Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog

July 16, 2013: Carl, kabuki, and projects galore!

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Look at ’em.  Best of buddies!

As part of Carl Binder’s ongoing 12-Step Rehabilitation Back into Society Program – and my volunteer work with underprivileged youth, animals, and former Stargate producers – we all got together the other night for an evening of sushi and song.  Minus the song.  Although I suspect there was some humming on the part of our waiter who looked like a young Peyton Manning.  As for the sushi –

11Boy, that Carl can eat.  Apparently, being grumpy burns more calories than jogging AND swimming.

Speaking of food – apparently, the invitation to Akemi’s sister’s wedding is on its way.  The bride is putting the finishing touches on plans for The Big Day, among them the choice of the perfect wedding cake.  I would like to suggest chocolate, pistachio, hazelnut, and red velvet – in that order.  No, really.  I want to suggest it but Akemi says no. 🙁  She also quashed my idea of the BEST wedding gift the bride and groom could ever hope to get: yours truly regaling them with a fifteen minute kabuki performance to honor their culture and rich tradition.  Akemi thinks we should go with cash instead.  This really sucks as I started my chunori training last week and have already invested in a yokobue. 🙁  🙁

*

Alright, here we go!

Again.

Paul and I developed a pilot script and series overview for Dark Matter – which is presently in limbo with one broadcaster.

We also developed a pilot and series overview for an urban fantasy series – presently in limbo with another broadcaster.

We’re currently working on the pilot script for the proposed Johnny Mnemonic series.

And, once we get the contract done, will begin fast-track development on that rare non-genre series.  The broadcaster is looking for a second script (episode #2 I presume) and a bible after which it’ll (no doubt) be smoooooooooooooth sailing.

Yep, if all goes as planned, we should have four shows on the air in 2014!

*

Our now bi-monthly Supermovie of the Week Club resumes this Monday with a (sort of) “super”hero-themed movie: Despicable Me. The week following is wide open, however, so let’s hear your nominees. We’re open to any genre and welcome any suggestions – except for the two titles that didn’t make the cut in the last poll, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Ultraviolet, owing to the whole double jeopardy procedural defense that is presently law in this country. Sorry, guys.  I don’t make the rules.

Today’s entry is dedicated to blog regular Joanie!

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37 responses

  1. baterista9 Avatar
    baterista9

    Joe, please approve you feel appropriate.

    Friends, would you please help a fellow SG fan and talented artist by voting for her design at this link? (Free registration required to vote.). Thank you.
    http://www.threadless.com/musicforrelief/hoverfrog-2/

    Reply
  2. Randomness Avatar
    Randomness

    Good luck with your projects Joe, and were you able to catch the first episode of The Amazing Race Canada? It’s kinda good. They’re in, you guessed it, Vancouver next week lol

    Some of the locations they’re covering are quite interesting. They even stop off in Yellowknife too.

    Reply
  3. Peggy Avatar
    Peggy

    I am still asking Cookie to review Dune. I know what I think of it, but it would be fun to see what Cookie has to say.

    Reply
  4. Tam Dixon Avatar
    Tam Dixon

    Great pics!

    Did she give you the Stink Eye with all your wedding suggestions?

    Reply
  5. Sparrow_hawk Avatar
    Sparrow_hawk

    Oh, it always makes me nervous when you say smooth sailing. I hope things get out of limbo soon. I would pay big money to see you do chunori, Joe!

    And I agree with Akemi – newlyweds always need cash. And November is a lovely time to be in Japan. But you already know that.

    No movie recommendations. I think you may like Despicable Me, though. I saw it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Wreck-it Ralph is arriving tomorrow from Netflix, so that is next on my list to watch. And the first disc of season 3 of Hamish Macbeth.

    Reply
  6. David Kirby Avatar
    David Kirby

    A few movies on which I’d love to hear Cookie’s views:
    1. Armageddon
    2. Independence Day
    3. The Hobbit (ok, any Lord of the Rings movies)
    4. Airplane
    5. Fight Club

    Reply
  7. shinyhula Avatar
    shinyhula

    Now I have a good excuse to re-watch League; I’m a Jason Flemyng fan.
    Weddings are the stressful; the closer you are to the epicenter the more stress; if you’re a friend then it’s a fabulous drunken dance party. If you’re related then you’re on the front lines, check out the vids of that wedding brawl in Philly last year.

