The return of 'Eureka' and 'Warehouse 13,' plus the debut of 'Alphas'

Two of TV's best underrated shows returned last night with new episodes of "Eureka" and "Warehouse 13."

"Eureka" picked up where it left off, with Jack and Allison now officially a couple and still stuck in the new timeline with Henry, Fargo and Jo. The episode opened with the almost marriage of Deputy Andy, hilariously played by Kavan Smith, and S.A.R.A.H. Only in Eureka would the wedding of two artificial lifeforms be a big event.

In "Liftoff," Fargo and Zane are stuck in a old rocket when it accidentally takes off. This of course leads to a town endangering adventure, that can't be solved until the last minute.

For a town populated with the smartest people in the world, they seem to put the world in jeopardy an awful lot. As great as the show is, it can become predictable that every week there's a huge scientific catastrophe that is fixed by Jack's simple common sense.

After some of the usual "Eureka" improvising, the day is saved. However, Zane may have found out the secret about the altered timeline.

There was a subplot about Jack and Allison balancing their work relationship with their personal one, but it was resolved by the end of the hour. It's not that it wasn't a good storyline, it's that they've been close for years and this has never been a problem before. It felt forced and not up to "Eureka's" smart standards.

All in all, it was a fun start to season 4.5, plus it was nice to see everyone again. It felt like reuniting with old friends. Next week Jack taking care of Allison's kids should be hilarious.

On "Warehouse 13" Myka still refuses to come back to the warehouse, so Pete gets a new partner named Steve Jinx. He discovers Pete, Claudia and Artie trying to neutralize Jimi Hendrix's guitar.

Steve can't lie, so he doesn't buy any of the usual excuses for the odd goings on. This leads to a mysterious surprise visit from Mrs. Frederic and an invitation to join the warehouse. While the assignment involved an ordinary lost Shakespeare folio, it was enough to get Myka involved and led to her eventual return to the team.

The side story featured Artie, Claudia and Leena trying to keep statues of Zeus and Hera from blowing everything up. It was a bit of a disappointment to see Leena back, as she's the most pointless character on the show.

On the plus side there was more Claudia, which is awesome since Alison Scagliotti is the best and she has cool hair. She and Pete would have made really fun partners.

The standout moments of this episode came from the instant chemistry between Pete and Steve. Pete kept calling him Jinksy and complained when he didn't laugh at his jokes. Though it was an opposites-attract situation, the partnership worked great and it'll be interesting to see how they use Steve now that Myka is back.

Syfy rounded out its night of programming with the new show "Alphas." Thye couldn't have promoted this series more, unfortunately it didn't live up to the hype.

The show follows a group of people with special powers who use them to track down bad guys. If it sounds familiar, it's because it is. See "X-Men," "Heroes," "Mutant X," "The 4400" and every other story about a group of super-powered humans.

However, all those shows had something to make them stand out, whereas "Alphas" is very ordinary.

The characters are predictable and a little uninteresting. The one stand out is Callum Keith Rennie as a mysterious police liaison. Whenever he showed up things got momentarily interesting, but then went back to boring when he left.

There was a meh story about an assassin with superhuman aim, who turns out to be mind-controlled. The team finds him, kills the bad guy and the assassin joins the them. All this happens in a very predictable manner. This could be fixed if it weren't for the lack of chemistry amongst the main characters.

With all the money Syfy spent on marketing, you think they could have spent some on making the show better.

Tim's look at 2011 movies (so far)

Instead of doing a "Best of 2011: So far" edition, I thought I would just give a look at my rankings of all of the films I have seen this year.

I have seen 14 movies (although, I did see "Green Lantern" twice) and here is how I have them ranked from first to last:

1. "Super 8"
2. "Thor"
3. "Green Lantern"
4. "Take Me Home Tonight"
5. "The Adjustment Bureau"
6. "Larry Crowne"
7. "The Hangover Part II"
8. "Paul"
9. "Bridesmaids"
10. "The Lincoln Lawyer"
11. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"
12. "Horrible Bosses"
13. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
14. "X-Men: First Class"

There is still a lot more to come and I'm sure this list will change dramatically. Although it's going to be hard to dethrone both "Super 8" and "X-Men: First Class" as the year's best and worst films.

But, that's all part of the fun now isn't it?

Inscaped for July 7

'Torchwood: Miracle Day:' First impressions

"Torchwood: Miracle Day" begins in gruesome fashion, depicting the execution of Oswald Danes (Bill Pullman) and Rex Matheson's (Mekhi Phifer) shocking car crash.

Fortunately for them, people on Earth have stopped dying, so they catch a break. It doesn't take long for CIA agent Matheson and his assistant Esther Drummond (Alexa Havins) to figure out that this so called miracle is connected to Torchwood.

Remaining Torchwood team member Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) is living in hiding in a small coastal village in Wales. It's clear she's bored out of her mind, but she's still alert, as evidenced in a funny scene where some tourists ask for directions and she and Rhys are armed to the teeth.

Rhys (Kai Owen) is fed up with all things Torchwood and loving the quiet life. However, they are quickly called back into action when they find out about miracle day.

Meanwhile, Esther continues investigating and eventually runs into the man himself, Capt. Jack Harkness. Jack is just as gorgeous and heroic as always. Unfortunately, the reset of life on Earth has changed him as well, so he is no longer immortal.

One of the great things about Russell T. Davies writing is that he doesn't waste a lot of time getting into the story. It becomes clear very quickly that this situation is dire.

For newcomers, the plot makes it relatively easy to jump in, as some Torchwood backstory is explained. However, long time fans will appreciate the inside references that play up the show's history.

What makes "Torchwood" work is the ambiguous morality it deals with. It's never black and white, everything takes place in shades of gray.

While the first episode is fast paced, it does take too long for Jack to show up on screen, and even longer for him to reunite with Gwen. When they finally do meet up, it leads to a classic "Torchwood" action chase that culminates in Gwen using a rocket launcher.

The show is at its best when the original characters are on screen together, It will definitely take a few episodes for the new cast to feel like real team members. Long time fans can't help but wonder how Toshiko, Owen and Ianto would have handled the situation.

It is unclear what role Danes will play in the overall story, since the controversial character only appears in three scenes. Davies has stated that the character becomes more important going forward, so fans will have to reserve judgment on that one.

While not as attention grabbing as "Day One" of "Children of Earth," the opening of "Miracle Day" has enough familiar "Torchwood" goings on, to keep die-hards and newbies interested.

'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2' livestream from London

I know I wasn't the only one that tuned into the livestream of the ABSOLUTE FINAL EVER Harry Potter movie premiere.

In fact, considering all the distress that Twitter and Tumblr seemed to be going through all morning, I'm betting only about 10% of the world didn't tune in.

It's been a few hours since the trio, the producers, director, and J.K. Rowling gave their final speeches, and I still have no ability to come up with the right words to put in this post.

All I know is that these books and movies have helped define a generation of kids, a generation of fantasy fans, and a generation of film like no franchise has ever done before. Although I am looking forward to this film, at the same time, the closer it comes to July 15th, the more depressed I become.

I always hate when my favorite franchises come to an end. I did it with Buffy and Angel. I did it with Lord of the Rings. With Stargate. And now with Harry Potter. Although, there is something so epically different saying goodbye to this franchise more than any other. Whether it's because it's lasted for 13 years, or because it's been a part of me for the last 11, there is something extremely painful in watching it all finally come to an end.

