Author: James Robert Shaw

Making a comeback.

Davies’ Wizards Vs. Aliens Nominated for Three Bafta Cymru Awards

wizards_vs_aliensThe hit CBBC series Wizard’s Vs. Aliens has been nominated for three Bafta Cymru Awards which is a UK award that recognizes achievement by performers and production staff in Welsh-made films and television programs. WvA has been nominated in Production Design (Arwel Wyn Jones), Costume Design (Ray Homan) and Children’s Programme.

The show was a replacement for The Sarah Jane Adventures after the death of its lead, Elisabeth Sladen, ended the series. Created by Russell T. Davies, who breathed new life into Doctor Who, and lead SJA writer Phil Ford, the series was well received by audiences. A second series is expected to appear in late 2013 with 14 new episodes. WvA sees 16-year-old wizard Tom Clarke (Scott Haran) and his scientist best friend Benjamin “Benny” Sherwood (Percelle Ascott) pair up as they battle the Nekross, an alien race who have invaded earth to devour anything and anyone that contains magic.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg7cJIf8JSg&w=560&h=315]

JTV’s Best of Anime! Summer 2013

My experience with anime started with Battle of the Planets in the late 1970’s and it finished with anime programs in the mid to late 90’s. I had somehow lost interest. I guess one could say it was the changing style, that anime was for the young or it could’ve been the boob and panty shots that were becoming so prevalent.

Whatever the reason, I walked away. I made an attempt to watch anime again in 2004 and I admit there were a couple of shows that held my interest. But now with my third attempt I’m determined to see the good amongst the bad (or the most horrid) that is out there. To become a true geek I shall have to reacquaint myself with anime, one of my first loves. Maybe I’ll even attend a anime con or two in 2014 (My last con was AX ’95). But for the future I plan to write seasonal Japanese television reviews both animated and live action. Enjoy!

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Transformers 4 In Detroit

Take a look at recent amateur video footage on Michael Bay’s Transformers 4 on location in Detroit, Michigan. Like many other amateur vids appearing on Youtube, it’s lots and lots of explosions. What can be said other than it’s a Michael Bay film. You’re usually guaranteed three things: babes, explosions and U.S. military forces.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUjsOXodTD8&w=560&h=315]

Transformers 4 has a Summer 2014 release. It’s directed by Michael Bay, screenplay by Ehren Kruger and stars Mark Wahlberg, Jack Reynor, Nicola Peltz, Sophia Myles, Li Bingbing, T.J. Miller and Kelsey Grammar.

Wind Up Geek’s Top Ten Takedown – Fan Films/Series

I already knew what my favourite fan films were but I needed to broaden my horizon.

In the past decade I’ve come to love fan films for what they are: shoe string budget movies made by people with big hearts for pop/geek culture. Gone are the days where our projects created from scratch (Hardware Wars) or joke dubbed (Ranma⅓) were distributed via VHS/Beta tape. With the  Internet era, it has brought to millions of us who speak Geekese, or if you will in Geekidiom, a whole new stage to show something cool to the world. Now we have places like Youtube and Vimeo to reach a much larger audience.
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D23 To Tease Fans with Star Wars

It’s been talked about for some time now but Disney is closer to a Star Wars Land and fans can see what the Disney Imagineers have waiting for them August 9 – 11 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

As the Disney Imagineers celebrate 60 years it’ll be the fans who benefit. Dave Fisher, show producer of the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Pavilion, says, “There will be teasers for new attractions based on Avatar and Star Wars that we’re working on now for the Disney Parks.”

But where oh where will Star Wars Land go? How about the Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida. According to Robert Niles at Theme Park Insider, he says, “From what I’ve heard, it appears that the expansion would take out the area between Star Tours and the auto stunt show stadium, including the Muppet theater and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids play area.”

With Cars Land also in future development that would see completion of both attractions in 2018.

Visit the official D23 Expo website here.

Source(s): Theme Park Insder, D23 Expo, Disney Insder & The Force.net

A look at VicLUG. LEGO and Insider Connections:

LEGO is more than a toy for some, but also a means to form meaningful bonds between individuals who love the brick. At VicLUG, a local club, Ed Sum not only pofiles who these people are but also gives a quick rundown of this toy’s history.

VicLUG TeamOtaku no Culture’s own Ed Sum presents a mini-documentary that quickly looks at the history of LEGO and examines what it means to a bring people together. In this production, he profiles a local group, the Victoria Lego Users Group (VicLUG).

This video was made a few years ago as a final video project when he took the (now defunct) Applied Communications Program (Camosun College), and he’s also interviewed the group! The link to that article can read here.

VicLUG Mini-Doc

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8LmRTfks8w&w=560&h=315]