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Saturday Morning Cartoons: Pro-Stars!

  • News
  • March 27, 2010

Since March Madness is slowly dissipating into subtle paranoia at this point, we figured we’d ease you down with this little intro to a cartoon from the amazing early 90’s sect. Debuting opposite “Wish Kid” (starring that AHHHH! Kid from Home Alone…) came this little gem of a series. Like the Super-Globetrotters, the Pro-Stars seem to live in lockers. They also fight crime and have amazing super sports-themed gadgets… And a few pastry white sidekicks. Folks, it don’t get better than this. Since it’s Saturday morning, we suggest a morning drinking game. Watch the into and down a gulp of your morning Mimosa every time they say “Pro-Stars”. We guarantee you’ll be sloshed  happy by the end!

The Point Radio: Rob Corddry On Time Travel

  • News
  • March 26, 2010

It might be the most obvious movie title of all time – HOT TUB MACHINE. Rob Corddry is here top explain just what it all means, plus we get another Amanda Waller and finally a look at SCOTT PILGRIM!

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AND Rob rejoins us on Monday to discuss his plan to join the cast of THE BOYS big screen adaptation!

And be sure to stay on The Point via badgeitunes61x15dark134-7389877, RSS, MyPodcast.Com or Podbean!

Follow us now on facebook134-5946139 and twitter134-5959464!

Don’t forget that you can now enjoy THE POINT 24 hours a Day – 7 Days a week!. Updates on all parts of pop culture, special programming by some of your favorite personalities and the biggest variety of contemporary music on the net – plus there is a great round of new programs on the air including classic radio each night at 12mid (Eastern) on RETRO RADIO COMICMIX’s Mark Wheatley hitting the FREQUENCY every Saturday ay 9pm and even the Editor-In-Chief of COMICMIX, Mike Gold, with his daily WEIRD SCENES and two full hours of insanity every Sunday (7pm ET) with WEIRD SOUNDS!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE FOR FREE or go to GetThePointRadio for more including a connection for mobile phones including iPhone & Blackberrys

 

 

Review: ‘Red Cliff’ on Blu-ray

  • Uncategorized
  • March 26, 2010

rsz-red-cliff-7451579The history of the world is rich with stories of personal triumph and epic events. In fact, so many stories remain to be told to modern day audiences, you would never need to leave the non-fiction section to find stories to tell. In school, we’re given such a surface review of global history that we’re constantly amazed to find out what really went on.

Take China for example. The country is our partner and rival in modern day affairs but what do we know of a land that can trace its culture back thousands of years? Sure, we were taught they were largely xenophobic and measured their rulers by dynasties but little else. But, to those growing up in the Pacific Rim, the stories of great warriors outnumber those we can tell about out forefathers.

This point is brought home in the release this week of the stunning [[[Red Cliff]]]. Director John Woo has wanted to tell this story about the fall of the Han Dynasty since childhood and spent years researching it, more years to craft a script and then months to film the story.

In 208 A.D., the Han Dynasty Emperor grants permission to the greedy General Cao Cao to form a movement that will pulverize two warlords who stand in his way.  The warlords, Liu Bei and Sun Quan, are sworn enemies but know their only hope for survival is to band together and counter the attack. Although outnumbered by Cao Cao’s vast and fast approaching army, the warlords put their rivalry behind them and end up surprising all those who doubted their small brigade. 

History, as we know, is written by the victors so most accounts make Cao Cao out to be evil incarnate but Woo wisely sourced most of the facts and character descriptions from the more level-headed Records of Three Kingdoms. This certainly makes all the players far from cardboard caricatures.

The story was so epic in scope, akin to [[[Lord of the Rings]]], that he shot a four hour film that was released internationally in two parts. A 148-minute edited version came to America last year, garnering excellent reviews although it didn’t perform well at the box office. The movie has been released by Magnolia Home Entertainment in a variety  of formats such as the two-disc Blu-ray International Edition with the complete film or the single disc with the shortened version. Both come packed with extras galore.