However, I will only echo the words that J.K. Rowling said today in Trafalgar Square. Although there may be no more books and no more movies to this story, it never really will end. "No story lives unless someone wants to listen... The stories we love best do live in us forever. So whether you come back by page or by big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

No, I didn't cry...it was just raining on my face.

Here are the videos for the finale speeches from Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and J.K. Rowling.

'Torchwood' week: Everything you ever wanted to know about Captain Jack Harkness

Captain Jack Harkness is a former time agent who becomes a con man after the agency erases two years of his life.



He meets up with The Doctor in the "Doctor Who" episode "The Empty Child" and continues to travel with The Doctor through "The Parting of the Ways." During the Dalek battle of "The Parting of the Ways" Jack is killed, then brought back to life with the power of the time vortex.





While looking for The Doctor, he becomes trapped in the late 19th century and gets involved with Torchwood, working for them until he takes over.



He later shows up in the 21st century as the leader of Torchwood, a secret government team that fights aliens and monitors a rift in time and space. With Torchwood he is able to use his knowledge and experience to help people, something he wouldn't have done in the old days.

He reveals to new team member Gwen Cooper that he can't die. Apparently, Rose couldn't control the time vortex and brought him back forever. Coming back to life isn't easy, in fact it is sometimes very painful.

Jack grew up in the 51st century on the Boeshane Peninsula with his parents and younger brother Gray. Sadly, Gray was lost during an alien attack and Jack has blamed himself for years. It is the cause of most of his self destructive behavior.



When Gray returns for revenge, Jack accepts his punishment of being buried alive, dying over and over as penance for losing Gray when they were young. This is the vulnerable side that Jack doesn't show very many people.

Jack continues to travel with The Doctor, accompanying him to save the world, fight The Master and a Dalek invasion. As great as he is as the leader of Torchwood, Jack is always at his best when he's with The Doctor.



Captain Jack Harkness is a swashbuckling hero who's not afraid to make tough decisions. He's an omni-sexual flirt who loves life, therefore he'll stop at nothing to protect it. His sacrifices have been many, but he never complains.

He is the reason why The Doctor feels he can leave the Earth. He knows it's in good hands.

'Torchwood' week: The team's most pivotal moments

In preparation of the premiere of "Torchwood: Miracle Day," we continue "Torchwood" week with a discussion of the team's most pivotal moments.

These are the scenes that have defined the characters or the team as a whole. These will help newcomers discover important backstory and remind fans why they love the show so much.

"Everything Changes"

The death of Suzie

Suzie Costello is a member of the team who becomes too immersed in the alien world. Her death prompted Jack to invite Gwen to join the team. Her presence continued to loom large over Torchwood, as she returned in the episode "They Keep Killing Suzie." She represented the first major loss of the new Torchwood and reminded them of the internal dangers of their job.



"Kiss Kiss Bang Bang"

The appearance of Captain John Hart

As a time traveler, Jack is always the smartest person in the room. When his former partner, Captain John Hart, shows up, it presents Jack with a nemesis who can finally challenge him. John's appearance also reveals a little more about Jack's past. Plus it doesn't hurt that John is played by James Marsters.



"Adam"

The team shares its darkest secrets

When an alien changes the team's memories, they must each share a defining moment from their lives to fix things. This scene reveals that even though they work together and spend nearly all their time together, there's still things they don't know about one another.



"Reset"

Martha Jones joins Torchwood

Martha reappears to help out on a case and she and Jack reconnect about the events of "Doctor Who's" season three finale. It's a great reminder of the show's roots and how the universes are always connected.



"Exit Wounds"
Tosh and Owen die

It's arguably the most heartbreaking scene in "Torchwood" history. After a battle with Jack's unstable brother, Tosh and Owen sacrifice themselves saving the city. They were the couple that belonged together, but kept just missing each other. The moment is made even more devastating by the fact that Naoko Mori and John Barrowman have been friends for years. Just watch the look that Jack and Tosh share.





"Children of Earth"
Ianto dies

This is the most controversial scene in "Torchwood" history. While most fans were completely gutted over Ianto's death, it's worth noting that it does serve a purpose. It raises the stakes of how heartbreaking Jack's life is. He's so good at being the swashbuckling hero, it's easy to forget how painful it must be to constantly lose loved ones.



Jack sacrifices his grandson

Following Ianto's death, it becomes clear the only way to defeat the 456, is to use their own methods against them. Unfortunately, that means using a child to send a message and this will likely kill the child. The only child around is Jack's grandson, so he must sacrifice him to save the world.



There wasn't enough space to discuss every great "Torchwood" moment, but this small sampling of the emotional ups and downs of the show will help new viewers understand why Jack and Gwen are so broken.

Next time: Everything you ever wanted to know about Captain Jack Harkness.

Dark Horse at Comic Con 2011 Teasers: Cast

So, the masses of Comic Con emails begin as the final countdown to one of the biggest conventions in the world winds down.

The email that has everyone puzzled at the moment is this one that I and hundreds of other got from Dark Horse this afternoon. And all that was in the message, was this picture.

I have no idea what it is, and it seems no one else does either. But they have my interested peaked high enough to definitely check out their booth on preview night at 7:30 pm.

'Torchwood' week: Important questions answered

With this week's return of the fantastic British sci-fi series "Torchwood," it's time to help newcomers jump in on the fourth season by answering some crucial "Torchwood" questions.

What is "Torchwood?"

The Torchwood Institute is a top secret government organization that investigates all things alien. It was based in Cardiff, Wales sittting on top of a rift in time and space.

Over the years its makeup has changed, however, recently it consisted of a small group of specialists, headed by former time agent Captain Jack Harkness.





Who is Captain Jack?

Captain Jack Harkness is a former 51st century time agent turned con man, whose life was changed when he began travelling with The Doctor. During a battle with the Daleks, Jack became immortal. When he tried to find The Doctor, his vortex manipulator burned out and he was stuck on Earth 100 years early. He began working for Torchwood, eventually taking over new year's eve 1999.





Despite the fact that much of Jack's past has been revealed, he is still a mystery, with an ever evolving history.

It is also worth noting that Jack is an omni-sexual flirt. He is attracted to men, women, aliens, basically any available species. He has fallen in love several times over the years, but his immortality makes it difficult for him to ever truly commit and often results in broken hearts for he and his lovers.

Who is Gwen Cooper?

Former Wales police officer Gwen Cooper stumbles onto Torchwood during a routine murder investigation. She ends up joining the team, challenging them to care about how the alien problems they fight effect humanity.

Gwen started out naive and uninformed, but has developed into a kickass action heroine. With the deaths of Owen, Toshiko and Ianto, she and Jack are the last of Torchwood.

Though she and Jack care deeply for one another, she is devoted to her husband Rhys. Her work with Torchwood has challenged their marriage, but recently he has become a real team member. At the start of "Miracle Day" she and Rhys have a baby girl.

Where is Torchwood now?

Following the devastating events of "Children of Earth," Jack fled Earth and Gwen went into hiding. Torchwood is now a myth, a mysterious legend that exists as an internet rumor.



That covers the basics that will get any newcomer started. Next up: pivotal moments in "Torchwood" history.

'True Blood' season four, episode two recap

After last week's surprise packed premiere, "True Blood's" second episode of the fourth season settled in to begin revealing where this season's story arcs will go.

The action picked up with Eric in Sookie's bedroom telling her that she was his. She resisted of course, causing women worldwide to wonder why she's so stupid. The most fantastical element of the show may be the fact that a woman didn't want to be kept by Alexander Skarsgard.

