Saturday, July 16, 2011

My Weekend Plans

Well it's the weekend before Comic Con and things are a bit crazy at the moment. Here is what I HAVE to get done before the weekend ends.

  • Get Jeep Smog and registered
  • Fix slowly leaking tire on Jeep
  • Interview Felicia Day for the first few episodes of KOTG CompanionCasts
  • Interview Kim Evey for the first few episodes of KOTG CompanionCasts
  • Interview Sean Becker for the first few episodes of KOTG CompanionCasts
  • Edit/upload/complete the first few episodes of KOTG CompanionCasts
  • Edit/upload/complete the next episode of KOTG #35
  • Edit/upload/complete the next episode of MASH 4077 Podcast #13
  • Find and Buy a wig for my Hobbit Costume
  • Sew buttons onto my pants for the Hobbit Costume
  • Shorten and Hem pants for my Hobbit Costume
  • Prepare for Comic Con
Here's my game plan.. Saturday I plan to get my Jeep Smoged/registered and the tire fixed. Will interview Kim and Sean, will edit a portion of KOTG CC 501 and 501 and Edit KOTG #35. Also I'll sew buttons and hem my Hobbit pants and try and find a Hobbit wig.

Sunday I will interview Felicia, finished the 1st two KOTG CC 501 & 502. Finish KOTG #35 and finish MASH 4077 Podcast #13 and if I can't find a Hobbit wig I'll attempted to do that was well. Oh and I'll prepare for Comic Con

And I hope to breath and eat and sleep at some point.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2

It All Ends!!! That was the tagline for the 8th and final installment of the Harry Potter movie franchise. I didn't see this at Midnight on Thursday as most folks who know me would have expected. The reason I didn't is I wanted to be awake for it for one, second is if you didn't get there the day before to get in line you'd get some horrible seats and all the reserved seat theaters were sold out month and months ago. So I opted to wait until Friday evening after work, got a group of great friends, several of them have been with me on multiple premieres of Harry Potter movies and one has been my "Potter" buddy since book 5 when we would read a few chapters and then call each other up and discuss what just happened. That continued for book 6 and 7. So those were the folks I wanted to finish this series with.

So we met for dinner at Fudruckers and hung out and chatted for a hour or so before heading into the theater. We went to the Arclight which is reserved seats so no lines (which is the best thing ever). The Arclight in Sherman Oaks has this huge wall of posters, normally it's various movies coming out but this time it was all the different Harry Potter posters over the years and it was BEAUTIFUL!!! We got some drinks and snacks and then found our seats inside the theater. I had to do one more bathroom run before the movie started and as I was leaving guess who was coming in, several of the ladies from Team Unicorn, Michele Boyd, Milynn Sarley, Claire Grant and her husband but well known actor Seth Green. I know Michele and Milynn so we said our hellos very quickly as they were going in as the movie was about to start.

Now for my review.. one word AMAZING!!! *** SPOILERS*** Stop here if you have not seen the movie.

The movie picks up right were the last one left off, it starts with a shorter version of Voldermort breaking into Dumbledore's tomb and taking the wand and shooting a beam of light into the sky. I'm not going to go play by play. I thought the break in to Gringots was very well done. I loved seeing Helena (Bellatrix) playing Emma (Herminone) playing Bellatrix. The Dragon was very well done as well and that entire scene was fantastic. Griphook (Warwick Davis) was wonderful.. he was better then I imagined. The Hogsmead scene with Abbaforth was good but extremely shorten for the movie. We find out very little about the Dumbledores like we did in the books, but again they give you enough to get the idea but don't go in depth. Harry arriving at Hogwarts was great, again shorten but it's there. Here's where the movie starts to change from the books but I really didn't mind. The next hour or so is battle after battle. It was tough watching this place that you have loved for 10 years (Hogwarts) get destroyed.  One stand out was McGonagall I've always loved her character in the books and I think Maggie Smith has done a wonderful job with her but she really got to shine in several parts for this movie. Loved her short but cool battle with Snape and her activating of the Hogwarts statues. And speaking of Snape, Alan Rickman was fantastic, again he had some major scenes and pulled them off beautifully. The 3 main actors Daniel, Emma and Rupert were all fantastic but that was expected since they all were wondering in part one. Snapes death scene was beautifully done, he's final words to Harry were great. This for me is where the waterworks stated. Snapes death was tough then the trio go back to the main hall and you see Fred dead and Ron just breaks down, then Harry sees Lupin and Tonks dead and it looks like they were reaching for each other hands. And then we go to Snapes memories and the final shot of Snape holding the dead body of Lily and sobbing was heartbreaking (I'm tearing up just typing this out). Then there is Harry's death and his visit with Dumbledore, which was very well done but as before shorten and not as much info given out as in the books. The scene that was in the books and I was hoping would make it into the movie was Molly Weasley and Bellatrix's final battle.. It was FANTASTIC!!! just as I imagined. The final battle was next and this was changed most from the books but I understand why they did it. It's more exciting to have Harry and Voldermort run all over the castle then it would be for them to be in the great hall talking before the final blow. Neville killed the snake, and Voldermort died and the then we get 19 years later (which btw was very well done).

