Spielberg's on a horse

We're not much for sentimentality here in The Basement, but there's moments in this trailer for Steven Spielberg's War Horse that give me chills. It might be John Williams's score or the beautiful images, but that old Spielberg magic is in every frame.

This is a boy-and-his-horse story set against the backdrop of the First World War. And although it's not the kind of thing we'd ever review on our show, the beauty of this trailer deserves to be shared. That and I have a feeling the wife and I will be seeing this one, as she loves horses and all.

War Horse is due out this Christmas.

Micro Review: Super 8

It's a rare thing in this age of mindless reboots, remakes, sequels and adaptations that an original film comes out of Hollywood. And even rarer still for it to carry the pedigree of J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg. This is writer/director Abrams's loving tribute to the escapist movies he grew up with and, as it turns out, the kind I grew up with too. Super 8 is fun, scary, exciting, moving, funny and just gruesome enough. There isn't one scene or moment that doesn't work. It's not a kids' movie, but it happens to be about kids, and because of that Super 8 will appeal to 10-year-olds and the 10-year-old inside of you. It's a rare film that should entertain anyone. A Good from The Basement for me.

Trailer lands for The Adventures of Tintin

Not a lot of the young 'uns out there will know who Tintin is, but those of us who grew up during the 1980s will fondly remember the boy reporter who often found himself in the midst of rip-snorting adventure tales.

Now director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson have brought Herge's classic character to life via motion-capture animation. And they've recruited the voice talents of Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig and Simon Pegg to help do so.

I don't like motion capture but I do dig what I see here. That probably has more to do with seeing characters I loved from my childhood on the big screen than it does of my anticipation for the final product. I will see The Adventures of Tintin at some point, because that's the kind of cat I am, but part of me would still prefer a live-action Tintin movie.

Until then, groove on the trailer below. The film hits theatres in time for Christmas.

Spielberg’s sci-fi series Terra Nova gets all Jurassic Park in this 1st trailer - HD

Inception, The Town star dies of cancer

It's with sad news that The Basement reports British actor Pete Postlethwaite died of cancer Sunday. He was 64.

Postlethwaite appeared in more than 100 films during his 35-year career, most notably In the Name of the Father with Daniel Day Lewis, The Usual Suspects, and The Lost World. He had a big year in 2010, with prominent roles in Clash of the Titans, The Town and Inception.

He is survived by his wife, a son an daughter and was hailed by Steven Spielberg as "The best actor in the world." Amen, Steve.

Learn When Steven Spielberg's Sci-Fi Series 'Terra Nova' Will Preview Before Airing in the Fall of 2011

One of the most disappointing panel cancellations of San Diego's Comic-Con earlier in the month was that of the Terra Nova panel, the upcoming Steven Spielberg Sci-Fi produced show starring Jason O'Mara (Life on Mars - US version), which I talked about here.

However, news are coming today that FOX will air a preview of the show in May of 2011, probably after the season finale of one of its biggest series (perhaps Fringe or Glee).

This is the new FOX press release for Terra Nova:

The series centers on the Shannon family as they join the tenth pilgrimage of settlers to TERRA NOVA, the first colony of humans in this second chance for civilization. JIM SHANNON (O’Mara), a devoted father with a checkered past, guides his family – wife ELISABETH and children JOSH and MADDY – through this new land of limitless beauty, mystery and terror. In addition to blue skies, rolling rivers and lush vegetation, TERRA NOVA offers new opportunities and fresh beginnings to its recent arrivals, but the Shannons have brought with them a familial secret that may threaten their citizenship in this utopia. These adventurers soon discover that this healthy, vibrant world is not as idyllic as it initially appears. The areas surrounding TERRA NOVA are filled with dangerous dinosaurs and other prehistoric threats, as well as external forces that may be intent on destroying this new world before it begins.

TERRA NOVA, the new family adventure drama series executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga and David Fury, will preview in May 2011 on FOX prior to its series premiere in the fall.