Thank god for Pam. She let Sookie know that she needed to belong to somebody and Eric would be a good choice. It does seem like after everything she's been through she would realize that she needs protection. As much as viewers like her, Sookie is one of those characters who never quite learns her lesson.

Meanwhile, it was revealed through flashbacks that Bill has been working with the American Vampire League since 1982. It was a fun touch to see Bill living in England as a punk rocker in the '80s. The scene gave him a little more character and allowed Stephen Moyer to use his own voice for a change.

This revelation led to how Bill became King of Louisiana. He brought backup to his fight with the queen and she was shot with wooden bullets with a silver core. It was quite a disgusting and unceremonious end for Queen Sophie Anne.

Compared to Eric, Bill has always seemed a little boring. However, as king he has an edge that makes their fight for Sookie more competitive.

So far the weak link this season is Jason's storyline in Hotshot. Why he cares so much about Crystal and her crazy kin, is mind-bottling? Every time the action cut back to him tied to that bed, it brought the show to a screeching halt.

Last season's plot vacuum Tara, returned but her time has matured her, making her more likable and smarter. She immediately senses there's something off with Lafayette and Jesus' coven and is ready to get back to her life as Toni.

When Eric shows up to the confront the witches, who are necromancers, all hell breaks loose.

The witches cursed Eric with amnesia, which led to Skarsgard's hottest scene yet. When he came stumbling onto the road with that sweet naive look on his face, there's not a woman alive who could have resisted.

Skarsgard really shined, instantly indicating with his eyes that this was not the Eric we had spent three years falling in love with.

Now that Eric has amnesia, it's time for the audience to finally get the Sookie/Eric love story they've been waiting for.

Next week brings the fallout from Eric's condition and hopefully more Pam.

'True Blood' begins the new season with handfuls of twists!

I'm pretty sure I have never screamed at my television so many times in one hour. Not even during "The Vampire Diaries" or "Supernatural". We were all warned that this episode was going to be a shocking one, but I don't think anyone was prepared for as many new twists and turns that we were given.

And I will warn you now, if you haven't watched the episode yet, do not read this post. Go watch it, and come back. SPOILERS AHEAD.

First of all, we find out to no real shock from me, that the fairies that have been trying to get Sookie to follow them throughout Season 3 are actually not all that good. I'll be honest, I was expecting that one.

However, the fact that Sookie was in the fairy realm for a year was a lot to handle in the first ten minutes. Not to mention when Jason walks in, this time, wearing a REAL police uniform. Can we take a moment and appreciate how fantastic he looked... okay, anyway, carry on.

Although we do not find out how or why Bill can no give Eric orders until episode 2, which I won't give away quite yet if you haven't figured it out, I really wanted to throw my food in his face when he told Eric to leave. Eric however, remains his arrogant and eloquent self. To no surprise, Eric is the one that bought her house, of which I cheered him for. And I can only imagine him standing in an appliance story trying to figure out which microwave to buy her.

Tara seems to have turned into a cage fighter and lesbian, and for the first time I since starting to watch this show, she doesn't annoy me every time she's on screen. Is it just me, or does this lesbian thing seem to come out of nowhere? I feel like because she always seems to be in a relationship with someone, that the writers were trying to find someone she hadn't slept with in Bon Temps, and couldn't come up with anything. So they decided to move her to another city and get together with a girl. Although, that may be a little harsh.

Thank God Sam didn't really kill his little brother. Because it's not as if the man didn't have enough emotional problems. I love Sam to death, but sometimes I feel like the writers put him through way more pain than he actually deserves. But finally, Sam has some little shapeshifter friends that for once, won't judge how much of a freak he is. It's about time. Since season 1, I have always felt that Sam has always been the good friend to everyone, where as everyone takes him for granted. I'm looking forward to actually seeing him happy for once.

And course, the creepy ass witches. Every episode after season 1, I am so beyond glad that Lafayette is still around. He continues to remain in the space between the humans and supernatural beings on this show. Obviously being scared of vampires because of Eric and Pam, but also willing to work with them and call them friends. However, this season it definitely feels like Lafayette will finally have to choose a side.

Aside from all of the separate characters story lines, one of the main plots of the season will be the new threat the public sees living with vampires because of Russell last season. All of the successful steps vampires took to gain their own civil rights have all been lost. Both vampires and fang bangers are being persecuted, and there is very little that can be done.

This is honestly the most shocking episode of "True Blood" that I have seen yet, and I can't wait to see what is in store for the rest of the season.

Inscaped for June 30

'Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol' trailer

When the cast for the latest "Mission Impossible" movie was announced we got really excited. Tom Cruise returns along with Simon Pegg, and they are joined by Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton and Josh Holloway. Well, the just released trailer amps up that excitement and now I have to figure out how to make it all the way to December.

Video game ban: good idea?

So this happened the other day.

I don't think people should sell violent video games to kids, but I also don't think they should be in trouble legally if they do. It's not like they are selling them a weapon.

But the thing that bothered me the most about the Supreme Court ruling was this statement by Justice Scalia:

Unlike depictions of "sexual conduct," Scalia said there is no tradition in the United States of restricting children's access to depictions of violence, pointing out the violence in the original depiction of many popular children's fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella and Snow White.



Hansel and Gretel kill their captor by baking her in an oven, Cinderella's evil stepsisters have their eyes pecked out by doves and the evil queen in Snow White is forced to wear red hot slippers and dance until she is dead, Scalia said.

First of all, I never read or was read to, those versions of "Snow White" or "Cinderella." And even if kids are, those things are done in a way to teach a lesson to kids.

What lesson do kids learn from beating up and robbing a hooker in "Grand Theft Auto?" That it's her fault?

Or games like "God of War" where people get their heads ripped clean off.

Here's my favorite quote of his:

"Certainly the books we give children to read - or read to them when they are younger - contain no shortage of gore," Scalia added.


What the... what the heck kind of books was he reading as a kid? Good Lord. I don't ever remember reading that Freddy vs. Jason Golden Book. Or those awesome "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, but with the theme of "Saw IV."

In the end I think the stores should enforce these rules, but if things slip through the cracks then it's up to the parents to figure it out. Plus if a parent is dumb enough to buy "Saints Row" for their 9-year-old, then they need to be legally on the hook if that kid ever does something horrible.

Keith Urban takes over Vegas

Here are some pictures from tonight's Keith Urban concert in Las Vegas.

Live from 'Monday Night Raw' in Vegas

In a nice coincendence "Monday Night Raw" was in Las Vegas the same week as me, so I decided to go. It was Raw roulette night which meant all of the matches and stipulations would be determined by huge roulette wheel.

Here are some of the highlights that weren't on TV.

• CM Punk sang terribly during the commercial break, adding to the heat he already getting from the crowd.


• Shawn Michaels got a huge reaction from the crowd. I personally geeked out so much the guy in front of me gave me a look.


• Gail Kim and Beth Phoenix had a "WWE Superstars" match that was light years better than the televised Kelly vs. Nikka Bella title contest.


• Zack Ryder is a better wrestler in person than he is on TV.


• There were literally a gazillion John Cena t-shirts. I hope he gets a cut.


• For no apparent reason, a big deal was made of the steel cage lowering.


• The crowd was noticeably less interested in the second show than the first.


• The second "Raw" only took about 45 minutes, which tells you how many commercials and extras they add.


• Spoiler Alert: Next week's "Raw" will be kind of lame.

'Cars 2:' Pixar's worst is still better than everything else

When you're Pixar and your movies have all been critical and box office successes, the expectations are higher with every new release. "Cars 2," the sequel to the merchandising powerhouse "Cars" is Pixar's 12th big release and the first time critics have given a less than glowing review.

