diary of the dead

Impantanato chissà perché in una distribuzione da terzo mondo, tocca rivolgersi al solito generoso mercato inglese anche per Diary of the Dead.
Le recensioni non erano entusiastiche ed anche il pubblico reagì con freddezza; inevitabile quindi un minimo di sospetto verso l'ennesimo zombie-movie di zio Romero.
Ebbene, per quanto mi riguarda tutte le voci critiche si sono rivelate dead wrong.

Un vero e proprio reboot (concetto che di norma non amo), per aggiornare gli zombie ai giorni nostri: d'improvviso, senza alcuna motivazione, i morti si animano ed iniziano ad attaccare i viventi. Il panico è immediato e devastante: in brevissimo tempo l'intera società si sfalda; niente più sicurezza, né legge, né comunicazioni.
Un piccolo gruppo di studenti di cinema - che ovviamente stavano girando un horror - s'imbarcherà in un viaggio verso casa nella speranza di trovarvi ancora qualcuno vivo.

Concetto non dissimile da quello già esplorato in tutti gli altri della serie, la differenza qui la fa la modalità narrativa: il film è infatti presentato come se fosse il montaggio definitivo di una serie di spezzoni di riprese girate dagli studenti stessi - in particolare uno di loro, ossessivo nella sua mania di documentare quanto sta accadendo.
Come facilmente prevedibile il viaggio sarà tutt'altro che agevole, ed occasione tanto di sgraditi incontri quanto delle immancabili riflessioni romeriane (il già visto "siamo degni d'essere salvati/siamo poi così diversi da loro?" ma anche e soprattutto uno sguardo molto critico ai nuovi media ed ai nuovi modi di diffondere e fruire la comunicazione).

Romero dovrebbe stanare e uccidere tutti coloro che solo per questo hanno paragonato il suo lavoro a Cloverfield e The Blair Witch Project; sono sempre stato un detrattore dell'abuso della telecamera a mano, ma quel che davvero conta è cosa racconti, e Diary of the Dead nei suoi 95 densi minuti racconta molto e soprattutto lo racconta dannatamente bene.
Senza tralasciare il piccolo dettagli che - a differenza dei due titoli citati - questo film fa davvero paura, quando decide di farla.

Aveva tutti gli ingredienti per risultarmi alquanto sgradito (reboot, telecamera a mano, nuovo capitolo di una serie che sembrava aver detto tutto o quasi, l'addentrarsi in un campo non suo come l'utilizzo dei nuovi media, ...), ed invece ho finito con l'adorarlo, anche se la mia pare essere una opinione non così diffusa.

Voto: 9.5. Lo zombie che non ti aspetti!
Tags: horror, fantasy, thriller, zombie, Romero, George A. Romero, viaggio, studenti, reboot, telecamera a mano, metafilm, film nel film, montaggio, Internet, comunicazione, media, nuovi media, blog, filmato, youtube, chat, video, download, fucile, pistola, arco, frecce, parente, madre, padre, fratello, morte, cannibalismo, ospedale, università, facoltà, cinema, fuga, villa, camera di sicurezza, panic room, piscina, professore, suicidio, morti viventi, incidente, ambulanza, telecronista, amish, tomba, guardia nazionale, esercito, milizia, intestino, mummia, critica, mockumentary, bomba, falce.

Romero, George A. (I)

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Nome di battesimo: Romero, George Andrew
Data di nascita: 4 February 1940
Altezza: 6' 5" (1.96 m)
Coniuge: Christine Forrest::(1981 - present), Nancy Romero::(1971 - 1978) (divorced)

Ultimi lavori:

• The Crazies (2010) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• ...of the Dead (2009) .... (written by) [scrittore]
• Deadtime Stories (2009) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Deadtime Stories 2 (2009) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Into the Dark: Exploring the Horror Film (2009) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• The I Scream Man (2009) .... Earl [attore]
• Day of the Dead (2008) .... (motion picture "Day of the Dead") [scrittore]
• One for the Fire: The Legacy of 'Night of the Living Dead' (2008) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Diary of the Dead (2007) .... (written by) [scrittore]
• Il pianto della statua (2007) .... (short story "Passion and Extasy") [scrittore]

Biografia:
George A. Romero never set out to become a Hollywood figure; however, by all indications, he was very successful. The director of the groundbreaking "Dead" pentalogy was born February 4, 1940, in New York City. He grew up there until attending the renowned Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After graduation, he began shooting mostly short films and commercials. He and his friends formed "Image Ten Productions" in the late 1960s and they all chipped in roughly US$10,000 a piece to produce what became one of the most celebrated American horror films of all time: Night of the Living Dead (1968). Shot in black-and-white on a budget of just over US$100,000, Romero's vision, combined with a solid script written by him and his "Image" co-founder John A. Russo (along with what was then considered an excess of gore) enabled the film to earn back far more than what it cost, became a cult classic by the early 1970s and was inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress of the United States in 1999. Romero's next films were a little more low-key and less seen including There's Always Vanilla (1971), The Crazies (1973), Hungry Wives (1972) (where he met his future wife Christine Forrest) and Martin (1977). Though not as acclaimed as Night of the Living Dead (1968), or some of his later work, these films had his signature social commentary while dealing with issues, usually horror-related, at the microscopic level. Like almost all of his films, they were shot in, or around, Romero's favorite city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1978, Romero returned to the zombie genre with the one film of his that would top the success of Night of the Living Dead (1968): Dawn of the Dead (1978). He managed to divorce the franchise from Image Ten, which screwed up the copyright on the original and allowed the film to enter into public domain, with the result that Romero and his original investors were not entitled to any profits from the film's video releases. Shooting in the Monroeville, Pennsylvania, Mall during late-night hours, Romero told the tale of four people who escape a zombie outbreak and lock themselves up inside what they think is paradise before the solitude makes them victims of their own, and a biker gang's, greed. Shot on a budget of just $1.5 million, the film earned over US$40 million worldwide and was named one of the top cult films by Entertainment Weekly magazine in 2003. The film also marked Romero's first work with brilliant make-up and effects artist Tom Savini. After 1978, Romero and Savini teamed up many times. Dawn of the Dead (1978)'s success led to bigger budgets and better casts for the filmmaker. First was Knightriders (1981), where he first worked with an up-and-coming Ed Harris. Then came perhaps his most Hollywood-like film, Creepshow (1982), which marked the first, but not the last, time Romero adapted a work by famed horror novelist Stephen King. With many major stars and big-studio distribution, Creepshow (1982) was a moderate success and spawned a sequel, which was also written by Romero. The decline of Romero's career came in the late 1980s. His last widely-released film was the next "Dead" film, Day of the Dead (1985). Derided by critics, it did not take in much at the box office, either. His latest two efforts were The Dark Half (1993), (another Stephen King adaptation) and Bruiser (2000). Even the Romero-penned, Tom Savini-directed remake of Romero's first film, Night of the Living Dead (1990), was a box-office failure. Pigeon-holed solely as a horror director and his recent films no longer achieving the success of his earlier "Dead" films, Romero has not worked much since, much to the chagrin of his following. In 2005, 19 years after Day of the Dead (1985), with major-studio distribution, he returned to his most famous series and horror sub-genre he created with Land of the Dead (2005), a further exploration of the destruction of modern society by the undead, that received both excellent and indifferent reviews and even topped the United States box-office in its first week of release. He still resides in Pittsburgh.

