I'm no Roger Ebert....

...But I know what I like when I see it. And after sitting through the new Sci-Fi action thriller, Serenity (based on the short lived Fox TV show, Firefly) I can certainly say that I liked what I saw.

Keep in mind that I was a fan of the show which ran a few short years ago. Apparently, so did a whole bunch of fans who cried afoul when Fox unceremoniously gave it the ol' heave-ho due to ridiculous number crunching tactics of Fox's rating police. Fans bonded together to make sure that Firelfy would live on in some way, shape or form by starting more than a few fan sites all over the net. This brought on the attention of not only the series creator, Joss Whedon (of Buffy and Angel fame) but, also some movie execs who decided to put a film out that would continue the adventures of the crew of the freighter space ship Serenity.

So the movie came out today and I took the day off and went over to the theater to see this puppy. It's definitely a movie that Firefly fans will absolutely adore! It has all the action, humor and mystery of the show. It also has that slightly ampped up quality that movies get when the come from TV shows. It also has a very Han Solo feel to it. A bunch of rougue's gettin in over thier heads.

The not too distant future story follows the crew of a freighter space vessel (Serenity) who are carrying a doctor and his mysterious, telepathic sister. Of course the main totaliteristic intergalactic government are looking for her. Thus, interstellar madness ensues.

All the characters from the TV series are all present and accounted for, though some have far more screen time than others. (Highlight to read major spoiler)...

Some don't make it out alive which will make hard core fans drop their jaws!

There are also some major questions from the series that get answered in the movie. You find out River's little secret and you also learn more about those pesky freaks, the Ravers. Quite revealing and darn fine writing from Joss!!!

I only had two slight qualms with the movie (and they were ever so slight).

One: the main antagonist never really gets his come-uppence. There's no falling into a reactor shaft or being blown up on a ship or being impaled on sharp piece of scrap metal. The only thing he gets thrown at him at the end is... a threat. Yep. He's threatened that if he's ever seen by the captain of Serenity, Mal, ever again, he'll be killed. To which his reply is the equivalent to "Ok, I'm outta here and won't bug you again." WHAT?!?!?! C'mon Joss, give us a little carnage when it comes to the bad guy!

Two: I'm not sure how people not familiar with the TV series will accept Serenity. Though they do a good job acquainting the audience with all the characters and where they've come from and who they are, there could still be a feeling of "Now who is this person?" Especially in Anora's case (Ohhh Anora... my belicima....... sorry, lost myself again.) Though she was a main character in the series, she doesn't pop up until half way through the picture and then plays a major role.

I'm also afraid that this movie won't do great at the box office, because people who aren't familiar with the series will see it as just another fanboy, Sci-Fi film. It probably won't be given the chance it deserves from the public. Jerk-knockers!

Now where does this all leave the future of the Serenity / Firefly franchise? Well. there certainly are some finalities in the movie! However, it does end with some openings for more movies or shows. But, it could also put a "Fin" for the whole story also. Only time will tell. Hopefully, we'll see the crew of the Serenity in some new format sooner or later. It's just too good of story telling to lock up forever!

Well, that's my little review. In a nutshell, if you're a fan, you'll love it as I did. If you're not, you'll certainly enjoy it, but see it as a cute little Sci-Fi film.

P.S. All the women in this movie are certainly quite smooth on the ol' fan-boy peepers

Tomorrow is the official beginning of the Halloween season, October 1st! Watch for some changes here in the Blog of Geekdom.

Zangz.

P.P.S. No. I didn't do all that linking I usually do. Just go to past Blogs on Serenity and Firefly and click on those links there. I'm too darn lazy today!

Autumnal Beckoning....

Ahhh...

My favorite time of year is starting to rear it's head and peak around the corner. The chill in the air, the color in the trees and the Octoberfests on the beer shelves are all signs that fall is moving into the picture.

Despite fall including my favorite holiday, HALLOWEEN, it's also visually quite stunning. The trees are really starting to change color and are starting to hint at what may be a real spectacular cornucopia of an autumnal color pallet for the plant life around here this season!

