Casting Call: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

I woke up this morning in a very weird mood. One that I had never been in my life; a Zelda mood. Maybe it’s because I played the new game, Skyward Sword, at Best Buy and it was awesome, or maybe I am just that bored on my days off. Either way it’s all that’s been on my mind today, but more importantly was the idea that nobody has made a Legend of Zelda movie yet.

It’s been 25 years since Link and Zelda first came to game consoles and was created one of the original quest games. In 25 years we’ve seen all the other popular video games on the big screen. Super Mario Bros., Double Dragon, Mortal Kombat, Doom, Street Figher, and even Prince of Persia have all been made into major motion pictures and all have been complete disasters. But in this age where Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings reign supreme I feel like a Zelda movie would be awesome if done properly.

There have been many Zelda video games throughout the years, all with different stories and none of them in chronological order. The nearest to my heart was the last one I ever really played, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This also seems like the Zelda game with the most complicated and complex storyline. This game originally came out on the Nintendo 64, back when I still had no idea what a woman’s breast felt like. Needless to say after that experience I didn’t see the point of video games anymore. With the right cast and budget I feel this movie could be huge and break the video game curse.

SAM HUNTINGTON AS LINK

In every Legend of Zelda game the hero has always been Link. In Ocarina of Time Link is a simple man who lives in a small village in the kingdom of Hyrule. Link gets a nightmare one day that sets his journey in motion. Along the way he meets Princess Zelda, the evil Ganondorf, and wields the Master Sword. He is the every-man, which is a great character to center a film around.

Sam Huntington is the every-man. He’s played Jimmy Olsen in Superman Returns, and had the lead in the small film Fanboys. Now he’s a werewolf in ScyFy’s Being Human. Huntington has a charming quality about him for being the underdog and someone the audience can empathize with. The intense action sequences might be something new for the actor but I think he could pull it off.

ASHLEY GREENE AS PRINCESS ZELDA

In Ocarina of Time Zelda must seek Links help to stop Ganondorf from obtaining the Triforce, which can be a little difficult after Ganondorf kidnaps her and obtains the Triforce of Power. Zelda disguises herself as an aid to Link named Sheik, and reveals her true self when the final battle between Link and Ganondorf is upon them. At the end of the video game Zelda sends Link back in time to meet, well, her.

Zelda is smart, beautiful, and can teach Link a thing or two from what I gather. Ashley Greene is best known for her role as Alice in the Twilight films, but I loved her as the girl-next-door in Skateland. She’s got the beauty and brains to bring this legendary game character to life. Just try not to fall in love with her, I dare ya.

SELENA GOMEZ AS NAVI

Peter Pan had Tinkerbell and Link has Navi. Navi appears to him after his nightmare about Ganondorf and stays by his side the entire game. She helps out when Link is in trouble and is the best companion Link could ask for, aside from his horse. Selena Gomez has made a name for herself as a teen idol, and to play a fairy you need someone who seems innocent and non-threating. This role could give Gomez the break-out she needs into more serious films while bringing in the tweeners who may not have ever played Ocarina of Time. If Julia Roberts can play a fairy I think it’s safe to say anyone can.

CLANCY BROWN AS GANONDORF

Ganondorf is the Gerudo King of Thieves and is looking to seize the Triforce so that he can rule Hyrule. He succeeds, for a while, until Link appears seven years later with the Master Sword in hand and the itchin to kick some ass! The Triforce is split into three, Ganondorf gaining the Triforce of Power, while Link and Zelda have the Triforces of Courage and Wisdom. To play a villain in an epic film you need an epic actor. Clancy Brown is most known for his role as The Kurgan in Highlander, but since then he’s done a lot of small roles as well as a lot of voice acting; one of which being Lex Luthor in Superman: The Animated Series. He’s big, he’s mean, and he can make you quiver with a grin.

ANTHONY HOPKINS AS THE GREAT DEKU TREE

The Great Deku Tree is a mentor to many and the guardian of Link’s village in Hyrule, but Ganondorf has cursed the tree and is slowly dying. Before his death though he is able to pass on to Link the Kokiri’s Emerald and sends him to Hyrule Castle to find Princess Zelda. The emerald turns out to be one of three that Link needs to enter the Sacred Realm and retrieve the Triforce before Ganondorf. Of course the Great Deku Tree will be computer generated but with Sir Anthony Hopkins as his voice it will sooth Link’s worries about his upcoming quest as well as the audience. I rest my case on this one.

Happy Slapsgiving!

