"Thor" "X-Men: First Class" "Captain America: The First Avenger" win Saturn Awards 2012

Marvel Cinematic Universe had a decent showing at the 38th Saturn Awards presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films July 26, 2012.  Thor was nominated for four awards and X-Men: First Class received two nominations. Captain America: The First Avenger got seven nominations. 

The first Thor movie starring dreamy Chris Hemsworth released in 2011 won Best Costume for Alexandra Byrne.  It was nominated for Best Fantasy Film, Best Supporting Actor for Tom Hiddleston, and Best Production Design for Bo Welch.

X-Men: First Class won Best Make-up for Dave Elsey. It was nominated for Best Science Fiction Film.

Captain America: The First Avenger was nominated for Best Science Fiction film, Best Actor for Chris Evans, Best Supporting Actor for Stanley Tucci, Best Music for Alan Silvestri, Best Production Design, Best Costume, and Best Special Effects.

Thor (2011) trailer 

Soyuz TMA-04M launched 2012

Soyuz TMA-041M crew (L-R): Joe Acaba, Gennady Padalka, Sergei Revin

Soyuz TMA-04M, launched May 15, 2012, carried the members of Expedition 31 to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Gennady Padalka, Sergei Revin, and Joe Acaba. During the expedition, an unmanned Dragon spacecraft from SpaceX docked with the ISS as part of a test rendezvous. 

They returned to Earth after 125 days on September 17, 2012.

"The Help" wins three Critics' Choice Awards 2012

The Help, a movie about African-American servants in 1963 Jackson, Mississippi, was nominated for 8 Critics' Choice Awards and won three at the 17th annual ceremony held January 12, 2012.

Viola Davis won Best Actress for her performance Aibileen Clark, and Octavia Spencer won Best Supporting Actress for her work as Minny Jackson. The Help also won for Best Acting Ensemble.

The Help was nominated for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Song.  Jessica Chastain was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Celia Rae Foote.

Soyuz TMA-05M launched 2012

Soyuz TMA-05M crew (L-R): Yuri Malenchenko, Sunita Williams, Akihiko Hoshide

Soyuz TMA-05M, launched July 15, 2012, carried the members of Expedition 32 crew to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Yuri Malenchenko, Sunita Williams, and Akihiko Hoshide. The crew participated in Expedition 32 and Expedition 33, before returning to Earth November 19, 2012.

"The Woman In Black" released 2012

One of my favorite horror films, The Woman in Black, was released in the US February 3, 2012.  It stars Daniel Radcliffe as a lawyer in London in the early 1900s.  He is sent to a large, abandoned, spooky manor in a remote village where a woman in black has been seen.  Whenever she is spotted, a child dies.  The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Susan Hill, published in 1983. 

I liked it mainly because of its lack of gore and the suspense and intrigue without the violence.  I also liked seeing Radcliffe in a non-Harry Potter role.  The incredibly versatile actor Ciaran Hinds appears in a supporting role.

The movie earned $20M in its opening weekend. It made almost $128M world-wide and is the biggest British horror movie in 20 years. What was the biggest one before it?

"Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries" premieres 2012

Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries, starring the incredible Essie Davis, first aired on February 24, 2012.  It is based on the series written by Kerry Greenwood, set in 1920s Melbourne, Australia.  Phryne Fisher is a wordly woman of considerable means who decides to go into private investigating, much to the annoyance of the local police chief Jack Robinson, played by Nathan Page.

There is no shortage of sexual chemistry between Phryne and Jack, though and Miss Fisher's one-liners make the series much fun to watch.  It only lasted three seasons but there are some Miss Fisher movies in the making.

Soyuz TMA-06M (Expedition 33) launched 2012

Soyuz TMA-06M crew (L-R): Kevin Ford, Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-06M, launched October 23, 2012, carried members of Expedition 33 to the International Space Station.  The crew consisted of Commander Oleg Novitskiy, Evgeny Tarelkin and Kevin Ford (NASA).

They greeted the residents of the ISS Sunita Williams, Yuri Malenchenko and Akihiko Hoshide.  They remained on board until March 2013 when they returned to Earth.

"The Day After Tomorrow" released 2004

The Day After Tomorrow, released May 28, 2004, has been panned as one of the most scientifically inaccurate movies ever, but its still a fun movie.  There are worse ways of spending a couple of hours watching Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal and Dash Mihok.

Directed by Roland Emmerich, who likes these apocalyptic type movies (see 2012), the movie has a huge global storm over the northern hemisphere that plunges the Earth into a new Ice Age within a matter of days.  Of course, it's extremely unlikely but it's got great special effects.  I also enjoyed seeing Sela Ward, Ian Holm and Tamlyn Tomita.

Soyuz TMA-07M launched 2012

L-R: Thomas Marshburn, Roman Romanenko, Chris Hadfield 

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-07M, launched December 19, 2012, carried the three members of Expedition 34 to the International Space Station.  The crew was Commander Roman Romanenko (Roscosmos), Chris Hadfield (Canadian Space Agency) and Thomas Marshburn (NASA).

They remained on the ISS until May 13, 2013 when they returned to Earth landing in Kazakhstan May 14.

Kwangmyongsong-3 Unit 2 (1st North Korean satellite) launched 2012

An accomplishment met with universal apprehension and skepticism, North Korea launched their first satellite, Kwangmyongsong-3 Unit 2, December 12, 2012.  Previous attempts had failed, despite the North Koreans declaring all were successful.  This was the first satellite that tracking stations around the world could track and observe.

North Korea became the 10th country to obtain the technology to launch its own satellites.  North Korea claimed Kwangmyongson-3 Unit 2 is to estimate crop yields collect weather data and assess the country's forest coverage and natural resources.

Other countries aren't so sure. 

A few days after launch, ground observers noted the satellite was tumbling out of control.  The North Koreans responded by saying "it's supposed to do that!" but since it was meant to keep constantly pointing toward Earth, this seems unlikely.

An overly-exuberant newsanchor reports the successful launch of Kwangmyongson-3 Unit 2.