X Files 2 teaser trailer
Monday, February 25th, 2008
WonderCon 2008 has been whipping audiences in San Francisco into a frenzy over the past week or so with inside looks and sneak peaks at some of the films that will be hitting theatres this summer.
John Favreau’s Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr looks terrific), The Wachowskis’ Speed Racer (it can’t really be as bad as the trailer suggests, can it?), Prince Caspian (second time lucky, we hope) and Wanted (Bekmambetov does The Matrix) have all gone down a storm, but it appears that the movie that has received the most rapturous applause is the X Files sequel.The teaser trailer offers up the first glimpses of Mulder and Scully’s return but, according to reports, it appears to place its emphasis in the most surprising of places. Set mostly in a snow and ice covered field, it shows us a grey-haired Billy Connolly - the main draw for believers out there, we’re sure - struggling through the ice with a load of FBI guys following behind. Amanda Peet gets to shout a bit while Connolly yells “It’s here!!!” (about what he’s referring we do not know but it’s probably a safe bet it ain’t a werewolf as Chris Carter and co have tried to have us believe!) but Mulder and Scully barely get a look in. Instead of taking centre stage they’re relegated to quick cuts which show them looking mildly perplexed about something or another.All these snow-bound shenanigans are intercut with, according to AICN’s Quint, “autopsy scenes, Mulder driving, Mulder running, Billy Connolly convulsing with blood coming from his eyes, and a pissed off looking bald guy.” Chris Carter may have explained at the WonderCon panel that he always saw The X Files as “a search for god,” but it all sounds a bit like a bunch of deleted scenes from The Golden Compass. We’re waiting for the next trailer, you know, the one where the Glasgwegan comedian starts rucking with a great big polar bear.
As some of you may know, issue twelve of SciFiNow hits shelves today.Twelve issues…wow! Although we technically have thirteen a year, and we don’t celebrate our official anniversary until April, it’s still quite an achievement for a new mag in such a niche market as science fiction. I joined SFN during the production of issue three and as a result have watched it grow into the form it’s taken today. Magazine creation in itself is a fascinating process, from the initial drafting of the flatplan, to the research, to the (slightly hellish) job of spending hours on Mac Mail and the telephone trying to secure check discs for that one review, or that lead image for a feature that can’t go to design without it. But I can’t complain at all, I love this magazine, I love science fiction, and seeing it come back from press is always a thrill that never really fades.However, what we’re really interested in is what you think of the mag. We have an active group of readers on our forums who provide endless entertainment and some really great feedback for every issue, and having had the opportunity to meet several of you, I can honestly say that you’re some of the most intelligent, kind and pleasant people I’ve known. We believe that SFN is built around quality content, but also around the community of people who read and enjoy it on a monthly basis - we listen to you guys, because we value your opinions.So, issue twelve isn’t just a milestone for us, but we’ve tried to make it as solid as possible for you as well. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it, and I’ll see as many of you as possible at the anniversary celebrations in London, 22 March. See the Off Topic forums for more details.
Today started off as any other day. I came into work, stuck on a particularly pleasant Chieftains/Sinead O’Connor song that I’d heard at the beginning of a Dropkick Murphys gig the other day, and opened up Word. What I wasn’t counting on was the Deputy Editor of HD Review coming over with a slightly haunted look in his eyes, asking if I’d heard the news regarding HD DVD.I hadn’t, since although I’m interested in high definition and freelance for that magazine, I don’t keep up to date with it on a daily basis.Anyway, it seems that it’s the season for resolution of conflict, with the WGA reaching an agreement with the AMPTP, and now, Toshiba dropping HD DVD from their production schedules and long term plans. In a press release, the CEO of Toshiba stated that they “carefully assessed the long-term impact of continuing the so-called ‘next-generation format war’ and concluded that a swift decision will best help the market develop”.So in other words, Warner Bros and WalMart really screwed us over, and we’re cutting our (substantial) losses while we can?How this’ll affect the company remains to be seen, but what we’re really worried about is how it affects us, let’s be honest. The single format is probably a good thing for high definition in the long run, however it does mean an end to the competition in terms of price cuts that have littered the battlefields of this conflict of late. While Sony and their consortium of Blu-ray supporters still have to win over standard definition users, don’t expect the same kind of bargains that you may have been nabbing recently.Personally I think that competition is a good thing, but the HD war did go too far. Warner Bros essentially made HD DVD users second class consumers by releasing enhanced Blu-ray discs, while Sony practically told early adopters to like it or leave it when they upped the profile of the format. Hopefully this won’t lead to a monopoly over high definition, particularly as there are some great releases coming out soon (both old and new, having had the pleasure of checking out I Am Legend and The Omega Man/28 Million Miles To Earth recently), but at least we can finally put that Blu-ray/HD DVD argument to bed and focus on what’s really important - who’s going to get the chop at Toshiba?I’m kidding. What’s important is The Sarah Connor Chronicles premiering this week. Watch it!
I’m sitting here, desperately attempting to make sense of the maelstrom of press releases, past issues and books that is my desk, and it occurs to me slowly that I haven’t actually seen the HD trailer for Indy IV yet. I’ve seen the bootleg, don’t get me wrong, but the relatively good quality of it can’t disguise the fact that it is filmed on a dodgy camera.Having now watched it, my opinions are still mixed about the film. I don’t like the fact that half of the trailer is just footage from the previous offerings in the franchise, and I do think that Cate Blanchett’s character design is just far too cartoonish for my liking.Also, seriously, when did Indiana Jones become John McClane? The guy falls backwards into a jeep windshield without even flinching, quips, and elbows the soldier next to him right in the kisser. So there’s no spinal damage, or at least mild bruising? Hmm.I remain firmly skeptical about Indy IV. But I suppose that’s good, because it leaves me open to being pleasantly surprised if it turns out to be excellent.