In watching the 148 domestic version, I thought I had seen enough. The problem for me was that too many of the key players were not developed as characters with Woo’s emphasis on his trademark action sequences which were larger and more involved than ever. As a result, Cao Cao is not the standard movie villain but also remains enigmatic, his true goals and desires absent. Similarly, Liu Bei and Sun Quan’s enmity is left mentioned and unexplored so their alliance is missing the significance it should otherwise posses.

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ComicMix Crew at I-Con 29 this weekend

  • News
  • March 26, 2010

On the road again… see ComicMix folks Robert Greenberger, Glenn Hauman, Aaron Rosenberg, Matthew Weinberger, and probably even more of us this weekend at I-Con 29, back at the campus of SUNY/Stony Brook on beautiful Long Island. In addition, you’ll be able to hear Aaron and Glenn on Destinies: The Voice Of Science Fiction on WUSB 90.1 FM, or online at http://www.wusb.fm.

Glenn’s schedule (subject to change):

Meet the Pro’s – Friday from 8:00pm – 10:00pm in Islip Ballroom
Good Prose/Bad Film – Saturday from 12:00pm – 1:00pm in SAC 302
Pimp Your Talent – Saturday from 3:00pm – 4:00pm in SAC 302
Superman: An American God? – Saturday from 4:00pm – 5:00pm in ESS 001
Business of Publishing – Saturday from 5:00pm – 6:00pm in SAC 302
Slans, Mutants, and Vampires Rule! – Saturday from 7:00pm – 8:00pm in SAC 302
Eye of Argon/Amanda McKittrick Ros Reading Competition – Saturday from 11:00pm – 12:00am in Ronkonkoma Room
Smack Yourself in the Forehead Moments – Sunday from 10:30am – 11:30am in SAC 303
Just Add Sex – Sunday from 2:00pm – 3:00pm in SAC 302

Aaron’s schedule (subject to change):

Meet the Pro’s – Friday from 8:00pm – 10:00pm in Islip Ballroom
Popular Media Licenses & Gaming – Friday from 8:00pm – 9:00pm in ESS 131
State of the Industry – Indie Press/Freelance edition – Saturday from 10:00am – 11:00am in ESS 001
Writing Media Tie-ins – Saturday from 11:00am – 12:00pm in SAC 302
Business of Publishing – Saturday from 5:00pm – 6:00pm in SAC 302
So You Want To Be a Game Designer? – Saturday from 9:00pm – 10:00pm in ESS 131

Matthew will be on various and sundry comics panels, and Mr. Greenberger, of course, will be doing the world famous I-Con Movie Previews both Saturday and Sunday.

Stop by and say hi. Tickets are still available. It’s a hell of a convention, and literally has something for everyone and the only way they’d get a bigger dealers room would be to rent Nassau Coliseum.

Hulk says: Wear Purple Today for Epilepsy Awareness!

  • News
  • March 26, 2010

Ever since Hulk was little boy, his favorite show was Diff’rent Strokes. Hulk’s favorite episode was from the 7th season, entitled ‘A Special Friend’. Why was this Hulk’s favorite episode? Because Hulk learned about Arnold’s friend, and her epilepsy. Hulk take this disease very seriously. Way more seriously than Hulk take his own comic serious. You still think fans care about Red Hulk? Fans know there be only one Hulk. And Hulk is green. Green with purple pants. Now me remember! Hulk came to ComicMix today to talk about Purple Day! Hulk wear purple pants to raise awareness for epilepsy!

If you like Hulk, and want to show support, first Hulk say “HULK SMASH MOUSEY-CLICKY-THING HERE!“. There you’ll find plenty of ways to help support epilepsy awareness. Also, you become smart on epilepsy facts by reading on their interwebs. Be smart like stupid Banner! Me learn that epilepsy effects 1 out of every 100 people. Me learn that 3 million Americans have epilepsy. Me learn more, but you should visit site by yourself.

