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Yet another French defeat...

...this time on the football battlefield where I was overjoyed to see Italy defeat the garlic munching cowardly dogs.
Proving their true nature as ignorant savages; their captain, the commanding officer of the company headbutted one of the poor Italians sending him flying. What an animal!, and a disgraceful way of ending a career. I'd spit at him and his teammates except I'm an officer and a gentleman, far removed from those people.

Mama Mia! Well done Italy!

The North Korean Menace

In the past 24 hours, North Korea has launched 7 missiles into the Sea of Japan. One of their largest and most far-reaching the Taepodong-2 is capable of reaching the US mainland, but apparently failed 40 seconds into its launch.
While I'm readying for possible military action against Iran, I did monitor the launches from the bunker. Non-military people have been asking me all day, what's going on? Is it WWIII? Them I can only assure that North Korea's technology is 10 years behind that of the US and no match for the impressive anti-missile defense system in place by both the US and Japan.

Taepodong in Korean means "a kind of penis" and it appears that for the moment the penis is somewhat flaccid.

Happy July 4th!

Happy July 4th to all my US visitors, don't blow off your fingers with the fireworks.
The big story might have been a pretty big rocket pushing the Space Shuttle Discovery into orbit that thankfully didn't turn into a firework itself, but there were two great 4th July speeches made today, one by the Commander in Chief: President Bush and another by the CJCS Marine General Peter Pace here on www.foxnews.com

The Transformers Teaser Trailer

Never before have so many capital 'T's been used in a headline, but now you can all sit back and watch the most anticipated trailer in history. Not because it's a Mike Bay film, it's because everyone reading this has played with the Robots in Disguise at some point since 1984, or at least has seen the cartoon series. Only if living in a cave like Bin Laden is now, could you have avoided the cultural phenomenon that the war between the heroic Autobots or evil Decepticons has been responsible for.See the Transformers trailer now at www.transformersmovie.com.

Spider-Man 3 Teaser Trailer

Sony Pictures has released the Spider-Man 3 Teaser Trailer.

This summer may belong to the Return of Superman, but next May the Man of Steel will be long forgotten if this trailer is anything to go by.

2IGTV Episode 20

We mourn the death of Aaron Spelling in this battery-powered episode of 2IGTV. Also: Dallas, Magnum P.I., Ultraviolet, Stargate, Apple, Tom Cruise, Uwe Boll goes nuts, Paramount's screwing about with the Tom Clancy franchise and much more.







Get it all here.

Eddie R.I.P.

The true star of the TV sitcom Frasier, Eddie, has died at 16 years old. The mutt's real name was Moose and his rise to fame to became a star was unmarred even after unremorsefully killing a neighbours cat as a young pup.

Moose played Eddie for an extraordinary 10 years, where he garnered a reputation for stealing scenes even from the shows main star Kelsey Grammer who allegedly even threatened to leave at one point unless they got rid of the animal.

In 2003, Animal Planet ranked Eddie the Dog fifth in its 50 Greatest TV Animals special, behind only Lassie, Kermit the Frog, Flipper and Mr. Ed.

"He was extremely mischievous, always escaping, chewing up things and running off." his trainer, Mathilde Halberg told People magazine.

Iron Man gets release date.

Variety has confirmed that Marvel has set a release date for the big-screen debut of Iron Man and that day is May 2, 2008.

Director Jon Favreau said the story will be contemporary, although it will pay homage to the character's 1960s roots. "We're gonna have it take place in the present day, but there will be an origin story that has the old, gray Iron Man suit; eventually it will progress into more of the modern look," he revealed. "That's the fun of doing the first one."

The filmmaker also said that Iron Man will not deal with Tony Stark's alcoholism, at least not in the first film. "I think we're going to lay the groundwork for it, but the first one's going to explore him taking on this alter ego of Iron Man, and developing the suit, and what happens politically within the Stark Corporation."

Favreau also advised fans not to expect a big-name star like Tom Cruise to play the Armored Avenger, citing the example of casting lesser known thesps like Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man or Brandon Routh as Superman.

Two sets of screenwriters are busy working on drafts for shellhead' big-screen debut: Matt Hollaway and Art Markum (Convoy), and Mark Fergus and Hawk Otsby (First Snow).

One problem facing the movie is that no one has figured out yet who's paying the bill. The deal for Marvel's much discussed $525 million warchest (for funding films to be distributed via Paramount) did not include Iron Man or the sequel/reboot The Incredible Hulk, which is set-up at Universal.

Marvel can attach new characters to the loan but must receive permission from Merrill Lynch. Marvel general counsel John Turitzin said the company expects to start talks on Iron Man soon and hopes to secure permission in the fall, sometime before the pic is officially greenlit and starts production late this year or early 2007.

Damon as Kirk; Genius or Insanity?

...I'll let you, the readers decide on the latest revelation that J.J.Abrams wants Matt Damon, to play the legendary Starship Enterprise commander, Starfleet Captain James Tiberius Kirk in the forthcoming Star Trek movie.

Abrams is said to be so eager to cast Damon that he even reportedly sought out and received the blessing of the original (and some might say only) Captain Kirk, William Shatner.

