SLAMDANCE 2013 Review: DIAMOND ON VINYL

January 23, 2013, 5:00 pm

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By Todd Sokolove

Diamond on Vinyl
Directed, Written, and Produced by J.R. Hughto
Starring Sonja Kinski, Brian McGuire, Nina Millin, Jeff Doucette

The new film from writer/director/producer J.R. Hughto Diamond on Vinyl is a well-crafted exploration of personal attraction and motivation in our age of smart phones and internet video.  But it's also a story of obsession over a fairly obscure object – Safe and Sound, Volume 4, a rare vinyl recording of "conversations" meant to be played on repeat by home owners while out of the house.

For the film's audiophile protagonist, Henry, the record appears to have been life changing, to the extent that recording conversations (mostly unbeknownst to others) becomes his lifeblood. Normal and rational social interaction seems to escape Henry, and it clearly starts to take a toll on his relationship with his girlfriend Beth.

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Sundance 2013: PRIMATE CINEMA: APES AS FAMILY (review)

January 23, 2013, 6:00 pm

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By Elizabeth Weitz

Primate Cinema: Apes As Family
Written and Directed by Rachel Mayeri
Produced by Matt Johnstone





Mayeri's short film was constructed as a study of chimpanzees in captivity watching a movie made specifically for them starring human actors in chimp suits (and capturing the real chimps reactions to what they are watching).

Sounds odd I know, but apparently chimps, who have been kept in zoos and other facilities, voluntarily watch television and movies as a way to pass the time (just like we do) and, judging by their response to the film within the film, seem to find programming catered specifically to them fascinating.

The premise of the "Primate Cinema" that captured the attention of the chimps (in a few cinema verite-like moments) was kept pretty simple: a chimp named Karla has to deal with a home invasion-style break-in of a group of unknown-to-her chimpanzees who proceed to wreck her home before becoming her friends, but it is the reactions to what is appearing on the screen (a television was kept outside and in an enclosed cage for the chimps to watch) which really puts it into the level of Meta.

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MESSAGES IN A BOTTLE Celebrates The Comics of B. KRIGSTEIN

January 24, 2013, 8:00 am

≫ Next: MY STRANGE GRANDFATHER: A Hauntingly Beautiful Animated Film by Dina Velikovskaya

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Bernard Krigstein did not spend his whole life slaving over a drafting table, but in the 11 years he drew comics he created stories and images that have never been forgotten. Dubbed the "cartoonist's cartoonist," Krigstein has influenced many of today's comics greats. Messages in a Bottle collects the best and brightest of Krigstein works. Edited by biographer Greg Sadowski, this book helps you relive the good ol' days when comics were packed full of colorful adventures, ghoulish ghosts, sleuthy gum-shoes, and woeful warriors.

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MY STRANGE GRANDFATHER: A Hauntingly Beautiful Animated Film by Dina Velikovskaya

January 24, 2013, 9:00 am

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My Strange Grandfather is an achingly exquisite short film written, directed and animated by Russian art student Dina Velikovskaya as a graduate project. The film tells the tale of a young girl and her crazily inventive grandfather who creates beauty out of discarded trash and features stop motion at it's finest.

The film, which features no dialog, is hitting the the film festival circuit (with a win at the Montreal Stop Motion Film Festival) and garnering superb reviews. 

Watch it now, cause I have a feeling it will show up at next year's Oscars.
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ARROW: "Trust But Verify" S1E11 (review)

January 24, 2013, 10:00 am

≫ Next: HOW A COMPUTER ORDERED A PIZZA In 1974

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By PJ Hruschak

"Trust and Justify," more like quick and deceitful (with a heaping helping of revelations)

As the episode name "Trust and Justify" pretty much explains, this week's episode features deceit galore. So they can pack in as much deceit as possible, this week's show utilizes a flurry of short, quick scenes that leave room for little dialog, a bit of action and a pair of end of episode revelations.


