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Contest! Win Studio Ghibli's 'FROM UP ON POPPY HILL' on Blu-ray!

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©2011 Chizuru Takahashi - Tetsuro Sayama - GNDHDDT
Written by legendary studio founder Hayao Miyazaki and directed by Goro Miyazaki, the film marks the first feature-length collaboration between father and son - and the results are stunning.  Fresh off a triumphant domestic and international theatrical run, Cinedigm will release this acclaimed gem in multiple formats: Blu-ray+ DVD 2-Pack ($34.95srp), DVD 2-Pack ($29.94srp) and Cable VOD on September 3rd, 2013.

The dazzling, hand-drawn FROM UP ON POPPY HILL is set in Yokohama in 1963. Japan is picking itself up from the devastation of World War II and preparing to host the Olympics. The mood is one of both optimism and conflict as the young generation struggles to throw off the shackles of a troubled past. Against this backdrop of hope and change, a friendship begins to blossom between high school students Umi (Sarah Bolger) and Shun (Anton Yelchin) - but a buried secret from their past emerges to cast a shadow on the future and pull them apart. From a screenplay by Academy Award®-winner Hayao Miyazaki, the English language version is directed by multiple Academy Award®-winner Gary Rydstrom from a script adaptation by Karey Kirkpatrick (James and the Giant Peach, Chicken Run, Charlotte's Web) and features an all-star English voice cast including Gillian Anderson, Sarah Bolger, Beau Bridges, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Fuhrman, Christina Hendricks, Ron Howard, Chris Noth, Emily Osment, Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Saxton, Alex Wolff and Anton Yelchin. Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy executive produced.

The Blu-ray+ DVD combo and DVD releases of FROM UP ON POPPY HILL both contain over three hours of bonus materials and include: original Japanese language and English language versions with subtitles and dubtitles; feature-length storyboards; celebrity cast recording featurette with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews; an interview with Goro Miyazaki; original Japanese trailer and TV spots; the music video for the theme song by Aoi Teshima; and a featurette about Yokohama, exploring the history of the sea-side setting where the film takes place. Bonuses exclusive to the Blu-ray edition include a staff speech and press conference by Hayao Miyazaki days after the Fukushima earthquake; and a 20-page booklet containing the original project proposal by Hayao Miyazaki and a letter from Goro Miyazaki.

And we're giving away three copies!

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If You're Life Is On Hold Until SHERLOCK Returns, Perhaps Watching JOHN CLEESE Portray the Grandson of the Good Detective In the Comedy 'The Strange Case of The End of Civilization As We Know It' Might Help

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One of the problems of being able to watch an entire series like Sherlock in one go is that I have no patience when it comes to waiting for the next season...and oh sweet Jeebus, how I long for the next season.

In fact, at this very moment I am suffering from withdrawal symptoms (mostly shaking and a peculiar need for hot tea) due to having little-to-no Cumberbatch and Freeman interaction. Of course, one of the side effects of such withdrawal is that I am spending an awful lot of time on the Sherlock and John Together Forever! Fan/Slash Fiction Site and falling into a severe depression.

But there is something that might help temper these little aftershock quirks during my wait for the next season to begin here in the states, a 1977 film called The Strange Case of the End of Civilization As We Know It starring John Cleese as the drug addicted grandson of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Sherlock Holmes, and his idiotic partner William Watson (grandson of John) played by Arthur Lowe, who are trying to track down the grandson of Prof. Moriarty named Prof. Moriarty, who has threatened to end the world.

Think of this as a salve that cuts the ache in your Sherlock wound by 40%.

Movie after the break.

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FOG! Chats With EDGAR WRIGHT, SIMON PEGG and NICK FROST!

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Pegg, Frost and Wright sit down with Greg Vellante to discuss the final entry in their trilogy, The World’s End

When filmmaker Edgar Wright broke onto the scene with his critically acclaimed and inspired debut Shaun of the Dead in 2004, he never expected this would lead to a trilogy.

