Today is supposed to be the biggest day of the Con, with over 100,000 visitors expected. Everybody's saying it, but nobody remembers where they heard this number.
I'm here for more movie-related presentations in the 6500-seat hall. Yesterday was only a rehearsal for today's madness. One of the lessons they learned was that it takes a LONG time for 6500 people to sit down, so they let us in at 9:00 even though the events won't start till 11:00 (yesterday they let us in at 10:30, but couldn't start till 11:30). It's fucking freezing in this hall, but I came prepared with a jacket, a book, the laptop and Marina dropped by earlier to bring me some food and drink - I'm going to be in this chair all day.
This will be a very long day, so it's going to be a very long report. Today, instead of wasting precious sleeping time on writing the report at night, I will be writing it between events and do a final edit when I get back. I don't have network access here anyway.
The atmosphere here is wonderful. Everybody wants to get a good seat, everybody wants to save seats for their friends, everybody wants to get their shopping done, everybody wants to take shortcuts through places they're not supposed to go through, but nobody's being a dick about it. No one is shouting to their pals on the other side of the room, trying to cut in line, smoking or picking a fight. There's nothing to make you feel you're not with 100,000 of your best friends. When you're in line for something, there's no reason to "stand" in line - just sit in a comfortable corner and relax. Nobody will try to pass you. I'm thinking what it would be like to pack 100,000 Israelis in one building, and it's not a pretty thought.
People around you just start talking with you about how excited they are about what we're about to see, comparing experiences from past Cons and writing down your recommendations for good books or movies. Imagine how many friends I could make if only I were a sociable person! I'm listening to people around me exchange book reviews and discuss how Episode III contradicts (or doesn't contradict, depends on who you ask) Episode IV. I'm a bit bummed about how Star Wars seems to have become synonymous with science fiction, just like Harry Potter took over fantasy. With the new Narnia movie(s), maybe next year will be different.
Right. To business.
Superman Returns
First thing we got was Bryan Singer, director of next year's Superman Returns. I was never a huge Superman fan, more of a Dark Knight person myself, and I've never heard of Bryan Singer before today. But it turns out that I'm a big fan of his, and you probably are too. He directed X-Men and X2 (he passed on X3, though because he was already working on Superman). Not enough? He directed The Usual Suspects. You can't top that.
So yeah, Bryan and I are like this now. He was nice, modest, cooperative with fans and idiots alike, tired from his flight (he came straight from Australia) and funny. A little bit.
Bryan brought a 5 minutes trailer prepared from what they've already filmed of the movie. After he played it, the crowd all stood up and cheered for 3 whole minutes (I timed it), and wouldn't calm down until he played it again. Then there was some more Q&A and we were done.
I originally didn't plan on coming to the Superman event at all, but I'm so glad I did. In stark contrast to V for Vendetta people, Bryan is one of us.
Update: http://bluetights.net is the movie's homepage. There's lots of goodness there, including several "video journals" and one covering Bryan Singer's visit to Comic Con. Check it out.
While you're there, look at some stills.
War of the Worlds
The special effects man from War of the Worlds came and talked about making the movie. Audience asked some questions and he showed us the of "the basement scene". He then talked a bit about making that scene, which took 3 weeks to film, and that was pretty much it.
Short and quite interesting, actually.
Aeon Flux
I was never very into Aeon Flux, because it was on MTV when I was in the army, so I only saw it once or twice (Which reminds me. Did I ever tell you how my parents got cable the exact same day I joined the army? A sadder tale has never been told). But once you see Aeon Flux, you remember it. Turns out that after the MTV show there was another one I wasn't aware of at all.
Anyway, the two main actors, the producer and the original creator came to chat with us. When Charlize Theron walked onto the stage, you could hardly see anything because of 6500 flashes going off. I guess they like her.
What the hell is she wearing? Someone from the audience shouted something unintelligible and she asked "What was that? You want me to take it off?" I guess that was the highlight of the event.
