lay_of_luthien (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lay_of_luthien) wrote2007-08-24 04:59 pm
lay_of_luthien) wrote2007-08-24 04:59 pm
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Heroes Entertainment Weekly DVD Review and Kristen Bell interview
There's a reason why the adventures of Superman rank among the most enduring stories ever told (69 uninterrupted years and counting): Superheroes speak to the part of us-and we all have it-that hopes, deep down, that we're special. By tapping into our longing, these tales become legend. The one who can fly. The mad scientist. The one who's invulnerable. The Jekyll-and-Hyde. The one who can teleport. The psychic. The seer. And that's why people flocked to Heroes: because it was filled with stories that we already knew, presented in a completely different way.
Harnessing the geek critical mass that's been building since the first Spider-flick back in '02, a host of newly superpowered characters: Claire (Panettiere), the very hard-bodied cheerleader; service-oriented brothers Peter and Nathan Petrelli (Milo Ventimiglia and Adrian Pasdar): Hiro Nakamura (Oka), the nerdalicious wage slave; Niki Sanders (Larter), a single mom living twin lives; and Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg), the cop who hears too much. And Heroes learned from the mistakes of continuity-laden shows like Lost, which promised fire and delivered smoke: Viewered were constantly rewarded their vigilance with a series of mini-arcs ("Save the cheerleader...,""Are you on the list?" etc.)that provided closure while dangling new threads.
The problem with rewarding vigilance is that the vigilant have already gotten their reward. There's not as much joy in rewatching a show that thrived on unraveling twisted plots and discovering hidden connections. At best, you'll check out the first episode again, if only to see how deftly the seeds were planted. But for real kicks, unlock the Fortress of Bonus Features and watch the unaired 73-minute version of the pilot. Creator Tim Kring's commentary walks you through the many changes that took place before that first chapter aired- most notably an entire terrorism subplot that was dropped, partly because of a scene of an Islamic extremist hanging himself didn't suit what NBC thought might make a good 8 p.m. show. With that plot intact, we meet Parkman in a whole new way, and the flaming train crash in Odessa, Tex., isn't just an accident. The rest of the extras are what you'd expect from a TV boxed set: occasionally worthwhile deleted scenes (e.g., Parkman explaining the downside of his power to Claire by using a Twilight Zone reference that's completely lost on the teen), making-of docs, the odd commentary from the cast and crew.
For veterans, the pilot alone will make this set worth buying. For those of you who waited until now to hop on Heroes' cape tails...yes, you will believe a man can fly. A-
If playing Veronica Mars for three years didn't solidify her placement at the center of the geek universe, then this surely will: Kirsten Bell will appear on NBC's Heroes this fall for a multi-episode arc. "Saying you're a nerd is now the cool thing to do," notes Bell, 27, who also plays a Star Wars fanatic in Fanboys (out January 2008) and headlines next summer's Forgetting Sarah Marshall, from producer Judd Apatow. "The fansites are obsessed with her...It's [her] very approachable charm," explains Fanboys director Kyle Newman, Quips Marshall co-producer Rodney Rothman, "I guess she's cornered the market on losers. The girl's got chops, man." And she can also speak for herself. without further ado...
EW What's life been like since Mars?
KB Right after Veronica Mars wrapped [in April], I left for Hawaii [ to film Marshall]. I was on cloud nine, obviously, because I was getting to work with Judd Apatow's group. I'd really wanted to be a part of that very small pool of lucky actors.
EW What's the film about?
KB It is about a guy whose girlfriend breaks up with him, and they'd [had] this trip planned for Hawaii and neither of them thinks the other is going to take advantage of it. So they [end] up in Hawaii; she's with her new boyfriend, and chaos ensues.
EW Sounds like it was a change from The CW.
KB I was knee-deep in improv. Being able to come up with my own stuff and [being asked], "What would you like your character to do here?" It was a lovely experience.
EW The Apatow films are doing really well. For a while, it was nothing but PG-14 comedies.
KB I have the mouth of a sailor. I have to remember not to drop the F-bombs when I'm ordering my lunch. Nothing is supposed to be offensive about it, it's just mean to be real.
EW So tell us about Fanboys
KB These Star Wars nerds drive cross-country to break into George Lucas' ranch and steal a print of [The Phantom Menace] so that their friend with a terminal illness can see it before it comes out.
EW You sort of have fanboys of your own. Are you happy about that?
KB I'm really flattered. I love nerds. Comic-Con junkies are the tastemakers of tomorrow. Isn't that funny? The tables have turned. They're a fiercely intelligent audience, which makes filmmakers want to please them. But I'm looking for the fangirl to come out of her shell a little, to be more accepted.
EW All right, you've held out long enough: What's up with Heroes?
KB I'm on a sugar high, to be totally honest. For me, starting a new project is kind of like switching high schools- that feeling of excitement and nerves. And because everyone is so nice and I know so many people involved, I feel like I'm switching high schools- but one that a lot of my friends have already transferred to.
EW You're king of the go-to girl these days. You're also narrating The CW's fall drama Gossip Girl. And we hear that Lost was trying to scoop you up?
KB I'm flattered that I would even be considered for the other roles. [But] I was really excited when there was the prospect of working in town and on one of the best shows on television. There comes a point where I'd like to fall asleep in my own bed.
EW What can you tell us about your role?
KB [Elle] comes in with a bang. She's a bit of a criminal in the beginning. I'm not even sure if they know whether she's going to be bad or good. She has a link to H.R.G. and Peter. She becomes integral to the mystery on the show.
EW Did you have to do a table read or go out and audition for the producers?
KB No, I didn't. Doesn't that feel like I'm on another planet? It's flattering. Everyone has the right to see actors audition [so] they get what's right for their projects. But when you has someone coming to you saying, "I know you're right," it just makes you blush. I'm over the moon.
Kristen looks adorable in the Chewbacca shirt so I couldn't resist making a couple of icons. 1
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I didn't think it was possible to love KB any more than I do...but now I do.
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Why do I not have a KB icon? This needs to be remedied.
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But I'm looking for the fangirl to come out of her shell a little, to be more accepted.
Makes me love her. How the hell do we get her for an interview, dammit??
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The only groan I could accept is a creepy sexual one, which while I understand, I really don't need to hear about.
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Love your avi's and the Zachary pics from Zink up above - nice work with the first especially :)