Vampire king spills ‘True Blood’ finale secrets

Denis O”Hare says, “I got airbrushed out at some point,” Denis tells me of the Rolling Stone shoot, “because I was at Alexander [Skarsgård]‘s feet. I think I was crossing between Anna [Paquin] and Alexander, and there was a leash involved. It was a little racy. They kind of cut that.”

Even Russell can be killed
“I am 3,000 years old, but it can be done,” Denis tells me. “The vampire rules are if you behead them, if you stake them with wood, or if you put silver on them, they’re going down. The silver weakens them incredibly, the wood will actually kill them, and beheading is game over.”

There will be tears in the season finale — but not the kind you might expect
“Sookie gets mean and hurts me very deeply. Eric gets mean and hurts me very deeply. And even Pam gets a little mean to me, although she’s nice at one point, and hurts me very deeply. And I weep for joy at one point.”

Russell might not get what he wants
“I think Russell’s going to end up in a place where he didn’t expect,” Denis hints.

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AMC’s ‘Walking Dead’ to premiere Halloween Night

Excellent. Word on the street is AMC’s newest zombie-tacular drama The Walking Dead will premiere with a 90-minute episode on Halloween Night – Sunday, October 31, 10pm ET/PT and 9pm C.

source

Media Math: ‘Futurama’ at the forefront of mathematic discovery?

I’m terrible at math. Anyone who knows me will corroborate this claim with stories sure to embarrass any teacher I’ve ever had in the subject (Sorry, Mr. Flandera). The irony of my writing the Media Math column is not lost on me, but truthfully these columns aren’t really about math. They’re about media math. Dumb math. I mean it’s not as if I’m busting out any of my AP Calculus (a class, in hindsight, I had no business taking) to break down why the country collectively decided to give Scott Pilgrim the middle finger.

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Mutants Unite, Freaqual Rights! ‘Futurama’ Marks Its Milestone 100th Episode and Season 6 Finale in Revolutionary Fashion Thursday, September 2 at 10:00 p.m.

This sixth season finale episode brings to a close a record-breaking premiere run of the resurrected series on COMEDY CENTRAL.

In this landmark episode, titled “The Mutants are Revolting,” the Planet Express Crew has been hired to make their 100th delivery and Bender begins planning the party of the millennium. Meanwhile, however, the rest of the crew attends a fundraiser where Fry accidentally outs Leela as a mutant who is illegally living above ground. For that, she is banished to the sewers where her fellow mutants reside in futuristic squalor. Feeling guilty about his slip-up, Fry and the rest of the gang – along with the mutated members of Devo – join Leela in an epic mutant revolution against the surface dwellers.

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LOL@Denis O”Hare being on a leash on the Rolling Stone Cover. I do see why they cut him out.

Will you be tuning in for Futurama’s 100th episode?

Interview With SILVER SERENADE Author Nancy Cohen & A Giveaway!

Source: thegalaxyexpress.net

The digital medium has played a significant role in keeping science fiction romance alive. This is especially true in the case of author Nancy J. Cohen. Writing as Nancy Cane, starting in 1994 she penned four science fiction romances, all released by Dorchester Publishing. They are CIRCLE OF LIGHT, MOONLIGHT RHAPSODY, STARLIGHT CHILD, and KEEPER OF THE RINGS.

Now, the author has another science fiction romance to offer: SILVER SERENADE is Nancy J. Cohen’s fifth science fiction romance and her first book with The Wild Rose Press. It’s out today in both print and digital editions.

But Ms. Cohen’s previous books won’t languish in oblivion. CIRCLE OF LIGHT and MOONLIGHT RHAPSODY are newly available in digital format from Belgrave House. Digital publishing options ensure we can re-discover the talents of some of the early SFR authors. To learn more about all of the above books at Ms. Cohen’s site, click here.

And here’s something I don’t recall seeing before on an author’s site: a “Cast of Characters” and a list of “Weapons and Warships” used in SILVER SERENADE. As Butthead is wont to say, “That’s pretty cool, Beavis.”