“We didn’t want to make a sequel to Shaun of the Dead, but more of a thematic sequel,” said Wright. “But then after Hot Fuzz, when myself and other people wanted there to be a third, we thought ‘Oh, maybe there is a way to link these.’”

Nearly a decade later and Wright is now unveiling The World’s End, a sci-fi comedy about five friends reuniting for an epic pub crawl that is eventually interrupted by the discovery the entire town has been overtaken by body-snatching replicas.

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Art Found in A Junk Drawer: PACIFIC LIGHT Visually Demonstrates What Your Soy Sauce Packet, Some Ink, A Few Drops of Soap and a Bit of Gasoline Combined Might Look Like

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Art is a crazy medium that can lead to either a horrendous glop of pretentious twaddle, or it can make the world seem beautiful. And, in the case of artist Ruslan Khasanov's Pacific Light, we thankfully have the latter.

Created after Khasanov noticed "...black beads of soy sauce forming in his cooking oil and immediately became curious about the insoluble chemistry and its aesthetic consequences. Dinner was postponed as Khasanov spent the next five hours transforming his cooktop into a chemistry lab. He layered brightly colored ink on a slick of olive oil and a constellation of colorful spheres appeared—adding detergent emulsified his creative concoction, leading to impressive, blended results."[Wired]

Yep, the guy made a strikingly hypnotic video of stuff found around his home in five fucking hours...and last night, I fell asleep on the couch while watching Skin to the Max.

Sometimes I really do hate myself.

Video after the break.

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Boston Comic Con: "Writing For Comics Panel" With STEVE NILES, FRANK TIERI, TOM SNIEGOSKI and Moderated by FOG!'s STEFAN BLITZ

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On August 3rd I had the privilege to moderate the "Writing For Comics" panel at the Boston Comic Con.

One of the attendees, Anthony Cooley filmed the panel and was generous enough to share it with Forces of Geek.  Unfortunately, it's missing a bit in the beginning and a few of the audience questions at the end, so let's start with my introduction.
The only writer entrusted to work on the Bone series beyond creator Jeff Smith and author of over three dozen novels, our first guest has written by himself or with frequent collaborator Christopher Golden on Star Trek, Batman, Wolverine, Punisher, BPRD, Ghost and the various characters of Joss Whedon's Buffy-verse; Mr. Tom Sniegowski.

Known for his Tarantino-esque style and dark humor, our second guest broke into the industry co-writing Iron Man at Marvel with no less than Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada.  He's written Wolverine, Deadpool, The Punisher, Grifter, Batman and the Thunderbolts; Mr. Frank Tieri.

The third guest is one of comic's most prominent horror writers.  He is the creator of 30 Days of Night, Aleister Arcane, Mystery Society, Freaks of the Heartland, has written franchises such as Batman and The X-Files and is currently collaborating with legend Bernie Wrightson on Frankenstein Alive, Alive, Mr. Steve Niles.
Watch the panel after the jump.

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STEVE MARTIN And KERMIT THE FROG In Dueling Banjos...MISS PIGGY Might Want to Stay Clear From This Particular Skit

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While I'm sure the song Dueling Banjos was never specifically created to convey a portent to anal rape by hillbillies, it does so thanks to the great, albeit horrifying, film Deliverance

And watching the innocence of Kermit the Frog and Steve Martin picking it out in THE MIDDLE OF THE SWAMP sort of makes me a bit tense, thinking that at any moment some untoward group of mutant ass rippers will appear and drag both of them behind some trees and proceed to make them squeal like Miss Piggy. 

Other than that, it's pretty swell. 

Video after the break.

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DRINKING BUDDIES (review)

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Review by Todd Sokolove
So many great films at SXSW, so little time.  

Although I was able to check out a ton of great features and documentaries while there, I'm glad some of the best of the fest is finally making wider release.