Trivia random: Was originally attached to write and direct Resident Evil (2002), but left the project in 1999 due to creative differences over the script.
Citazione random: If you have 60 people dress like zombies and you show them something that you like, you get 60 people doing the exact same thing. My opinion of a good zombie walk is to loll your head as if it's a little too heavy and the muscles have begun to atrophy.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Diary of the Dead (2007)

Le cronache dei morti viventi

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Regista: George A. Romero
Scrittore: George A. Romero
Genere: Fantasy, Horror, Thriller, Fantasy
Valutazione: 6.1/10 (16234 voti)
Durata: 95 min
Paese: USA
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Michelle Morgan .... Debra Moynihan
• Joshua Close .... Jason Creed (as Josh Close)
• Shawn Roberts .... Tony Ravello
• Amy Ciupak Lalonde .... Tracy Thurman (as Amy Lalonde)
• Joe Dinicol .... Eliot Stone
• Scott Wentworth .... Andrew Maxwell
• Philip Riccio .... Ridley Wilmott
• Chris Violette .... Gordo Thorsen
• Tatiana Maslany .... Mary Dexter
• Todd Schroeder .... Brody (as Todd William Schroeder)

Trama:
While filming a horror movie of mummy in a forest, the students and their professor of the University of Pittsburgh hear on the TV the news that the dead are awaking and walking. Ridley and Francine decide to leave the group, while Jason heads to the dormitory of his girlfriend Debra Monahan. She does not succeed in contacting her family and they travel in Mary's van to the house of Debra's parents in Scranton, Pennsylvania. While driving her van, Mary sees a car accident and runs over a highway patrolman and three other zombies trying to escape from them. Later the religious Mary is depressed, questioning whether the victims where really dead, and tries to commit suicide, shooting herself with a pistol. Her friends takeg her to a hospital where they realize that the dead are indeed awaking and walking and they need to fight to survive while traveling to Debra's parents house.

Trivia random: Begins on the same day as Night of the Living Dead (1968), although the setting has been updated to the present day. The concept for the film evolved from an idea that director George A. Romero had earlier for a "Living Dead" TV series, which also would have begun on the same day as "Night of the Living Dead."
Citazione random: Debra: Everyone who dies, unless they get a bullet in the head, is gonna come back and try to kill someone else.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Blair Witch Project, The (1999)

The Blair Witch project - Il mistero della strega di Blair

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Regista: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez
Scrittore: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez
Genere: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Horror
Valutazione: 6.2/10 (77240 voti)
Durata: 86 min
Paese: USA
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Heather Donahue .... Heather Donahue
• Joshua Leonard .... Joshua 'Josh' Leonard
• Michael C. Williams .... Michael 'Mike' Williams (as Michael Williams)
• Bob Griffith .... Short Fisherman
• Jim King .... Interviewee
• Sandra Sánchez .... Waitress (as Sandra Sanchez)
• Ed Swanson .... Fisherman With Glasses
• Patricia DeCou .... Mary Brown
• Mark Mason .... Man in Yellow Hat
• Jackie Hallex .... Interviewee with Child

Trama:
Three film students travel to Maryland to make a student film about a local urban legend... The Blair Witch. The three went into the woods on a two day hike to find the Blair Witch, and never came back. One year later, the students film and video was found in the woods. The footage was compiled and made into a movie. The Blair Witch Project.

Trivia random: The working title was "The Black Hills Project."
Citazione random: Michael Williams: [sees dozens of stick-men hanging from trees] No redneck is this creative.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Los cronocrímenes

Maledetti spagnoli, capaci di produrre piccoli gioielli come questo misconosciuto (almeno a me) Timecrimes del 2007.

Un ordinario uomo di mezza età e sua moglie si trasferiscono nella nuova casa in campagna; la sua curiosità sarà destata da una telefonata anonima e da strane apparizioni nel vicino bosco. Spinto ad indagare, troverà una singolare installazione di ricerca e verrà coinvolto suo malgrado in un esperimento sui viaggi nel tempo.

La storia è tutta qui, e si dipana a partire da una mezz'ora che sembra promettere più che altro tedio, per poi decollare in un avviluppato intreccio di più linee temporali (o meglio: di più copie dello stesso soggetto sfalsate sullo scorrere del tempo).
In ogni film sui viaggi nel tempo che si rispetti l'abilità sta frammentare i vari elementi della trama per poi ricomporli in maniera verosimile, ed in questo la pellicola diretta e interpretata da Nacho Vigalondo raggiunge livelli quasi sublimi.
Ci si concentra su pochissimi dettagli (la necessità di raggiungere un determinato scopo ed allo stesso tempo di ripetere quanto si sa essere accaduto) e li si sfrutta in maniera meravigliosa: tutto si incastra alla perfezione ed il risultato è intricato ma mai confuso o raffazzonato.
Non bastasse l'abilità nel mettere in piedi una vicenda con tempi/persone sovrapposti, anche le vicende secondarie che coinvolgono la moglie e la ragazza nel bosco hanno un loro pregio non indifferente.

Pecche? Sicuro: la prima mezz'ora, dicevo, ma anche attori abbastanza distanti dall'estetica a cui ci ha abituato il cinema e - se vogliamo - la piccolissima e secondaria faccenduola che una installazione del governo spagnolo che fa esperimenti sul viaggio nel tempo non è proprio l'apice della credibilità. ;-)
Per il resto, tutto da salvare in un film che meriterebbe una notorietà ben superiore.

PS: non voglio poi sentire pippine sulle incongruenze della trama: non vorrei sconvolgere nessuno, ma è il viaggio nel tempo in sé che non funziona: questo è quanto di più vicino si possa sperare una volta accettato un set minimo di regole di per sé stesse incoerenti. :-)

Voto: 8.5

[BSG] stagione 2

Con la mia consueta originalità, dopo la prima, mi sono visto la seconda stagione di Battlestar Galactica.
Sarà che sono in carenza di fantascienza (e neanche la lettura di un po' di Sterling mi sta risollevando granché - spero in Arthur C. Clarke, prossimo della lista), ma devo ammettere che questa stagione mi è piaciuta persino più della precedente.
Insomma: per ora, con l'universo BSG, grufolo letteralmente di piacere.

Nella prima stagione, oltre alle corpose definizioni dei personaggi, ci si focalizzava sul conflitto coi Cylons, perennemente impegnati ad attaccare la flotta umana; questo schema prosegue per circa metà della seconda stagione (che pure già pone le basi per la successiva virata), fintanto un paio di eventi alquanto significativi - narrati in Pegasus e nel doppio episodio Resurrection Ship, oltre ad ulteriori eventi successivi - rendono i Cylons molto più cauti ed incerti sul da farsi.
Da lì in avanti, quasi tutto ruota attorno ai conflitti tra gli umani, montati per mesi e che ora giungono al punto critico.
Non che manchino i Cylons (specie quelli in forma umana), ma passano da semplici nemici spietati ad attori più complessi, con motivazioni, piani e ripensamenti inattesi, fino allo spettacolare e spiazzante finale, in cui (quasi) tutto cambia. E poco sorprendentemente ci si ritrova nelle feci fin oltre il collo.

Vero motore di tutto, lo stress: dopo la rabbia iniziale, la realizzazione che l'umanità è davvero sull'orlo del precipizio pone tutti sotto una pressione insostenibile. Si commettono errori e scelte sbagliate, che si pagano a carissimo prezzo, e la nuova condizione forza la mano a decisioni dolorose per tutti.
Le cose si sfasciano, le strutture sociali faticano a riorganizzarsi e la gente muore. Anche episodi che a prima vista potrebbero sembrare lineari e dalla struttura classica (come Scar), finiscono per fornire un approfondimento inaspettato sulla situazione psicologica dei protagonisti.

