Verdict
Strictly for the hardcore Johnny Depp fans
Verdict
Strictly for the hardcore Johnny Depp fans
Verdict
Strictly for the hardcore Johnny Depp fans
Damning with Faint Praise: THE RUM DIARY
Verdict
Strictly for the hardcore Johnny Depp fans
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The Inevitable iWatch
Recently, when Apple unveiled new iPodnanos, and they were elongated,no longer an option for hacking into a watch, my initial thought when I saw them was that this meant Apple was working on watch.
The new iPod nano design is mediocre, but not terrible. But it seemed an odd left turn. And right away I felt that there was more meaning behind this seemingly unnecessary change in design.
I don’t think Apple was happy with third party manufacturers and with DIY hackers turning their iPod nanos into watches. They did include nice watch-like display options, so they knew that Apple consumers were into the idea of the nano as a watch.
But it was only a matter of time before Apple decided that if there was going to be an “Apple watch” - it was going to made by Apple, and Apple only.
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KEEP YOUR PUNY GAMER ARMS Warm This Winter With the Nintendo Controller Jacket
You might not have lettered in anything during High School but there's no reason not to flash your gaming shit just as proudly with this Nintendo Controller jacket that will surely impress someone...somewhere.
Made to keep you warm and cozy, this awesome blast-from-the past (not to be confused with the Brendan Fraser movie) is made from 100% black textured cotton with a black quilted nylon lining featuring a Nintendo controller across the back and one on the front as a logo.
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The Pull List: AQUAMAN #16, INVINCIBLE #100, PUNISHER: WAR ZONE #4 & More!
Check out what I checked out this week.Whether the comics are inspiring or disappointing, I read them all.
Welcome to The Pull List.
And, as always...Spoilers ahead!
Writer: Eric Trautmann & Alex Ross
Art: Ron Adrian
Cover: Alex Ross
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Price: $3.99
This issue is the calm before what will be a destructive storm. Ming has fallen, and Flash Gordon appears to be in control.
Dissension festers among the kingdoms of Mongo which makes Flash, Dale, and Zarkov wonder if victory was actually achieved. Eric Trautmann replaces the notion of a necessary evil with the absolute necessity of evil required to rule Mongo. You would think that beings from all walks of life: foreign, domestic and extra terrestrial would run towards peace.
But maybe peace is not the natural order of things on alien worlds.
Could it be that Flash’s efforts were all for nothing? Will Ming have the last laugh after all?
Tune in next month for the final answer.
Grade: A-
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Smith Micro Launches Manga Studio 5
Smith Micro has released the latest edition of their popular Manga Studio software, Manga Studio 5. The essential software for producing comics, Manga Studio's current release is by far the most comprehensive and most flexible tool for creating manga or traditional comics on a computer.
Full press release after the jump.
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LEARN AN ALTERNATE HISTORY Lesson With the Presidential Monster Figures
If you are a Presidential history buff with a side order of monster love, then this marriage of horror and politics is about to make you very happy.
Or, as happy as a figure of Frankenstein Lincoln leering at you from a darkened corner shelf ever could.
(I know, I'm pretty excited for you too)
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(No More) Love in the Time of X-Men — Doomed Romances X-Amined
For the past two years that I’ve been writing Danger Rooms for FOG!, I’ve done a nice little Valentine’s Day piece (here and here), spotlighting the romantic overtures of our favorite mutants and there I was, entering my third February here, ready to do it again. But then I remembered back to my single days and how the last thing I wanted to read about when feeling lonely was a lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day sapfest.
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The only type of “V Day” I wanted to think about during those times. |
So, let’s get bitter for a second, shall we? Leave crap like The Notebook to those Hallmark moment loving folks. Forget about that girl in the cubicle next you that just got two dozen roses, “one for each wonderful day” her boyfriend has known her. Never mind the guy across the hall that managed to snag two dates for the evening.
Nah. Just take a break and relish in romance gone wrong, albeit a fictional one.
It’ll be all right. Just keep your hands where I can see ‘em. Yeah. I’m looking at you, comic book nerd stereotype.
Nah. Just take a break and relish in romance gone wrong, albeit a fictional one.
It’ll be all right. Just keep your hands where I can see ‘em. Yeah. I’m looking at you, comic book nerd stereotype.
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“Worst. Blogger. Ever.” |
The X-Men have certainly been no strangers to romance. Seriously. The Xavier Mansion was like a setting for The Real World with all the hookups and love triangles and quadrangles.
