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Friday Night Who 6/17/11

June 17, 2011 2 Comments

For tonight’s episdoe of Friday Night Who, join us as  Keith gets to finish off the 2nd season with the EPIC two parter, “Army Of Ghosts” and “Doomsday”.  We promise to start at midnight CDT sharp this week, so join us on twitter and follow @travelvortex, @vortexshaun, and @vortexkeith for the tweet-a-long.  Look for the #FridayNightWho and #ArmyOfGhosts #Doomsday hastags.

Oh, and across the pond and slightly earlier, you can join @KingOrokos and @VortexTravel for #FridayNightWhoUK! (Look at us!  Already spawned a spin-off!) They’ll start at 7pm in England and this week are watching seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy in #GreatestShowInTheGalaxy.

Misc

Movie Review – Green Lantern

June 17, 2011 2 Comments

This is my spoiler-free review of Green Lantern which released this week in theaters.

First of all: “When will DC/Warner Bros. figure out the right formula for a good superhero movie?” So far, in recent memory anyway, the only successful franchise is Batman.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Green Lantern, nearly as much as Superman Returns, but neither film reaches it’s full potential.

Green Lantern is visually amazing. Even the 3D is done right. You can tell that just about all of it’s $300 million dollar budget was spent on the visuals, computer or otherwise (oh, sure Ryan Reynolds isn’t cheap nowadays either). The movie really captures the look and feel of the comic book series, which I was an avid reader of in the late 1980’s. It looks like a photo-realistic version of each and every colorful page.

The film also captures the spirit of the comic series as well, even if it does deviate ever-so-slightly from the true origins of the books, but that’s to be expected with film adaptations and we as comic book fans have learned to overlook the subtle details.

The problems with the film lie in the plot itself. The story feels very rushed. It finds it necessary to make use of a narrated prologue to introduce the viewer to the history of the Green Lantern Corps. Then the story takes off from there, almost in a rush to get to it’s climatic finale. There are some really good moments, especially as our hero Hal Jordan (GL’s alter-ego/secret identity if you didn’t know) discovers his powers and his subsequent induction into and training by the Corps. But, I can’t help to think that a casual viewer (non-comic book or sci-fi fan) might feel cheated and somewhat left unsatisfied by the comic book style pacing.

The performances are good as well. Blake Lively, who plays Carol Ferris, Hal’s pilot friend/supervisor/ pseudo-girlfriend , does a fine job. She pulls off the balance to Jordan’s wild-card pilot attitude. Ryan Reynolds in the title role does a fantastic job. It’s not a stretch for the actor to play the pretty, witty, and charming Hal Jordan, and he is a convincing GL, although the film almost takes the “lower-your-voice-so-that-no-one-knows-who-you-are” road, but recovers by playing it off as one of the films funnier moments.

The real stand out here is Peter Sarsgaard as Dr. Hector Hammond. The character is the cliché – boy longs to get the girl he can never have, and be the hero he could never be, but Sarsgaard pours the conflict and down right crazy into the role and subtly steals the show.

Other bit parts are done quite well, including those of Tim Robbins, Angela Bassett, and Mark Strong.

I think you have to, not only be a fan of comics to enjoy this film, but a fan of early DC Comics as well. The line lacks the edgy, hardcore grit that Marvel Comics have always brought, thereby making them less accessible to the mainstream audience.

The movie (as expected) does set itself up for a sequel, but I bet judging by the reviews it’s gotten already, Warner Bros. Might be hard pressed to “green light” (like what I did there?) another Green Lantern.

Overall, a fun movie, with a decent story and good acting, but far from the best superhero story put to film.

Misc, Reviews

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Reflections At 25…

June 15, 2011 3 Comments

This week (barring any unforeseen disasters with a rampaging Myrka or a jar of Marmite) marks the 25th episode of Traveling The Vortex, and I thought it appropriate to pause and take stock.  Twenty-Five.  That is kinda a big deal for 3 nobody’s from Kansas.  If you had asked me then if we’d last twenty five episodes… well of course I would have said yes, but that’s just ego talking.  Not being one to miss the opportunity to celebrate an anniversary, I thought I’d trot out a few other things that were turning 25 this year, since it’s such a fun number.

The year was 1986…

Manned spaceflight is struck a huge blow when a faulty “O”-ring causes the loss of the 7 astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Challenger just minutes after lift off.  Less than a month later, the Soviets launch Space Station Mir.  Explosions and fire would be the least of the worries for the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, ultimate killing over 4000 people and resettling at least 350,000 others. The IRS started something called “E-filing” for taxes, and the Ruton Voyager became the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or taking on fuel.

