Top 4 Star Warsy things....... this week

July 7, 2014 Jason Murphy

With Episode VII production rumors hitting the web left and right, you may have to get used to these...

We thought you'd want a heads up on all the "Star Warsy" things going on around the net. Here's the Top 4 that we geek'd out to this week.

4. HARRISON FORD'S INJURY SETS PRODUCTION BACK 2 WEEKS

If you don't recall (and if you don't then why are you even reading this?) Harrison Ford fractured his leg in June when a hydraulic door on the Millennium Falcon malfunctioned and fell on his leg.

No surprise here.., however, it's the first time Disney has made any statements about halting production. In June, Disney was quoted as saying that there should be no breaks in production, but we all saw the writing on the wall. I guess the good news is the halt in production won't take place until August ! Production will go strong until then and should be completed this Fall. Then you have to wait over a year for post production ... wait WHAT?!

3. DISNEY ANNOUNCES TWO NEW CAST MEMBERS

Sunday, on the heels of the production break announcement, Disney announced two new cast members for Episode VII. American actress Crystal Clarke and British Actor Pip Anderson. Who exactly they will portray is unknown... HECK, we don't know who anyone is really playing yet, except the returning cast. However, it was released that these two actors were selected from Disney's "open casting call" seven months ago. REMEMBER THAT!!!?..... The casting call that EVERY STAR WARS FAN wanted to be a part of!. (I had headshots done. Never heard back though. oh well.) Anyway, producers considered over 35,000 actors who came out to onsite casting calls and over 30,000 online applications (..cough). They released the following statement:

"The Star Wars universe has always been about discovering and nurturing young talent and in casting Episode VII we wanted to remain absolutely faithful to this tradition," "We are delighted that so many traveled to see us at the open casting calls and that we have been able to make Crystal and Pip a part of the film."

Clarke's first role will not hit theaters until next year, when she will appear with Pierce Bronson and William Hurt in "The Moon and Sun". Anderson has been known in the U.K. for his Parkour. (next Ray Park anyone?)

2. KEVIN SMITH VISITS PINEWOOD STUDIOS

Kevin Smith got a personal invite by J.J Abrams to visit the London set of Episode VII recently and had some things to say about it....

Smith spoke during an appearance at the Neuchatel International Film Festival in Switzerland and gushed about what he saw.

"So we go to the set, and they're actually shooting – and this is what I can't tell you what they were shooting – but what I saw I absolutely loved," said Smith "It was tactile; it wasn't a series of fucking green and blue screens in which later on digital characters would be added. It was there; it was happening."

Of course Smith had to sign a non disclosure agreement so we won't get any specifics.

"I saw uniforms; I saw artillery that I haven't seen since I was a kid," he continued. "I saw them shooting an actual sequence in a set that is real – I walked across the set; there were explosions – and it looked like a shot right out of a fucking Star Wars movie,"

Smith continued- Abrams is "building a tacticle world, a world you can touch. And he's replicating it with all the love of somebody that has the world's greatest collection of Star Wars figures."

"It's like Field of Dreams," he said. "And if J.J. builds it, we’re all going to come hard because it's amazing. It looks fantastic. So anyone out there wondering if he's going to pull it off: He's pulling it off. He showed me cut scenes; he showed me sequences, images, pictures. I cried, and I hugged that guy. And I’m sure as I was crying and hugging on him that he was thinking 'time is money' because they're making a movie. But he got it. He was very flattered. And I was like, 'Honestly dude, you’re doing it. You’re making my childhood again. You’re doing our Star Wars.' What I saw blew me away."

JEALOUS MUCH??.. You should be..... of course Smith has had to sign a lot of non-disclosure agreements lately though, so you got that going for you. Frees up your writing hand.

1. THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quite possible the coolest Star Warsy thing I've seen in a while. Just enjoy it

Top 4 jaw dropping deaths on AMC's "The Walking Dead"

July 6, 2014 Jason Murphy

In honor of AMC's "Dead White & Blue weekend" marathon, were giving you the survivors who "bought it" in the most memorable ways.

4. Joe

The last episode of 4th serie.

With all the zombie jugular biting going on, who saw this man on man action coming? With his life about to end, and his son about to get raped by some fat dude, Rick is the first character on the Walking Dead to learn some killing tactics from the Walkers. I kinda wish he took more bites to be honest.