    Here’s one of my fave SGA vids to chill with, I love how the German dialogue creates a Futuristic Game of Thrones feel.

    Reply
  8. Alexis Avatar
    Alexis

    You could put that 15-minute kabuki performance on tape for us to cri…..um… review. We could put forth suggestions and maybe Akemi would change her mind. :p

    Wow! Ted Allen on Chopped just called a bunch of macarons macaroons.

    Jeff Foxworthy pronounced macarons correctly on The American Baking Competition and they were macarons and not macaroons. The redneck scores. 😀

    Reply
  9. Ponytail Avatar
    Ponytail

    Hello grumpy Carl! Always good to see you! Plus, Joe needs a friend since he stood up Ivon. I am always thinking of you these days as I watch Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Lately I’ve been wondering if every single townsfolk has had a medical emergency or two or three or four. Such as… a head injury, being shot, being stabbed, gone blind, life threatening pregnancy, shot with an arrow, a plague, broken bones, disease, depression, cancer, anemia, heart attack, various ruptured internal organs, mysterious fainting, beaten up, gone deaf, hooked on drugs, etc, etc. Poor people.

    Joe if you want to plan and control a wedding, get your own. 😉

    Reply
  10. mike from Canada Avatar
    mike from Canada

    I have a number movies I’d like to suggest.
    Good: all but one are science fiction, none have Bruce Willis.
    Bad: one has Denise Richards.
    One was mentioned on Stargate SG1 by Cam Mitchell in the episode “The Scourge”

    In order of preference:

    1) The Hidden

    2) The Thing
    I’d like to suggest a double feature, the 1982 version then the 2011 version. I don’t know if Cookie has the time to do double features. I imagine his time is very valuable. Perhaps three and a half hours might be a bit much much though. If so, may I suggest a run off vote should the Thing be selected and we only want to watch one?

    3) Starship Troopers
    based on the book by Robert Heinlein.

    4) Clay Pigeons
    with Vince Vaughn, Joaquin Phoenix, Janeane Garofalo

    The hidden might be the better lesser known movie, a lower budget movie but still well made, the opposite of the Fifth Element, good writing, a fairly intelligent film.
    Clay Pigeons might also be lesser known. It’s not a science fiction flick, but I liked it. It’s been quite a while since I saw it and my tastes have changed a little,, so I hope I don’t embarrass myself by nominating it.

    Speaking of Stargate SG1 The Scourge (episode 9.17). I liked this episode. The concept was great! What could be more itch inspiring then flesh eating insects that multiply like crazy once they get their feelers on a little meat. It had most of the favourites, including Robert Picardo who was finally becoming someone we could like and respect. I’ve been watching him as I rewatch Star Trek: Voyager shows. I’m finally up to season 5.

    Reply
  11. dasndanger Avatar
    dasndanger

    FINALLY saw The Lone Ranger tonight (life has been hectic lately), and I LOVED it! I both lol’d and got a bit teary-eyed.

    Needless to say, I don’t care what anyone else thinks about it – it worked for me on many levels. I especially liked the way the story was told, though Mr. Das (who needs everything spelled out along the way) wasn’t so happy with it. It must be a man thing…or maybe just an everyone else but me thing. Doesn’t matter, I really enjoyed it a lot, even though some of the sad parts were sadder than I expected in a Bambi Disney movie (yeah, yeah…I should have seen it all coming!).

    Nice to see Carl again, and I think you (Joe, not Carl) need to listen to Akemi when it comes to wedding gifts. I mean, sometimes your taste in gifts is a bit scary.

    Wish you the best on your projects! I just hope I still have a tv by the time they get on air. I went without satellite for nearly a week and didn’t miss tv one bit. I think I can live without this box – now, to convince Mr. Das that he can, too. 😛

    das

    Reply
  12. Keith Avatar
    Keith

    I really want to get a review of the original Stargate movie. Any Roland Emmerich movie really, but Stargate seems like an obvious choice.