Since I had surgery last October, I missed out on my annual fall hike at a nearby nature center. I'm most definitely going to have to make up for it this year!

On to other stuff...

Even though I would love to go, I think I'll forego the Judas Priest / Anthrax concert this coming Saturday night. I really must conserve funds for the upcoming holiday season (blech and ba-humbug!) as well as new tires for the Zangzmobile. And I hate to admit this, but I seemed to like the John Bush fronted version of Anthrax rather than the recently reunited original line up of the band. I'm probably in the minority here, but although I was initially disappointed when Joey Belladonna left the band 12 years ago, the John Bush version of Anthrax really grew on me and I felt they were a little more musically viable than before. I felt they were a new and fresh band. Sadly, they were pretty ignored from the buying public during the Bush period even though they were far more musically matured. I more than realize that the original line up certainly aren't slouches! I just appreciate songs like, "Only" and "Nothing" and "Taking the Music Back" from the Bush era than some of the classics from the Belladonna era. Odd as it may be, that's what I'm feelin'.

I heard that Lord of the Rings fans are making a documentary about how the writings of J.R. Tolkein has inspired pop culture. In fact they got RUSH vocalist/bassist/songwriter, Geddy Lee to do an interview since RUSH recorded the song "Rivendale". They also got an interview with Lemme Kilmister, vocalist/bassist/songwriter from Motorhead. I haven't a friggin' clue as to what he'll have to say about the matter. But one things for sure, he'll have a drink in his hand!!! God bless Lemme!!!

I'm trying to take Friday off so I can go see the movie "Serenity" based on the short lived, Sci-Fi meets wild west TV series, "Firefly". I'm looking forward to it. I don't know if it will be a big hit and spawn a sequel (which it will deserve) since it will be a niche audience of hard core "Firefly" fans. Once a scrub up a little fundage, I'd like to pick up the series on DVD. The show rocked! I'll give a review once I've seen it.

That's all for today. Watch for a bit of a slight transformation with my Blog of Geekdom within the next week. You should know by now that the coming season brings with it........ the undead! Bwahahahahahahahahaha (thunder...lightning.... Zangz coughing on his own snot while trying to give a big, evil chortle).

See ya soon.

Zangz.

The Best Review of LOST of All Time!!!!

My sister sent me her review of the season premier of one of our favorite shows, LOST, that aired Wednesday night. I felt that her review was so darn good that it just had to be posted here for all to see. Just try and tell me that her review doesn't move you and makes you want to TIVO every frellin' episode of this season's LOST episodes. Are you all ready for one heck-a-roonie of a review. Ya better sit down for this, 'cause you'll never see the likes of this on Ain't -It-Cool-News or any other fan based websites. Ready? Here it comes! Take it away Dizzy Lizzie.....

"LOST was great."

And that's it. That's all she had to say about the premier episode of LOST. I'd like to take this time to thank my sister for the riveting review of one of the few things that we can actually bond on. My sister isn't the biggest fan of communication, but she means well. And as a big brother I have to admit that I'm quite proud of her and her achievements in life.

In related news, me and her husband plan to deck out their home for trick-or-treaters this Halloween. So, be on the lookout for news on that.

Actually the premier episode of LOST was indeed GREAT! Although, the ending had me saying, "Awww... c'mon! Like that could actually happen!", it also had me thinking about how much destiny actually does play in what goes on with the characters and the island they are stuck on. Very good writing, I tell you!

What else? Well, today's weather was very fall like. With good reason, too. It is the first full day of fall. The trees are already changing color and leaves are slowly starting to fall. My phyche is starting to get rejuvinized as it always does this time of year. And Halloween is right around the corner!

As I'm enjoying this season, here in the Midwest, my heart goes out to those in the gulf where, once again, the weather is a great concern. My dad is down there right now and when I talked to him yesterday morning and he was currently trapped in a huge traffic jam getting out of Houston. I just got news that he's safely in Austin and I'm greatly relieved. Just how much can Mother Nature be such a vile wench?

I think I'm gunna wrap it up here, for now. There's a cigar for me in tonight's plans, so I gotta go and get things started.

