Like most people in the civilized world, I enjoy a good picture show.
I’ve developed my own likes and dislikes about movies and TV, so I thought I would put together my opinions to make it easier for everyone to sort through. Most of the reviews I’ve done through the years are “micro-review” format, a line or two of reaction. Who needs to go through an in-depth commentary just to decide to watch something? However, in some rare cases I have put a lot more words together that may or may not make sense to you. Please enjoy.
Below you’ll find stuff that’s been tagged as relevant to TV or movies, some of my own reviews and possibly links to other things.
2011 Holiday Gifts Roundup: Game of Thrones DVD Set
Ok, you’ll have to wait for this gift, so only buy it for fans who are very patient and forgiving. Luckily, most of GRRM’s fans are exactly that! We’re used to waiting years, so a scant few months is nothing. This would be an especially fun taunt to buy for those fans who swore off GRRM forever because he dared make them wait! Blub, blub, blub!
Pre-order the first season of Game of Thrones from the HBO shop. DVDs are $59.99 and Blu-Ray discs are $79.98. Features include “Making of” behind the scenes footage with cast and crew, the creation of the title sequence, interactive guide to the realm of Westeros complete with character profiles, how the Dothraki language was crafted by David Peterson, and BEST OF ALL, some audio commentaries! Peter Dinklage included!
Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season comes out March 6, 2012, plenty of time to marathon the 10 episodes before Season Two starts on April 15th.
Official: Peter Dinklage to Play Herve Villechaize
Many moons ago, my little birds told me that maybe-possibly Peter Dinklage was going to play Herve Villechaize in the upcoming biography, My Dinner with Herve. It turns out the rumor was true, and the movie should start shooting next year. Dominic Cooper co-stars as the reporter who last interviews the actor, best known as Tattoo from Fantasy Island, before he committed suicide on September 4, 1993.
The actual reporter who met with Villechaize was Sacha Gervasi, the screenwriter and director of the upcoming film. No other names have been announced, and casting is still in the works.
Quoth Peter Dinklage to TV Guide: “He was an amazing painter and did a lot of charity work with children but had tremendous heartbreak.”
Peter Dinklage Wins Spike Award
Peter Dinklage is really raking in the awards! He has received the illustrious achievement of Best Supporting Actor from Spike TV’s 2011 Scream Awards for his role as Tyrion Lannister in HBO’s Game of Thrones.
You can watch Peter accept his award via magic tonight (Tuesday, Sept. 18th) at 8/9 Central on, of all places, Spike TV.
Up against the likes of Kieran Culkin (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), Rupert Grint AND Alan Rickman (Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows), as well as Tommy Lee Jones (Captain America: The First Avenger), Peter Dinklage managed to come out on top. Also worth noting: Game of Thrones won for Best TV Show!
Notice that Fringe didn’t win anything this time around. Boo-hoo!
Peter Dinklage Emmy Acceptance Speech
Just thought you’d enjoy watching this video clip of Peter Dinklage winning the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor (Drama) on Sunday night!
I love that he thanked his pet sitter for watching his dog while he was filming Game of Thrones. 
Peter Dinklage Wins Emmy!
He did it! He did it! Yaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!
Peter Dinklage won Best Supporting Actor at the 2011 Emmy Awards for his role as Tyrion Lannister in HBO’s Game of Thrones!
*does happy dance x3*
All his fans knew it was inevitable. This was a much deserved win. More details… maybe video… to come, now I must bask in the glow.
Oh ya, congrats, Mr. Dinklage! You deserved it.
Game of Thrones Special Effects: CGI & Green Screen in Season 1
Call me an ignoramus, but I didn’t catch all the details that qualify as “special effects” in HBO’s Game of Thrones when I watched it this past season.
I think I really believed that they either found a magical location with these really cool castles or had them built. Because, it’s easy to build castles on location, right?
Hey, I didn’t think the Wall was real. I’m not THAT dumb’n. I thought maybe it was claymation or something.
What’s the secret? Green screen was heavily used to create all those awesome castle turrets and spires! The trick is, they make sets of the bottom half of what they want and green screen the tops, so they can add in the towers, pillars and whatnot. The stallion statues outside of Vaes Dothrak? The Horse Gate, my friends, is all CGI. Sorry! You can’t buy it on ebay. 
Even though Peter Dinklage is pretty badass, they weren’t really going to just drop him on the edge of a cliff. Obviously, he’d fly away or something if he had to wait too long. There’s lots of filming left for him to do! So instead they greenscreened it to save time lugging all the gear up there. It’s essentially win-win.
