Friday Flyer: Volume 1

FlashForward gets full season, Toy Story 3 trailer and ID4 2?

BY COLIN ENQUIST

-ABC picks up several shows for a full first season. FlashForward is the most prominent of the shows but Modern Family, The Middle and Cougar Town were also picked up. FlashForward has performed very well in the competitive Thursday night time slot. The show has also been very well liked by critics.

-The Box is Richard Kelly’s newest film. Based off of the 1970 short story Button, Button by author Richard Matheson. The film stars Cameron Diaz, James Marsden and Frank Langella. The website just launched. Click the picture poster below to check it out. If you were a fan of Richard Kelly’s film Donnie Darko and got a chance to see the fantastic site for that film, check this one out for sure.


-Mel Gibson is returning to acting, his first film since The Singing Detective in 2003, and is starring in Edge of Darkness, based off a 1985 BBC mini-series of the same name. As homicide detective Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) investigates the death of his activist daughter (Bojana Novakovic), he uncovers not only her secret life, but a corporate cover-up and government collusion that attracts an agent tasked with cleaning up the evidence.

-Joe Hill has put out some fantastic stories. I am a big fan of his short story collection 20th Century Ghosts and his comic book series, Locke & Key. Heart-Shaped Box was his first novel (which has gotten rave reviews) but I have not gotten around to reading it. His next book, Horns, is set to be released this coming February but the books is already optioned by Mandalay. It is a story about a man who wakes up after a drunken blackout, only to find horns growing out of his head.

-Independence Day was a surprise blockbuster back in 1996, making an absurd $817.4 million at the worldwide box office. The director, Roland Emmerich, has a new film debuting this year (2012) and Fox wants to bring the director back for a sequel to the Will Smith’s first blockbuster. Emmerich wants to bring Smith back but negotiations between him and Fox have seemed to hit a standstill. Would you watch an ID4 sequel without him?

-The Cleveland Show will now have 22 episodes for the second season. Fox just announced that they ordered a full season. The series premiere of The Cleveland Show was Fox’s highest rated Sunday comedy series debut in over six years. Follow Cleveland’s adventures Sunday evenings (8:30 ET).

-It looks like Bryan Singer may be returning to the X-Men film franchise. According to The Associated Press, Singer and Fox are discussing the possibility of his return. “I’m still looking to possibly returning to the X-Men franchise. I’ve been talking to Fox about it,” the X-Men and X2: X-Men United director said at South Korea’s Pusan International Film Festival. “I love Hugh Jackman. I love the cast.” With the train wreck that was X3 a big disappointment I do hope he returns.

-October 13th we saw the release of Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly. Connelly created his lead character of this series, Harry Bosch, back in 1992. Nine Dragons will be the 15th novel featuring Bosch.

-CBS has given a pilot commitment to Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (both co-wrote: Star Trek, Fringe, and Mission: Impossible III to name a few). They will update the classic cop series which chronicled the workings of the fictional Hawaiian state police department led by Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord). Originally the series ran from 1968-1980. Not many details have been given on what direction the new show will take.

-Toy Story 1 and 2 were just released in theatres again, this time in glorious 3D! The double feature has a nice trailer before it for the third film…here it is below.

SiM Trailer: The Crazies

Zombie-like chaos strikes small-town America in Hollywood's latest remake

Director: Breck Eisner (Sahara)
Cast: Timothy Olyphant (Scream 2), Danielle Panabaker (Friday the 13th), Radha Mitchell (Pitch Black), Joe Anderson (Across the Universe), Preston Bailey (Dexter)
Studio: Paramount Vantage/ Overture Films
Release Date: February 26, 2010

Synopsis: Helmed by the son of former Walt Disney Company chief executive Michael Eisner, The Crazies is a modern-day remake of George A. Romero's 1973 thriller classic of the same name. Insanity and death are what folks in a small Iowa town have to look forward to after a mysterious toxin contaminates the water supply. The screenplay was penned by Ray Wright and Scott Kosar. In case you didn't know, the song you hear in the trailer is Gary Jules' "Mad World," which was also used in the cult classic Donnie Darko (2001).

