WALL*E is the latest effort from Pixar and from how good the movie is, you would think that their latest is effortless in its greatness.  That being said, I think it safe to say that we have another round of Oscars coming up for the wizards at Pixar.  The movie is absolute perfection.  Hard Sci-Fi with a gentle edge. 

I will try as much as possible to not delve too much into spoilers, but there are a couple of elements that might be spoiled.  That being said, stop reading this, get to a movie theater, and see this movie.  It’s that good.

WALL*E is the last of his kind.  Short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter, he has been tasked with the clean up of Planet Earth because we as humanity, have destroyed everything and essentially left the Earth a junkyard but on a planetary scale.  During this time, WALL*E has developed a personality and essentially lives his days doing work, and his evenings watch an old videotape of the musical ”Hello Dolly.”  All this changes when EVE arrives via spaceship.  WALL*E falls in love and is rocketed into an adventure that is life changing to all characters involved. 

It’s not just the animation that is good.  It’s not even just the story which can either be seen as a love story or as a cautionary tale of that could happen if we are not careful and continue mistreating the Earth.  Where this movie shines is with the magnificent sound work but Star Wars sound maestro, Ben Burtt.  The sounds are what truly give the movie’s characters their personality.  To the point that you know exactly what the characters are saying even if they aren’t saying anything.  There is one talking robotic character is even voiced by a computer but the fact that Burtt was able to get a convincing performance out of a machine is incredible. 

There has been a bit of unwarranted controversy with this movie.  The human characters depicted on this movie, have become so fat because of excess they now float around on what are basically futuristic strollers.  Humanity has de-evolved to a state that they resemble large babies.  It’s a chilling thought but the actions of WALL*E change things with certain human characters and it’s absolutely beautiful to watch these characters become aware of the world around them. 

WALL*E is fantastic.  I can’t recommend this movie enough.  There’s plenty for the sci-fi geek in all of us with this movie as well as great stuff for the kids.  Whatever you do, do NOT miss “Presto,” the Pixar animated short right before the movie as it’s one of their funniest short films ever made. 

WALL*E: 5 out of 5
PResto: 5 out of 5

This has been a rough month for me so far.  First Stan Winston and now, one of the funniest men in comedy, George Carlin has passed away.  I heard the news last night but this was such a shock to me that I needed some extra time to sit on it and think about what I needed to say to pay tribute to my favorite dirty old man.

I didn’t know who George Carlin was until one day my grandmother lent my mom a vhs tape called George Carlin: What am I doing in New Jersey?  The first rant right out of the box was a classic.  It was a list of people that this grumpy old man could do without.  It was angry, it was bitter, it was frackin’ hilarious.  Especially his rant about “baby on board.”  I think it was that point that my mom turned off the video and sent my brother and I to bed.  Needless to say, I did eventually see the show in its entirety and I had no idea that his brand of humor would be a major influence in my life.  That brand of humor was social commentary and the man knew his stuff. 

A few years went by and I went to see “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” in the theater.  George played Rufus in the movie, the sagely character who travels back in time to send Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) on their journey.  I immediately became a fan of all things Carlin.  I have owned several of his albums in my time.  I think he was a voice in comedy that even in death will not be silenced.  Proof of that is with his books “Brain Droppings” and “Napalm and Silly Putty” among his other titles.  He is best known for his social commentary which really began to take form with the previously mentioned album “What am I Doing in New Jersey” his portrayal of the “Hippy Dippy Weatherman,” his memorable movies roles, (yes, even “Jersey Girl”, which, say what you want, I loved if nothing else for his role in the flick) and his seven words that you can never say on television.  Well, I have seven words for Mr. Carlin. 

We all love you and miss you.

Rest in peace George.

5/12/1937 - 6/22/2008

Some random trivia about Mr. Carlin…

Carlin provided the voice of Fillmore, a character in the Disney/Pixar animated feature “Cars”, which opened in theaters on June 9, 2006. The character Fillmore is a VW Microbus with a psychedelic paint job, whose front license plate reads “51237″ — Carlin’s birthday. 

