DeathHammer

http://www.imdb.com/features/rto/2006/oscars

Best Motion Picture of the Year

Winner:

Crash (2004) - Paul Haggis, Cathy Schulman

Other Nominees:

Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Diana Ossana, James Schamus

Capote (2005) - Caroline Baron, William Vince, Michael Ohoven

Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - Grant Heslov

Munich (2005) - Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Winner:

Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote (2005)

Other Nominees:

Terrence Howard for Hustle & Flow (2005)

Heath Ledger for Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Joaquin Phoenix for Walk the Line (2005)

David Strathairn for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Winner:

Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line (2005)

Other Nominees:

Judi Dench for Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)

Felicity Huffman for Transamerica (2005)

Keira Knightley for Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Charlize Theron for North Country (2005)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Winner:

George Clooney for Syriana (2005)

Other Nominees:

Matt Dillon for Crash (2004)

Paul Giamatti for Cinderella Man (2005)

Jake Gyllenhaal for Brokeback Mountain (2005)

William Hurt for A History of Violence (2005)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Winner:

Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener (2005)

Other Nominees:

Amy Adams for Junebug (2005)

Catherine Keener for Capote (2005)

Frances McDormand for North Country (2005)

Michelle Williams for Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Best Achievement in Directing

Winner:

Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Other Nominees:

George Clooney for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)

Paul Haggis for Crash (2004)

Bennett Miller for Capote (2005)

Steven Spielberg for Munich (2005)

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Winner:

Crash (2004) - Paul Haggis, Robert Moresco

Other Nominees:

Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - George Clooney, Grant Heslov

Match Point (2005) - Woody Allen

The Squid and the Whale (2005) - Noah Baumbach

Syriana (2005) - Stephen Gaghan

Looks a little like the TOS Viper Launch Station set as well.

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One thing to consider about Kat is almost all her Viper time was in combat conditions. Given Galacticas shortage of pilots, particularly after Hand Of God, shes probably always up in the air as well. That has got to accelerate her learning curve alot. If there hasn't been a war in 40 years and no internal conflict between humans like Macross had, then I'd guess no one outside of the nearly retired like Tigh and Adama have seen actual combat. I guess its gotten to the point where the unskilled and the unlucky have been weeded out already, no matter how much formal training they have. Kat was probably fortunate enough to be lucky in the early stages when she probably wasn't very good.

I thought Apollo shooting Bill Duke was interesting, but like the previous two episodes, it feels like they are jam packing the episodes with material that could probably play out over half a season. And I think the show misses the Helo/Boomer on Caprica angle. There really isn't much for Boomer to do anymore than cry in her cell while Helo is holding the big black plastic phone.

I think its becoming more clear that the writers really don't know where to take the Lee Adama character. At first it just seemed he was idealistic and a little naive around Bastille Day, now hes just a headcase. Maybe Moore thinks a complete about face from the TOS characters will give them their own identities. Works with Starbuck to a degree. But taking the TOS Apollo , who was almost too carbon copy perfect to believe, to this doubting metrosexual Lee Adama is kind of a stretch. I guess making Lee the whipping boy for most of Season 1 is going to make it hard to see him as anything else. I think Hand Of God was a good episode, not just because of the combat, but because Apollo was redeemed as a character. Then they have him turn his gun on Tigh and turn on his father and its been downhill ever since.

Again its humorous to see how Roslin develops. Shes a classic manipulator who will use anyone to get ahead. Theres nothing really redeeming or positive about her character anymore. The reveal that shows she was banging Adar only makes her less likeable. What I don't get is how Roslin is portrayed as such a lackluster human being but the show keeps pushing her as some kind of hero. The Blackbird should have been named 'Bill' not 'Laura' and how Adama ever forgave her is beyond comprehension. Its interesting the show never makes an open issue of feminism but Moore shortchanges all the male characters like Apollo, which IMHO makes the show weaker. At least Baltar is openly a selfish jerk, Roslin tries to hide her agenda behind her 'I'm just a schoolteacher' schtick. The magic blood cure was a cop out. Roslin should have died. Not because shes an unsympathetic character because it would have the honest way to handle the character without hitting the Big Red Magic Reset Button.