READ MORE HERE

Catching Up on a Classic – Asimov’s First Novel Pebble in the Sky

Source: wired.com

I was very excited to have the opportunity to review Isaac Asimov’s book, Pebble in the Sky. I have read a decent amount of science fiction and fantasy, including most of what Robert Heinlein wrote, and many many other books by authors such as Alan Dean Foster, William Gibson, Douglas Adams, Orson Scott Card, Madeleine L’Engle, Ursula K. Le Guin, Neal Stephenson, H. G. Wells, David Eddings and Roger Zelazny. But I had not yet read any Asimov. None. Zero. Not even I, Robot. This was a huge oversight on my part that I was glad to finally remedy. I thought it especially fitting that my first Asimov reading be his first novel.

Spoiler alert! In this review I won’t give away the ending or any major plot points, but I may give away a few too many hints for those of you who prefer no spoilers whatsoever.

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‘Victorian Vampire Stories’ not the ‘Twilight’ variety

Source: azcentral.com

Most vampires aren’t handsome, romantic or protective. They kill. When they rip out your throat, you die smelling corpse breath and terrified.

If you need proof, read “Dracula’s Guest,” a superb collection of vampire fiction – and non-fiction – from writers dealing with the undead.

Michael Sims has culled stories from the Victorian era to make a collection guaranteed to delight anyone who enjoyed Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.”

Queen Victoria reigned from 1937 to 1901, but Sims stretched his selections to the beginning of World War I in 1914. He includes several non-fiction pieces reaching back to the 1700s.

In “Dracula’s Guest,” the vampires run from those who slowly drain the spirit – “Good Lady Ducayne” – from their victims to those who are frightening enough to give nightmares.

There is nothing seductive about the vampires in Aleksei Tolstoy’s “The Family of the Vourdalak,” set in Serbia, where family sentiment overrules the final warning words of grandfather Gorcha, and all the family dies only to come back and hunt an unwary suitor.

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Duck and Cover! The Unit is here…

Source: Orbitbooks.net

When the manuscript that eventually became THE UNIT landed on my desk, I was a little skeptical. I’m a huge fan of post-apocalyptic fiction but after having recently read The Road and playing Fallout 3 more than was strictly healthy, I wasn’t sure I was ready for the grueling, depressing grind of another story about the end of times. Oh, how wrong I was…

THE UNIT is the post-apocalyptic story I hadn’t realized I was waiting for. Unflinching, honest, brutal, tender, and, above all, humane– Terry DeHart’s debut floored me on the first read. It’s not that it’s not dark. It’s not that horrible things don’t happen to good people. But it does what so many post-apocalyptic stories fail to do, it reminds us of the essential humanity of every player in the story.

READ MORE HERE

The Unit and ‘Dracula’s Nest’ sound like awesome reads. What do you think of this book news?

Jon us in the forum to discuss!

Twilight Stars Get Major Raises for “Breaking Dawn”

AllVoices.com recently reported on the salaries for the stars of the Twilight Saga, citing what they were making in their original contracts and what they will reportedly bring home for filming “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn”.   Here’s how it breaks down:

Original Contracts:

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart:  $2 Million each for Twilight; $12 Million each for New Moon

Ashley Greene: $104,000 per minute

Jackson Rathbone: $121,000 per minute

Elizabeth Reaser: $194,000 per minute (she only had 54 seconds of screen time in New Moon)

Nikki Reed: $149,000 per minute (she had 5.04 minutes of screen time combined in Twilight and New Moon)

Kellan Lutz: $273,000 per minute

Breaking Dawn Deals:

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, & Taylor Lautner: $25 million each (for both installments) plus 7.5% of the films’ theatrical gross, which could result in a final payout of $41 million each

Ashley Greene: $1.25 Million per installment

Jackson Rathbone: $750,000 per installment

Elizabeth Reaser: $750,000 per installment

Nikki Reed: $750,000 per installment

Kellan Lutz: $1.25 Million per installment

Source

Kristen Stewart On Freedom “Twilight” Has Given Her

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

Kristen Stewart, on the freedom the Twilight series has given her (i.e., she doesn’t have to worry about her next job). The Twilight Saga: Eclipse just passed $245 million; she plays a teenage stripper in New Orleans opposite James Gandolfini in Welcome to the Rileys (out in November).