    Reply
  13. sylvia Avatar
    sylvia

    Wave to Carl! But, why does Akemi stressed?
    Yummy – sushi!

    Initial movie suggestions for your consideration:
    Sci Fi
    Dune – original with Kyle McLachlan
    Independence Day
    The original Stargate
    Starship Troopers – the first one.

    Non Sci Fi
    7 Samurai
    Come drink with me – with Cheng Pei Pei
    Forbidden Kingdon – Jackie Chan Jet Li
    Shogun – all 6 parts with Richard Chamberlain
    The Hobbit
    Harry Potter

    Reply
  14. sylvia Avatar
    sylvia

    oh…and…perhaps one of the Mummy movies
    Scorpion King – the first one
    ok…will stop listing until you ask again.

    Reply
  15. Joanie. Avatar
    Joanie.

    Thank for the dedication Joe!

    And thanks for all the kind wishes from the folks who follow this blog. I was having a low day and they really cheered me up.

    But onto more important things – the wedding present! I think Akemi’s wrong. I can’t think of anything better, more unique than a Kabuki performance from you. Heck…I’d even pay to watch that! (Maybe not much, but I’d pay.)

    I know you have a few projects on the go, but I confess to be especially excited about Johnny Nnemonic. I loved that move. It had the perfect mix of darkness, hope and the endurance of the human spirit. I can’t wait to see what the two of you do with it!

    As for the movie, I’m going to suggest Constantine or Time Cop. I’m not a big Van Damn fan, but I liked that move. If memory serves one of the networks tried to adapt it for TV, but it missed the mark. Pity, as I like the premise.

    Reply
  16. BoltBait Avatar
    BoltBait

    Does it have to be movies? If not, how about Cowboy Bebop episodes?

    I’ll second all the sci-fi movies listed above me.

    How about some classic sci-fi…

    The Thing (1982)
    The Matrix (1999)
    Blade Runner (1982)
    Rollerball (1975)
    Westworld (1973)
    Logan’s Run (1976)
    Soylent Green (1973)
    Colossus: Forbin Project (1970)
    Silent Running (1972)
    They Live (1988)
    THX-1138 (1971)
    A Boy And His Dog (1975)
    Star Wars (various)
    Star Trek (various)

    and…

    Pitch Black
    The 6th Day
    The Running Man
    Surrogates
    Sunshine
    Children of Men
    Predator
    Total Recall (both old and new)
    etc.

    This should keep Cookie Monster busy for awhile.

    Reply
  17. JimFromJersey Avatar
    JimFromJersey

    HI CARL!

    How about the craptastic “Planet of the Apes” with Mark Wahlberg? I think CM would have a good time with that one. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133152/

    Joe, I would go with both cash AND the kabuki performance. And if you’re not feeling doing it live, just film it and record it to an SD card that you can fit in the cash envelope. That way, the happy couple can enjoy it forever!

    The sushi looks amazing. The fatty tuna made my mouth water.

    Reply
  18. FagateOne Avatar
    FagateOne

    4 séries TV en 2014 WOW !
    Attendons quand même un peu avant de sabrer le champagne. As we say: monney talks !

    Reply
  19. Maggiemayday Avatar
    Maggiemayday

    I could go for some kabuki. Do it!

    But weddings, yeah, no thanks. Quick civil procedure, dinner and a show, and then a couple honeymoons each year forever after. All the cakes and fancy dresses and speeches and gifts, who needs that stress?

    Reply
  20. M Reed (@newz2knowmreed) Avatar
    M Reed (@newz2knowmreed)

    I second the motion for The Hidden

    My other movie recomendations:

    Vehicles that aren’t what they seem:

    Super Hybrid
    Road Train aka Road Kill

    An issue never before addressed in a Zombie movie:

    Extinction

    My absolutely Favorite Japanse Horror movie that that has never had an American Remake:

    Another Heaven

    Reply
  21. Sparrow_hawk Avatar
    Sparrow_hawk

    Hi das! I loved it, too.