Shows still good, the last few episodes kind of buckled though IMO.

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POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD FOR EP 16/18-20 ***

(Actor chosen for new Cyclon)

http://scifipulse.net/battlestarnews/Stock...alaneyOnBG.html

Dana Delaney & Dean Stockwell To Guest On Galactica

Source TGL

30 December 2005

By Ian M. Cullen

The Great link has reported that Dean Stockwell and Dana Delaney will make somewhat prominent guest starring roles in the final two episodes of the 2 nd season of Ron Moore’s re-imagining of the Classic 70’s series Battlestar Galactica.

TGL quoted from two reports, which originated at The Hollywood North Report and the Subject2Discussion Internet talk show.

Dean Stockwell who is much loved by Genre fans for his role as Al in the Classic TV show Quantum Leap will be portraying one of the new Cylon roles in the series. Stockwell will play Brother Cavel in the two-part season finale of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, titled ‘Lay down your Burdens’. Brother Cavel is believed to be part of the Cylon religious order.

Apparently Boomer Cylon and Number Six will play a key role in the episode as the two Cylon representatives who petition the colonial fleet for peace.

Dana Delaney best know for (CHINA BEACH) will guest star in episode 2/16 ‘Sacrifice’ as a terrorist.

Also, the latest issue of TV Guide Magazine reveals details of Episode 2x18, ‘Downloaded’, in which we'll see how the Cylon consciousness is downloaded into another version of Number Six as they die.

Baltar will also apparently become a temp president of the fleet in the final few episodes while Laura Roslin recovers from her Cancer.

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Larger shot of the Flat Top here.

http://www.galacticastation.com/Galactica%.../hephaestus.htm

Can't tell if those two turrets on the deck are weapons or something else. Would seem reasonable for non passenger vessels to have some kind of defense. If those are guns, curious if there was piracy or a consistent threat of piracy in known shipping lanes. ( Be interesting to see Galactica run into some pirates)

Question for any of the pilots, there were some terms in BSG during some Viper combat that I wondered if they were similiar to actual modern terms. Tried looking a few of these up online and no luck so far.

1) "Tone and Lock"

2) "No Joy" ( or what sounded like that)

3) "Bingo Fuel" ( guessing it means out of fuel. Does 'Bingo' apply to everything that way then? I.E. if you are out of something, do you say 'Bingo [FILL IN THE BLANK]'? )

Heres another interesting bit, heres a shot of the BSG board that Apollo uses to organize his roster.

http://img41.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=lo...=8eb5f_bsg1.jpg

This accurate for modern day? Any insight into what the abbreviations/numbers mean in some of those categories?

Thanks in advance.

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I've never seen the Flat Top in an episode, but its on the website. Maybe its in some deep background shots that go by real quickly.

Heres another oddity from the Production Art section. Not sure if these are the weapons batteries above the flight tubes or something else altogether.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR EP19/20 AHEAD***

http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=2482

"Information on Battlestar Galactica's Season 2 cliffhanger was revealed on Shaunomac's Subject2Discussion show by none other than Koenigrules (aka Jim Iaccino) this Tuesday night, January 24, 2006 at 11:40 EST.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Apparently, Boomer and Six propose an armistice and put some of the Galactica's officers and civilians within an internment-like camp on a planet. The humans cannot escape and if any of the fleet approach the planet, they will be nuked.

Questions arise as to whether the Demand Peace pacifistic movement is involved in the armistice as civilians are mentioned. It was also speculated as to whether the Six model is really Gina, one of the Demand Peace agents revealed in Episode 212, "Epiphanies." Also rumors abound as to whether the Pegasus gets blown up, possibly by one of the nuclear devices that the Cylons possess. Could this be Baltar's device that was given to Gina (also shown in "Epiphanies")?

Editing of this episode is still continuing, but it sounds like a dynamite story line to end Galactica's second season.