“I’ve been given every opportunity,” says Stewart. “I couldn’t be in a more creative, free, easy position. Like I don’t feel like I have to do anything. . . .

“I have a clean horizon, and I can’t wait to get excited about the next project.”

More here

Wow!  I am blown away by the salaries that Rob, Kristen, & Taylor are getting.  It’s not that they don’t deserve them, but because they are so young.  I cannot fathom being 18 or in my young 20′s and raking in $41 Million!!  What’s even more amazing is the fact that they will make more from shooting the last two films than the budget for the first film.

The first story fits nicely with Kristen’s statement on having a “clean horizon” for choosing her next project.  When you’re sitting on a mountain of money and you aren’t worried about the mortgage, rent, or where your next meal will come from, there is a tremendous amount of freedom out there!

What do you think about today’s Twilight news?  Do you think that any of the other actors are still seriously underpaid for the upcoming shoots?  Join us in the forum and share your thoughts.

Defending the Education of Edward Cullen

Source: The Washington Post

After reading more than 200 comments written in response to Gail Collins’s article yesterday in the New York Times, I realize that this task has fallen to me. Someone has to set the record straight on the education of Edward Cullen, famous vampire.

Collins, in a piece titled “The Bad News Bears,” writes about Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston in particular and the concept of celebrity in general. As part of her column, she wrote:

“Not exactly ‘Wuthering Heights’ or ‘Jane Eyre.’ (‘Reader, I hung out with him.’) Not even ‘Twilight,’ although, like Levi, the perpetually teenaged Edward Cullen never managed to get through 12th grade.”

Because Edward Cullen can’t speak for himself, and because Robert Pattinson, the young actor who portrays Cullen, isn’t likely to come out and defend Edward’s intellectual heft, and because this blog is about everything involving education, (but NOT because any item about “Twilight” or “Eclipse” or Pattinson or the Cullens will generate valuable Web traffic in this sluggish July), I will right the wrong:

Edward Cullen not only managed to get through 12th grade once, but he did so many times, and actually spent enough time in college to go through medical school, twice, and come out with two degrees.

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Taylor Lautner As Stretch Armstrong and Rumors of Playing Wolverine

Source: mlive.com

Since the moment he removed his shirt in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” it seemed predestined that Taylor Lautner would become an action star.

That is starting to come to fruition.

It was reported that the “Twilight” star is “excited” to begin filming on the movie “Stretch Armstrong,” where he would play the elongated protagonist. However, he admits that part of the fun is the character’s ability to stretch is “the worst superpower.”

Lautner has been rumored to play a younger Wolverine in an upcoming “X-Men” prequel. Whether or not this would be director Matthew Vaughn’s “X-Men: First Class,” currently in casting, has yet to be seen.

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Twifans Chat with Stephenie Meyer

Source: Twifans

Twifans has posted a transcript along with audio clips of a chat with Stephenie Meyer from the Stephenie Meyer press junket in which they discuss various topics where the “Eclipse” movie deviated from the book version.  They talk about angry Edward in the movie vs. the more restrained version in the book, the “wrong” Volvo, Bella taking off with Jacob on the motorcycle,  and her upcoming role as producer for “Breaking Dawn”.

[Twifans]: This is the only disruption in the force so far. The motorcycle clips. Where Bella gets on the motorcycle with Jacob. Our members wanna know, they don’t think that book Bella would have done that, would have ever hurt Edward like that.

SM: I have heard, I have read the comments, and I said the exact same thing. That was one of those days that I flew down. I’m like the way that this you know in the script I said the way that this is written her getting on the back of the bicycle is a direct response here “You lied to me, well I’m going with him” & we were able the day of, they cut down the clip that they played for MTV and stuff, we were able to soften it. We were able to get some lines in and you’ve seen the whole thing, so you know there’s a breakaway we tried to put in….her response to Edward, and then now it becomes about Jacob. “Why haven’t you called me?” We tried as hard as we could to soften, how that went down so it didn’t feel like, something “Well, I’m gonna go get on the back of his motorcycle” because I felt like that was NOT Bella at all & it’s not assertive, it’s rude. You know what I mean.

