WHICH EXPANDED UNIVERSE IS MOST UNNECESSARY?

Source: io9.com

As everyone knows, you can’t have a franchise without licensed spin-offs these days, even if no-one demanded them. But which Expanded Universe is a book/comic book/videogame too far? You decide!

The father of all Expanded Universes has to be Star Wars, of course; with television shows, books, videogames, toys, comic books and all manner of other material needing to be fed, the six movies have been spun out to literally thousands of years’ worth of material to choose from, including multiple rises and falls of the Jedi.

READ MORE HERE

TOP 10 MOVIE AND TELEVISION VAMPIRES

Source: ontheredcarpet.com

On The Red Carpet has a list (complete with photos) of who the top 10 Vampires are who have graced both the silver screen and tv:

Twilight’s Edward is only one of many sexy vamps with moves. In wake of the upcoming third installment in the franchise, Eclipse and the recent death of “Lost Boy” vampire hunter Corey Haim, take a look back at some of the best vampire characters in movies and in television.

READ MORE HERE

What do you think of this list? I have to say that I agree with the majority of the people mentioned. Some of my favourite Vampires though were omitted – one group and particular (and fair enough – that’s probably because they are pretty far from “sexy” – but are still in my top fave vampires) are the wraith from Stargate Atlantis. They were pretty cool- and hey, no blood! Just … painful life sucking.

Which expanded universe would you vote as the most unnecessary?

Join us in the forum to discuss!

Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Chapter Summaries
By Rose

Chapter 21 – I Settle My Tab

The news of the Santa Monica Pier incident and Percy’s kidnapping was covered up nicely by the media and Percy was no longer perceived as an international criminal.

Annabeth, Percy and Grover fly back to New York. They split up and Percy heads to the Empire State Building. At the security desk, Percy shows the guard the bolt and requests to be taken up to see Zeus.

Percy states his case before Zeus and Poseidon. He also tells them he feels there was someone else besides Hades who was responsible for everything and explains why. Zeus let’s Percy live and tells him not to cause such commotions again and disappears. Poseidon and Percy believe Kronos the King of Titans is to blame for causing the war. Poseidon then tells Percy his mother has returned and he will find a package when he returns home.

Read the rest of the review and come join us in the discussion on the questions in the forum!

Questions:

What did you think of the way the police covered up the entire story?

What do you think is in the package?

What are your favorite quotes from this chapter?

Favorite Quotes:

Percy: “The place made Grand Central Station look like a broom closet.”

Zeus: “Do not presume to fly again. Do not let me find you here when I return. Otherwise, you shall taste this bolt. And it shall be your last sensation.”

With the release of the “New Moon” DVD quickly approaching, the internet is buzzing with clips of behind-the-scenes and deleted scenes footage from the discs.  This afternoon, we bring you two more video clips to enjoy and get you back on the “New Moon” spirit.  The first clip features cast members (human, vampire, and wolf) discussing what it was like to come back to film the second installment of the series and the second is about shooting in Italy with commentary by Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.  Enjoy!

“NEW MOON” BEHIND THE SCENES – LIFE AFTER TWILIGHT

“NEW MOON” BEHIND THE SCENES – SHOOTING IN ITALY

What do you think about these video clips?  Will you be running out to get your DVD as soon as possible this weekend or have you already pre-ordered a copy?  Do you think that these clips showing up on the internet diminish the experience of seeing them for the first time when you get your DVD?  Join us in the forum and let us know what you think!

Enter ‘Sandman’ For Neil Gaiman And Matthew Vaughn? ‘Kick-Ass’ Director Wants HBO-Style Series

Neil Gaiman discussed a “Death” movie with Guillermo Del Toro last week, but Matthew Vaughn still has a “Sandman” adaptation on his mind. After talking to Gaiman, however, he believes the Vertigo series would be better served by an HBO TV treatment as opposed to a big-screen theatrical presentation.

“I think it would make an amazing HBO series, you know, where you can just really create that world,” Vaughn told MTV News. “There’s too much to get into an hour and a half, two hours.”

“The Sandman” could easily balloon to seven or ten seasons, rivaling both “The Sopranos” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” so even if that’s where its destiny lies, there’s going to have to be some skillful and surgical editing. Both the expansive cast and vast array of sets alone would require a big-money commitment from the producers.

Read more on MTV.com

“Caprica’s” Ratings Fall Back

After seeing a bump up last week to its first .5 rating with adults 18-49 in a month, this past Friday Caprica fell back to a .4 with adults 18-49, and it shed a few viewers too.

To read each episodes rating and viewers, visit TVbythenumbers.com

I would love to see Sandman made into an HBO series. It sounds amazing. Would you like to see it become a series?