Ulteriormente migliorati tutti i personaggi (anche Baltar si arricchisce di sfumature interessanti), semplicemente eccelso lo sviluppo principale così come le singole trame. Impeccabili i dialoghi, e mi sembrano migliorate pure le interpretazioni (così come la regia, che già partiva molto bene).
In breve: magari può non piacere il genere o lo stile, ma in sé non trovo davvero difetti in una serie che letteralmente trasuda dell'amore delle persone che vi hanno lavorato (autori in primis, ma anche Edward James Olmos pare sia stato molto coinvolto).
Diamine, persino le scene tagliate, sono di ottimo livello!

Pur non fondamentali, è cosa buona e giusta recuperare anche i 10 webisodes BSG: The Resistance, incentrati sull'occupazione di New Caprica (da vedere dopo la seconda stagione, quindi).

Ancora una volta, mi ritrovo a farmi violenza per evitare di bruciare la terza stagione e Razor, che ho già a casa.
Una volta di più, continuo a suggerire a tutti gli interessati l'acquisto via amazon UK: solo in lingua inglese (con sottotitoli), ma il parlato è di norma molto chiaro. Inoltre, il prezzo è imparagonabile a quello della versione italiano.

Voto: 10 tondo, una delle migliori cose di fantascienza (e non) abbia mai visto.
Tags: fantascienza, thriller, drammatico, azione, avventura, fantasy, fuga, viaggio, colonia, bombardamento, Cylons, umanità, devastazione, bombardamento nucleare, nave spaziale, astronave, civili, militare, comandante, figlio, galera, morte, distruzione, cancro, Battlestar Galactica, serie, antefatto, Edward James Olmos, Tricia Helfer, stagione, pianeta, apocalisse, sopravvissuti, presidente, moralità, computer, rete, armageddon, sesso, amore, robot, guerra, esplosione, museo, tradimento, genocidio, eroe, eroismo, viaggio, estinzione, remake, androide, intelligenza artificiale, Terra, colpo di stato, elezione, attentato, voto, candidato, rapimento, sequestro, esecuzione, tortura, Kobol, moglie, alcolismo, sesso, incubo, visione, scontro, occupazione, piano, scritture, gravidanza, cloni, religione, empatia, base, traditore, agente dormiente, prigione, vittoria, sconfitta, alcolismo, sacrificio, Pegasus, salvataggio, attentato, collaborazionista, tregua, pace, occupazione.

Olmos, Edward James

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Data di nascita: 24 February 1947
Altezza: 5' 9¾" (1.77 m)
Coniuge: Lymari Nadal::(2002 - present), Lorraine Bracco::(28 January 1994 - 4 March 2002) (divorced), Kaija Keel::(29 December 1971 - 1992) (divorced) 2 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (2009) (TV) .... [regista]
• Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008) .... Diablo (voice) [attore]
• Battlestar Galactica: Razor (2007) (TV) .... Admiral William Adama [attore]
• Splinter (2006/I) .... Captain Garcia [attore]
• Walkout (2006) (TV) .... (co-executive producer) [produttore]
• La Cerca (2005) .... Narrator/Old Niño [attore]
• Battlestar Galactica (2003) (TV) .... Commander William Adama [attore]
• Jack and Marilyn (2002) .... (producer) [produttore]
• The Last Winter (2002) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• In the Time of the Butterflies (2001) (TV) .... Rafael Trujillo [attore]

Biografia:
Deborah L. Schrader

Trivia random: Grduated from California State University Los Angeles (Cal State L.A.) which is located in the northern part of his home town of East L.A.
Citazione random: "Sometimes you gotta do things that you don't really want to do. But you don't do them for money." Speaking of his role as the laconic "Lt. Castillo" on "Miami Vice" (1984): "I was the highest-paid actor--per word--in the history of television!".

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

"Battlestar Galactica" (2004)

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Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Action
Valutazione: 9.1/10 (20760 voti)
Durata: 44 min
Paese: USA, UK
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Edward James Olmos .... Admiral William Adama / ... (73 episodes, 2004-2009)
• Mary McDonnell .... President Laura Roslin / ... (73 episodes, 2004-2009)
• Jamie Bamber .... Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama / ... (73 episodes, 2004-2009)
• James Callis .... Dr. Gaius Baltar / ... (73 episodes, 2004-2009)
• Tricia Helfer .... Number Six / ... (73 episodes, 2004-2009)
• Grace Park .... Lt. Sharon 'Athena' Agathon / ... (73 episodes, 2004-2009)
• Katee Sackhoff .... Captain Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace / ... (71 episodes, 2004-2009)
• Michael Hogan .... Colonel Saul Tigh (69 episodes, 2004-2009)
• Aaron Douglas .... Chief Galen Tyrol (67 episodes, 2004-2009)
• Tahmoh Penikett .... Captain Karl 'Helo' Agathon / ... (67 episodes, 2004-2009)

Trama:
Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)

Trivia random: In the original "Battlestar Galactica" (1978), Viper weapons fire was red lasers and the Cylon Raider fire was white lasers. In this version, both ships fire actual bullets.
Citazione random: Romo Lampkin: I understand that you had a romantic relationship with my client.::Number Six: Gaius Baltar is a brilliant, gifted human being. In the time I've known him, he's made a sport out of mendacity and deception. He is narcissistic, feckless, self-centered, and vain. I'm the one who should have stabbed him.::President Laura Roslin: Things are looking up.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Battlestar Galactica: Razor (2007) (TV)

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Regista: Félix Enríquez Alcalá
Scrittore: Ronald D. Moore, Michael Taylor
Genere: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller, War, Action
Valutazione: 7.8/10 (3808 voti)
Durata: 104::(extended dvd edition) min
Paese: USA
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Edward James Olmos .... Admiral William Adama
• Mary McDonnell .... President Laura Roslin
• Katee Sackhoff .... Captain Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace
• Jamie Bamber .... Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama
• James Callis .... Dr. Gaius Baltar
• Tricia Helfer .... Number Six / Gina Inviere
• Grace Park .... Lt. Sharon Valerii
• Michael Hogan .... Colonel Saul Tigh
• Aaron Douglas .... Chief Galen Tyrol (credit only)
• Tahmoh Penikett .... Lt. Karl 'Helo' Agathon (credit only)

Trama:
A two-hour Battlestar Galactica special that tells the story of the Battlestar Pegasus several months prior to it finding the Galactica.

Trivia random: Fans were able to vote for the cover of the DVD, which had a street date shortly after the TV-premiere. On the official site three different covers were on-line to vote on. After voting fans got an exclusive look in special clips from "Razor".
Citazione random: [from trailer]::Kendra Shaw: I hear you like hack?::Captain Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace: You hear what I do to get there?

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

[BSG] stagione 4 (1/2)

Ed ho finalmente avuto il tempo di vedere anche la prima metà della quarta stagione di Battlestar Galactica; devo dire di non essere del tutto convinto della piega che ha preso la trama principale.

Riprende dove la terza stagione aveva lasciato, e cioé dal fatto che quattro dei "final five" sono stati svelati (al pubblico, non agli altri membri della flotta). Come ovvio eviterò gli spoiler più clamorosi.