However, the worst Pixar movie is still better than most films currently in theaters.

"Cars 2" opens with Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) winning his fourth Piston Cup and returning home to Radiator Springs. He is now dating Sally the Porsche and the rest of the town has thrived because of his presence.

His best friend Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) is particularly happy to see him. He is so ecstatic that he won't let Sally and Lightning have any alone time. A comedy of errors by Mater leads to Lightning being talked into entering an alternative fuel race around the world against a brash Formula 1 car named Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro).

The race starts in Japan and this is where the beauty of Pixar is on display. Though Tim can comment better than I can, the animators did a great job bring Japan to life. The details of the animation captured the spirit of the country spectacularly. The colors and the excitement added to the authenticity of the setting.

Unfortunately, this is where the story got a little too crazy, as Mater was mistaken for a secret agent and found himself caught up in a plot to destroy the racers. The idea is that his cover as a bumbling tow truck is so good it can fool anyone.

The problem is Finn McMissile, played perfectly by Michael Caine, is established as the best spy in the world, so there's no way he should fall for this. Anyway, after a fight with Lightning, Mater sets out on a secret mission with Finn and Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer).

When the race moves to Italy, the scenery once again becomes the star, as Italy is animated even better than Japan. This is also where the audience gets to meet Luigi's family, voiced by Franco Nero and Vanessa Redgrave.

It's worth noting that the voice cast also features many of the favorites from the first film and includes newcomers like Eddie Izzard, Joe Mantegna, Jason Issacs and Thomas Kretschmann.

There is also a nice moment in the beginning of the film where Lightning and Mater discuss Doc, voiced by the late Paul Newman. It was a fitting tribute since "Cars" turned out to be his last film.

What's great about the quality of Pixar's films is that even if the movie isn't one of your favorites, there's always lots of little jokes to keep you busy.

In "Cars 2" these jokes come in the form of real people re-imagined as cars. For example, the commentators of the race are Brent Mustangburger, David Hobbscap and Darrell Cartrip. A crab boat is voiced by Sig Hansen of "Deadliest Catch" and Jeff Gordon and Lewis Hamilton play race cars.

These little touches help sustain the audience during the completely improbable plot devices. At one point, Mater is driving away from Lightning because the bad guys have strapped a bomb to him and Lightning is chasing him through the streets apologizing. It was a silly scene that seemed out of place with the rest of the movie.

The big finale takes place in England and again the background is a scene stealer. The big reveal of the bad guy takes place in front of Buckingham Palace with The Queen and Prince William present. Try as they might, the filmmakers didn't really surprise anyone with who the villain is. Another major mistake, since usually Pixar villains are so well developed.

Overall "Cars 2" may be Pixar's first big critical letdown but it's still a fun and entertaining movie that will make a lot of money at the box office.

'Burn Notice' starts a new chapter

Michael, Sam and Fiona were back in action on the season 5 premiere of "Burn Notice." When we last saw the real Miami big three, Michael had finally found a way back into the CIA and was set to get his life back.

Unfortunately, Michael is finding out that his old life is not necessarily the life he wants. The action started with Michael and his handler Max (Grant Show) in Canada taking down one of the last pieces of the network that burned him.

Max and Michael seemed to work well together and it'll be interesting to see how he fits in with the team.

Next stop was a ridiculously hot reunion between Michael and Fiona. They have the most interesting relationship on TV, in that they love and accept each other as they are. They also have no problem telling one another the truth, which makes their romance unique.

In the most interesting scene of the episode, Michael sees Sam and Jesse and finds out that Jesse quit government work because he was changed by his time with the team. This completely foreshadows what Michael will be going through as he figures out where he stands.

Right now Michael is man torn between two worlds. This became abundantly clear when he brought Sam and Fi on a mission to Colombia. Max didn't like this, so he gave them the worst jobs and showed them no respect. Of course when everything goes wrong, he needs their help.

After watching him spend four years reconnecting with friends and family, and finding a new purpose for his skills, the return to cold CIA Michael felt wrong. The way he kept Sam and Fi on the outside looking in was uncalled for.

However, when he was cruelly denied the justice he's been searching for, it was heart-breaking to see how unfulfilled that left him. Michael needs to take a good old fashioned case to get things back to normal.

All in all it was a nice start to the fifth season, but I want to see more Miami Michael and less CIA Michael.

Inscaped for June 23

Sad Comic-Con news

It's being reported... well, everywhere that Marvel Studios will NOT be making a presentation at Comic-Con this year.
Very sad news considering they had the best moment of last year.

Seriously I got chills seeing that in person and still get them watching it every time.

But, Comic-Con's loss could be Disney's gain.

In August, Disney will put on it's D23 convention. And since Disney will be doing "The Avengers" there is a very, very strong chance we'll see something there.

And Stephanie and I will be there to see it all. Really, it would take Thor himself to stop us.

Early comic-con details released

In a month, the entire pop culture world will descend on San Diego for comic-con. Though the full schedule won't be out for a while, a few studios have begun to release details about what they're bringing to the con.

Warner Bros. Television

"Supernatural" will be in Hall H on Sunday July 24 11:15 a.m. to 12: 15 p.m. This is really big news, since in the past the hall has sat empty on Sunday. Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are scheduled with other cast and producers to be announced.

"The Big Bang Theory" is on Friday July 22 12:30-1:30 p.m. The entire cast is scheduled to be on hand with producer Chuck Lorre. He may have some interesting things to say.

"Chuck," "Fringe," "Alcatraz" and "The Vampire Diaries" are all on Saturday July 23 in Ballroom 20.

"The Secret Circle," "Alcatraz," "Person of Interest" and "Supernatural: The Anime Series" are the Preview Night sneak peek pilot screenings.

Along with several other shows Warner Bros. Animation will present "Green Lantern: The Animated Series" and "Young Justice."

Starz

"Torchwood: Miracle Day" stars John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Mekhi Phifer, Alexa Havins, Lauren Ambrose, Bill Pullman and producer Jane Espenson will discuss the new season Friday July 22 at 10 a.m. in Ballroom 20.

The "Spartacus: Vengeance" panel, in 6BCF on Friday July 22 at 5:45 p.m., will introduce fans to new star Liam McIntyre and also feature Lucy Lawless, Dustin Clare, Manu Bennett and producer Steven S. DeKnight.

HBO

"Game of Thrones will make its comic-con debut on Thursday July 21 in Ballroom 20 with Peter Dinklage, Jason Momoa, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kit Harrington, Emilia Clarke and the show's producers. Moderating the panel will be special guest George R.R. Martin.

The entire "True Blood" cast (minus Alexander Skarsgaard) will be in attendance on Friday July 22 with producer Alan Ball.

Other Highlights

"Castle" is scheduled for Sunday July 24 at 11:45 a.m.

"Bones" will present Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz and "The Finder" cast members with show producers on Friday July 22.

Shows attending without confirmed dates

"Community"
"Eureka"
"Warehouse 13"
"Sanctuary"
"Sons of Anarchy"
"Being Human U.S."

This list doesn't reflect all the confirmed shows, just the ones we're excited about. For a more comprehensive list check here.

Critics' Choice Television Awards: The winners

The very first Critics' Choice Television Awards were held earlier today and while there were some familiar names on the winners' list, there were also a few surprises. We can only hope the Emmy voters are taking note.

