Jumper

UPDATE: This movie BLOWS! It's just... I just... boy did they mess this up!

OK, I gotta admit that I've never been a fan of Darth Christensen - quite the opposite ... BUT (most of) you guys know my affinity for Science Fiction... and DARN... the trailer for his next movie is friggin AMAZING...

Jumper - the film is based on a novel by Steven Gould

It helps that Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) directs and Jamie Bell, Diane Lane, and the more famous, Samuel L. Jackson also star!

But on the other hand... Liman did direct Mr. and Mrs Smith too... not that it was spectacularly bad or anything... just sort of average... for me at least... especially following Bourne.

UPDATE: This movie BLOWS! It's just... I just... boy did they mess this up!

Been away for a while...

But I'm back... err... I think...

Why was I "away"? err... there was this thing... DARN IT! I WAS LAZY OK!!!

but I'm back now... sort of... I think...

WHAT! What?!?!?

I KNOW - it's probably too early to whine about it now but...

It appears that I might have jumped the gun in praising the BBC.

OK, so we do get a full season of Doctor Who next year and in 2010... but three meagerly specials for 2009?!?!? SERIOUSLY?!?!? Is this what you do with your 'flagship' program?

The Doctor's TARDIS

I am UNHAPPY... but then who gives a crap eh?!?! Whenever ANY network has a hit series they think (and they're probably, mostly, right) that they have the audience by the 'short and curlies'... point in case 'Lost' (which I'm not too fond of to begin with) and 'Battlestar Galactica'. And here I was thinking it was a purely American phenomenon.

Oh well... I'll piss and moan and probably stay with Doctor Who... I'll take what I can get... for now!

It's just the beginning...

Hopefully...

Maldives has it's fair share of film enthusiasts. We mostly keep our interests... our love for the cinema... and the obscure... to ourselves, but a whole bunch of us got together last weekend (18th of August) and thought up a way in which we could 'spread the word' about good (effective?!?!?) cinema...

The blog, is the first step...

Has anyone got a spare TARDIS laying around?

I need to borrow it to make a trip to November 6th 2007...

Series 3 of Doctor Who coming out... on November 6th 2007

Can't wait...

The 'Beebs' does it again!

And no I don't mean the controversy that's been surrounding the BBC of late...

I mean Robin Hood - this series, despite being period piece-ish, manages to relate to the world today AND STILL entertain and enthrall. It's all that one enjoys in good television... and more me thinks...

Jonas Armstrong makes an unlikely but GREAT Robin Hood

It's light hearted on the outside... but not all sugar... I can't quite describe it accurately... but this is how television should be... too bad that most series rarely perform as consistently well as these BBC favourites...

I hear good things about Life on Mars - apparently David E. Kelly is making an American version... it's so good the Americans have decided to ruin it... I kid... only a little mind!

Also been hearing good things about Jekyll, the BBC's modern take on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic - 'Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'

James Nesbitt as Jekyll and Hyde

And I can personally vouch for Doctor Who being in the GREATEST TV SHOW EVER category...

I'm almost half way through Robin Hood now...

And with the compliments of my lovely wife, next up on my 'to watch' list is...

Torchwood - John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness

I'm not holding my breath...

Yea right!!!!

Rumors are rampant; Warner Bros. is planning on debuting a teaser for The Dark Knight in front of some screenings of 20th Century Fox's The Simpsons Movie on July 27.

Jim Lee's rendition of Batman
Kinda like a 'trailer' since it's not coloured in... ok, ok... stretching it...

My face has turned a tad pink as I type... for someone with my complexion that's no mean feat... and July 27 is a loooong way away... any of you guys know CPR?

Batman Begins redefined a lot...

at least in terms of the movies... but the BIGGEST change was the Batmobile... or as Christopher Nolan would presumably have us believe... the LACK of one... but BOY did he 'make up' for that with the Tumbler... 'Tank' was putting it lightly... and I must admit... even though that was a HUGE departure from the Batman mythos Batman Begins 'reinterpreted' things MOSTLY for the better... well... Nolan did kill off one of the best Batman villains ever... but I'm not complaining... and I'm as close to a purist as any... when it comes to...

Batman (in his 'new and improved' suit)

And now with the sequel, The Dark Knight (first Batman film to NOT have 'Batman' in the title), Nolan's at it again... and... I'm liking it... again!

The 'Batpod' - the movie version a 'Batbike'

and this thing comes out in 2008... boy am I in for a looooooong wait... especially since I get to watch it ONLY when the fracking DVD comes out!

AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggggggGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

but I do have mixed feelings about Heath Ledger being The Joker though... errr... not really buying it... yet... I admit the initial 'sneak peek' promo artwork looked good... but... I guess I'll have to wait till the movie comes out in... 2008... S@#T I feel one of those screams coming on!

AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggggggGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Transform and roll out?

Optimus Prime - movie version

I'm thinking this one might not be 'More than meets the eye' story wise... BUT it would still be freaking cool to see a photo-realistic transformation... and if Bay manages to pull THAT off... then there's hope for what Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg are planning to do with Tintin... now THAT'S gonna be a HUGE challenge!

Christopher Eccleston's Doctor is "the best ever"...

At least according to EW... Sadly though the Doctor comes in 23rd on EW's 'The top 25 sci-fi movies and TV from the past 25 years'... well behind 'Heroes' and 'Lost'... which... to me... is decidedly unfair... BUT EW is an American product so... that is to be expected...

The ninth Doctor

As far as Christopher Eccleston being the best ever... he was FANTASTIC... I was really sad to see Eccleston's ninth Doctor regenerate into David Tenant's 10th Doctor... BUT Tenant's doing a good job... and the series... at least in my book... is far superior to most of the others listed on EW's top 25...

Conspicuously missing from the list are Star Wars - IV, V and VI (or any of the inferior prequels for that matter) AND ANY of Stargate series!

Battlestar Galactica

Well... they did have the good sense to have Battlestar Galactica near the top... so... nope... Doctor Who deserves to make Top 5... Top 10 at least!

You are on The Global Frequency

The Global Frequency insignia

*sigh*... I wish...

As far as good story ideas go The Global Frequency is one helluvan idea... and there are those really , really, good ideas that sometimes the writers just... mess up... but there's non of that AT ALL... in Warren Ellis' comic books... zip!

Sketch from the first Global Frequency story

The Global Frequency (see Wikipedia entry) is like '24'... only on a global scale... and better... better than 24 I mean...

I'd read the collected books (collected in two volumes) by Warren Ellis and I was blown away... I mean the guy had written it as one WOULD write a TV series... and imagine my excitement when in 2004 Warner Bros. commissioned it for a series... I was one happy... well I was ecstatic... BUT... I had jumped too soon... the series never came about (apparently the big shots at Warners thought it sucked - their word, not mine) and they iced it...

First issue cover

BUT... it didn't stop there... it 'leaked' and found it's way on several peer to peer (I think the technical term is p2p) networks... I held out hope for a DVD release... HEY! It was a good idea and i didn't want to screw Mr. Ellis out of the money that he justly deserved!!!!

I'm still waiting... but the waiting has got the better of me... so I finally 'acquired' the 'leaked' copy... and it's GREAT! Not as good as the comic mind you... Warren Ellis left no plot holes, used great dialogue, extremely talented artists and provided a consistently gritty narrative... it was... to put it simply... 'an illustrated book' that felt like a movie... it engaged you on that level... the comics I mean...

Cover for Volume I of the two collected editions

The 'leaked' pilot episode of The Global Frequency isn't perfect (unlike the comics) BUT it coulda been... over time... it shoulda been given a chance... some bits were downright corny... some bad dialogue... but mostly... it was above most of the 'adventure' stuff we see on television these days... on the same level as 24... only not as dark... some good characters from the comics... some additional characters that you would need for regular TV... it was good...

My wife and I watched 'the only episode of The Global Frequency there was ever gonna be' and we were left wanting more... but... that's the way the cookie crumbles...

At least she's got my collections to go through...

And I've got... errr... ummm... can't think of a good series on telly... oh yea... gotta get cable... soon...

Cover for Volume II of the two collected editions

and I also need an actual telly...

Star Trek…

Or Star Trek XI (I think that’s eleven?!?!?) a prequel/re-imagining of the popular science fiction series is all set to hit theatres in December 2008… GREAT news for my good friend Pete AND my sci-fi obsessed brother Hassan… although… to be fair… I don’t think either of them are as obsessed with the genre, as a whole, than I am… You can credit Star Wars for that… IV, V and VI… NOT the lame prequels…

Poster art for the 2008 release

I’m not that huge a fan of Star Trek… I never did follow any of the series regularly… an odd episode here and there… in fact… my fondest memories of Star Trek was attending the premier of Star Trek Nemesis (Star Trek X) with Peter in… get this… FULL Starfleet gear… the two of us got a couple of gibes from other audience members there… but it was a generally fun experience… one I would not take back… EVER!!! Only regret is... I wasn't there for Star Wars... with the Lightsabers!