Blackhawk Down
Instead of the usual breathy intro, this week we start with an armored car robbery by some guys using military grade weapons. Although we don't get the usual Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) ultra workout session, we do see a second of him performing some on-arm pushups. We quickly learn that John "Digg" Diggle's (David Ramsey) former squad leader Ted Gaynor (Ben Browder) is on Oliver's list of local high-powered nasties destroying the city.

You can pretty much see where this is going already, can't you?

Diggs claims his old friend cannot possibly be bad and even stops Arrow early in the show from taking him down.

Throughout the episode Diggs and his friend chat about old times, much as Diggs' sister's-in-law diner and say slightly enigmatic things about their own lives.

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HOW A COMPUTER ORDERED A PIZZA In 1974

January 24, 2013, 11:00 am

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Welcome to Computer History 101! Back in 1974 computer geeks Jerome Jackson and John Eulenberg of Michigan State University’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory created the tech that allowed a computer to order a pizza.

Using a very awesome early 70s modem and type-to-speech technology, one Donald Sherman had the computer call Domino's Pizza (who promptly hung up after thinking it was a prank) only to have Mr. Mike’s Pizza satisfy the craving for hot cheese of baby Skynet.

It was the earliest indication that someday we all could buy stuff without ever having to deal with human beings ever again...well, that and the fact that computers could do stuff that would eventually be our undoing.

How fun!


Source: Foodiggity

Smallville: Random, Awesome and WTF?! - S10E7: Ambush

January 24, 2013, 12:00 pm

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Thanksgiving means fun on the Kent Farm as General Lane (Michael Ironside) comes to visit and, surprising absolutely no one, he and Clark don’t exactly see eye to eye on superheroes. That’s going to make things a bit difficult at these family gatherings.

And I thought being a Yankee fan while my ex’s dad was an Indians fan was rough…

The Random:
1. Looks like Lois (Erica Durance) and Clark (Tom Welling) have a little post-sex afterglow, and Lois ain’t done yet.  Clark, seriously, how much better is this than Lana?  Still, you have to love that feeling of awkwardness when Lois pulls Clark outside to have sex on the porch swing and General Lane and Lucy (Peyton List) are standing there waiting.

2. Wow, is Lucy really hitting on Clark?  Dude, you play this right and you you’ve got yourself a dream holiday.  Too bad Lucy’s become such a megabitch since the last time we saw her.

3. Ollie (Justin Hartley) is at least trying to warm up to Tess (Cassidy Freeman) and for her part, she’s doing her best to earn everyone’s trust.

“Stand down, son.  I said, ‘Stand down!’  Look at your pants, stand down, damn it!”

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WTF? SpongeBob Gets A Porn Parody Called...SpongeKnob SquareNuts

January 24, 2013, 1:00 pm

≫ Next: The Gaming Winter Blues

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If you like your smut more disturbing rather than titillating, then you might be up for polishing your knob to a SpongeBob SquarePants porn parody that will certainly f*ck up any memory of watching television with your small children.

Not that I'm judging you at all (I'll leave that to your family and friends who will discover your sexual deviancy stash after you die).

I guess it'll be worth your time to view the trailer below, but I warn you, watching a guy dressed up as a beloved children's character about to drill some skank is going to leave a lasting impression.
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The Gaming Winter Blues

January 24, 2013, 2:00 pm

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Ah, Winter...it's a time when money is tight, the weather has turned on us and we realise that the novelty of Christmas is over because we've played all of the games we received as gifts. Stuck inside with no games to play, it's every gamers nightmare.

Yes, the Winter Gaming Blues are upon us!

But fear not my fellow gamers, there's still hope amidst these cold, bleak Winter months. Let me offer you some advice to get through the harshness of the season.

My first suggestion to help you deal with your lack of new games is to download some demos. Not only will it give you a chance to test out a game before you get paid but you can also play demos of games that you may have otherwise written off in the past or it may be a game you might not have considered previously. Either way, it's a useful way to determine whether you'll enjoy the full version without spending any money. So, what have you got to lose?

Swapping games with your friends is another way to beat the Gaming Winter Blues. Not only will you have a new game to play but you can also make recommendations to friends, which can be incredibly rewarding. If there's enough of you then you could even organise a swap shop. Spend the extra time you have to make invites with a gaming theme, prepare game related snacks or even a beverage or two (for some amazing recipe ideas check out Drunken Moogle).