Poor Caprica, they might end up canceled if their numbers keep slipping. Do you watch Caprica? Have you lost interest?

CHAPTER 10 THE LOBSTER QUADRILLE
Summary by Caro

The Gryphon began to explain what a Lobster Quadrille was. He told Alice that you would first had to form a line along the sea shore and then was corrected by the Mock Turtle saying that it was two. You would advance twice with a lobster as a partner, change lobsters and retire in the same order, then you would throw the lobster as far out to the seas as you could swimming after it. Turn a somersault in the sea and back to the land again.

Alice thought that it must be a very pretty dance to which the Mock Turtle and the Gryphon asked her if she would like to see it and they began solemnly dancing around and around Alice singing. As they finished Alice thanked them and told them her story of how she had followed the White Rabbit and her adventures. The Mock Turtle then sang ‘Turtle Soup’ choking with its own sobs and while waiting for the chorus they heard someone yell “The trial’s beginning!” and the Gryphon took Alice by the hand and left. Not letting her hear the ending of the song,

Characters Involved

Alice
Mock Turtle
Gryphon

Characters Mentioned

White Rabbit
Lobster

Memorable Quotes

Mock turtle: “You may not have lived much under the sea–’ (`I haven’t,’ said Alice)–`and perhaps you were never even introduced to a lobster–’ (Alice began to say `I once tasted–’ but checked herself hastily, and said `No, never’) `–so you can have no idea what a delightful thing a Lobster Quadrille is!”

Mock Turtle: “Two lines! Seals, turtles, salmon, and so on; then, when you’ve cleared all the jelly-fish out of the way–”

Mock Turtle:

“Will you walk a little faster?” said a whiting to a snail. “There’s a porpoise close behind us, and he’s treading on my tail. See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance! They are waiting on the shingle–will you come and join the dance?

Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the dance? Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the dance? “

Gryphon:” Stand up and repeat “‘TIS THE VOICE OF THE SLUGGARD”

Alice:” I passed by his garden, and marked, with one eye, How the Owl and the Panther were sharing a pie-”

Mock Turtle:

“Beautiful Soup, so rich and green, Waiting in a hot tureen! Who for such dainties would not stoop? Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup! Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup! Beau–ootiful Soo–oop! Beau–ootiful Soo–oop! Soo–oop of the e–e–evening, Beautiful, beautiful Soup!

Beautiful Soup! Who cares for fish, Game, or any other dish? Who would not give all else for two p ennyworth only of beautiful Soup? Pennyworth only of beautiful Soup? Beau–ootiful Soo–oop! Beau–ootiful Soo–oop! Soo–oop of the e–e–evening, Beautiful, beauti–FUL SOUP!”

Questions

Whose trial do you think it is?

What was your favorite quote?

What did you think of the Mock Turtle’s songs?

Anything curious that caught your attention?

Join us on the forum to discuss this chapter.

The Lovely Bones Book Club – Chapter 10
Summary by Katie

The annual statewide gifted symposium was here again. Lindsey noticed all of the gifted cliques starting already. There where the science nerds, math brains, history heads, and the masters. Lindsey was just a floater but her boyfriend Samuel was a master.

Ruth sometimes couldn’t tell if Lindsey and Samuel where dating. They never held hands or passed notes. However, they did sit together at lunch, and Samuel sometimes walked her home from school. But that was about it. Ruth had never really talked to Lindsey but at camp she decided that now was better than never and she had the perfect way to start a conversation. She asked Lindsey why she had a fish on her name tag. This set Lindsey off and that was the end of their talk. Ruth spent all of her time thinking about Susie; how she saw her one night in the parking lot and how she touched her. She wrote every one of her thoughts down in her journal.

It was the last week of symposium and everyone was getting ready for the final project. Samuel and Lindsey starting making up plans to the moose trap they where making.

Susie walked around her Heaven until she had gone too far. She had reached the spot where she was killed. Susie wanted answers, but Franny told her that in order to be set free she would have to give up on Earth.

Quotes:

“This is not Susie, for Christssakes!” – Ruth’s Mom

“Lets build a mouse trap with a little velvet couch in it and we can rig up a latch so that when they sit on the couch a door drops down and little balls of cheese drops down.” – Lindsey

“You can be free, simply put you have to give up on Earth.” – Franny

“More than anyone will ever know.” – Lindsey

Questions:

Why do you think Ruth asked Lindsey about the fish? Even though she knew who Lindsey was.

Do you think Ruth is trying to be Susie?

Is it a coincidence that the final project was switched to such a personal subject for Lindsey?

To read the full summary and participate in our discussion, visit our forum.