I primi due episodi costituiscono quel che è stato rilasciato anche come Razor, e sono incentrati sulla Pegasus, a partire dal momento in cui sopravvive all'attacco dei Cylons. Molto buoni, aggiungono spessore all'ammiraglio Cain e presentano alcune situazioni interessanti.
Tornando alla Galactica, riprende la ricerca della Terra, ancora sfuggente ma questa volta basandosi su evidenze piuttosto concrete (come sa chi ha visto la conclusione della terza stagione).
Come ovvio anche i Cylons vogliono raggiungerla, ma incontreranno notevoli difficoltà: ciò che accade loro è infatti il vero pezzo forte della stagione, un colpo di scena davvero notevole.
Dove a mio avviso brilla meno, invece, è nella piega mistica che qui viene ulteriormente estesa: Baltar mezzo santone monoteista non mi convince granché, ed in generale c'è un eccesso di visioni ed epifanie che colgono più o meno tutti. Mi stanno benissimo come sottofondo ed anzi contribuiscono a creare un ambiente completo e complesso, ma troppe puntate sono dedicate quasi interamente a queste rivelazioni. Personalmente avrei preferito di gran lunga se ci si fosse concentrari sulle questioni politiche, sociali e militari interne alla flotta (ed anche religiose, ma di nuovo: non a botte di verità rivelate).
Oltre a Baltar, Starbuck sulla Demetrius, i quattro dei final five (che faranno infine outing) e la stessa presidentessa Roslin eccedono - a più riprese - in questo senso.
Tutto questo ha tolto spazio ad altri temi, ed anche all'azione militare: la stessa battaglia che conclude questa metà di stagione avrebbe meritato un approfondimento molto maggiore, data la sua crucialità nella storia.
Sempre per lo stesso motivo, anche i rapporti tra i personaggi soffrono un po' e non si assiste più alle evoluzioni presenti soprattutto nelle prime due stagioni.

Non è certo tutto da buttare, ed a sé stante risulta un eccellente prodotto, ma a per quello che è il mio gusto non regge il confronto con gli eccelsi inizi.

Dopo questa metà, i dieci webisodes The Face of the Enemy, su Gaeta in una situazione alquanto sgradevole (pregevoli); prima ci sarebbero i Razor Flashbacks, che non ho ancora recuperato.

Voto: 7.5 (mi chiedo se sarà rivalutabile vista la seconda metà)
Tags: fantascienza, thriller, drammatico, azione, avventura, fantasy, fuga, viaggio, bombardamento, Cylons, umanità, devastazione, bombardamento nucleare, nave spaziale, astronave, civili, militare, comandante, figlio, galera, morte, distruzione, cancro, Battlestar Galactica, serie, antefatto, Edward James Olmos, Tricia Helfer, stagione, pianeta, apocalisse, sopravvissuti, presidente, moralità, computer, rete, armageddon, sesso, amore, robot, guerra, esplosione, tradimento, genocidio, eroe, eroismo, viaggio, estinzione, remake, androide, intelligenza artificiale, Terra, elezione, presidente, attentato, rapimento, sequestro, esecuzione, tortura, moglie, alcolismo, sesso, incubo, visione, scontro, occupazione, piano, scritture, gravidanza, cloni, religione, empatia, base, traditore, agente dormiente, prigione, vittoria, sconfitta, sacrificio, Pegasus, salvataggio, attentato, collaborazionista, tregua, pace, occupazione, final-five, rivelazione, supernova, cibo, vendetta, fuga, esodo, processo, sciopero, purga, scissione, guerra civile, epurazione, tribunale, odio, ferita, visione, epifania, misticismo, monoteismo, culto, religione.

"Battlestar Galactica" (2004)

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Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Action
Valutazione: 9.1/10 (26245 voti)
Paese: USA, UK
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Edward James Olmos .... Admiral William Adama / ...
• Mary McDonnell .... President Laura Roslin / ...
• Jamie Bamber .... Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama / ...
• James Callis .... Dr. Gaius Baltar / ...
• Tricia Helfer .... Number Six / ...
• Grace Park .... Lt. Sharon 'Boomer' Valerii / ...
• Katee Sackhoff .... Captain Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace / ...
• Michael Hogan .... Colonel Saul Tigh (69 episodes, 2004-2009)
• Aaron Douglas .... Chief Galen Tyrol (66 episodes, 2004-2009)
• Tahmoh Penikett .... Captain Karl 'Helo' Agathon / ...

Trama:
The second war against the Cylons is over and The Twelve Colonies have been destroyed. Now Commander Adama of the Battlestar Galatica and President Laura Roslin lead a ragtag fleet of refugees in a supposed search for the fabled lost thirteenth colony, Earth. However, the dangers they face are many which compound an already difficult situation. In addition to the Cylons hunting and attacking the fleet in space, their infiltrator units carry out a more subtle plot even as their former unwitting pawn, Gaius Baltar, helps in the hunt for them while hiding both his own guilt and the strange presence that haunts his every thought. If that wasn't enough, the fleet also faces internal political conflict in which the rabble-rousing figure, Tom Zarek, is merely the loudest dissenting voice. In the midst of these trials however, clues begin to appear that suggest that Adama's simple bluff about Earth may be more truthful than anyone could have guessed.

Trivia random: Sam Shepard, Ed Harris and Harrison Ford were all considered for the role of William Adama.
Citazione random: Lt. Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace: [Tyrol is working on Starbuck's captured cylon raider] What seems to be the trouble, Chief?<br />Chief Petty Officer Tyrol: Well, your new boyfriend's a bit of a jerk, sir.<br />Lt. Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace: It's a girl.<br />Chief Petty Officer Tyrol: Well, if you don't mind her goo all over your face, you're welcome to her, sir.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Battlestar Galactica: Razor (2007) (TV)

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Regista: Félix Enríquez Alcalá
Scrittore: Ronald D. Moore, Michael Taylor
Genere: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller, War, Action
Valutazione: 7.8/10 (4339 voti)
Durata: 88::(original television version) min
Paese: USA
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Edward James Olmos .... Admiral William Adama
• Mary McDonnell .... President Laura Roslin
• Katee Sackhoff .... Captain Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace
• Jamie Bamber .... Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama
• James Callis .... Dr. Gaius Baltar
• Tricia Helfer .... Number Six / Gina Inviere
• Grace Park .... Lt. Sharon Valerii
• Michael Hogan .... Colonel Saul Tigh
• Aaron Douglas .... Chief Galen Tyrol (credit only)
• Tahmoh Penikett .... Lt. Karl 'Helo' Agathon (credit only)

Trama:
A two-hour Battlestar Galactica special that tells the story of the Battlestar Pegasus several months prior to it finding the Galactica.

Trivia random: Prior to the movie's television debut, the featurette series "Battlestar Galactica: Razor Flashbacks" (2007) was made available on the web. Most (but not all) of the content of the webisodes are integrated into the movie. The webisodes are also available for separate viewing as a bonus on the Razor DVD.
Citazione random: [from trailer]<br />Admiral Helena Cain: Lieutenant Thorne, I want you to interrogate our Cylon prisoner, find out everything it knows, and since it's so adept at mimicking human feeling, I'm assuming that it's software is vulnerable to them as well, so... pain... degradation... fear... shame... I want you to really test it's limits. Be as creative as you feel the need to be.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

"Battlestar Galactica: Razor Flashbacks" (2007)

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Genere: Sci-Fi, Sci-Fi
Valutazione: 7.1/10 (39 voti)
Durata: USA:20 min
Paese: USA
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Nico Cortez .... Young William Adama (7 episodes, 2007)

Trama:
A series of webisodes that tell the story of William Adama who as a youth uncovers a Cylon experiment while serving in the first Cylon War.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

"Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy" (2008)

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Valutazione: 7.2/10 (73 voti)

Cast:

• Alessandro Juliani .... Lt. Felix Gaeta (10 episodes, 2008-2009)
• Grace Park .... Number Eight (10 episodes, 2008-2009)
• Jessica Harmon .... Esrin (10 episodes, 2008-2009)
• Brad Dryborough .... Lt. Louis Hoshi (6 episodes, 2008-2009)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

wild hogs

Quattro amici di vecchia data, motociclisti della domenica, sono afflitti da vite che non hanno preso la svolta che un tempo speravano: alle soglie della mezza età, partire per un viaggio on the road senza un piano preciso sembra essere l'unica evasione possibile.
L'incontro-scontro con una vera banda di bikers porterà un sacco di guai e qualche sorpresa.

