Tag: comedy central

NYCC 2011: Preview

New York Comic Con officially kicked off yesterday for press, professionals and anyone with a 4-day pass. In a few hours I will be heading to the Javits Center to attend the first full day of the convention. Contrary to the event name, NYCC has a lot more to offer than just comics. Below are just a few of the movie / TV related panels, screenings, guests and booths that we recommend checking out. Be sure to keep checking back on WAMG for more NYCC coverage. And follow me on twitter (@GetStuck) for some tweets and pics from the show floor.

PANELS

Comics, Hollywood – What Creators Need to Know

Friday, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Location: 1A03

Description: More comics are being turned into films, & creators have important questions about how Hollywood works. Get actionable information from top creators who have navigated the TV & movie business. Featuring special guests: Jimmy Palmiotti – Comic book writer Jonah Hex & Screenwriter Painkiller Jane, Ken Levin – Hollywood entertainment attorney, co-founder First Comics, Jane Espenson – Screenwriter Buffy, Battlestar Galactica, Angel, The O.C. Host: Buddy Scalera of Comic Book School.

DC Universe Animated Original Movies gives an early look at Batman: Year One, Catwoman & Justice League: Doom

Friday, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Location: IGN Theater

Description: Warner Home Video, Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation proudly present an action-packed hour of first looks with the premiere of the animated short Catwoman, an inside glimpse of Batman: Year One, and the New York Comic Con exclusive first footage of Justice League: Doom, the highly-anticipated next entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies. Panelists include the ultimate voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, executive producer Bruce Timm, casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano. Moderator Gary Miereanu will offer a first-look glimpse into the 2012 DC Universe Animated Original Movies slate, give away some exclusive prizes to inquisitive audience members, and quite possibly introduce a few surprise guests. Warner Home Video will distribute Batman: Year One and Catwoman on Blu-Ray™ and DVD on October 18, 2011.

Robot Chicken

Friday, 5:15 pm – 6:00 pm

Location: IGN Theater

Description: Seth Green (co-creator), Matthew Senreich (co-creator), Doug Goldstein (head writer and co-producer) and Zeb Wells discuss their popular series Robot Chicken and provide a sneak peek of season 5.5, premiering on Oct. 23rd on Adult Swim.

Comedy Central

Friday, 6:15 pm – 8:30 pm

Location: 1A22

Description: We’ve had a big year here at Comedy Central. So big, in fact, we’d like to give back to the fans by celebrating South Park’s Year of the Fan! We might be showing exclusive video outtakes from 6 Days To Air: The Making of South Park and we have another BIG surprise! As if that’s not enough, brush up on your South Park Trivia for a chance to win exclusive South Park memorabilia or just drop by for some free Cheesy Poofs. Recommended for mature audiences.

Attack the Block

Saturday, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Location: 1A22

Description: From the producers of Shaun of the Dead, winner of the Audience Award for Midnighters at 2011 SXSW and one of the best reviewed films of 2011, ATTACK THE BLOCK is a fast, funny, frightening action adventure movie that pits a teen street gang against an invasion of savage alien monsters. Join writer/director JOE CORNISH and star JOHN BOYEGA for a first look at the ATTACK THE BLOCK Blu-ray and DVD, coming October 25th.

Eagleheart

Saturday, 4:45 pm – 5:15 pm

Location: American Airlines Theater, 1A06

Description: Join series star Chris Elliott and co-star Maria Thayer, along with executive producers Jason Woliner, Andrew Weinberg and Michael Koman, as they discuss the live-action comedy Eagleheart and show never-before-seen footage. Produced by Conan O’Brien’s Conaco Productions and Dakota Pictures, the series premiered in February and recently wrapped production of its second season.

AMC’s The Walking Dead

Saturday, 5:15 pm – 6:15 pm

Location: IGN Theater

Description: Join Robert Kirkman (Creator/Writer of The Walking Dead comic) along with Greg Nicotero, Gale Anne Hurd, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Lauren Cohan, Laurie Holden and more from The Walking Dead…as they discuss the success of season one and what to look forward to in season two. The panel will also include a special sneak peek at the new season. The Walking Dead returns October 16 at 9/8c. Only on AMC.

MARVEL STUDIOS: Marvel’s The Avengers

Saturday, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Location: IGN Theater

Description: Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor” and “Captain America: The First Avenger,” in “Marvel’s The Avengers” the world’s greatest Super Heroes must assemble to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security. This special presentation will feature never-before-seen footage and appearances by special surprise guests.

SCREENINGS

Pizza Man

Friday, 8:45 pm – 10:00 pm

Location: MTV Theater, 1A10

Description: Join Joe Eckardt, producer/director and stars of the family superhero film PIZZA MAN, starring Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle), Stan Lee, Adam West, Shelley Long, Corbin Bernsen, Diamond Dallas Page & Rowdy Roddy Piper. PIZZA MAN is a film for all ages to enjoy. The panel will include Frankie Muniz and Diamond Dallas Page!

