While raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens are splendid in their own right, there is a multitude of awesome things out in the world. As Christmas approaches, I thought I'd take a look at some of these in a series I'm calling My Favorite Things.
That's a sad title to write, to be honest. With the first teaser and trailer (not to mention the nine minute prologue) featuring the decalescent voice of the Sherlock star, I was expecting full-on Cumberbaction. However, this teaser was rather devoid of his character, supposedly named John Harrison. Rather, it focused much more on Kirk and even had some nice Christopher Pike moments. Video after the break.
It's here! It's here! Christmas has come early for Star Trek fans. Well, it's come early for me at least. I woke up this morning, admittedly late, to a tweet from a friend that the teaser trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness premiered this morning.
When J.J. Abrams decided to release this trailer in advance of the sneak preview fans will get during the The Hobbit in IMAX beginning next week, he decided to set phasers to stun. The trailer, with narration by none other than Benedict Cumberbatch, is an action-packed minute that will leave you gasping for breath and wanting more.
"You think your world is safe. It is an illusion, a comforting lie told to protect you. Enjoy these final moments of peace. For I have returned to have my vengeance."
Chills, my friends, chills.
Before I go on, however, let me stop for two minutes, to say that trailers like this are getting very formulaic. I'm reminded of Inception (BRRWWAAHHHHHHHH), The Dark Knight Rises (When Space Francisco is Ashes, Mr. Spock, you have my permission to die), and the very recent Iron Man 3 trailer (Explosions at key moments in the trailer highlighted by crescendos). Does that detract from the stunning visuals and the sheer epicness of the trailer itself? For me, no way. I've been super excited for this all year, and I get this movie as an early birthday present!
I don't know if it's something unique to Kentucky, but it seems like there are flea markets and peddler's malls in almost ever town. When I was a kid, I would browse through the used video game and movie offerings at the Hillbilly Flea Market in Russell. On a recent trip to Morehead, I stopped in at the Peddler's Mall there and found some items which were rather unique. It definitely has a different feel than going into an antique store, because a lot of items that I came across were really not worth anything. However, I did find some interesting gems that I wanted to share. I didn't end up buying anything, but these items struck my fancy.
The Complete Next Generation Trek IQ Book was compiled by Alan G. Rochussen. It was originally printed in 1998. Here's a summary of the book:
How high is your Star Trek IQ?
Star Trek: The Next Generation was the most popular and entertaining SF television show of all time. With more than half a million fans attending over a hundred conventions annually, the excitement continues today.
If you are serious about your favourite show, here is your chance to prove it, with a unique, entertaining survey-guide that dares to go where no guidebook has gone before -- all the way from the episode #1 ('Encounter at Farpoint') to #177 ('All Good Things...').
This comprehensive, authoritative book covers every single episode, and includes multiple choice questions, character trivia, plot puzzlers, cryptograms, crossword puzzles, word searches and riddles. It is designed not only to test your knowledge of this immortal series, but to improve it dramatically -- and to award you and your friends with a Mission Performance Rating, and an actual Starfleet ranking -- from ensign to admiral.
Okay, so admittedly I wouldn't buy a 2003 calendar, but it had some awesome pictures of all of the Star Trek captains from Kirk to Janeway. Honestly, I would have bought it, but it had significant water damage. Hopefully it was well loved back in 2003!
I hadn't gone into the Peddler's Mall that afternoon expecting to buy anything, but if this set of I, Claudius had been DVD, I would have bought it in a heartbeat. I'll be finishing my BA in History in December, but I also have a mnior in Classics. My favorite period in Classical history is the Roman Empire. I, Claudius is a mini-series from the BBC which premiered in 1976. While a work of fiction, I think that I, Claudius provides an interesting view of the Julio-Claudian line. Some of my favorite actors are in it: John Hurt (Harry Potter, Hellboy, V for Vendetta) plays the Roman Emperor Caligula and it's so over the top, it's fantastic. Patrick Stewart (X-Men, Star Trek: The Next Generation) plays Sejanus, who was prefect of the Praetorian Guard, essentially bodyguards for the emperor. John Rhys-Davies, Derek Jacobi, and Brian Blessed (all fantastic actors) round out the cast. I know that it's ridiculously campy and it's basically a Roman soap opera, I just love it!
Here are some WTF items:
So, apparently this is an air-brushed poster titled "Hollywood" and it just features the portraits of a bunch of actors. I can pretty much tell who everyone is, but some of them are a bit off. I thought that the portrait of Marlon Brando looked a bit like Simon Baker (The Mentalist)... so yeah, kind of off. That's probably the worst picture of Nicholas Cage that they could have used. I think I would have preferred this one:
And finally...
This isn't so much nerdy or geeky, but just kind of out there. Do people put things like this in their homes? Honestly, it reminds me of the "Draw me like one of your French girls" meme.
Have you seen any geeky items at the Flea Market? Share them on Kentucky Geek Girl's Facebook page!