• Best Drama Series: "Mad Men"


• Lead Actor in a Drama: Jon Hamm - "Mad Men"


• Lead Actress in a Drama: Julianna Margulies - "The Good Wife"


• Supporting Actor in a Drama: John Noble - "Fringe"


• Supporting Actress in a Drama: Christina Hendricks - "Mad Men" and Margo Martindale - "Justified"


• Best Comedy Series: "Modern Family"


• Lead Actor in a Comedy: Jim Parsons - "The Big Bang Theory"


• Lead Actress in a Comedy: Tina Fey - "30 Rock"


• Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Neil Patrick Harris - "How I Met Your Mother"


• Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Busy Phillips - "Cougar Town"


• Best Reality/Competition Series: "American Idol"


• Best Reality Series: "Hoarders" and "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"


• Best Reality Host: Mike Rowe


• Best Talk Show: "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"

We'll have reactions to the winners on the next episode of "Inscaped."

'Falling Skies:' First impressions

Tim and I will discuss "Falling Skies" in detail on this week's episode of "Inscaped." However, I wanted to offer a few early observations.

• It was boring. For an alien invasion story, it was surprisingly dull. I was expecting a little more action and a little less description of action.


• The characters aren't that interesting. Noah Wyle, Will Patton and Colin Cunningham are elevating an otherwise predictable story.


• Emotional moments are too heavy-handed. Truly great emotion is at its best when its subtle. The whole camp doesn't need to stop and watch a little boy on his skateboard to make the scene feel special.


• There was one great moment where Wyle's character had to choose between two books. That one little moment did more to sum up humanity's predicament than all the other so called emotional scenes in the two hour premiere.

TNT has been promoting the heck out of the series so the ratings for the premiere were very impressive. It will be interesting to see how the show does in the coming weeks.

As alien invasion stories go, "Falling Skies" didn't come out of the gate strong. For a better crafted, stunning, classic tale of humanity's survival, check out "Battlestar Galactica" now airing from the beginning on BBC America.

'Game of Thrones' finishes with new beginnings

After last week's heart-stopping episode, "Game of Thrones" finished its first season with the crowning of a new king and queen.

As news of Ned's execution spread through the kingdom, the full effect of his death became clear. Catelynn and Robb comforted each other and continued on to King's Landing hoping to rescue Arya and Sansa. The men of the north also decided to fight for independence and declared Robb king of the north.

However, Arya was already headed north with men bound for the Night's Watch, among them Robert's oldest illegitimate son. Meanwhile, Sansa was stuck in the castle living under the cruel rulings of Joffrey.

For a moment it seemed like the show would go its own way and have Sansa kill Joffrey, but that would have been too easy. Not to be too mean, but I was kind of hoping Sansa would throw herself off that bridge and end the audience's suffering.

Perhaps the most exciting development of season two is the prospect of seeing Tyrion as Joffrey's Hand of the King. Tyrion is the only one who stands up to Joffrey and calls him out on his shortcomings. Judging by the way Joffrey treated that poor minstrel, Tyrion has his work cut out for him.

At the Wall, Jon found out about his father and like any good son rode off to put his sword through Joffrey's head. Fortunately for him, his fellow Night's Watchmen tracked him down and dragged him back.

For me, Jon's story has been the weak link of season one. The setup finally paid off when Jon spoke with the Lord Commander about war at the Wall being more important than Robb's war with the Lannisters. Apparently, the Lord Commander is the only one who understands what's at stake in the north.

Across the Narrow Sea, Dany awakes to discover her child dead and Drogo in a catatonic state. This is the doing of the creepy witch, who all but screamed at her that she was going to kill her child. The witch explains that she had no life after the Dothraki sacked her village and she saved all the villages her son would never burn.

In the most heart-breaking moment of the episode, Dany realizes Drogo is gone and suffocates him. She honors him with a funeral pyre surrounded by her dragon eggs, straps the evil witch to the fire and then purposefully walks in.

Her resolve was stirring and provided Emilia Clarke with one of her best scenes of the season. The next day she became a true Khal when she appeared unharmed and naked, surrounded by her newly hatched dragons.

Though it was clear all along that Dany was the true dragon, it was game-changing to see it finally happen.

After a jam packed first season, it's seems cruel for HBO to make fans wait a full year for what is sure to be an equally mesmerizing second season. At least the show's comic-con panel will help dull the pain.

Armond White gets it wrong again

It's no secret that Tim and I have a severe dislike and lack of respect for New York Press film reviewer Armond White. He has an uncanny talent for loving awful films and hating brilliant ones. However, I take issue with White's constant discovery of racism where none exists.

In his review of "Green Lantern," White immediately plays the race card by saying Kilowog's physical appearance was derived from Michael Clarke Duncan's voice acting of the character.

This is of course false, as Kilowog is an alien from the planet Bolovax Vik and is the trainer for new Lantern recruits. He made his first appearance in "Green Lantern Corps #201" in June 1986. The character has appeared in several DC animated shows and movies being voiced by Dennis Haysbert, Diedrich Bader, Michael Madsen and Henry Rollins.

While each actor, including Duncan, brings something different to the role, Kilowog is always a fierce trainer who calls his recruits "poozers" and pushes them to their limits. There is absolutely nothing racist about their portrayal of the character.

Every time White screams racism where there is none, he lessens the importance of the word. "Green Lantern" is not racist and it's ridiculous for White to suggest otherwise.

He also suggests that superhero movies are racist, citing Idris Elba in "Thor," referring to him as a glorified butler. As a matter of fact, Heimdall is one of the fiercest warriors in Asgard and protects the city by guarding the Bifrost Bridge, the gateway between Asgard and other worlds. In the film Heimdall dispatches two frost giants in spectacular fashion and helps Thor defeat Loki. Not the work of the average butler.

He also criticizes Darwin in "X-Men: First Class" for being un-heroic. However, he is killed after standing up to Sebastian Shaw and defending his friends. Sounds like something a hero might do.

For White's information, Storm, Black Panther, John Stewart, Static Shock, Luke Cage, Spawn, Blade, Amanda Waller, Nick Fury and War Machine are among some of the most popular heroes in comics, TV and movies, and they are all black.

The fight for more minority comic book characters has been waging for some time now and it's only recently that big gains have been made. White's ridiculous claims about a subject he has no knowledge in only serves to hurt that fight.

Inscaped for June 16

New Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited several actors, directors, writers and other various filmmakers, artists and designers to become its newest members.

There are quite few cool names on the list, so here are some of the highlights.

Russell Brand, Bradley Cooper, Gerard Butler, Peter Dinklage, David Duchovny, Robbie Coltrane, Jennifer Garner and Dominic Monaghan are among the 27 actors invited.

Director invitations include Tom Hooper, Lisa Cholodenko and John Cameron Mitchell.

Cholodenko was also invited to the writers branch along with David Seidler and Aaron Sorkin.

Other notable names include composer Terence Blanchard, and producer Kevin Feige.

To be honest, it's surprising that several of these people haven't already been invited to attend. Seriously, Aaron Sorkin isn't in the academy already. Plus, Blanchard is a renowned jazz artist who has scored most of Spike Lee's movies.

The good news is there are a lot of young artists on the list, so it's nice to see the academy adding some young blood to their membership.

An impossible challenge?

The final trailer for the final Harry Potter film was released on the internet today, and no, I will tell you how many tears have already been shed.

However, I will tell you about the challenge that I have issued myself.

I was honestly, only going to re-read Book 7 right before the movie comes out on July 15th. However, considering the physical heartache that this trailer has put me in today, I have decided that I have to re-read the entire series. Again. One last time. Before the final movie.

