nosed machete perfect for taking out the veiled lady), three types of knives, and an axe (the whole package would retail for over $450, but bundled together the kit sells for $350). They all come in a canvas roll-up bag emblazoned with the Gerber logo. And just as we were about to toss the boxes and the packing material into our shipping area, out popped THE WALKING DEAD season 1 on DVD.  Unexpected, but very welcome.

This set is a lot of fun and certainly well-timed with the success of the show. As to the quality, Gerber is one of the foremost blade companies in the world. They occupy a position of prominence in a field populated by such heavyweights as Cold Steel (the official blade of Famous Monsters) and Ka-Bar. There is no doubt that these tools will hold up under the pressure of the undead hordes. Plus, there’s the warranty that will end up with you getting your blade fixed or replaced in most instances should something go awry (Gerber is such a good company I wholly expect them to honor their warranties, even during the zombie apocalypse). Head on over to the Gerber site and get all the details. Remember to keep you eyes peeled in case they release a new crop of them. And for those of you that were able to get your hands on one—happy hunting! I look forward to wading waste deep through the piles of zombie parts, side-by-side, with our blades held high!

When the iPad was born, the world of digital comic fans rejoiced. It was the perfect tool with which to read the comics conveniently (because how inconvenient is it to haul a laptop into the bathroom). The hardware was there, but all that was needed was proper software. It seemed like a no-brainer. It shouldn’t have been difficult. But it was. Reader after reader got it wrong. From lack of an organizational function to not getting the aspect ratios correct, it was a major disappointment.

But finally, with Comic Zeal’s latest release, we have a comic reader that functions in most of the ways a comic reader should. It still has one of the cleanest presentations and most intuitive ways of reading, with its full-screen and assisted panning modes. Aside from the aesthetic changes, the biggest new feature is the ability to add an additional level of organization. Now, instead of just having to put SUPERMAN all in one collection or be forced to have your main screen littered with many SUPERMAN folders, you can create a master collection, and then put multiple “dividers” between the comics inside of that collection. Now you’ll have the ability to sub-divide by story arcs or writers or whatever else you can possibly imagine. And should you have forgotten to name your files sequentially, meaning that ‘The_Boys_38″ is now ahead of “The Boys_1″, the new update allows you to go in and arrange your comics in any order you prefer.

There’s no doubt that the interface takes a little getting used to. But the learning curve is short and not terribly painful. And, as or right now, there’s not a better app for reading comics than Comic Zeal (and I was saying that BEFORE the new update). The new ability to organize is a must for anything that is geared towards reading or digital libraries (Amazon’s Kindle e-reader is serious offender in this respect despite being a top-notch reader). It still has its quirks, but Comic Zeal is absolutely the best game in town.

Available in the iTunes App Store

WAR OF THE WORLDS

OTHER OCEAN
XBLA/PSN

Back in 1898 H.G. Wells wrote a novel about earth’s invasion by martians. At the time he most likely had no idea what kind of legacy his story would have. From Orson Welles shaving a few years off of The Greatest Generation’s life expectancy with his 1938 radio adaptation to Steven Spielberg’s big budget, big screen adaptation, WAR OF THE WORLDS is one of the most well-known piece of Sci-Fi literature in history. So it’s no surprise that it now receives the video game treatment. What does surprise is just how solid of a game it is. WotW is not a straight up alien invasion game like FALLOUT or HALO. No, WAR OF THE WORLDS is more in line with the cerebral action games, ones that rely on navigating through environments, solving environmental puzzles and killing aliens with cunning as opposed to brawn. From the get-go, this game is eerily reminiscent of classics like OUT OF THIS WORLD and FLASHBACK, classic 2-D sidescrollers that provided incredible settings and atmosphere while simultaneously forcing us to engage brain cells long dormant.

The first thing to note is that the developers made the very intelligent choice to set the entire thing in mid-20th century London, no shoving classic content into a current paradigm here. The story opens as our narrator witnesses the alien attack while riding on a train outside the city. The train is destroyed and he does his best to escape, making the hard decision to leave many others trapped in the burning wreckage while beginning the mission to find his family. The environments and backgrounds are haunting and massive, often with large amounts of action taking place, like tripods snatching citizens right off the ground or buildings toppling from the massive damage inflicted on them during the invasion. There’s always something to look at and the presentation is as cinematic as I’ve seen in a downloadable game.

But where WotW really shines is in its use of voiceover. Instead of using the technique to move the story from plot point to plot point, the narration is a living, breathing entity that plays right along with you during the game. It’s all told like a flashback, reminiscing on the events currently being witnessed. But it often will go further, “remembering” how a certain obstacle or alien was passed, providing hints and details as to how to proceed through the game. And the best part of all? The narration is all performed by Patrick “Picard, Professor X, Hero to Geekdom” Stewart. And he’s top-notch, always adding a cherry on top to the already incredible atmosphere.

The only real knock against the game is that the controls are a little stiff at times. Jumping can take a little guesswork as the animation always makes it seem like you’re going to come up short. But I adjusted within the first few minutes; and it hardly detracts from the overall experience.

For $10 you get great source material, A-list voice acting, beautiful game design, and a good bit of fun. Now stop reading and go and download it already!