3. Lizzie

R.I.P ~ Lizzie The Walking Dead Carol Kills Lizzie The Walking Dead TWD Lizzie The Walking Dead Lizzie The Walking Dead Lizzie Dies Lizzie Samuels Lizzie Samuels Dies Brighton Sharbino Carol Kills Lizzie Lizzie is killed by Carol The Walking Dead Season 4 Just look at the flowers

When it's determined that little Lizzie is a friggen psychopath, Carol does the unthinkable. In the world of the Walking Dead, it actually made the best sense. Why keep this mental-case around? Imagine surviving walker attack after walker attack only to be done in by a little murdering bitch with a fondness for killing her friends, relatives, bunnies and rats? I was emotionally scared for the following week. This one wasn't physically jarring at all, (we never even saw it) but emotionally it was MESSED UP!! . ...."just look at the flowers Lizzie"..........................KABLAMO!

2. Merle

A very sad scene . . . . . . . . . . .

Nothing says brotherly love like bashing your zombie brother's face in with a knife while sobbing hysterically. Love him or hate him, his skull sure took a beating from his own kin. I actually watch this one from time to time. The special effects team on The Walking Dead did a good job recreating Merles face, and even better job caving it in.

1. Hershel

GO GO 100K :3 To subscribe in the channel :) Inscrevam-se no canal

This one left me the most distraught.....and I had to deal with it for weeks since it came during the mid-season finale. One of my favorite characters got his god damn head chopped off with a god damn sword! In the comics, it was Tyreese's head that the Governor cut off. I'm glad they stuck to the comics and beheaded someone, but I was utterly devastated that it was Hershel instead....... Adding salt to the wound, we got a glimpse of Hershel's zombie head in the next episode, until it was finally put down by Michonne. I guess we can only hope he returns in more flashbacks or possibly in "Obi-Wan Kenobi style".

Top 4 things we're most excited for at SDCC 2014

July 6, 2014 Jason Murphy

With SDCC 2014 being less than 3 weeks away, we thought we'd kick off the 1st of our "Comic-con Edition" 4LISTs with some buttery SDCC goodness!!. With so many happenings going on in, and around SDCC, it might be hard to breakdown all the madness. We're going to try............4LIST by 4LIST!

We can't pack all off SDCC into one 4LIST, so we guess you'll just have to read a TON of separate ones. Enjoy suckers!

4. OFF-SITE EVENTS

With everything going on "inside" the convention center during Comic-con, it's sometimes easy to forget that downtown San Diego comes alive "outside" the convention center as well. For anyone not lucky enough to score a badge, or anyone who got shut out of their panels, there's sooo much to do offsite too. From Nerd HQ to the Geek and Sundry lounge, visitors can see and do so much. The SDCC unofficial blog has a great calendar of events for everything that's going on. This doesn't include the multitude of simple geekdom happening around downtown San Diego. Restaurants and bars are taken over and transformed into pop culture getaways; Hordes of zombies typically walk the streets; Movie and T.V studios set up elaborate interactive events for fans to enjoy. SDCC 2013 saw an interactive Godzilla exhibit not too far from the convention center; a mobile 3D IMAX theater to screen a 15 minute scene from "Gravity"; an "Ender's Game" interactive event directly across from the convention center, and the ever popular "Walking Dead Escape" in Petco Park... just to name a few . More great offsite events include live shows from Chris Hardwick's "Nerdist Podcast" and "Hollywood Babble-on" with Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman.... so get your tickets early, they sell out fast.

3. COSPLAY

Lets face it, if you go to SDCC you're going to see costumes..... LOTS AND LOTS of costumes. They range from simple constructions made in a few minutes in some dude's Doctor Who clad bedroom, or complex re-creations of your favorite superheroes that took months to assemble (get it?).... to the booth babe in a tight suit with her boobs popping out. Most costumes are INSANE, while others are pretty weak (but you can't blame them for trying). If you're at SDCC you WILL take photos of Cosplayers, there's no way around it, and It all builds up to the Saturday night Masquerade in Ballroom 20 (SDCC's costume contest). Here, hundreds of cosplayers perform skits and battle it out for cold hard cash. If you're into Cosplay don't miss it. You have to get a ticket on Saturday afternoon to attend, but don't worry, its free. (overflow viewings are also set up in the Sails Pavilion and other empty ballrooms rooms that night if they run out of seats in Ballroom 20 "Ha- Ha- Ha" )

2. THE CONVENTION FLOOR

The convention floor is 291,000 miles of nerdgasm. Fine, It's not 291,000 miles but it feels like it. There's sooooo much stuff packed onto the convention center floor your brain might leak some form of fluid from it being overloaded. Overloaded from everything on display, and overloaded from the tens of thousands of people you'll be walking through, around, over and under. The floor is home to almost everything "nerd". Here you will find Artist's Alley, where all the big names in comic illustrating will be. Swing by to see their work, get an autograph, get a quick sketch done or just talk them up. They'll appreciate it.

