Movie Review: Iron Sky

Have you ever wondered what it'd be like if the Nazis weren't really gone, but instead had taken over the moon? Well wait no more, for now there is Iron Sky.

Plot Synopsis

At the end of World War II the Nazis launch a secret space program to the dark side of the moon. For the next 70 years they lie in wait, constructing a massive space fortress and fleet of heavily armed flying saucers. In 2018, they make their move to take back the Earth.

Iron Sky isn't the greatest movie of all time, but if you're looking for a movie to sit, relax, and unwind with, than it's the perfect fit.

The story will keep your attention, the acting is actually good, it's well paced with the action, and the humor is well timed. Above all else though, the movie's musical score was absolutely mind blowing.

Our only real complaint was at the opening sequence of the movie. There was nothing about it that made us feel like these events were actually happening on the moon, everything was beyond fake, even the astronauts' space suits were terrible.

First ten minutes had us wondering if Iron Sky could get any more cornier and cheesier. After those ten minutes though, things turned around and we fully enjoyed the film.

Iron Sky is a 93 minute Sci-Fi comedy, rated R for strong language and some violence, stars Julia Dietze, Gotz Otto, and Christopher Kirby, and was directed by Timo Vuorensola.

We give Iron Sky a solid 3 out 5.

-GJ

Image of the Day: Calvin, The Spiffy Spaceman

-GJ

Google Logo 5-20-2011

Google logo for May 20th 2011 created by Matteo Lopez.

-GJ

WTF Is That?!?

This was found while using our home bathroom. We know the picture is not of great quality and the glare from the tile didn't help any, but anyone out there want to guess what it is? Or what it appears to look like to them?

- GJ

Sci-Fi Now SyFy

On July 9, 2009 the Sci-Fi Channel changed its name to the SyFy Channel. What does this mean to the network's loyal viewers, well absolutely nothing. The change was made because the network wanted a more hip and up to date image. So they said.

What it really does is allow the network to justify its lack of true Science Fiction. Lets face it, over the last several years there has been a decline in the number of true Sci-Fi shows. Yes there are still some on, or soon to premiere, but if you break it down the network should have changed to the Horror Channel.

Granted Horror is a sub-genre to Sci-Fi, but it still should not completely dominate the schedule. The network also runs on a pinch of Fantasy with a dash of true Sci-Fi.

But with the name change they can now tell people "hey we're more than just starships and space aliens, we offer more to fans of the genre." In our opinion we need more starships and space aliens to restore the genre to its glory and to make the Sci-Fi, sorry, SyFy Channel a respectable network again. - GJ

Virtuality - Reviewed

Virtuality is FOX's new Sci-Fi drama that's a TV show within a TV show. The best way to describe it is MTV's Real World meets outer space.

Just look at the crew and compare them to a Real World cast. There is an interracial couple, a gay couple, a couple in a solid relationship that now faces the challenge of one member cheating, and two semi hot chicks that have a love/hate relationship.

There is also the video confessionals, which was the Real World's trademark.


Now there were a couple of moments where potential was shown. Okay so really just the beginning and end, with maybe one or two moments in the middle.

The only member of the crew that was tolerable throughout the entire show was Capt. Frank Pike, and he unfortunately didn't survive. Well at least not in reality.

The worst part was FOX's cheap plug of their network throughout the entire episode. It actually got quite annoying.

Being a Sci-Fi series on FOX, we don't count on Virtuality being around very long. Hopefully we can get a little more of the story before the inevitable happens. - GJ

Engine Repaired

So last week somebody on the staff managed to pick up a virus and pass it on to everyone else. Damage was kept to a minimum, we think. However, if anyone comes across any missing images or videos please let us know so we can correct it.

Bad news is we lost articles we were working on because stupid us, we hadn't wrote them on blogger.com but in Microsoft Word instead. So give us sometime and we'll get you some new content.




Back To Space We Go, Hope To See You There!

Economy May Hurt Sci-Fi Entertainment

Okay so let's cut the scope of this article down to futuristic space operas/dramas are in trouble. (Science Fiction as a whole will be fine, mostly because of the sub-genres Horror and Fantasy.)

We all know it is very expensive to produce a TV show; sets have to be built, writers and actors to be paid, and advertising to be performed to draw a crowd. Unfortunately it costs a lot more to do a Science Fiction show based in outer space or in the future, because besides the normal sets (which are more extensive in themselves), a lot of computer graphics also come into play and that's where a lot of money ends up being spent.

Even before the economy down slide studios were cutting these shows because of cost. Some prime examples are Dark Angel, Space Above And Beyond, Futurama, and our favorite show all time FIREFLY.


Now unfortunately even shows that have made it two, three, even five years are looking at an end. Battlestar Galactica is in its final season, there are currently no new Star Trek TV series, and though FOX hasn't admitted it just yet, we are probably seeing the final season of The Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

The only gleam of hope at the moment for this brand of entertainment is the upcoming Stargate Universe series that will be airing on the SciFi Channel.

The effects of the economy are not only affecting the small screen, but the silver screen as well. As studios look into what should be cut back it's almost a guarantee that space operas are to be dropped, just for the simple fact that they do not produce the same results stupid fart joke movies do.

