HOLY FRAK! All hands jump to Seattle!!!

Check it out!!! There's a Battlestar Galactica exhibit at the EMP Science Fiction Museum in Seattle!!!

We've got about 8 months to get up there and check out the Vipers, Cylons and amazing exhibits! There's some kind of Avatar exhibit going on, too!

Here's a drool-inducing glimpse I found:

AMC is at it again...

Our pals at AMC have been on quite a roll, knocking out some of the best series television there is. I was thrilled to learn that this fall they’re trying their hand at a western. Set in the 1860s, Hell on Wheels follows former confederate soldier Cullen Bohannan (Anson Mount), whose quest for vengeance leads him to Union Pacific’s westward construction of the first Transcontinental Railroad. Bohannan means to hunt down the Union soldiers who killed his wife. Colm Meaney and Common also star. Here's a peek:




I have to admit, even for a western fan, "Cullen Bohannan" is a heck of a mouthful. It might as well be "Quincannon Durango." But I'm just happy to see someone following in the footsteps of beloved Deadwood and hope that this catches fire with some good storytelling.

AMC President Charlie Collier says, “AMC’s commitment to the western is long-standing, and the genre is an important part of our brand and history as a channel. In Hell on Wheels, AMC is creating another epic and enduring American story.”

Here’s hoping that AMC’s streak continues and that Hell on Wheels lives up to its name.

Series review: Thrones fit for a King

Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to consider HBO’s amazing production of Game of Thrones. A 10 episode opus, Thrones is unlike anything ever attempted by a cable channel. A massive fantasy saga aimed squarely at adults. The books are ripe and complex and many readers were dreading TV shortcuts or dumbed-down choices – something HBO never succumbed to. In short, Game of Thrones is a spectacular achievement and they pulled off the near impossible task of conveying this enormous, sprawling kingdom peopled by dozens of characters.

Thrones looks amazing. From its stylized opening credits, the eye is always engaged. Stupendous Irish locations double for the kingdom of Westeros and blend beautifully with CGI renderings of King’s Landing, Winterfell, and of course, The Wall. The Wall is a stunning achievement. When you first glimpse it in episode 1, you know that this team was determined to make these fantastical environs seem as real as possible.

But what makes Game of Thrones stand as a colossal success is the cast. Sean Bean is perfectly cast as Eddard Stark and his presence dominates the moral center of the story, struggling to stay true against the corruption of the King – an unapologetically rotund Mark Addy – and the scheming mechanizations of the Lannisters. Cersei and Jaime are nicely rendered, if not quite as blond and narcissistic as they seemed in the book.

My favorite Lannisters (there’s a show title) are Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Joffrey (Jack Gleeson). Okay, a slim argument can be made that technically Joff’s a Baratheon, but do we really want to go there, considering? Dinklage makes Tyrion step right out of the book. Always the smartest man in the room, always the wit that draws blood, Dinklage steals every scene he’s in. Watch him “confess his crimes” to Lysa at the Eyrie (a brilliantly depicted location, by the way. The Sky Cells are breathtakingly frightening).

Joff makes Draco Malfoy seem like a misunderstood Cub Scout. Jack Gleeson is cluelessly entitled and ruthlessly selfish, particularly once he gets a taste of power.

Emilia Clarke and Jason Momoa are splendid in the Dothraki scenes as Daenerys Targaryen and warlord Kahl Drogo. These scenes are straight out of the book and done very faithfully. Iain Glen is a real find as Dany’s faithful knight Ser Jorah Mormont - the guy’s terrific.

As youngest daughter of the Stark clan, Maisie Williams is pitch-perfect as Arya. Her tomboyism, her fondness for the blade – she does a remarkable job – all the Stark family are great, make no mistake – but Arya just leaves you wanting more. The show is practically overflowing with great supporting characters. It’s a hoot to see The Wire’s Mayor Carcetti (Aidan Gillen) as Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish.

