BuzzSugar

Are You Enjoying This Season of Heroes?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 05:30:00 PDT

In a move that has "everything" to do with a possible writer's strike and "nothing at all" to do with this season of Heroes experiencing critical blasts and ratings drops, NBC has shelved the summer series Heroes: Origins. The off-season spin-off series was supposed to introduce several new heroes and tell their full stories. At the end, viewers would decide which of the heroes would get to be in the regular cast.

Insiders at NBC are insisting "creative reasons weren't behind the temporary shutdown of the spinoff." According to Variety (where the writers can't seem to get through an article about NBC without calling the network "Peacock" ten times), "Peacock execs believe future episodes of the show will return the skein to its season-one form."

So tell me: What do you think of this season of Heroes so far?

Photo courtesy of NBC

Eli Roth to Write and Direct a "Heroes: Origins" Episode

BuzzSugar — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 11:26:46 PDT

While everyone is buzzing with anticipation for the second season premiere of "Heroes" tonight, NBC is hitting us with some more news. The in-between series, "Heroes: Origins" will be drawing in some well-known talents to write and direct certain episodes, scheduled to air next summer while the regular "Heroes" series is on hiatus.

Horror writer/director Eli Roth will be both writing and directing his episode of the spin-off, which seems like an accurate fit. Sometimes this show can get pretty gruesome, so I'm interested to see what Roth does with it. In addition, Superman Returns co-writer Michael Dougherty will be writing one episode. And, as we already knew, Kevin Smith is set to write and direct one as well.

The "Heroes: Origins" series will introduce new superheroes and then will ask viewers to vote on a character to become a regular on the original "Heroes" series once it returns in the fall of '08. These are some great names, so it looks like NBC might actually succeed in keeping "Heroes" fans interested and entertained during the slow TV months next summer.

But that's months away. For now - hooray for new "Heroes" tonight!

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Honoring Some of Our Favorite Geeks For Black History Month

Michele Foley — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:01:38 PST

We may have Valentine's Day on the brain, but February also marks an important time of the year - Black History Month. In honor of Black History Month, let's take a look at some of our favorite geeks, both past and present. Everyone on this list has made vast contributions to furthering tech as we know it.

Dwayne McDuffie - The recently passed McDuffie wrote comic books for both Marvel and DC (including Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, the Fantastic Four and the Justice League of America) before founding his own company, Milestone Media, which helped pioneer the use of multicultural characters as its heroes.
Mark Dean - Nerd alert! Without Dean, there may not have been a PC - he holds three of IBM's original nine PC patents, leading the teams that developed the ISA bus and the first one-gigahertz chip.
Mae Carol Jemison - It doesn't get much geekier than space travel; Jemison was the first black woman to travel in space.
Philip Emeagwali - We can all blame Emeagwali for our Internet addiction. He developed the fastest supercomputer software in the world. His IQ is too high to be measured by conventional standards, and he's won a Gordon Bell Prize, which is like the Nobel Prize for computer science.

See the rest of the notables when you read more.

4 George Lucas Revelations on Star Wars and Blockbusters

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:24:40 PST

Remember your first dose of cinematic geekdom? Whatever your age, it's likely the story of warring galaxies battling an evil Empire with something called "the Force" served as initiation to a lifetime of science fiction fandom.

George Lucas, the master behind the epic saga of good vs. evil in Star Wars recently gave an interview to the New York Times, in which he discussed his feelings towards devout Star Wars fans, and more about the popular films that made him a legend.

Blockbuster Retirement - After decades of involvement with pricey studio films, George is committing his cinematic focus to the more art-house, experimental filmmaking he worked on in film school and the years before Star Wars changed his life.
Indiana Jones 5 - Despite putting the star character in a refrigerator during the most recent Indiana Jones film to the audience's horror, Indiana Jones will make one more appearance on the big screen. Before he washes his hands entirely of Hollywood razzle-dazzle, George is contractually obligated to the fifth installation of the Indiana Jones story.
Star Wars Revisited - Considered by many fans an affront on their beloved films, the director's revision of an early Star Wars: A New Hope scene where Han Solo shoots bounty hunter Greedo in self defense was a necessary change, because it didn't blend with his view of Han as the saga's lasting hero.
On Fanboy Outrage - Further edits to the original Star Wars trilogy during the 1997 special edition release of the films left fans casting George to be just as much of a villain as a science fiction character. He now counters their criticism: ". . . My movie, with my name on it, that says I did it, needs to be the way I want it."

As George himself admits he's drawn to stories with "corn" and heroes at the forefront, it will be interesting to see how his future films follow the same themes of his big-budget work. Will you miss his blockbuster films?

Justin Timberlake Writes About His "Moving" Night at the Marine Corps Ball With "Hero" Kelsey!

Molly Goodson — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 23:16:45 PST

Justin Timberlake held true to his word and accompanied Corporal Kelsey DeSantis to the Marine Corps Ball in Richmond, VA on Saturday evening. Justin looked sharp in a tuxedo for the event, and afterwards he wrote a lengthy, emotional piece about Kelsey and everyone he met at the ball. JT gushed about meeting his "heroes," the men and women who serve the USA in the armed forces, and even hit the dance floor with Kelsey and her friends. Justin had to leave before the evening was over, but it sounds like he gave Kelsey and her buddies a night to remember. Kelsey originally asked Justin to the gala over YouTube after his friend and Friends With Benefits costar Mila Kunis got and accepted a similar invite to another military bash.