Have a great weekend, all.

Zangz.

Been a while....

It's been a while. To be perfectly honest, I haven't been in a very happy-go-lucky, life is bliss, blogging mood within the last week. Not to go into great detail, but I have the unnerving feeling that dark times loom ahead for this here geek. Nothing life threatening, mind you, just kinda crappy. So I haven't been the jovial nerd that I usually am and haven't found a lot to blog on about.

But I guess I'll have to give it a whirl, if not for myself for the 6.5 people who occasionally visit this site. So let me see what frivolity I can muster up.....

• My favorite season is approaching. Halloween!!! Although this year it will be quite subdued, I usually go ALL OUT for this holiday. This is my Christmas. In past years I've hit about 8 different haunted attractions in one month. I can't get enough of those things! I love the creativity and imagination that people put into them. I'll blog more on the holiday as it grows near. I may even decorate the Blog of Geekdom this year. But as things are going, I'll probably end up celebrating by sitting on my front stoop while being pelted with eggs and rocks from trick or treaters.
• The 2nd season premier of Lost is on tonight!! I've raved about this show before and I'll rave about it now. The writing on this show is phenomenal! If you didn't catch last season, then you need to go get the full season one on DVD at your nearest video store and watch it. You'd better frellin' hurry since season two starts in about 1/2 an hour from now. So get to it, polky!
• I'm still plodding away at Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" novel. Don't get me wrong, it's a good book. The fact of the matter is that I'm quite the dullard and I just don't read 800+ page books that quickly. It took me 6+ months to read "The Talisman" and "Black House" from Straub and King and this puppy is taking me just as long. I'm better at reading quick, fast moving thrillers like, "The DaVinci Code" or "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown or any of the Alex Cross mysteries by James Patterson. I may take a break and try to find a really good scary book for Halloween season and then finish off "American Gods". I'm also still reading the children's James Bond novel, "Silverfin" by Charlie Higson. I'll give a review of these once I'm all done with them. (which at this rate may be spring of 2006.)

I think that wraps it up for today. I'll try to not abandon you for that amount of time again, 'cause I know how void your existences become when there's no new Blog of Geekdom for you to fulfill your lives with.

Zangz

The Grace of a Touch of Sunlight....

This weekend was slightly on the cruddy side for me, after the incident of with Fire Cracker Boy (see previous post!) my favorite watch broke and I found out they discontinued the model and I had to buy a new one. Then my last beer from my 6 pack of Octoberfest spilled on my carpet and I had to clean it up while being left with an empty bottle, then I found out that my favorite local haunted attraction (Terror on Rural Street) will be closing it's doors this year. I mean it was one dingleberry after the next recently.

But then, this very morning, I got some wonderful news that put a lot into perspective. My good friends Roberto DelAmorte and his lovely wife Iris Von Beaverhousen gave birth to a beautiful baby girl last night after nearly 40 friggin' hours of labor. The little one decided to arrive early by a few weeks, but I think Iris was just as ready as the kid to get things moving. I'm told that both mom and child are doing fine. So Hazzah for them! (says Zangz dressed as a renaissance harlequin while throwing confetti up into the air while sitting alone at his computer.... Wishing he would have gone to the local Ren Fair to get good use of his little outfit... looking pathetic.)

Ok in other news, quite a bit more geeky and less life changing....

I finally got through the frellin' dance mission in GTA: SA! So now I'm well into the game again and I've opened up a garage in San Fiero (by the way, I'm talking about the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Read past posts!). So I got that going for me.

I'm looking forward to the Tim Burton animated movie Corpse Bride. Unlike a lit of people attracted to the macabre, I never really got into Nightmare Before Christmas. The whole idea of mixing Christmas with Halloween is basphemous to myself being a hard core Halloween fan. But Corpse Bride looks like it's 100% in the macabre mode! No Santa to mess up the feel of this one!

Was that Xena's Lucy Lawless I saw on Friday night's Battlestar Galactica? Frell, she looks different! She's gone blond. I didn't notice who it was until 10 minutes after her character appeared. Either she really looks quite different or I'm king of the dullards.