Alternatively, why not throw a LAN party?


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J.J. ABRAMS To Direct STAR WARS: EPISODE VII (UPDATED)

January 24, 2013, 2:51 pm

≫ Next: Contest! Win MERLIN: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON Bluray!

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JJ Abrams might be the most powerful man in science fiction pop culture, as he takes on Star Wars following his successful revamp of the Star Trek franchise.  According to multiple sources, Abrams is in final negotiations to helm the upcoming Episode VII for Walt Disney Entertainment and Lucasfilm.  Surprisingly this news comes after saying this past November that he had no interest in making the film, “Look, Star Wars is one of my favorite movies of all time. I frankly feel that – I almost feel that, in a weird way, the opportunity for whomever it is to direct that movie, it comes with the burden of being that kind of iconic movie and series. I was never a big Star Trek fan growing up, so for me, working on Star Trek didn’t have any of that, you know, almost fatal sacrilege, and so, I am looking forward more then anyone to the next iterations of Star Wars, but I believe I will be going as a paying moviegoer!”

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Contest! Win MERLIN: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON Bluray!

January 24, 2013, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Contest! Win Paul Zimmerman's VIRGIN NOIR ebook! Indie Legends of the 1990s Volume 1: Icons

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Merlin is back for a fourth season with even more magic, adventure and romance! The young wizard struggles to protect Prince Arthur in the perilous world of Camelot. While battling deadly assassins, mystical monsters and the most powerful sorcerers Camelot has ever seen, Merlin now has to face his toughest challenge yet when Morgana's blind determination puts at risk Arthur's future as well as the very balance of the world. Featuring exciting new villains, white-knuckle stunt sequences, and spectacular CGI monsters, Merlin Season Four is more thrilling than ever.

And we're giving away three copies!

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Contest! Win Paul Zimmerman's VIRGIN NOIR ebook! Indie Legends of the 1990s Volume 1: Icons

January 25, 2013, 7:00 am

≫ Next: ARCHER: "The Wind Cries Mary" S4E2 (review)

≪ Previous: Contest! Win MERLIN: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON Bluray!

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As the Editor-in-Chief of Film Threat Magazine and Filmzone.com and contributor to Details, Maxim, Spin, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, Paul Zimmerman had a unique opportunity to discover new talent. In his first book he lays bare the truth about the indie revolution of the 1990s while journeying to where few journalists have ever gone before.

Zimmerman has recently published the e-book, Virgin Noir, a collection of first time directors' landmark first interviews with him. The "Where's Waldo" of film geeks recounts his adventures and interviews with a number of important directors from the indie revolution of the 1990s. Juicy, fast and unique, film history has never bee so much fun. This volume includes interviews and never before told behind the scenes tales from an insider.

This volume includes interviews with Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, David O. Russell, Neil Labute, Guy Ritchie, Kimberly Pierce and Sofia Coppola.

Come along on the wild ride where you will learn where Tarantino got the t-shirt he wore in Pulp Fiction (hint: Zimmerman gave it to him ), what it's like to be on the set of Mallrats, fooled by David O. Russell, angered by Kimberly Pierce and charmed by Sofia Coppola. Leave the stuffy film books alone and learn what really happens when directors let down their guard and speak freely.

And we're giving away three copies!

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ARCHER: "The Wind Cries Mary" S4E2 (review)

January 25, 2013, 8:00 am

≫ Next: 30 ROCK: “A Goon's Deed in a Weary World” S7E11 (review)

≪ Previous: Contest! Win Paul Zimmerman's VIRGIN NOIR ebook! Indie Legends of the 1990s Volume 1: Icons

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By Ryan McLelland

WARNING: I'm going to tell you everything that happened in the episode. If you don't want to know then stop reading. OR ELSE! 

And I'm going to use everyday Archer speak which means I assume you've seen the show. If you haven't seen the show stop reading spoilers on the current episode and go buy the first season on DVD. Or Blu-Ray. Or download it on iTunes. Netflix. You get the point.

