TV: Will Veronica Mars ditch season-long dramatic arcs?

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Originally uploaded by gold_teeth.

I wouldn't normally point my browser to Michael Ausiello's page over at TVGuide.com, mainly because the guy seems to live for spoilers. I don't have any use for TV or movie spoilers, and I'm baffled by those who do -- why would you want to ruin the excitement and intrigue? Anyway an item on NeptuneSite led me to Ausiello's page and the following bit of news.

Ausiello quotes Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas as saying that, if picked up, season four of the show will lean toward more self-contained episodes instead of a season-long arc, like we've seen in seasons one and two.

"Our fear is that the big mysteries are keeping casual TV viewers away, and it's very difficult to engage Veronica in a multi-episode mystery without making it extremely personal," Thomas said. "Season 1 was built around the mystery. Veronica's best friend was dead. Every series regular was intertwined with the mystery. Without replacing the cast with each mystery and/or killing Wallace, I'm not sure we can devise enough personal connection to a case to keep the momentum we had in Season 1."

So, there you go, from the man himself. I don't know what to think about this. Can it be that hard to keep decent dramatic arcs going? Buffy did it for seven years.

I mean, the implication is that the CW network and the series' creators want to cater to the people who don't watch the show instead of loyal fans. That's pretty disappointing. But, some said this was going to happen for season three, and that hasn't been the case. Sure, this season's mystery arc was wrapped up in the first half of the season, unlike in years past, but it still has been a great season full of surprises, great writing and acting. Plus the show had record ratings for its winter finale episode, mainly because it wrapped up a half-season arc. That's proof that dramatic arcs do bring in ratings, so it's unlikely that Thomas and crew will toss out the arc concept altogether.

I'm sure Veronica Mars will still be a compelling, funny and smart series if renewed for another year, but those arcs are a big part of what keeps me watching. What do you think?

Friday Video: Busdriver - 'Avantcore'

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Originally uploaded by gold_teeth.

Dig on this great, playful clip from Busdriver. Happy Friday. Also, those evil bastards at Pitchfork are offering a new MP3 from Busdriver's new album here.

Morning Dose: Cobain movie?; SXSW 2007; Meat puppets; Wil Wheaton; Venom figure

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Originally uploaded by gold_teeth.

Kurt Cobain movie on the way?

A post on AccssHollywood.com informs that Courtney Love has acquired the rights to the Charles Cross biography of Kurt Cobain Heavier Than Heaven. She is in discussion with several studios to produce a film based on the book. Apparently, Courtney posted all of this information on a fan site and says the movie will be an "A list" production.
Is it just me, or do legions of Cobain and Nirvana fans out there feel nervous about leaving the filmic fate of Kurt in Courtney's hands? Whatever happens, let's just hope the next film inspired by Kurt's life and music is more exciting than Gus Van Sant's Last Days.


SXSW 2007 news

South by Southwest 2007 is set to start March 9 in Austin. Here's an early look at what's on tap for the film portion. As for the music portion of the festival, expect a keynote address from Pete Townshend and a sit-down with Ricki Lee Jones


Want to control a real-life avatar?

Ever wanted to have a real-life, flesh and blood avatar? Here's your chance. The Medaimatic gallery in Amsterdam will present a two-week exhibit in which people can manipulate four real people (or avatars) from the comfort of their own home. The project is called The Girlfriend Experience and takes place in a villa you can observe from your computer. The weirdness starts on Jan 26.


Wil Wheaton on Star Trek: The Experience

Wil Wheaton blogs about his first time at Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas. According to him, it's fuckin' awesome. Read his post, it's a real treat, especially for Trek fans. Here's an excerpt:
"Being inside those walls, even though it was in a casino in Las Vegas, I was safe. I was protected from the bullshit that had been the focus of my life since I quit the show. When that bullshit was washed away, I saw Trek for what it is: a huge part of my life."


Venom and Jen's figures

Finally, check out the new Spider-Man 3 Venom action figure, now available for order along with other new Spider-Man junk. Oh yeah, apparently Jennifer Aniston's breasts are getting a lot of attention today. Oh, and my first TVFodder.com post is online here. I'll be covering Battlestar Galactica for the site, so check it out if you're a fan.

Music: Meet Talib Kweli

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Originally uploaded by gold_teeth.

I had such a busy one yesterday that I forgot to post about a new band you should check out. Now, instead of doing that, I'll post about an MC -- Talib Kweli.

The Brooklyn MC, formerly of Back Star with Mos Def and DJ Hi-Tek, just released a colabo disk with Oakland-based producer and MC Madlib called Liberation. A post on Kweli's MySpace blog informs that Liberation, which was offered as a free download before its first week of release, is a gift to fans of independent hip-hop. In the post, Talib goes on to praise Madlib's talents and reveals more about the inspiration for this album.

"In this era of over produced and over marketed product, Mad Lib leads the pack of independent artists who could care less about all of that. I am a part of the music industry, and lord knows I'm needed, but for our own sanity we must step outside the system and create that which is not packaged for mass consumption," he writes.

