The African Queen is kind of an odd duck in the Huston pantheon. And I’m not just saying that because I love the phrase “…is an odd duck.” Seriously! The next time you’re with your friends and see a flabby middle-aged man, balding, with glasses and a briefcase looking like he’s regretted every decision he’s ever made in his life, point at him and say, “That’s an odd duck.” Guaranteed laugh every time.

Anyway, African Queen. It’s Huston’s first “comedy,” or at least there’s a great deal more humor in it than you’d expect from Huston coming off The Red Badge of Courage and Key Largo. And much of the laughs come from the chemistry between Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn.

Actually maybe it’s more notable for being Huston’s first stab at a romantic drama. I don’t know, it’s weird. On the one hand, you have Katharine Hepburn who was known for screwball comedies, then you have Bogie who was known for being the stoic hero. The two don’t naturally seem to go together in the first place, but then Huston reverses their roles and makes Hepburn the wise-cracking tough guy and Bogie the straight man.

The Plot: Rose Sayer (Hepburn) and her brother are British missionaries in German East Africa on the eve of World War I. All but isolated, their only contact with the civilized world is crude slob of a deliveryman Charlie Allnut (Bogart), who brings them supplies and mail with the use of his dilapidated boat, The African Queen.

The war breaks out, and, after some manhandling from the Germans, Rose’s brother dies. With nothing left, Rose joins with Charlie and the two voyage downriver, careful to evade German fortresses and gunboats, crocs and leeches, and the other’s personality.

What’s Good About It: I’m not a fan of Katharine Hepburn (who, if you ever see Dick Cavett’s interview with her, was every inch of bitch in real life as she played on screen), but she and Bogie do have chemistry. Hepburn was born to play the uptight, domineering Rose, and Bogie’s happy-go-lucky hard-drinking Charlie was probably the closest he ever came to playing himself. It also earned him his only Oscar.

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After a bit of a wait it looks like the folks at Samsung have decided to officially let out details regarding their Galaxy Tab tablet. Now that they have, we’ve got the specs (and an official trailer for the device) to share with you:

• 1 GHz Cortex A8 processor
• HSUPA 5.76 Mbps / HSDPA 7.2 Mbps radio (900, 1900, 2100 MHz)
• Quad-band GSM
• 7-inch WSVGA screen with multitouch
• Android 2.2
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth 3.0,
• GPS
• Flash 10.1
• 4,000 mAh battery
• 3 megapixel rear-facing camera with flash
• 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera
• Full HD video playback at 1080p
• MicroSD card slot with support for up to a 32 GB card
• Weight 13.4 ounces

Not a bad set of specs, except for the pretty tame camera. Who has 1.3 megapixels these days? Oh well, better than the iPad’s 0.0 megapixel camera. The Samsung Galaxy Tab will be launched in Europe in mid September, and in other markets including Korea, the US and Asia later. No word yet on pricing.

Check out the trailer after the jump. So what do we think? Will this be a serious competitor for Apple’s iPad?

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It is starting to seem like most every day is TV preview day here at The Flickcast. Well, that can happen when the new Fall TV season is just around the corner and there are so many new shows clamoring for attention.

Today we’ve got more previews for some of NBC’s new Fall shows to share with you. Some of these include The Event, Outsourced, Outlaw, Law and Order: Los Angeles and Undercovers. For The Event we have the two promos that aired during the Emmy telecast which give you even more clues to what The Event could be. We’re not telling, btw.

Next up is Outsourced with interview footage and clips from the series that give you a comprehensive sneak peek at the newest member of the network’s Thursday lineup. Then with Law & Order LA this new promo links East Coast with West as the cops and lawyers of SVU and LOLA get fans ready for the Fall. We’ve also got interview with cast members Corey Stoll and Skeet Ulrich as they discuss their characters on the show.

For Outlaw the supporting members of Cyrus Garza’s legal team dish on what it’s like working with Jimmy Smits, answer fan questions and give you a preview of the series. Finally, with Undercovers this new promo profiles the show’s lead couple, Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (aka Steven and Samantha Bloom), the two spies who will be saving the world this Fall.

Check out all the videos after the jump. These shows, and more, hit NBC this Fall.

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It should not come as a surprise that two of our favorite actors here at The Flickcast are Robert Downey, Jr. and Zack Galifianakis. Both have demonstrated a flair and talent for comedy and drama and both are terrific at what they do.

So imagine how excited we are when both of these great talents are combined in one movie. That potentially awesome movie? Due Date.

In the Todd Phillips directed film, the two stars help tell a story of fatherhood as an expectant dad (Downey, Jr.) and his unlikely travel companion (Galifianakis) race cross-country in hopes of making it home for the birth of his first child. In this new trailer we’re treated to more of the back-and-forth between these two characters and get a bit more info on the film’s story. In short, it looks damn funny. Plus, Alan Arkin is also in the film so how can it not be good?

In addition to Downey, Jr. and Galifianakis, the film also features Juliette Lewis, Michele Monaghan, Jamie Foxx and Alan Arkin. It hits theaters on November 5th. In the meantime, check out the brand new trailer after the jump.