One of these is hitting theaters tomorrow and currently available On Demand –  Drinking Buddies from writer/producer/director/actor Joe Swanberg (LOL, V/H/S).   

Swanberg admits inspiration from comedies of the early 70s, like Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice, but I would also throw in there Carnal Knowledge.

This is elephant-in-the-room relationship territory, where every facial gesture, body language and unspoken remark leaves a little mark.  Alcohol is a frequent collaborator in Drinking Buddies, without a message for or against reliance on it.

Olivia Wilde (Tron: Legacy) plays the free-spirited, but deeply conflicted Kate, the token female player in a successful craft brewery.  She gets along well with the guys at work, and hangs with them after hours for a few pints and pool games before heading to the apartment of her boyfriend Chris, played by Ron Livingston (The Conjuring).  


Kate is the quintessential fun co-worker, and puts on her professional, mature side only when need be (like, when around the very serious, kind of pretentious Chris).

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If Syfy Can Move Away From the Killer Sharks For A While, I Think I May Have Found Them A Whole New Genre...KILLER SQUIRRELS

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In this Pre-Production sales trailer for Timur Bekmambetov's (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Wanted) movie Squirrels (about killer squirrels of course) we get the sense that a bidding war might start brewing between the basic cable channels to put this into full production after the phenomenal success of Sharknado.

After-all the public loves crappy horror flicks starring former teen actors (I like to think of these films as The Crash Course of our time) so, if this movie is able to get off the ground, my dream cast would include: Tina Yothers (Family Ties), Brian Bloom (Who's the Boss), Alfonso Ribeiro(Silver Spoons) and Brice Beckham (Mr. Belvedere) all together.

What a glorious day for us all.

Trailer after the break.

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Triple Shot With a Digital Chaser:X-O MANOWAR #16, BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED UNIVERSE #1, INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #12 plus THE FEZ #1

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The Summer of Valiant is almost over but X-O Manowar is ramping up for the fight of his life, Batman Beyond Unlimited Universe jumps ahead a year in Neo-Gotham, plus Triple Shot favorite Mark Waid gives Indestructible Hulk the Doctor Who treatment and drops him into the Wild Wild West.

Wash it all down with 12 pages of The Fez from Roger Langridge found backstage at Babette's Supper Club.


X-O MANOWAR #16
WRITER: Robert Venditti
ART: Lee Garbett
Publication Date: August 21, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Valiant Comics
UPC: 85899200303101611
Buy it HERE

Aric of Dacia has returned from rescuing slaves from The Vine on Planet Death, and now he’s home.

A flashback to the Visigoth Aric looks much like Thor the Mighty Avenger on the title page, being schooled by his former mentor, Gilad The Eternal Warrior.

Flash forward to present day Romania, where Aric breaks into the National Museum of History to reclaim his father’s throne and fulfill his destiny as king.


Two of the most powerful heroes in the Valiant Universe go head to head as The Eternal Warrior sees firsthand the might of the alien X-O armor.

This series is the lead-up to the fall Unity event at Valiant that will pit Aric against Ninjak, Toyo Harada (Harbinger), The Eternal Warrior and more. Aric is on the path to reclaim not only his throne, but conquer the Earth itself, fulfilling the destiny of his people.

The Valiant crossover event looks promising with Matt Kindt at the helm, and this main book by Venditti and Garbett continues to impress with great stories and art.

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THE BRIDGE: "Destino" S1E7 (review)

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By Matt 'Quori' Armstrong
So last week I posited that The Bridge and True Blood were blurring some lines.

Neither I nor Robin Thicke are currently amused.

This week was no different as we open with Tampa Bay “Skeezy” Ray meeting with Graciela Rivera for a money drop.

He asks for a word and she agrees to which he counters he wants to run guns into Mexico – specifically everyone’s favorite NRA sanctioned toy the AR-15. She agrees to the possibility of this new venture but insists on a little payment of her own.

