CFQ Ultra-Lounge Podcast, Volume 2, Episode 45.2: Star Wars, The Walking Dead, and the Curse of Continuity

star wars kenobi vader saber battle

STAR WARS is back again – this time on home video – and a look at the 1977 original reminds Cinefantastique Podcasters Lawrence French, Dan Persons, and Steve Biodrowski that, despite having been retitled A NEW HOPE, the first film still works best as a stand-alone original, not as part four in an on-going franchise – fact that no digital enhancements or continuity tweaks can hide. And speaking of the Curse of Continuity, Steve Biodrowski expresses dawning concern over the direction of THE WALKING DEAD’s second season: will AMC’s excellent horror drama slide into LOST-style obfuscation as it holds onto secret plot developments like trump cards to be reserved for play at a later date? Digging deeper, the CFQ crew follow the Midochlorian DNA strand from STAR WARS and THE WALKING DEAD to ISLAND OF TERROR, RED STATE and WITCHFINDER GENERAL – a conversational obstacle course that navigates its way through more treacherous hive of scum and villainy than even Mos Eisley contains. But no matter how disturbing the twists and turns, don’t “opt out” like the raft of suicidal losers in THE WALKING DEAD; after all, hope – or a discussion of the epilogue from the credits of TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN, PART 1 – may be just around the next corner.


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The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1: CFQ Spotlight Podcast 2:45.1

Nibbles from Inside: Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) confront the prospect of bring new undead life (uhhh... you know what we mean) into the world in THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 1.
Nibbles from Inside: Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) confront the prospect of bring new undead life (uhhh... you know what we mean) into the world in THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 1.

It’s vampires! And werewolves! And the most romantic wedding ever! Annnnd… actually it’s mostly about that wedding, and the repercussions thereof (in other words, somebody’s winding up with a bloodsucking bun in the oven). For those already enamored by the ongoing travails of blushing heroine Bella (Kristen Stewart) and her sensitive vampire beau Edward (Robert Pattinson), THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 1 begins the final chapter of an epic romance, as humans, lyncanthropes, and the undead begin to confront the daunting prospect of mortal and immortal merging into one, tiny life. For those not prone to reflexive swooning, Cinefantastique Online’s Steve Biodrowski, Lawrence French, and Dan Persons are willing to apply a more critical yardstick, exploring the tale’s confusing explication of vampire gestation, its zeal for licensed pop music, and whether its none-too-subtle pro-life subtext should be cause for concern.
Also: What’s coming in theaters.

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Super 8 Sneak & Skyline Blu-ray Review: CFQ Round Table Podcast 2:12

Super 8 Abrams copy
The explosive train wreck from the teaser for SUPER 8

Get a sneak peak at SUPER 8, the upcoming science fiction film from J.J. Abrams, on this edition of the Cinefantastique Round Table Podcast, the weekly round-up of news and views focusing on horror, fantasy & science fiction films. Also on the menu this week: Dan Persons and Steve Biodrowski explore the questions of whether THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN will be an R-rated horror film as opposed to a PG-13 romantic fantasy and whether it’s a good idea for director Zack Snyder to bring his patented CGI slow-mo action stylings to the upcoming SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL. Plus, Steve Biodrowski reviews the SKYLINE Blu-ray disc, which has not only gorgeous picture and sound but also interesting extras, including audio commentary explanations for all the exposition missing from the slam-bang-action-packed alien invasion film’s actual screenplay.

"Breaking Dawn Part 2" Gets Release Date

This past June, Summit Entertainment confirmed that the final book of the TWILIGHT series would be released in two parts. Today, we have confirmation that THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2 will hit theaters in November 2012, one year after Part 1. After the first three films of the saga were released in less than two years, this certainly does seem like a change of pace, but it does reflect a more conventional release schedule.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Vampire Babies Coming To A Teen Flick Near You

robert-pattinsonWell…the header really kind of says it all now doesn’t it?
In an interview with Popsugar.com, Melissa Rosenberg, screenwriter of the TWILIGHT series, seems to confirm that the famous (or infamous depending on how much you enjoy the books) birth of Bella and Edward’s baby will make it to the film version of the final installment THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN.

That was a misquote. The childbirth — all the scenes, I feel — should be on screen. I think perhaps what I was referring to was, would we actually see Edward’s teeth through the placenta? I don’t think so. I don’t think we need to see that, and if someone needs to see that, I think they should take a look at that. [Laughs.] I believe it will be implied, but I don’t think we’ll see teeth in the placenta.

Many would agree that sinking one’s teeth into placenta is difficult to imply but if anyone can do it, most likely its a sparklingly broody Robert Pattinson. Let’s just hope that there are buckets of Tic-Tacs on stand-by.
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