Boy Wonder

Saturday, 6:45 pm – 8:15 pm

Location: 1B01

Description: In this riveting and gritty psychological-thriller, a young Brooklyn boy witnesses the brutal murder of his mother and grows up obsessed with finding her killer. Thus begins his life as a quiet, straight-A student by day and a self-appointed hero at night. But what is a real hero? And who decides what is right or wrong? As the boundaries blur, Sean’s dual life wears on his psyche and his two worlds careen dangerously close to colliding. Like a graphic novel you can’t put down, Boy Wonder challenges morality, distorting perceptions of what is right and what is justified, as it races to its shocking conclusion.

Meet the Cast & Crew in Booth 1839!

AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS

There are a lot of people signing all over the convention. Some are ticketed events and some aren’t. Here’s a link to see for yourself who will be signing and when – http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/Whos-Coming/Autographs/

Personally, I’m looking forward to meeting and hopefully interviewing Brian O’Halloran, Eliza Dushku and Felicia Day.

BOOTHS

Alternative Cinema – Booth 2511

Anchor Bay – Booth 430

Bad Kids Go To Hell – 2505

Boy Wonder Productions – 1839

Magnolia / Magnet Releasing – 1925

NBC Universal – 2507

Oni Press – 1236

Troma Entertainment – 2007

* Low budget horror icon Lloyd Kaufman will be on hand at the Troma booth. If you see him, be sure to ask him about STUCK LIKE CHUCK!

Jerry Cavallaro – www.JerryCavallaro.com

South Park Calls Avatar “Dances with Smurfs”

avatar south park dances with smurfs

Warning: This entire article talks about an episode of South Park and gives away a few jokes. But by no means does it really ruin the episode. Spoilers, but not very big ones.

Last night’s episode of South Park really struck a chord with me as a movie geek. The plot of the episode involved taking on talk radio with Eric Cartman becoming a Rush Limbaugh/Bill O’Reilly type of character. Cartman trashed the school president Wendy saying she didn’t do enough and then the entire episode shifted to nerd culture when Cartman brought up how Wendy wants to kill Smurfs.

Cartman made a whole story/film called Dances with Smurfs where Cartman moves in with the Smurfs, falls in love with one of them and then only to have them all destroyed in front of him so that Wendy can collect Smurf-berries to power the school.

In a twist at the end Wendy flips it on Cartman by writing a book called “Going Rogue on the Smurfs” in which she claims Cartman was hired by the school to infiltrate their circle and bring back information to help her. Basically it broke down to the plot of James Cameron’s Avatar. Wendy claims to have sold the rights of the film to James Cameron and that the movie is already out and of course we get Cartman walking out of Avatar and flipping it the bird.

Which brings me to question why this formula of film works so well. The white man who becomes one with the natives who must then turn on his own greedy people. We’ve seen it with Dances with Wolves and The Last Samurai and many other films and all of them are usually very successful or critically accepted. Is it a white guilt type of thing? Whatever the case may be South Park called it out and openly claims that Avatar is basically Dancing with Smurfs.

TV Review: ‘Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire’ Pilot

con-krod-mandoon-girls

Tonight is the premiere of Comedy Central’s newest original series, Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire. You may remember my interview with the cast and creators of the show from this year’s New York Comic Con. If not, here it is again†¦

I really enjoyed talking to them and despite a not so funny trailer, I was looking forward to checking out the show. It sounded good during the interview but I was not expecting much. I am pleased to let you know that I was entertained while watching the pilot.

There are a lot of funny lines/gags and even more really bad ones. The acting is completely over the top, especially Matt Lucas as the evil Chancellor Dongalor. It also gives a Xena/Hercules vibe but tries to stand more on the comedy than action. However, this all works to some degree because the show is a spoof.

I like Sean Maguire as Krod Mandoon. I think Sean is a good actor and his charm does sell a few of the lesser jokes. India de Beaufort is beautiful as the not so conservative Aneka. Kevin Hart and Steve Spiers both offer some laughs as the sorcerer and strongman of the group. Marques Ray plays the character of the ultra flamboyant Bruce. He was my least favorite of the group because he was the most clichà ©d; however, he also had some of the raunchiest lines of the show and they were at times funny. Surprisingly, this show is fairly tame. With the stuff that broadcast TV gets away with, a cable show like this on the same network as South Park should not be holding back. It clearly seems like they are though. Adding a bit more raunch and some intelligent satirical humor could really bump this show up a few notches. It would also further distance this show from Xena/Hercules.

Overall, the show needs work but it is watchable. Fans of medieval fantasy shows may get a bigger kick out of it but I recommend giving it a try. The characters are likeable and there are some funny jokes. This could turn in to a decent series. It probably won’t†¦but it could.

krod-mandoon-cast

Krod Mandoon premieres tonight April 9th on Comedy Central

And don’t forget about our petition to get Sean Maguire’s old TV show, Off Centre released on DVD. Watch the video below and   head over to  www.ipetitions.com/petition/GetOff to sign the official We Are Movie Geeks Petition to Get Off!

Jerry Cavallaro –Â  www.AreYouStuckLikeChuck.com