Your source for great sci-fi news!
Archive for October, 2007
Attack Of The Pumpkins Part Deux – Star Wars Style
Oct 31st
It is Halloween night and I figure this is the last chance I can get away with posting some cool pumpkins I have come across on the Internet. I have been handing out candy dressed up like the grim reaper. One of these years I will be a storm trooper. Perhaps I’ll go the cheaper route next year and dress up like a Jedi.
I have been watching Ghost Hunters Live for about two hours. It seems a little ironic that Ghost Hunters, which is supposed to be prooving the existence of ghost, is on the Sci-Fi channel. That is fiction people, which means not real. 
I am still glad the Sci-Fi channel shows it as I find this stuff very interesting.
OK…back on topic here. I have found some very clever and nice looking Star Wars themed pumpkins. I have searched the Web for hours (not really) and have found the best of the best. Enjoy!
Contestant One – Boba Fett
Contestant Two – The Death Star
Contestant Three – Darth Maul
Contestant Four – Rebel Alliance Logo
Contestant Five – Storm Trooper
Contestant Five – Yoda
Some of these people are very creative. I’m curious how many of these are made from a pattern or by trial-and-error. Some of these are obviously easier to make than others. The Death Star pumpkin would easily take the longest. That one looks great!
Which ones do you like? Anyway, I’m signing out. A kid just knocked on the door. Have a Happy Halloween! Don’t have too much fun!
Scariest Sci-Fi Movies
Oct 29th
I was recently asked what the scariest movie of all time is. There are a lot of good movies out there that would probably belong in the “Scariest Move of All Time” category. I was just reading a “Time” magazine article about the top 25 horror movies of all time. Guess what they put at number 20!?! They have Bambi listed at number 20!
Although I may not agree with their list, I did like their choice for number one horror movie. They have Shaun of the Dead at number one. That is a great movie! They also had a couple of sci-fi movies in their top 25 movies of all time.
Horror movies often have a crossover between horror and sci-fi. Many sci-fi movies have aliens and villains who fall into the “horror” category. One movie they have listed at number six “The Fly” doesn’t really seem like a sci-fi to me, although it does include many scientific elements in it, it ultimately takes place in the present and aims to scare more than anything.
I know taking place in the future doesn’t constitute a sci-fi movie, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. There are several exceptions to the “future” rule for sci-fi movies. Look at the “Terminator” movies. They have several future elements in place, but ultimately it takes place in the present. Technically they take place in the past. Predator is another movie that takes place in the present, but definitely falls under the sci-fi category in my book.
Time Magazine has “Alien” in the number seven position. It certainly warrants a position in the top 25 of all time. That is definitely a sci-fi movie, and one of the best ones out there. The sequel Aliens was just as good if not better. Alien 3 was “so-so.” Alien Resurrection makes up some ground from number 3, but still isn’t as good as the first two.
There are many good sci-fi horror movies out there, so I won’t even try to label any one as the “best” of all time, but I do have a recommendation this Halloween season. One good sci-fi you may want to consider right now, if you are looking for a good scary movie, would be “Event Horizon.” That movie is not only fun to watch, but also has a fun horror them to it.
No matter what movie you ultimately decide to watch this Halloween season, make sure it is a sci-fi movie!
Halo Pumpkins! Master Chief’s Halloween
Oct 26th
So Halloween is only four days away and I have a big huge pumpkin sitting on my counter still waiting to be carved. I’ve always created the usual pumpkin with triangle eyes and jagged teeth. It usually ends up looking like an elementary school project. I thought this year it would be fun to create a pumpkin with a sci-fi theme.
Today I would like to show you some of the cool Halo-themed pumpkins I found on the Web. I tried very hard to find a Halo pumpkin patter, but without any luck. Let me know if you find one! Anyway, these are some of the best pumpkins I found from around the Web. Some of these people are VERY creative!
Halo Pumkin #1
Halo Pumpkin #2
Halo Pumpkin #3
Halo Pumpkin #4
Halo Pumpkin #5
Let me know if you find any fun sci-fi pumpkin patterns! Enjoy these pictures and have a very happy Haloween!
**UPDATE**
I have found a few stencils you may be able to use. These are pretty cool. You can either right-click them and save them or click on the link to see them in a separate window.
Halo Stencil With Master Chief
I also found some cool Xbox themed pumpkin stencils from www.xbox.com.
What Is The Funniest Sci-Fi Movie?
Oct 25th
I have had many friends ask me which movie I think is the funniest of all time. This discussion can include a wide array of movies from old B&W “B” movies to sci-fi classics such as Mel Brooks’ famous Space Balls and the sci-fi classic movie Men in Black featuring Will Smith. I personally would have to add Mars Attacks to that list. I love that movie!
These are all great movies, but I would have to argue that the funniest and best sci-fi comedy of all time is Galaxy Quest. This could possibly be because I am such a huge Star Trek fan and this movie tastefully makes fun of Star Trek and about every other famous sci-fi genre out there.
