Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 266

Week’s Best Comic Book Covers!

These were my favorite comic book covers of the week…

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Action Comics #1002 (cover art by Patrick Gleason, Alejandro Sanchez)

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Black Panther #3 (cover art by In-Hyuk Lee)

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Cold Spots #1 (cover art by Mark Torres)

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Incidentals #11 (cover art by Ryan Brown

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The Life of Captain Marvel #2 (cover art by Julian Totino Tedesco)

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The Punisher #1 (cover art by Greg Smallwood)

So, which were your favorites?

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My Top 10 Favorite Asian Horror Movies!

This list will, of course, continue to evolve as I expand my horrific horizons.  But, as of today, these are my Top 10 Favorite Asian Horror Movies…

[image error] #10. UZUMAKI

Probably the weirdest film on this list – and that’s saying something.  Based on Junji Ito’s J-horror manga of the same name, the movie focuses on a small community beset by spiral-themed terrors.

Favorite scene: The wall-crawling human snails.

***

[image error] #9. KAIRO

A provocative and surprisingly philosophical horror movie involving spirits, missing persons, death, despair, and the terrors inherent in our technology-obsessed world.

Favorite scene: The limping spirit.

***

[image error] #8. I SAW THE DEVIL

Pity the poor serial killer unfortunate enough to run afoul of a very determined, very sadistic husband mourning the murder of his fiancé. The grieving hubby wants revenge – but, hey, he’s in no hurry.

Favorite scene: Saving the nurse and losing the Achilles tendon.

***

[image error] #7. THREE: EXTREMES

Three segments by three different directors offer three different cultural takes on the genre (China, South Korean, and Japan).  Arguably the most disturbing entry, Dumplings, was expanded into a full-length theatrical release.

Favorite scene: Forcing down those dumplings.

***

[image error] #6: JU-ON: THE GRUDGE

The third installment in this horror series focuses on a cursed home – and its unlucky new owners.

Favorite scene: You’re not even safe under the covers!

***

[image error] #5: DARK WATER

A recently-divorced mother and her young daughter move into a run-down apartment.  It isn’t long before mom begins to notice strange occurrences: spreading water stains on the ceiling, hair in their tap water, and a pesky red bag that keeps reappearing no matter how many time she disposes of it.  What’s going on?  Well, it could have something to do with a little girl who disappeared a year earlier…

Favorite scene: That final elevator scene still haunts me.

***

[image error] #4. AUDITION

This one starts off as a slow burn about a lonely middle-aged man, recently widowed, who attempts to meet women by holding auditions for a fake production.  He should’ve stuck to tinder.  The last fifteen minutes are downright harrowing as the woman of his dreams becomes the stuff of nightmares.

Favorite scene: Kiri kiri kiri!

***

[image error] #3. A TALE OF TWO SISTERS

A young girl, recently released from a mental institution, returns to her secluded home where her father, younger sister, and suspicious stepmother await.

Favorite scene: Don’t look under the sink!

***

[image error] #2. TRAIN TO BUSAN

It’s Speed meets The Walking Dead in the greatest zombie movie ever made.

Favorite scene: The East Daegu train station encounter.

***

[image error] #1. RINGU

A reporter investigates the legend of a cursed video tape.

Favorite scene: As much as I love the shock cut to the girl in the closet, I have to give it up for the iconic t.v. screen crawl-thru.

So what do you think?  Did I miss one of your favorites?  Let me know.

More from the Dark Matter vault!

A few more BTS photos from the archives…

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Behind the scenes on Episode 210, “Going Out Fighting” (and, evidently, singing and dancing as well).  We shot this episode at Brampton City Hall with its gorgeous floral wall art lobby.  My old friend and former Stargate cohort, Peter DeLuise, directed this story that, in its infancy way back when I was first developing the series, was originally envisioned as one of multiple narratives that would have run through the two-parter series finale, complete with far, far more downbeat ending.  Pictured: Anthony Lemke, Roger Cross, Peter DeLuise, and Jonas Chernick.

Melanie Orr’s Direction of the near touching scene

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Behind the scenes on Episode 310, “Built, Not Born” as director Melanie Orr oversees a near-touching moment between Dr. Irena Shaw (Zoie Palmer) and Rebecca (Melissa O’Neil).  The research facility and Shaw’s secret lab were constructed on our second stage that housed the Marauder and, had the series gone a fourth year, played host to an alien ship set.