Commedia leggera, senza troppe pretese e senza risate sguaiate, Svalvolati on the road (Wild Hogs) si regge su un impianto semplice ma solido e soprattutto su ottime interpretazioni.
Cast notevole e perfettamente nei ruoli: Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence e due dei miei feticci: William H. Macy e Ray Liotta. Ruoli minori per John C. McGinley e Marisa Tomei.
Buona, ed in tema, la colonna sonora.

Film per una serata rilassata.

Voto: 7.
Tags: commedia, comico, avventura, on the road, viaggio, motociclista, motocicletta, bikers, Stati Uniti, costa ovest, fallimento, divorzio, dentista, programmatore, tatuaggio, famiglia, rissa, salvataggio, incidente, schianto, sidecar, rivincita, inseguimento, equivoco, tenda, campeggio.

Liotta, Ray

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Nome di battesimo: Liotta, Raymond
Data di nascita: 18 December 1954
Altezza: 6' (1.83 m)
Coniuge: Michelle Grace::(15 February 1997 - 2004) (divorced) 1 child

Ultimi lavori:

• Chasing 3000 (2008) .... Adult Mickey [attore]
• Hero Wanted (2008) .... Detective Terry Subcott [attore]
• La Linea (2008) .... Mark Shields [attore]
• The Night Job (2008) .... [attore]
• Only in New York (2008) .... Tommy [attore]
• Powder Blue (2008) .... [attore]
• Battle in Seattle (2007) .... Mayor Jim Tobin [attore]
• Bee Movie (2007) .... Ray Liotta (voice) [attore]
• Crossing Over (2007) .... Cole Frankel [attore]
• In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (2007) .... Gallian [attore]

Biografia:
Intense is the word for Ray Liotta. He specializes in psychopathic characters who hide behind a cultivated charm. Even in his nice guy roles in Field of Dreams (1989) and Operation Dumbo Drop (1995), you get the impression that something is smoldering inside of him. Liotta maintains a steady stream of work, completing multiple projects per year.

Trivia random: Played baseball player "Shoeless" Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams (1989). Ex-wife, Michelle Grace is also the ex-wife of baseball player Mark Grace.
Citazione random: "I am mostly Scottish and a little bit Italian!"

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Tomei, Marisa

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Data di nascita: 4 December 1964
Altezza: 5' 6" (1.68 m)

Ultimi lavori:

• The Night Job (2008) .... [attrice]
• Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) .... Gina [attrice]
• The Rich Inner Life of Penelope Cloud (2007) (TV) .... Penelope Cloud [attrice]
• War, Inc. (2007) .... Natalie Hegalhuzen [attrice]
• Wild Hogs (2007) .... Maggie [attrice]
• Danika (2006) .... Danika [attrice]
• I Was a Network Star (2006) (TV) .... [attrice]
• Factotum (2005) .... Laura [attrice]
• Loverboy (2005) .... Sybil [attrice]
• Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School (2005) .... Meredith Morrison [attrice]

Biografia:
Marisa Tomei was born on December 4, 1964, in Brooklyn, New York to mother Patricia "Addie" Tomei, an English teacher and father Gary Tomei, a lawyer. Marisa also has a brother, actor Adam Tomei. As a child, Marisa's mother frequently corrected her speech as to eliminate her heavy Brooklyn accent. As a teen, Marisa attended Edward R. Murrow High School and graduated in the class of 1982. She was one year into her college education at Boston University when she dropped out for a co-starring role on the CBS daytime drama "As the World Turns" (1956). Her role on that show paved the way for her entrance into film: in 1984, she made her film debut with a bit part in The Flamingo Kid (1984). Three years later, Marisa became known for her role as Maggie Lawton, Lisa Bonet's college roommate, on the sitcom "A Different World" (1987). Her real breakthrough came in 1992, when she co-starred as Joe Pesci's hilariously foul-mouthed, scene-stealing girlfriend in My Cousin Vinny (1992), a performance that won her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Later that year, she turned up briefly as a snippy Mabel Normand in director Richard Attenborough's biopic Chaplin (1992), and was soon given her first starring role in Untamed Heart (1993). A subsequent starring role -- and attempted makeover into Audrey Hepburn -- in the romantic comedy Only You (1994) proved only moderately successful. Marisa's other 1994 role as Michael Keaton's hugely pregnant wife in The Paper (1994) was well-received, although the film as a whole was not. Fortunately for Tomei, she was able to rebound the following year with a solid performance as a troubled single mother in Nick Cassavetes Unhook the Stars (1996) which earned her a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She turned in a similarly strong work in Welcome to Sarajevo (1997), and in 1998 did some of her best work in years as the sexually liberated, unhinged cousin of Natasha Lyonne's Vivian Abramowitz in Tamara Jenkins Slums of Beverly Hills (1998). In recent years, Marisa has co-starred with Mel Gibson in the hugely successful romantic comedy What Women Want (2000) and during the 2002 movie award season, she proved her first Best Supporting Actress Oscar win was no fluke when she received her second nomination in the same category for the critically acclaimed dark drama, In the Bedroom (2001).

Trivia random: No relation to Concetta Tomei.
Citazione random: "I don't prefer much of film over stage... The only thing I prefer is the paycheck."

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Travolta, John

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Nome di battesimo: Travolta, John Joseph
Data di nascita: 18 February 1954
Altezza: 6' 2" (1.88 m)
Coniuge: Kelly Preston::(12 September 1991 - present) 2 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Dallas (2009) .... J.R. Ewing [attore]
• Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey (2009) .... Dave (voice) [attore]
• Bolt (2008) .... (voice) [attore]
• Old Dogs (2008/I) .... [attore]
• Hairspray (2007) .... Edna Turnblad [attore]
• Wild Hogs (2007) .... Woody Stevens [attore]
• Lonely Hearts (2006) .... Elmer Robinson [attore]
• Be Cool (2005) .... Chili Palmer [attore]
• Ladder 49 (2004) .... Captain Mike Kennedy [attore]
• A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004) .... Bobby Long [attore]

Biografia:
John Travolta first gained fame as the swaggering Vinnie Barbarino on the television series "Welcome Back, Kotter" (1975). In 1977, he parlayed his teeny-bopper fame into a big-screen career with the disco blockbuster Saturday Night Fever (1977). He languished in light dramas and television movies in the 1980s, but started a comeback in 1989 with Look Who's Talking (1989). He further resuscitated his career with an Oscar nomination for his role as a heavyset sympathetic hitman in Pulp Fiction (1994) in 1994.

Trivia random: Has published two books: "John Travolta Staying Fit!", published by Simon and Schuster in 1984, & "Propeller One-Way Night Coach, A Fable for All Ages", published by Warner Books in 1997.
Citazione random: When they asked me to be Edna Turnblad I said, 'Gee, 32 years as a leading man… why me? What makes you think I'd be the perfect woman?'
Salario massimo: $20,000,000, per The General's Daughter (1999)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

McGinley, John C.