It's peer review time at ISIS which makes everyone miserable except for Pam(Amber Nash). Pam runs the human resources department at an agency that doesn't give a crap about human resources, so she is loving that it is finally review time. As Malory (Jessica Walter) finishes her briefing, which also included ants taking over the break room and Dr. Krieger (Lucky Yates) trying to develop super-ant strength to combat them, she ends with one name: Lucas Troy.

Troy was an ISIS recruit who trained alongside Archer (H. Jon Benjamin). Right on graduation day Troy quit to become an agent for rival spy agency ODIN. Of course this pissed everyone off to no end except for Archer - who knows Troy as a kickass agent, amazing drinker, phenomenal ladies man, and all-around awesome wingman. Troy is Archer's best (and only) friend so the news that he killed a whole slew of bad guys AND his own ODIN agents in a double cross, stole some uranium & ten million dollars, and escaped in a jet that crashed in Vermont. The ISIS crew think it funny that Archer and Troy were just…kinda gay with each other. Archer shrugs it all off. Not only can Troy not be gay because he's an awesome kickass secret agent that is also Archer's best friend, but he HAD to fake his death to expose the ODIN mole.


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30 ROCK: “A Goon's Deed in a Weary World” S7E11 (review)

January 25, 2013, 9:00 am

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By PJ Hruschak

This rolling stone soon to gather moss, but not without getting its house back in order

30 Rockwent pretty much where we expected this week, and it was a very good thing, embracing the show's impending cancellation with industry puns, jabs at the network and a classic movie parody. OK, maybe that last part is a more recent part of the show but, here, it works.


"Wonka is a true capitalist."
The episode begins with Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) having a stress dream about the writing staff in skeleton form  rebelling over her getting the show - "The Girlie Show" -  cancelled. Turns out that is about the opposite of what the staff will do when, later in the show, they act as usual, goofing around and pelting Lutz (John Lutz) with Nerf bullets instead of helping her to put together a last ditch presentation.

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Smallville: Random, Awesome and WTF?! - S10E8: Abandoned

January 25, 2013, 10:00 am

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We saw her in cameo form last season, but here we finally get to see Granny Goodness (Christine Willes), another of Darkseid’s minions, and she’s got secrets that she wants to share with Tess (Cassidy Freeman) about her true origins.  Most grannies just make cookies and stuff.

It seems Darkseid’s influence has been here longer than anyone thought.  And none of it involved cookies.

The Random:
1. Tess can just pop out of bed straight from a major nightmare and still look dope beyond belief.  How does she do it?

2. So, who’s playing Mama Lane on a videotape from Lois’ past?  Why, it’s none other than Teri Hatcher of Lois & Clark.  Dean Cain got to come to Smallville as a villain, Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve made appearances, as did Terence Stamp (in voice), Annette O'Toole got to play Mama Kent, and even Helen Slater stopped by.  Damn you, Gene Hackman, for not joining the fun!

3. I don’t have much experience in these places, but I’m pretty sure it’s atypical for orphanages to run death dojos with scantily clad and heavily armed young woman in their basements.  But like I said, my experience is lacking.

“No.  No, I don’t know why Gene Hackman is the only major player to refuse to play with us, sorry.”

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Car Wars: THE GREAT RACE Revisited

January 25, 2013, 11:00 am

≫ Next: The Power of Character

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Someone recently tweeted the question, “What’s your favorite movie sword-fight?”

Well, of course the obvious answers all popped up straightaway: the duels in Star Wars (take your pick), Pirates of the Caribbean, Kill Bill, Rob Roy, The Princess Bride, etc.  And these are all great, no doubt about it… but the sword fight that occurred to me was from a movie I haven’t seen since I was a kid: The Great Race.

The Great Race is just what it sounds like: a movie about a race—an old-time car race from New York to…Paris?



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The Power of Character

January 25, 2013, 12:00 pm

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Readers can be divided mostly into two categories, and a smaller number into a third.  There are readers who choose, read and enjoy books for the story, the plot, what the whole thing is about; get caught up in it and stay hooked to the very end, enjoying the entire tale.  Then there are readers who pick and read books for characters, for unique people they become fascinated in reading about, knowing that they drive the story and keep reading to find out where and how the characters will end up. 