The first case of “Mad Cow Disease” is found in England, Antarctica scientists find a hole in something called the Ozone layer, Oliver North starts shredding documents that would link him to Iran-Contra, and the Pope meets Mother Teresa.

Eastman Kodak lost the Supreme Court appeal on a patent dispute with Polaroid over instant cameras, while Fujifilm releases the first disposable camera. Other noteworthy inventions that year included Apple’s Macintosh Plus, featuring a whopping 8 MHz processor, and 1MB of RAM and a 9” screen; IBM shipped the first laptop weighing a hefty 13 pounds; and the first prototype Pneumatic Water Gun was patented, though it wouldn’t be until 1993 that it earns the name Super Soaker.

In other computer news, Unisys became the world’s second largest computer company,  Bill Gates became one of the world’s youngest billionaires when Microsoft went public, and Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) is developed, and enables emails to be access without downloading the messages to a local hard drive.  The first PC virus spreads from a couple of Pakistani computer store operators, and an essay about early hacker culture “The Conscience of a Hacker” or the ‘Hacker’s Manifesto’ as it came to be known, is published.  It would later be quoted in the 1995 movie Hackers.

Speaking of movies, “Top Gun” reigns supreme at the box office.  Other notable films celebrating their 25th anniversaries this year include “Crocodile Dundee”, “Platoon” James Cameron’s “Aliens”, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, and “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”.  The computer graphics division of Lucasfilm Ltd, is purchased by Steve Jobs for $10 million dollars and established as an independent company called Pixar.  And Francis Ford Coppola directs the first “4D” movie which runs 17 minutes and cost $30 million dollars.  “Captain EO” starred Michael Jackson and ran exclusively at Walt Disney World.

Other entertainment anniversaries include “Les Miserables” debut on Broadway, BOTH Wondercon and Dragoncon, conventions turn 25 this year, as well as a certain Italian plumber and heroic elf.  Super Mario Bros. and The Legend Of Zelda debuted in 1986.  Mike Tyson became the youngest Heavyweight Champion in history, Captain Midnight hijacked HBO’s satellite signal to send his own pirate message “$12.95/Month?…No Way!”, and the first ten musicians were inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Game, including James Brown, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard.

On the Who front, 1986 brought Colin Baker’s epic “Trail Of A Time Lord” season to TV, although the 25th anniversary episode of Doctor Who “Silver Nemesis” would star Sylvester McCoy, and wouldn’t be broadcast until 1988.  And IN universe, The Doctor lands the TARDIS at the Snowcap Space Tracking station at the South Pole in 1986 in the episode “The Tenth Planet”, and returns Peri to Blackpool 1986 in the “lost story” audio adventure “The Nightmare Fair”.

Of course some people will cry foul, as this list represents actual anniversaries.  “You’re only on episode 25!” Those people will declare, hardly an anniversary.  Okay, let’s take a look at some WHO-centric 25 episodes.  The 25th individual episode of Doctor Who was “Sentence Of Death” from the Keys Of Marinus story arc.  The 25th Story arc was “The Gunfighters”, both starring William Hartnell.  I think we’re in good company.  And if you disagree…  Phooey on you, this is our podcast and we’ll celebrate any old number we choose!

But it does feel good to hit 25.  Thanks as always to our listeners for making it happen, glad you like the show.

Until the next fun number…

Misc

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Movie Review – Super 8

June 13, 2011 0 Comments

*Spoiler Free Review

When a group of aspiring kid filmmakers just trying to enter a local film competition wind up recording an air-force train derailment outside a sleepy Ohio town, it sets a chain of fantastic and terrible events in motion.  What cargo was the train carrying?  Why is the air-force so desperate to keep it a secret?  A fantastic spat of performances by the child actors, (and truthfully, even the adults are pretty good) make up for the plot holes and bits of missing logic.  The Spielbergian feel is in full effect here, and the film is littered with simple pleasures of a by-gone era.  This is the Americana where it was okay to hop on your bike and peddle to a friend’s house, the sleepy small town that still has a steel plant, the community that bans together in fear of Russian invasion.  And it is into this setting that Abrams unleashes an X-Files conspiracy and potential close encounter.

For everyone who complains that “they don’t make them like they used to” you NEED to go see this film.  JJ Abrams and Steven Spielberg have crafted a film from my childhood.  It feels like a product of the times in which it is set, the late 70s early 80s.  The films is a suspenseful rollercoaster ride harking back to classics like “Close Encounters Of The 3rd Kind” and “E.T.” with a splash of “Goonies”, as well as newer movies like “The Iron Giant” and “Cloverfield” but it’s much darker in tone, kind of like what those movies would be when they grow up.