Hulk personally am buying a tee shirt from their store, and then Hulk will donate his Facebook status to let people know about Purple Day. Hulk have many friends on Facebook. Hulk great at Farmville, and always tag Metal Guy in photos when he drink too much in Avengers Mansion. Hulk remember being Avenger. Now Hulk can’t be Avenger, because he don’t know which team to be on. Hulk ask short-claw-stubble-face which team he on, and he just start crying.

Review: ‘Arizona Dream’

  • News
  • March 25, 2010

There’s only one reason for Warner Home Video to release the 1993 disaster of a film, Arizona Dream: Johnny Depp. Anything with him in it is virtually a license to print money so the movie is released this week as a part of their Archive Collection. The DVD comes with the movie and nothing else as in keeping with the line designed for collectors.

While Depp was still at the beginning of his film career, the cast includes veterans who should have known better, including Faye Dunaway and Jerry Lewis. That’s right, Jerry Lewis playing a straight role.  The film also has veteran character performer Michael J. Pollard in a cameo and relative newcomers Lily Taylor and Paulina Porizkova.

The movie was shot in 1991, released in Europe only two years later and didn’t come to America until 1994. The original cut ran for 142 minutes while the television and home video cuts are at 119, including this release. From what I’ve seen, that’s more than enough and the director’s cut can stay in the vault.

David Atkins wrote what is politely called a romantic fantasy about Axel (Depp), a young man trying to make it on his own in New York City when his cousin Paul (Vincent Gallo), essentially kidnaps him for a trip to Arizona for Uncle Leo’s (Lewis) wedding to the much younger Porizkova. Depp, with his vivid dreams about Eskimos, is coaxed by Uncle Leo to stay and join the family car dealership. When Axel tries, he falls for Elaine (Dunaway), a woman who dreams of flying. Her stepdaughter Grace (Taylor) has her own dream: suicide and reincarnation as a turtle. Axel and Paul vie for Elaine’s affections while Uncle Leo is convinced he’s dying and wants to leave the family together.

The script, though, under-develops every character and there may be some comedic elements, but there’s little to hold things together. Why does Leo want to marry the younger woman and what does she see in him? How did Elaine get to be so daft and what demons drive Grace towards her own death? There’s a morbid tone to everything and despite the desert setting, the film feels dark and forbidding.

There’s a lot of talk of death from all the characters but there’s no rational behind any of it and interestingly enough, only two actually die. And let’s not even discuss the final scene.

Directed by Emir Kusturica (who cowrote the story) has some terrific performers to work with but doesn’t let any of them shine. Lewis is wasted in a nothing part and you wonder why the extremely selective performer agreed to be in such a minor role. Depp’s characterization tries too hard and at times feels like he’s in an entirely different film.

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Robert Culp: 1930-2010

  • News
  • March 25, 2010

Robert Culp, best known to genre fans as FBI Agent Bill Maxwell on The Greatest American Hero and as Trent in the Outer Limits episode “Demon With A Glass Hand”, passed away after a fall outside his Los Angeles home. He was 79.

Culp gained fame very early in his career as the star of
the 1957-59 Western television series Trackdown
in which he played Texas Ranger Hoby Gilman, but was best known in the 60’s for the series I Spy, where he co-starred with Bill Cosby, the first time a black actor got equal star billing. Culp wrote the scripts for seven episodes, one of which he also
directed. One episode earned him an Emmy nomination for writing. For all
three years of the series he was also nominated for an acting Emmy for lead actor, but lost each time to Cosby. He returned to prominence in 1981 with The Greatest American Hero, a role that brought him a new generation of fans, many of which he greeted the last few years at conventions as talk of a movie adaptation surfaced.

We were lucky enough to interview Robert Culp back in 2008, and he was one of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet. My wife still has an audio clip where he wished her a happy birthday.