The Exhibitors area is where all the studios, toy companies, production companies, t shirt shops, and general merchandise is for sale or on display. Hasbro sells its exclusives through the Hasbro booth near the center of the floor, Marvel always has amazing things on display from their movies or their comics, Sideshow Collectibles always has incredible statues and figurines made by their artists on display... plus hundreds more. Autographs take place in and around this area too, so don't be surprised if you stumble upon a line of people waiting to meet "Perfect Strangers" star, Bronson Pinchot!! There's literally hundreds of thousands of things for sale on the convention floor. You'll be spending A LOT of time (and money) here, especially if you're a toy collector or if you like the exclusives. We do!

To the right side of the Exhibitor's area is were you'll find millions upon millions of comics. If you're here to buy comics, this is were you'll go to find some great deals, or get that rare issue missing from your "Spider-Ham" collection. Strewn among the comics section are local sellers and fan tables. Here you can buy old vintage toys from the likes of the Travel Channel's "Toy Hunter", Jordan Hembrough, or simply browse independent artists booths.

Lastly, against the far right wall are video games. Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo always have great set ups (Nintendo actually had their own room last year in the Marriott as opposed to the convention floor) Last year saw PS4 and Xbox One live demos set up before they were for sale to the public. Ubisoft even had a 20 minute private "Watchdogs" walk-through. The floor is huge, the floor is massive, the floor will melt your feet off to the bone from so much walking, and that's why we love it. Because we love melted nubby foot bones...that, and pina coladas.....as well as getting caught in the rain.

1. PANELS, PANELS, PANELS.....

Panels, sooooooooooooooooo many Panels. From Hall H super panels, to Ballroom 20.....From mid sized panels for "The Nerdist" and "Geek and Sundry", to panels on how to break into comics. Hundreds and hundreds of panels. The San Diego convention center is massive, and to be honest, its massive size is not enough for the amount of panels held at it each year. Panels spill out to the adjacent hotels. You'll end up catching some in the Hilton Bayfront or the Marriott Marquis.

While SDCC started as a comic book convention. It's grown into the world's largest Pop-culture mecca. Ballroom 20 hosts today's most popular television shows like "the Big Bang Theory", "Vampire Diaries", "Family Guy", "Agents of Shield" and many more. The smaller rooms in the convention center house the more intimate panels .. eg. "How to break into comics the Marvel way", Animation spotlights, "Insights for Independent Creators". If you're serious about comics as a career, you should be at SDCC. The hundreds of smaller panels for artists and writers are basically like "required college courses" in the comic biz. Comic-con is great for marketing yourself and getting your work out there. These smaller, more personal panels are a great way to meet some of the big names in the industry. You shouldn't pass it up

This leaves us with "Hall H". The H must stand for "HOLY SHIT!".. Hall H is a 6500+ seat function hall and is where all the big name Hollywood stars will pop up. Sure you might see them in the hotels elevators, or maybe walking the floor , but most are there to promote their new movies....all in Hall H. Last year saw the "X-Men Days of Future Past" mega panel; "Edge of Tomorrow" with Tom Cruise's first trip to SDCC (he played Stacee Jaxx!); Sandra Bullock promoting "Gravity"; "Guardian's of the Galaxy" panel complete with a trailer after only 10 days of filming; and the announcement of "Batman V. Superman" from director Zack Snyder. This is where the big studios leave their mark (Sony, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros.), and this is where you'll find the biggest lines. If you've ever been in a line for anything in your entire life, it DOES NOT COMPARE with the line for Hall H. People will start to form their own line at 12 pm on Thursday for the panels on Saturday! Yes, Black Friday lines start weeks before, shut up, but they cannot come close to matching the length. The line is about half a mile long at its peak, but to be honest, I think this is where a lot of my fondest memories of Comic-con came from. You somehow "bond" with the people around you since you're all in line for 6+ hours, so the time goes by quick.

Once you get inside its just massive...yet you wonder "how in the world did all those people outside fit in here?" Hall H has its own atmosphere. You can feel it once inside. Private trailers shown only to Hall H attendees BLARE from the 8 or so jumbo movie screens located throughout this room. And the thought that you've been in line since 1 am, and will now sit in Hall H for 12 more hours does NOT cross your mind even once. Sure, some people don't even go to Hall H during Comic-con and still have an amazing time. But for us, Hall H is worth the price of admission 10 fold.