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Twilight Series Theories Chat with Stephenie Meyer

Source: Twilight Series Theories

The site Twilight Series Theories was also able to participate in the Stephenie Meyer press junket and they have posted the transcript of their chat with the author on the site.  They discuss topics from the infamous leg hitch to Freaky Fred (see the Bree Tanner novella for more if you’re unfamiliar with him), and more.  Click here to listen to the audio and/or read the transcript.

I can’t help but laugh at the fact that someone from The Washington Post defended Edward Cullen’s educational background or the fact that someone from The New York Times dared to compare him a self-absorbed d-bag like Levi Johnston.

I love the Stephenie Meyer press junket transcripts and clips.  I love knowing what she thought about the changes to what she originally wrote – whether she was as perturbed as the fans by certain scenes. I have to agree on Bella taking off with Jacob on the motorcycle in front of Edward.  She would have never done that and it was rather spiteful.

What do you think of today’s Twilight news?  Join us in the forum and share your thoughts.  We’d love to hear from you!

Elizabeth Banks to play Disney’s real life Tinkerbell

Elizabeth Banks is set to star in McG’s live-action Tinkerbell movie, Tink. Quick, everyone shout, “There’s No Such Things As Fairies!”, and maybe this pixie movie will die off.

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Green Lantern Heats up Comic Con

EW-1112-cover-comicconFanboys of the world, get ready to go green. As all of Hollywood (and many a costumed nerd) gears up for next week’s Comic-Con convention in San Diego, EW provides a behind-the-scenes look at the making of next summer’s highly anticipated superhero movie Green Lantern.

Ryan Reynolds stars as Hal Jordan, a cocky test pilot who becomes a ring-wearing intergalactic superhero in this massive sci-fi epic from director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale).

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Simon Pegg and Nick Frost On Set Interview PAUL

When director Greg Mottola’s Paul was filming in New Mexico last August, I was invited – along with a few other online journalists – to visit the set and watch some filming. With Paul written by and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, I’ll admit to being incredibly happy to be there since Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are two of my favorite films from the last decade. If you’re one of our few readers who hasn’t seen those movies, I need you to stop what you’re doing and buy them. Trust me, once you watch them both, you’ll understand when geekdom loves Pegg and Frost.

Even though both actors were busy on the set of Paul, we managed to get some time with them in the afternoon. They talked about making their first “American” movie, where the idea of Paul came from, how they were adapting to working with a CGI creature as a main character, working without Edgar Wright, and so much more. If you’re a fan of Pegg and Frost, you’re going to love the interview.

more here.

Ryan Reynolds is looking fiercely yummy. He has renewed my interest in that movie, lol!

What do you think of today’s movie news?

Twilight Twitter Sweepstakes – Win Autographed Script

Summit Entertainment has launched a new sweepstakes on their Official Twilight Twitter account, giving fans a chance to win a one-of-a-kind autographed script. The contest ends on July 28, 2010 and is open to residents of the US and Canada (excluding Quebec).

HOW TO ENTER: You must be a registered member of Twitter in order to participate in the Sweepstakes or win a prize. Membership on Twitter is free, and registration for Twitter can be obtained by logging on to http://twitter.com (the “Web Site”) and following the onscreen instructions to open an account. During the Entry Period members of Twitter may enter by logging in to their Twitter account and doing the following:

1. Become a “follower” of @Twilight. Important note: If your Twitter account is set to “protected mode,” your updates/responses may not be visible in Sponsor’s @Twilight inbox and may not thus be received by Sponsor unless you previously consented to permit Sponsor to see the your Twitter updates. @Twilight messages not received by Sponsor will not be entered into Sweepstakes.

2. Tweet the following message to Sponsor’s Twitter account “@Twilight”: “I’ve seen Eclipse ___ times! #SeeEclipseAgain” (note: where it indicates ___, insert the actual number of times you’ve seen The Twilight Saga: Eclipse). ONLY ONE (1) ENTRY INTO THE SWEEPSTAKES PER PERSON PER DAY WILL BE ACCEPTED.