What else? Oh, my friend, Capt. Mereel, went to DragonCon this past week. DragonCon is in the same vein as Gen Con when it comes to fantasy / game fairs except it's in Atlanta, GA. From the photos she pointed out, it looks like they all had a fantastic time! She did take offense at some of the costumed girls who were more scantily than clad. Personally, I don't see the problem. ;-)

See ya...

Zangz.

Fire Cracker Boy (aka: Humane Waste Material)....

Just had to get online and do a bit of bloggin' to blow off a little steam. Witnessed a little situation tonight and had to do some venting about it. Call it pathetic or silly, but part of the phenomenon of blogging is the fact that it lets us get things off our chests in a public forum (so we can be laughed at by our friends and peers). So here we go....

I'm not going to go into great detail (yes I am, who am I kiddin'?), but I was out tonight and saw this young guy (early-mid 20's?) by himself smoking and drinking and shooting fireworks up at an elder care / assited living home. I was a ways away but close enough to see what was going on. This wasn't a bunch of little preteen brats playing games. This was an average looking guy in his 20's!

When a voice from within the elder care home coming from one of the balconies yelled at him to knock it off, he replied with a vulgarity and shot off another bottle rocket in the direction of the voice. He then got up and went inside the apartment building next door to the facility. Fine. I thought that was that. But, a minute of two later he comes back out and starts to shoot them off at the care facility again.

At this point I'm pretty disgusted with this pile of human waste material and call to him, "What are you doing that for?" Fire Cracker Boy replies to me with intellectual elequince, "Why not? Do you wanna get beat up?"

I leave shaking my head and I'm guessing Fire Cracker Boy went back into his apartment because I didn't hear any fireworks going off afterward.

Bullies are no stranger to me. There was a time when I was younger when I was a magnet for them. But, you'd think that at an adult age people wouldn't pull off acts of cruelty like that. I find it mind blowing that there's still adults out there that act in a sub-human maner. Sure, we all have our moments of snotty behavior (you should hear me when I'm driving). But, to be that cruel doesn't add up... unless, of course, you're just a complete waste of human life.

Is it any wonder that there are those of us that are actracted to the realms of fantasy, Sci-Fi and horror where "Fire Cracker Boy" and other bullies and villians of his ilk usually wind up being thrown down reactor shafts, blown to bits in their own volcanic lairs or becoming flesh fodder for some crazed psychopath wearing a hockey mask.

On that cheery and slightly disturbing note, I'll retire for the eveing (actually morning) and promise the next blog won't be quite as pathetic or lame (or whiney).

Zangz.

The Loss of a "Li'l Buddy"....

Ya know, this blog is starting to look like an obits column! Sadly, we keep losing some great pop culture icons within the last few months.

It was reported today that last Friday actor Bob Denver, famous for portraying Gilligan on "Gilligan's Island" passed away from complications from cancer treatments. He died with his loved ones at his bedside.

Now, it might not mean much to a few of you reading this, but this guy was a fixture of my entire childhood. While growing up the local independent stations would show syndicated episodes of the '60's sit com. Of course I was watching it for Mary Ann and Ginger, but there was something about Gilligan that was quite endearing (Not THAT way, ya idjuts!!). As a small child, I looked up to him as the goofy big brother I never had. He was always trying to do the best he could, yet would find new and original ways to screw everything up.

Bob "Gilligan" Denver will be missed.

In other quickie, blog news, I forgot to mention that the free press paper that I do a column for is on temporary hold as fundage seems to be a bit of an obstacle. That's the way it works in the unsympathetic world of local free press rags. We are kind of looking into doing some sort of Podcast, but that technology is somewhat out of our reach at this juncture.

Yep. It was a quickly today, but thems the brakes. Ok, if you feel cheated, here's a bit of pop culture trivia you may never, ever use in your entire life, but you will be .05% smarter for knowing it. The character of Gilligan's first name was "Willie". Willy Gilligan. There you go. Chew on that for a while.

Zangz.

The Reminants of Robhain....

I hope you all had a really nice Labor Day weekend and are recovering nicely from all the food and brews you stuffed into your system.