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Nome di battesimo: McGinley, John Christopher
Data di nascita: 3 August 1959
Altezza: 6' 2" (1.88 m)
Coniuge: Nichole Kessler::(7 April 2007 - present), Lauren Lambert::(February 1997 - December 2001) (divorced) 1 child

Ultimi lavori:

• American Crude (2007) .... Jim [attore]
• Are We Done Yet? (2007) .... Chuck Mitchell, Jr. [attore]
• Wild Hogs (2007) .... Highway Patrolman [attore]
• A.W.O.L (2006) .... Garris [attore]
• Puff, Puff, Pass (2006) .... Jerry Dupree [attore]
• Two Tickets to Paradise (2006) .... Mark [attore]
• Lil' Pimp (2005) (V) .... Man Cub Master (voice) [attore]
• Identity (2003) .... George York [attore]
• Crazy as Hell (2002) .... Parker [attore]
• Highway (2002/I) .... Johnny the Fox [attore]

Biografia:
John C. McGinley's path to stardom is a story that reads like a classic Hollywood script. While an understudy in New York in the Circle-In-The-Square production of John Patrick Shanley's "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea," he was spotted by director Oliver Stone and soon after was cast in "Platoon," the first of a long list of collaborations between Stone and McGinley which includes "Wall Street," "Talk Radio," "Born on the Fourth of July," "Nixon" and "Any Given Sunday." He has received rave reviews for his work in NBC's Emmy-nominated medical comedy series, "Scrubs" - now in production on its seventh and final season. TV Guide proclaimed, "The young cast is appealing, but McGinley steals the show as the mercurial doctor who deep down actually gives a damn. So will you." And the San Francisco Chronicle glowed, "If [McGinley] doesn't win the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy, I'm going to bring the smack-down to the Emmy voters." John C. relishes the chance to portray the gruff, worldly 'Dr. Perry Cox' on "Scrubs." "As an actor, it's great to play a strong leader with a heart of gold," he offers. "Dr. Cox mentors the rookie doctors with a spoonful of dirt and then a cup of sugar. I see him as an archetypal descendant of two of my favorite curmudgeonly characters: Lou Grant and Louie De Palma." Most recently, John C. starred opposite Ice Cube in Sony/Revolution Studios' feature, "Are We Done Yet?," the sequel to the hit comedy "Are We There Yet?." "Are We Done Yet?" picks up as the family moves from the big city to the suburbs for an idyllic life. A house renovation leads to chaos, particularly when the enthusiastic and larger-than-life real estate agent/neighbor/contractor 'Chuck Mitchell, Jr.' (John C. McGinley) who is hired to work on the home, clashes with Ice Cube's character but bonds with his wife and kids. Of John C.'s performance, The New York Times proclaimed, "....a marvelous John C. McGinley, playing a dodgy jack-of-all-trades with the kind of energy that forces other actors to step up their game. He is so good. He redeems his character through acting skill alone." John C. voiced the main character in "Dead Head Fred," an original PSP (PlayStation) game featuring dark humor and a violent portrayal of revenge and redemption. John C. will bring to life 'Fred Neuman,' a private detective savagely murdered and then resurrected in a bizarre scientific experiment without his memory or his head. John C.'s impressive career in film spans a diverse range of characters in over sixty features to date. He has also appeared in such features as "Wild Hogs," "Identity," "The Animal," "The Rock," "Nothing to Lose," "Set It Off," "Seven," "Office Space," "Mother," "Wagons East," "Surviving the Game," "On Deadly Ground," "Point Break," "Highlander II," "A Midnight Clear" and "Fat Man and Little Boy." John C. has a solid commitment to the independent film community as well as the studio system. He appeared in director Eriq La Salle's "Crazy As Hell" and director Scott Silver's "Johns." He also worked on "Truth or Consequences, N.M.," Kiefer Sutherland's feature directorial debut; and on "Colin Fitz," a film John C. co-produced which premiered in competition at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. He recently starred in director D.B. Sweeney's independent feature, "Two Tickets to Paradise," which is currently receiving raves on the festival circuit. For his performance in the later film, John C. was awarded Method Fest's Festival Director's Award, which is awarded for special recognition/excellence in film. He is a partner at McGinley Entertainment Inc., an independent film production company with several projects currently in development. John C. first worked both sides of the camera, serving double duty as actor and producer for the romantic comedy "Watch It!" (with Peter Gallagher and Lili Taylor). For television, he received stunning reviews for his starring role in Dean Koontz's gripping and highly rated 1997 suspense drama, "Intensity," a four-hour original film for FOX-TV. Of his performance, the New York Times stated, "John C. McGinley plays 'Vess' with effective cold-blooded menace. It is McGinley, in a strong, low-key performance, who emerges as the film's secret weapon. His face is familiar from many movie roles where his guy-next-door looks have made him a natural sidekick. As the murderer with the unlikely name 'Edgler Vess,' he uses that regular-guy demeanor to make the character especially chilling."

Trivia random: Co-owned a restaurant with fellow Platoon (1986) star, Willem Dafoe called "Match", in New York City.
Citazione random: I did Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), with Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert down in Buenos Aires, and I stunk. I was infatuated with Orson Welles' filmography at the time, so I wanted to see if I could make my voice as low as his, and I succeeded. Nothing in the text supported that choice, though, so in the film, I look like a jackass. I don't look like a tough guy, I look like an idiot actor trying to toy around with his vocal apparatus.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Macy, William H.

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Nome di battesimo: Jr., William Hall Macy
Data di nascita: 13 March 1950
Altezza: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Coniuge: Felicity Huffman::(6 September 1997 - present) 2 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Antique (2008) .... [attore]
• Bart Got a Room (2008) .... [attore]
• The Deal (2008) .... (screenplay) [scrittore]
• Family Man (2008) (TV) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• House of Re-Animator (2008) .... The President of the United States [attore]
• Hurricane Mary (2008) .... Dr. Rocchio [attore]
• Keep Coming Back (2008) .... [regista]
• The Lonely Maiden (2008) .... (producer) [produttore]
• The Tale of Despereaux (2008) .... Lester (voice) [attore]
• He Was a Quiet Man (2007) .... Gene Shelby [attore]

Trivia random: After spending years in Chicago theater and building his resume as an actor, at age 28 he relocated to New York City for film and television work.
Citazione random: "When you do something well, they'll ask you to do it again. Early on, I must have done this [playing losers] well and the reputation was out there. It's strange because in my life, I don't feel like a loser. Far from it. I feel lucky."
Salario massimo: $750,000, per Sahara (2005)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Wild Hogs (2007)

Centauri da strapazzo

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Regista: Walt Becker
Scrittore: Brad Copeland
Genere: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Valutazione: 6.1/10 (18146 voti)
Durata: 100 min
Paese: USA
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Tim Allen .... Doug Madsen
• John Travolta .... Woody Stevens
• Martin Lawrence .... Bobby Davis
• William H. Macy .... Dudley Frank
• Ray Liotta .... Jack
• Marisa Tomei .... Maggie
• Kevin Durand .... Red
• M.C. Gainey .... Murdock
• Jill Hennessy .... Kelly Madsen
• Dominic Janes .... Billy Madsen

Trama:
Four middle-aged men decide to take a road trip from Cincinnati to the Pacific in order to get away from their lives which are leading them nowhere. Taking their motorcycles, these "Wild Hogs" tear up the road and eventually stop in New Mexico for a drink not knowing that the bar belongs to the "Del Fuegos", a mean biker gang. When the Del Fuegos steal a bike that belongs to the Wild Hogs, the four men form a plan to steal their bike back.

