Out this week we have two DVDs to feature:  Terminator Salvation, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.  Do we Love It, Rent it, or Avoid Like Plague?

Renter

• Terminator Salvation:  This is the story of John Connor's direct struggle against the machines.  Terminator fans tell me this is an owner.  For me it's a renter.  I don't care for McG's work and am unimpressed with the previews.
  
  
  
  • Buy it / Rent it
  
  
  • Exploring: Terminator Salvation
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • More Terminator on dashPunk
  
  
  
  

For fun here is a 5 second summary / commentary on Terminator Salvation

For me I suspect this will be my sentiments (NSFW)

• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian: The second of the Night at the Museum movies.  I was not interested in the first but was impressed with how good it is, I really enjoyed it.  That made me more willing to give the second movie a chance, then I got to see more of the previews.  Beginning to suspect that the second one was merely a series of catch phrases and repeated jokes this movie got bumped to the rent list.  Then the reviews came in and only supported that concern.  If this gets on the rent que It's going to be low.
  
  
  
  • Buy it / Rent it
  
  
  • More Night at the Museum on dashPunk
  
  
  
  

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This is the most hilarious and succinct review of Terminator 2 I have ever seen.  Not only do I like the fact that this video has made me laugh so hard I forgot what I was doing but I also love the simple eloquence it portrays.  Watch the video above.

Terminator: Salvation is the next installment in the Terminator franchise.  It takes place during John Connor's freedom fighter days as he leads the resistance against the Skynet and the robot army.  In his attempt to defeat Skynet and its army of Terminators by Marcus Wright, a man who apparently has been rescued from the past, though Connor wonders if instead he’s been sent from the future as a foil to his plan. As Connor and Wright push deep into the heart of Skynet, they get closer and closer to learning the secret behind the organization’s mission to wipe humankind off the planet.

I loved the first two Terminator movies becoming a fan of the story and setting.  It was the best of both worlds great action with killer robots and good speculative fiction.  Then the third movie happened which moved the franchise away from any good "what if" and into pure boring action.  I originally had a lot of hope with this movie exploring John Connor's adult years and getting back into the setting returning the franchise back to what made it so great... after some of the early reviews and McG's talks that hope is swiftly slipping.

I put this one into the caution category.  I will watch it in the theater to review it but recommend for others to wait until the reviews are in.  My hopes is Terminator will turn out to be like Star Trek in quality rather than X-Men Wolverine.

For more information on Terminator Salvation

• Theater or Renter: May 2009


• Terminator Salvation The Harvester Featurette


• Terminator Salvation 4 Minute Clip


• Other posts on Terminator

Let me know what you think.  Will you go to see Terminator: Salvation  in the theater on May 21 2009 or rent it?  If you have seen it in the theater should I go see it and why?

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Dark Horse Comics is launching a new iPhone app, and is offering the four-volume The Terminator: Death Valley comic (originally published in 1998) as iPhone downloads for 99 cents per issue.

I like the idea of Dark Horse branching out, looking into new mediums for delivering comics.  I'm not that excited about a Terminator comic but if this works and looks good we could be looking at a new method for delivering comics.  Imagine getting a subscription app that would allow the comic reader to receive new issues downloaded directly to them and in a portable format.  I hope that Dark Horse will explore making it available for other devices in addition to the iPhone.

(via SFScope)

This featurette gives us a closer look at The Harvester from Terminator: Salvation.  The video above includs a two minute fourty second clip from the movie.  The rest of the video is a behind the scene featurette discussing the effects used in the scene.  For more on Terminator: Salvation Theater or Renter: May 2009 or  read here.

A new 4 minute clip is out for the Terminator Salvation.  Watch it above.  The footage looks nice and it shows more of the story behind the movie.  We do get to see more of the different types of robots that will be in the movie.  Apple users can also get a nice high quality version of the clip here.

Theater or Renter: May includes eight SF movies:  X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Battle for Terra, Star Trek, Angels & Demons, Terminator: Salvation, Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian, Up, Drag Me to Hell.  Will we watch? Will we rent? or do we even care?