You know when you were a kid the holidays meant that you would get time off of school and lots of preseents from your relatives.  But a weird thing happened on the way to getting older.  I stopped caring less about what I got for the holidays and started caring more about who I'm with.  Maybe it's because I have a great family, or maybe it's because I think my parents did a pretty good job of raising me, but the thing I look forward to most during the holidays now is the company of my friends, family, and the overall holiday cheer.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are two days out of the year when we all forget about the crap we having going on and just be thankful for the people we have in our lives. 

Living in Austin does means I am hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away from the people I care about, Like my family and friends in Indiana, and my friends in California, but I am thankful for them being in my life. 

I guess what I'm most thankful for is my wife, Lisa.  At our wedding Albert said, "Shawn, I've known you for a while and I have to say, marrying Lisa is the smartest thing I've seen you do."  I'd have to agree with him on that.  Anyone who knows us knows it was rocky start, but the fact that Lisa chose to spend her life with a schmuck like me makes me the luckiest man in the world.  Something I tell myself every day.

So this year I hope you're spending time with people you care about most, and if your not, at least shoot them a text or Facebook message to let them know you're glad to know them.  Now if you'll excuse me I have a dinner to get to that I've been fasting for all day, and a little boy who I'm sure wants to be read some books.

 

Angel & Faith Come Out Stakes Swinging

This year at the San Diego Comic-Cong Joss Whedon pleased his fans with news that we’ll get more from the world of Dr. Horrible and the crew of Serenity sometime in the future. But for now we’ll all have to cozy up and slumber back into Whedon’s first creation, the Buffyverse. Last year we saw Buffy season 8 in comic book form and Dark Horse regained the rights to Angel comic books from IDW. Now the two characters are back under one house, which means I’m sure you’ll see the characters jump from book to book just like the television shows. My mouth is watering already.

At the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 8 we saw Angel and Buffy get super powers just in time to stop the mystical force known as Twilight. But Angel, under the influence of Twilight, fought Buffy in another epic battle; one that ended with Angel killing Giles and Buffy ending all magic on Earth. Now it’s months later and Angel is finally ready to quit sulking and get back to helping the helpless. He’s crashing at Giles’s place, which is now owned by Faith. The two are digging through the Watcher’s files and continuing the work Giles was doing. But Angel has more in store than just saving people. He’s going to bring Giles back to life. Meanwhile Angel’s old mentor, Whistler, is out to change the world as well, but he doesn’t seem to have the same plan as Angel because he’s got a gang of blood thirsty vampires to help him.

The reappearance of Whistler was a great surprise, one that I can’t wait to see play out. In Buffy season 2 we saw that Whistler was the one who got Angel out of the gutter and out into the world to help Buffy. I’m not sure what his game is, but I can’t wait for him and Angel to reunite. I’m also looking forward to bringing some of the Angel cast back like Connor or Gunn. It’d be a good idea to read Angel: After the Fall before you read Angel & Faith, but not essential. The team-up of Angel and Faith is great. They both have a lot to atone for, and Angel feels that now more than ever. There is no finer Angel than a brooding one.

I’m not familiar with the writing of Christos Gage. Supposedly he has done a few miniseries comics for Marvel, and written a few episodes of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. So far, with this first issue, he’s got my full attention. I just hope we get to see more characters thrown into the mix, ones that some of us haven’t thought about in years. Buffy season 9 comes out in two weeks to complete this duo of delightful comics. I know Joss is busy finishing The Avengers for next summer’s release but as long as he checks in with these two comics every once and a while I think I’ll be five by five.

DC Has Changed In the Blink of Flashpoint

WARNING THIS CONTAIN SPOILERS TO THE END OF DC’S FLASHPOINT.

Everything you know will change in a flash. That’s what Geoff Johns promised his readers with summer’s blockbuster event from DC Comics. Not other words spoken were ever truer. Soon after the start of Flashpoint DC announced that they were revamping almost all of their titles. After years of reading comic books I knew they weren’t just going to hit the reboot button. The New 52 was going to be the aftermath of Flashpoint.

In 1986 Barry Allen sacrificed himself to save the world in Crisis on Infinite Earths. Barry was lost to a whole generation of comic readers until he appeared once again in 2009’s Final Crisis. It was like readers were getting a brand new Flash, but one that already knew how to be a hero. Little did everyone know Barry’s return would signify the end of the DC Universe as we know it.

Barry wakes up one day in his office and is no longer the Flash. His mother is alive, Aquaman and Wonder Woman are battling for control of the Earth, and Cyborg is the only hero interested in saving it. Barry is stumped as to what has happened so he turns to the world’s greatest detective for answers. Only Bruce isn’t the man behind the cowl anymore, his father Thomas Wayne is Batman. The two soon embark on a mission to gather the world’s superheroes together to try and put things back the way they were. Along the way they find out Superman has become a government lab rat, Captain Marvel is a gang of teenagers, and Lois Lane is helping lead the resistance to stop the coming war.

