The Official Geek Thread

[Bando]

Jun 30, 2011 10:05:05 GMT -5 thebin said:

My understanding was they were much heavier but with shorter legs. Actually now that I think about it, the dead mother wolf was enormous. I've just seen indications on IMDB board that maybe in the coming seasons they might have no choice but to CGI them as this season the excuse is they were still pups.

That's my understanding as well. Apparently the CGI budget is going to go up a ton to accommodate the direwolves, dragons, and battles they'll need to do in season 2.

[SFHoya99]

There were really direwolves in the Wooly Mammoth era, and I think they capped out around the largest of current dogs -- 200-220 lbs.

Martin's Direwolves are supposed to be substantially bigger -- the dead mother in the beginning of GOT is "the size of a pony." In the show, they hid the model because I think it didn't look great, which is too bad. Scale would have been nice.

They have talked CGI for the direwolves, but fur is really, really hard. They've also talked scaling and getting new dogs and a variety of things. I wouldn't be surprised to see them keep them as dogs.

[SFHoya99]

Jun 29, 2011 12:55:40 GMT -5 hoopsmccan said:

Thanks for the Ender input ross and what. Switching gears a bit (and I'm not sure if it's still in "geek" territory), but I read this bit regarding American Gods:

HBO's upcoming American Gods, the anticipated series based on a Neil Gaiman book, will differ slightly from the plot of the novel, Gaiman told MTV. "The plan right now is that the first season would essentially be the first book, with divergences," Gaiman said. "You don't want the people who've read the book to be able to go, 'I know everything that's going to be happening.' Well, no. You know a lot more than anybody who is starting from here, but we will do things that will surprise you, too." In other news, asked if the Gods spin-off Anansi Boys would play a role in the series, Gaiman said no, because Boys is expected to receive a mini-series of its own in the future.

I liked the book (and Gaiman's work generally), but I'm not as excited for this series as I was for other adaptations. We'll see...I haven't read much about it; maybe I'll be more interested as it gets closer.

hm

I like Gaiman and I like American Gods, but it's by far his least-Gaiman work. Very little humor, relatively speaking.

From the story, their plan and Gaiman's comments, I expect that HBO is less buying the story than the world. And specifically the world where forgotten Gods from old cultures walk the world as people worship new idols.

It's nicely touched with social commentary, history lessons and a cast of characters with a dark storyline -- their time has past. It's perfect for HBO. And I can totally see them simply running with brand new and different storylines within that world.

I'm less excited about it simply because I'm extraordinarily tired of the "people create Gods and give them power."

[Boz]

Just a couple of geek notes today:

1. I've only made it through a few chapters of ADWD, but those three chapters were Tyrion, Dani and Jon. What a freaking improvement!!!

I am so happy not to be reading about Brienne of Tarth, I almost choked.

I'm assuming we're all in agreement that we'll keep this thread spoiler free, at least for a while? This is a pretty long book. after all.


2. I think you guys WAY overrated The Name of The Wind. I found it pretty disappointing. Not sure whether or not I am going to continue on with that or not. I'll decide after I'm done with Dragons, I guess.

I will definitely try out some of your other recommendations though.

But man, I really can't read like I used to. In my 20s, I could go through hundreds of pages a day (and had to while in grad school). I am so much slower now.

-- sigh -- ...suppose that goes for everything though.

[SFHoya99]

No spoilers, please. I'm still on my aFfC reread, but i promise i will catch up quick.

I liked brienne. Its the ironborn that annoy me.

[hoopsmccan]

Agreed on spoilers...with two kids under 4, I'm not going to be leading the pack. It is good to read POVs of some favorites, though when I told my wife that I was reading a Jon chapter, she celebrated a bit too much that her eye candy from GoT is still around. During the season, she asked me if Jon was supposed to be "so freakin hot" in the books, or was it a casting error. I had to convince myself that when she was yelling "bastard" in bed that night, it was just her new form of dirty talk for me.

hm

[TC]

TMI

[JB5]

Also, welcome back Bran. Looking forward to seeing where his story will go. Tyrion is still getting all the best lines.

[Boz]

With deepest apologies to Frank Black......

The Physics of Superman

Should appeal to anyone who likes to watch those Science/History channel shows about the technology of Batman or of Star Wars.

In other words, geeks.

[kchoya]

Anyone seen Captain America? Thoughts?

More importantly, anyone see the trailer for The Avengers after Captain America? I thought half the theater was going to have a superhero-overload fanboy-gasm when that thing finished. I don't think it can be as good as the hype/expectation will be, but it looks good.

[Boz]

Casting for Game of Thrones Season 2:

tvovermind.zap2it.com/cable/hbo/game-of-thrones/game-thrones-meet-faces-season-2/86984

[theexorcist]

Jul 23, 2011 20:31:21 GMT -5 kchoya said:

Anyone seen Captain America? Thoughts?

More importantly, anyone see the trailer for The Avengers after Captain America? I thought half the theater was going to have a superhero-overload fanboy-gasm when that thing finished. I don't think it can be as good as the hype/expectation will be, but it looks good.

Missed this the first time you posted.

Well-done. I'm a fan of the MovieBob review of it (don't have the link handy) where he says it's all basically played straight, without irony, and comes across like a true-to-life pulp.

I still think that they could have shortened it a little (then again, I was jet-lagged and probably wasn't in the best mood to see it).

The Avengers should be pretty good - they do need to make sure that they'll have a plot worthy of heroes who have been pretty awesome on their own. If they can work out this thread, they should be fine.

[Boz]

It wasn't just you. Captain America was a little too long and it dragged in lots of places.

Overall, pretty good though.

[Boz]

Ladies and gentlemen (ok, let's be honest -- gentlemen), I give you....

Patton Oswalt!

[FormerHoya]

Apr 17, 2013 10:28:14 GMT -5 Boz said:

Ladies and gentlemen (ok, let's be honest -- gentlemen), I give you....

Patton Oswalt!

Congratulations on resurrecting a 2 year old thread for this. Worthwhile.

This morning, I was treated to my three-year-old recounting the episode of TNG that we watched together last night to his nanny over the breakfast table. I've never been more proud.

[TBird41]

The latest Man of Steel trailer looks awesome. I'm officially excited for the movie now. I like the idea of the S Shield being a Kryptonian symbol and the suit being Kryptonian armor. That's a great way of explaining away the tights and symbol.

movies.yahoo.com/movie/man-of-steel/

[hoyatables]

That trailer hit many of the right notes - the idea of the "S" as a symbol has been floating around in the comics for some time now and I agree -- makes it all make a little more sense.

After seeing this trailer, I have to say that I'm glad they are retelling the origin again. When I look back at all of my "favorite" Superman stories, many of them are the retellings and variations on the origin. It is such fertile ground for exploring who the character is and what he represents.

And hey, looks like Richard Schiff (Toby from the West Wing) is in this as well. Love it.

I"m still not buying Amy Adams as Lois Lane. But we'll see how she does in the movie itself when the time comes.

[hoyatables]

Patton Oswalt's thoughts on the next Star Wars movie:


Robot Chewbacca versus mind-controlled Sabretooth.