Month: December 2006

More from the Sci-Fi Wire:

Writer/director Darren Aronofsky wants to make one thing clear: His upcoming epic film The Fountain is definitely science fiction, he told SCI FI Wire. “I’m glad we’re talking about this,” Aronofsky said in an interview. “It’s a really upsetting thing, because I’ve met people on the road who go, ‘This isn’t sci-fi because there aren’t ray guns.’ They haven’t said it that obviously, but that’s their point. And the fact that science fiction in movies has been so hijacked by techno-lust and by hardware ‘button sci-fi,’ as we call it, where everything is, if it’s not buttons, it’s now holographs.”

We so often hear the exact opposite from filmmakers, as if “science fiction” was some kind of dirty word, a genre ghetto to be avoided at all cost, that this is really refreshing. I’ve been reading really mixed things about The Fountain — even the critics who like it are cautious in their enthusiasm — but I’m definitely interested in seeing it.

Well this is really going to piss Alan Moore off: Warner Brothers is apparently considering a sequel to V for Vendetta.

Also, they’re making a Smurfs movie. First The Transformers, now this. Can Thundercats 2008* be far behind?

* I should add that I’m exactly sure if this would be a bad thing, necessarily. I was interested in reading the recent comics re-imagining of the series, and I have to admit I probably have fonder memories of Thundercats than of either The Transformers or The Smurfs. I’m just saying: original ideas — whatever happened to those?

From the Sci-Fi Wire:

Alfonso Cuaron, director of the upcoming SF drama Children of Men, told SCI FI Wire that he loved the stylistic world in the novel by British mystery writer P.D. James on which the movie is based. But he added that he wanted to depart from the science-fiction aspects from the start. “I loved the world she created in the book, but it was not something I could see myself doing,” Cuaron said. “I used the book as a jumping-off point.”

Having been disappointed, ultimately, in James’ original novel, I don’t really have a problem with these changes. (The decision to make it the women who are infertile instead of the men, on the other hand…)

I just hope the film can improve on the novel, which I thought established a really frightening and plausible vision of the future — only to waste it on what was essentially one long chase scene. The trailer for the film, I thought, looked interesting, but we’ll see.

[Scottish publisher] Aultbea is launching a 1,500-word five-chapter novel called This and Last Season’s Excursions by Christopher Beale, six, at Borders bookshop in Oxford Street, London, today. “It’s a very exciting story and there’s going to be a huge amount of publicity worldwide on this,” said the firm’s owner, Charles Faulkner. “Because of the way it’s written, it raises consciousness in the child reader. The world record is a bonus.”

As Return of the Reluctant points out, 1,500 words is not a novel. In fact, it’s even at the lower limit for a short story. I mean, it’s great for a six-year-old — unless, as I suspect, a good 30% of those words are “booger” (or whatever the equivalent is in his native Switzerland) — and he should be encouraged to continue writing. But you really shouldn’t be allowed to call just anything a novel simply because you slap a cover on it.

“No, honey, you’re not going crazy. That’s just your toothbrush!”

Hasbro is rolling out a toothbrush that plays pop music through kids’ pearly whites while it polishes them.

Tiger chose upbeat songs that could be easily replicated with decent quality. New hits and old favorites include Let’s Get It Started by the Black Eyed Peas; Walk Away by Kelly Clarkson; Shake a Tail Feather by The Cheetah Girls; the Rocky Theme Song; and We Will Rock You by Queen.

Via Neatorama.

Oh good. I was worried the Black Eyed Peas had run out of ways to merchandise themselves. Although brushing to the Rocky theme (“Gonna Fly Now”) might be a little fun. The Clarkson and Cheetah Girls* songs I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole, however, much less a toothbrush.

I also found this part of the article interesting:

Children represent one of the fastest-growing segments in oral hygiene, according to the Children’s Personal Care 2006 market study by Mintel.

They make it sound like toothbrush manufacturers have just discovered that kids have teeth or something. “In my day, only adults brushed their teeth. And with bourbon!” I dunno, are children rushing out to buy the coolest dental gear available? Are they trading floss and dental picks on the school playground? Are kids with braces suddenly cool?

Oh, and am I the only one reminded of Will Ferrel’s scenes with his toothbrush in Stranger Than Fiction“?

* I actually listened to a sample of this on iTunes just now. It’s about as dreadful a cover as you’d expect from a fake Disney girl group.