Season 3 resumes filming on April 3 with the first batch of 10 episodes. An interim period will occur in August, and then filming will start on the final 10 episodes in September.

The full interview with Koenigrules can be heard on ipod at the following link: http://podcasts.lvrocks.com/rss.aspx?channelid=5 "

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Found this. Short Cylon commercial that ran during the last episodes commercial break. Quality isn't great, but the overseas guys who are torrenting the show, the torrents probably cut the commercial out.

http://s53.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0KCCUQC...T22DDZC9YSYTG75

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At work so don't have time for a full reply, but doesn't the military exist to protect civilians? If not, you're talking Sparta, right?

Well, thats a pretty knotty question, one that Moore probably uses to create discussion for the show that parallels real life.

There was a pretty interesting scene with Adama and Roslin somewhere in Season 1 where there was trouble on one of the ships and Adama is reluctant to send his forces in to restore order. Then Roslin says the Colonial Fleet is all anyone has left. Adama pops off a good quote -

There's a reason you separate military and the police. One fights the enemies of the state, the other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people.

In the case of BSG, the Colonial Fleet protects and polices the civilians because they are the only organized trained force left. It appears Adama has reservations about taking this role, but its the complicated situation again where questions about whats best for the people ( Adamas point) is countered by questions of pure survival ( Roslins point) Which is kind of odd and interesting at the same time because you'd probably think the positions would be reversed on that point.

I think Adama point is shown again with Cain. She will do whatever it takes to win, but at what point do you become a bigger liability to your people hunting the enemy than the actual enemy itself? At what point do the people used to democracy get frustrated by not having a say in their own survival? Before he died, Mario Puzo wrote some interesting commentary on the idea of justice/policing the masses in The Godfather. There was the dirty Police Captain McCluskey, who derived his power from the people, but at the same time held them in contempt because they constantly subverted his power and the ability to do real good. I'm guessing Puzo uses this to explain McCluskeys corruption and why he was on the take from the Mob.

I see Cain that way, her personal power came from the pre war Fleet and the Colonies. But at the same time she holds contempt for the leftover civilians, they slow her down, they complicate the already burdensome issue of survival. Suddenly it becomes complicated - whether a society keeps its virtues bcause there are no more Cains. But you wonder if those virtues are a byproduct of the basic survival that those Cains have provided. Even though I didn't like the Starbuck / Cain dynamic and how Cain storyline was set up to further marginalize both Adamas, it would have been interesting to have seen her long term effects on the fleet if she survived at least until the end of Season 2.

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The other pilot in the Raptor was Racetrack.

Looks like Art Asylum is releasing minis of BSG, both classic TOS and the new series.

"Battlestar Galactica Minimates: The Definitive List

************************************************

* all characters are 2" size unless otherwise noted

C=Classic, M=Modern

Announced Characters

- Adama (C,M)

- Apollo (C,M)

- Baltar (C,M)

- Boomer (C,M)

- Cylon (C,M)

- Muffit ( C )

- Six ( M )

- Starbuck (C,M)

Classic Line

4-Packs

- Adama, Apollo, Cylon & Baltar

2-Packs

- Apollo & Adama

- Baltar & Cylon

- Starbuck & Muffit

- Starbuck & Boomer

Single pack w/ Vehicle

- Viper vehicle with Apollo

- Raider vehicle with Cylon

Modern Line

4-Packs

- Adama, Apollo, Cylon, & Six

2-Packs

- Boomer & Cylon

- Baltar & Six

- Apollo & Adama

- Starbuck & Cylon

Single pack w/ Vehicle

- Viper vehicle with Starbuck

- Raider vehicle with Cylon"

POTENTIAL SPOILERS PICS

Not great quality, but looks like Starbuck is kissing Apollo and Kat looks like shes giving Starbuck a knuckle sandwich.

