Guest post by Rupert Carey.

I love the book, “The Grapes Of Wrath“. It details the hardships and tests of the great depression. What I like best about this book is that the Joads, the primary family in the book, have to flee their home in Oklahoma because of the dust bowl. They were sharecroppers, whose fields dried up. The bank then forecloses on their farm, making it impossible for the Joads to survive. The family then has to leave in search of a means to survive. They set out for California, in hopes that they will be able to find prosperous land, jobs, and a means of sustenance.

I love this book because it demonstrates the struggle of man against the strictures of government. The Grapes Of Wrath is a Steinbeck piece that ellucidates how price fixing and inflation have serious reprecussions in terms of who can afford to eat and have a dwelling, and who cannot. “…..And in the eyes of the hungry, there is a growing wrath.” This was true when Steinbeck first penned it in his book to demonstrate the destruction by the government to keep food prices high, and rings extremely true today. This is my favorite book because it forces one to reflect on how our government can cause poverty, while at the same time speaking the words that they desire to end poverty. Lets just say my directtv got a break while I was obsessed with this book.

Okay, so I stopped watching Charmed at some point in its first season. The show was cheesey and never reached the level of Buffy, no matter how hard it tried. It had some bright points and some great casting with Alyssa Milano, Julian McMahon, and Holly Marie Combs, but the show was never as good as it could be.

So why am I previewing this new comic based on the series? I’m intrigued by it. The comic continues from the end of the TV series (much like the Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 comic from Dark Horse), and they have an opportunity to fix the problems of the series. Unlike TV, comics have no budget constraints. They could bring the magic and fights to new levels. Bring back characters that had actors who refused to return (was the series ever the same without Shannen Doherty’s Prue Halliwell?). Now, I have no idea if they are going to do that or put enough love into this comic to make it special and stand out. But they can.

The new series is written by Paul Ruditis and Raven Gregory, with art by Dave Hoover. None of them were part of the 8 seasons of the TV series, but Ruditis has written multiple Charmed novels (which you can buy at the links below). The first issue hits stands tomorrow, June 3rd.

Are you a big fan of the Matt Damon action series based on the character of Jason Bourne? Than you might be disappointed to hear that the film might not be happening. The Wrap is reporting that Paul Greengrass, who helmed Supremacy and Ultimatum, has walked away from the new project after a disagreement with Universal. According to the news source, Greengrass wanted to push the film back and the studio wants to get it out as soon as they can. Isn’t this always the case?

Personally, I think a change in director could be a good thing for the series. I prefer Doug Liman’s The Bourne Identity, and felt like Greengrass’ shaky camera sequels never quite reached the level of the first one. I’d be interested to see what Liman would do if the studio brought him back into the mix. Another director, someone removed from the series, could bring fresh ideas to the table.

But will Matt Damon come back with a new director? He has stated in the past that he’d only do a fourth Bourne film with Greengrass, but that could have just been “Hollywood” talk. Remember when Arnold wouldn’t do a Terminator sequel without James Cameron, then the studio offered him more money than could be spent in a lifetime? Yeah, I can see that happening again here.

What do you think? Would you be up for a new Bourne flick without Greengrass? Which of the Bourne movies is your favorite?

Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks TV have struck a deal to bring Stephen King’s Under the Dome to life. The book, which was recently released, is going to be made as an event mini series and likely set up on a cable network.

The novel is a supernatural thriller that focuses on a small New England town that is cut off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field, which causes ecological effects and a fight for control within the isolated population. What is the mystery of the dome?

While I have not read Under the Dome, it seems like it is a perfect fit for Spielberg and company to adapt for the small screen. The source material contains a strong and engaging premise with a ton of possibilities. The great thing about doing it as a mini series is that it has a clear beginning and end, instead of being an ongoing series that would likely be stretched thin and lose focus. If done in a style similar to Taken, I think this could be a very cool project.

As we already know, Kevin Smith is awesome, but you know what else is really awesome? Free sh*t! Add them together and you have our new contest. We are giving away a few copies of…

The official description:

Collecting some of the finest moments of Smith’s freewheeling conversations with his friend and producer Scott Mosier (as heard on their top-rated podcast, known as SModcast), this brand new book exposes more of the inner workings of Smith’s wonderfully weird mind.