“Do you like oral sex?” she asks. He says yes, doesn’t everyone…indeed Ray, indeed; but Ray isn’t smart enough to know what’s coming next.
 

Graciela repositions herself removing her lower, um, coverings…and tells Ray to get to work.

He complies.

Ew. Just ew.

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'TALES FROM BEYOND THE PALE', SEASON 2 LIVE! Will Haunt Fans Everywhere FRIDAY THE 13th of September

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Glass Eye Pix, the maverick prolific production company responsible for a vast slate of captivating independent genre movies including THE LAST WINTER, I SELL THE DEAD, THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, STAKE LAND and THE INNKEEPERS, announces the wide release of the highly anticipated second season of their sensory rich genre audio dramas TALES FROM BEYOND THE PALE via the online store at http://www.talesfrombeyondthepale.com.

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BEN AFFLECK is BATMAN

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Variety reports that Ben Affleck will don the cape and cowl in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel, replacing Christian Bale as the Dark Knight.

According to the report, director Zack Snyder commented on the casting, "Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”

In recent years Affleck has built his reputation as one of Hollywood's more gifted filmmakers.  He was previously rumored to be directing the upcoming Justice League movie.  This casting announcement certainly brings him in closer with the Warner/DC brain trust and if nothing else, we might now see him behind the camera for the upcoming Batman reboot.


Thoughts?

CONTEST! Win 'DOCTOR WHO: GREEN DEATH' Special Edition DVD

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UNIT is called in after a miner from the Welsh village of Llanfairfach is found dead, his skin glowing bright green. Jo joins forces with a local environmental group, led by Professor Clifford Jones, while the Doctor investigates the nearby plant of a company called Global Chemicals. They discover that the mine workings are full of giant maggots and green slime - both lethal to touch - that have been produced by chemical waste pumped from the Global plant.
And we're giving away three copies!

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THE WORLD'S END (review)

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Review by Greg Vellante
Produced by Nira Park, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Written by Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg
Directed by Edgar Wright
Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, 
Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan, 
Rosamund Pike, Pierce Brosnan

Focus Features / Rated R


An inebriated Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Edgar Wright’s The World’s End is one of those crazy, inspired gems that seems to come by every once and a while and just slap you with surprise.

And while I ponder on similar films of the past decade, Wright’s first two films—2004’s Shaun of the Dead and 2007’s Hot Fuzz—easily fit the bill as well, rejoicing in their collective influences and innovations.


The collaborative creations of Wright, along with stars Nick Frost and Simon Pegg (also a co-writer on all three films), have all shined with originality and ripened exponentially with every single revisit.

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YOU'RE NEXT (review)

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Review by Clay N Ferno
Produced by Simon Barrett, Keith Calder, 
Kim Sherman, Jessica Wu
Written by Simon Barrett
Directed by Adam Wingard
Starring Sharni Vinson, Nicholas Tucci, 
Wendy Glenn, AJ Bowen, Joe Swanberg, 
Barbara Crampton, Rob Moran

Lionsgate / Rated R

Horror fans get a chance to get out of the house this weekend to check out You’re Next, a 2011 film picked up for national distribution from director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett.

Be wary of those in the theatre with plastic animal masks on in the theatre, the could be in on the master plan.

Welcome to a mansion in the woods with your family for the weekend!

If that’s not scary enough, just wait until your older brother gets there and starts teasing you about your weight.

This is a good horror film.

Perhaps a great one, but not a great thriller.

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Contest! Win A COMPANY MAN on Blu-ray!

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Hyeong-do (SO Ji-sub) goes to the office every day, but isn't thrilled with the cubicles, the politics, his co-workers, or the management. His job is murder.

Literally. At this company, death is all in a day's work. Hyeong-do is a corporate assassin, working for a company specializing in contract killings. He's one of the best, and a loyal employee. But when his new trainee gets killed on the job, he feels an obligation to care for the kid's family - and taking his eye off the ball is not how a guy gets promoted. Now, Hyeong-do wants out of the cutthroat rat race to start a new life, but his colleagues have different plans - and "retirement" may come at a far bloodier price than expected.
And we're giving away three copies!

