Web Watch: Gemini Division

Looking for something different while waiting for the fall TV line-up? NBCU announced the launch of a new sci-fi web series titled Gemini Division, which will air it's first "webisode" on August 18. Tune in weekly for continuing webisodes on the official Gemini Division website, or "on VOD via Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS and DISH Network, in addition to EST (Electronic Sell-Through) via Amazon Unbox, Microsoft's Xbox LIVE and Zune, NBC Mobile and several online video portals."(Sci Fi Wire)

Set in the "not too distant future", Gemini Division tells a tale of an agent who experiences loss while a war is waged against simulated organic beings (Uh, Cylons?). Below is a preview and a trailer. Also available on the site are making-of videos, which I am avoiding to try and keep it somehwhat real (but maybe I'll cave since I'm a sucker for extras). The filming style looks different. It looks like they're going for a presentation that will easily transfer on mobile devices and web streaming. Not exactly fond of that look, but I'm willing to give it a go.

Love Story 2050

My interest is officially piqued. Bollywood makes it's first real leap into the world of sci fi with Love Story 2050 due to release in July (in the USA?). Of course being Bollywood, I don't think they were able to break from the love story theme just yet. The effects have some potential though:

Star Wars miscellany and Site O' the Week.

I keep finding little tidbits lately, so I figured I should share..

- Arizona residents of the Tempe variety should be proud to host the state's largest movie theater, which will be kicking off it's grand opening with a fund-raiser featuring a special screening of Star Wars. A Cine Capri spokeswoman explains why Star Wars holds sentimental value for the company.


- This week's Star Wars Site O' the Week goes out to the UK periodical Empire Magazine's online locale for Star Wars: http://www.empireonline.com/starwars/

Empire has been covering Star Wars since the very beginning, and now with CE on it's way, they are getting particularly amped up with contests and 30th anniversary features. I have been drooling over the 30 Star Wars covers for awhile now. So if you're headed to London in the next couple of weeks, check out empireonline for all things Star Wars, even custom trooper helmets!


- Thought you were alone in relating everything in life to Star Wars? You've got more company than you think!


- The new sci-fi: A very interesting discussion about the state of sci-fi today from The Guardian Unlimited UK. Not Star Wars specific here, but it still gets mention (of course). New Battlestar Galactica heavy, however, with a dash of Heroes and Lost, a daub of Doctor Who, and a sprinkle of Firefly, Buffy, and X-Files. There's a slight Star Trek aftertaste.


- This last bit is a couple of months old now, but it still deserves mention me thinks, especially since the honor was made official last weekend:

The VES (Visual Effects Society) distinguished what they revere as the top 50 most influential visual effects films of all time, of which Star Wars made it to the very top (grats George and ILM!), and speaking of Blade Runner lately, well they got the second spot! Here's the top 10, and click here for the starwars.com article (and the full list):
1. Star Wars (1977, ILM)
2. Blade Runner (1982)
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)*
3. The Matrix (1999)*
5. Jurassic Park (1993, ILM)
6. Tron (1982)
7. King Kong (1933)
8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
9. Alien (1979)
10. The Abyss (1989, ILM)


Just for the fun of it, and something visual, here's an original Star Wars trailer :D

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