Top 4 reasons you should see "Snowpiercer"

July 2, 2014 Jason Murphy

-Snowpiercer is a 2013 film directed by Bong Joon- ho, based on the 1982 French graphic novel Le Transperceneige . The film stars Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Go Ah-sung, Jamie Bell, Ewen Bremner, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, and Ed Harris. Seeing as the graphic novels are in French, Titan Comics did a fine job releasing it in English this past year. If yyou've seen neither, fear not. They do differ.. a lot.. but both are great. So seeing one before the other won't ruin either one. For this we're going to focus on the movie....

In 2014, in an attempt to reverse global warming, humanity accidentally shifts the Earth's climate into another ice age.

18 years later....The only survivors now inhabit a train called "the Snowpiercer" . Powered by a "perpetual engine", the train circumnavigates the earth on a never ending loop. The poorest members left in the human race are forced to inhabit the tail end of the train and live in squalor, while the wealthier live much better lives in the cars closer to the front . When the tail inhabitants decide they have had enough, Curtis (Chris Evans) leads the charge ( with guidance from an unknown source) to make it to the front of the train to try and change things for the better.

I'll start off by saying Snowpiercer is an amazing flick. Its distribution was somewhat unorthodox but it only added it it's success. It's a gritty, exciting, tumultuous ride that nobody saw coming. Evans does a great job taking the helm and the supporting cast is top notch. The movie does fantastic work adapting from its graphic novel roots and I'd highly recommend seeing it. Here are the top 4 reasons why...

4. AN ICY POST APOCALYPTIC DYSTOPIAN SOCIETY

This movie does a good job of it. With WWII undertones, you can't help but feel the tail section of the Snowpiercer is some form of concentration/refugee camp (because it is), and you want nothing more than to see them succeed.... cuz screw Nazis, right?

I commend the prop and wardrobe department for creating such an iconic yet true to the comic look. One can only imagine what refugee life in the tail section of a non stop train would be like. Now we know.

Well written screenplay, well directed, amazingly acted and superbly realized, Bong Joon- ho does an ASTOUNDING job conceptualizing the look and feel of this piece in his own way. you'll have no issues suspending your disbelief here at all. It does justice for the graphic novel even with its artistic liberties. If you enjoyed the feel of the novel, you'll enjoy the feel of this movie.

3. NAMGOONG

Not only does his name remind me of that delicious Asian treat, "crab rangoon", but Kang-ho Song does an excellent job of bringing this character to life. Broken out of some form of cryo-prison, this former locksmith/drug addict/tech wizard is just fun to watch. While everyone on the train only speaks English (in the movie) Namgoong and his daughter are a bit set back by being the only two Korean speaking inhabitants of the train.

He's a whack job, he's space cadet, he's a nut. He's a whacky space nut! Anyone will get a rise out of his portrayal in this adaptation. He really sets the bar for weird, foreign, post apocalyptic, druggie, genius, tech wizards. He's a brilliantly written and acted character that is a great fit for this adaptation.

2. THE SNOWPIERCER

IT'S A GODDAMN SUPER TRAIN. Trains are cool!.. like Thomas....and the Polar Express and um....Thomas.... This train is just brilliant as a movie backdrop. Run by a "perpetual engine", the train will never stop.. with over 20 cars, each car represents a different part of society, COMPLETE WITH A FRIGGEN FISH TANK. The art department and set designers did an excellent job re creating such an unusual set. It feels bigger in the movie but each set is identical in size. Just imagine hopping onboard a train to some far off locale, then imagine you're never getting there and you'll be on this train the rest of your natural born life.

1. TILDA SWINTON

See this movie just for her. I wouldn't be surprised if she gets nominated for this role, however, seeing as comic book based movies do not tend to get nominations (Heath Ledger/ The Dark Knight excluded) it might be a long shot. The make-up department also played a hand in bringing her to life. She is portraying a woman almost twice her age and you believe it. If you're not familiar with Swinton's work, then you would assume she was approaching 70. Well technically we ALL are but come on. I'm not being literal here. Her portrayal of 'Minister of the Train' is astounding. If you've read the graphic novel then you'll be pleasantly entertained by Swinton and think she fits right in. If you haven't you'll still love her. She's that good. Even though 'The minister of the train' does not exist in the graphic novel, you'll get the feeling she should have.

Bottom line here. See Snowpiercer!!