Trivia random: When Peter Fonda's character Damien Blade tells the Wild Hogs to lose their watches, it's a subtle reference to Easy Rider (1969), which starred Fonda. In the beginning of that movie Fonda's character Wyatt throws his watch away for the upcoming road trip.
Citazione random: Damien Blade: Why do you think I don't wear the colors, Jack? Why do you think I ride alone? You've forgotten what riding is all about. And I suggest all of you get back on the road, until you remember what riding is about.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Allen, Tim (I)

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Nome di battesimo: Dick, Timothy Alan
Data di nascita: 13 June 1953
Altezza: 5' 11" (1.80 m)
Coniuge: Jane Hajduk::(7 October 2006 - present), Laura Diebel::(7 April 1984 - March 2003) (divorced) 1 child

Ultimi lavori:

• Redbelt (2008) .... [attore]
• The Six Wives of Henry Lefay (2008) .... Henery Lefay [attore]
• Wild Hogs (2007) .... Doug Madsen [attore]
• Cars (2006) .... Buzz Lightyear Car (voice) [attore]
• The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) .... (producer) [produttore]
• The Shaggy Dog (2006) .... (producer) [produttore]
• Zoom (2006) .... Jack Shepard/Captain Zoom [attore]
• Christmas with the Kranks (2004) .... Luther Krank [attore]
• Jimmy Neutron: Win, Lose and Kaboom (2004) (TV) .... Meldar (voice) [attore]
• These Guys (2003) (TV) .... (executive producer) [produttore]

Biografia:
Timothy Allen Dick was born on June 13, 1953, in Denver, Colorado, USA. His father was Gerald Dick, a real-estate salesman who was killed in a collision with a drunk driver while driving his family home from a University of Colorado football game when Tim was 11-years-old. His mother was Martha Dick (AKA Marty Dick), a community-service worker who remarried her high-school sweetheart, an Episcopalian deacon, two years after Tim's father's death. Tim also has a total of eight siblings. When Tim was young, his family moved to Birmingham, Michigan. In high school, his favorite subject was shop, of course, and after high school, he attended Western Michigan University and graduated with a degree in Television Production in 1975. In 1978, he was arrested on drug charges and spent two years in jail. Upon his release, he had a new outlook on life and on a dare from a friend, started his comedy career at the Comedy Castle in Detroit. Later, he went on to do several cable specials, including, Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen (1988) and Tim Allen: Men Are Pigs (1991) (TV). In 1991, he became the star of his own hit television series on ABC called "Home Improvement" (1991). While continuing to film his television show throughout most of the '90s, he starred in a string of blockbuster movies including The Santa Clause (1994), Toy Story (1995), Toy Story 2 (1999), and Galaxy Quest (1999). In August of 1996, he developed and unveiled his own signature line of power tools, manufactured by Ryobi. On top of all that, he has his own racing team, Tim Allen/Saleen RRRRacing. In May of 1999, he ended his show "Home Improvement" (1991) after 8 seasons and in 2001, he filmed such movies as Big Trouble (2002) and Joe Somebody (2001).

Trivia random: Tim Taylor, Allen's character on "Home Improvement" (1991), was ranked #20 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].
Citazione random: "Men are pigs. Too bad we own everything."
Salario massimo: $1,250,000/episode (1998-1999 season), per "Home Improvement" (1991)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Lawrence, Martin (I)

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Nome di battesimo: Lawrence, Martin Fitzgerald
Data di nascita: 16 April 1965
Altezza: 5' 7" (1.70 m)
Coniuge: Patricia Southall::(7 January 1995 - 17 September 1996) (divorced) 1 daughter

Ultimi lavori:

• College Road Trip (2008) .... [attore]
• Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008) .... [attore]
• Wild Hogs (2007) .... Bobby Davis [attore]
• Big Momma's House 2 (2006) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Open Season (2006) .... Boog (voice) [attore]
• Rebound (2005) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Bad Boys II (2003) .... Detective Marcus Burnett [attore]
• National Security (2003) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat (2002) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• Black Knight (2001) .... (executive producer) [produttore]

Trivia random: Lapses into a coma after collapsing from heat exhaustion while jogging. Recovered in hospital. [25 August 1999]
Citazione random: "No one is immune to the trials and tribulations of life."
Salario massimo: $20,000,000, per National Security (2003)

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

battlestar galactica

Prima di tutto, l'ennesimo necrologio: LeRoi Moore, R.I.P.

Poi, ho colto l'occasione della pubblicazione in edicola (7.90 euro, mi pare) per vedermi Battlestar Galactica - La Miniserie: tre ore di film da vedere cronologicamente prima del resto della serie.
Fantascienza classica come non ne vedevo da anni: sono rimasto estasiato e medito l'acquisto della serie (tre stagioni completate, la quarta in corso) da amazon UK o US (i prezzi italiani, al solito, sono privi di contatto con la realtà).

In un lontanissimo futuro (e/o, se vogliamo, in un universo alterenativo) in cui tanto per cambiare si è persa l'ubicazione della Terra (portarsi dietro la guida Michelin, no?), le 12 colonie contano decine di miliardi di persone, pace, democrazia e prosperità.
Decenni prima si era conclusa la guerra coi Cylons, robot fuggiti al controllo, che ora sono scomparsi.
Non per molto, comunque: stavano in realtà prendendo tempo per pianificare un devastante attacco in massa, che lascerà ben poco dell'umanità.
I pochi sopravvissuti, su una manciata di navi civili, si ritrovano sotto la protezione della gigantesca Battlestar Galactica, ultima nave costruita per combattere quella spaventosa guerra (e che sta per essere decommissionata e trasformata in un museo, e quindi non ha a bordo neanche dei fagioli, da sparare).
Ci si ritroverà divisi tra necessità di protezione e desiderio di vendetta immediata.

Trama veramente bella ed ottimamente narrata, come in tutte le serie che si rispettino a farla da padrona sono le relazione tra i personaggi: eroici, sbruffoni, codardi, vendicativi, impauriti ed abbattuti.
Tutti quelli presentati nelle tre ore del film sono veramente ottimi e ben tratteggiati e pongono le basi per eccellenti relazioni.

Ciò che ho apprezzato di più è la cura nei dettagli ed un gusto retrò che non è però fine a sé stesso; la nave da guerra (sufficientemente grande e corazzata da sostenere una esplosione nucleare sullo scafo - seppur non senza danni) ha i boccaporti manuali e nessuno dei suoi computer è in rete, ma tutto questo ha una spiegazione: in una guerra contro delle macchine, non puoi affidarti troppo a qualcosa che loro sanno gestire inifinitamente meglio!
Non ci si fa inoltre scrupoli di far morire gente a manate, né di creare casi privi di soluzioni indolori.
Insomma: l'umanità è stata di fatto annientata, e lo si sente.

La recitazione è di norma decente, da segnalare solo un com'è-diventato-veeecchio-Edward James Olmos e quella abbacinante pataccona di Tricia Helfer.
Gli effetti speciali non sono malissimo, per una serie, ma niente che faccia gridare al miracolo.

In prospettiva di prendere il resto dall'estero, l'ho visto in inglese; il doppiaggio italiano mi pare comunque molto buono (almeno come voci).
Non ho ancora visto il documentario allegato.

Come in qualunque cosa prodotta negli ultimi anni (vedi 300), immancabilmente qualcuno ci ha trovato riferimenti alla GuerraAlTerrorismo+Iraq+Bush; francamente, mi paiono sempre più una manica di minchiate...

Voto: 9. Fantascienza spettacolare!
Tags: fantascienza, thriller, drammatico, azione, avventura, fantasy, fuga, viaggio, colonia, bombardamento, Cylons, umanità, devastazione, bombardamento nucleare, nave spaziale, astronave, civili, militare, comandante, figlio, galera, morta, distruzione, cancro, Battlestar Galactica, serie, antefatto, Edward James Olmos, Tricia Helfer, apocalisse, sopravvissuti, presidente, moralità, computer, rete, armageddon, sesso, amore, robot, guerra, esplosione, museo, cancro, pianeta, tradimento, genocidio, eroe, eroismo, viaggio, estinzione, remake, androide, intelligenza artificiale, Terra.