Although raised in the Roman Catholic faith, Carlin often denounced the idea of God in interviews and performances, most notably with his “Invisible Man in the Sky” and “There Is No God” routines. In mockery, he invented the parody religion Frisbeetarianism for a newspaper contest. He defined it as the belief that when a person dies “his soul gets flung onto a roof, and just stays there”, and cannot be retrieved. Carlin also joked that he worshipped the Sun, because he could actually see it, but prayed to Joe Pesci (a good friend of his in real life) because “he’s a good actor”, and “looks like a guy who can get things done!” Carlin also introduced the “Two Commandments”, a revised “pocket-sized” list of the Ten Commandments in his HBO special “Complaints and Grievances”, ending with the additional commandment of “Thou shalt keep thy religion to thyself.”

In the early to mid-1960’s George Carlin appeared in advertising as a spokesman for Ozark Airlines.

George Carlin appeared in the “Simpsons” episode “D’oh-in In the Wind” as a former hippie.

In “Homie the Clown,” Krusty the Clown is told he’s being sued by Carlin for plagiarizing the Seven Words You Cannot Say On TV. Krusty tries to defend himself by claiming that his seven dirty words were “entirely different” from Carlin’s.

I am just home after a rather late night at the last stop of Charles Band’s Full Moon Horror Road Show in Dallas and happened on the news that George Carlin had died of heart failure.  While a bit off topic from our normal subject matter, Carlin’s passing at age 71 an unexpected and unpleasant surprise.  Carlin had played the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth earlier this year and I regret even more having missed the opportunity to see the man perform live.

George Carlin was a strong influence on my own sense of humor and my favorite comedian.  His wildly irreverant humor, which pulled no punches, made him a true icon of American humor.  And his dead-on casting in the Kevin Smith film Dogma was just another shining moment in his long career.  His cameo in Smith’s Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was pure Carlin in its own right. 

Less than a week ago it was announced that Carlin would receive the prestigeous Mark Twain prize for humor in honor of his 50-year career.  The laughs will live on but George Carlin will be sorely missed. 

Well, at least Mel Brooks liked it.

That’s not to say that I hated the big screen adaptation of “Get Smart” which was Mel Brooks and Buck Henry’s brilliant TV show parodying the Spy Films of the 1960’s.  However, they might have played it too straight.  Sure, the classic bits from the show are definitely in the movie and the casting was pitch perfect.  However, I think ultimately they might have played up the action angle more than they should have. 

The whole idea to Maxwell Smart is that he is pompous, arrogant, and thinks that he is the greatest spy in the entire history of spy work. Which he’s not.  At least that’s how Don Adams played him. And it was funny.  Really, really funny.  In the movie adaptation, Steve Carrell plays Maxwell Smart as someone who is an incredibly competent analyst but a crappy field agent.   That is the biggest issue that I has with the movie.  That and Terrence Stamp as Siegfried the head of the world criminal organization, KAOS. Again, the character of Siegfried is just as arrogant and inept as Smart in the show and makes for some funny moments as well.  In fact, Siegfried is  one of the main reasons to watch the original show because he is so funny.  In the movie, Stamp plays the character more as menacing than funny.  It suits the purposes of the movie but really makes a fan of the show miss the comedy that made the show so brilliant. 

That’s not to say there is nothing to like about this movie.  “Get Smart” is a very funny movie in its own right.  Steve Carrell is really funny in the movie, proving that he is truly a formidable comedy talent. (As if he needed to prove anything, just watch him in “The Office” sometime and you’ll see sheer brilliance in action.)  Alan Arkin as the Chief couldn’t have been better cast and Dwayne Johnson as Agent 23 is great as the super spy that Smart idolizes.  Anne Hathaway as Agent 99 is, well, for lack of a better term absolutely smouldering hot as the love interest for Max and does the source material proud.  The henchmen are really funny too.  Wrestler The Great Kali and Ken Davitan (”Borat”) make for great comic relief opposite Terrence Stamp. 

