Friday was my Hall H marathon. Got up early and lined up to see the Warner Bros. mega-panel. Here we go!

WARNER BROS.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Panel: Max Records
They showed a little featurette with Spike Jonze and Maurice Sendak talking about the book and the movie version. Then we saw a few scenes and they look fantastic. This is a movie that will probably make me cry like a baby. It's so beautiful and heartfelt and augh. Cannot wait to see it.

I gotta say, it must be something truly amazing to be a young kid, walking onto stage and looking out to see an ocean of 6500 people, cheering for you. Rock on, Max Records. He was so nervous, he read off of his hand. So cute.

THE BOOK OF ELI
Panel: Albert and Allen Hughes, Mila Kunis, Gary "Goddamn" Oldman and Denzel "Fuckin'" Washington
I had heard nothing about this movie when I walked into the hall, but wowee, what a panel. They showed a motion comic explaining the backstory of Oldman's villain and then the trailer - and holy crap, where did this movie come from, how did I not see this coming. Slick, stylish post-apocalyptic action movie, right up my alley. Denzel kicks some ass.

The panel was great. I was not expecting to get to see both Gary Oldman and Denzel Washington, but here they are. Denzel is a really funny, personable guy.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
Panel: Producers Andrew Form and Bradley Fuller, Jackie Earle Haley
This, for me, was the highlight because GO SPRY! They made this because of words you wrote. You finally get your chance to shine and it's in COMIC CON. High fives forever.

First peek at the trailer, it looks great, echoes of the original but updated, a little bit edgier, darker. Haley looks like a really scary Freddy and the make-up is both true to the original but new at the same time.

As a horror fan, truly pumped about this movie.

THE BOX
Panel: Richard Kelly, Cameron Diaz, James Marsden
The movie looks like an interesting short that was stretched to something unwieldy and confusing, but that seems to be true of most of Richard Kelly's work. Highlight of this panel was Cameron Diaz spoiling the whole movie. http://www.sadtrombone.com

They gave away a replica of the box itself, which was cool, and there's a mini-box keychain in the WB freebie bag, which is also cool. But the movie... eh. DVD maybe.

JONAH HEX
Panel: Jimmy Hayward, Michael Fassbender, Megan Fox and Josh Brolin
Premiere of the trailer - looks interesting, yay for westerns. I've always liked the Jonah Hex character, so I'm glad to see it come to the big screen but... it looks a little too slick for its own good. Meh.

Here's what I learned from the panel. People think Megan Fox is hot, and she plays it up. How many times can one person "casually" lick their lips and upper teeth while just sitting there. Ugh. I can't stand her.

Brolin, on the other hand, is someone I want to have a beer with.

SHERLOCK HOLMES
Panel: Producers Joel Silver, Susan Downey, writer Lionel Wigram, Rachel McAdams and ROBERT DOWNEY, JR.
I was already excited for this one, but now I am doubly excited. What a fun, fun movie and fun, fun panel. RDJ is, as always, hilarious and fun and insightful all at the same time. I actually don't have much to report on this one except for "it was awesome." So there you go, I guess.

And that wraps it up for the Warner Bros. panel.

Next up:
DISNEY ANIMATION
I don't really care too much about this one - I mean I love Pixar and John Lasseter but I don't care enough to do a write-up. You can read about what happened here: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=57495

I will say the following things, though: Beauty and the Beast in 3D is spectacular. Miyazaki looks like a Japanese Colonel Sanders. That is all.

Next up:
9
Panel: Shane Acker, Tim Burton, Timur Bekmambetov, Elijah Wood, and Jennifer Connelly
Nothing really new here - mostly the trailer which we've all seen, and a scene that actually contains many of the shots seen in the trailer.

Really glad to see something like this happen for Acker - to go from "hey here's a short I did, hope you like it" to "holy crap I've got 'Edward Scissorhands' and 'Nightwatch' helping me make a feature-length film." That's really cool.

Jennifer Connelly is gorgeous, blows Megan Fox out of the water. Okay I'm done.

Next up:
SONY

Legion
Panel: Director Scott Stewart, Doug Jones, Adrianne Palicki, Tyrese Gibson, and Paul Bettany
Trailer opens with an ice cream truck trundling through the desert. An ice cream man steps out - it's Doug Jones. He proceeds to grow his limbs, unhinge his jaw, and spider walk while screaming towards camera. This is a movie about angels, I guess? Evil angels with guns and swords and tattoos? I don't know for sure.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that Doug Jones is really spindly - long thin limbs. It's kinda creepy actually.

The movie itself - probably a pass. It looks like another case of "too slick for its own good" and the concept is stupid.

District 9
Panel: Director Neill Blomkamp, actor Sharlto Copley and producer Peter "God of Geeks" Jackson
Jackson took the stage and prefaced the panel by saying that no, there were not going to be any Hobbit casting announcements any time soon. They are about to finish the first draft of the script, which means no budget yet, which means no casting. Basically a "piss off with the Hobbit, let's talk about District 9" announcement.

The footage - oh my god. This movie. I wasn't anticipating so much action but it seems to work. Intense, scary, uncomfortable. Really truly on my "must watch ASAP" list. I also love that the movie is improvised - there's a storyline, but no script. So the actual dialogue is all actor-created.

There's a good write up here: http://www.daemonsmovies.com/2009/07/25/district-9-comic-con-2009-panel/

Jackson looks so different after shedding all that weight. Holy crap.

I didn't get to stay the whole time because I was off to...

THE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA ORCHESTRA
Live at the House of Blues, Bear McCreary led his orchestra in a performance of the BSG soundtrack for three nights. I worked the VIP table for Friday night, in exchange for free VIP admittance to the concert.

The guest list contained pretty much every cast member, and Joss Whedon. I was so excited. Oh boy oh boy. But alas, he was a no-show.

I did get to check in Richard Hatch and Edward James Olmos. I worked with EJO to get some other people into the show, and added some last-minute additions to the list (who I will reveal shortly). So basically what I'm saying is, Edward James Olmos leaned over my shoulder and breathed in my face for a bit. Aw yeah.

I also checked in David Eick, the co-creator of the new BSG. That was cool.

And the show...

Wow.

I walk in, on the VIP balcony and there on stage is Olmos and Grace Park, announcing the line-up for the night.

Bear McCreary's orchestra puts on a show. It's... I can't even describe it. Live, in person, in the venue, it's incredible. I really hope he takes them on tour so more people can see them perform. Also they need to do an album because the "band" orchestration of the soundtrack is fantastic, especially "Prelude to War."

This night in particular was special because the line producer of the show, Ron French, passed away the night before. The show became a sort of tribute to him, as Michael Hogan (Tigh) came on stage (a tiny bit drunk) and talked about Ron, his voice cracking and Edward James Olmos holding back tears. Then more music.

Near the end, Edward James Olmos announced "a few guests" - Richard Hatch! Nikki Clyne (Cally)! Director Michael Nankin! Michael Trucco (Anders!) Michelle Forbes (Admiral Cain)! And JAMES CALLIS (Baltar)! They all took a few moments to talk about what Ron French meant to them and what the show meant to them.



If you take one thing away from this write-up, let it be this: When Edward James Olmos turns to the audience and shouts "SO SAY WE ALL," you can't help but shout it back, until your lungs hurt.

Then the finale - Prelude to War, Kara Remembers and All Along the Watchtower. Explosive. I don't do live music very often but this tops it, by far and away. I count myself lucky to have been there.

Then I went back to the hotel and collapsed. There are still two more days to go.

COMING UP... Saturday (Lost, witnessing an accident, margaritas) and Sunday (wandering the floor, going home)