Olmos, Edward James

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Data di nascita: 24 February 1947
Altezza: 5' 9¾" (1.77 m)
Coniuge: Lymari Nadal::(2002 - present), Lorraine Bracco::(28 January 1994 - 4 March 2002) (divorced), Kaija Keel::(29 December 1971 - 1992) (divorced) 2 children

Ultimi lavori:

• Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008) .... (voice) [attore]
• Battlestar Galactica: Razor (2007) (TV) .... Admiral William Adama [attore]
• Splinter (2006/I) .... Captain Garcia [attore]
• Walkout (2006) (TV) .... (co-executive producer) [produttore]
• La Cerca (2005) .... Narrator/Old Niño [attore]
• Battlestar Galactica (2003) (TV) .... Commander William Adama [attore]
• Jack and Marilyn (2002) .... (producer) [produttore]
• The Last Winter (2002) .... (executive producer) [produttore]
• In the Time of the Butterflies (2001) (TV) .... Rafael Trujillo [attore]
• The Judge (2001) (TV) .... Judge Armando Acosta [attore]

Biografia:
If Edward James Olmos had followed the first love of his life, he'd have been a professional baseball player. But by age 13, another love entered his life: rock music. By age 15 he was already an experienced rock singer, forming and reforming several "garage bands" along the way. During the late '60s and early '70s he played the most famous clubs on Sunset Strip, including Gazzarri's and The Factory. But a friend suggested that, with his flair for the dramatic, he consider a career in acting. Throughout the seventies he divided his time between rock music gigs, acting classes, bit parts in TV, Off-off-off Broadway plays and his business of moving fine furniture (which kept body, soul and family together). His first big break was a starring role in Luis Valdez's play, "Zoot Suit", in 1978. The play moved to Broadway and led to a Tony nomination and great critical acclaim. Perhaps best known for his role as "Lt. Martin Castillo" in the NBC TV series, "Miami Vice" (1984) (1984-1989), he has been seen in numerous film and TV productions. He received an Accademy Award nomination for "best actor" for his starring role in Stand and Deliver (1988). Most notable of his recent offerings is American Me (1992), which was also his directing debut. But acting, directing and screenwriting are only parts of what he does. Olmos contends he would much rather be known as an activist than an actor. He devotes much of his time to causes, particularly those focusing on the needs and rights of children. He makes, on average, some 150 personal appearances a year to places where he can reach kids at risk; juvenile halls, detention centers, boys/girls clubs, schools. Anywhere he can get across his message that "we all have a choice" about where life takes us. He stresses the importance of education, the risks of gang life and tries to promote the notion of taking responsibility for one's own actions and one's own happiness in life. Using his own "disadvantaged background" as an example (he grew up in East Los Angeles, infamous for its gang problems), he tells the kids, "If I can do it, so can you". And he tries to point them in a positive direction. He has served as an ambassador for UNICEF and has received numerous accolades for his activism. He will long be remembered for getting out in the thick of the L.A. Riots of 1992 with his broom: one calm, reasonable presence in the midst of chaos and gunfire. Olmos was married to actress Lorraine Bracco. Between them they have 6 children, ages 10 - 25.

Trivia random: Drove a red Porsche Turbo, which he bought in Miami at a sale of articles confiscated in drug-busts. "He got 30 years. I got the car!". But soon afterwards the Porsche was stolen.
Citazione random: "Sometimes you gotta do things that you don't really want to do. But you don't do them for money." Speaking of his role as the laconic "Lt. Castillo" on "Miami Vice" (1984): "I was the highest-paid actor--per word--in the history of television!".

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Helfer, Tricia

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Nome di battesimo: Helfer, Tricia Janine
Data di nascita: 11 April 1974
Altezza: 5' 10" (1.78 m)
Coniuge: Jonathan Marshall::(2003 - present)

Ultimi lavori:

• Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath (2008) (VG) .... Kilian Qatar [attrice]
• Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (2008) (VG) .... Black Cat [attrice]
• Battlestar Galactica: Razor (2007) (TV) .... Number Six / Gina Inviere [attrice]
• Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (2007) (VG) .... Kilian Qatar - Nod General [attrice]
• The Green Chain (2007) .... Leila Cole [attrice]
• Spiral (2007) .... Sasha [attrice]
• Them (2007) (TV) .... Naomi Tyler Moore [attrice]
• Walk All Over Me (2007) .... Celene [attrice]
• The Genius Club (2006) .... Ally Simon [attrice]
• Memory (2006/II) .... Stephanie Jacobs [attrice]

Trivia random: Measurements: 34-24-34 (Source: celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Citazione random: I would change the push for women to look like Playmate Barbie dolls, that is just ridiculous. - one thing she would change about film industry

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Battlestar Galactica (2003) (TV)

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Regista: Michael Rymer
Scrittore: Glen A. Larson, Ronald D. Moore
Genere: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Action
Valutazione: 8.1/10 (11443 voti)
Durata: USA:180 min
Paese: USA
Lingua: English

Cast:

• Edward James Olmos .... Commander William Adama
• Mary McDonnell .... Laura Roslin
• Katee Sackhoff .... Lt. Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace
• Jamie Bamber .... Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama
• James Callis .... Dr. Gaius Baltar
• Tricia Helfer .... Number Six
• Callum Keith Rennie .... Leoben Conoy
• Grace Park .... Lt. Sharon 'Boomer' Valerii
• Michael Hogan .... Colonel Saul Tigh
• Matthew Bennett .... Aaron Doral

Trama:
It's been 40 years since the 12 colonies of mankind have heard from their progeny, the Cylons -- robotic creatures who rose up and declared war on their masters, then disappeared. In a sudden, devastating strike, the Cylons return and lay waste to the colonies, aided by human-looking Cylon variants and an unwitting fifth columnist. The attack forces Commander William Adama to call into action his museum-piece warship, the Battlestar Galactica, and soon its company of hotshot fighter pilots is blasting away at the invaders. But their best efforts can't prevent the colonies' obliteration. Fleeing the Cylon genocide, the Galactica leads a rag-tag fleet of survivors on a lonely quest to find humanity's fabled 13th colony -- a planet known as Earth.

Trivia random: DVD features deleted scenes with incomplete visual effects: - Laura meeting Billy for the first time on the space liner before it lifts off - Extended scene of Apollo arriving on Galactica: up in Pri-Fly, Aaron Doral explains why manned Vipers are still used; added shots from Apollo's point of view of the landing - Boomer lands the Raptor on Galactica, actually bouncing it on the deck a couple of times - Cally stops Socinus from going into the tool room where Tyrol and Boomer are having sex - Extended scene of Billy meeting Dualla: she explains why the Galactica has unisex bathrooms and helps him get to where he needed to be - The actual decommissioning of Galactica, involving the jettisoning of all her live ordnance into space for remote destruction - Extended scene of Apollo dealing with the missile fired at the space liner: he takes it on a chase through the canyons of a moon, using up all his fuel in the process, before flipping over and shooting it down - The space liner picks up Apollo after he'd flamed out Just as Galactica is preparing for the FTL jump to Ragnar Anchorage, Starbuck and her flight group have to deal with three more Cylon raiders and another nuke attack; she shoots it down this time Cally berates Tyrol for his affair with Boomer - Tyrol takes Boxey to his new bunk in pilots' quarters, saying it used to belong to a pilot with the call sign of Carrot - In the Galactica's wardroom, Billy explains to Laura that she's going to have to think in more military terms if she's ever going to win over Tigh and Adama
Citazione random: Baltar: So now you're telling me, um, now you're telling me you're a machine?::Number Six: I'm a woman.::Baltar: You're a machine. You're a synthetic woman, a robot.::Number Six: I've said it three times now.::Baltar: Well, forgive me, I'm having the tiniest little bit of trouble believing that because the last time anybody saw the Cylons they looked more like walking chrome toasters.::Number Six: Those models are still around. They have their uses.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.