This weekend marks the third anniversary of Star Trek Online, and to celebrate Cryptic Studios are hosting a special anniversary event, running from Stardate 66552.4 through to 66590.8 (or 1st to 14th February for those who still use the 21st Century dating system). The event includes the appearance of the infamous Q on Earth Space Dock and Qo'noS, hosting parties and rewarding players for completing his tasks.
The three-year anniversary also sees the release of a brand new featured episode - Temporal Ambassador - starring Denise Crosby reprising her role as Lieutenant Tasha Yar from Star Trek: The Next Generation. In addition, players will be able to earn a free ship by completing this episode, with Federation players being rewarded with an Ambassador Class Support Cruiser, and members of the Klingon Defence Force with a Kamarag Class Battlecruiser.
Boldly go into the final frontier and celebrate STO's third year, and check out the infographic below to see what's been accomplished in Star Trek Online thus far.
Five years ago today, the film industry sadly lost one of its finest and most promising actors to an accidental overdose of prescription medications. At the far-too-young age of 28, Australian actor Heath Ledger passed away, leaving a legacy of extraordinary performances behind him. But what makes his absence in the industry so tragic is not so much what he had done, but what more he could have gone on to do.
Ledger’s career gives us a glimpse of a naturally talented actor, whose phenomenal performances (especially those later in his career) stand as some of the greatest performances in modern cinema. Ledger’s memory will be forever remembered, going down in cinematic history with the likes of James Dean.
In tribute to one of the most consummate and transcendent actors of our time, here are my top five performances by the late, great Heath Ledger.
5) A Knight’s Tale (2001)
This was the first example of Ledger’s work that I ever saw. Ledger plays the role of William Thatcher (under the pseudonym of Ulrich von Lichtenstein) in a traditional tale of rags-to-riches as he falsifies his past - claiming to be of noble birth, hence the pseudonym - to become a knight. It’s very loosely based on Chaucer’s The Knight’s Tale from The Canterbury Tales, and despite it’s deviation from Chaucer’s work it is an enjoyable film nonetheless.
Whilst this may not be Ledger’s most multi-faceted or emotively diverse role, it is nonetheless a superb performance. Considering he was only just 22 at the time, the way in which he perfectly captured the role and carried off the part of charismatic leading-man is nothing short of phenomenal.
4) The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantasy film plucked straight from the ever-fascinating mind of Terry Gilliam, in which a theatre troupe (lead by the impossibly ancient Doctor Parnassus, who’s made a bet with the devil-incarnate, Tom Waits) takes their audience members through a mirror into their imaginations.
Production of Doctor Parnassus was disrupted by the untimely passing of Ledger halfway through filming, and for a while it seemed as if the film would have to be aborted. However, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law were eventually cast to take on Ledger’s role in certain scenes - each embodying the character as he’s transformed in different magical realms, whilst the footage shot with Ledger remained in the film as the character’s real-world appearance. The film was ultimately dedicated in memory of Heath Ledger.
Although Ledger’s presence in the film is sadly limited to the segments set in the real world, his performance is nonetheless captivating and emotive. In many ways, his role in this film is as a metaphor for his career; a truly remarkable and tantalising glimpse of what more he could have done had he been with us longer.
3) The Four Feathers (2002)
In The Four Feathers, Ledger plays the role of Harry Faversham, a young British officer during the British Army’s Nile Expedition of 1885. Newly engaged to Ethne (Kate Hudson), Harry learns that his regiment is being deployed to the Sudan, and decides to resign his commission. Having been branded a coward and disowned by his father, Harry learns that his former regiment has come under attack from Mahdi rebels, and makes the perilous journey to the Sudan alone.
In my opinion, this film is up there as one of Ledger’s most emotive performances of his career. His ability to capture and project emotion on a genuine level is truly transcendent; the raw, tangible emotions drawing you in, becoming completely immersed in the narrative and Ledger’s spectacular realisation of his character. It is rare to find such great examples of genuine emotion in film, to the extent it feels as if the actor is baring their soul, but Ledger was one such performer.
2) The Dark Knight (2008)
It may sound like a cliche, but Ledger is completely unrecognisable in the role as the Joker. Arguably one of the most philosophically complex characters of modern cinema, the Joker is the embodiment of calculated anarchy and unhinged nihilism, dedicated to tearing down humanity’s facade of civilised society.
One could reel off a stream of synonyms for ‘brilliant’ or ‘sublime’ to describe his performance, but none would do him justice. The role is so perfectly realised, with his expertly-delivered demented dialogue and constant visual ticks, it is clear that Ledger committed every molecule of his being into portraying this psychopathic clown. Ledger’s Joker is truly the definitive agent of chaos.
