Television: Meteor

I watched the last hour of the first half of Meteor on NBC last Sunday.  I really had no idea what was going on but this is what I was able to piece together. (I am going to write this before I read the actual description of the movie to see how close I was.)

• An asteroid collided with a comet.  Because neither one would be scary enough on their own.

• Meteors have great timing and morals.  When you are about to be raped by a thug in a Mexican jail, a meteor will save you by crashing nearby giving you a chance to escape.

• Jason Alexander plays a scientist who is either really depressed about the meteors about to strike the earth or about his post-Seinfeld career path.

• Ernie Hudson is in charge of the military.  This is good because the one defense we have against meteors is missiles.  Patriot missiles, missiles from submarine, whatever.  They can target and knock meteors from out of the sky.  Also teams with shoulder launched missiles which seem to run around on roof tops to target the rocks streaking from the heavens. 

• Stacy Keach is a small town sheriff with balls of steel.  Keach is looking more like Jackie Gleason in the later Smokey & The Bandit films all the time.

• They could not afford to show meteors actually hitting buildings and such.  You see meteors streaking over cities (okay, just L.A. or the desert).  Small explosions when they get it by missiles. (We get to see this a lot.  Actually, I never saw a missile miss... which I would think would had some drama and tension.  But, hey, who am I to judge.)  When the meteors do strike buildings, we don't see it.  We see a flash of light and people in the street covering their heads while styrofoam drops near them.

• A lot time is spent driving in the desert.  Not actually talking and driving.  Or being chased.  Just driving.  It was suspenseful in a way. "Ooo.  They're driving!  I wonder if anything will happen... wait for it.. wait for it... wait... nope.  Nothing."

• There seemed to be a lot of subplots, none of which I paid any attention to.

Okay.  I read real synopsis.  Not much to add except I am sad I missed Christopher Lloyd but smart of him to die within the first hour.

Also, NBC is apparent has a thing called "Survival Sundays."  July 26th we are treated to The Storm starting Treat Wiliams and James Van Der Beek.  Wiliams is a scientist that invents "weather creation" technology. Der Beek is a scientist who wants to stop him. Also featuring John Larroquette ), Luke Perry and Marisol Nichols. Screams quality. (By that I mean, it is screaming "Quality! We need some damn quality!")

Movie: Daybreak

Ah, yes. Everything in my being says this should be horrible and yet it is right down my alley.

Movie: 9

If Tim Burton were to make a CG post-apocalyptic steampunkish version of The Borrowers, it would be 9.  It is Tim Burton produced but is directed by Shane Acker.  And in incredible voice cast:  Elija Wood, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover, Christopher Plummer.

The clip below was shown at ComicCon (I believe).  It is a full sequence, so you might consider it a SPOILER.

Movie: Zombieland

I am not sure if we need another comedy zombie film.  Shaun of the Dead pretty much nailed it.

Part of it is that zombies are never about the zombies but about how people deal with it.  And they are something that normal people can deal with.  Zombies are dumb and (usually) slow.  You don't ned fancy weapons or planning.  Anything with an edge.  Also zombie movies are cheap to make (relatively).  Slap some makeup on and you have a zombie.

And they give a guiltless excuse to kill people in fanciful ways.  Because they are already dead.

I feel a bit bad for Jesse Eisenberg since he is going too be know as "the guy who isn't Micheal Cera."

(Note:  I still think there is room for a comedy zombie apocalypse tv series.  I still want Eliza Skinner to make it.  In part because I want to see what I look as a zombie.  In fact, I love playing zombies.  I will GLADLY play a zombie in any project anyone has.  Actually, now that I think of it, I will play any sort of mindless killing monster in any project any one has.)

Clip: Hey!

(via Geekologie)

Movie: 2012

The new trailer for Ronald Emmerich's 2012 was released. am sure you are familar with Emmeric's work. Independence Day. Godzilla. The Day After Tomorrow. Master of the stupid disater movie. Master. His movies are made to make excellent trailers. And, yes, we absolutely need more movies with aircraft carriers flipping on top of the White House.

God bless you, Ronald Emmerich.