Author: Nigel G Mitchell
On October 24, 1997, the movie Gattaca was released in theaters. Set in a dystopian world where everyone is judged by their genetic profile, one man buys someone else’s genetic identity to become an astronaut. Starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law, the movie has become a cult hit and a milestone in science-fiction film. You may have seen the movie, but here are a few things you probably didn’t know. 1. Gattaca Was The First – Gattaca was the first film directed by Andrew Niccol. He went on to wanted to direct another of his screenplays, The Truman…
Daveart created this really cool artwork of a Batman Transformer. There’s even a backstory, where the Transformer’s name is Gloom, a robot who took the appearance of the Batmobile. See the full pic after the jump… Click to enlarge [Tumblr via Hero Chan] Would you see a movie featuring Batman and the Transformers? I know I would.
Batman traditionally is a smart guy. One of his enemies, the Riddler, specializes in confounding puzzles that Batman usually solves pretty easily. But Batman’s not always on his game, as proven by this funny video from Collegehumor. [Via YouTube] [Image Source: The Awesomer]
When most people think of science fiction, they think of aliens, spaceships, and lasers. In other words, big-budget special effects. But there have been a lot of great movies that were made with a low budget, and proved that people are the real center of all magnificent science-fiction. Here are five movies that were made with less than a million dollars, but dazzle on the screen. 1. Primer (2004) Synopsis: Two engineers working in their garage accidentally create a time machine, and must grapple with the technical and moral implications of their discovery. Budget: $7,100 Why it’s great: It doesn’t…
Here’s another in our on-going series featuring artwork mashing up the Justice League and Star Wars. First, Green Lando. Second, Flashbacca. Third, Wonder Leia, drawn by Jfife at deviantArt. Click to enlarge Any other artists who want to continue this series, how about SuperLuke? Or Bat Solo? Or Aqua Jar-Jar? What other Star Wars and DC characters could be mashed up? [Image Source: deviantArt]
This is a companion piece to Green Lando. In case any other artists need ideas to keep this series going, how about Cyborg-P0? Super Luke? Vader Manhunter? More after the jump. Click to enlarge What other Justice League and Star Wars characters could be mashed-up? Let us know in the comments. [Image Source: Ming Doyle]
From the Justice Wars, Green Lando…see the full view after the jump. Click to enlarge [Joe Quinones via Buzzfeed]
On November 4, 1991, Leonard Nimoy reprized his role as Spock in part one of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, “Unification.” To honor the 20th anniversary, here are 8 interesting facts about the show. 1. “Unification I and II” are two of the most watched episodes of the entire TNG series with over 25 million viewers. 2. On the official Star Trek website, “Unification I and II” are two of the highest rated episodes with an average rating of 4.5/5. 3. “Unification” aired a few weeks before the premiere of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Spock refers…
1984 is a great novel, but it’s showing its age. When it was written, the idea of an overbearing totalitarian government using advanced technology to control its population seemed frightening and futuristic. Now in 2011, it seems a little quaint. I mean, a “future” of television and video cameras everywhere is downright antiquated. The government itself is melodramatically sinister in a way that real governments rarely behave. That’s where Cory Doctorow’s novel Little Brother took dystopian fiction in a new direction. It’s about a group of teenagers who lead a rebellion against a domineering government using technology to control its…
In a world where traffic cameras monitor your car, grocery cards track your spending, and RFID chips embedded in our clothes track your every move, what is the next stage? What if all these systems combined to become an ecosystem all its own, one that can watch and control every aspect of our lives? What if the city itself become a malevolent organism? That’s the concept behind the Sentient City Survival Kit, a collection of tools to obscure and disguise your presence in a high-tech future police state. Right now, the tools include: Ad-Hoc Dark Network Travel Mug – To…
It’s not just boys who love Darth Vader. Little girls are drawn to the Dark Side, too. That’s why Jon Swope (JonXP) created this Princess Darth Vader costume for his five-year old daughter. Next project, Princess Predator. Check out the full pics after the jump. Is the cuteness strong in this one? What other dastardly villains could get the princess makeover? [Via Reddit]
Dear Slashfilm, Over the past year, our blog has expanded its reader base considerably. A lot of that is due in no small part to Slashfilm. I’m assuming you guys are subscribed or something, because I have no idea how you jump on our stuff so quickly. The fact that a huge blog like slashfilm would pay attention to our little blog is a humbling experience. It’s also amazing to see the traffic boost. Our hits can go up a thousandfold from just one mention. Just wanted to let you guys know we appreciate it. Here’s a partial list of…
Have a NetFlix account and some time on your hands? Feel like watching some sci-fi TV shows, but don’t know which one? This handy infographic from SF Signal is here to rescue you. Just follow the handy flowchart and you’ll be melting your brain with some science fiction and fantasy goodness in no time. After the jump… Click to enlarge Which sci-fi TV series will you watch on Netflix? [Image Source: SF Signal]
We often refer to Batman and Iron Man as being the guys without superpowers. But let’s be honest… [Via imgur via Reddit]
So you’ve just got yourself a big-screen HDTV with a THX-certified surround-sound stereo system, and you want to show it off. Or you’re gonna be hanging out with some fellow geeks, and you want to pop in a great movie without having to run to Blockbuster. In my world, everyone who calls themselves a geek would have these eight movies in their collection. These are not just great sci-fi movies, but movies that stand the test of time, have sounds and visuals that will test any home theater system, and reward repeat viewing. 1. Star Wars: Episode V – The…
It’s good to have seemingly unlimited money, resources, and imagination. The proof is LucasFilm’s promotion of the Blu-Ray version of Star Wars. Among the more outlandish stunts has been painting lightsabers onto the handrails of Japanese trains. I’ll bet they thought about doing this in New York trains, but the handrails would’ve been gone by morning. More after the jump… [Via the Official Star Wars Blog] Where else should LucasArts put lightsabers next? Would you ride the train more if there were lightsabers in it?
