This is Sci-Fi is a sampling of science fiction news across the mediums. From movies to books, to real life, and any bits in between that I can think of to list. This is by no means a comprehensive list of what’s happening, but it should whet your appetite!
This is Sci-Fi’s Quote to Consider
― Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing
Science Fiction Movies
Sci-Fi Movie Suggestion of the Week:
The Day After Tomorrow: It’s no secret that I love this movie. It’s the perfect movie to put on when you need low-key background stuff without loud jarring music and the whatnot. I’ve fallen asleep watching it probably fifty times by now. However, the reason I’m recommending it as the sci-fi movie suggestion of the week is simple – it’s cli-fi, and cli-fi is increasingly relevant. Four days ago I was wrapping up my little Japanese Maple to keep it from getting frost bitten. Two days later I was outside in shorts, weeding the garden and sweating. That’s all sorts of just wrong. But, hey, climate change isn’t real! (And if you believe that, I got a piece of ocean front property in Ohio you’d love to buy!)
Synopsis: Jack Hall, paleoclimatologist, must make a daring trek across America to reach his son, trapped in the cross-hairs of a sudden international storm which plunges the planet into a new Ice Age.
Watch The Day After Tomorrow trailer.
Science Fiction movies Opening This Week (April 14th):
Spark: A Space Tail Synopsis: Spark, a teenage monkey, and his friends, Chunk and Vix, are on a mission to regain Planet Bana – a kingdom overtaken by the evil overlord Zhong.
Starring: Jessica Biel, Susan Sarandon, Patrick Stewart
Watch the Spark: A Space Tail trailer.
Still in Theaters:
Ghost in the Shell – See our review.
Power Rangers – See our review.
Featured Sci-Fi Art
M.E.S.T. Convoy by St-Pete on DeviantArt
It’s a simple scene, and until you look at it twice, nothing appears out of the ordinary. Then you notice the vaguely transformer-ish looks to the convoy, and it’s sheer size against the figure in the front.
Burgess Meredith – IMDB Photo
The Sci-Fi Zone: Burgess Meredith
Burgess Meredith was a familiar face on the Twilight Zone. His roles ranged from the put-upon reader who only wants a little time to read, to a man rendered Obsolete by a harsh future and the Devil himself. Besides the Twilight Zone he was no stranger to science-fiction. He was very versatile and it’s easy to see why he would become a regular on Twilight Zone. Below are Burgess Meredith’s Top Science Fiction Appearances (links are all to IMDB.)
Top Ten Science Fiction Roles of Burgess Meredith
- The Amazing Captain Nemo (movie)
These are just a few of his roles. My personal favorite (besides the Twilight Zone episodes, of course) is his voice work on Puff, the Magic Dragon.
Science Fiction Books
The Best Science Fiction of the Year Vol 2: Night Shade Books is proud to introduce the latest volume of The Best Science Fiction of the Year, a new yearly anthology compiled by Hugo and World Fantasy award–winning editor Neil Clarke, collecting the finest that the genre has to offer, from the biggest names in the field to the most exciting new writers.
The best science fiction scrutinizes our culture and politics, examines the limits of the human condition, and zooms across galaxies at faster-than-light speeds, moving from the very near future to the far-flung worlds of tomorrow in the space of a single sentence. Clarke, publisher and editor in chief of the acclaimed and award-winning magazine Clarkesworld, has selected the short science fiction (and only science fiction) best representing the previous year’s writing, showcasing the talent, variety, and awesome “sensawunda” that the genre has to offer.
Avengers of the Moon: The solar system needs a hero and it’s about to get one in an old-fashioned pulp adventure with modern sensibility.
It was an age of miracles. It was an era of wonder. It was a time of troubles. It was all these things and more . . . except there were no heroes. Naturally, one had to be created.
Curt Newton has spent most of his life hidden from the rest of humankind, being raised by a robot, an android, and the disembodied brain of a renowned scientist. This unlikely trio of guardians has kept his existence a closely guarded secret since the murder of Curt’s parents. Curt’s innate curiosity and nose for trouble inadvertently lead him into a plot to destabilize the Solar Coalition and assassinate the president. There’s only one way to uncover the evil mastermind—Curt must become Captain Future.
With the permission of the Edmond Hamilton estate, Allen Steele revives the exciting adventures of Captain Future.
Proof of Concept: On a desperately overcrowded future Earth, crippled by climate change, the most unlikely hope is better than none. Governments turn to Big Science to provide them with the dreams that will keep the masses compliant. The Needle is one such dream, an installation where the most abstruse theoretical science is being tested: science that might make human travel to a habitable exoplanet distantly feasible.
When the Needle’s director offers her underground Kir Heilsen’s people as a training base, Heilesen is thrilled to be invited to join the team, even though she knows it’s only because her brain is host to an AI called Altair.But Altair knows something he can’t tell. Kir, like all humans, is programmed to ignore future dangers. Between the artificial blocks in his mind, and the blocks evolution has built into his host, how is he going to convince her the sky is falling?
A conversation about fat naked cats got me thinking about Jabba the Hut, which means you lucky guys and gals get Star Wars for this Focus!
Science Fiction on the Web
- The Verge clues us in about an absolutely awesome History of Science Fiction poster.
- A popular actress talks about how Science Fiction Allows Me To Be Color and Gender-Blind on Hollywood.com.
- Nicolas Caballero has an interesting essay on ImpactNottingham about Why Science Fiction is Essential.
- The Nerdist offers a look at the trailer for John Carpenter’s new Tales of Science Fiction comics series.
- From the Boston Herald comes a science fiction to science fact with worrying implications with cyber implants.
- Geekwire has a fun read about NASA funding ideas from science fiction.
- Aww, lookit, this Paramount Executive Blames White-Washing Controversy for Ghost in the Shell Flopping.
- And from Tor, we have a cover (and a few spreads!) for the new Greg Manchess’ Above the Timberline graphic novel.
- Looking forward to the new Star Wars: Thrawn novel? Unbound Worlds has a spoiler-free review!
- Solid review of Soylent Green from Indie Sci-Fi Gems.
Yes I could also watch The Day after Tomorrow over and over again – in fact when I look at it most of the movies that I can just chill with – like background noise almost – are disaster movies, don’t know what that’s all about.
Oh Well!
Lynn 😀
I’m glad I’m not the only one! That is a good point though. What does make them such good background noise?