More Snakes Muthafuckas'!

Sam Jackson has something to say over at snakesonaplane.com. The excitement is building now!

Simon Pegg finally immortalised as action figure.

A Shaun of the Dead 12-Inch Action Figure with Sound will be released in September.

Have some flesh-eating fun with one of the best selling and most popular cult classics figures to date gets the deluxe treatment in the 1:6 scale format. Shaun comes complete with his cricket bat and base strewn with broken records as well as an interchangeable left hand with flower bouquet. The figure also "speaks" key phrases from the film.

Goodbye Charlie

While some focus on the negative aspects of his life, one cannot deny the value of the achievements that Charles J. Haughey made to the state during his many tumultuous years in office. The Succession Act, The Extradition Act, The reactivation Special Criminal Court, the end to the IRA's border campaign and free travel and subsidised electricity for OAP's and tax exemptions for artists and the disabled. His budget cutting measures after 1987 transformed the economy and paved the way for an unprecedented decade of economic boom and the Celtic Tiger era of the late 1990s and he was also responsible for one of the greatest economic benefits to the country, the International Financial Services Centre.

On Friday June 16th 2006 the country said goodbye to one of it's most loved and famous political figures in a state funeral attended by thousands of mourners. I myself mourned the passing of a man, to whom the invasion of Northern Ireland by the Irish Army was his proposed solution to the Northern troubles in the late 1960's.

Goodbye Charlie.

2IGTV Episode 19

In this hilarious instalment: Duke Nukem 4Ever, Age Of Conan, Project 880, Transformers and more!
Now available at 2IGTV.com

Black vs Seagal

Jack Black is so impressed with his own wrestling prowess after training for new movie Nacho Libre he's keen to try out his fighting skills on martial arts action man Steven Seagal. The movie funnyman trained with a real-life Mexican wrestler to play the Spandex-clad hero of the new film - and how he fancies his chances against Seagal. Black tells American magazine Sports Illustrated, "I should take down someone who is strong, so Steven Seagal (would be perfect) - with his ridiculous Indian gear, ponytail and swagger. He's the best fighter in the world in his own mind, so I'll take him down two notches with my Anaconda Squeeze and Face Melter." Black also quips he has developed his own unsavory wrestling move: "The Wind of A Lion is basically a submission hold. You get the guy down, you sit on his face and then you release the lion's wind. That usually spells complete defeat."

Zimmer being sued

The prince of modern film scoring, German born Hans Zimmer is being sued by the Holst Foundation over claims that the Oscar-nominated score for Gladiator is a copy of the late Gustav Holst's famous "Planet Suite."

If the foundation win their claim for infringement of copyright they could make millions of dollars, because sales of the film's soundtrack have gone platinum. Despite Zimmer admitting on the album sleeve that he uses "the same language, the same vocabulary, if not the same syntax" as Holst, the music publishers who hold the copyright in Holst's works, J. Curwen & Sons have decided to take legal action.

A Curwen spokesman says, "After a considerable period of discussion between the two parties it has become necessary to ask for the assistance of the courts." The defense lawyer says, "Mr. Zimmer's work on Gladiator is world-renowned and is not in any sense a copy of Mars. Just listening to the two works is enough to tell any listener this claim has no merit."

As for me, I'm intimately familiar with both Holst's magnificent "The Planets: Mars, The Bringer of War" (as I listened to a lot of Classical music before embracing exclusively the music of film scores) and Gladiator which is Zimmer's magnum opus, (thus far) but I can say with certainty that while he has used all the instruments Holst composed for and has them playing as loudly and bombastically as Holst did, the tempo is completely different and is almost alien in difference. The case should be thrown out.

Transformers

Website on line now.

Got 'im!

Was a bit busy yesterday. Target neutralized.

Bond 22

It appears that Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are moving full-steam ahead with the untitled 22nd James Bond film, a follow-up to Casino Royale, by hiring a new screenwriter and director. Oscar-winning screenwriter Tom (The Bourne Ultimatum) Stoppard is "in talks" to pen the screenplay and Neal Purvis and Robert Wade were previously confirmed as working on the script. For Casino Royale, Purvis & Wade fleshed out the basic story and structure before Oscar winner Paul Haggis was brought in to polish dialogue and character.

Eon Productions are also "in negotiations" with South African-born director Roger (Changing Lanes) Michell to helm Bond 22. Michell is in keeping with the kinds of directors the Bond franchise has recently been employing: notable but hardly A-list non-American filmmakers, such as Roger Spottiswoode and Michael Apted, who are better known for character-driven dramas than they are for big action movies. Royale director Martin Campbell is an exception, whereas Lee Tamahori gained attention for films such as Once Were Warriors before tackling Die Another Day. (Then gained a different sort of attention by dressing up as a woman and hiring himself out as a prostitute).

Daniel Craig will return for Bond 22 which it has been long suggested will lens either later this year or early next year to cash in on the irresistible "007 in '007" release date. The next two sequels will reportedly follow a story arc established in Casino Royale.

2IGTV Episode 18

Episode 18 of 2IGTV is now available. Go to 2IGTV.com for details.