Barry finally gets his powers back and catches up with his arch-enemy, Professor Zoom. Barry demands he tell him what moment in time he changed so that Barry can go back and fix it. It was then that Zoom revealed that he did nothing, Barry did. Barry went back in time to save his mother and in returned he killed Bruce Wayne and his mother, made sure Kal-El was never found by the Kents, and turned Aquaman and Wonder Woman into bitter ex’s. Barry had to make a choice. It was either the life of his mother, or the life of billions of people. Since the Flash is a super-HERO I think we all know what option he went with.

The pay-off of this miniseries really didn’t come till the last issue. I have never questioned Johns genius, and even though the story lagged most issues, he stayed true to his abilities in the end. Flashpoint was an alternate reality story, but it was the details that made it enjoyable. I didn’t read any of the many spin-off miniseries of Flashpoint so I can only tell you what I like about the main series. Changing Batman from Bruce to Thomas Wayne was a nice touch. It gave a us a whole new Batman to learn about, and a whole new way he does things. His and Barry’s relationship was really the meat of Flashpoint I thought.

Thomas Wayne had been living in his own personal hell until Barry showed up and gave him a way to bring his son back. Barry is so hopeful while Batman is so bitter. It was great for the ying-and-yang to play off each other. Barry Allen’s decision at the end of issue #5 was also a great moment for the Flash. Barry said one goodbye to his mother before he technically killed her. It showed that it’s not hard being a hero. This whole story Barry was worried about when he went back to change the past other things would change. Well he got his wish because when he went back in time to stop himself from saving his mother he brought several parallel universes together, creating the New 52. He also brought back something for Bruce as well; A note from his father.

Overall Flashpoint wasn’t anything too special. It had a few good moment, but most of them being in the last issue. I guess I enjoyed most knowing that the New 52 isn’t a reboot, it’s the next chapter in the DC Universe, one that all fans can enjoy. I don’t know what will become of DC, but as a long time reader I’m willing to give it a shot. If it will help rejuvenate comic books in main stream media while giving us fresh stories with the same characters I think I may like it. But something also occurred to me after I was done reading Flashpoint and I thought about the new comics to come. Where the hell is Wally West? If you don’t mind I’m going to go take some deep breaths, remember that I trust Geoff Johns, and read Justice Leaguer #1.

My Top 5 TV Shows Returning This Fall

I remember when I was a kid, I would go back to school at the end of summer and I was excited to see my friends. I would learn what they had been up too all summer and what adventures they had been on when I wasn’t watching. Well the same can be said about the Fall TV line-up. After almost four months of being away I’m always anxious to see what has happened to my favorite TV characters, how they’ll escape the troubling events of last year’s season finale, and what romances will bloom in the Fall and wither come Spring. WARNING! If you haven’t watched the season finale of these five shows you should not read any further. That means you Lisa! We will watch all of Chuck, season 4, before the new season starts, so don’t spoil it for yourself.

5) The Big Bang Theory

The fourth season of BBT ended with all kinds of drama. Leonard’s relationship with Priya is on the rocks after he learns that she is moving back to India and decided not to tell him. Howard and Bernadette are engaged, a wedding that Howard’s best friend, Raj, is not looking forward too since he is in love with Bernadette. This drives Raj to go drinking with Penny, who is also saddened by the Leonard/Priya relationship. The next morning the two wake-up in bed together and walk out of the room to find everyone eye-balling them.

This last season was better than ever with the new additions of Melissa Rauch as Bernadette and Blossom star Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Folwer, the female version of Sheldon. But as the season progressed we saw that Amy is not like Sheldon. She wants to have human connections such as friendship and romance. This was evident when she got drunk and gave Sheldon his first kiss, in which Sheldon replied, “fascinating.” Penny now has her own entourage of girls to hang out with and is no longer dependent on her four nerdy male friends. This has brought a whole new aspect to the BBT and made it that much more entertaining. Sheldon and Penny’s interactions were some of the funniest part of the the show, and now with the addition of Amy Farrah Fowler it only gets better.

I know nothing will come of Penny and Raj’s one night stand, but I’m curious if Priya leaving will make way for a Leonard/Penny reunion. And if Howard and Bernadette actually make it down the isle I can only imagine what that wedding party will be like. Although I do look forward to a hilarious dissection of cultural wedding traditions by Sheldon and Amy.