The movie is true to the show in many respects.  Sharp eyed fans of the original show will catch the original Cone of Silence, the shoe phone, the signature cars from the various years of the show, and even Bernie Kopell, the original Siegfried from the show driving one of the cars from the show. And yes, for fans of the show, Hymie the android makes a very brief but welcome appearance and just wait till you see who plays him! 

The action is really good with some really humorous touches.  Having Dwayne Johnson in the movie really helps because he is no stranger to action films.  His scenes give the film a believeable sense of danger which ultimately makes for the movies’ downfall. 

Ultimately, I liked “Get Smart.”  It’s a good solid action comedy movie for an otherwise pretty good summer. There is plehty that fans of the original show will take issue with some of the changes but those unfamilliar with the show will definitely enjoy it. 

Final Rating: 3 out of 5   

Finally its uploaded and ready to go. I feel this is the best part to date and hope you all agree. Enjoy!

 

 VaderCast Presents: Fedcon USA: A Cautionary Tale - Part Three [52:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

For me some of the defining moments of my movie geekdom were exemplified by one man, one genius, of a man.  The T-Rex attack in Jurassic Park, the menacing magnitude of the Alien Queen in Aliens, the superbadassery of the Predator, the menace of the Terminator, the really great looking monsters in The Monster Squad all were creations.  This man, this genius, was Stan Winston. 

Stan Winston passed away last night from multiple myeloma, an incurable form of blood cancer.

Stan Winston was best known for his work in the Terminator series, the Jurassic Park series, Aliens, the Predator series, and Edward Scissorhands.  He won a total of four Academy Awards for his work.

Winston, a frequent collaborator with directors James Cameron and Steven Spielberg, owned more than one effects studio, including Stan Winston Digital. The established areas of expertise for Winston were in makeup, puppets and practical effects, but he had recently expanded his studio to encompass digital effects as well.

I think Quint from Aintitcool.com said it best: “The man is a legend and created legends. He himself a God in his own right, sculpting Icons that will be remembered as long as people with imagination deem it prudent to tell stories to an audience. He was a leader in practical effects work, having given opportunity to all top effects leaders today. Winston idolized the people that came before him in the field, like Ray Harryhausen, and sought to make his own iconography, inspiring yet more to follow in his lead. We can only hope that his memory is done justice by Stan Winston Studios and they keep creating icons for generations to come.”

The last movie he worked on before his passing was Iron Man.  In that film, with help from the wizards at ILM, he made us believe a man in an iron suit could fly.  He made us want to have our own suit of battle ready armor.  He really made us feel like kids with the amazing and spectacular work he has done.  The last of his work will be seen in James Cameron’s “Avatar” which will be released in 2009. 

A great light in the pioneers of special effects work has been extinguished.

Rest in Peace Stan.

We here at Vadercast extend our deepest condolences to Stan’s family and friends. 

 1946-2008

Sure, it’s official, we are getting a long overdue Star Tours 2.0 at our stateside Disney parks as Anthony Daniels and a couple of ILM effects guys have confirmed that it is in the works but chew on this for a moment…

Has anyone heard of Dubailand?  Being a theme park insider and a Disney historian, I certainly have. 

So just WHAT is Dubailand?  Well, according to Wikipedia…

Dubailand is the vision of Dubai’s current ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The development is expected to be a full featured city divided into seven theme worlds. The short range goal of the Dubailand is to attract 15 million tourists to Dubai by 2010. Developers expect to accomplish this goal by creating a tourism, entertainment, and leisure destination that will attract visitors not only from surrounding countries but also from Europe and Asia. The venture is expected to attract approximately 200,000 visitors daily and cost $20 billion. Many believe Dubailand is a long-term plan to phase out the city’s dependence on oil revenues, though 95% of Dubai’s annual GDP comes from non-oil sectors such as tourism. 