 

 

 

[image error] Redemption and Return To the Light

Behind the scenes on Episode 312, “My Final Gift To You” – director Bruce McDonald and actor Alex Mallari Jr. enjoy some downtime between set-ups.  At the heart of the show was the theme of redemption and the exploration of how dark someone could go before being drawn back to the light.  In the original, much sadder version of the FOUR/Ryo Ishida storyline, TWO casts the deciding vote and takes Ryo for a walk across the extraordinary landscape of an alien world.  As they discuss their lives, the mistakes they’ve made, Ryo spots something in the distance – incredibly, his stepbrother Hiro and his good friend Misaki, kids again, waving to him from a beach.  He starts forward, uncertain at first, then racing down to meet them, joyous and young.  We PUSH IN ON the excitement in his eyes we PULL BACK TO REVEAL Ryo, overcome by hypoxia, dying on the planet’s surface.  An emotional TWO, her nanites protecting her from the planet’s atmosphere, turns and heads back to the ship.  THAT was the dark timeline ending – which changed in time.  In fact, the plan was to redeem and reinstate FOUR as a beloved crew member in season 4, as hinted at in the virtual season 4, episode 4.02.

 

[image error] Roger Cross’ Future

 Behind the scenes on Episode 210, “Take The Shot”.  Roger Cross does NOT like the look of that automated pizza slicer.  The original plan for SIX, aka Griffin Jones, aka Kal Varrick offered a decidedly more somber conclusion to his story as well.  Unable to bear the weight of his past, the memories of the family he lost and his indirect hand in the deaths of thousands, he opts to have his memory wiped.  He awakens in a community and given a new identity, told he is suffering from amnesia as a result of an accident.  As he settles into his new life, now blissfully unaware of his past, the crew watch him from afar and, in some ways, envy his decision, before heading back to the waiting The Marauder.

Anthony Liked To Get Dirty[image error]

Behind the scenes on Episode 210, “Going Out Fighting”.  Anthony getting measured for his head restraint.  I don’t think I’ve ever worked with an actor who was so eager to suffer for his art, and by suffer I mean getting down and dirty in the mud and slush of a forest location, going all out in his fight sequences, and, more often than not, eating endless servings of rice pudding, gruel and, on one occasion, a lamb shank that requires so many takes he was gnawing on a bone by the end.

Dark Matter Goodies! Check ’em out!

Looking ahead…

Long-term goal: Read 365 books on the year.

Short-term goal: See that giant shark movie.

These various projects I have on the go may throw a wrench into those plans.  But who knows?  Just gotta stay focused!

Oh, hey!  Look at what I came across this morning.  Behind the scenes photos from Dark Matter.

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Anthony Lemke, all smiles, on the set of Episode 211, “Wish I’d Spaced You When I Had The Chance”.  I remember this one for the troublesome elements.  This episode had three looks – snowy, sunny and green, and muddy – and we did our damndest to meld the three into a single visual progression.  Kudos to VFX Supervisor Lawren Bancroft-Wilson for the CG snow that helped bridge two contrasting scenes.  I also remember it being DAMN cold in those woods.

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The Ishida Clan in happier times in this BTS image from Episode 312, “My Final Gift To You”: Karl Ang, Mung-Ling Tsui, and Alex Mallari.  I loved this location, a wedding and event hall with a Spanish feel we affectionately referred to as “The Palace”.

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 A BTS photo from Episode 212, “Sometimes In Life You Don’t Get To Choose” depicts an all too eager Ellen Wong rarin’ to get to work on Karl Ang – under the watchful eyes of stunt coordinator John Stead and director Will Waring.  This episode would mark the only episode Will, my former Stargate cohort, would direct for the series as he ended up fully booked for the show’s third season.

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Android on Ice – Episode 309, “Built Not Born”.  In retrospect, one of the more ambitious episodes we produced, it included twinning, multiple builds, and a couple of atypically late nights.

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Jodelle Ferland chats with one of our guest stars – Episode 309, “Isn’t That A Paradox”.  This episode was a lot of fun for many reasons, and a pleasant change of pace for the crew that finally had the opportunity to shoot an episode in a contemporary location.  No space ships or space stations or otherworldly mining facilities.  Instead, it was suburban streets, sidewalks, and homes.

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Roger Cross flashes his trademark smile BTS on Episode 210, “Going Out Fighting”.  Beware his hugs though!

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Melissa O’Neil shooting one of her final scenes – Episode 313, “Nowhere To Go”.  Damnit.  We never did get her that musical episode!

What’s Coming?

This week: Meetings, meetings, and more meetings!  Delivery of the final final final polish of that sci-fi script and bible to the broadcaster.  Further discussions on that comic book adaptation.  We start hammering out an outline for the first episode of the new series with an aim to delivering a pilot for early October. Possibly (finally) get the go-ahead on that supernatural pilot, and the adaptation of that horror novel.

Oh, and see that giant shark movie.

Taste-Testing Japanese Snacks and Sweets

Ivon and I taste-test a smorgasbord of Japanese convenience store offerings.

The snacks…

The sweets…

The post Taste-Testing Japanese Snacks and Sweets appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

The Perfect Storm Approacheth!