Justin started his piece writing, "I knew I would have an evening that I wouldn't forget... Something I could tell my friends about. What I didn't know was how moved I would be by the whole experience." Justin went on to say, "I felt so proud to be there. I felt like I was getting a chance to be among my heroes. It's funny too because a lot of them are SO younger than me." He finished it off by thanking his date, "Thank you Corporal Kelsey DeSantis. Thank you for inviting me. And, thank you for being my hero." Read Justin Timberlake's whole piece on his website.

Drive Director Nicolas Winding Refn Says Ryan Gosling "Is the Only Guy Who Can Wear a Satin Jacket"

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:56:14 PST

Nicolas Winding Refn directed this Fall's critical hit Drive, starring Ryan Gosling as a stunt driver who gets involved in a messy situation trying to protect his neighbor and crush, played by Carey Mulligan. The film has had audiences buzzing over Gosling's performance, the movie's soundtrack, and the brutal but creative violence. I had a chance to talk to Refn this week about the film, and the director talked up his "hero" Gosling and their fruitful creative relationship (Refn and Gosling have two other films in development: Only God Forgives, currently in production, and the remake of Logan's Run). Check out the interview for Refn's thoughts about Gosling, and other elements of Drive, like the music, the casting of Mulligan, and the driver's unique wardrobe.

BuzzSugar: How did you feel about Ryan's performance in Drive?
Nicolas Winding Refn: I think that he's one of those rare actors that has this gift that very few movie stars have ever had, which is that he can say a thousand words without saying a line. He has this talent that's so unique that only maybe Alain Delon and James Stewart had. You can shoot him from all angles; you can almost place him behind a door and you still sense his presence, and his vulnerability and his strength, and so forth. He's the kind of guy who makes acting look really easy.

Buzz: How did you choose the distinctive jacket for Driver to wear?
NWR: I always wanted him to wear a satin jacket, that would illuminate him at night like a knight. It would illuminate his aura. And Ryan Gosling is the only guy who can wear a satin jacket. And then we came up with this scorpion on his back, because it would give him a symbol.

Read more of my interview with Refn to find out how he chose the soundtrack and Carey Mulligan after the jump.

Peter Dinklage Talks Loving Game of Thrones and Why He Thanked His Pet Sitter in His Emmy Speech

Shannon Vestal — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 20:30:52 PDT

Peter Dinklage celebrated his Emmy win for best supporting actor as Tyrion on Game of Thrones, and the actor stopped by the press room to chat. Dinklage shared some insider info about the direction of the series, how he was resistant to working in TV until Game of Thrones, and why he'll probably get in trouble for thanking his pet sitter in his acceptance speech.

On being perceived as cool: "It's from being terrified on the inside. It's all a fake show. I feel very uncool all the time. So I guess, thank you."
On which characters we should expect to be killed off: "Everyone. If you've read the books you wouldn't be as surprised. That's the great thing about this show. The villains live and the heroes die. It's unexpected."
On how closely the show will follow the books: "We have to change some things for television. You can't do a lot of what's in the books because we don't have the budget, or the time. But we'll keep faithful to the original story and what happens, and which characters live and die."
On his reaction to seeing a YouTube clip of his character slapping Joffrey: "It's terrible. It's awful."
On thanking his pet sitter in his acceptance speech: "She's an important person in my life. I mentioned her but not my manager or anyone really responsible for getting me this job. So, you know, it might be funny and witty . . . or not. It comes at a price, I think. My mom won't be really happy about that."
On what he's learned from being on Game of Thrones: "I've learned to really love being on a TV show. I fought it for a long time. I get so excited to go to work and I get so excited to read the new scripts. I don't just skip to see my part."

Stay tuned to Buzz for more press room coverage from the Emmys!

Doctor Who Rewind: "Let's Kill Hitler"

Kelly Schwarze — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:30:45 PDT

We're back Doctor Who fans - season six, part two is now underway. Unlike the cliffhanger before the midseason break where we learn the weight of River Song's identity, watch as the Doctor's army is overpowered and the Ponds' child is taken, this episode brings a, sometimes, light-hearted follow-up to heavy topics (such as a kidnapped child) and even more timey-wimey questions that will undoubtedly keep us hanging on the rest of the season.

After watching the episode where do you see the Doctor and his companions headed this season? Were you thrown for any curveballs in the series return? Let's recount some of the biggest moments below!