The movie might be worth something or it might be totally lame - it was hard to tell. I can tell you that Charlize's outfits in the movie are more conservative outfits than cartoon-Aeon wore. The audience asked a bunch of questions in various degrees of weirdness and then it was over too.
The event didn't flow very well. The audience didn't know the people on stage and they didn't really know how to talk to this kind of audience. I mean, the producer referred the process of turning the cartoon series into a movie as "developing the property". "The property" ? This is Comic Con, not some Hollywood power lunch! It was also clear that this team does not have the kind of chemistry that other groups I saw (like the BGS gang) have.
Actors looking doped, or maybe just bored - who knows. Who cares.
I almost felt sorry for the lead male actor, who only got asked one stupid question. I guess that's just life when you're not a babe. Still, he probably got to feel Charlize up at some point, so it's not all bad for him.
I think this is the only time he actually got to say something. Look how everyone else is fascinated by what he has to say!
Kevin Smith
Most people either love Kevin Smith or find him completely stupid. Well, actually most poeple never hear of him, but I'm pretending that I'm writing this to people like me. Anyway, I'm in the first group. I'm one of those people who think Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was made especially for them. So is nearly everyone else here, it seems.
Kevin's session is difficult to describe. He wasn't promoting anything in particular - it was sort of an informative stand up comedy session where you also hear something about making movies and Hollywood, but mainly laugh your ass off.
He's really, really funny, and doesn't quite watch his language. When a question from the audience got him started with some Jesus jokes, he got into some trouble with some guy in the audience that started shouting something about JC dying for Kevin's sins. Ugh. Kevin's protests that he "fucking loves Jesus" had no effect, of course - the guy was not in a listening mood.
Muy hilarious.
Watch the bad video I shot.
Slither
This is a horror movie starring Firefly's Nathan Fillion and cutie Elizabeth Banks. It comes out in 2006 and seems to be good fun, if you're into that sort of thing.
It was a short session and I don't remember any of it, except the Fillion was funny, Banks was cute and I was pulling my hair out because I couldn't wait any longer for the Serenity event.
Serenity - The Firefly movie
Wooowee! Wooo - FUCKING - weeee!
You did notice that those were four separate links, right? Watch them all!
OK, so I was curious about V for Vendetta, I was pleasantly surprised with Bryan Singer and I really wanted to see Kevin Smith, but this day is really about this one movie. Serenity, as if you don't already know, if based on the short-lived and much-loved Firefly TV series. Best damn thing on Sci Fi on TV since X-Files season 2. I fucking LOVE Firefly.
The show and the movie were created by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, who was directing the event. Almost the entire cast was here too (All except Alan Tudyk, aka Ash, aka The Pilot, didn't show up).
Everybody wants to see what Fillion is up to, except the Star Whore, who just wants to look hot, hot, HOT.
Gina Torres (did you know that she was in the Matrix II + III and is married to Laurence Fishburne?) takes an insult from Nathan Fillion.
Everyone is having a good time.
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The last supper.
The Star Whore, usually referred to as "Stupid" by the other cast members, just said something that sounded really dirty. Everyone started choking, and she was all "That's not what I meant!"
Fillion doing his Wonder Woman impression.
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The crowd really, really loves these folks and they love us right back. It's obvious that they really like each other and love working together. I think that's part of the reason people love the show so much.
Ooh, and Adam Baldwin (Jayne) said "in his bunk"! He said it! For me (and 6500 others, but who cares)!
This has been the most exciting event so far and the most fun. Joss showed a great clip from the movie (10!), people asked some fun questions, everybody made jokes and had a great time.
And suddenly in the middle of all the fun and laughter time was up, and they had to leave.
Wow. What a day! I sat in this freezing hall from 9:00 to 16:00 and didn't even feel time pass. But the day is just beginning - there's still the masquerade!
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