1) Brokeback Mountain (2005)
As a man constantly in torment, fighting an internal war between his emotions and society’s expectations, Ledger’s performance as Ennis Del Mar is nothing short of sublime. Emotionally closed off and isolated from the world, Ennis is wrought by his inner conflict with his sexual identity, pushing away anyone who comes to care about him and only capable of expressing himself through explosions of violence.
Whilst this role is nowhere near as exuberant as the Joker, Brokeback Mountain contains Ledger’s greatest performance. His emotively acute portrayal of this tortured soul is truly tangible, and is simultaneously a joy and thoroughly heart-breaking to watch. This, in my opinion, is Ledger’s finest performance.
When Heath Ledger passed, the world lost a magnificent actor and an amazing and inspirational soul.
Christmas means one thing - or rather, one thing in my Universe - and that's the Doctor Who Christmas special. Admittedly, there's all that stuff about family and friendship and peace and goodwill to all men etc., but it's mostly about Doctor Who. This year's Christmas special, The Snowmen, is a chilling tale about monstrous snowmen with razor-sharp teeth, and not to be confused with The Snowman, the heart-warming story of Aled Jones and his snowy companion.
Here's the BBC's official summary... Christmas Eve 1892 and the falling snow is the stuff of fairy-tales. When the fairy-tale becomes a nightmare and a chilling menace threatens Earth, an unorthodox young governess, Clara, calls on the Doctor for help. But the Doctor is in mourning, reclusive and determined not to engage in the problems of the universe. As old friends return, will the Doctor really abandon humankind or will he fight to save the world – and Christmas – from the icy clutches of this mysterious menace.
The Snowmen sees the introduction of Jenna-Louise Coleman as the Doctor's latest companion, Clara, and will also guest star Richard E. Grant and the voice of Sir Ian McKellen. The episode will also feature some new aesthetics, with a new title sequence, a new outfit for the Doctor and a sleek new TARDIS interior which harkens back to the style of the classic Doctor Who series (presumably as an homage as Doctor Who the year of its 50th anniversary).
The Snowmen is billed for the slightly earlier time of 5.15pm on Christmas Day, and the trailer can be found immediately below this sentence.
"Is there anything you would not do for your family?"
If you were thinking that I have been slightly fixated with the upcoming Star Trek film, then you'd be bloody right! The past couple of weeks have been rife with updates and teasers for the much-anticipated film, with the initial teaser trailer, new promotional pictures, character reveals and now, the release of the official theatrical trailer.
Two of the film's characters have been revealed; the first, played by Alice Eve, is Dr Carol Marcus. Carol Marcus was the molecular biologist who featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and was the brains behind Project Genesis, as well as the mother to Captain Kirk's son, David Marcus. As Star Trek Into Darkness is set in an alternate timeline, and with the Enterprise crew at an earlier point in their lives than in the events of Wrath of Khan, it's safe to assume that Eve will be portraying Dr Marcus at the time she and Kirk first meet.
The second character to be named, and is the one that has been sending fans rabid with speculation for almost a year, is the villain of the piece, played by Benedict Cumberbatch; John Harrison, a "one-man terrorist, who does despicable things for a noble cause." Cumberbatch hopes that his character will elicit sympathies, despite being a one-man weapon of mass destruction and psychological warfare. "He is very ruthless … He is not a clearly good or evil character," said Cumberbatch. "He is a villain but the actions he takes have intent and reason. He is a complicated character not to be judged by white-or-black, or good-or-evil. But this is the appeal of JJ's works and [why] I felt challenged as an actor."
JJ Abrams added: "The character is a villain and scary, but I was looking for an actor with humanity who audiences can sympathies with." So far, so tantalising!
And lastly, the latest theatrical trailer for the film has now been released, featuring new shots and a decidedly more sombre opening (although things get kicked into high gear about half-way through!). The new, 2 minute trailer can be seen below, and a special 9 minute preview of the film will be shown at IMAX screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
All I can say is, 17th May 2013 can't come soon enough!
"You think your world is safe... It is an illusion, a comforting lie told to protect you."
These are the somewhat Nietzschean opening words of Benedict Cumberbatch's dark voice-over for the latest release from the Paramount vaults. After a year of absolute secrecy, the first glimpse of JJ Abram's Star Trek sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness, is finally here (which can be seen below).
This minute-long teaser trailer is a web-only release, with previews of the first nine minutes of Star Trek Into Darkness to be shown at certain IMAX screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey next week. A longer theatrical trailer is also expected to be released around the same time.
Cumberbatch is very much at the forefront of this trailer, darkly intoning an ominous monologue over shots of a peaceful Federation city, which soon gives way to some decidedly more explosive sequences. Star Trek Into Darkness certainly looks set to be an action-packed spectacle!
"Enjoy these final moments of peace. For I have returned to have my vengeance. So, shall we begin?"
