9 Reasons You Should Watch “The Star Wars Holiday Special”

“If I had the time and a hammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it.” George Lucas’s comment about 1978′s The Star Wars Holiday Special might be apocryphal, but the sentiment surely isn’t. Nothing, not even Jar-Jar Binks, is as embarrassing to Lucas as the holiday-inspired TV special that aired only once in its entirety on U.S. screens. It’s not just a little bit bad: it is a thing of awesome horror, a goofy, song-filled two hours born from the worst excesses of stunt-filled late-1970s television. There are moments you will never be able to unsee, no matter how hard you try. Yet it’s these moments that make the show so amazing, and definitely worth seeking out. Lucas’s wish for a hammer is pointless in the age of online video, so there’s nothing preventing you from reveling in the worst folly of one of the biggest filmmakers of the past 50 years.

The plot, such as it is, concerns Chewbacca’s desire to get home to see his family for “Life Day,” a Wookiee holiday never mentioned before or since that probably seemed like a decent parallel with Thanksgiving or Christmas from an advertiser’s point of view. That’s pretty much it, but it’s all the excuse the show needs to offer up bizarre songs, nonsensical stories, and a general attitude of indifference from the big-in-the-’70s stars. Don’t you owe it to yourself to see the rest? Sure, it’s terrible, but how can you resist? Read more …

Toronto After Dark Film Festival: The Last Lovecraft (2010)

Short Description

A bunch of geeks band together to save the earth from an invasion of deadly sea monsters in this crowd-pleasing comedy.

The Buzz

“Equal parts blood, slime, and slapstick… a lovingly crafted and light-hearted monster flick” – Bloody-Disgusting

“A loving ode to B-grade monster cinema…Creature fans will be greatly pleased” – Twitch Film

“A goofy, goopy comedy that pays loving homage to several masters of horror (including) Sam Raimi” - Toronto Star, Advance Festival Review

Official Selection - Slamdance Film Festival

Synopsis

Part creature-feature, part buddy-comedy, Henry Saine’s debut film THE LAST LOVECRAFT is a genre fan’s delight. Imagine a cross between SHAUN OF THE DEAD and JACK BROOKS MONSTER SLAYER and it’s easy to see why this film was a hit at Slamdance! Jeff’s life is heading nowhere fast: he’s stuck in a crummy office cubicle job, and he’s drifting apart from his comic book reading buddies. But when Jeff finds out that not only is he the last living relative of legendary horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, but only he can save the earth from an invasion of Sea Monsters, he realizes it’s time to reconnect with his old pals. At least one of them might know what to do when faced with a swarm of monstrous tentacles! Featuring a slew of memorable characters (Old Sea Captain Olaf practically steals the film), cool animated comic book sequences mixed in with lofi but effectively creepy monster effects, THE LAST LOVECRAFT is an unmissable crowd-pleaser for both FREAKS & GEEKS (Martin Starr from the show of the same name even has a cameo), and the perfect way to kick off the 5th Annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival! Read more …

10 Sci-Fi Movies That Don’t Totally Screw Up the Science

For a variety of reasons, science fiction movies tend to be heavy on the fiction and pretty light on the science. It’s not that writers and directors are willfully ignorant of physics; it’s just that it’s a whole lot easier to tell a story without having to worry about certain scientific details getting in the way.

These are, after all, movies, not term papers. Yet there are a handful of sci-fi movies that endeavor to get the science right, at least to a degree. They’re still devoted to telling a story in thrilling and often fanciful ways, but they also base those stories on a (slightly) more rigorous understanding of science than most other genre entries. Watching them won’t get you a bachelor’s degree, but it will give you an idea of what life in the future might look like.

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 space opera is usually remembered for its music, its length, and its surreal ending in which astronaut Dave Bowman travels time and space before turning into the Star-Child. (It was the ’60s.) But much of the science is remarkably accurate when it comes to depicting life among the stars, particularly the rotating space station that uses centripetal force to simulate gravity for its inhabitants. Co-writer Arthur C. Clarke’s scientific background and the presence of multiple scientific advisors during the film’s production insured a higher degree of authenticity than in most sci-fi features, especially those from the era. It’s been lauded by researchers for its quality, as well. Read more …

SCREAM 2010 Brings Back to the Future…Back

By SpikeTV.com | Not only is it one of the biggest movie franchises to emerge from the 1980s, Back to the Future is also one of the most beloved films of our time. And now SCREAM 2010 is paying tribute. Guess who’s showing up to celebrate?

Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson, and Elisabeth Shue will reunite on stage at SCREAM 2010 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Back to the Future. Only days after SCREAM hits Spike on October 19, the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-ray and DVD will hit stores worldwide on October 26.

To sweeten up the deal, the event that honors everything sci-fi, fantasy, comics and horror will also be presenting exclusive footage from the much-anticipated Paranormal Activity 2. Find out what else you can expect to see at SCREAM 2010.

You’re not going to want to miss this. But don’t get too caught up in the excitement that you forget to vote on all of your favorite categories and nominees!

Toronto After Dark Film Festival: RoboGeisha (2010)

Short Description

Incredible Japanese cult action film about a pair of dueling Geisha assassins with deadly robotic parts!

The Buzz

“Violent, unrepentantly silly….loaded with wildly over the top set pieces… an explosion of cult excess…truly remarkable” - Twitch Film

“You can’t possibly take a film like this seriously… if you’re in the mood for some ass-kicking action mixed with elements of Austin Powers, Godzilla and even Tetsuo: The Iron Man you won’t come away disappointed.” - Horror Talk

“Much of the humour comes from the ridiculous upgrades that Yoshie and her sister receive on the path to becoming the ultimate Robogeishas, including armpit-based swords and breast-mounted canons” - Twitch Film

“Crazed, over the top creativity….really needs to be seen to be believed, more than living up to the promise of the trailer” - Beyond Hollywood

Official Selection - Fantastic Fest, Austin

Synopsis

Noboru Iguchi (THE MACHINE GIRL) is back with his frenzied mash-up of beautiful girls and their weaponized body parts. Two sisters end up battling in more ways than one for the affection of a wealthy young industrialist, who happens to be something of an evil genius bent on mass destruction. Training with his Geisha death squad, the sibling rivalry evolves along with their now mechanized flesh, sprouting machine guns, swords, and buzz saws from the most unlikely places. Japanese splatter guru Yoshihiro Nishimura (TOKYO GORE POLICE) is here to ramp up the outrageous effects. This ridiculous, over the top B-flick has so many WTF moments you’ll lose count, along with the number of weapons that fly out of the girls rear ends! ROBOGEISHA is a live action cartoon with a dash of melodrama to cleanse your palate between the mechanized mayhem! Read more …

Scream Awards 2010 Nominees

The Scream Awards will be presented announced on October 19, 2010.

Here are the nominees:

Ultimate Scream
Alice in Wonderland
Avatar
District 9
Inception
Iron Man 2
Kick-Ass
“Lost”
“True Blood”
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Zombieland Read more …

Toronto After Dark Film Festival: Cargo (2010)

Short Description

In this stunning sci-fi thriller in the mould of ALIEN, a deep space mission crew faces a terrifying new discovery.

The Buzz

“Switzerland has not only produced its first large scale science fiction film….it ranks among sci-fi cinema’s best.” - Quiet Earth

“A Swiss-made throwback to heady space fare like 2001, Solaris and Alien” - Eye Weekly, Advance Review

“Impressive…far more ambitious than most science fiction films” - Sci-Fi Squad

“A surprisingly epic and intriguing science fiction film” - Lucid Nightmare

Official Selection - SXSW Film Festival

Synopsis

In this taut sci-fi thriller from Switzerland, it is the 23rd century and the Earth is uninhabitable. Humans crowd onto space stations and try to scrape together enough money to travel to Rhea, an idyllic planet slowly being colonized. Laura, a young medic, has signed onto a cargo freighter for four years to earn her passage and be reunited with her family. During her 8-month shift alone on watch, Laura discovers she and the small crew are not alone, and what is hiding in the shadows is killing them off one by one. With incredible art direction and nods to films such as ALIEN, SUNSHINE and THE MATRIX, director Ivan Engler creates fear and claustrophobia in the terrifying and enormous silence of space.
- Shelagh Rowan-Legg Read more …