The Walking Dead skipped the end of the world. Rather than show the rise of the zombies—that’s been done to death—it brought us into the already wasted-land through the eyes of Rick Grimes, who slept through the apocalypse. The spin-off shambles back to those early days, when the world began to end. Can it sustain this premise, by going into a level of detail that would have been beyond the classic zombie films?
Author Archives: JD DeLuzio
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Canadian-based Thoth Technology has patented a Space elevator.
No word on when it might be completed. We bet you’ll get space lettuce first:
It looks like we might be getting a Xena reboot. Curiously, the remains of a possible real-life ancient warrior princess have turned up in Kazakhstan.
Below: a couple go Simpsons, Maryland’s Route 29 Batman meets a tragic end, and more.
TV Review: Humans: Second Half, Season One
In a parallel present, we have highly developed “Synths” as servants. Their presence has social implications, and fears have been amplified as the presence of sentient Synths becomes known. These characters find much opposition from humanity, but also some allies.
And the blurring of natural and artificial life has already started.
Summer Weekend Review: “Vanishing Point”
It’s 1971 on the American highway. Duel gives Steven Spielberg his start, and Two-Lane Blacktop may be the purest road movie ever made. However, Duel‘s been made-for-TV, and only gradually will its reputation spread. Blacktop, after its initial run, will be plagued by soundtrack issues not resolved until the twenty-first century. The many years of too-few showings will bolster its cult status but limit its audience. The most successful road movie1 of that year is Vanishing Point, an existential car chase with enough mysticism that it also drifts across the line separating realism and fantasy, making it an unusual but appropriate choice for this Summer Weekend Review.
Who is Stan Lee in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Sure, Stan the Man has been appearing in Marvel Movies (and, occasionally, comic books) for years, even making a passing appearance as a jury foreman in 1989’s made-for-tv flick, The Trial of the Incredible Hulk. The successful twenty-first century cinematic universe has given Lee his best appearances, however, as a World War II General, a modern-day Smithsonian security guard, and some guy with a truck in Thor. He even shows up in space in The Guardians of the Galaxy. We know it’s Stan Lee, of course, making amusing Easter Egg cameos. But, given that these movies and TV shows depict an interconnected universe, who is Stan in that reality? Is he an Elder of the Universe? A disguised Watcher? Do clones of one man exist for some sinister purpose? Come on, you obsessively-theorizing nerds!
Who is Mr. Lee?
Summer Weekend Review: Dr. X (1932)
Long before Professor X opened up his school for gifted mutants, another Dr. Xavier appeared in a horror/SF/mystery thriller. It remains famous mostly for its pre-Hayes Code elements and two-tone color process, and it is this weekend’s Summer Movie Review.
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Reeling over the revelation that, in the new Fantastic Four film, “It’s clobbering time!” was what Ben’s abusive brother used to say before beating him up? Well, perhaps Newspace will cheer you up!
As you doubtless read, Hitchbot, the hitch-hiking robot that has previously crossed Canada and Germany (among other places), lasted two weeks crossing the U.S. before some asshats destroyed him.
Lexus made a working hoverboard!
…But not really. It only rides under very specific circumstances. In short, it’s a marketing stunt and, while it works, it’s not yet a viable board.
Hmm. Not very cheery after all.
The Science News gets a little better below….
Summer Weekend Review: What We Do in the Shadows
We have a recent film up for summer weekend review this time around, an engagingly funny look at vampires, created by the duo behind Flight of the Conchords.
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Robo-Cup Soccer!
Speaking of robots, a company in Japan hopes to have a fleet of Robo-taxis ready in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
We’ve been hearing a lot of reports like this one in the news about Shawyer’s supposed “impossible” EM drive, but we really need to approach the claims with cautious optimism.
Below: 3-D printed electronics, the search for ET, a stalled Batmobile, and more:
Summer Weekend Review: It Came From Outer Space
They’ll be other nights, and other stars for us to watch. They’ll be back.
The Man from Planet X came first, as did the The Thing From Another World, which may be the best of the genre. The War of the Worlds had a bigger budget, and The Day the Earth Stood Still has become iconic. Never mind. This film may be the archetypal 1950s alien invasion movie, and its influence on later films, and TV’s The Outer Limits, would be difficult to miss. Elements of the story also presage Betty and Barney Hill’s alleged encounter with aliens.
Look for Russell “The Professor” Johnson.