Thanks Pete for the fun times…

And thanks Hassan… for renewing my faith in Sci-Fi with Stargate SG-1 (more on that later… maybe…)

Pete, Hassan – Here’s hoping J.J. Abrams delivers a story worthy of the Star Trek legacy…

Guys... 'Live long and prosper'.

Drop by the National Art Gallery...

If you’re in Malé’s general vicinity be sure to drop in on the new exhibit ‘Beyond the Tourist’s Eye’… I’m by no means a connoisseur… BUT there were some pieces that caught my eye… and linger on in my mind…

This particular exhibit is open for free public viewing on all weekdays except Fridays… it closes on the 7th of June 2007…

The National Art Gallery is located at:
131 Majeedhee Magu (the same building as the National Library)

There are plans to move the exhibit to Sri Lanka after the 7th (although dates are yet to be announced)… so if you have friends there be sure to let them know…

The image of the painting below links to the gallery’s website – alas it is severely out of date… for the most current information I suggest you get in touch with them directly.

Odessa Girl by Umai Mohamed Badiu; a 10" x 14", Water Colour painting which was part of the gallery's 'Maldives Contemporary 2005' Exhibit.

I must admit that Odessa Girl is one of my favourite Maldivian paintings - however you won't find it in the gallery's current exhibit.

For those of you not around the Malé area, you can take a look at the paintings from the 'Maldives Contemporary 2005' Exhibit online - online images of the current exhibit are not yet available.

Matt Damon as Bourne?!?!?

Yea... That's what I thought when I first heard about The Bourne Identity... "That skinny lad from Saving Private Ryan and Good Will Hunting?!?!? SERIOUSLY?!?!?". BUT unlike other franchises that depend on a certain super-spy with the initials J.B, Matt Damon was, in my mind, 100% spot on! AND ... The Bourne Supremacy also kicked @$$! Fingers crossed and a lotta high expectations for...

Trailer for The Bourne Ultimatum

Helloooo.... is anybody out there?!?!?

Artist's impression: The most Earth-like planet discovered outside our Solar System to date.

Earth like planet just 20.5 light years away... Think we're alone?

Times like these...

Optimus Prime and Megatron stand off - The Transformers standee

I wish there was a proper cinema near me...

BRILLIANT!!!

The Doctor and Martha Jones

Doctor Who renewed for a FOURTH season!!!! YES!!!

New Doctor... FANTASTIC!

At least that's what Christopher Eccleston's (the Invisible man on Heroes) ninth Doctor would say... maybe with just a hint or sarcasm... not a lot mind you... just a 'tuch'... err that was me trying to simulate (emulate?!?!?) Christopher Eccleston's ninth Doctor...

The Ninth Doctor with Rose (Billie Piper and Christopher Eccleston)

OK... most of you are thinking 'What's he on about?!?!?'. Well... you know my soft-spot for Sci-Fi... even BAD Sci-Fi... well not THAT bad... but slightly... I like to think that I'd give any story a chance until it gets particularly trying and/or long winded - case in point, I gave 'Lost' a chance for two whole seasons before they lost me... Smallville took longer to wear me out... lasted till season 3...

Anyhoo, Doctor Who (http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho) is nowhere near 'Oh, I give up!'. Quite the contrary... It's very good story telling and I think works exceptionally well within it's medium - Television... It's got good, positive messages - Classic TV stories... they hardly make them like these any more!


So.... what am I harping on about?!?!? Err... nitpicking really... Series One (Season One if you're being all uppity and American about it) the new Doctor Who introduced us to the ninth Doctor... and for someone who's never seen a doctor who episode in his life before then... Christopher Eccleston's version/interpretation was BRILLIANT... but Eccleston (think I can call him Chris?) left Doctor Who at the end of the first season of the new series to be replaced by David Tennant's 10th Doctor who's Great... but when Great follows BRILLIANT... you see where I'm going with this?

The Tenth Doctor with Rose (Billie Piper and David Tennant)

Which brings me why I'm blogging about the new New Doctor... Anyone who's into good stories... and mostly into the fantastical and the science fiction or fantasy genre should definitely give this a shot... start with Series One of the new series... the first two episodes are a tad slow... but hang in there and you'll be rewarded... as I was...

Can't wait for Series Three with the new...

What... no ‘You can’t handle the TRUTH!’?!?!?!

Oh well... on to the nominations


...and your picks to win are...????

Come now... this one's ripe for the commenting!!!! Aaaand.... GO!

Our friend Peter Cheong's Grand Uncle passed away recently....

Pete, I'm sure anyone who truly knows you will feel your loss. But this is true of all who have passed that we cherish...

'He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man.'
- Antoine de Saint Éxupéry -

Those who have touched our souls... remain within our hearts... always...