Robhain was a success, as usual. I won't give you a play by play, but suffice it to say Roberto made out good at his B-day celebration. The father to be also scored some nice baby gifts. But, the highlight of the evening was the failed attempt at primitive ground warfare that was a junkyard wars meets sloppy slingshots and water rockets battle. It was both very impressive while also futile. I should talk, I have all the workmanship and engineering skills of a moist towelette. During the construction part of the contest I spent the time mumbling... "Ummm...what do I do now? How in the heck do I do that? Current vs. Resistance equals voltage? What the frell does that mean?" Even though my team had the world's biggest dullard (that'd be me) on their team, we still had a great time. And D-La had WAY too much sugar.

I may have raised some eyebrows when I last described what I got Roberto. But, what I really got Rob was an autographed book, "Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way" by author / actor Bruce Campbell, and when I finally get my pictures developed, I'll send Roberto a picture of Bruce actually signing his book. I may even post it on the blog here.

Some other stuff.... Alice Cooper (another favorite of Roberto's and mine) has his own radio show and I'm going to try and see if I can't get my rickety old portable FM radio to work so I can listen while smoking a Cuba Libre outside this evening. Roberto and I saw Alice a few years back at a county fair with some other friends joining us. Alice was phenomenal and still puts on a theatrically stellar show. He's the only guy who can boast that one day he'll be golfing with Michael Douglas and Katherine Zeta Jones and the next day he'll be having his own head severed by a guillotine on stage in front of thousands of people. Ya gotta look up to a guy like that.

Ok, I'm outta here. Just had to spout a little pop culture crud onto the world wide web to boost my own lack of self esteem.

We'll talk soon.

Zangz

The Fires of Robhain Shall Burn Eternal....

Although it's a three day weekend and I have a cook out to go to every day this weekend, I don't have too much to blog about tonight, except for the fact that tomorrow's cook out is known as Robhain!

Robhain is the birthday party of my friend, Roberto DelAmorte, as thrown by his lovely wife, Iris Von Beaverhousen. Those of you who have a woman who throws you an extravagant, no holds bared, blood filled birthday bash should consider yourselves among the very few and very lucky! This celebration, that's not only a birthday party but, also a welcoming of the fall months, usually starts out with witty banter, drinking and some noshing, but usually ends up with some form of junkyard wars meets horror-show contests and then accumulates with a bon fire, blood letting and someone leaving with a missing appendage. Just the way Roberto likes it!!! The photo within this blog is from a Robhain ceremony a few years past. As you can see a dark sence of humor and a strong constitution is required. I hope he likes the gift that I got him as I had to perform "favors" to some tall guy with a "boomstick" to get it. That's all I'll say on that matter (...says Zangz, with a tear rolling down his eye).

But, let's move onto something less disturbing. I think it's time for another edition of.....

WEBSITE OF THE MOMENT:

Clyde Caldwell.com

Clyde Caldwell is one of the most renowned fantasy / gaming artists out there today. His artwork has been published in many of the gaming manuals of the most popular role playing games on the shelves! His artwork is also no stranger to many fantasy novels and books. He has a special eye for illustrating beautiful, strong female warriors (is it any wonder this guy's work is appreciated by the geeks of the world).

I had a chance to talk with the guy a few times back when Gen Con was in Milwaukee (Don't get me started on that again!) and he seemed very nice and down to earth. He also had a cover model, named Christine who would dress as an Amazon warrior at his booth for us geeks to ogle awkwardly at (She didn't even call security on me, like the others had. Props to her!). The last time I ran into Clyde was a few years ago when I unexpectedly saw him at a haunted attraction know as "Terror On Rural Street" (more on that place during the Halloween season). I saw him walking out with his wife. I didn't say anything to him because I was with some friends who were in a hurry to get inside.

Since I'm now off the subject of Clyde Caldwell and onto haunted attractions, I think I shall retire for the evening and enjoy a nice cigar outside.

Until next time, "Let the Fires of Robhain bring peace and Hapiness to your Lives... while also summoning the dead". See ya!

Zangz.