Here’s where us geeks come in.  Check out some of the proposed parks that Dubailand is supposed to get.  Universal Studios Dubai, Legoland Dubai, Six Flags Dubai, Sea World, a Dreamworks themed park, Falconcity of Wonders (this one sounds particularly awesome), and Tiger Woods Dubai which is a golf course designed by Tiger Woods. 

One of the other rumored parks that is being pitched is one based on the creations of George Lucas.  Apparently, the idea of Lucas taking over Tomorrowland at Disneyland and specific areas of Disney’s Hollywood Studios was not to be.  Think about it though, a “Lucas Land” with a main street themed like something out of “American Graffitti” or “Radioland Murders” with an area that is based on Star Wars, one based on Indiana Jones, one based on Willow, one perhaps on THX-1138, and one based on “Howard the Duck.” (Well…maybe not one based on Howard the Duck.)

In any case, Lucas has been approached about this but nothing has been set in stone.  While excited about a theme park based on Lucas’ creations, I can’t help but feel the least bit slighted as we might never see something like this in the states.  Provided that Disney is able to strike a deal with Lucas with ABC showing his live action Star Wars series once it becomes ready, we might get the proverbial bone thrown to us after all.  That remains to be seen.   

Your thoughts?  Do you think George Lucas should continue his partnership with Disney and bring us some killer attractions to the states in the Disney parks?  Or would you be willing to travel to Dubai and see a new “Lucas Land?”

-Rick

p.s. Contest is still ongoing!  I have decided to extend it a couple more weeks. All you need to do is tell me, (not counting Crystal Skull mind you) how many artifacts are used in some capacity in the first three movies.  Bonus points if you can tell me what they were.  The prize?  Something really cool from my personal Indiana Jones collection. (I bloody well can’t tell you as that would be be spoiling the really cool surprise!)  

Kung Fu Panda is the latest effort from Dreakworks Animation Studio and it is a mighty acheivement.  Not only did they succeed in making a Panda kick ass, but the animation wizards at Dreamworks have crafted a film that is probably one of the most gorgeously animated movies since CG became the norm. I am going to try to stay as far away from spoilers as I possibly can but there are a couple of things I gotta touch on as they are just so cool. 

Po (Jack Black voicing the character to perfection) is a panda who is an apprentice noodle-maker and kung fu fanatic, but whose defining characteristic appears to be that he is the laziest animal in ancient China. Evil warrior Tai Lung (Ian McShane) has escaped from prison, and all hopes have been pinned on a prophecy naming Po as the Dragon Warrior to save the day. He has a kung fu master, Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) who “has trained five of the greatest warriors that the world has ever known”, to help him.

The voice cast is quite good. Jack Black as Po is wonderful.  Sure he’s pretty much playing himself but you can tell he is simply having a blast just by the voice work alone.  Dustin Hoffman is wonderful as the belaegured Master Shifu and you can’t tell that it is Hoffman doing the voice.  Ian McShane as Tai Lung is deliciously evil and clearly having a blast playing a bad guy.  Jackie Chan as the Monkey is sorely underused but I suppose it is still neat and appropriate to have the legendary actor have a part in an animated martial arts movie.   There are a few obvious voices (Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogan and David Cross come to mind) that you can tell right away as to who is voicing the characters but for the most part, you’ll forget who’s playing who when you get swept up in the simply stunning animation. 

The fight scenes are so beautifully done you swear you are looking at real people.  Tai Lung’s prison escape is probably one of my favorite animated action sequences of the past four years.  I can even say I would put it up there with the Dash chase scene  from 2004’s “The Incredibles” which is one of my favorite animated movies of all time.  (If you have seen the movie you know what scene I am talking about.  If you haven’t seen “The Incredibles” yet, turn off your computer, go and rent…no…BUY it.  You will not be disappointed.)  The bridge fight scene where you get to see the five warriors throw down is incredibly cool.  The training scene at the Pool of 1000 tears is extremaly welle done.  This movie is filled with action, quiet moments, and humor all the way through.  At no point does it make fun of anything, parody anything or make itself look stupid. 