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Last night at a special event held by Activision and Treyarch at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, we got a chance to play some Call of Duty: Black Ops. Specifically, we were there to check out the multiplayer aspects of the game and generally get an in-depth preview of the whole experience.

After being plied with some excellent cocktails we were whisked into the IMAX theater at the center. Once inside and seated, we were shown some terrific demo videos and given the scoop by Treyarch designers David Vonderhaar and Dan Bunting which showcased what players can expect from the game.

Some of the items they touched on were the game’s new multiplayer features using pillars that the company focused on during development: Compete, Customize and Create. We got to see quite a bit of the game and even got some playing time.

Here’s the highlights:

Multiplayer Training

One thing I was particularly interested in was the all-new multiplayer mode called “Combat Training.” This new feature , which is unique to Black Ops, allows you to experience multiplayer gameplay but replaces the threat of real online players (and severe pwnage) with AI-controlled bots.

This allows you to hone your skills while not suffering any real damage or lowering of your standing in the online world. Players can also invite friend into the match, allowing for some co-op play.

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Remember the early 90′s, before “emo” was a lifestyle and kids were just dressing up like Neil Gaiman’s Death or Dream and rock out to The Cure? Well, it looks like Warner Bros. TV is a little more nostalgic, as they’re in the planning stages of turning Gaiman’s classic fantasy comic into a new dramatic series.

It may be 15 years after the initial book stopped getting published, but the executives at WB feel that fans of a new, vampire-loving generation will take a liking to this dark and dreary world. Heat Vision spells it out.

Warner Bros. TV is in the midst of acquiring television rights from sister company DC Entertainment and in talks with several writer-producers about adapting the 1990s comic. At the top of the list is Eric Kripke, creator of the CW’s horror-tinged “Supernatural.”

“Sandman” told the tale of Morpheus, the Lord of the Dreaming, a deity who personifies dreams. The book began in the horror realm but quickly made its mark in fantasy and mythology as Gaiman introduced the Endless, a group of powerful brothers and sisters named Destiny, Death, Destruction, Despair, Desire and Delirium (as well as Dream).

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In an effort to provide the best coverage of the upcoming Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock,  the Flickcast is doing a four part series of posts dedicated to the eight rock warriors that players will venture through the game’s Quest Mode as.

In Part 1, we take a look at both Axel Steel and Casey Lynch.

Axel Steel: Determined to unearth the cryptic origins of Metal, Axel has toured long across the globe studying the ways of the ancients. But the ancients have plans for him as well…

Warrior Axel Steel: Axel emerges as an embodiment of the undying nature of rock. His music now guided by the wisdom of the ages, he wonders if this new power is a blessing or a curse.

Warrior Power: Resurrector+ (earn 5 Ankhs to instantly resurrect you. Save Ankhs to earn extra Power Stars)

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If 2010 goes down in the record books as anything at all, it will be known as “The Year of Back To The Future” as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the trilogy. Not only will we be treated to a brand new Blu-Ray release of the original films on October 26th, but now we’ll be treated to a brand new video game for the franchise, as well.

From TellTale Games, the guys that brought us Sam & Max and Tales of Monkey Island, the game will come in the form of five monthly episodes, each a playable adventure featuring our favorite characters. Christopher Lloyd is returning to voice Doc Brown (because, why not?) and Bob Gale is even getting involved. From the press release:

Co-creator and writer Bob Gale’s involvement further strengthens the links to the original series.  Gale is consulting with Telltale on the characterizations and storyline for the game, ensuring it will be true to the spirit and adventure of the films.

Gale elaborates:  “Twenty-five years ago when I wrote Doc Brown’s line about ‘seeing the future,’ little did I realize that I would be traveling with him to work on this game.  Collaborating with Telltale is an amazing opportunity to continue the adventures of Doc and Marty.”

The first in the game series will be coming to us as soon as this November, and those going to PAX in Seattle this weekend will be treated to the very first look at the game. Also, shortly after BTTF is behind TellTale, word is that their next franchise to tackle in game form is Jurrasic Park, so watch out for those Spitters!

In the meantime, check out the very first piece of artwork from the upcoming Back to the Future game, featuring an awesome rendering of both Doc and Marty after the jump.

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Brendan Fraser will not be returning to the Journey to the Center of the Earth franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter.   Fraser dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, so the torch will now be passed to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for the next installment of the adventure series, entitled Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.

Johnson will not reprise Fraser’s role in the sequel.  He will play the boyfriend of the mother of aspiring adventurer Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson.)

Family friendly Journey to the Center of the Earth was one of the first films to capitalize on the 3D craze, and earned over $100M domestically, and $250 worldwide.

The sequel will be based on Jules Verne’s  The Mysterious Island.  Johnson will join Anderson’s character on a quest to find his missing grandfather on a mysterious island. The film will be shot and released in 3D. Filming is to begin in late October

Johnson has established himself as a bankable anchor for recent family dramas The Tooth Fairy ($58M) and Race to Witch Mountain ($67M.) He also appeared in The Mummy Returns opposite Brendan Fraser.