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TAKE COMFORT OUT-OF-WORK Job Searcher, You May Be Broke and Depressed But At Least Your Resume Cover Letter Will Never End Up Being Mocked By A Pop Culture Website Like This Guy
Full Disclosure: I am a highly successful blogger (insert joke here) which means, I am broke and never leave my house. Had I known that this particular career choice would lead to me to wearing elastic band pants 24/7 and selling collectible crap on eBay to feed my cereal addiction, I might have tried to finish my last year of college and gotten a "real" job. Of course, that would probably cut into my Netflix time and that is not a good thing.
But yes, like the Korean guy whose resume cover letter is below, I too am looking for a sustainable job in which to make money and quite possibly prove that I am stronger than a wild bear.
But I will say this, if you are looking for someone who is "...so fast more than train", I am probably not your girl.
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in defense of... The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle
As we all know, the big studios are constantly in search of the next big kid-friendly franchise, regardless of the age of the source material. In recent years, the box office was even kind to big budget adaptations of The Smurfs, Alvin and the Chipmunks and even to some extent The Muppets.
But for every Lorax there are more than a few Dark Shadows. And that was just last year. There was also a slowly fading Diary of a Wimpy Kid installment and even the more kid friendly Snow White adaptation Mirror Mirror failed to reflect its good intentions.
Although it has ramped up in the last twenty years especially, the merchandising of past pop culture for a summer or winter tent-pole has always been met with mixed results.
One of my favorites is the almost immediately dismissed mixed bag from 2000, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. Produced by Universal in an attempt to bring the popular early 60s animated series to the big screen for the first time (a failed 1992 Boris and Natasha did not pass go and went directly to Showtime), the movie flopped pretty badly.
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EYES ON THE STARS: An Animated Story About Astronaut Ronald E. McNair's Childhood Dream of Going Into Space
Like most people my age (39), in 1986 I was in class watching the Space Shuttle Challenger lift off when it blew up and freaked me the fuck out. I remember that the school principal immediately released us from class, called our parents and, in the following days, required each student to see a school counselor to judge how badly messed up we were from witnessing the tragedy.
That day has always stuck with me. Not so much because of what happened, but because it made me interested in the lives of those people that were on it. Of course it was because of teacher Christa McAuliffe that most every school in the US was watching the launch live, but the other astronauts: Greg Jarvis, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee and Ronald McNair, became almost mythical figures to me, these brave men and women who went up into space and who never got to come back down again.
The following video is only one of their stories, Ronald McNair's, only the second black man to go into space and who spent his life working toward a goal he set when he was just a kid in South Carolina.
It is beautiful and poignant and told by McNair's brother Carl.
It is worth watching.
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CHRIS PRATT is STAR-LORD in Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
According to Deadline, Parks and Recreation/ Zero Dark Thirty co-star Chris Pratt has won the part, beating out other contenders including Joel Edgerton, Jack Huston, Jim Sturgess, Lee Pace, and Eddie Redmayne. Zachary Levi and Joseph Gordon-Levitt had also been previously mentioned in connection to the role.
Quill is the son of a human mother and alien father and assumes the mantle of Star-Lord, an interplanetary policeman and ultimately becomes leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, an intergalactic superhero team. James Gunn is directing the film which will include other heroes Drax the Destroyer, Groot, Rocket Raccoon, and Gamora.
This week, rumors arose that placed Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in the film as well.
Guardians of the Galaxy arrives in theaters August 1, 2014. The new Guardians of the Galaxy comic book series launches in stores later this month.
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History According to Hollywood
Dear Hollywood,
So it turns out I am completely ignorant when it comes to
certain aspects of US politics but luckily Argo, Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty have
been giving me quite the education this month.
And by certain aspects I do mean events that happened last
year.
I find it disturbing to learn the finer details of more recent
global occurrences e.g how the CIA located Osama bin Laden, from a film.
Especially when I read the details of the Geronimo/Neptune Spear operation with
interest when it was first pulled off last year, but sadly I only really transfer
CIA ops to the long-term memory portion of my subconscious if Jessica Chastain
demonstrates an unrelenting passion towards them.
I also thought I knew a few of the finer details of the American Civil War. Like why the fighting stopped. But after watching Lincoln it turns
out I had no idea. I had several muddled ideas.
And I can’t even pretend with Argo. I had no idea about the
events surrounding the hostage situation in Iran. I was the guy who read the
subtitles and went “huh, you would think I would know more about this.”
I am quite the ignoramous.