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'MANIFEST DESTINY' Reveals The Secret Mission of Lewis & Clark

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Famous explorers meet monsters and worse on the American frontier

In 1804, Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark set out from St. Louis, Missouri with the intent of blazing a trail to the western coast of North America—a trip that would set the foundation for the future of the United States of America. But what the history books don’t tell you is the true purpose of Lewis and Clark’s journey to the west...

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CAREFUL MAN, THERE'S A BEVERAGE HERE: Save Your Table From Damage With The Letterpress 'The Big Lebowski' Coaster Set...'Cause Even Nihilists Hate Water Rings Man

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I've been a coaster Nazi ever since my old coffee table got ruined by condensation from a myriad of cocktail glasses left sitting on the wood overnight, and there was nothing I could do to save it. So now I collect coasters to use for my various parties that not only keep my furniture looking new, they also act as an ice breaker for n00bs who have never been to one of my soirees (a lot of my coaster sets are pornographic in nature, which is my way of weeding out the uptight assholes from those people with a good sense of humor...it works like a charm).

And I have to say, this set of 10 letterpress Big Lebowski coasters (hand-cranked from a 1915 Hand Operated Chandler & Price press, for those of you letterpress fanatics who get off on that kind of info) by etsy seller RuffHouseArt, is just the thing for a night of imbibing in pitchers of White Russians while wearing Pendleton Sweater Jackets...especially since the coasters not only depict iconic visuals from the movie, but also the very lines of dialog that everyone enjoys quoting after a few glasses of booze.

And they are only $12 for the set, which makes it very economical if you have The Dude-type budget.

After the break are some pics of the various coasters.

Just don't get anything on the rug.

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WTF FRIDAY: The Japanese Are Tired Of Looking At Your Scraggly Old-Ass Face, So Put This Over It And Start Exercising

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You can always count on the Japanese for creating products that frighten Westerners...and yep, the Facewaver Exercise Mask/Gimp Wear is just such a thing.

According to the claims, if you slip this mask over your head and start making obscene facial expressions, it will literally "...stretch and tighten your face and cheeks, kneading out wrinkles, lines and sag...so you will "appear more youthful and energetic" [JTS].

Of course it will. I mean look at it:


What about donning an ace bandage face hugger and opening your mouth does not convey "Youthful Fucking Skin"?

And surely you have 5 minutes a day to spare on looking as dewy as a nineteen-year old farm girl who has lived on only whole grains and milk straight from the teat of a beloved and spoiled dairy cow right?

Okay, sure it costs $60 and is vaguely reminiscent of that time you participated in BDSM for about a month, but for Christ Sake IT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK YOUNG!

And that's what you want right? To be 70 but look 30?

That wouldn't seem off-putting at all...nope, not a bit.

You might want to put in an order for it today, you're looking a bit tired.

Source: Laughing Squid

TOP 5 Movies That Are So Bad, They’re Good

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The Giant Claw, Sin! You Sinners, Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter, I Was A Teenage Werewolf, Evil Bong, The Wild Women Of Wongo - there is certainly no shortage of blatantly bizarre and bad Hollywood B-movies.

But despite/because of the nonsensical plots, acting on the level of a bad porno, amateurish special effects, shoddy direction or a brain-damaging combination of all the above, movies that are outstandingly good at being embarrassingly bad, become entertaining to watch and laugh at.

Perhaps it’s because of unintentionally hilarious monster costumes, crazy theme songs or horses painted as zebras, or maybe it’s the charm of a film that naïvely doesn’t realize its shortcomings.

Although the movies on this list are equally terrible, here is our completely subjective Top 5 Movies that are so laughingly bad, they’re awfully enjoyable (contains spoilers):


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