It’s also a love letter to Hollywood and filmmakers everywhere.  For every kid who’s ever picked up a video camera and shot little action vignettes with their models, for every makeup artist who creates fake blood out of Kayro syrup and red food coloring, for every young director who set up a shot NOT because it was needed for the telling of the narrative, but because it would look f***ing cool, this film is for you.

SUPER 8 – A

Misc, Reviews

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Friday Night Who 6/10/11

June 8, 2011 1 Comment

For this week’s Friday Night Who, join us as we jump back into tenth Doctor David Tennant’s era for the two part episode, “The Impossible Planet” and “The Satan Pit” from series 2 featuring the Ood. 

Follow @travelvortex, @vortexglenn, @vortexkieth and @vortexshaun for the Tweet-A-Long, and look for the #FridayNightWho #DoctorWho and #ImpossiblePlanet #SatanPit hash tags!

Oh, and don’t turn around!

Misc

Friday Night Who 06/03/11

June 3, 2011 0 Comments

Tonight’s Friday Night Who is “Delta And The Bannermen” staring Sylvester McCoy.  This will be the final of our Seven Weeks For Seven Doctor’s run, (and Keith’s first “true” exposure to the seventh Doctor, the only previous review we’ve done so far of his work was “Doctor Who: The Movie”)  Next week we plan to return to David Tennant’s era with “The Impossible Planet” and “The Satan Pit” two parter, featuring the Ood.

We start watching promptly at midnight, central daylight time, so synch up your DVD players/Netflix/web streaming or whatever, then jump on twitter and follow @travelvortex, @vortexglenn, @vortexkeith and @vortexshaun as we tweet-a-long.  You can also look for the #FridayNightWho and #DeltaAndTheBannermen hashtags, (and this week I’ll even go so far as to spell them correctly!) 

Expect some good natured Mystery Sciene Theatre style ribbing with a classic.

Misc

Seven Weeks for Seven Doctors: The Finale

May 31, 2011 0 Comments

Another week, another Doctor down. That makes this week the final Seven Weeks for Seven Doctors….and this week’s FRIDAY NIGHT WHO plans are to watch Sylvester McCoy’s seventh Doctor in “Delta and the Bannermen”. This will not end Friday Night Who just Seven Weeks for Seven Doctors. Stay tuned to the website for our Friday Night Who plans coming up.

You can follow @TravelVortex @vortexglenn @vortexshaun and @vortexkeith for all the fun. Hope to see you on Twitter!

4/22/11 – William Hartnell in “The Aztecs”

4/29/11 – Patrick Troughton in “The Dominators”

5/6/11 – Jon Pertwee in “Carnival Of Monsters”

5/13/11 – Tom Baker in “Pyramids Of Mars”

5/20/11 – Peter Davison – “Black Orchid”

5/27/11 – Colin Baker – “Vengeance On Varos”

6/3/11 – Sylvester McCoy – “Delta And The Bannermen”

Misc

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Serendipity

May 27, 2011 3 Comments

Ever since we started Traveling The Vortex in January, there’s been an odd (or now that we know the TARDIS takes travels where they’re needed, not-so-odd) convergence of events.  Many will chalk this up to coincidence, and their probably right.  But there are some who will open their minds just a bit more, to the possibility of something else…

I’ve always said I am a psychic transmitter.  I don’t read minds, (and having seen the Torchwood episode “Greeks Bearing Gifts”, I’m not sure I would ever want to!) but I do notice a strange phenomenon that people around me will say or do things and we’ll both stop and look at each other, and they’ll know I was thinking it first.

So here’s a brief look at the impact we have had…

The week we did the Cybermen for our “Adversary Archives”, is the same week that BBC announced the return of the silver foes in series six.  (But we announced our intentions to review those stories first!)

We get Keith his first proper introduction to The Brig in “Spearhead From Space” and “Terror Of The Autons” as part of our Auton Adversary Archive, then loose Nicholas Courtney just days after.

We did our first full blown “companion archive” on the wonderful Elisabeth Sladen, Sarah Jane Smith, all in preparation for Keith to see her in “School Reunion”.  Then we lost her only two weeks later.

“The Time Warrior” made up part of our Sarah Jane archive, and the week we reviewed it, is the week Jeremy Bulloch came to Kansas City for KC PlanetCon.  Jeremy Bulloch was in “The Time Warrior”

Our reviews for “The Time Warrior” and “Carnival Of Monsters” inspired other Doctor Who podcasts to follow along with their own just weeks later.

BBC splits the season in two, allotting 7 episodes for the first half.  There are seven original Doctors and the Seven weeks for Seven Doctors concept for Friday Night Who is born.