But in fairness, the nitty gritty details of how the CIA got
six Americans out of Iran during the seizure of the American embassy were not revealed
until the events were declassified in 1997. Not that that is an excuse of why I
didn’t know how they got out of the country. I wasn’t like, “but did they really
escape because of a Canadian effort? I just don’t buy it.”
Learning about the sacrifice and bravery of real life men
and women from the movies is a brilliant, yet ultimately depressing way of
making us (or ME) aware of our own history. Entertaining and informing is a
surefire way of presenting chapters of history that, whilst fascinating, can
sound drier on paper.
Abraham Lincoln’s bid to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution involves
a lot of backroom conversation and political manoeuvring which you were less
likely to learn about in the British education system. Much like Americans do
not know all the finer details of the Magna Carta signing, but are well
informed on how many wives Henry VIII killed, the more razzle dazzle parts of
history are the bits that stick. Yet these films, which basically deal with a
lot of people in high-ranking governmental organisations trying to argue for
the lives of other people, are fascinating.
Obviously Zero Dark Thirty is a film, not a documentary, built to
entertain rather then retell and I am sure the actual details of how the CIA
put together all the intel which helped them locate Bin Laden is far more
complicated and dull then can be portrayed in 120 minutes, but it goes some way
to demonstrating the relentless hard work of men and women who will never get
to wear a shiny dress to a movie premiere, or have a calorie counted meal
delivered to their door.
Same for Tony Mendez, the CIA operative who concocted and
pulled off the absurd Hollywood plan to get the US embassy workers out in Argo.
He pretended they were part of a film crew involved in making a science fiction
film in order to fly them safely home. That's mental. He was rewarded with
a shiny CIA Intelligence Star, but it was not publicly acknowledged until thirteen
years ago, and now he has gotten his dues
again. Being played by Ben Affleck probably gets more people interested in
his actions then when his plan became public knowledge.
Plus he got to be
played by Ben Affleck. So handsome.
However Argo, with its presentation
of the CIA as being the real heroes who let Canada take the limelight
for political retaliation reasons, has troubled some people. Like
Canadians. The film was also under fire for its condemnation
of the New Zealand and British Embassies for not taking in the US six
straight
away. In truth the Brits looked after them first before giving them to
Canada
for safe keeping. SO THERE AFFLECK. The limeys made them scones and
pudding
before the Canadians took them in.
But again. Film. Poetic license. It’s allowed when people
are going to Wiki the film straight after asking themselves “did that really
happen?” Then the real history lesson begins.
I am (hopefully) not stupid enough to take it all
as read. Even
when watching Argo, I was aware the intense chase scene at the airport
might have
been elaborated upon. Or as it turns out, completely made up. With this
in mind I was a bit confused by the configuration of the end credits
which place images from the film next to historical photos to show the
aesthetic similarity. This seems out of place in a movie which deviates
from the truth so much. That seemed sneaky, or at least self
congratulatory of you Affleck.
With Lincoln I not only learnt about the workings of
American politics in days of yore, and how depressingly little has changed
(there are still a few modern day self serving Lee Pace's about), but also about
why Lincoln is regarded as such a keen political mind.
A obvious and accepted sentiment, yes, but
appreciated more
when Daniel Day-Lewis is showing me exactly why he was ace, not only as a
leader but also as a lawyer, with his well timed tales and persuasive
skills. I took for granted he did some remarkable things because it is
the accepted thinking, but understanding how he
managed to pass the Thirteenth Amendment, with a few sneaky tricks and
bribes, is important, depressing and kind of realistic. Sure, poetic license had Lincon-Lewis talking
in parables all the time, which got a tad worthy by the end, but it was a
demonstration of how democratic and thoughtful this very tall man was.
So things are looking up Hollywood, you made me realise how
it takes a few great and determined people to save the world and you added in
extra car chases.
Love,
Ellen xo
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THE FOLLOWING: “The Poet's Fire” S1E3 (review)
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| By Steve Ahlquist |
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BEN & JERRY'S to Release Liz Lemon Flavored Fro-Yo This Spring!
I know, you get to ingest the lusciously tart Liz into your being where she can live forever.
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BEING HUMAN: "I'm So Lonesome I Could Die" S3/E4 (review)
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| By Julie Browning |
Not only does it help kill the pain from the loss of his son Henry (Kyle Schmid) to the deadly vamp virus, but hey, people are more willing to come back to your place and let you suck their blood if you buy them a few drinks!
In the aftermath of the party, Nora tells Josh that she has a "thing" after work. He presses~she tells him she must go to her parents' home for mom's birthday. She wants Josh to stay home and babysit Erin (Lydia Doesburg) and NOT clean up Aidan's mess.