The much anticipated Halo movie has already become one such casualty in this time of economic crisis, and thus lays the foundation of many other movies to be shelved.


But we can always hope for a huge economic surge towards the better, one that will allow studios to go ahead with plans to make those shelved movies, someday we may yet get our Halo, along with others like Gears of War, Robotech, or any other space opera our minds can imagine.

And here's hoping. -GJ

Money Waster

So for those that haven't heard, or haven't been to scifi.com this week, FOX has announced that they will be beaming their new movie "The Day The Earth Stood Still" into space on opening day, 12/12/08.

The transmission is set to be aimed towards Alpha Centauri. There's just one little problem with their aim; the time it takes to reach Alpha Centauri will actually put Alpha Centauri out of the transmissions range.

Everything in space is in constant motion, and since we're talking about FOX, we all know that they have not considered this.

And for those of you that are panicking that we are showing possible ways for an alien race to attack the Earth, take a deep breath, and remember, if they have the ability to space travel, they don't need our help in planning our destruction.

Read Sci-Fi.com's article Here.

Editor's Note

FOX can afford to beam a brand new movie into space, but claimed that it was just too expensive to produce an episode of FIREFLY, am I the only one who has a problem with this? - GJ

Gundam 00 To Air In US

The next great installment of the gundam universe, GUNDAM 00, is coming to the Sci-Fi channel in mid November.

View The Trailer Now

Cleopatra 2525

This was a show that may not have been Oscar worthy, but it was an hour well spent. Cleopatra 2525 was a well written unique story presented by talented (and beautiful) actresses.

However, like most Science Fiction shows produced by FOX, it bit the dust before it could acquire the following to support its production. FOX has had this problem of constantly moving shows to different time slots and not allowing people to find the shows they want. Look at other would be greats, Dark Angel and Firefly.

If there was a possibility to see Cleopatra 2525 on TV again that would be phenomenal, but I wouldn't count on this. However, there is always YouTube.

50000th Person To Sign Up FREE Wins $500

This is easy money folks. Several thousand people have already signed up and we can be hitting the magic number anytime in the next couple of days.

All you have to do is click on the link below and sign up for your free information.

The 50,000th person that signs up wins $500. This is simple so please don't miss out.

*Only one entry per person.

Random Black Hole Theories

Everyone has seen a television show or movie that involves a black hole at some point in their life. Though most times the black hole is portrayed as the ultimate destructive device; meaning anything sucked in is broken down to the littlest atom possible. But believe it or not there are other theories.

One theory that I enjoy and one that you would think to be more popular, but not, is that black holes are actually gateways. Be that a gateway to another time, or another dimension.

Another theory is that black holes are actually an interstellar transit system. Enter one at this end of the universe, exit from one on the other side of the universe. This way we don't need starships with light or warp speed. Makes things a little cheaper don't you think?

What if black holes were nothing more than planetary shields? Ever think about that. Everyone avoids black holes, so what better way to keep your planet from an invasion than to hide it behind a black hole. Seems like a smart idea to me. Just something else for your brain to chew on.

All in all, it ultimately doesn't matter what a black hole is. It's just too dangerous for us to explore them. Though, maybe we could talk some of the people that are tying up our court systems with frugal lawsuits that this would be a good money making opportunity. It's not like they'll be able to sue us. Just a thought.

Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things

It's been a while, but I think I now have the motivation that I need to start posting again. Just spent some time at the big MegaCon Convention in Orlando, FL. and I'm excited to start posting again.

I've had a few personal matters to see to but now that they're out of the way, there will be no stopping me. Look for the first of many posts to come online in the next couple of days.

I'll keep on flying, will you?

Disney's The Black Hole

In 1979 Disney went out on a limb and jumped head first into the Sci-Fi phenomenon that had occurred in the late '70s. Disney had seen the success of such films as "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Star Wars" and felt it was time for them to cash in. But to obtain their cash, Disney had to spend quite a bit in the process.

As a story goes the plot wasn't all that bad, graphics were pretty impressive for their time, and the scientific facts were almost spot on. As far as a downfall, the movie does start out kind of slow, but about a half hour in everything picks up.

This movie not only tells a decent story, but gets your creative juices flowing. You start to spend time wondering what would really happen if you were to travel into a black hole. Would something extraordinary happen or would your life just simply be forfeited. No one may ever know.

If you have the chance to see Disney's The Black Hole, it's strongly recommended that you do so.

Science Fiction @ The Movies

Here are some trailers for movies that will be hitting the big screen in the next couple of months. These films seem to have some big potential, but without support they could just as well be failures.

Enjoy!!

IRON MAN

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT

(I Know Have Spoke Negatively About This Film, But Remember, These Are Films That Have The Potential To Be Blockbusters. No Matter What I Think.)

JUMPER

DOOMSDAY

GUNDAM

The world of everything Gundam began over in Japan in 1979, but didn't make its debut in North America until 1998 with the run of Gundam Wing on Cartoon Network's Toonami. Since then countless other series in the Gundam universe have aired, including the original series Mobile Suit Gundam.


