Scientific American sums up the important science fiction movies of our time… With only one sentence each.
Videos: Videogum’s ten best lightsaber mashups
We’ve featured at least one of these before (not The Princess Bride) but who cares? It’s a bunch of geek classic movies (mostly) with lightsabers added. Go forth and enjoy. (via)
Star Wars second on AFI’s top 10 sci-fi
Those crazy list-making folks at the American Film Institute have placed A New Hope in second place on their list of the top 10 science fiction films. Click through to see the original trailer and some clips of James Earl Jones talking about the film.
The top spot goes to 2001, with E.T., A Clockwork Orange, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Blade Runner, Alien, Terminator 2, the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Back to the Future rounding out the choices.
There’s a fantasy list as well, which includes The Wizard of Oz, Fellowship of the Ring, and King Kong.
Who forgot the evil overlords?
Entertainment Weekly posted 20 villains they missed last time – prompted by reader letters – and this time the Galaxy Far Far Away’s most unapologetic baddie, Palpatine, gets his day in the sun.
Also making a belated showing: Christopher Lee as Saruman, Office Space’s Bill Lumbergh and, of course, Voldemort.
Minas Tirith is sweet, sweet candy
From the same folks who did Helm’s Deep last year. Crazy, man. Crazy.
I’m sorry you hate happy endings
MSN movies places Return of the Jedi (Okay…) and Return of the King (Which one of the six… Oh.) on their list of worst movie endings ever. Titanic is there too, as well as a good handful of Spielberg flicks. (That said, AI deserves all the scorn it can get.)
Can you sing, Master Hobbit?
After years of feuding, it’s looking like the rumored Hobbit Detente between Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema is finally near at hand.
Entertainment Weekly has a cover story that looks at the entire dispute (or “discussion,” as my parents would say after arguing).
Don’t you just love Hollywood makeups?
Movie News: LOTR, Indy, Transformers
Just in time for Christmas… The complete soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will be released on November 6. Yup, all three hours and 50 minutes of score. Also, this is the first I’ve heard of a soundtrack book: The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films. And here I though it was Lucasfilm that left no revenue possibility unturned.
- MTV finds Harvard dude to talk more about crystal skulls. Bored now.
- Transformers in IMAX may be 5 minutes longer than standard release. So, fanboys: two extra pairs of underwear this time, okay?
- Buck Rodgers next up for ‘reimagining?’ Yes Hollywood, you have no shame. We know.
- Tron sequel gets director. Is this joke ever going to get a punchline?
- Speaking of, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem will give ‘fans’ a look at the Predator homeworld. It’s full of eels!
- Jessica Alba wants Fantastic offspring in next film. Spandex pregnancy padding: The final frontier.
- Kevin McKidd might show up in Thor film. But not as Thor, it seems. Sheesh. Why bother, then?
Who’s the little droid who gets all the chicks?
Artoo is #3 on The Onion’s A.V. Club’s Thirteen sidekicks who are cooler than their heroes. Also honored are Willow, Samwise Gamgee, Inigo Montoya and Sideshow Bob.
Who needs the Hyatt?
Seems LOTR director Peter Jackson has the best guest house in the world! And Sir Ian McKellen will be staying there while in Wellington to perform in King Lear with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
“He kept the set of Bag End, which was Frodo’s house, and set it up for guests with running water, so I’m going to spend the night there,” Sir Ian said yesterday.
“It’ll be the one the hobbits were in which made them look small, so it’ll be big enough for humans.”
I wonder if Sir Ian would put in a good word for us. Can you imagine what a fantastic con suite it would make? I wonder if Frodo would bring us fresh towels?