Zombieland Wants To Give Thanks…

Thank god for rednecks!

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Zombieland is the brain child of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Ruben Fleischer directs the horror/comedy which stars Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland), Woody Harrelson (Seven Pounds), Emma Stone (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) and Abigail Breslin (My Sister's Keeper). No major thought is involved in the premise, zombies take over the world, a few survivors team up to survive, and funny things ensue.

The beginning of this film (narrated by Eisenberg) shows us zombie hi-jinks over a wonderful use of title credits. As we begin to understand a little about Zombieland (what was once the U.S.A.) we are introduced to Columbus (also Eisenberg) and his OCD rules that have, so far, kept him alive. Rule #1: Cardio, it keeps you alive!

Soon enough, a lonely Columbus finds himself teaming up with a completely opposite personality in Tallahassee (Harrelson). When these characters are thrust into any situation, their reactions are opposing the others. It does not help that Columbus believes Tallahassee’s quest to find the last Twinkie in Zombieland is pointless. It is the character dynamics of Columbus and Tallahassee that make this film a colossal enjoyment.

The duo becomes a quartet, shortly after Wichita (Stone) and Little Rock (Breslin) con them into giving up their vehicle and arsenal. Eventually they concede to work together, joined by a single cause, getting to Pacific Playland in California. More hilarity ensues.

The group dynamics begin to shift when Columbus falls for Wichita, almost making Columbus violate one of his rules. Rule #17: Don’t be a hero. Although he is happy enough to step aside so Tallahassee can kill more zombies. It is the only thing Tallahassee is good at!

Not a preachy film by any means. Zombieland does not have much to say thematically. Of course there are a few exceptions. Rule #32: Enjoy the little things.

The third act is what keeps this film from being placed alongside Shaun of the Dead. It lacks the actual horror element, as it never feels like the characters are ever in any kind of danger. Also, this film has possibly one of the best cameo appearances I have ever witnessed. I am not going to spoil it for you but be prepared for a ton of laughter.

I highly recommended this film; it is funny, insane and just pure fun. Your sides will hurt from the constant laughter this film provides. Surprising the hell out of me, Zombieland is worth your hard earned cash.

4 out of 5

Because You Demanded It

1, 000, 000 times!

BY COLIN ENQUIST

A few days ago, Paranormal Activity reached one million demands! That means Paramount will give the film a wide release across the country. Oren Peli's film is being touted as one of the greatest horror films in recent years.

“an ingenious horror film.It's so well made it's truly scary” - Roger Ebert - THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

“A POTENT FRIGHTFEST That will fry your nerves and CREEP YOU OUT” - Peter Travers ROLLING STONE

“SO SCARY! Just when you thought it was safe to close your eyes…GOOD LUCK GOING TO SLEEP!” - Harry Knowles AINT IT COOL NEWS

“Go See It. Tell Your Friends GOOD LUCK SLEEPING” - FILM SCHOOL REJECTS

“THE SCARIESTMOVIE OF THE DECADE ” - CHICAGONOW.COM

I can not wait to go check this film out! Are you going to brave seeing this film?

Bite Club

Get Your Free Membership Card Here!

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Vampire fiction is nothing new. Many writers attempt to reinvent the genre with a bold new take on the mythical creatures every year. Howard Chaykin (American Flagg!) and David Tischman (Greatest Hits) filled that role in 2004 with their 6 issue mini series, Bite Club, from DC Comics Vertigo imprint. Art duties were handed to Vertigo alum David Hahn, who has worked on Fables and Lucifer, two well respected series in the Vertigo library. The stunning series covers come from the frequent Grant Morrison collaborator Frank Quitely. If you are reading this in the $9.99 trade paper back, don’t worry, Quitely’s covers are in the back!

