San Diego: From the German, Referring to the Vagina of a Whale

Current Tunes: The Dillinger Escape Plan – Dead as History

As promised, a San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) extravaganza!!!

But! To get started, I actually want to give a quick bump to the NBC show “Kings,” which actually had no promotion that I know of at SDCC. The finale was fantastic, sheer joy. This show is very peculiar to me because they do a few things wrong and it feels sometimes like it lacks that 'magic touch' that makes a TV show really stand out. However, that is really, truly outweighed by how incredibly brave this show is. I could go on more, but I think I’ll save it for a “Kings-only” post later on.

Personal favorite thing that came out of SDCC: “Tron: Legacy” trailer. This actually came out last year, but it wasn’t technically a trailer then, it was nothing but ‘test footage,’ barely official work done for a movie that hadn’t even been confirmed by Disney. Several casting announcements later, plus a release date and script, means this project is finally happening, close to 30 years after the original “Tron” completely reformatted (couldn’t help myself) American filmmaking.

Most of you know I have an incredible talent for exaggeration and general outlandish claims and statements, but understand I mean this from the bottom of my heart when I say this: A “Tron” sequel is my Holy Grail of filmmaking. I’ve wanted nothing more, all these years. I still vividly remember the impact that film had on me as a child; the world-building was simple and direct, yet obviously allowed for a near infinite amount of elaboration and development. And the advent of the Internet has only increased “Tron’s” significance and scope. For it to finally happen stirs a feeling inside me that goes beyond fandom or nostalgia; the best word for it might be what people usually refer to as hope. What’s so much more encouraging is not only did they manage to preserve the design and mood of the original, they’ve improved upon it dramatically, all while churning out an incredibly gorgeous product that puts most other effects-heavy films of recent years to shame. Flynn, indeed, lives.

The “Lost” panel looks like it was an incredible amount of fun. The clip (starts at about 5:50) of Michael Emerson reading a passage from "Heroes" (I’m guessing that’s what it was?) was pretty amusing. Apparently the big message that Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse wanted to get across was something about "bookending" the show and returning to the attitude of Season One. While stylistically and thematically I can understand that move, for me I’m a bit concerned. While Season One definitely had an incredible amount of memorable, classic, vital moments and stories, let’s not kid ourselves… Proceeding seasons were better. Maybe not all of them, but I still think Season Two is just about the pinnacle of television history; perhaps I’m biased. Whatever’s going to go on though, this fact I know: I challenge you to present me a final season of any show in history that had as much pressure on it as “Lost” Season Six has. Here’s hoping the end of this amazing show isn’t crushed under the weight of it.

I hadn’t heard of “Legion” before the con, but this might have sleeper hit written all over it, depending. This is basically all I know about it: Angels in heaven decide humanity needs a reboot, a la the flood of Noah, and take matters into their own hands, along with a couple of semi-automatic guns. This concept… I’m just speechless about it. It’ll either be a better, more intelligent version of “Underworld” or it’ll completely bomb.

The first trailer for “Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day” premiered and I eagerly await its arrival on the Web. If you’re not excited about this sequel, you’ve either never seen the first one, or you have no pulse. Or both.

Summer Glau is possibly coming to Season Two of “Dollhouse.” And probably not as a doll?!?! Wow, good call. However, on second thought, that’s just a ploy. After all, everyone knows that everyone on the show is a doll, except Ballard. Sucks to be him. On a disgustingly chauvinistic note, a Summer Glau & Dichen Lachman (Sierra) lesbian-tinged scene would be a life-highlight for me, I do believe.

Blah, blah, blah, “Ironman 2,” blah, blah, blah.

Best move for me during the SDCC weekend: avoiding any talk of James Cameron’s newest opus “Avatar.” The less I know about this project the better, considering most people are saying its going to change movie making, not unlike how “Tron” did. That’s a heavy legacy to live up to, but there’s only a handful of people on this planet capable of such a feat and make no mistake, Cameron is in that handful.

Most annoying tease statements made by a director: Robert Zemeckis, promoting his very intriguing-looking retelling of “A Christmas Carol,” didn’t do the smart thing and flat-out dismiss rumors about a sequel to “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” Bob, my good friend, don’t give the people false hope. Twenty-plus years later, Warner Bros. & Disney haven’t been duking it out for the ticket sales of America’s children just to get bogged down in a rights-war over this project. Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse are going nowhere near each other, especially given the amount of money a project like this could rake in; no one will be willing to give way. And even if I’m wrong, don’t you DARE try and replace Bob Hoskins or the wrath of God himself will see to it you experience unpleasantness of biblical magnitude.

To end, I guess I’ll comment on Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland,” which I’ve got to say doesn’t grab my interests at all. I’m not really sure why, but so far the images/trailers/teases only inspire apathy and brief, but obvious, creepiness. People are going to get excited about this, of course, but my lack-of-care for this project stems mostly from Burton’s past history where he works from previous material. Examples: “Planet of the Apes,” “Big Fish,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” What those all have in common is the big hype that preceded them, then the eventual national division in attitude towards them, which only lead to box office blahs. I predict the same for “Alice.” Burton's always been at his best with original material, i.e. "Beetlejuice" and "Edward Scissorhands."

Now that I’ve thought of it, how did it get to where one of the biggest days for filmmaking and television is a COMIC convention? What the hell? Only in America...