Liberation is definitely worth listening to. It's one of the most interesting collaborative records I've heard in a long time. Madlib's beats are soulful, imaginative and unexpected, while Talib's singular flow is always welcome. Unfortunately, it's not available for free download anymore, unless you do some creative searching, of course. Keep checking the Stones Throw Web site for an official release date.

Look for Kweli's next solo project Eardrum to hit the street later this year.

Here's some media to consume:

MP3:
Talib Kweli & Madlib - 'The Function (feat. Strong Arm Steady)'

Video:

Comics: Order your copy of Joss Whedon's Buffy: Season 8 now

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Originally uploaded by gold_teeth.

Dark Horse comics reports that issue one of Joss Whedon's upcoming Buffy Season 8 comic will hit stores on March 7. You can pre-order your copy here.

As reported before, Whedon will write the first few issues of the comic, which will be an official continuation of the TV series that ran for seven seasons.

TVSquad reports that the plot for the first few issues will involve new slayer "cells," Giles and Amy the witch. Oh yeah, and if you didn't notice, that's Xander in the preview image for issue no. 2 posted above. Looks like he pulled a Wesley and went rogue.

Morning Dose: X-Men 4?; Buffy book; Trek news; No Hobbit for Jackson

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Originally uploaded by gold_teeth.

Storm brings the pressure for X-Men 4

After winning her People's Choice Award this week, Halle Berry asked X-Men fans to write letters to a Fox executive to encourage the studio to do X-Men 4. Funny, I would be in favor of another X-flick only if Berry were not allowed anywhere near the set.


The Science of slaying

Science is everywhere in the Buffyverse, according to writer Jennifer Ouellette. Ouellette's new book The Physics of the Buffyverse uses characters, concepts and plot lines from joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel to illustrate physical science concepts like sound, electricity, thermodynamics, time travel, wormholes, black holes and more. Almost makes you wanna become a science teacher. The book answers questions like the following in scientific terms:
- What’s the best kind of wood to use for a stake, especially against a Turok-han?
- How much energy would you need to create enough extra mass to turn Mayor Wilkins into a giant snake?
Buy the book here.


Star Trek XI news from Abrams, Shatner

Lost creator JJ Abrams and William Shatner are offering some information on the upcoming Star Trek film. Abrams comments make it seem like his finished script for the film is a reboot, like Batman Begins.
"... The movie does not require you to know anything aboutStar Trek. I would actually prefer [that] people don't know the series, because I feel like they will come to it with an open mind," Abrams told Entertainment Weekly about the script. Abrams might also direct the film.
Shatner tells Sci-Fi Wire that he plans to meet with Abrams and will appear in the film if asked. He confirms that the story is about young Kirk. The film is due out in 2008.


Peter Jackson vs. New Line

The whole Peter Jackson vs. New Line spat is getting ugly. New Line Chief exec Robert Shaye has some pretty nasty words to say about Jackson, who says he won't do The Hobbit. Read about the mess at Cinematical.


Crazy like Matthew Fox

Finally, read about how Lost's Matthew Fox is kind of a wierdo and enjoy this new song from Talib Kweli and Madlib.

Comics: X-Factor No.14 review

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Originally uploaded by gold_teeth.

In the first-page primer for X-Factor No. 14: "Multiple Issues," writer Peter David hilariously sums up the origins of this latest incarnation of X-Factor in his trademark self-aware and self-effacing style.

"...The X-Men broke up but were later reunited as X-Factor, but then they stopped being X-Factor and a bunch of guys who no one was that interested in became X-Factor. It was eventually canceled. But then Andy Schmidt got the bright idea to do a limited series based on Madrox, called in Peter David to write it and Pablo Raimondi to pencil it, and it sold real well and now here we all are," reads David's history of, arguably, his best series yet. (If you want a weightier version of the book's evolution, go here).

Much like Buffy creator Joss Whedon, David's one of those writers who can take a story, in this case a comic book, full of outsiders or second-tier heroes and make it spark with dense plotting, humor, great dialogue and a real love for the characters. The noir twist that's going on in this book, underscored by Raimondi's sleek penciling and the almost monochrome color pallete, is a welcome bonus.

"Multiple Issues" smartly deals with the fallout of a few big events from the last couple of issues. Told in a gumshoe flashback style, Jamie Madrox starts out dealing with the literal cuts and bruises he's collected from Siryn and Monet and ends up on a personal quest to quiet his existential demons.

After kicking a few back with Rictor -- and revealing that Monet's a real tiger in the sack -- Madrox heads to the Central Park Zoo and calls in Dr. Samson to shrink his head a bit. Enlightening words are exchanged, monkey poo is tossed and Madrox decides to pull himself together, literally, by collecting all the dupes he's sent out into the world.

I really liked the conversation between Madrox and Samson here. The spacious panels really sold the reflective tone, and I like the idea that maybe Madrox's decision to send out his dupes wasn't a good idea after all. the decision has certainly has lead him to be a more complex character, but I'm looking forward to following him on his dupe-collecting journey, even though it means he might leave his teammates behind.