At first glance, it seems Bite Club is just another attempt to modernize the vampire genre. This could not be more wrong. Yes Chaykin and Tischman use vampires throughout the entire body of the book but the blood of the story is about the Del Toro crime family and the many troubles following its dysfunctional members after their patriarch Eduardo Del Toro is gunned down.

The backstabbing siblings Leto, Risa and Eduardo Jr. all have a stake at becoming the new leader. Not to mention their cousin Victor who feels he is entitled to become the new patriarch of the Del Toro family. Everything starts getting out of hand when the will of Eduardo Sr. is read, naming Leto as his successor.

Chaykin and Tischman create a story that is solely focused on the Del Toro’s. The subtle use of vampire lore just adds a dimension to the book that may not have even been required. If you pick this up to read about vampires, you may be disappointed.

David Hahn’s art is not superb. Many times a page will show up with characters faces looking very similar. Hahn must know that this is a weakness in his ability though because he covers it up well with different hair styles, glasses or hats to distinguish each character when needed. Any aspiring artist should look at this book for Hahn’s simple yet beautiful layouts. The lack of full page spreads in the book (most pages are 5-10 panels) really hits home the emotion you should feel about that specific moment.

Bite Club is coloured by Brian Miller. The colouring of this book was fantastic. Each characters story being told in one book could have been confusing. Miller fixes that easily. Using a different colour tone for each time the story jumps from one characters story to the next. The green and blue pages really jump out at you. I am curious as to how this technique would transfer over to other books which require the reader to follow several characters at once.

Picking up this book, I was sold solely on the Quitely cover art of the trade and the fact that it was only $9.99. I was a little unsure of the book when I read the brief synopsis but Chaykin and Tischman deliver a good tale filled with deceit, death, vampires, discrimination, god, family and drugs. Mix in a little bit of The Sopranos and you got yourself Bite Club.

3 out of 5

Uncanny X-Men Receives the Axe

And I gave it a good chance to stick around

BY COLIN ENQUIST

The X-Men have always been one of my favourite titles. When I really started getting into comics the two big X-titles were the first to be thrown onto my pull list. Not only were Uncanny X-Men and X-Men good at the time but it looked like they were not slowing down.

I got a lot of enjoyment out of the two X-titles. Uncanny X-Men was always the better of the two books in my opinion, even with the Alan Davis art on X-Men. Suddenly the fortunes of each book changed, along with the dynamics of the teams. Grant Morrison came aboard X-Men (changing the title to New X-Men) and started a legendary run that has shaped the X-universe still to this day.

Soon after Morrison left the book, it reverted back to its original title, X-Men. Not entirely sure how long I stuck around but it was not very long. The book got terrible quickly, so I stopped picking X-Men up.

A coupe of months later, I realized that Uncanny X-Men was just as brutal. So now I am picking up comics without my usual X-titles. And these were the two books that helped get me into comics.

I still checked out solicits to see if it looked like either series was getting any better. Even reading a few reviews online, these only helped cement my decision of dropping the books though. It sounded like the books were a complete train wreck.

Then issue #500 of Uncanny X-Men was going to be released. A new creative team was promising a bold new direction. Sure I hated the art by Greg Land and Terry Dodson but I really enjoy Matt Fraction’s writing. So picking up a couple issues was worth a shot.

16 issues later and I’m back in the same boat as before! Fraction just finished tying up his big crossover with the Dark Avengers, leaving the team headed in a “bold new direction” again. Yes I disliked the start of the Exodus crossover bit it did end really strong.

Sadly the next issue lost my faith in Fraction. Most of the issue was devoted to Cyclops telling us that he has no plan; he was just rolling with the punches. At this point it seems like Fraction is doing just that, rolling with the punches, having no idea what to do with the characters or the series.

*insert sound of an axe falling*

That was the sound of Uncanny X-Men getting chopped from my pull list. Yes out of those 16 issues I bought over the last year or so, 6 might have been really good. That just is not enough to keep me buying the book..