The Thermians are hilarious and the interaction between them and the humans is hilarious. The star-studded cast is great! Many of these actors have gone on to do great and wonderful things. Here are just a few of my favorites.
Tim Allen does a great job as Commander Taggart is a great fit for the role. I have enjoyed Tim Allen in just about everything he does. He isn’t a hard one to pick out of the cast. Neither is Sigourney Weaver. She looks great in this movie and plays her role well. She has some great “one-liners.”
People you may not have known back in 1999 but may see a lot of are:
Tony Shalhoub – I thought he was very funny in the movie as the Chief Engineer. You may recognize him now as Adrian Monk in the TV series Monk.
Some great Tony Shalhoub scenes in Galaxy Quest:
How about this guy? Please note the guy on the far right.
And in his current TV show:
That would be Rainn Wilson from “The Office.”
And how about this guy:
You may have seen him in this recent series of movies:
That’s right! This is the famous Alan Rickman. Although he is well known, his talent really shows through in Galaxy Quest.
A great Alan Rickman scene from Galaxy Quest:
And Don’t forget about Justin Long who has since starred in Dodge Ball, Jeepers Creepers and Live Free or Die Hard.
There are many other actors as well that do a great job as well. You can see the full cast by going here.
If you have never seen Galaxy Quest, please go out and rent it. You can probably get it for pretty cheap now as well. I think I picked my copy up for five bucks. Let me know what you think about Galaxy Quest.
Dune Extended Edition
Oct 23rd
Dune, in my own humble opinion, is one of the best sci-fi classics out there. It strikes you as being pretty strange, but that’s what makes it so enjoyable to view. The critics didn’t like it too much either. I like to watch this at least once a year.
I currently have have the old 1984 version on VHS sitting on a shelf. I purchased the 2000 version of it a few years ago on DVD. While I like the sci-fi channel version of dune, I still enjoy the old 1984 edition more. It has some great talent, and although dated, the special effects and visuals of the 1984 edition are also fun to watch.
I have always intended on buying the 1984 edition on DVD, but have a hard time buying both on DVD and VHS. There are only five other sci-fi movies I first purchased on VHS and now own on DVD. One would be Star Wars, second would be Krull, third would be Galaxy Quest, fourth would The Fifth Element and the last is Kull the Conquerer.
I have actually never read the Dune books by Frank Herbert! That may sound like sacrilege to you, but you’ll be happy to hear that I just picked up Dune and Dune Messiah and plan on reading them both soon.
I was walking through Wal-Mart last week and saw the old 1984 edition with the extended version included. It came in a nice metal tin case. It includes the original U.S. theatrical release and the “made-for-TV” edition that David Lynch did not approve of. This is a great version to own if you are a classic Dune fan.
You may not be aware of this, but David Lynch did not approve of the extended version made for TV and asked that Alan Smithee be labeled as the director of that edition. This is the name many directors had labeled to their movies when they did not approve of the end product. Wikipedia has this to say about the term Alan Smithee:
Alan Smithee, Allen Smithee, Alan Smythee, and Adam Smithee are pseudonyms used between 1968 and 1999 by Hollywood film directors who wanted to be dissociated from a film for which they no longer wanted credit. It was used when the director could prove to the satisfaction of a panel of members of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers that the film had been wrested from his or her creative control. The director was also required to keep the reason for the disavowal a secret.
Although I don’t find the extended edition of Dune to be as good as the original, it is still fun to see a different version and also see the deleted scenes.
According to the IMDB there were several versions of Dune released around the world. You can read about these different versions here.
I think this version of the 1984 Dune is a must-have version for your collection. You can pick up your own copy here
New Star Trek Movie Actors Cast – Star Trek XI
Oct 22nd
I read a while back that a new Star Trek movie was being created. I was very excited when I heard this and later forgot about it. I have always been a huge Star Trek fan. I have gone to the theater for every movie since Star Trek VI – The Undiscovered Country. I have always loved The Original Series (TOS). I especially enjoy watching Star Trek The Next Generation (TNG).
I can still remember seeing the first episode of Star Trek TNG that aired I believe September 28, 1987. I was only 11 years old at the time, but became an immediate fan. I even remember getting a poster of the Enterprise NCC-1701-D by sending in UPC codes into Cheerios. That was pure bliss! I think I’m getting a little nostalgic now.
I now own all seven seasons and went to all the movies. I was pretty sad when Star Trek X Nemesis did so bad in the theaters. I then heard that it was the end of the movies for Star Trek. I was pretty sad.
I am pretty psyched that there is a new Star Trek movie being made about the TOS crew back in Starfleet Academy. This is what the IMDB has to say about the movie:
“A chronicle of the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members during their time at Starfleet Academy.”