Jason O’Mara (“Life on Mars”) has been cast in the lead role of JIM SHANNON, the patriarch of the show’s central family. As previously announced, Emmy Award winner Alex Graves (FRINGE) will direct the pilot, and Emmy Award-winning executive producer and director Jon Cassar (“24”) has joined the series as an executive producer and series director.

“TERRA NOVA will be one of the most visually stimulating and dramatically grand series to air on network television,” said Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “It deserves to have an equally unique launch to distinguish that the show is unlike any other, and the spring promotional platform will give us the perfect opportunity to introduce this bold show to audiences.”

TERRA NOVA, an epic family adventure 85 million years in the making, follows an ordinary family embarking on an incredible journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a small part of a massive experiment to save the human race. In the year 2149 the world is dying. The planet is overdeveloped, overcrowded and overpolluted. Knowing there is no way to reverse the damage to the planet, a coalition of scientists has managed to open up a fracture in the space-time continuum, creating a portal to prehistoric Earth. This doorway leads to an amazing world, one that allows for a last-ditch effort to save the human race…possibly changing the future by correcting the mistakes of the past.

[Collider]

You can also go here to learn more about the series.

I personally think Terra Nova has potential as a Sci-Fi series, though it may be a bit similar to a few other series on and off air (Land of the Lost, Primeval, Earth 2 just to name a few). Still, I hope they can make it fresh enough so it doesn't feel like a rehash. But I think that with Spielberg attached to it, it has a strong chance of being good and successful.

But my question is will it be one of those series that you guys will want to see?

Spielberg's 'Terra Nova' to be More than a Just a Dinosaur Series

This morning, I talked about the cancellation of the Terra Nova panel that was originally scheduled for this year's Comic-Con.

Some of you may have wondered: what the *blip* is Terra Nova?!?!

Well, Entertainment Weekly spoke to Brannon Braga (FlashForward) and David Fury (Angel, Lost), and this is what the show creators have revealed about the upcoming TV series.

The story takes place 100 years in the future (2149 to be exact on ImdbPro), and it will focus on a family that will go back 85 million years in time to prehistoric times in order to have a second chance at civilization.

The high concept will have an ongoing mythology. “There are a lot of surprises, a lot of reveals that come out throughout the course of season,” Fury says.

He adds:  “If we talk about the more interesting aspects of the show now, we’re afraid we’ll ruin the surprise for the audience. In this case, everything is moving along steadily, the script has been well-received. We just don’t have anything to wow anyone with. It’s still in the preliminary stage, It’s a huge undertaking.”

They have a 13-episode commitment from 20th Century Fox TV and are currently searching for locales, including Australia, Hawaii, and the mainland.

There will be many dinosaurs featured in the series, Fury says that: “There will be dinosaurs that have never been seen before. They’ve learned so much since the days of Jurassic Park.”

Brannon Braga adds that: “We are presenting a really cool show with a wonderous primeval world. There are not just dinosaurs. There is a whole ecosystem. There will be plenty of adventures and effects, but this is a show about the characters, the humans.”

Jason O'Mara played Sam Tyler in the American version of Life on Mars.

Casting is still underway for the drama that will star Jason O'Mara (US Life on Mars) in the role of Jim Shannon, whose family is part of a group of settlers that will travel back in time.
[EW]

The concept is of course highly interesting but nothing new (dinosaurs? Primeval; Time Travel? Doctor Who). Still, the fact that Brannon Braga, David Fury and Steven Spielberg are involved in the mix has me more and more curious as well as really excited about that series.

Comic-Con 2010 News: Terra Nova Panel Cancelled

In somewhat of a bit of sad news for Sci-Fi fans all over, the panel for the upcoming Steven Spielberg TV series, Terra Nova, has been cancelled.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that it's the lack of footage that has made Fox and show producers decide to scrap the plans to hold a panel which was supposed to take place on the 23rd at 3h30pm. Star Jason O'Mara would have been present.

No available substantial footage (or no footage at all) is also the main reason why there's no A Game of Thrones and Torchwood panels this year.

Terra Nova is a show about humans going back in time about 85 million years to try and establish a new life on prehistoric earth. Production for the series wont start until September this year.