All rules and terms here

Ashley Greene in Elle Magazine

Photo: Mark Pillai; styled by kate Lanphear

Ashley Greene is featured in the latest issue of Elle magazine and talks about playing Alice Cullen, fashion, and how “Twilight” has changed the lives herself and her co-stars.

The Jacksonville, Florida, native was still hostessing at the Belmont, a bar and restaurant in Los Angeles, when she got the call about Twilight auditions in 2007. Since then, she says, “I’ve gone from zero to 60.” For Greene, like costars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, and Anna Kendrick, the vampire phenom has been “more than a big break,” she says. “Every one of us is working like a maniac!”

More here

Billy Burke Blogs About Album Success and Thanks Fans

Actor and musician Billy Burke has taken to his blog on his website to thank fans for their support of his recently released album, “Removed”.  The album has hit the Billboard Chart and is the number one bestseller on CD Baby.

Burke’s message to fans begins as follows:

There are few times in my life I can remember the anticipation of an event actually being outshone by it’s happening. I’m sure I’m not alone in recognizing that most times the climaxes we so fervently strive for, will pale in comparison to the dreamy visions we allow ourselves leading up to them.

The realization of this record showing up anywhere on a BILLBOARD CHART (this week #48 on the “Heatseekers” list) Much less becoming the NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER on CD Baby, the world’s largest online distributor of independent music, has left me in unfamiliar territory. I don’t know what the opposite of disenchanted is… but for the first time in a long while, that’s what I’m feeling and it’s pretty fucking great.

The upshot of this post is to exclaim in no uncertain terms that YOU who are reading this are directly responsible for the success this project is having. There is no ugly corporate monster pulling switches and manipulating the sales or promotion of this album. There’s no motive other than the desire to provide you all with some music that in turn, just happens to provide ME with an artistic outlet I’ve kept bottled up for more than a few years. In short, (and at the risk of sounding ridiculous) it’s just about LOVE, people. Love and music– the two undeniable, universal languages. It is solely the love and support that’s coming from all of YOU that is fueling this machine and with a portion of the album’s proceeds going to Vh1′s “Save The Music” program, we couldn’t be prouder or more ambitious to spread it as far and wide as we can.

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Get a “Vampire Facelift” To Preserve Your Youthful Looks

Source: CBS News

A new cosmetic procedure may just “eclipse” its competition. They’re calling it the “Vampire Facelift.”

It’s not really a facelift, though, it’s an injectable filler called Selphyl (get it? Sounds like cell-fill). It’s generating lots of buzz.

It works by temporarily plumping up lines, much like its older cousins Juvederm and Restylane. But unlike the competition, Selphyl uses the patient’s own blood to do the plumping.

Twilight enough for ya?

First, an amount of the patient’s blood is extracted. Then, according to the maker, the platelets are separated from the red blood cells. The platelets are blended with a proprietary synthetic mixture and injected into your frown line.

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Robert Pattinson In “The Summer House” – Download on iTunes

A few years back, Robert Pattinson filmed the short film “The Summer House”.  The movie was released on iTunes earlier this week and is available in the US, Canada, UK, France, Ireland and Germany.  The price in the US is $1.99 for the download. Check out the trailer below.

I love the heartfelt emotion in Billy Burke’s post about the album’s success.  In case you missed it, he is donating a portion of the proceeds to VH1′s Save the Music program to help save music education programs.  He is also doing the promotion himself without a big corporate label behind the efforts.  If you haven’t taken a listen yet, check out his website.

Did anyone else think that the cape thingy that Ashley is wearing in her Elle shoot looks like the cape that Victoria wears in “Twilight”?   LOL!

So, is anyone game for injecting their own blood back into their face?  Seeing as how it has to be done on a repetitive basis like the other plumping treatments, I think that I’ll pass and do my best to age gracefully with topical products like my generations of women before me.

What do you think of today’s Twilight news? Join us in the forum and share your thoughts.  We’d love to hear from you!