The International Space Station receives its new docking port tonight. More below, and some things a little closer to earth. The 74th World SF Con, Mid America Con II, is underway in Kansas City, Gamescon has started in Cologne, and…..
Author Archives: JD DeLuzio
Dragon Nominees
The Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards* have some competition as SF/Fantasy/Horror/Geekdom’s major honors. Atlanta’s successful Dragon Con brings us the The Dragon Awards, and their first ever nominees feature a wealth of attention-worthy titles.
Cthulhu Monopoly, anyone?
Kenny Baker, the man who was Artoo, dead at 81
Kenny Baker, best-known as the animating spirit in one of cinema’s most famous machines, died at 81 after a lengthy illness. Baker had a number of genre credits to his name, including Time Bandits and Labyrinth. He will be missed.
Weekend Review: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde’s novel has been adapted to the screen more than twenty times, but the most famous is the 1945 version, which received two Oscar nominations and one win (Best Cinematography), a Golden Globe (Best Actress) and a Hugo (Best Dramatic Presentation).
It tells the tale of man whose wish, mystically granted, goes disturbingly awry.
Movie Discussion: Suicide Squad
The last DC film about a super-villain was Catwoman. By the established standard, then, Suicide Squad must be a success. By other standards, well, that is a matter of opinion.
What is yours?
Newspace
The Rio Olympics opened with spectacle– and a lesson on climate change (from an Olympiad with more than a few problems, environmental and otherwise)
In off-world-related news, Moon Express has been approved for a private lunar landing in 2017, Space-X prepares for a pair of launches, and Russia plans to land on Ganymede:
Below, Spider-Robot spins a web, any size:
Preacher Review: “Call and Response”
Preacher‘s first season ends with a lot of activity, the start of the graphic novel series, and some questions. This review will also consider “Finish the Song.” The final two episodes really feel like a two-partner, even by the standards of a story-arc show.
It’s the end of the season. Expect unconcealed spoilers.
Summer Weekend Review: to.get.her
Star Trek opened last week and Suicide Squad arrives next. In between, we take you back to 2011, to a beach town where something sinister is afoot, and a Game of Thrones alumna is among the targets.
Newspace: Sontarans, apparently, are well-designed
Designed to make a point about road safety, “Graham“, the man who would survive any car crash, looks remarkably like a Sontaran from Doctor Who.
For those interested in actual space news, keep watching the skies over the next few days for the Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower. And…
Jerry Doyle (1956-2016), R.I.P.
Jerry Doyle, best-remembered for his role as Garibaldi on Babylon Five, has died at the age of 60 at his Las Vegas home. An autopsy is pending.