Among all the changes there were a few things I actually like. I liked that Voldermort and Harry felt when a Horcrux was destroyed. And that killing each Horcrux kind of weakened Voldermort until Neville killed the snake (the final Horcrux) and Voldermort kind of disintegrated. I wasn't too happy on how Voldermorts death happened. We really don't know what happened. Did killing the snake, kill Voldermort.. did the killing curse rebound and kill him like in the books.. at the end of the movie everyone was doing non-verbal spells so I have no idea what happened... which kind of bothered me. I plan on doing a second viewing this week and I hope to pick up on a few more things as maybe I missed something because I was just to excited.

I cried the entire time during the last half of this movie, part of it was what was happening on screen but the other part was that this is it.. this is the final Harry Potter movie that I will ever see. I mean I'll be able to re-watch these movies over and over for the rest of my life but still.. this was it.

But of course this is far from over.. I still have the audio books, books and all the movies to love for many, many more years. and with Pottermore will be getting even more new content and who knows maybe one day will see more books/movies from this magical world.

Harry Potter books and movies may be over but the Universe will live within me for the rest of my life.


MASH 4077 Podcast Episode 12

Download from itunes http://tinyurl.com/MASH4077itunes  or listen/direct download http://bit.ly/eXCRxT

Kenny Mittleider from Knights of the Guild Podcast, Simon Meddings from Waffle On Podcast, Al Kessel from Tales from the Mouse House Podcast and special guest hosts Harry Dauz & Joyce Kessel discuss one of the most successful and longest running television series in history.. M*A*S*H

Today we cover Episode #12 - Dear Dad
Directed by Gene Reynolds
Written by Larry Gelbart
Production code J313
Original air date December 17, 1972

Plot Summary: In the first of the "Dear Dad" episodes, Hawkeye's letter home to his father details Christmas in Korea: Radar ships a jeep home to Iowa, one piece at a time. Henry presents the monthly medical lecture - on sex, only to be heckled. Trapper helps deliver a calf. Frank berates Klinger for wearing a bandana, and Klinger responds with physical violence. Hawkeye and Trapper sabotage Margaret's tent as a prank. Hawkeye even flies to the front line in a Santa suit in order to help a wounded soldier.

Hope you enjoy it,
Kenny, Meds, Al, Harry & Joyce

Saying Goodbye to Harry Potter

Well not really.. but it sounded like a good title to this blog... Well tonight is the night, I get to see the final Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Part of me can't wait to see it but the other part of me doesn't want it to be over. It was the same way when the final book came out. I wanted to devour it up but then I didn't want it to end. It's been 10 years since the first movie came out back in 2001 and I was sucked into Harry Potter universe. I knew of the books prior to the first movie but never read them. Once I saw the first movie I immediately went out and purchased the first book and read it from cover to cover in days. I then found out they had audio books of the first four books as the fifth book was not out yet. So I quickly purchased them and for the next month I listened to the entire Harry Potter story from book 1 to book 4 and it was magical. I then proceeded to listen again and again and again while I waited for the fifth book and second movie.

I have loved every movie that has come out since. I'm not a purist, I realize that the books are different from the movies and I love the books and movies for different reasons.

Tonight I will see the final chapter of the Harry Potter "movie" series and I will love it.. there is no doubt in my mind. I'll be sad that's it's over but also happy that the story was finally told in movie form.

Harry Potter will always be a part of my life, not because of the huge Hogwarts Crest tattoo on my left arm but because it's become part of my fandom, my life. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't think about Harry Potter, Like Star Wars, Star Trek and Lord of the Rings it will remain with me for the rest of my life.

And now that we have Pottermore, we are bound to have new information, new adventures with the Boy Who Lived.

Will post my review of HP DH pt2 tomorrow.

For now grab some tissues and take a look at this video of some of the casts final days on set.


The Battle of Hogwarts Chapters 5

Here's the final chapter for this very cool "fan" made documentary hearing from people who fought 20 years ago in the big Battle at Hogwarts. I really enjoyed this series and just wish it was longer and more of them. It's a great idea and it's very well done.

