[B5JMS] TLT ADVANCE REVIEW! (No Spoilers)

[b5jms at mail.fsl.cs.sunysb.edu]

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
From: Matt Ion <soundy106 at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:45:55 +0000 (GMT)
Lines: 52

So it appears there's a store here in Vancouver that jumped the gun and 
released TLT a week early.  I didn't pick one up, because I already have 
my order in with Amazon, but someone on the NW-B5 Yahoo group did, and 
posted the following review:

--------------

Hi All,

Wow! If anything felt like we were coming home, this did -
Absofragginglutely! Joe promised he would knock this one out of the
ballpark and he delivered. Direct to DVD is the way for the B5 universe
to survive. All the elements (rated below) we knew and loved in the
original series are back and then some. G'Kar is very present in the
sparkling new title sequence which is an excellent tribute to the late,
great Andreas Katsulas. The two linked stories, "Over Here" and "Over
There" show our two main characters (Lochley and Sheridan) caught up in
what could be (apologies to Joni Mitchell here), Devil's bargains. It's
an engine with no false notes, no preachiness and no superfluous
dialogue, just straight ahead character driven stories with all
cylinders firing. Great performances in these two morality plays from
all principal and support cast, especially Alan Scarfe and Keegan
Macintosh. The only criticisms I have is that it seemed short - total
running time for both segments is about 75 minutes and that including a
Zocalo scene (there isn't one) would've been nice. Given the nature of
the stories and the budget constraints this is an easily forgivable
omission.

Stories: B+
Writing: A
Direction: A (As good, if not better than "Sleeping In Light")
Acting: A
Cinematography: A+ (New DoP Karl Herrmann is a *genius*)
Production Design: B+
CGI Environments and FX: A+
Costumes: A-
Score: B+ (very understated and there isn't enough of it although what'
s there works to a tee)

The extras consist of Joe's Production diaries (wait 'til you meet the
sock puppets!); Memorials from Joe and the principal cast to Andreas and
Rick Biggs and Joe's Fireside chats profiling the people of the B5
universe. These were shot at the Vancouver Film Studios set during
production and pad out the disc to about 2 hours.

One thing I don't quite understand is why the Canadian Home Video Rating
s people stuck an "R" rating on this one. There's nothing in this disc
that merits it. Go figure.

--------------



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
From: "jmsatb5 at aol.com" <jmsatb5 at aol.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 06:58:36 -0000
Lines: 18

A quick advisory to B5 fans in the LA area....

At the Petco Park screening for the B5:TLT trailer, I announced that I
and the cast would be signing at the Best Buy store in West Hollywood
this Tuesday afternoon.

Unfortunately, due to the press of work, and the fact that I was run
so ragged all during the convention that I got zero work done, I won't
be able to go to the Best Buy signing.  The second draft on Surfer is
due this coming week and I've canceled all other meetings or outside
stuff in order to stay in and write like a fiend.

So my apologies to those who are going to attend, but I'm up to my
ears and can't get away.

jms



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
From: "jmsatb5 at aol.com" <jmsatb5 at aol.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 22:38:05 -0000
Lines: 12

Just to follow-up for a second...while I can't be at the Best Buy
signing on Tuesday, all the cast members who have been announced
(Bruce, Tracy and I think Peter) will still be there.

So I urge everybody to go and hang and have a good time and enjoy the
shindig that they're putting on.

Again, it's the Best Buy in West Hollywood.

jms