Discover the genesis of Stalin’s Monkey Soldier army, the horrifying tale of Kevin vs. Steak Tartare, how to make bukkake eggs, the lengths to which Jason Mewes would go for a free comic, and how Kevin was once willing to let Alanis Morissette get mugged…

Lewd, crude and hilariously rude, these are just a few examples of the riches to be found within! Also featuring guest conversationalists Walt Flanagan and Bryan Johnson, fellow filmmaker and failed Canadian Malcolm Ingram, and even contributions from his wife Jen and daughter Harley, these are the humorous highs and cultural lows of Kevin Smith’s verbal diarrhoea…and he can’t wait to unload on you.

Now, how do you win your copy of Shootin’ the Sh*t with Kevin Smith: The Best of Smodcast?  Simply leave a comment on this article and let us know who your favorite Kevin Smith created character is! Is it Dante or Randal? Holden McNeil? Banky Edwards? Brodie? Jay or Silent Bob?

Also, to get a double entry into the contest, let us know your favorite Kevin Smith related story! It could be from the Smodcast, An Evening with Kevin Smith or one of his many Comic Con appearances. Three winners will be chosen on September 25th, 2009!

Eligibility/The Fine Print

To enter this contest, you must live in the United States or Canada. Simply leave a message in the comments section of this post and tell us who your favorite Kevin Smith character of all time is and you are entered into the contest. Please do not put your address in the comments. If you win, you will be notified by e-mail and asked to provide your address for shipping purposes only. No records will be kept of addresses or e-mail address information. Good Luck! If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Only a couple more days to vote…

Summer is officially beginning and we are preping our first July contest and we’d like to hear from you guys! Please post a comment below with which item you’d like us to give away in our next contest. Thanks!

• “Dead Until Dark” by Charlaine Harris. This novel is the first in the Sookie Stackhouse series that the hit HBO series True Blood is based on. If you are unfamilar with the series, it is based around a small town in Louisiana and how it is effected after vampires “come out of the coffin” and into the public eye after a synthetic blood is developed.

• Face / Off on Blu-Ray.  My favorite John Woo film stars John Travolta as an FBI agent who must do the unthinkable to stop an evil terrorist’s plan, he must become him.  The disc contains a bunch of special features that you’ll never watch including commentaries by the director/writers, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, the trailer and more.

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer season one DVD. The classic vampire series by Joss Whedon focuses on the slayer (Sarah Michelle Gellar), one girl in all the world that is chosen to fight vampires and other demons.

• “Intensity” by Dean Koontz. In this #1 New York Times bestseller, a “young woman staying as a guest in a Napa Valley farmhouse becomes trapped in a fight for survival with a self-proclaimed homicidal adventurer, and races to warn his next intended victim. Unrelentingly terrifying, this book lives up to its name.”

• Bee Movie on Blu-Ray. This charming animated film is from the mind of Jerry Seinfeld and co-stars the voice of Renee Zellweger. The disc contains a bunch of features including storyboards, triva, commentaries, deleted scenes, and an alternate ending.

And last but not least…

• Chicken Run on DVD. This stop motion animation from the creators of Wallace & Gromit stars the voices of Mel Gibson and Timothy Spall. Included in the special features is a “read-along” of the script.

So, which of these items would you like to see us give away? Don’t forget to vote in the comment section of this article!

Good Morning! Another week, another Pit! Grab a beverage, breakfast, sit back and enjoy…

• Who are Hollywood’s hardest working actors? (Yahoo)

• Ed Brubaker talks about his new ongoing comic, Incognito. (Newsarama)

• Benicio Del Toro talks Che. (CNN Video)

• Read the first chapter of Somebody: The Reckless Life and Remarkable Career of Marlon Brando. An engaging look at Brando’s posthumous legacy. (New York Times)

• If you perfer pictures to text, you can also read the full first issue of Mark Millar’s War Heroes. (Newsarama)