Dear Men’s Fitness, Well, you guys caused a bit of a stir when you published an article titled “NY Comic Con: Flabby Versions of Your Favorite Superheroes.” The article drew the attention of the Examiner, which went viral. Turns out the worst place to make fun of geeks is on the Internet. Several websites picked up the story and accused your magazine of being cruel and bullying. Your Facebook page has been flooded with complaints and demands for an apology. Now, we’re not going to get all hypocritical and self-righteous. I think everyone snickers a little at the overweight guy…
Before the new trilogy, Obi-Wan Kenobi was an interesting cypher when we met him in the first Star Wars. He was an old guy living on Tattooine, and when he met Luke, taught him the ways of the Force. Then the prequels came along and mucked everything up. Here’s five reasons why Obi-Wan’s exile opens up a whole can of worms.
What if Obi-Wan had told the clear and honest truth about how Luke’s father died in Star Wars IV: A New Hope? It would have gone something…like this. [Image Source: imgur via reddit]
If Doctor Who was on Facebook, it would look something…like this…. Click to enlarge [Via Epicponyz via Buzzfeed]
Kevin Pollak is known for his acting in movies like The Usual Suspects and A Few Good Men, but he also does awesome impressions. Back in his 1991 comedy special Stop with the Kicking, he did a routine about the Star Trek movies. It’s pretty dated, back when impressions of Christopher Lloyd and Dudley Moore were cutting-edge, but it’s still funny. The thing to watch is his William Shatner. It may not be the most accurate in terms of the voice, but Pollak’s is (I think) the funniest in terms of capturing Shatner’s weird cadence and gestures. The word “personalities”…
Behold the evolution of the concept of “geek” in this awesome infographic, from the freak show to the modern day. The full version is after the jump… What does the concept of “geek” mean to you? [Image Source: Flowtown via Buzzfeed]
THE STORY BEHIND IT: Kermit and Gonzo were on their way to the Muppet Theater when they were attacked by a squadron of Imperial Stormtroopers. In the ensuing battle, they escaped, but the Empire recovered samples of their DNA. As part of Darth Vader’s attempts to increase the popularity of the Empire, the Muppets were cloned at Camino’s clone banks to create a new breed of loveable Stormtroopers. They were known as the Muppet Troopers. Another great mash-up brought to you by cosplay. Will this lead to a new age for the Empire? Known any other cool mash-up cosplay? Let…
We’ve always been interested in the cosplay scene, so when we met up with the Arizona Avengers cosplay group at the recent Phoenix ComicCon convention, we jumped at the chance to get some interviews. We’ll be bringing you interviews with a number of Arizona Avengers over the next few months, and here’s the second: Charlotte Woodward. 1) When and how did you first get into cosplay? I was attending Phoenix Comic Con 2010 (which I’d like to add was my 1st ever Convention) and noticed a group of Marvel costumers, I told them they did an amazing job and looked…
Imagine an island where you can become immortal, but no one wants to go there. One man sets out to find out why in Ursula Le Guin’s haunting short story, “The Island of the Immortals.” Available online for free at Lightspeed Magazine.
On October 12, 1979, the first edition of the classic sci-fi comedy The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy novel by Douglas Adams was published. In honor of the occasion, here are ten weird but true facts about the novel and the series it spawned. 1. The Hitchhiker’s Guide Has Conquered Almost Every Medium – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was originally written as a radio comedy, from which Adams adapted the first two novels. The novels were adapted into a TV mini-series, followed by a computer game, a comic book mini-series, and three more novels, which were in turn…
I know the toy industry makes a lot of money on vehicles, but there are some superheroes who just don’t need one. Spiderman, Superman, and Iron Man are some good examples. But of all of them, I think the most ridiculous superhero for a vehicle is the Hulk. Not just because he can jump for miles, but because the idea of the Hulk sitting behind the controls of any vehicle defies logic. Here are the ten dumbest Hulk vehicle toys with commentary from the green one himself*. 10. Touch Tech Incredible Hulk Rampage Rescue Tank Vehicle – Let’s start with…
Weapon-X-a-Lot is the best at what he does. And what he does is very cute. Full image after the jump… NOTE: Updated text and added thumbnail [Image Source: Comic Twart]
If you’re a Star Trek fan, you’ve probably seen the episode “Mirror, Mirror” a thousand times, but there are a few details you probably didn’t know. Check out this new infographic, based on our recent post, “10 Things You Didn’t Know About Star Trek’s Mirror, Mirror.” Some facts have been replaced or condensed to protect the innocent. What did you think of the infographic? Any other facts we left out about “Mirror, Mirror?” You can watch this episode, along with “Amok Time,” “The Trouble With Tribbles,” “I, Mudd,” and all the other awesome episodes of the second season from the…
If Winnie the Pooh was the captain of the USS Enterprise, it would go something like this…this mash-up drawn by RABBI-TOM [Image Source: DeviantArt]