Green Light For Lantern Film

I recently heard that Ryan Reynolds has signed to play D.C Comics Green Lantern, which is expected to be released in 2011. Ryan had won the role of the Green Lantern over other choices that had screen tested for the part including singer/actor Justin Timberlake and actor Nathan Fillion of Firefly and his latest work Castle. I did hear rumors that Nathan was the fan favorite for the role of Green Lantern, but we know how rumors go. Anyone with any news on this or any other scifi or fantasy topic drop us a line here at Scifipundit

Villians For Batman

Latest news from Comic con in San Diego is the next Batman movie will begin filming in 2010,but no word on who the next villain will be. Any suggestions for a bad guy?

What's At Stake for Harry Potter?

This is an editorial I wrote some time ago and did not place on my blog till now. I felt it has become necessary to run this view point with churches speaking out against the latest Harry Potter movie.

With the release of the latest film, news agencies should prepare for a newly ignited passion for book burnings and the banning of movies that depict any sort of witchcraft. While burning has become synonymous with witchcraft, it seems now that the practice of burning books about witches has become the modern equivalent. On 30 December 2001, The Alamogordo Christ Community Church scheduled a “Holy Bonfire” led by Pastor Jack Brock where 400 members of his congregation burned copies of Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling as well as other well known novels and works by such authors as Mark Twain, J.R.R. Tolkien and Shakespeare that they found offensive. The act of book burning shows a serious lack of respect for one of the principal rights on which our nation was founded - Freedom of the Press. Many lives have been sacrificed so that parishioners of Fundamentalist Christian Churches and other groups can tell the public what should or should not be read in their homes, schools, or libraries. And while these groups have the right to assemble, the right to their religious beliefs, and their right to say so in public, these freedoms do not give them the right to press their ideas upon others who are not interested or willing to listen. These inalienable rights based on our Constitution do not give any group the right to press their ideas upon others who do not follow the same beliefs or ideals. Burning or banning of books or movies is wrong for the simple fact it destroys the knowledge base enclosed in the writings or makes that knowledge unavailable to those who need or want it, and is based on unfounded and unwarranted views of other religions.

Books in and of themselves are harmless. They cannot wield a knife, they can not pull the trigger on a gun. The true danger is in the interpretation of the written word. The best-selling author Judy Blume explains this concept in an opinion editorial for the New York Times in October of 1999, when she says, “In my books, it's reality that’s seen as corrupting. With Harry Potter, the perceived danger is fantasy… the real danger is not in the books, but in laughing off those who ban them.” (par. 4-5) Blume is familiar with banning of books. She has written dozens of stories popular among children and teenagers. Several of those books have been banned from classrooms and libraries over the last 20 years at the request of parents who find her writing at odds with how they want to educate their children.

Extreme Fundamentalist Christian groups believe that if their children read these fantasy tales, such as the Harry Potter books, the kids will be led into witchcraft or Satanism. They hold the belief that the only acceptable reading materials are the stories in the Holy Bible. Seemingly magical acts, widely known and willing accepted in the Christian belief as miracles, are prevalent throughout the Holy Bible. Examples including changing water into wine, the raising of the dead, and the parting of the Red Sea. All these are similar to element in J.K. Rowling’s novels whose main character must continually fight evil and is learning to cast spells that seem miraculous to his friends. Similarly, both books show the snake as a representation of evil. They both show right over might with the slaying of a giant by someone who should be too small to accomplish the task – the defeat of the giant Goliath by a young boy named David, and Harry defeating the Dark Lord Voldemort. If Harry Potter is promoting magic, he is promoting the magic of the written word. A report by Yankelovich, a leading researcher in consumer trends, and Scholastic, the global children’s publisher, showed that the Harry Potter novels had a significant impact on reading levels in children. Something has finally drawn the kids away from the television and video games, and encouraged them to use their own imaginations. While reports of Extreme Christian groups burning Harry Potter books or requesting to have them banned from libraries and bookstores have become commonplace in the news, stories are not seen about Witches burning or banning Bibles or any other religious tome in protest to that in which they do not believe. Two Michigan pastors, T.D. Turner Sr. and his son T.D. Turner Jr., took offense to the Harry Potter books, and burned them outside their Jesus Non-Denominational church in August, 2003, as reported by David Serchuk of Forbes.com in December 2006. The Pastor Turner is quoted as saying, “Parents [have to] realize this is more than a fictional book…it’s attached to the occult.” Where are similar reports about Wiccans burning Bibles, or expressing their fear if their kids get their hands on The Book of Mormon?