Here.  We.  Gooooooooo!

Looks like we’ll convene the writers’ room sometime in September.  Before then, the show’s creator and I will map out the first season game plan covering all ten episodes, character and story arcs.  We’re also aiming to have the pilot co-written by then.  After that, it’ll be smoooooooth sailing!  

All that will be left to do is get those nine other scripts written, rewritten, prepped, shot, then have the episodes edited, mixed, color corrected and delivered…and we’re done in time for Sanno Matsuri.  Yeah!

Dark Matter Remembered

A couple of little somethings from back in the Dark Matter days…

Anthony Lemke and Melissa O’Neil order their in-flight meals.

Ash is put to work by the Art Department following the conclusion of his episode.

Stargate Memories

And from ye olde Stargate days…

F-302 target locked!

Remember A New URL That Cometh Soon

Re: the blog overhaul.  Are we there yet?  Al-most.  Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you are being re-directed from the old blog site to this one: https://josephmallozzi.com.  Update your bookmarks and Christmas card mailing addresses! 

Meanwhile, please list the things you like and do not like about the new look. We’re in the process of adjusting.

Or shutting her down and switching over to a  weekly YouTube update.

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Share Your Rejections!

Every once in a while, one of these trending hashtags will catch my eye and I’ll think: “Oh, yeah.  I can add to this conversation.”  Like, say, yesterday’s #ShareYourRejections hashtag.  

I mean, are you kidding?  The life of a writer is filled with rejection.  When I first started off, I remember being fortified by a story about Stephen King who purportedly wallpapered a room with all of the rejection letters he received before his first story was accepted.  In time, I’ve come to doubt the veracity of that particular tale, but I believe in its message.  You’re going to be knocked down a hell of a lot more times than you’re going to rewarded in this business.  It’s all a matter of how quickly you get back up again.

Yep.  This was my contribution.  Back in the late 1990’s, Paul and I had just finished up work on a couple of one hour action adventure shows and were looking to land a new gig.  Our agent put us up for an upcoming sci-fi series, forwarding the production our writing samples – and forwarding us the series pilot.  I recall Paul and I sitting in my apartment in Montreal, watching the episode and, honestly, being left somewhat bewildered.  The show was…certainly unique.  When I followed up with my agent, he informed me that we had received an early cut and that the producers planned to re-edit the pilot.  I never got around to watching the re-edited version (and have long wondered how different it was from that early way-out version) because, alas, Paul and I were not Lexx material.  On the bright side, that left us free to pursue other opportunities – specifically, a series called Stargate: SG-1 that was looking for writers to staff on its fourth season.  All things being equal, I really can’t complain with the way it all turned out in the end.

Other rejections?  Boy, way too many to mention.  The ones that sting the most are, of course, the most recent:

The pitch for that comic book horror series I thought was a slam dunk – that went sideways and, ultimately, to someone else.

The pitch for that awesome sci-fi realtime strategy game that, had it gotten the go-ahead, would have truly blown you all away.

The pitch for that sci-fi novel adaptation that had such heart and humor that it actually pained me when the execs passed on my vision for the series.

The pitch for a television adaptation of Robert Heinlein’s Friday.

My pitch for a new Blake’s 7 series.

My pitch for a new Space: 1999 series.

My pitch for that Dark Matter spinoff.

My pitch for that absolutely loopy SG-1 time travel episode

I could go on, and on, and on, and on.  But the important thing is that I never let rejections get me down – for long.  If I had landed Lexx, I wouldn’t have landed Stargate.  And if I hand landed Friday, I wouldn’t have landed Dark Matter.

I truly cannot wait to see what amazing opportunities await as the result of these latest crushing refusals.  Something pretty amazing I bet!

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Week’s Best Comic Book Covers!

Here are my favorite comic book covers for the week of August 12th. Aren’t they gorgeous?

 

These were my favorites:

Coyotes #5 (cover art by Caitlin Yarsky)

Doctor Strange #4 (cover art by Jesus Saiz)

Extermination #1 (cover art by Mark Brooks)

Infinity Wars #2 (cover art by Mike Deodato Jr.)

Multiple Man #3 (cover art by Marcos Martin)

Ninjak #10 (cover art by Giuseppe Carmuncoli)

Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #308 (cover art by Chris Bachalo)

The Wicked + The Divine #38 (cover art by Cliff Chiang, Jamie McKelvie, Matthew Wilson)

Volition #1 (cover art by Omar Francia)

Weapon H #6 (cover art by Philip Tan)

Weapon X #22 (cover art by Rahzzah)

So, which was your favorite?

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Twitter Update!

If you’re not following me, @BaronDestructo, on Twitter, then you’re missing out on decisive input and thoughtful insights Like:

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