If you're going to call yourself a true science fiction fan, then this epic saga is a can't miss. Some of the series may seem a little childish at first but you must look into the underlying themes and concepts being portrayed.


Gundams are futuristic war machines. Each series portrays a different war, in a different century, with different Gundams and pilots. The only constant is the involvement of the Earth.


For more information on everything Gundam please visit the official website at Gundam Official. There you can find plot summaries of the different series, character profiles, gundam schematics, and answers to your frequently asked questions.


A GUNDAM TRIBUTE VIDEO

What Emperor Palpatine Should've Done

Thousands have witnessed the incredible world of the original Star Wars trilogy and more than seventy-five percent of those people each have their own ideas and opinions of what Emperor Palpatine should have done to accomplish victory over the Rebel Alliance. Here are just some of my thoughts about what should've happened.

Emperor Palpatine was to be someone of great knowledge and power, but yet most look at him as nothing but an arrogant fool. I would surely agree with the latter. Palpatine's arrogance doesn't really come to the forefront until Return of the Jedi when he makes many costly mistakes.


The first and most crucial mistake Palpatine made was with the use, or in this case lack thereof, of the Star Destroyers in system near the second Death Star. It would have been an extremely quick space battle if the destroyers were involved, but they were given orders to hold position but make sure no one attempts to escape. The Rebel fleet was easily able to maintain the upper-hand while dealing with the imperial fighter craft, so much that they were able to break off several fighters of their own to make attack runs on the second Death Star. The fire power packed on one Star Destroyer would have been enough trouble for the desolate Rebel fleet but the hundreds in system would have blown the Rebel fleet to bits quickly.

The next mistake made was on the moon of Endor. We all saw that Luke Skywalker was taken to Darth Vader by an AT-AT walker, so the question became why not use that AT-AT while battling the ewoks and Rebel landing party. I understand that an AT-AT is a large transport vehicle that would not be the most mobile thing to be taken into the forest, but it would have several advantages.


One advantage of using the AT-AT would be that the ewoks battle techniques would not have the same effect as they had on the AT-ST walkers. First the AT-AT armor is thicker; second the AT-AT is four legged not two like the AT-ST. These two things alone eliminate all the log warfare.

Second even though it would be too big to walk straight into the forest, an AT-AT has the fire power to blow away the forest. It's also easier to step on groups of ewoks with feet like an AT-ATs.

The last and most costly to Emperor Palpatine was the fact that he put to much trust in Darth Vader. Palpatine should have been able to feel Vader reaching out for Skywalker in the force, especially when they were reaching to one another near the second Death Star. Palpatine should have known that Vader was up to no good. But yet he still trusted Vader and even turning his back to him when trying to kill young skywalker. Palpatine knew Vader was not a complete machine and still had human parts, one being his heart.

Too many mistakes allowed the Rebels to destroy the second Death Star, scatter the remaining Imperial forces, and end the Emperor's life.

So now that you've had a chance to hear some of my thoughts, feel free to express yours.

Adultswim, STOP Complaining About The Anime

STOP, Stop right now. We are all tired of seeing the graphics that bad mouth the anime on your schedule. Maybe you want to try something different then, well here’s a thought, play some good anime.

Eureka 7, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, and Blue Gender to name a few were good anime to have been played. Maybe because they had either some sort of space or robot theme, these seemed to be the most enjoyable of your past schedule. Shows like Death Note (which is awesome), Trinity Blood, Samurai Champloo, and Fooly Cooly were good for things of change, but remember not everyone is into the vampires/demons (Blood+, InuYasha, Bleach) and series being rerun like six thousand times (Cowboy Bebop).


In my opinion maybe you should consider getting rid of all non-anime shows from your schedule. The only non-anime you’ve ever played that I liked is either going or has gone by the wayside anyways (Futurama, Sealab 2021, Mission Hill). Everything else is either poorly animated, or just absolutely disgusting, and in most cases both. Granted an episode of Family Guy once in a while is entertaining to watch but I could have lived happily if it was never picked up again.

So how about trying to find more space or giant robot themed anime to play, usually these are also a little bit more adult themed as well. I remember a couple years back Toonami did a Giant Robot week and they played three episode of a show called Martian Successor Nadesico, that was good, why not try that. There are also several Gundam series that have yet to make it to American airwaves so why not pick one of them?


You know what; why not try uncut, unedited Sailor Moon? Anything has to be better than Assy McGee, Saul Of The Mole Men, 12 oz. Mouse, The Boondocks, and Frisky Dingo.

So unless you make a better attempt at what’s on your schedule, quite displaying graphics about how bad your anime ratings are, because it’s no one’s fault but your own.

My Favorite Sci-Fi TV Shows

Here are the shows that have made the greatest impact on my imagination and creativity. Again I know there will be arguments and complaints about this list, and again I say you will get over it.


Andromeda
Battlestar Galactica (Original)
Cowboy Bebop
Firefly
Futurama
Gundam Wing
Space Above and Beyond
Stargate SG-1
Star Trek – The Next Generation
The Jetsons