But really deep in our hearts, we already knew this. The details have been few and far between. We learned months ago that Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch would be appearing in J. J. Abrams' 2013 Star Trek sequel. The rumor mill began to churn out stories that he would be playing Khan Noonien Singh, first played by Ricardo Montalbon in the TOS episode "The Space Seed" and again in Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, which both featured the original cast. Then, we heard that instead of Khan, Cumberbatch would be portraying Sybok, Spock's brother. However, confirmation has come that Benedict Cumberbatch will indeed be playing Khan and will be Star Trek 2's villain.
Of course, the set photographs that were reported on weeks ago did allude to the fact that Cumberbatch's character would be no friend of the Enterprise crew. In fact, the pictures featured Cumberbatch grappling with Zachary Quinto's Spock.
We reported in the last few days that Leonard Nimoy himself had let his it slip about his appearance in the film. This news has been confirmed and Nimoy will indeed be reprising his role as Spock Prime. Klingons will also be in the film!
So, here we have it. Suspicions confirmed: Benedict Cumberbatch is Khan. Honestly, I cannot think of another actor for that role, and that is not just by bias toward Benedict Cumberbatch talking.
Did you see this coming? Who would you have cast in the role of Khan?
This article was originally published on Word of the Nerd Online on May 1, 2012.
It has been seven years since a series within the Star Trek franchise has aired new episodes. J. J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek reboot film brought discussion of a show back into the collective consciousness and many are clamoring to see the new timeline established by that film displayed on the small screen. Abrams’ Star Trek sequel, for which no title has been announced, is set to premiere in 2013 and there has been recent buzz that a former Star Trek: Voyager producer wishes to bring the science-fiction show back to television. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bryan Fuller discussed the likelihood of achieving that, with the help of producer Bryan Singer, whose big project currently is the X-Men reboot franchise.
Alrighty, folks. It's official. Filming has begun on J. J. Abrams' sequel to the 2009 Star Trek reboot. Rumors have been surrounding the project for months. At one point Benicio Del Toro was involved, but recently Benedict Cumberbatch of BBC's Sherlock (SWOON!!!1one) has landed a role. IMDB has already put him in the role of Khan Noonien Singh portrayed by Ricardo Montalban on The Original Series and in subsequent films. Cumberbatch is not confirming that he is the film's villain, however.
Press Release
JJ Abrams Begins Production On Next “Star Trek” Movie
Paramount Pictures announced that principal photography has commenced in Los Angeles, CA on the sequel to STAR TREK from director J.J. Abrams. The film will be released on May 17, 2013 in 3D. The 2009 re-launch of the "Star Trek" franchise by Abrams was met with critical acclaim and a worldwide gross of over $385 million at the box office. Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions present a Bad Robot Production of a J.J. Abrams Film. Returning to their posts on the Enterprise are John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, and Anton Yelchin. They are joined by new cast members Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve and Peter Weller. Based upon "Star Trek" created by Gene Roddenberry, the film is produced by J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The script was written by Alex Kurtzman & Robert Orci & Damon Lindelof. Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake are the executive producers. The director of photography is Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC. The production designer is Scott Chambliss. The film is edited by Maryann Brandon, A.C.E. and Mary Jo Markey, A.C.E. The costume designer is Michael Kaplan. The music is by Michael Giacchino.
Several new faces have been added to the cast, the aforementioned Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, who is starring opposite John Cusack in the new Edgar Allen Poe film "The Raven," and Peter Weller, who isno stranger to the Star Trek franchise, appearing on Star Trek: Voyager.
What do you think the plot of this sequel will be? Do you think Benedict Cumberbatch will play Khan?
You good folks know that I am a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Poking around the internet today, I saw a brief mention of this video, but wasn't able to watch it. Now, having feasted my eyes upon its simple brilliance, I can definitely say that this is now one of my favorite things ever. I wish it had been longer. Also, I would like to see Sir Patrick Stewart and the very Honorable Lords Brent Spiner and LeVar Burton act this out in real time. If you're a fan of Robot Chicken, then you'll definitely like this video which features their Star Trek action figure counterparts dancing to Beyonce's Single Ladies.
I'm the type of person that needs sound to fall asleep. I used to watch TV or listen to the radio. Netflix has made it super easy as well. I've already fallen asleep on several occassions to "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Murder, She Wrote" (and by golly I'm admitting it too!)
There are countless smart phone apps that allow you to generate white noise or other random sounds such as rain, crickets, or ocean waves. Now, through the engineering of youtube user crysknife007 you can listen to the USS Enterprise-D's engine idling for 24 hours! Yes, I'm quite serious. I'm not going to lie, it's pretty awesome. I had it in the background while I was writing a paper last night (on Star Trek, I might add) and it canceled out the silence of the library perfectly. Check out the video after the break!
45 years ago yesterday the original Star Trek series premiered on television and it boldly went where no TV series had gone before. Today, William Shatner has a horse farm in Kentucky where his wife is a member of the local arts scene. We're proud to call The Shat an honorary Kentuckian! Infographic after the break.