Transformers: Age of Extinction

June 29, 2014 Jason Murphy

Transformers Age of Extinction.... this is shaping up to be a tough 4LIST. On one hand the movie wasn't terrible... on the other hand it wasn't great either. It was an average movie that I can't assault or praise. So what is one to do? I'll start by saying this..Its the 2nd best Transformers film in my opinion behind the first movie. Only because 1, 2 and 3 were all basically the same movie, just slightly tweaked. Michael Bay could have easily released the first 3 in ANY order and nobody would have been the wiser. They all felt like a remake of each other. Part 4 on the other hand is a detour from the first three mainly because of its entirely new cast. I can't say its better, but it is different. They all feature Transformers do transformery things. They ALL feature Optimus Prime and Bumblebee but the rest of the robots are all mainly different .. So with that said, Why not do the 4 biggest differences between Extinction and its younger siblings?. OK!! I WILL

4. ENOUGH LABEOUF

Michael Bay did something different here. he ditched THE ENTIRE cast of the first three movies and replaced them. Good decision? I can see where Shia LaBeouf was turning into a mess so it was necessary to replace him, but I did enjoy him in the first 3 oddly enough. This approach basically paved the way to remove EVERYBODY. Why not right? it refreshes a franchise that saw three identical movies. It worked because Age of Extinction made a BOAT load on opening night from what I hear. You wouldn't tell from the theater I was in. It was pretty dead and I normally attend opening night showings and packed houses. It made me worry about this franchises future.... but apparently I was wrong.

Mark Wahlburger stars as 'Cade Yeager', why he has that name I have no idea. Maybe its an anagram. Hes a struggling inventor who stumbles upon a beaten up transformer hiding out. That transformer is Optimus Prime. In the events between Age and Dark of the Moon, the Government has declared ALL Transformers to be enemy of the state considering what transpired in Chicago in the last movie. This has forced Optimus to go into hiding as well as all the other Autobots. Walberg does a good job taking over rank in this film. I'm not a huge fan of his acting unless hes playing an action hero. Hear he starts off somewhat drama-y and progresses to action star. (Go watch 'The Happening' and tell me Wahlberg isn't terrible) The rest of the cast is a breath of fresh air as they relieve the outgoing cast. Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, Kelsey Grammer and Titus Welliver do a fine job stepping into new shoes. Stanely Tucci and TJ Miller are the standouts though as they give the movie it's comedic relief

3. AUTOBOT CAST

Returning, as usual, are Optimus Prime, Rachet and Bumblebee, but we get two new Autobot stars.. Hound voiced by the one and only John Goodman and Drift voiced by Ken Watanabe. Goodman does a great job playing a bullet shell smoking roughneck, while Watanabe plays the franchises first foreign Autobot. Drift is a Triple changer who goes from Bugatti, to helicopter to samurai swordsman. It's a big change from the previous movie's take on Autobots and I think it held up decently. You're a bit taken back as to why he is Asian but then again... why not? Why are any of these alien robots American?

We also have Crosshairs voiced by some guy I don't know so I don't care. Another good thing is they have been visually redesigned to better appear on film. while the last three movies always looked like a big mess of metal during fights scenes, the Autobots have been streamlined to look better in a fight. Gone are the days where you had absolutely no clue what you were looking at.. you still have a little trouble but it's not nearly as bad as it used to be.

2. GALVATRON AND LOCKDOWN

A major shift in this movie is it's villain, Lockdown. Lockdown plays a cybernetic bounty hunter who is secretly hired by the govt' to track down Transformers on Earth. Lockdown has no allegiance to Autobots or Decepticons. He was tasked originally to track and retrieve Optimus Prime by the "Creators" whoever they are. He's working with the humans for one purpose, to complete his mission for the Creators and capture Optimus Prime. It's a good change to see the Autobots not fighting Decpeticons, but a new foe. His story is fairly good and he is visually stunning so it's an added bonus.

Galvatron is also shift in a way. Any fan of the cartoons knows Galvatron as the reincarnation (for lack of a better term) of Megatron by Unicron. Here, Galvatron is a creation of KSI, the company in Age of Extinct that has been creating its own Transformers with the use of an element that all transformers are made of. Galvatron was originally created as a military weapon that can be controlled, but we eventually learn that he has been infected by the remains of Megatron. Its not a straight match from the cartoon, but its close enough considering what they have to work with. While Galvatron didn't play a ultra huge villainous part in the movie, it leaves the door open for him to return in future installments which is pretty cool.

1. DINOBOTS

Dinobots be in movie, Grimlock ruler of Dinobots. Grimlock captured by Lockdown million years ago and kept as trophy. Optimus release Grimlock. Grimlock fight for autobots. Grimlock also have friends like Scorn, Slash, Slug and Strafe. Dinobots are cool in movie. Everyone like Dinobots. Dinobots make up for bad Devestator in Revenge of Fallen movie and goofy Shockwave in Dark of Moon.