It is something that I have done for every single movie release, and I have to do it one more time. It's tradition. And this time, I only have 29 days to read 4,100 pages. Come with me as I make this journey one last time, and I promise to update all of you along the way as I finish each book.

Wish me luck.

And for those that haven't seen it yet, here is the last trailer.

'Lord of the Rings' extended editions on Blu-ray and in theaters!

Being the Lord of the Rings nut that I am, there was no way that I could miss an opportunity to see my favorite series in theaters again.

To celebrate the release of the Extended Editions on Blu-ray Fathom Events is releasing them in the theaters for the first time three Tuesdays in a row.

It has been ten years since Fellowship of the Ring was released in theaters in 2001, and it was quite an experience to be sharing this nostalgia with both old fans and the next generation.

Sitting in the theater, waiting for the movie to start, looking down the row of seats I was in were a father and son duo. The boy was around 10 years old, and I could tell by their conversation that this was the first time that he would be watching this movie. His dad sat next to him, explaining where this series was filmed, and how popular it was. Over the next 30 minutes, I eavesdropped on their conversation as he filled his son in on the back story of The Hobbit, and even some of Aragorn's family line from Numenor.

This is one of the greatest things about fandom. Not just being exposed to some of the greatest storytelling of all time, but getting to witness it making marks on the new generations. I was hit with a remarkable feeling of nostalgia sitting there on Tuesday night, remembering the first time that I got to experience Tolkien's world and all the inspiration that Lord of the Rings still gives me today. I was thirteen years old when I started reading the series for the first time, and it was only a few weeks later during the Christmas of 2000 that my family and I saw the very first trailer for the movies, and I was freaking out in my seat.

In a strange and nerdy way, Lord of the Rings defined much of my high school experience. Although I had been a fantasy and science fiction nerd for most of my life, Tolkien's world was my entrance into serious fandom. Costumes, fan fiction, conventions. Everything. And being able to witness someone else's induction into that culture felt like nerd history all over again.

It was great seeing the movie, and the extended version, in theaters again. As it should be seen. Although by now I have seen Fellowship of the Ring hundreds of times over, and could dictate the movie to you line by line, it still invoked massive emotions from me. I don't remember the last time I cried watching this movie. And yet, I did so three times on Tuesday night. I was once again, overwhelmed by how groundbreaking and truly masterful these films are, and the impact that they had on modern filmmaking.

Although every part of me wanted to return home and pop The Two Towers into my DVD player so I could continue the series that night, I somehow resisted. I can't wait to be back in the theater thursday night for the second installment, and my favorite movie of the series.

Why 'Green Lantern' scares me

I don't need to explain my love of the "Green Lantern" comic universe, I think I talk about it enough.

But, there is something (somethings) that sit on my shoulder and are a constant reminder that this movie could be headed toward disaster.

Casting - I love most of the casting choices. I wasn't 100 percent on board with Ryan Reynolds, mostly because I thought Bradley Cooper would have been a better choice. Well, Reynolds is better than other finalist Justin Timberlake. It's Blake Lively who scares me. Then I saw "The Town" and she was fantastic. Then I saw that first trailer... oh boy. She has literally one line in the trailer and it's "Michael Scott" cringe worthy. Then you look at the other woman she supposedly beat out for the role: Jennifer Garner, Keri Russell, Diane Kruger and Eva Green. I would have been happy with any of those choices.

The costume - Before Comic-Con they showed off pictures of the all CG suit and the reaction was a mix of horror and disbelief. Not just that it's different from the comics, but it was just ugly period. Bad CG. Then at Comic-Con the filmmakers said it was a work in progress and we should be happy with the end result. The last trailer released hasn't improved it much, especially the very fake, bad CG mask.

That first trailer - At Comic-Con we were treated to a hastily put together teaser trailer and it was awesome. I was almost shaking because it was so good. So months later they release the first trailer and it's nothing like the Comic-Con footage and shows off horrible CGI and Lively's "acting."

Bad marketing - Some genius came up with the marketing campaign of "Anyone can be chosen!" Not only is this stupid, but it contradicts the entire movie! Hal Jordan wasn't lucky to be chosen like someone winning the superhero lottery. He was the most worthy human, period. Even later trailers bring up that Jordan was specifically chosen. Talk about confusing people.

Bad CGI - Have you seen the trailers? The mask looks fake, Parallax looks ridiculous. I am really afraid the bad effects are going to sink this movie. A movie that needs top notch effects. Warner even recently added $9 million to the special effects budget. While that does make me happier that they're trying, it also scares me because they know at the last second that something is wrong.

Weirdest Green Lanterns

With thousands of members, the Green Lantern Corps is a giant hodgepodge of different alien species.

There have been a small handful like Kilowog, Arisia, Salaak and Ch'p that get a bit of the spotlight and are somewhat known to fans of the comics.

But, what about those weird lantern members? I'm not talking funny looking aliens. I mean downright weird.

Bzzd - A small, wasp-like lantern. He was partnered with Mogo, the living planet. Funny to think that a Green Lantern ring is bigger than Bzzd. "Green Lantern" director Martin Campbell, at Comic-Con, said that Bzzd was his favorite lantern. Could that mean a movie cameo?

Dkrtzy RRR - This one is actually just a mathematical equation. Yes, a living math problem.

Flodo Span - He's basically a cloud of gas who holds himself together with the lantern ring.

Leezle Pon - This one takes the cake. He is a living smallpox virus. Seriously. He saves Guy Gardner's life during "The Sinestro Corps War."

Daffy Duck - Yes, that Daffy Duck. In an episode of "Duck Dodgers," Daffy accidentally picks up Hal Jordan's dry cleaning and turns into a Green Lantern. Here's the oath as told by Daffy: "In blackest day or brightest night, watermelon, cantaloupe, yadda-e-yadda, erm...superstitious and cowardly lot, with liberty and justice for all!"

DC reboot: 'Green Lantern'

It looks like the Hal Jordan "Green Lantern" and "Green Lantern Corps" books are staying about the same. No real, giant changes we can see from the solicts.

But, there is one "Green Lantern" book that has caught my attention:

"Green Lantern: New Guardians"

Here's the official description:

"Kyle Rayner has assembled the most powerful team in all the universe, selected from the full spectrum of corps. But can he even keep this volatile group together?"


From the cover I can pick out Bleeze of the Red Lantern Corp, Arkillo of the Sinestro Corp (he's like the yellow version of Killowog), Munk of the Indigo Tribe (Compassion), Glomulus of the Orange Lanterns (even though the character is dead and just a construct of Larfleeze's power), Saint Walker of the Blue Lanterns and what appears to be Carol Ferris from the Star Sapphires.
 
Rayner leading a team of different color corps members. I'm sold on the first issue right now.
 
Although, we don't fully know why the team is put together etc. since the "War of the Green Lantern" story is still going on, but I think the Guardians of the Universe are going to be going away for a while.
 
Where does that leave Larfleeze and Indigo-1 though? We know the Red Lanterns are getting their own book, but nothing on the leaders of the other two groups.
 
I would pay good money for another Larfleeze comic.

'Doctor Who' cliffhanger leaves fans in shock

When Steven Moffat announced that he would split the season in two parts and the cliffhanger would be good, he wasn't lying. The season six, mid-season finale was "Doctor Who" at its best. It answered questions while asking so many more. Warning, in the words of River Song, "spoilers."

"A Good Man Goes to War" starts with Rory back in his Last Centurion gear, going all Liam Neeson in "Taken" on a Cyberman fleet. From there it becomes clear that an Army is being raised against The Doctor. At the same time The Doctor is gathering his allies to help he and Rory find Amy.