Knights of the Guild Ep 34

Download from itunes - http://bit.ly/KotGCast, or listen/direct download http://bit.ly/2CrYxk

Today’s show features:
  • * Knights of the Guild theme song by Matthew Gehrett http://www.matthewgehrett.com/
  • * Guild News:
  • * Crew Interviews with Chloe and Beau
  • * Guild Something with Sean Becker
  • * Fan Interview with Mrs R2D2 herself Bonnie Burton
  • * What the Cast is Up Too
  • * How to find us on the Web.. aka Business Time
Thank you again for all your support, we do this podcast because we are fans and more importantly for the fans.... Kenny

Thursday, July 14, 2011

The Battle of Hogwarts Chapters 3 & 4

I've been really enjoying these.. they are very well done for being fan made. Love Luna in Chapter 4, actress did a great job at portraying Evanna Lynch 20 years later. Only one more left.



It All Ends!!!

Check out this great video of clips from the past seven Harry Potter movies. One more day until "it all ends" with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2. Got my tickets for 8:30pm Friday at The Arclight in Sherman Oaks... I can't wait.


Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Battle of Hogwarts Chapters 1 & 2

So they started to release this documentary in chapters. So far they have released the first 2. Really enjoyed Hanna Abbott Longbottom's interview in the first one. Very well done, gave me chills at some of the things she was saying.. seemed very real. Second chapter had Dean Thomas which was cool. Looking forward to Chapter 3.


Monday, July 11, 2011

Beam Me Up!!

I have been going back and forth on getting an Ipad or not. I'm sure I would use it all the time but I have a netbook and I love it. Well today's announcement may have pushed me over the line. CBS (who owns the Star Trek franchise) just announced that they created a new Star Trek Padd app for the Ipad. So now you Ipad can truly be a Padd with a ton of Star Trek info. I tweeted and facebooked about this this morning and several of my friends who have Ipads quickly downloaded it and are now raving about it.

Here's a video I found on youtube showing off the new app.


Kids Get It!!!

This has to be the cutest video I've seen in a long time. Kids are so innocent when they are not brainwashed by their parents. I always say hate is tough and this is proof. I love how you can see him struggling with the concepts but then putting it together and being so excited and then as kids do.. he just wants to go play ping pong now.

I've watched this video over and over again and it makes me smile each time.



EDIT.. here's a story about the video and how it came to be: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/03/10/Kids_Say_the_Darndest_Things/

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Podcasting Sunday

Today was pretty much an entire day of podcasting. Got up around 9am to prepare for recording the next two episodes of Knights of the Guild. Jenni was coming over at 11am and I wanted to make sure everything was ready to go. I actually got done prepping a bit early so I decided to do some recording of some listener feedback as when I record it always takes me forever to get through them and we had some really long listener feedback comments. So I finished with those when Jenni pulled up. We recorded all the segments for both episode 34 and 35 in about an hour and a half, which is fast.. normally it take at least 2 to 3 hours to do two shows.

Jenni left and Harry and I headed out to lunch at Boston Market and then to Michael's as I needed to pick up some buttons for my Hobbit pants. Michael's didn't have the best selection but I think I found something that would work. When then went to Stater Brothers and spent the most we've ever spend on one grocery shopping list.

Once we were home I got started on Knights of the Guild Episode 34. Though it was recorded this morning it's due to be released in four days so I wanted to try and get it done. I spent the next six or so hours working on this podcast and around 10:30pm I finished and uploaded the final product. Still have to do the show notes and such but I'm too tired and my eyes are so blurry from looking at the computer screen for to many hours.

So Knights of the Guild episode #34 and MASH 4077 Podcast #12 both are done and both come out in a few days on July 15th. Still have to get Knights of the Guild episode #35 (due July 29th) and MASH 4077 Podcast #13 (due August 1st) as well as my first Knights of the Guild CompanionCast #501(End of July) all done by next Wednesday as I'm heading down to San Diego for Comic Con and won't be back until Monday the 25th and don't want to be backed up on podcasts. And I'm trying to get my third podcast Confessions of a Fanboy off the ground.

So much work.. so little time.

The Hobbit Blog #2

Peter Jackson continuously amazes me. Here's his second video blog from the set of The Hobbit. I'm just in awe at all the work that goes behind these movies. I mean I work in TV and Film so I understand but the scoop of these movies are so much larger then anything that I have every worked on before.

Amazing!!! Truly.. Truly Amazing!!!!