It’s been a real delight to revel in these 10 remarkable episodes this spring. Was everything perfect? Not always. The creators got a little carried away with the “full frontal” festivities at times – Hodor?!? There were some unnecessarily graphic sex scenes that at times threatened to let the show drift over into Bob Guccione’s Caligula territory. But Game of Thrones has got to be seen as a great success. What the home video release will offer is anyone’s guess – deleted scenes? One can only drool in anticipation. If you missed this on air, all I can say is you’re in for a real treat, as the creators were clearly driven to be as faithful to the book as possible – on that score they did not disappoint. Here’s to even more divine madness in next year’s sophomore season, presumably titled Clash of Kings.

Stupendous 8

                      

I'm just going to say it, Super 8 may be the best movie I've seen this year. For the teenager who still very much lives inside of me, there's no question about it. 

It's 1979 and a group of small town friends are obsessed with making a Super 8 horror movie. Sneaking around filming, they stumble across a horrific train crash - capturing more on film than they bargained for. A collaboration  between J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg, Super 8 is remarkably evocative of guru Spielberg's classics, from Jaws to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Yet it's no fawning "I love you, Steve," copycat on Abrams' part. It genuinely feels like these two kindred-spirit filmmakers have been inspired by each other. Abrams directs with tremendous heart and suspense here. The young cast of teenage filmmakers are fantastic, with Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning delivering standout performances.

As someone who spent a lot of time as part of a very similar group of dedicated teen filmmakers, I can tell you that Super 8 does a sensational job of capturing the obsessive energy and collective insanity of kids determined to follow in the footsteps of their heroes. "Production value!" The gang in Super 8 are nicely drawn characters and Courtney and his Orson Welles pal Riley Griffiths create a genuine sense of friendship and history together. Elle Fanning's arrival in their world causes just as much upheaval as the train crash they all witness. This is probably the best depiction of the seventies since Zodiac, everything feels very natural, nothing forced.

Super 8 is a monster movie, but it's also something more. More than anything, it's about the dreams that go on behind the camera - Abrams' and Spielberg's, as well as those of Courtney, Griffiths and his friends. They're all trying to capture something magic and they're all trying to live up to their inspirations. From where I'm sitting, the dreamers behind both cameras have succeeded spectacularly. Super 8 will carry you back to those halcyon summers that made us who we were, just like it was yesterday.

Alternate Universes

One of the things we love about Fringe is the fun they have with the idea of an alternate universe. In one episode, they showed a theater marquee reading “Back to the Future starring Eric Stolz,” who was originally cast as Marty McFly, then replaced after five weeks of filming.

Stolz is not alone! There are many stories of actors who were almost cast in what would become iconic roles, only to lose the part to those we now indelibly associate with the role. But if you will, imagine these alternate realities – they almost came to pass…

Gene Hackman was almost Hannibal Lecter and Michelle Pfeiffer was almost Clarice Starling!



Robert Redford was almost Michael Corleone! Ernest Borgnine was almost Don Vito Corleone!



Dustin Hoffman was almost Blade Runner Rick Deckard!



My favorite -- Christopher Walken was almost Han Solo (Nick Nolte was even considered)!



O.J. Simpson was almost The Terminator! James Cameron vetoed the studio's idea. Why? He didn't think audiences would find Simpson believable as a killer.

Lost in Middle Earth -- one last bit of Hobbit news

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Another bit of Hobbit casting news. Evangeline Lilly of Lost will be joining The Hobbit as a Woodland Elf named Tauriel, a new character, says Peter Jackson: "Her name means 'daughter of Mirkwood.' "

Elementary, my dear Smaug...

99% official - a while back we reported that Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch had been confirmed as being attached to The Hobbit. Given his look, I think a lot of us assumed he'd be playing an Elf.

Now comes word that Benedict will be voicing that legendary dragon of dragons, Smaug, as well as a mysterious character called The Necromancer, who is later revealed to be an evildoer of some importance...

Cumberbatch will wear a motion capture suit to portray Smaug and has been getting serious buzz for his supporting performances in the Steven Spielberg-directed War Horse as well as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, in which he stars opposite Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy and Colin Firth.