Take the time tonight and watch some of his great work. Choose from his Emmy nominated written episode of I Spy:

or The Greatest American Hero:

Crisis On Infinite Archies

  • Uncategorized
  • March 24, 2010

 

 

phpthumb-8140673We all know that Marvel has their Marvel Universe and their Ultimate Universe, and we know that DC has 52 different universes all in
constant flux, but did you know that Archie Comics – yes, Archie Comics – started three more brand new universes in the past
several months?

That brings their total up to at least five; six if you count the one that DC has been renting for a while. There’s the ongoing America’s Typical Teen-Ager universe and there’s their new-look more up-to-date and somewhat more realistic universe. To this they have added a universe in which their 1950s characters such as Super Duck and Cosmo The Merry Martian
live – they crossed over into the mainstream universe this past winter – and now they’re adding a universe in which Archie married Betty and another in which Archie married Veronica.

Yep, they’re adding two on-going spinoffs to Michael Uslan’s recent “what if” story arc wherein Archie married each of his long-time girl friends. No, no… separately, kids, separately. The new books are titled (get this) Archie Loves Veronica and Archie Loves Betty. Heck, I used to think Archie loved them both. Separately, kids, separately.

phpthumb-2-1631654I don’t know if those last two will have legs, although Betty and Veronica certainly do. But right now they’re quite timely.

Over the many years, Archie Comics has shown a many attempts at very creative and sometimes even courageous projects, although most lasted only briefly. Given their newfound editorial prerogatives, can we expect Senator Reggie Mantle, Mister Lodge’s Ponzi Schemes and, ultimately, Archie’s Divorce Comics?… And, as we suggested in our own Munden’s Bar, maybe even Archie Marries Jughead?

Well, progress is one thing, and blasphemy is quite another.

Doctor Who On A Lower Budget?

  • Uncategorized
  • March 24, 2010

Here’s something you don’t hear every day – a TV producer saying he is fine with his new reduced budget.

Doctor Who producer Steven Moffat said he is not too concerned about the budget cuts on the upcoming season, which has been largely filmed already. Moffat told Digital Spy “Budget cuts are tough. I don’t like them, but they force you to be creative.
No one is going to say the show looks cheaper because it doesn’t.”

This man will get as much work from the BBC as he wants …
but he might not ever get a budget increase again.

Moffat went on to say “There will never be enough money to
make Doctor Who. We could spend Avatar’s budget and still ask for more, because it’s a show that’s set in every point in history and every place in the
universe.” He did acknowledge he could easily spend any amount allocated for the program.

The new season of Doctor Who starts in Britain on April 3
and in the United States on April 17.

Review: ‘Toy Story’ & ‘Toy Story 2’ on Blu-ray

I think it’s fairly safe to begin talking about Toy Story and Toy Story 2 by stipulating that they’re amazing. Most, if not all, of  you have no doubt seen these Pixar films in the movie theaters if not on cable or DVD.

Pixar burst into the public consciousness with [[[Toy Story]]], which was fresh, charming and original. It was the first family friendly film to entertain all generations with character-based humor and sly winks to the Baby Boomers who were in attendance with their children or grandchildren. It spoke to everyone and coupled with fabulous CGI animation and a memorable Randy Newman soundtrack, the film put Disney and its competitors to shame.

Wisely, they proved they were not a one-trick pony by rushing out a sequel but instead offered up other originals first. But Buzz Lightyear and Woody were too good to let go and they returned for the sequel. At one point, when it looked like Pixar and Disney were headed for a messy divorce, the House of the Mouse put a third film into development without John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton’s involvement.

Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and the two entities became one. Out of that notion, though, a third visit to Andy and his toys seemed inevitable. In June, the 3-D third and final film in the series (we presume) will arrive. To celebrate and promote that fact, Walt Disney Home Entertainment is releasing this week Blu-ray special editions of the first two films.

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