We watched “Pyramids Of Mars” for Friday Night Who.  Scientists have just announced new satellite imaging of the Egyptian desert has revealed thousands of unopened tombs, and 17 more pyramids beneath the sands.

The day we watch “Black Orchid” for Friday Night Who, Chicago Tardis announces their guest star will be none other than Peter Davison.

And all that’s just for starters.  And now to prove my claims, I’m thinking of a number between one and one hundred…

Misc

Friday Night WHO… TONIGHT 5/27/2011

May 27, 2011 0 Comments

Tonight’s Friday Night Who will be Keith’s first experience with 6th Doctor Colin Baker in “Vengance On Varos”.  We start at midnight, central daylight time and tweet-a-long LIVE to the episode.  Please feel free to join us on Twitter, look for the #DoctorWho #FridayNightWho and #VengeanceOnVaros hashtags, and follow @vortexglenn, @vortexshaun, @vortexkeith and @travelvortex!

* A note about the spelling.  Despite what you may have heard, we have it on good authority that people who spell Vengeance without the extra E in the middle are geniuses who should not be messed with.  But if you feel up to poking the bear with the stick… just consider yourself warned!  🙂

Misc

…and Landing on a Poem

May 25, 2011 1 Comment

Our wonderful listener Muldwych wrote us this great poem that we wanted to share:

 

Traveling the Vortex and landing on a Poem

It’s about Doctor Who, and its very bow tie,
If you like your Sci-fi, then you should definitely drop by.
Three guys in Kansas, who host the show,
Called ‘Traveling the Vortex’, which started 5 months ago.

‘Dun-Dun-Dun’, you will hear from Shaun,
After the Synopsis from Keith, before 10 minutes have even gone.
A life long Who fan; Glenn knows his stuff,
Doctor Who and Star Wars, he just can’t get enough.

Recorded every week for your listening treat,
I’m their number one fan, I refuse to accept defeat.
Others are claiming this not to be true,
To them I am saying, ‘Get to the back of the queue!’.

The podcast is fun and a really good laugh,
I’ve been mentioned so many times now, I almost feel like staff.
Check out their show as it really is great,
I’ve heard a lot podcasts and this one I really rate.

Enough of my gushing, compliments and praise,
Just listen to the show; it’s out every seven days.
I’ll stop sounding like their PR man, or little lap dog,
And tell you I am Muldwych from The Time Meddler Blog.

Thanks Muldwych!
Don’t forget to check out the Time Meddler Blog!

Misc

The Penultimate Seven Weeks for Seven Doctors

May 24, 2011 0 Comments

Friday Night Who update:

Another week, another Doctor down. That makes this week the penultimate 7 Weeks for 7 Doctors…and this week’s FRIDAY NIGHT WHO plans are to watch Colin Baker’s sixth Doctor in “Vengeance On Varos”.  You can follow @TravelVortex @vortexglenn @vortexshaun and @vortexkeith for all the fun. Hope to see you on Twitter!

4/22/11 – William Hartnell in “The Aztecs”

4/29/11 – Patrick Troughton in “The Dominators”

5/6/11 – Jon Pertwee in “Carnival Of Monsters”

5/13/11 – Tom Baker in “Pyramids Of Mars”

5/20/11 – Peter Davison – “Black Orchid”

5/27/11 – Colin Baker – “Vengeance On Varos”

6/3/11 – Sylvester McCoy – “Delta And The Bannermen”

Misc

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Friday Night Who 05/20/11

May 20, 2011 2 Comments

Tonight’s FRIDAY NIGHT WHO finds us visiting fifth Doctor Peter Davison in “Black Orchid”.

Love it or hate it, tonight promises to be a fun discussion!

Join us on Twitter for a live tweet-a-long at midnight tonight (CDT), @travelvortex, @vortexshaun and @vortexglenn.  Keith (@VortexKeith) may pop up as well!  Look for the hash tag #FridayNightWho and #BlackOrchid

  

Misc

A Holiday Delay In Regularly Scheduled Programing

May 19, 2011 3 Comments

The gang at Radio Free Skaro are reporting that due to Memorial Day, BBC America will be delaying the broadcast of Doctor Who that weekend.  You can read their story here.

Series 6 will get a gap between episodes 5 & 6.  As partial compensation for the delay, BBC America will show a Doctor Who marathon on May 28th, featuring the entire run of Series 5 and all of Series 6 to date, including an encore presentation of The Rebel Flesh, but skipping over A Christmas Carol.

Here at Traveling The Vortex, we haven’t had a chance to react to this news, let alone figure out what this means for our current Seven Weeks for Seven Doctors line up with Friday Night WHO.  We’ll keep you posted.

Misc, News

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