This blog is just one of my many ways of getting my thoughts/opinions onto the web. I do reviews for feature films, films of limited release, and short films. I also do polls and a weekly Blu Ray review, discussions on which occur primarily on Facebook, so if you want to get involved, comment on here or go go to http://www.facebook.com/david.gillie.
Also follow me on twitter @DarthSpock where I post movie news.
Last week, as part of my 3D Visual Effects degree course, I handed in my first short film. I created it as part of a group of six. We came up with the idea, the script, organised the shoot, then filmed it. Once we had all the footage, we all went our separate ways, each editing it in our own way. So my edit is one out of six, we were surprised at how different each edit turned out. The film was made under the production name The Toolbox Productions, all of the members of Toolbox worked on this short film.
The Hat-Trick is the story of Jack, a failing magician who is on his last chance. Either he does well in this audition, or his career is over. Everything changes when he meets The Cleaner, his life will never be the same.
The Hat-Trick stars Jack Smyth as Jack, Nowell Tuitt as The Cleaner, Nick Fletcher as The Agent and myself, David Gillie as The Producer.
Let me know what you think, this is my first attempt and I'm fairly proud of it.
Two posters have been released this week for Star Trek Into Darkness.
Spock's Poster:
The poster of the Enterprise falling from was in my opinion, too much of a spoiler, but this poster looks great! It is a still from the five minute IMAX preview. Anyone who hasn't seen this preview will have no idea what is happening in this scene, it raises a lot of questions. Personally I just think it looks cool.
Uhura's Poster:
This poster of Uhura raises less questions. There is clearly a battle of some sort going on, but we don't know whom with or where.
These posters are just highlighting the main cast members before the new film comes out. I imagine before Star Trek Into Darkness comes out we'll see at least two more posters, one of Kirk and one of John Harrison.
Me and Nick have always tried to get episodes of DarthSpockReviews out on a Saturday or Sunday, but we have we have been having a few problems sending files via dropbox and skype. We tend to see each other on a Monday so the next episode (where I review the 1981 The Evil Dead) will be online on Tuesday or Wednesday.
It would make sense for us to transfer all files on the Monday and get episodes out on the Tuesday or Wednesday. We are going to see how it goes this week and if it goes well and is easier than it has been in previous weeks, then we will continue that way in the future. The show is still new, so we are still trying to fine line how we want to do things.
I will keep you up to date with any changes that will be made to the show or blog.
If there's anything you as my audience believe I should make to DarthSpockReviews or my blog, just let me know.
Contact me on here or on twitter @DarthSpock
Also follow my editor Nick Fletch on twitter @Nick1193. He's funny and a real wiz at After Effects.
A new image of Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel Superman has appeared online. It has appeared as part of a kellogs award program with selected cereals (see image below).
The advertisement gives consumers the chance to 'Become The Man Of Steel' by winning Superman's powers:
FLIGHT: Airline tickets for a year (2 round-trip tickets per month)
STRENGTH: Personal trainer for a year (1 session per week)
SPEED: 2013 Ford Mustang
VISION: Movie tickets for a year (Family of 4)
These are some pretty big prizes, but what I want to concentrate on, is the picture of Superman himself (see better picture below).
I've said from the beginning that I am very happy with the choice of Henry Cavill as Clark Kent because I thought he was fantastic as Charles Brandon in the BBC TV series The Tudors. Also, just look at him, he looks the part! He's obviously had to bulk out for the role like Brandon Routh did (I actually liked Routh as Superman, just not as Clark Kent).
So basically, he can act, he looks the part, put these with Zack Snyder as director, Christopher Nolan as director, and Hans Zimmer scoring the film, Man of Steel is going to be incredible! Not to mention great supporting cast like Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Russel Crowe, Amy Adams and Laurence Fishburne.
Man of Steel is scheduled for release on June 14th, 2013.
This week a new poster for J.J.Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness came online. Take a look below:
To be honest, although this poster looks awesome, I think it reveals too much. I understand that this is probably going to be one of the best scenes in the film, but it screams 'last 15-minutes of the film' moment. I have the same opinion about the trailer, which also shows the Enterprise falling (see trailer below). J.J.Abrams is really good at keeping information about his films secret until the last minute, it's strange for him to include a potentially spoiler in the trailer and poster. Unless something bigger than the Enterprise falling from space happens and we just don't know it yet.