    Reply
  22. Sparrow_hawk Avatar
    Sparrow_hawk

    Okay, I’ll hazard a movie recommendation And now for something completely different:. how do you feel about Johnny Depp, Marlon Brando and Faye Dunaway? If you are okay with them, I suggest Don Juan de Marco.. Romantic comedy? Fantasy? somewhere in there. If you’re not up for that, I always like an excuse to watch The Mummy so I’ll second sylvia‘s suggestion. I find Brendan Fraser a lot of fun. And he seldom smirks. I like Jet Li and Jackie Chan so Forbidden Kingdom sounds good too, though I don’t think I’ve seen it.

    Reply
  23. Tam Dixon Avatar
    Tam Dixon

    JeffW: You are probably out of the wifi area but I saw this cheesecake on Food network and it looks very intriguing. I’m trying to eat vegetarian but I might use the crust recipe on this one: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stacey-poon-kinney/maple-bacon-cheesecake-recipe/index.html

    Reply
  24. M Reed (@newz2knowmreed) Avatar
    M Reed (@newz2knowmreed)

    Fantasy
    An old Dick Powell Movie called You Never Can Tell.
    The Boy Who Could Fly

    Totally laugh out loud stupid Z-Grade Scifi
    The Creeping Terror

    Non Horror or Scifi
    Island of the Blue Dolphin.
    Amazing Grace & Chuck

    Reply
  25. dasndanger Avatar
    dasndanger

    Sparrowhawk – We need to talk about the movie without Joey casting a critical eye over our conversation. 😉

    @ Joey – I can’t suggest a movie for consideration because anything that I love will probably be bashed…and I tend to forget movies I didn’t like.

    That said, there are two movies I’d like you to actually watch, without reviewing (unless, of course, you want to give me your take as YOU, and not Cookie Monster).

    1. Solomon Kane – A hard-to-find flick, but well worth the watch if you can find it. It’s not perfect by any means, but I feel it was a good story (actually creating a backstory for the character, something R.E. Howard never did), and a great handling of dark fantasy. I love the character (having read several gn adaptations of Howard’s stories), and wish there were more characters like him (or at least, ones that I actually like).

    2. Treasure Island – Made for tv movie starring Charlton Heston and a very young Batman Christian Bale, with an excellent soundtrack by the Chieftains. It’s the only film I really like Bale in, and it’s the only adaptation of the book that I feel is up to par. I just watched it again (several times) over the winter and I think it stands up very well, even 23 years later.

    Those are just a couple films I feel are worth watching – the latter because it’s a damn good adaptation of a classic story, especially for a tv flick, and the former because I think you may enjoy this ‘dark fantasy’ film, even if you are unfamiliar with the character.

    Trailer may be spoilerish:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lalm_kkczVM

    das

    Reply
  26. Mike A. Avatar
    Mike A.

    I always love seeing other sushi chefs’ take on presentation and selections from what I am used to with my “regulars”. The palate is largely similar, but the enhancements and tweaks are what make them truly special. I was just in Santa Cruz all last week but never had the time or chance to get to the new sushi place I’d heard about there. Oh well, next time.

    I loved Cookie’s take on Fifth Element! Very fun read. It’s nice to be reminded how idiotic some things on screen are that we just take for granted and accept. I particularly liked the wardrobe for the movie. It is so weird and foreign to us “normal folk” that it helps add to the whole “this takes place in the distant, weird future” aspect really well. Usually for future-wear, we get a jacket or shirt we see all the time now, with just a couple added doodads and viola, future! This was why that made Jean-Paul-whatever’s crazy style wardrobe actually believable and, to me, very fitting for a future that I’m unfamiliar with.

    Joe, have we not learned our lesson about the “smoooooth sailing” bit? Why do you think everything was going so well, so far? 😉

    As for non-genre movie suggestions for Cookie:

    The Mummy(and Mummy Returns, of course)
    The Notebook
    Demolition Man
    Blair Witch Project
    Final Destination series
    The Hot Chick
    Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
    Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
    They Live
    Swingers
    Freaked(with Randy Quaid and Alex Winter)

    You want variety…..there you go! This isn’t a list of my favorites, this is just about as eclectic a list as I could think of right now that I’d love to read Cookie’s review of. That last one is kind of a cult classic, might be hard to find. I have the DVD if you need it… 😉

    -Mike A.