This is proof once again that Hollywood has original ideas left people, and instead of going to see Adam Sandler’s latest, do yourself a favor, go see Kung Fu Panda.  This is seriously my favorite movie of this year so far.  With a movie this good, it will be interesting to see what Disney pulls off with their Sci-Fi epic Wall-E later this month.  The animation gauntlet has officially been thrown and Kung Fu Panda is the one throwing it. 

5 out of 5.  Highly recommended. 

From www.screamscape.com: According to the LA Times the fire at Universal was caused by a blowtorch accident from workers who were repairing the roof of a building on New York Street. It just seems a little odd to me that on the day of the event the news was talking about how an unknown explosion was rumored have to possibly started the fire, and now it’s suddenly all down to a blowtorch accident due to some workers on one of the roof of the backlot.  While obviously Universal will rebuild the backlot sets once again as they have done in the past, the LA Times has confirmed that King Kong will not be rebuilt. Instead the park was vowed to replace Kong with a new yet-to-be-determined attraction.

Here’s the official statement from Ron Meyer, the head of the Studios:  “As you may have heard, there was a major fire early Sunday morning at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. Fortunately, no NBC Universal employees were hurt, although some firefighters sustained minor injuries.  While the Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk were closed to the public on Sunday to allow firefighters appropriate access, the MTV Movie Awards were held as planned in the Gibson Amphitheater at CityWalk Sunday evening. The theme park and CityWalk will be open for normal operations Monday morning beginning at 10am. 
  The fire was contained to one section of the backlot. Unfortunately New York Street and the King Kong attraction were lost, but the iconic courthouse on Courthouse Square and half of the buildings facing the square were saved. Also affected was a video vault containing thousands of video and digital copies of films and TV shows. Although many of these items were lost, we believe that most, if not all, are replaceable. It is important to note as well that none of the 30 soundstages on the lot were damaged.”

 While obviously Universal will rebuild the backlot sets once again as they have done in the past, the LA Times has confirmed that King Kong will not be rebuilt. Instead the park was vowed to replace Kong with a new yet-to-be-determined attraction.

I hate to say it but now there is no more King Kong attraction at any of the Universal parks.  The Florida attraction made way for Revenge of the Mummy in 2004 and with this Kong now gone, now goes an important and iconic part of theme park history as this attraction was groundbreaking in many, many ways.  I will miss ol’ Bannana Breath quite a bit. 

R.I.P. King Kong 1986 - 2008

Rick

P.S. For you non Southern California locals or if you never got to go to Universal Studios before the fire, check out what the attraction was like here

I have just put in about three hours of gameplay and I’m not even though the Raiders of the Lost Ark section of the game. It’s not even that the game is hard, far from it, Lego Indiana Jones is a family game aimed at kids and the geeky adults (like me) who love all things Lucasfilm, Lego and Indiana Jones. 

How fun is the game?  Let me put it like this, you can play not only as Indy, but also Sallah, Belloq, Marion, Short Round, Dr. Henry Jones, and a myriad of other characters form the Indiana Jones series.  You get to see some of the most famous moments out of the series in a cute but extremely funny not-too-violent way.  You get to ride horses, drive trucks, and blow stuff up.  In short, this is just as fun as the Lego Star Wars game. 

The geniuses at Lucasarts and Traveller’s Tales have crafted a great companion to the Lego Star Wars games and honestly, it couldn’t have been better, other than including Kingdom of the Crystal Skull which would have been a nice treat. Not that it matters too much as there are so many hidden things throughout that you’ll be trying to find everything for a good long while.  Which is great for the replay value of this game.   If you have a chance, pick it up and buy it, rent it, doesn’t matter what you do.  Play this game.  It is so much fun and it’s a great take on the Indiana Jones mythos.  It’s parodical and reverential at the same time.   

It is out on multiple platforms, including XBOX 360, Wii, PS3, and Nintendo DS.  I opted for the Wii version and the graphics are stunning. 

Graphics: 5
Gameplay: 5
Replay factor: 5 
Fun: 5

Overall: 5  (YOU BUY NOW!)