Quickest use of character - Welcome, Mels, the Ponds' childhood best friend who neither the Doctor nor the audience knew existed. In a flashback, we see that Mels was the troublesome counterpart to Amy and Rory's early friendship and school days. It did feel a bit strange to introduce Mels only to have her quickly regenerate into River Song. Plus one to the Doctor for acknowledging the strangeness of Mels's appearance, "You named your daughter . . . after your daughter."
Episode Red Herring - For a show titled "Let's Kill Hitler," the villain is quite literally pushed aside into a cupboard and forgotten about. Head writer and executive producer, Steven Moffatt, recently said the only way he felt he could include Hitler in any sort of plot device was to mock him and treat him with irreverence. I didn't mind its basic afterthought, as it did serve as the reasoning for the appearance of the Teselecta, the time-traveling justice league bent on taking down the universe's biggest war criminals. After all, the episode's goal is to explain River Song's origins and her journey to becoming the Doctor's trusted confidante. Rory's moment of punching Hitler is a great scene for Rory fans and continuation of the Rory-the-warrior theme.
Timelord to timelord - In previous episodes, prior to knowing her identity, we have seen the Doctor's only match to be fellow time traveler River Song. Despite River's reveal as the Doctor's bespoke psychopath, trained by Madame Kovarian and the Silence to kill him, their quick-witted toe to toe in Hitler's office speaks volumes of their future adventures through time.

Chat about more important moments and your thoughts on last night's episode when you read more.

E3 Announcements: 5 Xbox Games I'm Excited About

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:17:41 PDT

Yesterday's Microsoft E3 press briefing gave us a look at what's to come in the next year for Xbox, and I gotta say - it's looking pretty good, folks. Though the presentation brought a ton of new titles (but very little launch dates), there were some standout games that I can't wait to see more of. Check out which ones below, then tell me your favorites in the comments!

Tomb Raider - This new look at the series takes us back to Lara Croft's origin - when she was just 21 years old, fighting her way through a mysterious island. The demo looked really intense and sometimes even a little bit frightening.
Kinect Star Wars - I perked up when I heard the Star Wars theme music playing during the presentation for this new title. I'm hoping LucasFilm does what it does best to help Kinect Star Wars take off - produce some awesome accessories to go along with it. Hello, light saber!

See the rest of my list after the jump.

Chris Pratt Talks Parks and Rec's "Blessing" of an Emmy Nomination and "Manly" Nick Offerman

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:14:51 PDT

Parks and Recreation has such a great ensemble, but Chris Pratt, who plays good-natured musician Andy Dwyer, is one of my favorites in the cast. I had a chance to talk to Pratt about the show and how he makes his character so disarming at the Summer TCA. He also revealed his deep love for Nick Offerman, who plays the already-legendary Ron Swanson, where Andy's relationship with April is going, and his feelings about the show's big Emmy nod for outstanding comedy series.

BuzzSugar: What was your reaction to the show's best comedy nomination?
Chris Pratt: Aside from maybe [the fact that] I was really hoping that Nick Offerman would receive a best actor comedy nomination, because I think he really deserves one, I thought that Amy and the show itself were both really deserving, and we were thrilled about it. It's really a team of people in every way; everyone depends on everyone else. We have really great writers, and that makes the form of the comedy, then we have really great performers that step up and elevate the material. We're working really hard, so it's nice. The fact that we almost didn't come back one year and have had half seasons - we weren't getting necessarily a lot of love. But that was really nice to receive some love, so the nomination means a lot. It really means a lot to everybody. We all really love going to work, and still love being around one another, look forward to going back to work . . . It's a great environment. Without a nomination it would still be great, but that was just a really nice blessing on top of it.

Buzz: Besides Nick, who else in the cast impresses you?
CP: There's such a synergy among the cast; it really is greater than the sum of its parts. I can't really single one person out without talking about everybody, but Adam Scott - I tell him all the time that he's a terrific and perfect addition to the cast, as well as Rob Lowe, who's been killing it - Adam Scott is great. He's got a budding love interest storyline with Amy that'll play out for hopefully a long time. Our cast is good at comedy, and he's good at a kind of comedy our cast was missing: understated straight man comedy. He's really funny in real life and really just a terrific actor, and his reactions to some of this crazy stuff going on in the world around him really works. He's like the nerdy straight man. He's not a nerd at all, he's a stud, but he plays such a nerdy straight man, and that was sort of the one thing that was really lacking. That addition to the cast, I think, is what made the show start firing on all cylinders.

Buzz: Like it did in "The Flu Season" episode?
CP: That's maybe my favorite episode. That's a really great episode. The flu storyline was my favorite, because I got to work so closely with Nick Offerman, who is truly my hero. It was a chance for us to just spend time together, and they manifested this B storyline of Ron and Andy hanging out. The episode is really, really funny. It was the perfect amount of story for a half hour. It was really a great example of what makes our show really good.

Buzz: Is Nick like Ron Swanson in real life at all?
CP: I think in many ways he's like Ron Swanson, but in more ways he's different than Ron Swanson, which is a testament to his ability to create a living, breathing character. [Offerman] is not like that; he's not a Libertarian, he doesn't only eat meat. He's a really hard worker, he doesn't pass the buck like Ron Swanson. But Nick is very manly. The wood shop he worked in for one of the episodes in the second season is his real wood shop in real life. All the manliness, all the straight-up man-sauce comes right from who Nick is as a man. He's an extraordinary man.

Keep reading to find out what Pratt thinks he brings to his character and why he thinks Andy and April work so well together.