This sequence is fun as it features a lot of fun callbacks from seasons five and six. The Doctor's army includes the space pirates, an army of Silurians, a disgraced Sontaran and WWII spitfires.

I love the idea that The Doctor's exploits have been told as war stories across the galaxy. It goes back to the season four finale where The Doctor realizes the true consequences of some of his adventures.

The Doctor has always been a man who doesn't look back, because he's afraid of seeing all the lives lost or ruined because of him.

When The Doctor's team finally confronts Amy's kidnappers and takes down the Army without spilling a single drop of blood, it's one of his greatest moments.

This episode also provides some nice scenes for Rory. He's always a bit of an outsider to Amy and The Doctor, but here he takes center stage and becomes a hero again.

I loved that he wore his Roman gear the whole time and didn't hesitate to fight to the death to protect his wife and child. Rory is an example of what it really means to travel with The Doctor. Though it's dangerous and life threatening, the experience always brings out the best in his companions.

I know other fans may feel differently, but I like Rory better than Amy and think he and The Doctor have a stronger rapport. I kind of enjoyed the TARDIS more when Amy was kidnapped.


Unfortunately for everyone this was a very clever trap set by the people who kidnapped Amy. It turns they wanted Amy and Rory's baby Melody, who has Timelord DNA. It seems Amy and Rory's wedding night was a little more special than anyone thought and the time vortex got involved.

After a vicious battle with the headless monks, it was revealed that Melody was yet another flesh clone, and the real Melody was still missing. This was a heartbreaking moment, as River's prediction that "The Doctor would fall lower than ever before" came true.

However, this was also the moment die hard fans had been waiting for, because River Song's identity was finally revealed. River is another word for Pond and she is really Amy and Rory's daughter all grown up. This sheds a hilarious new light on River and The Doctor's relationship. Imagine the scene where The Doctor has to ask Rory if he can take out his daughter.

Knowing this, everyone should go back and watch the scene between River and Rory where he asks for her help. Since River is a time traveler, she meets people in the wrong order. In that scene she looked at Rory as if she hadn't seen him in a long time and was going to cry.

River has become one of my favorite characters of Moffat's "Doctor Who" and now we know that she gets her badass superhero fighting skills from her parents. That was a really nice reveal.

Wow, that episode was full of story advancement and character development and yet it was still full of "Doctor Who" treasures. I don't know how I'm going to make it to late summer, to see how this all plays out.

Inscaped for June 9

Frightening 'Doctor Who' teaser

Though "Doctor Who" has one more episode to air in the U.S. before its mid-season summer finale, it has already gone on hiatus in the U.K.

The BBC has just released a frightening new teaser trailer for the second half of the season and my jaw is still on the floor.

Keep in mind this is slightly spoilery.

'Emerald Knights' gives blockbuster competition

Anyone interested in the real Green Lantern origin story should check out "Green Lantern: Emerald Knights." It stars Nathan Fillion as Hal Jordan, who tells new recruit Arisia (Elisabeth Moss), stories of the other Lanterns while they prepare for an attack.


For new fans, the film is a great entry into the Green Lantern world. It gives a backstory into how Lanterns are chosen and trained, while not getting to deep into mythology.

The film features six interlocking stories written by popular comic book authors Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi, Eddie Berganza, Dave Gibbons, Alan Burnett, Todd Casey, Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim. The writers have adapted popular Green Lantern origin stories for the film.

One of the best stories follows Kilowog (Henry Rollins) when he first becomes a Lantern and is trained by Deegan (Wade Williams). For long time fans it provides real insight into how Kilowog became the training officer he is today.

Another favorite revolves around how "Mogo doesn't socialize" and the Lantern's early encounter with Bophunga, voiced by Rowdy Roddy Piper.

The film is executive produced by Bruce Timm, who has worked on all of DC's best animated projects. Andrea Romano is the voice director and she assembled a all star cast that includes Fillion, Moss, Jason Issacs as Sinestro, Arnold Vosloo as Abin Sur and Kelly Hu as Laira.

The strength of the story, cast and animation makes this one of DC's best animated movies yet.

'Dance' gets serious in Vegas

Now that the first round auditions have ended, "So You Think You Can Dance" heads to Vegas for the callbacks.

One of the things I love about this show is its attention to technique and its honesty that personality matters. The judges aren't afraid of eliminating early favorites if they don't live up to expectations.

They proved this by cutting 46 dancers right out of the gate, several of whom were featured heavily on the audition shows. Including Japanese hip hop dancer Hero and super cool, bow tie wearing, hip hop dancer Patty.

Since Vegas week is so all encompassing, I'll just highlight the best performances and emerging new favorites.

• I have completely fallen for the Professor. He excelled in all styles, was a constant gentleman and had a little flirtation with both Mallory sisters.


• Speaking of the sisters, while Sasha is the better dancer, Natalia has more personality and could be great with the right choreography. They're clearly setting up a final two, one spot moment.


• Unless they're hiding them, there were very few ballroom dancers this year.


• Though I don't like it when the show pushes favorites on me, Wadi Jones got increasingly impressive throughout the week.


• Debbie Allen should be a full time judge, because her critiques are honest and entertaining. "You got big dreams..."


• I appreciated the honesty the judges gave Alexis Mason by not keeping her around just because her sister is season five winner Jeanine.

Here are the dancers I definitely want in the top 20:

Natasha, Sasha, the Professor, Wadi, Melanie (Ginnifer Goodwin look-alike) and Clarice.

At two hours, tonight's "Meet the top 20" episode will be mostly filler, but I like seeing the dancers in their own style on the big stage before the competition starts.

DC reboot: The new Batman universe

Like Tim I am both skeptical and curious about DC's massive reboot of all its titles. I agree that it will make comics buying easier for fans who don't have a store near them or must put up with an unwelcoming atmosphere. However, I think there are enough old school fans who still like reading hard copy comics that good shops will still thrive.

As fans and retailers still react to the news, the company is beginning to reveal information about its plans. They started with one of DC's biggest names when several announcements about new Batman titles were made June 6.

• "Batman #1" and "Detective Comics #1" will feature Bruce Wayne protecting Gotham City as the only Batman. As Tim and I discussed on the show, it seems crazy that DC would reboot "Detective Comics" when it's so close to 900.


• In "Batman and Robin #1," Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason will have Bruce Wayne working with his son Damian, bringing a new definition to dysfunctional family. It's no secret I'm not a fan of Damian Wayne, but I'm interested to see how they write the father-son dynamic.


• "Batman: The Dark Knight" has the character in Arkham Asylum, no doubt fighting crazy criminals, as well as his own demons. I understand that past demons sort of define Batman, however, haven't we learned everything there is to learn about his demons at this point.


• "Birds of Prey #1" and "Batwoman #1" will focus on Gotham City's female heroes, which is cool since women are somewhat disposable in the most crime infested town in all of comics.


• "Batgirl #1" is the title I'm most excited about since it marks Barbara Gordon's return as Batgirl and features the writing of one of my favorites, Gail Simone. Not to go all fangirl, but this announcement made me geek out.


• "Catwoman #1" has me excited as well, since I've always loved Catwoman and think she's not bad just misunderstood. This is written by another of my favorites, Judd Winick.


• Dick Grayson returns to his circus roots in "Nightwing #1." I enjoyed Dick as Batman and wonder how this story will tie in with "Batman Inc." when that book returns.