Semesters are finally starting at colleges across the country this week and with it comes new classes and fulfilling the wonderful general education requirements. For my history major, I'm taking The Age of Samurai and Europe 1914-1945. For my Anthropology minor, I was able to get into a class on Explorers and Anthropologists where I'm going to be doing a project on representations of explorers and adventurers in popular culture. (Cue *Dun duh dun duhhhhh*) Transylvania University (where I attended college) has a history of offering some pretty awesome classes. There have been Foundations of Liberal Arts (Freshman writing and composition) courses on Appalachian stereotypes, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. I took a course on comedy called Laughing Matters. Some classes have even studied ghost hunting! Pretty awesome stuff. Transy isn't the only university to teach some pretty interesting and geeky classes. Check out a list after the break!
Let's face it, dating isn't easy. It can be difficult, uncomfortable, but most of all, it can be awkward especially if you're a geek girl. Not only can asking someone out or being asked out be an absolute chore, but then there's the date itself! It's so hard to find someone who truly appreciates all of your interests and who won't run screaming from a conversation about Star Trek. Come on, nerdy girls need love too! Finally, there is a series which shows the difficulties that your typical lady geek goes through to find her Number One. Awkward Embraces is a web series from Project A Productions which encapsulates perfectly what it's like to be both awesome and socially awkward at the same time. Show of hands, how many of us can relate to that?
Jessica Mills, creator of Awkward Embraces, stars alongside Candis Phlegm and Lyndsey Doolen as they create the Three Musketeers of Geekdom. Jessica, who Candis describes as a “geek boy's dreamgirl,” loves Star Trek, video games, and all things geeky. She wears Star Wars t-shirts proudly and loves throwing in obscure pop culture references into everyday lingo. Her friends love her, but don't always get what she's talking about. (Such is the plague of a geek girl, unless all of your friends are geeks too!) The show, now in its second season, is honest and cleverly written and if you've ever had a bad date, you can totally relate to girls' dating highs-and-lows.
One such low is recounted by Jessica in Season 1's Fourth episode titled “The Morning After.” After meeting a guy at a mutual friend's party, she goes back to his place and “accidentally has sex with him.” Also in season one, Candis is set up on a blind date by her mom. In season 2, Lyndsey reconnects with an old friend who has less than savory intentions for their reunion. The situations that the girls go through in Awkward Embraces aren't too far-fetched to not be something that might happen to one of us. Candis, Lyndsey, and Jessica seem just like any set of friends. They're totally there for eachother, but not afraid to tell it like is is. When Jessica asks if she's a dirty slut, Lyndsey says, “Yes, you are, and it's awesome, right?”
Awkward Embraces is an independent web series. The show is considerably successful to have such a small financial backing; funds for Season 2 were raised on IndieGogo. And while it looks as if the show was filmed in the girls' own living rooms, that actually contributes to the personality of the show. Jessica is a sort of “everywoman” who lives out our own trials and tribulations. In fact, a neat feature of the show's website is viewer submitted dating horror stories. Maybe I should submit the story about the guy I went on a date with who was the self-proclaimed best healer on his realm in World of Warcraft?
The show is currently on hiatus, but that gives you plenty of time to go back and watch all of the episodes from Season 1 and the beginning of season 2. You will literally laugh out loud at some of the awkwardly realistic moments. Meanwhile, check out updates on the show's website, Facebook and Twitter accounts. You can also follow Jessica, Candis and Lyndsey on twitter! Oh, and Candis is totally awesome! (She didn't tell me to say that.. I promise!)
I've always been a Star Trek fan. I was a small child when The Next Generation was running and watched it weekly with my grandfather. I was highly impressed with the show even as a kid, and loved the fact that Levar Burton was on both Reading Rainbow and TNG. I even loved the crossover episode of Rainbow when Burton went behind the scenes of TNG. I could talk all day about that, but the point of my post is to showcase this youtube video that I found today.
I'm not by any means a fan of Ke$ha. I think she tries to hard to be like Lady Gaga, whom I love. But her songs are catchy (damn her) and I enjoy singing along for the most part. This video combines "Tik Tok" her debut song and scenes from Star Trek: The Original Series. I can just imagine William Shatner saying, "Wake up ... in ... the... morning feeling... like... P-Diddy." in his special way.
Enjoy.
Also, I just want to share that as a small child, I wanted to marry Data.*
Jessica Mills, creator of Awkward Embraces, stars alongside Candis Phlegm and Lyndsey Doolen as they create the Three Musketeers of Geekdom. Jessica, who Candis describes as a “geek boy's dreamgirl,” loves Star Trek, video games, and all things geeky. She wears Star Wars t-shirts proudly and loves throwing in obscure pop culture references into everyday lingo. Her friends love her, but don't always get what she's talking about. (Such is the plague of a geek girl, unless all of your friends are geeks too!) The show, now in its second season, is honest and cleverly written and if you've ever had a bad date, you can totally relate to girls' dating highs-and-lows.