And there are some other added touches that required CGI; you don’t just get that much snow south of the Wall, especially not in Ireland in the summer! They pretty much created Winterfell, The Eyrie and King’s Landing out of thin air. Since you probably realize that the Wall is not real, then you won’t be too surprised to see that the elevator is just a prop, like a medieval Tardis. I’d LOVE to see Tyrion pissing off the “Wall” in green screen behind-the-scenes!
Well, have a look at how they did it in this SPOILERific effects real from BlueBolt.
In addition, more effects were filled in by Screen Scene, an Irish visual effects (VFX) company. They handled a lot of the beheadings, stabbings and other gory work. They worked on the Lannister camp – a sea of red tents – as well as Bran’s scaling of Winterfell’s towers. Beautifully done!
Season 2 Casting Chugs Along…
Last week saw a few more new faces added to the cast of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
British actor Ralph Ineson (The Bill, Harry Potter movie series) has been cast as Dagmer Cleftjaw of the Ironborn. He joins the likes of the Greyjoys and the reaver Black Lorren as representatives of the Iron Islands.
Lucian Msamati (The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency) has been tapped to play the pirate Salladhor Saan, friend of former smuggler Davos Seaworth. So he rounds out the Stannis supporters.
Still no mention of the The Reeds, who play a prominent role in Bran’s storyline. Game of Thrones needs Crannogmen! And Beric Dondarrion’s Brotherhood Without Banners needs more brothers, like Thoros of Myr and Lem Lemoncloak. No word of Highgarden. Dorne, too, has yet to represent.
Podrick Payne is Cast!
Finally, the confirmation we’ve been waiting for! Young Scottish actor Daniel Portman (Outcast) has been chosen to play the part of Podrick Payne, Tyrion’s squire.
In other Game of Thrones casting news, Patrick Malahide (Law & Order UK, Quills) cast as Balon Greyjoy. The Lord of the Iron Islands is father to Theon, currently a ward of the Starks in Season 1.
Ian Hanmore (Outlaws, The Deal) will play Pyat Pree, a Qartheen warlock. The city of Qarth is located in the Eastern continent, also called Essos.
GoT Casting Round 3
HBO is becoming a bit more coy with their casting information for Game of Thrones. They’re making fans do a lot of the leaking at the moment.
Oona Chaplin (Inconceivable, Married Single Other) has been confirmed as Jeyne. But Jeyne is a very popular name in Westeros and we have two major characters: Jeyne Pool, the daughter of Winterfell’s steward and Sansa’s companion, and Jeyne Westerling, a girl that… well, that would be a spoiler. HBO isn’t telling us which one, or if she’s neither.
And what about locations? Croatia has finally been officially confirmed, but there has been plenty of chatter from WiC net which secured it as a filming spot for Season 2 for the past few weeks. HBO’s press release took no-one by surprise.
Something that may surprise A Song of Ice and Fire fans is the casting of another small role. Forbes KB (A Day of Violence) will play Ironborn reaver Black Lorren. Aren’t they afraid Lorren sounds too much like Yoren? Either way, there are a lot of other characters we are waiting to see cast! *cough* Podrick *cough*
And also in more furtively announced news, accomplished stage actress Laura Pradelska hath tweeted that she will be playing Quaithe of the Shadow, priestess of Asshai.
Game of Thrones gets Stiffed in the Portal Awards?
The results of the 2011 Portal Awards were announced on Thursday, with some good news and some bad news for Game of Thrones Fans.
The TV show Fringe managed to upset some of GoT’s sure-wins. Fringeophiles voted it in for Best TV Actress (Anna Torv) and Best TV Supporting Actor. Peter Dinklage should have received the Supporting Actor award, but it went to Fringe star John Noble, possibly as a direct result of him being snubbed for an Emmy nomination. Fringe also received Best Special Guest because they pulled out The Nimoy. I totally give them that. They also got Christopher Lloyd for another episode, so – props!
I really can’t believe Peter Dinklage didn’t win.
It wasn’t a complete sweep for Fringe, since Game of Thrones got Best Actor (Sean Bean), Best Episode (Winter is Coming) and Best Series. So in a numbers game, it comes out even.
I have a few more nits with the Porties.
Daniel Radcliffe won Best Young Actor and he’s like 30 22. I understand JJ Abrams is responsible for Fringe, but I’ve also seen Lost and Super 8. Elisabeth Sladen (Doctor Who) really should have gotten the Gene Roddenberry Award because 1) she’s been around longer and 2) she’s dead now. I also feel that Helena Bonham Carter (HP Deathly Hallows, Sweeney Todd) should have gotten an honorable mention or something.
And really, when it comes down to best website, i09 beats the pants off of GateWorld. I’m sorry, that’s just how it is.
