There was a great article on paratime fiction over at io9 yesterday in Bad Boys of the Multiverse. It did include mention of Jerry Cornelius, the Airtight Garage, Amber, and the World of Tiers, among many others. It did not include any sign of Lord Kalvan or Keith Laumer, and Harry Turtledove was only included as a sort of in joke for the sharp eyed reader.
Once more, the team from the Annals of Improbable Research have handed out another year’s Ig Nobel Prizes. From the Gas Mask Bra to Tequila Diamonds, this years winners share a trait in common with each other and all previous winners. First they make you laugh… and then they make you think (mostly about how gullible some grant organizations may be, but every so often about the real-world problem that inspired the research in the first place). Some of the winners are just plain silly, and some, like the financial and mathematical winners, are very scary, but the fact that real scientists do this kind of thing gives me hope for the world. And then there is why people explore other worlds… one of my favorite SG1 moments starring Adam Baldwin, this video embed was inspired by SciFi Fangirl’s posting last night.
The first trailer is out for the new miniseries Riverworld, based on the classic work of Philip Jose Farmer. There is also an extended sneak peek of Stargate Universe over at Syfy.
If you are at all a fan of Doctor Who, with a weakness for Shaun of the Dead, and find The IT Crowd worth a visit, have I got a movie for you! The film Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel looks to be a serious hoot, and would probably make a great double feature with Cyborg She. It was in theaters in the UK back in April, and now released on DVD in the UK; I am hoping for a US release soon.
I wasn’t in Hollywood tonight to attend the 2009 Emmy Awards: Creative Arts Awards presentation, but I will be watching on the 20th when it gets broadcast on air, and for those wondering that will be on CBS. But I have to congratulate a few of the winners, starting with Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (and you can see Nathan’s reaction here), which won the Short-format Live-Action Special Class. Which makes sense, since it never actually played on television or in theaters, but premiered on the Web and then was released to DVD. The Wizards of Waverly Place won for Outstanding Children’s Program, and you can see their reaction here. Battlestar Galactica pulled in an award or three, and Dan Castellaneta got one for Best Voiceover (he’s Homer Simpson to you). There were a lot more awards handed out, for next year I am hoping to see a best topless flashing scene in a fantasy category.
For the first time in quite a while, and for one night only, you can watch the original version of The Wizard of Oz in a movie theater. It happens on Wednesday the 23rd, so if you are a fan of this movie you might want to free up that night. Another Fathom Event happens the following night with the one-night only showing of EUREKA SEVEN – good night, sleep, tight, young lovers anime movie, a somewhat different version than the TV series. Check for theaters and showtime here. While not on the big screen, on the following Sunday night (the 27th) on Adult Swim Titan Maximum premieres , and the trailers are hysterical.