Which of course, is the first thing Josh does as soon as she's out the door.
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TUESDAY BLUs (& DVDs): This Week's New Releases 2/5/13
Every week, we'll be letting you know which Blu-rays and DVDs will be available for purchase or rental starting today. This week includes some remastered classic films on Blu-ray for the first time, several Hollywood releases, including Flight, Celeste and Jesse Forever, A Late Quartet and more!
What looks good to you?
Cabaret: 40th Anniversary
Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome to Cabaret. Inside the Kit Kat Klub of 1931 Berlin, starry-eyed singer Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) and an impish emcee (Joel Grey) sound the call to decadent fun, while outside the Nazi Party rises to power, growing into a brutal force. Boasting a score by the legendary songwriting partnership of John Kander and Fred Ebb, Cabaret won eight Oscars, including awards for Minelli, Grey and director Bob Fosse, who shaped a triumph of style and substance. Come to this cabaret, old chum. You'll never want to leave.
Celeste and Jesse Forever
Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) are high school sweethearts who married young and are now at a crossroads at the age of thirty. While Celeste is a success in business, Jesse is unemployed and adrift. Celeste thinks that if they divorce now they could still remain friends. Jesse passively accepts the decision even though he is still in love with her. As reality sets in, Celeste slowly and painfully realizes she has been cavalier about their relationship, but her timing with Jesse is less than fortuitous.
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THE COMIC LIST: Releases For 2/6/13
After the jump check out a list of which which comics, graphic novels, toys and other pop-culture merchandise will arrive at your local comic shop via Diamond Comics Distributors. Please check with your retailer for availability.
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Contest! Win DANGEROUS LIASONS With Zhang Ziyi on Blu-ray!
1930s Shanghai: the glamorous, tumultuous “Paris of the East” whose salons, streets and bedrooms frame this Chinese adaptation of the French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses - into a lush new vision of Dangerous Liasons.
Aging socialite Mo Jieyu (Cecilia Cheung) still finds herself circling ex-boyfriend Xie Yifan (Jang Dong-kun). Even after years of separation, their attraction - and appetites - smolder just beneath the surface. Mo, the rich and charming widow with a taste for indulgence and sensuous pleasures, still has eyes for famous womanizer Xie, who secretly burns with love for her.
And yet, in his luxurious life, Xie's new interest lies in chaste humanitarian Du Fenyu (Ziyi Zhang), who has captured his attention and earned his desire for conquest. Mo lures Xie into a treacherous, dangerous game of hearts: win, bed, and leave Du, proving his mettle as a rogue and impossible catch. But can Xie take the honor of such a woman, without losing his own heart, as well? As war looms in Shanghai, can Xie win Mo's seductive game? Can he choose between these two women? Where will such a triangle lead them all? In matters of the heart, and in this city, there may be no difference between love and war.
And we're giving away three copies!
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HOWDY KIDS!! A SATURDAY AFTERNOON WESTERN ROUNDUP Comes To DVD!
HOWDY KIDS!!
A SATURDAY AFTERNOON WESTERN ROUNDUP
ON DVD FROM SHOUT! FACTORY
APRIL 9, 2013
On April 9 Shout! Factory will release Howdy Kids!! A Saturday Afternoon Western Roundup, a 3-DVD set including 24 complete episodes of your favorite shows from this enchanting decade of children’s television. Included are episodes from The Lone Ranger, The Range Rider, The Rifleman, The Adventures Of Rick O'Shay, Fury, The Roy Rogers Show, Annie Oakley, The Adventures Of Kit Carson, The Adventures Of Champion, The Cisco Kid, Sergeant Preston Of the Yukon, Sky King, Red Ryder, and Buffalo Bill Jr.
In the 1950s, television was new and exciting and full of imaginative shows for children. One of the most popular and enduring formats was the Western. Great shows like The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Fury, Sky King and many more flooded the airwaves and thrilled a generation of viewers as, without exception, the good guys would triumph over the bad.
Howdy Kids!! A Saturday Afternoon Western Roundup is a collection of some of the best and most loved shows from television’s infancy, a time when the Western was king and it was hard to choose just who you liked best, The Lone Ranger, Range Ryder or Red Ryder.
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NOW, THIS IS AN ODD WAY To Get Me To Buy A Furby [Banned Japanese Commercial]
You know that scene in Serenity when River Tam goes into the bar and gets triggered by a Fruity Oaty Bar commercial and then goes all Weapon of Mass Destruction on the bar patrons?
Yeah, this advertisement is very much like that.
Let's hope someone you know knows a safe word.
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