Next up for Johnson is the action thriller Faster, coming out around Thanksgiving.

At this year’s Comic Con during the Sony Press Event, we were given the opportunity to get hands on with two of the biggest titles coming to the PlayStation 3 in 2011. Not only are Killzone 3 and Motorstorm: Apocalypse much anticipated sequels to two of PlayStation 3′s top games, but they both will feature PlayStation 3′s 3D technology.

Killzone 3 first and foremost looks gorgeous. Even over a half year before its release date and still in Pre-Alpha build, the visuals look polished. While the 3D experience helps add to the immersion of the title, there is never a time where it felt intrusive. There are never any over the top “coming at the screen for the sake of 3D” moments. What the 3D effects do however is add a convincing level of depth and distance as players make their way through the environment.

The version we got to play was the same one seen on the E3 show floor where players must execute a raid to save prisoners being held at a Helghast weapons research facility with the team of raiders who survived the end of Killzone 2. Gameplay is crisp and fast paced in line with previous versions of the series.

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This week on The Flickcast Chris and Matt take on a slew of new and recurring topics. Some of these include the recent Emmy Awards, Fantastic Four casting rumors, X-Men: First Class, Jimmy Fallon’s career and the Clash of the Titans Sequel.

They also discuss potential directors for X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2, True Blood, Mad Men, the Community Emmy commercials, the awesomeness of AMC network’s TV shows, the greatness of Joss Whedon’s Firefly and casting for The Expendables 2.

Plus, the guys made some picks this week including Matt’s pick of the innovative sci-fi show Lexx and Chris’ pick of the classic series Firefly starring Nathan Fillion and Summer Glau.

As always, if you have comments, questions, critiques, offers of sponsorship or whatever, feel free to hit us up in the comments, on Twitter, at Facebook and MySpace or via email.

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With just under a week from the release of the most hyped Spider-Man video game release in years, Activision and Beenox have unveiled the final launch trailer for Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.  In it, a majority of the game’s villains are spotlighted as well as the voice actors of all four versions of everyone’s favorite web crawler after the jump.

As we are sure you have seen, we’ve kept a close watch on the upcoming title. We have brought you video of the alternate unlockcable attire, interviews with developers,  and even hands on feedback from our time with the game at San Diego Comic-Con.

But we’re not done yet. Be sure to check back for our review of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions following the game’s September 7th release date. Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions will be coming out for PlayStation 3, XBox 360, PC and the Nintendo Wii.

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At a packed media event today Apple announced some new things that were met mostly with enthusiasm by the attending crowd. Among these new things was iOS 4.1 and 4.2, new iPods and a new version of the Apple TV.

Here’s a summary of the announcements:

iOS 4.1 – iOS 4.2

• High Dynamic Range photos: Takes three photos and combines them to form one better one.

• Proximity sensor, Bluetooth and the iPhone 3G.

• High-definition video upload over Wi-Fi.

• TV show rentals and purchase

• Game Center debut

iOS 4.2

• Brings iPad up-to-date with iPhone 4 including folders, better multitasking, etc.

The iOS 4.1 update will be available next week through iTunes. iOS 4.2 will come in November.

New iPod Nano

• New square design
• Touchscreen interface
• VoiceOver
• FM radio
• Nike+ and pedometer
• 24-hour battery life
• Six colors
• $149 for 8GB and $179 for 16GB
• Preorder today, shipping in a week

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The first season of the new AMC series The Walking Dead, based on Robert Kirkman’s comic, hasn’t even aired yet but already it seems the cast and crew need to prepare to get back to work. According to reports a “crew insider” let slip that the series would return to Atlanta in February to begin filming the second season of episodes.

Presumably the second season will follow the pattern of the first and be six episodes. Although, we can always hope for more considering other AMC series like Mad Men and Breaking Bad contain thirteen episodes each. If the first season of The Walking Dead does well enough, maybe AMC will order more for the second. Fingers crossed.

Based on the comic created by Robert Kirkman and produced and directed by Frank Darabont, the series will deal with the aftermath of a zombie plague and follow a group of survivors led by Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). The group must face a diverse set of problems and challenges not only from zombies and other survivors but from within their group as well.

The Walking Dead, which also features Laurie Holden, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey De Munn and Michael Rooker, premieres on AMC on October 31st.

On Monday, we brought you an exclusive interview with Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter. He explained some of the intense story arcs we can expect to see in the upcoming third season of the series. We also got to speak with one of the show’s stars (and Sutter’s Wife) Katey Sagal.

Sagal has managed to stay topical since 1987 and Married With Children, moving on to Futurama in 1999, then to 8 Simple Rules and now Sons of Anarchy. Granted, she’s dropped the Married stigma, but it’s nice to sometimes think of her as our favorite leopard top-wearing housewife.

Now, Sagal carries on in the dramatic role of Gemma Teller Morrow, and we got her to spill the beans on the coming season. Check out our full interview after the jump, and keep it here all week as we bring you another interview with a very special cast member of Sons Of Anarchy, leading up to the season 3 premiere next Tuesday, September 7th, at 10pm on FX.

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