Many of the reports of groups involved in the book burnings include an interesting tidbit – most of those burning the books admit they have not actually read any of the novels. They have based their opinions on the cover, or word of mouth about the general idea of the books. If these same groups actually read the novels, they would see a vast number of similarities, and fewer objectionable concepts than they might expect. Neither have they done their research to learn the true nature of Witchcraft and Satanism. These two ideologies have nothing to do with one another. Witches do not worship Satan – he is a Christian concept. The beliefs of witchcraft, otherwise known as Wicca, are centered on Nature and the Earth’s energy. The idea that Satanism and Witchcraft are the same is an insult to Wiccans.

The Harry Potter series books and films has come under fire (pun intended) in a handful of states where parents feel the books will encourage their children to show an interest in the occult, and have called for the series to be removed from classrooms and school libraries. A US District Court overturned a ruling the by School Board of Cedarville, Arkansas, that students were required to present written parental permission to check the Harry Potter books out of the school library. Billy Ray and Mary Counts sued the School Board and requested the ruling be overturned. Parents, religious leaders and educators are afraid of the violence they see surrounding children these days. They are doing all they can to protect the next generation. This fear for the safety of their children can become excessive, leading the parents or other well-meaning adults to take extreme measures such as removing the offensive literature from the reach of all kids, not just who share their religious or moral ethics. To quote a Jedi Master, “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate” (Yoda) and this hate is being taken out on the books when they are burned or banned.

Writing this articale is not to press ideas or beliefs on the reader, unlike the Christian Fundamentalists who press their beliefs that reading the Harry Potter novels leads to occult activity. Rather, it is written to give the reader another way of looking at the novels and movies - through the eyes of a child, rather than the eyes of an adult. Religion is based on the belief in a higher being, not on the adventures of a 12-year-old boy as written by a once unemployed schoolteacher. While no good parent wants harm to come to his or her child, the crime of ignorance can be just as harmful. The parents are unintentionally causing harm to the next generation when they ban or burn books or films that they may disagree with, when those same books could lead to knowledge and a better understanding of the world.

Muggles And Wizards Alike Are Happy Latest Creation By David Yates And Company

The latest Harry Potter movie opened this past Wednesday to sold out showings across the United States and from the exiting crowds of the five midnight showings most of fans seemed pleased and a good percentage plan on seeing it again. Hugely unsuccessful in finding tickets to the midnight showings where groups of people had camped out days earlier to be the first to see the latest screen adaptation. My wife and I waited while avoiding those who had seen ‘til Thursday evening with other fans who were either unable or unlucky in getting tickets or who had waited for a more reasonable hour to see latest adventure. I am very pleased with how Director David Yates brought the sixth book from print to screen, keeping it as close as possible to the story which we know is very tough to do unless you’re planning a 6 hour movie which still doesn’t guarantee it could completely capture what J.K Rowling had imagined for her young wizard. All in all I still believe it is the best of five previous movies which allowed people, both young and old alike to tag along on this magical (Pardon the pun) journey with Harry and his two best friends as they attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and discover new adventures along the way. I believe also you will like how all the Daniel, Rupert and Emma have improved in there acting craft. The word for now is that the film is expected to break all box office records for the summer and possibly the rest of the year of which I have no doubt. I will not give out spoilers, not that they are necessary if you had read the books. I give this movie 3.5 wands out of 4 this latest effort. Go see it and let us know here what you think, and don’t forget to see it at the IMAX in 3 D at the end of July

Dance... Oh Mistress I Call Dragon Con

The Ren Faire is now more than half over and thoughts of Dragon Con have begun to dance its seductive dance in my head. (Damn I have been watching too many belly dancers at faire or maybe it’s the damn clip in my skull I hear making all that noise). The guest list continues to grow daily- so far over 400 actors, writers and musicians are scheduled to appear this year with 50,000 of our closest friends (it’s not the number the Atlanta Fire Dept gets, they get a head count of 30,000.) (And no Kat you can’t invite them to New Years) Costumes are being prepped, schedules are being revised and sleep is being stored up for the best 84 hours of nonstop fun, 72 hours if you arrive on Friday. (Wow that sounded like a commercial for Disney World except D*C has Storm Troopers instead of the 7 dwarfs, eat your heart out, Snow White.) This convention is not for the faint of heart, nor those of weak endurance it is a whirl wind of ongoing fun and excitement which my wife and I will be knee deep in, well my knee anyways, and her hip (what can I say, she’s short). PG Pictures will be posted. This is after all, sort of a family blog, not a how-to-make-a-family blog. While ComicCon held in San Diego is put on the industry, DragonCon is put on by fans of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Pop Culture genre and it can be easily seen by what types of programs are represented. Besides, where else can you see 200 Storm Troopers walk down Peach Tree Avenue, except on Tatooine. By the way, does Tatooine even have a Peach Tree Avenue? Well enough plugging of this convention I need to go cash my D*C spokesman check (kidding) 54 days and counting More to come later and feel free to follow us on twitter where I barely post there either or write us here at Scifipundit we love comments, even snarky ones.