And then there are the readers that enjoy books for both character and story equally.  But we’re not going to talk about that contingent today.  Today we’re focusing on those readers who look for books that are character-driven.  They are the type of people who study and seek out people interacting in their lives, and relish reading about it on the page, seeing what makes people tick, how they will act and react in certain situations, and how when two or more are brought together in a specific situation, what exactly will happen.

Unsurprisingly, there are writers like this too; likely because they are these same types of people.  It is people they like to write about, and not so much the story, as they let their characters drive said story, not always certain where they are going to take it, but always excited about the ride.  Two particular authors who do this and do this very well, as shown by their international bestsellerdom, are Haruki Murakami and John Irving.


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The Man From Hong Kong Looks At RUNAWAY BLUES

January 25, 2013, 1:00 pm

≫ Next: Marvel Comics Silver Age DisContinuity 004 Fantastic Four #4

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During the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, it often seemed as if Andy Lau (Lau Tak-wah) was the star of every other movie made in Hong Kong, be it action, comedy, romance or drama. Lau popped up everywhere and 9 times out of 10, he delivered a solid performance in each and every film. Forces of Geek’s Man from Hong Kong, Big Mike Leeder delves into the vaults and takes a look at an oft neglected slice of classic heroic bloodshed from Hong Kong.

RUNAWAY BLUES

The movie opens in Taiwan, introducing us to Kwong (Andy Lau) a reckless Triad boy racer as he and his girlfriend (Ngok Ling) compete in a very dangerous Fast & Furious scooter race through the Taiwanese countryside. Things take a deadly turn for the worst leaving a rival Triad racer dead, and Kwong being targeted for revenge.



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Marvel Comics Silver Age DisContinuity 004 Fantastic Four #4

January 25, 2013, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Contest! Win TWENTY TWELVE: THE COMPLETE SERIES DVD!

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One of the greatest guides to the concept of continuity in a specific series is The DisContinuity Guide: The Unofficial Doctor Who Companionby Paul Cornell, Martin Day and Keith Topping, first put out in 1995. From my point of view the genius of this work is in the way the authors peel back the layers of a complex text like Doctor Who, and start back at the beginning, when we didn't know anything about the series or what it would eventually evolve into.

This allows us to see the ways in which the universe was expanded, sometimes carefully, often times not. We get to see undeveloped themes and the earliest examples of new themes.

Like an evolutionary biologist studying our small, brown furred burrowing human ancestors, we get a look at the way things were without the baggage of the way things are.

Marvel Comics DisContinuity 004

Fantastic Four 004

Title(s) :

The Coming of... Sub-Mariner!
On the Trail of the Human Torch!

Enter the Sub-Mariner!
Let the World Beware!
Sub-Mariner's Revenge!
Return to the Deep!

Publication Date/On Sale Date : 

May 1962/Feb 1962

Writer/Artists : 

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

Sources : 

Timely Comic superheroes, Atlas Comic superheroes, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", Leviathan, Jonah, Marvel Monster comics, Peter Pan

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Contest! Win TWENTY TWELVE: THE COMPLETE SERIES DVD!

January 25, 2013, 3:00 pm

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Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Jessica Hynes (Spaced), Olivia Colman (Peep Show) and Amelia Bullmore (State of Play) star in this fly on the wall comedy about the people paddling hard beneath the water to make the Olympics happen in London in 2012. Filmed in the same faux-documentary style used in The Office, Twenty Twelve finds hilarity in how a huge bureaucracy deals with petty details such as how to phase the traffic lights across London to get people from west to east, what to do with the Taekwondo hall after the event, and how to cope with athletes who want to do publicity but are just too dull. This intrepid team must decide who should run the Cultural Olympiad and figure out what to do when the much-vaunted wind turbines won't turn because there's no wind. Basic ineptitude rises to the surface when these men and women attempt to stage the greatest sporting event in the world. 

And we're giving away three copies!


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