Finally, we had some unexpected good news for the rest of the team. Thanks to Layla's interference (she really does know stuff, you know), Monet and Siryn make up, girlie style, and head to Paris to do some retail therapy. Funny stuff.

Guido bluntly confesses to Mrs. Buchanan about accidentally smoking her husband while under Singularity's mind control. She reacts with understanding, and David lays down the workings of a great, compassionate character with a nice knack for eloquence. I hope we see more of Buchanan in issues to come.

Now, what to make of Madrox's run in with Val at S.H.I.E.L.D? And who kidnaped him outside the offices? And what about Pierto and Rictor? Will one influence the other to change his tune? Big time X-book fans probably already know the answer to this, but I'm a newbie here, so I'm still very intrigued by the possibilities.

Once again, David and crew delivered a muted, funny and smart issue that's more invested in character instead of world-ending arcs or, well, tights. For me, X-Factor remains one of the most compelling superhero books on the shelves.

Memorable exchange:
Madrox: I read in a few decades, polar bears might be extinct 'cause of global warming, courtesy of maknkind
Samson: How do you feel about that?
Madrox: It sucks. For one thing, what'll they use to sell Coca Cola?

Links:
Peter David's blog

Marvel's X-Factor page

Film: Pan's Labyrinth comes to Brownsville

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Originally uploaded by gold_teeth.

I don’t believe it. Pan’s Labyrinth is coming to Brownsville this Friday. First Children of Men and now this!

Pan's was released nationwide in December, but like a lot of smaller or independent movies, it has yet to play anywhere near Brownsville. I'm sure the film is expanding to our market simply because it's making a lot of money, like a few other well-received indie films out right now. I hope this is a trend that continues. It’s about time the local Cinemark screened some quality, non-Hollywood films. (I’m not boasting, but I can’t help but think that this might have something to do with this little article)

I can’t wait to see this film, not only because it’s one of the best reviewed of 2006, but also because I’m a fan of director Guillermo del Toro. Del Toro’s credits include The Devil’s Backbone, Cronos and Blade II, all superior and original entries into the horror/fantasy genre.

Click here for showtimes at Brownsville’s Cinemark Sunrise Mall. I’m planning on seeing Pan’s this weekend, so expect a review here soon.

Here’s a good feature about the film. Check out the trailer below.

Film: Children of Men review

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Originally uploaded by gold_teeth.

(Cinemark Sunrise Mall, Brownsville, TX; 1/7/07)
It’s hard to single out one moment in director Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men that doesn’t feel urgent, tense or, more frighteningly, very plausible.

Set in a dystopian, war ravaged future Britain where no child has been born for 18 years, the film effectively draws a straight line between the bleak, bombed-out future on the screen and current events, including the war in Iraq and the crackdown on illegal immigration.

“This is where we’re heading,” Cuarón is trying to say, but Children of Men, based on the book by P.D. James, is remarkable not because of its social commentary, but for the way it doles the commentary out.

Cuarón — clearly a follower of the “show don’t tell” philosophy — has crafted a thrilling technical achievement here, creating a gray, violent British police state full of visual exposition that shows us everything we need to know. We’re not told the world is in chaos, we see it in the newspaper clippings with wartime headlines, the downbeat TV news reports about casualty counts and terrorist bombings, the political graffiti and in the faces of caged refugees on the street.

Corporate structures and bureaucratic buildings are all that stand intact — it’s hard times for sure. It’s anyone’s guess who started the war or who’s on the right side, but that information isn’t really pertinent to the film’s sim-plistic story.

Clive Owen cuts a decidedly glum figure as Theo, a former revolutionary turned beurocratic drone who now kills time by getting high with an aging pot dealer (played warmly by Michael Caine). Theo’s revolutionary past comes back to tap him for a favor in the form of his ex-wife (Julian Moore), the leader of a political extremist group. Moore’s faction is protecting a young woman (Claire Hope Ashitey) who, somehow, is pregnant. It’s up to Theo to use his political pull to get the pregnant woman, named Kee, to another political group called The Human Project. There, supposedly, Kee will get the medical treatment and care her and her baby will need to survive.

Children of Men is a surprisingly economic film of ideas, but the film’s driving story is too simplistic. While the world around them is burning with conflict, the film’s main characters follow a standard road movie formula. There are a few shocking scenes along the way, but if you’ve seen the trailer, you know where the film’s heading.

Children of Men is most effective when the turbulent world outside comes crashing in on the main characters, leading them into chaotic and shockingly realistic scenes of guerilla warfare and terrorist action. There’s a tense, stunningly shot stretch in the second half of the film in which Owen runs through an urban war zone, evading sniper bullets while those around him fall bloody to the ground. The scene rivals anything I’ve seen in recent war films, including the opening shots of Saving Private Ryan.

There’s much to recommend here, including good performances by the cast (especially Hope Ashitey), great music and profound cinematography. I only wish the main story would have taken a few more unexpected turns. Maybe then the film would have held the gripping pace it sometimes achieves.

Links:
Official Children of Men Web site

Trailer

Alfonso Cuarón at imdb.com