The scenes around this moment were the best for me. Awed scientists and tense military gathering for ‘first contact’. After the appearance of Gort, and the ‘unpeeling’ of Klaatu, I started to get bored. The pace was slow and the characters dull. It’s a great story, it just didn’t feel like a great movie. By the time the ‘apocalypse cloud’ showed up, I didn’t care. Big disappointment, same as I am Legend.

2012 might be more dramatic. It’s a doomsday thriller based on the Ancient Mayan calendar which ends on Dec 12th 2012. According to some, Dec 12th is the dawn of a new enlightened age. To others it’s the dawn of Armageddon… queue 2012 the movie with epic natural disasters. If the trailer is anything to go by, the special effects will be impressive.

Until Leopard came along, Boot Camp was only available as a beta download. It scored over 2 million users with few compatability issues, so its inclusion in Leopard is a real treat, and a compelling attempt to get PC users to cross-over. run Boot Camp you’ll need a G4 or G5 with Intel processor, and the Windows software: XP SP2 or Vista.
Leopard is released on Friday October 26 worldwide. $129 for the single license, $199 for the five-user Family Pack. Recent Mac buyers might only charged $9.95 – see PC World for details, and drop into Apple for specs.

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20 Most Wanted Gadgets

Nintendo Wii tops this week’s most wanted list on CNET. My favourite on the list (pictured above) is the LG Voyager, a gorgeous multi-function mobile with touch-sensitive screen. Just like the iPhone? Even better. The Voyager has a flip-open keypad with screen so it works just like a mini-laptop. Take at look at the demo. The Voyager goes on sale in November.

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20 Most Anticipated Movies

According to a recent poll of US movie-goers, the most anticipated movie is India Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls. A surprise choice, and a handy reminder of a series that I thought had ended with the Last Crusade. Jones enthusiasts will have to wait until May 2008 for the movie’s release. My number one is the The Dark Knight. Christian Bale was excellent in Batman Begins, and so was Morgan Freeman in his brief appearance as Lucius Fox. “Didn’t you get the memo?”

love this trailier – The Bucket List

01. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
02. The Dark Knight
03. National Treasure: Book of Secrets
04. American Gangster
05. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
06. Iron Man
07. I Am Legend
08. Get Smart
09. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
10. Charlie Wilson’s War
11. Hancock
12. Beowulf
13. The Golden Compass
14. Mamma Mia!
15. The Incredible Hulk
16. Speed Racer
17. Step Brothers
18. Bee Movie
19. Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium
20. Starship Dave

poll details
fantasy art

Claymore great vid of Teresa’s entrance
and first moments with Clare. Other vids

Bleach Ichigo and palsn

Zack Snyder’s production update covers what’s happening so far: the technical teams get on well, the actors are cool, and everyone’s excited about the project. Sounds like a good start. Watchmen is a much anticipated movie in some quarters – i.e. by fans of the dark graphic novel created by Alan Moore and beautifully drawn by Dave Gibbons.

Watchmen the graphic novel is a complex tale of murder and looming destruction, and there are multi-layered characters who each have a story to tell. Zack Synder did a fantastic job with Frank Miller’s 300. It’s a visual treat, and Watchmen the movie is bound to be just as stunning on the eye. But as ever, details from the novel will be lost.

Adaptations are never easy.
In most cases, writers have to streamline – sift out the salient plot-points from the novel to create a workable script. Huge amounts can lost from epic tales like The Iliad or The Lord of the Rings. But in careful hands, much loved characters and stories can come to life with considerable satisfaction.

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1. Zack Synder production update
2. Quick Guide to Watchmen
3. Top 50 Adaptations
4. Watchmen on Time’s Top 100

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Watchmen fan-made trailers

Rating: okay

Rating: okay
spot the Frank Miller error