I am a little nervous, however. I don’t know many of the guys being cast for the old crew. I just came across an article at CNN talking about how Chris Pine has been cast as James T. Kirk. I have never head of Chris Pine.
They did, however, cast two guys I really like! They cast Carl Urban as Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy. I have been a big fan of Carl Urban since Lord of the Rings. He played Eomer.
Karl Urban has been in a lot of great movies I love to watch such as Doom and one of my favorite Sci-Fi movies Chronicles of Riddick. He plays Lord Vaako in that film. I could go on for hours about the Chronicles of Riddick. I will have to save that for another post!
I am also VERY excited about Simon Pegg playing Scotty. That will be awesome! He did such a great job in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.
I’ll keep you all updated about this movie as I find out more information. I’m not aware of any trailers being out yet. It appears to be slated for release December 25, 2008. Where can I get tickets?
New Futurama Movie!!! Bender’s Big Score
Oct 19th
I don’t know how many of you sci-fi gurus out there are fans of Futurama, but I love it! I own all four seasons and have loved it since the beginning. Who else could make the future look so fun!
I was browsing around the net today and discovered that there is a new Futurama movie coming out! It is going to be available on November 27, 2007. I am pre-ordering myself a copy right now!
I also came across a trailer for the new movie and it looks pretty sweet. I can’t wait for some new one-liners from Bender! He and fry are my two favorites on the show.
I think it looks pretty funny! I’ll be sure and write a review on it as soon as I get it. Let me know what you think.
You can get your own copy of the movie at Amazon: Futurama – Bender’s Big Score
Halo 3 Is Out! Free Xbox 360 Elite Console?
Oct 18th
I know, Halo 3 didn’t just come out, but hey…I like video games. Most sci-fi nuts do! I recently purchased a game you may have heard of called Halo 3. Now that is some good sci-fi! It’s as good as a sci-fi book or movie, but you get to live it…..kind of. I waited in line at GameStop at about 8:30 p.m. for the midnight release.
I was in line with two of my fellow Halo buddies. It was pretty fun! Gamestop had a single-elimination competition with Halo 2 while we waited in line. I had signed up a few weeks earlier for inclusion in the tournament. I consider myself to be a pretty decent Halo 3 player, but at the last minute (yes I was ahead) the guy got the sword and the rest is history. We were playing 5 minute timed rounds. It was still fun.
I haven’t been that excited since Christmas as a kid waiting around for Santa Clause. I had pre-ordered the Legendary edition of Halo 3 that came with the helmet. I heard that it was a limited edition release, so I jumped on that bandwagon fast!
After midnight hit, we all counted down to zero. I know that is pretty cheesy, but again…it was fun! I hurried and drove home and opened up the Legendary box. The helmet turned out being pretty cool!
I ended up conquering the game that same day on normal. It was very fun! I would rate it at a 9.5 out of 10. I love listening to the in-game AI commentary.
This is my Gamer Card.
You will probably see me online a lot playing Halo 3. I love playing multi player and they now offer the option to play Halo 3 campaign over Xbox live. It is very nice!
Now to my second bit of news. Many of you may have wanted to play Halo 3 but can’t because you don’t have the mula required to get an Xbox 360. There are several sites out there that offer an Xbox 360 for free. Some require that you sign away your life, but some aren’t as bad. There are many YouTube videos out there with information on how to do this.
I have found a site that has some pretty simple step-by-step instructions on how to get your free Xbox 360 Elite. You can find the site here: Free Xbox 360 Elite. Good luck! Let me know how it goes. I may go ahead and try it out myself!
Stormtrooper Armor For Me!
Oct 17th
Yeah, I know. Halloween is right around the corner. I’m poor and can’t really do too much this year, but if money was no obstacle, I would get myself Stormtrooper Armor as seen in Star Wars. I’ve researched it a bit and you would be surprised how many people have gone out of their way to create their own armor. You can even find armor on E-bay. Just do a search for Stormtrooper Armor!
Have you ever heard of the 501st Legion? These guys march in parades, attend benefits and more! I actually met one of these guys from the Alpine Garrison. I would eventually like to look into becoming a member. The guy was nice and I can really appreciate the passion these guys have for Star Wars.
There are a lot of sites out there that give advice on how to build your own armor. There is a lot involved, but many of the replicas look exactly like the props used in Star Wars. Take a look for yourself!
Welcome World! Ahead Full Speed!
Oct 17th
This is my first attempt at creating a blog. Please have mercy on me! I am a huge sci-fi nut and am excited to present you with my view on the sci-fi universe. I am a huge fan of sci-fi movies, TV and books.
You may have heard of some of my favorites. These include FireFly, Star Trek, Star Wars and Stargate. I watch much more and practically live off of the Sci-Fi channel.
I hope to be able to keep you all up to speed on the latest sci-fi shows and news. Keep posted as I will try and update this blog on a regular basis. Enjoy!
Recent Comments