All things considered, I didn't like this episode. The cancer plotline was wrapped up pretty quick consider the long buildup since the miniseries. The idea of the nuke making it off the Galactica seems to be a stretch as well. Though they haven't shown Apollos complete backstory yet pre Galactica, it would be interesting if the current situation represents a second chance for him as well. (Roslin - soon to be fired. Adama - soon to hang it all up. Starbuck - still guilty over Zak's death. Tigh - nearly torched himself as a drunk. )

The nice aspects of the episode were the shots of the Vipers and the ammunition factory. Its good to see the Galactica can create some of their own supplies.

The Roslin story is still uneven all the way around. Theres not much to be sympathetic with concerning the character but the story plays her that way. Its unfortunate that some of the storylines looked forced to give her something to do. And its unfortunate the lack of combat/sense of urgency to avoid a Cylon attack/lack of budget means more of these political storylines move to the front. Its a fine line to add personal politics into an artistic medium ( Clancy essentially killed his Jack Ryan series this way) and I hope Moore doesn't overdo it.

And if people want to stack someone into an ignore list, so be it. I average somewhere between one to two posts a day. If there are folks who lack the personal discipline to skip over the one or two posts a day without technical assistance, personally I think thats pretty sad.

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If the Colonial Fleet saw 40 years of uninterrupted peace, including no human vs human conflict, theres arguably not going to be very much innovation. With the Cylons apparently gone, it wouldn't be hard to see President Adar and his predecessors want to fund more schools versus more BattleStars. No threat = No need to innovate = No money for the Colonial Fleet.

Obviously factors that aren't known would make a difference

- How many BattleStars were in operation during the height of the war 40 years ago? Its possible the 120 BattleStars during the miniseries could represent a fraction of previous ship strength.

- Since the Cylons are part organic, how long does it take to build a Cylon from scratch? Do Cylons repair damaged ships or just build new ones to replace losses due to attrition?

- Are the Cylons limiting their numbers, not because of resources, but so they don't repeat the mistakes humans made? The humans made Cylons and it bit them in the ass later. Humanity underestimated its own creation. I would think the Cylons would be twice as wary of building too many complex/advanced cylons that might eventually turn against their own. I believe this was a plot point for some of the Terminator novels. At what point does SkyNet create bigger and better Terminators to send back to kill John Conner and risk making a machine you can no longer control?

- Was waiting 40 years just a resource move? (i.e. do the Cylons need this long to assemble a large enough force to wipe out humanity) Or was it a purely strategic move? ( All the veterans of the war earlier are Adamas/Tighs age. That the Colonial Fleet probably had so few battle hardened veterans around probably aided in the confusion/chaos/clusterf.uck factor during the miniseries. While Cain might done ok considering her situation, other pencil pushing Commanders might have cracked under real fire)

Well, from a historical standpoint, during WW2, the Russians used the 'human wave' attack theory. Basically they sent wave after wave of cannon fodder towards the enemy. The raw numbers they had over the German Army was one advantage they possessed. The Germans however, even til the end of the war, continued to train its officers at length compared to other nations before sending them into the meat grinder. I guess the basic idea was fewer more competent officers were more useful than rushed less competent ones in greater numbers. Certain principles and tactics used by the Germans in WW2 are still copied in modern military forces today.

I would guess the Cylons have numerical superiority. The BSG website says BaseStars can carry from 250 to 400 Cylon Raiders. Looks like the strategy was to simply swarm the enemy until it couldn't hold out any longer. I was always taught that attacking a defended position, even with the element of surprise, it was essential to maintain a 3 to 1 ratio. I.E. for every defender, you better have three guys attacking. I don't think the Cylons would have hedged everything on their virus attack, my personal guess is they probably had the numbers to win via attrition as well.

Even if the Cylons were spread thin, I'm not sure they would have a hard time holding the Colonies. Theres radiation poisoning. Communications systems are down. Pockets of resistance seen so far only have small arms and limited/no military training or personnel. And while humans get sick, get tired, get weaker, the Cylons can just keep going. And with Cylon air superiority in the Colonies, I think any resistance would be hard pressed to last for long.