4) Parks and Recreations

As a young man who grew-up in the cornfields of Indiana I look forward to seeing how the state is surviving without me. Thanks to this NBC show I’m able to remember just how weird life in the crossroads of America can be. Leslie has great political ambition beyond Assistant Parks Manager of Pawnee, IN. But her secret relationship with Ben may get in the way of that. Meanwhile her officemate Tom is leaving P&R to help start a multi-media group with his friend, Jean-Ralphio. Of course the best part of the season finale was the mention of Ron’s first wife, whose name sent his second wife screaming in horror. Seeing how horrible Tammy II is, played by the actor’s real-life wife, Megan Mullally, I can only imagine what Tammy I is like.

Ron Swanson is quickly becoming one of the great philosophers of the 21st century. The man loves his meat, believes in hard work, and laughs when the government he works for collapses. Just look at his Pyramid of Greatness and you’ll see that Ron has an answer for everything. Throw in a quirky cast, lead by Amy Poehler, and guest starring Rob Lowe, and you’ve got a show that will keeping you laughing for thirty minutes straight.

3) Supernatural

Over the years Sam and Dean have seen it all. They found and killed the demon that murdered their parents, only to later find out he chose Sam and Dean for a purpose. Sam was to be the vessel of Lucifer come Armageddon, and Dean was to be the vessel of Michael, the angel who would kill Lucifer. With a little help from the fallen angel, Castiel, the two prevented the slaughter of billions, and pissed off heaven and hell in the process. At the beginning of last season Dean was living in suburban bliss when his supposedly dead brother showed up at his doorstep. Eventually we find out how Sam escaped hell and how Dean needed to get Sam’s soul back so he’d stop being a prick. Once Sam was soulful again the two moved on to the bigger picture, the civil war in heaven. The Winchester Bros. had to help Castiel win the battle against Raphael for control of heaven. Castiel then became strong by absorbing millions of souls from Purgatory and now this moody angel has named himself the new God. Oh dear Lord.

With every season this show just keeps getting better and better. It took me almost to the end of season 2 to really get sucked in, but once I found out heaven and hell had big plans for these brother it’s been a great ride ever since. They drive around in their classic muscle car, listen to classic rock, and kill monsters. The show first started focusing on Sam, but now I feel like the focus is on Dean. Dean had a shot at a normal life, and in the end he had to make his new family forget him if they were going to stay safe. It’s tragic, but in the end all the Winchester Bros. need are each other, and maybe their suito-father figure, Bobby.

2) Hawaii Five-0

Lt. Steve McGarret spent the whole season trying to unlock the mystery his dead father left him. McGarrett found a trail that linked Hawaii crime boss, Wo Fat, to the Hawaiian governor, the woman who told McGarrett to put together a special team to fight criminals like Wo Fat. Now the governor is dead and McGarrett is being blamed for it. Meanwhile his partner, Danny, has got his family back and has to choose whether to return to New York with them or stay and help his colleagues. The rest of the Five-0 team isn’t doing to hot either.

This remake has more style and sex appeal than an Usher music video. The people in bathing suits, the beautiful scenery that makes you want to move to Hawaii, and Alex O’Loughlin’s ability to kicking ass, are just a few of the many reason this show is a hit. I personally enjoy the banter between McGarrett and Danny, played by Scott Caan. Hawaii Five-0 has to perfect blend of action, drama, and comedy. I’d stop watching it, but it’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to a vacation to Hawaii.

1) Chuck

If you’ve ever had a normal job and a normal life you probably thought about what it would be like to do something more; something extraordinary. Well Chuck Bartowski is living that dream for all of us. He has this computer program in his head that knows government secrets, intel, and moves for kicking ass. Last season Chuck lost this Intersect and thought his spy girlfriend, Sarah, wouldn’t be with him without it. Lucky for him he got it back, but only to lose it again. Chuck and Sarah are married now, and are no longer working for the government. Along with their friends, Casey and Morgan, they’re starting their own spy agency, and they’ll able to handle anything, especially since Morgan accidentally got the Intersect stuck in his head. “Guys, I know kung-fu.”

This show is a hidden gem of television. Ask any good critic and they’ll tell you how much this show rocks. It’s every young man’s fantasy and Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah is every young man’s fantasy hottie. This season will be the last for Chuck with only 13 episodes left till we say goodbye to the crew at the Buy More, Agent Carmichael, and Captain Awesome. Chuck has struggled each season to stay alive, but now it’s is going out on its own terms. It’s full of great characters that are funny, lovable, and highly relatable. Most of the credit I think goes to the show’s star, Zachary Levi. He makes us all believe the dorky, average, guy can get the hot, badass, spy into bed. Check out the first season of this show on dvd and if you’re not hooked by the end I’ll pay you $10.  Or I’ll give you season 2 to watch and tell you that you have bad taste.