Rules of the Game: Watch the trailers. Rate the Trailer. Then share with us your comments: does the movie, it’s trailer and buzz make you want to watch it in the theater, rent it, or not interested at all, and why?

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Release Date: MAY 1st

Listed as: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Director: Gavin Hood

Produced by: Hugh Jackman, Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter, John Palermo

Written by: David Benioff, Skip Woods

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan, and Ryan Reynolds

The Plot / Story: The first chapter in the X-Men Saga, unites Wolverine with several other legends of the X-Men universe, in an epic revolution that pits the mutants against powerful forces determined to eliminate them.  Are you concerned that there is no story in that description... I am. (Wikipedia) (The Official Site)

for more read: A video look at X-Men Origins: Wolverine, And here.

Battle for Terra

Release Date: MAY 1st

Listed as: Animation, Adventure

Studio: Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions, MeniThings Productions

Director: Aristomenis Tsirbas

Produced by: Ryan Colucci, Keith Calder

Written by: Evan Spiliotopoulos, Story: Aristomenis Tsirbas

Stars: Brian Cox, James Garner, Evan Rachel Wood, Justin Long, Dennis Quaid, Danny Glover, Amanda Peet

The Plot / Story: When the peace-loving inhabitants of the beautiful planet Terra come under attack from the last surviving members of humanity adrift in an aging spaceship, the stage is set for an all-out war between the two races for control of the planet.  But will an unlikely friendship between a rebellious young Terrian and an injured human piolt somehow convince their leaders that war is not the answer? (Wikipedia) (The Official Site)

Star Trek (2009)

Release Date:  MAY 8th (May 7th in some theaters)

Listed as: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Studio: Paramount Pictures, Spyglass Entertainment, Bad Robot Productions

Director: J. J. Abrams

Produced by: J. J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof

Written by: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman

Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Eric Bana

The Plot / Story: The origin story of Captain James T. Kirk, Spock and the crew of the USS Enterprise before they had boldly gone where no man had gone before. (Wikipedia) (The Official Site)

For more articles on Star Trek read here

Angels & Demons

Release Date:  MAY 15th

Listed as: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Studio: Imagine Entertainment

Director: Ron Howard

Produced by: Brian Grazer, John Calley

Written by: David Koepp, Akiva Goldsman

Stars: Tom Hanks, Ayelet Zurer, Ewan McGregor

The Plot / Story: Based on the book Angels & Demons by Dan Brown.  Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon finds himself in Rome, where he has to race against time to prevent the Illuminati, a secret society, from putting in motion a terrorist act that could destroy the Vatican. He's aided in his quest by the beautiful Italian scientist Vittoria Vetri (Wikipedia) (The Official Site)

For more on Angels and Demons read:  Trailer: Angels & Demons TV spot

Terminator: Salvation

Release Date: MAY 22nd

Listed as: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Studio: Warner Bros.

Director: McG

Produced by: Derek Anderson, Victor Kubicek, Jeffrey Silver, Moritz Borman

Written by: Screenplay: John D. Brancato, Michael Ferris, Uncredited: Jonathan Nolan, Anthony E. Zuiker, Shawn Ryan, Paul Haggis, David C. Wilson, Characters: James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd

Stars: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard, Common, Jane Alexander, Helena Bonham Carter

The Plot / Story: John Connor is joined in his attempt to defeat Skynet and its army of Terminators by Marcus Wright, a man who apparently has been rescued from the past, though Connor wonders if instead he's been sent from the future as a foil to his plan. As Connor and Wright push deep into the heart of Skynet, they get closer and closer to learning the secret behind the organization's mission to wipe humankind off the planet.  (Wikipedia) (The Official Site)

For more articles on Terminator read here

Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian

Release Date:  MAY 22nd

Listed as: Action, Comedy

Studio: 21 Laps Entertainment

Director: Shawn Levy

Produced by: Shawn Levy, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan

Written by: Screenplay: Thomas Lennon  Story: Robert Ben Garant

Stars: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria, Christopher Guest, Alain Chabat, and Robin Williams

