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SyFy/Netflix’s Ghost Wars: Explained. An Interview with Dennis Heaton

19 Jul

nullBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Dennis Heaton is a screenwriter who won recognition not only in the Canadian animated front with works like Yvon of the Yukon and Being Ian, but also has produced many a fond tale of terror—the most notable being Fido. This story was developed while he was still in film school; when he met Andrew Currie (the director). Together, they fine-tuned the screenplay into a wonderfully unique film. Interestingly, this writer sees the two genres, comedy and horror, two sides of the same coin.

“You’re essentially trying to craft the same unexpected outcome,” noted this filmmaker. “When the opportunity to craft what I loved came along, I jumped at it!”

In terms of recent works, Heaton is one of the executive producers and writers of Ghost Wars. This series is available on Netflix Canada and is best viewed like drinking fine wine. It should be enjoyed in carefully measured sips so every detail can be taken careful note of. SyFy got first dibs in airing this program in the States, and I had to wait. Binge-watching is not advised.

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Lego Ninjago, Masters of Spinjitzu Season 9 is Coming! But is it The End?

17 Jul

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

* Mild Spoiler Alert
* This analysis is based on reading online episode summaries.

The wait should not be long for Season Nine of Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu to air in North America. It’s currently broadcasting in Australia, and nearby territories. The previous chapter, Sons of Garmadon, played April of this year in the States and left viewers with one doozy of a cliffhanger. Half of the team were tossed into the Realm of the Oni and Dragon. Meanwhile, back home, the remaining team are rallying resistance fighters.

Lord Garmadon is back and now rules the capital city with a clenched fist. The way he sees life (including his own minions) and that it’s all disposable makes him far worse than Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars. To defeat him will not be easy. He’s pure hatred. When his son confronts him, it gets televised and most of the world believes the boy is dead. Fortunately, the lad is not and the series bounces back and forth between this story arc and the ninjas with baby Wu trapped in a Mad Max type of world.

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Big Hero 6 Continues June 9th!

8 Jun

big-hero-6-premiere-date-detailsBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Just in case fans of Big Hero 6 have missed it, the weekend of June 9th is the date to mark on the calendar for the animated television series! This date was announced on EW. On Saturday, the kickoff will be with the first two episodes teased at from last year, and on Sunday, two new tales will continue on the same time slot.

Perhaps more will be known about the mystery man who is out to clone Baymax. Ever since this robot appeared on the scene, he’s proved to be very versatile.  The debut episode sets up the new setting for the series. Takashi is still dealing with the loss of his brother and is even more down in the dumps with Baymax gone.  Fred is trying to convince the group that the city needs them but to see them as a cohesive fighting team will require more than a few episodes to establish. This version of the Avengers feels like 0.5

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YTV’s June 4th, ReBoot with The Guardian Code Reviewed

2 Jun

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Had ReBoot: The Guardian Code been titled anything else, this television program would not have been so derided. This series is available to most fans to see on Netflix worldwide. In Canada, YTV has exclusive rights and no firewall can stop crackers to use a VPN service to see the series online. It will soon broadcast on June 4th for those living north of the 49th who do not as technically savvy.

By not making this new chapter part of a much-beloved part of animation history would give this product a better chance for love. Also, the fact this series borrowed a lot from Code Lyoko did not help. This series did not do justice to those who loved ReBoot, the original series, like myself. Nothing is followed up on. A few real-world details connecting the past to modern day are offered, but nothing is said to explain how computer programmers know about the Guardians. This backstory is the only reason I’m going to continue watching.

Some decades have obviously passed. The location of Mainframe is revealed to be located in the basement of a school, and this fact strikes me as odd. I do not expect such a computer system which is home to Bob, Dot and Enzo to exist there. Perhaps the system they discovered is a backup server; the real one is lurking in some forgotten hallway at Electronic Arts Burnaby.

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