Cannot wait for this film, I wasn't excited for it until I saw the five minute clip that was released before IMAX showings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. This is because I'd heard that it was using post-converted 3D and there were lots of rumours that it was just a re-imagining of Wrath of Khan. After seeing that clip (and its incredible 3D!) and the international trailer released after that, I have been thoroughly convinced that this film is going to surpass its 2009 predecessor.
This trailer caught my eye today and I have to say, as a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers fan, I had a fan boy moment. With so many incarnations of the Power Rangers (a new one every year now I think), the nostalgia feeling that comes with them has been a bit diluted. In my opinion (warning, spoilers in the next sentence), Power Rangers should have ended after Power Rangers In Space ended, when Zordon died and all evil was destroyed. That was when the story of the original rangers ended.
This fan made trailer shows a more darker, modern day look at the Power Rangers. The description calls it Power Rangers-Reimagined. Check out the trailer below:
This trailer was created by Codebreaker Productions, Rollin Studios, Midnight Treehouse and LRP. It was directed by Dominick Sivilli.
I really like the look of this trailer, I don't even mind the title abbreviation MMPR. The trailer shows a darker Power Rangers, moving it away from the children's TV show. My only complaint is that we don't see any actual Power Rangers in it, but that's understandable, it is a fan made trailer, and Power Ranger uniforms are expensive. The highlight for me was seeing Lord Zedd at the end, in the series he very rarely got his hands dirty, this looks like he has been defeated, broken, and after revenge.
It's a shame it's only a fan made trailer, I wouldn't mind actually seeing the film. Hopefully we'll be seeing some more of this groups stuff in the future.
Neill Blomkamp is back! District 9 is an awesome film and I am really excited to see a return to Blomkamp's world. As a big fan of science fiction, I am always open to something original, it is unclear how Elysium links in with District 9, all we know is that it isn't a sequel, it is a stand-alone film. Watch the trailer below:
The film stars Matt Damon (you may remember him as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Trilogy), Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley (Wilkus in District 9), Wagner Moura, Carly Pope and Alice Braga. Elysium takes place on a ravaged Earth and a luxurious space habitat named Elysium. It will explore political themes such as "immigration, health care and class issues".
The plot:
In the year 2154 the very wealthy live on Elysium, whilst the rest live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. The people of Earth are desperate to escape the planet's crime and poverty, and they critically need the state-of-the-art medical care available on Elysium; but some in Elysium will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve their citizens' luxurious lifestyle.The only man with the chance to bring equality to these worlds is Max Da Costa, an ordinary man in desperate need t get to Elysium, with his life hanging in the balance, he reluctantly takes on a dangerous mission. One that pits him against Elysium's mayor. He could save not only his own life, but billions of people on Earth as well.
My Opinion: Warning contain spoilers from District 9
This film looks great! Science fiction has always been used to bring real life problems like poverty and social hierarchy into the publics sight. From what I've seen Blomkamp do with racial dividing in District 9, I am looking forward to see what he does with this new direction. I am also interesting to see how it fits in with District 9, if it does at all. We know that the prawn Christopher Johnson planned to return to Earth in ten years to help Wikus. The end of District 9 raises question about whether or not Christopher will seek revenge and bring an army. Elysium is set over one hundred years in the future, so it could be set well after Christopher returns, which could explain why Earth is so desecrated. Plus the human technology in the film looks influenced by prawn technology. One big question that has been raised is who does Sharlto Copley play? His character name is Kruger, there are rumours hovering around that he is Wilkus after the prawns returned and cured him, but it is over one hundred years after the events in District 9, so he would surely be dead by then. So perhaps he is a relative of Wilkus. This question won't be answered until the film is released.
In conclusion, I am excited, Blomkamp is a fantastic visionary, and even if this film has nothing to do with District 9, I imagine it will have the same, if not a larger, impact on science fiction.
Check out the poster for Elysium below:
Elysium is scheduled for release on August 9th, 2013.