    Reply
  27. Nik Tesla Avatar
    Nik Tesla

    I’d love it if Cookie would review the original Stargate movie.

    Also, in the event you don’t already have your hands full with everything you mentioned in your post, have you given any thought to developing any of these properties?

    http://www.grantland.com/blog/hollywood-prospectus/post/_/id/81492/seven-smart-comic-books-that-should-be-tv-shows-right-now

    Reply
  28. dasndanger Avatar
    dasndanger

    I just enlarged that picture of Carl leering at Akemi, and I’m pretty sure that’s the same face Todd makes just before feasting on hapless fruit farmers. Ya know…just a suggestion…but you might want to feed him a bit more before releasing him back into society. 😉

    das

    Reply
  29. archersangel Avatar
    archersangel

    The week following is wide open, however, so let’s hear your nominees.
    i still recommend the michael shanks “classics” mega snake, sumuru, the Lost treasure of the grand canyon & (maybe) swarmed. 😉

    disclaimer: i’ve only seen the treasure one, but read “breadbox” editions of mega snake & sumuru.
    http://www.stargate-sg1-solutions.com/episoderedux/breadbox/sumuru.shtml
    (can’t find the mega snake one)

    Reply
  30. majorsal Avatar
    majorsal

    i miss stargate.

    it’s been my constant and best friend, especially when real life starting sucking big time. if it were real, i’d work at the sgc, being best friends with sam of course. 😀 :p

    if i were on a team, it would be the team-for-chicken-shits…

    but anyways… i just wanted to say… thank you. to ALL the people that brought stargate to life. it’s my favorite show of all time. i wish it were real. 🙂

    (((stargate sg1. and atlantis)))

    Reply
  31. Lewis Avatar
    Lewis

    Still say review the Stargate movies..

    …but if that’s a no go, then what about movies that feature actor(s) from the Stargate shows???

    Reply
  32. Shana Avatar
    Shana

    i 2nd dasndanger recommend for Soloman Kane. I was plesantly surprised by it. Again not the best movie ever but enjoyable. Also interested to know what you thought of Attack on Titan and Flowers of Evil. I watched the first two or three eps of Flowers of Evil but it creaped me out, Bay creapy not good creapy. I been hearing people say some great stuff about the show but, again creapy.

    Reply
  33. Ponytail Avatar
    Ponytail

    The Omega Man
    It was groovy!

    Reply
  34. Randomness Avatar
    Randomness

    @if i were on a team, it would be the team-for-chicken-shits

    Personally I’d want to be aboard a real life Destiny. Mostly as really, the ship is so far out there, that virtually anything and everything is possible. You’d literally have to throw what you know about the universe out the window and expect the impossible.

    I’d be the first one offering to go through the gate lol

    Reply
  35. dasndanger Avatar
    dasndanger

    Deep Throat, now there would be one for Mr. Cookie. 😉

    Craptastic day, but I survived it. Someday I’ll tell ya all about it, but not today. 🙂

    To heal myself, I am watching Brit mysteries – some at the same time! Yes, I am a glutton. 🙂 Death in Paradise, Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Lewis (and Hathaway!) and Endeavour…though I’ve seen them all (well, except Death in Paradise, which I will watch later), so I think I’ll just go read Hamish Macbeth (ironically entitled Death of a Glutton 😛 ). Mebbe I should just read the Green Hornet (remember, he’s the grand – great? – nephew of the Lone Ranger! Woo!).

    Anyhoo…hope all is well with you, Mr. M. Have a good evening!

    das

    Reply
  36. PBMom Avatar
    PBMom

    @keith. Funny you should say that—I am currently watching the original Stargate movie on BBCA.

    I liked Starship Troopers. So outrageous it has become another cult classic. Independence day, any hobbit or lord of the rings, gosh I am reading all your suggestions and I love and have watched a lot of those movies. Galaxy Quest would be fun, too. George Takei says how they act as a cast of the show on this show is how it really is/was with them and Star Trek.

    Reply
  37. Kymm Avatar
    Kymm

    Galaxy Quest

    Reply

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