Lari the Leper

Ahh San Diego. Once upon a time you would get great comic news from the San Diego Comic Con. Now Quesada (the Editor in Chief at Marvel) makes a point of making the big announcements at the Chicago Con so it doesn't get drowned out by the Hollywood shit (By shit I mean stuff, not shit.). But that's fine cause what great movie buzz comes from the Con every year. The Fox panel sounded the best with the cast of RENO: 911 appearing in character and the same for BORAT.

But the official announcement for the new Trek. Suprisingly retro look. J.J. Abrams is now officially signed to produce with an option to direct. Him and LOST co-creator Damon Lindelof (who finally has gotten around to writing the 3rd issue of Ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine)are writing. I was a little worried for my boy Abrams after the box office of MI:3 (which is the best pure action film I've seen in quite some time.) but I guess Paramount is putting the blame on Cruise for that which pleases me 'cause Abrams did great work considering it was his a) first feature and b) his first feature being a tentpole title. Either way I'm glad it was Abrams and not JMS rebooting trek 'cause after reading his pitch it felt like a B5 retread.

Question: would it be too hackneyed if they got Dr. Cottle from BSG to play Bones in the reboot? Like have him play the exact same character just different names. Though maybe this time they'll be brave enough to make him the bigoted xenophobe (is that redundant?) we all knew Dr. McCoy to be. I saw it in his eyes, fantasizing about dragging that soulless devil-eared monster by horseback through the decks of the Enterprise.

We'll be taking a break for the next few weeks to watch something other than trash (don't fret it will also be a staple as long as I have a say in things). This week, well the headline says it all.

Mon. July 10th



7pm BATTLEGROUND (1949): Following a single infantry unit of the 101st Airborne during the Battles of Bastogne and the Bulge. Don't expect an action war film but an early attempt to tell a more truthful war film focusing on the psychology and morale of these soldiers running low on supplies, the harshest of winter conditions and being surrounded by German forces. And look Ricardo Montalban's in it. Huzzah!



9pm Cross of Iron (1977): To my suprise Sam Peckinpah only made one war film and this is it. Here we have James Coburn as Steiner, a German corporal and recipient of the Iron Cross leading a platoon of German soldiers in the Russia of 1943, when the German Wehrmacht forces had been decimated and the Germans were retreating along the Russian front. But conflict ensues when a new commander, Captain Stransky (Maximillian Schell), takes over the platoon and becomes increasingly envious of Steiner's Iron Cross. It's friggin' Peckinpah. You owe to yourself to check it out.

Next week: new night, new living room and some Wong Kar Wai. Classy!

I am not fucking happy at the moment.