• "Red Hood and the Outlaws #1" has Jason Todd leading a group of vigilantes tht includes Arsenal and Starfire. Jason Todd is such a fascinating character, because he became far more powerful and interesting in death than he ever was as Robin.


• "Batwing #1," also written by Winick, makes history, as it features the first ever black Batman. Batwing is the Batman of Africa as part of Bruce Wayne's Batman Inc. I can't lie, I really want to see how this character differs from others who've worn the infamous suit.

These announcements have me wondering what's in store for some of DC's other heroes and who will be writing those stories. Though I'm still skeptical, I'm little more confident in the company's plans.

Tim's DC 'reboot' thoughts pt. 1

We ran out of time during the last episode of the show while talking about this giant changes DC Comics has in store.

There are a number of points I wanted to cover, so we'll do a multi-part series.

One of the biggest points, other than creative stuff, is the fact that DC Comics will be selling the comics online the same day they hit comic stores.

This is a HUGE piece of news that many sites have yet to fully cover.

First, this is a big leap forward for iPad and tablet users. Don't believe me? Read a comic on an iPad and come back to talk to me. It's great. Plus it helps the environment by not using bags and boards with each comic.

For me it's a giant convenience for me. I can't imagine how awesome it is for someone that doesn't have a comic shop near them.

I do, it's only two miles away. But, I don't really like going there. First, it's cash only. Then they started this new practice of rounding your purchase up or down based on the total. My last purchase was $19.51, so I had to pay $20. That, plus it's not a nice friendly atmosphere.

Usually I wait a few weeks and go to get my books. Using this new system I can get them the day they come out. This will help my undying need to search for spoilers on the Internet.

I do get the argument that this is yet another nail in the coffin of the classic comic shop. I hope it is for the comic shops that deserve to be closed. The ones that are unfriendly, unwelcoming and don't participate in Free Comic Book Day.

I think great comic stores will survive. Comic readers are a loyal bunch.

That plus DC Comics is offering a package deal where you can buy the physical comic along with an online version. It's sort of like how some Blu-ray movies come with a digital copy.

DC Comics is on to something here. They are in the business of making money, not supporting other people making money. And they know that this process will make them more money. I am more likely to buy a lot more comics this way. Especially considering that eventually the online versions will be cheaper to buy.

E3 2011: Nintendo highlights

This morning Nintendo held its highly anticipated press conference. Everyone assumed the company would be announcing a new console, however, it shocked viewers by debuting its new controller, Wii U.

The controller looks like a small tablet with controls on the ends and a small screen in the middle. It works as an accompaniment to the Wii and offers backwards compatibility to other Nintendo hardware.


As a Wii owner I'm cautiously curious about how useful and simple the device will actually be.

Tags: GameTrailers.com, Wii U - E3 2011: Controller Debut Trailer (Stream), PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

The company also announced the celebration of the 25th anniversary of "The Legend of Zelda" with new game "Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword."

Wii Games - E3 2011 - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Tim and I discussed how old we feel if "Zelda" is 25 years old. It was the first game that had saveable content and is the predecessor to modern role playing games. They had a orchestra on stage playing the soundtrack as images from the game were shown. It was a nice treat for long time fans.

And because it wouldn't be Nintendo without Mario, the company also debuted a 3-D version of "Mario Kart" for the 3DS.

3DS Games - E3 2011 - Mario Kart 3DS

E3 2011: Microsoft highlights

The first day of E3 press conferences started with Microsoft making major annoucements about their most popular titles.

"Madden '12"-Ray Lewis, Peyton Ellis and Clay Matthews (with the Lombardi trophy) appeared on stage in full gear following the trailer. I'm wondering if this is cool, considering current NFL labor situation. I don't get the excitement about "Madden" as it seems like the game stays the same, it just updates players.

"Dance Central 2"-As the most popular game on Kinect, it's no surprise that Harmonix made a sequel. It'll be interesting to see how multplayer element works, plus what songs will be added.

"Kinect Star Wars"-This is one of the games I'm most excited about. The game uses the Kinect system to turn players into actual Jedis. Gamers can use their bodies to fight in light saber battles and use force powers to move objects. The game takes place in the prequel trilogy timeline, beginning right after "The Phantom Menace" and ending with the events of "Revenge of the Sith."

Tags: GameTrailers.com, Kinect Star Wars - E3 2011: Trailer, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

"Kinect Disneyland Adventures"-The game takes players on various adventures throughout the theme park. It looks like a lame Wii game, but my love of all things Disneyland has me curious.

Tags: GameTrailers.com, Kinect Disneyland Adventures - E3 2011: Debut Trailer (Stream), PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Inscaped for June 2

X-Men week: 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'

Guess all the bad reviews for "First Class" were waiting until the last minute because the film took a dive in the opposite direction in the past 24 hours, dropping to an 85 percent at Rotten Tomatoes. That one "rotten" review is now joined by 16 others.

But, it's not as bad as the fourth film in the franchise.

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was released in 2009 and is sitting with a 37 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Yikes. And it's hard to not disagree with that.

Wolverine is mega popular, there is no denying that. So a solo film was the next logical step.

And on paper it looked great.

They had a great director, Gavin Hood, and an all-star cast with Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston and Ryan Reynolds.

The script on the other hand failed, big time.

The story was all about Wolverine in his early days and how he got his adamantium skeleton. Who knew it could be so boring?

Some of the action was equally boring.

And let's not even talk about that ending. Man, I remember sitting in the theater going "what the hell..."

There was some good stuff: Reynolds as Deadpool in the first part of the movie was hilarious and got everyone wishing for a Deadpool movie.

We finally got to see Gambit! Even if it was only for a few short minutes.

This movie was all set to get its own sequel, but it's been in development hell for the past two years.

X-Men week: 'X-Men: The Last Stand'

We are continuing our X-Men week with the third film in the series: "X-Men: The Last Stand."

As it stands right now, "X-Men: First Class" is still doing great with a 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with 53 fresh reviews and that one, lone "rotten" review.

I was trying to think of a clever way to start off talking about the third "X-Men" movie, but it really doesn't deserve it.

It was doomed to be a mess from the start. First, director Bryan Singer left the project to make "Superman Returns." Then new director Matthew Vaughn (he directs "First Class"!) quit the project. Brett Ratner was finally chosen to direct, because he could make films really fast and there was literally no time to do anything.

The script went through a bunch of drafts as well, and that was the film's sore spot.

Characters are introduced in the film, but a majority only have fleeting resemblance to their comic counterparts. Why bother calling a character Kid Omega if he looks nothing like Kid Omega or have the same powers?

Warren Worthington aka Angel is finally introduced to the movie universe and is basically a cheap writing tool to push the "cure" storyline. I remember seeing ads with Angel in his X-Men uniform, but that never even happens in the film as he's at the school for literally a day.

There's also this stupid subplot of Iceman and Kitty Pryde becoming a couple. What? Really? It's only done to further the Rogue taking the cure, which in itself is stupid.

Since the film had to be rushed to be made that meant certain actors couldn't make the entire film, so their parts were cut back dramatically. And not done in a good way. Cyclops is killed right away, dumb. I almost walked out of the theater at that point. I think it helped that I was drunk when I saw it.

And don't even get me started about that stupid Magneto moving the bridge part. The only reason they did it was they needed a big special effects scene.

The film does have a few good points. I think the person who thought Kelsey Grammer could play a good Beast should get an awesome high five. Grammer blew me away with how great he was.

Iceman finally iced up and kicked some butt.

The Danger Room! Finally, jeez.

The film wasn't loved by critics (or fans) with a bad 57 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

But, who knew that it could get even worse...