The Plot / Story: Security guard Larry Daley infiltrates the Smithsonian Institute in order to rescue Jedediah and Octavius, who have been shipped to the museum by mistake. (Wikipedia) (The Official Site)

Up

Release Date: MAY 29th

Listed as: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family

Studio: Pixar Animation Studios

Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson

Produced by: Jonas Rivera

Written by: Bob Peterson, Ronnie del Carmen, Thomas McCarthy

Stars: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Jordan Nagai

The Plot / Story: By tying thousands of balloon to his home, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. Right after lifting off, however, he learns he isn't alone on his journey, since Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip. (Wikipedia) (The Official Site)

Drag Me to Hell

Release Date: MAY 29th

Listed as: Horror, Thriller

Studio: Ghost House Pictures

Director: Sam Raimi

Produced by: Grant Curtis, Joshua Donen, Joseph Drake, Nathan Kahane, Sam Raimi, Robert G. Tapert

Written by: Ivan Raimi, Sam Raimi

Stars: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, David Paymer

The Plot / Story: A loan officer ordered to evict an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse which turns her life into a living nightmare. Desperate, she turns to a seer for help, and learns she only has a short period of time before she is literally ushered into Hell. (Wikipedia) (The Official Site)

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Pinball Wizard | Theater or Renter: Alien Trespass, Dragonball: Evolution, Mutant Chronicles | Alien Nation | Monster vs. Alien | Tron | Day of the Triffids |Terminator | Clash of the Titans | Matrix | Filk | Nightwish | Wheel of Time | Looking For Group | and Community Comments Today on the Project: Shadow Informant.

Culture

• Pinball Wizards Convention Scheduled for May 1-3, 2009 (via Nuketown)

Movie

• Theater or Renter: April 2009 (dashPunk)


• Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy streaming on Hulu (dashPunk)


• Monsters vs. Aliens rules with $59 million debut (via AP)


• TRON Sequel Will Be Titled… TRON? (via /Film)


• Day of the Triffids cast and poster (dashPunk)


• Robert Patrick Confirms His Interest In Terminator 5 (via Sci Fi News)


• others cast in Clash of the Titans (via SCI FI Wire)


• Warner Bros Announces New Matrix Sequel: The Matrix Resurrection (via /Film)

Music

• Requiem for a Filker (via Tor)


• NIGHTWISH MP3 DOWNLOAD THIS THURSDAY! (via Roadunner Records)

Book

• ‘Wheel of Time’ Series Extended to Three More Books (via SciFi Watch)

Webcomic

• To be Dick (via Looking for Group)


• Girl Genius

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Ewok Dog | Fandom Saves | Homophobia v Microsoft | Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter | Clone Wars DVD | Snakehead Terror | 1st Bite | Leaves’ Eyes | Kung Fu Panda | Terminator Salvation | Ponyo! | Dead of Night | Ark of Truth | Clone Wars | and Community Comments Today on the Project: Shadow Informant.

Culture

• Separated at Berf? Ewok dog (via Cute Overload)


• Spider-Man Saves Autistic Boy in Thailand (dashPunk)


• Lionhead Employee Sues Microsoft For Homophobia (via GayGamer)

Movie

• DVD Releases: March 24th, 2009 (dashPunk)


• Review: Kung Fu Panda (dashPunk)


• Terminator Salvation Trailer (Black Freighter) (dashPunk)


• Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo U.S. Release Date! (dashPunk)


• Taye Diggs to bite into vampire role in Dead of Night? (via SCI FI Wire)


• Ark of Truth to Debut on TV (dashPunk)

TV / Series

• Review: Clone Wars 122 Hostage Crisis (dashPunk)

Webcomic

• Girl Genius

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I like this trailer more than the previous ones.  There is more footage in it and we get a better look at the setting elements.

After watching it I’m still really stoked about this film.  I’m really glad to see that at least in their advertising they are going back to the giant killer robot theme!

(via Topless Robot)