Mission Hill is one of those shows that should have found an audience from the beginning. It was an animated show created by Josh Weinstein and Bill Oakley, two former showrunners of The Simpsons who wrote and/or produced some of the series’ most brilliant episodes. (Full disclosure: Josh is my brother, so I’m probably pretty biased. On the other hand, I doubt that calling The Simpsons “brilliant” is going to be particularly controversial.) Originally aired on the WB, Mission Hill was very smart and very funny–and it was canceled very quickly.
It later went on to acquire something of a cult fanbase through late-night airings on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and via various file-swapping networks, but it was otherwise damned hard to find. Fortunately, in further proof that DVD is becoming a refuge for brilliant-but-underappreciated shows, all 13 episodes of Mission Hill are coming out on DVD in November. I don’t know about you, but I’m ordering me a copy.
Paging Warren Specter
Last week, I visited the laboratory of a friend who is a chemistry professor. It was a narrow room, with two doors–the one we had entered in, and another one at the other end. We couldn’t reach the other door, though, because about two thirds of the way down, the lab was blocked by a large desk which, for no visible reason, had been wedged in place there.
My first thought was, “This is rather clichéd level design.”
My second thought was, “I’ve got to stop spending so much time playing first-person shooters.”
The Government Bureau of Superheroics
If you are deeply interested in donning skintight spandex and fighting crime–which is to say, if you are a normal human being–you might want to visit The Government Bureau of Superheroics.
Snakes On A Plane: Part II
At great personal risk, we here at Yankee Fog have obtained an exclusive sneak look at the trailer for the upcoming prestige film Snakes On A Plane. We are pleased to present you, our readers, with a complete and unedited transcript.
VOICE OVER: In a world where snakes can get on a plane…
FADE IN ON: An airline check-in counter. The TICKET LADY is stamping somebody’s ticket.
On the other side of the ticket counter is the passenger: a snake. In an effort to look more human, the snake is wearing a false moustache and an old-fashioned bowler hat.
Snakes On A Plane
If you are like most Americans, you are probably asking yourself, “How can I educate myself about the important issue of snakes on a plane?” Fortunately, New Line Cinema has prepared an educational film on this very subject, starring Samuel L. Jackson. The IMDB currently lists it under the rather unillustrative title of Pacific Air Flight 121, but Samuel L Jackson himself has assured the world that if he is starring in a movie about snakes on a plane, it damn well better be called “Snakes On A Plane.”
Mr. Jackson is not the only one who feels passionately about the subject. Josh Friedman–co-author of the recent smash War of the Worlds–tried unsuccessfully to get hired to write “Snakes On A Plane,” and speaks eloquently of the surging power of the phrase “Snakes On A Plane”.
We here at Yankee Fog will be following this issue closely, and promise to update you on any breaking “Snakes On A Plane” news. In the meantime, you may want to reflect upon this list of possible sequels.
UPDATE: I’ve posted an exclusive sneak preview ofthe Snakes on a Plane trailer.
A Vital Addition To Any Curriculum
I recently stumbled across an online textbook seller who is offering The Government Manual for New Superheroes for sale right next to other reference works like “Grade 10 Testing Reading and Writing Workbook” . I was especially amused to see that even a volume aimed at costumed crimefighters is subject to the same markup that applies to all textbooks–this guy is selling the Government Manual for a full $4 above the cover price.
I like to imagine some teacher clicking the wrong button and buying two dozen copies of our book when she meant to buy “Government in Canada,” and then having to structure her curriculum around us, instead.
It’s Supposed To Be The Queen’s Park
TimeOut magazine has a regular feature where they ask the same question to a driver of a black cab and drivers of a minicab and compare the answer. Last week, the question was, “What bylaw would you introduce if you were mayor?” I enjoyed the black cab driver’s answer:
A Mother Earth That Dared Send Two Of Her Sons
The Smoking Gun has the memo that speechwriter William Safire prepared for President Nixon in case the Apollo XI astronauts were trapped on the moon. It’s a rather remarkable document, and a reminder of just how risky the Apollo mission was, and how brave the men were who undertook it.
Via Metafilter
In A World Where Movie Trailers Rule…
A couple of years ago, my friend Rob showed me a hysterical short film featuring the handful of guys who do every movie trailer voice over you’ve ever heard, all sitting around in the same car. Alas, Rob lost the tape, and I was never able to see it again.
Now, one man has put that short film online. Five Men And A Limo. See it–before it sees you.
Via Metafilter
Behind the Scenes of the new Wallace & Gromit Movie
A few months ago, I visited the set of the new feature-length Wallace and Gromit movie The Curse of the Were-Rabbit to direct a behind-the-scenes documentary short I directed for Moviefone. Nick Park is one of my personal writer/director gods, but I managed to keep my inner fanboy in check for the course of the set visit.
We ended up shooting enough footage for two shorts, and they’re both now up at Moviefone. The first one is on the history of Ardman Animation and Wallace & Gromit in general, and the second is a behind-the-scenes look at The Curse of the Were-Wolf in particular. As you’d expect from a detailed behind-the-scenes look, there are some minor spoilers in the second one, although they’re mainly limited to things like glimpses of new characters, and some hints about the plot. It gives away much less than, say, the film’s trailer; the focus is on how the animators work, rather than what story they’re telling.
Oh, and by the way: as part of the visit, I got to watch the first third or so of the film. It looks really, really, really good, but if you’ve seen any of the Wallace and Gromit shorts, you probably don’t need me to tell you just how brilliant Nick Park and his crew are. (And if you haven’t seen them–good God, man, go out and rent The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave this instant. Both of them are about as perfect as films can be.)